cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Directed Intersection Representations and the Information Content of Digraphs

Consider a directed graph (digraph) in which two user vertices are connected if and only if they share at least one unit of common information content and the head vertex has a strictly smaller content than the tail. We seek to estimate the smallest possible global information content that can explain the observed digraph topology. To address this problem, we introduce the new notion of a directed intersection representation of a digraph, and show that it is well-defined for all directed acyclic graphs (DAGs). We then proceed to describe the directed intersection number (DIN), the smallest number of information units needed to represent the DAG. Our main result is a nontrivial upper bound on the DIN number of DAGs based on the longest terminal path decomposition of the vertex set. In addition, we compute the exact values of the DIN number for several simple yet relevant families of connected DAGs and construct digraphs that have near-optimal DIN values.
Urologic treatment of nephrolithiasis.

Purpose of review The purpose of this review is to describe the options and recent developments in the urologic treatment of nephrolithiasis in children. The prevalence of nephrolithiasis in children has increased over time. The urologic treatment of nephrolithiasis ranges from observation to medical expulsive therapy with an alpha blocker for a stone in a ureter to a variety of procedures for stone removal. Recent findings Observation for small, asymptomatic renal stones is a reasonable strategy in children. Medical expulsive therapy with an alpha blocker may have a beneficial effect for passage of ureteral stones in children. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) remains an important treatment for nephrolithiasis in children. Advances in ureteroscopy with clearer digital imaging and single use ureteroscopes have made ureteroscopy more attractive. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a more invasive treatment modality but remains a good choice for children with large-stone burdens and instruments are getting smaller. Open or laparoscopic stone surgery should be reserved for unique cases. Summary Nephrolithiasis is increasing in children with differing urologic management options depending on the clinical scenario. A shared decision-making process with discussion of risks and benefits should be used to help patients and families choose a treatment option.
Kriging Convolutional Networks

Spatial interpolation is a class of estimation problems where locations with known values are used to estimate values at other locations, with an emphasis on harnessing spatial locality and trends. Traditional kriging methods have strong Gaussian assumptions, and as a result, often fail to capture complexities within the data. Inspired by the recent progress of graph neural networks, we introduce Kriging Convolutional Networks (KCN), a method of combining advantages of Graph Neural Networks (GNN) and kriging. Compared to standard GNNs, KCNs make direct use of neighboring observations when generating predictions. KCNs also contain the kriging method as a specific configuration. Empirically, we show that this model outperforms GNNs and kriging in several applications.
DnaJ-PKAc fusion induces liver inflammation in a zebrafish model of fibrolamellar carcinoma

ABSTRACT Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is a rare liver cancer that affects adolescents and young adults. Genomic analysis of FLC has revealed a 400 kb deletion in chromosome 19 that leads to the chimeric transcript DNAJB1-PRKACA (DnaJ-PKAc), comprised of the first exon of heat shock protein 40 (DNAJB1) and exons 2-10 of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PRKACA). Here, we report a new zebrafish model of FLC induced by ectopic expression of zebrafish Dnaja-Pkaca (zfDnaJa-Pkaca) in hepatocytes that is amenable to live imaging of early innate immune inflammation. Expression of zfDnaJa-Pkaca in hepatocytes induces hepatomegaly and increased hepatocyte size. In addition, FLC larvae exhibit early innate immune inflammation characterized by early infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages into the liver microenvironment. Increased Caspase-a (the zebrafish homolog for human caspase-1) activity was also found in the liver of FLC larvae, and pharmacological inhibition of Tnfα and caspase-a decreased liver size and inflammation. Overall, these findings show that innate immune inflammation is an early feature in a zebrafish model of FLC and that pharmacological inhibition of TNFα or caspase-1 activity might be targets to treat inflammation and progression in FLC patients. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
The Pharmacologic Treatment of Stuttering and Its Neuropharmacologic Basis

Stuttering is a DSM V psychiatric condition for which there are no FDA-approved medications for treatment. A growing body of evidence suggests that dopamine antagonist medications are effective in reducing the severity of stuttering symptoms. Stuttering shares many similarities to Tourette's Syndrome in that both begin in childhood, follow a similar male to female ratio of 4:1, respond to dopamine antagonists, and symptomatically worsen with dopamine agonists. In recent years, advances in the neurophysiology of stuttering have helped further guide pharmacological treatment. A newer medication with a novel mechanism of action, selective D1 antagonism, is currently being investigated in FDA trials for the treatment of stuttering. D1 antagonists possess different side-effect profiles than D2 antagonist medications and may provide a unique option for those who stutter. In addition, VMAT-2 inhibitors alter dopamine transmission in a unique mechanism of action that offers a promising treatment avenue in stuttering. This review seeks to highlight the different treatment options to help guide the practicing clinician in the treatment of stuttering.
Low field transport calculation of 2-dimensional electron gas in β - ( A l x G a 1 − x ) 2 O 3 / G a 2 O 3 heterostructures

β-Gallium oxide ( β - G a 2 O 3) is an emerging wide bandgap semiconductor with potential applications in power and RF electronic systems. Previous theoretical calculation on a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in β - ( A l x G a 1 − x ) 2 O 3 / G a 2 O 3 heterostructures, taking only polar optical and remote impurity scattering into account, shows improved mobility compared to bulk β - G a 2 O 3. However, the experimental results in 2DEGs have not achieved the predicted mobility values. In this work, we perform more comprehensive calculations to study the low field 2DEG transport properties in the β - ( A l x G a 1 − x ) 2 O 3 / G a 2 O 3 heterostructures. A self-consistent Poisson–Schrodinger simulation of a heterostructure is used to obtain the sub-band energies and the wavefunctions in the quantum well. The phonon dispersion is calculated based on the ab initio methods under the density functional theory and density functional perturbation theory frameworks. The different scatterings that are included in the calculation are due to phonons (polar and non-polar), remote impurities, the alloy disorder, and interface roughness. We include a full dynamic screening of polar optical phonons. We report the temperature dependent low-field electron mobility as a function of 2DEG density. The overall mobility is found to be increasing with electron density with an exception at low density where the antiscreening of LO phonons reduces mobility. The effect of spacer thickness, aluminum fraction, and roughness parameters on mobility is shown to be critically important. The effect of the confinement direction on 2DEG mobility is found to be small and comparable to bulk. A comparison of calculated mobility values with experimentally reported data shows a good agreement.
Biomedical Image Processing with thin films of Bacteriorhodopsin for Breast Cancer Diagnostics

We studied transient Fourier holographic gratings based on photo induced isomerization properties of thin polymer films of the protein complex Bacteriorhodopsin (bR). Real time medical image processing is demonstrated by recording and reconstructing the transient photo isomerization grating formed in the bR film using Fourier holography.
Low-Complexity Workflow for Digitizing Real-World Structures for Use in VR-Based Personnel Training

Since the advent of virtual reality (VR), there has existed a need for digital assets to populate virtual environments. Virtual training scenarios have risen in popularity in recent years, increasing the need for digital environments resembling real-world structures. However, established techniques for digitizing real-world structures as VR-ready 3D assets are often expensive, complicated to implement, and offer little to no customization/ To address these problems, a “low-complexity” digitization workflow adapted from existing research and based on procedural modeling is proposed. Procedural modeling allows for non-destructive customization and control over the digital asset throughout the front end of the digitization workflow. A real-world VR training project using this workflow is outlined, demonstrating its advantages over other established digitization techniques.
EMR Precharting Efficiency in Internal Medicine: A Scoping Review.

Purpose:The act of precharting, or navigating the EMR to review a patient’s recent vitals, labs, notes, and other results, is something that is required of every clinician prior to effective roundi...
Aid for trade : do countries that need it, get it?

This paper is designed to help both the beneficiary governments and donors of aid-for-trade identify countries that are under-performing in trade and which are receiving less aid for trade than their global performance might otherwise suggest is necessary. The authors develop ten measures of trade performance and capacity (including trade-related infrastructure, institutions, and incentives) to assess potential demand, and then look at country allocations of aid for trade to see which are receiving below-average amounts in the supply of aid for trade - relative to their potential demand. As they design national development strategies, countries may wish to consider giving greater attention to trade and requesting that donors allocate more aid for trade. As part of the analysis, the paper provides a conceptual framework for selecting indicators of trade performance and its policy determinants that the World Trade Organization and its partners might monitor closely as part of the aid for trade initiative.
Use of MIP for planning temporary immigrant farm labor force

Abstract Growers of many fruit and vegetable crops in the US are heavily reliant on hand labor to perform all of the necessary operations throughout the growing season. When the current supply of domestic hand labor is insufficient, growers can employ nonimmigrant foreign workers through the H-2A visa program to perform any additional agricultural tasks. A common criticism of the program is that it is an onerous process that places the burden of proof on growers and requires them to demonstrate that there is a shortage of domestic workers. This requires growers to start their employment decision-making months before the growing season starts, using limited knowledge about the upcoming season. Since no labor-focused decision making tools exists for growers, a mixed integer programming model is presented in this article which develops tactical level planting, harvesting, and labor acquisition schedules for use by growers to determine the appropriate number of H-2A workers needed. This formulation is applied to an “average” farm in the Yuma, Arizona region as a case study. In addition, the study is extended to show how the model can be employed as a regulatory tool to determine the economic impact from modifying the H-2A application policy. This analysis in the Yuma region demonstrated that increasing the H-2A program provides a positive economic incentive offset by moderate domestic job displacement.
Survey of the Present Status of Neoclassical Radiation Theory

Present quantum electrodynamics (QED) contains many very important “elements of truth”, but also some clear “elements of nonsense”. Because of the divergences and ambiguities, there is general agreement that a rather deep modification of the theory is needed, but in some forty years of theoretical work, nobody has seen how to disentangle the truth from the nonsense. In such a situation, one needs more experimental evidence, but during that same forty years we have found no clues from the laboratory as to what specific features of QED might be modified. Even worse, in the absence of any alternative theory whose predictions differ from those of QED in known ways, we have no criterion telling us which experiments would be the relevant ones to try.
WAVELET SHRINKAGE: AN APPLICATION TO DENOISING

This chapter presents a basic overview of wavelet shrinkage and its application to signal denoising. It discusses two wavelet‐based methods used to denoise signals: the VisuShrink method and the SureShrink method. VisuShrink utilizes the wavelet shrinkage algorithm with a universal threshold. The chapter looks at two examples that implement VisuShrink. The first example illustrates the method on the test signal. This example is somewhat artificial since people set the noise level when they form the noisy vector. The second example introduces the idea of image segmentation. In this application, pixels are separated into different regions based on similarity. Denoising the image before segmenetation is applied can sometimes increase the effectiveness of the algorithm. The SureShrink method utilizes Stein's unbiased risk estimator. It calls for a tolerance to be computed for each highpass portion of the wavelet transformation. A test is performed on each highpass portion to determine its sparseness.
Environmental Accounting: Issues, Reporting And Disclosure

With cleanup costs of hazardous wastes expected to run as high as $500 billion to $1 trillion over the next 50 years, environmental reporting and disclosure by firms in the United States during the 2000's will become more prolific. This manuscript seeks to provide an understanding of the magnitude of environmental issues, a brief history of the EPA, discussion of environmental regulatory acts and enforcement, and reporting and disclosure requirements by the SEC and FASB.
Principles of Conflict Economics: Conflict between States

For millennia, philosophers and sages have pondered the origins and horrors of war. Despite this long history of inquiry, it is only in the last century that scholars from political science, economics, and other disciplines have attempted to use the quantitative methods of social science to study the causes and effects of war. Building on the early work of Lewis Richardson, Pitirim Sorokin, and Quincy Wright, the social scientific study of war was well established by the mid-1960s around a community of scholars associated with the Correlates of War Project, the Peace Science Society (originally, Peace Research Society), the Journal of Conflict Resolution , and the like. Since then, a wealth of social scientific studies of war has appeared in journals and books across the various disciplines (Singer 2000, Anderton and Carter 2007). In this chapter we focus on armed conflict between states, before we turn to civil war in Chapter 7. The Conflict Cycle Conflicts typically pass through phases, as shown by Lund's (1996) life-cycle diagram in Figure 6.1, which plots the level of conflict between parties across time. The conflict in question may be interstate as covered in this chapter, intrastate as in Chapter 7, or extra-state as in Chapter 8. The bell-shaped curve represents the course of a typical conflict as hostility rises and falls over time. The vertical axis marks levels of conflict beginning with durable peace and rising successively to stable peace, unstable peace, crisis, and war.
Removal of nonresonant background in MCARS spectra using Fourier filtering

Multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (MCARS) has been used to create a complete Raman spectrum of a material of interest in milliseconds. However, these MCARS spectra often embedded in a nonresonant background that reduces the ability to use those spectra to positively identify the material of interest. There are a number of techniques that are used experimentally to reduce the nonresonant background when taking the MCARS spectrum. However, there are situations where these experimental nonresonant background reduction techniques may result in a loss of the desired MCARS signal. In an effort to maintain the signal strength of the MCARS spectrum, analytical methods of background removal are employed. There are a number of analytical techniques for nonresonant background removal from MCARS signals. However, many of them either make blanket assumptions about the nonresonant background that sacrifice accuracy of the technique or require knowledge of the material of interest before removing the nonresonant background. We will be reporting on an analytical method to remove the nonresonant background that utilizes a combination of the maximum entropy method to reproduce the spectrum as well as complex spectral filtering to remove the nonresonant background and accurately determine the CARS spectrum interest without prior knowledge of the material of interest.
More than a gut feeling: utility of midgut anatomy in phylogeny of the Cerithioidea (Mollusca: Caenogastropoda)

The Cerithioidea is a large and diverse superfamily of marine, brackish, and freshwater snails. The complexity and variety of midgut features within this group have long been known, but have been underutilized as a resource of characters for phylogenetic analysis. Consequently, this group is an ideal system for assessing the utility of midgut anatomy at lower systematic levels. Midgut anatomy of 46 cerithioidean gastropods and two outgroup taxa (Campanilidae, Plesiotrochidae) is described. A subset of these taxa, combined with published and unpublished descriptions for several additional species, were coded for 28 midgut characters. These characters were integrated with a large multi-organ system data set for 56 taxa, comprising 123 characters from the shell, radula, foregut, kidney, nerves, sperm ultrastructure, and reproductive system. The morphological matrix was analysed using parsimony, and was combined with a molecular data set of 16S and 28S rRNA sequences, and then analysed using parsimony and Bayesian methods. Optimization of midgut characters on the resulting cladograms indicates that midgut characters provide conservative and informative sources of variation at all hierarchical levels, from basal nodes to within family-level taxa. Exploratory analyses including and excluding midgut characters demonstrate the impact of midgut characters in elucidating phylogenetic relationships of cerithioideans, particularly among and within freshwater clades. Statistical analyses of retention index values for characters mapped on both the morphological and morphological plus molecular topologies confirm that midgut characters have significantly higher phylogenetic signals than other morphological characters. In the case of cerithioidean phylogeny, the importance of midgut data as a resource of characters cannot be overstated. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 162, 585–630.
Effects of CO2 and Temperature on Five Rice Cultivars

To obtain information for more detailed studies of how rice responds to climate change plants of three high tillering (IR30, IR52, IR74) and two low tillering cultivars (Azucena and IRAT 104) were grown under controlled environment conditions for 28 days. To detect CO2 responses, plants were grown at 400μL L-1 (ambient) or 700μL L-1 CO2, at 31/26°C and a 13hr photoperiod. To detect temperature responses, plants were grown at 28/22, 31/25, or 34/28°C light/dark temperatures, ambient CO2, and a 13hr photoperiod. Across all rice cultivars, a 300μL L-1 increase in CO2 stimulated root growth more than shoot growth (p<0.05), i. e. a 12 to 54% increase in root weight, 4 to 49% increase in total dry weight, and 10 to 32% increase in root/shoot ratio; but neither leaf nor stem weight and leaf or tiller number was affected by CO2. In contrast, increasing temperature by 6°C for 28/22°C stimulated shoot but inhibited root growth, resulting in an increase (p<0.05) (38 to 69%) in leaf number but a significant decrease (32 to 48%) in root/shoot ratio and nonsignificant changes for other parameters. Cultivars responded similarly to CO2 or temperature; there were no significant CO2 x cultivar or temperature x cultivar interactions. However, rice cultivars responded differently to the same environment; IRAT 104 plants tended to have lower dry weights and tiller numbers than the IR cultivars with Azucena as intermediate. Azucena had lower root/shoot ratios than the other cultivars.The information in this document has been funded wholly or in part by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. It has been subjected to me Agency's peer and administrative review, and it has been approved for publication as an EPA document. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
How implicit motives and everyday self-regulatory abilities shape cardiovascular risk in youth

Tested hypotheses from social action theory that (a) implicit and explicit measures of agonistic (social control) motives and transcendence (self-control) motives differentially predict cardiovascular risk; and (b) implicit motives interact with everyday self-regulation behaviors to magnify risk. Implicit/explicit agonistic/transcendence motives were assessed in a multi-ethnic sample of 64 high school students with the Social Competence Interview (SCI). Everyday self-regulation was assessed with teacher ratings of internalizing, externalizing, and self-control behaviors. Ambulatory blood pressure and daily activities were measured over 48 h. Study hypotheses were supported: implicit goals predicted blood pressure levels but explicit self-reported coping goals did not; self-regulation indices did not predict blood pressure directly but interacted with implicit agonistic/transcendence motives to identify individuals at greatest risk (all p ≤ 0.05). Assessment of implicit motives by SCI, and everyday self-regulation by teachers may improve identification of youth at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Fluorescent Labeling Study of Plasminogen Concentration and Location in Simulated Bovine Milk Systems

A fluorescent labeling method was developed to study plasminogen (PG) concentration and location in simulated bovine milk. Activity and stability of PG labeled with Alexa Fluor 594 (PG-594) were comparable to those of native PG. The fluorescent signal of PG-594 exhibited pH, temperature, and storage stability, and remained stable throughout typical sample treatments (stirring, heating, and ultracentrifugation). These characteristics indicate broad applicability of the fluorescent labeling technique for milk protease characterization. In an example application, PG-594 was added to simulated milk samples to study effects of heat and beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) on the distribution of PG. Before heating, about one-third of the PG-594 remained soluble in the whey fraction (supernatant) whereas the rest became associated with the casein micelle. Addition of beta-LG to the system slightly shifted PG-594 distribution toward the whey fraction. Heat-induced PG-594 binding to micelles in whey-protein-free systems was evidenced by a decrease of PG-594 from 31 to 15% in the whey fraction accompanied by an increase of PG-594 from 69 to 85% in casein micelle fractions. When beta-LG was present during heating, more than 95% of PG-594 became associated with the micelle. A comparison with the distribution pattern of PG-derived activities revealed that heat-induced PG binding to micelles accompanies heat-induced PG inactivation in the micelle fraction. Incubation of the casein micelles with the reducing agent beta-mercaptoethanol revealed that disulfide bonds formed between PG and casein or between PG and casein-bound beta-LG are the mechanisms for heat-induced PG binding to casein micelles. Western blotting and zymography results correlated well with fluorescent labeling studies and activity studies, respectively. Theoretically important findings are: 1) when heated, serum PG is capable of covalently binding to micellar casein or complexing with beta-LG in whey and then coadhering to micelles, and 2) PG that associated with micellar casein through lysine binding sites before heating is capable of developing heat-induced disulfide bonds with casein. The overall results are PG covalently binding to micelles and inactivation thereafter. Our results suggest that, instead of thermal denaturation through irreversible unfolding, covalent bond formation between PG and other milk proteins is the mechanism of PG inhibition during thermal processing.
Do ratings matter? An examination of nonrated firms

I attempt to add to the credit rating literature by empirically testing a hitherto untapped sample. While increased attention is being paid to credit rating agencies through academic studies, the examination of nonrated firms has yet to be investigated. An analysis of this subset of firms can begin to answer the question of whether firms are responding to some omitted variable, rather than an adherence or preference for a credit rating. After creating hypothetical ratings for a nonrated sample, I examine if these firms react in a similar fashion to credit rating threats as do rated firms since a response to a rating stimulus by a nonrated firm that is qualitatively similar to a rated firm would open up a new argument against firms’ regard for ratings. My results alleviate the concern of firm response to an omitted variable.
Semiparametric Estimation of a Single-Index Model with Nonparametrically Generated Regressors

This paper develops a theory of estimating parameters of a generated regressor model in which some explanatory variables in the equation of interest are the unknown conditional means of certain observable variables given other observable regressors. The paper imposes a weak nonparametric restriction on the form of the conditional means and maintains a single-index assumption on the distribution of the dependent variable in the equation of interest. The estimation method follows a two-step approach: The first step estimates the conditional means in the index nonparametrically, and the second step estimates the parameters by an analytically convenient weighted average derivative method. It is established that the two-step estimator is root-n-consistent and asymptotically normal. The asymptotic variance exceeds that of the one-step hypothetical estimator, which would be obtainable if the first-step regression were known.
Time course and response specificity of prolactin-induced hyperphagia in ring doves

Abstract Intracranial injections of prolactin (PRL) have been previously shown to elevate food and water intake in ring doves. In an attempt to further characterize these PRL-induced behavioral responses and the time course of PRL action, food and/or water intake were measured as frequent intervals in male doves given a single intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of ovine PRL (44 pmoles) or vehicle under food deprivation, water deprivation, or nondeprivation conditions. PRL increased food consumption by 35–50% over baseline levels in water deprived and and nondeprived doves, although response latencies (10 hr) and durations (> 24 hr) were considerably longer than those reported for other orexigenic peptides. Behavioral observations of nondeprived doves further revealed that PRL significantly increased total time spent feeding and average feeding bout duration. In contrast to this pattern, water intake remained unchanged in food deprived doves and was only marginally increased in nondeprived doves following PRL treatment. Collectively, these results suggest that PRL promotes a selective and long-lasting hyperphagia which may in turn augment drinking activity.
Sorting through the Cell Biology of Alzheimer's Disease: Intracellular Pathways to Pathogenesis

During the first 100 years of Alzheimer's disease research, this devastating and intractable disorder has been characterized at the clinical, histological, and molecular levels. Nevertheless, many key mechanistic questions remain unanswered. Here we will emphasize the importance of the cell biology of Alzheimer's disease, reviewing the relevant literature that has expanded our mechanistic understanding, with a particular focus on pathways regulating protein sorting. Accumulated evidence indicates that sorting pathways may be uniquely vulnerable to disease pathogenesis, and recent studies have begun to reveal disease-related defects in the regulation of protein sorting.
Expanding Perspective on Music Therapy for Symptom Management in Cancer Care

Background Symptom management is a frequently researched treatment topic in music therapy and cancer care. Representations in the literature of music interventions for symptom management, however, have often overlooked the human experiences shaping those symptoms. This may result in music therapy being perceived as a linear intervention process that does not take into account underlying experiences that contribute to symptom experiences. Objective This study explored patient experiences underlying symptoms and symptom management in cancer care, and examined the role of music therapy in that clinical process. Methods This study analyzed semi-structured, open-ended exit interviews obtained from 30 participants during a randomized controlled trial investigating the differential impact of music therapy versus music medicine interventions on symptom management in participants with cancer. Interviews were conducted by a research assistant not involved with the clinical interventions. Exit interview transcripts for 30 participants were analyzed using an inductive, latent, constructivist method of thematic analysis. Results Three themes-Relaxation, Therapeutic relationship, and Intrapersonal relating-capture elements of the music therapy process that (a) modified participants' experiences of adjustments in their symptoms and (b) highlighted the depth of human experience shaping their symptoms. These underlying human experiences naturally emerged in the therapeutic setting, requiring the music therapist's clinical expertise for appropriate support. Conclusions Symptom management extends beyond fluctuation in levels and intensity of a surface-level symptom to incorporate deeper lived experiences. The authors provide recommendations for clinical work, entry-level training as related to symptom management, implications for evidence-based practice in music therapy, and methodology for future mixed methods research.
Cochlear implant simulator for surgical technique analysis

Cochlear Implant (CI) surgery is a procedure in which an electrode array is inserted into the cochlea. The electrode array is used to stimulate auditory nerve fibers and restore hearing for people with severe to profound hearing loss. The primary goals when placing the electrode array are to fully insert the array into the cochlea while minimizing trauma to the cochlea. Studying the relationship between surgical outcome and various surgical techniques has been difficult since trauma and electrode placement are generally unknown without histology. Our group has created a CI placement simulator that combines an interactive 3D visualization environment with a haptic-feedback-enabled controller. Surgical techniques and patient anatomy can be varied between simulations so that outcomes can be studied under varied conditions. With this system, we envision that through numerous trials we will be able to statistically analyze how outcomes relate to surgical techniques. As a first test of this system, in this work, we have designed an experiment in which we compare the spatial distribution of forces imparted to the cochlea in the array insertion procedure when using two different but commonly used surgical techniques for cochlear access, called round window and cochleostomy access. Our results suggest that CIs implanted using round window access may cause less trauma to deeper intracochlear structures than cochleostomy techniques. This result is of interest because it challenges traditional thinking in the otological community but might offer an explanation for recent anecdotal evidence that suggests that round window access techniques lead to better outcomes.
Effects of a prosocial television soap opera in promoting women's status.

The effects of exposure to "Hum Log" Indias first long-running television soap opera on viewers beliefs about womens status freedom of choice and family planning were assessed in a survey of 1170 respondents from three geographic areas. The soap opera is intended to promote prosocial beliefs about the role of women in India. A structural equation model was developed to measure the impact of awareness involvement and television dependency on personal beliefs. Viewers who were most exposed to "Hum Log" were more involved with its characters and more dependent on Indian television for education and entertainment but were no more aware than their less exposed counterparts of the prosocial beliefs promoted by the soap opera. There was no significant association between viewers involvement with the characters and their beliefs about womens equality freedom of choice or family planning. Moreover viewers who were more dependent on television did not exhibit significantly stronger beliefs about these issues. There was a significant association between awareness of the prosocial messages promoted in "Hum Log" and viewer beliefs in freedom of choice and family planning. Overall it appears that while "Hum Log" enjoys a large and dedicated audience its messages regarding womens equality are not being assimilated on a large scale. An analysis of the female characters in the soap opera reveals that in many cases the self-sufficient career-oriented women experienced negative social consequences while characters who pursued more traditional female roles were rewarded. Thus while there is no evidence that "Hum Log" is making a significant contribution toward changing the way women are viewed in India its popularity paves the way for future prosocial programming
Energy distribution of electron-trapping centers in low pressure chemically vapor-deposited Si3N4 films

The energy distribution of electrons trapped in the low pressure chemically vapor-deposited Si3N4 layer of MNOS structures was investigated by photocurrent spectroscopic techniques. Five different trap levels within the Si3N4 band gap at 2.50, 2.76, 3.03, 3.36 and 3.76 eV below the Si3N4 conduction band were determined. The interface-intensity corrections were found to be critical for the correct data analysis and for the comparison of different Si3N4 thicknesses.
Proteomic analysis of nuclei isolated from cancer cell lines treated with indenoisoquinoline NSC 724998, a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor.

The indenoisoquinoline NSC724998 is a novel topoisomerase I (Top1) inhibitor entering Phase I clinical trials at the National Cancer Institute, USA. In this study, 2-D PAGE analysis was performed on nuclear lysates prepared from HCT-116 and A375 cells treated with 1µM NSC724998 for 24 hrs and the differentially regulated spots identified by LC-MS/MS. 114 protein spot differentials were identified, 66 from A375 cells and 48 from HCT-116 cells. Proteins related to apoptosis changed specifically in A375 cells, whereas proteins involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome system were highly enriched in treated HCT-116 cells. Importantly, 12 differentially expressed proteins (ETFA, HCC1, HNRCL, KAP1, NPM, NUCL, PRDX1, PRP19, PSB6, RAE1L, RU2A and SFRS9) were common to both cell lines. Western blotting and immunocytochemistry confirmed significant nuclear upregulation of both the proteasome subunit PSB6 and the transcriptional repressor KAP1. Interestingly, increased KAP1 polypeptide was accompanied by enhanced phosphorylation at Ser824. Similar to γH2AX, KAP1 phosphorylation was consistently enhanced in a panel of 12 cell lines and in A375 xenografts following NSC 724998 treatment. In summary, these data enhance our understanding of protein dynamics in the nucleus following DNA damage and provide an alternate marker (pKAP1) with potential for monitoring clinical responses to Top1 poisons.
Financial and operational aspects of a multivendor installation in a nonmetropolitan area

The New Mexico State University Computer Center has recently installed a multivendor configuration of major system components. Although some special problems were anticipated because the University is not located in close proximity to metropolitan areas, the configuration has been profitable in terms of both economy and increased performance.The primary hardware, an IBM 360/65 computer, a quarter of a million bytes of core and channels were purchased from a non-IBM source, while other IBM components were leased or purchased from IBM. A third vendor supplied two million bytes of extended core storage, twelve disk and two tape drives. A major administrative teleprocessing service utilizes CRT terminals provided by a fourth vendor.The paper discusses the financial advantages of moving to a multivendor installation and explores maintenance problems arising from such an operation. Primary emphasis is given to unique problems which result from being in a location remote from vendor installations, and recommendations are made to others contemplating a multivendor installation.
Atypical age-related cortical thinning in episodic migraine.

BackgroundPrior studies demonstrate reduced cortical thickness and volume in migraineurs. However, the effect of age on cortical thickness has not been assessed in migraineurs. In this study we investigated whether the process of aging on cortical thickness affects migraineurs differently compared to age-matched healthy controls, i.e. whether aging exacerbates cortical thinning in migraineurs.MethodsCortical thickness was estimated using a general linear model vertex-by-vertex approach for 32 healthy controls (mean age = 35.3 years; SD = 11.6) and 27 episodic migraine patients (mean age = 33.6 years; SD = 12.3). Results were modeled using a main effect analysis to estimate the effect of age on cortical thickness for each group separately, and an age-by-group analysis to estimate differences in age-related cortical thinning between migraine patients and normal controls.ResultsAlthough migraineurs and normal controls both have expected age-related thinning in many regions along the cortical mantle, migraine...
Hilbert spaces of holomorphic functions on bounded domains

In [6] the notion of Hilbert-Stein complex spaces was introduced. The purpose of this note is to illustrate the conjecture that any Stein space whose points can be separated by bounded holomorphic functions, is Hilbert-Stein. We prove this fact for the following kinds of bounded domains of holomorphyD in Cn: 1)n=1 and π1(D) is finitely generated, 2) the group of automorphisms ofD in the compactopen topology is compact, 3)D is strongly pseudoconvex with smooth boundary andn≥2, 4)D is symmetric of type I.
Perspectives: A Process Approach to Social Communication for Adolescents With Asperger's Syndrome Using Radio Interviewing

Abstract The Perspectives program is a unique collaborative social communication intervention for adolescents with Asperger's syndrome and similar learning profiles. Clinicians use radio interviews as the vehicle to explicitly teach the process of social communication. Social skill objectives are addressed through this process approach, which was adapted from the framework of Social Thinking (Winner, 2002)
Chloride transport in functionally active phagosomes isolated from Human neutrophils.

Chloride anion is critical for hypochlorous acid (HOCl) production and microbial killing in neutrophil phagosomes. However, the molecular mechanism by which this anion is transported to the organelle is poorly understood. In this report, membrane-enclosed and functionally active phagosomes were isolated from human neutrophils by using opsonized paramagnetic latex microspheres and a rapid magnetic separation method. The phagosomes recovered were highly enriched for specific protein markers associated with this organelle such as lysosomal-associated membrane protein-1, myeloperoxidase (MPO), lactoferrin, and NADPH oxidase. When FITC–dextran was included in the phagocytosis medium, the majority of the isolated phagosomes retained the fluorescent label after isolation, indicative of intact membrane structure. Flow cytometric measurement of acridine orange, a fluorescent pH indicator, in the purified phagosomes demonstrated that the organelle in its isolated state was capable of transporting protons to the phagosomal lumen via the vacuolar-type ATPase proton pump (V-ATPase). When NADPH was supplied, the isolated phagosomes constitutively oxidized dihydrorhodamine 123, indicating their ability to produce hydrogen peroxide. The preparations also showed a robust production of HOCl within the phagosomal lumen when assayed with the HOCl-specific fluorescent probe R19-S by flow cytometry. MPO-mediated iodination of the proteins covalently conjugated to the phagocytosed beads was quantitatively measured. Phagosomal uptake of iodide and protein iodination were significantly blocked by chloride channel inhibitors, including CFTRinh-172 and NPPB. Further experiments determined that the V-ATPase-driving proton flux into the isolated phagosomes required chloride cotransport, and the cAMP-activated CFTR chloride channel was a major contributor to the chloride transport. Taken together, the data suggest that the phagosomal preparation described herein retains ion transport properties, and multiple chloride channels including CFTR are responsible for chloride supply to neutrophil phagosomes.
Design of specific inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme: new class of orally active antihypertensive agents

A hypothetical model of the active site of angiotensin-converting enzyme, based on known chemical and kinetic properties of the enzyme, has enabled us to design a new class of potent and specific inhibitors. These compounds, carboxyalkanoyl and mercaptoalkanoyl derivatives of proline, inhibit the contractile response of guinea pig ileal strip to angiotensin I and augment its response to bradykinin. When administered orally to rats, these agents inhibit the pressor effect of angiotensin I, augment the vasodepressor effect of bradykinin, and lower blood pressure in a model of renovascular hypertension.
Clarifications on the application and interpretation of the test for excess significance and its extensions

Abstract This commentary discusses challenges in the application of the test for excess significance ( Ioannidis & Trikalinos, 2007 ) including the definition of the body of evidence, the plausible effect size for power calculations and the threshold of statistical significance. Interpretation should be cautious, given that it is not possible to separate different mechanisms of bias (classic publication bias, selective analysis, and fabrication) that lead to an excess of significance and in some fields significance-related biases may follow a complex pattern (e.g. Proteus phenomenon and occasional preference for “negative” results). Likelihood ratio estimates can be used to generate the post-test probability of bias, and correcting effect estimates for bias is possible in theory, but may not necessarily be reliable.
EFFECT OF PROCESSING ON NUTRIENT COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE OF PRUNES

. Skin texture was influence by hydration procedure with the methods requiring the longest time at high temperatures producing the tenderest skin. The texture of freshly hydrated prunes continued to change during the first 6–15 weeks of storage. Hydration method had a pronounced effect on the nutrient composition and texture of prunes. No vitamin A loss occurred when prunes were hydrated by a high temperature short time process, compared to an 18% loss in the slower procedures. The skin of the prune contained more vitamin A and iron than the pulp.
Heterotic-string Lagrangean in the bosonic formulation.

We consider the Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin quantization of the $N=2$ supersymmetric Siegel Lagrangean which is obtained by truncation of the $N=2$ spinning string. We show that this Lagrangean describes four chiral bosons and that it can be consistently coupled to $N=(1, 0)$ supergravity. Using this system we propose a Lagrangean for the heterotic string in the bosonic formulation.
Natural-convection heat transfer in a nonuniform finite annulus with concentric heat source

In this paper, the mechanisms of natural-convection heat transfer inside a nonuniform finite annulus have been numerically investigated. The system is actually a streamlined, water-filled latex balloon with a coaxial cylindrical heating element. The balloon can be applied as a local hyperthermia treatment device for the removal of undesirable tissue if sufficiently high temperatures and preferably uniform surface heat fluxes can be maintained. A validated control-volume-based method has been employed to solve the coupled transient three-dimensional transport equations for laminar free convection. The effects of heat-source temperature distributions and device orientations on the heat transfer have been studied. Possible design improvements of this device are discussed.
Climate spatial variability and data resolution in a semi-arid watershed, south-eastern Arizona

Abstract In the 10,000 km 2 San Pedro River watershed area in south-eastern Arizona, high-resolution spatial patterns of long-term precipitation and temperature were better reproduced by kriging climate data with elevation as external drift (KED) than by multiple linear regression on station location and elevation as judged by the spatial distribution of interpolation error. Mean errors were similar overall, and interpolation accuracy for both methods increased with increasing correlation between climate variables and elevation. Uncertainty in station locations had negligible effect on mean estimation error, although error for individual stations varied as much as 27%. Our future ability to examine spatial aspects of climate change at high spatial resolution will be severely limited by continuing closures of climate stations in this part of the United States.
Oral and parenteral glutamine in bone marrow transplantation: a randomized, double-blind study.

Background: Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) supplemented with glutamine (GLN) has been reported to be effective for patients with bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Our aim was to evaluate enteral and parenteral glutamine in patients undergoing BMT. Methods: For evaluation of GLN in BMT, 66 patients with 43 hematologic and 23 solid malignancies (21 breast carcinomas), were randomized, double-blinded, to either oral GLN (n = 35) or glycine-control (GLY) (n = 31), 10 g three times daily. When TPN became necessary, patients who received GLN orally were given TPN with GLN (0.57 g/kg). Those who received GLY received standard TPN, isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Patients with hematologic malignancies received high-dose chemotherapy, total body irradiation, and either allogeneic (ALLO) BMT (n = 18) or autologous (AUTO) stem cell transplantation (n = 25). Patients with solid malignancies (n = 23) received AUTO. Results: There were 14 in-hospital deaths without relationship to GLN administration. For respective c...