cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adverse events of gastric electrical stimulators recorded in the Manufacturer and User Device Experience (MAUDE) Registry

Abstract The role of gastric electrical stimulation for patients with refractory symptoms of gastroparesis remains controversial. Open label studies suggest benefit while randomized controlled trials did not demonstrate differences between active and sham intervention. Using a voluntary reporting system of the Federal Drug Administration, we examined the type and frequency of adverse events. Methods We conducted an electronic search of the Manufacturer and User Device Experience (MAUDE) databank using the keyword ‘ Enterra ’ for the time between January of 2001 and October of 2015. We abstracted information about the year of stimulator implantation, the year and type of adverse effect, the resulting intervention and outcome if available. Results A total of 1587 entries described adverse effects related the GES. Only 36 of the reports listed perioperative complications. The vast majority described problems that could be classified as patient concerns, local complications, or system failure. The most common problem related lack or loss of efficacy, followed by pain or complications affecting the pocket site. A subset of 801 reports provided information about the time between system implant and registration of concerns, which gradually declined over time. More than one third (35.7%) of the reported adverse events prompted surgical correction. Conclusion The number of voluntarily reported adverse events and the high likelihood of repeated surgical interventions clearly demonstrate the potential downside of gastric electrical stimulation. Physicians considering this intervention will need to carefully weigh these risks and include this information when counseling or consenting patients.
The Protein Content of Honey

SummaryA method is described for determining protein in honey. Removal of interfering materials of low molecular weight by dialysis allows the use of the Lowry photometric analysis for protein. For 740 samples of honey, a mean value of 169 mg/100 g was found, with a standard deviation of 71 mg/100 g and a range of 58–786. From 40% to 80% of the nitrogen in most honeys is in the protein fraction.
Brain-computer interfaces for dissecting cognitive processes underlying sensorimotor control.

Sensorimotor control engages cognitive processes such as prediction, learning, and multisensory integration. Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying these cognitive processes with arm reaching is challenging because we currently record only a fraction of the relevant neurons, the arm has nonlinear dynamics, and multiple modalities of sensory feedback contribute to control. A brain–computer interface (BCI) is a well-defined sensorimotor loop with key simplifying advantages that address each of these challenges, while engaging similar cognitive processes. As a result, BCI is becoming recognized as a powerful tool for basic scientific studies of sensorimotor control. Here, we describe the benefits of BCI for basic scientific inquiries and review recent BCI studies that have uncovered new insights into the neural mechanisms underlying sensorimotor control.
Direct Adaptive Control of Discrete-Time Infinite-Dimensional Systems in a Hilbert Space

Given a linear discrete-time infinite-dimensional plant on a Hilbert space and disturbances of known waveform but unknown amplitude and phase, we show that there exists a stabilizing direct model reference adaptive control law with certain disturbance rejection and robustness properties. The central result is a discrete-time version of Barbalat-Lyapunov result for infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces. This is used to determine conditions under which a linear Infinite-dimensional system can be directly adaptively regulated. Our results are applied to adaptive control of general linear diffusion systems.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
African Americans’ Perceptions of Adherence to Medications and Lifestyle Changes Prescribed to Treat Hypertension:

More than 80 million Americans have hypertension (HTN), and African Americans (AAs) are disproportionately affected. AAs also have lower rates of adherence to HTN treatment. It is important to understand AAs' perceptions of adherence to develop effective interventions. The aim of this study is to examine AAs' perceptions of adherence to medications and lifestyle changes prescribed to treat HTN. In this qualitative study, we used purposive sampling to recruit Southern AAs with HTN aged 21 and older from a free, faith-based clinic. We recorded individual, in-person interviews about perceptions related to adherence to treatment of HTN and analyzed verbatim transcripts using content analysis and constant comparison. We also conducted medical record audits. Twenty-nine AAs participated (52% female, 38% were <50 years of age, 52% had taken anti-HTN medications for ≥5 years). Audits indicated that 65% had uncontrolled HTN during the previous year. Two main themes included causes of HTN and ways to improve blood pressure. Perceived causes of HTN included diet, stress, unhealthy actions, genes, and obesity. Ways to improve HTN included using cultural treatments "passed down," increasing exercise, reducing stress, and losing weight. Many reported using home remedies to control HTN, including drinking pickle juice. More than half of this sample had uncontrolled HTN. They identified influences of culture on perceptions of adherence including causes and treatment of HTN, and possibly detrimental home remedies. It is imperative that clinicians identify culturally appropriate interventions for this high-risk group.
Stagnating Radiator Thermal Model Design and Verification

The requirements of the Altair Lunar Lander Thermal Control System (TCS) include operating in a large range of thermal environments along with varying power levels. In order for the radiator in a single-loop fluid system to manage such requirements, it must be designed to either stagnate and therefore reduce the active heat transfer area based on heat rejection requirements, or be stall resistant and operate at low temperatures without freezing. The Apollo program successfully used a “stagnating” radiator by stalling specific tubes during low heat loads. However the fluid used by Apollo does not meet current flammability and toxicity requirements for a single loop system. That is why Paragon seeks to develop a single loop stagnating radiator with Galden HT170. Galden is a non-toxic, nonflammable fluid acceptable for a human-rated spacecraft interior; it has an extremely low vapor pressure and does not freeze, but increases in viscosity to a defined ‘pour point’. When the temperature of Galden approaches the pour point it will cause fluid in the tubes to stagnate; however, without a phase change, fast recoveries can be achieved. Designing stalling radiators requires research to insure they perform adequately in every extreme environment that will be experienced in the new multi-functional exploration program. Due to Galden’s unique properties it is believed that it’s use can lead to a robust, light weight, and safe radiator design. This paper focuses on the process of modeling both temperature and flow rates in a small scale radiator test bed.
Review of Areas/ A Keu to Diagnosis

A new technic for history taking magnifies and organizes the established model and adds a review of areas covering total behavior. Deficient, excessive or maladaptive behavior in one or several areas critically affects diagnosis and treatment. The technic is a simple means for quick, thorough assessment of shifts in homeostatic equilibrium.
Application of Logistic model in simulating influenza A( H1N1) pandemic

Objective To simulate the spreading process of influenza A( H1N1) pandemic with Logistic model. Methods Data about influenza A( H1N1) pandemic in Changsha were employed for simulating and confirming the parameters of the model.3 critical points of the model were deduced for dividing the pandemic into different stages. Results The influenza A( H1N1)pandemic in Changsha could be divided into three phases,including "case- import phase","local- case- spread phase"and"pandemic phase". Logistic model equation of"pandemic phase"was n =6878/1 + e-( 0. 1166t- 8. 3859). The predictive results of the model showed that the pandemic was expected to experience three phrases:( 1) increasingly growing stage( 105th- 166 th d),in which the epidemic developed slowly and could be intervened relatively easily;( 2) rapidly growing stage( 167th- 188 th d),in which it was difficult to take preventive measures and might not receive expected effectiveness at greater cost;( 3) relaxedly growing stage( 189th-244 th d),in which immunological barrier had been built up and the efficacy of the preventive measures was not significant. Conclusions Influenza A( H1N1) pandemic can be simulated perfectly by Logistic model.
73 GASTRIC ELECTRICAL STIMULATION AND SACRAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION: ARE TWO DEVICES BETTER THAN ONE?

Introduction Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is available as a humanitarian use device for patients with the symptoms of gastroparesis and is effective in reducing gastrointestinal symptoms. We have previously shown that patients with gastric motor disorders often have coexisting abnormalities of the genitourinary system (Gastroenterology 1997;112:A737), which may now be treated with sacral electrical stimulation (SES), resulting in similar improvements in genitourinary symptoms. Patients We compared the results of therapy with GES and SES in 13 patients who were implanted with both devices. Patients were 11 F, 2 M, mean age of 41 years, who had documented gastroparesis as well as bladder or other pelvic floor dysfunction. All 13 patients had received their GES before the SES. Methods Patients were evaluated at baseline and latest follow-up (median 4 years for GES and 2 years for SES), according to previously standardized scores of GI (GI: 0-4, TSS max 20) and GU (GU: 0-3, UTSS, max 12) function. Results were compared by paired t-tests and reported as mean 6 SE. Results All 13 patients improved both GI and GU symptoms and the improvement in all parameters as nausea, vomiting, anorexia, bloating, abdominal pain and gastric total symptom score (TSS), leakage, urgency, voiding difficulty, number of pads used, and urinary total symptom score (UTSS) was statistically significant (see table below). Conclusions The combination of GES and SES appears to be both safe and effective for patients with concomitant gastroparesis and bladder dysfunction and the existence of a one stimulator does not preclude another.
Localized Ankle Fatigue Development and Fatigue Perception in Adults With or Without Chronic Ankle Instability.

Context: Fatigue could contribute to ankle-sprain injuries during sport, particularly for individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Objective: To examine whether adults with or without CAI ...
Overall Survival Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy vs Primary Cytoreductive Surgery in Women With Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Analysis of the National Cancer Database.

Importance Uncertainty remains about the relative benefits of primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS) vs neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Objective To compare overall survival of PCS vs NACT in a large national population of women with advanced-stage EOC. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study of women with stage IIIC and IV EOC diagnosed between 2003 and 2011 treated at hospitals across the United States reporting to the National Cancer Data Base. We focused on patients 70 years or younger with a Charlson comorbidity index of 0 who were likely candidates for either treatment. Exposures Initial treatment approach of PCS vs NACT, examined using an intent-to-treat analysis. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall survival, defined as months from cancer diagnosis to death or date of the last contact. We used propensity score matching to compare similar women who underwent PCS and NACT. The association of treatment approach with overall survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. We assessed whether the findings were influenced by differences in the prevalence of an unobserved confounder, such as limited performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 1-2), preoperative disease burden, and BRCA status. Results Among 22 962 patients (mean [SD] age, 56.12 [9.38] years), 19 836 (86.4%) received PCS and 3126 (13.6%) underwent NACT. We matched 2935 patients treated with NACT with similar patients who received PCS. The median follow-up was 56.5 (95% CI, 54.5-59.2) months in the PCS group and 56.3 (95% CI, 54.5-59.8) months in the NACT group in the propensity-matched cohort. Among propensity score–matched groups, the median overall survival was 37.3 (95% CI, 35.2-38.7) months in the PCS group and 32.1 (95% CI, 30.8-34.1) months in the NACT group ( P Conclusions and Relevance Primary cytoreductive surgery was associated with improved survival compared with NACT in otherwise healthy women with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer aged 70 years or younger. The lower survival in women who received NACT could be explained by a higher prevalence of limited performance status in women undergoing NACT.
Non-Instantaneous Breakup of Excited Nuclear Systems

Recent experimental evidence indicates that bombardment of a target nucleus with intermediate energy heavy-ions [1, 2, 3] or high energy light-ions [4] can result in decay of the excited nuclear system into multiple intermediate mass fragments (IMFs:3 ≤ Z ≤ 20). Such a multifragment final state might arise due to either dynamical surface instabilities of the composite system, or alternatively from volume instabilities [5, 6]. While decay driven by surface instabilities (Rayleigh instabilities) might provide insight into the dynamics of the collision process, volume instabilities could yield information regarding the phase diagram of nuclear matter. Trajectories in the temperature density plane could depend sensitively on the dissipation and deposition of excitation energy. Recent experimental results have linked multifragment decays to a phase transition in finite nuclear systems [7]. This approach, however, avoids the issue of the importance of the collision dynamics. Do all the fragments arise instantaneously from an unstable homogeneous source [8, 9] or are the fragments emitted as the system de-excites and the source characteristics (excitation, charge, radius) change [10, 11]? The present work attempts to distinguish between these two scenarios.
In-Phantom Dosimetry of Plutonium-238 Circulatory Support Heat Sources

The dose rates from an implanted 238Pu heat source have been measured and calculated. The source material was medical grade plutonium of nominal 30-W strength. The tissue-equivalent phantoms were b...
Photoinitiated Dynamics in Amorphous Solid Water via Nanoimprint Lithography.

Laser pulses that act on fragile samples often alter them irreversibly, motivating single-pulse data collection. Amorphous solid water (ASW) is a good example. In addition, neither well-defined paths for molecules to travel through ASW nor sufficiently small samples to enable molecular dynamics modeling have been achieved. Combining nanoimprint lithography and photoinitiation overcomes these obstacles. An array of gold nanoparticles absorbs pulsed (10 ns) 532 nm radiation and converts it to heat, and doped ASW films grown at about 100 K are ejected from atop the irradiated nanoparticles into vacuum. The nanoparticles are spaced from one another by sufficient distance that each acts independently. Thus, a temporal profile of ejected material is the sum of about 106 “nanoexperiments,” yielding high single-pulse signal-to-noise ratios. The size of a single nanoparticle and its immediate surroundings is sufficiently small to enable modeling and simulation at the atomistic (molecular) level, which has not been...
Congenital Long QT syndrome and torsade de pointes

Since its initial description by Jervell and Lange-Nielsen in 1957, the congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) has been the most investigated cardiac ion channelopathy. A prolonged QT interval in the surface electrocardiogram is the sine qua non of the LQTS and is a surrogate measure of the ventricular action potential duration (APD). Congenital as well as acquired alterations in certain cardiac ion channels can affect their currents in such a way as to increase the APD and hence the QT interval. The inhomogeneous lengthening of the APD across the ventricular wall results in dispersion of APD. This together with the tendency of prolonged APD to be associated with oscillations at the plateau level, termed early afterdepolarizations (EADs), provides the substrate of ventricular tachyarrhythmia associated with LQTS, usually referred to as torsade de pointes (TdP) VT. This review will discuss the genetic, molecular, and phenotype characteristics of congenital LQTS as well as current management strategies and future directions in the field.
Convergent Cross Mapping: Theory and an Example

In this review paper we present the basic principles behind convergent cross mapping, a new causality detection method, as well as an example to demonstrate it.
The Clinical Relevance of Neuroepidemiology

Despite the fact that neuroepidemiology is a relatively new field, contributions to clinical neurology have already been many. Neuroepidemiologic research requires neither expensive nor sophisticated equipment, and the skills to implement investigations successfully are present worldwide, as evidenced by the reports in this volume. The developments in the epidemiologic study of neurologic disease have contributed significantly to the evolution of neurology as a scientific discipline. At first, we were capable only of making a correct diagnosis and offering a prognosis. Studies of large populations forced us to establish a common nomenclature, diagnostic criteria, and systems of classification to be certain that we were all describing the same clinical entity. As neuroepidemiologists carefully studied the entire spectrum of disease in the community, it became possible to provide the clinician with more accurate information on natural history and the identification of factors important in prognosis.
Neoadjuvant Approaches in Melanoma

Patients with clinically palpable regional lymph node metastases (AJCC stage IIIB-C) carry a risk of relapse and death that approaches 70% at 5 years. Surgical excision with complete regional lymph node dissection is the cornerstone of management, followed by adjuvant therapy with high-dose interferon-α2b (HDI). Neoadjuvant therapy has been demonstrated to improve outcome in the management of patients of multiple different solid tumors. In patients with melanoma, the quality of the host immune response differs between those with earlier and those with more advanced disease settings. Host immune tolerance is now understood to impede the results of therapy for advanced disease, but may be less an issue for patients with microscopic high-risk operable disease, where the host may be more susceptible to immunologic interventions. Phase II studies have shown that neoadjuvant biochemotherapy has limited activity in melanoma patients with local-regional metastases, where chemotherapy may potentially antagonize or alter the effects of immunotherapeutic agents. Studies of neoadjuvant HDI therapy for high-risk melanoma patients with bulky regional stage IIIB-C lymphadenopathy are ongoing and preliminary results have shown unexpectedly high clinical and pathologic response rates, without increased morbidity. Through the design of neoadjuvant trials in which it is possible to obtain biopsy samples before and after therapy, a greater understanding of the dynamic interaction between tumors and the immune system is possible. This should lead to the identification of new targets for the treatment of melanoma and aid the development of new immunotherapies that may have greater specificity and less toxicity. This will simplify the evaluation of promising new combinations of agents with HDI to build on the clinical, immunologic, and molecular effect of this therapy for patients with melanoma.
Abstract 14601: Vegetarianism is Independently Associated With Lower Risk of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction and Stage B Heart Failure Burden

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) affects about 6 million Americans at an annual direct cost of $40 billion. Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction and stage B HF are predictors of clinical HF ...
Sa’d al-Din Wahba & Walid Ikhlasi

Sa’d al-Din Wahba managed to strike a balance on the tightrope of being both the Deputy Minister of Culture of Egypt for decades and a daring playwright who tackled sensitive social and political issues. He was also an active screenplay writer. Wahba drew inspiration for some of his plays from American playwrights like William Inge and Elmer Rice. Walid Ikhlasi is a pioneer Syrian novelist, short story writer and playwright, who represented to many the conscience of Aleppo, his adored, famous, historical city on the Silk Road in northern Syria. Whether in fiction or drama, he strove to reflect the city’s authenticity as staunchly dedicated denizen.
Dimensión parental e histórica de la fe. Ensayo filológico y semántico de la raíz

The study presents a philological and semantic essay of the Hebrew root ’mn in order to vindicate the semantic value of the qal conjugation of the verb ’aman. The philological studies of Moberly and Wildberger omit the analysis of this conjugation because they consider it insignificant and without any semantic value. They base their studies on the niphal and hiphil forms as the basic semantic platform that permeates all the grammatical forms of ’mn. This essay proposes a differing opinion. The qal form is the basic and original semantic substratum that permeates all the grammatical forms of the root ’mn.
Synthesis of highly water soluble tetrabenzoporphyrins and their application toward photodynamic therapy

Novel tetraaryl-(pyridinium-4-yl)-tetrabenzoporphyrins have been successfully synthesized via a Heck-based sequence reaction. These tetrabenzoporphyrins were substituted with eight pyridyl groups a...
The pharmacological management of hairy cell leukemia.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a B-cell lymphoid malignancy that accounts for approximately 2% of all leukemias. Treatment with purine nucleoside analogs (PNA) results in a high response rate and rem...
Think like a Warrior: The Five Inner Beliefs That Make You Unstoppable, by Darrin Donnelly: 2016, Shamrock New Media, Incorporated

After receiving his undergraduate degree from Durham University, England, the author of this book review pursued a dual master’s in Sport and Exercise Psychology (M.S.) and Clinical Mental Health C...
Parent-child joint media engagement in infancy.

Early conversations are an important source in shaping children's cognitive and emotional development, and it is vital to understand how parents use media as a platform to engage in conversations with their young children and what might predict the quality of these interactions. Thus, in the current study we explored the nature of parent-child discourse while engaging in media (i.e., joint media engagement) with infants, and how parent (empathic concern and responsiveness) and child (negative emotionality and regulatory capacity) variables might be associated with the quality of engagement. The current study consisted of 269 infants (50% female, Mage = 17.09 months, SD = 3.93; 59% White) and their primary caregiver (98% mothers) who engaged in a variety of in-home tasks and parental questionnaires. Results established three meaningful codes for both parent and child that assessed positive and negative joint media engagement. Further, results suggested that parental empathic concern was associated with positive parent and child media engagement, while child negative emotionality was associated with lower levels of distraction. Discussion focuses on the importance of studying parent-child discourse in the context of joint media engagement and recommends limiting media exposure before 18 months of age.
Laminin promotes differentiation of NB4 promyelocytic leukemia cells with all-trans retinoic acid

HE PROMYELOCYTIC leukemia cell line, NB4, was T derived from a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemial and carries the t(15;17) translocation resulting in the joining of the PML oncogene to the gene encoding the retinoic acid receptor a (RARa). PML is part of a macromolecular nuclear organelle' believed to function as a promoterspecific transcriptional repre~sor.~ The PML-RARa fusion protein acts as a dominant negative inhibitor of PML and disrupts the normal nuclear structures that contain PML.'-4 Treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) results in commitment and maturation along the myeloid lineage in nearly all patients who carry molecular evidence of this transl~cation.~-* Moreover, RA restores normal PML distribution and function to native cells from patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia or to the cell line, NB4.24 Early in vitro studies suggested that retinoids could have a therapeutic benefit in leukemia. For example, RA was shown to inhibit growth of several myeloid leukemia cell lines, including KG-1 acute myeloblastic leukemia and HL60 acute promyelocytic leukemia cell lines as well as the in vitro clonal growth of leukemia cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).9 Further investigation showed that RA induced morphologic changes consistent with terminal maturation of both HL-60 cells" and cells derived from some patients with AML." ATRA binds to nuclear RAR.'' These receptors form heterodimers with the retinoic X receptors (RXR), resulting in the RAR/RxR dimer capable of transactivating responsive genes. Synthetic ligands have been developed that can bind selectively to the RAFURXR heterodimer or the RxRmxR homodimer, enabling the receptors critical for a particular function to be identified. Using these ligands with myeloid cell lines, it was determined that the differentiating effects of the retinoids were mediated through the RAR/RXR heterodimer~.'~ Two NB4 cell lines have been isolated from a patient in relapse that do not mature in response to ATRA.'4*'5 These have been designated NB4-RA' R1 and R2. The R1 resistant subline upregulates CDI lc/CD18 in response to ATRA and does exhibit enhanced growth in low-dose ATRA (15 to 150 nmom), although maturation is not achieved. The R2resistant subline exhibits none of these responses to Am. Elevation of adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (CAMP)
Real-world evidence of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine safety in the United States: a systematic review.

Two quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MenACWY) that prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by N. meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W have been licensed in the U.S. in the pas...
Pediatric Rapid Response Nurse Deployment to Pediatric Trauma Activations: A Process Improvement Initiative.

Background Prolonged emergency department length of stay in trauma patients is associated with increased hospital length of stay and inhospital mortality. This problem is compounded in pediatric patients, as injured children have less physiologic reserve and may exhibit only subtle warning signs before decompensation. Objective To determine the impact of deploying pediatric rapid response nurses to full trauma activations for patients transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit on emergency department length of stay. Methods This is a before-and-after analysis of a quality improvement initiative deploying pediatric rapid response nurses to full trauma activations. Trauma registry data collected from January 2016 to August 2020 were statistically analyzed. Demographic and outcome variables were assessed by unpaired t test and χ2 analysis. Results A total of 94 patients met inclusion criteria as full activations admitted to the intensive care unit during the study period. The preimplementation group (n = 60) was 88% (n = 53) male, with a median age of 6.9 years and a median Injury Severity Score of 21. The postimplementation group (n = 34) was 62% (n = 21) male, with a median age of 5.6 years and a median Injury Severity Score of 17. The emergency department length of stay decreased from median (interquartile range) 48.5 (36.0-84.75) min (preimplementation) to 36.5 (27.5-55.5) min (postimplementation; p = .019). Conclusion Deployment of pediatric rapid response nurses to full trauma activations facilitates the assessment and transfer of pediatric trauma to the intensive care unit and decreases emergency department length of stay.
Spatial voting models in circular spaces: A case study of the U.S. House of Representatives

The use of spatial models for inferring member's preferences from voting data has become widespread in the study of deliberative bodies such as legislatures. Most established spatial voting models assume that ideal points belong to a (possibly multidimensional) Euclidean policy space. However, the geometry of Euclidean spaces cannot accommodate situations in which members at the opposite ends of the ideological spectrum reveal similar preferences by voting together against the rest of the legislature. This kind of voting behavior can arise, for example, when extreme conservatives oppose a measure because they see it as being too costly, while extreme liberals oppose it as for not going far enough for them. This paper introduces a new class of spatial voting models in which preferences live in a circular space. Our formulation includes the one-dimensional version of the Euclidean model as a special (limiting case), allowing the data to inform us about the geometry of the underlying space. A circular structure for the latent space is motivated by both theoretical (the so-called "horseshoe theory'' of political thinking) and empirical (goodness of fit) considerations. In particular, by applying the model to roll-call voting data from the U.S. Congress between 1988 and 2019, we demonstrate that circular latent spaces provide a better explanation for the political process in the House of Representatives than Euclidean models, that policy spaces have become increasingly circular in recent years (and, especially, since 2010), and that legislators's rankings generated through the use of the circular geometry tend to be more consistent with their stated policy positions.
Speech-Language Pathologists' Practices Related to Evaluating Persistence Prognosis for Children Who Stutter: A Survey Study

Purpose Multiple studies and review papers have been published recently that provide recommendations to speech-language pathologists (SLPs) on how to assess young children who stutter and their lik...
Phosphorus nutritional effects on root hydraulic conductance, xylem water flow and flux of magnesium and calcium in squash plants

Previous studies have found that P nutrition of plants is an important factor in the uptake and translocation of Mg and Ca, and increasing root osmotic hydraulic conductance (Lo) and osmotically driven xylem exudate flow (Jv). Experiments were designed to determine if the observed changes in Mg and Ca uptake and translocation, Jv, and Lo from altered P nutrition are related or are separate functions. When six-week old squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) plants grown in perlite were treated with P levels ranging from 50 to 400 μM P for seven days, Jv and Lo increased as P treatment level increased. Xylem exudate concentrations of Mg and Ca were maintained as Jv increased, resulting in an increase in total flux of these mineral elements. The increase in Mg and Ca flux in the xylem exudate correlated with increased shoot Mg and Ca levels as P nutritional level was raised. Further studies with greenhouse grown plants indicated that the increases in Jv, Lo, and Mg and Ca flux were more responsive to changes in P nutritional level than to similar changes in levels of other anions. In hydroponically grown squash plants, xylem exudate was collected for a 20 min period after 0, 2 and 4 h in treatments of 50 and 500 μM P or after P treatment was increased from 50 to 500 μM. Immediately after nutrient solution P was increased (time 0), there was a 33% increase in Jv and a 22% increase in Lo when compared to the 50 μM P treatment. The Jv and Lo of the 50–500 μM P treatment did not equal levels of the continuous 500 μM control at time 0, but were similar after 2 and 4 h. Flux of Mg and Ca did not increase as rapidly as Jv in the 50–500 treatment indicating that regulation of Mg and Ca uptake and xylem loading by P may lag behind that of water movement.
Vibration Control of an Experimental Two-Link Manipulator

In this paper we address the problem of actuator placement for articulated flexible structures. Specifically, placement of a single active bay on an articulated truss is formulated and solved for the UCSB/Astro-Aerospace truss. We observe that controllability grammian methods are not reliable in general and that better placements are achieved using closed-loop performance measures. Some preliminary vibration damping experiments are also described.
Desiring a career in STEM‐related fields: How middle school girls articulate and negotiate identities‐in‐practice in science

The underrepresentation of non-White students and girls in STEM fields is an ongoing problem that is well documented. In K-12 science education, girls, and especially non-White girls, often do not identify with science regardless of test scores. In this study, we examine the narrated and embodied identities-in-practice of non-White, middle school girls who articulate future career goals in STEM-related fields. For these girls who desire an STEM-related career, we examine the relationships between their narrated and embodied identities-in-practice. Drawing on interview and ethnographic data in both school and after school science contexts, we examine how STEM-career minded middle school girls articulate and negotiate a path for themselves through their narratives and actions. We present four types of relationships between girls' narrated and embodied identities-in-practice, each with a representative case study: (1) partial overlaps, (2) significant overlaps, (3) contrasting, and (4) transformative. The implications of these relationships with regard to both hurdles and support structures that are needed to equip and empower girls in pursuit of their STEM trajectories are discussed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 50: 1143-1179, 2013.
Markov Decision Processes

The literature on inference and planning is vast. This chapter presents a type of decision processes in which the state dynamics are Markov. Such a process, called a Markov decision process (MDP), makes sense in many situations as a reasonable model and have in fact found applications in a wide range of practical problems. An MDP is a decision process in which the next state S[n + 1] of the environment, or the system, is completely determined by the current state of the system denoted by S[n] and the action (or the decision) taken at current time a n . The chapter explains finite‐horizons MDPs and infinite‐horizon MDPs. Policy iteration and value iteration can be used to compute a sequence of value functions for a finite‐horizon partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) with increasing horizon length until the change is negligible as an approximation to the infinite‐horizon optimal value function.
Jesus’ Legal Theory—A Rabbinic Interpretation

This article locates the ancient debates between Jesus and the Talmudic rabbis within the discourse of contemporary legal theory. By engaging in a comparative reading of both Gospel and rabbinic texts, I show how Jesus and his rabbinic interlocutors sparred over questions we now conceptualize as the central concerns of jurisprudence. Whereas the rabbis approach theological, ethical and moral issues through an analytical, lawyerly interpretation of a dense network of legal rules, Jesus openly questions whether law is the appropriate medium to structure social relationships and resolve interpersonal conflicts. Through an examination of Talmudic sources, this paper argues the controversies between early Christianity and the nascent rabbinic Judaism (summarized by Paul in terms of Letter vs. Spirit) have the same argumentative architecture as the ongoing debates over law vs. equity, procedural vs. substantive justice, rules vs. standards, formalism vs. instrumentalism, and textualsim vs. contextualism. Moreover, the contrast between the Gospels and the emerging rabbinic discourse brings Jesus' bold claims about the role, rule and domain of the law to the fore. Thus while the mainstream representation of Christian legal theory tends towards rules, procedural justice, formalism and textualism, this analysis of primary sources shows that Jesus argued for exactly the opposite.
An infrared study of NO reduction by CH4 over Co-ZSM-5

An in situ infrared investigation has been conducted of the reduction of NO by CH 4 over Co-ZSM-5. In the presence of O 2 , NO 2 is formed via the oxidation of NO. Adsorbed NO 2 then reacts with CH 4 . Nitrile species are observed and found to react very rapidly with NO 2 and at a somewhat slower rate with NO and O 2 . The dynamics of the disappearance of CN species suggests that they are reactive intermediates, and that N 2 and CO 2 are produced by the reaction of CN species with NO 2 . While isocyanate species are also observed, these species are associated with Al atoms in the zeolite lattice and do not act as reaction intermediates. A mechanism for NO reduction is proposed that explains why O 2 facilitates the reduction of NO by CH 4 , and why NO facilitates the oxidation of CH 4 by O 2 .
Cosmic Ray Transport — Modulation and the Anomalous Component

Cosmic ray transport research is reviewed for the 1987-1990 time period, focusing on diffusive transport. Problems discussed include the diffusion model, anomalous components, radial gradient and north south anisotropy, short term modulation, long-term solar modulation, and charge sign dependent modulation.
Number and location of drainage catheter side holes: in vitro evaluation.

Aim To evaluate the influence of number and location of catheter shaft side holes regarding drainage efficiency in an in vitro model. Materials and methods Three different drainage catheter models were constructed: open-ended model with no side holes (one catheter), unilateral side hole model (six catheters with one to six unilateral side holes), and bilateral side hole model (six catheters with one to six bilateral side holes). Catheters were inserted into a drainage output-measuring device with a constant-pressure reservoir of water. The volume of water evacuated by each of the catheters at 10-second intervals was measured. A total of five trials were performed for each catheter. Data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance. Results The open-ended catheter had a mean drainage volume comparable to the unilateral model catheters with three, four, and five side holes. Unilateral model catheters had significant drainage volume increases up to three side holes; unilateral model catheters with more than three side holes had no significant improvement in drainage volume. All bilateral model catheters had significantly higher mean drainage volumes than their unilateral counterparts. There was no significant difference between the mean drainage volume with one, two, or three pairs of bilateral side holes. Further, there was no drainage improvement by adding additional bilateral side holes. Conclusion The present in vitro study suggests that beyond a critical side hole number threshold, adding more distal side holes does not improve catheter drainage efficiency. These results may be used to enhance catheter design towards improving their drainage efficiency.
Damage of the outer membrane of enteric gram-negative bacteria by lactoferrin and transferrin.

Many studies have shown that lactoferrin and transferrin have antimicrobial activity against gram-negative bacteria, but a mechanism of action has not been defined. We hypothesized that the iron-binding proteins could affect the gram-negative outer membrane in a manner similar to that of the chelator EDTA. The ability of lactoferrin and transferrin to release radiolabeled lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from a UDP-galactose epimerase-deficient Escherichia coli mutant and from wild-type Salmonella typhimurium strains was tested. Initial studies in barbital-acetate buffer showed that EDTA and lactoferrin cause significant release of LPS from all three strains. Further studies found that LPS release was blocked by iron saturation of lactoferrin, occurred between pH 6 and 7.5, was comparable for bacterial concentrations from 10(4) to 10(7) CFU/ml, and increased with increasing lactoferrin concentrations. Studies using Hanks balanced salt solution lacking calcium and magnesium showed that transferrin also could cause LPS release. Additionally, both lactoferrin and transferrin increased the antibacterial effect of a subinhibitory concentration of rifampin, a drug excluded by the bacterial outer membrane. This work demonstrates that these iron-binding proteins damage the gram-negative outer membrane and alter bacterial outer membrane permeability. Images
Self-starting additive pulse mode-locked erbium fibre ring laser

Nonlinear polarisation rotation has been used to additive pulse mode-lock (APM) a single loop erbium fibre ring laser. The system is fully self-starting without triggering and has been made to produce single pulses of 452 fs duration per round trip time.
Stuttering, induced fluency, and natural fluency: A hierarchical series of activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses

Abstract Developmental stuttering is a speech disorder most likely due to a heritable form of developmental dysmyelination impairing the function of the speech-motor system. Speech-induced brain-activation patterns in persons who stutter (PWS) are anomalous in various ways; the consistency of these aberrant patterns is a matter of ongoing debate. Here, we present a hierarchical series of coordinate-based meta-analyses addressing this issue. Two tiers of meta-analyses were performed on a 17-paper dataset (202 PWS; 167 fluent controls). Four large-scale (top-tier) meta-analyses were performed, two for each subject group (PWS and controls). These analyses robustly confirmed the regional effects previously postulated as “neural signatures of stuttering” ( Brown, Ingham, Ingham, Laird, & Fox, 2005 ) and extended this designation to additional regions. Two smaller-scale (lower-tier) meta-analyses refined the interpretation of the large-scale analyses: (1) a between-group contrast targeting differences between PWS and controls (stuttering trait); and (2) a within-group contrast (PWS only) of stuttering with induced fluency (stuttering state).
Printing Bindery Forms with the User‐defined Function Keys

Regular readers of OCLC Micro will already be familiar with a number of creative applications for the user‐defined function keys on the M300 Workstation. In addition to automating repetitive cataloging and interlibrary loan commands, we have programmed the function keys to print author, title, and call number information on commercial bindery forms. Producing these forms directly from the online record greatly reduces bindery preparation time, and costly mistakes resulting from incorrect information being supplied to the binder have been virtually eliminated.
Explaining the Past and Predicting the Future

A proper understanding of both the limits and strengths of futures research requires some commitments both in the philosophy of science and in the philosophy of history. For example, those who believe that science explains by subsumption under laws hold that explanation and prediction are symmetrical. Similarly, those who believe that history is law-governed cannot find an appropriate place for contingency in history. On the view argued here, one can always explain where one could not predict. On the other hand, if it is acknowledged that action is structured, then one can say that some outcomes are very likely, ceteris paribus, and others not.
Functionalized nanodiamond platforms for applications in systemic and localized drug elution

Nanodiamond materials can be engineered for a broad range of applications in medicine. This presentation will highlight the relevance of these materials as foundations for device fabrication across the spectrum of biology and technology. We have applied diamond-based nanomaterials toward controlled and localized drug delivery for applications in anti-inflammation to protect against implant rejection, and chemotherapy to enhance treatment efficacy by preventing generalized drug elution. Serving as platform materials, the nanodiamond hydrogels have enabled dramatic inhibition of the expression of multiple inflammation genes in vitro, and were capable of slowly eluting a potent chemotherapeutic in a slow release fashion via drug sequestering behavior. Furthermore, in vivo studies using additional nanomaterial interfaces demonstrated material-enabled implant cloaking which is envisioned to significantly impact the chronicity of implant functionality. We also interrogated the cytoregulatory networks via cytokine expression levels (IL-6, TNFα, iNOS) via quantitative PCR and found that the nanodiamonds interface well with their surrounding biological environment at a genetic level. Monitoring of internal cellular processes as well as cytokine release at the tissue-nanomaterial interface revealed the absence of basal cellular inflammatory responses for nanodiamonds, elucidating their enormous potential as translational therapeutic release systems.
Disputants' perspectives on the differences between mediation and arbitration

Our study of grievance mediation in the coal industry expands existing knowledge about mediation in three important respects. First, we have shown that mediation can be as successful in resolving disputes when it is involuntary as when it is voluntary. Second, disputants with experience in both mediation and arbitration substantially prefer mediation to arbitration. Third, by combining the second conclusion with the results of other studies that show mediation is preferred over court adjudication, we suggest that mediation is generally preferred to adjudication, regardless of the particular type of adjudication—arbitration or court.
A new approach to measuring technology with an application to the shape of the diffusion curves

This paper documents the sources and measures of the cross-country historical adoption technology (CHAT) data set that covers the diffusion of about 115 technologies in over 150 countries over the last 200 years. We use this comprehensive data set to explore the shape of the diffusion curves. Our main finding is that, once the intensive margin is measured, technologies do not diffuse in a logistic way.
The costs of suppressing stressful memories

We investigated the costs of suppressing emotional and nonemotional memories, as evidenced in response times on a concurrent sentence verification task with three levels of syntactic complexity. Participants suppressing memories of personal negative experiences (n=26) had slower response times compared to the control group (n=23) and to participants suppressing nonemotional memories (n=25) particularly on the most complex sentences. Participants suppressing nonpersonal negative experiences (n=26) did not differ from either of the other two suppression groups. Suppression failures did not differ between conditions, but failures during the sentence task were related to the intrusiveness of the memory being suppressed. The findings indicate that different kinds of memories have different suppression costs and that even successful thought suppression can impair performance on concurrent tasks, supporting Wegner's ironic processing model in which suppression attempts must compete with other ongoing tasks for s...