cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Channel signature authentication for secure optical communications

Security in optical communications has been recently a concern due primarily of the vast amount and the sensitivity of information that a single fiber carries. It is generally accepted that data security is encrypted by the end-user and that the optical network is not easy to tap as it was with wired networks. However, the sophistication of eavesdroppers has increased and if an optical link is accessed, then the encryption code of data can be broken with the use of supercomputers. In addition to data eavesdropping, eavesdroppers may access the link for malicious attacks, or for transmitting erroneous data by mimicking a source. Therefore, it is important that the receiver has the means and intelligence to recognize the signature of the source and the optical channel so that when the link is tapped, the receiver recognizes it and it alerts the network management or it triggers a data rerouting process. In fact, an optical channel, including source, fiber and optical components, has its own optical parameters that constitute a signature. These parameters are the result of linear and non-linear phenomena that affect the quality characteristics of the optical signal and which can not be mimicked. Therefore, the understanding of optical parameters that define the optical channel signature is very critical. In this paper we provide an analysis of the factors affecting the signal quality and thus they constitute the signature of the optical channel, we model the optical channel and demonstrate via simulations that small parametric variation affect the signature of the channel. As a result, monitoring the signal parameters leads to source and channel authentication whereas detecting the parametric variability of channel deducts channel degradation or tapping.
Measured performance of a multimegawatt MPD thruster

Thrust and efficiency of a quasisteady multimegawatt MPD thruster are determined by measuring the impulse bit per pulse on a swinging gate thrust stand in a dielectric vacuum tank at a background pressure of 10 ~ Torr. The quasisteady thrust data scale quadratically with arc current and confirm previous estimates of the electromagnetic and electrothermal components of thrust from magnetic and pressure probe measurements. Thruster efficiency is found to increase monotonically with specific impulse, reaching a value of 28% at 2000 s for argon and 38% at 4000 s for nitrogen.
Simulating Source-Limited and Sink-Limited Kernel Set with CERES-Maize

CERES-Maize simulates kernel set as a source-limited process based on average plant growth rate during the lag phase after flowering. Yet the number of kernels formed by maize (Zea mays L.) also depends on timely interaction between male and female flowers, which can limit formation of reproductive sinks under some conditions. Failure to account for sink-limited kernel set may contribute to simulation error observed under conditions that affect dynamics of pollen shed or silking, but do not alter crop growth rate. We developed algorithms for a Flowering Model to simulate sink-limited kernel set from flowering dynamics. This model was calibrated against kernel production in hybrid seed production fields and then linked to CERES-Maize. The Modified CERES-Maize was calibrated against two years of field data involving three hybrids, eight population densities, and seven N levels. Integrating the capacity to simulate sink-limited kernel set with source-limited kernel set increased simulation accuracy dramatically, relative to original CERES-Maize. For 13 commercial fields tested, Modified CERES-Maize decreased simulation error for kernels per plant from 17.1 to 2.3%, improved r 2 between measured and simulated values from 0.77 to 0.87, and decreased simulation error indicators mean error, root mean square error, and mean square deviation by 85, 40, and 64%, respectively. Modified CERES-Maize accounts for a much greater range of variability in the biological processes controlling kernel set.
Micro-Doppler radar signatures of human activity

We will present the continued development of a millimeter-wave/sub-THz radar system used to capture and assess micro-Doppler signatures of humans. This system is being developed to remotely monitor respiration and heartbeat rates at standoff distances of up to 100 meters. We will discuss the latest hardware and software developments and recent studies of the performance of the system under a variety of conditions.
Judgmental evaluation of sample results: A study of the type and severity of errors made by practicing CPAs

Abstract This paper examines the extent to which practicing CPAs may employ two heuristics, representativeness and protectiveness, which lead to systematic errors in the judgement evaluation of sample outcomes. The results indicate that both heuristics are used, but to a lesser extent than suggested by previous research. Implications of the results for audit firm policy are discussed.
Oxygen Mobility in Polycrystalline NiCr2O4 and α‐Fe2O3

Oxygen diffusion coefficients were determined for polycrystalline samples of NiCr/sub 2/O/sub 4/ and alpha -Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ by exchange measurements with oxygen gas containing the stable isotope O/sup 18/, using mass spectrometer analysis. Oxygen diffusion in NiCr/sub 2/O/sub 4/ can be represented by the equation D = 0.017 exp (-65,400/RT). Oxygen diffusion in alpha -Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ can be represented by the equation D = 1 x l0/sup 11/ exp (146,000/RT). The large difference between D/sub 0/ and activation energy for these materials suggests that different diffusion mechanisms are involved. (auth)
BRITISH DIPLOMATS AND THE PRESS

" hile we are awaiting the documents of the next World War, and since the relationship between the diplomatic mind and the press has not changed much, it is relevant to use the ample material existing in the British Documents on the Origins of the War' to show the analysis and use of the press by diplomats. Public opinion in such a study-deified, perverted, or maligned-becomes a King Charles' head. It is, as J. A. Spender says, "highly important that those who handle foreign affairs, whether ministers, officials, or journalists, should know their way about the European press world and underworld." Many times the bogey of public opinion, frequently made synonymous with the press (but probably less by diplomats than by historians), was dragged as a herring across the trail when policies already had been determined. Never does the diplomat scoff too long at the latent mischievousness of the press, nor can he always free himself from the atmosphere created by newspaper polemics; but his professionalism is something of a shield. It is not entirely obvious, as 0. J. Hale asserts in Germany and the Diplomatic Revolution, that "the influence of the English press on diplomatic policy was a steady, constant, and determining factor." Sir Eyre Crowe's minute of February 21, I907, may serve as an introduction. Lord Sanderson had written a memorandum
Partial, noisy and qualitative models for adaptive critic based neurocontrol

The roles of plant models in adaptive critic methods for approximate dynamic programming are considered, with primary focus given to the dynamic heuristic programming (DHP) methodology. For complete system identification, partial, approximate, and qualitative models of plant dynamics are considered. Such models are found to be sufficient for successful controller design. As classification is in general easier than regression, the results for qualitative models suggest an avenue for simplifying ongoing system identification in adaptive control applications.
Is there a “mucosa-sparing” benefit of IMRT for head-and-neck cancer?

Purpose: To investigate whether intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) allows more mucosal sparing than standard three-field technique (3FT) radiotherapy for early oropharyngeal cancer. Methods and Materials: Whole-field IMRT plans were generated for 5 patients with early-stage oropharyngeal cancer according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0022 (66 Gy/30 fractions/6 weeks) guidelines with and without a dose objective on the portion of mucosa not overlapping any PTV. 3FT plans were also generated for the same 5 patients with two fractionation schedules: conventional fractionation (CF) to 70 Gy/35 fractions/7 weeks and concomitant boost (CB) to 72 Gy/40 fractions/6 weeks. Cumulative dose volume histograms (DVHs) of the overall mucosal volume (as per in-house definition) from all trials were compared after transformation into the linear quadratic equivalent dose at 2 Gy per fraction with a time factor correction. Results: Compared with IMRT without dose objective on the mucosa, a 30-Gy maximum dose objective on the mucosa allows ∼20% and ∼12% mean absolute reduction in the percentage of mucosa volume exposed to a dose equivalent to 30 Gy ( p p p Conclusions: Intensity-modulated radiation therapy can be potentially provide more mucosal sparing than traditional approaches.
Personalized medicine for patients with asthma

ASTHMA IS A COMPLEX CONDITION Asthma is a complex inflammatory disorder characterized by intense allergic inflammation, smooth muscle contraction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of smooth muscle, hypersecretion of bronchial mucus, activation of mast cells, eosinophils, lymphocytes, epithelial cells, macrophages, disruption of the bronchial epithelium, and production of free radicals such as expired nitric oxide (eNO) and 8-isoprostane. The presence of asthma implies multiple potential targets of therapy, risk of future exacerbations, impaired quality of life, and potential for accelerated loss of FEV1. Patients with persistent asthma have a high likelihood of the comorbidities allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, and gastroesophageal reflux. Furthermore, responses to pharmacotherapy vary for b2-adrenergic agonists, 1,2
Elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and cardiovascular mortality in maintenance hemodialysis patients

Background. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) confers protection against atherosclerosis by several different mechanisms. Although in the general population, increasing levels of HDL are associated with reduced cardiovascular (CV) mortality, this association is not well known in patients with chronic disease states such as end-stage renal disease. We hypothesize that the association of serum HDL concentration and its ratio to total cholesterol with all-cause and CV mortality in hemodialysis patients is different from the general population. Methods. A 3-year (July 2004 to June 2007) cohort of 33 109 chronic hemodialysis patients was studied in the USA in the dialysis clinics where lipid profile was measured in at least 50% of all outpatients of the clinic during a given calendar quarter. Cox proportional hazard models were adjusted for demographics and case–mix variables and cubic splines were plotted. Results. Higher HDL concentrations up to 50 mg/dL were associated with better overall survival, while HDL at 60 mg/dL and above was associated with a rise in all-cause and CV mortality. All-cause and CV mortality hazard ratio was 1.28 (1.20–1.38) and 1.08 (1.01–1.16) for HDL <30 mg/dL and 1.05 (1.00–1.10) and 1.08 (1.00–1.16) for HDL ≥60 mg/dL, respectively (reference: HDL: 30–<60 mg/dL). Conclusions. In contrast to the general population, low total cholesterol to HDL ratio was associated with higher mortality in hemodialysis patients. A U-shaped association between HDL cholesterol level and all-cause and CV mortality exists in hemodialysis patients with HDL between 50 and <60 mg/dL exhibiting the best survival. The underlying mechanisms responsible for these seemingly paradoxical associations await further investigation.
A Meta-analysis of Climatic and Chemical Controls on Leaf Litter Decay Rates in Tropical Forests

Although tropical forests occupy a small fraction of the earth’s total land area, they play a disproportionately large role in regulating the global carbon cycle. Yet controls on both primary productivity and decomposition in tropical forests are not well-studied in comparison with temperate forests and grasslands, despite their extreme biogeochemical heterogeneity. To evaluate the relative importance of climate and foliar chemical variables in driving decomposition in tropical forests, I performed a meta-analysis of reported leaf litter decay rates throughout tropical forest ecosystems. Using a model selection procedure based on Akaike’s Information Criterion, I found that temperature and precipitation played little direct role in regulating decomposition rates, except in montane forests where cool temperatures slowed decay. Foliar concentrations of calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were important predictors of mass loss rates, although each of these factors explained a very small amount of variance when considered in isolation. The large amount of unexplained variation in decomposition rates observed both within and across tropical forest sites may be due to other factors not explored here, such as soil biota or complex plant secondary chemistry. Carbon cycling in tropical forests seems to be modulated by the availability of multiple nutrients, underscoring the need for additional manipulative experiments to explore patterns of belowground nutrient limitation across the biome. Because models of decomposition developed in temperate ecosystems do not appear to be generalizable to wet tropical forests, new biogeochemical paradigms should be developed to accommodate their unique combination of climatic, edaphic, and biotic factors.
An Arabidopsis Mutant with Enhanced Resistance to Powdery Mildew

We have identified an Arabidopsis mutant that displays enhanced disease resistance to the fungus Erysiphe cichoracearum, causal agent of powdery mildew. The edr1 mutant does not constitutively express the pathogenesis-related genes PR-1, BGL2, or PR-5 and thus differs from previously described disease-resistant mutants of Arabidopsis. E. cichoracearum conidia (asexual spores) germinated normally and formed extensive hyphae on edr1 plants, indicating that the initial stages of infection were not inhibited. Production of conidiophores on edr1 plants, however, was <16% of that observed on wild-type Arabidopsis. Reduction in sporulation correlated with a more rapid induction of defense responses. Autofluorescent compounds and callose accumulated in edr1 leaves 3 days after inoculation with E. cichoracearum, and dead mesophyll cells accumulated in edr1 leaves starting 5 days after inoculation. Macroscopic patches of dead cells appeared 6 days after inoculation. This resistance phenotype is similar to that conferred by "late-acting" powdery mildew resistance genes of wheat and barley. The edr1 mutation is recessive and maps to chromosome 1 between molecular markers ATEAT1 and NCC1. We speculate that the edr1 mutation derepresses multiple defense responses, making them more easily induced by virulent pathogens.
Irradiation-Driven Compositional Changes in Alloys

A model to study the formation of compositional patterns in concentrated binary alloys under irradiation is presented. In this model, six atomic and defect species are considered: regular lattice atoms (A and B), dumbbell interstitials (AA, BB and AB) and vacancies. In addition to long range diffusion of these species, local defect-defect (vacancy-interstitial recombination) and defect-atom (dumbbell-atom) reactions have also been considered. The model tracks simultaneous evolution of all the species in reaction-diffusion formalism. Irradiation events are modeled as a stochastic point process which changes the concentration of all the species instantaneously in a random fashion. In each irradiation event, a spatial distribution of point defects (core-shell distribution: core dominated by vacancies and shell by interstitials) has been introduced in the system which drives the kinetics of diffusion and reaction. The model has been non-dimensionalized with respect to intrinsic length and time scales of the material system and solved numerically using finite difference technique. Applying this model to CuAu solid solution, we have shown that the alloy exhibits spinodal-like decomposition with specific steady state wavelengths that depend on the irradiation conditions.
Regression of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Patients With Hypertension Blockade of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System

Left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with hypertension is of importance because of its association with an increase in the incidence of heart failure and other cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. Not all antihypertensive agents, however, have been suggested to be equally effective in causing regression of left ventricular hypertrophy or preventing its progression.1 Although several classes of antihypertensive agents are effective in causing regression of ventricular hypertrophy, it is uncertain whether all strategies are equally effective and, more importantly, whether strategies equally effective in causing regression of ventricular hypertrophy will be equally effective in preventing the consequences of ventricular hypertrophy, such as myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. The mechanism of ventricular hypertrophy in patients with hypertension is as yet uncertain; however, activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) as a result of myocardial stretch and other factors is recognized as playing an important role. Angiotensin II has been shown to stimulate various growth factors, cytokines, fibroblast activity, myocyte hypertrophy, and myocardial fibrosis. Strategies to prevent activation of the RAAS and/or its effects would therefore appear attractive in preventing ventricular hypertrophy and its consequences in patients with hypertension. ACE inhibitors have been shown to cause a reduction in myocardial cytokines, growth factors, oxygen free radical production, collagen formation, and myocyte growth. They increase nitric oxide release and reduce morbidity, ischemic events, and mortality in patients with heart failure, including those with a history of hypertension. A meta-analysis of all antihypertensive agents has suggested that ACE inhibitors are the most effective class in causing regression of ventricular hypertrophy.2 The number of patients and length of follow-up in these studies, however, is limited, and any final answer to the question as to the effectiveness of ACE inhibitors compared with other means of blocking the RAAS and …
Adsorption and electrochemical activity : An in situ electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy study of electrode reactions and potential-induced adsorption of porphyrins

The effect of adsorption on molecular properties and reactivity is a central topic in interfacial physical chemistry. At electrochemical interfaces, adsorbed molecules may lose their electrochemical activity. The absence of in situ probes has hindered our understanding of this phenomenon and electrode reactions in general. In this work, classical electrochemistry and electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) were combined to provide molecular level insight into electrochemical reactions and the molecular adsorption state at the electrolyte−electrode interface. The metal-free porphyrin 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyridyl)-21H,23H-porphine (TPyP) adsorbed on Au(111) in 0.1 M H2SO4 solution was chosen as a model system. TPyP is found to irreversibly adsorb on Au(111) over a wide range of potentials, from −0.25 to 0.6 VSCE. The adsorption state of TPyP has a dramatic effect on its electrochemistry. Preadsorbed, oxidized TPyP displays no well-defined cathodic peaks in cyclic voltammograms in sharp contrast...
Underwater adhesion of abalone: The role of van der Waals and capillary forces

The observation of the pedal foot of the red abalone Haliotis rufescens reveals the presence of micrometer-scaled setae terminating in nanometer-sized cylindrical fibrils, with some resemblance to those found on the gecko foot. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) pull-off force measurements on a single seta are compared with theoretical estimates for van der Waals attraction obtained through the Johnson– Kendall–Roberts (JKR) equation, approximately 600 nN, and show agreement. The use of the JKR equation is justified through an analysis of the shape of the fibril extremities (parabolic) as well as their diameter (� 200 nm). Measurements under varying humidity conditions indicate that additional capillary interactions play a role, since the pull-off force increases with humidity. It is proposed that both van der Waals and capillary forces play a role in the attachment mechanism of H. rufescens, effectively enabling suction to reach its theoretical limit. Bulk pull-off force measurements on entire live animals yield an average detachment stress of 115 kPa, consistent with theoretical estimates. The setae and nanoscale fibril terminations enable compliance to surfaces with a variety of roughnesses, effectively sealing the interface, in addition to providing capillary and van der Waals forces.
Phaeoannellomyces and the Phaeococcomycetaceae, new dematiaceous blastomycete taxa

Phaeoannellomyces McGinnis et Schell gen. nov., which is based upon P. elegans McGinnis et Schell sp. nov., is proposed for dematiaceous yeasts which produce percurrently proliferating conidiogenous cells. Cladosporium werneckii Horta is transferred to Phaeoannellomyces as P. werneckii (Horta) McGinnis et Schell comb. nov. because the most stable and distinctive synanamorph produced by this fungus consists of annellidic yeast cells. The Phaeococcomycetaceae McGinnis et Schell fam. nov. is proposed in the class Blastomycetes, division Fungi Imperfecti for the dematiaceous yeast genera Phaeoannellomyces and Phaeococcomyces de Hoog.
Mapping interactions within and between cohesive subgroups

The structure of interactions and the pattern of influence in an organization can be characterized in terms of a map of interactions within and between cohesive subgroups. I extend the work of Festinger, Schachter and Back (Social Pressures in InformalGroups, 1950, Stanford University Press) who constructed a map based on the pattern of communication within and between apartment courts. In order to generalize Festinger et al.'s approach, I substitute a posteriori subgroups for Festinger et al.'s apartment courts, and I replace the distances of a physical geography with those of a metric multidimensional scaling. I apply the technique to data indicating professional discussions among teachers in a high school. After confirming that discussions are concentrated within a posteriori subgroups at a level that is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone, I construct a map of discussions within and between the cohesive subgroups. The map allows me to characterize the processes of influence at the teacher and school levels through which the school responds to external conditions, and I argue that a map based on blocks of structurally similar actors does not sustain a comparable characterization.
Risk tolerance for the exclusion of potentially life-threatening diseases in the ED.

Objective: Given the same pretest probability (10%) for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), pulmonary embolism (PE), and acute coronary syndrome (ACS), we determined if differences exist in the risk tolerance for disease exclusion according to published guidelines given a negative test result. Methods: Published guidelines that make practice recommendations on the evaluation of ACS, PE, and SAH were sought using the National Guideline Clearinghouse in low-risk settings. Second-order Monte Carlo simulation was performed to determine point estimates and confidence intervals (CIs) for posttest probabilities assuming a pretest probability of 10%. Results: Guidelines recommend that patients with low-risk suspected ACS should undergo stress testing. For SAH, computed tomography (CT) followed by lumbar puncture (LP) is recommended without mention of pretest probability; and D-dimer testing is recommended to exclude PE in low-risk patients. Test sensitivity for thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was 89%, exercise echocardiogram was 85%, D-dimer testing was 95%, and CT/LP for SAH was 100% (as a gold standard) and CT only was 97.5%. Given a negative test result, for PE, posttest probability was 0.5% (95% CI 0.1%-0.9%); for SPECT, 1.1% (SD 0.5%-1.6%); and for exercise echocardiogram, 1.5% (95% CI 0.5%-2.5%) compared with a posttest probability of 0% for CT followed by LP for SAH. Using a CT-only approach gives a posttest probability of 0.2% (95% CI 0.2%-0.4%). Conclusions: Guidelines for suspected PE and ACS allow small but nonzero calculated risk end points in low-risk settings, whereas SAH guidelines afford no misses. Because many gold standard tests are more invasive and can have adverse effects, guideline authors should consider adopting a standard acceptable miss rate as an end point for workups with low clinical suspicion to avoid the overuse of invasive testing.
Reynolds Number Effects on a Supersonic Transport at Subsonic High-Lift Conditions

A High Speed Civil Transport configuration was tested in the National Transonic Facility at the NASA Langley Research Center as part of NASA''s High Speed Research Program. The primary purposes of the tests were to assess Reynolds number scale effects and high Reynolds number aerodynamic characteristics of a realistic, second generation supersonic transport while providing data for the assessment of computational methods. The tests included longitudinal and lateral/directions studies at transonic and low-speed, high-lift conditions across a range of Reynolds numbers from available in conventional wind tunnels to near flight conditions. Results are presented which focus on Reynolds number and static aeroelastic sensitivities of longitudinal characteristics at Mach 0.30 for a configuration without an empennage. A between Reynolds numbers of 30 to 40 millions, which is characterized by significantly earlier inboard leading-edge separation at the high Reynolds numbers. Force and moment levels changes but Reynolds number trends are consistent between the two states.
Regional Supply of Hired Labor to Agriculture

The existence of a wide disparity in labor returns between the farm and nonfarm sectors and considerable variations in agricultural wage rates among regions suggest that there may be real differences in factors affecting the supply of and demand for labor among sectors and regions. A knowledge of these supply and demand structural relationships could be of use to policy makers in developing measures that will help to minimize some of these income and wage discrepancies. In this study, regional supply relations for hired agricultural labor are developed and estimated. Two hypotheses are tested: (a) that members of the hired farm labor force respond to economic stimuli with a distributed lag, and (b) that they participate in a national rather than a regional labor market. The results support both hypotheses. One of the policy implications is that programs which increase nonfarm wages are more effective in the long run in raising farm labor income than programs which raise prices of farm products.
Perinatal outcome in preterm premature rupture of membranes at ≤ 32 weeks with retained cerclage

Objective To evaluate the risks of cerclage retention in the setting of preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). Study design Patients from 1995-2003 with PPROM at 48 hours of antibiotics and a course of corticosteroids and who delivered after 24 weeks' gestation were included, Results Of 23 cases, 17 (74%) had a retained cerclage (cerclage not removed within the first 24 hours of admission), and 6 (26%) had the cerclage removed within 24 hours of admission. Gestational age at PPROM was earlier in the retained cerclage group (26.1 +/- 3.3 vs. 29.3 +/- 2.9 weeks, p = 0.04). There was no difference in the rates of chorioamnionitis (50% vs. 52%, p = 0.9) or neonatal death due to sepsis (17% in each, p = 0.55) between the 2 groups. Conclusion Although this study did not have sufficient power to detect these differences, cerclage retention in patients with PPROM managed with both corticosteroids and antibiotics was not associated with either increased maternal morbidity or neonatal mortality. Severe prematurity and not a retained cerclage may be a greater contributor to neonatal mortality due to sepsis. Future research would require a multicenter, randomized trial that allows a greater sample size to elucidate optimal management in these patients.
Coping with Freelance Termination Interests

This comment briefly explores potentially dual protection for logos. Although authorship confers no trademark rights, it may generate copyright interests despite the intent of artists and clients. Logos created by full-time employees pose no problem. Ones created by free lance designers, however, pose a risk, if remote, of termination. Whether that generates a serious threat to the independence of freelance artists remains to be seen, but it can be reduced if not elimated by artists who choose to be employees of their own businesses.
Relationships of Birds and Arboviruses

SEVERAL epidemics of disease in man have recently attracted wide public attention due to their spectacular characteristics, of particular interest here being the involvement of birds. Ornithologists have been bombarded with questions and have lacked answers. This paper reviews the relationships of birds and arboviruses, illustrates the impact of epidemics of arbovirus disease on human communities, and outlines some ornithological information needed by virologists and epidemiologists. The term arboviruses refers to viruses that infect hemophagous arthropods when they ingest infected vertebrate blood. The viruses multiply in the tissues of the arthropod and are transmitted by bite to susceptible vertebrates. About 150 different arboviruses are now recognized and they occur in practically all regions of the world. About 50 are known to produce disease in man or domestic animals, and 8 of these have been isolated from wild birds. These latter are eastern (EE), western (WE), St. Louis (SLE), and Japanese B (JBE) encephalitis viruses; West Nile, Sindbis, and Ilheus viruses; and at least one member of the Russian tick-borne complex of viruses. Undoubtedly other arboviruses will be discovered; the geographic distribution of those now known may be much greater than recognized, and knowledge of the ecology of most of them is too incomplete to assess adequately their host ranges or their importance in causing disease (Scherer, 1963; Hammon, 1961-62; Work, 1963). The following summarizes information available on the relationships of birds and those arboviruses known to produce disease in man.
Physician, Scribe, and Patient Perspectives on Clinical Scribes in Primary Care

BACKGROUND Extending medical assistants and nursing roles to include in-visit documentation is a recent innovation in the age of electronic health records. Despite the use of these clinical scribes, little is known regarding interactions among and perspectives of the involved parties: physicians, clinical scribes, and patients.
SY13-2WHAT MOLECULES AND CELLS CAN TELL US ABOUT GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TO FASD

There is a heritable predisposition to develop fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, but the underlying susceptibility genes are not well defined. We have used molecular, cellular, and animal studies to characterize signaling pathways that might modulate ethanol teratogenicity. Ethanol inhibits cell adhesion mediated by the developmentally critical L1 neural cell adhesion …
Resonance coupling in plasmonic nanomatryoshka homo- and heterodimers

Here, we examine the electromagnetic (EM) energy coupling and hybridization of plasmon resonances between closely spaced concentric nanoshells known as “nanomatryoshka” (NM) units in symmetric and antisymmetric compositions using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) analysis. Utilizing plasmon hybridization model, we calculated the energy level diagrams and verified that, in the symmetric dimer (in-phase mode in a homodimer), plasmonic bonding modes are dominant and tunable within the considered bandwidth. In contrast, in the antisymmetric dimer (out-of-phase mode in a heterodimer), due to the lack of the geometrical symmetry, new antibonding modes appear in the extinction profile, and this condition gives rise to repeal of dipolar field coupling. We also studied the extinction spectra and positions of the antibonding and bonding modes excited due to the energy coupling between silver and gold NM units in a heterodimer structure. Our analysis suggest abnormal shifts in the higher energy modes. We propose a method to analyze the behavior of multilayer concentric nanoshell particles in an antisymmetric orientation employing full dielectric function calculations and the Drude model based on interband transitions in metallic components. This study provides a method to predict the behavior of the higher energy plasmon resonant modes in entirely antisymmetric structures such as compositional heterodimers.
The Criterion of Moral Right

The essence of morality is revealed in maxims which respect the value as an end in itself of each rational being, i.e. maxims which would, if acted on, leave each rational being free to pursue his own ends in acting. This seems to me the only way to understand Kant’s notion of moral universalisation.
Structured Group Treatment for Divorce/Death Adjustment

Structured group treatments have emerged in the last few years as a viable mode of helping people. They are defined as those groups taking place within a specific amount of time using specified exercises and/ or treatment to accomplish a pre-determined set of educational and/or therapeutic goals. Such groups often focus on the stresses caused by such things as predictable developmental needs (leaving home) or unpredictable life crisis (divorce) by teaching skills otherwise left to chance. Underlying problems such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem may also be modified by structured treatments. The following outline will help in the writing, developing, and eventual application of appropriate structured programs. (Drum and Knott, 1977) Following these instructions is a structured treatment for divorced/separated persons developed by Margaret Hoopes and tested by Vogel-Moline (1979). Moline found significant increases in self-esteem and significant decreases in depression among the persons who participated in this eight week structured treatment.
PHENCYCLIDINE RECEPTORS IN BRAIN: CURRENT METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES

Publisher Summary In 1979, two groups independently reported the detection of specific [3H]phencyclidine ([3H]PCP) binding sites in homogenates of rat brain. These sites appeared to constitute molecular targets for the actions of PCP and related drugs. Other groups have subsequently also reported such findings. This chapter focuses on the methodological aspects of the demonstration and characterization of these binding sites. Specific [3H]PCP binding in brain tissue homogenates can be quickly and reliably assayed by rapid filtration. The findings, thus, obtained have been validated by additional techniques. These include centrifugation, slide-mounted brain slice, and autoradiographic binding methodologies. The results of properly conducted [3H]PCP binding studies are highly reliable and consistent. [3H]PCP binding displays the biochemical and anatomical characteristics required of a pharmacologically relevant synaptic recognition site initiating the unique psychotropic actions of PCP and related drugs. In combination with other techniques, the [3H]PCP binding assay promises to permit elucidation of the functional roles of the PCP binding sites in relation to neuronal circuitry and perhaps to psychiatric disease.
Trilobite biogeography in the Middle Devonian: geological processes and analytical methods

Phylogenetic patterns of trilobite clades were used to deduce biogeographic patterns during the Middle Devonian, a time of active plate collision between North America (Laurentia) and other plates, coincident with several major episodes of sea-level rise and fall. The mapping of biogeographic states onto phylogenies for asteropyginid and proetid trilobites indicated that dur- ing their history these trilobite clades often shifted the areas they occupied, and also underwent vicariant differentiation, followed by range expansion, followed by subsequent vicariance. Biogeo- graphic patterns in these individual phylogenies were evaluated and synthesized using a modified version of Brooks Parsimony Analysis, which is discussed. This method makes it possible using cladistic methods to distinguish between episodes of vicariance and episodes of dispersal. Two types of dispersal are recognized herein: (1) the individualistic responses of certain taxa in a single clade that cannot be generalized, i.e., traditional ad hoc dispersal, and (2) those patterns of con- gruent range expansion that are replicated across several clades. The latter are not treated as true dispersal, expansion of a taxon's range over a barrier accompanied by diversification, but rather as a result of the temporary removal of barriers to marine taxa, due either to relative sea-level rise or to the collision of formerly disjunct plates. These are interpreted as changes in the structure of areas, and this type of dispersal is referred to as geo-dispersal. Geo-dispersal was found to have occurred in the Middle Devonian trilobite fauna of Eastern North America. Biogeographic analysis indicated that Eastern North America is a strongly supported area, with the Appalachian and Michigan Basins as sister areas. Armorica and the Canadian Arctic are also sister areas. Congruence was found between area cladograms produced by vicariance and dispersal analyses for Middle Devonian trilobites, suggesting that in some cases the geological processes governing vicariance, such as sea-level changes, were the same as those that caused dispersal.
Martianus Capella and Saint Benedict: The critical arts of encyclopedic satire and new-old forms-of-life

Addressing the shortcomings of North America’s prevalent model of higher education, this essay hazards that two late-antique figures may provide avenues for rejuvenating the network of humanities research and pedagogy (critical/liberal/arts) in institutions of higher education (IHEs). Making a foray into examples of alternative IHEs, past and present, I move from Benedict of Nursia’s late-antique labors to more recent para-academic endeavors. Martianus Capella’s De Nuptiis is then mined for both a transitional comportment (encyclopedic satire) and two scholarly practices or ‘critical arts’ (periergia and parecbasis) that, though tangential, can be deployed productively in the meantime, as we labor among the ruins. In closing, I draft a preliminary visualization of the actor-networks within and between educational entities.
The Consequences of Equal Representation: The Bicameral Politics of NAFTA in the 103rd Congress

This article contributes to an emerging effort to understand the representational consequences of equal apportionment in the United States Senate, through a study of bicameral action on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) during the 103rd Congress. Like much of the congressional literature, previous studies of NAFTA focused on one chamber, the House, and the construction and testing of models of individual voting behavior. This article demonstrates that the different levels of support for NAFTA in the House and Senate came primarily from an unexpected source. Instead of other factors, including the length of term and size and diversity of constituencies, the bicameral politics of NAFTA were a function of representational bias in the Senate caused by equal apportionment. The Senate's relatively easy passage of NAFTA was a consequence of its overrepresentation of states with less organized opposition to NAFTA. The bicameral analysis of NAFTA shows how the typical emphasis on individual voting be...
Prolonged Treatment of Peanut-Allergic Mice with Bortezomib Significantly Reduces Serum Anti-Peanut IgE but Does Not Affect Allergic Symptoms

Background: Anti-peanut immunoglobulin E (anti-Pn IgE) can persist throughout life, suggesting that this condition could be maintained by long-lived antibody-secr
Clinician knowledge, clinician barriers, and perceived parental barriers regarding human papillomavirus vaccination: Association with initiation and completion rates

Abstract Purpose We tested the hypothesis that clinician knowledge, clinician barriers, and perceived parental barriers relevant to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination account for the variation in vaccine delivery at the practice-site level. Methods We conducted a survey from October 2015 through January 2016 among primary care clinicians (n = 280) in a 27-county geographic region to assess clinician knowledge, clinician barriers, and perceived parental barriers regarding HPV vaccination. Primary care clinicians included family medicine physicians, general pediatricians, and family and pediatric nurse-practitioners. We also used the Rochester Epidemiology Project to measure HPV vaccination delivery. Specifically we used administrative data to measure receipt of at least one valid HPV vaccine dose (initiation) and receipt of three valid HPV vaccine doses (completion) among 9–18 year old patients residing in the same 27-county geographic region. We assessed associations of clinician survey data with variation in vaccine delivery at the clinical site using administrative data on patients aged 9–18 years (n = 68,272). Results Consistent with our hypothesis, we found that greater knowledge of HPV and the HPV vaccination was associated with higher rates of HPV vaccination initiation (Incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.05) and completion of three doses (IRR = 1.28). We also found support for the hypothesis that greater perceived parental barriers to the HPV vaccination were associated with lower rates of initiation (IRR = 0.94) and completion (IRR = 0.90). These IRRs were statistically significant even after adjustment for site-level characteristics including percent white, percent female, percent ages 9–13, and percent with government insurance or self-pay at each site. Conclusions Clinician knowledge and their report of the frequency of experiencing parental barriers are associated with HPV vaccine delivery rates—initiation and completion. Higher measures of knowledge correlated with higher rates. Fewer perceived occurrences of parental barriers correlated with lower rates. These data can guide efforts to improve HPV vaccine delivery in clinical settings.
The Effects of Using Stationary Bicycle Desks in Classrooms on Adolescents' Physical Activity.

ABSTRACTThe high level of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents has been termed a public health crisis and is associated with low levels of physical activity (PA). Experts recommend that youth engage in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous PA per day, yet two-thirds of adolescents do not obtain this goal. Schools have been identified as locations in which PA promotion should occur, but there are limited opportunities for adolescents to enhance their PA during school hours. The present study used stationary bicycle desks (FitDesk) in a secondary school to investigate whether these desks enhanced student PA over an academic year. Results indicated that the students on the bicycle desks spent less relative time in sedentary activity, spent more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and improved each of the PA outcomes compared to the control group from Assessment Period 1 to Period 2. Students and teachers noted both advantages and limitations of using the desks during the...
‘Too Lowly to Reach God Without a Mediator’: John Calvin's Supralapsarian Eschatological Narrative

In this essay I offer a novel interpretation of Calvin's eschatological imagination and the ways the latter shapes Calvin's overall theological narrative. In addition to his explicit, infralapsarian eschatology, which circles around the reconciling work of the incarnate Christ, Calvin also has an implicit, supralapsarian eschatology, according to which human beings were created for an upward journey toward God, mediated by the non-incarnate divine Word. Tracing the contours of this eschatology sheds new light on Calvin's account of mediation, incarnation, and expiation, his understanding of the end of Christ's mediatory work, and the contemporary discussion about Calvin and deification.
The model for collaborative evaluations as a framework for the accreditation self-study

Regional accreditation requires institutions to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their programming, infrastructure, and financial well-being. It is an important enterprise that requires a true campus-wide commitment to the process, as well as strong management and leadership. It is indeed a challenging and time-consuming endeavor; however, by utilizing a formal evaluation approach institutions can guide their self-study efficiently and effectively. We present here the Model for Collaborative Evaluations (MCE) as framework to assist administrators and/or faculty in leading a self-study. The approach provides a sound structure by which to organize activities and tasks and provides guidance to empowering campus personnel to participate in such process. This article is intended to read as a descriptive piece on a collaborative evaluation model and its utility when conducting accreditation self-studies at an institution of higher education. We believe this model serves as an innovative new direction for those overseeing accreditation reviews on their campus. Provided here is an introduction to regional accreditation in the United States of America and practical methods for applying the MCE.
Distress Screening: Evaluating a Protocol for Gynecologic Cancer Survivors .

Background A gynecologic cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment may cause significant morbidity, leading to increased distress levels and poorer quality of life (QOL) for survivors. Clinicians have explored opportunities to integrate comprehensive distress management protocols into clinical settings using existing supportive care resources. . Objectives The aims were to improve multidisciplinary management of distress using a clinical pathway for gynecologic cancer survivors and to improve patient satisfaction with distress management. . Methods This study is phase II of a quality improvement initiative to assess distress using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer and Patient Related Outcome Measures Information Systems QOL tool and to evaluate the use of a clinical pathway to identify and link gynecologic cancer survivors to multidisciplinary supportive care resources. The data were compared to results from phase I of this study with data triangulation that included medical record audits. . Findings Thirty-five percent of survivors reported distress scores of 5 or greater. The use of a clinical pathway model for universal distress screening increased referrals to multidisciplinary service teams from 19 to 34, with a 32% increase in social work referrals. Patients appreciated the comprehensive approach the healthcare team used to treat cancer and help improve QOL.