cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Content Analysis of Consumer Complaints, Remedies, and Repatronage Intentions Regarding Dissatisfying Service Experiences:

Building on existing research examining customers’ complaints about service experiences, this study examined restaurant consumers’ episode-specific reactions to service failures. In the first stage of this work, restaurant patrons were asked to describe a recent service experience where they complained about some element of the service they received. From these statements a coding scheme was developed to classify the consumers’ qualitative descriptions of the service episodes where they experienced a service failure and remedy. The consumers’ reports addressed three issues:(a) the issue that triggered the complaint, (b) the complaint remedy further broken down on two dimensions based upon the degree of correction and whether the remedy produced a positive or negative outcome, and (c) how (and if) the service failure and remedy influenced repatronage intentions. Following the content analysis and the coding of the critical incidents, logistic-regression analyses revealed that the extent to which a service ...
Spatio–Temporal Multimodal Developmental Learning

It is elusive how the skull-enclosed brain enables spatio-temporal multimodal developmental learning. By multimodal, we mean that the system has at least two sensory modalities, e.g., visual and auditory in our experiments. By spatio-temporal, we mean that the behavior from the system depends not only on the spatial pattern in the current sensory inputs, but also those of the recent past. Traditional machine learning requires humans to train every module using hand-transcribed data, using handcrafted symbols among modules, and hand-link modules internally. Such a system is limited by a static set of symbols and static module performance. A key characteristic of developmental learning is that the “brain” is “skull-closed” after birth - not directly manipulatable by the system designer - so that the system can continue to learn incrementally without the need for reprogramming. In this paper, we propose an architecture for multimodal developmental learning - parallel modality pathways all situate between a sensory end and the motor end. Motor signals are not only used as output behaviors, but also as part of input to all the related pathways. For example, the proposed developmental learning does not use silence as cut points for speech processing or motion static points as key frames for visual processing.
Rapid Pathogenesis Induced by a Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Matrix Protein Mutant: Viral Pathogenesis Is Linked to Induction of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) matrix (M) protein blocks host mRNA export from the nucleus and thereby inhibits interferon induction in infected cells. M mutants with mutations of methionine 51 (M51) lack this shutoff function. We examined pathogenesis of a VSV M mutant with a deletion of M51 (VSVΔM51) after intranasal infection of BALB/c mice and found an unexpected phenotype. Mice that received VSVΔM51 experienced a more rapid but overall less severe weight loss than mice that received the recombinant wild-type VSV (rwtVSV). Rapid weight loss was not explained by faster initial replication because VSVΔM51 replication was controlled faster than rwtVSV replication in the lungs and did not spread systemically like rwtVSV. This faster control of VSVΔM51 correlated with a more rapid induction of interferon in the lung. Because tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is associated with weight loss, we examined TNF-α induction in mice infected with rwtVSV or VSVΔM51. We found more-rapid induction of TNF-α by the mutant at early times after infection, while rwtVSV induced more TNF-α later in infection. This result suggested that TNF-α induction might explain both the rapid weight loss caused by the mutant and the overall greater weight loss caused by the rwtVSV. Using TNF-α knockout mice (C57BL/6 background), we showed that weight loss following rwtVSV infection was greatly reduced in the absence of TNF-α. Although the rapid weight loss caused by VSVΔM51 was less pronounced in C57BL/6 mice, it was eliminated in the absence of TNF-α. These results indicate a role for TNF-α in the pathogenesis of VSV.
PaCo: Probability-based path confidence prediction

A path confidence estimate indicates the likelihood that the processor is currently fetching correct path instructions. Accurate path confidence prediction is critical for applications like pipeline gating and confidence-based SMT fetch prioritization. Previous work in this domain uses a threshold-and-count predictor, where the number of unresolved, low-confidence branches serves as an estimate of path confidence. This approach is inaccurate since it implicitly assumes that all low-confidence branches have the same mispredict rate, and that high-confidence branches never mispredict. We propose an alternative path confidence predictor designed from first principles, called PaCo, that directly estimates the probability that the processor is on the goodpath, and considers contributions from all branches, both high and low confidence. Even though it uses only modest hardware, PaCo can estimate the processorpsilas goodpath likelihood with very high accuracy, with an RMS error of 3.8%. We show that PaCo significantly outperforms threshold-and-count predictors in pipeline gating and SMT fetch prioritization. In pipeline gating, while the best conventional predictor can reduce badpath instructions executed by 7% with a small loss in performance, PaCo can reduce bad-path instructions by 32% without any performance loss. In SMT fetch prioritization, using PaCo instead of conventional path confidence predictors improves performance by up to 23%, and 5.5% on average.
Fusion of ladar and FLIR data for enhanced automatic target recognition

The general features of the ladar and FLIR data measured by the ground-based Tri-Serve Laser Radar (ladar) are introduced. Methods documented about fusion of ladar and FLIR data are reviewed. The automatic target recognition (ATR) system using fusion of ladar and FLIR data developed in our laboratory is presented. The parallel implementation of ATR system is discussed. The results of target segmentation obtained by this data fusion are compared with those obtained by other methods.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Propagation of pulsed beam waves through turbulence, cloud, rain, or fog

The problem of propagation of pulsed beam waves in an atmosphere with turbulence, rain, or fog is investigated using the temporal moments method. Exact analytical expressions are derived for the mean arrival time and the mean square pulse width for the pulsed beam after it has propagated through the turbulent atmosphere. The results are valid even for strong scattering conditions. Numerical examples indicate that at optical frequencies, the effects of the atmospheric turbulence on the pulses are small except perhaps for picosecond pulses. However, the effects of clouds on optical pulsed beams can be quite severe. At microwave frequencies, scattering by rain may have very large effects on the pulses.
New math for biology is the old new math.

It's true. If you live long enough, you will see good ideas (and bad) come, go, and return again. So if you're old enough to remember the early 1960s songster/musical prankster, Tom Lehrer, you might remember his clever satire called “New Math,” which lampooned a popular curriculum reform of the same name. New math's proponents championed the teaching of set theory, Boolean algebra, vectors, matrices and Markov chains, combinatorics, and a little splash of game theory. The motivating factor behind this revolutionary outlook was that these skills would come in handy in the physical sciences, social sciences, and—yes—life sciences. Fast-forward four decades to 2004 and, sure enough, such skills are even more useful now than in those post-Sputnik driven days of science education. But today, most of our students don't possess them—and most of them didn't back then, either. What happened? Did the new math movement wither away out of neglect or no respect? No, not completely. In fact, new math did get integrated in bits and pieces into undergraduate and even into high school curricula, surviving the scorn of “back to basics” movements. Various components of new math, in the form of “finite” or “discrete” mathematics courses, were “grafted” into undergraduate courses, especially those substituting for or supplementing the (still) traditional year of calculus, particularly in courses for non-science majors. So is there a problem here? Now, in the age of the “new biology,” especially, systems biology, I think there is. Our biology students still tend to be math-averse and many of us instructors could stand a brushing-up, if not outright resuscitation, of our own math skills, which may have atrophied from disuse.
Development of CMOS transmitter frontends for UWB pulse systems

New fully integrated single-chip impulse ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter front-ends, integrating tunable impulse or monocycle-pulse generator with bi-phase shift-keying (BPSK) modulator, have been developed using a standard low-cost 0.18-µm CMOS process. The monocycle pulse generator component produces 0.7 – 0.75 V peak-to-peak monocycle pulse with 140 – 350 ps tunable pulse duration. The impulse generator generates 0.95 – 1.05 V peak-to-peak Gaussian-type impulse signal with 100 – 300 ps tunable pulse duration. The BPSK modulator controls the pulse generator to generate positive or negative pulse signal depending on the “1” or “0” digital data information. The pulse signals produced by the developed transmitters are useful for various UWB applications, especially those requiring the capability of changing ranges and resolutions using only a single system.
Cdc13 Delivers Separate Complexes to the Telomere for End Protection and Replication

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the telomere binding protein Cdc13 mediates telomere replication by recruiting telomerase, and also performs an essential function in chromosome end protection. We show here that delivery of the Stn1 protein to the telomere, by fusing the DNA binding domain of Cdc13 (DBD(CDC13)) to Stn1, is sufficient to rescue the lethality of a cdc13 null strain and, hence, provide end protection. Telomere replication is still defective in this strain, but can be restored by delivering telomerase to the telomere as a DBD(CDC13)-telomerase fusion. These results establish Stn1 as the primary effector of chromosome end protection, whereas the principal function of Cdc13 is to provide a loading platform to recruit complexes that provide end protection and telomere replication.
Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/electrospray mass spectrometry determination of acyclovir in pregnant rat plasma and tissues.

Reversed-phase chromatography is the most common means of separation for small drug molecules. However, polar drugs may suffer from poor retention and peak shape in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) provides a viable alternative to RP-HPLC and is an excellent way to separate polar compounds. This paper describes a HILIC/ESI-MS/MS assay for the determination of acyclovir from rat plasma, amniotic fluid, placental tissue, and fetal tissue. The isocratic separation utilizes an underivatized silica column with an acetonitrile/formate buffer mobile phase (80:20). The method is validated over a range of 50 ng/mL to 50 µg/mL with % error and % relative standard deviation of 84% for acyclovir). This assay can be applied to the pharmacokinetic study of the placental transfer of acyclovir. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Double‐stranded origin nicking and replication initiation are coupled in the replication of a rolling circle plasmid, pT181

The Staphylococcus aureus rolling circle plasmid pT181 initiator RepC is modified by the addition of an oligodeoxynucleotide, giving rise to a new form, RepC*. RepC/RepC* heterodimer is an inhibitor of replication. However, in order to act effectively, the initiator/inhibitor protein must be stable. We show here that RepC is stable for at least 90 min, which enables it to function effectively as an inhibitor of replication. This finding also allowed us to carry out the two stages in pT181 replication sequentially: first, binding/nicking of the double-strand origin (DSO) by the pT181-encoded RepC, followed by initiation/elongation by the host cell's DNA replication apparatus. The results demonstrate that these two stages in pT181 replication are functionally coupled and that interruptions in this continuous process generate relaxed pT181 DNA that cannot be used as a template for replication.
Wavelength sensitive tapered coupler with anti-resonant waveguides

We describe a coupler that consists of two phase-mismatched polymer waveguides coupled together by a tapered AlAs/AlGaAs vertical cavity structure. At any particular wavelength, the light is transferred from one polymer waveguide to the other via the semiconductor cavity at a unique position along the waveguide. Thus, the length of the device determines the range of wavelengths transferred. In addition to a wavelength router, the structure could be useful for wavelength selective amplifiers or multiwavelength lasers. The concept is demonstrated in a passive structure with a resolution of about 1 nm. >
Validity of the ‘conservation law’ in the evolution of cosmological perturbations

ABSTRA C T It is shown that the ‘conservation law’ for metric fluctuations with long wavelengths is indeed applicable for growing modes of perturbations, which are of interest in cosmology, in spite of recent criticism. This is demonstrated both by general arguments and by presenting an explicitly solvable toy model for the evolution of metric perturbations during inflation.
Hardware competitions in engineering education

Hardware competitions such as robotics events are becoming a common occurrence in many engineering schools and technical conferences. In many instances they provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate and compare different design approaches, interact with other students with different backgrounds, and learn from each other. Design problems associated with competitions are often challenging open ended problems that support various solutions in terms of hardware and software choices, strategies, cost, and effectiveness. Competitions have a great motivational effect and generate interest from students and from the public at large. The article discusses the relevance of hardware competitions to engineering education.
Failure mode analysis of oxide VCSELs in high humidity and high temperature

High-speed fiber-optic transceiver modules using parallel optics require that oxide-confined vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) be moisture resistant in a non-hermetic package. We have found that the conventional storage 85/85 (85/spl deg/C/85% relative humidity) test does not adequately characterize oxide VCSELs moisture resistance. We have identified three failure modes in the oxide VCSELs under operating conditions in high humidity. In this paper, we discuss the failure mechanisms including dislocation growth, semiconductor cracks, and aperture surface degradation, all associated with operation under high relative humidity. Understanding of these failure modes has led to more appropriate qualification standards and environmentally robust oxide VCSELs.
Reduced Complexity Blind Estimation of Under-Determined Convolutive Mimo Systems

We consider identification of an under-determined convolutive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system driven by white, mutually independent unobservable inputs. In our recent work [1] we showed that an N i-input and N o-output system can be estimated within trivial ambiguities based on PARAFAC decomposition of a tensor containing K -th order statistics of the system output, where K ? m a x f (2 N i - 1) = (N o - 1) ; 3 g . In this paper we show that by using a tensor pair we can guarantee identifiability while using statistics of order smaller than in the single tensor case. We also provide an iterative identification scheme. The proposed tensor-pair approach results in complexity reduction as it involves lower dimensionality tensors and lower order statistics.
Network Nation: Inventing American Telecommunications (John, R.R.; 2010) [Book Review]

In this book, the author resists this technological determinism. Although Bell and Morse both appear in his history of electrical communication, they are two individuals among many. Rather than merely focusing on inventor and invention, John examines how the telegraph and the telephone systems developed in the United States between 1840 and 1920, with an emphasis on political economy. Indeed, John argues that the American system of government - at the federal, state and municipal level - directly and crucially shaped the telegraph and telephone networks and their operations. The author develops his theme through eleven chapters, organized chronologically. He examines the telegraph largely through the lens of Western Union, one of the largest corporations in the United States circa 1870, a fact that bears emphasis here. The later chapters on the telephone address the interconnected American Bell, American Telephone & Telegraph, and Bell System companies. The author deploys these companies' extensive business archives, in addition to government publications and documents, personal correspondence, magazines, newspapers, and pamphlets, to build a thoughtful and thorough argument. John's organizing framework of the telegraph and telephone's evolutionary stages of commercialization, popularization, and naturalization provides a tidy way to group and read his eleven chapters.
Heterogeneous interaction of N2O5 with HCl doped H2SO4 under stratospheric conditions: ClNO2 and Cl2 yields.

The reaction of dinitrogen pentoxide, N2O5, with hydrogen chloride, HCl, in sulfuric acid solutions was studied at temperatures and compositions relevant to the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere. Experiments were performed using a rotating wetted wall flow tube reactor coupled to a chemical ionization mass spectrometer for the gas-phase detection of reactants (N2O5 and HCl) and products (nitryl chloride, ClNO2, and Cl2) using I– as the reagent ion. Uptake coefficients, γ, were measured under stratospheric conditions: 205 < T < 225 K; 50 and 60 wt % H2SO4 solutions; 5.8 × 10–5 < [HCl]liq < 0.1 M. Uptake coefficients of N2O5 on pure H2SO4/H2O (50 and 60 wt % H2SO4) and HCl-doped H2SO4 were found to be independent of temperature and sulfuric acid composition (weight percent of H2SO4 and HCl concentration) consistent with previous studies. ClNO2 was observed to be a major gas-phase product with its yield strongly dependent on the liquid-phase HCl concentration (5.8 × 10–5 to 0.1 M HCl) and with a maximum y...
Differential introgression and the maintenance of species boundaries in an advanced generation avian hybrid zone

Evolutionary processes, including selection and differential fitness, shape the introgression of genetic material across a hybrid zone, resulting in the exchange of some genes but not others. Differential introgression of molecular or phenotypic markers can thus provide insight into factors contributing to reproductive isolation. We characterized patterns of genetic variation across a hybrid zone between two tidal marsh birds, Saltmarsh (Ammodramus caudacutus) and Nelson’s (A. nelsoni) sparrows (n = 286), and compared patterns of introgression among multiple genetic markers and phenotypic traits. Geographic and genomic cline analyses revealed variable patterns of introgression among marker types. Most markers exhibited gradual clines and indicated that introgression exceeds the spatial extent of the previously documented hybrid zone. We found steeper clines, indicating strong selection for loci associated with traits related to tidal marsh adaptations, including for a marker linked to a gene region associated with metabolic functions, including an osmotic regulatory pathway, as well as for a marker related to melanin-based pigmentation, supporting an adaptive role of darker plumage (salt marsh melanism) in tidal marshes. Narrow clines at mitochondrial and sex-linked markers also offer support for Haldane’s rule. We detected patterns of asymmetrical introgression toward A. caudacutus, which may be driven by differences in mating strategy or differences in population density between the two species. Our findings offer insight into the dynamics of a hybrid zone traversing a unique environmental gradient and provide evidence for a role of ecological divergence in the maintenance of pure species boundaries despite ongoing gene flow.
Regional Center of Excellence concept.

The concept for the development of the Center of Excellence in Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas originated January through April, 1990. This development was accomplished by the Strategic Planning Council chaired by R. H. Forsythe, which was comprised of prominent members of the poultry industry, allied industries, government officials, and University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. One of the guiding principles that was integral to this development process was the recognition by the administration of the University of Arkansas that prioritization of program resources is essential to achieving program excellence. It is no longer possible to be everything to all parties. We must determine where program need and program support can be complementary. The Arkansas poultry industry (broilers, turkeys, eggs) accounts for almost one-half (45%) of total agricultural income and provides employment for 1 of every 12 people in the state. Clearly, the opportunity for developing a program of excellence at the University of Arkansas with the greatest potential for success was in Poultry Science. The vision for the development of the Center encompassed the needs for providing research in poultry science, education in poultry science, technology transfer in poultry science, and continuing education for industry professionals through extension education. These needs were to be addressed in a comprehensive program that provides these services for all components of the industry from primary breeder companies through integrator companies involved in production, processing, and marketing, including the allied industries, and ultimately the consumers of poultry products. In order to achieve the desired recognition as a regional center it was essential to recognize that our mission is to provide the research and education needs required to support today’s poultry industry, which is in reality a food industry.
Steganalysis Features for Content-Adaptive JPEG Steganography

All the modern steganographic algorithms for digital images are content adaptive in the sense that they restrict the embedding modifications to complex regions of the cover, which are difficult to model for the steganalyst. The probabilities with which the individual cover elements are modified (the selection channel) are jointly determined by the size of the embedded payload and the content complexity. The most accurate detection of content-adaptive steganography is currently achieved with the detectors built as classifiers trained on cover and stego features that incorporate the knowledge of the selection channel. While the selection-channel-aware features have been proposed for detection of spatial domain steganography, an equivalent for the JPEG domain does not exist. Since modern steganographic algorithms for JPEG images are currently best detected with the features formed by the histograms of the noise residuals split by their JPEG phase, we use such feature sets as a starting point in this paper and extend their design to incorporate the knowledge of the selection channel. This is achieved by accumulating in the histograms a quantity that bounds the expected absolute distortion of the residual. The proposed features can be efficiently computed and provide a substantial detection gain across all the tested algorithms especially for small payloads.
Technology Readiness Level Evaluation Method and Application to Underwater Weapon

In order to reduce effectively the technical risk of underwater weapon development,the technology readiness level(TRL) evaluation is always an attractive issue in equipment acquirement,which presents an objective method to explain specified TRL,and thus to briefly demonstrate the developing state and technical risk of a specified technology.This paper introduces and analyses the equipment TRL classification,the corresponding developmental phase,and the applied evaluation method abroad.Some application examples about underwater weapon are given concerning such five sides as weapon equipment acquirement,UUV,sonar,torpedo and submarine operational system.Finally,the relative issues about application of the TRL to underwater weapon are discussed.
Application Research of Automatic Vehicle of Ring Line Air Information Exchange

Welding on the company's production line,because of high production rhythms,from the underbody line to the body line carrier system for a multi-car ring operating units on their own way,the exchange of information with the main PLC can not be directly used for cable connection realize.Traditional methods using slide touch line to exchange information,but there is limited amount of information exchange of data,low reliability and the complexity of electrical installation.To avoid these drawbacks,wireless communication technology will be used to exchange information in automatic vehicle,with unlimited data exchange,high reliability and electrical installation easy,etc.To make up for the traditional conductor line information exchange defects.
Reassembly of Excitable Domains after CNS Axon Regeneration.

Action potential initiation and propagation in myelinated axons require ion channel clustering at axon initial segments (AIS) and nodes of Ranvier. Disruption of these domains after injury impairs nervous system function. Traditionally, injured CNS axons are considered refractory to regeneration, but some recent approaches challenge this view by showing robust long-distance regeneration. However, whether these approaches allow remyelination and promote the reestablishment of AIS and nodes of Ranvier is unknown. Using mouse optic nerve crush as a model for CNS traumatic injury, we performed a detailed analysis of AIS and node disruption after nerve crush. We found significant disruption of AIS and loss of nodes within days of the crush, and complete loss of nodes 1 week after injury. Genetic deletion of the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten) in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), coupled with stimulation of RGCs by inflammation and cAMP, dramatically enhanced regeneration. With this treatment, we found significant reestablishment of RGC AIS, remyelination, and even reassembly of nodes in regions proximal, within, and distal to the crush site. Remyelination began near the retina, progressed distally, and was confirmed by electron microscopy. Although axons grew rapidly, remyelination and nodal ion channel clustering was much slower. Finally, genetic deletion of ankyrinG from RGCs to block AIS reassembly did not affect axon regeneration, indicating that preservation of neuronal polarity is not required for axon regeneration. Together, our results demonstrate, for the first time, that regenerating CNS axons can be remyelinated and reassemble new AIS and nodes of Ranvier. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We show, for the first time, that regenerated CNS axons have the capacity to both remyelinate and reassemble the axon initial segments and nodes of Ranvier necessary for rapid and efficient action potential propagation.
Meaningful Practice: Generalizing Foundation Teaching Skills From TLE TeachLivE™ to the Classroom

Novice teachers need to develop foundation teaching skills to effectively address student behavior and academics in the classroom. The TLE TeachLivE™ simulation laboratory (TLE) is a virtual classr...
The role of soy isoflavones in menopausal health: report of The North American Menopause Society/Wulf H. Utian Translational Science Symposium in Chicago, IL (October 2010).

Objectives: If and to what extent soy protein, soy isoflavones, and their metabolites, including S(Y)-equol, have beneficial effects on women_s health is currently unclear. The North American Menopause Society (NAMS)/Utian Translational Science Symposium on Soy and Soy Isoflavones convened October 9-10, 2010, to clarify basic and clinical research findings as they relate to the risk and benefits of soy products for peri- and postmenopausal women. Methods: A working group of faculty and panelists composed of clinical and research experts in the fields of women_s health and botanicals met during a 2-day translational symposium to cover the latest evidence-based science on isoflavones as they affect menopausal symptoms, breast and endometrial cancer, atherosclerosis, bone loss, and cognition. Full descriptions of the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of isoflavones were also presented. Subspecialty groups then broke off with the goal of translating the information into a report for general medical practice and identifying further research areas. All faculty and panelists reviewed the final report, which was then approved by the NAMS Board of Trustees. Results: From the hundreds of studies reviewed in this report, there are mixed results of the effects on midlife women. Soy-based isoflavones are modestly effective in relieving menopausal symptoms; supplements providing higher proportions of genistein or increased in S(Y)-equol may provide more benefits. Soy food consumption is associated with lower risk of breast and endometrial cancer in observational studies. The efficacy of isoflavones on bone has not been proven, and the clinical picture of whether soy has cardiovascular benefits is still evolving. Preliminary findings on cognitive benefit from isoflavone therapy support a Bcritical window[ hypothesis wherein younger postmenopausal women derive more than older women. Conclusions: Several areas for further research have been identified on soy and midlife women. More clinical studies are needed that compare outcomes among women whose intestinal bacteria have the ability to convert daidzein to equol (equol producers) with those that lack that ability (equol nonproducers) in order to determine if equol producers derive greater benefits from soy supplementation. Larger studies are needed in younger postmenopausal women, and more research is needed to understand the modes of use of soy isoflavone supplements in women. The interrelations of other dietary components on soy isoflavones consumed as a part of diet or by supplement on equol production also require further study, as do potential interactions with prescription and over-thecounter medications. And finally, greater standardization and documentation of clinical trial data of soy are needed.
Stressful Medical Procedures

If you believe in a one-to-one relationship between specific Stressors and specific reactions, in personality dispositions that determine the effects of Stressors, or in the inevitability of certain events producing stress, then read no further. If, one the other hand, you accept the stress-reducing effects of both successful behavioral experience and informed cognitive processing, then you will find merit in what follows. When considering stress, you will also agree “as I have often said” (the “I” here is Hans Selye), that “it is not what happens to you, but how you take it” (1979, p. 12).
Benzo(a)pyrene

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by Swarupa G. Kulkarni, Harihara M. Mehendale, volume 1, pp 257–259, © 2005, Elsevier Inc.
Ultrafast Optical Measurements of Shocked Materials

Much of the research discussed above was conducted in preparation for the studies that examined shock-induced chemistry in energetic materials. The knowledge we obtained regarding the influence of direct laser-drive upon the target on which the energetic polymer was coated, has led to our confidence that the reaction chemistry studies provide relevant information regarding the first decomposition steps in shock-loaded energetic materials. For example, the PMMA interferometric data were well-modeled using the bulk Hugoniots of both the PMMA and the aluminum; thus, the use of direct-drive did not perturb the thermodynamic state significantly from the Hugoniot, allowing us to make the assumption that on these timescales (hundreds of picoseconds), the states are well-approximated as the same relevant state obtained with gas-gun systems. We have also shown that caution must be exercised when attempting to use the interferometric data for the characterization of material motion; changes in the material properties can influence the interferometric data and must be deconvolved to yield the “true” surface motion. However, this also offers the possibility of using the changes in material properties as a measure of the shocked material’s thermodynamic state; discontinuities will exist in the index of refraction as the material crosses a phase boundary. These changes may then be used as a characterization tool if they are accurately measured using the interferometric techniques to measure phase boundaries under shock-loaded conditions. Finally, the culmination of these studies involved the first observation of reaction under shock loading conditions of an energetic material. We have shown that when an energetic polymer, PVN, is shocked to ∼200 kbar, we observe a disappearance of the NO2 vibration infrared absorption(s), indicating chemical reaction as the Shockwave traverses the film.
A Spline-Based Lack-Of-Fit Test for Independent Variable Effect in Poisson Regression

In regression analysis of count data, independent variables are often modeled by their linear effects under the assumption of log-linearity. In reality, the validity of such an assumption is rarely tested, and its use is at times unjustifiable. A lack-of-fit test is proposed for the adequacy of a postulated functional form of an independent variable within the framework of semiparametric Poisson regression models based on penalized splines. It offers added flexibility in accommodating the potentially non-loglinear effect of the independent variable. A likelihood ratio test is constructed for the adequacy of the postulated parametric form, for example log-linearity, of the independent variable effect. Simulations indicate that the proposed model performs well, and misspecified parametric model has much reduced power. An example is given.
Changes in Posture and Interactive Behaviors as Infants Progress From Sitting to Walking: A Longitudinal Study

This longitudinal study assessed how infants and mothers used different postures and modulated their interactions with their surroundings as the infants progressed from sitting to walking. Thirteen infants and their mothers were observed biweekly throughout this developmental period during 10 min laboratory free-play sessions. For every session, we tracked the range of postures mothers and infants produced (e.g., sitting, kneeling, and standing), we assessed the type of interactions they naturally engaged in (no interactions, passive involvement, fine motor manipulation, or gross motor activity), and documented all target transitions. During the crawling transition period, when infants used sitting postures, they engaged mainly in fine motor manipulations of targets and often maintained their activity on the same target. As infants became mobile, their rate of fine motor manipulation declined during sitting but increased while kneeling/squatting. During the walking transition, their interactions with targets became more passive, particularly when sitting and standing, but they also engaged in greater gross motor activity while continuing to use squatting/kneeling postures for fine motor manipulations. The walking period was also marked by an increase in target changes and more frequent posture changes during object interactions. Throughout this developmental period, mothers produced mainly no or passive activity during sitting, kneeling/squatting, and standing. As expected, during this developmental span, infants used their body in increasingly varied ways to explore and interact with their environment, but more importantly, progression in posture variations significantly altered how infants manually interacted with their surrounding world.
Disparities in Cost and Access by Caseload for Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: An Analysis of 18,616 Cases.

Background:Surgeon caseload has been shown to affect both health and economic outcomes in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Although previous studies have investigated disparities in access to care...
Sarcoma: Bony Lesion

The most common malignant bone tumors of the head and neck are osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. In both disease categories, patients present most commonly in the second decade of life, with large bone masses causing pain and mass effect. Approximately, 8 % of all osteosarcomas occur in the head and neck, and most are mandible primaries; different from the extremity primaries, these tumors tend to occur at older ages. Patients with localized disease are curable with radical surgery and systemic chemotherapy. Osteosarcoma is radioresistant, and thus surgery is the only option for local control. Patients presenting with metastatic disease have a very poor outcome. Ewing sarcoma of the head and neck usually develops in the skull bones, mandible, and maxilla, and it accounts for 4–9 % of all cases of Ewing sarcoma. Ewing sarcoma is a radiosensitive malignancy, and thus radical surgery is not always required. Treatment includes systemic chemotherapy and local control with surgery, radiation therapy, or a combination of both.
BRCA1 regulation of p53 stability and target expression

133 BRCA1, cloned during the search for genes responsible for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers, has been implicated in numerous cellular processes including DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint activation, transcriptional regulation and chromatin remodeling. With respect to one of its roles in transcriptional regulation, BRCA1 has been shown to stabilize the tumor suppressor p53 protein. Increased expression/stability of p53 normally results in increased expression of p53-regulated pro-apoptotic genes and therefore, increased apoptosis. Interestingly, however, microarray studies have demonstrated that overexpression of BRCA1 results in the expression of p53-regulated cell cycle arrest genes, but not p53-regulated pro-apoptotic genes. Given that stabilization of p53 normally correlates with increased expression of pro-apoptotic genes, it is of great interest to understand how BRCA1 directs p53 to preferentially induce expression of genes involved in cell cycle delay and damage repair but not pro-apoptotic targets. We have been using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays to investigate proteins present at the promoters of genes involved in cell cycle arrest vs. those present at the promoters of genes involved in apoptosis. Surprisingly, p53 appears to be present at the DR5 promoter (a pro-apoptotic target) as well as at the p21 promoter (cell cycle arrest target) in the presence of BRCA1. In response to DNA damage, p53 is stabilized and activated by a plethora of post-translational modifications. Therefore, we have also examined the post-translational modifications induced by exogenous expression of BRCA1. Both adriamycin and exogenous BRCA1 expression appear to have the same ability to phosphorylate and acetylate p53. Therefore, we are currently exploring the hypothesis that BRCA1 exerts a repressive function at the apoptotic promoters.
Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Prognosis of Heart Failure with Stable Reduced Ejection Fraction

Background Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) of Objectives We hypothesized that the presence of CKD can result in a worse prognosis in patients with HFrEF and stable EF of 1 year. Methods At our academic institution, we evaluated 2593 baseline echo studies and their subsequent echo studies to identify HFrEF patients with stable EF of 1 year. Student's T-test and chi-square test were used to assess baseline differences between CKD and non-chronic kidney disease (NCKD) patients. Kaplan Meier survival analysis was conducted and Log-rank p values were calculated to assess the association of the different groups with all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and HF hospitalization rates. Multivariate Cox regression was adjusted for age, gender, race, HF etiology, HTN, DLP, DM, CAD, NYHA class, and COPD. Results A total of 205 patients were included in our study. Sixty-six patients (32.1%) had CKD. Table 1 summarizes characteristics of patients. Follow up period was 62.5 ± 30.6 months. CKD patients had higher all-cause mortality (figure 1), cardiac mortality, and HF hospitalization rates than NCKD patients, p-value of 0.0001, 0.001, and 0.001 respectively. In adjusted model, all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and HF hospitalization rates remained significantly higher in CKD patients (HR = 2.412, 95% CI = 1.34-4.32, p-value = 0.003), (HR = 2.481, 95% CI = 1.12-5.46, p-value = 0.024), and (HR = 1.766, 95% CI = 1.20-2.59, p-value = 0.004) respectively. Conclusion In patients with HFrEF and stable EF of 1 year, we found that the presence of CKD resulted in significantly higher all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and HF hospitalization rates. Further studies are needed to validate our results.
Writing History from the Geniza: Issues, Methodologies, Prospects

Documentary materials from the Cairo Geniza present scholars with enormous opportunities for historical research. At the same time, both the nature of the materials and the history of scholarship using them lead to some unusual methodological challenges. This essay reviews recent developments in the understanding of the nature of the extant medieval materials as it now appears that Geniza practice was much less universal than previously thought and much material (perhaps the majority) from the classical period comes from the deposited archives of only a few handfuls of individuals. Reviewing previous scholars’ approaches to collecting dossiers of material to study, the essay makes suggestions for navigating the existing scholarship, particularly the works of S. D. Goitein. In outlining some of the challenges of writing history from scattered and undated materials, it also considers limited but increasing research in ancillary fields—paleography, diplomatics, philology, and prosopography—that might help place individual fragments. Finally, I turn to typology and efforts to understand the nature of Hebrew and Arabic everyday literate production found in the Geniza and place it in the broader context of growing research in Arabic papyrology.
Website Review: The Teaching Channel

The Teaching Channel website, according to its mission, is “to create an environment where teachers can watch, share, and learn new techniques to help every student grow.” One of the core principle...
Do Bacteremic patients with end-stage renal disease have a fever when presenting to the emergency department? A paired, retrospective cohort study

Fever is a common symptom when patients present to Emergency Departments. It is unclear if the febrile response of bacteremic hemodialysis-dependent patients differs from bacteremic patients not receiving hemodialysis. The objective of this study was to compare Emergency Departments triage temperatures of patients with and without hemodialysis-dependent end-stage rental disease who have Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and determine the incidence of afebrile S. aureus bacteremia. Paired, retrospective cohort study of 37 patients with and 37 patients without hemodialysis hospitalized with Methicillin-resistant or Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus bacteremia. Emergency Department triage temperatures were reviewed for all patients, as were potential confounding variables. 54% (95% CI, 38–70%) and 82% (95% CI 65–91%) of hemodialysis and non-hemodialysis patients did not have a detectable fever ( 0.19). Hemodialysis-dependent patients with S. aureus bacteremia had significantly higher temperatures than non- hemodialysis-dependent end stage renal disease patients but more than half of patients were without detectable fever at triage, possibly reflecting use of insensitive methods for measuring temperature. Absence of fever at presentation to the Emergency Department should not delay blood culture acquisition in patients who are at increased risk of S. aureus bacteremia.
EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM VALBENAZINE IN KINECT 4: POST HOC RESPONSE AND SHIFT ANALYSES IN YOUNGER AND OLDER ADULTS WITH TARDIVE DYSKINESIA

Introduction Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a persistent and potentially disabling movement disorder associated with prolonged antipsychotic exposure. Compared to younger patients, older patients have a higher risk of TD and may develop symptoms earlier during antipsychotic treatment. Valbenazine, a novel and highly selective vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor, is approved to treat TD in adults of all ages, with no dose adjustment required for older patients. The long-term effects of valbenazine on TD were evaluated in KINECT 4 (NCT02405091), an open-label study in which participants received up to 48 weeks of once-daily treatment with valbenazine. Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) data from this study were analyzed post hoc to evaluate treatment responses in older (≥55 to 85 years) and younger (18 to Methods KINECT 4 included participants who met the following criteria: ages 18 to 85 years; DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or mood disorder; neuroleptic-induced TD for ≥3 months prior to screening; stable psychiatric status (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale score Results Of 163 participants in the safety/efficacy population, 103 (63.2%) had an available AIMS assessment at Week 48. At Week 48, the percentages of patients who met the criteria for minimal response (≥10% AIMS total score improvement from baseline) or clinically meaningful (≥30% improvement) response were similar between the older and younger subgroups (≥55 years; Conclusions After 48 weeks of treatment with once-daily valbenazine, >95% of all KINECT 4 participants (older and younger) had a minimal AIMS total score response (≥10% improvement), >90% had a clinically meaningful response (≥30% improvement), and >80% had a robust response (≥50% improvement). Older patients seemed more likely than younger patients to achieve a maximal response, including 100% improvement, although these results may be limited by smaller sample sizes. Shift analyses based on AIMS item scores were supportive of AIMS total score responses. Together, the results presented in this post hoc analysis suggest that valbenazine is an appropriate long-term treatment for both older and younger adults with TD. This research was funded by: This study was sponsored by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.