cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Exploratory Labeling Assistant: Mixed-Initiative Label Curation with Large Document Collections

In this paper, we define the concept of exploratory labeling: the use of computational and interactive methods to help analysts categorize groups of documents into a set of unknown and evolving labels. While many computational methods exist to analyze data and build models once the data is organized around a set of predefined categories or labels, few methods address the problem of reliably discovering and curating such labels in the first place. In order to move first steps towards bridging this gap, we propose an interactive visual data analysis method that integrates human-driven label ideation, specification and refinement with machine-driven recommendations. The proposed method enables the user to progressively discover and ideate labels in an exploratory fashion and specify rules that can be used to automatically match sets of documents to labels. To support this process of ideation, specification, as well as evaluation of the labels, we use unsupervised machine learning methods that provide suggestions and data summaries. We evaluate our method by applying it to a real-world labeling problem as well as through controlled user studies to identify and reflect on patterns of interaction emerging from exploratory labeling activities.
Structured On-the-Job Training Modules

Structured on-the-job training (S-OJT) is defined as the planned process of having an experienced employee train a novice employee on a unit of work in the actual work setting or a setting that closely resembles the work setting. S-OJT is the only training approach that makes use of a planned process for its design and delivery, occurs in the actual work setting, and has the direct involvement of a trainer. That is, trainees learn through a process of engaging in a series of trial and error on their own, watching others perform the task without any guidance, or being trained by someone who may not be fully qualified or prepared to be a trainer. As a result, research has shown that unstructured on-the-job training takes longer and achieves outcomes that are lower than S-OJT. Perhaps no other training approach is as dependent on using information from a task analysis as is S-OJT. The task analysis provides the content for the training and, as a result, forms the core aspect of an S-OJT module.
Where Do Oregon Medicaid Enrollees Seek Outpatient Care Post-affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion?

Background:Previous studies suggest the newly Medicaid insured are more likely to use the emergency department (ED) however they did not differentiate between patients established or not established with primary care.Objectives:To understand where Oregon Medicaid beneficiaries sought care after the
Three-way coupling of multiphase flow and poromechanics in porous media

Abstract We formulate a three-way coupling for both single phase flow and equation-of-state (EOS) compositional flow in a poroelastic medium. The algorithm is inspired by the previous work of Dean et al. [1] . An error indicator is calculated at each time step to determine if the mechanics equation must be solved and whether the fixed-stress iterative coupling is necessary; otherwise, only the flow equation is solved with an extrapolated mean stress. The convergence of three-way coupling is established by extending the a priori analyses of fixed-stress iterative coupling by Girault et al. [2] . Numerical results for the Mandel's problem confirm these theoretical results for single phase flow. Three-way coupling achieves speedup with a factor 2.7 and 6.6 for Mandel's problem and field-scale coupled compositional flow and geomechanics simulations based on Cranfield field data respectively. Specifically, field-scale simulations of CO2 sequestration and surfactant-alternating-gas (SAG) process show that the three-way coupling substantially reduces mechanics solving time by 99.4% and 97.5% respectively compared to the fixed-stress split.
Abstract TP165: Associations Between Parkinson Disease and Stroke

Introduction: Cerebral ischemia and vascular risk factors are associated with the development of Alzheimer disease (AD). While Parkinson disease (PD) is also a common neurodegenerative condition, t...
Disparities in Objective Sleep Quality as Assessed Through Wrist Actigraphy in Minority Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with a reduced quality of life. Minority patients with IBD specifically report more impairing symptoms compared with nonminority patients. Sleep quality, a key component of quality of life, is significantly compromised in minority patients compared with nonminority patients. Nevertheless, subjective and objective sleep assessments in minority patients with IBD have not explicitly been assessed. The purpose of this prospective cohort study is to assess and compare objective sleep parameters utilizing wrist actigraphy between minority and nonminority IBD patients. Methods In this institutional review board approved study, 74 patients with IBD were recruited and stratified into 2 cohorts by self-identification: white nonminority patients and minority patients. Patients in the minority cohort included black and Hispanic individuals (black and nonblack). Exclusion criteria included significant comorbidity, a history of an underlying sleep disorder, or patients who did not self-identify into categorized cohorts. Sleep was measured not only through wrist-based actigraphy but also with sleep surveys. Sleep parameters were compared between minority and nonminority cohorts. Regression analyses were performed to assess for factors independently associated with parameters of poor sleep quality. Results Sixty-four patients (86.4%) were included in the final analysis. Thirty-one individuals (48.4%) were categorized into the nonminority cohort, and 33 (51.6%) patients were in the minority cohort. A significantly higher number of minority patients had poorer sleep efficiency and fragmented sleep compared with nonminority patients (90.9% vs 67.7%; P = 0.03 and 87.8% vs 61.3%; P = 0.02). In the adjusted analysis, minority status was independently associated with poor sleep efficiency (odds ratio = 6.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.48-28.17; P = 0.0139) and fragmented sleep (odds ratio = 4.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-22.89; P = 0.0389). Conclusions Minority patients with IBD were shown to have poorer objective measures of sleep as assessed through wrist actigraphy compared to nonminority patients. Cultural competency in the care of minority patients with IBD, specifically focusing on the management of psychosocial issues, is needed to address these disparities in sleep. The inclusion of minority patients with IBD in studies investigating sleep and other psychosocial issues are warranted not only to assess potential disparities in disease course but also to determine the etiologies of poor sleep in minority patients with IBD.
Good News, Bad News: A Sentiment Analysis of the 2016 Election Russian Facebook Ads

In the wake of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the notion of “fake news” and Russian election interference became somewhat interchangeable. We argue that “fake news” insufficiently describes the Russian disinformation campaign. Our analysis of Facebook ad texts shows that they incorporate emotional appeals differently at unique moments in the political campaign of 2016. We use sentiment analysis to demonstrate the use of positive and negative emotional messages. Sentiment ratings dipped to more negative scores before the November 2016 election and rose to new positive heights after the election. This provides some evidence that the varying uses of positive sentiment and negative sentiment may have been strategic.
Sample complexity trade-offs for synthetic aperture based high-resolution estimation and detection

This paper critically examines the potential performance benefits offered by motion of sparse arrays for direction- of-arrival (DOA) estimation. The motivation behind utilizing array motion is to increase the number of consecutive difference lags. However, creating a synthetic array also requires more temporal measurements compared to the static (non-synthetic) array. For the first time, we rigorously analyze the trade-off between the required number of temporal samples and the length of the difference co-array to understand when synthetic arrays offer distinct advantages. As a concrete result, we show that if the ratio of the number of consecutive lags of the difference coarray of sparse arrays with and without motion is above a universal threshold, the synthetic array outperforms its non-synthetic counterpart and has a smaller estimation error. Our claims are demonstrated both theoretically and through numerical experiments1.
Treatment of Thyroid Dysfunction and Serum Lipids: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Context Hyperthyroidism is associated with low levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and hypothyroidism is associated with hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Objective The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the impact of therapy for overt and subclinical hyper- and hypothyroidism on serum lipids. Data sources We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus from 1970 through April 5, 2018. Study selection Pairs of independent reviewers selected randomized and observational studies evaluating lipid parameters in patients undergoing treatment for hyper- or hypothyroidism. Data extraction Pairs of independent reviewers extracted data and appraised studies. Data synthesis Treatment of overt hyperthyroidism showed a significant increase in total cholesterol (TC) by 44.50 mg/dL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 37.99, 51.02), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by 31.13 mg/dL (95% CI: 24.33, 37.93), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) by 5.52 mg/dL (95% CI: 1.48, 9.56), apolipoprotein A (Apo A) by 15.6 mg/dL (95% CI: 10.38, 20.81), apolipoprotein B (apo B) by 26.12 mg/dL (95% CI: 22.67, 29.57), and lipoprotein (Lp[a]) by 4.18 mg/dL (95% CI: 1.65, 6.71). There was no significant change in triglyceride (TG) levels. Treatment of subclinical hyperthyroidism did not change any lipid parameters significantly. Levothyroxine therapy in overt hypothyroidism showed a statistically significant decrease in TC by -58.4 mg/dL (95% CI: -64.70, -52.09), LDL-C by -41.11 mg/dL (95% CI: -46.53, -35.69), HDL-C by -4.14 mg/dL (95% CI: -5.67, -2.61), TGs by -7.25 mg/dL (95% CI: -36.63, 17.87), apo A by -12.59 mg/dL (95% CI: -17.98, -7.19), apo B by -33.96 mg/dL (95% CI: 41.14, -26.77), and Lp(a) by -5.6 mg/dL (95% CI: -9.06, -2.14). Levothyroxine therapy in subclinical hypothyroidism showed similar changes but with a smaller magnitude. The studies contained varied population characteristics, severity of thyroid dysfunction, and follow-up duration. Conclusions Treatment of overt but not subclinical hyperthyroidism is associated with worsening of the lipid profile. Levothyroxine therapy in both overt and subclinical hypothyroidism leads to improvement in the lipid profile, with a smaller magnitude of improvement in subclinical hypothyroidism.
Studying Human-Agent Interactions in Space Invaders

We conducted an exploratory study to investigate human-agent interactions in the context of the Space Invaders game. In the study, the participants experienced an Uncooperative and a Cooperative agent. Although cooperation was unexpected, our results suggest that the participants identified the Cooperative agent as more helpful than the Uncooperative agent, and that they were inclined to reciprocate the helping actions more to the former agent than the latter one. We discuss the possibilities of further using Space Invaders as a practical scenario to study human-agent cooperation.
Stochastic Stabilization by Multiplicative Noise

The effect of parametric colored noise on the stabilization of a nonlinear bistable system is presented. Theoretical study suggests that when dealing with stability issues the replacement of correlated noise by white noise may not be always appropriate. Moreover, the interpretation of stochastic differential equation may not be as simple as an option between the Ito and Stratonovich interpretation. A particular study of such a stability problem is presented in this paper and corroboration to some theoretical predictions by numerical studies are included. These numerical verifications using the spectral density method are the first of its kind as no conclusive results to date have been obtained by other simulation methods. The broad conclusion obtained in this study are similar in nature to another study carried out for stochastic stability studies of suspension bridges.
Intraneural Synovial Sarcoma of the Median Nerve in a 15-Year-Old Male: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

There have been 8 synovial sarcomas of the median nerve reported. We report a case of a 15-year-old male with synovial sarcoma of the right-hand median nerve. Patient presented with a 2-month histo...
Toward Optimized and Predictive Connectomics at Scale

Probabilistic MRI diffusion tractography is a sophisticated technique to investigate structural connectomes, but its steep computational cost prevents application to broader research and clinical settings. Major speedup can be achieved by reducing the number of tractography streamlines. To ensure this does not degrade connectome quality, we calculate the identifiability of connectomes between test and retest MRI as a proxy for information content. We find that reducing streamline count by up to two orders of magnitude from prevailing levels in literature has no significant impact on identifiability. Incidentally, we also observe that Jaccard similarity is more effective than Pearson correlation in achieving identifiability.
Automatically Mapping the Stable Regions of Frequency Combs in Microresonators

It has been difficult to determine the experimental parameter space where stable frequency combs can be obtained in microresonators. We describe an automatic computer algorithm that accomplishes this task.
Scalable Community Detection via Parallel Correlation Clustering

Graph clustering and community detection are central problems in modern data mining. The increasing need for analyzing billion-scale data calls for faster and more scalable algorithms for these problems. There are certain trade-offs between the quality and speed of such clustering algorithms. In this paper, we design scalable algorithms that achieve high quality when evaluated based on ground truth. We develop a generalized sequential and shared-memory parallel framework based on the LambdaCC objective (introduced by Veldt et al.), which encompasses modularity and correlation clustering. Our framework consists of highly-optimized implementations that scale to large data sets of billions of edges and that obtain high-quality clusters compared to ground-truth data, on both unweighted and weighted graphs. Our empirical evaluation shows that this framework improves the state-of-the-art trade-offs between speed and quality of scalable community detection. For example, on a 30-core machine with two-way hyper-threading, our implementations achieve orders of magnitude speedups over other correlation clustering baselines, and up to 28.44x speedups over our own sequential baselines while maintaining or improving quality.
Student Research Projects in Calculus

Changing the way students learn calculus at New Mexico State University. In the Spring of 1988, Marcus Cohen, Edward D. Gaughan, Arthur Knoebel, Douglas S. Kurtz, and David Penegelley began work on a student project approach to calculus. For the next two years, most of their waking hours (and some of their dreams) would be devoted to writing projects for their students and discovering how to make the use of projects in calculus classes not only successful, but practical as well. A grant from the National Science Foundation made it possible for this experiment to go forward on a large scale. The enthusiasm of the original group of five faculty was contagious, and soon other members of the department were also writing and using projects in their calculus classes. At the present time, about 80% of the calculus students at New Mexico State University are doing projects in their Calculus courses. Teachers can use their methods in teaching their own calculus courses. Student Research Projects in Calculus provides teachers with over 100 projects ready to assign to students in single and multivariable calculus. The authors have designed these projects with one goal in mind: to get students to think for themselves. Each project is a multistep, take-home problem, allowing students to work both individually and in groups. The projects resemble mini-research problems. Most of them require creative thought, and all of them engage the student's analytic and intuitive faculties. the projects often build from a specific example to the general case, and weave together ideas from many parts of the calculus. Project statements are clearly stated and contain a minimum of mathematical symbols. Students must draw their own diagrams, decide for themselves what the problem is about, and what toolsfrom the calculus they will use to solve it. This approach elicits from students an amazing level of sincere questioning, energetic research, dogged persistence, and conscientious communication. Each project has accompanying notes to the instructor, reporting students' experiences. The notes contain helpful information on prerequisites, list the main topics the project explores, and suggests helpful hints. The authors have also provided several introductory chapters to help intructors use projects successfully in their classes and begin to create their own.
Effects of Dihydropyridine Calcium Antagonists upon Microvascular Function Following Ischemia and Oxidative Stress

Many calcium antagonists are protective in experimental models of ischemia and reperfusion when used at concentrations which induce myocardial depression before the induction of ischemia (Nayler 1988). The components of protection probably involve a combination of several factors occurring during the ischemic period. These factors include energy preservation (Watts et al. 1980), decreased accumulation of cytosolic calcium and lactic acid (Watts et al. 1990a; Amende et al. 1992), reduced tissue acidosis (Ichihara and Abiko 1982), and reduced the release of catecholamines (Nayler and Sturrock 1983). The hearts receiving calcium antagonists recover greater contractile function during reperfusion than hearts receiving no drug treatment. These protected hearts have increased tissue ATP and decreased calcium overload (Watts et al. 1980; Zografos and Watts 1990), improved mitochondrial function (Watts et al. 1987a), reduced lysosomal rupture (Ichihara et al. 1987) and reduced incidence of arrhythmia (Nayler 1988) upon reperfusion. The degree of recovery of contractile function following ischemia and reperfusion is in proportion to the degree of depression of preischemic contractile function in hearts treated with verapamil (Watts et al. 1985) or diltiazem (Watts and Maiorano 1987). A comparison of equidepressant concentrations of nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem, and buffer containing low calcium content indicates that there is no significant difference in the ability of these treatments to improve the recovery of contractile function in isolated, perfused rat hearts (Watts et al. 1986). This cardiodepressant mode of protection has been observed in many models of experimental ischemia and reperfusion if the calcium antagonists are used prophylactically (Nayler 1988).
Some Models for the Evolution of Adaptive Traits

The elegance and persuasiveness of Darwinian thought strikes a sympathetic chord with ecologists and natural historians, who see in the beauty of nature remarkable examples of organisms “adapted” to their environments. The subtlety of the process of adaptation is however too often ignored, and the notion of optimization mistakenly equated with adaptation. Lewontin (1977) reminds us that “adaptation, for Darwin, was a process of becoming rather than a state of final optimality.” As pointed out elsewhere (Levin 1978), “environments change, not only due to extrinsic causes, but also as a result of adaptation already effected. The evolutionary response is to the present, and carries with it no guarantee that any sort of optimum will be attained. Evolution is something which simply happens, rather than a calculated, far-seeing program for optimization.”
Practical higher-order pattern unification with on-the-fly raising

Higher-order pattern unification problems arise often in computations within systems such as Twelf, λ Prolog and Isabelle. An important characteristic of such problems is that they are given by equations appearing under a prefix of alternating universal and existential quantifiers. Most existing algorithms for solving these problems assume that such prefixes are simplified to a ∀∃∀ form by an a priori application of a transformation known as raising. There are drawbacks to this approach. Mixed quantifier prefixes typically manifest themselves in the course of computation, thereby requiring a dynamic form of preprocessing that is difficult to support in low-level implementations. Moreover, raising may be redundant in many cases and its effect may have to be undone by a subsequent pruning transformation. We propose a method to overcome these difficulties. In particular, a unification algorithm is described that proceeds by recursively descending through the structures of terms, performing raising and other transformations on-the-fly and only as needed.
How to Navigate an "Upside-Down" World: Using Images in the History Classroom.

This chapter describes the challenges and benefits of working with images in a history classroom. The first part indicates the complexity of helping students use images as historical evidence; the second argues that close readings of images can help students develop their deep attention skills as they question the evidence they see; and the final discusses how work with images can be done in a way that accommodates all students, including those with limited or no sight.
Teaching programming through successive problem transformations

Teaching by examples and problems is a well-known and often used approach when teaching Computer Science. This paper discusses the development of Computer Science lectures using successive problem transformations. A concrete system of examples and problems is described, too. The idea to use such lectures could be especially appropriate for introductory Computer Science courses. The formal description of the idea how to develop similar systems of examples and problems is also considered.
Ba2+ ions evoke two kinetically distinct patterns of exocytosis in chromaffin cells, but not in neurohypophysial nerve terminals

The coupling between divalent cations and exocytosis of large dense-cored vesicles (LDCV) was studied with capacitance-detection techniques in nerve terminals of the rat neurohypophysis (NHP) and bovine chromaffin cells. Ba2+ substitution for Ca2+ produced kinetically distinct responses in the two preparations. In NHP terminals, Ba2+ ions behave as weak substitutes for Ca2+. Exocytotic events occur principally during depolarizing pulses, i.e., events are "stimulus-coupled" to Ba2+ entry through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Stimulus-coupled exocytosis apparently requires elevated submembrane cation concentrations that dissipate rapidly on hyperpolarization-induced Ca(2+)-channel closure. Intracellular dialysis of NHP terminals with Ba2+ does not evoke exocytosis, nor does it interfere with depolarization-evoked Ca2+ influx and exocytosis. In chromaffin cells, Ba2+ ions evoke a small quantity of stimulus-coupled secretion, but the dominant response is an additional pronounced poststimulus capacitance increase that outlasts channel closures by 20-50 sec. "Stimulus-decoupled" exocytosis is slow (approximately 25-40 fF/sec) compared with Ca(2+)-evoked stimulus-coupled exocytosis (approximately 1000 fF/sec). Decoupled secretion is not attributable to Ba2+ displacement of intracellular Ca2+ ions, because it is insensitive to 10 mM EGTA or thapsigargin. Slow exocytosis is initiated by inclusion of Ba2+ ions in the recording pipette and continues steadily for 5-12 min, producing a total increase of several thousand fF, which ultimately doubles or triples the original cell-surface area. We propose that two pathways of regulated exocytosis with distinct kinetics and divalent cation sensitivity exist in chromaffin cells. Only a single kinetic pattern is detected in NHP terminals, suggesting that mechanisms for secretion are not universally distributed in excitable cells.
Who Selected Adjustable-Rate Mortgages? Evidence from the 1989-2007 Surveys of Consumer Finances

We find evidence that households selecting Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) during the recent decade were disproportionately those who were less suspicious or who may have had difficulty understanding complicated ARM features that became commonplace prior to the financial crisis.
Clifford Algebras and Dirac Operators in Harmonic Analysis

1. Clifford algebras 2. Dirac operators and Clifford analyticity 3. Dirac operators and the spin group 4. Dirac operators in the analysis on Euclidean space 5. Dirac operators in representation theory 6. Dirac operators in analysis.
Parallelization and Performance Analysis of the Cooley&#8211;Tukey FFT Algorithm for Shared-Memory Architectures

We present here a study of parallelization of the Cooley-Tukey radix two FFT algorithm for MIMD (nonvector) architectures. Parallel algorithms are presented for one and multidimensional Fourier transforms. From instruction traces obtained by executing Fortran kernels derived from our algorithms, we determined the precise instructions to be executed by each processor in the parallel system. We used these instruction races to predict the performance of the IBM Research Parallel Processing Prototype, RP3, as a computer of FFT's. Our performance results are depicted in graphs included in this paper.
Testosterone and Food Restriction Modulate Hepatic Lycopene Isomer Concentrations in Male F344 Rats

We previously demonstrated that the castration of male rats profoundly increases hepatic lycopene compared with intact controls. Here we further characterized the role of testosterone in modulating hepatic lycopene accumulation and isomer patterns in male rats. Furthermore, because castration significantly decreases ad libitum food consumption, we investigated the influence of food restriction on lycopene metabolism. Forty male F344 rats 8 wk of age were randomly assigned to one of four treatments (n = 10/group): 1) intact, free access to food, 2) castration, free access to food, 3) castration plus testosterone implants, free access to food and 4) intact, 20% food restricted. All rats were fed an AIN-based diet with 0.25 g lycopene (as 10% water-soluble beadlets)/kg diet for 3 wk. Serum testosterone was 5.31 +/- 1.46 nmol/L in intact controls allowed free access to food, reduced in castrated animals (0.52 +/- 0.10, P < 0.0001 versus controls) and intact, food-restricted rats (1.53 +/- 0.49 nmol/L, P < 0.0001 versus controls) and greater (17.23 +/- 3.09 nmol/L) in castrated rats administered testosterone (P < 0.0001 versus controls). Castrated rats accumulated approximately twice as much liver lycopene (74.5 +/- 8.5 nmol/g; P < 0.01 versus controls) as intact rats allowed free access to food (39.5 +/- 5.0) despite 13% lower dietary lycopene intake (P < 0.001; 3.38 +/- 0.07 versus 3.95 +/- 0.06 mg lycopene/d). Testosterone replacement in castrated rats returned liver lycopene concentrations (32.5 +/- 5.5 nmol lycopene/g with 3.76 +/- 0.05 mg dietary lycopene/d) to those observed in intact rats. Food restriction resulted in a 20% decrease in lycopene intake but significantly increased liver lycopene by 68% (66.3 +/- 7.9 nmol lycopene/g with 3.38 +/- 0.00 mg lycopene/d) compared with controls and castrated rats administered testosterone. These results suggest that androgen depletion and 20% food restriction increase hepatic lycopene accumulation. We hypothesize an endocrine and dietary interaction, where higher androgen concentrations and greater energy intake may stimulate lycopene metabolism and degradation.
Intermodal transportation routing problem

Summary form only given as follows. This paper presents a method that has been developed to solve intermodal transportation routing problems. The author has developed a decision support system to aid users in determining the least cost path(s) through an intermodal network. The methodology and development of the software system are discussed.
Mayan Tales from Zinacantan: Dreams and Stories from the People of the Bat

Mayan Tales from Zinacantan: Dreams and Stories from the People of the Bat. Robert M. Laughlin. trans. Carol Karasik, ed. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1997. 282 pp.
Iterative development of information systems: A case study

This paper makes some observations about the applicability of iterative development for system implementation. After a general discussion of the software process, the types of projects suitable for this approach are identified. A system designed to support the iterative development method is then briefly examined, and a case study of its use is presented. Conclusions about the process are drawn, and some research issues regarding productivity are defined.
Roundabout 2 Regulates Migration of Sensory Neurons by Signaling In trans

Background: Roundabout (Robo) receptors and their ligand Slit are important regulators of axon guidance and cell migration. The development of Drosophila embryonic sense organs provides a neuronal migration paradigm where the in vivo roles of Slit and Robo can be assayed using genetics. Results: Here we show that Slit-Robo signaling controls migration of Drosophila larval sensory neurons that are part of the Chordotonal (Cho) stretch receptor organs. We used live imaging to show that abdominal Cho organs normally migrate ventrally during development, whereas thoracic Cho organs do not. Robo2 overexpression in cis (in the sensory neurons) or in trans (on neighboring visceral mesoderm) transforms abdominal organs to a thoracic morphology and position by blocking migration, while loss of Slit-Robo signaling produces a reverse transformation in which thoracic organs migrate ectopically. Rescue and tissue-specific knockout experiments indicate that trans signaling by Robo2 contributes to the normal positioning of the thoracic Cho organs. The differential positioning of Cho organs between the thorax and abdomen is known to be regulated by Hox genes, and we show that the essential Hox cofactor Homothorax, represses Robo2 expression in the abdominal visceral mesoderm. Conclusions: Our results suggest that segment-specific neuronal migration patterns are directed through a novel signaling complex (the “Slit sandwich”) in which Robo2 on the thoracic visceral mesoderm binds to Slit and presents it to Robo receptors on Cho neurons. The differential positioning of Cho organs between thorax and abdomen may be determined by Hox gene-mediated repression of robo2.
Time Window of Fibroblast Growth Factor-18—Mediated Neuroprotection after Occlusion of the Middle Cerebral Artery in Rats*

To assess the time window for fibroblast growth factor-18 (FGF18)-mediated neuroprotection, FGF18 was administered by intravenous infusion at various times after transient occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) in rats. Vehicle or FGF18 (100 microg x kg(-1) x h(-1)) was infused at 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, or 8.0 hours after MCAO with infarct volumes and behavioral deficits measured at 24.0 hours after MCAO. A separate group of animals received the infusions 24 hours after MCAO with endpoints measured at 48 hours after MCAO. Infusion of FGF18 reduced infarct volumes and improved scores in tests of reference and working memory, motor ability, and exploratory behavior. FGF18 was most efficacious when infused within 2 hours after MCAO. Significant reductions in infarct volumes and reductions in deficits of reference memory and motor activity were also observed with FGF18 infused 24 hours after MCAO. Measurements taken at infusion times before 2 hours after MCAO showed that regional cerebral blood flow was increased by FGF18. Administration of vehicle or FGF18 had no significant effect on mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, brain temperature, blood pH, Pco2, or Po2. These results demonstrate that FGF18 is an effective neuroprotective agent when administered early after transient MCAO in rats. Efficacy observed with infusions at later times suggests an expanded time window for FGF18-mediated neuroprotection.
The current state of miniature in vivo laparoscopic robotics

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) reduces patient trauma and shortens recovery time, but also limits the dexterity of the surgeon because degrees of freedom are lost due to the fulcrum effect of the entry incisions. Visual feedback is also limited by the laparoscope, which typically provides two-dimensional feedback and is constrained by the entry incision. Developments within surgical robotics aim to mitigate these constraints. However, these developments have primarily included large external machines that augment vision and improve dexterity, but are still fundamentally constrained by the use of long tools through small incisions. An alternative concept is the use of miniature in vivo surgical robots that can be placed entirely into the peritoneal cavity through either an abdominal incision, or, after insertion into the stomach through the esophagus, can enter through a gastrotomy. This paper reviews the development of fixed-base camera robots for providing auxiliary views of the surgical field and of mobile robots with a movable platform for vision and task assistance in laparoscopic procedures. Moreover, the progress towards the application of similar robots for natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and forward environments is discussed.
Combined Total Ankle Replacement and Modified Bridle Tendon Transfer for End-stage Ankle Joint Arthrosis with Paralytic Dropfoot: Report of an Unusual Case

In recent years, total ankle replacement has become a reasonable option for many patients with end-stage ankle arthrosis. In order to be successful, total ankle replacement requires a relatively balanced alignment of the foot in relation to the leg. Such alignment is traditionally achieved surgically by means of stabilization of the hindfoot in conjunction with relocation osteotomy of the calcaneus and/or tibia. In this report, we describe the unconventional combination of total ankle replacement in an adult patient with concomitant paralysis that was addressed by means of tendon transfer.
Effects of dizocilpine (MK-801) on circling behavior, swimming activity, and place preference in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Glutamate transmission plays an important role in many behavioral systems, including motor activity, learning, and memory. The noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist (+)MK-801 has been shown to increase motor activity and impair learning and memory in a variety of tasks in rats, mice, and other species. In an attempt to characterize the effects of MK-801 on motor activity and cognitive performance in an emerging neurobehavioral model, the zebrafish (Danio rerio), we examined the effects of MK-801 on circling behavior, swimming activity, and latency to enter, as well as preference for, an enriched chamber (EC). In Experiment 1, the effects of a 37-min acute exposure to (+)MK-801 (0, 2.0, and 20.0 μM) on circling behavior were measured in a round observation chamber. (+)MK-801 was observed to increase circling behavior in a dose-dependent manner. In the second experiment, fish were treated with 0, 2, 20, or 200 μM (+)MK-801 for 1 h, and swimming activity was measured in a rectangular observation chamber for 60 min following dosing. The lowest dose of (+)MK-801 decreased swimming activity. In the third experiment, fish were treated with either 0 or 20 μM (+)MK-801 for 1 h each day over four consecutive days. The fish were tested in a modified T-maze to assess both latency to enter, and preference for, an EC 24, 27, and 48 h after the last treatment. The results showed that untreated fish exhibited a preference for the EC at the 27- and 48-h trials, but (+)MK-801-treated fish did not exhibit a preference for the EC at any trial. No significant reduction in latency to enter the chamber was found for either treated or control fish. Together, the results of these experiments suggest that NMDA receptor antagonism (1) increases circling behavior, (2) alters swimming activity, and (3) impairs place preference. These findings lend further support for the usefulness of the zebrafish for assessing the acute and chronic exposure effects of water-soluble compounds on motor and cognitive functions.
Systematic review: non‐invasive methods of fibrosis analysis in chronic hepatitis C

Summary Background Accurate determination of the presence and degree of liver fibrosis is essential for prognosis and for planning treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Non-invasive methods of assessing fibrosis have been developed to reduce the need for biopsy. Aim To perform a review of these non-invasive measures and their ability to replace biopsy for assessing hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic HCV. Methods A systematic review of PUBMED and EMBASE was performed through 2008 using the following search terms: HCV, liver, elastography, hepatitis, Fibroscan, SPECT, noninvasive liver fibrosis, ultrasonography, Doppler, MRI, Fibrotest, Fibrosure, Actitest, APRI, Forns and breath tests, alone or in combination. Results We identified 151 studies: 87 using biochemical, 57 imaging and seven breath tests either alone or in combination. Conclusions Great strides are being made in the development of accurate non-invasive methods for determination of fibrosis. Although no single non-invasive test or model developed to date can match that information obtained from actual histology (i.e. inflammation, fibrosis, steatosis), combinations of two modalities of non-invasive methods can reliably differentiate between minimal and significant fibrosis, and thereby avoid liver biopsy in a significant percentage of patients.
Adrenergic Stimulation Mediates Visceral Hypersensitivity to Colorectal Distension Following Heterotypic Chronic Stress

Background & Aims Chronic stress exacerbates or causes relapse of symptoms such as abdominal pain and cramping in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. We investigated whether chronic stress increases plasma norepinephrine and sensitizes colon-specific dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons by increasing expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the colon wall. Methods Heterotypic chronic stress (HeCS) was applied to male Wistar rats and neurologic and molecular responses were analyzed. Tissues were analyzed for NGF expression. Results HeCS significantly increased visceromoter response to colorectal distension; expression of NGF increased in colonic muscularis externa and mucosa/submucosa. Rheobase decreased, resting membrane potential was depolarized, and electrogenesis of action potentials increased in colon-specific thoracolumbar DRG neurons. Luminal administration of resiniferatoxin in distal colon, systemic administration of anti-NGF antibody, or inhibition of the NGF receptor trkA by k252a or antisense oligonucleotides in thoracolumbar DRG blocked the chronic stress-induced visceral hypersensitivity to colorectal distension. Blockade of α1/α2- and β1/β2-adrenergic receptors prevented the stress-induced visceral hypersensitivity and increased expression of NGF in the colon wall. HeCS did not induce any inflammatory response in the colon wall. Conclusions The peripheral stress mediator norepinephrine induces visceral hypersensitivity to colorectal distension in response to HeCS by increasing the expression of NGF in the colon wall, which sensitizes primary afferents in the absence of an inflammatory response.
Rheology of rigid–flexible liquid crystalline polymer/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

The random liquid crystalline copolymer poly(4,4′-biphenylene azelate)-co-(2-methyl-1,4-phenylene azelate), synthesized by condensation polymerization, was found to be soluble in chloroform and methylene chloride. DSC, rheology, and optical microscopy indicated that this LCP broadly melts at ca. 160°C to a weakly birefringent melt that becomes isotropic at approximately 180°C. DSC and optical microscopy of blends with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) at wLCP = 0.06, 0.16, 0.34, and 0.69, indicated little compatibility between the polymers at middle compositions. Dynamic and steady shear flow rheological measurements, using cone/plate geometry, showed the PMMA-rich (6 wt % LCP) and LCP-rich (69 wt % LCP) blends to be essentially homogeneous, and dominated by the properties of the major component. However, at 16 wt % and 34 wt %, the resulting phase separation led to lower dynamic moduli (than either LCP or PMMA separately), and increased shear thinning. This behavior supports the notion that the LCP acts as a lubricant by promoting the flow of the non-LCP. The results reported in this article show that these rheological effects, which were previously observed in blends of insoluble, rigid LCPs and engineering thermoplastics, still exist with a much less rodlike LCP mixed with a commodity polymer.
Time-dependent disk models for the microquasar GRS 1915 + 105

During the past three years, the Galactic black hole microquasar GRS 1915)105 has exhibited a bewildering diversity of large-amplitude, chaotic variability in X-rays. Although it is generally accepted that the variability in this source results from an accretion disk instability, the exact nature of the insta- bility remains unknown. Here we investigate diUerent accretion disk models and viscosity prescriptions in order to provide a basic explanation for some of the exotic temporal behavior in GRS 1915)105. We discuss a range of possible accretion —ow geometries. Any geometrically thick disk (e.g., an advection- dominated accretion —ow (ADAF) or a ii slim ˇˇ accretion disk) has trouble explaining the very long cycle times unless the a-parameter is exceedingly small (D10~4). In addition, the rise/fall timescales in GRS 1915)105 can be a factor of 100 shorter than the cycle times, whereas thick disks predict that these two timescales should be comparable. We thus concentrate on geometrically thin (though not necessarily standard) Shakura-Sunyaev type disks. We argue that X-ray observations clearly require a quasi-stable accretion disk solution at a high accretion rate at which radiation pressure begins to dominate, which excludes the standard a-viscosity prescription. We have therefore devised a simpli—ed model of a disk with a corona and a modi—ed viscosity law that has a quasi-stable upper branch, and we have developed a code to solve the time-dependent equations to study the evolution of this con—guration. Via numerical simulations, we show that the model does account for several gross observational features of GRS 1915)105, including its overall cyclic behavior on timescales of D100¨1000 s. On the other hand, the rise/fall timescales are not as short as those observed, no rapid oscillations on timescales s emerge (10 naturally from the model, and the computed cycle-time dependence on the average luminosity is stronger than is found in GRS 1915)105. We then consider, and numerically test, a more elaborate model that includes the ii cold ˇˇ disk, a corona, and plasma ejections from the inner disk region that occur when the luminosity of the source is near the Eddington luminosity. The inclusion of a jet allows us to reproduce several additional observed features of GRS 1915)105. We conclude that the most likely structure of the accretion —ow in this source is that of a cold disk with a modi—ed viscosity law, plus a corona that accounts for much of the X-ray emission and unsteady plasma ejections that occur when the luminosity of the source is high. The disk is geometrically thin (as required by the data) because most of the accre- tion power is drained by the corona and the jet. Subject headings: accretion, accretion disksblack hole physics ¨ quasars: individual (GRS 1915)105) ¨ X-rays: general
Bone Density and Differential Survivorship of Fossil Classes

Presentation et test d'un modele d'analyse taphonomique des vestiges fauniques pour evaluer la survivance differentielle des classes fossiles
Theory of Stokes and anti-Stokes generation by Raman frequency conversion in the transient limit.

Analytic and numerical solutions are obtained for the equations describing the propagation of several pulses of different frequencies through a Raman medium. The transient case is treated, and the analysis includes Stokes, pump, and anti-Stokes frequency components. The effect of phase mismatch \ensuremath{\Delta}k between these waves is investigated. An analytic solution is found that describes the phenomenon of transient Stokes\char21{}anti-Stokes gain suppression in the limit \ensuremath{\Delta}k=0. For nonzero values of \ensuremath{\Delta}k, the behavior of the transient gain coefficient is found to follow a scaling rule that is the analog of a similar result known from the steady-state limit. Calculations are performed to identify conditions that enhance conversion to anti-Stokes radiation. It is found that there is an optimum strength of the Stokes seed, and that proper phase matching of the initial waves is essential.
Poverty Reduction: Government Transfer Spending vs. Macroeconomic Change

ABSTRACT The study uses a multivariate time series approach (Vector Autoregression) to compare the relative effects of government transfer spending versus macroeconomic change on poverty reduction. The analysis disaggregates transfer spending among federal budget subcategories and poverty rates among different demographic groups. The analysis also tested for the possibility that spending on government programs is adjusted in response to changes in poverty. The findings indicated that out of five separate transfer spending categories, only Income Security and Social Security spending had significant impacts, affecting White and elderly poverty only. Black, youth, and female head-of-house poverty rates were not significantly influenced by any spending category. Economic growth and lower unemployment rates were both observed to reduce poverty in all categories except the elderly, but the unemployment rate appeared to be the dominant effect. We found only a single instance in which transfer spending (Income S...
Removal of singularities in the Coulomb and Yukawa potentials

A complex length is introduced into the Coulomb and Yukawa potential energy equations. It is shown how this complex length can be used to remove the small-distance singularities in the above potentials. In addition, the Yukawa potential now exhibits a hard core.
Defining the lines between virtual and real world purchases: Second Life sells, but who's buying?

The present study examines the virtual spending habits of Residents in Second Life, a unique Massively Multi-player Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) with a thriving economy where virtual goods and services are purchased with real money. Large corporations are entering the virtual worlds of MMORPGs through advertising; yet, few studies have examined the relationship between virtual identities, virtual consumption and real world consumption. This study formulates a preliminary taxonomy of user motivations for playing Second Life and addresses how these diverse reasons impact both virtual and 'real world' consumer behaviors. A total of 209 participants completed a Web-based questionnaire. The independent variable in the study was motivation for using Second Life, and respondents completed measures of frequency of purchasing different products, motivations for using Second Life, and demographic characteristics. Results are consistent with the expectation that not all Second Life users are the same in their motivations or behaviors, despite popular media coverage of the phenomenon.