cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Surgery Morbidity and Mortality Conference

The history of the surgical morbidity and mortality conference is closely linked to the history of the founding of the American College of Surgeons. Individual persistence in the belief that by looking for individual complications we can improve outcomes for large populations has been the guiding principle of that time-honored tradition of surgical training. However, a more contemporary concern, perhaps linked to societal and generational changes, is that individual responsibility for complications is punitive; the fear or shame results in avoidance of reporting of complications, which in turn fails to bring about the changes needed to prevent further complications. Hence contemporary surgical quality improvement techniques are more focused on process improvement and system-wide steps to prevent an error from every occurring. This chapter explores the history of this transition with examples, case reports, and a review of the key literature and people leading this reform.
One-Sample and Paired-Sample Inferences Based on the Binomial Distribution

The goal of statistical inference procedures is to use sample data to obtain information, albeit uncertain, about some larger population or data-generating process. The inferences may concern any aspect of a suitably defined population (or process) from which observations are obtained, for example, the form or shape of the probability distribution of some variable in the population, or any definable properties, characteristics or parameters of that distribution, or a comparison of some related aspects of two or more populations. Procedures are usually classified as nonparametric when some of their important properties hold even if only very general assumptions are made or hypothesized about the probability distribution of the observations. The word “distribution-free” is also frequently used in this context. We will not attempt to give an exact definition of “nonparametric” now or later, as it is only this general spirit, rather than any exact definition, which underlies the topics covered in this book.
Evolutionary Stasis in the Elephant-Shrew, Rhynchocyon

One of the most bizarre groups to turn up in the zoological literature is the mammalian order Rhinogradentia (Stumpke 1967, published posthumously). This group of 150 outrageously endowed species—informally known as snouters—was apparently confined to the obscure South Sea islands of Hi-yi-yi. I say “was” in the acknowledgment that, quite tragically (and conveniently?), snouters, islands, and Stumpke were erased in a nuclear test accident two decades ago.
Gene Variants That Affect Levels of Circulating Tumor Markers Increase Identification of Patients with Pancreatic Cancer

Background & Aims Levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) in blood are used as markers to determine the response of patients with cancer to therapy, but are not used to identify patients with pancreatic cancer. Methods We obtained blood samples from 504 patients undergoing pancreatic surveillance from 2002 through 2018 who did not develop pancreatic cancer and measured levels of the tumor markers CA19-9, CEA, CA-125, and thrombospondin-2. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FUT3, FUT2, ABO, and GAL3ST2 that have been associated with levels of tumor markers were used to establish SNP-defined ranges for each tumor marker. We also tested the association between additional SNPs (in FUT6, MUC16, B3GNT3, FAM3B, and THBS2) with levels of tumor markers. To calculate the diagnostic specificity of each SNP-defined range, we assigned the patients under surveillance into training and validation sets. After determining the SNP-defined ranges, we determined the sensitivity of SNP-adjusted tests for the tumor markers, measuring levels in blood samples from 245 patients who underwent resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) from 2010 through 2017. Results A level of CA19-9 that identified patients with PDAC with 99% specificity had 52.7% sensitivity. When we set the cut-off levels of CA19-9 based on each SNP, the test for CA19-9 identified patients with PDAC with 60.8% sensitivity and 98.8% specificity. Among patients with FUT3 alleles that encode a functional protein, levels of CA19-9 greater than the SNP-determined cut-off values identified 66.4% of patients with PDAC, with 99.3% specificity. In the validation set, levels of CEA varied among patients with vs without SNP in FUT2, by blood group, and among smokers vs nonsmokers; levels of CA-125 varied among patients with vs without the SNP in GAL3ST2. The use of the SNPs to define the ranges of CEA and CA-125 did not significantly increase the diagnostic accuracy of the assays for these proteins. Combining data on levels of CA19-9 and CEA, CA19-9 and CA-125, or CA19-9 and thrombospondin-2 increased the sensitivity of detection of PDAC, but slightly reduced specificity. Conclusions Including information on SNPs associated with levels of CA19-9, CEA, and CA-125 can improve the diagnostic accuracy of assays for these tumor markers in the identification of patients with PDAC. Clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT02000089 .
The power shield: Powerful roles eliminate gender disparities in political elections.

Are women less likely to win elections than men? Past analyses of U.S. elections have found little evidence of gender bias, leading some scholars to declare: "When women run, women win." However, across many professional domains, women face disparate outcomes in achieving leadership positions. The current research resolves this puzzle through a novel theoretical perspective and methodological advances. Theoretically, we propose that power frees women from restrictive gender norms, reducing gender bias. Thus, gender bias likely exists in politics but is more pronounced for lower-power candidates and less pronounced for higher-power candidates. Because incumbent candidates have more power and challenger candidates less power, we predicted incumbent women would be shielded from gender bias and achieve electoral parity with incumbent men. Conversely, we predicted challenger women would face particularly strong gender bias and disparate outcomes. Methodologically, we resolve prior scope-of-analysis limitations by analyzing every governor and U.S. senator election since women's suffrage (1920). Further, we developed a novel bootstrapping method that resolves regression assumption violations inherent in statistical analyses of candidate-level measures. Analyses revealed 2 important findings. First, our comprehensive dataset revealed that, contrary to past research, women were less likely to win elections than men overall. Second, we found evidence for a power shield effect: Male challengers were three times more likely to win than female challengers, men were 25% more likely than women to win open-seat races, but female incumbents fared just as well as male incumbents. These results suggest that some gender differences may be power differences in disguise. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Causal emergence of task information from dynamic network interactions in the human brain

Abstract How cognitive task information emerges from brain activity is a central question in neuroscience. We identified the spatiotemporal emergence of task information in the human brain using individualized source electroencephalography and dynamic multivariate pattern analysis. We then substantially extended recently developed brain activity flow models to predict the future emergence of task information dynamics. The model simulated the flow of task-evoked activity over causally interpretable resting-state functional connections (dynamic, lagged, direct and directional) to accurately predict response information dynamics underlying cognitive task behavior. Predicting event-related spatiotemporal activity patterns and fine-grained representational geometry confirmed the model’s faithfulness to how the brain veridically represents response information. Simulated network “lesioning” revealed cognitive control networks (CCNs) as the dominant causal drivers of response information flow. These results demonstrate the efficacy of dynamic activity flow models in predicting the emergence of task information, thereby revealing a mechanistic role for CCNs in producing behavior.
Contrasting the Role of Pores on the Stress State Dependent Fracture Behavior of Additively Manufactured Low and High Ductility Metals.

This study investigates the disparate impact of internal pores on the fracture behavior of two metal alloys fabricated via laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing (AM)—316L stainless steel and Ti-6Al-4V. Data from mechanical tests over a range of stress states for dense samples and those with intentionally introduced penny-shaped pores of various diameters were used to contrast the combined impact of pore size and stress state on the fracture behavior of these two materials. The fracture data were used to calibrate and compare multiple fracture models (Mohr-Coulomb, Hosford-Coulomb, and maximum stress criteria), with results compared in equivalent stress (versus stress triaxiality and Lode angle) space, as well as in their conversions to equivalent strain space. For L-PBF 316L, the strain-based fracture models captured the stress state dependent failure behavior up to the largest pore size studied (2400 µm diameter, 16% cross-sectional area of gauge region), while for L-PBF Ti-6Al-4V, the stress-based fracture models better captured the change in failure behavior with pore size up to the largest pore size studied. This difference can be attributed to the relatively high ductility of 316L stainless steel, for which all samples underwent significant plastic deformation prior to failure, contrasted with the relatively low ductility of Ti-6Al-4V, for which, with increasing pore size, the displacement to failure was dominated by elastic deformation.
Contraceptive and infertility target DataBase (CITDBase): A contraceptive drug development tool for targeting and analysis of human reproductive specific tissues.

The long and challenging drug development process begins with discovery biology for the selection of an appropriate target for a specific indication. Target is a broad term that can be applied to a range of biological entities such as proteins, genes and RNAs. Although there are numerous databases available for mining biological entities, publicly available searchable, downloadable databases to aid in target selection for a specific disease or indication (e.g. developing contraceptives and infertility treatments) are limited. We report the development of the Contraceptive Infertility Target DataBase (CITDBase: https://www.citdbase.org), which provides investigators an interface to mine existing transcriptomic and proteomic resources to identify high quality contraceptive/infertility targets. The creation of similar individualized databases is applicable to the identification of targets for other diseases and conditions.
Effectiveness of Radiation as a Structural Cooling Technique for Hypersonic Vehicles

The effectiveness of radiation as a structural cooling technique is examined for vehicles which are subject to large variations in heating over their surface. An analysis is made of the more significant effects of internal heat transfer within idealized structures, both with and without external insulation on areas of greatest aerodynamic heating intensity. Selective use of insulation leads to structural temperature reductions substantially greater than those obtained without insulation. The results are presented in nondimensional form, and numerical examples illustrate applications to hypersonic flight vehicles.
Gender Effect of Fatigue on Lower Extremity Kinematics and Kinetics During Athletic Tasks

This chapter provides an overview of the effects of fatigue on the biomechanics of lower extremity movement. The differences between generalized whole-body central fatigue and isolated muscular peripheral fatigue are described. The epidemiological evidence relative to fatigue and ACL injury occurrence is presented. The effects of different types of fatigue protocols on biomechanical movement patterns are summarized. Gender differences in biomechanical movement patterns under fatigued conditions are presented.
Expectations from Realistic Microlensing Models of M31. I: Optical Depth

We provide a set of microlensing optical depth maps for M31. Optical depths towards Andromeda were calculated on the basis of a four component model of the lens and source populations: disk and bulge sources lensed by bulge, M31 halo and Galactic halo lenses. We confirm the high optical depth and the strong optical depth gradient along the M31 minor axis due to a dark halo of lenses and also discuss the magnitude of the self-lensing due to the bulge. We explore how the shape of the optical depth maps to M31 vary with the halo parameters core radius and flattening.
On-Line Preload Monitoring for Anti-Friction Spindle Bearings of High-Speed Machine Tools

Catastrophic and premature bearing failure caused by excessive thermally-induced bearing preload is a major design problem for spindle bearings of high-speed machine tools. Due to a lack of a low cost and easy to maintain on-line preload measuring technique, the traditional solution is to limit the maximum spindle speed and the initial bearing preload. This solution is incompatible with the need to increase machining productivity, which requires increasing the spindle speed, and product quality (surface finish, dimensional accuracy), which requires increasing (or at least not decreasing) the preload to keep the spindle system stiff. This paper proposes a solution that is compatible with increased productivity and quality. A dynamic state observer has been developed based on a preload model derived from physical laws of heat transfer and thermoelasticity to estimate the spindle bearing preload via low cost thermocouples attached to the bearing outer ring and the spindle housing. A systematic procedure to determine the observer gains is developed to account for modeling errors, unknown parameters, nonlinearities, and measurement noise. The modeling errors are particularly significant in this problem because factors like bearing skidding, wear, and lubricant deterioration are not easily modeled, and the observer must be designed to be insensitive to them. A unique modeling error compensator idea is introduced to null-out the modeling errors. The preload observer has been successfully validated on two different bearing configurations for a wide range of speeds and running conditions.
A non-splitting unstructured-triangular-mesh euler solver based on the method of space-time conservation element & solution element

In numerical computations, unstructured grids can be used easily to fit computational domains involving complex geometries. The method of space-time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE method)[1,2] can be used in conjunction with unstructured grids. In this paper, the procedure of developing a non-splitting unstructured-triangular-mesh Euler solver based on the CE/SE method is described. Numerical examples involving complex features of shock waves are presented to show that the CE/SE method works very well even for unstructured triangular grids.
Design, fabrication, and characterization of thermally isolating support membrane for low-noise SI JFET amplifier

The results of the development of a novel thermal isolation scheme for maintaining JFET amplifiers operating at 120 K in close proximity to "Spider Web" bolometer devices operating at 0.3 K is described. The thermal isolation was achieved by mounting the si-based JFETs on micro-machined silicon nitride membranes, optimized for this purpose. These membranes not only provide excellent thermal isolation, but are also mechanically robust and capable of withstanding stresses generated during thermal cycling, vibration and shock. The device configuration for the JFET readout stage consists of 24 dual Siliconix U401 JFETs mounted on the SiN thermal isolation membrane. The entire stage is mounted on a 4 K-cryostat for thermal dissipation purposes. Extensive testing showed that operation at temperatures around 120 K and at a frequency of 150 Hz, reduces the 1/f noise floor to approximately 10 n V/rtHz. An additional thermal dissipation constraint placed by the 4 K mounting state is that the total thermal dissipation from the JFET state be no more than 5.5 mW. We have successfully fabricated and delivered two JFET stages. Tests on the latest unit showed 23 functioning JFETs out of the 30 total, with a median noise level below 10 n V/rtHz for 5.5 mW thermal dissipation.
Characterization of polybutene modified denture acrylics

Summary form only received as follows: The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a polybutene additive to improve the flexure strength of cold cured acrylic systems. Three different number average molecular weight polybutenes were used including H100 (920 g/mole), L65 (610 g/mole) and L14 (320 g/mole) (Amoco Chemical Co.). The polybutenes were blended at 0, 1, 5 and 10 weight % with a cold cure acrylic system and compression molded into rectangular specimens 13 mm wide x 3 mm thick x 28 mm long. Ten specimens were prepared for each formulation and stored for seven days in distilled water at 37/spl deg/C before flexure testing. A three point flexure test was run using a span of 20 mm at a rate of 1 mm/minute. The results for the cold cure acrylic are given. The only polybutene formulation which improved the flexure strength was the 1% H100 composition. Although the 1% H100 formulations did improve the flexure strength of the acrylic, the change was not statistically significant when compared using a t-test (p <.05). Incorporation of polybutenes did not significantly improve the flexure strength of dental acrylics tested in this study.
Communication Technologies for People With Sensory Disabilities

Traditional user technology for communication, such as phones, computers, television, and radio, may not directly work for people who have sensory disabilities. Five classes of communication access technology are discussed: hearing enhancement technology, deaf technology, vision enhancement technology, blind technology, and deaf-blind technology. These technologies are discussed in the social context of the people who use the technology. Broad technical research challenges are delineated and new directions for exploration are discussed.
An empirical analysis of organizational strategies by entrepreneurial high-technology firms

Many start-up, high-technology firms commercialize an emerging technology through cooperative arrangements. This paper empirically investigates the determinants of entrepreneurial high-technology firms to form cooperative relationships. The statistical results on data drawn from the commercialization of the new biotechnology show that the propensity to cooperate is positively correlated with the distance of firms' competitive position in relation to their rivals. The follower is more likely to seek cooperative relationships than the leader in commercializing new products. However, the competitive pressure impacts firms in different ways, depending on their internal capabilities to commercialize a new product. We found that firm size is negatively correlated with the use of cooperative arrangements. The study also found that the organizational mode of cooperative arrangements is predominantly selected by the high-tech. start-up firm in commercializing their new products in foreign markets.
OCULAR FINDINGS IN VERY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT INFANTS WITH GRADE III-IV INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGE. 1659

OCULAR FINDINGS IN VERY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT INFANTS WITH GRADE III-IV INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGE. 1659
Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome probably induced by a lamotrigine-ginseng drug interaction.

The likelihood of a drug reaction with lamotrigine is increased by dose escalation that is too rapid or drug interactions that increase the concentration of lamotrigine. There is a well-documented interaction between valproic acid and lamotrigine in which lamotrigine levels are increased, subsequently increasing the risk of a drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by fever, lymphadenopathy, diffuse maculopapular rash, multivisceral involvement, eosinophilia, and atypical lymphocytes and has a mortality rate of 10-40%. We describe the first case, to our knowledge, of DRESS syndrome that was probably induced by a drug interaction between lamotrigine and ginseng. A 44-year-old white man presented to the emergency department after experiencing a possible seizure. His medical history included two other lifetime events concerning for seizures at ages 14 and 29 years old. After referral to the neurology clinic, he was diagnosed with generalized tonic-clonic seizure disorder, and lamotrigine was started with up-titration according to the drug's package insert to a goal dosage of 150 mg twice/day. The patient had also been taking deer antler velvet and ginseng that he continued during his lamotrigine therapy. On day 43 of therapy, the patient presented to the emergency department with a pruritic rash that had started on his extremities and spread to his torso. He was thought to have experienced a drug reaction to lamotrigine, and the drug was discontinued. Thirteen days later, the patient was admitted from the acute care clinic for inpatient observation due to laboratory abnormalities in the setting of continued rash, headache, and myalgias. His admission laboratory results on that day were remarkable for leukocytosis, with a white blood cell count up to 17.6 × 10(3) /mm(3) , with a prominent eosinophilia of 3.04 × 10(3) /mm(3) ; his liver enzyme levels were also elevated, with an aspartate aminotransferase level of 191 U/L, alanine aminotransferase level 473 U/L, alkaline phosphatase level 465 U/L, and total bilirubin level 1.4 mg/dl. Use of the Drug Interaction Probability Scale indicated that a drug interaction between lamotrigine and ginseng was the probable cause (score of 5). The proposed mechanism of the interaction is ginseng inhibition of the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 2B7 enzyme, similar to the mechanism of the interaction with valproic acid. Clinicians should be aware of this probable drug interaction and avoid coadministration of ginseng and lamotrigine or use a more conservative dose titration of lamotrigine for patients who are also taking ginseng.
A procedure for eliminating writer's block in a college student☆

Abstract A 25-yr-old female student was in danger of failing a required college course due to difficulties in writing her term papers. The administration of reinforcement was made contingent upon the completion of one small writing requirement at a prescheduled time. Attenuation of the writer's block was accomplished within five therapy sessions. Follow-up after the end of that semester and after the next revealed satisfactory completion of all courses and no relapses in the obstructions to her writing papers.
ATTRIBUTIONAL DETERMINANTS OF REACTIONS TO PERFORMANCE IN ACADEMIC SITUATIONS

30 college students, divided into two groups as a function of their level of achievement motivation, were asked to evaluate 80 possible academic situations involving all possible combinations of the following: grade (A, B, C, D, F), ability (high-low), effort (high-low), task difficulty (high-low), and lucky (lucky-unlucky). For each situation they indicated: (a) their emotional reaction on a pride—shame dimension, (b) their liklihood of taking an advanced course, and (c) their expected grade in an advanced course. The results indicated that grades were the most powerful determinant of Ss' reactions. The remaining factors, especially ability and effort, were important in conjunction with having received a high grade particularly among those Ss high in achievement motivation.
Can we Lend?: Communicating Interlibrary Loan Rights

At the 22nd Annual North Carolina Serials Conference, focused on “Collaboration, Community, and Connection,” Linda Blake and Hilary Fredette of West Virginia University presented, ““Can we Lend?”: Communicating Interlibrary Loan Rights,” reviewing their experiences collaborating across an academic library to achieve the best possible interlibrary loan e-journal access within the bounds of sometimes inscrutable licenses.
Transient hepatic attenuation difference of lobar or segmental distribution detected by dynamic computed tomography

Dynamic computed tomography of hepatic tumors revealed a transient attenuation difference of the liver in a lobar or segmental distribution in three cases. The difference was most prominent during the hepatogram phase. It was attributed to siphonage of arterial blood by hepatic tumors in two cases, while an increase of arterial flow induced by portal vein occlusion was inferred in the other case. Results indicate dynamic computed tomography will be usful in analysis of geometrical hemodynamics.
Oil Spill-Source Correlation by Gas Chromatography: An Experimental Evaluation of System Performance

ABSTRACT A simple gas chromatographic method correlates unknown oils in natural waters with possible source oils. Under the operating procedures involved, unique matches are generally achieved without miscorrelations, even when up to 15 oils of the same type (#2, #4, #6 fuel; crudes, etc.) are possible sources. Oil samples are quantitatively characterized by ratios of intensities corresponding to their contents of several components of known geochemical variability and resistance to weathering. The effects of weathering, sample types, and added spill control chemicals were determined by “blind” correlation of 35 artificially weathered oils, each with one of 17 possible sources. Oil type and weathering did not seriously influence spill-source matching success. The presence of highly similar source oils was the major performance-limiting factor. We determined the extent of this limitation, and thereby the probability of successful performance, for collections of oils from Greater New York Harbor products, a...
Potential benefits of low energy water circulation in Hawaiian prawn ponds

Abstract Water temperature and pond water dissolved oxygen level are two parameters that are vitally important for optimization in aquaculture production. If the dissolved oxygen level falls below about 2 mg liter−1 and the water temperature drops to less than 22°C, freshwater prawns and other warmwater species of fish and invertebrates become stressed. That stress leads to decreased growth and survival, lower quality product, increased aggression, and reduced income. Artificial circulation of pond water can reduce oxygen stresses and thermal stratification, thereby alleviating conditions of poor water quality. Circulation with low energy pond mixers can increase benthic temperatures in thermally stratified ponds, uniformly distribute phytoplankton, and increase dissolved oxygen levels at the bottom of the pond. These benefits result in less aggression and cannibalism, increased survival, increased growth, and increased production.
Regulatory dendritic cells in the tumor immunoenvironment

The tumor microenvironment is a pivotal factor in tumorigenesis, and especially in progression, as the pathogenesis of cancer critically depends on the complex interactions between various microenvironmental components. A key component of the tumor immunoenvironment is the infiltration of immune cells, which has been proven to play a dual role in tumor growth and progression. This Janus two-faced function of the tumor immunoenvironment is seen in tumor infiltration by T cells, which correlates with improved patient survival, but also with the homing of multiple subsets of immunoregulatory cells that inhibit the antitumor immune response. Regulatory dendritic cells (regDCs) have recently been shown to be induced by tumor-derived factors and represent a new and potentially important player in supporting tumor progression and suppressing the development of antitumor immune responses. Our recent data reveal that different tumor cell lines produce soluble factors that induce polarization of conventional DCs into regDCs, both in vitro and in vivo. These regDCs can suppress the proliferation of pre-activated T cells and are phenotypically and functionally different from their precursors as well as the classical immature conventional DCs. Understanding the biology of regDCs and the mechanisms of their formation in the tumor immunoenvironment will provide a new therapeutic target for re-polarizing protumorigenic immunoregulatory cells into proimmunogenic effector cells able to induce and support effective antitumor immunity.
Case study of an ice void structure in polar mesospheric clouds

Abstract The Cloud Imaging and Particle Size (CIPS) instrument aboard the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) mission produces detailed images of Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMCs) from space and has revealed several distinct types of cloud structures. One such commonly observed structure is an ‘ice void’—a nearly circular ice-free region with diameter varying from tens to thousands of kilometers. We document the morphology of large ice voids (diameter of ∼500–1000 km) as seen by CIPS in the northern hemisphere 2007 PMC season. The meteorology of the mesosphere when these voids occur is described by the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System–Advanced Level Physics High Altitude (NOGAPS–ALPHA) forecast/assimilation system. A comprehensive study of dynamics and transport in the mesosphere using NOGAPS–ALPHA during the occurrence of a large ice void observed by CIPS on 19 July 2007 indicates that warmer temperatures (warmer than the frost point temperature of ∼144 K) at the location of the void may be related to increased tidal activity and transport of warm air from low latitudes. However, a detailed analysis of all identified voids is necessary to generalize the factors that could be responsible for the formation of an ice void.
Genetic control of apomorphine-induced climbing behavior in two inbred mouse strains

Abstract Over a wide dose range (1–32 mg/kg), apomorphine-induced climbing behavior was significantly greater in the AKR/J than in the DBA/2J inbred mouse strain. A similar difference was found when apomorphine-induced stereotypy was examined. A cross-fostering study demonstrated that the strain difference in apomorphine-induced climbing behavior did not result from differences in post-natal rearing environment. After apomorphine administration, brain levels of the drug were similar in the two strains indicating that the difference in behavioral response to apomorphine in the two strains was not due to differences in metabolism or distribution of the drug. The climbing response to apomorphine was examined in the F1 cross of the two strains (AKD2F1/J) and in 10 AKXD recombinant inbred strains. Results suggested that the trait was partially dominant and not X-linked; furthermore, a few and possibly one locus was responsible for the differences in apomorphine-induced climbing behavior observed in the AKR/J and DBA/2J mice.
Light-activated ultrafast magneto-optic modulator

An ultrafast light-activated magneto-optical modulator is demonstrated in this paper. This modulator is capable of 1 ns modulation speed and has a 1 mm clear aperture. The design of the modulator incorporates a photoconductive switch and enables a synchronized and jitter-free operation, which eliminates the need of any electrical or optical delay lines. These features make the current design very attractive in typical free-space pulse laser applications. To the authors' knowledge, this is so far the fastest MO modulator with such aperture size that has been reported.
Collection of a representative fraction of total spent hemodialysate

We describe a method of obtaining a small representative fraction of spent dialysate by placing a side tube in the dialysate drainage tube. The side tube, capped with a small-gauge needle, is used to collect the specimen. Fractions obtained in this fashion are found to have a composition similar to that of the remaining spent dialysate.
Extending the Useable Range of Active Orthotic Exoskeletons by Recapture of Walking Energy

Most people don’t think twice about the energy required for walking, except when interested in burning calories during exercise. However, someone needing to depend on active orthotics, or prosthetics, due to partial paralysis or other weakness of the lower extremities, would find energy efficiency of great interest if it meant the range of use was limited by the energy required to power the assistive devices.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Deoxycytidylate deaminase and related enzymes of thymidine triphosphate metabolism in hepatomas and precancerous rat liver

Abstract Certain enzymes of thymidine triphosphate metabolism viz. deoxycytidylate deaminase, thymidylate synthetase, thymidine kinase and thymine catabolic activities were studied in livers from rats fed the hepatocarcinogen 3′-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. Neither 0.06% nor 0.05% 3′-MDAB in the diet caused any significant increases in dTMP synthetase over 17–19 weeks of dye-feeding. Thymine catabolic activity was severely depressed for the first three weeks of dye-feeding but by the 4th week had returned to, and thereafter remained at, high adult liver levels. Changes in activities of dCMP deaminase and TdR kinase during 3′-MDAB feeding closely paralleled each other. Both deaminase and kinase activities were distinctly elevated after 2 weeks on the dye-diet. The activities of these two enzymes remained elevated for several weeks and then reverted toward low adult liver levels after 8 weeks of dye-feeding. If the present results are considered in light of prior studies on (1) histological changes in livers of 3′-MDAB-fed rats, (2) histological and biochemical characteristics of livers from rats fed α-naphylisothiocyanate, (3) alterations of the dTTP pathway in certain “minimal deviation” hepatomas, and (4) the existence of “fetal” and “adult” types of TdR kinase and, possibly, dCMP deaminase, then changes in enzymes of dTTP metabolism noted during 3′-MDAB carcinogenesis might reflect shifts in liver cell populations rather than altered regulation of enzyme activity or synthesis. A theoretical model incorporating this concept is presented and discussed with respect to the metabolic diversity of hepatomas.
Measuring Passage Contribution in ESL Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension items are valid to the extent that they measure what subjects have understood of the stimulus material. This article reports an empirical analysis of two administrations of two reading tests: the first time, without the reading passages, and the second time, with the passages. Data from the two administrations were used to calculate the passage dependency of each test, that is, the extent to which questions can be answered without reading the texts upon which the questions are based. The two tests in this research, Davis Reading Test (Davis and Davis 1956) and Cooperative English Tests (Educational Testing Service 1960), exhibited little passage dependency. The stability of item types across the two presentation conditions is discussed, and a hierarchy of item-type difficulty is established using latent trait measurement logits of difficulty. The results of this study suggest that classroom teachers should examine commercially available tests carefully for passage dependency. Furthermore, in constructing reading tests, teachers should avoid writing items that test general knowledge. Instead, teachers should strive to write items that test memory organization and that reveal whether or not inferences have been drawn.
Blunt intestinal injury. Keys to diagnosis and management

• Fifty-six patients with blunt intestinal injury seen during 39 months were reviewed for keys to diagnosis and treatment. Motor vehicle accidents were involved in 80% of the cases and seat/lap belts were in use 69% of the time. Blunt intestinal injury was the only abdominal injury in 70% of the cases. There were 42 perforations and 20 devascularizations; multiple injuries were common (27%). Abdominal tenderness was present on admission in 43 of 44 patients in whom a reliable examination was possible. Peritoneal lavage was positive in 13 (93%) of 14 patients. Computed tomography was falsely negative in three of four instances in which it was used. Perforations were most common in the upper and lower ends of the small bowel and in the sigmoid colon; devascularizations were most common in the distal ileum and sigmoid colon. Resection/anastomosis was performed in 38% of small-bowel perforations and in all small-bowel devascularizations. Resection/diversion was required in most colonic perforations (five of six patients) and devascularizations (four of six patients). There were five deaths (9%), none due to intestinal injury. There were seven complications related to intestinal injury. Diagnostic delay occurred in two patients; both had resultant morbidity. Blunt intestinal injury is associated with physical findings in conscious patients. Peritoneal lavage should be used when tenderness cannot be evaluated. Timely operative intervention minimizes morbidity and hospital stay. ( Arch Surg. 1990;125:1319-1323)
Polarized Networks: The Organizational Affiliations of National Party Convention Delegates

Previous research has documented that the institutional behaviors (e.g., lobbying, campaign contributions) of political organizations reflect the polarization of these organizations along party lines. However, little is known about how these groups are connected at the level of individual party activists. Using data from a survey of 738 delegates at the 2008 Democratic and Republican national conventions, we use network regression analysis to demonstrate that co-membership networks of national party convention delegates are highly polarized by party, even after controlling for homophily due to ideology, sex/gender, race/ethnicity, age, educational attainment, income, and religious participation. Among delegates belonging to the same organization, only 1.78% of these co-memberships between delegates crossed party lines, and only 2.74% of the ties between organizations sharing common delegates were bipartisan in nature. We argue that segregation of organizational ties on the basis of party adds to the difficulty of finding common political ground between the parties.
Risk Stratification Using Stress Echocardiography: Incremental Prognostic Value over Historic, Clinical, and Stress Electrocardiographic Variables Across a Wide Spectrum of Bayesian Pretest Probabilities for Coronary Artery Disease

Objectives We sought to evaluate the risk stratification ability and incremental prognostic value of stress echocardiography over historic, clinical, and stress electrocardiographic (ECG) variables, over a wide spectrum of bayesian pretest probabilities of coronary artery disease (CAD). Background Stress echocardiography is an established technique for the diagnosis of CAD. However, data on incremental prognostic value of stress echocardiography over historic, clinical, and stress ECG variables in patients with known or suggested CAD is limited. Methods We evaluated 3259 patients (60 ± 13 years, 48% men) undergoing stress echocardiography. Patients were grouped into low ( 85%) pretest CAD likelihood subgroups using standard software. The historical, clinical, stress ECG, and stress echocardiographic variables were recorded for the entire cohort. Follow-up (2.7 ± 1.1 years) for confirmed myocardial infarction (n = 66) and cardiac death (n = 105) was obtained. Results For the entire cohort, an ischemic stress echocardiography study confers a 5.0 times higher cardiac event rate than the normal stress echocardiography group (4.0% vs 0.8%/y, P 2 increased from 5.1 to 8.5 to 20.1 in the low pretest group, P = .44 and P = .01; from 20.9 to 28.2 to 116 in the intermediate pretest group, P = .47 and P P Conclusions A normal stress echocardiography portends a benign prognosis (
Examining The Content and Context of Meditation A Challenge for Psychology in the Areas of Stress Management, Psychotherapy, and Religion/Values

Studies have primarily examined meditation's effects as a self regulation strategy for stress management. Fewer studies have examined its utility as a self exploration strategy for enhancing psycho...
Home (Page) Style: Determinates of the Quality of the House Members' Web Sites

To date, research on e-government has devoted relatively little attention to how legislators use the Internet to enhance the representative function. In this paper, we seek to explain statistically the variation in the quality of Web sites among members of the US Congress. The dependent variable for the preliminary analysis is an ordered categorical rating of the Quality of each memberâ€™s Web site on a 5-point grading scale ranging from A to F. The model specification is derived from the political science literature on Congress, including measures of electoral situation, the local situation, and the intra-institutional situation. The cross sectional findings suggest that shorter tenure and closer electoral margin both independently contribute to successful innovation; members appear to adopt new technologies when constituents are connected to the Internet; and members representing districts of lower socio-economic status tend to have better quality Web sites.
Of ticks, mice and men: understanding the dual-host lifestyle of Lyme disease spirochaetes

In little more than 30 years, Lyme disease, which is caused by the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi, has risen from relative obscurity to become a global public health problem and a prototype of an emerging infection. During this period, there has been an extraordinary accumulation of knowledge on the phylogenetic diversity, molecular biology, genetics and host interactions of B. burgdorferi. In this Review, we integrate this large body of information into a cohesive picture of the molecular and cellular events that transpire as Lyme disease spirochaetes transit between their arthropod and vertebrate hosts during the enzootic cycle.
The sociologist as celebrity: The role of the media in field research

In the literature on qualitative methodology, little has been written about researchers who become public “media figures,” either with regard to the research process or the researcher's self. In this paper I discuss experiences I underwent and roles I assumed while doing research on a nationally publicized college athletic team. Unwittingly, my relations with my subjects thrust me into a highly visible position which led me to receive much media attention. Press coverage precipitated roles I had not planned to adopt: these include active force, bearer of the truth, defender of the faith, expert, and celebrity. This paper assesses the media's influence on my relations with research subjects, on my relations with others (strangers, acquaintances, fans, boosters, colleagues, friends, and family), and on my sense of self. In each case the media were potent in redefining situations and relationships.
Quantitative microbial risk assessment of bioaerosols from a manure application site

Bioaerosol concentrations and deposition were monitored at the edge of a dairy manure application site in northern New York State. Total bacteria, fecal indicator bacteria (Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli), and select bacterial pathogens (Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., and E. coli O157:H7) were measured in the manure and air by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The 8-h average bacterial air concentration measured by liquid impingement following manure application was 7.89 × 105 copies m−3, one order of magnitude greater than mean background measurements (6.35 × 104 copies m−3; n = 6). Eight-hour ambient concentration of Enterococcus spp. was 1.54 × 104 copies m−3; E. coli and pathogens were less than their respective limits of detection. The measured deposition flux of bacteria was 1.08 × 103 copies m−2 s−1, corresponding to bulk deposition velocity of 0.15 cm s−1. Using inverse dispersion modeling with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s AERMOD, the emission of bacteria from the manure-amended field was estimated to be 1.27 × 105 copies m−2 s−1. AERMOD was also used to model downwind bioaerosol concentrations; the greatest modeled 8-h average downwind bacteria concentrations were 8.00 × 105 copies m−3 above background at 100 m and 3.95 × 103 copies m−3 above background at 1,000 m. Potential health risks associated with these bioaerosols were estimated by quantitative microbial risk assessment based on AERMOD results using measured pathogen concentrations in land-applied manure and emission rate estimates for total bacteria. Median risks of infection over an 8-h exposure period were 1:500 at 100 m and 1:100,000 at 1,000 m; peak risks (95th percentile) were 1:250 and 1:50,000, respectively.
Inner retinal abnormalities in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa with RPGR mutations.

Purpose. To investigate in vivo the retinal microstructure in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) caused by RPGR mutations as a prelude to treatment initiatives for this common form of RP. Methods. Patients with RPGR-XLRP (n = 12; age range, 10–56 years) were studied by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in a wide region of central retina. Overall retinal thickness and outer nuclear layer (ONL) and inner retinal parameters across horizontal and vertical meridians were analyzed and compared. Results. Retinal architecture of all patients with RPGR mutations was abnormal. At the fovea in younger patients, the ONL could be normal; but, at increasing eccentricities, there was a loss of photoreceptor laminar structure, even at the youngest ages studied. At later ages and advanced disease stages, the ONL was thin and reduced in extent. Inner retinal thickness, in contrast, was normal or hyperthick. Inner retinal thickening was detectable at all ages studied and was strongly associated with ONL loss. Conclusions. Inner retinal laminar abnormalities in RPGR-XLRP are likely to reflect a neuronal–glial retinal remodeling response to photoreceptor loss and are detectable relatively early in the disease course. These results should be factored into emerging therapeutic strategies for this form of RP.
Access to an excited state via the thermal ring-opening of a cyclopropylidene.

Thermal generation of singlet excited states is unusual in organic chemistry. The potential energy surface for the thermal ring-opening of 4-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.0]hex-2-ene-6-ylidene (1) was calculated at the CASSCF level of theory and found to produce α,3-didehydrotoluene in its biradical ground state (S0) and/or its zwitterionic excited state (S1).