cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical densities of myonuclei and satellite cells in muscle fiber types in the aging human thyroarytenoid muscle: an immunohistochemical and stereological study using confocal laser scanning microscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This study determines the role of changes in numerical densities of myonuclei and satellite cells in age-related remodeling of the thyroarytenoid muscle (TA).DESIGN: Changes in numerical densities (NV) and ratios (NN) of myonuclei and satellite cells were estimated for the entire TA by use of stereological techniques.RESULTS: There was no age-related change or difference between fiber types for NV myonucleus, fiber' but Nv myonucleus, fiber increased with decreasing fiber diameter. There was a trend toward a decrease in Nv satellite cell, fiber and a decrease in NN satellite cell, myonucleus. Nv satellite cell, fiber was higher for type 1 than for type 2 fibers, and type 1 satellite cells increased disproportionately with increasing total satellite cell numerical density.CONCLUSION: Decreased satellite cell proliferation may contribute to age-related fiber loss and atrophy in the TA.SIGNIFICANCE: Therapeutic techniques based on activation of satellite cells may block age-related fiber loss and ...
Participation in Health Education, Health Promotion, and Health Research by African Americans: Effects of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment

Abstract This study investigates the effect of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment (TSE) on participation in health promotion activities and research studies by African Americans. Random-digit dialing was used to interview 421 adults with telephones living in households in Jefferson County, Alabama in the summer of 1994. Respondents were asked if they had ever heard of the TSE and, if yes, because they knew about the experiment, were they less interested in participating in health promotion or research activities. The primary results were that African Americans, in general, reported less interest in participating in health promotion and research because of their knowledge of the TSE. African American males in particular reported a high degree of resistance because of knowledge of the TSE. These results may have implications for practitioners and researchers recruiting African American subjects for research studies and participation in health promotion and health education programs. It may be necessary to dis...
Alternative splicing of the human diacylglycerol kinase ζ gene in muscle

Diacylglycerol can function as a second messenger, and one mechanism for the attenuation of this signal is its conversion to phosphatidic acid, which is catalyzed by diacylglycerol kinase (DGK). We screened a cDNA library from human skeletal muscle and isolated two DGKζ cDNAs that differed from the 3.5-kb clone originally identified in endothelial cells. One transcript, which was 3.4 kb long, was shown to be nonfunctional; it had a 77-bp deletion that included the translation initiation site. The other was 4.1 kb long with a unique 5′ sequence of 853 bp. We also isolated a genomic clone of DGKζ and determined its organization and location; it contains 32 exons, spans approximately 50 kb of genomic sequence, and maps to chromosome 11p11.2. The protein encoded by the 4.1-kb transcript contains two cysteine-rich regions, a catalytic domain, and ankyrin repeats like the endothelial form of DGKζ, as well as a unique N-terminal domain. The coding sequence was shown to be derived from alternative splicing of the DGKζ gene. In cells transfected with the 4.1-kb clone, we detected a 130-kDa protein with an antibody to DGKζ and demonstrated that it was localized predominantly in the nucleus. We conclude that alternative splicing generates tissue-specific variants of DGKζ that share some properties but may have unique ones as well.
Existence of a solution of a Fourier nonlocal quasilinear parabolic problem

The aim of this paper is to give a theorem about the existence of a classical solution of a Fourier third nonlocal quasilinear parabolic problem. To prove this theorem, Schauder's theorem is used. The paper is a continuation of papers [1]-[8] and the generalizations of some results from [9]-[11]. The theorem established in this paper can be applied to describe some phenomena in the theories of diffusion and heat conduction with better effects than the analogous classical theorem about the existence of a solution of the Fourier third quasilinear parabolic problem.
Evaluating caching policies for online auctions

Auction sites have grown rapidly in the last couple of years and recent statistics indicate that eBay carries about 50 million items for sale at any time on its site [2]. Our previous work showed that the workload of online auction sites is substantially different from that of online retailers and uncovered a plethora of interesting findings that can be used, among other things, to improve the performance of online auction sites [1, 3]: i) A very large percentage of auctions have a relatively low number of bids and bidders and a very small percentage of auctions have a high number of bids and bidders. ii) There is some bidding activity at the beginning stages of an auction. This activity slows down in the middle and increases considerably after 90% of an auction's life time has elapsed. iii) Prices rise faster in the first 20% of an auction's life time than in the next 70% of its life time. However, after the age of an auction reaches 90%, prices increase much faster than in the two previous phases.
MO-A-BRD-03: Quantifying 19F-Labeled Human Natural Killer Cell-Trafficking with MRI

Purpose: To determine 19F-labeling efficiency in ex vivo MRI of cultured human Natural Killer (hNK) cells and to quantify 19F-labeled NK cell trafficking in vivo in naive mice and in mice bearing pediatric cancers with MRI. Methods: One immunodeficient and one neuroblastoma tumorbearing mouse were anesthetized with ketamine and xylazine. The hNK and mouse NK cells isolated from healthy donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells or spleens were expanded and incubated for 24 hours in a commercially available perfluoropolyether (PFPE) tracer. NMR was performed on a 9.4T spectrometer to verify successful uptake of PFPE agent into NK cells. Imaging was performed on a 4.7T small animal MRI system using a 19F volume quadrature coil. 19F images were acquired using a spinecho sequence (1.1×1.1×2.0mm3 resolution, ∼42 minutes scan time). A 19F reference vial was placed contralateral to the tumor/injection site for in vivo quantification. Results: A dose-dependent response of 19F signal was shown in mouse NK cells labeled with increasing concentrations of PFPE. NMR spectra of the separated cells and supernatant confirmed that 19F signal originated from within the hNK cells. In vitro signal from 19F-labeled hNK cells was quantified as a function of cell concentration. About 1.6×106 hNK cells was determined to be the minimum cell concentration detectabilty for a 1.1×1.1×2.0mm3 voxel at the 42 minute scan time. 19F-labeled hNK cells were injected into the flank or tumor directly. 19F signal stayed localized in flank or within the neuroblastoma tumor for at least 48 hours. Conclusion: 19F-labeling of NK cells has been confirmed in vitro, both with imaging and spectroscopic analysis. hNK injection into a neuroblastoma tumor-bearing mouse showed that hNK cells can be successfully detected and tracked longitudinally in vivo. Improving sensitivity for quantification of trafficking patterns within the tumor is ongoing.
The need for international nursing diagnosis research and a theoretical framework.

Abstractions occur from basic to complex. It isimportant to be aware of abstracting, because of theprejudices that can occur with using only our ownconnotations of things, and not comparing theseconnotations with the physical world.Table 1 is a depiction of Hayakawa’s abstractionladder (Hayakawa & Hayakawa, 1990). He says thathumans abstract and name things at various levels ofabstraction. Words and phrases, such as Bessie thecow, are abstractions of the similarities among things,not the differences. This abstraction ladder showsBessie as a living process. Bessie is perceived by ahuman and this perception is named Bessie, which isthought to be a cow. A cow is a type of livestock andso on up the ladder.Hayakawa says that words can never capture thefull essence of any phenomena, even something assimple as a cow. Instead, words represent ways tocapture an idea of something for communication withothers. Words and definitions have no meaning in and Table 1. Human Beings Abstract From Their Experiences and Observations (Hayakawa & Hayakawa, 1990)
Teaching Teamwork and Problem Solving Concurrently

Teamwork and problem-solving skills have frequently been identified by business leaders as being key competencies; thus, teaching methods such as problem-based learning and team-based learning have been developed. However, the focus of these methods has been on teaching one skill or the other. A key argument for teaching the skills concurrently is that the ability to solve an unstructured real-world problem within teams is what is needed outside the classroom and that this requires the use of both sets of skills simultaneously. Thus, the authors describe the design and implementation of a group problem-solving skills course for undergraduates, in which they engage in real creative problem-solving work together over a semester while learning and developing skills appropriate to their current stages in the team development and problem-solving processes. This method offers the potential to address criticisms by business leaders that new graduates often are technically proficient yet ill prepared to solve eve...
Panel session - Educating and mentoring for microwave engineering excellence

This panel session will discuss the importance of mentoring as a means of growing the field of microwave engineering. Rudy Henning exemplified the ideal mentor and this panel, consisting of Professors Linda Katehi, Tom Brazil, and John Volakis, will discuss the ways in which mentoring can be used to encourage future generations of microwave engineers.
English vowel identification in quiet and noise: effects of listeners’ native language background

Purpose: To investigate the effect of listener’s native language (L1) and the types of noise on English vowel identification in noise. Method: Identification of twelve English vowels was measured in quiet and in long-term speech-shaped noise and multi-talker babble noise for English- (EN), Chinese- (CN) and Korean-native (KN) listeners at various signal-to-noise ratios. Results: Compared to non-native listeners, EN listeners performed significantly better in quiet and in noise. Vowel identification in long-term speech-shaped noise and in multi-talker babble noise was similar between CN and KN listeners. This is different from our previous study in which KN listeners performed better than CN listeners in English sentence recognition in multi-talker babble noise. Discussion: Results from the current study suggest that depending on speech materials, the effect of non-native listeners’ L1 on speech perception in noise may be different. That is, in the perception of speech materials with little linguistic cues like isolated vowels, the characteristics of non-native listener’s native language may not play a significant role. On the other hand, in the perception of running speech in which listeners need to use more linguistic cues (e.g., acoustic-phonetic, semantic, and prosodic cues), the non-native listener’s native language background might result in a different masking effect.
Adorno and Proust on the Recovery of Experience

AbstractI argue in this paper that a recovery of the cognitive role of the experiencing subject is the common theme uniting Theodor Adorno's philosophy and Marcel Proust's literary project. This shared commitment is evidenced by the importance given by both thinkers to the expressive dimension of language in relation to its social function as a vehicle for communication. Furthermore, I argue that Adorno and Proust conceive of language's expressive dimension as the expression of suffering. However, whereas, for Proust, this means the private suffering of the artist transforming itself into a work of art, for Adorno it means suffering that is rooted in sociohistorical conditions. It is this thesis, I suggest, that enables Adorno to employ the recovery of the experiencing subject as a form of social criticism.
A paucity of data, not robust scientific evidence: a response to Johnston and Foreyt

During the past 50 years there has been an unprecedented increase in the rates of obesity, together with type II diabetes (T2D), hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, three of the top causes of mortality in the US. During this same time the availability and consumption of artificial sweeteners (AS) has expanded enormously, and the public has been led to believe that consuming AS is an effective means of controlling body weight and that there is strong scientific support for AS in promoting health.
Assessment of Models Proposed for the 1981 Revision of the IGRF

For the second revision of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF), the U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U. K. Institute of Geological Sciences (IGS), and the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) submitted proposed models of the Earth's main magnetic field at 1965.0, 1970.0, 1975.0, and 1980.0, and its secular variation during 1980-1985. We assessed the proposed models by comparing them with annual mean values from worldwide magnetic observatories, data for 1978-1980 from 63 U. S. magnetic repeat stations, and rates-of-change values for worldwide magnetic observatories for 1965-1985 that were derived from straight lines fitted to annual means for five-year intervals. We also mutually compared the 1980 models.For the observatory data, the IGS 1980 model yields an absolute mean residual in X that is more than twice as great as that for any other model for any year, and that model yields an RMS residual in Z of 246nT, compared with less than 193nT for the other two 1980 models. For the repeat station data, the IGS 1980 model yields an absolute mean residual in F of 113nT, compared with about 30nT for the other two. The secular variation of Z for 1975-1980 deduced from the IGS models, and for 1980-1985 from the NASA secular variation model, yield RMS residuals of 32 and 21nT/yr, respectively, when compared with the observatory rates-of-change values. The NASA and USGS 1980 models, both based on MAGSAT data, differ by no more than about 70nT, but the IGS 1980 model differs from the other two by more than 600nT in some places. This study suggests that the second revision of the IGRF should consist of means of the proposed models, with the exceptions of the IGS 1980 and the NASA 1980-1985 models.
Linear Fractional Transformation Methods in $ {\shadC}^n $

We consider the generalization of linear fractional transformations of the plane to $ {\shadC}^n $ . Analogs of the one-variable theory are developed including fixed point sets and points of symmetry. The domains in $ {\shadC}^n $ that are images of the ball under these transformations are found. Finally, we see some examples where classical fixed point results follow from this theory in a natural way.
Pinning Force during Closure Process at Blocked Pipe Entrance

The high design standards for the preservation of the urban water environment result in more detention basins in residential areas. The steep channel and outfall pipe from a detention basin can be hazardous to children and small animals. During an event, a trapped person may flow with water toward the outfall entrance. When the outfall pipe is gradually blocked, the flow force acting on the blocking body can be pinning at the beginning to eventually deadly. It is not clear as to how to quantify the pinning force on the block during the closure of flow because the number of unknown forces is greater than the number of equations for force balance. This paper presents a new approach using the method of superposition to calculate the pinning force with and without a blockage at the culvert entrance. The analysis conducted in this paper verifies that the pinning force on the clogging block is dominated by the flow dynamic force until the flow becomes discontinued. As soon as the hydrostatic force is developed, the pinning force can be lethal. This study confirms that an outfall pipe shall be protected by a trash rack with its surface area 4 times the culvert opening area. As long as the continuity of flow is sustained by the blocked rack, the hydrostatic force will not be developed or a chance for survival remains.
Role of Insulin in Work-Induced Growth of Skeletal Muscle

Although insulin treatment was necessary for total body growth in alloxandiabetic rats, work-induced hypertrophy of the soleus and plantaris muscles could be induced in such animals without insulin. Compensatory growth proceeded to a similar extent in diabetic and normal rats. (Endocrinology 83: 1071, 1968)
Direct-Schottky-contact InP MESFET

The design and fabrication of an InP MESFET with excellent I-V characteristics are reported. A record high transconductance of 110 mS/mm was measured for a 1- mu m gate length direct-Schottky-contact InP MESFET, where the InP surface was not passivated or treated prior to the deposition of the gate contact. Microwave measurements show an f/sub max/ of 11.6 GHz for this typical nominal 1- mu m gate length device. A p-type planar doped layer was inserted between the buried n-type channel and the device surface at 18 nm from the gate metal. This planar layer enhances the Schottky barrier height and device performance. >
Political Identity, Perfectionism, and Neutrality

In this chapter, I introduce and explain the relation between three seemingly conflicting claims that guide the discussion throughout the book. I argue that Rawls’s conception of political identity can reconcile the apparent conflict between these claims. The first claim is Embedded Essential Characteristics, which is the claim that characteristics that are essential to personhood or personal identity are, at least to some extent, embedded in or partially constituted by persons’ societies or values. The second claim, Public Justification, is the claim that the coercive power of the government must be justified to the people subject to the coercion by reasons they accept. The third claim is The Fact of Disagreement, which concerns the fact that liberal democratic societies are characterized by intractable disagreement on citizens’ fundamental values. In the first chapter, I use these three claims to explain how the issues in the liberal/communitarian debate relate to the current discussion of perfectionism versus neutrality in politics. I explain why looking back at the liberal/communitarian debate, which focused on Rawls’s conception of persons, can be useful as a vehicle for assessing the current perfectionism/neutrality debate as well as for developing a viable conception of political identity.
Quotients of Peck Posets

An elementary, self-contained proof of a result of Pouzet and Rosenberg and of Harper is given. This result states that the quotient of certain posets (called unitary Peck) by a finite group of automorphisms retains some nice properties, including the Sperner property. Examples of unitary Peck posets are given, and the techniques developed here are used to prove a result of Lovasz on the edge-reconstruction conjecture.
Articulating Developmental Problems for Policy Intervention: A System Dynamics Modeling Approach

Developmental problems are invariably perceived as dysfunctional existing conditions that must be changed. This often removes a policy from the factors that created a problem in the first instance. Problem articulation for policy intervention as practiced in system dynamics modeling requires, on the other hand, that a problem is viewed as an internal behavioral tendency found in a system so its causes can be determined before a corrective action is initiated, which is presented in this article as an effective way to define developmental problems. To articulate a problem, a pattern representing the problem history, called a reference mode, must be constructed before developing a model that serves as a laboratory to understand the problem and create a policy design for system change. A reference mode is, however, different from a precise time history in that it represents a pattern incorporating only a slice of the history. It requires several learning cycles to construct a reference mode from time history. A learning process based on a well-known model of experiential learning is used to describe the construction of a reference mode, which is illustrated at length by revisiting the illusive problem of food security.
Gross Effects of Gamma Radiation on the Indian-Meal Moth and the Angoumois Grain Moth

A study of the gross effects of gamma radiation on the Indian-meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), and the Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier), was conducted. All metamorphic stages of the insects were treated with 13.2±10%, 17.5, 25, 45, or 100 kilorads of gamma radiation. Weekly observations were made to check mortality, ability of treated metamorphic stages to continue their development, and reproduction by treated individuals and their first-generation progeny. Eggs of both species and larvae of the Indian-meal moth were effectively controlled by all dosages. Larvae of the Angoumois grain moth were controlled by all dosages except 13.2±10% kilorads, which permitted, some lanvae to develop to the adult stage and reproduce. The life of insects treated as adults or as pupae was not greatly shortened by the treatments, but the incidence of sterility and a marked reductiou in progeny produced per pair of moths varied directly with the dosage applied. Genetic damage, as evidenced by reduced reproduction, was transmitted to the F1 generation. When treated directly, males of both species were less subject to genetic damage than Were females; however, the progeny of treated males was more subject to genetic damage than was the progeny of treated females.
Generalized partially linear mixed-effects models incorporating mismeasured covariates

In this article we consider a semiparametric generalized mixed-effects model, and propose combining local linear regression, and penalized quasilikelihood and local quasilikelihood techniques to estimate both population and individual parameters and nonparametric curves. The proposed estimators take into account the local correlation structure of the longitudinal data. We establish normality for the estimators of the parameter and asymptotic expansion for the estimators of the nonparametric part. For practical implementation, we propose an appropriate algorithm. We also consider the measurement error problem in covariates in our model, and suggest a strategy for adjusting the effects of measurement errors. We apply the proposed models and methods to study the relation between virologic and immunologic responses in AIDS clinical trials, in which virologic response is classified into binary variables. A dataset from an AIDS clinical study is analyzed.
Connectionism and Cognitive Linguistics

Cognitive linguists hypothesize that language is the product of general cognitive abilities. Semantic and functional motivations are sought for grammatical patterns, sentence meaning is viewed as the result of constraint satisfaction, and highly regular linguistic patterns are thought to be mediated by the same processes as irregular patterns. In this paper, recent cognitive linguistics arguments emphasizing the schematicity continuum, the non-autonomy of syntax, and the non-compositionality of semantics are presented and their amenability to connectionist modeling described. Some of the conceptual matches between cognitive linguistics and connectionism are then illustrated by a back-propagation model of the diverse meanings of the preposition over. The pattern set consisted of a distribution of form-meaning pairs that was meant to be evocative of English usage in that the regularities implicit in the distribution spanned the spectrum from rules to partial regularities to exceptions. Under pressure to encode these regularities with limited resources, the network used one hidden layer to recode the inputs into a set of abstract properties. The properties discovered by the network correspond closely to semantic features that linguists have proposed when giving an account of the meaning of over.
Management of placenta accreta: a survey of Maternal-Fetal Medicine practitioners

Objective: To describe the management strategies for placenta accreta used by Maternal-Fetal Medicine practitioners. Methods: We conducted a 36-question online survey of members of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine regarding management of placenta accreta, and tabulated the results. Results: We had 508 respondents. Most respondents have been in practice for >20 years (30%), at a university-affiliated institution (58.1%). In the previous 2 years, 44.6% of respondents operated on 1–3 cases of placenta accreta, with 3% having operated on greater than 10 cases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used as a diagnostic adjunct when the suspicion for accreta is both low (43.1%) and high (68%). In asymptomatic patients with high suspicion for accreta, 15.4% of practitioners hospitalize patients antenatally, 34.5% administer corticosteroids, and 46.8% perform amniocentesis for fetal lung maturity prior to delivery, which they schedule most commonly at 36 weeks (48.4%). Equipment requested prior to delivery i...
Structure of Turbulent Jets and Wakes

The structure of two-dimensional turbulent jets and wakes is studied using two eddy viscosity models. The turbulent energy equation is used together with the mean momentum equations, and the system is closed by introducing eddy coefficients. The fine structure turbulence is obtained by applying proper boundary conditions at the mean turbulent interface position. The results, after a second averaging process, are compared with available experimental data.
Radioactive End Labeling to Determine Hydrolytic Rates of Nuclease Mimics

Radioactive end labeling can be used to determine the hydrolytic rates of nuclease mimics on moderate to long lengths of RNA or DNA. However, the reliability of end labeling as an assay can vary depending on how well the unincorporated label is removed from the labeled RNA or DNA products. Therefore, gel filtration, acid precipitation, membrane diafiltration, and paper chromatography were tested to determine which technique was the most effective at such separation. The results in order of decreasing contamination by [γ-32P]ATP were gel filtration (40%), acid precipitation (5%), diafiltration (2%), and paper chromatography (1%); and, in order of decreasing loss of RNA, were acid precipitation (30%), diafiltration (11%), gel filtration (10%), and paper chromatography (1%). In order for the resultant radioactive counts to be linearly proportional to the number of cleavage sites, the total ATP in the end-labeling reaction should be in excess of 5′-hydroxyl ends by a factor of 10 or more. Interference by nuclease mimics in the end-labeling reaction should be accounted for by including the mimics when developing a standard curve based on known concentrations of 5′-hydroxyl ends.
Clinical presentations of major depression by African Americans and whites in primary medical care practice

This study compared the psychiatric history and presenting clinical characteristics of 119 African American and 153 white patients assessed for and participating in a randomized control trial of treatments for major depression in primary care practice. African Americans and whites participated equally in the assessment process, and both groups presented with similar psychiatric treatment histories, severity of depression, level of psychosocial functioning, and severity of medical illness. However, racial differences were evident in the comorbidity of psychiatric disorders, severity of somatic symptoms, self-reported physical functioning, life stress, and health beliefs. Implications for the recognition of depression in African American primary care patients are discussed.
Magnesium Inhibits Spontaneous and Iron-induced Aggregation of α-Synuclein

Multiple studies implicate metals in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. Disturbances in brain iron metabolism are linked with synucleinopathies. For example, in Parkinson's disease, iron levels are increased and magnesium levels are reduced in the brains of patients. To understand how changes in iron and magnesium might affect the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, we investigated binding of iron to alpha-synuclein, which accumulates in Lewy bodies. Using fluorescence of the four tyrosines in alpha-synuclein as indicators of metal-related conformational changes in alpha-synuclein, we show that iron and magnesium both interact with alpha-synuclein. alpha-Synuclein exhibits fluorescence peaks at 310 and 375 nm. Iron lowers both fluorescence peaks, while magnesium increases the fluorescence peak only at 375 nm, which suggests that magnesium affects the conformation of alpha-synuclein differently than iron. Consistent with this hypothesis, we also observe that magnesium inhibits alpha-synuclein aggregation, measured by immunoblot, cellulose acetate filtration, or thioflavine-T fluorescence. In each of these studies, iron increases alpha-synuclein aggregation, while magnesium at concentrations >0.75 mm inhibits the aggregation of alpha-synuclein induced either spontaneously or by incubation with iron. These data suggest that the conformation of alpha-synuclein can be modulated by metals, with iron promoting aggregation and magnesium inhibiting aggregation.
Estimates of error probability for complex Gaussian channels with generalized likelihood ratio detection

We derive approximate expressions for the probability of error in a two-class hypothesis testing problem in which the two hypotheses are characterized by zero-mean complex Gaussian distributions. These error expressions are given in terms of the moments of the test statistic employed and we derive these moments for both the likelihood ratio test, appropriate when class densities are known, and the generalized likelihood ratio test, appropriate when class densities must be estimated from training data. These moments are functions of class distribution parameters which are generally unknown so we develop unbiased moment estimators in terms of the training data. With these, accurate estimates of probability of error can be calculated quickly for both the optimal and plug-in rules from available training data. We present a detailed example of the behavior of these estimators and demonstrate their application to common pattern recognition problems, which include quantifying the incremental value of larger training data collections, evaluating relative geometry in data fusion from multiple sensors, and selecting a good subset of available features.
Neurophysiological differences between patients clinically at high risk for schizophrenia and neurotypical controls – first steps in development of a biomarker

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe, disabling and prevalent mental disorder without cure and with a variable, incomplete pharmacotherapeutic response. Prior to onset in adolescence or young adulthood a prodromal period of abnormal symptoms lasting weeks to years has been identified and operationalized as clinically high risk (CHR) for schizophrenia. However, only a minority of subjects prospectively identified with CHR convert to schizophrenia, thereby limiting enthusiasm for early intervention(s). This study utilized objective resting electroencephalogram (EEG) quantification to determine whether CHR constitutes a cohesive entity and an evoked potential to assess CHR cortical auditory processing. Methods: This study constitutes an EEG-based quantitative neurophysiological comparison between two unmedicated subject groups: 35 neurotypical controls (CON) and 22 CHR patients. After artifact management, principal component analysis (PCA) identified EEG spectral and spectral coherence factors described by associated loading patterns. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) determined factors’ discrimination success between subjects in the CON and CHR groups. Loading patterns on DFA-selected factors described CHR-specific spectral and coherence differences when compared to controls. The frequency modulated auditory evoked response (FMAER) explored functional CON–CHR differences within the superior temporal gyri. Results: Variable reduction by PCA identified 40 coherence-based factors explaining 77.8 % of the total variance and 40 spectral factors explaining 95.9 % of the variance. DFA demonstrated significant CON–CHR group difference (P <0.00001) and successful jackknifed subject classification (CON, 85.7 %; C HR, 86.4 %c orrect). The population distribution plotted along the canonical discriminant variable was clearly bimodal. Coherence factors delineated loading patterns of altered connectivity primarily involving the bilateral posterior temporal electrodes. However, FMAER analysis showed no CON–CHR group differences.
Sampling Theory When the Sampling-Units are of Unequal Sizes

JN SAMPLING, the sampling-units are usually chosen so as to be similar in size and structure. With some types of population, however, it is convenient or necessary to use sampling-units that differ in size. Thus the farm is often the sampling-unit for collecting agricultural data, though farms in the same county may vary in land acreage from a few acres to over 1,000 acres. Similarly, when obtaining information about sales or prices, the sampling-unit may be a dealer or store, these ranging from small to large concerns. In such cases the question arises: Should differences between the sizes of the sampling-units be ignored or taken into account in selecting the sample and in making estimates from the results of the sample? This paper contains a preliminary discussion of the problem, though further research is needed, many of the results given below being only large-sample approximations. It is convenient to consider first the problem of estimation, since it appears that the best method of distributing the sample depends on the process of estimation that is to be used.
Changes in Sentence Processing as Second Language Proficiency Increases

Abstract Due to differences between the grammars of English and French, native speakers of these languages rely differently on the cues of word order, verb agreement and noun animacy in assigning the actor role. In this chapter we examine how native English speakers gain mastery over appropriate French strategies with increasing second language proficiency. The time course of this mastery includes initial abandonment of English word order strategies followed by later development of appropriate French word order strategies, and even later strengthening of an appropriate verb agreement strategy. We show how this sequence of development is tied to the properties of French input these learners receive.
An ionospheric estimate of nitric oxide concentration in the D-region*

Abstract It is shown that the dissimilar nature in the solar cycle variations in the three major competing ionizing sources for the D-region (e.g. X-rays below 8A, Lα and cosmic rays) can be used to provide an estimate for the concentration of the neutral nitric oxide at and near 70 km. Use of the electron density profiles recently given by D eeks (1965) for sunspot minimum and maximum conditions for equinox in middle latitudes give a nitric oxide concentration of 4 × 105/cm3 around 72 km, about one hundredth of Barth’s rocket-deduced value. When this value is integrated with currently available photochemical information, the following empirical distribution is indicated: n ( NO ) = 2 × 10 − 2 exp ( − 3300 T ) n ( O 2 ) + 5 × 10 − 7 n ( O ) .
A Rare Case of Penetrating Trauma Resulting in Isolated Third Nerve Palsy

A 23-year-old male presented to the emergency department with right eye pain, right upper eyelid ptosis, blurry vision, and binocular diplopia that developed immediately after he bent over in a parking lot and the antenna of a car penetrated his right upper eyelid. An extensive workup was performed, and he was found to have an isolated traumatic oculomotor nerve palsy with pupil involvement. No other ocular findings of a traumatic injury were present. The patient was observed for 14 months, during which he continually improved, with almost complete resolution of his diplopia, anisocoria, and ptosis.
A Novel Three-phase Converter Using Three-phase Series Chopper

This paper proposes a novel three-phase converter using three-phase series chopper. The proposed circuit is composed by three switching devices, three-phase diode bridge, input reactors, and LC low pass filter. In the conventional circuit which combines three-phase diode bridge and boost voltage chopper, to obtain sinusoidal input current the output voltage must be twice or three times larger than the maximum input line voltage. However, in the proposed circuit, the input current can be controlled to be sinusoidal also when the output voltage is same as the maximum input line voltage. This can be achieved because in the proposed circuit the discharging current of the reactors does not flow through the voltage source. The control method of the proposed circuit is as simple as the one of conventional circuit since all the three switching devices are simultaneously turned on and off.This paper discusses about the theoretical analysis and the design of the proposed circuit. In addition, simulation and experimental results are reported. The proposed circuit has obtained 93% as the efficiency, and 99.7% at 1.3kW load as the input power factor.
The sacred second: religious moments in a Colombo marketplace

AbstractHow does the marketplace of a busy city shape the religious practices of its shopkeepers? Combining historical and ethnographic research, this article examines the cosmopolitan past and present of Colombo’s Pettah neighbourhood. Its role as an Indian Ocean port resulted in a continual influx of new religious players, leaving its present pluralistic pantheon, from which shopkeepers (many of whom have made their own transoceanic journeys to work in other port cities like Dubai) can choose the saint or god best suited for their needs. Meanwhile, the pace of the marketplace has structured religious time accordingly; sacred moments are improvised sporadically among the bustle of the business day. Religious ritual is now part of the general pattern of marketplace routine, along with a number of other habits for passing time – unscheduled but expected activity, both personally meaningful and socially symbolic. In turn, religious performance can enhance market performance, instrumentalised in spur-of-the-...
Smartporter: A Combined Perishable Food and People Transport Architecture in Smart Urban Areas

The current bulk transit systems (e.g., buses) and local perishable food distribution logistics, both suffer from significant fuel inefficiency along with food wastage due to quality degradation in the distribution pipeline. In this paper we present a mechanism that exploits automated electric vehicles (AEVs) in future smart cities and regions to provide both people transport and fresh food distribution that minimizes empty miles of the vehicles (and thus enhances transport efficiency) while meeting the constraints on passenger transit time and food freshness. We devise an optimization framework and show how it can be solved using genetic algorithms in order to handle dynamic demands for passenger transport/products, uncertain supply delays, and variations in product availability. Performance evaluations with extensive simulations show that flexibly deciding the AEV routes improves the transportation efficiency by ~24-78% whereas improves the delivery quality by ~2 times compared to the typical fixed routes/schedules used both by regular passenger bus services and by local distribution operations.
Controlled Substance Management: Exit Strategies for the Pain Practitioner

The use of opioids for the treatment of chronic pain has exploded over the past 2 decades. Side effects and complications include but are not limited to physical dependence, addiction, abuse, misuse, diversion, and various adverse effects such as constipation, pruritus, hyperalgesia, and hypogonadism. In addition, benzodiazepines are all too often utilized to treat associated anxiety and sleep disorders, with complications as well. In many instances, the pain practitioner may find it necessary to discontinue both opioid and benzodiazepines therapy. Exit strategies in these cases should be developed that facilitate a controlled withdrawal from these medications. Medically supervised withdrawal from opioids utilizing opioid agonist therapy (OAT) is one effective technique that can be done safely in an office setting. Weaning from benzodiazepines and sedatives although challenging can be also be accomplished in the office setting. Risk mitigation strategies and overdose prevention are both essential and practical for the treatment of patients while treating patients using controlled substances for the management of pain.
Outpatient use of ceftaroline fosamil versus vancomycin for osteoarticular infection: a matched cohort study.

Objectives There are few convenient intravenous options for long-term outpatient treatment of osteoarticular infection (OAI) and limited effectiveness and safety data exist for this off-label use of ceftaroline. The objective of this study was to describe the long-term effectiveness and safety of ceftaroline for the treatment of OAI. Methods This was a matched retrospective cohort study of patients receiving ceftaroline- or vancomycin-based therapy for OAI in the outpatient setting. Patients were matched according to infection subtype, anatomical site and microbiology. The primary endpoint was 180 day infection-related readmission (IRR). Secondary endpoints included all-cause readmission, time-to-IRR and adverse event incidence. Results The final matched cohort consisted of 50 ceftaroline-treated patients and 50 vancomycin-treated patients. The IRR incidence was 22% for ceftaroline patients and 30% for vancomycin patients; OR = 0.66 (95% CI = 0.27-1.62; P = 0.362). There was no significant difference between groups in all-cause readmission or time-to-IRR. Attributable adverse event incidences were 24% and 18% for ceftaroline and vancomycin, respectively. Rash (10%) and nausea (6%) were the most common ceftaroline adverse events, while acute kidney injury (6%) and rash (4%) were the most common vancomycin adverse events. Conclusions Attributable readmission and adverse events were common among patients treated with outpatient intravenous antimicrobials for OAI. This study found no appreciable difference in effectiveness or tolerability between ceftaroline- or vancomycin-treated patients. Although further research will be important to delineate the role of ceftaroline in the management of OAI, data derived from this study may aid clinicians in determining therapy when limited options exist.
Umbilical Artery Lactate Correlates with Brain Lactate in Term Infants.

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between umbilical artery lactate with brain lactate in nonanomalous term infants. Study Design We performed a nested case–control study within an on-going prospective cohort of more than 8,000 consecutive singleton term (≥ 37 weeks) nonanomalous infants. Neonates underwent cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within the first 72 hours of life. Cases (umbilical artery pH ≤ 7.10) were gender and race matched 1:3 to controls (umbilical artery pH > 7.20). Single voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), lactate, and N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) for normalization were calculated using Siemens software (Plano, TX). Linear regression estimated the association between incremental change in umbilical artery lactate and brain lactate, both directly and as a ratio with NAA. Results Of 175 infants who underwent MRI with spectral sequencing, 52 infants had detectable brain lactate. The 52 infants with brain lactate peaks had umbilical artery lactate values of 1.6 to 11.4 mmol/L. For every 1.0 mmol/L increase in umbilical artery lactate, there was an increase in brain lactate of 0.02, which remained significant even when corrected for NAA. Conclusion MRS measured brain lactate is significantly correlated with umbilical artery lactate in nonanomalous term infants, which may help explain the observed association between umbilical artery lactate and neurologic morbidity.
Unusual Case of Congestive Heart Failure Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histopathologic Findings in Cobalt Cardiomyopathy

A 69-year-old woman presented with symptoms and examination findings consistent with congestive heart failure. She had history of hypertension, mild renal insufficiency, and bilateral hip replacements. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed left ventricular ejection fraction of 25% to 30%, normal left ventricular size and left ventricular wall thickness, and moderate pericardial effusion (Figures 1 and 2; Movie I in the Data Supplement). Pericardiocentesis removed 650 mL of straw-colored fluid, which was negative for infection or malignant cells. Coronary angiogram showed normal coronary arteries. Figure 1. Echocardiographic image showing restriction by mitral inflow. Figure 2. Echocardiographic images showing tissue Doppler imaging. She was discharged on low-dose beta blocker, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and diuretics. Over the next 4 months, her biventricular function declined significantly, leading to multiple hospitalizations for congestive heart failure or symptomatic hypotension. Cardiac MRI revealed normal left ventricular size and wall thickness with severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction of 14%. Right ventricle was normal in size with …
Constitutive NOS uncoupling and NADPH oxidase upregulation in the penis of type 2 diabetic men with erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) involves dysfunctional nitric oxide (NO) signaling and increased oxidative stress in the penis. However, the mechanisms of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) dysregulation, and the sources of oxidative stress, are not well defined, particularly at the human level. The objective of this study was to define whether uncoupled eNOS and nNOS, and NADPH oxidase upregulation, contribute to the pathogenesis of ED in T2DM men. Penile erectile tissue was obtained from 9 T2DM patients with ED who underwent penile prosthesis surgery for ED, and from six control patients without T2DM or ED who underwent penectomy for penile cancer. The dimer-to-monomer protein expression ratio, an indicator of uncoupling for both eNOS and nNOS, total protein expressions of eNOS and nNOS, as well as protein expressions of NADPH oxidase catalytic subunit gp91phox (an enzymatic source of oxidative stress) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal [4-HNE] and nitrotyrosine (markers of oxidative stress) were measured by western blot in this tissue. In the erectile tissue of T2DM men, eNOS and nNOS uncoupling and protein expressions of NADPH oxidase subunit gp91phox, 4-HNE- and nitrotyrosine-modified proteins were significantly (p < 0.05) increased compared to control values. Total eNOS and nNOS protein expressions were not significantly different between the groups. In conclusion, mechanisms of T2DM-associated ED in the human penis may involve uncoupled eNOS and nNOS and NADPH oxidase upregulation. Our description of molecular factors contributing to the pathogenesis of T2DM-associated ED at the human level is relevant to advancing clinically therapeutic approaches to restore erectile function in T2DM patients.