cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting opioid overdose risk of patients with opioid prescriptions using electronic health records based on temporal deep learning.

Abstract The US is experiencing an opioid epidemic, and opioid overdose is causing more than 100 deaths per day. Early identification of patients at high risk of Opioid Overdose (OD) can help to make targeted preventative interventions. We aim to build a deep learning model that can predict the patients at high risk for opioid overdose and identify most relevant features. The study included the information of 5,231,614 patients from the Health Facts database with at least one opioid prescription between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2017. Potential predictors (n = 1185) were extracted to build a feature matrix for prediction. Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) based models were built to predict overdose risk in the next hospital visit. Prediction performance was compared with other machine learning methods assessed using machine learning metrics. Our sequential deep learning models built upon LSTM outperformed the other methods on opioid overdose prediction. LSTM with attention mechanism achieved the highest F-1 score (F-1 score: 0.7815, AUCROC: 0.8449). The model is also able to reveal top ranked predictive features by permutation important method, including medications and vital signs. This study demonstrates that a temporal deep learning based predictive model can achieve promising results on identifying risk of opioid overdose of patients using the history of electronic health records. It provides an alternative informatics-based approach to improving clinical decision support for possible early detection and intervention to reduce opioid overdose.
Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in postpartum consultation for mental health concerns among US mothers.

Limited research has examined factors that impact access to postpartum mental healthcare. We investigated the predisposing, enabling, and need factors associated with postpartum consultation for mental health concerns in US mothers with or without depressive symptoms and examined potential disparities in access. We utilized cross-sectional data from the Listening to Mothers II Survey, the second national US survey of women’s childbearing experiences. The survey recruited 1573 women, aged 18–45 years, who spoke English and had given birth. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS-SF). The dependent variable was postpartum consultation for mental health concerns. Logistic regression analyses showed that mothers with scores of 14–21 and 22–35 on the PDSS-SF had higher odds of consulting a provider for mental health concerns (OR 3.97; OR 12.91). Latinas had lower odds of seeking mental health consultations than Whites (OR 0.39). Mothers who were employed prenatally full-time or part-time had lower odds of seeking consultations than non-employed mothers (OR 0.62; OR 0.52). Mothers with household incomes of $50,000–$74,999 had higher odds of seeking consultations than those with incomes less than $25,000 (OR 2.20). When regression analyses were restricted to mothers with PDSS-SF scores ≥ 14, findings were similar by race/ethnicity and prenatal employment. Significant depressive symptoms are common in women after giving birth and few sought any form of mental health consultation. Latinas and low-income women are less likely to seek postpartum mental health consultations. Mental health care interventions could be geared towards targeting these at-risk groups.
The feminist critique of liberalism and the challenge of right-wing populism: A reply to Gila Stopler

In this Reply, I argue that the Okin/Rawls debate is a debate within ideal theory; so if ideal theory is the problem, Okin’s feminist critique of liberalism will not help. I argue in addition, however, that Rawlsian ideal theory is more helpful than we might think in addressing the threat of illiberal populism to really-existing constitutional democracies, and that before we despair we should up our liberal game.
Old and New Peace Agreements

What should international law make of peace agreements? In the Nineteenth Century, when treaties regularly ended inter-state armed conflicts (IACs), the answer was easy. Peace agreements were binding treaties whose terms could be freely dictated by the winning side. Peace agreements also signaled that a series of rules specific to wartime were no longer operable. Contemporary peace agreements share neither of these characteristics. This is because they largely end non-international armed conflicts (NIACs). Agreements between governments and rebels do not meet the definition of a binding treaty. And IAC agreements’ signaling function has long passed into obsolescence. How then, if at all, do new NIAC peace agreements engage with international law? This article argues that international law has become critical to their genesis in two respects. First, the agreements parallel international law’s concern with governance issues by restructuring domestic institutions. Their governance focus is the logical consequence of international law’s refusal to “resolve” NIACs through large-scale and violent changes to national borders or demographic profiles. Former combatants must live with each other and NIAC agreements seek to structure their peaceful co-existence. Second, all stages of NIAC agreements have become heavily multilateralized. International actors wield incentives and sanctions from the onset of conflict through the agreements’ implementation. In so doing, they radically expand the factors militating toward a peace settlement. These added factors, especially those providing a “credible commitment” of enforcing the agreement, reconfigure the parties’ incentives as to whether or not a negotiated end to conflict will serve their interests
The fatty acids ofEntomophthora coronata

The total lipids and fatty acid composition ofEntomophthora coronata were determined. The fungus was grown on a chemically defined medium and a chemically nondefined medium (Sabouraud dextrose yeast extract) for a period of 26 days. The organism contained from 16.2% to 44.6% total lipids depending upon the days of growth. The major fatty acids were 12∶0 (5.5–9.0%), 13∶0 (1.2–8.2%), 14∶0 (33.5–43.5%), 16∶0 (9.7–13.9%), 18∶19 (20.4–22.4%), and 18∶29,12 (3.5–10.5%). Lesser amounts of 15∶0, 16∶1, 16∶2, 17∶0, 18∶0, two other 18∶2 (both having conjugated double bonds), 18∶36,9,12, another 18∶3 (conjugated double bonds), 20∶38,11,14, 20∶45,8,11,14, another 20∶4 (conjugated double bonds), and 24∶1 acids were found. Trace amounts of 20∶0, 20∶1, 20∶2, 22∶0 and 24∶0 were also present. The relative percentage of most of the fatty acids did not vary appreciably with growth. However, 18∶29,12 and 20∶45,8,11,14 increased with age of the chemically defined culture. Peak E (18∶2, conjugated double bonds) increased and 13∶0 and 18∶36,9,12 decreased with age of the chemically nondefined culture. The fatty acids were predominately saturated (56.9–69.1%) and contained a high percentage of shorter chain fatty acids (C 12 to C 15). The fatty acids of the chemically defined culture were more unsaturated than the Sabouraud culture and the unsaturation increased with age of the culture.
Oral Tradition and Archaeology: Conflict and Concordance Examples from Two Indian War Sites

The Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the 1877 Nez Perce War, Battle of the Big Hole, abound in oral tradition and historical sources. Archaeological investigations at both sites have yielded substantial numbers of battle-related artifacts. The physical evidence supports and modifies the historical record in both cases. The Big Hole battle’s oral traditions were substantiated by the archaeological work as well. However, the Sand Creek Massacre’s oral tradition of the site location is in direct conflict with reanalysis of the historic documents and the archaeological findings. The two cases are contrasted to vividly point out how groups accept or reject evidence gathered using the scientific method when it either agrees or disagrees with their preconceived notions of cultural truth.
Utilizing an “ethic of care” in leadership preparation: Uncovering the complexity of colorblind social justice

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to report on a six‐year self‐study of a doctoral training program intended to promote social justice leadership via an “ethic of care” framework.Design/methodology/approach – The primary data set utilized was an open‐ended survey completed by doctoral students after finishing core course requirements. Data analysis included a thematic analysis of 110 respondents which examined variation in students' understanding and application of issues associated with equity, justice, and diversity, as well as the ethic of care. As a collaborative self‐study the data analysis involved procedures of open, independent, and collaborative coding, as well as peer debriefing.Findings – Suggests that the doctoral program has been effective at creating a caring environment and changing students' understanding of diversity and equity issues. Two programmatic weaknesses were uncovered; a lack of curricular integration and student perceptions of social justice and diversity as discrete con...
The Empire Writes Back: African Challenges to the Brutish (South African) Empire in the Early 20th Century

This paper examines African critical views on empires in the early 20th century. Historians regard modern African challenges to empire and the settler state in South(ern) Africa as a post-Second World War phenomenon; before then, entrenched empire loyalism among black elites held sway. I argue that while loyalism remained influential, black intellectuals and political leaders, from the earliest articulation of African nationalism, began to critique European and South African empires qua empire just as they first began to synchronise their forces across the terrain of a South African state aggressively developing imperial ambitions. In this counter-discourse, Africans adapted, inverted and subverted polite imperial discourse in their press, speeches and praise poetry that eulogised past African empires and criticised, even condemned, Boer and British imperialism. British Empire, South African empire, African empire; all this requires a re-figuring of how historians conceive African response to empire.
Behind the Wedding Veil: Child Marriage as a Form of Trafficking in Girls

Introduction 234 I. The Prevalence and Causes of Child Marriage 237 A. Occurrence of Child Marriage throughout the World 237 B. Reasons for Child Marriage 241 II. Domestic Regulation of Child Marriage 243 III. International Conventions Relating to Child Marriage 247 A. Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages (“Marriage Convention”) 249 B. Convention on the Rights of the Child (“CRC”) 251 C. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women 253 D. Human Rights Conventions 254 E. Conventions Prohibiting Slavery and Forced Labor 255 F. African Charter on the Rights and of the Welfare of the Child, 1990 (“African Charter”) 257 G. Anti-Trafficking Conventions 258 1. Early International Agreements 258 2. The Trafficking Protocol of 2000 259 3. Child Marriage as a Form of Exploitation 262 Sexual Exploitation 264 Forced Labor 265 Slavery or Practices Similar to Slavery 265 4. Prospects 266 IV. Recommendations and Conclusions 266 A. Elements of Model Legislation 267 B. Extra-legal Measures 268 C. Conclusions 270
Abstract 15931: Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3α Plays a Critical Role in the Development of Cardiac Dysfunction During Obesity and Insulin Resistance Through Phosphorylation of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α

Obesity and insulin resistance (IR) lead to impaired cardiac metabolism, resulting in cardiac dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the development of cardiac dysfunction remain poorly understood. PPARα serves as a key regulator of fatty acid (FA) metabolism in the heart. GSK-3α, a serine/threonine kinase, was dephosphorylated at S21 and activated (2.0 fold, p
Variation in the reference Shields stress for bed load transport in gravel‐bed streams and rivers

[1] The present study examines variations in the reference shear stress for bed load transport (τr) using coupled measurements of flow and bed load transport in 45 gravel-bed streams and rivers. The study streams encompass a wide range in bank-full discharge (1–2600 m3/s), average channel gradient (0.0003–0.05), and median surface grain size (0.027–0.21 m). A bed load transport relation was formed for each site by plotting individual values of the dimensionless transport rate W* versus the reach-average dimensionless shear stress τ*. The reference dimensionless shear stress τ*r was then estimated by selecting the value of τ* corresponding to a reference transport rate of W* = 0.002. The results indicate that the discharge corresponding to τ*r averages 67% of the bank-full discharge, with the variation independent of reach-scale morphologic and sediment properties. However, values of τ*r increase systematically with average channel gradient, ranging from 0.025–0.035 at sites with slopes of 0.001–0.006 to values greater than 0.10 at sites with slopes greater than 0.02. A corresponding relation for the bank-full dimensionless shear stress τ*bf, formulated with data from 159 sites in North America and England, mirrors the relation between τ*r and channel gradient, suggesting that the bank-full channel geometry of gravel- and cobble-bedded streams is adjusted to a relatively constant excess shear stress, τ*bf − τ*r, across a wide range of slopes.
Dynamics of Polymers Near the Theta Point

A complete theory of the dynamics of polymers would include all the factors that affect chain motion. These include the local chemical structure (bond length, bond angle and hindered rotation), molecular topology (linear, star, comb, etc), excluded volume effect, hydrodynamic interaction, effective intersegment interactions, solvent, temperature and concentration. In the theory of linear chain dynamics it is ordinarily assumed that the molecules possess both static and dynamic flexibility and, hence, the short range effects due to the local chemical structure can be handled by a suitable choice of the length of the Kuhn statistical segment. This leads to the ideal chain model whose simplest realization is the three-dimensional random walk. The equilibrium properties of the random walk are well known; the mean square end-to-end distance is given by the simple relation (R2) = Nb 2 , where b is the length of a single step and N is the number of steps. When the long-range excluded volume is included, the chain expands significantly. The simplest model of a chain is the self-avoiding walk on a lattice and the mean square end-to-end distance is well, though not exactly, represented by the Flory result, (R2) = N 6 / 5 b 2 [1].
Software Receiver Design: A Digital Quadrature Amplitude Modulation Radio

The preceding chapters of Software Receiver Design focus on a real-valued PAM transmission protocol. Though this is one of the simplest digital transmission systems, a working radio for PAM needs to include a variety of techniques that address the nonideal behaviors encountered in reality. Fixes such as the PLL, the Costas loop, timing recovery, and equalization are necessary parts of the system. This chapter describes a complex-valued generalization of PAM called quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), which forms the basis of a “better radio.” While the change from real-valued PAM to complex-valued QAM signals is straightforward, the bulk of this chapter fleshes out the details of operation of the resulting system. The various parts of the digital radio need to be rethought (carrier recovery, timing recovery, and equalization). The theme of this chapter is that such rethinking can follow the same path as the original designs. The basic techniques for the PAM radio of earlier chapters generalize smoothly to more sophisticated designs. This chapter begins with the observation (already noted in Section 5.3) that PAM modulations waste bandwidth. QAM, a more clever modulation strategy, is able to halve the bandwidth requirements, which represents a significant step towards practicality. This is accomplished by sending, and then unravelling, two real PAM signals simultaneously on orthogonal carriers (sine and cosine) that occupy the same frequency band.
Animal and human mucosal tissue models to study HIV biomedical interventions: can we predict success?

Introduction: Preclinical testing plays an integral role in the development of HIV prevention modalities. Several models are used including humanized mice, non-human primates and human mucosal tissue cultures. Discussion : Pharmaceutical development traditionally uses preclinical models to evaluate product safety. The HIV prevention field has extended this paradigm to include models of efficacy, encompassing humanized mice, non-human primates (typically Asian macaques) and human mucosal tissue (such as cervical and colorectal). As our understanding of the biology of HIV transmission improves and includes the influence of human behaviour/biology and co-pathogens, these models have evolved as well to address more complex questions. These three models have demonstrated the effectiveness of systemic (oral) and topical use of antiretroviral drugs. Importantly, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships are being developed and linked to information gathered from human clinical trials. The models are incorporating co-pathogens (bacterial and viral) and the effects of coitus (mucosal fluids) on drug distribution and efficacy. Humanized mice are being tailored in their immune reconstitution to better represent humans. Importantly, human mucosal tissue cultures are now being used in early clinical trials to provide information on product efficacy to more accurately characterize efficacious products to advance to larger clinical trials. While all of these models have made advancements in product development, each has limitations and the data need to be interpreted by keeping these limitations in mind. Conclusions : Development and refinement of each of these models has been an iterative process and linkages to data generated among each of them and from human clinical trials are needed to determine their reliability. Preclinical testing has evolved from simply identifying products that demonstrate efficacy prior to clinical trials to defining essential pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships under a variety of conditions and has the potential to improve product selection prior to the initiation of large-scale human clinical trials. The goal is to provide researchers with ample information to make conversant decisions that guide optimized and efficient product development. Keywords: HIV prevention; pre-exposure prophylaxis; microbicide; humanized mouse; non-human primate; macaque; mucosal tissue; ex vivo challenge. (Published: 2 November 2015) Citation: Dezzutti CS. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2015, 18 :20301 http://www.jiasociety.org/index.php/jias/article/view/20301 | http://dx.doi.org/10.7448/IAS.18.1.20301
Decoupled and Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking of Series-Connected Photovoltaic Submodules Using Differential Power Processing

This paper describes a distributed maximum power point tracking control scheme for photovoltaic (PV) systems at the submodule level. The system employs isolated differential power processing (DPP) converters that require no perturb and observe synchronization and little communication among power converters themselves. Design and benefits of this architecture with respect to control, communication, and converter efficiency are analyzed. Isolated dc–dc converter prototypes are constructed and employed within a string of series-connected PV submodules to experimentally validate the proposed control method. An experimental extraction efficiency of 99.12% is achieved for a three submodule connection with $\sim 30$ % mismatch—a 10.19% improvement from the conventional, non-DPP architecture.
The dank cellar of electronic texts

The dank cellar surveys rather critically the litter of casualty electronic editions and the false bases and limited goals that informed so many early―that is, current―efforts; and it points hopefully to the best early, though still inadequate, efforts to provide electronic texts responsibly and with added scholarly value. It looks at some problems of representing Victorian fiction.
Academic Technology in Higher Education: Organizing for Better Results

The field of instructional technology has continued to evolve since its inception in the early l900s. Academic technology units in higher education have witnessed tremendous change in the last one ...
Muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy: Prognostic factors

Abstract Purpose: To determine the relationship of several potential prognostic factors to the outcome measures of pelvic control, freedom from metastases, and overall survival for bladder cancer patients treated with definitive external beam radiotherapy. Methods and materials: The records of 135 patients treated with high-dose, planned continuous-course, external beam radiotherapy for muscle-invasive transitional cell bladder cancer were reviewed. These patients were treated to an average total dose of 6588 ± 475 cGy with an average fractional dose of 207 ± 18 cGy using megavoltage. Median potential follow-up for all patients, including those who died, was 249 months. Results: The actuarial results at 5 year were 31% pelvic control, 58% freedom from metastases, and 26% overall survival. In the univariate analyses, several factors were correlated with disease outcome including clinical stage, tumor morphology, gross total transurethral resection (TURBT), findings at bimanual exam after TURBT, clinical perivesical extension, age, and clinical complete response at first follow-up cystoscopy (Clinical-CR). A Cox proportional hazards model revealed that only Clinical-CR was independently predictive of pelvic control. In terms of freedom from metastases, only Clinical-CR and clinical stage were significantly associated with outcome in the multivariate analysis. When the multivariate analysis was restricted to T2 and T3 tumors only, then clinical perivesical extension replaced stage as being associated with freedom from metastases. The only factors significantly related to overall survival in the Cox proportional hazards model were Clinical-CR, age, and complete TURBT: stage was of borderline significance when only pretreatment factors were considered. Conclusions: Clearly, the most important prognostic factor was Clinical-CR. The pretreatment factors of stage, clinical perivesical extension, and gross total TURBT also correlated with outcome, but, to a lesser degree. For patients medically unfit for radical cystectomy radiotherapy is a viable option, particularly for selected patients. Patients with T4 tumors are poor candidates for definitive radiotherapy and should be treated palliatively if they cannot tolerate systemic therapy.
COMPUTATION OF THE RELAXATION OSCILLATION PERIOD IN LOTKA-VOLTERRA SYSTEMS

. This work surveys techniques of Grasman and Veling [1973], Vasil'eva and Belyanin [1988] and Shih [1996] for computing the relaxation oscillation period of singularly perturbed Lotka-Volterra systems. Grasman and Veling [1973] used an implicit function theorem to derive an asymptotic formula for the period; Vasil'eva and Belyanin [1988] employed a method of matched asymptotic expansions to obtain an approximation to the period; Shih [1996] obtained two (exact) integral representations for the period in terms of two inverse functions W(–k, x) of xexp(x). These results are compared numerically and asymptotically. In particular, the integral representation of the period in Shih [1996] is computed numerically using a Gauss-Tschebyscheff integration rule of the first kind, and is further investigated asymptotically by virtue of the asymptotics of W(–k, x), Laplace's method, and a method of consequent representation. Computational results indicate that the Gauss-Tschebyscheff approximation of the period in Shih [1996] is uniformly accurate for a wide range of the singular parameter (ɛ in the paper).
Negative weight-based attitudes in treatment-seeking obese monolingual Hispanic patients with and without binge eating disorder

Abstract Objective The aims of this study were to compare weight-based attitudes in obese Latino adults with and without binge eating disorder (BED) and to examine whether these attitudes are related to indices of eating disorder psychopathology and psychological functioning. Method Participants were a consecutive series of 79 monolingual Spanish-speaking-only obese Latinos (65 female, 14 male) participating in a randomized placebo-controlled trial performed at a Hispanic community mental health center. Participants were categorized as meeting the criteria for BED (n = 40) or obese non–binge-eating controls (n = 39) based on diagnostic and semistructured interviews administered by fully bilingual research clinicians trained specifically for this study. Results Analyses revealed that negative attitudes toward obesity did not differ significantly between the BED and non–binge-eating groups nor were they correlated with the intensity of eating disorder psychopathology (eg, levels of weight and shape concerns). Overall, the levels of negative attitudes toward obesity in this Latino/Latina group are similar to those reported previously for samples of English-speaking primarily white obese persons. Discussion These findings suggest that it may be obesity per se—rather than eating disorder psychopathology or body image—that heightens vulnerability to negative weight-based attitudes.
Microwave breakdown of air at low pressure with a 5 ns, 35 GHz pulse

This research was inspired by the need for a microwave source powerful enough to lead to enhancement in the air breakdown volume, when synchronized in time and space with a small region of pre-ionized air created with an intense laser pulse. We used the compact and portable RADAN pulser that drives a backward wave oscillator to produce microwaves for this purpose. The microwave pulse duration and power are 5 ns and 2 MW, respectively. The frequency of operation is 35 GHz. It is well known that air breakdown at atmospheric pressure requires an electric field amplitude of 30 kV/cm. Thus, an ouput power of 2 MW simply radiated in air does not have sufficient electric field to assist in air breakdown. For this reason, a parabolic dish was used to focus the microwaves into a small spot, thereby enhancing the electric field.
Complement proteins and C3 anaphylatoxin in the tears of patients with conjunctivitis

Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated pollen-specific IgG antibodies in the tears of patients with vernal conjunctivitis (VC) and elevated tear IgG levels in patients with contact lens-induced giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC). Tear secretions were examined for complement (C) proteins to determine the role of this effector system in the pathogenesis of these ocular disorders. The tears of VC (15) and GPC (10) patients with active disease had elevated tear levels of both C3 and factor B. By use of transferrin as a marker for the leakage of plasma proteins into the tears, most C3 was locally produced by the conjunctival tissues. Although immune complexes could not be detected in the tear secretions, increased levels of C3 des Arg were present in the tears that suggested complement activation with the generation of anaphylatoxins. These studies suggest that complement may be important in the inflammatory ocular process of VC and GPC and that the generation of anaphylatoxins (C3a), even by nonimmune mechanisms, may contribute to basophil and mast cell activation with the release of inflammatory mediators into the tear secretions.
Evaluation of DNA-based typing procedures for strain categorization of Candida spp.

Abstract DNA-based procedures have replaced earlier epidemiologic methodologies that relied on nonreproducible and insensitive measurements of phenotypic characteristics to identify a specific strain as the source of infection. The reliability (interlaboratory percent agreement for strain delineation) and sensitivity (recognition of subtle strain-to-strain variation) of similar DNA-based typing systems by different laboratories were evaluated. Ten isolates (five epidemiologic-related and five unrelated strains each) of Candida albicans , C. lusitaniae , C. parapsilosis , C. tropicalis , and Candida ( Torulopsis ) glabrata were characterized in a blinded fashion by three laboratories. All 50 isolates were subtyped in each laboratory by electrophoretic karyotyping (EK) analysis using contour-clamped homogenous electric field (CHEF) electrophoresis protocols. In addition, two laboratories also performed restriction endonuclease analysis of genomic DNA (REAG) using the restriction endonucleases Sfi I and Bss HII followed by CHEF electrophoresis separation of resulting fragments. DNA strain identification of the 50 isolates by the three different laboratories using similar CHEF methodologies demonstrated the following species-dependent, interlaboratory reproducibility: C. tropicalis (82%), C. parapsilosis (83%), C. albicans (90%), C. lusitaniae (93%), and C. glabrata (100%). In addition, agreement was higher by the CHEF method (83 to 100%), when compared with the strain types identified by the REAG (60 to 100%) method. Five to seven strains of each Candida species evaluated were detected by the different methodologies used for this study. This study indicates that these procedures are relatively discriminatory and reliable tools to study strain-to-strain variations in epidemiologic evaluations of these yeasts.
The relationship between pedometer-determined and self-reported physical activity and body composition variables in college-aged men and women.

Pedometer-determined physical activity (PA) is inversely related to body composition in middle-aged adults; however, researchers have not established such a relationship in college students. Objective and Participants: In this study, the authors attempted to characterize PA and examine its relationship with body composition in undergraduate college students (N = 88). Methods: The authors measured the BC of 44 women (M age = 21 ± 1 year, M body mass index [BMI] = 23.9 ± 4 kg/m2) and 44 men (M age = 22 ± 1 year, BMI = 26.9 ± 0.9 kg/m2); participants also wore a pedometer for 7 days and completed a PA questionnaire. Results: Men averaged significantly more steps/day (10,027 ± 3,535) than did women (8,610 ± 2,252). For women only, the authors observed significant correlations between steps/day and body composition variables. Men reported engaging in vigorous PA significantly more often than did women. Conclusions: These findings indicate that men engage in PA more often but that PA is related to body composit...
Determination of trace impurities at the p.p.b. level in fused silica by spark-source mass spectrometry

Abstract A sample dissolution-concentration technique for the determination of trace elements in fused silica by spark-source mass spectrometry (s.s.m.s.) is described. The fused silica is dissolved by ultra-pure hydrofluoric acid, and most of the silicon tetrafluoride formed is then removed at 80–100° C, leaving behind the impurities in the solution as fluorides. After addition of ultrahigh-purity graphite and internal standards (Tl and Rb), the mixture is dried to give a sample suitable for pressing into electrodes. The method not only concentrates the trace impurities but also reduces the interferences originating from silicon oxide and carbide species in the mass spectra and thus allows the determination of a larger number of elements at p.p.b. levels. More than 30 trace impurities in 6 fused silica boules and J.T. Baker's Ultrex silicon dioxide are determined and compared with data obtained by other methods.
Semiclassical vibrational eigenvalues of H2O and SO2 by the adiabatic switching method

Abstract The adiabatic switching method is used to calculate semiclassical vibrational eigenvalues for H 2 O and SO 2 . Hyperspherical coordinates are utilized and a semiclassical correction rule, analogous to the Langer method in WKB theory is proposed and tested. Results calculated without the correction rule are in good agreement with previous semiclassical calculations, results obtained with the correction rule are significantly more accurate.
The effect of paired atrial pacing on left atrial and ventricular performance in the dog

Paired atrial pacing in anaesthetized open-chest dogs increased the force of atrial contraction. In preparations in which the vagi had been cut, and propranolol administered or upper thoracic sympathectomy performed, paired atrial pacing resulted in augmentation of ventricular performance with increased cardiac output and raised systemic arterial pressure.
Evaluation of intraocular pressure in the immediate period after phacoemulsification.

Abstract Purpose To determine the incidence of hypotony or intraocular pressure (IOP) spikes in the early period after clear corneal phacoemulsification in normal and glaucomatous eyes. Setting Ambulatory surgical center. Methods This retrospective analysis comprised 112 eyes that had clear corneal phacoemulsification. Postoperative IOP measurements were collected 30 minutes, 1 day, and 1 month after surgery. Results Twenty-three eyes had an IOP of 5 mm Hg or below 30 minutes postoperatively. The IOP at 30 minutes was lower than at 1 day in both the normal and the glaucoma group. The mean IOP in the normal group was 10.0 mm Hg ± 4.3 (SD) at 30 minutes and 16.9 ± 4.4 mm Hg at 1 day ( P ≤ .005). The means in the glaucoma group were 9.6 ± 3.9 mm Hg and 16.9 ± 5.7 mm Hg, respectively ( P ≤ .0002). The IOPs at 30 minutes and 1 day were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Conclusion A significant percentage of eyes having clear corneal phacoemulsification had an IOP of 5 mm Hg or less 30 minutes after surgery. Even though there were no postoperative complications from hypotony and there was a relative absence of significant IOP elevation 1 day postoperatively, the frequency of low IOP at 30 minutes suggests that consideration be given to leaving postoperative eyes with a higher IOP at the completion of phacoemulsification rather than with the estimated 10 mm Hg tactile IOP strived for in this study.
Speaking with Many Voices: Continuity and Change in U.S. Africa Policies

The story of the blind men and the elephant is universally known. Each…concluded that the elephant had the appearance of the part he had touched. Hence, the blind man who felt the animal's trunk concluded that an elephant must be tall and slender…Others of course reached different conclusions. The total result was that no man arrived at a very accurate description of the elephant. Yet, each man had gained enough evidence from his own experience to disbelieve his fellows and to maintain a lively debate about the nature of the beast.
Objectivity, Relativism, and Truth in External Financial Reporting: What's Really at Stake in the Disputes?

Abstract This article argues that a consensus interpretation of epistemological objectivity and related principles of rationality make it possible to conduct a rational and objective debate about the merits of alternative financial reporting practices. Whereas previous studies have attributed many debates to fundamentally different ontological and epistemological presuppositions, here it is argued that instead many of the debates involve opposing normative commitments to financial reporting objectives. This conflict over objectives is explored by examining the normative assertions of three opposing perspectives (critical-interpretative, economic consequences, and external user). Implications for the institutional legitimacy of standard-setting bodies, the search for “generally accepted” international accounting standards, and accounting research are discussed.
On the Origins of Constitutional Patriotism

Political theorists tend to dismiss the concept of constitutional patriotism for two main reasons. On the one hand, constitutional patriotism — understood as a post-national, universalist form of democratic political allegiance — is rejected on account of its abstract quality. On the otherhand, it is argued that constitutional patriotism, while apprearing universalist, is in fact particular through and through. According to this genealogical critique, it is held that constitutional patriotism might have been appropriate in the context when it originated — namely West Germany, a half-nation with a deeply compromised sense of nationality on account of the Nazi past — but it is not universally applicable. This article reconstructs the origins of constitutional patriotism arguing that both the ‘protective’ and state-centred patriotism of Dolf Sternberger, and the ‘purifying’ patriotism of Jurgen Habermas — focused mainly on the public sphere — can indeed be understood as relying on ‘supplements of particularily’. However, there are also normative connections between universalist constitutional morality and militant democracy on the one hand, and universalist constitutionalist morality and an imperative to remember on the other. Thus, the genealogical critique by itself is insufficient to invalidate the idea of constitutional patriotism.
Reliability of Orbital Diagnostic Tests: Ultrasonography, Computerized Tomography, and Radiography

Summary A series of 342 patients with unilateral exophthalmos underwent orbital diagnostic studies including ultrasonography, computerized tomography, radiographic studies, and vascular contrast studies. Each test was found to have diagnostic capabilities that cofiiplemented other studies depending upon the specific disease process involved. No one test was entirely adequate without supplementary information from the other tests. Radiographic studies demonstrated bony abnormality in 50% of the tumor cases, but in only 28% of the entire series of exophthalmos cases. Computerized tomography demonstrated diagnostic soft tissue abnormality in 86% of tumors, 43% of inflammatory diseases, and an overall yield of 62% positive results. Ultrasonography proved the most versatile test for evaluation of orbital soft tissues, with 80% positive results for tumors, 87% for inflammatory disorders, and 78% overall accurate orbital diagnosis. Erroneous tumor diagnosis of 7% with computerized tomography and 3% with ultrasonography were corrected by combining these two studies, because they tend to err in opposite directions. Combination of ultrasound and CT scan resulted in a 98% correct diagnosis of all types of orbital diseases.
A Micromethod for the Analysis of Cryoglobulins Via Laser Nephelometry: Evaluation and Comparison to C1q Binding Activity in Autoimmune Diseases in Pediatrics

Summary: Quantitative determinations of cryoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM, and C3) were performed by a laser nephelometry microtechnique on 250 serum samples from a group of pediatric patients suspected of having immune complex-mediated disorders. Approximately 50% of these samples were cryoglobulin positive. Patients with cryoglobulins were examined as three separate groups: systemic lupus erythematosus, presumptive autoimmune disorders, and chronic bacterial or viral infections. Nearly all of these patients have mixed cryoglobulins. The relation of cryoglobulinemia with serum hypocomplementemia and renal involvement was examined in a group of systemic lupus erythematosus patients. High levels of cryoglobulins were found in patients with hypocomplementemia and anti-DNA antibodies without clinical evidence of nephritis. Highly significant correlations were observed between C1q binding activity, presence of cryoglobulins, and serum hypocomplementemia in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Only 60% of the cryoglobulin positive samples had immune complex demonstrable by C1q binding. Cryoglobulin analysis using the laser nephelometry microtechnique permits screening of pediatric patients for the presence of immune complex, permits detection of low levels of cryoglobulins, allows quantitative determination of the specific immunoglobulin classes in the precipitate, and requires only a very small amount of blood suitable for the pediatric population.
Automatic boundary detection of the left ventricle from cineangiograms.

Abstract A threshold method based on statistical principles and heuristics is developed to detect boundaries in radiographic images. Each local region of the image containing a portion of boundary is characterized by a mixture of two (normal) intensity distributions. Thresholds are set dynamically according to local, rather than global, characteristics estimated from the observed intensity histograms. A program to implement the method has been written. Experimental results on cardioangiograms are presented to successfully demonstrate the feasibility of the method for low quality images. The method is insensitive to shading or gradually varying interference.
The synthesis of stereoregular polymers by vinyl, ring–opening, and condensation polymerization reactions

The important factors which control the stereochemistry of polymerization, and thereby the crystalline properties of the polymers so formed, are considered for four different types of reactions including: (1) the cationic polymerization of substituted α-methylstyrenes to form syndiotactic polymers; (2) the anionic ring-opening polymerization of substituted β-propiolactones to form crystalline polyesters; (3) the metathesis ring-opening polymerization of 1,5-cyclooctadiene to form poly(1,3-butadiene)s of controlled cis-trans contents; and (4) the condensation polymerization of α-methylbenzyl chloride to form isotactic poly(α-methylbenzyl).
Time dependent convection electric fields and plasma injection

A model of large-scale electric fields associated with storms or substorms consisting of realistic initial conditions and time dependent convection to explain a typical substorm-associated electron injection event is presented. These fields are responsible for inward convection and energization of plasma sheet electrons, and calculations based on steady state convection theory show that the response to such electric fields qualitatively accounts for many features of the injected particle distribution, but agreement with the theory has not been obtained. An adiabatic convection model which assumes that plasma sheet electrons are present outside of the initial electron boundaries which have an energy dependence appropriate for a small convection field representative of a steady, quiet magnetosphere is described. The position of the inner edge in which plasma sheet electrons of given W and alpha can be found for the assumed initial conditions and enhanced field is calculated providing convecting demarcation boundaries.
Role of Internal Jugular Vein Patch Following Carotid Endarterectomy: A Case Report

Five patients, two of whom were diabetic, all of whom were smokers with heart disease, with an average age of 61.2 years, underwent internal jugular vein patch angioplasty after carotid endarterectomy because of extensive nar rowing of the internal carotid artery. The patients were followed for a mean of 32 months post-operatively, with no evidence of recurrent stenosis or symptoms.
Capacitated production and subcontracting in a serial supply chain

This paper extends a series of recent results regarding the polynomial solvability of single and two-echelon deterministic lot sizing models. In particular, we consider a two-echelon supply chain in which production, inventory, transportation, backlogging, and subcontracting decisions are integrated. We allow for arbitrary concave cost functions and for stationary production and subcontracting capacities. We develop dynamic programming algorithms for various problems in this class that run in polynomial time in the planning horizon of the problem.
Thermodynamic and Hydrodynamic Examination of ClpB Assembly

E. coli ClpB is a heat shock protein that belongs to the AAA+ protein family. Studies have shown that ClpB and its eukaryotic homologue, Hsp104, can disaggregate denatured proteins by themselves or cooperate with the DnaK chaperone system in vivo. It is thought that ClpB requires binding of nucleoside triphosphate to assemble into hexameric rings with protein binding activity and ClpB majorly exist as hexamer in the presence of nucleoside triphosphate. In contrast to this conclusion, our sedimentation velocity data show that ClpB can form hexamer in the absence of nucleotide and ClpB resides in a monomer-dimer-tetramer-hexamer equilibrium in the presence of ATPgS (a slowly hydrolysable ATP analog). ClpB hexamers exhibit fast subunits exchange in the absence of nucleoside triphosphate, while the exchange rates decrease in the presence of a large excess of ATPgS. We anticipate our studies on ClpB assembly to be a starting point of for understanding how ClpB hexamers disaggregate protein aggregates. For example, knowing the population of ClpB hexamers in solution is essential for the interpretation of it is only possible to study the energetics and kinetics data for the of ClpB catalyzed disaggregation processreaction by knowing the population of ClpB hexamer in solution.
Comments on globalization, interdisciplinary research, myopia and parochialism, government, convergence, and culture

Abstract Globalization presents social scientists with a wide variety of issues and challenges that cut across disciplinary boundaries. Disciplinary boundaries encourage specialization and advances in understanding aspects of social behavior, but specialization also creates barriers to more comprehensive understanding of social behavior such as globalization. Successful interdisciplinary efforts entail gains from trade across disciplinary specializations. The papers in this volume help outline an agenda for interdisciplinary investigation of globalization to knock down disciplinary boundaries and encourage gains from trade that further our understanding of globalization. But much work remains before we see real fruits from such efforts.
Amylophagia and Toxemia of Pregnancy

SummaryInterviews were conducted of 500 term pregnant patients to ascertain possible amylophagia. Charts were reviewed to detect the presence of toxemia of pregnancy. No caucasian patients admitted to amylophagia. Of 425 Negro patients 120, or 23.8%, admitted to amylophagia. Of the Negro patients, 18.6% demonstrated toxemia. Starch eaters had an incidence of toxemia of 20.8%, nonstarch eaters had an incidence of 17.7%. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of toxemia among amylophagia practitioners and nonpractitioners. A correlation cannot be made between the possible deleterious effects of the varying forms of pica.
Electronic shell structure of group-IIIA metal atomic clusters.

Ionization potentials of ${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{n}}$ and ${\mathrm{In}}_{\mathit{n}}$ clusters (n80) in supercooled beams have been measured by photoionization spectroscopy. The abrupt leveling near n=5 of the initial linear increase in ionization potentials and the subsequent gradual approach to the classical metallic sphere model are consistent with a simple picture of s-p band hybridization. For ng6, there is clear evidence of electron shell filling, yet substantial deviations from shell-model predictions remain. Crystal-field effects are considered the most probable source of symmetry breaking and give insight to cluster structure.