cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interleaved Buck-Boost Integrated DC Fast Charger with Bidirectional Fault Blocking Capability

Environmental considerations have recently driven interest in Electric Vehicles (EVs). Despite battery and charging system improvements, range anxiety and high cost associated with charging infrastructure still pose significant barriers to EV adoption. Integrated dc fast charging presents a promising alternative to mitigate these challenges. This paper proposes a fully integrated onboard dc fast charger, which is compatible with permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs), dc-excited synchronous machines, and induction motors as well as single or dual inverter drive systems. The proposed charger has bidirectional power transfer capability suitable for G2V, V2G, and V2V applications. Additionally, the system is compatible with input voltages either lower or higher than the battery voltage, while providing bidirectional fault blocking capability. The presented topology provides a safe, flexible, and cost-efficient solution for elerctromobility charging.
Development of a Subcutaneous Abscess Simulator for Incision and Drainage

Abstract Background Proper incision and drainage of a subcutaneous abscess is a vital skill to develop during physician assistant and nurse practitioner training. Skin and soft-tissue infections, including subcutaneous abscesses, are among the most common complaints seen in primary care. Improper technique may result in bacteremia, septicemia, osteomyelitis, and/or tissue necrosis. Although abscess incision and drainage is taught to a multitude of providers during procedural training courses, finding a safe, inexpensive abscess simulator has been challenging. Method A simple, cost-effective subcutaneous abscess simulator was developed using synthetic, skin-like rubber sheets and other common materials. The assembly of this simulator and recruitment for peer evaluation is described. Results The simulators were successfully implemented among 17 medical providers with the cost per simulator being less than two dollars each. Simulator assessment by 10 physician assistants and seven physicians found this task simulator to realistically represent the procedure of subcutaneous abscess incision and drainage. Conclusion Cost-effective, creative, and innovative use of educator-developed simulators need to be considered for providing realism in clinical skill practice and assessment.
Long-acting maintenance pharmacotherapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract Exacerbations, which often lead to emergency department visits and hospitalizations, are the main drivers of morbidity and utilization of health care resources among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Appropriate choice of an effective, long-term pharmacotherapy for reducing exacerbations is key to COPD management. In this review, we summarize the available long-acting, maintenance pharmacotherapeutic options for patients with moderate or severe COPD and discuss practical considerations in the management of these patients. Bronchodilators are the cornerstone of pharmacological treatment for COPD, and long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) are recommended as initial treatment for most patients with COPD. Dual bronchodilation with a LAMA and long-acting β2-agonist (LABA), with their synergistic bronchodilatory actions, is the mainstay of long-term COPD maintenance pharmacotherapy for patients with high symptom burden, persistent symptoms, or exacerbations. Evidence hints that the effects of different LAMA + LABA combinations may not always be similar, suggesting the presence of an efficacy gradient. However, large-scale clinical trials directly comparing different LAMA + LABA combinations are needed to support or refute this observation. Use of an inhaled corticosteroid in addition to LABA or LAMA + LABA as the initial or follow-up pharmacological treatment is now guided by eosinophil count thresholds. In addition to various medication options, different inhalation devices are available to deliver the medications. When making treatment decisions, medication class, inhalation device, patient and disease characteristics, and patient goals and preferences should be considered.
Tricase Submarine Canyon: cold-water coral habitats in the southwesternmost Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract The Tricase Canyon is a 20-km-long submarine canyon, incising the southernmost Apulian margin at the boundary between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, in the Mediterranean basin. The canyon indents the continental margin at depth of –120 m and reaches a maximum depth of approximately –900 m. The Tricase Canyon is disconnected from direct fluvial system and has no other tributaries. The shallower area of the canyon is generally characterized by a sparse cnidarian occurrence which includes Protoptilum carpenteri, representing the easternmost occurrence of this species known in the Mediterranean basin. The cold-water corals Madrepora oculata, Desmophyllum pertusum, and Desmophyllum dianthus colonize deeper areas (approximately –800 m), settling preferentially on blocks interpreted as mass waste deposits.
Connecting to the World: Christopher Alexander’s Tool for Human-Centered Design

Abstract Beauty connects us viscerally to the material universe. Life forms evolved to experience biological connectedness as an absolute necessity for survival. Starting one century ago, however, dominant culture deliberately reversed the mechanism responsible for visceral connection. The resulting disconnection from the material world will continue to have long-lasting negative consequences for human well-being. Christopher Alexander describes how to revive the visceral connecting process, creating conditions for human-centered design in our times. Biological connectedness arises from an organic projection of the designer’s “self” onto the material reality of the object being designed, and to its physical context. Exploring multiple scenarios using informational feedback avoids letting the designer’s ego or imposed images exert a controlling influence. Implementing Alexander’s connecting method could revolutionize design, with the potential to produce a new, nourishing art and architecture. Recent developments in biophilia and neuro-design help to better understand Alexander’s ideas, using results not available at the time he was developing his theory.
Methods of ecological and economic optimization of land resource use in regional agri-food systems

Recent research on the assessment of agricultural policy results clearly shows that minimizing costs and maximizing profits, which have become the main criteria for agricultural producers in market conditions, do not lead to the sustainable functioning of regional agri–food systems (hereinafter referred to as AFS). The regime of sustainable production intensification is achieved through the synergy of three aspects of sustainability: environmental, economic and social. The purpose of this article is to present a new tool for optimizing and planning land use for the sustainable development of regional AFS. The application of these tools in practice is closely linked to the development of digitalization as a technological paradigm, within which appropriate information platforms should be created, as well as a regulatory framework that allows management bodies to promote environmentally and economically effective modes of territorial AFS operation.
Evaluating the Utility of the Pixel Value Ratio in the Determination of Time to Full Weight-bearing in Patients Undergoing Intramedullary Limb Lengthening.

Abstract Introduction Limb lengthening using intramedullary nails is an increasingly popular method of achieving limb length equalisation. Currently, the decision regarding when to commence full weight-bearing (FWB) remains largely subjective. Objective criteria for determining the proper timing of FWB would be helpful to limb lengthening surgeons. This study examines using the pixel value ratio (PVR) as an objective method to determine the time to FWB for patients being lengthened with an intramedullary nail. Materials and methods A retrospective chart review of 42 patients who underwent unilateral lengthening of the femur was undertaken. The PVR of all four cortices of the regenerate bone was monitored throughout the distraction and consolidation stages to determine the ratio at the time of FWB. Results Clinically and radiologically determined FWB was achieved at a mean time of 125.7 ± 30.1 days from surgery. The mean PVR at the time of FWB was 0.94. The medial cortex healed fastest with a mean PVR of 0.96, while the posterior cortex healed slowest with a mean PVR of 0.92. Conclusion The PVR is a quick and reliable method to objectively assess the state of healing of the regenerate bone during distraction osteogenesis. We observed that there were no adverse effects when subjects commenced FWB when three out of the four cortices had a PVR of at least 0.93. How to cite this article Bafor A, Duncan ME, Iobst CA. Evaluating the Utility of the Pixel Value Ratio in the Determination of Time to Full Weight-bearing in Patients Undergoing Intramedullary Limb Lengthening. Strategies Trauma Limb Reconstr 2020;15(2):74–78.
Festschrift Response: 'With a Grateful Heart'

The festschrift caused me to reflect on the various people who influenced my life as a teacher and a scholar. I will take this occasion to thank many of them. They illustrate the impact a teacher, parent, author, or friend can have on the life of another person.
The evolution and shift of research topics and methods in library and information science

Abstract Employing approaches adopted from studies of library and information science (LIS) research trends performed by Jarvelin et al., this content analysis systematically examines the evolution...
Partisan Predictors for Collective Bargaining Agreement Items

The United States is rare among nations in its highly decentralized process for negotiating collective bargaining agreements with local teachers’ unions. To determine whether partisanship can predi...
Telegraph Technology and Administrative Internationalism in the Nineteenth Century

This essay examines telegraph technology in the context of the establishment of the International Telegraph Union (ITU), and Japan’s membership in that union as an aspect of Japan’s introduction to international society. The ITU represented a novel internationalism in the nineteenth century—an “administrative internationalism” open to states, semi-sovereigns, and colonies. To a state such as Japan, membership in the ITU offered linkages to the global network of telegraph cables and represented a version of international society in which Japan might be the equal of the treaty powers that had forced Japan in the 1850s into the European order of great powers and their domination.
A modular, prospective, semi-automated drug safety monitoring system for use in a distributed data environment.

Purpose The aim of this study was to develop and test a semi-automated process for conducting routine active safety monitoring for new drugs in a network of electronic healthcare databases. Methods We built a modular program that semi-automatically performs cohort identification, confounding adjustment, diagnostic checks, aggregation and effect estimation across multiple databases, and application of a sequential alerting algorithm. During beta-testing, we applied the system to five databases to evaluate nine examples emulating prospective monitoring with retrospective data (five pairs for which we expected signals, two negative controls, and two examples for which it was uncertain whether a signal would be expected): cerivastatin versus atorvastatin and rhabdomyolysis; paroxetine versus tricyclic antidepressants and gastrointestinal bleed; lisinopril versus angiotensin receptor blockers and angioedema; ciprofloxacin versus macrolide antibiotics and Achilles tendon rupture; rofecoxib versus non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ns-NSAIDs) and myocardial infarction; telithromycin versus azithromycin and hepatotoxicity; rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin and diabetes and rhabdomyolysis; and celecoxib versus ns-NSAIDs and myocardial infarction. Results We describe the program, the necessary inputs, and the assumed data environment. In beta-testing, the system generated four alerts, all among positive control examples (i.e., lisinopril and angioedema; rofecoxib and myocardial infarction; ciprofloxacin and tendon rupture; and cerivastatin and rhabdomyolysis). Sequential effect estimates for each example were consistent in direction and magnitude with existing literature. Conclusions Beta-testing across nine drug-outcome examples demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed semi-automated prospective monitoring approach. In retrospective assessments, the system identified an increased risk of myocardial infarction with rofecoxib and an increased risk of rhabdomyolysis with cerivastatin years before these drugs were withdrawn from the market. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. key words—prospective; active; surveillance; monitoring; distributed database; pharmacoepidemiology
Medical Errors In U.S. Healthcare Organizations: Have We Made Any Progress?

Since the Institute of Medicine’s landmark 1999 report on medical errors, mandates, legislation, and recommendations have been forced on the U.S. healthcare industry. However, only limited progress has been made. Part of the difficulty is identifying the scope of the problem, which has been far larger than thought since the advent of new reporting tools. The major causes of medical errors lie in the lack of a (a) pervasive safety culture, (b) commitment by top healthcare organization management to reduce medical errors, and (c) integrated IT systems, including electronic health records. Compared to other “high reliability” organizations that have achieved excellent results in regard to safety, healthcare is perceived as lagging far behind. Healthcare is not the sole industry needing a safety culture. However, many healthcare leaders perceive existing industry tools that high reliability organizations routinely use as irrelevant. Positive change will come when attitudes change and healthcare organizations embrace the solutions that other industrial organizations have utilized to produce satisfactory safety outcomes.
Developmental Science, Developmental Systems, and Contemporary Theories of Human Development†

This chapter discusses the emphasis in contemporary scholarship about human development on developmental systems theories, models of development that emphasize relational approaches to the multiple levels of organization involved in development across the life span. Philosophical and scientific interest in developmental systems theory has influenced the study of human development to change from an emphasis on psychological science to an interest in integrating ideas and methods from multiple scientific fields in the service of describing, explaining, and optimizing the course of human life. Within this relational approach, the study of diversity and the promotion positive development across the life span become major substantive foci of developmental science. Keywords: application; developmental science; diversity; plasticity; positive human development; relationism
Escherichia coli Mutants Permissive for T4 Bacteriophage with Deletion in e Gene (Phage Lysozyme)

Escherichia coli mutants have been isolated that are permissive for the infection by T4 phage with deletion in the cistron for the phage lysozyme, the e gene. Some, but not all, of these mutants are simultaneously permissive for the infection by T4 phage defective in the t gene, the product of which has also been implicated in the release of progeny phages. Most of these mutants shared the following properties: temperature sensitivity in growth and cell division, increased sensitivity towards a number of unrelated antibiotics and colicins, and increased sensitivity towards anionic detergents (sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium deoxycholate). The possible biochemical basis for these phenotypes is discussed.
Field infiltration measurements in grassed roadside drainage ditches: Spatial and temporal variability

Summary Roadside drainage ditches (grassed swales) are an attractive stormwater control measure (SCM) since they can reduce runoff volume by infiltrating water into the soil, filter sediments and associated pollutants out of the water, and settle solids onto the soil surface. In this study a total of 722 infiltration measurements were collected in five swales located in Twin-Cities, MN and one swale located in Madison, WI to characterize the field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) derived from the infiltration measurements of these swales. Measurements were taken with a falling head device, the Modified Philip Dunne (MPD) infiltrometer, which allows the collection of simultaneous infiltration measurements at multiple locations with several infiltrometers. Field-saturated hydraulic conductivity was higher than expected for different soil texture classes. We hypothesize that this is due to plant roots creating macropores that break up the soil for infiltration. Statistical analysis was performed on the Kfs values to analyze the effect of initial soil moisture content, season, soil texture class and distance in downstream direction on the geometric mean Kfs value of a swale. Because of the high spatial variation of Kfs in the same swale no effect of initial soil moisture content, season and soil texture class was observed on the geometric mean Kfs value. But the distance in downstream direction may have positive or negative effect on the Kfs value. An uncertainty analysis on the Kfs value indicated that approximately twenty infiltration measurements is the minimum number to obtain a representative geometric mean Kfs value of a swale that is less than 350 m long within an acceptable level of uncertainty.
Atrial SERCA2a Overexpression Has No Affect on Cardiac Alternans but Promotes Arrhythmogenic SR Ca2+ Triggers.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in humans, yet; treatment has remained sub-optimal due to poor understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Cardiac alternans precede AF episodes, suggesting an important arrhythmia substrate. Recently, we demonstrated ventricular SERCA2a overexpression suppresses cardiac alternans and arrhythmias. Therefore, we hypothesized that atrial SERCA2a overexpression will decrease cardiac alternans and arrhythmias. Methods Adult rat isolated atrial myocytes where divided into three treatment groups 1) Control, 2) SERCA2a overexpression (Ad.SERCA2a) and 3) SERCA2a inhibition (Thapsigargin, 1μm). Intracellular Ca2+ was measured using Indo-1AM and Ca2+ alternans (Ca-ALT) was induced with a standard ramp pacing protocol. Results As predicted, SR Ca2+ reuptake was enhanced with SERCA2a overexpression (p< 0.05) and reduced with SERCA2a inhibition (p<0.05). Surprisingly, there was no difference in susceptibility to Ca-ALT with either SERCA2a overexpression or inhibition when compared to controls (p = 0.73). In contrast, SERCA2a overexpression resulted in increased premature SR Ca2+ (SCR) release compared to control myocytes (28% and 0%, p < 0.05) and concomitant increase in SR Ca2+ load (p<0.05). Based on these observations we tested in-vivo atrial arrhythmia inducibility in control and Ad.SERCA2a animals using an esophageal atrial burst pacing protocol. There were no inducible atrial arrhythmias in Ad.GFP (n = 4) animals though 20% of Ad.SERCA2a (n = 5) animals had inducible atrial arrhythmias (p = 0.20). Conclusions Our findings suggest that unlike the ventricle, SERCA2a is not a key regulator of cardiac alternans in the atrium. Importantly, SERCA2a overexpression in atrial myocytes can increase SCR, which may be arrhythmogenic.
Identifying Risks and Mitigating Disruptions in the Automotive Supply Chain

Firms are exposed to a variety of low-probability, high-impact risks that can disrupt their operations and supply chains. These risks are difficult to predict and quantify; therefore, they are difficult to manage. As a result, managers may suboptimally deploy countermeasures, leaving their firms exposed to some risks, while wasting resources to mitigate other risks that would not cause significant damage. In a three-year research engagement with Ford Motor Company, we addressed this practical need by developing a novel risk-exposure model that assesses the impact of a disruption originating anywhere in a firm's supply chain. Our approach defers the need for a company to estimate the probability associated with any specific disruption risk until after it has learned the effect such a disruption will have on its operations. As a result, the company can make more informed decisions about where to focus its limited risk-management resources. We demonstrate how Ford applied this model to identify previously unrecognized risk exposures, evaluate predisruption risk-mitigation actions, and develop optimal postdisruption contingency plans, including circumstances in which the duration of the disruption is unknown.
Energy method solution for the postbuckling response of an axially loaded bilaterally constrained beam

Abstract Bistable and multistable structures have shown great usefulness in many applications such as MEMS actuation and energy harvesting. Bistability of structures can be achieved through buckling. Confining a buckled beam between two lateral constraints allows it to buckle into higher modes as the axial load increases. This paper presents a theoretical study of the postbuckling response of a bilaterally constrained elastica subjected to gradually increased axial load. Equilibrium states are determined using an energy method. Under small deformation assumptions, the total potential energy is minimized under the defined constraints. The presented model allows for an accurate representation of the flatting behavior and the increase in the length of contact areas with the lateral constraints before the sudden snapping between equilibrium states. Mode transitions are manifested by jumps in the response curves. Previously developed models based on geometry and symmetries overestimate the required forces for higher equilibrium modes and do not match experimental observations. Results are validated with experimental force–displacement measurements under both force- and displacement-control. The kinetic energy released during buckling mode transitions is determined by a dynamic analysis.
Sex and race/ethnic disparities in the cross-sectional association between depressive symptoms and muscle mass: the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

The cross-sectional area of total muscle mass has been reported to decrease by about 40% for those 20–60 years of age. Depressive symptoms may discourage motivation to engage in physical activity such as strength training shown to negate muscle loss. Inflammation related to depressive symptoms may also contribute to muscle atrophy. Physiological differences by sex and race/ethnicity may also modify the association between depression and muscle mass. Evidence on the relationship between depression (or depressive symptoms) and adiposity has been mounting; however, little is known about the depressive symptoms-muscle mass association. We sought to determine the association between elevated depressive symptoms (EDS) and lean muscle mass and whether this varies by sex and race/ethnicity. Evaluating 1605 adults (45–84 years of age) from the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Abdominal Body Composition, Inflammation and Cardiovascular Disease Study, we examined the cross-sectional association between EDS (Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Scale score ≥ 16 and/or antidepressant use) and computed tomography-measured abdominal lean muscle mass using linear regression. Muscles were evaluated as a whole and by functionality (locomotion vs. stabilization/posture). Covariates included height, body mass index, sociodemographics, comorbidities, inflammatory markers and health behaviors (pack-years of smoking, alcohol locomotion compared to men, total intentional exercise, daily caloric intake). Sex and race/ethnicity were assessed as potential modifiers. Statistical significance was at a p < 0.05 for main effects and < 0.20 for interaction. Men with elevated depressive symptoms had 5.9 cm2 lower lean muscle mass for locomotion compared to men without EDS, fully-adjusted (CI = −10.5, −1.4, p = 0.011). This was statistically significantly different from the null finding among women (interaction p = 0.05). Chinese participants with EDS had 10.2 cm2 lower abdominal lean muscle mass for locomotion compared to those without EDS (fully-adjusted, CI = −18.3, −2.1, p = 0.014), which was significantly different from the null relationship among White participants (interaction p = 0.04). No association was observed between elevated depressive symptoms and muscle for stabilization/posture evaluating the whole population or stratified by sex or race/ethnicity. In the presence of elevated depressive symptoms, men and Chinese participants may have lower muscle mass, particularly for locomotion.
The accuracy of vehicle location by trilateration in a dense urban environment

A set of linear formulas are derived for estimating the most probable location of a vehicle in a metropolitan area by trilateration techniques, given that multipath introduces errors in range measurements. These formulas are applied to a phase-ranging system (although they are also applicable to pulse-ranging systems), and the results obtained suggest that the probability of large location errors may be too high for many applications of interest.
Darwin, Wallace, and Huxley, and Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation

Publication of the Vestiges and the rather primitive theory of evolution it expounded thus played a significant role in the careers of Darwin and Wallace. In addition, in spite of his poor opinion of the Vestiges, it presented Huxley with a convenient topic for critical discussion and the opportunity to focus more attention on the subject of evolution. The dynamic interactions among these leading figures of nineteenth-century natural science helped spur the development of more sophisticated models of evolution.
A simple spectrophotometric technique for the determination of pentachlorophenol in water.

Pentacnlorophenol (PCP) and i t s sodium sa l t are the second most widely used biocides in the United States (CIRRELLI 1979) with the annual world production exceeding 20,000 tons (RAPPE & NILSSON 1972). The inevitable contamination of aquatic and marine environments resul t ing from agr icu l tura l and industr ia l usage of PCP has prompted a number of investigations concerning the fate and effects of th is chlorophenol in animals and the environment (RAO 1978).
Insight to the Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis in Tianjin, China during 2006-2011

Background The proportion of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) among all the reported tuberculosis (TB) cases has increased in different populations. Despite the large burden of TB in China, the epidemiology of EPTB in China remains largely understudied and the risk factors for having EPTB diagnosis in China have not been identified. Methods To gain insight to EPTB epidemiology in China, we analyzed TB surveillance data collected in Tianjin, China, during 2006 to 2011. The frequency of EPTB among all TB cases and within different socio-demographic groups of the study patients aged 15 years and older was determined for EPTB in general and by specific types. The distribution of socio-demographic characteristics was compared between pulmonary TB (PTB) group and EPTB group by chi-square test. Crude and multiple logistic regression-derived adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined to assess the associations between having EPTB diagnosis and each individual explanatory variable in question. Results About one-tenth (1,512/14,561) of the patients investigated in this study had EPTB. Of these 1,512 EPTB cases, about two thirds were pleural TB. Significant difference in age, occupation, and urbanity of residence were found between PTB and EPTB groups (p<0.05). Patients with EPTB diagnosis were more likely to be 65 years or older (aOR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.46), to be retired (aOR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.75), and to live in urban areas (aOR = 1 38, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.55). Conclusions The findings of this study extends the knowledgebase of EPTB epidemiology in developing countries and highlight the need for improved EPTB detection in China, especially in subpopulations with high risk for EPTB or having limited access to medical facilities with adequate capacity for EPTB diagnosis.
Selection for high and low percentages of chicken eggs with blood spots 1

Synopsis Eggs were examined for presence of blood spots in a base generation of White Leghorns part of which were fed on an adequate diet and part on a diet inadequate in vitamin A that increased blood spot incidence. From theory and data, the selection differential was larger for low incidence selection for pullets on the inadequate diet than pullets on the adequate diet. Statistical and genetical models were given for estimating variances of this all‐or‐none trait with h 2 = 0.16 and 0.60 for the lines on the adequate and inadequate diets respectively. Predicted selection gains for individual selection of females alone were: adequate diet, low ‐0.91%, high 2.36%; inadequate diet, low ‐10.71%, high 14.58%. After eight generations of selection for high and low incidence on each of the diets there was a difference of 23.5% between high and low lines selected on the adequate diet and 37.7% on the inadequate diet. Evidence was inconclusive that selection for low incidence on the inadequate diet produced bird...
Decolonizing African autobiography

Despite Western autobiographical theory's ongoing efforts to render it impossible, African autobiography—and autobiography in general— thrives. Examining the process of decolonization in African autobiography, this essay traces a discursive shift from tragedy to comedy in three African autobiographies by explaining how these texts negotiate the challenging terrains of history, language, genre, modernity, and colonialism. Camara Laye's haunting The Dark Child tragically narrates his discursive alienation from African society, while the other two—Dugmore Boetie's Familiarity Is the Kingdom of the Lost and Buchi Emecheta's Head above Water—comically challenge Western autobiographical discourse by denying the possibility of verifying autobiographical truth or by contesting the Western success narrative. Thus, in its analysis, this essay seeks to avoid a crippling essen- tialism by approaching Africans texts both as specific, localized narratives and as a part of an emerging global discourse of "noncoercive knowledge." If one looks at the history of post-Enlightenment theory, the major problem has been the problem of autobiography: how subjective structures can, in fact, give objective truth. During these same centuries, the Native Informant . . . was unquestioningly treated as the objective evidence for the founding of so-called sciences like ethnography, ethno-linguistics, comparative religion, and so on. So that, once again, the theoretical problems only relate to the person who knows. The person who knows has all of the problems of selfhood. The person who is known, somehow seems not to have a problematic self. . . . Only the dominant self can be problematic; the self of the Other is authentic without a problem, naturally available to all kinds of complications. (Spivak 66)
Estimating multistate transition rates from population distributions

The ability to estimate transition rates (or probabilities) from population distributions has many potential applications in demography. Iterative Proportional Fitting (IPF) has been used for such estimation, but lacks a meaningful behavioral, or demographic, foundation. Here a new approach, Relative State Attractiveness (RSA), is advanced. It assumes that states become more (or less) attractive, and that rates respond accordingly. The RSA estimation procedure is developed and applied to model and actual data where the underlying rates are known. Results show that RSA provides accurate estimates under a wide range of conditions, usually yielding values similar to those produced by IPF. Both methods are then applied to U.S. data to provide new estimates of interregional migration between the years 1980 and 1990.
The four-block Adamjan-Arov-Krein problem

Abstract This paper is concerned with the mixed sensitivity H ∞ design in the most general, i.e., the four-block, case. This problem involves in a crucial manner the so-called four-block operator Γ, the norm of which is the achievable feedback tolerance. Our objective in this paper is to provide an interpretation for all singular values of Γ. These singular values are given an Adamjan-Arov-Krein interpretation in terms of the L ∞ distance of an L ∞ function to H ∞ ( l ). Intuitively, the singular values of Γ are the various tolerance levels that can be achieved if we allow a various number of unstable poles in the closed loop. We finally provide an upper bound on the number of singular values.
The incidence of epilepsy after ventricular shunting procedures

One hundred eighty of 207 consecutive patients with ventricular shunts were studied to determine the incidence of post-shunt epilepsy. Of these 17 (9.4%) developed seizures. The incidence fell from 15.2% in children younger than 1 year to 6.9% in patients over 50 years of age, but age was not statistically significant. Of patients with a parietal ventricular catheterization site only 6.6% had convulsions, in contrast to 54.5% of those with a frontal locus. The incidence of seizures rose with multiple ventricular catheter revisions, but was unrelated to bilaterality of shunting. The risk of seizures fell from 5% in the 1st year after shunting to 1.1% after the 3rd year.
Group and menstrual phase effect in reported headaches among college students.

SYNOPSIS Headache is one of many symptoms associated with menstrual phase. Three groups of college students (25 naturally menstruating women, 26 women using oral contraceptives, and 27 men) kept a daily record of each occurrence of headache for eight weeks. The rating scale data was analyzed to test for effects of group and menstrual phase. Naturally menstruating women reported more headaches than women using oral contraceptives, and in addition, women in both groups experienced variability across menstrual phase in reported headaches. Headache pain was found to rise premenstrually reaching a peak during the menstrual phase.
Unclassified or undifferentiated connective tissue disease

This chapter deals primarily with the evidence available regarding the use of the term unclassified or undifferentiated connective tissue disorders (CTDs) to refer to patients with manifestations suggestive, but not diagnostic, of either defined CTDs, a well-defined overlap syndrome (manifestations and criteria for two or more CTDs), or mixed CTD (MCTD). Possible outcomes for these patients include remaining undifferentiated, differentiating into a defined CTD or going into remission. MCTD and atypical CTD (term used by the parties involved in the 'Silicone breast implant' controversy) are only briefly discussed.
Synthesis of methyl 4,6-O-methylene-D-glycopyranosides

Abstract Methyl 4,6- O -methylene- D -glycopyranosides having the α- D - altro , α- and β- D - gluco , α- D - manno , and α- D - galacto configurations were prepared in 3.4 to 27.4% yields by condensing formaldehyde from 1,3,5-trioxane with the methyl glucosides in anhydrous 1,4-dioxane at 95° with boron trifluoride as the catalyst. A crystalline methyl 2,3:4,6-di- O -methylene-α- D -mannopyranoside was also isolated. Crystalline methyl 4,6- O -methylene 2,3-di- O-p -tolylsulfonyl-α- D -galacto- and α- D -glucopyranosides were prepared in 78 and 54.4% yields. N.m.r. coupling constants of the 2,3-di- O -acetyl derivatives of the 4,6- O -methylene glycosides were used to establish the Cl ( D ) conformation for each derivative.
Detailed Non-LTE Model Atmospheres for Novae during Outburst. I. New Theoretical Results

We present new, detailed non-LTE (NLTE) calculations for model atmospheres of novae during outburst. This fully self-consistent NLTE treatment for a number of model atoms includes 3922 NLTE levels and 47,061 NLTE primary transitions. We discuss the implication of departures from LTE for the strengths of the lines in nova spectra. The new results show that our large set of NLTE lines constitutes the majority of the total line-blanketing opacity in nova atmospheres. Although we include LTE background lines, their effects are small on the model structures and on the synthetic spectra. We demonstrate that the assumption of LTE leads to incorrect synthetic spectra and that NLTE calculations are required for reliably modeling nova spectra. In addition, we show that detailed NLTE treatment for a number of ionization stages of iron changes the results of previous calculations and improves the fit to observed nova spectra.
Determination of impurities in 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene

Abstract A simple gas chromatographic method is described for the determination of dichloro-, trichloro-, and tetrachlorobenzene impurities in 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene samples. The sample is dissolved in carbon disulfide, and an aliquot is chromatographed on a 6-ft. long 10% Bentone 34 column. The peak heights and peak areas are measured and related to concentration by means of calibration curves. 1,3,5-Trichlorobenzene samples were found to contain small amounts of m-dichlorobenzene and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene. From these data and thin-layer chromatographic analyses of crude 1,3,5-trichloro-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene, an explanation is proposed for the origin of the 1,3-dinitro-2,4,5,6-tetrachlorobenzene impurity found in 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6- trinitrobenzene samples. It is concluded that 1,3-dinitro-2,4,5,6-tetrachlorobenzene is produced during the nitration of 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene.
Optimal large angle maneuvers of a flexible spacecraft

Abstract The optimal control of three-dimensional large-angle rapid maneuvers and vibrations of a Shuttle-mast-reflector system is considered. The nonlinear equations of motion are formulated by using Lagrange's formula, with the mast modeled as a continuous beam subject to three-dimensional deformations. The nonlinear terms in the equations come from the coupling between the angular velocities, the modal coordinates, and the modal rates. Pontryagin's Maximum Principle is applied to the slewing problem, to derive the necessary conditions for the optimal controls, which are bounded by given saturation levels. The resulting two-point boundary-value problem is then solved by using the quasilin-earization algorithm and the method of particular solutions. The numerical results for the flexible nonlinear system, the flexible linearized system, and the rigidized nonlinear system are presented to compare the differences in their time responses.
Left ventricular hypertrophy: a study of the accuracy of current electrocardiographic criteria when compared with autopsy findings in one hundred cases.

The current electrocardiographic criteria for the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy have been analyzed in 100 cases of pure left ventricular hypertrophy proved at autopsy. Only those cases were used in which the greatest thickness of the left ventricle was 13 mm. or more, the right ventricle did not exceed 4 mm. in thickness, and the heart weight exceeded the upper limit of the expected normal. Also, only those cases were studied on whom multiple lead electrocardiograms were available. Conclusions are presented as to which sets of electrocardiographic criteria give the greatest accuracy in the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy.
Microscopic Kinetics of DNA Translocation through synthetic nanopores.

We have previously demonstrated that a nanometer-diameter pore in a nanometer-thick metal-oxide-semiconductor-compatible membrane can be used as a molecular sensor for detecting DNA. The prospects for using this type of device for sequencing DNA are avidly being pursued. The key attribute of the sensor is the electric field-induced (voltage-driven) translocation of the DNA molecule in an electrolytic solution across the membrane through the nanopore. To complement ongoing experimental studies developing such pores and measuring signals in response to the presence of DNA, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations of DNA translocation through the nanopore. A typical simulated system included a patch of a silicon nitride membrane dividing water solution of potassium chloride into two compartments connected by the nanopore. External electrical fields induced capturing of the DNA molecules by the pore from the solution and subsequent translocation. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that 20-basepair segments of double-stranded DNA can transit a nanopore of 2.2 × 2.6 nm2 cross section in a few microseconds at typical electrical fields. Hydrophobic interactions between DNA bases and the pore surface can slow down translocation of single-stranded DNA and might favor unzipping of double-stranded DNA inside the pore. DNA occluding the pore mouth blocks the electrolytic current through the pore; these current blockades were found to have the same magnitude as the blockade observed when DNA transits the pore. The feasibility of using molecular dynamics simulations to relate the level of the blocked ionic current to the sequence of DNA was investigated.
Mitochondrial ADCK3 Employs an Atypical Protein Kinase-like Fold to Enable Coenzyme Q Biosynthesis

Summary The ancient UbiB protein kinase-like family is involved in isoprenoid lipid biosynthesis and is implicated in human diseases, but demonstration of UbiB kinase activity has remained elusive for unknown reasons. Here, we quantitatively define UbiB-specific sequence motifs and reveal their positions within the crystal structure of a UbiB protein, ADCK3. We find that multiple UbiB-specific features are poised to inhibit protein kinase activity, including an N-terminal domain that occupies the typical substrate binding pocket and a unique A-rich loop that limits ATP binding by establishing an unusual selectivity for ADP. A single alanine-to-glycine mutation of this loop flips this coenzyme selectivity and enables autophosphorylation but inhibits coenzyme Q biosynthesis in vivo, demonstrating functional relevance for this unique feature. Our work provides mechanistic insight into UbiB enzyme activity and establishes a molecular foundation for further investigation of how UbiB family proteins affect diseases and diverse biological pathways.
Multiple Comparisons Among Dependent Groups Based on a Modified One‐Step M‐Estimator

Currently, among multiple comparison procedures for dependent groups, a bootstrap-t with a 20% trimmed mean performs relatively well in terms of both Type I error probabilities and power. However, trimmed means suffer from two general concerns described in the paper. Robust M-estimators address these concerns, but now no method has been found that gives good control over the probability of a Type I error when sample sizes are small. The paper suggests using instead a modified one-step M-estimator that retains the advantages of both trimmed means and robust M-estimators. Yet another concern is that the more successful methods for trimmed means can be too conservative in terms of Type I errors. Two methods for performing all pairwise multiple comparisons are considered. In simulations, both methods avoid a familywise error (FWE) rate larger than the nominal level. The method based on comparing measures of location associated with the marginal distributions can have an actual FWE that is well below the nominal level when variables are highly correlated. However, the method based on difference scores performs reasonably well with very small sample sizes, and it generally performs better than any of the methods studied in WILCOX (1997b).
Power, Preferences, and Multiple Levels of Interstate Conflict

The purpose of this article is to reevaluate arguments that relate states' power to the likelihood of interstate conflict, by highlighting the conditional effect of preferences on the relationship between power and conflict. Also, it examines whether the conditional role of preferences works differently at two different levels of conflict—militarized interstate disputes (MIDs) and War. With respect to the onset of MIDs, power disparity is likely to decrease the chances of conflict, and this pacifying effect increases as states' preferences become similar. However, when states have very divergent preferences, this dissimilarity becomes a dominant factor in the process of conflict decision making and thus the pacifying effect of power disparity on MID onsets disappears. In fact, power disparity increases the chances of fighting. Meanwhile, when states make costly decisions of war, relative national capabilities become a significant factor in the decision of fighting, and preferences do not have conditional ...
Risk Perception in Context: The Savannah River Site Stakeholder Study

Environmental managers are increasingly charged with involving the public in the development and modification of policies regarding risks to human health and the environment. Involving the public in environmental decision making first requires a broad understanding of how and why the public perceives various risks. The Savannah River Stakeholder Study was conducted with the purpose of investigating individual, economic, and social characteristics of risk perceptions among those living near the Savannah River Nuclear Weapons Site. A number of factors were found to impact risk perceptions among those living near the site. One's estimated proximity to the site and relative river location surfaced as strong determinants of risk perceptions among SRS residents. Additionally, living in a quality neighborhood and demonstrating a willingness to accept health risks for economic gain strongly abated heightened risk perceptions.
Neural Tube Expression of Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Peptide (PACAP) and Receptor: Potential Role in Patterning and Neurogenesis

Neural tube patterning in vertebrates is controlled in part by locally secreted factors that act in a paracrine manner on nearby cells to regulate proliferation and gene expression. We show here by in situ hybridization that genes for the neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) and one of its high-affinity receptors (PAC1) are widely expressed in the mouse neural tube on embryonic day (E) 10.5. Transcripts for the ligand are present in differentiating neurons in much of the neural tube, whereas the receptor gene is expressed in the underlying ventricular zone, most prominently in the alar region and floor plate. PACAP potently increased cAMP levels more than 20-fold in cultured E10.5 hindbrain neuroepithelial cells, suggesting that PACAP activates protein kinase A (PKA) in the neural tube and might act in the process of patterning. Consistent with this possibility, PACAP down-regulated expression of the sonic hedgehog- and PKA-dependent target gene gli-1 in cultured neuroepithelial cells, concomitant with a decrease in DNA synthesis. PACAP is thus an early inducer of cAMP levels in the embryo and may act in the neural tube during patterning to control cell proliferation and gene expression.