cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Political uncertainty and international corruption

ABSTRACTThis article uniquely considers influences of political uncertainty on corruption. Political uncertainty disturbs existing corrupt (and legal) contractual relations inducing greater corrupt activity to strengthen existing alliances and foster new ones. Results across two measures of cross-national corruption show that political assassinations increase corruption in different variations and time periods, and a general index of political instability mostly has the same effect. The influences of other factors on corruption are in general accord with the literature. These findings are generally robust to consideration of alternate dimensions of political uncertainty.
Antidiabetic agents and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with heart diseases

AbstractIntroduction: This article reviews evidence of the benefits and risk of antidiabetic agents in cardiovascular (CV) outcomes, with a focus on medications approved by the FDA since 2008.Study selection: Peer-reviewed articles were identified from MEDLINE and Current Content databases (both 1966 to 1 October 2016) using the search terms insulin, metformin, rosiglitazone, pioglitazone, glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride, acarbose, miglitol, albiglutide, exenatide, liraglutide, lixisenatide, dulaglutide, pramlintide, meglitinide, alogliptin, linagliptin, saxagliptin, sitagliptin, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, colesevalam, bromocriptine, mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure (HF), and stroke. Trials were included if they were randomized clinical trials evaluating adult patients (≥18 years) with type 2 diabetes; had a period of intervention and follow-up of ≥12 months; and assessed CV outcomes (CV death, fatal/non-fatal MI or HF) as endpoints. Twenty-three randomized trials w...
Swim Through the Darkness: My Search for Craig Smith and the Mystery of Maitreya Kali

Swim Through the Darkness is a gripping account of the life and times of Craig Smith, a gifted singer and songwriter, who, as a consequence of mental illness and the devastating effects of LSD, spe...
Autoimmune Neurologic Disorders

The practice of autoimmune neurology focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of a wide spectrum of neurological conditions driven by abnormal immune responses directed against neural tissues. These include autoimmune, paraneoplastic, postinfectious, and iatrogenic conditions. Symptoms of autoimmune neurologic disorders can be diverse and often difficult to recognize in their early stages, complicating the diagnosis. This review discusses the classification and management of common autoimmune neurological conditions, placing an emphasis on the rapid identification of autoimmune etiology and mechanism of immune dysfunction to allow for the timely institution of appropriate treatment.
Economic Insecurity and Fertility: Does Income Volatility Impact the Decision to Remain a One-Child Family?

This study is the first to investigate the economic factors behind the recent rise of the one-child family in the United States. Using longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) that runs from 1968 to 2013 and a variety of different model specifications with state and year fixed effect, including logistic regression, linear probability, and Cox proportional hazard models, the study examined the effect of absolute income volatility on the decision of having an only-child family. The study found that an increase in the standard deviation of income is associated with a decrease in the probability of having a second child for mothers who are in the second quartile of income distribution.
A Mechanical Approach to Quantify Blending of Aged Binder from Recycled Materials in New Hot Mix Asphalt Mixtures

In the paving industry, there is increased interest in using recycled materials like recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) and reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP) due to the valuable asphalt binder contain...
Physiological and Behavioral Assessment

When addressing a research question in psychiatry and in the behavioral sciences, it is important to consider physiological and behavioral assessments in addition to self-report measures for two reasons. First, employing these methods allows the researcher to address questions that are only accessible in this manner; “physiological” questions often require physiological methods. Second, physiological measures and behavioral observations bypass certain problems involved in self-reporting, such as selective reporting, biases, forgetting, and the wish to please the experimenter.
Enterococcus faecalis sex pheromone plasmid pAM373: analyses of TraA and evidence for its interaction with RpoB

The Enterococcus faecalis plasmid pAM373 (36.7kb) encodes a mating response to the sex pheromone cAM373 secreted by recipient (plasmid-free) bacteria. Like certain other conjugative enterococcal plasmids, a key regulator of the pheromone response is a negatively acting protein, TraA, which is believed to interact with internalized pheromone to influence expression from a key transcriptional promoter P(0). An earlier report showed that in the case of pAM373 most, but not all, transposon-insertion mutations in traA differed from those in the case of pAD1 and pCF10 in that they did not give rise to the normally characteristic constitutive clumping. We show here that this phenomenon relates to a host effect involving an RpoB-related mutation associated with rifampin resistance. When harboring traA mutants, rifampin-sensitive hosts exhibited constitutive clumping, whereas rifampin-resistant hosts did not-despite the fact that the latter host exhibited a normal pheromone-inducible clumping response when harboring a wild-type plasmid. The data imply that TraA normally remains associated with the transcription complex after induction. In addition the promoter of traA, designated P(a), was shown to be located about 600bp upstream of the translational start site, as clones containing traA required this site to complement traA mutants in trans. Transcription from P(a) also gave rise to a short (130 nt) transcript, mD, expressed at a high level in uninduced cells. An earlier observation suggesting that TraA negatively affected transcriptional readthrough into the 3' end of traA from the t(ac) intrinsic bidirectional terminator between traA and the opposing, adjacent traC was supported by TraA complementation studies. Evidence is also presented suggesting that this regulation at t(ac) also involves an additional, possibly cis-acting, element.
Comparing the Maslach Burnout Inventory to Other Well-Being Instruments in Emergency Medicine Residents.

ABSTRACT Background The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is considered the “gold standard” for measuring burnout, encompassing 3 scales: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Other well-being instruments have shown utility in various settings, and correlations between MBI and these instruments could provide evidence of relationships among key variables to guide well-being efforts. Objective We explored correlations between the MBI and other well-being instruments. Methods We fielded a multicenter survey of 9 emergency medicine (EM) residencies, administering the MBI and 4 published well-being instruments: a quality-of-life assessment, a work-life balance rating, an appraisal of career satisfaction, and the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire 2 question screen. Consistent with the Maslach definition, burnout was defined by high emotional exhaustion (> 26) and high depersonalization (> 12). Results Of 334 residents, 261 (78%) responded....
What Makes a Piece of Art or Science a Masterpiece

Works of art and science that achieve masterpiece status share several characteristics: they convey a special type of originality that captures the imagination, they stand the test of time, and they change the way artists or scientists think about their field.
Interactive explanation for planning-based systems: WIP abstract

As Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) become more autonomous, it becomes harder for humans who interact with the CPSs to understand the behavior of the systems. Particularly for CPSs that must perform tasks while optimizing for multiple quality objectives and acting under uncertainty, it can be difficult for humans to understand the system behavior generated by an automated planner. This work-in-progress presents an approach at clarifying system behavior through interactive explanation by allowing end-users to ask Why and Why-Not questions about specific behaviors of the system, and providing answers in the form of contrastive explanation.
A Web-App for Analysis of Honey Bee Hive Data

The significant drop in honey bee population in recent years has been attributed to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). There have been many efforts to monitor honey bee hives and learn about their health and behavior. As part of early efforts for monitoring hives, our research group developed the Beemon system which obtains audio and video recordings as well as humidity and temperature data at beehives for further analysis. In order to make the analysis more efficient and widely accessible, we recently developed a web application to allow easier access to all the Beemon data and provide several tools for analysis. This paper provides details on the design and development of the web application used to make Beemon data available via web-based visualization tools for more effective analysis. Our web application was built using the MEAN (MongoDB, Express, Angular, Node.js) web stack which allowed JavaScript to be used on both the server- and client-sides. This system was built modularly, so the data visualization system was added on as a new server- and client-side module. The system queries data quickly from MongoDB, aggregate views and sends the large blocks of serializable data to the client using Socket.io. The client can interact with our server’s data-providing endpoints and flexibly use any client-side data visualization framework. Our system employs C3.js, a D3-based data visualization platform, which includes base charts, to render visualizations of transmitted data.
The proportion of out-patients in Department of Ophthalmology of Kunming Children's Hospital

From Jan 2003 to Dec 2007 total 110 239 out-patients visited the Department of Ophthalmology of Kunming Children's Hospital, among them 62.21% were non-Kunming residents.In all patients there were 61 613 boys and 48 626 girls with an average age of 7.4 years, and 66.48% was under age of 7.For the diagnostic category 13.82% was normal, ametropia accounted for 41.73%, inflammation of eyelid and conjunctiva 27.20%, congenital obstruction of lacrimal passage 7.56%, strabismus and amblyopia 4.01%, trichiasis 0.88%, ptosis 0.35%, disease of cornea 0.27%, cataract 0.14%, congenital glaucoma 0.05%, trauma 0.67% and 3.32% were others.The number of patients had a seasonal variation and 42.98% patient visits occured in winter and summer vacation. Key words: Child health services; Ophthalmology
Bone Loss and the Current Diagnosis of Osteoporosis and Risk of Fragility Fracture in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

The topics to be discussed in this article include bone loss in the regions of the lower extremity that are most prone to fracture, the risk factors for fracture, the diagnosis of osteoporosis in persons with spinal cord (SCI), the determination of the fracture threshold at the knee, and a brief discussion of future directions. Extensive cross-sectional studies, but a paucity of longitudinal studies, that describe the precipitous bone loss occurs during the acute phase of SCI that likely continues, albeit more gradually, over the lifetime. The distal femur (DF) and proximal tibia (PT) are the regions that are at the highest risk for fracture. The most predictive risk factor for fracture in persons with SCI is low areal bone mineral density (aBMD). Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the most practical and accurate imaging method to assess DF and PT aBMD but, historically, insufficient standardization of this method has limited its clinical application. The DF and PT regions should be assessed in persons with SCI using recently available DXA acquisition methodology and, once available, applying an appropriate reference dataset at the knee region collected from young, healthy able-bodied individuals.
Feasibility of Auricular Field Stimulation in Fibromyalgia: Evaluation by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Randomized Trial

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of recruitment, preliminary efficacy, and acceptability of auricular percutaneous electrical nerve field stimulation (PENFS) for the treatment of fibromyalgia in veterans, using neuroimaging as an outcome measure and a biomarker of treatment response. Design Randomized, controlled, single-blind. Setting Government hospital. Subjects Twenty-one veterans with fibromyalgia were randomized to standard therapy (ST) control or ST with auricular PENFS treatment. Methods Participants received weekly visits with a pain practitioner over 4 weeks. The PENFS group received reapplication of PENFS at each weekly visit. Resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fcMRI) data were collected within 2 weeks prior to initiating treatment and 2 weeks following the final treatment. Analysis of rs-fcMRI used a right posterior insula seed. Pain and function were assessed at baseline and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks post-treatment. Results At 12 weeks post-treatment, there was a nonsignificant trend toward improved pain scores and significant improvements in pain interference with sleep among the PENFS treatment group as compared with the ST controls. Neuroimaging data displayed increased connectivity to areas of the cerebellum and executive control networks in the PENFS group as compared with the ST control group following treatment. Conclusions There was a trend toward improved pain and function among veterans with fibromyalgia in the ST + PENFS group as compared with the ST control group. Pain and functional outcomes correlated with altered rs-fcMRI network connectivity. Neuroimaging results differed between groups, suggesting an alternative underlying mechanism for PENFS analgesia.
The portrayal of forest certification in national and state newspapers of the United States

Abstract Forest certification has emerged as a market-based tool to safeguard the sustainability of the world's forests. Since media can shape public opinion, this study examines media treatment of forest certification in the United States, the world's largest producer and consumer of forest products. This study utilizes 309 print and digital newspaper articles published in the United States between 1989 and 2019 to evaluate which aspects of certification are highlighted, which are favored, and how these vary by region. We found that coverage of forest certification is overwhelmingly positive at both the regional (85%) and national (90.7%) levels. Environmental themes are most discussed nationally (48.8%) and regionally (36%), but thematic emphasis differs regionally. Although the Forest Steward Council is the most covered certification scheme at the national level, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification scheme prevails in southern media outlets. The focus of articles related to the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) is mostly sociocultural. This was expected as the ATFS focuses on certifying forestlands of family forest landowners in the United States. Our findings suggest newspaper coverage of forest certification is geographically heterogeneous, with regions establishing their preferred themes and schemes. This research will better situate forest certification as a tool for sustainable forest management in the United States.
“COMMAND WITHOUT DEBASEMENT”: SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVED INTRA-FORCE RELATIONS IN NIGERIA POLICE FORCE THROUGH EXCELLENCE PUBLIC RELATIONS

This paper highlights the imperative of effective intra-relations within the Nigerian Police Force. Most discourses of public relations in relation to the Nigeria Police Force focus more on the external publics with less interest on the internal public. Being a hierarchical organization characterized by top-down communication expressed in form chain of command, it assumes that the police force has no use for symmetrical communication which is the hallmark of Grunig’s excellence theory of public relations. However, this study proves otherwise, that excellent public relations can be practiced in the force when members of the organization especially the superiors realize and operationalize the habit of commanding without debasing their subordinates. In doing this, the status of intra-force relations of the Nigeria police force will be greatly improved. Article visualizations:
Abstract P205: Use Of A Noninvasive, Closed-loop, Allostatic, Neurotechnology Reduced Blood Pressure And Improved Sleep In Heterogeneous Cohort

Introduction: Elevated blood pressure is a major modifiable risk for cardiovascular disease. Disturbed central control of cardiovascular regulation due to trauma, stress, anxiety or other causes ca...
Methadone vs. Buprenorphine for In-Hospital Initiation: Which Is Better for Outpatient Care Retention in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder?

Currently, few hospitals provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to admitted patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). Data are needed to inform whether the choice of medication during hospitalization influences probability of retention in outpatient OUD treatment. This was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients who received a medical toxicology consult for OUD. Medical records were reviewed to determine if patients received MOUD and were referred to Engaging Patients in Care Coordination (EPICC), a service that connects hospitalized patients with OUD to outpatient care. Patients were stratified by the last form of MOUD they received in the hospital (methadone verses buprenorphine); retention in outpatient treatment was measured at 2 weeks, 30 days, and 12 weeks. The log-rank test was used to determine the difference in probabilities of retention in the methadone and buprenorphine groups. An event was defined as drop-out from outpatient treatment. Of 267 total patients with medical toxicology consults for OUD, 155 received MOUD and referral to EPICC. One hundred six patients received buprenorphine and 46 received methadone. Three additional patients were excluded. The rate of retention in outpatient treatment for patients who received buprenorphine was 37%, 26%, and 13% and for patients who received methadone was 43%, 39%, and 35% at 2 weeks, 30 days, and 12 weeks, respectively. Methadone was associated with a statistically significant increased probability of retention in outpatient treatment as compared to buprenorphine (P < 0.01). Despite the limitations of this retrospective study, in hospitalized patients who received MOUD, the probability of retention in outpatient treatment was higher in patients receiving methadone compared to buprenorphine.
A Smart Landing Platform With Data-Driven Analytic Procedures for UAV Preflight Safety Diagnosis

Due to the limitation imposed by hardware and form factor considerations, multirotor unmanned aircraft (drones) are unable to conduct preflight physical checks on their own capacity. Critical safety checks involve detecting various anomalies such as imbalanced payload, damaged propellers, mulfunctioning motors and poorly calibrated compass, etc. Human efforts are currently required for performing such tasks, which impedes large-scale deployments of drones and increases the operational costs. In this work, we propose a weight-measuring landing platform along with a set of statistical inference algorithms aimed at performing safety checks for any multicopter aircraft that lands on the platform. We develop a nonconvex nonlinear least squares model for estimating the center of gravity and orientation of the aircraft, and derive a recursive formula for calculating the optimal solution. In numeric experiments, our analytical solution method has been able to find the global solution orders-of-magnitude faster than a global optimization solver. We have conducted real-system tests on a quadcopter drone deliberately configured to carry misplaced payload, and to use damaged propellers. Experiment results show that the platform is able to detect and profile these common safety issues with high accuracy.
Incidental Abdominal Lesions

The advent of high-quality cross-sectional imaging has revolutionized medical and surgical diagnosis and treatment. However, it has also led to the discovery of numerous incidental findings that may require evaluation to determine whether they may be safely dismissed or if further workup is required.
High temperature/high frequency fatigue crack growth in titanium metal matrix composites

An experimental study was conducted to examine the effects of high temperalurehigh frequency loading on the crack growth behavior in litanium composites Fatigue crack growth tests were performed on the unidirectional SM1240/TIMETAL-215 composite in air environment as three different temperatures: 24, 500, and 650°C with a loading frequency of (a Hz and a stress ratio of 0.1. Tests were also carried out in vacuum and on aged specimens. fn all the tests, the crack length was measured continuously while the crack opening displacement (COD) was measured at discrete positions along the crack length. Results show that, at all temperatures, the crack progresses in two sequential stages; a stage in which the crack growth rate decreases as the crack length increases followed by a stage characterized by an accelerated crack growth rate. The first stage corresponds to a crack-bridging condition and is the focus of the analysis in this paper. In additional to COD measurements, the microstructural features associated with the fracture process during this stage was examined by scanning electron microscopy with emphasis being placed on the matrix crack morphology, debonding location, temperature, and environmental influences on the fiber coatings. An analytical procedure, employing concepts of the theory of fracture mechanics and micromechanics analysis of the stress state along bridging fibers, was applied in order to calculate the fiber-bridging stress, the frictional shear stress, and the effective stress intensity factor. Results of this work suggest that the fiber-bridging stress and the frictional shear stress are variables along the crack length and are test temperature dependents. Furthermore, it was concluded that both the crack-tip opening displacement and the effective stress intensity factor can be used as measurements of the crack-tip driving force in the crack-bridging stage. Based on the experimental and analytical results collected in this study, a bridging damage mechanism under the loading condition specified here is suggested. This mechanism argues that the effect of temperature on the high frequency crack growth process is established through the temperature-related modification of the frictional shear stress and the resulting adjustment of the internal stress state in the debonded regions of the bridging fibers.
The adsorption of cyclic hydrocarbons on Ru(001): I. Cyclopropane☆

Abstract The adsorption of cyclohexane on Ru(001) at 90 K has been investigated by thermal desorption mass spectrometry, EELS, UV photoemission and LEED. Thermal desorption indicates the adsorption of the undissociated molecule first in a chemisorbed monolayer ( T d = 200 K) with subsequent formation of multilayers ( T d = 165 K) at higher exposures. The vibrational spectrum obtained by EELS is characterized by a frequency shift of the C-H stretching mode from 2920 cm −1 (multilayer) to 2560 cm −1 for the chemisorbed monolayer. Off-specular EELS data indicate two different electron scattering mechanisms for the C-H stretching mode. Whereas for the C-H stretching mode of the multilayer, large angle electron impact scattering is observed, the C-H soft-mode of the monolayer is largely due to small angle dipolar scattering. The He I photoelectron spectra of cyclohexane multilayers are characteristic of the undissociated molecule. A new assignment of C(2s) and the lowest C(2p) level, based on a comparison with benzene, shows that the chemisorbed monolayer is characterized by the absence of emission or broadening of the 2a 1u level. This is attributed to C 3v symmetry of the chemisorbed layer and to a possible interaction of the 2a Iu orbital with the metal surface.
Clifford Geertz in Morocco

A very brief conclusion would be to sort of address the question that is a subject of mine: Why Sefrou? Why anthropology? Why me? I'll do this slightly autobiographical…. I came here in the mid-sixties after having worked in Indonesia. I wanted to get a comparison case; I wanted to see. If you work too long in one place you do begin to see everything in terms of it and that's a dangerous business, whether it's seeing all of Morocco in terms of Sefrou or whether it's seeing all of the so-called Third World in terms of Indonesia. (Clifford Geertz, closing remarks, ‘Hommage a Clifford Geertz,’ Sefrou, Morocco, 3–6 May 2000)1
A semi-fragile lossless digital watermarking scheme based on integer wavelet transform

In this paper, a new semi-fragile lossless digital watermarking scheme based on integer wavelet transform (IWT) is presented. Data are embedded into some IWT coefficients. The wavelet family applied is the 5/3 filter bank which serves as the default transformation in the JPEG2000 standard for image lossless compression. As a result, the proposed scheme can be integrated into the JPEG2000 standard smoothly. Different from the only existing semi-fragile lossless watermarking scheme, instead of using modulo 256 addition, this method takes special measures that prevents overflow/underflow (one of critical issue for lossless watermarking) and hence does not suffer from annoying salt-and-pepper noise. The exact cover media can be losslessly recovered if the stegoimage has not been altered. Furthermore, the hidden data can be extracted with no error even after incidental alterations, including compression, have been applied to the stegoimage (thus named after "semi-fragile").
Primary gamete binding: Quantitative determination of its specificity in echinoid fertilization☆☆☆

The occurrence of primary gamete binding in homologous vs heterologous crosses of three species of echinoids was assayed quantitatively. The three sympatric echinoids, Lytechinus, Tripneustes, and Echinometra were chosen for this investigation because, under normal conditions, crossfertilization between these species is extremely low. In each of the three homologous crosses, large numbers of sperm become bound to the egg and are released, following the cortical reaction. A similar binding pattern does not occur in any of the six heterologous crosses, although we have previously shown that in these crosses sperm penetrate and undergo acrosomal reaction within the heterologous egg jelly [13]. The results of the present investigation demonstrate that primary gamete binding is the chief mechanism of reproductive isolation (species-exclusive event) of echinoid fertilization. Failure of reacted, heterologous sperm to undergo primary binding precludes subsequent interaction with the ovum and thus minimizes cross-fertilization.
Preserving Precious Instruments in Mathematics History: The Educational Museum of Teachers College and David Eugene Smith's Collection.

A history is given of the Educational Museum of Teachers College, which began in 1886, and David Eugene Smith’s extensive collection of mathematical tools used in the Museum’s exhibits is discussed. Historic mathematical instruments including, the astrolabe, abacus and counting rods, and the slide rule are examined. The author uses digitized versions of stereopticon slides from Smith’s collection as images throughout the article.
Antebellum Urbanization in the American Northeast

No one seriously questions the familiar association either between levels of urban development and degrees of industrial maturity or between rates of change in these two indices. It has even become commonplace in macroeconomic growth theory to simplify the complexities of structural change into some variation of the urban-rural two-sector model although, in the real world, shifts from commercial to industrial urban employment, let alone more complex intersectoral shifts, are of prime importance. Indeed, many of these growth models place great emphasis not upon changes in sector productivity but upon resource shifts between low- and high-productivity employment, while in empirical studies urban and rural population data very often appear as explicit substitutes for sectoral employment. But given the paucity of macroeconomic data for the antebellum period, especially prior to 1839, one is left puzzled by our relative inattention to the wealth of population census data by residence. American economic history textbooks are stuffed with quantitative information on the number of cities, their spectacular growth, and the percentage of population urbanized, but these may not be the most effective uses of this great data pool. The plethora of urban histories and the abundant attention to urban rivalry may be useful complements, but they are not very effective substitutes for quantitative analysis of overall American urbanization and experience with city size distribution. The very attention which the topic is currently receiving by economists, geographers, and historians suggests that much remains undone in the study of early American urbanization.
Impact of saline irrigation and topical corticosteroids on the postsurgical sinonasal microbiota.

Introduction Topical treatments with nasal saline irrigation, topical steroid sprays, or corticosteroid rinses can improve sinonasal symptoms in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, the impact of these therapies on commensals (Corynebacterium) and on biofilm pathogens associated with CRS (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas) is not well characterized.
Hydrocephalus with Myelomeningocele

The incidence of myelomeningocele ranges between 0.2 and 2 per 1000 live births, with regional and racial variations [11]. The overall incidence of myelomeningocele has declined significantly in the last two decades, due to improved maternal nutrition during pregnancy with addition of folic acid and wider availability of prenatal diagnosis and therapeutic termination of pregnancy. The exact incidence of hydrocephalus in myelomeningocele is not known. In a significant proportion of patients hydrocephalus is absent at birth but develops in the first few weeks or months of life, indicating that there is a spectrum of manifestation [11]. Hydrocephalus is seen in postnatal neuroimaging obtained prior to closure of the defect in 15%–25% of children with myelomeningocele [11, 12], but in most surgical series the proportion of patients with myelomeningocele who require shunting reaches up to 8o%–90% (although inevitably there must be some sample bias in such series) [41, 59]. No obvious correlation between the level of the lesion and the presence of hydrocephalus has been shown [41,59].
Leadership in the modern presidency

Introduction: Toward a Modern Presidency Fred I. Greenstein 1. Franklin D. Roosevelt: The First Modern President William E. Leuchtenburg 2. Harry S. Truman: Insecurity and Responsibility Alonzo L. Hamby 3. Dwight D. Eisenhower: Leadership Theorist in the White House Fred I. Greenstein 4. John F. Kennedy: The Endurance of Inspirational Leadership Carl M. Brauer 5. Lyndon B. Johnson: Paths Chosen and Opportunities Lost Larry Berman 6. Richard M. Nixon: The Corporate Presidency Joan Hoff- Wilson 7. Gerald R. Ford: A Healing Presidency Roger Porter 8. Jimmy Carter: The Politics of Public Goods Erwin C. Hargrove 9. Ronald Reagan: The Primacy of Rhetoric William K. Muir, Jr. 10. Nine Presidents in Search of a Modern Presidency Fred I. Greenstein Contributors Notes Acknowledgments Index
Midgap injection-induced absorption in amorphous silicon.

Carrier injection in a forward-biased amorphous silicon Schottky diode is used to modulate the sample absorption coefficient. The measured modulation is interpreted as predominantly due to the elimination of transitions of holes from midgap states to the valence band. The method and conclusions are compared with other techniques sensitive to midgap optical transitions: photoinduced absorption, photocapacitance spectroscopy, and steady-state photoconductivity.
Nudge, Nudge or Shove, Shove—The Right Way for Nudges to Increase the Supply of Donated Cadaver Organs

Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein (2008) contend that mandated choice is the most practical nudge for increasing organ donation. We argue that they are wrong, and their mistake results from failing to appreciate how perceptions of meaning can influence people's responses to nudges. We favor a policy of default to donation that is subject to immediate family veto power, includes options for people to opt out (and be educated on how to do so), and emphasizes the role of organ procurement organizations and in-house transplant donation coordinators creating better environments for increasing the supply of organs and tissues obtained from cadavers. This policy will provide better opportunities for offering nudges in contexts where in-house coordinators work with families. We conclude by arguing that nudges can be introduced ethically and effectively into these contexts only if nudge designers collaborate with in-house coordinators and stakeholders.
Reversal of ethanol toxicity in embryonic neurons with growth factors and estrogen

Prenatal exposure to ethanol is the cause of fetal alcohol syndrome, which is characterized by brain abnormalities and decreased mental capacity. In the current study, cultured neurons from embryonic rat cortices were used to study the reversal of ethanol toxicity on neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth. Ethanol treatment followed by treatment with estrogen and certain growth factors were used to assess the potential of these growth factors and estrogen to reverse the effects of ethanol damage. Cortical neurons from embryonic day (E) 16 rats were grown in defined medium with a glial plane at a distance of 1mm from the neurons. Ethanol (45 mM) was administered on day in vitro 1 (DIV 1) and DIV 4. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I, 10 ng/ml), insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II, 10 ng/ml), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, 5 ng/ml), nerve growth factor (NGF, 100 ng/ml), and estrogen (Es, 10 ng/ml) were administered on DIV 4 and DIV 5. Cell viability was determined on DIV 6 using the intravital dyes fluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide. IGF-I and bFGF reduced ethanol's toxic effect on neuronal survival. Estrogen, bFGF, and NGF increased total neurite length after ethanol treatment. Although none of the treatments had a statistically significant effect on the mean number of primary neurites, all caused a statistically significant increase in the mean number of secondary neurites per cell (a measure of neuritic branching) relative to the ethanol treatment alone.
Treatment of carcinoma of the breast.

Abstract 1. 1. The clinical estimation of axillary involvement in carcinoma of the breast is in error in approximately one out of three patients. 2. 2. The average duration of symptoms before admission is about the same in those patients with and without axillary metastases. 3. 3. Radical surgery is the main therapeutic weapon to combat carcinoma of the breast. Postoperative irradiation will give a few more five-year survivals in Group II patients. 4. 4. In properly selected patients, considering histology, age, condition and extent of the carcinoma, leaving one or both of the pectoral muscles does not lower the survival rate. 5. 5. Scirrhous and medullary carcinoma are the most malignant, adeno is slightly less malignant and Paget's disease, mucoid and comedo carcinoma are the least malignant. 6. 6. Carcinoma developing in inner quadrants of the breast has a better prognosis than those in the outer quadrants, unless the axillary nodes are involved in which case the reverse is true. 7. 7. With radical surgery and plastic closure the local recurrence rate was 13.3 per cent in Group I, 20 per cent in Group II and 44 per cent in Group III. The average recurrence rate in Groups I and II was 16.0 per cent. 8. 8. Nearly 30 per cent of the five-year survivals later died of carcinoma and nine of twenty-two ten-year survivals had at ten years or later showed a recurrence. 9. 9. It is fully recognized that the study of such a small number of patients is not of great statistical value but presents the trend only in one clinic.
Separation of antibodies in syphilitic rabbit sera by electrophoresis-convection.

SummaryAn electrophoresis-convection fractionation of a pool of syphilitic rabbit serum has been carried out. Significant differences in the mobilities of the γ-globulin components of these fractions have been demonstrated. No such differences in the mobilities of the β-globulin components were found. TPI, VDRL and agglutination studies were carried out. A comparison of the serologic and electrophoretic data indicates that the Wassermann reagin antibody is concentrated in the slow γ-globulin component and the T. pallidum immobilizing antibody is concentrated in the fast β-globulin component. There is no evidence for the concentration of T. pallidum agglutinating activity in any of the fractions.
Chronic and Acute Flexibility of Men and Women Using Three Different Stretching Techniques

Abstract This investigation compared chronic and acute range of motion (ROM) changes of hip flexion and shoulder extension between men and women using three stretching techniques and a control group during a 12-week program. The treatment groups performed either static stretching (SS), contract-relax (CR), or contract-relax with agonist-contraction (CRAC) stretching techniques. The ROM measurements were obtained before beginning any treatment, then once every 3 weeks thereafter. All treatment groups significantly increased ROM compared with the control group. Although women possessed greater ROM than men throughout the program, their comparative increases were not significantly different from the men's increases. It was concluded that the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) techniques (i.e., CR and CRAC) were more effective than the SS method for increasing ROM for both hip flexion and shoulder extension for both sexes. Men derived better overall effects using the CRAC method while women showe...
The effect of fluoride on bone mineral apatite

Abstract The present paper reviews some of our current knowledge on fluoride-apatite interactions in bone tissue. Nearly all the dietary fluoride retained by the body is found in the apatitic component of hard tissue mineral. Fluoride's strong affinity for the hydroxyl lattice sites of apatite largely accounts for this mineral seeking property. Studies done during the past few decades have revealed that fluoride uptake is accompanied by numerous changes in the physical and chemical properties of bone apatite. Such changes include altered rates of formation and dissolution, increased crystallinity, concomitant reduction in crystal surface area, reduced solubility, and altered magnesium, carbonate and citrate levels. Additional studies on synthetic model systems have elucidated possible inorganic pathways by which some of these changes in mineral properties can be affected by fluoride. However, the total effect of fluoride on apatite formation in vivo is too complex to be interpreted in physicochemical terms alone. Biological factors appear to play an equally important role, especially with respect to crystallinity changes.
Pancreas Transplant Alone: A procedure coming of age

The goal of this review is to highlight the significant improvements, over the past four decades, in outcomes after a pancreas transplant alone (PTA) in patients with brittle diabetes and recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia and/or hypoglycemic unawareness. A successful PTA-in contrast to intensive insulin regimens and insulin pumps-restores normoglycemia without the risk of hypoglycemia and prevents, halts, or reverses the development or progression of secondary diabetes complications. In this International Pancreas Transplant Registry (IPTR) analysis, we reviewed the records of 1,929 PTA recipients from December 1966 to December 2011. We computed graft survival rates according to the Kaplan-Meier method and used uni- and multivariate analyses. In the most recent era (January 2007-December 2011), patient survival rates were >95% at 1 year posttransplant and >90% at 5 years. Graft survival rates with tacrolimus-based maintenance therapy were 86% at 1 year and 69% at 3 years and with sirolimus, 94 and 84%. Graft survival rates have significantly improved owing to marked decreases in technical and immunologic graft failure rates (P < 0.05). As a result, the need for a subsequent kidney transplant has significantly decreased, over time, to only 6% at 5 years. With patient survival rates of almost 100% and graft survival rates of up to 94% at 1 year, a PTA is now a highly successful long-term option. It should be considered in nonuremic patients with brittle diabetes in order to achieve normoglycemia, to avoid hypoglycemia, and to prevent the development or progression of secondary diabetes complications.
Biological extinction in earth history

Virtually all plant and animal species that have ever lived on the earth are extinct. For this reason alone, extinction must play an important role in the evolution of life. The five largest mass extinctions of the past 600 million years are of greatest interest, but there is also a spectrum of smaller events, many of which indicate biological systems in profound stress. Extinction may be episodic at all scales, with relatively long periods of stability alternating with short-lived extinction events. Most extinction episodes are biologically selective, and further analysis of the victims and survivors offers the greatest chance of deducing the proximal causes of extinction. A drop in sea level and climatic change are most frequently invoked to explain mass extinctions, but new theories of collisions with extraterrestrial bodies are gaining favor. Extinction may be constructive in a Darwinian sense or it may only perturb the system by eliminating those organisms that happen to be susceptible to geologically rare stresses.
Impact of low O2 on fires

Abstract It is the thesis of this paper to show that through control of oxygen, fires can be markedly minimized or eliminated while still maintaining an atmosphere that will sustain human life. The driving force in this study is to decrease the fire hazard in manned capsules, such as in space, under the ocean, submarines, etc. which operate in an environment exceedingly hostile to life and from which escape is next to impossible. In most studies on fire, the earth's atmosphere with its 21% ( v v ) oxygen is almost a given and is not usually varied. But it takes both a fuel and an oxidizer to have a fire, and though we study extensively the impact of structure, composition, concentration, flammability limits, energies of ignition, propagation rates, etc., for the fuel component of the combustion process there is a significant paucity of information on the impact of variations of the oxidizer. In this paper, the oxidizer of choice is oxygen because we also want to sustain life, and one of the beauties of a totally closed environment is that the oxygen can be varied at will, and we can take advantage of that fact to minimize or quench fires while not jeopardizing life.
Revision of the paraphyletic genus Koerneria Meyl, 1960 and resurrection of two other genera of Diplogastridae (Nematoda).

Recent inferences of phylogeny from molecular characters, as well as a reexamination of morphological and biological characters, reject the monophyly of the nematode genus Koerneria Meyl, 1960 (Diplogastridae). Here, Koerneria sensu lato is revised. The genus, which previously consisted of 40 species, is separated into three genera. Almost all of the transferred species are moved to the resurrected genus Allodiplogaster Paramonov & Sobolev in Skrjabin et al. (1954). Koerneria and Allodiplogaster are distinguished from each other by a weakly vs. clearly striated body surface, an undivided vs. divided stomatal cheilostom, and arrangement of the terminal ventral triplet of male genital papillae, namely in that v5 and v6 are paired and separated from v7 vs. v5–v7 being close to each other. Allodiplogaster is further divided into two groups of species, herein called the henrichae and striata groups, based on both morphological and life-history traits. The henrichae group is characterized by papilliform labial sensilla and male genital papillae, a conical tail in both males and females, and an association with terrestrial habitats and insects, whereas the striata group is characterized by setiform labial sensilla and male genital papillae, an elongated conical tail in both sexes, and an association with aquatic habitats. A second genus, Anchidiplogaster Paramonov, 1952, is resurrected to include a single species that is characterized by its miniscule stoma and teeth, unreflexed testis, and a distinct lack of male genital papillae or stomatal apodemes. Lastly, one further species that was previously included in Koerneria sensu lato is transferred to the genus Pristionchus Kreis, 1932. The revision of Koerneria sensu lato is necessitated by the great variability in its subordinate taxa, which occupy a variety of habitats, in addition to the increased attention to Diplogastridae as a model system for comparative mechanistic biology.
Figural aftereffect potency: A function of sex or field-dependence?

literature shows a greater abundance of field-independent Ss among unselected male groups as compared to females who typically yield a higher percentage of field-dependent measures, the experimental groups employed by Immergluck might have contained greater densities of male and female Ss, respectively, for the fjeld-independent and field-dependent groups. Actually, care was taken in those investigations to avoid an overloading of male or fern ale Ss for each of the experimental groups, although no separate analyses were made for the male and female Ss. The present investigation aims to clarify this issue by exploring specifically the potential effects of sex vs field-dependence in relationship to aftereffect potency. Both sex and field-dependence measures, then, have been controlled in the research design, thus permitting direct comparison of these two S attributes as they affect pereeptual aftereffect performance. Furthermore, in order to make the presently obtained data more directly relevant to the previously cited investigations, the identical aftereffect figures and the same experimental conditions were employed in the present study. METHOD
No association between the intronic presenilin-1 polymorphism and Alzheimer's disease in clinic and population-based samples

Mutations in the Presenilin 1 (PS1) gene on chromosome 14 cause most early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease (AD). An intronic polymorphism in the PS1 gene was recently identified and reported to be associated with late-onset AD [Wragg et al., Lancet 347: 509-512, 1996]. The authors found an excess of homozygotes for the more common allele (allele 1) in AD cases, associated with an approximate doubling of risk. In the present study, we report the PS1 polymorphism distributions in clinic and population-based samples. We were not able to replicate the findings of Wragg et al. [1996]. Our results are consistent with those of other researchers and do not support the conclusion that the PS1 polymorphism is associated with late-onset AD.