cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A theory of analytical hierarchies applied to political candidacy

A theory of hierarchies is applied to structure complex decision problems about groups, organizations, societies or supranational systems in three steps. The problem is decomposed into a number of strata, each with several elements which may be people, variables, policies, and so on. We next analyze judgments about the interactions among elements in each stratum with respect to their impact upon elements of the immediately higher stratum of the hierarchy. A theorem on hierarchical structure permits us to recompose judgments made at each stratum to arrive at an overall preference ordering, policy choice, or solution to the decision problem. A simple, three-strata hierarchy pertaining to the choice of the most qualified candidate for the Democractic Party's Presidential nomination illustrates the theory at the level of a societal system.
Hepatocellular DNA synthesis in rats given peroxisome proliferating agents: comparison of WY-14,643 to clofibric acid, nafenopin and LY171883.

The mitogenic effects of peroxisome proliferating agents have been implicated in their carcinogenicity. WY-14,643 stimulates an increase in hepatocellular DNA replication that persists with continued administration, but it is unclear if other peroxisome proliferators share this property. In these studies, WY-14,643 was compared to clofibric acid, nafenopin and LY171883 given to rats in the diet for up to 30 days. DNA replication in the rat liver was quantified by immunohistochemical methods after continuous s.c. infusion of bromodeoxyuridine by osmotic minipump. During the first 7 days of treatment, WY-14,643 (0.1% in diet) and nafenopin (0.05%) increased the percentage of bromodeoxyuridine-labeled hepatocytes to greater than 50%, from 3% in controls. Clofibric acid (0.5%) and LY171883 (0.3%) increased the labeling to approximately 33%. The replicative response to each of the compounds was localized primarily to the periportal region of the liver lobule. The time-course of replication induced by clofibric acid and WY-14,64.3 was examined over 3 day intervals. The peak of replication in response to clofibric acid occurred during days 4-6, whereas the effect of WY-14,643 peaked during days 1-3 and was much greater than clofibric acid. The replicative response to WY-14,643 persisted through 30 days at dietary concentrations of 0.1 and 0.005%. Nafenopin, LY171883 and clofibric acid were without effect on DNA replication on days 28-30 even though the hepatomegaly and induction of peroxisomal beta-oxidation persisted. Thus, under the conditions of these experiments, the persistent replicative effect through 30 days was unique to WY-14,643. Although sustained replication in the general population of hepatocytes may be involved in the carcinogenesis of WY-14,643, it does not appear to be a factor in the hepatocarcinogenesis of the other peroxisome proliferators.
Diencephalic catecholamine neurons (A-11, A-12, A-13, A-14) show divergent changes in the aged rat.

The effects of aging on diencephalic (A-11, A-12, A-13, A-14) Catecholamine neurons in the F334 male rat were examined with Falck-Hillarp histofluorescence. In contrast to the age-related increase in A-12 perikaryal fluorescence intensity previously reported (Hoffman and Sladek: Neurobiol, Aging 1:27–37, '80), incertohypothalamic perikarya showed decreased (A-13) or unchanged (A-11, A-14) fluorescence intensity with age. Cell counts of fluorescent A-12 perikarya disclosed a 47% increase in the number of fluorescent A-12 neurons in 30-month-old F344 rats relative to the 3-month-old controls; numbers of A-11 and A-13 fluorescent perikarya decreased with age, but the declines were not statistically significant. It is unlikely that the age-related increase in number of fluorescent A-12 perikarya is the result of proliferation of neurons in the aged F344 rat. Rather, the greater number of fluorescent A-12 perikarya in 30-month-old F344 rats indicates that some A-12 neurons in 3-month-old F344 rats contain levels of dopamine that are subthreshold for detection with the Falck-Hillarp fluorescence technique, whereas virtually all A-12 perikarya in 30-month-old F344 rats contain detectable quantities of dopamine. These findings suggest that diencephalic catecholamine neurons exhibit divergent changes in transmitter content and cell number that may reflect varying degrees of functional integrity during brain aging.
One geometrical idea for solar cells

A single analysis shows that it may be possible to take advantage of a geometrical property of one of the regular polygons with which it is possible make a tesselation of a given area with better efficiency.
Rotating Dual-Wire Beam Profile Monitor Optimized for Use in Merged-Beams Experiments

Abstract A rotating dual-wire beam profile monitor based upon a National Electrostatics Corporation Model BPM80 beam profile monitor is described. The device can measure beam profiles in two perpendicular directions (horizontal and vertical) in each of two pseudoplanes that are situated along the beam axis and are separated by a distance of 5.4 cm. The output signal from the device is analyzed in real time to yield horizontal and vertical beam profiles and to calculate the divergence of a particle beam that traverses the device. This set-up is well-suited for merged-beams experiments where one beam is tuned to saved profiles from a second beam in order to minimize the merge angle and beam divergences while maximizing the beam–beam overlaps.
NEIGHBORHOOD STRESSORS AND RACE/ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN HYPERTENSION PREVALENCE (THE MULTI-ETHNIC STUDY OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS)

BackgroundThe reasons for racial/ethnic disparities in hypertension (HTN) prevalence in the United States are poorly understood.MethodsUsing data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), we investigated whether individual- and neighborhood-level chronic stressors contribute to these disparities in cross-sectional analyses. The sample consisted of 2,679 MESA participants (45-84 years) residing in Baltimore, New York, and North Carolina. HTN was defined as systolic or diastolic blood pressure ≥140 or 90 mm Hg, or taking antihypertensive medications. Individual-level chronic stress was measured by self-reported chronic burden and perceived major and everyday discrimination. A measure of neighborhood (census tract) chronic stressors (i.e., physical disorder, violence) was developed using data from a telephone survey conducted with other residents of MESA neighborhoods. Binomial regression was used to estimate associations between HTN and race/ethnicity before and after adjustment for individual and neighborhood stressors.ResultsThe prevalence of HTN was 59.5% in African Americans (AAs), 43.9% in Hispanics, and 42.0% in whites. Age- and sex-adjusted relative prevalences of HTN (compared to whites) were 1.30 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22-1.38) for AA and 1.16 (95% CI: 1.04-1.31) for Hispanics. Adjustment for neighborhood stressors reduced these to 1.17 (95% CI: 1.11-1.22) and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.00-1.18), respectively. Additional adjustment for individual-level stressors, acculturation, income, education, and other neighborhood features only slightly reduced these associations.ConclusionNeighborhood chronic stressors may contribute to race/ethnic differences in HTN prevalence in the United States.American Journal of Hypertension (2010). doi:10.1038/ajh.2010.200. Language: en
Effects of coflow on turbulent flame puffs

Pulsed, turbulent jet diffusion flames in an air coflow of variable strength were examined experimentally. In all cases, the flames were fully modulated, that is, the fuel flow was completely shut off between pulses. Isolated puffs of unheated ethylene fuel were injected using a 2-mm-diam-nozzle into a combustor with an air coflow at 1-atm pressure. For short injection times (τ<50 ms), compact, pufflike structures were generated. The mean flame length of these puffs was at least 51% less than that of a steady-state, that is, nonpulsed, flame for the same injection Reynolds number. More elongated flame structures, with a flame length closer to that of steady-state flames, occurred for longer injection times of up to 300 ms. The addition of coflow generally causes an increase in the mean flame length. For short injection times (r < 50 ms), this resulted in an increase in flame length of up to 27% for a coflow strength of U cof /U jet = 0.02. The fractional increase in the flame length due to coflow of pulsed flames with longer injection times, as well as steady flames, was significantly less. The mean flame length for the flame with the coflow duct generally exceeded that of the corresponding free flame, even for the case of zero coflow. The amount of coflow required to achieve a given increase in mean flame length is quantitatively consistent with a scaling argument developed as part of this investigation.
The Computational Integrated Myocyte: A View into the Virtual Heart

The presentation outlines an integrative approach for developing a computational model of cardiomyocytes. A modular approach is proposed, and strategies of linking the modules (intermediary metabolism, electrophysiology, and mechanics) of the model are presented. A strong recommendation is given toward an integrated system approach backed by experimental validation.
Predictive Value of Blood Cultures Positive for Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci: Implications for Patient Care and Health Care Quality Assurance

Interpretation of blood cultures that are positive for coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) is often difficult. Predictive values for blood cultures positive for CoNS in patients with a central vascular line in place were calculated using the following rates: true bacteremia, 3%; blood culture contamination, 2%; detection of bacteremia, 80%; and catheter colonization, 2% (for blood samples obtained through a central vascular line). Positive predictive values were 55% for 1 positive culture result of 1 culture performed, 20% for 1 positive result of 2 performed, and only 5% for 1 positive result of 3 performed. For 2 positive culture results of 2 cultures performed, the positive predictive value was 98% if both samples were obtained through the vein, 96% if one sample was obtained through a catheter and the other was obtained by vein, and only 50% if both samples were obtained through a catheter. Use of this model with institution-specific values for input parameters would assist in clinical decision-making as well as hospital quality assurance.
SoniMime: movement sonification for real-time timbre shaping

This paper describes the design of SoniMime, a system for the sonification of hand movement for real-time timbre shaping. We explore the application of the tristimulus timbre model for the sonification of gestural data, working toward the goals of musical expressivity and physical responsiveness. SoniMime uses two 3-D accelerometers connected to an Atmel microprocessor which outputs OSC control messages. Data filtering, parameter mapping, and sound synthesis take place in Pd running on a Linux computer.
Integrative Synaptic Mechanisms in the Caudal Ganglion of the Crayfish

A study of activity recorded with intracellular micropipettes was undertaken in the caudal abdominal ganglion of the crayfish in order to gain information about central fiber to fiber synaptic mechanisms. This synaptic system has well developed integrative properties. Excitatory post-synaptic potentials can be graded, and synaptic potentials from different inputs can sum to initiate spike discharge. In most impaled units, the spike discharge fails to destroy the synaptic potential, thereby allowing sustained depolarization and multiple spike discharge following single pulse stimulation to an afferent input. Some units had characteristics which suggest a graded threshold for spike generation along the post-synaptic fiber membrane. Other impaled units responded to afferent stimulation with spike discharges of two distinct amplitudes. The smaller or "abortive" spikes in such units may represent non-invading activity in branches of the post-synaptic axon. On a few occasions one afferent input was shown to inhibit the spike discharge initiated by another presynaptic input.
The role of nonprotein domains in the function and synthesis of voltage-gated sodium channels.

Due to its central role in the generation of the nervous impulse, the sodium channel of nerve and muscle has been the most extensively studied of all voltage-gated ion channels. While most of the early work focused on functional properties using biophysical techniques, more recent attention has been given to the molecular structure of the channel with the ultimate goal of understanding the mechanisms of ion transport, ion selectivity, and voltage-dependent gating.
XPS and LEED study of a single-crystal surface of pyrite

.This .work reports X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and low-energy electron dlffractlOn }~EED) results for an as-grown (100) s~rface of pyrite (FeS2) cleaned by lowenergy H: lOn bombardment and thermal anneallllg. LEED suggests that the atomically clean pynte surface prepared in this manner is unreconstructed. XPS S 2p data for this surface show ?o evid~nce f~r a mo?osulfide species coexisting with the disulfide moiety that charactenzes pynte. This expenmental observation contrasts with many prior studies that prepared pyrite surfaces by cleavage or mechanical cutting and observed a mono sulfide species. We argue that a pyrite surface prepared directly from the as-grown surface may better represent a natural surface than does a preparation method such as cleavage.
Exocyclic deoxyadenosine adducts of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane: synthesis, structural elucidation, and mechanistic studies.

1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane (DEB) is considered the ultimate carcinogenic metabolite of 1,3-butadiene, an important industrial chemical and environmental pollutant present in urban air. Although it preferentially modifies guanine within DNA, DEB induces a large number of A → T transversions, suggesting that it forms strongly mispairing lesions at adenine nucleobases. We now report the discovery of three potentially mispairing exocyclic adenine lesions of DEB: N6,N6-(2,3-dihydroxybutan-1,4-diyl)-2′-deoxyadenosine (compound 2), 1,N6-(2-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethylpropan-1,3-diyl)-2′-deoxyadenosine (compound 3), and 1,N6-(1-hydroxymethyl-2-hydroxypropan-1,3-diyl)-2′-deoxyadenosine (compound 4). The structures and stereochemistry of the novel DEB-dA adducts were determined by a combination of UV and NMR spectroscopy, tandem mass spectrometry, and independent synthesis. We found that synthetic N6-(2-hydroxy-3,4-epoxybut-1-yl)-2′-deoxyadenosine (compound 1) representing the product of N6-adenine alkylation by DEB spontane...
Active Sensing with Fabry‐Perot Infrared Interferometers

In this article, we describe an active-sensing framework for infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The goal is to generate a sequence of wavelengths that best discriminates among chemicals. Unlike feature-selection strategies, the sequence is selected on-the-fly as the device acquires data. The framework models the problem as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP), which is solved by a greedy myopic algorithm. In previous work (1), we had applied this framework to temperature-modulated metal oxide sensor. Here, we adapt the framework to a tunable IR sensor based on Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPI). FPIs provide a low-cost alternative to traditional Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), though at the expense of a narrower effective range and lower spectral resolution. Here, we first test whether the framework can scale up to large problems consisting 27 chemicals with 60 dimensions; our previous work on metal oxide sensors employed three chemicals and 7 dimensions. For this purpose, FPI spectra are simulated from FTIR. Then we validate the framework experimentally on 3 chemicals using a prototype instrument based on FPIs. These preliminary results are encouraging and indicate that the framework is able to solve classification problems of reasonable size.
Outcomes of 140 consecutive cases of 25-gauge transconjunctival surgery for posterior segment disease

Purpose To evaluate the safety and efficacy of 25-gauge instrumentation for a variety of vitreoretinal conditions on previously nonvitrectomized eyes. Design Single-center, retrospective, interventional case series. Participants One-hundred forty eyes of 140 patients were evaluated at the Doheny Retina Institute from July 2002 to July 2003. Intervention All patients underwent surgical procedures using the Millennium 25-gauge Transconjunctival Standard Vitrectomy system. Twenty eyes (14.3%) underwent procedures without vitrectomy. Main Outcome Measures Postoperative visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure, surgical time, postoperative inflammation, complications, and number of sutured sites. Results No intraoperative complications were noted. No cases required conversion to 20-gauge machines. Ten cases (7.1%) involved single-site sclerotomy suture placement due to bleb formation at the conclusion of the procedure, but 5 of these entry sites were enlarged to facilitate larger instrumentation for tissue manipulation. Median VA improved from 20/250 (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, 1.08±0.47) preoperatively to 20/60 (0.47±0.30) ( P Conclusions Transconjunctival surgery using 25-gauge instrumentation may hasten postoperative recovery by decreasing overall surgical time and postoperative inflammation. Procedures requiring minimal intraocular manipulation did not require sutures and, thus, may be better suited for this surgical modality.
Management of ocular hypertension: a cost-effectiveness approach from the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.

Purpose The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) demonstrated that medical treatment of people with intraocular pressure (IOP) of ≥24 mm Hg reduces the risk of the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) by 60%. There is no consensus on which people with ocular hypertension would benefit from treatment. Design Cost-utility analysis with the use of a Markov model. Methods We modeled a hypothetic cohort of people with IOP of ≥24 mm Hg. Four treatment thresholds were considered: (1) Treat no one; (2) treat people with a ≥5% annual risk of the development of POAG; (3) treat people with a ≥2% annual risk of the development of POAG, and (4) treat everyone. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was evaluated. Results The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for treatment of people with ocular hypertension were $3670 per quality adjusted life-year (QALY) for the Treat ≥5% threshold and $42,430/QALY for the Treat ≥2% threshold. “Treat everyone” cost more and was less effective than other options. Assuming a cost-effectiveness threshold of $50,000 to 100,000/QALY, the Treat ≥2% threshold would result in the most net health benefit. The decision was sensitive to the incidence of POAG without treatment, treatment effectiveness, and the utility loss because of POAG. Conclusion Although the treatment of individual patients is largely dependent on their attitude toward the risk of disease progression and blindness, the treatment of those patients with IOP of ≥24 mm Hg and a ≥2% annual risk of the development of glaucoma is likely to be cost-effective. Delay of treatment for all people with ocular hypertension until glaucoma-related symptoms are present appears to be unnecessarily conservative.
Rehabilitation for balance and ambulation in a patient with attention impairment due to intracranial hemorrhage.

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this case report is to describe physical therapy to improve the balance and ambulation of a 16-year-old patient with attention impairment following intracranial hemorrhage. Case Description. The patient initially had frequent losses of balance, especially in distracting environments, due in part to decreased attention. He was managed with a balance and ambulation training program that incorporated the principles of cognitive rehabilitation for attention impairments. Outcomes. Following 11 weeks of outpatient therapy, the patient returned to independent ambulation at school without losses of balance. Discussion. Research is needed to determine the interaction between balance and attention in patients with brain injury and effective treatment for patients with decreased balance related to attention impairments.
To-Go medications for decreasing ED return visits.

Abstract Objectives The primary objective was to determine if providing patients with a complete course of antibiotics for select conditions would decrease the rate of return to the emergency department (ED) within 7 days of the initial visit. Methods In an urban, academic medical center, we compared patients who received medications at discharge (To-Go medications) with patients who received standard care (a prescription at discharge). Emergency department patients were included if they were older than 18 years; had a discharge diagnosis International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision , code for urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis, cellulitis, or dental infection; and presented initially between January and December 2010. Candidates had limited health insurance or were discharged when nearby pharmacies were closed. Return visits were included if the condition was related to the initial diagnosis. Wound checks and scheduled revisits were excluded. Medications dispensed were penicillin, clindamycin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and nitrofurantoin. Results A total of 4257 individuals were seen in initial ED visits for the included conditions. Comparing the 243 individuals given medications with the 4014 who were not given medications, the To-Go medications group was less likely to return than the comparison group (2.5% vs 5.9%; P = .026). The cellulitis subgroup also showed a significant reduction in return visits (1.6% vs 6.9%; P = .024). Three hundred eighteen courses of medication were given to the 243 individuals for a total cost of $1123. Conclusions For a 1-year expense of $1123, we demonstrated a 50% reduction in ED return visits for patients who were given a free, complete course of antibiotics at discharge for select conditions.
Risk Management and Design of Critical Bridges for Terrorist Attacks

In the aftermath of the September 11th tragedies, the vulnerability of the United States' transportation infrastructure to terrorist attack has gained national attention. In light of this vulnerability, various governmental agencies are looking into ways to improve the design of structures to better withstand extreme loadings. Until recently, little attention has been given to bridges which are critical to our economy and transportation network. This paper summarizes the results of ongoing research to investigate economical, unobtrusive, and effective methods to mitigate the risk of terrorist attacks against critical bridges. It outlines a recommended plan to reduce these threats through proven risk management techniques, lists possible cost-effective security measures, discusses blast effects on bridges, and provides structural design and retrofit guidelines. It also discusses ongoing research oriented towards the development of a performance-based design methodology. In using proper risk management techniques, transportation managers and bridge engineers can mitigate the risk of terrorist attacks against critical bridges to an acceptable level, while ensuring efficient use of limited resources.
The challenges and limitations on triple level cell geometry and process beyond 20 nm NAND Flash technology

This paper investigates the challenges and difficulties of TLC cell geometry and process beyond 20nm NAND technology from the viewpoint of programmed V th level, new HCI disturbance and charge loss in the highest programmed level.
Strategic Planning for Drug Information Services

Basic management principles are reviewed in the context of modern day issues related to information services planning. Environments requiring drug information services include academia, healthcare delivery institutions, government, and manufacturers. In those settings, information services have not enjoyed the tremendous growth or development as in other industries. Using selected examples, ideas for creating, developing and influencing the direction of medical information services are explored. In addition, issues that need to be addressed in future planning activities are reviewed
Automated supported liquid extraction using 2D barcode processing for routine toxicokinetic portfolio support

Background: A new bioanalytical sample preparation approach has been developed to enhance the efficiency, reduce errors and improve the data quality supporting routine toxicokinetic (TK) study samples analysis, via the implementation of 2D barcode processing coupled with fully automated supported liquid extraction (SLE). Results: A fully automated SLE was validated and used to determine TK drug concentrations of over 500 unknown samples via 2D barcode processing. Assay performance calculated from a total of 291 quality control samples over the period of validation through sample analysis demonstrated inter-day precision and accuracy within 10 and 7.3%, respectively. Conclusion: A new logistical approach implementing the use of 2D barcodes and automated SLE demonstrates the potential of a new methodology for the routine bioanalytical support of TK study sample analysis.
Issues and Approaches to Climate Change

Understanding the climate system is a problem of great intrinsic scientific interest. Our growing understanding of interactions among the atmosphere, oceans, biosphere, and cryosphere is revolutionizing the earth sciences. Moreover, in recent years, a sense of urgency has infused research on modeling the climate system. The prospect of human activities altering atmospheric composition, affecting climate globally and regionally, and ultimately affecting human economies and natural ecosystems, has stimulated the development of models of the climate system (IPCC, 1995, IPCC, 1990). This chapter provides an overview on climate change research and the reports produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2001, IPCC, 1995, IPCC, 1990). For a thorough discussion of climate change research today refer to IPCC’s Climate Change 2001.
Predictability of ENSO

Recent predictions of the El Nino/Southern Oscillation phenomenon have given indications that the onset of a warm event can be predicted as much as two years in advance. In this chapter these predictions will be reviewed, the dynamical mechanisms underlying the predictions will be discussed, and the relationship between mechanism and predictability will be analyzed.
Crystal structure of equine serum albumin in complex with cetirizine reveals a novel drug binding site.

Serum albumin (SA) is the main transporter of drugs in mammalian blood plasma. Here, we report the first crystal structure of equine serum albumin (ESA) in complex with antihistamine drug cetirizine at a resolution of 2.1A. Cetirizine is bound in two sites--a novel drug binding site (CBS1) and the fatty acid binding site 6 (CBS2). Both sites differ from those that have been proposed in multiple reports based on equilibrium dialysis and fluorescence studies for mammalian albumins as cetirizine binding sites. We show that the residues forming the binding pockets in ESA are highly conserved in human serum albumin (HSA), and suggest that binding of cetirizine to HSA will be similar. In support of that hypothesis, we show that the dissociation constants for cetirizine binding to CBS2 in ESA and HSA are identical using tryptophan fluorescence quenching. Presence of lysine and arginine residues that have been previously reported to undergo nonenzymatic glycosylation in CBS1 and CBS2 suggests that cetirizine transport in patients with diabetes could be altered. A review of all available SA structures from the PDB shows that in addition to the novel drug binding site we present here (CBS1), there are two pockets on SA capable of binding drugs that do not overlap with fatty acid binding sites and have not been discussed in published reviews.
Pyrite-Uraninite Polycrystal

A texture was observed in a sample of ore in which pyrite and uraninite occurred as thin alternate layers paralleling crystal faces of a pyrite nucleus. This texture could be formed either by replacement or by syntaxis. Although syntactic growth forming polycrystals of two chemically dissimilar minerals has not been previously described, this explanation fits the observed data better than the explanation offered by replacement. It is proposed, therefore, that this occurrence is an example of a polycrystal of uraninite and pyrite and that the mechanism of formation is syntaxis. (auth)
Research on the stability of digest powder

Objective To study the stability of digest powder ( with additive of sodium bicarbonate or not at various conditions). Methods The characteristics,pH value and the account of lactic acid bacteria were observed and analyzed in different months when the digest powder were store at room temperature and cold conditions (2-10 ℃). Results The characteristics and pH value has no notable change during the test;but the account of lactic acid bacteria was more stable in cold conditions than room temperature. Conclusions Digest powder should be stored in cold conditions (2 - 10 ℃) ,and it was stable with additive of sodium bicarbonate or not in cold conditions within eight months ,but the sodium bicarbonate should be additive because of it's good curative effect.
Fast and slow transitions in frontal ensemble activity during flexible sensorimotor behavior

The ability to shift between repetitive and goal-directed actions is a hallmark of cognitive control. Previous studies have reported that adaptive shifts in behavior are accompanied by changes of neural activity in frontal cortex. However, neural and behavioral adaptations can occur at multiple time scales, and their relationship remains poorly defined. Here we developed an adaptive sensorimotor decision-making task for head-fixed mice, requiring them to shift flexibly between multiple auditory-motor mappings. Two-photon calcium imaging of secondary motor cortex (M2) revealed different ensemble activity states for each mapping. When adapting to a conditional mapping, transitions in ensemble activity were abrupt and occurred before the recovery of behavioral performance. By contrast, gradual and delayed transitions accompanied shifts toward repetitive responding. These results demonstrate distinct ensemble signatures associated with the start versus end of sensory-guided behavior and suggest that M2 leads in engaging goal-directed response strategies that require sensorimotor associations.
Treatment of Clubfoot Using the Ponseti Method

The Ponseti method consists of a specific technique of manipulation of the clubfoot deformity, followed by the application of a plaster cast with the foot in the corrected position. A percutaneous tenotomy of the Achilles tendon is done prior to the final cast to gain complete correction in most patients. Bracing with a foot abduction orthosis is necessary to minimize relapse of the deformity. The method begins with the Ponseti manipulation and consists of the following steps: (1) Identify the head of the talus by palpation. (2) Supinate the forefoot to eliminate the cavus deformity and create a normal-appearing arch. (3) Abduct the forefoot with the vector of force parallel to the sole of the foot while using the lateral head of the talus as the fulcrum and maintaining the reduction of the cavus deformity. (4) This manipulation is followed by the application of an above-the-knee cast with the foot in the corrected position. (5) The manipulation and casting steps are repeated every 5 to 7 days until the foot is abducted approximately 50° from the frontal plane of the tibia. (6) In most patients (60% to >90%), a percutaneous tenotomy of the Achilles tendon is necessary to correct the residual ankle equinus after gaining full abduction of the foot with the manipulations. (7) The final cast is applied and worn for three weeks. (8) After removal of the final cast, the patient is managed with bracing with a foot abduction orthosis for 23 hours per day for 3 months. Bracing at night and during nap time is recommended until the child is 4 to 5 years old. The cavus deformity is eliminated after the application of 2 or 3 casts by the simple positioning maneuver. Abduction of the forefoot in the plane of the sole of the foot while using the head of the talus as the fulcrum results in the correction of the midfoot adduction deformity simultaneously with the hindfoot varus and the subtalar component of the equinus deformity. After full abduction is obtained, the cavus, adduction, and subtalar varus and equinus deformities are all completely corrected. The only residual deformity is the ankle equinus. Most feet require a percutaneous tenotomy to fully correct the ankle component of the equinus. The tenotomy can be performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthetic without the need for sedation. If the foot can be dorsiflexed to >15° (without midfoot breach), a tenotomy is unnecessary. This manipulation allows complete correction of almost all idiopathic clubfeet in 4 to 7 sessions. Long-term follow-up (mean, 34 years; range, 25 to 42 years) has shown that clubfeet treated with the Ponseti method function as well as normal feet with respect to pain and level of activity.
Pyrenes, Peropyrenes, and Teropyrenes: Synthesis, Structures, and Photophysical Properties

The design of a relatively simple and efficient method to extend the π-conjugation of readily available aromatics in one-dimension is of significant value. In this paper, pyrenes, peropyrenes, and teropyrenes were synthesized through a double or quadruple benzannulation reaction of alkynes promoted by Bronsted acid. This novel method does not involve cyclodehydrogenation (oxidative aryl-aryl coupling) to arrive at the newly incorporated large arene moieties. All of the target compounds were synthesized in moderate to good yields and were fully characterized with the structures unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallography. As expected, photophysical characterization clearly shows increasing red-shifts as a function of extended conjugation within the fused ring systems.
Inference for Reliability and Stress-Strength for a Scaled Burr Type X Distribution

Inferencefor R=P(Y<X) is considered when Xand Y are independently distributed as scaled Burrtype X random variables. Under this model, exact inference proceduresfor R cannot be found. Hence, based on the expectedFisher information matrix which is derived here, asymptotic inferenceprocedures for R and other general functions ofthe parameters are developed. A bootstrap method to estimatevariance for the maximum likelihood estimators is also discussed.To illustrate these techniques, an example using carbon fiberstrength data is given. Simulations to assess the effectivenessof these techniques, as well as other concerns, are presented.
Time, change, and longitudinally emergent conditions: understanding and applying longitudinal growth modeling in sales research

Despite calls for increased use of longitudinal data in academic sales research, the overwhelming majority of published studies utilize cross-sectional designs. Yet, given the critical importance of understanding the evolution of performance and other important outcomes, sales management, as a discipline, is particularly well suited for analysis using methodological techniques that properly account for the role of time. The purpose of this manuscript is to advocate for the increased use of longitudinal growth modeling (LGM), a technique for analyzing longitudinal data that can be applied by researchers to generate knowledge that can elude cross-sectional designs, in research on selling and sales management. In so doing, this article reviews extant research utilizing this technique and demonstrates that performing this type of analysis is well within the capabilities of many sales researchers, in terms of both ease of application and having access to the data necessary to generate insights from this method...
Gender inclusion activities in entrepreneurship ecosystems: The case of St. Louis, MO and Boston, MA

Women-owned businesses have an economic impact of nearly $3 trillion in the U.S. Despite the tremendous opportunity for economic growth they present, women entrepreneurs lag behind their male counterparts in terms of number of start-ups and scaling of businesses. To understand how and why this may be taking shape, we focus on the role of entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) or those organizations that act as intermediaries between the resources of a local ecosystem and entrepreneurs. All organizations that have as their proverbial mission to serve, support or partner with entrepreneurs can be categorized as ESOs. Given their role as decision makers, gatekeepers and resource providers, such organizations have the power and capacity to determine who is granted the opportunity to access and benefit from the very networks, mentors, programs and funding that increase entrepreneurs’ odds for success. Through extensive interviews and observations over the course of 2013 to 2016, we compare and contrast the entrepreneurship ecosystems in St. Louis, MO and Boston, MA to understand differences in gender inclusion efforts at ESOs. We focus specifically on cultural cognitive frames, social normative ‘rules’, and regulatory forces as exerting institutional pressures on ESOs in the specific communities in which they are embedded. Our qualitative approach yields in-depth insights as to the mechanisms and dynamics of inclusion and exclusion in the St. Louis and Boston ecosystems by way of ESOs and their practices. Findings indicate that ESOs in the emerging St. Louis ecosystem engage in inclusion efforts through institutional pressures exerted at the grassroots level by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. These efforts seem to have yielded positive results in that women’s business ownership has increased by 16% in a span of five years between 2007 and 2012, going from 28% to 44%. In comparison, women’s business ownership has stayed around 30%, in Boston between 2007 and 2012, which is a much more established ecosystem. Our findings indicate that inclusion efforts driven mainly by top-down regulatory forces may not be as effective in changing the gender gap in entrepreneurship ecosystems. We expand on these differences and outline steps for ESOs and policy makers to build inclusive ecosystems in their cities.
Fiber Optic Sensors: Present and Future

For the last few years progress in the development of fiber optic sensors has been substantial. In contrast to the first few years of their development when work concentrated on the demonstration of the feasibility of the sensing concept, current efforts are centering on the demonstration of reliability, cost effectiveness and environmental operation required for practical sensors. Fiber optic sensors (FOS) were shown to be able to detect over 50 variables and several early FOS demonstrations attempted to develop packaged fiber optic sensors. In general the attempts were reasonably successful. In environments where a single variable was to be measured in the presence of other variables in a similar signal band, considerable effort was necessary to achieve competitive performance. Despite these early problems, a relatively small number of optical fiber sensors have entered the market place. Consequently during the past several years, considerable effort has been applied to overcome many of the early problems.
Role of calcium on excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac and vascular smooth muscle

The calcium ion is recognized as having a ubiquitous role in a wide range of physiological responses. The calcium entry blockers have assumed a greater role than first thought possible in the management of cardiovascular disorders. As a group, they have multiple effects and can be tailored to meet specific needs. The drugs are well tolerated, thus making them useful for chronic administration. The efficacy of the calcium entry blockers can be enhanced when combined with other therapies such as beta-adrenoceptor antagonists and inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme as applied to patients with hypertension, angina pectoris, or both. The range of indications and potential uses of the calcium entry blockers demands an understanding of the role of the slow inward current in cardiac and vascular smooth muscle. This review focuses on the pharmacological actions of the calcium entry blockers and relates these events to their clinical applications in an effort to achieve an understanding of their multiple therapeutic uses.
P060 Next generation virtual crossmatch: A program that captures data and provides rapid and accurate virtual crossmatch assessments

Aim To test the benefits of a software tool that captures HLA antibody analyses, highlights DSA and other risk factors, and provides a comprehensive report to allow fast and accurate Virtual Crossmatches (VXMs). Methods The VXM program used embedded, tiered reviewed HLA antibody data obtained from phenotype and single antigen bead panels. HLA antibody assignments in the VXM program required 2 independent reviewers and were not based on a MFI threshold; rather, assessments included HLA reactivity patterns, confirmation on multiple assays or in multiple sera, and previous HLA exposures (pregnancies and transplants). HLA typing for each potential donor was entered and DSA specificities, if present, were highlighted with individual strength assessments. Embedded HLA typing results for each candidate and all previous allografts allowed reporting of repeated HLA mismatches. Additional alerts included recent HLA sensitization changes, dates for peak and last serum tested, and HLA allele-specific antibodies that cannot be listed as avoids. Results A comparison was performed using results from the VXM program and 251 manual VXMs performed by experienced laboratory personnel during the first quarter of 2017. The majority (82%) of these VXMs involved sensitized candidates and >50% involved 99–100% CPRA candidates. One hundred of 251 VXMs examined were limited to one assessment per patient, but for the majority of cases VXM HLA analyses were performed repeatedly for the same patient. In 7.5% of manual VXMs cases, a secondary review of HLA data improved final DSA assignments. The number of VXMs per donor ranged from 1 to 6 with an average of 1.5 patients per donor. The average time for a manual VXM per patient was 30 min, while the VXM program and embedded data required 5 min per patient. In addition, the VXM program stored all previous donor assessments to assist in the decision to accept or decline the current offer. Conclusions For centers that do not list all HLA antibodies as unacceptable for sensitized waitlist candidates, VXMs can present a complex challenge given that potential donors must be reviewed and accepted/declined within one hour of initial offer. A VXM program that uses tiered reviewed HLA data increases efficiency and reduces possible errors in assessing risk for highly sensitized candidates.
Generalization error analysis: deep convolutional neural network in mammography

We conducted a study to gain understanding of the generalizability of deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) given their inherent capability to memorize data. We examined empirically a specific DCNN trained for classification of masses on mammograms. Using a data set of 2,454 lesions from 2,242 mammographic views, a DCNN was trained to classify masses into malignant and benign classes using transfer learning from ImageNet LSVRC-2010. We performed experiments with varying amounts of label corruption and types of pixel randomization to analyze the generalization error for the DCNN. Performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with an N-fold cross validation. Comparisons were made between the convergence times, the inference AUCs for both the training set and the test set of the original image patches without corruption, and the root-mean-squared difference (RMSD) in the layer weights of the DCNN trained with different amounts and methods of corruption. Our experiments observed trends which revealed that the DCNN overfitted by memorizing corrupted data. More importantly, this study improved our understanding of DCNN weight updates when learning new patterns or new labels. Although we used a specific classification task with the ImageNet as example, similar methods may be useful for analysis of the DCNN learning processes, especially those that employ transfer learning for medical image analysis where sample size is limited and overfitting risk is high.
The Storm Before the Calm: Negotiating Developing Values and Principles Through Discussion and BlogArt

Between classes, the middle schoolers were shuffling their books and gathering their materials for the next class when suddenly they were at one another's throats over a question with no answer—Is ...
Recognizing Actions in Wearable-Camera Videos by Training Classifiers on Fixed-Camera Videos

Recognizing human actions in wearable camera videos, such as videos taken by GoPro or Google Glass, can benefit many multimedia applications. By mixing the complex and non-stop motion of the camera, motion features extracted from videos of the same action may show very large variation and inconsistency. It is very difficult to collect sufficient videos to cover all such variations and use them to train action classifiers with good generalization ability. In this paper, we develop a new approach to train action classifiers on a relatively smaller set of fixed-camera videos with different views, and then apply them to recognize actions in wearable-camera videos. In this approach, we temporally divide the input video into many shorter video segments and transform the motion features to stable ones in each video segment, in terms of a fixed view defined by an anchor frame in the segment. Finally, we use sparse coding to estimate the action likelihood in each segment, followed by combining the likelihoods from all the video segments for action recognition. We conduct experiments by training on a set of fixed-camera videos and testing on a set of wearable-camera videos, with very promising results.
Effects of slow highly charged ion irradiation on metal oxide semiconductor capacitors

Measurements were performed to characterize and better understand the effects of slow highly charged ion (HCI) irradiation, a relatively unexplored form of radiation, on metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices. Si samples with 50 nm SiO2 layers were irradiated with ion beams of ArQ+ (Q = 4, 8, and 11) at normal incidence. The effects of the irradiation were encapsulated with an array of Al contacts forming the MOS structure. High frequency capacitance–voltage (CV) measurements reveal that the HCI irradiation results in stretchout and shifting of the CV curve. These changes in the CV curve are attributed to dangling Si bond defects at the Si/SiO2 interface and trapped positive charge in the oxide, respectively. Charge state dependencies have been observed for these effects with the CV curve stretchout having a dependence of Q∼1.7 and the CV curve shifting with a dependence of Q∼1.8. These dependencies are similar to the results of previous studies focused on the Q-dependence of the stopping power of HCIs.