cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound-Guided Caudal Epidural Injections

The epidural space extends from the base of the skull to the level of the sacral hiatus. Below the level of S2, where the dura terminates, the epidural space continues as the caudal epidural space that can be accessed via the sacral hiatus that is covered by the sacrococcygeal membrane. The sacral epidural canal contains the sacral and coccygeal roots, spinal vessels, and the filum terminale. The epidural venous plexus is concentrated in the anterior space in the caudal epidural canal [1, 3, 4]. Caudal epidural injections are usually performed as diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in various lumbosacral pain syndromes, especially those where lumbar epidural access is not desired. The landmark technique for caudal epidural injections is complicated by variations in sacral anatomy and the risk of inadvertent intravascular injection.While fluoroscopic guidance is the most commonly used, it increases radiation exposure. Moreover ultrasound guided techniques are as effective as using fluorosvopic guidance (15, 16). But ultrasound guided techniques are limited by lack of visualization inside the sacral canal thereby limiting the identification of epidural spread and inadvertent intravascular spread. It also remains a technically challenging technique.
ORGANIZATION AND EVOLUTION OF GENOMES AS SEEN FROM A MEGABASE PERSPECTIVE

It seems appropriate that the evolutionary pattern of gene expression is the focus of this special workshop to commemorate many years of molecular biology advanced study institutes on Spetses. These institutes have witnessed the evolution of molecular biology from the earliest days, where only basic processes in simple organisms were studied, to the present, where no biological issue or organism seems too complex to withstand analysis by molecular methods. For those of us privileged to participate in a number of such institutes, the process has been one of continual scientific growth and stimulation. The methods and approaches described below were not even conceived of a decade ago. Yet, already they are sufficiently standard to require almost mandatory inclusion as one introduces newcomers to the state of the art of molecular biology.
Compulsive Buying: A Multivariate Reanalysis

This paper assesses the current theoretical base underlying the compulsive buying phenomenon. By reexamining the data put forth by O’Guinn and Faber (1989) in a multivariate manner, an evaluation of the discriminating power of the current predictor variables is performed. The variables appear to discriminate far better than chance with a hit ratio exceeding 80 percent. Nevertheless, theoretical development is needed to improve our ability to explain and predict the compulsive buying phenomenon.
Molecular Imaging in Lung Cancer Metastases

Advances in gene profiling technology have led to the identification of novel gene expression signatures and individual biomarkers associated with the cancer and the spread of malignancy to distant organs. Molecular imaging is a very promising technology which provides the potential for utilizing these biomarkers for monitoring tumor progression and therapeutic response. This technology may allow real-time, dynamic, and quantifiable monitoring of biomarker activity. This chapter describes molecular imaging modalities that are currently available for monitoring clinical and experimental metastasis, their application and potential to monitor tumor progression and therapeutic outcome of a treatment regimen in real time, and in the discovery and development of novel drugs that target metastatic disease.
Formation of 60° 〈011̅0〉 boundaries between {101̅2} twin variants in deformation of a magnesium alloy

Abstract Interrupted tensile testing along the normal direction of a rolled AZ31 magnesium plate was conducted at various strain levels from 6% to 15.5%. Prior to deformation the specimens were annealed for grains to coarsen such that multiple twin variants in one grain can be activated and interaction between variants can be better resolved. The grain structure and texture evolution were then examined via electron backscatter diffraction. The results reveal that multiple primary { 10 1 2 } P twin variants inside individual grains grow and impinge, forming profuse boundaries of 60° 〈 01 1 0 〉 orientation relationship. These boundaries are close to { 11 2 2 } 〈 11 2 3 〉 twin relationship, however, they are not formed by twin nucleation and are only a product of interaction between the primary twins. The morphology of these special boundaries are highly irregular. Atomistic simulations were performed to understand such interaction, and the results show that such 60° 〈 01 1 0 〉 boundaries have limited mobility. Thus, a primary twin variant is able to grow at the expense of other primary twin variants. Our experimental results also show that { 10 1 2 } twinning is active throughout the deformation until the specimens are fractured. As the strain increases, secondary { 10 1 2 } S twins are activated inside the primary twins. As the strain further increases to near fracture, { 10 1 1 } S secondary twins are activated inside the primary twins, followed by activation of tertiary { 10 1 2 } T twins inside the { 10 1 1 } S secondary twins, a process known as { 10 1 1 } − { 10 1 2 } double twinning. The formation of irregular 60° 〈 01 1 0 〉 boundaries and the sequential twinning at large strains shed new light on the twinning mechanism in Mg and other hexagonal close-packed metals.
A Framework to Enhance the Transferability of the SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study by Considering Heterogeneity of Driver Behavior Using Spatial-Temporal Factors in a Trajectory Level

It is known that both spatial and temporal features of roadway environment can affect driver performance and behavior, which might also impact the risk of crashes. One of the most important research questions in the field of naturalistic driving study (NDS) is how the results obtained from the NDS for a specific temporal and geographical location can be transferred to other locations without introducing a bias related to the inter-driver and intra-driver heterogeneity. Hence, this study utilized a high-resolution data obtained from the SHRP2 NDS to develop a framework for capturing inherent effects of driver-behavioral factors on driver behavior and performance. The data collected from 144 drivers 16–84 years old in New York, equivalent to 200 hours and 19,200 km of driving, to examine the effectiveness of the developed method. In order to control for spatial and temporal effects, a methodology was developed in a way that similar observations, in case of spatial and temporal characteristics, were categorized and analyzed together. The results revealed that there was less intra-driver variability in speeding, lane keeping, and acceleration/deceleration behaviors when taking into account spatial and temporal characteristics, which shows the effectiveness of the developed methods to increase the transferability of the NDS results worldwide.
Abortion Legalization and Child Living Circumstances: Who is the

We estimate the impact of changes in abortion access in the early 1970s on the average living standards of cohorts born in those years. In particular, we address the selection inherent in the abortion decision: is the marginal child who is not born when abortion access increases more or less disadvantaged than the average child? Legalization of abortion in five states around 1970, followed by legalization nationwide due to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, generates natural variation which can be used to estimate the effect of abortion access. We find that cohorts born after abortion was legalized experienced a significant reduction in a number of adverse outcomes. Our estimates imply that the marginal child who was not born due to legalization would have been 70% more likely to live in a single parent family, 40% more likely to live in poverty, 50% more likely to receive welfare, and 35% more likely to die as an infant. These selection effects imply that the legalization of abortion saved the government over $14 billion in welfare expenditures through 1994.
Survival and inactivation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium on food contact surfaces during log, stationary and long-term stationary phases.

Abstract One of the most important transmission routes of foodborne pathogens is through contaminated food contact surfaces. In this study, we investigated the survival and inactivation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium on frequently used food contact surfaces in household settings, including plastic cutting board (CB), formica laminate (LA), and stainless steel (SS) surfaces. S. Typhimurium at log (6 h), stationary (24 h), or long-term stationary (LTS) (14 days) phases were evaluated. Results showed that, at medium and high microbial loads, LTS phase cells had significantly higher survivor population compared to log and stationary phase cells at 24 h after inoculation (p
Women Who Abuse Substances and How They Perceive Their Interactions with the Police

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to better understand how women who abuse substances perceive their interactions with police officers. Little is known about this topic and how these views aff...
Long-Term Monitoring of Capillary Flow to Measure Hypoxic Effects of Capillary Flow Disruptions

Cerebral blood flow is critical to supporting healthy brain metabolism. Here we demonstrate the ability to monitor capillary flux and oxygenation in up to 20 capillaries using Phosphorescence Lifetime Imaging (PLIM) for 10 minutes.
Creating and Evaluating a Goal Setting Prototype for MOOCs

This case study focuses on the design and evaluation of a goal setting web application for use in online courses. Our process included background research, competitive analysis, internal feature brainstorming, persona creation, a Lightning Decision Jam, and high-fidelity prototyping [2]. We assessed our design using e-Learning System Evaluations and usability tests [1]. Key takeaways include: (a) the Lightning Decision Jam is an engaging, inclusive, and helpful exercise for narrowing down a project's scope; (b) e-Learning System Evaluations elicit more detailed feedback than usability tests, but they may not be well-suited for testing prototypes with limited functionality; and (c) the conversational nature of usability tests may lead to more ideas for new features, but these tests do not give participants the opportunity to think deeply before providing feedback. These findings have implications for user experience designers and researchers, as well as those interested in new brainstorming and system evaluation methods.
Selfless assertions and the Knowledge Norm

If a speaker selflessly asserts that p, the speaker (1) has good evidence that p is true, (2) asserts that p on the basis of that evidence, but (3) does not believe that p. Selfless assertions are widely thought to be acceptable, and therefore to pose a threat to the Knowledge Norm of Assertion. Advocates for the Knowledge Norm tend to respond to this threat by arguing that there are no such things as selfless assertions. They argue that those who appear to be selfless asserters either: believe what they assert, perform a speech act other than assertion, or assert a proposition other than the one that they seem to. I argue that such counterarguments are unsuccessful. There really are selfless assertions. But I also argue that they are no threat to the Knowledge Norm. There is a good case to be made that knowledge does not require belief. And if it does not, then the fact that some selfless assertions are appropriate does not tell against the Knowledge Norm. Indeed, I argue that selfless asserters know the propositions that they assert to be true.
Second primary breast cancer after diagnosis of breast cancer among male patients: An examination of population characteristics and overall survival

Abstract Background Male patients with breast cancer (BrC) have increased risk of developing 2nd-primary BrC (2nd-BrC). Given the relative rarity of male BrC, population-based registries are needed to analyze overall survival (OS) outcomes for these patients. Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registry of patients diagnosed from 1975 to 2016, a cohort study of men whose only malignancy was BrC (BrC O; n = 6,475), and men who developed 2nd-BrC after initial BrC diagnosis (BrC-2; n = 85) was performed. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of 2nd-BrC, Kaplan-Meier OS and multivariable Cox regression modelling were performed. Findings The SIR for 2nd-BrC was 32.95 (95%CI:[23.85–44.38],p Interpretation Patients with male BrC are at significantly increased risk of 2nd BrC, but they can expect similar post-BrC prognosis (versus those without 2nd-BrC), after adjusting for patient demographics and tumor characteristics known to affect OS. Funding None.
Robotic Assisted Surgery: The Gap Between Challenges And Solutions:

A roboticist by the name of Rodney Brooks once said, “the benefits of having robots could vastly outweigh the problems.” While this may be true, it is important to assess these problems and underst...
Neurexin and Frizzled signaling intercept axonal-transport at microtubule minus-ends to control synapse formation

Abstract Precise synaptic connectivity defines neuronal circuits. Synapse formation is locally determined by transmembrane proteins, yet synaptic material is synthesized remotely and undergoes processive transport in axons. How local synaptogenic signals intercept synaptic cargo in transport to promote its delivery and synapse formation is unknown. We found that control of cargo delivery from microtubule minus-ends mediates pro- and anti-synaptogenic activities of presynaptic Neurexin and Frizzled in C. elegans, and identified the atypical kinesin VAB-8/KIF26 as a key molecule in this process. VAB-8/KIF26 levels on synaptic microtubule minus-ends are controlled by Frizzled and Neurexin, its loss mimics neurexin mutants or Frizzled hyperactivation, and its overexpression can rescue synapse-loss in these backgrounds. VAB-8/KIF26 protects other minus-end proteins and promotes pausing of retrograde transport to allow delivery into synapses. Consistently, reducing retrograde transport rescues synapse-loss in vab-8 and neurexin mutants. These results uncover an important mechanistic link between synaptogenic signaling and axonal transport.
Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome Presenting After Initiation of Empagliflozin, a Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitor

Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) is an inflammatory condition of the retina that typically presents unilaterally with multiple gray-white spots in the outer retina or retinal pigmented epithelium and granular changes within the fovea. We report a case of new-onset MEWDS in a patient closely after the initiation of empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitor medicine for his type II diabetes mellitus.
Concealed passives and the syntax and semantics of need/philyo in English and Korean

Despite similar argument structure, the syntax of English need and Korean philyo contrasts, illuminating differences in lexical derivation and insertion of argument-taking elements. Verbs need , require , deserve , want , and bear take gerundive complements that are "understood passively" (Jesperson 1927/1954:112[9.23]) and called concealed passive constructions (CPCs) (Huddleston and Pullum 2002:1429). In this paper, we argue that in English, the gerund CPC object of need is a lexically passivized V that takes a nominalizing derivational - ing affix, whereas in Korean, the CPC object of philyo is a verbal noun, directly inserted as a complement of the verb without derivation.
animalcules: Interactive Microbiome Analytics and Visualization in R

Abstract Background Microbial communities that live in and on the human body play a vital role in health and disease. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have enabled the study of microbial communities at unprecedented resolution. However, these advances in data generation have presented novel challenges to researchers attempting to analyze and visualize these data. Results To address some of these challenges, we have developed animalcules, an easy-to-use interactive microbiome analysis toolkit for 16S rRNA sequencing data, shotgun DNA metagenomics data, and RNA-based metatranscriptomics profiling data. This toolkit combines novel and existing analytics, visualization methods, and machine learning models. For example, traditional microbiome analyses such as alpha/beta diversity and differential abundance analysis are enhanced in the toolkit, while new methods such as biomarker identification are introduced. Powerful interactive and dynamic figures generated by animalcules enable users to understand their data and discover new insights. animalcules can be used as a standalone command-line R package or users can explore their data with the accompanying interactive R Shiny interface. Conclusions We present animalcules, an R package for interactive microbiome analysis through either an interactive interface facilitated by R Shiny or various command-line functions. It is the first microbiome analysis toolkit that supports the analysis of all 16S rRNA, DNA-based shotgun metagenomics, and RNA-sequencing based metatranscriptomics datasets. animalcules can be freely downloaded from GitHub at https://github.com/compbiomed/animalcules or installed through Bioconductor at https://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/animalcules.html.
Treating Bulimia Nervosa and Achieving Medically Required Weight Loss: A Case Study

Abstract Eating disorder and weight loss interventions have typically been regarded as distinct or antithetical, despite a growing number of individuals with comorbid eating pathology and obesity. This siloing of research and practice has created a clinical conundrum for providers seeking to treat individuals with an eating disorder seeking to lose weight (e.g., required pre-surgical weight loss). To date, integrated treatment research targeting both eating disorders and weight loss is rare and practical guidance is lacking, especially for restrictive/binge-purge subtypes. This case example describes how an integrated approach was applied within a naturalistic outpatient clinical practice setting to successfully treat a client presenting with excess weight and severe bulimia nervosa who was medically required to lose weight for orthopedic surgery. We conclude by reviewing the benefits and challenges of integrating eating disorder and behavioral weight loss treatments and providing practical insights for treatment providers.
High-throughput and versatile design for multi-layer coating deposition using lab automation through Arduino-controlled devices.

Laboratory and experimental scale manufacturing processes are limited by human error (e.g., poor control over motion and personal subjectivity), especially under fatiguing conditions involving precise, repetitive operations, incurring compounding errors. Commercial layer-by-layer (LbL) automation devices are prohibitively high-priced (especially for academic institutions) with limited flexibility in form factor and potentially software-associated constraints/limitations. In this work, a novel automated multi-beaker dip coater was fabricated to facilitate nano cerium oxide/polymer coatings via an LbL dip coating process and the synthesis of nano ceria films via a novel successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method on a glass substrate. Automation of tasks, such as those mediating the detailed procedures, is essential in producing highly reproducible, consistent products/materials as well as in reducing the time commitments for laboratory researchers. Herein, we detail the construction of a relatively large, yet inexpensive, LbL coating instrument that can operate over 90 cm in the horizontal axis, allowing, for example, up to eight 200 ml beakers with accompanying stir plates. The instrument is operated by simple “off-the-shelf” electronics to control the path and timing of the samples with open-source software while providing precision at ±0.01 mm. Furthermore, 3D-printed components were used to maximize the number of substrates that could be coated simultaneously, further improving the sample production rate and reducing waste. Further possibilities for automation beyond the detailed device are provided and discussed, including software interfaces, physical control methods, and sensors for data collection/analysis or for triggers of automated tasks.
Towards Implementing Inclusive Authentication Technologies for Older Adults

Two-factor authentication (2FA) provides protection for on-line accounts through efficient and highly robust access control. Adoption and usability, however, remain challenging for such security tools and technologies. Most current research on 2FA focuses on convenience samples of experts in the technology sector while neglecting non-experts. As older adults increasingly use everyday digital technologies, providing convenient means for them to protect their online data has become extremely crucial. To aid with this, we investigated the user experience of 2FA security tokens with ten older adults (> 60 years) using surveys, semi-structured interviews, and a think-aloud protocol. Their limited adoption of the 2FA security token stems from its non-inclusive design, unclear instructions , lack of tangible benefits, and device dependencies. Hence, we propose design modifications and effective risk communication techniques to encourage 2FA adoption among organizations that are most invested in protecting older adults-such as retirement management funds, banking institutions, and health care organizations.
Anatomic and Treatment Descriptive Features of Foot Infections Presenting With Radiographic Soft Tissue Emphysema.

Abstract Foot infections associated with soft tissue emphysema, or the radiographic appearance of gas, are widely considered to necessitate urgent decompression with excisional debridement of the necrotic and infectious tissue burden. The objective of this investigation was to describe anatomic features and clinical outcomes associated with the presence of soft tissue emphysema in foot infections. A retrospective chart review was performed of 62 subjects meeting selection criteria. These were primarily male (74.2%), with a history of diabetes mellitus (85.5%), and without a history of previous lower extremity revascularization (98.4%). The primary radiographic location of the soft tissue emphysema was most frequently in the forefoot (61.3%), followed by the midfoot (21.0%), and rearfoot (16.1%). The soft tissue emphysema was most frequently observed primarily in the dorsal foot tissue (49.2%), followed by both dorsal and plantar foot tissue (27.4%), and the plantar foot tissue (24.2%). The soft tissue emphysema was confined to the primary anatomic location in 74.2% of subjects, while 25.8% of cases demonstrated extension into a more proximal anatomic area. Eighty-two percent of subjects underwent a bedside incision and drainage procedure on presentation in the emergency department, and 95.2% underwent a formal incision and drainage procedure in the operating room at 1.05 ± 0.79 (0-5) postadmission days. Twenty-seven percent of subjects had an unplanned 30-day readmission and 17.7% underwent an unplanned reoperation within 30 days following the index discharge. Fifty-two percent of subjects underwent a minor or major amputation during the index admission, while 33.9% eventually resulted in major limb amputation within 12 months. We hope that this investigation adds to the body of knowledge and provides expectations with respect to the evaluation and treatment of foot soft tissue infections complicated by the presence of radiographic soft tissue emphysema.
A DPA-resistant self-timed three-phase dual-rail pre-charge logic family

Differential power analysis (DPA) has been shown to be a highly effective and easy to mount side-channel attack. One effective method of increasing DPA resistance is to use three-phase dual-rail pre-charge logic (TDPL), but this type of logic is vulnerable to manipulation of the clock generation/distribution hardware. If an attacker can slow down the clock, separate the evaluate phase from the discharge phase, or eliminate the discharge phase entirely, the DPA resistance of TDPL is no better than a basic dynamic dual rail logic family. To counter such attacks, we propose a self-timed three-phase dual-rail pre-charge logic family (ST-TDPL), which internally generates the discharge clock in a distributed manner. Thus, an attacker cannot split the discharge phase from the evaluate phase. We compare the area, energy, and normalized energy deviation (NED) of ST-TDPL against Simple TDPL, Simple TDPL with no discharge phase, and static CMOS using an iso-performance design point (i.e., all gates have the same delay) in an industrial 65nm bulk CMOS. The results show that ST-TDPL achieves a similarly low NED value as TDPL, while also providing protection against attacks on the clocking infrastructure.
Sailors and Traders: A Maritime History of the Pacific Peoples – By Alastair Couper

Most historians are unfamiliar with the history and modern cultures of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Yet Western explorers like Joseph Banks and James Cook, who discovered and researched variou...
A Zen Journey in the Living Map of Curriculum

This paper will first analyze the rhetoric of the dead map of curriculum and its relation to the ideology of control in education, then explore the alternative of a Zen journey in the living map of curriculum. As the practice of Zen meditation focuses on the reflection of daily routines to see alternatives and possibilities, it echoes Maxine Greene’s view of imagination by uncoupling from the ordinary: a power element in provoking the not yet openings in the living map of curriculum. Furthermore, the spiritual power of Zen calls us to play the stringless lute of curriculum to get a new key beyond in the living map of curriculum. Finally this paper touches on the challenge or danger of this living map under the “ecstasy of communication” in a postmodern age.
On the role of program understanding in re-engineering tasks

This paper reports on a software understanding experiment during re-engineering of large-scale software. Participants were professional software maintenance engineers. The paper explains the general understanding process, the information needs of these software engineers during their tasks, and the tool capabilities that would help them to be more productive.
Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells: Their Role in Pancreatic Cancer Patient Outcomes and What Is Future?

There is emerging evidence that stem cells might be playing an important role when it comes to cancer aggressiveness, metastasis, recurrence, resistance to chemotherapy and overall survival in hematologic malignancies as well as solid tumors including pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We review Abstract #e15058 presented at the 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago by Andrikou et al .. Pancreatic cancer patients over-expressing pancreatic cancer stem cell markers were associated with aggressive tumors and worse survival. Image: Model of hierarchical organization of pancreatic cancer cell population.
Man vs. machine: practical adversarial detection of malicious crowdsourcing workers

Recent work in security and systems has embraced the use of machine learning (ML) techniques for identifying misbehavior, e.g. email spam and fake (Sybil) users in social networks. However, ML models are typically derived from fixed datasets, and must be periodically retrained. In adversarial environments, attackers can adapt by modifying their behavior or even sabotaging ML models by polluting training data. In this paper, we perform an empirical study of adversarial attacks against machine learning models in the context of detecting malicious crowdsourcing systems, where sites connect paying users with workers willing to carry out malicious campaigns. By using human workers, these systems can easily circumvent deployed security mechanisms, e.g. CAPTCHAs. We collect a dataset of malicious workers actively performing tasks on Weibo, China's Twitter, and use it to develop ML-based detectors. We show that traditional ML techniques are accurate (95%-99%) in detection but can be highly vulnerable to adversarial attacks, including simple evasion attacks (workers modify their behavior) and powerful poisoning attacks (where administrators tamper with the training set). We quantify the robustness of ML classifiers by evaluating them in a range of practical adversarial models using ground truth data. Our analysis provides a detailed look at practical adversarial attacks on ML models, and helps defenders make informed decisions in the design and configuration of ML detectors.
Multivariable Modeling Strategies

Chapter 2 dealt with aspects of modeling such as transformations of predictors, relaxing linearity assumptions, modeling interactions, and examining lack of fit. Chapter 3 dealt with missing data, focusing on utilization of incomplete predictor information. All of these areas are important in the overall scheme of model development, and they cannot be separated from what is to follow. In this chapter we concern ourselves with issues related to the whole model, with emphasis on deciding on the amount of complexity to allow in the model and on dealing with large numbers of predictors. The chapter concludes with three default modeling strategies depending on whether the goal is prediction, estimation, or hypothesis testing.
Palestinian Children: Authors of Collective Memory

This article investigates the premise that Palestinian children are the authors of collective memory. Palestinian society employs an oral tradition that propagates the collective experience among different generations in which the individual dimensions of each is apparent. The oral history for Palestinian children not only illustrates past events, it also provides the tool for grasping the present and traversing the future. In this ethnographic study, 12 Palestinian children from cities, villages and refugee camps in the West Bank were interviewed. The children demonstrated active roles in reconstructing previous collective memory in relation to their own experiences and vigorously restructured the collective memory as a prerequisite for passing it to the next generation.
Pharmacological properties of JTE-052: a novel potent JAK inhibitor that suppresses various inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo.

Objective To evaluate the pharmacological properties of JTE-052, a novel Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor.
ISEE-1 and 2 observations of field-aligned currents in the distant midnight magnetosphere

Magnetic field measurements obtained in the nightside magnetosphere by the co-orbiting ISEE-1 and 2 spacecraft have been examined for signatures of field-aligned currents (FAC). Such currents are found on the boundary of the plasma sheet both when the plasma sheet is expanding and when it is thinning. Evidence is often found for the existence of waves on the plasma sheet boundary, leading to multiple crossings of the FAC sheet. At times the boundary layer FAC sheet orientation is nearly parallel to the X-Z GSM plane, suggesting 'protrusions' of plasma sheet into the lobes. The boundary layer current polarity is, as expected, into the ionosphere in the midnight to dawn local time sector, and outward near dusk. Current sheet thicknesses and velocities are essentially independent of plasma sheet expansion or thinning, having typical values of 1500 km and 20-40 km/s respectively. Characteristic boundary layer current densities are about 10 nanoamps per square meter.
A highly enantioselective synthesis of (R)- and (S)-5,7-odimethyleucomol

Abstract Both (R)- and (S)-5,7-O-dimethyleucomol 1b (R = Me) were synthesized in 57% overall yield in >96% enantiomeric excess. The key step involves the enantioselective α hydroxylation of the lithium enolate of 8 by readily available (+)- and (−)-[(8,8-dimethoxycamphoryl)sulfonyl]oxaziridine 9c .
Anomalies in the kinetics of halogenation, hot-atom effects

Abstract It is proposed that gross discrepancies reported in the literature for the kinetic rate constants for Cl+C 2 H 6 and Cl+C 2 D 6 may be a consequence of a hot Cl atom produced in the chain systems. The exothethermic step responsible for this is C 2 H 5 +Cl 2 →C 2 H 5 Cl+Cl+25 kcal, followed by the slightly exothermic: Cl+C 2 H 6 →HCl+C 2 H 5 +3 kcal. Similar anomalies can arise in brominations while related may occurs in solution halogenations.
Assessing Learning Outcomes in Quantitative Courses: Using Embedded Questions for Direct Assessment

Researchers can evaluate learning by using direct and indirect assessment. Although there are various ways to apply these approaches, two common techniques are pretests and posttests (direct assessment), in which students demonstrate mastery of topics or skills, and the use of knowledge surveys (indirect assessment). The present authors used these two techniques to demonstrate that student knowledge of course material increased significantly during the semester. Furthermore, the authors demonstrated that the indirect knowledge survey of perceived knowledge did not correlate with actual knowledge.
An empirical equation including fracture toughness and describing friction of dental restorative materials

Abstract An equation was developed from studies of single-pass wear and fracture toughness of filled and unfilled dental restorative resins and dental amalgams relating the sliding frictional force F to the normal load N , fracture toughness, modulus of elasticity, yield strength and slider diameter. This equation was of the same form as that reported for viscoelastic materials ( F = KN n ). Friction was caused primarily by ploughing or deformation of the material under the conditions tested.
Regenerative Medicine in Historical Context

The phrase “regenerative medicine” is used so often and for so many different things, with such enthusiasm or worry, and often with a sense that this is something radically new. This paper places studies of regeneration and applications in regenerative medicine into historical perspective. In fact, the first stem cell experiment was carried out in 1907, and many important lines of research have contributed since. This paper explores both what we can learn about the history and what we can learn from the history of regenerative medicine research.
Report of Deer Attacking Cougar

The cougar or mountain lion ( Felis concolor ) seems immune to attack by all but the largest predators, such as grizzly bears. As is well known, the principal food of this large cat is deer, and cougars seldom occur where some species of deer is not present. Perhaps it is not surprising that, occasionally, the deer fight back, as one might surmise from the incident reported here. The veracity of this account is open to question, and I …
Automatic layout for graphical representation of programs

A new programming environment tool called VIC(visual interactive C) is presented in [1]. VIC uses a data model which contains two classes of entities and three relations. The graphical editor used by VIC, displays the architecture of a C program in a graphical form called two column graph(2CG). The 2CG is a mapping of the ER graph (logical representation of a C program) onto a graphical representation using icons for vertices and lines between icons for edges. Functions of the C program, are displayed as rectangular shaped icons on the left column. Data stores (variables, constants, types) are displayed as ellipse, oval and diamond shaped icons on the right column. Call relations, among functions, are displayed as directed arrows on the left side of the screen. Inherit relations among data stores are displayed as directed arrows on the right side of the screen. Data flow between functions and data stores are displayed in the middle of the screen as undirected connecting lines. However the display of large programs using 2CG results in non readable drawings. It is hypothesized that an efficient layout algorithm for automatic drawing and display of two column graphs based on several aesthetic criteria, will result in significantly more readable and aesthetically pleasing looking drawings.
The Effect of Curing Regime on Pervious Concrete Abrasion Resistance

The current method of curing pervious concrete is to cover with plastic for 7 days, although no studies have been performed to determine if that is sufficient or even required. This paper presents results of combinations of four different pervious concrete mixtures cured using six common curing methods. The surface abrasion of the concrete was tested using a rotary cutter device according to ASTM C944. The results show that the concrete abrasion resistance was improved with a majority surface-applied curing compounds; however the surfaces covered with plastic sheets produced the lowest abrasion levels. A majority of the curing regimes also produced higher flexural strength than the control concrete. There was no significant difference observed in the strength between curing under plastic sheets for 7 or 28 days. Of the surface-applied curing compounds, the best abrasion resistance and highest strength concrete was that applied with soybean oil. The best abrasion resistance and highest strength overall was the mixture containing fly ash and cured under plastic for 28 days.
REPLY TO JULIA DRIVER, TIMM TRIPLETT, AND KATHLEEN WALLACE

Julia Driver, Timm Triplett, and Kathleen Wallace challenge my account of moral arrogance, and Triplett and Wallace challenge its application to the problem of abortion. I try to show here that Driver's attempt to defend consequentialism from my charge that it promotes moral arrogance is successful only if consequentialism explicitly gives up what has been considered one of its major virtues. I acknowledge that Triplett has uncovered some unclarity in my claim that the moral acceptability of abortion is an unresolvable moral issue. I also acknowledge that Wallace has uncovered some unclarity in my account of moral arrogance. After clarifying that account, I try to meet her challenge to defend my claim that it is not morally arrogant for a state to place some restrictions on abortions.
A New Genus and Species of Mermithid (Nematoda) Emerging from Chironomid Imagos Eclosing from the Mississippi River Headwaters Area in Northern Minnesota

Fibromermis roarki n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Mermithidae) is described from the hemocoel of chironomid imagos of Ablabesmyia monilis (L.) eclosing from the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Gulsvig Landing in northern Minnesota in the summer of 2007. The new genus is described, distinguished from the most closely related tetrapapillate aquatic mermithid genus, and the new species described. Intensity and sex specificity of infection are recorded from 28 host adult chironomids of a single cohort. The new species represents the fourth tetrapapillate mermithid species described from the area and the third tetrapapillate genus.
The Spectrum of Coronary Heart Disease in a Community of 30,000 A Clinicopathologic Study

The high rate of necropsy in deaths among permanent residents of Rochester, Minnesota, provided a unique opportunity to study the prevalence of coronary heart disease and the frequency and mode of death resulting from this disease. In this community of approximately 30,000 population, necropsy was done in 73 per cent of all resident deaths during the years 1947 through 1952. Included in this group were 691 necropsies that represented 67 per cent of the 1,026 deaths of persons 20 years of age or older. Coronary heart disease caused death in 221 patients (23 per cent of all necropsies and 32 per cent of all necropsies on adults). These 221 coronary deaths in adults represented 41 per cent of the men and 22 per cent of the women. The coronary deaths were attributed to acute coronary failure (sudden death) in 94 patients (43 per cent), acute myocardial infarction in 87 patients (39 per cent), congestive heart failure in 32 patients (14 per cent) and thromboembolism in eight patients (4 per cent). The 87 patie...
Dissolution and reprecipitation in model systems of porous hydroxyapatite

Studies of the attack of gel-stabilized suspensions of hydroxyapatite show dissolution at the boundary of the solid region and reprecipitation within this region. The results are apparently consistent with a theory which assumes that porous solid dissolution is diffusion-controlled but constrained by nonlinear solubility products.
In vivo assessment of the capacity of androstenedione to masculinize female mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) exposed through dietary and static renewal methods

In this study, we investigated the capacity of androstenedione to masculinize female mosquitofish. Previous studies have identified androstenedione in the water and sediment of the Fenholloway River, a Florida, USA, coastal river that receives paper mill effluent and contains masculinized eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). Females of the closely related western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, were exposed to androstenedione through both dietary and static renewal treatments. Morphological masculinization of female mosquitofish is characterized by the development of a male secondary sexual trait: an elongated and modified anal fin (gonopodium). Dietary exposure to 0.7, 7, 70, and 700 microg of androstenedione per gram of food failed to induce gonopodial development at any concentration within the six-week exposure period. Static renewal treatments used androstenedione concentrations of 0.14, 1.4, 14, 140, and 350 nM. Significant anal fin ray elongation was observed in all but the lowest exposure group. Fish growth during the static renewal exposure experiment was negatively correlated with androstenedione concentration. No significant effects were observed for gonadosomatic index, vitellogenin expression, or ovarian area in fish exposed to androstenedione via either the dietary or static renewal methods. These results indicate that exposure to androstenedione via water can cause masculinization of adult female mosquitofish in a relatively short period of time and that acute dietary exposure to androstenedione at the concentrations used is not sufficient to induce masculinization.
Dependence of the unique solution of a periodic boundary value problem on the parameter

Abstract In this paper, we study the dependence of the unique positive solution of the periodic boundary value problem - u ″ + ρ 2 u = w ( t ) u s , 0 s 1 and ρ ≠ 0 , u ( 0 ) = u ( 1 ) , u ′ ( 0 ) = u ′ ( 1 ) on the parameter ρ as ρ → 0. We show that this solution u(t; ρ) is infinitely differentiable in ρ and has singularity in the order of ρ−α with α = 2/(1 − s) as ρ → 0. Furthermore, the graph of u(t; ρ) has fluctuation in t only of the order O(ρ−α+2). This will help us to determine the location of the solution in numerical computations to study the behavior of the solution when ρ is sufficiently close to 0.
Nature-inspired design and synthesis of heterogeneous and macromolecular catalysts

Advances in understanding enzyme catalysis have made possible development of synthetic schemes and strategies to incorporate the essential functions of enzymes into artificial structures. Two of these functions, environmental effect inherent to the active site cavity defined by the protein conformation and cooperative effect of functional groups in the cavity, have been successfully introduced into artificial structures and examined. Illustrative examples of these studies are described, as well as remaining challenges and illustrative application potentials.
Early Maturing Soybean Nodulation and Performance with Selected Bradyrhizobium japonicum Strains

Seed inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum (Kirchner) Jordan is a common production practice for most soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] growers in northwest Minnesota; however, plants seldom are well-nodulated. Our objectives were to (i) identify strains of B. japonicum that enhance nodulation and agronomic performance of Maturity Group 00 soybean cultivars grown on soils having a range of NO₃⁻−N concentrations; and (ii) assess cultivar-by-strain specificity. Six cultivars and five B. japonicum strains were evaluated in six field trials during 1988 to 1990. Nonfertilized (1988–1990) and N fertilized (1990), uninoculated controls were included. Soil NO₃⁻−N concentrations (0-60 cm) at planting ranged from 52 to 175 kg N ha⁻¹. Residual soil NO₃⁻−N values were low and substantially less than initial values in only three environments. Nonetheless, significant increases in response to inoculation were observed for grain yield, seed weight, and grain N concentration in 17 of 18 comparisons. In 1990 trials, fertilizer N (168 kg ha⁻¹) increased seed weight and grain N concentration significantly more than inoculation. Nodule number (r = −0.89; significant at P = 0.05) and dry weight (r = −0.97; significant at P = 0.01) were inversely correlated with soil NO₃⁻−N (0-60 cm) at planting. Estimated (difference method) N₂ fixation (r = −0.93; significant at P = 0.05) and relative increases in grain yield (r = −0.93; significant at P = 0.05), seed weight (r = −0.97; significant at P = 0.01) and grain N concentration (r = −0.95; significant at P = 0.05) were inversely correlated with soil NO₃⁻−N (0-60 cm) at harvest. Although similar responses were observed among all cultivars, B. japonicum strains 61A152 and 61A212 generally outperformed other strains. Cultivar-by-strain specificity could not be detected. Soybean producers in northwest Minnesota should realize significant increases (10% or greater) in grain yield in response to inoculation of rhizobia-free soils, provided initial soil NO₃⁻−N concentrations (0-60 cm) are less than 110 kg N ha⁻¹ and N mineralization during the growing season is minimal. Published as Minnesota Agric. Exp. Stn. Scientific J. Paper no. 18 886. Research supported in part by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, and the Agricultural Research and Utilization Institute of the Greater Minnesota Corporation, Minneapolis, MN 55402.
Is Port Site Resection Necessary in the Surgical Management of Gallbladder Cancer

In selected patients with incidental gallbladder carcinoma (GBCA) diagnosed after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), definitive resection is warranted. Port site excision has been advocated but remains controversial. Patients with GBCA were identified through institutional/departmental databases. The subset of patients with incidental tumors identified after LC and submitted to definitive surgical therapy were selected. Those subjected to port site resection were compared with patients who underwent resection without port site removal and analyzed for differences in recurrence patterns and survival. From 1992 to 2009, 113 patients with incidental GBCA presented for definitive resection after LC; 69 patients had port site resection and 44 did not. In the resected port site group, depth of tumor invasion was T1b = 6, T2 = 35, T3 = 28, and 13 (19%) had port site metastases. Port site disease was seen only in patients with T2 or T3 tumors and correlated with the development of peritoneal metastases (P = 0.01). Median survival of patients with T2/T3 tumors without port site metastases was 42 months compared to 17 months in patients with port site disease (P = 0.005). When only R0 resected patients were compared and adjusted for T and N stage, port site resection was not associated with overall survival (P = 0.23) or recurrence-free survival (P = 0.69). In patients with incidental GBCA, port site metastases were associated with peritoneal disease and decreased survival. Port site resection was not associated with improved survival or disease recurrence and should not be considered mandatory during definitive surgical treatment.
Subjectivity, the brain, life narratives and the ethical treatment of persons with Alzheimer's disease.

Grant Gillett's (2009) welcome and extremely thought-provoking target article addresses many complex issues of such far-ranging consequence that it seems impossible to provide a commentary worthy o...