cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficiency of neuromuscular electrical stimulation: A comparison of elicited force and subject tolerance using three electrical waveforms

ABSTRACTObjective: Efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is limited by the discomfort of electrically elicited contractions. Most studies of tolerance to NMES have examined stimulation to maximal tolerance. NMES efficiency is the amount of elicited force at a specific level of tolerance. This study is the first to describe and examine such. Design: A repeated measures design was used. Electrically elicited force (EEF) was measured using three waveforms: burst-modulated alternating current (BMAC), pulsed current (PC), and burst-modulated pulsed current (BMPC). EEF at a tolerance rating of 5/10 on a visual analog scale (VAS) was recorded. The dependent variables were EEF up to 5/10 VAS, current amplitude at 5/10, and percent maximal isometric force at 5/10. Results: EEF and percent maximal voluntary isometric force were significantly greater with BMPC versus BMAC (p = 0.001 and 0.004). No differences were noted between PC and BMAC or BMPC and PC. Amplitude was significantly greater with BM...
The life cycle of platelet granules.

Platelet granules are unique among secretory vesicles in both their content and their life cycle. Platelets contain three major granule types—dense granules, α-granules, and lysosomes—although other granule types have been reported. Dense granules and α-granules are the most well-studied and the most physiologically important. Platelet granules are formed in large, multilobulated cells, termed megakaryocytes, prior to transport into platelets. The biogenesis of dense granules and α-granules involves common but also distinct pathways. Both are formed from the trans -Golgi network and early endosomes and mature in multivesicular bodies, but the formation of dense granules requires trafficking machinery different from that of α-granules. Following formation in the megakaryocyte body, both granule types are transported through and mature in long proplatelet extensions prior to the release of nascent platelets into the bloodstream. Granules remain stored in circulating platelets until platelet activation triggers the exocytosis of their contents. Soluble N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins, located on both the granules and target membranes, provide the mechanical energy that enables membrane fusion during both granulogenesis and exocytosis. The function of these core fusion engines is controlled by SNARE regulators, which direct the site, timing, and extent to which these SNAREs interact and consequently the resulting membrane fusion. In this review, we assess new developments in the study of platelet granules, from their generation to their exocytosis.
Statistical Decision Theory

We have considered several point estimators such as the maximum likelihood estimator, the method of moments estimator, and the posterior mean. In fact, there are many other ways to generate estimators. How do we choose among them? The answer is found in decision theory which is a formal theory for comparing statistical procedures.
4 – Color Appearance

This chapter discusses color appearance, which refers to the aspect of visual experience that goes beyond perceived intensity. Color appearance is a mental phenomenon, not a physical one. No wavelength of light is endowed with a color. The technical definition of color vision is based on discrimination rather than appearance—color vision is the ability to distinguish two lights regardless of their radiances. In general, the color appearance of an object is not related in a simple way to the properties of the object alone. Perceived color can depend on the source of light illuminating the object, the spectrally selective reflectance of that light by the object, other objects in view, and the current state of the neural pathways of eye and brain that mediate visual experience. Of these, only the spectral reflectance is a property of the object.
Immunological Investigations of Relatedness between Plant and Animal Connexins

Contact and communication between specific cell types are two fundamental properties that shape and control the organization, activity, and development of tissues (Loewenstein, 1979; Ekblom et al., 1986; Carr, 1976; Warner et al., 1984; Sheridan and Atkinson, 1985). Evolution from single to multicellular organisms necessitated the emergence of unique structures to physically link the intracellular environments of individual cells. Such cytoplasmic linkage served to unify tissue response to biochemical triggers and signals and facilitate the coordination of tissue proliferation and metabolism.
Scaling datacenter accelerators with compute-reuse architectures

Hardware specialization is commonly used in data-centers to ameliorate the nearing end of CMOS technology scaling. While offering superior performance and energy-efficiency returns compared to general-purpose processors, specialized accelerators are bound to the same device technology constraints, and are thus prone to similar limitations in the future. Once technology scaling plateaus, accelerator and application tuning will reach a point of near-optimum, with no clear direction for further improvements. Emerging non-volatile memory (NVM) technologies follow different scaling trends due to different physical properties and manufacturing techniques. NVMs have inspired recent efforts of innovation in computer systems, as they possess appealing qualities such as high capacity and low energy. We present the COmpute-REuse Accelerators (COREx) architecture that shifts computations from the scalability-hindered transistor-based logic towards the continuing-to-scale storage domain. COREx leverages datacenter redundancy by integrating a storage layer together with the accelerator processing layer. The added layer stores the outcomes of previous accelerated computations. The previously computed results are reused in the case of recurring computations, thus eliminating the need to re-compute them. We designed COREx as a combination of an accelerator and specialized storage layer using emerging memory technologies, and evaluated it on a set of datacenter workloads. Our results show that, when integrated with a well-tuned accelerator, COREx achieves an average speedup of 6.4X and average savings of 50% in energy and 68% in energy-delay product. We expect further increase in gains in the future, as memory technologies continue to improve steadily.
Noncontact Human Gait Analysis and Limb Joint Tracking Using Doppler Radar

A full understanding of normal motion from human limb joint trajectory tracking could be essential to develop and establish a scientific basis for correcting any abnormalities. Practicality of using continuous wave (CW) radars, being simple and low cost, has been successfully investigated for noncontact gait monitoring, but it is still challenging to identify the motions of different limb joints. Here, we investigate the feasibility of extending the 1-D block processing algorithm to distinctly track specific limb joints and discuss the advantages and limitations of the technique for CW radar. To establish a repeatable reference data, we run a full wave EM analysis on customized Boulic human model emulating specific video recorded body motions. Results based on measured data are in agreement with simulated ones for simple motions such as swinging one hand or one leg only. The proposed technique is also successful in extracting lower body parts while the whole body is in motion; however, it is still hard to clearly extract upper body parts such as swinging hands.
The AREB1-ADA2b-GCN5 Complex Regulates Gene Expression during Drought Stress

Abiotic stresses constitute a global threat to agricultural crop production and natural ecosystems. One of the most prominent abiotic stresses is drought, which dramatically alters plant physiology and morphology. Studies in model organisms have shed light into how plants respond to drought stress,
A case for a richer, bi-directional interface between augmented reality applications and the network

Network impairments (e.g., latency, outages, etc) can have an adverse impact on user experience, especially for interactive applications (e.g., augmented reality (AR)). To effectively deal with such problems, we propose a bi-directional interface between the applications and the network, which facilitates intelligent decision making by both the application and the network.
Trigger Warnings: History, Theory, Context

With Trigger Warnings, editor Emily J. M. Knox has assembled a wide-ranging collection of works from a diverse group of contributors on the topic of trigger warnings in higher education. A trigger ...
Behavioral Response to Stock Abundance in Exploiting Common-Pool Resources: The Fishery

Fisheries management must manage people in order to manage fish. In this sense, understanding fishing behavior is the cornerstone of effective fisheries policy. However, the latency of fish stocks is a major obstacle in empirical studies. This paper addresses this challenge by deriving a stock index from a heterogeneous production function. We use the imputed stock proxy in a count data model that describes fishing trip frequency, which is an indicator of anthropogenic fishing pressure. In the empirical study of the reef-fish fishery in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, we find that the popular method that uses catch rate as a stock proxy significantly underestimates fishermen's responses to stock changes. This result suggests that policy predictions based on the traditional method are overly optimistic.
Preemptive Alcohol Septal Ablation to Prevent Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction after Transseptal Mitral Valve in Valve.

Abstract Acute obstruction of the neo-LVOT is a major and potentially fatal complication of transcatheter mitral valve implantation. Patients at high risk of this complication can be identified preoperatively with cardiac CT. We describe a case of a patient identified as high risk for developing neo-LVOT obstruction, who was preemptively treated with alcohol septal ablation prior to successful valve implantation.
Percutaneous cholecystostomy for grade III acute cholecystitis is associated with worse outcomes

Abstract Background The aim of the present study was to evaluate the mortality, morbidity, and readmissions associated with management of grade 3 cholecystitis in the elderly, vulnerable population. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of non-elective admissions for acute cholecystitis from 2010 to 2015 using the nationwide readmissions database for adults ≥ 65 years with evidence of end-organ dysfunction (grade 3) who underwent percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC), laparoscopic (LC) or open cholecystectomy (OC). Index and readmission outcomes were analyzed using logistic regression and inverse probability treatment weight analysis. Results Of the estimated 358,624 patients, 14.9% underwent PC, 15.7% OC, and 69.4% LC. PC had significantly higher odds of mortality (AOR 5.8, 95%CI 5.1–6.6), composite morbidity (AOR 3.8, 95%CI 3.5–4.1), early (AOR 1.9, 95%CI 1.7–2.0) and intermediate (AOR 2.2, 95%CI 2.0–2.5) readmission compared to LC and OC. Conclusions Patients undergoing cholecystostomy had higher mortality, complications, and readmission rates warranting revaluation of criteria for cholecystostomy at initial presentation.
Virtue as a framework for the design and use of artificial intelligence

Abstract Practitioners are seeking information and ethical guidance related to the design and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) across a variety of applications. Developments at Google illustrate the potential good of AI as well as potential concerns. In this article, we use Google to create a context that demonstrates the relevance of virtue for the ethical design and use of AI. We describe a set of ethical challenges encountered by Google and introduce virtue as a framework for ethical decision making that can be applied broadly to numerous organizations. We also examine support for virtue in ethical decision making as well as its power in attracting and retaining the employees who develop AI and the customers who use it. To conclude, we apply the virtue framework to Google’s AI challenges and offer suggestions for its use in other organizations.
Physiologic Mechanisms of Type II Diabetes Mellitus Remission Following Bariatric Surgery: a Meta-analysis and Clinical Implications.

As obesity prevalence grows in the USA, metabolic syndrome is becoming increasingly more common. Current theories propose that insulin resistance is responsible for the hypertension, dyslipidemia, type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and low HDL that comprise metabolic syndrome. Bariatric surgery is one potential treatment, and its effects include permanently altering the patient’s physiology and glucose regulation. Consequently, patients with T2DM who undergo bariatric surgery often experience tighter glucose control or remission of their T2DM altogether. This meta-analysis aims to explore the physiologic mechanisms underlying T2DM remission following bariatric surgery, which demonstrates effects that could lead to expansion of the NIH criteria for bariatric surgery candidates. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus. Two independent reviewers conducted title, abstract, and full text review of papers that met inclusion criteria. Papers that measured hormone levels before and after bariatric surgery were included in the meta-analysis. Weighted means and standard deviations were calculated for preoperative and postoperative GLP-1, GIP, ghrelin, and glucagon. Total postprandial GLP-1 increased following bariatric surgery, which correlated with improvements in measures of glycemic control. Fasting GLP-1, fasting GIP, total postprandial GIP, total fasting ghrelin, and fasting glucagon all decreased, but all changes in hormones evaluated failed to reach statistical significance. Studies also demonstrated changes in hepatic and peripancreatic fat, inflammatory markers, miRNA, and gut microbiota following bariatric surgery. While this meta-analysis sheds light on possible mechanisms, further studies are necessary to determine the dominant mechanism underlying remission of T2DM following bariatric surgery.
Screening Mammography Visits as Opportunities to Engage Smokers With Tobacco Cessation Services and Lung Cancer Screening.

Abstract Objective Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable mortality in the United States. Screening mammography (SM) visits present opportunities for radiology practices to reduce tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Our study evaluates implementation of a program that provides tobacco cessation service referrals and screens for lung cancer screening (LCS) eligibility among smokers presenting for SM at a community health center. Methods In 2018, two sets of questions were added to our SM patient intake questionnaire to assess (1) smoking history and (2) interest in referral to the health center-based tobacco cessation program for mailed information, telephone-based consultation, and in-person counseling. Primary outcomes were proportion of current smokers who requested a referral and of all smokers who were LCS-eligible. Bivariate logistic regression analyses compared sociodemographic characteristics of smokers who requested versus declined a referral. Results Of the 89.3% (1,907 of 2,136) who responded, 10.5% (201 of 1,907) were current and 29.1% (555 of 1,907) were former smokers. Of current smokers, 26.4% (53 of 201) requested referrals: mailed information by 23.9% (48 of 201), in-person counseling by 9% (18 of 201), and telephone-based consultation by 7.5% (15 of 201). No sociodemographic predictors for referral requests were identified. Of all smokers, 9.3% (70 of 756) were eligible for LCS, of which 31.4% (22 of 70) were up to date. Conclusion One in ten women who underwent SM at our community health center were current smokers, of which one-quarter requested tobacco cessation referrals. Among LCS-eligible smokers, one-third were up to date. SM presents opportunities for radiology practices to advance population health goals such as tobacco cessation and LCS.
Gut Microbiota Metabolism and Interaction with Food Components

The human gut contains trillions of microbes that play a central role in host biology, including the provision of key nutrients from the diet. Food is a major source of precursors for metabolite production; in fact, diet modulates the gut microbiota (GM) as the nutrients, derived from dietary intake, reach the GM, affecting both the ecosystem and microbial metabolic profile. GM metabolic ability has an impact on human nutritional status from childhood. However, there is a wide variability of dietary patterns that exist among individuals. The study of interactions with the host via GM metabolic pathways is an interesting field of research in medicine, as microbiota members produce myriads of molecules with many bioactive properties. Indeed, much evidence has demonstrated the importance of metabolites produced by the bacterial metabolism from foods at the gut level that dynamically participate in various biochemical mechanisms of a cell as a reaction to environmental stimuli. Hence, the GM modulate homeostasis at the gut level, and the alteration in their composition can concur in disease onset or progression, including immunological, inflammatory, and metabolic disorders, as well as cancer. Understanding the gut microbe–nutrient interactions will increase our knowledge of how diet affects host health and disease, thus enabling personalized therapeutics and nutrition.
Papillary Muscle Rupture Due to Delayed STEMI Presentation in a Patient Self-Isolating for Presumed COVID-19

Abstract A 57-year-old man acutely developed chest tightness and dyspnea. Given concern that his symptoms were consistent with COVID-19, the patient self-isolated. After 1 week of worsening symptom...
Reliability assessment of scenarios generated for stock index returns incorporating momentum

Stochastic programming models for portfolio optimization rely on scenario paths for returns derived from stochastic process models. This paper investigates a variant of the geometric Brownian motion process for stock index returns that incorporates index momentum. Based on this model, three different processes for generating scenarios on a rolling basis are devised, which differ according to how frequently the momentum parameter is updated and whether it is estimated according to a simple moving average or an exponentially weighted moving average of returns. The reliability of scenario sets generated for multiple instances is assessed by applying a recently developed statistical tool. Backtesting is conducted in case studies of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index for two different historical periods. The numerical results show that the frequency with which the expected return is updated does not significantly influence the performance of the scenario generation procedure, whereas how the expected return is calculated affects the autocorrelation and dispersion of generated scenarios drastically. All scenario generation schemes are highly sensitive to the estimated volatility of the index returns. Among the three processes tested, the algorithms that incorporate momentum estimates according to an exponentially weighted moving average can generate reliable scenarios when the volatility estimation error is small.
Integration of Formal Safety Models on System Level Using the Example of Responsibility Sensitive Safety and CARLA Driving Simulator

Automated Driving (AD) is about to transform our daily life. However, on the way towards mass deployment, some challenges have to be resolved. Among these, the safety assurance problem is a key issue. Therefore, Intel/Mobileye proposed a formal, mathematical model called Responsibility Sensitive Safety (RSS) to digitize reasonable boundaries on the behavior of other road users by establishing clear mathematically proven rules. While the concept of RSS and a first reference implementation are already known to the community, a remaining question is the integration of RSS into a complete AD system. In this paper, we address this gap and describe the integration of RSS into the CARLA driving simulator as practical example.
The Shared Genetic Basis of Hyperuricemia, Gout, and Kidney Function

Increased urate levels and gout correlate with chronic kidney disease with consensus that the primary driver of this relationship is reduced kidney function. However, a comparison of results of genome-wide association studies in serum urate levels and kidney function indicate a more complex situation. Approximately 20% of loci are shared-comprised of those in which the urate-raising allele associates with reduced kidney function, the vice versa situation, and those in which the signals/alleles are different. Although there is very little known regarding the molecular basis of the shared genetic relationship, it is clear that there is no major role for urate transporters and associated transportasome machinery. Some loci, however, do provide clues. The ATXN2 locus, with a shared signal, is one of only a small number of master regulators of expression by chromatin interaction, regulating expression of genes relevant for cholesterol and blood pressure. This suggests a role for systemic metabolic alteration. At HNF4A there is genetic heterogeneity with different genetic variants conferring risk to hyperuricemia and chronic kidney disease, suggesting different pathways. Interestingly, the shared loci congregate in the olfactory receptor pathway. The genome-wide association studies have generated a range of experimentally testable hypotheses that should provide insights into the shared pathogenesis of hyperuricemia/gout and chronic kidney disease.
Cortical Responses to Vowel Sequences in Awake and Anesthetized States: A Human Intracranial Electrophysiology Study.

Elucidating neural signatures of sensory processing across consciousness states is a major focus in neuroscience. Noninvasive human studies using the general anesthetic propofol reveal differential effects on auditory cortical activity, with a greater impact on nonprimary and auditory-related areas than primary auditory cortex. This study used intracranial electroencephalography to examine cortical responses to vowel sequences during induction of general anesthesia with propofol. Subjects were adult neurosurgical patients with intracranial electrodes placed to identify epileptic foci. Data were collected before electrode removal surgery. Stimuli were vowel sequences presented in a target detection task during awake, sedated, and unresponsive states. Averaged evoked potentials (AEPs) and high gamma (70-150 Hz) power were measured in auditory, auditory-related, and prefrontal cortex. In the awake state, AEPs were found throughout studied brain areas; high gamma activity was limited to canonical auditory cortex. Sedation led to a decrease in AEP magnitude. Upon LOC, there was a decrease in the superior temporal gyrus and adjacent auditory-related cortex and a further decrease in AEP magnitude in core auditory cortex, changes in the temporal structure and increased trial-to-trial variability of responses. The findings identify putative biomarkers of LOC and serve as a foundation for future investigations of altered sensory processing.
Walther von der Vogelweide: Stabreimende Wortpaare im Kontext Mittelhochdeutscher rhetorischer Praxis

Zum ersten Mal wird hier eine vollstandige Sammlung der stabreimenden Wortpaare im Werk des Minnesangers Walthers von der Vogelweide vorgelegt. Damit verbunden ist die kontextuelle Analyse auf dem Hintergrund vorher belegter Beispiele aus dem Alt- und Mittelhochdeutschen, jeweils unter Berucksichtigung der umfangreichen Sekundarliteratur und gelaufigen Nachschlagewerke. Mit diesem Verzeichnis und die Analyse der Wortpaarstellen ist die Geschichte der stabreimenden Wortpaare in der deutschen Sprach- und Literaturgeschichte, insbesondere der klassischen mittelhochdeutschen Epoche, um ein wichtiges Stuck vorangetrieben. Diese Studie vervollstandigt die Sammlung stabreimender Wortpaare in den klassischen mittelhochdeutschen Texten. Die Arbeit versteht sich als Teil der historischen Phraseologieforschung und damit der Tradition der historischen Rhetorik des Deutschen. Sie erganzt vorliegende Funde zu den stabreimenden Wortpaaren vor allem im Alt- und Fruhmittelhochdeutschen. Zudem leistet sie Einsichten in die reichhaltige rhetorische Praxis Walthers von der Vogelweide und des Minnesangs uberhaupt.
Open source photonics simulation for quantum applications

In this talk, I will describe a number of open source photonic simulation packages developed in our group for modeling large scale classical and quantum photonic circuits. These include Simphony, a high speed photonic circuit simulator; SiPANN, a photonic simulation package based on neural networks; and EMEPy, an eigenmode expansion package. Direct integration with quantum photonic circuit solvers, such as Strawberry Fields, allows for quantum photonic circuit simulation that is hardware-aware and device-specific.
A microwave feeding system for extended space missions

Microwave feeding system for heating and cooking prepackaged meals during extended space missions
The Laws of Dissipation

We begin at the most general level, with the basic principles of thermodynamics. It is the appropriate place to begin, even though the problem of adaptability is not a problem for thermodynamic technique. To cope with a disturbance means to be capable of forgetting it, and to be capable of forgetting it means in some sense to be capable of dissipating it away. What I want to do in this chapter is to develop the thermodynamic undercoat of this thought. In the next chapter I continue the discussion, but in the special context of biological and ecological systems.
A generalized Fokker-Planck model for transport of collimated beams

A generalized Fokker-Planck (GFP) model is introduced for application to the problem of the angular spreading of a broad beam of charged particles. This approach extends the classic Fokker-Planck (...
COSMOPOLITANISM, ETHNIC BELONGING, AND AFFECTIVE LABOR: HAN ONG'S FIXER CHAO AND THE DISINHERITED

Asian American literature has often depicted the Filipino service laborer as a figure desiring global belonging, forgetting that figure's opposite: the cosmopolitan, Asian American client who desires “ethnic belonging” by consuming Filipino service labor. Drawing on Pheng Cheah's notions of cosmopolitanism, Patterson investigates a dual concept of cosmopolitanism that sees elite migrants as “high cosmopolitans,” and services workers as “low cosmopolitans.” Through two novels by the Filipino migrant writer Han Ong, Patterson compares Ong's “low-cosmopolitan” service laborers, who are motivated by a desire for high cosmopolitanism, with their “high-cosmopolitan” clients, who seek an ethnic authenticity that can only be provided through the affective laborer. As Patterson argues, the contradiction between the commodification of Asian cultures and the vulnerability of the worker raises questions about diasporic subjectivity and contemporary multicultural ideals as they intersect with mobility, class, and service labor.
A neural correlate of strategic exploration at the onset of adolescence

The onset of adolescence is associated with an increase in the behavioral tendency to explore and seek novel experiences. However, this exploration has rarely been quantified, and its neural correlates during this period remain unclear. Previously, activity within specific regions of the rostrolateral PFC rlPFC in adults has been shown to correlate with the tendency for exploration. Here we investigate a recently developed task to assess individual differences in strategic exploration, defined as the degree to which the relative uncertainty of rewards directs responding toward less well-evaluated choices, in 62 girls aged 11-13 years from whom resting state fMRI data were obtained in a separate session. Behaviorally, this task divided our participants into groups of explorers n = 41 and nonexplorers n = 21. When seed ROIs within the rlPFC were used to interrogate resting state fMRI data, we identified a lateralized connection between the rlPFC and posterior putamen/insula whose strength differentiated explorers from nonexplorers. On the basis of Granger causality analyses, the preponderant direction of influence may proceed from posterior to anterior. Together, these data provide initial evidence concerning the neural basis of exploratory tendencies at the onset of adolescence.
Acoustic streaming, fluid mixing, and particle transport by a Gaussian ultrasound beam in a cylindrical container

A computational study is reported of the acoustic streaming flow field generated by a Gaussian ultrasound beam propagating normally toward the end wall of a cylindrical container. Particular focus is given to examining the effectiveness of the acoustic streaming flow for fluid mixing within the container, for deposition of particles in suspension onto the bottom surface, and for particle suspension from the bottom surface back into the flow field. The flow field is assumed to be axisymmetric with the ultrasound transducer oriented parallel to the cylinder axis and normal to the bottom surface of the container, which we refer to as the impingement surface. Reflection of the sound from the impingement surface and sound absorption within the material at the container bottom are both accounted for in the computation. The computation also accounts for thermal buoyancy force due to ultrasonic heating of the impingement surface, but over the time period considered in the current simulations, the flow is found to be dominated by the acoustic streaming force, with only moderate effect of buoyancy force.
Selection of successive tumour lines for metastasis.

The pathogenesis of metastasis begins with the invasion of tissues, blood vessels and/or lymphatics by cells originating from a primary cancer. Following their release into the circulation, most tumour emboli are initially arrested in the first capillary bed encountered, but some recirculate and are trapped in other organs. After their initial arrest, tumour cells must invade the parenchyma, establish a micro-environment, escape host defence mechanisms and finally grow into secondary tumours1.
Volar plate arthroplasty of theproximal interphalangeal joint

Abstract Surgical stabilization of dorsal proximal interphalangeal fracture dislocations may be required when more than 40%of the joint surface is disrupted. Volar plate arthroplasty alone, or in combination with other techniques, can be used to reduce and stabilize these difficult injuries. Attention to technical details is important in obtaining good postoperative results.
The deacylation of substituted benzoyl-α-chymotrypsins

Abstract An extensive comparison of deacylation rates of mono- and disubstituted benzoyl-α-chymotrypsins indicates that no steric effects on rate or apparent pKa of deacylation are detectable within this series. Some anomalous effects on deacylation rate appear to be associated with fluoro- and nitro-substituents in particular positions on the ring and may be attributable to specific interactions at the enzyme active site. The extensive series of structurally similar acyl-enzymes prepared has allowed a thorough analysis of the effect of acyl group pKa on the apparent pKa of deacylation. The data indicates that polar effects on the apparent pKa are probably negligible. Rho for the deacylation reaction is in good agreement with model reactions for an imidazole general base-catalyzed model reaction.
In defense of profit-seeking

Purpose – Profits have a bad press. They are associated in the public mind with greed, avarice, self-seeking. The purpose of this paper is to make the case in behalf of profit-seeking, so as to right the balance of publications on this topic. Design/methodology/approach – The authors undertake an economic analysis of the phenomenon of profit-seeking. The paper explores how profits lead to resource allocation, wealth creation, the promotion of human welfare and well-being. Findings – The paper finds that the system of profit and loss, part and parcel of economic freedom and laissez faire capitalism, does indeed promote wealth. It is the last best chance to fight poverty. Contrary to the views of the economically illiterate, it does not cause inflation or the business cycle nor any other economic malady. Originality/value – We cannot give ourselves good marks as to originality. Adam Smith, Ludwig von Mises and Murray Rothbard beat us to the punch as to the benefits of the profit and loss private property ri...
Computed tomography-guided percutaneous abscess drainage in intestinal disease factors associated with outcome

PURPOSE: This study was designed to assess the efficacy of computed tomography-guided percutaneous abscess drainage in intestinal disease. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients who underwent percutaneous abscess drainage for complications of intestinal disease with or without surgery between 1990 and 1994. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients with 111 abscesses were identified. Causes of abscess included anastomotic leaks (35 percent), postoperative complications without leak (30 percent), and diverticular disease (23 percent). Complete success (no surgery necessary) was achieved in 53 of 82 patients (65 percent). Nine patients (11 percent) who underwent interval surgery were classified as having partial successes. Twenty-six of 26 (100 percent) well-defined unilocular collections containing pus were successfully drained. Complex abscesses (loculated, poorly defined, multiple, associated with fistula, draining feces) were successfully drained in 35 of 55 patients (63 percent). Success rates varied inversely with the number of complicating factors present. Apache II scores of 15 or higher were associated with decreased success rates. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous abscess drainage is a highly successful technique for treatment of patients with intra-abdominal infection related to intestinal disease. Although several factors are associated with decreased success rates and multiple complicating factors combine to reduce success rates, no identifiable factor or combination of factors preclude the possibility of a successful outcome.
Possible role of pheromones in modifying drug response in the mouse

Abstract Significant differences in the duration of response of Swiss Webster mice to hexobarbital and zoxazolamine are obtained, within siex, depending upon whether group caged animals are housed in rooms with mice of the same sex or with mice of the opposite sex. As there is no physical contact between animals, these findings suggest that pheromones or other moes of sexual communication may be operative.
The Effects of New Jersey's K–8 Foreign Language Authorization on K–5 Foreign Language Teaching: Two Teachers’ Perspectives

Recent research in language education policy (LEP) refocuses attention from the role of governments to local stakeholders that shape LEP. However, little attention has been given to teacher agency in LEP implementation for early foreign language (FL) education in the United States. This pilot study considers the role of foreign language elementary school (FLES) teacher agency through an analysis of interviews with two FLES teachers and examines how they see their opinions, experience, and expertise involved in the process of delivering on New Jersey's K–8 FL authorization. In discharging their responsibilities, FLES teachers are limited by structural factors that reveal little support for FLES. The study gives warrant to comprehensively investigate, with a view to FLES program sustainability, the multiple local factors that influence FLES program implementation across a variety of settings.
Investigating distinct and related contributions of Weak Central Coherence, Executive Dysfunction, and Systemizing theories to the cognitive profiles of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and typically developing children

Abstract Many attempts have been made to explain the cognitive profiles of children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The current study investigated three prominent theories of cognitive processing – Weak Central Coherence, Executive Dysfunction, and Systemizing – to determine how they could define the cognitive patterns of performance in children with ASD. Utilizing tasks that tapped into visuospatial and linguistic domains, and both parent-report and child performance, the present research found support for the Weak Central Coherence and Executive Dysfunction theories in accounting for distinct cognitive profiles in children with ASD. No differences were observed between children with ASD and TD children on Systemizing abilities or preferences. The results also indicate that cognitive profiles in ASD may manifest in different ways in children historically considered High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Additionally, the present research demonstrated the importance of using comprehensive measures to assess cognition and behavior in children with ASD. These results provide support for the consideration of individual differences in cognitive profiles of children with HFA and children with AS when developing educational and therapeutic programming.
Vasopressin in catecholamine‐resistant septic and cardiogenic shock in very‐low‐birthweight infants

Aim: To evaluate vasopressin as a rescue therapy in catecholamine-refractory septic and cardiogenic shock in very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants. Methods: Prospective assessment of vasopressin therapy in three VLBW infants with catecholamine-refractory septic shock (24+.6 wk, 600 g) and cardiogenic shock (26+.1 wk, 890 g; 26+.1 wk, 880 g) at a university hospital. Results: Adequate systemic arterial blood pressure could only be restored after vasopressin administration as a continuous infusion over a 36-h period in the preterm suffering from septic shock; in the two neonates with cardiogenic shock, only a transient stabilization in mean arterial pressure was observed, which did not impact on the poor prognosis. Conclusion: Although vasopressin appears to be a suitable rescue therapy in catecholamine-resistant septic shock in VLBW infants, further evaluation in controlled clinical trials is warranted.
Verbal aggression in violent and nonviolent marital disputes

Recent research suggests that verbal aggression may function as a catalyst to violence between spouses in marital disputes. Communication skills deficiencies may predispose spouses to rely upon verbal aggression in family conflict situations instead of more constructive forms of communication such as argumentation. This suggests a need to understand better the role of verbal aggression in interspousal violence. A study is presented which compared a sample of nonabused wives to a clinical sample of abused wives in terms of self‐reports of the use of verbal aggression by the husband and wife in their most recent dispute. While there were several differences between the two groups, of the ten types of verbally aggressive messages examined, character attacks most clearly differentiated violent from nonviolent marital disputes. Two hypotheses which predicted the degree of verbal aggression in violent and nonviolent disputes and the relationship between husband and wife usage were supported. Implications are di...
The culture of slander in early modern England

Slander constitutes a central social, legal and literary concern of early modern England. A category of discourse which transgresses the law, it offers a more historically grounded and fluid account of power relations between poets and the state than that offered by the commonly accepted model of official censorship. An investigation of slander reveals it to be an effective, unstable and reversible means of repudiating one's opposition that could be deployed by rulers or poets. Spenser, Jonson and Shakespeare each use the paradigm of slander to challenge official criticism of poetry, while contemporary legal theory associates slander with poetry. However, even as rulers themselves make use of slander in the form of propaganda to demonize those they perceive to be their foes, ultimately they are unable to contain completely the threat posed by slanderous accusations against the state.
Modulation of the in vitro murine immune response by met-enkephalin.

Abstract The in vitro priming of mouse spleen cultures with sheep erythrocytes (SE) was used to study the modulation of immune function by met-enkephalin (MENK). In these studies, suboptimal, optimal, and supraoptimal concentrations of SE were used to manipulate the plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses of cultured spleen cells. MENK, at a concentration of 10 −7 M , was able to abolish the high antigen dose-induced suppression of the PFC response, but was unable to increase the PFC response of cultures treated with suboptimal doses of antigen. On rare occasions when the supraoptimal dose of antigen did not suppress the immune response, the addition of 10 −7 M MENK to the culture medium suppressed the PFC response. Naloxone was unable to block the effect of MENK. These results indicate that the nature of the immune response must be taken into consideration when evaluating the effect of opioid peptides on immune function. We propose that MENK possesses a dual modulatory role, with the abilities to suppress a strong immune response and reverse high antigen-induced immunosuppression.
Interaction of the 43 kd postsynaptic protein with all subunits of the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

The 43 kd postsynaptic protein (43K) plays a key role in the aggregation of muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) in the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction. By transiently coexpressing 43K and a single AChR subunit (alpha, beta, gamma, or delta) in the quail fibroblast cell line, QT-6, we show that 43K interacts with each subunit to form cell surface clusters in which 43K and receptor subunit are precisely colocalized. Although the level of cell surface expression of single subunits is much lower than that of fully assembled receptor, the clustering of both single subunits and fully assembled AChR occurs efficiently. In addition, 43K-induced clustering is specific for AChR subunits. From these results, we conclude that each pentameric AChR has five potential sites for interacting with 43K during cluster formation.
Innovation Amidst Crisis: Tulane University's Strategic Transformation

When Hurricane Katrina swept ashore in New Orleans on August 29, 2005, the destruction left in its wake was unparalleled in U.S. history. In the months and years that have followed, the fallout of this disaster has been well-chronicled, including its tragic effects on individuals, communities, and institutions in the Gulf Coast region. While the impact of the storm was devastating, the challenges of recovery also have served as a crucible for social innovation and entrepreneurship. These stories of survival and renewal are the focus of this issue of Innovations; they are also the stories that have reshaped Tulane University and its relationship to the city of New Orleans over the past five years. Tulane’s journey from the brink of ruin to a flourishing institution transformed by its commitment to community engagement has at times been harrowing and difficult, but also inspiring. In the days following Katrina, the university was faced with major physical damage, staggering financial losses, and the displacement of over 20,000 students, faculty, and staff. The storm also exacerbated problems that had long plagued the surrounding community—deficiencies in the city’s education and health care systems and its infrastructure. However, amid this crisis came unexpected opportunities. For the city, the attention generated by Katrina brought resources and ideas to problems that had been too long ignored. For Tulane, the storm was equally important in raising strategic questions about the mission of the institution, its interdependence with the local community, and the role of universities in producing engaged citizens and future leaders.
cognitive maps of the ethnic domain in urban Ghana: reflections on variability and change

Recent work on cognitive domains has stressed the themes of intracultural variability, “larger cultural informational systems,” the relationships between cognition and behavioral performance, and diachronic change in cognitive organization. These themes are taken up in an analysis of the domain of ethnic identities (“tribes”) among an urban Ghanaian population. It is shown that individual outlooks vary considerably; that few of the many ethnic terms have high salience; that alternative hierarchical and nonhierarchical modes of organization of the domain coexist; that a widely shared implicit structure of language groupings underlies surface diversity; that the domain “tribes” embraces a world-wide array of ethnic identities; that cognitive salience and structure correspond closely, but not perfectly, with behavioral experience; and that change in cognitive organization may arise both “on the ground” through changing patterns of interethnic relations, and “from above” in state-sponsored modes of organization of the ethnic domain. Twelve dimensions of cognitive variability that arise in the analysis are recapitulated in conclusion.
Can consumer stoichiometric regulation control nutrient spiraling in streams

Abstract Homeostatic organisms regulate their elemental composition by retaining nutrients that are limiting and eliminating those in excess. We argue that this type of homeostatic regulation by consumers might decouple the downstream movement of limiting and nonlimiting nutrients in streams. To illustrate the influence of consumers on nutrient spiraling, we developed a longitudinal model of stream nutrient dynamics that explicitly incorporates stoichiometry and recycling. First, we simulated N- and P-tracer addition experiments in a P-limited stream with a particle-tracking algorithm that allowed us to follow the pathways of N and P atoms in the model ecosystem. Then, we varied the biomass, N:P ratio, and strength of stoichiometric regulation of consumers to quantify how these parameters affected modeled spiraling metrics. The particle-tracking simulation showed that the average time for a nutrient atom to complete a spiral increased with the fraction of atoms that entered the consumer compartment in eac...
Nonlinear bubble dynamics in a slowly driven foam.

Sudden topological rearrangement of neighboring bubbles in a foam occur during coarsening, and can also be induced by applied forces. Diffusing-wave spectroscopy measurements are presented of such dynamics before, during, and after an imposed shear strain. The rate of rearrangements is proportional to the strain rate, and the shape of the correlation functions shows that they are spatially and temporally uncorrelated. Macroscopic deformation is thus accomplished by a nonlinear microscopic process reminiscent of dynamics in the propagation of earthquake faults or the flow of granular media.