cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of phenol in water by continuous flow analysis with LWCC

Objective:To establish a method for determination of phenols in drinking water by continuous flow analysis(CFA) with LWCC.Methods: Continuous flow analysis instrument was used for the sample distillation on-line and the distillate reacted subsequently with alkaline ferricyanide and 4-aminoantipyrine to form a red complex which was measured spectrophotometrically with LWCC at 505 nm.Results: The correlation coefficient of the method in the range of 0~10 μg/L was 0.9998 and the detection limit was 0.35 μg/L.The recoveries of the method in different kinds of water samples were 83.0%~108.5% with the RSDs of less than 5.65%(n=7).Conclusion: The method is simple,rapid and automatic with high accuracy and good reproducibility and it is suitable for routine analysis of phenol in drinking water.
Labor Market Middlemen and the Minimum Wage as Collective Bargaining

Why does the minimum wage exist? While the literature on the effects of the minimum wage is large, comparatively little has been written as to why the minimum wage exists. In this paper, I present a theory of labor market middlemen. I show that if the costs of negotiation are fixed, only those negotiating over a large surplus will employ a middleman. Unions can arise if the fixed cost can be sufficiently spread across workers. Nonetheless, for a sufficiently small surplus and/or a sufficiently large bargaining cost, even unionization might be infeasible. As a result, workers can use the political process as a substitute for collective bargaining. In fact, if all workers widely understand the bargaining process, they are likely to see the minimum wage as an issue of fairness (i.e. low wage workers do not have the same bargaining opportunities as those bargaining over a larger surplus). This could potentially explain popular support for minimum wages. This conclusion is consistent with existing empirical work on the determination of the minimum wage.
Total performance scorecard

The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.
Freedom's Edge: Religious Freedom, Sexual Freedom, and the Future of America

Freedom's Edge takes the reader directly into the heart of the debate over the relationship between religious freedom and LGBT and reproductive rights. The book explains these complex areas of law, and what is at stake in the battle to protect each of these rights. The book argues that religious freedom and sexual freedom share some common elements and that in most contexts it is possible to protect both. Freedom's Edge explains why this is so, and provides a roadmap for finding common ground and maximizing freedoms on both sides. The book will enable anyone with an interest in these issues to understand what the law actually teaches us about religious freedom, sexual freedom, and how they interact. This is important because what is often argued by partisans on both sides distorts the legal and cultural stakes, and diminishes the possibility of compromise.
Nonlinear capillary-gravity waves under an edge condition

The objective of this paper is to investigate the forced motion of nonlinear capillary-gravity waves in a waterfilled circular basin by a harmonic vibration applied to its side wall under Evans's or Hocking's edge condition at a contact line. The forcing frequency is near a resonance frequency under the classical edge condition of the basin. Two complex-amplitude equations for the excited eigenmode at the resonance frequency corresponding to these two edge conditions are derived. The solutions to these equations display quite different behavior and an edge condition indeed has a great influence on the excited surface waves.
Depletion of CD45RA+ Cells from Mobilized Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) Collections As an Integral Part of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) and Cellular Therapy (CT)

Clinical scale depletion of CD45RA+ naive T cells from leukapheresis collections can be achieved using CliniMACS (Bone Marrow Transplant. 2013, 1-7). In this study, PBSC collections depleted of CD45RA+ cells were infused as part of CT treatment protocols for pediatric patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumors in 2 separate clinical trials. Between Sep 2012 and May 2014, a total of 25 CD45RA+ cell depletion procedures was performed for 25 patients. Mobilized PBSC leukapheresis units were collected (using Spectra) from HLA haplo-identical donors and held overnight in cold prior to cell selection. Characterization of the products before and after CD45RA+ cell depletion is shown in Table 1. Depletion of all CD45RA+ cell averaged to 3.39-log while depletion of CD3+CD45RA+ T cells was > 3.76-log, as this subset of cells became undetectable in 8 (out of 25) final products. CD34+ cell recovery was 65.4%, similar to that of CD3+CD45RO+ T cells (65.1%), which constituted > 99% of all T cells after depletion. From the PBSC collection, each patient received a median dose of 0.009 x 106 CD3+CD45RA+ cells/kg and 11.1 x 106 CD34+ cells/kg. The final product contained a substantial amount of CD14+ monocytes (median = 22.0%, range: 7.0 – 46.4), few CD56+ NK cells (3.1%, range: 1.3 – 8.1) and almost no CD19+ B cells (0.04%, range: 0.01 – 0.30). After processing the cells were resuspended in Plasmalyte + 5% human serum albumin and infused as soon as possible. There was no reported contamination (growth of bacteria – aerobic or anaerobic and fungus) in the final cell products and no infusion related adverse events were observed. In conclusion, we have demonstrated clinical scale depletion of naive T cells can be achieved consistently and the final cell product can be safely infused into patients as part of HSCT and / or CT program. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Neutral recycling effects on ITG turbulence

The effects of recycled neutral atoms on tokamak ion temperature gradient (ITG) driven turbulence have been investigated in a steep edge pedestal, magnetic separatrix configuration, with the full-f edge gryokinetic code XGC1. An adiabatic electron model has been used; hence, the impacts of neutral particles and turbulence on the density gradient are not considered, nor are electromagnetic turbulence effects. The neutral atoms enhance the ITG turbulence, first, by increasing the ion temperature gradient in the pedestal via the cooling effects of charge exchange and, second, by a relative reduction in the shearing rate.
Football: Yuri's indelible impression on my six-year-old son

Abstract Yuri Reznikov had many personal strengths, not the least of which was his ability to interact with people of all ages and backgrounds. Here I reminisce about his encounters with my young son.
Electric Circuit Model Analogy for Equilibrium Lattice Relaxation in Semiconductor Heterostructures

The design and analysis of semiconductor strained-layer device structures require an understanding of the equilibrium profiles of strain and dislocations associated with mismatched epitaxy. Although it has been shown that the equilibrium configuration for a general semiconductor strained-layer structure may be found numerically by energy minimization using an appropriate partitioning of the structure into sublayers, such an approach is computationally intense and non-intuitive. We have therefore developed a simple electric circuit model approach for the equilibrium analysis of these structures. In it, each sublayer of an epitaxial stack may be represented by an analogous circuit configuration involving an independent current source, a resistor, an independent voltage source, and an ideal diode. A multilayered structure may be built up by the connection of the appropriate number of these building blocks, and the node voltages in the analogous electric circuit correspond to the equilibrium strains in the original epitaxial structure. This enables analysis using widely accessible circuit simulators, and an intuitive understanding of electric circuits can easily be extended to the relaxation of strained-layer structures. Furthermore, the electrical circuit model may be extended to continuously-graded epitaxial layers by considering the limit as the individual sublayer thicknesses are diminished to zero. In this paper, we describe the mathematical foundation of the electrical circuit model, demonstrate its application to several representative structures involving In x Ga1−x As strained layers on GaAs (001) substrates, and develop its extension to continuously-graded layers. This extension allows the development of analytical expressions for the strain, misfit dislocation density, critical layer thickness and widths of misfit dislocation free zones for a continuously-graded layer having an arbitrary compositional profile. It is similar to the transition from circuit theory, using lumped circuit elements, to electromagnetics, using distributed electrical quantities. We show this development using first principles, but, in a more general sense, Maxwell’s equations of electromagnetics could be applied.
Mapping critical areas for migratory songbirds using a fusion of remote sensing and distributional modeling techniques

Abstract Of the 338 species identified as Nearctic-Neotropical migrants occurring in North America, 98.5% have been recorded in Texas. The seasonal migration of these birds is a well-studied natural phenomenon – individuals weighing
Professional Organizations and CIS Curriculum Development

(1983). Professional Organizations and CIS Curriculum Development. The Journal of Data Education: Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 19-23.
Feasibility of 7T MRI for imaging fascicular structures of peripheral nerves

Introduction Evaluation of the nerve fascicular structure can be useful in diagnosing nerve damage, but it is a very challenging task with 3T MRI because of limited resolution. In this pilot study, we present the feasibility of high-resolution 7T MRI for examining the nerve fascicular structure. Methods A 3-dimensional (3D) gradient-spoiled sequence was used for imaging peripheral nerves in extremities. Images acquired with different in-plane resolutions (0.42 × 0.42 mm vs. 0.12 × 0.12 mm), and different main field strengths (7T vs. 3T) were compared. Results The individual nerve fascicles were identified at 0.12 × 0.12 mm resolution in both field strengths but not at 0.42 × 0.42 mm resolution. The fascicular structure was more sharply depicted in 7T images than in 3T images. Discussion High-resolution 3D imaging with 7T MRI demonstrated feasibility for imaging nerve fascicular structures. Muscle Nerve 57: 494-498, 2018.
Does conviction matter? The reputational and collateral effects of corporate crime

Critics of deferred prosecution agreements claim they undermine deterrence by lowering the cost to firms from reputational damage or stigma resulting from a criminal settlement. We evaluate whether the choice between a DPA and a guilty plea affects the cost to corporations of reputational damage arising from the reactions of interested outsiders – e.g., customers and suppliers – to the settlement, holding constant other factors such as the offender and offense magnitude. We introduce a framework for this purpose in which differences in the qualitative information that is released at settlement may cause differences in outsider reaction and, thus, the firm’s cost of reputational damage. We review the contents of the DPA and plea agreements and find no differences in the information they directly convey to interested outsiders that would cause differences in the expected cost of reputational damage to the firm. We then identify three channels through which the choice of settlement form might indirectly signal information to outsiders: direct revelation, prosecutorial selection, and managerial selection. The differences in the information that interested outsiders may receive through these channels according to the form of settlement appear unlikely to cause differences in the expected costs of reputational damage between DPA and plea to firms at settlement, however. We then turn to the impact of DPAs on the ability of federal agencies acting as interested outsiders to protect their interests by excluding or delicensing a firm whose criminal settlement reveals that it presents an enhanced risk of causing future harm to the agencies’ interests that is best addressed by exclusion instead of by mandated reforms. We conclude that agencies may be better able to serve their interests as interested outsiders when prosecutors employ DPAs than pleas because DPAs leave many agencies free to use permissive exclusion and enable them to exclude when, but only when, appropriate.
Narrativas periodísticas y memoria colectiva de una catástrofe urbana: el caso de las explosiones del 22 de abril en la prensa de Guadalajara

On April 22, 1992, nine explosions destroyed a neighborhood populated by workingclasses in Guadalajara (Mexico). Casualties included 210 people killed and many wounded. Through a textual and narrative analysis of 160 articles published in the local press, this research analyzes the narratives that the journalists crafted to commemorate this catastrophe. The article explains how narratives were highly influenced by a religious discourse, and how journalists used the concept of “space” and “body” to explain the explosion’s aftermaths.
Three new coccidians (Cyclospora, Eimeria) from eastern moles, Scalopus aquaticus (Linnaeus) (Mammalia: Soricomorpha: Talpidae) from Arkansas, USA.

Three new species of coccidians (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) are described from eastern moles, Scalopus aquaticus (Linnaeus) from Arkansas. Oocysts of Cyclospora duszynskii n. sp. are subspheroidal with a smooth bi-layered wall, measure 11.4 × 10.0 µm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.1; both micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but a single polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal and measure 7.2 × 5.4 µm, L/W 1.3; an indistinct Stieda body is present, but the sub-Stieda and para-Stieda bodies are absent and the sporocyst residuum is composed of medium to large granules of different sizes along the edge of the sporocyst. Oocysts of Cyclospora yatesi n. sp. are subspheroidal to ovoidal with an ornate outer wall, measure 17.0 × 15.2 µm, L/W 1.1; both micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but a single polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal and measure 9.7 × 7.3 µm, L/W 1.3; an indistinct Stieda body is present, but sub-Stieda and para-Stieda bodies are absent and the sporocyst residuum is composed of medium to large granules of different sizes along the edge of the sporocyst. Oocysts of Eimeria paulettefordae n. sp. are ovoidal to ellipsoidal with an ornate outer wall, measure 30.0 × 25.4 µm, L/W 1.2; both micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but a single polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal and measure 12.6 × 9.2 µm, L/W 1.4; a button-like Stieda body is present, but sub-Stieda and para-Stieda bodies are absent and the sporocyst residuum is composed of medium to large granules of different sizes along the edge of the sporocyst. These are the first coccidians described from Arkansas populations of S. aquaticus. In addition, a summary is provided on the cyclosporans and eimerians from North American talpids.
Galois Theory via Eigenvalue Methods

In recent years, eigenvalue and eigenvector methods have played an increasingly important role in solving polynomial systems. This expository article explains how these ideas can be applied to Galois theory.
Ernst Bloch’s Full Hope: “Explosive, Total, and Incognito”

No contemporary philosophical study of human hope should ignore the work of Ernst Bloch. This is not just because his chef-d’oeuvre is a massive treatise on hope. Nor is it because his work is startlingly original; much of his approach is drawn from others. His writing, however, may well be the principal contemporary statement of a hope that is, in a thoroughgoing way, linked to social and historical processes. Many of those who analyse hope focus primarily on the individual, and proceed in ways primarily psychological and existential, with little account taken of history. The hopes Bloch analyses are the hopes of societies and cultures, and the axis of fulfillment is thoroughly historical. Because of such emphases, his thought is at least a healthy corrective to individualistic analyses; in many respects it is the more salutary approach.
Angiographic Blush after Mechanical Thrombectomy is Associated with Hemorrhagic Transformation of Ischemic Stroke.

Abstract Background and Purpose Risk factors for hemorrhagic transformation of ischemic stroke after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) are not well established. We conducted a study to determine if prominent angiographic cerebral vascularity following recanalization with thrombectomy (angiographic blush) is associated with hemorrhagic transformation. Methods Using the Cornell AcutE Stroke Academic Registry, we identified stroke patients who had thrombectomy and achieved recanalization of anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion between 2012 and 2015. The exposure variable was presence of angiographic blush after recanalization, defined as capillary blush with or without early venous drainage. The primary outcome was volume of hemorrhagic transformation on brain imaging after thrombectomy, as determined by semiautomated volumetric analysis on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging among those adjudicated to have hemorrhagic conversion by neuroradiology investigators blinded to angiography results. Using a doubly robust estimator with propensity scores and outcome regression adjusting for demographics and known risk factors for hemorrhagic transformation, we evaluated whether angiographic blush after recanalization is associated with an increased volume of hemorrhagic transformation. Results Among 48 eligible patients, 31 (64.6%) had angiographic blush and 26 (54.2%) had radiographic hemorrhagic transformation (mean volume, 7.6 ml). Patients with angiographic blush averaged lower thrombolysis in cerebral infarction scores and more often received intravenous thrombolysis. In adjusted analysis, angiographic blush was associated with an increased volume of hemorrhagic transformation: mean volume, 10.3ml (95% CI, 3.7-16.9 ml) with blush versus 1.8ml (95% Confidence Interval (CII = Confidence Interval), 0.1-3.4 ml) without (P = .01). Conclusions Presence of angiographic blush after MT was independently associated with the volume of hemorrhagic transformation.
Uncertainty quantification confirms unreliable extrapolation toward high pressures for united-atom Mie λ-6 force field.

Molecular simulation results at extreme temperatures and pressures can supplement experimental data when developing fundamental equations of state. Since most force fields are optimized to agree with vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE) properties, however, the reliability of the molecular simulation results depends on the validity/transferability of the force field at higher temperatures and pressures. As demonstrated in this study, although state-of-the-art united-atom Mie λ-6 potentials for normal and branched alkanes provide accurate estimates for VLE, they tend to over-predict pressures for dense supercritical fluids and compressed liquids. The physical explanation for this observation is that the repulsive barrier is too steep for the “optimal” united-atom Mie λ-6 potential parameterized with VLE properties. Bayesian inference confirms that no feasible combination of non-bonded parameters (ϵ, σ, and λ) is capable of simultaneously predicting saturated vapor pressures, saturated liquid densities, and pressures at high temperatures and densities. This conclusion has both practical and theoretical ramifications, as more realistic non-bonded potentials may be required for accurate extrapolation to high pressures of industrial interest.Molecular simulation results at extreme temperatures and pressures can supplement experimental data when developing fundamental equations of state. Since most force fields are optimized to agree with vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE) properties, however, the reliability of the molecular simulation results depends on the validity/transferability of the force field at higher temperatures and pressures. As demonstrated in this study, although state-of-the-art united-atom Mie λ-6 potentials for normal and branched alkanes provide accurate estimates for VLE, they tend to over-predict pressures for dense supercritical fluids and compressed liquids. The physical explanation for this observation is that the repulsive barrier is too steep for the “optimal” united-atom Mie λ-6 potential parameterized with VLE properties. Bayesian inference confirms that no feasible combination of non-bonded parameters (ϵ, σ, and λ) is capable of simultaneously predicting saturated vapor pressures, saturated liquid densities, and pressu...
Regulatory Rights: Civil Rights Agencies, Courts, and the Entrenchment of Language Rights

Shortly after passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, policymakers recognized the need to transform the aspirations of civil rights rhetoric into concrete solutions for new immigrants and non- English speakers whose presence dramatically increased following passage of the Hart-Cellar Act in 1965. The Hart- Cellar Act lifted national origin quotas on Asian and Latin American countries, ushering in an unprecedented amount of racial and ethnic diversity. Asian and Hispanic immigrants faced many of the same barriers as African Americans, whose pioneering efforts culminated in sweeping civil rights reforms in many areas of public life. The new immigrants additionally faced language barriers. Many Asian and Hispanic immigrants lacked the language skills to fully participate in mainstream institutions where English predominated. Generations of neglect also meant that some Asians and Hispanics lacked English language competency despite years of residence in ethnic enclaves in cities. In both schools and workplaces, the achievements of the civil rights movement eluded language minorities. This chapter explains how civil rights laws evolved to incorporate the needs of LEP speakers after 1965 and shows how federal civil rights agencies served as the engine of civil rights expansions on behalf of language minorities in the years following the passage of the Civil Rights Act and Hart-Cellar Act.
CHAPTER 6 – Human Diseases as Models of Accelerated Aging

Aging appears to be an ongoing imperative of life. Using the principles of aging and certain pathophysiologic illnesses displaying accelerated aging, one can continue to look for clues. In diabetes mellitus, progeria, and Werner's syndrome, fibroblast function is altered in a pattern similar to aging. All three patient groups suffer morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular illness similar to the general aging population. This chapter discusses features of these diseases that are common with aging. Although aging influences the onset of diabetes and diabetes causes premature aging, other conditions are marked by premature aging. Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome, Werner's syndrome, acrogeria, ataxia telangiectasia, Cockayne's syndrome, Down's syndrome, familial cervical liposysplasia, Seip syndrome, and familial hypercholeterolemia are all inherited syndromes associated with premature aging. More research and observation are needed to understand the mechanism of aging completely. This chapter also discusses various models proposed for aging, including the error theory of aging, the free radical theory of aging, and the Hayflick model of aging.
Impact of a Daily PICU Rounding Checklist on Urinary Catheter Utilization and Infection.

Introduction In critically ill children, inappropriate urinary catheter (UC) utilization is associated with increased morbidity, including catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Checklists are effective for reducing medical errors, but there is little data on their impact on device utilization in pediatric critical care. In this study, we evaluated UC utilization trends and CAUTI rate after implementing a daily rounding checklist. Methods A retrospective review of our checklist database from 2006 through 2016 was performed. The study setting was a 36-bed pediatric intensive care unit in a quaternary-care pediatric hospital. Interventions included the "Daily QI Checklist" in 2006, ongoing education regarding device necessity, and a CAUTI prevention bundle in 2013. UC utilization and duration were assessed via auto-correlated time series models and Cochran-Armitage tests for trend. Changes in CAUTI rate were assessed via Poisson regression. Results UC utilization decreased from 30% of patient-days in 2006 to 18% in 2016 (P < 0.0001, Cochran-Armitage trend test), while duration of UC use (median, 2.0 days; interquartile range, 1-4) did not change over time (P = 0.18). CAUTI rate declined from 9.49/1,000 UC-days in 2009 to 1.04 in 2016 (P = 0.0047). Conclusions Implementation of the checklist coincided with a sustained 40% reduction in UC utilization. The trend may be explained by a combination of more appropriate selection of patients for catheterization and improved timeliness of UC discontinuation. We also observed an 89% decline in CAUTI rate that occurred after stabilization of UC utilization. These findings underscore the potential impact of a checklist on incorporating best practices into daily care of critically ill children.
THE ENERGY OF WASTE AND THE PROBLEM OF INFORMED CHOICES

This paper discusses the imbalance of power between energy producers and end-use consumers, the values reflected in different energy postures and the resulting confusion from unexpressed values, and the centrality of intended and unintended effects, or consequences. It focuses on the relationship of these issues to decisions on energy use levels and on which energy sources to develop, at what rate and costs, and for the advancement of which public purposes.
A Rhesus Monkey With a Naturally Occurring Impairment of Disparity Vergence. II. Abnormal Near Response Cell Activity in the Supraoculomotor Area.

Purpose Convergence insufficiency is a very common disorder that can have significant adverse effects on school performance. When reading, children with this disorder often experience diplopia and headaches. We have recently obtained a rhesus monkey with a naturally occurring impairment of vergence eye movements. In the companion paper, we report behavioral testing that shows a pattern of impairments similar to what clinicians observe in human children with convergence insufficiency, including a receded near point, an exophoria that increases as target distance decreases, and difficulty maintaining an appropriate vergence angle when presented with a large field stimulus at near. For the present case report, we wondered whether these behavioral deficits would be associated with abnormal discharge patterns in brainstem neurons related to vergence eye movements. Methods Single unit activity was recorded from near and far response cells in the supraoculomotor area in the vergence-impaired monkey, while he performed a smooth vergence tracking task or fixated visual targets at different distances. Results We found an abnormally weak sensitivity to both vergence angle and vergence velocity. Nonetheless, these neurons modulated in association with contextually inappropriate slow vergence movements that occurred in the absence of saccades but not for slow divergence drifts that immediately followed converging saccades. Modulation of activity was more robust when additional depth cues were available. Conclusions These data suggest that disorders affecting vergence eye movements may be associated with impoverished sensory input to the near and far response cells and, perhaps, aberrant tuning in vergence-related neurons.
Gender’s Influence on Academic Collaboration in a University-Wide Network

We present a collaboration network of the faculty of a large polytechnic state university in the United States. In our network vertices represent researchers: faculty members at the university and collaborators of these faculty members. Edges between two researchers in this network represent some sort of collaborative experience: conference publication, journal publication, or grant application. In this paper we present a study of this network and various subnetworks with respect to gender.
The Psychopharmacology Algorithm Project at the Harvard South Shore Program: An update on management of behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia.

Abstract Geriatric patients with dementia frequently present with agitation, aggression, psychosis, and other behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). We present an update of our previously published algorithms for the use of psychopharmacologic agents in these patients taking into account more recent studies and findings in meta-analyses, reviews, and other published algorithms. We propose three algorithms: BPSD in an emergent, urgent, and non-urgent setting. In the emergent setting when intramuscular (IM) administration is necessary, the first-line recommendation is for olanzapine (since IM aripiprazole, previously favored, is no longer available) and haloperidol injection is the second choice, followed by possible consideration of an IM benzodiazepine. In the urgent setting, the first line would be oral second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) aripiprazole and risperidone. Perhaps next could be then prazosin, and lastly electroconvulsive therapy is a consideration. There are risks associated with these agents, and adverse effects can be severe. Dosing strategies, discontinuation considerations, and side effects are discussed. In the non-emergent setting, medications are proposed for use in the following order: trazodone, donepezil and memantine, antidepressants such as escitalopram and sertraline, SGAs, prazosin, and carbamazepine. Other options with less support but potential future promise are discussed.
A full-vectorial method for efficient holey optical fiber modeling

Summary form only given. We propose a full-vectorial algorithm, which solves the wave equations exactly, without the assumption of de-coupling of the two transverse fields. The algorithm based on Hermite-Gaussian function expansions is efficient because only relatively few terms are necessary to obtain good results. Our algorithm simplifies the refractive index representation, is better suited to various holey fiber structures, and provides better approximations around the core region. Compared with previous studies, our proposed algorithm considers both transverse field components, and is an accurate modeling for strongly guiding structures like holey fibers. The full-vectorial algorithm has been checked against analytical results in analytically solvable structures, and experimental results. Very good agreement is obtained in both cases.
Levofloxacin pharmacodynamics against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in a neutropenic murine thigh infection model: implications for susceptibility breakpoint revision.

Background Levofloxacin displays in vitro activity against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (STM); however, current susceptibility breakpoints are supported by limited data. We employed the murine neutropenic thigh infection model to assess levofloxacin pharmacodynamics against STM. Methods Twenty-six clinical STM were studied using the neutropenic murine thigh infection model. Human simulated regimens (HSR) of levofloxacin 750 mg q24h were administered over 24 h. Efficacy was measured as the change in log10 cfu/thigh at 24 h compared with 0 h. Composite cfu data were fitted to an Emax model to determine the fAUC/MIC needed for stasis and 1 log10 reduction at 24 h. Monte Carlo simulation was performed to determine PTA. Results Levofloxacin MICs ranged from 0.5-8 mg/L. Mean bacterial burden at 0 h was 6.21 ± 0.20 log10 cfu/thigh. In the 24 h controls, bacterial growth was 1.64 ± 0.66 log10 cfu/thigh. In isolates with levofloxacin MICs ≤1, 2 and ≥4 mg/L, changes in bacterial density following levofloxacin HSR were -1.66 ± 0.89, 0.13 ± 0.97 and 1.54 ± 0.43 log10 cfu/thigh, respectively. The Emax model demonstrated strong agreement between fAUC/MIC and change in bacterial density (R2 = 0.82). The fAUC/MIC exposure needed for stasis and 1 log10 reduction was 39.9 and 54.9, respectively. PTAs for the 1 log10 reduction threshold were 95.8, 72.2, and 26.6% at MICs of 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/L, respectively. Conclusions These are the first data to describe fAUC/MIC thresholds predictive of cfu reductions for levofloxacin against STM. Due to poor in vivo efficacy and PTA at MICs ≥2 mg/L, reassessment of the current susceptibility breakpoint is warranted.
Paz con la selva

espanolEste ensayo navega a traves de los bosques vivos de la Amazonia colombiana, reflexionando sobre lo que hemos heredado en tiempos de la asi llamada “paz”, a medida que esta se desarrolla en un contexto de creciente violencia y deforestacion. La firma del Acuerdo de Paz en Colombia, en 2016, marco el fin de una guerra de decadas entre el gobierno y las Farc, pero tambien supuso otra guerra contra la selva. Este ensayo se basa en una investigacion etnografica en Putumayo, Colombia, para explorar como la selva ha participado como victima y testigo de la violencia, a la vez que llama la atencion sobre las formas en que las vidas (y muertes) humanas y no humanas estan inevitablemente entrelazadas en la forja de la paz. portuguesEste ensaio navega pelas florestas vivas da Amazonia colombiana, abordando o que herdamos em tempos da chamada “paz”, enquanto essa avanca em um contexto de crescente violencia e desmatamento. A assinatura do acordo de paz na Colombia em 2016 estabeleceu o fim de uma guerra de decadas entre o governo e as farc, mas tambem estabeleceu outra guerra contra a selva. Este ensaio baseia-se em pesquisas etnograficas em Putumayo, Colombia, para explorar como a selva tem participado como vitima e testemunha da violencia, enquanto chama a atencao sobre as maneiras pelas quais as vidas (e as mortes) humanas e nao humanas estao inevitavelmente entrelacadas na geracao da paz. EnglishThis essay navigates through the living forests of the Colombian Amazon, reflecting on what we have inherited in times of “peace” as it unfolds in a context of increasing violence and deforestation. The signing of the peace agreement in Colombia in 2016 marked the end of a decade-long war between the government and the farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), but it also meant another war against the selva. This essay draws on ethnographic research in Putumayo, Colombia, to explore how the selva has participated as a victim and witness of violence, while calling attention to the ways in which human and nonhuman lives (and deaths) are inevitably intertwined in the forging of peace.
Risk Management by Multinational Corporations: A Test of theUnderinvestment Hypothesis

This study analyzes foreign currency hedging activity of U.S. multinational firms to determine if these firms hedge exchange rate risk to overcome an underinvestment problem. Previous research on this problem shows that firms' investment opportunities help to explain exchange rate risk hedging. This study uses more detailed, geographically segmented, firm-level data on hedging activity to test further implications of the underinvestment problem model. Evidence from this sample supports the conclusion that multinational firms with asset exposure to exchange rates hedge more and firms coordinate hedging and investment decisions.
Non-Commutative Crepant Resolutions: Scenes from Categorical Geometry

Non-commutative crepant resolutions are algebraic objects defined by Van den Bergh to realize an equivalence of derived categories in birational geometry. They are motivated by tilting theory, the McKay correspondence, and the minimal model program, and have applications to string theory and representation theory. In this expository article I situate Van den Bergh's definition within these contexts and describe some of the current research in the area.
European Preferences for Beef Steak Attributes

A choice experiment is used to evaluate how consumers in London, Frankfurt, and Paris value beef steaks with attributes such as: "hormone-free," "GM-free," farm-specific source verification, and domestic origin. The effect of various consumer characteristics on steak selection is also evaluated. Results suggest that European consumers are significantly heterogeneous in their preferences for beef steak attributes. French and German consumers have a higher willingness to pay to avoid genetically modified feed use than British consumers, while German and British consumers would pay more for growth hormone-free beef. French and German consumers are willing to pay for farm-specific source verification.
Identifiable finite mixtures of location models for clustering mixed-mode data

For clustering mixed categorical and continuous data, Lawrence and Krzanowski (1996) proposed a finite mixture model in which component densities conform to the location model. In the graphical models literature the location model is known as the homogeneous Conditional Gaussian model. In this paper it is shown that their model is not identifiable without imposing additional restrictions. Specifically, for g groups and m locations, (g!)m−1 distinct sets of parameter values (not including permutations of the group mixing parameters) produce the same likelihood function. Excessive shrinkage of parameter estimates in a simulation experiment reported by Lawrence and Krzanowski (1996) is shown to be an artifact of the model‘s non-identifiability. Identifiable finite mixture models can be obtained by imposing restrictions on the conditional means of the continuous variables. These new identified models are assessed in simulation experiments. The conditional mean structure of the continuous variables in the restricted location mixture models is similar to that in the underlying variable mixture models proposed by Everitt (1988), but the restricted location mixture models are more computationally tractable.
The Politics of Multiculturalism: Pluralism and Citizenship in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.

The Politics of Multiculturalism: Pluralism and Citizenship in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Robert W. Hefner. ed. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2001. 319 pp.
Cell growth and dehydrogenase activity; a histochemical enzyme study of primary squamous-cell carcinoma of Bartholin's gland.

Abstract A case of squamous-cell carcinoma of Bartholin's gland which fulfilled Honan's criteria is reported. Small amounts of glycogen were demonstrated in tumor cells, increasing with cell maturation. Dehydrogenase activity was found in the neoplastic cells, decreasing with cell maturation.
An Asymptotic Analysis of a Reaction-Diffusion System

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an asymptotic analysis of a reaction-diffusion system, and outlines an approach to the study of solutions of initial-boundary value problems for the singularly perturbed system u t + h ( x , t , u ) = ɛ 2 u xx in a rectangle Π ⊂ R 2 , for small values of the perturbation parameter ɛ 2 . The perturbation parameter is written as ɛ 2 because the appearance of its (positive) square root is anticipated in some of the estimates. Under certain assumptions on h, solutions are shown to follow solutions of the initial value problem for the unperturbed system U t + h ( x , t , U ) = 0 in Π as ɛ → 0 + . The principal assumption is the existence of a solution U in Π that is stable and diagonally dominant. The chapter discusses that such problems arise in many applied areas where they are usually referred to as “reaction-diffusion” problems.
The sensitivity and specificity of single-field nonmydriatic monochromatic digital fundus photography with remote image interpretation for diabetic retinopathy screening: a comparison with ophthalmoscopy and standardized mydriatic color photography.

Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate single-field digital monochromatic nonmydriatic fundus photography as an adjunct in the screening of diabetic retinopathy. DESIGN: Prospective, comparative, observational case series. METHODS: Patients with type I and type II diabetes mellitus (n = 197) were sequentially evaluated by three different techniques: single-field digital monochromatic nonmydriatic photography; dilated ophthalmoscopy by an ophthalmologist; and seven Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) standardized 35-mm color stereoscopic mydriatic images. The seven stereoscopic color photographs served as the reference standard and were compared with either ophthalmoscopy or a single digital photograph transmitted electronically to a reading site. Levels of agreement were determined by κ analyses. The sensitivity and specificity of the three methods were compared based on a threshold for referral to further ophthalmologic evaluation (ETDRS level ≥35). RESULTS: There was highly significant agreement (κ = 0.97, P = .0001) between the degree of retinopathy detected by a single nonmydriatic monochromatic digital photograph and that seen in seven standard 35-mm color stereoscopic mydriatic fields. The sensitivity of digital photography compared with color photography was 78%, with a specificity of 86%. Agreement was poor (κ = 0.40, P = .0001) between mydriatic ophthalmoscopy and the seven-field standard 35-mm color photographs. Sensitivity of ophthalmoscopy compared with color photography was 34%, with a specificity of 100%. CONCLUSION: A single nonmydriatic monochromatic wide-field digital photograph of the disk and macula was more sensitive for diabetic retinopathy screening than mydriatic ophthalmoscopy, the currently accepted screening method. When adjudicated by standard seven-field color photographs, the higher sensitivity of digital photography primarily reflected the reduced sensitivity of ophthalmoscopy in detecting early retinopathy.
BETWEEN INDIGENEITY AND DIASPORA

This essay proposes the category of subalternity as a tool to adjudicate between the often conflicting claims of diaspora and indigeneity. Written in the context of two itineraries on the part of the author – one a combined lecture/tourist trip to Ecuador and the second a talk presented at a symposium on indigeneity and postcoloniality in Urbana-Champaign – the essay begins by tracking the various knowledge claims that arise out of the experience of travel. It goes on to record a travel narrative to an indigenous community in Ecuador in which many of the concerns of representation, language and political recognition that colonized communities face are raised. The essay then moves on to a discussion of the risks of unilaterally privileging either the claims of indigeneity or the claims of diaspora.
PEMF as treatment for delayed healing of foot and ankle arthrodesis.

Background:Arthrodesis is the most common surgical treatment for foot and ankle arthritis. In adults, these procedures are associated with a 5% to 10% rate of nonunion. Pulsed electromagnetic field...
ECONOMETRIC MODELLING OF UK HOUSE PRICES USING ACCELERATED IMPORTANCE SAMPLING

We consider stochastic and dynamic extensions of a model for UK house prices proposed by Hendry (1984). Numerical integrations are carried out by means of an accelerated importance sampling technique developed by Richard and Zhang (1996a,b). We find that prices ‘perfectly’ adjust to a stochastic latent variable (‘excess demand’) whose distribution only depends upon observable characteristics of the market, not upon its own lagged values.
The significance of glutathione conjugation for aflatoxin B1 metabolism in rainbow trout and coho salmon

Abstract Rainbow trout are known to be more susceptible to aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) hepatocarcinogenesis than coho salmon, or trout pre-fed the carcinogenesis inhibitors β-naphthoflavone (βNF), Aroclor 1254 or indole-3-carbinol. The study reported here examined the relationship between AFB 1 -glutathione (GSH) conjugation and AFB 1 carcinogenesis in salmon, trout and trout pre-fed the three inhibitors. The AFB 1 -glutathione (AFB 1 -SG) conjugate was not detected in salmon bile and was present in trout bile in amounts representing less than 0.2% of the administered dose 24 hr after injection of [ 3 H]AFB 1 . The major conjugates were glucuronides of aflatoxicol and aflatoxicol M 1 . In incubations of isolated liver cell fractions, less than 0.5% of the original AFB 1 dose was recovered as AFB 1 -SG in salmon and trout preparations, compared to 25% in mouse-liver cell preparations. The GSH concentration in livers of the control trout was higher than that for coho salmon but lower than that for trout pre-fed βNF. Liver GSH-transferase activity in control trout livers was much higher than in the control salmon livers, but was only 62% of that found for trout fed βNF. There was no apparent relationship among the various groups between liver GSH concentration, liver GSH-transferase activity, or biliary GSH conjugate, and the degree of carcinogenic response of AFB 1 . Thus current evidence does not indicate a major role for aflatoxin B 1 epoxide-GSH detoxification in coho salmon, or rainbow trout fed any of the three anticarcinogens tested. These results in salmonid fish are contrary to those which suggest AFB 1 -SG conjugation as a major determinant of AFB 1 carcinogenesis and its dietary modulation in rodent models.
HbA1c and Peripheral Arterial Disease in Diabetes: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study

OBJECTIVE —To assess the relation between HbA 1c (A1C) and incident peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in a community-based cohort of diabetic adults from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. A second aim was to investigate whether the association was stronger for severe, symptomatic disease compared with PAD assessed by low ankle-brachial index (ABI). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —This was a prospective cohort study of 1,894 individuals with diabetes using ARIC visit 2 as baseline (1990–1992) with follow-up for incident PAD through 2002. We assessed the relation between A1C and incident PAD, defined by intermittent claudication, PAD-related hospitalization, or a low ABI ( RESULTS —During a mean follow-up of 9.8 years, the crude incidence rates were 2.1 per 1,000 person-years for intermittent claudication ( n = 41), 2.9 per 1,000 person-years for PAD-related hospitalization ( n = 57), and 18.9 per 1,000 person-years for low ABI at visit 3 or 4 ( n = 123). The relative risk (RR) (95% CI) of an incident PAD event comparing the second and third tertiles of A1C to the first, respectively, after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors was strongest for severe, symptomatic forms of disease, e.g., PAD-related hospitalization (RR = 4.56 [1.86–11.18] for the third A1C tertile compared with the first, P trend P trend = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS —We found a positive, graded, and independent association between A1C and PAD risk in diabetic adults. This association was stronger for clinical (symptomatic) PAD, whose manifestations may be related to microvascular insufficiency, than for low ABI. Our results suggest that efforts to improve glycemic control in persons with diabetes may substantially reduce the risk of PAD.
Searching for the Next U.S. President: Differences in Search Engine Results for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Candidates

ABSTRACT Studies have examined online campaigns, but none have researched the role of search engines during elections. This study analyzes search engine results from the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Analyses show that the sources and content generated by three search engines differed among the search engines. The top-three results from each search engine, however, originated from large, well-trafficked sites. The results indicate that search engines act according to a market model by providing access to mainstream sites rather than diverse, less familiar information. These results allow scholars to understand the types of political information accessible to citizens during elections.