cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple agent roles in an adaptive virtual classroom environment

We present the design of a cast of pedagogical agents impersonating different educational roles in an interactive virtual learning environment. Teams of those agents are used to create different learning scenarios in order to provide learners with an engaging and motivating learning experience. Authors can employ an easy to use multimodal dialog authoring tool to adapt lecture and dialog content as well as interaction management to meet their respective requirements.
Transcript profile distinguishes variability in human myogenic progenitor cell expansion capacity

Primary human muscle progenitor cells (hMPCs) are commonly used to understand skeletal muscle biology, including the regenerative process. Variability from unknown origin in hMPC expansion capacity occurs independently of disease, age, or sex of the donor. We sought to determine the transcript profile that distinguishes hMPC cultures with greater expansion capacity and to identify biological underpinnings of these transcriptome profile differences. Sorted (CD56+/CD29+) hMPC cultures were clustered by unbiased, K-means cluster analysis into FAST and SLOW based on growth parameters (saturation density and population doubling time). FAST had greater expansion capacity indicated by significantly reduced population doubling time (-60%) and greater saturation density (+200%), nuclei area under the curve (AUC, +250%), and confluence AUC (+120%). Additionally, FAST had fewer % dead cells AUC (-44%, P < 0.05). RNA sequencing was conducted on RNA extracted during the expansion phase. Principal component analysis distinguished FAST and SLOW based on the transcript profiles. There were 2,205 differentially expressed genes (DEgenes) between FAST and SLOW (q value ≤ 0.05); 362 DEgenes met a more stringent cut-off (q value ≤ 0.001 and 2.0 fold-change). DEgene enrichment suggested FAST (vs. SLOW) had promotion of the cell cycle, reduced apoptosis and cellular senescence, and enhanced DNA replication. Novel (RABL6, IRGM1, and AREG) and known (FOXM1, CDKN1A, Rb) genes emerged as regulators of identified functional pathways. Collectively the data suggest that variation in hMPC expansion capacity occurs independently of age and sex and is driven, in part, by intrinsic mechanisms that support the cell cycle.
Critically Examining the Relationship Between Peer Diversity Interactions and Psychological Well-Being

Our study examines how negative and positive diversity interactions influence students’ psychological well-being. Specifically, we explore how diversity interactions influence students’ psychologic...
Discretization of multipole sources in a finite difference setting for wave propagation problems

Abstract Seismic sources are commonly idealized as point-sources due to their small spatial extent relative to seismic wavelengths. The acoustic isotropic point-radiator is inadequate as a model of seismic wave generation for seismic sources that are known to exhibit directivity. Therefore, accurate modeling of seismic wavefields must include source representations generating anisotropic radiation patterns. Such seismic sources can be modeled as multipoles, that is, a time-dependent linear combination of spatial derivatives of the spatial delta function. Since the solutions of linear hyperbolic systems with point-source right hand sides are necessarily singular, standard results on convergence of grid-based numerical methods (finite difference or finite element) do not imply convergence of numerical solutions. We present a method for discretizing multipole sources in a finite difference setting, an extension of the moment matching conditions developed for the Dirac delta function in other applications, along with numerical evidence demonstrating the accuracy of these approximations. Using this analysis, we develop a weak convergence theory for the discretization of a family of symmetric hyperbolic systems of first-order partial differential equations, with singular source terms, solved via staggered-grid finite difference methods: we show that grid-independent space-time averages of the numerical solutions converge to the same averages of the continuum solution, and provide an estimate for the error in terms of moment matching and truncation error conditions. Numerical experiments confirm this result, but also suggest a stronger one: optimal convergence rates appear to be achieved point-wise in space away from the source.
Evaluation of Procurement Scenarios in One-Dimensional Cutting Stock Problem with a Random Demand Mix

Abstract The one-dimensional cutting stock problem describes the problem of cutting standard length stock material into various specified sizes while minimizing the material wasted (the remnant or drop as manufacturing terms). This computationally complex optimization problem has many manufacturing applications. One-dimensional cutting stock problems arise in many domains such as metal, paper, textile, and wood. To solve it, the problem is formulated as an integer linear model first, and then solved using a common optimizer software. This paper revisits the stochastic version of the problem and proposes a priority-based goal programming approach. Monte Carlo simulation is used to simulate several likely inventory order policies to minimize the total number of shortages, overages, and the number of stocks carried in inventory.
Smoking Is Associated with Higher Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Longitudinal Study Controlling for Time-varying Covariates.

Objective. Prior studies around the relationship between smoking and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity have reported inconsistent findings, which may be ascribed to heterogeneous study designs or biases in statistical analyses. We examined the association between smoking and RA outcomes using statistical methods that account for time-varying confounding and loss to followup. Methods. We included 282 individuals with an RA diagnosis using electronic health record data collected at a public hospital between 2013 and 2017. Current smoking status and disease activity were assessed at each visit; covariates included sex, race/ethnicity, age, obesity, and medication use. We used longitudinal targeted maximum likelihood estimation to estimate the causal effect of smoking on disease activity measures at 27 months, and compared results to conventional longitudinal methods. Results. Smoking was associated with an increase of 0.64 units in the patient global score compared to nonsmoking (p = 0.01), and with 2.58 more swollen joints (p Conclusion. Smoking is associated with higher levels of disease activity in RA. Causal methods may be useful for investigations of additional exposures on longitudinal outcome measures in rheumatologic disease.
Implications of Lag-One Coherence on Real- Time Adaptive Frequency Selection

Hepatic image quality has been shown to be degraded by the clutter-generating effects of the abdominal wall, and while beamforming and signal processing methods exist to minimize clutter, there is currently no automated method by which parameters such as imaging frequency are selected. Adaptive imaging seeks to optimize these parameters using lag-one coherence (LOC), a direct estimate of clutter levels in vivo, as a real-time feedback metric. The aim of this study is to determine the viability of using LOC to adaptively select imaging frequencies in the presence of clutter. Across in silico, ex vivo, and in vivo setups, a monotonic decrease in LOC was observed as imaging frequency was increased, indicating increased clutter, but the lesion conspicuity metric (LCM), which includes the expected increase in resolution with frequency, is optimized. The cases in which no abdominal wall is present, and therefore without a near-field source of clutter, had the highest measured LOC values and allowed for the highest optimized frequencies. The results suggests that an optimal frequency can be automatically selected for lesion detection. The findings of this study also match the clinical experience, in which lower frequencies are used for difficult-to-image patients.
Little video-gaming in adolescents can be protective, but too much is associated with increased substance use.

Background: Studies have demonstrated inconsistent results regarding the association between video gaming time and substance use in teenagers. Understating intricacies of this association can help ...
Clearing techniques for visualizing the nervous system in development, injury, and disease

Abstract Modern clearing techniques enable high resolution visualization and 3D reconstruction of cell populations and their structural details throughout large biological samples, including intact organs and even entire organisms. In the past decade, these methods have become more tractable and are now being utilized to provide unforeseen insights into the complexities of the nervous system. While several iterations of optical clearing techniques have been developed, some are more suitable for specific applications than others depending on the type of specimen under study. Here we review findings from select studies utilizing clearing methods to visualize the developing, injured, and diseased nervous system within numerous model systems and species. We note trends and imbalances in the types of research questions being addressed with clearing methods across these fields in neuroscience. In addition, we discuss restrictions in applying optical clearing methods for postmortem tissue from humans and large animals and emphasize the lack in continuity between studies of these species. We aim for this review to serve as a key outline of available tissue clearing methods used successfully to address issues across neuronal development, injury/repair, and aging/disease.
LTA4 hydrolase expression during glomerular inflammation: correlation of immunohistochemical localization with cytokine regulation.

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is the most potent chemotactic substance described for polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and it also increases PMN aggregation and adhesion to endothelial cells (Samuelson et al., 1987). Glomerular LTB4 synthesis is enhanced early in the course of several forms of glomerular injury, particularly those characterized by PMN or macrophage infiltration (for review, see Badr, 1992). Most of the studies performed agree on the transient pattern of LTB4 production following glomerular injury (Badr, 1992, Katoh et al., 1994). LTB4 production is enhanced during the first 24 hours of injury, and after this period its levels are undetectable in most proliferative and non-proliferative glomerulopathies.
The Effect of Turf Toe Injuries on Player Performance in the National Football League.

Background "Turf toe" results from hyperdorsiflexion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, injuring the plantar capsuloligamentous complex. We hypothesized that National Football League (NFL) player performance following turf toe injury would decrease in comparison to controls at the same position. Methods Demographics, return to play, and season performance data on players sustaining turf toe injuries in the NFL from 2010-2015 were collected. An Offensive Power Rating (OPR=[total yards/10]+[total touchdowns x6]) or Defensive Power Rating (DPR=total tackles+[total sacks x2]+[total interceptions x2]) was calculated for each player. Control data were collected for NFL players in 2013 with no history of turf toe injury. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests. Results Twenty-four injured players and 436 controls were included. Nineteen players returned to play within the regular season of injury (mean 36.7 ± 28.9 days). Seventeen players were removed from team injury reports for turf toe within the regular season (mean 42.6 ± 26.2 days). Three players required season-ending surgery. Comparison of 1-year post- versus pre-injury revealed an insignificant median OPR difference (-18.9 IQR -43.4 to 10.3 vs. control -12.2 IQR -46.2 to 47.7, p = 0.328) and median DPR difference (-1.0 IQR -26.0 to 17.0 vs. control 2.0 IQR -15.0 to 18.0, p = NA). Comparison of 2-year data revealed no significant median OPR difference (-32.6 IQR -122.2 to 1.0 vs. control -20.7 IQR -72.6 to 44.7, p = 0.327) and median DPR difference (-5.0 IQR -19.0 to 6.0 vs. control -4.5 IQR -22.0 to 12.5, p= NA). Conclusions Turf toe results in significant loss of playing time. Despite the long recovery period, NFL players have similar performance following injury compared to controls. The effect of turf toe injuries on performance is variable.Level of evidence: IV.
Photoelectrochemical conversion of lignin to hydrogen: Lignin as an electron donor

Abstract The effect of pH, concentration, and membrane thickness on the performance of a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell using kraft lignin as a reactant was studied at 25 °C. Kraft lignin served as an electron donor which consumed photogenerated holes on the TiO2 anode, while photogenerated electrons reduced protons to hydrogen gas at the Pt cathode. Saturated photocurrent increased linearly with UV intensity. High concentrations of kraft lignin reduced the photo-current of the cell. A high pH differential across the membrane could degrade a thin perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membrane. This study demonstrated the potential of kraft lignin as an electron donor.
Firm Quality Dynamics and the Slippery Slope of Credit Intervention

Central banks and fiscal authorities around the world lent directly to nonfinancial firms on an unprecedented scale during the Covid-19 crisis. Credit support is subject to mispricing due to the potential lack of information on individual borrowers' credit worthiness or the political constraints on discriminatory credit pricing. In a dynamic model, we demonstrate that the mispricing of credit support generates a downward bias in the firm quality distribution that is self-perpetuating. As a result, intervention in the current crisis necessitates future interventions of greater scales, which in turn cause more distortions in firm quality dynamics. Such effects are amplified by firms' forward-looking investment decisions in normal times. Low-quality firms over-invest as they expect underpriced credit support in crises, while, on a relative basis, high-quality firms under-invest. The slippery slope of intervention is a necessary evil, as we show that when carefully designed, credit support still improves welfare.
Validation of active shape model techniques for intra-cochlear anatomy segmentation in CT images

Cochlear implants (CIs) have been shown to be highly effective restorative devices for patients suffering from severe-to-profound hearing loss. Hearing outcomes with CIs are dependent on the positions of the electrodes with respect to intracochlear anatomy. However, intra-cochlear anatomy can only be directly visualized using high resolution modalities such as μCT, which cannot be used in vivo. Despite this limitation, we have developed an active shape model approach for segmenting the intra-cochlear anatomy by leveraging the visible structures as landmarks. Still, due to the limited availability of μCT specimens, the segmentation method was validated on only a small dataset of 5 samples. In this study, we expand the dataset to 16 samples and provide a more comprehensive validation of the method’s performance with respect to model parameters and training set size. We found parameters that optimize mean surface segmentation performance to 0.11mm. Parameters that corresponded to tighter constraints generally led to smaller errors, and returns on segmentation performance begin diminishing after 11 samples, thus suggesting that the main performance bottleneck is due to the searching scheme rather than a limited training set size. These results are critical to understand the limitations of the method for clinical use and for future development.
Dubya Stands for 'War is the Answer': An Apology

George Dubya Bush may have a problem admitting mistakes (Meyer, 2004), but there’s plenty of evidence that he’s far from infallible (Dean, 2004; Ivins and Dubose, 2004; O’Farrell, 2003). In spite of that, I don’t think Dubya should be criticized for refusing to admit that war in Iraq was a mistake, because it wasn’t. Dubya—and especially Dick Cheney—developed a painstaking plan to plunder Iraq’s oil reserves (Clarke, 2004; Suskind, 2004a; Woodward, 2004). All things considered, they achieved their objectives masterfully (Connelly and Pilger, 2003; Corn, 2004).
Papillary and Inverted Tumors

Papillary neoplasms are a group of characteristic lesions of the urinary bladder, ranging from benign growths to malignant tumors. Papillary and inverted growth features can be identified grossly and microscopically. The classification of papillary neoplasms based on the new World Health Organization/International Society of Urological Pathology (WHO/ISUP) grading system is widely applied, although interobserver agreement varies, particularly with low-grade lesions. Differentiating high-grade urothelial carcinoma with inverted growth patterns from noninvasive inverted tumors is important, and neoplastic papillary lesions should be differentiated from reactive papillary changes. Papillary neoplasms are often treated by transurethral resection either with or without intravesical therapy, and accurate pathological assessment of these lesions plays a key role in the clinical management of patients.
Long-Term Assessment of Surface Water Quality in a Highly Managed Estuary Basin.

Anthropogenic developments in coastal watersheds cause significant ecological changes to estuaries. Since estuaries respond to inputs on relatively long time scales, robust analyses of long-term data should be employed to account for seasonality, internal cycling, and climatological cycles. This study characterizes the water quality of a highly managed coastal basin, the St. Lucie Estuary Basin, FL, USA, from 1999 to 2019 to detect spatiotemporal differences in the estuary’s water quality and its tributaries. The estuary is artificially connected to Lake Okeechobee, so it receives fresh water from an external basin. Monthly water samples collected from November 1999 to October 2019 were assessed using principal component analysis, correlation analysis, and the Seasonal Kendall trend test. Nitrogen, phosphorus, color, total suspended solids, and turbidity concentrations varied seasonally and spatially. Inflows from Lake Okeechobee were characterized by high turbidity, while higher phosphorus concentrations characterized inflows from tributaries within the basin. Differences among tributaries within the basin may be attributed to flow regimes (e.g., significant releases vs. steady flow) and land use (e.g., pasture vs. row crops). Decreasing trends for orthophosphate, total phosphorus, and color and increasing trends for dissolved oxygen were found over the long term. Decreases in nutrient concentrations over time could be due to local mitigation efforts. Understanding the differences in water quality between the tributaries of the St. Lucie Estuary is essential for the overall water quality management of the estuary.
The Cambridge Guide to the Solar System: Asteroids and meteorites

• There are billions of asteroids in the main asteroid belt, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. • The asteroid belt is largely empty space, and a spacecraft may safely travel through it. • Hundreds of Trojan asteroids circle the Sun in the same orbit as Jupiter. These asteroids are located near the two Lagrangian points where the gravity of the Sun balances that of Jupiter. • The Earth resides in a swarm of asteroids. Many of these near-Earth asteroids travel on orbits that intersect the Earth's orbit, with the possibility of an eventual devastating collision with our planet. • Asteroids can be chaotically shuffled out of certain orbits in the main belt, and redirected into the inner solar system. • The asteroids are the pulverized remnants of former worlds that failed to coalesce into a single planet. • Groups of asteroids, known as families, have very similar orbits. The members of each family are the collision fragments of a larger object, which was itself much smaller than a major planet. • The combined mass of billions of asteroids is less than 5 percent of the mass of the Earth's Moon. • The largest body in the main asteroid belt, 1 Ceres, and the first to be discovered there, is about 950 kilometers across and contains about one-third of the total mass of all the asteroids. […]
The Tax Code as Nationality Law

This article questions the frequently-asserted axiom that Congress's taxing power knows no bounds. It does so in the context of recently-enacted legislation that creates a special definition of citizenship that applies only for tax purposes. Historically, a person was treated as a citizen for tax purposes (and therefore taxed on her worldwide income and estate) if, and only if, she was a citizen under the nationality law. As a result of the new statute, in certain circumstances a person might be treated as a citizen for tax purposes (and therefore taxed on her worldwide income and estate) for years or even decades after she is no longer a real citizen under the nationality law. The analysis first looks at international law principles, concluding that in certain circumstances the new statute exceeds the prescriptive jurisdictional limits of customary international law. It then examines the constitutional implications, arguing that the statute, at least in certain circumstances, reflects a rare occasion where Congress might have exceeded its Article I taxing powers. Moreover, even to the extent the statute is within Congress's powers, certain aspects of it violate the due process limitations of the Fifth Amendment. These conclusions highlight the importance of Congress taking constitutional and international law considerations more seriously with respect to future legislation in the increasingly important area of international taxation.
Organization and Coordination of Organ Transplantation in the United States

The expansion of organ transplantation in the United States required two changes of the mores. The first was the acceptance of the concept of brain death and the second was the acceptance of organ and tissue donation upon death. As the results of organ transplantation improved, the number of donated organs also had to increase to keep pace with the increasing need of patients with end-stage organ failure. The federal government, in 1986, contracted with UNOS to develop and manage the National Organ Procurement and Transplant Network. The OPTN was required to develop policies for all aspects of clinical transplantation. The government also chartered a network of organ procurement organizations to obtain the needed cadaver organs and to develop cooperative relationships with both general hospitals and transplant centers. The results of heart transplantation have markedly improved in the last several years. In 1991, 2127 heart transplants were performed in the country and the 1-year survival was 82%.
Conversion of mine drainage treatment sludges to sulfides using biogenic hydrogen sulfide

Abstract This study evaluated the potential benefits of converting mixed metal hydroxide sludges to sulfide and carbonate forms by contacting the sludges with hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide gas streams. The sulfide and carbonate forms of many metals have higher densities than the corresponding hydroxide forms. Increasing the density of metal sludges has the potential of reducing sludge handling and disposal costs. Sludges were generated from the line treatment of a metal mine drainage. Aliquots of the supermatant and metal hydroxide sludge were contacted with (1) hydrogen sulfide; (2) carbon dioxide; and (3) a mixture of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. All sludges were evaluated for (1) density; (2) settling rate; (3) volume; and (4) leaching characteristics. The metal sulfide and carbonate sludges had higher densities and lower volumes than the metal hydroxide sludges. The settling rates were similar for all sludge forms.
Protraction Facial Mask

The use of a protraction facial mask has been shown to be very beneficial to correct a slight anterior crossbite created by the retrusion of the maxillary anterior teeth by repaired muscular or presurgical orthopedic forces. The protraction forces will generally move the retruded incisors, opening the closed lateral incisor spaces. The forces can also be used in those cases where the entire premaxilla is slightly recessive, carrying the incisor teeth forward out of a crossbite. This procedure can be utilized in the deciduous, mixed, as well as the adult dentition. There are a number of different appliances that can be successfully used provided the forces are directed in a proper direction. To move the maxilla/premaxilla forward, it is necessary to have a downward and forward force emanating from the maxillary cuspid to the mandibular cuspid while the force, necessary for the anterior movement of the teeth, is limited to only a forward direction. Cases will be shown where this appliance is used to maintain the correction after orthognathic surgery and/or distraction osteogenesis.
The glutamate synapse in neuropsychiatric disorders. Focus on schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on a recently discovered unconventional form of neurotoxicity that arises from the underexcitation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. It is postulated that this underexcitation of NMDA receptors is operative in two major neuropsychiatric disorders—namely, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. The chapter describes the type of neuronal damage produced by hypoactivation of the NMDA receptor and the complex neural circuitry that is postulated to be perturbed because of NMDA receptor hypofunction. Excessive activation of NMDA receptors plays an important role in the pathophysiology of acute central nervous system injury syndromes such as hypoxia–ischemia, trauma, and status epilepticus. Low doses of NMDA receptor antagonist drugs, such as ketamine, tiletamine, and phencyclidine, reliably injure certain cerebrocortical neurons. At these doses the injury is confined to the posterior cingulate and retrosplenial (PC/RS) cortex and consists of the formation of intracytoplasmic vacuoles in layer III–IV pyramidal neurons.
Recent demographic and migratory trends among Soviet Jews: implications for policy.

A prominent authority on the Jewish population of the former USSR focuses on demographic trends and migration behavior (both within the former USSR and abroad), while also addressing the effect of Soviet state policy toward the Jewish population. Among the factors whose effects on population dynamics are examined, emphasis is placed on the Jewish population's concentration in large urban areas, the effects of emigration on age structure of the remaining population, self-identification as a method in census enumeration, ethnic intermarriage and family characteristics, and the outlook and prospects for emigres in Israel and the United States.
Approximate query mapping: Accounting for translation closeness

In this paper we present a mechanism for approximately translating Boolean query constraints across heterogeneous information sources. Achieving the best translation is challenging because sources support different constraints for formulating queries, and often these constraints cannot be precisely translated. For instance, a query [score>8] might be “perfectly” translated as [rating>0.8] at some site, but can only be approximated as [grade=A] at another. Unlike other work, our general framework adopts a customizable “closeness” metric for the translation that combines both precision and recall. Our results show that for query translation we need to handle interdependencies among both query conjuncts as well as disjuncts. As the basis, we identify the essential requirements of a rule system for users to encode the mappings for atomic semantic units. Our algorithm then translates complex queries by rewriting them in terms of the semantic units. We show that, under practical assumptions, our algorithm generates the best approximate translations with respect to the closeness metric of choice. We also present a case study to show how our technique may be applied in practice.
Heterogeneous Aviation Safety Cases: Integrating the Formal and the Non-formal

We describe a method for the automatic assembly of aviation safety cases by combining auto-generated argument fragments derived from the application of a formal method to software, with manually created argument fragments derived from system safety analysis. Our approach emphasizes the heterogeneity of safety-relevant information and we show how such diverse content can be integrated into a single safety case. We illustrate our approach by applying it to an experimental Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).
Persistent chlamydiae: from cell culture to a paradigm for chlamydial pathogenesis.

Chlamydiae are medically important bacteria responsible for a wide range of human infections and diseases. Repeated episodes of infection promote chronic inflammation associated with detrimental immune system-mediated pathologic changes. However, the true nature of chlamydial pathogenesis may encompass repeated infection superimposed upon persistent infection, which would allow for heightened immune reactivity. During the course of chlamydial infection, numerous host elaborated factors with inhibitory or modifying effects may cause alterations in the chlamydia-host cell relationship such that the organism is maintained in a nonproductive stage of growth. Abnormal or persistent chlamydiae have been recognized under a variety of cell culture systems. The numerous factors associated with altered growth suggest an innate flexibility in the developmental cycle of chlamydiae. This review evaluates in vitro studies of chlamydial persistence and correlates these model systems to features of natural chlamydial disease. Images
As quatro figuras da "sexualidade" nos colonialismos de povoamento

Coisas que sabemos. O primeiro volume da Historia da Sexualidade de Michel Foucault termina com uma discussao de tres formacoes de poder que ele acreditava que definiam a historia do poder (liberal) moderno – soberania, disciplina e biopoder. Conforme Foucault, os dois ultimos poderes nos permitem “entender a importância adquirida pelo sexo como uma questao politica”, na medida em que “sexo era tanto um acesso a vida do corpo quanto a vida da especie” (Foucault, 1978:145, 146)
Noise-assisted instantaneous coherence analysis of brain connectivity

Characterizing brain connectivity between neural signals is key to understanding brain function. Current measures such as coherence heavily rely on Fourier or wavelet transform, which inevitably assume the signal stationarity and place severe limits on its time-frequency resolution. Here we addressed these issues by introducing a noise-assisted instantaneous coherence (NAIC) measure based on multivariate mode empirical decomposition (MEMD) coupled with Hilbert transform to achieve highresolution time frequency representation of neural coherence. In our method, fully data-driven MEMD, together with Hilbert transform, is first employed to provide time-frequency power spectra for neural data. Such power spectra are typically sparse and of high resolution, that is, there usually exist many zero values, which result in numerical problems for directly computing coherence. Hence, we propose to add random noise onto the spectra, making coherence calculation feasible. Furthermore, a statistical randomization procedure is designed to cancel out the effect of the added noise. Computer simulations are first performed to verify the effectiveness of NAIC. Local field potentials collected from visual cortex of macaque monkey while performing a generalized flash suppression task are then used to demonstrate the usefulness of our NAIC method to provide highresolution time-frequency coherence measure for connectivity analysis of neural data.
What Is Private and What Is Public About Technology

Technology has a proprietary aspect and a public good aspect. The proprietary aspect makes it profitable for firms to invest in its advance. The public aspect enables the community as a whole to benefit from technological advance. In order for technical advance to proceed rapidly and for the gams to be widely shared, there must be an appropriate balance between the proprietary and public aspects. Recent policy discussions have emphasized the proprietary aspects of technology, calling for a tightening and broadening of intellectual property rights. Universities have been encouraged to be more proprietary. We may be in danger of leaning too far in this direction.
Extrapelvic endometriosis: diagnosis and treatment.

Background Young women with nondescript abdominal pain can be difficult to diagnose. Although extrapelvic endometriosis is infrequent, we have treated 7 patients over the past 3 years with endometriosis in the abdominal wall, inguinal canal, or surgical incisions as the etiology of their symptoms. Patients and methods We reviewed the medical records of patients whose final pathology report confirmed a diagnosis of extrapelvic endometriosis. Seven women who were treated at the University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital from May 1, 1991 through April 30, 1994 were identified. Results All patients were premenopausal with no history of pelvic endometriosis. In 4 patients, symptoms were cyclical. Surgical excision was initially curative in 5 patients. Two women required reexcision. The diagnosis of endometriosis was established at exploration by gross appearance and by frozen section. Conclusions Endometriosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of a symptomatic mass in a celiotomy scar, the abdominal wall, or the inguinal canal. Principles of management include obtaining an accurate diagnosis and performing an adequate excision to prevent recurrence.
Comparative Study of Glucose Homeostasis, Lipids and Lipoproteins, HDL Functionality, and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Modestly Severely Obese African Americans and White Americans With Prediabetes: Implications for the Metabolic Paradoxes

OBJECTIVE To determine whether modestly severe obesity modifies glucose homeostasis, levels of cardiometabolic markers, and HDL function in African Americans (AAs) and white Americans (WAs) with prediabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We studied 145 subjects with prediabetes ( N = 61 WAs, N = 84 AAs, mean age 46.5 ± 11.2 years, mean BMI 37.8 ± 6.3 kg/m2). We measured fasting levels of lipids, lipoproteins, and an inflammatory marker (C-reactive protein [CRP]); HDL functionality (i.e., levels of paraoxonase 1 [PON1]); and levels of oxidized LDL, adiponectin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6). We measured serum levels of glucose, insulin, and C-peptide during an oral glucose tolerance test. Values for insulin sensitivity index (Si), glucose effectiveness index (Sg), glucose effectiveness at zero insulin (GEZI), and acute insulin response to glucose (AIRg) were derived using a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (using MINMOD software). RESULTS Mean levels of fasting and incremental serum glucose, insulin, and C-peptide tended to be higher in WAs versus AAs. The mean Si was not different in WAs versus AAs (2.6 ± 2.3 vs. 2.9 ± 3.0 × 10−4 × min−1 [μU/mL]−1). Mean values for AIRg and disposition index as well as Sg and GEZI were lower in WAs than AAs. WAs had higher serum triglyceride levels than AAs (116.1 ± 55.5 vs. 82.7 ± 44.2 mg/dL, P = 0.0002). Mean levels of apolipoprotein (apo) A1, HDL cholesterol, PON1, oxidized LDL, CRP, adiponectin, and IL-6 were not significantly different in obese AAs versus WAs with prediabetes. CONCLUSIONS Modestly severe obesity attenuated the ethnic differences in Si, but not in Sg and triglyceride levels in WAs and AAs with prediabetes. Despite the lower Si and PON1 values, AAs preserved paradoxical relationships between the Si and HDL/apoA1/triglyceride ratios. We conclude that modestly severe obesity has differential effects on the pathogenic mechanisms underlying glucose homeostasis and atherogenesis in obese AAs and WAs with prediabetes.
On the mathematical form of psychophysical relationships, with special focus on the perception of mechanical properties of solid objects.

Because the sensory response to mechanical and other stimuli cannot increase indefinitely, the power law of sensory perception can be valid only within a limited range of stimulus magnitudes. An alternative two-parameter mathematical expression that can describe, at least in principle, psychophysical relationships at any stimulus range is presented. It is shown mathematically, and demonstrated through computer simulation, that unless the stimulus magnitude is too close to the threshold or saturation level, the resulting relationship in logarithmic coordinates is practically identical to that predicted by the power law model. It is also demonstrated that the absolute magnitude of the alternative model’s constants can be very similar to those found for the power law model.
Ecdysteroid-Responsive Genes in a Drosophila Cell Line

SYNOPSIS. In the Drosophila Kc-H cell line ecdysteroids cause rapid increases in the synthesis of two groups of polypeptides which we call ecdysteroid-inducible polypeptides. We have shown that these changes occur at least in part at the level of mRNA titers and we have isolated cDNA clones corresponding to the mRNAs for these polypeptides. The increases in these mRNAs may well be among the primary hormone effects.
Natural history of carotid artery occlusion contralateral to carotid endarterectomy

Background The natural history of patients with carotid artery occlusion is controversial. A few studies have concluded that patients with internal carotid artery occlusion carry a high risk of neurologic events. None of these previously reported studies analyze the natural history of internal artery occlusion contralateral to carotid endarterectomy (CEA), except for a small series including a subset of patients from two randomized trials, the Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study and the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial. This study analyzes the natural history of patients with carotid artery occlusion contralateral to CEA, specifically assessing long-term neurologic events occurring in the hemisphere associated with the occluded carotid artery. Methods Of the 599 CEAs in 544 patients that were included in two previously updated prospective studies, 63 patients had contralateral internal carotid artery occlusion, and their perioperative and long-term outcomes were evaluated. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate the rate of freedom from late stroke occurring in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the occluded carotid artery. The stroke-free survival rate was also noted. Results Mean follow-up was 58 months (range, 1 to 147 months). One perioperative stroke (1.6%) occurred, which was not in the cerebral hemisphere ipsilateral to the occluded carotid artery. Two late strokes (3.2%) and nine transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) (14.3%) occurred involving the hemisphere of the occluded carotid artery. There were also three late TIAs (4.8%) and no late strokes involving the hemisphere supplied by the operative site. There were a total of 14 late deaths. Fifteen patients had late ≥50% restenosis of the operative side. Six of these had neurologic events (TIA/stroke) involving the hemisphere of the occluded carotid artery, in contrast to five of 48 patients with no restenosis who had neurologic symptoms ( P Conclusions The natural history of carotid artery occlusion contralateral to CEA is relatively benign. This may suggest a protective effect of carotid endarterectomy on the cerebral hemisphere ipsilateral to the carotid occlusion from late strokes.
Environment, growth, and optimal policy design

Abstract A simple dynamic representative agent model is presented in which the environment enters into the utility and production functions to analyze long-run economic growth under optimal policy designs. The policies that are considered are production taxes or subsidies and quantitative restrictions. Optimal levels of these instruments are designed by a regulator such that (a) the equilibrium growth path mimics the efficient growth path, and (b) the letter is maximized. One finding is that a combination of quantity controls and optimal tax (subsidy) schemes leads to a higher level of social welfare than an optimal tax (subsidy) scheme alone.
Nucleosides CV. Synthesis of the 8‐((β‐D‐ribofuranosyl)pyrazolo[1,5‐a]‐1,3,5‐triazine isosteres of adenosine and inosine

Reaction of ethyl N-cyanoformimidate (3) and of ethyl N-carbelhoxyformimidate (5) with 3-aminopyrazole (2) gave 4-amino- and 4-oxo-3H-pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine (4 and 7), respectively. Reaction of 3-amino-4-(2,3-O-isopropylidene-5-O-trityl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrazole (8) with the same reagents similarly gave the blocked 4-amino-8-ribosyl- and 4-oxo-3H-8-ribosyl-pyrazolo[ 1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine (9 and 15), respectively. Deblocking in acid finally afforded the unblocked products 10 (an isostere of adenosine and formycin) and 16 (an isostere of inosine and formycin B). The corresponding derivatives in the a series were made by identical procedures for confirming all structural assignments. Preliminary in vitro testing results of 10 are included.
Effect of a Pentacyclic Triterpene from Sweet Potato Storage Roots on Oviposition by the Sweetpotato Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Apentacyclic triterpenoid, boehmeryl acetate, was identified as the dominant peak in gas chromatographic profiles of the periderm of susceptible sweet potato cultivars. Boehmeryl acetate, present in the methylene chloride-hexane (1:3) fraction of methylene chloride surface extracts, induced significantly ( P < 0.05) higher oviposition by female sweetpotato weevils on sweet potato cores in laboratory bioassays. Dose-response studies showed significant linear and quadratic log dose effects, with peak oviposition stimulating activity for this compound at about 0.01 potato equivalents (0.04 μ g/core). Results indicate that boehmeryl acetate is an oviposition stimulant of the sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarlus elegantulus (Summers).
Improved B1 homogeneity of 3 tesla breast MRI using dual‐source parallel radiofrequency excitation

Purpose: To compare breast MRI B1 homogeneity at 3 Tesla (T) with and without dual-source parallel radiofrequency (RF) excitation. Materials and Methods: After institutional review board approval, we evaluated 14 consecutive breast MR examinations performed at 3T that included three-dimensional B1 maps created separately with conventional single-source and dual-source parallel RF excitation techniques. We measured B1 values (expressed as % of intended B1) on each B1 map at nipple level in multiple bilateral locations: anterior, lateral, central, medial, and posterior. Mean whole breast and location specific B1 values were calculated and compared between right and left breasts using paired t-test. Results: Mean whole breast B1 values differed significantly between right and left breasts with standard single-source RF excitation (difference L-R, Δ = 9.2%; P < 0.001) but not with dual-source parallel RF excitation (Δ = 2.3%; P = 0.085). Location specific B1 values differed significantly between right and left on single-source in the lateral (P = 0.014), central (P = 0.0001), medial (P = 0.0013), and posterior (P < 0.0001) locations. Conversely, mean B1 values differed significantly on dual-source parallel RF excitation for only the anterior (P = 0.030) and lateral (P = 0.0003) locations. Conclusion: B1 homogeneity is improved with dual-source parallel RF excitation on 3T breast MRI when compared with standard single-source RF excitation technique. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:1222-1226. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Shells of revolution with local deviations

A finite element model that is suitable for the analysis of shells of revolution with arbitrary local deviations is presented. The model employs three types of shell elements: rotational, general and transitional. The rotational shell elements, which are most efficient, are used in the region where the shell is axisymmetric. The general shell elements, which can simulate almost any shell geometry, are used in the local region of the deviation. The transitional shell elements connect these two distinctively different types of elements and make it possible to combine them in a single analysis. The form of the global stiffness matrix is somewhat unique in the new model. Non-zero terms are not confined to a narrow band along the diagonal, but occur throughout the matrix. This is due to the following: (1) two different types of nodes, ring nodes and point nodes, are combined in a single analysis; and (2) a locally non-axisymmetric geometry creates a coupling of the Fourier harmonic coefficients of the rotational elements. Yet, the matrix still contains many scattered zero terms that should be considered for numerical efficiency. In this paper an efficient solution procedure that is effective for this situation is developed. The steps include the use of a substructuring technique and separate partial harmonic analysis. A numerical example is presented and compared with existing solutions to demonstrate the capabilities and the efficiency of the new model.
A timeline of the racialist movement in the United States: A teaching tool

Since the 1995 bombing of the Alfred R. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, academics and the general public have shown increased interest in white racial extremist and other right-wing radical groups. The interest in understanding any form of extreme intolerance requires locating the historical development of the ideas, beliefs, and actions espoused through the legislation of miscegenation in our nation's history and by extremist organizations. A chronology, used as a teaching tool, reviews the unique strands of extreme beliefs and actions and connects these understandings to the growth of racialist and extremist ideologies in the United States. This timeline provides a tool for instructors and other interested individuals in gaining an understanding of such groups by locating key developments within the laws as well as within the white racial extremist movement. Thus this chronology focuses on legislative acts and Supreme Court decisions that mirror our nation's early white racialist history. Addi...
The Use of Low-Osmolar Water-Soluble Contrast in Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Exams

The selection of the contrast agent used during fluoroscopic exams is an important clinical decision. The purpose of this article is to document the usage of a nonionic, water-soluble contrast (iohexol) and barium contrast in adult patients undergoing fluoroscopic exams of the pharynx and/or esophagus and provide clinical indications for the use of each. For 1 year, data were collected on the use of iohexol and barium during fluoroscopic exams. The contrast agent used was selected by the speech language pathologist (SLP) or the radiologist based on the exam’s indications. A total of 1,978 fluoroscopic exams were completed in the 12-month period of documentation. Of these exams, 60.6 % were completed for medical reasons and 39.4 % for surgical reasons. Fifty-five percent of the exams were performed jointly by a SLP and a radiologist and 45 % were performed by a radiologist alone. Aspiration was present in 22 % of the exams, vestibular penetration occurred in 38 %, extraluminal leakage of contrast was observed in 4.6 %, and both aspiration and leakage were seen in 1 % of the exams. In cases with aspiration, iohexol was used alone in 8 %, iohexol and barium were both used in 45 %, and barium was used alone in 47 %. In cases with extraluminal leakage, iohexol was used alone in 58 %, iohexol and barium were both used in 31 %, and barium was used alone in 11 %. No adverse effects were seen with the use of iohexol. When barium was used in cases of aspiration and extraluminal leakage, the amount of aspirated barium was small and the extraluminal barium in the instances of leakage was small. Iohexol is a useful screening contrast agent and can safely provide information, and its use reduces the risk of aspiration and the chance of leakage of large amounts of barium.