cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Price Capitation on Implant Selection for Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Introduction: The prevalence of total hip (THA) and knee arthroplasty (TKA) is growing dramatically, with more than 1 million procedures performed annually in the United States. As the cost of and demand for the newest orthopaedic implants continue to rise, the price paid to medical device companies for implants is a growing concern. Some high-volume healthcare institutions have adopted price capitation strategies to control costs, in which a flat purchase price is negotiated for all implant line items regardless of technology and material. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the implementation of price capitation in a large health system affected trends in THA and TKA premium implant selection by surgeons. A secondary objective was to compare selection trends between surgeons with an academic center affiliation and community practice surgeons, within a single health system. Methods: All consecutive primary THA and TKA cases six months before (1/1/2011–6/30/2011) and after (8/1/2011–1/31/2012) implementation of a capitated pricing strategy (7/1/2011) were identified. Surgeon education regarding the new pricing policy was conducted for 1-month following implementation, and data during this time were omitted from the study. After exclusions (Figure 1), a total of 481 THA and 674 TKA from the large hospital, and 253 THA and 315 TKA from the two community hospitals comprised the final study cohort. A retrospective review of patient demographics and implant characteristics for each case was performed. Premium THA implants were defined by the existence of one of the following bearing surfaces: second (2G) or third generation (3G) highly cross-linked polyethylene liner with a ceramic or oxidized-zirconium femoral head, ceramic liner with a ceramic femoral head, or mobile-bearing system. Premium TKA implants were defined by the existence of at least one of the following criterion: mobile-bearing design, high-flexion design, oxidized-zirconium femoral component, and/or highly cross-linked polyethylene bearing surface. Pearson9s chi-square analyses and Fisher9s exact test were used to compare implant usage between pre- and post-capitated pricing time periods. Results: Surgeons with an academic center affiliation increased premium THA implant usage from 65.77% to 70.27% (p = 0.29), while surgeons at the community hospitals selected fewer premium implants (36.36%) and did not change their practice (p = 0.80) (Figure 2). TKA implant usage with one or more premium criteria increased from 73.37% to 89.54% (p Conclusions: These results highlight the effect of price capitation on implant selection by academically affiliated and community practice surgeons. There was a clear trend towards premium implant usage in TKA with price capitation, particularly for surgeons with an academic practice. No differences were detected in premium THA implant selection for either group of surgeons.
Feminism and the study of masculinity: Unlikely bedfellows?

Studying the male gender role poses some unique challenges for feminist researchers. In this chapter, I use my personal experiences as a feminist and social psychologist to frame three key questions about the merits of studying men and men’s gendered experiences. These questions concern the methods, focus, and contributions of my research on precarious manhood. Specifically, I consider whether work that compares men’s and women’s experiences reinforces the gender binary; whether research on precarious manhood downplays women’s gender-based struggles; and the potential of my research to illuminate factors that pose barriers to feminist progress. While the questions I consider do not necessarily have clear-cut, definitive answers, the exercise of unpacking and examining them is both intellectually and politically important.
The role of defects in the electrical properties of NbO2 thin film vertical devices

Epitaxial NbO2 thin films were grown on Si:GaN layers deposited on Al2O3 substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Pulsed current-voltage (IV) curves and self-sustained current oscillations were measured across a 31 nm NbO2 film and compared with a similar device made from polycrystalline NbO2 film grown on TiN-coated SiO2/Si substrate. Crystal quality of the as grown films was determined from x-ray diffractometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy data. The epitaxial film device was found to be more stable than the defect-rich polycrystalline sample in terms of current switching and oscillation behaviors.
An improved design of wearable strain sensor based on knitted RFID technology

In this study, we built a lumped component model for knit tag antennas. Comfortable, seamless, and wireless antennas were manufactured using conductive yarns and RFID technology. Knitting fabrication enabled rapid prototyping of these wearable antennas. Using the lumped component model, we optimized the geometry and knit structure of the antenna, resulting in improved radiation efficiency, reading range, and sensitivity.
Qualitative Study of Oncologists’ Views on the CancerLinQ Rapid Learning System

Introduction:ASCO is actively developing CancerLinQ (CLQ), a rapid learning system for oncology care. The purpose of this study was to explore providers’ opinions and concerns related to implementation of CLQ, including ethical issues.Methods:Twenty key informant oncologists were recruited for individual in-depth interviews through ASCO contacts, purposively selected to represent a wide variety of cancer specialties as well as different levels of familiarity with CLQ (familiar v unfamiliar). Qualitative data analysis was completed by a three-member team using an inductive narrative approach. Themes were examined by participants familiar and unfamiliar with CLQ, and quotations exemplifying each theme are provided.Results:Participants’ opinions centered on three main themes: (1) general attitudes regarding learning health care systems, (2) optimal approach to patient consent, and (3) appropriateness of data use. There was clear support for the use of big data in clinical decision making for patients and in ...
Regression of multifocoal in transit melanoma metastases after palliative resection of dominant masses and 2 years after treatment with ipilimumab.

Spontaneous regression of metastatic melanoma and delayed responses more than one year after treatment with ipilimumab are rarely seen. Here, we present the case of a patient with in transit metastases from cutaneous melanoma on his right lower extremity who achieved complete regression of all metastatic lesions 13 months after the first of two consecutive palliative resections of dominant masses and more than two years after treatment with ipilimumab. The exact cause of our patient’s sudden onset of tumor regression remains speculative. We hypothesize that the operative trauma followed by the postoperative infections augmented an innate immune response.
Pathology of carbon monoxide poisoning in two cats

Carbon monoxide (CO), a common cause of poisoning in human beings has also been implicated in the death of animals. Though there are multiple studies on CO poisoning and relevant lethal blood COHb concentrations in humans, there are no reliable reports of diagnostic lethal carboxyhemoglobin percentage of saturation (COHb%) in cats. Additionally, due to shared housing environments, exposures to companion animals can be a surrogate for lethal exposures in human beings and provide valuable information in concurrent forensic investigations. Two adult Singapura brown ticked cats were submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS) for necropsy and diagnostic work-up. These animals were found dead along with their two deceased owners. Similar lesions were observed in both cats. At necropsy, gross lesions consisted of multifocal, large, irregular, bright red spots on the skin of the abdomen and the inner surface of ear pinnae, bright red muscles and blood. The carcasses, and tissues fixed in formalin retained the bright red discoloration for up to two weeks. Microscopic lesions included diffuse pulmonary congestion and edema, and multifocal intense basophilia of cardiomyocytes mostly affecting whole fibers or occasionally a portion of the fiber. Based on the clinical history,gross and microscopic changes, cyanide or carbon monoxide poisoning was suspected. Blood samples analyzed for carbon monoxide showed 57 and 41% carboxyhemoglobin COHb%. Muscle samples were negative for cyanide. There are no established reference values for lethal COHb concentration in cats. The COHb % values detected in this case which fell within the lethal range reported for other species, along with the gross lesions and unique histological findings in the heart suggest a helpful criteria for diagnosis of CO intoxication associated death in cats. This case demonstrates that since pets share the same environment as human beings and often are a part of their activities, they can be useful adjuncts in potential forensic investigations to help solve human cases.
NOS3 Inhibition Confers Post-Ischemic Protection to Young and Aging White Matter Integrity by Conserving Mitochondrial Dynamics and Miro-2 Levels

White matter (WM) damage following a stroke underlies a majority of the neurological disability that is subsequently observed. Although ischemic injury mechanisms are age-dependent, conserving axonal mitochondria provides consistent post-ischemic protection to young and aging WM. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activation is a major cause of oxidative and mitochondrial injury in gray matter during ischemia; therefore, we used a pure WM tract, isolated male mouse optic nerve, to investigate whether NOS inhibition provides post-ischemic functional recovery by preserving mitochondria. We show that pan-NOS inhibition applied before oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) promotes functional recovery of young and aging axons and preserves WM cellular architecture. This protection correlates with reduced nitric oxide (NO) generation, restored glutathione production, preserved axonal mitochondria and oligodendrocytes, and preserved ATP levels. Pan-NOS inhibition provided post-ischemic protection to only young axons, whereas selective inhibition of NOS3 conferred post-ischemic protection to both young and aging axons. Concurrently, genetic deletion of NOS3 conferred long-lasting protection to young axons against ischemia. OGD upregulated NOS3 levels in astrocytes, and we show for the first time that inhibition of NOS3 generation in glial cells prevents axonal mitochondrial fission and restores mitochondrial motility to confer protection to axons by preserving Miro-2 levels. Interestingly, NOS1 inhibition exerted post-ischemic protection selectively to aging axons, which feature age-dependent mechanisms of oxidative injury in WM. Our study provides the first evidence that inhibition of glial NOS activity confers long-lasting benefits to WM function and structure and suggests caution in defining the role of NO in cerebral ischemia at vascular and cellular levels.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT White matter (WM) injury during stroke is manifested as the subsequent neurological disability in surviving patients. Aging primarily impacts CNS WM and mechanisms of ischemic WM injury change with age. Nitric oxide is involved in various mitochondrial functions and we propose that inhibition of glia-specific nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms promotes axon function recovery by preserving mitochondrial structure, function, integrity, and motility. Using electrophysiology and three-dimensional electron microscopy, we show that NOS3 inhibition provides a common target to improve young and aging axon function, whereas NOS1 inhibition selectively protects aging axons when applied after injury. This study provides the first evidence that inhibition of glial cell NOS activity confers long-lasting benefits to WM structure and function.
Viewing the complexities of mutagenesis from an evolutionary perspective.

We have been treated to several examples of organismally distinctive nucleotide pool anomalies at this workshop. This morning, as we turn from quantitative to qualitative aspects of nucleotide pools and consider base analogue mutagenesis, we shall learn of additional complexities, notably the induction of transversions and deletions by base analogs that might classically have been expected to produce only transitions. Such phenomena need not discourage us from seeking generalities, however, since even apparent inconsistencies must eventually be accommodated within a general theory, particularly once we know more about the evolution of mechanisms for generating and avoiding mutations. I will therefore briefly describe several distinct phylogenetic trends that may assist our thinking about such matters.
A randomized study of finite abiraterone acetate (AA) plus leuprolide (LHRHa) versus LHRHa in biochemically recurrent non metastatic hormone naïve prostate cancer (M0HNPC).

5002Background: Intermittent Androgen Deprivation (ADT) is an acceptable treatment option in M0HNPC with no significant survival difference and improved quality of life versus (vs) continuous. AA i...
Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition combustion and emissions using n-butanol and methyl oleate

Abstract Direct Injection of methyl oleate and PFI of n-butanol were used to conduct Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) and minimize exhaust emissions in reference to conventional diesel combustion. Methyl oleate was investigated for validation of a single fatty acid methyl ester as a surrogate for biodiesel in engine operation. An experimental common rail engine was operated in RCCI and conventional diesel combustion modes under constant boost and similar combustion phasing. The RCCI strategy used two pulses of direct injections with a fixed first injection at 60° before top dead center and a varied second injection for smooth combustion. Ringing intensity was reduced by 70% for methyl oleate RCCI compared to diesel conventional diesel combustion. The molecular oxygen from methyl oleate allowed a reduction in soot by 75% and 25% compared to diesel in RCCI and conventional diesel combustion operation, respectively. Compared to conventional diesel combustion, NOx and soot decreased for RCCI by several orders of magnitude with both emissions approaching near zero levels at low load. The fuels produced a stable RCCI operation where mechanical efficiency was sustained within 2% for same-load points and the coefficient of variation of indicated mean effective pressure was limited to 2.5%.
Single dose of 17β-estradiol provides transient neuroprotection in female juvenile mice after cardiac-arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Abstract Each year there are approximately 7000 out of hospital cardiac arrests in the pediatric population, with 30% resuscitation rate and a 6–10% rate of survival to hospital discharge. Survivors of cardiac arrest exhibit learning and memory deficits that are devastating during the school years. Delayed neuronal cell death occurs in the hippocampus following cardiac arrest and likely contributes to memory impairments. Circulating endogenous estrogen in young adult females has been shown to provide protection against ischemic cell death, as does chronic exogenous administration of 17β-estradiol (E2). Chronic estrogen benefit can have undesirable feminizing effects, particularly in pre-adolescents. Here, we tested if a single-dose of E2 is neuroprotective in our pediatric cardiac arrest mouse model performed in juvenile mice. We subjected P21 P25 C57Blk6 male and female mice to 8 min of cardiac arrest followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR). This developmental stage preceded the hormonal onset and serum estradiol and testosterone levels were not different in males and females. A single dose of E2 (100μg/kg) or vehicle was administered 30 min after resuscitation. Neuronal cell death measured 3 days after CA/CPR showed reduced hippocampal cell death in E2-treated females, but not males. Benefit of E2 in females was blocked by the P38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580. Hippocampal-dependent memory function was equally impaired in E2-and vehicle-treated females measured in the contextual fear conditioning task at 7 days. Our findings demonstrate female-specific transient neuroprotection with E2 that does not provide sustained functional benefit.
Recent and projected future wildfire trends across the ranges of three spotted owl subspecies under climate change

A major task for researchers in the 21st century is to predict how climate-mediated stressors such as wildfires may affect biodiversity under climate change. Previous model predictions typically do not address non-stationarity in climate-fire relationships across time and space. In this study, we applied spatially-explicit non-stationary area burned projection models and high-severity fire probability models to evaluate recent and future trends in area burned, as well as risk of high-severity fire in recent times, across the ranges of three spotted owl subspecies in western United States. Results suggest that the proportion of area burned will increase within the range of all three subspecies under climate change. Additionally, there are inter- and intra-subspecies variations in percent area burned and high-severity fire risk. We recommend more studies to be conducted to understand the interaction and synergistic effects of climate change and wildfire on the spotted owl, especially in regions that are understudied such as Mexico.
iLid: eyewear solution for low-power fatigue and drowsiness monitoring

The ability to monitor eye closures and blink patterns has long been known to enable accurate assessment of fatigue and drowsiness in individuals. Many measures of the eye are known to be correlated with fatigue including coarse-grained measures like the rate of blinks as well as fine-grained measures like the duration of blinks and the extent of eye closures. Despite a plethora of research validating these measures, we lack wearable devices that can continually and reliably monitor them in the natural environment. In this work, we present a low-power system, iLid, that can continually sense fine-grained measures such as blink duration and Percentage of Eye Closures (PERCLOS) at high frame rates of 100fps. We present a complete solution including design of the sensing, signal processing, and machine learning pipeline and implementation on a prototype computational eyeglass platform.
Comparison of Hospital Readmission After Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty vs Spinal Surgery After Implementation of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.

Importance The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) was recently expanded to penalize excessive readmissions after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). These are the first surgical procedures to be included in the HRRP. Objective To determine whether the HRRP was associated with a greater decrease in readmissions after targeted procedures (THA and TKA) compared with similar nontargeted procedures (lumbar spine fusion and laminectomy). Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients 50 years or older among all payers in the Nationwide Readmissions Database who underwent THA, TKA, lumbar spine fusion, or laminectomy between January 1, 2010, and September 30, 2015. Multivariable logistic regression and interrupted time-series models were used to calculate and compare 30-day readmission trends in 3 periods associated with the HRRP: preimplementation (January 2010-September 2012), implementation (October 2012-September 2014), and penalty (October 2014-September 2015). Statistical analysis was performed from January 1, 2010, to September 30, 2015. Exposures Announcement and implementation of the HRRP. Main Outcomes and Measures Readmission within 30 days after hospitalization for THA, TKA, lumbar spine fusion, or laminectomy surgery. Results The study included 6 687 077 (58.3% women and 41.7% men; mean age, 66.7 years; 95% CI, 66.7-66.8 years) weighted hospitalizations for THA, TKA, lumbar spine fusion, and laminectomy surgery: 4 765 466 hospitalizations for targeted conditions and 1 921 611 for nontargeted conditions. After passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the risk-adjusted rates of readmission after all procedures decreased in a similar fashion. Implementation of the HRRP was associated with a 0.018% per month decrease in the rate of readmission (95% CI, −0.025% to −0.010%) after targeted procedures, which was not observed after nontargeted procedures (slope per month, −0.003%; 95% CI, −0.016% to 0.010%). Penalties were not associated with a greater decrease in readmission for either targeted or nontargeted procedures. Conclusions and Relevance These results appear to be consistent with hospitals responding to the future possibility of penalties by reducing readmissions after surgical procedures targeted by the HRRP.
Impact of confinement on proteins concentrated in lithocholic acid based organic nanotubes.

Organic nanotubes form in aqueous solution near physiological pH by self-assembly of lithocholic acid (LCA) with inner diameters of 20-40nm. The encapsulation of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and resultant confinement effect for eGFP within these nanotubes is studied via confocal microscopy. Timed release rate studies of eGFP encapsulated in LCA nanotubes and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) indicate that the diffusive transport of eGFP out of and/or within the nanotubes is very slow, in contrast to the rapid introduction of eGFP into the nanotubes. By encapsulating two fluorescent proteins in LCA nanotubes, eGFP and mCherry, as a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) pair, the FRET efficiencies are determined using FRET imaging microscopy at three different protein concentrations with a fixed donor-to-acceptor ratio of 1:1. Forster theory reveals that the proteins are spatially separated by 4.8-7.2nm in distance inside these nanotubes. The biomimetic nanochannels of LCA nanotubes not only afford a confining effect on eGFP that results in enhanced chemical and thermal stability under conditions of high denaturant concentration and temperature, but also function as protein concentrators for enriching protein in the nanochannels from a diluted protein solution by up to two orders of magnitude.
House Hunting: Image-based Geo-Localization of Buildings Within a City

Image-based geo-localization is an emerging field of computer vision that has drawn much attention over the past decade. The problem, however, is not trivial and presents a number of significant difficulties. In this paper we present a novel technique of addressing this problem by combining several Machine Learning techniques and demonstrate its effectiveness in the case of a particularly challenging city. In particular, we train a classifier to isolate buildings from images, then propose a novel EFM-HOG representation to match shape of buildings between images, and finally combine all of this to demonstrate geo-localization and retrieval results on a dataset that we created for this purpose.
The pedagogies of cultural studies

The socio-cultural aspects of school-based, community, and competitive sport have long been a fertile area of exploration for Cultural Studies in terms of how structures of power, dominance and ide...
Metabolic Effects of JAK1/2 Inhibition in Patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

Ruxolitinib is an FDA approved janus kinase (JAK)1/2 inhibitor used to treat myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), including myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera. We aimed to determine the metabolic consequences of ruxolitinib treatment in patients with MPNs. We performed a retrospective single-center cohort study utilizing an electronic medical record based database of patients who began treatment with ruxolitinib for MPNs from January 2010 to March 2017. We also examined the effects of ruxolitinib on adipose tissue JAK/STAT signaling in a mouse model. 127 patients were identified, of which 69 had data available for weight, and at least one other parameter of interest before, and 72 weeks after starting ruxolitinib. Mean baseline weight was 73.9 ± 17.0 kg, and 78.54 ± 19.1 kg at 72 weeks (p 5% body weight. Baseline body mass index (BMI) was 25.8 ± 4.8 kg/m2, and 27.5 ± 5.5 kg/m2 at 72 weeks (p < 0.001). Patients treated with ruxolitinib had a higher systolic blood pressure, serum AST, and ALT at 72 weeks, compared with baseline (p = 0.03, p = 0.01, p = 0.04, respectively). In mice, ruxolitinib decreased basal and GH-stimulated STAT5 phosphorylation in adipose tissue. As pharmacological JAK1/2 inhibitors are being developed and used in clinical practice, it is important to understand their long-term metabolic consequences.
Autonomy and the Patient with Right Hemisphere Cognitive-Communication Deficits: Ethical Considerations in Rehabilitation Practice.

Clinicians must often contend with ethical issues that arise during rehabilitation. When a patient has right hemisphere damage (RHD), these concerns may be exacerbated because of the presence of cognitive deficits. In this article, we focus on the ethical principle of respect for autonomy, which raises issues relevant to patients with RHD who have impaired executive control functions. Respect for autonomy involves respecting others in terms of their decision-making and subsequent actions. Disagreements may occur between members of the rehabilitation team, the patient, and family about the decisions that the patient makes. Clinicians may have concerns about the patient's capacity to make informed decisions. Indeed, in some cases, because the patient is “talking,” the verbal skills may mask the impairments in underlying cognitive processes. We provide two case examples of patients with RHD with sufficient language skills to express their choices, but cognitive deficits that affect their decision-making abilities. We use a clinical decision-making model adapted from Jonsen et al to discuss the cases. In both cases, the rehabilitation team strives to balance what they deem to be in the best interest of the patient while continuing to respect the patient's autonomy.
Five approaches to the suppression of SARS-CoV-2 without intensive social distancing

Initial efforts to mitigate transmission of SARS-CoV-2 relied on intensive social distancing measures such as school and workplace closures, shelter-in-place orders, and prohibitions on the gathering of people. Other non-pharmaceutical interventions for suppressing transmission include active case finding, contact tracing, quarantine, immunity or health certification, and a wide range of personal protective measures. Here we investigate the potential effectiveness of these alternative approaches to suppression. We introduce a conceptual framework represented by two mathematical models that differ in strategy. We find both strategies may be effective, although both require extensive testing and work within a relatively narrow range of conditions. Generalized protective measures such as wearing face masks, improved hygiene, and local reductions in density are found to significantly increase the effectiveness of targeted interventions.
The impact of behavioral and geographic heterogeneity on residential-sector carbon abatement costs

Abstract Analyses of monetary and emissions savings from residential efficiency upgrades usually neglect behavioral differences between consumers. Variations in behavior are often large: 13% of the U.S. population sets thermostats for cooling at 20 °C (68 °F) or lower and 15% at 25.5 °C (78 °F) or higher. Efficiency analyses should account for behavioral heterogeneity as well as variations in climate and housing characteristics. We model energy and economic savings of efficiency upgrades for U.S. single-family detached houses, accounting for differences in thermostat settings, climate zone, fuel prices, and home characteristics. We consider five efficiency interventions: wall insulation, attic insulation, air sealing, high-efficiency furnaces, and high-efficiency air conditioners. Energy and economic savings vary widely by consumer; the average net present value for wall insulation is $3,020 United States Dollar (USD), but considering heterogeneity, it has a 10th percentile value of -$231 and 90th percentile value of $5,000. Neglecting heterogeneity, technology upgrades can be prioritized from lower to higher carbon abatement costs: air conditioners, wall insulation, furnace, air sealing, and attic insulation. Accounting for heterogeneity reorders this prioritization, and consumer-specific conditions affect mitigation costs such that technologies are mixed in with one another and are no longer arranged one after another. These results indicate that interventions to improve efficiency should consider differences between consumers.
Cerebellar neuromodulation improves naming in post-stroke aphasia.

Transcranial direct current stimulation has been shown to increase the efficiency of language therapy in chronic aphasia; however, to date, an optimal stimulation site has not been identified. We investigated whether neuromodulation of the right cerebellum can improve naming skills in chronic aphasia. Using a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, within-subject crossover study design, participants received anodal cerebellar stimulation (n = 12) or cathodal cerebellar stimulation (n = 12) + computerized aphasia therapy then sham + computerized aphasia therapy, or the opposite order. There was no significant effect of treatment (cerebellar stimulation versus sham) for trained naming. However, there was a significant order x treatment interaction, indicating that cerebellar stimulation was more effective than sham immediately post-treatment for participants who received cerebellar stimulation in the first phase. There was a significant effect of treatment (cerebellar stimulation versus sham) for untrained naming immediately post-treatment and the significant improvement in untrained naming was maintained at two months post-treatment. Greater gains in naming (relative to sham) were noted for participants receiving cathodal stimulation for both trained and untrained items. Thus, our study provides evidence that repetitive cerebellar transcranial direct stimulation combined with computerized aphasia treatment can improve picture naming in chronic post-stroke aphasia. These findings suggest that the right cerebellum might be an optimal stimulation site for aphasia rehabilitation and this could be an answer to handle heterogeneous participants who vary in their size and site of left hemisphere lesions.
Risk-constrained Motion Planning for Robot Locomotion: Formulation and Running Robot Demonstration

Robots encounter many risks that threaten the success of practical locomotion tasks. Legs break, electrical components overheat, and feet can unexpectedly slip. When all risks cannot be completely avoided, how does a robot decide its best action? We present a method for planning robot motions by reasoning about risk-of-failure probabilities instead of applying cost-penalty functions or inflexible path constraints. This work develops a risk-constrained formulation that can be straightforwardly included in existing motion planning optimizations. The risk constraints scale tractably with many risk sources, and in some cases, only add linear constraints to the optimization problem and are therefore compatible with model-predictive control techniques. We present a toy "Puck World" proof-of-concept example and a practical implementation on a planar monopod robot that runs at 3.2 m/s when permitted to take high-risk maneuvers. We believe this risk approach can be used to optimize robot behaviors under numerous conflicting task pressures and model risk-conscious behaviors in animals.
Examining the Moderator Role of Sleep Quality in the Relationship Among Test Anxiety, Academic Success and Mood.

This study explored associations among test anxiety, GPA, sleep quality, and mood in college students. Data were collected from undergraduate students (N = 316). Results revealed that higher levels...
Integrating UNIX and PC network operating systems: NetWare, AppleTalk, and LAN Manager on UNIX

The full potential of UNIX as an all-purpose Network Operating System (NOS) is not being realized. As networks within organizations grow, conflicts arise over non-compatible servers and desktop clients. This book shows Network Administrators how to find common ground for sharing access to information and services using UNIX networking products. Covers the capabilities and limitations of three PC networking products: HP's NetWare for HP-UX (an implementation of NetWare for UNIXWare on HP-UX), Pacer Software's PacerShare (an implementation of an AppleShare compliant server on HP-UX and other platforms), and LAN Manager/X (an implementation of Microsoft and NCR's portable LAN Manager on HP-UX). For UNIX Systems Administrators, Network Managers, and Network Users.
Computer Aided Collaborative Product Development

Engineering a product involves several stages (see Figure 1). In the first stage, a market survey for potential products is performed. This is followed by the conceptualization stage, where a product is conceived either as a result of a need or a potential profit motive (determined at the market survey stage). In the research and development stage, the information needed for the design of the product is developed. Design involves configuring the product based on several constraints. The manufacturing process yields the actual product. The product is then tested for quality in the testing stage and marketed in the marketing stage. The maintenance of the product is a service provided by most organizations. The above process is iterative (shown by bent arrows) and collaborative.
A Linearized Chain Model for Dielectric Loss in Polymers

In order to treat dielectric dispersion arising from the motions of main-chain dipoles perpendicular to the polymer chain axis, the polymer molecule is approximated by a linear mechanical model consisting of a chain of torsional springs, dashpots, and beads bearing dipoles. The equations of rotational motion can be solved analytically for this model. We derive an expression for the correlation length, a measure of the extent to which rotational motion is correlated along the chain. We obtain equations for the dielectric dispersion.
Microorganisms: Extremely Thermophilic

Extremely thermophilic microorganisms (Topt ≥ 70°C) are found in geographically diverse marine and terrestrial environments and represent a wide range of growth physiologies. Extreme thermophiles thrive at high temperatures and, as such, different approaches must be taken to cultivate them in laboratory settings. Genome sequences of many extreme thermophiles have been completed and offer a glimpse into the basis for their high temperature life styles. A number of biotechnological applications have been envisioned that take strategic advantage of their thermophilicity, including the production of biohydrogen and recovery of base and precious metals from ores. As genetic systems are developed and implemented for extreme thermophiles, metabolic engineering approaches will be possible to tune the unique characteristics of these microorganisms for bioprocessing uses. Keywords: thermophiles; geothermal sites; methanogens; continuous culture; proteome; hyperthermophiles
Hacking's Experimental Realism

Traditional debates about scientific realism tend to focus on issues concerning scientific representation (broadly speaking) and de-emphasize issues concerning scientific intervention. Questions about the relation between theories and the world, the nature of scientific inference, and the structure of scientific explanations have occupied a central place in the realism debate, while questions about experimentation and technology have not. Ian Hacking's experimental realism attempts to reverse this trend by shifting the defense of realism away from representation to intervention. Experimental realism, according to Hacking, does not require us to believe that our theories are true (or approximately true), nor does its defense depend on inference to the best explanation. For Hacking, the strongest proof for realism is that we can manipulate objects: 'So far as I'm concerned, if you can spray them, then they are real' (ibid., 23).
Securing DC and hybrid microgrids

Many security technologies for microgrids have been proposed in the literature, which must be rigorously tested in a realistic power platform before being transitioned to the energy sector. To address this need, a 13.8-kV microgrid security test bed is introduced in this paper towards the objective of securing dc and hybrid microgrids. Different from existing test beds that are based on simulated power flows, our test bed is built on a real power facility. The design of the test bed, including both the physical system and the cyber system, is described. Power electronics technology plays a major role in this test bed as it does in the microgrid infrastructure, and is an integral part of the testing instrumentation and methods. Potential security problems, from both software and hardware attacks, as well as security solutions, are considered and able to be emulated and evaluated using the test bed.
Characterization of a novel 23-kilodalton protein of unactive progesterone receptor complexes.

Abstract Immunoprecipitation of unactivated avian progesterone receptor results in the copurification of hsp90, hsp70, and three additional proteins, p54, p50, and p23. p23 is also present in immunoaffinity-purified hsp90 complexes along with hsp70 and another protein, p60. Antibody and cDNA probes for p23 were prepared in an effort to elucidate the significance and function of this protein. Antibodies to p23 detect similar levels of p23 in all tissues tested and cross-react with a protein of the same size in mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, humans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, indicating that p23 is a conserved protein of broad tissue distribution. These antibodies were used to screen a chicken brain cDNA library, resulting in the isolation of a 468-bp partial cDNA clone encoding a sequence containing four sequences corresponding to peptide fragments isolated from chicken p23. This partial clone was subsequently used to isolate a full-length human cDNA clone. The human cDNA encodes a protein of 160 amino acids that does not show homology to previously identified proteins. The chicken and human cDNAs are 88% identical at the DNA level and 96.3% identical at the protein level. p23 is a highly acidic phosphoprotein with an aspartic acid-rich carboxy-terminal domain. Bacterially overexpressed human p23 was used to raise several monoclonal antibodies to p23. These antibodies specifically immunoprecipitate p23 in complex with hsp90 in all tissues tested and can be used to immunoaffinity isolate progesterone receptor complexes from chicken oviduct cytosol.
Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction in infants and children caused by diverse abnormalities of the myenteric plexus

Abstract Background: Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction is a motility disorder that leads to severe disability in infants and children. Our purpose was to study the myenteric plexus in infants and children with pseudoobstruction. Methods: Using cross sections stained with HE P = 0.005 for both). Using Smith's technique, the specimens had decreased argyrophilic neuron counts of 3.1 ± 1.4, 3.6 ± 1.1, 3.4 ± 1.0, and 2.8 ± 0.6 in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon, respectively (normal, 14.0 ± 1, 14.8 ± 1, 14.7 ± 0.5, and 13.6 ± 1.1; P Conclusions: Pseudo-obstruction in infants and children may be caused by diverse abnormalities of the myenteric plexus.
Aristapedioid: A Gain of Function, Homeotic Mutation in Drosophila Melanogaster

The isolation of gain of function mutations has allowed the identification of a number of genes which are important in the normal development of the organism. We report here the isolation and characterization of Aristapedioid, a gain of function mutation which causes a partial transformation of arista towards tarsus and the loss or decrease in size of the dorso-central and scutellar bristles. Aristapedioid is the result of a P element mediated inversion which juxtaposes unrelated DNA adjacent to Suppressor 2 of zeste, causing a gain of function mutation in that gene.
Convergence properties of relaxation versus the surface-Newton generalized-conjugate residual algorithm for self-consistent electromechanical analysis of 3-D micro-electro-mechanical structures

Electrostatic sensors and microactuators are typically controlled by applied voltages which create electrostatic forces that deform the structure. Therefore, accurately analyzing the performance of these sensors and actuators requires self-consistent electromechanical analysis. However, self-consistent electromechanical analysis is a difficult computational problem because the discretization grid used must track the electrostatically deformed boundaries of the structure. Self-consistent electromechanical analysis of complicated three-dimensional structures can be performed by combining a fast multipole-accelerated scheme for electrostatic analysis with a standard finite-element method for mechanical system analysis. There are two approaches for combining these analyses, one using a straight-forward relaxation scheme, and a second based on a surface-Newton method combined with a matrix-free generalized conjugate residual based solver (SNGCR). In this paper, the convergence properties of these two methods are examined. In particular, we show that relaxation will converge if the applied voltage is small enough, or if Young's modulus is large enough, but will diverge otherwise. We also show by example that although the SNGCR algorithm is guaranteed to converge only given a sufficiently close initial guess, it converges much more frequently than relaxation. >
Comparative Effects of Saline and Isoncotic Albumin in Saline on Sodium Excretion.

SummaryPaired experiments were performed to determine whether saline infusion produced an effect different from the effect of isoncotic albumin in saline. The results obtained indicate that for equal volumes of infusion delivered at identical rates, saline infusion provides a greater stimulus to the excretion of sodium than isoncotic albumin in saline. During the earlier phase of infusion the diminished response to isoncotic albumin in saline may be related to both the maintained oncotic pressure and a rising venous pressure. As the infusion of isoncotic albumin in saline is continued, after a period of stabilization, the rate of sodium excretion declines and then appears to correlate with a continuing increase in venous pressure.
Note. Periodic Review s, S Policies for Joint Replenishment Inventory Systems

This note deals with the joint replenishment problem with stochastic demands. A new class of policies called Ps, S policy is proposed for this problem. The proposed policy uses independent, periodic review s, S policies for each item. Results on test problems show that the proposed policy is superior to other classes of policies for the problem.
THE MECHANISM OF POLLINATION IN ALFALFA (MEDICAGO SATIVA)

IN SHARP CONTRAST to its general capacity for abundant vegetative growth, a characteristic which has encouraged its wide use for forage purposes, alfalfa is notably variable in reproductive behavior. Flowering is usually abundant, but is followed by a blossom drop, called " stripping," which fluctuates greatly in extent. Occasionally a large proportion of the flowers are retained, giving rise to a heavy crop of pods. Much more commonly, however, stripping is so nearly complete that the plant becomes almost barren. The immediate cause of the variations in fertility has been sought by most workers in the circumstances associated with pollination. While it is necessary to go beyond this stage in order to define the problem fully, as we hope to show in a later publication, it is proposed to deal at present with the process of primary importance namely, pollination. It is the last step in pollination which is of greatest interest for the problem namely, the means by which the intimate relation between stigma and pollen grain, essential to the further development of the male gametophyte, is consummated. A general relationship has long been recognized between seed production in alfalfa and the climate. In the United States the drier regions west of the 100th meridian, for example, are more favorable for pod setting than the humid area eastward from this line.. Within a given locality, also, the yearly yields of seed vary with the weather, often to an extreme degree. This is especially true of limited regions near the Great Lakes where the plant in occasional years sets large amounts of seed. While the attempts that have been made to discover the particular characteristics of the weather affecting seed production have led to the recognition of some adverse factors, less can be claimed on the positive side. The most exhaustive studies on this phase have been made in Utah by Carlson (1935), who finds that seed formation is favored by a water supply restricted but sufficient to permit of a slow and steady growth, warm days, cool nights, and low humidity both day and night. All who have given regard to the point are agreed that conditions promoting excessive vegetative activity, on the other hand, are distinctly unfavorable to seed formation. While the weather affects reproduction in the plant in other ways as well, it is of significance in the present connection that it appears to have important consequences for pollination.
Random, Defect-Free Ethylene/Vinyl Halide Model Copolymers via Condensation Polymerization

The synthesis of ethylene vinyl halide (EVH) copolymers containing fluorine, chlorine, and bromine via the ADMET copolymerization of halogen containing α−ω-dienes with 1,9-decadiene is presented. The statistically random nature of the copolymers was established from their 13C NMR spectra. Thermal analysis via differential scanning calorimetry points to a distinct difference in the crystallization behavior of these random copolymers when compared to their compositionally matched precise analogues. In this case, sharp melting peaks typical of homopolymer-like crystallization of the precise analogues are no longer observed in Cl- and Br-based random copolymers and are replaced by broader peaks indicating a mechanism based on the selection of long crystallizable sequences. The results presented herein thus point to the utility of these random ADMET copolymers as suitable models for industrially relevant PE copolymers based on the perfectly linear, defect-free, and statistically random copolymer composition.