cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exact RG Flow Equations and Quantum Gravity

We discuss the different forms of the functional RG equation and their relation to each other. In particular we suggest a generalized background field version that is close in spirit to the Polchinski equation as an alternative to the Wetterich equation to study Weinberg’s asymptotic safety program for defining quantum gravity, and argue that the former is better suited for this purpose. Using the heat kernel expansion and proper time regularization we find evidence in support of this program in agreement with previous work.
Unsupervised EEG Cybersickness Prediction with Deep Embedded Self Organizing Map

Cybersickness is a situation that may result from the overexpose to computer devices by a person. Symptoms associated with this sickness are dizziness, headache, nausea, or any kind of disoriented motion. Prediction of cybersickness is essential to avoid the aforementioned symptoms and subsequently secure people’s health. In this work a Deep Embedded Self Organizing Map that is an unsupervised learning tool is jointly combined with an Auto-encoder implementing a clustering method. The Auto encoder is designed from EEGNET, which is a specialized CNN for EEG prediction, and is tailored to predict EEG based cybersickness. The proposed method is compared to KNN and SOM clustering methods and prediction accuracy was measured with the purity index and NMI. Test results give that KNN predicted cyberscikness by providing Purity equal to 0.9375 and NMI to 0.386519, while SOM had 0.9432 Purity and 0.403901 NMI. Lastly, DESOM provided the most efficient index values and more specifically: 0.96875 purity and 0.42561 NMI.
The application of near infrared spectroscopy to predict faecal nitrogen and phosphorus in multiple ruminant herbivore species

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was applied to determine faecal nitrogen and phosphorus using a temporo-spatially diverse dataset derived from multiple ruminant herbivore species (i.e. cattle, bison, deer, elk, goats, and sheep). Single-species NIRS calibrations have previously been developed to predict faecal constituents. Multi-species NIRS calibrations have previously been developed for herbivore faecal nitrogen but not for faecal phosphorus. Faecal samples representing a herd or flock composite were analysed via NIRS (400–2498 nm). Calibration sets for faecal nitrogen and phosphorus were developed from: (1) all samples from all six species, (2) all cattle samples only, (3) all samples except those from bison, (4) all samples except those from deer, (5) all samples except those from elk, (6) all samples except those from goats, and (7) all samples except those from sheep. Validation sample sets included: (1) each of the individual species (predicted with a cattle only-derived calibration), and (2) each of the individual species (other than cattle) predicted with a multi-species calibration constructed from all cattle samples plus those samples from the remaining four species (i.e. ‘leave-one-out’). All multiple coefficient of determination (R2) values for faecal nitrogen calibrations were ≥0.97. Corresponding standard error of cross validation (SECV) values were ≤0.13. Validation simple coefficient of determination (r2) and standard error of prediction (SEP) of each alternate species using the cattle-derived calibration ranged from 0.76 to 0.84, and 0.28 to 0.5 respectively. Similar values for the sequential species leave-one-out validation for faecal nitrogen were 0.67 to 0.89, and 0.17 to 0.47 respectively. All R2 values for faecal phosphorus calibrations were ≥0.79; corresponding SECV were ≤0.14. Validation r2 and SEP of each alternate species using the cattle-derived phosphorus calibration were ≤0.63 and ≥0.13 respectively. Similar values for the sequential species leave-one-out validation were ≤0.66 and ≥0.22 respectively for faecal phosphorus. Multi-species faecal NIRS calibrations can be developed for monitoring applications in which determination of faecal nitrogen is appropriate, e.g. free-ranging herbivore nutrition, nitrogen deposition from animal faeces on rangelands with declining forage quality, or runoff from confined animal feeding operations. Similar calibrations for faecal phosphorus require additional research to ascertain their applicability.
Theory-Based Intervention Framework to Improve Mathematics Teachers’ Motivation to Engage in Online Professional Development

Professional development for teachers is an important professional endeavor and is increasingly conducted online. One concern, however, is the extent of teachers’ motivation to engage. Among motivational theories, the Expectancy-Value Theory is one empirically tested framework which appropriately encompasses these values. Teacher-perceived task values, or the reasons to engage in a task, along with teachers’ expectancy for success, may help explain why teachers engage in online professional development. In this chapter, we synthesize the available research literature guided by this integrated motivational framework of Expectancy-Value Theory, and we propose five design principles to guide future online professional development in ways that may improve teachers’ motivation to engage. We discuss implications for researchers and designers of mathematics professional development.
Role of Nutrition in the Elderly Surgical Patient – Review of the Literature and Current Recommendations

Poor nutritional status is common among inpatients, and particularly so among surgical patients. The problem is even more pronounced among elderly surgical patients, with age itself being an independent risk factor for malnutrition. With older adults representing a large proportion of patients undergoing emergency operations, and with malnutrition contributing to worse surgical outcomes, peri-operative nutritional optimization has garnered significant interest in the surgical literature. We sought to review the literature, specifically over the last five years, regarding the approach to nutritional evaluation and optimization in the pre- and post-operative settings in the elderly surgical patient. Recent research has focused on the pathophysiologic mechanisms that drive cachexia, including inflammatory and endocrine pathways and their interplay in patients subjected to the stress of surgery, as well as on the important differences between cachexia and sarcopenia. Emphasis has been placed on approaching nutritional status in a systematic fashion and on using context-specific validated screening tools in addition to biochemical and anthropometric parameters. In the elective setting, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways have become the norm. With this, the concept of multimodal prehabilitation has been extensively studied and societal recommendations have been made. Elderly surgical patients constitute a particularly vulnerable population who is at risk of poor post-operative outcomes by virtue of both advanced age and poor nutritional status. Serum albumin, BMI, and history of recent involuntary weight loss or poor intake should be supplemented with screening tools such as the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002) to evaluate each patient’s nutritional risk. Nutritional and physical activity interventions lead to better outcomes, and should be implemented well before surgery and continued in the post-operative setting. It will be interesting and useful in the future to evaluate how these strategies translate to patients undergoing emergency surgery and who therefore do not usually have the benefit of pre-operative optimization.
Inferring History From Crania: Biological Distance Comparisons of Mill Creek and Early Middle Missouri Tradition Crania With Mandan and Arikara Population Samples

Craniometric data are used to compare available human crania from Mill Creek and early Middle Missouri Tradition sites with a pooled Mandan sample and Coalescent Tradition samples from Crow Creek, Mobridge and hygh (inferred proto-Arikara). Discrim inant functions are computed for the reference samples, and test cases are classified according to their proximity to each population centroid. With one exception, early Middle Missouri Tradition site crania compare most favorably with Mandan. Mill Creek site specimens are unlike the Mandan, most closely resembling early Coalescent samples.
Silicone-plastic cuff for the treatment of the incompetent cervix in pregnancy.

Abstract Ten patients with a history and physical findings compatible with cervical incompetence have been treated utilizing an inflatable silicone-plastic cuff. Seven of these women had had a total of 21 consecutive midtrimester abortions. Three women had been delivered of 5 infants at 28 to 29 weeks' gestation, all of whom subsequently died. At this time, 7 of the patients have been delivered of viable infants with no fetal mortality. Two of the 3 remaining women still have the cuff in place and their pregnancies are proceeding uneventfully. In one woman, the cuff slipped off the cervix after being in place for 3 weeks. The average length of gestation in the 7 women who were delivered of infants was 35 weeks.
A colorimetric sensor array for odour visualization

Array-based vapour-sensing devices are used to detect and differentiate between chemically diverse analytes. These systems--based on cross-responsive sensor elements--aim to mimic the mammalian olfactory system by producing composite responses unique to each odorant. Previous work has concentrated on a variety of non-specific chemical interactions to detect non-coordinating organic vapours. But the most odiferous, toxic compounds often bind readily to metal ions. Here we report a simple optical chemical sensing method that utilizes the colour change induced in an array of metalloporphyrin dyes upon ligand binding while minimizing the need for extensive signal transduction hardware. The chemoselective response of a library of immobilized vapour-sensing metalloporphyrin dyes permits the visual identification of a wide range of ligating (alcohols, amines, ethers, phosphines, phosphites, thioethers and thiols) and even weakly ligating (arenes, halocarbons and ketones) vapours. Water vapour does not affect the performance of the device, which shows a good linear response to single analytes, and interpretable responses to analyte mixtures. Unique colour fingerprints can be obtained at analyte concentrations below 2 parts per million, and responses to below 100 parts per billion have been observed. We expect that this type of sensing array will be of practical importance for general-purpose vapour dosimeters and analyte-specific detectors (for insecticides, drugs or neurotoxins, for example).
Fixing Inconsistent Paternalism Under Federal Employment Discrimination Law

At present, our federal employment discrimination laws fail to provide uniform and consistent legal protection when an employer engages in applicant-specific paternalism – the practice of excluding an applicant merely to protect that person from job-related safety and/or health risks uniquely attributable to his or her federally-protected characteristic(s). Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the courts and the EEOC reject such paternalism, demanding that the applicant alone decide whether to pursue (and accept) a job that poses risks related to his or her sex, race, color, religion, or national origin. In contrast, under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the courts and the EEOC allow applicant-specific paternalism, thereby permitting an employer to seize decision-making power from a disabled applicant. Consequently, the validity of an excluded applicant’s employment discrimination claim regrettably depends on a single factor or variable: the at-issue protected characteristic. The "favored" characteristic (i.e., a Title VII characteristic) yields a viable claim. But, the "disfavored" characteristic (i.e., an ADA disability) produces a losing claim. This Article proposes a new approach – termed “informational paternalism” – that brings needed uniformity and consistency of legal protection in the area of applicant-specific paternalism. This middle-ground approach has two features: a blanket prohibition of applicant-specific paternalism, and a job-related risk notification requirement. Together, these two features are justified because they: (a) reflect a longstanding philosophy of both Congress and the Supreme Court that rejects an employer’s applicant-specific protective purpose as an unacceptable basis for excluding an applicant; (b) serve to fully advance federal anti-discrimination policy; and (c) embrace a philosophy shared by Congress and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that seeks to protect workers by providing them with information relevant to their employment-related decisions (rather than by seizing their decision-making power).
Oxidation of Long Chain Fatty Acids by Rat Liver Mitochondria

Abstract Long chain fatty acids are oxidized by rat liver mitochondria provided that endogenous adenosine triphosphate is not depleted. If endogenous ATP is depleted, e.g. by 2,4-dinitrophenol, external ATP as well as carnitine is required for fatty acid oxidation. Atractyloside does not block this reaction in media containing orthophosphate buffer. Oligomycin can substitute for carnitine, but the oligomycin-dependent route is inhibited by atractyloside. These experimental situations localize two ATP-dependent fatty acid-activating systems, one of which is linked to carnitine. The dinitrophenol-insensitive, GTP-specific fatty acyl coenzyme A synthetase is active only in the absence of orthophosphate. Inhibition of oxidation of fatty acids by atractylate in phosphate-free media is not relieved with oligomycin or carnitine.
Management of the Dialysis Patient with Sickle Cell Disease.

While patients with sickle cell disease currently constitute a very small minority of the US dialysis population (0.1%), there is anticipated growth of this group as the life expectancy of those with sickle cell disease (SCD) increases. SCD patients suffer a high burden of morbidity, which is enhanced by the presence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology of SCD and the basic tenets of its management with focus on the dialysis patient with SCD. Anemia in dialysis patients with SCD is a unique challenge. The hemoglobin target in SCD dialysis patients with ESRD should not exceed 10 g/dl. SCD patients, and particularly those on dialysis, are likely to be poorly responsive to erythropoietin-stimulating agent (ESA) therapy and might be at increased risk for vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) with ESA. Iron chelation and hydroyxurea therapy require special considerations and modifications in dialysis patients with SCD. There are theoretical advantages to both hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in SCD patients. With HD, there is a secure vascular access available for both standard and exchange blood transfusion in patients who need them. With PD, the absence of an acute rise in hematocrit with ultrafiltration (UF) might offer lower risk of VOC. During VOC, reduction in UF goals should be considered but administration of intravenous fluids should be reserved only for clear cases of volume depletion. Finally, renal transplantation appears to confer a survival advantage to dialysis in SCD patients and should be pursued when possible.
The Plasticity of Participation: Evidence from a Participatory Governance Experiment

Under the “People’s Campaign for Decentralised Planning,” initiated by the government of the Indian state of Kerala in 1996, significant planning and budgetary functions that had previously been controlled by state-level ministries, were devolved to the lowest tier of government— municipalities in urban areas, and gram panchayats (village councils) in rural areas. A key element of the campaign was the requirement that every gram panchayat organize open village assemblies—called Gram Sabhas—twice a year through which citizens could participate in formulating planning priorities, goals and projects. Using data from the first two years of the campaign, on the levels and composition of participation in the Gram Sabhas in all of Kerala’s 990 gram panchayats we empirically assess the explanatory power of the dominant existing paradigms of participation—social capital, rational choice, and social-historical. The basic patterns we document, as well as our more detailed analyses of the impact that a range of spatial, socioeconomic and political factors had on the levels and social depth of participation, provide broad support for a dynamic and contingent view of participation, a perspective that recognizes the “plasticity of participation.” ∗ We are indebted to the Kerala State Planning Board and in particular to Board member T.V. Thomas Isaac for providing us access to the data we use in this paper. During research trips in 1996, 1999, 2001 and 2002, in addition to obtaining these data, we conducted multiple interviews with key officials, civil society activists and Planning Board Members, visited several gram panchayats and attended numerous Gram Sabhas. Funding for these trips was provided by the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy at Columbia University. With funding from the Ford Foundation in India, and in collaboration with the Centre for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, we are currently conducting an intensive survey of 85 randomly selected panchayats, including over 900 interviews with key respondents. For details see Chaudhuri, Heller and Mukherjee (2001).
Performance of i-SLIP scheduling with large round-trip latency

As packet switches continue to grow in physical size, the round-trip latency between line cards and switch core has increased significantly. We study the impact of a large round-trip latency on the performance of input-queued packet switches. We find that the implementation of the control-path protocol between virtual output queues and scheduler is crucial for performance. We show that performance degrades sharply under non-uniform traffic with a stateless protocol. We address this problem with a stateful protocol in which the scheduler maintains the state of the virtual output queues. With this protocol, the throughput performance is no longer affected by the round-trip latency, although the minimum packet delay is twice that of switches with a buffered core.
Repeat expansion disease: progress and puzzles in disease pathogenesis.

Repeat expansion mutations cause at least 22 inherited neurological diseases. The complexity of repeat disease genetics and pathobiology has revealed unexpected shared themes and mechanistic pathways among the diseases, such as RNA toxicity. Also, investigation of the polyglutamine diseases has identified post-translational modification as a key step in the pathogenic cascade and has shown that the autophagy pathway has an important role in the degradation of misfolded proteins — two themes that are likely to be relevant to the entire neurodegeneration field. Insights from repeat disease research are catalysing new lines of study that should not only elucidate molecular mechanisms of disease but also highlight opportunities for therapeutic intervention for these currently untreatable disorders.
Theory of zone sedimentation for non-cooperative ligand-mediated interactions

Abstract Theoretical zone sedimentation patterns have been computed for a variety of non-cooperative ligand-mediated, macromolecular interactions. The generalization is drawn that rapidly equilibrating ligand-mediated interactions in general have the potentiality for showing bimodal zones irrespective of reaction mechanism subject to the provisos that overall ligand-binding is sufficiently strong to generate large gradients of unbound ligand along the sedimentation column but that binding to the reactant itself is not so strong that in effect the system behaves like the analogous nonmediated interaction. A physical explanation of the resolution of bimodal reaction zones is given. Qualitatively similar results have been obtained for molecular-sieve chromatography.
Study of current induced magnetic domain wall movement with extremely low energy consumption by micromagnetic simulation

We study the velocity and energy consumption of current induced magnetic domain wall (DW) movement, which is a new paradigm in spintronics devices such as a next generation MRAM and race track memory, by LLG (Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert) micromagnetic simulation. It is found that DW velocity is almost the same in current in magnetic thin film plane(CIP) and current perpendicular to plane (CPP-Perp.). On the other hand, the energy consumption is much lower in CPP-Perp. than CIP. These results show that the CPP-Perp. structure has potential solutions for high speed and low energy consumption applications
Studying the effectiveness of android application permissions requests

Popular platforms including Android and Facebook have adopted a permissions-based model. Under this model applications (apps) are required to declare specific access to user information required for functionality. We conducted two user studies on Amazon's Mechanical Turk to test the efficacy of these permissions requests on the Android platform. We found permissions were ineffective, even with the addition of an additional text warning. Conversely, we found that an app's download count had a strong effect on app installations. In order to determine if it was a failure of our text-based warning, we ran a second experiment with a previously proven visual indicator.
Concentrations of 17β-Estradiol in Holstein Whole Milk

Some individuals have expressed concern about estrogens in food because of their potential to promote growth of estrogen-sensitive human cancer cells. Researchers have reported concentrations of estrogen in milk but few whole milk samples have been analyzed. Because estrogen associates with the fat phase of milk, the analysis of whole milk is an important consideration. The objectives of this study, therefore, were to quantify 17beta-estradiol (E2) in whole milk from dairy cows and to determine whether E2 concentrations in milk from cows in the second half of pregnancy were greater than that in milk from cows in the first half of pregnancy or in nonpregnant cows. Milk samples and weights were collected during a single morning milking from 206 Holstein cows. Triplicate samples were collected and 2 samples were analyzed for fat, protein, lactose, and somatic cell counts (SCC); 1 sample was homogenized and analyzed for E2. The homogenized whole milk (3 mL) was extracted twice with ethyl acetate and once with methanol. The extract was reconstituted in benzene:methanol (9:1, vol/vol) and run over a Sephadex LH-20 column to separate E2 from cholesterol and estrone before quantification using radioimmunoassay. Cows were classified as not pregnant (NP, n = 138), early pregnant (EP, 1 to 140 d pregnant, n = 47), or midpregnant (MP, 141 to 210 d pregnant, n = 21) at the time of milk sampling based on herd health records. Mean E2 concentration in whole milk was 1.4 +/- 0.2 pg/mL and ranged from nondetectable to 22.9 pg/mL. Milk E2 concentrations averaged 1.3, 0.9, and 3.0 pg/mL for NP, EP, and MP cows, respectively. Milk E2 concentrations for MP cows were greater and differed from those of NP and EP cows. Milk composition was normal for a Holstein herd in that log SCC values and percentages of fat, protein, and lactose averaged 4.9, 3.5, 3.1, and 4.8, respectively. Estradiol concentration was significantly correlated (r = 0.20) with percentage fat in milk. Mean milk yield was 18.9 +/- 0.6 kg for the morning milking. The mean E2 mass accumulated in the morning milk was 23.2 +/- 3.4 ng/cow. Likewise, using the overall mean concentration for E2 in milk, the mean E2 mass in 237 mL (8 fluid ounces) of raw whole milk was 330 pg. The quantity of E2 in whole milk, therefore, is low and is unlikely to pose a health risk for humans.
On multistep-Galerkin discretizations of semilinear hyperbolic and parabolic equations

Henceforth, it will be assumed that (1.1) has a unique solution U. Precise hypotheses on the required smoothness of the solution will be made when needed. For s a nonnegative integer, let H” = H”(Q) be the Sobolev space W,“(R) of real-valued functions on R and let 11. /Is denote its usual norm. Let fi’ = ii’(Q) = {u E H’ :ulm = 0). Th e inner product on L* = L’(Q) is denoted by (. , .) and the associated norm by 11. /I. Let also 11. II ,.,’ d enote the norm on L” = L”(R). If (X, 11 I( ,y) is a Banach space and 1 d p d r;o, E(0, t; X) will be the Banach space of (classes of) strongly measurable functions I;: (0, t) -+ X such that
Risk of serious bacterial infection in isolated and unsuspected neutropenia.

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:1–5 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract Objectives: The objective was to determine the risk of serious bacterial infection (SBI) among children without underlying risk factors for SBI who present to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation and have unsuspected and isolated neutropenia. Methods: This was a retrospective consecutive chart review from October 1995 through September 2003. All patients aged 0–21 years presenting to the ED of an urban tertiary children’s hospital, who were documented to have neutropenia (defined as an absolute neutrophil count [ANC] of <1,000 cells/μL) without known underlying risk factor for SBI were eligible for inclusion. SBI was defined as growth of a pathogen from culture of blood, urine, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Results: There were 3,179 children with an ANC of <1,000/μL during the study period. Of these, 1,888 had no underlying immunodeficiency or central venous catheter (CVC). Fifteen of 453 (3.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.9% to 5.4%) infants less than 3 months of age had SBI: seven with bacteremia, four with meningitis, and eight with urinary tract infections. SBI was rare among children over 3 months of age (18 of 1,435; 1.3%; 95% CI = 0.7% to 2.0%): one had bacteremia, none had meningitis, and 13 had urinary tract infections. Conclusions: Children older than 3 months of age without underlying immunodeficiency or CVC presenting to the ED and unexpectedly found to have isolated neutropenia are not at high risk of SBI. Infants less than 3 months of age have similar risk of SBI as febrile infants of same age.
Comparative mixture effects of JP-8(100) additives on the dermal absorption and disposition of jet fuel hydrocarbons in different membrane model systems

Jet fuel are complex mixtures of hydrocarbon fuel components and performance additives. Three different membrane systems, silastic, porcine skin and the isolated perfused porcine skin flap (IPPSF) were used to gain insight into the possible mechanism for additive interactions on hydrocarbon component absorption. Influence of JP-8(100) additives on the dermal kinetics of 14C-naphthalene and 14C/3H-dodecane as markers of hydrocarbon absorption, were evaluated using analysis of means (ANOM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA). This study indicated that the naphthalene absorption through silastic membrane was significantly different with JP-8 plus individual additives as compared to controls, i.e. JP-8 and JP-8(100). The porcine skin data indicated that neither individual nor combinations of additives affected naphthalene absorption. The third membrane system (IPPSF) showed that only MDA and BHT were important additives altering naphthalene absorption. MDA was a significant suppressor while BHT was a significant enhancer of naphthalene absorption. MDA significantly decreased dodecane absorption in skin flaps. All individual and combinations of two additives with JP-8 affected naphthalene and dodecane surface retention in silastic membrane. The IPPSF indicated that only 8Q405 is a significant modulator of surface retention for both marker hydrocarbons. The 8Q405 significantly reduced naphthalene contents in dosed silastic and skin indicating a direct interaction between additive and marker hydrocarbons. The MDA and BHT, which significantly retained naphthalene in the stratum corneum of porcine skin individually, led to a statistical decrease in its retention in the stratum corneum when in combination (MDA + BHT) suggesting a potential biological interaction. These observations demonstrate that the single membrane system may not be suitable for the final prediction of complex additive interactions in jet fuels. Rather a combination of different membrane systems may provide the insight to elucidate the possible mechanism for additive interactions. Finally, it is important to assess all components of a chemical mixture since the effects of single components administered alone or as pairs may be confounded when all are present in the complete mixture.
The temporal relationship between intraocular pressure and extraocular muscle activation in cats.

The temporal relationship between intraocular pressure and extraocular muscle activation was studied in cats in response to the administration of the depolarizing muscle relaxant, succinylcholine (i.e. bolus doses of 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg). Simultaneous changes in intraocular pressure, extraocular muscle force, extraocular electromyograms (EMGs), limb muscle EMGs and hindlimb muscle afferent activity were recorded. Increases in intraocular pressure were associated with extraocular muscle activation and had two components: (1) an initial abrupt increase (lasting seconds) which correlated with fasciculations within the extraocular and hindlimb muscles; and (2) a latter more sustained component (minutes) presumably due to tonic muscle activation which correlated with increases in hindlimb muscle afferent activity (e.g. due to sustained activation of bag 1 intrafusal fibers by succinylcholine). In a separate group of animals, in which the extraocular muscles were detached from the right eye bilateral intraocular pressures were measured: depolarization by succinylcholine caused a significant increase in intraocular pressure only for the eye with intact muscles. Thus, increases in intraocular pressure following the administration of succinylcholine are directly related to the changes in extraocular muscle tension which is dependent on both tonic and phasic muscle fiber responses.
Integrating Neuroscience and Phenomenology in the Study of Consciousness

Phenomenology and physiology become commensurable through a self-organizational physiology and an "enactive" view of consciousness. Self-organizing processes appropriate and replace their own needed substrata, rather than merely being caused by interacting components. Biochemists apply this notion to the living/nonliving distinction. An enactive approach sees consciousness as actively executed by an agent rather than passively reacting to stimuli. Perception does not result from mere stimulation of brain areas by sensory impulses; unless motivated organismic purposes first anticipate and "look for" emotionally relevant .stimuli, brain-sensory processing is not accompanied by perceptual consciousness. To see a soccer ball requires looking for it in the right place. The sell-organizing, emotionally motivated agent instigates this looking-for activity.
Malignant Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula Treated by Combined Radiotherapy and Surgical Excision

A case of carcinoma of the upper esophagus is reported in which a malignant tracheo-esophageal fistula occurred. Treatment consisted of radiation therapy followed by esophagectomy and pharyngogastrostomy. This patient is alive and without evidence of tumor four years later.
Language and Task Effects on Lateralized Word Recognition

Behavioral laterality effects in naming and lexical decision in Farsi and English were used to evaluate three theories of cross-linguistic differences. First, the Scanning hypothesis predicts a smaller right visual hemifield advantage (RVFA) in Farsi in both tasks. Second, the Cerebral Dominance hypothesis predicts a consistent RVFA in both languages. Third, the Right Hemisphere hypothesis predicts a selective decrease in RVFA in Farsi for those components of the task that involve lexical semantic access. Results supported the Right Hemisphere hypothesis, showing greater right hemisphere contribution to orthographic addressing in Farsi than in English.
KRAS Mutation in Colon Cancer: A Marker of Resistance to EGFR-I Therapy

Introduction and Design The introduction of the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFR-I) has increased the treatment options available for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Two EGFR-I agents currently approved for the treatment of mCRC are the fully human monoclonal antibody panitumumab and the mouse-human chimeric monoclonal antibody cetuximab. While these agents have demonstrated activity across multiple lines of therapy, early studies suggested that clinical benefit was confined to a subset of patients treated. Mutation of the KRAS oncogene has emerged as a powerful negative predictive biomarker to identify patients with mCRC who do not benefit from EGFR-I therapy. Multiple retrospective analyses have demonstrated that clinical benefit from treatment with EGFR-I is limited to patients with tumors harboring the wild-type KRAS gene. In this review, the KRAS pathway and studies evaluating KRAS as a prognostic marker in CRC are discussed along with advances in KRAS gene mutation testing. Clinical trials evaluating the role of KRAS status in response to EGFR-I monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy are also highlighted along with ongoing studies evaluating the role of EGFR-I treatment on curative resections rates.
Osteochondromatous exostosis of the condyle

This type of exostosis is uncommon; prompt surgical removal is recommended. Surgical removal of an osteochondromatous exostosis relieved head and neck pain, and clicking in the temporomandibular joint. Intermaxillary fixation was established for three weeks, and for three more weeks training elastics and jaw exercises were used to prevent mandibular deviation. The patient was asymptomatic three years after surgery. These types of exotoses are relatively uncommon and appear to grow slowly.
Hsp90 as a capacitor of phenotypic variation

Heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) chaperones the maturation of many regulatory proteins and, in the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster, buffers genetic variation in morphogenetic pathways. Levels and patterns of genetic variation differ greatly between obligatorily outbreeding species such as fruitflies and self-fertilizing species such as the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Also, plant development is more plastic, being coupled to environmental cues. Here we report that, in Arabidopsis accessions and recombinant inbred lines, reducing Hsp90 function produces an array of morphological phenotypes, which are dependent on underlying genetic variation. The strength and breadth of Hsp90's effects on the buffering and release of genetic variation suggests it may have an impact on evolutionary processes. We also show that Hsp90 influences morphogenetic responses to environmental cues and buffers normal development from destabilizing effects of stochastic processes. Manipulating Hsp90's buffering capacity offers a tool for harnessing cryptic genetic variation and for elucidating the interplay between genotypes, environments and stochastic events in the determination of phenotype.
Are medical outcomes fungible? A survey of voters, medical administrators, and physicians.

PURPOSE: Many analyses of medical treatments entail the aggregation of health outcomes over patients and over time. This study assessed the extent to which voters, medical administrators, and physicians consider such aggregation to be appropriate. In addition, the study assessed whether this perceived fungibility of outcomes moderates the difference between treatment recommendations in single-play decisions (for 1 patient on 1 occasion) and those in repeated-play decisions (for several patients or for 1 patient on several occasions). METHODS: In a 5-contact mail survey of registered voters (n = 182, response rate = 52%), medical administrators (n = 123, 35%), and physicians (n = 95, 26%), respondents rated the fungibility of outcomes and indicated their preferred action in 1 of 3 scenarios involving changes in life expectancy or the duration of pain. They evaluated a risky, positive-expected-value treatment in a single-play decision, then in a repeated-play decision, and again in a repeated-play decision after they viewed the distribution of possible net outcomes. RESULTS: Perceived fungibility varied substantially across respondents in all groups, with voters giving higher fungibility ratings than administrators or physicians. Respondents' strength-of-preference ratings for treatment increased from single-play to repeated-play decisions, but these increases were moderated by perceived fungibility, as expected. When outcomes were considered fungible, treatments were much more attractive in repeated-play decisions than in single-play decisions. When outcomes were considered nonfungible, there was essentially no difference between single- and repeated-play decisions. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations regarding risky medical treatments with positive expectations appear to depend, in part, on opinions about whether it is reasonable to aggregate medical outcomes over patients or over time. Such opinions vary widely among physicians and others.
A Review of “Woodrow Wilson: Princeton to the Presidency”

W. Barksdale Maynard, a lecturer in the Department of Art and Archeology at Princeton University, focuses on Woodrow Wilson's formative years prior to his presidency. “His preparation for greatness...
Computational macroscopic approximations to the one-dimensional relaxation-time kinetic system for semiconductors

Abstract We study comparisons of deterministic computational methods for one-dimensional relaxation charged transport in submicron channel devices. Our analysis focuses on the appropriate macroscopic approximations under regimes associated to different devices with similar geometries. We show, when taking standard parameters corresponding to Si devices, that the kinetic one-dimensional relaxation model can be approximated by a multi-fluid domain decomposition technique that incorporates classical drift–diffusion equations with corrections in the current. In addition, when considering physical dimensions corresponding to GaAs devices, the technique requires new hydrodynamics that we propose and compute. Our comparison involves detailed computations of local distribution function solution of the kinetic equation, its first three moments compared with the computed fluid variables, and the presentation of all corresponding current–voltage characteristic curves.
Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles and the pathway of mRNA formation

Abstract Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) particles, the structures that package hnRNA, are one of the major constituents of the nucleus. Recent work has led to the immunopurification of hnRNP particles and the identification of their proteins, and demonstrated a role for hnRNP proteins in mRNA splicing. The molecular cloning and sequencing of cDNAs for RNP proteins made possible the discovery of a conserved RNA-binding domain and a RNP consensus sequence.
Politics and Economic Development: Why Governments Adopt Different Strategies to Induce Economic Growth

This article assesses the forces that drive governments to engage in economic development activity and attempts to explain why communities adopt different strategies to bring about the common goal of economic well-being. I address this issue at the state policy level by assessing the relationship between economic development strategy and theories of policy adoption in a pooled times series analysis using indicators of interstate competition, fiscal stress, and state ideology collected between 1983 and 1994. I find that economic development strategy choices are largely a function of interjurisdictional competition. The implications of my findings are discussed.
Morphology and biochemical characteristics of pistils in the staminate flowers of yellow horn during selective abortion

Yellow horn (Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge), an andromonoecious woody plant, has both hermaphrodite and staminate flowers. Both stamens and pistils in hermaphrodite flowers develop normally, but the pistils are aborted and the stamens develop normally in staminate flowers. To investigate the anatomical and biochemical characteristics of the aborted pistils in staminate flowers, anatomical and biochemical assays were carried out. Microstructure, ultrastructure and their histochemistry were analysed. The hypotheses that amylase and endogenous hormones are involved in pistil abortion were tested by comparing the homochronous pistil tissues in both hermaphrodite and staminate flowers. We conclude that pistil abortion occurs at the meiosis stage of megasporocyte cells and programmed cell death in staminate flowers. Simultaneously, we observed that starch grains and protein abundance are of benefit to megasporocyte meiosis. Our study indicates that the low activity of amylase isozymes α3 and α4 will result in insufficient soluble sugars for pistil development. The endogenous hormones gibberellic acid (GA3) and abscisic acid (ABA) in the pistil of both staminate and hermaphrodite flowers at four stages were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The results suggested that both ABA and GA3 are related to pistil abortion. In addition, a high ratio of GA3 and ABA exists in the stage of megasporocyte cells until the stage of megasporocyte meiosis I, which affects the normal activity of sucrose invertase and pistil development in staminate flowers. These results suggest that starch grains, proteins and endogenous hormones are important for pistil development and, as well, that pistil abortion in staminate flowers is related to the level of endogenous hormones and the activity of amylase isozymes.
Distributed Feedback GaAs Homojunction Injection Laser.

Abstract : The authors reported the first observation of distributed feedback lasing in a pulsed homojunction GaAs injection laser. Feedback was achieved via a third order grating structure which was ion machined in the top surface of the p-type layer. Laser action was observed at 8420 A and 8459 A corresponding to grating periodicities of 3548 A and 3572 A, respectively. Threshold current densities at 77K were observed to be as low as approximately 5700 A per sq cm.
Influence of peanut oil of different origins on lipid metabolism in rats

Abstract Mechanism(s) underlying the unexpected atherogenicity of peanut oil are obscure. Triglyceride structure and/or composition may contribute to atherogenicity. The studies reported here were designed to explore further effects on lipid metabolism. We have compared in rats the effects on lipid metabolism of: corn oil (CO), commercial peanut oil (PNO), randomized PNO (PNOR), and oils prepared from two specific cultivars of peanut, India White (IW) and Jenkins Jumbo (JJ). The oils (15%) were fed for 3 weeks in a semipurified diet. There were no differences in weight gain, liver weight, or serum lipids. Liver cholesterol levels were not significantly different, but liver triglycerides were lower in rats fed IW or JJ. Feces were collected at 10 and 20 days. Fecal fat (%) was similar in all groups. All rats excreted increasing amounts of 16:0 and 18:0, but less 18:1 and 18:2, suggesting conservation of the more unsaturated fatty acids. Fecal excretion of neutral steroids was similar in the five dietary groups, but acidic steroid excretion was lower in rats fed CO and PNO than in the other groups. Triglyceride content of the intestinal mucosa differed significantly, being (mg/g): CO −10.8±1.7; PNO-19.15±1.6; PNOR-10.5±1.8;IW-17.6±1.8; and JJ-14.6±0.9. In every group, mucosal 18:1/18:2 was higher than that of CO fed. Retention of triglycerides in the mucosa may be related to atherogenic effects.
Othering the Self: Dissonant Visual Culture and Quotidian Trauma in United States Suburbia

At a time when American politics has reached an almost uncanny level of absurdity in its self-contradictions, nationalistic appeals, and stunning disregard for large majorities of the population, it becomes increasingly necessary to look for clues as to why various public spheres speak and exist and how those interested in change can locate and infiltrate nodes of instability or change. Rhetoric surrounding the suburbs in high and popular culture provides such a framework, as it maps out areas of creation and consumption that have great appeal but are either logically incoherent or dangerously fragmented. This article enters the discussion through Gregory Crewdson's famous staged photographs before turning to traumatic identity in the films Pleasantville, American Beauty, and True Lies. The resulting dissonant political ambiguity in daily life suggests a new, flexible line of postmodern discourse in the post-9/11 public spheres.
A Bayesian semiparametric survival model with longitudinal markers.

We consider inference for data from a clinical trial of treatments for metastatic prostate cancer. Patients joined the trial with diverse prior treatment histories. The resulting heterogeneous patient population gives rise to challenging statistical inference problems when trying to predict time to progression on different treatment arms. Inference is further complicated by the need to include a longitudinal marker as a covariate. To address these challenges, we develop a semiparametric model for joint inference of longitudinal data and an event time. The proposed approach includes the possibility of cure for some patients. The event time distribution is based on a nonparametric Polya tree prior. For the longitudinal data we assume a mixed effects model. Incorporating a regression on covariates in a nonparametric event time model in general, and for a Polya tree model in particular, is a challenging problem. We exploit the fact that the covariate itself is a random variable. We achieve an implementation of the desired regression by factoring the joint model for the event time and the longitudinal outcome into a marginal model for the event time and a regression of the longitudinal outcomes on the event time, i.e., we implicitly model the desired regression by modeling the reverse conditional distribution.
Influenza pathogenesis: club cells take the "cure".

![Figure][1] Insight from Thomas Braciale (left) and Taeg Kim The illness that follows influenza A virus (IAV) infection results from both direct effects of IAV replication in the respiratory tract (RT) and from sequelae of the host immune response. The virus directly induces apoptosis or
Proteins of the synaptic membrane

The purpose of this communication is to provide a survey of contempory information concerning the composition, disposition, and functional significance of proteins in or on synaptic membranes derived from rat brain synaptosomes. Special emphasis is placed on their content of glycoproteins, fibrous proteins, proteins susceptible to rapid phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, and receptors for various putative neurotransmitters. Their nature, localization, possible interactions, and potential function in synaptic transmission are discussed.
Resolving the chronology of recent lake sediments: an example from Devils Lake, North Dakota

Devils Lake is a closed, saline lake in North Dakota; it is typical of lake basins in the Great Plains Region, where windy conditions and fluctuating water-levels disturb sediment and confound chronostratigraphy. Pollen analysis and 210Pb dating of two cores collected from bathymetrically contrasting embayments demonstrate (1) how certain agriculture-related pollen types differ in their value as chronostratigraphic markers, (2) how pollen and 210Pb stratigraphies can be reconciled to determine the approximate depth of sediment mixing, and (3) the importance of coring-site selection, especially in lakes with unstable sedimentary conditions.