cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determining optimal locations of electrified transportation infrastructure on interstate/ us-highways

Determining electric vehicle charging infrastructure locations within a particular city or state is a key factor for a successful electrified transportation deployment. In this paper, a search algorithm is developed to calculate the number of charging infrastructure locations for a particular model of an electric vehicle when traveling between two points on a particular Interstate or US-Highway. The algorithm determines the actual mileage a given electric vehicle will travel, which in turn is used to determine the number of charging infrastructure locations. This algorithm is applied as a case study to determine the number of locations needed for a given electric vehicle model in Nebraska state, USA. Detailed analysis are conducted to identify gaps in the coverage area. Then, a prioritization method is applied to the selected locations and cities. This is done to insure key cities and highly visible Interstates and US-Highway corridors are selected for advancement of the State’s economy and planning for deployment and penetrations of electric vehicle expansion.
Sparsity of the wavefunction from the generalized Pauli exclusion principle

Electron occupations that arise from pure quantum states are restricted by a stringent set of conditions that are said to generalize the Pauli exclusion principle. These generalized Pauli constraints (GPCs) define the boundary of the set of one-electron reduced density matrices (1-RDMs) that are derivable from at least one N-electron wavefunction. In this paper, we investigate the sparsity of the Slater-determinant representation of the wavefunction that is a necessary, albeit not sufficient, condition for its 1-RDM to lie on the boundary of the set of pure N-representable 1-RDMs or in other words saturate one of the GPCs. The sparse wavefunction, we show, is exact not only for 3 electrons in 6 orbitals but also for 3 electrons in 8 orbitals. For larger numbers of electrons and/or orbitals in the lowest spin state, the exact wavefunction does not generally saturate one of the GPCs, and hence, the sparse representation is typically an approximation. Because the sparsity of the wavefunction is a necessary b...
De novo synthesis of the sedative valerenic acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract Valeriana officinalis (Valerian) root extracts have been used by European and Asian cultures for millennia for their anxiolytic and sedative properties. However, the efficacy of these extracts suffers from variable yields and composition, making these extracts a prime candidate for microbial production. Recently, valerenic acid, a C15 sesquiterpenoid, was identified as the active compound that modulates the GABAA channel. Although the first committed step, valerena-4,7(11)-diene synthase, has been identified and described, the complete valerenic acid biosynthetic pathway remains to be elucidated. Sequence homology and tissue-specific expression profiles of V. officinalis putative P450s led to the discovery of a V. officinalis valerena-4,7(11)-diene oxidase, VoCYP71DJ1, which required coexpression with a V. officinalis alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase to complete valerenic acid biosynthesis in yeast. Further, we demonstrated the stable integration of all pathway enzymes in yeast, resulting in the production of 140 mg/L of valerena-4,7(11)-diene and 4 mg/L of valerenic acid in milliliter plates. These findings showcase Saccharomyces cerevisiae's potential as an expression platform for facilitating multiply-oxidized medicinal terpenoid pathway discovery, possibly paving the way for scale up and FDA approval of valerenic acid and other active compounds from plant-derived herbal medicines.
Representation of actions and outcomes in medial prefrontal cortex during delayed conditional decision-making: Population analyses of single neuron activity.

Background:To respond adaptively in a dynamic environment, it is important for organisms to utilise information about recent events to decide between response options.Methods:To examine the role of...
Optimizing Power, Heating, and Cooling Capacity on a Decision-Guided Energy Investment Framework

We propose a Decision-Guided Energy Investment (DGEI) Framework to optimize power, heating, and cooling capacity. The DGEI framework is designed to support energy managers to (1) use the analytical and graphical methodology to determine the best investment option that satisfies the designed evaluation parameters, such as return on investment (ROI) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; (2) develop a DGEI optimization model to solve energy investment problems that the operating expenses are minimal in each considered investment option; (3) implement the DGEI optimization model using the IBM Optimization Programming Language (OPL) with historical and projected energy demand data, i.e., electricity, heating, and cooling, to solve energy investment optimization problems; and (4) conduct an experimental case study for a university campus microgrid and utilize the DGEI optimization model and its OPL implementations, as well as the analytical and graphical methodology to make an investment decision and to measure trade-offs among cost savings, investment costs, maintenance expenditures, replacement charges, operating expenses, GHG emissions, and ROI for all the considered options.
Cardiac troponin I levels and clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes: the potential role of early percutaneous revascularization.

Abstract OBJECTIVES To establish the role of early catheter-based coronary intervention among patients sustaining acute coronary syndromes (ACS) stratified according to admission plasma troponin I (Tn-I) levels. BACKGROUND The impact of early revascularization strategy on the clinical outcomes in patients with ACS stratified by plasma Tn-I levels has not been established. METHODS In-hospital complications and long-term outcomes were assessed in 1,321 consecutive patients with non-ST elevation ACS undergoing early (within 72 h) catheter-based coronary interventions. Patients were grouped according to admission Tn-I levels. Group I (n = 1,099) had no elevated plasma Tn-I ( 0.45 ng/ml. In-hospital composite cardiac events (death, Q-wave MI, urgent in-hospital revascularization) and 8 months clinical outcomes (death, MI, repeat revascularization or any cardiac event) were compared between the three groups. RESULTS The rate of in-hospital composite cardiac events was 6.1% among patients with Tn-I > 0.45 ng/ml, 1.0% in patients with Tn-I between 0.15–0.45 ng/ml and 3.1% in patients without elevated admission Tn-I (p = 0.09 between groups). There was no difference in hospital mortality (p = 0.25). At eight months of follow-up, there was no difference in out-of-hospital death (3.5%, 3.8% and 1.8%, p = 0.17, respectively), MI (2.6%, 3.8% and 2.9%, p = 0.94) or target lesion revascularization (9.0%, 8.3% and 11.5%, p = 0.47), and cardiac event-free survival was also similar between groups (p = 0.66). By multivariate analysis, Tn-I > 0.45 ng/ml was independently associated with in-hospital composite cardiac events [odds ratio (OR) = 2.4, p = 0.04] but not with out-of-hospital clinical events up to eight months. CONCLUSIONS In patients with ACS, early (within 72 h) catheter-based coronary intervention may attenuate the adverse prognostic impact of admission Tn-I elevation during eight months of follow-up despite a trend towards increased in-hospital composite cardiac events.
An exercise trial targeting African-American women with metabolic syndrome and at high risk for breast cancer: Rationale, Design, and Methods

Background Metabolic syndrome and obesity are known risk factors for breast cancers. Exercise interventions can potentially modify circulating biomarkers of breast cancer risk but evidence in African-Americans and women with metabolic syndrome is lacking.
The nature of peer sexual health communication among college students enrolled in a human sexuality course

Most young people go to their friends for information on sexuality-related topics, thus it is important to understand the context of these communications so that we may gather insight into sexual v...
Label-free in vivo pathology of human epithelia with a high-speed handheld dual-axis confocal microscope

There would be clinical value in a miniature optical-sectioning microscope to enable in vivo interrogation of tissues as a real-time and noninvasive alternative to gold-standard histopathology for early disease detection and surgical guidance. To address this need, a reflectance-based handheld line-scanned dual-axis confocal microscope was developed and fully packaged for label-free imaging of human skin and oral mucosa. This device can collect images at >15 frames / s with an optical-sectioning thickness and lateral resolution of 1.7 and 1.1 μm, respectively. Incorporation of a sterile lens cap design enables pressure-sensitive adjustment of the imaging depth by the user during clinical use. In vivo human images and videos are obtained to demonstrate the capabilities of this high-speed optical-sectioning microscopy device.
Collecting collections: Negotiating material value at the National Park Service*

The Northeast Region of the National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for the preservation of over 36 million artifacts. These cultural resources, accessioned as individual items, are divided betw...
Ecological momentary assessment of using food to soothe during infancy in the INSIGHT trial.

Use of food to soothe infant distress has been linked to greater weight in observational studies. We used ecological momentary assessment to capture detailed patterns of food to soothe and evaluate if a responsive parenting intervention reduced parents’ use of food to soothe. Primiparous mother-newborn dyads were randomized to a responsive parenting intervention designed for obesity prevention or a safety control group. Responsive parenting curriculum included guidance on using alternative soothing strategies (e.g., swaddling), rather than feeding, as the first response to infant fussiness. After the initial intervention visit 3 weeks after delivery, mothers (n = 157) were surveyed for two 5–8 day bursts at infant ages 3 and 8 weeks. Surveys were sent via text message every 4 h between 10:00 AM-10:00 PM, with 2 surveys sent at 8:00 AM asking about nighttime hours. Infant fusses and feeds were reported for each 4-h interval. Food to soothe was defined as “Fed First” and “Not Fed First” in response to a fussy event. Use of food to soothe was modeled using random-intercept logistic regression. The control group had greater odds of having Fed First, compared to the responsive parenting group at ages 3 and 8 weeks (3 weeks: OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.4–2.7; p < 0.01; 8 weeks: OR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.0–2.1; p = 0.053). More responsive parenting mothers reported using a responsive parenting intervention strategy first, before feeding, than controls at ages 3 and 8 weeks (3 weeks: 58.1% vs. 41.9%; 8 weeks: 57.1% vs. 42.9%, respectively; p < 0.01 for both). At both ages combined, fewer fusses from responsive parenting infants were soothed best by feeding compared to controls (49.5% vs. 61.0%, respectively; p < 0.01). For both study groups combined, parents had greater odds of having Fed First during the nighttime compared to the daytime at both ages (3 weeks: OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.4–1.8; p < 0.01; 8 weeks: OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.7–2.6; p < 0.01). INSIGHT’s responsive parenting intervention reduced use of food to soothe and increased use of alternative soothing strategies in response to infant fussiness. Education on responsive parenting behaviors around fussing and feeding during early infancy has the potential to improve later self-regulation and weight gain trajectory. NCT01167270 . Registered July 21, 2010.
An Overview of Monoclonal Antibodies

ABSTRACT Objective To provide a brief overview of the development of monoclonal antibodies in immunotherapy, including a review of the mechanism of action and types, and indications for use. Data Source Peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, internet. Conclusion Monoclonal antibodies offer alternative treatment to cancer patients who have failed or progressed on standard chemotherapy. Clinical research continues to explore new antigens to target in hopes of discovering the “magic bullet” to eliminate cancer altogether. Implications for Nursing Practice Collaboration with infection control should be considered for nurses administering monoclonal antibodies to ensure their safe handling. These agents should be verified before administration with the two-RN sign-off system. Nurses play a vital role in providing adequate patient education to ensure patient safety.
Evolution of Veterans Affairs Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Program: The First 100 Patients.

BACKGROUND Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a widely established alternative to surgery in intermediate- and high-risk patients. TAVR program development within the Veterans Affairs (VA) system has been previously described. However, national TAVR registries do not capture VA outcomes data, and few data have been reported regarding TAVR outcomes at lower-volume federal institutions. The study aim was to demonstrate the evolution of a successful VA TAVR program. METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed of the first 100 TAVR patients at San Francisco VA Medical Center. Mortality and major complications were evaluated. RESULTS Between 25th November 2013 and 31st August 2016, a total of 100 TAVR procedures was performed at the authors' institution. The mean patient age was 79.7 ± 8.7 years. Patients underwent TAVR via percutaneous-transfemoral (n = 90), surgical cutdown-transfemoral (n = 8), or transapical (n = 2) approaches. The valve systems employed were Edwards SAPIEN (n = 16), SAPIEN XT (n = 31), SAPIEN 3 (n = 23), and Medtronic CoreValve (n = 16) and CoreValve Evolut R (n = 14). The overall device success was 96%. TAVR-in-TAVR was required in the remaining 4% of patients, and was successful. All-cause procedural mortality was 1%. Complications included tamponade (1%), stroke (2%), temporary hemodialysis (1%), vascular injuries requiring intervention (4%), and permanent pacemaker implantation (14%). There were no conversions to surgical aortic valve replacement. Twenty-two (22%) patients had mild, two (2%) had moderate, and none (0%) had severe paravalvular leakage. The post-procedure aortic valve gradient by echocardiography was 8.6 ± 4.5 mmHg. Follow up was 100% complete and survival was 99%, 93%, and 89% at one, six, and 12 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Successful outcomes were demonstrated for a VA TAVR program that compared favorably with benchmarks established by the National Transcatheter Valve Therapies Registry. These results provide a necessary transparency of TAVR outcomes at a federal institution.
Breast Feeding Rates in an Army Active Duty Population

Introduction: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by continuation of breastfeeding while introducing complimentary foods through one year of age. The United States Department of Health and Human Services defined a goal to reach a breastfeeding rate of 75% by 2010 with an increase to nearly 82% by the year 2020. Despite numerous studies within the medical literature on breastfeeding rates within the civilian population, there are no studies detailing breastfeeding rates in an Active Duty military population. …
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Infantile-Onset Pompe Disease Treated with Enzyme Replacement Therapy

Alpha glucosidase deficiency, or Pompe disease, is characterized by the inappropriate accumulation of glycogen within cardiac and skeletal muscle cells. Children with Infantile-Onset Pompe disease (IOPD) have demonstrated progressive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) that does not respond to traditional medications. In 2014, the FDA approved the use of enzyme-replacement therapy (ERT) for the treatment of HCM associated with IOPD. We present three cases treated at Riley Hospital for Children of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to IOPD that were responsive to ERT. The patients ranged from ages zero to three months at …
Cyclophosphamide use in treatment of refractory Kawasaki disease with coronary artery aneurysms

Despite timely administration of IVIG, some patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) develop rapidly progressive or giant coronary artery aneurysms (CAA). We describe our experience using cyclophosphamide (CYC) for the treatment of such cases as well as a review of the literature on the use of CYC in KD. Through a retrospective chart review of our KD population, we identified ten children treated for KD with intravenous CYC (10 mg/kg/dose) for one or two doses. Seven patients were male, the median age was 2.0 years (range 4 months − 5 years). All patients received initial IVIG between day 4–10 of illness. Other anti-inflammatory treatments administered before CYC included second IVIG (n = 9), corticosteroids (n = 10), infliximab (n = 4), cyclosporine (n = 2), and anakinra (n = 1). Median illness day at administration of the first CYC dose was 22.5 days (range:10–36 days). The primary indication for treatment with CYC for all patients was large or giant CAA and/or rapid progression of CAA. Three patients received a second dose of CYC (10 mg/kg) for progressively enlarging CAA. CAA did not progress after final CYC treatment. One patient with a history of neutropenia in infancy developed severe neutropenia 9 days after treatment with CYC, which recovered without intervention or complications. No patient developed infections or other serious toxicity from CYC. In KD patients with severe and progressive enlargement of CAA despite anti-inflammatory therapy, CYC seemed to arrest further dilation and was well-tolerated. Future multicenter studies are needed to confirm our findings in this subgroup of KD patients.
A Note on the Interpretation of Distributed Delay Equations

Distributed delay equations have been used to model situations in which there is some sort of delay whose duration is uncertain. However, the interpretation of a distributed delay equation is actually very different from that of a delay differential equation with a random delay. This work explicitly highlights this distinction as it is an important consideration to make when modeling delayed systems in which the delay can take on several values.
Teaching statistics – A dynamic excel approach

In this paper the authors present a unique approach to teaching introductory statistics at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The approach uses a feature in Excel called “spinners” to dyna...
Is Our Group An Agent? Do We Want It To Be?

Christian List and Philip Pettit’s new book, Group Agency: The Possibility, Design, and Status of Corporate Agents, is an interesting, timely, and extremely clever synthesis of the deliverances of their recent technical work on the philosophical, moral and legal nature of group agents. Their meticulously developed ideal group agent provides an excellent starting point for analytic reflection on group agency, identity, epistemology, and responsibility. Insofar as it is their intent for their account to have real world consequences, their model provides a template for political associations, businesses, and civil society organizations. This review essay explains List and Pettit’s model and then points out two unattractive features. First, a bird’s eye view of the conditions required to achieve ideal group agency reveals limitations that may make it impossible to realize. Second, some of these groups, especially businesses and civil society organizations, will find the model unattractive, limiting its real world applicability.
Purification and Mechanism of Action of a Steroid Δ-5β-Dehydrogenase

Abstract A soluble Δ4-5β-dehydrogenase has been isolated from extracts of Pseudomonas testosteroni grown on a steroid-containing medium. This enzyme introduces the Δ4-double bond into C19 and C21 steroids in which the A:B ring fusion has the cis configuration. The enzyme has been purified about 100-fold from acetone powders of the microorganism by a procedure involving precipitation of nucleic acids with protamine; fractionation with ammonium sulfate; chromatography on diethylaminoethyl-cellulose; and calcium phosphate gel adsorption. The purified enzyme oxidized about 6.5 µmoles of 5β-androstane-3,17-dione per min per mg of protein. Phenazine methosulfate is an efficient artificial acceptor in the Δ4-5β-dehydrogenase reaction. Various quinones, notably 1,2- and 1,4-naphthoquinone, 1,4-benzoquinone, menadione, and coenzyme Q10, were able to replace phenazine methosulfate in the reaction, but other quinones and acceptors of other chemical types were inactive. A simple aerobic assay for steroid Δ-dehydrogenase activity is described. It depends upon measurement of the nonenzymatic reduction of cytochrome c (at 550 mµ) by the reduced phenazine methosulfate formed in the enzymatic oxidation. An interesting blank reaction occurs between phenazine methosulfate and cytochrome c in the absence of enzyme or steroid. The rate of this reaction is markedly accelerated by light and at high pH. The reaction rate is proportional to the concentration of phenazine methosulfate, but independent of that of cytochrome c. These findings suggest that a product of the light-catalyzed dismutative decomposition of the dye is the reductant of cytochrome c. Treatment with acid ammonium sulfate inactivated the enzyme almost completely, and a substantial portion of the original activity could be restored by addition of a low concentration (Km = 0.33 µm) of flavin mononucleotide but not by flavin adenine dinucleotide.
A Physics Exploratory Experiment on Plasma Liner Formation

Momentum flux for imploding a target plasma in magnetized target fusion (MTF) may be delivered by an array of plasma guns launching plasma jets that would merge to form an imploding plasma shell (liner). In this paper, we examine what would be a worthwhile experiment to explore the dynamics of merging plasma jets to form a plasma liner as a first step in establishing an experimental database for plasma-jets-driven magnetized target fusion (PJETS-MTF). Using past experience in fusion energy research as a model, we envisage a four-phase program to advance the art of PJETS-MTF to fusion breakeven (Q ∼ 1). The experiment (PLX) described in this paper serves as Phase 1 of this four-phase program. The logic underlying the selection of the experimental parameters is presented. The experiment consists of using 12 plasma guns arranged in a circle, launching plasma jets toward the center of a vacuum chamber. The velocity of the plasma jets chosen is 200 km/s, and each jet is to carry a mass of 0.2 mg to 0.4 mg. A candidate plasma accelerator for launching these jets consists of a coaxial plasma gun of the Marshall type.
The Effects of Different Feed Enrichments on Survivorship and Growth of Early Juvenile Longsnout Seahorse, Hippocampus reidi

Culturing the longsnout seahorse, Hippocampus reidi, remains challenging because unlike most cultured seahorse species, Artemia is not an optimal first feed. Ideally, more nutritious live feeds such as wild plankton or copepods should be used, but are not always readily available. Therefore, facilities commonly utilize enriched rotifers. Numerous feed enrichment products exist, including Dan's Feed Artemia Enrichment®, (Dan's Feed) which is a blend of commercially available enrichment products. The aim of this study was to assess the survivorship, growth, and condition factor (CF) of 0–28 DPR (days post release) H. reidi fed with rotifers and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed. This enrichment was evaluated against (1) rotifers and Artemia enriched with live alga (Isochrysis galbana), and (2) wild plankton and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed. At 28 DPR, in terms of survivorship and growth, seahorses fed with rotifers and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed had a lower CF and outperformed those fed rotifers and Artemia enriched with I. galbana. Seahorses fed with rotifers and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed performed on par with those fed with wild plankton and Artemia with no significant difference in CF. These findings demonstrated that the culture of H. reidi may be feasible with rotifers and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed.
Developmental changes in Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in cultures of hippocampal pyramidal neurons and astrocytes

We have analyzed Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II) localization, activity, and endogenous protein substrates during differentiation and synaptogenesis in cultured hippocampal neurons. Primary cultures from hippocampi from 18 d embryonic rats are composed primarily of pyramidal neurons, with minimal contamination by nonneuronal cells. We have used monoclonal (Mab) and affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies that recognize either or both of the subunits of CaM-kinase II in order to localize the enzyme at progressive stages of neuronal differentiation. Diffuse but specific binding, determined by indirect immunofluorescence analyses, was first detected in cell bodies and growth cones of pyramidal neurons after 4 d in culture. Immunoreactivity increased during the next 3 d of culture, at which time fluorescent, labeling was patchy along neuritic processes. By 10 d, intensely fluorescent, discrete spots were observed along processes and on cell bodies. Astrocyte cultures prepared from newborn rat cortex showed no detectable immunofluorescence with anti-CaM-kinase II antibodies. Cytosolic and particulate fractions from cultured pyramidal neurons and astrocytes were analyzed using immunoblot, in vitro phosphorylation, 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and phosphopeptide mapping techniques. Although pure astrocyte cultures contained low levels of Ca2+/CaM-stimulated protein kinase activity, they did not display detectable levels of immunoreactive 50 kDa subunit nor 50 and 60 kDa phosphoproteins analogous to the autophosphorylated subunits of CaM-kinase II. Immunoblot analysis detected the 60 kDa kinase subunit in particulate and cytosolic fractions from 2 d neurons. By contrast, the 50 kDa subunit of CaM-kinase II was not detected in cytosolic or particulate fractions of pyramidal neurons before 4 d in culture. In 2 d pyramidal neuron cultures, only low levels of Ca2+/CaM-stimulated protein phosphorylation were observed. Ca2+/CaM-dependent phosphorylation of 10 d pyramidal cell proteins was 3-5-fold greater than that of 2 d cultures, and included major phosphoproteins of 48, 50, 56, 58/60, 80-86, 90, 120, 138, 175, and 190 kDa. Phosphopeptide maps of 58/60 and 50 kDa phosphoproteins gave patterns very similar to those of the autophosphorylated 60 and 50 kDa subunits, respectively, of purified CaM-kinase II. A phosphoprotein doublet of 83 kDa was identified as synapsin I. Developmental changes in Ca2+/CaM-dependent phosphorylation in pyramidal neuron cultures were very similar to those previously described in subcellular fractions from postnatal rat forebrain.
COR TRIATRIATUM: HEMODYNAMIC AND ANGIOCARDIOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS.

Abstract Three cases of cor triatriatum are reported. Each patient presented with breathlessness and had signs of pulmonary hypertension, with electrocardiographic evidence of right ventricular overload. Plain radiographs of the chest showed moderate left atrial enlargement and changes indicative of pulmonary venous engorgement. Left atrial enlargement was confirmed in 2 cases by angiocardiography and was quantitated by measurement of the left atrial volumes. Hemodynamic studies revealed a considerable increase in the pulmonary arterial pressure (78 mm. Hg systolic and 32 mm. Hg diastolic to 125 mm. Hg systolic and 75 mm. Hg diastolic) and in the “wedge” pressure (28 mm. Hg systolic and 20 mm. Hg diastolic to 65 mm. Hg systolic and 18 mm. Hg diastolic), with normal left ventricular end-diastolic pressures. Angiocardiography was performed in 2 patients, and in each the intra-atrial diaphragm was clearly demonstrated. Removal of the left atrial diaphragm was successful in 2 patients. The third patient, who had severe pulmonary vascular disease, died on the first postoperative day.
Strategies of rule discovery in an inference task

Abstract It has long been known that subjects in certain inference tasks will seek evidence which can confirm their present hypotheses, even in situations where disconfirmatory evidence could be more informative. We sought to alter this tendency in a series of experiments which employed a rule discovery task, the 2-4-6 problem first described by Wason. The first experiment instructionally modified subjects confirmatory tendencies. While a disconfirmatory strategy was easily induced, it did not lead to greater efficiency in discovering the rule. The second experiment introduced subjects to the possibility of disconfirmation only after they had developed a strongly held hypothesis through the use of confirmatory evidence. This manipulation also failed to alter the efficiency of rule discovery. In the third experiment, subjects were taught to use multiple hypotheses at each step, in the manner of Platt's “Strong Inference”. This operation actually worsened performance. Finally, in the fourth experiment, the ...
Rectal Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Are Superior to Pancreatic Duct Stents in Preventing Pancreatitis After Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: A Network Meta-analysis

Background & Aims Placement of pancreatic duct (PD) stents prevents pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). There is evidence that rectal administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) also prevents post-ERCP pancreatitis, but the 2 approaches alone have not been compared directly. We conducted a network meta-analysis to indirectly compare the efficacies of these procedures. Methods PubMed and Embase were searched by 2 independent reviewers to identify full-length clinical studies, published in English, investigating use of PD stent placement and rectal NSAIDs to prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis. We identified 29 studies (22 of PD stents and 7 of NSAIDs). We used network meta-analysis to compare rates of post-ERCP pancreatitis among patients who received only rectal NSAIDs, only PD stents, or both. Results Placement of PD stents and rectal administration of NSAIDs were each superior to placebo in preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis. The combination of rectal NSAIDs and stents was not superior to either approach alone. Pooled results showed that rectal NSAIDs alone were superior to PD stents alone in preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis (odds ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.26–0.87). Conclusions Based on a network meta-analysis, rectal NSAIDs alone are superior to PD stents alone in preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis, and should be considered first-line therapy for selected patients. However, these findings were limited by the small number of studies assessed (only 29 studies), potential publication bias, and the indirect nature of the comparison. High-quality, randomized, controlled trials are needed to compare these 2 interventions and confirm these findings.
Determining the Size of a Finite Population of Different Objects from a Finite Sample taken at Random with Replacement

This paper gives a parsimonious solution to a standard variant of the classical Collector's Problem. A new computational formula based on a recursion is derived which extends the limits of tables and greatly speeds up their calculation.
Collisional sheath dynamics

Using a collisional fluid model, we investigate the dynamics of the collisional sheath following the application of a large, negative, finite‐rise‐time, voltage pulse to a planar target. For a moderate amount of collisionallity, we find that the ion impact energy decreases significantly, while the sheath width and ion flux (i.e., the ion current) are not greatly reduced. The theory shows fair agreement with experimental measurements.
Production and Sales Planning in Capacitated New Product Introductions

How should a firm with limited capacity introduce a new product? Should it introduce the product as soon as possible or delay introduction to build up inventory? How do the product and market characteristics affect the firm's decisions? To answer such questions, we analyze new product introductions under capacity restrictions using a two-period model with diffusion-type demand. Combining marketing and operations management decisions in a stylized model, we optimize the production and sales plans of the firm for a single product. We identify four different introduction policies and show that when the holding cost is low and the capacity is low to moderate, a (partial) build-up policy is indeed optimal if consumers are sensitive to delay. Under such a policy, the firm (partially) delays the introduction of its product and incurs short-term backlog costs to manage its future demand and total costs more effectively. However, as either the holding cost or the capacity increases, or consumer sensitivity to delay decreases, the build-up policy starts to lose its appeal, and instead, the firm prefers an immediate product introduction. We extend our analysis by studying the optimal capacity decision of the firm and show that capacity shortages may be intentional.
Comparison of the gentamicin resistance transposon Tn5281 with regions encoding gentamicin resistance in Enterococcus faecalis isolates from diverse geographic locations.

The genetic determinant encoding gentamicin resistance (Gmr) on the beta-lactamase encoding plasmid pBEM10 of Enterococcus faecalis HH22 is carried on a transposon, termed Tn5281, that is highly related to the staphylococcal Gmr transposons Tn4001 found in Australian isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Tn4031 found in United States isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis. We have now studied plasmid DNA from Gmr strains of E. faecalis isolated from diverse geographical locations (Houston, Pennsylvania, Thailand, and Chile) by using restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization to determine whether other Gmr E. faecalis carry Tn5281 or a similar type of element. We also compared these enterococci to several United States isolates of Staphylococcus aureus with nonmobile Gmr determinants. Three E. faecalis isolates (from Houston and Chile) carried Tn5281-like elements, whereas two isolates (from Houston and Pennsylvania) had restriction endonuclease and DNA-DNA hybridization patterns more similar to those of the Tn4001-IS257 hybrid found in the nonmobile Gmr determinants in United States isolates of S. aureus. A strain from Thailand had a third pattern unrelated to either Tn5281 or the nonmobile Gmr determinants present in United States isolates of S. aureus. Our results demonstrate that there is both similarity and diversity between the Gmr determinant of strains of E. faecalis isolated in diverse geographic locations. Images
Facile N-oxygenation of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine by the flavin-containing monooxygenase. A convenient synthesis of tritiated [methyl-3H]-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydropyridinium species.

A rapid, efficient procedure useful for the radiosynthesis of (Me-/sup 3/H)-MPDP+ ((methyl-/sup 3/H)-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydropyridinium species) is described. Hog liver microsomes or the highly purified flavin-containing monooxygenase from hog liver quantitatively biotransforms (Me-/sup 3/H)-MPTP to its corresponding radiolabeled N-oxide. For the small-scale synthesis required for radiolabeling procedures, this enzymatic process is superior to H/sub 2/O/sub 2/-mediated N-oxygenation of MPTP. In the presence of 0.5 mM NADPH, 4.5 mM n-octylamine, and 2 microCi (Me-/sup 3/H)-MPTP, the only product detected in extracts from incubations performed with hog liver microsomes or purified hog liver flavin-containing monooxygenase is (Me-/sup 3/H)-MPTP N-oxide. (Me-/sup 3/H)-MPTP N-oxide is almost completely converted to (Me-/sup 3/H)-MPDP+ by the action of trifluoroacetic anhydride. This procedure has the advantage of using a commercially available tritiated starting material, efficient transformations, and easily accomplished purification to afford a rapid synthesis of (Me-/sup 3/H)-MPDP+.
Establishing a new curriculum in computer technology: the process continues

The creation of a new curriculum requires a great deal of enthusiasm, energy, and perseverance, coupled with the support from department colleagues and all the upper levels of administration. The academic and political environment during the academic year 1994-1995 was conducive for the Computer Science Department to establish a new career track curriculum. In this article, I will enumerate the steps that I took to create and establish the Computer Technology curriculum at Suffolk Community College as well as the frustrations and stumbling blocks that I experienced along the way.
Fast and robust measurement of microstructural dimensions using temporal diffusion spectroscopy

Mapping axon sizes non-invasively is of interest for neuroscientists and may have significant clinical potential because nerve conduction velocity is directly dependent on axon size. Current approaches to measuring axon sizes using diffusion-weighted MRI, e.g. q-space imaging with pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) sequences usually require long scan times and high q-values to detect small axons (diameter <2μm). The oscillating gradient spin echo (OGSE) method has been shown to be able to achieve very short diffusion times and hence may be able to detect smaller axons with high sensitivity. In the current study, OGSE experiments were performed to measure the inner diameters of hollow microcapillaries with a range of sizes (∼1.5-19.3μm) that mimic axons in the human central nervous system. The results suggest that OGSE measurements, even with only moderately high frequencies, are highly sensitive to compartment sizes, and a minimum of two ADC values with different frequencies may be sufficient to extract the microcapillary size accurately. This suggests that the OGSE method may serve as a fast and robust measurement method for mapping axon sizes non-invasively.
Inhibition of plaque-forming cells with anti-idotope or hapten: Variation due to hapten density on indicator red cells

Abstract Phosphorylcholine (PC)-specific antibody plaque-forming cells (PFC) were enumerated in the spleen of BALB/c mice immunized with S. pneumoniae R36a bacterial vaccine. Two indicator red blood cells were compared: RBC coupled with the hapten, PC-RBC, and cells coupled with PC-bearing polysacchraride from the pneumococcus, PnC-RBC. Equal numbers of direct (IgM) PFC were detected with both types of indicator cells. However, a significant difference appeared in the attempt to inhibit the respective PFC either with hapten (monovalent PC chloride, PCCl) or with monoclonal antibodies against T15 idiotopes (anti-Id). At optimal coupling concentrations, inhibition of anti-PnC-RBC plaques required a 10-fold higher concentration of the hapten when compared to anti-PC-SRBC plaques. Also, the inhibition of anti-PnC-SRBC plaques with anti-Id required much higher concentration of the antibody. The phenomenon may be explained by a higher epitope density on PnC-RBC than on PC-RBC. Heavily coupled PC-RBC were more difficult to inhibit (much like the PnC-RBC) by either the hapten or the anti-Id than lightly coupled PC-RBC. A mathematical analysis of the experimental curves supports the notion that under the assay conditions used, inhibtion by either the hapten or the anti-Id is influenced primarily by antibody secretion rate and epitope density on indicator cells. If the 2 variables are too high, a significant inhibition of PFC with a low affinity anti-Id may not be possible. The theory also predicted that addition of a small amount of hapten into the assay would be roughly equivalent to secretion rate reduction and would facilitate the plaque inhibition by anti-Id. Indeed, we show a synergism between a minute (non-inhibitory) amount of PCCI and anti-Id in the inhibition of PC-specific PFC. These results point out that the detection of an idiotype-bearing PFC by plaque-inhibition assay is greatly influenced by technical variation in the assay, in particular, the preparation of the indicator red cells.
Sticks, Stones and Broken Bones: Military Law's Criteria for Aggravated Assault

In light of recent military court decisions, this article asks whether the Uniform Code of Military Justice should be revised to encompass batteries which do not satisfy the present nineteenth century definition of grievous bodily harm. In answering this question, the article first traces the evolution of the military law of battery. Current medical views on the consequences of a criminal attack, particularly the psychic effects of violence, are then explored, concluded with a discussion of the competing considerations which should affect any decision to change the law.
Largemouth Bass Habitat Interactions among Off-Channel and Main River Habitats in an Ohio River Navigation Pool

ABSTRACT We assessed how largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) used off-channel and main-channel habitats across seasons in the Belleville Pool of the Ohio River. By tracking twenty-eight fish that were implanted with low-frequency radio transmitters, we found that largemouth bass extensively used off-channel and main-channel border habitats, particularly in the winter and spring (spawning) seasons. All observed spring movements and behavior consistent with spawning occurred in off-channel habitats. These results, coupled with the findings of others, suggest that large river largemouth bass commonly use main-channel habitat as supplementary habitat or as a dispersal corridor.
Choosing to Vary and Repeat

Can animals choose to vary their behaviors or to repeat them, depending on the rewards they earn for behaving variably versus repetitively? To answer this question, pigeons were rewarded for four-response sequences made to left (L) and right (R) disks. A “varied” sequence differed from each of the previous three sequences, and a “repeated” sequence was the same as some one of the previous three. For example, if a pigeon had generated sequences LLLL. LLLR, and LLRR in that order, then an RRRR sequence in the next trial was defined as a variation, whereas LLLL was a repetition. Two experiments showed that frequencies of varied and repeated sequences depended on the frequencies with which they were reinforced, with a “matching” relationship accounting for the results. It was concluded that pigeons' choices to vary or repeat parallel their choices between simpler response alternatives, a result consistent with the hypothesis that behavioral variability is influenced by its consequences. This finding may help ...
Confusion of memory

It is a truism that for a machine to have a useful access to memory or workspace, it must ''know'' where its input ends and its working memory begins. Most machine models separate input from memory explicitly, in one way or another. We are interested here in computational models which do not separate input from working memory. We study the situation on deterministic single-queue machines working on a two symbol alphabet. We establish a negative result about such machines: they cannot compute the length of their input. This confirms the intuition that such machines are ''unable to tell'' where on the queue the input ends and the memory begins. On the positive side, we note that there are some interesting things that one can do with such queue machines: their halting problem is undecidable, there are self-replicating machines, and there are recognizable languages outside of the control hierarchy.
The Social Causation of the Courtly Love Complex

How to account for the courtly love complex of the troubadours and minnesingers has been an unsolved puzzle ever since the romanticists discovered it as a scholarly problem. For about three generations, in the 12th and 13th centuries, Provencal and German lyrical poetry was preoccupied with a strangely uneven love pattern. In the classic version of this poetry, the male lover presents himself as engrossed in a yearning desire for the love of an exceedingly beautiful and perfect woman whose strange emotional aloofness and high social status make her appear hopelessly distant. But the frustrated and sorrowful lover cannot overcome his fascination and renders faithful “love service” to this “high-minded” and exacting lady who reciprocates in a surprising manner: She does not grant him the amorous “reward” which he craves, but she gives him what immeasurably increases his “worth”: She rewards him with approval and reassurance. The great lady accepts him as being worthy of her attention, but only at the price of behavioral restraint and refinement of manners, that is, at the price of courtois behavior. As the contemporaries put it, courtoisie is the result of courtly love.
Flow and Heat Transfer Through a Polygonal Duct filled with a Porous Medium

The fully developed flow and H1 heat transfer in a polygonal duct filled with a Darcy–Brinkman medium is studied. The efficient method of boundary collocation is used. The problem is governed by the duct shape and a non-dimensional parameter s which characterizes the inverse square root of permeability. Asymptotic formulas for small and large s are derived.
COMPLETE CLASSIFICATION OF LORENTZ SURFACES WITH PARALLEL MEAN CURVATURE VECTOR IN ARBITRARY PSEUDO-EUCLIDEAN SPACE

Surfaces with parallel mean curvature vector play important roles in the theory of harmonic maps, differential geometry as well as in physics. Surfaces with parallel mean curvature vector in Riemannian space forms were classified in the early 1970s by Chen and Yau. Recently, space-like surfaces with parallel mean curvature vector in arbitrary indefinite space forms were completely classified by Chen in two papers in 2009. In this paper, we completely classify Lorentz surfaces with parallel mean curvature vector in a pseudo-Euclidean space Ems with arbitrary dimension m and arbitrary index s. Our main result states that there are 23 families of Lorentz surfaces with parallel mean curvature vector in a pseudo-Euclidean m-space Ems . Conversely, every Lorentz surface with parallel mean curvature vector in Ems is obtained from the 23 families.
Mixing rapid-acting insulin analogues with insulin glargine in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Objective To determine whether mixing insulin glargine (IG) with a rapid-acting insulin (RAI) analogue in the same syringe had any deleterious effects on glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Study design Data from 55 children mixing the IG with a RAI analogue was collected for 6 months before and 6 months after the insulin mixing began. Data from a control group of 55 children not mixing the insulins was collected at similar intervals. Parameters evaluated included hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values, number of non-severe and severe hypoglycemic events, number of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) events, and blood glucose distribution patterns. Results After 6 months of study, HbA1c values were equivalent for the control and test groups (8.54 ± 1.14 vs 8.61 ± 1.14, respectively; P = 1.0000). Percentages of blood glucose values in, above, and below the target range did not vary significantly in the groups. There were no significant differences in the groups in the occurrence of non-severe or severe hypoglycemic events or of DKA events. Conclusion There were no significant differences in glycemic control between children who mixed IG in the same syringe with a RAI analogue compared with children who took separate injections.