cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MicroMultitest: Ranking Differentially-Expressed Genes in Microarray Data

The important purpose of the microarray gene expression data analysis is to identify significantly differentially-expressed genes between two groups of samples which are in two different experimental states. In this work, we propose to use several statistical test methods for a given microarray data set and cross-refer the results of different statistical test methods. The accuracy of different statistical methods is estimated by Receiver Operation Characteristic (ROC) technique. A new software tool, MicroMultitest, was developed. A number of statistical testing methods (such as t-test, adapted SAM method, p-value adjustments), as well as the ROC analysis technique were implemented in this software. Using the MicroMultitest one has the ability to evaluate the performance of different statistical testing methods by applying each to the same given microarray data set, optimize the cutoff values and permutation times for these statistical testing methods, and select relative reliable differentially-expressed gene set.
IN SITU CHARACTERIZATION OF VAPOR PHASE GROWTH OF IRON OXIDE-SILICA NANOCOMPOSITES : PART I. 2-D PLANAR LASER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE AND MIE IMAGING

Planar laser-based imaging measurements of fluorescence and particle scattering have been obtained during flame synthesis of iron-oxide/silica superparamagnetic nanocomposites. The theory and application of laser-induced fluorescence, the spectroscopy of FeO(g), and the experimental approach for measurement of gas phase precursors to particle formation are discussed. The results show that the vapor phase FeO concentration rapidly rises at the primary reaction front of the flame and is very sensitive to the amount of precursor added, suggesting nucleation-controlled particle growth. The FeO vapor concentration in the main nucleation zone was found to be insensitive to the amount of silicon precursor injected, indicating that nucleation occurred independently for the iron and silicon components. Light scattering measurements indicate that nanocomposite particles sinter faster than single component silica, in agreement with TEM measurements.
Production of Hydrogen Peroxide by Lactobacillus acidophilus

Hydrogen peroxide production in reconstituted skim milk (10%) and low-fat milk by four strains lf Lactobacillus acidophilus was studied at 37 and 4 C. Strains A and B produced little, but strains C and D produced larger amounts, especially if agitated continuously during growth at 37 C or storage at 4 C. Continuous shaking was required at 4 C for C or D (4.0 X 10(8)/ml) to produce sufficient hydrogen peroxide to retard growth of Pseudomonas fragi. Flavin adenine dinucleotide stimulated the oxidation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide by dialyzed cell-free extracts of C and D, which indicated that the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidases of these strains produce hydrogen peroxide as an end product.
Excitatory Actions of GABA after Neuronal Trauma

GABA is the dominant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS. By opening Cl − channels, GABA generally hyperpolarizes the membrane potential, decreases neuronal activity, and reduces intracellular Ca 2+ of mature neurons. In the present experiment, we show that after neuronal trauma, GABA, both synaptically released and exogenously applied, exerted a novel and opposite effect, depolarizing neurons and increasing intracellular Ca 2+ . Different types of trauma that were effective included neurite transection, replating, osmotic imbalance, and excess heat. The depolarizing actions of GABA after trauma increased Ca 2+ levels up to fourfold in some neurons, occurred in more than half of the severely injured neurons, and was long lasting (>1 week). The mechanism for the reversed action of GABA appears to be a depolarized Cl − reversal potential that results in outward rather than inward movement of Cl − , as revealed by gramicidin-perforated whole-cell patch-clamp recording. The consequent depolarization and resultant activation of the nimodipine sensitive L- and conotoxin-sensitive N-type voltage-activated Ca 2+ channel allows extracellular Ca 2+ to enter the neuron. The long-lasting capacity to raise Ca 2+ may give GABA a greater role during recovery from trauma in modulating gene expression, and directing and enhancing outgrowth of regenerating neurites. On the negative side, by its depolarizing actions, GABA could increase neuronal damage by raising cytosolic Ca 2+ levels in injured cells. Furthermore, the excitatory actions of GABA after neuronal injury may contribute to maladaptive signal transmission in affected GABAergic brain circuits.
Lambda Excision Revisited: Testing a Model for Synapsis of Prophage Ends

Excision of lambda prophage was reexamined to test a model for prophage end synapsis. The model proposes that, during in situ prophage replication, following induction, the diverging replication forks are held together. Consequently, prophage DNA is spooled through the replication machinery, drawing the prophage ends together and facilitating synapsis. The model predicts that excision will be slowed if in situ lambda replication is inhibited, and the predicted low rate of excision of a nonreplicating prophage was observed after thermoinduction. However, excision was rapid if additional Int protein was supplied or if the temperature was reduced after induction, showing that (i) Int is partially thermosensitive for excision at 42°C and (ii) in situ replication is not required for rapid excision, a finding that is inconsistent with the model.
A trench isolation study for deep submicron CMOS technology

The simple approach of thermal oxide capped poly refill trench isolation (Rung et al., 1982) is studied with regard to the impact of cap oxide thickness, trench wall thermal oxide thickness, and trench depth on MOSFET and isolation characteristics. It is shown that an increase of cap oxide thickness (t/sub ox/) from 600 to 2000 AA eliminates subthreshold double-hump phenomena, improves isolation V/sub T/, improves inverse narrow-width effect, and still maintains reasonably low diode leakage current. An improvement of isolation V/sub T/ is observed with thinner thermal oxide ( approximately 50 AA) on trench wall due to the less dopant segregation, while diode leakage is found to be insensitive to the trench wall thermal oxide thickness. The trade-off between latch-up holding and MOSFET snapback voltages leads to an optimal trench depth. >
Effect of a Small, Acid-Soluble Spore Protein from Clostridium perfringens on the Resistance Properties of Bacillus subtilis Spores

Alpha/beta-type small, acid-soluble spore proteins (SASP) are essential for the resistance of DNA in spores of Bacillus species to damage. An alpha/beta-type SASP, Ssp2, from Clostridium perfringens was expressed at significant levels in B. subtilis spores lacking one or both major alpha/beta-type SASP (alpha- and alpha- beta- strains, respectively). Ssp2 restored some of the resistance of alpha- beta- spores to UV and nitrous acid and of alpha- spores to dry heat. Ssp2 also restored much of the resistance of alpha- spores to nitrous acid and restored full resistance of alpha- spores to UV and moist heat. These results further indicate the interchangeability of alpha/beta-type SASP in DNA protection in spores.
Effects of imiquimod on vulvar Paget's disease: A systematic review of literature

Abstract Objective To examine the effectiveness of topical imiquimod therapy for vulvar Paget's disease. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted using three public search engines with entry keywords "Paget's disease" and "imiquimod". Case reports describing imiquimod treatment for vulvar Paget's disease were examined for demographics, treatment patterns, and outcome (63 cases). Results Median age was 68, and nearly a half of cases were recurrent disease (50.8%) with surgical resection being the most common prior treatment modality (62.5%). All cases used 5% imiquimod and the median treatment duration was 4months. The most common initial treatment frequency was 3–4times/week (68.3%) followed by 5–7 (17.4%) and 1–2times/week (14.3%). Frequency-reduction due to adverse effects was seen in 9.5% with the initial 5–7times/week regimen being associated with the highest reduction rate (1–2, 3–4, and 5–7times/week: 0%, 2.3%, and 81.8%, p versus recurrent), and treatment frequency after dose reduction were not associated with CR rates (all, p>0.05). Conclusion Our results suggested that imiquimod therapy may be an effective possible treatment option for vulvar Paget's disease, especially for women who have experienced recurrence after multiple surgical resections or who are with poor surgical candidates.
Pointing Stability Performance of the Cassini Spacecraft

interplanetary cruise to Saturn and the four year prime mission, the control of the Cassini spacecraft is achieved by employing either the Reaction Control System (RCS) composed of a set of eight thrusters or the Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA) made up of four reaction wheels, only three of which are active at a given time. The operations of Cassini imaging instruments (such as the Narrow Angle Camera) require a high level of spacecraft pointing stability in order to minimize the distortion and smearing of the image during the exposure time. In designing the Cassini attitude control system, a pointing stability performance metric that considered the frequency contents of the disturbance sources was employed. The flight performance of the Cassini pointing stability, achieved with a set of three reaction wheels or RCS thrusters, is summarized in this paper.
Optimum conditions for the release and regeneration of protoplasts of Alternaria alternata

Best release of Alternaria alternata protoplasts was obtained when 20 h old mycelia were incubated in a hydrolytic enzyme mixture of Novozym 234, Driselase, and β-glucuronidase. Numbers of nuclei/protoplast varied but generally decreased with increased time of incubation. While salts, were better osmotic stabilizers for protoplast release, sucrose and sugar alcohols were better for regeneration.
The influence of applied stress, crack length, and stress intensity factor on crack closure

Experimental and analytical evidence for the influence of applied stress, crack length, and stress intensity factor on crack closure is critically compared and evaluated. Fatigue crack opening behaviors are broadly catalogued into three classes. Class I comprises “near-threshold” behavior, where crack closure levels increase with decreasing stress intensity factor. In class II, the “stable” regime, the crack opening level is independent of the stress intensity factor and crack length but is influenced by the applied stress. Class III is characterized by the loss of elastic constraint accompanying extensive yielding at the crack tip or in the remaining ligament, especially with further crack growth. Here, the crack opening level decreases with increasing crack length until little or no closure occurs. These three different classes of closure behavior are extensively illustrated with both experimental data and the results of numerical closure simulations, particularly original finite element (FE) analyses. No single relationship between crack opening levels and the fundamental fatigue parameters is found to hold universally, due to the wide range of mechanisms which cause or influence closure.
Occasions and Nations in Brahms's Fest- und Gedenkspruche

Brahms9s Fest- und Gedenkspruche have long been discussed and sometimes dismissed as an occasional work. But although many scholars have debunked this designation, pointing out that Brahms wrote the motets with no particular occasion in mind, a more salient description of the composition deserves further investigation: the motets are a work for occasions, rather than an occasional work. This article looks at the repercussions of this distinction by focusing on the motets9 orientation around the world of plurals (in Benedict Anderson9s words) that was both presupposed and fostered by a national culture of festivity in late-nineteenth-century Germany. For one, the title of Brahms9s motets-- Spruche --references the contemporary collections of sayings that sought to capture and disseminate the multiplicity of the Volk in the new German Kaiserreich. This emphasis on national identity as a localized, participatory act was well suited to the flurry of commemorative festivities taking place throughout the newly unified Germany; it also finds musical expression in the motets. In particular, Brahms makes programmatic use of the double chorus to illustrate processes of unification, narration, and historical continuity, all of which were crucial strategies in the attempt to buttress Germany9s new political identity with mnemonic supports. And by setting biblical texts that promote a contractual memory between fathers and sons, Brahms depicts a community in which collective participation in remembering the national past serves as an optimistic bulwark against the centrifugal antagonisms that would soon beset the young German nation.
Holocene climate variability and anthropogenic impacts from Lago Paixban, a perennial wetland in Peten, Guatemala

Abstract Analyses of an ~ 6 m sediment core from Lago Paixban in Peten, Guatemala, document the complex evolution of a perennial wetland over the last 10,300 years. The basal sediment is comprised of alluvial/colluvial fill deposited in the early Holocene. The absence of pollen and gastropods in the basal sediments suggests intermittently dry conditions until ~ 9000 cal yr. BP (henceforth BP) when the basin began to hold water perennially. Lowland tropical forest taxa dominated the local vegetation at this time. A distinct band of carbonate dating to ~ 8200 BP suggests regionally dry conditions, possibly associated with the 8.2 ka event. Wetter conditions during the Holocene Thermal Maximum are indicated by evidence of a raised water level and an open water lake. The timing of this interval coincides with strengthening of the Central American Monsoon. An abrupt change at 5500 BP involved the development of a sawgrass marsh and onset of peat deposition. The lowest recorded water levels date to 5500–4500 BP. Pollen, isotope, geochemical, and sedimentological data indicate that the coring site was near the edge of the marsh during this period. A rise in the water table after 4500 BP persisted until around 3500 BP. Clay marl deposition from 3500 to 210 BP corresponds to the period of Maya settlement. An increase in δ 13 C, the presence of Zea pollen, and a reduction in the percentage of forest taxa pollen indicate agricultural activity at this time. In contrast to several nearby paleoenvironmental studies, proxy evidence from Lago Paixban indicates human presence through the Classic/Postclassic period transition (~ 1000 BP) and persisting until the arrival of Europeans. Cessation of human activity around 210 BP resulted in local afforestation and the re-establishment of the current sawgrass marsh at Lago Paixban.
Mammographic and clinical predictors of drainage patterns in breast lymphoscintigrams obtained during sentinel node procedures.

PURPOSE The authors' purpose was to explore the association between mammographic findings and drainage patterns on lymphoscintigrams obtained during sentinel node procedures for breast carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS From July 1997 to March 2000, 132 patients with breast cancer who were included in a prospective mammography-pathology correlation and staging database were imaged 2 hours after perilesional injection of 1 mCi filtered (0. 22 microm) Tc-99m sulfur colloid (4 ml volume) before sentinel node procedures. RESULTS Sixty-four percent of the scans showed axillary drainage only, 9% showed axillary and internal mammary drainage, and 4% revealed internal mammary drainage only. Twenty-three percent of scans showed no drainage. Of the patients who showed drainage, 17% showed drainage to the internal mammary basin, and 5% showed this exclusively. Internal mammary drainage was seen in 18% (10 of 57) of lateral, 21% (6 of 29) of medial, and 14% (1 of 7) of subareolar lesions (P = NS). No drainage was seen in 22% of patients with predominantly fatty mammographic parenchymal density (>50%) compared with only 8% of patients with predominantly dense (>50%) parenchyma (P < 0.05). Failure to show drainage was more common in women older than 50 years (P < 0.05). Axillary sentinel nodes were identified surgically in 73% of patients with negative scan findings. There was no significant association between scintigraphic drainage and mammographic soft tissue tumor size and appearance, histologic findings, or axillary node status. CONCLUSIONS Dense mammographic parenchyma and age less than 50 years are associated with identification of lymphatic drainage on lymphoscintigrams performed before sentinel node procedures in 91% to 92% of patients. Internal mammary drainage, present in 18% of lateral and 21% of medial lesions, may direct therapy to include internal mammary lymph nodes.
Knowledge, Utility and Sense of Efficacy as Determinants of Environmentally Responsible Behavior:

A cognitively oriented approach was chosen for the prediction of behavior. The degree in which environmentally responsible behavior could be predicted from utility, knowledge, and sense of efficacy was investigated in a sample of 204 respondents. It was shown that knowledge was the most important determining factor, although only 25% of the variance could be explained.
Activity of ceftazidime against Gram-negative bacilli from paediatric patients

Clinically relevant bacterial isolates from paediatric patients were tested for in-vitro susceptibility to ceftazidime. They included 54 strains of coliform bacilli from infants with meningitis, 41 strains of coliforms which were multiply-resistant to aminoglycosides, 65 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from burn unit patients, cystic fibrosis patients and other clinical specimens, and 16 miscellaneous nonfermentative bacilli. The range of MICs for coliform bacilli was from < or = 0.06 to 0.5 mg/l and the MIC90 was 0.25 mg/l. One pseudomonas isolate and two non-fermenters were resistant, but the others were susceptible with an MIC90 of 8 mg/l and a median MIC of 2 mg/l. Ceftazidime has comparable activity to moxalactam, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime against coliform bacilli and greater activity against pseudomonas strains.
Brain Oxygenation and CNS Oxygen Toxicity after Infusion of Perfluorocarbon Emulsion

Intravenous perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsions, administered with supplemental inspired O2, are being evaluated for their ability to eliminate N2 from blood and tissue prior to submarine escape, but t...
Application of diluted magnetic semiconductors and quantum dots to spin polarized light sources

The magnetic properties of single and multiple layers of GaMnAs, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, have been investigated for application as spin injector layers in spin polarized lights sources. Curie temperatures, TC, as high as 150K have been measured in 15nm Ga0.95Mn0.05As films and similar results are obtained for multiple thin layers of GaMnAs separated by 5nm thick GaAs layers. We have also investigated the properties of self-organized InMnAs quantum dots buried in a GaAs or GaMnAs matrix. Magnetization measurements indicate TC >300K in the dot heterostructures. Light-emitting diode heterostructures with 150nm Ga0.95Mn0.05As spin injector layers and In0.4Ga0.6As quantum dot active regions were grown and fabricated into 600μm diameter mesa-shaped surface-emitting devices. Polarized light at 1.05μm is observed with an output polarization efficiency of 26% at a record high temperature.
The Death of the Christian Nation: The Judiciary and Church-State Relations

Contemporary critics of the United States Supreme Court's decisions in church-state relations often argue that the decisions are anti-historical, amounting to a sharp and precipitous break with our constitutional history. That some new ground was broken in church state relations during the Earl Warren and Warren Burger court years is undoubtedly true. The paths may seem particularly new if measured both against the Revolutionary era settlements and the high degree of constitutional stability common in this area until well after the Civil War. This stability was in no small measure a reflection of both the settlements and the social and economic conditions which existed until the eve of the Civil War. Chief among these conditions was the small scale economy in a country overwhelmingly Protestant and where the general level of commitment to organized religious life remained relatively low. These were the conditions which existed when the state judiciaries first encountered church-state issues in the early years of the Republic. Not surprisingly the early decisions were supportive of religion as the bulwark of the state and society. As the conditions altered after the Civil War, as new issues appeared and old issues were relitigated, the state appellate courts began slowly but perceptively to reformulate the ground rules in church-state relations. The process was by no means uniform; there was no clear path across both time and space. Yet between 1800 and 1920, and especially between 1870 and 1920, the state courts moved away from a perception of America as a Christian nation, from a religious communitarian conceptual framework and moved increasingly in the direction of a secular based perspective in church-state relations. Somewhere in the process the singular sense of America as a religious community was lost. Between 1800 and 1920 the volume of appellate litigation in church
Evaluation of HIV antibody positive patient identification and follow-up management promoted by Community-based Organizations

Objective To evaluate Community-based Organization's(CBO)performance on HIV antibody positive patient identification and follow-up management in Nanjing.Methods Using descriptive epidemiological method,HIV antibody positive patient identification promoted by CBO and other Governmental Organizations(GOs)from 2008 to 2013 in Nanjing area was compared,characteristics of patients were analyzed,follow-up management was evaluated.Results From 2008 to 2013,26 558 HIV tests were promoted by CBO,accounting for 0.66% of all HIV tests;a total of 958 HIV antibody positive patients were identified,accounting for 39.98% of all patients.The positive rate of CBO group(3.61%)was higher than that of GOs group(0.04%),with significant difference(P0.01).The constitution of age,education level,household registration and occupation of HIV antibody positive patients identified via CBO and GOs promotion were significantly different(all P0.05).Compared to GOs,CBO can identify more patients with age of 20~29,whose house hold registration was not in Nanjing,with college or higher level of degree and occupation of student.For patients identified via CBO promotion,the ratio of patients taking CD4+T cell test at first time and one year later were higher than those of patients identified via GOs promotion.Compared to patients identified via GOs promotion,average counts of CD4+T cells and the ratio of patients with 500/μL counts of CD4+T cells at first time and one year later were higher for patients identified via CBO promotion,with significant difference(all P0.05).Conclusion CBO promoted local HIV antibody positive patients identification and effective follow-up management.Cooperation with CBO should be enhanced to establish a long-term mechanism for government to purchase services provided by CBO.
A study of the incorporation of urinary macromolecules onto crystals of different mineral compositions.

Abstract A new method used to study the binding of proteins onto calcium oxalate crystals demonstrated this interaction to be a selective process regarding the types of adsorbed proteins. To determine whether the incorporation of urinary macromolecules onto crystals formed in urine in vitro is dependent on the specific crystalline composition, this technique was applied to both uric acid and calcium oxalate crystals. Powdered uric acid was dissolved in urine and the pH lowered to 5.5. The resulting uric acid crystals were centrifuged and the pellet dialyzed against water at pH 8.0. Calcium oxalate crystals produced by the addition of 0.1 M calcium chloride and 0.1 M sodium oxalate to an aliquot of the same urine sample were demineralized with 5% EDTA. Gel filtration chromatography was used to isolate the protein fraction of an aliquot of the urine samples before and after crystallization of uric acid and calcium oxalate. The proteins recovered from the crystals and urine samples were separated by two-dimensional Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Analysis of the gels confirmed that the binding of urinary proteins onto crystals is a selective process and indicate that this interaction is dependent on the specific inorganic composition of the crystals.
Minimal Margin Extracapsular Dissection: A Viable Alternative Technique for Benign Parotid Lesions?

Objective:Extracapsular dissection (ECD) has become an accepted, less invasive alternative for the removal of select benign parotid lesions that may reduce complications. Minimal margin extracapsul...
An Affective Neuroscience Model of Impaired Approach Motivation in Schizophrenia

Negative symptoms have long been considered a core domain of psychopathology in schizophrenia. There has been increased interest in determining the etiology of negative symptoms given that they are largely resistant to current treatment approaches. Limited progress in the treatment of negative symptoms may be due in part to having conceptualized the construct as a singular dimension with common etiology. However, there is now consistent evidence that negative symptoms can be divided into two dimensions of pathology, one reflecting reduced approach motivation and the other diminished expressivity. Although both dimensions are critically important treatment targets, increased severity of volitional symptoms has generally been associated with poorer outcomes. By gaining a better understanding of the etiology of volitional pathology, the field may be better positioned to develop more precise treatments that directly target the most relevant cognitive and neural mechanisms. In the current document, we review the literature on the etiology of the volitional dimension of negative symptoms through the lens of recent theoretical frameworks developed in the fields of cognitive and affective neuroscience. New evidence is presented indicating that schizophrenia patients display deficits in hedonic experience, but that these only emerge at lower levels of motivational significance. We also summarize evidence indicating that greater severity of volitional pathology is associated with dysfunctional corticostriatal interactions and impairments in several aspects of reward processing (e.g., reinforcement learning, value representation, effort-cost computation, uncertainty-driven exploration, and action selection) and emotion processing (e.g., emotion-attention interactions, emotional memory). A new theoretical model is proposed that builds upon recent models of negative symptoms and incorporates hedonic abnormalities, reward processing deficits, and dysfunctional cognition-emotion interactions into decision-making processes. Several promising directions for future research and treatment are also discussed in relation to this new theoretical formulation.
Diplycosia rigidifolia sp. nov. (Ericaceae) from Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia

Diplycosia rigidifolia sp. nov. from Mount Kinabalu, Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia, is described and illustrated. This species is similar to D. urceolata, but differs by its shorter petiole, thicker, strictly elliptic leaf blades, longer pedicels, calyx lobes with sharply acuminate apex, and larger purplish black fruiting calyx. The species is known only from Mt Kinabalu in northern Sabah state, Malaysia.
Pharmacokinetics, Biotransformation, and Excretion of [14C]Etelcalcetide (AMG 416) Following a Single Microtracer Intravenous Dose in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease on Hemodialysis

Etelcalcetide (AMG 416) is a novel synthetic peptide calcium-sensing receptor activator in clinical development as an intravenous calcimimetic for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on hemodialysis. Etelcalcetide is composed of seven d-aminoacids with an l-cysteine linked to a d-cysteine by a disulfide bond. A single intravenous dose of [14C]etelcalcetide (10 mg; 26.3 kBq; 710 nCi) was administered to patients with CKD on hemodialysis to elucidate the pharmacokinetics, biotransformation, and excretion of etelcalcetide in this setting. Blood, dialysate, urine, and feces were collected to characterize the pharmacokinetics, biotransformation product profiles, mass balance, and formation of anti-etelcalcetide antibodies. Accelerator mass spectrometry was necessary to measure the microtracer quantities of C-14 excreted in the large volumes of dialysate and other biomatrices. An estimated 67 % of the [14C]etelcalcetide dose was recovered in dialysate, urine, and feces 176 days after dose administration. Etelcalcetide was primarily cleared by hemodialysis, with approximately 60 % of the administered dose eliminated in dialysate. Minor excretion was observed in urine and feces. Biotransformation resulted from disulfide exchange with endogenous thiols, and preserved the etelcalcetide d-amino acid backbone. Drug-related radioactivity circulated primarily as serum albumin peptide conjugate (SAPC). Following removal of plasma etelcalcetide by hemodialysis, re-equilibration occurred between SAPC and l-cysteine present in blood to partially restore the etelcalcetide plasma concentrations between dialysis sessions. No unanticipated safety signals or anti-etelcalcetide or anti-SAPC antibodies were detected.
Standardized Testing Practices: Effect on Graduation and NCLEX® Pass Rates

The use standardized testing in pre-licensure nursing programs has been accompanied by conflicting reports of effective practices. The purpose of this project was to describe standardized testing practices in one states' nursing programs and discover if the use of a cut score or oversight of remediation had any effect on (a) first time NCLEX® pass rates, (b) on-time graduation (OTG) or (c) the combination of (a) and (b). Administrators of 38 nursing programs in one Southwest state were sent surveys; surveys were returned by 34 programs (89%). Survey responses were compared to each program's NCLEX pass rate and on-time graduation rate; t-tests were conducted for significant differences associated with a required minimum score (cut score) and oversight of remediation. There were no significant differences in NCLEX pass or on-time graduation rates related to establishment of a cut score. There was a significant difference when the NCLEX pass rate and on-time graduation rate were combined (Outcome Index "OI") with significantly higher program outcomes ( P =.02.) for programs without cut-scores. There were no differences associated with faculty oversight of remediation. The results of this study do not support establishment of a cut-score when implementing a standardized testing.
Visual Evoked Potentials in Phenylketonuria

Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were studied in 36 patients with phenylketonuria, and compared with MRI findings, dietary state, and IQ at the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, and the Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK.
Microbiological Safety of Radappertized Beef1

To assure microbiological safety and stability of irradiated meats, inoculated pack studies are performed with each meat. These studies are designed to provide partial spoilage data for computation of that dose required to reduce the number of viable spores of a single most resistant strain of Clostridium botulinum by 12 log cycles. A beef inoculated pack had only one significant partial spoilage "point" at 22 kGy. Therefore, the binomial confidence limit method was used to compute a 12D dose of 41.2 kGy. This 12D dose, together with a prveious thermal treatment of inactivate autolytic enzymes, provides a wide margin of microbiological safety and stability to packaged meats stored without refrigeration.
Book Review: Government Intervention into Board Composition: Gender Quotas in Norway and Diversity Disclosures in the United States

In recent years, regulators have introduced gender diversity quota laws and dis-closure-based approaches to increase the representation of women on corporate boards. These developments have set off a global discussion about the importance of diversity in the boardroom and what role governments should play in promoting it.Despite much recent debate, there is little information about how regulatory approaches intended to increase women’s representation on corporate boards operate in practice. Professor Aaron Dhir’s book, Challenging Boardroom Homogeneity: Corporate Law, Governance, and Diversity, provides essential insights that significantly enhance our understanding of the practical impact and potential limitations of quotas and dis-closure rules in the board diversity context.Although corporate boards have become markedly more diverse in the last twenty years, the pace of change has generally been slow. The exceptions are countries where publicly listed company boards are subject to mandatory gender diversity quotas, or where governments have credibly threatened to impose quotas. The passage of these quota laws in other countries often provokes strong reactions in the United States. Critics contend that such preferences may negatively affect company performance, board dynamics and effectiveness, individual directors, and women in general. But some diversity advocates suggest that a drastic approach like quotas is the only effective means of overcoming structural barriers and significantly increasing the representation of women on corporate boards.
A co-solvent hydrolysis strategy for the production of biofuels: process synthesis and technoeconomic analysis

We develop an integrated strategy for the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. Cellulose and hemicellulose fractions are first hydrolyzed into sugars using a mixture of γ-valerolactone (GVL), water, and toluene as a solvent containing dilute sulfuric acid as a catalyst, and the sugars are then co-fermented into ethanol over engineered yeast strains. Separation subsystems are designed to effectively recover GVL and toluene for reuse in biomass hydrolysis and to recover lignin and humins for heat and power generation. We also develop an alternative process, in which we recover sugars and GVL from the residual biomass. To minimize utility requirements, we conduct heat integration, which allows us to meet all heating requirements using biomass residues. Finally, we perform a range of system-level analyses to identify the major cost and technological drivers. The proposed strategy is shown to be cost-competitive with other strategies.
Low-dose intravenous regional anesthesia for upper extremity surgery

Prior reports on low-dose intravenous (IV) regional anesthesia have concluded that the technique is extremely efficacious. Our results have been less satisfactory. This paper details our experience with low-dose IV regional anesthesia for upper extremity surgery and what we feel are the shortcomings of the technique.
Natural Family Planning

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is one of the oldest practiced methods of birth control. Also known by the names Periodic Abstinence, Rhythm Method, and Fertility Awareness Method, it can be used either for pregnancy prevention or planning and is acceptable to all major religious groups. Although it is not a popular method of birth control, there are couples who still choose to practice natural family planning and may request the assistance and support of their health care provider. In motivated patients with appropriate instruction, NFP may be an effective method of preventing or spacing pregnancies. Eighty-five percent of women will get pregnant within a year of having intercourse without contraception. With perfect use, 2–5% of women who have been instructed and use the symptothermal or the ovulation method will become pregnant [1]. However, perfect use is uncommon and many women do not use NFP appropriately, or choose not to continue using this method [2].
Valvuloarterial Impedance Predicts Heart Failure Readmissions in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

ABSTRACTBackground: Elevated valvuloarterial impedance (Zva) has been associated with mortality in severe aortic stenosis (AS) patients. However, its role in predicting heart failure (HF) readmissions after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains unknown.Methods: We evaluated 198 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR at our institution from 2012 to 2016. Clinical, laboratory, procedural, echocardiographic (ECHO) data and HF readmissions at 1-year were collected. Zva was calculated from ECHO as (systolic blood pressure + transvalvular gradient)/stroke volume index.Results: The mean age of all patients was 82 ± 7 years, 51% were males and 95% were Caucasians. Median duration of follow-up was 9 (Interquartile range: 12) months. The majority of patients had hypertension (93%) and 24.7% had heart failure symptoms with reduced EF (<50%). Use of beta-blockers was 64%, diuretics was 64%, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors was 25%, aldosterone receptor blockers was 16%, and potassium-sparing ...
A 1.4Mb 40-nm embedded ReRAM macro with 0.07um 2 bit cell, 2.7mA/100MHz low-power read and hybrid write verify for high endurance application

Resistive RAM (ReRAM) is an attractive candidate for next generation embedded nonvolatile memory [1][2], with several advantages compared to conventional flash technology. First, ReRAM is a CMOS-compatible low temperature back-end of line (BEOL) memory. There is almost no mutual impact between ReRAM element and front-end CMOS devices during the wafer processing. Second, it only needs 2∼4 extra masks, resulting in lower chip cost compared to embedded flash. Third, its byte-alterability makes it capable of being used as a unified memory for storage of instruction code and real-time data. In this work, a 1.4Mb HfOx-based embedded ReRAM macro with 0.07um2 bit cell is fabricated in a 40nm CMOS process. A hybrid write-verify algorithm (HWVA) is used to tighten the resistance distribution and avoid over-write damage for achieving fast write and high endurance. Cycling test results show a write endurance of 106 cycles for the proposed HWVA. For low-power applications, a low power sensing scheme is presented for this 1.4Mb macro, achieving 100MHz read speed and 2.7mA/100MHz read current for 44-bits read operation. An area-efficient row-redundancy scheme and double-error-correction ECC are implemented for further improvement of yield and reliability.
A history of United States military simulation

The history of simulation and combat modeling associated with the military, and with military actions, is as old as the human race. Since humans began competing for resources, those involved have used simulation techniques of some form to better understand conflict and increase their chances of procuring favorable outcomes in those conflicts. This paper provides a historical perspective on the use of simulation in defense particularly in United States military planning, analyses, and training. This perspective starts by describing the simple table-top, thought exercises and proceeds through the development of ever more sophisticated methods to arrive at the modern United States military simulation environment, which involves everything from laptop applications, through large-scale simulation models, to the advanced distributed simulation architectures currently in use for demonstrations, training, and analytical purposes.
Productivity of waterbirds in potentially impacted areas of Louisiana in 2011 following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010) could have affected the behavior and productivity of birds nesting along the Gulf of Mexico. This research examined the productivity of several species of colonial waterbirds in 2011 in LA colonies that were classified according to the M252 peak SCAT shoreline map oiling designations (as of April 6 2011) within 2 km of each colony. Colonies were classified as no oil, little oil, or medium to heavy oil. Because of the uneven distribution of oil and variation in bird composition within colonies, not all species occurred in each of the three oiling classes in the LA colonies studied. I tested the following hypotheses: (1) there were no interspecific differences in nesting phenology, (2) there were no differences in the number of species per colony as a function of oiling, and (3) there were no differences in reproductive measures as a function of oiling. Nesting phenology differed among species, with brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), great egrets (Ardea alba), and tri-colored herons (Egretta tricolor) nesting earlier than the other species. There were no significant differences in the number of species nesting in colonies as a function of oiling category. Along LA’s shoreline, nests in colonies with a “no oil” category within 2 km of the colony had similar or lower maximum number of chicks/nest, than those from birds in colonies designated as light or moderate/heavy oiling. Average maximum chick sizes in nests in colonies designated as no oil were either similar to or smaller than chicks in nests in colonies designated as either category of oiled. The data suggest that in the year following the oil spill, there were no differences in reproductive success. Although long-term studies are essential to determine effects on population dynamics, the continued exposure of birds nesting along the Gulf of Mexico to acute and chronic oil sources make this a nearly impossible task.
Effective Green-Ampt Parameters for Two-Layered Soils

AbstractThe Green-Ampt method is a physically based model for partitioning rainfall into surface runoff and infiltration. This method is widely used in infiltration practice because of its simplici...
Managing the Foreign: The Drive to Securitize Foreign Nonprofit and Foundation Management in China

In recent years, China has sought to tighten regulation of foreign nonprofit organizations and foundations operating or funding in China, including through a new Law on the Management of the Domestic Activities of Foreign Non-governmental Organizations in China, enacted in April 2016. This article analyzes the history of China’s regulation of foreign nonprofits and foundations, the effect of external and domestic events on China’s shifting policy climate, the emergence of security-based intellectuals and their role in policy on foreign nonprofits and foundations in China, the new policy framework and the new Overseas NGO Law enacted in 2016, and initial implementation of this new framework in China. These developments provide background to other aspects of nonprofit and philanthropic performance in China that are discussed in this special issue.
Compartmentalization of Acetylcholinesterase mRNA and Protein Expression in Skeletal Muscle in Vitro and in Vivo: Implications for Regulation at the Neuromuscular Junction

Skeletal muscle fibers are large multinucleated cells which arise from the fusion of up to several hundred mononucleated myoblasts. Because of their large size they can exhibit regionalized differences in the expression of several muscle-specific genes including those encoding synaptic components. Since normal development of cholinergically-innervated skeletal muscle fibers requires that all necessary synaptic components be expressed, assembled, and localized to the appropriate regions of the plasma membrane, this regionalization probably plays an important role in localizing molecules such as AChE to the sites of nerve-muscle contact.
Failure analysis for composition of web services represented as labeled transition systems

The Web service composition problem involves the creation of a choreographer that provides the interaction between a set of component services to realize a goal service. Several methods have been proposed and developed to address this problem. In this paper, we consider those scenarios where the composition process may fail due to incomplete specification of goal service requirements or due to the fact that the user is unaware of the functionality provided by the existing component services. In such cases, it is desirable to have a composition algorithm that can provide feedback to the user regarding the cause of failure in the composition process. Such feedback will help guide the user to reformulate the goal service and iterate the composition process. We propose a failure analysis technique for composition algorithms that views Web service behavior as multiple sequences of input/output events. Our technique identifies the possible cause of composition failure and suggests possible recovery options to the user. We discuss our technique using a simple e-Library Web service in the context of the MoSCoE Web service composition framework.
Liposphere local anesthetic timed-release for perineural site application

Purpose. This investigation determines the drug delivery capacity of Lipospheres, which are drug-containing solid-filled vesicles made of triglyceride with a phospholipid outer covering, to release local anesthetic in vitro and to produce sustained peripheral nerve block in vivo.
“I”: J.D

Who, me? I will always have missed the subject of “my” actions: always evaded it, omitted it. I will always have returned to the locus of that subjectivity, to the performance of that signature, the responsibility of that proper name, the duties, the commitments that implicate it (that implicate what it names, that implicate me) from some “other” place — a “doubling” commentary on some “other” text, an unfaithful translation (translation as such)a paraphrase, a footnote, a title, an epigraph, a quote, a marginal quote, a quote in the margins of “my“ discourse, my true discourse, the discourse of truth, the logical logos. I will have felt deep, morbid nostalgia for the destination of this return, the empty, inaccessible destination of it: the non-destination of a vicious re-turn that only turns round and round, over and over again, equidistant from its center, tied to an inflexible radius, kept at bay by the radius — kept on a string: the solid, merciless string of a carousel. I will have laughed when the carousel swings, laughed to tears, swallowed my tears; I will have been grateful that I can still cry. And cry because I am grateful.