cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Classification, diagnosis, and management of conjunctival lymphoma.

Lymphoma is a malignant lymphoproliferative tumor that can involve the conjunctiva. Approximately 5–15% of all extranodal lymphomas are found in the ocular adnexal region, with approximately 25% of those involving the conjunctiva. Ninety-eight percent of conjunctival lymphomas arise from B-lymphocytes. The most common subtype of conjunctival lymphoma is extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (80%), followed by follicular lymphoma (8%), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (3%) and mantle cell lymphoma (3%). Natural killer and T cells (NK/T) are rare causes of lymphoma. While most conjunctival lymphomas are localized to the ocular adnexa at the time of presentation, systemic examination and management are of key importance in the long-term care of the patient. This review outlines the classification, etiology, presentation, diagnosis, and management of conjunctival lymphoma. The novel use of high resolution optical coherence tomography, both as a diagnostic tool and as a means for ongoing evaluation during treatment, is illustrated. Treatment options discussed include external beam radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, antibiotic therapy, and combination regimens. Future investigation of the etiology and pathogenesis of conjunctival lymphoma is expected to reveal opportunities for innovative and individualized therapeutic agents. Collaboration between multiple disciplines is key in the advancement of the field.
Comparison of low-dose CT with CT/CT fluoroscopy guidance in percutaneous sacral and supra-acetabular cementoplasty.

Purpose Percutaneous cementoplasty is a minimally invasive treatment modality for painful osteoporotic and pathologic sacral and supra-acetabular iliac fractures. This study compares the use of low-dose CT guidance with CT/CT fluoroscopy in sacral and supra-acetabular cementoplasty. Methods A retrospective review of patients who had undergone sacral or supra-acetabular cementoplasty was performed with patients grouped by use of CT/CT fluoroscopy or low-dose CT guidance during the procedure. Parameters evaluated included type of fracture, laterality of lesions, pain scores, pain medication use, imaging parameters, procedure time, dose-length product, effective dose, cement volume, and complications. Results There were 17 patients identified who underwent cementoplasty utilizing dual CT/CT fluoroscopy, while 13 patients had their procedures performed with low-dose CT. There was a statistically significant decrease in radiation dose in the low-dose CT group (1481 mGy•cm) compared with the CT/CT fluoroscopy group (2809 mGy•cm) (P = 0.013). There was a significant decrease in procedure time with low-dose CT for bilateral lesions (P = 0.016). There was no significant difference between groups in complication rate (P = 0.999). Clinically nonsignificant cement extravasation occurred in two patients (10%) in the CT/CT fluoroscopy group and in one patient (8%) in the low-dose CT group (P = 0.999). There was a significant decrease in pain scores compared with baseline on the visual analogue scale in both groups at 1 week (low-dose CT P = 0.002, CT/CT fluoroscopy P = 0.008) and 1 month postprocedure (low-dose CT P = 0.014, CT/CT fluoroscopy P = 0.004), but no difference between groups at 1 day (P = 0.196), 1 week (P = 0.368), or 1 month (P = 0.514). Conclusion Sacral and supra-acetabular cementoplasties can be performed safely and precisely using low-dose multiple-acquisition CT guidance while providing significant radiation dose reduction with no difference in extravasation rates, postprocedural pain reduction, and complications compared with CT/CT fluoroscopy.
Multiple overlapping hypothalamus-brainstem circuits drive rapid threat avoidance

Animals survive environmental challenges by adapting their physiology and behavior through homeostatic regulatory processes, mediated in part by specific neuropeptide release from the hypothalamus. Animals can also avoid environmental stressors within seconds, a fast behavioral adaptation for which hypothalamic involvement is not established. Using brain-wide neural activity imaging in behaving zebrafish, here we find that hypothalamic neurons are rapidly engaged during common avoidance responses elicited by various environmental stressors. By developing methods to register cellular-resolution neural dynamics to multiplexed in situ gene expression, we find that each category of stressor recruits similar combinations of multiple peptidergic cell types in the hypothalamus. Anatomical analysis and functional manipulations demonstrate that these diverse cell types play shared roles in behavior, are glutamatergic, and converge upon spinal-projecting brainstem neurons required for avoidance. These data demonstrate that hypothalamic neural populations, classically associated with slow and specific homeostatic adaptations, also together give rise to fast and generalized avoidance behavior.
Machine learning discovery of longitudinal patterns of depression and suicidal ideation.

Background and aim Depression is often accompanied by thoughts of self-harm, which are a strong predictor of subsequent suicide attempt and suicide death. Few empirical data are available regarding the temporal correlation between depression symptoms and suicidal ideation. We investigated the anecdotal concern that suicidal ideation may increase during a period of depression improvement. Data Longitudinal Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 is a questionnaire of 9 multiple-choice questions to assess the frequency of depressive symptoms within the previous two weeks. We analyzed a chronic depression treatment population's electronic health record (EHR) data, containing 610 patients' longitudinal PHQ-9 scores (62% age 45 and older; 68% female) within 40 weeks. Methods The irregular and sparse EHR data were transformed into continuous trajectories using Gaussian process regression. We first estimated the correlations between the symptoms (total score of the first 8 questions; PHQ-8) and suicide ideation (9th question score; Item 9) using the cross-correlation function. We then used an artificial neural network (ANN) to discover subtypes of depression patterns from the fitted depression trajectories. In addition, we conducted a separate analysis using the unfitted raw PHQ scores to examine PHQ-8's and Item 9's pattern changes. Results Results showed that the majority of patients' PHQ-8 and Item 9 scores displayed strong temporal correlations. We found five patterns in the PHQ-8 and the Item 9 trajectories. We also found 8% - 13% of the patients have experienced an increase in suicidal ideation during the improvement of their PHQ-8. Using a trajectory-based method for subtype pattern detection in depression progression, we provided a better understanding of temporal correlations between depression symptoms over time.
The Hidden Elephant Is Oppression: Shaming, Mobbing, and Institutional Betrayals within the Academy—Finding Strength in Collaborative Self-Study

In this collaborative self-study, we examined our experiences of oppression and exclusion as tenure-track assistant professors possessing intersecting outsider statuses. We found that oppression is...
A Multi‐Phase Quality Improvement Initiative for the Treatment of Active Delirium in Older Persons

Background/objectives The Hospital Elder Life Program emerged 20 years ago as the reference model for delirium prevention in hospitalized older patients. However, implementation has been achieved at only 200 hospitals worldwide over the last 20 years. Among the barriers to implementation for some institutions is an unwillingness of hospital administration to assume the costs associated with implementing programs that service all hospitalized older patients at risk for delirium. Facing such a situation, we implemented a unique and self-evolving model of care of older hospitalized patients who had already developed delirium. Design Hypothesis testing was carried out using a pretest-posttest design on program administrative data. Setting Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, a tertiary-care teaching facility. PARTICIPANTS A total of 9,214 consecutively admitted older patients to non-intensive care (ICU) inpatient units over a 5.5-year period, regardless of the suspected presence of delirium or risk status for developing delirium. Intervention A delirium intervention program targeting patients in whom delirium has already developed, with a modified delirium team supported by extensive workflow automation with custom tools in our electronic medical records system. Measurements Length of stay (LOS) for delirious and non-delirious patients on units where this program was piloted. Benzodiazepine, opiate, and antipsychotic use on the same units. Results There was a significant drop in LOS by 1.98 days (95% confidence interval = .24-3.71), a decrease in the average morphine dose equivalents administered from .38 mg to .21 mg per patient hospital day, diazepam dose equivalents from .22 mg to .15 mg per patient hospital day, and quetiapine administered from .17 mg to .14 mg per patient hospital day for delirious patients on the program pilot units. Conclusion Elements of our unique active delirium treatment program may provide some direction to other program developers working on improving the care of older hospitalized delirious patients. However, the supporting evidence presented is limited, and a more rigorous prospective study is needed.
On Point: A Review of Ross Guberman's Point Taken: How to Write Like the World's Best Judges

Ross Guberman’s latest book, Point Taken, is an instruction manual on judicial-opinion writing. Guberman takes the approach that simply telling others how to be good writers will not make them good writers—they have to learn by example through studying good writing. And that is exactly what Guberman does in Point Taken; he offers excellent snippets from the world’s best judicial-opinion writers to teach and inspire.
The Effect of Dust and Sand on the 5G Terrestrial Links.

Wireless connections are a communication channel used to support different applications in our life such as microwave connections, mobile cellular networks, and intelligent transportation systems. The wireless communication channels are affected by different weather factors such as rain, snow, fog, dust, and sand. This effect is more evident in the high frequencies of the millimeter-wave (mm-wave) band. Recently, the 5G opened the door to support different applications with high speed and good quality. A recent study investigates the effect of rain and snow on the 5G communication channel to reduce the challenge of using high millimeter-wave frequencies. This research investigates the impact of dust and sand on the communication channel of 5G mini links using Mie scattering model to estimate the propagating wave's attenuation by computing the free space loss of a dusty region. Also, the cross-polarization of the propagating wave with dust and sand is taken into account at different distances of the propagating length. Two kinds of mini links, ML-6363, and ML-6352, are considered to demonstrate the effect of dust and sand in these specific operating frequency bands. The 73.5 GHz (V-band) and (21.5GHz (K-band) are the ML-6352 and ML-6363 radio frequency, respectively. Also, signal depolarization is another important radio frequency transmission parameter that is considered heroin. The numerical and simulation results show that the 5G ML-6352 is more effect by dust and sand than ML6363. The 5G toolbox is used to build the communication system and simulate the effect of the dust and sand on the different frequency bands.
Nucleoside antibiochemotherapy repressed the growth, chemoresistance, survival, and metastatic potentials of castration-resistant prostate cancer cells

There is currently no definitive cure for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), therefore justifying the incessant need for more investigative studies to either repurpose old drugs or identify novel and effective therapeutics. In this study, we investigated the possible anticancer effects of two nucleoside antibiotics: puromycin and blasticidin. We hypothesized that the two antibiotics alone or combined with other drugs will inhibit prostate cancer (PCa) cell proliferation and metastasis and induce cell death via apoptosis. mCRPC cell lines (PC3 and DU145) with different p53-gene statuses were cultured and seeded in 96 well-plates, and thereafter treated with varying concentrations of puromycin and blasticidin (1 ng/mL - 100 g/mL) for 24 - 48 hours. Resazurin reduction and/or MTT assays were done to evaluate the treatment-induced effects on mCRPC cell viability and proliferation. The colony-forming assay measured the cell survival rate following treatment nucleoside antibiotics while scratch migration assay and dual-fluorescent microscopy assessed the effects on metastatic potential and cell death, respectively. The two antibiotics were combined with either paclitaxel, docetaxel, or cabazitaxel to check for synergism. Our results indicate that both antibiotics exhibit dose- and time-dependent anticancer effects on growth, survival, and metastasis of mCRPCs. PC3 cells were significantly more susceptible to both antibiotics compared to DU145 cells. Both cell lines were more susceptible to puromycin compared to blasticidin. Synergism was observed when each antibiotic compound was combined with any of the three taxanes. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that both puromycin and blasticidin could be explored for the treatment of mCRPC. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=179 SRC="FIGDIR/small/457225v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (25K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1bc2ae5org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@a438deorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@191ad84org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@116d7c4_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG
Residential treatment outcomes for adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder

AbstractObjective: We examined outcomes from a residential treatment program emphasizing exposure and response prevention (ERP) to determine if the typically robust response to this treatment in outpatient settings extends to patients treated in this unique context. Method: One hundred and seventy-two adolescents with primary Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) completed measures at admission and discharge. Almost all (92.4%) participants had at least two diagnoses and nearly half (44.2%) had three or more. Treatment consisted of intensive ERP (i.e., approximately 26.5 hr per week), additional cognitive behavioral therapy interventions, and medication management within a residential setting. In contrast to the samples reported on in the vast majority of other pediatric OCD trials, participants in the current study were living apart from their families and were immersed within the treatment setting, with staff members available at all times. Results: Paired sample t-tests revealed significant decreases in ...
Convergence Analysis of Parametric Optimization Methods

This chapter deals with some simple convergence results related to the parametric optimization methods discussed in Chap. 5. The main idea underlying convergence analysis of an algorithm is to identify (mathematically) the solution to which the algorithm converges. Hence to prove that an algorithm works, one must show that the algorithm converges to the optimal solution. In this chapter, this is precisely what we will attempt to do with some algorithms of Chap. 5.
A unified adaptive approach to accurate skin detection

Due to variations of lighting conditions and camera hardware settings and the existence of many ethnic people with a wide range of skin colors, a generic skin model is often inadequate to accurately capture the skin distribution for individual images. In this paper, we propose an adaptive skin detection framework, which allows modeling title skin distribution with significantly higher accuracy and flexibility. First, an adaptive skin model, specific to the image under consideration and refined from the skin-similar space, is derived using a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and standard expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. Then, we develop a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to identify the skin Gaussian from the trained GMM (with two Gaussian components) by incorporating spatial and shape information of skin pixels. Extensive experimental results performed on large image databases have demonstrated the effectiveness and benefits of the proposed approach.
Relation Between Deoxyribonucleic Acid and Intracytoplasmic Membranes in Escherichia coli O111a1

Abstract The possibility of a relationship between intracytoplasmic membranes and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in Escherichia coli O111a1 has been investigated. To facilitate this investigation, a simple enzymatic assay for the amount of internal membrane present in a culture was developed. This assay was then used to show that the appearance of intracytoplasmic membranes is accompanied by an increase in the DNA content of the cells. Electron micrographs have confirmed this observation and have shown DNA to be in contact with the intracytoplasmic membranes. Extensive membranes were observed at sites of apparently unsuccessful attempts at cell division. These observations led to the conclusion that the internal membrane formed by strain O111a1 represents “extra” membrane, which is functional in that it contains sites for DNA replication, but is produced in excess because the organism is somehow defective in its regulation of membrane synthesis.
The Method of Law and Economics: Lectures on the George Mason School: Lecture 1 - What Matters?

My objective in this course is to provide a general introduction to the method and content of the economic analysis of law, as it has been developed in the English-language literature, with emphasis on the contributions of those who are associated with what I believe will be known to history as the George Mason school of thought. Secondarily, I would like to use the course to convey some idea of the nature of instruction in American law schools.
Pneumococcus pelvic infection in women

Abstract Pneumococcus pelvic infection has been presented as an unusual problem in obstetrics and gynecology. The incidence, origin, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of such infection have been discussed and measures for clinical study and for prophylaxis have been suggested. Twenty-four cases have been cited from the literature and three new cases have been reported in detail.
Identification and evaluation of the security requirements in medical applications

The author summarizes the security aspects of today's medical information systems and evaluates the software security requirements necessary for the computerized systems of tomorrow. She then discusses how these concerns are addressed by today's technology. Particular emphasis is placed on the security gaps in today's technology. >
Carl Rogers, Religion, and the Role of Psychology in American Culture

Humanistic psychology is often caricatured as having both aided and abetted the rise of modern narcissism. This charge is, however, a seriously misguided one as becomes evident through a closer rea...
Strategic behavior in monkeys

In a recent paper, Lee et al. examined adaptive decision-making processes by training monkeys to play a competitive game against a computer programmed to play using various strategies. They found that the monkeys' responses were sensitive to the computer's strategies and consistent with reinforcement learning. Research such as this strongly complements current research in behavioral economics. We propose some potential future directions for this work, and put forward conjectures about what might be learned about decision-making in humans.
Equine abortion (herpes) virus-specific RNA

Abstract In L-M cells infected with equine abortion (herpes) virus, virus-specific RNA can be detected in cytoplasmic or in polysomal fractions by DNA-RNA hybridization techniques. It is made continuously from 2 hr postinfection, and approximately one-third to one-half that made during the interval 10–12 hr postinfection is of a species not made early (2–4 hr) after infection.
Patient ethnicity and perceptions of families and friends regarding depression treatment

Objective. Black Americans are less likely than white Americans to seek professional treatment for depression. Whether treatment recommendations are sought and implemented by patients will be influenced by the role families and friends play in diagnostic acceptance and treatment decisions. We investigated the association of ethnicity with the perceived need for treatment of depression by family and friends of older primary care patients. Design. Cross-sectional survey of 355 older adults with and without significant depressive symptoms was conducted. At the baseline visit, family and friends’ ratings of apathy and need for depression treatment were obtained on 314 of the 355 patients (88% response rate) and examined according to ethnicity. Participants were interviewed using standardized measures of chronic medical conditions, functional status, and psychological status. Results. Older black patients compared to older white patients were less likely to be rated as needing depression treatment by their fam...
Detecting salinity stress in tall fescue based on single leaf spectrum

Abstract Salinity problems are becoming more and more severe in turfgrass management, which can cause physiological stress to turfgrass and deteriorate soil structure. Tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is a cool-season turfgrass with moderate to high tolerance to salinity. The objective of this study was to compare indices of single leaf spectrum and direct physiological parameters in their ability to detect tall fescue responses to salinity stress. Two tall fescue varieties, Tar Heel II (salt tolerant) and Wolfpack (salt sensitive) were established in washed silica sand. At the 4-leaf stage, salinity treatment was applied by adding NaCl and CaCl 2 (1:1 w/w) to the Hoagland cultural solution in 16 g L −1 , and the control received Hoagland solution only. Relative water content (RWC), total chlorophyll (Chl) content, quantum yield of photosystem II, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance of the 4th leaf decreased in the salinity treated plants compared to the control, with RWC and Chl showed more sensitivity. At least three indices calculated based on single leaf reflectance spectrum (350–1000 nm), modified simple ratio vegetation index (mSR 750/705 ), modified normalized difference vegetation index (mND 750/705 ), and stress index (SI 710/760 ), were sensitive in differentiation of salinity stress from untreated plants. Three indices also were significantly correlated to the two major physiological parameters. Correlation coefficients of RWC to mSR 750/705 , mND 750/705 , and SI 710/760 were 0.64, 0.60, and −0.52 on average. Correlation coefficients of Chl to mSR 750/705 , mND 750/705 , and SI 710/760 were 0.78, 0.79, and −0.68 on average.
Slave Law and Claims-Making in Cuba: The Tannenbaum Debate Revisited

Scholars of slavery in Latin America are giving renewed attention to the study of the law. Although this literature is not as developed and sophisticated as in the United States, where slavery has been a central concern of legal historians for quite some time, a specialized subfield seems to be in the making. This is a welcome development. After all, every important aspect of slaves' lives in the Iberian colonies, from birth and nourishment to marriage, leisure, punishment, and rest, was regulated in theory by a vast, indeed massive, array of positive laws. Some of these regulations had been part of the traditional statutes of Castile for centuries, others were passed by the Crown or by local organs of administration and power.
Radiation-Hardened Field Coils for FMIT Quadrupoles

Modern accelerators of the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test (FMIT) class deliver enormous power onto their targets. The high beam currents of such machines produce highly activating radiation fields from beam/target interaction and normal beam losses. The 100-mA deuteron beam from the FMIT accelerator produces a backstreaming fast-neutron flux of 1011 n/s-cm2 near the target. In addition, the neutron contribution from distributed beam spill of 3 ?A/m along the rest of the machine prevents the use of epoxy resin potting materials in all magnet field coils above 10-MeV beam energies. Two special techniques for radiation-hardened field coils have been developed at Los Alamos for use on the FMIT accelerator. One technique uses vitreous enamel coatings on the conductors and appears attractive for the drift-tube quadrupoles. Another method uses a thermally efficient two-layer coil design that has solid mineral-insulated (MI) conductors with indirect cooling coils, all bonded together in a lead matrix. Test results are discussed, along with applications of the quadrupoles in the FMIT facility that reduce gamma exposures during maintenance periods.
Gerry Knowles, A cultural history of the English language. London: Arnold, 1997. Pp. x, 180. Hb $59.95, pb $20.00.

In his preface, Knowles makes clear what his book is not. It is not a history of literary English, and it is not an account of changes in linguistic form; it is a “cultural history.” In the introductory chapter, he declares: “In view of the close connection between language and power, it is impossible to treat the history of the language without reference to politics” (9). Of course, books that purport to be histories of English have often “treated” the subject without apparent politics. Knowles is right in alleging that the politics of such books has often been implicit, since most of them provide information about the ascent of one variety of the language to the elevated status of a standard – as if that were an inevitable and desirable result of the spirit of goodness working itself out through speech.
Oil transesterification over calcium oxides modified with lanthanum

Abstract Investigations were conducted on a series of calcium and lanthanum oxides catalyst for biodiesel production. Mixed oxides catalyst showed a superior transesterification activity over pure calcium or pure lanthanum oxide catalysts. The catalyst activity was correlated with surface basicity and specific surface areas. The effects of water and free fatty acids (FFA) levels in oil feedstock, water and CO2 in air, mass ratio of catalyst, molar ratio of oil to methanol, and reaction temperature on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield were investigated. Under optimal conditions, FAME yields reached 94.3% within 60 min at 58 °C. Mixed CaO-La2O3 catalyst showed a high tolerance to water and FFA, and could be used for converting pure or diluted unrefined/waste oils to biodiesel.
Annexin II: A Mediator of the Plasmin /Plasminogen Activator System

The annexins constitute a family of calcium-dependent membrane binding proteins. Recently, annexin II has been shown to accelerate the activation of the clot-dissolving protease plasmin by complexing with the plasmin precursor plasminogen and with tissue plasminogen activator. Binding of plasminogen to annexin II is inhibited by the atherogenic lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a), while binding of tissue plasminogen activator to annexin II is blocked by the thiol amino acid homocysteine. Formation of the plasminogen/tissue plasminogen activator/annexin II complex may represent a key regulatory mechanism in fibrinolytic surveillance.
Mantle peridotites from continental rifts to ocean basins to subduction zones

Abstract Some key parameters for mantle-derived spinel peridotites from the North Atlantic, such as reconstructed primary modal and bulk composition, Al2O3 content of orthopyroxene (opx), Fo content of olivine, and 100 Cr/(Cr + Al) of spinel, have been compared with the same parameters for peridotite bodies from preoceanic rifts (Zabargad Island in the Red Sea), passive ocean margins (Iberian and Spitsbergen margins in the North Atlantic and southwest Australian margin in the Pacific-Antarctic Ocean) and subduction-related active margins (Mariana, Tonga and Puerto Rico trenches). Going from preoceanic rifts to passive margins to a mature ocean to subduction zones, peridotite bulk and opx Al2O3 content and modal clinopyroxene (cpx) content decrease, while olivine Fo, bulk and opx 100 Mg/(Mg + Fe), and spinel 100 Cr/(Cr + Al) increase. These systematic changes, compared with experimental data, suggest an increase of the degree of depletion of the peridotites going from a preoceanic rift to passive margins to mature oceans to subduction-related active margins. Data on Al2O3 partition between spinel and opx and application of Wells (1977) cpx-opx geothermometry suggest that peridotites from a preoceanic rift (Red Sea) and from passive margins equilibrated in the mantle under cooler conditions than oceanic peridotites. This is in agreement with the concept of a cooler thermal regime and slower asthenospheric upwelling beneath preoceanic, northern Red Sea-type rifts than beneath mid-ocean ridges. Subduction zone peridotites are more depleted than even the most refractory oceanic peridotites, though they show relatively low temperatures of equilibration, supporting the idea of water-induced melting of slivers of oceanic upper mantle near subduction zones.
A Fast Algorithm for the First-Passage Times of Gauss-Markov Processes with Hölder Continuous Boundaries

Even for simple diffusion processes, treating first-passage problems analytically proves intractable for generic barriers and existing numerical methods are inaccurate and computationally costly. Here, we present a novel numerical method that is faster and has more tightly controlled accuracy. Our algorithm is a probabilistic variant of dichotomic search for the computation of first passage times through non-negative homogeneously Holder continuous boundaries by Gauss-Markov processes. These include the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process underlying the ubiquitous “leaky integrate-and-fire” model of neuronal excitation. Our method evaluates discrete points in a sample path exactly, and refines this representation recursively only in regions where a passage is rigorously estimated to be probable (e.g. when close to the boundary).
Chinese Real Estate Market Performance: Stock Market Linkages, Liquidity Pressures, and Inflationary Effects

The 2009 surge in bank lending in China was accompanied by allegations of substantial funds being funneled into the nation's stock and property markets. This paper uses 1999-2011 data to examine the possible linkages between lending activity, real estate prices, stock prices and inflation. We find empirical support for housing prices responding to increases in liquidity and lending rates along with evidence of co-determination of stock prices and housing prices. House price inflation also appears to consistently impact the overall inflation rate in China based on both causality testing and VAR estimation.
A giant coronal arch observed by Skylab

The limb event of 13 August 1973, observed by Skylab in soft X-rays, has all the typical characteristics of the giant post-flare arches observed by HXIS and FCS on board SMM in the 1980s. Skylab images provide us with 4–5 times better angular resolution than the SMM experiments and thus, for the first time, make it possible to distinguish the real fine structure of a giant post-flare arch. The image processing of the 13/14 August 1973 event is now in progress.
Assay for S-adenosylmethionine: Methionine methyltransferase

Abstract A quantitative assay for S-adenosylmethionine: methionine methyltransferase in phosphate buffer extracts has been developed. This enzyme catalyzes the biosynthesis of S-methylmethionine from methionine and S-adenosylmethionine. The radioactively labeled product, S-methylmethionine, is first separated from the radioactively labeled substrate, l -methionine, by means of ion-exchange chromatography. Once separated thusly, the amount present can then be directly determined by the use of a liquid scintillation spectrometer.
Metal fume fever and polymer fume fever.

AbstractIntroduction. Inhalational exposure to metal-containing fumes generated by welding and related processes may result in the development of the clinical syndrome known as “metal fume fever.” Polymer fume fever is a separate and distinct but related disorder that has been associated with inhalational exposure to specific fluorinated polymer products, such as polytetrafluoroethylene or Teflon®. We undertook a review of the peer-reviewed medical literature as it relates to these two disease entities in order to describe their epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and prognosis. Methodology. We performed a search of the PubMed (www.pubmed.com) and Ovid MEDLINE (ovidsp.tx.ovid.com) databases for keywords “metal fume fever,” “polymer fume fever,” and “fume fever,” covering the period 1946 to September 2014, which resulted in a total of 141 citations. Limiting the search to articles published in the English language yielded 115 citations. These 115 articles...
Molluscicidal saponins fromallium vineale

Abstract Several molluscicidal saponins have been isolated from the bulbs of Allium vineale and their structures assigned using spectroscopic techniques. Particularly important were the use of 2D-NMR spectroscopy for resolved the structure of the saccharide unit.
Web-based expert system for foundry pollution prevention

Pollution prevention is a complex task. Many small foundries lack the in-house expertise to perform these tasks. Expert systems are a type of computer information system that incorporates artificial intelligence. As noted in the literature, they provide a means of automating specialized expertise. This approach may be further leveraged by implementing the expert system on the internet (or world-wide web). This will allow distribution of the expertise to a variety of geographically-dispersed foundries. The purpose of this research is to develop a prototype web-based expert system to support pollution prevention for the foundry industry. The prototype system identifies potential emissions for a specified process, and also provides recommendations for the prevention of these contaminants. The system is viewed as an initial step toward assisting the foundry industry in better meeting government pollution regulations, as well as improving operating efficiencies within these companies.
Anatomical model of the cochlea of the alligator lizard

The three-dimensional structure of the cochlea of the alligator lizard was examined and an anatomical model was constructed. Separate pieces of the model represent the cochlear duct and posterior branch of the eighth cranial nerve. These pieces fit together inside a transparent plastic piece that represents the bony capsule. In this paper, the method used to construct the anatomical model is described, and three-dimensional features of cochlear anatomy are illustrated.
Ternary composites of delaminated-MnO2/PDDA/functionalized-CNOs for high-capacity supercapacitor electrodes

Composite materials are synthesized by combining chemically functionalized carbon nano-onions (ONCNOs), a polyelectrolyte (polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride, PDDA) and delaminated layered-manganese oxides (MnO2). While carbon nano-onions are among the least studied carbon allotropes to date, extensive research has been reported on various types of crystalline and amorphous MnO2 to overcome their limitations for energy storage applications. We have developed a synergistically tuned synthesis of MnO2-based composites with ONCNOs via a sequential chemical deposition technique to achieve high-capacity supercapacitor electrodes with long-term stability. A composite with 55 wt% MnO2 on PDDA modified ONCNOs exhibits a high-capacitance of 218.6 F g−1 in a symmetric two-electrode cell containing an aqueous electrolyte (1.0 M Na2SO4) with a high-energy density of 6.14 W h kg−1. Analytical techniques, such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and electrochemical measurements (cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge, and impedance), are employed to fully characterize the synthesized materials and to understand their electrochemical behavior. Emphasis is also given to understand the phenomenon that promotes higher capacitance and long-term stability of such composites based on MnO2 redox chemistry.
Association between maternal characteristics, abnormal serum aneuploidy analytes, and placental abruption

Objective The objective of the study was to examine the association between placental abruption, maternal characteristics, and routine first- and second-trimester aneuploidy screening analytes. Study Design The study consisted of an analysis of 1017 women with and 136,898 women without placental abruption who had first- and second-trimester prenatal screening results, linked birth certificate, and hospital discharge records for a live-born singleton. Maternal characteristics and first- and second-trimester aneuploidy screening analytes were analyzed using logistic binomial regression. Results Placental abruption was more frequent among women of Asian race, age older than 34 years, women with chronic and pregnancy-associated hypertension, preeclampsia, preexisting diabetes, previous preterm birth, and interpregnancy interval less than 6 months. First-trimester pregnancy-associated plasma protein–A of the fifth percentile or less, second-trimester alpha fetoprotein of the 95th percentile or greater, unconjugated estriol of the fifth percentile or less, and dimeric inhibin-A of the 95th percentile or greater were associated with placental abruption as well. When logistic models were stratified by the presence or absence of hypertensive disease, only maternal age older than 34 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0–2.0), pregnancy-associated plasma protein–A of the 95th percentile or less (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2–3.1), and alpha fetoprotein of the 95th percentile or greater (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4–3.8) remained statistically significantly associated for abruption. Conclusion In this large, population-based cohort study, abnormal maternal aneuploidy serum analyte levels were associated with placental abruption, regardless of the presence of hypertensive disease.
A sequence for biology studies.

As another parent of two children who have bad high school biology (both had the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study Blue Version course), I would like to comment on Branson's letter (28 Oct.). My children have both come away, instilled with enthusiasm for the study of biology, with the feeling that it's a science, that it's understandable, and that it bas principles. I feel that the BSCS Blue Version high school course is a great advance over its predecessors, precisely because it is so intellectually interesting and stimulating. It teaches the excitement of modern biology. It cannot, of course, teach all of the facts. No course can. The most that a high school biology course can do is to awaken the student's interest, and thence to help him to want to learn for himself other related biological matters.
Tumor specific gene expression profiles in human leiomyosarcoma: an evaluation of intratumor heterogeneity.

Leiomyosarcomas are malignant smooth muscle tumors characterized by a spectrum of histopathologic features and clinical behavior. Gene expression profiling of leiomyosarcomas may identify differential gene signatures that may allow for the clinical stratification of the tumors. Typically, surgical specimens from these tumors are large and manifest a variegated macroscopic appearance. Because of their large size at the time of diagnosis, sufficient tissue is available for regional and clonal heterogeneity assessment. However, if the gene expression profiles of samples taken from different locations in the tumors are drastically different, biologic classification on the basis of random sample analysis may not be adequate. Therefore, to assess intertumor and intratumor heterogeneity, the authors performed a gene expression study using leiomyosarcoma specimens from three excised sarcomas from an equal number of different patients. Comparisons between tumor and normal samples from the three patients as well as between carefully mapped peripheral and core specimens from the same tumor (excised from one of the patients), were performed. Analysis of the expression profiles demonstrated minimal intratumor variations compared with intertissue variations, indicating homogeneous tumor specific gene expression profiles. The authors also identified genes that are expressed differentially in tumor and normal tissue.
Noise reduction in elastograms using temporal stretching with multicompression averaging.

Abstract Elastography uses estimates of the time delay (obtained by cross-correlation) to compute strain estimates in tissue due to quasistatic compression. Because the time delay estimates do not generally occur at the sampling intervals, the location of the cross-correlation peak does not give and accurate estimate of the time delay. Sampling errors in the time-delay estimate are reduced using signal interpolation techniques to obtain subsample time-delay estimates. Distortions of the echo signals due to tissue compression introduce correlation artifacts in the elastogram. These artifacts are reduced by a combination of small compressions and temporal stretching of the postcompression signal. Random noise effects in the resulting elastograms are reduced by averaging several elastograms, obtained from successive small compressions (assuming that the errors are uncorrelated). Multicompression averaging with temporal stretching is shown to increase the signal-to-noise ratio in the elastogram by an order of magnitude, without sacrificing sensitivity, resolution or dynamic range. The strain filter concept is extended in this article to theoretically characterize the performance of multicompression averaging with temporal stretching.
Reminiscences of the editor of the Kansas Geological Survey Computer Contributions, 1966–1970 & a byte

Abstract A brief history of the Kansas Geological Survey's Computer Contributions is presented along with the people involved in development of the first geological computer freeware.
David E. Ruth, Inventing the Public Enemy: The Gangster in American Culture, 1918-1934. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996. 190 pp. Paper, $15.95

(1997). David E. Ruth, Inventing the Public Enemy: The Gangster in American Culture, 1918-1934. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996. 190 pp. Paper, $15.95. American Journalism: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 121-123.
Model fitting in (n+1) dimensions.

Conventionally, fitting a mathematical model to empirically derived data is achieved by varying model parameters to minimize the deviations between expected and observed values in the dependent dimension. However, when functions to be fit are multivalued (e.g., an ellipse), conventional model fitting procedures fail. A novel (n+1)-dimensional [(n+1)-D] model fitting procedure is presented which can solve such problems by transforming the n-D model and data into (n+1)-D space and then minimizing deviations in the constructed dimension. While the (n+1)-D procedure provides model fits identical to those obtained with conventional methods for single-valued functions, it also extends parameter estimation to multivalued functions.
Observations of “pairing-free” Kπ = 1+ rotational bands in deformed odd-odd A ∼ 100 nuclei

Abstract Rotational bands with K π = 1 + in the odd-odd nuclei 100,102 39 Y and 102,104 41 Nb are postulated from β − decay of t heir even-even parents. Each two-quasiparticle band has a moment of inertia very close to that of a rigid spheroidal nucleus with deformation β ∼ 0.3, hence these bands are nearly “pairing free”.
The boundary layer regime in a porous layer with uniform heat flux from the side

Abstract This paper reports an analytical solution and a numerical study of natural convection in a rectangular porous layer heated and cooled with uniform heat flux along the vertical side walls. It is shown analytically that in theboundary layer regime the vertical boundary layer thickness isconstant (independent of altitude) and the core region is motionless. The vertical temperature gradient is the same constant everywhere in the porous layer. Numerical results are reported in the range 100 results.
An increase in side chain entropy facilitates effector binding: NMR characterization of the side chain methyl group dynamics in Cdc42Hs.

Cdc42Hs is a signal transduction protein that is involved in cytoskeletal growth and organization. We describe here the methyl side chain dynamics of three forms of 2H,13C,15N-Cdc42Hs [GDP-bound (inactive), GMPPCP-bound (active), and GMPPCP/PBD46-bound (effector-bound)] from 13C-1H NMR measurements of deuterium T1 and T1ρ relaxation times. A wide variation in flexibility was observed throughout the protein, with methyl axis order parameters (S2axis) ranging from 0.2 to 0.4 (highly disordered) in regions near the PBD46 binding site to 0.8−1.0 (highly ordered) in some helices. The side chain dynamics of the GDP and GMPPCP forms are similar, with methyl groups on the PBD46 binding surface experiencing significantly greater mobility (lower S2axis) than those not on the binding surface. Binding of PBD46 results in a significant increase in the disorder and a corresponding increase in entropy for the majority of methyl groups. Many of the methyl groups that experience an increase in mobility are found in residu...
Paying Particle Attention to Novel Melanoma Treatment Strategies

Malignant melanoma remains the deadliest form of skin cancer because of its highly aggressive nature and the lack of effective treatments. Recent investigations into alternative treatment strategies have highlighted the exciting potential of nanoparticles to increase melanoma cell delivery and the efficacy of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and pharmacological inhibitors. In this issue, Chen et al. report a new liposomal nanoparticle for c-Myc siRNA delivery, noting it to be highly effective in reducing c-Myc expression and inhibiting melanoma tumor growth in mouse models. This preclinical study underscores the importance of investigating nanoparticle treatment options for chemoresistant melanomas.
Database-friendly random projections: Johnson-Lindenstrauss with binary coins

A classic result of Johnson and Lindenstrauss asserts that any set of n points in d-dimensional Euclidean space can be embedded into k-dimensional Euclidean space---where k is logarithmic in n and independent of d--so that all pairwise distances are maintained within an arbitrarily small factor. All known constructions of such embeddings involve projecting the n points onto a spherically random k-dimensional hyperplane through the origin. We give two constructions of such embeddings with the property that all elements of the projection matrix belong in {-1, 0, +1 }. Such constructions are particularly well suited for database environments, as the computation of the embedding reduces to evaluating a single aggregate over k random partitions of the attributes.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POPULATION DENSITY, AUTOMOBILE OWNERSHIP AND AUTOMOBILE USE: ITS ROLE IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

This study investigates the effect of population concentration, a regional issue, on automobile ownership and use. The approach is simple, straightforward and based on two empirical relationships: The first is an empirically determined function based on the hypothesis that lower population densities and higher incomes cause higher levels of automobile ownership. The second relationship expresses gasoline used per auto per year as a function of the density of population.