cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy Efficiency Enhancement in 5G Mobile Wireless Networks

In the era of 5G networks, smaller cell infrastructure with denser deployment of various kinds of base stations is leading the trend of the new generation of cellular networks. Benefits, such as higher throughput and lower latency, are driving people to perform further investigation and optimization while the energy efficiency aspect in 5G lacks enough attention. To enhance the energy efficiency of 5G and provide a green future cellular networks, we propose solutions to reduce the impact caused by several foreseen energy problems. We consider three scenarios from connection, communication and power perspectives, trying to minimize the energy consumption by either enforcing idle base stations to sleep or dynamically adjusting the signal range of base stations via software defined networking. Detailed discussion about scenarios and proposed solutions are presented though the simulation and evaluation are still on-going. More results will be presented in the near future.
Treatment of Male Stress Urinary Incontinence: Artificial Urinary Sphincter

Many treatment options are available for male stress urinary incontinence, ranging from pelvic floor physical therapy to male urethral sling insertion or artificial urinary sphincter placement. In cases of severe incontinence, prior pelvic radiation therapy, or previous failed urethral sling placement, implanting an artificial urinary sphincter is typically preferred. Here, we review the preoperative considerations, operative technique, postoperative outcomes and potential complications of artificial urinary sphincter placement.
Scoliosis Progression After the Nuss Procedure for Pectus Excavatum: A Case Report

Abstract Introduction Pectus excavatum and scoliosis are associated conditions with a high rate of coincidence. However, there are no reports to guide surgeons on the management of adolescents with moderate scoliosis and pectus excavatum, because there are conflicting conclusions in the literature regarding how the Nuss procedure with substernal bar affects scoliosis. Cases In 2017, we encountered two patients with moderate scoliosis treated with a spinal orthosis. After undergoing the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum, their scoliosis acutely progressed into surgical magnitude requiring posterior instrumented spinal fusion. The first patient progressed 26° despite the pre-Nuss radiographs showing him to be Risser 4/5, while the second patient also progressed 26° from the Nuss procedure. Both patients acknowledged noncompliance with brace wear because of discomfort after the Nuss procedure. However, their progression rate still doubles the rate of reported rapid accelerators, indicating that a significant component of curve progression is directly attributed to forces on the spine from the corrective maneuver with substernal bar. Conclusion The purpose of this case report is to describe the features of these two patients to help with clinical decision-making in patients with moderate scoliosis (curves >25°) who are contemplating the Nuss procedure for correction of pectus excavatum. We caution patients and providers that spinal deformity could worsen with surgical intervention of the pectus excavatum via the Nuss procedure and necessitate scoliosis surgery.
Learning effects of the flipped classroom in a principles of microeconomics course

The authors of this article estimate the learning effects of the flipped classroom format using data from 16 sections of principles of microeconomics over a 4-year period. The experimental design i...
Repurposing Scientific Writing in Conservation Biology

Scientists and writing studies scholars agree that students need to be able to repurpose scientific knowledge across audiences, goals, and genres. This article offers a much-needed, practical example of an assignment that allows students to work towards these goals. Working collaboratively, a faculty member from biology, a Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) administrator, and an Encyclopedia of Alabama (EOA) editor redesigned a conservation biology course assignment around communication with multiple audiences. The assignment required students to produce a webpage about a rare species in Alabama that fulfills the technical, scientific writing component of the course and then repurpose that webpage into an entry for EOA aimed at a non-expert audience. We elaborate on the context in which the repackaging assignment developed, explain how it fits with student learning outcomes in biology, and share themes we noticed in students' reflections on the practice of repurposing their writing.
Liberation from thinness culture: Motivations for joining fat acceptance movements

Thinness culture stigmatizes people of size. Both interpersonal and systemic discrimination are daily experiences for fat people. However, some people of size find acceptance in varieties of fat ac...
Fatigue performance assessment of recycled tire rubber modified asphalt mixtures using viscoelastic continuum damage analysis and AASHTOWare pavement ME design

Abstract Improving fatigue cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures is an important issue that concerns roadway agencies, public and industry. There are various, well-established methods for improving the material characteristics, such as polymer modification methods. Recycling/reusing scrap tire rubber in asphalt pavements has also been an interest of engineers. As such, many different methods of scrap tire rubber (herein called crumb rubber) modification alternatives are being developed. This study focused on a comparative evaluation of the fatigue cracking resistance of various base and recycled tire rubber modified asphalt mixtures, including the relatively new and innovative devulcanized rubber (DVR), crumb rubber terminally blend (CRTB), crumb rubber wet process (CRWET), original/base PG58-28 and softer PG58-34 binders, by using Push-Pull Viscoelastic Continuum Damage (PP-VECD) analysis and AASHTOWare Pavement Mechanistic Empirical Design (Pavement ME) software. The results of the study revealed that rubberized asphalt mixtures provided better fatigue lives than the base and softer binders did. Especially, DVR mixtures outperformed at high strain levels, implying they can be used for heavy traffic roads to enhance the fatigue life of asphalt pavements. Both PP-VECD and Pavement ME produced results that showed similar trends.
10 – Knowledge Science

The human thought and machine processes are rendered (almost) seamless. The genius of amorphous creativity and steps of integrated creativity programmed into knowledge machines are bonded together. The machine processes are made subservient to human thought process, and machine will serve well in the structured segment of the unstructured creativity and hasten the overall processes of creativity. The synergy is enhanced by a new flavor of artificial creativity by hopping between skillful thought (at computer interfaces) and computational rigor (of knowledgeware).The basic methodology for the flow of knowledge is borrowed from thermodynamics and from electrical systems. The noise control principles are taken from signal processing where the signal contamination is examined by power spectrum analyzers (and Fourier analysis), and the reason for the contamination is systematically tracked and eliminated or canceled out to insignificant levels. The basis of transfer functions in the flow of signals through transmission media is driven deeper to derive the transformation matrices for the flow of information and knowledge through social media.
A systematic review of ketamine for the treatment of depression among older adults.

Objective: To review the currently available data on the use of ketamine in the treatment of depression among older adults from randomized controlled studies. Design: Randomized controlled trials. Setting: Variable. Participants: 60 years and older with depression. Intervention: Ketamine. Measurements: Change in Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores. Results: Two studies met the inclusion criteria. The first study showed a significant reduction in depression symptoms with use of repeated subcutaneous ketamine administration among older adults with depression. The second study failed to achieve significance on its primary outcome measure but did show a decrease in MADRS scores with intranasal ketamine along with a higher response and remission rates in esketamine group compared with the placebo group. The adverse effects from ketamine generally lasted only a few hours and abated spontaneously. No cognitive adverse effects were noted in either trial from the use of ketamine. Conclusions: The current evidence for use of ketamine among older adults with depression indicates some benefits with one positive and one negative trial. Although one of the trials did not achieve significance on the primary outcome measure, it still showed benefit of ketamine in reducing depressive symptoms. Ketamine was well tolerated in both studies with adverse effects being mild and transient.
High-Resolution Oscillating Steady-State fMRI Using Patch-Tensor Low-Rank Reconstruction

The goals of fMRI acquisition include high spatial and temporal resolutions with a high signal to noise ratio (SNR). Oscillating Steady-State Imaging (OSSI) is a new fMRI acquisition method that provides large oscillating signals with the potential for high SNR, but does so at the expense of spatial and temporal resolutions. The unique oscillation pattern of OSSI images makes it well suited for high-dimensional modeling. We propose a patch-tensor low-rank model to exploit the local spatial-temporal low-rankness of OSSI images. We also develop a practical sparse sampling scheme with improved sampling incoherence for OSSI. With an alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) based algorithm, we improve OSSI spatial and temporal resolutions with a factor of 12 acquisition acceleration and 1.3 mm isotropic spatial resolution in prospectively undersampled experiments. The proposed model yields high temporal SNR with more activation than other low-rank methods. Compared to the standard grad- ient echo (GRE) imaging with the same spatial-temporal resolution, 3D OSSI tensor model reconstruction demonstrates 2 times higher temporal SNR with 2 times more functional activation.
Can Indian English be an Alternative to Standard British and American English for Academic Purposes

For colonial and historical reasons, Indian academia has been following British English since Independence. Though American English has become the norm internationally due to the global status that it is currently enjoying, Indian academia has not yet recognized this new emergent phenomenon. Of course, Indian learners of English are increasingly exposed to American English outside of the curriculum. Meanwhile, Indian English has evolved as a distinct, literary and non-native, national variety over a period of 400 years because of its peaceful co-existence with Indian languages and cultures. Code-mixing and code-switching, phonological and morphological mix and syntactic and grammatical features have made Indian English a distinct variety. It is high time that Indian academia focussed its attention on Indian English as an alternative to the decayed (Received) British English. This paper focuses its attention on the description of Indian English as a distinct variety and the feasibility of exploring possibilities to make it prescriptive for teaching-learning-testing purposes.
Knowledge about risks, benefits, and curative potential of immunotherapy among patients with advanced lung cancer or melanoma.

6579Background: Immunotherapy is a novel treatment paradigm that has improved survival for patients with advanced melanoma and lung cancer and poses new risks of immune-related adverse events, whic...
Leveraging research within a pedagogical protocol for enhanced integrated-competency student learning

Abstract This research presents a case-based pedagogical protocol, including an experiment, designed to maximize the utility of the integrated-competency framework in accounting. The study involves a rich learning exercise protocol requiring integrated competencies that fairly represent, in content and context, the experience of a professional engagement. The pedagogical protocol focuses on communications in the accounting industry, where research suggests potential communication disconnects. The study includes a laboratory experiment investigating how audit department communications (experimental treatment), individual attitudes, and task domain knowledge (task recall) interact to influence project participants’ perspectives of project viability and their intention to continue project development. In accordance with the pedagogical protocol, we discuss experiment findings identifying significant factors influencing decision behavior with the students in a debriefing session for self-awareness and mindfulness. The debriefing session, focusing on introspection and empathy, expands the competencies generally addressed by accounting learning exercises. The experiment findings suggest the importance that the accounting profession identify the need for and complexities of effective communications across organizational units. We present the pedagogical protocol and design methodology, including leveraging social science research, as models for other educators/researchers to develop learning exercises based on the integrated-competency model to better educate and prepare our students for their future successes.
Adult Suicide-Related emergency department encounters during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Cross-Sectional study

Background. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in widespread psychosocial disruption, which may impact suicidal thoughts and behaviours. This study characterizes adult suicide-related emergency department (ED) encounters and patient characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared to the year prior. Methods. Retrospective cross-sectional study in a large, integrated, community-based health system of adults (≥18-years-old) with suicide-related ED encounters (defined by the Centres for Disease Control-recommended International Statistical Classification of Diseases [ICD-10-CM] codes) during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the same period in 2019. Population-level incidence rate ratios (IRRs) compared suicide-related ED encounters in 2020 to 2019. Patient characteristics for the first suicide-related ED visit for each period were used to calculate percent relative change comparing 2020 to 2019. Findings. Of 10,651 suicide-related ED encounters in 2020 and 11,476 in 2019, 49.6% and 51.6% were for females and the mean age was 38±17 and 38±16 years-old, respectively. Suicide-related ED encounters significantly declined in each month of 2020 (IRR 0.71-0.91, p<.05), but were equivalent to 2019 levels June-August. Adults in 2020 were more likely to have co-occurring substance use disorders (+15•7%;95% CI 7•0-24•4%) or have no mental health or suicide diagnosis associated with an outpatient visit in the last year (+21•1%, 95% CI: 12•5-29•6) compared to 2019. Interpretation. Adults with suicidal thoughts and behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 had distinct social and psychiatric characteristics compared to patients in the prior year. These findings can help inform health system responses to mental health needs.
Aminopeptidase Profiles of Various Bacteria

The aminopeptidase specificity of 24 strains of bacteria was determined fluorometrically by use of a series of alpha-amino acid beta-naphthylamides as substrates. Provided that strict control over medium and growth time was adhered to, a reproducible profile of aminopeptidase activity was obtained which could be used for the identification of bacteria.
The Outcome of Prolonged Coma in Childhood

The outcome of prolonged, nontraumatic coma (greater than five days) in 16 children is reviewed to determine operational clinical parameters which may assist in both clinical decision making and counseling of parents. The children were evaluated by physical and neurologic examinations and school reports one to five years after coma. Six children are normal, six have minor handicaps (attention deficit disorder, minor motor disorders, mild retardation, personality disorders), and four have sustained major sequelae (severe retardation, uncontrolled seizures, blindness). Anoxia, as an etiology of coma and the need for assisted ventilation, were significant indicators of a less than normal outcome. Our results suggest that elevated intracranial pressure of greater than two days duration and deep coma of greater than two weeks were indicators of an abnormal outcome. In view of the improving technical capability to care for these children, but limited past experience, clearly defined defined and uniform criteria are needed both to assess children during coma and to evaluate them upon recovery.
Should there be a coordinated response to the problem of global imbalances? Can there be one?

This paper analyzes the options for international policy coordination in order to redress the global imbalances. The case for policy coordination rests on a number of assumptions such as the existence of important spillover effects of national policies and a common understanding of the nature of the problem. In reality, important obstacles exist to get to effective policy coordination, including resistance from domestic interest groups and disagreement of the effectiveness of policy instruments. These obstacles can be reduced by developing a multilateral consensus on common goals and by addressing commitment problems via issuing multi-year schedules for policy adjustments.
OXIDATION OF SECONDARY ALCOHOLS BY EXTRACTS OF A CORYNEBACTERIUM.

Rosenberg, Eugene (University of California, Los Angeles), and Paul Holmes. Oxidation of secondary alcohols by extracts of a Corynebacterium. J. Bacteriol. 89:1212–1216. 1965.—A Corynebacterium was isolated from soil by use of the enrichment culture technique. This Corynebacterium oxidized and grew on the chemically synthesized secondary alcohol, 3-tetrahydrofuranol. Extracts of this organism contained at least two different nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-requiring soluble secondary alcohol dehydrogenases. These enzymes were distinguished by the relative rates at which they oxidized thymidylic acid and 3-tetrahydrofuranol. In addition to their substrate specificity, the two enzymes differed in pH optima and thermal stability. Also, the 3-tetrahydrofuranol dehydrogenase was induced by 3-tetrahydrofuranol, whereas the thymidylic acid dehydrogenase was constitutive.
Endogenous nicotinic cholinergic activity regulates dopamine release in the striatum.

Dopamine is vital for coordinated motion and for association learning linked to behavioral reinforcement. Here we show that the precise overlap of striatal dopaminergic and cholinergic fibers underlies potent control of dopamine release by ongoing nicotinic receptor activity. In mouse striatal slices, nicotinic antagonists or depletion of endogenous acetylcholine decreased evoked dopamine release by 90%. Nicotine at the concentration experienced by smokers also regulated dopamine release. In mutant mice lacking the β2 nicotinic subunit, evoked dopamine release was dramatically suppressed, and those mice did not show cholinergic regulation of dopamine release. The results offer new perspectives when considering nicotine addiction and the high prevalence of smoking in schizophrenics.
An efficient algorithm for DTMF decoding using the subband NDFT

An algorithm based on the subband nonuniform discrete Fourier transform (SB-NDFT) is proposed for decoding dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals. To decode a DTMF signal, its energy at the eight DTMF frequencies must be determined by evaluating samples of the NDFT at these frequencies. In the proposed SB-NDFT algorithm, these NDFT samples are computed by decomposing the input signal into two subbands. Since DTMF signals occupy the low-frequency part of the telephone bandwidth, the higher subband can be discarded for a fast, approximate computation. A performance comparison between algorithms based on the NDFT, SB-NDFT, DFT, and SB-DFT shows that the SB-NDFT requires the lowest number of computations to attain a specified level of performance.
How Can Single Sensory Neurons Predict Behavior

Single sensory neurons can be surprisingly predictive of behavior in discrimination tasks. We propose this is possible because sensory information extracted from neural populations is severely restricted, either by near-optimal decoding of a population with information-limiting correlations or by suboptimal decoding that is blind to correlations. These have different consequences for choice correlations, the correlations between neural responses and behavioral choices. In the vestibular and cerebellar nuclei and the dorsal medial superior temporal area, we found that choice correlations during heading discrimination are consistent with near-optimal decoding of neuronal responses corrupted by information-limiting correlations. In the ventral intraparietal area, the choice correlations are also consistent with the presence of information-limiting correlations, but this area does not appear to influence behavior, although the choice correlations are particularly large. These findings demonstrate how choice correlations can be used to assess the efficiency of the downstream readout and detect the presence of information-limiting correlations.
High‐Speed Cell Sorting

A flow cytometer has the ability to analyze several thousand cells per second. This is particularly valuable for the detection of rare events. For many biological and clinical applications, cells must be isolated on the basis of multiple quantitative properties. This need is ideally met by the analytical power of flow cytometry, which provides the front-end selection mechanism for cell sorting. In essence, cell sorting represents real-time data classification coupled with actual physical isolation of cells with the properties of interest. This unit discusses the principles and practices of operating a cell sorter to maximize the sorting rate, including the trade-offs between speed and resolution.
Multisystem proteinopathy: intersecting genetics in muscle, bone, and brain degeneration.

Multisystem proteinopathy (MSP) is an inherited pleiotropic degenerative disorder that can affect muscle, bone, and the nervous system and was first reported as familial motor neuron disease in association with Paget disease of bone (PDB).1 The MSP phenotype also involves inclusion body myopathy (IBM) or frontotemporal dementia (FTD).2 The acronym “IBMPFD” describes some families with this syndrome, but it has outlived its usefulness since other phenotypic features sometimes dominate the clinical picture: parkinsonism3,4 and peripheral neuropathy5,6 occur, and motor neuron dysfunction is frequent (11 of 17 consecutive MSP cases in one series).7 An operational definition of MSP is a combination of 2 or more of IBM, PDB, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/FTD (where ALS and FTD are considered as one spectrum). Histopathologically, MSP-affected tissues have ubiquitin-positive inclusions that contain RNA-binding proteins, such as TDP-43, hnRNPA1, and hnRNPA2B1, but may also include positive staining for proteins that mediate ubiquitin-dependent autophagy, including p62/SQSTM1, VCP, optineurin, and ubiquilin-2.8–10
Toward a Theoretical Model of Text Complexity for the Early Grades: Learning From the Past, Anticipating the Future

ABSTRACT In this conceptual essay, we offer rationales and evidence for critical components of a working model of text complex-ity for the early grades. In the first three sections of the article, we examine word-level, syntax-level, and discourse-level features of text, posing questions for future research. In the fourth section, we address elements of text treatments—the collection of texts with which beginning readers will interact longitudinally over the course of their early literacy develop-ment. This conceptual essay produces a unified treatment of the complexities of early grade text through the introduction of a theoretical framework, assimilating the extant research into a theory of early grade text and delineating a theoretical and empirical strategy for transforming the framework into a mature model. T he Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (CCSS; CCSS Initiative, 2010) draw attention to text in an unprecedented man-ner. The goal of the CCSS is to prepare U.S. students for college and their future careers, in part, by increasing l evels of text difficulty from the early grades through high school. The emphasis within the CCSS on text means that issues of text complexity are of interest within the research community in ways that have been absent for several decades in the United States. The initial focus of this renewed interest has been on texts used in U.S. secondary schools, because of findings of a discrepancy between the texts of secondary grades and those of col-lege and careers (ACT, 2006; Williamson, 2008). If sec-ondary students are to meet the challenge of literacy in college and their careers, this topic merits attention. At the same time, for students to develop the foundation that allows them to scale the staircase of text complexity presented within the CCSS, the texts of the early grades also require the scrutiny of scholars. The current texts of early-grade reading instruction reflect the policies of state legislatures and the beliefs and advocacy of special interest groups to a greater degree than they do evidence from theory and research. In the United States, the inter-est in text generated by the CCSS provides a window of opportunity, we believe, to examine underlying assump-tions about early-grade reading texts.In this conceptual article, we offer rationales and evidence for critical components of a working model of text complexity for the early grades. Our goal is to pres-ent a theoretical frame that both synthesizes current scholarship and proposes a set of constructs and their relationships that can guide the testing of hypotheses and the subsequent generation of new knowledge (Rud-dell & Unrau, 2004). This article lays the foundation for a mature theoretical model, the components of which can be supported or refuted in focused, accumulated research.
Relaxation Theory for Quadrupolar Nuclei

Given the typical interaction strength between the nuclear electric quadrupole moment and non-vanishing local, extranuclear field gradients, the electric quadrupole relaxation mechanism is usually dominant for all spin-one or greater nuclei. In general, various quadrupolar relaxation rates can be written in simple, closed form, and features associated with relaxation-induced polarization and coherence transfer are quenched. Such expressions are summarized in the first few sections of this article. Also discussed are consequences associated with the failure of the extreme narrowing approximation that results in multiexponential relaxation. The quadrupolar interaction is traceless and in the motionally narrowed regime, averages to zero. Thus, only line broadening and not line positions are affected. However, the Zeeman and quadrupolar interactions do not commute and second-order (and higher order) corrections may become important. Thus, a discussion of the dynamic frequency shift in quadrupolar spin systems is provided. Finally, it is recognized that efficiently relaxed quadrupolar nuclei influence scalar-coupled spin one-half nuclei. Features associated with this phenomenon are developed in the last section of this article. Keywords: nuclear spin relaxation; quadrupolar relaxation; adiabatic linewidth parameter; spectral density functions; multispin order; dynamic frequency shift
Workload characterization of elliptic curve cryptography and other network security algorithms for constrained environments

In recent years, some cryptographic algorithms have gained popularity due to properties that make them suitable for use in constrained environments like mobile information appliances, where computing resources and power availability are limited. In this paper, we select a set of public-key, symmetric-key and hash algorithms suitable for such environments and study their workload characteristics. In particular, we study elliptic-curve versions of public-key cryptography algorithms, which allow fast software implementations while reducing the key size needed for a desired level of security compared to previous integer-based public-key algorithms. We characterize the operations needed by elliptic-curve analogs of Diffie-Hellman key exchange, ElGamal and the Digital Signature Algorithm for public-key cryptography, for different key sizes and different levels of software optimization. We also include characterizations for the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for symmetric-key cryptography, and SHA as a hash algorithm. We show that all these algorithms can be implemented efficiently with a very simple processor.
Response embedded atom method of interatomic potentials

The embedded atom method (EAM) potentials are probably the most widely used interatomic potentials for metals and alloys. However, the EAM potentials impose three constraints on elastic constants that are inconsistent with experiments. At a more subtle (but more important) level, the EAM potentials often incorrectly describe the outward/inward relaxation of surface layers, and therefore will not reliably describe nanostructures. This paper reports a response EAM (R-EAM) that addresses both issues. Conceptually, the electron distribution from each atom does not respond to the atom's environment within the EAM. In reality, the electron distribution from each atom depends on the atom's environment, and this dependence is explicitly incorporated in the R-EAM. Analytical derivation shows that the R-EAM potentials do not impose these three constraints on elastic constants that EAM potentials do. Furthermore, taking hexagonal close packed (hcp) metals Ti, Mg, and Zn as the prototypes, the authors show that the R-EAM potentials correctly describe surfaces---in terms of interlayer spacing and surface reconstruction, in agreement with quantum mechanics calculations, while EAM potentials are not in agreement. In comparison to EAM potentials, the R-EAM potentials require only less than twice the computational power.
LVAD-Associated Coagulopathy: Contribution of Phosphatidylserine (PS+) Cellular Microparticles to the Risk of Hemorrhage and Thrombosis in Patients with Non-Pulsatile Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Purpose Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are associated with significant hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We examined whether cellular derived microparticles may be associated to adverse events in patients with LVADs. Methods and Materials We prospectively enrolled 15 patients undergoing elective implantation of a HeartMate II LVAD. Extensive coagulation profile including phosphatidylserine (PS+) cellular microparticles derived by platelets, leukocytes, erythrocytes, and endothelial cells was performed by flow cytometry. Samples were obtained upon admission (baseline), at discharge,at 3 months after discharge, and at the time of a clinically significant event. Patients were on an oral anticoagulation regimen of aspirin, warfarin (International Normalized Ratio, 2-3), and dipyridamole. Results Three patients had adverse events.At baseline, the mean percentage of PS+ microparticles in patients was higher than that in healthy controls (2.32%±1.65 vs. 0.98%±0.66) and gradually decreased during follow-up from 2.03%±1.35 (discharge) to 1.85%±1.22 (3 months). Patients with events had significantly more PS+ microparticles than did patients without events at 3 months (3.8%±0.75 vs. 1.85%±1.22, p Conclusions PS+ microparticles were elevated in patients before LVAD implantation, which is consistent with a hypercoagulable state. Anticoagulation after LVAD implantation appeared to reduce the amount of circulating PS+ microparticles in peripheral blood. Adverse thrombotic or bleeding events appeared to be preceded by elevated PS+ microparticles. The presence of these cell-derived particles may provide a procoagulant substrate that leads to significant adverse events.
A Critical Evaluation of the Tangential Flow Torch Microwave-Induced Plasma Detector for Gas Chromatography

The tangential-flow torch was evaluated as part of an atomic emission microwave plasma detector for gas chromatography. Emission intensities for the elements carbon, sulfur, and bromine in a variety of organic molecules were studied. Calibration plots showed good linearity, indicating that the chemical matrix has little effect on the relative degree of atomization.
Endorsing Safe Sleep: Helping Nurses Turn Recommendations Into Reality

Newborn Care Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is now considered preventable. Since 1992, the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for SIDS prevention or safe sleep have been considered best practice. In 2011, AAP published an expanded list of safe sleep recommendations. Neonatal nurses are now being asked to endorse these strategies from the time of birth. Multiple studies have described inconsistent safe sleep practices among hospital nurses, which leads to confusion for parents. SIDS prevention efforts have been hindered by neonatal nurses' failure to model safe sleep behaviors and educate parents. Furthermore, some of the recommendations have been met with resistance, with other so‐called experts creating controversy and skepticism. This controversy has created significant barriers and added to the confusion for both nurses and parents, creating a difficult learning environment. The purpose of this program was to not only teach nurses the safe sleep recommendations, but to also address the controversy and provide answers to their concerns. Proposed Change The safe sleep program of this maternal–newborn unit was developed to educate and convince nursing staff that SIDS can be prevented. These nurses would then be prepared and motivated to convince parents of the need to follow the safe sleep recommendations. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation This program was designed as a nursing competency that was slowly implemented over a 1‐year period, with the content broken into four modules. A pretest was given before the first module. After the first module, which was an overview of all the strategies, key unsafe sleep practices were identified and a list of nursing practices that needed to be modified was provided. In the months following, in‐depth information on each strategy was provided, resources were created to assist with the education of parents, and crib audits were performed to monitor progress. At the end of the year a post test showed marked improvement of nurses' knowledge and crib audits showed marked improvement of safe sleep behaviors modeled by nurses. Implications for Nursing Practice The United States and New Zealand have the highest rates of SIDS and other sleep‐related deaths among developed nations. Safe sleep recommendations are considered best practice, yet neonatal nurses have been slow to implement them. Working to break through the barriers and controversy with evidence and dialogue will move us toward a unified endorsement of the safe sleep recommendations.
Ethnicity, gender, and utilization of mental health services in a medicaid population

This study examines gender and ethnic differences in mental health utilization and expenditures in a fee-for-service Medicaid eligible population in Monroe County, New York. The analyses demonstrate that Medicaid poor are not a homogeneous population in terms of mental health utilization, and that their patterns of care use are quite unlike those generally attributed to the middle class patients. For example, Medicaid eligible males are more likely to be mental health users than females, although they are less likely to use medical services. Ethnicity appears to be a strong determinant of ambulatory mental health utilization, but not of inpatient care. Whites experience significantly higher levels of psychiatric ambulatory use than do the nonwhites. Nonwhites, on the other hand experience greater utilization of alcohol ambulatory services than do the whites. The data indicate that although mental health care cost represents at least 20% of total expenditures in this population, this cost is predictable and stable from year to year. Other analyses dealing with the cost of medical care for mental health users, and with the impact of a 'gate keeper' on mental health utilization patterns, are presented. Both clinical and public policy implications are discussed.
On the spinup/spindown of pulsar JP 1953 + 29

Abstract A new analysis of the available timing data for pulsar JP 1953+29 as well as a determination of its dispersion and proper motion is reported. The pulsar's behaviour seems quite orthodox aside from its Ṗ value of 2.00 ± 0.12 (2σ) × 10-18 sec/sec which is about an order of magnitude smaller than for any other pulsar. Positive definite special relativistic effects of the object's transverse velocity, however, are comparable to the observed Ṗ and thus the intrinsic period derivative is compatible with either a spindown or spinup of scale ⪢ 109 years. Several mechanisms are examined that might reduce Ṗ. We conclude that these mechanisms are quite unlikely and then discuss the physical significance of the extremely slow spindown or possible spinup of JP 1953+29.
A review of the GUARDIAN trial results: clinical implications and the significance of elevated perioperative CK-MB on 6-month survival.

Background: The Guard During Ischemia Against Necrosis (GUARDIAN) trial was designed to determine whether cariporide, a selective sodium-hydrogen exchanger inhibitor, reduces the combined incidence of all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction (MI) in patients at risk of myocardial necrosis and to assess the safety and tolerability of this drug. Methods and Results: The study population consisted of 11,590 patients who were hospitalized for an acute coronary syndrome or were undergoing high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Patients were enrolled and randomized to one of three doses of cariporide (20, 80, or 120 mg), or placebo, administered as a 60-minute infusion every 8 hours for two to seven days. At day 36, patients treated with cariporide 120 mg demonstrated a 10% risk reduction in death or MI compared with placebo (p = 0.12). At this dose, patients undergoing CABG experienced a 25% risk reduction in death or MI (p = 0.03), which was sustained through six months (p = 0.033). The improvement resulted primarily from a 32% risk reduction in nonfatal MI (p = 0.007). Cariporide was well tolerated; most adverse events were mild and transient. Data from the GUARDIAN trial indicate that myocardial muscle creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) values of >10 times the upper limit of normal during the initial 48 hours after CABG are associated with significantly increased six-month mortality (p < 0.001); the six-month mortality risk is similar to that observed in acute coronary syndrome patients, even after adjustment for baseline variables known to impact long-term prognosis. Conclusions: Although the results of the GUARDIAN trial failed to demonstrate overall clinical benefit, cariporide 120 mg reduced the rate of death and MI in patients undergoing CABG. Cariporide may provide a cardioprotective benefit in CABG patients at high-risk of myocardial necrosis. (J Card Surg 2003; 18:13-20)
Representation of natural arm and robotic arm movement in the striatum of a marmoset engaged in a two choice task

Modifications to the Body Schema refers to the idea that the brain's mapping can be extended to include an external device. Recent research has shown how Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMIs) can be thought of an extension of this concept. While most BMI work has focused on the cortex in relation to this idea, here we study the striatum to see how the actions of a robotic arm are represented in a deep brain structure. We show consistent neural firing patterns in the striatum depend on the movement direction of a robot even when the robot movement is preceded by distinct movements of the actual limb. Neural data during the robot movement was analyzed using a sliding time window (500ms with 400ms overlap) and was compared to the baseline firing when there was no natural reach or robot movement. We achieved an average accuracy of 88.4% over 4 sessions using unsupervised clustering techniques to classify the robot movement types.
The Design and Implementation of a Career Orientation Course for Undergraduate Majors

Over the past several years I have taught a career orientation course at St. John Fisher College. This course was designed to increase student awareness of potential careers following their undergraduate studies in our Biology program. Additionally, the course has also been used as a model for similar experiences in our Psychology, Chemistry, English, Pharmacy, Education and Sport Management programs. This article provides descriptions of the themes covered and methods used in the course to facilitate student preparation and independence in considering a future career. Pre- and post-course surveys indicate an increased level of student awareness, as well as confidence, toward career preparation. Additionally, surveys of both students and mock interviewers indicate students have successfully met the course goals related to articulating experience and credentials required for specific careers as well as identifying program requirements to pursue specific careers.
THE RELATIVE THYROIDAL POTENCY OF 1- AND d,1-THYROXINE1

ALTHOUGH it was established by Harington and Salter (1930) that thyroxine naturally occurs in the thyroid in the optically active levo form, there is still considerable uncertainty as to the relative potency of pure 1-thyroxine and the racemic thyroxine that until recently has been the only form readily available for animal experimentation and clinical use. Using compounds prepared by Harington (1928) Gaddum reported that, as tested by the stimulation of tadpole metamorphosis (1927) and rat metabolism (1929-30), 1-thyroxine showed about three times the potency of the d- form. Upon testing the same compounds in human myxedema, Salter, Lerman and Means (1935) found no difference in activity. On the other hand Foster, Palmer and Leland (1936) reported that 1-thyroxine obtained by the enzymatic hydrolysis of thyroid substance exerted twice the effect of a racemic mixture as judged by its calorigenic effect in guinea pigs, and thus inferred that the d- compound is devoid of activity.
Biologic impact of interferon antibodies, and complexities in assessing their clinical significance.

The relevance of neutralizing antibodies (NAb) to interferon-β (IFNβ) for patients with MS treated with IFNβ injections has been controversial. Published data from several double-blind, randomized clinical trials demonstrate that disease activity in IFNβ-treated patients with MS is similar to placebo-treated patients within the same study. This observation is easily understood by other studies that demonstrate attenuation of the biologic response to IFNβ injections in patients who are NAb positive. Because of the period over which antibodies develop, however, studies will demonstrate an impact of IFNβ NAb only after the initial 18 months of therapy. Further, because the effects of IFNβ on MS disease activity and progression are partial, large sample sizes are required to demonstrate clinical correlates of NAb. Therapeutic decisions related to disease management for patients with MS must consider IFNβ NAb.
Disruption of the direct perforant path input to the CA1 subregion of the dorsal hippocampus interferes with spatial working memory and novelty detection

Subregional analyses of the hippocampus suggest CA1-dependent memory processes rely heavily upon interactions between the CA1 subregion and entorhinal cortex. There is evidence that the direct perforant path (pp) projection to CA1 is selectively modulated by dopamine while having little to no effect on the Schaffer collateral (SC) projection to CA1. The current study takes advantage of this pharmacological dissociation to demonstrate that local infusion of the non-selective dopamine agonist, apomorphine (10, 15 µg), into the CA1 subregion of awake animals produces impairments in working memory at intermediate (5 min), but not short-term (10 sec) delays within a delayed nonmatch-to-place task on a radial arm maze. Sustained impairments were also found in a novel context with similar object-space relationships. Infusion of apomorphine into CA1 is also shown here to produce deficits in spatial, but not non-spatial novelty detection within an object exploration paradigm. In contrast, apomorphine produces no behavioral deficits when infused into the CA3 subregion or overlying cortex. These behavioral studies are supported by previous electrophysiological data that demonstrate local infusion of the same doses of apomorphine significantly modifies evoked responses in the distal dendrites of CA1 following angular bundle stimulation, but produces no significant effects in the proximal dendritic layer following stimulation of the SC. These results support a modulatory role for dopamine in EC-CA1, but not CA3-CA1 circuitry, and suggest the possibility of a fundamental role for EC-CA1 synaptic transmission in terms of detection of spatial novelty, and intermediate-term, but not short-term spatial working memory or object-novelty detection.
The subaltern in motion: subalternity, the popular and Irish working class history1

The title of this essay gestures towards the ways in which the categories of the subaltern and the popular, the concepts that are the objects of our discussion, become unfixed not only in their dis...
Reaction of Ethylene with Hydroxyl Radicals: A Theoretical Study†

Ab initio calculations of portions of the C2H5O potential energy surface critical to the title reaction are presented. These calculations are based on QCISD geometries and frequencies and RQCISD(T) energies extrapolated to the complete-basis-set limit. Rate coefficients for the reaction of C2H4 with OH are calculated using this surface and the two transition-state model of Greenwald and co-workers [J. Phys. Chem. A 2005, 109, 6031] for the association of OH with C2H4. The present calculations reproduce most of the experimental data, including the temperature and pressure dependence of the rate coefficients, with only a small (0.4 kcal/mol) adjustment to the energy barrier for direct hydrogen abstraction. We confirm the importance of this channel above 800 K and find that a significant fraction of the total rate coefficient (∼10%) is due to the formation of vinyl alcohol above this temperature. Calculations of the vinyl alcohol channel are consistent with the recent observation of this molecule in low-pres...
Performance modeling of Beamlet

Detailed modeling of beam propagation in Beamlet has been made to predict system performance. New software allows extensive use of optical component characteristics. This inclusion of real optical component characteristics has resulted in close agreement between calculated and measured beam distributions.
The Animal that Aspires to be an Angel: The Challenge of Transhumanism

: In what is called its ‘upper case’ form, transhumanism (TH) projects a fantastical posthuman existence akin to science fiction, but in its ‘lower case’ form it permeates our American culture. TH is expressed in the conviction that we need not settle for our birth-nature; we can alter that nature in ways that we deem desirable. As such, TH represents a fundamental challenge to our understanding of human nature, and in particular what God has created us to become. The encounter with TH is more than an ethical challenge; it is an encounter with the numinous.