cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlates of Length of Urban Residence among the Spokane Indians.

Previous research has considered factors associated with the decision by Indian people to migrate to an urban environment. Rather than focus on the initial decision, this paper examines the percentage of the person's adult life that has been lived in an urban environment. Six hypotheses relating employment, income, education, housing, acceptance of white culture, and Indian ancestry to continued urban residence are tested. The data were collected in 1967 from interviews with a sample of 100 adult Spokane Indians living both in Spokane city (50 respondents) and on the Spokane reservation (50 respondents). The analysis included calculation of bivariate correlation coefficients and a multivariate stepwise multiple regression analysis.The most significant finding to emerge is the eminence of noneconomic factors—Indian ancestry and Indian self identification—in explaining Spokane Indian people's migration to and continued residence in an urban setting. Approximately 25% of the variance in urban residence is ac...
STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF ALLOXAN DIABETES

IN APRIL 1943 Shaw Dunn, Sheehan and McLetchie announced their discovery that alloxan, the ureide of mesoxalic acid, causes necrosis of the pancreatic islet cells. In the meantime, the diabetogenic action of alloxan has been demonstrated almost simultaneously by Dunn and his associates in Glasgow (1943), by Bailey and Bailey in Boston (1943), and by Goldner and Gomori in Chicago (1943). Alloxan diabetes has been produced in rats, rabbits, dogs, monkeys, and cats (Goldner and Gomori, 1944). Anatomically, this diabetes is characterized by the selective necrosis of the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans. Prior to the establishment of the diabetes, the blood sugar of alloxan treated animals shows a characteristic triphasic reaction, which was first observed by Jacobs in 1937. An immediate hyperglycemia which reaches its peak within two or three hours, is followed by a severe, often fatal hypoglycemia, which after a duration of several hours yields to the final hyperglycemia (Fig. 1).
Scene analysis by integrating primitive segmentation and associative memory

Scene analysis is a major aspect of perception and continues to challenge machine perception. This paper addresses the scene-analysis problem by integrating a primitive segmentation stage with a model of associative memory. The model is a multistage system that consists of an initial primitive segmentation stage, a multimodule associative memory, and a short-term memory (STM) layer. Primitive segmentation is performed by a locally excitatory globally inhibitory oscillator network (LEGION), which segments the input scene into multiple parts that correspond to groups of synchronous oscillations. Each segment triggers memory recall and multiple recalled patterns then interact with one another in the STM layer. The STM layer projects to the LEGION network, giving rise to memory-based grouping and segmentation. The system achieves scene analysis entirely in phase space, which provides a unifying mechanism for both bottom-up analysis and top-down analysis. The model is evaluated with a systematic set of three-dimensional (3-D) line drawing objects, which are arranged in an arbitrary fashion to compose input scenes that allow object occlusion. Memory-based organization is responsible for a significant improvement in performance. A number of issues are discussed, including input-anchored alignment, top-down organization, and the role of STM in producing context sensitivity of memory recall.
Vitamin D receptor is required to control gastrointestinal immunity in IL-10 knockout mice

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a nuclear receptor expressed in a number of different cells of the immune system. This study was performed to determine the effect of VDR deficiency on immune function and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract in a model of inflammatory bowel disease, namely interleukin-10 (IL-10) knockout mice. IL-10 knockout mice were generated which either could or could not respond to vitamin D (double IL-10/VDR knockout; DKO). The distribution and function of lymphocytes in both the primary and secondary lymphoid organs were compared and determined as a function of the severity of intestinal inflammation. DKO mice had normal thymic development and peripheral T-cell numbers at 3 weeks of age, but a week after intestinal disease was detected the thymus was dysplastic with a reduction in cellularity. The atrophy was coupled with increased apoptosis. The spleen weight of DKO mice increased as a result of the accumulation of red blood cells; however, there was a 50% reduction in the numbers of T and B cells. Conversely, the mesenteric lymph nodes were enlarged and contained increased numbers of lymphocytes. The T cells from DKO mice were of a memory phenotype and were hyporesponsive to T-cell receptor stimulation. Colitis in the DKO mice was associated with local and high expression of IL-2, interferon-gamma, IL-1beta, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and IL-12. The primary and secondary lymphoid organs in DKO mice are profoundly altered as a consequence of the fulminating inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. VDR expression is required for the T cells and other immune cells to control inflammation in the IL-10 KO mice.
Review: Renin-angiotensin system antagonism and lipid-lowering therapy in cardiovascular risk management

renin-angiotensin system, atherosclerosis, angiotensin- converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, statins Abstract The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and dyslipidaemia have been shown to be involved in the genesis and progression of atherosclerosis. Manipulation of the RAS has been effective in modifying human coronary artery disease progression. Similarly, the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase inhibitors or 'statins' have been shown to reduce cholesterol and lower cardiovascular events in primary and secondary prevention trials in coronary artery disease. In addition to their primary mode of action, statins and blockers of the RAS possess common additional properties that include restoration of endothelial activity and inhibition of cellular proliferation. This article reviews the current data on the common properties of these classes of drugs in which the beneficial effects extend beyond their antihypertensive and lipid-lowering properties.
A Generic Common Simulation Framework based Starting Point for Missile 6DOF Simulations

genSim is a generic Simulation developed at Raytheon Missile Systems that is designed to be the starting point simulation for all future Missile simulations at the Tucson plant site. The simulation uses the Common Simulation Framework (CSF) and Object -Oriented Programming (OOP) to create an extremely modula r and easily understood simulation. genSim is a feature rich, six degree of freedom (6DOF) simulation that has at its heart a set of high fidelity equations of motion based on an oblate earth model. The genSim 6DOF is a working simulation that includes t ruth models (i.e. equations of motion , environment , gravity , earth ) as well as simple hardware models, and low -fidelity guidance, navigation and control algorithms. genSim includes all of the first level components necessary to build missile simulations for everything from guided projectiles to long range missiles to exo atmospheric kill vehicles. Because the genSim library is so inclusive, a new simulation can be built in weeks instead of months. In fact, all that is requir ed for a high fidelity kinematic 6DOF are missile specific aerodynamics and autopilot models. The programs then add the other program specific models to the simulation as appropriate to truly convert genSim into one that is program specific. In addition to the extensive list of missile components, genSim is also built around the concept of Software Tools Interoperability (STI) which makes program specific algorithm and hardware models plug -and -play within the genSim architecture. genSim also has the architecture in place to support the Raytheon Software In Simulation (SIS) effort, the goal of which is to be able to drop flight code directly into the simulation with minimal modifications. This capability has proven to be a very effe ctive approach to design both simulation and missile software and has been used successfully on several Raytheon programs. To support legacy programs, the capability to call existing algorithms in different languages (e.g. FORTRAN, Ada) is also part of ge nSim . Real -time support for computer in the loop (CIL) and hardware in the loop (HIL) facilities are also included in the genSim baseline . Although CSF inherently supports real -time operating systems, these hooks ensure that a single code base can be use d to generate a high -fidelity 6DOF and support the real -time facilities.
Administrator Views on Providing Self-Determination Instruction in Elementary and Secondary Schools

We report findings from a statewide study of 333 administrators focused on (a) the extent to which they prioritize each of seven self-determination skills, (b) whether and where staff at their schools are providing instruction on these seven skills, and (c) potential avenues for equipping educators to learn strategies for fostering self-determination. Administrators attributed considerable importance to providing instruction on all seven skills: choice making, decision making, goal setting and attainment, problem solving, self-advocacy and leadership skills, self-awareness and self-knowledge, and self-management and self-regulation. Although administrators reported educators at their school taught these skills with only moderate frequency, the range of classrooms and settings in which each skill was addressed was considerable. Overall, few differences in ratings of importance or frequency of instruction were found based on student disability status or school level.
THEORIES OF THE STATE: THE CASE OF LAND REFORM IN ITALY, 1944–1961

This article examines the case of land reform in Italy from 1944 to 1961 in relation to the role of the State in capitalism. Through an analysis of recent debate on the capitalist State, it offers an investigation of the generation and outcomes of the process of land reform. It is important to note that the social pressure exerted by landless peasants and farm workers for the redistribution of land and the dissolution of the dominant social bloc generated the conditions for a land reform that only partially satisfied the needs of the agricultural working class. Simultaneously, the mediation of the State enhanced the overall interests of the domestic bourgeoisie. In this context, land reform produced contradictory results that favored the processes of accumulation of capital and legitimation of social dissent.
Volume overload left ventricular hypertrophy: effects on coronary microvascular reactivity in rabbits

The mechanisms controlling the coronary vascular responses of vessels perfusing the left ventricular (LV) myocardium that is hypertrophied from chronic volume overload are unclear. We hypothesised that endothelial function is compromised, and receptor-mediated contraction is exacerbated, in coronary resistance vessels from rabbits with LV hypertrophy compared to controls. The mitral valve of 10 rabbits was damaged surgically to cause mitral regurgitation and chronic volume overload, resulting in LV hypertrophy (LV hypertrophy rabbits). Echocardiographic assessment at 12 weeks verified that mitral regurgitation was present in LV hypertrophy but not sham-operated, weight- and agematched animals (control rabbits; n = 17). Percentage increases from weeks 0 to 12 in LV cross-sectional area (47 f 7 % vs. 2 f S%), LV volume (47 f 14% vs. 7 f 10%) and LV mass (27 f 4% vs. 3 f 6%), were greater (all P < 0.05) in LV hypertrophy vs. control rabbits, respectively. At 12 weeks, coronary resistance vessel (- 130 pm, internal diameter) reactivity was evaluated using wire myography. Endothelium-dependent (i.e. acetylcholine, 10-8-10-5 M) and -independent (i.e. sodium nitroprusside, 10-9-104 M) relaxation, and receptor-mediated vasocontraction (i.e. endothelin-1, 10-"-10-7 M) were similar between groups. However, tension development in response to nitric oxide synthase inhibition (lo4 M NG-monomethyl-carginine) was greater (P < 0.05) in LV hypertrophy compared to control rabbits. These results indicate that while coronary resistance vessel function is similar between groups, our estimate of basal nitric oxide production is greater in vessels from LV hypertrzophy than control rabbits. Experimental Physiology (2001) 86.6,725-732.
Comparison of solution structures and stabilities of native, partially unfolded and partially refolded pepsin.

A zymogen-derived protein, pepsin, appears to be incapable of folding to the native state without the presence of the prosegment. To better understand the nature of the irreversible denaturation of pepsin, the present study reports on the characterization of the stability and low-resolution tertiary and secondary structures of native, alkaline unfolded and acid refolded porcine pepsin. Through a combination of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), CD, and DSC, acid refolded pepsin (Rp) was shown to have secondary and tertiary structures intermediate between the alkaline denatured and native forms but was found to be thermodynamically stable relative to the native state. It was also observed that the acid refolded state of pepsin was dependent on the protein concentration during refolding because CD and SANS data revealed that both the secondary and tertiary structures of concentrated-refolded pepsin (>10 mg/mL) (CRp) were native-like, in contrast to the intermediate nature of Rp, refolded under dilute co...
TRP, a protein essential for inositide-mediated Ca2+ influx is localized adjacent to the calcium stores in Drosophila photoreceptors

The Drosophila transient receptor potential (trp) gene product (TRP) shows some structural similarity to vertebrate voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. It appears to function as a novel Ca2+ channel responsible for light stimulated, inositol trisphosphate (InsP3)-mediated Ca2+ entry in the fly retina. The subcellular localization of TRP protein was determined in this study using immunohistochemical staining with anti-TRP antibody (MAb83F6). TRP was localized to the base of the microvilli in a region adjacent to the presumed InsP3-sensitive Ca2+ stores. This specific localization was supported by measuring the magnitude of a TRP-dependent inward current that results from spontaneous activation of the light-sensitive channels during whole-cell recordings (the rundown current, RDC). We found that reduction of the microvilli area through genetic dissection with the opsin null mutant, ninaEora, was correlated with a pronounced enhancement of the TRP-dependent inward current relative to wild type, suggesting that the TRP-dependent current was not produced along the length of the microvilli. We suggest that the functional localization of the TRP protein is on the plasma membrane loop found along the base of the rhabdomeric microvillus. Thus, the TRP channel may function in concert with the InsP3-sensitive Ca2+ stores.
Impact of 90's technology on spectrum management

The improvement of semiconductor technology is identified as the primary technology thrust for the 90's. Its impact on computer and other communication needs and thus spectrum requirements is investigated. The improvements in information compression and channel efficiency due to semiconductor technology are explored as a means of offsetting spectrum demand. System architecture trends and associated spectrum management policies which will be responsive to these developments are also discussed. >
Characteristics of the Near Wake of a Compressor of a Fan Rotor Blade

Research reported in this paper covers an experimental investigation of the rotor wake. The experimental investigation included a study of the mean velocity, turbulence intensity, and Reynolds stress variations across the wake of a lightly loaded rotor blade at various axial and radial locations. Only the mean velocity data and their interpretation are presented in this paper. Measurements were carried out with a triaxial probe, rotating with the rotor and stationary behind the rotor. Also, measurements were made with a spherical head static pressure probe rotating with the rotor. Wakes were measured at various incidences to discern the effect of blade loading on the rotor wake. The wake is found to be three-dimensional in nature with appreciable radial velocity. The measurements close to the blade trailing edge indicate that the decay of the wake is rapid in this region. The wake data are correlated to derive expressions for the profile and decay of all the components.
Larval Performance and Kill Rate of Convergent Ladybird Beetles, Hippodamia convergens, on Black Bean Aphids, Aphis fabae, and Pea Aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum

Generalist predator guilds play a prominent role in structuring insect communities and can contribute to limiting population sizes of insect pest species. A consequence of dietary breadth, particularly in predatory insects, is the inclusion of low-quality, or even toxic, prey items in the predator's diet. Consumption of low-quality prey items reduces growth, development, and survival of predator larvae, thereby reducing the population sizes of generalist predators. The objective of this paper was to examine the effect of a suspected low-quality aphid species, Aphis fabae (Scopoli) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), on the larval performance of an abundant North American predator, Hippodamia convergens (Guerin-Meneville) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). For comparison, H. convergens larvae were also reared on a known high-quality aphid species Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and on a 50:50 mix of both aphid species. The proportion of H. convergens larvae surviving to the adult stage was dramatically lower (0.13) on the A. fabae diet than on the A. pisum diet (0.70); survival on the mixed diet was intermediate (0.45) to survival on the single-species diets. Similarly, surviving H. convergens larvae also developed more slowly and weighed less as adults on the A. fabae diet than on the A. pisum diet. Despite the relatively poor performance on the A. fabae diet, H. convergens larvae killed large numbers of A. fabae. Furthermore, H. convergens displayed a preference for A. fabae in the mixed diet treatment, most likely because A. fabae was easier to catch than A. pisum. The results suggest that increases in the distribution and abundance of A. fabae in North America may have negative effects on H. convergens population size.
Human Ear Recognition

Currently, there are no commercially available ear recognition systems. However, the future holds tremendous potential for incorporating ear images with face images in a multibiometric configuration, even as researchers continue to refine the technology. For example, assigning an ear image to one of several predefined categories could allow for rapid retrieval of candidate identities from a large database. In addition, the use of ear thermograms could help mitigate the problem of occlusion due to hair and accessories. As the technology matures, both forensic and biometric domains will benefit from this biometric.
The specific importance of communicating about sex to couples’ sexual and overall relationship satisfaction

This study examined the impact of general and sexual communication on couples’ overall and sexual satisfaction. Data were collected from 116 heterosexual, monogamous couples in relationships of at least three months’ duration. Open sexual communication accounted for unique variance in both sexual and overall relationship satisfaction; general communication effectiveness did so only for overall satisfaction. The relationship between open sexual communication and overall satisfaction was stronger for males, and the relationship between open sexual communication and sexual satisfaction was stronger for couples who had been together longer. The three-way interaction of open sexual communication, relationship length, and gender significantly predicted overall relationship satisfaction but not sexual satisfaction. Sexual satisfaction mediated the relationship between open sexual communication and overall satisfaction.
Generalization in social behavior research with children and youth who have emotional or behavioral disorders

This article presents a critical analysis of social behavior research with students who have emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD). In particular, it focuses on issues of generalized responding and a technology of generalization promotion. From a review of selected studies the conclusion is drawn that (a) researchers too rarely examine generalization in social behavior research, (b) studies that provide analysis of generalization rely on the least analytic approaches, and (c) generalization is seldom presented as a dependent variable of central interest in social behavior research with EBD students. Guidelines for further research in the area of generalization promotion are offered.
Crowdfunding inside the enterprise: employee-initiatives for innovation and collaboration

We describe a first experiment in enterprise crowdfunding - i.e., employees allocating money for employee-initiated proposals at an Intranet site, including a trial of this system with 511 employees in IBM Research. Major outcomes include: employee proposals that addressed diverse individual and organizational needs; high participation rates; extensive inter-departmental collaboration, including the discovery of large numbers of previously unknown collaborators; and the development of goals and motivations based on collective concerns at multiple levels of project groups, communities of practice, and the organization as a whole. We recommend further, comparative research into crowd-funding and other forms of employee-initiated innovations.
How to perform a critically appraised topic: Part 2, appraise, evaluate, generate, and recommend

OBJECTIVE. This article continues the discussion of a critically appraised topic started in Part 1. A critically appraised topic is a practical tool for learning and applying critical appraisal skills. This article outlines steps 4–7 involved in performing a critically appraised topic for studies of diagnostic tests: Appraise, Appraise the literature; Evaluate, evaluate the strength of the evidence from the literature; Generate, generate graphs of conditional probability; and Recommend, draw conclusions and make recommendations. CONCLUSION. For steps 4–7 of performing a critically appraised topic, the main study results are summarized and translated into clinically useful measures of accuracy, efficacy, or risk.
XML undeniable signatures

Extensible markup language (XML) has become an important universal language for the Internet-based business world. An XML document can be generated from various resources with varying security requirements. In order to ensure the integrity of the contents in the transactions, to maintain privacy and confidentiality, security is increasingly important. XML signatures are designed for the security of XML document transactions. They are involved with the authentication, data integrity and support for non-repudiation of the data they sign. They ensure that signatures cannot be verified without interaction with the signer. In this paper, we propose a new XML undeniable signature method that builds a bridge between the existing XML technologies and data security theories after discussing the existing XML digital signatures and RSA based undeniable signature technologies. We aim to provide a framework for the improvement of security technologies to improve XML applications
The prevalence of suicidal ideation among college students

A total of 737 university students were surveyed using a psychometrically sound self-report measure of suicidal ideation. Over 43% of those participating were found to have experienced some level of suicidal ideation during the previous year. Of those found to have had suicidal thoughts, 14.9% in some way acted on those thoughts without actually making suicide attempts. An additional 5.5% were found to have made attempts on their lives. Serious suicidal ideation and actual attempts were related to several demographic traits, and implications of the results are discussed. In general, findings indicate that the problem of youth suicide may involve a greater percentage of young people than previously thought. Moreover, findings provide indirect support for the hypothesis that the difference in male-female completed suicide rates is primarily a function of the lethality of the attempts.
CT-guided transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy of pulmonary nodules: needle size and pneumothorax rate.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of coaxial needle size on pneumothorax rate and the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB) of pulmonary nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of 846 consecutive CT-guided TNAB procedures was performed. A coaxial approach was implemented in all patients by using an 18- or 19-gauge outer stabilizing needle through which a smaller aspiration needle or automated biopsy gun was inserted for tissue sampling. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to analyze coaxial needle size, age, sex, smoking history, lesion size, use of an automated core biopsy gun, number of needle passes, and frequency of chest tube placement. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy were calculated for 676 patients with at least 18 months of clinical follow-up. RESULTS: Pneumothorax occurred in 226 of 846 patients. Coaxial needle size and patient age had a significant effect on pneumothorax rate. Pneumo...
The slow forgetting of emotional episodic memories: an emotional binding account.

Emotional events are remembered better than neutral events, and this emotion advantage becomes particularly pronounced over time. The time-dependent effects of emotion impact upon recollection rather than on familiarity-based recognition, and they influence the recollection of item-specific details rather than contextual details. Moreover, the amygdala, but not the hippocampus, is crucial for producing these effects. Time-dependent effects of emotion have been attributed to an emotional consolidation process whereby the amygdala gradually facilitates the storage of emotional memories by other medial temporal lobe regions. However, we propose that these effects can be better understood by an emotional binding account whereby the amygdala mediates the recollection of item–emotion bindings that are forgotten more slowly than item–context bindings supported by the hippocampus.
Antiarrhythmics after ablation of atrial fibrillation (5A Study): six-month follow-up study.

Background— We previously demonstrated that treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) during the first 6 weeks after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation reduces the incidence of clinically significant atrial arrhythmias and need for cardioversion or hospitalization for arrhythmia management. Whether early rhythm suppression decreases longer-term arrhythmia recurrence is unknown. We now report the 6-month follow-up data from this study. Methods and Results— The Antiarrhythmics After Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation study prospectively randomized patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing ablation to either receive (AAD group) or not receive (no-AAD group) AAD treatment for the first 6 weeks after ablation; all patients received atrioventricular nodal blockers. Physicians were encouraged to stop the AADs after the 6-week treatment period. All patients underwent 4 weeks of transtelephonic monitoring to document asymptomatic AF and an evaluation at 6 weeks and 6 months. A total of 110 patients (71% men) aged 55±9 years were randomized, with 53 to AAD and 57 to no AAD. At 6 months, there was no difference in freedom from AF between the early AAD and no-AAD groups (38/53 [72%] versus 39/57 [68%]; P =0.84). Lack of early AF recurrence during the initial 6-week period was the only independent predictor of 6-month freedom from AF (64/76 [84%] without early recurrence versus 13/34 [38%] with early recurrence; P =0.0001). Conclusions— Although short-term use of AADs after AF ablation decreases early recurrence of atrial arrhythmias, early use of AADs does not prevent arrhythmia recurrence at 6 months. Early AF recurrence on or off AADs during the initial 6-week blanking period is a strong independent predictor of long-term AF recurrence. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: . Unique identifier: [NCT00408200][1]. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT00408200&atom=%2Fcircae%2F4%2F1%2F11.atom
Elevated tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease: association with hemolysis and hemoglobin oxygen desaturation

Background Elevation of echocardiography-determined tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity predicts high systolic pulmonary artery pressure and early mortality in adults with sickle cell disease. The definition, prevalence and clinical correlates of elevated jet velocity have not been established in pediatric patients. The present study tested the hypotheses that elevated jet velocity affects 10% of pediatric patients, is associated with both hemolysis and hypoxia, and has clinical correlates with acute chest syndrome, stroke, transfusion requirement and abnormal 6-minute walk test results.Design and Methods A prospective multicenter study of 310 patients aged 3–20 years old with sickle cell disease under basal conditions and 54 matched controls was conducted. A hemolytic index was generated by principal component analysis of the levels of lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin and reticulocyte count.Results Elevated jet velocity (defined as ≥2.60 m/sec based on the mean±2 SD in controls) occurred in 32 patients (11.0%) including one child of 3 years old. After adjustment for hemoglobin concentration, systolic blood pressure and left ventricular diastolic function, a 2 SD increase in the hemolytic index was associated with a 4.5-fold increase in the odds of elevated jet velocity (p=0.009) and oxygen saturation ≤98% with a 3.2-fold increase (p=0.028). Two or more episodes of acute chest syndrome had occurred in 28% of children with elevated jet velocity compared to in 13% of other children (p=0.012), more than ten units of blood had been transfused in 39% versus 18% (p=0.017) and stroke had occurred in 19% versus 11% (p=0.2). The distance walked in 6-minute walk tests did not differ significantly, but oxygen saturation declined during the tests in 68% of children with elevated jet velocity compared to in 32% of other children (p=0.0002).Conclusions According to a pediatric-specific definition the prevalence of elevated jet velocity in this population of young patients with sickle cell disease was 11%. The study provides evidence for independent associations of elevated jet velocity with hemolysis and oxygen desaturation. Further investigations should address whether elevated jet velocity may indicate future complications and whether early intervention is beneficial.
Decisions for autonomous vehicles: integrating sensors, communication, and control

This paper details the work in progress to formalize methods and algorithms for autonomous decision making, focusing on the implementation of autonomous vehicles. Many different scenarios are to be considered while focusing on a heterogeneous environment of human driven, semi-autonomous, and fully autonomous vehicles. As this work is in its early stages of development, this paper summarizes the work that has been done in the areas of vehicle to vehicle communication with control applications and high-level decision making for autonomous vehicles. The proposed method to be implemented is also presented, which aims to guarantee feasibility, safety, and stability of autonomous systems.
Hotfile, Megaupload, and the Future of Copyright on the Internet: What Can Cyberlockers Tell Us about DMCA Reform?

More than a decade ago, Napster brought the issue of copyright infringement by file-sharing to the center of the public stage. How would a body of copyright law built to regulate tangible objects apply in the digital realm? The safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, intended as a compromise between the interests of copyright owners and webhosts, have instead introduced legal uncertainty and allocated the costs of online enforcement both inefficiently and disproportionately. While Napster and several other major peer-to-peer services have been shuttered in the intervening period, the scope of online copyright infringement continues to grow apace. One avenue of that growth has been the advent of a certain class of “cyberlockers” — file storage sites that incentivize and profit from mass infringement. Focusing on two particularly controversial cyberlockers, this comment analyzes the current state of copyright law on the Internet and suggests comprehensive, practical reforms with an aim to achieving a sustainable reduction in online infringement.
Left Occipito-Temporal Localization of Reading Epilepsy

Researchers at Hopital de la Timone, Marseille, France, report a 28-year-old woman with a history of a febrile seizure at age 4 years and recent onset of partial seizures precipitated by silent reading.
Long-Term Clinical Outcome of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy in Individuals With a p.S358L Mutation in TMEM43 Following Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Therapy.

Background— We previously showed a survival benefit of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in males with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy caused by a p.S358L mutation in TMEM43 . We present long-term data (median follow-up 8.5years) after ICD for primary (PP) and secondary prophylaxis in males and females, determine whether ICD discharges for ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation were equivalent to an aborted death, and assess relevant clinical predictors. Methods and Results— We studied 24 multiplex families segregating an autosomal dominant p.S358L mutation in TMEM43 . We compared survival in 148 mutation carriers with an ICD to 148 controls matched for age, sex, disease status, and family. Of 80 male mutation carriers with ICDs (median age at implantation 31 years), 61 (76%) were for PP; of 68 females (median age at implantation 43 years), 66 (97%) were for PP. In males, irrespective of indication, survival was better in the ICD groups compared with control groups (relative risk 9.3 [95% confidence interval 3.3–26] for PP and 9.7 [95% confidence interval 3.2–29.6] for secondary prophylaxis). For PP females, the relative risk was 3.6 (95% confidence interval 1.3–9.5). ICD discharge-free survival for ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation ≥240 beats per minute was equivalent to the control survival rate. Ectopy (≥1000 premature ventricular complexes/24 hours) was the only independent clinical predictor of ICD discharge in males, and no predictor was identified in females. Conclusions— ICD therapy is indicated for PP in postpubertal males and in females ≥30 years with the p.S358L TMEM43 mutation. ICD termination of rapid ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation can reasonably be considered an aborted death.
Religion and Education in American Church-State Relations

For many years questions concerning the relation of the state to religious schools and the role of religion in state schools have been critical issues in American church-state relations. During the past thirty-five years no other church-state issues have pro voked as much discussion or prompted as much litigation. Thirty five years ago, within a period of one year, the United States Supreme Court handed down two landmark church-state deci sions—one relating to public funds and religious schools, Everson v. Board of Education (1947),1 and the other relating to religion in the public schools, McCollum v. Board of Education (1948).2 The issues addressed by the Court in these decisions are indis solubly and inevitably linked in American church-state relations. In large measure, in the years that have followed, religion and education have constituted the primary basis upon which the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment has been adjudi cated.
Study Abroad Programs

students about public health issues and anthropology to increase the effectiveness of these programs and make them sustainable for the communities. Developing nurturing partnerships with these communities is essential to provide sensitive interventions for the communities as well as developing cross-cultural effectiveness and humility. A defined curriculum is essential in improving STEGHs (short-term experiences in global health) to ensure that medical missions provide training, personal competencies, ethics, and educational objectives. Most students have limited education related to cultural beliefs and health practices. We know that cultural competency skills are much more than technical skills and they change over time. If these components are not taught, more harm than good may come out of our programs. Students will not learn what they need and the communities they visit may be resentful of the visit—feeling used or taken for granted. It is imperative that students learn the value of communitybased participation and that the learning and teaching that takes place is bidirectional. Steps should be made that promotes sustainable capacity building for the communities. What are the gains of the community when you leave a country? What have you left behind to provide sustainability of improved health? Study abroad programs should apply principles that promote global health and motivate health professionals to participate in global exchange programs and global experiences. Partnerships are essential for bidirectional learning and should include specific curriculum development that includes standards that define quality educational experiences and ethical principles. Data should be collected on the benefits of the program for the health care education program as well as the community impact of the study abroad program. Developing participatory-based research projects to promote sustainability and impact health care outcomes is needed.
Staghorn calculi: analysis of treatment results between initial percutaneous nephrostolithotomy and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy monotherapy with reference to surface area.

AbstractTreatment recommendations and results reported for the management of staghorn calculi are highly variable. In an attempt to provide a more objective means to compare treatment results for staghorn renal calculi, stone burden as measured by stone surface area was used. Stone surface area was determined by computer analysis. A total of 380 cases of staghorn calculi treated at the same institution was evaluated. Treatment consisted of initial percutaneous nephrostolithotomy with or without extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL**Dornier Medical Systems, Inc., Marietta, Georgia.) in 298 cases and ESWL monotherapy in 82.When considered as a group, the overall stone-free rate for initial percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (mean surface area 1,378.3mm.2) was 84.2% compared to 51.2% (p <0.0001) for ESWL monotherapy (mean surface area 693.4mm.2). For staghorn calculi smaller than 500mm.2 a stonefree rate of 94.4% was achieved in the percutaneous nephrostolithotomy with or without ESWL group compared to 6...
Learning dimensional descent for optimal motion planning in high-dimensional spaces

We present a novel learning-based method for generating optimal motion plans for high-dimensional motion planning problems. In order to cope with the curse of dimensionality, our method proceeds in a fashion similar to block coordinate descent in finite-dimensional optimization: at each iteration, the motion is optimized over a lower dimensional subspace while leaving the path fixed along the other dimensions. Naive implementations of such an idea can produce vastly suboptimal results. In this work, we show how a profitable set of directions in which to perform this dimensional descent procedure can be learned efficiently. We provide sufficient conditions for global optimality of dimensional descent in this learned basis, based upon the low-dimensional structure of the planning cost function. We also show how this dimensional descent procedure can easily be used for problems that do not exhibit such structure with monotonic convergence. We illustrate the application of our method to high dimensional shape planning and arm trajectory planning problems.
The rivalry revisited

THE SOURCES OF DISCORD What animates the Indo-Pakistani conflict? The question is far from trivial. This rivalry, which originated almost immediately after British colonial withdrawal from and the partition of the British Indian Empire in 1947, has proven to be remarkably durable. It has resulted in four wars (1947–48, 1965, 1971 and 1999) and multiple crises. The structural origins of this conflict have been explored at length elsewhere. This book, focused on Indo-Pakistani relations between 1999 and 2009, will attempt to answer a critical question: does the security dilemma (the spiral model ) or the deterrence model best describe this relationship? This attempt to squarely place the rivalry in the context of central propositions from the security studies literature is a fundamentally novel endeavor. The novelty of this approach is twofold. First, despite the persistence of this rivalry over six decades, the literature on the subject is scant. What little does exists is either descriptive or historical in orientation and there have been few attempts to examine the rivalry through theoretical foci. Second, this lack of scholarly attention to the sources of discord is puzzling, as the two states have been incipient nuclear-armed rivals for well over two decades and became overt nuclear weapons states in 1998. Furthermore, one of the two rivals, India, has long had aspirations to emerge as a great power. Indeed, according to some scholars, it has already achieved great power status. Some recent literature, mostly focused on Pakistan, while not explicitly alluding to the concept of the security dilemma , has nevertheless suggested that the sheer structural differences between the two states at the time of their emergence from the detritus of the British colonial empire in South Asia, led the weaker state, Pakistan, to fear its behemoth neighbor. To varying degrees, these works suggest that misgivings about India precipitated Pakistan's anxieties and set the stage for the rivalry. Before turning to a discussion of the security dilemma and deterrence models and their applicability to the Indo-Pakistani conflict it appears necessary to provide a brief account of the evolution of the rivalry. The rivalry, from the outset, became structured within the territorial dispute over the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Briefly stated, the problem of the Kashmir dispute can be traced to the process of British colonial disengagement from the subcontinent.
A Comparative study of Various Single Stage PFC Converters in implementing Novel Converter Topology for Simultaneous charging and Individual Cell Balancing of Multiple Li-ion Batteries

This paper is a continuation to the author's previous paper on novel lithium-ion battery charger based on pulse charging technique where a central power supply acting as a controlled current source is sequentially connected in parallel with different batteries through an array of switches. Here the idea is extended to more wide range of AC-DC applications. Though the idea of central power supply can be extended to any power range, more emphasis is given on medium power applications, with lesser stringent harmonic requirements yet appreciable power efficiency. Various CCM-S2PFC topologies with forward converter based current source are presented. Simulation results to demonstrate the proposed methodology are presented. There are various topologies of S2PFC available both in the academia and industry. The objective of this paper is to discuss the prospects of them to develop the novel current source based charger
Quantifying Real-world Activity and Upper-limb Use in Children with Cerebral Palsy Using Accelerometers

Date Presented 4/8/2016 This study used accelerometers to quantify the real-world activity and affected upper-limb use of children with cerebral palsy who participated in constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). Use of accelerometers as an outcome measure for pediatric CIMT are promising but will need confirmation in a larger study with a higher therapy dosage. Primary Author and Speaker: Patty Coker-Bolt Additional Authors and Speakers: Jackie Connelly, Na Jin Seo, Reagin Hoover, Ryan Downey, Daniel Shelton
Use of Chemical Flocculation and Nested PCR for Heterodera glycines Detection in DNA Extracts from Field Soils with Low Population Densities.

The soybean cyst nematode (SCN) Heterodera glycines is a major pathogen of soybean worldwide. Distinction between SCN and other members of the H. schachtii sensu stricto group based on morphology is a tedious task. A molecular assay was developed to detect SCN in field soils with low population densities and to differentiate SCN from other species. Various numbers of SCN eggs or juveniles were inoculated into 10 g of sterilized soil from which soil DNA was extracted using the PowerSoil DNA Isolation Kit. A specific amplicon was amplified using published SCN-specific primers SCNF1/SCNR1. This primer set was evaluated for the first time to detect SCN directly in soil DNA extracts. The specificity of the primers was confirmed by testing 36 isolates of other nematode species. The PCR assay detected one SCN egg or juvenile added to 10 g of soil. The assay was validated using 35 field soil samples. Grinding the field soil coupled with PCR inhibitor removal by AlNH4(SO4)20.12H2O treatment of soil DNA extracts fo...
Does socioeconomic status mediate racial differences in the cortisol response in middle childhood

OBJECTIVE Race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status are both associated with stress physiology as indexed by cortisol. The present study tested the extent to which racial/ethnic disparities in cortisol reactivity are explained by socioeconomic status. METHOD The sample consisted of 296 racially and socioeconomically diverse children ages 8-11 (47% boys). Mothers reported on children's stressors and socioeconomic status; salivary cortisol levels were assessed before and after the Trier Social Stress Test. RESULTS Results demonstrated that racial group differences in cortisol reactivity were partially accounted for by differences in socioeconomic status, but racial group differences in cortisol recovery were not. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that cumulative effects of stress and disadvantage may result in differences in stress response physiology as early as middle childhood, and that race-specific mechanisms account for additional variance in cortisol reactivity and recovery. (PsycINFO Database Record
Androgen receptor-deficient islet β-cells exhibit alteration in genetic markers of insulin secretion and inflammation. A transcriptome analysis in the male mouse.

Abstract Aims Testosterone action is mediated via the androgen receptor (AR). We have reported that male mice lacking AR selectively in β-cells (βARKO −/y ) develop decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), producing glucose intolerance. We showed that testosterone action on AR in β-cells amplifies the insulinotropic action of GLP-1 on its receptor via a cAMP-dependent protein kinase-A pathway. Methods To investigate AR-dependent gene networks in β-cells, we performed a high throughput whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) in islets from male βARKO −/y and control mice. Results We identified 214 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (158 up- and 56 down-regulated) with a false discovery rate (FDR) 2. Our analysis of individual transcripts revealed alterations in β-cell genes involved in cellular inflammation/stress and insulin secretion. Based on 312 DEGs with an FDR Conclusions AR-deficient islets exhibit altered expression of genes involved in inflammation and insulin secretion demonstrating the importance of androgen action in β-cell health in the male with implications for T2D development in men.