cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transanal endoscopic microsurgery after neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy for locally advanced extraperitoneal rectal cancer: short-term morbidity and functional outcome

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) after radiochemotherapy (RCT) has been reported in selected cases of locally advanced rectal cancer as an alternative to traditional radical resection with total mesorectal excision with a curative intent or as diagnostic tool to confirm a pathological complete response of the primary tumor. No study has evaluated functional outcome after TEM in preoperatively irradiated patients. This study was designed to evaluate short-term morbidity (according to Clavien’s classifications) and establish (by a questionnaire) continence and evacuative function after RCT and TEM, at 1 year from surgery, analyzing the impact of RCT on postoperative outcomes. Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated by RCT and TEM (group 1) or with early T1 or adenomas treated only by TEM (group 2) entered this cohort comparative study. Twenty-two patients entered the study as group 1 and 25 as group 2. No postoperative mortality occurred. The morbidity rate was 36.4 % in group 1 vs. 16 % in group 2 (p = 0.114). The rate of suture dehiscence was 22.7 % in group 1 vs. 4 % in group 2 (p = 0.068). No grade III complications, reoperation, or hospital readmission within 30 days was recorded in either group. One year after surgery, continence and evacuative scores in group 1 were 1.05 ± 1.25 and 24.72 ± 2.79, respectively, which were similar to group 2 (p = 0.081 and 0.288, respectively). TEM after RCT in selected rectal cancer patients has an acceptable morbidity and functional results at 1 year from surgery. Preoperative irradiation could increase postoperative short-term morbidity, but it does not seem to influence evacuative or sphincter function after 1 year from surgery.
Application of a reciprocal transformation to a two-phase Stefan problem

A reciprocal transformation is employed to reduce a two-phase Stefan problem in nonlinear heat conduction to a form which admits a class of exact solutions analogous to the classical Newmann solution.
Trapeziometacarpal Joint Stability: The Evolving Importance of the Dorsal Ligaments

Background Trapeziometacarpal (TMC) arthritis of the thumb is a common source of hand pain and disability. TMC ligamentous instability may play a role in TMC degeneration. However, the relative importance of the TMC ligaments in the etiology of degeneration and the use of surgery to treat instability in early-stage arthritis are unclear.
Methionine Redox Controlled Crystallization of Biosynthetic Silk Spidroin

The formation of intractable β-sheet crystallites is a major cause of insolubility in proteins that can form β-sheets. To study this phenomenon, recombinant DNA techniques were used to prepare a protein modeling the consensus sequence of Nephila clavipes spider dragline silk, incorporating redox “triggering” residues. X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the ability of the recombinant protein to form β-sheet crystals dependent on the redox trigger oxidation state. Changes in the crystallinity were observed when triggered (oxidized/soluble) and untriggered (reduced/insoluble) protein samples were compared. The β-sheet content was undetectable in the triggered state, while clear evidence of β-sheet crystallinity was observed in the untriggered state. TEM and electron diffraction data of thin films of the untriggered protein indicated that spontaneous local orientation of needlelike crysta...
Extensive Phenotypic Variation among Allelic T-DNA Inserts in Arabidopsis thaliana

T-DNA insertion mutants are a tool used widely in Arabidopsis thaliana to disrupt gene function. We phenotyped multiple homozygous T-DNA A. thaliana mutants at each of two loci (AT1G11060 and AT4G00210). We measured life history traits, including germination, size at reproduction and fruit production. Allelic T-DNA lines differed for most traits at AT1G11060 but not at AT4G00210. However, insertions in exons differed from other insertion positions in AT4G00210 but not in AT1G11060. We found evidence for additional insertions in approximately half of the lines, but found few phenotypic consequences. In general, our results suggest that a cautious interpretation of T-DNA phenotypes is warranted.
Semi-empirical potential energy surface for the binding of carbon monoxide to ferrous porphin

Abstract Potential energy surfaces were obtained in an extended Huckel calculation for the lowest 1 A 1 and 5 B 2 states of the ferrous porphin-CO complex. The relevance of these surfaces to experimental kinetic data is discussed.
Infrared variability of V1016 Cygni

Infrared data obtained from broad-band photometric observations on the 60-inch telescope of the Hale observatories on Mount Wilson with the Becklin-Neugebauer photometer are discussed. The infrared magnitudes (shown as a function of time) illustrate the periodic nature of the V1016 Cygni variations. In particular, it can be seen that the longer-wavelength IR emission between 3 and 10 microns varies along with the shorter-wavelength emission. Although other explanations are possible, the infrared variability and luminosity of V1016 Cyg suggests the presence of Mira variable component together with the hot component now seen visually.
Microstratigraphy, Trilobite Biostratinomy, and Depositional Environment of the "Lower Cambrian" Ruin Wash Lagerstätte, Pioche Formation, Nevada

Abstract The uppermost 43 cm of Dyeran strata at the Ruin Wash Lagerstatte (Chief Range, Lincoln County, Nevada) contain nonmineralized invertebrates and exceptionally preserved, articulated olenelloid trilobites. However, the environmental factors responsible for the preservation of olenelloids in this unusual state at Ruin Wash have received little study and are therefore poorly understood. Microstratigraphic analysis of this interval reveals that the strata, comprised almost exclusively of clay-sized particles and rather monotonous and featureless in outcrop, were deposited as a series of thin event beds interpreted as tempestites. The energy of deposition progressively waned then waxed through the interval, and benthic redox conditions shifted concurrently. Biostratinomic data for more than 500 trilobite specimens encountered in the measured section reveal that the trilobite fauna was autochthonous, although winnowed surfaces rich in bioclasts occurring at the base and top of the section indicate intervals of prolonged pre-burial exposure time and/or in situ reworking. Trilobite biostratinomy was strongly influenced by subtle environmental shifts: the degree of disarticulation and sclerite fracturing correlate positively with event bed energy and inferred bottom-water oxygen content. These results demonstrate that (1) preservation of articulated trilobites is favoured near the distal limit of scouring associated with depositional events, where rapid sedimentation occurs in the absence of substrate reworking; and (2) differential taphonomic overprint on trilobite preservation can occur within a monofacial succession, driven by subtle environmental change insufficient to leave a distinct lithological signature. This highlights the need for careful microstratigraphic, sedimentological, and ichnological analysis prior to comparison of palaeobiological or palaeoecological parameters inferred from fossil assemblages, even when the assemblages occur within the same lithofacies.
Transfer function design based on user selected samples for intuitive multivariate volume exploration

Multivariate volumetric datasets are important to both science and medicine. We propose a transfer function (TF) design approach based on user selected samples in the spatial domain to make multivariate volumetric data visualization more accessible for domain users. Specifically, the user starts the visualization by probing features of interest on slices and the data values are instantly queried by user selection. The queried sample values are then used to automatically and robustly generate high dimensional transfer functions (HDTFs) via kernel density estimation (KDE). Alternatively, 2D Gaussian TFs can be automatically generated in the dimensionality reduced space using these samples. With the extracted features rendered in the volume rendering view, the user can further refine these features using segmentation brushes. Interactivity is achieved in our system and different views are tightly linked. Use cases show that our system has been successfully applied for simulation and complicated seismic data sets.
Novel treatments of mood disorders based on brain circuitry (ECT, MST, TMS, VNS, DBS).

Advances in understanding the functional and structural anatomy of depression outlined in this issue set the stage for attempting to manipulate implicated brain regions as potential antidepressant therapies. On the one hand, these circuit- and device-based approaches to treating depression are not new. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) dates back to the beginning of modern biologic psychiatry with the discovery and rapid increase of first chemical (around 1910), and then later ECT. On the other hand, this area represents an important paradigm shift with treatments that are radical and different. A dizzying array of diverse technologies now allows researchers to stimulate the brain in undreamed of ways. However, the approaches described in this article are still considered experimental and are not approved for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), except ECT, which predates the FDA. These device-based approaches to brain stimulation offer promise as potential acute and even longterm treatments. Additionally, the research determining whether and how these devices work to influence mood promises to help unravel the neurophysiology of mood regulation. These novel treatments are thus the translational tools to bridge from advances in brain imaging, into new treatments for depressed patients.
POOR CRANIAL CALCIFICATION AND POSSIBLE HYPOPHOSPHATASIA IN A GIRL WITH AIDS

A 2½ y.o. girl with AIDS and growth failure was found to have widely separated sutures and open fontanels. AIDS was diagnosed at age 6 mos. Growth has been 3SD below the mean for ht. and wt., with head circumference at the 0-5%. Dentition was intact with 16 teeth present.Serum calcium (Ca) was 7.2-9.6 mg/dl, inorganic phosphorous was 3.4-6.4 mg/dl, and alkaline phosphatase (AP)was 51-102IU (nl:146-477). Total protein was 9.0-12.8 mg/dl; albumin was 2.6-3.7 mg/dl. Endocrine studies revealed:ionized Ca, 5.2 (nl:4.6-5.4 mg/dl);C-Terminal PTH, 109 pg/ml (nl:50-330 pg/ mg);Vit D25, 19ng/ml (nl:9-52);Vit D1-25, 66 pg/ml (nl:15-60) and TSH, 4.3 uu/ml (nl: 5.0). After TRH, TSU rose from 4.3-43.0 uu/ml (60 min) and GH peaked, paradoxically, at 30 min (6.0 ng/ml). Urinary phosphoethanolamine (PE) was 1 MCM/24hr (nl:26-101). Radiographic studies showed:BA 1½ yrs. vs. CA 2½ yrs, poorly formed skull bones, typical of hypophosphatasia and osteoporotic long bones without rickitic changes or metaphyseal defects. Good permanent teeth formation was present. Mother also had delayed fontanel closure, but she and three uneffected half-sibs were unavailable for study. Our patient has many features of hypophosphatasia with low serum AP and poor cranial bone formation. However, the absence of high total serum Ca, high urinary PE, poorly formed dentition and rickitic bony changes, usually seen in hypophosphatasia, might be explained by the poor growth caused by AIDS. Her clinical manifestations is best explained by a combination of AIDS and hypophosphatasia.
Antimicrobial peptides of multicellular organisms

Multicellular organisms live, by and large, harmoniously with microbes. The cornea of the eye of an animal is almost always free of signs of infection. The insect flourishes without lymphocytes or antibodies. A plant seed germinates successfully in the midst of soil microbes. How is this accomplished? Both animals and plants possess potent, broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides, which they use to fend off a wide range of microbes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa. What sorts of molecules are they? How are they employed by animals in their defence? As our need for new antibiotics becomes more pressing, could we design anti-infective drugs based on the design principles these molecules teach us?
Low-angle detachment geometry of the late Precambrian-Cambrian Appalachian-Ouachita rifted margin of southeastern North America

The late Precambrian-Cambrian rifted margin of southeastern North America is framed by northeast-striking rift segments offset by northwest-striking transform faults. Palinspastically restored structural profiles, thickness and composition of synrift rocks, and thickness of postrift strata vary along the trace of the rifted margin. The distribution of these variables suggests application of low-angle detachment models of continental rifting, including specific recognition of upper-plate margins, lower-plate margins, transform faults that offste the rift, and transform faults that bound domains of oppositely dipping low-angle detachments. The trace of the Mississippi Valley-Rough Creek-Rome intracratonic fault system suggests incipient rift segments offset by a transfer-fault system.
Experimental Terrain Representation

I began with pen, paper, and the ambition to replicate a standard hachuring technique. However, these attempts gradually gave rise to the distinctive pattern that serves as a base for my terrain maps. Elongated triangles and V shapes flowing with the land characterize this pattern. For example, a common arrangement is to place the short faces of the triangles against each other along a ridge top while their tails run down into the valley. The end result of the pattern work is intriguing to look at, but it is impossible to gain a sense of depth from such a uniformly black and white image. I added shading using Photoshop to create the illusion of elevation.
Use of the optical access trocar for safe and rapid entry in various laparoscopic procedures.

Background: The use of the Veress needle in laparoscopy to create the pneumoperitoneum has inherent risks; it may cause vascular and visceral injuries. The open technique is compromised by the leakage of carbon dioxide and can also be time consuming. One alternative is to enter the abdomen using an optical trocar under direct view. Our aim was to determine whether the optical access trocar can be used to effect a safe and rapid entry in various laparoscopic procedures. Methods: Over a 4-year period, the Optiview trocar was used for initial entry in 650 laparoscopic procedures. The procedures included cholecystectomy (n = 282), transabdominal inguinal hernia repair (n = 76), radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors (n = 73), adrenalectomy (n = 54), appendectomy (n = 41), colorectal surgery (n = 39), and various other procedures (n = 85). The following parameters were analyzed: presence of previous abdominal operations, site and duration of entry, and complications. Results: Of the 650 patients, 156 (24%) had had previous abdominal operations. In 25 cases, previous trocar sites were reused for optical access. The optical trocar was inserted at the umbilicus in 495 patients (76%), in the right upper quadrant in 77 (12%), in the left upper quadrant in 26 (4%), in the upper midline in eight (1%), in the right lower quadrant in six (0.9%), and in the left lower quadrant in three (0.5%). In 35 patients undergoing posterior adrenalectomy, optical trocars were used to enter Gerota's space. Mean (SD) entry times were 92 (45) sec at the umbilical site, 114 (30) sec at the back, and 77 (35) sec at the remaining sites. Complications (0.3%) included one injury to the bowel and one injury to the gallbladder; however, they were recognized and repaired immediately. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this report comprises the largest series in which the optical access trocar was used for laparoscopic surgery. This device provides the basis for a safe and fast technique for initial trocar placement: it also has the potential to reduce costs. Thanks to our favorable experience, the optical trocar method has become the standard technique for abdominal access in our laparoscopic practice since 1995.
Chronic Bile Duct Ligation in the Dog: Hemodynamic Characterization of a Portal Hypertensive Model

Splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics were measured in six normal dogs and in 18 dogs that had the bile ducts ligated for a period of 8 weeks. In the bile duct-ligated dogs, there was a decrease in arterial pressure (110 +/- 4 mm Hg vs. normal 136 +/- 6 mm Hg; p less than 0.005) and peripheral vascular resistance (4.60 +/- 0.38 vs. 6.28 +/- 0.38 dynes-sec-cm-5; p less than 0.02), and an increase in cardiac index (129 +/- 7 vs. 98 +/- 9 ml per min per kg; p less than 0.05). The splanchnic hemodynamic characteristics in the bile duct-ligated dogs included an increase in portal venous pressure (13.3 +/- 0.6 mm Hg vs. 6.7 +/- 0.5 mm Hg; p less than 001) and wedged hepatic venous pressure (14 +/- 1.2 mm Hg), the development of extensive portal-systemic shunting (49 +/- 10 vs. 0.03 +/- 0.01%; p less than 0.01), and a decrease in portal venous flow (194 +/- 21 ml per min vs. 427 +/- 21 ml per min; p less than 0.001). This study demonstrated that chronic bile duct-ligated dogs develop sinusoidal portal hypertension with extensive portal-systemic shunting and a hyperdynamic systemic circulation. These findings closely resembled hemodynamic abnormalities observed in human cirrhosis and suggest that this model is useful in physiopathological and pharmacological studies of portal hypertension.
Efficient and accurate traveltime computation in 3D TTI media by the fast marching method

Summary To accurately and efficiently calculate traveltimes in 3D anisotropic media is a major technical challenge for any anisotropic pre-stack Kirchhoff depth migration. I developed an efficient, stable, and accurate algorithm to calculate first arrival traveltimes in 3D transverse isotropic media having tilted symmetry axis (TTI). This algorithm is based on a fast marching scheme to solve the eikonal equation using a finite difference (FD) method generally used to calculate first arrival traveltimes in 3D isotropic media. Numerical examples demonstrate that the newly developed algorithm is able to construct accurate first arrival traveltimes in any complicated 3D TTI model that contains a large velocity gradient and an arbitrary orientation of its axis of symmetry. This algorithm can be straightforwardly applied to any 3D Kirchhoff pre-stack depth migration and anisotropic parameter inversion in 3D TTI media.
Goodman and Kruskal's Tau-b as Correlation Ratio: Some Implications

It is shown that Goodman and Kruskal's Tau-b, a PRE coefficient of association between two nominal variables, is a more general form of the correlation ratio. Deriving from this, it is shown that s...
Hydrodynamic shock wave studies within a kinetic Monte Carlo approach

We introduce a massively parallelized test-particle based kinetic Monte Carlo code that is capable of modeling the phase space evolution of an arbitrarily sized system that is free to move in and out of the continuum limit. Our code combines advantages of the DSMC and the Point of Closest Approach techniques for solving the collision integral. With that, it achieves high spatial accuracy in simulations of large particle systems while maintaining computational feasibility. Using particle mean free paths which are small with respect to the characteristic length scale of the simulated system, we reproduce hydrodynamic behavior. To demonstrate that our code can retrieve continuum solutions, we perform a test-suite of classic hydrodynamic shock problems consisting of the Sod, the Noh, and the Sedov tests. We find that the results of our simulations which apply millions of test-particles match the analytic solutions well. In addition, we take advantage of the ability of kinetic codes to describe matter out of the continuum regime when applying large particle mean free paths. With that, we study and compare the evolution of shock waves in the hydrodynamic limit and in a regime which is not reachable by hydrodynamic codes.
Thermally induced vibration of doubly curved cross-ply laminated panels

Abstract The dynamic behavior of doubly curved, cross-ply laminated panels subject to rapid heating is investigated. By expressing the transient thermal loadings in Fourier series form, the governing partial differential equations can be reduced to an infinite set of ordinary differential equations. Closed form solutions to these equations are presented. Effects of inertia on the thermoelastic response of graphite-reinforced aluminum panels are illustrated through numerical examples.
EXPERIMENTS ON THE ROLE OF LYMPHOID TISSUE IN THE RESISTANCE TO EXPERIMENTAL TUBERCULOSIS IN MICE : II. EFFECT OF CANCER IMMUNITY ON RESISTANCE TO TUBERCULOSIS.

Mice so x-rayed as greatly to reduce the lymphoid tissue are rendered highly susceptible to tuberculous infection. On the other hand) when a marked lymphocytosis is induced by first immunizing mice against, and then inoculating them with cancer, the resistance to tuberculous infection is greatly enhanced. This heightened resistance may be set aside and even changed to a state of increased susceptibility to the infection by again depleting the lymphocytes by means of the x-ray.
Studies on the posttranslational migration and processing of thyroglobulin: use of inhibitors and evaluation of the role of phosphorylation.

A study of the synthesis and migration of thyroglobulin has been carried out by the incubation of calf thyroid slices in the presence of [14C]leucine followed by the separation of intracellular compartments from the colloid by differential and density gradient centrifugation. The effect of inhibitors on these processes has been examined and, moreover, the importance of phosphorylation as an additional posttranslational modification of thyroglobulin has been explored through the characterization of the radiolabeled constituents formed after slice incubation with [32P]phosphate. Movement of newly synthesized thyroglobulin through the cellular compartments was found to be rapid; after a 15-min incubation with [14C]leucine a substantial portion (30%) of the immunoprecipitable radiolabeled thyroglobulin was already present in the colloid (soluble) fraction. Incubations performed after brief pretreatment with colchicine resulted in the accumulation of radiolabeled thyroglobulin in the colloid, suggesting that i...
THE GENETICS OF NEUROSPORA. IV. THE INHERITANCE OF TAN VERSUS NORMAL

7' r 7' x n, 'x 7 t, X n1 A n X 7 7,y T 7Trnn 6#5esc TTh 7 5#,S-cl T Tr s4sc1 nnnn zoes41l nno7 64SC4 7Tnh 64scv TTtT 6,esa TTTn 13aqsnn 7 TT66T T/7-T nxfttinn f Tsc T Enn 7 8 usT Fig. i. Pedigree of the asci discussed in the text. Eight letters are used to designate the eight ascospores in a single ascus when the respective positions of each ascospore are shown. When a group of asci is designated, only four letters are used. Each letter stands for a pair of ascospores. In this case only the ratio, and not the position, is indicated. A bracket encloses particular individual asci of a single group.
Modified Glassware and Techniques Designed to Increase the Precision of the U.S.P. XIV Vitamin A Assay

The paper describes the construction of a glass separatory vessel which can be used also as a boiling flask. The use of this vessel in place of the conventional refluxing flask reduces the time required to perform the assay and markedly increases the possibility of good precision. Data are given as examples of the precision attainable. It also presents data to support the idea that a surprising increase in precision can result from attention to the elimination of small errors in the determination of the absorbancies of the vitamin A solutions, as opposed to the notion that small errors and the resulting lack of precision are inevitable.
Coulomb blockade of activated conduction

We present a theory of the Coulomb-blockade oscillations of conductance through a quantum dot at relatively high temperatures, when the conduction is achieved via thermal activation of electrons over the tunnel barriers. We discover that the oscillations of conductance as a function of the external gate voltage persist in this regime, and find their shape. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Global Existence and Blow-up for a Nonlinear Reaction-Diffusion System☆

Abstract We consider the nonlinear reaction-diffusion system u t − Δu = u m 1 v n 1 , v t − Δv = u m 2 v n 2 , subject to Dirichlet boundary conditions andm2 > m1 − 1,n1 > n2 − 1. We prove that ifm1 ≤ 1,n2 ≤ 1, andm2n1 ≤ (1 − m1)(1 − n2) all nonnegative solutions are global, while ifm1 > 1, orn2 > 1, orm2n1 > (1 − m1)(1 − n2) both global existence and finite time blow-up coexist.
Characterization of the relevant excited states in the photodissociation of CO-ligated hemoglobin and myoglobin.

The relevant excited states in the rapid photodissociation process of hemoglobin and myoglobin are examined by means of time-dependent density functional theory. Our calculations clearly show that the photodissociation is mediated by two repulsive states (5 A‘ ‘ and 3 A‘) which cross the lowest excited states (1 A‘ and 1 A‘ ‘) at an internuclear Fe−C distance of about 2 A. Electron detachment/attachment density plots nicely explain the repulsive nature of the 5 A‘ ‘ and 3 A‘ states.
The impedance database and its application to the APS storage ring

Since the operation of the APS storage ring, we have observed instabilities of different kinds. Some of them are not well understood and need further investigation; transverse saw-tooth instability and anomalous energy spread are examples. Quantitative understanding of these instabilities requires detailed knowledge of impedance of the ring. For this purpose we developed the concept of the impedance database, where the wake potential of each vacuum component in the ring is deposited and maintained in a standard form. These standardized wake-potentials can be manipulated with high flexibility by utilizing the Self Describing Data Sets (SDDS) toolkit developed at Argonne National Laboratory. In this paper we will present the total impedance of the APS storage ring obtained by using the impedance database. Then we report the application of the total impedance to investigate the currently observed instabilities in the APS storage ring.
The introduction of a diagnostic decision support system (DXplain™) into the workflow of a teaching hospital service can decrease the cost of service for diagnostically challenging Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs).

Abstract Background In an era of short inpatient stays, residents may overlook relevant elements of the differential diagnosis as they try to evaluate and treat patients. However, if a resident's first principal diagnosis is wrong, the patient's appropriate evaluation and treatment may take longer, cost more, and lead to worse outcomes. A diagnostic decision support system may lead to the generation of a broader differential diagnosis that more often includes the correct diagnosis, permitting a shorter, more effective, and less costly hospital stay. Methods We provided residents on General Medicine services access to DXplain, an established computer-based diagnostic decision support system, for 6 months. We compared charges and cost of service for diagnostically challenging cases seen during the fourth through sixth month of access to DXplain (intervention period) to control cases seen in the 6 months before the system was made available. Results 564 cases were identified as diagnostically challenging by our criteria during the intervention period along with 1173 cases during the control period. Total charges were $1281 lower ( p =.006), Medicare Part A charges $1032 lower ( p =0.006) and cost of service $990 lower ( p =0.001) per admission in the intervention cases than in control cases. Conclusions Using DXplain on all diagnostically challenging cases might save our medical center over $2,000,000 a year on the General Medicine Services alone. Using clinical diagnostic decision support systems may improve quality and decrease cost substantially at teaching hospitals.
Using Self-Care Strategies to Make Lifestyle Changes

Self-care in health promotion includes developing the skills needed to devise, implement, evaluate, and revise an individualized plan for lifestyle change. Using content analysis, this study examined the strategies chosen by participants (N = 95) to initiate a lifestyle change, as well as the barriers they identified to change. Goal achievement and effectiveness of the strategies chosen were evaluated at 5 and 10 weeks. Using self-care strategies to make lifestyle changes, 42.1% had achieved their goal and 49.5% had partly achieved their goal by Week 10. Social support, tailoring strategies, self-monitoring, medication, and cue restriction were considered the most effective strategies. Being able to individualize the strategies was most important to goal achievement, followed by having a specific goal, planning for barriers, and being able to make revisions.
A Mathematical Model of the Circadian Phase-Shifting Effects of Exogenous Melatonin:

Melatonin is endogenously produced and released in humans during nighttime darkness and is suppressed by ocular light exposure. Exogenous melatonin is used to induce circadian phase shifts and sleep. The circadian phase-shifting ability of a stimulus (e.g., melatonin or light) relative to its timing may be displayed as a phase response curve (PRC). Published PRCs to exogenous melatonin show a transition from phase advances to delays approximately 1 h after dim light melatonin onset. A previously developed mathematical model simulates endogenous production and clearance of melatonin as a function of circadian phase, light-induced suppression, and resetting of circadian phase by light. We extend this model to include the pharmacokinetics of oral exogenous melatonin and phase-shifting effects via melatonin receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the mammalian hypothalamus. Model parameters are fit using 2 data sets: (1) blood melatonin concentration following a 0.3- or 5.0-mg dose, and (2) a PRC to a 3.0-mg dose of melatonin. After fitting to the 3.0-mg PRC, the model correctly predicts that, by comparison, the 0.5-mg PRC is slightly decreased in amplitude and shifted to a later circadian phase. This model also reproduces blood concentration profiles of various melatonin preparations that differ only in absorption rate and percentage degradation by first-pass hepatic metabolism. This model can simulate experimental protocols using oral melatonin, with potential application to guide dose size and timing to optimally shift and entrain circadian rhythms.
Poisson-uniform nonnegative matrix factorization

Probabilistic models of audio spectrograms used in audio source separation often rely on Poisson or multinomial noise models corresponding to the generalized Kullback-Leibler (GKL) divergence popular in methods using Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (NMF). This noise model works well in practice, but it is difficult to justify since these distributions are technically only applicable to discrete counts data. This issue is particularly problematic in hierarchical and non-parametric Bayesian models where estimates of uncertainty depend strongly on the likelihood model. In this paper, we present a hierarchical Bayesian model that retains the flavor of the Poisson likelihood model but yields a coherent generative process for continuous spectrogram data. This model allows for more principled, accurate, and effective Bayesian inference in probabilistic NMF models based on GKL.
Missions and the Presbyterian Schism of 1837

Professor Kenneth Scott Latourette has long maintained that church historians must take into account the role that missions have played in ecclesiastical history. His point is especially well taken in considering the Presbyterian Schism of 1837.
Homogenous Learning Styles Among Airport Management Professionals

Research on the career paths of airport management professionals included an assessment of learning styles to better understand the psychological profile of those m this career tield. Tbe Kolb Learning Styles Inventory, Version 3 (LSI-3) was used for the study for participants to self-assess their preferences for learning. General research on the validity and reliability of the (LSI-3) indicates that a roughly equal number of the general population categorize themselves in one out of four categories (Accommodators, Assimilators, Convergers, or Divergers). In the research involving airport management professionals, more than two-thirds of the respondents categorized themselves as Divergers. Another 22% categorized themselves as Accommodators. With almost 90% of the sample population represented within two of the four LSI groups, the evidence strongly suggests that airport management professionals prefer to learn by carefully evaluating defmitive outcomes in a social environmental as opposed to action-based experimentation. Curiously, these results are diametrically opposite of similar research tor another aviation related career path military pilots, most of whom (44.2%) categorized themselves as Convergers (Kanske, 1999). This research may have implications in aviation education, particularly for recognizing that some students in collegiate aviation programs may have learning styles that are aligned with airport management professionals as opposed to other technically oriented aviation careers (e.g., commercial pilot). This understanding may be helpful in counseling students, particularly those struggling to fmd an aviation career path that better fits their preferred learning environment.
When is One Core per Tree Sufficient to Characterize Stand Attributes? Results of a Pinus ponderosa Case Study

Increment cores are invaluable for assessing tree attributes such as inside bark diameter, radial growth, and sapwood area. However, because trees accrue growth and sapwood unevenly around their pith, tree attributes derived from one increment core may not provide sufficient precision for forest management/research activities. To assess the variability in a tree's inside bark radius, sapwood radius, and 10-year radial growth estimated by tree cores, two increment cores at 90 degree angles were collected from ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) trees in eastern Montana (n = 2,156). Paired core measurements varied substantially with 13% mean difference for inside bark radius, 19% mean difference for sapwood radius, and 23% mean difference for estimates of radial increment. Furthermore, decreasing crown ratio, decreasing diameter, and increasing site slope were all found to increase differences in estimates derived from paired cores. Whether for management or research purposes, the number of cores that should...
Time Domain Optical Imager for Depth-Resolved 1.8 Hz Functional Imaging of the Adult Head

We developed a 32 source, 18 detector time-gated system using a pulsed laser and an ICCD camera. Multiple delay parallel detection and source time-multiplexing enable 1.8 Hz functional imaging of both hemispheres with depth discrimination.
The effect of rubber particle size on the mechanical properties of high‐impact polystyrene

Resins having different rubber particle sizes were prepared by polymerizing impact polystyrene using different agitation rates but keeping all other parameters constant. Also, samples were made varying the amount and type of rubber and type of agitation. The impact and tensile properties of the prepared resins are studied in relation to existing theories of rubber particle reinforcement. The particle size dependence of energy absorption in impact (high intensity) and tensile (low intensity) testing appear to be opposite in nature. Energy absorption increases with increasing particle size in the high-intensity mode and decreases in low-intensity testing. Different mechanisms are, therefore, postulated to be operative in each of these two test methods.
Enzymes and electrolytes in the semen of Japanese quail.

Abstract Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) semen was collected at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., or 6 p.m. for four consecutive days during four consecutive weeks. All but the first day’s collections were analyzed for sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide, H+ concentration, cell count, volume and total sperm number. A random sample was then collected for the analysis of amylase and another random sample was collected for the analysis of glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH). The activities of GOT and LDH in quail semen were approximately ten times higher than those obtained for larger fowl (chickens and turkeys) and mammals. While CPK levels have not been measured in other animals, its activity in quail semen is probably also high. There was a significant difference between the enzyme activity of the sperm and seminal plasma for GOT and CPK. The parameters of sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide, H+ concentration, cell count, volume, and total sperm number did not show a significant variation at the hours of 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. Three of these parameters (cell count, potassium, and chloride), however did show significant variation during collection over three consecutive days, the chloride decreasing and potassium and cell count first decreasing and then by the third day returning to levels of the first day. None of the parameters followed the sperm concentration closely enough to be of value as an index of quail fertility.
Real-valued delayless subband affine projection algorithm for acoustic echo cancellation

Acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) often involves adaptive filters with large numbers of taps, which results in poor performance in real-time applications. The utilization of delayless subband adaptive filter (DSAF) helps reduce computations and improve the overall performance. However, conventional oversampled subband adaptive filters mainly use DFT or GDFT based analysts/synthesis filter banks and generate "complex-valued" subband signals. This is particularly inefficient when applying the affine projection algorithm (APA), a popular adaptive algorithm for AEC problem, to each subband. For APA implementation, real-valued signals show higher efficiency than complex signals. In this paper, we present a real-valued delayless subband APA and study both its computational complexity and performance on AEC problems. Compared to the complex valued approach, our method achieves a better performance with lower computational cost.
Atomic Force Microscopy and X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Investigation of the Onset of Reactions on Alkali Silicate Glass Surfaces

Atomic force microscopy was used to measure forces acting on a sharp tungsten tip as it was brought into contact with silica and 30 mol% binary alkali silicate glasses. Experiments were performed in controlled atmospheres and under vacuum. Attractive forces and liquid-layer thicknesses were found to vary markedly between the glasses, and heterogeneity was observed on the binary alkali silicates analyzed in vacuo. Air or wet carbon dioxide exposure resulted in the penetration of the tip into a soft surface layer on the alkali silicates. In addition, the liquid layer formation on the alkali silicates was found to be promoted by exposure to water vapor in the order lithium < sodium < potassium. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that reaction between the potassium silicate surface and water vapor occurred on exposure to only 10[sup [minus]4] torr (1 torr = 1.33 [times] 10[sup 2] Pa) water. Surface segregation and leaching of potassium occurred under the same conditions.
Robotic deburring of two-dimensional parts with unknown geometry

Abstract The work presented here is an approach in robotic deburring of tqo-dimensional parts with unknown geometry. Two problems have been addressed in this paper: tracking the part contour, and control of the metal removal process. The tracking mechanism is a roller bearing mounted on a force sensor at the robot endpoint. The tracking control employs the force measured by this force sensor to find the normal to the part surface, while the deburring algorithm uses another set of contact forces (cutting forces generated by the cutter) to develop a stable metal removal. A set of experimental results is given to verify the effectiveness of the approach.
People, Places, and Life Transitions: Consequential Experiences in the Lives of Management Laureates

We analyzed the autobiographies of 55 “management laureates” to learn how their life experiences influenced their careers and intellectual contributions. Our results indicate the probability of bec...
Accumulating qualitative knowledge

The author considers the problem of learning qualitative descriptions (landmark points) of dynamic physical systems. Specifically, it is shown that it is possible to accumulate knowledge about landmark points of a dynamic system by invoking machine learning (generalization) rules. The rule proposed here is the rule of 'physical similarity'. It is shown how this rule can be used to generalize the knowledge about landmark points. Several learning scenarios are analyzed, and a general reasoning procedure is presented. The algorithms for calculating the similarity modules are implemented in the COPER discovery system. >
A Statistical Equilibrium Model of Zonal Shears and Embedded Vortices in a Jovian Atmosphere

A prominent feature of two-dimensional and quasi-geostrophic turbulence is the formation of large-scale coherent structures among the smallscale fluctuations of the vorticity field. This separation-of-scales behavior is a consequence of the conservation of both energy and enstrophy by the dynamics, which results in a net flux of energy toward large scales and a net flux of enstrophy toward small scales. Many flows of this kind, whether free-decaying flows or weakly driven, can therefore be described approximately as coherent, deterministic structures on the large scales and disorganized, random motions on the small scales.
Vascular Mechanisms in Spinal Cord Injury

This review provides an introduction to the field of vascular dysfunction as a cause of secondary degeneration following traumatic spinal cord injury. Major breakthroughs have been made by using endothelial cell-selective treatments to show that endothelial cell survival and function is key to protecting the spinal cord tissue. Other vascular treatment strategies involve the reduction of detrimental leakage and improving microvascular perfusion and function. The toxicity of the acutely developing hemorrhage most likely is a major problem but has not been solved so far. The role of angiogenesis in spinal cord injury remains unclear. The advances made between late 2011 and the end of 2012 in understanding molecular mechanisms and opportunities for therapeutic intervention receive particular attention. Lastly, future directions are discussed, including the need for microvascular diagnostic tools and challenges of clinical translation.
IgG biosynthesis: no "immunoregulatory feedback".

THE PLASMA CONCENTRATION of IgG has a direct bearing on the health of the host. Of all Ig deficiencies, only agammaglobulinemia is associated with certain fatal outcome in the absence of supplementation therapy. Since the time of Ehrlich[1][1] in the 1890s, the transmission of immunity from mother
In Situ Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide on Silver with 3,5-Diamino-1,2,4-Triazole

The influence of 3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole (DAT) on the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide on a silver electrode was studied via in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). SERS bands obtained in the absence of DAT indicate potential-dependent adsorption of the CO product to bridge and 3-fold hollow sites. With the addition of DAT, CO adsorption to less-coordinated surface sites was found, including a physisorbed or noncoordinating site that exhibited no significant Stark vibrational shift. Raman peaks associated with adsorbed DAT observed at the same potentials as this species suggest that the ligand promotes weaker CO adsorption, which may be responsible for the high efficiency of the AgDAT catalyst. The observation of potential-dependent methylene stretching vibrations indicates the presence of surface hydrocarbon species while the presence of C–D stretches in deuterated electrolyte confirm that these hydrocarbons are generated as a CO2 reduction byproduct.
Investigating the Effectiveness of Promotional Efforts in Arts Organization

(1981). Investigating the Effectiveness of Promotional Efforts in Arts Organization. Performing Arts Review: Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 62-69.
Endoscopic extruded screw removal after anterior cervical disc fusion: technical case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Symptomatic complications related to screw migration and extrusion after anterior cervical disc fusion are uncommon. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We report a case of significant dysphagia owing to late screw migration. INTERVENTION: An endoscopic transpharyngeal removal was performed without pharyngeal closure and with relief of symptoms. CONCLUSION: A transpharyngeal endoscopic approach to remove loose anterior cervical hardware is feasible and warrants further evaluation.
Mechanistic investigations of the ZnCl2-mediated tandem Mukaiyama aldol lactonization: evidence for asynchronous, concerted transition states and discovery of 2-oxopyridyl ketene acetal variants

The ZnCl(2)-mediated tandem Mukaiyama aldol lactonization (TMAL) reaction of aldehydes and thiopyridyl ketene acetals provides a versatile, highly diastereoselective approach to trans-1,2-disubstituted β-lactones. Mechanistic and theoretical studies described herein demonstrate that both the efficiency of this process and the high diastereoselectivity are highly dependent upon the type of ketene acetal employed but independent of ketene acetal geometry. Significantly, we propose a novel and distinct mechanistic pathway for the ZnCl(2)-mediated TMAL process versus other Mukaiyama aldol reactions based on our experimental evidence to date and further supported by calculations (B3LYP/BSI). Contrary to the commonly invoked mechanistic extremes of [2+2] cycloaddition and aldol lactonization mechanisms, investigations of the TMAL process suggest a concerted but asynchronous transition state between aldehydes and thiopyridyl ketene acetals. These calculations support a boat-like transition state that differs from commonly invoked Mukaiyama "open" or Zimmerman-Traxler "chair-like" transition-state models. Furthermore, experimental studies support the beneficial effect of pre-coordination between ZnCl(2) and thiopyridyl ketene acetals prior to aldehyde addition for optimal reaction rates. Our previously proposed, silylated β-lactone intermediate that led to successful TMAL-based cascade sequences is also supported by the described calculations and ancillary experiments. These findings suggested that a similar TMAL process leading to β-lactones would be possible with an oxopyridyl ketene acetal, and this was confirmed experimentally, leading to a novel TMAL process that proceeds with efficiency comparable to that of the thiopyridyl system.