cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of Tentative Guidelines for the Selection of Aggregate Gra¬dations in Hot-Mix Asphalt

Development of Tentative Guidelines for the Selection of Aggregate Gra¬dations in Hot-Mix Asphalt
A 3.6°K Reciprocating Refrigerator

The development of a unique 2 W, 77°K refrigerator has recently been reported in the literature [1,2]. This machine was a high-speed, reciprocating device which operated on the reversed Brayton cycle. Its salient features were an electromechanical drive system which rotated and reciprocated the compressor and expander pistons. This rotary-stroking motion permitted the use of self-acting gas bearings to support the pistons and ports in the cylinder walls to control gas flows. This work demonstrated the feasibility of the concept, showed that such devices have low power requirements, and that they can be made relatively small and light in weight.
A Radical Economic Model of Crime with an Empirical Test in Non-city Zip Codes

This article addresses three main issues. First, the structural explanation of crime rates across zip codes within a US county outside of that county’s major city’s limits. Second, this article addresses whether the traditional social disorganization argument which links measures of disorganized neighborhoods and in particularly deficiencies in informal social control to race, income inequality and poverty provides an adequate explanation of variations in non-city zip code crime rates. Third, this article also examines a radical critique of the kind of structural model posed by social disorganization, and tests an alternative radical economic model of crime at the zip code level. The empirical evidence illustrates the weakness of social disorganization explanations of crime at the zip code level. In contrast to those results, the empirical results for the proposed radical economic model of crime support its use for explaining crime across county zip codes. This type of empirical evidence demonstrates that radical models of crime have utility in explaining how economic structures influence the distribution of crime independently of variable identified in orthodox criminology.
Transformation based Score Fusion Algorithm for Multi-modal Biometric User Authentication through Ensemble Classification☆

Abstract This paper presents a simulation study for a fusion or combiner algorithm for an ensemble classifier, which facilitates multi-modal biometric user authentication. The study employs the transformation-based score fusion method with the voice and face recognition classifier outputs as inputs. This fusion technique is only dependent on the score generated from each biometric module. The simulation study was conceived to show the feasibility, utility and application of the transformation-based score fusion algorithm. The simulation scenario entails users registering, training, and authenticating through their voice recordings and face images. Performance of the authentication system based on the proposed fusion algorithm indicated that the true positive rate is 99.15%, and the true negative rate is 99.28%. Simulation results suggest that the proposed authentication system is feasible and its performance is promising for real-life applications.
Correlative light and electron microscopy of dissociated immature rat testicular cells undergoing morphogenesis in vitro.

Immature rat testicular cells undergo morphogenesis in primary culture (Davis, 1978). Depending upon the number of dissociated testicular cells added to the culture dish, spherical or tubular aggregates were formed. Spherical aggregates resulted from movement of cells into centers of aggregation and the detachment of these cells from the substratum; on the other hand, tubular aggregates resulted from detachment and retraction of the cell monolayer at certain points along its outer edge. In this investigation, the different methods of formation of aggregates by immature rat testicular cells in primary culture were examined with the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The cell types involved in such morphogenesis and their associations within completely formed structures were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, the rates of formation of aggregates were established by time-lapse cinemicroscopy. During formation of spherical aggregates, the rate of recruitment of cells into centers of aggregation (0·04± 0·006 μm/min; x±S.E.M., n = 78) was much slower than the rate of cell detachment during formation of tubular aggregates (11·7 ± 1·8 μm/sec; x±S.E.M., n = 110). Although specific roles for each cell type in formation of aggregates have not been determined, the associations of cells within the two types of reformed aggregates appeared to be similar. Myofibroblast cells were located in outer cell layers and Sertoli cells were observed to underlie the layers of myofibroblasts in both types of aggregates. Germinal cells, however, were found on the outer surface of spherical aggregates, but in tubular aggregates they were located on the inner surface. Since spherical and tubular aggregates are formed by different methods, this observation suggests that rearrangement of cells within the aggregates takes place and contributes to the internal morphology of newly-formed aggregates.
ADDRESSING THE POLITICAL EXCEPTION: MACHIAVELLI'S "ACCIDENTS" AND THE MIXED REGIME

First, I will demonstrate that Machiavelli's conception of political phenomena is richer and more varied and conforms to an adequate understanding of political reality more closely than later, more “systematic,” or “regular,” conceptions often associated with the Enlightenment. Second, I find in Machiavelli strong grounds for resisting authoritarian claims that the variegated and unpredictable nature of political phenomena must be managed with unipartite and, especially, centralized practical political alternatives. I focus upon Machiavelli's frequent use of a particular word by which he refers to politically significant occurrences, accidente. I argue that his employment of this word, especially in the Discourses, serves to accentuate his sensitivity to the irregular, nonsystematic nature of political reality—to the possibility of “exceptions.” But I demonstrate that his practical response to this reality, is not a perpetually vigilant, all-powerful sovereign but is, rather, a far more moderate answer, the mixed regime.
Revisiting Cognitive and Learning Styles in Computer-Assisted Instruction: Not So Useful After All

In a previous systematic review, the author proposed that adaptation to learners’ cognitive and learning styles (CLSs) could improve the efficiency of computer-assisted instruction (CAI). In the present article, he questions that proposition, arguing that CLSs do not make a substantive difference in
Democracy’s Denominator Reassessing Responsiveness with Public Opinion on the National Policy Agenda

Democratic responsiveness concerns the degree to which government policies match public preferences. Responsiveness studies typically use national surveys to characterize public opinion, but whether poll questions overlap with the policy agenda is unknown. The first of two empirical analyses presented here, with hundreds of issues on the national agenda in the United States from 1947 to 2000, reveals that public opinion is mostly unrelated to policy outcomes. The picture appears to be even more ominous—that is, opinion and policy are negatively related—on highly salient issues that attract media attention. A second study revisiting published work confirms that responsiveness patterns look different depending upon whether studies of opinion-policy connections (a) begin with survey data and then examine policy developments, or (b) begin with national legislative agenda issues and then examine survey data. Thus, conclusions about democratic responsiveness depend upon the issues that are examined, and often opinion surveys do not include questions about tangible public policy options. In that sense, future changes in democratic responsiveness might go undetected because scholars often lack data on what goes into the denominator of democracy.
Radiographic diagnosis of lung frequent hemorrhoid in neonates

Objective:To discuss the X-ray manifestation and differential diagnosis of newborns with lung frequent hemorrhoid.Methods:The supine anteroposterior chest films of 60 neonates with lung frequent hemorrhoid were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,additional supine lateral chest film with horizontal projection was performed in 25 cases and spiral CT scanning in 4 cases.Results: The X-ray demonstrated that 38 cases had pneumothorax,18 pneumomediastinum,16 interstitial emphysema and 2 subcutaneous gas accumulation in the chest or the neck.No pneumatosis or pneumoperitoneum were detected.Two or more frequent hemorrhoidage performances were displayed in 20 cases;aspiration pneumonia was found in 52 cases;wet-lung disease was detected in 3 cases,1 of which was caused by high pressure of the breathing machine.Conclusions:X-ray photograph is most reliable in diagnosis of the neonate lung frequent hemorrhoid,and CT can help to confirm the location,scope and extent of the disease.
Examining the role of region and elections on representation in the UN Security Council

Do United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members represent states in their geographic regions? Drawing on literature in legislative politics and regional similarities, this manuscript links classic notions of representation - descriptive and substantive - to geographic representation of UN members in the UNSC. However, we argue that the process of getting elected to the UNSC leads to the election of states that are not likely to represent their regions. Using UN General Assembly voting patterns as a proxy for preferences, two sets of analyses test 1) whether, in general, states within the same region have higher levels of General Assembly voting similarity, and 2) if UNSC members possess similar voting patterns with states in their region. The results show that while regional groupings do tend to have higher patterns of vote similarity, this effect is not present when comparing the states voted onto the UNSC with states in their region.
Fluorescence Imaging in Breast Reconstruction: Minimizing Complications and Improving Outcomes

As the treatment for breast cancer continues to evolve and improve, there is greater patient and surgeon interest in minimizing the morbidity associated with repeat operations, while enhancing breast cosmesis. Nipple-sparing mastectomy combined with expander/implant reconstruction, direct-to-implant reconstruction, or immediate reconstruction with autologous tissue are significant advances in the reconstructive surgeon’s armamentarium in order to restore the natural breast form while minimizing the physical and psychological morbidity associated with repeated operations. Nevertheless, adoption of these techniques has been limited secondary to technical complexity and concern for mastectomy skin flap necrosis. Intraoperative indocyanine green angiography (SPY Elite, Novadaq Technologies Inc., Mississauga, ON) offers a solution to these concerns by providing real-time in-vivo evaluation of skin flap perfusion. Using this technology, the surgeon is able to minimize the morbidity associated with repeat operations due to flap ischemia or congestion and expand the patient population for whom immediate reconstruction following nipple-sparing mastectomy is possible. Here we present our institution’s algorithm and techniques for safe and reliable breast reconstruction following nipple-sparing mastectomy using intraoperative indocyanine green angiography (ICG).
Transoral Robotic Surgery-Assisted Endoscopy With Primary Site Detection and Treatment in Occult Mucosal Primaries.

Importance Management of cervical lymph node metastasis without a known primary tumor is a diagnostic and treatment challenge for head and neck oncologists. Identification of the occult mucosal primary tumor minimizes the morbidity of treatment. Objective To analyze the role of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in facilitating the identification of a primary tumor site for patients presenting with squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP). In addition, we assessed treatment deintensification by determining the number of patients who did not undergo definitive radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Design, Setting, and Participants In this retrospective case series from January 2011 to September 2015, 60 consecutive patients with squamous cell CUP who underwent TORS-assisted endoscopy and ipsilateral neck dissection were included from an academic medical center and studied to study the rate success rate of TORS identifying occult mucosal malignancy. Main Outcomes and Measures Success rate of identifying occult mucosal malignancy; usage of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Results Overall, 60 patients (mean [SD] age, 55.5 [8.9] years) were identified; 48 of the 60 patients (80.0%) had a mucosal primary identified during their TORS-assisted endoscopic procedure. The mean (SD) size of the identified mucosal primary lesions was 1.3 (0.1) cm. All mucosal primaries, when found, originated in the oropharynx including the base of tongue in 28 patients (58%), palatine tonsil in 18 patients (38%), and glossotonsillar sulcus in 2 patients (4%). Among patients in this study, 40 (67%) did not receive chemotherapy, and 15 (25%) did not receive radiation therapy. Conclusions and Relevance Advances in transoral surgical techniques have helped identify occult oropharyngeal malignancies that traditionally have been treated with comprehensive radiation to the entire pharyngeal axis. We demonstrate the efficacy of a TORS-assisted approach to identify and surgically treat the primary tumor in patients presenting with CUP. In addition, patients managed with the TORS-assisted endoscopic approach benefit from surgical and pathological triage, which in turn results in deintensification of treatment by eliminating the need for chemotherapy in the majority of patients, as well as avoiding radiation therapy in select patients.
A Systematic Review of Tennis Elbow Surgery: Open Versus Arthroscopic Versus Percutaneous Release of the Common Extensor Origin.

Purpose To compare complications, function, pain, and patient satisfaction after conventional open, percutaneous, or arthroscopic release of the extensor origin for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Methods A thorough review of 4 databases—PubMed, EBSCOhost, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) Plus, and Scopus—was performed to identify all studies that addressed surgical management of lateral epicondylitis. We included (1) studies published between 2000 and 2015 and (2) studies with clearly defined surgical techniques. We excluded (1) non–English-language manuscripts, (2) isolated case reports, (3) studies with fewer than 10 subjects, (4) animal studies, (5) studies with additional adjunctive procedures aside from release of the extensor origin, (6) clinical or systematic review manuscripts, (7) studies with a follow-up period of 6 months or less, and (8) studies in which less than 80% of patients completed follow-up. Each study was analyzed for complication rates, functional outcomes, pain, and patient satisfaction. Results Thirty reports were identified that included 848 open, 578 arthroscopic, and 178 percutaneous releases. Patients within each release group had a similar age (46 years vs 46 years vs 48 years; P = .9 and P = .4, respectively), whereas there was a longer follow-up time in patients who underwent surgery by an open technique (49.4 months vs 42.6 months vs 23 months, P P = .5 and P = .9, respectively). However, open techniques were correlated with higher surgical-site infection rates than arthroscopic techniques (0.7% vs 0%, P = .04). Mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores were substantially better with both open and arthroscopic techniques than with percutaneous release (19.9 points vs 21.3 points vs 29 points, P P P = .08 and P = .07, respectively). Conclusions Functional outcomes of open and arthroscopic releases may be superior to those of percutaneous release. In addition, patients may report less pain with arthroscopic and percutaneous techniques. Although the risk of complications is similar regardless of technique, patients may be counseled that their risk of infectious complications may be slightly higher with open releases. However, it is important to note that this statistical difference may not necessarily portend noticeable clinical differences. Level of Evidence Level IV, systematic review of Level III and IV evidence.
The Evolution of Thyroid Surgery

The earliest mention of goiter occurred in 2700 BC in China. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, heated setons were placed into the gland and turned twice a day as a treatment for enlarged glands. The first surgeries for thyroid disease were frequently fatal due to hemorrhage and infection. The surgical revolution began in the mid-1800s with the development of anesthesia and the use of antiseptic techniques, which led to significant declines in mortality rates. Theodor Kocher is often considered the father of modern thyroid surgery and received the Nobel Prize for his contributions to the field in 1908. Since that time, advancements in the understanding of thyroid and parathyroid anatomy and physiology, as well as improvements in diagnostic and surgical technologies, have propelled thyroid surgery to its current state of sophistication.
Comparing L1 and L2 Texts and Writers in First‐Year Composition

Scholars have at various points discussed the needs of second language (L2) writers enrolled in “mainstream” composition courses where they are mixed with native (L1) English speakers. Other researchers have investigated the experiences of L2 writers in mainstream classes and the perceptions of their instructors about their abilities and needs. Little research, however, has directly compared L1 and L2 students (mostly Generation 1.5) taking composition classes together. For this article, the researchers collected writing samples from 56 L1 and 74 L2 students enrolled in a university (mainstream) first-year composition course. Using a mixed-methods design, they analyzed the texts for language error counts as well as measures of lexical and syntactic complexity; they juxtaposed these with insights from survey responses of both groups of writers and in-depth interviews. They conclude that, although L1 and L2 students have much in common, the L2 students had observed and (self-)perceived language needs that were significantly different from those of the L1 students. These included differences in linguistic accuracy, lexical diversity, and language-related anxiety. Implications for pedagogy include recommendations for teaching L2 writers to self-edit for common patterns of errors and sensitize students to the value of nuanced and purposeful lexical variety in their writing.
Organic solvent exposure and depressive symptoms among licensed pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.

Although organic solvents are often used in agricultural operations, neurotoxic effects of solvent exposure have not been extensively studied among farmers. The current analysis examined associations between questionnaire-based metrics of organic solvent exposure and depressive symptoms among farmers. Results from 692 male Agricultural Health Study participants were analyzed. Solvent type and exposure duration were assessed by questionnaire. An “ever-use” variable and years of use categories were constructed for exposure to gasoline, paint/lacquer thinner, petroleum distillates, and any solvent. Depressive symptoms were ascertained with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D); scores were analyzed separately as continuous (0–60) and dichotomous (<16 versus ≥16) variables. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate crude and adjusted associations between measures of solvent exposure and CES-D score. Forty-one percent of the sample reported some solvent exposure. The mean CES-D score was 6.5 (SD 6.4; median 5; range 0–44); 92% of the sample had a score below 16. After adjusting for covariates, statistically significant associations were observed between ever-use of any solvent, long duration of any solvent exposure, ever-use of gasoline, ever-use of petroleum distillates, and short duration of petroleum distillate exposure and continuous CES-D score (p < 0.05). Although nearly all associations were positive, fewer statistically significant associations were observed between metrics of solvent exposure and the dichotomized CES-D variable. Solvent exposures were associated with depressive symptoms among farmers. Efforts to limit exposure to organic solvents may reduce the risk of depressive symptoms among farmers.
A Mel-Filterbank and MFCC-based Neural Network Approach to Train the Houston Toad Call Detection System Design

Speaker recognition or voice detection is a state-of-art in the field of signal processing which includes human as well as animal. This paper proposes a naive approach to build a predictor model to detect the Houston Toad mating call signature in an audio file which can be paraphrased as toad voice activity detection. To accomplish that, several ideal toad call voice frames of unique characteristics in audio files have been experienced. The audio file is bandpass filtered, and then preprocessed by multiplying every frame with the hamming window to break into segments. Next, the Mel-Filterbank and Mel-Frequency Spectral Coefficient (MFCC) are used for feature extraction, while the Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP) neural networks are utilized as classifiers to determine the best fit. This experimental result reflects the higher accuracy of the MLP neural network over SVM showing the best potential of classification.
New Deal Liberalism and Racial Liberalism in the Mass Public, 1937–1968

Few transformations have been as important in American political history as the incorporation of African Americans into the Democratic Party coalition over the course of the 1930s-60s and the embrace of racial conservatism on the part of many Republicans. This paper, which is part of a broader book project, focuses on changes in mass opinion among Democratic and Republican partisans from the late 1930s through the 1960s. It traces, over time, the relationship between New Deal economic liberalism and racial liberalism. A key finding is that by about 1940, economically-liberal northern white Democratic voters were substantially more pro-civil rights than were economicallyconservative northern Republican voters. The relationships among Democratic partisanship, economic liberalism, and racial liberalism held across a wide range of demographic groups, but was particularly strong in urban areas. While partisanship and civil rights views were unrelated among southern whites, southern economic conservatives were noticeably more racially conservative than their economically liberal counterparts. These findings suggest that there was a connection between attitudes towards the economic programs of the New Deal and racial liberalism early on, well before national party elites took distinct positions on civil rights. Along with grassroots pressure from African American voters who increasingly voted Democratic in the 1930s40s, this change among white voters likely contributed to northern Democratic politicians’ gradual embrace of civil rights liberalism and Republican politicians’ interest in forging a coalition with conservative white southerners.
A Parametric MEMS Oscillator-Based Super-Regenerative Receiver Front-End

The use of parametric oscillator start-up principles applied to a MEMS-based super-regenerative receiver front-end obviates the need for a positive feedback sustaining amplifier and permits OOK input detection with sensitivity better than -67 dBm using only $15 \mu \mathrm{W}$ of pump power, which is 33 times smaller than the previous published mark of 490 $\mu$ W using MEMS [1]. Here, removal of the sustaining amplifier (and its 489 $\mu$W) and instigation of oscillator start-up via parametric means permit use of a much lower power oscillator, e.g., a ring oscillator, to pump the RF front-end detecting resonator at double its resonance frequency while retaining acceptable receiver sensitivity. The substantial reduction in power consumption afforded by this method is compelling for IoT applications, where power is paramount, especially for wireless communications.
Partial melting time model verification of a levitated ice particle

Abstract Experimental and analytical results modeling partially melting ice particles are presented in this research paper. The partially melting behavior of ice particles is of interest in the context of aircraft engines, as glaciated ice crystals partially melt inside the engine to potentially refreeze. The multi-phase flow process is complex and requires experimentally verified modeling tools to predict ice crystal ice accretion. In this study, a total of 14 experimental test cases were conducted under a controlled environment. The partially melting state was quantified using a luminescence technique with the assistance of acoustic levitation of the droplets. Analytical modeling of the melting process was then conducted. The model includes important parameters such as ambient temperature, relative humidity, or saturated vapor density into consideration to predict the partial melting state of the glaciated water droplets subjected to convective heating. The proposed model is effective in capturing the general trend of the melting curves obtained from the experimental data. The predictions of overall melting time for the entire 14 cases were found to be accurate with 4% mean discrepancy between model and experimental data for ice particles greater than 400 μm.
A Descriptive Study of Marijuana Prevention Education in Public Middle and High Schools in Southeastern Colorado

Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) education in public schools varies throughout the United States. Marijuana prevention education, a potential component of ATOD education, varies even more so...
Genesis of the Antarctic Slope Current in West Antarctica

The stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) depends on ocean heat transport toward its base and remains a source of uncertainty in sea level rise prediction. The Antarctic Slope Current (ASC), a major boundary current of the ocean's global circulation, serves as a dynamic gateway for heat transport toward Antarctica. Here, we use observations collected from the Bellingshausen Sea to propose a mechanistic explanation for the initiation of the westward‐flowing ASC. Waters modified throughout the Bellingshausen Sea by ocean‐sea‐ice and ocean‐ice‐shelf interactions are exported to the continental slope in a narrow, topographically steered western boundary current. This focused outflow produces a localized front at the shelf break that supports the emerging ASC. This mechanism emphasizes the importance of buoyancy forcing, integrated over the continental shelf, as opposed to local wind forcing, in the generation mechanism and suggests the potential for remote control of melt rates of WAIS' largest ice shelves.
Analysis of the effect of passive measures on the energy consumption and zero-energy prospects of residential buildings in Pakistan

Climate change can adversely impact the thermal comfort and energy efficiency of the buildings stock. The South Asian countries are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change specially in the form of rising temperatures and increasing frequency of heat waves. The passive building design measures can be useful in mitigating and adapting to the climate change by increasing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this study various passive climate change adaptation measures (PCAMs) have been used individually and in form of combinations in order to analyze their impact on the energy efficacy of residential buildings in Pakistan. It has been found that the natural ventilation and front green wall are the most efficient options for reducing the overall energy consumption. By implementation of these PCAMs, cooling demand can be decreased by 27.75% while heating demand can be reduced by 35%. Secondly, the prospect of net zero-energy building and reduced CO2 emissions are also studied. It has been shown that building can achieve net-zero energy on an annual basis at every orientation and it can attain the status of nearly zero-energy building on a monthly basis. Moreover, emitted CO2 can be reduced by 31% by using the renewable energy.
Sarcopenia prior to and following chemotherapy to predict morbidity in patients undergoing post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (PC-RPLND).

381Background: Patients undergoing post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (PC-RPLND) are subject to variable but substantial risks. Unlike those patients undergoing other extirpative GU ...
Evolving Requirements and Trends of HPC

High-performance computing (HPC) denotes the design, build or use of computing systems substantially larger than typical desktop or laptop computers, in order to solve problems that are unsolvable on these traditional machines. Today's largest high-performance computers, a.k.a. supercomputers, are all organized around several thousands of compute nodes, which are collectively leveraged to tackle heavy computational problems. This orchestrated operation is only possible if compute nodes are able to communicate among themselves with low latency and high bandwidth.
Clinical utility of accelerated MAVRIC-SL with robust-PCA compared to conventional MAVRIC-SL in evaluation of total hip arthroplasties.

To compare the diagnostic performance of a conventional metal artifact suppression sequence MAVRIC-SL (multi-acquisition variable-resonance image combination selective) and a novel 2.6-fold faster sequence employing robust principal component analysis (RPCA), in the MR evaluation of hip implants at 3 T. Thirty-six total hip implants in 25 patients were scanned at 3 T using a conventional MAVRIC-SL proton density-weighted sequence and an RPCA MAVRIC-SL proton density-weighted sequence. Comparison was made of image quality, geometric distortion, visualization around acetabular and femoral components, and conspicuity of abnormal imaging findings using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and a non-inferiority test. Abnormal findings were correlated with subsequent clinical management and intraoperative findings if the patient underwent subsequent surgery. Mean scores for conventional MAVRIC-SL were better than RPCA MAVRIC-SL for all qualitative parameters (p < 0.05), although the probability of RPCA MAVRIC-SL being clinically useful was non-inferior to conventional MAVRIC-SL (within our accepted 10% difference, p < 0.05), except for visualization around the acetabular component. Abnormal imaging findings were seen in 25 hips, and either equally visible or visible but less conspicuous on RPCA MAVRIC-SL in 21 out of 25 cases. In 4 cases, a small joint effusion was queried on MAVRIC-SL but not RPCA MAVRIC-SL, but the presence or absence of a small effusion did not affect subsequent clinical management and patient outcome. While the overall image quality is reduced, RPCA MAVRIC-SL allows for significantly reduced scan time and maintains almost equal diagnostic performance.
Psychological Distress of Internal Medicine Residents Rotating on a Hematology and Oncology Ward: An Exploratory Study of Patient Deaths, Personal Stress, and Attributed Meaning

Effectively managing patient distress in oncology is challenging. Trainees in oncology experience distress along with their patients and patients’ families, especially during an inpatient admission. This study evaluated the physician-in-training experience while working on an inpatient hematology-oncology ward. We collected a survey from internal medicine interns and residents at the end of a 2- or 4-week-long rotation on a hematology-oncology ward. It included the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), a measure of distress, information about resident demography, rotation experiences with death, and personal circumstances that could affect distress levels. House officers were asked to provide comments regarding their most stressful experiences or how they were affected by dying patients. Fifty-six residents completed questionnaires (58 % overall response rate) and scored IES-R 18.7 (SD 14.2) indicating that the majority (80 %) experienced significant clinical distress (IES-R ≥8) and 20 % experienced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) levels of distress (IES-R ≥33). Comment themes are highlighted and included general frustration and death-related events. Forty-one (73 %) reported that their IES-R event was a death-related experience, and 39 (69.6 %) reported that attending to dying patients was the most stressful part of the rotation. Residents cared for 4.28 patients at the end of life on average during the rotation, and 68 % derived a sense of meaning from such work. This study suggests that physician-trainee distress is significantly elevated while working on a hematology-oncology ward and may relate to general frustration and death-related events. Further study should evaluate the etiology of medical trainee distress in oncology.
Nehari and Carathéodory-Fejér type extension results for operator-valued functions on groups

Let G be a compact abelian group having the property that its character group Γ is totally ordered by a semigroup P. We prove that every operator-valued function k on G of the form k(x) = Σ γ ∈ (-P) γ(x)k γ , such that the Hankel operator H k is bounded, has an essentially bounded extension K with ∥K∥∞ = ∥H k ∥. The proof is based on Arveson's Extension Theorem for completely positive functions on C*-algebras. Among the corollaries we have a Caratheodory-Fejer type result for analytic operator-valued functions defined on such groups.
Expert Policy in Juvenile Justice

Policy design and analysis is conducted primarily by professional experts who often use objectively-defined criteria in the selection of those eligible for a policy and objective measurements to evaluate the effectiveness of a program. Juvenile justice policies, such as Juvenile Intensive Probation Supervision (JIPS), often are developed by experts who aim at correcting individual problems of youths rather than identifying problems with the structures of our society. Policies such as JIPS do not encourage participation of the recipients or of the wider community. In essence, the experts are removing power from already powerless youths and citizens, and thus are placing it in the hands of a few who are viewed as knowing what is best for everyone. As such, policies developed by experts often do not encourage democracy and citizenship. This articles suggests how youths, their families, parents, and communities can and need to become empowered in order for justice and democracy to prevail.
Kv2 subunits underlie slowly inactivating potassium current in rat neocortical pyramidal neurons

We determined the expression of Kv2 channel subunits in rat somatosensory and motor cortex and tested for the contributions of Kv2 subunits to slowly inactivating K+ currents in supragranular pyramidal neurons. Single cell RT-PCR showed that virtually all pyramidal cells expressed Kv2.1 mRNA and ∼80% expressed Kv2.2 mRNA. Immunocytochemistry revealed striking differences in the distribution of Kv2.1 and Kv2.2 subunits. Kv2.1 subunits were clustered and located on somata and proximal dendrites of all pyramidal cells. Kv2.2 subunits were primarily distributed on large apical dendrites of a subset of pyramidal cells from deep layers. We used two methods for isolating currents through Kv2 channels after excluding contributions from Kv1 subunits: intracellular diffusion of Kv2.1 antibodies through the recording pipette and extracellular application of rStromatoxin-1 (ScTx). The Kv2.1 antibody specifically blocked the slowly inactivating K+ current by 25–50% (at 8 min), demonstrating that Kv2.1 subunits underlie much of this current in neocortical pyramidal neurons. ScTx (300 nm) also inhibited ∼40% of the slowly inactivating K+ current. We observed occlusion between the actions of Kv2.1 antibody and ScTx. In addition, Kv2.1 antibody- and ScTx-sensitive currents demonstrated similar recovery from inactivation and voltage dependence and kinetics of activation and inactivation. These data indicate that both agents targeted the same channels. Considering the localization of Kv2.1 and 2.2 subunits, currents from truncated dissociated cells are probably dominated by Kv2.1 subunits. Compared with Kv2.1 currents in expression systems, the Kv2.1 current in neocortical pyramidal cells activated and inactivated at relatively negative potentials and was very sensitive to holding potential.
Student award for outstanding research winner in the Ph.D. category for the 9th World Biomaterials Congress, Chengdu, China, June 1-5, 2012: synthesis and application of photodegradable microspheres for spatiotemporal control of protein delivery.

Here, we present a photodegradable microparticle system that can be employed to entrap and deliver bioactive proteins to cells during culture. By using a photosensitive delivery system, experimenters can achieve a wide variety of spatiotemporally regulated release profiles with a single microparticle formulation, thereby enabling one to probe many questions as to how protein presentation can be manipulated to regulate cell function. Photodegradable microparticles were synthesized via inverse suspension polymerization with a mean diameter of 22 μm, and degradation was demonstrated upon exposure to several irradiation conditions. The protein-loaded depots were incorporated into cell cultures and release of bioactive protein was quantified during the photodegradation process. This phototriggered release allowed for the delivery of TGF-β1 to stimulate PE25 cells and for the delivery of fluorescently labeled Annexin V to assay apoptotic 3T3 fibroblasts during culture. By incorporating these photoresponsive protein delivery depots into cell culture, new types of experiments are now possible to test hypotheses about how individual or multiple soluble factors might affect cell function when presented in a uniform, temporally varying, or gradient manner.
Legal and Moral Dimensions of Churchill's Failure to Warn

Churchill had been given at least forty-eight hours warning that Coventry would be hit. He could have warned the people of Coventry of the impending attack. Yet Churchill determined that any advance warning to the people of Coventry would have enabled the Germans to deduce that their top secret code had been broken. The coded intercepts provided evidence of the Holocaust in progress. Other ways to reveal information that could have by-passed the code system existed, thus providing warning to the public while maintaining a strategic advantage. The international law of genocide would have to develop to go beyond intentional acts to acts of misfeasance and malfeasance. Such expansion would help to close an uncomfortable gap between international law and international morality, for morality and law are symbiotic in the long run.
Potential increased risk of virus transmission due to exclusion of older donors because of concern over Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease

BACKGROUND: Concern over the theoretical possibility of disease transmission via blood from donors who develop Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has led to proposals to exclude older individuals from donating plasma for further manufacture into pooled plasma donations. The impact of extending this age-deferral policy to blood donors was examined with respect to the risk for known transmissible viruses. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Demographic characteristics and confirmed prevalence rates (/10(5) first-time donations) and incidence rates (/10(5) person-years for repeat donors) for viral markers were compared for donors or = 50 years old (n = 219,856 [15%]) and for donors or = 60 years old (n = 70,485 [5%]). Incidence rates were combined with infectious window-period estimates for each virus, to calculate the risk of virus transmission per 10(6) donations. RESULTS: Unadjusted prevalence rates were significantly greater for younger than for older donor groups for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) (p or = 50 group (p 0.05). Blanket removal of donors over the age of 50 would potentially lead to the following significant increases in the risk of infected units: HIV, 12 percent; HCV, 21 percent; and hepatitis B virus (HBsAg), 22 percent. CONCLUSION: Removal of donors over the age of 60 would not significantly affect the risk of infected units. Deferral of donors > or = 50 years of age from whole-blood donations for unfounded concerns about Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease could have adverse effects on both blood availability and safety.
Effect of Ambient Temperature Variations on Positivity of Manual Fecal Immunochemical Tests.

Introduction: In the United States, many fecal occult blood tests are mailed by patients to a laboratory for analysis. Hemoglobin is not stable in feces and can be affected by the heat. Effects of season and ambient temperature on fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) have demonstrated a decrease in positivity rates during the hottest season. Objective: To investigate the potential effect of the average of 4-day ambient maximum temperature variations on the positivity of a single sample, one-time Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)–waived FIT. Setting: Midwestern tertiary care hospital. Methods: Individuals scheduled for a colonoscopy were invited to complete a qualitative FIT prior to their colonoscopy in 2010 and 2011. FITs were read as positive or negative. Results: Valid FITs were received from 1026 individuals over 25 months. The positivity rate was 10.9%. The mean 4-day average of daily maximum ambient temperatures was calculated including the day of receipt for each sample. Fahrenheit tem...
The American Community College Story, Take Two: An Unfinished Essay

The author observes that community college administrators perform their duties on ambiguous and uncertain intellectual and environmental landscapes, so they continually search for meaning and purpose in organizational life. This article proposes a straightforward approach to answering several questions related to the quest for meaning and purpose, and relates the discussion to the origination of the junior college movement at the turn of the 20th century. The article concludes with implications for practice by analyzing how community college administrators pursue meaning and purpose by reflecting creatively on theory and practice of the past, present, and future.
The witches' brew of spirituality and medicine.

Recent proposals to join spirituality and medicine are facile and ill defined. The notion that physicians have the time or training to make assessments and recommendations about spirituality is misguided. Whenever a physician demonstrates personal caring for a patient, the healing process is likely enhanced, and in that sense, physicians often promote the spirituality of the patient. However, recent proposals to extend the physician’s task to that of assessing religion and directing the patient toward approved forms of spirituality are inappropriate. The languages of religion and science are radically different. The cultural body-mind split will not be solved by such simplistic solutions as having physicians endorse spirituality, which will result only in denigration of both medicine and religion. Physicians are encouraged to rely on clinically trained ministers for assistance in understanding the patient’s state of mind or spirit and its possible effects on the course of illness and health.
Claudin 4-targeted protein incorporated into PLGA nanoparticles can mediate M cell targeted delivery

Polymer-based microparticles are in clinical use mainly for their ability to provide controlled release of peptides and compounds, but they are also being explored for their potential to deliver vaccines and drugs as suspensions directly into mucosal sites. It is generally assumed that uptake is mediated by epithelial M cells, but this is often not directly measured. To study the potential for optimizing M cell uptake of polymer microparticles in vivo, we produced sub-micron size PLGA particles incorporating a recombinant protein. This recombinant protein was produced with or without a c-terminal peptide previously shown to have high affinity binding to Claudin 4, a protein associated with M cell endocytosis. While the PLGA nanoparticles incorporate the protein throughout the matrix, much of the protein was also displayed on the surface, allowing us to take advantage of the binding activity of the targeting peptide. Accordingly, we found that instillation of these nanoparticles into the nasal passages or stomach of mice was found to significantly enhance their uptake by upper airway and intestinal M cells. Our results suggest that a reasonably simple nanoparticle manufacture method can provide insight into developing an effective needle-free delivery system.
A comparative study including ultrastructure of intramuscular myxoma and myxoid liposarcoma.

The clinicopathological data of ten intramuscular myxomas (IMM) and three myxoid liposarcomas (MLS) are presented with emphasis on their ultrastructure. Electron microscopy of three of the IMM demonstrated the principal cell of the IMM to be similar to a fibroblast with prominent R.E.R., well-developed Golgi apparatus and cytoplasmic filaments. Intracytoplasmic lipid droplets were very rare. The matrix was composed of finely granular material, collagen fibers, fibrils and few capillaries. In contrast with the IMM, the cytoplasm of the MLS contained extensive lipid droplets. Capillaries were very abundant and in close proximity to the lipoblasts. The distinction between an IMM and MLS is usually clear-cut by light microscopy. Dissimilar ultrastructural features provide additional data to separate these two tumors. Ultrastructure confirmed Enzinger's impression that the cell of origin of the IMM is similar to a fibroblast with features that support the hypothesis that these cells are the source of production of the excessive amount of mucopolysaccharides in the matrix.
Technical advances in the study of nutrition of marine molluscs

Abstract Recent investigation has shown that the several marine bivalves that have been studied can remove small organic compounds from natural seawater at rates that provide a substantial supplement to particulate food. It is possible to make this statement without qualification because of two technical advances in the study of molluscan nutrition. First, bacteria-free suspensions of marine bivalve larvae are now available. Therefore, interactions between larvae and microbial elements in such suspensions can be precisely controlled or completely eliminated. The other technical innovation, which is the focus of this article, is the application of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to analysis of small organic compounds in seawater. The following applications of HPLC are introduced and illustrated: 1. 1. Demonstration of net entry of dissolved organic substrates into bacteria-free bivalves 2. 2. Modification of concentrations and qualitative composition of organic substrates in seawater caused by typical mariculture procedures 3. 3. Quantitative determination of organic substrates normally present in specific marine habitats. The combination of HPLC analysis and use of bacteria-free experimental material provides an opportunity to characterize specific organic requirements for molluscan survival and growth, to describe explicitly an important component of “water quality”, and to increase understanding and control of feeding regimes in mariculture.
Neonatal Neutropenia Associated With Preeclampsia Does Not Increase the Risk for Culture Proven Sepsis † 1462

Neonatal Neutropenia Associated With Preeclampsia Does Not Increase the Risk for Culture Proven Sepsis † 1462