cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Free Trade, Poverty, and Inequality

Anyone familiar with The Economist knows the mantra: Free trade will ameliorate poverty by increasing growth and reducing inequality. This paper suggests that problems underlying measurement of poverty, inequality, and free trade provide reason to worry about this argument. Furthermore, the paper suggests that better evidence is necessary to establish that free trade is causing inequality and poverty to fall. Experimental studies usually provide the best evidence of causation. So, the paper concludes with a call for further research into the prospects for ethically acceptable experimental testing of free trade's impact on poverty and inequality. Although the paper is unabashedly methodological, its conclusions bear on many ethical debates. Ethicists sometimes argue, for instance, that there is reason to encourage free trade because they believe free trade is decreasing poverty and inequality. Clarifying the empirical facts may not settle ethical debates but it may inform them.
A Class of Flow Bifurcation Models with Lognormal Distribution and Fractal Dispersion

We report a quantitative analysis of a simple dichotomous branching tree model for blood flow in vascular networks. Using the method of moment-generating function and geometric Brownian motion from stochastic mathematics, our analysis shows that a vascular network with asymmetric branching and random variation at each bifurcating point gives rise to an asymptotic lognormal flow distribution with a positive skewness. The model exhibits a fractal scaling in the dispersion of the regional flow in the branches. Experimentally measurable fractal dimension of the relative dispersion in regional flow is analytically calculated in terms of the asymmetry and the variance at local bifurcation; hence the model suggests a powerful method to obtain the physiological information on local flow bifurcation in terms of flow dispersion analysis. Both the fractal behavior and the lognormal distribution are intimately related to the fact that it is the logarithm of flow, rather than flow itself, which is the natural variable in the tree models. The kinetics of tracer washout is also discussed in terms of the lognormal distribution.
Hibiscus section Furcaria (Malvaceae) in islands of the Pacific Basin

Hibiscus sectionFurcaria includes more than 60 known taxa. The section has a mainly tropical distribution, but a few species penetrate subtropical and temperate regions. Seven taxa are recognized that occur in the islands of the Pacific Basin, five of which are endemic.Hibiscus fijiensis is described and a new combination,Hibiscus brackenridgei subsp.molokaianus, is proposed.
Rethinking Arab democratization: elections without democracy

Rethinking Arab democratization: elections without democracy, by Larbi Sadiki, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2011, xxii + 324 pp., $40, £24 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-19-969924-7 In 2011 Oxford Uni...
Short-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency in mice.

ABSTRACT: A murine model for short-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (SCAD) deficiency has been identified and characterized in BALB/cByJ mice. These mice have undetectable SCAD activity, severe organic aciduria; excreting ethylmalonic and methylsuccinic acids and Nbutyrylglycine, and develop a fatty liver upon fasting or dietary fat challenge. The mutant mice develop hypoglycemia after an 18-h fast, and have elevated urinary and muscle butyrylcarnitine concentrations. Most of these findings parallel those of human disorders associated with SCAD deficiency and other β-oxidation defects. This mouse model presents important opportunities to investigate the biology of mammalian fatty acid metabolism and the related human diseases.
Exceptions to the Rule: Exceptional Health Among the Disadvantaged

Countless studies show that socioeconomic status (SES) is strongly related to morbidity and mortality. However, few studies consider the substantial variability in health within socioeconomic strata. In this article, the authors examine the incompatibility between stratification-based theories of health inequality and empirical patterns of exceptional health among the socially disadvantaged. Using panel data from the Health and Retirement Survey (1992-2008), the authors test the mediating and moderating effects of various predictors of exceptional health (no chronic diseases or physical limitations) for middle-aged and older adults with and without a high school education. Results suggest that a combination of demographic characteristics, family and religious factors, socioeconomic resources, health behaviors, psychological makeup, and biological attributes play differing roles in protecting the health of disadvantaged men and women. The findings underscore the complex associations among SES, protective m...
Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of a DNA Binding Domain of gpNu1, a Phage λ DNA Packaging Protein†

Terminase is an enzyme from bacteriophage λ that is required for insertion of the viral genome into an empty pro-capsid. This enzyme is composed of the viral proteins gpNu1 (20.4 kDa) and gpA (73.3...
Personality traits and disorders in obsessive-compulsives

Abstract The Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ) was completed by significant others for 26 obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. Personality traits and diagnoses were scored. Profiles indicated that only one patient met criteria for compulsive personality, whereas one quarter to one third of the sample met criteria for avoidant, histrionic, schizotypal, and dependent personality disorders. High mean percentages on traits scores were found for avoidant and dependent traits, as well as for passive-aggressive and compulsive ones. Patients with more personality traits provoked more negative familial reactions and were less socially adjusted, but they did not have more OCD symptoms at pretest. Personality diagnoses did not predict behavioral treatment outcome. High dependent personality trait scores were related to better post-test gains, whereas passive-aggressive ones were associated with poorer long-term benefits. Results are discussed in light of recent reports of personality disorder in OCD and in other anxiety disorder patients. Methodological concerns are delineated.
Improving toughness of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene with ionic liquid modified carbon nanofiber

Abstract Ionic liquids (ILs) with long alkyl substituted groups, including 1-docosanyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (IL-1) and 1-docosanyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (IL-2), were synthesized and used to modify the surface of carbon nanofibers (CNF). The nanocomposite film prepared by solution-blending of ionic liquid modified CNF (i-CNF) and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) displayed better toughness when compared with pure UHMWPE even at very low concentrations (e.g. 0.4 wt%). The effect of ionic liquids on the elongation-to-break ratio of this nanocomposite system was investigated. The ionic liquid with hexafluorophosphate as the anion was more efficient to increase the toughness of UHMWPE due to the improved compatibility of IL with UHMWPE in the polymer matrix than that of the bromide. The rheological behavior of molten nanocomposites revealed that the storage modulus and the complex viscosity decreased with increasing ionic liquid content in the high frequency region. However, a reverse trend was observed when the frequency was less than 0.05 s −1 . In-situ monitoring in the change of crystallinity of the nanocomposite during tensile deformation suggested a mechanism of sliding between UHMWPE crystal regions and the surface of carbon nanofibers.
Gas transport in halogen‐containing aromatic polycarbonates

The gas permeability and permselectivity of a series of halogen-containing polycarbonates are discussed in terms of the fundamental solubility and diffusivity factors. These materials have structural features that hinder interchain packing and intrachain rotational mobility. Both diffusion and solubility coefficients are higher in materials with higher fractional free volumes. Diffusivity selectivities tend to increase with increasing restriction of intrachain torsional mobility. The materials with four bromine atoms substituted on the phenyl rings ortho to the carbonate linkages display a significantly increased diffusivity selectivity relative to conventional polycarbonate. This improvement in the ability of the polymer matrix to discriminate between gas molecules of different sizes is due to a reduction in intrachain torsional mobility. The reduction in chain mobility is indicated by higher glass transition and higher sub-Tg transition temperatures in the bromine-substituted materials. The materials with hexafluoroisopropylidene moieties have high fractional free volumes and exhibit a very significant increase in permeability relative to conventional bisphenol-A polycarbonate. The material with both the hexafluoro and the tetrabromo substitutions displays significant simultaneous increases in permeability and permselectivity relative to conventional polycarbonate.
Production of androgen and estradiol-17β by Xenopus ovaries treated with gonadotropins in vitro

Radioimmunoassays were developed for measuring estradiol-17β and testosterone in ovaries of Xenopus laevis and the effects of gonadotropins on ovarian production of these two steroids and of progesterone were assessed. In an initial series of experiments, ovarian pieces were incubated in medium alone or medium containing a frog pituitary homogenate (FPH; 0.02 pituitary/ml). After 10 hr the pieces were scored for maturation and ovulation and the tissue and medium were frozen separately. Steroids were extracted from tissue and medium samples with ether and the extracts were reextracted with 70% methanol to decrease lipid content. Some aliquots of the methanol extract were measured for estradiol and testosterone by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and other aliquots were chromatographed and measured for progesterone by an RIA that was developed previously. FPH significantly increased the concentration of all three steroids in both tissue and medium and stimulated oocyte maturation and ovulation in full-grown follicles. The concentration of all three steroids was greater in tissue than in medium in both control and FPH-treated incubation samples. Testosterone accumulation in both control and FPH-treated samples was much greater than progesterone or estradiol accumulation. In a second series of experiments, the temporal pattern of estradiol and testosterone accumulation was determined over 10 hr of incubation. In FPH-treated samples the increase in testosterone concentration was greatest during the first 5 hr of incubation, while in control samples testosterone concentrations changed only very slightly with time. In contrast, estradiol concentrations increased slowly, but steadily, in both control and FPH-treated samples. Since the testosterone antiserum used is not specific for testosterone but cross-reacts with 17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one (DHT), testosterone and DHT were separated chromatographically in some samples and assayed separately. Testosterone constituted the bulk of the androgen measured by the antiserum, but detectable levels of DHT were also present. It is concluded that Xenopus ovaries contain and secrete the three major classes of sex steroids. A gonadotropin preparation that stimulated oocyte maturation and ovulation also increased ovarian content of estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone. The high concentrations of testosterone in Xenopus ovaries suggest that, although testosterone probably serves as a precursor for estradiol synthesis, it may also play some other role in Xenopus.
Therapeutic Efficacy of a Herpes Simplex Virus With Radiation or Temozolomide for Intracranial Glioblastoma After Convection-enhanced Delivery

The herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1)–infected cell protein 0 (ICP0) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase implicated in cell cycle arrest and DNA repair inhibition. Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) of either the replication-defective, ICP0-producing HSV-1 mutant, d106, or the recombinant d109, devoid of all viral genome expression, was performed to determine the in vivo efficacy of ICP0 in combination with ionizing radiation (IR) or systemic temozolomide (TMZ) in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Intracranial U87-MG xenografts were established in athymic nude mice. Animal survival was determined after mice underwent intracranial CED of either the replication-defective d106 or d109 viruses, or Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS), before a single session of whole-brain irradiation or TMZ treatment. Median survival for animals that underwent treatment with HBSS alone, d109 alone, d106 alone, HBSS + IR, HBSS + TMZ, d109 + IR, d106 + IR, and d106 + TMZ was 28, 35, 41, 39, 44, 39, 68 ( P P
Outsourcing, R&D and the Pattern of Intra-metropolitan Location: The Electronics Industries of Madrid

The relationship between intra-metropolitan location, research and development (R&D) and the outsourcing of production is analysed to determine differences in, and the supportive character of, intra-metropolitan areas for high-technology production. Madrid's electronics industries have shown a remarkable resilience, in the face of extensive economic restructuring and the change in trade regimes that has accompanied continental integration. Much of the strength of the electronics sector may have been due to the metropolitan area's support for outsourcing, and the creative specialisation that it facilitated. The distribution of manufacturing establishments, their local sourcing characteristics, industrial district or agglomeration effects, and the role of R&D are evaluated to determine the intra-metropolitan context of production. Extensive statistical analyses of the relationship between R&D and productive performance, with various indicators of capital, costs, revenues and scale, are undertaken with estab...
Balance of Payments of the U.S.S.R., 1959-60 (Balanc des paiements de l'U.R.S.S., 1959-60) (Balanza de pagos de la U.R.S.S., 1959-60)

Cet article a pour objet de prA©senter les renseignements disponibles sur les transactions de l'U.R.S.S. avec les pays de la zone soviA©tique et le reste du monde pour 1959-60. Il succA¨de A l'article paru dans l'A©dition des Staff Papers de mars 1962 qui portait sur les transactions internationales soviA©tiques pendant la pA©riode 1955-58. La prA©sentation et les modes d'A©valuation sont les mAames que ceux dans l'article prA©cA©dent oA¹ ils sont dA©crits plus en dA©tail. Le commerce international total de l'U.R.S.S., c'est-A -dire les exportations et les importations, qui A©tait de $8,6 milliards en 1958 a atteint $11,2 milliards en 1960; 70 pour-cent de ce dernier chiffre correspond A des transactions avec d'autres pays de la zone soviA©tique. Les engagements de l'U.R.S.S. rA©sultant de l'octroi de crA©dits A©conomiques A long terme A des pays extA©rieurs A la zone soviA©tique ont atteint environ $2,6 milliards A la fin de 1960; toutefois, une faible proportion seulement de ces crA©dits a A©tA© utilisA©e jusqu'A prA©sent. En 1960, les nouveaux prAats accordA©s A d'autres pays de la zone soviA©tique ont augmentA© substantiellement en comparaison avec les nouveaux engagements de 1958 et 1959. L'U.R.S.S. a continuA© d'expA©dier de fortes quantitA©s d'or aux pays occidentaux pour les vendre en A©change de monnaie convertible; en outre, elle a reA§u de pays occidentaux plusieurs crA©dits commerciaux dont le montant est inconnu. /// Este estudio presenta los datos disponibles sobre las transacciones efectuadas por la U.R.S.S. con los paA­ses del Airea soviA©tica y con el resto del mundo durante el periodo 1959-60. Este artA­culo es la continuaciA³n del estudio publicado en el nAomero de Staff Papers correspondiente a marzo de 1962, que abarcaba las transacciones internacionales soviA©ticas durante 1955-58. Tanto la presentaciA³n como los mA©todos de estimaciA³n utilizados aquA­ son los mismos que se usaron en el artA­culo anterior, en el cual se hacA­a una descripciA³n mAis detallada. El monto total del comercio internacional de la U.R.S.S., es decir, de las exportaciones e importaciones en conjunto, aumentA³ de una cifra de US$8.600 millones en 1958 a US$11.200 millones en 1960, aA±o en que el 70 por ciento de ese comercio se llevA³ a cabo con los otros paA­ses del Airea soviA©tica. Los compromisos de la U.R.S.S. originados en crA©ditos econA³micos a largo plazo concedidos a paA­ses fuera del Airea soviA©tica alcanzaron, a finales de 1960, una cifra aproximada a US$2.600 millones; no obstante, hasta la fecha solamente se ha utilizado una pequeA±a porciA³n de estos crA©ditos. Durante 1960, tambiA©n aumentaron substancialmente los nuevos crA©ditos otorgados a otros paA­ses del Airea soviA©tica, si se les compara con los nuevos compromisos adquiridos en 1958 y 1959. La U.R.S.S. siguiA³ embarcando grandes cantidades de oro a los paA­ses occidentales con el fin de venderlas contra monedas convertibles y, ademAis, recibiA³ de A©stos varios crA©ditos comerciales cuyo valor se desconoce.
Teaching usability in a technical communication classroom: Developing competencies to user-test and communicate with an international audience

With the increased presence of usability and international/global communication in academia and the corporate world, it is important that college students develop competencies to user-test and communicate with an international audience. To infuse usability and international communication into an advanced technical communication course, I designed an assignment in which students perform usability testing on brochures intended for international graduate students. Through this assignment, students were challenged to develop appropriate testing strategies and methods for visual documents, perform the testing with international users, document the process in a report and present their findings and recommendations in a memorandum. This paper describes how implementing such an assignment sequence into technical communication courses can better prepare students to develop a more in-depth knowledge of communicating and collaborating with an international audience through user-testing, in addition to helping them understand visual rhetoric and experience user-centered communication.
Preparation of uranium peroxide hydrates

Uranium peroxide hydrates were prepared from uranyl nitrate solution and hydrogen peroxide under various conditions. The materials were examined by thermogravimetry, x-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that uranium peroxide hydrate exists in two different crystalline forms depending on the temperature of precipitation: UO/sub 4/, 4H/sub 2/O below 50 deg , UO/sub 4/, 2H/sub 2/O above 70 deg . The former is converted into the latter by drying in air at 100 deg or in vacuo for 24 hr at room temperature. (auth)
Substrate discrimination by the human GTP fucose pyrophosphorylase.

GTP-l-fucose pyrophosphorylase (GFPP, E. C. 2.7.7.30) catalyzes the reversible condensation of guanosine triphosphate and β-l-fucose-1-phosphate to form the nucleotide−sugar GDP-β-l-fucose. The enzyme functions primarily in the mammalian liver and kidney to salvage free l-fucose during the breakdown of glycolipids and glycoproteins. The mechanism by which this protein discriminates between substrate and nonsubstrate molecules has been elucidated for the first time in this study. The ability of GFPP to form nucleotide−sugars from a series of base-, ribose-, phosphate-, and hexose-modified precursor molecules has revealed that the enzyme active site senses a series of substrate substituents that drive substrate/nonsubstrate discrimination. These substituents alter the ability of the precursor molecule to interact with the enzyme, as measured by either changes in the Michaelis constant, Km, the binding affinity, Ka, or through changes in enzymatic turnover, kcat. In this work, the combined substrate binding ...
2-[18F]fluoro-A-85380, an in vivo tracer for the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

6-[18F]Fluoro-3-(2(S)-azetidinylmethoxy)pyridine (6-[18F]fluoro-A-85380 or 6-[18F]FA), a new tracer for positron emission tomography, was synthesized by no-carrier-added [18F] fluorination of 6-iodo-3-((1-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2(S)-azetidinyl)methoxy)pyridine followed by acidic deprotection. 6-[18F]FA followed the regional densities of brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) reported in the literature. Evidence of binding to nAChRs and high specificity of the binding in vivo was demonstrated by inhibition with nAChR selective ligands as well as with unlabeled 6-FA. A preliminary toxicology study of the 6-FA showed a relatively low biological effect.
The probability of the spread of Amblyomma variegatum in the Caribbean

Abstract The risk of a disease occuring is often more difficult to estimate than estimating a monetary value of the losses sustained when the disease occurs. The probability of a non-infested island in the Lesser Antilles becoming infested with Amblyomma variegatum was integrated into the formula for calculating the present value of the benefit of avoiding the costs of infestation by the tick. Based on the history of the spread of A. variegatum in the Caribbean, the probability of becoming infested was estimated to be one island or island group per year and the tick needed 5 years to spread over a 15-km area from an initial point of infestation. This rate of spread is slow compared with that of Boophilus microplus , which spread over the 160-km long island of Puerto Rico in
Prospective study on the sexual development of male and female rats perinatally exposed to maternally administered cimetidine

Abstract Cimetidine, a widely prescribed, potent histamine H 2 -receptor antagonist, is unrelatedly a mild antiandrogen. Since perinatal androgens are essential for normal masculine imprinting, we wanted to determine if maternally administered cimetidine interferred with the offspring's reproductive development. Cimetidine was administered in the mothers' drinking water at several levels reflecting both human and rat therapeutic-like doses from day 17 of gestation through day 7 of lactation. Except for the highest dose of cimetidine (4.0 mg/ml drinking water) the drug had no effect on the dams' food and water consumption or body weight gain. In general, feminine sexual development as measured by pubertal onset, reproductive organ weights and adult estrous cyclicity, was unaffected by perinatal exposure to cimetidine. Similarly, early exposure to the drug had little effect on masculine sexual development. The developmental profile of serum dehydroepiandrosterone androstenedione, testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone when measured at 1, 4 and 18 weeks of age, was unaffected by perinatal exposure to cimetidine. Furthermore, serum androgen concentrations and seminal vesicle weights following orchiectomy and androgen replacement were the same in control and cimetidine-exposed rats. In contrast, pituitary weights of adult males exposed to maternally administered cimetidine appeared to be insensitive to androgen regulation. However, taken in totality, our results do not support the concept that cimetidine is a reproductive teratogen.
Two operation modes of 2D a-Si sensor arrays for radiation imaging

High-intensity radiation flux such as visible light and X-ray can be detected by operating the 2D a-Si sensor arrays with cine-mode, where charge stored in the photodiodes is repeatedly read out with a short interval. For a weaker radiation flux, charge in the photodiodes can be integrated for a long time interval and read out once to produce one image. This storage-mode operation enabled low-intensity γ rays imaging with the array coupled to several types of scintillators. Some example images obtained by the prototype arrays are presented.
Individual differences in the algebraic structure of preferences

Abstract Two divergent theories regarding the algebraic structure of preferences are the strict weak-order (i.e., utility) representation, and the lexicographic semiorder representation. We carry out a novel comparison of these theories by formulating them as mixture models of ternary choice that are general yet parsimonious. We apply Bayesian model selection to see which representation (if any) best explains each decision maker’s choices across multiple data sets. We report the results of a new experiment, which tests the robustness of each representation with respect to manipulations of stimuli, display format, and time pressure. We find that a majority of participants are best described by strict weak-ordered preferences with a substantial minority best described by lexicographically semi-ordered preferences.
A new solution for the skin-friction drag on a cylinder.

range of 1.92 to 0.44 and values obtained from the upper deceleration curve by using CDS = F/q agree fairly well with the contraves tracking camera trajectory data. The decay in dynamic pressure with time from launch for test 158-13 is shown in Fig. 4. The sharp trajectory alteration at parachute deployment is graphically illustrated in Fig. 5 as obtained from the Contraves Cine theodolites.3 Two coats of RTV silicone rubber cement were applied to the guide surface pilot chute and the suspension lines of the 20-ft chute on all three tests to act as an ablator for the aerodynamic heating resulting from the approximate 500 °F stagnation temperature. Conclusions A series of three Nike/Nike rocket-boosted tests of a specially designed 20-ft-diam ribbon parachute has been conducted. It is concluded that 1) the chute is suitable for use up to M = 2.43 and a dynamic pressure of 5700 psf using a 1100-lb total weight test vehicle system and 2) both the 18-in.diam pilot chute and reefed main 20-ft chute operated in a stable configuration and without damage during deployment.
ESD events of cabled GMR sensors

ESD damage from cable discharge events (CDEs) of magnetoresistive sensors is a major problem in manufacturing of magnetic tape and hard disk drives. CDEs initiated by contact to the cable pads used to connect to external electronics represent one source. This paper addresses CDEs from other points of contact, including capacitive coupling to metal objects contacting the cable. In order for capacitively coupled ESD events to damage the sensor the capacitive coupling of the two sensor leads to the external object being discharge must be different.
Multifragmentation of toroidal and bubble nuclei within the BUU approach

Abstract Multifragmentation, following the formation of toroidal and bubble nuclei, is observed with an improved Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) model for central 92 Mo+ 92 Mo collisions. With a stiff equation of state, simultaneous explosion into several nearly-equal fragments (NEFs) in a ring-like manner occurs due to the formation of metastable toroidal nuclei. In contrast, with a soft equation of state, simultaneous explosion into several NEFs in a volume-like manner occurs due to the formation of metastable bubble nuclei. Guided by our BUU model, we propose two signatures: (1) because of the geometries of bubbles and toroids and because of the cold breakup at low temperatures, we predict enhanced cross sections for NEFs at small center-of-mass energies. (2) the coplanarity of these NEFs could carry important information concerning the geometry of the sources. This, in turn, could provide information about the stiffness of the equation of state. Finally, the dependence of these two predictions on the number of test particles, impact parameters, and the initial random seeds are assessed.
Vapor trapping growth of single-crystalline graphene flowers: synthesis, morphology, and electronic properties.

We report a vapor trapping method for the growth of large-grain, single-crystalline graphene flowers with grain size up to 100 μm. Controlled growth of graphene flowers with four lobes and six lobes has been achieved by varying the growth pressure and the methane to hydrogen ratio. Surprisingly, electron backscatter diffraction study revealed that the graphene morphology had little correlation with the crystalline orientation of underlying copper substrate. Field effect transistors were fabricated based on graphene flowers and the fitted device mobility could achieve ∼4200 cm2 V–1 s–1 on Si/SiO2 and ∼20 000 cm2 V–1 s–1 on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). Our vapor trapping method provides a viable way for large-grain single-crystalline graphene synthesis for potential high-performance graphene-based electronics.
Unique features of infective endocarditis in childhood.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Although it is relatively rare in children, its incidence may be increasing.1 The present statement focuses on the features that are particularly relevant to infants and children, including important issues for the primary care physician. The epidemiology of heart disease in children has changed during the past 3 to 4 decades. Because of the increased survival rate of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and the overall decrease in rheumatic valvular heart disease in developed countries, CHD now constitutes the predominant underlying condition for IE in children over the age of 2 years in these countries. The complexities of management of neonatal and pediatric intensive care unit patients have increased the risks of catheter-related IE. In addition, postoperative IE is a long-term risk after correction of complex CHD. Proper use of the diagnostic microbiology laboratory is critical in the diagnosis and management of children with IE. Moreover, newer diagnostic guidelines have improved sensitivity for making the diagnosis of clinically definite IE. Advances in noninvasive techniques, such as 2-dimensional echocardiography, have enhanced our ability to diagnose IE. Newer antibiotics that can be used in children with IE have become available, and home intravenous therapy has become an acceptable approach for stable patients who are at low risk for embolization. In addition, approaches to the prevention of endocarditis recently have been modified and are reviewed in the present statement. IE occurs less often in children than in adults and accounts for ≈1 in 1280 pediatric admissions per year.2 Although the reported hospitalization rates for IE vary considerably among published series, the frequency of endocarditis among children seems to have increased in recent years.3 This is due in part to improved survival among children who are at risk for endocarditis, …
Bone Marrow Edema: Pathophysiology, Differential Diagnosis, and Imaging

Bone marrow edema (BME) has been a topic of increasing interest in the literature in recent years. BME is associated with numerous pathologies and is becoming recognized not only as a considerable pain generator, but also as an entity which is, in some cases, significantly linked to the worsening of patient prognosis. To date, no thorough imaging review of BME has been published. An electronic literature search was conducted through PubMed with a time parameter of January 1975 through December 2007. The primary search parameter was "bone marrow edema." Over 800 papers were listed as written in English and involving humans. Other refining parameters included "AND syndrome," "AND transient," "AND arthritis," "AND infection," "AND tumor," "AND neoplasm," "AND iatrogenic," "AND radiation therapy," and "AND inflammation." More current articles were favored over dated articles on the same topic. A total of 106 journal articles were collected concerning BME and multiple pathologic processes. The data contained therein was compiled and organized into a comprehensive format. BME can be caused by, and found concurrent with, a broad spectrum of pathologies which exhibit a variety of imaging findings. BME is also associated with the deterioration of certain pathologies. This presentation is a comprehensive discussion of different pathological conditions inducing or associated with BME. Differential diagnosis through appropriate imaging is vital to case management and could contribute to the prevention or decreased progression of certain pathologies. Continued investigation into the imaging of BME and its associated diseases, as well as the effect of BME on prognosis, is warranted.
The repulsive part of the effective interatomic potential for liquid metals

Abstract Structure factors obtained by neutron and X-ray measurements on five liquid metals, Na, K, Pb, Ga, and Zn, have been analyzed to extract information about the repulsive part of the effective interionic potential. It is shown that the repulsive part of the pair potential between the ions in liquid metals can be obtained from that part of the structure factor curve lying beyond the first diffraction maximum. A general form for a repulsive potential is presented. It is found that within this form a wide range of potentials will produce structure factor curves which are in agreement with the experimental data at large k values. This analysis uses an extension of the blip-function method for the calculation of the structure factor of a fluid whose interatomic potential is purely repulsive and short ranged. Several properties of the potentials found for each liquid metal studied are consistent with corresponding physical properties of the solids. The large uncertainty in the repulsive potentials extracted from the large k portion of the structure factors make it seem unlikely that quantitative information about the attractive and long range parts of the potential can be extracted from the small k portion of the structure factor.
Scaling of movement velocity: A measure of neuromotor retardation in individuals with psychopathology

The study of motor slowness based on observational methods has limitations. Whether motor retardation has a psychomotor or neuromotor basis is unclear because psychiatric and motor symptoms overlap. Observational methods lack the precision necessary to distinguish cognitive from motor processes. For the present study, we used an objective measure of neuromotor dysfunction to quantify the extent to which an individual programs movement velocity in anticipation of increasing target distance. Persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) or functional psychosis were studied with a group of healthy comparison subjects. Results indicated that the slope of the linear function relating velocity to distance was abnormal in the PD group and in approximately half of the psychosis group. Analyses revealed the measure to have high specificity and sensitivity. Weak correlations between velocity scaling and psychopathology support the neuromotor basis of the measure. We conclude that this measure of velocity scaling is relatively uninfluenced by cognitive factors that may underlie psychomotor retardation.
Balder and Jotun – two sides of the same coin? A comparison of two Tertiary oil fields in the Norwegian North Sea

The Balder and Jotun fields are located on the western flank of the Utsira High, close to the eastern pinch-out of a Tertiary submarine fan system. Although similar in many aspects, the fields display important depositional, structural and stratigraphic differences which influence the choice of development strategy. The subsurface development strategy for the fields has been designed to optimize oil capture and minimize risk based on the interpreted reservoir geology. Therefore, differences between the exploration histories and reservoir geology are reflected in the development strategy of the two fields. Both fields comprise Tertiary reservoir sands shed from the East Shetland Platform and transported across the Viking Graben area onto the Utsira High by sandy debris flows and turbidites. These distal gravity flow deposits display both thin-bedded sands and thicker more massive sandstones (>100 m). In the Balder Field, an intricate interaction between deposition and soft sediment deformation processes generated a complex network of reservoir compartments with common fluid contacts. In the Jotun Field, the oil–water contact is also common between all three structures, but a gas cap is restricted to one of the structures.
The effect of bovine seminal plasma on the function and integrity of bovine neutrophils

Spermatozoa, by virtue of their high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and limited antioxidant activity, are highly sensitive to lipid peroxidation. Sources of reactive oxygen species in the female genital tract include neutrophils recruited in response to insemination or those contained within the ejaculate, or even spermatozoa themselves. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of seminal plasma of bulls on bovine neutrophils. Seminal plasma was removed from ejaculates of 6 healthy bulls by centrifugation. Neutrophils were isolated from jugular venous blood samples obtained from lactating Holstein cows. Seminal plasma was found to decrease measured Superoxide anion production by activated neutrophils (P = 0.008) in a concentration-dependent manner over the range tested (0 to 16%). This effect may reflect Superoxide scavenging by the seminal plasma or direct inhibition of the neutrophils. It has the potential physiological advantage of protecting spermatozoa from oxidative damage. Seminal plasma was found to reduce homotypic neutrophil aggregation dramatically (P < 0.0001). At a seminal plasma concentration of 0.2% neutrophil aggregation was virtually abolished. Homotypic neutrophil aggregation depends on the CD 11b/CD 18 (Mac-1) receptor, which also functions as the C3bi receptor (known as complement receptor-3 or CR3). If this receptor is down-regulated, the ability of neutrophils to phagocytose complement-opsonized microorganisms would be compromised. Finally, seminal plasma was found to increase neutrophil permeability to trypan blue in a concentration and time dependent fashion (P < 0.0001), indicating a direct cytotoxic effect. Taken together, these findings indicate a profound inhibition of neutrophil function by bovine seminal plasma. While these mechanisms are likely to protect spermatozoa from oxidative damage or phagocytosis, they also have the potential to diminish defense against pathogenic microorganisms.
The accuracy of altimetric surfaces

Estimates of the shape of the sea surface as determined from satellite altimeters have become of increasing importance in geophysics, geodesy and physical oceanography. The most effective error reduction procedures used in producing these surfaces have been some version of a crossing-arc analysis. The problem with this procedure is the absence of an easy means of evaluating the noise structure of the final result. By recasting the problem as one of objective mapping (optimal estimation) the error reduction is optimized and an explicit estimate is obtained of the wave-number structure of the final altimetric surface. Examples, suitable to a small computer, have been generated to show that the error reduction along the sub-satellite tracks is very great, with most of the residual lying in long wavelengths.
Image Enhancement Using the Hypothesis Selection Filter: Theory and Application to JPEG Decoding

We introduce the hypothesis selection filter (HSF) as a new approach for image quality enhancement. We assume that a set of filters has been selected a priori to improve the quality of a distorted image containing regions with different characteristics. At each pixel, HSF uses a locally computed feature vector to predict the relative performance of the filters in estimating the corresponding pixel intensity in the original undistorted image. The prediction result then determines the proportion of each filter used to obtain the final processed output. In this way, the HSF serves as a framework for combining the outputs of a number of different user selected filters, each best suited for a different region of an image. We formulate our scheme in a probabilistic framework where the HSF output is obtained as the Bayesian minimum mean square error estimate of the original image. Maximum likelihood estimates of the model parameters are determined from an offline fully unsupervised training procedure that is derived from the expectation-maximization algorithm. To illustrate how to apply the HSF and to demonstrate its potential, we apply our scheme as a post-processing step to improve the decoding quality of JPEG-encoded document images. The scheme consistently improves the quality of the decoded image over a variety of image content with different characteristics. We show that our scheme results in quantitative improvements over several other state-of-the-art JPEG decoding methods.
The Middle Eastern shift and provincializing Zionism

Scholars working on Jewish communities in the Middle East are in the midst of an important historiographical moment, in which the major categories, historical narratives, and key assumptions within the field are undergoing radical changes. A cluster of books and articles written by scholars trained in history, anthropology, and area studies departments, and published in Middle East studies rather than Jewish studies book series and journals, suggests that the study of Middle Eastern Jewish communities in the American academy is undergoing a change which might be termed �the Middle Eastern turn.� For such scholars, the history of Jews in Muslim lands, as modern subjects and citizens, is typified by a multiplicity of categories related to their identities�Ottoman, Sephardi, Mizrahi, Arab-Jewish, and local-patriotic�which they explore by looking at the political organizations and social and cultural institutions that enabled the integration of modern Jews into new imperial and national frameworks. This new scholarly wave is transnational, as it illustrates the importance of Jewish networks and Jewish languages in the Middle East, and likewise seeks to draw comparisons between Jews and other transregional and religious minorities, such as Armenians and Greek Orthodox Christians. It is interdisciplinary, as it attempts to incorporate the insights of sociologists, anthropologists, and literary scholars. Finally, it is postcolonial, in its critiques of national elites, national narratives, and nationalist histories. These new accounts uncover how processes which affected the entire Middle East, like Ottoman and Egyptian reform politics and the rise of nation-states, shaped modern Jewish lives.
Comparison of Sevelamer Hydrochloride and Sevelamer Carbonate: Risk of Metabolic Acidosis and Clinical Implications

Hyperphosphatemia is highly prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), particularly in those with advanced or end-stage renal disease. Sevelamer hydrochloride is an ion-exchange resin that reduces serum phosphorus concentrations. The agent also produces favorable lipid profile effects and does not cause hypercalcemia. However, reported drawbacks of this agent are metabolic acidosis, high pill burden, and a relatively low affinity and selectivity for phosphate anions. Sevelamer carbonate is a new buffered formulation that does not increase the risk of metabolic acidosis. To determine the roles of these two agents in the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with CKD, we performed a MEDLINE search (June 1995-June 2008) focusing on the mechanism of action of resin binding with phosphate and the development of metabolic acidosis. We also reviewed studies that evaluated the effects of sevelamer hydrochloride or sevelamer carbonate on serum bicarbonate concentrations. Several studies in patients with CKD and hyperphosphatemia who received hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis found decreases in serum bicarbonate concentrations with the use of sevelamer hydrochloride, whereas sevelamer carbonate did not have this negative effect on bicarbonate concentrations. Both drugs appear to be equivalent in their abilities to lower serum phosphorus concentrations. However, as sevelamer carbonate does not decrease serum bicarbonate levels, it may be more appropriate for patients at risk for metabolic acidosis who require phosphate binders that do not contain calcium or aluminum.
The Use of Trust Region Algorithms to Exploit Discrepancies in Function Computation Time Within Optimization Models

Computational models in engineering often use a range of analysis functions within the same optimization problem, from finite element models to analytical expressions. The computational expense of these models often differs by orders of magnitude, and practical optimization algorithms should address this discrepancy. In this article, in an effort to reduce the number of expensive analyses, a technique is discussed for modifying trust region algorithms to utilize the inexpensive functions directly when calculating iterates. The technique is implemented with a trust region algorithm of Yuan and applied to valve event optimization of an internal combustion engine.
Pretreatment and during treatment risk factors for dropout among patients with substance use disorders.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to use pretreatment and treatment factors to predict dropout from residential substance use disorder program and to examine how the treatment environment modifies the risk for dropout. Method This study assessed 3649 male patients at entry to residential substance use disorder treatment and obtained information about their perceptions of the treatment environment. Results Baseline factors that predicted dropout included younger age, greater cognitive dysfunction, more drug use, and lower severity of alcohol dependence. Patients in treatment environments appraised as low in support or high in control also were more likely to drop out. Further, patients at high risk of dropout were especially likely to dropout when treated in a highly controlling treatment environment. Conclusion Better screening of risk factors for dropout and efforts to create a less controlling treatment environment may result in increased retention in substance use disorder treatment.
Knowledge Shared is Power: Utilizing Knowledge Management Activities to Replicate Lean Sigma Best Practices

Lean Sigma programs produce localized gains within corporations. The knowledge generated by these local successes should be manipulated by the organization, so that the gains can be replicated, and savings multiplied across the organization. However, why does knowledge often fail to be successfully manipulated within an organization? This paper discusses a case study analysis in knowledge manipulation activities of a multi- national consumer products company through the lens of the Knowledge Management (KM) Ontology. We then identify and document common obstacles, and offer potential solutions. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2009.01.008
Influence of the AlN buffer layer growth on AlGaN/GaN films deposited on (1 1 1)Si substrates

Abstract Use of an AlN buffer layer is an enabling technique for the epitaxial growth of GaN on Si(1 1 1) substrates. The AlN growth temperature has been shown to be a significant factor that affects the properties of the GaN film and the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure. The AlN buffer grown at 1155°C exhibited a uniform sized, preferred-oriented and highly faceted grain microstructure that led to subsequently grown AlGaN/GaN films with better quality than those on the AlN buffer grown at other temperatures. The AlGaN/GaN film quality evaluations included photoluminescence properties, surface planarity, Hall mobility and film strain.