cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex differences in hearing: Probing the role of estrogen signaling

Hearing loss is the most common form of sensory impairment in humans, with an anticipated rise in incidence as the result of recreational noise exposures. Hearing loss is also the second most common health issue afflicting military veterans. Currently, there are no approved therapeutics to treat sensorineural hearing loss in humans. While hearing loss affects both men and women, sexual dimorphism is documented with respect to peripheral and central auditory physiology, as well as susceptibility to age-related and noise-induced hearing loss. Physiological differences between the sexes are often hormone-driven, and an increasing body of literature demonstrates that the hormone estrogen and its related signaling pathways may in part, modulate the aforementioned differences in hearing. From a mechanistic perspective, understanding the underpinnings of the hormonal modulation of hearing may lead to the development of therapeutics for age related and noise induced hearing loss. Here the authors review a number of studies that range from human populations to animal models, which have begun to provide a framework for understanding the functional role of estrogen signaling in hearing, particularly in normal and aberrant peripheral auditory physiology.
Enhance High Impedance Fault Detection and Location Accuracy via $\mu$ -PMUs

The high impedance fault (HIF) has random, irregular, and unsymmetrical characteristics, making such a fault difficult to detect in distribution grids via conventional relay measurements with relatively low resolution and accuracy. This paper proposes a stochastic HIF monitoring and location scheme using high-resolution time-synchronized data in $\mu $ -PMUs for distribution network protection. Specifically, we systematically design a process based on feature selections, semi-supervised learning (SSL), and probabilistic learning for fault detection and location. For example, a wrapper method is proposed to leverage output data in feature selection to avoid overfitting and reduce communication demand. To utilize unlabeled data and quantify uncertainties, an SSL-based method is proposed using the information theory for fault detection. For location, a probabilistic analysis is proposed via moving window total least square based on the probability distribution of the fault impedance. For numerical validation, we set up an experiment platform based on the real-time simulator, so that the real-time property of $\mu $ -PMU can be examined. Such experiment shows enhanced HIF detection and location, when compared to the traditional methods.
Nudging Students to Succeed in a Flipped Format Gateway Biology Course

The intensive nature of gateway biology courses often results in poor student performance. This issue can be resolved with the usage of the flipped classroom method. Our application of this model to a human anatomy and physiology course increased the retention and passing rates. However, the beneficial effects of flipping a classroom can be substantially weakened due to student disposition. To target this, we used the flipped classroom model in conjunction with a series of nudges in the form of self-monitoring logs and reminder notifications. Students were responsible for tracking their attendance, punctuality, preparedness, and grades via a self-monitoring log that they had to complete each week. Reminder notifications were sent to students via text or email messages. While the flipped classroom method accompanied by both self-monitoring logs and reminder techniques can be a powerful learning model leading to higher student success rates, we found that consistent nudging via text messages appears to be pivotal in ensuring student success.
Faculty Assessments in a Military Medical Field Practicum: Rater Experience and Gender Do Not Appear to Influence Scoring.

Introduction Any implicit and explicit biases that exist may alter our interpretation of people and events. Within the context of assessment, it is important to determine if biases exist and to decrease any existing biases, especially when rating student performance to provide meaningful, fair, and useful input. The purpose of this study was to determine if the experience and gender of faculty members contribute to their ratings of students in a military medical field practicum. This information is important for fair ratings of students. Three research questions were addressed: Were there differences between new versus experienced faculty raters? Were there differences in assessments provided by female and male faculty members? Did gender of faculty raters impact ratings of female and male students?. Materials and methods This study examined trained faculty evaluators' ratings of three cohorts of medical students during 2015-2017 during a medical field practicum. Female (n = 80) and male (n = 161) faculty and female (n = 158) and male (n = 311) students were included. Within this dataset, there were 469 students and 241 faculty resulting in 5,599 ratings for each of six outcome variables that relate to overall leader performance, leader competence, and leader communication. Descriptive statistics were computed for all variables for the first four observations of each student. Descriptive analyses were performed for evaluator experience status and gender differences by each of the six variables. A multivariate analyses of variance was performed to examine whether there were differences between gender of faculty and gender of students. Results Descriptive analyses of the experience status of faculty revealed no significant differences between means on any of the rating elements. Descriptive analyses of faculty gender revealed no significant differences between female and male faculty ratings of the students. The overall MANOVA analyses found no statistically significant difference between female and male students on the combined dependent variables of leader performance for any of the four observations. Conclusions The study revealed that there were no differences in ratings of student leader performance based on faculty experience. In addition, there were no differences in ratings of student leader performance based on faculty gender.
NIOBE: An Intelligent I/O Bridging Engine for Complex and Distributed Workflows

In the age of data-driven computing, integrating High Performance Computing(HPC) and Big Data(BD) environments may be the key to increasing productivity and to driving scientific discovery forward. Scientific workflows consist of diverse applications (i.e., HPC simulations and BD analysis) each with distinct representations of data that introduce a semantic barrier between the two environments. To solve scientific problems at scale, accessing semantically different data from different storage resources is the biggest unsolved challenge. In this work, we aim to address a critical question: ”How can we exploit the existing resources and efficiently provide transparent access to data from/to both environments”. We propose iNtelligent I/O Bridging Engine(NIOBE), a new data integration framework that enables integrated data access for scientific workflows with asynchronous I/O and data aggregation. NIOBE performs the data integration using available I/O resources, in contrast to existing optimizations that ignore the I/O nodes present on the data path. In NIOBE, data access is optimized to consider both the ongoing production and the consumption of the data in the future. Experimental results show that with NIOBE, an integrated scientific workflow can be accelerated by up to 10x when compared to a no-integration baseline and by up to 133% compared to other state-of-the-art integration solutions.
Generalized Radiographic View Identification with Deep Learning.

To explore the feasibility of an automatic machine-learning algorithm-based quality control system for the practice of diagnostic radiography, performance of a convolutional neural networks (CNN)-based algorithm for identifying radiographic (X-ray) views at different levels was examined with a retrospective, HIPAA-compliant, and IRB-approved study performed on 15,046 radiographic images acquired between 2013 and 2018 from nine clinical sites affiliated with our institution. Images were labeled according to four classification levels: level 1 (anatomy level, 25 classes), level 2 (laterality level, 41 classes), level 3 (projection level, 108 classes), and level 4 (detailed level, 143 classes). An Inception V3 model pre-trained with ImageNet dataset was trained with transfer learning to classify the image at all levels. Sensitivity and positive predictive value were reported for each class, and overall accuracy was reported for each level. Accuracy was also reported when we allowed for “reasonable errors”. The overall accuracy was 0.96, 0.93, 0.90, and 0.86 at levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Overall accuracy increased to 0.99, 0.97, 0.94, and 0.88 when “reasonable errors” were allowed. Machine learning algorithms resulted in reasonable model performance for identifying radiographic views with acceptable accuracy when “reasonable errors” were allowed. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of building a quality-control program based on machine-learning algorithms to identify radiographic views with acceptable accuracy at lower levels, which could be applied in a clinical setting.
Potential induction of epileptic spasms by nonselective voltage-gated sodium channel blockade: Interaction with etiology.

Abstract Purpose Epileptic spasms are often preceded by focal (or multifocal) seizures. Based on a series of case reports suggesting that carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine may induce epileptic spasms, we set out to rigorously evaluate the potential association between exposure to voltage-gated sodium channel blockade and latency to epileptic spasms. Methods We identified 50 cases (children with focal seizures and evolution to epileptic spasms) and 50 controls (children with focal seizures without evolution to epileptic spasms). For each patient, we reviewed all sequential neurology encounters between onset of epilepsy and emergence of epileptic spasms. For each encounter we recorded seizure-frequency and all anti-seizure therapy exposures. Using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression, we evaluated the association between voltage-gated sodium channel exposure (carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, lacosamide, or phenytoin) and latency to epileptic spasms onset, with adjustment for etiology and seizure-frequency. Results Latency to epileptic spasms onset was independently associated with exposure to sodium channel blockade (hazard ratio = 2.4; 95% CI 1.1–5.2; P = 0.03) and high-risk etiology (hazard ratio = 2.8; 95% CI 1.5–5.1; P = 0.001). With assessment for interaction between sodium channel blockade and etiology, we identified an estimated 7-fold increased risk of epileptic spasms with the combination of sodium channel blockade and high-risk etiology (hazard ratio = 7.0, 95% CI 2.5–19.8; P Conclusion This study suggests that voltage-gated sodium channel blockade may induce epileptic spasms among children at risk on the basis of etiology. Further study is warranted to replicate these findings, ascertain possible drug- and dose-specific risks, and identify potential mechanisms of harm.
Asynchronous Telepsychiatry Interviewer Training Recommendations: A Model for Interdisciplinary, Integrated Behavioral Health Care.

Objective: Asynchronous telepsychiatry (ATP) is an integrative model of behavioral health service delivery that is applicable in a variety of settings and populations, particularly consultation in ...
The therapeutic promises of NAD+ boosters.

Numerous preclinical studies implicate the decline in NAD+ signaling in developing aging- and obesity-associated metabolic disorders. Yoshino et al. (2021) now provide the clinical evidence that an NAD+ booster increases muscle insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal prediabetic women, validating the therapeutic promises of NAD+ boosters in humans.
An interdisciplinary view of social engineering: A call to action for research

Abstract Social engineering is the act of using manipulation and deception to obtain access to confidential information. It is considered one of the leading threats to information security today. The topic is complex and increasing in prevalence among individuals and businesses. This paper explores the subject of social engineering from an interdisciplinary perspective. A literature review from the information technology, psychology, and business disciplines explains the interconnected nature of the topic as well as the necessity to comprehend it from multiple viewpoints. An ethical perspective follows the literature review and analyzes social engineering research from a philosophical and professional viewpoint. A proposed framework provides researchers with a flexible model to use in their studies with an emphasis on a philosophical or practical ethics perspective.
Unpacking variation in lie prevalence: Prolific liars, bad lie days, or both?

Testing truth-default theory, individual-level variation in lie frequency was parsed from within-individual day-to-day variation (good/bad lie days) by examining 116,366 lies told by 632 participan...
Perceptions of Police Among Hispanic Immigrants of Mexican Origin in the Southeast United States

Studies have repeatedly shown that members of minority groups are likely to hold less favorable perceptions of the police than their white counterparts. Relying on a unique sample of nearly 70 Hispanic immigrants, this study expands current knowledge on correlates of Hispanics’ perceptions of police. Overall, findings of this study indicate Hispanic immigrants of Mexican descent generally hold favorable views of the police. Results also suggest, however, that those who came to the US through illegal channels are significantly less likely to hold positive perceptions of police than those who relocated through legal channels. Furthermore, a preliminary analysis to assess the level of understanding that Hispanic immigrants have of police, including their role and function in American society, was conducted. Findings indicate there is a high level of misunderstanding concerning police services among this population. Based on our results, we discuss policy implications and future directions for research.
Unusual accelerograms recorded at Lima, Peru

abstract Accelerograms recorded in downtown Lima, Peru, appear to have two unusual characteristics in comparison with accelerograms recorded outside of Peru. First, the predominant period is approximately 0.1 sec, regardless of epicentral distance of earthquakes. Second, maximum accelerations are high in relation to epicentral distance of major earthquakes. For example, 0.40 g at an epicentral distance of over 160 km during the magnitude 7.5, October 17, 1966, earthquake, and 0.13 g at an epicentral distance of over 320 km during the May 31, 1970, earthquake, whose magnitude was rated by various agencies from 7.6 to 7.8. If the source of energy at Lima were closer than the earthquake epicenters, the accelerograms would appear less unusual, but there is no proof that this is the case.
The intrarenal renin-angiotensin system in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

Hypertension is a common complication of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), often present before the onset of renal failure. A role for the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has bee...
In vivo transport kinetics and distribution of taurocholate by rat ileum and jejunum.

The transport kinetics and distribution of taurocholate (TC) from the ileum and jejunum were evaluated in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. Uptake and transport kinetics were determined after simultaneous administration of equimolar solutions of [3H]taurocholic acid ([3H]TC) in the ileum and [24-14C]taurocholic acid ([14C]TC) in the jejunum of anesthetized rats. At TC concentrations between 0.3 and 15 mM, total ileal absorption exceeded jejunal absorption 15- to 25-fold. The apparent Km and Vmax for ileal absorption of TC were 5.6 mM and 65.5 nmol.min-1.cm-1, respectively. Tissue distribution studies following uptake from the ileum and jejunum were done with 75Se-labeled homocholic acid taurine (75Se-HCAT). In the ileum, 82% of the 75Se-HCAT removed from the lumen was found in the bile, 10.6% was found in the ileal wall, and 7.3% was found in the liver. In the jejunum, 24.1% was found in bile, 0.6% was found in the liver, and 75.3% remained in the jejunal wall. These data show that the ileum is much more efficient and better equipped than the jejunum to take up and transport TC at concentrations up to 15 mM.
Macroencapsulation and characterization of phase change materials for latent heat thermal energy storage systems

Abstract An innovative technique to encapsulate PCMs that melt in the 120–350 °C temperature range is presented. The developed technique does not require a sacrificial layer to accommodate the volumetric expansion of the PCMs on melting. The encapsulation consists of coating a non-reactive polymer over the PCM pellet followed by deposition of a metal layer by a novel non-vacuum metal deposition technique. The fabricated capsules have survived more than 2200 thermal cycles, which is equivalent to about seven years of service in a thermal energy storage system. Thermophysical properties of the PCMs were investigated by DSC/TGA, IR and weight change analysis. Thermal cycling test showed no significant degradation in these properties at any stage of testing.
VR menus: investigation of distance, size, auto-scale, and ray casting vs. pointer-attached-to-menu

We investigate menu distance, size, and related techniques to understand and optimize menu performance in VR. We show how user interaction using ray casting and Pointer-Attached-to-Menu (PAM) pointing techniques is affected by menu size and distance from users. Results show how selection angle - an angle to targets that depends on menu size and distance - relates to selection times. Mainly, increasing selection angle lowers selection time. Maintaining a constant selection angle, by a technique called "auto-scale", mitigates distance effects for ray casting. For small menus, PAM appears to perform as well as or potentially faster than ray casting. Unlike standard ray casting, PAM is potentially useful for tracked game controllers with restricted DOF, relativeonly tracking, or lower accuracy.
Agricultural water conservation in China: plastic mulch and traditional irrigation

Plastic mulch is commonly used with micro-irrigation in developed countries; however, Chinese farmers use plastic mulch on a vast scale independent of micro-irrigation. For the past three decades, China's land area in plastic mulch has exceeded the world's total land area in micro-irrigation. We report results from the water-scarce region of Minqin County, where 87% of Chinese farmers interviewed responded that they use plastic mulch to conserve water and 53% to increase yields. Survey results indicated the desire to conserve water through the use of plastic mulch to be statistically equivalent to the desire to increase yields. Responses to interviews and surveys indicate that farmers perceive water savings of 24–26% when plastic mulch is used. Interview and survey responses suggest farming families are shifting to purchasing wheat from outside the region; a potential import of “virtual water” into this water-scarce region.
(L)-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate in the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria type 1.

Objective To evaluate the short-term efficacy of (l)-2-oxothiaolidine-4-carboxylate (OTZ, which reduces urinary oxalate excretion in normal subjects) in the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) in a phase II study. Patients and methods Two patients with PH1 received intravenous infusions of OTZ (100 mg/kg body weight for 2 h) given every 8 h for four doses. One patient also received a placebo treatment. Urine samples (24-h collections) were obtained before and during OTZ treatment and assayed for oxalate, citrate, creatinine, sulphate and pH. Daily blood samples were assayed for plasma oxalate and serum creatinine. Results Urinary oxalate excretion was unaffected by OTZ treatment. Plasma oxalate declined in both individuals with OTZ treatment, but the effect was small. Plasma cysteine was normal in one patient, rising from a mean (sd) of 36 (3.7) µmol/L before treatment to a peak of 141 µmol/L after OTZ, but was not detected in samples from the other patient. The ratio of oxalate to creatinine clearances was high in both patients, with mean values of 3.1 and 3.8. Conclusions Treatment with OTZ did not lead to clinically significant changes in urinary oxalate excretion. The high clearance of oxalate in these patients suggests a substantial renal secretion of oxalate.
17O NMR as a probe of nucleic acid dynamics

Les techniques de relaxation RMN permettent des mesures des mouvements moleculaires et une variete de noyaux 1 H, 13 C 15 N et 31 P ont deja ete utilises dans ce but. On montre dans cette communication que la relaxation Spin reseau de 17 O peut etre obtenue pour de simple polynucleotide et permet ainsi une etude dynamique des acides nucleiques
Virtue and the Practice of Modern Medicine

Robert Veatch has claimed that virtue theory is not only irrelevant but potentially dangerous in medical ethics. I argue that virtue is a far more prominent factor in contemporary medical practice than Veatch admits. Even if 'stranger medicine' is taken as the norm, proper conduct on the part of physicians depends on certain character traits in order to be maintained consistently over a long period of time and in situations which run counter to the physician's own interests. Right conduct, which Veatch argues is the central moral issue in the physician-patient relationship, is intertwined with certain virtues. Moreover, the virtue of integrity and the concept of a unified life-narrative are especially useful in analyzing an important factor missing in modern medicine. And since medicine relies necessarily on some concept of human flourishing I argue that virtue theory can play a central role in helping to determine the goals of medical practice.
Superoxide dismutase activity in the crinkled mutant mouse: ameliorative effects of dietary copper supplementation.

SummaryLiver cupro-zinc superoxide dismutase activity was lower in mice homo-zygous for the gene crinkled (cr) than in noncrinkled littermate controls (+/?), both at 14 and at 60 days of age. Liver copper concentration was also low at 14 days, but was normal at 60 days. Supplementation during pregnancy and lactation with a high level of dietary copper brought both cupro-zinc S.O.D. activity and copper concentration in the liver of mutant offspring to levels similar to those of nonmutant littermate controls. Liver cupro-zinc superoxide dismutase activity was not found to be influenced by a deficiency of either zinc or protein in the rat.This investigation was supported in part by NIH Research Grant HD-02355 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and National Research Service Award DE-07001 from the National Institute of Dental Research.
Analogy of nonlinear systems to classical dynamics

Abstract The two-dimensional autonomous system in the general form is considered. The solution is in terms of the phase trajectories in the phase plane. In this paper, a force field over the phase plane is formulated such that the path of a particle in this force field coincides with the path of the trajectories, provided the initial condition is properly chosen. Hence, the trajectories can be obtained by solving the path of the particle subject to the formulated force field. It is further developed that, for any given system, it is theoretically possible to formulate a conservative force field to give the same property. Consequently, it is found out that the trajectories can be solved either analytically by a simple substitution or graphically by means of the family of trajectories which are orthogonal to the trajectories of the original system. Various examples including the generalized Van der Pol equation are given gs illustrations.
Standard performance criteria for analytical electron microscopy

Summary Users of analytical electron microscopy lack easy-to-use standards for assessing the consistency and quality of analytical performance. We propose using a Cr thin film of known thickness to measure three important characteristics related to performance: the Cr Kα peak-to-background (P/B) ratio, the X-ray spectrometer relative efficiency, and the spectrometer energy resolution. We used a Cr specimen to determine the instrumental factors which influence the P/B ratio, finding that the highest P/B ratios are achieved in scanning transmission mode at the highest available accelerating voltage. We present values of the P/B ratio, and the detector relative efficiency and energy resolution which can be used for comparison in other laboratories using the standard film.
A microcomputer demonstration and evaluation lab

The Ohio State University Instruction and Research Computer (IRCC) has operated a Microcomputer Demonstration and Evaluation Laboratory for several years. This panel will cover the original goals of the lab and the hardware and software that were included. It will also explain the types of demonstration and evaluation services that were provided for customers and vendors, as well as changes that have occurred and the type of services now provided.Several other academic computer centers have such facilities, differing in philosophy and operation from the IRCC Demonstration/Evaluation Lab.
Induction of lordosis in female rats: two modes of estrogen action and the effect of adrenalectomy.

Abstract In ovariectomized female rats, progesterone treatment alone does not induce lordosis, but following estrogen treatment by an appropriate interval it greatly enhances the performance of lordosis compared to that with estrogen alone. This “facilitating” effect of progesterone is thought to act synergistically with the initial “priming” effect of estrogen. In the present experiments a second estrogen treatment given to estrogen-primed ovariectomized rats in place of progesterone was found to facilitate lordosis. Latency of the facilitation of lordosis following this second estrogen treatment was similar to that of progesterone and was much shorter than that required for the usual “priming” effect, but higher doses were needed for the “facilitatory” effect. Experiments with adrenalectomized-ovariectomized female rats showed that this short latency effect of second estrogen treatment need not be mediated by the adrenals. These results raise the possibility that estrogen acts on the central nervous system in more than one way to induce lordosis.
High Selenium Reduces NF-κB-Regulated Gene Expression in Uninduced Human Prostate Cancer Cells

Abstract Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) induces expression of antiapoptotic and pro-inflammatory genes and is constitutively activated in prostate cancer. We tested the hypothesis that a biologically and physiologically relevant form and concentration of selenium (Se) may alter NF-κ B activation in early prostate cancer cells in the absence of exogenously added inducers of the NF-κB pathway. LNCaP cells were cultured in medium without added tumor necrosis factor alpha or lipopolysaccharide but with methylseleninic acid added to provide final concentrations of Se of 30 nM–7.6 μM. Compared to 50 nM Se, treatment with 7.6 μM Se virtually eliminated NF-κB binding to its DNA response element and reduced transcription rates and mRNA levels by half for NF-κB-regulated genes. There were no differences due to Se in tyrosine phosphorylation, inhibitor of kappa B alpha (IκBα) levels, or NF-κB translocation from cytosol to nucleus. The observation in these basal, unstimulated cells of altered NF-κB binding to DNA in ...
EBT-R magnet system concept

The Elmo Bumpy Torus fusion concept has been extrapolated to a 1,200-megawatt electrical power plant [1]. The toroidal magnets required will store more than 2,500 times the energy of those proposed for EBT-P [2]. EBT-reactor (EBT-R) magnets may each store 3.5 gigajoules of energy and weigh approximately 750,000 kg.
Circular dichroism of oligosaccharides containing N-acetyl amino sugars.

Abstract The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of N-acetyl amino monosaccharides and some of their methoxy derivatives, N-acetyl disaccharides, the chitin series of oligosaccharides (disaccharide through hexasaccharide), and a glycopeptide linkage compound 2-acetamido-1-N- l -aspartyl-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl-amine (GlcNAc-Asn) were measured in order to determine which structural features are influential in determining the CD in the 190–220 nm region. The CD of the α anomers of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d -glucose and -galactose (GlcNAc and GalNAc, respectively) are identical to those of the corresponding equilibrium mixture whereas, for 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d -mannose, the α anomer has a significantly more positive CD in the n-π ∗ (208–210 nm) region than does the β anomer. The CD of the α- and β-methoxy glycosides of GlcNAc and GalNAc show negative CD bands of comparable magnitude in the n-π ∗ region (209 nm) and positive CD bands of differing magnitudes in the π-π ∗ (190 nm) region. The CD spectra of β-1–4 and β-1–6 linked 2,2′-diacetamido-2,2′-dideoxyglucosyl glucoses both show a negative CD band in the n-π ∗ region and a positive band in the π-π ∗ region. The CD curves of the chitin series of oligosaccharides all exhibit a negative CD band at about 210 nm, followed by a positive band at about 192 nm. A small progressive increase in molar ellipticity per sugar residue for both the positive and negative bands with an increase in chain length is observed. The CD spectra of GlcNAc-Asn at three different pH's differ greatly from those of N-acetyl mono- and disaccharides. The CD spectrum of GlcNAc-Asn indicates a strong interaction of the exciton type between chromophores. It is concluded from the CD data that the n -π ∗ band for these compounds is not very sensitive to anomeric configuration or to disaccharide linkage of the 1–4 and 1–6 types. In contrast, the CD in the π-π ∗ region does show variation with anomeric configuration, substituent position, and linkage position. In particular, substituents at the 3 position lead to a small negative CD at 190 nm while substituents at the 4 position lead to enhanced positive CD at 190 nm.
The Effects of task Difficulty and Workload on Training

Four hypotheses regarding the possible effects of workload and task difficulty on training are proposed. These are: (1) increased levels of task difficulty will facilitate learning to the extent that these increases are (a) resource loading and (b) intrinsic to the component task to be learned; (2) decrease of task difficulty will facilitate learning to the extent that these decreases (a) reduce the resource load and (b) are extrinsic of the component task to be learned; (3) the lerner's tendency to conserve resources may bead to the adoption of undesirable, short-term, low resource strategies early in training; and (4) the effect of changes in resource demand on learning will depend upon the similarity of the resource whose demand is changed to the resource involved in learning.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and derivatives

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the value‐relevance of regulatory financial reporting requirements for jurisdictional public utilities, natural gas companies and oil pipelines in the USA.Design/methodology/approach – An event study methodology is used to examine the stock market's response to regulatory accounting and reporting requirements. Also, the explanatory power of regulatory disclosures pertaining to fair values of on‐balance sheet derivatives is tested.Findings – The empirical findings suggest the market responded favorably to the regulatory requirements, and the accounting and reporting changes are perceived as useful to investors in equity valuation.Originality/value – This study extends the prior research by addressing the value relevance of disaggregated disclosures for on‐balance sheet derivatives. The results are generalizable to other standard setting environments, particularly in foreign markets that have experienced rapid growth in derivatives markets in recent years.
Endocrine factors and ovarian follicles are influenced by body condition and somatotropin in postpartum beef cows

Multiparous beef (1/4 to 3/8 Bos indicus; n = 99) cows were managed to achieve low (BCS = 4.3 +/- 0.1; n = 50) or moderate (BCS = 6.1 +/- 0.1; n = 49) body condition (BC) to determine the influence of bovine (b) ST on the number of follicles, diameter of largest follicle, and serum concentrations of IGF-I, triiodothy-ronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and prolactin. Beginning 32 d postpartum, cows within each BC were assigned randomly to treatment with or without bST. Non-bST-treated cows received no treatment, and treated cows were administered bST (Posilac, 500 mg, s.c.) on d 32, 46, and 60 postpartum. On d 60, all cows received a controlled internal drug-releasing (CIDR) device for 7 d and PGF(2alpha) at CIDR removal (CIDR-PGF(2alpha)). Blood samples (7 mL) were collected at each bST treatment and d 39 and 67 postpartum. Ultrasound was performed 1 d after CIDR-PGF(2alpha) to determine the number of small (2 to 9 mm) and large (>/=10 mm) follicles and the diameter of largest follicle. Cows treated with bST in low BC had increased (P /= 0.18; P /= 0.17; P /= 0.20; P </= 0.06). Treatment with bST increased IGF-I in low-BC cows, and IGF-I was correlated with the diameter of the largest follicle 1 d after CIDR-PGF(2alpha). Undernutrition of cattle may be communicated to the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis via metabolic hormones including IGF-I, thyroid hormones, or prolactin.
Combination therapy with anti-DR5 antibody and tamoxifen for triple negative breast cancer

TRA-8, a monoclonal antibody targeting death receptor, has demonstrated high therapeutic effect for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in preclinical models. Tamoxifen, the standard of care for ERα-positive breast cancer, induces apoptosis via ERβ, which commonly presents in TNBC cells. The current study investigates the combination effects of TRA-8 and tamoxifen for TNBC. In vitro assays were implemented with two ERβ-positive TNBC cell lines, SUM159 and 2LMP, and in vivo therapy studies were followed using orthotopic breast tumor mouse models. IC50 of tamoxifen for SUM159 and 2LMP were 29 μM and 38 μM, respectively. Synergy between TRA-8 (0-1000 ng/mL) and tamoxifen (20 μM) was observed for both the cell lines. Tamoxifen (400 mg/kg diet) markedly suppressed the growth of SUM159 tumors for 6 weeks after therapy initiation, but it did not induce antitumor effect for 2LMP tumors. TRA-8 (0.1 mg, weekly, i.p.) successfully arrested the growth of both SUM159 and 2LMP tumors during therapy, but an antagonistic effect was observed when tamoxifen was combined. TRA-8 uptake into tumors was not changed by tamoxifen treatment. Histological analysis confirmed that caspase-3 activation induced by TRA-8 was significantly decreased when tamoxifen was used in combination. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the combined use of TRA-8 and tamoxifen may cause antagonistic effects for TNBC patients.
Management of peripherally inserted central catheter associated deep vein thrombosis in children

No protocol exists for prophylaxis or therapeutic management of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) related deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in children. Currently, very few patients are provided prophylaxis for DVT. In this study, we analyzed our current practice of PICC placement to identify the frequency of DVT, analyze risk factors and determine current treatment patterns in order to determine the need for protocols. The dataset was retrospectively collected from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2011. Patients with an upper extremity PICC were assessed for subsequent DVT formation. Variables included: demographics, co-morbidities, method of DVT diagnosis, treatment course, and recurrence. There were 1,289 PICC placements, with 24 (1.9 %) per line events of DVT in 23 patients, of which 3 had recent surgery, 2 had sepsis, 1 had a family history of clots, and 2 had a malignancy. All but one was symptomatic. Diagnosis was made in 92 % by ultrasound, the remaining with CT. No patients had prophylaxis. Of the seven patients who underwent hypercoagulable work-up, three were positive. 15 patients were treated with enoxaparin, 5 patients were treated with heparin, 2 treated with tissue plasminogen activator and 2 were observed. 84 % were treated with long-term enoxaparin for a mean of 3.3 months with 54 % proven clot resolution and 1 patient had recurrence of UE DVT. The risk of DVT with PICC placement is small in children and prophylaxis can probably be reserved for those with previous DVT or known hypercoagulable state.
The consequences of backcountry surface disposal of human waste in an alpine, temperate forest and arid environment

Surface disposal of human waste by the smear method, a suggested but heretofore unexamined technique, was tested in three environments and examined for reductions in fecal mass and fecal indicator bacteria. Substantial reduction in fecal mass was observed after six and fourteen weeks of exposure in all environments, but extensive reduction in fecal indicator bacteria was observed in only the arid and alpine environments. Although surface smears appear favorable to cathole techniques in terms of indicator bacteria reduction, the application of this method is limited by several other factors common to backcountry sanitation situations. It is therefore likely that surface disposal would only be applicable in very remote, low use, alpine and arid settings where lack of soil development precludes the use of catholes and carry-out techniques are otherwise impractical.
The use of antihistamines in the prevention and treatment of anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid reactions.

The pathophysiologic effects of histamine in anaphylaxis have been shown to be mediated through H 1 and H 2 receptors, individually and in combination. H 1 receptors mediate coronary artery vasoconstriction, wheezing, cutaneous vascular permeability, and possibly an increase in pulse rate. H 2 receptors stimulate ventricular and atrial inotropy, atrial chronotropy, coronary vasodilation, and rises in basophil cyclic adenosine 3′:5′ monophosphate (cyclic AMP). (Neither receptor mediates increases in cyclic AMP in mast cells.) H 1 and H 2 receptors in combination seem to be most potent in mediating flush, headache, increases in pulse pressure, and decreases in diastolic blood pressure. Clinical trials have been conducted to determine the efficacy of H 1 and H 2 antagonists in preventing anaphylactic reactions to plasma expanders, anesthesia-inducing agents, morphine, and radiocontrast material. Concurrently, retrospective observations of the prevention of anaphylactic reactions to chymopapain have been recorded. Despite some conflicting and inconclusive data, the sum of these studies indicates that pretreatment with a combination of H 1 and H 2 antagonists is more effective than H 1 antagonists alone in preventing reactions to these agents. These results, when added to the available knowledge of the physiology of histamine release, support the preferential use of H 1 /H 2 antagonist combinations in the prevention and treatment of anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid reactions.
Effecting a comprehensive intellectual property strategy using the Madrid Protocol.

Especially for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, the Madrid Protocol for international trademark registration marks a new era in trademark protection.
Identification of a possible respiratory arsenate reductase in Denitrovibrio acetiphilus, a member of the phylum Deferribacteres.

Denitrovibrio acetiphilus N2460T is one of the few members of the phylum Deferribacteres with a sequenced genome. N2460T was capable of growing with dimethyl sulfoxide, selenate, or arsenate provided as a terminal electron acceptor, and we identified 15 genes that could possibly encode respiratory reductases for these compounds. The protein encoded by one of these genes, YP_003504839, clustered with respiratory arsenate reductases on a phylogenetic tree. Transcription of the gene for YP_003504839, Dacet_2121, was highly induced when arsenate was provided as a terminal electron acceptor. Dacet_2121 exists in a possible operon that is distinct from the previously characterized respiratory arsenate reductase operon in Shewanella sp. ANA-3.
Orientation of chromonic liquid crystals by topographic linear channels: multi-stable alignment and tactoid structure

We study the alignment behaviour of the chromonic liquid crystal phases of sunset yellow (SSY)/water, disodium cromoglycate (DSCG)/water and their mixtures when confined in cells by polymer films topographically imprinted with linear channels of 250 nm width, depth and spacing. A variety of novel alignment effects are generated by contact with such a patterned surface, as follows. Nematic DSCG and nematic SSY at low concentration and their nematic mixtures orient with the long axes of stacked chromonic aggregates on average parallel to the channels, that is, with the molecular planes normal to the channel axis. These oriented nematics exhibit isotropic/nematic tactoids aligned with their major axes along the channels. Two geometries of the tactoids, elliptic cylinder and rectangular cuboid with hemi cylindrical ends are observed. Additionally, a transition of DSCG tactoids from a three-dimensional (3D) director configuration to a two-dimensional one is observed when the tactoids on one surface of a cell t...
Simulated color gamut mapping using simple rendered images

In order to systematically evaluate different gamut mapping algorithms, we have simulated gamut mapping on a CRT using simple rendered images of colored spheres floating in front of a gray background. Using CIELab as our device-independent color space, cut-off values for lightness and chroma, based on the statistics of the images, were chosen to reduce the gamuts for the test images. The gamut mapping algorithms consisted of combination of clipping and linearly mapping the original gamut in piecewise segments. Complete color space compression in RGB and CIELAB was also used. Each of the colored originals (R,G,B,C,M,Y, and Skin) were mapped separately in lightness and chroma. In addition, each algorithm was implemented with saturation (C*/L*) allowed to vary or remain constant. Using a paired-comparison paradigm, pairs of test images with reduced color gamuts were presented to twenty subjects along with the original image. For each pair the subjects chose the test images that better reproduced the original. Rank orders and interval scales of algorithm performance with confidence limits were then derived. Certain algorithms were found to perform best consistently over image color. For chroma mapping, clipping of all out-of-gamut colors while keeping lightness constant was the most preferred method. For lightness mapping at the top of the gamut, a particular piecewise mapping technique while keeping saturation constant was preferred. For lightness mapping at the bottom the results gave an indication of the type of algorithm that might be best while keeping chroma constant. The choice of device-independent color space may also influence the choice of gamut mapping algorithm.
Photon-Surface-Plasmon Coupling in Thick Ag Foils

Photon-surface-plasmon coupling is observed in measurements of the optical reflectance of thick vapor-deposited Ag foils. Measurements of the surface-plasmon wave vector demonstrate that the optical excitation of the mode is an indirect process, the coupling mechanism providing the majority of the surface-plasmon momentum. Several experiments are performed in order to distinguish between various possible mechanisms, and only the surface roughness of the foil is found to contribute significantly to the observed interaction. The real and imaginary parts of the frequency-dependent dielectric response function are computed from the ellipsometry data of several foils. The surface-plasmon contribution appears as a resonant excess absorption in the imaginary part of the response, rising as much as 50% above the background level in the cases considered. The response of one foil is computed from data taken at two different angles of incidence in an attempt to observe the nonlocal nature of the portion of the absorption due to the surface-plasmon mode.
Tackling care transitions: Mom and apple pie vs. the devil in the details.

Continuity of care is a fundamental tenet of high quality of care and has been likened to “motherhood and apple pie”1. Unfortunately, patients feel that continuity and care transitions are major problems with their healthcare2. This is not surprising given the increasing use of specialists, such as hospitalists, which results in increased fragmentation of patient care3.Given these trends, investments to improve care transitions are critical to ensuring safe patient care4. For this reason, the Transitions of Care Consensus Policy Statement produced from a collaboration of six medical societies (American College of Physicians, Society of General Internal Medicine, Society of Hospital Medicine, American Geriatrics Society, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society of Academic Emergency Medicine) is especially timely and welcome5. The formal collaboration of these groups is also impressive and unprecedented. This broad involvement of generalists, hospitalists, geriatricians, and emergency medicine physicians increases the likelihood that these recommendations can impact these stakeholder groups. The policy statement represents an important starting point from which to guide improvement initiatives and policy changes to advance care transitions. However, in considering how to translate these recommendations into practice, there is more work to do. While the consensus statement appropriately recommends a “patient-centered” approach, it is important to note that the patient perspective is missing from this effort. Likewise, perspectives of other healthcare professionals who play an active role in care transitions, including but not limited to case managers, nurses, pharmacists, nursing home staff, and home health and medical transport professionals, are absent. Interestingly, patient advocates and health care providers from these various care settings, have partnered together to form the National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC), which represents 26 groups, to improve care transitions6. Future engagement of this broader set of stakeholders is a crucial and necessary step to move these recommendations forward. The policy statement outlines high level-principles for care transitions that are generally agreeable to most physicians, but does not delve into the details of how to improve care transitions. While the recommendations call for actions such as physicians communicating effectively and accessing the medical record during a care transition, little guidance is offered on how to achieve these goals. As with all improvement efforts, the difficulty lies in the implementation of these recommendations or simply, “the devil in the details.” At the front lines of patient care, there are numerous practical challenges involved with implementing these recommendations outlined in the consensus statement. There are, however, several additional recommendations outlined below that can help translate this Policy Statement into action for hospitals, office practices, and patients:
New approach to observer design for two-dimensional systems

A new method of observer design for shift-invariant two-dimensional digital systems is presented. The method is applicable to a large class of two-dimensional systems and the condition of applicability is very simple to test.
Effect of a constant magnetic field on the beta decay rate of a neutron immersed in a completely degenerate electron gas

Abstract Our previous work on the effect of a constant magnetic field on neutron decay in a vacuum is extended to the case where the process takes place in dense bodies (white dwarfs, neutron stars), at zero temperature.