cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detecting equality of variables in programs

paper presents an algorithm for detecting when two computations produce equivalent values. The equivalence of programs, and hence the equivalence of values, is in general undecidable. Thus, the best one can hope to do is to give an efficient algorithm that detects a large subclass of all the possible equivalences in a program. Two variables are said to be equivalent at a point p if those variables contain the same values whenever control reaches p during any possible execution of the program. We will not examine all possible executions of the program. Instead, we will develop a static property called congruence. Congruence implies, but is not implied by, equivalence. Our approach is conservative in that any variables detected to be e:quivalent will in fact be equivalent, but not all equivalences are detected. Previous work has shown how to apply a technique c.alled value numbering in basic blocks [CS70]. Value numbering is essentially symbolic execution on straight-line programs (basic blocks). Symbolic execution implies that two expressions are assumed to be equal only when they consist of the same functions and the corresponding arguments of these functions are equal. An expression DAG is associated with each assignment statement. A hashing algorithm assigns a unique integer, the value number, to each different expression tree. Two variables that are assigned the same integer are guaranteed to be equivalent. After the code
Regional expression of cyclooxygenase isoforms in the rat kidney in complete unilateral ureteral obstruction.

ABSTRACTPurpose: The cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway is activated in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), contributing to renal hemodynamic alterations in different regions of the kidney. After the release of 24-hour UUO cortical vasoconstriction occurs but medullary hyperemia is seen. We examined the expression of the 2 COX isoforms COX-1 and COX-2 in different regions of the kidney in rats subjected to UUO.Materials and Methods: Clearance experiments were performed after ureteral obstruction release in rats with 24-hour UUO or sham operated rats. COX-1 and COX-2 expression in the cortex and medulla were examined by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry.Results: After UUO release the glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow were markedly lower in post-obstructed kidneys than in contralateral kidneys or in kidneys in sham operated rats (p <0.001). Western blot analysis showed that COX-2/β-actin in the cortex of the obstructed kidney was 0.28 ± 0.02 densitometry units, significantly lower t...
New Jersey Local Government Benefits Practices Survey

Employee benefits are an essential and costly component of the compensation and human resource management system. This research effort surveyed 118 New Jersey local governments on their employee benefits practices. The survey results clearly indicate that New Jersey local governments are competitive with the private sector in terms of traditional benefits (health, pensions, dental coverage, and so on). Local governments lag behind the private sector, however, in the deployment of key family-friendly benefits such as child care, elder care, flexi-place, flextime, and job sharing. Recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of local government benefits plan administration include comprehensive needs assessment, labor-management cooperation, and state-level technical assistance.
Ethical issues in legacy language resources

Abstract Recently, there has been extensive work in linguistics to develop recommendations for digitizing legacy language materials. However, relatively little work has been done on the social and legal concerns regarding rights and access to these materials, most of which were created when concerns surrounding intellectual property were less sensitive than they are today. We discuss four issues related to establishing rights and access to legacy language materials: (i) determining what “community” they should be associated with, (ii) establishing rights retroactively, (iii) establishing rights and access to “orphan” works, and (iv) assessing the sensitivities associated with different genres.
Fish Protein Concentrate As A Protein Supplement In Four Baked Products

Fish Protein Concentrate (FPC) is a stable, wholesome protein powder which can be used as a low cost food supplement. At present there is little information available to the consumer for home use of FPC. This article reports the findings of a study on the use of FPC in home baked products. Four baked products supplemented with FPC were for mulated in order to study the feasibility of using home baked products supplemented with FPC as a low cost means to improve protein nutrition. The four products were whole wheat bread, whole wheat muffins, peanut butter cookies, and date nut bars. The quality and acceptability of the baked products were evaluated by both subjective and objective methods. The results showed that home baked products can be supplemented with up to five percent FPC as a replacement for flour and result in standard quality as well as consumer acceptability. Higher amounts of supplementation with FPC are pos sible depending on the type of product.
Chemistry of a polluted cloudy boundary layer

A one-dimensional photochemical model for cloud-topped boundary layers has been developed to include descriptions of gas- and aqueous-phase chemistry and the radiation field in and below the cloud. The model is applied to the accumulation of pollutants during a wintertime episode with low stratus over Bakersfield, CA. The mechanisms of sulfate production and the balance between the concentrations of acids and bases are examined. It is shown that most of the sulfate production may be explained by the Fe(III)-catalyzed autoxidation of S(IV). Another source of sulfate is the oxidation of SO2 by OH in both the gas and the aqueous phase. It is shown that the sulfate production in the model is controlled by the availability of NH3. It is suggested that this explains the balance observed between total concentration of acids and bases.
Cementitious Radioactive Waste Hosts Formed under Elevated Temperatures and Pressures (FUETAP Concretes)

Concretes f ormed u nder e levated t emperatures a nd p ressures (FUETAP concretes) are effective hosts for transuranic (TRU) and high-level defense and commercial wastes. Tailored cement formulations developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) use Portland cement, fly ash, sand, and clay additives. These FUETAP concretes are cured under mild autoclave conditions, then the unbound water is removed. This paper summarizes the FUETAP development program. These continuous studies address the major questions concerning the performance of radioactive waste forms.
A New Laboratory-Based Algorithm to Predict Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients With Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis

Background & Aims Serum levels of α-fetoprotein (AFP) are influenced not only by the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but also by the underlying severity and activity of liver disease, which is reflected by liver function tests. We constructed an AFP-based algorithm that included these factors to identify patients at risk for HCC, and tested its predictive ability in a large set of patients with cirrhosis. Methods We used the national Department of Veterans Affairs Hepatitis C Virus Clinical Case Registry to identify patients with cirrhosis, results from at least 1 AFP test, and 6 months of follow-up. Our algorithm included data on age; levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, albumin, creatinine, and hemoglobin; prothrombin time; and numbers of platelets and white cells. We examined the operating characteristics (calibration, discrimination, predictive values) of several different algorithms for identification of patients who would develop HCC within 6 months of the AFP test. We assessed our final model in the development and validation subsets. Results We identified 11,721 patients with hepatitis C virus−related cirrhosis in whom 35,494 AFP tests were performed, and 987 patients developed HCC. A predictive model that included data on levels of AFP, ALT, and platelets, along with age at time of AFP test (and interaction terms between AFP and ALT, and AFP and platelets), best discriminated between patients who did and did not develop HCC. Using this AFP-adjusted model, the predictive accuracy increased at different AFP cutoffs compared with AFP alone. At any given AFP value, low numbers of platelets and ALT and older age were associated with increased risk of HCC, and high levels of ALT and normal/high numbers of platelets were associated with low risk for HCC. For example, the probabilities of HCC, based only on 20 ng/mL and 120 ng/mL AFP, were 3.5% and 11.4%, respectively. However, patients with the same AFP values (20 ng/mL and 120 ng/mL) who were 70 years old, with ALT levels of 40 IU/mL and platelet counts of 100,000, had probabilities of developing HCC of 8.1% and 29.0%, respectively. Conclusions We developed and validated an algorithm based on levels of AFP, platelets, and ALT, along with age, which increased the predictive value for identifying patients with hepatitis C virus−associated cirrhosis likely to develop HCC within 6 months. If validated in other patient groups, this model would have immediate clinical applicability.
A Trefoil Knotted Polymer Produced through Ring Expansion

A synthetic strategy is reported for the production of a trefoil knotted polymer from a copper(I)-templated helical knot precursor through ring expansion. The expected changes in the properties of the knotted polymer compared to a linear analogue, for example, reduced hydrodynamic radius and lower intrinsic viscosity, together with an atomic force microscopy (AFM) image of individual molecular knots, confirmed the formation of the resulting trefoil knotted polymer. The strategies employed here could be utilized to enrich the variety of available polymers with new architectures.
A compendium of processor allocation strategies for two-dimensional mesh connected systems

Multiple processor systems are an integral part of today's high-performance computing environment. Such systems are often configured as a two-dimensional grid of processors called a mesh. Tasks compete for rectangular submeshes of this mesh. The choice of submesh allocation strategy can significantly affect the level of processor utilization and a task's waiting time. In addition, the execution speed of various allocation algorithms varies widely, which can further affect system performance. This paper describes and categorizes several submesh allocation strategies, including a previously unreported method that is superior to other methods in terms of execution speed. The paper includes results of simulation studies used to compare the performance characteristics of the most efficient allocation strategies in each category.
Tracking control of the hydraulically actuated flexible manipulator

The remediation of single-shell radioactive waste storage tanks is one of the urgent tasks of the Department of Energy that challenge state-of-the-art equipment and methods. The use of long-reach manipulators is being seriously considered for this remediation task. Because of high payload capacity and high length-to-cross-section ratio requirements, these long-reach manipulator systems are expected to use hydraulic actuators and to exhibit significant structural flexibility. The controller has been designed to compensate for the hydraulic actuator dynamics by using a load-compensated velocity feedforward loop and to increase the bandwidth by using a pressure feedback loop. Shaping filter techniques have been applied as a feedforward controller to avoid structural vibrations during operation. Among various types of shaping filter methods investigated an approach, referred to as a "feedforward simulation filter" that uses embedded simulation, has been presented.
Interface of amorphous silicon thin film sensor with A/D converter

The feasibility of a new concept for rapid processing of photosensor signals is studied. The major feature of the new approach is to deposit a thin-film photosensor array on top of a silicon processor array. By using a high level of parallelism in two-dimensional processing, the speed of this system can be several orders higher than that of the existing bit stream systems. Results on the interface of a thin-film sensor with the first stage of the data processing circuit, the A/D (analog-to-digital) converter, are reported. The thin-film sensor used here is based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon. The sensor was found to have a high photosensitivity of 2 /spl times/ 10/sup 4/. The photocurrent from a sensor element was able to drive the A/D converter directly. The system response times were about 0.3 ms and 1 /spl mu/s when using a CMOS successive-approximation-type A/D converter and a flash-type A/D converter, respectively. Thus, the new concept of a vertically integrated sensor/processor array is shown to be very promising. >
Maximum number of longitudinal modes oscillating in a quantum dot laser due to spatial hole burning

The purpose of this work is to estimate the maximum number of longitudinal modes oscillating in a QD laser in the presence of a strong SHB effect. We analyze this number versus the cavity length and parameters controlling the optical gain of the structure. In semiconductor quantum well or bulk-active-region lasers, nonuniform carrier distributions are effectively smoothed out by diffusion processes. In quantum dot (QD) lasers, carriers that contribute to the stimulated emission are spatially localized in QDs.
7Be analyses in seawater by low background gamma-spectroscopy

Oceanographers use the cosmogenic radionuclide 7Be (T 1/2 53 days) as a tracer for atmospheric input and a conservative tracer of mixing in the open ocean. This paper elucidates a method for improving the analysis of 7Be from seawater. The scavenging efficiency of Fe(OH)3 for each sample is measured by ICP-MS using stable 9Be as a yield monitor. Samples are gamma-counted in a large diameter (28 mm) well detector. The high purity germanium well detector is coupled with an active anti-coincidence cosmic guard to reduce the spectra background. The improved overall accuracy of the method and lower detection limit of the detector results in a lower volume of seawater needed for analyses. Results will be shown from a study of 7Be in the Sargasso Sea.
A Case of mistaken identity: Persistent sciatic artery stenosis as a cause of critical limb ischemia

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the most severe manifestation of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and is defined as leg pain that occurs at rest, tissue ulceration, or gangrene. Initial diagnostic testing is often focused on localizing the level or site of atherosclerotic narrowing and determining the severity of ischemia, usually with disease noted below the knee. This report highlights a case of CLI in a patient with an arterial stenosis in an anatomic variant, a persistent sciatic artery. As more endovascular procedures are being done by cardiologists, knowledge of aberrant anatomy is essential in the approach to diagnosis and treatment of patients with PAD. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Association of third-year medical students' first clerkship with overall clerkship performance and examination scores.

Context Anecdotal experience has suggested that third-year medical students whose first clerkship is internal medicine may have superior performance throughout the academic year. Objective To determine whether the order of clerkships by specialty is associated with student performance. Design, Setting, and Participants Clerkship performance records of medical students at all 4 campuses of the University of Illinois College of Medicine who completed their third-year core clerkships from July 2000 through June 2008 (N = 2236) were reviewed. Main Outcome Measures Analysis of covariance was used to test for between-group differences (by first clerkship) in mean National Board of Medical Examiners subject examination scores (range, 0-100), preceptor ratings of clerkship clinical performances (range, 12-30), total overall clerkship grades (range, 12-30), and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 scores, adjusted for sex, campus, and USMLE Step 1 score. Results First clerkship specialty was significantly associated with mean subject examination scores (family medicine, 71.96 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 70.90-72.98], internal medicine, 73.86 [95% CI, 73.33-74.39], obstetrics/gynecology, 72.36 [95% CI, 71.64-73.04], pediatrics, 73.11 [95% CI, 72.38-73.84], psychiatry, 72.17 [95% CI, 71.52-72.81], surgery, 72.37 [95% CI, 71.73-73.02]; P Conclusion Among students at 4 campuses of a US medical school, clerkship order was significantly associated with performance on clerkship subject examinations and overall grades but not with clerkship clinical performance or USMLE Step 2 scores.
Effects of intravenous saline infusion on fetal ovine lung liquid secretion.

These studies were designed to investigate the relationship between body fluid volume expansion and secretion of lung liquid in fetal sheep. Twelve fetal animals were used for saline infusion studies after providing them with indwelling vascular catheters and an exteriorized tracheal loop. An additional 10 animals were used as controls. Lung liquid production was measured using an impermeant tracer technique (Blue Dye Dextran). Saline infusion at 1.6, 4.0, 15.6, and 19.2 ml.kg-1.h-1 did not alter significantly lung liquid secretion rates. These results demonstrate that 1) intravenous infusion of saline at relatively high rates in the ovine fetus does not affect net fetal lung liquid formation rate, and 2) the lungs of chronically catheterized, unanesthetized fetal sheep probably do not participate in regulation of excess fluid and electrolytes.
Radiation-Induced Sarcomas

One of the few known causes of sarcomas is therapeutic irradiation. Therapeutic radiation has also been associated with development of breast cancer, lung cancer, and accelerated coronary artery disease in patients receiving thoracic radiation [1, 2]. With the increased recognition of second cancers as a long-term side effect of radiation therapy, some attempts have been made to use radiation more sparingly; however, for reasons unclear to the authors, use of therapeutic radiation is even more widespread than in the past, with the use of tylectomy and radiation therapy, a recognized standard of care for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast, despite the ability to obtain negative margins in at least 95 % of patients with surgery alone [3, 4]. The incidence of a sarcoma after radiation is not precisely known and may vary from one part of the body to the next. In a series of patients treated for cancer of all sites in Finland, for example, the crude risk was of the order of 0.05 % [5].
Strong E-1 transitions in Be-9, Be-11, and C-13

The Doppler shift attenuation method has been used to make two measurements of the mean life of the $^{11}\mathrm{Be}$ 320-keV level. The results are 150\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}30 fs from the $^{9}\mathrm{Be}(t, \mathrm{p}\ensuremath{\gamma})^{11}\mathrm{Be}$ reaction and 168\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}17 fs from the $^{3}\mathrm{H}(^{9}\mathrm{Be}, \mathrm{p}\ensuremath{\gamma})^{11}\mathrm{Be}$ reaction. The adopted value of 166\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}15 fs, from the present and previous measurements, corresponds to an extremely strong $E1$ transition of 0.36\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03 W.u. The adopted energy of the ground state transition from this and previous measurements is 320.04\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.10 keV. It is shown that the magnitude of this $E1$ transition can be understood on the basis of shell-model calculations only if realistic single-particle wave functions are used. A similar theoretical treatment is given for strong $E1$ transitions in $^{9}\mathrm{Be}$ and $^{13}\mathrm{C}$.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{9}\mathrm{Be}(t, \mathrm{p}\ensuremath{\gamma})^{11}\mathrm{Be}$, $E(\mathrm{t})=1.5\ensuremath{-}3.3$ MeV, $^{3}\mathrm{H}(^{9}\mathrm{Be}, \mathrm{p}\ensuremath{\gamma})^{11}\mathrm{Be}$, $E(^{9}\mathrm{Be})=10\ensuremath{-}16$ MeV; measured DSA; deduced $\ensuremath{\tau}(^{11}\mathrm{Be}, 320\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{k}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V})$; calculated $B(E1)$, $B(M2)$ from thoery and compared to experiment for $^{9}\mathrm{Be}$, $^{11}\mathrm{Be}$, $^{13}\mathrm{C}$.
Distance Inputs and the Space-Economy Part II: The Locational Equilibrium of the Firm

VI. Transport-oriented equilibrium under simplified conditions, 373. — VII. Transport-oriented equilibrium with realistic rate structures, 379. — VIII. Substitution between outlays and revenues and other forms of orientation, 390. — IX. Equilibrium with areal markets and material sources, 395. — X. Conclusions, 398.
Measurement Techniques and Considerations for Determining Thermal Conductivity of Bulk Materials

In summary, several methods have been presented and discussed for the experimental determination of the thermal conductivity of a bulk solid-state material. Much care must be taken in the experimental design of the apparatus and the evaluation of the resulting data. Issues relating to understanding loss terms such as radiation or heat conduction were discussed along with issues related to appropriate heat sinking of the sample and corresponding measurement lead wires. Several techniques were discussed and one must then determine which technique is most appropriate for the specific sample geometry and the specific measurement equipment and apparatus available. However, the determination of the thermal conductivity of a material to within less than 5% uncertainty may be quite formidable, and most often a serious limiting factor may be the accurate determination of the overall sample dimensions.
Bulk Comptonization by turbulence in accretion discs

Radiation pressure dominated accretion discs around compact objects may have turbulent velocities that greatly exceed the electron thermal velocities within the disc. Bulk Comptonization by the turbulence may therefore dominate over thermal Comptonization in determining the emergent spectrum. Bulk Comptonization by divergenceless turbulence is due to radiation viscous dissipation only. It can be treated as thermal Comptonization by solving the Kompaneets equation with an equivalent "wave" temperature, which is a weighted sum over the power present at each scale in the turbulent cascade. Bulk Comptonization by turbulence with non-zero divergence is due to both pressure work and radiation viscous dissipation. Pressure work has negligible effect on photon spectra in the limit of optically thin turbulence, and in this limit radiation viscous dissipation alone can be treated as thermal Comptonization with a temperature equivalent to the full turbulent power. In the limit of extremely optically thick turbulence, radiation viscous dissipation is suppressed, and the evolution of local photon spectra can be understood in terms of compression and expansion of the strongly coupled photon and gas fluids. We discuss the consequences of these effects for self-consistently resolving and interpreting turbulent Comptonization in spectral calculations in radiation MHD simulations of high luminosity accretion flows.
Cardiac Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels in Health and Disease

Cardiac delayed rectifier potassium channels conduct outward potassium currents during the plateau phase of action potentials and play pivotal roles in cardiac repolarization. These include IKs, IKr and the atrial specific IKur channels. In this article, we will review their molecular identities and biophysical properties. Mutations in the genes encoding delayed rectifiers lead to loss- or gain-of-function phenotypes, disrupt normal cardiac repolarization and result in various cardiac rhythm disorders, including congenital Long QT Syndrome, Short QT Syndrome and familial atrial fibrillation. We will also discuss the prospect of using delayed rectifier channels as therapeutic targets to manage cardiac arrhythmia.
Cortical gene expression correlates of temporal lobe epileptogenicity

Abstract Introduction Despite being one of the most common neurological diseases, it is unknown whether there may be a genetic basis to temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Whole genome analyses were performed to test the hypothesis that temporal cortical gene expression differs between TLE patients with high vs. low baseline seizure frequency. Methods Baseline seizure frequency was used as a clinical measure of epileptogenicity. Twenty-four patients in high or low seizure frequency groups (median seizures/month) underwent anterior temporal lobectomy with amygdalohippocampectomy for intractable TLE. RNA was isolated from the lateral temporal cortex and submitted for expression analysis. Genes significantly associated with baseline seizure frequency on likelihood ratio test were identified based on >0.90 area under the ROC curve, P value of Results Expression levels of forty genes were significantly associated with baseline seizure frequency. Of the seven most significant, four have been linked to other neurologic diseases. Expression levels associated with high seizure frequency included low expression of Homeobox A10, Forkhead box A2, Lymphoblastic leukemia derived sequence 1, HGF activator, Kelch repeat and BTB (POZ) domain containing 11, Thanatos-associated protein domain containing 8 and Heparin sulfate (glucosamine) 3-O-sulfotransferase 3A1. Conclusions This study describes novel associations between forty known genes and a clinical marker of epileptogenicity, baseline seizure frequency. Four of the seven discussed have been previously related to other neurologic diseases. Future investigation of these genes could establish new biomarkers for predicting epileptogenicity, and could have significant implications for diagnosis and management of temporal lobe epilepsy, as well as epilepsy pathogenesis.
THE PNEUMOGRAPHIC METHOD OF RECORDING GAIT

Our problem is the analysis of gait. The method of approach is as follows: 1. The development of the physical mechanism essential for making graphic records of normal and abnormal gait. In this paper we have presented evidence which suggests that the pneumographic method may serve this purpose. 2. The classification and analysis of "normal" curves on a basis of given age, weight, and height of subjects is the next phase of our work. 3. The analysis of gait curves which result from abnormalities of known etiology in individuals of the same age, weight, and height group must then follow. 4. Our goal is the determination of the influence of treatment of known pathology as revealed by graphic records of individual gait. The Advantages to be Gained by This Research Program Through the development of a method for recording gait and the subsequent analysis of the curves produced, abnormalities in function of the lower extremities may be brought under the influence and control of comprehensible physical laws. Progress, under treatment, should then be determined by the same method of measurement. Facts, instead of opinions, therefore, may in the future be used to define the prevailing limitations in function. Only through the use of analyzed curves, indicating the presence or absence of improvement, may the repeated mistakes of empiricism be eliminated from the treatment of deformities. The correction of deforming limps constitutes a large part of orthopaedic surgery. From year to year, this work has continued to be directed by opinion. This branch of surgery may be brought under the influence of physical laws only by continued encouragement of systematic efforts.
Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome--an older face of the fragile X gene.

Background A 76-year-old man presented with an 8-year history of balance problems and a 2-year history of short-term memory loss. He had also been experiencing long-term problems with impotence and episodes of urinary incontinence, and had been managed for hypertension for 25 years. His medical history was otherwise unremarkable. Three of his grandchildren had been diagnosed with fragile X syndrome. Investigations Neurological examination, cognitive and neuropsychological testing, nerve conduction studies, MRI, and genetic testing. Diagnosis Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) resulting from a premutation (CGG repeat) expansion of the FMR1 gene. Management Explanation of the genetic ramifications of premutation carrier status for the FMR1 gene, and symptomatic treatment for the clinical difficulties experienced by the patient.
Predicting urinary incontinence after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

Purpose of review Many women choosing to have surgery for pelvic organ prolapse also choose to undergo continence surgery. This review focuses on available evidence that clinicians may use to counsel patients when choosing whether to perform continence surgery and how predictive analytic tools improve this decision-making process. Recent findings Midurethral sling, Burch cystourethropexy and bladder neck sling are highly effective for the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Trials demonstrate that continence surgery may be routinely performed to reduce the risk of postoperative incontinence in women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse with or without preoperative stress urinary incontinence. Although these procedures are effective and well tolerated on average, media concerns, regulatory warnings and litigation reinforce the need for a balanced discussion regarding efficacy and potential adverse events directed at the individual patient during the preoperative visit. Advances in predictive analytics allow surgeons to quantitate individual risk using algorithms that tailor estimates for the individual patient and facilitate shared understanding of risks and benefits. These models are less prone to cognitive biases and frequently outperform experienced clinicians. Summary This review discusses how predictive analytic tools can be used to improve decisions about continence surgery in the woman planning to undergo prolapse surgery.
Intraoperative hemidiaphragm electrical stimulation reduces oxidative stress and upregulates autophagy in surgery patients undergoing mechanical ventilation: exploratory study.

Mechanical ventilation (MV) during a cardio-thoracic surgery contributes to diaphragm muscle dysfunction that impairs weaning and can lead to the ventilator- induced diaphragm dysfunction. Especially, it is critical in older adults who have lower muscle reparative capacity following MV. Reports have shown that the intraoperative intermittent hemidiaphragm electrical stimulation can maintain and/or improve post-surgery diaphragm function. In particular, from a molecular point of view, intermittent electrical stimulation (ES) may reduce oxidative stress and increase regulatory autophagy levels, and therefore improve diaphragm function in animal studies. We have recently shown in humans that intraoperative ES attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction and force decline in single diaphragm muscle fibers. The aim of this study was to investigate an effect of ES on oxidative stress, antioxidant status and autophagy biomarker levels in the human diaphragm during surgery. One phrenic nerve was simulated with an external cardiac pacer in operated older subjects (62.4 ± 12.9 years) (n = 8) during the surgery. The patients received 30 pulses per min every 30 min. The muscle biopsy was collected from both hemidiaphragms and frozen for further analyses. 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), an oxidative stress marker, and autophagy marker levels (Beclin-1 and the ratio of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3, I and II-LC3 II/I) protein concentrations were detected by the Western Blot technique. Antioxidant enzymatic activity copper-zinc (CuZnSOD) and manganese (MnSOD) superoxide dismutase were analyzed. Levels of lipid peroxidation (4-HNE) were significantly lower in the stimulated side (p 0.05). Additionally, the protein concentrations of Beclin-1 and the LC3 II/I ratio were higher in the stimulated side (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the intraoperative electrical stimulation decreases oxidative stress levels and upregulates autophagy levels in the stimulated hemidiaphragm. These results may contribute future studies and clinical applications on reducing post-operative diaphragm dysfunction.
Language experience, speech perception and loanword adaptation: Variable adaptation of English word-final plosives into Korean

Abstract This study examines the influence of experience with the source language for loanwords on loanword adaptation, asking whether the influence can be attributed to listener-borrowers’ perception of the source language. The study focuses on variable insertion of /ɨ/ after word-final plosives in novel English words borrowed into Korean. Korean participants who differ in the extent of their English experience are asked to borrow English non-word stimuli ending on a coda plosive into Korean by attaching appropriate Korean case-markers to the stimuli. Korean case-marker allomorphy determines whether the participants insert /ɨ/ after the coda plosives or not. Four context factors, namely, coda release, coda voicing, coda place of articulation, and pre-coda vowel tenseness, are investigated. The results indicate that Korean listeners’ experience with English influences how they perform the task of borrowing, or adding a case-marker suffix to, English non-words. The effects of the four context factors on the variable vowel insertion are influenced by the listeners’ English experience: Listeners’ responses in the borrowing task reflect that less experienced listeners are more attentive to non-contrastive phonetic information, such as coda release, than more experienced listeners. The different perception of English sounds altered by the listeners’ English experience is proposed to be responsible for the seemingly random variation in loanword adaptation patterns.
Patterns of Diffusion: Comparing Democratic and Autocratic Waves

This essay examines why the diffusion of autocratic rule tends to unfold more slowly, yet with greater effectiveness (‘success’) than pro-democratic waves often do. A precedent of progressive regime change often inspires fairly unorganized crowds in many other countries to initiative spontaneous emulation efforts, as it happened in the revolutions of 1848 and the Arab Spring of 2011. Yet this lack of organization creates a high risk of failure. By contrast, the overthrow of democracy, which can also stimulate imitation attempts, is usually spearheaded by well-established organizations, such as the military, which jump on the bandwagon less rashly, but pursue their goals more effectively. Therefore, autocratic waves advance with lower speed, yet greater ‘success’ than pro-democratic riptides often do, as was evident in the diffusion of authoritarianism and fascism during the interwar years and the spread of military dictatorships in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s.
Too Good To Be True? Effect of Consumers’ Brand Schemas on Apparel Brands’ Fair Labor Marketing Messages:

In this study, researchers provide a comprehensive model of how consumers process, remember, and evaluate positive fair labor-related brand messages that are congruent/incongruent to their existing brand expectations using both psychophysiological and self-reported measures. Data were collected across two different studies. Results indicated that consumers paid more attention to and better remembered messages for incongruity than congruity. Also attitude toward message was highest for congruent messages, followed by incongruity resolution and lowest for incongruity nonresolution. The combined study findings bridge the gap in literature between human attitude and cognition, helping both brands and consumer researchers understand consumers’ reaction to brands schema-message congruity/incongruity and guide decisions when brands hope to revitalize or reinvent a brand’s image.
Repurposing a Bacterial Immune System to Discover Antiviral Targets.

Genomewide functional screening uncovers five genes that appear to be critical to HIV-1 infection of T cells.
Sodium variability is associated with increased mortality in severe burn injury

Dysnatremias are associated with increased mortality in critically ill patients. Hypernatremia in burn patients is also associated with poor survival. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that high plasma sodium variability is a marker for increased mortality in severely burn-injured patients. We performed a retrospective review of adult burn patients with a burn injury of 15% total body surface area (TBSA) or greater from 2010 to 2014. All patients included in the study had at least three serum sodium levels checked during admission. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine if hypernatremia, hyponatremia, or sodium variability independently increased the odds ratio (OR) for death. Two hundred twelve patients met entry criteria. Mean age and %TBSA for the study was 45 ± 18 years and 32 ± 19%. Twenty-nine patients died for a mortality rate of 14%. Serum sodium was measured 10,310 times overall. The median number of serum sodium measurements per patient was 22. Non-survivors were older (59 ± 19 vs. 42 ± 16 years) and suffered from a more severe burn injury (50 ± 25% vs. 29 ± 16%TBSA). While mean sodium was significantly higher for non-survivors (138 ± 3 milliequivalents/liter (meq/l)) than for survivors (135 ± 2 meq/l), mean sodium levels remained within the laboratory reference range (135 to 145 meq/l) for both groups. Non-survivors had a significantly higher median number of hypernatremic (> 145 meq/l) measurements (2 vs. 0). Coefficient of variation (CV) was significantly higher in non-survivors (2.85 ± 1.1) than survivors (2.0 ± 0.7). Adjusting for TBSA, age, ventilator days, and intensive care unit (ICU) stay, a higher CV of sodium measurements was associated with mortality (OR 5.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5 to 22)). Additionally, large variation in sodium ranges in the first 10 days of admission may be associated with increased mortality (OR 1.35 (95% CI 1.06 to1.7)). Increased variability in plasma sodium may be associated with death in severely burned patients.
Classroom Management in an Urban, Alternative School: a Comparison of Mindfulness and Behavioral Approaches

Managing classroom behavior is an important prerequisite to effective teaching and a salient need in alternative schools. Unfortunately, students from these schools are often underrepresented in the intervention literature. The primary aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two different theoretical approaches to classroom management, one behavioral (i.e., the good behavior game) and the other mindfulness-based (i.e., mindfulness skills training), with a sample of fifth-grade, predominantly African American students from an urban, high-poverty alternative school. The study examined the effectiveness of the two interventions in comparison to each other and a treatment-as-usual control using a quasi-experimental group design with blocked random assignment. Results revealed that neither intervention led to significant improvements in student internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, or wellbeing. Though, some practically meaningful treatment effects were found through examination of effect sizes. Mindfulness skills training was the only condition to yield meaningful pre–post change in student outcomes, including a moderate therapeutic effect for externalizing behavior and an iatrogenic effect with respect to student wellbeing. These findings provide preliminary evidence that mindfulness skills training might have differential effects on student mental health outcomes, compared with education as usual and a traditional classwide behavioral intervention. Additionally, study findings make clear the importance of careful deliberation when transporting evidence-based interventions to unique student populations and intervention contexts.
Nondestructive hydrogen analysis of steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 by wide-angle neutron scattering

Abstract A nondestructive neutron scattering method to precisely measure the hydrogen content in high-temperature steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding was developed. Zircaloy-4 cladding was used to produce hydrided specimens with hydrogen content up to ≈500 wppm. Following hydrogen charging, the hydrogen content of the hydrided specimens was measured using the vacuum hot extraction method, by which the samples with desired hydrogen concentrations were selected for the neutron study. The hydrided samples were then oxidized in steam up to ≈6.0 wt. % at 1100 °C. Optical microscopy shows that our hydriding procedure results in uniform distribution of circumferential hydrides across the wall thickness, and uniform oxide layers were formed on the sample surfaces by the steam oxidation. Small- and wide-angle neutron scattering were simultaneously performed to provide a quick (less than an hour per sample) measurement of the hydrogen content in various types of hydrided and oxidized Zircaloy-4. Our study demonstrates that the hydrogen in pre-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding can be measured very accurately by both small- and wide-angle neutron scattering. For steam-oxidized samples, the small-angle neutron scattering is contaminated with coherent scattering from additional structural features induced by the steam oxidation. However, the scattering intensity of the wide-angle neutron scattering increases proportionally with the hydrogen charged in the samples. The hydrogen content and wide-angle neutron scattering intensity are highly linearly correlated for the oxidized cladding samples examined in this work, and can be used to precisely determine the hydrogen content in steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 samples. Hydrogen contents determined by neutron scattering of oxidation samples were also found to be consistent with the results of chemical analysis within acceptable margins for error.
Most Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Who Failed Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy Also Have Functional Esophageal Disorders

Background & Aims As many as 45% of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) still have symptoms after receiving once-daily proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. We aimed to compare reflux characteristics and patterns between responders and non-responders to once-daily PPI therapy using combined impedance-pH monitoring. Methods Patients who reported heartburn and/or regurgitation at least twice per week for 3 months while receiving standard-dose PPI therapy were assigned to the PPI failure group (n = 16). Patients who reported a complete resolution of symptoms on once-daily PPIs for at least 4 weeks were assigned to the PPI success group (n = 13). We collected demographic data and subjects completed the short-form 36 and the GERD health-related quality of life questionnaires. Patients then underwent upper endoscopy and combined esophageal impedance-pH monitoring while on PPI therapy. Results Four patients in the PPI success group (31%) and 4 patients in the PPI failure group (25%) had abnormal results from the pH test (P = 1.00). Most of the patients in the PPI failure group (75%) were found to have either functional heartburn or reflux hypersensitivity with GERD. Impedance and pH parameters did not differ significantly between the PPI failure and success group. Conclusions We found no difference in reflux characteristics between patients with GERD who had successful vs failed once-daily PPI therapy. Most patients in the PPI failure group (75%) had functional esophageal disorders.
The Rock of Ages: Stones Have Stood the Test of Time !

The first emperor of the Roman Empire Caesar Augustus, James I of England, King Louis XIV of France, Russian Czar, Peter the Great and George IV had them. Martin Luther, Michelangelo, Oliver Cromwell, Sir Isaac Newton endured them. Benjamin Franklin, President James K. Polk, Lyndon B. Johnson experienced them. Actor William Schatner sold them. Even the fictional character from Seinfeld, Cosmo Kramer, suffered with them. What if Napoleon Bonaparte had not had his stone during the Russian campaign in 1812? All of world history might have changed!
Static and Dynamic Maneuvers With a Tendon-Coupled Biped Robot

Bipedal robots have generally either been designed for static motions or dynamic maneuvers, but the ability for operation in the real world in both realms is becoming increasingly relevant. In this work we explain the abilities of a human scale bipedal robot with tendon-coupled knee and ankle joints that is able to balance, step, hop and run several steps in a two dimensional plane.
Critical Literacy and Institutional Language.

RESEARCH IN THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH • VOLUME 33 • FEBRUARY 1999 Based on more than three years of activist ethnographic fieldwork in an upstate New York inner city, this article explores institutional language skills among area residents who faced eviction from their homes. Through vignettes and literacy artifacts, this report reveals how two adult women learned, transferred, and evaluated their own language practices in light of their interactions with institutional gatekeepers. Analysis not only reveals the cycle of development of institutional language strategies among community members, but also shows residents’ critical awareness and political acumen when faced with the asymmetrical relations between themselves and the institutions designed to assist them. Grounded in the micro politics of day-to-day linguistic struggles, this research shows how individuals’ language use both complied with and resisted the structuring ideology of institutional agents. In light of these findings, I raise questions about the methods of key critical pedagogues and the appropriateness of their assumption of false consciousness among disenfranchised people.
Tuning nuclear depolarization under MAS by electron T1e

The Cross-Effect (CE) Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) mechanism under Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) induces depletion or “depolarization” of the NMR signal, in the absence of microwave irradiation. In this study, the role of T1e on nuclear depolarization under MAS was tested experimentally by systematically varying the local and global electron spin concentration using mono-, bi- and tri-radicals. These spin systems show different depolarization effects that systematically tracked with their different T1e rates, consistent with theoretical predictions. In order to test whether the effect of T1e is directly or indirectly convoluted with other spin parameters, the tri-radical system was doped with different concentrations of GdCl3, only tuning the T1e rates, while keeping other parameters unchanged. Gratifyingly, the changes in the depolarization factor tracked the changes in the T1e rates. The experimental results are corroborated by quantum mechanics based numerical simulations which recapitulated the critical role of T1e. Simulations showed that the relative orientation of the two g-tensors and e–e dipolar interaction tensors of the CE fulfilling spin pair also plays a major role in determining the extent of depolarization, besides the enhancement. This is expected as orientations influence the efficiency of the various level anti-crossings or the “rotor events” under MAS. However, experimental evaluation of the empirical spectral diffusion parameter at static condition showed that the local vs. global e–e dipolar interaction network is not a significant variable in the commonly used nitroxide radical system studied here, leaving T1e rates as the major modulator of depolarization.
Glucose-Insulin-Potassium Does Not Reduce Myocardial Infarct Size in an Ischemic/Reperfusion Rabbit Model.

While glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) has been suggested to be cardioprotective, few studies have assessed its effect on anatomic myocardial infarct size in an ischemia-reperfusion protocol. Anesthetized rabbits were subjected to a 30-minute coronary artery occlusion followed by 4 hours of reperfusion. Rabbits were pretreated with a GIK infusion lasting 90 minutes or placebo. GIK infusion markedly increased serum glucose levels by over twofold, but the area of necrosis expressed as the area at risk was not reduced by GIK infusion (25%) versus control (20%). In a rabbit infarct model of ischemia/reperfusion, GIK failed to reduce myocardial infarct size.