cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing the transactional perspective of occupation for communities: “How well are we doing together?”

ABSTRACTResearchers in occupational science have begun to study occupation from a perspective beyond the individual. Previous occupation-based theory and literature, principally developed from the perspective of individual experience, has not offered sufficient theoretical foundation for this new scope of study. A need for theory and language that support further investigation in emerging scholarly and practice areas such as structural injustices, immigration, and community development is clear. The objective of this paper is to utilize philosophical perspectives of John Dewey to further develop the transactional perspective of occupation to address this need. A potential way forward for occupational scientists in studying these complex phenomena is uncovered by using Dewey’s understanding of associated living. A ground map for characterizing communal occupation is suggested. Concepts of private and public acts proposed by Dewey exemplify the manner in which occupational scientists can use real, identifia...
Leveraging Climate Regulation by Ecosystems for Agriculture to Promote Ecosystem Stewardship

One in every five patches of tropical forest near agriculture in Brazil appears to contribute more to agricultural production by preventing crop-killing extreme heat exposure than it could produce ...
Ninety-Day Reimbursements for Primary Single-Level Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion From Commercial and Medicare Data.

Study Design.Retrospective, economic analysis.Objective.To analyze the distribution of 90-day payments for a primary single-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion from Commercial payers and Medicare.Summary of Background Data.Episode-based bundled payments aim to align incentives of all health care
Flick the Nick: Observing Processes Over Time

How often have you heard reference to trends in behavior over time? How often have you heard reference to the fact that something seems to be “out of control”? In many quantitative problems, the data are collected over time. In such cases, the time order of the data and the patterns gen‑erated across time are important considerations. If accidents really are on the increase, then a community might want to implement new traffic control strategies. If, however, last month’s accident total is ex­ceedingly large for some explainable reason, like road construction or bad weather, then changes in traffic control might not be warranted. For such a solution, you need to be able to explain meaningfully pat­terns in data collected over time and recognize data points that deprrt from the norm in an unusual way.
5.54 – Forebrain Opiates

This chapter reviews the current literature on supraspinal endogenous opioid systems and their functions in animal models and humans. The various opioid and opioid-like peptide families and receptors present a multiplicity of effects, with prominent, but not exclusive, effects on pain regulation. They are distributed in cortical and subcortical regions involved in sensory processing, as well as in higher order, integrative functions. Existing and emerging data in animal models and humans demonstrate the involvement of these neurotransmitters in sensory, emotional and cognitive processing, and the overlap between these functions.
Quality of Milk from Lactating Dairy Cattle Fed Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles

Healthy mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows (n=24) were fed total mixed rations containing dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). The objective of this study was to examine the effect of feeding DDGS to lactating dairy cows on production parameters and flavor and oxidative stability of milk. Cows were assigned to two groups and fed one of three treatment diets (0% DDGS, 10% DDGS, 25% DDGS by dry matter (DM)) as a total mixed ration. Each group was fed all three of the diets after a wash-out period of 7 days. Milk yield was unaffected by both the 0% and 10% DDGS diets but decreased significantly when fed the 25% DDGS diet. Rumen volatile fatty acids were unaffected by treatment. Milk protein and solids-not-fat (SNF) increased with increasing inclusion of DDGS, but milk fat decreased concomitantly. Milk fatty acid composition was affected with milk fat from cows fed higher concentrations of DDGS producing milk with higher concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids. Milk oxidative stability was unaffected by dietary treatment, and milk flavor, as determined by a trained sensory panel, also was unaffected. The results of this study indicate that feeding of DDGS to lactating dairy cows, under controlled conditions, does not have negative effects on milk oxidative stability or flavor; however, feeding 25% DDGS did negatively impact milk production and changed milk fatty acid profile.
Two Generic Models and the Challenge of Improvisation

Besides partial models with emotional, gestural, or analytical rationales, there are two models that comprise all these approaches. We want to briefly present them for completeness, and less because they offer a deeper insight into the complex of problems related to expressive performance.
The Tuberoinfundibular Dopaminergic Neurons of the Brain: Hormonal Regulation

In the last few decades, our concepts of the mechanisms by which certain brain cells are involved in the regulation of other cells, including other brain cells, have undergone major alterations, and it seems likely that additional changes of equal, if not greater, significance will be forthcoming in the not distant future. Such advances, when they occur, will likely follow the development of new methods or improvement of existing techniques for evaluating various cellular functions, including secretory functions.
Public Policy: Roles for Faculty

To implement effective public policy education, faculty in human sciences must understand their unique resources and potential roles. These faculty roles parallel the dimensions of academic scholarship defined by Boyer ({dy1990}) in {tiScholarship Reconsidered}:
Stochastic Diffusion Models for Fatigue Crack Growth and Reliability Estimation

Crack propagation is a major task in the design and life prediction of fatigue-critical structures such as aircraft, offshore platforms, bridges, etc. Experimental data indicate that fatigue crack propagation involves a large amount of statistical variation and is not adequately modeled deterministically. The lectures presented herein discuss the basic analysis and use of fracture mechanics-based random process fatigue crack growth models that can be represented by Markov diffusion processes. For completeness, the random variable models are presented as a special case of the random process models. The use of the models in fatigue reliability estimation is also discussed.
Kütahya Ware Coffee Cups in Rural Cyprus and Greece: Peasant Ware It Is Not

The consumption of coffee in the early modern period is often fixed to the image of the seditious and raucous coffeehouse or with the ritual of offering a guest hospitality. The material accompaniments of coffee consumption, however, frequently go understudied. This article concentrates on Ottoman Greece and Cyprus and seeks to coalesce archaeological data to understand better the material role of coffee consumption on the Greek and Cypriot landscape through the presence of Kutahya wares. The narrative that emerges emphasizes a material role in status display, arguing that Kutahya wares form an archaeological marker of a rural elite.
Beyond Digital Neuromorphic Hardware: Time-Based and Flash-Based Designs

AI chips presented at recent circuits and technology conferences can be generally classified into two computing architectures: (1) Digital architectures such as GPU, FPGA, and ASIC where Boolean adders and multipliers are used for the multiply-and-accumulate (MAC) operation, and (2) analog architectures where synaptic weights are stored in an SRAM or RRAM memory array and multiple cell currents are summed up for the MAC operation. The former is likely to see commercial success in mainstream products while the latter will see traction for emerging applications mostly driven by academia and industry research groups. This talk focuses on two recent neural net hardware paradigms, based on time domain computing and embedded flash arrays, which can offer a middle ground between digital and analog architectures. Compared to digital, these approaches can achieve significant reduction in area and energy consumption while compared to analog, they can provide higher resilience against process-voltage-temperature variation. The proposed approaches are particularly suitable for light-weight moderate-precision inference tasks that need to be performed on an edge device with extremely stringent energy and area requirements.
A “Swiss paradox” in the United States? Level of spatial aggregation changes the association between income inequality and morbidity for older Americans

Although a preponderance of research indicates that increased income inequality negatively impacts population health, several international studies found that a greater income inequality was associated with better population health when measured on a fine geographic level of aggregation. This finding is known as a “Swiss paradox”. To date, no studies have examined variability in the associations between income inequality and health outcomes by spatial aggregation level in the US. Therefore, this study examined associations between income inequality (Gini index, GI) and population health by geographic level using a large, nationally representative dataset of older adults. We geographically linked respondents’ county data from the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to 2012 American Community Survey data. Using generalized linear models, we estimated the association between GI decile on the state and county levels and five population health outcomes (diabetes, obesity, smoking, sedentary lifestyle and self-rated health), accounting for confounders and complex sampling. Although state-level GI was not significantly associated with obesity rates (b = − 0.245, 95% CI − 0.497, 0.008), there was a significant, negative association between county-level GI and obesity rates (b = − 0.416, 95% CI − 0.629, − 0.202). State-level GI also associated with an increased diabetes rate (b = 0.304, 95% CI 0.063, 0.546), but the association was not significant for county-level GI and diabetes rate (b = − 0.101, 95% CI − 0.305, 0.104). Associations between both county-level GI and state-level GI and current smoking status were also not significant. These findings show the associations between income inequality and health vary by spatial aggregation level and challenge the preponderance of evidence suggesting that income inequality is consistently associated with worse health. Further research is needed to understand the nuances behind these observed associations to design informed policies and programs designed to reduce socioeconomic health inequities among older adults.
The role of muons in semiconductor research

The aim of this chapter is to provide an introduction and overview of using muons to study defects in semiconductors for an audience with a background in material science. First is a general tutorial to relevant models and discussion of the muon-based techniques that have been important to the semiconductor field. The latter portion of this chapter highlights results from selected studies on semiconductors to demonstrate and describe some contributions that muon spin research (SR) techniques have made to the semiconductor community in recent years.
The impact of placental pathology discordance in multiple gestation pregnancies on bronchopulmonary dysplasia-associated pulmonary hypertension:

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia-associated pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH) may either be concordant or discordant between multiple gestation births. Abnormal placental development, particularly maternal...
Recent advances in bioelectronics chemistry

Research in bioelectronics is highly interdisciplinary, with many new developments being based on techniques from across the physical and life sciences. Advances in our understanding of the fundamental chemistry underlying the materials used in bioelectronic applications have been a crucial component of many recent discoveries. In this review, we highlight ways in which a chemistry-oriented perspective may facilitate novel and deep insights into both the fundamental scientific understanding and the design of materials, which can in turn tune the functionality and biocompatibility of bioelectronic devices. We provide an in-depth examination of several developments in the field, organized by the chemical properties of the materials. We conclude by surveying how some of the latest major topics of chemical research may be further integrated with bioelectronics.
0051 Objective measures of visual and autonomic system deficits following concussion in adolescents

Statement of purpose Visual and autonomic system disturbances are common sequelae of concussion. Clinical concussion diagnosis currently relies on subjective assessments such as symptom questions such as the Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory (PCSI). Quantification of visual and autonomic dysfunction could provide an objective method of acute diagnosis and subacute identification of ongoing injury. Methods/Approach We collected objective eye tracking data from three cohorts ages 12–17 years: healthy controls (n=105, mean age: 15.3, 56.2% female), concussed cases seen within 28 days of injury (acute, n=125, mean days since injury:12.5, mean age: 15.4, 46.4% female) and concussed cases seen within 29–90 days of injury (sub-acute, n=94, mean days since injury: 53.6, mean age: 15.4, 70.2% female). We compared self-reported symptoms and eye tracking metrics across groups using a series of chi-square analyses and one-way analysis of variance, with Tukey’s range test for post-hoc testing. Bonferroni corrections were used to account for multiple comparisons. Results Controls reported significantly lower PCSI scores (mean ± SD: 6.0 ± 9.1) than acute cases (31.2 ± 24.7, p Conclusion Measures of pupil diameter were greater for acute and sub-acute cases compared to healthy controls, suggesting autonomic dysfunction post-injury. No other metrics related to eye movement were discriminatory in this cohort, likely due to the heterogeneity of concussion. Significance These findings support the quantification of visual and autonomic dysfunction as objective markers of pediatric concussion.
Baseline thrombocytopenia in acute coronary syndrome: The lower, the worse.

Abstract Background Patients with baseline thrombocytopenia can have increased mortality and morbidity, but are typically excluded from randomized clinical trials studying acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We sought to better define the effect thrombocytopenia on clinical outcomes in ACS patients. Methods Patients identified from the NCDR Chest Pain registry at Mayo Clinic Arizona from Oct 2015 to Sep 2018 were retrospectively classified into two groups: TP (platelet Results Five hundred and thirty-six patients were identified, and 72 patients (13%) had thrombocytopenia. The median follow-up time was 1.1 years. The TP group was older (TP vs. control: mean age 73 ± 13 years vs. 70 ± 13 years; P = 0.026). In patients discharged on dual-antiplatelet therapy, the TP group had higher all-cause mortality (23% vs. 7.3%; P = 0.007) but not major bleeding events (11% vs. 5.0%; P = 0.123). Only all-cause mortality increased with the severity of thrombocytopenia (TPmod vs. TPmild vs. control: 33% vs. 24% vs. 7.3%; P = 0.007). Conclusions In patients with ACS, baseline thrombocytopenia is associated with increased all-cause mortality and all bleeding events without net MACE benefit. Further study is needed to identify the optimal antiplatelet strategy in this higher risk population.
Cardiac fibroblast GSK-3α mediates adverse myocardial fibrosis via IL-11 and ERK pathway

Abstract Background Heart failure is the leading cause of mortality, morbidity, and healthcare expenditures worldwide. Numerous studies have implicated Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3) as a promising therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases. GSK-3 isoforms appear to play overlapping, unique, and even opposing functions in the heart. Recently our group has identified cardiac fibroblast (CF) GSK-3β as a negative regulator of fibrotic remodeling in the ischemic heart. However, the role of CF-GSK-3α in myocardial fibrosis is unknown. Methods and Results Herein, we employed two entirely novel conditional fibroblast-specific and tamoxifen-inducible mouse models to define the role of CF-GSK-3α in fibroblast activation and myocardial fibrosis. Specifically, GSK-3α was deleted from cardiac fibroblasts or myofibroblasts with tamoxifen-inducible Tcf21- or periostin-promoter-driven Cre recombinase. At 2 months of age, WT and KO mice were subjected to cardiac injury, and heart functions were monitored by serial echocardiography. Histological analysis and morphometric studies were performed at 8 weeks post-injury. In both settings, GSK-3α deletion restricted fibrotic remodeling and improved cardiac function. To investigate underlying mechanisms, we examined the effect of GSK-3α deletion on myofibroblast transformation and pro-fibrotic TGFβ1-SMAD3 signaling in vitro. A significant reduction in cell migration, collagen gel contraction, and α-SMA expression in TGFβ1 treated GSK-3α KO MEFs confirmed that GSK-3α is required for myofibroblast transformation. Surprisingly, GSK-3α deletion did not affect SMAD3 activation, indicating the pro-fibrotic role of GSK-3α is SMAD3 independent. To further delineate the underlying mechanism, total proteins were isolated from CFs of WT and KO animals at 4 weeks post-injury, and kinome profiling was performed by utilizing PamStation®12 high throughput microarray platform. The kinome analysis identified the downregulation of RAF family kinase activity in GSK3α-KO-CFs. Moreover, mapping of significantly altered kinases against literature annotated interactions generated ERK-centric networks. Importantly, flow cytometric analysis of CFs confirmed a significant decrease in pERK levels in KO mice. Additionally, our in vitro studies demonstrated that GSK-3α deletion prevented TGFβ1 induced ERK activation thereby validating our findings from kinome analysis. Interestingly, IL-11, a fibroblast specific downstream effector of TGFβ1, was very low in GSK-3α KO MEFs as compared to WT and ERK inhibition further reduced IL-11 expression in them. All these results indicate that GSK-3α mediates pro-fibrotic response in the injured heart through IL-11 and ERK pathway. Conclusion CF-GSK-3α plays a causal role in myocardial fibrosis that could be therapeutically targeted for future clinical applications.
Assessment of Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) predation of the Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

A comparative study of tine functional response of Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer (Coleoptera; Coccinellidae) fourth instars was conducted under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. In the laboratory, individual larvae were placed in 9-cm Petri dishes for 24 h, with either 1, 3, 5, or 7 Colorado potato beetle {Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) egg masses. In the greenhouse and field, C. maculata larvae were provided 0.5 to 35 L. decemlineata egg masses per m2 of potato leaf area. Fourth instar C. maculata exhibited a type II functional response to L. decemlineata eggs under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. Predator search efficiency was inversely related to prey density. The maximum mean attack rate (8.7 eggs) by C. maculata larvae in the field was about half that observed in the laboratory (17.6 eggs) and greenhouse (20.1 eggs). The difference in prey density between the laboratory and field seems to be a major contributing factor in determining the rate of predation whereas differences in environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, and possible alternate food) may explain the differences in predation rate observed in the greenhouse and field.
The Abrading of the American Father

A necessary, if not sufficient, precondition for successful fathering to occur, by virtually any definition, is the sheer physical ongoing presence of the man with his child. A number of social vectors have recently occurred in the United States that militate against the joint association between the father and his child. If a man is systematically precluded from being with his child or children, then it is hard to imagine that the man will become an effective social father. He has to be there.
Finding Nondominated Extreme Points -- A Second Approach (Multicriteria Simplex Method)

The discussions of Section 2.5.revealed some of the difficulties which we may encounter in generating Nexvia the decomposition of parametric space Λ.
Specific expression of the annexin VIII gene in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Since the translocation breakpoint t(15;17) (q22;q21) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) occurs within the retinoic acid receptor-alpha (RARA) gene, the expression of many genes normally regulated by RARA may be affected by this translocation. To identify genes that may be aberrantly expressed in APL, a subtraction cDNA library of an APL patient with t(15;17) was constructed. A cDNA, pRD1, specifically expressed in APL was identified. DNA sequence analysis of pRD1 showed that this gene is similar to the DNA sequence of annexin VIII, a gene which encodes a vascular anticoagulant. The annexin VIII gene was assigned to chromosome 10, which indicates that specific expression of this gene in APL is not directly involved in the t(15;17) breakpoint region. We have analyzed the expression of annexin VIII gene in nine t(15;17)-positive APL patients and one APL patient with a chromosome 17q-abnormality. We found that all APL samples expressed high levels of the annexin VIII gene. Expression of the annexin VIII gene in all other leukemias, including acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, was undetectable, except in one patient with acute myelogenous leukemia in which a very low level of expression was detected. Annexin VIII is highly expressed in the APL cell line, NB4. Its expression was significantly reduced after 8 hours of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) treatment, whereas the expression of RARA increased several-fold within 4 hours postinduction. Thus, increased expression of RARA preceded the downregulation of annexin VIII after ATRA induction, suggesting an inverse relationship between RARA and annexin VIII expression. Since increased expression of the fusion transcript was seen after ATRA induction and an APL without a t(15;17) translocation expressed high levels of annexin VIII, it appears that increased expression of annexin VIII in APL is not related to the fusion transcript. Therefore, dysregulation of the RARA gene may be related to the overexpression of annexin VIII in APL.
Memory T cell populations in the lung airways are maintained by continual recruitment

Effector memory T cell populations in the periphery play a key role in cellular immune responses to secondary infections. However, it is unclear how these populations are maintained under steady-state conditions in nonlymphoid peripheral sites, such as the lung airways. In this study, we show that LFA-1 expression is selectively down-regulated following entry of memory T cells into the lung airways. Using Sendai virus as a mouse model of respiratory virus infection, we use LFA-1 expression levels to demonstrate that effector memory T cell populations in the lung airways are maintained by continual recruitment of new cells from the circulation. The rate of memory cell recruitment is surprisingly rapid, resulting in replacement of 90% of the population every 10 days, and is maintained for well over 1 year following viral clearance. These data indicate that peripheral T cell memory is dynamic and depends on a systemic source of T cells.
50 Vetoes: How States Can Stop the Obama Health Care Law

Despite surviving a number of threats, President Obama’s health care law remains harmful, unstable, and unpopular. It also remains vulnerable to repeal, largely because Congress and the Supreme Court have granted each state the power to veto major provisions of the law before they take effect in 2014.The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) itself empowers states to block the employer mandate, to exempt many of their low- and middle-income taxpayers from the individual mandate, and to reduce federal deficit spending, simply by not establishing a health insurance “exchange.” Supporters of the law do not care for this feature, yet they adopted it because they had no choice. The bill would not have become law without it.To date, 34 states, accounting for roughly two-thirds of the U.S. population, have refused to create Exchanges. Under the statute, this shields employers in those states from a $2,000 per worker tax that will apply in states that are creating Exchanges (e.g., California, Colorado, New York). Those 34 states have exempted at least 8 million residents from taxes as high as $2,085 on families of four earning as little as $24,000. They have also reduced federal deficits by hundreds of billions of dollars.The Obama administration is nevertheless attempting to tax those employers and individuals, contrary to the plain language of the PPACA and congressional intent, and to deny millions of Americans the opportunity to purchase low-cost, high-deductible coverage. Employers, consumers, and even state officials in those 34 states can challenge those illegal taxes in court, as Oklahoma has done. States can also block those illegal taxes — and even stop the federal government from operating an Exchange — by approving a strengthened version of the Health Care Freedom Act.The PPACA’s Medicaid expansion, which would cost individual states up to $53 billion over its first 10 years, is now optional for states, thanks to the Supreme Court’s ruling in NFIB v. Sebelius. Some 16 states have announced they will not expand their programs, while half of the states remain undecided. Yet the Obama administration is trying to coerce states into implementing parts of the expansion that the Court rendered optional. States can replicate Maine’s lawsuit challenging this arbitrary attempt to limit the Court’s ruling.Collectively, states can shield all employers and at least 12 million taxpayers from the law’s new taxes, and still reduce federal deficits by $1.7 trillion, simply by refusing to establish Exchanges or expand Medicaid.Congress and President Obama have already repealed the third new entitlement program the PPACA created — the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, or CLASS Act — as well as funding for the “co-op” plans meant to serve as an alternative to a “public option.” A critical mass of states exercising their vetoes over Exchanges and the Medicaid expansion can force Congress to reconsider, and hopefully repeal, the rest of this counterproductive law. Real health care reform is impossible until that happens.
On Symmetric Operators in Noncommutative Geometry

In Noncommutative Geometry, as in quantum theory, classically real variables are assumed to correspond to self-adjoint operators. We consider the relaxation of the requirement of self-adjointness to mere symmetry for operators $X_i$ which encode space-time information.
Fast algorithm for matrix-vector multiply of asymmetric multilevel block-toeplitz atrices

We describe a new fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based algorithm to expedite matrix-vector multiplies involving multilevel block-Toeplitz (BT), or T/sub f/ /sup M/ matrices. Matrices of this class often occur in electromagnetic scattering applications because of the convolutional nature of the Green's function. Multilevel BT matrices are also associated with the autocorrelation of a 2-D discrete random process and with many problems involving symmetries based on cubic meshes. The algorithm presented here applies to multilevel BT matrices with blocks and sub-blocks which are themselves BT and in general asymmetric. The algorithm also provides for the last, M/sup th/ level sub-block to be a square, dense, not necessarily Toeplitz matrix. This method has a similar purpose to that of Goodman, Draine and Flatau (1991), but uses less memory and is more general in implementation.
Mechanical properties of aneurysms of the descending human aorta.

Objective: Treatment decisions for aortic aneurysms are currently based on size criteria originally developed in the 1960s, even though we now have more sophisticated methods that can refine interventional criteria. In this project, we applied engineering principles in order to generate a comprehensive picture of the mechanical properties of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms, including their ability to deform in response to pressure, as well as the stresses that cause wall stretch or rupture. Our goal was to use these mechanical properties to understand, explain, and predict the tendency of descending aneurysms to rupture or dissect. Methods: Using an epi-aortic ultrasound probe intra-operatively, we measured aortic wall thickness during systole and diastole, circumference during systole and diastole, and blood pressure on 12 patients undergoing elective resection of their descending aortic aneurysms. From these measurements, we calculated the distensibility, wall stress, elastic modulus (Einc), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) for the neck (narrow portion) and belly (widest portion) of fusiform aneurysms. We compared these mechanical properties between the neck and belly of descending aortic aneurysms with a paired t-test, as well as between ascending and descending aortic aneurysms with an unpaired t-test. Results: The average aneurysm belly was 4.1 cm in diameter compared to 2.7 cm in the neck (p = 0.0002). Distensibility was higher in the neck than the belly (p = 0.02), the wall stress was higher in the belly (p = 0.01), and Einc was non-significantly higher in the belly (p = 0.08). There was no significant difference in PWV (p = 0.33). There were no significant differences in any of the mechanical properties between descending and ascending aortic aneurysms. Conclusion: Larger aneurysms are at increased risk of rupture because 1) they experience greater circumferential wall stress tending to expand the lumen, and 2) they are less distensible with a higher elastic modulus which indicates they have less reserve stretch capacity. We also showed that different sections of the same aneurysm behave differently but that the ascending and descending aortic aneurysms behave similarly. These findings have implications on the validity of using mechanical parameters to predict the natural course of aortic aneurysms. Finally, we demonstrated that there may be better ways to predict aortic rupture or dissection than current standards using diameter or growth rate alone.
Serum Concentrations of Chloramphenicol following Intravenous and Intramuscular Administration.

Abstract In fifty patients serum chloramphenicol levels were determined following the intravenous administration of a new parenteral preparation. Following a single injection of 1.0 Gm., serum concentrations averaged 20 μg. per cubic centimeter at one hour, and gradually declined to an average of 2.4 μg. per cubic centimeter at twenty-four hours. Following 0.5 Gm. intravenously, the serum concentrations fell from an average of 10 μg. per cubic centimeter at one hour to 3.8 μg. per cubic centimeter at twelve hours. When levels following oral and intravenous administration were compared, it was found that serum concentrations were slightly higher with the intravenous route at three hours, but were twice as high at twelve hours, and persisted for a longer period than with the oral route. From the data obtained, it would appear that when chloramphenicol is indicated, and oral administration is not feasible, 1.0 Gm. every twelve hours intravenously will provide effective therapy. The parenteral preparation was also well tolerated by the intramuscular route, but did not give serum levels adequate for the therapy of most infections.
Apolipoprotein E, especially apolipoprotein E4, increases the oligomerization of amyloid β peptide

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing dementia. Massive deposition of amyloid β peptide (Aβ) as senile plaques in the brain is the pathological hallmark of AD, but oligomeric, soluble forms of Aβ have been implicated as the synaptotoxic component. The apolipoprotein E e 4 (apoE e4) allele is known to be a genetic risk factor for developing AD. However, it is still unknown how apoE impacts the process of Aβ oligomerization. Here, we found that the level of Aβ oligomers in APOE e4/e4 AD patient brains is 2.7 times higher than those in APOE e3/e3 AD patient brains, matched for total plaque burden, suggesting that apoE4 impacts the metabolism of Aβ oligomers. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effect of apoE on Aβ oligomer formation. Using both synthetic Aβ and a split-luciferase method for monitoring Aβ oligomers, we observed that apoE increased the level of Aβ oligomers in an isoform-dependent manner (E2 < E3 < E4). This effect appears to be dependent on the ApoE C-terminal domain. Moreover, these results were confirmed using endogenous apoE isolated from the TBS-soluble fraction of human brain, which increased the formation of Aβ oligomers. Together, these data show that lipidated apoE, especially apoE4, increases Aβ oligomers in the brain. Higher levels of Aβ oligomers in the brains of APOE e4/e4 carriers compared with APOE e3/e3 carriers may increase the loss of dendritic spines and accelerate memory impairments, leading to earlier cognitive decline in AD.
Effect of vasoactive drugs on the residual content of blood in the brain of chicks.

Abstract Vasoactive compounds acting specifically at receptor sites or musculotropically were administered intra-abdominally to one day old chicks which were decapitated 10 to 15 min later. Hemoglobin content of whole brain was determined as an index of the volume of blood retained in the brain. Cerebral blood vessels responded qualitatively like somatic ones but were less sensitive. Vasoconstrictors decreased the volume and vasodilators increased it. This was significant statistically only for serotonin and sodium nitrite. The hemoconcentration of blood perfusing the brain was identical with that perfusing other organs so that residual blood in the brain could be calculated from the hemoglobin content. By comparing with systemic blood the amount of amine penetrating neural tissue could be calculated. Serotonin markedly decreased the amount of blood in the brain so that increases in brain content of this amine must be due to extravascular accumulation.
The Relationship Between Vocational Interest Differentiation and Career Undecidedness.

Abstract Fifty-four female and thirty male students over 20 years old were administered the Career Decision Scale and the six occupational scales of the Vocational Preference Inventory in order to test the hypothesis that indecision is negatively related to occupational interest differentiation in an adult population. Interest differentiation did not appear to be a reliable indicator of vocational undecidedness.
Procedure, substance, and the divine command theory

La theologie naturelle est toujours pratiquee comme si les conclusions theologiques pouvaient deriver d'un processus quasi-deductif. Il est possible que l'evidence conduise a des connaissances interessantes qui reclament cependant une explication theologique. L'A. demeure sceptique sur la valeur a priori des methodes de la theologie naturelle. Il prend comme exemple ceux qui tentent de demontrer l'incoherence logique de la theorie du commandement divin sur l'objectivite morale et assure contre l'absolutisme moral et theologique que cette theorie ne se reduit pas a un simple paradoxe interne
The Retinal Pigment Epithelium Utilizes Fatty Acids for Ketogenesis: IMPLICATIONS FOR METABOLIC COUPLING WITH THE OUTER RETINA *

Every day, shortly after light onset, photoreceptor cells shed approximately a tenth of their outer segment. The adjacent retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells phagocytize and digest shed photoreceptor outer segment, which provides a rich source of fatty acids that could be utilized as an energy substrate. From a microarray analysis, we found that RPE cells express particularly high levels of the mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase 2 (Hmgcs2) compared with all other tissues (except the liver and colon), leading to the hypothesis that RPE cells, like hepatocytes, can produce β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB) from fatty acids. Using primary human fetal RPE (hfRPE) cells cultured on Transwell filters with separate apical and basal chambers, we demonstrate that hfRPE cells can metabolize palmitate, a saturated fatty acid that constitutes ≈15% of all lipids in the photoreceptor outer segment, to produce β-HB. Importantly, we found that hfRPE cells preferentially release β-HB into the apical chamber and that this process is mediated primarily by monocarboxylate transporter isoform 1 (MCT1). Using a GC-MS analysis of 13C-labeled metabolites, we showed that retinal cells can take up and metabolize 13C-labeled β-HB into various TCA cycle intermediates and amino acids. Collectively, our data support a novel mechanism of RPE-retina metabolic coupling in which RPE cells metabolize fatty acids to produce β-HB, which is transported to the retina for use as a metabolic substrate.
Detection of the secondary star in HT Cassiopeiae

Low-resolution spectra of the eclipsing dwarf nova HT Cas, taken over the range 5000-9800 A show TiO bands and Na I absorption lines from the secondary star. From the TiO band ratio at mid-eclipse it is estimated that the secondary star contributes about 37 percent of the light at 7500 A during the eclipse, and that it has a Boeshaar spectral type M5.4 + or - 0.3. The mass, radius, and luminosity of the secondary star are all consistent with main-sequence values. The TiO band strength diminishes greatly near phase 0.5, but an eclipse by the disk is not sufficient to explain this. The radial velocity is measured from the Na line near 8200 A for most of the spectra and (after a correction for the asymmetric distribution of absorption over the secondary star) its radial velocity semiamplitude K2 = 430 + or - 25 km/sec.
Putting Predictions to the Test

The Centers for Medicare andMedicaid Services have implemented financial penalties for hospitals with above-average readmission rates, andhospitals aredirectingquality improvementefforts atpredictingand preventing readmissions after surgery. Although clinicians are often aware of the risk factors for readmission, predictive models provide objective data, and their use is preferable over clinical judgment.1 Nomograms are a specific type of tool that offers individualized predictions. Rather than enumerating risk factors or creating risk groupings, nomograms incorporate weights for variables based on their prognostic significance. The quantification of risk factors allows nomograms to give continuous probability estimates of a given outcome. By reducing heterogeneity and taking multiple variables into account simultaneously, nomogram predictions yield a precise prognostication for each patient. In their study, Tevis et al2 develop a nomogram that predicts postoperative readmissions with high accuracy. Ideally, predictivemodels canbeprospectively applied to larger patient populations, and external validation is valuable in this regard. Tevis and colleagues2 use prospective data to successfully validate their nomogram. However, the interpretationofseeminglyobjectivestatisticalmodels isoftenquite subjective.1 Predictions change with time and with the availability of additional data; secular changes in the health care environmentmust be accounted for as well. In fact, there appears to be adecreasing readmission rate over time in this retrospective study,2 and whether this is attributable to formal or informal interventions is unknown. Surgeons will be interested in this nomogram if it provides accurate predictions for their patient populations. Going forward, surgeons will need to focus on gaining a better understandingofwhy readmissionsoccur. The important and oftenunaddressed limitation to this tool andmanyother tools like it lies in what to do with the predictions rendered. What mustwedo toprevent readmissions?When consideringpostoperative readmissions, we must also consider whether an ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of prediction.
Numerical Modeling of a High Efficiency Low Energy Pulsed Inductive Thruster for Space Applications

Numerical modeling of a pulsed inductive thruster utilized a time -dependant, two dimen sional, axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamics MACH2 code to predict operation at low energy levels for a range of propellants and propellant mass values. Previous numerical efforts with pulsed inductive thruster modeling for medium and high energy cases agree well with available experimental data and have established confidence in MACH2’s ability to capture the pertinent physical processes. The high energy pulsed inductive thruster simulations were recently performed using a power circuit model augmented with a plasma voltage algorithm that accounts for the propellant’s time -dependant resistance and inductance to properly account for plasma dynamic effects. The updated circuit model was found to self -consistently calculate the experimentally measured current wav eform profile for the first half period with excellent correlation effectively capturing the dominant acceleration phase of the plasma. These preceding efforts are now extended to the low power regime, where insights can be made into improving efficiencies beyond which has yet to be shown experimentally by designing the current waveform to capture the dominant acceleration phase of the current profile with no subsequent ineffectual current reversal. The associated rise in efficiency further advances the pul sed inductive thruster as an ideal candidate for in -space propulsion and station keeping. Current waveform optimization is discussed as well as an examination of the effects of different pulsed inductive thruster geometries . Various propellant mass values are investigated under this novel power circuit model to guide future design and optimization of high efficiency low power pulsed inductive thrusters.
Lessons from the trenches: Implementing team-based learning across several courses

Abstract Pharmacy educators are improving education of professional program students by incorporating active learning techniques. Team-based learning “flips” the classroom, creating different roles for faculty and students compared to traditional lecture-based pedagogy. Implementing team-based learning on a large scale, such as across multiple semesters, introduces challenges that are distinct from implementation on a smaller scale. We describe our experience at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy with adopting team-based learning in our curriculum. We adopted team-based learning as a unifying pedagogy across our five-semester therapeutics problem-solving course sequence. We experienced challenges distinct from those that accompany smaller scale adoption of an active learning pedagogy. Specifically, garnering faculty support, logistical issues, and implementation of the new pedagogy by faculty and students were all affected by the large scale of adoption. We share our experience with a large-scale pedagogical shift, highlighting challenges and lessons learned for other faculty in health professions education who may be interested in leveraging the benefits of active learning across several courses involving many faculty.
Myeloid metaplasia in vitamin D deficiency rickets.

Over a period of 30 months, extramedullary haematopoiesis together with decrease in bone marrow cellularity and anaemia were observed in 11 patients with severe nutritional rickets. To 6 of them vitamin D was administered after which a marked improvement in haemato-logic findings was noted and the liver and spleen began to decrease in size, eventually returning to normal. Myeloid metaplasia in patients with severe rickets may be the cause of anaemia and it is reversible with the therapy.
A new rating system for duplicate bridge

Abstract We propose a new way to rate individual duplicate bridge players, which we believe is superior to the masterpoint system currently used by the American Contract Bridge League. This method measures only a player’s current skill level, and not how long or how frequently he has played. It is based on simple ideas from the theory of statistics and from linear algebra, and should be easy to implement. One particular issue which can occur within any system proposing to rate individual players using results earned by partnerships is what we call the “nonuniqueness problem”. This refers to the occasional inability for data to distinguish who is the “good player” and who is the “bad player” within particular partnerships. We prove that under our system this problem disappears if either (a) a certain “partnership graph” has no bipartite components, or if (b) every player is required to participate in at least one individual game. Finally, we present some data from a bridge club in Reno, NV. They show that even if (a) and (b) do not hold, our system will provide (unique) ratings for most players.
Geothermal energy Electricity generation and environmental impact

Abstract Geothermal energy is widely used as a reliable source of electricity generation. In 21 countries geothermal plants are in operation and have a combined installed capacity of over 6 000 MW. Technology now permits the utilization of a broad range of resources, from moderate-temperature to hypersaline brines, as well as natural steam with high levels of non-condensable gases. This paper describes geothermal energy conversion systems and the potential environmental impacts associated with geothermal plants. In comparison with alternatives, geothermal plants are among the most environmentally benign. Emissions abatement, water and land-use, and other aspects are discussed, along with the costs for environmental controls.
Assessment of Perceptions of Nutrition Knowledge and Disease Using a Group Interactive System: The Perception Analyzer®

Abstract Food labels can be used as a tool for nutrition education, but the information available is of little value to consumers who do not understand how to apply it. In an effort to assess nutrition knowledge and identify misconceptions, a group interactive system—the Perception Analyzer ® —was used as a lecture aid and data collection tool. The Perception Analyzer is composed of a laptop computer, an antenna, and handheld electronic handsets, or dials, that participants use to answer questions. Participants (N = 621) were surveyed on 14 multiple-choice questions concerning nutrition with 4 nutrition questions repeated at the end of a session as a posttest. A knowledge score was calculated by counting correct answers. Linear regression analyses were used to study the main effects of demographic variables on the knowledge score. Our study reports the following: ■ although participants reported reading food labels, misconceptions about label content were identified; ■ analyses of mean scores indicated that age, education, and race influenced the nutrition knowledge score; and ■ participants found the Perception Analyzer to be enjoyable. The findings indicate that because the Perception Analyzer provides immediate and anonymous feedback to a discussion leader about audience's current knowledge, it is a promising tool for nutrition education by dietetic practitioners. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002; 102:1663-1668.