cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Academic and Cultural Transition Course for International Students: Efficacy and SocioEmotional Outcomes

The current study details changes in first-year international undergraduate students’ perceived knowledge of, confidence in, and usefulness of intercultural skills in specific US university contexts after completing a semester-long academic and cultural transition course at a mid-sized private university. Results revealed significant increases in participants’ (n= 42) perceived intercultural competence, perspective shifting, suspending judgment, self-advocacy, and interacting in class with students of other cultures; participants also reported significantly higher campus belonging and social support than a comparison group of students at the university who were not enrolled in the course (n = 32). These findings provide initial evidence for the potential of transition courses to increase intercultural skills and campus belonging for first-year undergraduate international students attending US universities.
Chemical Diffusion of Oxygen in YBa2Cu3O6+x

Chemical diffusion of oxygen has been measured in both single crystal and polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O6+x in order to distinguish between intrinsic diffusion behavior and extrinsic characteristics which depend on microstructure. Isothermal electrical resistance measurements were used to monitor the dynamics of oxygen diffusion from 350-780°C under both oxidizing and reducing conditions. Measured activation energies depended on sample morphology, temperature, and whether indiffusion or out-diffusion of oxygen was occurring. Below 600°C, the activation energies for out-diffusion in porous (~75%) and dense (~95%) polycrystalline material were found to be 0.5(1)eV and 0.6(1) eV, respectively. These low energies suggest a high diffusivity pathway such as a grain boundary. Polycrystalline material exhibited a change in functional form for out-diffusion near 600°C in both dense and porous samples which was attributed to a change from primarily grain boundary diffusion to significant bulk lattice diffusion. Above 600°C, oxygen outdiffusion in dense polycrystalline and single crystal YBa2Cu3O6+x was found to be surface-reaction controlled. The activation energies for outdiffusion in the dense material were 1.93(6)eV and 1.7(1)eV above and below ~700°C; and in the single crystal 1.6(1)eV and 1.00(4)eV above and below ~680°C. Oxygen in-diffusion was found to have activation energies of 0.4(1)eV from 400-780°C in dense polycrystalline material and 1.16(6)eV in single crystal material from 600-780°C. The lower activation energy in the polycrystalline material may be due to percolation effects in which the rapid formation of a highly oxygenated shell masks intrinsic diffusion behavior.
Distinct Calcium Sources Define Compartmentalized Synaptic Signaling Domains

Nervous system communication relies on neurotransmitter release for synaptic transmission between neurons. Neurotransmitter is contained within vesicles in presynaptic terminals and intraterminal calcium governs the fundamental step of their release into the synaptic cleft. Despite a common dependence on calcium, synaptic transmission and its modulation varies highly across the nervous system. The precise mechanisms that underlie this heterogeneity, however, remain unclear. The present review highlights recent data that reveal vesicles sourced from separate pools define discrete modes of release. A rich diversity of regulatory machinery may further distinguish the different forms of vesicle release, including presynaptic proteins involved in trafficking, alignment, and exocytosis. These multiple vesicle release mechanisms and vesicle pools likely depend on the arrangement of vesicles in relation to specific calcium entry pathways that create compartmentalized spheres of calcium influence (i.e., domains). This diversity permits release specialization. This review details examples of how individual neurons rely on multiple calcium sources and unique regulatory schemes to provide differential release and discrete modulation of neurotransmitter release from specific vesicle pools-as part of network signal integration.
Total Joint Arthroplasty in the Morbidly Obese: How Body Mass Index ≥40 Influences Patient Retention, Treatment Decisions, and Treatment Outcomes.

Abstract Objective The United States is in an obesity epidemic. Obesity has multiple common comorbid conditions, including lower extremity arthritis. We sought to examine the course of treatment for a population with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m2 and osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee. We investigated decision criteria that influenced arthroplasty surgeons to recommend non-operative management versus total joint arthroplasty (TJA). For those patients who ultimately received TJA, we compared outcomes in this population to those with BMI Methods This study retrospectively reviewed 158 new patients with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 and moderate/severe OA of the hip or knee. Demographics, comorbidity profiles, and weight loss were compared between groups that underwent TJA and those that did not. The arthroplasty database was used to identify patients who underwent TJA during 2016-2018 (N=1473). Comorbidities, readmissions, surgical site infections, and overall complications were compared between those with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 and BMI Results 51.3% of new patients with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 and moderate/severe OA did not return for a second clinic visit. Of those who did return, 42.9% eventually underwent surgery. BMI was higher in single-visit patients versus those with multiple (49.5 kg/m2 v 46.3 kg/m2, p Conclusion A majority of patients with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 and moderate/advanced OA will be lost to orthopaedic follow-up. A relatively lower BMI indicates a greater chance of retention in care, and ultimately surgery, but does not influence surgeons’ recommendations to continue orthopaedic management. Patients who persist in seeking treatment, lose significant weight, and exhaust non-operative alternatives, may be suitable for TJA despite a BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2, with an overall complication rate of 4.3%. However, only 9% of patients at 2-year follow-up achieved BMI
Data-based importance sampling estimates for extreme events

Abstract An accurate, efficient, and conceptually simple method is developed to estimate distributions of maxima of solutions of stochastic equations, i.e., ordinary or partial differential equations with random entries. The method is data-based. It constructs importance sampling (IS) or biasing measures from samples of surrogates of full model solutions of stochastic equations and uses these measures and mixtures of surrogate and full model samples to estimate probabilities of extreme events. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the implementations of the proposed method and demonstrate numerically its performance.
Feature-aided multiple hypothesis tracking using topological and statistical behavior classifiers

This paper introduces a method to integrate target behavior into the multiple hypothesis tracker (MHT) likelihood ratio. In particular, a periodic track appraisal based on behavior is introduced that uses elementary topological data analysis coupled with basic machine learning techniques. The track appraisal adjusts the traditional kinematic data association likelihood (i.e., track score) using an established formulation for classification-aided data association. The proposed method is tested and demonstrated on synthetic vehicular data representing an urban traffic scene generated by the Simulation of Urban Mobility package. The vehicles in the scene exhibit different driving behaviors. The proposed method distinguishes those behaviors and shows improved data association decisions relative to a conventional, kinematic MHT.
Building a smart FNA cart: When Google meets cytology

Background The appropriate management of a fine needle aspiration (FNA) supply cart and equipment set up is essential to ensure the smooth and optimal operation of a busy FNA clinic. We applied Lean strategies such as value stream mapping (VSM), the 5S method (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain), and Kanban to remove waste and improve patient flow in an FNA clinic. Methods The workflow analysis suggested that existent problems such as suboptimal inventory management and unavailability of standard operating procedures (SOPs) caused a 10% to 85% increase in total procedure time. To improve inventory management, we created a 2-bin Kanban system. We used the "Scan to Web" app and a Google Drive form to create a cost-effective electronic inventory management system. We distributed the essential SOPs in the format of video clips using our YouTube channel and leveraged barcode technology to access the links. Results Upon completion of our process improvement project, we succeeded to eliminate the stock-out events and maintain a process cycle efficiency of 87%. The 5S audit checklist result increased from 6% to 100% implementation, which is consistent with focused improvement. The developed inventory system enabled us to track the supply usage, forecast demands, and improve the accuracy of orders. Conclusions Lean methods such as VSM, 5S, and Kanban combined with open source technologies can be implemented to ensure material availability, track inventory, and provide immediate access to SOPs on demand. The developed system also led to increased efficiency and improved flow, as well as responsiveness to changes in demand.
Maximization of Non-Opioid Multimodal Analgesia in Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

Ambulatory surgery centers aid the healthcare system by not only providing a cost-effective option for delivery of care but also by helping to reduce overwhelming case volumes at inpatient facilities. While outpatient protocols have been designed for an increasing number of surgical procedures, the inpatient to outpatient transition of surgery remains limited by both procedure type and patient comorbidities. This limitation stems in part from the heavy emphasis on accelerated discharge following outpatient procedures, given that prolonged recovery time is associated with delayed turnover and increased nursing care demands. Since its inception, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has aimed to primarily reduce the disruption of physiologic homeostasis that occurs secondary to surgery. More recently, the aim of ERAS has evolved to help transition inpatient procedures to outpatient settings and may even be useful in more emergent cases. It should be noted, however, that outpatient surgery even in combination with ERAS is not the best option for all patients, and the use of ERAS protocols should be complemented with predictive assessments of patient risk. Beyond augmenting the efficiency of outpatient surgery, ERAS protocols, when used in eligible patients and especially when combined with regional anesthetic techniques, are effective in delivering opioid-sparing pain management while increasing overall outcomes and patient satisfaction rates.
Laser atherectomy for infrapopliteal lesions in patients with critical limb ischemia.

Background Infrapopliteal (IP) lesions are common in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). Optimal revascularization strategies including the use of adjunctive atherectomy have the potential to improve the outcomes for these patients. Objective To compare laser atherectomy (LA) vs. balloon angioplasty alone for the treatment of IP lesions in patients with CLI. Methods This was a two-center retrospective study of patients with CLI who underwent endovascular interventions for IP lesions. One and 2-year target lesion revascularization (TLR) was the primary outcome. One and 2-year limb loss and major adverse limb events (MALE) were secondary outcomes. Propensity score matching was performed. A Cox regression analysis was used to compare 1- and 2-year outcomes of the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the two groups in terms of bail-out stenting and procedural complications. Results A total of 313 patients with CLI were included; 76 were treated with LA. There was a high degree of lesion complexity in both groups. Consistent with the application of LA in the most complex lesions, lesions in the LA group were significantly longer (165.7 mm vs. 94.1 mm; p Conclusions LA is safe and effective for IP lesions in patients with CLI. There was a higher baseline angiographic complexity in patients treated with LA, suggesting that operators tend to use LA for the treatment of more complicated lesions. There was no difference among the two groups in 1- or 2-year outcomes of TLR of major amputation.
Horizontally acquired regulatory gene activates ancestral regulatory system to promote Salmonella virulence

Horizontally acquired genes are typically regulated by ancestral regulators. This regulation enables expression of horizontally acquired genes to be coordinated with that of preexisting genes. Here, we report a singular example of the opposite regulation: a horizontally acquired gene that controls an ancestral regulator, thereby promoting bacterial virulence. We establish that the horizontally acquired regulatory gene ssrB is necessary to activate the ancestral regulatory system PhoP/PhoQ of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) in mildly acidic pH, which S. Typhimurium experiences inside macrophages. SsrB promotes phoP transcription by binding upstream of the phoP promoter. SsrB also increases ugtL transcription by binding to the ugtL promoter region, where it overcomes gene silencing by the heat-stable nucleoid structuring protein H-NS, enhancing virulence. The largely non-pathogenic species S. bongori failed to activate PhoP/PhoQ in mildly acidic pH because it lacks both the ssrB gene and the SsrB binding site in the target promoter. Low Mg2+ activated PhoP/PhoQ in both S. bongori and ssrB-lacking S. Typhimurium, indicating that the SsrB requirement for PhoP/PhoQ activation is signal-dependent. By controlling the ancestral genome, horizontally acquired genes are responsible for more crucial abilities, including virulence, than currently thought.
Amplitude discrimination is predictably affected by echo frequency filtering in wideband echolocating bats

Big brown bats emit wideband frequency modulated (FM) ultrasonic pulses for echolocation. They perceive target range from echo delay and target size from echo amplitude. Their sounds contain two prominent down-sweeping harmonic sweeps (FM1, [~]55-22 kHz; FM2, [~]100-55 kHz), which are affected differently by propagation out to the target and back to the bat. FM2 is attenuated more than FM1 during propagation. Bats anchor target ranging asymmetrically on the low frequencies in FM1, while FM2 only contributes if FM1 is present as well. These experiments tested whether the bats ability to discriminate target size from the amplitude of echoes is affected by selectively attenuating upper or lower frequencies. Bats were trained to perform an echo amplitude discrimination task with virtual echo targets 83 cm away. While echo delay was held constant and echo amplitude was varied to estimate threshold, either lower FM1 frequencies or higher FM2 frequencies were attenuated. The results parallel effects seen in echo delay experiments; bats performance was significantly poorer when the lower frequencies in echoes were attenuated, compared to higher frequencies. The bats ability to distinguish between virtual targets at the same simulated range from echoes arriving at the same delay indicates a high level of focused attention for perceptual isolation of one and suppression of the other.
Is living in an ethnic enclave associated with cognitive function? Results from The Population Study of Chinese Elderly (PINE) in Chicago.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Ethnic enclaves provide pivotal coping resources for immigrants, having important implications for cognitive health. This study examined the association between living in an ethnic enclave (i.e., Chinatown) and cognition, and potential moderating effect of education on such an association among Chinese older immigrants in the U.S. We further examined subgroup differences based on preferred language (Mandarin, Cantonese, Taishanese). RESEARCH DESIGNS AND METHODS Data were derived from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (N = 3,105, mean age = 73). Global cognition, assessed by a battery including Mini-mental State Examination, working memory, episodic memory, and executive function, was compared between those who lived in Chinatown (n = 1,870) and those who didn't (n = 1,235). Linear regressions with interaction terms were performed in the entire sample and subsamples with different language preference. RESULTS Chinatown residents had significantly poorer cognition than non-Chinatown residents. Regression results identified both protective and risk factors for cognition associated with living in Chinatown. Among them, education (β = .072, p <.001) played a salient role in explaining the cognitive disadvantage of Chinatown residents. Education also moderated the influence of Chinatown residence on cognition, but only among Mandarin speakers (β = -.027, p = .04). DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS Living in an ethnic enclave may be a risk factor for poor cognition for Chinese immigrants. Neighborhood-specific health assessment may facilitate early identification and prevention of cognitive impairment in this population. Studies need to examine divergent aging experience of immigrants within single ethnic groups.
Calvin’s Concept of the Church as mater fidelium (Mother of Believers), Viewed through His Concept of Accommodation

Is the church distinctive from us or are we ourselves the church? Unlike many protestant believers who understand the church as assembly of believers, Calvin defines the church as mater fidelium (mother of believers), just as the Catechism of Catholic Church describes, following Cyprian. To review in what ways Calvin’s view is similar to—and differentiated from—that of Catholicism, this article discusses the concept of the church as ‘Mother’ in the early church, focusing on Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine. Then, it deals with Calvin’s concept of mater fidelium and move on to Calvin’s concept of accommodation in his ecclesiology. It concludes that Calvin’s use of the concept in four different ways is similar to Augustine’s rather than to Cyprian’s, and that Calvin’s concept of accommodation as God’s relationship to the church can overcome the tension between the church as ‘mother of believers’ and the church as ‘believers themselves.’
An Empirical Examination Of U.S. Pension Funds, Social Security, And Individual Savings

This article has used cointegration and Vector Error-Correction Models(VECM) to examine empirically the causation and/or relationships among pension funds, Social Security, and individual savings from 1980 to 1999. It finds that pension funds, Social Security, and individual savings tend to move together in the ling run. Pension funds influence individual savings in the short-run. In addition, individual savings seem to bear the brunt of adjustments in restoring long-term equilibrium to the retirement system. Finally, the interactive process of short-run (causality) and long-run equilibrium relationship shows that pension funds explain individual savings. Since individual savings bear the brunt of adjustment in restoring to long-run equilibrium it is the most important component in retirement planning.
Resonance Raman spectra of bovine liver catalase compound II. Similarity of the heme environment to horseradish peroxidase compound II.

Abstract Resonance Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate the structure and environment of the heme group in bovine liver catalase compound II. Both Soret- and Q-band excitation have been employed to observe and assign the skeletal stretching frequencies of the porphyrin ring. The oxidation state marker band v4 increases in frequency from 1373 cm-1 in ferricatalase to 1375 cm-1 in compound II, consistent with oxidation of the iron atom to the Fe(IV) state. Oxidation of five-coordinate, high-spin ferricatalase to compound II is accompanied by a marked increase of the porphyrin core marker frequencies that is consistent with a six-coordinate low-spin state with a contracted core. An Fe(IV) = O stretching band is observed at 775 cm-1 for compound II at neutral pH, indicating that there is an oxo ligand at the sixth site. At alkaline pH, the Fe(IV) = O stretching band shifts to 786 cm-1 in response to a heme-linked ionization that is attributed to the distal His-74 residue. Experiments carried out in H218O show that the oxo ligand of compound II exchanges with bulk water at neutral pH, but not at alkaline pH. This is essentially the same behavior exhibited by horseradish peroxidase compound II and the exchange reaction at neutral pH for both enzymes is attributed to acid/base catalysis by a distal His residue that is believed to be hydrogen-bonded to the oxo ligand. Thus, the structure and environment of the heme group of the compound II species of catalase and horseradish peroxidase are very similar. This indicates that the marked differences in their reactivities as oxidants are probably due to the manner in which the protein controls access of substrates to the heme group.
Abstract 2525: Identification and characterization of class I HDAC-specific small-molecule inhibitors with a novel pharmacophore

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Small-molecule inhibitors of HDACs (HDIs) have therapeutic potentials for treating cancer, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative maladies. Two FDA-approved HDIs (vorinostat and romidepsin) are in clinical use for cancer therapy and a variety of other HDIs have been actively tested in clinical trials. Current challenges facing drug development of HDIs include the lack of isoform specificity, undesirable toxicity and suboptimal therapeutic efficacy against solid tumors. Most HDIs in preclinical or clinical evaluations belong to the hydroxamic acid or aminobenzamide classes. The former class lacks isoform specificity and the latter has not yet been approved for clinical use. Thus, the identification of HDIs with novel chemical properties and isoform-specificity may unleash the considerable therapeutic potential of targeting HDACs. We have conducted a high-throughput screening of >620,000 compounds and identified a lead with a hitherto undescribed pharmacophore with an inhibitory specificity against the class I HDACs, and a low two-digit nanomolar potency. An array of synthetic analogs established the structure-activity relationship. These novel inhibitors induced histone hyperacetylation, suppressed cancer cell proliferation of diverse cancer cell lines including the NCI-60 panel, and malignant cell-biological features associated with tumor metastasis. These compounds are under active preclinical development for cancer therapy. Citation Format: Yunfei Wang, Ryan Stowe, Christie E. Pinello, Lisa Y. Zhao, Guimei Tian, Peter Hodder, William R. Roush, Daiqing Liao. Identification and characterization of class I HDAC-specific small-molecule inhibitors with a novel pharmacophore. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2525. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2525
Renormalization group solution of Ising spin models

An excellent series of lectures on the renormalization group theory for critical phenomena have been given at this school by Professor Wegner and I will assume in my discussion that the basic ideas of this theory are known to you. I would like to discuss some new developments based on recent work done in collaboration with a graduate student, Bernard Nienhuis, at the University of Utrecht. We have extended the renormalization group approach to evaluate the complete free energy for general Ising spin models, which give a concrete realization of the scaling operators introduced by Professor Wegner. In particular we can evaluate not only the critical exponents and critical temperature but also the coefficients of the singular terms which had not been determined previously except for the special case of a logarithmic singularity. Two basic assumptions of renormalization group theory, the existence of a fixed point Hamiltonian and the analyticity of the renormalization group transformations have been verified for planar Ising models in a cell cluster approximation of Niemeijer and van Leeuwen, but the third assumption introduced by Professor Wegner, the continuity of the renormalization transformations as functions of the dimension of the Kadanoff cells, cannot be justified in this model.
Mothers' Attention-Getting Utterances during Shared Book Reading: Links to Low-Income Preschoolers' Verbal Engagement, Visual Attention, and Early Literacy.

This study examined associations among low-income mothers' use of attention-getting utterances during shared book reading, preschoolers' verbal engagement and visual attention to reading, and their early literacy skills (N = 51). Mother–child shared book reading sessions were videotaped and coded for each utterance, including attention talk, contextualized talk, de-contextualized talk, and print talk. Preschoolers' attention during book reading was assessed using two measures: verbal engagement by using a rating scale of preschoolers' involvement in book reading discussion and visual attention by coding visual gaze. Findings indicated that mothers' attention talk was positively associated with children's verbal engagement, while maternal print talk was associated with children's visual attention. Further, low-level maternal print talk was associated with higher early decoding scores of children when it was accompanied with high-level maternal attention talk. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural empowerment and patient safety culture among registered nurses working in adult critical care units.

armellino d., QuinnGriffin m.t. & Fitzpatrick j.j. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management18, 796–803 Structural empowerment and patient safety culture among registered nurses working in adult critical care units Aim The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between structural empowerment and patient safety culture among staff level Registered Nurses (RNs) within adult critical care units (ACCU). Background There is literature to support the value of RNs’ structurally empowered work environments and emerging literature towards patient safety culture; the link between empowerment and patient safety culture is being discovered. Methods A sample of 257 RNs, working within adult critical care of a tertiary hospital in the United States, was surveyed. Instruments included a background data sheet, the Conditions of Workplace Effectiveness and the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. Results Structural empowerment and patient safety culture were significantly correlated. As structural empowerment increased so did the RNs’ perception of patient safety culture. Conclusion To foster patient safety culture, nurse leaders should consider providing structurally empowering work environments for RNs. Implications for nursing management This study contributes to the body of knowledge linking structural empowerment and patient safety culture. Results link structurally empowered RNs and increased patient safety culture, essential elements in delivering efficient, competent, quality care. They inform nursing management of key factors in the nurses’ environment that promote safe patient care environments.
Correlation of Melting Temperature and Cesium Chloride Buoyant Density of Bacterial Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Samples of bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid from bacteria having guanine plus cytosine (GC) contents in the range of 27 to 72 moles per cent GC were analyzed by optical melting (T(m)) and equilibrium buoyant density methods. The relation between these properties is shown to be linear. The relative value of 1.99 moles per cent GC per degree C change in T(m) is calculated, and a reference method for the calculation of GC contents relative to a standard is derived.
Electrophysiological effects of flecainide enantiomers in canine Purkinje fibres.

Since flecainide is a chiral class I antiarrhythmic agent, we examined the basic electrophysiological effects of its enantiomers (10−6−3 × 10−5 mol/l) in isolated canine Purkinje fibres using standard microelectrode techniques. Frequency-dependent block was studied by pacing at cycle lengths of 300 and 2000 ms. Both enantiomers produced a marked, concentration-dependent decrease in maximum upstroke velocity (V max), with greater depression occurring at a cycle length of 300 ms. The concentrations causing a 50% decrease in V max (EC50) at this pacing rate were 5.0 ± 0.6 × 10-6 mol/l for (+)-flecainide and 6.2 ± 0.8 × 10-6 mol/l for (-)-flecainide, and were not significantly different. Both enantiomers also produced a concentration and frequency-dependent decrease in action potential amplitude and an increase in conduction time with no significant differences between the enantiomers. However, at the highest concentration studied (3 × 10-5 mol/l), none of the nine tissues exposed to (+)-flecainide could be paced at 300 ms cycle length while five of eight tissues exposed to (-)-flecainide could be paced, suggesting the possibility of a small difference between the effects of the enantiomers on membrane responsiveness. The effect of the enantiomers on action potential duration (APD) also depended on pacing rate. At the longer cycle length, ADP50 was shortened to a maximum of 61 ± 7% and 67 ± 7% from baseline by (+)- and (-)-flecainide, respectively, whereas APD95 was shortened by 30 ± 6% and 32 ± 3% from baseline by (+)-and (-)-flecainide, respectively. At the 300 ms cycle length, there was a modest decrease in both ADP50 and APD95 at low concentrations (up to 3 × 10-6 mol/l) followed by a return toward baseline at the higher concentrations 10-5 and 3 × 10-5 mol/l. No significant differences between the enantiomers were noted at either pacing frequency. The results suggest there is no significant difference between the effects of flecainide enantiomers on basic electrophysiological parameters of canine Purkinje fibres. Although the (+)-enantiomer may produce a slightly greater decrease in cellular responsiveness, the results generally agree with prior in vivo data showing little or no difference in the antiarrhythmic activities of the enantiomers.
Inter-Party Competition for Congressional Seats: the 1960s and 1970s

INTER-PARTY competition for congressional seats is a long-standing concern of scholars. Major studies in this area include examinations of the constituency basis of party representation (Holcombe 1924); the sectional delegations of the Democrats and Republicans (Ewing 1947); and the relationship between district outcomes in House and presidential elections (Cummings 1966). Interest in two-party competition and turnover predates, and spawned, the more recent scholarly emphasis on incumbency (Mayhew 1974). A frequently cited contribution to this field of study by Charles O. Jones appeared in this Quarterly over twenty years ago. In his article, Jones (1964) charted the frequency of party turnover in United States House elections and districts for four decades: 1914-26, 1932-40, 1942-50, and 1952-60.1 His two central findings, still staples of congressional election analysis, were that partisan turnover occurred in approximately 10 percent of some 1740 (4 x 435) district reelections during each decade, and that about three of every four congressional districts remained in the fold of one political party throughout each apportionment cycle. Jones also found that since the 1930s the Democratic party had won a majority of the "no change" districts. The precise figures, along with data for the 1890s, 1960s, and 1970s are given in Table 1. The purposes of this article are to measure inter-party competition for the 1962-70, and 1972-80, periods, and to place these findings into perspective. To facilitate comparisons with earlier decades, especially 1952-60, we have adopted Jones' research design.
Robust Foreground and Abandonment Analysis for Large-Scale Abandoned Object Detection in Complex Surveillance Videos

We present a robust system for large-scale abandoned object detection (AOD) with low false positive rates and good detection accuracy under complex realistic scenarios. The robustness of our system is largely attributed to an approach we develop for foreground analysis, which can effectively differentiate foreground objects from background under challenging conditions such as lighting changes, low textureness and low contrast as well as cluttered background. This significantly eliminates false positives caused by lighting changes while retaining true drops better. We further perform abandonment analysis to reduce more false positives including those related to people, at a small cost of accuracy (= 2%). We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on two large data sets collected in various challenging scenes, providing detailed analysis of experiments.
The Architecture of Science

L'architecture de la science reflete une lutte vers l'unite qui tend vers une seule science et non plusieurs
Spontaneous formation of silver nanoparticles in aminosilica

We report a rapid and spontaneous metallization process associated with sol–gel reaction of aminosilane that can be utilized to synthesise silver embedded silica nanocomposite without involving additional reducing agents. The reduction reaction induced by bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine (enTMOS) involves amine functional moieties, which drive the reduction reaction with presence of water. Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the redox potential of enTMOS and its relation to chemical environment. It was found that the oxidation potential of enTMOS depending on the amount of water (water:enTMOS (v/v) = 8:1–0:1) ranges from 0.48 to 0.68 V versus Ag/AgCl electrode in methanol. The oxidation potential of aminosilane decreases with water content and becomes more negative than that of Ag, suggesting the aminosilane acts as a silver reducing agent while serving as a matrix to encapsulate silver nanoparticles after reacting with water. This process has been utilized to produce evenly dispersed silver nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 5 to 20 nm in both liquid and solid forms of aminosilane, allowing us to prepare silver nanoparticles doped silica nanocomposite that exhibits enhanced electrochemical properties.
Turbo Synchronization for Serially Concatenated CPM

By approximating continuous phase modulated (CPM) signals with a small set of nonsymmetric nonorthogonal exponential functions, we have previously proposed a data-aided time and phase synchronizer that works well for all CPM schemes [1]. This paper extends this non-iterative data-aided synchronizer to its iterative decision-directed counterpart, for serially concatenated CPM systems. To prevent false locks in synchronization process, a preamble and pilot symbols are used in combination with the decision-directed technique. Simulation results show that the proposed turbo synchronizer is robust in acquiring and tracking both time-invariant and time-variant timing and phase errors at low signal-to-noise-ratios.
Chronology of healing events in pulsed CO2 laser skin resurfacing in fuzzy rat

Qualitative and quantitative histopathologic procedures were used to study the chronology of healing and mechanism(s) of wrinkle removal using pulsed CO2 laser irradiation. Lesions placed on 'Fuzzy' rat skin were examined pathologically at 0, 2 and 10 days and 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Re-epithelialization began before 2 days and was complete by 10 days. Lethal thermal damage of the epidermis and superficial dermis led to necrosis and slough of the necrotic tissue. Fibrous dermal scar formation was well established at 10 days and, over the next 10 weeks the scar matured and contracted. The proposed mechanisms of wrinkle removal are (1) lethal thermal damage to the upper layers of the skin, (2) slough of the necrotic tissue and (3) re-epithelialization and (4) fibrous scar formation producing a smooth skin surface.
Error-resilient H.264 video coding using SP/SI macroblocks

A novel H.264 error resilient scheme aiming at stopping or reducing error propagation using the SP/SI coded macroblocks is proposed to maintain the quality of transmitted video through erroneous channels in this work. Specifically, for each encoded macroblock, we encode additional predicted versions using different reference frames (or different prediction methods) and save them as SP/SI macroblocks. During transmission, these SP/SI macroblocks are used to replace the originally coded macroblocks in the output video stream if they are affected by previous errors detected by the receiver. The way to encode these SP/SI macroblocks ensures that such a replacement will not cause any mismatch at the decoder side. It is confirmed by experimental results that the proposed scheme is effective in reducing error propagation so as to enhance the error resilient capability of H.264 video. This scheme introduces a small amount of overhead in the bit rate only when there are transmission errors, and does not have an overhead when no error occurs.
Collapse of the Maya: Could deforestation have contributed?

[1] The collapse of the Maya civilization during the ninth century A.D. is a major conundrum in the history of mankind. This civilization reached a spectacular peak but then almost completely collapsed in the space of a few decades. While numerous explanations have been put forth to explain this collapse, in recent years, drought has gained favor. This is because water resources were a key for the Maya, especially to ensure their survival during the lengthy dry season that occurs where they lived. Natural drought is a known, recurring feature of this region, as evidenced by observational data, reconstructions of past times, and global climate model output. Results from simulations with a regional climate model demonstrate that deforestation by the Maya also likely induced warmer, drier, drought-like conditions. It is therefore hypothesized that the drought conditions devastating the Maya resulted from a combination of natural variability and human activities. Neither the natural drought or the human-induced effects alone were sufficient to cause the collapse, but the combination created a situation the Maya could not recover from. These results may have sobering implications for the present and future state of climate and water resources in Mesoamerica as ongoing massive deforestation is again occurring.
Some observations on the advantages and implementation issues of just-in-time production systems

Abstract U.S. industry has been bombarded with prescriptions for catching up with the Japanese. Surprisingly absent from many lists of these prescriptions is the Japanese just-in-time (JIT) production system. The JIT approaches are simple and generally require little use of computers, and they appear to provide far tighter controls on inventory than are attainable via U.S. computer-based approaches. More importantly, Japanese JIT tends to promote major improvements in quality and productivity, as well as increased worker responsibility and commitment. JIT applications and benefits apply not only to the shop floor but also to the distribution and the purchasing ends of the business. In the article, JIT is contrasted with MRP, and the JIT production system is explained with reference to a graphical cause-effect model. The necessity, under the JIT system, of revising traditional assumptions with regard to cycle stock and buffer inventories is explained. The author's views on how JIT affects plant configurations are presented, along with personal observations on how one Japanese subsidiary in the U.S. has been reconfiguring its plant in the process of adopting a JIT production system.
Uniformity Differentiation Analysis. Part 1: Powder Deposition Characteristics in Rectangular Shallow Die Using Feed Shoe with Circular Cross Section

The process of die filling is a significant unit operation in many industries. Inhomogeneity of distribution such as in mass, bulk density, and pressure might cause many tablet and compact quality issues, such as lamination, capping, and distortion. No systematic investigations have been done to evaluate pressure distribution characteristics in dies with small aspect ratios (ratio of fill height to characteristic cross section dimension <0.5). In order to evaluate pressure distribution during filling of shallow dies, a circular cross section feed shoe was used at two speeds. The deposition characteristics of two powders with differing particle characteristics were studied in this research. The second-generation pressure deposition tester (PDT-II) was used to measure the two powders' pressure distribution characteristics. A battery powder mixture (BPM) and microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH102) were used to fill a rectangular shallow die 32 × 30 mm in dimension and 6.5 mm deep. Feed shoe speeds of 20 an...
Effect of 2-hydroxyestradiol on binge intake in rats.

Abstract One conundrum of binge eating is that women are more likely to suffer from binge-related disorders, even though estradiol decreases food intake. 2-hydroxyestradiol (2OHE2), an estrogen metabolite, may account for the contradiction, due to possible interference with DA signaling. We hypothesized that 2OHE2 would enhance bingeing in a rodent model. Two cohorts (1 male, 1 female) of 34 non-food-deprived rats were separated into daily control (D) (received an optional source of dietary fat for 20 min every day) or bingeing (INT) groups (received fat intermittently, i.e. 20 min on Mon, Weds, Fri). During the 5-week binge induction period, shortening intakes escalated significantly faster in females than in males, such that males consumed significantly less fat/kg body mass than did females after 5 weeks. This result is consistent with the idea that biological differences contribute to sex differences in bingeing. Rats were then injected with 2OHE2 (1.0, 3.0, and 10.0 μg/kg intraperitoneally), vehicle, or 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) immediately prior to fat access. Fat intake was significantly stimulated by 2OHE2 only in the INT rats (p
A GEOMETRIC CHARACTERIZATION OF LINEAR REGRESSION

It hardly seems an exaggeration to contend that the fitting of straight lines to experimental data permeates all of science. Would it not seem reasonable to expect a purely geometric characterization of such a straight line? Just such a geometrical perspective was provided by Francis Galton in 1886 if only one of the experimental variables contains an error. This was extended by Karl Pearson in 1901 to allow both variables to be subject to measurement error so long as both errors have equal variances. After an intervening century, the present paper extends the Galton/Pearson geometrical characterization of linear regression in terms of the "concentration ellipse" to the case of unequal variances in the experimental data.
Long-term followup of patients treated with total lymphoid irradiation for lupus nephritis.

Objective To describe the long-term survival, renal condition, and morbidity outcomes in patients who received total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) for the treatment of lupus nephritis. Methods Twenty-one patients with biopsy-proven, diffuse membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and significant proteinuria of >2.5 grams/day received TLI from 1980 to 1987 at Stanford University Medical Center. All patients had previously failed to respond to treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or therapy with corticosteroids plus immunosuppressive agents (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, or chlorambucil). Results The mean duration of followup since TLI was 10.7 years. Fifteen of 21 patients (71%) remained alive at the time of this assessment. Nine of the 21 patients (43%) survived without developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The probability of long-term survival without ESRD and without need for additional immunosuppressive agents after TLI was 19% (4 of 21). Factors predicting renal failure at the time of TLI included elevated creatinine levels, increased interstitial fibrosis on renal biopsy, and increased fractional excretion of immunoglobulin and albumin. Malignancies were found in 4 patients, and opportunistic infections occurred in 7 patients. Conclusion Overall, patients with lupus nephritis treated with TLI do not appear to have better 10-year survival with lower incidence of ESRD compared with patients in published series treated with conventional immunosuppressive therapies. However, in this series of patients, treatment with conventional immunosuppressive therapies had been unsuccessful and given the limited number of adverse events and the efficacy seen in some patients, TLI appears to be a reasonable therapeutic option for the treatment of severe lupus nephritis among patients who fail to respond under standard cytotoxic regimens.
Opioid modulation of ingestive behavior.

Abstract Supportive evidence for an important role of endogenous opioid systems in modulation of ingestive behaviors is presented. Low doses of morphine (1.0–5.0 mg/kg) increase and low doses of naloxone (0.5–2.5 mg/kg) decrease food and water intake during both acute and chronic testing in mildly-deprived rats. Chronic infusions of naloxone with implanted osmotic mini-pumps elicied sustained dose-related suppression of food, water, and saccharin solution intakes but did not reduce ingestion of 10.0% glucose solution or food following 12 hr deprivation. Finally, naloxone treatment did not antagonize nocturnal ingestion of food any more than it reduced day time feeding when the latter was enhanced by prior food deprivation. These results indicate that an opiate agonist and an opiate antagonist modify ingestive behaviors oppositely, affirming that endogenous opioid systems may be involved in control of feeding and drinking. However, their role may be restricted to only indirect participation in homeostatic regulation via neural systems modulating emotional tone or goal-directed behaviors in general.
Reactivity of the N-terminal Region of Fibronectin Protein to Transglutaminase 2 and Factor XIIIA

Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is secreted by a non-classical pathway into the extracellular space, where it has several activities pertinent to fibronectin (FN), including binding to the gelatin-binding domain of FN and acting as an integrin co-receptor. Glutamines in the N-terminal tail of FN are known to be susceptible to transamidation by both TG2 and activated blood coagulation factor XIII (FXIIIa). We used immunoblotting, limited proteolysis, and mass spectrometry to localize glutamines within FN that are subject to TG2-catalyzed incorporation of dansylcadaverine in comparison to residues modified by FXIIIa. Such analysis of plasma FN indicated that Gln-3, Gln-7, and Gln-9 in the N-terminal tail and Gln-246 of the linker between fifth and sixth type I modules (5F1 and 6F1) are transamidated by both enzymes. Only minor incorporation of dansylcadaverine was detected elsewhere. Labeling of C-terminally truncated FN constructs revealed efficient TG2- or FXIIIa-catalyzed dansylcadaverine incorporation into the N-terminal residues of constructs as small as the 29-kDa fragment that includes 1–5F1 and lacks modules from the adjacent gelatin-binding domain. However, when only 1–3F1 were present, dansylcadaverine incorporation into the N-terminal residues of FN was lost and instead was in the enzymes, near the active site of TG2 and terminal domains of FXIIIa. Thus, these results demonstrate that FXIIIa and TG2 act similarly on glutamines at either end of 1–5F1 and transamidation specificity of both enzymes is achieved through interactions with the intact 29K fragment.
Gauge theories on the body-centered hypercubic lattice

The four-dimensional body-centered hypercubic lattice has a point symmetry group which is three times as large as that of the simple hypercubic lattice. This enlarged symmetry is implemented by introducing an action consisting of a sum over triangular plaquettes. Here, the theory is presented and some of its properties are described.