cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compression versus No Compression after Endovenous Ablation of the Great Saphenous Vein: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background The goal of this study is to determine if compression therapy after endovenous ablation (EVA) of the great saphenous vein (GSV) improves efficacy and patient-reported outcomes of pain, ecchymosis, and quality of life. Methods This is a prospective randomized controlled trial from 2009 to 2013 comparing the use of thigh-high 30–40 mm Hg compression therapy for 7 days versus no compression therapy following EVA of the GSV. Severity of venous disease was measured by clinical severity, etiology, anatomy, pathophysiology scale and the Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS). Quality of life assessments were carried out with a Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire (CIVIQ-2) at days 1, 7, 14, 30, and 90, and the Visual Analog Pain Scale daily for the first week. Bruising score was assessed at 1 week post procedure. Postablation venous duplex was also performed. Results Seventy patients and 85 limbs with EVA were randomized. EVA modalities included radiofrequency ablation (91%) and laser ablation (9%). Clinical severity, etiology, anatomy, pathophysiology class and VCSS scores were equivalent between the 2 groups. There was no significant difference in patient-reported outcomes of postprocedural pain scores at day 1 (mean 3.0 vs. 3.12, P = 0.948) and day 7 (mean 2.11 vs. 2.81, P = 0.147), CIVIQ-2 scores at 1 week (mean 36.9 vs. 35.1, P = 0.594) and 90 days (mean 29.1 vs. 22.5, P = 0.367), and bruising score (mean 1.2 vs. 1.4, P = 0.561) in the compression versus no compression groups, respectively. Additionally, there was a 100% rate of GSV closure in both groups and no endothermal heat-induced thrombosis as assessed by postablation duplex. Conclusions Compression therapy does not significantly affect both patient-reported and clinical outcomes after GSV ablation in patients with nonulcerated venous insufficiency. It may be an unnecessary adjunct following GSV ablation.
THE IMPACT OF THE 2008 GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE TRANSMISSION OF PRICE INNOVATIONS ACROSS FINANCIAL MARKETS: THE CASE OF SOUTHWEST ASIAN EQUITY MARKETS

This study examines the reaction of Southeast Asian equity markets to the transmission of price innovations from major equity markets during the pre and post periods of the 2008 global financial crisis. In particular, we examine the reaction of returns indices in Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand as endogenous variables, and compare them to the returns indices of the U.S., the Eurozone, Japan, and China as exogenous variables. The results of VAR models indicate the combined and individual impact of the price innovations from the major equity markets on the volatility of returns of selected countries is relatively trivial during either the pre- or post-financial crisis periods. However, the individual impact of the U.S. innovations is generally higher during the post-financial crisis. The ARCH and GARCH models indicate the stock markets of Southeast Asian countries are more responsive to their own price innovations during both the pre- and the post-crisis periods, although some response to U.S. and Eurozone shocks is also observed.
Primary aortoduodenal fistula: a rare entity with lethal effects

Primary aortoduodenal fistula (ADF) is a rare but morbid diagnosis. Here, we present the case of a patient with a primary ADF that resulted in mortality. Despite multiple attempts at radiographic and endoscopic diagnosis, the fistula did not declare itself until the patient exsanguinated. Given the morbidity associated with ADF and the imperfection of associated diagnostic studies, a high index of suspicion is required to make a timely diagnosis.
A rare case of emphysematous pyelonephritis in a renal transplant patient

Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a rare life-threatening complication of a properly functioning renal allograft leading to potential graft loss and hemodialysis. Currently, no clear management guidelines exist in these clinically challenging immunosuppressed renal transplant recipients. We report a case of a 62-year-old woman who presented with class 4 EPN and was managed with intravenous antibiotics and nephrectomy at our medical center.
Problems with precision and neutrality in EOL preference elicitation

The article by Kamm identifies ‘potential pitfalls’ in current approaches to providing patient-centred advanced illness and end-of-life care (EOLC). Specifically, Kamm cautions against ‘nudging and framing effects’ in discussions to elicit patients' preferences that could produce ‘skewed or biased results’. Kamm further argues that precision and neutrality in questions designed to elicit patient preferences may help to ensure that preferences are ‘reliably elicited’ and avoid mistakes in EOLC decisions. In response, we highlight the problems with a focus on precision and neutrality in discussions about end-of-life (EOL) preferences and advocate an alternative approach that we believe is more likely to achieve patient-centred care. Kamm describes eliciting patients' values via precise and balanced trade-off questions, with increasingly specific follow-up questions used to pinpoint patients' wishes and ‘avoid mistakes in EOLC decisions’. This approach does not resonate with our experience conducting EOL conversations with seriously ill patients and, we would argue, it risks biasing preference elicitation for different reasons. First, Kamm's model assumes that people have preformed preferences for EOL treatments. She suggests that the goal of the interview is to elicit these preformed preferences in a way that lets the ‘truth’ come out. In contrast, we argue that preferences are discovered in conversation, a process in which patients reflect on …
A Mobile App for Synchronizing Glucometer Data: Impact on Adherence and Glycemic Control Among Youths With Type 1 Diabetes in Routine Care.

Background:Many individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) upload and review blood glucose data between clinic visits. Mobile phone applications that receive data from a “connected” glucometer and that...
Arctic Law and Governance: The Role of China and Finland (2017)

This book review considers Arctic Law and Governance: The Role of China and Finland, a new volume edited by Timo Koivurova, Tianbao Qin, Tapio Nykanen, and Sebastien Duyck. The book represents the culmination of a joint project between researchers from the University of Lapland, Finland and Wuhan University, China. In the volume, the Arctic policies of China, Finland, and the European Union are compared. Special attention is given to maritime sovereignty, science, marine conservation and management, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Svalbard Treaty, and the Arctic Council. Overall, the volume presents a rich, detailed account of China’s activities in the Arctic, though the chapters by the Chinese authors tend to be somewhat less analytical than those by the European contributors. The case for comparing China with Finland and the European Union is not always wholly convincing, but the reader is ultimately left with an understanding of how cooperation could arise in the Arctic between these three unlikely partners in two shared areas of interest: development of Arctic resources and transportation. Such work is valuable, for it demonstrates that the aims of Arctic and non-Arctic stakeholders are not necessarily at odds simply due to differences in geography.
Optical technologies for the Internet of Things era

Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of interrelated physical objects that can collect and exchange data with one another through embedded electronics, software, sensors, over the Internet. It extends Internet connectivity beyond traditional networking devices to a diverse range of physical devices and everyday things that utilize embedded technologies to communicate and interact with the external environment. The IoT brings automation and efficiency improvement to everyday life, business, and society. Therefore IoT applications and market are growing rapidly. Contrary to common belief that IoT is only related to wireless technology, optical technologies actually play important roles in the growth of IoT and contribute to its advancement. Firstly, fiber optics provides the backbone for transporting large amount of data generated by IoT network in the core , metro and access networks, and in building or in the physical object. Secondly, optical switching technologies, including all-optical switching and hybrid optical-electrical switching, enable fast and high bandwidth routing in IoT data processing center. Thirdly, optical sensing and imaging delivers comprehensive information of multiple physical phenomena through monitoring various optical properties such as intensity, phase, wavelength, frequency, polarization, and spectral distribution. In particular, fiber optic sensor has the advantages of high sensitivity, low latency, and long distributed sensing range. It is also immune to electromagnetic interference, and can be implemented in harsh environment. In this paper, the architecture of IoT is described, and the optical technologies and their applications in the IoT networks are discussed with practical examples.
Potential Cognitive Benefits From Playing Music Among Cognitively Intact Older Adults: A Scoping Review:

The aging population is growing rapidly, raising rates of cognitive impairment, which makes strategies for protection against cognitive impairment increasingly important. There is little evidence indicating highly effective interventions preventing or slowing onset of cognitive impairment. Music playing influences brain and cognitive function, activating multiple brain areas and using cognitive and motor functions as well as multiple sensory systems, simultaneously. The purpose of this study was to review the current evidence related to playing a musical instrument being a potentially protective mechanism against cognitive decline among older adults. Using scoping review procedures, four databases were searched. Paired reviewers analyzed articles for content, design, and bias. Eleven studies met study criteria and were included in the review. All studies showed that music playing was correlated with positive outcomes on cognitive ability; more high-quality research is needed in this area to understand mechanisms behind potential cognitive protection of music.
Phytoplankton Spatial Variability in the River-Dominated Estuary, Apalachicola Bay, Florida

In shallow estuaries with strong river influence, the short residence time and pronounced gradients generate an environment for plankton that differs substantially in its dynamics from that of the open ocean, and the question arises “How is phytoplankton biomass affected?” This study assesses the small-scale spatial and temporal distribution of phytoplankton in Apalachicola Bay, a shallow bar-built estuary in the Florida Panhandle. Phytoplankton peaks were characterized to gain insights into the processes affecting spatial heterogeneity in biomass. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) distribution at 50-m spatial resolution was mapped using a flow-through sensor array, Dataflow©, operated from a boat that sampled four transects across the bay every 2 weeks for 16 months. Chl a peaks exceeding background concentrations had an average width of 1.3 ± 0.7 km delineated by an average gradient of 3.0 ± 6.0 μg Chl a L−1 km−1. Magnitude of E-W wind, velocity of N-S wind, tidal stage, and temperature affected peak characteristics. Phytoplankton contained in the peaks contributed 7.7 ± 2.7% of the total integrated biomass observed along the transects during the study period. The river plume front was frequently a location of elevated Chl a, which shifted in response to river discharge. The results demonstrate that despite the shallow water column, river flushing, and strong wind and tidal mixing, distinct patchiness develops that should be taken into consideration in ecological studies and when assessing productivity of such ecosystems.
On Association Study of Scalp EEG Data Channels Under Different Circumstances

Electroencephalography (EEG) is an electrophysiological monitoring method to record electrical activity of the brain using different electrodes, which are considered as the EEG channels that are placed on scalp. In this paper, we propose an effective information processing approach to explore the association among EEG channels under different circumstances. Particularly, we design four different experimental scenarios and record the EEG signals under motions of eye-opening and body-movement. With sequences of data collected in time order, we first compute the mutual conditional entropy to measure the association between two electrodes. Using the hierarchical clustering tree and data mechanics algorithm, we could effectively identify the association between particular EEG channels under certain motion scenarios. We also implement the weighted random forest to further classify the classes (experimental scenarios) of the EEG time series. Our evaluation results show that we could successfully classify the particular motions with given EEG data series.
Advances in the Treatment of Inherited Metabolic Diseases

Major advances have been made in the elucidation of the molecular pathologies of inherited metabolic diseases during the past two decades. The clinical and pathophysiologic manifestations have been delineated and the metabolic derangements have been characterized in an ever-increasing number of these myriad disorders.1–2 Sophisticated chemical and enzymatic techniques as well as in vitro tissue culture systems have been developed to identify the specific enzymatic defects in more than 150 of the over 400 catalogued, recessively inherited, inborn errors of metabolism.2 Implementation of these techniques in major centers has made the diagnosis of these disorders a reality. Indeed, the demonstration of the specific enzymatic deficiency has provided for the accurate diagnosis of affected homozygotes or hemizygotes, detection of heterozygous carriers, and the capability to prenatally diagnose and prevent the birth of affected fetuses. However, in spite of these major diagnostic achievements, patients and their families have become increasingly disappointed by the absence of specific therapies for most of these debilitating disorders.
The nationality law and entry restrictions of 1899: constructing Japanese identity between China and the West

AbstractJapan’s new treaties with the Western powers came into force in the summer of 1899. These signified Japan’s recognition as a modern state, but also opened the whole of Japan to residence an...
Fostering US-Russia Cooperation in the Arctic Through Disaster Diplomacy Efforts

Warming Arctic temperatures raise concerns about emerging disaster risks caused by the increasing levels of resource extraction, maritime shipping, and other development in the region. This chapter illustrates the role of disaster diplomacy in reducing risks and simultaneously fostering peace in the region through cooperation between US and Russian disaster experts. The analysis consisted of an in-depth review of historic and current bilateral cooperation agreements and joint agreements with other Arctic states, and case study analysis of individual US-Russia cooperative efforts in the Bering Strait. The analysis revealed that the two states are already engaged in disaster diplomacy efforts through the Arctic Council agreements. However, bilateral disaster-related collaborations in the Arctic had been ceased after the 2014 friction between Russia and the United States over the conflict in Ukraine and consequent geopolitical tensions in the lower latitudes. The paper illustrates that the mere signing of the Arctic Council binding agreements cannot ensure effective cooperation and coordination among Russia and the United States. To be effective, the agreements should also include cooperation measures that involve all relevant participants – scientists, disaster practitioners, Indigenous and local knowledge holders, policymakers, NGOs, and industry – from both sides. This chapter also illustrates continuous US-Russia cooperation, in spite of geopolitical tensions, as an Arctic Triumph. The ability of US and Russian disaster experts to pursue opportunities to collaborate on the mutual goal of disaster risk reduction and find solutions to common challenges in the times of restrictions on bilateral contacts is triumphant.
The Persianate World : The Frontiers of a Eurasian Lingua Franca

Persian is one of the great lingua francas of world history. Yet despite its recognition as a shared language across the Islamic world and beyond, its scope, impact, and mechanisms remain underexplored. A world historical inquiry into pre-modern cosmopolitanism, The Persianate World traces the reach and limits of Persian as a Eurasian language in a comprehensive survey of its geographical, literary, and social frontiers. From Siberia to Southeast Asia, and between London and Beijing, this book shows how Persian gained, maintained, and finally surrendered its status to imperial and vernacular competitors. Fourteen essays trace Persian’s interactions with Bengali, Chinese, Turkic, Punjabi, and other languages to identify the forces that extended “Persographia,” the domain of written Persian. Spanning the ages of expansion and contraction, The Persianate World offers a critical survey of both the supports and constraints of one of history’s key languages of global exchange. “This groundbreaking collection illuminates the multifaceted and very complex history of the rise and decline of the Persian language as a lingua franca.” AHMAD KARIMI-HAKKAK, author of Recasting Persian Poetry “With erudition and refinement, this book accomplishes something remarkable—it provides a timely corrective to an anachronistic understanding of the Persianate sphere as an empire of letters centred on Iran.” PAOLO SARTORI, author of Visions of Justice “An exceptionally important contribution to our understanding of what constituted the Persianate world.” ANDREW PEACOCK, University of St. Andrews NILE GREEN holds the Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of Sufism: A Global History and Terrains of Exchange: Religious Economies of Global Islam and editor of Afghanistan’s Islam: From Conversion to the Taliban.
Research on the Relationship between Virtual Economy and Real Economy Development in China

The development scale and degree of virtual economy should be adapted to the development level of real economy, and maintaining a moderate development proportion relationship between the two is the key to promoting sound and rapid economic development. Based on the perspective of economic development and the logistic model in population ecology, this paper constructs a regional virtual economy and real economy development model on the basis of the relationship between virtual economy and real economy development, studies the equilibrium and stability of the coordinated development of the two, and empirically studies the coordinated development ratio of virtual economy and real economy in China using the relevant data of the development of virtual economy and real economy from 1996 to 2008. The coordinated development relationship between virtual economy and real economy can reflect the evolution trend of economy. The coordinated development ratio can play a certain early warning role for the excessive expansion of virtual economy, and effective monetary and fiscal policies can be formulated according to the relationship between the actual ratio and the reasonable development ratio.
Magnetic ordering in rare earth metal dysprosium revealed by neutron diffraction studies in a large-volume diamond anvil cell

A high pressure low-temperature neutron diffraction study has been carried out on rare earth metal Dysprosium (Dy) to 10.8 GPa and 8 K in a large-volume diamond anvil cell using a spallation neutro...
Predictive factors of enucleation after open globe injuries

Trauma is the leading cause of enucleations in the USA. Current information regarding open globe injuries (OGI) is based mainly on data from individual tertiary care centers across the country which might skew the findings towards the population served by these level-one trauma centers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the demographics, characteristics, and risk factors of traumatic enucleations in a large data sample. Descriptive cross-sectional observational study using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) Database from 2002 to 2013. Inpatients with traumatic enucleations were identified using ICD-9 codes. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to identify differences between the enucleated and non-enucleated cohorts and to evaluate the predictive factors of enucleation in OGIs. Enucleations were performed in 3020 (6.2%) of 48,563 OGIs identified. The average age in the enucleated cohort for males vs. females was 44.7 vs. 62.2 years. In the USA, the highest number of traumatic enucleations occurred in the 21–40 group (41.8%) and the fewest in the 80+ age group (11.8%). The risk of enucleation decreased across the age groups significantly. Compared with the 21–40 age group, the risk of undergoing enucleation was 15% lower in patients 41 to 60 years of age, 35% in patients 61 to 80, and 40% lower in patients over 80. In total, 5.1% OGIs in women and 6.7% of OGIs in men were enucleated. The risk of enucleation was 29% higher in men than in women. The highest absolute number of enucleations was seen in Whites. Compared with Whites, Blacks had a 63% higher risk of enucleation following an OGI. OGIs with rupture-type injury, endophthalmitis, or phthisis were significantly higher odds to be enucleated. The risk of enucleation following traumatic OGI significantly increased for patients who were in the 21–40 age group, of Black race, or of male gender; the risk also increased if the injury was a rupture-type or associated with endophthalmitis or phthisis. The risk of depression was 75% higher in enucleated patients versus non-enucleated patients.
The Relationship Between Comprehension and Production

The validity of the well-accepted principle that comprehension precedes production in language learning was challenged by Gathercole (1988, p. 417) who states as follows: “The demands of comprehension and production are distinct, and it is a mistake to conclude that one is more essential or facilitates acquisition more than the other.” Gathercole (1988, p. 426) further states: “The overemphasis on comprehension before production seems to be ill-founded, and a more flexible approach that aims at a two-way interaction between these two skills appears more desirable.” Finally, Gathercole (p. 436) concludes: “the fact that the relationship between comprehension and production is not unidirectional—that progress in either may lead to progress in the other—suggests that language teachers should recognize that production may in some cases, precede and even facilitate comprehension of structures.” Gathercole’s position is similarly held by second-language instructors who regard training in speaking to be the fundamental process of second-language learning.
Nanogap dielectrophoresis combined with buffer exchange for detecting protein binding to trapped bioparticles

Abstract We demonstrate a gold nanogap electrode platform that can rapidly create a linear array of biological particles by low-voltage dielectrophoresis (DEP). We further combine microfluidic buffer exchange to introduce protein molecules in high-conductivity solutions while trapping and immobilizing particles. The nanogap between the gold electrodes enables low operating voltages that prevent unwanted Joule heating in high-conductivity buffers. This platform is used to trap bioparticles composed of lipid membranes such as spherical supported lipid bilayers and brain-derived myelin particles, followed by detection of protein binding to specific membrane-bound receptors. We use bioparticles with different sizes, physicochemical properties, and origins to demonstrate a platform that can be used to study a variety of biomolecular interactions. The low-power linear DEP trap combined with microfluidic buffer exchange has potential to enable a portable biosensing platform to rapidly concentrate rare biological particles and perform on-chip binding assays with improved detection limits in physiological buffers.
Achieving Externship Success: An Empirical Study of the All-Important Law School Externship Experience

With law school externships more popular than ever, the need for an empirical evaluation of externship success is timely and essential. The promise of getting closer to practice readiness propels many law students to enroll in an externship (also known as field placements). But no study has empirically measured whether and to what extent law students get close to first-year law practice readiness through their externship, and what factors lead to that success. Without such a study, the American Bar Association’s regulation of externships and law schools’ externship design decisions are made without the benefit of critical data. This Article describes the year-long, multi-school Externship Study conducted to concretely measure (1) whether and to what extent externships lead to practice-readiness and (2) which attributes of the law school, the externship placement, or the students themselves are the most important contributors to that success. In this Article, the authors use statistical models, descriptive summary, and narrative summary to analyze data from hundreds of law students and the lawyers and judges who supervised them in externships. The results reveal a high level of externship success, measured in terms of practice readiness. The contributing factors to that success are noteworthy. The Externship Study shows that neither law school entering credentials (e.g., median entering LSATs of 168, 158 and 153 for the surveyed schools) nor the academic component of the externship (i.e., class and related work in addition to the externship fieldwork – as low as 3.25 hours and as high as 27.5 hours for the surveyed schools) contribute to externship success. Moreover, law school GPA plays a very limited role in externship success. Instead, the most important factor that leads to measurable extern success is the student’s relationship with supervisor, feedback from supervisor, and nature of assignments at the placement. Other contributing factors include the students themselves, who play a critical role in their externship success – namely, their previous professional experience, motivation to work in the real world as well as their attitude toward the externship. These findings warrant attention as a critical first step for data-driven externship policy and program decisions.
Nanoscopy reveals surface-metallic black phosphorus.

Black phosphorus (BP) is an emerging two-dimensional material with intriguing physical properties. It is highly anisotropic and highly tunable by means of both the number of monolayers and surface doping. Here, we experimentally investigate and theoretically interpret the near-field properties of a-few-atomic-monolayer nanoflakes of BP. We discover near-field patterns of bright outside fringes and a high surface polarizability of nanofilm BP consistent with its surface-metallic, plasmonic behavior at mid-infrared frequencies <1176 cm−1. We conclude that these fringes are caused by the formation of a highly polarizable layer at the BP surface. This layer has a thickness of ~1 nm and exhibits plasmonic behavior. We estimate that it contains free carriers in a concentration of n≈1.1 × 1020 cm−3. Surface plasmonic behavior is observed for 10–40 nm BP thicknesses but absent for a 4-nm BP thickness. This discovery opens up a new field of research and potential applications in nanoelectronics, plasmonics and optoelectronics. The first near-field optical study of black phosphorus has found that the emerging material exhibits surface metallic, plasmonic behavior. The high anisotropy, which leads to unique electronic properties, and high tunability of black phosphorus make it promising for applications in nanoelectronics and nanophotonics. Now, Abate's group of Georgia State University and colleagues have used nanoscopy to explore the near-field optical properties of nanoflakes of black phosphorus that are made up of a few atomic layers. They observed bright fringes in the near-field patterns at mid-infrared frequencies, which suggest the formation of a highly polarizable layer at the surface of black phosphorus. The observation of a metallic nanolayer is highly significant for the application of black phosphorus to nanoelectronic devices such as field-emitting transistors.
The Sniffing Kidney: Roles for Renal Olfactory Receptors in Health and Disease

Abstract Olfactory receptors (ORs) represent the largest gene family in the human genome. Despite their name, functions exist for these receptors outside of the nose. Among the tissues known to take advantage of OR signaling is the kidney. From mouse to man, the list of renal ORs continues to expand, and they have now been linked to a variety of processes involved in the maintenance of renal homeostasis, including the modulation of blood pressure, response to acidemia, and the development of diabetes. In this review, we highlight the recent progress made on the growing appreciation for renal ORs in physiology and pathophysiology.
Ensemble encoding of conditioned fear by prefrontal somatostatin interneurons

Abstract Neurons preferentially activated by learning have been ascribed the unique potential to encode memory. However, it remains unclear which genetically-defined cell types are recruited as part of such an ensemble, or what role discrete subpopulations play in behavior. Here we show that fear conditioning activates a heterogeneous neural ensemble in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), comprised to a large degree of GABAergic interneurons immunoreactive for somatostatin (SST-INs). Using an intersectional genetic approach, we demonstrate that fear learning-activated SST-INs exhibit distinct circuit properties, are preferentially reactivated during memory retrieval, and mediate the expression of defensive freezing. We further show that a rewarding experience, morphine treatment, activates an orthogonal SST-IN population that exerts opposing control over fear. These results outline an important role for discrete GABAergic ensembles in fear memory encoding, and point to an unappreciated capacity for functional specialization among SST-INs.
Human-Technology Frontier: Measuring Student Performance-Related Responses to Authentic Engineering Education Activities via Physiological Sensing

Multi-modal approaches have increasingly shown promise in exploring the human side of engineering via the assessment of authentic responses to learning or working environments. This study explores the utility of non-invasive physiological wrist sensors in measuring the reactive and regulatory responses of a group of 161 engineering students taking an authentic engineering practice exam. The practice exam was categorized into Conceptual problems (e.g., rote memorization) and Analytical problems (e.g., requiring application of learned concepts through equations and free-body diagrams). Responses were measured through electrodermal activity and indicators of performance. Findings identified that the type of practice exam problem, even if designed to be within the moderate range of difficulty, influenced how students reacted to and regulated their performance to the problem (as seen by stronger positive correlations in the Analytical problems) and that these may occur via multi-componential processes.
Medical Students' Perceptions of American Indian-Focused Educational Experiences.

INTRODUCTION American Indians are burdened with a myriad of health disparities. As South Dakota's largest minority population, increasing medical students' experiences with the healthcare of American Indians can play a significant role in helping to alleviate American Indians' health disparities as these future physicians will be better able to predict, detect, and treat the health care needs of this population. METHODS Survey data from 103 medical students at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine (SSOM) was collected and analyzed. Demographic information and perceived levels of being informed about American Indians and populations on reservations were collected. Furthermore, medical students' insights on how the SSOM can improve its students' educational experiences with American Indian populations were also collected. RESULTS Compared to their perceived knowledge of American Indians prior to beginning medical school (26.2 percent), responding medical students believe they became more informed regarding American Indians (61.2 percent) as they progressed through medical school. Fifty-one of the 64 students (80 percent) who answered the open-ended question noted that their medical training would benefit from increased opportunities (including required) with American Indian people, culture, and reservation-based communities. CONCLUSION There is a desire amongst medical students to increase and require more cultural information and clinical experiences with American Indian people and populations on reservations. Future research is needed to obtain medical student feedback on the newly implemented curriculum and elective opportunities.
Getting and Staying Productive: Applying Swift, Even Flow to Practice

Part I. Concept: 1. The usual suspects 2. Swift, even flow 3. The old-fashioned way to make money Part II. Application: 4. Vision 5. Making a bad process better 6. Linking the supply chain 7. Amid uncertainty 8. Strategy 9. Resolving the paradox.
How Iron Activates O2

Iron enzymes play a key role in many biological processes involving oxygen, from the biosynthesis of DNA to the conversion of electrochemical to chemical energy. In her Perspective, Kovacs highlights two reports that shed light on some of the intermediates that may be involved in reactions promoted by nonheme iron enzymes. Rohde et al. study a chemical analog system, while Karlsson et al. investigate the enzyme naphthalene dioxygenase with x-ray crystallography. By catching some of the fleeting intermediates, the two studies help to understand the enzymatic mechanism of this important group of proteins.
Bis(4‐nitrophenyl) Carbonate

[5070-13-3] C13H8N2O7 (MW 304.22) InChI = 1/C13H8N2O7/c16-13(21-11-5-1-9(2-6-11)14(17)18)22-12-7-3-10(4-8-12)15(19)20/h1-8H InChIKey = ACBQROXDOHKANW-UHFFFAOYAD (peptide coupling reagent;1 reagent for formation of carbamate linked cytosines2) Physical Data: mp 144–145 °C. Solubility: sol chloroform and THF. Form Supplied in: off-white powder.
Workload Characterization of the SPECpower_ssj2008 Benchmark

SPEC has recently released SPECpower_ssj2008, the first industry benchmark which measures performance and power of volume server class computers using graduated load levels. In this paper, we present a brief overview and an initial characterization of this benchmark by measuring the system resource utilization with the aid of processor monitoring events at graduated load levels and by comparing the sensitivity of final metric and other related data between various configurations consisting of hardware changes as well as software changes on Quad Core Intel Xeon processor based servers. Even though this is early data from a specific platform and OS, it still validates many expected patterns and opens exciting new opportunities for researchers to investigate specific areas as well as in-depth characterization as a next step.
Proteoglycan degradation by a chondrocyte metalloprotease: effects of synthetic protease inhibitors

Abstract Synthetic inhibitors of a chondrocyte metalloprotease (CMP) were assessed for potency. Proteoglycan core protein was used as substrate. The ic 50 values were between 2 × 10 −6 and 7 × 10 −6 M for two types of inhibitors, thiol tripeptides and N -carboxyalkyl peptides. Hydroxamic acid peptides were more potent, with ic 50 values of 3.2 × 10 −8 to 6.0 × 10 −8 M. These results confirm inhibitory concentrations reported using a proteoglycan-polyacrylamide bead assay. The slopes of the doseresponse curves for the thiol compounds were steeper than the slopes for the other two types of compounds. All of the culture media tested inhibited CMP to some extent. Some media also interfered with inhibitor activity. In Ham's F10 nutrient medium, minimum CMP inhibition occurred, and all four hydroxamic acid peptides retained their activity for 1–2 days at 37°. One thiol peptide compound assayed lost activity in 1 hr in thiocyanate-treated serum. All four hydroxamic acid peptides assayed retained activity in thiocyanate-treated serum after 3 days at 37°. The hydroxamic acid peptides may provide a way to block endogenous CMP activity in vivo and to assess the role of CMP in normal and experimentally altered cartilage. They are more potent than other known CMP inhibitors. They retain activity in culture media and serum conditions used for in vivo and in vitro tests of CMP activity and toxicity.
Some Projected Curriculum Planning

(1939). Some Projected Curriculum Planning. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 10, No. 9, pp. 509-554.
The terminase of bacteriophage λ: Functional domains for cosB binding and multimer assembly

Terminase is a protein complex involved in lambda DNA packaging. The subunits of terminase, gpNul and gpA, are the products of genes Nul and A. The actions of terminase include DNA binding, prohead binding and DNA nicking. Phage 21 is a lambdoid phage that also makes a terminase, encoded by genes 1 and 2. The terminases of 21 and lambda are not interchangeable. This specificity involves two actions of terminase; DNA binding and prohead binding. In addition, the subunits of lambda terminase will not form functional multimers with the subunits of 21 terminase. lambda-21 hybrid phages can be produced as a result of recombination. We describe here lambda-21 hybrid phages that have hybrid terminase genes. The packaging specificities of the hybrids and the structure of their genes were compared in order to identify functional domains of terminase. The packaging specificities were determined in vivo by complementation tests and helper packaging experiments. Restriction enzyme site mapping and sequencing located the sites at which recombination occurred to produce the hybrid phages. lambda-21 hybrid 51 carries the lambda A gene, and a hybrid 1/Nul gene. The crossover that produced this phage occurred near the middle of the 1 and Nul genes. The amino-terminal portion of the hybrid protein is homologous to gp1 and the carboxy-terminal portion is homologous to gpNul. It binds to 21 DNA and forms functional multimers with gpA, providing evidence that the amino-terminal portion of gpNul is involved in DNA binding and the carboxy-terminal portion of gpNul is involved in the interaction with gpA. lambda-21 hybrid 54 has a hybrid 2/A gene. The amino terminus of the hybrid protein of lambda-21 hybrid 54 is homologous with gp2. This protein forms functional multimers only with gp1, providing evidence that the amino terminus of gpA is involved in the interaction with gpNul. These studies identify three functional domains of terminase.
FLUTE: fast lookup table based wirelength estimation technique

Wirelength estimation is an important tool to guide the design optimization process in early design stages. In this paper, we present a wirelength estimation technique called FLUTE. Our technique is based on pre-computed lookup table to make wirelength estimation very fast and very accurate for low degree nets. We show experimentally that for FLUTE, RMST, and HPWL, the average error in wirelength are 0.72%, 4.23%, and -8.71%, respectively, and the normalized runtime are 1, 1.24, and 0.16, respectively.
Performance of cryptococcus antigen latex agglutination kits on serum and cerebrospinal fluid specimens of AIDS patients before and after pronase treatment.

Cryptococcal antigen titers in 97 serum and 42 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from 37 AIDS patients with culture-proven cryptococcal infection were determined with the Meridian kit (Meridian Diagnostics Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio) before and after treatment with pronase. The geometric mean titers before and after pronase treatment were 1:45 and 1:588 in serum and 1:97 and 1:79 in CSF, respectively. Only on serum (but not CSF) specimens after pronase treatment were (i) titers increased by 2 to 13 dilutions on 57% of the specimens, all of which had titers of less than or equal to 1:128 before pronase treatment, (ii) false-negative reactions on 27% of specimens before pronase treatment eliminated, all of which had titers from 1:4 to 1:4,096, (iii) prozone-like reactions (titer, less than or equal to 1:256) on 9% of the specimens before pronase treatment eliminated, and (iv) agglutination reactions on all specimens stronger and easier to interpret. Antifungal agents added to serum as well as freeze-thaw cycles did not change antigen titers in serum. After two separate tests, the same titers were obtained on 94% of 35 serum specimens that were treated with pronase and on 96% of 53 CSF specimens that were not treated with pronase. A total of 26 serum specimens and 28 CSF specimens from patients with no cryptococcal disease were negative before and after pronase treatment. The IBL kit (International Biological Labs Inc., Cranbury, N.J.) was compared with the Meridian kit on 41 serum specimens and 14 CSF specimens. Results from the two kits agreed on 54 and 68% of serum specimens and 86 and 93% of CSF specimens before and after pronase treatment, respectively. The IBL kit generally produced higher titers on specimens in disagreement and produced no prozone-like reactions. Routine pronase treatment of serum is recommended with the Meridian kit in order to eliminate false-negative and unclear agglutination reactions by producing a consistent interpretation of agglutination reactions. CSF specimens do not require pronase treatment. Titer results produced by the kits from the two different manufacturers varied considerably: the kits should not be used interchangeably for determining antigen titers in serum specimens.
Reactions and fission of clusters

Classical and quantum molecular-dynamics simulations are used to investigate a new class of cluster-catalyzed reactions induced via collisions between reactants embedded in clusters, and the energetics and dynamics of fission of doubly charged sodium clusters, exhibiting shell- closing effects, double-hump barriers, and a precursor fission mechanism.
Microorganisms Associated with Fruits and Vegetables

The trend in increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is expected to continue through 2020, with fruit consumption increasing by 24 to 27% and vegetable consumption increasing by 19 to 24%. Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables may have unintended consequences. Since fruit and vegetables are produced in a natural environment, they are vulnerable to contamination by human pathogens. Approximately 12% of foodborne illnesses in the 1990s were linked to fresh produce items. The importation of fresh fruits and vegetables creates unique food safety concerns. The key issue among retailers with respect to imported fresh fruits and vegetables is ensuring food safety. Viruses are a frequent cause of foodborne outbreaks, and many outbreaks of viral infection are attributed to consumption of contaminated fresh fruits and vegetables. Food handlers are often (48 of 94 outbreaks) implicated in outbreaks linked to viruses as opposed to outbreaks (20 of 102 outbreaks) involving bacteria. Humidity plays an important role in survival of viruses on fresh fruits and vegetables. Foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis and cryptosporidiosis have been associated with the consumption of fresh snow peas, raspberries, basil, and mesclun lettuce and a variety of other fresh fruits and vegetables. Measures to ensure the microbiological safety of fresh fruits and vegetables have advanced significantly in the past decade; consumption of fruits and vegetables must continue to be encouraged as part of a healthy diet.
Focus the mining beacon: lessons and challenges from the world of e-commerce

Electronic Commerce is now entering its second decade, with Amazon.com and eBay now in existence for ten years. With massive amounts of data, an actionable domain, and measurable ROI, multiple companies use data mining and knowledge discovery to understand their customers and improve interactions. We present important lessons and challenges using e-commerce examples across two dimensions: (i) business-level to technical, and (ii) the mining lifecycle from data collection, data warehouse construction, to discovery and deployment. Many of the lessons and challenges are applicable to domains outside e-commerce.
Collaborative research: once more into the breach.

In this issue, Christoffel and associates1 described a new program of practice-based research involving community pediatricians and the Department of Pediatrics at Children9s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. In one sense, all clinical research is practice based and has a long and honorable history in medicine. What has changed is that the gap between those who conduct research and those in clinical practice has widened. As the pathophysiology of diseases is better understood, the frontier of biomedical science has moved from the whole patient to the organ system, the cell, and, now, the molecular level. It is as if each generation of researchers has snapped a progressively higher power lens under the microscope, with a deeper but more narrow focus.
Increasing the Rural Physician Workforce: A Potential Role for Small Rural Medical School Campuses.

Purpose To address the issue of physician maldistribution, some medical schools have rural-focused efforts, and many more are in the planning or early implementation stage. The best duration and structure of the rural immersion experience are unclear, and the relative effects of rural upbringing and rural training on subsequent rural practice choice are often difficult to determine. Methods To determine the effect of adding a rural clinical campus to our school, we analyzed the variables of rural upbringing, demographics, family medicine residency choice, and campus participation using a multivariate model for association with rural practice choice. We included graduates from the classes of 2001-2008 from both campuses (urban and rural) in the analysis. Findings We found similar associations to those reported previously of rural upbringing (OR = 2.67 [1.58-4.52]) and family medicine residency (OR = 5.08 [2.88-8.98]) with rural practice choice. Even controlling for these 2 variables, participation in the full 2 years at the rural clinical campus showed the strongest association (OR = 5.46 [2.61-11.42]). All 3 associations were significant at P < .001, and no other variables were significant. Conclusions We conclude that the investment of resources in our rural campus may add an increment to rural practice choice beyond the established associations with rural upbringing and family medicine residency. The decision of practice site choice is complex, and collaborative studies that include data from several schools with differently structured rural exposures, including those with rural clinical campuses, are needed.