cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and Implementation of a Study Room Reservation System: Lessons from a Pilot Program Using Google Calendar

Collaborative work spaces within academic library settings are becoming increasingly important as libraries consider their roles in the twenty-first century. This paper considers the value of implementing a room reservation effort as part of the larger drive toward creating viable collaborative work spaces and discusses how to effectively manage a room reservation system. This paper presents a pilot study of the effectiveness of Google Calendar appointment slots as a room reservation system in a library setting at Fordham University, a major university in New York City. In a one-semester study, staff tracked usage trends among different user types and evaluated the efficiency of their selected room reservation system. Through this evaluation, staff determined that Google Calendars is technically equipped to provide a free but very basic room reservation system for academic libraries but that it requires considerably more upkeep and management by staff than more costly or open source options. Results of this study can be used to guide future decisions regarding room reservation policies and system requirements.
Außenhandel, Arbeitsmärkte und die globale Verteilung der Einkommen

Die Globalisierung schreitet voran und nimmt Einfluss auf die Einkommensverteilung zwischen Landern und innerhalb von Landern. Die Erforschung dieses Zusammenhangs hat sich weiterentwickelt und bietet verbesserte und nuanciertere Erklarungen als die fruhen Ansatze von Adam Smith und David Ricardo, doch deren grundlegenden Einsichten in die Vorteile der globalen Arbeitsteilung bleiben unverandert relevant. Mit der Globalisierung 2.0 werden nicht mehr nur Endprodukte gehandelt. Die moderne Weltwirtschaft tauscht Komponenten, Zwischenprodukte und Dienstleistungen. Deren Produktionsstufen siedeln sich zumeist in qualifikationsarmeren Landern an, was zu einer erhohten Lohnungleichheit innerhalb der Lander fuhrt. Jungste Fortschritte in der internationalen Handelstheorie liefern ein weitergehendes Verstandnis der Einflusse auf die Einkommensverteilung.
Anesthesia and Hypertensive Emergencies

Hypertension is one of the most common diseases. In 2008, approximately 40% of adults aged 25 and above had been diagnosed with hypertension worldwide (Global status report on Non-communicable diseases 2010. World Health Organization, Geneva 2011) [1]. Prevalence of hypertension among adults in United States was 29.0% between 2011–2014, and increased with age: 18–39 years old 7.3%; 40–59 years old 32.2%; and 60 years old and above 64.9% (Hypertension Prevalence and Control Among Adults: United States, 2011–2014 NCHS Data Brief No. 220, 2015) [2]. According to The World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease accounts for approximately 17 million deaths worldwide annually with complications of hypertension accounting for 9.4 million deaths (Causes of Death 2008 online database. World Health Organization) [3]. Hypertension is responsible for at least 45% of deaths due to heart disease and 51% of deaths due to stroke (Lim, SS et al. A comparative risk assessment of burden of disease and injury attributable to 67 risk factors and risk factor clusters in 21 regions, 1990–2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet. 2012) [4].
Product Concept Demonstrations in Trade Shows and Firm Value: A Case of Auto Shows

Firms routinely demonstrate new product concepts in trade shows long before their eventual launch, presumably to signal the market about their innovative activities. Focusing on the automotive industry, we investigate the effects of automotive concept demonstrations in auto shows on the abnormal stock returns of three U.S. and three major Japanese automakers. Utilizing an event-study methodology, we find that the number and diversity of concepts demonstrated, the degree of their innovativeness, and their readiness to launch positively impact the firm’s cumulative abnormal stock returns. The firm’s past history of converting the concepts into commercial vehicles in a timely manner increases the credibility of the firm using concepts to signal its innovativeness, which adds to firm value. However, as the total number of concepts demonstrated in an auto show increases, it adds to the noise, diminishing the firm’s ability to signal innovativeness.
General Construction and Classification of Manipulators for Underwater Vehicles

Biblioteka Glowna UTP mając na uwadze wygode uzytkownikow, a w szczegolności osoby niepelnosprawne udostepnila wrzutnie ksiązek – urządzenie do samodzielnego zwrotu ksiązek wypozyczonych w Bibliotece Glownej przez 24/7
Traveler’s Mind: A Narrative-Based Account of Working and Living Mindfully:

Traveling to novel destinations can give rise to a state of attention referred to here as a “traveler’s mind”—a state in which two forms of a popular concept in management and organization studies,...
Ecosistemas marinos antárticos después del rompimiento de barreras de hielo

Widespread thinning and retreat of ice shelves along the margins of Antarctica provide a unique opportunity to understand the evolution of Antarctic coastal ecosystems and the consequences of abrupt global change in high latitudes. As dark environments isolated from the atmosphere, the under-ice-shelf ecosystems remain mostly unknown. After ice shelf breakup there is an opportunity to study the evolution of the coastal ecosystem exposed to the atmosphere after millennia. One of the more active regions is the Larsen Ice Shelf, on the NW of the Weddell Sea. After the ice shelf breakup, phytoplankton grow in the presence of light; primary production rates observed are amongst the highest in Antarctica. Zooplanktonic and benthic communities in the marine food web can feed on this newly synthesized carbon. In this way, regions previously unproductive are now able to absorb carbon dioxide and contribute to its absorption by the ocean.
Career orientation and perceived professional competence among clinical research coordinators.

Introduction This study identified underlying career orientation types of clinical research coordinators (CRCs) using cluster analysis. Select career (satisfaction, engagement, and planning) and competency-related (perceived competence) information was used to identify four distinct career orientation types. Method A web-based survey was administered to CRCs employed in one of four research institutions affiliated with a National Institutes of Health-funded Clinical and Translational Research Award (CTSA) in the southeastern USA. Each respondent completed a survey containing questions about personal background, individual attributes, perceived professional competence, and career orientation. Results The first CRC type (35.2%) possessed a positive, knowledge-seeking orientation, characterized by high career-related scores but a conservative assessment of perceived competence. The second CRC type (18.6%) represented an optimistic and confident career orientation reflected in moderate to high scores on each of the four identifying factors. The third CRC type (27.6%) reflected an inconsistent career orientation highlighted by lowered perceived competence. The final CRC type (18.6%) reflected a disengaged orientation characterized by negative responses to all career and competence factors. Conclusion Understanding the career orientation of CRCs can be helpful to institutional administrators and clinical investigators as they seek to support the professional development of CRCs through tailored training efforts or work-related supports. Knowledge of career orientation may also inform individual CRCs as they manage their personal career paths by assessing current levels of functioning, career-related strengths or weaknesses, and training needs.
In search of alkene-diazene cross metathesis

Abstract Aside from alkene cross metathesis, involving two different alkene units, cross metathesis reactions of two functionally different unsaturated units - heterofunctional cross metathesis - are virtually unknown. We report here on our efforts to realize alkene-diazene cross metathesis to produce imines. The proven alkene-metathesis catalyst (Cy3P)2Cl2Ru = CHPh (1) reacts with aryl diazenes at room temperature to produce imines derived from coupling of the alkylidene unit of 1 with the nitrene fragment of the diazene. Attempts to induce catalytic alkene-diazene cross metathesis by 1 or (NHC)(PCy3)Cl2Ru = CHR (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene, 2) result only in the transfer of the alkylidene unit from 1 without reaction of the alkene. 1H- and 31P NMR monitoring and other characterizational probes are consistent with the formation of an unreactive imido- or aza-metallacycle intermediate. DFT computational modeling of a potential catalytic pathway for diazene-alkene metathesis with (PMe3)2Cl2Ru CH2 (4) has revealed viable intermediates and transition states, involving metal-carbene, metal-nitrene (imido) and derived azametallacyclobutanes. The turnover-limiting steps are calculated to occur during combination of the intermediate imido-complex (PMe3)2Cl2Ru = NMe (4) with alkene via a transition state for retrocyclization of an aza-ruthenacyclobutane (J) with a large energetic span of 47.8 kcal/mol. Modeling of the same reaction step with the experimental complex 1 reacting with PhN = NPh and PhCH = CHPh finds an even larger energetic span, accounting for the experimentally observed stoichiometric production of imine PhCH = NPh. In contrast, the corresponding energy profile for alkene-diazene metathesis promoted by phosphite-carbene complex [(MeO)3P]2Cl2Ru CH2 (5) finds a much lower energetic span of 26.4 kcal/mol for conversion of imido complex G′ to imine via the aza-ruthenacyclobutane (J′) and that the turnover-limiting step would involve retrocyclization of the first stage diaza-metallacyclobutane C′ with an energetic span of 29.7 kcal/mol.
Efficient Solvers for Sparse Subspace Clustering

Abstract Sparse subspace clustering (SSC) clusters n points that lie near a union of low-dimensional subspaces. The SSC model expresses each point as a linear or affine combination of the other points, using either l1 or l0 regularization. Using l1 regularization results in a convex problem but requires O ( n 2 ) storage, and is typically solved by the alternating direction method of multipliers which takes O ( n 3 ) flops. The l0 model is non-convex but only needs memory linear in n, and is solved via orthogonal matching pursuit and cannot handle the case of affine subspaces. This paper shows that a proximal gradient framework can solve SSC, covering both l1 and l0 models, and both linear and affine constraints. For both l1 and l0, algorithms to compute the proximity operator in the presence of affine constraints have not been presented in the SSC literature, so we derive an exact and efficient algorithm that solves the l1 case with just O ( n 2 ) flops. In the l0 case, our algorithm retains the low-memory overhead, and is the first algorithm to solve the SSC-l0 model with affine constraints. Experiments show our algorithms do not rely on sensitive regularization parameters, and they are less sensitive to sparsity misspecification and high noise.
Predicting salvage laryngectomy in patients treated with primary nonsurgical therapy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma using machine learning

Background Machine learning (ML) algorithms may predict patients who will require salvage total laryngectomy (STL) after primary radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods Patients treated for T1-T3a laryngeal SCC were identified from the National Cancer Database. Multiple ML algorithms were trained to predict which patients would go on to require STL after primary nonsurgical treatment. Results A total of 16 440 cases were included. The best classification performance was achieved with a gradient boosting algorithm, which achieved accuracy of 76.0% (95% CI 74.5-77.5) and area under the curve = 0.762. The most important variables used to construct the model were distance from residence to treating facility and days from diagnosis to start of treatment. Conclusion We can identify patients likely to fail primary radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy and who will go on to require STL by applying ML techniques and argue for high-quality, multidisciplinary regionalized care.
New Developments in Non-invasive Brain Stimulation in Chronic Pain

The goal of this review is to present a summary of the recent literature of a non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) to alleviate pain in people with chronic pain syndromes. This article reviews the current evidence for the use of transcranial direct current (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to improve outcomes in chronic pain. Finally, we introduce the reader to novel stimulation methods that may improve therapeutic outcomes in chronic pain. While tDCS is approved for treatment of fibromyalgia in Canada and the European Union, no NIBS method is currently approved for chronic pain in the USA. Increasing sample sizes in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) seems the most efficient way to increase confidence in initial promising results. Trends at funding agencies reveal increased interest and support for NIBS such as recent Requests for Application from the National Institutes of Health. NIBS in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy and physical therapy may enhance outcomes in chronic pain. Novel stimulation methods, such as transcranial ultrasound stimulation, await rigorous study in chronic pain. Excitatory NIBS targeting motor cortex or left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex has the greatest support for ameliorating pain in chronic pain patients, particularly in Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions, such as fibromyalgia. Confidence in the efficacy of NIBS interventions is most negatively affected by RCTs with small sample sizes. Increased attention from funding agencies to the promise of NIBS and to the problem of small sample sizes in applied neuroscience is anticipated to improve confidence in these relatively side-effect-free interventions.
The NAD+ Responsive Transcription Factor ERM-BP Functions Downstream of Cellular Aggregation and Is an Early Regulator of Development and Heat Shock Response in Entamoeba

Entamoeba histolytica is a protozoan parasite and a major cause of dysentery and diarrheal disease in developing countries. Disease transmission from one host to another occurs via cysts which can survive in environmental extremes and are transmitted through contaminated food and water. Recent studies in our lab identified a novel transcription factor, Encystation Regulatory Motif- Binding Protein (ERM-BP), which is responsive to NAD+ and has an important role in encystation. The key residues important for ERM-BP function were demonstrated in vitro using recombinant protein. In this study we demonstrate the in vivo functional consequences of mutations in key domains and their impact on Entamoeba encystation. Our results show that mutations in the DNA binding domain (ERM-BP-DBM) and in the nicotinamidase domain (ERM-BP-C198A) lead to protein mis-localization in both trophozoites and cysts and significantly reduce encystation efficiency. Additionally, we showed that silencing of ERM-BP significantly decreased the size and number of multi-nucleated giant cells (MGC) that form during encystation, indicating that ERM-BP functions upstream of the cellular aggregation that precedes stage conversion. Dissection of epistatic interactions between ERM-BP and a second encystation-related transcription factor, NF-Y revealed that ERM-BP is upstream of NF-Y in controlling the developmental cascade and appears to be one of the earliest regulators of development identified to date in Entamoeba. We also demonstrated that ERM-BP is upregulated during heat stress in Entamoeba, another condition which increases intracellular NAD+ levels and that overexpression of ERM-BP makes E. histolytica and E. invadens parasites more resistant to heat stress. Overexpression of ERM-BP in E. histolytica also induced the formation of cyst-like quadrinucleated cells and formation of MGCs. Overall, our work has identified an important role of ERM-BP in Entamoeba stress response and links an NAD+-responsive transcription factor to both development and heat shock response. Characterization of stress and developmental cascades are important avenues to investigate for Entamoeba, an important human parasitic pathogen.
A Rapid Review of the Impact of Systems-Level Policies and Interventions on Population-Level Outcomes Related to the Opioid Epidemic, United States and Canada, 2014-2018:

ObjectivesIn the United States, rising rates of overdose deaths and recent outbreaks of hepatitis C virus and HIV infection are associated with injection drug use. We updated a 2014 review of syste...
Canine sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome: Owner perceptions on the time to vision loss, treatment outcomes, and prognosis for life.

Background Canine sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) causes blindness for which there are no proven effective treatments. We aimed to clarify the time to vision loss, treatment response/side effects, and prognosis for life in dogs with SARDS. Methods An online questionnaire was administered to owners of dogs with a historical diagnosis of SARDS. Mortality data were compared with a published purebred reference population. Select parameters were analyzed statistically using general linear model with least square means, two-sample t tests, and chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests. Results Responses from owners that stated that their dog visited an ophthalmologist and had electroretinography performed (n = 434) were analyzed. The majority of owners (65.4%) reported the time from vision disturbance to complete vision loss as 4 weeks. Onset of systemic clinical signs to complete vision loss was >4 weeks in 44.5% of responses. A higher proportion of owners reported some vision recovery with combination treatment (14.4%) compared with monotherapy (3.2%, P = .0004). Side effects of treatment were commonly reported. Dogs with SARDS did not have a shorter lifespan than the reference population but had higher incidence of kidney disease (P = .0001) and respiratory disease (P = .0004) at death. Conclusions Dogs with SARDS have a rapid onset of vision loss. In the owner's opinion, treatment is unlikely to restore vision and is associated with systemic side effects. The potential for systemic pathologies that arise after SARDS diagnosis warrants further study.
A Micro-Foundations Approach to Studying Innovation in the Multinational Subsidiaries

We study antecedents of innovation performance for the subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNEs) using the microfoundations approach. Based on the upper echelons perspective, we argue that managers’ demographic characteristics, such as prior MNE work experience and industry experience affect subsidiary innovation. We tested the hypotheses on a sample of 228 MNE subsidiaries from 11 countries. Results indicate that managers’ industry experience serves as external boundary spanning capability and therefore it has a greater effect in subsidiaries that are autonomous. In contrast, managers’ prior MNE work experience functions as internal boundary spanning capability and therefore it has a smaller effect in subsidiaries that are less autonomous or engage in R&D.
Intranasal Orexin After Cardiac Arrest Leads to Increased Electroencephalographic Gamma Activity and Enhanced Neurologic Recovery in Rats.

Objectives Prolonged cardiac arrest is known to cause global ischemic brain injury and functional impairment. Upon resuscitation, electroencephalographic recordings of brain activity begin to resume and can potentially be used to monitor neurologic recovery. We have previously shown that intrathecal orexin shows promise as a restorative drug and arousal agent in rodents. Our goal is to determine the electrophysiology effects of orexin in a rodent model of asphyxial cardiac arrest, focusing on the electroencephalographic activity in the gamma and super-gamma bands (indicative of return of higher brain function). Design Experimental animal study. Setting University-based animal research laboratory. Subjects Adult male Wistar rats. Interventions In an established model of asphyxial cardiac arrest (n = 24), we treated half of Wistar rats with orexin administered intranasally by atomizer 30 minutes post return of spontaneous circulation in one of two dose levels (10 and 50 µM); the rest were treated with saline as control. Continuous electroencephalographic recording was obtained and quantitatively analyzed for the gamma fraction. Gamma and high-frequency super-gamma band measures were compared against clinical recovery according to Neuro-Deficit Score. Measurements and Main Results Compared with the control cohort, the high-dose orexin cohort showed significantly better Neuro-Deficit Score 4 hours after return of spontaneous circulation (55.17 vs 47.58; p < 0.02) and significantly higher mean gamma fraction (0.251 vs 0.177; p < 0.02) in cerebral regions surveyed by rostral electrodes for the first 170 minutes after administration of orexin. Conclusions Our findings support early and continuous monitoring of electroencephalography-based gamma activity as a marker of better functional recovery after intranasal administration of orexin as measured by Neuro-Deficit Score in an established animal model of asphyxial cardiac arrest.
Confined-plume chemical deposition

Abstract Confined-plume chemical deposition (CPCD) is a single-step process for preparing microtextured coatings of ceramics, semiconductors, or metals on hard, soft, or biological tissue substrates. Pulsed-laser irradiation, generated by a free-electron laser or infrared/visible table-top lasers, of appropriately chosen molecular precursors layered onto solid supports under conditions of physical confinement initiates reaction plume formation at the laser/precursor interface. By scanning a pulsed-laser beam over specimen assemblies having a light-transmissive top plate, plume formation travels with the path of the light beam, and subsequent rapid cooling of plume components nucleates deposition and growth of highly textured microcrystalline coatings. Optimization of experimental parameters ensures that up to 95% of laser pulse energy is absorbed by precursor deposition, thereby minimizing collateral thermal damage to substrate materials. The historical development of CPCD will be summarized emphasizing the general scope of this coatings methodology. Recent results relevant to selected potential applications and a comparison of CPCD to laser chemical vapor deposition will also be included.
Understanding differences between static and dynamic nitrogen fertilizer tools using simulation modeling

Abstract CONTEXT Improving nitrogen (N) fertilizer recommendations for maize (Zea mays L.) in the US Midwest has been the focus of much research, yet there is no agreement for which methodology is the best to balance trade-offs between production and environmental outcomes. This study investigated the strengths and limitations of two broad approaches: dynamic and static recommendation tools. Dynamic tools use advanced technology to predict the Economically Optimum N Rate (EONR) using year-specific soil, weather, and crop growth characteristics to detect conditions that need lower or higher N rates. Static tools provide regional N recommendations that are static over time, maximizing long-term profits rather than predicting the best EONR for each field and season. OBJECTIVE The objective of this work was to explain the interactions between the accuracy, profitability, and environmental losses for different N recommendation tools under a wide range of production scenarios. METHODS For this, we used a calibrated synthetic dataset of 4200 fields over 30 years. In the first part, we compared multiple N recommendations tools belonging to the static and dynamic groups. In the second part, we selected each group's best tools and compared them in detail. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION From an economic view, results indicate that increasing profitability by increasing the accuracy in EONR predictions with dynamic tools is challenging. The reason is that these more accurate tools are not perfect, and around half of the time, they under predict. In that situation, the yield penalty is higher, and the economic loss is usually not compensated by savings in N fertilizer costs associated with other more accurate recommendations. The static recommendations avoid this penalty by recommending slightly higher N rates, providing similar profits. From an environmental view, both tools can reduce N leaching by 15%, dynamic tool by being more accurate overall, but the static tool could achieve it by recommending on the lower end of their current recommended N profitable range. SIGNIFICANCE Our analysis suggests that we need to re-think the goals of N management tools. Higher complexity in N management may not necessarily increase profits and reduce N leaching. In fact, there is current potential to reduce N leaching by simply reducing static recommendations without hurting profits. For either approach, this study highlights the need to develop other ways (education, environmental awareness, policies) to account for environmental benefits and provide clear incentives for farmers to adopt these tools and increase the eco-efficiency of agriculture.
Logic Difference Optimization for Incremental Synthesis

During the IC design process, functional specifications are often modified late in the design cycle, often after placement and routing are completed. However, designers are left either to manually process such modifications by hand or to restart the design process from scratch–a very costly option. In order to address this issue, we present DeltaSyn, a tool and methodology for generating a highly optimized logic difference between a modified high-level specification and an implemented design. DeltaSyn has the ability to locate similar logic in the original design which can be reused to realize the modified specification through several analysis techniques that are applied in sequence. The first phase employs fast functional and structural analysis techniques to identify equivalent signals between the original and the modified circuits. The second phase uses a novel topologically-guided dynamic matching algorithm to locate reusable portions of logic close to the primary outputs. The third phase utilizes functional hashing to locate similar chunks of logic throughout the remainder of the circuit. Experiments on industrial designs show that, together, these techniques successfully implement incremental changes while preserving an average of 97% of the pre-existing logic. Unlike previous approaches, bit-parallel simulation and dynamic programming enable fast performance and scalability. A typical design of around 10 gates is processed and verified in about 200 s or less.
Stimulus Control of Feeding Behavior in the Grasshopper Mouse

and Summary This study examined the stimulus control of feeding in the carnivorous grasshopper mouse, Onychomys leucogaster. Quantitative analysis of the actions involved in feeding showed that overall feeding behaviors of lab-reared and field-caught mice resembled one another but that the sequence of specific actions was variable. Responses by mice to cotton swabs dipped in solutions showed that after eating several crickets, the presence of prey odor more readily elicited a feeding response. The odor and moisture cues associated with exposed viscera were shown by the use of modified prey to strongly affect the orientation of feeding. Using modified prey without exposed viscera, tactile cues associated with the head and thorax proved to be important guides in the feeding response. Feeding orientation towards the head was independent of that towards the thorax. Together these data showed that the feeding sequence resembled a reaction chain and that much of the stereotypy of the mouse's feeding response resulted from the position and alignment of the cues that orient the feeding response.
Dissociation of the effect of caldesmon on the ATPase activity and on the binding of smooth heavy meromyosin to actin by partial digestion of caldesmon.

We have proposed earlier that caldesmon inhibits the actin-activated ATPase activity of smooth muscle heavy meromyosin (HMM) by inhibiting the binding of the HMM.ATP complex to the productive site of actin (Hemric, M. E., and Chalovich, J. M. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 1868-1885). This has been difficult to prove directly because caldesmon also binds to HMM and it is difficult to distinguish the actin-caldesmon-HMM complex from the actin-caldesmon complex in binding studies. We have eliminated the interaction between caldesmon and smooth HMM by digestion of caldesmon with chymotrypsin. This cleaved caldesmon inhibits the actin-activated ATPase rate of smooth HMM and this inhibition is correlated with a decrease in the binding of HMM.ATP to actin. Therefore, caldesmon functions by inhibiting the binding of the myosin-ATP complex to actin regardless of the source of myosin. We have also isolated the myosin-binding region of caldesmon and have performed a partial sequence. Comparison of this sequence with the derived sequence of caldesmon demonstrates, unequivocally, that the myosin-binding region of caldesmon begins at the amino terminus and extends beyond the first Cys residue.
β-Adrenergic Stimulation Selectively Inhibits Long-Lasting L-Type Calcium Channel Facilitation in Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons

L-type calcium channels are abundant in hippocampal pyramidal neurons and are highly clustered at the base of the major dendrites. However, little is known of their function in these neurons. Single-channel recording using a low concentration of permeant ion reveals a long-lasting facilitation of L-type channel activity that is induced by a depolarizing prepulse or a train of action potential waveforms. This facilitation exhibits a slow rise, peaking 0.5–1 sec after the train and decaying over several seconds. We have termed this behavior “delayed facilitation,” because of the slow onset. Delayed facilitation results from an increase in opening frequency and the recruitment of longer duration openings. This behavior is observed at all membrane potentials between −20 and −60 mV, with the induction and magnitude of facilitation being insensitive to voltage. β-Adrenergic receptor activation blocks induction of delayed facilitation but does not significantly affect normal L-type channel activity. Delayed facilitation of L-type calcium channels provides a prolonged source of calcium entry at negative membrane potentials. This behavior may underlie calcium-dependent events that are inhibited by β-adrenergic receptor activation, such as the slow afterhyperpolarization in hippocampal neurons.
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia

Cancer is a genetic disease. Neoplastic transformation is characterized by a stepwise accumulation of genetic damage within a cell that results in the acquisition of increasingly more aggressive and uncontrolled growth properties. Most sporadic cancers result from the chance occurrence of multiple somatic mutations within an individual cell. Patients with one of the rare familial cancer syndromes have a predisposition to tumor development that is conferred by the inheritance of a cancer-associated mutation in the germline DNA.
Unpacking and Communicating the Multidimensional Mission of Educational Development: A Mission Matrix Tool for Centers of Teaching and Learning.

In recent decades, the work of educational developers in Centers of Teaching and Learning (CTLs) is complex and diverse. The wide range of services and programs makes it difficult understand the mission and purpose of CTLs and communicate this effectively. The Center Mission Matrix Tool enables analysis and articulation of all facets of the Center's mission. Juxtaposing the Center mission with three levels of impact—individual, departmental, and institutional—the Matrix adapts to each Center construct and provides a visual snapshot to multiple audiences, including the field of educational development, institutional stakeholders, and to the Center staff for internal purposes.
Roulette simulations and Martingale betting: nifty assignment

The Martingale betting strategy for playing roulette is centuries old, but still pops up in viral emails and in various scams. The strategy calls for the gambler to double the bet amount after each loss, so that the first win would recover all previous losses plus win a profit equal to the original bet. The claim is that this system will guarantee a profit. In reality, it does nothing of the kind, since its success relies upon the gambler having an infinite bankroll (and the house not imposing betting limits). In part 1 of this assignment, the students are provided with the RouletteWheel class that models a roulette wheel and asked to implement the RouletteGame class for playing a game of roulette. A player in the game can enter credits into his or her account and can make bets on spins of the wheel. The player may bet on a specific number (1--36) or a color ("red" or "black"), and the game keeps track of their winnings and losses. In part 2, the students use their roulette game code to study different betting strategies. They are presented with the question: If you had to double your money (or else), what would be your best betting strategy? By simulating thousands of games using the RouletteTester class, with each game continuing until the player has doubled his or her money or else gone broke, student are able to determine which strategy (number vs. color, big bet vs. small bet) is preferable. The results can be somewhat surprising. In part 3 of the assignment, students are asked to extend their analysis to the Martingale betting strategy. This involves relatively minor modifications to the simulation code, so that the bet amount changes after each spin. Using the modified simulation, students are able to compare the performance of the Martingale system with previous betting strategies and observe just how ineffective this "can't lose" system truly is. A full version of the assignment, along with source code, can be found online at http://dave-reed.com/NiftyRoulette.
[23] Gsα mutations and pituitary adenomas

Summary This chapter details the essential protocols for the detection and analysis of activating mutations of the G sα gene from human tissues using oligonucleotide-specific hybridization and SSCP. Both strategies have inherent advantages and drawbacks. Oligonucleotide-specific hybridization, although more thorough in its ability to detect mutations, is more time-consuming and requires more manipulation and exposure to 32 P radioactivity. SSCP is a more rapid screening method; however, mutations in some tissue samples may be overlooked on SSCP gel electrophoresis. Once an activating mutation is suspected, verification by subcloning and DNA Sanger sequencing is necessary. These techniques are standard and have been optimized in recent years both by the continued refinement of molecular biology techniques and by the availability of commercial reagents. The analysis of activating mutations of G sα and other candidate oncogenes should continue to become more and more routine in molecular pathology laboratories, and will facilitate the molecular pathogenetic diagnosis of a growing number of human tumor types.
Mechanisms of Ventricular Fibrillation in Canine Models of Congestive Heart Failure and Ischemia Assessed by In Vivo Noncontact Mapping

Background— Much of the research performed studying the mechanism of ventricular fibrillation (VF) has been in normal ventricles rather than under a pathological condition predisposing to VF. We hypothesized that different ventricular substrates would alter the mechanism and characteristics of VF. Methods and Results— Three groups of dogs were studied: (1) control (n=8), (2) pacing-induced congestive heart failure (n=7), and (3) acute ischemia produced by 30 minutes of mid left anterior descending artery ligation (n=5). A noncontact mapping catheter (Ensite 3000, ESI) was placed via transseptal into the left ventricle (LV), along with an electrophysiology catheter. A multielectrode basket catheter (EP Technologies) was placed in the right ventricle, along with an electrophysiology catheter. Several episodes of VF were recorded in each animal. In addition to constructing isopotential and isochronal maps of the VF episodes, signals underwent frequency domain analysis as a fast Fourier transform was performe...
A Harmonic Reduction Scheme in SPWM

In this paper, a harmonic cancellation and sideband reduction method has been proposed with a view to improving efficiency in PWM signal processing. Mat Lab simulation has been used to optimize the sideband cancellation. Such cancellation of signals at unwanted frequencies has a substantial improvement in ac conversion efficiency.
Somatostatin-28 does not regulate islet function in the dog.

Somatostatin-28 (S-28) is a naturally occurring N-terminally extended form of the tetradecapeptide somatostatin (S-14). The concept has arisen that S-28 is a gut hormone that regulates insulin secretion. This concept is based on 1) reports that S-28 is a more potent inhibitor of insulin secretion than S-14; 2) the finding that S-28 is present in D-cells of the intestine and is released after a meal; and 3) the demonstration of selective binding of S-28 to B-cells of the rat islet. To critically test this hypothesis we have 1) measured the circulating levels of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) during infusions of S-28 and S-14 to accurately compare their potencies to inhibit insulin and glucagon secretion from the in vivo dog pancreas, and 2) measured the circulating levels of endogenous SLI released after a meal and compared these to the circulating levels of infused S-28 needed to inhibit insulin secretion. Infusion of S-28 at rates of 170 and 500 pmol/min raised arterial SLI levels by 282 ± 26 a...
Heavy metals in small mammals in roadside environments: Implications for food chains

Lead, cadmium, nickel, and zinc were measured in soil, vegetation, earth-worms, small rodents, and shrews from the immediate environs of 4 highways of various traffic densities (range <1,000 to c.100,000 vehicles per day) and from 2 control areas. Concentrations of all elements in soil, vegetation, and earthworms varied with volume of traffic and with distance from highways. Concentrations in earthworms of all elements were especially high. Shrews had higher concentrations of lead and cadmium than other small rodents from similar areas.
Grain sizing: making an educated guess in a complex world

Semiconductor manufacturing consists of depositing and patterning several intricate layers that demand precise measurement techniques to maintain consistent process control. Assessing the measurement capability of metrology equipment routinely used to monitor process and product health is a standard activity, and for most of this equipment measurement error is small relative to natural process variation. For specialized non-routine measurement systems gauge studies are rarely undertaken, and the magnitude of measurement error relative to natural process variation is comparatively unknown. In response to customer requests to quantify the variation in a given grain-size measurement, a study was undertaken to determine the components of variation in the measurement process used to determine grain size. A sequence of experiments was conducted, leading to a rule-of-thumb that provides an adequate representation of overall measurement error. This paper describes the first of this series of designed experiments in detail, with a brief discussion of follow-up work and operational implications. Although the models and analyses presented in this paper are not new, the emphasis on tailoring the measurement capability study to meet the needs of the laboratory and process engineers involved is, as is the ‘rule-of-thumb’ approach to dealing with measurement assessment. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Substrate Binding and Transport by a Bacterial Multidrug MFS Transporter

Bacterial multidrug efflux pumps confer resistance to a broad range of antibiotics, thus reducing the efficacy of clinical treatment of bacterial infection. EmrD is the only structurally-characterized representative of a drug:H+ antiporter of the major facilitator superfamily (MFS). However, the determinants of substrate binding and transport by EmrD remain unclear. Unlike other MFS transporters, EmrD contains no membrane-embedded acidic residues thought to be necessary for coupling drug:H+ antiport. In an effort to characterize the determinants of substrate binding and mechanism of transport by EmrD we have tested the binding and transport of several fluorescent substrates by anisotropy and quenching, respectively. EmrD bound Doxorubicin and Hoechst33342 with micromolar affinity whereas substrates with constitutive positive charges bound with low affinity, suggesting a preference for neutral species. Additionally, EmrD carried out ΔpH-driven transport of Hoechst in inside-out membrane vesicles. Interestingly, we found that no single acidic residue, including the conserved Asp68 in the MFS signature motif, is essential for Hoechst transport.
Temperature limits on infrared detectivities of InAs/InxGa1−xSb superlattices and bulk HgxCd1−xTe

Detailed theoretical calculations of Auger and radiative recombination rates for an optimized InAs/InxGa1−xSb superlattice (SL) and bulk HgxCd1−xTe (MCT) show that 300 K background limited operation for a 60° field of view can be theoretically achieved up to 130 K for the 11 μm SL and up to 185 K for 5 μm MCT. The SL structure is theoretically superior to MCT for 11 μm operation. The converse is true at 5 μm.
Optional shift behavior as a function of age and dimensional dominance

Abstract An optional reversal-nonreversal shift task for which the relevant color or form cues were either dominant or nondominant was presented to 320 Ss, 6 through 20 years of age. Dominance, as defined in terms of relative cue similarity, was related to initial learning and shift behavior for kindergarten and third-grade Ss; but not for sixth-grade and college Ss. The speed of initial learning and percentage of reversal shifts was related to age when the nondominant dimension was relevant. There were no developmental differences when the dominant dimension was relevant.
ELECTRONIC MONITORING AND NEWSPAPER COVERAGE IN THE PRESS: A CONTENT ANALYSIS

ABSTRACT Criminologists have paid a great deal of attention to the way that various criminological issues are portrayed in the media. Within this “newsmaking criminological” research, however, little attention has been given to the way that alternative sanctions are portrayed in the media. To fill this void, the authors conducted a content analysis of 210 newspaper articles that mentioned some aspect of electronic monitoring with house arrest. Results indicate that although electronic monitoring is often portrayed accurately as a sanction and method of social control, several alarmist comments call into question the safety of this alternative sanction, and these concerns appeared to be exaggerated. In addition, the sanction is portrayed as an “accessory” which can be used in exceptional circumstances rather than as a common pre-trial condition, a sentencing option, or a requirement of early release. Implications are provided.
The evolution of transposable elements in natural populations of self-fertilizing Arabidopsis thaliana and its outcrossing relative Arabidopsis lyrata

Transposable Elements (TEs) make up the majority of plant genomes, and thus understanding TE evolutionary dynamics is key to understanding plant genome evolution. Plant reproductive systems are diverse and mating type variation is one factor among many hypothesized to influence TE evolutionary dynamics. Here, we collected a large TE-display data set in self-fertilizing Arabidopsis thaliana, and compared it to data gathered in outcrossing Arabidopsis lyrata. We analyzed seven TE families in four natural populations of each species to tease apart the effects of mating system, demography, transposition, and selection in determining patterns of TE diversity. Measures of TE band differentiation were largely consistent across TE families. However, patterns of diversity in A. thaliana Ac elements differed significantly from that other TEs, perhaps signaling a lack of recent transposition. Across TE families, we estimated higher allele frequencies and lower selection coefficients on A. thaliana TE insertions relative to A. lyrata TE insertions. The differences in TE distributions between the two Arabidopsis species represents a synthesis of evolutionary forces that include the transposition dynamics of individual TE families and the demographic histories of populations. There are also species-specific differences that could be attributed to the effects of mating system, including higher overall allele frequencies in the selfing lineage and a greater proportion of among population TE diversity in the outcrossing lineage.
Central venous catheter infection by Aspergillus fumigatus in a patient with B-type non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Invasive Aspergillus infection is still a major problem in immunocompromised patients. A central venous catheter infection by Aspergillus fumigatus, however, has not yet been reported. We describe the case of a 10-year-old female patient with B-type non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated according to the German chemotherapy protocol NHI-BFM 90. Isolation of Aspergillus fumigatus from the blood was the first hint of invasive aspergillosis. A central venous catheter associated infection was suggested, since Aspergillus was also isolated from the thrombotic tip of the removed catheter. Secondary pulmonary aspergillosis was documented radiologically. The patient was treated successfully by Amphothericin B and Itraconazol and explantation of the central venous catheter under conditions of complete hematopoietic regeneration of the bone marrow with omission of the final chemotherapeutic cycle. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Stricture of the nasal vestibule: a complication of nasotracheal intubation in newborn infants.

Nasal vestibular stenosis after prolonged nasotracheal intubation has been observed in two newborn infants. The causes of this deformity are felt to be pressure on the nasal vestibule andlor excessive motion of the tube The deformity has undesirable cosmetic potential and may require corrective surgery.
S3-12, Adipophilin, and TIP47 Package Lipid in Adipocytes

Animals have evolved mechanisms to maintain circulating nutrient levels when energy demands exceed feeding opportunities. Mammals store most of their energy as triacylglycerol in the perilipin-coated lipid droplets of adipocytes. How newly synthesized triacylglycerol is delivered to perilipin-coated lipid droplets is poorly understood. Perilipin is a member of the evolutionarily related family of PAT proteins (Perilipin, Adipophilin, TIP47), which is defined by sequence similarity and association with lipid droplets. We previously showed that S3-12, which is also a member of this family, associates with a separate pool of lipid droplets that emerge when triacylglycerol storage is driven by adding oleate to the culture medium of adipocytes. Our current data extend these findings to demonstrate that nascent lipid droplets emerge with a coat composed of S3-12, TIP47, and adipophilin. After 100 min of oleate treatment, the nascent lipid droplets are more heterogeneous: S3-12 and TIP47 coat smaller, peripheral droplets and adipophilin coats a more medial population of droplets. Fractionation of untreated and oleate-treated adipocytes shows oleate-dependent redistribution of TIP47 and adipophilin from cytosolic fractions to the lipid droplet fraction. Inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide does not block the oleate-induced formation of the nascent lipid droplets, nor does it prevent TAG accumulation. We suggest that the non-lipid droplet pools of S3-12, adipophilin, and TIP47 constitute a ready reservoir of coat proteins to permit rapid packaging of newly synthesized triacylglycerol and to maximize energy storage during nutrient excess.