cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance of low-susceptible Ss on Stanford Profile scales after sensory deprivation.

Summmy.-A distinction is made between susceptibility measured by the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale which contains a predominance of ideomotor items and the Stanford Profile Scales which contain more cognitive items. Low-susceptible Ss subjected to 6 hr. of sensory deprivation showed moderate increases on the Stanford scale, a result consistent with previous research. However, these Ss showed no gains on the Profile scales, and it was concluded that the effect of sensory deprivation may be limited to low-susceptible Ss. While it appears that susceptibility to hypnosis is a stable phenomenon with some showing the ability to be profoundly hypnotized and others very little, recently there have been some attempts to modify the hypnotic susceptibility of low-susceptible Ss by exposing them, prior to induction, to varying lengths of sensory deprivation. In the most successful of these studies Sanders and Reyher (1969) found significant increases in susceptibility after subjecting low-susceptible Ss to 6 hr. of sensory deprivation or until some signs of deprivation were manifest, e.g., emotional lability, craving for stimulation. Other increases after sensory deprivation are reported by Pefia (1962) and by Wickerameskera (1969) although these latter studies were not limited to low-susceptible Ss.
A historical note on Gauss-Kronrod quadrature

The idea of Gauss–Kronrod quadrature, in a germinal form, is traced back to an 1894 paper of R. Skutsch.
Role of thermal stimuli in the diving response of the muskrat (Ondatra zibethica)

Abstract 1. 1. In this investigation we studied the effects of water temperature on diving bradycardiain muskrats. 2. 2. Heart rate was determined by means of an electrocardiogram taken throughout the test period. 3. 3. When submerged in water at 20°C, the heart rate was suppressed to 34% (68 beats/min) of resting heart rate (200 beats/min). At 2 and 35°C the heart rate was 24% (48 beats/min) and 50% (100 beats/min), respectively. 4. 4. These data suggest that the thermal stimuli of water can affect the normal diving reflex of the muskrat.
Measuring terrestrial fluxes of methyl chloride and methyl bromide using a stable isotope tracer technique

Author(s): Rhew, Robert C; Aydin, M.; Saltzman, E. S. | Abstract: Atmospheric methyl chloride (CH3Cl) and methyl bromide (CH3Br), compounds involved in the destruction of stratospheric ozone, are simultaneously produced and consumed by the terrestrial biosphere. Here we present a stable isotope incubation technique using13CH3Cl and 13CH3Br as tracers to simultaneously determine production and consumption fluxes in boreal forest soils from Alaska, USA. Measured uptake rates are consistent with previously reported boreal soil results for CH3Br and show a CH3Cl:CH3Br molar consumption ratio of 40:1. Boreal forest soils appear to produce small amounts of these methyl halides as well, but at rates that are negligible in their global budgets. This isotope tracer technique can be applied to laboratory studies of plants and other soils and to field measurements where disturbances to the system can be minimized.
Three-Dimensional P-Wave Velocity Structure and Precise Earthquake Relocation at Great Sitkin Volcano, Alaska

Abstract Waveform cross-correlation with bispectrum verification is combined with double-difference tomography to increase the precision of earthquake locations and constrain regional 3D P -wave velocity heterogeneity at Great Sitkin volcano, Alaska. From 1999 through 2005, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) recorded ∼1700 earthquakes in the vicinity of Great Sitkin, including two M L 4.3 earthquakes that are among the largest events in the AVO catalog. The majority of earthquakes occurred during 2002 and formed two temporally and spatially separate event sequences. The first sequence began on 17 March 2002 and was centered ∼20 km west of the volcano. The second sequence occurred on the southeast flank of Great Sitkin and began 28 May 2002. It was preceded by two episodes of volcanic tremor. Earthquake relocations of this activity on the southeast flank define a vertical planar feature oriented radially from the summit and in the direction of the assumed regional maximum compressive stress due to convergence along the Alaska subduction zone. This swarm may have been caused or accompanied by the emplacement of a dike. Relocations of the mainshock–aftershock sequence occurring west of Great Sitkin are consistent with rupture on a strike-slip fault. Tomographic images support the presence of a vertically dipping fault striking parallel to the direction of convergence in this region. The remaining catalog hypocenters relocate along discrete features beneath the volcano summit; here, low P -wave velocities possibly indicate the presence of magma beneath the volcano.
Mass transfer characterization of an airlift probe for oxygenating and mixing cell suspensions in an NMR spectrometer.

The oxygen transfer characteristics of a 20-mm O.D. airlift contactor fitted with an oxygen microelectrode were determined by steady-state sulfite oxidation measurements. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient k(L)a was proportional to sparging power input per unit volume raised to a power which varied from 0.41 in water (coalescing bubbles) to 0.76 in NaCl solutions (noncoalescing bubbles). The highest observed k(L)a value was 0.012 s(-1) which is sufficient to aerate Escherichia coli in an NMR spectrometer at moderate to high cell densities, depending on the physiological state of the cells.
Chemical marker M2 (4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone) formation in egg white gel model for heating pattern determination of microwave-assisted pasteurization processing

Microwave-assisted pasteurization (MAP) is a potential thermal processing technology in which the non-uniform heating presents a challenge. This study evaluated the application of a chemical marker M2 (4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone) in an egg white gel model on the determination of possible heating patterns in prepackaged foods during MAP processing. The gel model samples were prepared by heating a homogeneous liquid egg white mixture (25% egg white, 1% D-ribose, 0.5% L-lysine) at 70 C for 30 min. The chemical marker M2 formation was studied by heating the gel model samples in 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 C oil bath for 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 min. The marker yields were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The color values of the heat-treated samples were measured using CIE L ⁄ a ⁄ b ⁄ and RGB models. The stability of M2 was evaluated at storage tempera- tures of 4 and 22 C for 1, 3, 5, and 9 days. In order to validate the application of the new gel model system, the heating patterns of the gel models and marker yields of samples taken from 5 different locations of the MAP-processed gel models at 75 and 100 C were analyzed. Results showed that the M2 formation in egg white increased linearly with heat treatment time at 75-95 C, while a slight concavity was observed for samples treated at 100 C. Color parameters L ⁄ and G values were found to be significantly correlated with the heating temperatures. During storage, the M2 retention rate decreased with increasing time and temperature, while samples treated for longer times were more stable. Salt addition had no significant effect on the M2 yield within the studied time-temperature combination. The color change of egg white gel models due to different M2 yield after the MAP process could be clearly recognized using a computer vision method.
The Quantum Confined Stark Effect in Ge/SiGe Quantum Wells: An efficient electroabsorption mechanism for silicon-based applications

The recent discovery of the quantum confined Stark effect in Ge/SiGe quantum wells with absorption coefficient modulation comparable to III-V materials will permit compact, low-power photonics components densely integrated with silicon electronics.
Inhibition of the Protease Activity of the Light Chain of Type A Botulinum Neurotoxin by Aqueous Extract from Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) Leaf

We investigated the inhibitory effect of stinging nettle leaf extract on the protease activity of botulinum neurotoxin type A and B light chains. The nettle leaf infusion was fractionated and HPLC-based enzymatic assays were performed to determine the capacity of each fraction to inhibit the protease activity of botulinum neurotoxin type A and B light chains. Assay results demonstrated that a water-soluble fraction obtained from the nettle leaf infusion inhibited type A, but did not inhibit type B light chain protease activity. The inhibition mode of water soluble fraction against protease activity of type A light chain was analyzed and found to be a non-competitive.
The Elderly Psychiatric Patient with Positive Syphilis Serology: The Problem of Neurosyphilis

Objective Older patients have a high prevalence of neurological and psychiatric disorders. They also have a baseline prevalence of late latent syphilis or positive syphilis serology. Thus the clinical question arises as to whether a neuropsychiatric disorder in a geriatric patient is neurosyphilis or if the positive serology is incidental. Method An illustrative case example is used to illustrate this dilemma. The relevant literature is reviewed. Results The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein is an important indicator of inflammatory activity in the central nervous system and is used as a clinical guide in the diagnosis. Elderly patients have higher values of normal CSF protein than younger patients. Conclusions Given the importance of CSF protein in the diagnosis of neurosyphilis, physicians must include this knowledge, that elderly patients have higher CSF protein values, in their clinical decision making in the differentiation between neurosyphilis and late latent syphilis in the elderly patient.
Do medical students correctly perceive what patients believe about their own health

OBJECTIVE This study set out to estimate the prevalence of any mismatch between medical students' perceptions of patients' health beliefs and those of a normative group of primary care patients. METHODS A Perception of Health Scale, normed on 314 primary care patients and including four reproducible subscales based on Health Belief Model constructs, was distributed to 500 medical students in Years 3 and 4 at a private US medical school. The students were asked to indicate how a 'typical' patient they had seen with a preceptor or on a rotation might have answered. Responses were scored as matching or not matching the normative data. Group comparisons were made for gender, year of graduation, age and planned specialty. RESULTS Depending on the subscale, at least 75% of the students' responses did not match those of the normative patient group. There were no consistent group differences. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that medical students do not accurately perceive what patients believe about their own health. Whether this is true for residents and providers in practice remains unknown.
Modeling of semiconductor substrate on on-chip power grid switching

A methodology is proposed and demonstrated for the modeling of the semiconductor substrate on on-chip power grid switching. A comprehensive electromagnetic model for the power grid, founded on the finite-difference approximation of Maxwell's curl equations, is combined with properly constructed, frequency-dependent equivalent surface impedance models for the doped semiconductor substrate to capture the impact of substrate loss on the grid response during switching. Numerical studies are utilized to illustrate the capabilities of the developed on-chip power grid solver.
Comparison of norepinephrine release in hypertensive rats: II. Caudal artery and portal vein.

It was observed that there was a significantly greater field-stimulation induced release of norepinephrine from the portal vein and caudal artery obtained from 28 week old SHR compared to WKY. The greater field-stimulation induced release of norepinephrine observed in the blood vessels of the SHR compared to WKY was not seen in DOCA-salt and one kidney-one clip hypertensive animals with similar elevations of systolic blood pressure. It was also observed that there was an attenuation of the effect of the prejunctional α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine to enhance the field-stimulation induced release of norepinephrine from blood vessels of the 28 week old SHR. There was no attenuation of the yohimbine effect in the other two models of hypertension. It is concluded that there is an alteration in the release of norepinephrine from blood vessels of SHR, resulting in a greater evoked release of the transmitter. A decrease in the functional activity of prejunctional α2-adrenoceptor may contribute to the enha...
Limited utility of mtDNA markers for determining connectivity among breeding and overwintering locations in three neotropical migrant birds

For the past two decades, population declines in Neotropical migrant songbirds have been both a flagship conservation issue and the subject of intensive research initiatives. Nonetheless, the design of effective conservation measures for Neotropical migrants has been hindered by a lack of information on where and how migrant populations are regulated. This problem stems in large part from the difficulty of following individual long-distance migrants throughout their annual cycles. As a result, there has been increasing interest in using genetic markers to determine patterns of connectivity between particular breeding populations and overwin- tering regions. In species with geographically structured genetic variation during the breeding season, genetic markers can be used to determine the origin of migrating and overwintering individuals. This information on demographic connectivity could be then used to infer the locations or seasons contributing to population trends of currently unknown origin. To date, genetic markers (primarily mitochondrial DNA) have been used to survey only a few species of migratory songbirds, with varying success. To provide examples of the geo- graphic scale at which mtDNA markers are likely to prove most relevant to Neotropical migrant conservation, we surveyed breeding-season variation in North American populations of three long-distance migrant taxa: the Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens), Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), and Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla). We then used this information to screen individuals sampled at overwintering sites in Mexico and Central America. Genetic structure was only found at the broadest continent-wide scale in all three species, which allowed us to assign overwintering individuals to eastern or western breeding lineages but did not allow us to assign overwintering individuals to breeding populations of origin on a finer scale suitable for assaying local demographic trends. Owing to mitochondrial homogeneity among widely separated breeding locations, mtDNA markers (especially when used alone) are unlikely to provide a panacea for the problem of interseasonal connectivity among migrant songbirds.
Robust Object Tracking by Hierarchical Association of Detection Responses

We present a detection-based three-level hierarchical association approach to robustly track multiple objects in crowded environments from a single camera. At the low level, reliable tracklets (i.e. short tracks for further analysis) are generated by linking detection responses based on conservative affinity constraints. At the middle level, these tracklets are further associated to form longer tracklets based on more complex affinity measures. The association is formulated as a MAP problem and solved by the Hungarian algorithm. At the high level, entries, exits and scene occluders are estimated using the already computed tracklets, which are used to refine the final trajectories. This approach is applied to the pedestrian class and evaluated on two challenging datasets. The experimental results show a great improvement in performance compared to previous methods.
Assessment: an alumni survey

Program assessment begins with clearly stated and measurable goals and objectives. A set of measurable goals and objectives may always be constructed from the institution's mission statement and the ABET/CAC accreditation criteria. There are three constituencies whose input is essential for outcomes assessment-graduating seniors, alumni, organizations that hire our students. A previous paper discusses a senior exit survey. This paper describes the current effort to gather and evaluate information from alumni via a web-based survey. Alumni were made aware of the survey via a bulk mailing. The survey achieved a 20% response rate. A system was constructed to automate the construction of a website that contains the results of the survey. This paper presents an overview of the project.
Passive microwave signatures of simulated pancake ice and young pressure ridges

This paper describes surface based passive microwave observations of simulated pancake ice and of a first year pressure ridge. The observed emissivity spectra are quite similar to those observed on...
Supramolecular self-assembled chaos: polyphenolic lignin's barrier to cost-effective lignocellulosic biofuels

Phenylpropanoid metabolism yields a mixture of monolignols that undergo chaotic, non-enzymatic reactions such as free radical polymerization and spontaneous self-assembly in order to form the polyphenolic lignin which is a barrier to cost-effective lignocellulosic biofuels. Post-synthesis lignin integration into the plant cell wall is unclear, including how the hydrophobic lignin incorporates into the wall in an initially hydrophilic milieu. Self-assembly, self-organization and aggregation give rise to a complex, 3D network of lignin that displays randomly branched topology and fractal properties. Attempts at isolating lignin, analogous to archaeology, are instantly destructive and non-representative of in planta. Lack of plant ligninases or enzymes that hydrolyze specific bonds in lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) also frustrate a better grasp of lignin. Supramolecular self-assembly, nano-mechanical properties of lignin-lignin, lignin-polysaccharide interactions and association-dissociation kinetics affect biomass deconstruction and thereby cost-effective biofuels production.
Cooperative Mechanisms in the Activation Dependence of the Rate of Force Development in Rabbit Skinned Skeletal Muscle Fibers

Regulation of contraction in skeletal muscle is a highly cooperative process involving Ca2+ binding to troponin C (TnC) and strong binding of myosin cross-bridges to actin. To further investigate the role(s) of cooperation in activating the kinetics of cross-bridge cycling, we measured the Ca2+ dependence of the rate constant of force redevelopment (ktr) in skinned single fibers in which cross-bridge and Ca2+ binding were also perturbed. Ca2+ sensitivity of tension, the steepness of the force-pCa relationship, and Ca2+ dependence of ktr were measured in skinned fibers that were (1) treated with NEM-S1, a strong-binding, non–force-generating derivative of myosin subfragment 1, to promote cooperative strong binding of endogenous cross-bridges to actin; (2) subjected to partial extraction of TnC to disrupt the spread of activation along the thin filament; or (3) both, partial extraction of TnC and treatment with NEM-S1. The steepness of the force-pCa relationship was consistently reduced by treatment with NEM-S1, by partial extraction of TnC, or by a combination of TnC extraction and NEM-S1, indicating a decrease in the apparent cooperativity of activation. Partial extraction of TnC or NEM-S1 treatment accelerated the rate of force redevelopment at each submaximal force, but had no effect on kinetics of force development in maximally activated preparations. At low levels of Ca2+, 3 μM NEM-S1 increased ktr to maximal values, and higher concentrations of NEM-S1 (6 or 10 μM) increased ktr to greater than maximal values. NEM-S1 also accelerated ktr at intermediate levels of activation, but to values that were submaximal. However, the combination of partial TnC extraction and 6 μM NEM-S1 increased ktr to virtually identical supramaximal values at all levels of activation, thus, completely eliminating the activation dependence of ktr. These results show that ktr is not maximal in control fibers, even at saturating [Ca2+], and suggest that activation dependence of ktr is due to the combined activating effects of Ca2+ binding to TnC and cross-bridge binding to actin.
Emerging drugs in peripheral arterial disease.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is the manifestation of atherosclerotic occlusion within a peripheral vascular bed. This can occur in any noncoronary arterial bed, but PAD most commonly refers to...
Electoral Institutions and Party Cohesion in the Russian Duma

Russia's mixed single-member-district (SMD)-party list electoral system invites analysis of the effect of electoral rules on legislators' behavior in the context of an invariant set of legislative and constitutional rules. The paper estimates a model of the effects of electoral mandate and party affiliation on levels of factional cohesion in floor voting. No major within-faction differences between list and SMD members in levels of voting agreement were found, but interfactional differences in cohesiveness were related to the overall mix of list and SMD deputies within them. The implications of the findings for the development of a competitive party system in Russia are discussed.
Variable Temperature Single‐Molecule Dynamics of MEH‐PPV

Herein, we continue our investigation of the single-molecule spectroscopy of the conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy,5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenylene-vinylene] (MEH-PPV) at cryogenic temperatures. First, the low temperature microsecond dynamics of single MEH-PPV conjugated polymer molecules are compared to the dynamics at room temperature revealing no detectible temperature dependence. The lack of temperature dependence is consistent with the previous assignment of the dynamics to a mechanism that involves intersystem crossing and triplet-triplet annihilation. Second, the fluorescence spectra of single MEH-PPV molecules at low temperature are studied as a function of excitation wavelength (i.e. 488, 543, and 568 nm). These results exhibit nearly identical fluorescence spectra for different excitation wavelengths. This strongly suggests that electronic energy transfer occurs efficiently to a small number of low-energy sites in the multichromophoric MEH-PPV chains.
Combination ambient gas plasma treatment and chemotherapy

Summary form only given. Despite its expense and harmful side effects, chemotherapy remains a standard part of breast cancer treatment. Combining chemotherapy with ambient gas plasma offers a way to reduce the dose of chemotherapeutics without reducing treatment efficacy. Ambient gas plasmas are cytotoxic to cancer cells. In vitro plasma treatment of MCF7 breast cancer cells by indirect dielectric barrier discharge and subsequent flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy shows that the cytotoxicity correlates with increased intracellular reactive oxygen species. Ambient plasmas generate cocktails of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, known to be involved in the mechanisms of many chemotherapeutics [1]. It has been previously shown that NO-donating compounds can sensitize cancer cells to some chemotherapeutics believed to have redox mechanisms [2]. We show that plasma treatment synergistically sensitizes MCF7 cells to cyclophosphamide and methotrexate doses orders of magnitude below the measured IC50s. The synergistic effect depends on order of treatment and concentration of chemotherapeutic used. The low concentration effect suggests potential clinical applications in treating drug resistant breast cancers with ambient plasmas.Despite its expense and harmful side effects, chemotherapy remains a standard part of breast cancer treatment. Combining chemotherapy with ambient gas plasma offers a way to reduce the dose of chemotherapeutics without reducing treatment efficacy. Ambient gas plasmas are cytotoxic to cancer cells. In vitro plasma treatment of MCF7 breast cancer cells by indirect dielectric barrier discharge and subsequent flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy shows that the cytotoxicity correlates with increased intracellular reactive oxygen species. Ambient plasmas generate cocktails of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, known to be involved in the mechanisms of many chemotherapeutics [1]. It has been previously shown that NO-donating compounds can sensitize cancer cells to some chemotherapeutics believed to have redox mechanisms [2]. We show that plasma treatment synergistically sensitizes MCF7 cells to cyclophosphamide and methotrexate doses orders of magnitude below the measured IC50s. The synergistic effect depends on order of treatment and concentration of chemotherapeutic used. The low concentration effect suggests potential clinical applications in treating drug resistant breast cancers with ambient plasmas.
Evidence of an Association between Error‐Specific Experience and Auditor Performance during Analytical Procedures

This study examined whether error‐specific experience can improve auditor performance during analytical procedures. In a field experiment, practicing auditors with different amounts of experience used analytical procedures to diagnose the reason for an unexpected interperiod change in an account balance. Analyses controlled for the influence of (1) general audit experience, (2) industry‐specific experience, and (3) error‐specific experience. Findings suggest that, for participants with less general experience, error‐specific experience increased the likelihood that they would provide a correct explanation. However, the benefits of error‐specific experience diminished as general experience increased. One interpretation is that error‐specific experience provides little or no incremental benefit for auditors who have already developed, through general experience, the analytical skills they need to perform effectively. These results provide evidence that error‐specific experience could be a surrogate for the ...
Gastroesophageal reflux disease and the mother-infant relationship

The purpose of this study was to explore mother-child relational quality in infants diagnosed with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Thirty-eight mothers and infants had been assessed during feeding using the Emotional Availability (EA) system at 6 to 10 weeks infant age. EA scores were in a non-optimal range. While this study is exploratory, given the small sample size and lack of a concurrent comparison group, this study on mother-child interactions and GERD suggests that further inquiry is warranted, both in research and in practice.
The Paraphyly of Osmunda is Confirmed by Phylogenetic Analyses of Seven Plastid Loci

Abstract To resolve phylogenetic relationships among all genera and subgenera in Osmundaceae, we analyzed over 8,500 characters of DNA sequence data from seven plastid loci (atpA, rbcL, rbcL–accD, rbcL–atpB, rps4–trnS, trnG–trnR, and trnL–trnF). Our results confirm those from earlier anatomical and single-gene (rbcL) studies that suggested Osmunda s.l. is paraphyletic. Osmunda cinnamomea is sister to the remainder of Osmundaceae (Leptopteris, Todea, and Osmunda s.s.). We support the recognition of a monotypic fourth genus, Osmundastrum, to reflect these results. We also resolve subgeneric relationships within Osmunda s.s. and find that subg. Claytosmunda is strongly supported as sister to the rest of Osmunda. A stable, well-supported classification for extant Osmundaceae is proposed, along with a key to all genera and subgenera.
An improved localized method of approximate particular solutions for solving elliptic PDEs

In this paper we improve the localized method of approximate particular solutions (LMAPS) in Yao et?al. (2011) by utilizing the polyharmonic splines (PS) radial basis function (RBF) for solving elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs). LMAPS has been widely circulated since it is published in 2010. The multiquadric (MQ) has been considered as the most popular choice among all RBFs. However, adjusting the shape parameter is a critical issue when utilizing the original LMAPS. In this paper, we modified LMAPS by combining conditionally positive definite RBF-PS and an additional low degree of polynomial basis in the localization process. The accuracy of the proposed LMAPS is significantly improved. We can simply increase the order of PS to achieve even higher accuracy. Other than the unexpected high accuracy, there is no need to deal with the difficult issues of choosing optimal shape parameter. This is a huge advantage in the RBF simulations of PDEs. In the numerical experiments, we will present the pros and cons of improved LMAPS (ILMAPS) using PS and some commonly used RBFs (MQ, Matern, and Gaussian) versus the original LMAPS (OLMAPS).
Some ideal secret sharing schemes

In a secret sharing scheme, a dealer has a secret. The dealer gives each participant in the scheme a share of the secret. There is a set Γ of subsets of the participants with the property that any subset of participants that is in Γ can determine the secret. In a perfect secret sharing scheme, any subset of participants that is not in Γ cannot obtain any information about the secret. We will say that a perfect secret sharing scheme is ideal if all of the shares are from the same domain as the secret. Shamir and Blakley constructed ideal threshold schemes, and Benaloh has constructed other ideal secret sharing schemes. In this paper, we construct ideal secret sharing schemes for more general access structures which include the multilevel and compartmented access structures proposed by Simmons.
Unconscionability as an Exception to the Independence Principle: A Study of Singaporean Caselaw

This papers studies the development, existing status, and suggests a course of development for the independence principle in Singapore. The independence principle is one of the defining characteristics of letter of credit law and ensures that the letter of credit remains true to its origin as a cash replacement. Inroads on the independence principle have been made in most jurisdictions to varying extent through the exception of fraud from the principle such that fraud in the underlying contract may work to vitiate the efficacy of a call on the letter of credit. The independence principle is in tension with the fraud principle in most jurisdictions with the scope of the exception often being misapplied or constantly changing. In Singapore and other jurisdictions the independence principle has further been eroded with the introduction of a second exception, unconscionability, which operates to vitiate the efficacy of a call on the letter of credit in various nebulously defined scenarios. This paper tracks how this exception arose and discusses doctrinal methods to maintain the vitality of the independence principle without overturning significant caselaw.
Patient and Provider-Identified Factors Contributing to Surgical Readmission After Colorectal Surgery

ABSTRACTPurpose: Nearly one in seven surgical patients is readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Few studies have identified patient-centric factors that raise the risk of both preventable and nonpreventable postoperative readmissions. Materials and Methods: Over 6 months in 2012, 48 colorectal surgical patients were identified on re-admission within 30 days of discharge. We prospectively obtained information on the patient's and primary surgeon's views on factors that contributed to readmission, and compiled data to produce an external list of contributing factors. A standard cost analysis was performed. Results: 48 colorectal surgery patients participated, and 47 were included in this patient-centric evaluation of factors leading to readmission. The three primary readmission diagnoses included dehydration, fever, and ileus or small bowel obstruction. Of all readmissions, 23% were considered to be preventable. 38% of patients had scheduled follow-up appointments that were documented in t...
Energy Transfer in Picosecond Laser Generated Compressional Shock Waves

We are employing picosecond fluorescence spectroscopy and laser driven compressional shocks to study the energy transfer from macroscopic mechanical disturbance to intramolecular modes in condensed media. By compressional shock we mean a large amplitude material disturbance propagating at supersonic speed, across which the pressure, density, temperature and internal state of molecules change in a nearly stepwise fashion. It is believed that a molecule in the path of such a disturbance witnesses a change from ambient to high pressure in times as short as a picosecond as the front passes. In general, the shock arises from an amplitude-dependent wave velocity which causes the leading edge of a high pressure compressional wave to steepen as it propagates, eventually sharpening to a near discontinuity.
Team-Based Learning Improves Course Outcomes in Introductory Psychology:

This study investigated the influence of team-based learning (TBL) methods on exam performance and student satisfaction in an introductory psychology class. Fifteen instructors teaching 29 sections...
Invited) Laser Annealing of Semiconductors

Transient processing using directed energy sources provides unique capabilities for the processing of semiconductors. This article reviews the status of transient processing with the emphasis on laser annealing. Areas are identified where the unique capabilities of transient processing can be utilized.
A Review of the Stellate Ganglion Block/Cervical Sympathetic Block on the Prevention and Therapy of Cerebral Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

One of the most dangerous and distressing complications of subarachnoid hemorrhage is the development of delayed cerebral ischemia from cerebral vasospasm. Although the exact mechanism causing cerebral vasospasm remains unclear, current evidence suggests that breakdown products of blood within the subarachnoid space may interact with the sympathetic innervation of the cerebral vasculature to produce vasoconstriction. Therefore, a novel treatment that would lessen these sympathetic effects may be beneficial to patients with cerebral vasospasm. This review will examine the potential benefit to neuro-critical care medicine that ultrasound-guided cervical sympathetic blockade, also known as the stellate ganglion block, could have on cerebral vasospasm.
Comparison of three generic vancomycin products using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and an online tool.

Purpose Three different generic vancomycin products were compared using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and open-access metabolomic tools. Methods Single-lot samples of vancomycin hydrochloride from three different manufacturers (Hospira, APP Pharmaceuticals, and Pfizer) were reconstituted and injected into a high-resolution LC-MS system. The mass spectral fingerprints were compared for similarity of nonvancomycin B components using the XCMS Online system through Scripps University. Significance was defined as a p of ≤0.01 and a fold change of ≥1.5. The concentration of vancomycin B in each product was also measured using LC-MS on days 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, and 14. Results Qualitative comparisons of the products using the XCMS Online interface indicated the presence of significant differences among the products at the time of reconstitution; however, these variations seemed to converge after 14 days of storage. The concentration profiles of vancomycin B during refrigerated storage did not differ significantly among the three products. XCMS Online analyses revealed that the Pfizer and Hospira products were the most similar to each other. Conclusion While there were no significant differences found in the concentration of vancomycin B among Pfizer, APP, and Hospira products, there were differences in their initial mass spectral analysis after reconstitution. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry profiles of the ions or isotopes present in the three products showed significant differences in impurities such as crystalline degradation product (CDP)-1 and CDP intermediate. After 14 days of refrigerated storage, the differences among the products converged, and fewer distinct features could be detected.
A Study of the Effect of Sample Collection on the Measurement of Lactate in Whole Blood

Usual test instructions for enzymatic lactic acid analysis require the preparation of a perchloric acid filtrate at the patient’s bedside. This is awkward and requires special care. Utilization of lactic acid measurements would be more common if specimens could be collected with an anticoagulant and transported to the laboratory for filtrate preparation. This investigation considered the effects of the following variables on the medical usefulness of the lactic acid measurements: (a) use of an anticoagulant; (b) delay in filtrate preparation; (c) prolonged refrigeration of the filtrate prior to performing the test. Evaluation of these variables demonstrated that lactate measurement is not affected by heparin. Filtrate preparation may be delayed as long as 1 hr. with no efīect on the clinical significance of the values. The filtrate may be preserved for 48 hr. at 4 C. without a change significant enough to interfere with clinical interpretation.
Optimizing New York's Reforming the Energy Vision

Abstract Parallel to other efforts worldwide, the State of New York's Reforming the Energy Vision (NY REV) is an ambitious initiative of the Governor and the Public Service Commission to fundamentally reorient the structure of the State's power sector from a primarily centralized model to a highly decentralized one. Its success depends on the Distribution System Implementation Plan (DSIP), which in turn depends on which proposals for providing distributed energy resources (DERs) and utility distribution assets are selected to constitute the plan. The selection approach uses a benefit-cost analysis (BCA), which will not be sufficient to achieve an optimal DSIP. Instead, an optimization approach should be utilized and phased in to ensure timely success of this regulatory initiative.
Aging Rule and Breakdown Voltage Prediction for Insulation of Generator Stator Winding

Breakdown voltage is a characteristic parameter for representing main insulation aging of generator stator bar, and is the direct factor affecting generator service life. In this study, a sample of epoxy mica sheet with rated voltage of 8.5 kV was designed to simulate the insulation system of the 8.5 kV generator stator bar.Accelerated thermal aging experiment at 220 ℃ was conducted to obtain the practical characteristic parameters by analyzing the change trend of the insulation sheet's characteristic parameters and combining with the validity analysis of breakdown voltage and characteristic parameters. It is shown that the characteristic parameters, Qmax,△C,C, △tanδ, and tanδ can be used to effectively predict breakdown voltage by means of BP neural networks.
The changing definition of AIDS. What's in a name?

Earlier this year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control proposed altering its definition of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) to include those with 200 or fewer CD4 cells. That proposal, scheduled to take effect April 1, 1992, would dramatically increase the number of Americans officially considered as having AIDS. The previous definition relied on a list of specific opportunistic infections, tumors, or itemized manifestations of HIV disease. While eventually the definition of AIDS should be replaced with a definition of HIV disease--which would include all those who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus--the CDC proposal would be a useful stopgap measure. It would provide access to needed treatments such as AZT to thousands of men and women who now are excluded from reimbursement systems including private health insurance and Medicaid.
Appropriate biorefining strategies for multiple feedstocks: Critical evaluation for pretreatment methods, and hydrolysis with high solids loading

Efficient utilization of a wide range of feedstocks requires appropriate biorefining strategies based on pretreatment methods. This study showed that alkali pretreatment was significantly more effective than acid pretreatment at similar processing conditions for grass and hardwood biomass samples; but, both methods were ineffective for softwood biomass. Separate glucose and xylose streams can be obtained for efficient fermentation from acid-pretreated biomass; nevertheless, need for more severe processing conditions to achieve effective pretreatment necessitates an additional detoxification step. High sugars concentration (10.6%, w/v) in hydrolyzates was obtained from alkali-pretreated biomass using optimum solids loading of 17.5% (w/v), which opens up an opportunity to produce high concentrations of biofuels and biochemicals in fermentation broth at reduced downstream processing costs. We propose a schematic for innovative biorefining strategies based on established pretreatment methods for different types of feedstocks. This information is very pertinent for choosing the appropriate processing methods and for setting up large-scale biorefineries utilizing multiple feedstocks.
Design and analysis of frequency-selective surface enabled microbolometers

Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS) are periodic array of sub-wavelength antenna elements. They allow the absorptance and reflectance of a surface to be engineered with respect to wavelength, polarization and angle-of-incidence. This paper applies this technique to microbolometers for uncooled infrared sensing applications. Both narrowband and broadband near perfect absorbing surfaces are synthesized and applied engineer the response of microbolometers. The paper focuses on simple FSS geometries (hexagonal close packed disk arrays) that can be fabricated using conventional lithographic tools for use at thermal infrared wavelengths (feature sizes > 1 μm). The affects of geometry and material selection for this geometry is described in detail. In the microbolometer application, the FSS controls the absorption rather than a conventional Fabry-Perot cavity and this permits an improved thermal design. A coupled full wave electromagnetic/transient thermal model of the entire microbolometer is presented and analyzed using the finite element method. The absence of the cavity also permits more flexibility in the design of the support arms/contacts. This combined modeling permits prediction of the overall device sensitivity, time-constant and the specific detectivity.
Pulse oximetry for newborns: Should it be routine?

All newborns should be screened with pulse oximetry prior to discharge; it increases detection of congenital heart defects.
The Human Experience

William Faulkner said: ‘The primary job that any writer faces is to tell you a story, a story out of human experience — I mean by that, universal mutual experience, the anguishes and troubles and griefs of the human heart, which is universal, without regard to race or time or condition’.
Accepting our weaknesses and enjoying better relationships: An initial examination of self-security

Abstract The present research introduces self-security, a new indicator of healthy self-evaluation. Self-security is defined as the open and nonjudgmental acceptance of one's own weaknesses. To assess self-security, we developed the Security of “I” Assessment (SofIA), a self-report questionnaire. Study 1′s (N = 195) exploratory factor analysis suggested a single-factor model that Study 2′s (N = 158) confirmatory factor analysis supported as providing good fit to the data. In Study 3 (N = 195), the SofIA demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability. Using the SofIA, Study 1 also explored self-security's correlates in a sample of 195 undergraduates, with 279 of their close others (family, long-term friends, and romantic partners) reporting on the quality of their relationships with the participants. Self-security was significantly associated, but not redundant with, other aspects of self-evaluation (e.g., self-esteem, self-compassion). Self-security was also associated with self-evaluative interpersonal traits and attachment style. Importantly, even after simultaneously accounting for other aspects of self-evaluation, self-security predicted relationship quality, as independently reported by the participants and their close others. Specifically, participants' greater self-security significantly predicted their experiencing less conflict and emotional distress and their close others' reporting more support received from the participants.
Modelling Propagation of Public Opinions on Microblogging Big Data Using Sentiment Analysis and Compartmental Models

Compartmental models have been used to model information diffusion on social media. However, there have been few studies on modelling positive and negative public opinions using compartmental models. This study aimed for using sentiment analysis and compartmental model to model the propagation of positive and negative opinions on microblogging big media. The authors studied the news propagation of seven popular social topics on China's Sina Weibo microblogging platform. Natural language processing and sentiment analysis were used to identify public opinions from microblogging big data. Then two existing SIZ and SEIZ models and a newly developed SE2IZ model were implemented to model the news propagation and evaluate the trends of public opinions on selected social topics. Simulation study was used to check model fitting performance. The results show that the new SE2IZ model has a better model fitting performance than existing models. This study sheds some new light on using social media for public opinion estimation and prediction.
Bioinformatics Analysis of Protein Phosphorylation in Plant Systems Biology Using P3DB

Protein phosphorylation is one of the most pervasive protein post-translational modification events in plant cells. It is involved in many plant biological processes, such as plant growth, organ development, and plant immunology, by regulating or switching signaling and metabolic pathways. High-throughput experimental methods like mass spectrometry can easily characterize hundreds to thousands of phosphorylation events in a single experiment. With the increasing volume of the data sets, Plant Protein Phosphorylation DataBase (P3DB, http://p3db.org ) provides a comprehensive, systematic, and interactive online platform to deposit, query, analyze, and visualize these phosphorylation events in many plant species. It stores the protein phosphorylation sites in the context of identified mass spectra, phosphopeptides, and phosphoproteins contributed from various plant proteome studies. In addition, P3DB associates these plant phosphorylation sites to protein physicochemical information in the protein charts and tertiary structures, while various protein annotations from hierarchical kinase phosphatase families, protein domains, and gene ontology are also added into the database. P3DB not only provides rich information, but also interconnects and provides visualization of the data in networks, in systems biology context. Currently, P3DB includes the KiC (Kinase Client) assay network, the protein-protein interaction network, the kinase-substrate network, the phosphatase-substrate network, and the protein domain co-occurrence network. All of these are available to query for and visualize existing phosphorylation events. Although P3DB only hosts experimentally identified phosphorylation data, it provides a plant phosphorylation prediction model for any unknown queries on the fly. P3DB is an entry point to the plant phosphorylation community to deposit and visualize any customized data sets within this systems biology framework. Nowadays, P3DB has become one of the major bioinformatics platforms of protein phosphorylation in plant biology.