cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Web-Based Academic Support Services: Guidelines for Extensibility

Using the experience of the University of Illinois at Springfield 's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the as a foundation for discussion, this paper addresses the provision of student support services to distant students within the context of development and expansion. Specific issues for consideration include: integrating student support functions with institutional technology and information systems; determining developmental concerns and their impact on scalability; and, identifying barriers related to systematic program expansion. As on-line learning continues to grow in terms of popularity and access, academic support practitioners have new opportunities to re-conceptualize Web-based programming that furthers the integration of service, instructional, business, and cultural aspects of the institution. A fundamental challenge to program expansion is appropriately scaling such services in ways that student demands, curricular priorities, market trends, and institutional mandates can be met through an integrated approach to technology based support provision. Context for Discussion: UIS College of Liberal Arts and Sciences On-line Program Development & Expansion The University of Illinois at Springfield 's ("UIS" or "University") College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ("College") routinely delivers approximately 60 to 70 percent of the University's Web-based programming. On-line coordination personnel provide ongoing support and advising for both newly admitted and continuing students studying in the College's Web-based academic programs. Growing beyond the first Web-based degree completion program developed by the University (the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies initially delivered in fall 1999 to 32 students), now in its seventh year of delivery) the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has admitted approximately 1,000 majors to its on-line programs. On-line programs currently include six undergraduate degree completion programs (computer science, English, history, liberal studies, mathematics and philosophy) and two minor concentrations (mathematics and philosophy); two graduate certificates (computer science); and, one graduate program (computer science), as well as a range of elective courses offered throughout the liberal arts and sciences disciplines. This growth impacted not only the nature of outreach and support services provided to this student population, but also contributed to shaping a new institutional culture. The following discussion extends beyond a traditional approach to support provision to promote a scalable, integrated and interoperable administrative strategy enabling expansive learning experiences for students
Meiji Restoration Losers: Memory and Tokugawa Supporters in Modern Japan

This book is about the "losers" of the Meiji Restoration and the supporters who promoted their legacy. Although the violence of the Meiji Restoration is typically downplayed, the trauma was real, and those who felt marginalized from the mainstream throughout modern Japan looked to these losers as models of action.Using a wide range of sources, from essays by former Tokugawa supporters like Fukuzawa Yukichi to postwar film and "lost decade" "manga," Michael Wert traces the shifting portrayals of Restoration losers. By highlighting the overlooked sites of memory such as legends about buried gold, the awarding of posthumous court rank, or fighting over a disembodied head, Wert illustrates how the process of commemoration and rehabilitation allows individuals a voice in the formation of national history. He argues that the commingling of local memory activists with nationally known politicians, academics, writers, and treasure hunters formed interconnecting memory landscapes that promoted local figures as potential heroes in modern Japan.
National trends in volume-outcome relationships for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Abstract Background The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has emerged as a common therapy for severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction. We aimed to describe the relationship of institutional volume with patient outcomes and examine transfer status to tertiary ECMO centers. Materials and methods Using the National Inpatient Sample, we identified adult patients who received ECMO from 2008 to 2014. Individual hospital volume was calculated as tertiles of total institutional discharges for each year independently. Results Of the total 18,684 adult patients placed on ECMO, 2548 (13.6%), 5278 (28.2%), and 10,858 (58.1%) patients were admitted to low-, medium-, and high-volume centers, respectively. Unadjusted mortality at low-volume hospitals was less than that of medium- (43.7% versus 50.3%, P = 0.03) and high-volume hospitals (43.7% versus 55.6%, P Conclusions Our findings show increased in-hospital mortality in high-volume institutions and in patients transferred to tertiary centers. Whether this phenomenon represents selection bias or transfer from another facility deserves further investigation and will aid with the identification of surrogate markers for quality of high-risk interventions.
Electrohydrodynamics of a liquid jet in transverse AC electric fields

Abstract The behavior of a liquid jet in a transverse AC electric field is investigated. The governing electrohydrodynamic equations are solved analytically for Newtonian and immiscible fluids in the framework of leaky-dielectric model and in the limit of small electric field and fluid inertia. It is shown that ratios of electric conductivity and permittivity of the constituting fluids along with a nondimensional frequency (i.e., the time scale of the electric field oscillation over the time scale of charge relaxation from the bulk of the ambient fluid to the jet surface) are the key parameters that determine the mean and the time-periodic behavior of the jet, and that on the basis of these parameters the fluids can be categorized into three different classes in terms of their impact on the mean behavior of the jet. In the first class, the jet elongates in the direction of or perpendicular to the field, becoming a prolate or an oblate ellipse, respectively, depending on the field frequency, and the mean deformation increases with an increase in the frequency of the field. In the second class, the jet deforms to a prolate and the mean deformation increases with an increase in the frequency. In the third class, the jet deforms to a prolate and the mean deformation decreases with an increase in the frequency. It is shown that for the first class of the fluids a critical frequency exists at which the jet remains circular regardless of the strength of the electric field. Concerning the time-periodic behavior, it is shown that the jet surface oscillates with a frequency that is twice that of the imposed electric field, and the time-periodic deformation has a time lag with respect to the imposed electric field. The evolution of the flow field with time is studied and it is shows that the flow structure is determined by the interplay of the net interfacial tangential and normal electric forces, and that depending on the relative importance of these two parameters the flow will consist of closed vortices or open-ended streamlines (open vortices). The frequency of oscillation of the flow field is twice that of the external electric field, and it has a time lag with respect to the imposed electric field.
Budgeting maintenance dredging projects under uncertainty to improve the inland waterway network performance

Abstract We model the problem of budgeting and selecting inland maintenance dredging projects to maximize the value of commodities that can be transported without disruption through the inland waterway system. We develop a heuristic to solve our stochastic optimization model and demonstrate that, by incorporating uncertainty in the amount of reactive (i.e., emergency) dredging, our model yields improved solutions as compared to related deterministic optimization models in the literature. We apply our model to provide a detailed analysis of U.S. waterway network.
Correction to: Enhancing Statistical Multiple Sequence Alignment and Tree Inference Using Structural Information

The published version of this book included errors in code listings in Chapter 10. These code listings have been corrected and text has been updated.
Inferring Phone Location State

Smartphone sensors are becoming more universal and more accurate. In this paper, we aim to distinguish between four common positions or states a phone can be in: in the hand, pocket, backpack, or on a table. Using a uniquely designed neural network and data from the accelerometer and the screen state, we achieve a 92% accuracy on the same phone. We also explore extending this to different phones and propose an acceleration calibration technique to do so.
Oxide supported metal catalysts for the aldehyde water shift reaction: Elucidating roles of the admetal, support, and synergies

Abstract There is significant interest in the use of H2O as a reactant for production of commodity chemicals and fuels, in particular from water-laden biomass-derived feedstocks. In this paper, we describe results for the aldehyde water shift (AWS), a reaction where aldehydes are partially oxidized by water to produce the corresponding carboxylic acid and H2, over a series of CeO2-, Al2O3-, and SiO2-supported Cu, Pt, and Au catalysts. The effects of support were further investigated by evaluating the performances of a Cu-Zn-Al water gas shift catalyst and bulk Cu nanoparticles. The supported Cu catalysts were more active than the supported Pt and Au catalysts, and the reducible oxide (CeO2) supported Cu catalyst had the highest AWS activity. The high activity of the Cu/CeO2 catalyst is believed to derive from coupling H2O dissociation and aldehyde oxidation. The two major side reactions, aldol condensation and aldehyde disproportionation, appeared to be catalyzed by acid and Cu sites, respectively. The results indicate that both the admetal and support play critical roles in catalyzing the AWS reaction and provide guidance for the design of highly active AWS catalysts.
Polygenic Risk Scores Expand to Obesity

Obesity is one of the most serious health challenges of our time. In this issue of Cell, Khera and co-authors demonstrate the striking ability of genetics, in the form of a polygenic risk score, to identify those individuals at high risk for obesity. This genetic risk expresses itself early as childhood obesity, reinforcing the notion that early prevention is essential to combatting the obesity epidemic.
Bone and heart health in chronic kidney disease: role of dentin matrix protein 1.

Purpose of reviewChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition associated with bone disease and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) excess that contributes to cardiovascular mortality. Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) is an established regulator of bone mineralization and FGF23 production in osteocytes.
Computational Multiscale Modeling of Nickel-Based Superalloys Containing Gamma-Gamma’ Precipitates

A hierarchical crystal plasticity constitutive model, comprising three different scales for polycrystalline microstructures of Ni-based superalloys, is developed. Three scales, dominant in models of polycrystalline Ni-based superalloys, are: (i) the sub-grain scale of \(\gamma \)–\(\gamma '\) microstructure, characterized by \(\gamma '\) precipitate size and their spacing; (ii) grain-scale characterized by the size of single crystals; and (iii) the scale of polycrystalline representative volume elements. A homogenized activation energy-based crystal plasticity (AE-CP) FEM model is developed for the grain-scale, accounting for characteristic parameters of the sub-grain scale \(\gamma \)–\(\gamma '\) morphology. A significant advantage of this AE-CP model is that its high efficiency enables it to be effectively incorporated in polycrystalline crystal plasticity FE simulations, while retaining the accuracy of detailed sub-grain level representative volume element (SG-RVE) models. The SG-RVE models are created for variable morphology, e.g. volume fraction, precipitate shape and channel-widths. The sub-grain crystal plasticity model incorporates a dislocation density-based crystal plasticity model augmented with mechanisms of anti-phase boundary (APB) shearing of precipitates. The sub-grain model is homogenized for developing parametric functions of morphological variables in evolution laws of the AE-CP model. Micro-twinning initiation and evolution models are incorporated in the single crystal AE-CP finite element models for manifesting tension-compression asymmetry. In the next ascending scale, a polycrystalline microstructure of Ni-based superalloys is simulated using an augmented AE-CP FE model with micro-twinning. Statistically equivalent virtual polycrystals of the alloy CMSX-4 are created for simulations with the homogenized model. The results of simulations at each scale are compared with experimental data with good agreement.
Targeted and novel therapy in advanced gastric cancer.

The systemic treatment options for advanced gastric cancer (GC) have evolved rapidly in recent years. We have reviewed the recent data of clinical trial incorporating targeted agents, including inhibitors of angiogenesis, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), mesenchymal–epithelial transition, epidermal growth factor receptor, mammalian target of rapamycin, claudin-18.2, programmed death-1 and DNA. Addition of trastuzumab to platinum-based chemotherapy has become standard of care as front-line therapy in advanced GC overexpressing HER2. In the second-line setting, ramucirumab with paclitaxel significantly improves overall survival compared to paclitaxel alone. For patients with refractory disease, apatinib, nivolumab, ramucirumab and TAS-102 have demonstrated single-agent activity with improved overall survival compared to placebo alone. Pembrolizumab has demonstrated more than 50% response rate in microsatellite instability-high tumors, 15% response rate in tumors expressing programmed death ligand 1, and non-inferior outcome in first-line treatment compared to chemotherapy. This review summarizes the current state and progress of research on targeted therapy for advanced GC.
Unilateral optogenetic inhibition and excitation of basal ganglia output show opposing effects on directional lick choices and movement initiation in mice

Models of basal ganglia function predict that tonic inhibitory output to motor thalamus suppresses unwanted movements, and that a decrease in such activity leads to action selection. A direct test of these outcomes of thalamic inhibition has not been performed, however. To conduct such a direct test, we utilized rapid optogenetic activation and inactivation of the GABAergic output of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) to motor thalamus in mice that were trained in a sensory cued left/right licking task. Directional licking tasks have previously been shown to depend on a thalamocortical feedback loop between ventromedial motor thalamus and antero-lateral premotor cortex (Li et al., 2015; Guo et al., 2017). In confirmation of model predictions, we found that 1s of unilateral optogenetic inhibition of GABAergic output from the SNr biased decision making towards the contralateral lick spout with ipsilaterally cued trials while leaving motor performance intact. In contrast, 1s of optogenetic excitation of SNr terminals in motor thalamus resulted in an opposite bias towards the ipsilateral direction confirming a bidirectional effect of tonic nigral output on directional decision making. In a second variant of the task we disallowed anticipatory licking and found that successful suppression of anticipatory licking was also impacted by our optogenetic manipulations in agreement with the suppressive effect of tonic nigral output. Nevertheless, direct unilateral excitation of SNr cell bodies resulted in bilateral movement suppression, suggesting that descending motor pathways from the SNr to superior colliculus also play an important role in the control of licking behavior.
Functional and Structural Correlates of Impaired Enrichment-Mediated Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in a Mouse Model of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Background Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are associated with a wide range of cognitive deficiencies. Objective We previously found that gestational exposure to moderate levels of alcohol in mice throughout the 1st-2nd human trimester-equivalents for brain development results in profound impairment of the hippocampal neurogenic response to enriched environment (EE) in adulthood, without altering baseline neurogenesis rate under standard housing (SH). However, the functional and structural consequences of impaired EE-mediated neurogenesis in the context of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) have not been determined. Results Here, we demonstrate that PAE-EE mice display impaired performance on a neurogenesis-dependent pattern discrimination task, broadened behavioral activation of the dentate gyrus, as assessed by expression of the immediate early gene, c-Fos, and impaired dendritic branching of adult-generated dentate granule cells (aDGCs). Conclusions These studies further underscore the impact of moderate gestational alcohol exposure on adult hippocampal plasticity and support adult hippocampal neurogenesis as a potential therapeutic target to remediate certain neurological outcomes in FASD.
An Exploratory Study on Physical Function in Stem Cell Transplant Patients Undergoing Corticosteroid Treatment for Acute Graft-Versus-Host-Disease.

ABSTRACT Acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is treated with corticosteroids, placing patients at risk for steroid myopathy. In this single-arm cohort study, 23 patients who were started on high-dose corticosteroids for acute graft-versus-host disease underwent a series of functional tests (baseline and days 14, 28, and 56): 6-min walk test, hip flexor and knee extensor strength via dynamometry, five times sit-to-stand, Brooke scale for myopathy, modified Adult Myopathy Assessment Tool, and manual muscle testing. Participants were prescribed home exercises including walking and resistance exercises, with low adherence. Fifteen (63%) participants were male and median (range) age was 60 (36-70) yrs. Median (range) corticosteroid duration and cumulative equivalent methylprednisolone dose were 66 (22-165) days and 3625 (1020-11720) mg, respectively. At day 14, there was a significant decline in five times sit-to-stand (P = 0.0132), knee extensor (P = 0.0182), and manual muscle testing (P = 0.0466). Functional tests negatively associated with cumulative corticosteroid dose included 6-min walk test distance (P = 0.0103), hip flexor strength (P = 0.0262), knee extensor strength (P = 0.0369), and manual muscle testing strength (P = 0.0319). Five times sit-to-stand was positively associated with corticosteroid dose (P = 0.0003). In conclusion, stem cell transplant patients receiving high-dose corticosteroids for acute graft-versus-host disease are at risk for weakness detected as early as day 14. Increasing adherence to exercise may mitigate these changes.
4D imaging reveals mechanisms of clay-carbon protection and release.

Soil absorbs about 20% of anthropogenic carbon emissions annually, and clay is one of the key carbon-capture materials. Although sorption to clay is widely assumed to strongly retard the microbial decomposition of soil organic matter, enhanced degradation of clay-associated organic carbon has been observed under certain conditions. The conditions in which clay influences microbial decomposition remain uncertain because the mechanisms of clay-organic carbon interactions are not fully understood. Here we reveal the spatiotemporal dynamics of carbon sorption and release within model clay aggregates and the role of enzymatic decomposition by directly imaging a transparent smectite clay on a microfluidic chip. We demonstrate that clay-carbon protection is due to the quasi-irreversible sorption of high molecular-weight sugars within clay aggregates and the exclusion of bacteria from these aggregates. We show that this physically-protected carbon can be enzymatically broken down into fragments that are released into solution. Further, we suggest improvements relevant to soil carbon models. Clays in soil impact atmospheric CO2 by stabilizing soil organic matter, yet the dynamics of this process under future climate conditions are unknown. Here the authors present a way to observe clay-carbon dynamics within micro-aggregates using 4D imaging and a customized microfluidic chip.
Progress in Nonlinear Integrated Photonics Based on Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (Invited)

Lithium niobate has been rejuvenated for integrated photonics by development of thin-film wafers of the material on silicon substrates. Recent advancement of devices and circuits demonstrated on this maturing platform for nonlinear-optical applications is reviewed.
Technique for Treatment of a Symptomatic Intracranial Stenosis With Balloon Angioplasty and Wingspan Stent Placement: 3-Dimensional Operative Video.

Intracranial angioplasty and stenting is an increasingly common modality to treat intracranial atherosclerosis, which accounts for 80 000 strokes annually. Early trials showed there to be a high complication rate1,2 associated with stenting but with improved technique this complication rate has dramatically decreased.3 The following video details the procedure of intracranial balloon angioplasty and stenting for a high-grade stenosis of the right internal carotid artery. The risks and benefits of the procedure were discussed with the patient and they consented to the procedure.
Radiation Exposure and Protection

The need for radiation protection in a complex interventional treatment that involves computed tomography (CT) or fluoroscopy can sometimes be overlooked. Any radiation exposure can lead to some amount of risk to all individuals participating in the procedure and not only to the patients. The various biological effects that can occur based on these radiation exposures have been summarized, including models related to cancer risk. Protection strategies that can be employed and enforced in CT or fluoroscopy interventional treatment rooms have also been provided. The ultimate goal is to deliver the minimum amount of radiation dose to patients necessary to acquire good-quality images for diagnostic and interventional treatments.
Response of Offshore Towers to Nonstationary Ice Excitation

The dynamic response analysis of an offshore tower, subjected to nonstationary ice forces, is presented for single-degree-of-freedom and multi-degree-of-freedom, lumped mass, models based on evolutionary covariance matrices. The ice force excitation is idealized by i) equivalent evolutionary white noise, and ii) physical spectra. The mean square responses are computed in the time domain using the linear (state space formulation). The relationship between the physical spectrum and instantaneous spectrum analysis is discussed, and the need indicated for a study of the influence of ice force physical spectrum parameters on the response.
Image segmentation by multi-level thresholding based on fuzzy entropy and genetic algorithm in cloud

In this paper, we describe a new soft computing method for segmentation of both gray level and color images by using a fuzzy entropy based criteria (cost function), the genetic algorithm, and the evolutionary computation techniques. The presented method allow us to find optimized set of parameters for a predefined cost function. Particularly, we found the optimum set of membership functions by maximizing the fuzzy entropy and based on the membership functions. Experimental results show that the offered method can reliably segment and give better threshold then Otsu Multi-Level thresholding.
Skew Selection: Nature Favors a Trickle-Down Distribution of Resources in Ants *

Synopsis: According to skew selection, ant queens are neither ruthlessly selfish nor blindly altruistic; they are shrewd investors. The goal of shrewd investors is not to win the game, but to continue play over evolutionary time. Skew selection describes a set of investment strategies employed by players such as ant queens to keep the game going. First, ant queens acquire excess resources—more than they need for immediate survival and reproduction. Second, queens invest a portion of their excess resources in personal capital to maintain dominant status. Third, queens also invest a portion of excess resources in low-quality offspring to gain group capital. Fourth, when investing in group capital, resources are distributed in a trickle-down fashion to maintain the largest number of diminishing-quality offspring possible. The trickle-down redistribution allows the shrewd queen to increase group size (safety in numbers) and, at the same time, maintain individual status (safety in position). According to skew selection, queens invest in low-quality offspring (sterile workers) to buffer hereself and her high-quality offspring from agents of death such as war, predation or disease.
Use of SNOMED CT to Represent Clinical Research Data: A Semantic Characterization of Data Items on Case Report Forms in Vasculitis Research

Abstract Objective To estimate the coverage provided by SNOMED CT for clinical research concepts represented by the items on case report forms (CRFs), as well as the semantic nature of those concepts relevant to post-coordination methods. Design Convenience samples from CRFs developed by rheumatologists conducting several longitudinal, observational studies of vasculitis were selected. A total of 17 CRFs were used as the basis of analysis for this study, from which a total set of 616 (unique) items were identified. Each unique data item was classified as either a clinical finding or procedure. The items were coded by the presence and nature of SNOMED CT coverage and classified into semantic types by 2 coders. Measurements Basic frequency analysis was conducted to determine levels of coverage provided by SNOMED CT. Estimates of coverage by various semantic characterizations were estimated. Results Most of the core clinical concepts (88%) from these clinical research data items were covered by SNOMED CT; however, far fewer of the concepts were fully covered (that is, where all aspects of the CRF item could be represented completely without post-coordination; 23%). In addition, a large majority of the concepts (83%) required post-coordination, either to clarify context (e.g., time) or to better capture complex clinical concepts (e.g., disease-related findings). For just over one third of the sampled CRF data items, both types of post-coordination were necessary to fully represent the meaning of the item. Conclusion SNOMED CT appears well-suited for representing a variety of clinical concepts, yet is less suited for representing the full amount of information collected on CRFs.
Synthesis, Sintering and Dielectric Properties of Nano Structured High Purity Titanium Dioxide

High purity nanosized titanium dioxide (TiO2) powders were synthesized by precipitation method using Ti(IV)-isopropoxide as starting material. Well-crystallized and phase pure anatase TiO2 powders with a particle size about 10nm can be obtained by calcination of freeze-dried precipitates at 400 o C. The sinterability of powders calcined at 400 o C and 700 o C were compared with commercial TiO2 powders with similar particle size. The electrical and dielectric properties of the TiO2 bulk samples sintered at various temperatures were measured and correlated with the microstructural development. INTRODUCTION Due to its wide applications such as photocatalysts, 1 solar cells, 2 gas sensors 3 and dielectric materials 4 , TiO2 has attracted great scientific and technological interest. TiO2 powders are commonly prepared by means of the sulphate process, the chloride process, 5 or sol-gel process. 6 In this study, high purity and nanosized TiO2 powders were prepared to obtain nanostructured dielectric materials with low loss factor and leakage current. EXPERIMENTAL High purity nanosized TiO2 powders were prepared by precipitation of Ti(IV)-isopropoxide followed by freeze-drying of the precipitates. 50ml Ti(IV)-isopropoxide (Ti[OCH(CH3)2]4 99.995%, Alfa-Aesar) was added into 1L deionized water under constant stirring. The precipitate was mixed with 1L of 2-Propanol (99.5% Alfa-Aesar) and ultrasonicated (SONICS, Vibra-Cell, Newtown, CT, USA) for 1 minute to deflocculate the hydroxides. Gel-like precipitates were freeze-dried (Genesis SQ Freeze Dryers, Winchester, Hampshire,UK) at -25 o C under vacuum for 72hrs. Fluffy precursor powders were calcined at various temperatures (400 o C, 500 o C, 600 o C and 700 o C) for 1h with a heating and cooling rate of 2 o C/min and 5 o C/min, respectively. The crystallinity and phase composition of the calcined powders were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD, Philips X’Pert, Holland). The size and morphology of powder were observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, Hitachi S-4700, Japan). Pellets were prepared by uniaxial pressing at 50MPa followed by iso-static pressing at 300MPa using powders calcined at 400 o C and 700 o C. Commercially available TiO2 powders (99.9%, Sigma Aldrich) were also pressed into pellets following the same procedure. Sintering was performed at 900 o C, 950 o C and 1000 o C for 2hrs in oxygen atmosphere with a heating rate of 4 o C/min. Samples about 10mm in diameter and 0.8mm in thickness were used for electrical property Page 1 of 8
Interlocking transactions: Obstacles, Precursors or Instruments of Agrarian Capitalism?☆

Abstract Rural labor arrangements often change rapidly and in ways that prevailing theories cannot explain. Explicit understanding of the exercise of power in rural society sheds considerable light on how and why rural labor arrangements change in the course of economic development. This paper shows how different labor-tying arrangements embody exclusionary mechanisms that can serve as instruments of both labor management and social control. Macro political and economic conditions shape the ways in which these mechanisms operate, and are in turn influenced by them. Viewing labor arrangements in this way helps resolve problems confronted by the prevailing theories, and allows for a broader understanding of dynamic processes.
Coma blisters after a syncope episode

We report a case of a 74-year-old man who developed an acute blistering eruption on both extremities after a syncope episode (for undetermined amount of time) with altered mental status. Tense and denuded bullae were found on non-blanching erythematous to violaceous skin involving the left forearm, left dorsal hand, left interdigital spaces, left upper chest and right medial knee. His medical history included diabetes mellitus, hypertension, end stage renal disease and a renal transplant 4 years ago. Patient did not have a history of similar skin lesions in the past. Skin biopsy revealed the development of an intraepidermal acrosyringeal bulla, accompanied by superficial, non-inflammatory purpura and stromal edema demonstrating the early stage of a coma blister before the characteristic onset of eccrine gland necrosis. Coma blisters are self-limited cutaneous lesions characterized by tense bullae at sites of maximal pressure. They are diagnosed histologically by necrotic eccrine glands with minimal or absent inflammation. Although it occurs most commonly in the setting of coma with barbiturate overdose, they can be seen in coma due to other etiologies, or even occur in a conscious state. Possible complications may include non-traumatic rhabdomyolysis and compression neuropathies, and may vary depending on patient‘s cause of unconsciousness and underlying medical conditions. Coma blisters look clinically alarming but they tend to spontaneously heal without specific treatment other than positional changes. In critical care settings where complex comorbidities exist, it is important to remember that coma blisters do not represent a contrain- dication to continue any ongoing therapy.
The effects of ionospheric outflow on ICME and SIR driven sawtooth events

[1] Magnetosphere sawtooth oscillations have been observed during interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) events, when the solar wind conditions are relatively steady, and during periods when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) fluctuates between northward and southward, as during interplanetary stream interaction regions (SIR). The impact of ionospheric outflow on the ICME-driven 18 April 2002 and SIR-driven 24 October 2002 sawtooth events is investigated using a multifluid adaptation of the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry global simulation. The mechanisms that generate the sawtooth oscillations are investigated by comparing a baseline simulation without outflow and a simulation that includes an O+ outflow model. The ionospheric outflow is regulated by a statistical relationship between Alfvenic Poynting flux and O+ ion outflow flux. In the baseline simulation for the 18 April 2002 ICME-driven event, one substorm is observed that is generated by the southward turning of the IMF, after which the magnetosphere-ionosphere system settles into a quasi-steady convection mode. When outflow is included, quasi-periodic substorms are observed suggesting that the sawtooth oscillations are generated internally by the effects of the O+ ions. In contrast, during the 24 October 2002 SIR-driven event, quasi-periodic substorms are generated regardless of whether outflow is included or not. For this event, the generation and triggering of the substorms is controlled by the external driving of the solar wind. For both events, when outflow is included, the signatures of the substorms are more intense and are more noticeable across a wider range of local times than in the baseline simulations.
Culture of Terrestrial Slugs and Snails (Gastropoda): Acceptance and Suitability of Synthetic Insect Diets

ABSTRACT Natural products are usually used as a food source for the culture of terrestrial molluscs. Better uniformity, and perhaps economy, could be introduced to the culture of molluscs by using synthetic diets. I assessed acceptance by various terrestrial molluscs of several insect diets developed for culture of caterpillars, and suitability for mollusc growth. Diet selection (preference) studies were conducted with 2 species of snails (Cuban brown snail, Zachrysia provisoria; Asian tramp snail, Bradybaena similaris) and 4 species of slugs (meadow slug, Deroceras laeve; grey fieldslug, Deroceras reticulatum; dusky arion, Arion subfuscus; Carolina mantleslug, Philomycus carolinianus). The molluscs differed in their preference for insect diets, though tobacco hornworm diet and a bean-based diet often used for cutworms usually were not preferred, whereas gypsy moth, diamondback moth, and spruce budworm diets tended to be more preferred. Short-term (7-wk) developmental (weight gain) studies were conducted ...
Limited genetic variation and structure in softshell clams (Mya arenaria) across their native and introduced range

To offset declines in commercial landings of the softshell clam, Mya arenaria, resource managers are engaged in extensive stocking of seed clams throughout its range in the northwest Atlantic. Because a mixture of native and introduced stocks can disrupt locally adapted genotypes, we investigated genetic structure in M. arenaria populations across its current distribution to test for patterns of regional differentiation. We sequenced mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I for a total of 212 individuals from 12 sites in the northwest Atlantic (NW Atlantic), as well as two introduced sites, the northeast Pacific (NE Pacific), and the North Sea Europe (NS Europe). Populations exhibited extremely low genetic variation, with one haplotype dominating (65–100%) at all sites sampled. Despite being introduced in the last 150–400 years, both NE Pacific and NS Europe populations had higher diversity measures than those in the NW Atlantic and both contained private haplotypes at frequencies of 10–27% consistent with their geographic isolation. While significant genetic structure (F ST = 0.159, P < 0.001) was observed between NW Atlantic and NS Europe, there was no evidence for genetic structure across the pronounced environmental clines of the NW Atlantic. Reduced genetic diversity in mtDNA combined with previous studies reporting reduced genetic diversity in nuclear markers strongly suggests a recent population expansion in the NW Atlantic, a pattern that may result from the retreat of ice sheets during Pleistocene glacial periods. Lack of genetic diversity and regional genetic differentiation suggests that present management strategies for the commercially important softshell clam are unlikely to have a significant impact on the regional distribution of genetic variation, although the possibility of disrupting locally adapted stocks cannot be excluded.
Beliefs about genetic influences on mathematics achievement: a cross-cultural comparison

The poor mathematics performance of children in the United States has become a topic of national concern. Numerous studies have shown that American children consistently perform worse than their counterparts in many parts of the world. In contrast, children in China, Japan, Taiwan, and other Asian countries consistently perform at or near the top in international comparisons. This paper examines possible causes of the poor performance of American children and the excellent performance of Asian children. Contrary to the beliefs of many Americans, the East Asian advantage in mathematics is probably not due to a genetically-based advantage in mathematics. Instead, differences in beliefs about the role of genetics may be partly responsible. Asians strongly believe that effort plays a key role in determining a child's level of achievement, whereas Americans believe that innate ability is most important. In addition, despite the relatively poor performance of their children, American parents are substantially more satisfied with their children's performance than Asian parents. The American emphasis on the role of innate ability may have several consequences for children's achievement. For example, it may lead children to fear making errors and to expend less effort on mathematics than their Asian counterparts. As research on genetic influences on behavior, traits, and abilities increases scientists should be careful to ensure that the public understands that genetics does not directly determine the exact level of a child's potential achievement.
QSO number counts to B < 24.5 from hubble space telescope WFPC2 images

We have conducted a survey for faint quasars to B < 24.5, z < 2.1 based on archival high-latitude Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) images covering 0.04 deg2 of the sky in three filters spanning 2300–9600 A. Taking advantage of the superb 0.1″ resolution of WFPC2, we have developed an approach to select quasar candidates based on their morphology and position in multicolor space. We derive cumulative surface densities and compare them with our previous survey in the Groth–Westphal Strip and other faint quasar surveys that utilize very different selection approaches. In most cases the agreement with these surveys is good, however, we find approximately twice as many quasar candidates to B = 24.5 as the COMBO-17 survey. Although we are confident that our approach eliminates most contaminating stars and galaxies, spectroscopic follow-up will be required to determine the level of residual contamination and confirm or refute this excess.
Protein Kinase-C Mediates Chicken Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Stimulated Prolactin Secretion and Gene Expression in Turkey Primary Pituitary Cells

Abstract This set of experiments investigated the role of protein kinase-C (PKC) as a second messenger in vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-stimulated prolactin (PRL) secretion and PRL mRNA abundance. Dispersed anterior pituitary cells (5 × 105 or 106 cells/tube) were isolated from laying turkeys and incubated in 1.0 ml of M-199. In Experiment 1, 10-7M VIP increased PRL secretion three- to fivefold. Prolactin mRNA abundance was higher in VIP-treated cells (11.45 ± 2.11 arbitrary optical unit; AOU) than control cells (4.59 ± 1.2 AOU). In Experiment 2, the addition of 10-12, 10-10, 10-8, and 10-6M phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA;PKC agonist) increased PRL release from 8.5 ± 0.7 to 14.9 ± 1.1, 17.2 ± 1.3, 18.1 ± 2.2, and 18.7 ± 2.8 μg/106 cells, respectively. PRL mRNA abundance was significantly (P 0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that the PKC second messenger system is involved in VIP-stimulated PRL release and gene expression in primary turkey pituitary cell culture.
Relationships among affective and cognitive factors in humor

Abstract One hundred and twenty-five college students rated a total of 74 jokes, chosen by stratified sampling, on funniness and on 13 other scales suggested by humor theories. Highly similar factor structures were found with two sets of jokes. Ratings of surprise, resolution, and originality correlated strongly with funniness and helped define a factor on which funniness ratings loaded. Scales pertaining to painfulness, anxiety, or importance of joke topic were positively correlated with funniness but defined a factor essentially independent of it. Partial correlations suggested that these scales were related to funniness through their common relationship with incongruity and resolution scales. Ratings of how much a joke made subjects “feel free” correlated much more highly with ratings of incongruity and resolution than with ratings of painfulness, anxiety, or importance of joke topic. Results were interpreted as providing support for an incongruity-resolution theory of humor, and for the interdependency of affective factors with incongruity-resolution mechanisms.
Bending of GeV particle beams by channeling in bent crystal planes

Planar channeling in curved crystals has recently been employed to bend GeV particles without excessive dechanneling. A centrifugal force argument has been used to estimate the critical relativistic momentum, p, and curvature, κ, at which initially channeled particles will be dechanneled by the bend. This gives pνκ = V′(xc), where V(x) is the potential due to two adjacent planes, x is measured from the channel center, xc is a critical distance for channeling taken near the plane and ν is the particle speed. In this paper, a trajectory model for computing the fraction of particles, F, dechanneled by the bend as a function of pνκ is presented. The theory is developed using a geometrical construct, the phase plane. The main assumptions are: (i) The channeled particles are in statistical equilibrium when they reach the bend; (ii) a particle is dechanneled by the bend if it penetrates too close, x = xc, to a plane; (iii) the bent planes can be modeled by bent continuum planes using a planar continuum potential. Universal curves for determining F in an arbitrary case are presented for two values of xc using the Moliere continuum potential. The theory, supported by the universal curves, shows there is a rapid transition from mostly channeled to mostly dechanneled at pνκ = V(xc)/xc. Here V(0) = 0. The trajectory model gives a significantly lower estimate for the critical value of pνκ.
A New Frontier for Labor Collective Action by Worker Owners

Worker ownership is an old idea that is newly relevant. A crucial reason for ownership that is seldom noted nowadays is its potential to contribute to industrial democracy. Worker ownership is widespread in both the United States and Western Europe. For ownership to translate into influence on corporate governance, workers' capital power must be organized collectively. Trade unions can serve this function. In France, Italy, and Germany, unique organizations called worker shareholder associations have come into being with the exercise of workers' capital power as their goal.
Magnetic susceptibility of ((CH3)3NH)2Cu4Br10, chains of stacked linear tetramers

Abstract ((CH 3 ) 3 NH) 2 Cu 4 Br 10 consists of Cu 4 Br 10 linear tetramers which in turn are stacked to form chains. Powder magnetic susceptibility data have been fitted to a linear tetramer model using an end exchange constant J 1 / k =-180 K and a central exchange constant J 2 / k =-140 K.
Aristotle's Modal Syllogistic

In contrast with Aristotle's assertoric logic, which became the logic of the west, suffering only minor modifications at the edges, Aristotle's modal logic (AML) appears to be rife with errors. It ...
Self-Report Measures to Identify Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and/or Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Associated Symptoms in Military Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)

Individuals serving in Iraq and Afghanistan sustain injuries associated with physical and psychological trauma. Among such injuries, mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common. Self-report measures are frequently used to identify mTBI and/or PTSD and symptoms associated with these conditions. In addition to providing information regarding mTBI and PTSD, the goal of this literature review was to identify and present information on the psychometric properties of measures used to obtain information regarding these common conditions among Veterans who have returned from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). A comprehensive review of studies in which self-report measures were used to evaluate mTBI, PTSD, and associated symptoms among OEF/OIF Veterans is presented. Findings suggest that additional work is needed to identify psychometrically sound and clinically useful self-report measures that assess mTBI and PTSD and associated symptoms among OEF/OIF Veterans.
Gallium−Nitrogen Compounds Prepared By Dihydronaphthalene and Thermal Elimination Reactions. Crystal and Molecular Structures of [(PhMe2CCH2)2GaNH(t-Bu)]2 and [(H4C6)Me2CCH2]Ga[NH(t-Bu)]2Ga(CH2CMe2Ph)2

The dihydronaphthalene elimination reaction between Na2[C10H8(GaR2Cl)2}] (R = CH2CMe3, CH2CMe2Ph) and t-BuNH2 provided a room-temperature route to [R2GaNH(t-Bu)]2. However, when Ga(CH2CMe2Ph)3 and t-BuNH2 were reacted at 140−150 °C, C6H5CMe3 was eliminated and the product was a gallium(III) amide with one GaC4 metallocyclic ring, rather than [(PhMe2CCH2)2GaNH(t-Bu)]2. X-ray structural studies confirmed the identity of this novel compound as well as that of the typical dimer. When the reaction temperature was increased to 210−230 °C, the product was a species with two GaC4 metallocyclic rings.
An extended precision logarithmic number system

The logarithmic number system possesses a comparatively wide dynamic range. In order to perform addition to this system, memory table lookup operations are needed. The address space limitations of contemporary high-speed static RAM's or ROM currently limit the admissible logarithmic wordlength. To overcome this problem, a linear interpolation logarithmic arithmetic unit is developed and tested.