cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variation in surgical management of asymptomatic umbilical hernia at freestanding children's hospitals

Abstract Purpose To examine hospital-level variation in the timing of asymptomatic umbilical hernia repair in children. Methods Retrospective analysis of children undergoing umbilical hernia repair at 38 children's hospitals using the Pediatric Health Information System database (01/2013–12/2017). Early repair was defined as surgery performed at 3 years of age or younger. Repairs were categorized as emergent/urgent if associated with diagnostic or procedural codes indicating obstruction or strangulation, or if they occurred within 2 weeks of an emergency department encounter. Multivariable regression was used to calculate hospital-level observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios for early repair adjusting for emergent/urgent repair and patient characteristics. Results 23,144 children were included, of which 30% underwent early repair (hospital range: 6.9%–54.3%, p ≪ 0.001). Overall, 3.8% of all repairs were emergent/urgent, and higher rates of early repair did not correlate with higher rates of emergent/urgent repair across hospitals (r = − 0.10). Following adjustment, hospital-level O/E ratios for early repair varied 8.9-fold (0.19–1.70, p ≪ 0.001). Conclusion Timing of asymptomatic umbilical hernia repair varies widely across children's hospitals, and the magnitude of this variation cannot be explained by differences in patient characteristics or the acuity of repair. Many children may be undergoing repair of hernias that may spontaneously close with further observation. Level of Evidence. Level III (retrospective comparative study).
Design and evaluation of auditory spatial cues for decision making within a game environment for persons with visual impairments

An audio platform game was created and evaluated in order to answer the question of whether or not an audio game could be designed that effectively conveys the spatial information necessary for persons with visual impairments to successfully navigate the game levels and respond to audio cues in time to avoid obstacles. The game used several types of audio cues (sounds and speech) to convey the spatial setup (map) of the game world. Most audio-only players seemed to be able to create a workable mental map from the game’s sound cues alone, pointing to potential for the further development of similar audio games for persons with visual impairments. The research also investigated the navigational strategies used by persons with visual impairments and the accuracy of the participants’ mental maps as a consequence of their navigational strategy. A comparisons of the maps created by visually impaired participants with those created by sighted participants playing the game with and without graphics, showed no statistically significant difference in map accuracy between groups. However, there was a marked difference between the number of “invented” objects when we compared this value between the sighted audio-only group and the other groups, which could serve as an area for future research.
Towards Wireless Flexible Printed Wearable Sensors

Flexible electronics enable large area, lightweight, thin functional devices that are conformal to the human body. These electronic devices are useful in Internet of Things applications as they enable interfacing electronics with complex physical objects. Flexible sensors are being developed in industries including automotive, packaging, and structural health monitoring. Wearable medical technology has seen considerable advancement in recent years in both consumer health monitoring products such as smart watches and research of clinical grade sensors. Sensors including temperature, heart rate, blood oxygenation, and various metabolites present in sweat have been demonstrated [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] . In all cases, to be truly "wearable" a device should be comfortable: conformal, lightweight, thin, and cable-less. A functional wearable device must include not only a sensor, but also a power source and communication capability [6] , [7] . The power and communication systems should meet the same comfort criteria as the sensors. While printed electronic components have the advantages of being flexible, lightweight, thin, and large area, conventional rigid silicon electronics are capable of fast, efficient computation, data processing and storage in a small footprint at low power. Flexible hybrid electronic (FHE) systems take advantage of these complementary strengths by integrating conventional components and printed components together [8] . In this talk, I will cover the fundamental building blocks for an FHE system - including printed sensors and circuits, printed antennas for wireless power and communication, printed energy harvesting and storage. I will discuss recent progress, fabrication, applications and opportunities in flexible hybrid electronics.
Incorporating Aluminum Plasmonic Nanohemisphere Arrays into Organic Ultraviolet Photodetectors for Improved Photoresponse

Aluminum nanostructures, which support surface plasmon resonances in the UV spectral range, were incorporated into conventional organic UV photodetectors with a structure of indium tin oxide (ITO)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-bithiophene) (F8T2):[6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM)/LiF/Al. Nanohemisphere arrays (NHSAs) were imprinted into the top surface of the soft organic active layer, thus transferring the pattern to the subsequently thermally deposited layers of LiF and Al. NHSA-top devices and flat-top control devices were investigated by 3-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (3D-FDTD) electromagnetic simulations. Improved UV active layer absorbance and enhanced electric fields in the nanohemispheric region at the top of the active layer were shown for devices with the NHSA-top. The impact of the NHSA-top was found to be more significant for devices with thin active layers and to gradually decrease with increasin...
Pre-Analysis Plan for the REG SHO Reanalysis Project

This is a pre-analysis plan for The Reg SHO Reanalysis Project, in which we will reassess primary results from selected recent accounting and finance papers, which exploit the randomized trial conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from May 2, 2005 to July 6, 2007. As part of this trial, the SEC selected every third stock on the Russell 3000 index, based on trading volume during the year before the experiment was announced, and exempted these firms’ shares from the short-sale uptick rule and the test. Early studies of the experiment found minor effects on trading markets (e.g., SEC Office of Economic Analysis (2007), Diether et al (2009)), and led the SEC to rescind these short-sale restrictions. However, more recently, a large body of research has documented evidence for a wide variety of outcomes from the experiment, including increased open short interest, negative returns, reduced investment, reduced earnings management, increased audit fees, and much more. We undertook this project because we viewed most of these outcomes as implausible, given the modest expected impact of the short-sale restrictions on trading markets, limited publicity about the experiment (with no opposition from the affected firms that we could find), and early research consistent with small effects. In this proposed project, we will reassess three prominent, recent studies: Fang, Huang and Karpoff (2016), Grullon, Michenaud and Weston (2015), and Hope, Hu, and Zhao (2017). This pre-analysis plan provides details on our sample selection and the specific analyses we plan to carry out for the main results found in these three papers.
Untreated plasmacytoma of bone containing macroscopic intralesional fat and mimicking intraosseous lipoma: A case report and review of the literature

Solitary plasmacytoma is a rare form of plasma cell neoplasm defined by local neoplastic accumulation of monoclonal plasma cells in the absence of systemic proliferative plasma cell disease. In this case report, a 65-year-old female with remote past medical history of papillary thyroid cancer presented with shoulder pain and radiographs showing an aggressive osteolytic lesion presumed to represent an osseous metastasis. The subsequent MRI and CT examinations demonstrated diffuse intralesional macroscopic fat without a nonlipogenic soft tissue component or focal, nodular mass-like enhancement. The presence of macroscopic fat in an untreated osseous lesion suggested a benign lesion with the favored diagnosis an intraosseous lipoma with non-displaced pathological fracture. Therefore, the decision was made to forego image-guided percutaneous biopsy and instead proceed directly to open surgical biopsy and partial distal claviculectomy. Pathology of the resected specimen showed focally dense infiltration of plasma cells within the marrow space and scant hematopoiesis compatible with a plasma cell neoplasm. To the best of our knowledge, this is first case report of solitary plasmacytoma of bone, or any untreated plasma cell neoplasm, containing macroscopic fat upon imaging. The decision to forego image-guided percutaneous biopsy had significant treatment implications as the primary therapy for patients with SPB is not surgical, but localized radiation therapy. Based on this case, solitary plasmacytoma of bone may be included as one of the rare fat containing malignant bone lesions and imaging guided percutaneous biopsy should be considered in symptomatic fat-containing bone lesions.
Wee1 Kinase Inhibitor AZD1775 Effectively Sensitizes Esophageal Cancer to Radiotherapy

Purpose: Esophageal cancer is a deadly malignancy with a 5-year survival rate of only 5% to 20%, which has remained unchanged for decades. Esophageal cancer possesses a high frequency of TP53 mutations leading to dysfunctional G1 cell-cycle checkpoint, which likely makes esophageal cancer cells highly reliant upon G2–M checkpoint for adaptation to DNA replication stress and DNA damage after radiation. We aim to explore whether targeting Wee1 kinase to abolish G2–M checkpoint sensitizes esophageal cancer cells to radiotherapy. Experimental Design: Cell viability was assessed by cytotoxicity and colony-forming assays, cell-cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry, and mitotic catastrophe was assessed by immunofluorescence staining. Human esophageal cancer xenografts were generated to explore the radiosensitizing effect of AZD1775 in vivo. Results: The IC50 concentrations of AZD1775 on esophageal cancer cell lines were between 300 and 600 nmol/L. AZD1775 (100 nmol/L) as monotherapy did not alter the viability of esophageal cancer cells, but significantly radiosensitized esophageal cancer cells. AZD1775 significantly abrogated radiation-induced G2–M phase arrest and attenuation of p-CDK1-Y15. Moreover, AZD1775 increased radiation-induced mitotic catastrophe, which was accompanied by increased γH2AX levels, and subsequently reduced survival after radiation. Importantly, AZD1775 in combination with radiotherapy resulted in marked tumor regression of esophageal cancer tumor xenografts. Conclusions: Abrogation of G2–M checkpoint by targeting Wee1 kinase with AZD1775 sensitizes esophageal cancer cells to radiotherapy in vitro and in mouse xenografts. Our findings suggest that inhibition of Wee1 by AZD1775 is an effective strategy for radiosensitization in esophageal cancer and warrants clinical testing.
The neurobiology of deep reinforcement learning.

In this primer, Olveczky and Gershman review concepts and advances in deep reinforcement learning and discuss how these can inform the implementation of learning processes in biological neural networks.
Fixing the barn door before the horse bolts: Effects of pre-crisis engagement and stealing thunder in crisis communication

Abstract This research reports on the buffering effects of two proactive crisis communication strategies: pre-crisis engagement and stealing thunder. Pre-crisis engagement is an organization’s strategy to engage with stakeholders’ petitions before a negative event escalates into a crisis while stealing thunder is an organization’s voluntary revelation of a crisis before it is revealed by a third party such as new media. The results showed that the effectiveness of pre-crisis engagement with stakeholder petitions was moderated by stealing thunder such that the effects of pre-crisis engagement were stronger when the organization stole the thunder. A moderated mediation model explored the underlying mechanism in which crisis responsibility mediated the interaction effects between pre-crisis engagement and stealing thunder.
Low-noise photon counting above 100 × 106 counts per second with a high-efficiency reach-through single-photon avalanche diode system

We demonstrate a method that allows a high-efficiency single-photon-avalanche diode (SPAD) with a thick absorption region (>10 μm) to count single photons at rates significantly higher than previously demonstrated. We apply large (>30 V) AC bias gates to the SPAD at 1 GHz and detect minute avalanches with a discrimination threshold of 5(1) mV by means of radio frequency interferometry. We measure a reduction by a factor of ≈500 in the average charge per avalanche when compared to operation in its traditional active-quenching module and a relative increase in >19% in detection efficiency at 850 nm. The reduction in charge strongly suppresses self-heating effects in the diode that can degrade performance at high avalanche rates. We show that the single-photon detection system maintains high efficiency at count rates exceeding 108 s−1.
Eustachian valve endocarditis due to Pasturella multocida – A novel case

Abstract The eustachian valve is an uncommon embryologic remnant of the sinus venosus present in the right atrium that may persist in some adults. Typically, in adults, right sided valvular endocarditis is associated with intravenous drug use or presence of central venous of hemodialysis catheters. Eustachian valve endocarditis is a rare cause of right sided endocarditis with very few cases reported. A routine transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) may not be sensitive and miss this infection. Pasteurella multocida is gram negative microorganism that can rarely cause infective endocarditis. We present what we believe to be the first reported case of Eustachian valve endocarditis (EVE) caused by P. multocida.
Non-native poeciliids in hot water: the role of thermal springs in facilitating invasion of tropical species

Livebearers in the family Poeciliidae are some of the most widely introduced fishes. Native poeciliid translocations within the U.S. are mostly due to deliberate stocking for mosquito control. Introductions of exotic poeciliids, those not native to the U.S., are more likely to be due to release from aquaria or escape from farms. Many of these non-natives originate from warm climate regions, contrasting with the relatively cold climates in the U.S. Thus, thermal springs may increase the possible range of these species. Our primary objective was to examine the importance of climate and thermal springs in affecting the distribution of translocated and non-native poeciliids in the U.S. This objective was addressed using a national database of poeciliid introductions. Records were dominated by a handful of states and most introductions led to established populations. While translocated mosquitofish were found across many states and climates, non-natives were found almost exclusively in warm climate states and territories (e.g., Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico), especially where air temperatures remained above freezing. Outside warm climate states, 46% of established non-native populations were located at thermal spring sources. These results indicate that thermal springs extend the distribution of non-natives, but were relatively unimportant for translocated poeciliids.
Reldia longipedunculata (Gesneriaceae), a new species from the Mache-Chindul Mountains of Northwestern Ecuador and an updated checklist of Reldia for the Neotropics

A new species, Reldia longipedunculata (Gesneriaceae, tribe Beslerieae), is described from the Mache-Chindul Mountains near the border of the Bilsa Biological Research Station in northwestern Ecuador (province of Esmeraldas). The new species differs from all other species of Reldia by the presence of erect peduncles to 10 cm long and narrowly obovate leaves. An updated checklist and key are provided for the seven currently recognized species of Reldia. A previous infraspecific variety is recognized at the species rank as Reldia veraguensis. The presence of pedunculate inflorescences is discussed as a common character in five of the seven species of Reldia.
Identification of hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β gene regulatory networks in mouse kidney cells (690.9)

Hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β (HNF-1β) is a transcription factor that is expressed in renal tubules in the mammalian kidney. Mutations of HNF-1β produce kidney cysts and electrolyte disorders. HNF-1β has been shown to regulate the expression of cystic disease genes and solute transporters. The aim of this study was to identify the complete spectrum of genes that are regulated by HNF-1β in the kidney. We performed genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation and massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-seq) in combination with microarray analysis to identify direct mRNA and miRNA targets in mouse mIMCD3 cells. ChIP-seq analysis identified 4,725 mRNAs and 85 miRNAs as potential targets of HNF-1β. Microarray analysis showed altered expression of 4,878 mRNAs and 51 miRNAs in cells expressing dominant-negative mutant HNF-1β. Combining the ChIP-seq and microarray data identified 1,545 mRNAs and 22 miRNAs that were directly regulated by HNF-1β. Pathway analysis revealed that HNF-1β directly regulated the expression of mu...
Optimal Nonlinear Taxation of Income and Savings in a Two Class Economy

Optimal nonlinear taxation of income and savings is considered in a two-period model with two individuals who have additively separable preferences and who only differ in their skill levels. When the government can commit to its second period policy, taxes on savings do not form part of the optimal tax mix. When commitment is not possible, the optimal tax scheme distorts private savings behavior. If the types are separated in period one, it is optimal to subsidize the savings of both types of individual at the margin. If the types are pooled in period one, it is optimal for the low-skilled (high-skilled) individual to face a marginal savings tax (subsidy). In both cases, the subsidy to the high-skilled individual helps offset his disincentive to save that arises because some of his savings will be redistributed to the low-skilled individual in the second period. The savings of the low-skilled individual in the separating case are taxed so as to relax an incentive compatibility constraint.
DRIPPING AND SLOW SPRAY IN A DISK-TYPE GASOLINE INJECTOR

The disk-type gasoline injector uses a flat disk with a seal ring to control the valve opening and the flow rate. Though the disk-type injectors provide several advantages over the pintle-type injectors, some disk injector drips and produces undesired large droplets after several minutes of operation. High-speed photography shows that the injector dripping problem could be a result of slow droplets coming out of the injector at the end of the injection cycle. Namely, a second slow spray is generated. Purpose of this work is to employ the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques to identify the causes of the slow droplets and to improve the injector design. The CFD analysis thus focuses only on the closing stage of the injection cycle. The computational domain in the valve decreases with the time; the transient grid sizes and locations are determined by a constant valve closing velocity. CFD results show that the slow spray and therefore the injector dripping are caused by a sudden pressure oscillation when the disk starts to close the valve. The initial pressure surge in the valve accelerates the spray. Later the decreased pressure slows down the fuel at the exit and makes it unable to follow themore » previous spray. This slow fuel produces the slow droplets. One way to ease off the pressure oscillation is to provide more free volume above the valve. Three valve designs with different ventilation hole sizes and numbers are used to study the effect of free volume. The peak pressure decreases substantially when the ventilation holes are changed from two to three.« less
Purification and properties of the major nuclease from mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract The vast majority of nuclease activity in yeast mitochondria is due to a single polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of 38,000. The enzyme is located in the mitochondrial inner membrane and requires non-ionic detergents for solubilization and activity. A combination of heparin-agarose and Cibacron blue-agarose chromatography was employed to purify the nuclease to approximately 90% homogeneity. The purified enzyme shows multiple activities: 1) RNase activity on single-stranded, but not double-stranded RNA, 2) endonuclease activity on single- and double-stranded DNA, and 3) a 5'-exonuclease activity on double-stranded DNA. Digestion products with DNA contain 5'-phosphorylated termini. Antibody raised against an analogous enzyme purified from Neurospora crassa (Chow, T. Y. K., and Fraser, M. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 12010-12018) inhibits and immunoprecipitates the yeast enzyme. This antibody inhibits 90-95% of all nuclease activity present in solubilized mitochondria, indicating that the purified nuclease accounts for the bulk of mitochondrial nucleolytic activity. Analysis of a mutant strain in which the gene for the nuclease has been disrupted supports this conclusion and shows that all detectable DNase activity and most nonspecific RNase activity in the mitochondria is due to this single enzyme.
A Power-Performance Approach to Comparing Sensor Families, with application to comparing neuromorphic to traditional vision sensors

There is considerable freedom in choosing the sensors to be equipped on a robot. Currently many sensing technologies are available (radar, lidar, vision sensors, time-of-flight cameras, etc.). For each class, there are additional choices regarding the exact sensor parameters (spatial resolution, frame rate, etc.). Which sensor is best? In general, this question needs to be qualified. It depends on the task. In an estimation task, the answer depends on the prior for the signal. In a control task, the answer depends exactly on which are the sufficient statistics for computing the control signal. This paper shows that an ulterior qualification that needs to be made: the answer depends on the power available for sensing, even when the task is fixed. We define the “power-performance” curve as the performance attainable on a task for a given level of sensing power. We show that this approach is well suited to comparing a traditional CMOS sensor with the recently available “neuromorphic” sensors. We discuss estimation tasks with different priors for the signal. We find priors for which one sensor dominates the other and vice-versa, priors for which they are equivalent, and priors for which the answer depends on the power available. This shows that comparing sensors is a quite delicate problem. It also suggests that the optimal architecture might have more that one sensor, and would switch sensors on and off according to the performance level required instantaneously.
Fully parallel on-chip learning hardware neural network for real-time control

A parallel hardware neural network with on-chip learning ability is presented. The chip is used to perform real-time output feedback control on a nonlinear dynamic system. The nonlinear plant is a simulated unstable combustion process and is nonlinear enough that linear controllers give poor performance. Neural networks provide an adaptive sub-optimal control that does not need any prior knowledge of the system. The hardware neural network presented here utilizes parallelism to achieve speed independent of the size of the network, enabling real-time control. Parallel on-chip learning ability allows the hardware neural network to learn on-line as the plant is running and the plant parameters are changing. The experimental setup used to show that the parallel hardware learning neural network chip can control the simulated combustion system is described, and the results discussed.
The genetics of obesity: what have genetic studies told us about the environment.

Genetic studies have shown that both childhood and adult body mass index are substantially heritable. The evidence for shared family environmental influences is largely absent, even though there are clear indications that secular changes in energy expenditure have brought about a significant increase in the prevalence of obesity. This apparent inconsistency may be explained by the dual phenomena of the near-universality of access to environments that facilitate reductions in energy expenditure (e.g., TV as a recreational pastime), together with heritable individual differences in the response to or utilization of these environments. The impact of changes in nonshared environments on body weight can be estimated from biometrical genetical studies and is found to be both small and relatively short-lived. Genetic and environmental results from longitudinal studies are consistent with what is known about the changing distribution of adiposity during adulthood and clinical experience of the difficulty of maintaining behavioral-induced weight loss.
The RT6 (Art2) family of ADP-ribosyltransferases in rat and mouse.

Recent evidence suggests that a new member of the mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase/NAD glycohydrolase family, RT6, may be important in immune regulation. RT6 is expressed in two allelic forms and is present on post-thymic T cells in the rat. RT6-expressing T cells in the rat may have a regulatory role, a conclusion based on their ability to prevent autoimmune diabetes in the BB rat model of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. This observation led to investigation of RT6 at a molecular and biochemical level resulting in the determination that RT6 protein exists as both glycosylated and non-glycosylated glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked cell surface molecules. RT6, like many GPI-linked proteins, can mediate cell signal transduction events associated with T cell activation, and is also present in a soluble form in the circulation. The discovery that RT6 is an NAD glycohydrolase and auto-ADP-ribosyltransferase led to the ongoing investigations into the role that enzymatic activity may have in the immunoregulatory function of rat RT6+ T cells. A homologue of rat RT6, termed Rt6, has been identified in the mouse. Rt6 is predominately an ADP-ribosyltransferase enzyme as determined using simple guanidino compounds (e.g. arginine) as ribose acceptors. Abnormalities in mouse Rt6 mRNA are associated with the expression of autoimmunity. In the present manuscript, we review recent data on RT6/Rt6, and discuss the potential mechanisms by which RT6-expressing cells, and perhaps RT6 protein itself, may mediate immune regulation.
The Political Dimensions of Federal Preemption in the United States Courts of Appeals

This paper presents a statistical study of the published preemption decisions of the United States Courts of Appeals over the past five years. It tells a story consisting of two distinct parts. The first part is that preemption disputes seem to produce a large measure of judicial consensus. In the full universe of cases, there is only a slight difference between Republican and Democratic appointees: Republican judges voted for outcomes favoring the preemption of state law at a rate exceeding Democratic judges by a margin of roughly 5 percent. This difference is not trivial, but it is not statistically significant at a 95 percent level of confidence. Moreover, this overall similarity was not the product of Republicans and Democrats disagreeing in different clusters of cases, such that their aggregate voting records masked fairly frequent clashes. Rather, more than 94 percent of the circuit courts’ published preemption decisions were unanimous, a rate that exceeds our best estimates of the mean for published Court of Appeals decisions as a whole. The second part of the story is that, despite this general consensus, there remain some important differences between Republican and Democratic appointees. When the judicial panel was ideologically homogenous (either all-Republican or all-Democrat), Republicans were substantially more likely than Democrats to vote in favor of preemption. Moreover, in the most contested preemption cases - those in which at least one Republican and one Democrat served on the panel, and at least one judge dissented - Republican appointees were more than three times as likely as Democratic appointees to vote in favor of preemption (roughly 72 percent versus 22 percent).Thus, the full picture of preemption decisions in the Courts of Appeals is intriguing, if somewhat unsurprising. In general, preemption cases do not provoke much ideological fissure among federal circuit judges. But in particular circumstances - especially the small subset of preemption cases where judges disagree on the result - party affiliation appears to be highly predictive of how that disagreement will play out. In these marginal cases - where the accepted sources of legal authority fail to control the outcome, and the norms of consensus and collegiality are insufficient to restrain judicial dissent - the pattern is unmistakable: Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to favor the federal preemption of state law.
ULTRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF AMPHIBIAN PINEAL ORGANS.

This chapter studies the stages in the ontogeny of the pineal organ of the newt Taricha torosa by means of electron microscopy. Ultrastructural evidence, combined with physiological experiments, adequately distinguishes the primarily photoreceptive pineal organs of cold-blooded vertebrates from the avian and mammalian systems where some form of secretion appears to be the main role. These observations support the hypothesis that the organ differentiates in a progressive fashion as new cells are supplied to it from a proliferation zone in the pineal neck connecting with the brain roof. Morphological evidence of a continued potential for photoreceptive activity is found in the organ throughout larval life in spite of the progressive obliteration of the lumen resulting from the flattening of the organ as a whole during later larval stages. Beyond metamorphosis, however, it appears that much or all photoreceptive potential is lost because the adult organ displays many degenerated photoreceptor outer segments and acquires a cytology dominated by supportive cells. The chapter discusses the possibility of secondary functions, such as secretion, in view of this evidence, and compares the ultrastructure of the newt pineal system with that of the frog.
Multiple mode track-before-detect for multiple targets

The track-before-detect (TBD) approach can be used to track a single target in a highly noisy radar scene. This is because it makes use of unthresholded observations and incorporates a binary target existence variable into its target state estimation process when implemented as a particle filter (PF). The PF-TBD has been extended to track two targets but only for the special case of the second target spawning from the first target. This paper proposes the extension of the recursive PF-TBD approach to detect multiple targets in low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). The new algorithm estimates the joint posterior probability density of all the target trajectories while keeping track of targets entering and leaving the noisy radar scene under observation using multiple modes. The algorithm's successful performance is demonstrated using a simulated three-target example.
Humoral Immune Responses to Porphyromonas gingivalis Before and Following Therapy in Rapidly Progressive Periodontitis Patients

We have performed studies aimed at elucidating the nature of the humoral immune response in rapidly progressive periodontitis (RPP). We analyzed the sera of 36 periodontally normal subjects and 36 RPP patients for titers and avidities of IgG antibodies reactive with the antigens of Porphyromonas gingivalis using ELISA, prior to and following treatment. We used whole-cell sonicate, purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and total extractable protein as plate antigens. Twelve of the patients had antibody titers at least 2-fold greater than the median of the controls and were designated as seropositive. The remaining 24 patients had titers that did not exceed twice the median titer of the controls and were designated as seronegative. For both patient groups, antibody titers were highest when whole-cell antigen was used, intermediate for LPS, and lowest for the protein fraction. Following treatment, median titer for seropositive patients decreased from pretreatment values of 241.7 to 76.5, while median titer for ...
Albedo and color maps of the Saturnian satellites

The paper discusses the production of maps of the albedos and colors of Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, and Rhea over the full range of their imaged surfaces. Voyager images were used to prepare maps of the normal reflectances and color ratios (0.58/0.41 micron) of these satelites.
Millwood honeylocust trees: seedpod nutritive value and yield characteristics

The Millwood (MW) cultivar of the honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) tree has gained particular interest for silvopasture systems due to the production of edible, high-sugar seedpods that livestock may consume after pod drop. Two studies were conducted within an active sheep and honeylocust silvopasture to (1) estimate nutritional variability of seedpods among MW trees, and to (2) determine seedpod yields and seasonal production variation of MW trees. Seedpods were harvested from each pod-bearing MW in October 2008 and 2009, just prior to pod drop. Nutritional characteristics such as detergent fibers, crude protein, in vitro digestibility, and sugar concentrations were determined for fractionated husk and seed components. Further, MW fodder yields were estimated in 2008, 2009, and 2010 through field measurements and tree yield classification. Both ground husks and seeds were low in fiber (273 and 132 g kg−1 neutral detergent fiber, respectively) and highly digestible (787 and 963 g kg−1, respectively). Seed husk sugar concentrations averaged 223 g kg−1. Based on the nutritive fractions assayed, whole ground MW seedpods grown in Virginia have a nutritional profile comparable to that of ground whole-ear dent corn (Zea mays L.) or oat (Avena sativa L.) grain. Nearly all MW trees displayed some form of alternate-bearing pattern. Average dry matter yields of pod-bearing trees were 15.8, 4.8, and 14.7 kg tree−1 in 2008, 2009, and 2010, respectively. Pod yield and quality indicate MW honeylocust trees have good potential as fodder-bearing trees in temperate silvopasture systems.
Daily Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitor Therapy as Rescue for Recurrent Ischemic Priapism After Failed Androgen Ablation

The objective of this report is to discuss the potential for normal hormone regulation and application of chronic phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibition for the management of recurrent ischemic priapism. A 64-year-old man presented with refractory priapism treated with antiandrogen therapy. He was transitioned to and well controlled on a regimen of daily phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor and every other week antiandrogen therapy. Our treatment of recurrent priapism implicates androgens and both biochemical and neurovascular control mechanisms in the penis.
Locating and identifying hydraulic controls for layered flow through an obstruction

A methodology for locating the hydraulic controls for layered flow when both the bed elevation and flow width are varying, is presented. The model, based on singular points in the solution of the gradually varying flow equations for the free surface and interface slopes, reviews the basic hydraulic principles behind hydraulic control. A number of different types of control are identified depending upon the depth-discharge relationship at the control, its location relative to the point of maximum constriction and the relationship between the maxima and minima of the internal energy at different locations within the flow. The pair of internal controls for two-layer exchange flow are shown to be a special solution to the model where the exchange flowrate adjusts to match the maximum internal energy at one control with the minimum internal energy at the other.
AN AFFECTED FEMALE CARRIER OF DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY WITH ASSOCIATED MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE

AN AFFECTED FEMALE CARRIER OF DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY WITH ASSOCIATED MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE
Weak analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents in the management of children with acute pain.

The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, salicylates, and weak opioids (e.g., codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone) are the most commonly used analgesic agents in pediatric practice in the inpatient and outpatient settings. In children, acute pain may result from a musculoskeletal strain or bony fracture; outpatient surgery; or an acute medical illness, such as pneumonia or pleuritis, headache, or otitis media. Regardless of the cause, acute pain that requires outpatient treatment primarily relies on the use of oral agents, such as NSAIDs or acetaminophen, alone or in combination with the weak opioids. Although the primary use of these agents is in the outpatient setting, both groups can also be used in the inpatient setting. The latter may include the use of NSAIDs in conjunction with parenteral opioids, thereby decreasing the total dose of opioids and limiting opioid-related side effects or using the oral (PO) route, in specific circumstances, to control moderate pain in the hospitalized setting as a means of avoiding the cost of parenteral opioids. The latter may include PO patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) for the control of pain suggest a graded approach using a three-step ladder. 27 According to the WHO ladder, mild pain usually can be controlled with a nonopioid analgesic agent, such as a prostaglandin-synthesis inhibitor (PSI) (e.g., acetaminophen or acetylsalicylic acid) or an NSAID, such as ibuprofen. The initial approach to the control of moderate pain includes the combination of a PSI and a weak opioid (an acetaminophen–codeine preparation). As with any PO medication, problems include a delay in the onset of activity following the ingestion of the medicine, up to 3 hours to reach peak plasma concentrations, difficulty with PO administration caused by patient refusal or problems of nausea and vomiting, and decreased PO bioavailability. This article reviews the pharmacology and pharmacodynamics of acetaminophen, the salicylates, NSAIDs, and weak opioids and provides a framework for their use in the control of acute pain.
Policies for a Solar Economy

Abstract Punctuated by oil shocks and ultimately limited by environmental concerns, the fossil-fuel age may be nearing its close. While the renewable technologies are now available to make the transition away from today's coal- and oil-based energy system, existing energy policies do little to accelerate the commercial development of renewable energy. This paper examines some of the policy reforms needed to make the transition to a renewable energy economy, beginning with a change in energy pricing that internalizes the environmental and security costs of fossil fuels. Utility reform, a major shift in current energy research and development spending, and the creation of an international renewable energy agency are among the key elements of a sound energy policy that will allow the 60–80% reduction in carbon emissions needed to stabilize atmospheric CO 2 concentrations.
Synthesis and structure of [(η5-C5Me5Ru(μ-NHPh)]2,an electron-deficient ruthenium amide complex

Abstract The reaction of [Cp*Ru(μ3-Cl]4 (Cp* = η5-C5Me5) with NaNHPh in THF affords the blue anilide complex [Cp*Ru(μ-NHPh)]2. Characterization of this complex by X-ray crystallography reveals a folded dimeric structure with bridging anilide ligands.
EP-X: a demonstration of semantically based search of bibliographic databases

EP-X (Environmental Pollution eXpert) is a prototype knowledge-based system that assists users in conducting bibliographic searches of the environmental pollution literature. This system combines artificial intelligence and human factors engineering techniques, allowing us to redesign traditional bibliographic information retrieval interfaces. The result supports semantically-based search as opposed to the typical character-string matching approach. This paper discusses a sample interaction with EP-X,the knowledge representations necessary to support this semantically-based interaction,preliminary results of empirical studies to evaluate the interface, andrecommendations for future directions
Rural Nonfarm Incomes in Nicaragua

Abstract This paper examines nonfarm incomes of rural Nicaraguan households using a nationwide survey (LSMS) from 1998. The key findings are as follows. (a) Rural nonfarm income (RNFI) constitutes 41% of rural household incomes. (b) RNFI is much more important than farm wage-labor income. (c) RNFI tends to be relatively concentrated geographically and socioeconomically, toward the rural areas of the Managua zone and the Rest-of-Pacific zone, which are denser in infrastructure and population, and toward the upper income quartile of rural households. This concentration implies high entry barriers and capital requirements for rural nonfarm activity that the poor are simply not equipped to overcome. Equipping the rural poor through training and acquisition of diverse forms of capital to have a chance at the higher return nonfarm jobs would be a major step toward helping them to share the benefits of the rural nonfarm economy. (d) Self-employment (small enterprise) income in manufactures is very minor, probably due to the ease of obtaining manufactured goods from urban industries and imports. Wage employment constitutes the bulk of RNFI (despite it receiving little attention in development programs and debate). (e) Three-quarters of RNFI is in the service sector, and only one-quarter is from manufactures; that can be contrasted with the emphasis on small manufactures enterprises in rural development programs and research. (f) Education, road access, as well as access to electricity and water were found to be important to nonfarm incomes.
SAP Regulates TH2 Differentiation and PKC-θ-Mediated Activation of NF-κB1

XLP is caused by mutations affecting SAP, an adaptor that recruits Fyn to SLAM family receptors. SAP-deficient mice recapitulate features of XLP, including increased T cell activation and decreased humoral responses post-infection. SAP-deficient T cells also show increased TCR-induced IFN-gamma and decreased T(H)2 cytokine production. We demonstrate that the defect in IL-4 secretion in SAP-deficient T cells is independent of increased IFN-gamma production. SAP-deficient cells respond normally to polarizing cytokines, yet show impaired TCR-mediated induction of GATA-3 and IL-4. Examination of TCR signaling revealed normal Ca(2+) mobilization and ERK activation in SAP-deficient cells, but decreased PKC-theta recruitment, Bcl-10 phosphorylation, IkappaB-alpha degradation, and nuclear NF-kappaB1/p50 levels. Similar defects were observed in Fyn-deficient cells. SLAM engagement amplified PKC-theta recruitment in wt but not SAP- or Fyn-deficient cells, arguing that a SAP/Fyn-mediated pathway enhances PKC-theta/NF-kappaB1 activation and suggesting a role for this pathway in T(H)2 regulation.
STUDIES ON THE PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF HUMAN PLASMA DEOXYRIBONUCLEASE I.

Abstract Human plasma (DNase) I has been purified 600-fold by the fractionation method of separating plasma proteins developed by Cohn and associates and known as “method 10”. The rate of release of acid-soluble deoxyribose-purine-containing fragments from an incubation mixture consisting of the enzyme, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), Mg ++ , and a pH 7.3 buffer was used as a measure of the DNase I activity. The enzyme is present almost exclusively in fraction VI-2, which consists of α-1, small lipid-free acid glycoproteins. The proteins present in all other plasma fractions obtained by the Cohn fractionation are inhibitory to the DNase I activity of fraction VI-2. In contrast to bovine pancreatic DNase I (Worthington Biochemical Corporation, Freehold, New Jersey) which is destroyed by heating at 100 °C. for 30 minutes at pH's 2.8, 7.0, or 9.0, plasma DNase I of fraction VI-2 is stable to heat at all the three pH's. Studies were conducted on the nature of the in vitro inhibitory effect of various antimetabolites and alkylating agents on the DNase I activity of plasma fraction VI-2 and bovine pancreatic DNase I. Both the DNase I's are noncompetitively inhibited by in vitro addition of nitrogen mustard [methyl-bis(β-chloroethyl) amine hydrochloride] and competitively inhibited by in vitro addition of amethopterin (methotrexate, Lederle). However, 6-thioguanine and 6-mercaptopurine significantly inhibited bovine pancreatic DNase I but not the plasma DNase I of fraction VI-2.
A prospective study of tuberculosis and HIV disease progression

OBJECTIVE To determine whether active tuberculosis alters the rate of progression of HIV infection in dually infected patients. METHODS HIV-seropositive patients at two Bronx, New York hospitals with tuberculosis confirmed by culture from July 1992 to February 1995, who survived the initial hospitalization for tuberculosis, were matched on gender, age, CD4+ percentage, and calendar time with HIV-seropositive patients without tuberculosis participating in a study of the natural history of HIV infection. Patients received follow-up observation prospectively until May 23, 1995 to determine survival rates and development of AIDS-defining opportunistic infections (OIs). RESULTS 70 patients had tuberculosis; 120 did not. Mean CD4+ percentages were 12.4% and 12.5%, respectively. At study entry, 27% of those with tuberculosis had prior AIDS-defining OIs other than tuberculosis, compared with 10% of those without tuberculosis (p = .004). In multivariate survival analysis, controlling for CD4+ level, tuberculosis was not an independent predictor of increased other causes of AIDS-related mortality. However, in a logistic regression model, independent predictors of subsequent OIs included tuberculosis (hazard ratio, 4.1; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.9, 8.7), CD4+ count <100/mm3 (hazard ratio, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1, 5.0) and prior OIs (hazard ration, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.3, 8.3). CONCLUSIONS Tuberculosis was not an independent predictor of increased non-tuberculosis-related mortality in HIV-seropositive patients but was associated with increased risk of development of OIs.
Generalized paroxysmal fast activity: Electroencephalographic and clinical features

We reviewed electroencephalographic and clinical features of 20 patients with generalized paroxysmal fast activity (GPFA). All had seizure disorders and all but 3 had more than one seizure type. Mental retardation was present in 17 patients. In most cases no cause for the seizures could be found. GPFA occurred almost exclusively in sleep. Fifteen patients had clinical seizures associated with this activity; in 8 the seizures were tonic. Additional generalized epileptiform abnormalities were present in 18 patients, 10 of whom had slow spike and wave complexes. Only 4 patients had normal background activity.