cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing Operating Room Cost: Comparing Attending and Surgical Trainee Perceptions About the Implementation of Supply Receipts.

Background As operating room (OR) expenditures increase, faculty and surgical trainees will play a key role in curbing future costs. However, supply cost utilization varies widely among providers and, despite requirements for cost education during surgical training, little is known about trainees' comfort discussing these topics. To improve OR cost transparency, our institution began delivering real-time supply “receipts” to faculty and trainees after each surgical case. This study compares faculty and surgical trainees' perceptions about supply receipts and their effect on individual practice and cultural change. Study Design Faculty and surgical trainees (residents and fellows) from all adult surgical specialties at a large academic center were emailed separate surveys. Results A total of 120 faculty (30.0% response rate) and 119 trainees (35.7% response rate) completed the survey. Compared with trainees, faculty are more confident discussing OR costs (p Conclusions Supply receipts have been well received and have led to meaningful cultural changes. However, trainees are less confident discussing these issues and desire a greater emphasis on OR cost in their curriculum.
Voluntary Disclosure of Information as a Proposed Standard for the Fourth Amendment's Third-Party Doctrine

The third-party doctrine is a long-standing tenant of Fourth Amendment law that allows law enforcement officers to utilize information that was released to a third party without the probable cause required for a traditional search warrant. This has allowed law enforcement agents to use confidential informants, undercover agents, and access bank records of suspected criminals. However, in a digital age where exponentially more information is shared with Internet Service Providers, e-mail hosts, and social media “friends,” the traditional thirdparty doctrine ideas allow law enforcement officers access to a cache of personal information and data with a standard below probable
Same-Sex Marriage: Sin or civil right? Debating marriage in the states

In our system of government, civil rights violations are remedied by courts, not because we issue “Holy Writ” or because we are “the only repository of wisdom” … It is because the courts “must ultimately define and defend individual rights against government in terms independent of consensus or majority will.” – Baker v. State of Vermont , opinion of Justice Denise Johnson God's Law, Not Man's Law. – Sign at Vermont public hearing on same-sex marriage, January 25, 2000 Previous chapters provided a close look at same-sex marriage from the perspective of ordinary same-sex couples, considering how these couples think about marriage as a legal and political issue and sometimes enact marriage through various cultural practices. This chapter widens our perspective to examine recent public debates over the policy question of legal recognition of same-sex marriage. How, if at all, should the state recognize intimate same-sex commitments? I scrutinize the public debates in two pivotal states: Hawaii and Vermont. These were the first states in the nation to wrestle with the policy question of same-sex marriage over an extended period of time. Hawaii was the first state to come close to granting legal recognition for same-sex marriage, and also the first (along with Alaska) to pass a state constitutional amendment to prevent such recognition. Vermont's experience closely parallels Hawaii's in some key respects but diverges from the Hawaii case in terms of how policymakers ultimately resolved the issue.
Effect of format on comprehension of adherence data in chronic disease: A cross-sectional study in HIV.

Abstract Objective To determine which formats communicate medication adherence effectively to patients. Methods HIV-infected adults on antiretrovirals viewed examples of refill data in 5 formats: (1) percentage of doses, (2) number of days late to refill (“days late”), (3) calendar of days with/without medications, (4) pie chart of days with/without medications, and (5) letter grade. Five scenarios (>95%, 90–95%, Results 124 participants were median age 48.5 years, 65% Black, 71% male. Understanding of all formats differed by education (all interaction p values days late 3.3 (2.3–4.7), calendar 3.1 (2.2–4.3) pie chart 2.0 (1.4–2.7), and letter grade 1.8 (1.3–2.5). For >12 years education, ORs were: days late 1.3 (0.9–2.0), calendar 2.4 (1.5–3.8), pie chart 2.9 (1.8–4.6), and letter grade 1.7 (1.1–2.6). Calendar plot was most preferred. Conclusions Adherence percentage was the least understood format regardless of education. Practice implications Calendars should be used to convey adherence information.
Determinants of Military Spending in Developing African Countries

All countries make trade-offs between social spending and military spend-ing, and developing countries are not exempt from this predicament. Resources are particularly scarce in these countries, so every decision is made with the understanding that money is tight. Since the end of the Cold War, United States policy makers have been trying to stabilize these regions to promote peace and development. Ironically, however, military weapons are still readily available to these developing countries through the major industrial powers (United States, Russia, China, etc.). If the United States and other developed countries are serious about promoting peace and development in underdevel-oped regions, then it is vital to know why excessive amounts of money are spent on the military every year in those countries. This article is available in Res Publica Journal of Undergraduate Research: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/respublica/vol3/iss1/7
Exploring the environment: a problem-based approach to learning about global change

The authors' project, Exploring the Environment (ETE), is developing Earth science modules for delivery over the Internet. Technology, such as remote sensing, simulations, and groundtruthing provide a myriad of tools to study global scale interactions and to make better predictions and decisions. Remote sensing allows students to see Earth subsystem interrelations on a grand scale. It is ideal for the study of change and the wider relations between many components of the environment. These studies seem to be having little impact in elementary and secondary schools. Studies show that science learning at the high school level has little effect upon students' science literacy, including their understanding of basic concepts, the process of science, or the impact of science on society. The authors' experience and research indicates that change in science classroom methodology can lead to student understanding of critical issues. The goal is engaging and motivating students to explore and understand issues in depth. The challenge is to provide teachers with alternative approaches to teaching and learning that will achieve the goal. Problem-based learning (PBL) is one of the alternatives.
COMPARATIVE TAXONOMY OF CRYSTALLOGENIC STRAINS OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA AND PSEUDOMONAS CHLORORAPHIS

Haynes, William C. (Northern Utilization Research and Development Division, Peoria, Ill.) and Lenora J. Rhodes. Comparative taxonomy of crystallogenic strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas chlororaphis. J. Bacteriol. 84:1080–1084. 1962.—Only 11 of 39 strains received in the Agricultural Research Service Culture Collection under the designation Pseudonomas chlororaphis proved to be authentic; 28 were typical, pyocyanogenic strains of P. aeruginosa. The reason for this disproportionately high rate of misidentification apparently arises from an erroneous belief that the ability to produce green and yellow crystals of chlororaphin and oxychlororaphin is confined to P. chlororaphis. The ability of many strains of P. aeruginosa to do likewise is not well known. Inasmuch as the characteristic is not unique to P. chlororaphis, other criteria are required to distinguish crystallogenic strains of these species. After a taxonomic comparison of 18 strains of P. chlororaphis and 47 crystallogenic strains of P. aeruginosa, it was determined that there are three main distinctions: (i) P. aeruginosa grows well at 42 C but fails to grow upon serial transfer at 5 C, whereas P. chlororaphis fails to grow at 42 C, but grows well at 5 C: (ii) most strains of P. aeruginosa produce pyocyanin, whereas P. chlororaphis strains do not; (iii) P. aeruginosa cells possess only one or two polar flagella, whereas P. chlororaphis usually has at least four, sometimes as many as eight, polar flagella.
TFTR microwave reflectometer diagnostic

The TFTR (Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor) multichannel X-mode reflectometer system is intended to measure electron density fluctuations at fixed points in the plasma by resolving phase fluctuations in waves reflected from the plasma. The system comprises low-power, high-dynamic-range millimeter-band transceivers two pairs of cylindrical corrugated low-loss overmoded waveguides, remotely controlled beamsteering mirrors, and high-speed data acquisition and control electronics. At present a single 140-GHz channel is operational. Three additional channels, one of which can be frequency stepped, are planned to be operational for the next TFTR run period. These new channels should allow correlation measurements between fluctuations on different density layers. The authors describe the reflectometer instrumentation and design concerns relating to the TFTR environment and discuss the integration of additional channels into the existing single channel system. An example of the measurement capability of the system is presented. >
From Interatomic Interactions to Protein Structure

1 Introduction to Protein Structure 1.1 Introductory Remarks 1.2 What Is the Chemical Composition of a Living Cell? 1.3 What Are Proteins? 1.4 What Determines Protein Structure? 2 Statistical Mechanics of Polymer Configurations 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Random Flight Chains 2.3 Gaussian Polymers 2.4 The Equivalent Chain 2.5 Calculations for Proteins 2.6 Excluded Volume Effects 2.7 Polymer Collapse 3. The Helix-Coil Transition 3.1 Alpha Helices and Cooperativity 3.2 Lifson-Roig Model 3.3 Transfer Matrix Method of Calculating the Partition Function 3.4 Comparison with Experiments 4 Application to Protein Structure Prediction 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Potential Functions and the Potential Accuracy Problem 4.3 A Simple Potential Accuracy Calculation 4.4 The Random Heteropolymer Model 4.5 Accuracy Calculation for Random Heteropolymers 4.6 Implications for Protein Structure Prediction Acknowledgements References
σz — Dependent Jastrow theory of liquid 3He

Including a dependence on the z-component of the nuclear spin in the Jastrow wave function gives a substantial contribution to the ground state energy of liquid 3He, which tends to stabilize unpolarized liquid 3He relative to completely polarized 3He.
Arrhythmic Outcomes in Patients following Explanation of Left Ventricular Assist Devices after Myocardial Recovery

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent and important comorbidity in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the frequency of subclinical paroxysmal AF (PAF) in HF patients has not been well-characterized. We have developed a novel wireless remote monitoring platform (BodyGuardian ) which provides continuous 24/7 real-time cardiac telemetry including automated rhythm classification supported by a dedicated 24/7 monitoring center with technician over-read. Herein we report our initial experience with deployment of the BodyGuardian platform in HF subjects for detection of PAF. Hypothesis: Subclinical PAF is frequent in outpatients with chronic stable HF. Methods: We performed continuous cardiac rhythm monitoring using the BodyGuardian platform over an interval of 2-4 weeks in ambulatory subjects (n524) with stable chronic NYHA class I-IV HF receiving standard therapy. The platform includes an external removable sensor-patch on the frontend which acquires EKG signals wirelessly transmitted via cell-phone technology to Cloud servers for storage, summary and analysis and down-loaded on the backend for technician over-read with reporting to the electronic medical record for review by providers. Automated rhythm classification, alerts and summaries provide clinical decision-support. Proprietary technology enables assessment of EKG and HR reliability with appropriate filtering for reported data. The system also enables two-way communication between providers and patients (subjects) with programmable thresholds for automated alerts as well as subject-activated alerts by button-push. AF ! 30 seconds duration was not considered for analysis. Results: Subjects (4 women, 20 men) were 32-84 years old (mean 63.4 years) with LVEF 15-72% (mean 32.6%); 18 subjects were NYHA class I-II and 6 class III-IV. The sensor-patch was well tolerated; compliance with sensor-patch was high. Mean monitoring interval was 23.2 6 18.0 days. EKG signal reliability was 93.1% before filtering. 11 subjects had no history of AF. During the study period 19 separate subjects had remotely detected AF including 4 individuals with no prior history of AF. Hence, 4 of 11 (36%) HF subjects with no AF history developed at least one episode of PAF during the study period. Conclusion: Subclinical PAF is frequently detected in outpatients with chronic, stable HF monitored continuously by an external wireless remote monitoring platform over an interval of 2-4 weeks. Remote telemetry may potentially increase detection rates and quantification of PAF burden in HF patients and support outpatient management of AF where hospital monitoring might otherwise be required. These findings are important as they may enable modification of management strategies.
Committing Mass Violence to Education and Learning

Laura E. Agnich and Meghan Hale on the rational, if overblown, fears reconfiguring classrooms.
PICH and BLM limit histone association with anaphase centromeric DNA threads and promote their resolution

Centromeres nucleate the formation of kinetochores and are vital for chromosome segregation during mitosis. The SNF2 family helicase PICH (Plk1-interacting checkpoint helicase) and the BLM (the Bloom's syndrome protein) helicase decorate ultrafine histone-negative DNA threads that link the segregating sister centromeres during anaphase. The functions of PICH and BLM at these threads are not understood, however. Here, we show that PICH binds to BLM and enables BLM localization to anaphase centromeric threads. PICH- or BLM-RNAi cells fail to resolve these threads in anaphase. The fragmented threads form centromeric-chromatin-containing micronuclei in daughter cells. Anaphase threads in PICH- and BLM-RNAi cells contain histones and centromere markers. Recombinant purified PICH has nucleosome remodelling activities in vitro. We propose that PICH and BLM unravel centromeric chromatin and keep anaphase DNA threads mostly free of nucleosomes, thus allowing these threads to span long distances between rapidly segregating centromeres without breakage and providing a spatiotemporal window for their resolution.
Interest-aware information dissemination in small-world communities

Information dissemination is a fundamental and frequently occurring problem in large, dynamic, distributed systems. We propose a novel approach to this problem, interest-aware information dissemination, that takes advantage of small-world usage patterns in data-sharing communities. These small-world characteristics suggest that users naturally form groups of common interest. We propose algorithms for identifying these groups dynamically, without a need for explicit classification of topics or declaration of user interests. These algorithms use information about the data consumed by users to identify, via online computation, groups with similar interests. As a proof of concept, we apply this methodology to the problem of locating files in large user communities. Using real-world traces from a scientific community and from a peer-to-peer system, we show that proactive information dissemination within groups of common interest can reduce the search load by up to 70%. In addition, this approach naturally supports the efficient discovery of collections of files, a requirement specific to scientific data analysis tasks. We hypothesize that our algorithms can find numerous other uses in distributed systems, such as reputation management.
Coaxial-resonator-driven rf (Paul) trap for strong confinement

We describe a variant of the quadrupole rf (Paul) ion trap capable of localization of a trapped ion to much less than an optical wavelength (Lamb-Dicke regime). The trapping potentials are generated by a high-Q, vacuum-compatible, quarter-wave resonator driven at about 240 MHz. The binding strength of the trap has been characterized. The trap contains compensation electrodes which allow the cancellation of stray static electric fields within the trap. Secular frequencies of tens of megahertz have been achieved for trapped magnesium and beryllium ions.
Spin Dynamics in an Ordered Stripe Phase

Inelastic neutron scattering has been used to measure the low-energy spin excitations in the ordered charge-stripe phase of ${{\mathrm{La}}_{2}\mathrm{NiO}}_{4+\ensuremath{\delta}}$ with $\ensuremath{\delta}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.133$. Spin-wave-like excitations disperse away from the incommensurate magnetic superlattice points with a velocity $\ensuremath{\sim}60%$ of that in the $\ensuremath{\delta}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0$ compound. Incommensurate inelastic peaks remain well resolved up to at least twice the magnetic ordering temperature. Paramagnetic scattering from a $\ensuremath{\delta}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.105$ sample, which has a N\'eel-ordered ground state, shows anomalies suggestive of incipient stripe correlations. Similarities between these results and measurements on superconducting cuprates are discussed.
Percent of Prostate Needle Biopsy Cores With Cancer is Significant Independent Predictor of Prostate Specific Antigen Recurrence Following Radical Prostatectomy: Results From SEARCH Database

ABSTRACTPurpose: Recent studies have suggested that the percent of positive cores in the prostate needle biopsy is a significant predictor of outcome among men undergoing radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy for prostate cancer. We evaluate whether either percent of cores with cancer or percent of cores positive from the most and least involved side of the prostate needle biopsy was associated with a worse outcome among men treated with radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: A retrospective survey of 1,094 patients from the SEARCH Database treated with radical prostatectomy at 4 different equal access medical centers in California between 1988 and 2002 was undertaken. We used multivariate analysis to examine whether total percent of prostate needle biopsy cores with cancer, percent of cores positive from each side of the prostate and other clinical variables were significant predictors of adverse pathology and time to prostate specific antigen (PSA) recurrence following radical prostatectomy.R...
EVOLUTION OF BEHAVIOR AND NEURAL CONTROL OF THE FAST‐START ESCAPE RESPONSE

The fast-start startle behavior is the primary mechanism of rapid escape in fishes and is a model system for examining neural circuit design and musculoskeletal function. To develop a dataset for evolutionary analysis of the startle response, the kinematics and muscle activity patterns of the fast-start were analyzed for four fish species at key branches in the phylogeny of vertebrates. Three of these species (Polypterus palmas, Lepisosteus osseus, and Amia calva) represent the base of the actinopterygian radiation. A fourth species (Oncorhynchus mykiss) provided data for a species in the central region of the teleost phylogeny. Using these data, we explored the evolution of this behavior within the phylogeny of vertebrates. To test the hypothesis that startle features are evolutionarily conservative, the variability of motor patterns and kinematics in fast-starts was described. Results show that the evolution of the startle behavior in fishes, and more broadly among vertebrates, is not conservative. The fast-start has undergone substantial change in suites of kinematics and electromyogram features, including the presence of either a one- or a two-stage kinematic response and change in the extent of bilateral muscle activity. Comparative methods were used to test the evolutionary hypothesis that changes in motor control are correlated with key differences in the kinematics and behavior of the fast-start. Significant evolutionary correlations were found between several motor pattern and behavioral characters. These results suggest that the startle neural circuit itself is not conservative. By tracing the evolution of motor pattern and kinematics on a phylogeny, it is shown that major changes in the neural circuit of the startle behavior occur at several levels in the phylogeny of vertebrates.
Biological removal of dimethyl sulphide from sea water

DIMETHYL sulphide (DMS) is an important sulphur-containing trace gas in the atmosphere. It is present in oceanic surface waters at concentrations sufficient to sustain a considerable net flux of DMS from the oceans to the atmosphere, estimated to comprise nearly half of the global biogenic input of sulphur to the atmosphere1. DMS emitted from the oceans may be a precursor of tropospheric aerosols and of cloud condensation nuclei in the remote marine atmosphere, thereby affecting the Earth's radiative balance and thus its climate2–4. Relatively little is known, however, about the biogeochemical and physical processes that control the concentration of DMS in sea water. Here we present data from incubation experiments, carried out at sea, which show that DMS is removed by microbial activity. In the eastern, tropical Pacific Ocean, DMS turnover is dominated by biological processes, with turnover times for biological DMS removal generally more than ten (3–430) times faster than turnover by ventilation to the atmosphere. Thus biological consumption of DMS seems to be a more important factor than atmospheric exchange in controlling DMS concentrations in the ocean, and hence its flux to the atmosphere. These results have significant implications for climate feedback models involving DMS emissions3, and highlight the importance of the microbial food web in oceanic DMS cycling.
Hemolysis associated with plastics—A histopathologic study with polyurethane

Polyurethane implanted subcutaneously in mice and rats is accompanied by a chronic granulomatous reaction in which there is an excessive amount of hemosiderin. Preceding the occurrence of hemosiderin, many erythrocytes are present, some of which are partially creatinated. Hemosiderin apparently results from the lysis of these red cells. It is suggested that this infiltration of erythrocytes and subsequent hemolysis may result from a positive charge associated with this plastic, attracting the negative charged blood cells. A similar reaction occurs with fragments of nylon and Teflon. There is no significant number of erythrocytes or hemosiderin, however, associated with the inflammatory reaction accompanying carbon black, glass beads, resin or Fuller's earth.
The search for novel energy storage materials using differential scanning calorimetry

Abstract The use of energy storage materials (ESM) has been demonstrated for passive heating and some passive cooling applications. As detailed in a previous paper the fatty acid materials investigated were found wanting in several capacities including odor and amount of heat stored. Further, differential scanning calorimetry has been shown to be an excellent method for determining the desired thermal properties. This paper begins a search for new ESM materials which are not organic acids and which have higher latent heats of melting/freezing and more desirable esthetic properties. Six classes of compounds not previously investigated were represented in the study including: hydrocarbons, ethers, alcohols, ketones, halogenated species and polymers.
Bilevel optimization techniques in computational strain design

Abstract Over the past decade a number of bilevel optimization techniques were introduced for computational strain design leading to the overproduction of biochemicals. In this paper, we provide an algorithm-centric description of the OptKnock and OptForce strain-design protocols, highlight their differences and demonstrate their application for a prototypical overproduction problem. The derivation of the equivalent MILP representation in both cases is described in detail along with provisions that lead to significantly improved performance. Comparison between the intervention strategies of OptKnock and OptForce for the overproduction of succinate in Escherichia coli reveal that while OptKnock couples succinate with biomass production, OptForce suggests interventions that improves the minimum production of succinate. Further, OptForce is more tractable as it identifies interventions from only the subset of reactions that must change in the overproducing strain. Overall, this paper highlights the computational challenges faced in strain design and the methodological choices explored by OptKnock and OptForce.
Marginal seal of new-generation dental bonding agents

Abstract This in vitro study evaluated microleakage of three new adhesive systems—All-Bond 2, Gluma 2000, and Scotchbond Multi-Purpose. Enamel was removed from the buccal surfaces of 40 extracted molars, and cavity preparations were made on both the buccal and lingual surfaces of each tooth. Buccal cavities were entirely in dentin, and the lingual cavities had enamel margins. Specimens were randomly assigned to three groups for treatment with All-Bond 2, Gluma 2000, or Scotchbond Multi-Purpose adhesive systems. A fourth group of specimens was untreated to serve as the control. All cavity preparations were restored with a visible light-cured microfilled composite resin. Specimens were thermocycled and subjected to a crystal violet staining technique to detect marginal microleakage. Microleakage was recorded as ordinal data and analyzed with nonparametric statistical tests. Each of the adhesives tested significantly reduced microleakage at the enamel and dentin margins. The extent of leakage at dentin margins was only slightly greater than at enamel margins in each treatment group.
Genome-wide screening for drug discovery and companion diagnostics

Changes in technology can often affect society and models of industry. The broad expectations for ‘genomics’ that were highly publicized during the previous decade have not materialized at the rate predicted. However, with the completion of the human genome, it is now possible to identify individual subject DNA profiles using platforms that measure thousands of genetic variants simultaneously and at a diminishing cost. Genome-wide screening affects two important components for success of the pharmaceutical industry. The first is drug discovery with the identification and selection of the right target for a disease or medical indication. The second involves crucial decisions required during drug development, related to proof of efficacy sufficient enough to support the enormous cost commitment for drug development. Using Alzheimer’s disease as an example, the combined application of genome-wide screening, candidate gene analyses and efficacy pharmacogenetics is presented. The drivers for the industry for a...
Can Comprehensive Immigration Reform Be Both Liberal and Democratic

The Brookings-Duke Roundtable Report obtained a difficult consensus on a wide range of mostly liberal immigration reform proposals. However, its devotion to comprehensive reform is ultimately ill-considered. Comprehensive immigration reform is not necessary except as a stratagem to make some form of substantial amnesty palatable to a majority in Congress. Such a tactic is unlikely to be successful in any case in the current political climate. Moreover, it is not desirable empirically or normatively. Empirically, any comprehensive reform that has hopes of passing will contain incoherent and contradictory components. Normatively, it is objectionable because comprehensive reform, especially of the sort endorsed by the Roundtable, will be vastly expansive. A majority of Americans are opposed to such a policy dynamic. Liberal immigration reform will be achieved at the cost of overriding public preferences. For this reason the proposed Standing Commission, a deliberate attempt to push immigration policy development out of the public arena and enhance the prospects of liberal reforms, is a bad idea.
Fear of the unexpected: Hippocampus mediates novelty-induced return of extinguished fear in rats

Several lines of evidence indicate an important role for the hippocampus in the recovery of fear memory after extinction. For example, hippocampal inactivation prevents the renewal of fear to an extinguished conditioned stimulus (CS) when it is presented outside the extinction context. Renewal of extinguished responding is accompanied by associative novelty (an unexpected occurrence of a familiar CS in a familiar place), the detection of which may require the hippocampus. We therefore examined whether the hippocampus also mediates the recovery of extinguished fear caused by other unexpected events, including presenting a familiar CS in a novel context or presenting a novel cue with the CS in a familiar context (e.g., external disinhibition). Rats underwent Pavlovian fear conditioning and extinction using an auditory CS and freezing behavior served as the index of conditioned fear. In Experiment 1, conditioned freezing to the extinguished CS was renewed in a novel context and this was eliminated by intra-hippocampal infusions of the GABAA agonist, muscimol, prior to the test. In Experiment 2, muscimol inactivation of the hippocampus reduced the external disinhibition of conditioned freezing that occurred when a novel white noise accompanied the extinguished tone CS. Collectively, these results suggest that the hippocampus mediates the return of fear when extinguished CSs are unexpected, or when unexpected stimuli accompany CS presentation. Ultimately, a violation of expectations about when, where, and with what other stimuli an extinguished CS will occur may form the basis of spontaneous recovery, renewal, and external disinhibition.
An electromyographic examination of response competition

Subjects were required to discriminate the letters S and H in a choice reaction time task. They responded with a thumbpress of one hand to one of the letters and with the thumb of the other hand to the other letter. In the incompatible noise condition, the target letter was flanked by the opposite response letter, and in the compatible noise condition, the flanking noise letters were identical to the target. In addition to overt reaction time, associated electromyographic activity was recorded in both arms on each trial. In keeping with previous findings, incompatible noise significantly and appreciably increased reaction time for the overt response. More importantly, in the incompatible condition, the occurrence of a correct thumb response was frequently accompanied by an EMG in the arm appropriate to the noise letters. This result was interpreted as showing that the noise letters were processed to the point of incipient response activation simultaneously with the target letter. The results were predicted by the continuous flow model of C. W. Eriksen and Schultz (1979) and the variable criterion theory of Grice, Nullmeyer, and Spiker (1982).
Purification and characterization of the 11S component of soybean proteins.

Abstract Soybean proteins were fractionated by: ( a ) cooling an aqueous extract; ( b ) salt extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation, and dialysis; ( c ) isoelectric precipitation; and ( d ) acid-precipitation and fractional extraction with sodium chloride solution of graded ionic strength. The purest preparation of the component having the approximate s 20,w value of 11 S was obtained by the last-named method. Sedimentation, diffusion, and lightscattering measurements indicate that the 11 S protein has a molecular weight of about 350,000.
Benefits of utilizing CellProfiler as a characterization tool for U–10Mo nuclear fuel

Automated image processing techniques have the potential to aid in the performance evaluation of nuclear fuels by eliminating judgment calls that may vary from person-to-person or sample-to-sample. Analysis of in-core fuel performance is required for design and safety evaluations related to almost every aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle. This study presents a methodology for assessing the quality of uranium–molybdenum fuel images and describes image analysis routines designed for the characterization of several important microstructural properties. The analyses are performed in CellProfiler, an open-source program designed to enable biologists without training in computer vision or programming to automatically extract cellular measurements from large image sets. The quality metric scores an image based on three parameters: the illumination gradient across the image, the overall focus of the image, and the fraction of the image that contains scratches. The metric presents the user with the ability to ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ an image based on a reproducible quality score. Passable images may then be characterized through a separate CellProfiler pipeline, which enlists a variety of common image analysis techniques. The results demonstrate the ability to reliably pass or fail images based on the illumination, focus, and scratch fraction of the image, followed bymore » automatic extraction of morphological data with respect to fission gas voids, interaction layers, and grain boundaries. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • A technique is developed to score U–10Mo FIB-SEM image quality using CellProfiler. • The pass/fail metric is based on image illumination, focus, and area scratched. • Automated image analysis is performed in pipeline fashion to characterize images. • Fission gas void, interaction layer, and grain boundary coverage data is extracted. • Preliminary characterization results demonstrate consistency of the algorithm.« less
A Comparison between Two Limited-Area Spectral Analysis Schemes

Abstract The limited-domain, spectral analysis schemes or Errico and of Barnes are compared. They differ in their treatments of aperiodicity of the domain boundaries. The difference is shown to strongly affect treatment of the resolved small scales. Results indicate that the Barnes scheme has a smoother boundary trend field at the expense of greater misrepresentation of small interior scales after that trend is removed.
Distribution of rate–intensity function types in chick cochlear nerve after exposure to intense sound

Intense sound exposure to the chick ear produces cochlear damage and losses in auditory function. At twelve days post exposure there is considerable structural repair, although a defect on the sensory epithelium remains in the form of an incompletely healed 'patch' lesion. Auditory function significantly recovers 12 days after the exposure, but it, too, is incomplete. In this paper we describe the relationship between stimulus intensity and cochlear nerve discharge rate (the rate-intensity function) in two groups of chicks. One is exposed to damaging sound levels but allowed 12 days to recover, while the other is a group of non-exposed and age-matched control animals. Three different types of rate-intensity functions were identified; saturating, sloping, and straight. The percentage of saturating and sloping functions was compared across all characteristic frequencies in both groups of animals. A significant change was observed in the distribution of these types for recovered units with characteristic frequencies within the region of the patch lesion. In addition, the rate-intensity functions of these units exhibited a steeper slope and a higher maximum response. The distribution of rate-intensity function types and their slope and maximum responses, for units with characteristic frequencies outside of the patch lesion, was similar to those found in control ears. The changes in the cochlear nerve response in exposed chicks may be due to alterations in cochlear mechanics, hair cell or synaptic membrane properties, hair cell innervation, or the loss of a tonic suppression of afferent activity exerted by the damaged short hair cells.
Symptomatic venous thrombo-embolism in low-energy isolated fractures in hospitalised patients

Abstract Introduction In the prevention of venous thrombo-embolic events (VTEs) in isolated low-energy fracture patients, management guidelines are conflicting and prior literature is lacking. We aimed to determine the incidence and factors associated with the development of symptomatic VTE in this patient cohort. Materials and methods To identify patients with isolated, low-energy fractures, we studied billing records from all admissions to our tertiary care orthopaedic hospital from 2007 to 2009. We used International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision codes to identify patients who developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE) during their hospital admission or within 90 days of discharge. We also collected data on socio-demographics, type of injury, fracture treatment, co-morbidities and anticoagulation therapy at time of admission. This study was a retrospective review of a database. Results In total, 1701 admissions fit our criteria. Average patient age was 64.27 years and 64.4% were female. There were 479 (28.2%) upper extremity fractures and 1222 (71.8%) lower extremity fractures. Incidence of clinically significant VTE was 1.4%. Of the 24 patients with 25 documented VTE, there were 13 DVTs and 12 PEs, including 2 fatal PEs (0.012%). Nineteen VTEs occurred in association with lower extremity fractures and six with upper extremity fractures; 74% of patients were chemoprophylaxed. Patients with VTE had an average age of 69.5 years and an average body mass index (BMI) of 28kgm −2 . Logistical regression analysis found female sex ( p =0.05) and elevated BMI ( p =0.003) to be the only significant predictors of VTE. Conclusions Clinically significant VTE among patients who sustained isolated, low-energy fractures was found to be low in the setting of standard VTE prophylaxis. Our incidence was consistent with that of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. Female sex and increased BMI were statistically significant predictors of VTE.
Noninvasive electrocardiographic imaging of cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with heart failure

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) using biventricular (BiV) pacing has been developed to restore synchrony and improve cardiac performance in patients with heart failure. It has been clinically beneficial in 65% to 70% of patients. Being an electrical (pacing) approach, detailed electrical information during CRT is critical in understanding its mechanism and clinical outcome. However, electrical data from patients have been limited because of the requirement for invasive mapping. Electrocardiographic imaging provides the necessary tool to noninvasively obtain this information. We applied electrocardiographic imaging to 8 patients undergoing CRT during their native rhythm and various (single-ventricular and BiV) pacing modes with the following observations: (1) native rhythm activation was heterogeneous with latest activation in lateral left ventricular (LV) base (3 of 6 patients) or in anterolateral, midlateral, or inferior LV; (2) when accompanied by fusion, LV pacing was as effective as BiV; (3) right ventricular pacing was not effective for resynchronization; (4) efficacy of CRT depended strongly on patient-specific electrophysiologic substrate.
Nucleus accumbens neurons exhibit synaptic scaling that is occluded by repeated dopamine pre-exposure

Synaptic scaling has been proposed as a form of plasticity that may contribute to drug addiction but it has not been previously demonstrated in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a critical region for addiction. Here we demonstrate bidirectional synaptic scaling in postnatal rat NAc neurons that were co-cultured with prefrontal cortical neurons to restore excitatory input. Prolonged activity blockade (1–3 days) with an AMPA receptor antagonist increased cell surface (synaptic and extrasynaptic) glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1) and GluR2 but not GluR3, as well as GluR1/2 co-localization on the cell surface and total GluR1 and GluR2 protein levels. A prolonged increase in activity (bicuculline, 48 h) produced opposite effects. These results suggest that GluR1/2-containing AMPA receptors undergo synaptic scaling in NAc neurons. GluR1 and GluR2 surface expression was also increased by tetrodotoxin alone or in combination with an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor or AMPA receptor antagonist but not by the l-type Ca2+ channel antagonist nifedipine. A cobalt-quenching assay confirmed the immunocytochemical results indicating that synaptic scaling after activity blockade did not involve a change in abundance of GluR2-lacking AMPA receptors. Increased AMPA receptor surface expression after activity blockade required protein synthesis and was occluded by inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Repeated dopamine (DA) treatment, which leads to upregulation of surface GluR1 and GluR2, occluded activity blockade-induced synaptic scaling. These latter results indicate an interaction between cellular mechanisms involved in synaptic scaling and adaptive mechanisms triggered by repeated DA receptor stimulation, suggesting that synaptic scaling may not function normally after exposure to DA-releasing drugs such as cocaine.
Transport Phenomena in Zonal Centrifuge Rotors. XI. Gradient Properties of Sorbitol and Sucrose in Sodium Phosphate Buffer Solutions

Abstract The gradient properties of sucrose and sorbitol in sodium phosphate buffer solutions were measured. Concentration-dependent diffusivities were measured by a microinterferometric method. Empirical formulas for the diffusivity and an activity coefficient of each solute in various concentrations of buffer are presented as a function of solute concentrations.
Attenuation effects in aluminum and lead fibers formed by inviscid melt-spinning (IMS)

Abstract Aluminum fibers 66 and 75 μm in diameter, and lead fibers from 19 to 313 μm in diameter have been produced by means of inviscid melt-spinning (IMS). The nascent streams were attenuated by aerodynamic acceleration. Attenuation factors ranging from D 0 D f = 1.3 to 3.8 have been achieved, representing some of the largest IMS attenuation effects yet reported.
The political economy of democratic transition in the Arab situation

The present article is a translation of the text of a conference given in Arabic by the author in Tunis at the Presidential Palace at the invitation of President Al Mazoukiin in May 2014. Its main argument is that the poor quality of economic growth in Arabic economies has produced high unemployment rates, inexistent productivity and the total lack of appropriation of science and technology, in addition to a high rate of concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, including ruling elites. This lack of virtuous growth is due to the development of neo-patrimonialism within the context of rent economies that cannot produce real democratic institutions. The author first makes an attempt through several indicators to identify and describe the main symptoms of this bad growth; and then he describes how to move from a rent-based and unproductive economy to a virtuous and inclusive growth model whereby human resources are all mobilized in a national effort to appropriate an adequate cluster of technologies.
Adaptive photovoltaic system

This paper discussed a new photovoltaic (PV) system topology that uses PV energy in efficient way in order to improve system power output during different operating conditions. The proposed topology provides flexible connection between PV modules to achieve different configurations of PV array. A new switching matrix has been developed to achieve the required configurations. Preliminary simulations provide promising results for an adaptive PV array. Comparison between traditional PV system configurations and adaptive configuration is considered. A significant improvement in power curves is achieved by the proposed topology.
Socialproof: using crowdsourcing for correcting errors to improve speech based dictation experiences

Though various Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) based text correction techniques have been proposed, it is still difficult to correct dictation errors using speech based commands. Inspired by the successful use of crowdsourcing to solve computation tasks, we propose SocialProof, a crowdsourcing powered ASR dictation enhancement, to provide a powerful and accurate but fairly cheap ASR dictation system. SocialProof begins with the output produced by ASR engines and enhances this output using the power of crowd intelligence via MTurk service. Our system splits one ASR dictation scenario into several smaller tasks, allowing multiple people to work on different pieces of the task at the same time. Data merging strategies are used to combine multiple responses from MTurk workers to provide improved results. An evaluation of SocialProof strongly supports the effectiveness of this approach.
Gene expression profiles in microdissected neurons from human hippocampal subregions.

Abstract Pyramidal neurons in hippocampal subregions are selectively vulnerable in certain disease states. To investigate, we tested the hypothesis that selective vulnerability in human hippocampus is related to regional differences in neuronal cell death and cell receptor gene expression in CA1 vs. CA3 subregions. We used laser capture microdissection to remove approximately 600 CA1 and 600 CA3 pyramidal neurons each from five fresh-frozen normal post-mortem brains, extracted total RNA and double-amplified mRNA. This was reverse transcribed and labeled for hybridization onto human cDNA array chips containing probes to 10,174 genes and unknown ESTs. RNA from additional microdissections was pooled for replicate hybridizations and quantitative RT-PCR validation. Gene expression differences were few (
The Relationship Among Work Possible Selves, Socioeconomic Position, and the Psychological Well-Being of Individuals in Early Adulthood

This study examines the relationships among work possible selves, socioeconomic position, gender, and psychological well-being. Participants were college students in early adulthood (N = 201), aged 20 to 35. Work possible selves, a construct based on the theory of possible selves, were examined. The results showed relationships between expectations for the future self in work (expected work possible selves) and socioeconomic position. Results also showed that individuals who report larger discrepancies between hoped-for and expected work possible selves reported lower psychological well-being in terms of satisfaction with life.