cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY IN PREGNANCY.

Purpose To describe a case of paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) during the first trimester of pregnancy without other ocular or systemic comorbidities. Methods Case report. Results A 31-year-old woman in her first trimester of pregnancy presented with a paracentral scotoma in the absence of other retinal pathology or systemic associations. Optical coherence tomography showed a classic acute PAMM lesion, and optical coherence tomography angiography showed preservation of vascular flow in the area of the PAMM lesion 1 week after symptom onset. Subsequent workup for underlying systemic disease that can affect the retinal vasculature was negative. Conclusion Paracentral acute middle maculopathy lesions have been described in eyes with retinal vascular disease and in people with systemic vascular diseases or events. This is the first described case of a PAMM lesion in the absence of associated factors other than an uncomplicated pregnancy.
Chinese Medicinal Herbs Use in Managing Cancer

For millennia, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners have treated cancer with Chinese medicinal herbs (CMHs), which continue to be used in combination with conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy in contemporary oncologic care in Asia. Recent advances in biochemistry and immunology have allowed discovery of the biologically active components of CMH and the mechanisms of their anti-cancer activities. This chapter provides an overview of CMH use in treating cancer, including discussion of the anti-cancer mechanisms for individual herbs that are commonly used to treat cancer in contemporary TCM practice. Most CMH cancer research studies have involved in vitro and in vivo animal studies, with a relative paucity of well designed, placebo-controlled human clinical trials. Despite this, there is evidence that CMH may mitigate immunosuppression from conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy, reduce side effects from those treatments, and improve cancer patients’ overall clinical status. Chinese medicinal herbs may produce tumour apoptosis, reduce metastases, and increase survival, either alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy. Some CMHs interfere with conventional chemotherapy when administered simultaneously, yet enhance conventional chemotherapy efficacy when administered sequentially. Further controlled clinical trials of CMH with/without conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy in cancer patients are needed to determine which herbs (and herb combinations) to use and the optimal timing of their administration to optimize cancer patients’ survival, reduce tumour burden, enhance immunologic function and improve quality of life while minimizing the side effects (e.g. nausea/vomiting, anorexia and fatigue) of conventional radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
The social cost of being short: societal perceptions and biases

This paper has briefly summarized some of the reports of the relationships of height to perceptions of achievement and acceptance of individuals by society. Shorter members of society are perceived to be less competent than taller individuals, both during childhood and as adults; they are seen less positively by peers and perceive themselves less favourably; and they are also more likely to be in lower positions, within a given profession. An understanding by society that shorter people are unfairly disadvantaged by societal perceptions and biases is a necessary first step towards correcting these inequities.
The Need for a Unified Conceptual Framework in Professional Psychology

Professional psychology has been remarkably successful as a scientific discipline and field of professional practice, but has also been marked by large amounts of conflict and controversy that have limited its effectiveness and impact. Resolving these conflicts is critical to moving the field ahead in a more efficient and effective manner. This book examines the key issues that have divided the field over its history and examines the possibility that consensus on some of the most divisive issues is now possible. If consensus on these issues can be reached, for the first time in its history professional psychology will be able to move ahead with a unified conceptual framework for education, practice, and research.
From Theory to Practice: Distributed Coverage Control Experiments with Groups of Robots

A distributed algorithm is presented that causes a network of robots to spread out over an environment, while aggregating in areas of high sensory interest. The algorithm is a discrete-time interpretation of a controller previously introduced by the authors. The algorithmic implications of implementing this controller on a physical platform are discussed, and results are presented for 16 robots in two experiments. It is found that the algorithm performs well despite the presence of real-world complications.
Visual flight feedback as a determiner of motor response recognition.

Abstract Over a series of knowledge of results (KR) learning trials of projecting a ball a criterion distance, the hypotheses were tested that withdrawal of visual feedback of the flight of the ball (flight feedback), would produce a decrement in response recognition but not recall. Sixty subjects formed three independent groups which had visual flight feedback withdrawn either early or late, while a control group had no vision throughout the 91 trials. The hypotheses were confirmed. Withdrawal of flight feedback had no effect on response recall, but significantly impaired response recognition both early and late in the KR learning trials.
Neural Circuits That Mediate Selective Attention: A Comparative Perspective

Selective attention is central to cognition. Dramatic advances have been made in understanding the neural circuits that mediate selective attention. Forebrain networks, most elaborated in primates, control all forms of attention based on task demands and the physical salience of stimuli. These networks contain circuits that distribute top-down signals to sensory processing areas and enhance information processing in those areas. A midbrain network, most elaborated in birds, controls spatial attention. It contains circuits that continuously compute the highest priority stimulus location and route sensory information from the selected location to forebrain networks that make cognitive decisions. The identification of these circuits, their functions and mechanisms represent a major advance in our understanding of how the vertebrate brain mediates selective attention.
A Domain Decomposition Semianalytical Finite Element Method

A novel domain decomposition semianalytical finite element method is proposed for electromagnetic simulations in layered structures and stratified media. A layered structure is decomposed into several subdomains. Conventional finite elements are employed for subdomains with nonuniform material or structural distributions, and a recently developed semianalytical finite element scheme is applied to subdomains uniform in the longitudinal direction. Domain decomposition is used to combine discretized subdomains together, allowing nonconforming meshes on interfaces between adjacent subdomains. Numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed method is highly flexible and efficient in modeling layered structures with local inhomogeneities.
Infrared absorption cross sections of several organo-phosphorous chemical-weapon simulants

Abstract Due to extreme toxicity of chemical warfare agents, experiments to study their combustion behavior are commonly carried out using Organo Phosphorous Compounds (OPCs) as simulants. In this study, gas phase absorption cross sections of five common OPC simulants - TMP, DMMP, TEP, DEMP and DIMP have been measured within 650–3500 cm−1 wavenumber range (2.85–13.33 µm) at 295 K and 1 atm pressure (broadening gas: N2). The quantitative absorption spectra reported in this study will be useful in setting up laser based diagnostics schemes to study their chemical kinetics in a shock tube.
Best Practices for Improving the Reliability of Power Electronic Assets in a large Oil and Gas Facility

Failures in power electronic equipment invariably lead to slowdowns and production loss in the oil and gas industry. The paper discusses key failure modes along with design solutions and maintenance practices for ensuring reliable operation of power electronic equipment. The failure modes include power devices, printed circuit boards, capacitors and earthing practices for power electronic equipment. Each mode is separately discussed to bring out improvement areas in both design and maintenance practices. This paper aims to present important design and maintenance practices for power electronic equipment. Upcoming trends in the field of online condition monitoring have also been briefly discussed.
Viral Genes — Structure and Controls

Because of their minuteness and relative simplicity, the viruses afford insights into structural arrangements and activities that might long be overlooked in higher, more complex organisms. In many cases, however, these parasites have become degenerate in part by replacement of their original genes and translational products by those of the host cells. The resulting degree of dependency varies with the species, for many, including bacteriophage T4 among numerous others, expend considerable energy synthesizing macromolecules that duplicate or augment metabolic activities already present in its cellular habitat (Schmidt, 1985). By way of illustration, the genome of that T-even phage contains genes that encode one enzyme that cleaves the bacterial tRNAs near the anticodon and another pair that together repair the resulting damage, an altogether fruitless cycle. While useless to the virus, such relict genes are important from a biological point of view in suggesting that these organisms once were more completely supplied with genes and thus were less dependent upon living cellular types for existence. Hence, degeneration and evolutionary conservation have played antagonistic roles in molding the multitudinous diversity of extant viruses from their forebears of billions of years in the past.
ACCOUNTING INNOVATIONS: THE IMPLICATIONS OF A FIRM'S RESPONSE TO POST CIVIL WAR MARKET DISRUPTIONS

This study addresses the nature of accounting innovations within the context of the Quincy Mining Company's response to the disruption of the domestic copper market following the Civil War. Primary documentation is used to first define the firm's cost management activities, then to define the characteristics of the firm's internal accounting practices that contributed to these activities. It is argued that, although accounting was a participant in the cost control process, it was a paternalistic social structure that provided the impetus for the firm's struggle to remain profitable.
Automated Geometric Shape Deviation Modeling for Additive Manufacturing Systems via Bayesian Neural Networks

A significant challenge in comprehensive geometric accuracy control of an additive manufacturing (AM) system is the specification of shape deviation models for different computer-aided design products manufactured on its constituent AM processes. Current deviation modeling techniques do not satisfactorily address this challenge because they can require substantial user inputs and efforts to implement. We present a new model building methodology based on a class of Bayesian neural networks (NNs) that directly addresses this challenge with much less effort. Our method enables automated deviation modeling of different shapes and AM processes and yields models with higher predictive accuracies compared to the existing modeling methods on the same samples of manufactured products. A fundamental innovation in our methodology is the design of new and connectable NN structures that facilitate the leveraging of previously specified deviation models for adaptive model building of new shapes and AM processes. The power and broad scope of our method are demonstrated with several case studies on both in-plane and out-of-plane deviations for a wide variety of shapes manufactured under different stereolithography processes. Our Bayesian methodology for automated and comprehensive deviation modeling can ultimately help to advance flexible, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing in an AM system. Note to Practitioners —Additive manufacturing (AM) systems possess an intrinsic capability for one-of-a-kind manufacturing of a vast variety of shapes across a wide spectrum of constituent processes. Learning how to control geometric shape accuracy in a comprehensive manner for an AM system is vital to its operation. This task is challenging due to constraints on the number of test shapes that can be manufactured and user efforts that can be devoted for learning and predicting geometric errors of different sets of shapes and AM processes. This article presents an automated machine learning methodology for comprehensive learning and prediction of geometric errors in an AM system based on a limited number of test shapes manufactured under different processes. Several case studies serve to validate the potential of our methodology to learn effective geometric accuracy control policies for general AM systems in practice.
What Do the European Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Portend for U.S. Practice

This issue includes a summary of the European Breast Guidelines, developed by an international multidisciplinary panel and based on a high-quality evidence review of breast cancer screening in the ...
Brodie's Abscess Masquerading as Vaso-occlusive Crisis in a Sickle-cell Disease Patient.

Brodie's abscess is a rare form of subacute osteomyelitis, most commonly found in children between the ages of two to fifteen years. It has slight preponderance for males. It is characterised by centrally placed, well-circumscribed abscess within the medulla or metaphysis of long bone, most commonly tibia, surrounded by a sclerotic wall. It is sometimes considered a transitional phase for the development of chronic osteomyelitis due to infection persisting between two to six months without showing any systemic symptoms specific to osteomyelitis. It is assumed that it is clinically quiescent due to its intraosseous location. It rarely presents with overt symptoms, which occurs if either the abscess enlarges to create pressure against the periosteum, or if the purulent material extrudes from the confines from its sclerotic walls. Due to subliminal clinical features and indolent clinical course, radiologic investigations are the diagnostic modality of choice. Diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion, especially in the scenario of sepsis with an unknown source of infection. We describe a case of Brodie's abscess in a sickle-cell disease patient which presented as episodes of vaso-occlusive crisis repeatedly before it was diagnosed along with a review of the literature.
Multidisciplinary Design Optimization of a Transonic Commercial Transport with Strut-Braced Wing

The multidisciplinary design optimization of a strut-braced wing (SBW) aircraft and its benefits relative to a conventional cantilever wing configuration are presented. The multidisciplinary design team is divided into aerodynamics, structures, aeroelasticity, and the synthesis of the various disciplines. The aerodynamic analysis uses simple models for induced drag, wave drag, parasite drag, and interference drag. The interference drag model is based on detailed computational fluid dynamics analyses of various wing-strut intersections. The wing structural weight is calculated using a newly developed wing bending material weight routine that accounts for the special nature of SBWs. The other components of the aircraft weight are calculated using a combination of NASA's flight optimization system and Lockheed Martin aeronautical systems formulas. The SBW and cantilever wing configurations are optimized using design optimization tools (DOT) software
Digital Electronics as RFID Tags: Impedance Estimation and Propagation Characterization at 26.5 GHz and 300 GHz

This article presents a circuit impedance model and results of propagation characterization at 26.5 GHz and 300 GHz for a new type of RFID tag that is based on digital electronics. This RFID tag leverages the backscatter radio generated from switching of transistors inside digital circuits, which does not need antennas or RF front-end circuits thereby further reducing the device’s form factor. Moreover, the proposed RFID tag is compatible with a wide range of interrogating frequencies and can be implemented on existing electronics without additional cost. The proposed circuit impedance model explains the modulation mechanism of this new backscatter radio and provides an estimation of digital circuits’ impedance using SPICE model parameters. Based on the proposed circuit impedance model, we develop a modified modulation loss factor to estimate the modulation loss resulting from the switching activity of the digital electronics. Furthermore, propagation characterization is conducted at 26.5 GHz and 300 GHz, where the shadowing gain for the carrier power and the backscattered power is characterized as 3.93 dB and 0.96 dB at 26.5 GHz, and 1.01 dB and 0.52 dB at 300 GHz, respectively, showing that the backscatter channel can provide a more reliable link that is resistant to the constructive and destructive interference from the multipaths as compared to the carrier channel.
Abstract IA44: Equity and access: Looking upstream to make lasting improvements in cancer outcomes

Many cancer researchers are trained to quantify disparities between racial groups and to identify race as the risk factor. However, if we look upstream, we can identify that structural racism, not race, is a fundamental cause of racial inequity. Likewise, we frequently conceptualize access with a downstream lens, focusing on access to clinical trials or treatment, and we ignore upstream factors such as equitable access to economic opportunity and racial justice. Cancer disparities start where we live, learn, work, and play. These upstream factors, often referred to as the social determinants of health, are increasingly acknowledged, but not well integrated into cancer research and intervention efforts. Examples from recent research will be presented that highlight the role of upstream factors, especially neighborhood factors, in creating and sustaining cancer inequities. Suggestions will be provided for how cancer research can expand beyond our downstream biomedical frameworks in order to correctly identify and intervene on upstream factors that cause inequities in cancer outcomes. Citation Format: Sandi L. Pruitt. Equity and access: Looking upstream to make lasting improvements in cancer outcomes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr IA44.
Turkic default agreement

Baker & Vinokurova (2010) argue for a hybrid account of morphologically observable case, which involves both a configurational theory for accusative and dative, as in Marantz (1991), and case assignment by functional heads for nominative and genitive, as in Chomsky (2001). In the spirit of Levin & Preminger (2015), I argue that a configurational theory is enough to account for the assignment of genitive case. Based on the understudied phenomenon of default agreement with complex possessors in Turkic, I argue that a configurational theory is better equipped at handling the distribution of genitive case. I present a phase-based account of case blocking agreement in order to derive default agreement.
Quantifying the Impact of Nasopharyngeal Specimen Quality on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Test Performance

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) cycle threshold (Ct) has been used to estimate quantitative viral load, with the goal of targeting isolation precautions for individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and guiding public health interventions. However, variability in specimen quality can alter the Ct values obtained from SARS-CoV-2 clinical assays. We sought to define how variable nasopharyngeal (NP) swab quality impacts clinical SARS-CoV-2 test sensitivity. Methods: We performed amplification of a human gene target (beta-actin) in parallel with a clinical RT-PCR targeting the SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab gene for 1282 NP specimens collected from patients with clinical concern for COVID-19. We evaluated the relationship between NP specimen quality, characterized by late Ct values for the human gene target beta-actin Ct, and the probability of SARS-CoV-2 detection via logistic regression, as well as the linear relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and beta-actin Ct. Results: Low-quality NP swabs are less likely to detect SARS-CoV-2 (odds ratio, 0.607 [95% credible interval {CrI}, .487-.753]). We observed a positive linear relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and beta-actin Ct values (slope, 0.181 [95% CrI, .097-.264]), consistent with a reduction in detection of 0.181 cycles for each additional cycle of the beta-actin target. COVID-19 disease severity was not associated with beta-actin Ct values. Conclusions: Variability in NP specimen quality significantly impacts the performance of clinical SARS-CoV-2 assays, and caution should be taken when interpreting quantitative SARS-CoV-2 Ct results. If unrecognized, low-quality NP specimens, which are characterized by a low level of amplifiable human DNA target, may limit the successful application of SARS-CoV-2 Ct values to direct infection control and public health interventions.
Structure and function of the gap junctional network of photoreceptive ganglion cells

Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) signal not only anterogradely to drive behavioral responses, but also retrogradely to some amacrine interneurons to modulate retinal physiology. We previously found that all displaced amacrine cells with spiking, tonic excitatory photoresponses receive gap-junction input from ipRGCs, but the connectivity patterns and functional roles of ipRGC-amacrine coupling remained largely unknown. Here, we injected PoPro1 fluorescent tracer into all six types of mouse ipRGCs to identify coupled amacrine cells, and analyzed the latter’s morphological and electrophysiological properties. We also examined how genetically disrupting ipRGC-amacrine coupling affected ipRGC photoresponses. Results showed that ipRGCs couple with not just ON- and ON/OFF-stratified amacrine cells in the ganglion-cell layer as previously reported, but also OFF-stratified amacrine cells in both ganglion-cell and inner nuclear layers. M1- and M3-type ipRGCs couple mainly with ON/OFF-stratified amacrine cells, whereas the other ipRGC types couple almost exclusively with ON-stratified ones. ipRGCs transmit melanopsin-based light responses to at least 93% of the coupled amacrine cells. Some of the ON-stratifying ipRGC-coupled amacrine cells exhibit transient hyperpolarizing light responses. We detected bidirectional electrical transmission between an ipRGC and a coupled amacrine cell, although transmission was asymmetric for this particular cell pair, favoring the ipRGC-to-amacrine direction. We also observed electrical transmission between two amacrine cells coupled to the same ipRGC. In both scenarios of coupling, the coupled cells often spiked synchronously. While ipRGC-amacrine coupling somewhat reduces the peak firing rates of ipRGCs’ intrinsic melanopsin-based photoresponses, it renders these responses more sustained and longer-lasting. In summary, ipRGCs’ gap junctional network involves more amacrine cell types and plays more roles than previously appreciated.
Sustainable Oxide Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen- and Oxygen-Evolution Reactions

An electrocatalyst for water splitting based on earth-abundant metals is reported. This perovskite–oxide catalyst, CaSrFe0.75Co0.75Mn0.5O6−δ (CSFCM), is examined using both experimental and computa...
A Remark on Quantum Ergodicity for CAT Maps

The purpose of this Note is to give an affirmative answer to a question raised in the paper of P. Kurlberg and Z. Rudnick [K-R]. We first briefly recall the background (see [K-R2]). Given A ∈ SL2(Z), consider the automorphism of the torus T : x → Ax. Given f ∈ C∞(T2), the classical evolution defined by A is f → f ◦ A. The quantization is obtained as follows. Let N ∈ Z+ be a large integer and consider the Hilbert space HN = L(ZN ), ZN = Z/NZ with inner product
Computing pagerank in a distributed internet search system

Existing Internet search engines use web crawlers to download data from the Web. Page quality is measured on central servers, where user queries are also processed. This paper argues that using crawlers has a list of disadvantages. Most importantly, crawlers do not scale. Even Google, the leading search engine, indexes less than 1% of the entire Web. This paper proposes a distributed search engine framework, in which every web server answers queries over its own data. Results from multiple web servers will be merged to generate a ranked hyperlink list on the submitting server. This paper presents a series of algorithms that compute PageRank in such framework. The preliminary experiments on a real data set demonstrate that the system achieves comparable accuracy on PageRank vectors to Google's well-known PageRank algorithm and, therefore, high quality of query results.
The interaction of aromatic hydrocarbons with organometallic compounds of the main group elements : III. The crystal structure of K[Al2(CH3)6F]·C6H6

Abstract The crystal structure of K[Al2(CH3)6F]·C6H6 has been determined from three-dimensional X-ray data measured by counter methods. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma with cell dimensions a = 14.071(5), b = 14.404(5), c = 8.862(3) A and ρcalc = 1.04 g·cm-3 for Z = 4. Least squares refinement gave a conventional weighted R factor of 0.037 for 973 independent observed reflections. In the fluorine-bridged anion, the aluminum—fluorine—aluminum bond angle is fixed at 180° by crystallographic symmetry. The aluminum—fluorine bond length of 1.782(2) A is compared to other halogen-bridged systems. The potassium ion coordination sphere contains six methyl groups at distances from 3.23 to 3.47 A; the benzene functions as a molecule of crystallization with 3.947(7) A as the shortest benzene carbon—potassium ion approach.
Testing the Bio-compatibility of Aluminum PDFU BRIC Hardware

Biological research in an orbital environment necessitates the containment of the sample and its associated chemical fixatives. The Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC) hardware developed by Kennedy Space Center has been widely used in several configurations to support biological experiments on the Shuttle and ISS. The current model of BRIC hardware contains six Petri Dish Fixation Units (PDFUs), each of which holds one Petri plate containing the specimen. This study compares traditional polycarbonate PDFUs to PDFUs primarily composed of aluminum with respect to their biocompatibility with Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) growth and development. Seeds were planted on nutrient agar plates and inserted into either polycarbonate or aluminum PDFUs, which were then secured in the BRIC hardware. Plates were allowed to develop in the PDFUs in the dark for a period of 12 days, after which they were preserved by either RNAlater or Glutaraldehyde, harvested, photographed, RNA-extracted, and prepared for gene expression analyses. Direct comparison of the etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings from the polycarbonate and aluminum PDFUs presented no discernible morphological differences, nor were there any significant differences between the expression levels of several target genes chosen for their sensitivity in reporting an aluminum stress response.
Humanitarian Intervention as a Duty

Assuming an international commitment to intervene in severe and urgent humanitarian emergencies, as expressed by the doctrine ‘The Responsibility to Protect’, I discuss two objections that the duty to intervene is nonetheless a duty that is easily limited by other moral considerations. One objection is that this duty will exceed the reasonable limits of any obligation given the high personal cost of intervention. The other objection is that any duty to intervene will be an imperfect duty, and therefore not a duty that is ascribed to and demandable of any specific actor. I will argue that these objections do not undermine the principle of the responsibility to protect.
Creating New Patterns of Social and Economic Activity Through Planned Housing Environments

Abstract HOPE VI programs have transformed distressed public housing areas into “planned neighborhoods.” This research highlights key results from an evaluation request by the Tampa Housing Authority to assess the social and economic impact of the local HOPE VI community. Findings suggest that the majority of residents enjoy the new neighborhood. Questions remain regarding the social cohesion among the mixed-income community residents and the potential for economic revitalization of the surrounding area. Implications for social workers are addressed.
SEaM : analyzing schedule executability through simulation

Increasing attention is being dedicated to the problem of schedule execution management. This has encouraged research focused on the analysis of strategies for the execution of plans in real working environments. To this aim, much work has been recently done to devise scheduling procedures which increase the level of robustness of the produced solutions. Yet, these results represent only the first step in this direction: in order to improve confidence in the theoretical results, it is also necessary to conceive experimental frameworks where the devised measures may find confirmation through empirical testing. This approach also has the advantage of unveiling possible counter-intuitive insights of the proposed scheduling strategies, which otherwise might remain concealed. This paper presents: (a) an experimental platform designed to tackle the problem of schedule execution with uncertainty; (b) an analysis of a variety of schedule execution tests performed under variable environmental conditions.
A complete spectral analysis of the flare of the quasar 3C 273

The 1983 quasar outburst of the source 3C 273 is investigated by studying several months of radio-frequency and UV data that represent about six decades of frequency. The data are analyzed to account for the differences inherent in various photometric systems, and adjustments are made for reddening and line emission. Individual wavelengths are delineated in light curves which indicate distinct periods of burst activity for specific wavelengths. The spectrum of the flare is characterized by a trend in which the critical wavelength evolves toward longer wavelengths as the outburst progresses. It is suggested that the data are consistent with a model of an expanding gas cloud that emits Doppler-boosted synchrotron radiation. The spectral curves, light curves, and the spectral index are of use in the analysis of similar phenomena when VLBI data of superluminal motion are incorporated.
Absorption of Iron from the Small Bowel of Dogs

Summary Absorption of radioactive iron from segments of duodenum and ileum in anesthetized dogs was concurrently measured by three different methods. Agreement among the results of the three methods was close. Iron was given in either ferric or ferrous form in doses of 0.5 to 10 μg. In some instances ascorbic acid (100 mg.) was added to the test solution of iron in Tyrode's solution; the pH of the solution was adjusted to 2 or 7 before placement in the intestinal loops. Most tests lasted 5 hours. A linear relationship was obtained on a log/log scale between the amount of iron absorbed and the amount in the test solution. The relationship was most significant when the test solution was at pH 2 and contained ascorbic acid. The addition of ascorbic acid or acidifying the iron solution to pH 2 caused similar increases in absorption of iron; the effects were additive. When the iron was in a solution at pH 2 with ascorbic acid added, significantly more iron was absorbed from the duodenum per square centimeter of serosa than from the ileum. The rate of absorption of iron was fastest in most cases in the 15-minute period from 15 to 30 minutes after introduction of iron into the lumen of the bowel. This maximal rate did not bear any relation to the total amount of absorption of iron. In most cases absorption did not continue longer than 120 minutes. Three doses of radioactive iron given at 2-hour intervals into the same segment of duodenum resulted in only slight diminution of absorption of iron, showing that the so called mucosal block did not operate at these dose levels. It is suggested that after about 1 hour the iron remaining in the lumen of the bowel had no further influence on absorption of iron; only the iron accumulated in the intestinal wall during the first hour was subsequently absorbed. During the absorptive period, the radioiron left the fluid contents of the intestinal loop more rapidly than it left the intestine. The resulting accumulation in the mucosa was demonstrated autoradiographically.
No Pride in Prejudice: Pedagogy and One Experiment in the Deconstruction of Anti-Immigration Sentiment

We implemented and evaluated a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning project in which forty-nine college students worked at a local elementary school with children who live in households where Spanish is the primary spoken language. We measured the college students' attitudes toward Hispanics and learning Spanish both before and after participating in the project. Students who participated in this project expressed more positive attitudes toward Hispanics at the end of the project than at the beginning in contrast to 23 students in a comparison group who did not participate in the project. Surprisingly, participation in this project was not associated with more positive attitudes toward learning Spanish.
The photon pipeline

We propose a pipelined architecture to accelerate high quality global illumination. Ray tracing can be done in real-time, so the main challenge is how to combine the visibility information from ray tracing with the global illumination information from photon tracing. Our architecture is based on reverse photon mapping, which, under reasonable assumptions, is algorithmically faster than photon mapping without sacrificing versatility or visual quality. Furthermore, reverse photon mapping exposes fine-grain data objects, photons, which can be efficiently pipelined through our architecture for very high throughput. Because photon mapping is bandwidth-limited, we use cache behavior and bandwidths to measure the effectiveness of our approach. Simulations indicate that this architecture will eventually be able to render high-quality global illumination in real-time. We believe that fine-grain pipelining is a powerful tool that will be necessary to achieve real-time photorealistic rendering.
Enhanced Release of Drugs from Silicone Elastomers (II): Induction of Swelling and Changes in Microstructure

AbstractIncorporation of glycerol into silicone elastomers was found to enhance the release of hydrophilic drugs as well as to cause the polymeric device to swell as a result of water uptake. There are similarities between the kinetics of drug release from the matrix of silicone elastomers and the kinetics of swelling, water uptake, and leaching of tritiated glycerol, in that they all follow a matrix diffusion-controlled mechanism. The results of absorption, desorption, and resorption kinetic studies suggest that the two processes of swelling and water uptake are reversible. The amount of glycerol which leached out from devices containing up to 20% glycerol was only 4 → 10−4 to 6 → 10−4% of the amount of glycerol that had been originally incorporated into the device. A scanning electron microscopic examination of a silicone device containing glycerol revealed a microstructure in which glycerol vesicles are dispersed. In contrast to this, the matrix of a silicone device containing no glycerol was shown to ...
Wide Angle Sprays Produced by Cosmic Radiation

New data are presented on the wide angle sprays produced by cosmic radiation which have been reported by Oppenheimer and Ney.
The Promise of the City: Space, Identity, and Politics in Contemporary Social Thought – By Kian Tajbakhsh

The article reviews the book "The Promise of the City: Space, Identity, and Politics in Contemporary Social Thought," by Kian Tajbakhsh.
Predicting mild traumatic brain injury patients at risk of persistent symptoms in the emergency department

AbstractObjective: To identify factors that can predict which emergency department (ED) patients with mTBI are likely to develop persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS).Design: A matched case-control study was conducted at a Level 1 trauma centre between June 2006 and July 2009. Patients diagnosed with mTBI in the ED and diagnosed at a concussion management programme with at least one PPCS (85 cases) were compared to patients diagnosed with mTBI in the ED (340 controls) to determine if factors assessed at the time of ED presentation could predict patients likely to develop persistent symptoms.Results: Multivariable hierarchical logistic regression with variables indicating increased risk for PPCS (prior mTBI, history of depression, history of anxiety, multiple injury, forgetfulness/poor memory, noise sensitivity, or light sensitivity) resulted in a final predictive model including prior mTBI, history of anxiety, forgetfulness/poor memory and light sensitivity. The final model had a specificity of 87.9%...
Cerebellar hemorrhage associated with capillary telangiectasia and venous angioma: A case report

We report a case of recurrent cerebellar hemorrhage from a capillary telangiectasia associated with a venous angioma. Based on the findings in this case and a review of the literature, we concluded that the hemorrhage was from the telangiectasia and not from the associated venous angioma. The association between capillary telangiectasias and cavernous malformations and the established association of the latter with venous angiomas are reviewed. This case illustrates the complex interrelationship between these histologically distinct malformations and its influence on their potential to hemorrhage.
Resistive transitions in ultrathin superconducting films: Possible evidence for quantum tunneling of vortices.

Unusual temperature dependence of electrical resistance has been observed in ultrathin superconducting films of Pb, Al, and Bi. In small magnetic fields, at low temperatures, sheet resistances varied with temperature as R\ensuremath{\approxeq}${\mathit{R}}_{0}$ exp(T/${\mathit{T}}_{0}$), where ${\mathit{T}}_{0}$ and ${\mathit{R}}_{0}$ are constants. This result is not expected in conventional models of vortex motion involving thermal activation. On the other hand, it may be explained in a quantum tunneling picture.
Cloning, tissue distribution, and functional studies of a new cytochrome P450 3A subfamily member, CYP3A45, from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) intestinal ceca

In trout and mammals, the major extrahepatic expression site for CYP3A forms is in the intestine. A cDNA encoding a new CYP3A subfamily member was isolated from rainbow trout intestinal ceca by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), followed by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE)-PCR. In a set of two primers for PCR, a consensus sequence in the highly conserved regions in 17 CYP3A sequences was used for one primer, and the second primer was designed based on adapter sequence ligated on the 5(') and 3(') cDNA ends. The 3(') and 5(') end nucleotide sequences of RACE-PCR products were used for the priming sites for the full-length cDNA in RT-PCR. The resulting 2615-bp cDNA contained an open reading frame of 1554 bp encoding a 518-amino acid residue protein (M(r)=59057.13, pI=6.15) with 26 amino acid differences from that of the previously cloned rainbow trout CYP3A27. The cDNA was assigned as CYP3A45 by the P450 Nomenclature Committee. The deduced amino acid sequence of rainbow trout CYP3A45 was 94% identical with trout CYP3A27, 72% with killifish CYP3A56, and 71% with both medaka CYP3A40 and killifish CYP3A30 in positional alignment comparisons. Northern blotting by a CYP3A45-specific nucleotide probe showed that the major expression site was the intestinal ceca rather than the liver in both male and female trout. Recombinant baculovirus containing a CYP3A45 cDNA (Bv-3A45) was constructed under polyhedrin promoter of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus and used to express CYP3A45 protein in Spodoptera frugiperda cells. The Western blot showed that the expressed CYP3A45 protein comigrated with purified LMC5 P450 and was recognized by anti-LMC5 polyclonal antibodies. The expressed CYP3A45 showed catalytic activities for the 6 beta-, 2 beta-, and 16 beta-hydroxytestosterones of 1.76, 0.193, and 0.078 nmol/min/nmol CYP3A45, respectively. In summary, a second form of CYP3A with steroid hydroxylase activity, CYP3A45, has been cloned from rainbow trout and the major site of expression was in the intestinal tissues.
Characterization of an Allylic Analogue of the 5‘-Deoxyadenosyl Radical: An Intermediate in the Reaction of Lysine 2,3-Aminomutase†

An allylic analogue of the 5‘-deoxyadenosyl radical has been characterized at the active site of lysine 2,3-aminomutase (LAM) by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The anhydroadenosyl radical, 5‘-deoxy-3‘,4‘-anhydroadenosine-5‘-yl, is a surrogate of the less stable 5‘-deoxyadenosyl radical, which has never been observed but has been postulated to be a radical intermediate in the catalytic cycles of a number of enzymes. An earlier communication [Magnusson, O.Th., Reed, G. H., and Frey, P. A. (1999) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 121, 9764−9765] included the initial spectroscopic identification at 77 K of the radical, which is formed upon replacement of S-adenosylmethionine by S-3‘,4‘-anhydroadenosylmethionine as a coenzyme for LAM. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of the radical changes dramatically between 77 and 4.5 K. This unusual temperature dependence is attributed to a spin−spin interaction between the radical and thermally populated, higher spin states of the [4Fe-4S]+2 center, which...
Development of species identification in ducklings: IX. The necessity of experiencing normal variations in embryonic auditory stimulation

The domestic mallard duck embryo must be exposed to its embryonic contract-contentment call at a repetition rate of 4 notes/sec if the neonate is to show the species-typical preference for the maternal call at its normal rate (3.7 notes/sec) after hatching. Exposing the embryo to the contact call at either 2.1 notes/sec or 5.8 notes/sec is no more effective than no auditory experience at all. To determine if there is a critical period for exposure, embryos were exposed to the 4 notes/sec call either before or after hatching. Both periods proved equally effective provided only that a 48-hr "consolidation" period was allowed to intervene between stimulation and testing. That is, the birds tested 24 hr after prenatal or postnatal stimulation behaved as if they were not stimulated at all. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the curious requirement for a consolidation period is a normal developmental phenomenon or a consequence of limiting the birds to exposure to a call with an abnormally invariant repetition rate of 4 notes/sec. To that end, embryos were stimulated with the same call as before but at variable rates of 2.1, 4, and 5.8 notes/sec, as happens under normal conditions of development. In this case, the neonates had no need for a consolidation period and showed the species-typical preference at 24 hr after hatching. Thus the previous results were a consequence of an abnormally narrow range of embryonic auditory stimulation. A 2nd experiment showed that, if the birds' postnatal perception was to be normal, the embryos could not be merely exposed to the rhythmic component of the contact call, but had to experience the characteristic frequency modulation of the call as well. These results indicate that we require surprisingly detailed information about the sensory stimulation present during the usual course of development of our subject species if we are to give an appropriate interpretation to the results of early experiential and critical period manipulations. Knowledge of usual sensory-stimulative variations has not been a conspicuous feature of developmental psychobiological studies in the past.
Quantitative measurement of discoloration pigment in injured potato tissue by densitometry

A method for objective evaluation of internal discoloration in bruised potato tissue using a recording densitometer and thin tissue slices was developed. The test takes 3 to 5 minutes per sample and measures quantitatively the pigment present in the discolored tissue.
The Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Pancreatoblastoma in Adults: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Pancreatoblastoma is an extremely rare pancreatic neoplasm in adults. The aim of this study is to report our experience with adult pancreatoblastoma as well as review the cases reported in the literature in order to provide guidelines for the management of patients with this rare neoplasm. We have encountered three cases of pancreatoblastoma in adults at our institution in addition to the 30 cases reported to date in literature. The median age of pancreatoblastoma in adults is 37 years (range, 18–78 years); men and women are similarly affected (male/female = 16/17). The behavior of pancreatoblastoma is clearly that of a malignant neoplasm, with local invasion, recurrence, and metastasis. Among the adult reported cases, at diagnosis or operation, metastasis and/or local invasion was found in 14 of 31 adult patients (46 %) (2 patients had no data) The survival was significantly higher in patients with resected tumor (resection only and resection + adjuvant chemo/radiotherapy) when compared to unresected patients (palliative chemo/radiotherapy and no treatment), (p = 0.008, HR = 0.20). When disease is localized, the treatment of choice is a complete surgical resection. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy is still unclear based on the very small number of patients treated.
Subrings of R[X] Fixed by R-Automorphisms

Let R be a ring with identity and let R[X] be the polynomial ring over R in one indeterminate X. Let G(R) denote the group of R-automorphisms of R[X] and B(R) ⊆ G(R) the subgroup of R-automorphisms mapping X to a linear polynomial. For any subset S of G(R), R[X] S denotes the subring of R[X] fixed by the elements of S. In 1984, Dowlen showed that if R is assumed to be commutative, then R[X] G(R) = R[X] B(R). We establish the analogous result for noncommutative rings R and give some generalizations and applications.
Stock and Bond Sharpe Ratios and Long-Horizon Asset Allocation

The authors examine the use of Sharpe ratio rankings to draw inferences about asset allocation, especially asset allocation for investors with relatively long investment horizons. First, they demonstrate that Sharpe ratio rankings of stocks and bonds, as they are usually calculated, can be misleading when longer investment horizons are considered. Second, the authors show that since investors face limitations on portfolio leverage and margin terms in practice, using Sharpe ratio rankings as a basis for asset allocation decisions can lead to errors at any horizon. A recent article that uses Sharpe ratio rankings to argue for a large bond component in long-horizon portfolios is used to illustrate both of these potential errors in practical applications and to suggest alternative methods.