cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TOPOLOGICAL STRINGS AND LOOP EQUATIONS

The quantization of generally covariant field theories is a notorious difficult subject. Severe problems arise in the correct treatment of the dynamical metric that is introduced to achieve invariance under general coordinate transformations. Even in two-dimensions, where the issue seems much more accessible and essentially reduces to an understanding of the Liouville dynamics, an exact solution of quantum gravity has until recently remained elusive. However, as is demonstrated by this workshop, the application of an unconventional method, the realization of random surfaces by large N matrix integrals [1]–[3], has led to a remarkable breakthrough [4]–[8]. Soon after the double-scaling limit of the matrix model was solved, an alternative approach to two-dimensional gravity was suggested by Witten along the lines of topological field theory [9].
ARCH: Practical Channel Hopping for Reliable Home-Area Sensor Networks

Home area networks (HANs) promise to enable sophisticated home automation applications such as smart energy usage and assisted living. However, recent empirical study of HAN reliability in real-world residential environments revealed significant challenges to achieving reliable performance in the face of significant and variable interference from a multitude of coexisting wireless devices. We propose the Adaptive and Robust Channel Hopping (ARCH) protocol: a lightweight receiver-oriented protocol which handles the dynamics of residential environments by reactively channel hopping when channel conditions have degraded. ARCH has several key features. First, ARCH is an adaptive protocol that channel-hops based on changes in channel quality observed in real time. Second, ARCH is a distributed protocol that selects channels on a per-link basis, due to the large link-to-link variations in channel quality observed under empirical study. Third, ARCH is designed to be robust and lightweight. ARCH uses a practical handshaking approach to handle channel desynchronization and an efficient sliding-window scheme that does not involve expensive calculations or modeling, and can be reasonably implemented on memory-constrained wireless sensor platforms. Fourth, ARCH introduces minimal communication overhead for applications where packet acknowledgements are already enabled. We evaluate our approach through real deployment in real-life apartments with residents' daily activity. Our results demonstrate that ARCH can reduce packet retransmissions by a median of 42.3% compared to using a single, fixed wireless channel, and can enable up to a 2.2X improvement in delivery rate on the most unreliable links in our experiment. Under a multi-hop routing scenario, ARCH reduced radio usage by 31.6% on average, by reducing the ETX of each link by up to 83.6%. Due to ARCH's lightweight reactive design, most links achieve this improvement in reliability with 10 or fewer channel hops per day.
On the basic theorem of complementarity

Using a fixed point theorem of Browder, the basic existence theorem of Lemke in linear complementarity theory is generalized to the nonlinear case.
Selection for Body Weight at Eight Weeks of Age in Dwarf and Normal Meat-Type Chickens Originating from a Common Control Population Background

A study was conducted to evaluate responses to selection for 8-week body weight in normal and dwarf meat-type broiler lines originating from the same nonselected randombred population. Following three generations of selection, normal and dwarf dams were mated to males from a commercial broiler stock to compare strain cross performance of progeny from the two dam groups. The mean realized heritabilities across four generations for 8-week body weight, estimated by dividing the cumulative responses by the cumulative selection differentials, were .69 for normal lines and .59 for dwarf lines. Realized estimates from regression of population means on cumulative selection differentials were .78 +/- .10 and .74 +/- .02 for normal lines and .70 +/- .14 and .59 +/- .19 for dwarf lines. Although these estimates were not significantly different, realized heritabilities were consistently greater in normal than in dwarf lines across generations. The smaller heritability estimates observed in dwarf lines were compensated for by larger selection intensities (i), which resulted in similar selection responses in 8-week body weight for normal and dwarf genotypes. The fertility of normal and dwarf females mated to commercial broiler males was identical. However, the hatchability of fertile eggs was approximately 10% higher for dwarfs than for normal females. Body weights (8-week) of male progeny from dwarf dams mated to commercial males were 3% smaller than comparable males from normal dams. There were no differences between 8-week body weights of female progeny from normal and dwarf dams mated to commercial males.
Missed opportunities in residency education: the role of hospital dermatology.

O ver the past several decades, the practice of dermatology has shifted from the hospital to a mainly outpatient-based setting. With this change, a large proportion of hospitalized patients are cared for by a primary care physician rather than a specialist. Few active primary dermatology and coprimary medical-dermatology inpatient services currently exist in the United States. Most dermatology programs have a hospital consultative system, but treatment decisions and day-to-day management remain the prerogative of the primary care service. Previous articles have highlighted the deficiencies of inpatient dermatology consultations in residency training. Dermatology residents who encounter hospitalized patients only for consultation or skin biopsy may not participate meaningfully in their treatment. Briefly seeing a patient with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, for example, is not sufficient for educational purposes in a dermatology training program. We reviewed the diagnoses seen in our hospital dermatology practice during a 4-year period (2005-2008), with the aim of highlighting dermatologic diseases whose management may be missing from a residency education program that relies mainly on outpatient experience.
Predicting the Use of Campus Counseling Services for Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic, and White Students: Problem Severity, Gender, and Generational Status

The purpose of the current study was to identify predictors of counseling center use among Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic, and White college students. Findings indicated that female and 2nd-generation students report the most severe difficulties. Problem severity and gender predicted counseling center use for White and Asian/Pacific Islander students, whereas only problem severity predicted use for Latino/Hispanic students. Generational status was not a significant predictor of use for any group.
Processing Commercial Global Positioning System Data to Develop a Web-Based Truck Performance Measures Program

Although trucks move larger volumes of goods than other modes of transportation, public agencies know little about their travel patterns and how the roadway network performs for trucks. Trucking companies use data from the Global Positioning System (GPS) provided by commercial vendors to dispatch and track their equipment. This research collected GPS data from approximately 2,500 trucks in the Puget Sound, Washington, region and evaluated the feasibility of processing these data to support a statewide network performance measures program. The program monitors truck travel time and system reliability and will guide freight investment decisions by public agencies. While other studies have used a limited number of project-specific GPS devices to collect frequent location readings, which permit a fine-grained analysis of specific roadway segments, this study used data that involved less frequent readings but that were collected from a larger number of trucks for more than a year. Automated processing was used...
Forkhead box O1 is a repressor of basal and GnRH-induced Fshb transcription in gonadotropes

Synthesis of the gonadotropin β-subunits is tightly controlled by a complex network of hormonal signaling pathways that may be modulated by metabolic cues. Recently, we reported that insulin regulates FOXO1 phosphorylation and cellular localization in pituitary gonadotropes and that FOXO1 overexpression inhibits Lhb transcription. In the current study, we investigated whether FOXO1 modulates Fshb synthesis. Here, we demonstrate that FOXO1 represses basal and GnRH-induced Fshb transcription in LβT2 cells. In addition, we show that PI3K inhibition, which increases FOXO1 nuclear localization, results in decreased Fshb mRNA levels in murine primary pituitary cells. FOXO1 also decreases transcription from the human FSHB promoter, suggesting that FOXO1 regulation of FSHB transcription may be conserved between rodents and humans. Although the FOXO1 DNA-binding domain is necessary for suppression of Fshb, we do not observe direct binding of FOXO1 to the Fshb promoter, suggesting that FOXO1 exerts its effect through protein-protein interactions with transcription factors required for Fshb synthesis. FOXO1 suppression of basal Fshb transcription may involve PITX1 because PITX1 interacts with FOXO1, FOXO1 repression maps to the proximal Fshb promoter containing a PITX1-binding site, PITX1 induction of Fshb or a PITX1 binding element in CV-1 cells is decreased by FOXO1, and FOXO1 suppresses Pitx1 mRNA and protein levels. GnRH induction of an Fshb promoter containing a deletion at -50/-41 or -30/-21 is not repressed by FOXO1, suggesting that these two regions may be involved in FOXO1 suppression of GnRH-induced Fshb synthesis. In summary, our data demonstrate that FOXO1 can negatively regulate Fshb transcription and suggest that FOXO1 may relay metabolic hormonal signals to modulate gonadotropin production.
Response of streamflow to multiple earthquakes

We analyze the streamflow response of Sespe Creek, CA, to several large earthquakes. We find that flow increased after three earthquakes, and that the observed changes in flow have the same character. Both those earthquakes that induced static extension and those that induced static contraction cause flow to increase; streamflow thus appears to respond to dynamic strain. We find that all postseismic responses can be explained by a model in which pore pressure increases coseismically without any changes in hydraulic diffusivity. There is a particle velocity threshold in the range of 5-20 cm/s to induce the pore pressure increase. [References: 16]
Family FIRO Model: An Application to Family Business

This study applies the Family FIRO model, one of interpersonal dynamics and change, to family businesses (specifically, to family farming couples). It empirically tests the developmental sequence of three dimensions of the model: inclusion, control, and integration. Findings indicate that both a sense of inclusion in a family business and the manner in which control issues are managed have important influences on family business integration. Because inclusion predicts control dynamics, effective control may not be diminished without adequate levels of inclusion. The study offers practitioners a theory-based approach to working with the complex dynamics within family businesses. Family businesses will remain more resilient in times of change if the leaders understand and reassess patterns of inclusion when change is initiated.
Of songs and signs: Audiocassette poetry, moral character, and the culture of circulation in Yemen

A problematic of authorial subjects, character (tibā c ) has long provided a generative reflexive template in Yemeni textual practice. As contemporary vernacular poets and singers consider the benefits and costs of an audio-recording industry for the integrities of political speakers, they use a graphic alienation inherent to a trope of character to articulate moral ambivalences over, and expressive possibilities of, authorial iteration. In this article, I propose a framework for considering the moral entailments of a culture of circulation.
Use of luminescence dating in archaeology

With improvements in methodology and instrumentation, luminescence dating is becoming a much more useful chronometric tool in archaeology. Procedures for dating ceramics are relatively routine and their accuracy has been demonstrated in a number of studies. Research is aimed at applying ceramic dating in situations where other methods lack the direct dating ability of luminescence to resolve chronological problems. Sediment dating is more difficult because of uncertainty in the extent of zeroing or because of mixtures of different aged deposits. These problems have been addressed by isolating signals most likely to be zeroed and by dating single aliquots, and ultimately single grains. Single-grain dating now has the potential not only to identify and date mixed deposits but to provide valuable information on site formation processes. This is particularly critical for judging site integrity at controversial sites.
Exotic deer diminish post-fire resilience of native shrub communities on Santa Catalina Island, southern California

Browsing by exotic mule deer on Santa Catalina Island (SCI) off the coast of southern California may diminish the post-fire resilience of native shrublands. To assess this, deer exclosures were established following a wildfire to monitor post-fire recovery of three dominant, native shrub species (Heteromeles arbutifolia, Rhus integrifolia, and Rhamnus pirifolia). Post-fire resprout growth, mortality, and tissue water status as well as pre- and post-fire shrub density and cover were measured inside and outside of deer exclosures. We found that deer browsing significantly limited post-fire resprout growth and led to increased mortality of resprouting H. arbutifolia shrubs (88 % mortality outside compared to 11 % inside exclosures). Post-fire resprouts maintained favorable water status during the study despite drought conditions, indicating that water stress was not a proximate cause of resprout mortality. Deer browsing resulted in a >93 % reduction in canopy coverage of dominant shrub species. The dramatic reduction of native shrubs at this site may create opportunities for displacement by exotic species, resulting in eventual vegetation-type conversion. The observed link between intense browsing and post-fire shrub mortality provides much needed information concerning the environmental impact of exotic deer on SCI and illustrates the interaction between exotic herbivores and fire on an island system.
Calibrating a Basin‐Scale Groundwater Model to Remotely Sensed Estimates of Groundwater Evapotranspiration

Remotely sensed vegetation indices correspond to canopy vigor and cover and have been successfully used to estimate groundwater evapotranspiration (ETg) over large spatial and temporal scales. However, these data do not provide information on depth to groundwater (dtgw) necessary for groundwater models (GWM) to calculate ETg. An iterative approach is provided that calibrates GWM to ETg derived from Landsat estimates of the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). The approach is applied to different vegetation groups in Mason Valley, Nevada over an 11-year time span. An uncertainty analysis is done to estimate the resulting mean and 90% confidence intervals in ETg to dtgw relationships to quantify errors associated with plant physiologic complexity, species variability, and parameter smoothing to the 100 m GWM-grid, temporal variability in soil moisture and nonuniqueness in the solution. Additionally, a first-order second moment analysis shows ETg to dtgw relationships are almost exclusively sensitive to estimated land surface, or maximum, ETg despite relatively large uncertainty in extinction depths and hydraulic conductivity. The EVI method of estimating ETg appears to bias ETg during years with exceptionally wet spring/summer conditions. Excluding these years improves model performance significantly but highlights the need to develop a methodology that accounts not only on quantity but timing of annual precipitation on phreatophyte greenness. (KEY TERMS: groundwater models; groundwater evapotranspiration; remote sensing; depth to groundwater; Enhanced Vegetation Index; model calibration.) Carroll, Rosemary W.H., Greg M. Pohll, Charles G. Morton, and Justin L. Huntington, 2015. Calibrating a Basin-Scale Groundwater Model to Remotely Sensed Estimates of Groundwater Evapotranspiration. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1-14. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12285
Increased thrombosis susceptibility and altered fibrin formation in STAT5-deficient mice

To explore the effect(s) of growth hormone signaling on thrombosis, we studied signal transduction and transcription factor 5 (STAT5)–deficient mice and found markedly reduced survival in an in vivo thrombosis model. These findings were not explained by a compensatory increase in growth hormone secretion. There was a modest increase in the activity of several procoagulant factors, but there was no difference in the rate or magnitude of thrombin generation in STAT5-deficient mice relative to control. However, thrombin-triggered clot times were markedly shorter, and fibrin polymerization occurred more rapidly in plasma from STAT5-deficient mice. Fibrinogen depletion and mixing studies indicated that the effect on fibrin polymerization was not due to intrinsic changes in fibrinogen, but resulted from changes in the concentration of a circulating plasma inhibitor. While thrombin-triggered clot times were significantly shorter in STAT5-deficient animals, reptilase-triggered clot times were unchanged. Accordingly, while the rate of thrombin-catalyzed release of fibrinopeptide A was similar, the release of fibrinopeptide B was accelerated in STAT5-deficient plasma versus control. Taken together, these studies demonstrated that the loss of STAT5 resulted in a decrease in the concentration of a plasma inhibitor affecting thrombin-triggered cleavage of fibrinopeptide B. This ultimately resulted in accelerated fibrin polymerization and greater thrombosis susceptibility in STAT5-deficient animals.
Mandibular Ossifying Fibroma in a Dog

An aged mongrel dog was admitted for hemimandibulectomy as treatment for a mandibular mass that had been diagnosed as osteosarcoma. The fibro-osseous mass that surrounded the first molar tooth and replaced alveolar and cortical bone was reclassified as ossifying fibroma on the basis of anatomic location and histologic features. The tumor was composed of isomorphic fusiform cells with few mitotic figures. Tumoral stroma contained trabeculae of woven bone that were bordered by a single layer of osteoblasts. Excision was deemed complete with no evidence of extension or metastasis by computed tomography of the skull or thoracic and abdominal radiography. The dog was reportedly healthy 6 months after initial presentation. Though far less common than osteosarcoma as a primary canine bone tumor, ossifying fibroma should be included in the differential diagnosis for fibro-osseous proliferations, especially those of the jaw. Although benign, en bloc excision may be necessary for surgical cure.
RNA interference-mediated survivin gene knockdown induces growth arrest and reduced migration of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Survivin (SVV) is a multifunctional protein that has been implicated in the development of neointimal hyperplasia. Nuclear SVV is essential for mitosis, whereas in mitochondria SVV has a cytoprotec...
On nonconflicting languages that arise in supervisory control of discrete event systems

Abstract We study four classes of nonconflicting sublanguages of a given language that arise in supervisory control of discrete event systems. We first present closed-form expressions for the supremal nonconflicting sublanguage and for the supremal closed nonconflicting sublanguage of a given language. The nonconflicting condition is with respect to a second given language. We then present algorithms to compute the supremal nonconflicting controllable sublanguage and the supremal closed nonconflicting controllable sublanguage of a given language. The regularity properties of these languages are also investigated.
Crises and the Myth of the Money Supply

Money, credit and capital are three fundamental economic terms that every high school student, at least, should understand. Yet we live in a society that does not treasure clarity about itself. Power prefers obscurity. So not only do few high school students understand these concepts, but few PhDs in economics do either. If you learn anything from this article, at least I hope you will understand these three. If you already know, or think you do, what money, credit and capital are (readers of this journal should know these), perhaps nonetheless you will be somewhat surprised by the simplicity, clarity and power of my treatment of these basic concepts. Most importantly, understanding these better makes it much easier to understand why economic crises occur. These are not primarily caused by errors in government policy, but by the process of capitalist competition between bears and bulls, involving the conflicting interests of creditors and debtors. Strategic power in a capitalist economy rests with those who advance and withdraw credit at the highest levels.
Oxidative stress contributes to vascular endothelial dysfunction in heart failure.

Congestive heart failure (HF) is characterized by inadequate nitric oxide (NO) production in the vasculature. Because NO is degraded by oxygen radicals, we hypothesized that NO is degraded faster i...
Optimization techniques for memory virtualization-based resource management

Memory virtualization abstracts the physical memory resources in a virtualized server in such a way that offers many resource management advantages, such as consolidation, sharing, compression and migration. The main goal of this dissertation project is to develop optimization techniques to resource management schemes based on memory virtualization. Although migration of virtual machine (VM) memory state is a standard feature of most modern hypervisors, migration of physical machine memory state is largely non-existent. We applied the standard VM migration technique to building the first known physical machine state migration system for Linux servers, which significantly increases the system management flexibility for physical machine administration. Virtual machine introspection (VMI) allows the internal states of a VM to be analyzed. We exploited VMI to identify free memory pages, and leverage this knowledge to significantly improve the efficiency of memory de-duplication and memory state migration. To analyze undocumented data structures in different kernel versions, we developed a novel memory analysis procedure that programmatically takes advantage of the availability of guest kernel source code when it exists. To further increase memory utilization, we propose an adaptive memory compression scheme that makes better use of the physical memory resources of virtualized servers by accurately and efficiently tracking the working sets of individual VMs. Finally, cloning a VM involves copying of the VM's memory pages. To minimize the memory copying overhead when cloning a VM on the same physical machine, we propose a lazy memory state creation scheme that defers the copying of a cloned VM's memory pages and its memory mapping tables to the last possible moment.
Effect of glucose supply on ovine uteroplacental glucose metabolism

To test the hypothesis that glucose supply to the uteroplacenta (UP) regulates UP glucose metabolism into oxidative and nonoxidative pathways, we studied eight late-gestation pregnant sheep at low ...
On a Moment Problem

Suppose that a rigid rod of unit mass and unit length is allowed to oscillate in a plane as a pendulum about one end as the point of suspension. If c is a given real number, is it possible to prescribe the mass distribution of the rod (call it f(x)) so that (i) f is a continuous function on [0, 1], (ii) the center of mass is c distant from the point of suspension, and (iii) the period of small oscillation about the equilibrium position is 2ir-Vc/g, where g is the acceleration due to gravity? It is easy to show that the equation of the oscillation of the pendulum is given by
Aerospace Workforce Development through a Multidisciplinary Student Demonstration of Autonomous Mars Airplane Technology

NASA is addressing the anticipated shortage of aerospace engineers in part through workforce d evelopment pro jects of the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. BIG BLUE is a workforce development project currently in its fourth year at the Univers ity of Kentucky (UK). Although UK does not have an a erospa ce e ngineering major, this multidisciplinary project has provided over 160 engineering students to date with opportunities to learn about and to prepare for aerospace engineering careers. BIG BLUE i s a comprehensive aerospace project experience to design, build and conduct a complex, high altitude experiment to verify the feasibility of inflatable -wing technology for Mars exploration. T o date, t hree successful experiments have been completed , along w ith participation in a student unmanned aerial vehicle competition . In essence, students involved in BIG BLUE join ed the aerospace workforce while participa ting in the project, which influenced their decision to choose and pursue an aerospace career. In th is paper, the educational aspects of the BIG BLUE project are detailed. In addition t o capstone design courses, students inv olved with BIG BLUE attend ed an aerospace systems engineering short course and learn -to -fly workshops. Opportunities were also avail able to visit and work with practicing aerospace engineers in industry and at NASA. Annual support and expenditures, student and faculty involvement in project management and aerospace workforce developm ent results are included. With three successful fligh t experiments in three years, a review of BIG BLUE reveals the effort, cost and results of experiential aerospace workforce development .
A Rare Combination of Multicentric Gliomas: A Problem of Interpretation

Cases of multicentric gliomas of similar morphology have been well documented, but the simultaneous occurrence of a glioblastoma multiforme and a distinctly separate astrocytoma has been rarely recognized and inadequately described. Both a glioblastoma multiforme and a cystic piloid astrocytoma (spongioblastoma polare) were observed at autopsy in a 62-year-old woman thought to have an occult malignancy with multiple metastatic intracranial neoplasms. This case supports the occurrence of multicentric gliomas on the basis of the development of multiple primary foci, which has been illustrated previously by experiments in animals.
The use of random decrement technique for identification of structural modes of vibration

An algorithm is developed to obtain the free responses of a structure from its random responses due to some unknown or known random input or inputs, using the random-decrement technique without changing time correlation between signals. The algorithm is tested using random responses from a 'generalized payload' model and from the 'Space Shuttle' model. The resulting free responses are then used to identify the modal characteristics of the two systems.
New developments in the vitamin D endocrine system.

A pursuit of understanding of the vitamin D endocrine system has led to a better understanding of calcium and phosphorus disturbances and of metabolic bone disease.
Improving vaccine efficacy against malignant glioma

ABSTRACTThe effective treatment of adult and pediatric malignant glioma is a significant clinical challenge. In adults, glioblastoma (GBM) accounts for the majority of malignant glioma diagnoses with a median survival of 14.6 mo. In children, malignant glioma accounts for 20% of primary CNS tumors with a median survival of less than 1 y. Here, we discuss vaccine treatment for children diagnosed with malignant glioma, through targeting EphA2, IL-13Rα2 and/or histone H3 K27M, while in adults, treatments with RINTEGA, Prophage Series G-100 and dendritic cells are explored. We conclude by proposing new strategies that are built on current vaccine technologies and improved upon with novel combinatorial approaches.
Origin, Clinical Characteristics and 30-Day Outcomes of Severe Hematochezia in Cirrhotics and Non-cirrhotics.

Background The sites of origin, causes and outcomes of severe hematochezia have not been compared between cirrhotics and non-cirrhotics. In cirrhotics versus non-cirrhotics presenting with severe hematochezia, we aimed at (1) identifying the site and etiology of gastro-intestinal bleeding and independent predictors of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract versus small bowel or the colon, (2) comparing 30-day clinical outcomes, and (3) proposing an algorithm for management of severe hematochezia.
MCDNN: An Approximation-Based Execution Framework for Deep Stream Processing Under Resource Constraints

We consider applying computer vision to video on cloud-backed mobile devices using Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). The computational demands of DNNs are high enough that, without careful resource management, such applications strain device battery, wireless data, and cloud cost budgets. We pose the corresponding resource management problem, which we call Approximate Model Scheduling, as one of serving a stream of heterogeneous (i.e., solving multiple classification problems) requests under resource constraints. We present the design and implementation of an optimizing compiler and runtime scheduler to address this problem. Going beyond traditional resource allocators, we allow each request to be served approximately, by systematically trading off DNN classification accuracy for resource use, and remotely, by reasoning about on-device/cloud execution trade-offs. To inform the resource allocator, we characterize how several common DNNs, when subjected to state-of-the art optimizations, trade off accuracy for resource use such as memory, computation, and energy. The heterogeneous streaming setting is a novel one for DNN execution, and we introduce two new and powerful DNN optimizations that exploit it. Using the challenging continuous mobile vision domain as a case study, we show that our techniques yield significant reductions in resource usage and perform effectively over a broad range of operating conditions.
Isotope Loopography, a new Test: Comparison with Standard Loopography and its Relationship to Renal function in Patients with Ileal Conduit Urinary Diversion

AbstractReflux associated with the classic ileal conduit has been implicated as possibly contributing to long-term renal deterioration. When demonstrated on a standard loopogram reflux occurs under highly non-physiologic conditions. A new method of radioisotope loopography performed under physiologic conditions was devised and compared to the standard loopogram. The standard loopogram is more of an indicator for the capacity for reflux. The isotope loopogram is a more specific indicator for reflux that is potentially detrimental to renal function. Approximately 50 per cent of ureteroileal anastomoses that permit reflux with conventional loopography do not do so under the physiologic conditions of the isotope loopogram.
Should Intensive Care Unit Patients Be Deeply Sedated

A 75-year-old man is admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) after an emergent laparotomy for perforated bowel. His medical history includes hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and previous alcohol abuse. On arrival to the ICU, he is acidotic and in septic shock, requiring norepinephrine and vasopressin infusions. Progressively over the next few hours in the ICU, vasopressor support has decreased and lactic acidosis is improving, but he now has acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and is being mechanically ventilated with lung protective ventilation. It is expected that his length of mechanical ventilation will exceed 48 h.
Unipotent differential algebraic groups

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews unipotent differential algebraic groups. A differential algebraic group is a group object in the category of differential algebraic sets. It is the solution set in affine space of finitely many polynomial differential equations. The coordinate functions of the group laws are everywhere defined differential rational functions. In particular, every algebraic group is differential algebraic. Unipotent differential algebraic groups bear a striking resemblance to unipotent algebraic groups defined over a field k of characteristic p > 0. The chapter discusses the structure of unipotent differential algebraic groups and commutative linear unipotent differential algebraic groups, and also illustrates extensions of differential algebraic groups
Greater mandibular horizontal condylar angle is associated with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis

Background Research using magnetic resonance imaging analysis has shown that internal temporomandibular joint derangement is associated with significantly greater horizontal condylar angle. However, the association between osteoarthritic (OA) bony changes as shown on computed tomography and horizontal condylar angle has never been evaluated. Objective To investigate the relationship between mandibular condylar angle and OA degenerative changes. Study Design This is a retrospective study using cone beam computed tomography images and reports from 60 patients with unilateral OA degenerative changes and 43 control patients with no OA-affected joints. Results Condylar angles in the joints of control patients and the unaffected joints in OA patients were not significantly different. The mean horizontal condylar angle in the unilaterally OA-affected joints (29.5° ± 10.5°) was larger than in the contralateral unaffected joints (22.5° ± 7.7°) ( P P Conclusions Moderate to severe degenerative temporomandibular joint change is associated with greater horizontal condylar angle.
Predicting Synchrony in a Simple Neuronal Network

Human brain is comprised of hierarchically structured networks of neurons with feedforward and feedback connections across the hierarchy [17]. It has a remarkable ability to process sensory information and generate motor actions at millisecond time scales [20]. In recent years, new theories have emerged that view the brain as an active and adaptive system in which there is a close connection between cognition and action [5]. Instead of viewing cognition as building universal, context independent models of the external world [4, 14], cognition is considered to play an important role in the generation of correct action responses in a context dependent adaptive manner [19]. Accordingly, the modern perspective is to relate cognitive functions with coherent behavior of large number of neural populations [3, 19, 35]. This modern view has been particularly relevant for understanding the binding problem which deals with the question of how does the brain integrate sensory information on object properties (color, shape, . . . ) to identify the object as a coherent whole [27]. Since many objects in the world are multi-sensory, a coherent representation of the object requires integration of responses across different sensory modalities including in various combinations the haptic, visual, olfactory and auditory properties. It is believed that neural synchrony at millisecond level precision is crucial in implementing such an integration across different cortical regions. Although there has been a growing interest in understanding the role for neural synchrony in cognitive processes involved in normal brain functioning, a number of recent works have also examined the relevance of neural synchronization in various neurological diseases such as epilepsy [21], schizophrenia [24], autism [26] and Alzheimers disease [30].
TCT-857 Trends in Automatic Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (AICD) Device Implantation in the United States from 2004-2011

In 2008, The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Rhythm Society issued revised guidelines for automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (AICD). We hypothesized that these guidelines have influenced AICD implantation rates. We queried the NIS database to identify
Planning post-discharge destination for gastrointestinal surgery patients: Room for improvement?

Abstract Background We compared short-term recovery for patients discharged to inpatient rehabilitation versus skilled nursing facilities after gastrointestinal surgery. Materials & methods We conducted a propensity-matched cohort study of 12,939 adults discharged to inpatient rehabilitation or skilled nursing facilities after colectomy, pancreatectomy or hepatectomy at hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2011 to 2014. Primary outcomes were readmission and mortality rates 30 days after surgery. Results 9259 (72%) patients were discharged to skilled nursing facilities and 3680 (28%) to inpatient rehabilitation. Median age in both groups was 76 years and 82% of patients were white. There was no difference in 30-day readmission rates (16% for skilled nursing vs 16.8% for inpatient rehabilitation) but post-discharge mortality was higher for patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities (4.4%) compared to inpatient rehabilitation (1.6%, p Conclusions Increased utilization of inpatient rehabilitation services after gastrointestinal surgery may improve postoperative outcomes.
Multiple Imputation Based on Conditional Quantile Estimation

Multiple imputation is a simulation-based approach for the analysis of data with missing observations. It is widely utilized in many set- tings and preeminent among general approaches when the analytical method does not involve a likelihood function or this is too complex. We consider a multiple imputation method based on the estimation of conditional quantiles of missing observations given the observed data. The method does not require modeling a likelihood and has desirable features that may be useful in some practical settings. It can also be applied to impute dependent, bounded, censored and count data. In a simulation study it shows some advantage over the alternative meth- ods considered in terms of mean squared error across all scenarios except when the data arise from a normal distribution where all meth- ods considered perform equally well. We present an application to the estimation of percentiles of body mass index conditional on physical activity assessed by accelerometers.
Progress of DNS security deployment in the federal government

In 2008, the US Federal government mandated that all Federal Executive Branch owned DNS zones must deploy DNSSEC. Initial deployments lagged and often error prone, and in response, the DNSSEC Tiger Team was formed to aid deployment and develop a system to monitoring system. The results showed a significant increase in deployment as well as a reduction in errors. When errors were detected, the time it took to resolve the problem was also reduced.This paper discusses the history of DNSSEC in the gov domain, the types of errors seen, and how they were reported. This paper concludes with a set of lessons learned that would apply to other large domains or groups wishing to make DNSSEC a requirement for operation in members' zones.
Options, Innovation and Metropolitan Development: Novel Insights from Non-Linear Dynamics

At the outset, two kinds of comment are needed in order to place metropolitan development, and the public policy-making process tied to it — the subjects proper of this contribution — into their proper foundation and frame of reference, from the viewpoint chosen here to address them, i.e. non-linear dynamics. One comment deals with a basic paradox involved in the treatment of metropolitan development and non-linear dynamics; the other is associated with the role of speculative behaviour in the course of socio-spatial evolution.
Self-Report Inventories

The use of self-report inventories with children is a relatively new phenomenon. It was heretofore commonly believed that children could not accurately report on their own feelings, perceptions, and behaviors. As a result, parent and teacher reports have routinely been preferred over the use of self-report inventories in child personality assessment. One of the first popular child assessment instruments, for example, the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC; Wirt et al., 1984), resembled a “junior” MMPI. It included a large item set similar to the MMPI, and the name conveys similarities to omnibus personality ­inventories. Yet, the PIC was, and is (PIC-2; Lachar & Gruber, 2001) a parent rating scale.
Activity-Based Restorative Therapy and Skin Tears in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVES:To determine the risk factors associated with skin tear development while participating in activity-based restorative therapy (ABRT), describe the possible consequences of skin tears incurred during therapy, and provide risk reduction strategies.METHODS:This was a retrospective re
The Scope of Literary Theory

Before reinventing literary theory for the twenty-first century, we should consider what theory might do in principle. Both the functions of theory and its targets in literary study are often understood too narrowly. This chapter isolates three broad functions for theorization: (1) description and explanation, both general (e.g., in accounts of genre) and particular (e.g., in methods for interpreting individual works); (2) ethical-political or esthetic evaluation; and (3) production of practical effects. From here, the chapter takes up the target orientations of literary study, organizing them into literature-oriented study (e.g., understanding poems) and world-oriented study (e.g., understanding emotions). These broadened conceptions of the functions of theory and the orientations of literary study open up potentially valuable research programs beyond the theoretical practices of recent decades.
Design of the Rural LEAP randomized trial: An evaluation of extended-care programs for weight management delivered via group or individual telephone counseling.

Abstract Obesity is a major contributor to the greater prevalence of chronic disease morbidity and mortality observed in rural versus nonrural areas of the U.S. Nonetheless, little research attention has been given to modifying this important driver of rural/urban disparities in health outcomes. Although lifestyle treatments produce weight reductions of sufficient magnitude to improve health, the existing research is limited with respect to the long-term maintenance of treatment effects and the dissemination of services to underserved populations. Recent studies have demonstrated the feasibility of delivering lifestyle programs through the infrastructure of the U.S. Cooperative Extension Service (CES), which has >2900 offices nationwide and whose mission includes nutrition education and health promotion. In addition, several randomized trials have shown that supplementing lifestyle treatment with extended-care programs consisting of either face-to-face sessions or individual telephone counseling can improve the maintenance of weight loss. However, both options entail relatively high costs that inhibit adoption in rural communities. The delivery of extended care via group-based telephone intervention may represent a promising, cost-effective alternative that is well suited to rural residents who tend to be isolated, have heightened concerns about privacy, and report lower quality of life. The Rural Lifestyle Eating and Activity Program (Rural LEAP) is a randomized trial, conducted via CES offices in rural communities, targeted to adults with obesity (n = 528), and designed to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of extended-care programs delivered via group or individual telephone counseling compared to an education control condition on long-term changes in body weight.
Maskless Arrayed Nanofiber Mats by Bipolar Pyroelectrospinning

The numerous advantages of micro- and nanostructures produced by electrospinning (ES) have stimulated enormous interest in this technology with potential application in several fields. However, ES still has some limitations in controlling the geometrical arrangement of the fiber mats so that expensive and time-consuming technologies are usually employed for producing ordered geometries. Here we present a technique that we call "bipolar pyroelectrospinning" (b-PES) for generating ordered arrays of fiber mats in a direct manner by using the bipolar pyroelectric field produced by a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal (PPLN). The b-PES is free from expensive electrodes, nozzles, and masks because it makes use simply of the structured pyroelectric field produced by the PPLN crystal used as collector. The results show clearly the reliability of the technique in producing a wide variety of arrayed fiber mats that could find application in bioengineering or many other fields. Preliminary results of live cells patterning under controlled geometrical constraints is also reported and discussed in order to show potential exploitation as a scaffold in tissue engineering.
Drugs Influencing Learning and Memory

Prior to the 20th century, there were no true scientific studies of the effects of drugs on human memory, only anecdotal information such as De Quincey’s treatise on opium and some scattered clinical observations on the various mental effects of such substances as alcohol, coffee, and anesthetics. The term “psychopharmacology” was coined in 1920 to denote the study of the effects of drugs in experimental psychiatry, but the literature on psychopharmacology remained sparse until the discovery and introduction of the major tranquilizers in the 1950s beginning with chlorpromazine and reserpine. As the psychopharmacology literature began to increase at exponential rates during the 1950s, a subliterature devoted to the effects of drugs on learning and memory processes began to accumulate. Prior to the mid 1960s, most of the subliterature dealt with the effects of drugs on learning processes rather than memory processes since the drug was usually administered prior to a learning task. In addition, much of the literature published prior to 1965 on the effects of drugs on learning and memory processes (animal as well as human) was badly flawed methodologically by the absence of adequate control groups and the lack of double-blind procedures.
Flexible, transparent, sub-100 µm microfluidic channels with fused deposition modeling 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane

The need for accessible and inexpensive microfluidic devices requires new manufacturing methods and materials that can replace traditional soft lithography and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Here, we use fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing to create transparent, flexible, and biocompatible microfluidic devices with channel dimensions consistently under 100 µm and as small as 40 µm. Channels consistently printed about 100 µm smaller than designed, but were repeatable and predictable. We demonstrate that thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) has properties that may be useful for microfluidic applications, while remaining cost-efficient (~$0.01 per device) and optimal for rapid prototyping (fabrication time < 25 min). FDM printing of TPU was shown to be able to produce high aspect ratio channels. Methods to compensate for sagging of bridging layers are provided. The 3D printed TPU was shown to be 85% transparent, durable, flexible, robust, and capable of withstanding high pressures when compared with PDMS. 3D printed TPU was also found to be compatible with cell culture, suggesting its usefulness in many biological applications.
INHIBITION OF NADPH-CYTOCHROME c REDUCTASE BY PURINE NUCLEOTIDES AND SELECTED METABOLITES

The effect of a number of nucleotides and metabolic intermediates was tested on the activity of purified NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. ATP, ADP, GTP, GDP, α-ketoglutarate and oxalacetate were found to inhibit the enzyme. Adenine nucleotides were inhibitory at concentrations noted in liver; however, the other metabolites were only effective at supra-physiological concentrations. Inhibition was observed with two artificial electron acceptors as well as with cytochrome c. Inhibition by adenine and guanine nucleotides was competitive with NADPH, whereas the α-ketoacids showed competitive inhibition with cytochrome c.