cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the rapid expansion of office-based laboratories and peripheral vascular interventions across the United States.

Abstract Objective To characterize the relationship between office-based laboratory (OBL) use and Medicare payments for peripheral vascular interventions (PVI). Methods Using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Provider Utilization and Payment Data Public Use Files from 2014 to 2017, we identified providers who performed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, stent placement, and atherectomy. Procedures were aggregated at the provider and hospital referral region (HRR) level. Results Between 2014 and 2017, 2641 providers performed 308,247 procedures. The mean payment for OBL stent placement in 2017 was $4383.39, and mean payment for OBL atherectomy was $13,079.63. The change in the mean payment amount varied significantly, from a decrease of $16.97 in HRR 146 to an increase of $43.77 per beneficiary over the study period in HRR 11. The change in the rate of PVI also varied substantially, and moderately correlated with change in payment across HRRs (R2 = 0.40; P Conclusions A rapid shift into the office setting for PVIs occurred within some HRRs, which was highly geographically variable and was strongly correlated with payments. Policymakers should revisit the current payment structure for OBL use and, in particular atherectomy, to better align the policy with its intended goals.
Rev. of Medical Humanities in American Studies: Life Writing, Narrative Medicine, and the Power of Autobiography

Mita Banerjee’s Medical Humanities in American Studies: Life Writing, Narrative Medicine, and the Power of Autobiography claims to focus on “what happens to the humanities” as they “export some of ...
Applying Signaling Theory to Traditional Cultural Rituals

The branch of evolutionary theory known as signaling theory attempts to explain various forms of communication. Social scientists have explained many traditional rituals as forms of communication that promote cooperative social relationships among participants. Both evolutionists and social scientists have realized the importance of trust for the formation and maintenance of cooperative social relationships. These factors have led to attempts to apply signaling theory to traditional cultural rituals in various ways. This paper uses the traditional ritual of mumming in small Newfoundland fishing villages to evaluate alternative hypotheses about the connection between rituals, communication, trust, and cooperation. Mumming is found to be most consistent with the hypothesis that it is a ritual of trust wherein participants take a specific type of risk: the risk of harm at the hands of other participants. Individuals who take this risk actively signal their trust. Conversely, individuals who restrain themselves from inflicting harm on other participants actively signal their trustworthiness.
Outcome Measures Other than Morbidity and Mortality for Patients with Incurable Cancer and Gastrointestinal Obstruction

Abstract Objective: To prospectively evaluate outcome measures of patients undergoing palliative surgical evaluation for gastrointestinal obstruction. Methods: Patients with an incurable malignancy undergoing consultation for gastrointestinal obstruction were prospectively enrolled from November 2009 to July 2012. We evaluated two patient-reported outcome measures of quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General [FACT-G]) and treatment satisfaction (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Treatment Satisfaction-General Version 1 [FACIT-TS-G]) and five observational outcome measures (symptom improvement, 30 “good days,” ability to tolerate diet at discharge, discharge home, and death within 90 days). Results: Of 53 patients enrolled, 13 had gastric outlet obstruction, 22 had small bowel obstruction, and 18 had large bowel obstruction. Patient-reported measures could not be analyzed because only 19 patients (36%) completed the FACT-G and FACIT-TS-G survey at 1-month follow-up. Ho...
An analysis of chemical reactor stability and control—VII : Two-phase chemical reacting systems with fast reactions

Abstract Pertinent to the design of any chemical reactor is a knowledge of its transient characteristics, in particular the stability of a steady state both to small and large disturbances. The dynamic behaviour of the well agitated continuous reactor both with and without control devices has been extensively studied for homogeneous reacting media. It is the purpose of this work to consider the natural behaviour of reacting systems involving two fluid phases in the well agitated continuous reactor operating under constant conditions. To this end models of the physical rate processes of interfacial heat and mass transfer are constructed for perfectly mixed systems and analyzed for multiplicity and stability of steady state solutions. Some methods of non-linear mechanics are applied, and phase plots resulting from digital computer solutions of the non-linear transient equations are constructed for some chosen numerical examples. The study includes systems in which phases are in physical equilibrium, in which there are resistances to interfacial heat and mass transfer and in which components of a phase are in chemical equilibrium, the reaction rate being controlled by the transfer of mass. It is found that the number of possible steady state solutions to the non-isothermal equations depends on the rates of exchange of heat and material between the phases. Phase plots are shown for systems which have no stable state, but exhibit continued oscillations in temperature and concentration. Other examples are shown of systems which possess more than one steady state. In some cases a majority of these states are unstable. In this paper, which is a continuation of Va, Vb, and VI, the cases in which there are resistances to heat and mass transfer but with fast chemical reactions are investigated.
Response of Low-Mass Main Sequence Stars to Accretion

When the massive component in a close binary system evolves to fill its Roche lobe, mass transfer occurs and gas is accreted onto the companion star. Recently, the response of the unevolved secondary to accretion has been studied by a number of authors, but the emphasis has been on relatively massive stars which have a radiative envelope (Ulrich and Burger 1976; Flannery and Ulrich 1977; Kippenhalm and Meyer-Hofmeister 1977; Neo et al. 1977). The results show that the mass accepting star becomes overluminous and grows in radius until rapid mass transfer ultimately brings the two stars into contact. Such changes in the structure are caused by the steep increase in the specific entropy in the outermost layers and only a small amount of mass (about a tenth of the initial mass of the star) is accreted before contact is made. Thereafter, the expansion of the common envelope will lead to mass loss from the system. It is also found that, for a given accretion rate, the radial increase is much more conspicuous for a smaller mass star. Thus, a characteristic transfer rate which will lead to an increase in radius by, say, a factor of ten is much smaller for a less massive star and becomes as small as 10-6M⊙yr-1 for a model with an initial mass Mi=0.75M⊙, as computed by Neo et al. (1977) assuming a radiative envelope. In such a low mass main sequence star, however, surface convection develops and therefore. response to the accretion is expected to be quite different from that of massive main sequence stars. The evolution of binary systems containing a low mass star is important since such systems may be progenitors of cataclysmic binaries and/or progenitors of Type I supernovae. In this paper, we will focus on the evolution of a low mass main sequence star during accretion.
From empirical data to mathematical model: using population dynamics to characterize insurgencies

Understanding the nature of insurgencies is critical to determining strategies for mitigating their effects. Modeling insurgencies is one method to provide a structured methodology to gain insight into the various characteristics of insurgencies. This study applied system dynamics to model insurgencies from both a regional and global population view. It used the system dynamics model to develop a population dynamics mathematical representation of insurgencies and the factors that control the flow of population members into and out of insurgency behavior. Pertinent factors were gathered through a systematic review of insurgencies throughout history. Additional review in the area of human behavior and group dynamics was also conducted to identify relevant factors. The study concluded that a system dynamics model could represent insurgency and counterinsurgency situations and that population dynamics was able to mathematically represent the system.
Disciplina partidaria en la legislatura brasileña

This paper adapts theories of legislative parties to the Brazilian case. It demonstrates that Brazilian presidents, while powerful are far from dominant. The reason lies in the nature of Brazil's legislative parties. Give Brazils electoral rules and federal structure, it ought to be a case of conditional party government, where influence flows from party members to leaders. This article puts this model to test using roll-call votes to estimate the probability that individual deputies cooperate with their parties. Two indicators of party strength are created. One indicator asseses the ability of party leaders to enforce cooperationism. The other measures the success of individual deputies in garnering local public works or controlling local job nominations. The article demonstrates that party recommendations rarely determine cooperation. It concludes that the Brazilian presidents weakness stems from the inabilty of party leaders to persuade deputies to support presidential proposals.
Energies of Electrons Accelerated in Turbulent Reconnecting Current Sheets in Solar Flares

Yohkoh observations strongly suggest that electron acceleration in solar flares occurs in magnetic reconnection regions in the corona above the soft X-ray flare loops. Unfortunately, models for particle acceleration in reconnecting current sheets predict electron energy gains in terms of the reconnection electric field and the thickness of the sheet, both of which are extremely difficult to measure. It can be shown, however, that application of Ohm's law in a turbulent current sheet, combined with energy and Maxwell's equations, leads to a formula for the electron energy gain in terms of the flare power output, the magnetic field strength, the plasma density and temperature in the sheet, and its area. Typical flare parameters correspond to electron energies between a few tens of keV and a few MeV. The calculation supports the viewpoint that electrons that generate the continuum gamma-ray and hard X-ray emissions in impulsive solar flares are accelerated in a large-scale turbulent current sheet above the soft X-ray flare loops.
How (Not) to Bring an Affirmative-Action Challenge

A little-known fact about the biggest Supreme Court case of the Term is that it is botched beyond repair. This Essay describes a series of grave defects in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, the potentially momentous affirmative-action case, that should prevent the Supreme Court from reaching its merits.The argument boils down to this: The only relief still available to Fisher is a refund of her application fees. Texas could therefore moot the case for a tiny sum. Regardless, the Eleventh Amendment and Title VI jurisprudence bar recovery of the fees. In addition, there are three defects in Fisher’s standing to claim the fees. The potential routes to resuscitating the case are fraught and unconvincing. And if, despite all that, the Court reaches the merits, the Justices will find the case a much narrower dispute than they might have expected. Whether dismissed as improvidently granted (this Essay's recommendation) or decided on its merits, Fisher should not herald the end of affirmative action for America’s colleges and universities. If that was the aim of the Justices who voted to grant certiorari, they could not have selected a faultier vehicle for obtaining that result.
State restrictions on the interstate practice of dermatopathology are unconstitutional: the tissue is the issue

The regulation of the interstate practice of dermatopathology, teledermatopathology and teledermatology is the subject of discussion in many recent articles. Laws and regulations in many states complicate such interstate practice, requiring the dermatopathologist to be licensed in the state where the biopsy is taken if the dermatopathologist practices in and is licensed in a different state. To date, this discussion has been from the viewpoint of the dermatopathologist or dermatologist. But, when seen from the patient's viewpoint, its apparent that most such state regulation may be void as an unconstitutional infringement of a patient's fundamental right of unrestricted interstate travel under the Constitution of the United States of America.
Debate Integral Theory

This essay is a response to the recent exchange between Paul Marshall and Timothy Rutzou on critical realism and integral theory in Journal of Critical Realism 11(2), in which integral theory was designated by Rutzou ‘a poisoned chalice’ for critical realism. It argues that, while integral theory could benefit greatly from the adoption of critical realist ontology, metacritique and the structural analysis of politics, critical realism could benefit even more from the scientific syntheses achieved by integral theory, especially developmental psychology, cultural anthropology and transpersonal psychology.
Interview with Mark Roux, President of CyberTools for Libraries

This interview with Mark Roux describes various products and services developed by CyberTools for Libraries that are of interest and value to health sciences librarians.
Turbulence-model predictions for a flat plate boundary layer

0.2 0.3 0^ TIME, msec Fig. 3 Typical oscillogram, photomultiplier current vs time. and the cathode was focussed on a photomultiplier. Periodic variation in the photomultiplier output signal would indicate the presence of a rotating spoke. Further discussion of the optical technique and equipment is given in Ref. 10. This investigation was carried out for argon mass flow rates of 0.04-0.12 g/sec, exhaust tank pressures of 2.0x 10~27.5xlO-2 torr, currents of 70-200 A, and magnetic field strengths of 0.0-0.24 tesla. Results and Discussion No periodic intensity oscillations, except those attributed to the 180 Hz power supply ripple, were observed for any combination of operating conditions. Specifically, no oscillations were present in the 25-300 kHz range expected for rotating spoke discharges. A copy of a typical oscillogram, showing luminous intensity as a function of time, is given in Fig. 3. These results were somewhat surprising in 'light of the previous reports which predicted critical magnetic fields in the 0.1-0.2 tesla range, with spoke rotational frequencies on the order of 50 kHz for the reported operating conditions. The possibility of insufficient oscilloscope response was checked by replacing the initial 300 kHz bandwidth instrument with another oscilloscope having an upper frequency limit of 150 MHz. Possible inhibition of spoke operation by relatively large power supply ripple was also considered. A capacitive filter was inserted in the power supply output circuit to reduce the ripple by approximately one order of magnitude. The additional experiments confirmed the absence of periodic oscillations for the range of operating conditions considered. The primary difference between the present experimental accelerator and those of the previously mentioned authors was in the cathode design. A consideration of the strong temperature dependence of electron emission and the thermal profile of the simple hollow cathode would suggest that this design would exhibit substantially more stable attachment than the more common conical design. We suggest that the observed cathode spot stability may have had a direct effect on the discharge mode, maintaining a uniform discharge in an operating region where spoke mode operation has been observed by previous authors. This result merits further study since the discharge mode may have a direct effect on the electrode lifetime and the operating efficiency of a plasma accelerator.
Formal query languages for secure relational databases

The addition of stringent security specifications to the list of requirements for an application poses many new problems in DBMS design and implementation, as well as database design, use, and maintenance. Tight security requirements, such as those that result in silent masking of witholding of true information from a user or the introduction of false information into query answers, also raise fundamental questions about the meaning of the database and the semantics of accompanying query languages. In this paper, we propose a belief-based semantics for secure databases, which provides a semantics for databases that can “lie” about the state of the world, or about their knowledge about the state of the world, in order to preserve security. This kind of semantics can be used as a helpful retrofit for the proposals for a “multilevel secure” database model (a particularly stringent form of security), and may be useful for less restrictive security policies as well. We also propose a family of query languages for multilevel secure relational database applications, and base the semantics of those languages on our semantics for secure databases. Our query languages are free of the semantic problems associated with use of ordinary SQL in a multilevel secure context, and should be easy for users to understand and employ.
Herb-Drug Interactions and Confounding in Clinical Trials

Herb-drug interactions are being recognized for their potential to reduce the efficacy of, or cause additive side effects with, conventional medications. Herb use, particularly when undisclosed to investigators, may be a potential unforeseen confounding variable in clinical trials. The use of herbal products by patients enrolled in clinical trials should be determined and considered as a confounding variable.
Gasification of graphite in carbon dioxide and water vapor—the catalytic effects of alkali metal salts

Abstract The catalytic effects of a series of alkali metal salts in promoting the gasification of a graphite powder by carbon dioxide and water vapor have been studied by thermogravimetry between 700 and 1100°C. Lithium salts, specifically the carbonate and hydroxide, were the most active catalysts for both reactions. Cyclic processes which may account for the observed catalytic effects were evaluated from the standpoint of thermodynamic feasibility.
Genetic analysis of kafirins and their phenotypic correlations with feed quality traits, in vitro digestibility, and seed weight in grain sorghum

ABSTRACT Twenty-three entries of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), including eight inbred lines (five males and three females) and 15 hybrids, were evaluated to determine the proportion of γ, αII, and β-αI-kafirins and their association with contents of crude protein, fat, and starch; protein digestibility; in vitro dry matter disappearance; and seed weight. The male lines included three normal-seeded lines (TX2737, TX435, and P954063) and two large-seeded lines (Eastin1 and PL-1). Female lines consisted of three common U.S. seed parent lines (Wheatland, Redlan, and SA3042). The lines and their hybrids were grown under dryland conditions at two locations in Kansas using a randomized complete block design. The effects of genotype, location, and males were significant for all kafirins. Wide variations in composition and general combining ability (GCA) for kafirin content were noted among parent lines and hybrids, with TX2737, Eastin1, and PL1 having the largest GCA values for γ (1.37), αII (1.99)...
Perceiving Sacredness in Life: Correlates and Predictors

Summary Building on research demonstrating relationships between well being and perceptions of aspects of life as sacred, this study describes the rationale for and development of a scale measuring perceiving sacredness in life. It then explores associations between perceptions of sacredness in life and these four domains: religious/spiritual (intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity, quest, mysticism, religious/spiritual history, worship attendance, frequency of prayer, importance of religion/spirituality), personal (purpose in life, commitment to empiricism, narcissism, self esteem, relational attachment), social (community service attitude and helping, social support, imagination tutoring), and situational (enjoyment and frequency of everyday pleasant events, impact of negative events, positive childhood recollections). Participants (n = 113) responded to a mailing to a national random sample within the United States, completing 16 scales pertaining to the religious/spiritual, personal, social, and situational domains. While many variables were correlated with perceiving sacredness in life, there were three overall predictors: intrinsic religiosity, mysticism, and community service attitude.
The Role of Locus of Control in Leader Influence Behavior.

This study investigated whether the leader's locus of control moderated the relationship between perceived leader influence behaviors and certain subordinate outcome variables. The results showed that locus of control did significantly moderate the effect of supervisor influence on productivity and subordinate satisfaction with supervision. The difference in satisfaction with supervision was more extreme at high levels of subordinate perceived supervisor influence on productivity. Implications for supervisor training are discussed.
A Pedagogy of Collective Action and Reflection: Preparing Teachers for Collective School Leadership

If teacher educators are to prepare teachers to become leaders who work together toward reform in newly restructured schools, schools of education must change the curriculum and design of their tea...
On the local stability of multiple solutions and oscillatory dynamics of spatially distributed flames

Abstract A new methodology is developed to study the stability of multiple solutions and the onset of oscillations of distributed flames modeled with detailed chemistry and multicomponent transport. This methodology is applied to premixed hydrogen/air mixtures impinging onto an inert isothermal surface. In particular, the local stability of the extinguished, ignited, partially ignited, and intermediate branches is determined on-the-fly as stationary solutions are computed. Hopf bifurcation points appear only in the fuel-lean and fuel-rich regime, near the edges of a nonextinction regime. Harmonic, relaxation, and complex mode self-sustained oscillations can occur depending on surface temperature, and multistage ignitions are found, varying from three-stage to six-stage ignitions. In the presence of a Hopf bifurcation, it is found that ignition can be oscillatory, and extinction can be oscillatory at an infinite period saddle-loop bifurcation or coincident with a Hopf bifurcation. The implications of such behavior for extinction theory are briefly discussed. It is shown that Hopf bifurcation has a kinetic origin but is affected by the heat of reactions as the composition approaches a thermally nonextinction regime. For strong flames, thermal feedback destroys oscillatory dynamics. Sensitivity analysis of Hopf bifurcation shows that the termination reaction H + O 2 + M → HO 2 + M plays an important role in the birth of oscillatory dynamics and that diffusion of H 2 O is also significant.
Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy: A Decade of Evolution

Abstract The detection of renal tumors is increasing with the widespread use of ultrasonography and CT. Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) offers less pain, smaller scars, and shorter convalescence. Expanded indications of LPN include larger and more complex tumors, including those in hilar or central locations, multiple tumors, solitary kidneys, and patients with previous renal surgery. This procedure is in constant evolution. We describe the technical nuances of LPN over the past decade of evolution.
Covalent Micropatterning of Poly(dimethylsiloxane) by Photografting through a Mask

A new photografting method to micropattern a covalent surface modification on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) provides advantages in simplicity and efficiency. To accomplish the entire process on the benchtop, the PDMS was initially treated with benzophenone dissolved in a water/acetone mixture. This process permitted limited diffusion of the photoinitiator into the PDMS surface. Polymerization of acrylic acid was initiated by exposure of the benzophenone-implanted PDMS to UV radiation through a photomask with a thin aqueous layer of acrylic acid sandwiched between the PDMS and photomask. This procedure resulted in patterned poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on the PDMS surface. In the modified regions, PAA and PDMS formed an interpenetrating polymer network extending 50 μm into the PDMS with an X−Y spatial resolution of 5 μm. The carboxyl groups of the PAA graft could be derivatized to covalently bond other molecules to the patterned PAA. Two bioanalytical applications of this micropatterned surface were demonstrat...
Separation of two phenotypically similar cell types via a single common marker in microfluidic channels

To isolate clinically and biologically relevant cell types from a heterogeneous population, fluorescent or magnetic tagging together with knowledge of surface biomarker profiles represents the state of the art. To date, it remains exceedingly difficult to separate phenotypically and physically similar cell types from a mixed population. We report a microfluidic platform engineered to separate two highly similar cell types using a single antibody by taking advantage of subtle variations in surface receptor density and cell size. This platform utilizes antibody-conjugated surfaces in microfluidic channels together with precise modulation of fluid shear stresses to accomplish selective fractionation in a continuous flow process. Antibody conjugation density variation on the adhesive surfaces is achieved by covalently immobilizing an antibody in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol). This platform is used to demonstrate separation of two CD31 positive cell types, human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human micro vascular endothelial cells.
AN INVERSE POWER SERIES FOR THE FREE-SPACE GREEN'S FUNCTION

The multipole expansion for the free-space Green's function is transformed into an inverse power series of the radial distance to the observer. The fields of a group of sources may be computed outside the source region very accurately by using only the first three terms in the series. Formulas are given for estimating the error as a function of the group diameter and radial distance. The new series may be applied to fast integral equation methods and an- tenna near-field analysis. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 467- 471, 2006; Published online in Wiley Inter- Science (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21380
Contour mapping of the cutaneous microvasculature by computerized laser Doppler velocimetry.

Abstract A probe holder for laser Doppler velocimetry was designed to allow a narrow (1.24-mm) probe to be moved in increments of 1.04 mm, approximately the width of the probe window itself, so that four contiguous 1-mm 2 spots in a 2.29 × 2.29 mm area could be sampled. An area as large as 2.48 × 2.48 cm can be measured with this device. The flux was fed into a computer by an analog/digital board, for visualization as a wave-form on the monitor, and for analysis by fast Fourier transforms and power spectrum analysis. Each spot sampled was given a unique x,y coordinate and the mean amplitude of the flux was designated as the z coordinate. With the aid of software, the values of these three coordinates were mathematically processed to produce contour graphs with shading that represented a map of the arteriolar circulation in the skin. This methodology allows for accurate movement and placement of the probe on the skin and the ability to relocate a spot within 1 mm of its original location after intervals of hours to days. Video images of the superficial plexus at the sites where the maps were made confirm the topographic appearance of these maps. Data generated by these maps raise the intriguing possibility that microcirculatory vessels may be engaged in a division of labor—some involved primarily with tissue perfusion, others with thermoregulation.
A mutation in the ectodomain of herpes simplex virus 1 glycoprotein B causes defective processing and retention in the endoplasmic reticulum.

Abstract Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein B (gB) is one of several envelope glycoproteins required for virion infectivity and is the only one known to oligomerize into homodimers. To study the conformational constraints for translocation of HSV-1 gB to the surface of eukaryotic cells, we analyzed the transport through the exocytic pathway of the wild-type glycoprotein and of mutant forms with insertions in the ectodomain and intracellular car☐y terminus. Transient expression of the glycoproteins in COS-1 cells showed that an insertion at position 479 in the amino-terminal ectodomain of gB, shown previously by reactions with monoclonal antibodies to have altered the conformation of the molecule, also had a drastic effect on transport, precluding exit of the mutant from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and transport to the Golgi and the plasma membrane. The fact that the mutant, gB-(Lk479), formed dimers suggests that local changes in assembled regions caused the transport defect. Mutants containing insertions at residues 600 of the ectodomain and 810 in the intracellular domain were slightly retarded in their rate of transport from the ER to the Golgi. The glucose-regulated proteins GRP78 and GRP94, which are resident proteins of the ER, associated with partially glycosylated, faster-migrating forms of gB but not with the fully processed, more slowly migrating product. GRP78 and GRP94 formed complexes with the mutant gB-(Lk479), which was degraded in the ER. Our results indicate that GRP78, and perhaps also GRP94, acts as a chaperone in the assembly of native gB oligomers and also binds to aberrant forms of the molecule, arresting their transport from the ER and possibly serving as markers for protein degradation in this compartment of the exocytic pathway.
Analysis of dispersion of carbon black in polymeric melts and its effect on compound properties

The dispersion of carbon black agglomerates within melts of polystyrene and high density polyethylene has been investigated. Analysis of the evolution of the fragment size distribution indicates that a coarse rupturing of the agglomerates occurs during the early stages of the dispersion. This is followed by a more gradual erosion of small aggregates from larger fragments. These observations compare quantitatively with results of dispersion studies performed in fluid media having a viscosity two orders of magnitude smaller than that of the polymeric melts. The influence of dispersion quality on certain physical properties of the resulting polymeric compounds, namely UV absorption characteristics and tensile strength properties, is also quantified.
The Incidence of Molluscum contagiosum among American Indians and Alaska Natives

Background The epidemiology of Molluscum contagiosum (MC) in the United States is largely unknown, despite the fact that the virus is directly communicable and large outbreaks occur. This study provides population-based estimates to describe the epidemiology of MC in the United States among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons. This population was selected because of the comprehensiveness and quality of available data describing utilization of out-patient services. Principal Findings Outpatient visits listing MC as a diagnosis in the Indian Health Service National Patient Information Reporting System during 2001–2005 were analyzed to assess patient characteristics, visit frequency and concurrent skin conditions. Outpatient visit rates and incidence rates were calculated based on known population denominators (retrospective cohort). Overall outpatient visit rates were also calculated for the general US population using national data. The average annual rate of MC-associated outpatient visits was 20.15/10,000 AI/AN persons for 2001–2005 (13,711 total visits), which was similar to the rate for the general US population (22.0/10,000 [95% CI: 16.9–27.1]). The incidence of MC-associated visits was 15.34/10,000. AI/AN children 1–4 years old had the highest incidence (77.12), more than twice that for children 5–14 years old (30.79); the incidence for infants (<1 year) was higher than that for adults. AI/AN persons living in the West region had the highest incidence, followed by those in the East and Alaska regions (26.96, 22.88 and 21.38, respectively). There were age-specific associations between MC and concurrent skin conditions (e.g., atopic dermatitis, eczema). Conclusions This study highlights the need for periodic population-based measurements to assess trends in incidence and healthcare utilization for MC in the United States. High rates of MC were found among AI/AN persons, especially among children <15 years old. The AI/AN population would benefit from greater availability of effective strategies for prevention and treatment of MCV infection.
Popular weight-loss diets: from evidence to practice

The increasing number of overweight and obese individuals has become one of the leading public health concerns in many countries around the world. Concomitant with this increase in the prevalence of obesity has been the rise in the number of weight-loss diets, many of which alter macronutrient composition, but with the majority focused on carbohydrate restriction. Low-carbohydrate diets are attractive because they promise rapid weight loss without having to count calories and compromise the consumption of many palatable foods. By contrast, traditional dietary recommendations for weight loss endorse a fat-restricted and calorie-restricted diet high in complex carbohydrates. Evidence indicates that low-carbohydrate diets could be better in terms of short-term weight loss relative to traditional low-fat diets, but little is known about their long-term utility and safety. Diets based on the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern are becoming increasingly popular because of their healthful benefits, particularly regarding cardiovascular outcomes. Mediterranean diets encourage consumption of a variety of palatable foods, optimizing adherence and sustainability. In this Review we discuss the current evidence on the efficacy of low-fat, low-carbohydrate and Mediterranean dietary patterns for weight loss, their potential mechanisms of action and important clinical considerations.
New type of shift of hydrogen and hydrogenlike spectral lines

Abstract A new contribution to the Center of Gravity Shift (CGS) of spectral lines in plasmas is presented: a coupled ionic-electronic shift. It originates from the coupling between the ion-quadrupole corrections to the intensities and the semiclassical electron impact shifts of individual Stark components. It is shown that this shift is the leading ionic contribution to the CGS. The new shift has a non-linear dependence on the density Ne, being proportional to N e 4 3 . Therefore its contribution relative to the pure electron shift increases with the density. Also it is shown that the well-known results on the ion quadrupole contribution to the CGS by Demura and Sholin are erroneous from both the physical and mathematical points of view.
A low-power high-speed smart sensor design for space exploration missions

A low-power high-speed smart sensor system based on a large format active pixel sensor (APS) integrated with a programmable neural processor for space exploration missions is presented. The concept of building an advanced smart sensing system is demonstrated by a system-level microchip design that is composed with an APS sensor, a programmable neural processor, and an embedded microprocessor in a SOI CMOS technology. This ultra-fast smart sensor system-on-a-chip design mimics what is inherent in biological vision systems. Moreover, it is programmable and capable of performing ultra-fast machine vision processing in all levels such as image acquisition, image fusion, image analysis, scene interpretation, and control functions. The system provides about one tera-operation-per-second computing power which is a two order-of-magnitude increase over that of state-of-the-art microcomputers. Its high performance is due to massively parallel computing structures, high data throughput rates, fast learning capabilities, and advanced VLSI system-on-a-chip implementation.
Yolk sac tumor identified at autopsy after surgical excision of immature sacrococcygeal teratoma.

Although the predictive value of immature elements in sacrococcygeal teratomas is unclear, there are reports of malignant recurrence after surgical resection of immature sacrococcygeal teratomas. The recurrent tumors are presumed to arise from small residual malignant foci not identified at the time of surgical resection. In this report a premature female infant was delivered at 29 weeks' gestation with a large sacrococcygeal teratoma. The tumor weighed 1,350 g. It was largely cystic with a focal nodular and variegated appearance. Histologically, the tumor was a grade 1 immature teratoma with a predominance of neuroglial elements. No malignant elements were identified in any of 26 sections examined. The infant died intraoperatively of cardiovascular complications related to the large vascular supply of the tumor but had a grossly complete resection of tumor. At autopsy, a small microscopic focus of yolk sac tumor was identified adjacent to the sacrum anteriorly. Had the infant survived, this focus might well have been a source for malignant recurrence.
Adolescents and sex: A structural theory of premarital sex in the United States

This article shows that the rising rate of premarital sex during this century can be accounted for by changes in American social structure. The gap between puberty and marriage has increased, allowing more time for sex to occur. The pervasiveness of sex in the media and at home provides young people with role models who teach about sex. The social antonomy of the young has increased, allowing more opportunity for sex. Medical advances and legal changes have made sex safe. Egalitarian sex role norms have eliminated the double standard, which means that sex need not be withheld during courtship. And the norm of premarital sexual abstinance has declined. It is argued that most of these changes reflect progress and that rising rates of premarital sex are unintended by products.
Intravenous Administration of RNA Suppresses the Induction of Delayed-type Hypersensitivity (DTH) to Tumor-associated Antigens.

Intravenous (iv) administration of protein antigens can induce relative tolerance to subsequent immunization with that antigen. We hypothesized that iv injection of RNA may also reduce cell-mediated immunity to antigens encoded by the RNA utilized. To test this hypothesis, we utilized the S1509a murine tumor system. CAF1 mice (H-2,a/d) were injected with I 00 g of total cellular RNA from the S1509a spindle cell tumor line (H-2a). Control animals were injected iv with saline. All mice were then immunized by subcutaneous injection of disrupted S1509a cells 3 times at 6-7 d intervals. One week after the last injection, syngeneic epidermal cells enriched for Langerhans cell content (eEC) by antibody and complement-mediated deletion of Thy-1-bearing cells were pulsed with a soluble extract of the S1509a cells as a source of tumor-associated antigens (TAA). eEC were then thoroughly washed and 7.5 x 105 injected into a hind footpad of each mouse. For negative controls, mice primed iv with RNA or saline alone prior to immunization were challenged with eEC not pulsed with TAA. Twenty-four hr footpad swelling was assessed as a measure of DTH. Mice given SI509a-derived RNA demonstrated a significantly smaller DTH response (p<0.001) compared to mice primed iv with saline. In a preliminary experiment, mice primed iv with unrelated RNA (derived from the NS cell line), S1509a RNA pretreated with RNase or saline pretreated with RNase prior to immunization failed to show a significantly inhibited DTH response compared to positive control mice primed iv with saline alone prior to immunization. These results demonstrate that iv administration of total cellular RNA from the S1509a tumor suppresses the induction of DTH to S1509a-derived TAA.
The Myth of the Texas Miracle in Education

I summarize the recent history of education reform and statewide testing in Texas, which led to introduction of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) in 1990-91. A variety of evidence in the late 1990s led a number of observers to conclude that the state of Texas had made near miraculous progress in reducing dropouts and increasing achievement. The passing scores on TAAS tests were arbitrary and discriminatory. Analyses comparing TAAS reading, writing and math scores with one another and with relevant high school grades raise doubts about the reliability and validity of TAAS scores. I discuss problems of missing students and other mirages in Texas enrollment statistics that profoundly affect both reported dropout statistics and test scores. Only 50% of minority students in Texas have been progressing from grade 9 to high school graduation since the initiation of the TAAS testing program. Since about 1982, the rates at which Black and Hispanic students are required to repeat grade 9 have climbed steadily, such that by the late 1990s, nearly 30% of Black and Hispanic students were "failing" grade 9. Cumulative rates of grade retention in Texas are almost twice as high for Black and Hispanic students as for White students. Some portion of the gains in grade 10 TAAS pass rates are illusory. The numbers of students taking the grade 10 tests who were classified as "in special education" and hence not counted in schools' accountability ratings nearly doubled between 1994 and 1998. A substantial portion of the apparent increases in TAAS pass rates in the 1990s are due to such exclusions. In the opinion of educators in Texas, schools are devoting a huge amount of time and energy preparing students specifically for TAAS, and emphasis on TAAS is hurting more than helping teaching and learning in Texas schools, particularly with at-risk students, and TAAS contributes to retention in grade and dropping out. Five different sources of evidence about rates of high school completion in Texas are compared and contrasted. The review of GED statistics indicated that there was a sharp upturn in numbers of young people taking the GED tests in Texas in the mid-1990s to avoid TAAS. A convergence of evidence indicates that during the 1990s, slightly less than 70% of students in Texas actually graduated from high school. Between 1994 and 1997, TAAS results showed a 20% increase in the percentage of students passing all three exit level TAAS tests (reading, writing and math), but TASP (a college readiness test) results showed a sharp decrease (from 65.2% to 43.3%) in the percentage of students passing all three parts (reading, math, and writing). As measured by performance on the SAT, the academic learning of secondary school students in Texas has not improved since the early 1990s, compared with SAT takers nationally. SAT-Math scores have deteriorated relative to students nationally. The gains on NAEP for Texas fail to confirm the dramatic gains apparent on TAAS. The gains on TAAS and the unbelievable decreases in dropouts during the 1990s are more illusory than real. The Texas "miracle" is more hat than cattle.
Reprint of “Studies of local degradation phenomena in composite cathodes for lithium-ion batteries”☆

Abstract LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 and LiNi 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 composite cathodes were cycled in model cells to study interfacial phenomena that could lead to electrode degradation. Ex situ spectroscopic analysis of the tested cathodes, which suffered substantial power and capacity loss, showed that the state of charge (SOC) of oxide particles on the cathode surface was highly non-uniform despite the deep discharge of the Li-ion cell at the end of the test. The inconsistent kinetic behavior of individual oxide particles was attributed to the degradation of electronic pathways within the composite cathodes. A simple theoretical model based on a distributed network showed that an increase of the contact resistance between composite electrode particles may be responsible for non-uniform local kinetic behavior of individual oxide particles and the overall degradation of electrochemical performance of composite electrodes.
Primary user behavior estimation with adaptive length of the sample sequence

Modeling and estimating the primary user (PU) behavior is critical to implement dynamic spectrum access in cognitive radio networks. In this paper, we investigate the estimation accuracy of the PU behavior based on the Markov model. Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimation is employed to estimate the transition probabilities of the Markov model based on the sample sequence of PU idle/busy states. An approximate distribution of the ML estimator is derived to evaluate the estimation accuracy specified by the confidence level. To meet the requirement of estimation accuracy while reducing the unnecessary sensing time, we propose a learning algorithm which refines the estimation results iteratively. It dynamically estimates the required length of the sample sequence which is adaptive to the changing PU behavior. Numerical results show that the proposed estimation algorithm well tracks the variation of the PU behavior. Compared to the estimation method using fixed length of sample sequence, the proposed algorithm achieves the same requirement of the estimation accuracy with less number of samples.
Watchmaking: A Case Study in Enterprise and Change*

From its beginnings in sixteenth century southern Germany, Professor Landes traces the development of the personal timepiece industry to France, where the design of watches as items of personal adornment reached its peak; to England, where precision in timekeeping and rationalization of manufacture were developed to new heights; to Switzerland, where manufacture on a mass scale for a highly diverse market was attained; and, finally, to America, where the technique of assembling mechanical devices from precision-machined interchangeable parts was applied to watchmaking with the same success it had achieved in less demanding applications. He discusses the sociological factors that produced the Swiss industry in a region of seemingly little promise, and demonstrates how these factors made the Swiss more successful than the Germans, French, or English.
User selection criteria of airspace designs in Flexible Airspace Management

Flexible Airspace Management (FAM) concept offers to dynamically modify the center/sector boundaries in such way that the airspace structure is reconfigured to better distribute unbalanced traffic demands across sectors. A set of airspace design algorithms were used in the human-in-the-loop simulation to assess possible benefits of the FAM concept. In the simulation, participants were instructed to pick an algorithm-generated airspace configuration from a set of configuration options that best solved the weather-induced traffic imbalance problems in the test airspace. Participants also rated the acceptability of the airspace designs that were generated by different algorithms. This paper explores ways to objectively quantify airspace characteristics of these algorithm-generated configurations using a set of benefits and airspace quality metrics and to compare them to the participants' acceptability ratings obtained from the simulation. Both benefits and airspace quality metrics were hypothesized to correlate with the participants' ratings. The results showed that participants' selection correlated mainly with the benefits metrics, while airspace quality metrics did not play a big role.