cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some simple spike separation techniques for simultaneously recorded neurons.

Abstract Segregating the spike trains from two simultaneously recorded neurons can be accomplished by several simple methods involving a laboratory oscilloscope's trigger circuits. The principle of “amplitude discrimination later in the spike waveform” is discussed; simple methods for implementing it on an oscilloscope or a llaboratory computer are presented. The problem of declining spike heights during a burst is discussed, and criteria are presented for maintaining the segregation of such a bursting neuron from other simultaneously recorded neurons.
A note on the first-passage problem and VanMarcke's approximation - short communication

Abstract Given a scalar, stationary, Markov process, this short communication presents a closed-form solution for the first-passage problem for a fixed threshold b . The derivation is based on binary processes and the general formula of Siegert [Siegert AJF. On the first-passage time probability problem. Physical Review 1951; 81:617–23]. The relation for the probability density function of the first-passage time is identical to the commonly used formula that was derived by VanMarcke [VanMarcke E. On the distribution of the first-passage time for normal stationary random processes. Journal of Applied Mechanics ASME 1975; 42:215–20] for Gaussian processes. The present derivation is based on more general conditions and reveals the criteria for the validity of the approximation. Properties of binary processes are also used to derive a hierarchy of upper bounds for any scalar process.
Characterization of pH-responsive hydrogels of poly(itaconic acid-g-ethylene glycol) prepared by UV-initiated free radical polymerization as biomaterials for oral delivery of bioactive agents.

Effective oral delivery of proteins is impeded by steep pH gradients and proteolytic enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as low absorption of the proteins into the bloodstream due to their size, charge or solubility. In the present work, pH-responsive complexation hydrogels of poly(itaconic acid) with poly(ethylene glycol) grafts were synthesized for applications in oral drug delivery. These hydrogels were expected to be in collapsed configuration at low pH due to hydrogen bonding between poly(itaconic acid) carboxyl groups and poly(ethylene glycol), and to swell with increasing pH because of charge repulsion between deprotonated carboxylic acid groups. Hydrogels were prepared by UV-initiated free radical polymerization using tetraethylene glycol as the crosslinking agent and Irgacure® 2959 as the initiator. The effect of monomer ratios, crosslinking ratio and solvent amount on the properties of the hydrogels were investigated. The composition of the hydrogels was confirmed by FTIR. Equilibrium swelling studies in the pH range of 1.2 to 7 revealed that the extent of swelling increased with increasing pH up to a pH of about 6, when no further carboxylic acid deprotonation occurred. Studies in Caco-2 colorectal carcinoma cells confirmed the cytocompatibility of these materials at concentrations of up to 5 mg/ml.
Osteoid osteoma of the fifth metatarsal: a case report and literature review

This is a case report of a 24-year-old female with a 4-year history of pain in the lateral aspect of her left forefoot. The onset was atraumatic, and the condition was refractory to multiple conservative measures including orthotics and injections. A classic history of pain, which was worse at night and relieved with non-steroidals, in combination with plain radiographs revealing a lytic lesion prompted appropriate diagnostic testing. This allowed accurate diagnosis and treatment with a burr-down technique, which yielded complete relief of the patient's presenting symptoms. This case demonstrates the atypical plain radiographic findings common to intra-articular osteoid osteomas and emphasises that a high index of suspicion should be maintained for lesions such as osteoid osteoma when the presentation is that of atraumatic pain that is worse at night and relieved by non-steroidals. A succinct review of the literature is also provided.
An Unconstrained Calculus of Variations Formulation for Generalized Optimal Control Problems and for the Constrained Problem of Bolza

Abstract This paper has two main ideas. The first idea is that constrained problems in optimal control theory and the calculus of variations can be associated with unconstrained calculus of variations problems by using multipliers. This allows us to obtain a true Lagrange multiplier rule where both the original variables and the multipliers can be explicitly and easily determined. The second idea is that critical point solutions to the associated problem, which include the determination of the multipliers, immediately follows from Euler-Lagrange equations for the unconstrained problem. This critical point solution is a necessary condition for the original problem. We also show that these methods can be combined with previous work by the authors to obtain efficient and accurate numerical solutions to the original problems where no such general numerical methods currently seem to exist. This seems to be an important development since the lack of such methods has hindered the usefulness of the theory. Finally, we indicate that a large variety of nonclassical optimization problems can be solved by this association.
A biomimetic jellyfish-inspired jet propulsion system using an iris mechanism

A bio-inspired jet propulsion mechanism was designed and developed for development of proficient unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs). The propulsion mechanism mimics that of the Sarsia sp. jellyfish which measures approximately 1 cm in diameter. In order to achieve a biomimetic uniform bell contraction, an electrical motor was used in conjunction with a novel circumferential actuator based upon a mechanical iris diaphragm. This mechanism allows actuation of a deformable cavity. The current prototype was scaled to a diameter 10 times larger than Sarsia measuring 10 cm in diameter. The performance of the propulsion mechanism was analyzed both experimentally theoretically. The prototype was mounted on a test stand which allowed for measurement of thrust and power consumption. Analytical and experimental results were compared to that of the performance of Sarsia. It was found that the overall mechanism created a maximum thrust of 5.1 N with a calculated vehicle efficiency of 0.17% and proficiency of 4.8 s−1.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Interactions between frontal cortex and basal ganglia in working memory: a computational model.

The frontal cortex and the basal ganglia interact via a relatively well understood and elaborate system of interconnections. In the context of motor function, these interconnections can be understood as disinhibiting, or “releasing the brakes,” on frontal motor action plans: The basal ganglia detect appropriate contexts for performing motor actions and enable the frontal cortex to execute such actions at the appropriate time. We build on this idea in the domain of working memory through the use of computational neural network models of this circuit. In our model, the frontal cortex exhibits robust active maintenance, whereas the basal ganglia contribute a selective, dynamic gating function that enables frontal memory representations to be rapidly updated in a task-relevant manner. We apply the model to a novel version of the continuous performance task that requires subroutine-like selective working memory updating and compare and contrast our model with other existing models and theories of frontal-cortex-basal-ganglia interactions.
Time‐lapse inversion of crosswell radar data

The combination of differential radar tomography with conventional tracer and/or hydraulic tests facilitates high-resolution characterization of subsurface heterogeneity and enables the identification of preferential flow paths. In dynamic imaging, each tomogram is typically inverted independently, under the assumption that data sets are collected quickly relative to changes in the imaged property (e.g., attenuation or velocity); however, such “snapshot” tomograms may contain large errors if the imaged property changes significantly during data collection. Acquisition of less data over a shorter time interval could ameliorate the problem, but the resulting decrease in ray density and angular coverage could degrade model resolution. To address these problems, we propose a new sequential approach for time-lapse tomographic inversion. The method uses space-time parameterization and regularization to combine data collected at multiple times and to account for temporal variation. The inverse algorithm minimizes the sum of weighted squared residuals and a measure of solution complexity based on an a priori space-time covariance function and a spatiotemporally variable mean. We demonstrate our approach using a synthetic 2-D time-lapse (x; z; t) data set based loosely on a field experiment in which difference-attenuation radar tomography was used to monitor the migration of a saline tracer in fractured rock. We quantitatively show the benefits of space-time inversion by comparing results for snapshot and time-lapse inversion schemes. Inversion over both space and time results in superior estimation error, model resolution, and data reproduction compared to conventional snapshot inversion. Finally, we suggest strategies to improve time-lapse cross-hole inversions using ray-based inversion constraints and a modified survey design in which different sets of rays are collected in alternating time steps.
Molecular characterization of proteolytic cleavage sites of the Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrRpt2

During infection of Arabidopsis thaliana, the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato delivers the effector protein AvrRpt2 into the plant cell cytosol. Within the plant cell, AvrRpt2 undergoes N-terminal processing and causes elimination of Arabidopsis RIN4. Previous work established that AvrRpt2 is a putative cysteine protease, and AvrRpt2 processing and RIN4 elimination require an intact predicted catalytic triad in that AvrRpt2. In this work, proteolytic events that depend on AvrRpt2 activity were characterized. The amino acid sequence surrounding the processing site of AvrRpt2 and two related sequences from RIN4 triggered Avr-Rpt2-dependent proteolytic cleavage of a synthetic substrate, demonstrating that these sequences are cleavage recognition sites for AvrRpt2 activity. Processing-deficient AvrRpt2 mutants were identified and shown to retain their ability to eliminate wild-type RIN4. Single amino acid substitutions were made in each of the two RIN4 cleavage sites, and mutation of both sites resulted in cleavage-resistant RIN4. Growth of Pseudomonas expressing AvrRpt2 was significantly higher than catalytically inactive mutants on Arabidopsis rin4/rps2 mutant plants, suggesting there are additional protein targets of AvrRpt2 that account for the virulence activity of this effector. Bioinformatics analysis identified putative Arabidopsis proteins containing sequences similar to the proteolytic cleavage sites conserved in AvrRpt2 and RIN4. Several of these proteins were eliminated in an AvrRpt2-dependent manner in a transient in planta expression system. These results identify amino acids important for AvrRpt2 substrate recognition and cleavage as well as demonstrate AvrRpt2 protease activity eliminates multiple Arabidopsis proteins in a transient expression system.
THE USE OF ANALYSIS BY GOVERNORS‘ BUDGET OFFICES

Using the budgets of 47 states, the budget preparation instructions from governors' budget offices to agencies of 45 states, and telephone interviews of governors' budget office personnel of a random sample of 20 states, this article explores the degree to which analysis is used in the formulation of state governors' budgets. Applying even relaxed definitions of analysis, the authors find that the application of analytical tools has not been as widespread as some descriptions suggest. And, while microcomputers are being used, their analytical capabilities are largely ignored. Even in the minority of states where ambitious attempts at rational-comprehensive budgeting are being made, budgetary rigidities leave little room for analysis. Governors' politically-determined programs, not the results of analysis, dominate what little maneuvering room is left.
Murine responses to endotoxin: another dirty little secret?

For over a century, clinicians and investigators have injected bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides, LPS) into the veins of animals. Remarkably, some vertebrates (humans, horses, rabbits) are as much as 100,000-fold more likely to succumb to an intravenous dose of LPS than are others (baboons, mice, rats, chickens). With the recent triumph of the laboratory mouse as the major experimental animal model for infectious diseases in humans, the striking difference between human and murine sensitivity to LPS toxicity seems to have become a “dirty little secret” of innate immunology, just as Janeway’s clue to the importance of innate immunity--the potency of adjuvants—was long ignored by students of B and T cells (1). Like many other immunological differences between these species (2), the possibility that results of experiments in mice using LPS and other stimulatory microbial molecules might not apply to humans has been infrequently acknowledged. Now Warren and Cavaillon have called attention to this issue by studying it (3). Their conclusion – that the key factor(s) that account for the striking difference in sensitivity to endotoxin infusion are found in serum, not host cells – should help us think more clearly about many mouse models of human disease. Their results also raise the interesting possibility that these factors might be identified and harnessed to dampen human responses to bacterial diseases.
Cu- and Ag-Modified Cerium Oxide Catalysts for Methane Oxidation

The catalytic activity of nanocrystalline doped ceria and Cu- and Ag-modified ceria for the complete oxidation of methane was studied in this work. The catalyst structure was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and related to the availability of low-temperature oxygen species. Selected samples were also analyzed by STEM/EDX, HRTEM, and XPS. Temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) by H2 and CH4, as well as oxygen chemisorption, measurements were used to characterize the different oxygen species present on the catalyst. La and Zr were used as dopants to modify the crystal size and reduction properties of ceria. Enhanced activity for the complete oxidation of methane is discussed in terms of ceria reducibility, crystal size, and formation of oxygen defects at the surface (extrinsic oxygen vacancies). Addition of transition metal oxides (CuO) or transition metals (Ag) improves the low-temperature oxidation activity of cerium oxide. The interaction of ceria with Ag and CuO is a strong function of the crystal size of ceria. In the presence of the transition metal or metal oxide, a small crystal size of ceria favors the formation of highly reducible oxygen species and enhances the methane oxidation activity. c ∞ 1998 Academic Press
The Effects of Diethylstilbestrol Administered in a Paste Carrier to Turkey Fryers

Abstract THE synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol has become a widely accepted aid in the production of high quality poultry meat. The drug was first used commercially in a pellet form and administered by subcutaneous implantation. More recently a paste suspension has been employed on a practical basis. The present study was initiated to determine the effects of diethylstilbestrol incorporated in a paste carrier 3 and administered subcutaneously on fat finish, growth rate and feed efficiency in turkey fryers. The effects of diethylstilbestrol on turkeys have recently been reviewed thoroughly by Lorenz (1953) and the reader is referred to this source for a detailed review of the literature in this field. In general, it has been shown that diethylstilbestrol pellet implantation in turkeys increases fat deposition, although the degree of improvement varies. Even more inconsistent results have been the rule concerning the effects of this material on body weight gains. Since dosage and age …
Resumption of chest compressions after successful defibrillation and risk for recurrence of ventricular fibrillation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Background— Prior investigation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest has raised the concern that ventricular fibrillation (VF) recurrence may be triggered by chest compression (CC) resumption. We investigated predictors of VF recurrence after defibrillation, including timing of CC resumption. Methods and Results— Patients with witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and initial rhythm of VF from an Utstein-style database were analyzed. For each shock that defibrillated VF, CC resumption and VF recurrence times were determined. Shocks were classified according to postshock rhythm. Factors (age, sex, time from dispatch to monitor/defibrillator application, and CC resumption) that could predict VF recurrence were analyzed. CC resumption was categorized into groups: CC1, 1 to 5 seconds; CC2, 6 to 10 seconds; CC3, 11 to 30 seconds; and CC4, >30 seconds. Eighty-eight subjects were analyzed, with a total of 285 shocks, with 226 shocks that achieved asystole (n=102), organized rhythm (n=120), or monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (n=4). After a successful shock, CC resumption occurred at a median (interquartile range) of 8 (5–18) seconds. VF recurred after 166 shocks (74%) and recurred within 30 seconds in 69 shocks. There was no significant relationship between VF recurrence and factors analyzed including CC resumption time, nor stratified by postshock rhythm. The hazard ratios (HRs) for VF recurrence within 30 seconds for later CC groups (CC2, CC3, and CC4) relative to early CC resumption (CC1) were as follows: HR(CC2)=1.05 ( P =0.9); HR(CC3)=1.75 ( P =0.1); and HR(CC4)=0.67 ( P =0.4). Conclusions— VF recurrence within 30 seconds of a defibrillatory shock was not dependent on timing of CC resumption in patients with witnessed arrest and initial rhythm of VF.
Spines and Natural History of Three Cenchrus Species

Abstract On two barrier islands of Georgia, U.S.A., three species of sandspur (genus Cenchrus) occupy different types of habitats: Dune sandspur (C. tribuloides) occurs in newly formed dunes; southern sandspur (C. echinatus) occurs in established dunes; and coast or field sandspur (C. incertus) in areas associated with high levels of human disturbance (“waste places”). All three species have seeds with spines. I investigated the roles of spines in each species' natural history, giving particular attention to the contrasting habitats occupied by each. Seeds from C. tribuloides typically float more than twice as long as seeds of the other two species, as might be expected for this coastal species, yet experimental removal of spines did not decrease the floating duration for any species. In a wind tunnel, unaltered seeds of C. echinatus dispersed at lower wind speeds than did the other species, but experimentally removing spines gave its seeds wind-dispersal properties similar to the other two species. This ...
Enhancing the response to cardiac resynchronization therapy: is it time to individualize the left ventricular pacing site?

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has gained widespread acceptance as a safe and efficacious therapeutic strategy for New York Heart Association functional class III and ambulatory class IV chronic heart failure (CHF) associated with a wide QRS complex and ventricular dyssynchrony. Several
TESTING FOR SPATIAL EQUILIBRIUM USING HAPPINESS DATA

Happiness data are rarely used in regional and urban analysis, but it is a prime data set for testing the assumption of spatial equilibrium, the key assumption in the field of urban economics. In this paper, we explore the relationship between regional happiness and one-year lagged change in population growth rates for the nine census regions in the United States using data on reported well-being from National Opinion Research Center's annual General Social Survey. We observe that, while there is evidence of spatial disequilibrium during recessions and in the long run, happier regions generally experience higher population growth rates indicating a movement (or tendency) toward spatial equilibrium.
Nutritional and managerial considerations for range beef cattle production.

Nutritional and managerial schemes are presented to optimize range livestock production. Forage quality, animal requirements, and the animal's ability to meet their requirements from the forage is presented. After inventorying the nutritional value of the forages and determining animal requirements, a prescription supplementation program is presented. Management alternatives to compensate for poor quality forage on range late summer and early fall, such as selling market animals, moving to better feed, chemical curing of forages, time of calving, time of weaning and using the range as a feedlot are presented. Winter-feeding programs using native flood meadow hay as a base are also presented for both growing animals and mature cows. Material presented illustrates a philosophy of range nutrition with methods and procedures that are adaptable to grazing systems in all parts of the world.
Incorporating Information Competence into Classes

Enabling students to become independent learners is a desirable goal for many educators. However, the task is not always easily addressed with the long lists of concrete, technical objectives that must usually be covered in classes. As a result, information often follows a oneway path from the instructor to the student, and students can develop a reliance on “packaged” knowledge and answers from only teachers and textbooks. In efforts to engage students in the learning process and to encourage the self-directed exploration of knowledge, “information competence” [1] has been incorporated into an upper-level materials course. Using current topics in materials science and engineering, students formulate questions to address specific issues and then locate pertinent information. A variety of resources, such as newspapers, web sites, and scholarly journals, are explored and evaluated. The instructor acts as a facilitator that assists with search strategies and evaluation of the information. Students develop the ability to process and reorganize the information into useful forms (e.g., reports, oral presentations). Providing the tools and instructions to function effectively in this Information Age will hopefully promote lifelong learning in today’s students.
Analysis of difference in threshold quantity for identification of major hazard installations between domestic and aboard

Based on the analysis of difference in threshold quantity for identification of major hazard installations between domestic and aboard,effected area and range were calculated by models of pool fires and boiling liquid expending vapor explosion of gasoline and LPG.The necessity of adjusting threshold quantity in identification of major hazard installations was presented in the current safety management of domestic enterprises.
Effects of Immunization with the β-Subunit of Ovine Luteinizing Hormone on Corpus Luteum Function in the Rhesus Monkey

Rhesus monkeys immunized with the β-subunit of ovine luteinizing hormone (oLHβ) developed circulating antibodies which cross-reacted strongly with rhesus monkey chorionic gonadotropin. Normal ovulatory cycles continued, but the fertility of immunized monkeys as compared with that of controls was significantly reduced. Thus, the rhesus monkey represented a useful animal model for the study of certain aspects of an "antifertility vaccine." We investigated the effects of circulating antibodies to oLHβ on corpus luteum function by measuring production rates (PRs) and peripheral concentrations of progesterone during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Both parameters were significantly lower in immunized animals than in control animals. The length of the menstrual cycle was also significantly reduced. Progesterone PRs were also determined on days 10 and 15 after mating to test the assumption that the antifertility vaccine prevents pregnancy by interfering with "corpus luteum rescue" (the increase in PRs of progesterone usually occurring on day 15 after mating in fertilized animals). PRs increased from days 10 to 15 in pregnant controls, were unchanged in nonpregnant controls, and were significantly lower on day 15 in immunized monkeys as compared with nonpregnant and pregnant controls. These results suggest that "corpus luteum rescue" is suppressed in immunized animals.
Gonadoblastoma: unusual presentation in a patient lacking persistent müllerian ducts.

We report a patient with a disorder of sexual differentiation who presented with a 46, XY karyotype, absent internal Mullerian ducts, a vaginal pouch, hypospadias, and bilateral cryptorchidism with a gonadoblastoma in one testis. A human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation test and tissue 5-alpha-reductase and androgen receptor assays were normal. Except for the absence of internal Mullerian ducts, this patient most closely resembles the disorder of dysgenetic male pseudohermaphroditism (DMP). On this basis, we hypothesize that the internal Mullerian ducts in DMP may manifest anywhere along a spectrum that extends from normal to complete absence of structures depending on the degree of gonadal dysgenesis. This case also illustrates the importance of testicular biopsy in patients with dysgenetic testes because of the high likelihood of germ cell neoplasms in these gonads.
Retinoic Acid Signaling in P19 Stem Cell Differentiation

Retinoic acid (RA), especially all-trans retinoic acid is the most potent natural metabolite of vitamin A. RA is involved in a variety of biological functions including embryogenesis, cell differentiation and apoptosis. RA acts through its nuclear receptors to induce transcription of specific target genes. Mouse P19 embryonic carcinoma (EC) stem cells (ES) are one of the most studied in vitro systems for RA-induced differentiation. P19 ES cells can differentiate to endodermal-like, mesodermal-like, and neuronal-like phenotypes in response to specific morphogens including RA and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). At low concentrations, RA directs P19 ES cells to differentiate into cells displaying an endodermal phenotype, whereas at higher concentrations it induces differentiation to neuroectoderm. In the past, many RA---regulated genes have been discovered in EC and ES cells and efforts are ongoing to elucidate the exact mechanisms of RA-induced ES cell differentiation and apoptosis. In the RA-triggered differentiation process of the P19 ES cells, several proteins belonging to different families participate, some being obligatory while others, dispensable. Revealing the mechanisms behind RA-induced effects on ES cells has a bearing on understanding how cells proliferate, differentiate and undergo apoptosis that can provide greater insight into cancer biology and therapy. In addition to summarizing the reports on gene/protein targets of RA in stem cells, the signaling pathways driven by some of the specific class of proteins in the presence or absence of RA in P19 ES cell differentiation, especially to an endodermal phenotype, are the focus of this review.
Chemical Screening in Zebrafish

Phenotypic small molecule screens in zebrafish have gained popularity as an unbiased approach to probe biological processes. In this chapter we outline basic methods for performing chemical screens with larval zebrafish including breeding large numbers of embryos, plating larval fish into multi-well dishes, and adding small molecules to these wells. We also highlight important considerations when designing and interpreting the results of a phenotypic screen and possible follow-up approaches, including popular methods used to identify the mechanism of action of a chemical compound.
A Primer About Mixed Methods Research in an Educational Context

Changes in the academic enterprise, including the growth of large-scale, team-based research, likely account for the growing presence of projects that are framed to involve mixed methods. This methodological essay provides a non-technical introduction to mixed method approaches. It is directed toward an audience motivated primarily by content area, rather than methodological, interests. Different methodological constructs are illustrated by using a single mixed methods study about promoting active play in school playground (e.g. Willinberg et al., 2010). A distinction is made between mixed and multi-method research, with the recommendation that the mixed method label is most appropriate when there is the intent to communicate that the interface between qualitative and quantitative strands is key to understanding the way the research was executed and the conclusions that are drawn.
Making the Transition

As outlined in the previous chapter, in order to end the current structural imbalance in the world economy, all economies need to address simultaneously the two key sources of this imbalance: the underpricing of natural capital that leads to its overexploitation, and the insufficient accumulation of human capital to meet the demand, which contributes to wealth inequality. Also, there must be additional policies aimed at encouraging structural transformation in resource-dependent developing economies and ending the significant pockets of rural poverty found worldwide. Finally, as we have seen throughout this book, the global impacts of environmental degradation are becoming a pressing problem. Thus, overcoming these worldwide market failures and environmental threats, especially climate change, ecological scarcity and declining freshwater availability, requires creating global markets.
Leveraging Intention Revision in Narrative Planning to Create Suspenseful Stories

Character intention revision is an essential component of stories, but it has yet to be incorporated into story generation systems. However, intentionality, one component of intention revision, has been explored in both narrative generation and logical formalisms. The intention revision in storytelling (IRIS) system adopts the belief/desire/intention framework of intentionality from logical formalisms and combines it with preexisting concepts of intentionality in narrative. IRIS also introduces the crucial concept of intention revision for the protagonist of the story. The IRIS system uses its generative power alongside psychological and narrative models of suspense to computationally create suspenseful stories. It has been used in the creation of suspenseful noninteractive text stories and an interactive text-based video game.
Maximal Oxygen Uptake during Swimming of Young Competitive Swimmers 9 to 17 Years of Age.

Abstract Few studies of young competitive swimmers have measured the swimmer in the water, but many have utilized the treadmill or bicycle ergometer on land. The maximum oxygen uptake of 31 (17 male and 14 female) competitive swimmers, 9 to 17 years of age, was determined during an intermittent tethered swimming test which consisted of a series of 3-minute workloads followed by 3-minute rest intervals. Each new workload was increased by multiples of 1.1 kg, and the work was continued to voluntary exhaustion. The subjects were members of a competitive swim club that took part in vigorous swim training throughout the year. Testing was conducted at the peak of the competitive out-door season. Over a period of a year, the daily training distance of these swimmers averaged approximately 7,000 yards, or almost four times that reported by others. The mean maximum oxygen uptake was 48.8 ml·kg−1·min−1 for the females and 55.8 ml·kg−1·min−1 for the males. Although the values for the younger swimmers were comparable...
Do No Harm, Except to Ourselves? A Survey of Symptoms and Injuries in Oncologic Surgeons and Pilot Study of an Intraoperative Ergonomic Intervention.

Background Occupational symptoms and injuries incurred over a surgical career are under- reported, yet they have an impact on daily surgical practice. We assessed the frequency, consequences, and risk factors for occupational injury in oncologic surgeons and evaluated the feasibility of intraoperative foot mat use to mitigate occupational symptoms. Study Design Oncologic surgeons completed a survey of demographic information and occupational symptoms and injuries. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with occupational symptoms and injuries. A randomized cross-over pilot study of intraoperative foot mat use was conducted. Results One hundred twenty-seven surgeons completed surveys (response rate: 58%). The most commonly reported symptoms were fatigue, discomfort, stiffness, and back pain. An occupational injury was reported by 27.6% of surgeons. Of those injured, 65.7% received treatment, with 17.4% of those treated requiring surgery for their injury. In multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with occupational injury were male sex (odds ratio [OR] 3.00, 95% CI 1.08 to 8.38), mean case length of 4 hours or more (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.08 to 6.87), using a step to operate (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 9.15), and neck pain (OR 4.81, 95% CI 1.64 to 14.12). In the foot mat pilot study (n = 20), mat use was associated with discomfort (OR 7.57, 95% CI 1.19 to 48.00), but no significant differences in leg volume change due to mat use were found. Conclusions Most oncologic surgeons experience musculoskeletal symptoms from operating. Of the 28% of surgeons with an occupational injury, most required treatment. Intraoperative foot mat use was associated with increased discomfort.
Web Search Studies: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Web Search Engines

Perhaps the most significant tool of our internet age is the web search engine, providing a powerful interface for accessing the vast amount of information available on the world wide web and beyond. While still in its infancy compared to the knowledge tools that precede it – such as the dictionary or encyclopedia – the impact of web search engines on society and culture has already received considerable attention from a variety of academic disciplines and perspectives. This article aims to organize a meta-discipline of “web search studies,” centered around a nucleus of major research on web search engines from five key perspectives: technical foundations and evaluations; transaction log analyses; user studies; political, ethical, and cultural critiques; and legal and policy analyses.
Electrically thin magnetodielectric metamaterial fresnel lens antenna

An electrically thin magnetodielectric Fresnel zone lens fed with a patch antenna is presented. By using impedance matched magnetodielectric materials to form the lens, the desired focusing can be obtained with very little mismatch loss. The presented lens thickness is one-tenth of a wavelength with alternating regions of free space and material with a refractive index of 6. A metamaterial unit cell composed of capacitively loaded split ring resonators is also presented that is capable of achieving the desired low loss, magnetodielectric response.
Harriet Isabel Ballintine – Pioneer Veteran

(1941). Harriet Isabel Ballintine – Pioneer Veteran. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 12, Pioneer Women in Physical Education, pp. 655-657.
HIV screening intentions, behaviors, and practices among nurse practitioners

Background and purpose HIV/AIDS is a significant public health issue for individuals living in the United States. Federal agencies and key stakeholders recommend routine HIV/AIDS screening among individuals aged 13–64 of age, yet few studies focus on the nurse practitioner's (NP) perspective. The purpose of this study was to examine routine HIV screening intentions, behaviors, and practices using a national sample of NPs. Methods Cross-sectional study utilizing a random sample of 600 NPs from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners™ organization. A total of 141 NPs returned complete responses to the paper and pencil questionnaire and were included in the study. Conclusions One-quarter (25%, n = 35) of the NPs reported routine HIV screening behavior. Half (48%, n = 67) reported intentions to increase routine HIV screening in the next year. HIV screening practices were reported as risk-based and patient-initiated among this sample of NPs. Implications for practice In the U.S. healthcare system, NPs serve as leaders in primary and secondary prevention, screening and identifying individuals who are unaware of their HIV infection. Greater coordinated efforts and new system approaches are needed to help NPs adapt HIV screening recommendations and practice guidelines.
Regulating Marijuana Advertising and Marketing to Promote Public Health: Navigating the Constitutional Minefield

Marijuana legalization, at least to some extent, is now a reality in half of the United States. This shift reflects the good reasons to decriminalize marijuana use and to legalize and regularize its cultivation, distribution and retail sale. Legalization also introduces substantial public health dangers and injects the potent tool of advertising and marketing to promote marijuana into the struggle for persuasive influence between sellers aimed at increasing profits and regulators trying to minimize the damages to public health. But limits on advertising and marketing to reduce adverse public health consequences are difficult to impose because of the increasingly aggressive interpretations of the protections for advertising articulated by the Supreme Court. Regulators must understand the types of regulations that will provoke constitutional challenges, and how a court’s analysis of each type of regulation will proceed. This Article is the first to provide detailed analysis and concrete, step-by-step guidance for regulators seeking to balance the electoral mandate to provide access to marijuana products with their ongoing and urgent responsibilities to protect public health. It provides regulators with the knowledge they need to understand the constitutional implications of a wide range of options, and to make choices that implement their public health objectives without provoking expensive legal challenges.
Public risk management: development and financing

Public risk management is a relatively new but important element of public management and public budgeting. As research in this area is limited, this study attempts to advance knowledge on two specific elements of public risk management based on a survey sent to the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) members in 2002. 1) How do public entities use various risk funding techniques (e.g., purchasing insurance, self-insurance, and intergovernmental risk pools)? 2) Have public entities implemented integrated risk management in their risk management practices? The survey found evidence that integrated risk management is emerging in public risk management practice. As this is an exploratory study, the author also identifies a series of questions for future research.
Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors and Heart Failure Exacerbation in the Veteran Population: An Observational Study.

Objectives The dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4 inhibitors) are effective modulators of fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In 2013 the Saxagliptin Assessment of Vascular Outcomes Recorded in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 53 (SAVOR-TIMI 53) clinical trial found an increased risk of heart failure exacerbation, as a secondary outcome, among patients treated with saxagliptin. This study examines the safety of DPP-4 inhibitors as a class in T2DM in relation to risk of heart failure exacerbations. Methods Retrospective cohort study of two groups of patients using data from the national Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) Health Care System: patients initially prescribed DPP-4 inhibitors with or without second-generation sulfonylureas and/or metformin (exposed group) compared with patients initially prescribed only second-generation sulfonylureas and/or metformin (unexposed group) between August 1, 2013, and August 30, 2016. The primary aim of this study was to determine the difference in 1-year heart failure exacerbation rate in patients with T2DM between the exposed and unexposed groups. Data were analyzed using the χ2 Student t test and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Significance was set at p Results The study evaluated 672,265 patients: 33,614 patients in the exposed group and 638,651 patients in the unexposed group. Overall, 130 (0.38%) heart failure exacerbations were documented in the exposed group, and 2222 (0.34%) heart failure exacerbations were documented in the unexposed group; the difference in exacerbation rate was nonsignificant between groups (p=0.24). In a subgroup analysis of patients with a baseline diagnosis of heart failure, the difference in rate of heart failure exacerbations remained nonsignificant (p=0.334). Conclusions Patients in the veteran population with T2DM treated with DPP-4 inhibitors did not demonstrate a significant increase in risk for heart failure exacerbation, regardless of whether a patient had been previously diagnosed with heart failure. This finding potentially supports safe usage of DPP-4 inhibitors in this patient population regardless of heart failure diagnosis.
Turbulence Ingestion Noise from an Open Rotor with Different Inflows

Measurements have been performed on a scaled version of a Sevik rotor ingesting both a planar turbulent wake and a turbulent boundary layer flow. In both cases, detailed measurements were made of the inflow turbulence, including three-component turbulence profiles and the full cross-sectional 4-dimensional space-time correlation function. Far-field sound measurements were also made of the turbulence ingestion noise for a comprehensive range of rotor advance ratios varying from zero to high thrust, for rotor yaw angles out of the plane of the wake from −15 to 15°, and for a range of wake strike positions on the rotor disk. Probes mounted on two of the rotor blades were used to measure upwash fluctuations seen in the rotating frame, as well as blade-to-blade coherence spectra. Comparisons have been made with predictions of the far-field sound levels based on the measured inflow turbulence for both configurations and good results were obtained in all cases.
Das Keimepithel des Hodens

Die mannlichen Keimzellen werden im Hoden vom Epithel der Samenkanalchen gebildet. Undifferenzierte Spermatogonien, welche die basale Zellschicht dieses Epithels bilden, durchlaufen wiederholte mitotische Teilungen. Nach einer Wachstumsperiode verlangert sich jeder der entstandenen Spermatozyten, teilt sich mitotisch und bildet so vier Spermatiden. Diese wiederum durchlaufen eine komplexe Metamorphose, wahrend der sie durch einen als Spermiogenese bezeichneten Vorgang in reife Spermien umgewandelt werden. Es ist naturlich unmoglich, diesen komplizierten Entwicklungsweg in einem Bild wiederzugeben. Doch kann die vorliegende Abbildung zwei Stadien der Spermatidenentwicklung zeigen, und da Extreme abgebildet werden, kann man zeigen, wie eingreifend diese Umwandlung ist. Unten rechts sieht man den Anschnitt eines rundlichen Kerns (N), der zu einem ziemlich fruhen Spermatidenstadium gehort. An einem Pol wird er von einem abgeplatteten Blaschen, dem sich entwickelnden Akrosom (Ak) bedeckt, das wiederum ein dichtes Granulum (Gr), das Akrosomenkornchen, enthalt. Die Kopfkappe und das darin gebildete Kornchen entstehen aus dem Golgi-Apparat (G) und bilden zusammen die vordere Spitze des reifen Spermium. Bei den fruhen Stadien der Spermiogenese findet sich reichlich Zytoplasma, das unregelmasig begrenzt ist und in dem Mitochondrien (M) und Blaschen des endoplasmatischen Retikulum (ER) gesehen werden konnen. In diesem Entwicklungsstadium sind die vier Spermatiden durch protoplasmatische Brucken miteinander verbunden, von denen eine in der vorliegenden Aufnahme sichtbar ist (*).
Paternity establishment: variables associated with failed implementation

Paternity establishment for 90% of births to unwed mothers is a recent federal mandate designed to optimize parental rights and childhood benefits. Using a statewide database, this study examines the relationship between selected demographic and clinical variables and in-hospital paternity establishment. Vital statistics for the year 2000 were obtained pertaining to live birth deliveries in the state of Michigan. Data were developed by the Michigan Department of Community Health through linkage of state birth data files with a central paternity registry. Statistical comparisons were made of the frequency distributions of the study variables, using a normal approximation of binomial distribution. There were a total of 134,917 live births in Michigan during 2000. Of these, 46,057 (34.1%) were to unmarried women. The overall rate of in-hospital paternity establishment for these cases was 56% in 2000. A review of selected characteristics indicated a wide range of variability in the proportion of cases for which paternity is established. The following characteristics were significantly different (P<0.05) from the overall average rate (56%) of paternity establishment in 2000: African American, 37.3%; less than high school education, 48.3%; birth weight under 1500 g, 44.8%; birth weight 1500–2499 g, 48.4%; no prenatal care, 30.1%; third trimester care, 37.9%; second trimester care, 47.3%; abnormal newborn, 53.2%; gestational age ≤37 weeks, 50.7%; age less than 20, 52.8%. A greater than average rate of paternity establishment was noted with first trimester care (61.3%), high school or greater education (60.7%), and non–African-American race (71.3%). In conclusion, key demographic and clinical variables limiting the successful establishment of paternity are readily identifiable. In order to achieve the legislative mandate of 90% success, strategies must be developed to improve overall paternity establishment, with special emphasis on these target populations. In addition, these data suggest that racial and ethnic factors are important determinants of paternity establishment in the state of Michigan.
Disability Assessment in Occupational and Environmental Lung Diseases

Assessment and management of administrative issues surrounding occupational and environmental lung disease are often one of the more challenging aspects of caring for individuals encountering illnesses or injuries associated with workplace exposures. Lack of formalized training in providing the forensic aspects of diagnosing and treating these types of conditions is often the reason why many health care providers experience significant frustration in prosecuting this type of work. This includes being able to define and understand the essential concepts of impairment and disability, recognizing the need for work restrictions and how to compose useful recommendations to the employer in order to avoid unnecessary time away from work when the individual patient could be accommodated in alternative work environments, and understanding the variety of programs available to compensate individuals affected by work-related exposures or injuries. The ability to perform these administrative tasks is vital to adequately serve the patient with these conditions.
Job Dekker: 2018 Edward Novitski Prize.

The Genetics Society of America’s (GSA) Edward Novitski Prize is awarded to researchers who have solved challenging problems in genetics through experiments that demonstrate exceptional creativity and ingenuity. Job Dekker of the University of Massachusetts Medical School has been selected for the 2018 award in recognition of his innovative approach to understanding chromosome interactions and nuclear organization. Among Dekker’s contributions are the development of the now-ubiquitous approach of chromosome conformation capture and the discovery of topologically associating domains.