cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of nebulized glycopyrrolate and metaproterenol in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

We assessed the bronchodilating effect of glycopyrrolate (GP) and compared it with that of metaproterenol (MP), alone and in combination (GP+MP), in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In a double-blind study, 11 patients (aged (mean +/- SD) 69 +/- 6 yrs; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 1.2 +/- 0.4 L) with stable COPD inhaled nebulized GP 1.0 mg, MP 15 mg, or GP 1.0 mg+MP 15 mg. Spirometry was performed before inhalation and at hourly intervals for 8 h after inhalation. It was found that GP produced a bronchodilating effect that was about equal to that of MP but lasted longer (8 vs 5 h). The combination of GP and MP produced a bronchodilating effect that was greater than that of either drug alone and was evident mostly during the effect of MP. The mean peak percentage improvement in FEV1 over baseline was 35% for GP+MP and 25% for either drug alone. These data suggest that nebulized glycopyrrolate is an effective bronchodilator in some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Concurrent administration of glycopyrrolate and metaproterenol produces additional bronchodilation that is primarily apparent during the bronchodilator effect of metaproterenol.
Fundamental Cause Theory, Technological Innovation, and Health Disparities: The Case of Cholesterol in the Era of Statins

Although fundamental cause theory has been highly influential in shaping the research literature on health disparities, there have been few empirical demonstrations of the theory, particularly in dynamic perspective. In this study, we examine how income disparities in cholesterol levels have changed with the emergence of statins, an expensive and potent new drug technology. Using nationally representative data from 1976 to 2004, we find that income gradients for cholesterol were initially positive, but then reversed and became negative in the era of statin use. While the advantaged were previously more likely to have high levels of cholesterol, they are now less likely. We consider our case study against a broader theoretical framework outlining the relationship between technology innovation and health disparities. We find that the influence of technologies on socioeconomic disparities is subject to two important modifiers: (1) the nature of the technological change and (2) the extent of its diffusion and adoption.
Warm Season Lightning Distributions over the Northern Gulf of Mexico Coast and Their Relation to Synoptic-Scale and Mesoscale Environments

Abstract Cloud-to-ground lightning data from the National Lightning Detection Network are used to create a warm season (May–September) lightning climatology for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast for the 14-yr period 1989–2002. Each day is placed into one of five flow regimes based on the orientation of the low-level flow with respect to the coastline. This determination is made using the vector mean 1000–700-hPa wind data at Lake Charles and Slidell, Louisiana. Flash densities are calculated for daily, hourly, and nocturnal periods. Spatial patterns of composite 24-h and nocturnal flash density indicate that lightning decreases in an east-to-west direction over the region. Flash densities for the 24-h period are greatest over land near the coast, with relative maxima located near Houston, Texas; Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, Louisiana; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama. Flash densities during the nocturnal period are greatest over the coastal waters. Lightning across the northern Gulf...
Direct effects of a biocontrol agent are greater than indirect effects through flower visitors for the alien plant Dalmatian toadflax ( Linaria dalmatica: Scrophulariaceae)

Herbivory and pollination are important determinants of female reproductive success in flowering plants. Plants must interact with herbivores and flower visitors simultaneously and interaction with one may alter the outcome of the interaction with the other. These indirect effects can have dramatic impacts on plant fitness. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the stem-boring weevil Mecinus janthiniformis (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) affects flower visitation rate and seed set of the exotic plant Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica (L.) Mill. Scrophulariaceae). We compared the flower production, flower morphology, visitation rate, fruit production, and pollen limitation on Dalmatian toadflax plants with and without larval feeding by M. janthiniformis. Feeding by M. janthiniformis reduced the number of flowers and per plant visitation rate, and there was a significant interaction between herbivory and flower number suggesting that the change in visitation rate was not solely a function of a reduction in flower abundance. Herbivory also had direct negative impacts on the reproductive success of Dalmatian toadflax. Total flower and fruit production decreased by over 30 % in plants attacked by M. janthiniformis. However, plants with M. janthiniformis were not more pollen-limited than those without M. janthiniformis. This suggests that herbivory had primarily direct effects female reproductive success.
Bootstrapping Trust in Commodity Computers

Trusting a computer for a security-sensitive task (such as checking email or banking online) requires the user to know something about the computer's state. We examine research on securely capturing a computer's state, and consider the utility of this information both for improving security on the local computer (e.g., to convince the user that her computer is not infected with malware) and for communicating a remote computer's state (e.g., to enable the user to check that a web server will adequately protect her data). Although the recent "Trusted Computing" initiative has drawn both positive and negative attention to this area, we consider the older and broader topic of bootstrapping trust in a computer. We cover issues ranging from the wide collection of secure hardware that can serve as a foundation for trust, to the usability issues that arise when trying to convey computer state information to humans. This approach unifies disparate research efforts and highlights opportunities for additional work that can guide real-world improvements in computer security.
Major surgery in hodgkin's disease and other malignant lymphomas

This is a retrospective and all-inclusive study of 527 patients with malignant lymphoma. A total of 178 major surgical procedures were carried out on 139 patients (an incidence rate of 18.4% for the 163 patients with Hodgkin's disease and 29.9% for the 364 with other lymphomas). There were 101 procedures done initially for diagnosis and 77 carried out after the diagnosis was established. Only 15 patients had laparotomies for staging purposes. The other operations included 59 celiotomies for diagnosis (21 had resection of organs), 42 abdominal operations for complications (malignant or nonmalignant), 11 radical node dissections, 6 radical mastectomies, 5 laminectomies, 4 thoracotomies, 3 bone operations, and 33 various other procedures. With the wider application of the exploratory laparotomy for staging and the improved survival with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, it is obvious that the future role of surgery will be quite different from the past. However, certain patients will still require major surgery for diagnosis. In addition, second cancers, conditions unrelated to lymphoma, complications secondary to aggressive therapy all may need surgical management.
Unusual acute abdomen: to operate or not to operate?

9 ), with 77% neutrophils (40-74%), and a haematocrit of 46% (37-47%). Results of other blood tests, chest radiography, and an ECG were normal. We treated the patient with intravenous fl uids and analgesia,
A practical micropower programmable bandpass filter for use in bionic ears

Subthreshold Gm-C filters offer the low power and wide tunable range required for use in fully implantable bionic ears. The major design challenge that must be met is increasing the linear range. A capacitive-attenuation technique is presented and refined to allow the construction of wide-linear-range bandpass filters with greater than 1 V/sub pp/ swings. For a 100-200 Hz fully differential filter with second-order roll off slopes and greater than 60 dB dynamic range, experimental results from a 1.5-/spl mu/m, 2.8-V BiCMOS chip yield only 0.23 /spl mu/W power consumption; for a 5-10 kHz filter with the same specifications the power only increased to 6.36 /spl mu/W. Fully differential filters with first-order slopes had a dynamic range of 66 dB and power consumptions of 0.12 and 3.36 /spl mu/W in the 100-200 Hz and 5-10 kHz cases, respectively. We show that our experimental results of noise and linear range are in good accord with theoretical estimates of these quantities.
Generally Overlooked Fundamentals of Bacterial Genetics and Ecology

Several important aspects of the antimicrobial resistance problem have not been treated extensively in previous monographs on this subject. This section very briefly updates information on these topics and suggests how this information is of value in assessing the contributions of human and agricultural use of antimicrobial agents on the problem of increasing antimicrobial resistance. The overall themes are (1) that propagation of resistance is an ecological problem, and thus (2) that ameliorating this problem requires recognition of long-established information on the commensal microbiota of mammals, as well as that of recent molecular understanding of the genetic agents involved in the movement of resistance genes.
Effect of 1 mg/day finasteride on concentrations of serum prostate-specific antigen in men with androgenic alopecia: a randomised controlled trial

Summary Background Use of 5 mg/day finasteride (Proscar) for benign prostatic hyperplasia is known to affect serum concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). When men taking this treatment undergo screening for prostate cancer, a compensatory adjustment of the PSA concentration (to multiply the value by two) is recommended. Whether this recommendation should apply to men taking 1 mg/day finasteride (Propecia) for the treatment of androgenic alopecia is unknown. We aimed to assess the effect of 1 mg/day finasteride on serum PSA in men aged 40–60 years with male-pattern hair loss. Methods Between March 13, 1998, and Jan 12, 2000, 355 men aged 40–60 years with male-pattern hair loss were stratified by age decade (40–49 years and 50–60 years), and randomised in a ratio of four to one to 1 mg/day finasteride or placebo. The primary endpoint was the effect of this treatment for 48 weeks on serum PSA concentration compared with placebo. This trial is in the process of being registered on the US National Institutes of Health website http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00396175. Analyses were according to protocol. Findings Within 48 weeks of randomisation, men aged 40–49 years and 50–60 years who were assigned 1 mg/day finasteride had a median decrease in serum PSA concentration of 40% (95% CI 34–46) and 50% (44–57), respectively. In men assigned placebo, the median changes were 0% [−14 to 14] and a median increase of 13% [2 to 24], respectively. Interpretation In men aged 40–60 years, 1 mg/day finasteride for 48 weeks lowers serum PSA concentration. Therefore, the existing recommendation for the adjustment of serum PSA concentration in prostate-cancer screening in men taking 5 mg/day finasteride should also apply to men taking the 1 mg/day preparation for male-pattern hair loss. Research is needed to assess the effect of 1 mg/day finasteride preparation beyond 48 weeks of treatment.
The Fate of the Dramatic in Modern Society: Social Theory and the Theatrical Avant-Garde

Avant-garde theatre is often invoked as the bellwether for a society that has become postdramatic – fragmented, alienated, and critical of efforts to create collectively shared meanings. A theatre whose sequenced actions have no narrative (so the story goes) mirrors a social world where the most conflictual situations no longer appear as drama but merely as spectacle: a society where audiences look on without any feeling or connection. Because only half right, these theses about postdramatic theatre and society are fundamentally wrong. As modern societies have expanded and differentiated, the elements that compose performances have become separated and often fragmented in both theatre and society. If they can be brought back together again, performances are viewed as authentic and meaningful. If (re)fusion cannot be achieved, performances fail to communicate meaning. The aim of this essay is to demonstrate that a shared ambition to (re)fuse fragmented performative elements has defined the most important s...
A blackboard-based cooperative system for schema integration

Corporate information system environments are heterogeneous, consisting of multiple and independently managed databases. Many applications that assist decision making call for access to data from multiple heterogeneous databases. To facilitate this, there needs to be an integrated representation of the underlying databases that allows users to query multiple databases simultaneously. The process of deriving this integrated representation is called schema integration. Schema integration is time consuming and complex, as it requires a thorough understanding of the underlying database semantics. Since no data model can capture the entire real world semantics of each database's objects, this process requires human agent assistance. Although certain aspects of schema integration can be automated, interaction with designers and users is still necessary. We describe a four-level blackboard architecture that supports schema integration and provide a detailed description of the communication among human and computational agents that this system allows. >
A Comparison of Survey Measures and Biomarkers of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure among Nonsmokers.

Objectives Secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure causes several adverse physical health outcomes. Conceptual differences in survey measures of ‘psychosocial’ (SHS exposure from smokers in an individual's life) and ‘physical’ (environments where an individual is exposed to SHS) SHS exposure exist. Few studies have examined the association between psychosocial and physical SHS exposures measures in comparison to biomarkers of SHS exposure. Design and Sample A secondary analysis of cross-sectional data was examined among a convenience sample of 20 adults. Measures Data included survey items on SHS exposure and hair nicotine and saliva cotinine levels. Spearman analysis was used to assess correlations among variables. Results Medium and strong correlations were found among SHS exposure measures with the exception of saliva cotinine levels. Strong correlations were found among and between psychosocial and physical SHS exposure measures. Hair nicotine levels had medium strength associations with only perceived frequency of SHS exposure. Discussion As psychosocial measures of exposure were associated with biomarkers, such measures (particularly perceived frequency of SHS exposure) should be added to surveys in addition to physical SHS exposure measures to enhance accuracy of SHS measurement. Future explorations with robust sample sizes should further examine the strength of relationship between psychosocial and physical SHS exposure measures.
Refocusing the Lens on Girls’ Participation in Physical Education

Recommendations for effectively teaching girls in physical education have been an initiative of scholars decades before Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 was enacted (Cassidy & Kozman, 1943; Curtis, 1915; Frymir & Hillas, 1935). In fact, the argument for gender equality in physical activity is nearly as old as the United States. In his historical recount of women in physical activity, Robert J. Parks (1982) highlights colonial papers that advocated for coeducational classrooms, and lamented the modicum of physical activity engagement of women and girls. As the literature has evolved throughout the years, it has become evident that works about girls in physical education has progressed from overly opinionated recommendations about girls’ decorum in gender segregated classes to theoretically-based research that considers girls’ attitudes and their perceived barriers, as well as ideal class settings for optimum learning and participation. However, neither physical activity levels nor interest in physical education are high for girls (Inchley, Currie, Todd, Akhtar & Currie, 2005; Jago, Anderson, Baranowski, Watson, 2005; Wolf et al., 1995). Although the scope of this review of literature does not delve into the long history of women in sports; gender issues in physical education will be explored, thus giving insight into the many aspects of women in physical education, and physical activity through the years.
Magneto-Optical Spectra of Copt 3 : Experiments and First Principles Calculations

The magneto-optical Kerr effect of CoPt3 ordered compounds and alloys is investigated experimentally and analyzed theoretically using first principles band structure calculations. The calculations confirm the experimental results and allow for the first time a detailed, bandstructure based interpretation of the electronic transitions leading to the well known strong uv peak at around 4eV. This feature can be unambiguously attributed to magneto-optical transitions within the Pt p and d bands.
Induction of Epstein-Barr Virus-Specific Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Responses Using Dendritic Cells Pulsed With EBNA-3A Peptides or UV-Inactivated, Recombinant EBNA-3A Vaccinia Virus

Cell-mediated immunity, especially the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), provides resistance to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), as is demonstrated by the occurrence of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease in immunosuppressed patients. We set out to use dendritic cells (DCs) to elicit anti–EBV-specific CTLs in culture. In unselected, HLA-B8+ donors, monocyte-derived mature DCs were pulsed with the HLA-B8–restricted EBNA-3A peptide, FLRGRAYGL, and added to autologous T cells for 7 days at a DC:T ratio of 1:5 to 1:60. The cultured cells specifically lysed EBNA-3A peptide-pulsed, HLA-B8+, B-lymphoblastoid cell lines in a 5-hour51Cr-release assay. The generation of CTLs did not require the addition of interleukin-2. In comparison, monocytes were weak antigen-presenting cells. DCs were then infected with recombinant vaccinia-EBNA-3A. Vaccinia infection significantly decreased the viability of immature DCs after 3 days of culture (to 25% to 45%) but had a smaller effect on mature DC recovery (40% to 70%). To decrease these cytopathic effects and to expand the potential use of vaccinia vectors for DC therapy in immunocompromised patients, we successfully used psoralen and UV-inactivated virus. Mature DCs pulsed with either live or inactivated vaccinia EBNA-3A virus could elicit strong EBNA-3A–specific CTLs. Therefore, mature DCs are powerful stimulators of EBV-specific CTLs and their major histocompatibility complex class I products can even be charged with UV-inactivated recombinant vaccinia.
Do as the pathogens do

Mammalian immune systems have evolved to identify conserved structures termed pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). The host’s antigen-presenting cells (APCs) identify PAMPs by using families of pattern-recognition receptors, most commonly Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Recent immunization
The Applications of Stamping SE in Automobile Development

Analysis of stamping(SE) is to evaluate the performance of parts formed by stamping through the method of DFM(Design for Manufacturability)and advanced CAE during the development of the whole automobile,find the best combining point between manufacturing requirements and part design and lower design risks and cost.This article briefs on the general content,goals and applications in some project of SGMW of sampling SE.
Comparison of Multichannel Wide Dynamic Range Compression and ChannelFree Processing Strategies on Consonant Recognition.

BACKGROUND Both wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) and ChannelFree (CF) processing strategies in hearing aids were designed to improve listener comfort and consonant identification, yet few studies have actually compared them. PURPOSE To determine whether CF processing provides equal or better consonant identification and subjective preference than WDRC. RESEARCH DESIGN A repeated-measures randomized design was used in which each participant identified consonants from prerecorded nonsense vowel-consonant-vowel syllables in three conditions: unaided, aided using CF processing, and aided using WDRC processing. For each of the three conditions, syllables were presented in quiet and in a speech-noise background. Participants were also asked to rate the two processing schemes according to overall preference, preference in quiet and noise, and sound quality. STUDY SAMPLE Twenty adults (seven females; mean age 69.7 yr) with ≥1 yr of hearing aid use participated. Ten participants had previous experience wearing aids with WDRC, and 10 had previous experience with CF processing. Participants were tested with both WDRC and CF processing. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Number of consonants correct were measured and used as the dependent variable in analyses of variance with subsequent post hoc testing. For subjective preference, a listener rating form was employed with subsequent χ² analysis. RESULTS Overall results showed that signal-processing strategy did not significantly affect consonant identification or subjective preference, nor did previous hearing aid use influence results. Listeners with audiometric slopes exceeding 11 dB per octave, however, preferred CF processing and performed better in noise with CF processing. CONCLUSION CF processing is a viable alternative to WDRC for listeners with more severely sloping audiometric contours.
Detecting Default Mode Networks in Utero by Integrated 4D fMRI Reconstruction and Analysis

Recently, there has been considerable interest, especially for in utero imaging, in the detection of functional connectivity in subjects whose motion cannot be controlled while in the MRI scanner. These cases require two advances over current studies: (1) multiecho acquisitions and (2) post processing and reconstruction that can deal with significant between slice motion during multislice protocols to allow for the ability to detect temporal correlations introduced by spatial scattering of slices into account. This article focuses on the estimation of a spatially and temporally regular time series from motion scattered slices of multiecho fMRI datasets using a full four-dimensional (4D) iterative image reconstruction framework. The framework which includes quantitative MRI methods for artifact correction is evaluated using adult studies with and without motion to both refine parameter settings and evaluate the analysis pipeline. ICA analysis is then applied to the 4D image reconstruction of both adult and in utero fetal studies where resting state activity is perturbed by motion. Results indicate quantitative improvements in reconstruction quality when compared to the conventional 3D reconstruction approach (using simulated adult data) and demonstrate the ability to detect the default mode network in moving adults and fetuses with single-subject and group analysis. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4158-4178, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Texture and the microwave background

The formation of galaxies and their large-scale distribution in the Universe has been the focus of intense theoretical research over the years, and remains one of the outstanding problems facing modern cosmology. It is believed that small irregularities, or perturbations, in the mass distribution early in the Universe subsequently grew to form the galaxies and structures we currently see around us. Last year Neil Turok produced a new model of the origin of these perturbations which involves some rather exotic objects called 'global textures', relics of the grand unification era when the nuclear and electromagnetic forces behaved as different aspects of a single force.
J/sup. pi. / = 4/sup +/ level at 24. 6 MeV excitation energy in /sup 4/He

Dynamical R-matrix methodology of Lane and Robson is used to determine the properties of the recently proposed J/sup ..pi../ = 4/sup +/,GAMMAroughly-equal several MeV, T = 0 state at 24.6 MeV excitation energy in the /sup 4/He system. The calculations lead to a J/sup ..pi../ = 4/sup +/ state with the following properties: E/sub x/ = 42.4 MeV, T = 0, and GAMMA = 4.0 MeV. The model results and data are in reasonable agreement except for predictions of the excitation energy of the 4/sup +/ level. Discrepancies in the excitation energy may be due to model space truncation restrictions, model interaction inadequacies, or uncertainties in experimental location of the (4/sup +/,0) level.
Diabetic nephropathy as the cause of end-stage kidney disease reported on the medical evidence form CMS2728 at a single center

Background: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) incidence due to Type 2 diabetic nephropathy (DN) is 35-50%, according to the United States Renal Data System. Methods: A single-center, retrospective cohort study to determine incidence and diagnostic accuracy for Type 2 DN as the primary cause of ESRD (Code 250.40) on the Center for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Medical Evidence Report form (CMS2728) submitted at renal replacement therapy initiation. All patients ≥18 years of age with a CMS2728 submitted between 1 March 2006 and 31 March 2015 at a single academic military medical center (ESRD Network 5) were included. Medical records of those with a Code 250.40 diagnosis were reviewed to determine whether they met the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) 2007 criteria for DN. Results: ESRD incidence secondary to Type 2 DN was 18.7% (56/299 individual CMS2728 submissions over 9.09 years). In all, 12/56 (21.4%) did not meet KDOQI criteria for Type 2 DN. Although all had diabetes, those not meeting criteria had shorter disease duration (P = 0.007), were more likely to have active urine sediment (P = 0.006), and were less likely to have macroalbuminuria (P = 0.037) or retinopathy (P = 0.002) prior to ESRD. On exact logistic regression, retinopathy was significantly associated with KDOQI-predicted DN [odds ratio = 19.16 (confidence interval 2.76-223.7), P = 0.0009]. Conclusions: In this single-center cohort, 21.4% identified as having Type 2 DN as the primary cause of ESRD were incorrectly assigned per KDOQI 2007 clinical criteria. If replicated in larger populations, this could have substantial implications regarding the epidemiology of ESRD in the USA.
Fine-Grained Recognition of Thousands of Object Categories with Single-Example Training

We approach the problem of fast detection and recognition of a large number (thousands) of object categories while training on a very limited amount of examples, usually one per category. Examples of this task include: (i) detection of retail products, where we have only one studio image of each product available for training, (ii) detection of brand logos, and (iii) detection of 3D objects and their respective poses within a static 2D image, where only a sparse subset of (partial) object views is available for training, with a single example for each view. Building a detector based on so few examples presents a significant challenge for the current top-performing (deep) learning based techniques, which require large amounts of data to train. Our approach for this task is based on a non-parametric probabilistic model for initial detection, CNN-based refinement and temporal integration where applicable. We successfully demonstrate its usefulness in a variety of experiments on both existing and our own benchmarks achieving state-of-the-art performance.
KVA from the Beginning

Understanding the interaction between a new derivative, its financing and the wider balance sheet during pricing is critical for dealer profitability. For this purpose we extend a single period structural balance sheet model developed in Andersen, Duffie and Song to include equity financing before deriving consistent firm and shareholder break even prices. The former is given by the risk neutral expectation of the derivative cash flow in all scenarios including dealer default, discounted at the risk-free rate. The latter on the other hand is given by a dealer survival measure expectation of the derivative cash flow, including at counterparty default, discounted at the dealer weighted average rate of capital. This discounting rate is partially determined by the minimum amount to equity funding required by regulators. We next show how the shareholder break even price can be split into funding and capital valuation adjustments. All results are valid whether the dealer chooses to hedge the derivative or not.
A high-precision photogrammetric recording system for small artifacts

Abstract Archaeologists, preservationists, and many other researchers have increasingly turned to photogrammetry as an alternative to optical 3D-scanning hardware. The technology is sufficiently new that researchers have only begun to establish the protocols and standards. This article presents a simple yet rigorously controlled method for 3D modeling small artifacts ca. 5–10 cm across. The specimen is rotated on a turntable to facilitate photography, and artificial lighting creates an even illumination throughout the resulting models. A masking technique allows a full 360° view of the object to be restored simultaneously, eliminating the need for aligning and merging partial scans or other post-processing. Repeatability tests of the resulting models indicate high precisions and accuracies that exceed those reported previously for photogrammetric modeling in the literature. The method can match the accuracy typically attained by commercial optical scanning systems.
Changes in Protein Phosphorylation and Nucleoside Triphosphates during Phototransduction — Physiological Correlates

Illumination of vertebrate rods causes the phosphorylation of the visual pigment rhodopsin, the dephosphorylation of two small proteins, and can also change nucleoside triphosphate levels. Light-induced phosphorylation of invertebrate rhodopsin has also been observed. The physiological roles of these reactions are not understood. Vertebrate rhodopsin is phosphorylated at multiple sites nears its C-terminal end located at the surface of the disc membrane, and it seems likely that this influences its interaction with other proteins regulating the transduction pathway. Both the protein phosphorylation reactions and nucleoside triphosphate changes induced by illumination are slower than conductance changes, and they occur mainly at light levels higher than those required to saturate the conductance. This suggests that they may be more important in regulating adaptation and recovery processes than in triggering the initial conductance changes. After a bright flash rhodopsin phosphorylation occurs over the same time period as the recovery of conductance in the dark, and a GTP decrease is reversed as light sensitivity returns. The correspondence between the measured chemistry and physiology is not obligatory, however, because lowering calcium concentration in the medium accelerates the return of both conductance and sensitivity without influencing the kinetics of either rhodopsin phosphorylation or the GTP return.
Competencias profesionales de los egresados de la carrera de bibliotecología de la Universidad de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la Educación: una propuesta para MERCOSUR

En este trabajo se entrega una breve vision de las caracteristicas de las competencias profesionales, sus tendencias y diversas definiciones que afectam la aceptacion de una caracteristica u otra. Finalmente se entrega una propuesta de competencias profesionales con sus correspondientes caracteristicas e indicadores.
1,6-Addition of Tertiary Carbon Radicals Generated From Alcohols or Carboxylic Acids by Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis

The addition of tertiary carbon radicals generated by an Ir-catalyzed visible-light photocatalyst to electron-deficient 1,3-dienes proceeds in good yields to append a δ-substituted β,γ-unsaturated carbonyl fragment to a tertiary alcohol or carboxylic acid precursor and construct a new quaternary carbon center.
The outcomes of elective laparoscopic and open cholecystectomies.

BACKGROUND The demand for evidence of effectiveness for medical care has prompted the development of epidemiologic approaches to relating the outcomes of care to treatment. This study compares the outcomes of care for patients undergoing the newly introduced laparoscopic cholecystectomy with the results from conventional open cholecystectomies. METHODS Consecutive cases of elective cholecystectomy from 35 hospitals (all of the metropolitan and selected rural hospitals in Minnesota) were enrolled in the study. Patients were interviewed on admission to establish baseline symptoms and functional status and to confirm risk factors. Their medical records were abstracted to yield information on risk factors, treatment, and hospital complications. To establish outcomes, patients were sent a questionnaire about their symptoms and functional status six months postoperatively. RESULTS Of 3,448 patients studied, 2,490 (72 percent) had a laparoscopic procedure, including 195 cases that were converted to open cholecystectomies. Functional status data were obtained on 2,481 cases (76 percent). Laparoscopic operation was associated with more operative complications (odds ratio 3.02, p < 0.001), but with fewer general complications (odds ratio 0.32, p < 0.001). The mean time to return to work was 15 days for laparoscopic cases compared to 31 days for open procedures (p < 0.001). The only functional outcome difference between the two procedures was that patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomies were more likely than those with conventional cholecystectomies to be able to perform their usual activities at follow-up evaluation (p < .001). There was evidence of a learning curve; the more laparoscopic procedures a surgeon performed, the fewer the operative (p < 0.01) and general (p < 0.0001) complications. There was no indication that the availability of laparoscopic operation was associated with more operations being performed. CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic operation seems to represent a significant advance in getting patients back to a normal life sooner. More attention needs to be given to which patients are most likely to benefit from cholecystectomy of either type. Epidemiologic approaches can be useful in assessing the effectiveness of care. Partnerships between providers and researchers can produce useful effectiveness data by supplementing available clinical records with more detailed outcome data.
Flowering requirements of Polymnia canadensis (Asteraceae) and their influence on its life history variation

The purpose of this study is to determine the flowering requirements of Polymnia canadensis and how they correspond to the occurrence of winter annuals, biennials, and short-lived monocarpic perennials in this species. Polymnia canadensis has a vernalization requirement for flowering, and even very small plants (i.e., those with one pair of leaves) can be vernalized. Vernalized plants can flower under both long- and short days. However, to flower plants must attain a minimum postvernalization size. Plants of this primarily monocarpic species that do not die after they flower once require another period of vernalization to flower a second time (i.e., to be dicarpic). Vernalized plants exposed to high temperatures can be devernalized; these must be re-vernalized in order to flower.
Crowdsourcing and Ethics

Crowdsourcing has received considerable attention for its ability to provide researchers and task requesters with an inexpensive, quick, and easy method to complete repetitive tasks and utilize human intellect. Most studies have expressed the merits of crowdsourcing; however, little discussion has been reported on the potential to use the crowd to accomplish unethical tasks. In this chapter, we start with a survey on crowdsourcing ethics that illustrates the crowd’s reluctance to perform unethical tasks. We then conduct an experiment with crowdsourcing workers to explore selected influential factors that might encourage them to knowingly violate ethical norms of privacy.
INVESTIGATION OF MICROPOROUS TEFLON TUBINGS FOR USE IN AN ARTIFICIAL GLOMERULUS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents results of an investigation of microporous Teflon tubings for use in an artificial glomerulus. This research was instituted to investigate the possibilities of using microporous Teflon tubings in implantable artificial glomeruli developed to aid elimination of excess water. In the research, microporous Teflon tubings (Gore-Tex) were tested and found to have the proper pore size for allowing only the diffusion of water and its solutes while preventing the passage of red blood cells and large molecules. Two experimental devices were constructed: one with straight tubing and the other with helically coiled tubing. The intraluminal pressure of 90 mmHg was established as the minimum pressure for water passage through the untreated Teflon tubings. After treatment with 100% ethanol, water passed through the walls freely at negligible intraluminal pressure. However, the alcohol effects were found to be transient. The hydrophilic characteristics of the tubings were reduced by 7% within the first hour and completely eliminated within 24 h.
Developing applications on the XBOX 360 console

The recent development and success of games classes and games-themed curricula are inspirational. However, for faculty members with no computer gaming or graphics background the outlook of adopting or developing games-related courseware materials can be daunting. The recently released Microsoft XNA framework presents a simple Model-View-Controller architecture for programming games-themed applications. In this tutorial we will identify the freely available software systems require, describe the process, and demonstrate examples to program simple games-like applications in the Windows environment and on the XBOX 360 console. Participants are not required to have any knowledge in games or graphics programming.
Microgrid Protection: A Planning Perspective

Demand for uninterrupted power supply has been increasing in the 21stcentury economy. Modernized electrical distribution systems (EDSs) utilizing distributed energy resources (DERs) and smart devices offer resiliency of power supply through microgrid capability. However, for a number of reasons, microgrid protection is one the main technical challenges faced by utility companies. In the absence of an off-the-shelf protective relay (PR) for a comprehensive microgrid protection solution, utility engineers are required to identify the problematic scenarios under which a protection scheme may fail to operate properly and up-grade/modify it to handle those scenarios. This paper presents a distribution system analytical tool (DSAT) to evaluate the performance of microgrid protection scheme under different scenarios. Using dynamic models of different DER technologies, the tool is capable of performing time-domain analysis. The benchmark analysis presented in this paper shows the accuracy of the developed tool. A real case study presented in this paper demonstrates the functionality of the tool over other steady-state software applications widely used by protection engineers.
African-American Patient

This chapter is a case study of an African-American male who presented to an outpatient primary care office for a routine annual physical examination. Testing for sexually transmitted infections as well as pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV were discussed.
Globalization, Pluralization, and Erosion: The Impact of Shifting Societal Expectations for Advocacy and Public Good

This research contributes to the theoretical conceptualization of public advocacy in several ways: First, this research positions the emergence of corporate engagement in controversial social-political issues within a broader multidisciplinary conversation about shifting societal expectations surrounding the roles of business and governments in a democratic society. This research explores the implications for democracy as a public good when business plays an increasingly central and powerful role as decision-makers and problem-solvers of the most important issues facing society. Next, this research discusses how globalization, pluralization, increased corporate power and pressures, and the erosion of traditional institutions contribute to a politicized corporation. Finally, this research concludes with theoretical propositions for moving forward with an advocacy and public interest communications research agenda.
Ethical Risk and Energy

Defining ethical violations as acts or situations excluding individuals from choices, and ethical deterioration as an increase in intensity or number of ethical violations, the ethical risk is defined as the risk of ethical deterioration. Ethical deteriorations and improvements often coexist and share the same causes, and the net ethical impact is often difficult and controversial to assess. In the energy sector, the ethical risk appears to have five key determinants: (i) personal accountability, i.e. our responsibility in decisions and actions; (ii) fairness, i.e. the consequence on the choices of others; (iii) usage, i.e. the impact on the social and natural environment; (iv) addiction, i.e. the dependence that is created as energy is used over time and (v) danger, i.e. how the force of energy sources can be unexpectedly unleashed and what effort is made to mitigate these.
“I Don’t Claim to Be the World’s Foremost Expert, But . . . ”: How Individuals “Know” Family Members Are Not Experiencing Health Issues as Severely as They Claim:

To understand how individuals come to "know" that their family members are not experiencing their health issues as severely as they claim, we interviewed 32 individuals (nine men and 23 women, M age = 35.28 years, SD = 9.91 years) about a family member who they believe falsifies or exaggerates his or her health condition(s). Our analyses illuminate two interlinked processes of knowledge construction: (a) developing evidentiary standards and (b) gathering evidence. In engaging these processes, participants sought two types of consistency: correspondence with external "facts" (e.g., medical information, cultural [mis]conceptions), and internal coherence (i.e., complaints were highly self-contradictory and unpredictable or were overly predictable). When initial inconsistencies made participants doubt their family member, participants gathered additional evidence, including experiential, behavioral, and interactional evidence, to test and revise their initial suspicions. We discuss the implications of this research for theory and for families coping with illness.
Unique contributions of parvalbumin and cholinergic interneurons in organizing striatal networks during movement

Striatal parvalbumin (PV) and cholinergic interneurons (CHIs) are poised to play major roles in behavior by coordinating the networks of medium spiny cells that relay motor output. However, the small numbers and scattered distribution of these cells have hindered direct assessment of their contribution to activity in networks of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) during behavior. Here, we build on recent improvements in single-cell calcium imaging combined with optogenetics to test the capacity of PVs and CHIs to affect MSN activity and behavior in mice engaged in voluntary locomotion. We find that PVs and CHIs have unique effects on MSN activity and dissociable roles in supporting movement. PV cells facilitate movement by refining the activation of MSN networks responsible for movement execution. CHIs, in contrast, synchronize activity within MSN networks to signal the end of a movement bout. These results provide new insights into the striatal network activity that supports movement.
Nanoscaled Oxide Thin Films for Energy Conversion

This paper discusses the electrical transport properties of oxygen conductors and how they may be optimized by controlling their microstructure or thickness in the nanometer range. The parameters determining the ionic conductivity in cubic stabilized zirconia are reviewed and the case for enhanced ionic conductivity in yttria, (YSZ) and scandia (ScSZ) stabilized zirconia is considered. The obtained results show that properties of nanoscaled oxides can be greatly enhanced. This is attributed to a significant contribution from grain boundary/interface conductivity when the grain size or the film thickness is decreased below 100nm. These observations can have important implications for the development of nanostructured electrochemical devices with enhanced performance.
Ultraspectral imaging and the snapshot advantage

Ultraspectral sensing has been investigated as a way to resolve terrestrial chemical fluorescence within solar Fraunhofer lines. Referred to as Fraunhofer Line Discriminators (FLDs), these sensors attempt to measure "band filling" of terrestrial fluorescence within these naturally dark regions of the spectrum. However, the method has challenging signal to noise ratio limitations due to the low fluorescence emission signal of the target, which is exacerbated by the high spectral resolution required by the sensor (<0.1 nm). To now, many Fraunhofer line discriminators have been scanning sensors; either pushbroom or whiskbroom, which require temporal and/or spatial scanning to acquire an image. In this paper, we attempt to quantify the snapshot throughput advantage in ultraspectral imaging for FLD. This is followed by preliminary results of our snapshot FLD sensor. The system has a spatial resolution of 280x280 pixels and a spectral resolving power of approximately 10,000 at a 658 nm operating wavelength.
Right heart tamponade and intermittent cyanosis due to Morgagni diaphragmatic hernia in a neonate

Abstract Congenital Morgagni hernia (CMH) is a rare congenital anomaly is typically diagnosed in childhood and on occasions in adults during work up of unexplained respiratory infections or gastrointestinal symptoms. The average age of laparoscopic repair of CMH was 3.3 years. We describe a newborn with fetal aberrant ductus venosus with progressive right ventricular dilation prompting early delivery. Post-natally, the baby had frequent episodes of cyanosis. Echocardiogram during distress showed compression of the inferior vena cava and of the right heart, with significant right to left shunt through patent foramen ovale. Infant underwent successful laparoscopic diaphragmatic hernia repair with resolution in her episodes of cyanosis.
Design and evaluation of a laboratory-based wheelchair castor testing protocol using community data

Wheelchair castors fail frequently causing physical, social and economic consequences for wheelchair users. These failures occur in spite of established wheelchair test methods and regulations, suggesting that the existing tests may not be sufficient to screen poorly designed castors. An expert stakeholder group, convened by the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP), noted castor failures as a high priority and recommended that a new castor testing system should be developed. In a previous study, the effect of shock exposure on castor durability was studied. The current paper extends the previous work and focuses on the development of a castor testing protocol based on shock, corrosion and abrasion exposure data collected in the community. The testing protocol was applied to 8 different castor models tested under four conditions: shock, corrosion + shock, abrasion + shock and abrasion + corrosion + shock. For each model, a total of n = 8 samples were evaluated across the four conditions. Results demonstrate that corrosion and abrasion reduced castor durability between 13% to 100% depending on the model. Importantly, the inclusion of corrosion and abrasion resulted in changes in the failure modes for 75% of the tested models and two-thirds of the altered failure modes are associated with increased risk of injury for wheelchair users. These results suggest that corrosion and abrasion present in the community reduce castor durability, thus supporting their inclusion in the castor testing protocol and potentially other wheelchair standards.