cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response by the Parasitoid Campoletis sonorensis (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) to Chemicals (Synomones) in Plants: Implications for Host Habitat Location

Laboratory studies showed the attraction of Campoletis sonorensis (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) to flowers and other plant parts. Some of the plants tested may be food sources for the noctuid hosts of the parasitoid. Response varies significantly among plant species. and some plant species lack the attractive factors. Female parasitoids also antennate and probe plant parts upon contact. Response is greater to flowers than to leaves or stems, and is also greater to damaged than to undamaged leaves. Volatile and contact chemicals are involved in this attraction and can be extracted with ethyl ether.
X-Ray Absorption Studies of La2−xSrxCuO4 and Y1−xPrxBa2Cu3O7-δ

The question of valence of Cu and rare-earth atoms in the newly discovered oxide superconductors with high transition temperatures is crucial to the understanding of their electronic structure. We have measured the X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) of Cu K transition and Pr Ljjj transition to obtain information on the valence of Cu, and Pr in La 2−x Sr x CuO 4 and Y 1−x Pr x Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ . We will present the experimental results, compare them with calculations of absorption cross-section for model atomic clusters, and discuss the valence of Cu as a function of oxygen concentration.
The May 1998 India and Pakistan Nuclear Tests

INTRODUCTION In September 1996 the United Nations voted to adopt a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which prohibits any nuclear explosions, whether for weapons or peaceful purposes. The outlawing of nuclear weapons tests significantly limits a country's ability to develop or improve a nuclear weapon, so a CTBT is considered the keystone to stopping nuclear proliferation. The concept of a CTBT started with the Eisenhower administration, so the 1996 vote was truly historic. However, the UN vote to adopt the CTBT was not unanimous: 158 countries voted in favor and 3 (India, Bhutan, and Libya) opposed it, with 5 abstentions. On May 11, 1998, the one declared nuclear state which was opposed to the CTBT shocked the world by conducting a nudear test in the Rajasthan desert in northwestern India. Two days later India announced that it had conducted two further tests, and government spokesmen claimed that India needs nuclear weapons to prevent “military adventurism” by neighboring Pakistan. On May 28, Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, announced...
Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeaein SurePath Liquid-Based Cytology Samples After Digestion With Proteinase K

Liquid-based cytology (LBC) allows nucleic acid testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) and other sexually transmitted diseases on the same cervicovaginal sample. APTIMA Combo 2 (AC2) assay (Gen-Probe, San Diego, CA) to detect Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) in BD SurePath (SP) LBC samples (BD, Franklin, NJ) has slightly reduced sensitivity for CT, attributed to nucleic acid and protein …
Adrenocortical Function and the G lucocorticoids

An understanding of adrenocortical function, including the production of the glucocorticoids, and more particularly the physiologic and pharmacologic effects of these compounds, forms the basis for the rational use of these drugs.
The Rio Grande rift A geological and geophysical overview

The Rio Grande rift is a major structural element of the Southern Rocky Mountain region. During the last 20 years this feature has become widely recognized as a major Cenozoic continental rift zone. During this time we have learned much about the structure and evolution of the rift. However, many gaps in our knowledge remain that prevent us from fully understanding its evolution and the processes that formed it. The rift should not be studied in isolation, because the Laramide orogeny, uplift, complex magmatism, and extension that have occurred since the Late Cretaceous are all to some extent related.
Quantification of Bacterial Fatty Acids by Extraction and Methylation

This protocol describes two similar methods for the extraction and methylation of fatty acids from bacterial cultures. The acid derivatization protocol (Lennen et al., 2013; Bligh and Dyer, 1959) results in the extraction and methylation of all fatty acids, both free and bound, from a bacterial culture, while the base derivatization protocol (Lennen and Pfleger, 2013) captures only bound (phospholipid, acyl-thioester) species. After extraction into hexane, the lipids may be analyzed by gas chromatography.
Second-Coordination-Sphere Assisted Selective Colorimetric Turn-on Fluoride Sensing by a Mono-Metallic Co(II) Hexacarboxamide Cryptand Complex.

The preparation of a selective turn-on colorimetric fluoride sensor was achieved through single cobalt(II) ion insertion into a macrobicyclic cryptand. Monometallic [Co(mBDCA-5t-H3)]− (1) and [Zn(mBDCA-5t-H3)]− (2) complexes were prepared in 74 and 84% yields, respectively. Structural characterization of 1 confirmed the presence of a proximal hydrogen-bonding network consisting of carboxamide N–H donors. The reaction of 1 with F– was accompanied by a distinct colorimetric turn-on response in mixed aqueous/organic media, and 1 was capable of selective fluoride sensing in the presence of large quantities of potentially competitive anions. Complex 1 represents a unique example of a fluoride sensor wherein selective F– binding takes place directly at a transition-metal center and induces a color change based upon metal-centered transitions. The metal(II) fluoride complexes [F⊂Co(mBDCA-5t-H3)]2– (3) and [F⊂Zn(mBDCA-5t-H3)]2– (4) were both fully characterized, including single crystal X-ray analyses. Fluoride b...
MR-Advisor: A comprehensive tuning, profiling, and prediction tool for MapReduce execution frameworks on HPC clusters

Abstract MapReduce is the most popular parallel computing framework for big data processing which allows massive scalability across distributed computing environment. Advanced RDMA-based design of Hadoop MapReduce has been proposed that alleviates the performance bottlenecks in default Hadoop MapReduce by leveraging the benefits from RDMA. On the other hand, data processing engine, Spark, provides fast execution of MapReduce applications through in-memory processing. Performance optimization for these contemporary big data processing frameworks on modern High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems is a formidable task because of the numerous configuration possibilities in each of them. In this paper, we propose MR-Advisor, a comprehensive tuning, profiling, and prediction tool for MapReduce. MR-Advisor is generalized to provide performance optimizations for Hadoop, Spark, and RDMA-enhanced Hadoop MapReduce designs over different file systems such as HDFS, Lustre, and Tachyon. Performance evaluations reveal that, with MR-Advisor’s suggested values, the job execution performance can be enhanced by a maximum of 58% over the current best-practice values for user-level configuration parameters. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first tool that supports tuning and prediction for both Apache Hadoop and Spark, as well as the RDMA and Lustre-based advanced designs.
Forbidden Configurations in Discrete Geometry

This book surveys the mathematical and computational properties of finite sets of points in the plane, covering recent breakthroughs on important problems in discrete geometry, and listing many open problems. It unifies these mathematical and computational views using forbidden configurations, which are patterns that cannot appear in sets with a given property, and explores the implications of this unified view. Written with minimal prerequisites and featuring plenty of figures, this engaging book will be of interest to undergraduate students and researchers in mathematics and computer science. Most topics are introduced with a related puzzle or brain-teaser. The topics range from abstract issues of collinearity, convexity, and general position to more applied areas including robust statistical estimation and network visualization, with connections to related areas of mathematics including number theory, graph theory, and the theory of permutation patterns. Pseudocode is included for many algorithms that compute properties of point sets.
Living on the Fault Line: Managing for Shareholder Value in the Age of the Internet

(2001). Living on the Fault Line: Managing for Shareholder Value in the Age of the Internet. Quality Management Journal: Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 82-83.
Parent-Provider Communication of HPV Vaccine Hesitancy

OBJECTIVES: To prevent human papillomavirus (HPV)–related cancers, providers must effectively communicate with HPV vaccine–hesitant parents. Here, we developed a typology characterizing parent-provider communication around HPV vaccine hesitancy. METHODS: We audio-recorded 43 visits with unvaccinated adolescents at 6 pediatric clinics in Dallas, Texas in which parents were undecided about HPV vaccination. We qualitatively coded how parents verbally expressed hesitancy (assertive response, asking a question, or expressing concern) and whether providers responded with acquiescence (agree to defer vaccination) and/or persistence (continue discussion). We described the frequency of parent and provider communication codes and same-day vaccination. RESULTS: Among the 43 visits, 37 parents expressed hesitancy ≥1 times in many ways. Assertive responses were most common (27 visits), followed by questions (16 visits), and concerns (12 visits). When the first expression of hesitancy was a question or concern, 71% and 75% of adolescents, respectively, received same-day vaccinations, whereas 33% of adolescents who received an initial assertive response were vaccinated. Providers responded with only persistence in 18 visits, a mix of acquiescence and persistence in 13 visits, and only acquiescence in 6 visits. When providers only used persistence, 17 of 18 adolescents were vaccinated; when providers responded with only acquiescence, no adolescents received the vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Our exploratory analysis reveals that providers engaging hesitant parents and addressing their concerns can lead to same-day HPV vaccination. Data reveal that even parents making assertive statements are amenable to influence by providers. Our findings reveal an important missed opportunity when providers simply acquiesce to parental hesitation.
From Solo To Multivocal Chorus:An Orchestration Process For Transformational Social Change

This study advances research on organizational efforts to tackle grand societal challenges. I examine how institutional entrepreneurs orchestrate cross-sector partnership platform as a means to transform the societal challenges in ways that generate transformational social change. I use a longitudinal case initiated by one institutional entrepreneur in China as my empirical window and leverage data that I collected over 7 years. Through the study, I identify four purposive actions institutional entrepreneurs undertake to tackle grand societal challenges, which involve designing cross- sector collaboration platform, seeking support from government, securing neutrality on the cross-sector collaboration platform to boost participation, and the standardizing of profession in the new field.
Epac1 Restores Normal Insulin Signaling through a Reduction in Inflammatory Cytokines

We have previously reported that Epac1 reduced inflammatory cytokines, which is protective to the diabetic retina. We have also published that impaired insulin signaling occurs in the diabetic retina. A reduction in interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) by Epac1 could potentially restore normal insulin signal transduction. Confocal microscopy was performed to localize the insulin receptor in the retina of Epac1 floxed and endothelial cell-specific Epac1 knockout mice. Whole retinal lysates from Epac1 floxed and endothelial cell-specific Epac1 knockout mice were used to investigate proteins involved in the insulin signaling cascade. Primary human REC were cultured in normal and high glucose followed by Epac1 agonist treatment or transfection with IL-1β or TNFα siRNA for protein analyses of insulin signaling proteins. Decreased expression of the insulin receptor was observed in the Epac1 knockout mouse retinal vasculature compared to floxed littermates. Work in mice showed that loss of Epac1 decreased insulin signaling proteins. Treatment with an Epac1 agonist decreased p38 and JNK signaling and increased insulin signaling, as did inhibition of IL-1β or TNFα using siRNA when added to REC grown in high glucose. Taken together, Epac1 can restore normal insulin signaling in the retinal vasculature through reductions in inflammatory cytokines.
Recent Progress in Primary Atomization Model Development for Diesel Engine Simulations

Predictive engine simulations are key for rapidly exploring and optimizing the design of cleaner burning and more fuel-efficient engines. Injection strategies in advanced engine concepts are resulting in the injection and atomization of fuel under a wide range of operating conditions in order to meet stringent emission regulations. However, the physics governing the breakup of an injected liquid fuel jet into droplets under these conditions have not been well studied or experimentally characterized to date. It is uncertain whether existing atomization and spray breakup models, historically developed to study conventional diesel operation, can be directly applied within engine CFD simulations to study new advanced engine concepts. This chapter summarizes recent progress made in developing an improved physics-based primary atomization model for use in diesel engine simulations across a broad range of in-cylinder conditions. Physical mechanisms that are likely to contribute to the atomization of diesel sprays are first reviewed, with a particular focus on aerodynamic wave growth on the fuel jet surface and turbulence generated in the injector. Then, recent advances in spray diagnostics that have informed characteristic length scales of primary atomization are highlighted. The chapter concludes with the presentation and validation of a newly developed hybrid spray breakup model, the “KH-Faeth” model, capable of representing both aerodynamic and turbulent breakup mechanisms in the atomization of non-cavitating diesel sprays.
Student perspectives on asthma management in schools: a mixed-methods study examining experiences, facilitators, and barriers to care.

AbstractObjective: Children spend nearly a third of their day at school, making it a critical point of intervention for those with asthma. This study aimed to illuminate minority students’ experien...
Trends and Demographics in the Utilization of Total Wrist Arthroplasty.

Background: Health disparities exist among many patient populations, with race, payer status, hospital size and access to teaching versus non-teaching hospitals potentially affecting whether certai...
Gains from Othersâ€™ Losses: The Technology Trajectories and the Global Division of Firms

After the burst of the telecommunications bubble in March 2000, the majority of U.S. optoelectronic component firms moved manufacturing offshore. This research explores (1) whether due to the diffe...
Association of Short-Term Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure and Disease Severity in Juvenile Dermatomyositis: Results From the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Legacy Registry

Objective Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is considered to be an important environmental factor in the clinical course of children with juvenile dermatomyositis (DM). We aimed to evaluate the association between UV radiation and severe disease outcomes in juvenile DM. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of patients with juvenile DM enrolled in the US multicenter Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Legacy Registry from 2010 to 2015. The mean UV index (UVI) in the calendar month prior to symptom onset in each subject's zip code was calculated from daily satellite solar noon measurements. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model the relationship between the mean UVI and calcinosis as well as other outcomes of severe disease. Covariates included sex, race, age, time to diagnosis, disease duration, and latitude. Results In a multivariable model, there was no association between the mean UVI and calcinosis. African American race was associated with a 3-fold greater odds of calcinosis. However, there was a significant statistical interaction between race and mean UVI. Accounting for this interaction, the odds of calcinosis markedly decreased in African American subjects and steadily increased in non-African American subjects over a range of increasing the mean UVI. Higher mean UVI was associated with decreased odds of using biologics or nonmethotrexate disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and skin ulceration. Conclusion We described a novel association between UV radiation, calcinosis, and race in a large cohort of patients with juvenile DM. This study furthers our knowledge of the role of UV radiation in the clinical course of juvenile DM and highlights the complex interplay between genes and environment in the clinical phenotypes and development of calcinosis in children with juvenile DM.
Age-related responses to a bout of mechanotherapy in skeletal muscle of rats.

Massage has been demonstrated to be an effective mechanotherapy to improve recovery from atrophy in adult skeletal muscle, however, this study shows that a single bout of massage fails to increase ...
Dynamic modelling of a railway wheelset based on Kane's method

This study applies Kane's method to generate the equations of motion for a railway wheelset moving on a tangent track at a constant speed. Since the wheel and rail close contact conditions are used to obtain two nonholonomic constraint equations, the lateral vibration of the wheelset can be proven as a nonholonomic system possessing two degrees of freedom. Moreover, using Kane's approach to derive the linearised equations, we can take advantage of bypassing the full nonlinear equations and getting two equations with dynamic decoupling. When the set of equations in this work is compared with those in the literature, we found that two gyroscopic effect terms exist and yaw gravitational stiffness disappears, so that the critical speeds calculated in this work are always lower than those in the literature for the same numerical cases. At last, the contact conditions along with the creepages between wheels and rails can be directly expressed in terms of generalised speeds by using Kane's method. It shows that Kane's method focuses on motions rather than on configurations.
FRI0413 THE ASSOCIATION OF OBESITY WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS IS LIMITEDLY MEDIATED BY HYPERTENSION AND SUBCLINICAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Background: Obesity-related metabolic dysregulation may lead to atherosclerotic vascular changes. It has been hypothesized that a compromised blood flow may cause detrimental changes to the subchondral bone and decrease nutrient supply to the cartilage. To which extent atherosclerosis may explain the association between obesity and OA has not been investigated. Objectives: To investigate the role of hypertension and subclinical atherosclerosis (carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), popliteal vessel wall thickness (VWT), aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV)) as mediators of the association of obesity with hand and knee OA. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the population-based NEO study, excluding participants with concomitant rheumatic diseases (n = 323), resulting in 6,334 participants. Clinical hand and knee OA were defined by the ACR classification criteria. Popliteal VWT was assessed on MR images in a subpopulation (n = 1,095), using VesselMASS for semi-automated detection of the vessel wall boundaries. Aortic PWV was estimated on abdominal velocity-encoded MR images in a subpopulation (n = 2,580). Carotid IMT was assessed by ultrasonography. Hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mmHg, or using antihypertensive medication. Continuous variables were standardized (mean 0, standard deviation 1). Associations between BMI and OA were assessed with logistic regression analyses, adjusted for age, sex and education. Subsequently, possible mediators were added to the model and the percentage mediation was calculated. Results: The population consisted of 55% women, with a mean (SD) age of 56 (6) years and BMI of 26 (4) kg/m2. Hand OA was present in 8% and knee OA in 10% of participants. Hypertension was present in 61.6% of participants. Mean (SD) carotid IMT was 0.62 (0.09) mm, popliteal VWT was 0.53 (0.05) mm, and aortic PWV was 6.56 (1.30) m/s. BMI was associated with the presence of hand OA and knee OA (table 1). BMI was positively associated with hypertension and carotid IMT, but not with popliteal VWT and aortic PWV. The association between BMI and hand OA was partially mediated by hypertension (5.9%) and carotid IMT (10.6%). Hypertension (4.9%) showed a weak mediating effect for the association between BMI and knee OA. Conclusion: We assessed whether the association between BMI and OA was mediated by hypertension and atherosclerosis. Our results imply that either such mediation is absent or trivial, or that the atherosclerosis measures were too weak. Disclosure of Interests: None declared
Differential Effects of Vagal Activation on the Sinus and Atrioventricular Nodes: Report of 2 Cases

Abstract Vagal activation usually affects both sinus and atrioventricular (AV) nodes, manifesting as sinus slowing accompanied by varying degrees of AV block. AV block accompanying sinus acceleration as during treadmill testing is usually considered pathologic. We report 2 cases of vagally mediated reflex AV block accompanied by sinus tachycardia and acceleration. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)
COVID-19 with Hypoxic Respiratory Failure

Author(s): Martinez-Romo, Miguel A.; Lotfipour, Shahram; McCoy, C. Eric | Abstract: Case Presentation: We describe an elderly male presenting to the emergency department with shortness of breath that progressed to hypoxic respiratory failure. Radiography and computed tomography findings were suggestive of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Discussion: We review the clinical presentation of COVID-19 and its complications. We also describe the characteristic presentation of COVID-19 on imaging. Our case illustrates the hallmark findings of bilateral and peripheral ground-glass opacities of COVID-19.
Understanding How Speed, Tractive Effort, Digging Height, and Rake Angle Affect Bucket Penetration and Resistive Forces for Rubber Tire Loaders

This work evaluated the effect of bucket orientation and operating parameters on resistive forces and penetration for rubber tire loaders. The work used a 1:16 scale LHD model to test a rubber tire loader (RTL) bucket operating at different levels of tractive effort, speed, digging height, and rake angles in a full factorial design experiment. The work repeated the test on two different muck piles with different particle sizes and used generalized regression modeling to test the association of rake angle, tractive effort, speed, and digging height on penetration and resistive forces for RTL buckets. The results show that speed and tractive effort are more important in explaining RTL penetration and resistive forces than height above the floor and rake angle. Speed, tractive effort, and height above the floor are positively correlated to bucket penetration, whereas the rake angle is negatively correlated to penetration. Similarly, speed, tractive effort, rake angle, and height above the floor are all positively correlated to resistive forces incurred during initial penetration. The observation that the combined effect of speed and tractive effort is negatively correlated to penetration and resistive forces is a novel contribution that enhances our understanding of RTL loading. The results also show that the effect of speed, tractive effort, and height above the floor all change with changes in particle sizes. This work adds to the literature on the effect of rake angle, height above the floor, tractive effort, and speed on penetration and resistive forces for rubber tire loaders.
Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing: A Better Way to Understand the Cost of Caring for Hip Fractures:

Geriatric hip fractures are a common and costly injury. They are expected to surge in incidence and economic burden as the population ages. With an increasing financial strain on the healthcare system, payors and providers are looking toward alternative, value-based models to contain costs. Value in healthcare is the ratio of outcomes achieved over costs incurred, and can be improved by reducing cost while maintaining or improving outcomes, or by improving outcomes while maintaining or reducing costs. Therefore, an understanding of cost, the denominator of the value equation, is essential to value-based healthcare. Because traditional hospital accounting methods do not link costs to conditions, there has been little research to date on the costs of treating geriatric hip fractures over the entire cycle of care. The aim of this article is to summarize existing costing methodologies, and in particular, to review the strengths and limitations of Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing (TDABC) in orthopaedic trauma, especially as it pertains to the needs and challenges unique to hip fracture care. TDABC determines costs at the patient-level over the entire care cycle, allowing for population variability, while simultaneously identifying cost drivers that might inform risk-stratification for future alternative payment models. Through process mapping, TDABC also reveals areas of variation or inefficiency that can be targeted for optimization, and empowers physicians by focusing on costs in the control of the provider. Although barriers remain, TDABC is well-positioned to provide transparent costing and targets to improve the value of hip fracture care.
Sphingolipids and physical function in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

Long-chain sphingomyelins (SMs) may play an important role in the stability of myelin sheath underlying physical function. The objective of this study was to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of long-chain SMs [SM (41:1), SM (41:2), SM (43:1)] and ceramides [Cer (41:1) and Cer (43:1)] with physical function in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Plasma concentrations of SM (41:1), SM (41:2), SM (43:1), Cer (41:1) and Cer (43:1) were measured in 389 ARIC participants in 2011–13. Physical function was assessed by grip strength, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), 4-m walking speed at both 2011–13 and 2016–17, and the modified Rosow-Breslau questionnaire in 2016–2017. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were performed, controlling for demographic and clinical confounders. In cross-sectional analyses, plasma concentrations of SM 41:1 were positively associated with SPPB score (β-coefficients [95% confidence internal]: 0.33 [0.02, 0.63] per 1 standard deviation [SD] increase in log-transformed concentration, p value 0.04), 4-m walking speed (0.042 m/s [0.01, 0.07], p value 0.003), and negatively with self-reported disability (odds ratio = 0.73 [0.65, 0.82], p value < 0.0001). Plasma concentrations of the five metabolites examined were not significantly associated with longitudinal changes in physical function or incidence of poor mobility. In older adults, plasma concentrations of long-chain SM 41:1 were cross-sectionally positively associated with physical function.
Audiologic and Otologic Clinical Manifestations of Loeys-Dietz Syndrome: A Heritable Connective Tissue Disorder.

ObjectiveLoeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a rare genetic connective tissue disorder resulting from TGF-s signaling pathway defects and characterized by a wide spectrum of aortic aneurysm, arterial tor...
Incremental Change in Wills Adjudication

Probate courts must decide which wills are valid and which are not. The traditional law provides courts a straightforward process to make these decisions. If the court determines that a will complies with certain formalities, then the will is valid, but if the court determines that a will does not comply, then it is invalid. This decision-making process has been criticized for being overly formalistic. While the traditional law is relatively easy to apply, it places greater importance on the process by which a testator executes a will than on the substance of the testator’s intent. Consequently, the traditional wills adjudication process invalidates noncompliant wills that are authentic expressions of testators’ intended estate plans. This criticism has led to major reforms being incorporated into the Uniform Probate Code that are designed to make the wills adjudication process more accurate in distinguishing authentic wills from inauthentic wills. Although no state has fully adopted the UPC’s comprehensive reform package, few states still cling wholeheartedly to the traditional law. Instead, policymakers in many states have implemented changes that take incremental steps away from the traditional law’s formalistic approach to wills adjudication. While the preference of state policymakers for incremental change, rather than for comprehensive reform, is clear, questions remain regarding the merits of these more modest approaches to reform. This Article seeks to better understand why state policymakers might favor partial rather than wholesale change to the wills adjudication process. More importantly, it analyzes whether some incremental changes are preferable to others. Ultimately, by providing a better understanding of the merits and possibilities of incremental change, this Article provides guidance to state policymakers who are wary of comprehensive reform.
Calcifying nested stromal-epithelial tumor of the liver: Case report of a rare primary liver tumor

Calcifying nested stromal epithelial tumor is a very rare primary liver tumor in children. To our knowledge, few cases have been reported in literature. We describe the imaging appearance and histopathologic features of this tumor incidentally detected in a 2-year-old girl. This tumor should be considered in the differential when a large heterogeneous liver tumor with central scar and coarse/chunky calcifications is identified at imaging in the absence of elevated alpha-fetoprotein in a child.
Frequent Route Pattern Mining Technique for Route Prediction in Transportation Network

People movement pattern plays a vital role in many applications like route prediction, route planning, traffic management, location-aware computing, traffic congestion estimation and so on. However, understanding movement pattern is quite challenging such as filtering GPS coordinates, mining of periodic pattern, finding credible and reliable information from the huge dataset and so on. The process of finding unexpected, frequent, and useful patterns from the data is called pattern mining. This paper proposes a novel frequent pattern mining algorithm for understanding the movement patterns of people. Discovering such movement patterns from trajectory data helps in finding periodic behavior. Further, these patterns can be used for predicting, planning, and managing routes. The experiment is performed using real datasets which contains both spatial and non-spatial datasets. These datasets are open source.
Cordelia Returns: Using Letters of Credit to Reduce Borrowing Costs

Letters of credit are used in hundreds of billions of dollars of financing annually. Although they are presumed to reduce borrowing costs, there is limited guidance on how they create this economic value. This paper explores the mechanisms through which letters of credit reduce borrowing costs. The paper then discusses another form of credit enhancement, bond insurance. After exploring the history and popularity of bond insurance, the instrument is compared with letters of credit. This paper proposes that bond insurance is riskier than letters of credit because (a) it is more susceptible to pricing error, (b) insurance companies are branching out into risky product lines, (c) courts are less likely to enforce a bond insurer's promise and (d) bond insurers may be less effectively regulated.
Victorian Literature, Energy, and the Ecological Imagination

Introduction: limited environments, fictions of escape Part I. Thermodynamics and its Discontents: 1. The city and the sun 2. The death of the sun at the dawn of the Anthropocene Part II. Unsustainable Fictions: 3. Energy systems and narrative systems in Charles Dickens's Bleak House 4. The renewable energies of Our Mutual Friend 5. John Ruskin's alternative energy 6. Personal fantasy, natural limits: Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 7. Joseph Conrad: energy, entropy, and the fictions of empire 8. Evolutionary energy and the future: Henry Maudsley and H. G. Wells Bibliography.
Development of a simple, self-contained flight test data acquisition system

The flight test system described combines state-of-the-art microprocessor technology and high accuracy instrumentation with parameter identification technology which minimize data and flight time requirements. The system was designed to avoid permanent modifications of the test airplane and allow quick installation. It is capable of longitudinal and lateral-directional stability and control derivative estimation. Details of this system, calibration and flight test procedures, and the results of the Cessna 172 flight test program are presented. The system proved easy to install, simple to operate, and capable of accurate estimation of stability and control parameters in the Cessna 172 flight tests.
Another homogeneous, non-bihomogeneous Peano continuum

Author(s): Kuperberg, Greg | Abstract: K. Kuperberg found a locally connected, finite-dimensional continuum which is homogeneous but not bihomogeneous. We give a similar but simpler example. Like previous constructions, the example is locally a Cartesian product of Menger spaces. The new idea is to choose a fundamental group in which not every element is conjugate to its inverse.
A Multilevel Secure Workflow Management System

The Department of Defense (DoD) needs multilevel secure (MLS) workflow management systems to enable globally distributed users and applications to cooperate across classification levels to achieve mission critical goals. An MLS workflow management system that allows a user to program multilevel mission logic, to securely coordinate widely distributed tasks, and to monitor the progress of the workflow across classification levels is required. In this paper, we present a roadmap for implementing MLS workflows and focus on a workflow builder that is a graphical design tool for specifying such workflows.
Excessive postural sway and the risk of falls at different stages of Parkinson's disease

Excessive postural sway may result in falls in Parkinson's disease (PD). We measured postural sway using the sensory organization test (SOT) of dynamic posturography in static (platform still) and dynamic (sway referenced platform) conditions with normal, no and inappropriate visual feedback in 102 subjects with PD, off medication. Twenty-five healthy subjects were used as age-matched controls. Eighteen very early stage PD subjects had never used dopaminergic medication. Postural sway was normal in those subjects in all conditions, but was abnormal in subjects with more advanced symptoms (UPDRS III > 20, P < 0.01). Postural sway increased with disease severity in all conditions except static, eyes closed (P < 0.0001). We developed the SOT Fall Severity Scale (SOTFSS) from the number of times postural sway was so large that the subject had to take a step (registered as a "fall") and showed that falls mainly occurred in dynamic conditions, and were correlated with disease severity (P < 0.0001). In dynamic conditions the SOTFSS was correlated with the retropulsion score from the UPDRS III (N = 102, P < 0.0001) and with the subjects' self-reported fall frequency from the UPDRS II (N = 62, SOT5: P = 0.0419, SOT6: P = 0.0034).
Radial Densities of Nuclear Matter and Charge via Moment Methods

In this report I will discuss some initial efforts in our program to describe radial densities of nuclear matter and charge with the use of moment methods. A brief introduction to trace reduction formulas and computation problems along with proposed methods to overcome them will be given. This will be followed by a general discussion on computation of expectation values using moment methods with particular emphasis on formulation for the radial density applications.
Relationship between orientation to a blast and pressure wave propagation inside the rat brain

Abstract Exposure to a blast wave generated during an explosion may result in brain damage and related neurological impairments. Several mechanisms by which the primary blast wave can damage the brain have been proposed, including: (1) a direct effect of the shock wave on the brain causing tissue damage by skull flexure and propagation of stress and shear forces; and (2) an indirect transfer of kinetic energy from the blast, through large blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), to the central nervous system. To address a basic question related to the mechanisms of blast brain injury, pressure was measured inside the brains of rats exposed to a low level of blast (∼35 kPa), while positioned in three different orientations with respect to the primary blast wave; head facing blast, right side exposed to blast and head facing away from blast. Data show different patterns and durations of the pressure traces inside the brain, depending on the rat orientation to blast. Frontal exposures (head facing blast) resulted in pressure traces of higher amplitude and longer duration, suggesting direct transmission and reflection of the pressure inside the brain (dynamic pressure transfer). The pattern of the pressure wave inside the brain in the head facing away from blast exposures assumes contribution of the static pressure, similar to hydrodynamic pressure to the pressure wave inside the brain.
Structure of a Substrate Complex of Mammalian Cytochrome P450 2C5 at 2.3 Å Resolution: Evidence for Multiple Substrate Binding Modes†,‡

The structure of rabbit microsomal cytochrome P450 2C5/3LVdH complexed with a substrate, 4-methyl-N-methyl-N-(2-phenyl-2H-pyrazol-3-yl)benzenesulfonamide (DMZ), was determined by X-ray crystallography to 2.3 A resolution. Substrate docking studies and electron density maps indicate that DMZ binds to the enzyme in two antiparallel orientations of the long axis of the substrate. One orientation places the principal site of hydroxylation, the 4-methyl group, 4.4 A from the heme Fe, whereas the alternate conformation positions the second, infrequent site of hydroxylation at >5.9 A from the heme Fe. Comparison of this structure to that obtained previously for the enzyme indicates that the protein closes around the substrate and prevents open access of water from bulk solvent to the heme Fe. This reflects a ∼1.5 A movement of the F and G helices relative to helix I. The present structure provides a complete model for the protein from residues 27−488 and defines two new helices F‘ and G‘. The G‘ helix is likely ...
Stress solution for a crack at an arbitrary angle to an interface

Two-dimensional elasticity solution and the stress intensity factors are determined for a finite crack in one of the materials of a bimaterial composite. The crack has an arbitrary orientation and distance from the straight interface. The solution for general stress boundary conditions on the crack surface is presented in the form of coupled Fredholm integral equations of the second kind. Numerical values of the stress intensity factors are computed for various crack orientations, distances from the interface, and different combinations of material properties when the boundary conditions are uniform pressure and uniform shear stress.
Barriers to conflict resolution in landscapes of asymmetric conflict: Current issues and future directions

The core of the barriers research agenda is to understand what stands in the way of parties reaching agreement or successfully resolving a conflict, and to identify strategies for overcoming these barriers. Over the last three decades, this research agenda has expanded to incorporate new disciplinary perspectives and a broader range of methodological approaches. Here we draw together the important developments in the barriers research agenda represented in the contributions to this special issue of Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict. We discuss key themes related to recent work on relational barriers: application to real-world cases and the particulars of context, attention to power relations and power asymmetries, and the link between emotions and barriers to conflict resolution. Finally, we identify important directions for future research on barriers to the resolution of asymmetric conflict suggested by the contributions to this volume.
Cross-reactivity of pollen allergens: impact on allergen immunotherapy

Objective To provide guidelines for the rational formulation of allergen immunotherapy extracts based on knowledge of pollen allergen and epitope cross-reactivity. Data Sources A PubMed search was performed for articles published from 1966 to 2007 using the keywords pollen , allergen , and cross-reactivity . Older literature was found through cross-referencing of older articles and older reviews on pollen cross-reactivity. Study Selection Articles that dealt with crude pollen extracts and characterized allergens that addressed cross-reactivity were selected for inclusion in this review. Results In addition to unique allergens, several families of botanic proteins have similarities that allow them to act as pan-allergens. Although frequently these are minor allergens, in some circumstances they may also be major allergens. Recent studies have investigated nonspecific lipid transfer proteins, calcium-binding proteins, pathogenesis-related protein families, and profilins. Calcium-binding proteins and nonspecific lipid transfer proteins are responsible for pollen-fruit interactions and pollen cross-reactivity. Clarification of pollen allergen enzymatic activity helps explain the ubiquitous nature of these proteins. Conclusion Characterization of specific pollen allergens and their protein families has provided insight into cross-reactivity. Clarification of these relationships allows for consolidation or substitution in formulation of inhalant extracts.
Answering the Question, "What Remains of Enlightenment?"

I shall approach the question, "What remains of Enlightenment?" by stating what I believe should not remain of it: its metaphysical conception of race. It should surprise none that in the document announcing this essay competition, race ? along with gender and sexuality is mentioned peripherally ("given the readership of Human Studies... what remains of Enlightenment for..."), emphases being placed on the rather strong editorial suggestion, in the open? ing paragraph, to inspire oneself from Derrida, Foucault, and Habermas. Just as it is assumed that Enlightenment in the eighteenth century was unracial and ungendered and asexual, it is easily believed that what remains of Enlighten? ment, as in the works of the canonical figures mentioned, contain unracial, ungendered, and asexual ideas which, nevertheless, are relevant for.. . Is this the only way to think of Enlightenment? Race?I shall thus limit my contribution is not marginal to either Enlight? enment's historical self-constitution or conceptual self-understanding. This is obvious once we examine Enlightenment's dominant theories and practices of reason, humanity, culture, and civilization. When historians describe the sources of Enlightenment movements, a unanimous reference is the Renais? sance. Vincent Porter's statement is representative: "As a result of the rebirth of culture (the "Renaissance") which took place mainly in Italy through the rediscovery of Classical civilization, man and things human became the center of attention."1 In this context, Descartes' conception of man, in philosophy, as "a substance whose whole essence .. . was merely to think" is not simply an attempt at description but also a paean to the competence of human reason for handling human affairs and for solving human problems."2 The growing confidence in reason and its progress accounts for the central claim of Enlight? enment: humans, once freed from the shackles of external authority both theoretical and institutional-could define and eventually achieve ever-increas? ing moral, political, and economic ideals which all mankind would spontane? ously endorse. This is evident in Kant's Belinische Monatsschrift essay, where the key to such progress is "maturity" ? the ability to think for oneself. But what, for Kant, is meant by "mankind" of "maturity"? Does this mean all human beings, or just Europeans and white humans? What are left out in Potter's incontestable account of the origins of Enlightenment are the exog
Excessive Hexosamines Block the Neuroprotective Effect of Insulin and Induce Apoptosis in Retinal Neurons

Abstract In addition to microvascular abnormalities, neuronal apoptosis occurs early in diabetic retinopathy, but the mechanism is unknown. Insulin may act as a neurotrophic factor in the retina via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway. Excessive glucose flux through the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) is implicated in the development of insulin resistance in peripheral tissues and diabetic complications such as nephropathy. We tested whether increased glucose flux through the HBP perturbs insulin action and induces apoptosis in retinal neuronal cells. Exposure of R28 cells, a model of retinal neurons, to 20 mm glucose for 24 h attenuated the ability of 10 nm insulin to rescue them from serum deprivation-induced apoptosis and to phosphorylate Akt compared with 5 mm glucose. Glucosamine not only impaired the neuroprotective effect of insulin but also induced apoptosis in R28 cells in a dose-dependent fashion. UDP-N-acetylhexosamines (UDP-HexNAc), end products of the HBP, were increased ∼2- and 15-fold after a 24-h incubation in 20 mm glucose and 1.5 mm glucosamine, respectively. Azaserine, a glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase inhibitor, reversed the effect of 20 mmglucose, but not that of 1.5 mm glucosamine, on attenuation of the ability of insulin to promote cell survival and phosphorylate Akt as well as accumulation of UDP-HexNAc. Glucosamine also impaired insulin receptor processing in a dose-dependent manner but did not decrease ATP content. By contrast, in L6 muscle cells, glucosamine impaired insulin receptor processing but did not induce apoptosis. These results suggest that the excessive glucose flux through the HBP may direct retinal neurons to undergo apoptosis in a bimodal fashion; i.e. via perturbation of the neuroprotective effect of insulin mediated by Akt and via induction of apoptosis possibly by altered glycosylation of proteins. The HBP may be involved in retinal neurodegeneration in diabetes.