cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Configuration Complexity in Machines

SUMMARY A method is proposed for comparing configurations of complex machines based on the design features that affect the relative geometric positions of functional elements. Complexity is defined as the level of difficulty associated with securing functional elements relative to one another. The evaluation method focuses on the major components of complexity that govern the relative positions of critical functional elements—connection system error, linear dimension variation and form error. Using the method, the complexity arising from various design decisions is clearly identified by complexity factors obtained for each contributor to positional error in the critical geometric relationships in a machine. It is intended that these simple measures of complexity will be applied at the configuration design stage of the product development process to identify areas of weakness and to enable the selection of the least complex configuration.
Memory Constraints on Infants' Cross-Situational Statistical Learning.

Infants are able to map linguistic labels to referents in the world by tracking co-occurrence probabilities across learning events, a behavior often termed cross-situational statistical learning. This study builds upon existing research by examining infants’ developing ability to aggregate and retrieve word-referent pairings over time. 16- and 20-month-old infants (N = 32) were presented with a cross-situational statistical learning task in which half of the object-label pairings were presented in immediate succession (massed) and half were distributed across time (interleaved). Results revealed striking developmental differences in word mapping performance; infants in both age groups were able to learn pairings presented in immediate succession, but only 20-month-old infants were able to correctly infer pairings distributed over time. This work reveals significant constraints on infants’ ability to aggregate and retrieve object-label pairings across time and challenges theories of cross-situational statistical learning that rest on retrieval processes as successful and automatic.
Quantification of facial expressions using high-dimensional shape transformations

We present a novel methodology for quantitative analysis of changes in facial display as the intensity of an emotion evolves from neutral to peak expression. The face is modeled as a combination of regions and their boundaries. An expression change in a face is characterized and quantified through a combination of non-rigid (elastic) deformations, i.e., expansions and contractions of these facial regions. After elastic interpolation, this yields a geometry-based high-dimensional 2D shape transformation, which is used to register regions defined on subjects (i.e., faces with expression) to those defined on the reference template face (a neutral face). This shape transformation produces a vector-valued deformation field and is used to define a scalar valued regional volumetric difference (RVD) function, which characterizes and quantifies the facial expression. The approach is applied to a standardized database consisting of single images of professional actors expressing emotions at predefined intensities. We perform a detailed analysis of the deformations generated and the regional volumetric differences computed for expressions. We were able to quantify subtle changes in expression that can distinguish the intended emotions. A model for the average expression of specific emotions was also constructed using the RVD maps. This method can be applied in basic and clinical investigations of facial affect and its neural substrates.
Second-order temporal and spatial coherence of thermal electrons

Although the second-order coherence properties of a wide variety of optical fields have been investigated, the second-order coherence properties of fermion sources have been largely unexplored. In view of recent experimental proposals for novel extensions to fermionic systems of Hanbury Brown-Twiss-type experiments, it is important to understand better the coherence properties of fermion sources. In this paper a detailed study of the second-order temporal and spatial coherence of thermal electrons is made. Important distinctions between the coherence properties of thermal electrons and black-body radiation are pointed out. These distinctions arise from three principal considerations:a) particle number conservation,b) tensorial character of the basic fields,c) quantum statistics.
Characteristic imaging features of desmoplastic small round cell tumour

Background Desmoplastic small round cell tumour (DSRCT) is a rare malignant neoplasm. Its radiological features have rarely been described.
Systems of Double Rows of Line Vortices in a Channel of Finite Breadth where the Axis of the Row is Parallel to the Axis of the Channel

The stability and the stream lines of the symmetrical and unsymmetrical double rows in a channel have already been discussed by the author. It is the object of this paper to investigate the possibility of the existence of a double row whose axis is parallel to, and not necessarily coincident with, the axis of the channel. It will be seen that, if the system of vortices is to move forward as a whole, then the only possible types of double row are those that have been discussed previously, that is, the symmetrical and unsymmetrical systems, and in both of these cases the centre lines of the row and channel are coincident. It was shown previously that the symmetrical row is always unstable and that the unsymmetrical system is stable within a particular domain of stability.
Was the Tungus Event due to a Black Hole

THERE have been many attempts to explain the Tunguska meteorite, ranging from the prosaic to the bizarre1–3. We suggest that a black hole of substellar mass such as those that have been postulated by Hawking4 could explain many of the mysteries associated with the event.
Evidence for defective incorporation of proteins in myelin of the quaking mutant mouse.

The defect in myelinogenesis present in the Quaking mutant mouse was investigated using a double radioisotope technique for comparing the incorporation of amino acid into myelin proteins of normal and mutant mice. Quaking mice and littermate controls recieved intracranial injections of 150 μCi [3H]glycine and 25 μCi of [14C]glycine respectively. After 2 h their brains were combined and jointly processed to obtain subcellular fractions. The 3H/14C ratio for the myelin subfraction was 1.88 as compared to a 3H/14C ratio of 3.0 for the other subfractions, indicating a 40% decrease in glycine incorporation into myelin of Quaking mice. Myelin proteins were separated by discontinuous gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the 3H/14C ratios determined in each gel slice. In contrast to the microsomal subfractions which gave a 3H/14C ratio of 2.6 across the gel, the 3H/14C ratio of myelin showed large variations with values ranging from 0.54 for proteolipid protein to 2.0 for some of the high molecular weight proteins. During development, the Quaking mutant exhibited a preferential depression in glycine incorporation into proteolipid protein in 18-day-old mice, while in older animals (32–54 days) the fast migrating basic protein, as well as the proteolipid protein, was labeled to a significantly lesser extent.
Non-Destructive TBC Spallation Detection by a Micro-Indentation Method

In this research, a load-based depth-sensing micro-indentation method for spallation detection and damage assessment of thermal barrier coating (TBC) materials is presented. A non-destructive multiple loading/partial unloading testing methodology was developed where in stiffness responses of TBC coupons subjected to various thermal cyclic loading conditions were analyzed to predict the spallation site and assess TBC degradation state. The measured stiffness responses at various thermal loading cycles were used to generate time-series color maps for correlation with accumulation of TBC residual stress states. The regions with higher stiffness responses can be linked to a rise in out-of-plane residual stress located near or at the yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ)/thermally grown oxide (TGO) interface, which is ultimately responsible for initiating TBC spallation failure. A TBC thermal exposure testing plan was carried out where time-series cross-sectional microstructural analyses of damage accumulation and spallation failure associated with the evolution of bond coat/TGO/top coat composite (e.g. thickness, ratcheting, localized oxidations, etc.) of air plasma sprayed (APS) TBCs were evaluated and correlated to the measured stiffness responses at various thermal cycles. The results show that the load-based micro-indentation test methodology is capable of identifying the spallation site(s) before actual occurrence. This micro-indentation technique can be viewed as a viable non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique for determining as-manufactured and process-exposed TBCs. This technique also shows promise for the development of a portable instrument for on-line, in-situ spallation detection/prediction of industrial-size TBC turbine components.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Transluminal coronary angioplasty in the elderly.

Abstract The safety and clinical efficacy of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in elderly patients has not been established. Of 639 PTCAs performed between March 1980 and May 1984, 119 patients were 65 years or older (mean 70 years). On angiography, elderly patients differed only in the more frequent occurrence of visible calcific deposits (26% vs 8 % in younger patients, p
The feasibility of ST-segment monitoring with a subcutaneous device.

Abstract We have developed a subcutaneous cardiac monitor/alarm for patients at high risk that alerts companions or bystanders if cardiac arrest occurs. The leadless device has 4 electrodes mounted on its corners. An added feature of the implantable monitor/alarm is the ability to detect ST-segment deviations present in acute ischemia. We obtained acute ischemia electrocardiogram (ECG) data of 30 patients from the Utah 192-site body surface maps and determined the left precordial region where our device would be implanted. (The device is implanted at the location where its electrodes yield maximum QRS amplitude.) Unipolar body surface potentials from the chosen area were further interpolated so that closely spaced bipolar electrocardiograms can be derived by performing algebraic subtraction of these “unipolar” ECGs. Results show that the summation of the absolute values of ST-deviations from a pair of diagonal bipolar leads from the optimal subarea (3 × 6 cm rectangle) provides a measure comparable to the maximum ST-deviation among the 4 corner unipolar leads of the same area. This suggests that ST-segment deviations seen at neighboring precordial sites are sufficiently different that significant cancellation of these deviations does not occur in forming close bipolar ECGs. Our conclusion is that during acute ischemia, bipolar ECG recordings between neighboring precordial sites can present ST-segment deviations that are large enough for automatic detection in many patients. Furthermore, the same electrodes used by our subcutaneous device in monitoring R-waves in arrhythmia detection can also be used in monitoring ST-segment deviations for acute ischemia detection.
Immune-Mediated Regression of Established B16F10 Melanoma by Intratumoral Injection of Attenuated Toxoplasma gondii Protects against Rechallenge

Immune recognition of tumors can limit cancer development, but antitumor immune responses are often blocked by tumor-mediated immunosuppression. Because microbes or microbial constituents are powerful adjuvants to stimulate immune responses, we evaluated whether intratumoral administration of a highly immunogenic but attenuated parasite could induce rejection of an established poorly immunogenic tumor. We treated intradermal B16F10 murine melanoma by intratumoral injection of an attenuated strain of Toxoplasma gondii (cps) that cannot replicate in vivo and therefore is not infective. The cps treatment stimulated a strong CD8(+) T cell-mediated antitumor immune response in vivo that regressed established primary melanoma. The cps monotherapy rapidly modified the tumor microenvironment, halting tumor growth, and subsequently, as tumor-reactive T cells expanded, the tumors disappeared and rarely returned. The treatment required live cps that could invade cells and also required CD8(+) T cells and NK cells, but did not require CD4(+) T cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that IL-12, IFN-γ, and the CXCR3-stimulating cytokines are required for full treatment efficacy. The treatment developed systemic antitumor immune activity as well as antitumor immune memory and therefore might have an impact against human metastatic disease. The approach is not specific for either B16F10 or melanoma. Direct intratumoral injection of cps has efficacy against an inducible genetic melanoma model and transplantable lung and ovarian tumors, demonstrating potential for broad clinical use. The combination of efficacy, systemic antitumor immune response, and complete attenuation with no observed host toxicity demonstrates the potential value of this novel cancer therapy.
Impact of lakeshore development on green frog abundance

Many amphibian species exhibit metapopulation spatial dynamics and temporally are faced with local population extinction and re-colonization. These natural population fluctuations can exhibit stochastic effects when human-caused alteration and fragmentation of habitats occur during sensitive life-cycle events. In this study, we explored the effects of shoreline development on adult green frogs Rana clamitans melanota on lakes (n=24) of northern Wisconsin. We estimated green frog abundance using both auditory and direct observation surveys. The immediate shoreline habitat was mapped and placed into a Geographical Information System (GIS) for analysis. Adult green frog populations were significantly lower on lakes with varying degrees of shoreline house and cottage development than lakes with little or no development. A negative linear relationship existed between shoreline development densities and the number of adult green frogs. However, house and cottage densities alone did not directly explain this reduction. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified that the amount of suitable habitat, not development density, significantly affected green frog abundance. Therefore, greater development densities significantly decrease breeding habitat quality, resulting in lower adult frog abundance. These and other findings suggest that lakeshore development regulations are not protecting sensitive amphibian species. # 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Catalytic Proficiency: The Unusual Case of OMP Decarboxylase

▪ Abstract Enzymes are called upon to differ greatly in the difficulty of the tasks that they perform. The catalytic proficiency of an enzyme can be evaluated by comparing the second-order rate constant (kcat/Km) with the rate of the spontaneous reaction in neutral solution in the absence of a catalyst. The proficiencies of enzymes, measured in this way, are matched by their affinity constants for the altered substrate in the transition state. These values vary from approximately ∼109 M−1 for carbonic anhydrase to ∼1023 M−1 for yeast orotidine 5′-phosphate decarboxylase (ODCase). ODCase turns its substrate over with a half-time of 18 ms, in a reaction that proceeds in its absence with a half-time of 78 million years in neutral solution. ODCase differs from other decarboxylases in that its catalytic activity does not depend on the presence of metals or other cofactors, or on the formation of a covalent bond to the substrate. Several mechanisms of transition state stabilization are considered in terms of OD...
Photoconductive detectors for space IR astronomy

Abstract Space observations promise greatly improved sensitivity for infrared astronomical observations. This report is a survey of current discrete infrared detector technology. Emphasis is on impurity-doped silicon and germanium photoconductors, as these devices are the most sensitive detectors available from the middle infrared out to beyond 120 um. Following a discussion of the physics of detector operation, a description of fabrication techniques is given. Because the associated electronics are crucial in determining system performance, recent pre-amplifier designs are briefly considered. Under the low backgrounds expected in cryogenic telescopes, photoconductors exhibit multiple time constants, and the ionizing radiation environment in space can give rise to significant variations in detector responsivity. Techniques for dealing with the two kinds of anomalous behavior found in space-borne applications are discussed.
Upgrades to StellaBase facilitate medical and genetic studies on the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis

National Science Foundation (FP-91656101-0); Environmental Protectment Agency (F5E11155); Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; The Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries; J. Seward Johnson Fund
TEM Study of Electrochemical Cycling‐Induced Damage and Disorder in LiCoO2 Cathodes for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries

Among lithium transition metal oxides used as intercalation electrodes for rechargeable lithium batteries, LiCoO{sub 2} is considered to be the most stable in the {alpha}-NaFeO{sub 2} structure type. It has previously been believed that cation ordering is unaffected by repeated electrochemical removal and insertion. The authors have conducted direct observations, at the particle scale, of damage and cation disorder induced in LiCoO{sub 2} cathodes by electrochemical cycling. Using transmission electron microscopy imaging and electron diffraction, it was found that (1) individual LiCoO{sub 2} particles in a cathode cycled from 1.5 to 4.35 V against a Li anode are subject to widely varying degrees of damage; (2) cycling induces severe strain, high defect densities, and occasional fracture of particles; and (3) severely strained particles exhibit two types of cation disorder, defects on octahedral site layers (including cation substitutions and vacancies) as well as a partial transformation to spinel tetrahedral site ordering. The damage and cation disorder are localized and have not been detected by conventional bulk characterization techniques such as X-ray or neutron diffraction. Cumulative damage of this nature may be responsible for property degradation during overcharging or in long-term cycling of LiCoO{sub 2}-based rechargeable lithium batteries.
EUS in submucosal tumors

The term submucosal tumor (SMT) is really a misnomer because lesions in this category do not necessarily arise or confine themselves to the submucosa. Any growth underneath the mucosa of the GI tract whose etiology cannot readily be determined by lumenal diagnostic endoscopy or barium radiography is called an SMT (Fig. 1). Experienced endoscopists often make an educated guess about the etiology of an SMT on the basis of size, shape, firmness, color, and overall appearance of the “tumor” but are histologically limited to normal biopsies of the overlying mucosa. As will be discussed in subsequent paragraphs, EUS helps to define SMTs by imaging these lesions in greater detail, which eliminates the guesswork.1-5 During the past decade EUS has become an invaluable modality for determining the etiology, obtaining a cytologic diagnosis (on occasion), and for clinical management when a symptomatic or asymptomatic SMT is encountered at endoscopy.
Adaptable peer-to-peer discovery of objects that match multiple keywords

A commonly needed function in peer-to-peer networks is the ability to locate information that matches particular query criteria. In this paper, information is associated with descriptive keywords, and discovery is performed to locate information that matches the query criteria of multiple keywords. Discovery forwards queries multiple hops through nodes, reaching nodes that may satisfy the query criteria. Concepts of keyword similarity and relationship history are introduced so that discovery performs in a more adaptable and scalable manner. Simulations are conducted to evaluate the impact of environment dynamics and environment scale on performing discovery.
Peripapillary choroidal neovascularization in pars planitis

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a rare complication of intermediate uveitis. Risk factors are not well-characterized. Here, we describe a case of peripapillary CNV in a patient with intermediate uveitis and explore the pathophysiology and treatment of this condition. This study is a case report and review of the literature. A 15-year-old boy with intermediate uveitis - suppressed for the preceding year on immunosuppressive therapy and low-dose corticosteroids - and chronic disc swelling presented with unilateral metamorphopsia, peripapillary subretinal hemorrhage, and subretinal fluid. Fluorescein angiogram confirmed the presence of an active choroidal neovascular membrane. Treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab 1.25 mg every 4 weeks for 4 months resulted in resolution of subretinal fluid, subretinal hemorrhage, and regression of the CNV. The patient's intermediate uveitis remained inactive throughout this time. Review of the existing literature and pathophysiologic consideration suggests that chronic disc edema may be a risk factor for this condition. Peripapillary CNV in the context of intermediate uveitis appears to respond well to VEGF-inhibitor therapy.
Getting out of the Game: Desistance from drug trafficking

Abstract Background This ethnographic study was conducted along the U.S.-Mexico border, the centre of the western hemispheric illicit drugs trade. It examines factors that encouraged or discouraged drug traffickers to "get out of the game" (a common slang reference to leaving the drug business). Methods In-depth, life history interviews were conducted of thirty ex-traffickers in the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez area. Participants discussed their experiences exiting drug trafficking and their retrospective, often conflicted, feelings about the trade. Results Although leaving drug trafficking is a complex and multi-faceted process, the principle factors for study participants were (1) punishment (by authorities or other traffickers), (2) self-image and identity, (3) social ties, (4) life course changes and (5) drug use/abuse. Conclusion Traffickers often want to quit, but their divided self-identities make it difficult to relinquish the power and exhilaration they derive from the illicit drugs business. Harm reduction policies are needed that address the embeddedness of trafficker identities in dense webs of family, community, street gangs and transnational cartels, and the larger society, as well as the seductive appeal of Hollywood and pro-cartel narco-media. Traffickers need pathways that allow them to exit the illicit drugs business without surrendering their identity. Prison sentences are not enough to encourage traffickers to stop—also needed are culturally sensitive policies that help traffickers get out of the game and stay out.
Imaging characteristics of neovascular pigment epithelial detachments and their response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy

Purpose To evaluate the imaging characteristics of macular neovascular pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) and their response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. Methods Patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), idiopathic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS) and central serous retinopathy (CSR) with choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) were included in the study. A retrospective chart review of 72 eyes of 64 patients was performed. Results Three types of PEDs were identified based on reflectivity of the material under the retinal pigment epithelium on optical coherence tomography: hollow (26 eyes with primarily hyporeflectivity under the PED), solid (30 eyes with primarily hyperreflective signal under the PED) and mixed (8 eyes with mixed reflectivity). The average number of anti-VEGF injections was 7 per eye and the average duration of follow-up was 16 months. Among eyes with exudative AMD, 7/21 hollow PEDs flattened, 1/19 solid PEDs flattened and 2/6 mixed PEDs flattened after anti-VEGF therapy. POHS and CSR with CNV were associated with subfoveal solid PEDs and were unchanged after therapy. Overall, 46% (12/26) with hollow PEDs, 25% (2/8) with mixed PEDs and 3% (1/30) with solid PEDs had flattening after anti-VEGF therapy. Conclusions The likelihood of PED flattening was inversely related to the reflectivity of the PED. The more reflective the PED, the less likely resolution with antiVEGF therapy occurred.
Life satisfaction of subpopulations of elderly. The comparative effects of volunteerism, employment, and meal site participation.

Although research generally indicates a positive relationship between activity and well-being, the strength of the relationship depends upon the presence or absence of personal and social resources such as health, solvency, residence, and surviving spouse as well as the nature of the activity itself. When such resources diminish, remaining activities take on added significance for maintaining morale. The present study investigates the relationship between elders who are volunteers, employed, or participating in meal site programs, and life satisfaction. The responses of 1400 systematically selected elders to a needs assessment survey in a four-county area in northwestern New England suggest that those individuals experiencing the greatest number of resource deficits, such as living alone, residing in a city, and being in poor health, benefitted the most from participating in these formal activities. An unanticipated finding was that the strongest and most consistent predictor of life satisfaction for disa...
Hypertensive heart failure: patient characteristics, treatment, and outcomes.

Abstract Background Acute heart failure (AHF) is a common, poorly characterized manifestation of hypertensive emergency. We sought to describe characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of patients with severe hypertension complicated by AHF. Methods and Results The observational retrospective Studying the Treatment of Acute hypertension (STAT) registry records data on emergency department and hospitalized patients receiving intravenous therapy for blood pressure (BP) greater than 180/110 mm Hg in 25 US hospitals. A subset of patients with HF was defined as pulmonary edema on chest x-ray (CXR) or an elevated B-type natriuretic peptide level (BNP > 500 or NTproBNP > 900 pg/mL) in patients with creatinine level 2.5 mg/dL or less. Remaining STAT patients, after excluding those with a primary neurologic diagnosis, constitute the non-HF cohort. An adverse composite outcome was defined as mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, hospital length of stay more than 1 week, or death within 30 days. Of 1199 patients, 302 (25.2%) had AHF. Acute HF patients and non-AHF patients were similar in age, sex, and overall mortality, but AHF patients were more commonly African American, with a history of HF, diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and prior hypertension admissions. Heart failure patients had higher creatinine and natriuretic peptide levels but lower ejection fraction. They were more likely admitted to the ICU; receive electrocardiograms, bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation, and CXRs; and be readmitted within 90 days. Finally, BP decreases lower than 120 mm Hg within 12 hours were associated with an increased rate of the composite adverse outcome. Conclusions Acute HF as a manifestation of hypertensive emergency is common, more likely in African Americans, and requires more clinical resources than patients with non–HF-related severe hypertension. Accurate BP control is critical, as declines less than 120 mm Hg were associated with increased adverse event rates.
Thallium reinjection after stress-redistribution imaging. Does 24-hour delayed imaging after reinjection enhance detection of viable myocardium?

BACKGROUNDThallium reinjection immediately after conventional stress-redistribution imaging improves the detection of viable myocardium, as many myocardial regions with apparently "irreversible" thallium defects on standard 3-4-hour redistribution images manifest enhanced thallium uptake after reinjection. Because the 10-minute period between reinjection and imaging may be too short, the present study was designed to determine whether 24-hour imaging after thallium reinjection provides additional information regarding myocardial viability beyond that obtained by imaging shortly after reinjection.METHODS AND RESULTSWe studied 50 patients with chronic stable coronary artery disease undergoing exercise thallium tomography, radionuclide angiography, and coronary arteriography. Immediately after the 3-4-hour redistribution images were obtained, 1 mCi thallium was injected at rest, and images were reacquired at 10 minutes and 24 hours after reinjection. The stress, redistribution, reinjection, and 24-hour image...
Dynamics of spread of HIV-I infection in a rural district of Uganda.

OBJECTIVE--To define the geographical distribution of HIV infection and the community characteristics associated with HIV prevalence in a rural population of Uganda. DESIGN--Seroprevalence survey and interviews of the population aged 13 years and older in 21 randomly selected clusters. SETTING--Rural population of Rakai district, south west Uganda. SUBJECTS--1292 adults, of whom 594 men and 698 women gave a blood sample and answered the questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--HIV status determined by ELISA and western blotting in relation to community characteristics. RESULTS--The weighted seroprevalence of HIV for the district was 12.6% with prevalence by cluster varying from 1.2% to 52.8%. Seroprevalence was highest in main road trading centres (men 26%, women 47%), intermediate in rural trading villages on secondary roads (men 22%, women 29%), and lowest in rural agricultural villages (men 8%, women 9%). For both men and women, multiple regression showed a strong negative association between cluster seroprevalence and the proportion of the population employed in agriculture (beta = -0.677 for men, -0.807 for women). Among women, cluster seroprevalence increased with a higher proportion of the population reporting multiple sex partners (beta = 0.814), external travel (beta = 0.579), and injections (beta = 0.483). CONCLUSIONS--Community characteristics, particularly the proportion of the population in agriculture, are associated with HIV prevalence and can be used for targeting interventions. The seroprevalences of HIV suggest spread of infection from main road trading centres, through intermediate trading villages, to rural agricultural villages.
Analysis: dawn of real-time continuous glucose sensing.

381 NEAR-CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORING is useful in evaluating glucose trends during the day, and frequently identifies postprandial hyperglycemia and nocturnal hypoglycemia that would have been missed by the routine capillary blood glucose monitoring. The first commercially available near-continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) was the Medtronic Minimed CGMS introduced in 1999. This system is not marketed to patients, but is sold to health care professionals to be used similar to a Holter monitor. The CGMS provides glucose readings every 5 min, and it is critical to have software that can analyze and present these data in a meaningful, usable manner. Because the sensor can develop “biofouling” resulting in unreliable glucose readings, a retrospective analysis is necessary to assure the sensor has been functioning properly and the resulting information is sufficiently accurate to interpret glucose trends. Several recent articles have expressed concerns about the reliability of data generated by the CGMS, with one article questioning its precision (the ability of two sensors worn at the same time to give consistent results),1 and a second article questioned the ability of the CGMS to accurately detect nocturnal hypoglycemia.2 Medtronic Minimed has been actively working to resolve these concerns. In 2001 they revised their software with version 3.0. The previous software used a linear regression model utilizing at least three calibration values entered by the subject each calendar day from midnight to midnight. Because a new regression equation was created every 24 h, there was a discontinuity of glucose readings at midnight. The new software (version 3.0) uses a rolling average of glucose values, eliminating the discontinuity of readings at midnight, and uses more sophisticated regression equations. In this issue of the journal, Weinzimer et al.3 compared glucose values generated using Medronic Minimed software version 3.0 to values generated by the previous version (2.0). Using the new software there were 5–7% fewer skipped readings, and accuracy [as determined by a lower mean absolute difference (MAD) between sensor readings and calibration readings] was improved for both nondiabetic and diabetic subjects. Additional features of version 3.0 software include the ability to analyze results by time brackets (such as daytime or overnight), and by preand postprandial time brackets for each meal (as long as the patient enters a “event marker” when he or she ate). The software calculates average, minimum, and maximum values and graphs results around each meal/or time frame, which greatly aids the rapid review and analysis of the many data points. The software still has several shortcomings. To determine an “optimal” day (meeting Minimed criteria for sensor accuracy) the program continues to use a midnight to midnight day, instead of a 24-h time frame beginning when the sensor is initialized. The glucose readings are still manually entered by the subject, and wrong values can be entered, val-
Education and Training to Address Specific Needs During the Career Progression of Surgeons

Surgeons have specific education and training needs as they enter practice, progress through the core period of active practice, and then as they wind down their clinical work before retirement. These transitions and the career progression process, combined with the dynamic health care environment, present specific opportunities for innovative education and training based on practice-based learning and improvement, and continuous professional development methods. Cutting-edge technologies, blended models, simulation, mentoring, preceptoring, and integrated approaches can play critical roles in supporting surgeons as they provide the best surgical care throughout various phases of their careers.
Going Concern Judgments as a Multiple Constraint Satisfaction Process

Key components of the multiple-constraint satisfaction framework are explored in an extensive experiment set in the complex and ambiguous domain of external auditing. The results show the prevalence and importance of a purposeful, albeit unconscious, structuring of the information by both the professional auditors and the auditing students as they gradually generate coherence and sense. In accordance with multiple constraint satisfaction predictions, the assessments of inferences increasingly spread apart. Also, the correlations between the dependent variable (the decision) and the independent variables, as well as between the independent variables, consistently grow stronger as the participants progress through the decision stages. The information structuring - a gradual simplification of the component structure - is captured as principal components associated with the various decision stages. Neural networks capture the judgments in the various decision stages quite well. Finally, the role of the ongoing structuring of the underlying information was explored through the application of trained networks to data originating in other decision stages.
Investigation of the Regioselectivity of Alkene Hydrations for the Undergraduate Organic Laboratory

Due to a lack of time and, thus, an inability to present every possibility in a chemical reaction, organic chemistry professors tend to present each reaction with a single outcome. In practice, this is clearly not the case. A first-semester, three-week laboratory experiment designed for undergraduate organic chemistry students is described in which students carry out the hydration of a monosubstituted alkene via two different reactions, a hydroboration/oxidation and an oxymercuration/demercuration, in the first two laboratory periods, and analyze the resulting product mixtures in the third week via gas chromatography (GC). Students gain hands-on experience with the GC instrument and compare the results of the two reaction types. Both reactions are carried out on the same alkene starting material, and the ratios of the primary alcohol (anti-Markovnikov) and secondary alcohol (Markovnikov) products formed in each reaction are calculated. Students write a formal report and discuss the regiochemistry of the r...
“A Wagner Act for Public Employees”: Labor's Deferred Dream and the Rise of Conservatism, 1970–1976

The explosive rise of public sector unions in the United States in the 1960s and the early 1970s resembled in many ways the breakthrough of industrial unionism in the 1930s. The unionization of teachers, police officers, fire fighters, secretaries, sanitation work ers, and other government employees was every bit as sudden and unexpected as the depression-era industrial union upsurge had been. Membership in public sector unions grew tenfold between 1955 and 1975, topping four million by the early 1970s. Moreover, newly organized government workers behaved just as militantly as did auto and steel workers a generation earlier. In 1958 there were a mere 15 public sector strikes recorded in the United States; in 1975 the number hit 478.l It is little wonder then that so many observers compared public sector unionism to the rise decades before of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (cio). Describing a scene reminiscent of a famous history of the 1930s by Irving Bernstein, the journalist Irwin Ross suggested in 1968 that the upsurge in government workers' activism had created a "turbulent state" by the late 1960s. Ralph J. Flynn, a lobbyist for the fastest growing public sector union, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (afscme), also used a depression-era bench mark. Surveying afscme's prospects in 1974 he concluded that "today is 1934 in the public sector." And, when a Pennsylvania state official tried to understand the unioniza tion of state workers, he also drew on history: "We went through this in the '30s in the private sector," he explained. "Now we are going through it in the public."2
Defective angiogenesis and intraretinal bleeding in mouse models with disrupted inner retinal lamination

Purpose Abnormal retinal angiogenesis leads to visual impairment and blindness. Understanding how retinal vessels develop normally has dramatically improved treatments for people with retinal vasculopathies, but additional information about development is required. Abnormal neuron patterning in the outer retina has been shown to result in abnormal vessel development and blindness, for example, in people and mouse models with Crumbs homologue 1 (CRB1) mutations. In this study, we report and characterize a mouse model of inner retinal lamination disruption and bleeding, the Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam) mutant, and test how neuron-neurite placement within the inner retina guides development of intraretinal vessels. Methods Bax mutant mice (increased neuron cell number), Dscam mutant mice (increased neuron cell number, disorganized lamination), Fat3 mutant mice (disorganized neuron lamination), and Dscam gain-of-function mice (Dscam(GOF)) (decreased neuron cell number) were used to manipulate neuron placement and number. Immunohistochemistry was used to assay organization of blood vessels, glia, and neurons. In situ hybridization was used to map the expression of angiogenic factors. Results Significant changes in the organization of vessels within mutant retinas were found. Displaced neurons and microglia were associated with the attraction of vessels. Using Fat3 mutant and Dscam(GOF) retinas, we provide experimental evidence that vessel branching is induced at the neuron-neurite interface, but that other factors are required for full plexus layer formation. We further demonstrate that the displacement of neurons results in the mislocalization of angiogenic factors. Conclusions Inner retina neuron lamination is required for development of intraretinal vessels.
Extra sensory perception: the role of Gpr receptors in the kidney.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review will summarize recent literature highlighting the roles of sensory Gpr receptors and their roles in renal function. RECENT FINDINGS Chemoreceptors play important roles in renal physiology wherein they modulate renal function in response to ligands from a variety of sources. SUMMARY As specialized chemical detectors, chemoreceptors in the kidney monitor the level of a variety of chemical ligands in the body and adjust renal function accordingly. In addition to olfactory receptors and taste receptors, G-protein coupled receptors of the orphan Gpr family are now being found to play a 'sensory' role in renal physiology. Identifying the physiological roles of these receptors and elucidating the cell biology underlying these signaling pathways can give us novel insights into renal function.
The Fictional Theories of J. Hillis Miller: Humanism, Phenomenology, and Deconstruction in The Form of Victorian Fiction and Fiction and Repetition

With the publication of Fiction and Repetition, J. Hillis Miller has confirmed his place in the first ranks of American critics. His importance is not merely that he proposed the most important sustained argument for a way of reading fiction by one of the American post-structuralists, but that he entered into a serious dialogue with past criticism of fiction. Cumulatively, J. Hillis Miller’s six critical books — Charles Dickens: The World of His Novels (1958), The Disappearance of God (1963), Poets of Reality (1965), The Form of Victorian Fiction (1968), Thomas Hardy: Distance and Desire (1970), and Fiction and Repetition (1982)—constitute one of the major critical achievements of the last two decades. These are primarily works of literary criticism, but they are also substantial methodological and theoretical statements. In my final chapter, I have chosen to focus on two of Hillis Miller’s books, The Form of Victorian Fiction and Fiction and Repetition, because they are less concerned with specific authors and texts and more with theoretical and methodological questions about fiction.
Vector-based Representation and Clustering of Audio Using Onomatopoeia Words

We present results on organization of audio data based on their descriptions using onomatopoeia words. Onomatopoeia words are imitative of sounds that directly describe and rep resent different types of sound sources through their perceiv ed properties. For instance, the word pop aptly describes the sound of opening a champagne bottle. We first establish this type of audio-to-word relationship by manually tagging a variety of audio clips from a sound effects library with onomatopoeia words. Using principal component analysis (PCA) and a newly proposed distance metric for word-level clustering, we cluster the audio data representing the clips. Due to the distance metric and the audio-to-word relationship, th e resulting clusters of clips have similar acoustic properties . We found that as language level units, the onomatopoeic descriptions are able to represent perceived properties of audio si gnals. We believe that this form of description can be useful in relating higher-level descriptions of events in a sce ne by providing an intermediate perceptual understanding of t he acoustic event.
Novel market inefficiencies from early Victorian times

A previously unknown pricing anomaly existed for a few years in the late 1840s in the British government bond market, in which the larger and more liquid of two very large bonds was underpriced. None of the published mechanisms explains this phenomenon. It may be related to another pricing anomaly that existed for much of the nineteenth century in which terminable annuities were significantly underpriced relative to so-called ‘perpetual’ annuities that dominated the government bond market. The reasons for these mispricings seem to lie in the early Victorian culture, since the basic economic incentives as well as laws and institutions were essentially the familiar modern ones. This provides new perspectives on the origins and nature of modern corporate capitalism.
Re-visioning Classic Maya Polities

This essay reviews the following works: Ancient Maya Pottery: Classification, Analysis, and Interpretation. Edited by James John Aimers. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2013. Pp. vii + 293. $79.95 cloth. ISBN: 9780813042367. The Huasteca: Culture, History, and Interregional Exchange. Edited by Katherine A. Faust and Kim N. Richter. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2015. Pp. vii + 241. $55.00 cloth. ISBN: 9780806147048. Excavations in Residential Areas of Tikal: Group 7F-1. By William A. Haviland. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 2015. Pp. xi + 133. $65.00 cloth. ISBN: 9781934536810. Politics of the Maya Court: Hierarchy and Change in the Late Classic Period. By Sarah E. Jackson. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2013. Pp. ix + 248. $29.95 hardback. ISBN: 9780806143415. The Ancient Maya Marketplace: The Archaeology of Transient Space. Edited by Eleanor M. King. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2015. Pp. vii + 325. $60.54 cloth. ISBN: 9780816500413. The Spectacle of the Late Maya Court: Reflections on the Murals of Bonampak. By Mary Miller and Claudia Brittenham. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2013. Pp. xi + 285. $54.05 cloth. ISBN: 9780292744363. Maya Lords and Lordship: The Formation of Colonial Society in Yucatan, 1350–1600. By Sergio Quezada. Translated by Terry Rugeley. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2014. Pp. ix + 248. $34.95 cloth. ISBN: 9780806144221. Place and Identity in Classic Maya Narratives. By Alexandre Tokovinine. Washington, DC: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection/Harvard University Press, 2015. Pp. vii + 180. $39.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780884023920.
Synergistic sedative effect of selective MAO-A, but not MAO-B, inhibitors and melatonin in frogs

Total suppression of righting reflex in frogs (Rana pipiens, 25–35 mg b.w.) was observed after combined administration of melatonin (12.5 mg/kg) and selective inhibitors of MAO-A: clorgyline (2.5 mg/kg) and moclobemide (50 mg/kg) but not MAO-B: selegiline (25 mg/kg) and Ro-19-6327 (50 mg/kg). None of these drugs alone affected the righting reflex. Clorgyline and selegiline selectively inhibited brain MAO-A and MAO-B activity (by more than 90%), resp. Frogs might represent a convenient model to study the selective MAO-A and B type inhibitors since they provide the opportunity to correlate behaviour and biochemical changes induced by MAO inhibitors.
2006 Graduate Student of the Year Paper Award Winner: Linking Project Management with Business Strategy:

Recognition of the strategic importance of project management in the corporate world is rapidly accelerating. One reason for this acceleration maybe a strong belief by business leaders that alignin...
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception: A Silver Bullet Solution for Unintended Pregnancy?

The authors reflect on the role of long-acting contraception in reducing unintended pregnancy. They comment on a decline in intrauterine device (IUD) costs and implants and on increased uptake in IUD use by educating possible users on their benefits. They mention research showing women who fail to use any contraception when at risk for unintended pregnancy have a significantly higher chance of pregnancy over those who use condoms or birth control pills and consider the role of income inequality.