cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Educational neuroscience: definitional, methodological, and interpretive issues

In this study, we hope to accomplish three aims as follows: (1) provide greater clarity regarding the nature and scope of the field of educational neuroscience, (2) propose a framework for understanding when and how neuroscientific research could be informative for educational practice, and (3) describe some examples of neuroscientific findings from the domains of reading and mathematics that are informative according to this framework. We propose that psychological models of learning-related processes should be the basis of instructional decisions, and that neuroscientific evidence in combination with traditional evidence from psychological experiments should be used to decide among competing psychological models. Our review of the neuroscientific evidence for both reading and mathematics suggests that while much has been learned over the past 20 years, there is still a 'disconnect' between contemporary psychological models that emphasize higher level skills and neuroscientific studies that focus on lower level skills. Moreover, few researchers have used neuroscientific evidence to decide among psychological models, but have focused instead on identifying the brain regions that subtend component skills of reading and math. Nevertheless, neuroscientific studies have confirmed the intrinsic relationship between reading and spoken language, revealed interesting predictive relationships between anatomical structures and reading and math disabilities, and there is the potential for fruitful collaborations between neuroscientists and psychologists in the future.
Update on management of vertebral column tumors

SUMMARY: Treatment options for metastatic and primary spinal tumors have expanded in recent years, in part due to the advances made in stereotactic radiosurgery. For metastatic spinal tumors, our institution utilizes the neurologic, oncologic, mechanical, and systemic (NOMS) decision framework, which provides a treatment paradigm based on the neurologic, oncologic, mechanical and systemic status of the patient. Radiosurgery as a supplement to surgical decompression has allowed for less-invasive surgical procedures carrying minimal morbidity while still providing effective local tumor control. Although wide en bloc excision has traditionally been the goal for the treatment of high-grade primary spine tumors, recent studies have shown promise for radiosurgery in providing control in tumors such as chordomas and high-grade sarcomas. Despite advances in radiosurgery, there continues to be limitations in providing effective conformational doses with minimal toxicity to critical structures. One of the ways to ...
Dependence of the Monin–Obukhov Stability Parameter on the Bulk Richardson Number over the Ocean

Abstract Recent measurements made onboard the R/P FLIP in the San Clemente Ocean Probing Experiment in September 1993 and onboard the R/V Moana Wave during Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment are used to evaluate the direct dependence between the Monin–Obukhov stability parameter (ratio of height to Obukhov length) ζ and the bulk Richardson number Rib derived from standard meteorological mean observations of water surface temperature, wind speed, air temperature, and humidity. It is found that in the unstable marine surface layer, ζ = C Rib(1 + Rib/Ribc)−1, where the numerical coefficient C and the saturation Richardson number Ribc are analytical functions of the standard bulk exchange coefficients. For measurements at a height of 10–15 m, C is about 10 and Ribc is about −4.5. Their values are insensitive to variations of Rib and ζ over three decades. Thus, a simple dependence between ζ and Rib has a much wider range of applicability than previously believed. The ...
Phosphorylation of eIF2α via the general control kinase, GCN2, modulates the ability of renal medullary cells to survive high urea stress

The phosphorylation of the α-subunit of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) occurs under many stress conditions in mammalian cells and is mediated by one of four eIF2α kinases: PERK, PKR, GCN2, and HRI. Cells of the renal medulla are regularly exposed to fluctuating concentrations of urea and sodium, the extracellular solutes responsible for the high osmolality in the renal medulla, and thus the kidneys ability to concentrate the urine in times of dehydration. Urea stress is known to initiate molecular responses that diverge from those seen in response to hypertonic stress (NaCl). We show that urea-inducible GCN2 activation initiates the phosphorylation of eIF2α and the downstream increase of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3). Loss of GCN2 sensitized cells to urea stress, increasing the expression of activated caspase-3 and decreasing cell survival. Loss of GCN2 ablated urea-induced phosphorylation of eIF2α and reduced the expression of ATF3.
Cache revive: architecting volatile STT-RAM caches for enhanced performance in CMPs

High density, low leakage and non-volatility are the attractive features of Spin-Transfer-Torque-RAM (STT-RAM), which has made it a strong competitor against SRAM as a universal memory replacement in multi-core systems. However, STT-RAM suffers from high write latency and energy which has impeded its widespread adoption. To this end, we look at trading-off STT-RAM's non-volatility property (data-retention-time) to overcome these problems. We formulate the relationship between retention-time and write-latency, and find optimal retention-time for architecting an efficient cache hierarchy using STT-RAM. Our results show that, compared to SRAM-based design, our proposal can improve performance and energy consumption by 18% and 60%, respectively.
Treatment of the hyperlipidemia of the nephrotic syndrome: a controlled trial.

The hyperlipidemia of the nephrotic syndrome is often associated with elevated total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and low or normal high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. This pattern of hyperlipidemia has been associated with an increased risk of accelerated atherosclerosis in other populations. Despite extensive studies of diet and drug therapy in other populations, few such therapeutic studies exist in patients with the nephrotic syndrome. To investigate the effect of diet and lipid-lowering drugs on the lipoproteinlipid profile of patients with unremitting nephrotic syndrome and marked hyperlipidemia, we conducted a controlled trial using two such drugs: colestipol and probucol. Colestipol lowered the mean total fasting plasma cholesterol of seven patients from 397 ± 27 to 317 ± 37 mg/dL, a 20.2% decrease, and lowered the LDL cholesterol from 398 ± 28 to 203 ± 18 mg/dL, a 31.9% decrease. It did not affect the HDL cholesterol level, and thus lowered the LDL-to-HDL cholesterol ratio. Probucol lowered the mean total cholesterol from 439 ± 72 to 339 ± 60 mg/dL, a 22.6% decrease, and the LDL cholesterol from 282 ± 43 to 215 ± 26 mg/dL, a 23.89 decrease. Although the HDL cholesterol was lowered from 49 ± 9 to 43 ± 7 mg/dL by probucol, a 12.2% decrease, the LDL-to-HDL cholesterol ratio still declined. Both drugs were well tolerated and proved safe in this short-term trial. Antihyperlipidemic therapy may well be indicated in certain patients with unremitting nephrotic syndrome.
Preservation of the ischemic canine myocardium: A comparison of hypothermia, lidoflazine, and ketanserin☆

The purpose of this study was to determine whether ketanserin protects the globally ischemic canine heart and whether such protection, if present, is independent of that provided by hypothermia or calcium channel blockade with lidoflazine. Forty mongrel dogs, anesthetized with halothane, were divided into eight groups of five and subjected to one hour of global myocardial ischemia during hypothermic (30°C; groups 1 to 4) or normothermic (37°C; groups 5 to 8) cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Dogs in groups 1 and 5 served as controls with respect to prebypass myocardial protective therapy, and received only placebo (a normal saline bolus) prior to CPB. Before bypass, dogs in groups 2 and 6 received lidoflazine, 1.25 mg/kg intravenously (IV); those in groups 3 and 7 received ketanserin, 5 mg IV bolus, followed by a continuous infusion at 33 μg/min during bypass. Animals in groups 4 and 8 were given both lidoflazine and ketanserin according to the dosing schedules above. No type of pharmacologic or mechanical cardiovascular support was provided after termination of CPS. Postbypass hemodynamic performance and survival of the unsupported animal were assumed to reflect the degree of myocardial protection during CPS. One minute after bypass, mean arterial pressure and cardiac output were decreased in all groups. Cardiac output was lower in groups 5 to 8 (normothermic CPS) than in groups 1 to 4 (hypothermic CPB). After CPB, left ventricular filling pressures were elevated in all groups kept normothermic and in group 3 (hypothermic CPS plus ketanserin). By 15 minutes after CPS. there were no survivors in groups 5, 7, and 8. Sixty percent of animals in group 6 (normothermic CPB plus lidoflazine) survived to the end of the study. Relative odds of survival were increased 110-fold by hypothermia and sevenfold by lidoflazine. Conversely, treatment with ketanserin was associated with an increased likelihood of nonsurvival. It is concluded that, at the doses studied, ketanserin does not protect the canine myocardium against ischemic injury and may exert a detrimental effect when combined with calcium channel blockade in this setting.
High-order compact schemes for dispersive media

Staggered high-order compact (HOC) finite difference schemes are developed for modelling electromagnetic wave propagation in dispersive media. The main advantage of HOC schemes is their very low dispersion error, which is dominant in low-order methods. The high accuracy of HOC schemes is demonstrated by examples of wave propagation through first-order Debye and Lorentz media in one dimension.
Structural optimization of multiple attributes

This paper presents a methodology for structural design optimization of multiple objectives, or attributes. The method represents an improvement over Pareto optimizationbased methods by quantitatively representing trade-offs between conflicting objectives in a single multi-attribute objective function. Classical utility analysis is first used to determine a multi-attribute evaluation function for a particular structure from the designer's viewpoint. This viewpoint takes into account the attribute tradeoffs that are appropriate for a specific project. Since attributes are controlled only indirectly through specification of design decision variables, a new objective function is then formulated which expresses design utility directly in terms of those parameters over which the designer has direct control. A one-bay, three storey steel frame building example demonstrates the methodology for determining the design configuration with the best combination of cost and drift index.
Health needs of Australian children living in out-of-home care.

Background: Children living in out-of-home care have high and frequently unidentified health needs. The Child Protection Unit at Sydney Children’s Hospital offers comprehensive health screening to children in care. Aims: To report the experience of the health screening clinic and the rates of identified health problems of children in care in this sample, and to compare these rates with the general child population and children in care overseas. Methods: Comprehensive multidisciplinary health screens were offered to children in out-of-home care. Results: High rates of physical, developmental and emotional health problems were identified. The rates of poor health were greater than the average child population of New South Wales, but similar to the rates of poor health reported in children in care overseas. Conclusions: Children in care are a vulnerable group of the child population who experience unacceptable levels of poor health. Comprehensive health screens can help identify previously undetected health problems.
Case 5-1981: A 56-Year-Old Man with Weight Loss, Leukocytosis, and Hypoglycemia

Presentation of Case A 56-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of hypoglycemia. There was a long history of alcohol abuse, with delirium tremens and hepatic disease. Eight years before...
Mechanism of flavin transfer and oxygen activation by the two-component flavoenzyme styrene monooxygenase.

Abstract Styrene monooxygenase (SMO) from Pseudomonas putida S12 is a two-component flavoenzyme composed of the NADH-specific flavin reductase, SMOB, and FAD-specific styrene epoxidase, SMOA. Here, we report the cloning, and expression of native and histidine-tagged versions of SMOA and SMOB and studies of the flavin transfer and styrene oxygenation reactions. In the reductive half-reaction, SMOB catalyzes the two-electron reduction of FAD with a turnover number of 3200 s −1 . Single turnover studies of the reaction of reduced SMOA with substrates indicate the formation of a stable oxygen intermediate with the absorbance characteristics of a flavin hydroperoxide. Based on the results of numerical simulations of the steady-state mechanism of SMO, we find that the observed coupling of NADH and styrene oxidation can be best explained by a model, which includes both the direct transfer and passive diffusion of reduced FAD from SMOB to SMOA.
A New Source for Spectro-Chemical Analysis

An induction heater is used to evaporate the sample held in a carbon cup, and the vapor is then excited by a spark. The two main functions of a source, evaporation and excitation, are thus separately controlled. A study of the boiling point temperature of the sample can be used to differentiate elements and compounds.
Atmospheric mercury deposition during the last 270 years: A glacial ice core record of natural and anthropogenic sources

Mercury (Hg) contamination of aquatic ecosystems and subsequent methylmercury bioaccumulation are significant environmental problems of global extent. At regional to global scales, the primary mechanism of Hg contamination is atmospheric Hg transport. Thus, a better understanding of the long-term history of atmospheric Hg cycling and quantification of the sources is critical for assessing the regional and global impact of anthropogenic Hg emissions. Ice cores collected from the Upper Fremont Glacier (UFG), Wyoming, contain a high-resolution record of total atmospheric Hg deposition (ca. 1720−1993). Total Hg in 97 ice-core samples was determined with trace-metal clean handling methods and low-level analytical procedures to reconstruct the first and most comprehensive atmospheric Hg deposition record of its kind yet available from North America. The record indicates major atmospheric releases of both natural and anthropogenic Hg from regional and global sources. Integrated over the past 270-year ice-core hi...
Comment on Weinberg's Gauge Theory of CP Nonconservation

We show that if $\mathrm{CP}$ violation occurs through the exchange of charged Higgs bosons as recently proposed by Weinberg, then $P$ (and hence $\mathrm{CP}$) is also violated through the exchange of neutral Higgs bosons. Whereas ${K}_{L}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2\ensuremath{\pi}$ is not affected by this additional interaction, the neutron electric dipole moment is, and its value can be well within experimental limits.
Methods and conclusions in functional analysis: a reply

This paper is a reply to criticism presented by C. R. C. Paul and R. Cowen in immediately preceding articles in Lethaia. Contrary to the assertion by Paul, the present author did not reject the paradigmatic method but (1) criticized it for its limitations and seemingly erroneous results, (2) applied it to the richthofeniacean and lyttoniacean brachiopods by use of the pump as paradigm, and (3) extended it to include anatomic, metabolic, and phylogenetic considerations that go beyond the structural and mechanistic constraints of the original formulation. The rhythmic flow mechanism was rejected primarily on the basis of evidence for a ptycholophous lophophore in the Productidina. and the relative inefficiency of ‘valve flapping’ in contrast to ciliary action in pumping nutrient-bearing fluid into the shell. A Chinese blast furnace was claimed by Cowen to employ a single oscillating panel as a pump, but instead this panel must act as a valve that admits air in surges while the draft in the furnace maintains unidirectional flow through the system. This is analogous to ciliary feeding in brachiopods, where undirectional flow is maintained by ciliary pumping, and the valve opens to admit water. A richthofeniid with a Composita entrapped beneath the apertural meshwork is introduced as additional evidence against the likelihood of ‘valve flapping’.
An Electronic Analog Computing Technique for the Solution of Trigonometric Problems

This paper describes a technique for the solution of trigonometric problems which utilizes a fixed carrier frequency, demodulators, modulators, resistors, condensers, and operational amplifiers in feedback configurations. Basic solutions are in the form of the amplitudes and phases of voltages relative to a reference carrier. A typical 400-cycle computer with an accuracy of 0.2 per cent is described in which output phases and amplitudes are expressed as the time delay between two pulses.
Representations of the “third force” in history of psychology textbooks

Abstract Twenty four history of psychology texts are examined in order to assess the treatment of the Third Force orientation. The form and length of presentation, the content of the coverage, the evaluation of the movement, and the potential impact on the future of psychology is found to vary greatly among different texts. The representations are found to be more complete and the evaluations more favorable insofar as historians recognize the movement's ancient historical roots, modern philosophical/scientific foundations, diversity and unity of adherents, and research methodology. Recommendations for historians of psychology and for humanistic psychologists are offered.
Optimal sizing of energy storage for efficient integration of renewable energy

In this paper, we study the optimal storage investment problem faced by an owner of renewable generator the purpose of which is to support a portion of a local demand. The goal is to minimize the long-term average cost of electric bills in the presence of dynamic pricing as well as investment in storage, if any. Examples of this setting include homeowners, industries, hospitals or utilities that own wind turbines or solar panels and have their own demand that they prefer to support with renewable generation. We formulate the optimal storage investment problem and propose a simple balancing control for operating storage. We show that this policy is optimal for constant prices and some special cases of price structures that restrict to at most two levels. Under this policy, we provide structural results that help in evaluating the optimal storage investment uniquely and efficiently. We then characterize how the cost and efficiency of storage, dynamic pricing and parameters that characterize the uncertainty in generation and demand impact the size of optimal storage and its gain. One surprising result we prove is that for storage to be profitable under the balancing policy the ratio amortized cost of storage to the peak price of energy should be less than 1 over 4
High-speed non-cryogenic cooled infrared sensors using carbon nanotubes

We report the development of high-speed carbon nanotube (CNT) based infrared (IR) sensors which operate at room temperature. When a single CNT is manipulated between two different metal electrodes, a Schottky diode is formed at the CNT-metal interface, so photocurrent is generated when there is IR illumination. The devices exhibit a fast optical response time of 15 μs and the response time is limited by the readout circuit during the measurement. Beside, we proved CNTs are less temperature-dependent. Dark current of CNTs changes by a factor of 10 for 200 °C drop in temperature, and photocurrent is also maintained in the same level. These values indicated nanotube can be used as an excellent IR sensing material with high-speed, stable and reliable performance under non-cryogenic cooled environment.
Advances in miRNA-Mediated Mucin Regulation.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an important class of small non-coding RNAs that direct post-transcriptional gene regulation by different mechanisms. Mounting evidences from numerous studies in the last decade have unraveled that deregulated miRNAs, and their cognate target expressions are strongly implicated in the carcinogenesis. Recent advances have highlighted miRNA-mediated regulation of mucins that have critical role in inflammation and cancer biology. The aberrant expression and differential glycosylation of mucins cause tumorigenesis, metastasis, chemoresistance and poor outcome of cancer patients, thus recognizing them as attractive therapeutic targets. Though current mucin-based therapies (antibodies, vaccines, immunotherapy, peptide inhibitors) have shown preclinical utility but only a handful promise for clinical transferability. In this context, understanding miRNA-mediated modulation of multiple mucin(s) expression and function gives a new hope for future antitumor therapeutics. Herein, we reviewed miRNA biogenesis, mechanism of action, and their role in tumor development. Further, we provide an overview of miRNA-mediated mucin regulation and their application as anticancer therapeutics.
A hybrid silicon-parylene neural probe with locally flexible regions

Abstract This paper reports the development of flexible neural probes based on hybrid silicon–parylene structures. The chronic tissue response is a major obstacle for the clinical application of neural probes. Mechanical mismatch is considered to be one of the causes of chronic tissue response of implanted neural probes. Polymer probes have been developed to reduce the mechanical mismatch. However, the implantation of polymer probes is challenging. Here, we have proposed a novel hybrid silicon–parylene probe with locally flexible regions to address the mechanical mismatch without the implanting difficulty of traditional polymer probes. Prototypes have been developed and the buckling force has been experimentally measured. Penetrating experiments in agarose gel have been successfully demonstrated.
Black widow spider envenomation in pregnancy.

Objective. Little data exist regarding the optimal treatment and outcomes of pregnancies complicated by black widow spider envenomation. Our objective is to evaluate the clinical effects, medical outcomes, and treatment differences between pregnant and nonpregnant women.Methods. This observational study is based on a review of the database maintained by the American Association of Poison Control Centers from 2003 to 2007.Results. Of the 12,640 human black widow spider envenomations reported at 61 poison centers in the United States, 3194 (25.3%) involved women of reproductive age, defined as age 15–45 years of age, with 97 (3.0% of reproductive-age women) being pregnant. Comparing pregnant and nonpregnant women, there were no significant differences in recommended or administered treatments. Pregnant women were more likely than nonpregnant women (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.20–2.83) to have outcomes coded as minor, moderate, or major rather than no effect. Significantly higher percentages of pregnant patients wer...
Oculomotor and cognitive control of eye movements in reading: Evidence from mindless reading

In the present study, we investigated the influence of cognitive factors on eye-movement behaviors in reading. Participants performed two tasks: a normal-reading task, as well as a mindless-reading task in which letters were replaced with unreadable block shapes. This mindless-reading task served as an oculomotor control condition, simulating the visual aspects of reading but removing higher-level linguistic processing. Fixation durations, word skipping, and some regressions were influenced by cognitive factors, whereas eye movements within words appeared to be less open to cognitive control. Implications for models of eye-movement control in reading are discussed.
Effect of antidotal N-acetylcysteine on the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen in dogs.

The effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the pharmacokinetic parameters of acetaminophen (AP) in adult female beagles were studied. Each of eight dogs received a single i.v. injection of 150 mg/kg of AP as a 5% solution in a vehicle of 40% aqueous propylene glycol at 0 h. Each of four AP-treated dogs (Group I) received an oral dose of 140 mg/kg NAC as a 20% aqueous solution at 0 h, and 70 mg/kg at 30 min and 1 h post-AP administration. Four dogs (Group II) served as controls and received isotonic saline orally. Mild signs of AP toxicosis seen in both groups within 2-3 h of AP administration including depression, weakness, recumbency and methaemoglobinaemia. Relative to Group II, treatment with NAC (Group I) enhanced the elimination of AP from the body as indicated by the decreased plasma half-life (t1/2 = 1.06 h for Group I v. 1.78 h for Group II) and a higher elimination rate constant (beta = 0.67/h for Group I v. 0.40/h for Group II). Changes in the area under plasma concentration curve data (AUC = 0.39 mg.h/ml for Group I v. 0.65 mg.h/ml for Group II) were associated with a 61% increase in total body clearance of AP in Group I. The apparent volume of drug distribution Vdarea was not affected.
At What Quality and What Price?: Eliciting Buyer Preferences as a Market Design Problem

Buyers and sellers in markets often signal to inform the other side about their preferences. Both have a mutual incentive to reveal information with respect to horizontal differentiation, but the case of vertical differentiation is more complex: a buyer claiming they place a high value on quality may attract more sellers of the right ``type'' increasing efficiency, but they might also simply pay a higher price. Although an efficiency-minded social planner may not care about higher prices, if this fear prevents a buyer from stating his of her true preferences, then desirable sorting caused by information-revelation may be unattainable. In this paper, we consider the buyer's vertical differentiation disclosure problem through the lens of a large field experiment conducted in an online labor market. A new signaling mechanism was introduced into the market that allowed buyers to state their relative preferences over price and quality. We find that the buyer signal improved seller-side sorting, with more sellers going to buyers of the right ``type''; the total number of applications also fell. However, sellers also clearly tailored their wages bid to the type of buyer they faced. Despite this markup, buyers chose to honestly disclose their preferences, suggesting they found the sorting effect to dominate the bargaining power effect.
Sensor networks over information fields: optimal energy and node distributions

Wireless sensor networks are typically deployed over an information field to sense and gather information from a distributed physical process. Resource allocation problems considered in the literature often ignore the underlying information field and rather consider a uniform distribution of information. We propose an information field model that partitions the observation space into a grid, with independent information being generated at each point in the grid. Given this model, we find the optimal node distribution over the field that maximizes the network information capacity or the total information gathered over the lifetime of the network. The optimal node distribution is obtained by considering the equivalent problem of optimal energy distribution and flow over the information field that maximizes the information capacity.
Genetic Variation in Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase 1 Is Associated with Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence in Costa Rican Adults

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) activity, a key regulator of lipid metabolism, may be associated with the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). We examined the association of genetic variation in the SCD1 gene with the occurrence of MetS and its five components in a population of Costa Rican adults (n = 2152; mean age, 58 y; range, 18–86 y). Associations of tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNP) of the SCD1 gene with prevalence of MetS and its five components were analyzed by use of log-Poisson models with robust variance estimates and linear regression models, respectively. The likelihood ratio was used to test potential gene-fatty acid interactive effects with adipose tissue α-linolenic acid. One tagSNP (rs1502593) was significantly associated with an increased prevalence of MetS in the total study sample. Compared with the common homozygous CC genotype, the CT and TT genotypes for rs1502593 were associated with higher prevalence ratios (PR) of MetS for CT vs. CC: [PR = 1.22 (95% CI = 1.03, 1.44)] and for TT vs. CC [PR = 1.24 (95% CI = 1.01, 1.52)]. Among women, we observed borderline positive associations between systolic blood pressure and fasting blood sugar levels and rs1502593 (P = 0.05 and 0.06). Compared to the common haplotype (frequency ≥ 5%) with no minor alleles of SCD1 tagSNP, the other two observed common haplotypes carrying the rs1502593 minor allele were significantly associated with elevated prevalence of MetS. No gene-fatty acid interactive effects were observed. Our results suggest that genetic variation in the SCD1 gene may play a role in the development of MetS.
Factors associated with ostomy reversal

The natural history of colostomies and ileostomies for colonic disease is not well described. This study aimed to identify factors that have an impact on colostomy and ileostomy reversal among patients with colonic diseases. A retrospective review of patients with ileostomies and colostomies was performed at a university hospital from 1999 to 2005. Demographic, operative, and outcome data were collected. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-test, and descriptive statistics. Mantel-Haenstel chi-square was used to establish association (p < 0.05). There were 96 patients (49 women) with an overall mean age of 56 years at the time of ostomy creation. Ostomy reversal was performed for 35 patients after an average interval of 5.6 months (range, 12–432 days). The patients’ ages were significantly different between the reversed and nonreversed groups (p = 0.01). The mean age was 49.9 years for the reversed group and 60.5 years for the nonreversed group. In a logistic regression model including demographic variables, African Americans were four times less likely to undergo reversal than Caucasians [odds ratio (OR), 0.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.075–0.794]. Loop ileostomies (p = 0.05) and sigmoid colostomies (p = 0.01) were the only types of ostomies that demonstrated a significant association with reversal. Loop ileostomy was five times more likely to be reversed than sigmoid colostomy (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.049–0.595). Colostomy or ileostomy creation is a basic skill in the armamentarium of the general surgeon for treating complex diseases of the colon. Age, race, and type of ostomy creation are significant predictors for reversal. This data may be useful for consulting patients preoperatively regarding postoperative expectations.
Characterization of a Corynebacterium Strain That Can Grow in Medium Containing up to 2 M Nitrate

ABSTRACT A gram-positive bacterium, identified as Corynebacterium K37, was isolated from the waste effluent of a dairy farm. The bacterium thrived and expressed nitrate-reducing activity at nitrate concentrations of up to 2 M, and reduced nitrate concentration from 0.4 M to 11.4 mM and also from 0.4 M to 23.4 mM in aerobic and anaerobic fed-batch cultures, respectively. Cells of K37 were able to utilize a variety of carbon sources for nitrate reduction with little or no accumulation of nitrite. In aerobic cultures, the residual nitrite was minimal and it was completely reduced after prolonged incubation. Growth on acetate or pyruvate in anaerobic cultures resulted in lower nitrite reductase activities and concomitant higher residual nitrite concentrations than did growth on ethanol or glucose, suggesting that diminished electron availability was a factor in the accumulation of residual nitrite. The bacterium also survived in 2 M concentrations of NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2. Corynebacterium sp. K37 may be useful...
Generalized Reed-Muller forms as a tool to detect symmetries

In this paper, we present a new method for detecting groups of symmetric variables of completely specified Boolean functions. The canonical Generalized Reed-Muller (GRM) forms are used as a powerful analysis tool. To reduce the search space we have developed a set of signatures that allow us to identify quickly sets of potentially symmetric variables. Our approach allows for detecting symmetries of any number of inputs simultaneously. Totally symmetric functions can be detected very quickly. The traditional definitions of symmetry have also been extended to include more types. This extension has the advantage of grouping input variables into more classes. Experiments have been performed on MCNC benchmark cases and the results verify the efficiency of our method.
Primary ex vivo cultures of human fallopian tube epithelium as a model for serous ovarian carcinogenesis

Recent studies suggest that some serous ovarian carcinomas (SOCs) arise from the fallopian tube (FT) epithelium rather than the ovarian surface epithelium. This hypothesis places emphasis on the FT secretory epithelial cell as a cell-of-origin. Herein, we report the development of a novel ex vivo primary human FT epithelium culture system that faithfully recapitulates the in vivo epithelium, as shown by morphological, ultrastructural and immunophenotypic analyses. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics reveal that these cultures secrete proteins previously identified as biomarkers for ovarian cancer. We also use this culture system to study the response of the FT epithelium to genotoxic stress and find that the secretory cells exhibit a distinct response to DNA damage when compared with neighboring ciliated cells. The secretory cells show a limited ability to resolve the damage over time, potentially leaving them more susceptible to accumulation of additional mutagenic injury. This divergent response is confirmed with in situ studies using tissue samples, further supporting the use of this ex vivo culture system to investigate FT epithelial pathobiology. We anticipate that this novel culture system will facilitate the study of SOC pathogenesis, and propose that similar culture systems could be developed for other organ site-specific epithelia.
Efficient Scheduling for Sensing and Data Reporting in Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper considers an innovative scheduling strategy in which a control processor assigns a load share to be measured by each of N processors organized in a single level tree (star) wireless sensors network. Here processors begin to sense as soon as receiving their own load share assignment rather than waiting for all processors to receive their assignments as done in previous research works. This strategy has the potential to reduce solution time (make span) significantly. We find an analytical expression for optimal load assignment and finish time which is simple to compute and can be implemented in real time. I. INTRODUCTION.
A genetic algorithm-based procedure for 3D source identification at the Borden emplacement site

Finding the location and concentration of groundwater contaminant sources typically requires the solution of an inverse problem. A parallel hybrid optimization framework that uses genetic algorithms (GA) coupled with local search approaches (GA-LS) has been developed previously to solve groundwater inverse problems. In this study, the identification of an emplaced source at the Borden site is carried out as a test problem using this optimization framework by using a Real Genetic Algorithm (RGA) as the GA approach and a Nelder–Mead simplex as the LS approach. The RGA results showed that the minimum objective function did not always correspond to the minimum solution error, indicating a possible non-uniqueness issue. To address this problem, a procedure to identify maximally different starting points for LS is introduced. When measurement or model errors are non-existent or minimal it is shown that one of these starting points leads to the true solution. When these errors are significant, this procedure leads to multiple possible solutions that could be used as a basis for further investigation. Metrics of mean and standard deviation of objective function values was adopted to evaluate the possible solutions. A new selection criterion based on these metrics is suggested to find the best alternative. This suggests that this alternative generation procedure could be used to address the non-uniqueness of similar inverse problems. A potential limitation of this approach is the application to a wide class of problems, as verification has not been performed with a large number of test cases or other inverse problems. This remains a topic for future work.
Spike train entropy-rate estimation using hierarchical Dirichlet process priors

Entropy rate quantifies the amount of disorder in a stochastic process. For spiking neurons, the entropy rate places an upper bound on the rate at which the spike train can convey stimulus information, and a large literature has focused on the problem of estimating entropy rate from spike train data. Here we present Bayes least squares and empirical Bayesian entropy rate estimators for binary spike trains using hierarchical Dirichlet process (HDP) priors. Our estimator leverages the fact that the entropy rate of an ergodic Markov Chain with known transition probabilities can be calculated analytically, and many stochastic processes that are non-Markovian can still be well approximated by Markov processes of sufficient depth. Choosing an appropriate depth of Markov model presents challenges due to possibly long time dependencies and short data sequences: a deeper model can better account for long time dependencies, but is more difficult to infer from limited data. Our approach mitigates this difficulty by using a hierarchical prior to share statistical power across Markov chains of different depths. We present both a fully Bayesian and empirical Bayes entropy rate estimator based on this model, and demonstrate their performance on simulated and real neural spike train data.
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Is Critical for the Regulation of Amygdala Activity in Humans

Abstract Background Dysfunction in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is believed to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of mood and anxiety disorders. Leading neurocircuitry models of these disorders propose that hypoactivity in the vmPFC engenders disinhibited activity of the amygdala and, consequently, pathologically elevated levels of negative affect. This model predicts that a selective loss or diminution of function of the vmPFC would result in heightened activity of the amygdala. Although this prediction has been borne out in rodent lesion and electrophysiologic studies using fear conditioning and extinction paradigms, there has not yet been a definitive test of this prediction in humans. Methods We tested this prediction through a novel use of functional magnetic resonance imaging in four neurosurgical patients with focal, bilateral vmPFC damage. Results Relative to neurologically healthy comparison subjects, the patients with vmPFC lesions exhibited potentiated amygdala responses to aversive images and elevated resting-state amygdala functional connectivity. No comparable group differences were observed for activity in other brain regions. Conclusions These results provide unique evidence for the critical role of the vmPFC in regulating activity of the amygdala in humans and help elucidate the causal neural interactions that underlie mental illness.
Our Rightful Share: The Afro-Cuban Struggle for Equality, 1886-1912

In Our Rightful Share , Aline Helg examines the issue of race in Cuban society, politics, and ideology during the island's transition from a Spanish colony to an independent state. She challenges Cuba's well-established myth of racial equality and shows that racism is deeply rooted in Cuban creole society. Helg argues that despite Cuba's abolition of slavery in 1886 and its winning of independence in 1902, Afro-Cubans remained marginalized in all aspects of society. After the wars for independence, in which they fought en masse, Afro-Cubans demanded change politically by forming the first national black party in the Western Hemisphere. This challenge met with strong opposition from the white Cuban elite, culminating in the massacre of thousands of Afro-Cubans in 1912. The event effectively ended Afro-Cubans' political organization along racial lines, and Helg stresses that although some cultural elements of African origin were integrated into official Cuban culture, true racial equality has remained elusive.
Isaac Versus Oedipus: An Alternative View

Max Sugar (2002) argues for the essential similarity of the legends of Oedipus and Isaac with regard to the common themes of filicide, patricide, guilt, punishment, and expiation. Sugar does point out, however, that while the outcome in the Oedipus myth is tragic, it is hopeful in the narrative of Isaac. This article, in contrast, argues that this distinction between tragedy and hopefulness is not incidental and indeed stems out of the essential differences between the legends of Oedipus and Isaac, which themselves reflect the opposing life views emerging from Athens and Jerusalem. Indeed, we will argue for viewing the Akedah (the binding of Isaac) as a Biblical alternative to the Oedipus Complex, rather than simply an extension of it, and as the basis for a Biblical psychology and psychotherapy.
Quenching of chlorination disinfection by-product formation in drinking water by hydrogen peroxide

Abstract Reactions between chlorine disinfectants, dissolved organic matter, and other chemicals in water form a series of disinfection by-products (DBPs), including trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), that are toxic and subject to increasingly stringent regulations. This paper explores effects on DBP formation produced by an alternative, non-chlorine-based secondary disinfectant comprised of silver and hydrogen peroxide (Ag+/H2O2) that is designed to provide long-lasting residual disinfection. Based on a series of laboratory experiments using simulated treatment and distribution systems, post-chlorination additions of the secondary disinfectant dramatically reduced the formation of halogenated DBPs. Five source waters were tested over a range of conditions, including various levels of chlorine dosing, bromine and organic carbon concentrations, pH and temperature. For surface and ground waters, DBP reductions at 24 h with the secondary disinfectant averaged 72±9% for THMs and 67±11% for HAAs after a 10-min chlorination period. The dramatic reduction in halogenated DBPs occurred for all tested source waters and all disinfection conditions. The likely mechanism is the reduction of chlorine to chloride by H2O2, which halts further reaction of chlorine with dissolved organic matter and other DBP precursors. Thus, H2O2 acts as a quenching agent, in addition to its residual disinfectant properties in combination with Ag+. This research shows a potential benefit of mixed disinfectants that provide a potentially viable option for controlling the formation of DBPs while maintaining effective disinfection.
Thread Clustering and Selection Schemes for Medium-Grained Computation Migration

Process/thread migration is indispensable for resource sharing, cycle stealing and other modes of interaction. Computing tasks need to be scheduled frequently to adapt to the capacity variation of the system resources in distributed computing environments. Local parallel workload should be migrated to remote machines partially or completely. This paper analyzes three different kinds of clustering algorithms to group local threads. One or more thread groups are selected as medium-grained computations which are distributed across multiple machines. Performance analyses and experimental results are provided to demonstrate their effectiveness.
A Micro Method for Serum Cholinesterase

A simple colorimetric method for determining serum or plasma cholinesterase has been described. The cholinesterase acts on acetylthiocholine to release thiocholine, which reacts with 5:5-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) to produce a yellow color. The activity is measured after incubation for 3 min. at 37° the reaction is stopped by the excess addition of quinidine sulfate. The difference in absorbance between the blank and test sample is then measured at 412 mµ. Duplicate determinations can be run on 0.1 ml. of serum or plasma, and the method is well suited to laboratories using routine procedures.
John Ellis, F. R. S.: Eighteenth Century Naturalist and Royal Agent to west Florida

In 1754 John Ellis was elected to the Royal Society. During the next twenty two years, he won the Copley Prize in 1768, was elected to the Council in 1769, and published over thirty essays and monographs on natural history. In doing this Ellis laid the foundation of one area of zoology with his studies of zoophytes; published on the preservation of seeds and the natural history of coffee; and reported on new plants and insects. Furthermore his papers, containing correspondence with well over one hundred different people, provide a clearer picture o f the interrelationships which operated in the warp and woof of eighteenth century English and colonial science. Ellis was also a merchant in the Irish linen trade; a lobbyest at Westminster for the Irish Linen Board; the Royal Agent for West Florida, and the Colonial Agent for Dominica.
The changing landscape of axillary surgery: which breast cancer patients may still benefit from complete axillary lymph node dissection?

Background and Objectives Many breast cancer patients undergoing completion axillary lymph node dissection (CALND) for sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases have no further disease. Predicting patients at high risk of non-sentinel lymph node (NSLN) metastasis may help guide effective utilization of CALND. Methods SLN+ breast cancer patients undergoing frozen section (FS) analysis at a single institution (2004–2010) were studied retrospectively. Factors associated with NSLN metastases were identified. Results Two-hundred forty SLN+ patients were identified. The incidence of NSLN metastases was 45% in FS(+) patients undergoing CALND, compared to 10% of FS(−) patients following CALND (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that FS positivity, tumor size, and the presence of angiolymphatic invasion were significant factors associated with NSLN metastases (all P < 0.05). Further analysis of FS(+) patients revealed that tumor size, ER(−) status, and lymph node metastasis size were also associated with risk of NSLN metastases. An algorithm for the management of the axilla in SLN+ breast cancer patients was devised, based on clinic-pathologic predictors of NSLN metastases. Conclusion A SLN+ biopsy by FS predicts the presence of NSLN metastases and, in combination with other factors, may justify immediate CALND. CALND may, however, be avoided in selected low-risk SLN+ patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 106:254–259. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.