cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HISTORY AND THE MANIFEST IMAGE: HAYDEN WHITE AS A PHILOSOPHER OF HISTORY1

To claim that Hayden White has yet to be read seriously as a philosopher of history might seem false on the face of it. But do tropes and the rest provide any epistemic rationale for differing representations of historical events found in histories? As an explanation of White's influence on philosophy of history, such a proffered emphasis only generates a puzzle with regard to taking White seriously, and not an answer to the question of why his efforts should be worthy of any philosophical attention at all. For what makes his emphasis on narrative structure and its associated tropes of philosophical relevance? What, it may well be asked, did (or could) any theory that draws its categories from a stock provided by literary criticism contribute to explicating problems with regard to the warranting of claims about knowledge, explanation, or causation that represent those concerns that philosophy typically brings to this field? Robert Doran's anthologizing of previously uncollected pieces, ranging as they do over a literal half-century of White's published work, offers an opportunity to identify explicitly those philosophical themes and arguments that regularly and prominently feature there. Moreover, White's essays in this volume demonstrate a credible knowledge of and interest in mainstream analytic philosophers of his era and also reveal White as deeply influenced by or well acquainted with other important philosophers of history. White thus invites a reading of his work as philosophy, and this volume presents the opportunity for accepting it as such.
Evidence for Na-H exchange in the rabbit pancreas.

WE have found that pancreatic juice secretion can be maintained at a high rate even when all exogenous HCO3 is replaced by another weak acid anion such as acetate. When acetate is secreted by the rabbit pancreas in vitro, juice flows at rates of 30–90% of control1 and acetate reaches a concentration up to three times that in the ambient bathing solution. HCO3 is not essential for juice production and so these data suggest that active transport of H or OH ions is responsible for normal HCO3 secretion. We have therefore examined the effect of alterations of ambient pH on cell pH. Our data indicate the existence of an Na-H exchange mechanism at the serosal (bath-facing) membrane.
Materials for step and flash imprint lithography (S-FIL®)

Step and flash imprint lithography, or S-FIL®, was introduced in 1999 by The University of Texas at Austin (Proc. SPIE-Int. Soc. Opt. Eng., 1999, 3676, 379), and has progressed from an academic curiosity to commercialization in less than five years (J. Microlithogr., Microfabr., Microsyst., 2005, 4, 1). It has proven to be a cost effective, high resolution alternative to traditional optical lithography and has been placed on The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) as a potential candidate for 32 nm device fabrication (http://www.itrs.net/Links/2006Update/FinalToPost/08_Lithography2006Update.pdf.). This article summarizes the efforts made towards the development of imprint materials for S-FIL and the obstacles that have yet to be overcome.
Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species Production in Excitable Cells: Modulators of Mitochondrial and Cell Function

Abstract The mitochondrion is a major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Superoxide (O2•−) is generated under specific bioenergetic conditions at several sites within the electron-transport system; most is converted to H2O2 inside and outside the mitochondrial matrix by superoxide dismutases. H2O2 is a major chemical messenger that, in low amounts and with its products, physiologically modulates cell function. The redox state and ROS scavengers largely control the emission (generation scavenging) of O2•−. Cell ischemia, hypoxia, or toxins can result in excess O2•− production when the redox state is altered and the ROS scavenger systems are overwhelmed. Too much H2O2 can combine with Fe2+ complexes to form reactive ferryl species (e.g., Fe(IV) = O•). In the presence of nitric oxide (NO•), O2•− forms the reactant peroxynitrite (ONOO−), and ONOOH-induced nitrosylation of proteins, DNA, and lipids can modify their structure and function. An initial increase in ROS can cause an even greater increase in R...
Fundamentals of plasma simulation

With the increasing size and speed of modern supercomputers, the incredibly complex nonlinear properties of plasmas in the laboratory and in space are being successfully explored in increasing depth. Of particular importance have been numerical simulation techniques involving finite size particles on a discrete mesh. After discussing the importance of this means of understanding a variety of nonlinear plasma phenomena, we describe the basic elements of particle-in-cell simulation and their limitations and advantages. The differencing techniques, stability and accuracy issues, data management and optimization issues are discussed by a simple example of a particle-in-cell code. Recent advances in simulation methods allowing large space and time scales to be treated with minimal sacrifice in physics are reviewed. Various examples of nonlinear processes successfully studied by plasma simulation are given.
Extension and retraction of axonal projections by some developing neurons in the leech depends upon the existence of neighboring homologues. II. The AP and AE neurons.

The role of homologues in the establishment of the pattern of axonal projections of identified segmentally homologous neurons was investigated by means of selective cell ablation and dye injection. The cells studied were the bilateral pairs of heart accessory (HA) neurons found in the fifth and sixth segmental ganglia of the leech ventral nerve cord. Homologues start their morphological differentiation with identical axonal projections, and segmental differences are manifested later, when specific branches stop growing and disappear. The deletion of single HA cells at early stages, however, permits these branches to survive in their ipsilateral homologues and to grow and take over the projections of the deleted neurons. In addition, if both HA homologues on the same side of the nerve cord, or three of the four HA cells, are deleted in an animal, the remaining HA cells often extend novel projections. These observations suggest that either competition for targets, inputs or growth factors, or direct interactions among homologous cells may play a role in the differentiation of segment specific patterns of axonal projections.
The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How

Daniel Coyle Bantam Books, New York, 2009 246 pp., US$25 (pb), ISBN: 978-0-553-80684-7 With Daniel Coyle's The Talent Code, the trilogy is now complete. Coyle's book comes on the heels of Talent is...
Nitrogen deposition, plant carbon allocation, and soil microbes: Changing interactions due to enrichment

Premise of the study Nitrogen (N) inputs to the terrestrial environment have doubled worldwide during the past century. N negatively impacts plant diversity, but it is unknown why some species are more susceptible than others. While it is often assumed that competition drives species decline, N enrichment also strongly affects soil microbial communities. Can these changes affect plant-microbe interactions in ways that differentially influence success of plant species? Furthermore, can altered plant-microbe interactions lead to carbon (C) limitation in plants? Methods We focused on a species that increases (Deschampsia cespitosa) and one that decreases (Geum rossii) in abundance in N-fertilized plots in alpine tundra. We measured soil microbes using phospholipid fatty acids, and C limitation and transfer using a (13)C tracer experiment, C:N ratios, nonstructural carbohydrates, and leaf preformation. Key results While N profoundly influenced microbial communities, this change occurred similarly in association with both plant species. N addition did not alter total C allocation to microbes in either species, but it changed patterns of microbial C acquisition more in Geum, specifically in gram-negative bacteria. Geum showed evidence of C limitation: it allocated less C to storage organs, had lower C:N and carbohydrate stores, and fewer preformed leaves in N plots. Conclusions Carbon limitation may explain why some species decline with N enrichment, and the decline may be due to physiological responses of plants to N rather than to altered plant-microbe interactions. Global change will alter many processes important in structuring plant communities; noncompetitive mechanisms of species decline may be more widespread than previously thought.
Rapid, Standardized Method for Determination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Drug Susceptibility by Use of Mycolic Acid Analysis

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis and extrensively drug-resistant (XDR) M. tuberculosis are emerging public health threats whose threats are compounded by the fact that current techniques for testing the susceptibility of M. tuberculosis require several days to weeks to complete. We investigated the use of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based quantitation of mycolic acids as a means of rapidly determining drug resistance and susceptibility in M. tuberculosis. Standard susceptibility testing and determination of the MICs of drug-susceptible (n = 26) and drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains, including MDR M. tuberculosis strains (n = 34), were performed by using the Bactec radiometric growth system as the reference method. The HPLC-based susceptibilities of the current first-line drugs, isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), ethambutol (EMB), and pyrazinamide (PZA), were determined. The vials were incubated for 72 h, and aliquots were removed for HPLC analysis by using the Sherlock mycobacterial identification system. HPLC quantitation of total mycolic acid peaks (TMAPs) was performed with treated and untreated cultures. At 72 h, the levels of agreement of the HPLC method with the reference method were 99.5% for INH, EMB, and PZA and 98.7% for RIF. The inter- and intra-assay reproducibilities varied by drug, with an average precision of 13.4%. In summary, quantitation of TMAPs is a rapid, sensitive, and accurate method for antibiotic susceptibility testing of all first-line drugs currently used against M. tuberculosis and offers the potential of providing susceptibility testing results within hours, rather than days or weeks, for clinical M. tuberculosis isolates.
Early Adolescents' Perceived Interpersonal Risks and Benefits Relations to Social Support and Psychological Functioning

The present study examined how early adolescents' network orientation, or their perceptions of the risks and benefits involved in interpersonal relationships, impinge on their social support and their psychological adjustment. Four hundred fifty 6th graders completed extensive questionnaires about their network orientation, social support, and psychological functioning. Subjects `parents and teachers also rated the support they provide to the adolescent. Results indicated that adolescents' perceived social benefits were predictive of both perceived familial and perceived nonfamilial support. Subjects' perceived social risks and benefits were associated with father-rated support, but not with mother- or teacher-rated support. In addition, adolescents who were lonely or who had low self-worth perceived more social risks, and depressed subjects perceived fewer social benefits, than individuals not exhibiting these psychological difficulties. These results suggest that early adolescents' evaluations of interp...
Voluntary Association Membership and Political Participation: an Exploration of the Mobilization Hypothesis*

Survey data from 390 respondents was analyzed to determine the relative effects of organizational involvement, socioeconomic status, and political attitudes on political participation. Two theoreti...
A rapid method for detection of recombinant proteins in single Pichia yeast cell with optical Raman-tweezers spectroscopy

Optical Raman-tweezers spectroscopy was used to detect recombinant proteins (somatolactin) produced in single Pichia yeast cells, in which the gene of zebrafish somatolactin /spl beta/ has been inserted and expressed in the transgenic cells.
When is a correlation between non‐independent variables “spurious”?

Correlations which are artifacts of various types of data transformations can be said to be spurious. This study considers four common types of analyses where the X and Y variables are not independent; these include regressions of the form X/Z vs Y/Z, X x Z vs Y x Z, X vs Y/X, and X+Y vs Y. These analyses were carried out using a series of Monte Carlo simulations while varying sample size and sample variability. The impact of disparities in variability between the shared and non-shared terms and measurement error for the shared term on the magnitude of the spurious correlations was also considered. The accuracy of equations previously derived to predict the magnitude of spurious correlations was also assessed. These results show the risk of producing spurious correlations when analyzing non-independent variables is very large. Spurious correlations occurred in all cases assessed, the mean spurious coefficient of determination (r 2 ) frequently exceeded 0.50, and in some cases the 90% confidence interval for these simulations included all large r 2 values. The magnitude of spurious correlations was sensitive to differences in the variability of the shared and non-shared terms, with large spurious correlations obtained when the variability for the shared term was larger. Sample size had only a modest impact on the magnitude of spurious correlations. When measurement error for the shared variable was smaller than one half the coefficient of variation for that variable, which is generally the case, the measurement error did not generate large spurious correlations. The equations available to predict expected spurious correlations provided accurate predictions for the case of X x Z vs Y x Z, variable predictions for the case of X vs Y/X, and poor predictions for most cases of X/Z vs Y/Z, and X+Y vs Y.
Developing Exclusion: The Case of the 1961 Land Reform in Colombia

The modern project of rural development has been seen as one of increasing incorporation, control and rationalization of territory by the state. Evidence from the formulation of the Colombian land reform policy of 1961 gives more nuance to this general conceptualization. Those places where the state intervened through large-scale resettlement programmes conceived within the framework of Cold War development are the same places where war and the drug economy — the most serious threats to the state itself — took root and grew. This article examines this contradiction. It interrogates the idea of modern development as a project that necessarily brings subjects and territories into the realm of state control. It also attempts to provide a counterweight to arguments about the territorialization of the war in Colombia being the outcome of state inaction and lack of development.
Abstract Behavior Representations for Self-Assessment

Developing and testing intelligent agents is a complex task that is both time-consuming and costly. This is especially true for agents whose behavior is judged not only by the final states they achieve, but also by the way in which they accomplish their task. In this paper, we examine methods for ensuring an agent upholds constraints particular to a given domain. We explore two significant projects dealing with this problem and we determine that two properties are crucial to success in complex domains. First, we must seek efficient methods of representing domain constraints and testing potential actions for consistency. Second, behavior must be assessed at runtime, as opposed to only during a planning phase. Finally, we explore how abstract behavior representations might be used to satisfy these two properties. We end the paper with a brief discussion of the current state of our self-assessment framework and our plans for future work.
Evaluation of the Neuropharmacodynamics of Paroxetine in Vivo Utilizing Microdialysis

The effect of paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor used in the treatment of depression, on extracellular serotonin levels was evaluated in freely moving conscious rats. Microdialysis, a powerful in vivo technique to monitor the extracellular levels of neurotransmitters, was used to monitor the baseline changes in the levels of serotonin in rat brain anterior lateral striatum post paroxetine administration, which is a measure of the neuropharmacodynamic effect of the drug. Microdialysis sampling was performed for 210 min prior to and for 240 min after intraperitoneal administration of paroxetine (10 mg/kg). Paroxetine caused a statistically significant increase in the extracellular levels of serotonin in the anterior lateral striatum sampled by microdialysis. The present study demonstrates the utility of microdialysis for studying the in vivo neuropharmacodynamics of paroxetine in conscious rats.
On the stability of a heterogeneous shear layer subject to a body force

The effects of density variation and body force on the stability of a heterogeneous horizontal shear layer are investigated. The density is assumed to decrease exponentially with height, and the body force is assumed to be derivable from a potential; the velocity distribution in the shear layer is taken to be U(y) = tanh y. The method of small disturbances is employed to obtain a family of neutral stability curves depending on the choice of the Richardson number. It is demonstrated, furthermore, that the value of the critical Richardson number depends on the magnitude of the non-dimensional density gradient.
Reduction of all-trans-retinal limits regeneration of visual pigment in mice

Absorption of photons by pigments in photoreceptor cells results in photoisomerization of the chromophore, 11-cis-retinal, to all-trans-retinal and activation of opsin. Photolysed chromophore is converted back to the 11-cis-configuration via several enzymatic steps in photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelial cells. We investigated the levels of retinoids in mouse retina during constant illumination and regeneration in the dark as a means of obtaining more information about the rate-limiting step of the visual cycle and about cycle intermediates that could be responsible for desensitization of the visual system. All-trans-retinal accumulated in the retinas during constant illumination and following flash illumination. Decay of all-trans-retinal in the dark following constant illumination occurred without substantial accumulation of all-trans-retinal, generated by constant approximately equal to visual pigment regeneration (t1/2 approximately 5 and t1/2 approximately 7 min, respectively). All-trans-retinal, generated by constant illumination, decayed approximately 3 times more rapidly than that generated by a flash and, as shown previously, the rate of rhodopsin regeneration following a flash was approximately 4 times slower than after constant illumination. The retinyl ester pool (> 95% all-trans-retinyl ester) did not show a statistically significant change in size or composition during illumination. In addition, constant illumination increased the amount of photoreceptor membrane-associated arrestin. The results suggest that the rate-limiting step of the visual cycle is the reduction of all-trans-retinal to all-trans-retinol by all-trans-retinol dehydrogenase. The accumulation of all-trans-retinal during illumination may be responsible, in part, for the reduction in sensitivity of the visual system that accompanies photobleaching and may contribute to the development of retinal pathology associated with light damage and aging.
Mass transport in three-dimensional water waves

Mass transport in various kind of two-dimensional water waves is studied. The characteristics of the governing equations for the mass transport depend on the ratio of viscous lengthscale to the amplitude of the free-surface displacement. When this ratio is small, the nonlinearity is important and the mass transport flow acquires a boundary-layer character. Numerical schemes are developed to investigate mass transport in a partially reflected wave and above a hump in the seabed. When the mass transport is periodic in the horizontal direction, a spectral scheme based on a Fourier–Chebyshev expansion, is presented for the solution of the equations. For the ease of a hump on the seabed, the flow domain is divided into three regions. Using the spectral scheme, the mass transport in the uniform-depth regions is calculated first. and the results are used to compute the steady flow in the inhomogeneous flow region which encloses the hump on the seabed.
An Introduction to Pediatric Home Health Care

purpose. To provide an overview of the delivery of home health care services to pediatric patients population. All pediatric patients conclusions. Institution-based nurses are integral in making referrals for home health care services and assuring home health care agencies have the needed information for providing seamless services. practice implications. Institution-based nurses are the first line in the transition to home and are key members in making the transition happen without unnecessary difficulty for the child and family. This article presents pragmatic information about home health care agencies and how they operate so that institution-based nurses can maximize the benefit their pediatric patients receive from home health care.
Athletic web-enabled technical developments and their effects on electronic marketing services

The basic ideas and strategies of the internet, along with advances in design techniques and technology, are a perfect fit for collegiate athletic departments and sports fans worldwide. With the rise of e-commerce, ticket brokerage websites have proven to be an effective tool for purchasing tickets. Online ticketing is a growing medium for e-commerce and is enabling consumers to order tickets to events all over the world quickly, safely and efficiently. Online ticket brokerage websites must face the security concerns that face all those participating in e-commerce. Collegiate athletic directors and staff members have many goals within their departments that are marketing-service related, such as building fan loyalty, building the educational institution's reputation, recruiting top athletes and raising funds for the teams and the institution. Using the web-enabled technologies as supplemental marketing tools, athletic departments can develop new marketing strategies, while reaping the rewards of fan interactivity.
Stochastic event capture using mobile sensors subject to a quality metric

Mobile sensors cover more area over a period of time than the same number of stationary sensors. However, the quality of coverage achieved by mobile sensors depends on the velocity, mobility pattern, number of mobile sensors deployed and the dynamics of the phenomenon being sensed. The gains attained by mobile sensors over static sensors and the optimal motion strategies for mobile sensors are not well understood. In this paper we consider the problem of event capture using mobile sensors. The events of interest arrive at certain points in the sensor field and fade away according to arrival and departure time distributions. An event is said to be captured if it is sensed by one of the mobile sensors before it fades away. For this scenario we analyze how the quality of coverage scales with the velocity, path and number of mobile sensors. We characterize the cases where the deployment of mobile sensors has no advantage over static sensors and find the optimal velocity pattern that a mobile sensor should adopt.We also present algorithms for two motion planning problems: (i) for a single sensor, what is the minimum speed and sensor trajectory required to satisfy a bound on event loss probability and (ii) for sensors with fixed speed, what is the minimum number of sensors required to satisfy a bound on event loss probability. When events occur only along a line or a closed curve our algorithms return optimal velocity for the minimum velocity problem. For the minimum sensor problem, the number of sensors used is within a factor two of the optimal solution. For the case where the events occur at arbitrary points on a plane we present heuristic algorithms for the above motion planning problems and bound their performance with respect to the optimal. The results of this paper have wide range of applications in areas like surveillance, wildlife monitoring, hybrid sensor networks and under-water sensor networks.
M*A*S*H An Illustration of Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

The main characters of the television show M*A *S*H are taken as an illustration of Kohlberg's cognitive-developmental stages of moral development. Physical and verbal samples of the characters' be...
INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM TRANSLOCATION: MECHANISM OF ACTIVATION BY GUANINE NUCLEOTIDES AND INOSITOL PHOSPHATES

The movements of Ca2+ within cells in response to external stimuli are complex. Internal Ca2+ release activated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) is now widely established. However, the mechanism of InsP3-induced Ca2+ release, the identity and control of the InsP3-sensitive Ca2+ pool and its relationship to other internal and external Ca2+ pools all remain uncertain. We have characterized a highly sensitive and specific guanine nucleotide-regulatory mechanism that induces rapid and profound movements of intracellular Ca2+ via a mechanism distinct from that activated by InsP3. Using permeabilized neural or smooth muscle cells, application of submicromolar concentrations of GTP induces rapid release of Ca2+ from a compartment that contains within it the InsP3-releasable Ca2+ pool. Although of similar GTP-sensitivity as G-protein-activated events, the apparent dependence on GTP hydrolysis and blockade by GTP gamma S suggest a mechanism distinct from those mediated by known G-proteins. Recent experiments in the presence of oxalate reveal rapid and profound GTP-activated uptake of Ca2+ via a mechanism with identical nucleotide sensitivity and specificity to GTP-induced Ca2+ release. These results were interpreted to suggest that GTP induces a transmembrane conveyance of Ca2+ between different compartments distinguished by oxalate permeability; GTP-induced release probably occurs via a similar mechanism except involving transfer between closed compartments and nonclosed membranes (perhaps the plasma membrane). Recently, it has been revealed that GTP activates a translocation of Ca2+ into the Ca2+ pool from which InsP3 induces release. This is an important observation suggesting that the GTP-activated Ca2+ translocation process may control entry into and hence the size of the InsP3-releasable Ca2+ pool. Indeed, it is possible that GTP-induced Ca2+ release observed in permeabilized cells reflects a reversal of the pathway that functions in intact cells to permit external Ca2+ entry into the InsP3-releasable pool. This type of process could mediate the longer-term secretory or excitatory responses to external receptors which are known to be dependent on external Ca2+.
An Investigation of Convection behind the Cape Canaveral Sea-Breeze Front

Abstract A three-dimensional numerical simulation of land–water circulations near Cape Canaveral, Florida, is performed using the Advanced Regional Prediction System. The role of Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) in determining the time and location of convection behind the sea-breeze front is examined. The model configuration attempts to improve upon limitations of previous work (e.g., resolution, surface characteristics, initial state). It provides a detailed and realistic simulation of the desired features. The simulation exhibits a single precipitating storm that forms behind the sea-breeze front. This postfrontal storm develops when an outflow boundary intersects a deep layer of upward motion above the marine air. The region of ascent initially is the remnant of a cell that formed along the sea-breeze front, but before the cell decays, a portion of its upward motion is intensified and displaced. The modification of the ascent is a product of KHI that is occurring on top of the sea-breeze interface i...
5-Hydroxytryptamine2B Receptor Mediates Contraction in the Mesenteric Artery of Mineralocorticoid Hypertensive Rats

Abstract Vascular responsiveness to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is dramatically increased in hypertension. The hypothesis that augmented vasoconstriction to 5-HT in hypertension is due to a change in receptor subtype on vascular myocytes was tested. Mesenteric arteries from deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive (systolic blood pressure >180 mm Hg) and sham normotensive (systolic blood pressure 2 family based on rank order of agonist potency (5-HT=α-methyl-5-HT [5-HT 2 receptor agonist]>tryptamine>5-hydroxykynuramine). 5-HT was approximately 10-fold more potent in contracting mesenteric arteries from DOCA-salt hypertensive rats compared with arteries from sham normotensive rats. The tryptophan metabolite kynuramine, which possesses significant contractile activity at the 5-HT 2B receptor, contracted hypertensive arteries significantly (50% of 5-HT maximum) but not sham arteries. Ketanserin (5-HT 2A antagonist) competitively inhibited contraction to 5-HT in arteries from normotensive rats (−log dissociation constant [mol/L]; p K B =8.54) but not from hypertensive rats (p K B >6.5). Moreover, contraction to kynuramine was not blocked by ketanserin. Thus, under normal conditions, 5-HT 2A receptors mediate contraction to 5-HT. However, in DOCA-salt hypertension, ketanserin-insensitive 5-HT 2 receptors, possibly 5-HT 2B receptors, mediate mesenteric arterial contraction to 5-HT.
Constraints on willow seedling survival in a Rocky Mountain Montane floodplain

To identify potential constraints on willow (Salix spp.) seedling establishment in montane riparian communities in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA we established a controlled experiment to examine the effects of soil texture and elevation above river stage on willow seedling survival. We followed seedling survival rates over two summers in paired course- and fine-textured plots established at three elevations on study area point bars. Patterns of seedling survival changed over the course of the study, and after two growing seasons, greater seedling survival rates were observed in fine-textured plots and plots occurring at high and intermediate elevations. Our results indicate that both soil water availability and scour by spring floods influence the spatial and temporal patterns of willow seedling survival on point bars along small-order montane streams.
Does Intraarticular Morphine Improve Pain Control with Femoral Nerve Block after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

In a prospective, randomized, double-blinded manner, we compared the effects of a preoperative intraarticular injection of morphine (5 mg) or a placebo, combined with a postoperative femoral nerve block, on postoperative pain. Sixty-two patients underwent an arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using patellar tendon autograft under general anesthesia. No statistical difference between the two groups was evident in terms of age, sex, weight, operative time, volume of bupivacaine received with the femoral nerve block, or tourniquet use or tourniquet time. Comparison of visual analog scale pain scores revealed no statistical difference between the groups at any point after the operation. Both groups had a significant decrease in visual analog scale scores after the femoral nerve block, with the lowest mean values 4 hours after the operation (morphine group, 1.7; placebo group, 1.4), and continuing to be significantly less through 24 hours (morphine, 2.6; placebo, 2.9). No significant difference in postoperative narcotic medication use was evident in the recovery room or at home. A post hoc power analysis revealed that the study power reached 87%, with a significance level of 5%. The postoperative femoral nerve block was effective, and intraarticular morphine provided no additional benefit.
Abstract 129: Race-specific social gradients in breast cancer burden in Maryland: 1992-2003.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC There is substantial evidence linking adverse breast cancer characteristics, including more aggressive histology, larger tumor size, and advanced stage at diagnosis, to both African American race, and lower social class. However, it is not well known if social class affects black and white women similarly, and what behavioral or environmental factors may contribute to the social class gradient for each racial group. Using data from approximately 55,000 cases of breast cancer reported to the Maryland Cancer Registry between 1992-2003, we used multi-level random effects models to examine the relationship between case race, age, year of diagnosis, area-level social class indices (area-level rates of high school graduation, employment, white collar work, and income) and three characteristics associated with adverse cancer outcomes: SEER stage at diagnosis (stage 2-7 versus 1), large tumor size at diagnosis (>2 cm versus <=2 cm), and aggressive histological grade of tumor (grade 3 or 4, versus 1 or 2). We then examined the additional contribution to the model of an estimate of area-level smoking behavior, using estimates of area-level average per household tobacco spending. Finally, we examined whether effects of social class and tobacco use varied for white and black women. Results demonstrate that black women were more likely to be diagnosed with later stage cancers (O.R. =1.29, 95% C.I.= 1.22,1.35), larger tumors (O.R.= 1.45, 95% C.I.= 1.34, 1.56), and more aggressive tumor histology (O.R. 1.65, 95% C.I.= 1.56,1.74). Social class was protective for all three outcomes, but statistically significant interactions showed that this protective effect of social class was reduced for black women compared to white women. In addition, each $1000 increase in average household level of tobacco spending was significantly associated with aggressive grade (O.R.=1.01 per $1000) and larger tumor size (O.R. =1.03, 95% C.I.=1.01,1.06) but not significantly associated with late stage diagnosis. There were no statistically significant interactions of tobacco spending by race, indicating that the effect of tobacco spending are similar for black and white cases. Findings suggest that social class effects differ by race, and that intersectionality - the context-based understanding of multiple simultaneous social effects on health - may be an important approach to understanding excess breast cancer burden in women. This analysis also suggests that health risk behaviors, such as group-level tobacco use, may contribute additional risk, and should be further explored with more robust designs and data. Citation Format: Ann C. Klassen, Aaron Pankiewicz, Frank Curriero. Race-specific social gradients in breast cancer burden in Maryland: 1992-2003. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 129. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-129
An Optical Recording Rotameter for Measuring Blood Flow.

SummaryA rotameter and electrical unit have been described with which permanent recordings of blood flow may be made in acute experiments. No special training or technical knowledge is required for its use. Continuous recording of blood flow is possible without any attention from the operator. Tests have shown that the instrument measures blood flow accurately with 5% or less variation and is not significantly altered by changes in blood viscosity or flow pattern over a wide physiological range.
Multiple Change Point Analysis: Fast Implementation and Strong Consistency

One of the main challenges in identifying structural changes in stochastic processes is to carry out analysis for time series with dependency structure in a computationally tractable way. Another challenge is that the number of true change points is usually unknown, requiring a suitable model selection criterion to arrive at informative conclusions. To address the first challenge, we model the data generating process as a segment-wise autoregression, which is composed of several segments (time epochs), each of which modeled by an autoregressive model. We propose a multiwindow method that is both effective and efficient for discovering the structural changes. The proposed approach was motivated by transforming a segment-wise autoregression into a multivariate time series that is asymptotically segment-wise independent and identically distributed. To address the second challenge, we derive theoretical guarantees for (almost surely) selecting the true number of change points of segment-wise independent multivariate time series. Specifically, under mild assumptions, we show that a Bayesian information criterion like criterion gives a strongly consistent selection of the optimal number of change points, while an Akaike information criterion like criterion cannot. Finally, we demonstrate the theory and strength of the proposed algorithms by experiments on both synthetic- and real-world data, including the Eastern U.S. temperature data and the El Nino data. The experiment leads to some interesting discoveries about temporal variability of the summer-time temperature over the Eastern U.S., and about the most dominant factor of ocean influence on climate, which were also discovered by environmental scientists.
Two-Sided Matching Model Between Domestic Service Staffs and Employers

In order to achieve the optimal two-sided matching according to the supply and demand information of domestic service staff and employers,and to improve the efficiency of matching and reduce the cost of matching,the two-sided matching between domestic service staff and employers was studied. Firstly,the two-sided matching issue between domestic service staff and employers is described. Secondly,the satisfaction degree of domestic service staff and employers is calculated based on the supply and demand information provided by domestic service staff and employers,respectively. Furthermore,a multi-objective optimization model maximizing the staff and employers satisfaction degrees is constructed. A solution model is constructed to determine the corresponding optimal matching alternatives. Finally,a numerical example is given to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Host-targeted approaches to managing animal health: old problems and new tools

Our fellow medical and regulatory scientists question the animal producer's dependence on antibiotics and antimicrobial chemicals in the production of animal products. Retail distributors and consumers are putting even more pressure on the animal industry to find new ways to produce meat without antibiotics and chemicals. In addition, federal funding agencies are increasingly pressuring researchers to conduct science that has application. In the review that follows, we outline our approach to finding novel ways to improve animal performance and health. We use a strict set of guidelines in our applied research as follows: (1) Does the work have value to society? (2) Does our team have the skills to innovate in the field? (3) Is the product we produce commercially cost-effective? (4) Are there any reasons why the general consumer will reject the technology? (5) Is it safe for the animal, consumer, and the environment? Within this framework, we describe 4 areas of research that have produced useful products, areas that we hope other scientists will likewise explore and innovate such as (1) methods to detect infection in herds and flocks, (2) methods to control systemic and mucosal inflammation, (3) improvements to intestinal barrier function, and (4) methods to strategically potentiate immune defense. We recognize that others are working in these areas, using different strategies, but believe our examples will illustrate the vast opportunity for research and innovation in a world without antibiotics. Animal scientists have been given a new challenge that may help shape the future of both animal and human medicine.
TCT-747 Utility of isoproterenol challenge in predicting symptomatic response to myectomy in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with occult obstruction

Septal myectomy is the gold standard for medically-refractory patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HCM). There is a subset of patients who have severe exertional symptoms without a resting or provocable left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient on noninvasive testing. These
Virtual Colonialism: Japan’s Others in SoulCalibur

Hutchinson examines the Japanese fighting game genre, specifically the SoulCalibur series, within the historical context of colonial East Asia. Taking a qualitative approach to game content and culture, she examines the politics of games as media artefacts which can perpetuate ideology, particularly through racial stereotype. Hutchinson compares the racial and ethnic representations of the ‘Other’ in SoulCalibur to racial attitudes prevalent in the Meiji period, at the height of Japanese colonial expansion into Korea, Taiwan, Okinawa and Micronesia. Drawing on work by Edward Said and Homi Bhabha on Orientalism, colonial discourse and stereotype construction, Hutchinson argues that the representation of national identity, particularly in the stereotypical ways demanded by the fighting game genre, has potent implications in contemporary East Asia.
Disease-Modifying Treatment Has a Similar Effect in Pediatric Onset and Adult Onset RRMS Patients: Findings from an Integrated RRMS Adult Clinical Trial Database (P3.049)

Objective : Compare the effect of disease-modifying treatment (DMT) in pediatric onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) and adult onset MS (AOMS) patients in their adulthood in an integrated database of adult relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) clinical trials. Background : A paucity of clinical trial data with DMTs exists for POMS patients in the pediatric stage of their disease. However, given the wealth of adult RRMS clinical trial data available, we investigated whether the effect of DMT in POMS relative to AOMS patients during adulthood was different. Methods : Data from 4 placebo-controlled Phase 3 adult trials (AFFIRM, DEFINE, CONFIRM, and ADVANCE) were integrated at the individual patient level, employing uniform methodology. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age at onset of RRMS for POMS (10-18 years at onset) and AOMS (>18 years at onset) patients. Annualized relapse rate (ARR), MRI outcomes (new/newly enlarging T2 lesions [NET2] and Gd+ lesions), and disability progression were evaluated in these two subgroups for patients treated with DMTs versus placebo. Results : Of 3487 patients, nearly 10[percnt] were POMS patients. At baseline, POMS patients were on average 10 years younger, slightly more non-White, and had more previous steroid treatment and higher MRI activity than AOMS patients. For each outcome, the effect of DMT was statistically significant within each subgroup (POMS and AOMS), and reductions for DMT versus placebo were generally similar in magnitude in POMS relative to AOMS patients: ARR: 56[percnt] versus 53[percnt]; NET2: 66[percnt] versus 81[percnt]; Gd+ lesions: 74[percnt] versus 89[percnt]; and time to 12-week confirmed Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression: 52[percnt] versus 37[percnt]. Conclusions : DMTs are similarly effective in both POMS and adult onset patients during adulthood, suggesting that DMT is beneficial in adult RRMS regardless of age of onset of disease. Study Supported by : Biogen Disclosure: Dr. Soman holds stock and/or stock options in Biogen Idec. Dr. Carmen Castrilo-Viguera has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen as an employee. Dr. Rghupathi has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec as an employee.
Engineered erythrocytes covalently linked to antigenic peptides can protect against autoimmune disease

Current therapies for autoimmune diseases rely on traditional immunosuppressive medications that expose patients to an increased risk of opportunistic infections and other complications. Immunoregulatory interventions that act prophylactically or therapeutically to induce antigen-specific tolerance might overcome these obstacles. Here we use the transpeptidase sortase to covalently attach disease-associated autoantigens to genetically engineered and to unmodified red blood cells as a means of inducing antigen-specific tolerance. This approach blunts the contribution to immunity of major subsets of immune effector cells (B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells) in an antigen-specific manner. Transfusion of red blood cells expressing self-antigen epitopes can alleviate and even prevent signs of disease in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, as well as maintain normoglycemia in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes.
Cooking up a Crisis: The Capital-Valuation Connection in U.S. Real Estate Markets

If this was a cooking show, and we were preparing to demonstrate how to create a complex dish that I'll call "The 2008 Financial Crisis," we would start out by assembling our various ingredients. In this case, our ingredients would include sophisticated financial products, rating agency discretion, investor rating mandates, borrower credit assessments, bank regulations, and opaque accounting practices. Many reformers today focus on one or more of these ingredients, calling for greater government oversight and regulatory reform, and governments have attempted to respond. But related in one way or another to each such factor is the volatile collateral pricing, which supported these extensions of credit in the first place. In assessing the repayment risk associated with making a mortgage loan, lenders evaluate two factors: credit and collateral. These factors are related. Although lenders look primarily to a borrower's ability and willingness to pay in order to assess the likelihood of loan repayment, sufficient collateral values can offset the risk of lending to lower-credit borrowers. When supported by valuable collateral, loans to riskier borrowers become less risky. When borrower credit fails, market evaluation of risk hinges on accurate real estate valuations. The "sharp corrections in housing markets" caused by over-estimation of property values provided a "trigger" for the financial crisis. No analysis of proposed legal solutions is complete without considering the ingredient of values and value perceptions.
Ising computation based combinatorial optimization using spin-Hall effect (SHE) induced stochastic magnetization reversal

Ising spin model is considered as an efficient computing method to solve combinatorial optimization problems based on its natural tendency of convergence towards low energy state. The underlying basic functions facilitating the Ising model can be categorized into two parts, “Annealing and Majority vote.” In this paper, we propose an Ising cell based on Spin Hall Effect (SHE) induced magnetization switching in a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ). The stochasticity of our proposed Ising cell based on SHE induced MTJ switching can implement the natural annealing process by preventing the system from being stuck in solutions with local minima. Further, by controlling the current through the Heavy-Metal (HM) underlying the MTJ, we can mimic the majority vote function which determines the next state of the individual spins. By solving coupled Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations, we demonstrate that our Ising cell can be replicated to map certain combinatorial problems. We present results for two representative probl...