cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of 2‐limb versus 3‐limb electrodiagnostic studies in the evaluation of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

MARY L. VO, MD, PharmD, ANELIYA HANINEVA, BS, RUSSELL L. CHIN, MD, BRIDGET T. CAREY, MD,NORMAN LATOV, MD, PhD, and JENNIFER A. LANGSDORF, MDPeripheral Neuropathy Center, Weill Cornell Medical Center, 1305 York Avenue, Second Floor, New York, New York 10021, USAAccepted 8 August 2014ABSTRACT: Introduction: European Federation of NeurologicalSocieties/Peripheral Nerve Society electrodiagnostic (EDx) cri-teria for the definite diagnosis of chronic inflammatory demyeli-nating polyneuropathy (CIDP) require the presence ofdemyelinating findings (DF) in at least 2 nerves. Data are lack-ing, however, regarding the optimal number of nerves to test.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed EDx data from 53patients with CIDP and compared the number of DF found on2- and 3-limb testing. Results: A median of 3 (range 2–5) DFwere found on 2-limb testing compared with 5 (range 4–7) DFwhen 3 limbs were evaluated. Two-limb EDx studies were suffi-cient to diagnose definite CIDP in 92.3% of typical, 84.2% ofasymmetric, and 66.7% of distal phenotypes. Testing a thirdlimb increased diagnostic certainty in 11 patients (20.8%) todefinite CIDP. Conclusions: Three-limb testing may increasediagnostic sensitivity of definite CIDP, especially in patients withatypical phenotypes. Larger prospective studies are needed tobetter assess the benefit of performing 3-limb EDx studies.
PERMANENCE AND PERIODIC SOLUTIONS IN MODELS WITH STAGE STRUCTURE, DELAY, AND PULSE ACTION

We obtain sufficient conditions for the permanence and existence of an asymptotically stable periodic solution for a model of evolution of a biological species with stage structure, delay, and pulse action and for a system of equations with delay and pulse action that models the dynamics of two competitive species with stage structure.
Marx And Disequilibrium in Market Socialist Relations of Production

One feature of socialism that has been little discussed in the recent revival of interest in Marx is the basic form of economic organization that will characterize such a society. Marx's view, to be documented in what follows, is that socialism would not have a market economy. This prediction should be a matter of some embarrassment or consternation to twentieth-century socialists outside of the Soviet bloc who claim a Marxist heritage. Despite the fact (or perhaps because of the fact) that some socialist regimes in the first half of this century did carry out a program of (largely) abolishing the market, the abolition of markets is no longer on the agenda for developed and developing countries. On the Left, anyway, some form of market socialism seems to be the preferred alternative; Yugoslavia is often pointed to as an imperfect real world exemplar of what market socialism might be like.
Effects of MAPK signaling on 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-mediated CYP24 gene expression in the enterocyte-like cell line, Caco-2.

We examined the role of the Extracellular signal Regulated Kinases (ERK) in 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D3)-induced gene expression in the differentiated Caco-2 cells. 1,25(OH)2D3-regulated expression of the 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 24 hydroxylase (CYP24) gene (both natural gene and promoter construct) was strongly modulated by altering ERK activity (i.e. reduced by MEK inhibitors and dominant negative (dn) ERK1 and ERK2, activated by Epidermal Growth Factor) but ERK inhibition had no effect on 1,25(OH)2D3-regulated expression of the transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 6 (TRPV6). ERK5-mediated phosphorylation of the transcription factor Ets-1 enhanced 1,25(OH)2D3-mediated CYP24 gene transcription in proliferating but not differentiated Caco-2 cells due to reduced levels of ERK5 and Ets-1 (total and phospho-protein levels) in differentiated cells. MEK inhibition reduced 1,25(OH)2D3-induced 3X-VDRE promoter activity but had no impact on the association of vitamin D receptor (VDR) with chromatin suggesting a role for co-activator recruitment in ERK-modulation of vitamin D-regulated CYP24 gene activation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that the ERK1/2 target, mediator 1 (MED1), is recruited to the CYP24, but not the TRPV6, promoter following 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment. MED1 phosphorylation was sensitive to activators and inhibitors of the ERK1/2 signaling and MED1 siRNA reduced 1,25(OH)2D3-regulated human CYP24 promoter activity. This suggests ERK1/2 signaling enhances 1,25(OH)2D3 effects on the CYP24 promoter by MED1-mediated events. Our data show that there are both promoter-specific and cell stage-specific roles for the ERK signaling pathway on 1,25(OH)2D3-mediated gene induction in enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells.
Genetic Control of Acoustic Behavior in Crickets

Evidence is presented that acoustic behavior in field crickets is under firm genetic control. The calling song of adult males is highly stereotyped and species specific. Hybrids can be made by crossing two species of Teleogryllus with dissimilar calling songs. The calling songs of the hybrids are uniquely different from that of either parental species, and in addition the songs of the two reciprocal hybrids are different from each other. Genetic control of song production is polygenic and multichromosomal; sex-linkage of some song determinants is also indicated. Female phonoresponse to calling song was measured on a Y-maze. Species specificity of phonoresponse was confirmed and in addition, hybrid females prefer hybrid song to either parental song. The possibility that calling song production in the male and its reception in the female are genetically coupled is discussed.
Toward domain-independent formalization of indirect interaction

Unlike direct interaction based on message passing, indirect interaction takes place between agents as they make and observe persistent changes to their shared environment. The dining philosophers and foraging ants problems illustrate the characteristics that distinguish indirect from direct interaction, such as persistence, space and time decoupling, dynamic binding of recipient, and lack of intent. We point out that indirect interaction is an important phenomenon in many different fields within and outside computer science, including open systems, and merits explicit formal modeling.
Mosaic Genetic Screen for Suppressors of the de2f1 Mutant Phenotype in Drosophila

The growth suppressive function of the retinoblastoma (pRB) tumor suppressor family is largely attributed to its ability to negatively regulate the family of E2F transcriptional factors and, as a result, to repress E2F-dependent transcription. Deregulation of the pRB pathway is thought to be an obligatory event in most types of cancers. The large number of mammalian E2F proteins is one of the major obstacles that complicate their genetic analysis. In Drosophila, the E2F family consists of only two members. They are classified as an activator (dE2F1) and a repressor (dE2F2). It has been previously shown that proliferation of de2f1 mutant cells is severely reduced due to unchecked activity of the repressor dE2F2 in these cells. We report here a mosaic screen utilizing the de2f1 mutant phenotype to identify suppressors that overcome the dE2F2/RBF-dependent proliferation block. We have isolated l(3)mbt and B52, which are known to be required for dE2F2 function, as well as genes that were not previously linked to the E2F/pRB pathway such as Doa, gfzf, and CG31133. Inactivation of gfzf, Doa, or CG31133 does not relieve repression by dE2F2. We have shown that gfzf and CG31133 potentiate E2F-dependent activation and synergize with inactivation of RBF, suggesting that they may act in parallel to dE2F. Thus, our results demonstrate the efficacy of the described screening strategy for studying regulation of the dE2F/RBF pathway in vivo.
Structured specification of model interpreters

Model interpreters play an essential role in model integrated systems: they transform domain-specific models into executable models. The state-of-the-art of model interpreter writing needs to be advanced to enhance the reusability and maintainability of this software. This paper presents an approach which makes this possible through the use of structured specifications. These specifications let the programmer express traversal strategies and visitation actions in very high-level terms. From these specifications efficient traversal code can be automatically generated.
Fatal outcome after brain stem infarction related to bilateral vertebral artery occlusion - case report of a detrimental complication of cervical spine trauma

Background Vertebral artery injury (VAI) after blunt cervical trauma occurs more frequently than historically believed. The symptoms due to vertebral artery (VA) occlusion usually manifest within the first 24 hours after trauma. Misdiagnosed VAI or delay in diagnosis has been reported to cause acute deterioration of previously conscious and neurologically intact patients.
Thermoflow multiplicity in a packed-bed reactor: Conduction and cooling effects

Steady states with different flow rates and temperature profiles may exist in different tubes of a multitube packed-bed reactor due to the coupling among the species, energy and momentum balances, and the change of physical properties with temperature and pressure. Under typical operating conditions if no axial conduction of heat occurs thermoflow multiplicity can be found only for unrealistically high heats of reaction and/or over a very narrow range of exit pressures. However, accounting for the finite but small heat conduction in the reactor tubes leads to multiplicity for typical parameters and a reasonable range of exit pressures. Cooling tends to decrease the region of parameters for which the multiplicity occurs.
Infrared absorption study of physisorbed carbon monoxide on graphite

Abstract We have applied infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) to the study of carbon monoxide monolayers adsorbed on a single surface of graphite (HOPG). Concurrent monitoring by laser ellipsometry determines the time of appearance of the first and second layer and of bulk CO. CO is one of the few adsorbates previously studied on graphite by IRRAS. Our spectra agree with the previously published results at 35 K and extend the temperature range to 20–40 K, including all four known solid monolayer phases in this range, and unambiguously establish which spectrum corresponds to the bilayer. Integrated absorption strength provides estimates of the average tilt of the molecular axes with respect to the surface in the nominally flat phases. Frequency shifts due to dynamic dipole coupling may contain information on the short-range correlations of tilt azimuths. We find evidence for specific tilt correlations in the commensurate phases.
Business Entrepreneurs, Their Major Functions and Related Tenets*

The author of the earliest general treatise on economics, writing in the middle of the eighteenth century, regarded the entrepreneur as a key factor in production. Later economists have in general had the same feeling, though they have not defined the word entrepreneur in precisely the same manner. By some the entrepreneur has been considered to be primarily a risk or uncertainty bearer, by others an innovator, by still others a superintendent or manager. The list could easily be expanded. The tendency for economists to emphasize now one and now another aspect of entrepreneurship derives, I believe, from several factors: the variations in the volume and nature of economic opportunities, the increasing size of the business unit, and the changes in the legal forms of business organization.
Adaptive set–point control of robotic manipulators with amplitude–limited control inputs

This paper addresses the link position setpoint control problem of n–link robotic manipulators with amplitude-limited control inputs. We design a global-asymptotic exact model knowledge controller and a semi-global asymptotic controller which adapts for parametric uncertainty. Explicit bounds for these controllers can be determined; hence, the required input torque can be calculated a priori so that actuator saturation can be avoided. We also illustrate how the proposed control algorithm in this paper can be slightly modified to produce a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller which contains a saturated integral term. Experimental results are provided to illustrate the improved performance of the proposed control strategy over a standard adaptive controller that has been artificially limited to account for torque saturation.
Better (or worse) for some than others: Individual differences in the positivity offset and negativity bias

People tend to respond with more positive than negative affect to mildly emotional stimuli (i.e., positivity offset) and respond more strongly to very negative than to matched positive stimuli (i.e., negativity bias). In the current study, the authors examine individual differences in the positivity offset and negativity bias and demonstrate that both are stable over time and generalize across different kinds of stimuli (e.g., pictures, sounds, words, games of chance). Furthermore, the positivity offset and negativity bias are not redundant with traditional personality measures and exhibit differential predictive validity, such that both types of measures predict behavior in meaningful ways. Implications for a comprehensive understanding of affect and emotion and their relationship to physical and mental health are discussed.
A stable adaptive Hammerstein filter employing partial orthogonalization of the input signals

This paper presents an algorithm that adapts the parameters of a Hammerstein system model. Hammerstein systems are nonlinear systems that contain a static nonlinearity cascaded with a linear system. In this paper, the static nonlinearity is modeled using a polynomial system, and the linear filter that follows the nonlinearity is an infinite-impulse response (IIR) system. The adaptation of the nonlinear components is improved by orthogonalizing the inputs to the coefficients of the polynomial system. The step sizes associated with the recursive components are constrained in such a way as to guarantee bounded-input bounded-output (BIBO) stability of the overall system. This paper also presents experimental results that show that the algorithm performs well in a variety of operating environments, exhibiting stability and global convergence of the algorithm.
The innovative process in financial accounting standards setting

Abstract Most of the literature in the area of accounting change points to the fact that economic advantage and technical considerations are not the only factors influencing the adoption or non-adoption of accounting changes. This paper describes and illustrates the proposition that change in financial accounting standards is a social process that approximates a diffusion and adoption of innovation process.
New Therapeutic Approaches for Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common histological subtype among newly diagnosed breast cancers. The clinical features of ILC are related to the underlying biology of this disease, which is distinguished by loss of the cell adhesion protein e-cadherin. The resulting poorly cohesive growth pattern is responsible for the comparatively poor detection of ILC both on imaging and palpation. Recent genomic and proteomic discoveries have identified other molecular features of ILC which may lead to its future treatment with more targeted therapy. The presentation, treatment, and outcome of ILC is reviewed and future research directions are considered.
Interfacial instability in electrified plane Couette flow

The dynamics of a plane interface separating two sheared, density and viscosity matched fluids in the vertical gap between parallel plate electrodes are studied computationally. A Couette profile is imposed onto the fluids by moving the rigid plates at equal speeds in opposite directions. In addition, a vertical electric field is applied to the shear flow by impressing a constant voltage difference on the electrodes. The stability of the initially flat interface is a very subtle balance between surface tension, inertia, viscosity and electric field effects. Under unstable conditions, the potential difference in the fluid results in an electrostatic pressure that amplifies disturbance waves on the two-fluid interface at characteristic wave lengths. Various mechanisms determining the growth rate of the most unstable mode are addressed in a systematic parameter study. The applied methodology involves a combination of numerical simulation and analytical work. Linear stability theory is employed to identify unstable parametric conditions of the perturbed Couette flow. Particular attention is given to the effect of the applied electric field on the instability of the perturbed two-fluid interface. The normal mode analyses are followed up by numerical simulations. The applied method relies on solving the governing equations for the fluid mechanics and the electrostatics in a one-fluid approximation by using a finite-volume technique combined with explicit tracking of the evolving interface. The numerical results confirm those of linear theory and, furthermore, reveal a rich array of dynamical behaviour. The elementary fluid instabilities are finger-like structures of interpenetrating fluids. For weakly unstable situations a single fingering instability emerges on the interface. Increasing the growth rates causes the finger to form a drop-like tip region connected by a long thinning fluids neck. Even more striking fluid motion occurs at higher values of the electric field parameter for which multiple fluid branches develop on the interface. For a pair of perfect dielectrics the vertical electric field was found to enhance interfacial motion irrespective of the permittivity ratio, while in leaky dielectrics the electric field can either stabilize or destabilize the interface, depending on the conductivity and permittivity ratio between the fluids.
Self-Regulation Within Game-Based Learning Environments

Digital games have the potential to provide an ideal environment for students to “learn how to learn.” However, this potential remains as of yet untapped (Squire, 2006). It is no secret that today’s youth have become mesmerized by computer games and gaming consoles. The motivating factors inherent in games grab the attention of youth compelling them to play the same game for hours at a time. Moreover, youth do not seem deterred by the time required to conquer the steep learning curve necessary to succeed in complex, open-ended gaming environments. For these reasons, gamebased learning environments (GBLEs) have garnered increasing attention in the educational research community. However, serious games, or games that are used for purposes other than entertainment, are still not common in educational settings. By juxtaposing the captivating nature of games with educational content, it seems reasonable to assume students would find similar motivation to conquer GBLEs that could discreetly yield educational gains. Furthermore, these environments provide promising contexts in which to study self-regulated learning (SRL) due to the complex yet autonomous settings that they afford.
Does the Nature of the Victimization–Offending Association Fluctuate Over the Life Course? An Examination of Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Decades of criminological research has established that victimization is strongly connected with offending—this pattern is among the most durable in the criminological literature. However, there are plausible reasons to believe that under some theoretically defined conditions, the association can vary across the life course. Using 10 waves from the Pathways to Desistance data, which follow more than 1,300 youth from early adolescence into adulthood, we model within-individual change in the victimization–offending association as well as evaluate possible theoretical reasons for this change. Our results show that the influence of victimization on offending weakens as people age, although the association remains positive across the life course. The core substantive predictors, however, could not account for this temporal weakening of the association. We discuss the implications of these results for further theoretical development on offending.
Optical fiber tactile sensors by micromachining of silicon wafers

Microbending of optical fibers is an attractrive concept in forming a force sensor array. In today's intelligent manufacturing systems, visual sensing technology is well developed. Although vision provides information about object location and shape, when a robot grasps an object, vision can be blocked by its hands. Enhanced grippers and manipulators are needed to apply the appropriate amount of force to the objects being held so as not to drop or crush them in the process. Thus tactile sensors showing human-like touch characteristics are needed for force sensing.
Predictive Utility of EEG Decrement in Localization for Resective Surgery (P01.057)

Objective: Describe a series of cases where subcortical EEG decrement / Burst Suppression (BS) defined the epileptogenic zone, especially where seizure onset is likely localized to deep brain structures. Background Localization of seizure onset can be difficult when analyzing subcortical EEG for surgical planning. Design/Methods: We analyzed eight cases of patients ages 2-19 years, seven of whom underwent epilepsy resective surgery with intracranial EEG monitoring. The last patient underwent bilateral strip implants to identify lateralization and resective surgery is pending. Results: In all described cases, decrement occurred at the onset of clinical seizure activity that was preceded by spike and wave complexes or fast beta activity. The localization of decrement aided in the determination of the epileptogenic zone and the extent of the resection. In case#1 the extent of the resection in the first surgery did not take into account the entire extent of the decrement prior to or after the spike onset. This patient underwent 2nd surgery with ENGEL 1D outcome. Four patients achieved Engel Class 1A outcome while the other 3 patients achieved Engel 1B outcome after resection of the epileptogenic zone. Conclusions: In the analyzed cases an electrodecrement pattern on EEG from subdural electrode aided in lateralization, localization and definition of the epileptogenic zone extent for surgical resection. Electrodecrement is a useful marker to aid in the definition of the extent of resection when seizure onset may derive from deeper brain structures. Our hypothesis is that cortical structures thought to be the epileptic focus, are in a pathologic condition that is reflected by the EEG electrodecrement or BS pattern. This cortical areas would be in a hyper-excitable state and thus predisposed to develop epileptiform discharges that may be triggered by deep structures as thalamocortical circuits that remain active during periods of complete EEG flatness. Supported by: Beth Israel Medical Center. Disclosure: Dr. Tovar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wolf has nothing to disclose. Dr. McGoldrick has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ghatan has nothing to disclose.
A Dissenting Viewpoint on Comparative Government TextsComments on the Smaldone-Furniss Discussion

Readers of the original Furniss article on comparative government texts (March 1974) and the Smaldone-Furniss exchange (March 1975) in International Studies Quarterly were treated to one of the rare pretenses of discussion of education to appear in any scholarly social science journal. Unfortunately, it was only a pretense because it did not discuss either what and how students should learn about comparative politics as Smaldone likes to define it or "good thinking about the world" as Furniss appears to have defined it. Instead, all three pieces seem to have concluded that comparative politics texts are bad and that the fault lies in the field. I should say that I found Smaldone's response to represent mnore scholarly competence than either Furniss's article or comments, and I am only sorry that Smaldone did not do what Furniss was supposed to have done in the first place, i.e., study existing comparative politics educational material for its substantive educational goals and approaches. Perhaps if he had, he could have discussed education without using the occasion to launch a critical review of the field. What is instructive to the profession, however, is the ease with which the blame for what both suggest is poor educational material is placed on the discipline. It is like blaming the United States for its foreign policy. While corporate responsibility might protect business executives legally, collective responsibility does not protect national leaders morally or politically for their foreign policy errors. Why should the "discipline"
Ether-Insoluble or Gel Rubber Hydrocarbon, Its Solution, Crystallization, and Properties

Abstract A method of purifying and crystallizing ether-soluble rubber hydrocarbon was described in an earlier paper in this journal. The same procedure for purifying the hydrocarbon and separating it into two fractions was followed in the preparation of the insoluble or gel fraction, the properties of which are the subject of this paper. The method of purification was not merely another procedure for removing the impurities from rubber hydrocarbon, but, as stated in the earlier paper, it also “sought to maintain unchanged the structure of rubber hydrocarbon and to permit a sharp separation of the ether-soluble and insoluble fractions.” The latex which has been used was, in part, obtained from H. L. Fisher of the United States Rubber Co. Through the courtesy of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, latex has also been obtained direct from the plantation on the north shore of Haiti. Before the trees were tapped, the area surrounding the intended incision was carefully cleaned. After tapping commenced, the tr...
Inflamed duodenal diverticulum. Preoperative radiographic diagnosis

The sixth reported case of duodenal diverticulitis diagnosed preoperatively is presented. A review of the literature indicates that most duodenal diverticula are asymptomatic and require little special management. Rarely, acute inflammation can develop, and duodenal diverticulitis must be included in the differential diagnosis of all acute upper abdominal conditions, especially in the radiographic differential of emphysematous cholecystitis and retroperitoneal emphysema.
Subphrenic abscess from a perforated duodenal ulcer.

A 55-year-old man presents after 3 weeks of sharp epigastric pain radiating to the right upper quadrant, fever, and generalized weakness.
Whose New Left

Most former participants who write about the movements of the sixties consider themselves wiser now than they were then. And most who write about the sixties are former participants; almost all are men. Certainly many are more cynical. James Miller freely acknowledges this: "Analyzing Rousseau, Marx and the French existentialists.... has left me profoundly skeptical of the assumptions about human nature and the good society held by many radicals; and a decade of covering the music business has left me cynical about the 'revolutionary' potential of youth. The New Left was obviously in some respects a dead end."1 It is not the whole decade about which Miller, Maurice Isserman, and especially Todd Gitlin are cynical, however. Rather, they distance themselves from the student movement after 1967 and 1968, repelled by increasingly militant mass demonstrations and confrontations, an increasingly total rejection of the "system," and the increasing violence of both state repression and the movement's response. There can be little disagreement that what happened in the 1960s and what people think happened then has shaped much of subsequent American history. Until very recently what people thought happened has been shaped by the-reaction that set in with the election of Richard M. Nixon in 1968 and reached its crescendo in the Moral Majority, the New Right, the Reagan administration, and neoconservatism, all of which were, to a large degree, responses to the movements and impact
A Lifetime of Language Testing: An Interview with Adrian (Buzz) Palmer

Adrian (Buzz) Palmer was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1940, studied at the University of Michigan (U of M), and graduated with a BA in economics. His MA and PhD, also from the U of M, are in lin...
Research on the evaluation technology of fuel cells

Performance of fuel cells is largely affected by operating temperature and pressure, as well as flow rate and composition of reactant gases. Precise instrumentation accurately evaluates the performance of fuel cells assisting the development of this technology. This paper reports the influence of these parameters on the performance of fuel cells and outline the fuel cell evaluation center of the industrial Technology Research Institute in Taiwan.
Plasma generation by dielectric resonator arrays

Arrays of dielectric resonators—illuminated by an antenna—are used to ignite and sustain multiple microwave plasmas in parallel. Calcium titanate cylindrical resonators were arranged in a linear array with separation distances between 0.5 and 5 mm. The operating frequency was near the HEM111 resonance of 1.1 GHz. Paschen curves of the breakdown field and voltage in argon atmosphere are consistent with parallel plate microwave breakdown except within discharge gaps of 1 mm or less. Sustaining of argon plasma between 0.5 Torr and 1 atm within the array is found to alter the electromagnetic scattering from the dielectric resonators, suggesting applications in plasma-reconfigurable metamaterials and photonic crystals.
Age and structure of a model vapour-deposited glass

Glass films prepared by a process of physical vapour deposition have been shown to have thermodynamic and kinetic stability comparable to those of ordinary glasses aged for thousands of years. A central question in the study of vapour-deposited glasses, particularly in light of new knowledge regarding anisotropy in these materials, is whether the ultra-stable glassy films formed by vapour deposition are ever equivalent to those obtained by liquid cooling. Here we present a computational study of vapour deposition for a two-dimensional glass forming liquid using a methodology, which closely mimics experiment. We find that for the model considered here, structures that arise in vapour-deposited materials are statistically identical to those observed in ordinary glasses, provided the two are compared at the same inherent structure energy. We also find that newly deposited hot molecules produce cascades of hot particles that propagate far into the film, possibly influencing the relaxation of the material. Vapour-deposited glasses show high stability compared to that of aged glasses, but a structural understanding remains elusive. Here, Reid et al. find that vapour deposited and liquid-cooled glasses show identical structures, suggesting these two classes of films lie on the same path to equilibrium.
Genetic Algorithm for Discovery of Globally Stable Phases in Block Copolymers

A method of determining the globally stable morphologies of block copolymers using a framework composed of a genetic algorithm (GA) in conjunction with self-consistent field theory (SCFT) is described. We present results from benchmark testing of this GA-SCFT technique on the canonical AB diblock copolymer melt, for which the theoretical phase diagram has long been established. The GA-SCFT algorithm successfully predicts many of the conventional mesophases from random initial conditions in large, three-dimensional simulation cells, including HEX, LAM, and BCC, over a broad composition range and weak to moderate segregation strength. However, the GA-SCFT method is currently not effective at recovery of network phases, such as the gyroid structure, or for the BCC phase in the strong segregation limit. These challenges may be partially attributed to the large density of defective states seen in large simulation cells and at higher segregation strengths.
Therapeutic options for psoriasis: Review and update.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that affects 2.6% of the population, or approximately 8 million people in the United States. Even though typical plaque-type psoriasis looks similar in different individuals, the way these individuals respond to various treatment modalities can be unpredictable. Moreover, even within the same person, it is not unusual for one lesion to respond to a treatment while another psoriatic plaque right next to it fails to respond. Therefore, it is important to have as many treatment of options at one's disposal as possible to best meet the needs of psoriasis patients. The treatment options available can be roughly divided into three groups, namely tropical therapy, phototherapy and systemic medications. In addition, these treatment options can be used in various combinations to maximize the benefits and minimize the side effects. Also, for those who need long-term maintenance therapy, these treatment options can be rotated form one to another to minimize the risk of long-term, cumulative side effects from any one treatment option. The topical treatments which can actually reverse the basic pathology of psoriasis include topical steroids, coal tar, anthralin and calcipotriene/calcipotriol. Modes of phototherapy include ultraviolet light B phototherapy or PUVA phototherapy. PUVA phototherapy can be applied either systemically or topically. The systemic agents available to treat psoriasis in the United States include acitretin, cyclosporin, hydroxyurea, sulfasalizine, and 6-thioguanine. Among these, the first three agents are known to be the most effective systemic agents in use. Generally, topical treatment are tried first and phototherapy next. Systemic medication are often reserved as a last choice because of the increased risk of systemic side effects, both acute and long-term, cumulative. The new medications which have recently become available in the United States or which are expected to become available soon include Tazarotene gel, a topical modified vitamin A-type medication; Micanol, a less staining form of anthralin; Calcipotriene cream and scalp solution; Acitretin; and Neoral, a new formulation of cyclosporin with better and more reliable bioavailability. Lastly, despite the new medications which have become available over the years and the new research that is being conducted, the author's experience has been that no treatment works faster with fewer side effects and higher probability of long-term remission than the traditional Goeckerman/Ingram regimen in which the patient is coated in black tar and anthralin all day, every day (Monday through Friday) for several weeks, in addition to receiving outpatient UVB phototherapy. Unfortunately, in the United States, due to tightening health care resources, this traditional Goeckerman therapy, which needs to be conducted in special centers, is slowly decreasing in availability. Therefore, in terms of actual patient care, it is not clear whether psoriasis therapy is going forward or backward in the United States.
Selecting initial treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia in older adults

More than half of the patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) are older than 60years. The treatment outcomes in this group remain poor with a median overall survival of <1year. Selecting initial treatment for these patients involves an assessment of 'fitness' for induction chemotherapy. This is done based on patient and disease-related characteristics which help to estimate treatment-related mortality and chance of complete remission with induction chemotherapy. If the risk of treatment-related mortality is high and/or the likelihood of a patient achieving a complete remission is low, lower-intensity treatment (low-dose cytarabine, decitabine and azacitidine) should be discussed. As outcomes in both groups of patients remain poor, enrolment into clinical trials of novel agents with varying mechanisms of action should be considered for all older adults with AML. Novel agents in Phase III development include CPX-351, guadecitabine (SGI-110), quizartinib, crenolanib, sapacitabine, vosaroxin and volasertib.
Extension of no-reference deblurring methods through image fusion

Extracting an optimal amount of information from a blurred image without a reference image for comparison is an pressing issue in image quality enhancement. Most studies have approached deblurring by using iterative algorithms in an attempt to deconvolve the blurred image into the ideal image. Deconvolution is difficult due to the need to estimate a point spread function for the blur after each iteration, which can be computationally expensive for many iterations which often causes some amount of distortion or "ringing" in the deblurred image. However, image fusion may provide a solution. By deblurring a no-reference image, then fusing it with the blurred image, it is possible to extract additional salient information from the fused image; however the deblurring process causes some degree of information loss. The act of fixing one section of the image can cause distortion in another section of the image. Hence, by fusing the blurred and deblurred images together, it is critical to retain important information from the blurred image and reduce the "ringing" in the deblurred image. To evaluate the fusion process, three different evaluation metrics are used: Mutual Information (MI), Mean Square Error (MSE), and Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR). This paper details an extension of the no-reference image deblurring process and the initial results indicate that image fusion has the potential to be a useful tool in recovering information in a blurred image.
El régimen de protección de los derechos humanos de los afrodescendientes. El caso de América Latina y el Caribe

Some states have been proactive in ratifying laws that protect ethnic minorities in Latin America and the Caribbean, but Afro-descendants do not benefi t much from these laws. Self-identifi cation as an ‘ethnic minority’ for Afro-descendants has been problematic. Some Afro-descendants defend the term Afro-descendant peoples whereas others agree with the use of ethnic minority as the ideal concept to identify them as a group or population. In any case, most Afro-descendants support an effective human rights protection regime as a key tool to help overcome their historical problems. This article studies in depth the crucial importance for Afro-descendants of enhancing this “still-weak” regime. The text represents one of the few works of its kind that explores in detail the limitations of the Afro-descendants’ human rights struggle in the region.
Can patients with chest pain and normal coronary arteries be discriminated from those with coronary artery disease prior to coronary angiography

To determine whether the precatheterization clinical data in patients with chest pain could be used to discriminate patients with normal coronary arteries (NCA) from those with coronary artery disease, the authors compared 125 consecutive patients with less than 30% stenosis of all major coronary arteries and 125 patients with greater than 60% stenosis of one or more major coronary arteries. Clinical characteristics that occurred more frequently in patients with NCA were: nonexertional pain, pain to the left of the sternum, sharp pain, associated palpitations, absence of typical relief with sublingual nitroglycerin, pain commencing less than one week or more than ten years prior to coronary angiography, a normal electrocardiogram, and negative results from a treadmill stress test or from thallium scintigraphy. However, none of these clinical features, either singly or in combination, could be used to identify the patients with NCA with certainty.
Hydrochloric Acid Infusion for the Treatment of Metabolic Alkalosis in Surgical Intensive Care Unit Patients.

BACKGROUND Older reports of use of hydrochloric acid (HCl) infusions for treatment of metabolic alkalosis document variable dosing strategies and risk. OBJECTIVES This study sought to characterize use of HCl infusions in surgical intensive care unit patients for the treatment of metabolic alkalosis. METHODS This retrospective review included patients who received a HCl infusion for >8 hours. The primary end point was to evaluate the utility of common acid-base equations for predicting HCl dose requirements. Secondary end points evaluated adverse effects, efficacy, duration of therapy, and total HCl dose needed to correct metabolic alkalosis. Data on demographics, potential causes of metabolic alkalosis, fluid volume, and duration of diuretics as well as laboratory data were collected. RESULTS A total of 30 patients were included, and the average HCl infusion rate was 10.5 ± 3.7 mEq/h for an average of 29 ± 14.6 hours. Metabolic alkalosis was primarily diuretic-induced (n = 26). Efficacy was characterized by reduction in the median total serum CO2 from 34 to 27 mM/L ( P < 0.001). The change in chloride ion deficit and change in apparent strong ion difference (SIDa) were not correlated with total HCl administered. There were no documented serious adverse effects related to HCl infusions. CONCLUSION HCl was effective for treating metabolic alkalosis, and no serious adverse events were seen. In this clinical setting, the baseline chloride ion deficit and SIDa were not useful for prediction of total HCl dose requirement, and serial monitoring of response is recommended.
Association of posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury with aggressive driving in Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans.

PURPOSE Aggressive driving contributes to the high rates of postdeployment motor vehicle-related injury and death observed among veterans, and veterans cite problems with anger, aggressive driving, and road rage as being among their most pressing driving-related concerns. Both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been associated with driving-related deficits in treatment-seeking samples of veterans, but the relative contribution of each of these conditions to problems with aggressive driving in the broader population of combat veterans is unclear. METHOD χ2 and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relative association of PTSD, TBI, and co-occurring PTSD and TBI to self-reported problems with road rage in a sample of 1,102 veterans living in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States who had served in Afghanistan or Iraq. RESULTS Results indicate that controlling for relevant demographic variables, PTSD without TBI (odds ratio = 3.44, p < .001), and PTSD with co-occurring TBI (odds ratio = 4.71, p < .001) were associated with an increased risk of road rage, but TBI without PTSD was not. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that PTSD, with or without comorbid TBI, may be associated with an increased risk of aggressive driving in veterans. Clinical implications for treating problems with road rage are discussed, including use of interventions targeting hostile interpretation bias and training in emotional and physiological arousal regulation skills. (PsycINFO Database Record
Treatment of Obese Patients in Psychoanalysis

Recent studies suggest that the abandonment of psychoanalysis as a viable means of treating obesity may have been premature. Psychoanalytic theories of obesity are summarized in an appendix.
Pharmacologic Treatment of Childhood and Adolescent Mania

Mania in adolescents and prepubertal children can present a treatment challenge. Current pharmacotherapeutic approaches are based largely on successful strategies in adults and clinical experience and case reports in child and adolescent populations. There is very little systematic research on which to base well- informed clinical decisions. This article reviews the available literature and research combined with clinical experience to provide guidelines for the acute and maintenance management of children and adolescents with mania.
Preventive geriatrics: basic principles for primary care physicians.

The goal of preventive geriatrics is to nurture a state of health that allows maximal active life expectancy while maintaining high levels of function. The physician's role in promoting such a state of health is disease prevention and the control of chronic diseases of aging. Barriers such as insufficient time and/or staff resources and insufficient third-party reimbursement restrict the delivery of multiple risk factor intervention and healthy aging counseling in the office setting. A systematic approach to preventive geriatrics proposed by the U.S. Prevention Services Task Force is discussed.
A Study of 13.5-MHz Coupled-Loop Wireless Power Transfer Under Concrete and Near Metal

This paper presents a study of near-field wireless power transfer to embedded sensors under concrete under a variety of scenarios, e.g., dry concrete, freshly made concrete, and power transfer near a metal rod. It is demonstrated that with a 1-W RF transmitter operating at around 13-MHz embedded sensor batteries under 20-mm-thick concrete can be wirelessly charged with dc currents such as 16 mA. Wireless power transfer experiments for an antenna under freshly made concrete exhibit 5 mA of dc current which increases to 10 mA after the natural drying of the concrete for 4.5 h. Finally, it is shown that with the help of ultra-thin sheets (1.2-mm total thickness) of high permeability (relative permeability = 350) magnetic materials wireless power transfer under concrete to a sensor wrapped around a steel rod could be significantly increased (as much as 12 dB).
Gene expression subtypes in early stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma and subclinical nodal metastasis.

e17525Background: Patients with early stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) without clinical or radiographic evidence of cervical lymphadenopathy present as a therapeutic dilemma. Altho...
Joe Louis and the Struggle of African American Golfers for Visibility and Access

This study examines the role of Joe Louis in stimulating greater interest in golf among African Americans during his reign as world heavyweight boxing champion (1937-1949) and in joining the fight to end discrimination in golf after his retirement from boxing. During his boxing career, Louis promoted golf by participating in golf tournaments as an amateur player, employing black golf professionals as his personal golf tutors, organizing his own national tournament, and creating opportunities for interracial golf competition. Failing to achieve success in creating access for black golfers to play in the prestigious, all-white, PGA golf tournaments, Louis became more aggressive in these efforts and joined the movement to end racial discrimination in the sport. While achieving limited success, Joe Louis is credited with contributing to the initial steps in removing racial barriers in golf, which eventually led to removal of the infamous “Caucasian-only” clause from the PGA constitution, thus, paving the way for Charlie Sifford and other African Americans to attain full PGA membership.