cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lifelong Learning with Gaussian Processes

Recent developments in lifelong machine learning have demonstrated that it is possible to learn multiple tasks consecutively, transferring knowledge between those tasks to accelerate learning and improve performance. However, these methods are limited to using linear parametric base learners, substantially restricting the predictive power of the resulting models. We present a lifelong learning algorithm that can support non-parametric models, focusing on Gaussian processes. To enable efficient online transfer between Gaussian process models, our approach assumes a factorized formulation of the covariance functions, and incrementally learns a shared sparse basis for the models’ parameterizations. We show that this lifelong learning approach is highly computationally efficient, and outperforms existing methods on a variety of data sets.
Infections of the Central Nervous System Caused by Nontuberculous Mycobacteria

Abstract Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) comprise many bacterial pathogens that are divided by their growth features into two main groups: slow-growing and rapid-growing mycobacteria. The most important sites of infection include the pulmonary system, the skin and soft tissue, and disseminated disease. NTM infections involving the central nervous system infection are rarely reported but when they occur, this group of infections is associated with potentially severe complications or death. Most reported cases occur among immunocompromised hosts and predominantly among individuals with advanced HIV-associated immunosuppression. Additionally, advances in neurosurgical procedures including intracranial prosthetic devices (cerebrospinal shunts or Ommaya reservoirs) and potentially other prosthetic devices such as deep brain stimulators for neurodegenerative disorders may increase the risk of acquiring NTM by their ability to establish biofilms. Clinically, the most frequent presentation of NTM CNS infection is in the form of meningoencephalitis with important cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, high protein levels, and hypoglycorrachia. Treatment of NTM meningoencephalitis requires prolonged courses of a combination or oral and/or intravenous antimicrobials with the ability to penetrate the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers. Similar to tuberculous meningitis, the use of corticosteroids has proven beneficial in many of the reported cases of CNS infection caused by NTM. However, due to the paucity of cases of NTM CNS infections compared to tuberculous meningitis, the use of corticosteroids has not been systematically evaluated.
Recreation ecosystem services from chaparral dominated landscapes: a baseline assessment from national forests in Southern California

This chapter examines recreation ecosystem services provided by chaparral dominated landscapes. Such areas are popular around the world amongst recreation users, including hikers, mountain bikers, campers, and nature enthusiasts. Yet, relatively few studies have documented the recreation services provided by chaparral landscapes such as national forests. For policy makers to manage these areas effectively, baseline information on the provision of recreation services and the populations who benefit is important, especially given current stressors such as overuse and projected climate change effects. To this end, this chapter examines four chaparral dominated national forests surrounding the Los Angeles and San Diego metropolitan areas, namely the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino. Using data from the USDA Forest Service’s National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) survey, we discuss the types of visitors using these public lands and their recreation use patterns. Our analyses suggest recreation in chaparral dominated national forests is especially important for minorities. Yet, these landscapes are facing altered human and natural disturbance regimes that may affect the recreation services they provide.
In-class coding-based summative assessments: tools, challenges, and experience

Pencil-and-paper coding questions on computer science exams are unrealistic: real developers work at a keyboard with extensive resources at hand, rather than on paper with few or no notes. We address the challenge of administering a proctored exam in which students must write code that passes instructor-provided test cases as well as writing test cases of their own. The exam environment allows students broad access to Internet resources they would use for take-home programming assignments, while blocking their ability to use that facility for direct communication with colluders. Our system supports cumulative questions (in which later parts depend on correctly answering earlier parts) by allowing the test-taker to reveal one or more hints by sacrificing partial credit for the question. Autograders built into the exam environment provide immediate feedback to the student on their exam grade. In case of grade disputes, a virtual machine image reflecting all of the student's work is preserved for later inspection. While elements of our scheme have appeared in the literature (autograding, semi-locked-down computer environments for exam-taking, hint "purchasing"), we believe we are the first to combine them into a system that enables realistic in-class coding-based exams with broad Internet access. We report on lessons and experience creating and administering such an exam, including autograding-related pitfalls for high-stakes exams, and invite others to use and improve on our tools and methods.
Generation of large scale circulation in turbulent convection

In a horizontal layer of fluid heated below and cooled above, cellular convection with horizontal length scale comparable to the layer depth occurs in a certain range of Rayleigh numbers. As the Rayleigh number is increased, cellular flow disappears and is replaced by a random array of transient plumes. Upon further increase, these plumes drift in one direction near the bottom and in the opposite direction near the top of the layer with the axes of the plumes tilted in such a way that horizontal momentum is transported upwardsvia the Reynolds stress. With the onset of this large-scale horizontal flow, the largest scale of motion increases from a scale comparable to the layer depth to a scale comparable to the layer width. The conditions for the occurrence and the determination of the direction of this largescale circulation are described in this paper.
Ethnic and Geographic Variation in Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Geographic and ethnic studies of aPL and APS suggest that IgG aCL prevalence may be lower among Afro-Caribbean (Jamaican) SLE patients, who interestingly have a high prevalence of IgA aCL. It is not clear whether this is generalizable to other SLE populations that have African ancestry. Further multi-ethnic studies that are internally controlled for laboratory methods and SLE disease activity would be useful in confirming these reports, and exploring their clinical significance.
Federal Control of Air Emissions from New Heavy-Duty Road Vehicles

This article discusses the federal regulatory program to control air emissions and fuel economy from heavy-duty road vehicles. It includes a discussion of the EPA's Tier 2 standards and the proposed Tier 3 standards as well as the rules to control greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.
Pancreatic Islet-Cell Hyperplasia, Golden Hamster

Enlarged islets of Langerhans may be visible grossly as clear, hyperemic, or hemorrhagic nodules 1–2 mm in diameter, embedded in opaque, gray acinar tissue.
Prenatal detection of critical cardiac outflow tract anomalies remains suboptimal despite revised obstetrical imaging guidelines.

BACKGROUND Fetal echocardiography can accurately diagnose critical congenital heart disease prenatally, but relies on referrals from abnormalities identified on routine obstetrical ultrasounds. Critical congenital heart disease that is frequently missed due to inadequate outflow tract imaging includes anomalies such as truncus arteriosus, double outlet right ventricle, transposition of the great arteries, tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary stenosis, and aortic stenosis. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the prenatal detection rate of critical outflow tract anomalies in a single urban pediatric hospital before and after "AIUM Practice Guideline for the Performance of Obstetric Ultrasound Examinations," which incorporated outflow tract imaging. DESIGN Infants with outflow tract anomalies who required cardiac catheterization and/or surgical procedure(s) in the first 3 months of life were retrospectively identified. This study evaluated two time periods; pre-guidelines from June 2010 to May 2013 and post-guidelines from January 2015 to June 2016. June 2013-December 2014 was excluded as a theoretical period necessary for obstetrical practices to implement the revised guidelines. RESULTS Overall, prenatal diagnosis occurred in 55% of infants with critical outflow tract anomalies; of the three most common defects, prenatal diagnosis occurred in 53% of D-transposition of the great arteries, 63% of tetralogy of Fallot, and 80% of double outlet right ventricle patients. Pre-guidelines, prenatal diagnosis occurred in 52% (52 of 102) infants with critical outflow tract anomalies requiring early cardiac intervention. Post-guidelines, prenatal diagnosis occurred in 61% (33 of 54) infants, not significantly different than the prenatal detection rate pre-guidelines (P = .31). CONCLUSIONS Despite revised obstetrical guidelines highlighting the importance of outflow tract imaging, referrals and prenatal diagnosis of these types of critical congenital heart disease remain low. Education of obstetrical sonographers and practitioners who perform fetal anatomic screening is vital to increase referrals and prenatal detection of critical outflow tract anomalies.
Highly Enantiospecific Borylation for Chiral α-Amino Tertiary Boronic Esters.

Herein we report a highly efficient and enantiospecific borylation method to synthesize a wide range of enantiopure (>99 % ee) α-amino tertiary boronic esters. The configurationally stable α-N-Boc substituted tertiary organolithium species and pinacolborane (HBpin) underwent enantiospecific borylation at -78 °C with the formation of a new stereogenic C-B bond. This reaction has a broad scope, enabling the synthesis of various α-amino tertiary boronic esters in excellent yields and, importantly, with universally excellent enantiospecificity (>99 % es) and complete retention of configuration.
Pooling Word Vector Representations Across Models

Vector based word representation models are typically developed from very large corpora with the hope that the representations are reliable and have wide coverage, i.e. they cover, ideally, all words. However, we often encounter words in real world applications that are not available in a single vector-based model. In this paper, we present a novel Neural Network (NN) based approach for obtaining representations for words that are missing in a target model from another model, called the source model, where representations for these words are available, effectively pooling together their vocabularies and the corresponding representations. Our experiments with three different types of pre-trained models (Word2vec, GloVe, and LSA) show that the representations obtained using our transformation approach can substantially and effectively extend the word coverage of existing models. The increase in the number of unique words covered by a model varies from few to several times depending on which model vocabulary is taken as reference. The transformed word representations are also well correlated (average correlation up to 0.801 for words in Simlex-999 dataset) with the native target model representations indicating that the transformed vectors can effectively be used as substitutes of native word representations. Furthermore, an extrinsic evaluation based on a word-to-word similarity task using the Simlex-999 dataset leads to results close to those obtained using native target model representations.
Prefunding Public Sector Retiree Health Benefits: The California Example:

Most state and local governments have historically funded their retiree health care benefits on a pay-as-you-go basis. This has resulted in massive amounts of unfunded liability in many states incl...
Classification of hyperspectral data using spectral-spatial approaches

Hyperspectral imaging records a detailed spectrum of the received light in each spatial position in the image. Since different substances exhibit different spectral signatures, hyperspectral imagery is a well-suited technology for accurate image classification, which is an important task in many application domains. However, the high dimensionality of the data presents challenges for image analysis. While most of the previously proposed classification techniques process each pixel independently without considering information about spatial structures, recent research in image processing has highlighted the importance of the incorporation of spatial context in a classifier. In this thesis, we propose and develop novel spectral-spatial methods and algorithms for accurate classification of hyperspectral data. First, the integration of the Support Vector Machines (SVM) technique within a Markov Random Fields (MRFs) framework for context classification is investigated. SVM and MRF models are two powerful tools for high-dimensional data classification and for contextual image analysis, respectively. In a second step, we propose classification methods using adaptive spatial neighborhoods derived from region segmentation results. Different segmentation techniques are investigated and extended to the case of hyperspectral images. Then, approaches for combining the extracted spatial regions with spectral information in a classifier are developed. In a third step, we concentrate on approaches to reduce oversegmentation in an image, which is achieved by automatically “marking” the spatial structures of interest before performing a marker-controlled segmentation. Our proposal is to analyze probabilistic classification results for selecting the most reliably classified pixels as markers of spatial regions. Several marker selection methods are proposed, using either individual classifiers, or a multiple classifier system. Then, different approaches for marker-controlled region growing are developed, using either watershed or Minimum Spanning Forest methods and resulting in both segmentation and context classification maps. Finally, we explore possibilities of high-performance parallel computing on commodity processors for reducing computational loads. The new techniques, developed in this thesis, improve classification results, when compared to previously proposed methods, and thus show great potential for various image analysis scenarios.
Role of Heterogeneous Behavioral Factors in an Agent-Based Model of Crop Choice and Groundwater Irrigation

AbstractUnsustainable groundwater use has led to the lowering of groundwater levels and the degradation of groundwater-dependent ecosystems worldwide. Integrated hydrologic-ecological-economic mode...
INFLUENCE OF A PRE-SEASON COACHES’ EDUCATION WORKSHOP STRATEGY ON ATHLETE INJURY RISK ASSESSMENT:

Background:Evidence-based preventive training programs (PTPs) used as a pre-participation warm-up for sport have been shown to reduce injury risk in youth athletes; however, injury risk improvement...
Bilateral cortical visual impairment resulting in Anton's syndrome

Anton's syndrome is a form of total cortical blindness where the patient is objectively blind but denies having vision loss.2009 The denial of vision loss is termed visual anosognosia.2014 In addit...
All-payer Spending on Common Hospital-based Services in California.

BACKGROUND Hospital-based care accounts for one third of US health spending or over $1 trillion annually, yet a detailed all-payer assessment of what services contribute to this spending is not available. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional and longitudinal evaluation of hospital financial statements from acute-care general hospitals in California between fiscal years 2007 and 2016. The amounts spent on 41 different revenue centers were included. The primary outcome was state-level and hospital-level spending for each revenue center including decomposing growth trends into changes in volume and prices. RESULTS The analysis included 2941 annual financial statements from 331 hospitals. Between 2007 and 2016, total spending across all centers increased 66.6% from $43.7B to $72.9B. Five centers-surgery and recovery, drugs sold to patients, acute medical/surgical floor, the clinical laboratory, and emergency services-accounted for over 50% of total spending in 2016. Overall spending growths ranged from 1.1%/y (acute pediatrics) to 17.9%/y (observation). Other revenue centers with large increases in spending included emergency services (164.7%), clinics (on-site 114.5%, satellite 129.7%), anesthesia (119.6%), echocardiography (114.4%), and computed tomography (100.8%). Most services had volume growths within ±2%/y, although there were exceptions (eg, observation hours increased 10.0%/y). Prices grew fastest for echocardiograms (10.5%/y), cardiac catheterization (9.7%/y), therapeutic radiology (8.0%/y), and emergency visits (7.5%/y). In general, median prices for services in 2016 were larger than Medicare allowed amounts. CONCLUSIONS Overall hospital-based spending increased 66.6% between 2007 and 2016 in California, but there was wide variation in spending growth across revenue centers. Understanding this variation-including the relative contributions of volumes and prices-can guide efforts to curb excessive health care spending and optimize resource dedication to current and future patient care needs.
A Novel Risk Stratification System for Thyroid Nodules With Indeterminate Cytology-A Pilot Cohort Study.

Background: Thyroid ultrasound (US), fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), and molecular testing have been widely used to stratify the risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules. The goal of this study was to investigate a novel diagnostic approach for cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITN) based upon a combination of US features and genetic alterations. Methods: We performed a pilot cohort study of patients with ITN (Bethesda III/IV), who underwent surgical treatment. Based on standardized sonographic patterns established by the American Thyroid Association (ATA), each ITN received an US score (XUS), ranging between 0 and 0.9 according to its risk of thyroid cancer (TC). DNA and RNA were extracted from pathologic material, available for all patients, and subjected to Oncomine™ Comprehensive Assay v2 (OCAv2) next-generation sequencing. Each genetic alteration was annotated based on its strength of association with TC and its sum served as the genomic classifier score (XGC). The total risk score (TRS) was the sum of XUS and XGC. ROC curves were generated to assess the diagnostic accuracy of XUS, XGC, and TRS. Results: The study cohort consisted of 50 patients (39 females and 11 males), aged 47.5 ± 14.8 years. Three patients were excluded due to molecular testing failure. Among the remaining 47 patients, 28 (59.6%) were diagnosed with TC. BRAFV600E was the most common mutation in papillary TC, PAX8-PPARG fusion was present in NIFTP, pathogenic variants of SLX4, ATM, and NRAS were found in Hurthle cell TC and RET mutations in medullary TC. The diagnostic accuracy of XGC and TRS was significantly higher compared with XUS (88 vs. 62.5%, p < 0.001; 85.2 vs. 62.5%, p < 0.001, respectively). However, this increased accuracy was due to significantly better sensitivity (80.7 vs. 34.6%, p < 0.001; 84.6 vs. 34.6%, p < 0.001, respectively) without improved specificity (94.7 vs. 90%, p = 0.55; 85.7 vs. 90%, p = 0.63, respectively). Conclusion: Molecular testing might not be necessary in ITN with high-risk US pattern (XUS = 0.9), as specificity of TC diagnosis based on Xus alone is sufficient and not improved with molecular testing. OCAv2 is useful in guiding the management of ITN with low-to-intermediate risk US features (XUS < 0.9), as it increases the accuracy of TC diagnosis.
Mediation of black/white disparities in triple negative breast cancer by socioeconomic position, reproductive factors and diabetes in the Nurses’ Health Study Cohorts I & II.

1565Background: The higher rates of triple negative (TN) breast cancer (BC) observed among black compared to white women may be attributable to social and reproductive factors, as well as biologica...
Analyzing Rural Local Governments' Financial Condition: An Exploratory Application of Three Tools

Rural local governments frequently lack the capacity to analyze and monitor their financial condition. This article presents three tools that were used in a pilot project to analyze the fiscal health of a rural Minnesota county. The article compares and contrasts these methodologies by pointing out the strengths and weaknesses, the usefulness of the results, and the ease or difficulty of use of the tools.
COVID-19-related psychological distress and engagement in preventative behaviors among individuals with severe mental illnesses

Individuals with severe mental illnesses (SMIs) may be disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and psychological distress. This study investigated the prevalence of engagement in COVID-19 preventative behaviors, predictors of these behaviors, and COVID-19-related psychological distress. One hundred and sixty-three individuals with SMIs (94 with schizophrenia spectrum illnesses and 69 with affective disorders) and 27 psychiatrically healthy comparison participants were recruited from ongoing studies across 3 sites, to complete a phone survey querying implementation of 8 specific COVID-19 preventative behaviors that participants engaged in at least once in the past month as well as standard assessments of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, loneliness, and coping. Data were collected between 3 April 2020 and 4 June 2020. The large majority of our SMI sample, which consisted of outpatients with relatively mild symptom severity, endorsed engaging in multiple preventative behaviors. Relatively few differences were found between groups; however, individuals with SMI were less likely to work remotely than healthy individuals and individuals with schizophrenia spectrum illness were less likely to stay home as a preventative measure, wear face masks, and work remotely than individuals with affective disorders. Differences in staying home remained after controlling for potential confounds. Although individuals with SMI reported more psychological distress related to COVID-19, this distress was largely unrelated to engagement in preventative behaviors. The large majority of individuals with SMI in this outpatient sample, regardless of broad diagnostic category, reported performing multiple behaviors intended to prevent COVID-19 infection at least once a month and reported distress associated with the pandemic. These findings suggest a good level of awareness of COVID-19 among stable outpatients with SMI. The degree to which more acutely ill persons with SMI engage in such preventative behaviors, however, remains to be examined.
Self-consistent Goedel cosmology with spin-density in Riemann-Cartan spacetime

It is shown that the Goedel metric (GM) for a rotating cosmology is compatible with the self-consistent formulation of the Einstein-Cartan (EC) metric-torsion theory for a spinning fluid. The proposed calculation shows, within the context of an EC theory, how to self-consistently incorporate a perfect fluid with spin density into the GM without changing the metric. It is found that the only changes produced in the GM parameters in connection with a spinning fluid are that the cosmological constant becomes slightly more negative and the sense of rotation is flipped 180 deg.
Tattoos as a window onto cross-linguistic differences in scalar implicature

This paper addresses the question of how to predict which alternatives are active in scalar implicature calculation, and the nature of this activation. It has been observed that finger implicates 'not thumb', and a Manner-based explanation for this has been proposed, predicting that if English had the simplex Latin word pollex meaning 'thumb or big toe', then finger would cease to have the implicature 'not thumb' that it has. It has also been suggested that this hypothetical pollex would have to be sufficiently colloquial in order to figure in scalar implicature calculation. This paper makes this thought experiment into a real one by using a language that behaves in exactly this way: Spanish has pulgar 'thumb' (< pollex ), a non-colloquial form. We first use a fill-in-the-blank production task with both English and Spanish speakers to guage the likelihood with which a speaker will produce a given form as a way of describing a given digit. Production frequency does not perfectly track complexity, so we can then ask whether comprehension follows production frequency or complexity. We do so using a forced choice comprehension task, which reveals cross-linguistic differences in comprehension tracking production probabilities. A comparison between two RSA models -- one in which the speaker perfectly replicates our production data and a standard one in which the speaker chooses based on a standard cost/accuracy trade-off -- illustrates the fact that comprehension is much more closely tied to production probability than to the mere existence of sufficiently simple alternatives.
Separation techniques for auto shredder residue

Disposal of automobile shredder residue (ASR), remaining from the reclamation of steel from junked automobiles, promises to be an increasing environmental and economic concern. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is investigating alternative technology for recovering value from ASR while also, it is hoped, lessening landfill disposal concerns. Of the ASR total, some 20% by weight consists of plastics. Preliminary work at ANL is being directed toward developing a protocol, both mechanical and chemical (solvent dissolution), to separate and recover polyurethane foam and the major thermoplastic fraction from ASR. Feasibility has been demonstrated in laboratory-size equipment. 10 refs., 2 figs.
How Much Anti-Piracy Effort is Too Much? - a Study of the Global Software Industry

Piracy is commonly considered to be detrimental to the software industry. The industry has taken aggressive steps to curb piracy worldwide. This study questions the wisdom of such aggressive anti-piracy effort in a competitive environment. We show that piracy attracts the most price sensitive consumers. By removing these consumers from the market, piracy reduces firms' incentive to engage in self-destructing price competition. In equilibrium, piracy can increase the industry profit in markets with large variations in consumer price sensitivity. Using software sales and piracy data from 50 countries between 1996 and 2002, we find that anti-piracy effort has indeed hurt the software industry in such markets.
Promoting Academic Momentum at Community Colleges: Challenges and Opportunities

The expansion of the American community college has not been matched by the rapid, or even consistent, progress of all entering students toward postsecondary credentials. Instead, a significant proportion of students enrolled in community colleges appear “stuck” on the road to completion. This lack of progress is due to the complex ways in which social and educational inequalities affect specific students and the institutions of higher education designated to serve them. As a result, policymakers and practitioners face significant challenges in their efforts to promote academic momentum. In the first part of this literature review, the sources of these challenges are located in student characteristics as well as in state and institutional practices and policies. It is argued that there exists an interaction of sorts between the actions of community colleges and the attributes of their students. Acknowledging the myriad complexities in efforts to improve the progress of all two-year students toward goal or degree completion, the second part of this paper examines empirical research to identify opportunities for improvement.
The Low-Redshift Lyα Forest in Cold Dark Matter Cosmologies

We study the physical origin of the low-redshift Lyα forest in hydrodynamic simulations of four cosmological models, all variants of the cold dark matter scenario. Our most important conclusions are insensitive to the cosmological model, but they depend on our assumption that the UV background declines at low redshift in concert with the declining population of quasar sources. We find that the expansion of the universe drives rapid evolution of dN/dz (the number of absorbers per unit redshift above a specified equivalent width threshold) at z1.7, but that at lower redshift the fading of the UV background counters the influence of expansion, leading to slow evolution of dN/dz. The draining of gas from low-density regions into collapsed structures has a mild but not negligible effect on the evolution of dN/dz, especially for high equivalent-width thresholds. At every redshift, weaker lines come primarily from moderate fluctuations of the diffuse, unshocked intergalactic medium (IGM) and stronger lines originate in shocked or radiatively cooled gas of higher overdensity. However, the neutral hydrogen column density associated with structures of fixed overdensity drops as the universe expands, so an absorber at z=0 is dynamically analogous to an absorber that has column density 10-50 times higher at z=2-3. In particular, the mildly overdense IGM fluctuations that dominate the Lyα forest opacity at z>2 produce optically thin lines at z<1, while the marginally saturated (NH I~1014.5 cm−2) lines at z<1 typically arise in gas that is overdense by a factor of 20-100. We find no clear distinction between lines arising in galaxy halos and lines arising in larger scale structures; however, galaxies tend to lie near the dense regions of the IGM that are responsible for strong Lyα lines. The simulations provide a unified physical picture that accounts for the most distinctive observed properties of the low-redshift Lyα forest: (1) a sharp transition in the evolution of dN/dz at z~1.7, (2) stronger evolution for absorbers of higher equivalent width, (3) a correlation of increasing Lyα equivalent width with decreasing galaxy impact parameter that extends to rp~500 h−1 kpc, and (4) a tendency for stronger lines to arise in close proximity to galaxies while weaker lines trace more diffuse large-scale structure.
Purification and Properties of a Nucleoside Phosphotransferase from Carrot

Abstract A simple procedure affording a 940-fold purification of the nucleoside phosphotransferase from carrot is described. Preliminary evidence indicates that, by an additional fractionation through a Sephadex column, a further 5- to 6-fold increase in activity can be effected. The particle weight of the enzyme varies with pH. At the pH optimum of 5.0 one species of particle weight 45,000, at pH 9.5 two species of 63,000 and 44,000 are observed. Disc electrophoresis shows only one band at pH 5.0, two bands at pH 9.5. The enzyme is considered a nucleoside phosphotransferase which also exhibits hydrolase activity because (a) phosphate transfer is favored over hydrolysis; (b) transfer occurs specifically to nucleosides; (c) high yields of nucleotide are recorded. In the characterization of the transfer reaction four factors must be considered: (a) the nature of the phosphate donor; (b) the aglycone of the nucleoside acceptor; (c) the sugar moiety of the nucleoside; (d) the donor-acceptor pair. The main product of the enzymic transfer is a 5'-nucleotide, although upon long incubation other isomers can also be observed. The presence in the enzyme of several active sites is made probable by studies of the effects of Mg2+, Cu2+, and Co2+, of the dialysis against chelating agents, of the pH curves, and of aging properties. The investigation of the hydrolytic functions of the enzyme leads to the conclusion that efficient donors for the transferase are hydrolyzed, although not all hydrolyzable substrates are efficient donors; and that poor acceptors for transferase are good inhibitors of hydrolase.
Discovery and management of diaphragmatic hernia related to abandoned epicardial pacemaker wires in a pregnant woman with {S,L,L} transposition of the great arteries.

Epicardial pacemaker leads placed during childhood are often not removed when transvenous systems are placed later in life. The risk of complications related to retained pacemaker leads and generators is not clear but is generally considered low. We report the case of a 23-year-old pregnant woman who presented with left upper quadrant pain at 20 weeks gestation. The patient was born with {S,L,L} transposition of the great arteries and had high-grade conduction disease in infancy compelling epicardial pacemaker placement. A standard transvenous pacemaker was placed at age 9 years, without removal of the epicardial system. The patient’s abdominal pain was attributed to herniation of abdominal contents through a diaphragmatic defect at the site of the abandoned epicardial pacing wire. Her pain improved spontaneously but worsened later in pregnancy leading to repair of the diaphragmatic hernia via anterolateral thoracotomy at 30 weeks gestation. The procedure was well tolerated by mother and fetus. At 38 3/7 weeks gestation, the patient underwent uneventful delivery by cesarean section for breech presentation. This case illustrates the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in the care of women with congenital heart disease.
Single Event Effects test facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Increasing use of microelectronics of ever diminishing feature size in avionics systems has led to a growing Single Event Effects (SEE) susceptibility arising from the highly ionizing interactions of cosmic rays and solar particles. Single event effects caused by atmospheric radiation have been recognized in recent years as a design issue for avionics equipment and systems. To ensure a system meets all its safety and reliability requirements, SEE induced upsets and potential system failures need to be considered, including testing of the components and systems in a neutron beam. Testing of integrated circuits (ICs) and systems for use in radiation environments requires the utilization of highly advanced laboratory facilities that can run evaluations on microcircuits for the effects of radiation. This paper provides a background of the atmospheric radiation phenomenon and the resulting single event effects, including single event upset (SEU) and latch up conditions. A study investigating requirements for future single event effect irradiation test facilities and developing options at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is summarized. The relatively new SNS—with its 1.0 GeV proton beam, typical operation of 5000 h per year, expertise in spallation neutron sources, user program infrastructure, and decades of useful life ahead—is well suited for hosting a world-class SEE test facility in North America. Emphasis was put on testing of large avionics systems while still providing tunable high flux irradiation conditions for component tests. Makers of ground-based systems would also be served well by these facilities. Three options are described; the most capable, flexible, and highest-test-capacity option is a new stand-alone target station using about one kW of proton beam power on a gas-cooled tungsten target, with dual test enclosures. Less expensive options are also described.
Variability in leg compression provided by gradient commercial stockings

Background Compression stockings are commonly prescribed by physicians for lower extremity edema and venous insufficiency. However, no data are available for clinicians to assess the relative quality of various brands, particularly low-cost generics now available directly to consumers through the Internet. We examined the actual compression provided by gradient stockings from multiple manufacturers. Methods A total of 36 class 2 (20-30 mm Hg) men's medium-sized below-knee compression stockings from six different manufacturers (n = 6 of each brand) with approximately the same quality and materials were chosen to be studied. Identifying brand names were removed, and they were randomly and blindly tested by a technician in accordance with accepted industry standards. A calibrated constant rate of extension tensile instrument (Zwick Z010; Zwick Roell, Ulm, Germany) was used, and the tension generated by the stockings at the ankle and calf was measured using minimum, average, and maximum circumference sizes. All measurements were performed in duplicate. Results The compression pressures generated by the stockings were almost all within the stated range of 20 to 30 mm Hg at the ankle, but all except one were below 20 mm Hg at the calf. There were also significant differences between manufacturers at both the ankle and the calf (P Conclusions There is significant variability among stockings, both in the absolute pressures and in the pressure gradients generated from the ankle to the calf, thought to be functionally important for venous flow. The cheaper stockings offered the same degree of compression and pressure gradient as the more expensive brands. These results suggest the need for manufacturing standards in the United States and a revision in labeling requirements to mandate more accurate and complete pressure disclosures.
A vibrational study of borazine adsorbed on Pt(111) and Au(111) surfaces

Borazine (B3N3H6) adsorption and reaction on Pt(111) and Au(111) substrates at 100–1000 K has been investigated using thermal desorption mass spectroscopy (TDMS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Submonolayer coverages of borazine decompose on Pt(111) and only H2 desorption is observed upon heating. Multilayer borazine desorption occurs near 150 K, with an activation energy, Ed = 7.3 kcalmol. The H2 desorption peaks at 300 K are followed by a very broad desorption tail extending to 900 K, which is attributed to dehydrogenation of borazine molecular fragments. In contrast, molecular adsorption of borazine on Au(111) at 110 K is thermally reversible. Molecular borazine desorption from Au(111) occurs at 206 K with Ed = 12 kcalmol. The HREELS data show an unusual vertical orientation of the adsorbed borazine ring on Pt(111) at low temperature (170 K), but indicate a binding geometry for which the plane of the ring is parallel to the Au(111) surface. Possible reasons for the striking orientational difference in adsorption geometry and reactivity on these two metals are discussed.
Alteration of the action potential of tissue cultured neuronal cells by growth in the presence of a polyunsaturated fatty acid.

The effects of alterations in membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition on the excitability of neuroblastoma × glioma hybrid cells, clone NG108-15, were examined using intracellular recording techniques. Cells were grown in the presence of arachidonate (20:4) added to the culture medium as a complex with bovine serum albumin. Exposure of the cells to 20:4 for 3–21 days produced a 40% decrease in the maximum rate of rise of the action potential (dV/dt) with a small change in its amplitude. The resting membrane potential and passive properties of the cells were unaffected. An effect of 20:4 was not observed until 24 hr after treatment and increased over the next 2 days. The phospholipid content of 20:4 and its metabolite 22:4 increased from 6.9% to 25.3% of total fatty acids during approximately the same time span. It is concluded that the action potential dV/dt can be altered by changes in membrane lipid composition.
Giving Voice to Rural and Urban Social Service Providers: Recessionary Effects on the Provision of Services in Hawai'i

Utilizing an Internet-based survey, 98 administrators, managers, and supervisors in social service settings answered quantitative and qualitative questions about recessionary effects on services and strategies employed to cope with budget shortfalls. Respondents reported making reductions in personnel and programs, with private providers suffering more reductions, and rural counties cutting programs and personnel at higher rates than urban counterparts. Respondents also related concerns about program sustainability, caseload sizes, personnel burnout, impacts to quality, and long-term impacts to clients. Providers utilized a variety of strategies in an attempt to preserve services for vulnerable individuals and their families.
How to aboid boredom in teaching anthropology

Lewis A. Coser, ed. Sociology Through Literature. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice‐Hall, 1972. xix + 517 pp. $5.95 (paper). Jane Dabaghian, ed. Mirror of Man: Readings in Sociology and Literature. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1970. xxi + 567 pp. Illustrations, instructor's guide, glossary, and bibliography. $5.95 (paper). Ronald Fernandez, ed. Social Psychology Through Literature. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1972. xviii + 477 pp. $6.95 (paper). Carol Mason, Martin Harry Greenberg, and Patricia Warrick, eds. Anthropology Through Science Fiction. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1974. xi + 387 pp. Recommended reading. $4.95 (paper). Willis McNelly and Leon E. Stover, eds. Above the Human Landscape: An Anthology of Social Science Fiction. Pacific Palisades, Calif.: Goodyear Publishing Company, 1972. viii + 387 pp. Illustrations and appendixes. $4.95 (paper). Richard Ofshe, ed. The Sociology of the Possible. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice‐Hall, 1970. xvii + 391 pp. $5.95 (paper). Abe C. Ra...
Self-reporting of pollution and the firm's behavior under imperfectly enforceable regulations

Abstract Motivated by the nature of U.S. laws, a model is developed for a firm that maximizes expected profit and faces imperfectly enforceable pollution standards with imperfectly enforceable reporting requirements. Some previous models of imperfectly enforceable standards and taxes are special cases of this general mode. When the fine for violating the pollution standard is linear in excess pollution, the form will equate the marginal cost of control to the marginal fine rate, and thus actual pollution will be insensitive to enforcement parameters related to under-reporting. The more complex comparative statics that exist when the fine is non-linear are analyzed, and comparisons with other models are made.
High-resolution optical emission spectroscopy of uranium hexafluoride in the argon afterglow discharge

Uranium atom and ion emission spectra resulting from the introduction of gaseous uranium hexafluoride (UF6) into an atmospheric-pressure argon afterglow discharge source have been acquired with the use of a high-resolution spectrometer. The isotopic splitting (235U/238U) of the uranium ion line at 424.437 nm has been utilized to analyze three different UF6 samples containing 0.245%, 3.80%, and 51.20% 235U, respectively. A limit of detection for UF6 in argon of ∼15 ppm for the U(II) 424.167-nm line has been achieved.
A rare case of complete C2-C3 dislocation with mild neurological symptoms

The authors report a rare case of complete C2–C3 dislocation with unexpectedly mild neurological symptoms in a 57 year old man involved in a motor vehicle accident, who had previously undergone posterior laminectomy from C3 through C7. A retrospective chart analysis and a thorough radiographic review were performed. X-rays and CT of the cervical spine demonstrated a complete dislocation at the C2–C3 level. Computed tomographic angiography revealed disruption of both vertebral arteries; however, blood flow was evident in the basilar artery. After radiologically guided placement in cervical traction with tongs that reduced the subluxation by approximately 50% the patient had spontaneous eye opening and was able to follow commands. A two-stage 360o stabilization and fusion was performed and the patient was finally discharged 24 days after admission with his neurological status essentially unchanged. In conclusion, our patient presented with surprisingly mild neurological symptoms. The previously performed laminectomy could have both predisposed to injury as well as protected his spinal cord from potentially fatal trauma.
Some Owner Based Schemes With Dynamic Groups In The Schematic Protection Model

The discretionary ability implied in the notion of ownership is often provided in terms of groups rather than individuals. The group approach has its conveniences but is limiting since access decisions do not discriminate among members of a group. The ability for users to define group membership dynamically offers flexibility and convenience. In this paper we investigate a variety of polices for doing so in the context of a simplified file system. We specify the polices using the Schematic Protection Model (SPM). Our investigation reveals that there are many policy options and demonstrates how SPM is used to precisely specify these options.
Athens, the Unjust Student of Rhetoric: A Dramatic Historical Interpretation of Plato's Gorgias

At a time when Athenians were still trying to explain the loss of their empire, Plato's Gorgias—through its dramatic structure and themes, through its allusions to critical moments in the Peloponnesian War, and through its literary engagements with Thucydides, Isocrates, and Polycrates—challenged both the actuality and legitimacy of that power as well as the rhetoric with which democratic Athenians rationalized their former tyranny. By portraying imperial Athens as an unjust student of sophistic rhetoric, as an immoderate practitioner of opportunistic reasoning, Plato offers an instructive explanation for its defeat. Interpreted in its historical contexts, his Gorgias has new relevance.
Temporal constraints on apparent motion in auditory space

The hypothesis that the extent of spatial separation between successive sound events directly affects the perception of time intervals between these events was tested using an apparent motion paradigm. Subjects listened to four-tone pitch patterns whose individual tones were sounded alternately at one of two loudspeaker positions, and they adjusted the alternation rate until they could no longer distinguish the four-tone ordering of the pattern. Four horizontal and two vertical loudspeaker separations were tested. Results indicate a direct relation between horizontal separation and the critical stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between successive tones within a pattern. At the critical SOA, subjects reported hearing not a four-tone pattern, but two pairs of two-note groups overlapping in time. The findings are discussed in the context of auditory spatial processing mechanisms and possible sensory-specific representational constraints.
Planning Text Together: The Role of Critical Reflection in Student Collaboration

Writing instructors often assign collaborative writing activities as a way to foster reflective thinking; many assume that the very act of explaining and defending ideas in the presence of a respon...
Non-random loss of human markers from man-mouse somatic cell hybrids.

THE preferential loss of human chromosomes from hybrids between human and mouse somatic cells1 is being used in the assignment of human gene loci to chromosomes2. When the experimental design does not select for the gene product under study, the assignment often assumes that the loss of chromosomes is random. For example, hybrid clones derived from mouse cells and SV40-transformed human skin fibroblasts lose the SV40-induced T antigen only when all but a few human chromosomes have been eliminated3. If the pattern of chromosome loss is random, these results could indicate that SV40 DNA has integrated into the DNA of several chromosomes. They might be attributable, however, to the scheduled elimination of a single pertinent human chromosome relatively late in the evolution of each clone, a possibility supported by the finding of a preferential retention of C-7 in hybrids derived from SV40-transformed human cells and a concordance of this chromosome with the presence of SV40 and T antigen4. Moreover, if the loss of chromosomes were directed, joint segregation of two chromosomes might occur, making it difficult to decide which of the two specified the pertinent gene product being lost simultaneously.