cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneity in hippocampal place coding

The discovery of place cells provided fundamental insight into the neural basis by which the hippocampus encodes spatial memories and supports navigation and prompted the development of computational models to explain the emergence of their spatial selectively. Many such works posit that input from entorhinal grid cells is critical to the formation of place fields, a prediction that has received mixed experimental support. Potentially reconciling seemingly conflicting findings is recent work indicating that subpopulations of pyramidal neurons are functionally distinct and may be driven to varying degrees by different inputs. Additionally, new studies have demonstrated that hippocampal principal neurons encode a myriad of features extending beyond current position. Here, we highlight recent evidence for how extensive heterogeneity in connectivity and genetic expression could interact with membrane biophysics to enable place cells to encode a diverse range of stimuli. These recent findings highlight the need for more computational models that integrate these heterogeneous features of hippocampal principal neurons.
Initial Treatment of Hypertension

Key Clinical Points Initial Treatment of Hypertension The 2017 ACC–AHA Hypertension Guideline redefines hypertension as a systolic blood pressure of 130 mm Hg or more or a diastolic blood pressure of 80 mm Hg or more and lowers the blood-pressure target to less than 130/80 mm Hg. This blood-pressure target is supported by the SPRINT trial, which showed lower hypertension-associated morbidity and all-cause mortality with a systolic blood-pressure target of less than 120 mm Hg than with a target of less than 140 mm Hg; electrolyte abnormalities, syncope, and acute kidney injury were more common in the lower-target group. The initial assessment should consider coexisting conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, in determining when to start blood-pressure–lowering medication. Recommended lifestyle modifications include restriction of dietary sodium intake, weight loss if the patient is overweight, exercise, moderation...
Low-cost wireless power efficiency optimization of the NFC tag through switchable receiver antenna

Near-field communication (NFC) readers, ubiquitously embedded in smartphones and other infrastructures can wirelessly deliver mW-level power to NFC tags. Our previous work NFC-wireless identification and sensing platform (WISP) proves that the generated NFC signal from an NFC enabled phone can power a tag (NFC-WISP) with display and sensing capabilities in addition to identification. However, accurately aligning and placing the NFC tag's antenna to ensure the high power delivery efficiency and communication performance is very challenging for the users. In addition, the performance of the NFC tag is not only range and alignment sensitive but also is a function of its run-time load impedance. This makes the execution of power-hungry tasks on an NFC tag (like the NFC-WISP) very challenging. Therefore, we explore a low-cost tag antenna design to achieve higher power delivered to the load (PDL) by utilizing two different antenna configurations (2-coil/3-coil). The two types of antenna configurations can be used to dynamically adapt to the requirements of varied range, alignment and load impedance in real-time, therefore, we achieve continuous high PDL and reliable communication. With the proposed method, we can, for example, turn a semi-passive NFC-WISP into a passive display tag in which an embedded 2.7″ E-ink screen can be updated robustly by a tapped NFC reader (e.g. an NFC-enable cell-phone) over a 3 seconds and within 1.5cm range.
Strategies and Tactics for Person-Situation Interaction

Throughout the history of personality psychology, enthusiasm for the social and biological determinants of individuality has waxed and waned in opposition to each other. When emphasis on social factors was popular, interest in biological factors was minimal, and vice versa. Currently, however, there appears to be a ‘coming together of the social and biological views. As evidenced by this international workshop, there is now the beginning of dialog on how to best integrate the social and biological perspectives on human nature. I believe this attests to the maturation of our science, in that formerly divergent lines of explanation and understanding are now converging and integrating/Moreover, this also represents the next great challenge for the science of personality. That challenge concerns how to best integrate the social and biological approaches to personality. What will an integrated perspective look like? How will a common framework be built out of such seemingly opposed perspectives? What will be the key themes and constructs that bring together and bridge the social and biological foundations?
Stellar Active Region Evolution - II. Identification and Evolution of Variance Morphologies in CA II H+K Time Series

The relative distribution of pooled variance computed at various time scales for records of chromospheric activity has been calculated for approximately 100 stars observed at Mount Wilson Observatory. As shown in Paper I, analysis of the pooled variance provides a technique for estimating the lifetimes of stellar active regions and their influence on chromospheric time series used for determining rotation and activity cycle periods. Pooled variance diagrams may be divided into three morphological types which depend to a large extent on a star's mean level of chromospheric activity (i.e., age) and B-V color (i.e., mass), and possibly depend on star's evolutionary state.
Top Ten Electrocardiographic (ECG) Abnormalities Not to Miss

This chapter presents ten cases with characteristic electrocardiographic (ECG) findings that should not be missed. The first case demonstrates the chronological ECG changes seen during ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. The case presenting sinus node dysfunction (SND) highlights the various ECG manifestations of SND. The case of atrioventricular (AV) block highlights the approach to the diagnosis of 2:1 AV block. The case of Wolff–Parkinson–White (WPW) syndrome describes the diagnostic ECG criteria for WPW syndrome and the supraventricular tachycardias associated with it. The wide complex tachycardia (WCT) case presents a stepwise algorithmic approach to the diagnosis of WCT. The case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy focuses on risk stratification for sudden death. We present the characteristic ECG findings in patients with Brugada syndrome, long QT syndrome, and early repolarization syndrome that are causes of sudden death in young patients without structural heart disease. Finally, we present the approach to the diagnosis of artifact on the ECG that is important to prevent expensive workups and unnecessary treatments.
Genetics of Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis

This review highlights recent findings regarding genetics of coronary artery calcification (CAC), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis burden, that is a precursor of clinical coronary artery disease. CAC quantity is heritable. Genome-wide association studies of common single nucleotide polymorphisms have identified genomic regions explaining ~ 2.4% of CAC heritability. Low-frequency and rare variants explain additional variation in CAC. Evidence suggests that there may be different genetic etiologies for variation in CAC progression than for cross-sectional measures of CAC. Studies integrating multiple -omics data are providing new insights into the pathobiology of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. The future is promising for innovative studies utilizing whole genome sequencing data as well as other -omics such as epigenomic modifications of genes and gene expression. These studies may provide multiple sources of data pointing to the same gene or pathway, thus providing greater confidence in findings.
Unplanned hospitalizations in a racially and ethnically diverse population of women receiving chemotherapy for epithelial ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objectives Unplanned hospital admission following chemotherapy is a measure of quality cancer care. Large retrospective datasets have shown admission rates of 10–35% for women with ovarian cancer receiving chemotherapy. We sought to evaluate the prevalence and associated risk factors for hospital admission following chemotherapy in our racially diverse urban population. Methods After IRB approval, clinicopathologic and treatment data were abstracted from all patients with newly diagnosed epithelial ovarian cancer who received chemotherapy at our institution from 2005 to 2016. Two-sided statistical analyses and Cox regression analysis were performed using Stata. Results Of 217 evaluable patients, 87 (40%) had unplanned admissions following chemotherapy: adjuvant 64 (74%) and neoadjuvant 23(26%). Thirty (14%) had more than one admission. In total, there were 1314 days of hospitalization. The median readmission duration was 3 days. Body mass index and hypertension were predictive of readmission (p Conclusions Readmission rates in our racially diverse patient population were higher than previously reported in the literature. Identifying patients at risk of readmission may play a role in chemotherapy decision-making, and resource allocation including patient care navigators.
Potential influence of p16 immunohistochemical staining on the diagnosis of squamous cell lesions in cervical biopsy specimens: observation from cytologic-histologic correlation.

Background The p16 immunohistochemical (IHC) marker has been used increasingly as an adjunct to morphologic assessment of cervical biopsies in which the differential diagnoses include high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and its mimics. The objective of this study was to assess the potential influence of p16 IHC staining on the evaluation of cervical biopsy as observed through cytologic-histologic correlation (CHC). Methods Cervical biopsy samples that had cytologic diagnoses of either low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) or HSIL and also had histologic follow-up were retrieved from the department database. CHC and the use of p16 IHC from 2 periods (group 1, 2008; group 2, 2014-2016) were compared and analyzed. Results Histology on 452 samples from patients who had prior LSIL cytology in group 1 yielded 126 benign (27.9%), 272 LSIL (60.2%), and 54 HSIL (11.9%) diagnoses. By comparison, 491 samples from the patients in group 2 yielded 106 benign (21.6%), 277 LSIL (56.4%), and 108 HSIL (22.0%) diagnoses. The difference in CHC discrepancies between the 2 groups was significant (P = .0001), mainly because of the increased diagnosis of HSIL in group 2. Although p16 IHC was not applied to any sample from group 1, it was performed on 141 of 491 samples (28.7%) from group 2. Further follow-up of patients who had histologic HSIL revealed that residual HSIL was identified significantly more often in those who did not have p16 IHC applied in the preceding cervical biopsy than in those did (P = .0004). A similar comparison was performed between 113 patients from group 1 and 152 patients from group 2 who had a prior diagnosis of HSIL cytology, and the difference was statistically insignificant. Conclusions The use of p16 IHC on cervical biopsies in patients who had a prior cytologic diagnosis of LSIL may lead to greater detection and upgrading of HSIL, thereby compounding the discrepancy in CHC.
A Method for Energy-Efficient Sampling of Analog to Digital Converters

We present PANDA, a data acquisition technique for energy-constrained sensor nodes that reduces the energy per operation required to sample and preprocess analog sensor data. PANDA takes advantage of the energy consumption patterns of commodity microcontrollers by sampling input signals in short bursts followed by long periods of inactivity. This approach reduces the overhead of repetitively transitioning the CPU and analog components in and out of low-power sleep states. This nonuniformly-spaced input data is then fed to a nonuniform FFT algorithm that computes the frequency spectrum. We show that the spectrum computed with the nonuniform FFT is very close to the spectrum that would be computed from uniformly sampled data preprocessed with a conventional FFT. The output of the nonuniform FFT can be filtered or postprocessed with conventional frequency domain analysis techniques, and a uniformly resampled output can be constructed with the conventional inverse FFT. We compare the energy consumption patterns of burst-mode sampling to those of conventional uniform sampling in several real sensor nodes. We demonstrate that for reasonably sized input datasets, burst mode sampling and postprocessing consumes more than 17 percent less energy than conventional uniform sampling, including the additional computations required to compute the nonuniform DFT.
Acousto-Optic Modulator Based on the Integration of Arsenic Trisulfide Photonic Components with Lithium Niobate Surface Acoustic Waves

An acousto-optic modulator formed by an Arsenic Trisulfide (As 2 S 3 ) Mach-Zehnder interferometer placed inside a surface acoustic wave cavity on a Lithium Niobate (LN) wafer is demonstrated for the first time. © 2019 The Author(s)
Effectiveness of the Pilates method versus aerobic exercises in the treatment of older adults with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial protocol.

Chronic low back pain is potentially disabling for older adults, and exercise is considered the best treatment. The Pilates method and aerobic exercises have been proven to be effective in pain and function improvement in patients with low back pain, but evidence in the treatment of older adults with low back pain is scarce. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the Pilates method compared to aerobic exercises in the treatment of older adults with chronic nonspecific low back pain. This is a randomized controlled trial with blinded assessor, to be held in a physical therapy clinic in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Seventy four patients aged 65 to 85 years with chronic nonspecific pain will be randomized into Pilates Group (n = 37) with exercises based on the Pilates method and Aerobic Group (n = 37) with treadmill aerobic exercise. The primary outcomes will be pain intensity and general disability, assessed eight weeks after randomization. The secondary outcomes will be: pain intensity and general disability, assessed six months after randomization; and global perceived improvement, specific disability, dynamic balance, muscle strength (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and lateral hip rotators), and pressure pain threshold, assessed eight weeks and six months after randomization. Therapists and patients will not be blinded. This study has the potential to reduce pain and, consequently, improve balance and function of older adults with chronic low back pain with both therapies. However, Pilates may be more effective because the exercises are more targeted to the trunk stabilization muscles. The results of this study may provide valuable information on the effects of Pilates and aerobic exercise in older adults with chronic low back pain and contribute to a better selection of the treatment program according to the patient preference. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02729779 , April 6, 2016.
The Other California

The surface, container and conduit have become the primary infrastructural formats for logistics, operating and negotiating the scale of urbanism and landscape. ‘Surfaces’ are planes of mediation that typically function at a territorial scale as they are primarily implicated in a form of harvesting or collection. ‘Containers’ are architectural shells of enclosure often sited between the formats of surfaces and conduits – for storing, refining, or distributing a particular good. ‘Conduits’ are used to transfer matter and energy across vast distances, cutting through local settlements, political boundaries, ecosystems, and connecting to both containers and surfaces. These spatial formats typically reside in the ‘background’ of spatial design, yet are increasingly organising large tracts of land both in the hinterland as well as on the periphery of cities. Engaging in these background logistical formats holds promise for designers to have agency over territorial arrangements and could potentially offer alternate organisations that repay nature for its unpaid work. This article uses California’s Central Valley – an operationalised landscape that sustains the state and country’s food and energy needs – as a visual case study to reveal how these formats are deployed and organised.
Effect of air flow rate and secondary air jets on the operation of TLUD gasifier cookstove

The current article presents experimental results of the operation of top-lit updraft (TLUD) gasifier cookstove. The independent variables for the experiments are secondary airflow rate, the ratio ...
Oral Semaglutide: The First-available Noninjectable Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist.

Abstract Purpose There are roughly 30 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM), with nearly 95% of these cases being type 2 (T2)-DM. The American Diabetes Association continues to recommend metformin as the first-line initial treatment of T2DM, in combination with lifestyle modifications; yet, many require multiple therapies to achieve adequate glycemic control. In patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease, adding a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist is a preferred treatment option; however, many patients are apprehensive about injecting medications. Semaglutide is the first oral option in this life-saving medication class. The purpose of this article was to review the pharmacology, clinical trials, safety profile, along with recommended dosing and costs, of oral semaglutide used for managing patients with T2DM. Methods A search through the PubMed, MEDLINE and Cochrane libraries was conducted for literature published from January 2017 through December 2020, using the key word semaglutide. Articles were selected if they were related to the approval of oral semaglutide or provided novel clinical information regarding this drug entity in its oral dosage formulation. Findings Three Phase II studies of the pharmacokinetic properties and Phase III trials from the PIONEER series were ultimately selected, as these trials were thought to provide pivotal information to the US Food and Drug Administration for the approval of oral semaglutide. Implications On review of the literature, it appeared that semaglutide is a viable option in treating T2DM. The use of this medication has been associated with glycosylated hemoglobin lowering similar to that with the injectable medication in its same class. Semaglutide was also showed some potential in preventing cardiovascular events as well as increasing weight loss.
The Evolution of Mathematics in Ancient China: From the newly discovered 數 Shu and 算數書 Suan Shu Shu Bamboo Texts to the Nine Chapters on the Art of Mathematics

The history of ancient Chinese mathematics and its applications has been greatly stimulated in the past few decades by remarkable archaeological discoveries of texts from the pre-Qin and later periods that make it possible to study in detail mathematical material from the time at which it was written. By examining the recent Warring States, Qin and Han bamboo mathematical texts currently being conserved and studied at Tsinghua University and Peking University in Beijing, the Yuelu Academy in Changsha, and the Hubei Museum in Wuhan, it is possible to shed new light on the history of early mathematical thought and its applications in ancient China. Also discussed here are developments of new techniques and justifications given for the problems that were a significant part of the growing mathematical corpus, and which eventually culminated in the comprehensive Nine Chapters on the Art of Mathematics. What follows is a revised text of an invited plenary lecture given during the 10th National Seminar on the History of Mathematics at UNICAMP in Campinas, SP, Brazil, on March 27, 2013.
Variable subject pronoun expression in Cabo-Verdean Creole: Some language-internal constraints

Abstract The Cabo-Verdean Creole (CVC) subject domain has clitic and tonic pronouns that often amalgamate in double subject pronoun constructions; the possibility of a zero-subject and the formal category underlying subject clitics are disputed (Baptista 1995, 2002; Pratas 2004). This article discusses five variable constraints that condition subject expression across three descriptive and inferential analyses of a corpus of speech collected from 33 speakers from Santiago and Maio. Double subject pronoun constructions and zero-subjects were promoted by a persistence effect, though for the former this applied across nonadjacent clauses since double subject pronoun constructions are switch reference and contrastive devices resembling the doubling of agreement suffixes by independent pronouns in languages traditionally classified as pro-drop. Zero-subjects were favored in third-person contexts as previously observed by Baptista and Bayer (2013), and when a semantically referentially deficient (Duarte & Soares da Silva 2016) DP antecedent was in an Intonational Unit that was prosodically and syntactically linked to the Intonational Unit containing the target anaphor (Torres Cacoullos & Travis 2019). Results support reclassification of CVC subject clitics as ambiguous person agreement markers (Siewierska 2004) and suggest that CVC is developing a split-paradigm for person marking and subject expression (Wratil 2009; Baptista & Bayer 2013).
Embeddings of o-groups of finite archimedean rank

We prove that for every $$n>2$$ there exists an o-group G of finite Archimedean rank n such that G cannot be embedded in a divisible o-group of Archimedean rank n, and also prove that G can be embedded in an o-group of finite Archimedean rank greater than n.
Multidirectional measures of shear modulus in skeletal muscle

Abstract The material properties of muscle play a central role in how muscle resists joint motion, transmits forces internally, and repairs itself. While many studies have evaluated muscle’s tensile material properties, few have investigated muscle’s shear properties. None of which have taken into account muscle’s anisotropic structure or investigated how different muscle architecture affect muscle’s shear properties. The objective of this study was to quantify the shear moduli of skeletal muscle in three orientations relevant to the function of whole muscle. We collected data from the extensor digitorum longus, tibialis anterior, and soleus harvested from both hindlimbs of 12 rats. These muscles were chosen to further evaluate the consistency of shear moduli across muscles with different architectures. We calculated the shear modulus in three orientations: parallel, perpendicular, and across with respect to muscle fiber alignment; while the muscle was subjected to increasing shear strain. For all muscles and orientations, the shear modulus increased with increasing strain. The shear modulus measured perpendicular to fibers was greater than in any other orientation. Despite architectural differences between muscles, we did not find a significant effect of muscle type on shear modulus. Our results show that in rat, muscles’ shear moduli vary with respect to fiber orientation and are not influenced by architectural differences in muscles.
Suicide in Dementia

In the penultimate episode of the final season of Mad Men, set in the 1960s, Betty Francis, who has recently found out that she has terminal lung cancer, has this heart-wrenchingly plain conversation with her daughter, Sally.
Fighting Words Today

For some time, the familiar free speech exception known as the ‘fighting words’ doctrine has been subject to severe judicial and scholarly critique. It turns out, though, that the fighting words doctrine, in general, is neither obsolete nor in need of radical limitation. The traditionally neglected 'inflict injury' prong of the fighting words doctrine can and should be vitalized, with only a minimal loss, if not an actual net gain, in promoting the basic purposes of freedom of speech in the first place. And the 'reactive violence' prong can and should be relieved of its historic biases and dubious assumptions. On that basis, 'reactive violence' prong cases can be more thoughtfully and realistically adjudicated. In all fighting words cases, judicial attention should be paid to the distinction between the abusive or provocative words actually used by the defendant speaker, and any underlying message, including the underlying message's naturally associated emotional fervency. Protecting the latter, in undistorted fashion, need not mean protecting the former. In most fighting words cases, any tradeoff between the value of minimal discursive civility and the values underlying freedom of undistorted speech need not be substantial.
Baby-cut carrots as convenience incentives – quality-based price discrimination on retail fresh-cut produce

Empirical evidence of quality-based price discrimination (second degree) is limited. I find consumers have positive and heterogenous valuations for the baby-cut attribute of carrots, and I model an...
Vascular Injuries of the Lower Extremity

Injury to the lower extremity encompasses approximately one quarter of all modern combat injuries. These most frequently result from blast or penetrating mechanisms. Oftentimes, these injuries are devastating and involve massive destruction to nerve, vessel, bone, and soft tissue resulting in a nonviable extremity. The ability to definitively control extremity hemorrhage and rapidly restore perfusion can certainly save a life and possibly improve the chance of salvaging a viable extremity.
Teaching case and teaching note systems equipment division at Ferrofluidics

Abstract This article comprises a case and teaching note regarding the acquisition of a capital equipment business from a large company by a small nanotechnology materials firm. Specifically, in 1981, Ferrofluidics, a nanotechnology components manufacturer operating in New Hampshire, vertically integrates by acquiring Varian's silicon crystal puller division. Ferrofluidics intends to improve the Varian puller. However, there is little overlap between the firm's materials-based capabilities and competencies, and the capabilities and competencies required for the fabrication & assembly and after-sales service of the puller. Thus the case seeks to introduce students to the discipline of intelligently choosing a new project, here in the context of commercializing a novel nanotechnology component through forward or vertical integration into an oligopolistic competitive environment. The case is appropriate for a general management of technology core class, a technology strategy class, a class on project management, a class of corporate entrepreneurial action or a class on technology entrepreneurship. The teaching note provides the instructor with the opportunity to introduce students to the Strategy Technology Firm Fit Audit, core competencies, models of innovation, forward or vertical integration, the Technology Market Matrix, the technology lifecycle and winner-take-all-or-most.
A novel pathway to TiO2, TiO2-SnO2 nanofibers and core shell structures from mesoporous molecular sieves

Abstract TiO2 and TiO2–SnO2 oxide nanofibers have been prepared by filling mesoporous silica spheres with TiCl4 and SnCl4 in an autoclave at 130 °C followed by controlled hydrolysis in air. Nanofibers with a diameter in the range of 5 ∼ 10 nm were grown from the mesoporous templates. Removal of the mesoporous silica resulted in formation of a core-shell structure. 3-D nanofiber network films were also successfully prepared from mesoporous silica, titania and indium tin oxide (ITO) films using the same strategy. Other templates being explored include mesoporous metal oxide fibers.
Studies on heart phosphofructokinase. Desensitization of the enzyme to adenosine triphosphate inhibition.

A procedure has been described for photo-oxidation of crystalline sheep heart phosphofructokinase in the presence of methylene blue. The enzyme after photo-oxidation was insensitive to ATP inhibition. Kinetic studies at pH 8.2 before and after photo-oxidation of the enzyme revealed no significant change in the Km for either fructose 6-phosphate or ATP. Kinetic studies at pH 6.9 revealed a decrease in both the Km for ATP and the Km for fructose-6-P in the photo-oxidized enzyme. The Hill coefficient of the enzyme was 3.15 before photo-oxidation and was decreased to 1.1 after photo-oxidation, indicating disappearance of homotropic interactions between different fructose-6-P sites. The photo-oxidized enzyme was not inhibited by citrate nor activated by AMP. The stability of the enzyme at pH 6.5 was increased after photo-oxidation. ATP protected the enzyme against inactivation during photo-oxidation at pH 8.0 but not at pH 6.9. Fructose-6-P, on the other hand, protected the enzyme at both hydrogen ion concentrations. Neither of the two substrates prevented the desensitization of the enzyme to ATP inhibition following photo-oxidation. The results indicate that desensitization of the enzyme to ATP inhibition is related to the presence of the enzyme in a stable conformation.
Hindering Harm and Preserving Purity: How Can Moral Psychology Save the Planet?

The issues of climate change and environmental degradation elicit diverse responses. This paper explores how anunderstandingofhumanmoral psychologymight be usedtomotivate conservationefforts.Moral concerns for the environment can relate to issues of harm (i.e., causing pain or impinging on another’s welfare) or impurity (i.e., engaging in sacrilegious, polluting, or disgusting actions). Aversions to harm are linked to concern for current or future generations, non-human animals, and anthropomorphized aspects of the environment. Concerns for purity are linked to viewing the environment as imbued with sacred value and therefore worthy of being protected at all costs. While both harm-based and purity-based framings of environmental issues can sometimes backfire, we argue that making these moral concerns salient can nevertheless bring about moral responses to environmental issues. In sum, scientists’ emerging knowledge about the moral mind can be used to facilitate the sustainable conservation of the planet.
Laparoscopic-assisted repair of femoral hernias in children

Abstract Background: Femoral hernias in children are rare, difficult to diagnose, and require a different treatment approach than the standard indirect inguinal hernia repair. Most femoral hernias in children are still repaired by using a conventional McVay technique. Objective: We have developed a simple, effective laparoscopic-assisted femoral hernia repair that avoids opening the inguinal canal in children. Patients and Methods: A 5-mm trocar is placed in the umbilicus, and the femoral hernia is visualized intracorporeally via a 30-degree laparoscope. The laparoscope is then passed into the hernia sac, with the visual axis pointing anterior toward the skin. Guided by transillumination, a 1-cm skin incision is made over the hernia sac at the upper thigh; the hernia sac is identified and dissected free from surrounding tissue. The sac is then grasped within the abdomen, inverted, twisted, and an endoscopic tie is placed at its neck. The defect between the medial pectineal and inguinal ligaments is closed...
Impact of climate change on cold hardiness of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii): environmental and genetic considerations

The success of conifers over much of the world's terrestrial surface is largely attributable to their tolerance to cold stress (i.e., cold hardiness). Due to an increase in climate variability, climate change may reduce conifer cold hardiness, which in turn could impact ecosystem functioning and productivity in conifer-dominated forests. The expression of cold hardiness is a product of environmental cues (E), genetic differentiation (G), and their interaction (G × E), although few studies have considered all components together. To better understand and manage for the impacts of climate change on conifer cold hardiness, we conducted a common garden experiment replicated in three test environments (cool, moderate, and warm) using 35 populations of coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) to test the hypotheses: (i) cool-temperature cues in fall are necessary to trigger cold hardening, (ii) there is large genetic variation among populations in cold hardiness that can be predicted from seed-source climate variables, (iii) observed differences among populations in cold hardiness in situ are dependent on effective environmental cues, and (iv) movement of seed sources from warmer to cooler climates will increase risk to cold injury. During fall 2012, we visually assessed cold damage of bud, needle, and stem tissues following artificial freeze tests. Cool-temperature cues (e.g., degree hours below 2 °C) at the test sites were associated with cold hardening, which were minimal at the moderate test site owing to mild fall temperatures. Populations differed 3-fold in cold hardiness, with winter minimum temperatures and fall frost dates as strong seed-source climate predictors of cold hardiness, and with summer temperatures and aridity as secondary predictors. Seed-source movement resulted in only modest increases in cold damage. Our findings indicate that increased fall temperatures delay cold hardening, warmer/drier summers confer a degree of cold hardiness, and seed-source movement from warmer to cooler climates may be a viable option for adapting coniferous forest to future climate.
Building adaptive estimating equations when inverse of covariance estimation is difficult

Summary. To construct an optimal estimating function by weighting a set of score functions, we must either know or estimate consistently the covariance matrix for the individual scores. In problems with high dimensional correlated data the estimated covariance matrix could be unreliable. The smallest eigenvalues of the covariance matrix will be the most important for weighting the estimating equations, but in high dimensions these will be poorly determined. Generalized estimating equations introduced the idea of a working correlation to minimize such problems. However, it can be difficult to specify the working correlation model correctly. We develop an adaptive estimating equation method which requires no working correlation assumptions. This methodology relies on finding a reliable approximation to the inverse of the variance matrix in the quasi-likelihood equations. We apply a multivariate generalization of the conjugate gradient method to find estimating equations that preserve the information well at fixed low dimensions. This approach is particularly useful when the estimator of the covariance matrix is singular or close to singular, or impossible to invert owing to its large size.
The Stability of Observational and Student Survey Measures of Teaching Effectiveness.

Responding to federal policy and recent research, states and districts have developed and begun implementing multiple-measure teacher evaluation systems. These systems generally include observational and/or student survey measures of instructional quality alongside measures of teachers’ contributions to student learning (e.g., value-added models [VAMs]). While the research base on VAMs is large and growing, less is known about the measures of instructional quality. This study focuses on the year-to-year stability of observational and student survey measures, drawing on data from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) study. Results suggest that the observational and student survey measures used in MET are somewhat more stable than measures of teachers’ contributions to student learning, but the stability is lower than that found in comparable measures in higher education. Nevertheless, reclassification rates based on these measures are high, particularly when based on...
The crystal and molecular structures of [(C6H5CH2)3P]2PdX2; X = CN, N3

The crystal structures of the complexes (I) trans-[(C 6 H 5 CH 2 ) 3 P] 2 Pd(N 3 ) 2 , and (II) trans-[(C 6 H 5 CH 2 ) 3 P] 2 Pd(CN) 2 ·2CHCl 3 have been determined by Petterson and Fourier methods. Crystal data are: (I), monoclinic, space group P2 1 /a, Z = 2, a = 13.424(16), b = 18.724(11), c = 7.673(6) A , β = 91.58(16)°; (II), triclinic, space group C , Z = 1, a = 12.301(4), b = 18.516(6), c = 10.347 A , α = 89.54(5), β = 104.86(5), γ = 88.16(4)°. The structural data illustrate that both of these complexes are trans because of the large steric bulk of the tribenzylphosphine. The conformation and cone angle of tribenzylphosphine are very flexible (the cone angle varies from 200° in (I) to 232° in (II). The phenyl rings in (II) effectively block the fifth and sixth coordination positions about the palladium whereas in (I) the ortho hydrogens of the phenyl rings occupy these positions. A sizeable cis-influence is manifest in these complexes. In this vein, the PdP distance in (I), 2.316 A is shorter than in (II), 2.331 A suggesting that cyanide exerts a greater cis-influence than azide
Prostaglandin E1 increases blood flow to the cervix uteri.

Abstract PGE1 occurs in high concentration in seminal fluid and is apparently necessary for normal fertility, although its specific function(s) is not known. We investigated the possibility that PGE1, at seminal fluid concentration, could increase cervical blood flow and, thus, potentially alter cervical mucus properties, including 02 concentration. Fifteen μg PGE1/ml placed directly on the cervix uteri increased cervical blood flow in anesthetized dogs from 0.8±0.7 to 5.7±5.1 ml/gomin 5 min following application without affecting arterial pressure or hepatic or renal blood flow. Seminal PGE1 may have effects upon oxygen tension in the cervical mucus, as well as aiding leukocyte accumulation in the cervical canal, by increasing cervical blood flow.
In-situ oxidation of crude oils for enhanced recovery by alkaline flooding

Abstract Crude oils with acid numbers too low to warrant alkaline flooding for enhanced oil recovery were subjected to in-situ air oxidation in unconsolidated cores at temperatures corresponding to reservoir conditions. The oxidation process resulted in a significant increase in the acid number of the crudes studied. Acid numbers were found to increase with temperature, air flow rate, pressure, and reaction time and were found to be affected by the core and crude composition. The range of conditions studied include temperatures of 75–125 °C, pressures of 0.34–3.10 MPa [50–450 psig], reaction times of 24–504 h and core flow rates of 0–1.41 m h −1 (0–111 ft day −1 ). Oxidized crudes were found to have much lower caustic/crude interfacial tensions than the parent crude. Flooding experiments in unconsolidated cores showed an improved recovery efficiency for an oxidized crude over its parent crude.
Provenance for Computational Tasks: A Survey

The problem of systematically capturing and managing provenance for computational tasks has recently received significant attention because of its relevance to a wide range of domains and applications. The authors give an overview of important concepts related to provenance management, so that potential users can make informed decisions when selecting or designing a provenance solution.
The economic impact of intellectual property rights: An overview and guide

This paper, adapted from a conference presentation in Venice, links the history of intellectual property protection to two important trends in this field: (1) the ‘shifting baseline’, from a presumption of no property rights and open competition, to the presumption that all intellectual effort deserves the award of a property right; and (2) growing awareness of the ‘political economy’ of these rights, which legislators can create and strengthen with little direct effect on government budgets. The paper also considers a shift in the scholarly emphasis, from the ‘brand question’ of the overall worth of intellectual property to defailed consideration of individual doctrines and rules.
Changes in limbic neuronal function during hormonal induction of lordosis in behaving hamsters

Several limbic structures influence copulatory behavior and contain receptors for estradiol and progesterone. In the present study, single neuron activity was recorded from septal, amygdaloid, and other limbic regions during the hormonal induction of lordosis in behaving golden hamsters. Limbic neurons had low firing rates and a small number showed firing associated with orienting, sniffing, and rearing. Progesterone administration to estradiol-primed hamsters produced the following neuronal effects: a reduction in the number of active neurons and narrowing of dynamic activity range; enhanced neuronal responsiveness to face stimulation; and lordosis-correlated firing, consisting of depressed activity during lordosis and increased firing at response onset or offset. Unlike previously studied midbrain and hypothalamic neurons, control progesterone injections that didn't produce lordosis were about as effective in altering limbic neuronal activity levels and sensory responsiveness as behaviorally effective injections. The progesterone effects on limbic neurons are consistent with previous evidence suggesting that these neurons tend to suppress lordosis. The significance of these results to hormone influences on epilepsy is discussed.
Retrospective analysis of etiopathogenesis of all cases of endophthalmitis at a large tertiary referral center.

Purpose To report a large, consecutive series of endophthalmitis of all causes managed at a tertiary referral retina center.
Optimization of L10-FePt/MgO/CrRu thin films for next-generation magnetic recording media

Abstract L1 0 -FePt thin films were deposited on silicon substrates with the structure of Si/CrRu/MgO/FePt. The magnetic and microstructural properties were optimized by varying the FePt sputter pressure and temperature, as well as the thicknesses of all three layers. High coercivity films greater than 1.8 T were grown when the FePt sputter pressure was at 1.33 Pa with a thickness of only 4 nm, on CrRu and MgO underlayers as thin as 10 nm and 2 nm, respectively.
Arginase modulates myocardial contractility by a nitric oxide synthase 1-dependent mechanism

Cardiac myocytes contain two constitutive NO synthase (NOS) isoforms with distinct spatial locations, which allows for isoform-specific regulation. One regulatory mechanism for NOS is substrate (l-arginine) bioavailability. We tested the hypothesis that arginase (Arg), which metabolizes l-arginine, constrains NOS activity in the cardiac myocyte in an isoform-specific manner. Arg activity was detected in both rat heart homogenates and isolated myocytes. Although both Arg I and II mRNA and protein were present in whole heart, Arg II alone was found in isolated myocytes. Arg inhibition with S-(2-boronoethyl)-l-cysteine (BEC) augmented Ca2+-dependent NOS activity and NO production in myocytes, which did not depend on extracellular l-arginine. Arg II coimmunoprecipited with NOS1 but not NOS3. Isolation of myocyte mitochondrial fractions in combination with immuno-electron microscopy demonstrates that Arg II is confined primarily to the mitochondria. Because NOS1 positively modulates myocardial contractility, we determined whether Arg inhibition would increase basal myocardial contractility. Consistent with our hypothesis, Arg inhibition increased basal contractility in isolated myocytes by a NOS-dependent mechanism. Both the Arg inhibitors N-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine and BEC dose-dependently increased basal contractility in rat myocytes, which was inhibited by both nonspecific and NOS1-specific NOS inhibitors NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester and S-methyl-l-thiocitrulline, respectively. Also, BEC increased contractility in isolated myocytes from WT and NOS3 but not NOS1 knockout mice. We conclude that mitochondrial Arg II negatively regulates NOS1 activity, most likely by limiting substrate availability in its microdomain. These findings have implications for therapy in pathophysiologic states such as aging and heart failure in which myocardial NO signaling is disrupted.
Sequences from the first fibronectin type III repeat of the neural cell adhesion molecule allow O-glycan polysialylation of an adhesion molecule chimera.

Polysialic acid is a developmentally regulated, anti-adhesive polymer that is added to N-glycans on the fifth immunoglobulin domain (Ig5) of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). We found that the first fibronectin type III repeat (FN1) of NCAM is required for the polysialylation of N-glycans on the adjacent Ig5 domain, and we proposed that the polysialyltransferases recognize specific sequences in FN1 to position themselves for Ig5 N-glycan polysialylation. Other studies identified a novel FN1 acidic surface patch and α-helix that play roles in NCAM polysialylation. Here, we characterize the contribution of two additional FN1 sequences, Pro510-Tyr511-Ser512 (PYS) and Gln516-Val517-Gln518 (QVQ). Replacing PYS or the acidic patch dramatically decreases the O-glycan polysialylation of a truncated NCAM protein, and replacing the α-helix or QVQ shifts polysialic acid to FN1 O-glycans in full-length NCAM. We also found that the FN1 domain of the olfactory cell adhesion molecule, a homologous but unpolysialylated protein, could partially replace NCAM FN1. Inserting Pro510-Tyr511 eliminated N-glycan polysialylation and enhanced O-glycosylation of an NCAM- olfactory cell adhesion molecule chimera, and inserting other FN1 sequences unique to NCAM, predominantly the acidic patch, created a new polysialyltransferase recognition site. Taken together, our results highlight the role of the FN1 α-helix and QVQ sequences in N-glycan polysialylation and demonstrate that the acidic patch primarily functions in O-glycan polysialylation.
Mitigating control-channel jamming attacks in multi-channel ad hoc networks

We address the problem of control-channel jamming attacks in multi-channel ad hoc networks. Deviating from the traditional view that sees jamming attacks as a physical-layer vulnerability, we consider a sophisticated adversary who exploits knowledge of the protocol mechanics along with cryptographic quantities extracted from compromised nodes to maximize the impact of his attack on higher-layer functions. We propose new security metrics that quantify the ability of the adversary to deny access to the control channel, and the overall delay incurred in re-establishing the control channel. We also propose a randomized distributed scheme that allows nodes to establish a new control channel using frequency hopping. Our method differs from classic frequency hopping in that no two nodes share the same hopping sequence, thus mitigating the impact of node compromise. Furthermore, a compromised node is uniquely identified through its hop sequence, leading to its isolation from any future information regarding the frequency location of the control channel.