cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous forward and epi-CARS microscopy with a single detector by time-correlated single photon counting

We present a novel scheme to simultaneously detect coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy signals in the forward (F) and backward (epi - E) direction with a single avalanche photodiode (APD) detector using time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC). By installing a mirror at a well-defined distance above the sample the forward-scattered F-CARS signal is reflected back into the microscope objective leading to spatial overlap of the F and E-CARS signals. Due to traveling an additional distance the F-CARS signal is time delayed relative to the E-CARS signal. TCSPC then allows for the two signals to be resolved in the time domain. This results in an efficient, simple, and compact method of CARS signal detection. We demonstrate this technique by analyzing forward and backward CARS signals obtained by imaging living adipocyte cells derived from human mesenchymal stem cells.
Chemical composition of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed oil

Abstract Seeds from nine kenaf genotypes (Cubano, Everglades 41, Everglades 71, GR2563, Guatemala 48, Indian, 178-18RS-10, Tainung #1, and Tainung #2) were evaluated for oil, fatty acid, phospholipid, and sterol content. Oil content ranged from 21.4 to 26.4% with a mean of 23.7%. Total phospholipids ranged from 3.9 to 10.3% of the oil, with a mean of 6.0%. Mean sterol percent was 0.9 and ranged from 0.6% of the total oil for 178-18RS-10 accession to 1.2% for Everglades 71. Palmitic (20.1% of the total fatty acids), oleic (29.2%), and linoleic (45.9%) were the major fatty acids, and palmitoleic (1.6%), linolenic (0.7%), and stearic (3.5%) were the minor components. Medium (C12C14) and long (C22C24) chain fatty acids were less than 1%. Sphingomyelin (4.42% of the total phospholipids), phosphatidyl ethanolamine (12.8%), phosphatidyl choline (21.9%), phosphatidyl serine (2.9%), phosphatidyl inositol (2.7%), lysophosphatidyl choline (5.3%), phosphatidyl glycerol (8.9%), phosphatidic acid (4.9%), and cardiolipin (3.6%) were identified in the nine genotypes. Phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and phosphatidyl glycerol were the dominant phospholipids. In addition, eight unidentified phospholipids were also found, β-sitosterol (72.3% of the total sterols), campsterol (9.9%), and stigmasterol (6.07%) were prevalent among kenaf genotypes. Kenaf's relatively high oil content and its similarity to cottonseed oil suggest that the seed oil may be used as a source of edible oil. The variation among genotypes indicates potential for genetic improvement in oil yield and quality.
Efficient maintenance of the union of intervals of a line, with applications

Abstract We consider the problem of maintaining, under insertions and deletions, the union of a set S of intervals on a line. We present a scheme that reports the ordered list of intervals in the union in Θ ( k ) time, while achieving O (log n ) time in worst case for each insertion or deletion, where n is the number of intervals currently in S and k is the number of disjoint intervals in the union. The scheme uses Θ ( n ) space. This is an improvement upon a previous approach which uses O (log 2 n ) time for each insertion or deletion. Moreover, the insertion time is provably optimal for a certain class of structures. One of the applications of our scheme is an optimal contour algorithm for iso-oriented rectangles that is competitive, and in some cases better, when compared to known algorithms.
Spatial arrangement of décollements as a control on the development of thrust faults

Abstract We used two-dimensional finite element models to explore different configurations of weak layers in undeformed sedimentary sequences to investigate the occurrence of three characteristic types of thrust configurations: ramp-flat; imbricate; and duplex. In our models, we embedded two low-friction weak layers with a finite spatial extent in a sequence of stronger rock. These two weak layers were initially horizontal, were separated vertically by 1 km, and were arranged in three different relative positions to each other. When the models were deformed and these weak layers developed into decollements, they interacted to produce one of the three types of thrust faults as a function of their initial configurations. When the tips of weak layers were separated by a large gap (>10 km), only the lower-level decollement became active, producing imbricate thrusts. When the two weak layers overlapped for a large distance (>10 km), they simultaneously became active decollements, producing duplexes in the overlapped zone. When the gap or overlap was small (
Pharmacy Student Engagement, Performance, and Perception in a Flipped Satellite Classroom

Objective. To determine whether “flipping” a traditional basic pharmaceutics course delivered synchronously to 2 satellite campuses would improve student academic performance, engagement, and perception. Design. In 2012, the basic pharmaceutics course was flipped and delivered to 22 satellite students on 2 different campuses. Twenty-five condensed, recorded course lectures were placed on the course Web site for students to watch prior to class. Scheduled class periods were dedicated to participating in active-learning exercises. Students also completed 2 course projects, 3 midterm examinations, 8 graded quizzes, and a cumulative and comprehensive final examination. Assessment. Results of a survey administered at the beginning and end of the flipped course in 2012 revealed an increase in students’ support for learning content prior to class and using class time for more applied learning (p=0.01) and in the belief that learning key foundational content prior to coming to class greatly enhanced in-class learning (p=0.001). Significantly more students preferred the flipped classroom format after completing the course (89.5%) than before completing the course (34.6%). Course evaluation responses and final examination performance did not differ significantly for 2011 when the course was taught using a traditional format and the 2012 flipped-course format. Qualitative findings suggested that the flipped classroom promoted student empowerment, development, and engagement. Conclusion. The flipped pharmacy classroom can enhance the quality of satellite students’ experiences in a basic pharmaceutics course through thoughtful course design, enriched dialogue, and promotion of learner autonomy.
GENETIC STRUCTURE OF THE BLUE RIDGE DUSKY SALAMANDER (DESMOGNATHUS ORESTES): INFERENCES FROM ALLOZYMES, MITOCHONDRIAL DNA, AND BEHAVIOR

Abstract The plethodontid salamander Desmognathus orestes, a member of the D. ochrophaeus species complex, is distributed in southwestern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, and western North Carolina. Previous allozyme analyses indicate that D. orestes consists of two distinct groups of populations (D. orestes ‘B’ and D. orestes ‘C’) with extensive intergradation and probable gene flow between these two groups. Spatially varying allele frequencies can reflect historical associations, current gene flow, or a combination of population-level processes. To differentiate among these processes, we use multiple markers to further characterize divergence among populations of D. orestes and assess the degree of intergradation between D. orestes ‘B’ and D. orestes ‘C’, specifically investigating variation in allozymes, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and reproductive behavior among populations. On a broad scale, the mtDNA genealogies reconstruct haplotype clades that correspond to the species identified from previous allozyme...
The processing of referring expressions within a semantic network

Frege (1892) is credited with emphasizing the distinction between sense and reference. His famous example involved the mornin$ star and the evenin$ star. Despite the fact that they both refer to the same object (i.e., Venus), they have different senses as witnessed by the fact that sentence (i) is not synonymous with sentence (2): (i) The morning star is the morning star. (2) The morning star is the evening star. This philosophical issue has similarities to an issue that is of importance to understanding natural language processing: How do subjects process referring expressions to extract internal representations (a) of their meaning and (b) of their referents in the external world. The example sentence that we will be returning to in this paper is: (3) The first president of the United States was a bad husband. It is clear that in understanding this sentence we both process the subject as a description, and identify this as referring to George Washington. This paper will try to explain how this comes about. As I believe that all interesting questions about representation come down to questions about memory, I will approach this question from a human memory perspective.
New potential high energy materials: diazocyclopropanes

As part of a series of investigations into new potential high energy compounds, the structures and properties of three diazo-substituted cyclopropane compounds have been calculated using ab initio methods.
The significance of AIDS to dentists and dental practice

T he acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first identified in 1979 and appeared in San Francisco in 1981.’ Since then it has been recognized in other urban areas and on other continents. To date there are more than 5563 known patients with AIDS and although the number of new patients had been doubling approximately every 6 months, the rate of increase has slowed.2 AIDS is predominantly an affliction of young homosexual or bisexual men (75%), but it has also been found in intravenous drug abusers (13%), hemophiliacs, a group of Haitian immigrants, heterosexual women, and children of infected mothers.2’5 Four cases involving health care workers have been reported.6 Because the mode of infection is similar to that of hepatitis B, dentists and dental hygienists, as well as dental auxilliaries, comprise a potentially high risk group. The prognosis for AIDS is far worse than that of hepatitis B; the current mortality rate is between 40% and 60%.3 Ultimate mortality may rise as high as 80% to 100% because of the chronic, devastating nature of the opportunistic infections; the frequent lack of response to antibiotic therapy; and inadequate time and resources to develop effective methods of treatment.
Reckless Caution: The Perils of Judicial Minimalism

Judicial Minimalism is the increasingly popular view that judges decide cases properly to the extent that they minimize their own imprint on the law by meticulously assessing 'one case at a time,' ruling on narrow and shallow grounds, eschewing broader theories, and altering entrenched legal practices only incrementally. Minimalism’s ascendancy across the political spectrum, being embraced by advocates of both right-wing and left-wing ideologies, is touted as a sign of its appropriate value-neutrality. This paper argues that such sought-after neutrality is, in fact, untenable. While others have objected to some of Minimalism’s specific tenets, critics have missed its more fundamental failing: it is an incoherent concept. On analysis, Minimalism’s several planks and rationales prove mutually contradictory and, correspondingly, offer conflicting guidance to judges. Thus the reason that Minimalism can appeal to people of such disparate substantive views is that in practice, it is merely a placeholder invoked to sanction a grab-bag of desiderata rather than a distinctive method of decision-making that offers genuine guidance.
Analysis of lubricated squeezing flow

A thin film of low-viscosity lubricating liquid between a solid wall and a viscous material reduces shear stress on the latter and tends to make it flow as though it were slipping along the wall. The result when the lubricated material is being squeezed out of the gap between approaching parallel plates is flow more nearly irrotational, or extensional, the more effective the lubricating film on the plates. Two Newtonian analyses of this flow situation are reported. One is an approximate, asymptotic analytical solution for Newtonian lubricating flow in the films and combined mixed flow, shear and extension, in the viscous layer. The second is a full two-dimensional axisymmetric solution of the momentum and continuity equations along with the kinematic condition which governs the motion of the interface. Both analyses indicate that there are two limiting flow regimes, depending on the ratio of the thickness of each of the two phases to radius and on the viscosity ratio of the two liquids. In one limit the flow is parallel squeezing and the lubricant layer slowly thins and persists a long time. In the other the lubricant is expelled preferentially. Implications of the results are discussed for rheological characterization of viscoelastic liquids and for prediction of lubricated or autolubricated flows in processing situations.
Effects of field of view on balance in an immersive environment

With technological progress, wide field-of-view (FOV) displays will become increasingly common. Wide FOVs provide a more immersive environment and produce stronger self-motion perception. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between FOV and scene content on postural stability in an immersive environment. 10 subjects were tested using two different scenes (a simple radial pattern and a "meaningful" city scene) at six FOVs (30/spl deg/, 60/spl deg/, 90/spl deg/, 120/spl deg/, 150/spl deg/ 180/spl deg/) using a within-subjects design. Subjects exhibited more postural disturbance with increasing FOV. A surprisingly large increase in disturbance was found for the interval between 150/spl deg/ and 180/spl deg/ using the city scene. No statistically significant difference was found for effects of scene content. Two groups (postural stable group and postural unstable group) were identified during experiment. These groups performed differently in the two scene conditions. Future research plans are described.
Rejection of multiple narrow-band interference in both BPSK and QPSK DS spread-spectrum systems

The performance of direct-sequence spread-spectrum systems using a suppression filter in the presence of multiple narrow band interference with rational spectral densities is analyzed. Both BPSK and QPSK systems are considered, and analytical expressions for both the means-square error of the filter output and the performance improvement are established. When the bandwidths of the narrow band components of the interference are all small, approximate expressions are obtained and used to provide further insight into the behavior of the system. Results are presented for the limiting case when the bandwidths approach aero (i.e. when multiple narrow band interference becomes multiple sinusoidal interference). >
Multiple factors bind the upstream activation sites of the yeast enolase genes ENO1 and ENO2 : ABFI protein, like repressor activator protein RAP1, binds cis-acting sequences which modulate repression or activation of transcription

Binding sites for three distinct proteins were mapped within the upstream activation sites (UAS) of the yeast enolase genes ENO1 and ENO2. Sequences that overlapped the UAS1 elements of both enolase genes bound a protein which was identified as the product of the RAP1 regulatory gene. Sequences within the UAS2 element of the ENO2 gene bound a second protein which corresponded to the ABFI (autonomously replicating sequence-binding factor) protein. A protein designated EBF1 (enolase-binding factor) bound to sequences which overlapped the UAS2 element in ENO1. There was a good correlation among all of the factor-binding sites and the location of sequences required for UAS activity identified by deletion mapping analysis. This observation suggested that the three factors play a role in transcriptional activation of the enolase genes. UAS elements which bound the RAP1 protein or the ABFI protein modulated glucose-dependent induction of ENO1 and ENO2 expression. The ABFI-binding site in ENO2 overlapped sequences required for UAS2 activity in wild-type strains and for repression of ENO2 expression in strains carrying a null mutation in the positive regulatory gene GCR1. These latter results showed that the ABFI protein, like the RAP1 protein, bound sequences required for positive as well as negative regulation of gene expression. These observations strongly suggest that the biological functions of the RAP1 and ABFI proteins are similar.
Caregivers of Frail Elders: Updating a National Profile

Purpose: Family caregivers comprise the backbone of long-term-care provision in the United States, yet little is known about how the composition and experience of family caregiving has changed over time. Design and Methods: Data are drawn from the 1989 and 1999 National Long-Term Care Survey and Informal Caregiver Survey to develop nationally representative profiles of disabled older adults and their primary informal caregivers at two points in time. Results: The proportion of chronically disabled community-dwelling older adults who were receiving informal assistance from family or friends declined over the period of interest, whereas the proportion receiving no human help increased. On average, recipients of informal care were older and more disabled in 1999 than in 1989. Primary caregivers were children (41.3%), spouses (38.4%), and other family or friends (20.4%); children were more likely and others less likely to serve as primary caregivers in 1999 relative to 1989. Primary caregivers provided frequent and high levels of help at both points in time. A striking increase was found (from 34.9% to 52.8%) in the proportion of primary caregivers working alone, without secondary caregiver involvement. Implications: In the context of projected demographic trends and budgetary constraints to public health insurance programs, these data underscore the importance of identifying viable strategies to monitor and support family caregivers in the coming years.
Personality Variables Predict Strength‐Related Attitude Dimensions Across Objects

We examined personality predictors of different attitude strength-related dimensions across objects. Participants responded to questions regarding 11 attitude objects that assessed the overall evaluation of the object and the strength-related dimensions of importance, certainty, and relevance. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a 4-factor solution underlying the self-report and extremity dimensions across the 11 attitude objects, with importance and relevance and certainty and extremity loading on 2 second-order factors. The need to evaluate, need for affect, sense of coherence, dogmatism, and personal fear of invalidity were all related at the bivariate level to at least one strength-related dimension. The need to evaluate and the need for affect independently predicted variance in certainty/extremity across the attitude objects and sense of coherence and dogmatism predicted unique variance in importance/relevance across objects. Discussion focuses on the possible processes by which personality variables predict strength-related dimensions across objects.
Modeling of Generating Unit Planned Outages in the Extended Decomposition Simulation Approach for Multi-Area Reliability Calculations

A brief description of the extended decomposition-simulation approach is presented. An algorithm is then described for generating unit planned outage modeling in the extended decomposition-simulation approach for multiarea reliability calculations. The algorithm is based on a single-step decomposition of the state space and greatly reduces the computational requirements of the approach while producing accurate results. System studies are presented to illustrate the use of the algorithm. >
Sequential Electronic and Structural Transitions in VO2 Observed Using X‐ray Absorption Spectromicroscopy

The popular dual electronic and structural transitions in VO2 are explored using X-ray absorption spectromicroscopy with high spatial and spectral resolutions. It is found that during both heating and cooling, the electronic transition always precedes the structural Peierls transition. Between the two transitions, there are intermediate states that are spectrally isolated here.
An improved method for fast noise estimation based on net segmentation

We present a fast, segment-based approach to estimate the functional coupled-noise value at the receiver pins of a net with minimal loss of accuracy. The net is suitably modeled into segments consisting of two-pi, three-pi or four-pi models. The noise contribution due to each segment on a receiver pin is then calculated. The average error of our model was less than 8% when compared with a spice-like simulator while requiring an order of magnitude less run time. This is the first work in our knowledge to use a segment-based approach for fast noise estimation that is reasonably accurate while taking into account the noise contribution at a sink pin due to coupling noise at the branches. We show that the noise on a receiver pin due to coupling nets coupled to the branches can be of the same magnitude as the noise contribution of coupling nets not coupled to the branches, and therefore cannot be ignored.
Infant artificial language learning and language acquisition

The rapidity with which children acquire language is one of the mysteries of human cognition. A view held widely for the past 30 years is that children master language by means of a language-specific learning device. An earlier proposal, which has generated renewed interest, is that children make use of domain-general, associative learning mechanisms. However, our current lack of knowledge of the actual learning mechanisms involved during infancy makes it difficult to determine the relative contributions of innate and acquired knowledge. A recent approach to studying this problem exposes infants to artificial languages and assesses the resulting learning. In this article, we review studies using this paradigm that have led to a number of exciting discoveries regarding the learning mechanisms available during infancy. These studies raise important issues with respect to whether such mechanisms are general or specific to language, the extent to which they reflect statistical learning versus symbol manipulation, and the extent to which such mechanisms change with development. The fine-grained characterizations of infant learning mechanisms that this approach permits should result in a better understanding of the relative contributions of, and the dynamic between, innate and learned factors in language acquisition.
Genetic and Phenotypic Variation through the Migratory Season Provides Evidence for Multiple Populations of Wild Steelhead in the Dean River, British Columbia

Abstract We provide evidence for previously undetected population structure in a wild run of summer steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss within a river that has considerable recreational importance (Dean River, British Columbia). Data were gathered from an existing catch-and-release fishery and examined for phenotypic and genetic variation through the migratory season. Specifically, we compared fish captured in different periods during the migration: early (July 2-30), middle (July 31-September 5), and late (September 6-30). Age (freshwater and saltwater), sex ratio, and body girth did not differ significantly among these groups for females or males. Body length increased through the migratory season for both sexes, perhaps because late-migrating fish had more time to feed in the ocean. Based on genotypes at 10 microsatellite loci, early and late groups showed highly significant genetic differences (P < 0.001). Assignment tests were able to classify individuals back to early or late groups with 84% accuracy (122...
Identifying the what, why, and how of an observed action: An fmri study of mentalizing and mechanizing during action observation

Humans commonly understand the unobservable mental states of others by observing their actions. Embodied simulation theories suggest that this ability may be based in areas of the fronto-parietal mirror neuron system, yet neuroimaging studies that explicitly investigate the human ability to draw mental state inferences point to the involvement of a "mentalizing" system consisting of regions that do not overlap with the mirror neuron system. For the present study, we developed a novel action identification paradigm that allowed us to explicitly investigate the neural bases of mentalizing observed actions. Across repeated viewings of a set of ecologically valid video clips of ordinary human actions, we manipulated the extent to which participants identified the unobservable mental states of the actor (mentalizing) or the observable mechanics of their behavior (mechanizing). Although areas of the mirror neuron system did show an enhanced response during action identification, its activity was not significantly modulated by the extent to which the observers identified mental states. Instead, several regions of the mentalizing system, including dorsal and ventral aspects of medial pFC, posterior cingulate cortex, and temporal poles, were associated with mentalizing actions, whereas a single region in left lateral occipito-temporal cortex was associated with mechanizing actions. These data suggest that embodied simulation is insufficient to account for the sophisticated mentalizing that human beings are capable of while observing another and that a different system along the cortical midline and in anterior temporal cortex is involved in mentalizing an observed action.
Supporting efficient noncontiguous access in PVFS over Infiniband

Noncontiguous I/O access is the main access pattern in many scientific applications. Noncontiguity exists both in access to files and in access to target memory regions on the client. This characteristic imposes a requirement of native noncontiguous I/O access support in cluster file systems for high performance. In this paper, we address noncontiguous data transmission between the client and the I/O server in cluster file systems over a high performance network. We propose a novel approach, RDMA Gather/Scatter, to transfer noncontiguous data for such I/O accesses. We also propose a new scheme, optimistic group registration, to reduce memory registration costs associated with this approach. We have designed and incorporated this approach in a version of PVFS over InfiniBand. Through a range of PVFS and MPI-IO micro-benchmarks, and the NAS BTIO benchmark, we demonstrate that our approach attains significant performance gains compared to other existing approaches.
Flare Frequency Distributions Based on a Master Equation

The Rosner & Vaiana model for flares is generalized to allow for flares that do not deplete all free energy from the system, a step that overcomes a number of objections to the original model. We obtain a probability balance equation, or master equation, describing the free energy E of an active region subject to a prescribed growth rate, Ė, and a prescribed distribution, α(E), of stochastic decay events. We argue that the solution appropriate to flares involves an energy-independent growth rate and a power-law form for α(E), which may be the result of an underlying avalanche process. The resulting model produces power-law flare frequency distributions below a high-energy rollover corresponding to the largest energy the system is likely to attain, which is set by the balance between the rate of growth and the rate of stochastic decay. There is a close correspondence between the resulting model and the avalanche model for flares.
Comparison of mild and severe forms of hydrocephalus using diffusion tensor imaging in neonatal rats.

The three groups were significantly different (p<0.0001) in Evan’s ratios with HCPM rats (Mean+/-STD = 0.38 +/-0.07, Range: 0.31-0.48) slightly higher than controls (Mean+/-STD = 0.29+/-0.01, Range: 0.27-0.31, p=0.02) but lower than the HCPS group (Mean+/-STD=0.85 +/-0.04, Range=0.80-0.90, p<0.0001). Both FA and MD values were significantly different among the three groups in cortex, corpus callosum and internal capsule (ANOVA, p<0.05). Post-hoc comparisons showed that the HCPM group was not significantly different from the control group, while the HCPS group was significantly different (lower FA and higher MD, p<0.05) from the control group (with the exception of FA in the internal capsule) and the HCPM group. In the HCPM group, it was found that the MD values in the external capsule increased proportionally with ventricle size (R=0.94, p=0.016), while FA values in the internal capsule decreased with increasing ventricle size (R=-0.98, p=0.005). Conclusions Although the DTI measurements in the HCPM rats with mild ventriculomegaly were not significantly different from normal controls, the correlation between ventricle size and DTI values in this group suggested that different levels of abnormality in brain tissues can be detected with DTI during various stages of hydrocephalus. Our results demonstrate that DTI is potentially a sensitive biomarker for monitoring the progression of ventricle enlargement and may help to determine the optimal window for surgical intervention.
Nature of hydrogen interactions with Ni(II) complexes containing cyclic phosphine ligands with pendant nitrogen bases

Studies of the role of proton relays in molecular catalysts for the electrocatalytic production and oxidation of H2 have been carried out. The electrochemical production of hydrogen from protonated DMF solutions catalyzed by [Ni(P2PhN2Ph)2(CH3CN)](BF4)2, 3a (where P2PhN2Ph is 1,3,5,7-tetraphenyl-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane), permits a limiting value of the H2 production rate to be determined. The turnover frequency of 350 s−1 establishes that the rate of H2 production for the mononuclear nickel catalyst 3a is comparable to those observed for Ni-Fe hydrogenase enzymes. In the electrochemical oxidation of hydrogen catalyzed by [Ni(P2CyN2Bz)2](BF4)2, 3b (where Cy is cyclohexyl and Bz is benzyl), the initial step is the reversible addition of hydrogen to 3b (Keq = 190 atm−1 at 25°C). The hydrogen addition product exists as three nearly isoenergetic isomers 4A–4C, which have been identified by a combination of one- and two-dimensional 1H, 31P, and 15N NMR spectroscopies as Ni(0) complexes with a protonated amine in each cyclic ligand. The nature of the isomers, together with calculations, suggests a mode of hydrogen activation that involves a symmetrical interaction of a nickel dihydrogen ligand with two amine bases in the diphosphine ligands. Single deprotonation of 4 by an external base results in a rearrangement to [HNi(P2CyN2Bz)2](BF4), 5, and this reaction is reversed by the addition of a proton to the nickel hydride complex. The small energy differences associated with significantly different distributions in electron density and protons within these molecules may contribute to their high catalytic activity.
Prophylactic antiemetics for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a comparison of perphenazine, droperidol plus ondansetron, and droperidol plus metoclopramide

Abstract Study Objective: To compare the prophylactic administration of ondansetron plus droperidol, droperidol plus metoclopramide, and perphenazine to determine effects on postoperative nausea, vomiting, and sedation after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Setting: University medical center. Patients: 212 ASA physical status I and II adults presenting for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three prophylactic antiemetic drug combinations: ondansetron 4 mg plus droperidol 0.625 mg (Group OD), droperidol 0.625 mg plus metoclopramide 10 mg (Group DM), or perphenazine 5 mg (Group P). Study drugs were administered intravenously after induction of general anesthesia. Measurements and Main Results: The groups were similar with respect to gender, age, weight, duration of surgery, numbers of patients receiving intraoperative atropine or ephedrine, number admitted overnight, and time to discharge home. Patients in Group P used lower total doses of opioids than did patients in Group OD. There were no significant differences in postoperative nausea, pain, or sedation scores, in numbers of patients requiring antiemetics (Group OD, 13 of 66; Group DM, 15 of 66; Group P, 14 of 68), or in numbers of patients vomiting, either in hospital or during the first postoperative day. Conclusions: These three drug regimens are equivalent for antiemetic prophylaxis before laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Marco Said I Look like Charcoal: A Puerto Rican's Exploration of Her Ethnic Identity.

When race is so self-evident that it becomes "unspoken," it becomes a text that can be arbitrarily read or not read at all. When race is thought of as shades or textures of color that paint the already loaded canvas of our ethnicities, it is the reader who has the power of interpretation, opening the possibility for multiple readings that will shape identity. With this article, the author makes an attempt to understand the issues of race and ethnicity in Puerto Rico, using her life as an example.
Fault diagnosis with continuous system models

A unified diagnostic reasoning model that deals with both continuous as well as discrete causal relationships is presented. The diagnostic model significantly extends the formal probabilistic diagnostic reasoning models of other works. Statistical theories are used to formally derive conditional causation probabilities based on continuous system models. The derived conditional causation probabilities can be used along with discrete causal relationships provided by experts to find the most probable diagnostic hypothesis for a given set of observations. >
Linear and non-linear response to parameter variations in a mesoscale model

Parameter uncertainty in atmospheric model forcing and closure schemes has motivated both parameter estimation with data assimilation and use of pre-specified distributions to simulate model uncertainty in short-range ensemble prediction. This work assesses the potential for parameter estimation and ensemble prediction by analysing 2 months of mesoscale ensemble predictions in which each member uses distinct, and fixed, settings for four model parameters. A space-filling parameter selection design leads to a unique parameter set for each ensemble member. An experiment to test linear scaling between parameter distribution width and ensemble spread shows the lack of a general linear response to parameters. Individual member near-surface spatial means, spatial variances and skill show that perturbed models are typically indistinguishable. Parameter–state rank correlation fields are not statistically significant, although the presence of other sources of noise may mask true correlations. Results suggest that ensemble prediction using perturbed parameters may be a simple complement to more complex model-error simulation methods, but that parameter estimation may prove difficult or costly for real mesoscale numerical weather prediction applications.
Analog matrix inversion (robot kinematics)

The enhancement of robot dynamic performance can be aided by high-speed and, in some cases, low-accuracy calculation of matrices and their inverses. Analog techniques for the calculation of robot kinematics are reviewed and a method for fast matrix inversion is proposed. Tradeoffs in speed and accuracy in such computations are also examined. >
Measuring the Speed of Sound in Water.

This paper begins with an early measurement of the speed of sound in water. A historical overview of the consequent development of SONAR and medical imaging is given. A method of measuring the speed suitable for demonstration to year 10 students is described in detail, and an explanation of its systematic error examined.
Rural-urban Migration with Special Reference to the Third World: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives

This paper examines migrants and their reasons for migrating and reviews the literature about: who migrates? why do they migrate? and, how do they migrate? A discussion of models of migration is the background for some recommendations for planners needing to influence the movement of people, and to cope with the results of these movements.
Virus-mediated EpoR76E gene therapy preserves vision in a glaucoma model by modulating neuroinflammation and decreasing oxidative stress

Glaucoma is a complex neurodegeneration and a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Current therapeutic strategies, which are all directed towards lowering the intraocular pressure (IOP), do not stop progression of the disease. We have demonstrated that recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) gene delivery of a form of erythropoietin with attenuated erythropoietic activity (EpoR76E) can preserve retinal ganglion cells, their axons, and vision without decreasing IOP. The goal of this study was to determine if modulation of neuroinflammation or oxidative stress played a role in the neuroprotective activity of EPO.R76E. Five-month-old DBA/2J mice were treated with either rAAV.EpoR76E or a control vector and collected at 8 months of age. Neuroprotection was assessed by quantification of axon transport and visual evoked potentials. Microglia number and morphology and cytokine and chemokine levels were quantified. Message levels of oxidative stress-related proteins were assessed. Axon transport and visual evoked potentials were preserved in rAAV.EpoR76E-treated mice. The number of microglia was decreased in retinas from 8-month-old rAAV.EpoR76E-treated mice, but proliferation was unaffected. The blood-retina barrier was also unaffected by treatment. Levels of some pro-inflammatory cytokines were decreased in retinas from rAAV.EpoR76E-treated mice including IL-1, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, CCL4, and CCL5. TNFα messenger RNA (mRNA) was increased in retinas from 8-month-old mice compared to 3-month-old controls regardless of treatment. Expression of several antioxidant proteins was increased in retinas of rAAV.EpoR76E-treated 8-month-old mice. Treatment with rAAV.EpoR76E preserves vision in the DBA/2J model of glaucoma at least in part by decreasing infiltration of peripheral immune cells, modulating microglial reactivity, and decreasing oxidative stress.
Pulmonary hypertension associated with thalassemia syndromes

Chronic hemolytic anemia has increasingly been identified as an important risk factor for the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Within the thalassemia syndromes, there are multiple mechanisms, both distinct and overlapping, by which PH develops and that differ among β-thalassemia major or intermedia patients. PH in β-thalassemia major correlates with the severity of hemolysis, yet in patients whose disease is well treated with chronic transfusion therapy, the development of PH can be related to cardiac dysfunction and the subsequent toxic effects of iron overload rather than hemolysis. β-Thalassemia intermedia, on the other hand, has a higher incidence of PH owing to the low level of hemolysis that exists over years without the requirement for frequent transfusions, while splenectomy is shown to play an important role in both types. Standard therapies such as chronic transfusion have been shown to mitigate PH, and appropriate chelation therapy can avoid the toxic effects of iron overload, yet is not indicated in many patients. Limited evidence exists for the use of pulmonary vasodilators or other therapies, such as l-carnitine, to treat PH associated with thalassemia. Here, we review the most recent findings regarding the pathogenic mechanisms, epidemiology, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of PH in thalassemia syndromes.
Computer-Based Treatments for Aphasia: Advancing Clinical Practice and Research

A growing body of literature has investigated the efficacy of computer-based treatments for people with aphasia. In this narrative review, we describe a representative sample of 12 studies that wer...
Global Goals, Local Acts: Grass-Roots Activism in Imperial Narratives

Judging by the array of conferences, forums, and round tables, North American history is indeed becoming more international. Scholars across various disciplines have increasingly attended to the ways that empires and nations are disparate and congruent and have historicized the concept of nation itself. At the same time, the sometimes but not always related feminist and postmodernist projects of rethinking how power is exercised-in families, sex, labor, and language-have led to a greater attention to the intimate. These concerns underlie the current essay; for Ann Laura Stoler it is the imperial politics of intimacy that begs for a comparative lens, as she explores the ways that the politics of sex, reproduction, child rearing, manners, and desire intersect with empire, conquest, and exploitation, and how colonial governments' control over people's intimate lives shores up categories of racial exclusion and domination.1 For me, as a United States historian interested in the connections between intellectual life and people's lived experience, Stoler's essay provokes questions about who builds empires, who initiates and operates the local, national, and global institutions of control, and how those with power articulate the "us" by defining the "them." But these processes are hardly specific to empires or even to nations with imperial designs. With widely ranging levels of explicitness, consistency, and rage, people commonly create categories that bind them together by leaving others out; almost always, these categories serve to justify economic, political, moral, and/or sexual power over others. Various rationales have emerged for the exercise of power: patriotism, racism, and religion have proven especially effective at shoring up the racial and gender hierarchies with the moral authority they require. Of course, each of these categories can have a state, national, or imperial institutional component, as Stoler shows, which acts impersonally to shape even the most intimate interactions. But global institutions are ultimately shaped by human beings, and power relationships
Characterization of Lethal Zika Virus Infection in AG129 Mice

Background Mosquito-borne Zika virus (ZIKV) typically causes a mild and self-limiting illness known as Zika fever, which often is accompanied by maculopapular rash, headache, and myalgia. During the current outbreak in South America, ZIKV infection during pregnancy has been hypothesized to cause microcephaly and other diseases. The detection of ZIKV in fetal brain tissue supports this hypothesis. Because human infections with ZIKV historically have remained sporadic and, until recently, have been limited to small-scale epidemics, neither the disease caused by ZIKV nor the molecular determinants of virulence and/or pathogenicity have been well characterized. Here, we describe a small animal model for wild-type ZIKV of the Asian lineage. Methodology/Principal Findings Using mice deficient in interferon α/β and Ɣ receptors (AG129 mice), we report that these animals were highly susceptible to ZIKV infection and disease, succumbing within seven to eight days. Rapid viremic dissemination was observed in visceral organs and brain; but only was associated with severe pathologies in the brain and muscle. Finally, these results were consistent across challenge routes, age of mice, and inoculum doses. These data represent a mouse model for ZIKV that is not dependent on adapting ZIKV to intracerebral passage in mice. Conclusions/Significance Foot pad injection of AG129 mice with ZIKV represents a biologically relevant model for studying ZIKV infection and disease development following wild-type virus inoculation without the requirement for adaptation of the virus or intracerebral delivery of the virus. This newly developed Zika disease model can be exploited to identify determinants of ZIKV virulence and reveal molecular mechanisms that control the virus-host interaction, providing a framework for rational design of acute phase therapeutics and for vaccine efficacy testing.
Comparison between two methods in determination of urea in swimming pool water

Objective:To determine urea in swimming pool water with flow injection analysis method and spectrophotography and find out the statistical significance between the two methods.Methods:Flow injection analysis method and spectrophotography were applied to detect urea contect in swimming pool water and hygienic statistics was used to test the value means and total means.Analysis and comparison were made on the detection result.Results:When the significance level α=0.20 using double-sided test,the sample information accorded with null hypothesis H0(P0.20).Conclusion:There is no significant difference between the result of flow injection analysis method and spectrophotography in the determination of urea in swimming pool water.
The Effect of Prior Task Success on Older Adults' Memory Performance: Examining the Influence of Different Types of Task Success.

Background/Study Context: Negative aging stereotypes can lead older adults to perform poorly on memory tests. Yet, memory performance can be improved if older adults have a single successful experience on a cognitive test prior to participating in a memory experiment (Geraci & Miller, 2013, Psychology and Aging, 28, 340–345). The current study examined the effects of different types of prior task experience on subsequent memory performance.Methods: Before participating in a verbal free recall experiment, older adults in Experiment 1 successfully completed either a verbal or a visual cognitive task or no task. In Experiment 2, they successfully completed either a motor task or no task before participating in the free recall experiment.Results: Results from Experiment 1 showed that relative to control (no prior task), participants who had prior success, either on a verbal or a visual task, had better subsequent recall performance. Experiment 2 showed that prior success on a motor task, however, did not lead...
Prenatal Exposure to Secondhand Smoke and the Development of Self-Control

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether prenatal exposure to secondhand smoke among non-smoking mothers is associated with their child’s development of self-control from childhood into adolescence. We use longitudinal survey data collected from non-smoking mothers (n = 750) who participated in the U.S. Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development and estimate a series of OLS regressions and multilevel models for change to examine development in self-control from 54 months to 15 years of age. Controlling for several potential confounding influences--including maternal self-control, maternal intelligence, maternal education, and maternal depression--prenatal exposure to secondhand smoke was estimated to have a negative association with the development of self-control across childhood and into adolescence. This study highlights the importance of minimizing expectant mothers’ exposure to secondhand smoke due to the risks that may extend to their unborn child’s developmental trajectory of self-control.
A new species, Apseudes larseni (Crustacea: Tanaidacea),from the marine waters of New Zealand

Apseudes larseni, new species, is described from the marine waters of New Zealand in depths of 108–1357 m. The new species belongs to a group of species characterized by the presence of lateral spines on both the carapace and pereonites. Apseudes larseni can be distinguished from all but one of these species, A. graciloides, by having two pairs of lateral spines on the carapace. Apseudes larseni also differs from A. graciloides by (1) the lateral spines of pereonite 1 having a different placement, (2) pereonite 2 having four pairs of lateral spines, as opposed to one pair in A. graciloides, (3) the cheliped with merus having a ventral spine (absent in A. graciloides) and a distinctly shorter and stouter carpus, and (4) pereopod 1 with basis lacking ventral spines (present in A. graciloides). The morphological similarity of the two sexes, especially in the similar cheliped and the apparent presence of a reduced genital cone on some female specimens, suggest the possibility that Apseudes larseni may be hermaphroditic.