cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in Recruitment Rates for Acute Stroke Trials, 1990-2014.

Background and Purpose— Slow recruitment in acute stroke trials hampers the evaluation of new therapies and delays the adoption of effective therapies into clinical practice. This systematic review evaluates whether recruitment efficiency and rates have increased in acute stroke trials from 1990 to 2014. Methods— Acute stroke trials from 2010 to 2014 were identified by a search of PubMed, Medline, the Cochrane Database of Research in Stroke, and the Stroke Trials Registry. These trials were compared to a previously published data set of trials conducted from 1990 to 2004. Results— The median recruitment efficiency of trials from 1990 to 2004 was 0.41 participants/site/month compared with 0.26 participants/site/month from 2010 to 2014 ( P =0.14). The median recruitment rate of trials from 1990 to 2004 was 26.8 participants/month compared with 19.0 participants/month from 2010 to 2014 ( P =0.13). Conclusions— For acute stroke trials, neither recruitment efficiency nor recruitment rates have increased over the past 25 years and, if anything, have declined.
Review of a single surgeon's stapedotomy cases performed with a nickel titanium prosthesis over a 14-year period.

Conclusion: Stapes surgery with a nickel titanium prosthesis is a safe and well-tolerated procedure that leads to a significant improvement in hearing outcomes.Objective: To identify the efficacy a...
Ultrafast energy migration in porphyrin-based Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs)

In this paper, we have studied the energy transport properties of two porphyrincontaining metal organic frameworks (MOFs) for light-harvesting applications. The photoinduced singlet exciton migration is investigated using fluorescence quenching experiments, whereas details on exciton transport anisotropy and net displacements are obtained using a Forster theory analysis. The striking difference in the energy-transport properties for the two MOFs, albeit for similar molecular organization, is attributed to dissimilar spatial expanse and difference in the electronic structure of their porphyrin struts. The observed exciton displacements, of up to 60 nm, provides motivation to explore new MOF materials. Several new linkers are considered, leading to predictions of MOF structures, which provide both broadwavelength harvesting and unidirectional energy transporting MOFs with selected examples.
AESOP: A Python Library for Investigating Electrostatics in Protein Interactions

Electric fields often play a role in guiding the association of protein complexes. Such interactions can be further engineered to accelerate complex association, resulting in protein systems with increased productivity. This is especially true for enzymes where reaction rates are typically diffusion limited. To facilitate quantitative comparisons of electrostatics in protein families and to describe electrostatic contributions of individual amino acids, we previously developed a computational framework called AESOP. We now implement this computational tool in Python with increased usability and the capability of performing calculations in parallel. AESOP utilizes PDB2PQR and Adaptive Poisson-Boltzmann Solver to generate grid-based electrostatic potential files for protein structures provided by the end user. There are methods within AESOP for quantitatively comparing sets of grid-based electrostatic potentials in terms of similarity or generating ensembles of electrostatic potential files for a library of mutants to quantify the effects of perturbations in protein structure and protein-protein association.
Nutritional Support for Abdominal Sepsis

Intra-abdominal sepsis can be a challenging pathophysiologic state. There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding nutrition supplementation in patients with intra-abdominal sepsis. Persistent inflammation immunosuppression catabolism syndrome (PICS) is a new phenotype of multiple organ failure associated with a severe stress such as intra-abdominal sepsis. Nutritional support of these patients is paramount to their recovery and should still largely follow the ASPEN guidelines. Certain nutritional adjuncts could ultimately prove to provide benefit in treating patients with intra-abdominal sepsis and PICS.
The Power of Subcultures

In this chapter the author examines lineage-based subculture social organization performance.
Cellulose-graft-polyethyleneamidoamine Anion-Exchange Nanofiber Membranes for Simultaneous Protein Adsorption and Virus Filtration

Development of bioseparation media that can perform separations based on both ion exchange and size exclusion provide a transformative technology to purify therapeutic proteins with fewer operations in downstream processing. Thus, in this study, we have developed cellulose-graft-polyethyleneamidoamine (CL-g-PEAA) anion-exchange nanofiber membrane adsorbers with a narrow effective pore size distribution using redox polymerization. Structural characterization illustrated the functionalization of each nanofiber of the CL-g-PEAA membrane adsorbers with three-dimensional nanolayers of amidoamine functionality. The ion-exchange separation efficiency of the CL-g-PEAA anion-exchange membranes, evaluated using bovine serum albumin (BSA), exhibited an excellent static adsorption of 239 mg/g of nanofibers. The BSA dynamic binding capacity in flow through mode at 10% breakthrough of these membranes was 69 mg/g (corresponding to a volume capacity of 31 g/L) with an approximate residence time of 8 s. Meanwhile, CL-g-PE...
A Comparison of Electronic Patient-Portal Use Among Patients with Resident and Attending Primary Care Providers.

Electronic patient-portals offer the potential to enhance patient-physician communication and health outcomes but differential use may create or worsen disparities. While prior studies identified patient characteristics associated with patient-portal use, the role of physician factors is less known. We investigated differences in overall and patterns of portal use for patients with resident and attending primary care providers (PCPs). Cross-sectional study of all established patients with a resident or attending PCP seen at an academic internal medicine practice (two sites) between May 1, 2014, and April 30, 2015. We defined patient-portal use as having accessed any “active” (secure messaging, medication refill request), or “passive” (viewing labs, after visit summaries, or appointments) patient-portal function more than once over the study period. We used generalized linear models clustered on PCP to examine the odds of patient-portal use by PCP type, adjusted for patient age, gender, preferred language, race/ethnicity, insurance, and visits. Among patient-portal users, we examined the association of PCP type with “active use” utilizing the same method. The mean patient age (n = 17,699) was 54.2 (SD 17.5), with 47.2% White, 23.6% Asian, 8.8% Black, 8.4% Latino, and 12% other/unknown. The majority (61.8%) had private insurance, and attending PCPs (76.9%). Although 72.3% enrolled in the patient-portal, only 53.4% were portal users; 40.0% were active users. There were 47 attending and 62 resident physicians. Patients with resident PCPs had lower odds of using the portal compared to those with attending PCPs (OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.50–0.59). Similarly, among portal users, residents’ patients had lower odds of being active users of the portal (OR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.68–0.87). Given the lower patient-portal use among residents’ patients, residency programs should develop curricula to bolster trainee competence in using the patient-portal for communication and to enhance the patient-physician relationship. Future research should explore additional physician factors that impact portal use.
Understanding the Perceptions of Chinese Aviation Maintenance Technicians Related to the Implementation and Use of 3D Aircraft Maintenance Manuals

Aircraft maintenance manuals (AMMs) contain important information for the continued airworthiness of aircraft and are crucial technical documents for assuring maintenance tasks are carried out properly. However, because of mass text descriptions and static pictures, traditional AMMs have limited ability to show complicated aircraft structures and maintenance procedures accurately and intuitively. In order to improve the accuracy and descriptive ability of maintenance manuals to reduce misleading information and unclear procedures, a new style of aircraft maintenance manual, a three-dimensional (3D) maintenance manual, has been developed. Features of this manual include the use of 3D animations and multiple views to simulate component removal and installation processes. This type of manual can present short animations matched to individual steps of procedures. The purpose of this research project was to investigate how well the concept of a 3D maintenance manual could be accepted by front-line mechanics in the aviation industry and identify their perceptions about the usefulness of the traditional versus 3D maintenance manuals. This was a qualitative study that used surveys to assess the perceived benefits and drawbacks of both the traditional AMM and the 3D AMM. Participants were 48 front-line mechanics at multiple airlines in China. The results showed that the 3D AMM has the potential to be used for maintenance tasks and improve aircraft maintenance efficiency. In addition, along with the results, the study considered some recommendations for the improvement of 3D AMMs and suggested further research into understanding how maintenance technicians could utilize these documents more effectively.
Parameter identification of wind-induced buffeting loads and onset criteria for dry-cable galloping of yawed/inclined cables

Abstract Cables of suspension, cable-stayed and tied-arch bridges, suspended roofs, and power transmission lines are prone to moderate to large-amplitude vibrations in wind because of their low inherent damping. Structural or fatigue failure of a cable, due to these vibrations, pose a significant threat to the safety and serviceability of these structures. Over the past few decades, many studies have investigated the mechanisms that cause different types of flow-induced vibrations in cables such as rain-wind induced vibration (RWIV), vortex-induced vibration (VIV), iced cable galloping, wake galloping, and dry-cable galloping that have resulted in an improved understanding of the cause of these vibrations. In this study, the parameters governing the turbulence-induced (buffeting) and motion-induced wind loads (self-excited) for inclined and yawed dry cables have been identified. These parameters facilitate the prediction of their response in turbulent wind and estimate the incipient condition for onset of dry-cable galloping. Wind tunnel experiments were performed to measure the parameters governing the aerodynamic and aeroelastic forces on a yawed dry cable. This study mainly focuses on the prediction of critical reduced velocity ( R V cr ) as a function of equivalent yaw angle (β*) and Scruton number (Sc) through measurement of aerodynamic-damping and stiffness. Wind tunnel tests using a section model of a smooth cable were performed under uniform and smooth/gusty flow conditions in the AABL Wind and Gust Tunnel located at Iowa State University. Static model tests for equivalent yaw angles of 0–45° indicate that the mean drag coefficient ( C D ) and Strouhal number ( S t ) of a yawed cable decreases with the yaw angle, while the mean lift coefficient ( C L ) remains zero in the subcritical Reynolds number (Re) regime. Dynamic one degree-of-freedom model tests in across-wind and along-wind directions resulted in the identification of buffeting indicial derivative functions and flutter derivatives of a yawed cable for a range of equivalent yaw angles. Empirical equations for mean drag coefficient, Strouhal number, buffeting indicial derivative functions and critical reduced velocity for dry-cable galloping are proposed for yawed cables. The results indicate a critical equivalent yaw angle of 45° for dry-cable galloping. A simplified design procedure is introduced to estimate the minimum damping required to arrest dry-cable galloping from occurring below the design wind speed of the cable structure. Furthermore, the results from this study can be applied to predict the wind load and response of a dry cable at a specified wind speed for a given yaw angle.
Empathy and Racial Justice: Redefining Impartiality in Response to Social Movements

This chapter considers white people’s empathetic responses, and lack thereof, to social movements like BLM and examines the consequences of such affects in terms of ideas of impartiality and justice. It analyzes objections to the use of empathy in large-scale problems of justice from Paul Bloom and Jesse Prinz and suggests an alternate idea of impartiality, drawn from Adam Smith and Ray Jasper that can respond to the social movements like BLM. Defining the phenomenon of colorblindness through research in epistemologies of ignorance, it argues that the idea of “just” impartiality as detached from empathy too closely resembles the harmful ideal of colorblindness to be useful to the aims of racial justice. Instead, white people’s responses to social movements require the hard, rare, but possible work of interaction and empathy, in order to work for justice.
Does the Office of Patient Experience Matter in Improving Delivery of Care

This research examines the performance benefits of the Office of Patient Experience (OPX), a new administrative innovation in the health care industry. OPX is an independent structure within a hospital, having its own annual budget and full‐time staff, and is responsible for improving patient experience during the hospital stay. We specifically investigate the effectiveness of OPXs in improving experiential quality (EQ), measured as the quality of interactions between hospital's caregivers and patients. In addition, we look at how the operation of these offices help hospitals manage variability during the delivery of care, which introduces additional challenges to maintaining high EQ. Specifically, we investigate the impact of variability in care delivery introduced due to two factors—patient case mix index (CMI) and resident intensity. CMI is an indicator of patient acuity and their care burden on hospitals while resident intensity is measured as a ratio of residents to beds at a hospital and is a proxy for variability introduced due to disruptions in caregiver teams due to the presence of residents who are getting trained at the hospital. Our empirical analyses involve tracking the operation of these offices across 3615 US acute care hospitals for the years 2007–2014. To account for endogeneity, we used an instrumental variable fixed effects regression model with a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) on the first‐stage to identify and select the strongest instruments. Findings suggest that the OPX is associated with 1.95% higher EQ for each year of its operation. Furthermore, we find that an OPX is more effective in improving EQ for hospitals that deal with high CMI patients (6.5% for high vs. −0.3% for low) or high resident intensity (1.8% for high vs. 0.9% low). Moreover, we find evidence of operating efficiencies associated with OPXs, with a 1.4% reduction in operating cost for each year of its operation. Preliminary evidence also suggests that Chief Patient Experience Officers (CXOs), leaders of OPX, with medical backgrounds (i.e., MD or nursing degree) are more effective at improving EQ. Finally, we validate our findings through interviews with OPX and hospital staff at a prominent teaching hospital with an active OPX.
Simulation of Surface Reflections and Shadowing in Molecular Communication Systems

This paper explores a nanoscale molecular communication system and the effect reflecting surfaces have on messenger molecule detection probability at the receiver. The messenger molecules propagation at the physical layer will be modeled using Brownian motion with and without drift, while also supporting ballistic reflections off non-absorbing surfaces. It will be shown that nanoscale receivers can improve the performance of their communication channel when the receiver and/or transmitter optimize their location relative to a large reflecting surface. Counter to intuition, this paper will show that the optimal receiver location is not directly next to the reflecting surface, but outside the molecular communication shadowing region. The idea of molecular communication shadowing is somewhat similar in concept to that of electromagnetic radiation based receiver shadowing, but differs in effect. Finally, it will be shown that the improvement in detection probability comes and at a cost to channel performance, and that cost is increased intersymbol interference.
A Comparison of Trabeculectomy Surgery Outcomes With Mitomycin-C Applied by Intra-Tenon Injection Versus Sponge.

PURPOSE To compare the outcomes of mitomycin-C (MMC) delivered by intra-Tenon injection vs sponge application during trabeculectomy surgery. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 566 patients with primary and secondary glaucoma diagnoses who received trabeculectomy surgery with MMC in an academic medical center. Exclusion criteria were age less than 18 years, no light perception vision, combined surgery, previous glaucoma incisional surgery, intraoperative 5-fluorouracil, or follow-up <1 month. Subjects were divided into 2 cohorts: MMC delivered by sponge application or by intra-Tenon injection. Main outcome measures were postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) level and secondary measures were survival rate for IOP control, glaucoma medication use, complication rate, and vision. RESULTS After inclusion/exclusion criteria, 316 eyes were available for analysis; 131 eyes had MMC delivered via sponge and 185 eyes via injection. Mean postoperative IOP was not significantly different between treatment groups but change in IOP from baseline was lower in the sponge vs the injection group 24 months after surgery (P = .038). The MMC sponge group had significantly more tense, vascularized, or encapsulated blebs as a late complication (P = .046). Time to failure for postoperative IOP control was not significantly different between MMC treatment groups, but older patient age and limbus-based conjunctival incision were associated with significantly longer time to fail. CONCLUSIONS The application of MMC by injection was similar to application by sponge in lowering IOP in patients with glaucoma and the safety of both techniques appears to be comparable. Limbus-based conjunctival incision had longer time to failure for postoperative IOP control vs fornix-based incision. NOTE: Publication of this article is sponsored by the American Ophthalmological Society.
The National Capital Region, Delhi, India: An Empirical Exploration

The National Capital Region, (NCR, Delhi) in India is one of the first and foremost examples of extensive regional planning efforts in South Asia, created with the goal of containing the growth of the core, while controlling and regulating the development of the surrounding region for sustainability. A hybrid and evolving urban-rural region, the NCR, can thus be considered a laboratory for both theoretical and empirical exploration. The uneven urban-rural linkages, flows and traits, produced by exogenous and endogenous forces, that characterize the urban-rural interface of the city region are widely acknowledged; calls for holistically examining these, at localized or micro-scales for targeted planning purposes, are rising. In this chapter, I incorporate aspects of my tri-pronged approach—the concurrent consideration of multidimensionality, urban-rural interface (URI), and scalar variations—in an exploratory study at a disaggregated observational scale representing both urban and rural elements. I observe intra-regional variations and changes in urban-developmental patterns within the NCR vis-a-vis the NCR planning objectives. Principal Component and Cluster analyses are used to observe static structural patterns in 2001 and 2011, as well as changes that took place between the two periods. In each model, results reveal distinct clusters, with intra-group similarities and inter-group differences in traits indicating mixed success of the NCR plan. The results also underscore the potential applications of my approach for sustainable developmental planning for the Asian MCR.
Democracy & Religion: Some Variations & Hard Questions

The ideas sketched here concern the nonestablishment and free exercise norms expressed in the U.S. Constitution, their application to governmental institutions from legislatures to prisons and the ...
Not just play: Summer camp and the profession of social work: by M. Nadel and S. Scher, New York, Oxford University Press, 2019, 264 pp., $50.00 (hardcover), ISBN: 9780190496548

When I asked authors Meryl Nadel and Susan Scher about their inspiration to write Not Just Play: Summer Camp and the Profession of Social Work, they talked about their own extensive backgrounds in ...
Copper Surface Preparation to Enhance Absorption of Carbon Dioxide Laser Energy in Blind Micro-via Formation

Blind micro-via ablation can be made using a variety of different laser drill types. One of the most commonly used is the Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) Laser type, which has advantages in the industrial manufacture process due to relatively fast drill speeds and lower processing costs. However in contrast to these advantages is one very major disadvantage. The wavelength of laser energy produced by the CO 2 system is in the infra-red region; in this spectral range the laser energy is not directly absorbed by a copper surface.Originally, the Conformal Mask or so called Wide Operating Window approach was used to overcome this issue with laser absorption, but this also introduced manufacture issues with high running cost, multiple handling steps, potential failure mechanisms and poor process yields. To overcome these issues, alternative methods of pre-treatment of the copper surface have been investigated to enhance or facilitate the absorption of CO 2 laser energy directly by the copper surface. Considering the conventional wisdom of how to increase the absorption of energy onto a surface, in theory the absorption should be enhanced by making the copper surface as dark, and as rough as possible? If this model is true, then the obvious choice for such a pre-treatment to give the darkest colour with the roughest surface structure would be to apply a controlled oxidation of the copper surface in the formation of a copper oxide coating, such as that previously used as a bonding enhancement system in multi-layer PCB fabrication. The use of “Black Oxide” Chemistry does indeed result in the desired absorption of CO 2 laser energy, though other alternative surface treatments have been found offer even greater benefits.This paper highlights developments made using modified Sulphuric-Peroxide etchant solutions, such as the BondFilm® systems previously used as multi-layer bonding enhancement chemistry, as a simple surface treatment to give the highest laser absorption and ultimately best process performance. This new process application is referred to as BondFilm Laser Direct Drilling, or BondFilm LDD.Initially this process development utilized a relatively high copper etch depth, which with thicker copper foil thickness did not pose any issues. However as copper foil thickness gets ever thinner, in the transition to mSAP type manufacture processes, the treatment systems offered have also evolved to be used at the lowest possible copper etch depths.In this paper we discuss the chemical and physical properties of the BondFilm pre-treatment process, specifically with focus to the optimized absorption of CO 2 laser energy upon a copper surface. In so doing we are able to introduce the BondFilm LDD process, and subsequent process developments in the direction of low etching, or none etching pre-treatment processes for LDD Applications.
Lebron v. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital: Why the Court Erred in Finding that Caps on Jury Awards Violate Separation of Powers

This Note discusses Lebron v. Gottlieb, an Illinois Supreme Court decision which found caps on damages in medical malpractice cases unconstitutional. The Note explores the background of Lebron and the analysis provided by the majority and dissenting opinions before analyzing the court’s finding and discussing the case's impact. This Note concludes that the court’s reasoning was flawed: not only should it be rejected by other states, but it should be overturned in Illinois. Contrary to the court’s holding, the Note argues that caps on damages are not a form of legislative remittitur. Further, remittitur is not an inherent function of the judiciary. Based on this analysis, the Note concludes that legislative caps on damages do not violate the separation of powers mandate in the Illinois Constitution.
Comparison of Hepatic Transporter Tissue Expression in Rodents and Interspecies Hepatic OCT1 Activity

Hepatic clearance may be uptake rate limited by organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs) and organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1). While comparison of OATP activity has been investigated across species, little has been reported for OCT1. Additionally, while data on interspecies transporter expression in the liver exist, quantitative comparison of these transporters in multiple tissues is lacking. In the current research, the pharmacokinetics of OCT1 substrates (sumatriptan and metformin) were assessed in Oct knockout rats for comparison with previous Oct1/2-/- mice data and OCT1 pharmacogenetics in humans. Effect of OCT1 inhibitors verapamil and erlotinib on OCT1 substrate liver partitioning was also evaluated in rats. Expression of 18 transporters, including Oatps and Octs, in 9 tissues from mice and rats was quantitated using nanoLC/MS-MS, along with uptake transporters in hepatocytes from 5 species. Interspecies differences in OCT1 activity were further evaluated via uptake of OCT1 substrates in hepatocytes with corresponding in vivo liver partitioning in rodents and monkey. In Oct1-/- rats, sumatriptan hepatic clearance and liver partitioning decreased; however, metformin pharmacokinetics were unaffected. OCT1 inhibitor coadministration decreased sumatriptan liver partitioning. In rodents, Oatp expression was highest in the liver, although comparable expression of Oatps in other tissues was determined. Expression of Octs was highest in the kidney, with liver Oct1 expression comparably lower than Oatps. Liver partitioning of OCT1 substrates was lower in rodents than in monkey, in agreement with the highest OCT1 expression and uptake of OCT1 substrates in monkey hepatocytes. Species-dependent OCT1 activity requires consideration when translating preclinical data to the clinic.
WhatAS so Special About ChinaAS Exports

Much more than comparative advantage and free markets have been at play in shaping China's export success. Government policies have helped nurture domestic capabilities in consumer electronics and other advanced areas that would most likely not have developed in their absence. As a result, China has ended up with an export basket that is significantly more sophisticated than what would be normally expected for a country at its income level. This has been an important determinant of China's rapid growth. What matters for China's future growth is not the volume of exports, but whether China will continue to latch on to higher-income products over time.
Preparation and characterization of corn flours with variable starch digestion

Several grains such as wheat, rice, corn, oat, barley and rye are cultivated throughout the world. They are converted to variety of food products using a multitude of processing technologies to quench the growing organoleptic demands and consumers' preferences. Among them, corn, ranking third in wide consumption, is cost-effective and has long-term storability. Herein, ready-to-eat corn flours with variable starch digestion have been developed by processing at high temperature with shear using a twin screw continuous processor. The influence of processing temperature (121, 145 and 160°C) and moisture (25, 30 and 35%) has been studied. Results suggest both processing temperature and moisture modulate the rapidly digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) amounts of the flours. The presence or absence of oil in the flour further controls the starch digestion. The outcome is deemed to be helpful to design and develop healthy and palatable functional food products in addition to furthering the current market share for corn and other grains.
Does pain sensitivity correlate with gastrointestinal symptoms in runners? An observational survey study:

Objective:Heightened pain sensitivity is common in functional gut disorders, but no research has examined whether it corresponds to exercise-associated gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. We sought to ...
Changes in waitlist and posttransplant outcomes in patients with adult congenital heart disease after the new heart transplant allocation system.

OBJECTIVE In 2018, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) introduced new criteria for heart allocation. This study sought to assess the impact of this change on waitlist and posttransplant outcomes in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) recipients. METHODS Between January 2010 and March 2020, we extracted first heart transplant ACHD patients listed from the UNOS database. We compared waitlist and post-transplant outcomes before and after the policy change. RESULTS A total of 1206 patients were listed, 951 under the old policy and 255 under the new policy. Prior to transplant, recipients under the new policy era were more likely to be treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (P = .018), and have intra-aortic balloon pumps (P < .001), and less likely to have left ventricular assist devices (P = .027).Compared to patients waitlisted in the pre-policy change era, those waitlisted in the post policy change era were more likely to receive transplants (P = .001) with no significant difference in waiting list mortality (P = .267) or delisting (P = .915). There was no difference in 1-year survival post-transplant between the groups (P = .791). CONCLUSION The new policy altered the heart transplant cohort in the ACHD group, allowing them to receive transplants earlier with no changes in early outcomes after heart transplantation.
Hippocampus-sensitive and striatum-sensitive learning one month after morphine or cocaine exposure in male rats

These experiments examined whether exposure to drugs of abuse altered the balance between hippocampal and striatal memory systems as measured long after drug treatments. Male rats received injections of morphine (5 mg/kg), cocaine (20 mg/kg), or saline for five consecutive days. One month later, rats were then trained to find food on a hippocampus-sensitive place task or a striatum-sensitive response task. Relative to saline controls, morphine-treated rats exhibited impaired place learning but enhanced response learning; prior cocaine exposure did not significantly alter learning on either task. Another set of rats was trained on a dual-solution T-maze that can be solved with either place or response strategies. While a majority (67%) of control rats used place solutions in this task, morphine treatment one month prior resulted in a shift to response solutions exclusively (100%). Prior cocaine treatment did not significantly alter strategy selection. Molecular markers related to learning and drug abuse were measured in the hippocampus and striatum one month after drug exposure in behaviorally untested rats. Protein levels of glial-fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an intermediate filament specific to astrocytes, increased significantly in the hippocampus after morphine, but not after cocaine exposure. Exposure to morphine or cocaine did not significantly change levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or a downstream target of BDNF signaling, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), in the hippocampus or striatum. Thus, exposure to morphine results in a long-lasting shift from hippocampal toward striatal dominance during learning. The effects of prior morphine injections on GFAP suggest that long-lasting alterations in hippocampal astrocytes may be associated with these behavioral strategy shifts.
Developing Effective Service Brochures: A Preliminary Assessment of Means-End Theory

Pre-purchase service evaluation has received little attention beyond the nature of cues used by consumers to categorize service alternatives. Presented are the preliminary results of a study that examines the usefulness of means-end theory in developing effective promotional material. Findings indicate that promotional materials emphasizing the initial level of the means-end hierarchy will generate greater interest in the service.
Recollections of a Hepatitis Investigator—1940–1993

I am grateful to Dr. Nishioka and to his organizing committee for including me in the group of special invited guests to this Eighth Triennial International Symposium on Viral Hepatitis.
Managing streaming video

AbstractBMCC Library is using streaming video technology to extend the electronic reserves service to include audio and videos. We have found that a streaming video project can be managed by non-technical staff with results that empower staff and impress students and faculty with their ease of use. The role of technical services in the library has evolved considerably, a process driven in part by technology. Consistent with this trend, our technical services department was asked to manage an electronic reserves program a few years back. Adding streaming video to its portfolio will invigorate a vital service department in the library. This article will illustrate the process we undertook from start to finish, demonstrating the major concern of streaming media is copyright consideration, not technology.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with cirrhosis.

Background Patients with cirrhosis who undergo cardiac operation with extracorporeal circulation are at high risk for operative morbidity and mortality. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) can obviate the need for cardiopulmonary bypass and may reduce operative morbidity in comparison to standard aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in select patients. Methods Review of 18 patients with aortic valve stenosis and cirrhosis treated with TAVR (n = 6) or SAVR (n = 12). Patient age was 71 years (58 to 83) and STS Predicted Risk of Mortality was 3.2% (0.7 to 12.3). There were 15 males (83%). Child–Turcotte–Pugh stage was A in 10 patients (56%), B in four (22%), and C in two (11%); the median MELD score was nine (7 to 14). Results TAVR was successful in all patients without the need for mechanical or cardiopulmonary bypass support. Blood transfusion occurred in four patients (67%) in the TAVR group and in the entire SAVR group. No deaths occurred in the TAVR group, and two (17%) occurred in the SAVR group. Operative complications occurred in two patients (33%) in TAVR group and in eight (67%) in the SAVR group. Hospital stay was five days (3 to 10) in the TAVR group and six (3 to 38) in the SAVR group. All TAVR patients were alive at last follow-up of 219 days (29 to 723), while only five were alive in the SAVR group at 228 days (36 to 719). Conclusions Our initial experience with TAVR in patients with cirrhosis is encouraging. The technique may be a viable alternative to SAVR in this high-risk subset of patients. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12177 (J Card Surg 2013;28:492–495)
Chapter 20 Human behavior and the efficiency of the financial system

Abstract Recent literature in empirical finance is surveyed in its relation to underlying behavioral principles, principles which come primarily from psychology, sociology, and anthropology. The behavioral principles discussed are: prospect theory, regret and cognitive dissonance, anchoring, mental compartments, overconfidence, over- and under-reaction, representativeness heuristic, the disjunction effect, gambling behavior and speculation, perceived irrelevance of history, magical thinking, quasi-magical thinking, attention anomalies, the availability heuristic, culture and social contagion, and global culture.
Maintaining and Enhancing Representativeness of State Health Surveys

Surveys providing local or small-population estimates are often administered by telephone but, in the last 20 years, obtaining survey responses has required increasing effort. For a number of reasons, U.S. survey telephone response rates have decreased from about 50 percent to about 20 percent. Low response rates undermine confidence that estimates accurately represent the study populations. A November 2009 workshop, Maintaining and Enhancing Representativeness of State Health Surveys: Lessons for the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), was designed to discuss methods that CHIS is using to maintain response rates and evaluate sample representativeness. Organized by the Applied Research Program (ARP) within the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the invited workshop attracted a broad range of researchers because these issues are central to all telephone surveys. Survey methodologists explored three pressing issues confronting CHIS and other random-digit-dial (RDD) telephone surveys: • Estimates for local areas • Ethnically diverse populations • Nonresponse bias and coverage bias
Volunteer Management in Boards of Probation: Perceptions of Equity, Efficiency, and Reciprocity Among Vermont Volunteers

Abstract A statewide “Reparative Probation” intervention was evaluated in Vermont in which volunteers serve on local Boards and meet with probationers to negotiate a “reparative contract.” Our sample (n = 229) was drawn from the universe of Vermont volunteers who completed a 54-question instrument measuring perceived equity, efficiency, and reciprocity in the program. Subscales for the questionnaire showed alpha levels from .43 to .77. OLS regression results found that education, reported religiosity, political conservatism, length of time as a member of a Reparative Board, and number of cases managed as a Reparative Board member explained significant variation in volunteers' perceptions of equity, efficiency, and reciprocity. We believe our results generalize to the universeof Vermont volunteers and provide a basis for replication in other samples.
Surgical anatomy of hand allotransplantation.

The hand is the most refined anatomical terminal device known and the leading edge of the sensorium. Further, the hand is second only to the face in terms of visibility and is a vitally important aspect aesthetic and body image. Hand amputation represents a devastating loss of function and independence. Restoring function after limb loss is a challenge and traditionally includes autologous methods and prosthetics. In the last 15 years, hand transplantation has become a viable option for select patients. Clin. Anat. 26:578–583, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
β2-microglobulin is required for the full expression of xenobiotic-induced systemic autoimmunity

Mercury exposure in both humans and mice is associated with features of systemic autoimmunity. Murine HgCl2-induced autoimmunity (mHgIA) requires MHC Class II, CD4+ T-cells, co-stimulatory molecules, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), similar to spontaneous models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). β2-microglobulin (B2m) is required for functional MHC Class I molecules and the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). Deficiency of B2m in lupus-prone strains is consistently associated with reduced IgG levels, but with variable effects on other manifestations. Herein, we examined the role of B2m in mHgIA and show that in the absence of B2m, mercury-exposed mice failed to exhibit hypergammaglobulinemia, had reduced anti-nucleolar autoantibodies (ANoA), and had a lower incidence of immune complex deposits in splenic blood vessels, whereas IgG anti-chromatin autoantibodies and renal immune deposits were largely unaffected. Subclass analysis of the IgG anti-chromatin, however, revealed a significant reduction in the IgG1 subtyp...
Juvenile hormone and 20-hydroxyecdysone as primary and secondary stimuli of vitellogenesis in Aedes aegypti

Female Aedes aegypti that were fed blood and immediately abdominally ligated did not deposit yolk. Injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone (1.5–5.0 ng) or topical application of juvenile hormone (JH) analogue methoprene (25 pg) did not induce vitellogenesis in these abdomens. When blood-gorged ligated abdomens were treated with both hormones, however, vitellogenesis was stimulated in 60% of treated animals. Rocket immunoelectrophoresis indicated that vitellin concentration per follicle in treated animals was similar to that in intact controls. When ligated abdomens were first treated with methoprene and immediately injected with a crude head extract of egg development neurosecretory hormone, vitellogenin synthesis was induced at a rate similar to that in blood-fed controls. Methoprene at this concentration (25 pg), did not cause an increase in whole-body ecdysteroid titers. Larger amounts of methoprene (1.65 ng) were needed to stimulate egg development and ecdysteroid production. Implantation of ecdysone-secreting ovaries into ligated abdomens did not stimulate vitellogenesis in the recipients. However, in recipients that were first treated with methoprene (25 pg), implantation of ecdysone-secreting ovaries resulted in normal egg development. These experiments indicate that the appearance of JH precedes 20-hydroxyecdysone in stimulating vitellogenesis following blood feeding in Ae. aegypti.
An assessment of density functional methods for studying molecular adsorption in cluster models of zeolites

Abstract The performance of six density functional theory (DFT) methods has been tested for a zeolite cluster containing three tetrahedral atoms (3T) and the complexes it forms with water and methanol molecules. The DFT methods (BLYP, BP86, BPW91, B3LYP, B3P86, B3PW91) give results in good agreement with second-order perturbation theory (MP2). The results in this paper provide evidence of the suitability of DFT methods for studying hydrogen-bonded adsorption complexes in zeolites. Generally, the hybrid DFT methods are in closer agreement with experiment and MP2 than the pure DFT methods for geometrical parameters. The only exception is the Z − geometry, perhaps due to its anionic character. All DFT methods give results in good overall agreement with MP2 for intramolecular geometrical parameters of the adsorption complexes, intramolecular vibrational frequencies, and adsorption energies. The B3LYP method gives intermolecular geometries and intermolecular vibrational frequencies which are closest to those obtained from the MP2 method. Thus, the B3LYP method seems to be the best choice for a density functional treatment of molecular adsorption in zeolite systems.
Architecture-based network simulation for cyber security

An “executable architecture” is defined as the use of dynamic simulation software to evaluate architecture models (DOD AFWG 2004). By modeling an existing network in the form of an “as-is” architecture, we can create a simulation model, which when stimulated with appropriate traffic, can be an executable architecture. The DOD Architecture Framework (DODAF) prescribes a modeling framework to capture high-level system design and operational requirements. The system attributes from a DODAF-compliant architecture can directly load a network simulator (Hamilton 2006). The use of network simulation to study denial of service attacks is well known. However, modeling and simulation techniques can be used to evaluate intrusion detection systems, place and configure security appliances and to design appropriate access control mechanisms. This paper will discuss the enabling technologies necessary to mainstream architecture-based network simulation including visualization of security requirements, auto generation of network architecture artifacts and application of stochastic elements to the architecture.
Stochastic model for PV sensor array data

Recently, a number of researchers have investigated photovoltaic (PV) system modeling. Modelling a PV panel and its incident solar radiation to predict future trends improves a system's performance. This paper presents a fast, practical method that can be used to predict PV output power. By using present data of weather condition and present output power of the PV system, this predictor is modeled using linear regression analysis. The data from multiple sensors is collected only once before it is correlated to one sensor so that, in the future, only one sensor is needed to collect the data. Several experiments conducted under different weather conditions and different windows sizes of linear regression were completed to validate this method. These results were compared to the Meinel and Meinel model. This method yielded promising results, as the root mean square errors were low.
Time and identity in Stephen of Rouen's Draco Normannicus

The Draco Normannicus, written by Stephen of Rouen, a monk of Bec, in 1167–9, recounts the history of the Normans from mythic origins to 1169 using an idiosyncratic style and structure that works to undo chronological strictures and strengthen the identity of the Norman dynasty against their Capetian enemies. Juxtaposing ancient and contemporary events, the non-linear narrative historicises the conflict between Henry II and Louis VII and presents contemporary events in the same epic style as Roman and Carolingian history. The Empress Matilda emerges as a focal point for the narrative as well as for Stephen's conception of Norman dynastic and historical identity. Instances of direct address allow Stephen to raise and debate competing understandings of the Norman past while arguing for his preferred vision. Understood in this way, the Draco expands our ideas of historical writing and the perception of the past in the Anglo-Norman world.
SOFTMAN: environment for forward and reverse CASE

Abstract The design and operation of a computer-aided software engineering (CASE) environment called SOFTMAN is described. SOFTMAN is designed to support both forward and reverse engineering of large software systems. In the authors' view, tools and techniques for forward and reverse CASE are complementary and therefore should be integrated into the same environment. SOFTMAN provides support for correctness-assuring forward engineering through the incremental verification and validation of evolving software systems under its management. This applies to both formal and informal software system descriptions. Further, SOFTMAN support for reverse software engineering provides mechanisms that enables the SOFTMAN-based evolution of pre-existing software systems. As such, the authors describe their approach to both forward and reverse CASE, as well as the tools and a scenario for their use that SOFTMAN supports.
The Synthesis of Aminoiminoethanenitriles, 5-Aminotetrazoles, N-Cyanoguanidines, and N-Hydroxyguanidines from Aminoiminomethanesulfonic Acids

Abstract Examples of the reactions of aminoiminometh-anesulfonic acids with cyanide, azide, cyanamide and hydroxylamine as nucleophiles are reported.
The Impact of Federally Imposed Stress Upon Local-Government and Nonprofit Organizations:

The Reagan administration's domestic budget cuts have imposed severe fiscal stress upon local-government and nonprofit agencies. The responses to this stress by organizations in northwest Ohio are ...