cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of postoperative opioid stewardship using a novel electronic-based automated text and phone messaging platform.

Abstract Background Practices of opioid prescribing vary widely across general surgery providers. The goal of this study was to use a text-based platform to assess postdischarge opioid utilization. Methods A prospective, cohort study enrolled adult patients undergoing operations across the following 3 general surgery sections: minimally invasive surgery, colorectal, and surgical oncology. Using Epharmix, an electronic text-based platform, short message service text messages were sent to enrolled patients on postdischarge days 1 to 7, 14, 2, and 28 inquiring about the number of opioid pills taken since discharge and pain medication refills. Results A total of 253 patients enrolled and completed the intervention. Patient participation was robust, with 80% of patients responded to >50% of all text-based questions, and 64% responded to >80% of all questions. Patients undergoing bariatric surgery were prescribed the most narcotic pain medications (average milligram of morphine equivalents: 250.8), and those undergoing endocrine neck surgery the least (average milligram of morphine equivalent: 53.5). All surgical categories studied consumed ≤25% of their total prescribed milligram of morphine equivalents. Only 8 patients (3.2%) requested an opioid refill by postdischarge days 28. Conclusion A text-based platform can track reliably patients' opioid usage postdischarge. Such platforms may facilitate the development of data-driven, standardized practices of opioid prescribing matched to patients’ anticipated opioid usage postdischarge.
Muscovite Ritual in the Context of Jerusalem Old and New

The reign of Grand Prince Ivan III (1462–1505) represented a period of wide-ranging consolidation of Rusian lands under the aegis of Moscow at the very time that elites were concerned about the Orthodox Christian prediction of an imminent Apocalypse in 1492. The semiotics of Muscovite rulership incorporated references to Jerusalem and the End Times long after the predicted date had passed. The present study analyzes the elements and relationships employed in iconography, architecture, and ritual to reevaluate the capital in light of Jerusalem old and new.
Integrating proteomics and selected reaction monitoring to develop a non-invasive assay for geoduck reproductive maturation

Geoduck clams (Panopea generosa) are an increasingly important fishery and aquaculture product in the United States while also holding essential ecological roles. These long-lived clams are highly fecund, but sustainable hatchery production of genetically diverse larvae is hindered by the lack of sexual dimorphism, resulting in asynchronous spawning of broodstock, unequal sex ratios, and low numbers of breeders. Assays of gonad physiology could indicate both sex and maturation stage. Proteomic profiles were determined for three reproductive maturation stages in both male and female clams using data dependent acquisition (DDA), or whole proteome profiling, of gonad proteins. Gonad proteomes became increasingly divergent between males and females as maturation progressed. The DDA data was used to develop targets analyzed with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) in gonad tissue as well as hemolymph. The SRM assay yielded a suite of indicator peptides that can be used as an efficient assay to non-lethally determine geoduck sex and maturation stage pre-spawning. These results lay the foundation for the development of field-based tools to assess reproductive status in marine mollusks.
Depth Descent Synchronization in $\mathrm{SO}(D)$

We give robust recovery results for synchronization on the rotation group, $\mathrm{SO}(D)$. In particular, we consider an adversarial corruption setting, where a limited percentage of the observations are arbitrarily corrupted. We give a novel algorithm that exploits Tukey depth in the tangent space, which exactly recovers the underlying rotations up to an outlier percentage of $1/(D(D-1)+2)$. This corresponds to an outlier fraction of $1/4$ for $\mathrm{SO}(2)$ and $1/8$ for $\mathrm{SO}(3)$. In the case of $D=2$, we demonstrate that a variant of this algorithm converges linearly to the ground truth rotations. We finish by discussing this result in relation to a simpler nonconvex energy minimization framework based on least absolute deviations, which exhibits spurious fixed points.
Research Participant Recruitment Strategies Among Individuals with Acute Spinal Cord Injury and Their Caregivers: A Pre-Post Study.

STUDY DESIGN Pre-post study. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficiency of a series of recruitment strategies in a longitudinal study of individuals with SCI and their informal caregivers. Primary strategies included (a) rapport building in advance, (b) warm handoffs from another healthcare provider who already had a relationship with the potential participant, (c) ensuring the potential participant had information about the study prior to the initial contact by the research coordinator (RC), (d) attempting informed consent only when both the patient and informal caregiver were present, and (e) ensuring the RC had at least 30 minutes to explain the study when attempting recruitment. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA While a fairly large body of research has been conducted on general recruitment strategies for clinical trials, very little has examined the efficacy of these strategies within neurological conditions and almost none within SCI. METHODS Individuals with an acute SCI and their informal caregivers were recruited from acute spinal cord rehabilitation units with a Veteran's Affairs medical center and an academic medical center in the same urban area. Of 49 eligible dyads, 41 were approached for consent, with 27 consenting to join the study (9 from the academic medical center; 18 from the VA). RESULTS There was a significant difference in enrollment rates after implementing the recruitment strategies, χ2(1) = 7.572, P = 0.006, with the per month participant enrollment rate nearly doubling after implementation. CONCLUSION Using a multiteam and multidisciplinary approach to recruitment may increase the likelihood that individuals with an acute SCI and their caregivers enroll in research.Level of Evidence: 3.
Association of Back Pain with Mortality: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies

Back pain is the most common cause of disability worldwide. While disability generally is associated with greater mortality, the association between back pain and mortality is unclear. Our objective was to examine whether back pain is associated with increased mortality risk and whether this association varies by age, sex, and back pain severity. A systematic search of published literature was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases from inception through March 2019. We included English-language prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of back pain with all-cause mortality with follow-up periods >5 years. Three reviewers independently screened studies, abstracted data, and appraised risk of bias using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool. A random-effects meta-analysis estimated combined odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), using the most adjusted model from each study. Potential effect modification by a priori hypothesized factors (age, sex, and back pain severity) was evaluated with meta-regression and stratified estimates. We identified eleven studies with 81,337 participants. Follow-up periods ranged from 5 to 23 years. The presence of any back pain, compared to none, was not associated with an increase in mortality (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.16). However, back pain was associated with mortality in studies of women (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.46) and among adults with more severe back pain (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.40). Back pain was associated with a modest increase in all-cause mortality among women and those with more severe back pain.
Additive Manufacturing Development and Hot-Fire Testing of Liquid Rocket Channel Wall Nozzles Using Blown Powder Directed Energy Deposition Inconel 625 and JBK-75 Alloys

Additive manufacturing (AM) is being investigated at NASA and across much of the rocket propulsion industry as an alternate fabrication technique to create complex geometries for liquid engine components that offers schedule and cost saving opportunities. The geometries that can be created using AM offer a significant advantage over traditional techniques. Internal complexities, such as internal coolant channels for combustion chambers and nozzles that would typically require several operations to manufacture traditionally can be fabricated in one process. Additionally, the coolant channels are closed out as a part of the AM build process, eliminating the complexities of a traditional process like brazing or plating. The primary additive manufacturing technique that has been evaluated is powder bed fusion (PBF), or selective laser melting (SLM), but there is a scale limitation for this technique. There are several alternate additive manufacturing techniques that are being investigated for large-scale nozzles and chambers including directed energy deposition (DED) processes. A significant advantage of the DED processes is the ability to adapt to a robotic or gantry CNC system with a localized purge or purge chamber, allowing unlimited build volume. This paper will discuss the development and hot-fire testing of channel-cooled nozzles fabricated utilizing one form of DED called blown powder deposition. This initial development work using blown powder DED is being explored to form the entire channel wall nozzle with integral coolant channels within a single AM build. Much of this development is focused on the design and DED-fabrication of complex and thin-walled features and on characterization of the materials properties produced with this techniques in order to evolve this process. Subscale nozzles were fabricated using this DED technique and hot-fire tested in Liquid Oxygen/Hydrogen (LOX/GH2) and LOX/Kerosene (LOX/RP-1) environments accumulating significant development time and cycles. The initial materials that were evaluated during this testing were high-strength nickel-based Inconel 625 and JBK-75. Further process development is being completed to increase the scale of this technology for large-scale nozzles. This paper will summarize the general design considerations for DED, specific channel-cooled nozzle design, manufacturing process development, property development, initial hot-fire testing and future developments to mature this technology for regeneratively-cooled nozzles. An overview of future development at NASA will also be discussed.
Aggregate Financial Misreporting and the Predictability of U.S. Recessions

We rely on the theoretical prediction that financial misreporting peaks before economic busts to examine whether aggregate ex ante measures of the likelihood of financial misreporting improve the predictability of U.S. recessions. We consider six measures of misreporting and show that the Beneish M-Score significantly improves out-of-sample recession prediction at longer forecasting horizons. Specifically, relative to leading models based on yield spreads and market returns, M-Score increases the average probability of a recession across forecast horizons of six-, seven-, and eight-quarters-ahead by 56 percent, 79 percent, and 92 percent, respectively. These findings are robust to alternative definitions of interest rate spreads, and to controlling for the federal funds rate, investor sentiment, and aggregate earnings growth. We show that the performance of M-Score likely arises because firms with high M-Scores tend to experience negative future performance. Overall, this study provides novel evidence that accounting information can be useful to forecasters and regulators interested in assessing the likelihood of U.S. recessions a few quarters ahead.
Cognitive reappraisal, emotional suppression, and depressive and anxiety symptoms in later life: The moderating role of gender.

OBJECTIVES Although socioemotional selectivity (SST) suggests that people experience more positive affect as they age, symptoms of anxiety and depression persist and are often greater in older women than men. Coping strategies may influence the extent to which older adults experience these symptoms. The purpose of the current study is to examine possible gender differences in the use of an adaptive (cognitive reappraisal (CR) and a maladaptive (emotive suppression (ES) emotion regulation strategy in relation to depressive and anxiety symptoms. METHOD Our study uses cross-sectional data drawn from a community sample of older adults (60+; n = 906). We used OLS regression and moderation analyses to test our study hypotheses. RESULTS Gender moderated the association between CR in both depressive and anxiety symptoms. Women reported greater use of CR relative to men. Further, CR use was negatively related to symptoms of anxiety and depression in women, but not men. In contrast, men used ES more frequently than women, though older men and women's use of ES was unrelated to anxiety or depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION Our findings provide initial evidence that greater CR use in older women is related to lower symptoms of both anxiety and depression relative to older men. Age-related increases in CR use (e.g. SST) among women may serve to decrease anxiety and depression symptoms. Findings suggest decreasing anxiety and depressive symptoms via CR may benefit older women more than older men. Future research is needed to identify the coping strategies that are most beneficial for men.
Ionic Liquids and Polymeric Ionic Liquids as Stimuli-Responsive Functional Materials

The anion recognition-based stimuli responsiveness of ionic liquids (ILs) and polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) is presented in the context of various association structures formed by these functional materials, and their responsiveness is characterized by ordered Hofmeister series. Gels and gelation, critical solution temperatures, and diverse applications including dispersion phase transfer and osmotic sphere and osmotic brush stabilization are discussed and illustrated.
Nonlinear spatiotemporal channel gain map tracking in mobile cooperative networks

We propose a nonlinear filtering framework for channel state tracking and spatiotemporal channel gain prediction in mobile wireless sensor networks, in a Bayesian setting. Under common assumptions, the wireless channel constitutes an observable (by the sensors/network nodes), spatiotemporal, conditionally Gaussian stochastic process, which is statistically dependent on a set of hidden channel parameters, called the channel state. The channel state evolves in time according to a known, non Gaussian Markov stochastic kernel. Advocating the use of grid based approximate filters as an effective and robust means for recursive tracking of the channel state, we propose a sequential spatiotemporal predictor for tracking the respective channel gain map, for each sensor in the network. We also show that both estimators (state and gain map trackers) converge towards the true respective Minimum Mean Squared Error (MMSE) optimal estimators, in a common, relatively strong sense. Numerical simulations corroborate the practical effectiveness of the proposed approach.
John Fowles's The Magus : The Book and the World

John Fowles's The Magus can be seen as a paradigm of the relationship between art and life and as such implicitly self-critical. It reveals the dilemma of the author who lives in the age of Roland Barthes and Alain Robbe-Grillet, as Fowles acknowledges he does, and who, while wanting to represent reality, is profoundly aware that literary "realism" is more likely to construct or transform than reveal the world. All around us, "things are there," Robbe-Grillet tells us, but these things are mysterious and alien and will not give themselves up through words. In our efforts to humanize them, we do violence to them. Reality, then, may be finally unknowable, or alternatively, a fiction—a framework of causality or temporality by which the imagination gives shape to the unrelatedness of things. The work of art, according to Barthes, is "what man wrests from hazard." It is by this definition not a figure discerned in the carpet of existence but a structure imposed on chaos. John Fowles demonstrates a marked awareness in The Magus of this problematic relation between art and reality and does so in a more sophisticated manner than has often been noted.
Abstract 4274: High fidelity copy number analysis of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues using Affymetrix CytoScan HD chip

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Detection of human genome copy number variation (CNV) is one of the most important analyses in diagnosing human malignancies. Genome CNV detection in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues remains challenging task. Here, we report that a modified method to analyze CNV in FFPE tissues using Affymetrix Cytoscan HD chips. Our analysis showed a 91% overlap in CNV detection between FFPE and the karyotype analysis on 8 cases of lymphoma samples. The CNV overlap between frozen and the matched FFPE tissues reached 93.8%. When the analyses were restricted to regions containing genes, 87.1% concordance between FFPE and fresh frozen tissues was found. The results suggest that the modified method using Affymetrix Cytoscan HD chip represents a significant improvement over most of the previous methods in terms of accuracy in detecting CNV in FFPE tissues. This FFPE methodology may hold promise for wide application of CNV analysis on clinical samples. Citation Format: Jian-Hua Luo, Amantha Michalopoulos, Ying Ding, Yan P. Yu. High fidelity copy number analysis of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues using Affymetrix CytoScan HD chip. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4274. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4274
The Frankfurt School and American Social Thought

The Frankfurt School in Exile. By Wheatland Thomas. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2009. 415 pp., $39.95 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-816-65367-6). It is hoped that the University of Minnesota Press's editors will come across this review because somebody should at least tell them that they have done a disservice to this provocative book by a young scholar. The book's boring title not only is likely to prove amiss at garnering the attention the volume deserves, but it also fails to capture what the author has accomplished. We already have a number of excellent intellectual histories of the interdisciplinary Frankfurt School of critical theory “in exile” (Jay 1996; Wiggershaus 1998). And there are already plenty of studies devoted to the contributions of its main figures (i.e., Theodor Adorno, Walter Benjamin, Erich Fromm, Max Horkheimer, Otto Kirchheimer, Leo Lowenthal, Herbert Marcuse, Franz L. Neumann, and Friedrich Pollock) from the 1930s and 1940s, when Nazism forced the neo-Marxist Institute for Social Research to relocate to Morningside Heights in New York City. Fortunately, Wheatland has done something far more useful than provide yet another overview of the Institute's sprawling work. Wheatland is an historian who fortunately still takes old-fashioned archival work seriously. Drawing on a massive range of time-consuming interviews, as well as archival materials from myriad locations in both Europe and North America, …
Output feedback stabilization of a class of homogeneous and high-order nonlinear systems

We study the problem of global stabilization by smooth output feedback, for a class of n-dimensional homogeneous systems whose Jacobian linearization is neither controllable nor observable. A new output feedback control scheme is proposed for the explicit design of both homogeneous observers and controllers. While the smooth state feedback control law is constructed based on the tool of adding a power integrator, the observer design is new and carried out by developing a machinery, which assigns the observer gains one-by-one, in an iterative manner. Such design philosophy is fundamentally different from that of the traditional "Luenberger" or "high-gain" observer in which the observer gain is determined by observability in one step. For a class of high-order non-homogeneous systems, we further show how the new design method, with a suitable twist, can still achieve global output feedback stabilization.
Gerima's Imperfect Journey: No End in Sight

Imperfect Journey. 1994. 88 minutes, color. Haile Gerima. director, with Ryszard Kapuscinski. Andrew Coggins. producer. First Run/Icarus Films, 153 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10014. 800/876-1710.
Reemergence of Positive Symptoms after Initial Response to Risperidone

Risperidone was effective in successfully treating a patient's negative symptoms of schizophrenia as well as reducing adverse effects from typical antipsychotic drugs. Auditory hallucinations reemerged after 8 months, however, and again after 24 months of risperidone therapy. Reemergence of psychotic symptoms after initial response might be explained by inadequate dosage, by the natural course of the patient's schizophrenia independent of drug therapy, or by the possibility that, for this patient, risperidone was less effective than chlorpromazine for the positive symptom of auditory hallucinations.
Neuroticism, extraversion, and motor function in community-dwelling older persons.

Objective Personality traits are associated with adverse health outcomes in old age, but their association with motor function is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that neuroticism and extraversion are associated with motor decline in older persons. Design Prospective, observational cohort study. Setting Retirement communities across metropolitan Chicago. Participants Nine hundred eighty-three older persons without dementia. Measurements At baseline, neuroticism and extraversion were assessed and annual assessment of 18 motor measures were summarized in a composite measure. Results Average follow-up was 5 years. Separate linear mixed-effects models controlling for age, sex, and education showed that baseline levels of neuroticism and extraversion were associated with the rate of motor decline. For each 7-point (∼1 SD) higher neuroticism score at baseline, the average annual rate of motor decline was more than 20% faster. This amount of motor decline was associated with a 10% increased risk of death compared to a participant with an average neuroticism score. Each 6-point (∼1 SD) lower extraversion score at baseline was associated with an 8% faster rate of motor decline. This amount of motor decline was associated with about a 9% increased risk of death compared to a participant with an average extraversion score. Neuroticism and extraversion were relatively independently associated with motor decline. These associations were unchanged when controlling for depressive symptoms and current health status but were partially attenuated when controlling for late-life cognitive and social activities. Conclusions Higher levels of neuroticism and lower levels of extraversion are associated with more rapid motor decline in old age.
Trace-element analysis of Mayan obsidian blades from Yucatan and Campeche Provinces, Mexico

Abstract Nine Mayan obsidian knife blades from two Late Classic (i.e. 700–900 A.D.) sites in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, have been analyzed by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICPES) for the elements Ca, Fe, K, Ba, La, Mn, Sr, Ti, Zn and Zr, Rb was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. These data permit unique assignment of a volcanic obsidian source for each artifact. Obsidian for five of the blades originated from the Pachuca and Zinapecuaro-Ucareo localities near present-day Mexico City; obsidian for the other four was derived from El Chayal, a locality near present-day Guatemala City, Guatemala. These results indicate that extensive trade and supply networks existed during Late Classic times. From purely an analytical standpoint, these results demonstrate that ICPES is a potentially valuable tool in geo-archaeological studies.
Surface polymerization by ion-assisted deposition for polythiophene film growth.

Cationic polymerization is induced at the gas−solid interface by hyperthermal organic cations coincident on a surface with a thermal beam of organic monomers. This process, termed surface polymerization by ion-assisted deposition (SPIAD), produces films that maintain the chemical structure of the monomer. A polythiophene film is produced here by SPIAD with 100 eV thiophene ions and terthiophene monomers coincident on Si and indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates held under vacuum. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy observes enhancement in film growth for SPIAD compared with either thiophene ion or terthiophene exposure alone. Polythiophene films grown by both mass-selected and nonmass-selected ions with coincident terthiophene dosing both display similar fluorescence intensities at two wavelengths characteristic of emission from films of the terthiophene monomer. Raman spectra of films from nonmass-selected ions display several vibrations also observed in terthiophene films. Ions therefore play a critical role i...
Spontaneous biliary perforation in infancy: Management strategies and outcomes.

Abstract Purpose Infantile spontaneous biliary perforation is rare with variable management strategies ranging from nonoperative treatment to complex operations such as biliary-enteric reconstruction. Biliary fistula and portal vein thrombosis are known complications, though outcomes are poorly defined. Methods We assessed the incidence of spontaneous biliary perforation in infants Results The incidence of spontaneous biliary perforation is 1.5 in 1,000,000 live births. Over the past 25years, 90 cases were reported, over half of which were initially managed with a surgical drainage procedure. The most common reason for failure of this strategy was CBD obstruction. Our 4 patients were successfully managed without biliary reconstruction despite 2 presenting with CBD obstruction. Reported complications occurred in 22% of patients, most frequently biliary fistula requiring delayed biliary reconstruction. Conclusions Surgical drainage is an effective method for treatment of infantile spontaneous biliary perforation; however a persistent biliary fistula should prompt evaluation for distal CBD obstruction. Though biliary-enteric anastomosis is the historic procedure of choice for persistent fistula, with improvements in endoscopic and percutaneous treatment, extensive biliary reconstruction may be avoided in the future.
Regional Accreditation Organizations' Treatment of Information Literacy: Definitions, Collaboration, and Assessment

Content analysis of regional accrediting organizations Web-based resources reveals support for information literacy as an important student learning outcome and encouragement of partnerships between librarians and faculty in instruction and assessment. This study offers librarians, faculty, and administrators insight into how the library can support institutional missions and accreditation standards.
n-ports: What are they good for?

The network concept of n-ports is reviewed from the perspective of its natural correspondence to the nonequilibrium thermodynamic approach to energy conversion in coupled systems. New insights into the basic, fundamental structure of thermodynamics are discussed along with the impact of Tellegen's Theorem. The n-port is applicable to all coupled systems, whether they be in a steady or nonsteady state, linear or nonlinear. For both didactic and historical purposes, the discussion is centered around the subject matter of nonequilibrium thermodynamics: linear, steady state systems. In this context, the relationship of the degree of coupling in 2-ports to the efficiency of energy conversion is discussed according to the contributions of Kedem and Caplan. Peusner's network thermodynamic representation of the 2-port is used to illustrate the relationship between the network and the coordinate system for describing the metric which measures the distance between states in these systems. Tellegen's Theorem is used to illustrate the synonymous existence of Onsager reciprocity and topological connectedness in the network representation. Other aspects of the n-port are discussed, including the computational advantages.
Towards a first-principles simulation and current-voltage characteristic of atomistic metal-oxide–semiconductor structures

We describe a theoretical approach to transport and a potentially valuable scheme for screening gate dielectric materials. Realistic structural models of the Si-dielectric interface are employed for $\mathrm{Si}\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Si}$ model metal-oxide--semiconductor (MOS) structures. The leakage current for a 1.02-nm MOS structure is calculated from first principles using Landauer's ballistic transport approach and ab inito molecular-dynamic simulation. The calculated leakage currents agree with most recent experimental data.
Studies on the Membrane-Active Behavior of Outer Membrane Vesicles from a Gram Negative Bacterium

Gram-negative bacteria are known to produce small ∼50-200 nm vesicles by “blebbing” of their outer membranes. These outer membrane vesicles (OMV) have been implicated in activities such as transmission of virulence factors, horizontal gene transfer and development of biofilms. In this investigation, the interactions of OMV from Lysobacter enzymogenes (strain C3) with other membranes have been monitored using fluorescent assays for association and/or fusion. Defined composition large unilamellar vesicles labeled with the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) pair 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-(7-nitro-2-1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl) (NBD-PE) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-(lissamine rhodamine B sulfonyl) (Rh-PE) were incubated with isolated OMV to observe the interaction via the FRET ratio of donor/acceptor. OMV substantially increased this ratio over the course of about an hour (t1/2 ∼10-20 min.) at 30°C, when added directly to vesicles comprising disordered or fluid lipids, such as 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (POPG), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE) or 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC). This apparent fusion was much more limited or absent with liquid ordered membranes of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/cholesterol (DPPC/chol). In the case of POPG/POPE 1/3 vesicles, apparent fusion was also confirmed by testing vesicles with exclusively inner monolayer fluorescent probes to diminish any fluorescence changes from external interactions of outer monolayer fluorophores. When the OMV were labeled with the fluorophore 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine, and incubated with a natural host, yeast cells (strain S30), association and/or fusion was observed by co-sedimentation of the OMV label with yeast cells. These studies may help to elucidate the mechanism of natural host-pathogen interactions and define the lipid specificity for the design of liposomes for fusogenic delivery to OMV targets. There is therapeutic interest in delivery to Gram-negative OMV, e.g. where they exist in biofilm infections, or to elucidate a semi-synthetic approach to modify OMV lipid composition to generate useful delivery vehicles.
Adaptation to polarized light in humans.

Abstract Recent investigators reported large adaptational effects in human vision dependent on the plane of linearly polarized light. In the present study, such adaptational effects were observed to be small or insignificant. Our observers adapted to intense homogenous, foveal fields of linearly polarized, orange-red light produced by a beam that entered the side of the pupil. Periodically the plane of polarization of the beam suddenly shifted 90° without there being any change in the spectral distribution of the light or position of the beam in the pupil plane. The change of radiance of the beam could be adjusted to be as low as approx. 0.5%. Signal detection experiments revealed that observers typically could not detect a change of polarization of the field. Results obtained with the method of adjustment showed that the threshold of an increment flash presented on the intense field was not affected by changing the polarization of the field. Physiological implications of these results are discussed.
The Results of Tests of the MICE Spectrometer Solenoids

The Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) spectrometer solenoid magnets will be the first magnets to be installed within the MICE cooling channel. The spectrometer magnets are the largest magnets in both mass and surface area within the MICE cooling channel. Like all of the other magnets in MICE, the spectrometer solenoids are kept cold using 1.5 W (at 4.2 K) pulse tube coolers. The MICE spectrometer solenoid is quite possibly the largest magnet that has been cooled using small coolers. Two spectrometer magnets have been built and tested. This report discusses the results of current and cooler tests of both magnets.
Optimal altitude-constrained low-thrust transfer between inclined Circular Orbits

The reformulated Edelbaum problem of the minimum-time low-thrust transfer between inclined circular orbits is further extended in order to constrain the intermediate orbits during the transfer to remain below a given altitude. The minimum-time problem involving an inequality constraint on the orbital velocity is shown to be equivalent to one involving an equality constraint in terms of the thrust yaw angle representing the control variable that is optimized resulting in the minimum-time solution. The transfers are shown to comprise an initial unconstrained arc followed by a constrained arc where the altitude remains constant while pure inclination change is effected, and terminating by a final unconstrained arc with simultaneous altitude and inclination changes as during the first arc.
Metal Films with Arrays of Tiny Holes: Spectroscopy with Infrared Plasmonic Scaffolding

The extraordinary infrared transmission effect of metal films with arrays of tiny holes (microarrays or mesh) is mediated by surface plasmons. This work describes the optical physics of propagating infrared surface plasmons on mesh and reviews initial applications of the effect. In particular, surface-plasmon-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy is featured. Contents include: a brief history of surface plasmons, mesh-based surface plasmons, propagating surface plasmon basics, surface plasmon resonance response to nanocoatings, enhanced IR absorption spectroscopy, and the interaction of surface plasmon resonances with molecular vibrations.
Influence of Woody Vegetation on Grassland Birds Within Reclaimed Surface Mines

Abstract We examined the influence of woody vegetation on reclaimed surface mines on relative abundance of Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), Henslow's Sparrows (A. henslowii), Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna), Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), and Dickcissels (Spiza americana) as well as nest-site selection and nesting success of Grasshopper and Henslow's sparrows and Eastern Meadowlarks. Grasshopper and Henslow's sparrows were the most abundant grassland species on reclaimed mines. Numbers of Grasshopper, Henslow's, and Savannah sparrows, and Bobolinks were negatively associated with percent cover of woody vegetation within 100 m of survey locations. Only Grasshopper Sparrows responded to woody vegetation at nest-patch scales, as random locations had >2.5 times as much woody cover as nest locations. Daily nest survival (DNS) was negatively associated with amount of woody vegetation within 100 m of Grasshopper (DNS 0.76 ± 0.001 SE) and Hensl...
Challenging the Stereotypes about Only Children: A Review of the Literature and Implications for Practice.

The negative stereotypes of only children are pervasive despite a growing trend toward single-child families and evidence of the only child's strengths. People maintain definite beliefs about the characteristics of each ordinal position in a family, typically viewing only children as lonely, spoiled, and maladjusted. The author reviewed the literature to provide an accurate understanding of the stereotypes of only children, their assets, and the challenges they face. Cross-cultural findings and implications for clinical practice with only children and their parents are discussed.
Were communists good human capitalists? The case of the Czech Republic

Abstract This paper explores the effect of a change in economic system on incentives to invest in human capital by analyzing surveys of the wage structure from before and after the November 1989 revolution in the Czech Republic. Prior to 1989, wage setting and job assignments under central planning provided positive returns to human capital acquisition, but the rates of return were lower than in advanced market economies. Returns to schooling rose rapidly during the transition however. The paper includes posttransition evidence on the changing pattern of returns to human capital investments in the state and private sectors.
The dependence of generative cell division in Tradescantia pollen tubes on protein and RNA synthesis

Abstract When RNA synthesis is blocked with actinomycin D (AmD) at the start of germination of Tradescantia paludosa L. pollen, the division of the degenerative cell is completely prevented. AmD added 3 h or later after start of germination does not affect the division. The RNA species required for division are hence synthesized during the first 2–3 h of pollen tube growth. When protein synthesis is blocked with cycloheximide (CX) at the start of pollen germination, progress of the generative cell towards division is completely blocked. If CX is added 1 or 2 h after start of germination, a large number of cells are blocked in metaphase. If applied 4 h after germination, CX does not prevent the formation of the two sperm cells. The proteins synthesized during the first 2 h of germination and growth thus seem to be required for the early stages of mitosis, and during the next 2 h the proteins required for the completion of the division are synthesized. A comparison of the time intervals when AmD and CX are effective in blocking generative cell division indicates that the RNA species required for division are synthesized during the first 2–3 h of growth and the translation of at least some of these RNA's into proteins is required for the completion of the division.
Increased strength of polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate doped with polymethyl methacrylate

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) powder was stirred into ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDM) to give an apparently homogeneous solution. The EGDM was then polymerized to give a range of composite materials with from 0.5 to 50 wt % PMMA. Phase separation was observed in specimens with 2 and 5% PMMA. Flexural strength was increased by about 40% by as little as 1% PMMA. In order to account for the increase in strength of a predominantly brittle material, it was suggested that the presence of PMMA served to increase localized plastic deformation. Supporting evidence was obtained from studies of fracture surfaces by scanning electron microscopy.
MPME-DP: multi-population moment estimation via dirichlet process for efficient validation of analog/mixed-signal circuits

Moment estimation is one of the most important tasks to appropriately characterize the performance variability of today's nanoscale integrated circuits. In this paper, we propose an efficient algorithm of multi-population moment estimation via Dirichlet Process (MPME-DP) for validation of analog and mixed-signal circuits with extremely small sample size. The key idea is to partition all populations (e.g., different environmental conditions, setup configurations, etc.) into groups. The populations within the same group are similar and their common knowledge can be extracted to improve the accuracy of moment estimation. As will be demonstrated by the silicon measurement data of a high-speed I/O link, MPME-DP reduces the moment estimation error by up to 65% compared to other conventional estimators.
Stereotactic microsurgical craniotomy for the treatment of third ventricular colloid cysts

THE TREATMENT OF colloid cysts remains controversial. This article reports on 18 patients with colloid cysts of the third ventricle who presented to the University of Michigan between January 1990 and June 1995. Two patients had conventional transcortical-transventricular approaches ; the remaining 16 patients underwent a stereotactic modification of the transcortical approach, using a specially designed cylindrical retractor, for the resection of their colloid cysts. Minor morbidity and no mortality have been associated with this technique. There have been no instances of recurrence during the period of this report. The mean operative time for the two conventional craniotomies was 233 minutes, compared with 129 minutes for the stereotactic craniotomies. Our technique allows for a limited craniotomy and limited cortical disruption. It is not dependent on ventricular size. Localization of the colloid cyst is trivial because of modern stereotactic technology, and all standard microsurgical techniques can be used. The retractor is readily adaptable to any Leksell system. This technique shortens operative time, compared with conventional craniotomy, and allows for definitive treatment of the lesion.
Detecting upwelling along the central coast of California during an El Niño year using HF-radar

Abstract Surface currents in the vicinity of Granite Canyon, California (36°25.9′N, 121°55.0′W), were measured hourly using HF-radar in 1990–1992. The 1990 data revealed the M 2 and S 2 semi-diurnal tidal constituents. These high frequency components were removed from 6-month records taken during part of the upwelling season of 1991 and 1992. Daily and weekly variations in current speed and direction were generally similar in 1991 and 1992 even though 1992 was an El Nino year. Correlation analysis revealed that in both years daily and weekly variation in currents were mostly explained by corresponding changes in the alongshore component of the wind stress, indicating the effects of coastal upwelling. Variation in sea surface temperatures adjacent to the coast were correlated with the currents generated by coastal upwelling in 1991, but not in 1992. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that during an El Nino event the water is upwelled to the surface from above a depressed thermocline. In 1992, at Granite Canyon, normal coastal upwelling was superimposed upon the El Nino event of that year.
Effects of coal fly ash mixed in desert soil on successive crop yields and mineral composition of Lycium andersonii and Ambrosia dumosa in pot tests in a glasshouse

Abstract Lvcium andersonii A. Gray and Ambrosia dumosa (A. Gray) Payne cuttings were grown for 15 months in desert soil in which had been mixed, 0.0, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10. 0 and 20% fly ash with periodic sampling of the leaves. The very high levels of fly ash resulted in leaf yield depressions which persisted for the 15 months. Boron in leaves was elevated especially in the early cuttings. Increases in Mo in plants may be the result more of increased soil pH than of fly ash. Increases in leaf Sr were not as great as expected from its concentration in fly ash. Trace metals did not become more available with time. Fly ash induced P deficiency.
What drives customization?: control or identity?

Customization - an attribute that lets users take control and make changes to the presentation and functionality of the interface - is becoming a hallmark of today's interactive media devices. What do users experience when they change interface aspects like fonts and colors, skins on mobile phones, speed dial numbers, privacy settings on social networks and different command menus in software? Do they feel in control? Do they see the customized interface as a reflection of who they are? More importantly, is the feeling of being in control a major driver of usage, or does sense of identity - a personal connection with the interface - prove more vital? This paper discusses the psychology of customization, reports an empirical user study designed to explore the relationship between customization, sense of control, and sense of identity, and outlines implications for design of customizable interfaces based on the findings.
Handwritten word recognition based on Fourier coefficients

A machine that can read unconstrained handwritten words remains an unsolved problem. For example, automatic entry of handwritten documents into a computer is yet to be accomplished. Most systems attempt to segment letters of a word and read words one character at a time. Segmenting a handwritten word is very difficult and often, the confidence of the results is low. Another method which avoids segmentation altogether is to treat each word as a whole. This research investigates the use of Fourier Transform coefficients, computed from the whole word, for the recognition of handwritten words. To test this concept, the particular pattern recognition problem studied consisted of classifying four handwritten words, `Buffalo', `Vegas', `Washington', and `City' from the SUNY post office database. Several feature subsets of the Fourier coefficients are examined. The best recognition performance of 76.2% was achieved when the Karhunen-Loeve transform was computed on the Fourier coefficients and those features were fed into a multilayer perceptron.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Globalisation and Latin American and Caribbean Organised Crime

The longstanding institutional weaknesses of most states in Latin America and the Caribbean, in combination with the existence of a highly lucrative underground drug trade in the Western hemisphere, make the countries in that corner of the world system not only especially prone to indigenous organised crime, but also attractive targets for transnational criminal enterprises. In most of the region, the dynamics of globalisation over the last two decades have resulted in almost ideal conditions for the rapid penetration and spread of transnational organised crime. Thus, as well as considering the overall situation in Latin America and the Caribbean, this article will particularly consider the scope and impact of the post-Cold War wave of Russian transnational organised crime to illustrate this phenomenon.
Temporal variability of selenium fluxes in San Francisco Bay

Abstract Selenium is introduced into San Francisco Bay primarily via rivers and anthropogenic sources which include effluents from oil refineries and sewage treatment plants. These sources have unique concentration and chemical speciation signatures for selenium, allowing their input to the estuary to be traced. Of the selenium fluxes to San Francisco Bay, the anthropogenic contribution ranges from 52 to 90% of the total. The riverine flux of selenium varies considerably with time, while the anthropogenic fluxes are relatively constant. However, the freshwater residence time for the estuary varies with the riverine discharge rate, and thus the effect of anthropogenic inputs on the distribution and concentration of selenium species in San Francisco Bay also varies with time.