cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Commercial Processing Procedures on the Bacterial Contamination and Cross-Contamination of Broiler Carcasses.

Levels of aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and the incidence of Salmonella were determined at six sampling points in a commercial processing plant: (1) pre-scald (at bleed line); (2) post-scald; (3) post-pick (4) post-evisceration; (5) pre-chill (after the final washer); and, (6) post-chill. The level of aerobic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae on broiler carcasses was reduced significantly by commercial processing procedures, but cross-contamination still occurred. There was no increase in Salmonella incidence on carcasses from the five sampling points starting with the kill line through the final washer. There was a significant increase in Salmonella incidence on carcasses exiting the immersion chiller, indicating that this may be the point of most significant cross-contamination in broiler processing plants.
Variable Friction Base Isolation Systems: Seismic Performance and Preliminary Design

Variable friction systems (VFS) have recently been proposed as potential alternatives to traditional friction base isolation devices. However, numerical and analytical studies have been limited to ...
Rapid infusion rituximab is well tolerated in patients with primary CNS lymphoma.

Aim To establish the safety and feasibility of rapidly infusing rituximab over 90 min in patients with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL). Patients & methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients with PCNSL who received rapid rituximab infusions (RRI) from January 2016 to January 2017. Primary end point was incidence of infusion reactions. Results & conclusion 11 patients received a total of 44 RRIs. Rituximab was dosed at 500 or 750 mg/m2. Premedication included acetaminophen and diphenhydramine. No infusion reactions occurred during any RRI. Two infusions were administered with steroids for neurologic symptoms at baseline (4.5%). Rapid administration of rituximab was safe and feasible for patients with PCNSL and at the higher doses received.
Multi-center phase Ib study of intermittent dosing of the MEK inhibitor, selumetinib, in patients with advanced uveal melanoma not previously treated with a MEK inhibitor.

TPS9597Background: Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare subtype of melanoma with no effective therapy for advanced disease. UM is characterized by mutations in GNAQ and GNA11 leading to constitutive activ...
Substance type moderates the longitudinal association between depression and substance use from pre-treatment through a 1-year follow-up.

Abstract Background Research examining directionality of the relationship between depressive symptoms and substance use following treatment entry is limited. Furthermore, substances differ in their neurobiological effects on mood. The relationship between depression and substance use following treatment entry may be moderated by dependence on specific substances. The study tested (a) lagged effects between depressive symptoms and substance use frequency following substance use treatment entry through a 1-year post-treatment follow-up and (b) if substance dependence type moderates these effects. Methods Participants (N = 263) entering residential treatment were assessed for DSM-IV substance dependence, depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), and percentage of substance use days at post-treatment, 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up assessments (time t0 to t4). Linear mixed effects models tested lagged effects between depressive symptoms and substance use frequency and the impact of substance type (i.e., dependence on alcohol, cannabis, opioid, cocaine, hallucinogen/PCP) on this relationship. Results After controlling for concurrent effects, substance type moderated each longitudinal relationship. Depressive symptoms significantly predicted substance use frequency at the subsequent follow-up assessment, only among individuals with pre-treatment opioid dependence (B = 5.55, SE = 0.89, z = 6.21, p Conclusions The directionality of depression-substance use comorbidity may differ based on the substance of dependence at pre-treatment. Opioid users may especially benefit from treating both depression and substance use.
Androgens and Cardiovascular Diseases in Women

Abstract The National Institutes of Health has recently mandated that all preclinical studies are required to use both male and female animals in their studies. While there are many opinions, both negative and positive about this mandate, it is undeniable that the data generated should vastly improve our understanding of sex differences in cardiovascular diseases. Numerous studies have evaluated how estrogens impact cardiovascular mechanisms by both genomic and nongenomic processes. Although there are studies available on how androgens impact cardiovascular functions in men, fewer studies of androgen’s effect in women are available. In this review, we will present what is currently known regarding androgen-mediated mechanisms that control cardiovascular disease and hypertension in women and female animal models, and identify the gaps in knowledge and the opportunities for future research.
Differential Diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders and Their Management

This chapter will review the differential diagnosis of anxiety disorders, psychological etiologies of anxiety in chronic pain and management recommendations.
Medical error in the care of the unrepresented: disclosure and apology for a vulnerable patient population

Defined as patients who 'lack decision-making capacity and a surrogate decision-maker', the unrepresented (sometimes referred to as the 'unbefriended', 'isolated patients' and/or 'patients without surrogates') present a major quandary to clinicians and ethicists, especially in handling errors made in their care. A novel concern presented in the care of the unrepresented is how to address an error when there is seemingly no one to whom it can be disclosed. Given that the number of unrepresented Americans is expected to rise in the coming decades, and some fraction of them will experience a medical error, creating protocols that answer this troubling question is of the utmost importance. This paper attempts to begin that conversation, first arguing that the precarious position of unrepresented patients, particularly in regards to errors made in their care, demands their recognition as a vulnerable patient population. Next, it asserts that the ethical obligation to disclose error still exists for the unrepresented because the moral status of error does not change with the presence or absence of surrogate decision-makers. Finally, this paper concludes that in outwardly acknowledging wrongdoing, a clinician or team leader can alleviate significant moral distress, satisfy the standards of a genuine apology, and validate the inherent and equivalent moral worth of the unrepresented patient.
Diverse physiological properties of hypoglossal motoneurons innervating intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles.

The hypoglossal motor nucleus contains motoneurons responsible for innervating one of seven different muscles with notably different biomechanics and patterns of use. Whether or not motoneurons inn...
On-Device Image Classification with Proxyless Neural Architecture Search and Quantization-Aware Fine-Tuning

It is challenging to efficiently deploy deep learning models on resource-constrained hardware devices (e.g., mobile and IoT devices) with strict efficiency constraints (e.g., latency, energy consumption). We employ Proxyless Neural Architecture Search (ProxylessNAS) to auto design compact and specialized neural network architectures for the target hardware platform. ProxylessNAS makes latency differentiable, so we can optimize not only accuracy but also latency by gradient descent. Such direct optimization saves the search cost by 200x compared to conventional neural architecture search methods. Our work is followed by quantization-aware fine-tuning to further boost efficiency. In the Low Power Image Recognition Competition at CVPR'19, our solution won the 3rd place on the task of Real-Time Image Classification (online track).
Deep Learning-Based Nuclei Segmentation of Cleared Brain Tissue

We present a deep learning approach for nuclei segmentation at scale. Our algorithm aims to address the challenge of segmentation in dense scenes with limited annotated data available. Annotation in this domain is highly manual in nature, requiring time-consuming markup of the neuron and extensive expertise, and often results in errors. For these reasons, the approach under consideration employs methods adopted from transfer learning. This approach can also be extended to segment other components of the neurons.
Streamline tracing and applications in embedded discrete fracture models

Abstract Fractures play important role in unconventional resources by influencing the fluid flow pattern underground. Streamline-based flow diagnostic is important to the history matching or operational optimization process of fractured reservoirs. This paper presents a robust streamline tracing framework for use in the Embedded Discrete Fracture Models (EDFM) and several applications including flow visualization, flow diagnostics, and rate allocation optimization. The proposed streamline tracing framework is based on a boundary layer method that can honor the flux communications between the matrix and fractures or between fracture and fracture. The proposed method is benchmarked with a semi-analytical solution and its robustness is illustrated by a series of numerical examples encompassing different levels of geologic and geometrical complexity. Streamlines in complex fracture networks provide flow diagnostics such as sweep efficiency and connectivity of wells and fractures. The streamlines are then utilized to develop a workflow for rate allocation optimization for waterflood in naturally fractured reservoirs. We apply a streamline-based gradient free algorithm whereby both injection and production rates are adjusted under realistic operational constraints to a field scale fractured reservoir. This approach only requires a few forward simulations and therefore offers significant advantage in terms of computational efficiency. It is confirmed that the optimized schedule provides improvements in oil recovery and sweep efficiency compared to the base scenario with uniform injection and production rates.
How a Bird Gets Its Feathers: Insights from Chromatin Looping

Mechanisms controlling skin heterogeneity are poorly understood. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Liang et al. show that in chicken, the difference in β-keratin genes expressed in feathered and scaly skin is regulated via typical enhancers, while differential expression within individual feathers correlates with chromatin looping within the gene cluster.
Leadless pacemaker implantation under direct visualization during valve surgery.

Abstract Objective The leadless cardiac pacemaker is typically implanted percutaneously and has been widely used for patients who have already undergone valve surgery. We sought to determine the feasibility and safety of implanting the leadless pacemaker under direct visualization during valve surgery. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive adult patients (n = 15) who underwent implantation of a leadless pacemaker under direct visualization at the time of valve surgery. Indications for single-chamber pacing were sick sinus syndrome with pauses (53.3%), atrial fibrillation with slow ventricular rates (13.3%) or complete heart block (6.6%), and elevated risk for postoperative heart block (26.6%). Leadless pacemaker performance and pacing percentage were assessed. Results Patients' age was 67.5 ± 17 years, 6 patients (40%) were male, and 14 patients (93%) had atrial fibrillation. Isolated tricuspid valve replacement was performed in 5 patients (33.3%), and the remainder underwent multivalve surgery that included concomitant tricuspid valve repair/replacement. In 93% of the patients (n = 14), the immediate post–cardiopulmonary bypass pacing thresholds were normal (≤2.0 V at 0.24 ms) and normalized in the remaining patient by the next morning. The impedance/sensing values were normal and stable through follow-up (151 ± 119 days) in all patients. Reliable leadless pacemaker performance allowed for deferral of temporary epicardial wires in 11 patients (73%). There were no procedural complications or device malfunction. Conclusions Leadless cardiac pacemaker implantation during valve surgery is feasible and safe. This hybrid approach to pacing may simplify the perioperative management of patients undergoing valve surgery who have an indication for single-chamber pacing.
Pulmonary Adverse Events in Patients Receiving Low-Dose Methotrexate in the Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial

OBJECTIVE We previously reported that low-dose methotrexate (MTX) was associated with an increased risk of pulmonary adverse events (AEs) in a large randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Herein, we report details on the predictors and severity of pulmonary AEs. METHODS We conducted a prespecified analysis of pulmonary AEs in the Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial. Adults with known cardiovascular disease and diabetes/metabolic syndrome were randomly allocated to receive low-dose MTX (target dose 15-20 mg/week) or placebo after a 6-8-week open-label run-in phase in which all patients received low-dose MTX. Individuals with systemic inflammatory diseases were excluded. Pulmonary AEs were adjudicated in a blinded manner. We described severe pulmonary AEs and examined associations of baseline characteristics with pulmonary AEs in patients receiving low-dose MTX. RESULTS A total of 2,391 subjects were randomized to receive low-dose MTX and 2,395 to receive placebo. There were 13 severe pulmonary AEs (0.5%) and 7 cases of possible pneumonitis (0.3%) in the low-dose MTX group, compared to 8 (0.3%) and 1 (<0.1%), respectively, in the placebo group. Among those randomized to receive low-dose MTX, risk factors for any pulmonary AE included female sex (hazard ratio [HR] 1.69 versus male sex [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.16-2.45]), white race (HR 2.35 versus other race [95% CI 1.03-5.36]), and insulin use (HR 1.60 versus non-use [95% CI 1.11-2.30]). The only risk factor for severe pulmonary AEs was older age at baseline (HR 1.09 per year increase [95% CI 1.02-1.16]). CONCLUSION In this large placebo-controlled trial, pulmonary AEs, including possible pneumonitis, were uncommon but were more likely to occur in those randomized to receive low-dose MTX. White race, older age, male sex, and insulin use were associated with an increased risk of pulmonary AEs in those receiving low-dose MTX.
Do Higher Land Costs for New Single-Family Housing Inhibit Economic Activity in U.S. Metropolitan Areas?:

The price of a new home is greater if the land to put it on costs more. In many U.S. metropolitan areas, this generates the widely acknowledged equity concern that low- to moderate-income household...
Mental Health and the Perceived Usability of Digital Mental Health Tools Among Essential Workers and People Unemployed Due to COVID-19: Cross-sectional Survey Study.

Background: COVID-19 has created serious mental health consequences for essential workers or people who have become unemployed as a result of the pandemic. Digital mental health tools have the potential to address this problem in a timely and efficient manner. Objective: The purpose of this study was to document the extent of digital mental health tool (DMHT) use by essential workers and those unemployed due to COVID-19, including asking participants to rate the usability and user burden of the DMHT they used most to cope. We also explored which aspects and features of DMHTs were seen as necessary for managing stress during a pandemic by having participants design their own ideal DMHT. Methods: A total of 2000 people were recruited from an online research community (Prolific) to complete a one-time survey about mental health symptoms, DMHT use, and preferred digital mental health features. Results: The final sample included 1987 US residents that identified as either an essential worker or someone who was unemployed due to COVID-19. Almost three-quarters of the sample (1479/1987, 74.8%) reported clinically significant emotional distress. Only 14.2% (277/1957) of the sample used a DMHT to cope with stress associated with COVID-19. Of those who used DMHTs to cope with COVID-19, meditation apps were the most common (119/261, 45.6%). Usability was broadly in the acceptable range, although participants unemployed due to COVID-19 were less likely to report user burden with DMHTs than essential workers (t198.1=–3.89, P<.001). Individuals with emotional distress reported higher financial burden for their DMHT than nondistressed individuals (t69.0=–3.21, P=.01). When the sample was provided the option to build their own DMHT, the most desired features were a combination of mindfulness/meditation (1271/1987, 64.0%), information or education (1254/1987, 63.1%), distraction tools (1170/1987, 58.9%), symptom tracking for mood and sleep (1160/1987, 58.4%), link to mental health resources (1140/1987, 57.4%), and positive psychology (1131/1986, 56.9%). Subgroups by employment, distress, and previous DMHT use status had varied preferences. Of those who did not use a DMHT to cope with COVID-19, most indicated that they did not consider looking for such a tool to help with coping (1179/1710, 68.9%). Conclusions: Despite the potential need for DMHTs, this study found that the use of such tools remains similar to prepandemic levels. This study also found that regardless of the level of distress or even past experience using an app to cope with COVID-19, it is possible to develop a COVID-19 coping app that would appeal to a majority of essential workers and unemployed persons.
Advancing Physician Assistant Faculty Development: A New Model.

PURPOSE The purpose of this article is to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative physician assistant (PA) faculty development model. METHODS The Maryland Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy's (PALLA's) executive team developed a 10-month fellowship designed to build a skilled faculty pipeline. The fellowship framework was grounded in the PA educator competencies, the 3 pillars of academia, and the 5th edition Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education. The self-perceived impact of the fellowship was evaluated through multiple surveys. RESULTS Survey results show that all of the learning activities met fellows' expectations, and fellows indicated strong agreement in self-perceived achievement in meeting the fellowship outcome goals. CONCLUSION Study results provide evidence that formal training increases self-perceived competence in clinicians transitioning to academia. PALLA can serve as a model for other states to ensure faculty capacity within PA education.
Analyzing Cultural Assimilation through the Lens of Yelp Restaurant Reviews

Given the steady stream of immigrants from around the world, cultural assimilation in North America has long been a topic of interest. However, existing research focuses only on assimilation to North American culture, overlooking the mutual influence, with a very limited use of data-driven approaches. In this paper, we investigate assimilation among various cultures in North America through the lens of discussions surrounding food. We first present Cross-Cuisine Cross-Region LDA (c3rLDA), a novel probabilistic graphical model to jointly uncover latent topics shared across cuisines, as well as their regional variants for each cuisine. Then, we employ the model on 3.7 million Yelp restaurant reviews to find that cuisines assimilate to one another in varying degrees depending on the cuisines involved, the topic, and the region: A cuisine tends to be more influenced by other cuisines if it is regularly fused with others (e.g. Japanese), for certain topics (e.g. breakfast and dessert), and in specific regions (e.g. stronger Mexican influence in the Southwestern US and French influence in the East Canada). Lastly, we demonstrate that the topics generated by our model, on which the qualitative analysis is based, are more coherent than or comparable to those generated by existing neural and non-neural topic models. This work represents the first step toward large-scale data-driven analysis of cultural assimilation in North America, which is made possible by the abundant data available in social media.
Let Fifty Flowers Bloom: Health Care Federalism after National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius

Conventional wisdom is that the American public does not want to think too long or too hard about Medicaid. Medicaid’s reputation has long been big, complicated, and widely misunderstood. The 2012 presidential election campaign has been much about Medicaid, but Medicaid is a subject we love to talk around. Yet, our next president will be compelled to think and speak explicitly and fluently about Medicaid because Medicaid is the budget-buster of government funded health insurance. Its budget busting propensities are most pronounced at the intersection of Medicaid and the government-funded health insurance program we do love to discuss: Medicare. This paper’s thesis is that everything possible will happen: if somebody can imagine it, some state will try it. This paper first looks at the pre-ACA past of Medicaid. It considers the past role of Medicaid in our health care system and how the Supreme Court has understood that role. It next considers the roles that Medicaid is likely to play in our health care system post-implementation of the Medicaid opt-in in 2014. It also considers the role Medicaid may play under a repeal and replace of the ACA scenario. It finally considers the implications of transformed health care federalism for the implementation of the ACA.This paper focuses on what the ACA is more than what it is not. The ACA’s individual mandate is Constitutional, as is the Medicaid expansion, in large part. The states have been re-enforced in their historic roles as Medicaid makers or experimenters. A close reading of the statute and the NFIB opinion with an understanding of the background of health care markets is in order to provide a counterweight to the tendency of Americans to use the ACA as 'something of a blank slate onto which Americans … [impose] their own hopes, fear and concerns.'
A comparison study of omnidirectional and directional MAC protocols for ad hoc networks

Traditional MAC protocols used in ad hoc networks employ omnidirectional antennas. Directional antennas have emerged as an alternative due to their capability of spatial reuse, low probability of detection, robustness to jamming, and other beneficial features. We conducted a comparison study of existing directional and omnidirectional MAC protocols by contrasting their features and evaluating their performance under various network load and topology. Specifically we presented rationale for the better performance of some directional antenna based MAC protocols by using the metric of effective spatial reuse, which is also evidenced by the simulation study.
Are stress and rest ejection fractions relevant to diagnosing ischemia

2734 Objectives To determine the relationship between ischemia occurring during a stress test and the result it may have on the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) acquired after stress compared with a rest LVEF using a 1-day perfusion-function protocol. Methods Two hundred forty-one patients underwent a 1-day low dose Tc99m-Tetrafosmin (6 mCi rest/ 18 mCi stress) acquisition protocol which was followed by (wide beam) iterative image reconstruction. One hundred sixty three patients underwent pharmacologic stress and seventy eight patients underwent treadmill stress. Rest and stress LVEF’s were computed using a Cedar Sinai QGS computer program. ECG results were interpreted by Cardiologists at Froedtert Hospital to determine if ischemia was present during the stress portion of the study. Positive ECG results (ST depression >1 mm) were used to classify patients as either “ischemic” vs. “non-ischemic.” The Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to determine the statistical significance between the two data sets. Results Two hundred fifteen patients were classified as non-ischemic response, eighteen patients were classified as ischemic response, and eight patients were non-interpretable due to other abnormalities and thus were omitted from the study. Patients with ischemia had a difference in LVEF of 1.6 ± 9.0% (95% confidence interval, -2.9% to 6.0%) with 39% of data points within the 95% limits of agreement. Patients without ischemia had a difference in LVEF of 3.7 ± 7.1% (95% confidence interval, 2.7% to 4.7%) with 12% of data points within the 95% limits of agreement. Patients with and patients without ischemia did not have significant differences in poststress versus resting LVEFs (Z=0.44). Conclusions Patients who were classified as having an ischemic response based on ECG findings did not have a significant difference in LVEF from poststress to rest compared with patients who were not classified as having an ischemic response. These results apply to a population who has primarily pharmacologic stress testing, and does not indicate a need to change the protocol at Froedtert Hospital.
A Single Column Method for the Determination of Urinary δ-Aminolevulinic Acid

A simple method for determination of urinary δ-aminolevulinic acid is described. Its advantage over procedures now in use is in the utilization of a single ion-exchange column instead of two ion-exchange columns, with resulting saving of time, labor, and material. The method is accurate and useful in screening for lead poisoning.
High-Polymer Pectins and Their Deesterification

Publisher Summary This chapter considers those phases of research that directly affect the food industry. It considers two outstanding phases of study: the extraction of high-grade pectin (highly polymerized pectin), and the production of partially deesterified pectins or pectinic acids. A description of these two phases and their practical application to the food industry has been given. The relative effects of the variation of time, temperature, and pH in the extraction of pectin have been extensively investigated. Modifications in extraction procedure have been suggested, such as the use of alkyl or aryl esters of aliphatic or aromatic acids, and xylene. The quality of pectins can be approximated by viscosity measurements. The viscosity of water solutions is dependent upon several factors, mainly, concentration, pH, and degree of polymerization. A complete discussion of gelation is presented dealing with de-esterification. The extraction of high-grade pectins and the possible preparations of new compounds as a result of partial deesterification of pectins are two developments which play an important role in fruit by-product utilization.
Percutaneous ultrasonic debridement of tendinopathy—a pilot Achilles rabbit model

Tendinopathy is a common clinical pathology, with mixed treatment results, especially when chronic. In this study, we examine the effects of an ultrasonic debridement modality in a rabbit tendinopathy model. We asked four questions: 1) Was it possible to create and visualize with ultrasound a tendinopathy lesion in a rabbit Achilles tendon? 2) Was it possible to guide a 19-gauge ultrasonic probe into the tendinopathy lesion? 3) Following ultrasonic treatment, was tendinopathy debris histologically present? and 4) Was the collagen profile qualitatively and quantitatively normalized following treatment? Skeletally mature female New Zealand white rabbits (n = 12) were injected with, ultrasonography localization, 0.150 ml of collagenase into the Achilles tendon. The collagenase-induced Achilles tendinopathy (3 weeks) was treated with percutaneous ultrasonic debridement. The tendons were harvested, at 3 weeks after treatment, and were subjected to histological assessment (modified Movin score) and biochemical analysis (collagen isoform content). Histopathological examination revealed that all tendons injected with collagenase showed areas of hypercellularity and focal areas of tendon disorganization and degeneration. The treated tendons had lower (improved) histopathological scores than injured tendons (P < 0.001). Western blot analysis showed that ultrasonic therapy restored, within statistical limits, collagen type I, III, and X expressions in a treated tendon, to qualitative and semi-quantitative levels of a normal tendon. We were successfully able to create a collagenase-injected tendinopathy lesion in a rabbit Achilles tendon and visualize the lesion with an ultrasound probe. A 19-gauge ultrasonic probe was inserted into the tendinopathic lesion under direct ultrasound guidance, and minimal tendinopathic debris remained after treatment. The treated tendon demonstrated a normalized qualitative and semi-quantitative collagen profile and improved histological appearance in the short term. This technique demonstrates scientific merit with respect to the minimally invasive treatment of tendinopathy and warrants further studies. Recalcitrant tendinopathy has evaded consistent non-operative treatment since the tendinopathic debris remains in situ, to some extent, with non-operative approaches. This percutaneous emulsification/evacuation approach, under direct ultrasound visualization, has the potential to cure recalcitrant tendinopathies without open surgery, which would benefit the patient and result in significant healthcare cost reductions.
Market Response to and Consumer Attitudes Toward Unit Pricing of Eggs

Abstract Unit pricing did not increase egg sales in a 36 week controlled experiment involving 13 test and 15 control stores in Topeka, Kansas during 1977. Test stores priced eggs both by the dozen and by the pound while control stores priced eggs only by the dozen during a 25-week test period. Price per dozen was converted to price per pound based on minimum weight per dozen for each egg size. Average weekly egg sales per store were shown as two ratios: 1) dozen eggs per $1,000 of store sales, and 2) dozen eggs per 100 customers. Trends and percentage changes in these sales ratios for test and control stores from an 11 week pretest period through a 25 week test period measured the effect of unit pricing on egg sales. Contrary to expectations, dozen eggs sold per $1,000 of store sales were 2.7% lower in test stores and 2.8% lower in control stores in the test period than in the pretest period. Dozen eggs sold per 100 customers declined 3.2% in test stores in the test period compared with the pretest period but increased .8% in control stores. These experimental results occurred when sizes of eggs offered for sale, average weekly retail egg prices, and frequency of “sales” on eggs were highly comparable for test and control stores. Consumer attitudes were obtained by in-store personal interviews with 1,040 egg purchasers. Major concerns were “the price of eggs” (mentioned by 76%), “shell cleanliness and soundness” (60%), and “sizes of eggs available” (52%). When asked which was the most important single factor, they indicated “price” (48%). However, only 10% compared the “unit price” (or price per pound) of eggs with unit prices of various red meats, fish, cheese, and cereals. Those who made such comparisons found eggs to be “relatively low priced”. Some (34%) compared prices of different egg sizes but only 14% said they purchased the least expensive egg size. Most consumers (93%) indicated that unit pricing had “little or no effect” on increasing their egg purchases. Some (32%) said “unit price” information on egg price labels was useful or helpful, a majority (57%) said it was not useful, while 11% were undecided. In response to price specials on eggs, 41% purchased “more than the usual number” (of dozen eggs); most (59%) purchased “the usual number”. When asked, “Why do you use eggs?” only 11% mentioned the “good value” or relatively low unit price of eggs.
The perfect worker: discursive makings of Filipinos in the workplace hierarchy of the globalized cruise industry

Filipinos are by far the largest nationality represented on cruise ships despite the fact that cruise lines can hire from wherever they choose. The reasons for this phenomenon lie in a melange of political, economic, and cultural factors, yet when polled, industry insiders repeatedly cite well-worn Filipino stereotypes as the primary cause. This reflects a system in which discourses surrounding workers become fixed in ways that ideologically frame Filipinos as docile and compliant yet industrious and inexpensive. Filipinos are thus constructed as readymade workers for subordinate positions rather than for roles as leaders on the ship. This case shows the subtle ways that labor becomes stratified along ethnic lines and how discourses become the fault lines that define and reproduce the great inequalities between different groups of workers. The task of this article is to understand the ways that discourses relate to the workplace positioning of Filipino seafarers and reinforce a reading of ‘Filipino-ness’ ...
Simultaneous odor-taste and taste-taste compounds in poison-avoidance learning

Abstract In six experiments, rats received an odor or a taste alone or in simultaneous compound with another taste prior to lithium chloride-induced illness. Aversions to the target odor and the target taste were then assessed. In Experiments 1–3, the presence of the taste in compound with the target during conditioning attenuated the strength of the aversions to both the target odor and the target taste. Although these results were consistent with the familiar principles of compound conditioning, they contradicted previous reports of potentiation, rather than attenuation, of odor conditioning by taste. In Experiment 4, taste again attenuated the conditioning of odor when a second odor was presented during the CS-US interval. In Experiment 5, we looked for odor potentiation with a within-subject design, and in Experiment 6, we examined an alternative method of presenting odor. In neither case did we find odor potentiation by taste. Over the range of conditions investigated here, a taste often attenuates, and never potentiates, the conditioning of aversions to both odors and tastes.
Three-trial sequences of reward magnitudes with odor cues maximized

Albino rats were trained in a straight runway for three trials on each of 24 days. Five pellets were received on the third trial of each day, whereas the amounts of Trials 1 and 2 were either 20 or 0 pellets. Whether the daily sequence was 20-0-5 or 0-20-5 was determined by pseudorandom orders. To maximize odor cues, animals were run in rotation, with every rat receiving the same reward sequence within a day. The data during asymptotic performance shows stronger evidence of the control of running by nonreward odor when nonreward was the Trial 1 outcome than when nonreward was the Trial 2 outcome. There was no evidence for differential control of performance by odor cues when the trial outcome was 20 pellets as opposed to 5 pellets. The findings are discussed in relation to other sources of mediation of patterned running that were controlled in the present design.
Animal Stocking under Conditions of Declining Forage Nutrients

This paper examines the bioeconomic conditions under which the recently popular intensive-early-stocking (IES) strategy outperforms the conventional season-long-stocking (SLS) strategy as a response to the deterioration of forage nutrients over the latter stages of the grazing season. The economic performances of the IES and SLS strategies are compared to a dynamically optimal grazing policy that continually fine tunes stocking rates to account for declining forage nutrients. The comparisons yield a range of qualitative properties under which the IES strategy tends to approximate better the optimal strategy, some of which are investigated in a numerical illustration.
UV Assisted Chemical Sensor Based on Electrospun Titania nanofibers Working at Room Temperature

Abstract This work presents the fabrication and the characterization of a chemoresistor based on titania nanofibers, produced by means of the electrospinning technique, with high sensitivity to some gases of relevant interest in fields like environment or medical applications, such as NH3 and NO2 without the need to use high temperatures (300-500iC). In order to obtain a reasonable sensor conductance and to enhance the sensor response and the signal to noise ratio, we have used an ultra violet (about 400 nm) light source to irradiate the titania nanofibers exploiting its photoconductivity. Sensor response, in terms of percentage of relative current shift, was about 1.2% for 125 ppb of NO2 and 1.5% for 110 ppb of NH3.
Patient characteristics and expectancy measures as factors that influence the expectancy‐improvement relationship

A recent study found factored measures of patient's expectancies for therapeutic gain significantly correlated with 1 of 15 objective measures of treatment outcome for the hospitalized patients. A subsequent study of the same relationship that used unfactored expectancy measured with a diagnostically homogenous sample of patients found the patients' expectancies significantly correlated with 10 of the same 15 measures of improvement. This study reexamined the initial expectancy-improvement data using unfactored measures of expectancy. The overall results showed that characteristics of samples of Ss and the adequacy of expectancy measures both significantly influence the results of tests of the expectancy-improvement relationship.
The Family Almost Perfect Scale: Development, psychometric properties, and comparing Asian and European Americans.

This article describes two studies related to the development and psychometric evaluation of the Family Almost Perfect Scale (FAPS), which measures the perceived level of perfectionistic standards and evaluation from one’s family. In Study 1 (N 283), exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the FAPS scale items. In Study 2, the FAPS was cross-validated through confirmatory factor analyses with an Asian/Asian American sample (N 252) and a European American sample (N 386). These two samples were compared on study variables and Asians/Asian Americans reported modestly higher personal and family discrepancy and lower self-esteem. Participants were also grouped into different perceived perfectionistic family types. Those that perceived having maladaptively perfectionistic families reported greater depression and lower self-esteem. Implications for counseling and future directions for research are also discussed.
Conserving metapopulations in human-altered landscapes at the urban–rural fringe

Abstract The conversion of natural areas to human-dominated land uses results in loss, degradation, and fragmentation of wildlife habitat which often lead to species endangerment and local extinction. The risk of endangerment may be particularly acute for species that exist as metapopulations in which viability of the species is contingent upon dispersal of individuals among local sub-populations. This paper uses an optimization framework to investigate the problem of conserving metapopulations residing in areas at the urban–rural fringe. We compare the optimal allocation of preservation to outcomes of four other policy alternatives including the reserve-site-selection option that fully preserves habitat patches while allowing full development of the intervening dispersal matrix. In general, the optimal allocation includes some amount of preservation in both habitat patches and dispersal matrix, with the level of protection typically greater in habitat patches. The reserve-site-selection conservation option is optimal in only a few cases. Heterogeneity in terms of land use and landscape structure adds complexity to the optimal solution such that no one policy works well across all land units and in situations where the landscape structure is skewed, full protection of some land units and full development of others becomes more common.
Shift operators on Banach spaces

Abstract J. R. Holub has obtained several results for shift operators on C ( X ). In this paper we answer some questions of Holub and obtain extensions of many of his results. In particular, we show that C ( X , R ) does not admit a shift operator if X has only countably many components and each component is infinite. We show that C ( X , C ) does not admit a shift operator for certain special compact Hausdorff spaces X . We show that there exists a compact Hausdorff space X which is not totally disconnected and both C ( X , C ) and C ( X , R ) admit shift operators. If 1 ⩽ p X , Σ , μ ) is a σ-finite non-atomic measure space then L P R ( μ ) does not admit a disjointness preserving shift operator. We also show that l P for 1 ⩽ p ⩽ ∞ is the only L P R ( μ ) space which admits a disjointness preserving shift operator.
Unitary matrix digraphs and minimum semidefinite rank

For an undirected simple graph G, the minimum rank among all positive semidefinite matrices with graph G is called the minimum semidefinite rank (msr) of G. In this paper, we show that the msr of a given graph may be determined from the msr of a related bipartite graph. Finding the msr of a given bipartite graph is then shown to be equivalent to determining which digraphs encode the zero/nonzero pattern of a unitary matrix. We provide an algorithm to construct unitary matrices with a certain pattern, and use previous results to give a lower bound for the msr of certain bipartite graphs.
Asymptomatic lung carcinoma presenting with a large vulvar lesion.

Objective. Metastases to the vulva are infrequent, accounting for less than 10% of vulvar tumors. Vulvar metastases from lung carcinoma have been reported in two other cases. Methods. A case of lung carcinoma metastatic to the vulva is reported. Results. A 71-year-old woman was referred to The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with a lung nodule on chest x-ray and a 12-cm, necrotic, left vulvar mass. A lung biopsy showed poorly differentiated carcinoma, and a palliative resection of the vulvar mass showed metastatic lung carcinoma. The patient died from sepsis on postoperative day 10. Conclusions. Lung carcinoma metastatic to the vulva is rare and portends a poor prognosis.
Determination of the local angular coefficient for a cylindrical surface

Algebraic expressions are obtained and graphs are presented for the determination of the local angular coefficient for a particular orientation of an elementary area relative to a cylinder.
IS CREATIVITY GOOD

La creativite comme valeur fondamentale dans " Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra " de Nietzsche. L'art du 20e siecle, experimental et polyvalent, en tant que reflet de la conception nietzscheenne. La creativite en tant que processus necessairement rationnel, quoi qu'en ait l'antirationalisme de Nietzsche, en fait fonde sur une forme de rationalite
Retinoids and cardiovascular developmental defects

Vitamin A and related retinoids are critical regulators of normal cardiovascular development. Extreme variations in retinoid levels, too little or too much, dramatically alter embryonic morphogenesis that has teratogenic consequences, including effects on the heart and great vessels. Specific cardiovascular targets of retinoid action include effects on the anteroposterior patterning of the early heart, left-right decisions and cardiac situs, endocardial cushion formation, and, in particular, the neural crest. The cardiovascular defects produced are remarkably similar in deficiency and excess, suggesting modulation of common developmental or cellular processes by different levels of retinoids. The isolation of nuclear receptors that mediate retinoid action has led to the identification of some genes directly involved in the regulation of these processes and other gene products that may be affected more indirectly. This review will examine the mechanism of retinoid action, the requirements for vitamin A during normal heart development, and the consequences of nonphysiologic or teratogenic exposure.
The effects of temperature on sex differentiation and growth of black sea bass (Centropristis striata L.)

To examine the effects of temperature on sex differentiation in the black sea bass (Centropristis striata L.), a protogynous hermaphrodite, juveniles (∼0.5 g) were cultured in recirculating systems at 17, 21 or 25 °C. Growth was assessed at 155, 182, 241 and 275 days post hatch and sex differentiation was determined histologically. No differences were found in the sex ratios of fish reared at different temperatures, but only 55–64% developed as females. Growth was significantly greater in males across all temperature treatments. These results suggest that black sea bass exhibit sexually dimorphic growth patterns and that female-specific sex determination can be disrupted in culture.
Changes in temporal and spatial patterns of Gi protein expression in postimplantation mouse embryos.

Abstract We previously demonstrated the presence of GTP-binding proteins, G proteins, in the preimplantation mouse embryo ( Jones and Schultz, 1990. Dev. Biol. 139, 250–262 ). These studies have been extended to the Day 6.5, 7.5, and 8.5 gestation embryo by employing PT-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation and immunoblotting techniques. We report here that the amount of embryonic αi increases from Day 6.5 to Day 7.5 of gestation, and remains at about the same level at Day 8.5. In contrast, the extent of PT-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of Giα protein(s) decreases between Days 6.5 and 7.5—this decrease is global and not restricted to a particular germ layer of the Day 7.5 embryo—and then dramatically increases by Day 8.5 of gestation. In the Day 8.5 gestation embryo, the extent of PT-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of Giα proteins increases along the anterior-posterior axis, whereas the amount of immunoreactive αi subunit decreases along this axis. By using a combination of PT-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation and immunoprecipitation with antisera specific for αi1, αi2, or αi3, we report that all three αi subtypes are present in the Day 8.5 gestation mouse embryo. Results of these experiments suggest that an activation of Gi proteins occurs between Days 6.5 and 7.5 of gestation in the postimplantation embryo, a time during which the embryo is gastrulating, and that a decreasing gradient of activation exists along the anterior to posterior axis in the Day 8.5 gestation embryo. Last, we report that oocytes, eggs, and preimplantation embryos possess all three subtypes of αi.
TAVR: temporal-aural-visual representation to convey imperceptible spatial information

This paper describes a study that investigated the use of time as a form of representation for imperceptible sizes by incorporating it in a multimodal representation that is designed to extend students' learning experience of the sizes of the objects beyond human sense (called submacroscopic objects). In this paper we introduce the research we conducted to explore how middle school students interpret and conceptualize the temporal representation.