cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF THE CHOROID PLEXUS

1. The choroid plexus of the rat has been studied in detail by electron microscopy. Samples from the frog, rabbit, and cat have also been examined without noting significant differences. 2. The surface of the ependymal epithelium is covered by pedicels of variable size. There is reason for thinking of these structures as labile. They may actually pinch off and contribute to the secretory product. In any case, the surface area is vastly increased by their presence. Polypoid border seems an apt term to apply to this type of surface. 3. There is also a great expansion of the basal surface of ependymal cells. In the vicinity of cell junctions this surface is deeply infolded, and continuous with elaborate interdigitations of the lateral intercellular surfaces. Analogous infolding of the basal cell surface is known to exist in other epithelia also noted for their water transport (kidney tubules, salivary gland, and ciliary body). 4. Pretreatment of rats with diamox, an agent known to block cerebro-spinal fluid production, did not produce an important morphological change in the features of the ependyma, or any other part of the choroid plexus. 5. Capillaries of the choroid plexus have a very attenuated endothelium. This is seen to be fenestrated. It is thought this probably represents the condition in life, and is not simply a fixation artefact. 6. Pial cells tend to interpose sheets of cytoplasm between the capillaries and ependyma. The sheets are not continuous, however, and so would not constitute a serious diffusion barrier. These cells belong to the reticuloendothelial system, and undergo shape changes, and probably increase in number, when the system is stimulated by the repeated injection of trypan blue.
Reduced Excitability and Ca2+ Current Density in Sinoatrial Myocytes from Aged Mice

Cardiac pacemaking results from the generation of spontaneous action potentials (APs) by specialized myocytes in the sinoatrial node (sinoatrial myocytes, SAMs). These APs are produced by the coordinated activity of a number of different ion channels, including hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-sensitive (HCN) channels and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Across all mammalian species, the maximum heart rate that can be elicited by stress or exercise decreases with age. However, little is known about age-related changes in the intrinsic excitability of SAMs. In this study, we examined differences in heart rate in young ( 32 mo) mice, and the corresponding differences in spontaneous AP firing rate and ionic currents in isolated SAMs from young versus old animals. ECG measurements in vivo confirmed previous observations of age-related reductions in maximum heart rate and intrinsic heart rate (i.e., in the absence of autonomic input). Current clamp recordings from acutely isolated SAMs revealed age-related deficits in spontaneous AP firing rate that mirrored the age-related changes in heart rate; the basal AP firing rate was significantly slower in SAMs from elderly animals, and maximal stimulation with 1 μM isoproterenol (Iso, a β adrenergic agonist) resulted in a slower average maximum firing rate in SAMs from old mice. To explore the mechanistic bases of these age-related deficiencies in sinoatrial AP generation, we have recently begun voltage-clamp recordings of hyperpolarization-activated currents and voltage-gated calcium currents from isolated SAMs from young and old mice. To date, we have found significant reductions in Ca2+ current density in cells from older animals. These studies may provide mechanistic information about fundamental processes that limit the physical capability of the elderly.
Quality Improvement Measures Lead to Higher Surveillance Rates for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is a major risk factor associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases recommends surveillance for HCC in cirrhosis patients with ultrasound every six months. However, various studies suggest that surveillance rates in actual practice are quite low. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing quality improvement (QI) measures in increasing the rate of HCC surveillance among patients in a tertiary care facility. Patients with cirrhosis were prospectively enrolled into a chronic disease management program, which integrates nursing-based protocols with automatic reminders when patients are due for surveillance. Patients enrolled in this program between March 2010 and April 2011 were compared to a prior cohort in 2008–2009. The primary endpoint was the receipt of at least one abdominal imaging study performed for the purposes of surveillance during the study period. Of the 355 patients enrolled, 331 (93 %) had imaging performed for HCC surveillance, compared to 119/160 (74 %) patients in the previous cohort (p < 0.001). Chart review revealed the most common reasons for failure to undergo surveillance were patients’ lack of insurance and lack of follow-up on studies ordered at outside institutions. Six patients were diagnosed with HCC during the study period, of which three were at early stage. Implementation of QI measures incorporating automatic reminders of surveillance status for providers can significantly increase the rate of HCC surveillance among cirrhosis patients.
Ultrastructural differentiation of the oral sucker in the treefrog, Hyla regilla

Abstract The ultrastructural differentiation of the adhesive disk of the Pacific treefrog, Hyla regilla, was studied by electron microscopy of embryos varying in age from mid-neurula to early larva. Special attention was given to the development of the ergastoplasm and secretory granules—two cytostructures which are absent in the neurular anlage of the sucker but become prominent by the late tailbud embryo. The probable origin of both is discussed. The onset of secretion by the adhesive disk appears to take place in the late tailbud embryo, judging from the time at which the cells of the sucker show secretory granules and their outer surfaces become sticky.
Applying abstraction to master complexity

Aptitude for managing abstraction may be a distinguishing characteristic of computer science majors. If this is so, and if this aptitude can be recognized among potential majors, those who are well suited for computer science but have not considered it as a major can be made aware of the possibility. Abstraction, as a human ability, is comprised of two complementary aspects: clearing away details to build simplifications and deriving generalizations that illuminate essentials. Agreement exists that this ability may be nurtured through instruction and experience, but that it rests upon a natural aptitude that is possessed by few. Agreement exists that this natural aptitude is assessable, although no instrument yet exists for measuring it efficiently among prospective computer science majors who have not begun computer science coursework. This paper deals with a study done at New York's Pace University to test undergraduate students across a range of majors for abstraction ability
An approach to the site-selective deoxygenation of hydroxy groups based on catalytic phosphoramidite transfer.

The site-selective, catalytic modification of complex molecules is a long-standing goal for chemists. Given the high efficiency of many fermentation processes, the use of natural products as scaffolds for diversification is part of many epic drug discovery programs.[i] Yet, it is generally accepted that these research efforts are challenging, often requiring multistep syntheses of the requisite analogs,[ ii ] re-engineered biosynthetic pathways,[ iii] or enzymatic modification of the natural product itself.[iv ] The use of chemical catalysts to alter complex scaffolds may represent a growing field with potential to impact these interdisciplinary research efforts.[v,vi ] The challenges at the front end of this approach include the identification of not only relevant reactions to explore, but also the inherent architectural and stereochemical molecular features that the catalyst-substrate complexes ultimately embody.
Measuring the quality of therapeutic apheresis care in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Our goal was to measure the quality of care provided in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) during Therapeutic Apheresis (TA). We described the care as a step by step process. We designed a flow chart to carefully document each step of the process. We then defined each step with a unique clinical indictor (CI) that represented the exact task we felt provided quality care. These CIs were studied and modified for 1 year. We measured our performance in this process by the number of times we accomplished the CI vs. the total number of CIs that were to be performed. The degree of compliance, with these clinical indicators, was analyzed and used as a metric for quality by calculating how close the process is running exactly as planned or “in control.” The Apheresis Process was in control (compliance) for 47% of the indicators, as measured in the aggregate for the first observational year. We then applied the theory of Total Quality Management (TQM) through our Design, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) model. We were able to improve the process and bring it into control by increasing the compliance to > 99.74%, in the aggregate, for the third and fourth quarter of the second year. We have implemented TQM to increase compliance, thus control, of a highly complex and multidisciplinary Pediatric Intensive Care therapy. We have shown a reproducible and scalable measure of quality for a complex clinical process in the PICU, without additional capital expenditure. J. Clin. Apheresis, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sustaining and Strengthening a Macro Identity: The Association of Macro Practice Social Work

Macro practice focuses on community-level interventions, such as management, organizing, research, and policy advocacy. Despite social work's deep roots in this type of work, macro practice and macro practitioners often practice without support or connections with other macro practitioners, and are underrepresented in the profession. In 2006, a group of social workers, including academics and practitioners, formed the Association of Macro Practice Social Work (AMPSW). AMPSW works to strengthen the professional identity of macro practitioners, elevate the status of macro social workers, and address common concerns within the social work profession.
An Aspect-Oriented Approach to Resource Composition in Petri net-based Software Architectural Models

Petri net has been widely used for modeling software systems due to its mathematical soundness and support of various tools. In many cases, performance-related analyses of Petri net for a software system need to consider the resource limitations caused by a specific platform. In terms of aspect-oriented approach, the interference of various resources scattered across a software system can be regarded as a specific concern that is only necessary during its performance-related analysis process. To capture the interactions of resources within the Petri net-based software architectural model, we propose an aspect-oriented resource composition model and the XML-based representation language called the resource extension markup language (ReML) for its description. In our approach, one or more resource composition models can be developed and described in ReML separately from the development of base software architectural models. Through the weaving process, a resource composition model can be applied to extend several Petri net-based software architectural models. The resource weaver generates an augmented Petri net used for analyzing performance characteristics of the extended software architectural model with resource interactions. Our aspect-oriented approach facilitates selecting an optimal or superior resource composition model for a software architectural model, and vice versa, which is illustrated using two exemplary server models.
Professional women and the economic practices of success and survival before and after regime change: diverse economies and restructuring in the Russian Republic of Buryatia

Drawing from historical research, participant observation, and informal and formal interviews, we examine the economic experiences of professional Buryat and Russian women before and after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the Siberian Russian Republic of Buryatia. We use a diverse economies framework to theorize a broader understanding of the restructured economy and how women have sought to improve and maintain their lives by developing various practices in the workforce in both the Soviet and post-Soviet periods such as gaining more education, informal networks of exchanges and favors, urbanization, and, for Buryats, Russian language acquisition. We argue that women in the early 2000s continue to employ many of these practices regardless of their varying experiences and attitudes about the transition from socialism to a market economy.
Children's and Adolescents' Gender Preferences for Conversational Partners for Specific Communicative Objectives

For eight hypothetical situations involving different communicative objectives, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth graders indicated whether the person they most wanted to talk with was male or female. As expected, younger children preferred a same-sex partner, but by eighth grade more cross-sex preferences emerged, particularly when wanting to pass time or feel included. Boys were generally preferred for telling jokes and stories. By eighth grade, female partners were preferred when the participant wanted to be cheered up or needed advice in persuading or explicating a complicated idea.
Osteoporosis in the elderly

The economic, social and personal burdens of osteoporosis carry a heavy toll. Despite this, it is significantly under-recognized and under-treated. Complete evaluation includes work-up and recognition of secondary causes of osteoporosis in addition to biochemical marker and bone densitometry testing. Recognition of factors contributing to falls is a critical part of prevention of fragility fractures in the elderly. Nutraceutical treatments include calcium and vitamin D. Pharmacologic treatments include bisphosphonates, raloxifene, estrogen, testosterone, strontium ranelate, calcitonin and parathyroid hormone (recombinant 1–34 and 1–84). Although bisphosphonates are generally considered first-line therapy, therapies such as raloxifene and zoledronate have unique benefits. Nonpharmacologic interventions include weight-bearing exercise and behavioral counseling for modification of risk factors such as smoking and alcohol use. Fall and fracture prevention with hip protectors and balance training have also bee...
Bubbles in ceramic systems: Invited Review Paper

Abstract The genesis and properties of bubbles are discussed, with ceramic examples selected from aqueous suspensions and pastes, dried bodies, molten and congealed glasses, glazes and vitreous bonds, natural and synthetic crystalline materials, and fluidized beds. Bubbles influence ceramic behavior before, during and after firing, sometimes desirably, but often adversely. Most develop by heterogeneous nucleation or by the entrapment of gases. Their expansion and mobility, or the mobility of their surfaces, induce flow in ambient liquids which may, for instance, accelerate the corrosion of refractories or produce glaze defects. Corrosion is accelerated also by the enhanced chemical reactivity and material transport at bubble surfaces.
CD1-restricted adaptive immune responses to Mycobacteria in human group 1 CD1 transgenic mice.

Group 1 CD1 (CD1a, CD1b, and CD1c)–restricted T cells recognize mycobacterial lipid antigens and are found at higher frequencies in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)–infected individuals. However, their role and dynamics during infection remain unknown because of the lack of a suitable small animal model. We have generated human group 1 CD1 transgenic (hCD1Tg) mice that express all three human group 1 CD1 isoforms and support the development of group 1 CD1–restricted T cells with diverse T cell receptor usage. Both mycobacterial infection and immunization with Mtb lipids elicit group 1 CD1–restricted Mtb lipid–specific T cell responses in hCD1Tg mice. In contrast to CD1d-restricted NKT cells, which rapidly respond to initial stimulation but exhibit anergy upon reexposure, group 1 CD1–restricted T cells exhibit delayed primary responses and more rapid secondary responses, similar to conventional T cells. Collectively, our data demonstrate that group 1 CD1–restricted T cells participate in adaptive immune responses upon mycobacterial infection and could serve as targets for the development of novel Mtb vaccines.
Kruppel-like factor 4: transcriptional regulator of proliferation, or inflammation, or differentiation, or all three?

See related article, pages 1548–1557 The transcriptional response to vascular injury. The vascular response to injury is a dynamic and multifactorial process involving several cell types. As part of the vascular response to injury, normally quiescent, contractile vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) respond to inflammatory and growth factors by transforming from a differentiated contractile state to a dedifferentiated synthetic phenotype capable of migration, proliferation, and synthesis of cytokines and extracellular matrix.1 As the major effector cell in this occlusive process, the VSMC must coordinate and synchronize immensely complex inflammatory, proliferative, and differentiation programs. Indeed, the activated “myofibroblastic” VSMCs can even express proteins and cytokines ascribed to be restricted to inflammatory cells.2,3 Several transcription factors have earned the moniker of “master switch” of inflammation (eg, NF-κB), or proliferation (eg, Egr-1), or differentiation (eg, myocardin).4–6 Is it possible, or even plausible, from a cellular standpoint, that a single transcription factor could potentially play an important part in all 3 of these processes? The Kruppel-like family of transcription factors contain zinc finger DNA binding domains and presently include at least 16 mammalian members,7 with several having important roles in cardiovascular pathophysiology.8 One might think that there would be redundancy among so many family members; however, the non–zinc finger domain of these transcription factors displays structural heterogeneity, resulting in surprising functional diversity among Kruppel proteins.9 In particular, the role of Kruppel-like factor (KLF)4 in vascular biology and the mechanisms of its effects are as complex as the cells that participate in vascular disease are diverse. For example, in macrophages, KLF4 is induced by inflammatory stimuli and mediates induction of proinflammatory genes by 2 different, but complementary, mechanisms. In the first, KLF4 interacts with the NF-κB subunit p65 and cooperates with its transactivation of proinflammatory genes. In the …
A novel compact polymeric wavelength triplexer designed for 10Gb/s TDM-PON based on cascaded-step-size multimode interference

Aiming for the applications of 10G TDM-PON access network, a ultra-short polymeric optical multiplexer is designed for the transceiver, using the concept of space-efficient, cascaded step-size multimode interference (CSS-MMI) effect. Three optical channels, 1310nm for upstream, and 1490nm, 1550nm for downstream, are demultiplexed in sub-centimeter length with maximal insertion loss ≪ 1.52dB and extinction ratio ≫ 17dB. Preliminary experimental results of a polymeric wavelength splitter have validated wavelength demultiplexing function at the ONU.
An active suppression circuit for the reduction of di/dt event supply voltage variation

We demonstrate an integrated supply voltage variation suppression circuit for the reduction of di/dt event noise. The circuit was implemented in an 130 nm CMOS technology. For nominal conditions, the suppression circuit reduced the first droop supply voltage variation by 68.9%. The suppression circuit uses a digital control system which achieves a minimum response time of 1 ns.
EST analysis of Ostreococcus lucimarinus, the most compact eukaryotic genome, shows an excess of introns in highly expressed genes.

Background: The genome of the pico-eukaryotic (bacterial-sized) prasinophyte green alga Ostreococcus lucimarinus has one of the highest gene densities known in eukaryotes, yet it contains many introns. Phylogenetic studies suggest this unusually compact genome (13.2 Mb) is an evolutionarily derived state among prasinophytes. The presence of introns in the highly reduced O. lucimarinus genome appears to be in opposition to simple explanations of genome evolution based on unidirectional tendencies, either neutral or selective. Therefore, patterns of intron retention in this species can potentially provide insights into the forces governing intron evolution. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we studied intron features and levels of expression in O. lucimarinus using expressed sequence tags (ESTs) to annotate the current genome assembly. ESTs were assembled into unigene clusters that were mapped back to the O. lucimarinus Build 2.0 assembly using BLAST and the level of gene expression was inferred from the number of ESTs in each cluster. We find a positive correlation between expression levels and both intron number (R= +0.0893, p= ,0.0005) and intron density (number of introns/kb of CDS; R= +0.0753, p= ,0.005). Conclusions/Significance: In a species with a genome that has been recently subjected to a great reduction of non-coding DNA, these results imply the existence of selective/functional roles for introns that are principally detectable in highly expressed genes. In these cases, introns are likely maintained by balancing the selective forces favoring their maintenance with other mutational and/or selective forces acting on genome size.
Substance Use Among Victimized Women on Probation and Parole

Victimized women within the criminal justice system are an important group and understanding their substance use is critical. Substance use was examined among 406 victimized women on probation and parole in an urban community from 2010 to 2013. Ninety-three percent reported lifetime use of an illicit substance, whereas 58% and 45% reported use of at least one illicit substance in the past 2 years and 12 months, respectively. Among probationers, having been in a controlled environment was associated with a higher prevalence of illicit substance use as compared to parolees. Implications for practice, policy, and future research are discussed.
Dispersion characteristics of the broadside-coupled coplanar waveguide

The dispersive properties for the even- and odd-modes of the broadside-coupled coplanar waveguide (CPW) are determined using the spectral domain method. Various numerical results of the even- and odd-mode effective dielectric constants as a function of frequency are presented and discussed. It is found that the structure has a very weak dispersion. This fact is further confirmed through a comparison between the calculated dynamic and quasi-static results of the even- and odd-mode effective dielectric constants. The low dispersion feature signifies the fact that the quasi-static analysis is adequate for designing practical microwave and millimeter-wave circuits employing broadside-coupled CPW. >
Visual servoing with independently controlled cameras using a learned invariant representation

Robots that use an active camera system for visual feedback can achieve greater flexibility, including the ability to operate in a dynamically changing environment. Incorporating active vision into a robot control loop involves some inherent difficulties, including calibration, and the need for redefining the goal as the camera configuration changes. We propose a self-organizing neural network that learns a calibration-free spatial representation of 3D point targets in a manner that is invariant to changing camera configurations. This learned representation is used as the basis for developing a novel framework for robot control with active vision. The salient feature of this framework is that it decouples active camera control from robot control. The feasibility of this approach is explored with the help of computer simulations and experiments with an active camera system.
κ‐distributed protons in the solar wind and their charge‐exchange coupling to energetic hydrogen

The interaction between the solar wind and the interstellar medium represents a collision between two plasma flows, resulting in a heliosphere with an extended tail. While the solar wind is mostly ionized material from the corona, the interstellar medium is only partially ionized. The ion and neutral populations are coupled through charge-exchange collisions that operate on length scales of tens to hundreds of astronomical units. About half the interstellar hydrogen flows into the heliosphere where it may charge-exchange with solar wind protons. This process gives rise to a nonthermal proton, known as a pickup ion, which joins the plasma. In this paper we investigate the effects of approximating the total ion distribution of the subsonic solar wind as a generalized Lorentzian, or κ distribution, using an MHD neutral code. We illustrate the effect different values of the κ parameter have on both the structure of the heliosphere and the energetic neutral atom flux at 1 AU. We find that using a κ distribution in our simulations yields levels of energetic neutral atom flux that are within a factor of about 2 or 3 over the IBEX-Hi range of energies from 0.5 to 6 keV. While the presence of a suprathermal tail in the proton distribution leads to the production of high-energy neutrals, the sharp decline in the charge-exchange cross section around 10 keV mitigates the enhanced transfer of energy from the ions to the neutrals that might otherwise be expected.
Turbo spin-echo diffusion-weighted MR of ischemic stroke.

PURPOSE Our objective was to determine whether a multisection technique, diffusion-weighted half-Fourier single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) imaging, can compensate for the drawbacks common to other diffusion-weighted techniques; specifically, the need for echo-planar technology and the presence of susceptibility artifacts in areas close to the skull base. METHODS Forty subjects who were referred to the stroke service with signs of acute (less than 24 hour) neurologic dysfunction were included in this prospective study. MR imaging of the brain was performed with diffusion-weighted echo-planar and diffusion-weighted HASTE sequences. The images obtained with both sequences were analyzed for the presence of hyperintensities corresponding to ischemic lesions as well as for the presence of image artifacts and distortions. RESULTS Diffusion-weighted HASTE images showed areas of hyperintensity corresponding to the infarcts present on diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging studies without distortion or susceptibility artifacts in all the patients who had a stroke. Twelve patients had no acute ischemic lesions; of these, five had other findings, six had normal findings, and in one patient, a hyperintensity seen on diffusion-weighted echo-planar images proved to be an artifact on diffusion-weighted HASTE images. CONCLUSIONS Diffusion-weighted HASTE is equal to diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging in the detection of early ischemia. Because of the absence of significant image distortions and other artifacts, diffusion-weighted HASTE permits fast multiplanar imaging in artifact-prone regions, such as the posterior fossa and the inferior frontal and temporal lobes. Diffusion imaging can be performed on conventional systems with strengths of 1.5 T that do not have echo-planar imaging capabilities.
Childhood Obesity, Atherogenesis, and Adult Cardiovascular Disease

Natural history of atherosclerosis – Atherosclerosis was described as a medical curiosity in human arteries by numerous observers over the last three centuries. Early in the twentieth century, atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries was linked to thrombosis, arterial occlusion, and myocardial infarction (1) and is now known to be the arterial lesion underlying most forms of adult cardiovascular disease [coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral arterial disease]. The frequency of cardiovascular disease due to atherosclerosis increased in the United States and in the other industrialized countries until it became the leading cause of disability and death by the 1950s (2).
En Paz Descanse: Remembering Keith Aoki’s Contributions Toward Latina/o Equality

Part of the forthcoming University of Oregon law review tribute to the scholarship of the late Professor Keith Aoki (1955-2011), this article situates Keith’s engagement of Latina/o policy issues within his scholarly identity and legacy. Although best remembered for his renowned contributions in the fields of intellectual property, property law, and Asian American jurisprudence, Keith wrote extensively on Latina/o issues in pursuit of equality of treatment. As addressed in the article, Keith’s notable advocacy on behalf of Latinas/os includes the significance of political representation as a strategy for social change and his innovative proposals for regional formulation of immigration policy.
Breakthrough or Breakdown? US-Pakistan Military Alliance of 1954

Scholars often query why the United States and India, the world’s greatest and largest democracies, are not more closely allied. Though news headlines recite continued attempts to improve ties, the Cold War-era record is telling.As the last British ships left India, their stewards left behind a legacy in the Subcontinent. They had stirred religion as a divisive issue in South Asian politics in order to advance their own interests. By contrast, Mahatma Gandhi propounded secular, unifying ideals that gained widespread acceptance in India.It is this dichotomy, based in South Asian history, that forced Pakistan’s acceptance of a Realism worldview and India’s policy of nonalignment. While Pakistan was founded on Islamic ideals, Nehru carved India’s policy of dealing with its affairs independently, without Superpower domination (from which it had only recently freed itself). Militarily, he argued that a “no-war” zone should be extended from India’s borders to include the entire Subcontinent.Realism was the ideology that Pakistan found appealing. It favored the struggle for power internationally. This was the only policy that Pakistan could logically accept because it needed to deny India’s secular ideology from dominating the Subcontinent. With America as its ally, Pakistan could justify its existence as an Islamic nation in South Asia, with its military to back up its words.Meanwhile, the United States was in the midst of the Cold War and was disenchanted with India’s unswerving determination to build a “third power” - a non-aligned one - to shadow the power struggle of the superpowers. Moreover, Indian traditions espousing a class-free society too closely resembled socialism to American eyes, and fueled a belief that India favored Communism. These are the conditions that made it ripe for a Pakistani request for military aid and an American approval. While Pakistan argued that it would not use its weapons shipment in its struggle against India in Kashmir, Nehru blasted this aid. He claimed that Pakistan’s Prime Minister intended such aid for more than defensive purposes. The nature of this aid – reportedly a military alliance rather than an isolated weapons shipment - fueled this belief.Although the United States and India both fought the same colonial power for justice and independence, this fact alone failed to bind them due to prevailing ideologies and the impressions they engendered. Politicians from India and the United States each indicated why the other could not be relied upon, as America was preoccupied with containing Communism and India was preoccupied with non-alignment. Pakistan’s acceptance of Realism was inevitable due to the geographic and historical experience of the Subcontinent. Significantly, these stances played themselves out in the nature and fact of a US-Pakistan alliance.
What is the role of autologous transplant for lymphoma in the current era

The role of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in the management of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is evolving, in the era of novel agents. Multiple histologies and remission stages have been impacted with changing outcomes. In the 1990s, ASCT could cure 50% of relapsed chemosensitive aggressive NHL; now the percentage maybe as low as 20% for patients relapsing within 1 year of completing rituximab-containing induction. Yet recent trials have clarified the value of first remission ASCT for high-grade NHL, the utility of augmented preparative regimens, the efficacy of ASCT in primary CNS lymphoma and in the elderly and analyses have defined strategies to reduce transplant related myeloid malignancies. In addition, optimizing nontransplant induction therapy for mantle cell and double-hit NHL is leading to improved outcomes and a re-examination of the use of ASCT in first complete remission. Caution is needed, however, as delaying transplants may mean that patients will need more morbid allogeneic transplants to achieve long-term control of refractory disease. As an alternative, maintenance therapy trials to improve ASCT outcome in high-risk patients are starting, based on the efficacy of lenolidomide and brentuximab in myeloma and Hodgkin's lymphoma, respectively. In addition, efforts to define early high-risk patients by minimal residual disease (MRD) assessments and genetic profiling, are beginning even for those with "indolent" phenotypes not currently autotransplanted. These efforts should not only refine but also enhance the value of early potentially curative ASCT, especially if novel agents only delay but do not prevent relapse for patients with NHL.
Underwater blast injury: a review of standards

The first cases of underwater blast injury appeared in the scientific literature in 1917, and thousands of service members and civilians were injured or killed by underwater blast during WWII. The prevalence of underwater blast injuries and occupational blasting needs led to the development of many safety standards to prevent injury or death. Most of these standards were not supported by experimental data or testing. In this review, we describe existing standards, discuss their origins, and we comprehensively compare their prescriptions across standards. Surprisingly, we found that most safety standards had little or no scientific basis, and prescriptions across standards often varied by at least an order of magnitude. Many published standards traced back to a US Navy 500 psi guideline, which was intended to provide a peak pressure at which injuries were likely to occur. This standard itself seems to have been based upon a completely unfounded assertion that has propagated throughout the literature in subsequent years. Based on the limitations of the standards discussed, we outline future directions for underwater blast injury research, such as the compilation of epidemiological data to examine actual injury risk by human beings subjected to underwater blasts.
SEXUAL SIZE DIMORPHISM AS A CORRELATED RESPONSE TO SELECTION ON BODY SIZE: AN EMPIRICAL TEST OF THE QUANTITATIVE GENETIC MODEL

We artificially selected for body size in Drosophila melanogaster to test Lande's quantitative genetic model for the evolution of sexual size dimorphism. Thorax width was used as an estimator of body size. Selection was maintained for 21 generations in both directions on males only, females only, or both sexes simultaneously. The correlated response of sexual size dimorphism in each selection regime was compared to the response predicted by four variants of the model, each of which differed only in assumptions about input parameters. Body size responded well to selection, but the correlated response of sexual size dimorphism was weaker than that predicted by any of the variants. Dimorphism decreased in most selection lines, contrary to the model predictions. We suggest that selection on body size acts primarily on growth trajectories. Changes in dimorphism are caused by the fact that male and female growth trajectories are not parallel and termination of growth at different points along the curves results in dimorphism levels that are difficult to predict without detailed knowledge of growth parameters. This may also explain many of the inconsistent results in dimorphism changes seen in earlier selection experiments.
DNA sequence-dependent ionic currents in ultra-small solid-state nanopores

Measurements of ionic currents through nanopores partially blocked by DNA have emerged as a powerful method for characterization of the DNA nucleotide sequence. Although the effect of the nucleotide sequence on the nanopore blockade current has been experimentally demonstrated, prediction and interpretation of such measurements remain a formidable challenge. Using atomic resolution computational approaches, here we show how the sequence, molecular conformation, and pore geometry affect the blockade ionic current in model solid-state nanopores. We demonstrate that the blockade current from a DNA molecule is determined by the chemical identities and conformations of at least three consecutive nucleotides. We find the blockade currents produced by the nucleotide triplets to vary considerably with their nucleotide sequences despite having nearly identical molecular conformations. Encouragingly, we find blockade current differences as large as 25% for single-base substitutions in ultra small (1.6 nm × 1.1 nm cross section; 2 nm length) solid-state nanopores. Despite the complex dependence of the blockade current on the sequence and conformation of the DNA triplets, we find that, under many conditions, the number of thymine bases is positively correlated with the current, whereas the number of purine bases and the presence of both purines and pyrimidines in the triplet are negatively correlated with the current. Based on these observations, we construct a simple theoretical model that relates the ion current to the base content of a solid-state nanopore. Furthermore, we show that compact conformations of DNA in narrow pores provide the greatest signal-to-noise ratio for single base detection, whereas reduction of the nanopore length increases the ionic current noise. Thus, the sequence dependence of the nanopore blockade current can be theoretically rationalized, although the predictions will likely need to be customized for each nanopore type.
(Invited) Assessment of Durable SiC JFET Technology for +600° to -125° Integrated Circuit Operation

Electrical characteristics and circuit design considerations for prototype 6H-SiC JFET integrated circuits (ICs) operating over the broad temperature range of -125 °C to +600 °C are described. Strategic implementation of circuits with transistors and resistors in the same 6H-SiC n-channel layer enabled ICs with nearly temperature-independent functionality to be achieved. The frequency performance of the circuits declined at temperatures increasingly below or above room temperature, roughly corresponding to the change in 6H-SiC n-channel resistance arising from incomplete carrier ionization at low temperature and decreased electron mobility at high temperature. In addition to very broad temperature functionality, these simple digital and analog demonstration integrated circuits successfully operated with little change in functional characteristics over the course of thousands of hours at 500 °C before experiencing interconnect-related failures. With appropriate further development, these initial results establish a new technology foundation for realizing durable 500 °C ICs.
The Galapagos Sea Lion

During parts of January and February 1964, observations were made on Galapagos sea lions. On Barrington Island one social group, composed of a dominant bull, females, pups, and immatures, was kept under observation for six days. The group slept at night on the higher beach. Activity began at dawn and all members of the group entered the water by shortly after sunup. Most of them returned to land within an hour or two. The dominant male permitted no other males in his territory. Stray bulls slept on the beach at night unnoticed. Females were observed nursing large immatures as well as pups. Lava lizards were seen on or near sea lions, where the lizards captured flies attracted by the larger animals.
The use of CFD in the design process for configuration drag

This paper presents a drag-accounting system for a transonic business jet or transport airplane. It describes how to use Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in combination with handbook methods to define parasite, induced, and compressibility drag components. CFD results have been generated and compared with windtunnel results. Specific comparisons are shown for liftdependent drag and compressibility drag. A CFD method is also presented to estimate the high-speed buffet boundary and compared with wind-tunnel results.
NEPA, FLPMA, and Impact Reduction: An Empirical Assessment of BLM Resource Management Planning in the Mountain West

This paper reviews Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) completed in conjunction with Resource Management Plan (RMP) revisions completed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming between 2004 and 2014. Based on our review of sixteen EISs for RMP revisions we found that RMP revisions increased application of more protective surface use stipulations by statistically significant amounts without causing a statistically significant change in either the number of jobs created or the pace of oil and gas development. In fact, both the number of jobs created and wells drilled increased slightly despite strengthened environmental protections. We also found that Draft RMP EISs that are completed on an accelerated timeline come with a heightened risk that supplementation will be needed. The delays associated with preparing a Supplemental EIS far outweigh the timesaving associated with fast-tracking DEIS preparation and provide a strong caution against rushing the NEPA process.
Laparoscopic operations in pediatric surgery

From January 2003 to January 2004, laparoscopy was performed in 100 cases, aged from 10 months to 19 years. Diagnostic laparoscopy was applied in 39 patients, most often in nonpalpable testes (29), ovarian cysts (4), abdominal trauma (1), abdominal cysts (2) and intersex states (3). Ninety patients underwent operative laparoscopy: appendectomy (44), orchiopexy (2), orchiectomy (1), herniorrhaphy (1), varicocelectomy (8), adnexectomy (2), cholecystectomy (8), Fowler-Stephens procedure (1), abdominal cysts (2), ovarian cystectomy (6), subdiaphragmatic abscess (1), adhesiotomy (11), liver cysts (2) and splenectomy (1). Diagnostic laparoscopy has proved to be more reliable and less invasive method in comparison to previously used methods. Our conclusion is that operative laparoscopy has many advantages compared with some of the classical surgical procedures.
Social and Economic Effects on Growth

Human growth is directly affected by diet, and by work, disease and nutritional resources required for basal metabolism. In turn, these variables respond to a host of environmental conditions. From a global–historical perspective, the socioeconomic variables include income, inequality, food prices, migration and trade, urbanization, culture, technology (which affects work effort), crises and mother’s education. Public health investments may be regarded as a socioeconomic program. This chapter explains and illustrates the links from socioeconomic conditions to stature via proximate determinants of net nutrition and growth, discusses socioeconomic influences on growth that operate via these determinants, and considers the socioeconomic consequences of adult stature.
Thermal history and hydrocarbon maturity study in the Norton Basin, Alaska

Two COST wells in the Norton Basin of Alaska were examined using a one-dimensional quantitative dynamic model (1-D). By inversion of vitrinite reflectance data with the present day thermal gradient in the basin, the paleothermal history of the basin was reconstructed and showed two high thermal peaks, one during the initial stage of basin development (60-50 MaBP) and the other at late Miocene (15-5 MaBP). The early thermal peak corresponded to thinning of the lithosphere and subsidence with upwelling of the hot asthenosphere, and the more recent thermal high was caused by the subsidence and volcanic activity during late Miocene. The Norton Basin is thermally mature with hydrocarbon generation occurring in 15-2 MaBP
Isothermal crystallization of blends containing two thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers

Abstract The intention of this work is to determine how the isothermal crystallization behavior of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) can be adjusted by blending it with a pure TLCP of lower melting point. One TLCP (T m ∼350 °C) used is a copolyester synthesized from terephthalic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, hydroquinone and hydroquinone derivatives. The other TLCP (T m ∼280 °C) is a copolyesteramide of 60 mol% hydroxynaphthoic acid, 20 mol% terephthalic acid and 20 mol% 4-aminophenol. As the content of the low melting TLCP increases in the blends, the temperature at which isothermal crystallization occurs decreases. Comparing with pure TLCPs, the blend of 75% low melting TLCP crystallizes at a lower temperature than the pure matrix, and the blend remains as a stable super-cooled fluid in the temperature range from 220 to 280 °C for 1200 s. Because of the low energy released during the phase transition, small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) is more sensitive to detecting the onset of isothermal crystallization than differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
The National Agricultural Statistics Service County Estimates Program

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) publishes over 300 reports annually regarding the Nation’s crop acreage, crop production, livestock inventory, commodity prices, and farm expenses. The primary source of this information is surveys of U.S. farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses who voluntarily provide information on a confidential basis. These surveys are normally designed to provide State and U.S. level indications of agricultural commodities. There is also a need for county level estimates to assist fanners, ranchers, agribusinesses, and government agencies in local agricultural decision making.
Synthesis method for introducing mesoporosity in a faujasitic-like zeolite system from a sodium aluminosilicate gel composition

Abstract We report a facile synthesis method of hierarchical faujasitic structures from a sodium aluminosilicate composition. The critical experimental variable was the removal of water via heat from the aluminosilicate gel during the synthesis process. These gels were used as starting materials for synthesis. With these partially dehydrated gels, extensive zeolite nucleation did occur, and the extent was varied both with the degree of dehydration and the temperature at which the dehydrated sample was maintained. Nanoparticles of FAU and EMT were formed that pack together resulting in external surface areas of 249–259 m2/g. In addition, under certain conditions of crystal growth, sheet like-structures arising from FAU-EMT intergrowths were observed. The interpenetration packing of the nanosheets lead to zeolitic particles with external surface areas in the range of 127–199 m2/g. The pore size distribution varied with sample preparation and ranged from 2 to 100 nm. These samples were characterized by N2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The thermal and hydrothermal stability was also studied. In order to evaluate the role of the higher external surface area on a chemical reaction, the dealkylation of 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene was examined and the product distribution did reflect the mesoporous nature of the sample.