cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sample-to-Answer Microfluidic Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) on Lab-on-a-Disc for Malaria Detection at Point of Need.

One of the grand challenges for field-deployable NATs is related to the front end of the assays-nucleic acid extraction from raw samples. The ideal nucleic acid sample preparation should be simple, scalable, and easy-to-operate. In this chapter, we present a lab-on-a-disc NAT device for sample-to-answer malaria diagnosis. The parasite DNA sample preparation and subsequent real-time LAMP detection are seamlessly integrated on a disposable single microfluidic compact disc, driven by energy-efficient, non-centrifuge-based magnetic field interactions. Each disc contains four parallel testing units, which could be configured either as four identical tests or as four species-specific tests. When configured as species-specific tests, it could identify two of the most life-threatening malaria species (P. falciparum and P. vivax). The reagent disc with a 4-plex analyzer (discussed in Chapter 1 ) is capable of processing four samples simultaneously with 40 min turnaround time. It achieves a detection limit of ~0.5 parasites/μl for whole blood, sufficient for detecting asymptomatic parasite carriers. The assay is performed with an automated device described in Chapter 14 . The combination of sensitivity, specificity, cost, and scalable sample preparation suggests the real-time fluorescence LAMP device could be particularly useful for malaria screening in field settings.
Association of deep white matter hyperintensity with left ventricular hypertrophy in acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are associated with the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). It is unclear if periventricular WMH (PV-WMH) and or deep WMH (D-WMH) are associated with LVH. We evaluated the association of PV-WMH and D-WMH with common transthoracic echocardiogram abnormalities, including LVH in acute ischemic stroke. METHODS PV-WMH and D-WMH were graded on a 0-3 score based on the Fazekas scale. Patients were categorized into clinically significant PV-WMH and D-WMH (score 2-3) and controls (score 0-1). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine abnormalities on echocardiogram associated with PV-WMH and D-WMH. RESULTS Among 272 patients, 137 patients had PV-WMH and 93 patients had D-WMH with a score of 2-3 on Fazekas scale. Compared to controls, patients with PV-WMH (mean age±standard deviation: 60.8±14.4 vs. 73.8±11.2 years) and D-WMH (63.4±14.4 vs. 75.0±11.1 years) were older. Compared to controls, PV-WMH was associated with history of stroke (22 [16%] vs. 37 [27%], p = .03) and valvular calcification (33 [24%] vs. 61 [45%], p = .0005); D-WMH was associated with history of atrial fibrillation (25 [14%] vs. 22 [24%], p = .04), valvular calcification (50 [28%] vs. 44 [47%], p = .001), and LVH (30 [17%] vs. 25 [27%], p = .049). In multivariate analysis, PV-WMH was associated with age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.12) and stroke history (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.1-4.1), and D-WMH was associated with age (OR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.05-1.10) and LVH (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.0-4.0). CONCLUSION LVH is associated with D-WMH but not with PV-WMH. Although valvular calcification is common, it is likely age related than due to WMH.
Tubal Disease and Ectopic Pregnancy

Damaged fallopian tubes are a common cause of female infertility and often result from prior pelvic infection, ectopic pregnancy, or endometriosis. When evaluating tubal health and patency, the hysterosalpingogram should be the first-line imaging study; it is cost-effective, simple to perform, and carries the benefit of improved subsequent fecundity. Options for surgical management of tubal damage are reviewed as well as situations, such as severe tubal disease, in which in vitro fertilization is indicated as an alternative. Ectopic pregnancy is of particular importance when considering tubal disease, as these abnormal pregnancies can represent both a cause and a consequence of tubal damage. Ectopic pregnancy carries substantial maternal risk and, as such, early diagnosis and management are essential. Protocols for management and follow-up are discussed.
Secrets & Scandals: Reforming Rhode Island, 1986–2006

It is widely reported that Rhode Island has a rich history of corruption. Less well known is the unique constitutional history of Rhode Island, the only state in the country to have had legislative...
A simple tool for estimating city-wide annual electrical energy savings from cooler surfaces

Abstract We present a simple method to estimate the maximum possible energy saving that might be achieved by increasing the albedo of surfaces in a large city. We restrict this to the “indirect effect”, the cooling of outside air that lessens the demand for air conditioning (AC). Given the power demand of the electric utilities and data about the city, we can use a single linear equation to estimate the maximum saving. For example, the result for an albedo change of 0.2 of pavements in a typical warm city in California, such as Sacramento, is that the saving is less than about 2 kW·h of electrical energy per modified m2 per year. This may help decision makers choose which heat island mitigation techniques are economical from an energy-saving perspective.
Representative Investors in a Heterogeneous CRRA Model

This chapter presents the fundamental aggregation theorem for CRRA utility when investors might exhibit heterogeneous beliefs, heterogeneous risk tolerance parameters, and heterogeneous time discount factors. The theorem characterizes a representative investor who sets prices. The representative investor has features that are similar, but may not be equivalent, to CRRA utility. It establishes a general theorem concerning the existence and nonuniqueness of a representative investor. The theorem applies to the case when investors hold heterogeneous beliefs, heterogeneous rates of time preference, and heterogeneous coefficients of relative risk aversion (CRRA utility). It is very important to understand that there are several notions of what constitutes a representative investor. The notion used in the present approach is different from the notion of a representative investor used in the traditional approach to asset pricing. The chapter discusses why the traditional notion is inappropriate for studying the impact of behavioral heterogeneity on asset prices. The highlights of literature are reviewed and described the manner in which the approach adopted here follows the literature and the manner in which it departs from the literature. The chapter concludes with the fact that efficiency plays a key role in the derivation of the general aggregation result to follow.
Student nurse dyads create a community of learning: proposing a holistic clinical education theory.

ruth-sahd l.a. (2011) Student nurse dyads create a community of learning: proposing a holistic clinical education theory. Journal of Advanced Nursing67(11), 2445–2454. Abstract Aims. This paper is a report of a qualitative study of students’ experiences of cooperative learning in the clinical setting. Background. Although cooperative learning is often used successfully in the classroom, it has not been documented in the clinical setting with sophomore nursing students being paired with other sophomore nursing students. Methods. Using a grounded theory methodology a sample of 64 participants (32 student nurse dyads, eight clinical groups, in two different acute care institutions) were observed on their first day in the clinical setting while working as cooperative partners. Interviews were also conducted with students, patients and staff preceptors. Data were collected in the fall of 2008, spring and fall of 2009 and the spring of 2010 using semi-structured interviews and reflective surveys. Data were analysed using the constant comparative method. Results/Findings. A holistic clinical education theory for student nurses was identified from the data. This theory includes a reciprocal relationship among five categories relevant to a community of learning: supportive clinical experience; improved transition into practice; enhanced socialization into the profession; increased accountability and responsibility; and emergence of self-confidence as a beginning student nurse. Conclusion. The use of student dyads creates a supportive learning environment while students were able to meet the clinical learning objectives. Cooperative learning in the clinical setting creates a community of learning while instilling very early in the education process the importance of teamwork. This approach to clinical instruction eases the transition from the classroom to the clinical learning environment, and improves patient outcomes.
A comparison between select open source and proprietary integrated library systems

Purpose – As libraries face budget cuts, open source integrated library systems are an attractive alternative to proprietary choices. Even though open source software is free to acquire, administrators must consider factors other than initial purchase price. This study aims to provide direction and context for libraries considering migration to an open source integrated library system. Design/methodology/approach – The comparison is qualitative and uses case studies, license agreements and copyright law, and user manuals and brochures. These comparisons divide into four areas: functions, adoption and technical support, usability, and economics. Findings – Major functions that libraries need in an integrated library system are available for open source software. There are no significant differences in usability between open source and proprietary integrated library systems. Internal IT provides a significant role in open source adoption. The relatively new type of open source software licensing may cause c...
African Courts and Separation of Powers: A Comparative Study of Judicial Review in Uganda & South

Achieving political stability in a transitional democracy is a fundamental goal, the resoluteness of which is in part maintained by courts of judicial review that are independent from political bias and devoid of deference to traditionally more powerful branches of government. The recent democratic transitions occurring in the African nations of South Africa and Uganda provide a unique, contemporary insight into the formation of a constitutional jurisprudence. This study is an examination of pivotal cases decided by the Constitutional Courts of South Africa and Uganda, the roles that these decisions play in political stability, and the potential for political bias in the interpretation of a newborn constitution. Topical cases include S v. Makwanyane and Another (1995) and Attorney General v. Susan Kigula and 417 others (2009) - decisions of the Constitutional Court of South Africa and the Supreme Court of Uganda, respectively - which contemplate the constitutionality of the death penalty. Though the judiciaries of both countries resist the influence of outside bias admirably, they do so with varying degrees of success. Notably, courts in Uganda have at times taken recourse to foreign law as a guide and given unctuous consideration to constitutional arguments but ultimately decided cases in strong consideration of executive will. Conversely, decisions in South Africa have sometimes taken the opposite route, disregarding political bias in favor of political stability. The cases and analyses herein are indicative of the fragile balances that each of these emerging democracies must strike in order to ensure the continuance of their newly formed constitutional governments.
Low-Cost Duplicate Multiplication

Rising levels of integration, decreasing component reliabilities, and the ubiquity of computer systems make error protection a rising concern. Meanwhile, the uncertainty of future fault and error modes motivates the design of strong error detection mechanisms that offer fault-agnostic error protection. Current concurrent hardware mechanisms, however, either offer strong error detection coverage at high cost or restrict their coverage to narrow synthetic error models. This paper investigates the potential for duplication using alternate number systems to lower the costs of duplicated multiplication without sacrificing error coverage. Two examples of such low-cost duplication schemes are described and evaluated, it is shown that specialized carry-save or residue number system checking can be used to increase the efficiency of duplicated multiplication.
Occult High-risk Disease in Clinically Low-risk Prostate Cancer with ≥50% Positive Biopsy Cores: Should National Guidelines Stop Calling Them Low Risk?

Objective To identify contemporary, clinically low-risk patients with ≥50% cores positive and compare the risk of upgrading at prostatectomy with other low- or intermediate-risk patients. Materials and Methods We studied 14,902 patients with prostate cancer in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database in 2010-2011 treated with prostatectomy. Patients were categorized by National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical risk groups, separating low-risk patients by percent positive biopsy cores (PBC). We measured incidence of pathologic high-risk disease, defined as pT3a-T4 or Gleason 8-10, and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine if patients with clinical low-risk disease and ≥50% PBC were similar to other low- or intermediate-risk patients. This analysis was repeated with favorable and unfavorable intermediate risk. Results At prostatectomy, 9.2% of clinically low-risk patients with P P P = .33), and had higher risk than favorable intermediate patients aged over 60 years (AOR 1.28, 1.00-1.64, P = .04). Low-risk patients with ≥50% PBC had a mean tumor size similar to unfavorable intermediate-risk patients (21.3 vs 21.0 mm, P = .82). Conclusion Nearly 1 in 5 clinically low-risk prostate cancer patients with ≥50% PBC harbor occult pT3a-T4 or Gleason 8-10, suggesting that national guidelines should not classify low-risk patients with ≥50% cores positive as "low risk," and patients should be made aware of this excess risk if considering active surveillance.
Property Rights and Climate Change

Climate change poses a challenge for maintaining the stable entitlements that are basic to property law. Yet property rights can also serve as aids to climate adaptation. This essay, which was initially delivered as the Wolf Family Lecture on the American Law at the University of Florida, explores both aspects of the property/climate-change relationship. The first part of the article discusses takings issues that may arise in connection with sea level rise. The second part of the article discusses the constructive role that transferrable development rights and the public trust doctrine could play in climate adaptation, including their role in limiting takings claims.
A Dynamometer for an Ocean Turbine Prototype: Reliability through Automated Monitoring

An ocean turbine extracts the kinetic energy from ocean currents to generate electricity. Machine Condition Monitoring(MCM) / Prognostic Health Monitoring (PHM) systems allow for self-checking and automated fault detection, and are integral in the construction of a highly reliable ocean turbine. This paper presents an onshore test platform for an ocean turbine as well as a case study showing how machine learning can be used to detect changes in the operational state of this plant based on its vibration signals. In the case study, seven widely used machine learners a retrained on experimental data gathered from the test platform, a dynamometer, to detect changes in the machine'sstate. The classification models generated by these classifiers are being considered as possible components of the state detection module of an MCM/PHM system for ocean turbines, and would be used for fault prediction. Experimental results presented here show the effectiveness of decision tree and random forest learners on distinguishing between faulty and normal states based on vibration data preprocessed by a wavelet transform.
Psychological Requirements In Photo-Optical Systems In Simulation

Because of the accuracy needed in the operation of photo-optical systems of simulation, the present paper attempts to measure the differences in sensitivity of motion perception in the various portions of the retina. There is a noticeable difference between the central and peripheral retinal areas in the detection of angular movement and in threshold excitation. The peripheral area dominates the central area in motion detection because it has more rods, thus having a lower threshold excitation and a lower threshold of critical fusion frequency (c.f.f.). By measuring the c.f.f. gradient at varying visual angles on the nasal, temporal, inferior and superior coordinates, it was found that the peripheral area, specifically temporal area, has lower threshold to' motion perception than the central area.© (1969) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Comparison of Dual-Polarization Radar Estimators of Rain

Abstract Several polarimetric radar estimators of rain rate R and rainwater content M are examined. The accuracy of the estimators is analyzed using a gamma drop size distribution (DSD) simulation and a radar wavelength of 11 cm. The estimators that use combined measurements of specific differential phase KDP and differential reflectivity ZDR are superior to the estimators of R and M obtained from reflectivity factors Zh and Zv at orthogonal polarizations or KDP only. The standard deviation of the R(KDP, ZDR) estimate is 2–3 times less than for the best of the R(Zh, Zv) estimators. The statistical accuracy of the M(KDP, ZDR) estimator is at least 1.5–2 times better than for the M(Zh, Zv) estimator. Cumulative rainfalls obtained with the estimators are compared with accumulations recorded with 42 rain gauges in the Little Washita River basin. Biases, errors, and reasons for the superior performance of the R(KDP, ZDR) estimator are explained in terms of the microphysical processes in the squall line that co...
Spectral Transmission of a Solar Collector and Fiber Optic Distribution Hybrid Lighting System

Increased use of solar energy will reduce requirements for non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels and reduce associated greenhouse gas emissions. The benefits of replacing fossil-based energy with solar energy are often dependent on the application and operational or duty cycle for power demand. One particularly efficient use of solar energy is hybrid lighting. In hybrid lighting, solar light is concentrated into optical fibers and then coupled with supplemental electrical lighting to maintain a constant level of illumination. The system is able to offer reliable lighting with less energy consumption from the electrical grid (which is often driven by non-renewable sources). This technique offers energy efficiency benefits since the solar light is used directly and suffers no conversion losses. Furthermore, the solar spectrum provides an illumination that lighting engineers value for it’s quality; office inhabitants appreciate for its comfort; and retailers believe leads to increased sales. When available solar light is low, the hybrid system allows traditional light sources to reliably meet lighting demands. The success of the solar hybrid lighting system is dependent on the collection and transmission efficiency of the system. In this study, the spectral transmission of a hybrid lighting system is characterized. The system is composed of a 200-sun concentration reflective solar collector and a plastic fiber optic distribution network. The ultraviolet (UV), visible, and near-infrared (NIR) spectral transmission was characterized over a spectral range of 200 nm to 2400 nm. The UV and NIR performance of the system is critical since optical fiber damage can be caused by both UV and NIR light; thus, optimal system design maximizes the collection and transmission of visible light while minimizing the transmission of the UV and NIR light. Spectral transmission data for all components in the hybrid system are presented, and performance properties relative to solar applications are discussed.
Local drug delivery: Current applications

Catheter-based treatment of coronary artery disease has historically been based on expansion or ablating vessels. Only in the last 3 years have we had devices that allow us to choose the location to apply agents directly onto or into the arterial wall. Previous trials of pharmaceutical agents in humans have failed despite animal trials showing efficacy. These agents were given in high systemic doses of drugs that may have toxic side effects with minimal effect at the site of arterial injury. Percutaneous interventions are still limited by our need to treat thrombus, alter or passivate the arterial wall, and deliver new treatments into or through the arterial wall. This review discusses the current designs of delivery catheters, ongoing trials of locally delivered agents and gene therapy. The limits of our current understanding of delivery location and efficiency as well as future investigations are also discussed.
Pseudoangiomatous Stromal Hyperplasia: Presentation as a Mass in the Female Nipple

Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) is a benign, localized fibroblastic and myofibroblastic overgrowth that occurs almost exclusively in premenopausal women as a painless, palpable intramammary mass. The lesion has a pale, fibrous, and homogeneous cut surface, is typically well circumscribed, and may have a diameter of 2.0-15 cm. Its ramifying slits lined by flattened myofibroblastic cells are apt to be mistaken for vascular spaces, leading to an erroneous diagnosis of angiosarcoma. The etiology of the condition is unknown, but a relationship to myofibroblastoma has been postulated. Hormonal factors, too, are thought to play a developmental role. The potential for PASH to create a palpable breast mass has been only quite recently advanced in the medical literature, and it has evidently not been reported in the nipple.
Modulation of brain acetylcholine levels with cholinesterase inhibitors as a treatment of Alzheimer disease.

The author's hypothesis is that adequate acetylcholine (ACh) hydrolysis inhibition acting through a physiological mechanism could maintain levels of the neurotransmitter sufficient to stimulate postsynaptic receptors which are still active in the brain of patiens affected by senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT). We postulate that the use of reversible and specific cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI) at optimal concentrations and with a suitable route of adminis-tration would be more effective and less toxic than direct cholinergic stimulation by means of cholinomimetic agents. In order to formulate new strategies of treatment with ChEI we should take into consideration distinct differences of these drugs in their effects upon ACh levels in brain. In this review we will describe experimental approaches in animals and experimental treatment in humans which may help us to find optimal levels of ChE inhibition and ACh increases in brain. The effect of repeated doses of ChEI on serum and red blood cell (RBC) ChE activity are also discussed and correlated to the effect of acute and chronic administration on brain ACh. Severity of CNS symptoms seem to correlate more closely to percent of ACh increase in brain than to percent ChE inhibition at peak time or to time of recovery of ChE activity. These experi-mental data on animals indicate that “slow release” drugs or intracerebral ad-ministration of ChEI may be more effective in raising ACh levels in brain and, therefore, more suitable for therapy of Alzheimer patients.
Recurrent peptic ulceration.

Recurrent peptic ulcer disease has traditionally posed problems for practicing physicians. While many treatment options have been promoted in the past, recent understanding of the role of Hel
Critical dynamics at a Hopf bifurcation to oscillatory Rayleigh-Bénard convection.

The steady-state and dynamic properties of the transition to oscillatory convection in a low-Prandtl-number fluid, dilute $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ in superfluid $^{4}\mathrm{He}$, are presented. Critical slowing down is observed and characterized by a phenomenological Landau-Hopf equation in analogy with equilibrium mean-field critical phenomena. In contrast to the onset of classical time-independent Rayleigh-B\'enard convection, where appreciable rounding is typically observed, there is no measurable rounding at the oscillatory onset down to a reduced Rayleigh number of 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$. Possible reasons for this are discussed. Different functional singularities are observed for the rms amplitudes of the fundamental and first harmonic spectral components of the oscillation. Finally, the Prandtl-number dependence of the parameters of the dynamics is presented.
Written language disorders

Significant numbers of children referred for evaluation of learning disabilities demonstrate written language disorders. They may have problems with handwriting, spelling, written formulation, or a combination of all three. Some questions that may be asked for assessment and some general suggestions for remediation have been provided. Integrating components of spoken, read, and written language is necessary in teaching children who have written language disorders.
Modeling Medicare-Eligible Veterans’ Demand for Outpatient Services: A Two-Stage Approach

We apply a utility consistent, combined multinomial choice and count data model to identify factors that affect Medicare-eligible veterans’ outpatient health care usage and provider choice. Our first stage count data regression shows that a shadow cost index for visits calculated from the second stage multinomial choice model is significant in determining the Medicare-eligible veterans’ demand of outpatient services. In the second stage, we specify a multinomial choice model to study veterans’ allocation of outpatient visits between the VA and non-VA health care facilities, and find that veterans’ actual out-of-pocket cost and the distance to the health care facility have significantly negative effects on the probability of choosing the alternative. A number of other factors including family income, means of transportation, race, employment, and disability status are also found to be important at various stages of the decision making. We find some evidence of moral hazard effect in the market for private supplemental health insurance and prescription drugs, but adverse selection does not seem to be a problem for this special population.
Citizens United: Robbing America of Its Democratic Idealism

The 2010 Citizens United ruling has been widely reviewed from the lens of legal precedent. In this critique, the author suggests the need to examine the logic and effects of the ruling from a historical, philosophical, and linguistic perspective. He challenges the Court's basis for providing inanimate entities First Amendment protection to “invest” in politics by equating corporations with individuals and money with speech. He holds that Citizens United employs parallel logic to the syllogism embedded in the most repugnant ruling the Court ever made, the 1857 Dred Scott decision. To justify slavery, the Court in Dred Scott defined a class of human beings as private property. To magnify corporate power a century-and-ahalf later, it defines a class of private property (corporations) as people. The effect is to undercut the democratic basis of American governance.
Research Highlights on Organic Photovoltaics and Plasmonics

Incorporation of plasmonic nanostructures for light trapping is an attractive solution to enhance the optical absorption of the active light-harvesting layer(s) in thin-film photovoltaic cells. The latest research highlights on plasmonic-enhanced organic photovoltaics (OPVs), including metallic nanoparticles and periodic nanopatterned structures, are presented in this paper.
Ontology and Rule Based Knowledge Representation for Situation Management and Decision Support

Supporting human decision making in tasks such as disaster planning and time-sensitive targeting is challenging because of the breadth and depth of knowledge that goes into the decision making process and the need to reason with this knowledge within tight time constraints. Ontologies are well suited for representing the concepts that humans use in describing the domain of interest. However, ontologies can be costly to develop and ,by themselves, are inadequate to capture the kinds of decision making knowledge that arise in practice―for instance, those that refer to multiple ontologies or to established precedent. Such decision making knowledge can be represented by using a knowledge representation formalism that we call decision rules. These decision rules are similar to the rules used in rule based systems but can (a) include primitives from multiple ontologies and primitives that are defined by algorithms that run outside of the rule framework (b) be time dependent and (c) incorporate default assumptions. We report on our ongoing experience in using such a combination of ontologies and decision rules in building a decision support application for time sensitive targeting.
Does improving joint attention in low‐quality child‐care enhance language development?

This study examined effects of professional development for child‐care staff on language acquisition of children ages 14–36 months. Child‐care staff from 44 child‐care centres agreed to participate in the study. Child‐care staff from one‐half of the child‐care centres were randomly assigned to a one‐time, four‐hour workshop followed by three classroom visits over the subsequent three months. This treatment was designed to increase frequency and quality of joint attention episodes between the child‐care staff and the toddlers. Child‐care staff from the remaining 22 centres were assigned to a wait‐list control group. Toddlers (N = 121) in both the groups (n treatment = 64; n control = 57) were assessed with a measure of language acquisition after six months. While there were no significant differences on total language acquisition between groups, treatment group toddlers whose child‐care providers engaged in more frequent and longer bouts of joint attention acquired more language. The results of this study ...
Effects of Food Type, Duration of Hibernal Quiescence, and Weevil Density on Longevity of Sitona lineatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Adult longevity of Sitona lineatus (L.) was significantly affected by the kind of food provided and weevil density. Weevils maintained as single reproductive pairs and fed pea foliage lived longer than those fed alfalfa, whereas if maintained in groups of 13 reproductive pairs, the alfalfa-fed weevils lived longer in three of six months of field collection. The shortest life spans for weevils in low or high densities were observed when weevils were fed lentil foliage or starved. Female S. lineatus lived significantly longer than males when maintained as single reproductive pairs, but there were no significant differences between female and male longevity when weevils were kept in groups of 13 reproductive pairs. The spring migrational state of the weevils and the number of months spent in hibernal quiescence also had a significant effect on longevity.
Editorial: The International Commission for Optics

This PDF file contains the editorial “Editorial: The International Commission for Optics” for OE Vol. 34 Issue 10
Analysis of slip transfer and deformation behavior across the α/β interface in Ti–5Al–2.5Sn (wt.%) with an equiaxed microstructure

Abstract Slip transfer across the α/β interface was investigated in the near-α titanium alloy Ti–5Al–2.5Sn (wt.%). Globular β-phase grains, located primarily at α-phase grain boundaries, enabled the investigation of the orientation relationship between the α and β phases in the case of a general equiaxed microstructure. Active deformation systems were identified using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) supported by plane trace analysis. Information from the plane trace analysis was used to assess a number of metrics that could correlate with α/β slip transfer including: Schmid factors, the angle between slip plane normals ( ψ ), the angle between active Burgers’ vectors ( κ ), and the α (0001) /β {110} misorientation angle. From an analysis of 36 β grains, 15 α/β boundaries were found to exhibit the planar α (0001) /β {110} Burgers’ orientation relationship. The α phase, which dominated the microstructure, tended to exhibit slip traces for high global Schmid factor slip systems, including prism, basal, and pyramidal slip planes. When the neighboring β grain was oriented favorably for slip, i.e. exhibited a high Schmid factor, slip transfer was more likely across the α/β interface compared to when the neighboring β phase was not favorably oriented for slip. The alignment between the Burgers’ vectors in the α and β phases was not well correlated with slip across the α/β interface. Furthermore, the boundaries having the α (0001) /β {110} orientation relationship were not necessarily favorable for α/β slip transfer.
THE EARLY RAGGED SCHOOLS AND THE FOUNDATION OF THE RAGGED SCHOOL UNION

(1969). THE EARLY RAGGED SCHOOLS AND THE FOUNDATION OF THE RAGGED SCHOOL UNION. Journal of Educational Administration and History: Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 9-21.
Delivering mental health services to the persistently and seriously mentally ill in frontier areas.

: Frontier areas (defined as six or fewer persons per square mile) are at the extreme end of the urban-rural continuum. Whereas they occupy almost half of the land mass of the United States, they constitute only about 2 percent of the population. Exigencies of harsh climate and vast distances make the delivery of health and human services even more difficult than in other rural areas. This paper describes several innovative models for delivering mental health services to the persistently and seriously mentally ill in rural areas.
Palaeomagnetic Reversals in Mississippian Sediments of Missouri

—Normal to reversed polarity transitions have been found in Mississippian limestones of Missouri at longitude 269.7 and latitude 38.6 in an area of approximately 2,000 sq.km centered on the city of St. Louis. The transitions suggest a reversal of the geomagnetic field during the time these limestones were deposited. The mean normal NRM direction of declination 323.2, inclination 14.8, alpha-95 10.0 and corresponding reversed direction declination 144.8, inclination of 11.7 with alpha-95 of 5.2, are each tightly grouped, while in between these two groups the circles of confidence reveal a large scatter. Six normally magnetized groups of sites and corresponding VGP positions were found while seven groups are reversed. The mean normal VGP was at longitude 146.2 and latitude 44.6 and the reversed one at longitude 313.9 and latitude −34.8. The large scatter in between these two groups is interpreted as being due to rapid changes in the direction of the geomagnetic field when compared with the rate of deposition of the sediments. Alternating field (AF) and thermal demagnetization (TH) techniques were used to remove secondary components of the NRM.
Near-limit flame spread over paper samples

Abstract In this study the near-limit characteristics of a spreading flame are considered. Flame spreading rates and temperature profiles are measured as extinction conditions are approached. The flame is extinguished by increasing the heat loss, reducing the total pressure, or reducing the oxygen mole fraction in the environment. The gas phase temperature profiles are obtained with fine-wire thermocouple probes. The flame spreading results show that the power-law correlations of McAlevy and Magee [3] do not remain valid near the extinction limit. In all cases the slope of the Log (flame spread rate) vs. Log (total pressure) curves increase and approach vertical at extinction. Differences in vertical and horizontal flame spreading are discussed. The flame temperature profiles are examined for a near-limit flame, but the total pressure level is the only parameter changed. In the near-limit flame the maximum flame temperature is reduced slightly, but the flame is enlarged in physical size greatly. It is observed that near the pyrolysis front, heat transfer forward in the gas phase and normal to the fuel surface are of the same order of magnitude.
Secretory immune system of the male reproductive tract : Effects of dihydrotestosterone and estradiol on IgA and secretory component levels

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is present at mucosal sites of the body which are exposed to the external environment. In this study we evaluated the levels of IgA and its transport protein secretory component (SC) in organs of the male reproductive tract of both intact and castrate-hormone-treated rats. Our goals were to determine whether these proteins are present in the male reproductive tract and whether sex hormones can influence the amounts of IgA and SC in selected organs. We found that in intact animals, IgA was present in the prostate, epididymis, vas deferens and testis and that SC levels in the prostate were 22-fold greater than in these same organs. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and/or estradiol, when administered to castrate animals, dramatically increased the levels of prostatic SC. In contrast, the levels of IgA were only minimally affected. DHT administration also resulted in a significant increase in SC found in the seminal vesicles. These studies demonstrate that IgA and SC are present in the male reproductive tract of the rat. Further, they show that androgens and estrogens act at selected sites in the male reproductive tract to play an important role in maintaining SC levels and thereby suggest that these hormones influence the movement of IgA from tissues into secretions.
Drug-related dental destruction

Abstract The clinician whose patient evidences an unexplained exacerbation of dental caries or periodontal disease should ask the patient what medication he has been taking. By scanning the drugs listed alphabetically in Table II, the practitioner can evaluate the xerostomic potential of the medications. A consultation with the patient's physician to modify the etiologic factors may prevent severe dental destruction.
Does the combination of warfarin and aspirin have a place in secondary stroke prevention? No.

The combined use of warfarin plus aspirin for secondary stroke prevention occurs primarily in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD). This drug combination is also used in patients with mechanical heart valves or occasionally in stroke/TIA patients who are deemed to be at high-risk for recurrent events. It is estimated that approximately 20% of patients on warfarin also receive aspirin and aside from patients with mechanical heart valves the use of this combination is tenuous.1,2 The most common clinical scenario for using warfarin plus aspirin is for primary or secondary stroke prevention in AF patients who also have CAD. The rationale for using this combination typically is the widespread belief that the use of warfarin, although clearly of benefit for stroke risk reduction, should be supplemented with aspirin for reducing the risk of coronary ischemic events. The basis for this assumption is unclear, and the combined use of warfarin plus aspirin substantially increases the risk of major bleeding side effects, including intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).2 The efficacy of aspirin for reducing ischemic …
Ultrascaled Silicon Nanowires as Efficient Thermoelectric Materials

The room-temperature thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of highly doped silicon nanowires (SiNWs) of square cross section was calculated by solving the electron and phonon Boltzmann transport equations with a proper account of the two dimensional confinement of both electrons and phonons. The ZT in SiNWs is almost two orders of magnitude larger than that of bulk silicon. The enhancement of ZT in SiNWs occurs primarily because of strong phonon-boundary scattering that degrades the lattice thermal conductivity by about two orders of magnitude from its value in bulk silicon. With decreasing wire cross section, the electrical conductivity (sigma) and thermal conductivity (k) decrease, whereas the Seebeck coefficient (S) increases. Therefore, the ZT variation with cross section is nonmonotonic, with ZT maximal for a wire of cross section 4 times 4 nm 2 . Boundary roughness scattering indeed proves to have a significant effect on both electronic and thermal transport in SiNWs.
Topic control and person control: A thorny problem for foreign physicians in interaction with American patients

This paper examines the tension between physicians’ ability to control topics in interaction with patients and general American expectations that the asymmetry of power and status typical of such encounters be denied in favor of greater equality, manifested in shared topic control. Specifically, the paper focuses on the difficulties that foreign medical graduates, comfortable with power asymmetry, have in adapting their interactive style to American expectations. Finally, it proposes that the process of acquiring second‐culture communicative competence in this area is difficult not only because it involves learning to recognize patterns invisible to reflection in normal practice, but also because the encounter embodies a fundamental tension between authority (inequality) and equality in American society, which can be managed but not resolved.
Dissipativity and performance analysis of smart dampers via LMI synthesis

This paper investigates the dissipativity and performance of semiactive systems with smart dampers via linear matrix inequality (LMI) synthesis. For this purpose, a dissipativity index is proposed to modify a standard linear quadratic regulator (LQR) using the techniques available in LMI-based multiobjective convex programming for better semiactive performance. First, a review of available dissipativity indices is given, and two new dissipativity indices are defined based on the concept of energy dissipation rate. Second, an LQR problem is defined in terms of a linear objective function and several LMI constraints. Then, for each dissipativity index, a dissipativity inequality constraint is defined. It is observed that only one of the dissipativity constraints can be represented in terms of LMIs and implemented in the LQR problem. A modified LMI-based LQR controller is obtained by attaching the dissipativity constraint in its weak form. The dissipativity indices and the proposed controller are employed for two numerical examples to investigate the dissipativity and performance of semiactive systems. The first example is a 2DOF building with an ideal damper attached in the first storey, and an LQR controller is selected such that it has high dissipativity levels. The second example is a 2DOF model of a highway bridge where a realistic magnetorheological (MR) fluid damper is attached at the bearing location resulting in an LQR controller with low dissipativity levels. Comprehensive parametric studies are carried out for both examples using the modified LQR with various dissipativity constraint values and the standard LQR. For the first example, it is found that the indices are very useful to identify the dissipative nature and semiactive performance relations. Also, the proposed method is able to improve the dissipative nature of the controller improving the semiactive performance. On the other hand, for the second example, although the proposed method is able to improve the dissipativity, the overall semiactive performance does not show a major improvement due to drastically lowered dissipativity levels caused by the realistic damper model. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
First-Principles-Based Interatomic Potential for SI and Its Thermal Conductivity

Based on first-principles density-functional calculations, we have developed and tested a force-field for silicon, which can be used for molecular dynamics simulations and the calculation of its thermal properties. This force field uses the exact Taylor expansion of the total energy about the equilibrium positions up to 4th order. In this sense, it becomes systematically exact for small enough displacements, and can reproduce the thermodynamic properties of Si with high fidelity. Having the harmonic force constants, one can easily calculate the phonon spectrum of this system. The cubic force constants, on the other hand, will allow us to compute phonon lifetimes and scattering rates. Results on equilibrium Green-Kubo molecular dynamics simulations of thermal conductivity as well as an alternative calculation of the latter based on the relaxation-time approximation will be reported. The accuracy and ease of computation of the lattice thermal conductivity using these methods will be compared. This approach paves the way for the construction of accurate bulk interatomic potentials database, from which lattice dynamics and thermal properties can be calculated and used in larger scale simulation methods such as Monte Carlo.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Multi-media computer technology in the classroom

SUMMARY This article recounts the experiences of the authors as participants in the quest of their university to bring multi-media computer based technology into the classroom. The authors discuss the method of the university's approach to this task, review the process leading to the development of their own project, and then review some of the lessons they learned in the process. They conclude by discussing the outcomes and presenting a number of recommendations for other campuses that might be considering similar endeavors.
Composite SISCOM images in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: technique and illustration of regions of hyperperfusion.

ObjectiveTo outline and validate a technique for subtraction ictal single photon emission tomography (SPET) co-registered to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (SISCOM), which allows non-linear co-registration of groups of subtraction SPET images to a single, template image.MethodsIn patients with mes
Clinical impact of on-site cytopathology interpretation on endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration.

Clinical Impact of On-Site Cytopathology Interpretation on Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration
Effective potential for non-Abelian gauge theories and spontaneous symmetry breaking

We derive a formal expression for the one-loop corrected effective potential of non-Abelian gauge theory in the covariant gauge. This expression is checked, for arbitrary gauge group, by graphically calculating the one-loop renormalization constants. The effective potential for a restricted range of fields is explicitly evaluated for the gauge groups SU(2) and SU(3) in the Landau gauge. We extend the range of validity of these results using the renormalization group to improve the effective potential. Extension to larger, simple gauge groups follows immediately from our formalism. The possibility, and physical meaning, of a nonzero vacuum expectation value is discussed. A nonzero vacuum is shown to behave as a regulator for infrared divergences.
A Note on the n-Generator Property for Commutative Monoids

Let M be a cancellative, commutative monoid with integral closure $\overline{M}$ . Borrowing from ring theory, we say that M has the n-generator property iff every finitely generated ideal of M can be generated by n elements, and we say M has rank n iff every ideal of M can be generated by n elements. We investigate the integral closure of such monoids. We show, in particular, that if M has the n-generator property, then $\overline{M}$ is a valuation monoid, and if M has rank n, then $\overline{M}$ is a principal ideal monoid.