cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The varieties of gene amplification, diversification and hypervariability in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.

The human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is able to evade host cell-mediated and humoral immunity to maintain both persistent and repeated infections. Immune evasion is in part due to a robust repertoire of proteins which participate in host–parasite interactions but also exhibit profound antigenic diversity, and in some instances switches in gene expression. The antigenic diversity occurs both at the parasite level within families of amplified proteins, and within populations of parasites in which mechanisms of recombination and gene conversion conspire to create a broad plasticity in the antigenic exposure to the host. This review will introduce the spectrum of amplified protein families in P. falciparum and focus on three sub-telomeric encoded families, RIFIN, STEVOR and Pfmc-2TM which exhibit hypervariability with respect to their antigenic diversity.
Systematic search in conformational analysis

Abstract The coupling of conformation to activity and reactivity is a widely accepted concept, and as such has driven the development of tools which execute conformational searches in rapid and robust fashion [T.F. Havel, Prog. Biophys. Molec. Biol., 56 (1991) 43–78; A.R. Leach, In Rev. Comput. Chem.; K.B. Lipkowitz and D.B. Boyd, Ed.; VCH Publishers, Inc.: New York, N.Y., 1991, Vol. II, pp. 1–55]. Among the aims of these methods are the determination of a complete set of local minima from which the global energy minimum can be identified, or the generation of conformations consistent with constraints derived from SAR or structural studies. Most methods fall into two broad categories: those which are random or stochastic, and those which are systematic. Yet another group consists of those which are based on heuristics and artificial intelligence [A.R. Leach, K. Prout, D.P. Dolata, J. Comput. Chem. 11 (1990) 680–693]. The first category is typified by molecular dynamics [W.F. van Gunsteren and H.J.C. Berendsen, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Eng., 29 (1990) 992–1023], Monte Carlo [M.P. Alien and D.J. Tildesley, Computer Simulation of Liquids, Oxford Science Publications, 1989], distance geometry [J.M. Blaney and J.S. Dixon, in K.B. Lipkowitz and D.B. Boyd (Eds.), Reviews in Computational Chemistry, VCH, New York, Vol. 5, pp. 299–335, 1994], and other approaches [M. Saunders, J. Comput. Chem., 10 (1989) 203–208] in which the path by which conformational space is examined is ideally completely random, but bounded by the geometries of covalent bond lengths and angles. In traditional systematic searches, the variable to be examined, e.g. torsion angles, is divided into a regular grid. Each and every grid point is evaluated in a systematic fashion to determine its validity. The path through the grid points is regular and defined. In principle, systematic search can, within the resolution of the grid, identify all sterically allowed conformations of a molecule. Consequently, systematic search is an ideal tool for conformational analysis because it is not path dependent and cannot become entrapped in local minima. In this article we review some of the basics of systematic search, algorithmic improvements that have enhanced its speed, and new developments that have increased its accuracy by moving away from the limitations of a fixed torsional grid.
Progress in newborn hepatitis B vaccination by birth year cohorts—1998–2007, USA ☆

Abstract Background In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) issued a joint statement on thimerosal in vaccines, which advised clinicians to temporarily postpone the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine for infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative women. In 2005, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated the strategy to improve prevention of perinatal and early childhood hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission. Objectives To evaluate the progress in hepatitis B birth dose vaccination coverage in birth year cohort from 1998 to 2007 and assess the impact of changes in ACIP recommendations on the birth dose coverage. Methods Birth year cohort study of hepatitis B birth dose vaccination status of 200,865 children aged 19–35 months in the United States and by selected socio-demographic factors; percentage increases of hepatitis B birth dose vaccination coverage between two consecutive birth year cohorts from 1998 to 2007. Results From 1998 to 1999, hepatitis B birth dose vaccination coverage declined overall in the United States and among selected socio-demographic groups ( P P P P Conclusions The United States has made substantial progress in increasing hepatitis B birth dose vaccination and recovered from coverage declines associated with temporary postponement of the birth dose in 1999. The hepatitis B birth dose coverage in the U.S. remains substantially below the Healthy People 2020 target of 85%.
EVALUATION OF REDUCED RISK INSECTICIDES FOR CONTROLLING FALL ARMYWORMS ON SWEET CORN, 2000

Sweet corn in south Florida is an intensively managed crop requiring many insecticide applications to control FAW and other insect pests. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate FAW control using reducedrisk insecticides that can be used near developments and other environmentally sensitive areas. The trial was conducted at the Everglades Research and Education Center, Belle Glade, FL, in a Lauderhill organic soil (i.e., euic, hyperthermic Lithic Medisaprists). Sweet corn seed was hand planted 19 Oct. The study was arranged in a RCB design with four replicates. Plots were 25 ft long, six rows wide, planted on 30-inch centers and separated by 5-ft planted, untreated buffers. Treatments for naturally occurring FAW were begun once infestation levels reached above a 20% threshold level. Insecticides were applied on 30 Nov, 7 and 13 Dec using a CO2-pressurized backpack sprayer and two-nozzle (8005 EVS) boom calibrated to deliver 32 gpa spray volume at 40 psi. Latron CS-7 spray adjuvant was added at 0.25% v/v to all treatments, including the water check. Treatments were applied downward centered over the top of the rows. Unusually cool and dry weather during the trial reduced development rates for the crop and its insect pests. Ear infestation rates were not evaluated due to poor development of reproductive structures. Pretreatment (29 Nov) and post-treatment (6, 12, and 21 Dec) samples to evaluate the treatments consisted of examining 10 randomly selected plants in each of the center four rows in each plot (40 plants per treatment replicate) for live FAW larvae. Data were converted to percentage infested plants and transformed using arcsine before analysis using the GLM procedure. Transformed means were compared using an LSD test (a = 0.05), but untransformed means are presented.
Reliability of Summed Item Scores Using Structural Equation Modeling: An Alternative to Coefficient Alpha

A method is presented for estimating reliability using structural equation modeling (SEM) that allows for nonlinearity between factors and item scores. Assuming the focus is on consistency of summed item scores, this method for estimating reliability is preferred to those based on linear SEM models and to the most commonly reported estimate of reliability, coefficient alpha.
Blood lead levels in North Carolina painters

1. Blood lead levels were examined in 127 housepainters in North Carolina between April and September, 1993. Each participant filled out a questionnaire and gave a blood sample. The questionnaire covered the individual's work history, concentrating on paint-removal activities and personal protection, and also covered potential nonoccupational sources of lead exposure. Blood samples were analysed for lead content using atomic absorption spectroscopy. 2. The geometric mean blood lead level was 0.33 mumol L-1 (6.8 micrograms dL-1). No blood lead samples were found to exceed the occupational standard of 1.93 mumol L-1 (40 micrograms dL-1). The three highest samples had levels between 0.97 and 1.45 mumol L-1 (20 and 30 micrograms dL-1); this represented 2.4% of the study sample. 3. No statistical association was found between blood lead levels in these painters and their painting activities, including using dust masks for personal protection. 4. Current painting practices in this group of North Carolina painters do not appear to elevate blood lead levels above the occupational standard.
Movements of potamodromous coastal cutthroat trout, Salmo clarki clarki, inferred from tagging and scale analyses

Abstract The movements of distinctive potamodromous populations of cutthroat trout ( Salmo clarki clarki ) were studied in the Willamette River watershed, Oregon, U.S.A., from 1976 to 1979. This sub-species is often anadromous in coastal streams, but the upstream passage of trout was historically blocked at the lower end of the Willamette Valley. Although there are now passage facilities, coastal cutthroat trout remain either potamodromous or non-migratory. Almost 3600 cutthroat trout were collected, 2855 scale samples were taken, and 2087 fish were tagged and released. Movements were inferred from recoveries of tagged fish and estimates of ages derived from readings of scales. Downstream movements were indicated by a shift in year-class appearance from small to large streams. These downstream movements may commence a year earlier in the life-cycle compared to anadromous stocks of Oregon coastal streams. Most tag recaptures came from areas near release locations; 15% of the tags were recaptured. Instances of extensive movement were recorded in the large rivers of the watershed, apparently as a consequence of spawning movements. Large rivers of the Willamette watershed tend to reflect the mixture of several life-history patterns evident among trout of the drainage.
Uncertainty of Reinforcement Consequences in Pavlovian Conditioning of Dogs

Four dogs were given discriminative conditioning using 3 CSs. One CS (CS + C) was always reinforced with shock, another (CS−) was never reinforced while a third (CS + U) was reinforced 75% of the trials with reinforcement occurring either immediately, 2 or 4 sec. after the termination of CS. Heart-rate change was greater for CS + C than for CS + U or CS there was no significant difference between the latter. The termination of the CS + U appeared to be informative; mean heart rate during the post-CS period on unreinforced trials of CS + U was not significantly different from that during CS + C. Flexion latencies were longer to CS + U. The cardiac UR was less for CS + U than for CS + C, suggesting that temporal uncertainty inhibits the UR.
Maximizing aesthetic outcome in autologous breast reconstruction with implants and lipofilling

Free flap breast reconstruction is an option widely sought in postmastectomy breast reconstruction. However, the volume of autologous tissue from the patient is often not sufficient for symmetrical reconstruction. In these cases, flaps can be used in combination with implants or autologous fat injections to augment volume and achieve shape, symmetry, and contour. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent postmastectomy free flap reconstruction with secondary augmentation using autologous fat grafting or implant from 2008 to 2011. Twenty-four patients (39 breasts) received further augmentation of autologous tissue reconstruction during this period. Sixteen patients (26 breasts) had fat graft augmentation only, four patients (eight breasts) had implant augmentation only, and three patients (five breasts) had both procedures. Among patients who had fat grafting, operative intervention was required twice for fat necrosis. Contrastingly, of patients who received implants, one patient required operative intervention for implant malpositioning. These differences were not significant (P = 0.57). The group with both fat grafting and implant augmentation had significantly higher aesthetic scores regarding overall appearance, contour, and volume, but not projection, than the group with fat grafting only and the group with implant only. Autologous fat grafting offers several contouring aesthetic advantages, including selectively augmenting areas of hollowness to improve contour and maximize symmetry. However, implant augmentation generally allows for a larger increase in projection in a single procedure, with similar rates of postaugmentation complications. Use of both autologous fat grafting and implant augmentation may allow for superior aesthetic results. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study.
Interactive interfaces for complex network analysis: An information credibility perspective

This paper discusses and evaluates the impact of visualization and interaction strategies for extracting quality information from data in complex networks such as microblogs. Two different approaches to interactive visual representations of data are discussed: an interactive node-link graph and a novel approach where content is separated into interactive lists based on data properties. To assess the two approaches in terms of information credibility, the TopicNets system is compared with “Fluo”, a novel system. An analysis scenario is performed through each system on a set of big data filtered from the Twitter message service. The exposure of content, trade-offs between algorithmic power and interaction complexity, methods for content filtering, and strategies for recommending new content are assessed for each system. Fluo is found to improve on TopicNets ability to efficiently find relevant content primarily by providing a more structured content view, however, TopicNets is more customizable and boasts features which are critical for an expert analyst. The paper concludes with general insights on interface design for information filtering systems to maximize perceived quality of information.
“A Motley Throng:” Social Change on Southwest China's Early Modern Frontier, 1700–1880

Shi Shangxian was the youngest son of an impoverished Han (ethnic Chinese) family living in eighteenth-century Yunnan Province. As a boy, he was sold to another Han family for the purpose of marrying one of the family's daughters. Although there is no record of his married life, it apparently was not a happy one. Shi left his wife in 1748, never to return, and drifted southwestward toward the Burmese frontier to engage in commerce between the booming Munai mining region and the Tai polity of Keng Tung (now part of Burma). Shi eventually remarried, this time to an indigenous woman who belonged to one of the local Tai or upland tribes. Thus far, Shi's story is unexceptional. By the mid-eighteenth century, as many as one hundred thousand Han lived in mining communities along the Yunnan frontier (ZPZZ, 1733–2, Zhang Yunsui QL 11/5/9). Han men often married indigenous women, to the consternation of Qing officials who feared the political ramifications of intermarriage (ZPZZ, 142–1, Fuheng et al. QL 35/1/19). Shi, however, emerged from obscurity in 1765 when he and his father-in-law, a petty local leader, sided with Burma during the frontier wars of 1765–70 and attacked Qing territory. Shi, the Han ally of the Burmese, was later captured by Cao Xiu, the son of an indigenous “native official” (tusi) whose militia was patrolling the frontier at the behest of the Qing state.
Frequency and impact of delayed decisions regarding heart transplantation on long-term outcomes in patients with advanced heart failure

Abstract Objectives We sought to characterize decisions regarding listing of heart transplant candidates and to determine the impact of delayed listing for a transplant on survival. Background Evaluation and listing for heart transplantation have evolved over the past decade, with the complex decision process often extending beyond the time of initial review. Little is known about the current impact of decisions and timing of listing on outcomes. Methods Decisions were prospectively recorded during the initial committee discussions regarding patients referred for heart transplant evaluation. Survival and transplantation rates were assessed. Results A total of 214 patients were evaluated for heart transplantation (age 49 ± 11 years, ejection fraction 21 ± 9%, New York Heart Association class III ± I, peak oxygen consumption 13 ± 4 ml/kg/min). At the initial evaluation, 44% of patients were deemed eligible, 25% were potentially eligible, 19% were ineligible, and 12% were deferred. For eligible patients, 37% of patients were listed within 10 days of evaluation, and a total of 71% of patients were ever listed. Regardless of transplantation, the three-year survival rate in eligible patients not listed early was similar to that in patients listed immediately (85% vs. 77%, p = 0.34). Ineligible and potentially eligible patients had a higher three-year mortality rate than did eligible patients if transplantation occurred (51% vs. 17%, p Conclusions Using current accepted guidelines, many patients referred for transplant evaluation were not considered eligible for transplantation, and those who were eligible were not often listed immediately. Eligible patients not listed initially did well in the long term, and patients with relative contraindications had worse outcomes with or without a transplant.
Neural Net Models And Optical Computing: A Brief Overview

A brief overview of background and developments in the emerging field of neural net models for optical computing is presented. At this early stage the field is offering a new and intellectually stimulating approach to signal processing that dove-tails with and compliments the capabilities of optics.
Structural and functional integrity of rat liver perfused in backward and forward directions

The purpose of this study was to assess if reversal of the direction of isolated rat liver perfusion would cause significant alterations in hepatic functions and structure. Five isolated rat livers were perfused forward and another five backward with oxygenated Ringer's solution for up to 90 min (hydrostatic pressure: less than or equal to 13 cm H2O; flow rate: forward 3.88 +/- 0.34 ml/min per gram and backward 3.76 +/- 0.34 ml/min per gram). At the end of the experiment, livers were perfusion-fixed for morphological examination. The following results were obtained: No significant differences were noted between the forward and backward perfusions with respect to oxygen uptake, mean bile flow (forward 0.57 +/- 0.12; backward 0.60 +/- 0.14 ml/min per gram), average bile acid excretion (forward 2.39 +/- 1.11; backward 2.83 +/- 0.94 nmol/min per gram), hydroxylation pattern of bile acids, urea synthesis, release of lactic dehydrogenase, glucose secretion, and redox ratios. Light and electron microscopy, including morphometry of parenchymal and sinusoidal areas, revealed that the backward perfusion caused a greater degree of sinusoidal distension, but no other noteworthy differences. Hepatic ultrastructure was well preserved. We conclude that reversing the direction of perfusion does not alter structure and major hepatic functions significantly.
Summarization of archived and shared personal photo collections

The volume of personal photos hosted on photo archives and social sharing platforms has been increasing exponentially. It is difficult to get an overview of a large collection of personal photos without browsing though the entire database manually. In this research, we propose a framework to generate representative subset summaries from photo collections hosted on web archives or social networks. We define salient properties of an effective photo summary and model summarization as an optimization of these properties, given the size constraints. We also introduce metrics for evaluating photo summaries based on their information content and the ability to satisfy user's information needs. Our experiments show that our summarization framework performs better than baseline algorithms.
Validation of recall of body weight over a 26-year period in cohort members of the Adventist Health Study 2.

Abstract Purpose The validity of recall of past body weight has been measured and tends to be high; however, the paucity of validation data for recall in older age is noteworthy given the need for accounting for age and disease-related weight change in prospective studies. Methods The Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) is a prospective, questionnaire-based study (n = 96,710) that enrolled a cohort from 2002 through 2007 to investigate the role of lifestyle exposures (diet, physical activity, anthropometrics) and health on outcomes such as cancer and mortality. Results The mean difference between current weight reported 26 years earlier in AHS-1 and recall of past body weight in AHS-2 was only 0.67 kg, indicating underestimation in the recall of past body weight from ages 30 to 70 years. Conclusions Misclassification is differential across both age and adiposity, and this tendency needs to be incorporated into the interpretation of weight history and health outcome literature.
A theoretical framework for a ‘spatially conscious’ economic analysis of environmental issues

Abstract This paper proposes a theoretical framework for the integration of economic aspects and environmental aspects into the decision-making process for sustainable development strategies. The aim is integrate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and environmental valuation methods in the structure of a cost–benefit analysis (CBA) in order to better evaluate spatial concerns. The conceptual approach is augmented by a modest case study of a marina development in Santa Rosaliita on the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. This marina project is part of the proposed ‘Escalera Nautica’ an ambitious regional development scheme, which has caused controversy concerning its social, economic and environmental implications. The paper outlines the necessity to develop spatially conscious methodologies for a policy relevant research regarding sustainable regional development. Additionally, the paper contributes a spatial analytic perspective based on normative economic principles to the recent discussion on environmental economic geography.
Substituted Poly(p-phenylene) Thin Films via Surface-Initiated Kumada-Type Catalyst Transfer Polycondensation

Conjugated polymer films of unsubstituted and alkoxy-substituted poly(p-phenylene) have been prepared via a Kumada-type catalyst-transfer polycondensation in a grafting-from configuration. A surface-bound external initiator was formed by reacting a Ni(0) complex with a thienyl bromide monolayer, and this surface-bound initiator was used to polymerize several Grignard monomers prepared from the corresponding 1,4-dihalobenzenes resulting in surface-bound, conjugated polymer chains with thickness up to 30 nm. A series of 1,4-diodo monomers with alkoxy side chains ranging from unsubstituted 1,4-diiodobenzene to 1,4-diiodo-2,5-dihexyloxybenzene were polymerized in order to explore the influence of steric bulk on the surface-initiated polymerization process. Within the series of molecules, it was observed that monomers with smaller, less bulky side chains were more easily polymerized from the surface, resulting in smooth, regular films for unsubstituted and methoxy-substituted polyphenylene. Islands of polymer ...
Reversibility effects on the stereoselectivity of Pt(II)-mediated cascade poly-ene cyclizations.

Cyclization of 1,5-dienes bearing nucleophilic traps with electrophilic trisphosphine pincer ligated Pt(II) complexes results in the formation of a polycyclic Pt-alkyl via a Pt(η2-alkene) intermediate. With electron-rich triphosphine ligands, an equilibrium between the Pt(η2-alkene) and Pt-alkyl was observed. The position of the equilibrium was sensitive to ligand basicity, conjugate acid strength, solvent polarity, and ring size. In cases where the ligand was electron poor and did not promote retrocyclization, the kinetic products adhering to the Stork−Eschenmoser postulate were observed (E-alkenes give trans-ring junctions). When retrocyclization was rapid, alternative thermodynamic products resulting from multistep rearrangements were observed (cis-[6,5]-bicycles). Under both kinetic and thermodynamic conditions, remote methyl substituents led to highly diastereoselective reactions. In the case of trienol substrates, long-range asymmetric induction from a C-ring substituent was considerably attenuated ...
Eimeria tenella: Anticoccidial action of drugs in birds with surgically closed ceca

Surgical ligation of chick ceca was used to study the role of absorption and extraintestinal transport in the action of anticoccidial drugs. The administration of drugs in the feed was started after ligation of one of the paired ceca. Birds were inoculated orally with oocysts ofEimeria tenella before cecal ligation or were given bilateral cecal injections of sporozoites after ligation. Cecal lesions caused by the coccidia were evaluated and compared on day 6 postinoculation. Lesions in ligated and unligated ceca were reduced by feeding robenidine (33 ppm), arprinocid (70 ppm), zoalene (125 ppm), aklomide (250 ppm), clopidol (125 ppm), nicarbazin (125 ppm), monensin (120 ppm), salinomycin (60 ppm), and lasalocid (75 ppm). The lesions were more severe in the ligated cecum than in the intact cecum, whether in nonmedicated or medicated birds, but the differences were statistically significant only upon treatment with amprolium, aklomide, robenidine, and clopidol. Generally, however, all drugs except amprolium, significantly reduced the lesions in the ligated cecum in comparison with the control, nonmedicated ligated cecum. Therefore, we concluded that the systemic absorption of most anticoccidial drugs contributes significantly to their efficacy against coccidia in the intestinal mucosa.
A study of several CAD methods for classification of clustered microcalcifications

In this paper we investigate several state-of-the-art machine-learning methods for automated classification of clustered microcalcifications (MCs), aimed to assisting radiologists for more accurate diagnosis of breast cancer in a computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) scheme. The methods we consider include: support vector machine (SVM), kernel Fisher discriminant (KFD), and committee machines (ensemble averaging and AdaBoost), most of which have been developed recently in statistical learning theory. We formulate differentiation of malignant from benign MCs as a supervised learning problem, and apply these learning methods to develop the classification algorithms. As input, these methods use image features automatically extracted from clustered MCs. We test these methods using a database of 697 clinical mammograms from 386 cases, which include a wide spectrum of difficult-to-classify cases. We use receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to evaluate and compare the classification performance by the different methods. In addition, we also investigate how to combine information from multiple-view mammograms of the same case so that the best decision can be made by a classifier. In our experiments, the kernel-based methods (i.e., SVM, KFD) yield the best performance, significantly outperforming a well-established CADx approach based on neural network learning.
High performance nano-titania photocatalytic paper composite. Part II: Preparation and characterization of natural zeolite-based nano-titania composite sheets and study of their photocatalytic activity

Abstract A novel paper composite with high photocatalytic performance was fabricated using natural zeolite (clinoptilolite)-based nanosized TiO 2 . Photocatalytic materials, from sol–gel derived TiO 2 colloids to its coupling with zeolite, have been designed, prepared and characterized. As-prepared anatase TiO 2 on zeolite particles were readily used in photocatalytic paper, which revealed zeolite-TiO 2 particles dispersed on a dense network of fibers with microvoids. Natural zeolite-based TiO 2 composite sheets described here decomposed gaseous toluene very effectively after UV irradiation and its removal efficiency was higher than that accomplished by photocatalytic paper made with Degussa P25 TiO 2 or Ahlstrom commercial photocatalytic non-woven paper.
Phase transitions and dynamics of the Universe

The restoration of symmetry at grand unification in a closed contracting Robertson-Walker universe could slow down and halt the contraction, causing the universe to bounce and avoid the singular state or the big crunch. During subsequent expansion the symmetry is broken and the universe reverts back to its present state. A scenario is presented whereby the present entropy of the substance is created through a series of such bounces along with three possible initial states. The monopole, horizon, and flatness difficulties faced in ordinary Big Bang models are also solved by the model presented.
Smaller fragment size facilitates energy-efficient bone grease production

Abstract Conventional zooarchaeological wisdom holds that reduction of bone into small fragments, modally 2–5 cm in maximum dimension, facilitates the extraction of bone grease. However, experiments by Church and Lyman showed no statistically significant differences in amounts of grease extracted from 1 cm, 2 cm, and 4 cm bone fragments. Our research assessed whether other factors, including water and fuel inputs, could influence the degree of bone comminution for grease extraction. Experimental grease extraction from 15 cattle (Bos taurus) femora, reduced to similar maximum dimensions as in the Church and Lyman study, supports their finding that grease yield does not significantly increase in fragments
A statistical model for the duration of wars and strikes

This paper proposes an explanation for the observed regularity in the percentage of conflicts settled as a function of time. Each individual conflict is regarded as a probabilistic process in which the impediments to resolution fluctuate continually. Presumably the conflict ends when the barrier to settlement reaches its lowest value. In a sample of similar conflicts, the percentage ending by any particular time should therefore be represented by a distribution of lowest values. The theory of extremes as developed by Frechet, Fisher, Tippett, Gumbel, von Mises, and others is therefore applicable to this situation. This theory indicates that for large sample size, the distribution function will have one of three asymptotic forms depending on the nature of the underlying fluctuations. The particular form found to fit the conflict data analyzed here has been widely used in fatigue and failure studies in engineering, where it is called the Weibull distribution. Because of the generality of the explanation, it is suggested that this sort of model can be applied to other social and psychological processes where the statistics of large populations are involved.
The effect of the number of electrocardiograms analyzed on cardiovascular disease surveillance: The Minnesota heart survey (MHS)

One method used to control costs in community cardiovascular disease surveillance is to limit the number of electrocardiograms (ECGs) used to validate acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The Minnesota Heart Survey investigated the impact of decreasing the maximum number of ECGs analyzed on classification of ECG pattern and final AMI diagnosis (definite, probable, none). A 50% sample of all 1980 acute CHD hospital discharge records (ICD-9 code 410 or 411) from 30 of 31 Twin Cities hospitals were abstracted. Comparing results using all available ECGs in the record (maximum of 12) with those obtained using up to 4 ECGs showed little differences in the ECG classification or final AMI diagnosis.
Fracture-Associated Nerve Dysfunction

juries (3%), with 95% of patients having associated fractures. Most patients were young (average of 35 years of age), male (83%), and injured in a motor vehicle accident (51%). The upper extremity was involved 61% of the time, with the radial nerve the most frequently injured (29%). Specifically, in humerus fractures, the incidence of radial, ulnar, and median nerve injuries were 9.5%, 3.8%, and 1.4%, respectively. For radius/ulnar fractures, the incidence of nerve injury was 2.6%, 2.4% and 1.3%, respectively. The grade (using the Sunderland classification) was ascertained in 196 of the 200 nerve injuries, and the functional outcome was measured in 125 patients, with an average of 300 days follow-up. Of 196 patients, 44 (22%) had grade 1 injuries, with 97% of patients having full recovery and 3% having good recovery. A total of 66 (34%) had grade 2 injuries and had mostly good to normal outcome. Thirty-eight patients (19%) had grade 3 and grade 4 injuries with variable results and 48 patients (24%) had grade 5 injuries with poor functional outcome. These injuries include both open and closed fractures and were generally high-energy injuries. 1 Commonnerveinjury‐fractureassociations Shoulderdislocations/fracturesandaxillarynerveinjury: Theonly prospective study, to our knowledge, evaluating fracture-associated nerve injuries evaluated neuropathies after primary shoulder dislocations and proximal humerus fractures. In that study, de Laat et al. found that 45% of 101 patients had evidence of nerve injury by clinical and electrophysiologic testing. 2 The axillary nerve (37%) was the most commonly injured, followed by the suprascapular (29%), radial (22%), musculocutaneous (19%), and ulnar (9%) nerves, respectively. Of those patients, 36 (80%) were older than 65 years of age. Four months after injury, only 8 patients had persistent motor dysfunction. Among those 8 patients, at 8
Passively Transferred African Swine Fever Virus Antibodies Protect Swine against Lethal Infection

The role of anti-viral antibodies in homologous protective immunity to a virulent African swine fever virus (ASFV) strain E75 was examined by passive transfer experiments in swine. Eighty-five percent of animals (n = 14) that received anti-ASFV immunoglobulin (Ig) survived challenge infection, while 100% mortality was observed in control group animals (n = 28) that received anti-pseudorabies virus Ig, normal swine Ig, or phosphate-buffered saline. With the exception of a significantly delayed and transient fever response, anti-ASFV Ig group animals remained clinically normal following challenge, whereas control group animals presented with clinical ASF on Day 4 postchallenge. Additionally a significant 3 day delay in onset of viremia and a 10,000-fold reduction in both mean and maximum virus titers were observed for animals given anti-ASFV Ig. These results indicate that anti-ASFV Ig alone will protect swine from lethal infection with virulent ASFV. Further, they support the view that the antibody-mediated protective effect is an early event that effectively delays disease onset.
Oxidation functional groups on graphene: Structural and electronic properties

We presented a detailed study of the oxidation functional groups (epoxide and hydroxyl) on graphene based on density-functional calculations. Effects of single functional groups and their various combinations on the electronic and structural properties are investigated. It is found that single functional groups can induce interesting electronic bound states in graphene. Detailed energetics analysis shows that epoxy and hydroxyl groups tend to aggregate on the graphene plane. Investigations of possible ordered structures with different compositions of epoxy and hydroxyl groups show that the hydroxyl groups could form chainlike structures stabilized by the hydrogen bonding between these groups, in close proximity of the epoxy groups. Our calculations indicate that the energy gap of graphene oxide can be tuned in a large range of 0--4.0 eV, suggesting that functionalization of graphene by oxidation will significantly alter the electronic properties of graphene.
Medical entomology – Back to the future?

Some of problems and challenges facing Medical/Veterinary Entomology are presented from my perspective, focusing on the current millennium. Topics include anthropogenic environmental changes created by population growth, administrative problems hindering science’s response to these changes, and some of the scientific discoveries potentially providing solutions. As the title implies, many recent research discoveries have yet to be translated into major changes in control approaches for the major vectorborne public health problems, thereby providing an interesting mix of modern surveillance technology used to track problems and direct historical intervention solutions.
Image reconstruction from partial Fresnel zone information.

An iterative algorithm for reconstructing an image from partial Fresnel zone information is described. With the standard 4-F canonical optical processor, processing is done midway between the two lenses in the Fourier transform plane. While others have studied iterative methods of reconstruction from partial Fourier plane information, we have investigated methods of reconstructing an object from partial information in the Fresnel region of an optical processor. Iterative algorithms for reconstructing an object from either the phase or magnitude of the Fresnel zone transform are described. In the case of reconstructing an image from Fresnel zone magnitude, we obtain good images in fewer iterations at locations which are further from the Fourier plane. Reconstructing an image from the Fresnel zone phase is fairly insensitive to this shift out of the Fourier plane.
A biopsychosocial approach to liver transplant evaluation in two patients with Wilson's disease

Wilson's disease (WD) is characterized by hepatic, neurological, and/or psychiatric disturbances. In some cases, liver transplantation is indicated. Because psychologists and other health care workers play an increasing role in the evaluation of individuals presenting for transplant, an understanding of the heterogeneous phenotype of WD is important for mental health professionals working in medical settings. This article reviews two cases of patients with WD (one probable, one confirmed) presenting for liver transplantation and a biopsychosocial assessment approach is demonstrated. Patients are presented in terms of medical, psychiatric, and psychosocial history, neuropsychological examination results, and the subsequent indications for liver transplantation. Both patients exhibited neurocognitive and psychiatric symptoms. One patient was determined to be a marginally suitable candidate for transplantation, whereas the other was considered at high risk for negative outcome post-transplant. This article demonstrates the importance of considering phenotypic presentation, neurocognitive function, psychiatric status, and psychosocial circumstances in assessing transplant readiness in patients with WD. A comprehensive and integrative biopsychosocial assessment approach is appropriate for evaluating patients with WD presenting for liver transplantation.
The electric utility sulfuric acid plant

San Juan Generating Station is a coal-fired power plant utilizing the Wellman-Lord SO2 recovery process for meeting SO2 compliance regulations. A sulfuric acid plant was designed and built for reliably producing a saleable product from the recovered SO2. Criteria are presented to describe some of the features incorporated into the plant design to meet this unique application.
Comparison of the efficacy of upper arm transposed arteriovenous fistulae and upper arm prosthetic grafts.

Purpose Direct comparison of transposed arteriovenous fistulas (tAVF) and arteriovenous grafts (AVG) has been hampered by inherent differences in patient characteristics between tAVF and AVG groups. In this study, using matching to control patient variables, we evaluated our outcomes with upper arm tAVF and upper arm prosthetic AVG. Methods A retrospective review of all newly created upper arm tAVF and AVG was performed. One hundred ninety upper arm tAVF were group matched for age, gender, race, diabetes, and history of previous failed access with 168 AVG chosen from a pool of 476 concurrently performed AVG procedures. Complication, patency, and intervention rates were compared using multivariate analysis. Results Mean follow up for our cohort was 29.1 months. Transposed fistulae consisted of 119 basilic vein and 71 cephalic vein transpositions, which were found to have similar demographic parameters, complication rates, and patency rates. There were no differences in 30 day mortality, 24 hour thrombosis, bleeding requiring exploration, or ischemic steal requiring intervention between the tAVF and AVG groups. More AVG developed infection requiring operative exploration than tAVF (7.9% vs 1.6%, respectively. P = .004). Primary patency for tAVF was higher than for AVG: 48% vs 14% at five years (P Conclusions Transposed arteriovenous fistulas have significantly higher primary and secondary patency rates, require fewer revisions, and are less likely to develop a significant infection than AVG. This study supports the contention that as long as a patient is a candidate for a tAVF based on anatomic criteria, a tAVF should be considered before an AVG.
Implementing Context Aware Services in a Telecom SOA Infrastructure

As telecom carriers migrate their networks to a common IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) based infrastructure, they face a challenge of providing services to their customers based on the current need or situation of the customer. We have seen how Web 2.0 allows a user to build situational applications or mashups. We have used the concept of Context to provide a framework to service providers for providing such services. Context can be defined with attributes such as presence and location. A SOA based services infrastructure would help Telecom service providers to use context in providing composite services to their customers. This paper focuses on how to use context in defining call flows within a Telecom services infrastructure. We assume a Next Generation Network (NGN) infrastructure for the Telecom Services Provider, which would ensure a common IP backbone for all services. Based on our industry implementations, we will describe a generic call flow for one of the context attributes.
Learner and Teacher Autonomy: Concepts, Realities, and Responses edited by LAMB, TERRY, & HAYO REINDERS

The article reviews the book "Learner and Teacher Autonomy: Concepts, Realities and Responses" edited by Terry Lamb and Hayo Reinders.
Algebraic approach to two-dimensional recursive digital filter synthesis

An effective algorithm is developed for synthesizing two-dimensional recursive digital filters which approximate prescribed ideal frequency response specifications. The algorithm is based on an algebraic approach that uses the eigenvalue-eigenvector decomposition of the ideal filter's excitation-response matrix in conjunction with a recently developed signal-enhancement method. This results in a recursive filter which has a unit impulse that closely approximates the ideal filter's unit-impulse response. Illustrative examples and comparisons to an existing technique are included. >
“A Blessing on Our People”: Bibi Pak Daman, Sacred Geography, and the Construction of the Nationalized Sacred

This article focuses on the hagiographies and debates related to Bibi Pak Daman, a small shrine in Lahore's Old City. Said to house the graves of six women from the Prophet Muhammad's household and subject to a range of theories regarding its origins, Bibi Pak Daman is critical space in validating Pakistan's religious character and centrality in broader map of Islam. The most widely disseminated claim maintains that the main mausoleum in Bibi Pak Daman is that of Bibi Ruqayyah bint Ali, daughter of ῾Ali ibn Abu Talib, the fourth of the “Rightly Guided” Caliphs and the first Shiite Imam. The implications of this presence allow devotees to link Bibi Pak Daman to seminal events in the formation of Islamic and Shiite history in particular, affirming that the lands that would become Pakistan were vital at Islam's inception, rather than a much later, peripheral recipient of Muhammad's message. Yet like no other site in Pakistan, Bibi Pak Daman exemplifies the tensions that exist between state sanctioned religious rhetoric and local and folk traditions, with the unease with the government's role as religious arbitrator, between nationalism and communal rivalry, and within a minority Shiite community often struggling to legitimate its beliefs in a nation with a rapidly-narrowing space for public religious plurality.
Targeting ligand-gated ion channels in neurology and psychiatry: is pharmacological promiscuity an obstacle or an opportunity?

The traditional emphasis on developing high specificity pharmaceuticals ("magic bullets") for the treatment of Neurological and Psychiatric disorders is being challenged by emerging pathophysiology concepts that view disease states as abnormal interactions within complex networks of molecular and cellular components. So-called network pharmacology focuses on modifying the behavior of entire systems rather than individual components, a therapeutic strategy that would ideally employ single pharmacological agents capable of interacting with multiple targets ("magic shotguns"). For this approach to be successful, however, a framework for understanding pharmacological "promiscuity" - the ability of individual agents to modulate multiple molecular targets - is needed. Pharmacological promiscuity is more often the rule than the exception for drugs that target the central nervous system (CNS). We hypothesize that promiscuity is an important contributor to clinical efficacy. Modulation patterns of existing therapeutic agents may provide critical templates for future drug discovery in Neurology and Psychiatry. To demonstrate the extent of pharmacological promiscuity and develop a framework for guiding drug screening, we reviewed the ability of 170 therapeutic agents and endogenous molecules to directly modulate neurotransmitter receptors, a class of historically attractive therapeutic targets in Neurology and Psychiatry. The results are summarized in the form of 1) receptor-centric maps that illustrate the degree of promiscuity for GABA-, glycine-, serotonin-, and acetylcholine-gated ion channels, and 2) drug-centric maps that illustrated how characterization of promiscuity can guide drug development. Developing promiscuity maps of approved neuro-pharmaceuticals will provide therapeutic class-based templates against which candidate compounds can be screened. Importantly, compounds previously rejected in traditional screens due to poor specificity could be reconsidered in this framework. Further testing will require high throughput assays to systematically characterize interactions between available CNS-active drugs and surface receptors, both ionotropic and metabotropic.
Clostridium difficile Among Hospitalized Patients Receiving Antibiotics A Case-Control Study

OBJECTIVES: Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of infectious nosocomial diarrhea and can be found in up to 30% of asymptomatic hospitalized patients. Our primar y aim was to compare the clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients who received antibiotics and developed C. difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD) with those of hospitalized patients who received antibiotics and did not develop the disease. DESIGN: Case–control study comprising inpatients at a single institution. PATIENTS: Case-patients were defined as patients who had diarrhea and tested positive for C. difficile. Control-patients (matched 4:1 to case-patients) were defined as patients who received antibiotics for at least 5 days and did not develop CDAD. RESULTS: On univariate analysis, nine variables were associated with CDAD. Only three of the variables, need for intensive care, length of stay, and macrolide antibiotic use, were found to be significant (P < .05) on logistic regression analysis. The odds ratios for status as a CDAD case were 3.68 (CI 95 , 1.44 to 9.40) for stay in the intensive care unit and 1.03 (CI 95 , 1.02 to 1.05) for each day of hospital stay. Receipt of macrolide antibiotics reduced risk significantly; the odds ratio was 0.23 (CI 95 , 0.19 to 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: We identified need for intensive care and length of stay as important risk factors for the development of CDAD. We also identified macrolide antibiotic use as protective against its development. Patients receiving intensive care may represent a population to study for targeted prophylaxis (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2005;26:685-690).