cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Establishment of a minimally invasive program at a Veterans' Affairs Medical Center leads to improved care in colorectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Despite significant advantages to patients, less than 5% of all colorectal surgeries for cancer are performed laparoscopically. A minimally invasive colorectal cancer program was created in our Veterans' Affairs hospital with the intent of increasing access and improving quality of patient care while maintaining patient safety and oncologic standards. METHODS: Sixty consecutive laparoscopic colorectal cancer resections and 60 age-matched open resections were identified. Our prospective database was queried for demographic, clinical outcomes, and oncologic data. RESULTS: Patients undergoing laparoscopic resections experienced a shorter hospital stay and a quicker return of bowel function. Both groups had similar intraoperative blood loss and surgical times. Laparoscopic resections achieved equivalent lymph node retrieval and resection completeness compared with open resections. Laparoscopic resections resulted in fewer wounds and fewer complications requiring reoperation. CONCLUSIONS: Establishment of a minimally invasive colorectal cancer program in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center leads to increased access to laparoscopic colorectal resections and improved patient care while maintaining patient safety.
Pathogenesis and Treatment of Atherosclerosis in Lupus

The prevalence of atherosclerosis (ATH) is higher in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and occurs at an earlier age. The lupus-related factors that account for this increased risk are likely numerous and related to the factors described in this article. Identifying of at-risk subjects and increasing the understanding of pathogenesis of ATH in SLE is critical for improving the quality of care and improving mortality in this vulnerable population.
Democratic Accountability in Global Politics: Norms, not Agents

The standard model of democratic accountability emphasizes accountability to the appropriate agents. This model has proven difficult to adapt to the challenges posed by global governance. This article critiques the Westphalian assumptions underlying the standard model and develops an alternative model of accountability to democratic norms rather than to specific agents.
A comparative effectiveness analysis of three continuous glucose monitors: the Navigator, G4 Platinum, and Enlite.

The effectiveness and safety of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) is dependent on their accuracy and reliability. The objective of this study was to compare 3 CGMs in adult and pediatric subjects with type 1 diabetes under closed-loop blood-glucose (BG) control. Twenty-four subjects (12 adults) with type 1 diabetes each participated in one 48-hour closed-loop BG control experiment. Venous plasma glucose (PG) measurements obtained every 15 minutes (4657 values) were paired in time with corresponding CGM glucose (CGMG) measurements obtained from 3 CGMs (FreeStyle Navigator, Abbott Diabetes Care; G4 Platinum, Dexcom; Enlite, Medtronic) worn simultaneously by each subject. The Navigator and G4 Platinum (G4) had the best overall accuracy, with an aggregate mean absolute relative difference (MARD) of all paired points of 12.3 ± 12.1% and 10.8 ± 9.9%, respectively. Both had lower MARDs of all paired points than Enlite (17.9 ± 15.8%, P 50%) were less common with the G4 (0.5%) than with the Enlite (4.3%, P = .0001) while the number of very large errors with the Navigator (1.4%) was intermediate between the G4 and Enlite (P = .1 and P = .06, respectively). The average MARD for experiments in adolescent subjects were lower than in adult subjects for the Navigator and G4, while there was no difference for Enlite. All 3 devices had similar reliability. A comprehensive head-to-head-to-head comparison of 3 CGMs revealed marked differences in both accuracy and precision. The Navigator and G4 were found to outperform the Enlite in these areas.
Performing the Unexplainable: Implicit Task Performance Reveals Individually Reliable Sequence Learning without Explicit Knowledge

Memory-impaired patients express intact implicit perceptual–motor sequence learning, but it has been difficult to obtain a similarly clear dissociation in healthy participants. When explicit memory is intact, participants acquire some explicit knowledge and performance improvements from implicit learning may be subtle. Therefore, it is difficult to determine whether performance exceeds what could be expected on the basis of the concomitant explicit knowledge. Using a challenging new sequence-learning task, robust implicit learning was found in healthy participants with virtually no associated explicit knowledge. Participants trained on a repeating sequence that was selected randomly from a set of five. On a performance test of all five sequences, performance was best on the trained sequence, and two-thirds of the participants exhibited individually reliable improvement (by chi-square analysis). Participants could not reliably indicate which sequence had been trained by either recognition or recall. Only by expressing their knowledge via performance were participants able to indicate which sequence they had learned.
Analysis of Fentanyl in Urine by DLLME–GC-MS

Fentanyl is a synthetic narcotic anesthetic ∼80-100 times more potent than morphine. Owing to the potential for its abuse, the drug may be included in a forensic toxicology work-up, which requires fast, precise and accurate measurements. Here, the stability of fentanyl was assessed when stored at three different temperatures (-20, 4 and 25°C) in synthetic urine. Stability at those three temperatures was demonstrated over 12 weeks upon analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with a deuterated internal standard (fentanyl-D5) utilizing three different extraction techniques: liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), solid-phase extraction and dispersed liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME). The DLLME method was then optimized before use in the analysis of fentanyl in urine samples obtained from autopsy cases at the El Paso County Coroner's Office. Accuracy of the DLLME method was assessed by completing spike and recovery studies at three different fortification levels (10, 100 and 250 ng/mL) with excellent recovery (89.9-102.6%). The excellent comparability between DLLME and LLE is demonstrated (Bland-Altman difference plot with a mean difference of 4.9 ng/mL) and the use of this methodology in the analysis of forensically relevant samples is discussed.
Improving primary care through information. A Wonca keynote paper

Information from health care encounters across the entire health care spectrum, when consistently collected, analysed and applied can provide a clearer picture of patients' history as well as current and future needs through a better understanding of their morbidity burden and health care experiences. It can facilitate clinical activity to target limited resources to those patients most in need through risk adjustment mechanisms that consider the morbidity burden of populations, and it can help target quality improvement and cost saving activities in the right places. It can also open the door to a new chapter of evidence-based medicine around multi-morbidity. In summary, it can support a better integrated health system where primary care can provide continuous, coordinated, and comprehensive person-centred care to those who could benefit most. This paper explores the potential uses of information collected in electronic health records (EHRs) to inform case-mix and predictive modelling, as well as the associated challenges, with a particular focus on their application to primary care.
Mystery and Preference in Within-Forest Settings

Recent studies have found negative correlations between mystery and preference for forest settings. Our reanalysis of earlier data suggested that those findings may have stemmed from a failure to examine setting categories within the forest domain. In the current study of 70 within-forest settings, factor analysis of preference ratings revealed two setting categories corresponding to high- and low-visual-access settings. In the high-access category, preference was positively correlated with mystery but uncorrelated with visual access. In the low-access category, preference was uncorrelated with mystery but positively correlated with visual access. We also examined an expanded definition of mystery that made explicit the distinction between mystery and surprise. The expanded definition produced results identical to the standard definition in the high-access category, but in the low-access category, expanded mystery was positively correlated with preference. We conclude that when properly understood, mystery tends to be positively related to preference.
Interorganizational Networking Patterns Among Development Organizations

This research seeks to explain the structure of the interorganizational network of international development organizations, including international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs). The study uses a multitheoretical, multilevel model to examine the endogenous and exogenous influences on the international development organization network. Results indicate that homophily, mutuality, transitivity, and centralization influence the configuration of the international development organizational network. In particular, IGOs tended to collaborate with IGOs; both INGOs and IGOs were likely to seek joint dependencies over asymmetric dependencies; some organizations acted as intermediary coordinators; and organizations were more likely to form collaborations with partners of partners. Implications for executive directors of INGOs and policymakers are drawn from the results.
Supporting a modeling continuum in scalation: from predictive analytics to simulation modeling

Predictive analytics and simulation modeling are two complementary disciplines that will increasingly be used together in the future. They share in common a focus on predicting how systems, existing or proposed, will function. The predictions may be values of quantifiable metrics or classification of outcomes. Both require collection of data to increase their validity and accuracy. The coming era of big data will be a boon to both and will accelerate the need to use them in conjunction. This paper discusses ways in which the two disciplines have been used together as well as how they can be viewed as belonging to the same modeling continuum. Various modeling techniques from both disciplines are reviewed using a common notation. Finally, examples are given to illustrate these notions.
Work in progress - a class called “How things work?” and its role in technological literacy programs

A considerable number of academic institutions are teaching technological literacy classes to non-technical and non-engineering students. In particular, a class based upon “How things work?” seems to be attracting many technological literacy educators. The purpose of such a class is to address the “how-to” of everyday technology and gadgets of interest to the students. In addition to receiving course credit on their transcripts for technological literacy (in some cases earning a minor), which will make them more competitive in the job market, the students achieve a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, the technology that affects their lives. This paper addresses the fundamental aims of these classes: What should they achieve and is it sufficient for a university or college class to only focus on the how-to? While there are many popular websites, journals, and books that address the idea of how-things-work reasonably well, our aim is to address the pedagogical aspects of such classes. We discuss our teaching experiences by noting some interesting cases of students' needs, reactions, concerns, interests, and learning. Finally, we make suggestions for possible approaches to such classes in order to fulfill our objectives as educators to offer a perspective not often found on websites or in books.
Transposition of the great arteries--outcomes and time interval of early neonatal repair.

Background:This study evaluates the relationship of morbidity and resource utilization with the timing of early neonatal repair of transposition of the great arteries and intact ventricular septum (d-TGA/IVS).Methods:All patients with d-TGA/IVS who underwent arterial switch in the first 14 days of life, between January 2000 and May 2011, were reviewed. Patients undergoing repair at ≤4 days of age were categorized as group I, 5 to 7 days as group II, and 8 to 14 days as group III. Outcomes included mortality, morbidity, and resource utilization.Results:Hospital survival was 69 (98.6%) of 70. The length of stay (LOS) and total charges were lowest in group I—15.5 days compared to group II—18.0 days and group III—23.5 days (P = .005); group I—US$128,219 compared to group II—US$141,729 and group III—US$217,427 (P = .0006). Using regression analysis to account for potentially confounding effects of multiple variables and treating time as a continuous variable demonstrated that age at surgery was significantly a...
Educational Initiatives for Quality Improvement Projects Can You Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

Noninvasive imaging has become a cornerstone of the practice of cardiovascular medicine. When properly applied, the information obtained from cardiac imaging studies, integrated with overall clinical assessment, can be used to diagnose disease, determine its functional and physiological impact, assess prognosis, and guide therapeutic decisions. The last 2 decades have seen enormous growth in all medical imaging procedures.1 A major component of this increased utilization was in stress nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) single-photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT), which has become one of the most commonly used and effective methods to assess patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. The reasons for this growth have been, and will continue to be, debated for some time. On the more “positive” side, this growth may have been stimulated by a substantial body of research demonstrating the utility of MPI in a wide variety of clinical scenarios. Moreover, advancements in imaging technology and improved access to care may have been contributory. On the “negative” side, some argue that the growth in imaging has been fueled by misguided financial incentives and the practice of “defensive” medicine. One fact, however, is indisputable: Imaging accounts for a large amount of overall healthcare expenditures, and despite the potential for imaging to reduce downstream costs, control of this escalating cost has become central to public healthcare policy. Accordingly, constraint of this growth of cardiac imaging has become a major effort of the government, medical insurers, and professional societies. What is the best method for controlling the proliferation of cardiac imaging, and how should these methods be used to effect change in physician behavior? Article see p 499 In this issue of Circulation , Gibbons and colleagues2 report on their experience in the implementation of one such methodology, the appropriate use criteria (AUC) for SPECT MPI, in …
Universal bounds on buffer size for packetizing fluid policies in input queued, crossbar switches

We consider a type of on-line, traffic scheduling problem in input queued, crossbar switches. The input to a problem, at each time step, is a set of desired traffic rates. These traffic rates in general cannot be exactly achieved since they assume arbitrarily small fractions of packets can be transmitted at each time step. The goal of the traffic scheduling problem is to closely approximate the given sequence of traffic rates by a sequence of switch uses in which only whole packets are sent. The focus of this paper is bounding the costs incurred in using such an approximation, in terms of the additional buffer size required. We establish universal bounds on the additional buffer size due to sending only whole packets; these bounds do not depend on the particular distribution of the input traffic, require no speedup, and guarantee 100% throughput. Specifically, for an N /spl times/ N input queued, crossbar switch, an on-line, packetizing algorithm is presented that guarantees 100% throughput with a buffer requirement of (N + 1)/sup 2//4 packets per input port with no speedup. The algorithm can he improved to run in O(N log N) time, using a fast algorithm for edge-coloring bipartite multigraphs. In the reverse direction, it is shown for an N /spl times/ N input queued, crossbar switch, that any on-line, packetizing algorithm with no speedup requires a buffer size of N/e - 2 packets per input port. We also extend the main packetizing algorithm in this paper to a general class of switch architectures.
Creating single-atom and single-photon sources from entangled atomic ensembles

We discuss the application of dipole blockade techniques for the preparation of single-atom and single-photon sources. A deterministic protocol is given for loading a single atom in an optical trap, as well as ejecting a controlled number of atoms in a desired direction. A single-photon source with an optically controlled beamlike emission pattern is described.
Initial Public Offerings Under Ambiguity

The new issues market is used to examine the impact of ambiguity and ambiguity aversion on the pricing of financial assets. An IPO process is modeled assuming ambiguity regarding the returns on financial assets and risk and ambiguity aversion on the part of agents. Theoretically, the underwriter prices both the systematic and idiosyncratic components of ambiguity in the offer price while well diversified investors price only the systematic component in the aftermarket. This difference in pricing provides a novel explanation for IPO underpricing and highlights an observable impact of ambiguity on asset prices. Empirically, the results are consistent with the model's predictions.
Structural variations in mercurian tetrahedrite

The structures of four mercurian tetrahedrite samples, [IV] [(Cu + ) 4 (Hg,Zn,Fe) 2 ] [III] (Cu + ) 6 [III] (Sb,As) 4 [IV] S 12 [VI] S, with Hg-contents ranging from 0.32 to 1.15 apfu were refined by least-squares in space group I 43 m to agreement factors R a cell dimension varied from 10.3310(2) to 10.4033(2) A; both the a cell dimension and the size of the [IV] M1 site vary linearly with the Hg content. The magnitude of the observed variation in the a cell dimension partially validates the empirical relationship developed by previous investigators. The degree of distortion and amount of rotation of the [IV] M1 tetrahedron as a function of the M1-S1 bond length is comparable to that predicted by the empirical relationships of previous investigators when the As content is taken into account. The spinner blade length remains virtually unchanged because the Hg substitution takes place at M1 and the As:Sb ratio varies only slightly. The structural trends as a function of composition in these mercurian tetrahedrites closely follows those previously predicted by modeling using ionic radii and
Elastic scattering of lithium by 9 Be, 10 B, 12 C, 13 C, 16 O, and 28 Si from 4 to 63 MeV

Elastic scattering angular distributions have been measured at energies between 4.0 and 13.0 MeV for $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ and $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$ beams and targets of $^{10}\mathrm{B}$, $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{13}\mathrm{C}$, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$, and $^{28}\mathrm{Si}$. Yield curves have been measured for energies from 3.0 to 13.0 MeV for $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ beams and targets of $^{9}\mathrm{Be}$, $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{13}\mathrm{C}$, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$, and $^{28}\mathrm{Si}$, and for $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$ and $^{12}\mathrm{C}$. The angular distributions, supplemented by published angular distributions, have been fitted with optical-model potentials. For $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ + $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, angular distributions were available at energies from 4.5 to 63.0 MeV. Potentials which gave fits to the data across the entire available energy range were obtained for each elastic scattering reaction. The usual ambiguities were observed in the optical-model potentials. In certain cases the back angles were not well fitted by parameter sets which were useful for all energies. The quality of the fits did not seem to be limited by experimental errors, which were generally better than 10% for our data; compound nucleus effects are presumed to be the cause of rapid energy variations in the angular distributions.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{10}\mathrm{B}$, $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{13}\mathrm{C}$, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$, $^{28}\mathrm{Si}$($^{6}\mathrm{Li}$, $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$), $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{13}\mathrm{C}$, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ ($^{7}\mathrm{Li}$, $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$), $E=4\ensuremath{-}13$ MeV; measured $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\theta})$. Optical-model potentials for $E=4\ensuremath{-}63$. MeV.
Power to the People: Energy in Europe over the Last Five Centuries

Power to the People is an ambitious yet flawed work of economics in a historical setting, though it makes a number of important arguments about the role of energy in the emergence of modern economi...
An Old Nemesis in New Clothing: Viruses Playing New Tricks by Causing Cytopathology in the Absence of Cytolysis

Peter Medawar amply summarized viruses when he described them as "a piece of bad news wrapped in a protein coat [1]." Viruses were first separated from other microbial agents in specimens by using the Pasteur-Chamberland filter. Viruses known or suspected to cause disease have been characterized first by clinical picture and histological profile and confirmed by virological, immunologic, or molecular biologic assays. This procedure, which was first applied by Ivanovski and Beijerinck to infection of tobacco plants with tobacco mosaic virus and by Frosch and Loeffler to infection of cattle with foot and mouth virus, continues to be used to the present day with diseases like the spongiform encephalopathies and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Thus, the sine qua non for suspecting viral involvement has been a histopathologic picture of cellular necrosis, usually, but not always, including inflammatory infiltrates. Indeed, the histological picture frequently suggests the virus involved, e.g., "cytomegalo-like" cells during infection with cytomegalovirus, injury of anterior horn neurons in poliomyelitis, and appearance of Negri or Lyssa bodies within certain neurons of the central nervous system in rabies. In other instances, such as encephalitis or myocarditis, the cellular necrosis and associated perivascular cuffing are not specific enough to suggest a single etiologic agent any of several agents could be the cause. The decisive factors in the course of virally induced injury are initially the tropism of that virus for specific cells and then either the viral lytic ability per se or the interaction between components of the host immune response and the in-
A ternary Diophantine inequality over primes

Let 1 0, and a small constant η > 0, the inequality ∣∣pc1 + p2 + p3 −R∣∣ < R holds for many prime triples. This improves work of Kumchev [11].
Adiabatic quenches and characterization of amplitude excitations in a continuous quantum phase transition

Spontaneous symmetry breaking occurs in a physical system whenever the ground state does not share the symmetry of the underlying theory, e.g., the Hamiltonian. This mechanism gives rise to massless Nambu–Goldstone modes and massive Anderson–Higgs modes. These modes provide a fundamental understanding of matter in the Universe and appear as collective phase or amplitude excitations of an order parameter in a many-body system. The amplitude excitation plays a crucial role in determining the critical exponents governing universal nonequilibrium dynamics in the Kibble–Zurek mechanism (KZM). Here, we characterize the amplitude excitations in a spin-1 condensate and measure the energy gap for different phases of the quantum phase transition. At the quantum critical point of the transition, finite-size effects lead to a nonzero gap. Our measurements are consistent with this prediction, and furthermore, we demonstrate an adiabatic quench through the phase transition, which is forbidden at the mean field level. This work paves the way toward generating entanglement through an adiabatic phase transition.
The Process of Self-Discovery: Learned Helplessness, Self-Efficacy, and Endogenous Overoptimism

I study the origin of people's beliefs about their own abilities, emphasizing the feedback loop between beliefs, effort, and outcomes. Consistent with the modern understanding of depression, I show that agents who are either more pessimistic about their own talent or less sure of their own talent are more prone to low-effort traps. I also show that a principal (such as a parent or manager) does not want an agent (such as a child or employee) to hold beliefs about his own talent that match the principal's beliefs; instead, the principal would like to make the agent overoptimistic and overly uncertain. These results are consistent with empirical findings from the psychology literature about the origin and evolution of children's beliefs, about the importance of self-efficacy beliefs for performance, and about the prevalence of overconfidence.
Do's and don'ts of installing a RIS.

This report reviews several important issues relating to the acquisition of a radiology information system (RIS). It emphasizes the importance of defining specific goals for computerizing a department and for understanding that department’s manual operations. It then outlines methods to request proposals from prospective vendors and to evaluate their responses. Suggestions for negotiating a favorable arrangement with a vendor follow. Finally, the summary lists five do’s and three don’ts for selecting and installing a RIS.
Application of workflow technology in HACCP management system

In order to promote the hazard analysis and critical control point(HACCP) system information more effectively,the design of building a tool for HACCP system information based on workflow technology is proposed.For the demand on HACCP system infor-mation implementation,workflow technology is applied to principles and methods of HACCP system,and the system is modeled in three aspects: The work process,the organization and the resources.And an example of the implementation of the HACCP plans is given to establish the corresponding workflow model,the critical control points as a step and the monitoring,correction,validation and recording in the critical control points as actions of the step.At last,the model is used to research and develop a HACCP management system.The system operation results show that the design of building a tool of HACCP system information based on Workflow technology is corrective and effective.
L’école Gulliver and La Borde: An ethnographic account of collectivist integration and institutional psychotherapy

ABSTRACTThis article draws on ethnographic research at L’ecole Gulliver, a preschool in Paris that integrates children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms with non-disabled peers. The preschool provides a case example of a collectivist integration approach to constructing shared institutional life, which is conceptualized in part through their connection to the work of Felix Guattari with psychiatric patients at a French in-patient clinic, La Borde. At both La Borde and Gulliver, daily life and institutional practices are structured to maximize transversality, with the intention of fostering a new kind of “group-subject” that is responsive to the realities of daily institutional life. We argue that practices at Gulliver challenge progressive inclusive teaching practices that largely ignore or neglect to account for the emotional difficulties of inclusion. Their approach challenges the focus in progressive inclusive education on the individual child or educator to the detriment of understanding the ...
de novo Pyrimidine Nucleotide Biosynthesis in Synchronized Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

Cellular requirements for pyrimidine nucleotides are fulfilled through the de novo or salvage biosynthetic pathways. In the de novo biosynthetic pathway, UMP, the first major end-product of the pathway, is synthesized from bicarbonate, glutamine, ATP, aspartate and phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate catalyzed by six major enzymes: carbamyl phosphate synthetase, aspartate transcarbamylase, dihydroorotase, didhydroorotate dehydrogenase, orotate phosphoribosyl transferase and orotidylate decarboxylase1. Mitchell and Hoogenraad2 studied de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis in synchronized rat hepatoma and mouse embryo fibroblast (3T3) cells. They reported that the carbamyl phosphate synthetase and aspartate transcarbamylase enzyme activities and the incorporation of [14 C] bicarbonate into acid soluble pyrimidine nucleotides and RNA were high during the S phase of the cell cycle and low during the G2 and M phases.
Resistance is futile: the borg, the hive, and corporate hegemony

The Borg, a collective of humanoid cyborgs linked together in a hive-mind and modeled on the earthly superorganisms of ant colonies and beehives, has been the most feared alien race in the Star Trek universe. The formidable success of the Borg in assimilating their foes corresponds to the astounding success of superorganisms in our own biosphere. Yet the Borg also serves as a metaphor for another collective of biological entities known as the corporation. In the Anthropocene epoch, corporations have become the most powerful force on the planet; their influence on the social world and the environment exceeds any government and may determine the continued sustainability of human life. Corporations have been described as people and as machines, but neither metaphor accurately describes their essence or contributes to an understanding that might resist their power. This paper reframes our understanding of the corporation by examining the metaphors that are used to describe it, and by suggesting an entirely new metaphor viewing the Borg and the corporation through the lens of sociobiology. I will argue that the corporation is a new form of superorganism that has become the dominant species on the planet and that the immense, intractable power of a globalized, corporate hive-mind has become the principal obstacle to addressing the planetary emergency of climate change. Reframing our metaphoric understanding of corporations as biological entities in the planetary biosphere may enable us to imagine ways to resist their increasing dominance and create a sustainable future.
Overview of West Indian literary histories

The territories of the Anglophone Caribbean share with the rest of the region approximately the same historical circumstances and experience the same intellectual trajectory, which can be described loosely as leading from a prise de conscience through assertion and subsequent exploration of national identity. But there are significant differences in the West Indian situation. Most important, West Indian literature begins in this century virtually from nothing. Writing in Haiti or Cuba builds upon an extensive history of literary activity in the island. However imitative it may be at certain periods, it remains a local phenomenon with a local audience. Literary activity is underwritten by a coherent tradition, and has earned acceptance from the society. Whether an individual writer chooses to embrace or resist this tradition, its mere existence legitimizes his work, and so relieves him of the task of legitimizing himself. In the Anglophone Caribbean, on the other hand, the only literary tradition was metropolitan, not local. This meant that an individual undertaking to write in the West Indies had recourse only to a tradition of books , not one of literary activity. The aspiring poet had to stand in relation to English literary history at its best, as it survived in monuments of accomplishment. Since very few West Indian writers or would-be writers had the experience of working in London (or for that matter in North America) until the 1950s, this intimidating circumstance was not relieved by familiarity with well-known living writers, the contemporary face of English literature as a social activity.
Gold-Style Learning Theory

This chapter is a tutorial addressed to, among other audiences, the grammatical inference community. It is on the computational learning theory initiated by E. Mark Gold’s seminal 1967 paper. One of Gold’s important motivations was to present a formal model of child language learning. This chapter introduces Gold’s model and also presents an introduction to some selected highlights of the theory appearing since Gold 1967. Since both Gold and the present author had or have cognitive science motivations, many of the results discussed herein also have implications for, and were motivated by, questions regarding the human cognitive ability to learn. For this chapter some prior knowledge of computability theory would be helpful to the reader, as would some prior acquaintance with Gold’s identification/learning in the limit concept. The first section concentrates on results which are independent of computational complexity considerations. Covered are: Gold’s model of child language learning (including some reasonable, post-Gold criteria of successful learning and some critical discussion); some severe constraints on successful learning; some characterization results and important examples of successful learning; discussion and results on potential child insensitivities to data presentation order; and empirical U-shaped learning with some corresponding formal results interpreted for their cognitive science significance. The second section concentrates on relevant complexity issues. The issues considered are: large database size and corresponding memory-limited learners; unavoidable cases of complexity and information deficiencies of the programs learned; and the complexity of learner updates. In this section a few, seemingly difficult, open mathematical questions are indicated. Some of them are important for cognitive science.
Theory of Electromagnetic Transients in Spatially Dispersive Media and a New Approach to Precursor Theory

The theoretical investigation of electromagnetic transients in media has been an ongoing topic of interest since (at least) the classic work of Sommerfeld and Brillouin [1] on precursor theory. The prototypical problem is the analysis of the amplitude f(z, t) of the electromagnetic field at point z, time t in a material dielectric when a wave with sharp front (for example, a sharply truncated laser) impinges on the surface of a bounded medium. Coming into play in this analysis are: the model of the medium, (which in the classical theory is taken as a “Lorentz model” dielectric); the coupling of field and medium via some dielectric response function; and the propagation of the field, described by Maxwell equations. All these aspects of radiation and matter theory can be explored by analysing the time evolution of the amplitude f(z, t), which in effect samples the dynamics of the system in a time-resolved succession of stages, each such stage referring to a different frequency regime.
Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone: Localization of Specific Hypothalamic and Extrahypothalamic Sites of CNS Modulation

The modern era of neuroendocrinology and the new era of “endocrine neurology” began fourteen years ago with the isolation and characterization of the first hypothalamic-releasing factor, a tripeptide (pyroglutamyl-histidyl-proline amide) termed thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) by virtue of its ability to stimulate both synthesis and release of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the anterior pituitary [1, 2]. Since then, advances in radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunohisto-chemical techniques have led to the discovery that TRH also exists throughout the extrahypothalamic brain as well as beyond the strict confines of the CNS [3-14]. From hypophysiotropic regions of the hypothalamus, TRH, transported to the anterior pituitary through the portal vasculature, acts on trophic cells as a hormone [15]. In other CNS regions, evidence suggests that TRH may function as a possible neurotransmitter and/or neuromodulator [16-19]. Outside the CNS, TRH may be involved in cell-to-cell regulation subserving a paracrine function [20]. To date, TRH has been the most extensively studied brain peptide and is perhaps one of the most ubiquitous of the “hypothalamic hormones”.
Quantifying the security of a QKD protocol

In this paper we develop the concept of quantifying the security of a quantum cryptographic scheme. We focus on BB84 and develop a model for measuring the security offered by protocols that follow a similar model. We also present a new model for entropy of detection assuming a binomial probability distribution.
Effects of Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Tropospheric Ozone on Phytochemical Composition of Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides) and Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)

Anthropogenic activities are altering levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and tropospheric ozone (O3). These changes can alter phytochemistry, and in turn, influence ecosystem processes. We assessed the individual and combined effects of elevated CO2 and O3 on the phytochemical composition of two tree species common to early successional, northern temperate forests. Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera) were grown at the Aspen FACE (Free-Air Carbon dioxide and ozone Enrichment) facility under four combinations of ambient and elevated CO2 and O3. We measured, over three years (2006-08), the effects of CO2 and O3 on a suite of foliar traits known to influence forest functioning. Elevated CO2 had minimal effect on foliar nitrogen and carbohydrate levels in either tree species, and increased synthesis of condensed tannins and fiber in aspen, but not birch. Elevated O3 decreased nitrogen levels in both tree species and increased production of sugar, condensed tannins, fiber, and lignin in aspen, but not birch. The magnitude of responses to elevated CO2 and O3 varied seasonally for both tree species. When co-occurring, CO2 offset most of the changes in foliar chemistry expressed under elevated O3 alone. Our results suggest that levels of CO2 and O3 predicted for the mid-twenty-first century will alter the foliar chemistry of northern temperate forests with likely consequences for forest community and ecosystem dynamics.
Introduction to Imaging in the Neurosciences

A wide range of neuroimaging techniques have been developed which aid in the clinical diagnosis of neurological diseases and are valuable tools for research into basic physiological mechanisms and effects of new therapies to combat neurological disease. This is a rapidly evolving field as new imaging techniques with enhanced sensitivity and specificity are constantly being developed and made available to the clinician and research community. This chapter will provide an introduction to the basic mechanisms, capabilities and applications of neuroimaging methods, allowing the neuroscience student to gain an appreciation of the range of available imaging techniques and the potential for use as serial non-invasive monitors of the progression and treatment of neurodegenerative disease in animals and humans.
Narrative Organization Deficit in Lewy Body Disorders Is Related to Alzheimer Pathology.

BACKGROUND: Day-to-day interactions depend on conversational narrative, and we examine here the neurobiological basis for difficulty organizing narrative discourse in patients with Lewy body disorders (LBD). METHOD: Narrative organization was examined in 56 non-aphasic LBD patients, including a non-demented cohort (n=30) with Parkinson’s disease (PD) or PD-Mild Cognitive Impairment PD-MCI), and a cohort with mild dementia (n=26) including PD-dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), with similar age and education but differing in MMSE (p<0.001). We used a previously reported procedure that probes patients’ judgments of the organization of brief, familiar narratives (e.g. going fishing, wrapping a present). A subgroup of 24 patients had MRI assessment of regional gray matter (GM) atrophy and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology, including beta amyloid (Aβ), total-tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated-tau (p-tau). RESULTS: Mildly demented LBD patients had a significant deficit judging narratives compared to non-demented patients, but this deficit was not correlated with MMSE. Regression analyses instead related narrative organization to regions of frontal GM atrophy, and CSF levels of Aβ and t-tau associated with presumed AD pathology in these frontal regions. CONCLUSION: These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that CSF markers of AD pathology associated with frontal regions play a role in difficulty organizing narratives in LBD.
Chapter 41 – Glaciation of Western Washington, USA

Deposits of large Pleistocene valley glaciers in the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range are separated by deposits of the Puget Lobe of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet. The alpine deposits, of Late to Middle Pleistocene age, are not yet closely dated. Dates from the ice-sheet sediments place the last glacial maximum at about 17,000 14C yr ago.
Polymer Folding in Slitlike Nanoconfinement

A flexible homopolymer chain with sufficiently short-range interactions undergoes a discontinuous transition from an expanded coil to a compact crystallite analogous to the all-or-none folding transition exhibited by fast-folding proteins. In this work we investigate the effects of both tethering and confinement on this type of folding transition. In particular, we study a flexible square-well N-mer chain (monomer diameter σ) located between two hard walls forming a slitlike pore (width W) with the chain end tethered to one wall. We carry out Monte Carlo simulations with Wang–Landau sampling to construct the single-chain density of states and use both microcanonical and canonical analyses to characterize phase transitions. We find that in a very wide pore (W > Nσ) the all-or-none folding transition is only slightly affected by the tethering. As the pore width is reduced to near the size of the folded polymer chain (W ≈ N1/3σ) there is a modest entropy reduction for the unfolded states leading to a stabili...
Presentation of the 2015 Harrell L. Strimple Award of the Paleontological Society to Jack Wittry

This year’s recipient of the Harrell Strimple award is Mr. Jack Wittry. Jack is a a resident of the Chicago area, and long-time volunteer at the Field Museum of Natural History, where he became a specialist in the flora and fauna of the world-famous Mazon Creek biota. The Strimple Award is being given to Jack for his many activities in public education and outreach, service to the scientific community, and scientific accomplishments, particularly in the area of paleobotany. He started his work at the Field Museum on September 12, 2001. His principal task at that time was reorganizing the gigantic Mazon Creek fossil collection, which includes both plants and animals of late Middle Pennsylvanian age. Mazon Creek, an iconic fossil assemblage, has been collected for over 100 years by amateurs and professionals alike. The fossils occur in shales (the …
Progressive and secure performance unlocking for digital integrated circuits

This paper proposes a secure architecture to progressively unlock the performance of an integrated circuit based on the level of authorized access. A key comparison module authenticates the usage of the IC, uniquely identifies it and unlocks a specific mode of operation based on the authorized level of access. We present methods for tuning the performance at run-time based on the response from a key comparison module. IP owners can gain control over the activation, testing and usage of an IC by implementing the proposed authentication protocol. We have analyzed the proposed architecture on several ISCAS99 benchmark circuits and an image normalization application.
The Evolution of Viviparity in Fishes, Amphibians and Reptiles: An Endocrine Approach

Vertebrate viviparity has been of interest to biologists for many years. In fishes, amphibians and reptiles, studies have focused primarily on the anatomical and ecological aspects of this parity mode (for recent reviews, see Wourms,170 Wake,174,175 Shine150). Historically, few studies have examined the physiological adaptations required for the change from oviparity to viviparity in these vertebrate groups. In recent years, a resurgence of interest has occurred, and many studies have begun to focus on physiological and endocrine adaptations related to the evolution of viviparity.
Technology Commercialization and Environmental Regulation: Lessons from the U.S. Energy Sector

The development of new “green” technologies is a key component of strategies for the transition toward an environmentally sustainable industrial society. In some instances, private firms or NGOs have taken the lead in bringing greener technologies to market. However, more often, government must play a fundamental role in this process. Unlike some industrial sectors, in which government has historically had a minimal and only indirect role in the path of technological innovation, the energy sector has always been marked by strong governmental involvement. Current efforts to manage climate change join long-standing programs to manage the local and regional environmental impacts of energy production and consumption. Furthermore, energy production and consumption are tied to national security and economic well-being together, these concerns on the environment, development, and security make the energy sector a prime target for thinking about how to effectively use the forces of government to bring about technological innovation.
Analytical expressions for subthreshold swing in FDSOI MOS structures

Abstract New analytical expressions for the subthreshold swing in FDSOI structures operated in both front gate and bottom gate modes are developed. These new equations (9)-(10) provide an accurate description of the subthreshold swing SW as a function of the main FDSOI stack parameters (film thickness, front gate thickness, back gate oxide thickness) and front/back interface trap density. They can be very useful for architecture design as well as electrical characterization of FDSOI devices operated either in front gate or free top surface bottom gate configurations.
Takeover Transition in Autonomous Vehicles: A YouTube Study

Automated driving has many potential benefits, such as improving driving safety and reducing drivers’ workload. However, from a human factors’ perspective, one concern is that drivers become increa...
Transportation: A Data Driven Approach

Didi Chuxing is the world's leading mobile transportation platform that offers a full range of app-based transportation options for 550 million users. Every day, DiDi's platform receives over 100TB new data, processes more than 40 billion routing requests, and acquires over 15 billion location points. Machine learning has been used in numerous components of DiDi's platform to improve travel safety, experience and efficiency. This talk systematically presents the challenges and opportunities in the core area of modern transportation systems, and highlights some of our recent works on order dispatching and fleet management via deep reinforcement learning.
Simultaneous Multifocal Paradoxical Embolism in an Elderly Patient with Patent Foramen Ovale: A Case Report

About one-third of ischemic strokes may be associated with a patent foramen ovale (PFO). This article presents an unusual case of a 68-year-old woman with simultaneous paradoxical thrombo-embolization to different systemic sites. The patient presented initially with visual deficits and intracerebellar hemorrhage but was found to have concomitant saddle pulmonary embolism, sub-acute cerebral infarction with focal neurological deficits, and thromboembolism to the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) that resulted in an ischemic bowel. The unifying diagnosis was paradoxical embolism through a PFO and an atrial septal aneurysm with high-risk features. The patient underwent percutaneous closure of the PFO with an Amplatzer device.