cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short-term caloric restriction, resveratrol, or combined treatment regimens initiated in late-life alter mitochondrial protein expression profiles in a fiber-type specific manner in aged animals

Aging is associated with a loss in muscle known as sarcopenia that is partially attributed to apoptosis. In aging rodents, caloric restriction (CR) increases health and longevity by improving mitochondrial function and the polyphenol resveratrol (RSV) has been reported to have similar benefits. In the present study, we investigated the potential efficacy of using short-term (6 weeks) CR (20%), RSV (50 mg/kg/day), or combined CR+ RSV (20% CR and 50 mg/kg/day RSV), initiated at late-life (27 months) to protect muscle against sarcopenia by altering mitochondrial function, biogenesis, content, and apoptotic signaling in both glycolytic white and oxidative red gastrocnemius muscle (WG and RG, respectively) of male Fischer 344 × Brown Norway rats. CR but not RSV attenuated the age-associated loss of muscle mass in both mixed gastrocnemius and soleus muscle, while combined treatment (CR + RSV) paradigms showed a protective effect in the soleus and plantaris muscle (P < 0.05). Sirt1 protein content was increased by 2.6-fold (P < 0.05) in WG but not RG muscle with RSV treatment, while CR or CR + RSV had no effect. PGC-1α levels were higher (2-fold) in the WG from CR-treated animals (P < 0.05) when compared to ad-libitum (AL) animals but no differences were observed in the RG with any treatment. Levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 were significantly higher (1.6-fold) in the WG muscle of RSV and CR + RSV groups compared to AL (P < 0.05) but tended to occur coincident with elevations in the pro-apoptotic protein Bax so that the apoptotic susceptibility as indicated by the Bax to Bcl-2 ratio was unchanged. There were no alterations in DNA fragmentation with any treatment in muscle from older animals. Additionally, mitochondrial respiration measured in permeabilized muscle fibers was unchanged in any treatment group and this paralleled the lack of change in cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity. These data suggest that short-term moderate CR, RSV, or CR + RSV tended to modestly alter key mitochondrial regulatory and apoptotic signaling pathways in glycolytic muscle and this might contribute to the moderate protective effects against aging-induced muscle loss observed in this study.
Confidence, Not Consistency, Characterizes Flashbulb Memories

On September 12, 2001, 54 Duke students recorded their memory of first hearing about the terrorist attacks of September 11 and of a recent everyday event. They were tested again either 1, 6, or 32 weeks later. Consistency for the flashbulb and everyday memories did not differ, in both cases declining over time. However, ratings of vividness, recollection, and belief in the accuracy of memory declined only for everyday memories. Initial visceral emotion ratings correlated with later belief in accuracy, but not consistency, for flashbulb memories. Initial visceral emotion ratings predicted later posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Flashbulb memories are not special in their accuracy, as previously claimed, but only in their perceived accuracy.
Gender in Jeopardy!: Intonation Variation on a Television Game Show

Uptalk is the use of a rising, questioning intonation when making a statement, which has become quite prevalent in contemporary American speech. Women tend to use uptalk more frequently than men do, though the reasons behind this difference are contested. I use the popular game show Jeopardy! to study variation in the use of uptalk among the contestants’ responses, and argue that uptalk is a key way in which gender is constructed through interaction. While overall, Jeopardy! contestants use uptalk 37 percent of the time, there is much variation in the use of uptalk. The typical purveyor of uptalk is white, young, and female. Men use uptalk more when surrounded by women contestants, and when correcting a woman contestant after she makes an incorrect response. Success on the show produces different results for men and women. The more successful a man is, the less likely he is to use uptalk; the more successful a woman is, the more likely she is to use uptalk.
Electronic Structures, Bonding Configurations, and Band‐Gap‐Opening Properties of Graphene Binding with Low‐Concentration Fluorine

To better understand the effects of low-level fluorine in graphene-based sensors, first-principles density functional theory (DFT) with van der Waals dispersion interactions has been employed to investigate the structure and impact of fluorine defects on the electrical properties of single-layer graphene films. The results show that both graphite-2 H and graphene have zero band gaps. When fluorine bonds to a carbon atom, the carbon atom is pulled slightly above the graphene plane, creating what is referred to as a CF defect. The lowest-binding energy state is found to correspond to two CF defects on nearest neighbor sites, with one fluorine above the carbon plane and the other below the plane. Overall this has the effect of buckling the graphene. The results further show that the addition of fluorine to graphene leads to the formation of an energy band (BF) near the Fermi level, contributed mainly from the 2p orbitals of fluorine with a small contribution from the p orbitals of the carbon. Among the 11 binding configurations studied, our results show that only in two cases does the BF serve as a conduction band and open a band gap of 0.37 eV and 0.24 eV respectively. The binding energy decreases with decreasing fluorine concentration due to the interaction between neighboring fluorine atoms. The obtained results are useful for sensor development and nanoelectronics.
Enzyme Activity Levels in Beef: Effect of Postmortem Aging and End‐point Cooking Temperature

While it is known that meat flavor varies as a function of end-point cooking temperature, storage time, and activity of endogenous hydrolytic enzymes, little is known about the interrelationship of these three factors with flavor. Several endogenous enzymes and proteins with potential involvement in meat flavor were investigated. The data indicate two main observations: (1) enzymes are redistributed to new intracellular compartments during postmortem aging. (2) enzyme activity is temperature dependent over the range examined (20-80°C) with some enzymes such as cathepsins B & L retaining a high level of activity (>20% of that at 20°C) at temperatures above 70°C. Thus, the combined effect of postmortem aging and cooking, via enzyme redistribution and enzyme activity, respectively, influence the production of flavor compounds and precursors.
Leg ulcers in sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease is a single amino acid molecular disorder of hemoglobin leading to its pathological polymerization, red cell rigidity that causes poor microvascular blood flow, with consequent tissue ischemia and infarction. The manifestations of this disease are protean.Among them, leg ulcers represent a particularly disabling and chronic complication, often associated with a more severe clinical course.Despite the fact that this complication has been recognized since the early times of SCD, there has been little improvement in the efficacy of its management and clinical outcome over the past 100 years. Recently, vasculopathic abnormalities involving abnormal vascular tone and activated, adhesive endothelium have been recognized as another pathway to end organ damage in sickle cell disease. Vasculopathy of sickle cell disease has been implicated in the development of pulmonary hypertension, stroke, leg ulceration and priapism, particularly associated with hemolytic severity, and reported in other severe hemolytic disorders. The authors present the proceedings from the Educational Session on Chronic leg ulcers in Sickle cell disease, held during the 4th Annual Sickle Cell Disease Research and Educational Symposium, on February 17, 2010 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Split-gate flash memory for automotive embedded applications

An embedded split-gate flash memory based on 65nm logic process technology has been developed. The design rules for split-gate flash macro's testability and reliability are discussed. An automotive grade flash memory with 100K endurance, 10 years, 125°C data retention, and 1-ppm requirement has been demonstrated with a comprehensive dielectric screen methodology. Both erase time push out and data retention dominant mechanisms are thoroughly studied with intrinsic lifetime and large sample certification. An automotive embedded split-gate flash solution in 65nm technology is ready for commercialization.
A Comparison of Help Seeking Between Latino and Non-Latino Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

Analyses based on a random-digit-dial survey of households (N = 12,039) compared Latinos and non-Latinos on sociodemographic factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) and help seeking. Lifetime prevalence of IPV was found to be lower for Latinos than for non-Latinos, but past-year prevalence of IPV was greater for Latinos. Reported IPV victimization was greater among non-Latinos than among Latinos at education levels below college and at family incomes less than $35,000. Informal help seeking was found to be similar for Latinos and non-Latinos; however, non-Latinos reported seeking access to shelters more frequently than Latinos, and Latino immigrants were less likely than non-immigrants to seek help from formal agencies.
3-D MEMS scanning system for dual-axis confocal microendoscopy

This paper describes a 3-D MEMS scanning system for 3.2mm-diameter dual-axis confocal (DAC) microendoscopes. Co-operation of a 2-D lateral scanner and a 1-D depth scanner enables fast 3-D microscopy over a volume that measures 340μm by 236μm by 286μm.
Enhancing loop buffering of media and telecommunications applications using low-overhead predication

Media- and telecommunications-focused processors, increasingly designed as deeply pipelined, statically-scheduled VLIWs, rely on loop buffers for low-overhead execution of simple loops. Key loops containing control flow pose a substantial problem---full predication has a high encoding overhead, and partial predication techniques do not support if-conversion, the transformation of general acyclic control flow into predicated blocks. Using a set of significant media processing benchmarks, drawn from MediaBench and contemporary telecommunications standards, we explore a compromise approach. We demonstrate a compiler using if-conversion and specialized loop transformations to arrange for 70-99% of fetched operations to come from a simple, statically managed 256-instruction loop buffer, saving instruction fetch power and eliminating branch penalties. To complement this we introduce a "niche" form of predication specialized to permit general if-conversion with only a single bit in the encoding of each operation and to eliminate much of the hardware overhead of a predicate register-based approach.
Blind savings or unforeseen costs? How consumers perceive the benefits and risks of using opaque travel selling Web sites

Opaque selling Web sites are considered to provide deep discounted rates compared with a products’ market price. However, consumers have to endure several uncertainties that are associated with pur...
A phase II trial of ganetespib, a heat shock protein 90 Hsp90) inhibitor, in patients with docetaxel-pretreated metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-a prostate cancer clinical trials consortium (PCCTC) study.

Introduction Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) has been studied as a therapeutic target in many cancers. In preclinical trials, the Hsp90 ATPase inhibitor ganetespib demonstrated potent inhibition of solid tumor growth, with superior potency than prior Hsp90 inhibitors. Given the promising preclinical outcome and favorable pharmacologic properties of ganetespib, we conducted a phase II trial of single-agent ganetespib in patients with metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The primary objective of the study was to determine the 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate. Methods Patients with mCRPC who had been previously treated with docetaxel were enrolled after meeting eligibility criteria. All patients received ganetespib at 200 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of every 28 days (one cycle). Subjects who tolerated therapy were continued on ganetespib until disease progression. Considering that Hsp90 acetylation may confer insensitivity to Hsp90 inhibitors and maspin inhibits protein deacetylation, maspin-associated molecular markers were evaluated. Results Eighteen patients were recruited into the trial; most were Caucasian, had performance status 1, had received prior docetaxel, and were heavily pretreated. Of the 17 patients who were treated, none attained 6-month PFS. Only 2 patients achieved PFS > 4 months. The median PFS was 1.9 months. As per the study design, the trial was terminated after the interim analysis. The most frequent types of Grade 3 toxicity were dehydration, diarrhea, and fatigue. Molecular markers provided little additional insight regarding drug activity. Conclusions Ganetespib demonstrated minimal clinical activity in men with mCRPC. The true 6-month PFS rate was, at most, 0.20. Possible reasons for this include selection of a heavily pretreated patient population and lack of agent potency in patients with mCRPC.
Mathematical model of susceptibility, resistance, and resilience in the within-host dynamics between a Plasmodium parasite and the immune system

We developed a coupled age-structured partial differential equation model to capture the disease dynamics during blood-stage malaria. The addition of age structure for the parasite population, with respect to previous models, allows us to better characterize the interaction between the malaria parasite and red blood cells during infection. Here we prove that the system we propose is well-posed and there exist at least two global states. We further demonstrate that the numerical simulation of the system coincides with clinically observed outcomes of primary and secondary malaria infection. The well-posedness of this system guarantees that the behavior of the model remains smooth, bounded, and continuously dependent on initial conditions; calibration with clinical data will constrain domains of parameters and variables to physiological ranges.
Core self-evaluations and well-being in persons with disabilities.

Purpose The purpose of this article is to introduce the concept of core self-evaluations (CSE), which is conceptualized as the overall, fundamental perception that individuals have about their worth and capability as people (Judge, Locke, Durham, & Kluger, 1998). CSE is a higher order variable that is reflective of the self-concept and comprises personality traits including self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and emotional stability. Method In this article, the theoretical background of the CSE construct is reviewed, the existing literature on CSE in the general population is summarized, and future directions for the use of CSE in rehabilitation psychology research and clinical settings is proposed. Implications CSE has great potential as a global positive contributor of well-being in persons with disabilities, and research addressing its relationship with outcomes such as well-being and its clinical applications has great promise to augment rehabilitation psychology practice in the future.
Extrafloral Nectar, Honeydew, and Sucrose Effects on Searching Behavior and Efficiency of Microplitis croceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Cotton

The influence of extrafloral nectar, sucrose, or whitefly honeydew on host- and food-searching behavior of Microplitis croceipes (Cresson) females was investigated. Retention time, parasitization rate, time allocation to host damaged leaves and time interval between subsequent host attacks were compared in different cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., patch treatments containing Heliocoverpa zea (Boddie) hosts. Parasitoids that were starved for 2 d before release to patches with either sucrose or extrafloral nectar showed longer retention times and higher rates of parasitization than those not able to feed. The presence of food in the patch increased the time allocated to damaged leaves, but did not reduce the time interval between host attacks. Parasitoids that fed in patches with honeydew showed a similar performance to parasitoids in patches without any food, probably as a result of the relatively low quantity and quality of this food source for M. croceipes . The initial and subsequent detect-ability of different food sources was also investigated. More parasitoids found extrafloral nectar than sucrose in a first release. However, in a subsequent release, nectar and sucrose were found equally fast. Therefore, parasitoids showed an innate attraction to extrafloral nectar, whereas learning may have influenced orientation to sucrose. The importance and use of cotton extrafloral nectar as food source for adult parasitoids and the means of using extrafloral nectar as part of a pest management strategy in biological control are discussed.
Experiments on Olfactory Detection of Food Caches by Black-Billed Magpies

Etude experimentale Pica pica pour redecouvrir des cachettes alimentaires utilise des reperes multiples qui peuvent inclure la memoire et des reperes olfactifs et visuels. Les reperes olfactifs lui sont particulierement utiles pour trouver les aliments caches par des conspecifiques
Commentary by B. Baars

Freeman Neurodynamics may be complementary to conventional analysis of direct cortical recording. (ECoG) Freeman and Kozma have discovered nonlinear dynamical phenomena in cortex, involving the dendritic feltwork of Layer I. After Hilbert analysis, a strip of electrodes with sufficient spatial density reveals intermittent phase equilibria interrupted by \(\sim \)10 Hz phase collapses. This activity propagates via phase dispersion. Kozma and Freeman, Advances in cognitive neurodynamics, 2015, [10] propose that “the rapid propagation of phase dispersion over the hemisphere is the manifestation of the cognitive broadcast as described in Baars’ global workspace theory.” Sensory contents might be expressed in “spatial patterns of amplitude modulation of beta and gamma waves.” This view emerges from Freeman K sets, including recent modeling using the concept of neuropercolation in sets of cellular automata. It also implies scale-free dynamics and inverse power-law distributions of cortical connectivity and EEG power. Yet what is it that is being propagated? In the conventional view, conscious visual percepts emerge from more than 40 visuotopical activity arrays linked bidirectionally, so that adaptive resonance enables a problem-solving trajectory terminating in a coherent visual gestalt via winner-take-all competition . New findings indicate that such visual gestalts emerge in at high levels of the visual hierarchy, whence they are accurately propagated to the prefrontal lobe , consistent with global workspace theory Panagiotaropoulos et al., Neuron 74(5):924–935, 2012, [12] and Baars et al., Front Psychol 4:200, 2013, [2]. Conventional ECoG analysis may reflect the cognitive aspect of global binding and broadcasting, while Freeman Neurodynamics may convey intentional information—biological goals and conditioned stimuli. In Franklin’s terms, the dendritic neuropil may shape action selection , while axonal resonance may support perceptual contents. One possibility is that cortex evolved a variety of Sparse Distributed Memory (SDM) Kanerva, Sparse distributed memory, 2003, [7] and Snaider and Franklin, Cogn. Comput. 6(3):510–527, 2014, [13], a very efficient, non-local way to pack information into high-dimensional bit vectors. This suggests that some brain region acts as a minimal retrieval vector for episodic learning. The hippocampus and the claustrum may be candidates for such an SDM vector substrate .
Drug-Eluting Conformal Coatings on Individual Cells

Thin, conformal coatings on cell membranes provide potential solutions to many of the challenges associated with cellular therapies. These coatings can protect transplanted cells from the host immune system, yet because of their thin nature, minimally impede nutrient transport and do not significantly increase the transplant volume. In addition, active agents and therapeutics may be embedded within the coatings, further protecting the cells or transforming the transplanted cells into drug delivery vehicles. In this work, we (for what is to our knowledge the first time) developed drug-eluting conformal coatings (DECC) on individual cells by utilizing the non-specific interaction between the cell membrane and a hydrophobic cholesterol moiety. The DECC was achieved through sequential depositions of cholesterol and maleimide-functionalized dextran, thiol-functionalized dextran, and finally drug-loaded dextran nanoparticles with maleimide groups on the surface. By fine-tuning the coating parameters, we showed the possibility to control the drug release while avoiding any significant negative impact on cell viability. A model anti-inflammatory drug curcumin was incorporated into the DECC and showed effective protections of the coated cells from reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that were either added artificially or produced by activated macrophage cells. The DECC may have important implications in the development of the increasingly promising cell-based therapeutics.
Ambient and Emission Trends of Toxic Air Contaminants in California

After initiating a toxic air contaminant (TAC) identification and control program in 1984, the California Air Resources Board adopted regulations to reduce TAC emissions from cars, trucks, stationary sources, and consumer products. This study quantifies ambient concentration and emission trends for the period 1990–2012 for seven TACs that are responsible for most of the known cancer risk associated with airborne exposure in California. Of these seven, diesel particulate matter (DPM) is the most important; however DPM is not measured directly. Based on a novel surrogate method, DPM concentrations declined 68%, even though the state’s population increased 31%, diesel vehicle-miles-traveled increased 81%, and the gross state product (GSP) increased 74%. Based on monitoring data, concentrations of benzene, 1,3-butadiene, perchloroethylene, and hexavalent chromium declined 88–94%. Also, the ambient and emissions trends for each of these four TACs were similar. Furthermore, these declines generally occurred ear...
A Unique Case of Intravascular Lymphoma Mimicking Encephalomyeloradiculoneuropathy.

Introduction Angiotropic lymphoma is a rare large B-cell lymphoma involving the intravascular compartment without local tissue or vessel wall infiltration. Case report A 48-year-old male presented with 8 months of progressive paraparesis and bowel and bladder incontinence. Initial cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed high protein, lymphocytic pleocytosis, high IgG synthesis, but no oligoclonal bands. Brain imaging at presentation was unrevealing. Electromyography revealed evidence of bilateral lumbosacral radiculoplexopathy [R>L]. A trial of intravenous solumedrol resulted in significant improvement in weakness. He had multiple hospital admissions for worsening lower extremity weakness, altered mental status, and new-onset upper extremity weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine revealed abnormal hyperintense T2 signal at T7-T8 level. Visual-evoked potentials revealed significant slowing of conduction in both optic nerves. Repeat electromyography showed a moderate to severe motor axonal polyneuropathy with secondary demyelination in the upper and lower extremities. A working diagnosis of encephalomyeloradiculoneuritis was made because of signs of polyradiculopathy, peripheral neuropathy and myelopathy. Patient had 3 trials of intravenous solumedrol with transient improvement in symptoms. The magnetic resonance imaging brain on his sixth hospital admission revealed multiple areas of restricted diffusion throughout the brain parenchyma. The patient underwent a right frontal lobe biopsy, which showed large CD-20 neoplastic lymphocytes within small arteries, veins, and capillaries with no extension to surrounding brain parenchyma. The findings were consistent with intravascular large B-cell lymphoma. Conclusion Angiotropic lymphoma is a rare disease with frequent involvement of central nervous system and skin that can present with neurological involvement of both the peripheral and central nervous system.
Elucidating Sex Differences in Cerebral Aneurysm Biology and Therapy: The Time Is Now.

See related article, pp 411-417 Subarachnoid hemorrhage remains a devastating disease despite improvements in the technology and techniques used in securing and obliterating ruptured aneurysms. As a result, there is evidence to treat unruptured cerebral aneurysms when found incidentally or in the setting of symptoms suggestive of impending rupture. At present, there are no accepted medical therapies that reduce the risk of rupture or lead to aneurysm obliteration. Endovascular and microsurgical treatments continue to be the standards of care but are invasive and not without significant risk. This potential risk is magnified when treating an aneurysm prophylactically, considering it may remain asymptomatic for the entirety of the life of the patient. The widespread availability of highly sensitive noninvasive imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance angiography and computed tomographic angiography, has greatly increased the number of unruptured aneurysms diagnosed each year. Thus, more now than ever, clinicians are faced with the challenging scenario of managing an unruptured asymptomatic aneurysm. As a result, noninvasive medical therapies that could reduce or eliminate the risk of aneurysm rupture are of great interest. At the heart of developing effective medical therapies is an improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying cerebral aneurysm formation and rupture. The role of inflammation in the development and rupture of cerebral aneurysms has been clearly established based on burgeoning data derived from human and animal studies.1,2 An enhanced understanding of the inflammatory mediators contributing to the pathogenesis of cerebral aneurysms has facilitated the identification of targeted therapies. Hasan et al3 identified aspirin as a therapeutic agent …
Proximity Detection Zones: Designs to Prevent Fatalities Around Continuous Mining Machines.

Mine workers in an underground coal mine are exposed to many hazards and potential hazards on a daily basis such as unstable mine openings, coal and rock dust, high noise levels, fires and explosions, and heavy machinery. While many engineering and process controls have been established to mitigate the risks of these hazards, working with and in proximity to large, mobile equipment remains a significant risk to miner safety.
A Systematic Review of Evidence for the Clubhouse Model of Psychosocial Rehabilitation

The Clubhouse Model has been in existence for over sixty-five years; however, a review that synthesizes the literature on the model is needed. The current study makes use of the existing research to conduct a systematic review of articles providing a comprehensive understanding of what is known about the Clubhouse Model, to identify the best evidence available, as well as areas that would benefit from further study. Findings are summarized and evidence is classified by outcome domains. Fifty-two articles met the selection criteria of Randomized Clinical Trials (RCT’s), quasi-experimental studies, or observational studies for domains of employment (N = 29); quality of life/satisfaction (N = 10); reductions in psychiatric hospitalization(s) (N = 10); social relationships (N = 10); education (N = 3); and health promotion activities (N = 2). RCT results support the efficacy of the Clubhouse Model in promoting employment, reducing hospitalization(s), and improving quality of life. Quasi-experimental and observational studies offer support in education and social domains. The findings from this review indicate that Clubhouses are a promising practice but additional studies using rigorous methods that report the strength of the outcomes are needed to evaluate Clubhouse programs with fidelity to the Clubhouse Model.
Preparing for and Responding to Student Incivilities: Starting the Dialogue in Public Affairs Education

AbstractAlmost all faculty, even those in graduate public affairs programs, will at some time encounter incivility in the classroom. How we respond sends an important message about how we as individuals, programs, and a profession value civility. Master’s of Public Administration and Master’s of Public Policy programs have a particular responsibility to graduate individuals who not only have substantive expertise but also meet the highest standards of civility. In this essay, we present a series of recommendations for how individuals, programs, and institutions might respond to incivility. While not all of these recommendations will be appropriate for all programs, and some may be perceived as more troubling than the problem they are intended to address, we hope that they will to serve as the starting point in stimulating discussion of this issue within programs and across the profession.
Neurohumors and Neurohormones: Definitions and Terminology

Neurohumors and neurohormones are physiologically active substances produced by the nervous systems of vertebrates and invertebrates. They have certain features in common and differ in others. Both are chemical messengers that are intermittently released from nerve cells to act on neuronal or non-neuronal effector cells. Significant characteristics of the regulatory mechanisms controlled by these two classes of neurochemical mediators concern the spatial relationship between site of origin of mediator and effector cell; the duration of the signal; the chemical nature of the active principles involved; and the ultrastructural features of their intracellular storage sites. (1) Neurohumors: In “chemical synaptic transmission” the messenger substance elicits strictly localized postsynaptic responses of very short duration in effector cells that are contiguous with the respective presynaptic terminals. The active principles (e. g., acetylcholine, noradrenaline) lack several essential attributes of endocrine substances and are, therefore, more appropriately classified as “chemical transmitters”, “neurotransmitters”, or “neurohumors” in contradistinction to “neurohormones”. Electron micrographs of cholinergic neurons show small electron-lucent vesicles that are especially abundant in presynaptic areas. There is circumstantial evidence that these “synaptic vesicles” are intracellular storage sites of acetylcholine. Adrenergic axons and terminals (with deposits of noradrenaline as demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy) contain varying amounts of dense-core vesicles which seem to harbor some of this catecholamine. (2) Neurohormones: Aside from synaptic transmission, neurons communicate with effector cells by means of hormonal mediators. However, this activity is restricted to specialized cell groups within the nervous system which possess glandular attributes above and beyond those of conventional neurons and which, because of their dual nature, are called “neurosecretory cells”. Their product (“neurosecretory material”) contains active principles capable of regulating multiple and diverse “target” cells (by bridging considerable distances via vascular channels) and of acting for sustained periods of time. These attributes parallel those of non-neuronal endocrine factors and serve to classify neurosecretory mediators as “neurohormones”. Typical examples are polypeptides (e. g., vasopressin, oxytocin) bound to carrier proteins (neurophysins). Under the light microscope, the identification of classical neurosecretory neurons depends on selective staining and histochemical properties. Ultrastructurally, neurosecretory materials appear as membrane-bounded granules of several size ranges and of varying, but usually high, electron density.
Design and manufacturing of long fiber thermoplastic composite helmet insert

Abstract Long fiber thermoplastic composite (LFT) is one type of thermoplastic polymer matrix composites reinforced with discontinuous fibers above critical fiber length. It has been increasingly used in various applications due to its excellent specific strength and specific modulus in addition to its infinite shelf life, intrinsic recyclability, and high-volume processability even for complex geometries. In this work, long carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulphide (LFT C/PPS) is used to prototype a helmet insert with high rigidity for stiffening a relatively soft ballistic shell. The helmet insert is designed to have a rim along its periphery in order to offer extra rigidity and facilitate a readily clip-on with the ballistic shell. Static structural analysis is carried out for evaluating the performance of the insert. Comparison was made among different patterns of the helmet insert in their rigidity. A compression molding tool is designed and machined and the helmet insert is prototyped using LFT C/PPS. A compression test is conducted for the ballistic shell integrated with the helmet insert to validate the stiffening capability of the LFT C/PPS helmet insert.
Nonexpansive Mappings: Boundary/Inwardness Conditions and Local Theory

Boundary and inwardness conditions have been particularly useful in extending fixed point theory for nonexpansive mappings to broader classes of mappings, particularly to mappings satisfying local contractive and pseudocontractive assumptions. At the same time these conditions often enable one to relax the assumption that the mapping takes values in its own domain.
Enhanced resilience and resistance assessment with virtual ecoexergy for a subtropical lake ecosystem under the intermittent impact of hurricanes and droughts

Abstract Ecosystem growth and development constrained by material, energy, and information flows can be well described by the use of ecoexergy in the context of thermodynamic laws. However, ecosystems are not only physically open to the environment but also ontic to all species and processes involved in an ecological network. Essential exchange of mass, energy, and information through an ecological network may happen both directly and indirectly, which in turn affect the ecosystem resilience and resistance when facing stresses and/or disturbances. The complexity of how the cycling of matter, energy, and information via commensalism or mutualism over relevant species in an ecological network could affect the ecosystem resilience and resistance has not yet been well explored quantitatively. This paper defines a virtual ecoexergy concept and develops a quantitative way to address the possible contributions from commensalism or mutualism between any paired species indirectly in an ecosystem under a decadal impact of intermittent droughts and hurricanes. The key terminology of the biomass equivalence rule that addresses these indirect contributions in an ecological network was introduced as an integral part of virtual ecoexergy concept to facilitate the applications. The case study in Lake Okeechobee (Florida) confirms a big difference in terms of resilience and resistance when the virtual ecoexergy is taken into account through the biomass equivalence rule. With the inclusion of the concept of virtual ecoexergy associated with mutualism or commensalism, the lake's ecological stability condition would not be underestimated during an ecosystem succession and recovery process when facing continuous hurricane and drought impacts in the 2000s. The enhanced resilience with the consideration of the virtual ecoexergy is about 12 times larger than the conventional resilience in this real-world case study.
Open Colectomies of Shorter Operative Time Do Not Result in Improved Outcomes Compared With Prolonged Laparoscopic Operations.

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic colectomies are associated with reduced perioperative morbidity and mortality compared with open surgery. Nevertheless, many surgeons continue to utilize an open surgical approach due to the perceived benefits of shorter operative times. This study aims to compare the outcomes of laparoscopic versus open colectomies of equal or shorter operative duration. METHODS All patients undergoing elective laparoscopic or open colectomy in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS-NSQIP) were identified from the years 2005 through 2012. Patients were stratified first by operative procedure including partial colectomy, total colectomy, or low anterior resection. Each surgical group was then divided into 4 groups according to operative time: <90 minutes, ≥90 minutes and <3 hours, ≥3 hours and <6 hours, and ≥6 hours. In total, 30-day outcomes were compared between laparoscopic operations and open procedures of shorter or equivalent durations within each surgical group. Multivariate logistic regression was utilized to account for differences in patient demographics and comorbidities between the surgical groups. RESULTS In total, 156,503 patients met inclusion criteria; 112,053 (71.6%) patients underwent a partial colectomy, 13,838 (8.8%) patients underwent a total colectomy, and 30,612 (19.6%) patients underwent a low anterior resection. A laparoscopic approach was used in 34% (37,789 patients) of the partial colectomies performed, 31% (4285 patients) of the total colectomies performed, and 45% (13,850 patients) of the low anterior resections performed. For all procedures, laparoscopic operations <6 hours were associated with superior outcomes compared with shorter open procedures. The benefit of laparoscopic operations was lost when operative time exceeded 6 hours. CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic colectomies are associated with improved outcomes compared with open operations that do not exceed an operative time of 6 hours. Given the potential to improve patient outcomes, consideration should be given to the laparoscopic approach for all colon surgeries expected to be completed in <6 hours.
Thermal-aware, heterogeneous materials for improved energy and reliability in 3D PCM architectures

The properties of Phase-Change Memory (PCM) are defined in large part by the different chalcogenide materials employed. As the GeTe and Sb2Te3 ratios in the materials are changed, the operating temperatures needed for the phase change are also variable. Motivated by this phenomenon, we study the potential of exploiting different material compositions to achieve different trade-offs among the optimal operating temperatures, energy efficiency, write endurance and write latency. Specifically, we study the trade-offs for energy efficiency and lifetime in the scenario of using PCM materials for all layers of a 3D stack memory. Rather than a "one-memory-fits-all" approach, we propose Heterogeneous 3D PCM architectures by tailoring the Ge-Sb-Te ratios of PCM in concert with both the location and the intended function of these memories within the 3D stack. By varying the material compositions and their operating temperatures in correspondent with the non-uniform heat distribution across the stack, the heterogeneous PCM architectures improve the programming energy by up to 3.5X compared to the best homogeneous configuration. Moreover, the diversity in material compositions can also be exploited to protect error-correcting codes (ECC) by storing them in PCM materials with lower operating temperatures, which drastically reduces ECC early failures and brings a 30% improvement in the lifetime of the entire memory system. This architectural study attempts to make the case for exploring the whole material spectrum and the manufacturing cost associated with that.
Neck recurrence in clinically node-negative oral cancer: 27-year experience at a single institution.

Abstract Objectives Neck failure in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) carries a poor outcome, yet the management of patients who initially present with clinically node-negative (cN0) neck is not clearly defined. Patients and methods Retrospective review of patients with cN0 OSCC treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from 1985 to 2012, focusing on rate, pattern and predictors of neck failure, salvage treatment, and survival outcomes. Results Of 1,302 patients, 806 (62%) underwent elective neck dissection (END) and 496 (38%) had observation. 190 patients (15%) developed neck recurrence. Median follow-up was 58.5 months (range 1–343); 5-year neck recurrence-free survival (NRFS) was 85% and 80% for the END and observation group respectively (p = .06). Patients with neck failure had poorer outcomes than patients without neck failure (5-year overall survival, 37% vs. 74% [p Conclusions In our cohort of patients with initially cN0 OSCC triaged to END vs. observation using clinical parameters, 15% developed neck failure. Salvage treatment was feasible in most cases but survival was poorer compared to patients without neck failure. Surgery followed by adjuvant (chemo) radiation resulted in the best outcome.
Improving Performance by Improving Education

Abstract Optimizing the role of learners in quality improvement (QI) and neurosurgical performance requires understanding and closing historical gaps between traditional didactic teaching methods and the needs of today's contemporary learners. The role in neurosurgical education of technological advancement, simulation, fundamentals courses, cognitive style-based curricula, and practice-based learning (PBL) are presented. In addition, outcomes measurement and continuous QI for residency training are discussed in the context of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), Next Accreditation System (NAS), which also incorporates explicit educational goals for both PBL and QI. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement “triple aim”: (1) improved population health, (2) enhanced patient experience (including quality and satisfaction), and (3) reduced per capita cost for American health care now includes a 4th aim, (4) provider wellness and satisfaction. Iterative improvement of both the graduate medical education (GME) and medical practice environments is critical to the overall health care improvement enterprise.
Vertically migrating swimmers generate aggregation-scale eddies in a stratified column

Biologically generated turbulence has been proposed as an important contributor to nutrient transport and ocean mixing1–3. However, to produce non-negligible transport and mixing, such turbulence must produce eddies at scales comparable to the length scales of stratification in the ocean. It has previously been argued that biologically generated turbulence is limited to the scale of the individual animals involved4, which would make turbulence created by highly abundant centimetre-scale zooplankton such as krill irrelevant to ocean mixing. Their small size notwithstanding, zooplankton form dense aggregations tens of metres in vertical extent as they undergo diurnal vertical migration over hundreds of metres3,5,6. This behaviour potentially introduces additional length scales—such as the scale of the aggregation—that are of relevance to animal interactions with the surrounding water column. Here we show that the collective vertical migration of centimetre-scale swimmers—as represented by the brine shrimp Artemia salina—generates aggregation-scale eddies that mix a stable density stratification, resulting in an effective turbulent diffusivity up to three orders of magnitude larger than the molecular diffusivity of salt. These observed large-scale mixing eddies are the result of flow in the wakes of the individual organisms coalescing to form a large-scale downward jet during upward swimming, even in the presence of a strong density stratification relative to typical values observed in the ocean. The results illustrate the potential for marine zooplankton to considerably alter the physical and biogeochemical structure of the water column, with potentially widespread effects owing to their high abundance in climatically important regions of the ocean7. Laboratory experiments with the brine shrimp Artemia salina illustrate the potential for turbulence generated by the diurnal vertical migrations of aggregations of centimetre-scale zooplankton to affect the physical and biogeochemical structure of oceanic water columns.
Benefits and Drawbacks to Composting Organic By-Products

Composting is a treatment process that requires time, knowledge, experience, equipment and effort. The benefits of establishing a composting process must be balanced against some of the drawbacks of the process and the product. Organic by-products or residuals that are difficult to store, apply to fields uniformly, are unstable or nonuniform are good candidates for composting. Manures, biosolids and food processing residuals are produced daily but often cannot be used on a daily basis and, therefore, must be stored periodically. Composting transforms manures for example to a drier, more uniform and biologically stable product with many uses other than just land application. Composted manures as such have a greater value than untreated manures to the farmer or feedlot owner. Nonuniform materials such as yard trimmings are transformed by degradation and mixing during composting into homogeneous organic mulch. Wet materials such as biosolids become drier as composts and are therefore more easily land applied. By-products that contain human or plant pathogens are safer after the high temperature treatment of composting. Compost products generally have a higher carbon to nitrogen ratio than the original by-product and therefore act as a slow release fertilizer.
10 – Measurement Error

The problems that error in the measurement of variables poses for identification and parameter estimation in regression analysis are reasonably well understood.1 Our concern here is with the special problems due to measurement error in panel models. But to establish notation and remind the reader of results we will need in our treatment, we begin by reviewing the problem of measurement error in regression and correlation analysis.
Using a Standard License for Individual Electronic Journal Purchases: Results of a Pilot Study in the MIT Libraries☆

Abstract This article describes a pilot project in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries in which a standard library license (based directly on the CLIR/NERL/NELINET license) was sent to publishers of individual electronic journals as the initial step in arranging for e-journal access, rather than working first with the publisher's own license. Serials Review 2003; 29:302–304.