cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Access Time Analysis of MCPTT Off-Network Mode over LTE

Public safety organizations around the world started migrating toward Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks to support the increasing needs for video and data. To address the unique voice communication requirements of first responders, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) introduced new capabilities that aim at providing similar functionalities as the traditional Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems, namely, Direct Mode communication and mission critical push-to-talk (MCPTT). Direct Mode communication, also called Proximity Services (ProSe), allows public safety users to communicate directly with each other regardless of the network status. MCPTT was the first mission critical service, and first application, standardized by 3GPP to provide both on- and off-network voice capability. Assessing the performance of those capabilities is critical to accelerate their deployment and adoption by first responders. In this study, we evaluate the performance of an off-network mode MCPTT device over ProSe by focusing on the access time, a measure of the delay incurred before a user can talk. We develop analytical models for various types of calls and verify the accuracy of the predicted access time using ns-3 simulations. We perform sensitivity analysis to show the validity of the models for various scenarios. Finally, we show how the models can be used to guide parameter configuration for both MCPTT and ProSe to optimize the performance.
Ostomy-Related Complications

Ileostomy or colostomy formation is an important component of many surgical procedures performed for a wide range of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Despite the frequency with which intestinal stomas are created, stoma-related complications remain common and are associated with significant morbidity as well as cost. Some of the most prevalent complications of stoma formation which will be detailed in this article include peristomal skin complications, retraction, stomal necrosis, stomal stenosis, prolapse, bleeding, dehydration from high ostomy output, and parastomal hernia. The authors will review these common complications, detail means to avoid or prevent them, and outline recommendations for management.
Comparison of opioid use and prescribing patterns in orthopedic surgery in Japan and the United States: A JOA-AOA Traveling Fellowship Investigation

Abstract Background The US continues to be in the midst of an opioid epidemic. The prescription of narcotics for acute injury or post-operative pain is a common inciting event leading to opioid abuse and addiction. It is eminently important for orthopedic surgeons to lead the charge in changing practice patterns to decrease the prescribing and subsequent use and abuse of opioids. Anecdotally, many surgeons are aware that use of opioids for post-operative pain is substantially less in other countries compared to the US. However, this has not been well quantified and may be useful information to guide practice. Methods The 2018 American Orthopedic Association (AOA)– Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) traveling fellows developed a survey to compare orthopedic surgeon-reported opioid prescribing patterns after various common orthopedic surgeries in Japan and the US. Results We present here survey data demonstrating significantly less post-operative prescription of opioids in Japan in terms of number of pills provided and duration of prescriptions compared to orthopedic surgeons in the US. Conclusion We hope this provides meaningful data to motivate orthopedic surgeons in the US to evaluate and potentially alter their own prescription habits to help mitigate the opioid crisis.
Nondestructive Electromagnetic Characterization of Uniaxial Sheet Media Using a Two-Flanged Rectangular Waveguide Probe

A nondestructive evaluation technique for determining complex permittivities and permeabilities of uniaxial anisotropic sheet media is presented. An existing technique, the two-flanged waveguide measurement technique (tFWMT), has demonstrated good results for the nondestructive electromagnetic characterization of isotropic materials. This article extends the tFWMT for uniaxially anisotropic materials and presents the experimental determination of the permittivity and permeability of uniaxially anisotropic media. The measured scattering parameters are compared to theoretical scattering parameters, and the complex permittivity and permeability are extracted using a nonlinear least squares method. To find theoretical scattering parameters, Love’s equivalence principle and the spectral-domain Green’s function are used to form a set of coupled magnetic-field integral equations (MFIEs). This set of coupled MFIEs is solved utilizing the method of moments. To validate the new method, electromagnetic characterization of two honeycomb materials is made by using the two-flanged waveguides measurement technique and the results are compared to those obtained using the established methods.
Blue Growth Potential to Mitigate Climate Change through Seaweed Offsetting.

Summary Carbon offsetting—receiving credit for reducing, avoiding, or sequestering carbon—has become part of the portfolio of solutions to mitigate carbon emissions, and thus climate change, through policy and voluntary markets, primarily by land-based re- or afforestation and preservation [ 1 , 2 ]. However, land is limiting, creating interest in a rapidly growing aquatic farming sector of seaweed aquaculture [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Synthesizing data from scientific literature, we assess the extent and cost of scaling seaweed aquaculture to provide sufficient CO2eq sequestration for several climate change mitigation scenarios, with a focus on the food sector—a major source of greenhouse gases [ 6 ]. Given known ecological constraints (nutrients and temperature), we found a substantial suitable area (ca. 48 million km2) for seaweed farming, which is largely unfarmed. Within its own industry, seaweed could create a carbon-neutral aquaculture sector with just 14% (mean = 25%) of current seaweed production (0.001% of suitable area). At a much larger scale, we find seaweed culturing extremely unlikely to offset global agriculture, in part due to production growth and cost constraints. Yet offsetting agriculture appears more feasible at a regional level, especially areas with strong climate policy, such as California (0.065% of suitable area). Importantly, seaweed farming can provide other benefits to coastlines affected by eutrophic, hypoxic, and/or acidic conditions [ 7 , 8 ], creating opportunities for seaweed farming to act as “charismatic carbon” that serves multiple purposes. Seaweed offsetting is not the sole solution to climate change, but it provides an invaluable new tool for a more sustainable future.
The gut microbiome as a predictor of low fermentable oligosaccharides disaccharides monosaccharides and polyols diet efficacy in functional bowel disorders

Purpose of review Fermentable oligosaccharides disaccharides monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) dietary restriction ameliorates irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms; however, not all individuals with IBS respond. Given the gut microbiome's role in carbohydrate fermentation, investigators have evaluated whether the gut microbiome may predict low FODMAP diet efficacy. Recent findings Gut microbiome fermentation, even to the same carbohydrate, is not uniform across all individuals with several factors (e.g. composition) playing a role. In both children and adults with IBS, studies are emerging suggesting the gut microbiome may predict low FODMAP diet efficacy. However, there is significant heterogeneity in the approaches (study population, microbiome assessment methods, statistical techniques, etc.) used amongst these studies. Summary The gut microbiome holds promise as a predictor of low FODMAP diet efficacy. However, further investigation using standardized approaches to evaluate the microbiome while concomitantly assessing other potential predictors are needed to more rigorously evaluate this area.
Impact of Provider Characteristics on Outcomes of Carotid Endarterectomy for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis in New York State

Background The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of surgeon characteristics (including annual volume, specialty, and years in practice) on outcomes of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis in New York State. Methods The New York Statewide Planning and Cooperation System database was utilized to identify patients undergoing CEA from 2004 to 2011. Provider characteristics were determined by linkage to the New York Office of Professions and National Provider Identification databases. Provider-level factors were characterized by defining 5 quintiles of equal size for each factor. Hierarchical logistic regression models were created to evaluate the impact of provider characteristics on outcome. Results In total, 36,495 patients underwent CEA for asymptomatic disease performed by vascular (75.7%), general (16.1%), cardiac (6%), and neuro (2.1%) surgeons. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality (0.26%), stroke (0.45%), and the composite end point of mortality, stroke, or cardiac complication (2.2%). Unadjusted outcomes improved with increasing surgeon annual CEA volume. Mid-career surgeons had lower mortality and stroke rates than early or late-career surgeons. Odds of mortality were increased when surgery was performed by the lowest volume providers (quintile 1; 0–11 CEA/year) (odds ratio [OR] 2.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3–5.28) or a nonspecialty trained (general) surgeon (OR 1.64, 95% 1.01–2.67). After adjustment for all patient-level factors, provider volume remained an independent predictor of outcome, with significantly increased odds of mortality for volume quintile 1 (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.27–5.23) and quintile 2 (12–22 CEA/year) (0.30%; OR 2.07, 95% CI 1–4.27) surgeons. Conclusions Adverse events after CEA for asymptomatic disease are comparatively rare. However, surgeon characteristics impact outcome, with the best results offered by high-volume, mid-career, specialty-trained surgeons. Efforts to define the optimal treatment of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis must account for the impact of surgeon characteristics on patient outcomes.
Partisan Gerrymandering and Political Science

Recent years have seen a tremendous surge of public interest in partisan gerrymandering, including robust reform efforts and multiple high-profile court cases. Political scientists have played an i...
Dynamic-coupling analyses of cells localization by the negative dielectrophoresis:

Negative dielectrophoresis is widely used in cell localization for long-term observations such as the impedance analysis, in vivo drug screening, and cell patterns. However, the coupling effect of ...
Neuron-intrinsic NF-κB Signaling Mediates Reovirus Virulence

ABSTRACT Pathological effects of apoptosis associated with viral infections of the central nervous system are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Reovirus is a neurotropic virus that causes apoptosis in neurons, leading to lethal encephalitis in newborn mice. Reovirus-induced encephalitis is diminished in mice with germline ablation of NF-κB subunit p50. It is not known whether the pro-apoptotic function of NF-κB is mediated by neuron-intrinsic processes, NF-κB-regulated cytokine production by inflammatory cells, or a combination of both. To determine the contribution of cell type-specific NF-κB signaling in reovirus-induced neuronal injury, we established mice that lack NF-κB p65 expression in neurons using the Cre/loxP recombination system. Following intracranial inoculation of reovirus, 50% of wild-type (WT) mice succumbed to infection, whereas more than 90% of mice lacking neural NF-κB p65 (Nsp65−/−) mice survived. While viral loads in brains of WT and Nsp65−/− were comparable, histological analysis revealed that reovirus antigen-positive areas in the brain of WT mice displayed enhanced cleaved caspase-3 immunoreactivity, a marker of apoptosis, compared with Nsp65−/− mice. These data suggest that neuron-intrinsic NF-κB-dependent factors are essential mediators of reovirus neurovirulence. RNA sequencing analysis of reovirus-infected cortices of WT and Nsp65−/− mice suggests that NF-κB activation in neurons upregulates genes involved in innate immunity, inflammation, and cell death following reovirus infection. A better understanding of the contribution of cell type-specific NF-κB-dependent signaling to viral neuropathogenesis could inform development of new therapeutics that target and protect highly vulnerable cell populations
In Situ Detection of Adeno-associated Viral Vector Genomes with SABER-FISH

Gene therapy with recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors is a promising modality for the treatment of a variety of human diseases. Nonetheless, there remain significant gaps in our understanding of AAV vector biology, due in part to the lack of robust methods to track AAV capsids and genomes. In this study, we describe a novel application of signal amplification by exchange reaction fluorescence in situ hybridization (SABER-FISH) that enabled the visualization and quantification of individual AAV genomes after vector administration in mice. These genomes could be seen in retinal cells within 3 h of subretinal AAV delivery, were roughly full length, and correlated with vector expression in both photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium. SABER-FISH readily detected AAV genomes in the liver and muscle following retro-orbital and intramuscular AAV injections, respectively, demonstrating its utility in different tissues. Using SABER-FISH, we also found that retinal microglia, a cell type deemed refractory to AAV transduction, are in fact efficiently infected by multiple AAV serotypes, but appear to degrade AAV genomes prior to nuclear localization. Our findings show that SABER-FISH can be used to visualize AAV genomes in situ, allowing for studies of AAV vector biology and the tracking of transduced cells following vector administration.
Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation in Veterans With Comorbid Insomnia and Sleep Apnea.

ObjectiveInsomnia and sleep apnea frequently co-occur, with additive effects of both disorders presenting clinicians with unique treatment challenges compared to one disorder alone. The hypoglossal...
Characterizing Research About Interprofessional Education Within Pharmacy.

Objective. To determine how interprofessional education (IPE) in pharmacy has been studied, namely which disciplines have engaged in IPE research initiatives, the research methodologies that have been used, and what journals have published in this area. Findings. In the 145 IPE studies included in the review, the authors represented 13 different disciplines (3.2±1.5 disciplines per study). Pharmacy authors most commonly published with co-authors from nursing, medicine, and health management and support and most frequently served as first author or last author. The IPE activities involved 4.0 student disciplines (SD = 1.9) and 211.8 students (SD = 280.1), and most commonly included nursing (n = 104, 71.7%), medicine (n = 102, 70.3%), and health management and support students (n = 50, 34.5%). Most studies did not include an author from each student discipline involved in the IPE (n = 88, 60.7%). Further, a majority of studies used nonrandomized groupings (n = 103, 71.0%) with quantitative data (n = 74, 51.0%) and most were published in an interprofessional journal (n = 65, 44.8%) or pharmacy-specific journal (n = 45, 31.0%). Summary. Pharmacists have increased their engagement in IPE research as demonstrated by the number of articles published and authorship order position. However, mismatches between student disciplines and author disciplines on published papers elucidate opportunities to foster collaborations that position students for success within a collaborative healthcare environment.
Ring Algorithms on Heterogeneous Clusters with PVM: Performance Analysis and Modeling

We analyze the performance obtainable on heterogeneous computing systems with data-parallel ring algorithms for the computation of long- and short-range interactions. The algorithms were originally developed for homogeneous parallel systems, where they yield a nearly linear speed-up. Two heterogeneous platforms are considered: a network of ALPHA Unix workstations and a network of Pentium PCs with Windows 2000. The parallel framework is PVM.
Self-Other Knowledge Asymmetries in Personality Pathology

Objective Self-reports of personality provide valid information about personality disorders (PDs). However, informant-reports provide information about PDs that self-reports alone do not provide. The current paper examines if and when one perspective is more valid than the other in identifying PDs.
Effectiveness of Elements of a Diversified Instructional Approach in an Introductory Biology Course

Students enrolled in a large-lecture, non-majors biology course employing a diversified instructional approach featuring both instructor-centered and student-centered techniques evaluated the effectiveness of each approach in fostering course goals. Students perceived both approaches to be effective to some extent. Students indicated that the instructor-centered approach was more effective than student-centered instruction in fostering knowledge of biological content and of the nature of science, making the course meaningful, and promoting interest in biology as a discipline. Student-centered instruction was perceived to be more effective in engaging students in the learning process, helping students construct their knowledge, and making the course interesting. Students indicated they preferred a diversified instructional approach, noting that the varied instructional environment helped to keep the classroom atmosphere engaging.
The Social Survey and its Further Development

(1915). The Social Survey and its Further Development. Quarterly Publications of the American Statistical Association: Vol. 14, No. 111, pp. 603-610.
Seeing Between the Lines

Therapists working with bisexual women clients need to inform and prepare themselves in a way that will allow the unique needs of bisexual women to be addressed in a constructive and supportive manner. To date, the literature pertaining to therapy with bisexual women has been extremely limited. This paper attempts to identify ways in which bisexual women's needs in therapy differ from those of either lesbian or heterosexual women clients. Furthermore, it provides suggestions for how therapists can prepare themselves to pursue meaningful and productive work with bisexual women clients.
Wishbone: profile-based partitioning for sensornet applications

The ability to partition sensor network application code across sensor nodes and backend servers is important for running complex, data-intensive applications on sensor platforms that have CPU, energy, and bandwidth limitations. This paper presents Wishbone, a system that takes a dataflow graph of operators and produces an optimal partitioning. With Wishbone, users can run the same program on a range of sensor platforms, including TinyOS motes, smartphones running JavaME, and the iPhone. The resulting program partitioning will in general be different in each case, reflecting the different node capabilities. Wishbone uses profiling to determine how each operator in the dataflow graph will actually perform on sample data, without requiring cumbersome user annotations. Its partitioning algorithm models the problem as an integer linear program that minimizes a linear combination of network bandwidth and CPU load and uses program structure to solve the problem efficiently in practice. Our results on a speech detection application show that the system can quickly identify good trade-offs given limitations in CPU and network capacity.
Pionp t andp t distributions in high-multiplicity interactions

We have analysedp t andp l distributions of pions produced in some high-multiplicity reactions at accelerator energies. The data come from our own and some other experiments. We find that pionp t distributions are best fitted by the Hagedorn model as compared with the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. The c.m.s.p l distributions have been analysed in terms of an exponential function and the two-temperature model of Wayland and Bowen. The agreement of the data with the distributions used in fitting is fair. We have examined Feynman’s limiting-distribution hypothesis by fitting the c.m.s.p l distribution to a functionf(p l )=A/√p l 2 +B, whereA andB are constants. Within a limited range ofp l it appears that there is some evidence for the scaling hypothesis even at the present accelerator energies.
High-carbohydrate, high-fiber diets increase peripheral insulin sensitivity in healthy young and old adults

To examine extra-alimentary effects of high-carbohydrate, high-fiber (HCF) diets, insulin-mediated glucose disposal employing the euglycemic clamp and hepatic glucose output (HGO) employing [6,6-2H2]glucose were measured in 12 healthy young and old individuals before and after 21-28 d of an HCF diet. Diet lowered fasting concentrations of glucose from 5.3 +/- 0.2 to 5.1 +/- 0.1 mmol/L (p less than 0.01) and insulin from 66.0 +/- 7.9 to 49.5 +/- 5.7 pmol/L (p less than 0.01). Fasting serum cholesterol decreased from 5.17 +/- 0.18 to 3.80 +/- 0.20 mmol/L (p less than 0.01) in young individuals and from 6.15 +/- 0.52 to 4.99 +/- 0.49 mmol/L (p less than 0.01) in elderly individuals. Fasting serum triglyceride concentrations, basal HGO, and insulin suppression of HGO were unchanged by the diet. Glucose disposal rates increased from 18.87 +/- 1.66 before 23.87 +/- 2.78 mumol.kg-1.min-1 after the diet (p less than 0.02). Therefore, HCF diets may improve carbohydrate economy by enhanced peripheral sensitivity to insulin.
Cross-modal transfer of stimulus control in the albino rat: A stimulus delay procedure

The present experiment demonstrated in a simultaneous discrete trial discrimination that the stimulus control of a rat’s leverpress response can be errorlessly transferred across stimulus modalities, i.e., from light to click location and from click to light location. Subsequent to acquisition of the original discrimination, the original and new discriminative stimuli were simultaneously presented for several sessions. Then the new discriminative stimulus was presented 3 sec prior to the onset of the original discriminative stimulus. Within the direction of transfer, e.g., from light to click location, the delay group emitted fewer trial and intertriai errors than the control group. As the new discriminative stimuli acquired control over responding, the response latency distributions were differentially affected. The results suggest that the transfer of control from the original to the new discriminative stimuli is mediated by the temporal aspects of the delay interval.
The conversion of methanol and other O-compounds to hydrocarbons over zeolite catalysts: II. Pressure effects

Abstract The effect of pressure on the conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons over ZSM-5 class zeolites is reported. Varying reactant partial pressure affects mainly the relative rates of the dehydration and aromatization steps in the reaction sequence.
Duality for classical orthogonal polynomials

Some aspects of duality for the classical orthogonal polynomials are explained. Duality deals with the similarity of these functions as functions of the orthogonality variable and of the degree of the polynomials.
Performance of algorithms for calculating the equilibrium composition of a mixture of gases

Abstract Some strategies for calculating the effects of chemical reactions in large, multidimensional finite-difference computer codes require the equilibrium gas composition as an input. Because the equilibrium problem must be solved a large number of times, it is essential that the equilibrium solver be fast and reliable. An existing solver is a variant of the Gauss-Seidel technique, and its performance can be predicted and quantified. It is relatively fast, but can be unreliable. By contrast, Newton's method is slower but more reliable. A hierarchical algorithm, in which recourse is made to Newton's method if Gauss-Seidel iteration fails, is shown to combine the speed of Gauss-Seidel and the reliability of Newton. The hierarchical solver has been incorporated into the CONCHAS computer code. The reliability of the code is improved, and there is a decrease in the amount of computer time required. The new algorithm has not failed during production runs of CONCHAS, but it has failed to find the solution of some special test problems.
Evidence-based care of recurrent miscarriage.

Between 0.5 and 1.0% of couples experience recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), which is defined as three or more consecutive miscarriages. Losses are classified as pre-embryonic ( 10 weeks). Genetic abnormalities are responsible for RPL in 2–4% of these couples. Inadequate progesterone production has been proposed a cause of RPL and progesterone is given to prevent miscarriage, despite a lack of supportive evidence. The factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A mutations are common inherited thrombophilias also associated with RPL. Antenatal thromboprophylaxis is sometimes recommended although no data exist regarding efficacy. Antiphospholipid syndrome is known to cause RPL and antenatal thromboprophylaxis reduces the risk of miscarriage. Uterine abnormalities might also result in RPL. About 50% of cases of RPL have no identifiable cause. Alloimmune incompatibility has been proposed as a cause for RPL in these women. The concept of alloimmune-related RPL has not been scientifically validated.
Adenylylcyclase Increases Responsiveness to Catecholamine Stimulation in Transgenic Mice

Background—The cellular content of cAMP generated by activation of adenylylcyclase (AC) through the β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) is a key determinant of a cell’s response to catecholamine stimulation. We tested the hypothesis that increased AC content, independently of βAR number, increases responsiveness to catecholamine stimulation in vivo. Methods and Results—Transgenic mice with cardiac-directed expression of ACVI showed increased transgene AC expression but no change in myocardial βAR number or G-protein content. When stimulated through the βAR, cardiac function was increased, and cardiac myocytes showed increased cAMP production. In contrast, basal cAMP and cardiac function were normal, and long-term transgene expression was not associated with abnormal histological findings or deleterious changes in cardiac function. Conclusions—The amount of AC sets a limit on cardiac β-adrenergic signaling in vivo, and increased AC, independent of βAR number and G-protein content, provides a means to regulate card...
The Maori, Behavior, Modern Diets and Colorectal Cancers

Variation in diet and the rates of colorectal cancers have confounded researchers in recent years. Comparisons of populations in different geographic locations and of different ethnic origins have shown considerable differences in disease frequency, location and relation to diet. This paper revisits an earlier comparison of Maori rates of disease and diet based on data from 20 years ago with surprising changes in disease rates today.
Catch-up in turn in a multi-country international trade model with learning-by-doing and invention

Abstract We consider how the world income distribution evolves over time when both learning-by-doing and invention are the engines of economic growth and when countries interact with each other through international trade. The main findings are: (i) catch-up is possible; (ii) in the three-country model transitional dynamics are much richer than in the two-country model. In particular, catch-up may occur in turn: there may be a first stage in which the middle-income country grows fastest, closing the gap with the richest country but increasing the income difference with the poorest, followed by a second stage where the poorest country catches up.
Evidence for a New Pathophysiological Mechanism for Coronary Artery Disease Regression Hepatic Lipase–Mediated Changes in LDL Density

Background—Small, dense LDL particles are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and predict angiographic changes in response to lipid-lowering therapy. Intensive lipid-lowering therapy in the Familial Atherosclerosis Treatment Study (FATS) resulted in significant improvement in CAD. This study examines the relationship among LDL density, hepatic lipase (HL), and CAD progression, identifying a new biological mechanism for the favorable effects of lipid-altering therapy. Methods and Results—Eighty-eight of the subjects in FATS with documented coronary disease, apolipoprotein B levels ≥125 mg/dL, and family history of CAD were selected for this study. They were randomly assigned to receive lovastatin (40 mg/d) and colestipol (30 g/d), niacin (4 g/d) and colestipol, or conventional therapy with placebo alone or with colestipol in those with elevated LDL cholesterol levels. Plasma hepatic lipase (HL), lipoprotein lipase, and LDL density were measured when subjects were and were not receiving lipid-lowe...
Assessing Liability for Sexual Harassment: Reactions of Potential Jurors to Email Versus Face-to-Face Incidents

This paper investigates reactions of potential jurors to sexual harassment incidents. Email and face-to-face incidents are compared to determine the importance of context on decision-making. The paper considers juror decision-making for both guilt and level of award to randomly assigned scenarios involving multiple levels of harassment. Results found that email harassment was perceived more harshly, consistent with a context-based hypothesis. The paper concludes with organizational implications for better handling sexual harassment awareness training as well as Internet usage guidelines.
Student Personality and Instrumental Participation, Continuation, and Choice

The Junior Eysenck Personality (Questionnaire was administered to 668 instrumental students in Grades 7 through 12 from eight different schools to determine whether (1) there is a propensity for certain personality types to begin instrumental study in the schools, (2) certain personality types are more likely to continue in instrumental music, (3) there is a trend toward homogeneity of personality type among students who choose to continue in instrumental music across grade levels, and (4) there is a relationship between personality type and continuation on a specific musical instrument. Results revealed that instrumental students are very similar to their noninstrumental counterparts on the personality variables measured across all grades, but some minor differences can be found. Educational implications are drawn and discussed.
Rapid and specific detection of escherichia coli serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 in ground beef, beef trim, and produce by loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli O157 and six additional serogroups of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145) account for the majority of STEC infections in the United States. In this study, O serogroup-specific genes (wzx or wzy) were used to design loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for the rapid and specific detection of these leading STEC serogroups. The assays were evaluated in pure culture and spiked food samples (ground beef, beef trim, lettuce, and spinach) and compared with real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). No false-positive or false-negative results were observed among 120 bacterial strains used to evaluate assay specificity. The limits of detection of various STEC strains belonging to these target serogroups were approximately 1 to 20 CFU/reaction mixture in pure culture and 103 to 104 CFU/g in spiked food samples, which were comparable to those of qPCR. Standard curves generated suggested good linear relationships between STEC cell numbers and LAMP turbidity signals. In various beef and produce samples spiked with two low levels (1 to 2 and 10 to 20 CFU/25 g) of respective STEC strains, the LAMP assays consistently achieved accurate detection after 6 to 8 h of enrichment. In conclusion, these newly developed LAMP assays may facilitate rapid and reliable detection of the seven major STEC serogroups in ground beef, beef trim, and produce during routine sample testing.
The effects of slope limiting on asymptotic-preserving numerical methods for hyperbolic conservation laws

Many hyperbolic systems of equations with stiff relaxation terms reduce to a parabolic description when relaxation dominates. An asymptotic-preserving numerical method is a discretization of the hyperbolic system that becomes a valid discretization of the parabolic system in the asymptotic limit. We explore the consequences of applying a slope limiter to the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method, with linear elements, for hyperbolic systems with stiff relaxation terms. Without a limiter, the DG method gives an accurate discretization of the Chapman-Enskog approximation of the system when the relaxation length scale is not resolved. It is well known that the first-order upwind (or ''step'') method fails to obtain the proper asymptotic limit. We show that using the minmod slope limiter also fails, but that using double minmod gives the proper asymptotic limit. Despite its effectiveness in the asymptotic limit, the double minmod limiter allows artificial extrema at cell interfaces, referred to as ''sawteeth''. We present a limiter that eliminates the sawteeth, but maintains the proper asymptotic limit. The systems that we analyze are the hyperbolic heat equation and the P"n thermal radiation equations. Numerical examples are used to verify our analysis.
Early detection of endogenous retroviruses in chemically induced mouse cells

Abstract Endogenous retroviral sequences are present as an integral part of eukaryotic genomes. Although the majority of these sequences are defective, a few can produce infectious virus, either spontaneously upon long-term culture or by treatment with various chemical or other agents. Early, extensive studies of retrovirus induction were done in mouse cells; however, similar studies have not been done using state-of-the-art virus detection assays and with cells of other mammalian species. To investigate induction and detection of occult retroviruses in cells of different species, especially primate cells that are used in production of biologics, we have initially determined the optimum conditions for retrovirus induction in chemically treated K-BALB mouse cells using highly sensitive product-enhanced reverse transcriptase (PERT) assays as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Retrovirus induction was detected at day 1 post-drug treatment under all test conditions but was optimum using 30 μg ml−1 of 5-iododeoxyuridine (IdU) for 24 h. Additionally, the combination of IdU and 5-azacytidine specifically enhanced activation of type C particles. RT activity was detected by PERT assays in one microliter equivalent of test sample and retroviral particle production was seen by TEM analysis. The induction of infectious murine leukemia retroviruses was confirmed by infectivity assays and correlated with PERT activity. These results indicate that strategies for detection of occult viral agents should include optimization of induction conditions using multiple viral detection assays to evaluate virus activation.
The construction of gauge invariant actions for arbitrary spin and bosonic string field theories

Abstract A simple method for constructing gauge invariant actions for both free massive bosonic fields of arbitrary spin as well as for string fields is described. The method is based on the use of Lagrance multipliers and the introduction of auxiliary fields and results in expressions that are straightforward generalizations of the Stueckelberg action for massive vector fields. An application of the method to the free bosonic string gives the corresponding gauge invariant action for the string field functional in a rather pedestrian way. Although the role of the critical dimensions is apparent in the derivation we show how to extend the result outside of 26 dimensions.
Proteomic analysis of the effects and interactions of sleep deprivation and aging in mouse cerebral cortex

The cellular and molecular processes that underlie the drives and functions of sleep have been the topic of many studies in the last few decades. Discovery-based techniques, such as cDNA microarrays, have increasingly been utilized in conjunction with sleep deprivation paradigms to examine the molecular mechanisms and functions of sleep. These studies have helped to validate and expand existing hypotheses, such as those on the roles of sleep in synaptic plasticity and in energy metabolism. The mechanisms underlying the highly prevalent changes in sleep architecture with age are not known, but likely reflect fundamental changes in the molecular basis of circadian timing and sleep homeostatic processes. We decided to explore the effects and interactions of sleep deprivation and aging utilizing the proteomic technique of difference in gel electrophoresis (DIGE). DIGE, which utilizes cyanine dye labeling of samples, allows for the comparison of multiple experimental groups within and across gels. In this study, we compared cerebral cortex tissue from young (2.5 months) and old (24 months) mice that had been sleep deprived for 6 h to tissue from undisturbed young and old control animals. Following DIGE, automatic image matching and spot identification, and statistical analysis, 43 unique proteins were identified. The proteins were grouped into seven functional classes based on published characteristics: cell signaling, cytoskeletal, energy metabolism, exocytosis, heat shock proteins, mRNA processing/trafficking, and serum proteins. The identity and characteristics of these proteins relevant to sleep and aging are discussed.
Comments concerning a possible independent potassium pump in the cochlear duct.

Abstract Indirect evidence is given for the presence of an independent potassium pump in the cochlear duct.
Quasiparticle and exciton renormalization effects in electrostatically doped semiconducting carbon nanotubes

Abstract We present a many-body ab initio approach to calculate the electronic and optical absorption properties of electrostatically doped semiconducting carbon nanotubes. We show that for the (10, 0) carbon nanotube, doping can significantly reduce quasiparticle band gaps and exciton binding energies. Remarkably, these two effects cancel to a large extent in the optical absorption spectra, resulting in small energy shifts of the prominent optical peaks. While the nature of these peaks remains a bound exciton, their intensity can be much decreased upon doping. By solving the effective mass equation for excitons over a wide range of doping levels, we demonstrate the tunability of the exciton binding energy in the high doping regime, which is shown to follow a mild dependence on carrier density. This arises due to strong dynamical screening effects in the presence of acoustic plasmons.
Solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymers : morphological partitioning of hydroxyls

Abstract Cross-polarization/magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) spectra of several random ethylene (E)/vinyl alcohol (VOH) copolymers, including both homopolymers, have been obtained. Contributions to these spectra arising from the crystalline and non-crystalline regions of these materials have been isolated and from these spectra the average concentrations of the comonomers in the crystalline phase is determined. For melt-crystallized samples, the composition of the crystals is very close to stoichiometric, thereby supporting the notion, for example, that VOH and E residues may act as interstitial- or vacancy-type defects in the polyethylene or poly(vinyl alcohol) lattices, respectively. Assuming the validity of a previously proposed assignment scheme for the methine multiples visible in the E-rich composition range, we conclude that there is no significant discrimination against VOH—VOH sequences in the crystalline regions. In one sample containing 18 mol% VOH, it was shown that simultaneous with VOH incorporation, other ‘defects’ were, within the signal-to-noise, rejected from the crystalline regions. These defects, mainly short-chain branches totalling about 8 branch points per 1000 main-chain carbons, included ethyl and butyl-plus-longer branches (from polymerization side reactions) as well as acetate branches (from incomplete hydrolysis of the precursor copolymer). In contrast to the melt-crystallized samples, copolymers precipitated from isopropanol show a slight bias in their crystalline regions towards a more E-rich composition, presumably because E-rich stems are more available at the time of crystallization via their decreased solubility in this solvent. Finally, a few observations are made regarding the PVOH homopolymer in the dry and slightly hydrated state. Spectral changes are not entirely consistent with trends reported in the literature. Thus, a question is raised whether possible variations in molecular mobility within the PVOH crystalline regions can give rise to systematic differences in crystalline-phase spectra isolated by different 13C n.m.r. spectroscopic methods.
Internal-external locus of control and performance on a vigilance task.

Summary.-Previous studies have demonsrrated there are large individual differences in subjects' ability to perform on vigilance or watch-keeping tasks. This study used Rotter's Internal-External (I-E) Locus of Conrrol Scale to resolve some of the variance attributed to individual differences and tested the hypothesis that the internally controlled person is a better monitor on a vigilance task than an externally controlled person. There were 64 subjects who performed a visual watch-keeping task for a 1-hr. period. The results indicated that the external subjects made significantly more incorrect responses and missed significantly more signals during the entire task The internal-external dimension was effective in differentiating performance on a vigilance task. Mackworth (1957) defined vigilance as "a state of readiness to detect and respond to certain specified small changes occurring at random time intervals in the environment." In spite of the fact that the above definition focuses on he status of the individual subject, the bulk of research on vigilance or watchkeeping has concentrated on such parameters as signal characteristics, task variables, and environmental variables leaving relatively unexplored the relationship between personality variables and performance on tasks requiring vigilance behavior. Mackworth ( 1969) and other investigators ( Halcomb & Kirk, 1965 ) have noted the consistent finding of large individual differences among subjects performing vigilance tasks. The use of personality or temperament tests seems to be a very promising approach for resolving some of the variance attributable to individual subject differences. Research concerning personality differences has been primarily based upon the study of the influence of the introvert-extrovert dimension on performance in monotonous and repetitive tasks (Eysenck, 1963; Broadbent, 1958; Bakan, Belton, & Toth, 1963). Several vigilance studies have been conducted utilizing personality measures other than the intraversion-extroversion dimension. Some of the studies have yielded an inconsistent relationship between personality variables and vigilance performance (McGrath, Harabedian, & Buckner, 1963; McGrath, 1963) while other investigations have exhibited a systematic relation
Primer on Certain Elements of Medical Decision Making

The value of a diagnostic test lies in its ability to detect patients with disease (its sensitivity) and to exclude patients without disease (its specificity). For tests with binary outcomes, these measures are fixed. For tests with a continuous scale of values, various cutoff points can be selected to adjust the sensitivity and specificity of the test to conform with the physician's goals. Principles of statistical decision theory and information theory suggest technics for objectively determining these cutoff points, depending upon whether the physician is concerned with health costs, with financial costs, or with the information content of the test.
The minimum weight of the Grassmann codes C ( k,n )

In this paper we continue the investigation of a family of linear block codes based on the geometry of the Grassmann variety G(k,n) of k-planes in the n-dimensional vector space over Z2. These codes, denoted by C(k,n), have as their generator matrix the nk× |G(k,n)| matrix whose columns are the Plucker coordinates of the points of G(k,n). The major results established herein are: • The minimum weight of C(k,n) is equal to 2k(n−k). • The number of codewords in C(k,n) of minimal weight is equal to |G(k,n)|. • The minimal weight codewords of C(k,n) are the affine charts of G(k,n).
Exon amplification: a strategy to isolate mammalian genes based on RNA splicing.

Abstract We have developed a method, exon amplification, for fast and efficient isolation of coding sequences from complex mammalian genomic DNA. This method is based on the selection of RNA sequences, exons, which are flanked by functional 5' and 3' splice sites. Fragments of cloned genomic DNA are inserted into an intron, which is flanked by 5' and 3' splice sites of the human immunodeficiency virus 1 tat gene contained within the plasmid pSPL1. COS-7 cells are transfected with these constructs, and the resulting RNA transcripts are processed in vivo. Splice sites of exons contained within the inserted genomic fragment are paired with splice sites of the flanking tat intron. The resulting mature RNA contains the previously unidentified exons, which can then be amplified via RNA-based PCR and cloned. Using this method, we have isolated exon sequences from cloned genomic fragments of the murine Na,K-ATPase alpha 1-subunit gene. We have also screened randomly selected genomic clones known to be derived from a segment of human chromosome 19 and have isolated exon sequences of the DNA repair gene ERCC1. The sensitivity and ease of the exon amplification method permit screening of 20-40 kilobase pairs of genomic DNA in a single transfection. This approach will be extremely useful for rapid identification of mammalian exons and the genes from which they are derived as well as for the generation of chromosomal transcription maps.
Ontogeny and multiplicity of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in thymic lymphoid cells

Abstract Cyclic adenosine 3′:5′-monophosphate-dependent protein kinases were studied in thymus lymphoid cells and were found to be similar to their counterparts in other tissues with respect to substrate preference and concentration dependence. A previously not identified, restrictive subcellular compartmentalization of the protein kinase isozymes was found: Type I was predominantly present in the nucleus of adult and juvenile human and rat thymus cells, whereas the type II kinase was restricted to the cytosol fraction of unstimulated cells. Additionally, a decline in the specific activity of protein kinase was progressive with increasing age of the animal and distinct from the general observation that lymphoid cell numbers decrease with age. These findings may be correlated with age-dependent immunodeficiencies and perhaps have functional significance in the regulatory role of protein phosphorylation in lymphoid cell activation.
Alert - a systems management process

This paper describes a systems management technique used by the Information Systems organization at IBM's Santa Teresa Laboratory. Described is the complexity of the user requirements and the management process used to deliver those requirements from the data processing center. Included is a discussion of the concept of service level commitments and management awareness through various reporting and review techniques. This process is called availability management, which is referred to as ALERT.