cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scalable Representative Instance Selection and Ranking

Finding a small set of representative instances for large datasets can bring various benefits to data mining practitioners so they can (1) build a learner superior to the one constructed from the whole massive data; and (2) avoid working on the whole original dataset all the time. We propose in this paper a Scalable Representative Instance Selection And Ranking (SRISTAR pronounced 3STAR) mechanism, which carries two unique features: (1) it provides a representative instance ranking list, so that users can always select instances from the top to the bottom, based on the number of examples they prefer; and (2) it investigates the behaviors of the underlying examples for instance selection, and the selection procedure tries to optimize the expected future error. Given a dataset, we first cluster instances into small data cells, each of which consists of instances with similar behaviors. Then we progressively evaluate data cells and their combinations, and order them into a list such that the learners built from the top cells are more accurate.
Using Wavelet Analysis to Detect Tornadoes from Doppler Radar Radial-Velocity Observations

Abstract A wavelet-based algorithm is developed to detect tornadoes from Doppler weather radar radial-velocity observations. Within this algorithm, a relative region-to-region velocity difference (RRVD) is defined based on the scale- and location-dependent wavelet coefficients and this difference represents the relative magnitude of the radial velocity shear between two adjacent regions of different scales. The RRVD fields of an idealized tornado and a realistic tornado from a high-resolution numerical simulation are analyzed first. It is found that the value of RRVD in the tornado region is significantly larger than those at other locations and large values of RRVD exist at more than one scale. This characteristic forms the basis of the new algorithm presented in this work for identifying tornadoes. Different from traditional tornadic vortex signature detection algorithms that typically rely on the velocity difference between adjacent velocity gate pairs at a single spatial scale, the new algorithm exami...
Dissociation of mixed venous oxygen saturation and cardiac index during opioid induction

Abstract Study Objective: To evaluate the independent effects of opioid induction and paralysis on changes in mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO 2 ). Design: Prospective, with each patient serving as his or her own control. Setting: Cardiac operating rooms of a major U.S. teaching hospital. Patients: 15 elective patients for aortocoronary bypass graft surgery. Interventions: Prior to induction with sufentanil 2 to 3 μg/kg (t 1 ), after recovery from succinylcholine 1 to 1.5 mg/kg (t 2 ), and after subsequent paralysis with vecuronium (t 3 ), we recorded cardiac index (CI), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO 2 ), and SvO 2 , then calculated oxygen consumption (VO 2 ) and arterial oxygen content (C a O 2 ). Measurements and Main Results: SvO 2 increased from 75% at t 1 to 82% at t 2 ( p = 0.03) and to 83% at t 3 ( p = 0.006). CI decreased from 3.1 L/min/m 2 at t 1 to 2.5 L/min/m 2 at t 2 ( p = 0.023) and to 2.1 L/min/m 2 at t 3 (t 1 vs. t 3 , p = 0.019; t 2 vs. t 3 p = NS). Calculated VO 2 decreased from 2.88 ml O 2 /min/kg at t 1 to 2.09 ml O 2 /min/kg at t 2 ( p = 0.03) and to 1.87 ml O 2 /min/kg at t 3 (t 1 vs. t 3 , p = 0.002; t 2 vs. t 3 p = 0.027). C a O 2 remained unchanged. Conclusions: Opioid anesthesia, not paralysis, increases SvO 2 . Most of the decrease in VO 2 occurs from anesthesia, not paralysis. The direct relationship between Ci and SvO 2 no longer holds upon induction of anesthesia. Parallel changes in CI cannot be inferred based on SvO 2 alone.
Acute aortic dissection: the need for rapid, accurate, and readily available diagnostic strategies.

Aortic dissection may be fatal without early diagnosis and appropriate medical, surgical, or endovascular treatment. The presenting symptoms and signs are so myriad and nonspecific that dissection may be overlooked initially in up to 40% of cases. In addition, the diagnosis is established only postmortem in a substantial number of cases.1 Few other conditions demand such prompt diagnosis and treatment, because the mortality rate of untreated dissection approaches 1%/h during the first 48 hours, 80% at 14 days, and 90% at three months.2 If unrecognized and untreated, fewer than 10% of patients with proximal aortic dissection survive a year. Most patients succumb within the first 3 months,3 usually of acute aortic insufficiency, major branch vessel occlusion, or rupture into the pericardium, mediastinum, or left hemithorax. In 20 years of follow-up of 527 patients with aortic dissection, nearly 30% of late deaths were due to ruptured aortic aneurysm.4 See page 1839 The most frequently used modalities to identify dissection and define the sites of origin and termination are computerized tomography (CT), transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The primary diagnostic criterion for diagnosis of aortic dissection by CT is demonstration of two contrast-filled lumens separated by an intimal flap.5 The sensitivity of CT ranges from 93% to 100% and specificity from 87% to 100%.5,6 Inaccuracy may result from inadequate contrast opacification, nonvisualization of the intimal flap, artifacts extending across the aortic lumen that simulate an intimal flap, misinterpretation of adjacent vessels or prominent sinus of Valsalva as the flap, atelectasis, pleural thickening, or thrombosis of the false lumen. Multidetector-row CT scanners offer more rapid image acquisition, variable section thickness, 3-dimensional rendering, diminished helical artifacts, and smaller contrast requirements, overcoming many of the limitations discussed above.7 The sensitivity and specificity of MR imaging …
Widespread Positive Selection in Synonymous Sites of Mammalian Genes

Evolution of protein sequences is largely governed by purifying selection, with a small fraction of proteins evolving under positive selection. The evolution at synonymous positions in protein-coding genes is not nearly as well understood, with the extent and types of selection remaining, largely, unclear. A statistical test to identify purifying and positive selection at synonymous sites in protein-coding genes was developed. The method compares the rate of evolution at synonymous sites (Ks) to that in intron sequences of the same gene after sampling the aligned intron sequences to mimic the statistical properties of coding sequences. We detected purifying selection at synonymous sites in ∼28% of the 1,562 analyzed orthologous genes from mouse and rat, and positive selection in ∼12% of the genes. Thus, the fraction of genes with readily detectable positive selection at synonymous sites is much greater than the fraction of genes with comparable positive selection at nonsynonymous sites, i.e., at the level of the protein sequence. Unlike other genes, the genes with positive selection at synonymous sites showed no correlation between Ks and the rate of evolution in nonsynonymous sites (Ka), indicating that evolution of synonymous sites under positive selection is decoupled from protein evolution. The genes with purifying selection at synonymous sites showed significant anticorrelation between Ks and expression level and breadth, indicating that highly expressed genes evolve slowly. The genes with positive selection at synonymous sites showed the opposite trend, i.e., highly expressed genes had, on average, higher Ks. For the genes with positive selection at synonymous sites, a significantly lower mRNA stability is predicted compared to the genes with negative selection. Thus, mRNA destabilization could be an important factor driving positive selection in nonsynonymous sites, probably, through regulation of expression at the level of mRNA degradation and, possibly, also translation rate. So, unexpectedly, we found that positive selection at synonymous sites of mammalian genes is substantially more common than positive selection at the level of protein sequences. Positive selection at synonymous sites might act through mRNA destabilization affecting mRNA levels and translation.
Accuracy of the fetal echocardiogram in double-outlet right ventricle.

Objective. Double-outlet right ventricle (DORV) is a complex congenital heart defect with heterogeneous anatomy. Patients require a variety of surgical interventions, and the long-term prognosis is variable. Therefore, accurate prenatal diagnosis is important in providing parents with appropriate counseling. Design. Medical records were reviewed in patients with a diagnosis of DORV who had fetal echocardiography at our institution from 1998 to 2004. Pre- and postnatal diagnoses were compared, anticipated surgical procedure was compared with surgery performed, and neonatal outcome was assessed. Results. The study group consisted of 49 fetal patients with 6 in utero deaths (including 4 terminations), 2 patients lost to follow-up, and 41 live births. Postnatal echocardiograms or autopsy results were available on 42 patients. The overall accuracy of fetal echocardiography in making a correct diagnosis of DORV was 76%. Accurate prenatal prediction of the type of cardiac surgery that would be performed was made in 91% of patients who had surgery. Among live births, survival to hospital discharge was 76%. Survival was 50% in patients with extracardiac or chromosomal anomalies, compared with 92% in infants without additional anomalies. Conclusion. In most cases, careful evaluation by fetal echocardiography can determine essential anatomic details in fetuses with DORV with enough accuracy to allow for accurate counseling regarding the type of surgery needed. Survival is better than previously reported but is poor in patients with extracardiac or chromosomal abnormalities.
Dermatoglyphics in congenital absence of phalanges of the right hand

Summary A child is described with congenital soft tissue finger stumps who showed both reasonable and imperfect epidermal ridges over stump tips.
Revision for stiffness following TKA: a predictable procedure?

Abstract Background Stiffness is a known complication following total knee arthroplasty. Multiple options are available to address this problem but revision TKA has been reported to be an effective treatment especially in the presence of technical issues such as oversized or loose components. However, it is not clearly known what factors may affect the outcome of revision TKA for stiffness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of TKA revision for stiffness and to determine which potential factors may predict the outcome. Materials and methods Between 1999 and 2006, 39 patients (24 females and 15 males) were revised for stiffness following their primary TKA. The average age was 60.8 years with an average BMI of 30.7. The mean follow up was 74.4 months. Results Following revision TKA, the overall range of motion and flexion contracture improved significantly from 68 to 90 (p = 0.001) and from 14 to 5 (p Conclusion Our study shows that TKA revision is a viable option, still unpredictable, to improve the ROM in patients with prolonged stiffness after TKA. Although revision for stiffness is not always successful in terms of achieving functional range of motion, it could improve pain in presence of less than functional range of motion. Level of evidence Prognostic Level II.
Characterization of a Nonclathrin Endocytic Pathway: Membrane Cargo and Lipid Requirements

Clathrin-independent endocytosis internalizes plasma membrane proteins that lack cytoplasmic sequences recognized by clathrin adaptor proteins. There is evidence for different clathrin-independent pathways but whether they share common features has not been systematically tested. Here, we examined whether CD59, an endogenous glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-anchored protein (GPI-AP), and major histocompatibility protein class I (MHCI), an endogenous, integral membrane protein, entered cells through a common mechanism and followed a similar itinerary. At early times of internalization, CD59 and MHCI were found in the same Arf6-associated endosomes before joining clathrin cargo proteins such as transferrin in common sorting endosomes. CD59 and MHCI, but not transferrin, also were observed in the Arf6-associated tubular recycling membranes. Endocytosis of CD59 and MHCI required free membrane cholesterol because it was inhibited by filipin binding to the cell surface. Expression of active Arf6 stimulated endocytosis of GPI-APs and MHCI to the same extent and led to their accumulation in Arf6 endosomes that labeled intensely with filipin. This blocked delivery of GPI-APs and MHCI to early sorting endosomes and to lysosomes for degradation. Endocytosis of transferrin was not affected by any of these treatments. These observations suggest common mechanisms for endocytosis without clathrin.
Long Term English Language Learners: Failure Is Not an Option.

There is a sizable number of English Language Learners (ELL) that are not succeeding in schools and are academically “falling through the cracks.” The purpose of this thesis is to gather information that identifies reasons why students are not succeeding academically and which strategies individual teachers can implement to help these students attain academic success. The literature reveals that Long Term English Language Learners have lower levels of literacy and tend to drop out more frequently compared to native English speakers. This is a qualitative study using a focus group at a middle school. Data were collected from individuals in a focus group. This study found six key strategies that could be used by teachers teaching English Language Learners to improve their students’ proficiency in English. Implications for future research include continuing to explore effective ways to support ELL students in becoming proficient in English in the elementary grades. Long Term English Language Learners 8 Chapter
On the Near-Interaction Elements in Integral Equation Solvers for Electromagnetic Scattering by Three-Dimensional Thin Objects

The accuracy of near-interaction (NI) evaluation is investigated for hypersingular and strongly singular kernels in solving electromagnetic (EM) integral equations. We first define the NI between a field point and a source triangular patch using a nearness factor (NF) and show the accuracy of numerical integrations for the NI integrals with hypersingular or strongly singular kernels. It is found that there exists a transition area or turning point before and after which the convergence behaviors of those integrations are greatly different. We define the NF value at the 1% relative error as the turning point NF 0 and define NF les NF 0 as the NI range. We find that NF 0=1.4 could be a bound of NI range for the triangles with a quality factor q > 0.35 and analytical formulas should be used in evaluating NI elements within the bound. Numerical examples for EM scattering by three-dimensional (3D) thin objects are used to demonstrate the significance of NI treatments for the accurate solutions.
Permittivity and Permeability Measurement of Spin-Spray Deposited Ni-Zn-Ferrite Thin Film Sample

Permittivity and permeability values of thin film Nickel-Zinc ferrite samples deposited on a glass substrate have been derived in the higher microwave frequency range. This thin film has been fabricated by the spin spray process. The thickness of the thin film has been measured to be 0.6 μm. It is deposited on to the 0.2 mm glass substrate. In the lower GHz frequency range, this sample has been observed to exhibit higher permeability than the Snoek's limit of bulk Ni-Zn-ferrite film. The transmission-reflection method based in-waveguide measurement technique has been employed to obtain the scattering parameters in the frequency range from 18 to 40 GHz. The evaluation method for calculating the material properties has been modified to obtain reliable results for thin film based samples. The in-waveguide based measurement technique has been successfully employed for the measurement of the constitutive properties of thin film ferrite samples.
An optimisation approach to apparel sizing

A novel approach for the construction of apparel sizing systems is formulated. As a first step to this process, efficient sizing systems are defined based on a mathematical model of garment fit. Nonlinear optimisation techniques are then used to derive a set of possible sizing systems using multidimensional information from anthropometric data. The method is illustrated by developing a sizing system designed for a dress shirt of a military uniform using anthropometric data from the US Army. Results of this analysis show that endogenous size assignment and selection of disaccommodated individuals, together with relaxation of the requirement of a 'stepwise' size structure, results in substantial improvements in fit over an existing sizing system. The proposed methodology enables the development of sizing systems that can either increase accommodation of the population, reduce the number of sizes in the system, or improve overall fit in accommodated individuals.
Stability of platinum based alloy cathode catalysts in PEM fuel cells

Abstract Corrosion and surface area changes of platinum (Pt) based catalysts supported on carbon were evaluated using an accelerated durability test (ADT). The results obtained using the ADT were correlated to the performance of the Pt based catalysts in the fuel cell. The catalytic activity and dissolution rate of the alloying metal from the Pt-alloy catalysts were estimated in the same time domain. A strong correlation was observed between the amount of the alloying metal dissolved and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of the Pt-alloy catalysts. The Pt catalyst exhibited loss of active surface area, and a resulting decrease in the ORR activity was observed. The Pt/C and Pt–Co/C catalysts showed similar behavior in both ADT and in the fuel cell testing. Cross-sectional studies by electron microprobe analysis of the membrane electrode assembly after fuel cell testing revealed cobalt dissolution followed by diffusion into the membrane.
Limits of PowerPoint's Power: Enhancing students' self-efficacy and attitudes but not their behavior

The effects of accompanying lectures with computer-mediated PowerPoint presentations or PowerPoint generated overheads on students' self-efficacy, attitudes, course performance, and class-related behaviors were examined. Two Introduction to Developmental Psychology sections were initially taught with lectures accompanied by either overheads or computer-mediated presentations. The teaching format was switched halfway through the semester. Students reported higher self-efficacy and more positive attitudes toward the class with computer-mediated presentations. They also claimed that the website was more interesting and useful under these teaching conditions, indicating a halo effect of the computer-mediated presentations. However, the teaching format did not appear to affect course-related behavior, such as performance on exams, class attendance, participation in class discussions, or course website usage.
Primary fatty acid amide metabolism: conversion of fatty acids and an ethanolamine in N18TG2 and SCP cells

Primary fatty acid amides (PFAM) are important signaling molecules in the mammalian nervous system, binding to many drug receptors and demonstrating control over sleep, locomotion, angiogenesis, and many other processes. Oleamide is the best-studied of the primary fatty acid amides, whereas the other known PFAMs are significantly less studied. Herein, quantitative assays were used to examine the endogenous amounts of a panel of PFAMs, as well as the amounts produced after incubation of mouse neuroblastoma N18TG2 and sheep choroid plexus (SCP) cells with the corresponding fatty acids or N-tridecanoylethanolamine. Although five endogenous primary amides were discovered in the N18TG2 and SCP cells, a different pattern of relative amounts were found between the two cell lines. Higher amounts of primary amides were found in SCP cells, and the conversion of N-tridecanoylethanolamine to tridecanamide was observed in the two cell lines. The data reported here show that the N18TG2 and SCP cells are excellent model systems for the study of PFAM metabolism. Furthermore, the data support a role for the N-acylethanolamines as precursors for the PFAMs and provide valuable new kinetic results useful in modeling the metabolic flux through the pathways for PFAM biosynthesis and degradation.
An efficient algorithm for tracking the angles of arrival of moving targets

A novel technique for tracking the angles of arrival of moving targets is presented. The targets are modeled as signal sources that continuously emit narrowband signals which impinge on an array of sensors. Estimates of target angles are obtained by minimizing the norm of an error matrix function involving the covariance of the sensor outputs. The algorithm yields estimates that are automatically correctly associated with previous estimates. Consequently, the data association problem does not arise, and this results in a much more efficient scheme in comparison to existing methods involving search over N factorial possible measurement/target associations (where N is the number of targets). Performance of the algorithm is illustrated by a simulation example. >
Effect of surface species concentrations and temperature on diamond film morphology in inductively coupled r.f. plasma CVD

Ah,;aract Diamond tilms were deposited with an r.f. plasma operating at atmospheric pressure. The gas composition above the growth surface was measured with a gas ch~-omatograph. Experiments were conducted over a range of methane flow rates and sut'strate t,,'r~peratt~res. Films were characterized by SEM and X-ray diffraction texture analysis. Increases in either input methane-hydrogen ratio or substrate temperature caused film morphology to shift from fill} toward {100] faceting, while the measured ratio of C]-| 4 to C:H, decreased. We speculate that the temperat~Jrc effect on species concentrations and film morphology is due to the temperature dependence of surface-catalyzed atomic hydrogen recombination, ct;) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A. Kevwords." Diamond tilms; r.f.: Morphology: Plasma
Intrathecal Baclofen for Spasticity

Spasticity can be a serious complication of trauma to the spinal cord or other disorders that create damage within the spinal cord. Although affecting a small percentage of the population, spasticity can be devastating to the person experiencing it by limiting function, reducing mobility, complicating sleep, causing pain, and interfering with the quality of life. Spasticity management has included exercising and stretching programs, oral medications, and destructive neurosurgical procedures. A new, alternative treatment incorporates the use of an implanted pump which precisely delivers baclofen, through a catheter, directly into the intrathecal space. This treatment has proven to be extremely successful in reducing spasticity and is indicated for individuals with severe spasticity of spinal origin who have failed oral drug therapy. To fully comprehend the treatment of spasticity, one must understand the various definitions of spasticity as well as the physiology of this phenomenon and its interference with quality of life.
Interrelationships between the Lightest Metals

As defined here, the “lightest” metals are those pretransition metals of lowest atomic number; that is, lithium, beryllium, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, potassium, and calcium (atomic no. 3–20); they have relatively low densities (0.53–2.70 g cm−3), but are not a set of the least dense metals. This article considers various attributes that link these metals together, starting with their primordial nucleosynthesis, and the problem of the cosmic abundance of lithium. It is believed that the relatively low natural abundance of both lithium and beryllium on the Earth is ultimately a consequence of peculiarities in their formation. Apart from these two, however, the “lightest” metals are extremely common elements on the Earth: Al is the most abundant metal in the crust (over 8% by weight), and the metals Ca, Mg, Na, and K constitute the fifth through eighth most abundant elements in the crust. It is perhaps not surprising that their ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+) are the most encountered metal species in biological systems. Although long used in the form of their compounds, the metals were not isolated as the free elements until the early nineteenth century (the last produced was beryllium, in 1828). They have been recognized as sharing similar chemical properties since the time they were discovered, leading to the articulation of the “(iso)diagonal rule”, which highlights the similarities between lithium and magnesium compounds, and between those of beryllium and aluminum. The metals' mechanical properties vary considerably; the stiffness of beryllium (it possesses the smallest Poisson ratio of any bulk element) leads to its supporting the highest velocity of sound of any metal; in contrast, lithium, sodium, and potassium are so soft that many of their elastic properties are difficult to measure accurately. Various alloys of the metals have extremely important properties, from the aluminum–magnesium alloys used in the aerospace industry to the beryllium copper alloys used to make nonsparking tools. Essential to life and indisputably important to modern society, the range of applications of “the lightest metals” can only be expected to grow during the twenty-first century. Keywords: alkali metal; alkaline-earth metal; aluminum; beryllium; calcium; lithium; magnesium; main-group metal; potassium; sodium; diagonal relationship; nucleosynthesis
Closure of "Cost and Time-Scaled Networks: Graphical Model"

Originally published in Journal of the Construction Division , Vol. 104, No. 3, September 1978, pg. 365
Attosecond photonics

Mode-locked lasers show femtosecond and even attosecond level short term timing jitter. Such ultralow jitter sources enable novel systems. Timing distribution systems for next generation light sources and prototype high-speed, high-resolution photonic analog-to-digital converters are demonstrated.
Tick-Bite Litigation: An Illustration of the Battle over Duty and Breach in Connecticut and the Second Circuit Notes

In cases with tragic facts, the jury is perhaps the chief danger to a defendant. Attorneys defending tort suits routinely argue that courts should dismiss a case on grounds that a tortfeasor does not owe a victim a duty of care. This often takes the form of an argument that fact-specific “limited” duties should be created in order to dismiss a plaintiff’s case.Two Connecticut cases — Munn v. Hotchkiss School, and Horowitz v. YMCA Camp Mohawk, Inc. — are implicated in the broader debate regarding whether limited duty is being used properly. The plaintiffs’ claims specifically concern injuries from tick-borne illness (TBI) suffered by minors in educational environments. But there are broader implications. With the Munn case raising serious questions of state law in the context of an appeal to the Second Circuit — meriting certified questions to the Connecticut Supreme Court — the role of limited duty in Connecticut jurisprudence is ripe for review. Connecticut’s answer as to the proper use of limited duty in the Munn case will likely have effects reaching far beyond these TBI cases.This Note argues that Connecticut and other jurisdictions should embrace a form of limited duty that is perhaps itself well described as “limited.” In order to preserve factual issues for the trier of fact and the function of dispositive motions based on the existence or non-existence of those issues (e.g., summary judgment), the existence of duty should remain an abstract inquiry into the relationship between plaintiff and defendant. Thus, this Note contends that public policy analysis should not play a role in determining whether a legal duty exists unless there is a legal principle that merits restricting the responsibilities that exist given the basic relationship between the parties. In cases where the existence of a legal duty is otherwise clear at this level of generality, courts should not use public policy analysis to qualify legal duty. Since the duty inquiry is an inquiry into law and not facts, this sort of reserved approach is what is judicially proper — in the TBI cases, and for all cases.
0390 Musculoskeletal Complaints Among Dental Practitioners

Objectives To describe the prevalence and risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among dental practitioners. Method In 2012, 965 dental practitioners attending the American Dental Association Annual Session filled out surveys on individual characteristics and symptoms, then were clinically examined using the McKenzie evaluation method. Chi-square tests and linear regression were used to statistically compare associations between dental practitioner characteristics with musculoskeletal complaints. Results 76.0% of practitioners regularly experienced pain, tingling, or numbness in their fingers, wrists, hands, forearms, shoulders, neck, back and chest during or at the end of a workday. Repetitive action during work was the most commonly reported origin of symptoms, reported in 37.9% of cases. 68.3% of practitioners reported that symptoms had prevented them from working. Symptoms located in the back were the most common, reported by 51.2%. Location of symptoms was not related to gender, dominant hand, or age, but was related to specialty: dental hygienists and endodontists had significantly higher rates of back and hand symptoms than those in other dental fields (Chi-square p-values: 0.02, 0.002). Years spent in practice was a significant predictor of the degree of symptoms (all F-test p-values Conclusions The dental profession experiences a high rate of musculoskeletal complaints. Ergonomic and educational interventions can prevent musculoskeletal complaints, and are clearly necessary for dental practitioners.
Evaluation of the automated Bact-Alert system for pediatric blood culturing.

The Organon Teknika BacT/Alert (Organon Teknika, Durham, NC), using the Pedi-BacT 20 mL aerobic bottle (BPBCS) was compared to the Wampole Isolator (WI) 1.5 Microbial tube (Wampole Laboratories, Cranbury, NJ), for detection and recovery of pediatric pathogens. The BPBCS continuously monitors culture bottles for changes in C02 concentrations, while VVI cultures arc examined twice daily for appearance of colonial growth on agar media. Of 5,175 paired blood cultures, 383 pathogens were recovered from 606 positive cultures. There were 272 pathogens recovered by both systems, 64 from BPBCS only, and 47 from VVI only. Overall recovery rates were 88% for BPBCS and 83% for VVI. There was no significant difference between the two systems in detection or times to positivity of staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae , or pseudomonads. Trends toward better recovery of streptococci (20 vs . 10) and fastidious microaerophiles (3 vs . 0) were found with BPBCS, whereas more slowly growing pathogens ( Rochalimaea henselae [1], Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare [1]) were recovered by WI only, but because of their lower frequency did not achieve statistical significance. Detection of Haemophilus influenzae (14.9 hours in WI vs . 45.4 hours in BPBCS) was faster with WI. False positive plus contaminant cultures were detected in 5.9% BPBCS versus 1.5% WI. BPBCS offers detection of bacteremia at a rate comparable to WI with advantages of automation.
Master of Science in medical leadership.

Editor – I read with interest the article on the varied academic approaches to medical leadership ( Clin Med October 2010 pp 477–9). I was surprised, however, that the authors failed to include a reference to Kent, Surrey and Sussex deanery's clinical leadership fellowship which is now in its
Multiparameter flow-cytometric analysis of bcl-2 and Fas expression in normal and neoplastic hematopoiesis.

Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is an important regulatory mechanism in hematopoiesis, and is thought to be a principal mechanism of action of cytotoxic chemotherapy. Proteins that modulate apoptosis include bcl-2, which inhibits apoptosis, and Fas (CD95, also known as APO-1), which induces apoptosis in susceptible cells bound by Fas ligand (FasL). To characterize precisely the expression of these apoptosis-regulatory proteins in normal and neoplastic hematopoiesis, the authors have performed multiparameter flow cytometric (FCM) analysis in a series of normal and abnormal marrow specimens. Among normal hematopoietic elements, bcl-2 expression was highest in myeloblasts (29 [+/- 9] x 10(3) molecules of equivalent soluble fluorochrome [MESF]), and lymphocytes (28[+/- 7] x 10(3) MESF). bcl-2 was essentially undetectable in granulocytes and nucleated red blood cells, whereas monocytes and B-cell precursors expressed intermediate levels of bcl-2 (11[+/- 4] x 10(3) and 7[+/- 1] x 10(3) MESF, respectively). Fas expression increased with granulocytic and monocytic differentiation; myeloblasts expressed 8(+/- 2) x 10(3) MESF, whereas granulocytes (15 [+/- 2] x 10(3) MESF) and monocytes (28[+/- 5] x 10(3) MESF) displayed relatively greater intensity of staining for Fas. Among lymphoid cells, Fas expression was heterogeneous. B cells expressed lower intensity Fas staining than both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Myeloblasts in 30 cases of myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasia studied for bcl-2 and/or Fas expression manifested variable levels of these molecules (range 9-105 x 10(3) MESF for bcl-2 and 3-33 x 10(3) MESF for Fas). In addition, intraclonal heterogeneity of bcl-2 and Fas expression was seen in certain cases of AML, which correlated with extent of differentiation. Among 28 cases of B-precursor ALL studied for bcl-2 and/or Fas expression, bcl-2 ranged from 22 to 60 x 10(3) MESF (P < .001 versus normal marrow B-cell precursors), and Fas varied between essentially undetectable levels and 6 x 10(3) MESF. In summary, normal marrow subsets display characteristic levels of the apoptosis-regulatory molecules, bcl-2 and Fas. In hematopoietic neoplasms, expression of bcl-2 and Fas varies among cases, and in some instances, within leukemic blast populations. Further study is required to understand the potential significance of this heterogeneous expression of bcl-2 and Fas in hematologic neoplasia.
EFFECTS OF HYPERTRANSFUSION AND ERYTHROPOIETIN ON LABELING OF RAT MEGAKARYOCYTES BY TRITIATED THYMIDINE.

SummaryAfter a single intravenous dose of H3TdR; there was immediate labeling of about one-third of the immature megakaryocytes in rats. The labeling index increased to 90-98% in 24 hours and remained high for 3 days. This pattern was not altered by hypertransfusion or erythropoietin. The mean grain count halving time of these cells, however, was increased in erythropoietin-treated rats and decreased in hyper transfused rats. These results are interpreted as indicating reutilization of erythroid DNA or its breakdown products by megakaryocytes or their precursors.
Effects of noradrenaline, isoproterenol and acetylcholine on ureteral resistance.

Abstract Resistance to fluid flow in the canine ureter can be divided into two categories. The higher resistance is recorded at flow rates ≤2.16 ml./min. At these rates the ureter is able to completely coapt its walls so that urine is transported in individual boluses. The lower resistance is recorded at flow rates ≥5.40 ml./min. At these rates the ureteral walls remained open and urine is transported as a column of fluid. Noradrenaline causes a marked increase in ureteral resistance at low flow rates and a small but statistically significant increase in ureteral resistance at high flow rates. Acetylcholine increases resistance only at the low flow rates. Isoproterenol significantly decreases resistance at both low and high flow rates. These findings are consistent with ureteral resistance to fluid flow being composed of two components. One is the ureteral peristaltic contraction which plays a principal role in urinary bolus transport at low flows; the other is ureteral wall tonus, which plays an important role in the transport of columns of urine by the ureter, which does not coapt its walls, at the higher flow rates.
Is Retest Bias Biased

Abstract. The purpose of this study was to test for race and sex differences in general mental ability (GMA) retest performance and to identify the psychological mechanisms underlying these differences. An initial and retest administration of a GMA assessment separated by a six-week span was completed by 318 participants. Contrary to our predictions, we found that race, sex, and emotional stability failed to moderate GMA retest performance. However, GMA assessed via another ability test and conscientiousness both partially explained retest performance. Additionally, we found that retesting may reduce adverse impact ratios by lowering the hiring threshold. Ultimately, our findings reinforce the need for organizations to consider race, sex, ability, and personality when implementing retesting procedures.
Small States in World Politics

Building on the analysis of the Gulf States’ changing role in the world economy, this chapter examines the new possibilities for the exercise of power and influence by small states in the global era. Earlier assumptions of vulnerability and lack of resilience have been eroded as opportunities for small states to make their voice heard have proliferated in an intensely globalised environment in which leverage is projected through multiple channels and is less reliant than ever before on territorial size. This general trend has been magnified still further in the case of resource-rich small states possessing both the intent and the capability to shape globalising forces to their own advantage. Both Qatar and the UAE, led by the entrepreneurial leaderships of Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, have proven adept at delinking territory and power, and consequently have emerged as regional powers with international reach. This turns on its head much conventional thinking about the role of small states in world politics and international relations.
Informed and Uninformed Naïve Assessment Constructors’ Strategies for Item Selection:

We present a descriptive analysis of 53 naive assessment constructors’ explanations for selecting test items to include on a summative assessment. We randomly assigned participants to an informed and uninformed condition (i.e., informed participants read an article describing a Table of Specifications). Through recursive thematic analyses of participants’ explanations, we identified 14 distinct strategies that coalesced into three families of strategies: Alignment, Item Evaluation, and Affective Evaluation. We describe the nature of the strategies and the degree to which participants used strategies with frequency and effect size analysis. Results can inform teacher education on assessment construction through explicit instruction in the three families of strategies identified.
The Ritual of Memory in Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa

Brian Friel’s play Dancing at Lughnasa premiered at the storied Abbey Theatre on April 24, 1990, exactly ten years after his masterpiece Translations had appeared. Like Translations, Lughnasa expressed the tenor of Ireland as the end of the century approached. As Terence Brown has argued, Lughnasa “seemed a work of special contemporary relevance,” depicting a world “on the cusp of change” as “older forms of cultural expression are being replaced.” It is a play about a world whose transformation is imminent, and the trauma that such transformation brings—a telling harbinger of the Ireland just emerging in the 1990s, a world of astonishing new wealth and material largesse, but whose emergence would mark a stark break with the past that many would soon lament. The delicate balance of historical rupture and loss with celebration and warmth constitutes one of the triumphs of the play. When Pat O’Connor translated the play into a film that appeared in 1998, he used the medium of film to explore its quiet, interior drama and to bring into relief many of Friel’s most pressing concerns. O’Connor’s realization on screen is keenly attentive to the major concerns of Lughnasa; yet at the same time the film may be the more historically acute and probing study of the Ireland of the 1930s, depicting its transformation into the twentieth-century realities while also illustrating the long-standing rituals and customs that it would yield only reluctantly to the modern age. Although many critics dismissed the film as too sentimental and lacking in Friel’s irony, in fact O’Connor presents a complex, intricate portrait of family, memory, and history that resists nostalgia and challenges our conceptions of Irish identity.
Maskless creation of silicon vacancy centers in photonic crystal cavities

Here, we demonstrate direct, maskless creation of single silicon-vacancy centers in diamond nanostructures via focused ion beam implantation with < 50 nm positioning precision and close to lifetime-limited emission linewidth of ∼ 126±13 MHz.
"Playing Hooky" Health Messages: Apprehension, Impression Management, and Deception.

ABSTRACTThis study investigates playing hooky in higher education classrooms and associates this behavior with students’ communicative dispositions, instructor perceptions, and language use. We define “playing hooky” as students skipping class and explaining their absence to their instructor with deceptive health messages. The purpose of Study 1, an online survey (N = 177), is to further understand the characteristics of students who engage in this type of deceptive health communication. Study 1 measures communication apprehension and perceived instructor credibility in students who had played hooky from class and those who had not. Findings reveal that students who communicate playing hooky health messages (a) reported more instructor communication apprehension and (b) perceived the instructors with whom they had played hooky to be less credible. Study 2 uses facework theory and MEH analysis to reveal the different linguistic strategies students use to communicate (a) truthful health messages (N = 165) a...
‘Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do!’ On the Intrinsic Value of Control

For most people, control has some intrinsic value; people care about maintaining it and will pay something to do so. Whenever a private or public institution blocks choices or interferes with agency, some people will rebel, even if exercising control would not result in material benefits or might produce material harms.
Normative Two-Minute Walk Test Distances for Boys and Girls 3 to 17 Years of Age

ABSTRACTAims: To provide normative reference values for the 2-minute walk test (2MWT) for children and adolescents. Methods: A population-based sample of 2,631 boys and girls (3–17 years) contributed data to this 2011 study which was part of the NIH Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function Norming Project. The 2MWT was performed over a 50 foot (15.2 meter) out-and-back course. Results: Overall, the mean (standard deviation) distance walked by the participants was 186.2 (33.9) meters. As a general linear model demonstrated that gender (F = 11.0, p =.001) and age (F = 127.6, p <.001) affected 2MWT distance, separate norms are provided for each gender and age stratum (e.g., 3-year-old boys,16-year-old girls). Based on these findings and correlational and regression analysis, separate explanatory equations for 2MWT distance for boys and girls are provided. The separate equations for boys and girls include age, age squared, height, and body mass as variables that explain around 40% of...
Arthroscopic versus open excision of dorsal ganglion cysts: a systematic review

We conducted a systematic review comparing recurrence and complication rate following open versus arthroscopic excision of ganglion cysts. Sixteen full-text articles were included. The pooled recurrence rate of open excision was 20% (range: 5.6–40.7%) with Q value of 27 and I2 of 82%. The pooled recurrence rate of arthroscopic excision was 9% (range: 0–17%) with Q value of 10 and I2 of 2%. Eleven of 16 studies were low quality or had a high risk of bias; however, excluding low quality studies or those with high risk of bias produced similar recurrence rates in arthroscopic and open excision (7.9% versus 9.8%). For the subset of studies with complete reporting of complications, rates were similar in open and arthroscopic excision (6% versus 4%). Our review suggests that arthroscopic and open approaches have comparable outcome profiles. Nevertheless, standardized study methods with adequate powering are required to collect high quality data, allowing for greater confidence in conclusions regarding these two...
Elicitation in Target-Oriented Utility

Target-oriented utility theory interprets the utility of a consequence as the probability of the consequence exceeding some benchmark random variable. This shifts the focus of utility assessment to the identification of the benchmark and the sources of uncertainty in that benchmark. Identification of the benchmark is often easy when the benchmark is based on a status quo outcome, a preferred outcome or an undesirable outcome. Benchmarks are generally easy to communicate and easy to track. Once identified, data and models can then be used to describe the uncertainty in the benchmark. This approach can be useful in those applications where the utility function needs to be justified to others.
Development of Episodic Prospection: Factors Underlying Improvements in Middle and Late Childhood.

Episodic prospection is the mental simulation of a personal future event in rich contextual detail. This study examined age-related differences in episodic prospection in 5- to 11-year-olds and adults (N = 157), as well as factors that may contribute to developmental improvements. Participants' narratives of past, future, and make-believe events were coded for episodic content, and self-concept coherence (i.e., how coherently an individual sees himself or herself) and narrative ability were tested as predictors of episodic prospection. Although all ages provided less episodic content for future event narratives, age-related improvements were observed across childhood, suggesting future event generation is particularly difficult for children. Self-concept coherence and narrative ability each independently predicted the episodic content of 5- and 7-year-olds' future event narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
About a New Fusion Reactor Scheme

Based on the assumption that the cross-field transport of energy in low-β cylindrical plasmas imbedded in an axial magnetic field is lower than in tokamaks, a fusion reactor scheme is proposed cons...
Personae and phonetic detail in sociolinguistic signs

Social meaning-based approaches to linguistic variation treat variation as a semiotic system, in which sociolinguistic signs—indexical links between linguistic forms and social meanings—serve as interactional resources that individuals use to project personae. This article explores the perceptual nature of the links between social personae and linguistic forms, examining how information about a speaker's persona can influence a listener's linguistic perceptions of a continuous phonetic feature. Using a phoneme categorization task, this study examines associations between gradient phonetic manifestations on a continuum from /ae/ to /ɑ/ and three social personae. Findings illustrate that the social persona made relevant for a listener influences the ways in which points on this phonetic continuum are categorized phonemically as either trap or lot. Overall, this shows that the social constructs of personae influence phonetically detailed perceptions of linguistic material. (Sociolinguistic perception, personae, indexicality, sociophonetics, sociolinguistic signs)*
Oxidation of UO/sub 2/ by high-pressure steam

Thermodynamically, the oxygen potential of pure steam increases as the pressure increases. As a result, high-pressure steam can produce more highly oxidized urania than can steam at atmospheric pressure. Oxygen-to-uranium ratios as high as 2.60 can theoretically be attained in steam at 150 atm and temperatures near 1600/sup 0/K. Oxidation to this extent can render the fuel nearly as important a source of hydrogen as the cladding in severe fuel damage accidents. Fuel oxidation by steam, however, is endothermic and provides a heat sink rather than a heat source.