cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reflections on the Ndt at 50

Since I too am turning 50 this year, I know something of what it feels like for the National Debate Tournament to reach this venerable age. It's an occasion to celebrate achievement, to wonder how time passed so quickly, and to remind oneself that, after all, 50 is still young and vigorous. At least in the tournament's case I'm sure that is true! My first serious contact with even the idea of the NDT came in the spring of 1966, when Bill Snyder and Mike Denger returned to Northwestern after having won Nationals at West Point. Only one team per school could attend in those days, and I had been on the second team. Mike's and Bill's victorious return meant two things for me. First, under the rules then in existence, the winning team received an automatic invitation to the next year's tournament. Since I regarded it as likely that Mike Denger and I would be on the "top team," I rejoiced at the thought that I could get there without having to go through Districts (the only way that one could qualify). But, second, with Mike's and Bill's return came the news that West Point after 20 years had decided to discontinue hosting and sponsoring the NDT. I might have a free ride, but to where? Quickly the American Forensic Association stepped into the breach and assumed the sponsorship of the tournament, an arrangement that has continued now for 30 years. The 1967 tournament was hosted jointly by Northwestern and the University of Chicago (Chicago provided the facilities and Northwestern the money) and I was fortunate to go. I was very glad that I could skip Districts. Not only was District V the toughest district in those years, but several of the teams who had done well all year did not qualify - a circumstance that was, I believe, the immediate cause of the invention of the at-large system beginning the next year. Mike and I reached the quarterfinals where we lost to the Dartmouth team of Tom Brewer and John Isaacson who went on to win the tournament. Of course, we thought we should have won the round. I recently enjoyed reading about John Isaacson's years as a Rhodes Scholar in David Maraniss's book, First in His Class. The next year the tournament was hosted by Brooklyn College. The free ride for winners was gone. We went through districts and were fortunate enough to clear. The tournament was now up to 44 teams with eight at-large teams added after Districts, so it now took at least a 5-3 record to clear. We did well in the preliminary rounds and I was fortunate enough to win the Top Speaker Award, receiving a watch which I still wear to this day. In the eliminations we had a tough octafinal round against Oregon and then lost in the quarterfinals to Butler, who went on to reach the final round. Once again, of course, we thought we really had won the round. …
Quantifying Ligand–Protein Binding Kinetics with Self-Assembled Nano-oscillators

Measuring ligand-protein interactions is critical for unveiling molecular-scale biological processes in living systems and for screening drugs. Various detection technologies have been developed, but quantifying the binding kinetics of small molecules to the proteins remains challenging because the sensitivities of the mainstream technologies decrease with the size of the ligand. Here, we report a method to measure and quantify the binding kinetics of both large and small molecules with self-assembled nano-oscillators, each consisting of a nanoparticle tethered to a surface via long polymer molecules. By applying an oscillating electric field normal to the surface, the nanoparticle oscillates, and the oscillation amplitude is proportional to the number of charges on the nano-oscillator. Upon the binding of ligands onto the nano-oscillator, the oscillation amplitude will change. Using a plasmonic imaging approach, the oscillation amplitude is measured with subnanometer precision, allowing us to accurately quantify the binding kinetics of ligands, including small molecules, to their protein receptors. This work demonstrates the capability of nano-oscillators as an useful tool for measuring the binding kinetics of both large and small molecules.
Urologic Instrumentation: Endoscopes and Lasers

Improvement in endoscopic technology has made endoscopic surgical management of urologic disease indispensable. Miniaturization and lower costs have improved cystoscopy and ureteroscopy. While improvements in computing software has led to novel means of interpretation of endoscopic imaging. Concomitant improvement in laser technology, especially in the methods of energy production and delivery have further expanded the power of urologic endoscopic surgery.
CD3/CD28 costimu lation-induced resistance to HIV-1 infection and cell subsets analysis

Objective To set up a novel research model by reproducing “Levine phenomenon” which harbours an unusual anti-HIV/AIDS activity. Methods CD4 ＋ T cells were purified from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by negative selection using MACS system. Cells were then stimulated with CD3/CD28 antibodies immobilized on polystyrene beads with PHA/IL-2 as control for 6 days. Cellular phenotypes were analyzed by flow cytometry. Viral load of HIV-infected cells in culture was monitored by Real-time PCR. Results Costimulated cells showed higher expression of activation markers and switched their naive phenotypes to memory predominance with decreased CCR5 expression. With continuous costimulation,in viral production cells from an early infected individual was suppressed to undetectable level. Conclusion The anti-HIV system described by Levine et al can be readily estabhshed de novo in house and serves as a useful model for novel antiviral mechanisms. Key words: HIV/AIDS; CD4＋ T cells; CD3/CD28 antibody; Costimulation; Cell subsets
Soil Microbiomes Under Climate Change and Implications for Carbon Cycling

Communities of soil microorganisms (soil microbiomes) play a major role in biogeochemical cycles and support of plant growth. Here we focus primarily on the roles that the soil microbiome plays in ...
Opening Up to Hard History: Activating Anti-Racism in an Immersive Ed.D. Cohort Experience at Heritage Sites in Montgomery, Alabama

The Ed.D. program in Heritage Leadership for Sustainability, Social Justice, and Participatory Culture at the University of Missouri—St. Louis helps students cultivate the mindsets and skill sets required to sustain, pluralize, and enliven heritage in the public sphere. Although the program primarily meets synchronously online, the January 2020 “Wintercession” field trip to heritage sites in Montgomery, Alabama, provided an opportunity for face-to-face interactions, deep conversation, and reflection. Curricular, conversational, and collaborative inquiry deepened awareness and activated activism toward issues of racial justice. The use of high-impact practices (Kuh, 2008) allowed the cohort and faculty mentors to delve further into heritage leadership themes, including: confronting difficult emotions, recognizing sanctified space, facilitating group bonding and trust building, identifying models for activism, and moving forward in activism. We argue that the emergence of these themes demonstrates the value of immersing students and faculty in a shared, high-impact experience that focused on awareness, remembering, and wondering—the process of imagining the not yet (Keenan-Lechel et al., 2019)—as a means to “activate activism” in a cohort-based Ed.D. program.
Occupational ideation and participation among middle school students in a college-going culture program

Adolescents in under-resourced communities are at risk of low educational outcomes which contribute to lower overall earning power and fewer resources to access the social determinants of health ov...
Vagal Flexibility Mediates the Association Between Resting Vagal Activity and Cognitive Performance Stability Across Varying Socioemotional Demands

Vagal flexibility describes the ability to modulate cardiac vagal responses to fit a dynamic range of challenges. Extant theory on vagal function implies that vagal flexibility is a mediating mechanism through which resting vagal activity, a putative individual difference related to self-regulation, affects adaptive behavior and cognition. Nevertheless, little research has directly tested this hypothesis, thereby leaving fundamental mechanisms of vagal function and adaptability unclear. To this end, 47 healthy subjects completed a 5 min baseline followed by Stroop tasks combined with concurrent auditory distractors. There were four different Stroop task conditions that varied the social and emotional content of the auditory distractors. Electrocardiogram was continuously recorded to assess vagal responses to each condition as heart rate variability [root mean square of successive differences (RMSSDs)] reactivity. Vagal flexibility significantly mediated the association between resting vagal activity and stability of inhibition performance (Stroop interference) scores. In particular, higher resting RMSSD was related to higher standard deviation of RMSSD reactivity scores, reflecting greater differences in RMSSD reactivity between distractor conditions (i.e., greater vagal flexibility). Greater vagal flexibility was in turn related to more stability in Stroop interference across the same conditions. The mean of RMSSD reactivity scores across conditions was not significantly related to resting RMSSD or stability in Stroop performance, and mean RMSSD reactivity did not mediate relations between resting RMSSD and stability in Stroop performance. Overall, findings suggest that vagal flexibility may promote the effects of resting vagal activity on stabilizing cognitive inhibition in the face of environmental perturbations.
Intestinal metaplasia around the gastroesophageal junction is frequently associated with antral reactive gastropathy: implications for carcinoma at the gastroesophageal junction.

Increasing evidence suggests that bile reflux (BR) plays a major role in mucosal injury leading to adenocarcinoma of the proximal stomach and distal esophagus. However, gastric BR is difficult to diagnose and investigate. Reactive gastropathy (RG), in the absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other known causes likely represents bile-mediated injury to gastric mucosa. The goal of this study is to explore the association between antral RG and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) mucosal inflammation and intestinal metaplasia. The pathology database was searched for patients who had gastric biopsies with a diagnosis of antral RG and concurrent gastric cardia/GEJ/distal esophagus biopsies from 2013-2015. Age and sex matched patients with normal gastric antral biopsies served as controls. Biopsies from the GEJ region were evaluated for histological changes, including inflammation, antral and pancreatic metaplasia, RG, type of gastric glands, proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) changes and intestinal metaplasia. Detailed clinical history and medication use (including PPIs and NSAIDs) were recorded. Intestinal metaplasia in the GEJ region was more frequent in patients with antral RG compared to controls [33.0% vs. 5.2%, 95% CI (18.3%-37.3%)]. In addition, inflammation, other mucosal changes around the GEJ (RG & foveolar hyperplasia), antral IM and PPI associated mucosal changes were also more frequently seen in patients with antral RG. Our results show that antral RG is associated with mucosal injury and intestinal metaplasia around GEJ suggesting a role for bile reflux. Further studies are needed to study duodenogastric-esophageal bile reflux and its role in development of proximal gastric and distal esophageal adenocarcinoma.
Acute cholecystitis

Patients with a diagnosis of acute cholecystitis need to be hospitalized, with surgery (ie, cholecystectomy) being the treatment of choice. While hospitalized, they should be treated with intravenous hydration and with intravenous antibiotics covering enteric organisms. They should receive nothing by mouth and may require a nasogastric tube if ileus is present. The use of such conservative management for 24 to 48 hours allows the inflammatory and infectious processes to "cool down." Early surgery performed right after this initial period of conservative therapy is preferred over delayed surgical management (ie, discharge of the patient and readmission for the surgery 6 to 8 weeks later). Several studies have shown that early cholecystectomy not only has no adverse effects on complication rates but also leads to shorter hospital stays and quicker return to productivity [1,2]. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the preferred operation because it is associated with a shorter hospital stay, less pain, and earlier return to productivity than is open cholecystectomy. There is an increase in the frequency of bile duct injury with this procedure, however. In patients who are poor surgical candidates, cholecystostomy can be performed via percutaneous catheter drainage of the gallbladder with the patient under local anesthesia [3]. In addition, endoscopic transpapillary drainage with or without gallstone dissolution (methyl tert-butyl ether [MTBE]) has been demonstrated to be an effective alternative to surgery in high-risk patients with acute calculous cholecystitis [4].
Therapeutic downregulation of neuronal PAS domain 2 (Npas2) promotes surgical skin wound healing

Attempts to minimize scarring remain among the most difficult challenges facing surgeons, despite the use of optimal wound closure techniques. Previously, we reported improved healing of dermal excisional wounds in circadian clock neuronal PAS domain 2 (Npas2)-null mice. In this study, we performed high-throughput drug screening to identify a compound that downregulates Npas2 activity. The hit compound (Dwn1) suppressed circadian Npas2 expression, increased murine dermal fibroblast cell migration, and decreased collagen synthesis in vitro. Based on the in vitro results, Dwn1 was topically applied to iatrogenic full-thickness dorsal cutaneous wounds in a murine model. The Dwn1-treated dermal wounds healed faster with favorable mechanical strength and developed less granulation tissue than the controls. The expression of type I collagen, Tgf{beta}1, and -smooth muscle actin was significantly decreased in Dwn1-treated wounds, suggesting that hypertrophic scarring and myofibroblast differentiation are attenuated by Dwn1 treatment. NPAS2 may represent an important target for therapeutic approaches to optimal surgical wound management.
Engineering Electromagnetics: Applications

Introduction PART 1: DEVELOPING OPERATIONAL METRICS AND PLANS 1. Mission: Figuring Out Who You Are 2. Values: Defining What You Stand For 3. Metrics: Selecting the Right Operational Performance Measures 4. Targets: Setting Goals and Objectives to Track Progress PART 2: DEVELOPING STRATEGIC METRICS AND PLANS 5. Gauges: Developing a Performance Index 6. Vision: Deciding What You Want to Become 7. Situation Analysis: Identifying Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats 8. Key Success Factors: Defining How You Will Achieve Your Vision and Beat Competitors 9. Strategic Metrics: Identifying Measures Linked to Your Vision and Key Success Factors 10. Strategies: Developing Actions, Projects, and Initiatives to Reach Your Targets PART 3: IMPLEMENTING THE SCORECARD 11. Instrumentation: Designing Data-Collection Strategies 12. Dashboard Design: Systems for Communicating Performance Data 13. Integration: Linking Your Scorecard to Other Organizational Systems 14. Planning: Developing a Project Plan for a Balanced Scorecard Initiative Appendices: Balanced Scorecard Case Studies A. Manufacturing Organization B. Service Organization C. Support Organization D. Government Organization REFERENCES
The Most American Thing in America: Circuit Chautauqua as Performance

Review of: "The Most American Thing in America: Circuit Chautauqua as Performance," by Charlotte M. Canning.
Monitoring Rapidly Changing Temperatures of the Oscillating Working Fluid in a Regenerative Refrigerator

Characterization of an orifice pulse tube refrigerator requires measurements of the instantaneous gas temperatures at various locations in the refrigerator. This presents several challenges. The temperature probe has to fit inside a 3 mm diameter tube with minimum disturbance to the flow. Void volumes, introduced by placement of a temperature probe into the system, have to be kept at a minimum. The temperature sensing device has be robust to survive pressure waves and mass flows oscillating at frequencies of up to 30 Hz. It also must have a fast response time to monitor the rapidly changing temperatures in the system. The temperature resolution has to be on the order of 10 mK. This paper discusses rapid temperature measurements with both thin-foil thermocouples and fine-wire resistance thermometers. A 4 μm diameter tungsten wire was found to satisfy these diverse requirements.
The direction of manufacturing in the Far East: a look into the 1990's

The author discusses the role which Far Eastern countries will play in positioning themselves competitively in the 1990's with the emergence of the new, expanded international market exchange channel of business. He describes personal observations and business meeting discussions during his travels in the Far East. He also considers the direction in which the industrial nations will move to obtain their economic share in the international market arena. Attention is given to the projected target business strategy upon which these nations will focus in positioning themselves for market share dominance. Also discussed is their relationship with US business firms. >
BimEL as a possible molecular link between proteasome dysfunction and cell death induced by mutant huntingtin.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine repeat within the N-terminus of the huntingtin protein. It is characterized by a selective loss of medium spiny neurons in the striatum. It has been suggested that impaired proteasome function and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress play important roles in mutant huntingtin (mHtt)-induced cell death. However, the molecular link involved is poorly understood. In the present study, we identified the essential role of the extra long form of Bim (Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death), BimEL, in mHtt-induced cell death. BimEL protein expression level was significantly increased in cell lines expressing the N-terminus of mHtt and in a mouse model of HD. Although quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that BimEL mRNA was increased in cells expressing mHtt, we provided evidence showing that, at the post-translational level, phosphorylation of BimEL played a more important role in regulating BimEL expression. Up-regulation of BimEL facilitated the translocation of Bax to the mitochondrial membrane, which further led to cytochrome c release and cell death. On the other hand, knocking down BimEL expression prevented mHtt-induced cell death. Taken together, these findings suggest that BimEL is a key element in regulating mHtt-induced cell death. A model depicting the role of BimEL in linking mHtt-induced ER stress and proteasome dysfunction to cell death is proposed.
Internet Scale Testing of PNRP Using WiDS Network Simulator

PNRP (peer name resolution protocol) is a decentralized name resolution and routing protocol built into the Windowstrade operating system that creates an Internet-scale peer-to-peer structured overlay. Ensuring the protocol's performance in Internet scale presents a critical challenge. We describe Internet scale testing of PNRP using a distributed network simulator, WiDS. We use real-world Internet characteristics and PNRP node behaviors to simulate the Internet environment, assess PNRP performance, and support protocol debugging. A case study demonstrates identification of a protocol flaw that could otherwise only be discovered through full-scale deployment experience
Experimental supplements to the theoretical analysis of migration in the Island model

In Lassig and Sudholt (GECCO 2010) the first running time analysis of a non-trivial parallel evolutionary algorithm was presented. It was demonstrated for a constructed function that an island model with migration can drastically outperform both panmictic EAs as well as parallel EAs without migration. This work provides additional empirical results that increase our understanding of why and when migration is essential for this function. We provide empirical evidence complementing the theoretical results, investigate the robustness with respect to the choice of the migration interval and compare various migration topologies using statistical tests.
Peptide Cotransmitter Release from Motorneuron B16 inAplysia californica: Costorage, Corelease, and Functional Implications

Many neurons contain multiple peptide cotransmitters in addition to their classical transmitters. We are using the accessory radula closer neuromuscular system of Aplysia, which participates in feeding in these animals, to define the possible consequences of multiple modulators converging on single targets. How these modulators are released onto their targets is of critical importance in understanding the outcomes of their modulatory actions and their physiological role. Here we provide direct evidence that the partially antagonistic families of modulatory peptides, the myomodulins and buccalins, synthesized by motorneuron B16 are costored and coreleased in fixed ratios. We show that this release is calcium-dependent and independent of muscle contraction. Furthermore, we show that peptide release is initiated at the low end of the physiological range of motorneuron firing frequency and that it increases with increasing motorneuron firing frequency. The coordination of peptide release with the normal operating range of a neuron may be a general phenomenon and suggests that the release of peptide cotransmitters may exhibit similar types of regulation and plasticity as have been observed for classical transmitters. Stimulation paradigms that increase muscle contraction amplitude or frequency also increase peptide release from motor neuron B16. The net effect of the modulatory peptide cotransmitters released from motorneuron B16 would be to increase relaxation rate and therefore allow more frequent and/or larger contractions to occur without increased resistance to antagonist muscles. The end result of this modulation could be to maximize the efficiency of feeding.
Contested Space: Design Principles and Regulatory Regimes in Mixed-Income Communities Replacing Public Housing Complexes in Chicago

Chicago is currently implementing the largest and most ambitious effort in the United States to redevelop inner city neighborhoods and address the problems of urban poverty through the “transformation” of public housing. Chicago’s effort is part of a broader policy trend, nationally and internationally, focused on deconcentrating urban poverty and addressing the problems that have become endemic to many public housing communities over the past half-century. At the center of this effort is a stated emphasis on integration — on remediating the negative effects of racial and economic segregation that was so starkly exacerbated and reproduced by past public housing policy. Entailing large-scale demolition, redevelopment, and the relocation of thousands of public housing residents, the effort seeks to reshape urban space, remake urban neighborhoods, and reverse the isolation of public housing residents through their integration into new neighborhoods and into the broader contexts, institutions, and opportunities provided by the city as a whole.
Subcellular structures of mycoplasmas.

Abstract Although the field of prokaryotic cell biology is well-advanced now, mycoplasmas were the first bacteria in which the existence of a cytoskeleton was postulated. Despite this head-start, the cytoskeletons of mycoplasmas are presently less well understood than those of other bacteria. This deficit is principally attributable to three factors: the novel nature of most of the cytoskeletal elements as compared with other bacteria, which have the advantage of being related to eukaryotic cytoskeletal proteins; differences among the cytoskeletons of different mycoplasma species; and the fastidiousness of mycoplasmas, which complicates efforts to perform protein biochemistry. In better studied mycoplasmas like Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a major component of the cytoskeleton is associated with the attachment organelle, a polar structure that is essential for adherence to host cells, involved in gliding motility, and associated with cell division. Mycoplasma mobile also has structures that appear to be involved in gliding motility, though in contrast to the structures of M. pneumoniae, these are extracellular. Some other species also have distinct subcellular structures.
Hybrid solar converters for maximum exergy and inexpensive dispatchable electricity

Photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems are being deployed at an accelerating rate to supply low-carbon electricity worldwide. However, PV is unlikely to economically supply much more than 10% of the world's electricity unless there is a dramatic reduction in the cost of electricity storage. There is an important scientific and technological opportunity to address the storage challenge by developing inexpensive hybrid solar converters that collect solar heat at temperatures between about 200 and 600 °C and also incorporate PV. Since heat can be stored and converted to electricity at relatively low cost, collection of high exergy content (high temperature) solar heat can provide energy that is dispatchable on demand to meet loads that are not well matched to solar insolation. However, PV cells can collect and convert much of the solar spectrum to electricity more efficiently and inexpensively than solar thermal systems. Advances in spectrum-splitting optics, high-temperature PV cells, thermal management and system design are needed for transformational hybrid converters. We propose that maximizing the exergy output from the solar converters while minimizing the cost of exergy can help propel solar energy toward a higher contribution to carbon-free electricity in the long term than the prevailing paradigm of maximizing the energy output while minimizing the cost of energy.
A study on the factors that affect the advanced mask defect verification

Defect verification has become significantly difficult to higher technology nodes over the years. Traditional primary method of defect (include repair point) control consists of inspection, AIMS and repair steps. Among them, AIMS process needs various wafer lithography conditions, such as NA, inner/outer sigma, illumination shape and etc. It has a limit to analyze for every layer accurately because AIMS tool uses the physical aperture system. And it requires meticulous management of exposure condition and CD target value which change frequently in advanced mask. We report on the influence of several AIMS parameters on the defect analysis including repair point. Under various illumination conditions with different patterns, it showed the significant correlation in defect analysis results. It is able to analyze defect under certain error budget based on the management specification required for each layer. In addition, it provided us with one of the clues in the analysis of wafer repeating defect. Finally we will present 'optimal specification' for defect management with common AIMS recipe and suggest advanced mask process flow.
Ascending and descending thoracic aorta calcification in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Background Calcification of the thoracic aorta is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease but has not been well studied in diabetics. In addition, many studies consider aortic calcium as a single anatomic entity, whereas calcification of the ascending and descending portions of the thoracic aorta may represent separate phenotypes. We sought to characterize the prevalence of ascending and descending aortic calcium among diabetics and to assess their associations with cardiovascular risk factors, coronary artery calcium, and peripheral arterial disease. Methods Within the Penn Diabetes Heart Study, a cross-sectional study of subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus but without coronary or renal disease, we quantified Agatston scores of the ascending and descending thoracic aorta in 1739 subjects (63% male, 61% Caucasian). Multivariate logistic and Tobit regressions were used to assess associations with cardiovascular risk factors, coronary calcium, and peripheral arterial disease. Results Of all subjects, 54% had thoracic aortic calcium; of these, 37% had calcium solely in the ascending thoracic aorta and 20% solely in the descending thoracic aorta. In multivariate regression, age, Caucasian race, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes duration were independently associated with calcium of both the ascending and descending thoracic aorta ( P Conclusion Ascending and descending thoracic aortic calcium have similar associations with traditional cardiovascular risk factors in diabetics and are independently associated with coronary artery calcium. Only calcium in the descending aorta is associated with peripheral arterial disease. Delineation of both phenotypes may provide information about the individualized vascular disease and risk profile of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Higher Glucose Affinity of Hexokinase in Sheep Brain than in Rat Brain

THE brain in sheep, as in non-ruminant mammals' appears dependent on glucose as the substrate for oxidation1, yet the blood glucose concentration of adult sheep is only about 2.5 mM (50 mg/100 ml.) compared with about 5 mM (100 mg/100 ml.) in rats, dogs, men and pigs. If the availability of a substrate is less in one species than in another, and a tissue were to utilize the substrate at comparable rates in both species, then one might look for an inter-species difference in enzyme affinity for this substrate. So we have estimated the apparent Km for glucose of hexokinase in brain, also liver, muscle and adiposa, of sheep and rats.
Microneurovascular free gracilis transfer for smile reanimation

Many procedures exist to provide both static and dynamic reanimation of the paralyzed face. At the present time, microneurovascular free muscle transfer provides the best outcome in restoring dynamic facial symmetry as well as spontaneous mimetic function. Of the techniques used, free gracilis muscle transfer is currently the most common; this article describes the procedure in detail.
Motivation in vigilance - A test of the goal-setting hypothesis of the effectiveness of knowledge of results.

This study tested the prediction, derived from the goal-setting hypothesis, that the facilitating effects of knowledge of results (KR) in a simple vigilance task should be related directly to the level of the performance standard used to regulate KR. Two groups of Ss received dichotomous KR in terms of whether Ss response times (RTs) to signal detections exceeded a high or low standard of performance. The aperiodic offset of a visual signal was the critical event for detection. The vigil was divided into a training phase followed by testing, during which KR was withdrawn. Knowledge of results enhanced performance in both phases. However, the two standards used to regulate feedback contributed little to these effects.
A Look Ahead at the Future of Diabetes Prevention and Treatment

At 2, 3, and 4 years, respectively, 9.2%, 6.4%, and 3.5% of intensive lifestyle intervention participants (n=2262) had partial diabetes remission compared with 1.7%, 1.3%, and 0.5% of participants in the diabetes support and education group(n=2241).Completeremissionwaslesscommon:1.3% and0.7%at1and4years.Followingpartialremission,onethird of lifestyle intervention participants relapsed to diabeteseachyear.Participantswithearly-stagediabetes(shortestduration,nottreatedwithinsulin,goodbaselineglycemic control) were most likely to benefit from the intensive lifestyle intervention. Look AHEAD has already shown that intensive lifestyle modification can induce significant improvements in other intermediate health indicators, such as body weight, fitness, blood pressure, glycemic control, and lipids. 4 However,theseimprovedriskfactorprofilesdidnottranslate into lower rates of nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for angina, or death compared with conventional diabetes treatment; and this recently led the National Institutes of Health to halt the Look AHEAD intervention group because it did not decrease the occurrenceofcardiovascularevents,theprimarystudygoal. 5 The
The ‘Psychic Surgeon’ and the schizophrenic patient: Crisis in a ‘Medicodrama’

This paper is concerned with a Filipino 'psychic surgeon' confronted by a particularly challenging case of a kind perhaps unprecedented in his practice. The paper describes and analyzes how the practitioner modified his usual clinical performance and adapted his actions to demands of an extremely difficult situation. The case is viewed in wider perspective relative to the significance of performative acts of healing in a pluralistic medical setting.
Pressure sores in the acute trauma patient : Incidence and causes

Objectives: The purpose of this review was to determine the incidence of pressure sores in acute trauma patients and to identify the causes. Design and Materials and Methods: This study is a retrospective chart review of all acute trauma patients admitted to Harborview Medical Center between January of 1991 and December of 1993 who were discharged with an ICD-9 diagnosis of acute pressure sore. Results: A total of 7,492 trauma patients were admitted. Thirty-two patients developed 44 pressure sores for an incidence of 0.4%. All of the patients were severely injured (mean Injury Severity Score, 21). Eighteen (41%) of the pressure sores developed as a result of unrelieved positional pressure. Thirteen (30%) of the pressure sores were equipment induced. Conclusion: Our incidence of pressure sores in acute trauma victims is very low and occurs in those most seriously injured. The majority of the wounds are due to unrelieved pressure from body positioning or equipment failure.
Metabolic selectivity and growth of Clostridium thermocellum in continuous culture under elevated hydrostatic pressure.

The continuous culture of Clostridium thermocellum, a thermophilic bacterium capable of producing ethanol from cellulosic material, is demonstrated at elevated hydrostatic pressure (7.0 MPa, 17.3 MPa) and compared with cultures at atmospheric pressure. A commercial limitation of ethanol production by C. thermocellum is low ethanol yield due to the formation of organic acids (acetate, lactate). At elevated hydrostatic pressure, ethanol:acetate (E/A) ratios increased >102 relative to atmospheric pressure. Cell growth was inhibited by approximately 40% and 60% for incubations at 7.0 MPa and 17.3 MPa, respectively, relative to continuous culture at atmospheric pressure. A decrease in the theoretical maximum growth yield and an increase in the maintenance coefficient indicated that more cellobiose and ATP are channeled towards maintaining cellular function in pressurized cultures. Shifts in product selectivity toward ethanol are consistent with previous observations of hydrostatic pressure effects in batch cultures. The results are partially attributed to the increasing concentration of dissolved product gases (H2, CO2) with increasing pressure; and they highlight the utility of continuous culture experiments for the quantification of the complex role of dissolved gas and pressure effects on metabolic activity.
Gastric and extragastric actions of the histamine antagonist ranitidine during posttraumatic sepsis.

Background. Histamine H 2 antagonists (e.g., ranitidine) are generally thought to specifically reduce gastric acid secretion and are commonly used for stress ulcer prophylaxis in critically ill patients because of their efficacy and safety profile. A few reports suggest that ranitidine might also bind to extragastric sites and/or act as an immunomodulator. The potential effects on posttraumatic sepsis are unknoum. Methods. Mongrel pigs (n=24) were anesthetized with fentanyl, injured by a 10 kg steel bar dropped from a height of 1 m onto the fleshy portion of the posterior thigh, and then 35% of their blood volume was drained through the arterial catheter. All the shed blood plus two times the hemorrhage volume as lactated Ringer's solution was infused after a 1-hour shock period. Either vehicle or ranitidine (1.5 mg/kg) was intravenously administered at the time of resuscitation and every 12 hours thereafter in a blinded fashion. After 72 hours a septic challenge was administered (15 μg/kg Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide [LPS]×30 min). Serial gastroscopy, gastric pH, hemodynamics leukocyte counts, cortisol, and tumor necrosis factor were recorded for 180 minutes after LPS. Results. Immediately before LPS all hemodynamic variables were identical between treatments, but gastric pH was slightly higher and stress gastritis was marginally lower with ranitidine. LPS caused profound leukopenia and a hyperdynamic circulatory response (i.e., tachycardia, increased cardiac output, and decreased peripheral vascular resistance at relatively constant blood pressure); these changes were not altered by ranitidine. Gastric pH remained elevated after LPS with ranitidine, but LPS-induced gastritis was not modified. Ranitidine delayed the LPS-induced ventilation-perfusion imbalance and attenuated the peak increase in the proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor, without altering its antiinflammatory opponent, cortisol. Similar changes were observed in four additional animals treated with cimetidine. The proportion of circulating neutrophils and lymphocytes was slightly altered 180 minutes after LPS, but there was no obvious effect on T lymphocytes in vivo, and no effect on the LPS-induced increase in neutrophil CD18 expression in vitro was seen. Conclusions. (1) Ranitidine increased gastric pH, which blunted the stress gastritis caused by trauma but not that caused by LPS; (2) ranitidine delayed the early LPS-evoked pulmonary changes and reduced the tumor necrosis factor spike, which is consistent with a favorable immunomodulatory action that has been reported in patients who are critically ill or are undergoing an elective abdominal surgical procedure; (3) the mechanism is probably related to H 2 receptor antagonism rather than to a nonspecific side effect of ranitidine, which suggests that histamine may have a previously unrecognized role in posttraumatic septic responses; and (4) the site of action is probably not in the heart or peripheral resistance vessels, but salutary effects on circulating lymphocytes or neutrophils cannot be excluded.
Primary linitis plastica of the colon and rectum: Report of two cases

Primary linitis plastica of the colon and rectum is an uncommon entity. Sixty-six cases have been reported in the English literature. Two new cases are reported, one of the transverse colon with widespread metastases and the other of the right colon extending from the appendix to the distal resection margin of the transverse colon. Some clinical and pathologic characteristics of the tumor are discussed, based on a review of the literature.
Optimized transgenesis in Xenopus laevis/gilli isogenetic clones for immunological studies.

Xenopus laevis provides a unique animal model, alternative to mouse, to study immunology. Even though, several methodologies have been developed for the generation of transgenic Xenopus, to date none have been adapted for the X. laevis/gilli (LG) isogenetic clones that are essential for immunological studies. Since LG clones are generated via gynogenesis, transgenic methods using transgene integration into the sperm nuclei are not suited. Therefore, we have tested three alternative methods for LG transgenesis: the phiC31 integrase, the Sleeping Beauty transposase, and the I-SceI meganuclease. All three techniques produced transgenic LG clones; however, the I-SceI meganuclease was most effective. It resulted in high transgenesis efficiency (35–50%), bright nonmosaic GFP expression as well as stable germline transmission with 100% of the progeny carrying the transgene. Production of transgenic LG clones will allow us to modulate immune gene expression and further strengthen X. laevis as a biomedical model. genesis 50:300–306, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Performance of a computer system for recording eye fixations using limbus reflection

A computer system was developed to measure and record locus and duration of the eye axis of gaze using a limbus reflection technique. System hardware and operating procedures for on-line data collection and correction are described. Algorithms are presented that separate fixations from movements. Based on these algorithms, system performance was measured in terms of spatial accuracy of eye fixations and temporal accuracy of saccadic movements.
Electronic coupling in electron transfer and the influence of nuclear modes: theoretical and computational probes

Long-range electronic coupling of local donor and acceptor sites is formulated in the context of thermal and optical electron transfer and then illustrated with examples based on electronic structure calculations. The relationship of the calculated results to available experimental kinetic and optical data is discussed in detail. The influence of nuclear modes on the magnitude of the coupling (i.e., departures from the Condon approximation) is investigated in terms of both discrete molecular modes and solvent modes, and a general expression is presented for the modulation of the superexchange tunneling gap by motion along the electron transfer reaction coordinate.
Charge-transfer interactions in cyclophanes

Charge-transfer interactions in cyclophane systems are reviewed. The majority of the work covered involves intermolecular complexation, with both donor and acceptor moieties existing within the same molecule. Studies have also been performed on intermolecular complexes, mainly tetracyanoethylene:cyclophane complexes. Host-guest complexes involving charge-transfer are also discussed. Other areas covered include solvent effects, substituent effects, and theoretical calculations.
New device: Noncrushing muscle clamp for inferior oblique recession.

When performing a recession of the inferior oblique muscle, a suture is typically placed in the distal muscle after disinsertion. A number of instruments have been used to stabilize the muscle for this postdisinsertion suture placement, but each of these has been observed to create some degree of devitalization, or crush effect, in the distal muscle. Here, a modified clamp is described that was created to overcome this limitation. The clamp (model no. SP7-60458; Storz Ophthalmics, St. Louis, MO) is a modified Jameson muscle clamp, and modifications include elimination of the angle, rendering it straight, and stops, thus creating a 0.6-mm gap between closed blades. The former feature facilitates insertion of the clamp in inferior oblique recession surgery and its postdisinsertion rotation for suture placement; the latter feature clinically eliminates crush artifact, thus possibly avoiding insertional instability. Surgery on the inferior oblique muscle is performed using a number of techniques, including recession, myectomy, and transposition. For recession or transposition, a suture must be placed in the distal muscle, which can be done either before or after disinsertion. Placing the suture before the muscle is disinserted is technically challenging and may introduce risk because the inferior oblique muscle inserts over the macular area. Therefore, postdisinsertional suture placement is considered desirable. When performing anterior transpositions of the inferior oblique muscle, however, I have observed crush effects on the distal muscle when “noncrushing” (or vascular) clamps were applied before the muscle was disinserted. I have also observed retraction of the insertion in previously anteriorly transposed inferior oblique muscles at the time of subsequent strabismus surgery. A possible cause for these observations may be devitalization of the muscle stump caused by crush injury if conventional clamps or forceps are used. The clamp described in this report is intended to provide improvements over current postdisinsertional techniques by decreasing crush effect and possible devitalization of the inferior oblique fibers proximal to the suture placement.
Prolines Around Hypothetical Active Site are Important for the Structure and Dynamics of the Outer Membrane Protein G from Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

The outer membrane protein G (OprG) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a beta-barrel protein hypothesized to be responsible for the uptake of hydrophobic compounds. A crystal structure at 2.4 A resolution reveals an 8-stranded beta-barrel with four long extracellular loops and a lumen lined almost exclusively with hydrophobic residues. Another interesting feature is a lateral opening in the barrel wall, surrounded by three proline residues (P66, P91, P92), which has been suggested to mediate diffusion of small hydrophobic molecules across the outer membrane by a mechanism similar to that of E. coli FadL protein (Touw et al (2011), PLoS ONE 5(11):15016, van den Berg et al (2004), Science 304:1506-1509). We determined the NMR structure of OprG in DHPC micelles at pH 6.0, which shows the beta-barrel region to have substantially shorter strands and longer periplasmic loops than the crystal structure. To further investigate the properties of OprG, we mutated three prolines around the hypothetical active site to alanines and collected 15N-1H TROSY spectra of the mutants. The P92A mutant showed high quality spectra and was used for structure determination. Introducing the P92A mutation results in an asymmetric elongation of the beta-barrel region and changed the hydrogen bonding network and loops dynamics. Although the proline mutants incorporate into membranes less efficiently than the wild-type, our single molecule tracking experiments and fluorescence measurements indicate that they all form multimers of varying sizes in membranes. This study shows the importance of the prolines around the hypothetical active site for the OprG structure and their impact on the protein's properties in membranes.
Calculating Achievement Composite Scores for Regression Discrepancy Models

Regression discrepancy-model equations fail to account for the common practice of obtaining more than one achievement score for a discrepancy area (e.g., reading comprehension). This article presents the equations required to calculate composite achievement scores based upon two achievement scores. Equations to calculate the composite's reliability and correlation with IQ are also given. Calculating composite scores offers a method to combine achievement scores from the same discrepancy area to produce a single standard score that is often more comprehensive and reliable than either individual score, and more suitable for regression equations. Composite scores may not always be necessary in discrepancy assessment, but can help overcome problems with interpretation of regression results.
On Applications of Geometric Morphometrics to Studies of Ontogeny and Phylogeny: A Reply to Rohlf

M IR IAM LEAH ZELDITCH , W ILLIAM L. F INK , DONALD L. SW IDERSKI, AND BARBARA L. LUNDRIGAN 2,4 Museum of Paleontology, University of M ichigan, Ann Arbor, M ichigan 48109, USA; E-m ail: zelditch@umich.edu Department of Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of M ichigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA Museum of Zoology, University of M ichigan, Ann Arbor, M ichigan, 48109, USA Department of Zoology and Michigan State University Museum , M ichigan State University, East Lansing , M ichigan 48824, USA