cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic Detection of Stress States in Type 1 Diabetes Subjects in Ambulatory Conditions

Two levels of control are crucial to the robustness of an artificial β-cell, a medical device that would automatically regulate blood glucose levels in patients with type 1 diabetes. A low-level co...
Thermal conductance of the junction between single-walled carbon nanotubes

The thermal conductances of the carbon nanotube (CNT) junctions that would be found in a CNT aerogel are predicted using molecular dynamics simulations. At a temperature of 300 K, the thermal conductance of a perpendicular junction converges to 40 pW/K as the CNT lengths approach 100 nm. The key geometric parameter affecting the thermal conductance is the angle formed by the two CNTs. At pressures above 1 bar, the presence of a surrounding gas leads to an effective increase in the junction thermal conductance by providing a parallel path for energy flow.
The pharmacology and toxicology of mepivacaine, a new local anesthetic.

Abstract The local anesthetic activity, toxicity, and irritancy of mepivacaine HCl 1 (1-methyl-2′,6′-pipecoloxylidide hydrochloride) and a solution (solution B) containing 2.0% mepivacaine HCl and 1:20,000 levo-nordefrin (levo-2,4-dihydroxyphenyl-3-hydroxy-2-isopropylamine 2 ) have been studied by various methods. By the intracutaneous wheal test in guinea pigs mepivacaine HCl is 2.5 times more active than procaine HCl. The addition of levo-nordefrin produced a slight increase in the local anesthetic activity of the solution. Solution B was found as active as a solution of 2.0% lidocaine + epinephrine 1:100,000 by the same route of administration ( dilution test ). At the 2.0% concentration level in solutions containing epinephrine 1:100,000 the duration of mepivacaine intradermal anesthesia was approximately 25% longer than that produced by lidocaine. Mepivacaine HCl was found to be as active as cocaine HCl by topical application to the rabbit eye. The topical TAC 5 was 0.18%. At 2, 3, 4, and 8% concentrations, mepivacaine HCl injected intraspinally in rabbits produced anesthesia lasting from 17 to 115 minutes (urethral anesthesia). The degree of intraspinal irritancy appears to be somewhat lower than that of lidocaine. By intravenous injection the following LD 50 values for mepivacaine HCl in mice, rabbits, and guinea pigs were obtained: 32±2, 22±2, and 20±1.4 mg/kg, respectively. Mepivacaine is approximately twice as toxic as procaine HCl and 40% less toxic than lidocaine HCl in mice. The subcutaneous LD 50 values were: 260±22, 110±11, and 94±10 mg/kg for mice, rabbits, and guinea pigs, respectively. Solution B and a 3% solution of mepivacaine HCl without levo-nordefrin (solution A) were well tolerated by monkeys and rats when injected intramuscularly or intravenously in single daily doses eighteen times in 21 days. No significant changes were observed in the body weights, blood counts, urinalyses, or blood pressures of the medicated animals at the end of the medication period. No changes attributable to medication with mepivacaine were observed at the autopsies of the medicated animals. By the trypan blue test the threshold irritant concentration 4 of mepivacaine HCl was 3.3%. That of lidocaine HCl, which was tested in parallel, was 1.9%. Lidocaine HCl is therefore approximately 70% more irritant than mepivacaine HCl. Applied topically on the rabbit eye, mepivacaine HCl and lidocaine HCl were well tolerated in concentrations up to 20%. Solution A and solution B produced a slight, transient inflammatory reaction when injected intramuscularly into rabbits in 1.0-cc doses. No lesions at the injection sites were observed at 7 days after the injection. In summary, mepivacaine HCl, which is 2.5 times more active than procaine HCl is only 25% more irritating and is well tolerated locally as well as systemically on repeated subcutaneous or intramuscular administration.
Relationships between formalized preceptor orientation and student outcomes

Abstract Competently prepared nurses are expected to provide clinical care and advocate for client care. Preceptors are an important aspect of the solution for assisting student nurses to bridge the gaps between classroom and practice. Findings from this literature review found that formal orientation, employer support, and relationships with educational settings enhance preceptor roles. While the literature supplies many opinions and ‘how to' papers, the body of research that has investigated relationships between preceptor characteristics, preceptor orientation, and student outcomes is still limited.
Staff Development While You Teach: Collaborating to Serve English Learners

This article examines the nature of a sustained staff development program for teachers serving English learners in elementary schools. It begins by exploring the need for learners to have optimum language and content development, and indicates that many U.S. grade-level and content area teachers have not been prepared to meet that need. Focusing on the experience of one elementary teacher, it then describes the 2-year collaborative team effort within and between four elementary schools that provided for both individual and collective growth as professionals, as well as structure and motivation that would encourage the emergence of successful instructional practices. A key outcome of this model of staff development was the importance and value of treating educators as professionals—respecting their time, energy, need for connections with peers, and willingness to engage in professional growth. Another outcome was the unanimous positive response to staff development that was long term, focused, and sustained. Learning how best to address the needs of second-language learners requires conversation within a school building. The challenge of bringing grade level and content area teachers together with peers to both explore and enhance their practice is substantial.
Performance of small-pore microchannel plates

Small pore size microchannel plates (MCPs) are needed to satisfy the requirements for future high resolution small and large format detectors for astronomy. MCPs with pore sizes in the range 5 micrometer to 8 micrometer are now being manufactured, but they are of limited availability and are of small size. We have obtained sets of Galileo 8 micrometer and 6.5 micrometer MCPs, and Philips 6 micrometer and 7 micrometer pore MCPs, and compared them to our larger pore MCP Z stacks. We have tested back to back MCP stacks of four of these MCPs and achieved gains greater than 2 multiplied by 107 with pulse height distributions of less than 40 percent FWHM, and background rates of less than 0.3 events sec-1 cm-2. Local counting rates up to approximately equals 100 events/pore/sec have been attained with little drop of the MCP gain. The bare MCP quantum efficiencies are somewhat lower than those expected, however. Flat field images are characterized by an absence of MCP fixed pattern noise.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Theoretical Insights into Covalency Driven f Element Separations

Through Density Function Theory (DFT) calculations, we set out to understand the structures and stabilities of the aqueous phase complexes [MIII(DTPA)–H2O]2− (M = Nd, Am) as well as the changes in Gibbs free energy for complexation in the gas phase and aqueous solution. All bonding analyses suggest that the preference of the DTPA5− ligand for Am over Nd is mainly due to electrostatic and covalent interactions from the oxygen atoms with the nitrogen chelates providing an additional, yet small, covalent interaction. These results question the exclusive use of hard and soft acids and bases (HSAB) concepts for the design of extracting reagents and suggest that hard-soft interactions may play more of a role in the separations process than previously thought.
Atom cooling by time-dependent potentials.

Using the concept of information entropy, it is shown that it is impossible to increase the phase-space density of atoms with time-dependent potentials or other time-dependent terms in the Hamiltonian, even if the motion is nonclassical.
Lesions to the medial preoptic area affect singing in the male European starling (Sturnus vulgaris).

The aromatization of testosterone (T) in the medial preoptic nucleus (POM) is known to regulate male courtship and sexual behaviors expressed prior to, and in anticipation of, copulation. Singing in male European starlings is used to attract mates prior to physical sexual contact, suggesting that the POM might be involved. The present study was performed to examine the effects of lesions targeting the POM on singing and courtship behavior in reproductively active male starlings. A significant decrease in song output and the gathering of green nest materials was observed in males with lesions to the POM compared to males with damage to brain areas outside of the POM. Lesions did not affect a male's tendency to remain near a female or to occupy a nestbox, suggesting that the effects of POM lesions were specific to courtship behaviors. Behavioral differences were not related to testis mass or volume, and GnRH immunoreactivity was observed within the hypothalamus and median eminence for each male, suggesting that the effects of POM lesions were related specifically to POM involvement in song expression rather than to a disruption of the GnRH axis. These results suggest a general role for the POM in the expression of behaviors related to sexual arousal or anticipation, including song.
An Inquiry Into the Development of Teacher Identities in STEM Career Changers

National shortages of math and science teachers have led to a variety of strategies and programs to attract second career professionals into teaching. This qualitative study explores the development of professional teaching identities in six STEM career changers in a post-baccalaureate pre-service teacher credential program in California. Findings suggest the career changers relied upon skills developed in their previous careers to navigate through a new profession; however, returning to the life of a student again was difficult. Additionally, the career changers in this study valued interacting with their traditional aged peers in the program as these relationships were beneficial to their own socialization into teaching as they developed their teacher identities.
Corporate communication: reflections on twentieth century change

Looks at developments in corporate communications during the twentieth century. Reveals that communication between organizations and their publics during the twentieth century has been changing and substantially improving due to a changing society, corporate values, information technology, enhanced connectivity and shared values among nations. Also notes that businesses are beginning to equally focus on both products and consumers, and have been moving from the traditional unidirectional approach to contemporary multidirectional approaches to integrated communication. Concludes that the success or failure of business no longer affects just a few individuals or stakeholders and in time, there may be less dialectical tension between the corporate communication profession, business and society as a whole.
An inhalation model of airway allergic response to inhalation of environmental Aspergillus fumigatus conidia in sensitized BALB/c mice.

Fungal exposure may elicit a number of pulmonary diseases in man, including allergic asthma. Fungal sensitization is linked to asthma severity, although the basis for this increased pathology remains ambiguous. To create conditions simulating environmental fungal allergen exposure in a human, nose-only inhalation delivery of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia was employed in mice previously sensitized to Aspergillus antigen extract. BALB/c mice were immunized with subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injections of soluble A. fumigatus extract in alum, which was followed by three intranasal inoculations of the same fungal antigens dissolved in saline to elicit global sensitization in a manner similar to other published models. The animals were then challenged with a 10-min inhaled dose of live conidia blown directly from the surface of a mature A. fumigatus culture. After a single challenge with inhaled A. fumigatus conidia, allergic pulmonary inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness were significantly increased above that of either naive animals or animals that had been sensitized to A. fumigatus antigens but not challenged with conidia. The architecture of the lung was changed by inhalation of conidia when compared to controls in that there were significant increases in epithelial thickness, goblet cell metaplasia, and peribronchial collagen deposition. Additionally, α-smooth muscle actin staining of histological sections showed visual evidence of increased peribronchial smooth muscle mass after fungal challenge. In summary, the delivery of live A. fumigatus conidia to the sensitized airways of BALB/c mice advances the study of the pulmonary response to fungi by providing a more natural route of exposure and, for the first time, demonstrates the consistent development of fibrosis and smooth muscle changes accompanying exposure to inhaled fungal conidia in a mouse model.
American Consumer’s Attitudes towards Different Airline Companies Channels: A Comparison of transaction Methods

Resumen en: Consumers are increasingly challenging better performance from companies, and these demands are being met through improvements in technology and flexibil...
Physical Activity and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Parkinson Disease

Neuropsychiatric symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD) such as fatigue, depression, and apathy are common and detract from quality of life. There is little published on the impact of physical activity on the neuropsychiatric symptoms of PD. A convenience sample of 45 patients with PD (mean age = 66.1 years; 33% female) completed questionnaires on physical activity, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and specific exercise preferences. Covarying for age and gender, higher levels of physical activity were associated with significantly less fatigue, as well as a trend for less apathy and depression and greater positive affect. Exercise preferences included moderate intensity (73%), at home (56%), in the morning (73%), scheduled (69%), options for varied activities (73%), and preference for both structured/supervised (50%), and unsupervised/self-paced (50%) programs. Preferred activities included the use of aerobic exercise equipment, resistance training, and yoga. Developing and tailoring exercise programs that incorporate specific preferences may result in more effective interventions for patients with PD.
Fragmented endocardial electrical activity in patients with ventricular tachycardia: A new guide to surgical therapy

Abstract Eight patients with ventricular aneurysms and ventricular tachycardia refractory to drugs were studied. Each patient underwent intraoperative epicardial and endocardial mapping during stable sipus rhythm. After aneurysmectomy, areas of the endocardial border zone which demonstrated fragmented activity were excised. Mapping was then repeated to ensure that major areas of fragmentation did not remain. Mapping was completed in less than 20 minutes in each patient. One patient died of pump failure before hospital discharge and a second patient, who was arrhythmia-free, died of pump failure 12 months postoperatively. Six patients are alive and free of ventricular tachycardia 5 to 25 months (mean 11.5) postoperatively. We conclude that excision of areas of fragmented electrical activity in the endocardial border zone of ventricular aneurysms is a useful approach to surgical therapy for ventricular tachycardia. This approach allows an excision directed to arrhythmogenic areas without the need for tachycardia induction in the operating room.
Optimality Criteria for Models with Random Effects

In the context of linear models, an optimality criterion is developed for models that include random effects. Traditional information-based criteria are premised on all model effects being regarded as fixed. When treatments and/or nuisance parameters are assumed to be random effects, an appropriate optimality criterion can be developed under the same conditions. This paper introduces such a criterion, and this criterion also allows for the inclusion of fixed and/or random nuisance parameters in the model and for the presence of a general covariance structure. Also, a general formula is presented for which all previously published optimality criteria are special cases.
Use of the Newton Method for Blind Adaptive Equalization Based on the Constant Modulus Algorithm

We study the applicability of the second-order Newton gradient descent method for blind equalization of complex signals based on the constant modulus algorithm (CMA). The constant modulus (CM) loss function is real with complex valued arguments, and, hence, nonanalytic. We, therefore, use the framework of the Wirtinger calculus to derive a useful and insightful form of the Hessian for noiseless FIR channels and rederive the known fact that the full Hessian of the CM loss function is always singular in a simpler manner. For the implementation of a suboptimum version of Newton algorithm, we give the conditions under which the leading partial Hessian is nonsingular for a noiseless FIR channel model. For this channel model, we show that the perfectly equalizing solutions are stationary points of the CM loss function and also evaluate the leading partial Hessian and the full Hessian at a perfectly equalizing solution. We also discuss regularization of the full Newton method. Finally, some simulation results are given.
Plenary contribution to International Conference on Boar Semen Preservation 2011. Genetic selection for freezability and its controversy with selection for performance.

Contents Little data are available in the literature regarding freezability of boar sperm or its relationship with other traits. Existing data suggest the trait would respond favourably to selection, and information is available from other species suggesting components that might have changed. Genetic parameters are estimated for boar sperm freezability including heritability and correlations with other production traits. Sperm freezability is an ideal candidate for marker assisted-selection or selection for favourable alleles.
Characterization of minute adenocarcinomas of prostate at radical prostatectomy

Abstract Objectives To characterize minute prostate cancer seen at radical prostatectomy. With aggressive screening and more extensive biopsy sampling, we have increasingly seen these cancers at radical prostatectomy. Methods We examined radical prostatectomy specimens submitted in total for minute cancer. Results During the past 1.5 years, 78 prostates (5.2%) had either no cancer (2 cases) or contained between one and six foci of organ-confined carcinoma (76 cases) measuring 6 mm or less, with a Gleason score of 6 or less. The mean prebiopsy serum prostate-specific antigen level was 5.8 ng/mL, and 84.6% of the patients had undergone biopsy because of an elevated prostate-specific antigen level. Of these patients, 40% had had either benign or atypical diagnoses on prior biopsies, and 43% had only minute (0.5 mm or less) foci of carcinoma on biopsy. The radical prostatectomy specimens had a mean of two cancer foci measuring, on average, 3 mm in the greatest dimension. In 85% of the cases, the side of the positive biopsy matched the side of the carcinoma found at radical prostatectomy; 81.5% of cases had high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia immediately adjacent to the cancer. Conclusions The incidence of minute carcinoma of the prostate has increased from 0.5% in 1988 to 5.2% in the current study. The patients often had moderately increased prostate-specific antigen levels and minute foci of carcinoma on biopsy. These small tumors at radical prostatectomy are usually discovered by fortuitous biopsy that is often preceded by other biopsies with noncancerous diagnoses. Patients with the above clinical and biopsy findings should be counseled about the possibility of finding only minute foci of carcinoma at radical prostatectomy and may want to consider watchful waiting.
New advances in path delay fault testing of combinational circuits

We show that not all path delay faults in a prime and irredundant two-level circuit need to be tested by robust tests in order to avoid test invalidation. This finding leads to a simplified testing procedure which guarantees 100% path delay fault testability. For the collapsible multi-level circuits, we introduce the concepts of m-primeness and m-irredundancy similar to the concepts used in two-level circuits. We prove that all path delay faults in a m-prime and m-irredundant multi-level circuit are virtually testable without testing invalidation. For the uncollapsible multi-level circuits, we propose a novel modular-based path delay fault model. Using this new model, the number of target path delay faults is substantially reduced. >
Design for Disassembly With High-Stiffness, Heat-Reversible Locator-Snap Systems

Recent legislative and social pressures have driven manufacturers to consider effective part reuse and material recycling at the end of product life at the design stage. One of the key considerations is to design and use joints that can disengage with minimum labor, part damage, and material contamination. This paper presents a unified method to design a high-stiffness reversible locator-snap system that can disengage nondestructively with localized heat, and its application to external product enclosures of electrical appliances. The design problem is posed as an optimization problem to find the locations, numbers, and orientations of locators and snaps as well as the number, locations, and sizes of heating areas, which realize the release of snaps with minimum heating area and maximum stiffness while satisfying any motion and structural requirements. The screw theory is utilized to precalculate a set of feasible orientations of locators and snaps, which are examined during optimization. The optimization problem is solved using the multi-objective genetic algorithm coupled with the structural and thermal finite element analysis. The method is applied to a two-piece enclosure of a DVD player with a T-shaped mating line. The resulting Pareto-optimal solutions exhibit alternative designs with different trade-offs between the structural stiffness during snap engagement and the area of heating for snap disengagement. Some results require the heating of two areas at the same time, demonstrating the idea of a lock-and-key.
Computer-aided management of residents' on-call and vacation schedules.

The task of compiling residents’ schedules is time-consuming and is often complicated by unforeseen events and changes in personnel. Many academic radiology departments delegate this responsibility to the chief resident. This report describes two modules of a radiology information system that assist in managing residency schedules, particularly residents’ on-call and vacation schedules. The programs were written in the ANSI-standard MUMPS programming language and run on a PDP i 1/44 (Digital Equipment Corporation, Boston, MA) with the M/i 1 + operating system (lntersystems, Boston, MA). They operate as modules of the MARS radiology information system [1], which is available to all department personnel on approximately 100 terminals located at workstations in our clinical facility and department offices.
Pediatric drug surveillance and the Food and Drug Administration's adverse event reporting system: an overview of reports, 2003-2007.

Purpose Our objective was to examine the numbers and characteristics of US pediatric adverse events (AEs) reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s adverse event reporting system (AERS) for 5 years following implementation of the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) in 2002. Methods We analyzed reports in AERS received by FDA from January 1, 2003 to January 1, 2008 for overall numbers, age, gender, and seriousness of outcome in children and adults. Pediatric and adult age groups ( 50 years of age) were further evaluated for most frequently reported suspect drug classes and AEs. Results Seventy-two percent of 815 267 crude count reports had specified age information. Six percent of the total reports with age information reported age <18 years. Numbers of AEs being reported for children have remained steady, while those for adults have increased. The proportion of serious AEs reported was similar for pediatrics as compared to adults. Frequently reported suspect drug classes noted in pediatric age groups that were not observed in adults included anticonvulsants, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anti-acne, and respiratory medications. Conclusions This overview highlights the need for strengthening the passive drug surveillance system from a pediatric perspective, as well as investing in more active surveillance systems. Drug safety initiatives to better capture risk information in order to balance the risk/benefit of drug use in children. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tree swallows trade off immune function and reproductive effort differently across their range

Latitudinal differences in life histories are believed to be underlain by dif- ferences in trade-offs between current and future reproduction. I report differences in trade- offs between parent and offspring across the range of a widespread avian species, the Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor). I manipulated parental effort and found that in Alaska, where yearly adult return rates are low, breeding females increase their reproductive in- vestment to maintain offspring quality, whereas in Tennessee, where yearly adult return rates are high, breeding females are either unable or unwilling to increase reproductive investment and, consequently, raise offspring of lower quality. I further investigated a critical mechanism of self-maintenance that may underlie differences in survival among sites: immunocompetence. Females breeding in Alaska mounted weaker immune responses when raising enlarged broods, whereas females in Tennessee did not, further suggesting a strategy in Alaskan females to incur costs (i.e., reduce future reproduction) in order to maintain offspring quality. Insect availability increased as the breeding season progressed in both sites, but more food was available in Alaska than in Tennessee. This is among the first studies to report geographic differences in immune function consistent with life history theory, which predicts that individuals with higher survival probabilities should invest more in self-maintenance.
Raman Spectroscopic Observations of Ferroelastic Switching in Ceria‐Stabilized Zirconia

Ferroelasticity was observed in 18-mol% ceria-stabilized zirconia using polarized confocal Raman spectroscopy. Samples were either indented using a diamond Vickers indenter or loaded uniaxially in a diamond anvil cell to induce the ferroelastic behavior. The presence and formation of the ferroelastic domains were observed by monitoring the relative intensities of the B1g and A1g Raman modes for the tetragonal phase. Domain switching was found to be present on the surfaces in the damaged materials both inside and around cracks. Loading of the ceramic materials revealed hysteresis in the relative intensities of the Raman peaks as a function of loading and unloading.
Freeway Detector Assessment: Aggregate Data from Remote Traffic Microwave Sensor

Loop detectors have been the preeminent detection technology for several decades, but they require closing of the right-of-way during installation and potentially undermine the integrity of the pavement surface if they are not installed before paving. As a result, there is great interest in emerging technologies that promise traffic detection without the liabilities of loop detectors, many of which have already been deployed in large numbers. The remote traffic microwave sensor (RTMS) is among the most widely deployed noninvasive traffic detectors. This study evaluates the performance of the RTMS in side-fire mode relative to loop detectors in freeway applications. First, the aggregated data reported by the RTMS using its internal controller emulation are compared with data from nearby dual-loop detectors. It is shown that the RTMS measures are noisier than loop detectors for occupancy (percentage of time the detector is occupied by vehicles) and flow (number of vehicles per unit time), although the RTMS velocity estimates are almost as good as those from single-loop detectors (but inferior to direct measurement from dual-loop detectors). Second, the study considers aggregate measurements from contact closure data and compares the RTMS against the dual-loop detectors. For reference, the work also compares one loop against another in a dual-loop detector, with the spacing between loops being greater than the spacing between the reference loops and the RTMS detection zone.
Enhancement of CD8+ T Cell Immunity in the Lung by CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides Increases Protective Efficacy of a Modified Vaccinia Ankara Vaccine against Lethal Poxvirus Infection Even in a CD4-Deficient Host

Immunostimulatory CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) have proven effective as adjuvants for protein-based vaccines, but their impact on immune responses induced by live viral vectors is not known. We found that addition of CpG ODN to modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) markedly improved the induction of longer-lasting adaptive protective immunity in BALB/c mice against intranasal pathogenic vaccinia virus (Western Reserve; WR). Protection was mediated primarily by CD8 + T cells in the lung, as determined by CD8-depletion studies, protection in B cell-deficient mice, and greater protection correlating with CD8 + IFN-γ-producing cells in the lung but not with those in the spleen. Intranasal immunization was more effective at inducing CD8 + T cell immunity in the lung, and protection, than i.m. immunization. Addition of CpG ODN increased the CD8 + response but not the Ab response. Depletion of CD4 T cells before vaccination with MVA significantly diminished protection against pathogenic WR virus. However, CpG ODN delivered with MVA was able to substitute for CD4 help and protected CD4-depleted mice against WR vaccinia challenge. This study demonstrates for the first time a protective adjuvant effect of CpG ODN for a live viral vector vaccine that may overcome CD4 deficiency in the induction of protective CD8 + T cell-mediated immunity.
A Framework Based on Semi-Supervised Clustering for Discovering Unique Writing Styles

An online multi-stroke character is often written in many ways. While some vary in the number of strokes they contain, others differ in the ordering of strokes. It is important for a writer-independent recognition system to learn these different styles of writing the character during the training phase in order to better model the training data. Typically, the samples of a character are clustered in an unsupervised manner and each cluster is modeled individually. In this paper, we describe an approach based on ‘semi-supervised clustering’ where basic domain knowledge can be incorporated for better clustering of strokes present across all the characters.Experimental results show improved recognition accuracy when compared to the baseline system.
Forecastable Component Analysis

Introduce Forecastable Component Analysis (ForeCA), a novel dimension reduction technique for temporally dependent signals. Based on a new forecastability measure, ForeCA finds an optimal transformation to separate a multivariate time series into a forecastable and an orthogonal white noise space. I present a converging algorithm with a fast eigenvector solution. Applications to financial and macro-economic time series show that ForeCA can successfully discover informative structure, which can be used for forecasting as well as classification. The R package ForeCA accompanies this work and is publicly available on CRAN.
Municipal Connectivity Provision: Societal Imperative or Fiscal Folly

The United States must find a way to increase broadband connectivity if it is to remain ahead of the technological curve.
The role of adenylyl cyclase in the medial prefrontal cortex in cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in rats

Repeated exposure to cocaine progressively increases drug-induced locomotor activity, which is termed behavioral sensitization. Previous research has demonstrated that in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) modulation of cocaine-induced motor activity by agonists of Gi-coupled receptors, such as dopamine D2, GABAB and Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, is reduced in sensitized animals, suggesting a loss in receptor function. Stimulation of each of these receptors acts in part to inhibit adenylyl cyclase activity, and thus, the formation of cAMP. The present studies tested the hypothesis that intra-mPFC inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by infusion of an inhibitor, SQ22536, could bypass the loss of inhibitory receptor function seen in this region, and thereby inhibit the expression of cocaine sensitization. Additional studies determined whether activation of mPFC adenylyl cyclase with NKH 477 could enhance the motor-stimulant response to cocaine. Initial studies demonstrated that cocaine-induced (15 mg/kg, i.p.) motor activity was dose-dependently reduced by injection of SQ22536 (5-75 nmol/side) into the mPFC, whereas NKH 477 (1.25-40 nmol/side) produced no significant effects. Additional studies showed that intra-mPFC injection of SQ22536 (50 nmol/side) attenuated the initiation of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization and blocked the expression of sensitization following 1, 7 or 30 days of abstinence from cocaine. Also, intra-mPFC injection of NKH 477 enhanced cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization following 21 days of abstinence from cocaine. The results of the present study suggest modulation of adenylyl cyclase in the medial prefrontal cortex plays a key role in the expression of cocaine sensitization.
Assessing jazz big band performance: The development, validation, and application of a facet-factorial rating scale

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable rating scale to assess jazz big band performance and to evaluate the psychometric properties of jazz big bands at three performance achievement levels (e.g., low, moderate, high). The pool of initial scale items (N = 22) was gleaned from jazz big band research and instructional literature. Using a four-point Likert scale, rating responses (N = 102) were gathered for jazz ensemble performances (N = 102) from volunteer raters (N = 102). A factor analysis produced a reduced 18-item scale with a four-factor structure: blend/balance, time-feel, idiomatic nuance, and expression. The four factors accounted for 63.32% of the variance and had a total alpha reliability of .84. Discriminant function analyses revealed that four specific items contributed most to identifying ensembles with low and moderate performance ratings. The factor structure was able to predict group membership with 88.5% accuracy.
Mineralization of RDX-Derived Nitrogen to N2 via Denitrification in Coastal Marine Sediments

Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) is a common constituent of military explosives. Despite RDX contamination at numerous U.S. military facilities and its mobility to aquatic systems, the fate of RDX in marine systems remains largely unknown. Here, we provide RDX mineralization pathways and rates in seawater and sediments, highlighting for the first time the importance of the denitrification pathway in determining the fate of RDX-derived N. 15N nitro group labeled RDX (15N-[RDX], 50 atom %) was spiked into a mesocosm simulating shallow marine conditions of coastal Long Island Sound, and the 15N enrichment of N2 (δ15N2) was monitored via gas bench isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GB-IRMS) for 21 days. The 15N tracer data were used to model RDX mineralization within the context of the broader coastal marine N cycle using a multicompartment time-stepping model. Estimates of RDX mineralization rates based on the production and gas transfer of 15N2O and 15N2 ranged from 0.8 to 10.3 μmol d–1. After 22...
Against the Grain of Urban Bias: Elite Conflict and the Logic of Coalition Formation in Colonial and Post-Colonial Africa

The theory of urban bias was a major contribution to the evolution of contemporary theories of political economy that remains highly relevant today. Yet theorists of urban bias have still not produced a general explanation that accounts for anomalous cases of what we call “rural incorporation,” or coalition strategies based on modest rural producers. These anomalous cases suggest that the collective action underpinnings of urban bias theory underdetermine outcomes. This paper advances a new explanation of the anomalous African cases of Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, and Zimbabwe. After detailing the costs of rural incorporation, we theorize the conditions that would motivate state elites to overcome their pro-urban biases and offer substantial material benefits to non-elite agrarian producers. Rural incorporation is an optimal strategy only when state elites are locked in unusually intense conflict with their rivals. Most nationalist movements in Africa did not meet this condition and their leaders followed pro-urban policies. The three outliers are all cases of settler colonialism: bitter rivalry between European settlers and native planters created the conditions for rural incorporation. We show how native planters and their political allies selected rural incorporation as a political-economic instrument of commercial competition and political supremacy. Case studies of Ghana and Nigeria demonstrate that in the absence of political and economic rivalry with settlers, African leaders selected the “default” strategy of urban bias.
Biochemical methods for studying kinetic regulation of Arf1 activation by Sec7

The ADP ribosylation factor (Arf) family of small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) regulates vesicular transport at several locations within the cell, and is in turn regulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) via a conserved catalytic domain, termed the Sec7 domain. The catalytic activity of the Sec7 domain is well characterized in the context of a few GEFs acting at the periphery of the cell. This chapter describes the techniques used to extend the biochemical analysis of activity to the much larger GEFs acting on the Arf family in the core secretory pathway, using the activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sec7 on Arf1, regulating export from the trans-Golgi network, as a model. The complete methods for purification to near homogeneity of all proteins required, including several Sec7 constructs and multiple relevant small GTPases, are detailed. These are followed by methods for the quantification of the nucleotide exchange activity of Sec7 in a physiologically relevant context, including modifications required to dissect the signal integration functions of Sec7 as an effector of several other small GTPases, and methods for identifying stable Sec7-small GTPase interactions in the presence of membranes. These techniques may be extended to the analysis of similar members of the Sec7 GEF subfamily in other species and acting elsewhere in the secretory pathway.
Anti-N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis as an Unusual Cause of Altered Mental Status in the Emergency Department

Abstract Background Anti-N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor autoimmune encephalitis is a newly identified form of encephalitis whose incidence is on the rise. Awareness of this condition and symptom recognition are key to early diagnosis and prompt treatment, which may alter the course of the disease. Case Report A 35-year-old woman presented to our Emergency Department (ED) with lethargy, bizarre behavior, agitation, confusion, memory deficits, and word-finding difficulties. Her symptoms and evaluation were potentially consistent with a primary psychiatric disorder, but the absence of frank psychosis and presence of neurologic features related to memory and cognition prompted other considerations. In the ED we performed a lumbar puncture, and in addition to routine studies, ordered anti-NMDAR antibody screening. The screening studies returned positive, leading to treatment with glucocorticoids and intravenous immune globulin and resulting in improvement to near baseline function. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Although anti-NMDAR encephalitis is relatively uncommon, reports of this previously unrecognized condition are increasing, with an unclear true incidence of disease. Emergency providers should consider this diagnosis in their differential for patients presenting with new neuropsychiatric symptoms, particularly in young women. Prompt treatment leads to near complete neurologic recovery in 75% of patients, whereas delays in diagnosis and treatment may be associated with worse outcomes including death.
New guidelines for managing pulmonary hypertension: what the pediatrician needs to know.

Purpose of review Pediatric pulmonary vascular disease contributes to morbidities and death in diverse clinical settings, ranging from idiopathic or heritable forms of pediatric arterial hypertension, congenital heart disease, developmental lung disorders, chronic lung disease, left heart disease, sickle cell disease, oncologic disease, and systemic disorders. Despite its impact on the clinical courses in so many diseases, information is limited on how to best approach the diagnosis and evaluation of pediatric pulmonary hypertension. Recent findings To address this issue, a group of clinical experts from several subspecialties, including pulmonology, cardiology, neonatology, and others, were selected to form a task force to tackle this topic with support from the American Heart Association and American Thoracic Society. A joint guidelines study presenting their findings was recently published. Summary This review highlights a few key topics underlying guidelines for the care of children with pulmonary hypertension that are especially important for the practicing pediatrician and others, and presents some of the major recommendations from the published guidelines report. Overall, the author emphasizes that these guidelines are based on the best current evidence and clinical experience of experts in the field, yet much more clinical research is needed to improve long-term outcomes in pediatric pulmonary hypertension.
Rapamycin Attenuates Cardiac Fibrosis in Experimental Uremic Cardiomyopathy by Reducing Marinobufagenin Levels and Inhibiting Downstream Pro‐Fibrotic Signaling

Background Experimental uremic cardiomyopathy causes cardiac fibrosis and is causally related to the increased circulating levels of the cardiotonic steroid, marinobufagenin (MBG), which signals through Na/K‐ATPase. Rapamycin is an inhibitor of the serine/threonine kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) implicated in the progression of many different forms of renal disease. Given that Na/K‐ATPase signaling is known to stimulate the mTOR system, we speculated that the ameliorative effects of rapamycin might influence this pathway. Methods and Results Biosynthesis of MBG by cultured human JEG‐3 cells is initiated by CYP27A1, which is also a target for rapamycin. It was demonstrated that 1 μmol/L of rapamycin inhibited production of MBG in human JEG‐2 cells. Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were subjected to either partial nephrectomy (PNx), infusion of MBG, and/or infusion of rapamycin through osmotic minipumps. PNx animals showed marked increase in plasma MBG levels (1025±60 vs 377±53 pmol/L; P <0.01), systolic blood pressure (169±1 vs 111±1 mm Hg; P <0.01), and cardiac fibrosis compared to controls. Plasma MBG levels were significantly decreased in PNx‐rapamycin animals compared to PNx (373±46 vs 1025±60 pmol/L; P <0.01), and cardiac fibrosis was substantially attenuated by rapamycin treatment. Conclusions Rapamycin treatment in combination with MBG infusion significantly attenuated cardiac fibrosis. Our results suggest that rapamycin may have a dual effect on cardiac fibrosis through (1) mTOR inhibition and (2) inhibiting MBG‐mediated profibrotic signaling and provide support for beneficial effect of a novel therapy for uremic cardiomyopathy.
Neural Reactivity to Emotional Faces May Mediate the Relationship Between Childhood Empathy and Adolescent Prosocial Behavior.

Reactivity to others' emotions not only can result in empathic concern (EC), an important motivator of prosocial behavior, but can also result in personal distress (PD), which may hinder prosocial behavior. Examining neural substrates of emotional reactivity may elucidate how EC and PD differentially influence prosocial behavior. Participants (N = 57) provided measures of EC, PD, prosocial behavior, and neural responses to emotional expressions at ages 10 and 13. Initial EC predicted subsequent prosocial behavior. Initial EC and PD predicted subsequent reactivity to emotions in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and inferior parietal lobule, respectively. Activity in the IFG, a region linked to mirror neuron processes, as well as cognitive control and language, mediated the relation between initial EC and subsequent prosocial behavior.
Nesting phenology and productivity of birds in the White and Inyo Mountains, California, as assessed with nest-boxes

Nest-boxes were monitored from 1988 to 1992 on 5 grids in the pinyon-juniper ( Pinus-Juniperus ) woodlands of the White and Inyo Mountains, California, to determine breeding phenology and productivity of cavity-nesting birds, and characteristics of used and non-used nest-boxes. We found a total of 112 nests of 6 species. Bewicks Wrens ( Thryomanes bewicki i; 64 nests), Mountain Chickadees ( Poecile gambeli ; 18), Ash-throated Flycatchers ( Myiarchus cinerascens ; 12), and Juniper Titmice ( Baeolophus ridgwayi ; 11) were the most common species utilizing the boxes. Nest phenology and numbers of young were similar to values reported elsewhere in the literature for the species, although nesting success for Mountain Chickadees appeared lower in our study. Chickadees were associated with relatively dense, mature vegetation on southern slopes. Juniper Titmice used areas with tall juniper shrubs and generally sparse vegetation. Bewicks Wrens used areas with short trees, sparse vegetation, and many stumps. Nest-boxes were underutilized (< 15% use) by most species relative to their availability and relative to detected abundances of the species. We suggest that nest-boxes can provide valuable breeding biology information and can potentially increase the productivity of rare and cavity-limited species.
Hematologic Malignancies Are Associated With Adverse Perioperative Outcomes After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Advancements in treating hematologic malignancies have improved survival, and these patients may be part of the growing population undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the perioperative outcomes of THA in patients with hematologic malignancies. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample identified patients who underwent THA from 2000 to 2011 (n = 2,864,412). Patients diagnosed with any hematologic malignancy (n = 18,012) were further stratified into Hodgkin disease (n = 786), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 5062), plasma cell dyscrasias (n = 2067), leukemia (n = 5644), myeloproliferative neoplasms (n = 3552), and myelodysplastic syndromes (n = 1082). Propensity matching for demographics, hospital characteristics, and comorbidities identified 17,810 patients with any hematologic malignancy and 17,888 controls; additional matching was performed to compare hematologic malignancy subtypes with controls. Multivariate regression was used to analyze surgical and medical complications, length of stay (LOS), and costs. Results Compared to controls, hematologic malignancies increased the risk of any surgery-related complication (odds ratio [OR], 1.4; P P P = .004) and increased costs ($1,101; P Conclusion Patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing THA have an increased risk of perioperative complications, longer LOS, and higher costs. The risk quantification for adverse perioperative outcomes in association with increased cost may help to design different risk stratification and reimbursement methods in such populations.