cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brain function and structure and risk for incident diabetes: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

Abstract Introduction Diabetes is prospectively associated with cognitive decline. Whether lower cognitive function and worse brain structure are prospectively associated with incident diabetes is unclear. Methods We analyzed data for 10,133 individuals with cognitive function testing (1990–1992) and 1212 individuals with brain magnetic resonance imaging (1993–1994) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort. We estimated hazard ratios for incident diabetes through 2014 after adjustment for traditional diabetes risk factors and cohort attrition. Results Higher level of baseline cognitive function was associated with lower risk for diabetes (per 1 standard deviation, hazard ratio=0.94; 95% confidence interval=0.90, 0.98). This association did not persist after accounting for baseline glucose level, case ascertainment methods, and cohort attrition. No association was observed between any brain magnetic resonance imaging measure and incident diabetes. Discussion This is one of the first studies to prospectively evaluate the association between both cognitive function and brain structure and the incidence of diabetes.
Evaluating effects of ellagic acid on the quality of kumquat fruits during storage

Abstract To assess the preservative effects of the active ingredients in the leaves of Liquidambar formosana Hance, the present study assessed the antioxidant activity of ellagic acid using various antioxidant assays; 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity and reducing power. The results of these assays were combined with principal component analysis to analyze the effect of ellagic acid treatment on the overall quality of kumquat. Whole kumquat fruit were immersed in different concentrations of ellagic acid (0, 100 and 300 mg L−1) for 5 min, naturally dried then stored at room temperature (14–16 °C) for 18 days. During storage, the percentage weight loss and decay, firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acid and contents of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and vitamin C were measured every 3 days. The results showed that, by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity and reducing power, the antioxidant activity of ellagic acid was more effective than butylated hydroxyanisole or ascorbic acid. Compared with untreated kumquat fruit, ellagic acid treatments can delay the decline in fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acid and vitamin C contents, inhibit increases in malondialdehyde and enhance superoxide dismutase activity. The comprehensive evaluation of the results using principal component analysis was consistent with the experimental results, namely that ellagic acid treatment can significantly reduce the rate of deterioration in the quality of kumquat fruit, with the 300 mg L−1 treatment being better than the 100 mg L−1 treatment. The results show that ellagic acid has good prospects as a preservative treatment for kumquat fruit.
The five things we all need to know about MACRA and alternative payment systems to compete and flourish

Changes in how patient care will be reimbursed in the future are being determined right now. The law has changed to eliminate the past method of fee for service funded by the sustainable growth rate formula to payment based on quality. You need to know how the system functions to prevent a 4% reduction in Medicare reimbursement in 2019. You need to know this now because data collected today in 2017 will determine your rate for 2019. This review provides you knowledge of how the system has changed, what is required of you right now to be successful, and how you can succeed in the future. Pertinent references are provided to allow you to query the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for the most up-to-date information.
Stretchable Conductive Composites from Cu–Ag Nanowire Felt

Materials that retain a high conductivity under strain are essential for wearable electronics. This article describes a conductive, stretchable composite consisting of a Cu–Ag core–shell nanowire felt infiltrated with a silicone elastomer. This composite exhibits a retention of conductivity under strain that is superior to any composite with a conductivity greater than 1000 S cm–1. This work also shows how the mechanical properties, conductivity, and deformation mechanism of the composite changes as a function of the stiffness of the silicone matrix. The retention of conductivity under strain was found to decrease as the Young’s modulus of the matrix increased. This was attributed to void formation as a result of debonding between the nanowire felt and the elastomer. The nanowire composite was also patterned to create serpentine circuits with a stretchability of 300%.
Elevated serum vascular endothelial growth factor and development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy in children.

Background Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a leading cause of retransplantation and death in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Our aim was to evaluate the association between serum vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF) and CAV development in the pediatric heart transplant population. Methods In this retrospective study performed at a university hospital, VEGF concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in banked serum from pediatric heart transplant recipients undergoing routine cardiac catheterization. In subjects with CAV ( n = 29), samples were obtained at 2 time-points: before CAV diagnosis (pre-CAV) and at the time of initial CAV diagnosis (CAV). In subjects without CAV (no-CAV, n = 16), only 1 time-point was used. VEGF concentrations ( n = 74) were assayed in duplicate. Results Serum VEGF is elevated in pediatric heart transplant recipients before catheter-based diagnosis of CAV (no-CAV mean: 144.0 ± 89.05 pg/ml; pre-CAV mean: 316.2 ± 118.3 pg/ml; p = 0.0002). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis of pre-CAV VEGF levels demonstrated an area under the curve of 87.7% ( p = 0.0002), with a VEGF level of 226.3 pg/ml predicting CAV development with 77.8% sensitivity and 91.7% specificity. VEGF is similarly elevated in subjects with angiographically diagnosed CAV and in those with normal angiography but intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) evidence of CAV. Conclusions The increase in serum VEGF before onset of detectable CAV is fundamental to its utility as a predictive biomarker and suggests further investigations of VEGF in the pathogenesis of CAV are warranted in the pediatric heart transplant population.
A Brief History of the Yaqui Valley

The history of the Yaqui Valley reveals an intricate story of a place constantly facing and adjusting to change over time. From its management for thousands of years by the Yaqui Amerindians to its current state as a highly productive breadbasket, this rich coastal plain has provided food and other essentials for its inhabitants, has been contested ground among many different groups, and, more recently, has become an interesting model of agricultural development for the developing world. This short history attempts to trace those transitions to the present. Many of the issues raised here, especially in the most recent history, are the focus of the chapters to come.
A Stochastic Process under the Influence of Another Arising in the Theory of Epidemics

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a stochastic process under the influence of another arising in the theory of epidemics and discusses a generalized version of Dietz and Downtons' carrier-borne epidemic model, where the realistic possibility of an infective becoming a susceptible is allowed. While the person is in infective state, he is kept isolated so that the epidemic is caused only by the carriers. An infective is considered released to the susceptibles' population as soon as he is no longer infective and has lost the immunity, if he acquired any during the period of infectivity. As such the random variable is a natural measure of the total effect of the epidemic on the community during the period. Because of the linear nature of the rates of transition between the susceptibles and infectives, immigrated to the susceptible state according to a time non-homogeneous Poisson process with time dependent rate, each person moves between the infective and susceptible states independently of others according to a two states time-nonhomogeneous Markov process.
Moral Diversity and Bioethics Consultation

In the United States, bioethics consultation has become a necessary facet of health care. The reasons are multiple. First, and most practically speaking, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations mandates that accredited institutions have some provision for the discussion of ethical issues that arise in the hospital. However, as no exact requirements are given, this mandate may be satisfied in a number of ways, including 1) hiring an independent “bioethics consultant”; 2) establishing a bioethics committee comprised of various people (who do or do not work for the organization), or even 3) determining that a risk management department will discuss cases that arise.
DOT's Perspective on In-Line Inspection

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and its Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) have been involved with in-line inspection (ILI) pigs since the construction of the Alaska crude oil pipeline. Congressionally mandated reports concerning ILI pigs, and a regulation requiring new and replaced pipe and components be designed and constructed to accomodate ILI pigs, were issued by DOT. DOT also may mandate ILI pigs to be run on some pipelines. There is no current federal requirement to run ILI pigs. They are required by OPS in selected compliance cases. DOT supports future ILI pig research. The use of ILI pig surveys, incorporated in pipeline operators' future risk management plans developed as safety alternatives to the established pipeline safety regulations, will be supported.
Roadway-Related Truck Crash Risk Analysis: Case Studies in Texas:

Since 1994, Texas has had the highest number of fatal crashes involving large trucks in the United States, and this number increased by 82% from 2009 to 2012. Due to the size and weight of large tr...
Effects of FDI on entrepreneurship: Evidence from Right-to-Work and non-Right-to-Work states

Abstract This paper investigates the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on entrepre-neurial activity at the individual-owner level in U.S. states between 1996 and 2008. Our results indicate that FDI has no effect on entrepreneurship in pro-business states identified by the existence of Right-to-Work (RTW) laws. In non-RTW states, however, we find that an increase in FDI decreases the average monthly rate of business creation and destruction. Specifically, a 10% increase in FDI decreases the average monthly rate of business creation and destruction by roughly 4 and 2.5% (relative to the sample mean), respectively.
Deep Learning for Hyperspectral Image Classification on Embedded Platforms

Hyperspectral image (HSI) analysis refers to the processes used to identify and classify objects photographed using equipment that can image photons from a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Downlinking such large images from space on radiation-resistant platforms with limited on-board computing power takes a large amount of time, memory, and other mission-critical resources. Performing such analysis in space before downlinking all images will save these resources by enabling a subset of images of interest to be downloaded rather than the entire set. The goal of this study is to benchmark and evaluate HSI-classification methods which incorporate deep learning on embedded platforms with limited computing resources. Support Vector Machine (SVM), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) are the classification methods used in this study. These algorithms were executed on a desktop PC and two embedded platforms: the ODROID-C2 and the Raspberry Pi 3B. Accuracy, run-time, and memory benchmarks determined the optimal model for each platform. Based on results gathered in this research, CNN classification is recommended for the desktop PC due to its high accuracy of 97%. MLP classification is recommended for the embedded platforms under study, as it showcased the shortest run-time and second-highest accuracy.
Bright lines vs. blurred lines: When do critical audit matters influence investors' perceptions of management's reporting credibility?

Abstract The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board will soon require auditors to disclose critical audit matters (CAMs) to highlight areas of financial statements which are subject to a higher risk of material misstatement. Concurrently, the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board continue their efforts to converge both sets of accounting standards, and the newly converged revenue recognition standard contains a relatively limited amount of implementation guidance. I hypothesize and find that CAMs lower investors' perceptions of management's reporting credibility when the financial statement area discussed by CAMs is governed by precise, but not an imprecise, accounting standards. The emphasis of risks via CAMs is incongruent with investors' expectations about the ability of precise standards to reduce financial reporting risks. The results from this experiment with nonprofessional investors provide insights about the interaction between CAMs and accounting standards.
Palliative Care in the Hip Fracture Patient

Introduction:Older patients with hip fracture have a 20% to 30% mortality rate in the year after surgery. Nonoperative care has higher 1-year mortality rates and is generally only pursued in those ...
Graphic display system monitor manual

Abstract : GRAPH.SYS is a PDP-11 program for use with GDP2 super-display. GDP2 consists of a PDP-11/15 computer, a STANFORD keyboard, a Hewlett Packard 1310A display scope, a start-up ROM, a line clock, a communications link to the PDP- 10, 8D of 16 bit memory, and the GRAPHIC WONDER processor. GRAPH.SYS makes GDP2 into an intelligent PDP-10 graphics terminal which can simultaneously load, link and run PDP-11 programs passed from the PDP-10. This document has two parts; the first part is a manual for using the display as a terminal; part 2 is a REFERENCE MANUAL for those who wish to run programs on the PDP-11.
Cervical Cord Neurapraxia

Cervical cord neurapraxia is a transient neurological deficit resulting from trauma to the cervical spine. Most symptoms resolve in adults within 15 min and, however, may last much longer in children. The association of cervical cord neurapraxia with cervical stenosis has been shown in many series in adults but has not been well demonstrated in children. Initial management should include immobilization, clinical exam, and radiographic evaluation. Adults that do return to their sport have at least a 50% risk of recurrence, whereas the risk of recurrence in children has not yet been established. We believe that absolute contraindications to return to play include instability or focal cord compression that cannot be resolved with surgical intervention as well as any residual weakness in a major motor group, imbalance, loss of dexterity, or other cord-related neurologic deficits.
The Role of Religion for Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Implications for Dissemination and Implementation

Mindfulness-based interventions are increasingly recognized for their efficacy in clinical settings. Because of the historical and social associations of mindfulness-based interventions with spirituality and religion, individual differences in religiosity are likely to play a role in how people perceive these interventions and may ultimately impact the acceptability and implementation of mindfulness-based techniques. Mindfulness-based interventions’ religious associations are often left unspecified, but when they are stated, they are typically represented as either (1) secular and neutral to religious concerns or as (2) religiously influenced. Dichotomously presenting MBIs as either religious or secular can undermine the delivery of these interventions, as can failing to address religion or spirituality altogether. We present theory and research that explicates the likely ways in which religion influences the acceptability of mindfulness-based interventions and provide recommendations for researchers and interventionists that enable them to respond to religious concerns about mindfulness-based interventions.
What is quality and how much does it really matter

Perhaps no single word has appeared more often in health care literature during the last 12 months than "quality." Designing and marketing high quality health care services is likely to be a strategic issue through the 1990s. The purpose of this commentary is to describe why the adoption of a three-component definition of quality may be useful for designing strategies for continual quality improvements, as well as to suggest the principal ways quality should be assessed. Answers to the question, "How much does quality really matter?" are examined. The commentary is based on the keynote address presented at the 1991 Health Care Consumer Buying Guides Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, sponsored by the Academy for Health Services Marketing.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy for head and neck cancer of unknown primary

5565 Background: Unknown primary head and neck cancers often require comprehensive mucosal and bilateral neck irradiation. With conventional techniques, significant toxicity can develop. Intensity ...
Factors associated with emergency department visits in asthma exacerbation

OBJECTIVES: Despite quality improvement initiatives to prevent asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits, rates have not declined. We sought to determine factors associated with ED visits in an underserved population. METHODS: We performed a case-control analysis of asthma patients at three ambulatory care centers serving low-income populations. Cases consisted of asthmatic patients aged 18 to 45 years with ≥1 ED visit for an asthma exacerbation between August 1, 2008 and July 31, 2010. Controls were patients with asthma aged 18 to 45 years with ≥1 outpatient visit during the same period but with no asthma-related ED visit. Data were collected by chart review and included demographics, past referral for asthma education or to a pulmonologist, recent tobacco use, influenza vaccination, and asthma medication prescriptions in the year before the index visit. RESULTS: Among 244 cases and 475 controls, there were no significant differences in age, sex, or ethnicity. Cases were more likely than controls to have ever been referred for asthma education (odds ratio [OR] 4.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.57-6.50) or to a pulmonologist (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.15-4.66). In the year before the index visit, cases were more likely than controls to receive other medications in addition to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS; OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.14-2.66) but less likely to receive influenza vaccination (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.34-0.71), a short-acting β-agonist (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.24-0.78), or ICS alone (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34-0.84). CONCLUSIONS: Markers of severe disease were associated with ED visits, as well as a lack of an influenza vaccination and failure to prescribe either ICS or short-acting β-agonists.
Seasonal variability in the diet and feeding ecology of black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata) in Ranomafana National Park, southeastern Madagascar.

Objectives We characterized the diet and foraging ecology of the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata), a specialized frugivore, and investigated behavioral strategies exhibited in response to seasonal changes in resource availability. Materials and methods Behavioral data were collected from the same two adjacent communities across 29 months during two observation periods (2007-2008; 2017-2018) in Mangevo, a primary rainforest habitat in southeastern Madagascar. To analyze feeding in the context of energy maximization versus time minimization strategies, we used nonparametric tests to compare plant part constituents, dietary diversity, activity budgets, and canopy strata use between fruit-abundant versus fruit-lean seasons. Results Individuals dedicated ~30% of their time to feeding year-round, mostly in the middle canopy (11-20 m). Animals fed primarily on fruits (74% of diet), but frugivory decreased and folivory increased markedly during fruit-lean seasons. Abundant season dietary diversity (98 taxa, H' = 0.71-1.37) was greater than lean season diversity (70 taxa, H' = 0.56-1.06), which coincided with less traveling, more resting, and higher canopy use-though interannual variation was observed. Conclusions Herein, we describe behavioral and dietary patterns that are concordant with a time minimizing behavioral strategy. Black-and-white ruffed lemur diets comprised lower taxonomic diversity, fewer fruits, and more leaves during fruit-lean months. Further, shifts toward less travel, more resting, and greater use of higher canopy levels during this time were most likely for thermoregulatory benefits.
Evaluation of a Next-Generation Sequencing Metagenomics Assay to Detect and Quantify DNA Viruses in Plasma from Transplant Recipients.

Viral infections are major causes of morbidity and mortality in solid-organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. This study evaluated the performance of the Galileo Pathogen Solution metagenomics Next-Generation sequencing assay to detect and quantify 11 DNA viruses (cytomegalovirus, Epstein–Barr virus, BK virus, human adenovirus, JC virus, herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, varicella zoster virus, human herpesvirus 6A and 6B, and parvovirus B19) and to qualitatively detect torque teno virus. DNA extracted from 47 plasma samples of viremic transplant recipients were subjected to DNA library preparation with pathogen enrichment/human background depletion, sequencing, and automated data analysis. The viral loads were determined with the Galileo assay using a standard curve generated from a calibration panel. All of the samples tested had a 100% agreement with the real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays in detecting the primary virus targets and the majority of the quantified samples had a viral load difference within 0.46 log10 IU/mL or copies/mL. The mean difference for cytomegalovirus between the Galileo and qPCR assays was 0.21 log10 IU/mL (SD, ±0.43 log10 IU/mL). The mean difference for BK virus between the Galileo and qPCR assays was 0.17 log10 cp/mL (SD, ±0.67 log10 cp/mL). Additionally, 75 co-infections were detected in 31 samples by the Galileo assay. The study findings show that the Galileo assay can simultaneously detect and quantify multiple viruses in transplant recipients with results that are comparable with standard-of-care qPCR assays.
Inclusivity with Reciprocity: Permitting Law Teachers Outside of ABA-Accredited Law Schools Bar Admission Through Admission on Motion Rules

Many states have adopted reciprocity in their bar admission rules. Through most reciprocity rules, an attorney who has practiced law for a set period of time in one state may obtain reciprocal bar admission in another state assuming they meet character and fitness requirements for the practice of law in that state. Many admission on motion rules also provide for admission to a state bar if an individual has engaged in “the teaching of law as an instructor in a law school or schools accredited by the American Bar Association.” While these rules provide for admission for law professors in law schools, they do not provide for admission for teachers of law outside of ABA-accredited law schools. This article argues for inclusivity for state admission on motion rules for teachers of law outside of ABA-accredited law schools if those teachers, by the “greater weight of the evidence” standard, demonstrate to a state bar contributions to the legal profession.
Prevalent but Overlooked: Current Literature, Policy, and Service Responses to Sibling Abuse

When people think of family violence, they often think of domestic violence between adults or child maltreatment. However, sibling abuse is often overlooked and normalized despite being the most common form of family violence and despite evidence of its associations with various detrimental emotional and behavioral outcomes. This chapter describes the current state of the literature on sibling abuse with an emphasis on definitions, prevalence estimates, the association of sibling abuse with adverse outcomes, and current interventions available to address this pervasive phenomenon. We discuss suggestions for future research to highlight the gaps and limitations in the current literature including the need to address definitional and methodological issues, understand the various dynamics of abusive sibling relationships, and build on current intervention research. Finally, we provide suggestions for policy, intervention, and service response in light of the gaps and limitations present in our body of knowledge on sibling abuse.
End-of-Life Care for Older Adults with Aggressive Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Background: Aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) commonly affects older adults and is often treated with intensive therapies. Receipt of intensive therapies and absence of a clear transition betwe...
Phonemes Convey Embodied Emotion

We contrast the traditional view that vowel phonemes are neutral, abstract building blocks with an understanding that they convey activities of embodied emotional facial musculature. In theory, the same facial musculature associated with visually recognizable emotional expressions also favors the production of auditorily recognizable sounds. We found a relational commonality in the distribution of phonemes across perceptual, acoustic, and biomechanical metric spaces that maps well onto emotional dimensions of valence and arousal. Specifically, /i:/-sounds (like “Gleam”) are associated with more positive emotional valence than /Ʌ/-sounds (like “Glum”), and /ae/-sounds (like “Wham”) are associated with more arousing emotions than /u:/-sounds (like “Womb). These trends generalize to other languages, across species, occur with both words and pseudo-words, and can be enhanced or inhibited by manipulating facial musculature. These types of acoustic associations complement and integrate with other forms of embodied sound symbolism such as onomatopoeic findings related to bouba-kiki phenomena, but the phoneme-emotion relationship is more robust and provides a stronger functional basis for understanding language development and evolution. The phoneme-emotion relationship provides a potential explanation for why humans originally evolved the ability to so finely discriminate the acoustic phonemic characteristics upon which language is scaffolded. In short, phonemes may initially have effectively served as general acoustic emotion-detection features.
Design and Experimental Study of a GaN-based Three-Port Multilevel Inverter

A three-port multilevel inverter with two DC ports and an AC port using Flying Capacitor Multilevel (FCML) design based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) switches is proposed in this paper. Recently, FCML inverter has shown a superior ability for power conversion with high power density, improved Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), and efficiency. The presented three-port multilevel inverter fits various applications such as battery and photovoltaic (PV) grid integration and standalone AC load. The proposed inverter is experimentally verified by building a 3-kW prototype using GaN switches which include two 4-level FCML converter paths, each share the same bus capacitor (C bus ), which links them together. One FCML path is 1 kW that incorporates an unfolder for the DC-to-AC conversion and has achieved a peak efficiency of 98.2% with AC voltage and current THDs of 1.26% and 1.23%, respectively. While the second FCML converter path is 2 kW used for the DC-to-DC conversion and has achieved a 99.43% peak efficiency.
Conformational analysis—LXXX

Abstract A previously described force-field method has been used to study the energies and structures of the cis and trans isomers of hydrindane, 8-methylhydrindane, the 1-, 2-, and 3-keto derivatives, and a series of more complicated molecules of the steroid and triterpene type which contain hydrindanone systems. The calculated energy differences are in good agreement with the experimentally known values, and it is now possible to understand the exact nature of the interactions which lead to the observed energy differences.
Aggressive Chemical Mimicry by the Bolas Spider Mastophora hutchinsoni: Identification and Quantification of a Major Prey's Sex Pheromone Components in the Spider's Volatile Emissions

The adult female bolas spider Mastophora hutchinsoni feeds exclusively on attracted males of a few moth species. This exclusivity and the behavior of the approaching moths suggest that the spider aggressively mimics the sex pheromones of its prey species. Males of the bristly cutworm, Lacinipolia renigera, are a major prey of this spider, accounting for about two thirds of the biomass of prey consumed. Female bristly cutworms produce a pheromone blend consisting of (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9–14 : Ac) and (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecenyl acetate (ZE-9,12–14 : Ac). To determine if M. hutchinsoni females mimic the sex pheromone components and blend ratio of L. renigera, we collected volatiles from hunting adult female spiders and analyzed them with gas chromatography–electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). GC-EAD analysis of volatile collections, using a male bristly cutworm antenna as the detector and two capillary columns of different polarities, revealed the presence of peaks with retention times (Rts) identical to Z9–14 : Ac and ZE-9,12– 14 : Ac. The mass spectrum of a peak with Rt of Z9–14 : Ac was identical to the mass spectrum of the synthetic equivalent. There was an insufficient quantity of the compound with Rt of ZE-9,12–14 : Ac to get a full spectrum, but selective detection of ions at m/z 61 and 192 at the correct Rt supported the identification. On average, the blend collected from spiders contained 54.8 ± 20.8 (SE) pg/min of Z9–14 : Ac and 2.5 ± 1.7 (SE) pg/min of ZE-9,12–14 : Ac. The latter, on average, comprised 2.6 ± 0.7% of the total, which is similar to the blend ratio emitted by bristly cutworm females. Our results indicate that the adult female M. hutchinsoni produces an allomone blend that mimics not only the composition, but also the blend ratio, of the sex pheromone of a major prey species.
A study of the possible significance of the vaginal smear as an additional factor in the diagnosis of incomplete abortion

Abstract 1. 1. A short resume of the history of the development of the vaginal smear is given to show that, while it is still a relatively new procedure, it has been studied sufficiently to be recognized as a definite scientific entity, with rather well-defined clinical potentialities. 2. 2. The histomorphology of the vaginal epithelium has been investigated in many different ways. Although all investigators are not in complete agreement as to details, the general histologic facts have been recognized and accepted. It is these generally accepted facts that have been outlined and described in this paper and used as a basis for this work. 3. 3. We have followed the technique described by Papanicolaou in the preparation of the vaginal smears. We have modified this technique somewhat in ways which seem to us to improve the detail and clarity of the smear. These modifications have rendered the vaginal smear more applicable for the type of work we have undertaken. A further modification has been developed to simplify the staining procedure in an endeavor to make this procedure available for office and clinic use. 4. 4. Vaginal smear changes during pregnancy and after parturition have been carefully studied, for comparison with the changes noted in cases of incomplete abortion. 5. 5. An endeavor has been made to recognize and identify changes in the vaginal smear that might be characteristic of incomplete abortion. Certain features of the smear that seem to qualify have been described in detail. It is suggested that these might be considered as definite signs of incomplete abortion. This paper is intended as a preliminary report and is not an endeavor to establish these findings as facts at this time. 6. 6. Our plan of procedure has been outlined, the types of controls used have been explained and a resume of our findings, has formed the basis for this paper. 7. 7. The adaptability of this procedure for office and clinic use has been shown by an explanation of the surprisingly simple staining procedure that has been developed and found to fulfill the requirements necessary to bring out changes in the vaginal smear that seem to be characteristic of incomplete abortion.
Effects of radiation on laser diodes.

The effects of ionizing and neutron radiation on the characteristics and performance of laser diodes are reviewed, and the formation mechanisms for nonradiative recombination centers, the primary type of radiation damage in laser diodes, are discussed. Additional topics include the detrimental effects of aluminum in the active (lasing) volume, the transient effects of high-dose-rate pulses of ionizing radiation, and a summary of ways to improve the radiation hardness of laser diodes. Radiation effects on laser diodes emitting in the wavelength region around 808 nm are emphasized.
Future perspectives of microwave imaging with application to multi-parameter POLSAR remote sensing and geophysical stress-change monitoring

The Indonesian Islands stretch over almost four time zones along the equatorial belt in between +/- 11* latitude, and its lush vegetation along with its mineral resources are exposed to increasing natural hazards like volcano eruptions, earthquakes and seaquakes with ensuing tsunami, cyclones with devastating floods plus ruthless mineral mining; thus, disaster assessment and prevention has become an ever more pressing topic of top priority. Current ground-based disaster damage assessment methods are cumbersome and costly due to sudden sporadic hazard occurrences; and local point measurements are not representative of larger affected regions. Due to the strong spatial and temporal dynamics of geo/bio-environmental constituents frequent continual observations are necessary for which satellite remote sensing and stress change monitoring provide the sought for repetitive monitoring capability and synoptic coverage.
The Semantics Application Interface

Mapping natural language into a formal language with well defined semantics is prerequisite but not enough for practical applications such as “front ends” to database systems or other applications. We have to translate the “logical form” produced by the semantics module into a formal language understood by the application. Many applications allow a programmatic interface, and some applications (such as databases) define an interface language, e.g. SQL which has become a standardised language. For communication with knowledge bases, a standard communication language— KIF “Knowledge Interchange Format”—is emerging ([7]), making it possible to query or update knowledge bases written in different representation languages.
A New Type of Hydrogen Bond

Hydrogen bonding is responsible for a wide array of chemical properties, from the melting point of water to the behavior of enzymes. In his Perspective, Crabtree discusses recent work in which entirely new kinds of hydrogen bonds have been discovered. Understanding and controlling these new types of bonding may enable researchers to harness a variety of important catalytic processes.
Experiencing Classroom Goal Structures: A Simulation Approach

Why do some students think success in school means getting a higher mark on an exam than their classmates, while others attach more importance to improving school work or trying their hardest? Why do some classrooms magnify individual differences among students and others foster feelings of commonality? Under what conditions are teachers more likely to emphasize cooperation rather than competition? To answer these questions requires an in-depth study of motivational variables. Although there are a number of variables involved in any consideration of the above questions, one key factor that is present in every class situation is the classroom goal structure. The specific goal structure selected by a teacher has a considerable impact on the manner in which students and teachers relate to one another and on students' performance in a classroom environment.
Short Note on Complexity of Multi-Value Byzantine Agreement

Abstract : Inspired by [4], and the deterministic multi-valued Byzantine agreement algorithm in our recent technical report [5], we derive a randomized algorithm that achieves multi-valued Byzantine agreement with high probability, and achieves optimal complexity. The discussion in this note is not self-contained, and relies heavily on the material in [5] please refer to [5] for the necessary background. Consider a synchronous fully connected network with n nodes, namely 0; 1; : : : ; n-1. Let node 0 be the source; the other n 1 nodes are called peers. At most t is less than n=3 nodes can be faulty. The goal here is for the n 1 peers to agree on the values sent by the source (similar to the Byzantine Generals problem in the work of Pease, Shostak and Lamport). This is also known as the broadcast problem. Our algorithm achieves agreement on a long message of l bits with high probability. Similar to the algorithm in [5], the proposed randomized Byzantine agreement algorithm progresses in generations. In each generation, D bits are being agreed upon, with the total number of generations being l=D. For convenience, we assume l to be an integral multiple of D.
Recovering depth and motion of multiple objects from intensity images

This thesis presents algorithms that recover depth and motion information of multiple objects from intensity images. The recovery is done through the computation of normal flow fields. It is well known that depth and motion computation from normal flows, optical flows, or image disparities is a nonlinear problem by nature, requiring very good initial guesses to yield good results. In this thesis, we separate the computation of depth and motion, thus transforming the nonlinear problem into two linear problems. In the depth computation stage, a dual-camera imaging system is adopted. One of the cameras is assumed stationary and the other translating. Each camera generates an image sequence, out of which a normal flow field is estimated. The difference of the two normal flow fields provides a relative normal flow field. When the motion of the moving camera is given, depth of object points can be locally and linearly computed from relative normal flows. Motion computation becomes a linear regression problem when depth is available. As both normal flow and depth estimates contain outliers, the method of least median of squares is adopted to achieve a robust regression. To handle the case of multiple objects, a hypothesis-and-test scheme is adopted. Strong edge points at which normal flows are estimated are grouped into segments. The segments are then grouped into rigidly moving objects if they are compatible with the motion thus determined. Two fitting measurements, condition number and relative fitting error, are used to ensure proper grouping and motion computation. To improve the quality of depth and motion estimates, the method of Kalman filter is adopted. Depth and motion estimates are computed over long sequences of images. The depth estimates get improved directly when they are dynamically combined, and the motion estimates are improved indirectly through the improvement of depth estimates. The algorithms are tested on many image sequences. As is shown in the thesis, the algorithms are capable of yielding depth and motion estimates with relative error within 10%. This accuracy is sufficient for many practical applications.
Buckling of boron nitride nanotube reinforced piezoelectric polymeric composites subject to combined electro-thermo-mechanical loadings

Abstract Unlike widely used carbon nanotubes, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) have shown to possess stable semiconducting behavior and strong piezoelectricity. Such properties along with their outstanding mechanical properties and thermal conductivity, make BNNTs promising candidate reinforcement materials for a verity of applications especially nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices. Motivated by these abilities, we aim to study the buckling behavior of BNNT-reinforced piezoelectric polymeric composites when subjected to combined electro-thermo-mechanical loadings. For this, the multi-walled structure of BNNT is considered as elastic media and a set of concentric cylindrical shells with van der Waals interaction between them. Using three-dimensional equilibrium equations, Donnell shell theory is utilized to show that the axially compressive resistance of BNNT varies with applying thermal and electrical loads. Also, a new equivalent spring constant model of piezoelectric matrix under electro-thermo-mechanical loadings is developed according to the concept of Whitney–Riley model. Results indicate that the support of piezoelectric matrix significantly enhances the buckling resistance of BNNT. Alternatively, the effect of BNNT piezoelectric property on the buckling behavior of composites is demonstrated. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the supporting effect of elastic medium depends on the direction of applied voltage and thermal flow. More specifically, it is shown that applying direct and reverse voltages to BNNT changes the buckling loads for any axial and circumferential wavenumbers. Such capability could be uniquely utilized when designing BNNT-reinforced composites for structural vibration control applications.
Accommodating Religious Expression in the Workplace

Religious expression in the workplace has been gaining more prominence and attention with the increasing diversity of the population. Employers are legally required to reasonably accommodate the religious practices and beliefs of their employees. This article will examine the most common types of religious expression in the workplace and will discuss the extent of the legal obligation of an employer to accommodate those expressions.
In-group-out-group differences in social projection

Abstract Most studies of Allport's notion of social projection have addressed in-group social projection (the perceived prevalence of one's own position within the in-group). The possibility of out-group social projection (the perceived prevalence of one's own position within the out-group) has been suggested, but the specific patterns of out-group social projection have never been established. This paper reports the results of three studies which directly examine social projection in an intergroup context. These results replicate the previously established false consensus effect for the in-group. However, this effect is reversed in the false uniqueness effect evidenced toward the out-group. The stronger differences between in-group projection and out-group projection in the second and third studies are attributed to their more potent manipulations of the intergroup context. Discussion considers the implications of these results for research on social projection phenomena and for intergroup behavior.
A FADD-dependent innate immune mechanism in mammalian cells

Vertebrate innate immunity provides a first line of defence against pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. Viral infection activates a potent innate immune response, which can be triggered by double-stranded (ds)RNA produced during viral replication. Here, we report that mammalian cells lacking the death-domain-containing protein FADD are defective in intracellular dsRNA-activated gene expression, including production of type I (alpha/beta) interferons, and are thus very susceptible to viral infection. The signalling pathway incorporating FADD is largely independent of Toll-like receptor 3 and the dsRNA-dependent kinase PKR, but seems to require receptor interacting protein 1 as well as Tank-binding kinase 1-mediated activation of the transcription factor IRF-3. The requirement for FADD in mammalian host defence is evocative of innate immune signalling in Drosophila, in which a FADD-dependent pathway responds to bacterial infection by activating the transcription of antimicrobial genes. These data therefore suggest the existence of a conserved pathogen recognition pathway in mammalian cells that is essential for the optimal induction of type I interferons and other genes important for host defence.
The Calculation of Absolute Viscosity from Data Secured by means of the Torsion Pendulum Viscosimeter

Summary An equation has been developed which makes possible the conversion of degrees retardation, a measure of viscosity determined by means of the torsion pendulum (Mojonnier-Doolittle) viscosimeter, into centipoise, the unit of absolute viscosity.
Novel microwave assisted solid state metathesis synthesis of KMF3 (MZn, Mn, Mg, and Co)

Abstract A novel solid-state metathesis approach [ZnCl 2 + KF → KZnF 3 + KCl] has been applied to synthesize complex fluorides of the type KMF 3 (M Mg, Mn, Zn and Co) that are of technological importance. Formation of high lattice energy by-product KCl is the driving force for such a reaction resulting in the desired product formation. The structural and chemical properties of the synthesized powders are determined by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.
Clorazepate and phenobarbital as antiepileptic drugs A double‐blind study

The antiepileptic effect of clorazepate when given with phenytoin was compared, in a randomized double-blind crossover study, to the effect of the standard regimen of phenobarbital plus phenytoin in patients with partial seizures. Thirty of 42 subjects preferred the clorazepate-phenytoin regimen (p less than 0.01). The same number of subjects had fewer seizures while taking clorazepate as had fewer seizures while taking phenobarbital. However, subjects had significantly more toxicity, objective and subjective, on the phenobarbital-phenytoin regimen (p less than 0.01 in both cases). In some subjects, increased toxicity due to phenobarbital outweighed better seizure control, so that clorazepate was preferred. As an add-on antiepileptic drug, clorazepate is well tolerated, effective, and preferred by most patients to phenobarbital.
Intraclass Correlation for Measures from a Middle School Nutrition Intervention Study: Estimates, Correlates, and Applications:

This article presents the first estimates of school-level intraclass correlation for dietary measures based on data from the Teens Eating for Energy and Nutrition at School study. This study involves 3,878 seventh graders from 16 middle schools from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. The sample was 66.8% White, 11.2% Black, and 7.0% Asian; 48.8% of the sample was female. Typical fruit and vegetable intake was assessed with a modified version of the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaire. Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were conducted by nutritionists using the Minnesota Nutrition Data System. Mixed-model regression methods were used to estimate variance components for school and residual error, both before and after adjustment for demographic factors. School-level intraclass correlations were large enough, if ignored, to substantially inflate the Type I error rate in an analysis of treatment effects. The authors show how to use the estimates to determine sample size requirements for future studies.