cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image analysis of soft-tissue in-growth and attachment into highly porous alumina ceramic foam metals

The detailed quantitative characterization of soft-tissue in-growth into highly porous artificial implants is critical to understanding the biophysical processes that will lead to the best structural scaffolding construct. Previous studies have performed mechanical peel tests and mostly qualitative histological analyses of soft-tissue. The goal of this paper is to report the results obtained from applying two image analysis algorithms to quantify the morphological structure found in histological images of stained soft-tissue in-growth into alumina ceramic foam metal implants using a canine model. Three different pore sizes were used and three different post-operative time points were considered. Using the 2D Wavelet Transform Modulus Maxima method and 2D Fourier Transform analysis, a strong anisotropic signature (directional preference) is detected in early (4-week) histological samples. The direction of preference is towards the center of the implants. The strength of the anisotropy at later time points (8 and 16 weeks) becomes gradually weaker. Our interpretation is that after a short period of time, the main tissue growth activity has been concentrated on filling the artificial implant by growing towards its center. The weaker anisotropic signature found at later time points is interpreted as the tissue growth activity strengthening its structure by growing in more random directions.
Peripherally Cross-Linking the Shell of Core-Shell Polymer Micelles Decreases Premature Release of Physically Loaded Combretastatin A4 in Whole Blood and Increases its Mean Residence Time and Subsequent Potency Against Primary Murine Breast Tumors After IV Administration

Purpose Determine the feasibility and potential benefit of peripherally cross-linking the shell of core-shell polymer micelles on the premature release of physically loaded hydrophobic drug in whole blood and subsequent potency against solid tumors.
Missing at Random in Graphical Models

The notion of missing at random (MAR) plays a central role in the theory underlying current methods for handling missing data. However the standard definition of MAR is diffi cult to interpret in practice. In this paper, we assume the missing data model is represented as a directed acyclic graph that not only encodes the dependencies among the variables but also explicitly portrays the causal mechanisms responsible for the missingness process. We introduce an intuitively appealing notion of MAR in such graphical models, and establish its relation with the standard MAR and a few versions of MAR used in the literature. We address the question of whether MAR is testable, given that data are corrupted by missingness, by proposing a general method for identifying testable implications imposed by the graphical structure on the observed data.
ScanSAR and Precision Processor implementation at the Alaska SAR Facility

Summarizes the algorithm and hardware selection phases of the ScanSAR Processor (SSP) and Precision Processor (PP) implementation task for the Alaska SAR Facility (ASF). The SSP is being designed to specifically process RADARSAT ScanSAR mode SAR data while the PP is being designed to produce high precision image products from continuous mode SAR data from RADARSAT as well as ERS-1,2 and JERS-1. This paper describes the algorithms selected for the SSP and the PP; and reports on the hardware selection process in arriving at the target computing platform for these processors.
Mechanical properties of SU-8

An existing test system for recording the stress-strain curves of metal microspecimens has been used to measure the strength of the ultrathick photoresist SU-8. The microspecimens are 3 mm long with a gage section 0.2 mm wide. The SU-8-25 specimens were 0.08 mm thick with an average strength of nearly 120 MPa, and the SU-8-50 specimens were 0.125 or 0.145 mm thick with an average strength of 130 MPa. Measurements of Young’s modulus proved difficult, but a preliminary value of 3 GPa was obtained.
Distortions in Eyewitnesses' Recollections: Can the Postidentification-Feedback Effect Be Moderated?

Giving eyewitnesses confirming feedback after they make a lineup identification (e.g., “Good. You identified the actual suspect.”) inflates not only their recollections of how confident they were at the time of the identification, but also other testimony-relevant judgments, such as how good their view was, how much attention they paid during witnessing, and how quickly they identified the suspect. We replicated this postidentification-feedback effect with eyewitnesses who had made false identifications (N = 156), adding critical conditions in which after the identification but prior to the feedback, some eyewitnesses were given instructions to privately think about their confidence, their view, and other matters. Other eyewitnesses were given the same thought instructions subsequent to the feedback manipulation. Prior thought served to mitigate the effects of feedback, but subsequent thought did not. In addition, even without feedback, privately thinking about confidence had some confidence-inflating pro...
Automatic synthesis of locally-clocked asynchronous state machines

The authors describe a novel automated design methodology for asynchronous state-machine controllers. Using a local-clocking scheme, the method allows multiple input changes and produces hazard-free designs with a minimal or near-minimal number of states. The authors present an automated program for asynchronous state machine synthesis, and describe a new heuristic for state minimization and new optimizations to improve implementations. The program is used to synthesize competitive implementations of published designs; results are compared. >
Religious Heterogamy and Marital Conflict Findings From the National Survey of Families and Households

This study addresses two questions: Do religiously dissimilar couples argue more often than other couples? Are religious differences among partners associated with arguments concerning particular issues? We investigate these issues using data on 2,945 co-residing, first-time married couples from Wave 1 of the National Survey of Families and Households. Denominational homo/heterogamy, measured in several different ways, has little bearing on the frequency or types of marital disagreements. Men's religious attendance is inversely related to the overall frequency of disputes and to disagreements over housework, money, how time is spent, and sex, whereas women's attendance is not. Attendance (dis)similarities among partners are positively associated with the overall frequency of conflicts. Theological disparities between partners are linked with more frequent conflicts overall and also with disagreements over household labor and finances. Several implications and promising directions for future research are d...
The Effects of Censored and Uncensored Sexually Explicit Music on Sexual Attitudes and Perceptions of Sexual Activity

The effects of censored versus uncensored sexually explicit music on undergraduate students' attitudes toward premarital sex, perception of peer sexual activity, and attitudes toward women were examined. Under the guise of a lyrical memory task, the experiment involved groups of participants who were randomly assigned to listen to an uncensored sexually explicit song, a censored version of the same song, a nonsexual song by the same artist, or no music. The lyrical content did not have a significant impact the participants' self-reported sexual attitudes and perceptions of peer sexual activity. Additionally, the music (or lack of) did not significantly alter attitudes toward premarital sex, perceptions of peer sexual activity, or attitudes toward women. The nonsignificant difference between the sexually explicit songs and the nonsexual songs challenges the psychological and lay theories that exposure to sexually explicit music instigates attitudinal change.
Repair of Anastomotic Abdominal Aortic Pseudoaneurysm Utilizing Sequential AneuRx Aortic Cuffs in an Overlapping Configuration

Anastomotic aortic pseudoaneurysm is a known late complication following aortic repair and presents a considerable surgical challenge. We herein evaluate the endovascular alternative of using sequential AneuRx aortic cuffs to bridge the degenerative anastomotic pseudoaneurysms as a definitive treatment. Over a 3-year period, six patients with a mean age of 68.7 years (range 58-75) were identified who had proximal anastomotic aortic pseudoaneurysms secondary to previously implanted bifurcated aortic grafts (mean 15, range 12-20 years) following open surgical correction of aortoiliac occlusive disease. Five patients (83%) presented with concomitant palpable femoral anastomotic pseudoaneurysms and one patient (16%) had a pulsatile abdominal mass. All patients had computed tomographic (CT) scans confirming proximal anastomotic pseudoaneuryms without evidence of infection. The mean diameter of the pseudoaneurysms was 5.3 cm (range 4.0-7.0). Five patients were treated with endovascular methods, while one patient was not suitable for endovascular repair due to the diameter of the native aorta as seen on imaging study at the time of the procedure. AneuRx aortic extender cuffs (3.75 cm length) were deployed sequentially in five patients via a femoral approach. Devices were overlapped approximately 1.5 cm in order to achieve total exclusion of the pseudoaneurysms, and all concomitant femoral aneurysms were repaired surgically at the same time. Successful exclusion of the anastomotic pseudoaneurysm was achieved in four patients (80%) using a combination of two or three overlapping aortic cuffs. One patient had a small residual endoleak that had sealed by 1 month, evidenced by follow-up CT. The renal arteries were preserved in all patients. The average estimated blood loss and operative time were 355 ± 25 cc and 84 ± 21 min, respectively. The average length of hospital stay was 2.1 days, and there was no mortality or major morbidity. All patients underwent CT scanning surveillance at 6 and 12 months and yearly afterward. There was no evidence of late endoleak, aneurysmal expansion, or device migration during the mean follow-up of 10 months, ranging 6-27 months. Our study demonstrated that utilizing sequential AneuRx aortic cuffs applied in an overlapping configuration is an effective strategy for degenerative aortic anastomotic pseudoaneurysm from previously placed aortic grafts. Additionally, our study suggests this unique endovascular technique is an ideal alternative for creating a customized tube graft in challenging cases, particularly in high-risk patients.
Collaboration, Communication, and Control: The Effects of ICT-Enabled Innovation Projects on Informal Organizational Structures

This paper examines knowledge sharing in ICT-enabled innovation projects in bureaucratic settings. The fact that individuals from different organizational units work on a common task creates a network that coexists with the functional subdivision of tasks and traditionally rigid hierarchical reporting structures within an organization. Based on empirical data from four project workgroups in Switzerland and the United States, I propose a theoretical model for knowledge sharing in ICT-enabled innovation projects. The model ties together processes and content of knowledge sharing through two task dimensions, each of them subdivided into two phases: (1) Conception and implementation of the project, and (2) Exploration and exploitation of knowledge. I show that the implementation of ICT-enabled innovation projects requires a balanced mix of exploration and exploitation of knowledge, where exploration through sparse networks is more important in the conceptual phase, and exploitation in tightly-bound groups becomes more fruitful in the implementation phase.
Toward Conceptual Clarity in a Critical Parenting Construct: Parental Monitoring in Youth with Chronic Illness

Parental monitoring has been defined as "a set of correlated parenting behaviors involving attention to and tracking of the child's whereabouts, activities, and adaptations." This construct is of significant interest due to its relatedness to a broad range of youth risk behaviors, including risky sexual behavior, substance abuse, and poor adherence. However, to date, measures of parental monitoring are largely absent from the chronic illness literature. The present article focuses upon two key problems in the operationalization of the monitoring construct to date: (a) poor conceptual specificity in parenting constructs such as monitoring, overprotection, and over-involvement when used to date among youth with chronic conditions and (b) the confounding of existing measures of parental monitoring with items evaluating parental knowledge of youth activities, which has resulted in a lack of data regarding the mechanisms by which parents obtain their information. Recommendations for the future development of monitoring measures are discussed.
Dendropsophus minutus (Anura: Hylidae) of the Guiana Shield: using DNA barcodes to assess identity and diversity

Herein we discuss the geographic structure of genetic variation of the widely distributed lesser treefrog (Dendropsophus minutus) from the Guianas in a preliminary examination of the status of Guianan populations referred to this taxon. Current sampling is insufficient to determine the status of all lineages of this complex within South America, but our results do indicate the presence of cryptic species within this relatively small portion of the ‘species’ range. Our findings reveal a geographic discontinuity of genetic structure within this region that appears to be correlated with elevation. We also present evidence that supports previous assertions that the conventional DNA barcode locus (COI) is not suitable for amphibians.
Photosynthetic tolerances to desiccation of the co-occurring seagrasses Halophila johnsonii and Halophila decipiens

Abstract Along the coastal lagoons of southeast Florida, Halophila johnsonii and Halophila decipiens co-occur subtidally, but only H. johnsonii occurs intertidally. Photosynthetic tolerances to desiccation in light and dark conditions were compared between H. johnsonii and H. decipiens using pulse amplitude-modulated (PAM) fluorescence measurements. Under light conditions (250 μmol photons m−2 s−1PAR), both species exhibited near-linear decreases in effective quantum yields ( Δ F / F ′ m ) with increasing desiccation. The most rapid decline in Δ F / F ′ m was observed in H. johnsonii. Under dark conditions, both seagrasses exhibited small decreases in maximum quantum yields (Fv/Fm) during desiccation until reaching a critical threshold of relative water content (RWCcritical). RWCcritical was significantly lower for H. johnsonii (0.21 ± 0.086) compared to H. decipiens (0.37 ± 0.15). However, the rate of decline in Fv/Fm below RWCcritical was greater in H. johnsonii than H. decipiens. Water loss rates, however, were not significantly different between these two species in either light or dark conditions (0.18 ± 0.047 g min−1 light, 0.12 ± 0.045 g min−1 dark versus 0.16 ± 0.047 g min−1 light, 0.099 ± 0.044 g min−1 dark for H. johnsonii and H. decipiens, respectively). Results from this study suggest that lower desiccation tolerance, at the leaf level, is not the primary factor precluding intertidal distribution of H. decipiens.
Stimulation by insulin of RNA synthesis in chick fibroblasts

After the addition of insulin to monolayers of chick fibroblasts previously incubated in serum-free medium, the rates of protein and RNA synthesis increase continuously during the first 8–10 h. Little stimulation of DNA synthesis or mitosis results with the addition of insulin alone in contrast to the addition of fresh serum which stimulates both markedly. The stimulation in RNA synthesis does not result from expansion of the nucleotide pool but is correlated with increases in RNA polymerase activity. All major classes of RNA are stimulated; processing of preribosomal RNA to 28S and 18S and the association of this mature RNA with ribosomes appear to occur normally. The kinetics of stimulation of 5S RNA differ from those of the synthesis of 4S and of ribosomal RNA. Insulin and serum appear to affect the synthesis or stability of certain transcripts differentially.
Activity and Movements of Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata) Living in a Small Marsh System on Beaver Island, Michigan

Abstract I used radio-telemetry to study home-range size and the impact of seasonal and daily temperature and weather patterns on activity and movements (May to August 1999 and 2000) in a population of Chrysemys picta marginata living in a small marsh system on Beaver Island, Michigan. Male and female home ranges were similar in size. Within the home range, most individuals favored one or two core areas. Total daily distance moved (based on three daily radio-locations per individual) averaged 68.1 m/day and was significantly different between years (1999: x = 102 m/day−1 vs. 2000: x = 39 m/day) but was not affected by gender or daily variations in water temperature or weather conditions during the summer months. Twenty-four-hour monitoring of individuals revealed that most turtles showed both diurnal and nocturnal activity. Home-range size averaged 1.2 ha and was larger in 1999 (x = 1.8 ha, N = 7) than in 2000 (x = 0.7 ha, N = 8). Annual differences in total daily distance moved and in home-range size...
Akrostomma gabriella n. sp. from Southern California, with Comments on the Genus (Acari: Labidostomatidae)

Abstract. Akrostomma gabriella Crossley and Simmons is described as new, and Labidostomma plumosum Greenberg is transferred to the genus Akrostomma, bringing the number of known species in the genus to five. Habitats of the mites are discussed.
EVALUATION OF CONSTITUTIVE EQUATIONS: MATERIAL FUNCTIONS AND COMPLEX FLOWS OF VISCOELASTIC FLUIDS

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the two methods for evaluating constitutive equations for viscoelastic fluids: the use of material functions as determined by rheometry and the comparison of measured and computed velocity, and stress fields in complex flows. It also presents the way complex flows give useful insight into the proper constitutive description of materials and to the associated evaluation of constitutive equations. The study of complex flows in the context of rheometry can be useful for three reasons: (1) information may be provided as to which of the host of possible material functions are most important in determining flow fields in general classes of flows; (2) new methods for measuring material functions may be suggested; and (3) the ability of a constitutive equation to interpolate between kinematics such as simple shear and simple elongational flow can be assessed.
The Dreamer, the Dreaming, the Dream: The Living Worlds of Poetry, Performative Writing, and Autoethnography

In “Seeing Gender,” anarchist novelist, poet, and playwright Kathy Acker tells us that when she was a child, the only thing she wanted to be was a pirate.1 Pirates could send men down the plank, see the sights on the high seas, and swing from the yardarms. Pirates could be who they wanted to be. Acker tells us that pirates could be and do these things because pirates lived in books and, just as importantly, pirates were not girls wearing girdles and white gloves and dead in/to the world. Pirates existed in the living world, and because of this, pirates had fun.2 When Acker grew up, she still wanted to be, still wanted to live with, the pirates (and she did of course and she still is a pirate in the living world to many of us). She writes: > … I want to live forever in wonder. > > The difference between me as a child and me as an adult is this and only this: when I was a child, I longed to travel into, to live in wonder. Now, I know, as much as I can know anything, that to travel into wonder is to be wonder. So it matters little whether I travel by plane, by rowboat, or by book. Or, by dream. > > I do not see, for there is no I to see. …
Differential regulation of uncoupling protein gene homologues in multiple tissues of hibernating ground squirrels

Nonshivering thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT) provides heat through activation of a mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP1), which causes futile electron transport cycles without the pro...
“A lot of people go insane behind that”: coping with the trauma of being wrongfully convicted

Research has demonstrated that individuals may use different means to cope with traumatic life experiences. Using data collected during in-depth interviews with exonerees, this qualitative study explores the ways in which individuals that have been wrongfully convicted cope with that traumatic experience. The findings demonstrate that exonerees use both positive and negative coping techniques. Prayer and faith appear to be the most important coping mechanism used by this sample of exonerees. Additional coping mechanisms include meeting with other exonerees to discuss their experience, helping other exonerees, reflecting on their personal experience, and withdrawing from others. Policy implications are also discussed.
Memory Disorders in Children With Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors

Memory disorders in children and adolescents with brain tumors are rare, but devastating to social, academic, and vocational development. Many pediatric patients with intracranial germ cell tumors (GCTs) complain of memory difficulties. This study investigated memory across a series of GCT patients. A total of 33 GCT patients were retrospectively examined for diagnosis, imaging results, intelligence quotient, treatment variables, evidence of increased intracranial pressure at diagnosis, and memory. The incidence of amnesia in GCT patients was 55%. Memory disturbance could not be predicted by intelligence quotient, treatment, location of lesion, or hydrocephalus at diagnosis. The high incidence of memory deficits in GCT patients suggests a risk to memory in patients with GCT. Formal memory assessment should be considered in all patients with central nervous system GCTs. Specific counseling and planning to assist in adjustment and to ensure safety should be considered standard care for those with memory deficits. The nurse should be instrumental in facilitating understanding of this specific injury in the brain tumor population.
The Role of Arsine in Reducing Carbon in Triethylarsenic Grown GaAs Films

Very high carbon impurity levels (1018-1021cm−3) in GaAs films grown using triethylarsenic (Et3As) and trimethylgallium (Me3Ga) can be dramatically reduced by substituting a portion of the Et3As reagent with arsine during growth. Gallium arsenide epilayers grown at a deposition temperature of 560°C, a total V/III ratio =10, and the Group V reagent consisting of a mixture of Et3As and arsine, were found to exhibit carbon levels of only 5-7×1015cm−3for Group V mixtures ranging from 0-65% Et3As. All of these films were n-type, except for those grown using 100% arsine, which were p-type. The reduction in carbon incorporation in films grown using Et3As and arsine as co-reagents is shown to result from a unique, synergistic, reaction chemistry involving the two arsenic reagents. In particular, the decomposition of arsine to provide carbon-free, active arsenic fragments for growth is greatly enhanced by the presence of Et3As as a co-reactant.
The importance of subjective facial appearance on the ability of anesthesiologists to predict difficult intubation.

BACKGROUND Previously we demonstrated that a computer algorithm based on bedside airway examinations and facial photographs accurately classified easy and difficult airways. The extent of the ability of anesthesiologists to perform the same task is unknown. We hypothesized that providing photographs would add to the predictive ability of anesthesiologists over that achieved when provided only with the Mallampati (MP) score and the thyromental distance (TMD). We further hypothesized that human observers would implicitly bias their predictions toward more sensitive determination of difficult airways, rather than more specific determination of easy airways. METHODS Residents, fellows, and attending anesthesiologists with varying levels of experience (N = 160) were presented with MP and TMD information from 80 Caucasian men subjects. The same subjects' data, accompanied by 3 facial photographs in head-on and right and left profiles, were also presented. Anesthesiologists classified the airways as easy or difficult according to specified criteria ("easy" defined as a single attempt with a Macintosh 3 blade resulting in a grade 1 laryngoscopic view; "difficult" defined as >1 attempt by an operator with at least 12 months anesthesia experience, grade 3 or 4 laryngoscopic view, need for a second operator, or nonelective use of an alternative airway device). Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated for each anesthesiologist. We further developed a cost function to quantify a relative bias toward avoiding an unexpectedly difficult intubation versus overpreparing for an easy intubation. RESULTS One hundred sixty respondents completed the study. Presenting photographs improved respondents' sensitivity and accuracy in classifying airways, though specificity decreased slightly. Overall accuracy when given photographs was 61.6% (95% confidence interval, 60.8%-62.4%), which was significantly lower than the computer's performance of 87.5% (t test, P < 0.0001). Presentation of photographs, compared with MP and TMD alone, caused anesthesiologists to change their prediction from easy to difficult more frequently if the patients were obese (weight or body mass index), despite not having data on weight or height available. The cost function demonstrated that anesthesiologists strongly preferred to enhance sensitivity (detecting difficult airways) as compared with specificity (detecting easy airways), with a ratio of 6.5:1 (95% confidence interval, 4.9:1-8.4:1). CONCLUSIONS Anesthesiologists can derive useful information from facial appearance that enhances the prediction of a difficult airway over that achieved when presented with MP and TMD data alone. Anesthesiologists implicitly bias their predictions toward detection of difficult airways, compared with the true incidence of difficult airways, at the expense of accuracy and specificity. This behavior may be rational for cognitive tasks in which the costs of failure are strongly asymmetric.
Hybrid thermochemical/biological processing: The economic hurdles and opportunities for biofuel production from bio-oil

Hybrid thermochemical/biological processing encompasses several biofuel production pathways. Thermochemical conversion produces significant amounts of levoglucosan, an anhydrosugar that is a potential feedstock for liquid and gaseous biofuel production. However, few known microorganisms possess the ability to directly convert levoglucosan to biofuels. As a result, hydrolysis of levoglucosan to glucose is currently required ahead of fermentation. This has spurred research to engineer microorganisms capable of levoglucosan utilization. As research continues to produce such microorganisms, the economic opportunities for processing levoglucosan to biofuels must be assessed. An economic study was conducted to evaluate the production of ethanol, hydrogen, and methane from the fermentation of levoglucosan. Both direct bioconversion and fermentation of hydrolyzed levoglucosan were considered. Ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae was assumed, while hydrogen and methane were assumed to be produced by cultures of hydrogenogenic and methanogenic microbial communities, respectively. Direct conversion of levoglucosan to ethanol yielded the lowest minimum selling price (MSP) per gigajoule (GJ) of energy produced at $15.33 GJ−1, but represented a higher capital cost at $9.03 MM. Hydrogen production from direct conversion of levoglucosan represented the minimum capital cost at $3.49 MM but resulted in greater MSP. The greatest MSP, $49.79 GJ−1, was predicted for hydrogen production from hyrdrolyzed levoglucosan.
A multivariable decoupling control based on DRNN for aeroengine

A new neural paradigm called diagonal recurrent neural network(DRNN) and Gradient Decent Method(GDM) were presented.A multivariable decoupling control algorithm based on the diagonal recurrent neural network was used for aeroengine control.A generalized GDM was developed and used to train diagonal recurrent neuroidentifier.The emphasis was focused on the research of the algorithm and the properties of the controller,as well as their application to aeroengine control by computer simulation.Finally,the aeroengine control system based on DRNN was designed.Simulation shows that the system has fine performance of decoupling and adaptive capabilities.
Educational and consultative functions, topics, and methods of hospital general tumor conferences.

Abstract The educational and consultative functions, topics, and methods of 20 hospital general tumor conferences in Colorado were studied over a three‐year period. Methods used included questionnaires completed by hospital admitting staff members, by tumor conference directors, and by conference attendees. Workshops were held in which a multidisciplinary panel of physicians, nurses, and cancer registrars discussed the educational and patient‐management aspects of tumor conferences with tumor conference directors. The study design included evaluation of the effects of providing certain teaching aids, including newsletters, Physician Data Query printouts, and tumor registry data on the functions, topics, and methods of the conferences. Although certain temporal trends were suggested, the handouts as employed added little of perceived effectiveness for the busy clinicians attending. The characteristics of the tumor conferences were analyzed according to hospital size, presence of one or more residency progr...
In Situ Small Blood Vessel Electrical Response to Verapamil in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Changes in vascular smooth muscle tone in hypertension — Development of essential hypertension in man and in the genetically altered spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of this disease is characterized hemodynamically by a transient elevation in cardiac output, a sustained elevation in total peripheral resistance (TPR) and a reduction in venous capacitance (1,2). The results of many investigations indicate that, in addition to pressure mediated structural adaptation on the arterial side of the circulation (3,4), an increased vascular smooth muscle (VSM) tone contributes significantly to the latter two hemodynamic changes. In the SHR model this increase in VSM tone includes an elevated sympathetic efferent input (5,6) which may be the result of an alteration in a central nervous sensing system (7). In addition, defects in the SHR VSM cell membrane mechanisms that regulate intracellular “activator calcium” (Cai) and therefore excitation-contraction coupling have been postulated to explain observed elevated sensitivity to external neurogenic and humoral influences in certain vessels (7,8,9,10). The defects in these membrane regulatory mechanisms and their temporal relation to the development and maintenance of the elevated VSM tone in SHR remain to be established, particularly in the small resistance and capacitance vessels. In addition to transmembrane ionic flux measurements (11,12), two other important parameters that can be used to assess changes in these membrane regulatory mechanisms are the VSM transmembrane potential (Em)(6,13,14) and the contractile force (7,8,9).
God as Necessary Being

‘Necessary being’ is one of the terms by means of which Christian thought has sought to define the difference between God and man. The notion of necessary being, applied to God and withheld from man, indicates that God and man differ not merely in the characteristics which they possess but, more fundamentally, in their modes of being, or in the fact that they exist in different senses of the word ‘exist’.
Initiating Diagnostic Studies on Patients With Abdominal Pain in the Waiting Room Decreases Time Spent in an Emergency Department Bed: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Study objective The effect of clinician screening of patients in the emergency department (ED) waiting room is unclear. This study aims to determine the effect of initiating laboratory and imaging studies from the ED waiting room on time in a bed, total ED time, and likelihood of patients leaving before completion of service. Methods This was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial evaluating 1,659 nonpregnant adults with a chief complaint of abdominal pain, conducted in a public hospital ED when all ED beds were occupied and patients were in the waiting room awaiting definitive evaluation. After a brief screening examination, stable patients were randomized to either rapid medical evaluation (RME)+waiting room diagnostic testing (WRDT) or RME-only groups. Patients randomized to the RME+WRDT group had laboratory and imaging studies ordered at the discretion of the screening provider while in the waiting room. The primary outcome was time in an ED bed. Secondary outcomes were total ED time and rate of leaving before completion of service. Linear and logistic regression models were used to compare outcomes between groups. Results Between July 2014 and May 2015, 1,659 patients completed the study, 848 patients in the RME+WRDT group and 811 in the RME-only group. Baseline demographic characteristics were similar between groups. Patients in the RME+WRDT group had a significantly shorter mean time in an ED bed than the RME-only group, 245 minutes compared with 277 minutes (adjusted difference of 31 minutes; 95% confidence interval [CI] 16 to 46 minutes). The RME+WRDT group also had significantly shorter mean total ED time from arrival to disposition than the RME-only group, 460 minutes compared with 504 minutes (adjusted difference 42 minutes; 95% CI 22 to 63 minutes). Of the 1,659 patients enrolled, 181 left before completion of service: 78 of 848 patients (9%) in the RME+WRDT group compared with 103 of 811 (13%) in the RME-only group (difference 3.5%; 95% CI 0.5% to 6.5%). By the end of their ED visit, patients in the RME+WRDT group had significantly more types of diagnostic studies ordered than those in the RME-only group, 2.59 versus 2.03 total unique test categories by location ordered (difference 0.56; 95% CI 0.44 to 0.68). Conclusion Initiating diagnostic testing in the waiting room reduced time spent in an ED bed, total ED time, and rates of leaving before completion of service. For clinicians screening patients in the waiting room, initiating diagnostic evaluations may improve throughput in crowded EDs.
Los secretos a voces del rey Don Sebastián

The many, disparate components of the Miscelânea de Foios (c. 1577) find a common aim in denouncing King Sebastian’s government and the threat that Phillip II of Spain posed to Portugal. The juxtaposition of these preexisting elements creates brief sequences with new meanings, so that what at first sight seems to be a chaotic mix reveals itself to be a chest full of secrets and keys to unveil them. Both crowns are attacked by way of allusions to their nefarious secrets, those that cannot be spoken about: hushed references to accusations of parricide against Phillip II, allusions to king Sebastian’s homosexuality, hidden at the bottom of a fake horoscope and behind complex mythological comparisons. Also present is the young king’s melancholic, suicidal character, an allusion to which was picked up by one reader who vehemently tried to erase it.
Evolving risk factors and antibiotic sensitivity patterns for microbial keratitis at a large county hospital

Purpose: To identify the risk factors, causative organisms, antimicrobial susceptibility and outcomes of microbial keratitis in a large county hospital in Houston, Texas. Design: Case series. Methods Setting: A large county hospital in Houston, Texas. Study Population: Patients with known diagnosis of microbial keratitis from January 2011 to May 2015. Observation Procedure: Retrospective chart review. Main Outcomes: Epidemiology, risk factors, outcomes and antibiotic susceptibility of microbial keratitis. Results The most commonly identified risk factors were contact lens use (34.4%), ocular trauma (26.3%), diabetes mellitus (16.7%), ocular surgery (13.5%), ocular surface diseases (11.5%), previous keratitis (10.4%), glaucoma (6.3%), cocaine use (5.2%) and HIV-positive status (4.2%). Eyes with positive cultures (61.5%) were associated with worse visual outcomes (p=0.019) and a higher number of follow-up visits (p=0.007) than eyes with negative cultures (38.5%). Corneal perforation was the most common complication (11.5%). Gram-negative organisms (21.9%) were all susceptible to ceftazidime, tobramycin and fluoroquinolones. Gram-positive organisms (33.3%) had worse outcomes than Gram-negative organisms (21.9%) and exhibited a wide spectrum of antibiotic resistance, but all were susceptible to vancomycin. Twenty-seven per cent of the coagulase-negative Staphylococci were resistant to fluoroquinolones. Conclusion This study identified a recent shift in risk factors and antibiotic resistance patterns in microbial keratitis at a County Hospital in Houston, Texas. In our patient population, fluoroquinolone monotherapy is not recommended for severe corneal ulcers. On the basis of these results, vancomycin and tobramycin should be used for empirical therapy until microbial identity and sensitivity results are available.
Comparative Three-Dimensional Morphology of Baleen: Cross-Sectional Profiles and Volume Measurements Using CT Images.

Baleen whales are obligate filter feeders, straining prey-laden seawater through racks of keratinized baleen plates. Despite the importance of baleen to the ecology and natural history of these animals, relatively little work has been done on baleen morphology, particularly with regard to the three-dimensional morphology and structure of baleen. We used computed tomography (CT) scanning to take 3D images of six baleen specimens representing five species, including three complete racks. With these images, we described the three-dimensional shape of the baleen plates using cross-sectional profiles from within the gum tissue to the tip of the plates. We also measured the percentage of each specimen that was composed of either keratinized plate material or was void space between baleen plates, and thus available for seawater flow. Baleen plates have a complex three-dimensional structure with curvature that varies across the anterior-posterior, proximal-distal, and medial-lateral (lingual-labial) axes. These curvatures also vary with location along the baleen rack, and between species. Cross-sectional profiles resemble backwards-facing airfoils, and some specimens display S-shaped, or reflexed, camber. Within a baleen specimen, the intra-baleen void volume correlates with the average bristle diameter for a species, suggesting that essentially, thinner plates (with more space between them for flow) have thinner bristles. Both plate curvature and the relative proportions of plate and void volumes are likely to have implications for the mechanics of mysticete filtration, and future studies are needed to determine the particular functions of these morphological characters. Anat Rec, 300:1942–1952, 2017. © 2017 The Authors The Anatomical Record published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Anatomists
Theory and A Heuristic for the Minimum Path Flow Decomposition Problem

Motivated by multiple genome assembly problems and other applications, we study the following minimum path flow decomposition problem: Given a directed acyclic graph $G=(V,E)$G=(V,E) with source $s$s and sink $t$t and a flow $f$f, compute a set of $s$s-$t$t paths $P$P and assign weight $w(p)$w(p) for $p\in P$p∈P such that $f(e) = \sum _{p\in P: e\in p} w(p)$f(e)=∑p∈P:e∈pw(p), $\forall e\in E$∀e∈E, and $|P|$|P| is minimized. We develop some fundamental theory for this problem, upon which we design an efficient heuristic. Specifically, we prove that the gap between the optimal number of paths and a known upper bound is determined by the nontrivial equations within the flow values. This result gives rise to the framework of our heuristic: to iteratively reduce the gap through identifying such equations. We also define an operation on certain independent substructures of the graph, and prove that this operation does not affect the optimality but can transform the graph into one with desired property that facilitates reducing the gap. We apply and test our algorithm on both simulated random instances and perfect splice graph instances, and also compare it with the existing state-of-art algorithm for flow decomposition. The results illustrate that our algorithm can achieve very high accuracy on these instances, and also that our algorithm significantly improves on the previous algorithms. An implementation of our algorithm is freely available at https://github.com/Kingsford-Group/catfish.
Resemblance, Choice, and the Hidden: Mediterranean Aesthetics and the Political “Logics” of an Uncolonial Subjective Economy

This chapter attempts to articulate what the political logics of an uncolonial—as distinct from a pre- or postcolonial—imagination would look like. The trajectory for this attempt takes various forms by which an uncolonial imagination could be sketched, which will be identified here with three broad themes: resemblance, choice, and the hidden. What “binds” these points of imaginary triangulation is the relational context that they create, which I would here identify as being thalassic rather than spatial. Unlike the notion of space as a receptacle, the thalassic prompts us to consider a hermeneutic approach that implies both a confluence of horizons and also a groundless state of affairs. Here definitions remain contingent to the relational patterns that emerge from the political “logics” by which resemblance, choice, and the hidden construct peculiar subjective economies. This chapter will draw from a reading of two Mediterranean authors, Leonardo Sciascia and Nikos Kazantzakis. Sciascia frequently identifies the notion of an order of resemblance (l’ordine delle somiglianze) within the making of the Sicilian culture. Kazantzakis’s work (particularly that inspired by the figure of Christ) often runs on the binary track of heresy and the apocryphal, which recall airesis (choice) and apochryphos (hidden). Taking the basic elements of these forms of argument, it is here proposed that because of—and notwithstanding—its immersion in a history of colonial strife, the Mediterranean (thalassic) imagination has also entertained and cultivated a sense of the quotidian which maintained an essentially uncolonial essence by way of the same aporias that define it as being critically Mediterranean.
A canonical form of the equation of motion of linear dynamical systems

The equation of motion of a discrete linear system has the form of a second-order ordinary differential equation with three real and square coefficient matrices. It is shown that, for almost all linear systems, such an equation can always be converted by an invertible transformation into a canonical form specified by two diagonal coefficient matrices associated with the generalized acceleration and displacement. This canonical form of the equation of motion is unique up to an equivalence class for non-defective systems. As an important by-product, a damped linear system that possesses three symmetric and positive definite coefficients can always be recast as an undamped and decoupled system.
Study of physico-chemical parameters of orange (Citrus reticulate Blanco) for the development of orange wine

Physico-chemical properties are an essential factor during processing and preservation of food. The retention and changes in physico-chemical properties depends upon the processing technique. In this work, physicochemical parameters of orange like vitamin C (ascorbic acid), pH, total soluble solids (TSS), % acidity, temperature and color were studied with all the optimized conditions of fermentations for the development of orange wine. The fermentation of the fruit juice was completed within 7 days period at temperature 27oC, pH 4.5 and total soluble solids of 24oBrix with an inoculum level of 10% (v/v). Thus, orange wine with ethanol content of 8.5% (v/v) was prepared from the orange variety ‘Nagpur Santra’ (Citrus Reticulata Blanco) in controlled physico-chemical parameters.
Reaction: The Near Future of Artificial Intelligence in Materials Discovery

Rafael Gomez-Bombarelli is the Toyota Assistant Professor in Materials Processing in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT. He received a PhD in physical chemistry from the Universidad de Salamanca and did postdoctoral work at Heriot-Watt University, Harvard University, and Kyulux North America Inc. Since 2018, he has led an MIT computational research group that uses machine learning on first-principle simulations and experimental data to accelerate materials discovery. His team focuses on addressing the inverse design question from atomistic structure to device performance with an emphasis on molecular materials and soft matter.
The Chemical Reactions of Tributyl Phosphate in the Solvent Extraction of Metals

Recent investigations concerning applications of tributyl phosphate to separation and recovery of metals are reviewed. Potential applications that may be commercially developed in the future are discussed along with existing processes that have been tested on a pilot plant scale or put into industrial practice. Emphasis has been placed on metals and process media of particular interest to hydrometallurgists. Developments occurring in the past 10 years are stressed. Although to date the greatest success of TBP in hydrometallurgy has been in multistage separation of rare earths, the great versatility of this reagent, combined with its relatively low cost and desirable physical properties, suggests that it may be much more widely applied to metal recovery in the future. Based on the fundamental and developmental work that has been recently carried out, commercial hydrometallurgical applications of TBP appear most likely for recovery of refractory and rare metals.
Age alters the cardiovascular response to direct passive heating

During direct passive heating in young men, a dramatic increase in skin blood flow is achieved by a rise in cardiac output (Qc) and redistribution of flow from the splanchnic and renal vascular beds. To examine the effect of age on these responses, seven young (Y; 23 +/- 1 yr) and seven older (O; 70 +/- 3 yr) men were passively heated with water-perfused suits to their individual limit of thermal tolerance. Measurements included heart rate (HR), Qc (by acetylene rebreathing), central venous pressure (via peripherally inserted central catheter), blood pressures (by brachial auscultation), skin blood flow (from increases in forearm blood flow by venous occlusion plethysmography), splanchnic blood flow (by indocyanine green clearance), renal blood flow (by p-aminohippurate clearance), and esophageal and mean skin temperatures. Qc was significantly lower in the older than in the young men (11.1 +/- 0.7 and 7.4 +/- 0.2 l/min in Y and O, respectively, at the limit of thermal tolerance; P < 0. 05), despite similar increases in esophageal and mean skin temperatures and time to reach the limit of thermal tolerance. A lower stroke volume (99 +/- 7 and 68 +/- 4 ml/beat in Y and O, respectively, P < 0.05), most likely due to an attenuated increase in inotropic function during heating, was the primary factor for the lower Qc observed in the older men. Increases in HR were similar in the young and older men; however, when expressed as a percentage of maximal HR, the older men relied on a greater proportion of their chronotropic reserve to obtain the same HR response (62 +/- 3 and 75 +/- 4% maximal HR in Y and O, respectively, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the older men redistributed less blood flow from the combined splanchnic and renal circulations at the limit of thermal tolerance (960 +/- 80 and 720 +/- 100 ml/min in Y and O, respectively, P < 0. 05). As a result of these combined attenuated responses, the older men had a significantly lower increase in total blood flow directed to the skin.