cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Post-operative drain use in patients undergoing decompression and fusion: incidence of complications and symptomatic hematoma

Background: Surgical drains are commonly used after spine surgery to minimize infection and hematoma formation. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of post-operative complications after spinal decompression and fusion with and without a subfascial drain. Methods: The medical records of 139 adult (≥18 years old) spinal deformity patients undergoing elective spinal decompression and fusion at a major academic institution were reviewed. We identified 116 (83.5%) who had a post-operative drain and 23 (16.5%) who did not have a postoperative drain (No-Drain: n=23; Drain-Use: n=116). Patient demographics, comorbidities, intra- and post-operative complication rates were collected for each patient. The primary outcome investigated in this study was the rate of post-operative complications, specifically surgical site infections (SSI) and hematoma formation. Results: Patient demographics and comorbidities were similar between both cohorts, with the body mass index (BMI) slightly higher in the Drain-Use cohort (No-Drain: 26.1 kg/m 2 vs . Drain-Use: 29.1 kg/m 2 , P=0.02). Operative time and the median number of levels fused were similar between the cohorts. The postoperative complications profile was similar between both cohorts, including deep and superficial SSIs (P=0.52 and P=0.66, respectively), and incidence of hematoma formation (P=0.66). Length of hospital stay (LOS) was significantly higher for the Drain-use cohort compared to the No-Drain cohort (5.0 vs . 2.8 days, P Conclusions: Our study suggests that the use of postoperative subfascial drains in patients undergoing spinal decompression with fusion may not be associated with a reduction in SSIs or hematoma formation.
Thiersch Operation for Rectal Prolapse

The Thiersch operation is indicated in poor-risk patients who have prolapse of the full thickness of rectum (see Chapter 56). Other perineal operations, including the Delorme procedure, are excellent alternatives in poor-risk patients and have largely supplanted this legacy procedure.
Karyotyping for isolated neural tube defects. A report of two cases.

Background Neural tube defects occur in approximately 1 in every 1,000 live births. In the United States, chromosomal abnormalities have been noted in 2-10% of fetuses with neural tube defects; however, there is no consensus on whether to offer karyotype analysis to patients with isolated neural tube defects found on ultrasound. Case We reviewed the prenatal diagnosis database for the University of Washington between 1985 and 1997. We report on two fetuses who, on ultrasound, were found to have "isolated" neural tube defects. Karyotype analysis revealed trisomy 18 in both fetuses. The pregnancies were subsequently terminated, and autopsy revealed subtle syndromic findings that were not identified on ultrasound. Conclusion Fetuses with isolated neural tube defects also appear to have a high risk of chromosomal abnormalities, so patients should be offered fetal karyotyping to define recurrence risks for future pregnancies.
The Use of Creative Writing Interventions in Substance Abuse Treatment

A variety of creative writing activities have been used as treatment inteventions for adolescents and adults with substance abuse issues. This brief literature review describes different interventions and summarizes positive outcomes related to improvements in anxiety,coping, depression, physial health, self-esteem, self-awareness and social skills. Programs foucsing on treatment and prevention are included, and individual and group interventions are discussed.
A Novel Algorithm for Statistical Assignment of Transmission Capacities in Synthetic Grid Modeling

An appropriate synthetic grid model consists of at least three important components: a) the electrical grid topology; b) the generation and load settings which indicate their correlated placement and sizing; c) the transmission constraints which include the capacity limits of both transmission lines and transformers. In this paper the authors develop a statistics-based approach to accurately determine the transmission capacities for a synthetic power grid model with components (a) and (b) already resolved. The proposed approach takes into account the scaling property of total transmission capacity versus network size and the mutual dependence between the electrical parameters, as evident in real grid data of different size. The statistics of generation dispatch factor and transmission gauge ratio have been examined in terms of their marginal distribution and the correlation with corresponding capacity settings. Then a set of DC power flow solution and flow distribution in a given synthetic grid could be calculated with statistically assigned generation dispatch. Finally a statistically correct random set of transmission capacities will be calculated and assigned to each transmission branch according to the correlated transmission gauge ratios.
The Influence of Internalizing Symptoms and Emotion Dysregulation on the Association Between Witnessed Community Violence and Aggression Among Urban Adolescents

The current cross-sectional study examined whether internalizing (i.e. anxiety and depressive) symptoms and/or emotion dysregulation moderated the association between witnessed community violence and aggressive behavior. Participants were 180 predominantly African American adolescents (62% girls; M age = 15.87 years, SD = 1.19 years) from a high school located in an urban community in the United States. Approximately 95% of adolescents reported having witnessed at least one violent act during their lifetimes, with many endorsing repeated exposure to severe acts of community violence. Results indicated that emotion dysregulation exacerbated the association between witnessed community violence and aggression. A quadratic effect of anxiety symptoms also moderated this association, such that witnessed community violence was linked to aggression at low and high, but not moderate, levels of anxiety symptoms. In contrast, a quadratic effect of depressive symptoms was uniquely related to aggression, regardless of witnessed community violence. Directions for future research and implications for practice are reviewed.
A Policy Compass for Ecological Economics

A policy compass indicates the direction in which an institution is going in terms of three general qualities. The three qualities are: suppression, harmony and passion. Any formal institution can develop a policy compass to examine the discrepancy between what the institution would like to do (suggested in its mandate) and the actual performance and situation it finds itself in. The latter is determined through an aggregation of statistical data and facts. These are made robust and stable using meta-requirements of convergence. Here, I present a version of the compass adapted to embed the central ideas of ecological economics: that society is dependent on the environment, and that economic activity is dependent on society; that we live in a world subject to at least the first two laws of thermodynamics; that the planet we live on is limited in space and resources; that some of our practices have harmful and irreversible consequences on the natural environment; that there are values other than value in exchange, such as intrinsic value and use value. In this paper, I explain how to construct a policy compass in general. This is followed by the adaptation for ecological economics. The policy compass is original, and so is the adaptation. The compass is inspired by the work of Anthony Friend, Rob Hoffman, Satish Kumar, Georgescu-Roegen, Stanislav Schmelev, Peter Soderbaum and Arild Vatn. In the conclusion, I discuss the accompanying conception of sustainability.
Adaptive Multi-Level Active Gate Drivers for SiC Power Devices

State-of-the-art silicon carbide (SiC) power devices provide superior performance over silicon devices with much higher switching frequencies/speed and lower losses. High switching speed is preferred for achieving low switching loss, yet high dv/dt and di/dt can result in high EMI emission during switching transients. These switching dynamics can be controlled by the device gate driving strategy. The multi-level active gate driver (AGD) approach is able to tradeoff the switching losses with the dv/dt and di/dt for each switching transient. A novel three-level (3-L) AGD for SiC power mosfet trajectory control is introduced. Its turn-off profile has a shorter turn-off delay compared to any existing methodology. Accordingly, a comprehensive datasheet-driven trajectory model for the online model-based optimization of the 3-L turn-off is introduced. The main factors that impact the 3-L turn-off performance are analyzed with this model. The experimental results of double pulse tests validate the approach. Additionally, the benefits of the proposed 3-L AGD method over two-stage turn-off and conventional gate drivers on the market are illustrated through experiments.
Impact of Relative Humidity and Net Treatments on Tyrophagus Putrescentiae (Schrank) Infestations and Mold Growth on Dry Cured Ham

ObjectivesDry cured hams are susceptible to mite infestations which are currently controlled in the U.S. dry cured ham industry via fumigation with methyl bromide. Since methyl bromide is an ozone depleting substance, food grade ingredient infused nets have been researched as an alternative to control mite infestations on dry cured hams. Mite infestations and mold growth vary on dry cured ham in untreated and treated nets due to environmental changes in relative humidity (RH) and temperature. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of RH and infused nets on mite infestations and mold growth on dry cured hams. Materials and MethodsPatent pending food grade coating formulations consisting of 1) xanthan gum (XG) and propylene glycol (PG) and 2) carrageenan (CG), propylene glycol alginate (PGA), and PG were infused into ham nets. Dry cured ham cubes (2.5 cm³) and slices (2.5 cm × 9.0 cm × 15.5 cm) were wrapped with untreated (control) and 2 types of infused (treated) nets (XG + PG and CG + PGA + PG) and stored in ventilated glass jars. Three cubes and slices from each treatment were inoculated with 20 and 50 adult mites respectively, and stored in an environmental chamber for 14 d at 24°C and 65 ± 2, 75 ± 2, and 85 ± 2% RH. Mite infestation was determined by counting the mobile mites on ham cubes, slices, and nets using a microscope. Nine trained panelists rated the moldiness of ham slice surfaces on a 0 to 100% scale. A 3 × 3 factorial structure within a completely randomized design was used to determine the impact of RH and net treatment on mite infestations and mold growth. The least square means method was applied to separate treatment means. ResultsAt 65 and 75% RH, samples with treated nets had fewer (P 0.05) between treated and control nets at 85% RH. On average, across net treatments, there were fewer mites (P 0.05) with respect to the number of mites on ham slices, the CG treatments were effective at controlling mites at all RHs. In contrast, the XG treatment did not control mites at 65% RH. There was a strong correlation (r = 0.98) between percentage of the ham slices covered with mold and number of mites present. Mold growth was greater (P < 0.05) at 65% RH in comparison to 75 and 85%, and XG and CG treatments had less mold growth than the control treatments, with the CG treatment completely inhibiting the presence of visual mold. ConclusionTreated nets inhibited mite infestations and mold growth on ham cubes at 65 and 75% RH and on ham slices at 65% RH. Results indicate that 75 and 85% RH would be more desirable in the ham industry if hams were aged at 24°C. Further testing will be performed to observe the impact of temperature on mite infestations and mold growth on ham cubes and slices at various RHs to optimize aging conditions that can used to help control mite infestations.
Visualizing a protonated RNA state that modulates microRNA-21 maturation

MicroRNAs are evolutionarily conserved small, non-coding RNAs that regulate diverse biological processes. Due to their essential regulatory roles, microRNA biogenesis is tightly regulated, where protein factors are often found to interact with specific primary and precursor microRNAs for regulation. Here, using NMR relaxation dispersion spectroscopy and mutagenesis, we reveal that the precursor of oncogenic microRNA-21 exists as a pH-dependent ensemble that spontaneously reshuffles the secondary structure of the entire apical stem-loop region, including the Dicer cleavage site. We show that the alternative excited conformation transiently sequesters the bulged adenine into a non-canonical protonated A+-G mismatch, conferring a two-fold enhancement in Dicer processing over its ground conformational state. These results indicate that microRNA maturation efficiency may be encoded in the intrinsic dynamic ensemble of primary and precursor microRNAs, providing potential means of regulating microRNA biogenesis in response to environmental and cellular stimuli.
Modeling assessment of storm surge in the Salish Sea

Abstract This paper presents a modeling assessment of storm surge in the Salish Sea—a large and complex estuarine system in the Pacific Northwest that is exposed to extratropical cyclones. A method was developed to systematically identify storm surge events in the Salish Sea based on water level records at four representative tidal gauges in the Salish Sea. The maximum storm surge distribution in the Salish Sea was calculated based on model simulations of 34 major historical storm events from 1980 to 2016. The model simulations were validated by field observations of water level and velocity using a suite of model performance metrics. Model results suggest that the maximum storm surge in the Salish Sea is generally in the range of 0.8 m–1.03 m and is heterogeneous in space. The model results also show a strong north-south gradient with larger surge magnitudes occurring in the north that is primarily caused by the southerly wind in winter months. The sensitivity analysis of wind forcing suggested that storm surge in the Salish Sea is dominated by the remote surge from the Pacific Ocean, and the local wind contributes up to approximately 20% of the surge variability. This paper systematically elucidates storm surge characteristics and potential risk in the Salish Sea.
Public Opinion and Death Penalty Policy Under Direct Democracy Institutions: A Longitudinal Analysis of the American States:

Capital punishment remains legal in most U.S. states even though only a small number of them regularly impose it. I attribute the persistence of death penalty statutes to the existence of direct de...
Preliminary lossless compression results with michelson interferometer data

The next-generation GOES-R (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) HES (Hyperspectral Environmental Suite) Sounder will be either a grating or interferometer design. The HES will be able to provide hourly atmospheric soundings with spatial resolutions of 5 ∼ 10 km with higher accuracy than the current geostationary sounder. A number of GOES-R products will be made from the HES data, this information will help both in forecasting and numerical model initializations. Extensive research has been done with lossless data compression with data from a grating-type ultraspectral instrument. NAST-I aircraft data is chosen for testing data from interferometers until IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer) and CrIS (Cross-track Infrared Sounder) are available. Preliminary work at CIMSS with lossless data compression of Michelson Interferometer data achieves compression ratios (CR) above 5.
Abstract 67: Effects of Single vs Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Long Term Stroke and Death After Carotid Endarterectomy

Introduction: Current evidence suggests that dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) reduces perioperative stroke, but increases bleeding after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). The long term effects of antip...
Evaluating an adaptive management strategy for organizational energy use under climate uncertainty

Abstract Changing climate creates energy demand uncertainty that is essential for facility and organizational management. Energy conservation can be achieved through combinations of capital improvements and/or management strategies. One such management strategy is implementation of non-conditioning zones to reduce temperate season energy demand. In this study, we evaluate a temporally-based, non-conditioning zone policy originally developed for Kunsan Air Force Base, Korea and apply it to six locations across the contiguous United States, which coincide with major U.S. Air Force bases in various climate zones. Using projected temperature portfolios, we determine that the performance of the implemented policy is likely to change over the remainder of the century. In temperate climate zones, there is an increase in the potential non-conditioning zone by about a month. However, in a tropical climate, the potential duration for a non-conditioned zone reduces by over half by the end of the century. In addition to non-conditioning zone duration change, temporal shifts in the spring and fall seasons affect non-conditioning zone onset. The cumulative changes suggest the need for climate forecast-informed adaptive management policies to mitigate energy demand. The results of this study inform organization and facility-level energy management, suggesting adaptive management policies to address energy budget uncertainty.
Two-temperature nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation of thermal transport across metal-nonmetal interfaces

We have used a two-temperature nonequilibrium molecular dynamics method for predicting interfacial thermal resistance across metal-nonmetal interfaces. This method is an extension of the conventional nonequilibrium molecular dynamics for the dielectric-dielectric interface, where a temperature bias is imposed and the heat current is derived. We have included the electron degree of freedom for the interfacial thermal transport problem by treating the electron-phonon coupling with the two-temperature model. The method is demonstrated on two model systems, that is, silicon-copper interface and carbon-nanotube--copper interface. Temperature nonequilibrium between electrons and phonons in the metal side is quantitatively predicted, and a temperature drop across the interface is observed. The results agree with experimental data better than those obtained from conventional nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations where only phonons are considered. Our approach is capable of taking into account both the electron and lattice degrees of freedom in a single molecular dynamics simulation and is a generally useful tool for modeling interfacial thermal transport across metal-nonmetal interfaces.
Long-Term Outcome in High-Risk Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy After Primary Prevention Defibrillator Implants.

Background - The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is effective for preventing sudden death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, data on performance and complicat...
Expression of trefoil factor 3 is decreased in colorectal cancer

In colorectal cancer (CRC), high expression of trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) is associated with tumor progression and reduced patient survival; however, bioinformatics analyses of public 'omics' databases show low TFF3 expression in CRCs as compared to normal tissues. Thus, we examined TFF3 expression in CRCs and matching normal tissues to evaluate its role in CRC progression. TFF3 gene expression was characterized using the bioinformatics portal UALCAN (http://ualcan.path.uab.edu). Tissue microarrays (TMAs) of archival CRC specimens (n=96) were immunostained with anti‑human TFF3 antibodies. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining intensity was semi‑quantitatively scored. For this cohort, the median follow‑up was 5.4 years. Associations between clinical and pathological variables were determined using Chi‑square or Fisher's exact tests. Univariate disease‑free survival was estimated by the Kaplan‑Meier method. Omics data analyses by UALCAN showed downregulation of TFF3 expression in CRC relative to normal tissue at protein (χ2, P<0.0001) levels. There was a similar decreasing trend of TFF3 expression in the pathologic stages of the CRCs (RNA, χ2, P=0.88 and protein, χ2 P<0.0001). UALCAN data analysis showed that TFF3 exhibited 27% lower mRNA expression in tumors with mutant TP53 (P=0.007). Confirming the findings of omics analyses, IHC analysis of TMAs exhibited lower TFF3 expression in 95.6% (65 of 68) of the available normal‑tumor matching pairs (χ2, P<0.0001). There was no statistically significant association of tumor TFF3 expression with patient sex, race/ethnicity, tumor location within the colorectum, Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) stage, lymph node metastasis, or surgical margins. However, low TFF3 IHC staining in tumor tissue was associated with histological grade (P=0.026). Kaplan‑Meier survival analysis showed no prognostic value of low TFF3 expression relative to those with high expression (log‑rank, P=0.605). Our findings demonstrate low expression of TFF3 in CRCs. Association between low TFF3 and histopathological features suggests involvement of this molecule in progression of CRC.
Ultra Wideband Arrays with Reconfigurable Metamaterials for Bandwidth Enhancement

Tighly Coupled Dipole Arrays (TCDA) are ultra wideband conformal antennas of low profile. Contiguous bandwidth greater than 10:1 have been reported that reach the Bode-Fano limit. In this paper, we present an active approach to further increase the bandwidth of TCDAs using tunable Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS) and Artificial Electromagnetic Conductors (AMC). Preliminary results led to a dual-polarized Active TCDA (A-TCDA) that covers the entire UHF band (0.2-2.8GHz).
85 Did Shelter-in-place Mandate Lead to an Increase in Suspected Abuse Cases?

Introduction The shelter-in-place mandate to mitigate the effects from the 2019 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was associated with an increase in admissions of school-aged children to our burn center but a decrease in adult admissions It was unclear how many admissions were from suspected abuse Our objective was to determine the social impact of the shelter-in-place mandate on the number of burn admissions secondary to suspected abuse during the COVID pandemic compared to previous years Methods Patients were identified using Institutional Burn Center registry and linked to the clinical and administrative data All patients admitted from January 1, 2016 to July 31, 2020 with suspected abuse were eligible for inclusion Demographics, patient and burn characteristics were evaluated Statistical analysis was performed with Students' t-test, and chi-squared test Results There were 7177 patients included in the study Prior to 2020, each year the percentage of cases with suspected abuse decreased compared to previous years (19% decrease in 2017, 23% decrease in 2018, 30% decrease in 2019) Compared 2019, the number of patients admitted with suspected abuse during the COVID pandemic increased 257%, p=0 00046 There were no significant differences in race, ethnicity, sex, burn mechanism, or burn size in those admitted with abuse-related injuries The average age of patients with abuse-related injuries in 2020 was 13 years old, compared to an average age of 28 years old for the period from 2016–2019 (p< 0 003) Conclusions There is a significant increase in number of patients admitted for suspected abuse Shelter-in-place mandate limited viral transmission of COVID-19 but led to unfathomable increases in abuse cases at our institution
Technology Policy Recommendations Using Artificial Intelligence

Conventionally, the approach to policy making includesweighing the costs and benefits (i.e., tradeoffs) of certainchoices to calculate expected outcomes. However, quantifyingchoices is not always straightforward without understandingmany factors such as time, causal effects, and associations- making it difficult to label policy as either afailure or a success. Accordingly, our work proposes utilizingArtificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to assess the impactof policy (state-level science and technology policies asan example). Our approach allows for an efficient policygenerating process, providing policymakers with insightsbased on previous legislation and historical data for their respectivestates. Leveraging AI this way stimulates humanlikelearning which can yield better results with the subjectivebehavior of public policy. Our approach consists of collectingdatasets relevant to science and technology policies,utilizing AI to create methods for determining the best pathforward, testing the validity of the algorithms using AI assurance,and measuring attributions to determine whichcomponents contribute to the outcomes most effectively.Using AI provides context relevant to the impacts of certainpolicies, and an overall data-driven approach that mitigatesdepending solely on expert’s judgment, subjective experiences,or ad-hoc processes.
Increasing premiums create rising concerns

The decision of The Medical Protective Company to raise the classification of pediatricians in Pennsylvania has been due to extremely high losses that our company has sustained on behalf of the specialty. The losses are such that the specialty no longer can be afforded at the lower Class I rates; the risk to be assumed is simply greater than that. It would not be correct to assume that the cause of the increased losses are the newborn. Our study of the most recent five years of pediatric cases shows that neonatal claims against pediatricians account for about 13 percent of cases which wound up costing $50,000 or more to resolve. However, claims alleging a failure to treat a condition or negligent treatment of a condition involved 21 percent of the claims, and failure to diagnose led the list with 44 percent of the cases. Thus, neonatal problems ranked a distant third in terms of the number of claims. In terms of dollars paid, the ranking remains the same. Failure to diagnose involved 42 percent of the dollars paid, with treatment failures at 17 percent and newborn claims at 12 percent.
Differences in patient-reported hormone therapy use for menopause symptoms by provider specialty.

Hormone therapy (HT) is an effective treatment for menopause symptoms in select women. This study aimed to determine whether there is different prevalence of HT use based on patient report by women...
A Deep Fuzzy Semi-supervised Approach to Clustering and Fault Diagnosis of Partially Labeled Semiconductor Manufacturing Data

In the modern age of data collection in manufacturing industry, the sheer volume of measurement data collected may prove difficult for domain experts to create fully labeled training datasets for supervised learning artificial intelligence methods. Semi-supervised learning methods are useful in the realistic scenario where engineers may only be able to annotate limited partial subsets, but existing approaches are limited in scalability for high-dimensional and imbalanced datasets. To address these challenges, a novel framework for semi-supervised learning is proposed that hybridizes 1) convolutional autoencoder as a deep unsupervised feature learning technique; 2) fault classification using principal component analysis-based anomaly scoring; and 3) fuzzy c-means clustering. Fuzzy c-means allows for transparency in the degree of membership to each cluster via the fuzzy partition matrix, enabling an adjustable, explainable, and computationally efficient approach for separating normal and faulty clusters in the same space. This also allows industry experts to review borderline cases, creating a support system to curtail costly labeling expenses. The approach is applied to real, high-dimensional data from a modern semiconductor manufacturing application in which fewer than 1000 out of over 59,000 samples are labeled, achieving AUC scores of over 0.94 for classifying the two labeled fault types as well as successful fuzzy clustering. These results show promise for deep, fuzzy semi-supervised applications to improve decision-making in manufacturing operations and other engineering disciplines.
Precautions toward XTEM of Si3N4/SiO2

Severe difficulties are encountered in the preparation of oxidized Si3N4 specimens for XTEM transmission electromicroscopic inspection, in virtue of the extreme difference between Si3N4 and SiO2 mechanical properties. Attention is presently given to a preparation method in which an overlayer of the nitride is always occluded; this protects the oxide through most of the thinning that specimen preparation entails. An XTEM image of the oxide/nitride interface is presented.
Molecular Diagnostics in the Evaluation of Thyroid Samples

Whereas, over time, the scalpel has come to identify the surgeon, so the microscope has come to identify the pathologist. Recent technological developments, however, have expanded the tools available to the surgeon in the practice of surgery, e.g., robot-assisted (da Vinci) minimally invasive surgery. Similarly, revolutionary leaps in the field of molecular biology have exponentially shifted the information available to the pathologist from the cellular morphologic realm to the submicroscopic.
Formation of chemical synapses by adult Aplysia neurons in vitro is facilitated by the presence of juvenile neurons

Publisher Summary This chapter describes that L10 and target cells L2–L6, isolated from adult ganglia and cocultured under the same in vitro conditions as their juvenile counterparts, show a marked reduction in forming chemical synapses. The adult cells, however, can form chemical connections indistinguishable from those formed by juvenile neurons when they are cocultured with juvenile neurons. The methods used for the isolation and maintenance of Aplysia neurons in culture have been described in the chapter. During development, synapse formation between a neuron and its specific target occurs via a multistep process that includes axon growth toward the appropriate region, the formation and stabilization of appropriate connections, and the elimination of inappropriate connections. The chapter provides results on synapse formation between juvenile cells and adult cells in vitro . The results indicate that synapse formation among adult cells is significantly reduced when cultured alone. When they are plated in the presence of juvenile neurons, either target cells of L10 (left upper quadrant cells) or nontarget cells (right upper quadrant cells), synapse formation between adult L10 and adult left upper quadrant cells is enhanced.
Method for analyzing serial perceptual-motor responses.

(1975). Method for Analyzing Serial Perceptual-Motor Responses. Research Quarterly. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 514-516.
Resolution Theorem Proving

Resolution theorem proving is the finding of proof of theorems, usually by contradiction, by applying inference rules each of which relies on unification. Keywords: automated reasoning; resolution; theorem proving; proof by contradiction
Discrete Breathers in a One-Dimensional Granular Metamaterial: Linear Lattice with Nonlinear Local Resonators

We report on the existence of discrete breathers in a model of a one-dimensional, locally-resonant granular met material composed of a linear lattice with nonlinear local resonators. Using numerical continuation, we compute a discrete breather solution that bifurcates from a small amplitude Eigen mode with frequency at the lower edge of the optical band. The displacement profile of this breather is localized around a single lattice site. We use direct numerical integration of the equations of motion to demonstrate that the breather persists for many cycles with little radiation.
Molecular Detection of Genetic Alterations in the Serum of Colorectal Cancer Patients

Abstract We have searched for the presence of genetic alterations in serum DNA obtained from 44 colorectal cancer patients. Microsatellite analysis using highly polymorphic markers revealed loss of heterozygosity and/or microsatellite instability in 35 of 44 (80%) primary tumors. No alterations were detected in the paired serum DNA. We next used an oligonucleotide-mediated mismatch ligation assay to detect tumor specific gene mutations in the serum. Among the 16 cases with a K- ras gene mutation in the tumor, the same mutation was detected in three paired serum samples. In the 10 cases with a p53 mutation in the tumor, the identical mutation was detected in seven corresponding serum samples. Comparison of the molecular analysis with clinical diagnosis of these patients revealed that none of the seven Dukes9 stage B patients with a K- ras mutation in their tumors demonstrated a mutation in the serum. In contrast, five of seven stage B patients with a p53 mutation in the tumor demonstrated a mutation in the paired serum ( P = 0.01, Fisher9s exact test). Taken together, either a K- ras or p53 mutation was detected in the serum in 40% of the 25 patients (95% confidence interval, 21–61%), whose primary tumors contained a mutation and in 23% of the 44 patients (95% confidence interval, 12–38%) with colorectal cancer. The frequent detection of p53 mutation in the serum of patients with early stage tumors suggests a possible use of this approach for clinical prognosis and cancer monitoring of colorectal cancer patients.
Vibrational Analysis of the Absorption System of Sulphur Dioxide atλ3400−2600

Photographs of the bands of sulphur dioxide in the region of $\ensuremath{\lambda}3400\ensuremath{-}2600$ have been taken under low, medium and high dispersion, both at room temperature and at 200\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K; the pressure of the absorbing gas was varied from 0.3 mm to 480 mm. Thirty bands can be represented by the formula $\ensuremath{\nu}=29622+770{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{1}+320{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{2}+813{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{3}\ensuremath{-}6{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}2}}_{1}\ensuremath{-}2.5{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}2}}_{2}\ensuremath{-}20{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{1}{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{2}\ensuremath{-}25{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{2}{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{3}\ensuremath{-}15{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{1}{{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{3},$ where ${{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{1}$, ${{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{2}$, ${{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{3}$, are the quantum numbers of the symmetrical valence, the deformation and the antisymmetrical vibrations respectively. The three fundamental frequencies for infinitesimal vibrations in the upper electronic state are ${{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{1}=794$, ${{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{2}=345$ and ${{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{3}=833$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. In addition, twelve bands have been identified that correspond to transitions from excited vibrational levels in the normal state. The relatively long ${{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{1}$ and ${{v}^{\ensuremath{'}}}_{2}$ progressions indicate that both the bond distance and the angle have changed considerably in the transition to the excited electronic state. The vibrationless transition at 29622 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ is weak, as one would have expected from considerations of the Franck-Condon principle. Substituting the three fundamental frequencies in the formula based on a valence force model, one obtains a value of 100\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} for the apex angle in the excited state, as compared with 120\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the normal state. The absence of any regularity in the rotational structure supports the resulting conclusion that the molecule in its upper state has become a more asymmetrical top.
Numerical Simulation of Pulsed Pressure Waves in Attenuative and Dispersive Media

This paper proposes a method of simulating pulsed pressure waves in attenuative fluids as typically exist in biological medium. The numerical algorithm is based upon an explicit time domain formulation which is capable of determining the form of an acoustic wave as it evolves in both time and space.
Do Justices Defend the Speech They Hate? In-Group Bias, Opportunism, and the First Amendment

When it comes to freedom of expression, there is some tension in the literature on judging. On the one hand, political scientists have long equated liberal judges with a commitment to the First Amendment guarantees of speech, press, assembly, and association. On the other hand, a growing body of descriptive literature (mainly in the law reviews) suggests that these definitions are no longer apt. The punchline in these studies is that an ideological realignment of sorts has occurred, such that conservatives judges are now more likely to embrace free expression and liberals, regulation. We seek to resolve this tension by examining the votes in all Supreme Court cases argued and decided between the 1946-2010 terms that touch on the First Amendment guarantees of speech, press, assembly, association, and petition. Our findings suggest that neither side has it exactly wrong or right. To be sure, liberal justices aren't uniformly attached to the First Amendment and conservative justices aren't uniformly committed to regulation, as the legal literature correctly notes. But ideology isn't absent from their decisions, nor has an ideological reversal occurred. In line with broader theoretical predictions following from literature on in-group bias in economics, psychology, and even early political science work, the justices' votes tend to reflect their preferences toward the expression (or expressor), and not an underlying taste for the First Amendment qua Amendment.
An Integrated Spin-Labeling/Computational-Modeling Approach for Mapping Global Structures of Nucleic Acids.

The technique of site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) provides unique information on biomolecules by monitoring the behavior of a stable radical tag (i.e., spin label) using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. In this chapter, we describe an approach in which SDSL is integrated with computational modeling to map conformations of nucleic acids. This approach builds upon a SDSL tool kit previously developed and validated, which includes three components: (i) a nucleotide-independent nitroxide probe, designated as R5, which can be efficiently attached at defined sites within arbitrary nucleic acid sequences; (ii) inter-R5 distances in the nanometer range, measured via pulsed EPR; and (iii) an efficient program, called NASNOX, that computes inter-R5 distances on given nucleic acid structures. Following a general framework of data mining, our approach uses multiple sets of measured inter-R5 distances to retrieve “correct” all-atom models from a large ensemble of models. The pool of models can be generated independently without relying on the inter-R5 distances, thus allowing a large degree of flexibility in integrating the SDSL-measured distances with a modeling approach best suited for the specific system under investigation. As such, the integrative experimental/computational approach described here represents a hybrid method for determining all-atom models based on experimentally-derived distance measurements.
Measuring user credibility in social media

People increasingly use social media to get first-hand news and information. During disasters such as Hurricane Sandy and the tsunami in Japan people used social media to report injuries as well as send out their requests. During social movements such as Occupy Wall Street (OWS) and the Arab Spring, people extensively used social media to organize their events and spread the news. As more people rely on social media for political, social, and business events, it is more susceptible to become a place for evildoers to use it to spread misinformation and rumors. Therefore, users have the challenge to discern which piece of information is credible or not. They also need to find ways to assess the credibility of information. This problem becomes more important when the source of the information is not known to the consumer. In this paper we propose a method to measure user credibility in social media. We study the situations in which we cannot assess the credibility of the content or the credibility of the user (source of the information) based on the user's profile. We propose the CredRank algorithm to measure user credibility in social media. The algorithm analyzes social media users' online behavior to measure their credibility.
Anti-KEL Sera Prevents Alloimmunization to Transfused KEL RBCs in a Murine Model.

Alloantibodies against red blood cell (RBC) antigens, which may be generated following exposure to foreign antigens on transfused RBCs or on fetal RBCs during pregnancy, can be clinically significant from the standpoint of morbidity and mortality.[1][1] In the transfusion setting, RBC alloantibodies
Cardiogenic shock: Basics and clinical considerations

Cardiogenic shock is a state of tissue hypoperfusion induced by heart failure after correction of preload. There are no clear numerical cutoffs to define of the hemodynamic parameters of cardiogenic shock but it is usually characterized by low blood pressure (systolic blood pressure 30 mmHg, both with a heart rate >60 bpm) with low urine output (<0.5 ml/kg/h), with or without evidence of organ congestion. Acute myocardial infarction is the most common cause. Mortality is high but intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation and early coronary interventions have improved the outcome. Activation of inflammatory response resulting in expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, activation of inflammatory cytokines, and activation of complement system appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis and outcome of cardiogenic shock. Nitric oxide synthase inhibitors and C5 complement inhibitors are being investigated as potentially useful agents for the treatment of cardiogenic shock. Historical perspective, epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, risk predictors, and management of cardiogenic shock are described in this review.
Parity-violation effects on the Auger-electron emission from highly charged atomic ions.

Within the framework of standard electroweak gauge theory, parity-violation effects on the Auger emission from atomic ions are examined. Highly charged ions are prime candidates due to their simple atomic structure and large electroweak charge. To be specific, the Auger decay of the 2[ital s][sup 2] [ital J]=0 level in U[sup 90+] is analyzed. In QED, the polarization-asymmetry parameter is identically zero. It is found that neutral-current mixing of the 2[ital s][sup 2] [ital J]=0 and 2[ital s]2[ital p] [ital J]=0 levels yields a polarization asymmetry of 10[sup [minus]7].
Viscous Effects on Penetrating Shafts in Clay

The penetration of rigid objects such as piles and penetrometers into soils creates a zone of soil disturbance around them. The extent of this disturbed zone influences the resistance of the moving rigid body. This paper presents a theoretical framework to analyze the resistance in the disturbed zone created by a shaft penetrating a clay soil. The soil is modeled as a viscous material after it reaches failure [critical state (CS)]. The results of this analysis show that the viscous drag stress component on the shaft surface is influenced by the size of disturbed zone that has reached CS around the shaft, the shear viscosity of the soil and the velocity profile (or strain rate) in the CS zone around the shaft. The size of CS zone, the velocity profile and the viscosity of soil are interdependent. Large variation in viscous drag occurs when the size of the CS soil zone is less than four times the shaft’s radius. Limiting drag occurs when the size of the CS soil zone exceeds six times the shaft’s radius. The theoretical velocity distribution of the movement of soil in the CS zone shows that the soil is dragged along with shaft in the near field (close to the shaft surface) and moves upwards in the far field.
Purified JC Virus T Antigen Derived from Insect Cells Preferentially Interacts with Binding Site II of the Viral Core Origin under Replication Conditions

The human polyomavirus JC virus (JCV) establishes persistent, asymptomatic infections in most individuals, but in severely immunocompromised hosts it may cause the fatal demyelinating brain disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. In cell culture JCV multiplies inefficiently and exhibits a narrow host range. This restricted behavior occurs, in part, at the level of DNA replication, which is regulated by JCV's multifunctional large tumor protein (TAg). To prepare purified JCV TAg (JCT) for biochemical analyses, the recombinant baculovirus B-JCT was generated by cotransfection of insect cells with wild-type baculovirus and the vector pVL-JCT(Int-) containing the JCT-coding sequence downstream of the efficient polyhedrin promoter. JCT expressed in infected cells was immunoaffinity purified using the anti-JCT monoclonal antibody PAb 2000. Characterization of the viral oncoprotein indicated that it exists in solution as a mixture of monomeric and oligomeric species. With the addition of ATP, the population of monomers decreased and that of hexamers and double hexamers increased. A DNA mobility shift assay indicated that origin binding occurred primarily with the double-hexamer form. A comparison of the specific DNA-binding activities of JCT and SV40 TAg (SVT) revealed that JCT generally exhibited greater affinity for binding site II relative to binding site I (B.S. I) of both viral origin regions, whereas SVT preferentially bound B.S. I. Furthermore, JCT bound nonviral DNA more efficiently than did SVT. These functional differences between the two TAgs may contribute to the reduced DNA replication potential of JCV in vitro, and to the virus' ability to establish persistent infections in vivo.
Abstract Only CNC Aspheric Shaping With Toroidal Wheels

Contouring with computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines can be accomplished with several different tool geometries and coordinated machine axes. To minimize the number of coordinated axes for nonsymmetric work to three, it is common practice to use a spherically shaped tool such as a ball-end mill. However, to minimize grooving due to the feed and ball radius, it is desirable to use a long ball radius, but there is clearly a practical limit to ball diameter with the spherical tool. We have found that the use of commercially available toroidal wheels permits long effective cutting radii, which in turn improve finish and minimize grooving for a set feed. In addition, toroidal wheels are easier than spherical wheels to center accurately. Cutting parameters are also easier to control because the feed rate past the tool does not change as the slope of the work changes. The drawback to the toroidal wheel is the more complex calculation of the tool path. Of course, once the algorithm is worked out, the tool path is as easily calculated as for a spherical tool. We have performed two experiments with the Large Optical Generator (LOG) that were ideally suited to three-axis contouring--surfaces that have no axis of rotational symmetry. By oscillating the cutting head horizontally or vertically (in addition to the motions required to generate the power of the surface) , and carefully coordinating those motions with table rotation, the mostly astigmatic departure for these surfaces is produced. The first experiment was a pair of reflector molds that together correct the spherical aberration of the Arecibo radio telescope. The larger of these was 5 m in diameter and had a 12 cm departure from the best-fit sphere. The second experiment was the generation of a purely astigmatic surface to demonstrate the feasibility of producing axially symmetric asphe.rics while mounted and rotated about any off-axis point. Measurements of the latter (the first experiment had relatively loose tolerances) indicate an accuracy only 3 or 4 times that achieved by conventional two-axis contouring (10 AM as opposed to 3 pm rms) The successful completion of these projects demonstrates the successful application of three-axis contouring with the LOG. Toroidal cutters have also solved many of the drawbacks of spherical wheels. Work remains to be done in improving machine response and decreasing the contribution of backlash errors.