cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Hodgkin-Huxley partial differential equation

Abstract The equations for propagation of impulses on an unmyelinated squid axon are modified to include effects of core capacitance and inductance without introducing any new parameters. One equation is the one-dimensional wave operator acting on a function whose values represent voltage across a surrounding membrane set equal to a nonlinear function of membrane voltage and its first time derivative. This is taken together with the first-order differential equations for the Hodgkin-Huxley empirical parameters n , m , and h . Voltage is specified as a -15-mV sawtooth or square impulse at a cut end and is required to be initially zero together with its first time derivative along the axon. This generates numerically a - 100- or a -103-mV action potential. Initial waves of -10-mV die out. A wave that propagates with velocity and form constant to five digits develops as x and t increase; it satisfies a first-order ordinary differential equation that replaces the former second-order equation. Agreement with former calculations is excellent and the extreme sensitivity to propagation rate is removed. The boundary value problem can be regarded as a model for transient development and propagation of an electrical impulse on a human muscle fiber.
A Frightening Device for Deterring Deer Use of Cattle Feeders

Abstract The presence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cattle can negatively impact a state's economy and cattle industry. In Michigan, USA, wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are a reservoir for reinfecting cattle herds. Although direct TB transmission between deer and cattle is rare, infected deer may contaminate cattle feed. To mitigate this risk, we designed and evaluated a deer-resistant cattle feeder (DRCF) device for deterring deer from feeders. The device delivered negative stimuli to condition deer to avoid cattle feeders. We tested the device by conducting a comparative change experiment at a high-density captive white-tailed deer operation in northeastern lower Michigan using pretreatment and treatment periods and random allocation of DRCF protection to 3 of 6 feeders during the treatment period. We used animal-activated cameras to collect data on deer use of feeders. Deer use was similar at protected and unprotected feeders during the pretreatment period but was lower at protected f...
Integrated filter/antennas with high efficiency and increased bandwidth

Two methods of integrating high-Q 3-D filters with antennas are presented to achieve very high efficiency and increased bandwidth. In one approach, a three-pole cavity filter is integrated with a slot antenna, which acts as an equivalent load of the filter. A total filter/antenna efficiency of 83% and an antenna efficiency of 98%, respectively, are achieved with a filter/antenna bandwidth of 4.8%. In the other approach, a two-pole cavity filter is integrated with a patch antenna, which adds an additional pole and forms a three-pole filter/antenna. A total filter/antenna efficiency of 91% is realized with a filter/antenna bandwidth of 8.5%. This novel filter/antenna integration technique also significantly reduces the form factor of the integrated RF front end. Prototype three-pole Chebyshev filter/antennas for both cases are demonstrated at X band. The measured impedance matching, efficiency, gain, and radiation pattern closely match simulation results.
Dietary electrolyte balance influences ileal endogenous amino acid losses in broiler chickens

The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of nitrogen-free diets formulated with 2 ratios of corn starch and dextrose and 2 levels of dietary electrolyte balance (DEB; calculated as Na + K - Cl(-), in mEq/kg of diet) on ileal endogenous amino acid (EAA) losses in 48-d-old broiler chickens. On d 43, 240 broiler chickens were allotted to 4 dietary treatments with 6 replicate cages per diet in a completely randomized design. Each experimental diet was fed for 5 d (d 43-48). All diets were free of nitrogen with 2 ratios of corn starch-to-dextrose (0.31 and 1.04) and 2 levels of DEB (108 and 219 mEq/kg of diet). Final BW and BW loss between birds fed the 2 corn starch-to-dextrose ratios and between birds fed 2 levels of DEB were not different (P > 0.05). Birds fed the diet containing a high level of DEB consumed less (P < 0.05) feed than birds on the low-DEB diet. Birds on the high-corn starch-to-dextrose (1.04) diet showed a tendency for higher (P = 0.08) feed intake. High dietary dextrose level (corn starch-to-dextrose ratio of 0.31) resulted in higher (P < 0.05) ileal DM and energy digestibility. A high level of DEB resulted in higher (P < 0.05) ileal endogenous nitrogen loss. Arginine, Ile, Leu, Phe, Val, Ala, Glu, Gly, Pro, and Tyr secretion into the gut increased (P ≤ 0.05) with an increasing level of DEB. Endogenous His, Lys, Thr, Asp, Cys, and Ser showed a tendency for increased (P ≤ 0.1) losses with a high level of DEB. Mean ileal EAA losses for the indispensable and dispensable amino acids for the low-DEB diet were 81 and 82%, respectively, that of the birds fed the high-DEB diet. The 4 amino acids with the lowest endogenous flow were Met, His, Tyr, and Cys, whereas the highest endogenous flow was found in Glu, Asp, Val, and Leu. Data from the current study showed that EAA losses in the ileum of broiler chickens are significantly affected by DEB, but not by the ratio of corn starch to dextrose.
Intrachannel pulse interactions in dispersion-managed transmission systems: energy transfer

Energy transfer between adjacent pulses as a result of nonlinear intrachannel interactions in a transmission system with strong periodic dispersion management is analyzed. With small average dispersion, the energy change between nonzero bits grows linearly with respect to distance in the presence of loss and lumped amplification, whereas in a lossless system the energy change is found to be significantly suppressed. The analytical results compare favorably with the results of direct numerical simulation of the full system.
A novel Web sales tracking solution for multi-channel marketing programs on electronic commerce

Internet based marketing programs have become critically important to many businesses, and at the same time more technologically advanced. If a business practices multiple types of Web marketing campaigns, sells multiple brands, and manages multiple online stores, it has to use market tracking solutions to monitor sales and leads from different marketing programs, and track and evaluate the performance of each program. A solution for tracking Web sales for multi-channel marketing programs is described. It consists of two technological components. A transient landing page provides a unique way to centralize, control and distribute Web traffic from different programs, and in doing so saves a Web merchant time, cost and effort in administrating its online stores. A multi-channel identifier allows the merchant to track sales and leads, and to evaluate the results and effectiveness of each program.
Diagnoses of vehicle malfunctions using a computer-controlled recorder. I: Melted catalysts on prototype vehicles

Diagnostic d'un mauvais fonctionnement d'un vehicule a l'aide d'un enregistreur commande par ordinateur. Fusion du catalyseur sur un vehicule prototype
Eyelid Swelling and Proptosis with Systemic Implications.

PRESENTATION A 20-year-old woman presented with a 4-day history of left upper eyelid swelling with erythema and tenderness (Figure 1). Two months prior to presentation, she had a similar episode on the left side, which was diagnosed at an outside facility as a chalazion with associated preseptal cellulitis. Her symptoms resolved with 4 days of oral cephalexin. One month later, she developed similar symptoms on the right side. She was again diagnosed with preseptal cellulitis in the setting of a chalazion, and her symptoms resolved with 7 days of oral cephalexin. Her review of systems was positive for 3-4 years of intermittent joint swelling and pain. Initially, small joints, but recently also medium joints, were involved. The pain and swelling would occur in 1-2 joints for 1-2 weeks and then shift to another 1-2 joints. In addition, she noticed several enlarged cervical and axillary lymph nodes for the past 2 years. She also had dry mouth in the morning, but no significant dry eye symptoms. She noted no fever, chills, night sweats, or weight loss, but had chronic fatigue for 2 months. She also had mild chronic facial erythema that did not worsen with sun exposure. Her family history was notable for her mother having been affected by an unspecified connective tissue disease. On ophthalmologic examination, her visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes, with normal color vision. Her pupils were normal, with no relative afferent pupillary defect. Her intraocular pressure was normal. She was orthophoric and had no subjective double vision. Right extraocular movements were full, but her left eye showed mildly limited abduction and supraduction. Her confrontation visual fields
Dissociations among linguistic, cognitive, and auditory-motor neuroanatomical domains in children who stutter

The onset of developmental stuttering typically occurs between 2 to 4 years of age, coinciding with a period of rapid development in speech, language, motor and cognitive domains. Previous studies have reported generally poorer performance and uneven, or "dissociated" development across speech and language domains in children who stutter (CWS) relative to children who do not stutter (CWNS) (Anderson, Pellowski, & Conture, 2005). The aim of this study was to replicate and expand previous findings by examining whether CWS exhibit dissociated development across speech-language, cognitive, and motor domains that are also reflected in measures of neuroanatomical development. Participants were 66CWS (23 females) and 53CWNS (26 females) ranging from 3 to 10 years. Standardized speech, language, cognitive, and motor skills measures, and fractional anisotropy (FA) values derived from diffusion tensor imaging from speech relevant "dorsal auditory" left perisylvian areas (Hickok & Poeppel, 2007) were analyzed using a correlation-based statistical procedure (Coulter, Anderson, & Conture, 2009) that quantified dissociations across domains. Overall, CWS scored consistently lower on speech, language, cognitive and motor measures, and exhibited dissociated development involving these same measures and white matter neuroanatomical indices relative to CWNS. Boys who stutter exhibited a greater number of dissociations compared to girls who stutter. Results suggest a subgroup of CWS may have incongruent development across multiple domains, and the resolution of this imbalance may be a factor in recovery from stuttering.
Physical Activity Attitudes, Beliefs, and Practices among Adults 50 and Older: Baseline Community Assessment

This study aligned with the National Blueprint, a coalition of national organizations to identify the principal barriers to physical activity participation in older adults and to outline strategies for increasing physical activity levels. A community coalition took the initiative to conduct a baseline assessment of health attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors among community adults in order to understand the immediate needs of the adult community. Adults 50 and older (N = 309) completed surveys of health and physical activity (PA) behaviors. Individuals reported below average physical activity levels. Motives and barriers to PA differed by gender and race/ethnicity. Age and health perceptions significantly predicted PA levels. Findings support previous research with this age group, thus discussion of the utility of multi-level approaches (e.g., social ecological model) to health betterment in communities is forwarded. Providing multi-level resources (personal, social, environmental, policy) can increase opportunities for adoption and maintenance of health behaviors.
Analysis and Simulation of Air Traffic Control Conflict

With the development of civil aviation, air traffic flow and flight conflicts have increased greatly, and it is more and more difficult to control air traffic. In this paper, a flight conflicts analysis and simulation system is introduced to resolve the analysis, evaluation and training problems efficiently and accurately. Design and implementation of the system are discussed including data acquisition subsystem and conflict analysis subsystem. This paper mainly introduced radar data acquisition and processing, analysis and simulation of conflict cases. The results have high reality and accuracy, can help to summarize experience and develop the business level of air traffic controllers.
Properties of Augmented Kohn-Sham Potential for Energy as Simple Sum of Orbital Energies.

A recent modification to the traditional Kohn–Sham method (Levy, M.; Zahariev, F. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2014, 113, 113002; Levy, M.; Zahariev, F. Mol. Phys. 2016, 114, 1162–1164), which gives the ground-state energy as a direct sum of the occupied orbital energies, is discussed and its properties are numerically illustrated on representative atoms and ions. It is observed that current approximate density functionals tend to give surprisingly small errors for the highest occupied orbital energies that are obtained with the augmented potential. The appropriately shifted Kohn–Sham potential is the basic object within this direct-energy Kohn–Sham method and needs to be approximated. To facilitate approximations, several constraints to the augmented Kohn–Sham potential are presented.
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome patients undergoing induction chemotherapy with idarubicin and cytarabine

We conducted a retrospective study to determine the risk factors associated with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) acquisition/infection in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome patients undergoing chemotherapy with the 7 + 3 regimen of cytarabine and idarubicin. Although only 2.5% (6/235) patients were colonized with VRE on admission, 59% (134/229) of patients acquired VRE during their hospitalization. Multivariable analysis identified the use of intravenous vancomycin (p = .024; HR: 1.548) and cephalosporin (p = .009; HR: 1.596) as the risk factors for VRE acquisition. VRE infection developed in 14% (33/229) of patients, with bloodstream infections accounting for 82% (27/33) of cases. VRE infection occurred in 25/126 (20%) of the VRE-colonized patients, but only 8/103 (8%) of those who were not (p = .01). Our study provides the evidence for the role of intravenous cephalosporin and vancomycin in VRE acquisition and highlights the clinical significance of VRE colonization in these patients.
Adolescent Ethanol Exposure Leads to Stimulus-Specific Changes in Cytokine Reactivity and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Sensitivity in Adulthood

Adolescent alcohol use comprises a significant public health concern and is often characterized by binge-like consumption patterns. While ethanol exposure in adulthood has been shown to alter the stress response, including the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal (HPA) axis, few studies have examined whether binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence results in enduring changes in HPA axis sensitivity in adulthood. In the present studies, adolescent Sprague-Dawley rats were given intragastric (i.g.) intubations of ethanol (4 g/kg) or vehicle once per day for 3 consecutive days, beginning on postnatal day (P) 30 (± 1). This exposure was followed by a 2-day period of rest/withdrawal. Rats received a total of either two (experiments 1, 2, & 3) or four (experiment 4) cycles of ethanol exposure and were subsequently allowed to age normally until adulthood. In experiment 1, adult, (P71-75), ethanol- or vehicle-exposed rats received a 60 min restraint stress challenge. In experiment 2, rats received a 50 µg/kg injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In experiment 3, rats received a challenge of 2.5 g/kg ethanol (intraperitoneally; i.p.). In experiment 4, male and female ethanol- or vehicle- exposed rats received a 50 µg/kg injection of LPS. In all experiments, blood samples were collected for later assessment of corticosterone (CORT), blood ethanol concentrations (BECs), and the cellular fraction of blood was analyzed for cytokine gene expression. As expected, all 3 challenges led to a time-dependent surge in CORT. Gene expression analyses of cytokines (Interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1β, and Tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFα]) from the cellular fraction of blood revealed unique, time-dependent patterns of cytokine expression depending upon the nature of the adult challenge incurred (restraint, LPS, or EtOH). Importantly, adolescent ethanol exposure led to attenuated restraint and LPS-induced cytokine expression in males, whereas female rats displayed an absence of cytokine alterations, and a tendency toward heightened HPA axis reactivity. These findings suggest that adolescent ethanol exposure may cause lasting alterations in cytokine regulation and HPA axis sensitivity that (a) persist into adulthood; (b) may vary depending on the nature of the challenge incurred during adulthood; and that (c) are sex-specific.
A mediation theory of symbolism as an aide to the experimental investigation of symbolic behavior

The first part of this paper presents an extension of Osgood’s Mediation Theory to symbolic phenomena: It was hoped that use of learning theory principles would allow a redefinition of terms and the formulation of psychoanalytic hypotheses pertaining to symbolism in a form testable by experimentation. The second part involves an extension of this theory to several specific experimental studies in which hypnosis was used as the primary method of investigation and the semantic differential as the principal measuring instrument. Particular interest was focused on the assumed disguise function of dream symbolism. All of the studies reported represent an effort toward identification and clarification of the psychological laws underlying the acquisition and modification of sign significance involved in the process of symbolization.
Investigations on Gold Catalyzed Thioalkyne Activation toward Facile Synthesis of Ketene Dithioacetals

Nucleophilic addition to thioalkynes was investigated under various catalytic conditions with gold(I) complexes being identified as the optimal catalysts. Structural evaluation of the product revealed an unexpected cis-addition, arising from a gold-associated thioketene intermediate. Based on this interesting mechanistic insight, a gold(I)-catalyzed thioether addition to thioalkynes was developed as a novel approach to prepare ketene dithioacetals with good yields and high efficiency.
Methodology Description for the Policy Analysis Modeling System (PAMS)

Author(s): McNeil, Michael A.; Lestchert, Virginie E.; Van Buskirk, Robert | Abstract: The Policy Analysis Modeling System is a spreadsheet tool developed to provide an estimate of costs and benefits of appliance efficiency standard and labeling programs. PAMS is a self-contained spreadsheet model that provides both a consumer-oriented analysis and a national cost-benefit analysis in the style of the analysis performed for U.S. appliance efficiency standards. The tool allows policy analysts from many countries to produce a first-cut analysis of appliance efficiency program costs and benefits, examine the sensitivities of the analysis with respect to different policy parameters and assumptions, and continually refine the analysis as more data becomes available. The methodology is a bottom-up approach, using technical specifications for particular products in estimating the increased cost to the consumer resulting from implementation of particular energy-saving designs. It is designed to operate for the widest possible variety of countries, and with as little need as possible for detailed input data. For more accurate results, it can be easily customized to use the most reliable country-specific data inputs. In addition to consumer financial impacts, the tool provides national primary energy savings and estimates of carbon emissions mitigation resulting from the program.
A-C Estrogens as Potent and Selective Estrogen Receptor-Beta Agonists (SERBAs) to Enhance Memory Consolidation under Low-Estrogen Conditions.

Estrogen receptor-beta (ERβ) is a drug target for memory consolidation in postmenopausal women. Herein is reported a series of potent and selective ERβ agonists (SERBAs) with in vivo efficacy that are A–C estrogens, lacking the B and D estrogen rings. The most potent and selective A–C estrogen is selective for activating ER relative to seven other nuclear hormone receptors, with a surprising 750-fold selectivity for the β over α isoform and with EC50s of 20–30 nM in cell-based and direct binding assays. Comparison of potency in different assays suggests that the ER isoform selectivity is related to the compound’s ability to drive the productive conformational change needed to activate transcription. The compound also shows in vivo efficacy after microinfusion into the dorsal hippocampus and after intraperitoneal injection (0.5 mg/kg) or oral gavage (0.5 mg/kg). This simple yet novel A–C estrogen is selective, brain penetrant, and facilitates memory consolidation.
"Not just right" experiences account for unique variance in eating pathology.

ABSTRACT“Not just right” experiences (NJREs) are uncomfortable sensations of incompleteness linked to obsessive–compulsive disorder; however, NJREs may be transdiagnostic and play a role in eating pathology. The current study examined relations between NJREs and eating pathology in undergraduate students. Participants (n = 248) completed self-report and behavioral assessments. Controlling for obsessive–compulsive symptoms, negative affect, and perfectionism, NJRE frequency was associated with greater drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and bulimic symptoms. Discomfort in response to a visual in vivo NJRE task was positively associated with drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction. The present study provides initial evidence for NJREs in eating pathology. Theoretical implications are discussed.
Representation and Rule-Instantiation in Connectionist Systems

Connectionist approaches to cognition afford a new opportunity for reflection on the notions of rule and representation as employed in cognitive science. For nearly a decade, from the time of (1975) to (1984), representations typically were equated with symbols and were understood by analogy with the internal states of a digital computer; processing rules were equated with symbolic expressions and were understood by analogy with program instructions in a computer. Connectionist authors challenged this orthodoxy by denying that symbolic representations are needed for many cognitive tasks and by providing alternative accounts of the status of cognitive rules (Feldman & Ballard, 1982; McClelland, Rumelhart, & Hinton, 1986). I have discussed in earlier papers the grounds for denying that all cognition is symbol-based and for distinguishing representations from symbols (Hatfield, 1988b; Kosslyn & Hatfield, 1984). In this paper I examine the relationships between rules and representations in symbolist and connectionist models.
What Is the Word on Self-Motives and Social Perception: Introduction to the Special Issue

Although social, personality, and developmental psychologists have focused on the determinants, processes, and outcomes of social perception on the one hand and self-perception on the other, they have only occasionally explored the relations between the two. In this introduction, I explain how this special issue is designed to explore the links between self- and social perception. In particular, I suggest that perceptions of self and the social world are intrinsically linked because each are influenced by the exact same self-motives, such as the desire to achieve beneficial outcomes for the self, or to maintain the psychic benefits of a positive self-image. Each in its own way, the articles that comprise this special issue illustrate this basic link between the self- and social perception.
Darwin and Philosophy

The theme of Darwin’s influence on philosophy has been a recurrent one, notably in John Dewey’s lecture in the semi-centennial year and again in J.H. Randall, Jr.’s defense of Dewey in the centennial year of 1959.1 Randall was, in effect, defending Dewey against the charge of another centennial essayist, J.S. Fulton, who writes: An essay on the philosophy of evolution in the century since the publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species can be written in two sentences. By the end of the first fifty years, everybody in the educated world took evolution for granted, but the idea was still intellectually exciting and its philosophical exploitation was entering upon its period of full maturity. By the end of the next fifty years, evolution belongs to ‘common sense’ almost as thoroughly as the Copernican hypothesis and other early landmarks of the scientific revolution; but the idea is no longer exciting, and evolutionary philosophy is out of fashion.2
Post-operative Care of the Patient Undergoing Valve Surgery

There are few naturally occurring medical illnesses that rival the acuity and severity of illness which can complicate the post-operative course following cardiac valvular surgery. Some complications are potentially predictable, while others are not. Fortunately, improved surgical and anesthetic techniques have decreased the frequency of many of these adverse events. Cardiologists may receive little training with respect to post-operative evaluation and management of patients following valvular heart surgery. Nevertheless, they are asked to provide guidance to patients considering such surgery and are asked to assist in the management of individuals when complications do arise. Understanding the risks of valvular surgery is important in guiding the patient pre-operatively and in assisting in their post-operative recovery. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the post-operative cardiac and extra-cardiac complications frequently encountered following cardiac surgery.
Eruption of Maxillary Posterior Permanent Molars following Early Conventional Le Fort III Advancement and Early Le Fort III Distraction Procedures Compared to Late Surgical Intervention.

Background Le Fort III advancement and/or distraction involve osteotomies and dysjunction in the region of the maxillary tuberosity in proximity to the maxillary posterior tooth buds. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of early conventional Le Fort III advancement and/or distraction on development and eruption of the maxillary posterior permanent molars. Methods A retrospective review of patients diagnosed with syndromic craniosynostosis, who underwent early Le Fort III or early midface distraction and late surgical intervention, was analyzed. Results In the early conventional Le Fort III surgery group, 93 percent of maxillary second molars and 28 percent of maxillary first molars experienced a disturbance in eruption. In the early distraction group, 82 percent of maxillary second molars and 20 percent of maxillary first molars experienced a disturbance in eruption. In the control group, the late conventional Le Fort III and the late distraction groups, only 26 percent of maxillary second molars and none of maxillary first molars experienced a disturbance in eruption. Conclusions A common disruption seen postoperatively in the early Le Fort III and distraction groups was displacement of the second molars. The majority of the displaced tooth buds were located in the maxillary sinus. Overall, the early Le Fort III surgery groups experienced more frequent disturbances for both first and second molars, with the common sequela of displacement in the maxillary sinus, leading to the question of whether presurgical planning in cases of early intervention to address midface retrusion should include extraction/enucleation of the second molar tooth buds. Clinical question/level of evidence Therapeutic, III.
An integrated framework for high-performance, high-fidelity simulation of ground vehicle-tyre-terrain interaction

Assessing the mobility of off-road vehicles is a complex task that most often falls back on semi-empirical approaches to quantify the tire-terrain interaction. We introduce a high-fidelity ground vehicle mobility simulation framework that uses physics-based models of the vehicle, tyres, and terrain to factor in both tyre flexibility and soil deformation. The tyres are modelled using a nonlinear finite element approach that involves layers of orthotropic shell elements. The soil is represented as a large collection of rigid elements that interact through contact, friction, and cohesive forces. The high-fidelity vehicle models incorporate suspension, steering, driveline, and powertrain models. To alleviate the prohibitive computational costs associated with a coupled simulation of the overall problem, we propose a decoupled approach implemented as an explicit, force-displacement co-simulation framework which is demonstrated on several full-vehicle on soft soil simulations. UNCLASSIFIED: Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. #28937.
Zero TE MRI for Craniofacial Bone Imaging

SUMMARY: Zero TE MR imaging is a novel technique that achieves a near-zero time interval between radiofrequency excitation and data acquisition, enabling visualization of short-T2 materials such as cortical bone. Zero TE offers a promising radiation-free alternative to CT with rapid, high-resolution, silent, and artifact-resistant imaging, as well as the potential for “pseudoCT” reconstructions. In this report, we will discuss our preliminary experience with zero TE, including technical principles and a clinical case series demonstrating emerging applications in neuroradiology.
Minimally Invasive Surgery and Bariatric Surgery

Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) is more of a philosophy of practice than a discipline. Rather than a singular concentration on a specific disease such as pancreatic cancer, the clinical scope of a MIS practice can be quite broad. The MIS surgeon aims to treat surgical problems with the least possible tissue trauma and physiologic derangement. The MIS surgeon also embraces advances in technology and drives innovation to improve the care of patients. With the adoption of minimally invasive surgery techniques by other specialties such as colorectal surgery or hepatopancreaticobiliary surgery, MIS has evolved to encompass primarily foregut surgery, advanced abdominal wall repair, and bariatric surgery. Some practices remain broad and include solid organ surgery, as well as colorectal procedures. The scope of practice will depend on the local academic environment and division structure, referral pattern, and the MIS surgeon’s preference and training. Minimally Invasive Surgery is an approach to surgical patient care that incorporates advances in technology to minimize trauma and physiologic impact while maintaining the highest principles of surgical technique. The practice of Minimally Invasive Surgery is broad, typically encompassing gastrointestinal surgery and abdominal wall repair, and will vary according to the local academic environment, referral pattern, and surgeon preference and training. Innovation and new technology drives changes in the field of Minimally Invasive Surgery and the surgeon must embrace continuous learning, outcomes assessment, and resilience.
Only if, Its Interaction with pos, and Its Scalar Presupposition

The chapter tests the antonym-pair generalization proposed in Chap. 3, given a working compositional semantic account of only if. The construction is discussed, and its interaction with POS-marked associates is shown to behave as predicted.
2 – Regulatory Considerations

Publisher Summary Regulations that affect merger and acquisition (M&A) activity exist at all levels of government. Regulatory considerations can be classified as either general or industry specific. General considerations are those affecting all firms, whereas industry-specific considerations influence only certain types of transactions in particular industries. General considerations include federal security, antitrust, environmental, racketeering, and employee benefits laws. Public utilities, insurance, banking, broadcasting, telecommunications, defense contracting, and transportation are examples of industries subject to substantial regulation. This chapter focuses on the key elements of selected federal and state regulations and their implications for M&As. It also discusses the pre-notification and disclosure requirements of current legislation and how decisions are made within the key securities law and antitrust enforcement agencies. It provides an overview of the labyrinth of environmental, labor, benefit, and foreign (for cross-border transactions) laws affecting M&As.
Stark units and the main conjectures for totally real fields

The main theorem of the author’s thesis suggests that it should be possible to lift the Kolyvagin systems of Stark units, constructed by the author in an earlier paper, to a Kolyvagin system over the cyclotomic Iwasawa algebra. In this paper, we verify that this is indeed the case. This construction of Kolyvagin systems over the cyclotomic Iwasawa algebra from Stark units provides the first example towards a more systematic study of Kolyvagin system theory over an Iwasawa algebra when the core Selmer rank (in the sense of Mazur and Rubin) is greater than one. As a result of this construction, we reduce the main conjectures of Iwasawa theory for totally real fields to a statement in the context of local Iwasawa theory, assuming the truth of the Rubin–Stark conjecture and Leopoldt’s conjecture. This statement in the local Iwasawa theory context turns out to be interesting in its own right, as it suggests a relation between the solutions to p-adic and complex Stark conjectures.
The POWER Special Session: Building Awareness of Power and Privilege on Intersectional Teams

We (the facilitators) work as social scientists and engineering education researchers from different universities on the NSF-supported program, Revolutionizing Engineering Departments (RED) ( https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2017/nsf17501/nsf17501.htm ). We began to notice how power and privilege were enacted on our teams, which consisted of diverse team members (e.g., diverse in disciplinary affiliation, role in the university, gender, race, LGBTQIA+ status). This motivated a research project and workshops/special sessions such as the one proposed here, where we explore how power and privilege are enacted within interdisciplinary teams so that we can begin to dismantle systemic oppressions within academia [1] , [2] . The POWER special session (Privilege and Oppression: Working for Equitable Recourse) was developed to guide engineering educators to identify and understand the intersectional nature of power and privilege before planning strategies to disrupt, disarm, and dismantle it.
Contracting with Electronic Agents

Established contract doctrine provides no clear answer to the question whether exchanges arranged by the interaction of electronic agents are enforceable. This Article explores whether the law should enforce exchanges arranged by the interaction of electronic agents. It examine how normative theories of contractual obligation inform the issue, with an eye toward the strengths and weaknesses of each theory. The theories that most strongly support the enforcement of exchanges arranged by electronic agents, this Article explains, are those that ground contractual obligation in protecting the ability of individuals to pursue their reasonable objectives through reliable arrangements.
The Species Problem: Darwin and the proliferation of species concepts

THE DARWINIAN SPECIES PARADOX The species problem we have today looks a lot like the problem that confronted Darwin, but with one major difference. The modern problem is informed by Darwin's theory of evolution and recent developments of that theory. Yet it is nonetheless difficult to pin down precisely what Darwin directly contributed to the species debate. In part this is because it is difficult to pin down Darwin's views about the nature of species. In his published work, notebooks and correspondence, he wrote many seemingly inconsistent things about species. Consequently there is little consensus among historians and philosophers about his views. Some read Darwin as a species nominalist, believing that there are no species, only individual organisms. Species taxa are then nothing more than convenient ways of grouping organisms, and do not represent real things in nature. Others similarly read Darwin as a conventionalist, believing that species are just what competent naturalists identify as species. Yet others read him as accepting the reality of species taxa, but denying the reality of the species category. Still others read him as a full-blooded realist, accepting the reality of both species taxa and the species category. This conflict in interpretation is largely due to a genuine paradox in Darwin's views. The title and contents of his most famous book, On Origin of Species , seem to presuppose the reality of species.
An efficient algorithm for developing topologically valid matchings

We examine a problem that arises in physical DNA mapping, namely determining what common DNA is represented in two maps. We first present an example illustrating the properties of DNA mapping, and present some biological background supporting our approach. We present a new graph structure, called the \(\mathcal{Z}\)-graph, that takes advantage of structure that develops during the mapping process, thus catalyzing the discovery of all maximum, topologically valid matchings. We describe an algorithm based on this structure and present experimental data supporting its improved performance as compared with a naive approach.
Hardware implementation of the space-time radio interferometric positioning system

Space-time radio interferometric positioning system (STRIPS) is a indoor localization system with low complexity that is robust to multipath effects. Its general idea follows a radio interferometric positioning system (RIPS), where two transmitters transmit sinusoidal signals at slightly different frequencies to create a slowly-varying envelope at a receiver. The receiver employs a cost-efficient envelope detector to extract the low-frequency differential signal, of which its phase contains a range information. Unlike the original RIPS, however, the STRIPS operates in the millimeter-wave (MMW) band, where the signal interference and multipath are less prominent than a typical radio-frequency (RF) band. In this paper, we implement the STRIPS on hardware and experimentally validate its performance. The experimental results show that the prototype we have built successfully achieves a submeter accuracy on average.
Aguaruna Knowledge of Bird Foraging Ecology: A comparison with scientific data

We present a detailed look at local ecological knowledge (LEK) of the Aguaruna-Jivaro on plants foraged by frugivorous tropical birds. When asked how a particular plant is useful to people, Aguaruna men often mentioned whether the plant in question was eaten by birds or other animals. The Aguaruna use their knowledge about what plants particular birds eat to help them locate species when hunting. We focus on indigenous knowledge of the diet of five mainly frugivorous bird families that are of local economic importance: Cracidae (guans, chachalacas and curassows), Pipridae (manakins), Psittacidae (parrots), Ramphastidae (toucans) and Steatornithidae (Oilbird). Fieldwork took place in communities along tributaries of the upper Maranon river in the Peruvian Amazon from 2003 to 2005. Results indicate a high correspondence between western science and Aguaruna LEK. This research contributes to the larger goal of promoting dialog between indigenous and scientific systems of knowledge in the context of future conservation efforts.
Cancer of the breast in pregnancy and during lactation.

C ARC I N o MA of the breast developing during pregnancy or lactation is a dread disease. All experienced clinicians are aware of its grave prognosis. Yet it can sometimes be cured. Our need today is to find criteria which will enable us to select the patients in whom cure by radical mastectomy is possible. At the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, the search for such criteria of operability for breast carcinoma has been one of our main objectives for many years. When Dr. Stout and I reviewed the results of the treatment of breast carcinoma in our clinic 24 years ago,s we found that no patient in whom the disease had appeared during pregnancy or lactation had been cured. To be sure, the total number of such patients operated upon was small. There were only 20, and 19 had microscopically proved axillary metastases. About the same time ( 1937)) Harringtonll reported his results with radical mastectomy in a much larger series of cases of breast carcinoma developing during pregnancy or lactation. The outcome was almost as bad in his case series. He reported upon a tota of 24 patients in whom the disease appeared during pregnancy and radical mastectomy revealed axillary metastases; none was cured.
Using lesion washout volume fraction as a biomarker to improve suspicious breast lesion characterization

The purpose of this study was to evaluate using lesion washout (WO) volume fraction as a biomarker to improve the characterization of suspicious breast lesions. Study lesions consisted of a total of 60 malignant tumors (BI-RADS 6) and 62 suspicious lesions (BI-RADS 4 or 5). The biopsies of these suspicious lesions resulted in a total of 30 malignant tumors and 32 benign lesions, respectively, yielding a 48.4% positive predictive value (PPV) of the biopsies. The mean and standard deviation of the lesion WO volume fraction of these 60 BI-RADS 6 malignant tumors were first computed to establish a 99% sensitivity threshold value for malignant tumors, and then the biomarker was used to characterize the suspicious lesions. Using the biomarker would characterize all the malignant tumors as malignant, 12 out of the 32 benign lesions as benign, potentially resulting in a 24% improvement rate in the PPV of the biopsies (from 48.4% to 60%) and consequently a 22.5% reduction rate in the false-positive rate of benign biopsies (from 51.6% to 40%). The lesion WO volume fraction biomarker could improve the computer-based assessment of breast MRI by increasing the PPV of breast biopsies and reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies without compromising sensitivity.
Receptive Language Development in Preterm Children as Related to Caregiver-Child Interaction.

Fifty preterm children who had experienced a range of biological hazards were divided into two competence groups on the basis of their receptive language development at 24 months. The groups were then compared in terms of the kinds of caregiver-child interactions the children and their primary caregivers engaged in three months earlier in a laboratory assessment. The two language skill groups did not differ on perinatal factors such as birth weight and gestational age, or on length of hospitalization, but did differ in social transactions. The more competent group as compared to the less competent group had caregivers who were more stimulating, the children themselves emitted more vocalization, and the caregivers and children engaged in more reciprocal social transactions.
A CHANDRA SEARCH FOR X-RAY JETS IN REDSHIFT 6 QUASARS

We have searched for X-ray jets in the recent Chandra observations of three Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasars at redshift z � 6. All 3 quasars were detected in X-rays in these relatively short observations. SDSS1030+0524 is not consistent with a point source, and may be a gravitationally lensed system. We find a possible jet-like feature 23 ′′ from the quasar SDSS 1306+0356. We can explain the emission by inverse Compton (IC) scattering off the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), assuming that the intrinsic properties of the system are similar to X-ray jets at z<1. Deeper observations to investigate the interpretation as a jet will be practical.
Ultra fast, high rep rate, high voltage spark gap pulser

This paper discusses our on-going program at the US Army Pulse Power Center to develop an ultra-fast spark gap based impulse generator. Our approach involves capacitively charging coaxial cables in a Blumlein configuration and discharging the PFL using a self breaking, unpressurized, air spark gap. With this technology we have achieved pulses with peak powers of 2-4 megawatts into a 100 /spl Omega/ load at repetition rates of several kilohertz. By incorporating a sharpening gap, also air at one atmosphere, we have demonstrated pulse rise times on the load of slightly less than one nanosecond. New spark gaps have been designed and implemented which have allowed high pulse repetition rates at high voltages by passing flowing gas between the electrodes. This allowed the modulator to run at 20 kV and a 15 kHz pulse repetition rate. A high pressure spark gap was designed to achieve pulse rise-times of a few hundred picoseconds. The gap was DC tested at a pressure of 20 atmospheres.
A Graphic Prothrombin Time Recorder with Air Bath

An air bath is described which maintains plasma, reagents, and glassware at constant temperature. Within this bath is a variable light source, without filters, from which light passes through the liquid mixture of plasma and reagents (0.3-ml. volume) to a photoelectric cell. The output of the cell is fed into a Speedomax recorder. Addition of reagents and time of clotting show clearly on the record, and specimens can be run through the instrument at the rate of one to two per minute. Prothrombin time is determined by measurement between points on the recorded curves. The instrument has been in continuous use at Temple University Medical Center since 1953. Prothrombin contents check well with those obtained visually in a constant-temperature room. Technologists regard use of the instrument as less fatiguing than the visual method. Results are perhaps more objective.
Geometric modeling and analysis of a family of ZVS inverters

A family of load-side resonant ZVS inverters were studied using a geometric approach. State variable equations for the resonant mode were derived for each topology, and a general equivalent circuit model was developed based on the mathematical relationships. This general equivalent circuit model fully describes the behavior of the resonant mode of all these topologies and resembles the simplified circuit of a parallel resonant converter. A state plane analysis with normalization was then applied to the equivalent circuit model to visualize how each circuit operates and different control approaches for this family of ZVS inverters.
Using Baby Books to Increase New Mothers' Self-Efficacy and Improve Toddler Language Development.

Maternal self-efficacy (MSE) has been shown to be important, yet little is known about how it develops over time and whether increasing knowledge about child development and parenting results in feeling more efficacious, especially for first-time mothers. Furthermore, research is lacking about whether increased maternal self-efficacy results in better child outcomes such as more receptive and expressive language. Using a randomized three-group design, this study explores whether educational books, embedded with information about typical child development and optimal parenting, increase MSE for women over the first year and a half of motherhood and whether these increases result in better language skills for children at 18 months of age. Hierarchical linear model analyses show that MSE starts high and remains high and that providing educational books further increases the development of MSE. Increases in MSE have a positive impact on children's language skills, as does providing books, irrespective of educational content. These findings support the importance of MSE and demonstrate an inexpensive way to increase MSE and improve child outcomes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.