cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Electoral College and Majority Rule: Restoring the Jeffersonian Vision for Presidential Elections

The 2016 election contravened how the Electoral College, as revised by the Twelfth Amendment in 1804, was supposed to work: one-third of Donald Trump’s electoral votes, 101 of 304, came from six states where he received less than 50% of the popular vote. Based on the experience of the first four presidential elections, which included states using different forms of runoffs if no candidate received a popular-vote majority, the authors of the Twelfth Amendment never envisioned that states would award all their electors to a candidate with only a plurality of popular votes statewide. Congress, then controlled by allies of Thomas Jefferson, wanted the Amendment to produce a victorious president who—like Jefferson himself—had majority support among voters in the states that formed the president’s Electoral College victory. An analysis of all presidential elections before 2016 shows only three (1844, 1884 and 2000) in which the Electoral College winner was the candidate who would have lost if the election had conformed to the Jeffersonian vision for how the Twelfth Amendment was supposed to work. In all three, the aberration from the Jeffersonian vision was attributable to malfeasance in a single state: fraud in New York in 1844 and 1884, and the butterfly ballot (and related administrative misdeeds) in Florida in 2000. In each instance, it was easy to overlook that “plurality winner-take-all” contravenes the original Jeffersonian vision, because avoiding the particular state-specific malfeasance would have produced the appropriate Jeffersonian winner. By contrast, in 2016 the six-state deviation from the original Jeffersonian premises of the Twelfth Amendment—none of which is attributable to fraud or any other kind of localized administrative error—shows the need for a different kind of structural fix. States can restore the Jeffersonian vision by returning to runoffs, as used originally, or adopting Instant Runoff Voting (which, by giving voters ballots that let them rank preferences among candidates, enables a runoff to occur without need for a second round of voting). Each state currently has the constitutional power to put either option in place for that particular state in the next presidential election; it does not require a constitutional amendment or multi-state compact. If just Florida and Michigan had adopted this reform before 2016, it would have changed the outcome of the election—assuming, as is plausible, that Hillary Clinton would have won runoffs there.
An Abstract: Immersive Virtual Environments: A Whole New World

Immersive virtual environments can and should be used as a methodological tool for experimental research. Virtual reality (VR) is often referred to by scientists as virtual environments (VEs) and is defined as “synthetic sensory information that leads to perceptions of environments and their contents as if they were not synthetic” (Blascovich et al. 2002, p. 105). Scientists extend the concept of VEs into a more specific immersive virtual environment (IVE) which is a psychological state characterized by being enveloped in, and interacting with, an environment (Witmer and Singer 1998).
High-Sensitivity Troponin in Patients With Coronary Artery Endothelial Dysfunction

Background Coronary endothelial dysfunction (CED) is associated with recurrent ischemia. The role of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hscTnI) levels in patients with CED has not been established. Methods Patients with suspected ischemia, who underwent clinically indicated coronary angiography and were found to have non-obstructive coronary artery disease, were included in the study. CED was defined as ≤50% increase in coronary blood flow from baseline and/or a decrease in epicardial coronary artery diameter >20% in response to maximal dosages of acetylcholine. HscTnI was measured at the time of the procedure using the Architect hscTnI assay (Abbott). Results Of 299 patients, 60 had normal endothelial function and 239 patients had abnormal endothelial function. The median age of the population was 52 years (interquartile range [IQR], 45-60 years). Patients with abnormal endothelial function had significantly higher log hscTnI values when compared to patients with normal endothelial function (0.9 ng/L [IQR, 0.7-1.4 ng/L] vs 0.7 ng/L [IQR, 0.7-1.1 ng/L]; P=.04). An hscTnI value >12.5 ng/L was 100% specific for the presence of endothelial dysfunction (100% positive predictive value). There were 39 major adverse cardiovascular events during follow-up. In patients with normal endothelial function, hscTnI levels were significantly higher in patients who developed major adverse cardiac events when compared to patients who did not (1.35 ng/L [IQR, 1.1-2.1 ng/L] vs 0.7 ng/L [IQR, 0.7-1.1 ng/L]; P=.02). Conclusion Our findings suggest that endothelial dysfunction may be associated with higher baseline hscTnI levels, suggesting increased myocardial injury in this population of patients. Additional studies are necessary to further define the role of hscTnI in risk stratification in this population.
Psychosocial Risks are Independently Associated with Cancer Surgery Outcomes in Medically Comorbid Patients

The specific effect of psychosocial risk factors on surgical outcomes in cancer patients remains unexplored. The purpose of this prospective observational study was to assess the association of preoperative psychosocial risk factors and 30-day complications following cancer surgery. Psychosocial risks among elective gastrointestinal cancer surgery patients were ascertained through structured interviews using well-established screening forms. We then collected postoperative course by chart review. Multivariable analysis of short-term surgical outcomes was performed in those with a low versus high number of psychosocial risks. Overall, 142 patients had a median age of 65 years (interquartile range 55–71), 55.9% were male, and 23.1% were non-White. More than half (58.2%) of the study population underwent a resection for a hepato-pancreato-biliary primary tumor, and 31.9% had a colorectal primary tumor. High-risk biomedical comorbidities were present in 43.5% of patients, and three-quarters of patients (73.4%) had at least one psychosocial risk. Complication rates in patients with at least one psychosocial risk were 28.0 absolute percentage points higher than those with no psychosocial risks (54.4% vs. 26.2%, p = 0.039). Multiple psychosocial risk factors in medically comorbid patients independently conferred an increase in the odds of a complication by 3.37-fold (95% CI 1.08–10.48, p = 0.036) compared with those who had one or no psychosocial risks. We demonstrated a more than threefold odds of a complication in medically comorbid patients with multiple psychosocial risks. These findings support the use of psychosocial risks in preoperative assessment and consideration for inclusion in preoperative optimization efforts.
Universal behavior of the ground state of large atoms

Abstract We review some results on the behavior of the ground state energy and the ground state density for large atoms as the nuclear charge Z increases to infinity. Here the atom is described by various models, namely the Thomas-Fermi, the Thomas-Fermi-Weizsacker, the Fermi-Hellmann, the Hellmann-Weizsacker, a reduced Hartree-Fock model, and the Schrodinger equation. For the Schrodinger equation we indicate a new proof of the Scott bound from below.
Mechanisms by which hydrogen sulfide attenuates muscle function following ischemia-reperfusion injury: effects on Akt signaling, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis.

Ischemia–reperfusion injury is caused by a period of ischemia followed by massive blood flow into a tissue that had experienced restricted blood flow. The severity of the injury is dependent on the time the tissue was restricted from blood flow, becoming more severe after longer ischemia times. This can lead to many complications such as tissue necrosis, cellular apoptosis, inflammation, metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction, and even organ failure. One of the emerging therapies to combat ischemic reperfusion injury complications is hydrogen sulfide, which is a gasotransmitter that diffuses across cell membranes to exert effects on various signaling pathways regulating cell survival such as Akt, mitochondrial activity, and apoptosis. Although commonly thought of as a toxic gas, low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide have been shown to be beneficial in promoting tissue survival post-ischemia, and modulate a wide variety of cellular responses. This review will detail the mechanisms of hydrogen sulfide in affecting the Akt signaling pathway, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis, particularly in regards to ischemic reperfusion injury in muscle tissue. It will conclude with potential clinical applications of hydrogen sulfide, combinations with other therapies, and perspectives for future studies.
Deep fusion of contextual and object-based representations for delineation of multiple nuclear phenotypes.

MOTIVATION Nuclear delineation and phenotypic profiling are important steps in the automated analysis of histology sections. However, these are challenging problems due to (i) technical variations (e.g. fixation, staining) that originate as a result of sample preparation; (ii) biological heterogeneity (e.g. vesicular versus high chromatin phenotypes, nuclear atypia) and (iii) overlapping nuclei. This Application-Note couples contextual information about the cellular organization with the individual signature of nuclei to improve performance. As a result, routine delineation of nuclei in H&E stained histology sections is enabled for either computer-aided pathology or integration with genome-wide molecular data. RESULTS The method has been evaluated on two independent datasets. One dataset originates from our lab and includes H&E stained sections of brain and breast samples. The second dataset is publicly available through IEEE with a focus on gland-based tissue architecture. We report an approximate AJI of 0.592 and an F1-score 0.93 on both datasets. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The code-base, modified dataset and results are publicly available. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
FitFirms: A wellness option for oncology trainees.

10537Background: Burnout in oncologists has been rising over the past decade. Burnout leads to poor patient outcomes and poor physician health. Younger oncologists are at higher risk for burnout. T...
Comparative assessment of einkorn and emmer wheat phenomes: II—phenotypic integration

Phenotypic integration, as the outcome of the number and strength of (co)variation among phenotypic traits in the genetically-related diploid einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. subsp. monococcum; genome AA) and tetraploid emmer wheat [Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccon (Schrank) Thell.; genome BBAA] was estimated for seven modules (i.e., area, density, dimensions, dry weight, ecophysiology, structure, and yield components) based on 110 traits measured or estimated on plant, tiller, leaf, spike, spikelet and kernel samples at three growth stages during four growing seasons. Classical methods of phenotypic integration assessment using algorithms for dimensionality reduction, matrix correlation, ordination, discrimination, multidimensional scaling and functional relationships, generated insightful but inconsistence estimates of phenotypic integration; thus, making it challenging to compare the strength of integration across species and modules using a single and reliable phenotypic integration index. Divergence between einkorn and emmer due to polyploidy, although evident at the mean phenotypic index at whole plant phenotypic level (0.37 ± 0.08 and 0.59 ± 0.09, respectively), was manifested more at the reproductive than at the vegetative level; while at a multidimensional scale, emmer exhibited larger correct classification (86.0%) than einkorn (69.5%). A standardized z-score, which was based on partial least squares analysis of trait variation, when adjusted for plant size, provided unbiased estimates of phenotypic integration indices comparable across modules and species (minimum z-score of 16.9 ± 1.1 for density module in einkorn to 32.1 ± 2.0, for yield components module in emmer). Despite the polyploidy diversity bottleneck in emmer, both species overlap in the range of their genetic variation for many traits and seemingly share some phenotypic intermediate forms. Phenotypic variances are unequal among einkorn and emmer; their differences could be attributed to emmer’s polyploidy diversity bottleneck and manifested at the different numbers of significant common principal components shared between the species, with a range from three (area module) to nine (dimensions module) shared common components. Future research needs to explore how inter- and intraspecific phenotypic variation affect population dynamics and performance under field conditions. As potential alternative crops in future cropping systems, considerable opportunities and benefits, in influencing the structure and function of agroecosystems, are expected if intraspecific trait databases are developed for these early domesticates.
International Retirement Migration

International retirement migration from northern, wealthier countries to more southerly countries is a growing phenomenon. It represents one of the many manifestations of the worldwide interconnectedness associated with globalization. In addition to increasing globalization, a number of other key factors play a part in making this movement more popular. In North America, these factors include:
Newspaper Editors’ Interactions with Journalistic Serendipity

This qualitative study explores the information behavior of newspaper reporters regarding their serendipitous encounters with information that lead to story ideas, and how newspaper editors affect ...
Community-Based Technology Co-Design: Insights on Participation, and the Value of the “Co”

Evidence and analysis of Community-Based Participatory Design (PD) and Co-Design programs are not abundant. Filling this gap allows for better understanding of (1) the value programs offer from a quantitative standpoint, and (2) how to formalize participation within PD. In this paper, we present evidence from a series of International Development Design Summits (IDDS), a PD-oriented program focused on low-cost technology co-design and co-production, in collaboration with local communities. The purpose is to provide opportunities for learning and practicing community-based PD in an intercultural setting. We examine data from five summits in Colombia between 2015-2018. We discuss the value of this approach across multiple groups, and how it can be understood as a measure of participation. We present evidence of participant benefits, including an exploratory analysis of self-perception using sentiment analysis. Finally, we discuss the challenges and potential directions for this work. This paper contributes to further understand the value of participation (the “co”) in the context of community-based PD.
Teaching About Food and Agriculture Using Web Mapping Tools and Spatial Data

Food and agriculture as geographic subjects connect well with climate, weather, river systems, landforms, the politics and resources inherent in irrigating or draining the land, biodiversity, agric...
Self-similar groups and holomorphic dynamics: Renormalization, integrability, and spectrum

In this paper, we explore the spectral measures of the Laplacian on Schreier graphs for several self-similar groups (the Grigorchuk, Lamplighter, and Hanoi groups) from the dynamical and algebro-geometric viewpoints. For these graphs, classical Schur renormalization transformations act on appropriate spectral parameters as rational maps in two variables. We show that the spectra in question can be interpreted as asymptotic distributions of slices by a line of iterated pullbacks of certain algebraic curves under the corresponding rational maps (leading us to a notion of a spectral current). We follow up with a dynamical criterion for discreteness of the spectrum. In case of discrete spectrum, the precise rate of convergence of finite-scale approximands to the limiting spectral measure is given. For the three groups under consideration, the corresponding rational maps happen to be fibered over polynomials in one variable. We reveal the algebro-geometric nature of this integrability phenomenon.
On the hydrodynamics of off-bottom plug placement: A 2D model problem

Abstract Economic and environmental costs have renewed public and industrial interest in safe and long-term well abandonment. Balanced plug is a commonly used plug placement technique that relies on the injection of cement slurry in a well otherwise filled with lower density liquids. In the absence of a mechanical bridge, buoyancy-driven displacement flows may lead to the contamination of the plug or the failure of the process. To develop a mechanistic perspective of the processes that may prevent the buoyancy-driven failure of the placement process, we investigate the injection of a viscoplastic fluid, through a concentric injector, into a vertical channel filled with a lower density Newtonian fluid. The fluids are considered to be miscible and the effect of diffusion on flow development is characterized through exploring a wide range of Peclet numbers, 28 ≤ P e ∞ . We identify two representative flow regimes dominated by either diffusive or advective transport. In the diffusive regime, once the injection starts, a layer of mixed fluids develops below the injector that slowly expands by diffusion. In the advective regime, a finger of the injected fluid invades the channel at the onset of injection. This viscoplastic finger breaks up subsequently, leading to the formation of a layer of mixed fluids below the injector. We provide a mechanistic description of the observed dynamics and show that the formation of a density-stratified layer of mixed fluids is essential for the accumulation of the injected fluid.
Measurement and Importance of Volatile Matter in Coals and Biofuels

Volatile matter values for solid fuels are used to assess their burning rates and, thus, provide a basis for the buying and selling of these fuels. The major factors that affect volatile matter yields are the type of fuel, moisture contents, and the heating rates used in the tests. This paper reports the results of experiments designed to improve the reliability and application of test methods for the determination of volatile matter in various solid fuels. The macro thermogravimetric analysis studies described herein include the rapid drying of analysis samples of coal and the effect on volatile matter yields, the heating of various chars at high temperatures to reach a state of constancy, the measuring of decomposition moisture, an “elusive” constituent in coal, and the cocombustion of coals and other solid fuels. The presence of residual moisture and decomposition moisture in the coal during the volatile matter tests increases the measured volatile matter yields even though the residual moisture has been factored out. The rates of heating solid fuels during volatile matter tests affect the volatile matter yields because of the presence of different types of moisture in the fuel that are released at different temperatures. The heating rates used in volatile matter tests affect the type of compounds released and the total volatile matter yields of coals and biofuels. The experiments reported in this paper were instrumental in the decision of ASTM Committee D05 on Coal and Coke to recently revise the classic volatile matter standard test method D3175 to change the temperature for drying sparking coals from 600°C to 107°C. The role volatile matter plays in the combustion of fuel blends is discussed in this article.
Facebook and Martin Luther: Media Technology, Accessibility, and Expertise in Three Dimensions

It is widely believed that the ease of internet publishing in the early twenty–first century has undermined respect for expertise, raising fears of interpretive anarchy in popular discourse about science, politics, and morality. The internet has increased access not only to information but also to the means of publication. The results have been intentionally and unintentionally disruptive to politics (growing demagogic nationalism) as well as to various kinds of businesses (such as newspapers). These developments, however, are not unprecedented, except perhaps in scale. They are the typical social side effects of introducing new media technologies. New media have historically fueled populist movements in religion and politics, as a review of Christian history shows. It also shows that the new media then get used to recreate methods for reasserting the interpretive authority of experts. These rival tendencies are generated by the three-dimensional nature of all written media. These social consequences are therefore intrinsic to writing’s use ever since its invention five thousand years ago.
Making Race Visible in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this critical discourse analytic study is to identify how two key professional standards documents in the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences field—the Standards for Certif...
Prediction of Hospital Readmission from Longitudinal Mobile Data Streams.

Hospital readmissions impose an extreme burden on both health systems and patients. Timely management of the postoperative complications that result in readmissions is necessary to mitigate the effects of these events. However, accurately predicting readmissions is very challenging, and current approaches demonstrated a limited ability to forecast which patients are likely to be readmitted. Our research addresses the challenge of daily readmission risk prediction after the hospital discharge via leveraging the abilities of mobile data streams collected from patients devices in a probabilistic deep learning framework. Through extensive experiments on a real-world dataset that includes smartphone and Fitbit device data from 49 patients collected for 60 days after discharge, we demonstrate our framework’s ability to closely simulate the readmission risk trajectories for cancer patients.
Establishing access policies for emerging media in academic libraries : The video lending experience as a model

Abstract Withtheincorporationofrapidly evolvingmediaformatsin academic librarycollections, librariansface thenow-familiar challengeof providing access to the information these new formats contain. Rather than developing individual access policies for each type of media, librarians can follow pre-existing policies for an established media format, the videorecording, asa way of addressingdiscrete medialending issuesand establishing appropriate policies. This article describes a variety of academic library video access policies and the reasoning for their implementation in order to illustrateand addressthecommonest issuesinvolved in establishing media access policies and to offer lending guidance for newlyacquiredformats.
Discriminant feature extraction for parametric and non-parametric classifier

Feature extraction (FE) is considered as preserving the value of the discriminant function for a given classifier which uses a posteriori probabilities P( omega /sub i/ mod X) while reducing dimensionality. For classification minimizing Bayes' error, a posteriori probabilities would be the best features. In this feature space, the probability of error is the same as in the original space, assuming Bayes' classifier. The authors consider FE as eliminating features which have no impact on the value of the discriminant function and propose an FE algorithm which eliminates those irrelevant features and retains only useful features. The proposed algorithm does not deteriorate even when there is no difference in the mean vectors or covariance matrices, and it can be used for both parametric and nonparametric classifiers. >
The Effects of Verbal Instruction and Shaping to Improve Tackling by High School Football Players.

We evaluated verbal instruction and shaping using TAG (teaching with acoustical guidance) to improve tackling by 3 high school football players. Verbal instruction and shaping improved tackling for all 3 participants. In addition, performance was maintained as participants moved more quickly through the tackling procedure.
The formal Laplace-Borel transform, Fliess operators and the composition product

In this paper, the formal Laplace-Borel transform of an analytic nonlinear input-output system is defined, specifically, an input-output system that can be represented as a Fliess operator. Using this concept and the composition product, an explicit relationship is then derived between the formal Laplace-Borel transforms of the input and output signals. This provides an alternative interpretation of the symbolic calculus introduced by Fliess to compute the output response of such systems. Finally, it is shown that the formal Laplace-Borel transform provides an isomorphism between the semigroup of all well defined Fliess operators under composition and the semigroup of all locally convergent formal power series under the composition product.
Simple optical method for measuring free shrinkage

Abstract Objectives A simple optical method for measuring polymerization shrinkage of dental composites is compared with an established dilatometer. Methods Five restorative composites were used to test the methods: Filtek Supreme Ultra (3M ESPE), Filtek LS (3M ESPE), Premise (Kerr), Gradia Direct (GC), and GC Kalore (GC). Uncured composites were attached to sandblasted silane-treated glass slides. The slides were placed sample side inside a mercury-filled dilatometer (ADAF). The mercury levels were recorded as the materials were light-cured through the glass-slides (40 s). Mercury levels, which correlated with volumetric shrinkage, were recorded for 60 min ( N = 6). For the optical method, uncured composite was placed on a smooth silicone platform. A pre-polymerization image was captured under a stereomicroscope, and the specimen was light-cured (40 s). Post-polymerization images were captured at 2, 10, 60, and 90 min ( N = 10). Composite outlines were traced to obtain projected surface areas (ImageJ) and volumetric shrinkage was calculated. Results were analyzed using two-way ANOVA ( α = 0.05) and Pearson Correlation tests. Shrinkage deformation for both methods was modeled using finite element analysis. Results Volumetric shrinkage at 60 min ranged between 1.24% and 2.24% for dilatometer and 1.35–2.68% for optical methods. Optical method shrinkage was consistently higher than the dilatometer ( P = .0001), but the ranking of the composites was the same (Pearson Correlation Coefficient 0.9997). Finite element analysis showed that lower shrinkage values of the dilatometer method could be attributed to bonding of its samples. Significance The optical method using a general-purpose stereomicroscope and public-domain software is a simple and accurate alternative to measure free shrinkage.
A simplified model of wound healing II: The Critical Size Defect in two dimensions

Recently, a one-dimensional model was developed which gives a reasonable explanation for the existence of a Critical Size Defect (CSD) in certain animals [1]. In this paper, we examine the more realistic two-dimensional model of a circular wound of uniform depth to see what modifications are to be found, as compared with the one-dimensional model, in studying the CSD phenomenon. It transpires that the range of CSD sizes for a reasonable estimate of parameter values is 1 mm-1 cm. More realistic estimates await the appropriate experimental data.
A Simple Model for the Effective Thermal Conductivity of a Particulate Mixture

When a coal stockpile is stored in the presence of air, slow oxidation of the carbonaceous materials occurs and heat is released. If the rate of heat generation within the stockpile is greater than the rate of heat dissipation and transportation to the external environment, the self-heating of the coal stockpile ensues. The self-heating of coal stockpiles has a long history of posing significant problems to coal producers because it lowers the quality of coal and may result in hazardous thermal runaway. Precise prediction of the self-heating process is, therefore, necessary in order to identify and evaluate control measures and strategies for safe coal mining, storage and transportation. Such a prediction requires an accurate estimate of the various processes associated with the self-heating which are impossible unless the appropriate phenomenological coefficients are known. This note is to present a simple approach to determine the effective thermal conductivity of a granular porous medium such as a coal stockpile.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Electric Conduction in Hard Rubber, Pyrex, Fused and Crystalline Quartz

The study of physical and electrical characteristics of insulating materials is of growing importance to the electrical industry because of the ever increasing potentials employed in electric generating and distributing equipment. The particular problem presented in this paper is related to engineering practise because polarization and conduction both result in the conversion of electric energy into heat. This produces increased local and general heating, which may be contributing causes to the progressive deterioration and final breakdown of the insulation. The constant potential method explained in this paper provides a means for studying the inherent voltage-current-time relations which are masked in experiments using alternating applied potential. Part of the material contained in this paper was presented by the writer to the faculty of the Graduate School of Cornell University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The investigation was later continued with the joint support of the Hecksher Research Council and the General Electric Company. Several methods were tried for obtaining conducting surfaces on the specimens for constant potential tests. An improved method was devised for making tests and experimental results on four materials were obtained. Peculiar reversals were observed in the charge and discharge curves for fused quartz. The summary of experimental results is followed by suggestions for further research along similar lines.
Phylogenetic relationships of selected cereal and grass rusts based on rDNA sequence analysis

To determine phylogenetic relatedness of strains and formae speciales oi Puccinia coronata, P. graminis, P. recondita and other cereal and grass rusts and related species, two regions of the riboso...
Enzymatic reduction of phenylglyoxal and 2,3-butanedione, two commonly used arginine-modifying reagents, by the ketoacyl reductase domain of fatty acid synthase

Fatty acid synthase catalyzes the reduction of one of the carbonyl groups in phenylglyoxal and 2,3-butanedione using NADPH as the reductant. Selective inactivation of the enoyl reductase, one of the two reductase domains that could catalyze this reduction, did not affect the carbonyl reduction showing that the ketoreductase domain catalyzed the reaction. The apparent Km for the two arginine-specific reagents were lower than that for 3-acetoacetyl-N-acetyl cysteamine, the commonly used model substrate for the ketoreductase activity of the synthase.
Simulation-based Learning and Educational Issues

I am pleased to introduce Michele DeGrazia, a PhDprepared nurse with over 20 years experience in neonatal care. Michele DeGrazia, PhD, RN, NNP-BC, is a practicing neonatal nurse practitioner at Children's Hospital, Boston as well as an adjunct assistant professor in the graduate school of nursing at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Dr DeGrazia is the guest editor of the first Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews issue of 2011. Over 50% of the states in the United States now require continuing education hours to maintain licensure. In addition, special certification also requires continuing education for maintenance. A variety of ways to obtain this education includes journal reading or journal clubs, attending an in-service, attending a local or national conference, Web-based learning, and simulation-based training. Different modes of course delivery suit different learners in different contexts.
Genetic gain from selection for rooting ability and early growth in vegetatively propagated clones of loblolly pine

A successful clonal forestry program for loblolly pine based on rooted cutting technology needs to consider selection for both rooting ability and subsequent field growth. Rooting ability and second-year height were assessed in more than 2,000 clones from 70 full-sib families of loblolly pine. The bivariate analysis of rooting ability from five rooting trials and field growth from six field trials allowed for estimation of the genetic covariance between rooting ability and second-year height for parental effects, full-sib family effects, and the total genetic value of clones within full-sib family. There was a positive genetic relationship between rooting ability and second-year height at all three genetic levels. The genetic correlation at the parental level between rooting ability and second-year height \({\left( {\widehat{r}_{{{\text{B}}_{{{\text{GCA}}}} }} } \right)}\) was 0.32. At the full-sib family level, the genetic correlation between traits \({\left( {\widehat{r}_{{{\text{B}}_{{{\text{FS}}}} }} } \right)}\) was 0.39. The correlation of total genetic values of clones for rooting ability and second-year height \({\left( {\widehat{r}_{{{\text{B}}_{{{\text{TG}}}} }} } \right)}\) was 0.29. The genetic gain in rooting ability and second-year height was estimated for a number of deployment options based on various selection scenarios using the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) values from the bivariate analysis. The deployment strategies compared were (1) half-sib family deployment, (2) full-sib family deployment, and (3) clonal deployment. Moderate to high family and clonal mean heritabilities, moderate to high type B genetic correlations, and substantial among-family and among-clone genetic variation indicate the potential for increasing rooting efficiency and improving growth.
Targeting the glassy-winged sharpshooter

Following the article in Pesticide Outlook by Alexander Purcell and Helene Feil from the Division of Insect Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, USA (Pesticide Outlook, 2001, 12(5), 199-203), the following is a summary of some recent research being conducted at USDA-ARS in the fight against this dangerous insect.
β‐Carotene decreases markers of lipid peroxidation in healthy volunteers

We previously showed that daily intake of beta-carotene, a nontoxic antioxidant, reduces lipid peroxidation as assessed by serum lipid peroxide levels. An alternative method to detect lipid peroxidation is the measurement of pentane in breath. Pentane is a five-carbon hydrocarbon that is released when an omega-6 unsaturated fatty acid undergoes peroxidation. The aim of this study was to see whether graded doses of beta-carotene would affect breath pentane excretion in normal subjects placed on a carotenoid-free liquid diet for two weeks. The subjects were then repleted with either 15 (n = 7) or 120 mg (n = 8) of beta-carotene daily for four weeks while continuing the same diet. Serum beta-carotene and breath pentane were measured before and after beta-carotene refeeding. Lipid peroxidation, as assessed by gas-chromatographic measurement of breath pentane, was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by daily supplements of 120 mg beta-carotene (from 3.7 +/- 0.9 to 2.2 +/- 1.4 nmol/l). However, the decline in pentane exhalation observed with the 15-mg beta-carotene dose did not achieve statistical significance (p = 0.13).
Visions of society in discourse and art: The failed rhetoric of social realism

In the late 20s and 30s, a group of artists developed art which depicted the injustices in society and developed forums to advocate social reforms they felt were necessary, both for themselves and others in society. This essay provides an analysis of the ultimate failure of both discourse and art during this “social realism” period in the United States. Their anomalous discourse undid their efforts to provide a sustained, cohesive message of social reform, and their paintings, while they had a definite impact within the period, failed to sustain a message of social injustice sufficient to force social change.
Papillary urothelial neoplasms of low malignant potential. Clinical and biologic implications.

Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester,Minnesota.Current address for Dr. Bostwick: Bostwick Labora-tories, 6722 Pattterson Avenue, Richmond, VA23226. E-mail: bostwick@bostwicklaboratories.comAddress for reprints: Liang Cheng, M.D., Depart-ment of Pathology, University Hospital 3465, Indi-ana University School of Medicine, 550 North Uni-versity Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46202. E-mail:lcheng@iupu.eduReceived October 23 1998; revisions receivedMarch 8, 1999, and May 12, 1999; accepted May14, 1999.
Computational Model of the Lower Leg and Foot/Ankle Complex: Application to Arch Stability

The aim of this work was the design and evaluation of a computational model to predict the functional behavior of the lower leg and foot/ankle complex whereby joint behavior was dictated by three-dimensional articular contact, ligamentous constraints, muscle loading, and external perturbation. Three-dimensional bony anatomy was generated from stacked CT images after which ligament mimicking elements were attached and muscle/body loading added to recreate the experimental conditions of selected cadaveric studies. Comparisons of model predictions to results from two different experimental studies were performed for the function of the medial arch in weight bearing stance and the contributions of soft tissue structures to arch stability. Sensitivity simulations evaluated selected in situ strain and stiffness values for ligament tissue. The greatest contributor to arch stability was the plantar fascia, which provided 79.5% of the resistance to arch collapse, followed by the plantar ligaments (12.5%), and finally the spring ligament (8.0%). Strains measured after plantar fasciotomy increased in the remaining plantar ligament by approximately 300% and spring ligament by approximately 200%. Sensitivity tests varying both in situ strain and stiffness across reported standard deviations showed that functional trends remained the same and true to experimental data, although absolute magnitudes changed. While not measured experimentally, the model also predicted that load can increase dramatically in the remaining plantar tissues when one of such tissues is removed. Overall, computational predictions of stability and soft tissue load sharing compared well with experimental findings. The strength of this simulation approach lies in its capacity to predict biomechanical behavior of modeled structures and to capture physical parameters of interest not measurable in experimental simulations or in vivo.
The transseptal conundrum

There are lots of reasons to be cautious about doing a transseptal puncture. Visions of tamponade, vagal reactions, aortic entry, and specific placement of the puncture for therapeutic interventions quickly come to mind. To be honest, once the transseptal puncture is safely done, I always feel a
Design of a bacterial host for site-specific incorporation of p-bromophenylalanine into recombinant proteins.

Introduction of a yeast suppressor tRNA (ytRNA^(Phe)_(CUA)) and a mutant yeast phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (yPheRS (T415G)) into an Escherichia coli expression host allows in vivo incorporation of phenylalanine analogues into recombinant proteins in response to amber stop codons. However, high-fidelity incorporation of non-natural amino acids is precluded in this system by mischarging of ytRNA^(Phe)_(CUA) with tryptophan (Trp) and lysine (Lys). Here we show that ytRNA^(Phe)_(CUA) and yPheRS can be redesigned to achieve high-fidelity amber codon suppression through delivery of p-bromophenylalanine (pBrF). Two strategies were used to reduce misincorporation of Trp and Lys. First, Lys misincorporation was eliminated by disruption of a Watson−Crick base pair between nucleotides 30 and 40 in ytRNA^(Phe)_(CUA). Loss of this base pair reduces mischarging by the E. coli lysyl-tRNA synthetase. Second, the binding site of yPheRS was redesigned to enhance specificity for pBrF. Specifically, we used the T415A variant, which exhibits 5-fold higher activity toward pBrF as compared to Trp in ATP−PP_i exchange assays. Combining mutant ytRNA^(Phe)_(CUA) and yPheRS (T415A) allowed incorporation of pBrF into murine dihydrofolate reductase in response to an amber codon with at least 98% fidelity.
A polymetamorphic protein

Arc repressor is a homodimeric protein with a ribbon-helix-helix fold. A single polar-to- hydrophobic substitution (N11L) at a solvent-exposed position leads to population of an alternate dimeric fold in which 310 helices replace a b-sheet. Here we find that the variant Q9V/N11L/R13V (S-VLV), with two additional polar-to-hydrophobic surface mutations in the same b-sheet, forms a highly stable, reversibly folded octamer with approximately half thea-helical content of wild-type Arc. At low protein concentration and low ionic strength, S-VLV also populates both dimeric topologies previously observed for N11L, as judged by NMR chemical shift comparisons. Thus, accumulation of simple hydrophobic mutations in Arc progressively reduces fold specificity, leading first to a sequence with two folds and then to a manifold bridge sequence with at least three different topologies. Residues 9-14 of S-VLV form a highly hydrophobic stretch that is predicted to be amyloidogenic, but we do not observe aggregates of higher order than octamer. Increases in sequence hydrophobicity can promote amyloid aggregation but also exert broader and more complex effects on fold specificity. Altered native folds, changes in fold coupled to oligomerization, toxic pre-amyloid oligomers, and amyloid fibrils may represent a near continuum of accessible alternatives in protein structure space.
Energy Accountability Using Nonintrusive Load Monitoring

Conventional power meters measure total kilowatt-hours yet reveal little about how power was used. Modern solid-state metering solutions are not necessarily taking full advantage of the inexpensive but high performance computation capability that is available. This paper contains the details of a field test of a new software architecture for nonintrusive utility monitoring that endeavors to solve the big data problem of handling interesting but high bandwidth data streams from many monitored sites, e.g., residences and commercial buildings. Results from a field test are used to illustrate the utility of this system.
Compliant coatings for drag reduction

Abstract Compliant coating research is one of those areas which experienced its fair share of triumphs and debacles. For over forty years, the subject has fascinated, frustrated and occasionally gratified scientists and engineers searching for methods to delay laminar-to-turbulence transition, to reduce skin-friction drag in turbulent wall-bounded flows, to quell vibrations, and to suppress flow-induced noise. In its simplest form, the technique is passive, relatively easy to apply to an existing vehicle or device, and perhaps not too expensive. Through the years, however, claims for substantial drag and noise reductions were made, only to be later refuted when the results were more critically examined. There are several important issues with regard to the reliability of available analytical, numerical and experimental results. In this article, some of these issues, particularly as they relate to the search for drag-reducing compliant coatings, will be addressed with the objective of elucidating the potential pitfalls to newcomers to the field. Problem formulation with proper boundary conditions, impossibility of obtaining first-principles analytical solutions when the wall-bounded flow is turbulent, and limitations of existing numerical simulations will be elaborated. The effects of background turbulence in a wind or water tunnel, accurate drag measurements, compliant wall motion, and the geometry and properties of the coating used will be among the outstanding experimental issues discussed. Attempts will be made to explain some of the seemingly contradictory results available in the open literature.
1239 PHENCYCLIDINE (PCP) INDUCED ABSTINENCE SYNDROME IN NEWBORN INFANTS

Twenty-five newborns of admitted PCP abusive mothers were observed for signs of an abstinence syndrome during the first weeks of life. Positive findings included: irritability(25), poor feeding(25), tremors(16), nystagmus(15), hyperreflexia(7), shin abrasions(7), increased appetite(6), abdominal distention(5), diarrhea(3), and diaphoresis(2). Hypertension and tachycardia were not consistent findings. The mean birth weight was 2581 grams(1200-3900). Eight infants were of less than 38 weeks gestation(Dubowitz). Five had APGAR scores < 5 at 1 min. with two <5 at 5 min. The mean head circumference was 32 cm(27-35). There were no dysmorphic features. Negative laboratory tests included: “TORCH” screen, cbc, VDRL, electrolytes, thyroid, Ca, Phos, Mg, glucose, CSF, and blood cultures. Despite clinical findings in all infants, urine screens were positive for PCP in only 5 cases suggesting undetectable analogs or low concentrations. One infant's urine was positive for both PCP and heroin. Positive first voided urines were consistent with amniotic presence of PCP at term. Cord blood was positive in one case. Thorazine(0.5mg/kg) q 6 h temporarily reduced tremulousness. Narcan(0.1mg/kg IV) was ineffective. Despite hyperhydration, gastric lavage and urine acidification, symptoms persisted from 3 days to 4 months. Ingested PCP crosses the human placenta during gestation. It induces an abstinence syndrome consistent with a central nervous system receptor and suggest physical dependency in the newborn.
Brain-wide pathway for waste clearance captured by contrast-enhanced MRI

The glymphatic system is a recently defined brain-wide paravascular pathway for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF) exchange that facilitates efficient clearance of solutes and waste from the brain. CSF enters the brain along para-arterial channels to exchange with ISF, which is in turn cleared from the brain along para-venous pathways. Because soluble amyloid β clearance depends on glymphatic pathway function, we proposed that failure of this clearance system contributes to amyloid plaque deposition and Alzheimer’s disease progression. Here we provide proof of concept that glymphatic pathway function can be measured using a clinically relevant imaging technique. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI was used to visualize CSF-ISF exchange across the rat brain following intrathecal paramagnetic contrast agent administration. Key features of glymphatic pathway function were confirmed, including visualization of para-arterial CSF influx and molecular size-dependent CSF-ISF exchange. Whole-brain imaging allowed the identification of two key influx nodes at the pituitary and pineal gland recesses, while dynamic MRI permitted the definition of simple kinetic parameters to characterize glymphatic CSF-ISF exchange and solute clearance from the brain. We propose that this MRI approach may provide the basis for a wholly new strategy to evaluate Alzheimer’s disease susceptibility and progression in the live human brain.