cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LIFETIME TAXPAYER CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS OF MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Many criticisms of Medicare and Social Security have suggested that beneficiaries get more than they paid into the system over their lifetimes and these entitlement programs may be unsustainable if they are insufficiently funded. But studies do not always use appropriate assumptions for estimating lifetime values. Our simulation model properly aligns the financing sources with the benefits received by making consistent comparisons and using a more appropriate inflation adjustment. Our study suggests that using different assumptions can dramatically change the balance between contributions and benefits as compared with other analyses. Choosing the appropriate assumptions is essential for a reasoned debate on the important issues about the future and financing of Medicare and Social Security. (JEL I13, H5, H24)
Religion and ethics

The philosophical dispute concerning the relationship between religion and ethics is an ancient one. Perhaps the most often used text to introduce the issue is the part of Plato’s dialogue, Euthyphro, in which Socrates and Euthyphro debate whether the gods love piety because it is pious or whether piety is pious because the gods love it. In the first case, of course, there is some pious-making quality that is independent of and prior to the gods’ loving of piety. In the second case, the gods’ loving of piety is the pious-making quality, and the nature of piety thus derives from that loving. The fundamental question is whether ethics and ethical obligations and responsibilities are independent of God or whether they are dependent upon God. Within a traditional theistic framework, the first alternative establishes an independent moral order according to which moral obligations and moral responsibilities are derived from some source other than God and thus acquire whatever moral force they might have independently of God.1
Reconfiguring Health Care Delivery to Improve AKI Outcomes.

AKI is the most common reason for inpatient nephrology consultation and has been shown to carry an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in a variety of clinical settings ([1][1]–[3][2]). These characteristics coupled with the often delayed recognition of AKI, the lack of specific
Bench-Scale Test Apparatus for Modeling Column-Supported Embankments

Column-supported embankments (CSEs) with or without basal geosynthetic reinforcement can be used in soft ground conditions to reduce settlement by transferring the embankment load to the columns through stress redistribution above and below the foundation subgrade level. CSEs are typically used to accelerate construction and protect adjacent facilities from settlement induced by the new embankment load. Mobilization of load-transfer mechanisms to the columns in a CSE requires differential settlement at the base of the embankment. When the embankment height is low relative to the clear spacing between columns, poor ride quality can occur because of unsatisfactory differential settlement at the surface of the embankment that result from differential settlements at the base of the embankment. Currently, there is no widespread consensus on the minimum embankment height required to avoid this type of distress. This paper describes a bench-scale test apparatus, materials, test procedures, and instrumentation that were used to improve understanding of how factors such as the spacing between columns, column diameter, presence and tensile stiffness of geosynthetic reinforcement, and loading on the embankment surface affect settlement at the surface of the embankment in response to differential settlement at the base of the embankment. The results of one test performed using a single column, and one test performed using a 5 by 5 square array of columns are presented to illustrate the type of information that can be obtained using the apparatus. Future publications will synthesize the results obtained from the testing program and provide recommendations for CSE design.
Systematic Evaluation of Low‐Frequency Hiss and Energetic Electron Injections

The excitation of low frequency (LF) plasmaspheric hiss, over the frequency range from 20 Hz to 100 Hz, is systematically investigated by comparing the hiss wave properties with electron injections at energies from tens of keV to several hundred keV. Both particle and wave data from the Van Allen Probes during the period from September 2012 to June 2016 are used in the present study. Our results demonstrate that the intensity of LF hiss has a clear day-night asymmetry, and increases with increasing geomagnetic activity, similar to the behavior of normal hiss (~100 Hz to several kHz). The occurrence rate of LF hiss in association with electron injections is up to 80% in the outer plasmasphere (L > 4) on the dayside, and the strong correlation extends to lower L shells for more active times. In contrast, at lower L shells (L < 3.5), LF hiss is seldom associated with electron injections. The LF hiss with Poynting flux directed away from the equator is dominant at higher magnetic latitudes and higher L shells, suggesting a local amplification of LF hiss in the outer plasmasphere. The averaged electron fluxes are larger at higher L shells where significant LF hiss wave events are observed. Our study suggests the importance of electron injections and their drift trajectories towards the dayside plasmasphere in locally amplifying the LF hiss waves detected by the Van Allen Probes.
La desapropiación de la escritora

Este articulo muestra las diferentes etapas por las que pasaron las mujeres y las protagonistas en la imaginacion literaria masculina durante los ultimos dos siglos, y como las escritoras espanolas han intentado deconstruir estos estereotipos. Los autores masculinos, obsesionados con el “riesgo de la sexualidad femenina”, representaron sus personajes femeninos primero como seres asexuales, angelicos, mas tarde como adulteras, y finalmente como femmes fatales. Denegaron a las mujeres escritoras un lugar dentro del canon literario hasta que, paradojicamente, cobraron cierta importancia en la epoca franquista.
When a corporation rapes: perceptions of rape in civil court for corporate defendants

In recent years, the coupling of poor outcomes for rape victims in criminal court and the widening scope of legal responsibility for sexual assault has prompted plaintiffs to file civil suits for r...
Donor-specific hypo-responsiveness occurs in simultaneous liver-kidney transplant recipients after the first year

Kidney allografts of patients who undergo simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation incur less immune-mediated injury, and retain better function compared to other kidney allografts. To characterize the host alloimmune responses in 28 of these patients, we measured the donor-specific alloresponsiveness and phenotypes of peripheral blood cells after the first year. These values were then compared to those of 61 similarly immunosuppressed recipients of a solitary kidney or 31 recipients of liver allografts. Four multicolor, non-overlapping flow cytometry protocols were used to assess the immunophenotypes. Mixed cell cultures with donor or third party cells were used to measure cell proliferation and interferon gamma production. Despite a significant overlap, simultaneous liver-kidney transplant recipients had a lower overall frequency of circulating CD8+, activated CD4+ and effector memory T cells, compared to solitary kidney transplant recipients. Simultaneous liver-kidney transplant recipient T cells had a significantly lower proliferative response to the donor cells compared to solitary kidney recipients (11.9 vs. 42.9%), although their response to third party cells was unaltered. The frequency of interferon gamma producing alloreactive T cells in simultaneous liver-kidney transplant recipients was significantly lower than that of solitary kidney transplant recipients. Flow cytometric analysis of the mixed cultures demonstrated that both alloreactive CD4+ and CD8+ compartments of the simultaneous liver-kidney transplant recipient circulating blood cells were smaller. Thus, the phenotypic and functional characteristics of the circulating blood cells of the simultaneous liver-kidney transplant recipients resembled those of solitary liver transplant recipients, and appear to be associated with donor-specific hypo-alloresponsiveness.
The Differences in the Cases for and Against Preferential Treatment Based on Sex and Those Based on Race

I have serious qualms about the wording of my topic, especially about the expression “preferential treatment.” In addition, I do not think the question I am to address looms as an important issue in the current literature. Nonetheless, I think it is of considerable interest to explore the different cases to be made for minorities and women, because such an investigation can open up insights into the nature of racism and sexism in our society. Moreover, the picture of racism and sexism, that I think emerges has important consequences for the issue of preferential treatment.
Visual Snow Syndrome Successfully Treated with Lamotrigine: Case Report. (P4.129)

Objective: The aim is to report a case of visual snow syndrome amenable to treatment with lamotrigine and review relevant case series. Background: Visual snow is a rare phenomenon of seeing “spots” or “television static” when in the entire visual field, with otherwise normal clinical examination. While initially reported as a persistent visual migraine phenomenon, there is increasing recognition of visual snow as a distinct syndrome. Visual snow occurs bilaterally unlike unilateral visual phenomena in migraine with aura. Design/Methods: Pubmed was searched using keyword “visual snow” from 1/1/2013 to 10/1/2017. Results: Proposed diagnostic criteria for visual snow syndrome by Schankin et al. (2014) were reviewed. Opinion statement by Bou and Pelak and case report by Unal-Cevik and Yildiz detailing lamotrigine treatment were retrieved. Simpson (2013) and Schankin (2016) report lack of response to treatment including no response in 6 other case series, resolution with naproxen in one case and partial improvement on sertraline in one case. Case report: The patient is a 22 year old right handed male, who presented with seeing static like visual changes since age 18. Initially, these occurred intermittently and 1.5 years ago became continuous. There is associated photopsia and palinopsia. His mother had post herpetic neuralgia but family history was negative for migraine. He had a normal 3T MRI brain, brainstem and auditory evoked potentials, as well as ophthalmological evaluation including funduscopic and visual field examination and normal neurological examination. He received lamotrigine dose escalation to 75 mg BID with complete resolution of symptoms. Conclusions: Visual snow syndrome is a benign disorder which may be amenable to treatment with lamotrigine, which has so far been reported in only one case report and one opinion statement. Disclosure: Dr. Fekete has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Teva Neuroscience, Neurocrine, Inc., Acadia Pharmaceutical, Inc., Lundbeck, LLC. Dr. Fekete has received research support from Lundbeck, LLC.
Building a Community of Learners in and outside the Classroom.

Learning Communities (LCs) and First-Year Seminars (FYS) are common support systems for college students. This article explores the use of such systems with undergraduate international students in their first semester of study as a means to help them better acclimate to campus life and rigorous classroom expectations.
Organizational Commitment, Job Redesign, Employee Empowerment and Intent to Quit Among Survivors of Restructuring and Downsizing

This study is designed to determine the relationship between job redesign, employee empowerment and intent to quit measured by affective organizational commitment among survivors of organizational restructuring and downsizing. It focused on middle level managers and employees in supervisory positions because survivors of this group are often called upon to assume expanded roles, functions and responsibilities in a post restructuring and downsizing environment. The results show statistically significant positive relationships between job redesign, empowerment and affective commitment. It therefore, provides empirical data to support theoretical models for managing and mitigating survivors’ intent to quit and subsequent voluntary turnover among survivors of organizational restructuring and downsizing. The implications of these findings, which suggest expanded roles for job redesign and employee empowerment, are discussed.
Mathematical problem solving and learning in an architecture-themed epistemic game

This mixed methods study is aimed to examine the feasibility of integrating mathematical problem solving with architectural design via a 3D epistemic simulation game to promote active mathematics learning for middle-school students. The experimental-control pretest/posttest group design was adopted to examine whether the experience of interacting with an architecture simulation game would improve students’ math knowledge for and performance of problem solving. Data were collected from 61 6th graders via both quantitative and qualitative methods, including math problem-solving and mental rotation tests, video- and screen-capture of game play behaviors, observation, as well as game logs. The study results indicated that the gaming group performed significantly better than the non-gaming control group in the math context problem solving test. The infield observation and participants’ gaming behavior analysis suggested that the learning and practice of mathematical problem solving during gaming is a cognizant and planned endeavor framed by carefully designed game actions and objects.
Standard Antithymocyte Globulin Dosing Results in Poorer Outcomes in Overexposed Patients after Ex Vivo CD34+ Selected Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

ABSTRACT Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) use mitigates the risk of graft rejection and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), but ATG overexposure in the setting of lymphopenia negatively affects immune recovery. We hypothesized that standard empiric weight-based dosing of ATG, used to prevent graft rejection in ex vivo CD34-selected allo-HCT, may lead to serious adverse consequences on outcomes in certain patients. We evaluated 304 patients undergoing myeloablative-conditioned ex vivo CD34-selected allo-HCT with HLA-matched donors for the treatment of hematologic malignancies. Patients received rabbit ATG at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg/day i.v. on days -3 and/or -2. An ATG dosing cutoff of 450 mg was used for statistical analyses to assess the relationship between ATG and overall survival (OS). Among all patients, median total ATG dose was 360 mg (range, 130 to 510 mg); 279 (92%) received a total dose of ATG ≤450 mg, and 25 (8%) received a total dose >450 mg. On the first day of ATG administration (day -3), the median absolute lymphocyte count was .0 K/µL. For patients who received a total dose of ATG >450 mg or ≤450 mg, the incidences of acute and late-acute GVHD grade II-IV were statistically similar. At 3 years post-HCT, for patients who received a total dose of ATG >450 mg or ≤450 mg, nonrelapse mortality (NRM) rates were 35% and 18%, respectively (P = .029), disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 37% and 61%, respectively (P = .003), and OS rates were 40% and 67%, respectively (P = .001). Among all patient and HCT characteristics in multivariable analyses, receipt of a total dose of ATG >450 mg was associated with an increased risk of NRM (hazard ratio [HR], 2.9; P = .01), shorter DFS (HR, 2.0; P = .03), and inferior OS (HR, 2.1; P = .01). In summary, the use of weight-based ATG at a time of relative lymphopenia before ex vivo CD34-selected allo-HCT results in overdosing in heavier patients, leading to higher NRM and lower DFS and OS. Further pharmacokinetic investigation in this setting is critical to determining the optimal dosing strategy for ATG.
Framing Culture and Diversity Today: Cultural Hegemony

The theoretical essay uses Antonio Gramsci’ s theory of cultural hegemony to examine the rise of Trump. The first in a series, it initiates the argument that cultural hegemony must be taken into account when discussing issues related to culture and diversity, beginning with class or socio- economic status differences.
Vaping is a risk factor for spontaneous pneumothorax: Two cases

Abstract Smoking is associated with an increased risk of spontaneous pneumothorax. Typically linked to tobacco smoking and cannabis use, to date there have been no reports of spontaneous pneumothorax associated with electronic cigarette use or “vaping.” Rates of vaping are rapidly rising amongst adolescents. We present two male patients age 15 and 16 who had a spontaneous pneumothorax after vaping and were initially treated with tube thoracostomy placement. Both patients had recurrences requiring surgical intervention and have been recurrence-free since. This is the first known report of vaping and its association with spontaneous pneumothorax. A comprehensive smoking history that includes vaping is important in patients presenting with suspected pneumothoraces as it can lead to earlier cessation interventions, help prevent recurrence, and raise suspicion for pneumothorax in patients presenting without severe symptoms. As more studies demonstrate vaping-associated lung injury, we advocate for stricter standards of quality control for electronic cigarettes and encourage legislators to do the same.
Associations of CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 Pharmacogenetic Variation with Phenytoin-Induced Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions.

The role of cytochrome P450 (CYP)2C9 and CYP2C19 genetic variation in risk for phenytoin-induced cutaneous adverse drug events is not well understood independently of the human leukocyte antigen B (HLA-B)*15:02 risk allele. In the multi-ethnic resource for Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging (GERA) cohort, we identified 382 participants who filled a phenytoin prescription between 2005 and 2017. These participants included 21 people (5%) who self-identified as Asian, 18 (5%) as black, 29 (8%) as white Hispanic, and 308 (81%) as white non-Hispanic. We identified 264 (69%) CYP2C9*1/*1, 77 (20%) CYP2C9*1/*2, and 29 (8%) CYP2C9*1/*3. We also determined CYP2C19 genotypes, including 112 with the increased activity CYP2C19*17 allele. Using electronic clinical notes, we identified 32 participants (8%) with phenytoin-induced cutaneous adverse events recorded within 100 days of first phenytoin dispensing. Adjusting for age, sex, daily dose, and race/ethnicity, participants with CYP2C9*1/*3 or CYP2C9*2/*2 genotypes were more likely to develop cutaneous adverse events compared with CYP2C9*1/*1 participants (odds ratio 4.47; 95% confidence interval 1.64-11.69; P < 0.01). Among participants with low-intermediate and poor CYP2C9 metabolizer genotypes, eight (22%) who also had extensive and rapid CYP2C19 metabolizer genotypes experienced cutaneous adverse events, compared with none of those who also had intermediate CYP2C19 metabolizer genotypes (P = 0.17). Genetic variation reducing CYP2C9 metabolic activity may increase risk for phenytoin-induced cutaneous adverse events in the absence of the HLA-B*15:02 risk allele.
On compactness of Hankel and the $\overline{\partial}$-Neumann operators on Hartogs domains in $\mathbb{C}^2$

We prove that on smooth bounded pseudoconvex Hartogs domains in $$\mathbb {C}^2$$ compactness of the $$\overline{\partial }$$ -Neumann operator is equivalent to compactness of all Hankel operators with symbols smooth on the closure of the domain.
Direct oral anticoagulants and the risk of osteoporotic fractures in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Background:The incidence of osteoporotic fracture increases with age, particularly in elderly populations with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have less effect...
Reduced asymmetry of the hand knob area and decreased sensorimotor u-fiber connectivity in middle-aged adults with autism

Abstract Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently present with impairments in motor skills (e.g., limb coordination, handwriting and balance), which are observed across the lifespan but remain largely untreated. Many adults with ASD may thus experience adverse motor outcomes in aging, when physical decline naturally occurs. The ‘hand knob’ of the sensorimotor cortex is an area that is critical for motor control of the fingers and hands. However, this region has received little attention in ASD research, especially in adults after midlife. The hand knob area of the precentral (PrChand) and postcentral (PoChand) gyri was semi-manually delineated in 49 right-handed adults (25 ASD, 24 typical comparison [TC] participants, aged 41-70 years). Using multimodal (T1-weighted, diffusion-weighted, and resting-state functional) MRI, we examined the morphology, ipsilateral connectivity and laterality of these regions. Correlations between hand knob measures with motor skills and autism symptoms, and between structural and functional connectivity measures were also investigated. The right PrChand volume was greater, and typical leftward laterality of PrChand and PoChand volume was lower in the ASD than the TC group. Furthermore, we observed increased mean diffusivity of the right PoC-PrChand u-fibers in the ASD group. In the ASD group, right PoC-PrChand u-fiber volume was negatively associated with current autism severity, and positively associated with right PoC-PrChand functional connectivity (FC). Correlations of hand knob measures were observed with manual dexterity and coordination skills but did not survive multiple comparisons correction. Our findings suggest decreased morphological laterality and u-fiber connectivity of the sensorimotor network involved in hand function in middle-aged adults with ASD. The altered morphology may relate to atypical functional asymmetries found in ASD earlier in life, but additionally, could reflect an overreliance on right hemisphere motor circuits over time. The right PoC-PrChand u-fibers may underlie compensatory self-regulation of unwanted core motor behaviors seen in ASD.
Perioperative chemotherapy versus adjuvant chemotherapy strategies in resectable gastric and gastroesophageal cancer: A Markov decision analysis.

Abstract Background Perioperative chemotherapy has been shown to improve overall survival (OS) for operable gastric and gastroesophageal cancer. However, optimal sequence of surgery and chemotherapy has not been clearly identified. Markov models are useful for analyzing the outcomes of different treatment strategies in the absence of adequately powered randomized clinical trials. In this study, we use Markov decision analysis models to compare median OS (mOS), quality-adjusted mOS, life expectancy (LE), and quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) of perioperative chemotherapy with adjuvant chemotherapy strategies in resectable gastric and gastroesophageal cancer patients. Methods Markov models are constructed to compare two strategies: adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery and preoperative chemotherapy followed by cancer resection and postoperative chemotherapy. LE and QALE are calculated analytically, and mOS are obtained by simulation. Parameters used in the models are computed from prospective clinical trial data published in PUBMED from January 2000 to July 2020. Results Total of 8088 patients from 25 prospective studies were included in this analysis. Regardless of R0 resection ratio, the analyses of the models show a higher mOS for patients in the perioperative therapy arm compared to adjuvant chemotherapy. For R0 resected patients, the perioperative therapy arm provided an additional 11.0 mOS months (61.3 months vs. 50.3 months). For R1 resected patients, the perioperative therapy arm had mOS of 17.0 months vs. 10.7 months in adjuvant therapy. Conclusions The Markov models indicate that perioperative chemotherapy improves mOS, quality-adjusted mOS, LE, and QALE for resectable gastric and gastroesophageal cancer patients compared to adjuvant chemotherapy strategies.
Cannabidiol Use, Substitution for Medications, and Perceptions of Effectiveness in Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain

Study Objective To describe the prevalence and patterns of cannabidiol (CBD) use in women with co-existing chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and fibromyalgia, and to evaluate characteristics associated with pain improvement. Design Cross-sectional, anonymous survey. Setting Web-based survey distributed by National Fibromyalgia Association in April-May 2020. Patients or Participants Female respondents with fibromyalgia who also self-reported diagnosis of CPP due to endometriosis, vulvodynia, interstitial cystitis or urinary chronic pelvic pain (IC/UCPP), and/or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Interventions Participants completed survey including self-reported CBD use patterns, substitution of CBD for medications, and self-reported improvement in pain due to CBD. Measurements and Main Results Our sample included 1382 women with ≥1 CPP diagnosis: 26.0% with endometriosis, 4.2% with vulvodynia, 14.0% with IC/UCPP, and 84.4% with IBS. Participants were classified by CBD use: current (n=477, 34.5%), past (n=404, 29.2%), or never (n=501, 36.3%). Of those who discontinued CBD, 61.6% did so because it did not improve symptoms. Participants who used CBD most commonly did so for pain (96.4%), sleep (48.8%) and anxiety (46.1%), with 80.9% reporting that CBD improved their pain. Side effects were minimal, with patients reporting an average of 1.0±1.3 side effects. The majority of participants (75.9%) reported substituting CBD for pain medications, including NSAIDs (45.3%), opioids (39.8%), gabapentinoids (27.7%), and benzodiazepines (19.3%). Compared to those who did not report pain improvement (n=91, 19.1%), those who reported improved pain had a higher proportion of substituting CBD for pain medications (p=0.003), reported greater improvements in other symptom domains (sleep, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and overall health, all p≤0.001). Conclusion Among women with FM and co-morbid CPP, over 60% reported past or current use of CBD. About half of participants who ever used CBD for pain reported improved pain, and many substitute CBD for pain medications including opioids and benzodiazepines.
The role of gastrointestinal peptides on pancreatic secretion in response to different stimulants in conscious rats.

Effects of intragastric food, intraduodenal amino acids, and intravenously administered bombesin and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) were examined in conscious rats with pancreatic fistula in terms of responses of exocrine pancreatic secretion, plasma levels gastrin, and cholecystokinin (CCK). Pancreatic juice and blood samples were collected at regular intervals before and after the stimuli. Intragastric food increased pancreatic secretion and plasma levels of gastrin and CCK. Intraduodenal infusion of amino acids had no effect on pancreatic secretion and plasma levels of gastrin and CCK. Intravenous infusion of bombesin at 1 μg/kg/h induced significant increases in pancreatic volume and protein outputs, but had no effect on plasma levels of gastrin and CCK. Bombesin infusion at 10 μg/kg/h resulted in significant increases in pancreatic volume and protein outputs as well as plasma gastrin levels, but had no effect on plasma CCK levels. Intravenous infusion of GRP induced increases in pancreatic volume and protein outputs and plasma gastrin levels, but had no effect on CCK levels. Antrectomy resulted in significant decreases in basal levels of plasma gastrin. GRP-stimulated pancreatic volume and protein outputs were not significantly changed by antrectomy. In rats that underwent antrectomy, GRP infusion significantly increased pancreatic volume and protein outputs, but had no effect on plasma levels of gastrin and CCK. Food-stimulated pancreatic secretion and plasma levels of gastrointestinal peptides of rats were similar to other species, but amino acids, bombesin, or GRP may not be the stimulants for CCK release in rats. The stimuli that release CCK from duodenal mucosa probably varies among species.
Intentions: The Contents

The aim of this chapter is to study some possible accounts of the nature and role of intentions (contents) in light of an array of data we must first describe. Any plausible view must accomodate these data. We will examine some leading candidate theories. The view which emerges in the end is eclectic and lacks the unity each of the theories examined attempts to feature. This is due to the force of the complex data. A simplistic theory can seem plausible only because some of the data are ignored, so that we get a truncated version of the role of the contents of practical thinking, considering what to do, and intending to do some thing. We must attempt to balance the complexities we encounter with the need for a simple theory of the nature, structure and role of (even) simple intentions.
Assessing village life and monument construction (cal. AD 65–1070) along the central Gulf Coast of Florida through stable isotope geochemistry

Given recent debates and reinterpretation of large-scale shell deposits as monuments rather than midden in the emerging dialogue in world archaeology regarding shell sites, we need better quantitative assessments of the temporality of shell deposit formation. Here we couple Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon dates with the results from our study of shell isotopes from C. virginica from the Crystal River and the Roberts Island Shell Mound Complex, neighboring and temporally overlapping shell mound sites on the central Gulf Coast of Florida. Linking these two lines of data is a new methodological approach which provides a more detailed understanding of the temporality of traditions. The results indicate that midden accumulation occurred throughout the year in the later phases of occupation at both sites. In contrast, oyster from mound deposits appears to indicate season of collection predominately during the colder months of the year. This contrast between mound and midden season of collection suggests that episodes of feasting and associated monument construction may have been of relatively limited temporal duration.
Primary culture of rat alveolar type II cells on floating collagen membranes: Morphological and biochemical observations

Abstract Alveolar type II cells, isolated from adult rats, were maintained on floating collagen membranes. The cells retained many of the morphologic features of type II cells of intact lung and showed better structural preservation than cells cultured directly on plastic dishes. They produced a basal lamina and formed a monolayer which was composed of type II cells joined by complex intercellular junctions. The cytoplasm contained lamellated inclusions, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and other organelles. Although type II cells cultured on collagen membranes appeared structurally similar to those of intact lung, they incorporated a lower percentage of [U-14C]glycerol into phosphatidylglycerol, a marker for the lipids of surface-active material from adult rats, as time in culture increased. The type of lipids synthesized from [U-14C]glycerol and the activity of phosphatidate phosphatase was not changed by supplementing the medium with dexamethasone and/or insulin. Dexamethasone did, however, increase the number of cells attached to the collagen membranes. Although culture of type II cells on collagen membranes improves retention of differentiated cell structure, additional improvements in the culture system will be required for full expression of cellular biosynthetic activity.
Examining associations between negative urgency and key components of objective binge episodes.

Negative urgency (NU; tendency to act impulsively when experiencing negative emotions) is a critical trait-based risk factor for binge eating (1). NU is one of five factor-analytically derived personality pathways to impulsive behavior (2). A meta-analysis found that, of these personality pathways, NU demonstrated the strongest relationship with binge eating (3). In longitudinal research, NU prospectively predicted increases in binge eating in college women and middle school girls (4; 5), and NU shares genetic underpinnings with binge eating (6). Importantly, most research has used questionnaire measures of binge eating in community samples (for exceptions, see 7; 8), and whether NU predicts interviewer-assessed objective binge episodes (OBEs) is unclear. Confirming relations with OBEs determined via interviews is critical, given poor convergence of interview and questionnaire measures of binge eating in non-clinical samples (9; 10). Further, research has not investigated the relationship between NU and the two defining features of OBEs: loss of control (LOC) eating and objective overeating (OO). Examining differential associations between NU and these independent binge eating components not only helps to isolate the precise mechanisms that link NU to OBEs but also has implications for a range of pathological eating issues. Given the above, the current study compared levels of NU in women from the community with OBEs, LOC eating only, and OO only to women with no pathological eating. The study aims were to: 1) confirm that NU is associated with interviewer-assessed OBEs; and 2) examine whether NU is related to both LOC and OO components of OBEs.
Integrated 200 Mbit/s receiver: silicon CMOS transimpedance amplifier with a thin film InGaAs photodetector

Summary form only given. In this paper, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, the operation of a digital CMOS optical receiver integrated with a high-efficiency inverted metal-semiconductor-metal (I-MSM) thin-film, which operates at 200 Mbit/s at a wavelength of 1300 nm.
Eavesdropping as Rhetorical Tactic: History, Whiteness, and Rhetoric.

At a cocktail party at the CCCC convention in 1997,1 overheard a male voice say, "I guess it's hip to be a white guy again, huh?" I immediately wondered, "How did whiteness become a hip topic at cocktail parties? And does he think it's hip to be a white 'gal' too?" After returning home, I continued to wonder about what his words implied. How does history function so as to make such comments possible? What exactly does it mean to be "a white guy"? And how do history and whiteness (and the history of whiteness) inform rhetoric and composition studies? This comment, the fortuitous moment of overhearing it, and my subsequent questions have haunted me ever since, ultimately compelling me to write this article, which proposes eavesdropping as a rhetorical tactic and then employs it to investigate intersections of history, whiteness, and rhetoric. In the United States, scholarly discussions of history and rhetoric have rarely included whiteness as a principal object of analysis. Instead, when rhetoric was first recovered for composition studies, rhetorical theories were presented as ahistorical structures that could be lifted from, say, fourth-century BCE Greece and dropped into, say, twentieth-century U.S. politics in an effort to persuade, say, Southern Democrats to vote for Richard Nixon (circa 1968) and George W. (circa 2000). The idea was that rhetorical theories are timeless; the applications, time-bound. This idea has been challenged by scholars, such as James Berlin, who have argued that rhetorical theories are not timeless but are always grounded in the sites of their origins (115). This idea has also been challenged by scholars?again, such as James Berlin?who have argued that rhetorical
Rapid earthquake rupture duration estimates from teleseismic energy rates, with application to real-time warning

[1] We estimate the seismic rupture durations from global large earthquakes (moment magnitude ≥ 7.0) by characterizing changes in the radiated P-wave energy and by introducing the time-averaged cumulative energy rate (TACER), which approximates rupture duration based on the peak first local maximum of an earthquake's high-frequency energy measured at teleseismic broadband seismometers. TACER is particularly useful for real-time evaluations, including the identification of slow-rupturing tsunami earthquakes. In cases of long unilateral earthquake rupture and good azimuthal station distribution, the per-station behavior of TACER may identify the approximate rupture direction, rupture velocity, and length due to directivity effects. We retrospectively analyze 93 earthquakes between 2000 and 2009, and analyze another 65 earthquakes using real-time observations between January 2009 and December 2012. Real-time and retrospective results are comparable and similar to the duration expected from other studies where duration grows as the cubed-root of seismic moment.
The Origins of Tritium and Helium Effects on the Tensile Properties of Metals

In this paper, the effects of internal tritium and helium on the tensile properties of two austenitic stainless steels and an iron-based superalloys have been studied. The materials tested were, forged 21 Cr-6Ni-9Mn and 304L (tested in the annealed condition and tow forged conditions), and a modified A-286 alloy. The accumulation of {sup 3}He from the radioactive decay of tritium caused an increase in the yield strength and a continuous decrease in the ductility in almost all materials tested. Increased {sup 3}He concentrations also caused a change in fracture mode form ductile rupture to predominantly intergranular fracture. The property changes resulted from {sup 3}He bubble-induced strengthening, which produced a change in deformation mode form long-range dislocation activity to deformation twinning. In the deformation-twinning mode, the {sup 3}He-accelerated fracture initiated at the intersections of deformation twins with grain boundaries. High-strength forged 304L was most resistant to {sup 3}He effects owing to the redistribution of {sup 3}He on dislocations.
The Knowledge of Rehabilitation Professionals Concerning Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

The purpose of this study was to explore rehabilitation professionals' knowledge regarding signs and symptoms, prevention, and intervention of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Participants were 111 rehabilitation practitioners (e.g., occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology practitioners) recruited through email using a quantitative online survey design with purposive, snowball sampling. Results showed the majority of participants' demonstrated accurate knowledge of the signs and symptoms of FASD. Since professionals who received formal education on FASD reported significantly higher feelings of preparedness to identify children with FASD and manage/coordinate intervention plans, this study suggests rehabilitation professionals may be better prepared to treat individuals with FASD if they participate in formal training.
A Severance Tax Revenue Forecast Model for Louisiana

Most states levy severance taxes on the value of natural resources when they are severed or extracted from the ground or subsurface. In Louisiana, severance tax on oil and gas production contributes to the majority of mineral revenue in the state, and over the last decade, has ranged between $400 million and $1.1 billion, or between 5 and 9% of annual state revenue. The purpose of this article is to develop a forecast model for severance tax revenue to better understand the severance tax regime and to assist in state budgeting and planning purposes. We couple an oil and gas production model with empirical relationships describing historical severance tax receipts to perform the forecast. We demonstrate that oil production correlations are robust, but that in recent years, unconventional gas production from the Haynesville shale has led to a significant departure from historic trends. We estimate that cumulative oil and gas severance tax revenues during 2011–2015 will range from $1.0 to $2.1 billion for oil and $1.3–$1.9 billion for gas. Louisiana is transforming into a gas-producing state, and more attention needs to be paid to tax design and the impact of exemptions on future severance revenue receipts.
Pulse-length-limited ultrafast pump–probe spectroscopy in a single laser shot

We demonstrate a scheme for taking single-shot pump–probe data with femtosecond time resolution. Data recorded from a 100-μm-thick dye solution show that pulse-length-limited resolution can be achieved readily with 70-fs laser pulses. This technique opens the door for the study of irreversible ultrafast processes in a wide variety of solids. Also, unlike with conventional techniques, in this method multiple-shot data are not affected by shot-to-shot laser intensity fluctuations.
A UNIQUE NEW MODEL TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF URINARY DIVERSION IN THE DEVELOPING RABBIT BLADDER

AbstractPurpose: Little is known about the developmental effects of high urinary diversion and bladder defunctionalization in infancy. Although clinical experience shows that a poorly functional bladder may result from urinary diversion in infancy, the mechanisms of change and specific bladder wall alterations have not been well characterized. We hypothesized that cyclic filling and emptying are necessary for normal bladder development. To investigate this important question we created a new animal model.Materials and Methods: We designed a new method of hemibladder urinary diversion in 3-week-old New Zealand white rabbits. After vertical midline bladder division half of the bladder was formed into a functional reservoir, which remained in continuity with the ipsilateral ureter and urethra. The other bladder half was defunctionalized and isolated from the urine flow by ureteral ligation. Diversion was created for 3, 7, 14 and 28 days. Urodynamic evaluation was done in the functionalized hemibladders and a...
Two characterizations of the exponential distribution

A sequence Xn ≥ 1 of independent and identically distrinbuted random variable with absoiutely continuous cumulative distribution function F ( x ) is considered. X j is a record value of this sequence if .Let X L(n) n≤o with L(0)=1 be the sequence of such record values and Z n,m =X L(n)-X L(m) suppose is the with smallest order statistic in a random sample of size n from F and . Two characterizations of the exponential distribution are given based on the distributional properties of Zn,m and Tk,n.
Cut and conjugate loci in two-step nilpotent Lie groups

We show that cut and conjugate loci coincide for a large class of nilpotent Lie groups with left-invariant metric. One consequently obtains lower bounds for the injectivity radius of nonsingular 2-step nilmanifolds. The Jacobi equations are also used to classify Riemannian foliations of 3-dimensional nilmanifolds.
Public reporting and pay-for-performance programs in perioperative medicine: Are they meeting their goals

Public reporting and pay-for-performance reimbursement are two strategies designed to stimulate hospital quality improvement. Information about the quality of hospital care (including surgical volumes and staffing, process-based measures, and mortality and other outcomes) is compiled on various Web sites, giving the public means to compare providers. While public reporting has been shown to foster quality-improvement activities by hospitals, its effects on clinical outcomes are less certain. Likewise, consumers' awareness and use of publicly available hospital and provider quality data have been low but appear to be increasing.
Broncholithiasis : Report of a Case Occurring in Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis

SUMMARY Broncholithiasis has been discussed and the literature briefly reviewed. A case of broncholithiasis occurring in active tuberculosis is reported. It is suggested that the incidence of such cases is greater than recorded. More frequently the patient should be specifically queried regarding this phenomenon.
Probing excited-state electron transfer by resonance Stark spectroscopy: 3. Theoretical foundations and practical applications

Resonance Stark effects are nonclassical Stark effects associated with excited-state charge-transfer processes. The theory of resonance Stark effects developed in Part 2 of this series is generalized in a number of respects. The equations are modified to allow for violations of the Condon approximation and to allow for inhomogeneous contributions to absorption and Stark line shapes. A distinction is drawn between higher-order Stark spectra and Stark spectra that depend on integral powers of the applied electric field, and it is shown how this can affect analyses of resonance Stark effects. Covariances among the parameters that are used to fit absorption spectra and resonance Stark effects are described, and their impact is described in the context of the data for photosynthetic reaction centers that is presented and analyzed further in Part 4 (Treynor, T. P.; Yoshina-Ishii, C.; Boxer, S. G. J. Phys. Chem. B, 2004, 108, 13523. Equations are derived that provide a mapping between the parameters used in Marcus theory and those used in radiationless transition theory.
Kinetics of the iron (II)-iron (III) electron exchange reaction in ice media

Abstract Electron-exchange has been observed between cations in ice media. The overall reaction rate constant for the Fe(II)Fe(III) electron-exchange reaction at −78°C in the eutectic frozen from an aqueous solution initially 0·55 M in HClO 4 is 2·1 ± 0·3 × 10 −3 sec −1 M −1 . As in liquid water the process is first order in each reactant. The rate is the same in the presence of chloride ion as in the presence of perchlorate ion. The rate decreases with increasing acidity. The results indicate that electron-transfer can occur over very great distances in aqueous media by a water-bridging mechanism.
Aspirin Exposure Reveals Novel Genes Associated with Platelet Function and Cardiovascular Events

Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop ribonucleic acid (RNA) profiles that could serve as novel biomarkers for the response to aspirin.Background: Aspirin reduces death and myocardial in...
An Empirical Approach to Identifying Cross-Cultural Modifications to International Hospitality Industry Sales Training

Abstract This study uses six of Wilson's (1995) “success” variables in long-term buyer-seller relationship development to analyze whether relationship marketing concepts can be applied globally in hospitality sales training programs. It looks at the cross-cultural differences that exist between various regions of the world (i.e., North America and Asia) in the way buyer-seller relationships are perceived by hotel salespersons. This study found differences in the importance given to the “success” variables do exist across international boundaries. Recognition of the differences can provide assistance to hospitality industry marketers in designing and modifying sales training programs focused on developing long-term buyer-seller relationships.