cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scope and Influence of Electronic Health Record–Integrated Clinical Decision Support in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review

Study objective As electronic health records evolve, integration of computerized clinical decision support offers the promise of sorting, collecting, and presenting this information to improve patient care. We conducted a systematic review to examine the scope and influence of electronic health record–integrated clinical decision support technologies implemented in the emergency department (ED). Methods A literature search was conducted in 4 databases from their inception through January 18, 2018: PubMed, Scopus, the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, and Cochrane Central. Studies were included if they examined the effect of a decision support intervention that was implemented in a comprehensive electronic health record in the ED setting. Standardized data collection forms were developed and used to abstract study information and assess risk of bias. Results A total of 2,558 potential studies were identified after removal of duplicates. Of these, 42 met inclusion criteria. Common targets for clinical decision support intervention included medication and radiology ordering practices, as well as more comprehensive systems supporting diagnosis and treatment for specific disease entities. The majority of studies (83%) reported positive effects on outcomes studied. Most studies (76%) used a pre-post experimental design, with only 3 (7%) randomized controlled trials. Conclusion Numerous studies suggest that clinical decision support interventions are effective in changing physician practice with respect to process outcomes such as guideline adherence; however, many studies are small and poorly controlled. Future studies should consider the inclusion of more specific information in regard to design choices, attempt to improve on uncontrolled before-after designs, and focus on clinically relevant outcomes wherever possible.
Impact of Trajectory Segmentation on Discovering Trajectory Sequential Patterns

Nowadays, location-aware devices, such as GPS, provide a huge volume of spatial-temporal data. Analyzing the data to understand the behavior of objects (e.g. people) could be beneficial in many application areas. Due to the spatial and temporal nature and their complexity, researchers have developed various data mining techniques such as trajectory segmentation, which splits the trajectories into sub-trajectories, to prepare them for the mining step. A central issue in discovering knowledge is choosing an appropriate trajectory segmentation technique. In this paper, we provide a comparative study on two trajectory segmentation techniques, density-based and grid-based, when applied to sequential patterns discovery. We conducted experiments using two real-life datasets to evaluate the performance of the methods in terms of execution time and their impact on discovering the sequential patterns. The experimental results showed that the density-based is more efficient, while the grid-based is more effective.
Manganese Chemistry of Anionic Pyrrole-Based Pincer Ligands

The chemistry of the pyrrole-based pincer ligands, RPNP (PNP = anion of 2,5-bis(dialkylphosphinomethyl)pyrrole, R = Cy and t-Bu), with manganese is reported. Metallation of tBuPNP with Mn(II) halide precursors did not afford 1:1 ligand to metal complexes but rather led to the formation of the 2:1 complex, [Mn(κ2-N,P-tBuPNP)2]. Reduction of in situ generated tBuPNP-Mn(II) in the presence of 2,2′-bipyridine generated the apparent, high-spin Mn(I) complex, [Mn(bipy)(tBuPNP)], although metric parameters derived from crystallography demonstrated that the compound is best regarded as containing a Mn(II) ion with a bipy radical anion. Reactions of the Mn(I) precursor, [MnBr(CO)5], with RPNP afforded low-spin Mn(I) complexes of the type [Mn(CO)n(RPNP)] (R = Cy, n = 3; R = t-Bu, n = 2). A third equivalent of CO binds reversibly to [Mn(CO)2(tBuPNP)] but is lost readily. Pincer backbone dehydrogenation of [Mn(CO)n(RPNP)] with 1,4-benzoquinone produced the related complexes, [Mn(CO)n(RdPNP)] (RdPNP = anion of 2,5-bis...
Change in hepatic fat content measured by MRI does not predict treatment-induced histological improvement of steatohepatitis.

Background & Aims Proof-of-concept studies frequently assess changes in intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) content by magnetic resonance-based techniques as a surrogate marker of histology. The aim of this study was to establish how reliable this strategy is to predict changes in liver histology in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Methods Patients with NASH who had participated in our prior randomized controlled trials of pioglitazone with complete paired data for IHTG content by magnetic resonance spectroscopy and liver histology were included in the study. Results A total of 121 patients were included. Changes in IHTG were assessed in several ways: as a continuous variable (correlations), as categorical groups (IHTG change ≥0%; or IHTG reduction of 1–30%; 31–50%; 51–70%; or >70%), and in a binomial way as steatosis resolution or not (defined as achieving IHTG Conclusions Changes in IHTG predict changes in steatosis but not of other liver histological parameters. This implies that IHTG response to treatment should be interpreted with caution, as it may not be as reliable as previously believed to predict a treatment's overall clinical efficacy in patients with NASH. Lay summary Quantification of liver fat by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently used to assess treatment responses in patients with fatty liver, with the assumption that improvements in liver fat translate into less inflammation, necrosis, and fibrosis in the liver. However, in this article, we showed that changes in liver fat do not necessarily translate into changes in these parameters. This means that MRI may not be as useful to assess treatment response in patients with fatty liver as previously believed.
Heat shock induced stress tolerance in plants: Physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of acquired tolerance

Abstract Heat shock is the short but intense exposure of plants to elevated temperatures. If extreme enough, this shock may lead to severe damage or plant death. However, this brief stress may also result in the activation of defense pathways and acquired tolerance to futures stresses. These changes ultimately lead to alterations in plant physiology and metabolism causing enhanced stress tolerance, from not only heat stress but potentially other abiotic stress as well. This enhanced tolerance is controlled by changes in transcription, including regulation by heat shock factors, as well as the accumulation of protective chaperone proteins, such as heat shock proteins or antioxidant proteins, to provide protection to future stresses. This chapter will cover research related to heat shock and its ability to prime the plant for future stress events and the role of heat shock factors and heat shock proteins in this process.
Specific sub-harmonic injection suppresses capacitor voltage fluctuation of modular multilevel converter

Suppressing capacitor voltage ripple of Modular multilevel converter (MMC) helps to reduce capacitor volume/weight and the cost of converter valve equipment. The ripple component and influence factors of the converter capacitor are deduced. The effects of the double frequency loop control and the third harmonic injection on the converter valve are analyzed. The proposed specific harmonic injection method can effectively reduce the capacitor voltage ripple of flexible DC converter valve (VSC), and the peak and RMS of arm current are controlled within the allowable range. The PSCAD simulation model was built based on zhangbei VSC engineering to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Predictors of Disease Progression or Performance Status Decline in Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Therapy for Localized Pancreatic Head Adenocarcinoma

Neoadjuvant therapy (NT) is a growing strategy in localized head pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDC). However, a significant portion of NT patients do not reach resection due to disease progression or performance status decline. We sought to identify predictors of disease progression or performance status decline during NT. Retrospective cohort analysis of consecutive patients with localized head-PDC who received NT at a tertiary referral center between 2005 and 2017. Univariate and multivariate (MVA) analysis were performed to identify factors associated with disease progression or performance status decline during NT preventing surgical resection. A total of 479 patients with PDC underwent NT; 71.2% proceeded to surgery, 20.5% had disease progression, and 8.3% experienced performance status decline. Median OS was 28 [95% confidence interval (CI) 23.8–32.3], 12.8 (CI 11.2–14.3), and 6.9 (CI 5.2–9.4) months, respectively (p < 0.05). MVA predictors of disease progression were larger clinical CT tumor size [odds ratio (OR) 1.03, CI 1.0–1.1], unplanned change in NT regimen (OR 2.6, CI 1.0–6.9), hospital admission during NT (OR 2.2, CI 1.2–3.9), and lack of CA19-9 response (OR 4.4, CI 4.0–8.4). MVA predictors of performance status decline were increasing age (OR 1.1, CI 1.0–1.2), presence of pre-NT diabetes (OR 3.8, CI 1.3–11.3), hospital admission during NT (OR 14.0, CI 3.9–49.8), and lack of CA19-9 response (OR 4.7, CI 1.4–15.5). This analysis identifies several predictors of disease progression and performance status decline during NT for PDC. Knowledge of these factors informs the physician on the risks and limitations of NT and provides insight to guide patient selection and counseling.
Distributed Joint Power, Association and Flight Control for Massive-MIMO Self-Organizing Flying Drones

This article studies distributed algorithms to control self-organizing flying drones with massive MIMO networking capabilities - a network scenario referred to as mDroneNet . We attempt to answer the following fundamental question: what is the optimal way to provide spectrally-efficient wireless access to a multitude of ground nodes with mobile hotspots mounted on drones and endowed with a large number of antennas; when we can control the position of the drone hotspots, the association between the ground users and the drone hotspots, as well as the pilot sequence assignment and transmit power for the ground users? To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that massive MIMO capabilities are considered in self-organizing flying drone networks. We first derive a mathematical formulation of the problem of joint power, association and movement control in mDroneNet, with the objective of maximizing the aggregate spectral efficiency of the ground users. It is shown that the resulting network control problem is a mixed integer nonlinear nonconvex programming (MINLP) problem. Then, a distributed solution algorithm with polynomial time complexity is designed by solving three closely-coupled subproblems: access association, joint pilot sequence assignment and power control, and drone movement control. As a performance benchmark, a globally-optimal but centralized solution algorithm is also designed based on a combination of the branch and bound framework and convex relaxation techniques. Results indicate that the distributed solution algorithm converges fast (within tens of iterations) and achieves a network spectral efficiency very close to the global optimum obtained by the centralized solution algorithm (over 90% in average).
Evaluating Student Learning in a Synchronous, Collaborative Programming Environment Through Log-Based Analysis of Projects.

In this paper we present an initial analysis of synchronous, collaborative programming in a robotics platform. Students worked in dyads and triads to complete a week-long curriculum targeting the learning of cybersecurity and computational thinking concepts, and their application using realistic robotics scenarios. We demonstrate how an analysis of individual student activity data within a group can be extrapolated to understand the group’s collaborative problem-solving. We compare our findings to past literature and discuss future implications of collaborative programming research.
Radiologic Analysis of Balloon Sinuplasty in a Human Cadaver Model: Observed Effects on Sinonasal Anatomy:

BackgroundBalloon sinuplasty is increasingly used in the outpatient clinic for treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis, but radiologic analysis of its effects on sinonasal anatomy is largely uncharacte...
Magnetospheric Physics in China: 2012–2014

In the past two years, many progresses have been made in magnetospheric physics by using the data of Double Star Program, Cluster, THEMIS and RBSP missions, or by computer simulations. This paper briefly reviews these works based on papers selected from the 126 publications from March 2012 to March 2014. The subjects cover various sub-branches of magnetospheric physics,including geomagnetic storm, magnetospheric substorm and magnetic reconnection.
Virtual Credit Framework in the Remote Work Era

Traditional corporate device and network security principles and threat modeling are largely based on the physical location of a device. It poses significant challenges in the new-norm of remote work era since employees’ devices are no longer confined within company’s physical perimeter. Employees are accessing critical corporate resources from anywhere with corporate-issued devices. Zero Trust networks is a promising solution since it provides a unified network security framework regardless of its location. However, it is challenging to implement Zero Trust networks due to the lack of standard technology and interoperable solution. In this paper, we propose a framework to materialize Zero Trust networks efficiently by introducing a novel concept - virtual device credit. Based on the proposed virtual credit concept, Zero Trust network can be materialized in a seamless way allowing reuse of existing network security and access control technologies.
On Discrete-Time Optimality Conditions for Pseudospectral Methods

One of the most e‐cient families of techniques for solving space trajectory optimization problems are pseudospectral (PS) methods. Among the rich variety of PS methods, the class of Legendre PS methods are most thoroughly studied for optimal control and trajectory optimization applications. In particular, the Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto PS method is widely used for boundary-value type problems while the Legendre-Gauss-Radau PS method was recently proposed for solving inflnite-horizon optimal control problems as a means to manage conditions at inflnity. Both methods satisfy the Covector Mapping Principle, the mathematical principle associated with the consistency of approximations that allows one to generate dual maps (such as Hamiltonians, adjoints etc) without resorting to solving di‐cult two-point boundary-value problems. In this paper we prove that a combination of weighted interpolants, their duals, and a proper deflnition of orthogonality allows us to formulate a generalized Covector Mapping Theorem that applies to all such PS methods. The consequences of this theorem are that it clarifles the connections between theory and computation, the impact of these connections on solving trajectory optimization problems, and the selection of the correct PS method for solving problems quickly and e‐ciently. A classical benchmark continuous-thrust orbit transfer problem is used to illustrate the concepts.
Slow Crack Growth and Fracture Toughness of Sapphire for the International Space Station Fluids and Combustion Facility

The fracture toughness, inert flexural strength, and slow crack growth parameters of the r- and a-planes of sapphire grown by the Heat Exchange Method were measured to qualify sapphire for structural use in the International Space Station. The fracture toughness in dry nitrogen, K(sub Ipb), was 2.31 +/- 0.12 MPa(square root of)m and 2.47 +/- 0.15 MPa(squre root of)m for the a- and r-planes, respectively. Fracture toughness measured in water via the operational procedure in ASTM C1421 was significantly lower, K(sub Ivb) = 1.95+/- 0.03 MPa(square root of)m, 1.94 +/- 0.07 and 1.77 +/- 0.13 MPa(square root of)m for the a- , m- and r-planes, respectively. The mean inert flexural strength in dry nitrogen was 1085 +/- 127 MPa for the r-plane and 1255 +/- 547 MPa for the a-plane. The power law slow crack growth exponent for testing in water was n = 21 +/- 4 for the r-plane and n (greater than or equal to) 31 for the a-plane. The power law slow crack growth coefficient was A = 2.81 x 10(exp -14) m/s x (MPa(squre root of)m)/n for the r-plane and A (approx. equals)2.06 x 10(exp -15) m/s x (MPa(square root of)m)/n for the a-plane. The r- and a-planes of sapphire are relatively susceptible to stress corrosion induced slow crack growth in water. However, failure occurs by competing modes of slow crack growth at long failure times and twinning for short failure time and inert environments. Slow crack growth testing needs to be performed at low failure stress levels and long failure times so that twinning does not affect the results. Some difficulty was encountered in measuring the slow crack growth parameters for the a-plane due to a short finish (i.e., insufficient material removal for elimination of the damage generated in the early grinding stages). A consistent preparation method that increases the Weibull modulus of sapphire test specimens and components is needed. This would impart higher component reliability, even if higher Weibull modulus is gained at the sacrifice of absolute strength of the component. The current specification frequently used for the preparation of sapphire test specimens and components (e.g., a "60/40" scratch-dig finish) is inadequate to avoid a short finish.
Wave Propagation in Submerged Layered Composites

The propagator matrix method is applied to study the propagation of plane strain waves in periodically isotropic layered composites. A closed form algebraic solution for the dispersion equation of such waves is derived. The general motion of the laminated body is described by a linear combination of partial waves (eigenwaves). Quantitative results are presented for a periodically layered half-space interacting with an acoustic fluid.
The isolation and characterization of the tryptic, chymotryptic, peptic, and cyanogen bromide peptides from bovine α-lactalbumin.

Abstract Reaction of S-aminoethyl-α-lactalbumin with cyanogen bromide results in the cleavage of the one methionyl peptide bond in the molecule to give two unique polypeptide fragments. One fragment contains the first 90 residues from the NH2-terminus of α-lactalbumin and the other contains the remaining 33 residues in the molecule including the COOH-terminus. The tryptic, chymotryptic, and peptic peptides from these fragments, or from S-carboxymethyl-α-lactalbumin, have been purified by ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. These peptides represent the necessary overlaps in sequence that are required to deduce the complete amino acid sequence of α-lactalbumin.
Influence of substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines and catecholamines on lipolysis, in vitro—II: Stereoselectivity

Abstract Utilizing glycerol release as an index of lipolysis in rat epididymal fat tissue, intrinsic activity and affinity (pD 2 values) constants were calculated for various tetrahydroisoquinoline (THI) and catecholamine derivatives. Differences were noted in the pD 2 values and to a lesser degree in the intrinsic activity constants of the d - l -isomers and deoxy derivatives of the agonists studied. In all cases, the l -isomers proved to be more active than the d -isomers or deoxy derivatives in the release of glycerol from adipose tissue, in vitro . Significant differences in the pD 2 values for the more potent l -isomers were calculated and the rank order was observed to be 1-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxybenzyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-THI > isoproterenol > norepinephrine ≥ 1-benzyl-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-THI. The deoxy derivatives of isoproterenol and norepinephrine possessed nearly identical pD 2 values to their respective d -isomers. N -isopropyldopamine and dopamine, however, were unable to elicit a maximum lipolytic response and did not possess equivalent intrinsic activity constants to d -isoproterenol and d -norepinephrine. Propranolol inhibited the lipolysis induced by 1-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxybenzyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-THI and norepinephrine in a competitive manner, whereas a noncompetitive inhibition was observed in the presence of the alpha -antagonist, phentolamine. The activity-differences for the isomers of 1-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxybenzyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-THI (795-fold) and isoproterenol (316-fold) were clearly greater than the isomeric-activity differences observed for norepinephrine (100-fold) and 1-benzyl-6, 7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-THI (25-fold). These results indicate: (a) that the THI derivatives which do not possess an alcoholic (μ-hydroxyl) group on the ethylamino-side chain are potent lipolytic agonists, and (b) that the tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives act at a receptor system in adipose tissue similar, if not identical, to the interaction observed with norepinephrine. It may be suggested, therefore, that the μ-hydroxyl group is not a necessary requirement for potent lipolytic activity as previously believed.
Effect of substance P on intestinal muscle

Abstract The mode of action of synthetic substance P on intestinal motility was investigated in vitro. Results have indicated that substance P has a major stimulating effect on the intestine by eliciting mechanical contraction and bursts of spike potentials. On a molar basis, substance P was 1.6 × 103 times more potent than acetylcholine. Unlike the gastrin peptide analogue caerulein, the effects of which were mediated through the release of acetylcholine from the enteric plexuses, the site of action of substance P appeared to be directly on the muscle cells because its effects were resistant to atropine, tetrodotoxin, and Lioresal. These data strongly suggest a possible physiological role of substance P in the modulation of intestinal longitudinal muscle motor activity.
Abstract T P291: Hospital Improvement with Scheduling Stroke Specialty Care Follow-up Appointments

Background: Follow-up care with stroke specialists can facilitate patient recovery. To improve care continuity post-stroke the Ohio Coverdell Stroke Program aimed to improve the proportion of hospitalized patients who had a follow-up appointment scheduled with specialty care (neurologist, neurosurgeon or neurology provider) prior to discharge. Methods: Data from Ohio Coverdell Stroke Program hospitals (N=48) were examined to determine the change in performance over a 12-month quality improvement initiative (quarters 1-2=baseline; quarters 3-4=active improvement phase). Admitted stroke patients of any type, planned for discharge home or to a rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility (post-acute care), and with a follow-up appointment ordered or recommended were included. Patients discharged in quarter 4 with and without an appointment scheduled were compared to identify targeted areas for continued improvement. Results: There were 3,920 stroke patients discharged home and 3,530 discharged to post-acute care. Of patients discharged home during the baseline period, 24.4% had a follow-up appointment scheduled before hospital discharge compared with 44.0% of patients in quarter 4 (80.3% improvement). Of patients discharged to post-acute care during baseline, 25.0% had a follow-up appointment scheduled compared with 40.2% of patients in quarter 4 (60.8% improvement). Improvement in the proportion of patients with a follow-up appointment was significant (p Conclusions: Hospital performance with scheduling specialty care follow-up appointments improved significantly; however, there is room for continued improvement particularly with targeted patient sub-groups identified.
Net community production and gross primary production rates in the western equatorial Pacific

[1] Net community production (NCP) and gross primary production (GPP) are two key metrics for quantifying the biological carbon cycle. In this study, we present a detailed characterization of NCP and GPP in the western equatorial Pacific during August and September 2006. We use continuous measurements of dissolved gases (O2 and Ar) in the surface water in order to quantify NCP at subkilometer scale resolution. We constrain GPP in discrete samples using the triple isotopic composition of O2. We find the average NCP in the western equatorial Pacific is 5.9 ± 0.9 mmol O2 m−2 d−1 (equivalent to 1.5 ± 0.2 mol C m−2 yr−1 with error estimates reflecting 1σ confidence levels) and the average GPP is 121 ± 34 mmol O2 m−2 d−1 (equivalent to 32 ± 9 mol C m−2 yr−1). The measurements reveal significant spatial variability on length scales as small as 50 km. The NCP/GPP ratio is 5.7% ± 1.8%. We also present results for NCP and GPP in the coastal area off Papua New Guinea and for GPP in the central Pacific along the equator.
Effect of dynamic strain aging on fracture resistance of carbon steels operating at light-water reactor temperatures

This paper reviews the phenomenon of dynamic strain aging in carbon steels and considers its effects on the fracture behavior of carbon-steel pipes and pressure vessels in light-water reactors operating at elevated temperatures near 290°C (550°F). Dynamic strain aging is a phenomenon in which aging occurs simultaneously with plastic straining. It occurs over a range of temperatures that depends on strain rate. In tensile tests, it is manifested by increased tensile strength, increased strain-hardening rate, serrated stress-strain curves, and decreased ductility. Evidence is presented to show that the occurrence of dynamic strain aging can significantly lower the fracture resistance of carbon steels. This lowering of fracture resistance may be manifested in several ways: (1) J I c is lower at light-water reactor (LWR) temperatures than at room temperature, (2) the tearing modulus is lower at LWR temperatures than at room temperature, and (3) stable ductile crack growth may be interrupted by unstable ductile fracture at LWR temperatures but not at room temperature. The paper examines probable causes of dynamic strain aging and describes methods for identifying which steels are susceptible to it.
Microbial reductive dehalogenation.

A wide variety of compounds can be biodegraded via reductive removal of halogen substituents. This process can degrade toxic pollutants, some of which are not known to be biodegraded by any other means. Reductive dehalogenation of aromatic compounds has been found primarily in undefined, syntrophic anaerobic communities. We discuss ecological and physiological principles which appear to be important in these communities and evaluate how widely applicable these principles are. Anaerobic communities that catalyze reductive dehalogenation appear to differ in many respects. A large number of pure cultures which catalyze reductive dehalogenation of aliphatic compounds are known, in contrast to only a few organisms which catalyze reductive dehalogenation of aromatic compounds. Desulfomonile tiedjei DCB-1 is an anaerobe which dehalogenates aromatic compounds and is physiologically and morphologically unusual in a number of respects, including the ability to exploit reductive dehalogenation for energy metabolism. When possible, we use D. tiedjei as a model to understand dehalogenating organisms in the above-mentioned undefined systems. Aerobes use reductive dehalogenation for substrates which are resistant to known mechanisms of oxidative attack. Reductive dehalogenation, especially of aliphatic compounds, has recently been found in cell-free systems. These systems give us an insight into how and why microorganisms catalyze this activity. In some cases transition metal complexes serve as catalysts, whereas in other cases, particularly with aromatic substrates, the catalysts appear to be enzymes. Images
Neuropeptide Y-Mediated Long-Term Depression of Excitatory Activity in Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Neurons

A brief exposure to light can shift the phase of mammalian circadian rhythms by 1 hr or more. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) administration to the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus, the circadian clock in the brain, also causes a phase shift in circadian rhythms. After a phase shift, the neural clock responds differently to light, suggesting that learning has occurred in neural circuits related to clock function. Thus, certain stimuli can produce effects that last for an extended period, but possible mechanisms of this long-term effect have not been previously examined at the cellular level. Here, we report that NPY caused a long-term depression in both electrical activity and intracellular calcium levels of neurons, as studied with whole-cell patch-clamp recording and Fura-2 digital imaging. In contrast to the immediate (1 sec) recovery after relief from glutamate receptor blockade, a brief single application of NPY (100 nm) depressed cytosolic Ca2+ for >1 hr. The mechanism of this long-term calcium depression, a form of cellular learning, is dependent on the simultaneous release of glutamate and activation of NPY receptors, because both the extended response to NPY and any aftereffect were blocked by coapplication of glutamate receptor antagonists. Postsynaptic actions of NPY, mediated by both Y1- and Y2-like receptors, were short term and recovered rapidly. The primary site of long-term NPY actions may be on presynaptic glutamatergic axons, because the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents in the presence of tetrodotoxin was reduced by transient exposure to NPY in both cultures and slices.
SiC Avalanche Photodiodes

In summary, 4H- and 6HSiC avalanche photodiodes have been fabricated and characterized. These APDs exhibit low dark current, high uniform gain, low excess noise, and external quantum efficiency in excess of 50%
Mice lacking thioredoxin interacting protein provide evidence linking cellular redox state to appropriate response to nutritional signals

Thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip) is a ubiquitous protein that binds with high affinity to thioredoxin and inhibits its ability to reduce sulfhydryl groups via NADPH oxidation. HcB-19 mice contain a nonsense mutation in Txnip that eliminates its expression. Unlike normal animals, HcB-19 mice have ∼3-fold increase in insulin levels when fasted. The C-peptide/insulin ratio is normal, suggesting that the hyperinsulinemia is due to increased insulin secretion. Fasted HcB-19 mice are hypoglycemic, hypertriglyceridemic, and have higher than normal levels of ketone bodies. Ablation of pancreatic β-cells with streptozotocin completely blocks the fasting-induced hypoglycemia/hypertriglyceridemia, suggesting that these abnormalities are due to excess insulin secretion. This is supported by increased hepatic mRNA levels of the insulin-inducible, lipogenic transcription factor sterol-responsive element-binding protein-1c and two of its targets, acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase. During a prolonged fast, the hyperinsulinemia up-regulates lipogenesis but fails to down-regulate hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA expression. Hepatic ratios of reduced:oxidized glutathione, established regulators of gluconeogenic/glycolytic/lipogenic enzymes, were elevated 30% in HcB-19 mice, suggesting a loss of Txnip-enhanced sulfhydryl reduction. The altered hepatic enzymatic profiles of HcB-19 mice divert phosphoenolpyruvate to glyceroneogenesis and lipogenesis rather than gluconeogenesis. Our findings implicate Txnip-modulated sulfhydryl redox as a central regulator of insulin secretion in β-cells and regulation of many of the branch-points of gluconeogenesis/glycolysis/lipogenesis.
Verrucous carcinoma of the foot associated with human papillomavirus type 16

Abstract Background: We present 2 patients with verrucous carcinoma (VC) of the foot, a malignancy of unknown origin. Objective: Molecular studies from the VCs were undertaken to determine the presence, type, and physical state of human papillomavirus (HPV) as well as the expression levels of certain oncogenes and antioncogenes. Methods: Synthetic consensus and type-specific primers were used to determine the HPV type from both VCs via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Verification of fragments was accomplished by means of specific isotope-labeled oligonucleotide probes. The physical state of HPV DNA was determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Quantitative oncogene and antioncogene expression studies were performed with the use of reverse transcriptase PCR. Results: HPV type 16 was identified in episomal and integrated forms in both tumors. Expression studies revealed increased messenger RNA levels of c- Ki-ras oncogene and the p53 antioncogene and decreased messenger RNA levels of the Rb antioncogene in both VCs. Conclusion: Episomal and integrated forms of HPV-16 DNA were found in VCs of the foot, along with alterations of c- Ki-ras , p53, and Rb genes. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2001;45:49-55.)
The Measure of Insight into Cognition: Reliability and validity of clinician-rated and self-report scales of neurocognitive insight for schizophrenia

Poor insight into the neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders may have significant clinical implications for treatment. The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend the psychometric findings initially reported on the Measure of Insight into Cognition Clinician-Rated (MIC-CR) and Self-Report (MIC-SR) which assess awareness, attribution, and frequency of neurocognitive deficits. Assessments conducted one week apart allowed for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and administration order effects to be determined. In this study sample (N=80), 73 demonstrated significant neurocognitive impairment, yet on the MIC-CR, the average awareness and attribution scores indicated only partial awareness and attribution of neurocognitive deficits. The average MIC-SR score indicated rare frequency of cognitive difficulty in everyday life. Cronbach's alphas for the MIC-CR (0.83) and MIC-SR (0.93) were consistent with the initial validation study; test-retest reliability for both MIC assessments was significant (p<0.001). In new analyses, concurrent validity was demonstrated by significant correlations between the MIC-CR and MIC-SR in the first validation sample: r=-0.75 (p<0.001) and the current replication sample: r=-0.70 (p<0.001). Effect sizes were large when frequencies of neurocognitive complaints (MIC-SR) were compared between subjects with good versus poor awareness on the MIC-CR. Reliability and concurrent validity results were similar and significant regardless of order of MIC-CR and MIC-SR administration. The MIC-CR and MIC-SR are thus reliable and valid complementary instruments to assess neurocognitive insight in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
Dissociation of sympathetic compensation from glyceryl trinitrate tolerance.

Abstract The hypothesis that changes in sympathetic function play an integral part in the development of tolerance to the vasodepressor effects of organic nitrates was tested. Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) tolerant rats showed increased norepinephrine turnover but no changes in myocardial norepinephrine levels or in uptake of exogenous norepinephrine. GTN tolerant animals did not have altered sensitivities to sympathomimetics. Marked changes in sympathetic tone did not change the animals' sensitivity to glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) and did not alter the development of tolerance to GTN. No changes in sympathetic compensation to direct administration of a vasoconstrictor to the carotid sinus were observed. It is concluded that changes in sympathetic function play no rule in the development of tolerance to GTN.
A Four‐Day Diagnostic‐Therapeutic Home Visit in Turkey

The author has presented his experiences during a four-day home visit in Istanbul, where he was invited for the purpose of making a diagnosis and recommendations for the care of a 20-year-old English-speaking Turkish patient. His preparations are described, as are the details of his conduct of the evaluation. His findings and recommendations have been presented. Emphasis is placed throughout on the importance of the examiner acquainting himself in detail with his patient's cultural, social, and ethnic milieu. The way in which such information contributed to a clearer understanding of the patient's psychological difficulties is demonstrated. A Greek and a Turkish psychiatrists' comments on the article are published together with a final note by the author.
Free-inducation-decay measurements and determination of moments in Ca F 2

The results of measurements of ${\mathrm{F}}^{19}$ free-induction-decay (fid) signals in Ca${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ are presented. The measurements were performed at 4.2 and 77 K using conventional pulsed-nuclear-magnetic-resonance and zero-time-resolution techniques. The recorded signals spanned four orders of magnitudes and permitted a direct comparison with various theoretical predictions for the asymptotic behavior of the fid signals for long times. A function was constructed, based upon the theory of infinite products, that fitted the experimental data over its entire range. Second through 14th moments of the corresponding absorption line were derived from the fitted function and were found to be in excellent agreement with theoretical values for second through eighth moments, the only values published until now.
Change in teacher education: How holmes was hijacked

A movement among universities noted for research and for rigorous scholarship that would have insured a significantly improved education for prospective teachers was transformed in a short time, about ten years, into another agency of centrally inspired “school refrom,”
Glucose‐6‐Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency Associated Stuttering Priapism: Report of a Case

ABSTRACT Aim Stuttering priapism is an uncommon form of recurrent priapism whose etiology if often unknown. To date, there has been one report of a patient with stuttering priapism and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Herein we describe the second‐known case of recurrent priapism in a patient with G6PD deficiency. The pathophysiology of G6PD deficiency and its potential to cause priapism is reviewed. Methods A case report is described of a 29‐year‐old African‐American man with G6PD deficiency who presented with numerous episodes of recurrent ischemic priapism. Clinical data was reviewed. Results Despite medical management with gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, an antiandrogen, and baclofen, he required several surgical procedures which also ultimately failed. A continuous phosphodiesterase type‐5 inhibitor (PDE5) was started and the patient had no recurrences at 3‐month follow‐up. Conclusion Idiopathic recurrent priapism may be explained by underlying hemolytic anemia associated with G6PD deficiency. Several possible mechanisms exist to explain this association, including hyperviscosity, direct endothelial dysfunction secondary to bare hemoglobin vasculotoxicity, and relative nitric oxide deficiency causing vasoconstriction and vascular smooth muscle proliferation. Finley DS. Glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency associated stuttering priapism: Report of a case. J Sex Med **;**:**–**.
Expanding the mind's workspace: training and transfer effects with a complex working memory span task

In the present study, a novel working memory (WM) training paradigm was used to test the malleability of WM capacity and to determine the extent to which the benefits of this training could be transferred to other cognitive skills. Training involved verbal and spatial versions of a complex WM span task designed to emphasize simultaneous storage and processing requirements. Participants who completed 4 weeks of WM training demonstrated significant improvements on measures of temporary memory. These WM training benefits generalized to performance on the Stroop task and, in a novel finding, promoted significant increases in reading comprehension. The results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that WM training affects domain-general attention control mechanisms and can thereby elicit far-reaching cognitive benefits. Implications include the use of WM training as a general tool for enhancing important cognitive skills.
A type of academic failure among male adolescents: a problem in early identification.

Various premises are offered to explain the high incidence of academic failure or dropout among high school and college students. Many people stress defective attitudes regarding education and indicate the need for control and regulation of behavior as a way to rectify this problem. Other premises place the emphasis upon the attitudes of parents or upon deficiencies within the educational system or in the cultural values which make education meaningless. A study by Levinson and Kohn (1965) of the college dropout demonstrated that the problem was due neither to a limitation of intellectual endowment nor specifically to external factors. In fact, fully one third of the most intelligent college students are among those who fail to graduate. This topic is both puzzling and important: at least half of all students who enter colleges and universities will drop out before finishing. In their study the students were characterized as "emotionally immature." A careful history revealed separation anxiety in nursery and elementary school and frequent difficulties with their teachers and their peers. Teachers often thought of them as talented in junior and senior high school. Nevertheless, they had little capacity for sustained work and their record throughout their school years was one of underachievement. Most of the students were considered to have a passive-aggressive character dis-
Designing markets: economics, computer science and the real world

The recent explosion of electronic commerce has frequently brought together economists, computer scientists, and businesses in the pursuit of new designs for markets that succeed in attracting participants and becoming viable businesses. Real-world design has been guided by theoretical insights, empirical evidence and practical experience. This talk explores where new theory and evidence are needed to answer questions of practical importance, as well as what kinds of conceptual frameworks, insights and approaches have the most influence and relevance in practice. One key insight from the economics of market design is that the effect of the rules of a market, such as auction rules, on participation and division of surplus within a marketplace is often much more important than the impact of the rules on behavior for a fixed set of participants. The talk will also consider how to map between stylized models and practice, focusing on identifying the assumptions from theory that most often fail in practice and the new questions that this implies for theory; for example, in a realistic application there is typically no mechanism that yields efficient allocation in a prior-free, incentive-compatible model, and so the market designer needs a framework for evaluating tradeoffs between alternative mechanisms, and must consider the relative importance of different types of robustness and features of a mechanism. Finally, in online marketplaces with rapidly evolving market designs, theory can be used to guide real-world experiments and empirical analysis, and empirical evidence can in turn inform us about what theoretical issues are most important.
Professional involvement is associated with increased job satisfaction among dietitians.

Abstract This study explored a relationship between professional involvement and job satisfaction among dietitians. A random sample of 2,600 employed registered dietitians (RDs) received a 55-item questionnaire including a standardized measure of job satisfaction. The response rate was 67.3%; 50.8% were useable (n=1,321). Ninety-two percent of RDs reported job satisfaction. The mean score was 68.8±.28 (possible range: 18–90), with scores over 54 indicating job satisfaction. A positive relationship was found between job satisfaction and markers of professional involvement. Additionally, six characteristics related to professional involvement were: having had a mentor, being a mentor, self-assessed high professional involvement, full-time employment, high annual income, and increased hours worked per week. There was also a positive relationship between markers of professional involvement and employer support. We conclude that, overall, RDs are satisfied with their jobs and that greater professional involvement is related to greater job satisfaction. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002;102:1452-1454 .
Direct Vision Intracardiac Surgery in Man Using a Simple, Disposable Artificial Oxygenator

The successful curative treatment of many congenital malformations and acquired diseases of the heart requires an effective method for performing reparative surgery in the open heart under direct vision. The advent of controlled cross circulation as a successful method for totally by-passing the heart and lungs has demonstrated that intracardiac corrective surgery is both possible and feasible for certain of these congenital defects heretofore considered inoperable. This ability to carry out definitive reparative procedures inside the human heart under direct vision and at a reasonable risk has promised the early development of curative surgery for other congenital cardiac conditions as well as acquired diseases of the valves or coronary arteries which are not now curable by existing surgical techniques. The magnitude of these potential demands emphasizes the need for widely applicable techniques for maintenance of the patient's circulation during the by-pass interval. The essence of wide applicability is simplicity combined with effectiveness. The simple disposable artificial oxygenator herein described serves as a temporary replacement for the human lungs and appears to be a significant step forward in the fulfillment of these concepts of safety and wide applicability. This oxygenator has no moving parts, is assembled entirely from commercially available plastic tubing, and is sterilized by autoclaving. Oxygenation of the venous blood occurs by direct introduction of oxygen with coincident elimination of carbon dioxide. Because of its simplicity and the fact that the total cost of the component parts is only a few dollars, we have preferred to dispose of the oxygenator after each clinical use rather than to clean and re-use it. Seven seriously ill children have had intracardiac corrective operations utilizing this artificial oxygenator in combination with a simple pump for total by-pass of the heart and lungs. There were five successes and two deaths in this series of patients. All of the five survivors have been discharged from the hospital as normal children cured of their heart defects. Their preoperative malformations included ventricular septal defects, tetralogy of Fallot, and atrial septal defect with pulmonary hypertension.
Ontogenetic change in the analysis of sound frequency in the infant rat

Previous research has shown that there is an ontogenetic shift in the spatial code of sound frequency in the cochlea and central auditory nuclei. During ontogenesis, a given area of the basilar membrane or central auditory nuclei is maximally stimulated by sounds of progressively higher frequencies. Here, a similar ontogenetic shift in the rat's "perception" of sound frequency is reported. Animals were trained with a tone (CS) paired with footshock (US) and generalization of their conditioned response (CR) to different frequencies was assessed either 0.5 or 72 hr later. When 15-day-old animals were trained with an 8-kHz tone and tested 0.5 hr later, greater suppression of activity (CR) was evoked by the 8-kHz tone than by either a 12-kHz or a 6-kHz tone. When tested 72 hr after training, however, greater suppression of activity was evoked by a 12-kHz tone than by the 8-kHz training stimulus or by a 24-kHz tone. This shift in the peak of the generalization gradient could not be accounted for by changes in unconditioned responses to the test stimuli. Additionally, the observed shift in the generalization gradient was age-dependent. It was not observed when pups were trained at 18 days old and tested 72 hr later. The implications of these data for studies of the ontogenesis of learning and memory are discussed.