cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Military and Government: Arms and Politics in Latin America, Edwin Lieuwen

Some fifteen years ago a distinguished scholar, Charles E. Merriam, remarked: "The truth is that the most neglected of subjects in the whole domain of political science is that of the organization of military violence in relation to political government. "1 He might well have included the domain of history. This neglect is attributable in part to intellectual fashions; scholars were preoccupied with phenomena which interested them more or which they conceived to be more important. In part it was due to philosophical disposition. Historians and social scientists of pre-World War II generations were in a broad sense, a liberal, idealistic, and humane lot. They were overwhelmingly concerned with institutions and processes which they regarded as "normal" and which derived from action which was essentially rational: constitutions, elections, economic development, social forces, intellectual movements. Armies represented irrationality, brutality and inhumanity.2 They were aberrations. Grand Duke Alexander in a celebrated bon mot once complained that he did not like war because it spoiled the armies. Historians did not like armies because they spoiled history. Their military functions were rather contemptuously relegated to military history and their dimly perceived extra-military role in society was swept under the rug. Almost three decades of mobilization or partial mobilization on a worldwide scale have, however, fostered a reluctant realization that armies are something more than combat instruments. They are social subsystems with a life and rhythm of their own which transcend military operations and which interact in an infinity of com-
A Geometric Approach to the Calderón-Zygmund Estimates

In this note, we will show a new proof of the classical Calderon-Zygmund estimates established in [7] 1952. The estimates are among the fundamental estimates for elliptic equations. Parabolic equations are also considered.
A New Species of Euschoengastia (Acarina: Trombiculidae) from Western North America, and the Status of E. Californica (Ewing)

Euschoengastia ambocalis , n. sp., holotype from San Diego County, California, off host Peromyscus californicus , is proposed for the species previously called E. californica (Ewing, 1925). Schongastia californica Ewing, 1925, is herein designated a nomen dubium .
Mastering and Archiving Uncompressed Digital Video Test Materials

This is a report on the status of the SMPTE Ad Hoc Group (AHG) charged with creating a master set of standard-definition video sequences for subjective testing of electronic systems. The images will be available from SMPTE, for use in the evaluation of electronic systems. The first task is to create a master representation of video sequences enabling preservation in a consistent and stable storage environment. Once the sequences are restored and returned to a pristine state (when possible), they will be provided in digital file format to SMPTE. The Society will then offer the video sequences in various formats (digital data media and uncompressed digital videotape) for testing electronic systems. This report also includes representative images from sequences in a set of standard-definition materials, the first production of the AHG. Finally, feedback and suggestions on the quality and interest of this process is requested.
Automobile Surface Cover Press Flaw and Processing Measure

The automobile outward appearance cover generally all has the quite complex space-like surface structure,it is very high quality request to the press surface,this article according to the automobile cover general press technical process,analyzes the press flaw in the pull and stretch,the cutedge,the upsiding down edges and the pierce and narrate the corresponding flaw processing measure.
Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women in the United States, with an estimated 296,000 new cases and more than 40,000 deaths in 2013. Age, family history, and both endogenous and exogenous ovarian hormone exposure have important effects on risk and have been incorporated into models that predict individual risk of breast cancer; diet, alcohol use, and other factors play smaller roles. Inherited mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, and CHEK2 play a role in the development of hereditary breast cancer, and high-risk individuals can be directly tested. BRCA mutation-associated breast cancer differs from sporadic breast cancer in that BRCA mutation carriers have a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer and differential sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. As BRCA genetic testing is readily available, BRCA mutation status should be evaluated in high-risk women, including women who were diagnosed with breast cancer at an early age, who have a strong family history, or whose tumors were triple negative (TN). Given the high rate of contralateral breast cancer and ovarian cancer, mutation carriers with newly diagnosed breast cancer may choose to undergo contralateral prophylactic mastectomy or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. In addition, two selective estrogen receptor modulators, tamoxifen and raloxifene, and aromatase inhibitors can be used to decrease the incidence of invasive breast cancer in women who are at high risk of this condition.
Effects of seafloor diagenesis on planktic foraminiferal radiocarbon ages

Radiocarbon (14C) ages obtained from planktic foraminiferal calcite are a mainstay for reconstructing ocean-climate change and carbon cycle dynamics of the past 30 k.y., yet the effects of diagenesis on this vital chronometer are poorly constrained. Here, we address this shortcoming by comparing 14C ages and trace element ratios (Mg/Ca, Mn/Ca) of planktic foraminifera with white, opaque shells deemed well preserved by traditional standards to those with exquisitely preserved translucent shells. Results support a diagenetic mechanism as opaque shells yield 14C ages invariably older and trace element ratios consistently higher than those of translucent shells. Radiocarbon age offsets are particularly pronounced in mono-specific samples taken from stratigraphic horizons proximal to the δ18O maximum marking the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the subsequent deglacial. Radiocarbon-based calendar ages of translucent shells from the two intervals are congruent with the established age ranges for these climate events, whereas those of co-occurring opaque shells overestimate the LGM and deglacial by 8–15 k.y. and 14–22 k.y., respectively. These results demonstrate that the use of translucent foraminifera enhances reproducibility and accuracy of 14C ages by minimizing the deleterious effects of diagenesis. This study serves as a cautionary tale since white, opaque foraminifera are common in pelagic sediments, and 14C ages derived from their ostensibly well-preserved shells can lead to discrepancies in the timing of Quaternary climate events and ocean circulation reconstructions.
Kinetics of Enamel Dissolution

The fact that enamel dissolves in acidic media has contributed to the universal problem of dental caries. The occurrence of this disease is dependent on many factors of which one is tooth enamel. Since enamel consists mainly of inorganic calcium and phosphate in the form of hydroxyapatite (HAP), studies on the dissolution of enamel have often used synthetic apatites as models. These models have proved to be quite successful in describing many aspects of enamel dissolution and will be mentioned throughout this chapter. Since the mathematics needed to describe thoroughly the dissolution rates of enamel can become rather complex, this summary is intended to describe the dissolution process without the detail found in the main body of the chapter.
WebSTAR3D: a web server for RNA 3D structural alignment

Summary: The WebSTAR3D web server is a user-friendly online interface for the alignment of RNA 3D structures. The website takes as input two files, each of which can be in either PDB or mmCIF format, containing the desired structures to align, via a PDB code or user upload. In return, the user is presented with a visualization of the aligned structures in Jmol or JSmol, along with the corresponding sequence alignment, and the option to download the nucleotide mapping of the structures and a PDB file containing the aligned, superimposed structures. Availability and Implementation: The WebSTAR3D is available at http://rna.ucf.edu/WebSTAR3D. Contact: shzhang@cs.ucf.edu
Assessment of the EuroQol 5-Dimension Questionnaire for Detection of Clinically Significant Global Health-Related Quality-of-Life Improvement Following Functional Septorhinoplasty.

ImportanceNasal airway obstruction is a common presenting complaint among patients in otolaryngology practices, and its treatment necessitates critical outcomes evaluation and cost-utility analysis...
Demystifying Adolphe Appia: Understanding the Influences on Modern Stage Design

The 19th Century stage had many influences, not the least of which was Richard Wagner. Adolphe Appia sought to correct Wagner's staging mistakes; but Appia's understanding of stage technology was weak. He was not on the same level as those who worked, designed and produced in the theatre as a profession. Those individuals had to solve the problems and limitations of the 19th Century stage with the emerging technologies of lighting and stage construction. Appia is best known for his essays and accompanying stage renderings which sought only to revolutionize the Wagnerian stage. He only executed a few of his designs and only one was in a legitimate theatre. Theatre had become a middle class activity in the 19th Century, but it's aesthetic style drew from painters and artists. The artists who collaborated with theatre had more to do with changing the 19th Century stage than one individual. Edvard Munch set the emotional tone in his paintings for the early part of the 20th Century. He was friends with August Strindberg and was admired by Ibsen. Max Reinhardt used Munch's set design for his production of Ibsen's Ghosts at the Kammerspiele Theatre in 1906. What was the relationship between art and theatre in the early 20th Century and to what effect?
Biopsy Detected Gleason Pattern 5 is Associated with Recurrence, Metastasis and Mortality in a Cohort of Men with High Risk Prostate Cancer

Purpose: We evaluated the relative risk of biochemical recurrence, metastasis and death from prostate cancer contributed by biopsy Gleason pattern 5 among men at high risk with Gleason 8-10 disease in the SEARCH (Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital) cohort.Materials and Methods: Men with biopsy Gleason sum 8-10 prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy were evaluated. The cohort was divided into men with Gleason 4 + 4 vs those with any pattern 5 (ie Gleason 3 + 5, 5 + 3, 4 + 5, 5 + 4 or 5 + 5). Predictors of biochemical recurrence, metastases, and prostate cancer specific and overall survival were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier, log rank test and Cox proportional hazards models.Results: We identified 634 men at high risk in the SEARCH database, of whom 394 (62%) had Gleason 4 + 4 and 240 (38%) had Gleason pattern 5 on biopsy. Baseline characteristics did not significantly differ between the groups. On multivariable analysis relative to Gleason 4 + 4 men at high risk with Gleason pattern 5 s...
Biologic Therapy and the Risk of Malignancy in Psoriasis

Biologic agents are currently regarded as a highly efficacious systemic treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis. However, their use in patients with a history of malignancy or an increased risk ...
Effect of a Combined Trenbolone Acetate and Estradiol Implant on Feedlot Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Carcass Composition of Feedlot Steers

Objectives of this study were to determine the influence of trenbolone acetate (TBA) and estradiol (E2) in a combined implant on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and carcass composition in finishing steers. Sixty-four large-framed (394.1 kg) crossbred steers were randomly assigned to one of four pens. Subsequently, pens were randomly assigned to one of two treatments, implanted (120 mg of TBA and 24 mg of E2) and nonimplanted. Eight steers/treatment were slaughtered for initial carcass composition. Remaining steers were assigned to one of three serial slaughter dates (d 40, 115, or 143). Implantation increased circulating trenbolone (TBOH) and E2 concentrations throughout the trial. Implantation increased ADG 18% (P .05) on dry matter intake. Feed efficiency was improved 13% during d 0 to 40 (P < .01) and from d 41 to 115 (P = .07). Longissimus muscle area was larger (P < .05) in implanted steers than in nonimplanted steers on d 115. Carcasses from implanted steers had a smaller (P < .05) percentage of kidney, pelvic, and heart (KPH) fat on d 143 than those from nonimplanted steers. Carcasses from implanted steers possessed more carcass protein (P < .05) on d 40. Implanted steers had an 82% increase (P < .05) in daily carcass protein accretion during the first 40 d. Implantation increased (P < .01) carcass water but did not affect carcass fat accumulation throughout the feeding period. The combined TBA+E2 implant improved feedlot performance and stimulated carcass protein accretion in feedlot steers.
Time Scaling and Frequency Invariant Multiresolution Analysis of Ultrasonic NDE Signals

Nuclear power plant pipes are periodically inspected for possible cracks that occur in the heat-affected zones of welds. Intergranular stress corrosion cracks (IGSCC) are the most common type of cracks encountered particularly in stainless steel piping. Three major factors are required for the formation and propagation of IGSCCs, the tensile stress on the inner diameter of the weld region, a corrosive environment and a sensitized grain structure. When these flaws are not detected early enough, the consequences can be disastrous, and therefore the detection of IGSCCs is of significant interest to the nuclear industry.
Design and performance study of a DC–DC ZETA converter with wide bandgap power devices

The rapid growth in renewable energy based electric power generation continuously pushes for the need of high performance power conversion systems. This paper mainly focuses on the design and performance study of a DC– DC ZETA converter using wide bandgap power devices. The converter is designed based on a SiC MOSFET/SiC Schottky diode, and its performance is compared with a Si IGBT/SiC Schottky diode based converter. The switching characteristics of the SiC MOSFET and Si IGBT power devices within the converter are studied and compared. A comprehensive evaluation of the total power loss and overall efficiency of the converter is analyzed and reported. The results indicate that the converter with the SiC MOSFET/SiC Schottky diode has great potential to work efficiently under different operating conditions.
Workshop on the Future of Scholarly Publishing

There is currently much discussion and research on topics such as open access, alternative publishing models, semantic publishing, peer review, data sharing, reproducible science, etc.; in short, how we can bring scholarly publishing in line with modern technologies and expectations. In the past, the document engineering community's participation in defining the future directions has been rather limited, which is surprising, as many document-centric issues related to scientific publishing still remain unresolved. Therefore, the main goal of this workshop, which will be held at DocEng 2018, is to stimulate discussion on this topic among experts in the document engineering field and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas. The second goal of the workshop is more hands-on: for generating the Post-Proceedings, we will be trialling a new workflow, which is based on some of the technologies discussed. The results will be reported to the DocEng Steering Committee and recommendations will be made future conferences.
Evaluation of a Faculty Coach Pilot Program to Teach and Assess Entrustable Professional Activities and Reflective Learning in Medical Students

Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) have emerged as a construct to operationalize competency-based medical education. In a programmatic pilot, we assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of faculty coaches for assessing EPAs and facilitating reflective learning in medical students. Four faculty coaches were provided dedicated time and training. Students on the “Women’s and Children’s Health” and “Medical Approach to the Patient” clerkships met with coaches biweekly. Coaches confidentially observed, assessed, and offered feedback on four EPAs. The coaches also reviewed the students’ guided self-assessments and reflections. Qualitative data was collected using focus groups and structured interviews of students, coaches, clerkship directors, and staff. Student outcomes were compared between students who received and did not receive coaching. Students’ reflective learning was assessed with the Reflection-in-Learning scale (RILs) and clinical skills were assessed with an objective structured clinical exam (OSCE). One hundred-seventy-eight medical students received coaching. Students found feedback effective, appreciated the confidentiality and did not experience interference with their clerkships. RILs significantly improved in students who received coaching as compared to students who did not receive coaching. No significant differences were observed in the OSCE. A faculty coach program in clinical clerkships was feasible, well-received, and improved reflective learning.
VAR Model Based Clustering Method for Multivariate Time Series Data

In this study, we develop a clustering method for multivariate time series data. In practical situations, such problems can arise in finance, economics, control theory, and health science. First, we propose to use a simulation based approximation to the test statistic and develop a method to test if two multivariate time series are coming from same VAR process. Then, the testing method is extended to a group of multivariate time series objects. Finally, a new clustering algorithm is developed using the testing method. The proposed algorithm does not use a predetermined number of clusters and finds the best possible clustering from the data. Empirical studies are provided in this paper, and they establish the accuracy of the algorithm. Finally, as a practical example, the algorithm is implemented to identify activities of different persons from a real-life data obtained from single chest-mounted accelerometers worn by different individuals.
Racial and socioeconomic disparities in adherence to preventive health services for ovarian cancer survivors

To examine ovarian cancer survivors’ adherence to evidence-based guidelines for preventive health care. A case-control, retrospective study of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries diagnosed with stage I, II, or III epithelial ovarian cancer from 2001 to 2010 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database. Survivors were matched 1:1 to non-cancer controls from the 5% Medicare Beneficiary file on age, race, state of residence, and follow-up time. Receipt of flu vaccination, mammography, and bone density tests were examined in accordance with national guidelines. Adherence was assessed starting 1 year after cancer diagnosis, across 2 years of claims. Interaction with the health care system, including outpatient and cancer surveillance visits, was tested as a potential mechanism for receipt of services. 2437 survivors met the eligibility criteria (mean age, 75; 90% white). Ovarian cancer survivors were more likely to be adherent to flu vaccination (5 percentage points (pp); < 0.001) and mammography guidelines (10 pp.; < 0.001) compared to non-cancer controls, but no differences were found for bone density test guidelines (− 1 pp.; NS). Black women were less likely to be adherent to flu vaccination and bone density tests compared with white women. Women dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid were less likely to be adherent compared to those without such support. Adherence was not influenced by measures of outpatient visits. Ovarian cancer survivors are receiving preventive services with the same or better adherence than their matched counterparts. Minority and dual-eligible survivors received preventive services at a lower rate than white survivors and those with higher income. The number of outpatient visits was not associated with increased preventive health visits. Ovarian cancer survivors are receiving adequate follow-up care to be adherent to preventive health measures. Efforts to improve care coordination post-treatment may help reduce minority and low SES disparities.
Personal Reflections on Rom Harré

I first met Rom Harre in the mid 1970s the when I was a student in England, and we met again in 1989 when I visited Georgetown University. Soon after joining the faculty at Georgetown in 1990, my research collaboration with Rom took off and we eventually published 7 books and 45 papers together. He and his wife Hettie also became our close family friends. In reflecting on our friendship and collaboration, I identity a number of ways he influenced my thinking and behavior, both personal and professional.
Abstract WP359: Microembolic Signals Are Associated With Stroke Readmission in Patients With Ischemic Stroke

Background: Microembolic signals (MES) identified by transcranial Doppler (TCD) are strong predictors of recurrent stroke in patients with carotid disease. In this study, we investigated the associ...
Abnormal Baseline Lab Results Rarely Lead to Treatment Modification for Patients on Isotretinoin.

Background: Treatment modification and clinical course for patients initiating isotretinoin with abnormal baseline lab results is currently unknown, and no recommendations exist for monitoring this patient group. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients prescribed isotretinoin for acne from 2008 to 2016 at Brigham and Women’s and Massachusetts General Hospitals to investigate the characteristics, clinical implications, and management of patients initiating isotretinoin for acne with baseline laboratory abnormalities. Results: We identified a low rate (7.2%) of treatment modification, including interruption (3.6%) and early termination (3.6%), during isotretinoin therapy due to lab abnormalities for patients with baseline lab abnormalities. Abnormal baseline total cholesterol, triglyceride, and liver function tests did not predict management changes, as only 2 of 10 total treatment modifications were due to a lab result that was abnormal at baseline. Treatment modification was driven by ALT elevation not present at baseline that occurred in patients with liver comorbidities. Conclusion: Emphasizing relevant comorbidities, including hepatic disease or alcohol use, to inform our monitoring may be a superior predictor of abnormalities during treatment, as our work demonstrates that the value of baseline lab data prior to isotretinoin is unclear.
Incentivized for Leveling the Playing Field: Do State Economic Incentives Compensate for High Taxes?:

State tax and nontax incentives have been widespread in the United States, though their efficacy in job creation and economic development has been repeatedly questioned in the literature by scholar...
Utility of ultrasound after a negative CT abdomen and pelvis in the emergency department.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the utility of an abdominal and/or pelvic ultrasound (US) performed within 24 h after a negative CT of the abdomen and pelvis (CTAP) in the emergency department (ED). The secondary endpoint is to assess whether there is a significant increase in length of stay (LOS) in the ED due to immediate US reimaging. Method We reviewed the imaging reports of 335 patients over the course of 3 years in our ED who had an US within 24 h after a negative CTAP. We then assessed type of US and whether the US showed any acute findings. We also evaluated LOS in the ED. Results Out of 335 patients, there were only three US cases suspicious for acute surgical pathology (3/335 or 0.9%). On 30-day clinical follow-up, only one of the three cases was confirmed as cholecystitis on pathology. The most common non-surgical findings on US not initially reported on CTAP were ovarian cysts (29/83) and gallstones (9/83). Additionally, the LOS for patients who received both a CTAP and US was 119 min longer than patients who only received a CTAP. Conclusion US abdomen and/or pelvis reimaging within 24 h following a negative CTAP is unlikely to change surgical management in the acute setting. US reimaging can still be useful in diagnosing non-surgical pathology, which could serve to explain the patient's pain. US reimaging after negative CTAP is associated with an average increase in the ED LOS.
PRANC: ML species tree estimation from the ranked gene trees under coalescence.

Summary PRANC computes the Probabilities of RANked gene tree topologies under the multispecies coalescent. A ranked gene tree is a gene tree accounting for the temporal ordering of internal nodes. PRANC can also estimate the maximum likelihood (ML) species tree from a sample of ranked or unranked gene tree topologies. It estimates the ML tree with estimated branch lengths in coalescent units. Availability and implementation PRANC is written in C++ and freely available at github.com/anastasiiakim/PRANC. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Millisecond Oscillations in the Persistent and Bursting Flux of Aquila X-1 during an Outburst

The Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer observed the soft X-ray transient Aquila X-1 during its outburst in 1997 February and March. We report the discovery of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in its persistent flux with frequencies in the range of 740-830 Hz, a Q-value of over 100, a fractional rms amplitude of 6.8%±0.6%, and nearly coherent oscillations (NCOs) during a type I burst with a frequency of 549 Hz. The frequency of the QPOs in the persistent flux is correlated with the mass accretion rate on a timescale of hours, but not on a timescale of days. This is most likely the manifestation in a single source of the kilohertz QPO puzzle observed among many sources, i.e., on the one hand, individual sources show a correlation between the QPO frequency and the inferred mass accretion rate, and on the other hand, the dozen or so sources with luminosities spanning two decades have essentially the same QPO frequencies. We propose that this multivalued QPO frequency and mass accretion rate correlation indicates the existence of many similar regimes of the accretion disk. These regimes, with a very similar energy spectrum and QPO frequency, are distinguished from each other by the mass accretion rate or the total X-ray flux. The NCOs during the burst can be made almost perfectly coherent by taking into account a large . This strongly suggests that this frequency is related to the neutron star spin frequency. The large is attributable to the expansion or contraction of the neutron star photosphere during the burst.
Global Inequality and Capitalist World-Economy, 1500—Present: A Critique of Neo-Modernization Theories

The historical analysis presented in this chapter refutes the claims of the neo-modernization theories on empirical grounds. By examining trends of global inequality from the sixteenth century to the present, the chapter documents major problems with arguments claiming that global inequality trends have started to radically decline for the first time since the industrial revolution. What we call as globalization today is neither a recent nor a linear phenomenon, but historically recurrent and cyclical feature of historical capitalism. By analyzing the trends of global inequality during periods of financial globalization, the analysis presented in this chapter shows that from the sixteenth century to the present, the world economy has experienced further polarization between the rich and poor countries during periods of financial globalization. While global inequality trends temporarily declined in the short run during what Arrighi named as “financial expansion” periods of the world economy, they tended to increase in the long run, producing “divergences” in the periphery. Moreover, changes in the global hierarchy of wealth have been characterized by not one but a series of great divergences in the longue duree, from the sixteenth century to the present, all of which have taken place during periods of financial expansion and globalization.
Delivering Difficult News during PICU Bootcamp: A Novel and Effective Implementation of the Resilience Curriculum

Background: Delivering difficult news to patients and families is an essential but challenging component of clinical practice. Pediatric critical care medicine (PCCM) fellows do not report being comfortable giving difficult news to patients and families. Objective: We sought to implement and evaluate a national program for training first year PCCM fellows to deliver difficult news. Methods: The American Academy of Pediatrics Resilience Curriculum (Part B) was used to teach PCCM fellows the SPIKES (Set-up, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Empathy, and Summary) …
Nutrition as Treatment Modality in Heart Failure

This review aims to discuss recent evidence and controversies regarding nutrition as a treatment modality for heart failure (HF) patients. Adequate nutrition is known to promote health-related quality of life by addressing malnutrition and promoting optimal functioning among older adults and has an established role in the prevention of HF; however, evidence is limited on the effects of nutrition as a treatment modality in HF. While guidance of sodium restriction to address fluid overload is an ongoing debate among experts, evidence from case studies and small clinical trials suggest a positive impact of plant-based and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary patterns on HF-related pathophysiology, quality of life, hospital admissions, and mortality. More clinical trials are needed to establish an evidence base to support dietary management strategies for patients with HF. Clinical and Translational Science Alliances (CTSAs) may provide infrastructure to overcome enrollment barriers.
Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentation and severity of traumatic injury due to physical child abuse across US children's hospitals.

Abstract Background Physical child abuse affects 9 in every 1,000 children in the United States and associated traumatic injuries are often identified by the healthcare system. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified risk factors for physical child abuse and increased avoidance of the healthcare system. This study examined the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentation and severity of physical child abuse. Methods A retrospective, cross-sectional study utilizing the Pediatric Health Information System was performed. An interrupted time series analysis estimated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of children Results Over the study period, 20,346 physical child abuse encounters were reported by 47 children's hospitals. An interrupted times series model predicted a significant decline in cases due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, representing a deficit of 2,645 cases (p = 0.001). Children presenting during the pandemic had increased odds of requiring ICU admission (p = 0.03) and having a traumatic brain injury in those under 5 years of age (p= Conclusions The number of children with physical child abuse presenting to children's hospitals significantly declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, but those that did were more likely to be severe. The pandemic may be a risk factor for worse outcomes associated with physical child abuse.
Analog Analysis of Water Distribution Networks

A technique for solving hydraulic network flow distribution problems using a standard analog computer is presented. This method can be applied to networks which include various hydraulic components such as valves and pumps. The indirect analog simulation proposed has the advantage that only a standard analog computer is needed and not specially constructed direct analog devices. In addition, analog simulation is particularly useful for carrying out parametric studies and, therefore, is a valuable design tool. Examples are presented which illustrate the technique used for solving the flow distribution problems. Also, the examples are used to compare the analog solutions to these obtained by a conventional Hardy-Cross analysis and the analog solutions are shown to be very accurate.
Is Impotence the Answer

Tyson Lewis’s analysis of Alfred North Whitehead’s educational theory read in conjunction with Giorgio Agamben’s literary theory opens up an important space to consider the ongoing rhythmic nature of education, emphasizing the aesthetic aspects of learning above the more common discussion of content acquisition and skill production. While I think most of us can agree that there is a problem with an education that is limited to “mere retention and memorization of facts and performance of allotted tasks,” what is novel about Lewis’s approach is his epistemological claim that we learn rhythmically and that there is a significant aesthetic dimension to all learning. I completely concur that we have gone too far in education toward content acquisition and production (exemplified by the high-stakes testing movement), however, I believe that Lewis pushes too far in the other direction, leaving us endlessly in aporia by withholding actualization in the world and thus, denying a fundamental condition of life that in itself propels growth — interaction with an environment.
ABA in leaves of field-grown soybean under water stress.

Abscisic acid (ABA) and leaf water potential were measured in leaves from field-grown soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) during the latter part of the 1978 growing season in Varna, NY. Two cultivars were compared, ‘Chippewa 64’ which was fairly drought hardy and ‘Wilkin’ which was drought susceptible. Water was withheld from stressed plots from July 20 to August 25. Topmost fully expanded trifoliate leaves were sampled from unstressed and stressed plants of both cultivars at 0700 hr, 1600 hr, and 2200 hr on August 11 and 16. Three replications were made for each treatment. Leaf water potential measurements were made at sampling with a pressure chamber, samples were immediately placed on dry ice, subsequently freezer- dried and analyzed for ABA. Continuous in field measurements of C02-exchange rate (CER) were made with a differential infrared gas analyzer on comparable leaflets attached to plants of the two cultivars. At the time of sampling, soil water potential at 10 cm depth was -0.05 MPa and -0.46 MPa for unstressed and stressed plots, respectively. While plants were more stressed on August 16, on both days a diurnal cycle in leaf water potential was observed in unstressed and stressed plants in each cultivar. ABA fluctuated diurnally in leaves from stressed plants but in unstressed plants there was little diurnal change. On August 16 there was a linear correlation between ABA and leaf water potential. The relationship was different in stressed leaves of the two cultivars. ‘Wilkin’ did not accumulate as much ABA as ‘Chippewa 64’ yet the leaves from ‘Wilkin’ had more negative water potentials. CER in leaflets from stressed plants was reduced almost equally in both cultivars when compared to leaflets from unstressed plants.
Reliability of pedometer data in samples of youth and older women

Background Pedometers offer researchers a convenient and inexpensive tool for objective measurement of physical activity. However, many unanswered questions remain about expected values for steps/day for different populations, sources of variation in the data, and reliability of pedometer measurements.
These Eyes: A Rejoinder to Panagopoulos on Eyespots and Voter Mobilization

Keywords: field experiment; voter mobilization; eyespots; implicit social pressure; voter turnout; multiple hypothesis testing
Test methodology for low power VLSI neural oscillator circuit

This paper presents new test and verification methodologies, including design techniques targeting a neural oscillator. Because the output signal of a neuron is chaotic, customized verification and test methodologies are required. We have chosen to use MATLAB to verify our experimental results at a simulation level. In this paper we also describe a test circuit used to perform electronic neuron IC testing. We investigate how a subthreshold circuit can reduce power consumption. In our HSPICE simulations, we both validate the proposed test circuit and verify the electronic neuron and synapse circuit.
An Intermolecular Vibration Model for Lattice Ice

Lattice ice with tetrahedral arrangement is studied using a modified Einstein’s model that incorporates the hindered translational and rotational vibration bands into a harmonic oscillation system. The fundamental frequencies for hindered translational and rotational vibrations are assigned based on the intermolecular vibration bands as well as thermodynamic properties from existing experimental data. Analytical forms for thermodynamic properties are available for the modified model, with three hindered translational bands at (65, 229, 229) cm-1 and three effective hindered rotational bands at 560 cm-1. The derived results are good for temperatures higher than 30 K. To improve the model below 30 K, Lorentzian broadening correction is added. This simple model helps unveil the physical picture of ice lattice vibration behavior.
Prioritization in Parallel Symbolic Computing

It is argued that scheduling is an important determinant of performance for many parallel symbolic computations, in addition to the issues of dynamic load balancing and grain size control. We propose associating unbounded levels of priorities with tasks and messages as the mechanism of choice for specifying scheduling strategies. We demonstrate how priorities can be used in parallelizing computations in different search domains, and show how priorities can be implemented effectively in parallel systems. Priorities have been implemented in the Charm portable parallel programming system. Performance results on shared-memory machines with tens of processors and nonshared-memory machines with hundreds of processors are given. Open problems for prioritization in specific domains are given, which will constitute fertile area for future research in this field.
Magnets for Magnetic Resonance Analysis and Imaging

The sections in this article are 1 Design Principles 2 Theoretical Design 3 Manufacturing Errors 4 Legendre Functions 5 Shielding 6 Shimming 7 Field Measurement 8 Nmr Magnet Design and Construction 9 Cryogenics 10 Pulsed Gradient Coils
Altered Cerebral Collaterals and Protection from Infarction

Sudden occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) above the rhinal fissure reduces blood flow to the territory of the occluded artery and invariably results in infarction in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSPs) [8, 14, 27]. Normotensive rats usually do not have infarction after this occlusion [1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13]. Following the occlusion in normotensive rats, the anastomosing collaterals enlarge to provide blood supply to the territory of the occluded MCA [9, 12, 15]. Within a month after the occlusion, blood flow to the territory of the occluded MCA returns to normal levels in the normotensive rat [15].
Testing inflation with the cosmic microwave background.

Cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy may result from both scalar and tensor perturbations. For a sufficiently narrow range of angular scales, CMB perturbations can be characterized by four parameters. Results from the Cosmic Background Explorer fix one combination of the parameters, reducing the parameters to three. If CMB perturbations are from inflation, there is an additional relation, reducing the parameters to two. An appropriate combination of a medium-angle and a small-angle CMB observation can test the inflation hypothesis because inflation cannot explain a high signal in one experiment and a low signal in the other.
Permutation polynomials over finite fields - A survey of recent advances

Permutation polynomials over finite fields constitute an active research area in which advances are being made constantly. We survey the contributions made to this area in recent years. Emphasis is placed on significant results and novel methods.
Expression of the first N-glycosylation gene in the dolichol pathway, ALG7, is regulated at two major control points in the G1 phase of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle.

Abstract The Saccharomyces cerevisiae ALG7 gene, which functions by initiating the dolichol pathway of protein N-glycosylation, displays properties of an early growth-response gene. To initiate studies of the involvement of ALG7 in cellular proliferation, we have now more precisely analyzed ALG7 expression in the G1 phase of cell cycle. We show that the rapid rate of ALG7 mRNA accumulation following growth stimulation was attenuated soon thereafter and that ALG7 growth induction occurred irrespective of α-factor. ALG7 growth induction was observed in mutants conditionally defective for reentry into the cell cycle from the stationary phase, indicating that the induction occurred prior to the performance of START. In addition, the steady-state levels of ALG7 mRNAs declined four-fold in response to START-I cell division arrest brought about by α-factor treatment later in G1. Importantly, deregulated expression of ALG7 resulted in an aberrant α-factor response. Our data not only indicate that ALG7 expression is regulated at two critical control points in G1 that determine the proliferative potential of cells, but also provide a link between ALG7 and START.
Potentiation of cationic liposome-mediated gene delivery by polycations

We discovered that several high molecular weight cationic polymers, such as poly(l-lysine) and protamine, can enhance the transfection efficiency of several types of cationic liposomes by 2-28-fold in a number of cell lines in vitro. Small polycations such as spermine and a cationic decapeptide derived from SV40 T-antigen were only moderately active. The addition of poly(l-lysine) and protamine dramatically reduced the particle size of the complex formed between DNA and cationic liposomes and rendered DNA resistant to the nuclease activity. The complexes composed of DNA, poly(l-lysine), and cationic lipids were purified from an excess of free liposomes with sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. Purified complex formed at low cationic liposome ratio was poor in lipid content and only had weak transfection activity. Addition of free liposome to the purified complex significantly enhanced the transfection activity. In contrast, complexes formed at a higher initial ratio of liposome to DNA had a higher lipid ...
Output-input stability implies feedback stabilization

Abstract We study the recently introduced notion of output–input stability, which is a robust variant of the minimum-phase property for general smooth nonlinear control systems. This paper develops the theory of output–input stability in the multi-input, multi-output setting. We show that output–input stability is a combination of two system properties, one related to detectability and the other to left-invertibility. For systems affine in controls, we derive a necessary and sufficient condition for output–input stability, which relies on a global version of the nonlinear structure algorithm. This condition leads naturally to a globally asymptotically stabilizing state feedback strategy for affine output–input stable systems.
PLANT COMPETITION VARIES WITH COMMUNITY COMPOSITION IN AN EDAPHICALLY COMPLEX LANDSCAPE

There is currently no consensus on how physical and biological factors affect competitive intensity. Tests of whether competitive intensity varies along axes of environmental change have commonly been conducted in systems with a single strong environmental gradient, such as productivity, a soil resource, or an environmental stress. Frequently, these same axes are associated with changes in species composition, yet few studies have asked whether shifts in the identity of competitors affect competitive intensity. We ask whether resources (nutrients, water), stressors (heavy metals, Ca:Mg ratio), productivity (aboveground biomass), or species identity (an ordination axis of plant community composition) were the best predictors of the intensity of competition in a heterogeneous grassland landscape that included multiple independent environmental gradients. The reproductive fitness of six annual plant species was measured in the presence and absence of competitors and used to calculate relative interaction intensity (RII). We found that RII was best predicted by community composition. Nutrient availability was also important, and a post hoc test showed that competitive intensity was best explained by the combined effects of community composition and nutrient availability. We argue that community composition may be the most effective metric for predicting competitive intensity in many ecosystems because it includes both the competitive effects of the local community and information about covarying environmental characteristics.
Nerve Fiver Layer and Optic Disc Fluorescein Defects in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension

Photographs of the optic discs and fluorescein angiograms of 31 patients with open-angle glaucoma and 43 patients with ocular hypertension were evaluated for nerve fiber layer (NFL) defects and absolute fluorescein filling defects. All of the glaucomatous eyes showed both defects. Of the 43 ocular hypertensive eyes, in which both NFL and absolute fluorescein filling defects were evaluated, 9% had only NFL defects, 19% had only fluorescein filling defects, 14% had both defects, and 58% had neither defect. The percent area of fluorescein defect in the optic disc increased with severity of NFL defect in glaucoma and ocular hypertension. This study confirms the relationship of fluorescein filling defects and NFL defects to glaucomatous abnormalities and thus the association between vascular damage to the optic nerve and axon loss in glaucoma. The earliest objective evidence of glaucomatous damage can be detected with a combination of NFL evaluation and optic disc fluorescein angiography.
A note on an invariance property of signal detectors

Abstract We consider effects induced on the data processor of a signal detector when the underlying noise distributions are varied about a nominal. Our results characterize a class of variations of a nominal distribution over which the optimal data processor is invariant; moreover, it is seen that this class can contain distributions differing greatly from the nominal.
Inhibition of 86Rb+ and 22Na+ efflux of Ehrlich lettré tumor cells by Ca2+.

Abstract The mechanism of the protective effect of Ca 2+ on cellular K + content was studied by examination of the effect of Ca 2+ on efflux of the K + analog, 86 Rb + , from preloaded cells with the use of compounds which interfere with monovalent cation movements. Ca 2+ decreased 86 Rb + efflux to the same extent in the presence and absence of ouabain, suggesting that Ca 2+ did not alter the activity of the (Na + + K + )-adenosine triphosphatase pump. Ca 2+ exerted a similar protective effect in the presence of furosemide, an inhibitor of K + -K + exchange, indicative that Ca 2+ was not inhibiting this pathway. Since Ca 2+ did not influence these pathways, it is concluded that Ca 2+ exerts its primary effect by slowing passive diffusion. In support of this, Ca 2+ also slowed 22 Na + efflux. In addition, ethanol-induced leakage of 86 Rb + was reversed by extracellular Ca 2+ , suggestive of a Ca 2+ -membrane phospholipid interaction.