cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cutaneous Abnormalities and their Relationship to the Underlying Tissues

The study of the skin has been restricted to that of the epidemis-dermis as isolated tissue. The long-neglected, intimate relationship of the epidermis-dermis unit, with its underlying tissues during growth is discussed: and their interdependance in the development of abnormalities is illustrated.
Instrumentation in patients with spinal infection

Object. Placement of instrumentation in the setting of a spinal infection has always been controversial. Although the use of allograft and autograft bone has been accepted as safe, demonstrations of the effectiveness of titanium have been speculative, based on several retrospective reviews. The authors’ goal in this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of instrumentation in the setting of a spinal infection by retrospectively reviewing their cases over the last 4 years and searching the literature regarding instrumentation in patients with pyogenic spinal infections. Methods. The authors conducted a retrospective review of their cumulative data on spinal infections. Diagnosis was based on subjective and objective clinical findings, along with radiographic and laboratory evaluation of infection and mechanical stability. Patients with medically managed disease and those who did not receive instrumentation were eliminated from this review. Of 105 patients with spinal infections who were admitted to the neurosurgical service between January 2000 and June 2004, 30 underwent surgical debridement necessitating spinal instrumentation. There were 17 women and 13 men in this group ranging from 28 to 86 years of age. Follow-up duration ranged from 3 to 54 months. There was one death, which occurred 3 months postsurgery. In three patients a deep wound infection developed, necessitating intervention, and two patients experienced a graft expulsion. Twenty-nine patients went on to demonstrate adequate fusion based on follow-up neuroimaging studies. Conclusions. The goal of neurosurgical intervention in the setting of spinal infection is to obtain an organism culture and the debridement of infection while maintaining neurological and mechanical stability. The authors demonstrate the effectiveness of radical debridement of infected bone and placement of instrumentation in patients with spinal infections.
Computing prime implicants/implicates for regular logics

Prime implicant/implicate generating algorithms for multiple-valued logics are introduced. Techniques from classical logic not requiring large normal forms or truth tables are adapted to certain "regular" multiple-valued logics. This is accomplished by means of signed formulas, a meta-logic for multiple valued logics; the formulas are normalized in a way analogous to negation normal form. The logic of signed formulas is classical in nature. The presented method is based on path dissolution, a strongly complete inference rule. The generalization of dissolution that accommodates signed formulas is described. >
Nonlinear optics of semiconductor and molecular nanostructures; a common perspective

A unified microscopic theoretical framework for the calculation of optical excitations in molecular and semiconductor materials is presented. The hierarchy of many-body density matrices for a pair-conserving many-electron model and the Frenkel exciton model is rigorously truncated to a given order in the radiation field. Closed equations of motion are derived for five generating functions representing the dynamics up to third order in the laser field including phonon degrees of freedom as well as all direct and exchange-type contributions to the Coulomb interaction. By eliminating the phonons perturbatively the authors obtain equations that, in the case of the many-electron system, generalize the semiconductor Bloch equations, are particularly suited for the analysis of the interplay between coherent and incoherent dynamics including many-body correlations, and lead to thermalized exciton (rather than single-particle) distributions at long times. A complete structural equivalence with the Frenkel exciton model of molecular materials is established. [S0034-6861(98)00201-3]
Dense medium radiative transfer theory for two scattering layers with a Rayleigh distribution of particle sizes

Dense medium radiative transfer theory is applied to a three-layer model consisting of two scattering layers overlying a homogeneous half space with a size distribution of particles in each layer. A model with a distribution of sizes gives quite different results than those obtained from a model with a single size. The size distribution is especially important in the low frequency limit when scattering is strongly dependent on particle size. The size distribution and absorption characteristics also affect the extinction behavior as a function of fractional volume. Theoretical results are also compared with experimental data. The sizes, permittivities, and densities used in the numerical illustrations are typical values for snow. >
Modeling of stress effects in silicon oxidation

A new set of models for the stress effects in silicon oxidation is proposed. The most essential feature is the nonlinear shear-stress-dependent oxide viscosity which models a high-stress relaxation phenomenon similar to plastic deformation. The models are shown to agree well with the most comprehensive and quantitative experimental data available-the thickness of oxide grown on both convex and concave cylindrical silicon structures. The model parameters are extracted by fitting the simulation of two-dimensional growth rates to the experimental values. The extracted values for the linear viscosity of wet oxide are shown to be close to independent data for the equilibrium viscosity of silica. Furthermore, the proposed oxide viscosity model with the extracted model parameters can successfully explain both the occurrence and the magnitude of the intrinsic stress in planar silicon oxidation. >
Linear Stability Analysis of Some Symmetrical Classes of Relative Equilibria

The linear stability of several classes of symmetrical relative equilibria of the Newtonian n-body problem are studied. Most turn out to be unstable; however, a ring of at least seven small equal masses around a sufficiently large central mass is stable.
How feedback improves children’s numerical estimation

Developmental change in children's number-line estimation has been thought to reveal a categorical logarithmic-to-linear shift in mental representations of number. Some have claimed that the broad and rapid change in estimation patterns that occurs with corrective feedback provides strong evidence for this shift. However, quantitative models of proportion judgment may provide a better account of children's estimation patterns while also predicting broad and rapid change following feedback. Here we test the hypothesis that local corrective feedback provides children with additional reference points, rather than catalyzing a shift to a different mental representation of number. We tested 117 children from several second-grade classrooms in a number-line feedback study. Data indicate that the proportion-judgment framework accounts for individual differences in estimation patterns, and that the effects of feedback are consistent with the unique quantitative predictions of the framework. They do not provide evidence supporting the representational shift hypothesis or, more broadly, for the proposal that cognitive change can occur rapidly at the level of entire mental representations.
Reproducibility of 18FMISO PET kinetic parameters in NSCLC

456 Objectives Kinetic modeling for the assessment of tumor response demands an understanding of the repeatability of the underlying quantitative parameters in the absence of therapy.Establishing whether changes in parameter values during treatment reflect changes in underlying biology rather than fluctuations is crucial. In this study we determine reproducibility of kinetic parameters (KP) for 18F-fluoromisonidazole (18FMISO), deduced from kinetic modeling of dynamic PET (dPET) images. Methods 3 patients diagnosed with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) underwent 2 free-breathing (3 days apart),pre-treatment 18FMISO dPET.Patients were injected with ~10mCi FMISO.A repeat injection and 2nd scan were performed 3 d later. Data for dPET were acquired as follows:12x10 sec,10x1min,and 5x5min (37m).Two 10min frames were acquired at 90±10min and 150±10min,respectively. Data were reconstructed in 128x128x47 matrices,and 700mm FOV.Pixel-wise and average time-activity curves (TAC) were obtained inside VOIs placed over each lesion.Input functions were derived from VOIs over the aorta for each session.Modeling was performed on all TACs with a 2-tissue,3 compartment (plasma,free,bound) model with irreversible binding (k4=0).Reproducibility was assessed for all KP (K1,Vd,k3,Vb) by calculating percent change between 1st and 2nd scans for: 1) KPs averaged over all pixels and 2) KPs from average TACs. Results The mean values of the KPs for the two pre-treatment data sets are: k3) 0.005,0.0055,K1) 0.17,0.13,Vd) 0.73,0.68,Vb) 0.098,0.164. When comparing KPs averaged over the pixels in VOI,k3 and Vd the % differences are ≦10% and 6.8% respectively,whereas K1 and Vb,have larger % differences ≦38.8% and 23.9% respectively.KPs calculated from average VOI TACs,the % difference in the parameters are 35.1,6.8,32.2,28.8% for k3,Vd,K1 and Vb respectively. Conclusions This study shows the reproducibility of performing kinetic analysis of lung lesions during respiration. In future,the same method will be used to compare results for breath-holding. These are expected to have higher repeatability.
Preparation of the Patient for Vitrectomy Surgery

Following the preoperative evaluation, preparation is started for vitreous surgery. This preparation includes a discussion regarding the benefits and risks of vitreous surgery (informed consent), selection of anesthesia, and medical consultation in many cases. This review will discuss the special preparations required for vitreous surgery.
Indirect Reporting in Bilingual Language Production

This paper aims to investigate the ways indirect reports are formulated by bilingual speakers whose L1 is English (9 subjects) and whose L1 is not English (12 subjects) based on a small corpus consisting of the language productions of 21 speakers. Subjects were asked to report the utterances of other people that represented three categories: statement, question and request. The analysis attempts to answer the following questions: (1) How much of the semantic core is preserved in the report?, (2) In what ways do reporters try to express the pragmatic content they assume the original utterance has?, (3) What factors may affect the ability and preference of non-native speakers to do things differently from native speakers?
How does the brain build a cognitive code

This article provides a self-contained introduction to my work from a recent perspective. A thought experiment is offered which analyses how a system as a whole can correct errors of hypothesis testing in a fluctuating environment when none of the system’s components, taken in isolation, even knows that an error has occurred. This theme is of general philosophical interest: How can intelligence or knowledge be ascribed to a system as a whole but not to its parts? How can an organism’s adaptive mechanisms be stable enough to resist environmental fluctuations which do not alter its behavioral success, but plastic enough to rapidly change in response to environmental demands that do alter its behavioral success? To answer such questions, we must identify the functional level on which a system’s behavioral success is defined.
Long-term impacts of prescribed fire on stand structure, growth, mortality, and individual tree vigor in Pinus resinosa forests

Abstract Prescribed fire is increasingly being viewed as a valuable tool for mitigating the ecological consequences of long-term fire suppression within fire-adapted forest ecosystems. While the use of burning treatments in northern temperate conifer forests has at times received considerable attention, the long-term (>10 years) effects on forest structure and development have not been quantified. We describe the persistence of prescribed fire effects in a mature red pine ( Pinus resinosa Ait.)-dominated forest in northern Minnesota, USA over a ∼50 year period, as well as the relative roles of fire season and frequency in affecting individual tree and stand-level structural responses. Burning treatments were applied on 0.4 ha compartments arranged in a randomized block design with four blocks. Burning treatments crossed fire season (dormant, summer) and frequency (annual, biennial, and periodic), and include an unburned control for comparison. Treatments were applied from 1960 to 1970, with no further management interventions occurring since. Data were collected periodically from 1960 to 2014. Forest structural development trajectories were significantly altered by the application of fire treatments. Burning treatments led to lower overstory densities, lower stand basal area, and larger tree diameters when compared to the unburned control over the study period. Differences between burning treatments were less apparent suggesting that the application of burning itself rather than a particular season and/or frequency of burning drives this long-term response. Overstory tree mortality and stand growth showed little or no response to burning treatments. In addition, we detected no impact of burning on long-term overstory tree growth efficiency (based on assessments >40 years post burning) suggesting these treatments had little cumulative effect on tree vigor. Our results indicate that the effects of burning treatments on structural dynamics are not ephemeral, but rather alter stand development trajectories in the long-term. The persistent nature of these effects highlights their potential as a tool for long-lasting structural alterations in treated stands without compromising overstory tree growth and vigor. The lack of red pine recruitment throughout the duration of the study suggests that prescribed fire alone cannot regenerate this species, and that further alteration to overstory and seedbed conditions would be needed to secure new cohorts of this species.
Analysis of Joint and Partial Component Carrier Assignment Techniques in LTE and LTE-A

Large multimedia files are accessed by a high number of mobile users over the Internet. Therefore, the bandwidth demand for mobile Internet access is increasing exponentially. To answer users' demand, carrier aggregation is proposed in LTE-A. In carrier aggregation, the best available one or more component carriers of each band are assigned as primary and secondary component carriers to each user for efficient services. The previous works have significantly improved the performance of LTE-A by using efficient component carrier assignment methods. The previous works, however, have two limitations. First, they have not investigated which of joint or partial secondary component carrier assignment techniques shows better performance. Second, overall system performance is analyzed in order to evaluate methods by ignoring system behavior such as packet drops and delay metrics during carrier reassignment operations. Therefore, in this paper, firstly, packet drops and delay which are experienced by users during the carrier reassignment process are investigated. Secondly, joint and partial secondary component carrier assignment techniques are compared. Results show that the partial carrier assignment technique increases efficiency of resource usage, throughput rate up to 15% and decreases average delay time up to 12%.
Learning the Structure of Surgical Procedures from Operative Notes

Electronic Operative Notes are generated after surgical procedures for documentation and billing. These operative notes, like many other Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) have the potential of an important secondary use: they can enable surgical clinical research aimed at improving evidence-based medical practice. Recognizing surgical techniques by capturing the structure of a surgical procedure requires the semantic processing and discourse understanding of operative notes. Identifying only predicates pertaining to surgical actions does not explain the various possible surgical scripts. Similarly, recognizing all actions and observations pertaining to a surgical step cannot be performed without taking into account discourse structure. In this paper we show how combining both forms of clinical language processing leads to learning the structure of surgical procedures. Experimental results on two large sets of operative notes show promising results.
Anemia and Functional Disability in Older Adults With Cancer

OBJECTIVES Anemia is associated with functional disability among older adults in general. However, the relationship between anemia and functional disability has not been well characterized among older adults with cancer. Therefore, we examined the association between anemia and functional disability in patients with cancer aged 65 years or older. PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted cross-sectional analysis of data derived from a multicenter prospective study of 500 patients with cancer aged 65 years or older. The primary outcome was functional disability at chemotherapy initiation, defined as the need for assistance with at least one instrumental activity of daily living. Anemia (using WHO criteria) was defined as a hemoglobin (Hb) level of less than 12 g/dL in women and less than 13 g/dL in men. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between anemia and functional disability. RESULTS Among 491 evaluable patients (median age, 73.1 years [range, 65-91 years]), the prevalence of functional disability and anemia was 43% and 51%, respectively. Compared with patients without anemia, patients with anemia were more likely to report functional disability. On multivariable analysis, adjusting for sex, stage, and unintentional weight loss, patients with anemia were more likely to have functional disability (odds ratio, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.61-3.59). CONCLUSIONS Anemia was highly prevalent and independently associated with functional disability in this cohort of older adults with cancer. Given the importance of functional status in cancer treatment decision-making, longitudinal studies evaluating the causal relation between anemia and functional status among older patients with cancer are warranted to evaluate causality.
Protein kinase C modifications of VE-cadherin, p120, and β-catenin contribute to endothelial barrier dysregulation induced by thrombin

The adherens junction is a multiprotein complex consisting of the transmembrane vascular endothelial cadherin (VEC) and cytoplasmic catenins (p120, β-catenin, plakoglobin, α-catenin) responsible fo...
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF PLEIOTROPY AND EPISTASIS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI. I. VARIATION IN COMPETITIVE FITNESS AMONG MUTANTS RESISTANT TO VIRUS T4.

Mutants selected for novel phenotypes frequently exhibit maladaptive pleiotropic effects. One may reasonably ask whether these effects are properties of the novel phenotypes per se, or whether these effects depend upon the particular genotypes conferring the novel phenotypes. To address this issue, I examined an array of independent mutants, derived from Escherichia coli B, that were all completely resistant to the virus T4. Each resistant mutant had maladaptive pleiotropic effects, but there was highly significant variation in competitive fitness among mutants. The degree of reduction in competitive fitness was strongly associated with cross-resistance to virus T7 and with the inferred position of the mutated gene in a complex metabolic pathway. This variation in competitive fitness permits refinement of the resistant phenotype by selection among resistant genotypes. This mechanism complements refinement of the resistant phenotype by selection for epistatic modifiers of maladaptive pleiotropic effects.
Factors Associated with Gait Impairment in Parkinson Disease (P06.050)

Objective: To determine non-motor and motor factors associated with gait impairment in Parkinson disease (PD). Background Gait impairment is a disabling problem in PD. A better understanding of factors associated with gait impairment could lead to improved treatments and preventive strategies. Design/Methods: Subjects with idiopathic PD (based on UK Brain Bank Criteria) were prospectively enrolled in the Johns Hopkins Morris K. Udall Parkinson9s Disease Research Center Clinical Core Longitudinal Study. They underwent biannual standardized motor (UPDRS III), cognitive, and behavioral assessments. Patients were grouped according to their level of gait impairment at baseline: none/mild (score 0 or 1 on UPDRS gait item) versus moderate/severe (scores 2 or above). Two sample t-tests and logistic regression were used to examine factors associated with impaired gait at baseline. Results: A total of 152 PD patients completed a baseline assessment: 101 with none/mild gait impairment and 51 with moderate/severe gait impairment. In the multivariate analysis, bradykinesia [Odds Ratio: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.10-1.43)] and age [Odds Ratio: 1.08 ; 95% CI: 1.02-1.13)] were the strongest independent predictors of gait impairment. Depression, duration of symptoms, and visuomotor integration (Berry VMI) were also independently associated with moderate/severe gait if bradykinesia was excluded from the model. Dementia, attention, executive dysfunction, and psychomotor speed were not associated with gait impairment in the multivariate models. Conclusions: In this cohort of subjects with idiopathic PD, most patients had no or mild gait impairment. Unsurprisingly, bradykinesia and older age was associated gait impairment. However, neither measures of attention, executive function, and psychomotor speed nor a clinical dementia diagnosis were independently associated with gait impairment. Our data support the assumption that poor motor functions and depression contribute to gait impairment, both of which being potentially treatable. Therefore, maximizing motor and depression treatment could help reduce significant gait impairment in Parkinson disease. Supported by: National Institutes of Health. Disclosure: Dr. Mari has received personal compensation for activities with Teva, Merz, and Ipsen. Dr. Mari has received research support from Merz, Allergan, and PharmaNet. Dr. Williams has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec and Johns Hopkins University as an employee. Dr. Pontone has received research support from PharmaNet. Dr. Bassett has nothing to disclose.
ELONGATION OF MITRAL VALVE CHORDAE TENDINEAE IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED LEAFLET SURFACE AREA IN PATIENTS WITH DEGENERATIVE MITRAL REGURGITATION

Degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) includes a spectrum of leaflet lesions, including elongated chords. In functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), leaflet adaptation has been described as a compensatory mechanism. Our aim was to determine the relationships between chordal length and leaflet
The Role of Rural Public Libraries in Small Business Development

ABSTRACTLike all public libraries, rural public libraries in the Appalachian region can play a significant role in the economic development of their communities. Economic development in rural communities potentially benefit from many of the same resources and services all enjoy at public libraries, including free and public Internet access, space, education, question answering, and materials on many business-related subjects. This article reports survey findings of current activities that rural public libraries perform in one state, namely the state of Tennessee, as a case study to apply the lessons and insights to other parts of the United States. The discussion includes assessment of activities and some recommendations to streamline and stimulate all public libraries in conducting this assistance efficiently.
Flooding effect and interfacial tension of carboxyl BS13 surfactant

This paper deals with the research on the measurement of interracial tension of the new kind carboxyl BS13 surfactant and its compound systems,and the effect of sodium phosphate on the system's interfacial tension to determine the optimal proportion of BS13 and sodium phosphate.The effect of the compound flooding system has been evaluated and compared with the effect of ternary compound flooding system with alkali in the field.The results show that the effect of the former system is better than the latter one.
Ocean science: Vagaries of Atlantic overturning

A weakening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation has emerged from noise after years of painstaking measurements. Three independent lines of evidence suggest that an anthropogenic influence on this overturning is not yet detectable.
Mid-Term Results and Predictors of Patient-Reported Outcomes of Birmingham Hip Resurfacing

Abstract Background Birmingham hip resurfacing (BHR) is the only Food and Drug Administration approved resurfacing option currently available in the United States. While adequate BHR outcomes are established, there is a paucity of US-based literature demonstrating factors critical to improve patient reported outcomes (PROs). This study answers: (1) What is the implant survivorship in a large US cohort? (2) Which preoperative factors result in higher PRO scores over 5 years postoperatively? Methods A retrospective 541 hip single-surgeon cohort with mean of 6.2 years follow-up (range 5-8.1) was collected. Preoperative patient/implant variables, including postoperative radiographic acetabular inclination and femoral component position, clinical outcomes, and follow-up PRO questionnaire information were collected. Validated PROs included the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS), Veterans Rand-12, and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) activity. PROs were modeled with ordinary least squares then used to create nomograms. Results Average patient age was 53 years with 391 (72%) males. Seven hips were revised, resulting in an overall survival of 98.8% at 5 years. Predictive modeling identified preoperative variables (sex, body mass index, smoking, and comorbidity) that had statistically significant associations with HOOS pain ( P = .049), HOOS activities of daily living ( P = .017), UCLA activity ( P P Conclusion This study documents excellent survival of the largest reported single-center cohort of BHRs in the United States with a mean 6.2 years follow-up. Multivariate modeling shows male nonsmokers with low body mass index, and no comorbidities will have less hip pain, better function in daily life, higher activity, and better general physical health after BHR arthroplasty.
Different cation transport inhibitor in malignant renal hypertension and in uraemia.

1. We investigated whether the previously reported circulating frusemide-like factor in rats with malignant renal hypertension was specific to this syndrome, or was also present in rats with chronic uraemia. 86 Rb uptake (K + transport) of monolayers of vascular smooth muscle cells was measured in the plasma of rats with malignant one-kidney, one-clip hypertension and of uraemic rats (60–70% nephrectomy). 2. Compared with control plasma, ouabain-insensitive 86 Rb uptake of cells was reduced and ouabain-sensitive 86 Rb uptake was unchanged in the plasma of rats with malignant hypertension. The reverse was found in the plasma of uraemic rats. 3. Inhibition of ouabain-sensitive 86 Rb uptake of cells occurred in the plasma of rats with malignant hypertension when an angiotensin II antagonist was added to the reaction mixture. 4. The findings confirm the presence of a frusemide-like plasma factor in malignant hypertension and a ouabain-like plasma factor in uraemia. The presence of a ouabain-like plasma factor in malignant hypertension is camouflaged by an elevated circulating angiotensin II level, which stimulates K + transport.
Evolution of Organisms and Biodiversity of Freshwaters

This chapter focuses on the evolution of organisms and biodiversity of freshwaters. The simplest measure of diversity is species richness, the total number of species found in an area. The ultimate source of biological diversity is evolution. Two main factors influence the evolution of new species: time available for evolution and reproductive isolation. These factors, coupled with the mosaic nature of the environment (spatial and temporal aspects of habitat heterogeneity), have resulted in millions of species. One of the most striking demonstrations of the importance of evolution to biological diversity is the high number of species found in geologically ancient habitats that have had ample time for new species to arise. Genetic diversity within populations and species is important for long-term survival. Conservation efforts and aquaculture programs are increasingly focused on maintenance of genetic diversity. Population size is a critical factor in the survival of species. Spatial arrangement of subpopulations, metapopulation structure, is also important for evolution and conservation of species. \
The Depoliticization of the Colonial Anglican Clergy

The American Revolution transformed and popularized politics, which expanded beyond the traditional assemblies to revolutionary committees and the community at large, but the Anglican clerical community experienced an opposite but parallel process of depoliticization. One result of the political mobilization of the people consisted of a corresponding decline in the relative socio-political influence of traditional community leaders, including the clergymen of many denominations. The Revolution also witnessed a broadening of the republican aversion to artificial social distinctions into a denunciation of all differences. Among a growing segment of the voting public, experience, education, and wealth became liabilities rather than assets in attaining public office.
Direct observation of ring-opening dynamics in strong-field ionized selenophene using femtosecond inner-shell absorption spectroscopy

Femtosecond extreme ultraviolet transient absorption spectroscopy is used to explore strong-field ionization induced dynamics in selenophene (C4H4Se). The dynamics are monitored in real-time from the viewpoint of the Se atom by recording the temporal evolution of element-specific spectral features near the Se 3d inner-shell absorption edge (∼58 eV). The interpretation of the experimental results is supported by first-principles time-dependent density functional theory calculations. The experiments simultaneously capture the instantaneous population of stable molecular ions, the emergence and decay of excited cation states, and the appearance of atomic fragments. The experiments reveal, in particular, insight into the strong-field induced ring-opening dynamics in the selenophene cation, which are traced by the emergence of non-cyclic molecules as well as the liberation of Se+ ions within an overall time scale of approximately 170 fs. We propose that both products may be associated with dynamics on the same electronic surfaces but with different degrees of vibrational excitation. The time-dependent inner-shell absorption features provide direct evidence for a complex relaxation mechanism that may be approximated by a two-step model, whereby the initially prepared, excited cyclic cation decays within τ1 = 80 ± 30 fs into a transient molecular species, which then gives rise to the emergence of bare Se+ and ring-open cations within an additional τ2 = 80 ± 30 fs. The combined experimental and theoretical results suggest a close relationship between σ* excited cation states and the observed ring-opening reactions. The findings demonstrate that the combination of femtosecond time-resolved core-level spectroscopy with ab initio estimates of spectroscopic signatures provide new insights into complex, ultrafast photochemical reactions such as ring-opening dynamics in organic molecules in real-time and with simultaneous sensitivity for electronic and structural rearrangements.
Elastic strain energy and forces on point defects in a two-phase medium

Elastic strain energy and forces on point defects in a two-phase medium with a planar interface are analyzed employing the surface dislocation analysis developed earlier for three-dimensional distortions. The important field components, namely, the tractions and the displacements arising due to the point source at the interface, are determined. Furthermore, the field components at the interface are used to determine the elastic strain energy associated with the point source in the two-phase medium and the elastic force exerted by the second phase on the point defect. The significance of these results to the force acting on a vacancy or an interstitial at the interface is emphasized.
Primary Lactase Deficiency among Malnourished Children with Persistent Diarrhea in Tbilisi, Georgia

Persistent diarrhea became the major cause for diarrheal mortality in children from developing countries. This study was therefore designed to establish the prevalence of primary lactase deficiency and associated factors among mild malnourished children with persistent diarrhea. This was a prospective cohort study. The study population consisted of mild malnourished children with persistent diarrhea aged 3–24 months admitted between October 2014 and September 2015. The Gomez classification of malnutrition was used. A mild malnourished child was whose weight-for-height was less than 75%–90% of the median National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS)/WHO reference median. The study included 78 malnourished children with persistent diarrhea 3–24 months of age. The prevalence of primary lactase deficiency among the study children was 41.0%. The reasons of persistent diarrhea in lactose tolerant group were: Rotavirus infection – 33.3%, Bacterial gastroenteritis –20.5% (Enteropathogenic E.coli (EPEC) – 7.7%, Shigella – 6.4%, Yersinia enterocolitica – 3.8%, Salmonella – 2.6 %) and Gastroenteritis of unknown etiology – 5.1%. Only 4 children had Rotavirus infection in lactose intolerant group. The relationship between diarrhea and malnutrition is bidirectional: diarrhea leads to malnutrition while malnutrition aggravates the course of diarrhea. Lactose intolerance is a relatively common cause of persistent diarrhea. The most common cause of primary lactase deficiency is lactase enzyme non-persistence.
User Segment Identification Based on Similarity in Content Consumption

With the rapid growth of online content consumption, knowing end-users and having actionable content insights has become extremely important for any online content provider. Insights from user segment identification could help in developing a content recommendation as well as new content acquisition. For advertisers, identifying segments could assist in designing ad campaigns with greater target accuracy. In this paper, we propose a new approach of finding user segments based on similarity in content consumption. We have exploited content metadata such as genres for this purpose. However, as many videos have multiple genres, the relative importance of these genres for a movie is not known. To solve this problem, we propose a two-step clustering process. First, we identify movie clusters based on metadata-based similarity. Then, based on these movie clusters, user segments are identified. We also propose a segment based recommendation system. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach through experiments on a large online movie database.
2017 ACG Presidential Address: Challenges in the Practice of Gastroenterology: Engaging with ACG for Positive Impact.

2017 ACG Presidential Address: Challenges in the Practice of Gastroenterology: Engaging with ACG for Positive Impact
Assessing the Satisfaction of Citizens Using Teleconsent in Clinical Research

Researchers tested the functionality, and evaluated the feasibility of a telemedicine software, Doxy.me, to complete informed teleconsent sessions remotely with prospective research participants. Twenty healthy volunteers completed a teleconsent session, and web survey assessing overall experience and satisfaction with the Doxy.me software. There was a statistically significant correlation found between age and mean response for the overall reaction category (r = 0.398, p = 0.091) and the systems capabilities category (r = 0.380, p = 0.099). Results suggested that younger users are more satisfied than older users with using teleconsent as a modality for informed consenting. This information will be used to improve the software design and functionality of the Doxy.me software to make the teleconsent experience as simple and intuitive as possible.
Cut or Do Not Cut? Assessing Perceptions of Safety During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Using Surgical Videos.

OBJECTIVE Bile duct injury remains a serious complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy despite established criteria for the critical view of safety (CVS). Using surgical videos, we compared surgeons’ willingness to divide critical structures based on their assessment of the CVS dissection. DESIGN Participants reviewed 20 operative videos lasting 1 minute each, edited at various points of the CVS dissection. Participants stated whether the structures were safe to divide, and if not, what steps they would take to achieve an adequate dissection. Videos were independently scored using a validated scale and categorized as an “adequate” or “inadequate” dissection based on the score. Participants were blinded to CVS score and adequacy. Cohen's kappa statistic was used to evaluate inter-rater agreement and responses were compared by univariate analysis. SETTING University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Tertiary care university hospital. PARTICIPANTS General surgery residents (n = 13) and faculty (n = 13) at the study institution. RESULTS There was minimal agreement on willingness to divide critical structures among all participants (κ = 0.25), among faculty (κ = 0.30), and among residents (κ = 0.21). Participants were more willing to divide critical structures when videos showed an adequate CVS dissection (CVS score ≥ 4) than an inadequate dissection (CVS score ≤ 3) (60.4% vs. 16.3%, p = 0.043). For inadequate dissections, participants most commonly recommended further dissection of the hepatocystic triangle (30.8%). There was no significant difference in the rate of unsafe practices (choosing to divide critical structures for videos with an “inadequate” dissection) between faculty and residents (14.2% vs. 18.3%, p = 0.781). CONCLUSIONS There was minimal agreement on what constituted a safe CVS dissection and there was no difference in the rate of unsafe practices between trainees and faculty. Education may play a more important role than experience when building a culture of safety for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Historical Origins of Behavioral Pharmacology

“A drug is broadly defined as any chemical agent that affects living processes” (Mayer, Melmon, & Gilman, 1980, p. 1). Although the fossil record fails to reveal whether homo erectus used drugs, the writings of nearer ancestors reveal that homo sapiens has self-administered drugs throughout recorded history. No less authoritative sources than the Bible, the Koran, and the Talmud affirm that humans have long recognized drugs’ ability to alter subjective internal states as well as overt behavior. In fact, our ancestors appear to have used drugs and to have speculated on their effects millennia before Christ and Mohammed trod the earth.
The Intracellular Localization, Partial Purification, and Properties of Flavokinase from Rat Liver

Flavin mononucleotide is an essential coenzyme for several known oxidative enzymes and is the precursor of flavin adenine dinucleotide (2). Some information is available concerning production of flavin mononucleotide from riboflavin and adenosine triphosphate in several bacteria (3-5)) yeast (6-S), higher plants (9, lo), and intestine (11) ; a reaction which is catalyzed by flavokinases. Despite the intrinsic importance of this enzyme, only the kinase from yeast has been studied in reasonable detail (6), especially with regard to substrate specificity (7). Indeed, the occurrence and function of flavokinase in the mammal remained uncertain until recently. It had been suggested that intestinal mucosa is the site of phosphorylation of riboflavin within the mammal (12), perhaps by a transphosphorylation catalyzed by nonspecific alkaline phosphomonoesterase (13). The recent demonstration that extracts from several rat tissues contain flavokinase activity which is largely masked by phosphatases (14), makes less tenable the suggestion of a primary role played by the small intestine in the production of flavin mononucleotide for use in other organs. Furthermore, with the partial purification and characterization of flavokinase from rat liver (l), it seems necessary to invoke the role of a kinase in the synthesis of flavin mononucleotide, rather than a transphosphorylation catalyzed by a phosphatase. Those acid phosphatases which most readily hydrolyzed flavin mononucleotide are widespread among animal tissues, but apparently do not catalyze transphosphorylation with usual phosphate esters and riboflavin (15). The present study describes the intracellular localization, partial purification, and properties of flavokinase from rat liver. The substrate specificity of the liver enzyme appears similar to that of the yeast kinase insofar as comparisons have been made. In addition to those structural analogues of riboflavin which were used to incompletely ascertain the specificity of the yeast kinase (7), several others have been included in the present work.
Bioreactors for Animal Cell Cultivation

Animal cell processes are primarily used for the production of proteins and viral vaccines of relatively high value. Recent advancements in animal cell bioreactor are reviewed. Most previous concerns about the potential difficulties in scaling-up animal cell processes have been alleviated by the developments in bioreactors. A new challenge is the development of kinetic models for the optimization and control of these animal cell based process
Post-NFIB: Does the Taxing Clause Give Congress Unlimited Power?

This article discusses the Supreme Court’s decision in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, which concluded that the penalty in the Obamacare legislation for failure to acquire suitable health insurance will be a tax authorized by the Taxing Clause in the Constitution. The article concludes that the decision is not nearly as broad as some critics have suggested (or supporters have hoped), and that it is unlikely, for a number of legal and political reasons, to lead to a significant expansion of congressional power. The article also discusses what the case had to say about constitutional limitations on the taxing power, particularly the direct-tax apportionment rule. And the article considers a bewildering hypothetical in Chief Justice Roberts’s opinion in NFIB, in which the Chief posited a penalty imposed on homeowners whose houses do not have energy efficient windows.
Sexual Selection and the Mating Behavior of Solitary Bees

Abstract Many attributes of male bees can be interpreted as the products of sexual selection, such as large male body size in species, in which male–male fighting is intense. Moreover, the diversity of locations chosen by searching males, the occurrence of alternative mating tactics, and the timing of mate searching also appear to have been shaped by sexual selection. Even errors in sexual discrimination made by males of many species may stem from a sexual selection in favor of individuals with a very low threshold for sexual activity. The female choice component of sexual selection has also had evolutionary consequences for males inasmuch as the mating success of different male tactics depends on whether females mate just once or with several different individuals. Females may select mating partners passively by permitting male competition to determine which individual inseminates them or actively by making the fertilization of their eggs dependent upon elements of male performance before, during, or after copulation.
The library function in science.

Abstract Viewed in the context of the organizational structure through which science perpetuates itself and grows, the research library at a university serves simultaneously the purposes of education, of validating scientific research, and of integrating information into the corpus of knowledge. These are three processes essential to the conduct of scientific investigation. Libraries will gain recognition and support to the extent that they can perform them effectively.
Connected Car Networking

This paper provides an efficient transportation method using connected car technology. Based on shared information among vehicles, the method can provide smart navigation by two separated path planning and traffic prediction algorithms. The plan planning algorithm will generate the fastest path while the vehicle is moving to the destination, and the prediction algorithm will dynamically update the navigation cost of each street segment from intersection to intersection.
Feeding Cahokia: early agriculture in the North American heartland

This book represents a long-awaited synthesis of plant foodways in the American Bottom, tracing the development of plant domestication to incipient cultivation to intensive multi-cropping that supp...
Theology, Plain and Simple: Biblical Hermeneutics, Language Philosophy, and Trinitarianism in the Seventeenth Century

This essay demonstrates how the hermeneutic debates of the sixteenth century continued to thrive well into the seventeenth. In particular, it considers how biblical hermeneutics made their way into...
Student Perceptions of Their Gains in Course-Based Undergraduate Research Abilities Identified as the Anticipated Learning Outcomes for a Biochemistry CURE

A course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) is a teaching approach aimed at developing students’ ability to conduct novel research. Although students’ perceptions of their learning during CUREs may not reflect actual student learning, such surveys provide a convenient and useful metric for course evaluation. Instructors can use survey findings both to improve instruction and to identify areas of student difficulty. Although various reports have presented data on student perceptions of CUREs, these have not delved deeply into students’ perceived knowledge, experience, and confidence (KEC) regarding specific research abilities that instructors anticipate students will develop. This study addresses this issue by investigating changes in students’ perceived KEC regarding previously identified anticipated learning outcomes (ALOs) for the biochemistry authentic scientific inquiry laboratory (BASIL) CURE. The following research questions were addressed: How do students’ perceptions of KEC for specific ALOs change during a BASIL CURE course? How do student perceptions of their KEC regarding specific BASIL ALOs vary across different implementations of BASIL CURE courses? To answer these questions, a participant perception indicator (PPI) survey was used to measure students’ KEC for the BASIL ALOs. Participants were students in one of 10 courses implementing the BASIL CURE at seven different academic institutions. Student pooled response data across all implementations showed significant gains in their KEC, with large effect sizes. Furthermore, differences in students’ KEC were detected between course implementations. These findings will provide instructors of the BASIL CURE and potentially other CUREs with a useful framework for the focus of assessment design and the consequent identification and remediation of student difficulties related to the various research abilities or ALOs.
Engineering bromodomains with a photoactive amino acid by engaging ‘Privileged’ tRNA synthetases

Site-specific placement of unnatural amino acids, particularly those responsive to light, offers an elegant approach to control protein function and capture their fleeting 'interactome'. Herein, we have resurrected 4-(trifluoromethyldiazirinyl)-phenylalanine, an underutilized photo-crosslinker, by introducing several key features including easy synthetic access, site-specific incorporation by 'privileged' synthetases and superior crosslinking efficiency, to develop photo-crosslinkable bromodomains suitable for 'interactome' profiling.