cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Finger misrepresentation and dyscalculia in an ecological context: toward an ecological (cultural) evolutionary neuro-psychiatry

A new model posits the existence of a general link between ecological (cultural) factors and post-natally evolving cognitive functions and in particular the emergence of such functions in specific clusters. Such "ecological syndromes" are characteristic of a significant portion of a cultural group and analogous to syndromes found with certain brain lesions without implying them. Presently a specific link is noted between known low skills in arithmetic and as tested here, quantitatively inaccurate pictorial (and implied mental) representation of fingers in 78% of New Guineans and 70% of Indonesians living in remote areas, while only 16% of Western European regular school children (ages 7 to 10 yr.) misrepresented the fingers in drawing a person. Previously a link between low literacy skills and inaccurate spatial relations in representing the pattern of the face was found for diverse time periods and cultural groups.
Successful surgical management of an aortic arch aneurysm with acute aorto-pulmonary fistula

Aortic arch aneurysm with acute aorto-pulmonary fistula is usually a postmortem diagnosis. Few reports of successful surgical management are noted. Despite the many advances in cardiac surgery over the last 30 years, the observed mortality rate for surgical correction has been very high. Early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention using profound hypothermia and total circulatory arrest are essential to successful outcome.
The extracellular domains of ErbB3 retain high ligand binding affinity at endosome pH and in the locked conformation

The extracellular, ligand binding regions of ErbB receptors consist of four domains that can assume at least two alternative conformations, extended and locked. The locked conformation, observed in several crystal structures, is held together by a noncovalent intramolecular tether and is incompatible with current models for receptor dimerization and ligand activation. Based on structures of ligand−receptor complexes in the extended conformation, the high affinity ligand binding pocket between domains I and III is disrupted in the locked conformation. Therefore the biological role of the locked conformation is not clear. To address the impact of the locked conformation on ligand binding, we compared extracellular domains of wild-type ErbB3, mutant domains in a constitutively locked or extended conformation and partial extracellular domain constructs. We found that the constitutively locked receptor domains and truncated constructs carrying only domains I−II or III−IV strongly bind ligand, albeit with reduc...
Seeing and Visualizing: It's Not What You Think

In Seeing and Visualizing, Zenon Pylyshyn argues that seeing is different from thinking and that to see is not, as it may seem intuitively, to create an inner replica of the world. Pylyshyn examines how we see and how we visualize and why the scientific account does not align with the way these processes seem to us "from the inside." In doing so, he addresses issues in vision science, cognitive psychology, philosophy of mind, and cognitive neuroscience. First, Pylyshyn argues that there is a core stage of vision independent from the influence of our prior beliefs and examines how vision can be intelligent and yet essentially knowledge-free. He then proposes that a mechanism within the vision module, called a visual index (or FINST), provides a direct preconceptual connection between parts of visual representations and things in the world, and he presents various experiments that illustrate the operation of this mechanism. He argues that such a deictic reference mechanism is needed to account for many properties of vision, including how mental images attain their apparent spatial character without themselves being laid out in space in our brains. The final section of the book examines the "picture theory" of mental imagery, including recent neuroscience evidence, and asks whether any current evidence speaks to the issue of the format of mental images. This analysis of mental imagery brings together many of the themes raised throughout the book and provides a framework for considering such issues as the distinction between the form and the content of representations, the role of vision in thought, and the relation between behavioral, neuroscientific, and phenomenological evidence regarding mental representations.
Surveillance of Hemodialysis Vascular Access

A mature, functional arteriovenous (AV) access is the lifeline for a hemodialysis (HD) patient as it provides sufficient enough blood flow for adequate dialysis. As the chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population is expanding, and because of the well-recognized hazardous complications of dialysis catheters, the projected placement and use of AV accesses for HD is on the rise. Although a superior access than catheters, AV accesses are not without complications. The primary complication that causes AV accesses to fail is stenosis with subsequent thrombosis. Surveying for stenosis can be performed in a variety of ways. Clinical monitoring, measuring flow, determining pressure, and measuring recirculation are all methods that show promise. In addition, stenosis can be directly visualized, through noninvasive techniques such as color duplex imaging, or through minimally invasive venography. Each method of screening has its advantages and disadvantages, and several studies exist which attempt to answer the question of which test is the most useful. Ultimately, to maintain the functionality of the access for the HD patient, a team approach becomes imperative. The collaboration and cooperation of the patient, nephrologist, dialysis nurse and technician, vascular access coordinator, interventionalist, and vascular surgeon is necessary to preserve this lifeline.
On Photography in Late Capitalism: Reflections on the Vicissitudes of the Image from a Filipino Perspective

Ever since its invention at the outset of industrial capitalism in 19th-century Europe,photography has been used in the service of profit/capital accumulation worldwide.Appearances acquired saleable reality or marketable truth-value. The use of imagery andvarious forms of reproduction (film, advertising in TV, Internet, malls) subtends thedynamics of exchange-value in fixating human desires attuned to manipulated appearances.Can the critical analysis of photographic images help elucidate the mechanisms ofideology and the illusion industry for an emancipatory project? This essay seeks to enablea hypothetical inquiry into the magic of images with reference to the Philippine milieu,designed to be hopefully heuristic and propaedeutic.
Corrigendum to “Mapping of DDR1 Distribution and Oligomerization on the Cell Surface by FRET Microscopy” [J. Mol. Biol. 385 (2009) 432–445]

1 Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, 473 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA 2 Division of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, 217 Parks Hall, 500 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA 3 Biomedical Engineering Department, The Ohio State University, 270 Bevis Hall, 1080 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA 4 Center for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
Differences in the macromolecular composition of the zona pellucida isolated from pig oocytes, eggs, and zygotes.

The macromolecular differences in the zona pellucida (ZP) isolated from pig oocytes, eggs, and zygotes were investigated using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The ZP was isolated from individual cells or zygotes using micropipettes, radiolabeled with 125I and analyzed using disulfide bond reducing and nonreducing conditions. The reduced ZP isolated from oocytes was composed of four glycoprotein components. The gel pattern of the ZP isolated from a single oocyte was indistinguishable from that isolated en masse. The ovulated egg ZP contained the four oocyte components plus three additional macromolecules. Relative to the egg ZP, the zygote ZP lacked one component but had three additional smaller macromolecules. We concluded that: 1) the macromolecular differences between the oocyte and egg ZPs are caused by the addition of macromolecules to the ZP as the egg transits the oviduct, 2) the macromolecular differences between the egg and the zygote ZPs reflect hydrolytic processing of ZP glycoproteins probably by enzymes derived from the egg cortical granules, and 3) the microheterogeneity of the pig ZP glycoproteins is due to posttranslational modification and is not due to population genetic variation.
Crystal Structure and Allosteric Regulation of the Cytoplasmic Escherichia coli l-Asparaginase I

Abstract AnsA is the cytoplasmic asparaginase from Escherichia coli involved in intracellular asparagine utilization. Analytical ultracentifugation and X-ray crystallography reveal that AnsA forms a tetrameric structure as a dimer of two intimate dimers. Kinetic analysis of the enzyme reveals that AnsA is positively cooperative, displaying a sigmoidal substrate dependence curve with an [S]0.5 of 1 mM l -asparagine and a Hill coefficient (nH) of 2.6. Binding of l -asparagine to an allosteric site was observed in the crystal structure concomitant with a reorganization of the quarternary structure, relative to the apo enzyme. The carboxyl group of the bound asparagine makes salt bridges and hydrogen bonds to Arg240, while the Nδ2 nitrogen interacts with Thr162. Mutation of Arg240 to Ala increases the [S]0.5 value to 5.9 mM, presumably by reducing the affinity of the site for l -asparagine, although the enzyme retains cooperativity. Mutation of Thr162 to Ala results in an active enzyme with no cooperativity. Transmission of the signal from the allosteric site to the active site appears to involve subtle interactions at the dimer–dimer interface and relocation of Gln118 into the vicinity of the active site to position the probable catalytic water molecule. These data define the structural basis for the cooperative regulation of the intracellular asparaginase that is required for proper functioning within the cell.
Effect of caffeinated versus noncaffeinated energy drinks on central blood pressures.

Study Objective To evaluate the effects of caffeinated energy shots compared with noncaffeinated energy shots as assessed by changes in peripheral and central hemodynamic parameters in healthy subjects. Design Randomized, double-blind, controlled crossover study. Setting University campus. Patients Ten healthy volunteers. Measurements and Main Results Subjects were randomized to receive either a caffeinated or noncaffeinated energy shot; after a minimum 6 days washout period, subjects were given the alternate energy shot. Peripheral blood pressures, and central hemodynamic parameters, were assessed and recorded for each subject at baseline and at 1 and 3 hours after consumption of the energy shots. Peripheral systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased significantly with the caffeinated energy shot compared with noncaffeinated (8.30 ± 4.19 mm Hg and −0.20 ± 5.55, respectively, p=0.009) at 3 hours. Central SBP increased significantly with the caffeinated energy shot compared with noncaffeinated (8.00 ± 4.03 mm Hg and 1.50 ± 6.57, respectively, p=0.045) at 3 hours. Peripheral and central diastolic blood pressure were nonsignificantly higher with the caffeinated energy shot at 3 hours. Peripheral and central pulse pressure were consistently higher with consumption of the caffeinated beverage. Heart rate, augmentation index, pulse pressure amplification ratio, ejection duration and Subendocardial Viability Ratio were not different between the two interventions over time. P1 height was significantly higher with the caffeinated shot compared with the noncaffeinated shot at both 1 and 3 hours (p=0.035 and 0.013, respectively). Three and one subjects experienced an adverse effect with the caffeinated and noncaffeinated shot, respectively. Conclusion A caffeinated energy shot acutely increases peripheral and central SBPs compared with a noncaffeinated energy shot. Larger studies with a placebo comparator are needed to assess the significance of peripheral and central hemodynamic changes with noncaffeinated energy drinks.
Enhanced depletion of lens reduced glutathione by adriamycin® in riboflavin-deficient rats

The anticancer drug Adriamycin has photosensitizing properties which potentially may be detrimental to lens tissue. Since reduced glutathione (GSH) serves to protect lens from photo-oxidative stress and dietary riboflavin is required by glutathione reductase to regenerate GSH, we investigated whether Adriamycin intensifies the depletion of GSH levels in rat lens during dietary riboflavin deficiency. Three-week-old rats were divided into two groups. One group was fed a diet deficient in riboflavin (less than 1 ppm) and the other group was pair-fed a control diet containing adequate riboflavin (8.5 ppm). After 6-12 weeks of dietary treatment, half the animals in each dietary group received Adriamycin (8 mg/kg/day) intraperitoneally for 3 days. After killing the rats, lenses were removed, and GSH content and glutathione reductase activity were measured in freshly prepared homogenates. To determine the extent of systemic oxidative stress and the degree of riboflavin deficiency, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione reductase activities, respectively, were measured in erythrocytes. In lens of rats fed the riboflavin-sufficient diet, treatment with Adriamycin did not diminish GSH content or alter glutathione reductase activity. In confirmation of reports by others, lenses of animals fed the riboflavin-deficient diet had diminished GSH levels, lower basal glutathione reductase activity, and elevated glutathione reductase activity coefficients compared to those of animals pair-fed the control diet. The present study shows that in riboflavin-deficient rats, Adriamycin exacerbated the depletion of GSH but did not reduce further glutathione reductase activity. The implications of these findings are that nutritional deficiencies, in particular riboflavin deprivation, may pose a potential risk to lenticular tissue following Adriamycin treatment.
An evaluation of basic articulators and their concepts: Part I. Basic concepts

Abstract The objective of this series of articles is to evaluate several articulators and their associated concepts. The first part deals with a review of the basic information that is necessary for evaluation of these instruments. The requirements for recording motion have been described in order to better understand the relationship of mandibular motion to the cuspal inclines. The clinical importance of establishing the correct orientation of the maxillary dental arch on the articulator has been demonstrated.
Structural studies of the binding of the anti-ulcer drug sucrose octasulfate to acidic fibroblast growth factor

Background: The anti-ulcer drug sucrose octasulfate (SOS) binds to fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), proteins which stimulate the growth and differentiation of several cell types, including stomach epithelial cells. It is believed that SOS stabilizes FGFs against acid denaturation in the stomach, thus enhancing their ability to stimulate healing of ulcerated tissue. SOS binds to the same site on FGF as heparin and other proteoglycans, in vivo, FGF must bind to cell-surface proteoglycans or to heparin before it can interact with FGF receptors and stimulate growth. The details of this process are not understood. Results: We report the crystal structure of a 1:1 complex between acidic FGF (aFGF) and SOS at 2.7 A resolution. SOS binds to a positively charged region of aFGF, largely composed of residues 112–127, and makes contacts primarily with Lys112, Arg116, Lys118, and Arg122. This region is also important in binding heparin. The overall conformation of aFGF is not changed by binding SOS, although the positions of some side chains in the binding site shift by as much as 6 A. Conclusion: The SOS-FGF crystal structure is consistent with the model that SOS stabilizes FGF by neutralizing several positively charged residues that would destabilize the native structure by electrostatic repulsion. On the basis of this structure, we provide a model for the complex of heparin with an FGF dimer. Such interactions may facilitate FGF receptor dimerization, which may be important in receptor signaling.
Parallel compilation: A design and its application to SIMULA 67

A design for a separate compilation facility for the SIMULA 67 programming language is presented. The paper explores the problems with existing separate compilation schemes, and proposes a new scheme that allows top-down, bottom-up, or even parallel development and integration of program modules. An evaluation of the proposal and a discussion of its applicability to other languages are then given.
Severe Prolonged Tacrolimus Overdose with Minimal Consequences

A 59-year-old man inadvertently received a 10-fold increase in his twice-daily oral dose of tacrolimus 1 mg that resulted in trough blood levels above 90 ng/ml for over a week. The patient had end-stage renal disease secondary to diabetes mellitus and had received a kidney transplant from his daughter 3 months earlier. Despite the numerous adverse effects commonly reported with tacrolimus, such as mild nephrotoxicity, nausea, tremors, and elevated liver enzyme levels, our patient's acute but prolonged overdose resulted in minimal signs and symptoms of toxicity. Nevertheless, education regarding the importance of accurate dosing, close monitoring, potential drug interactions, and the various capsule colors should be provided to all patients who receive tacrolimus, as well as their physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, in order to prevent as many errors as possible.
Subcutaneous nodules in a patient with recurrent sinopulmonary infections and fatigue.

HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS A 37-year-old woman presented with subcutaneous nodules on her legs over the past 7 years. They occurred 10 times per year and consisted of small tender masses beneath the skin measuring up to 2 cm in diameter. The lesions would ulcerate, and once she was hospitalized for intravenous antibiotics for an associated cellulitis. She experienced intermittent lesions on her arms. Multiple biopsy specimens showed granulomas, but all were nondiagnostic. Stains for bacteria, fungi, and acid-fast bacteria were negative. She was treated empirically with oral steroids with temporary improvement. In addition, she experienced fatigue and frequent respiratory infections over the past 4 years. She was treated for pneumonia 4 times and numerous episodes of bronchitis, sinusitis, and otitis media. Her infections responded to oral antibiotics. She had no history of infections with unusual organisms.
Skin carcinogenesis as a model system: observations on species, strain and tissue sensitivity to 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene with or without promotion from croton oil.

The pattern of development of tumours was studied in several mice strains, rabbits and pigs. Repeated carcinogen applications caused the appearance of numerous papillomas, keratoacanthomas and squamous cell carcinomas in Swiss, A, ASW/SN, Balb/c and C57B1 mice, New Zealand and outbred laboratory rabbits. AKR mice were only little sensitive and Hormel mini pigs unresponsive. Initiation with 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) — anthracene and promotion with croton oil produced in Swiss, A, Balb/c and C3H mice as well as New Zealand rabbits a large number of squamous papillomas. Pigmented or adnexal tumours were not observed, and only a few dermal fibromas and fibrosarcomas.
Performance of the Russian Wheat Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) on Perennial Range Grasses: Effects of Previous Defoliation

We determined whether early-season defoliation of range grasses affected the subsequent suitability of these plants for the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko). Grazing was simulated by clipping six grass species in northern Utah in April 1992. Aphid population growth was higher on clipped plants than on control plants, especially during the oversummering period when aphids may rely on range grasses as alternate hosts. Aphids suffered complete mortality on 28% of control plants during this period but failed to establish themselves on only 2% of clipped plants. Defoliation increased plant nitrogen and water content, and differences in total nitrogen between clipped and control plants were positively correlated with differences in aphid density. Spring grazing may generally increase the susceptibility of grasses to D. noxia ; an exception to this pattern was Indian ricegrass, which responds to defoliation by greater reproduction instead of rapid vegetative growth.
Physical model of gradient zone erosion in thermohaline systems

Abstract A physical model is formulated for gradient zone erosion in thermohaline systems near equilibrium. The model includes the effects at the gradient zone boundaries of temperature modulation, caused by mildly turbulent thermals in adjacent convective zones. The equations that govern convective motion in a double-diffusive horizontal slab are solved for boundary conditions that incorporate these modulations. The result predicts microconvection disturbances within the gradient zone, with an amplitude that decays exponentially away from the boundaries. The expected thickness of observable disturbance is of the order of 1 cm, which agrees with experimental observation. Examining the solution for stability of the boundary yields, for the first time, a model of erosion behavior that agrees with an empirical correlation for boundary equilibrium.
Purification, crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis of the C-terminal protease domain of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus nsP2.

The C-terminal region of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) nsP2 is responsible for proteolytic processing of the VEEV polyprotein replication complex. This action regulates the activity of the replication complex and is essential for viral replication, thus making nsP2 a very attractive target for development of VEEV therapeutics. The 338-amino-acid C-terminal region of VEEV nsP2 has been overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. Crystals diffract to beyond 2.5 A resolution and belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121. Isomorphous heavy-atom derivatives suitable for phase analysis have been obtained and work on building a complete structural model is under way.
A novel semi-transductive learning framework for efficient atypicality detection in chest radiographs

Inductive learning refers to machine learning algorithms that learn a model from a set of training data instances. Any test instance is then classified by comparing it to the learned model. When the set of training instances lend themselves well to modeling, the use of a model substantially reduces the computation cost of classification. However, some training data sets are complex, and do not lend themselves well to modeling. Transductive learning refers to machine learning algorithms that classify test instances by comparing them to all of the training instances, without creating an explicit model. This can produce better classification performance, but at a much higher computational cost. Medical images vary greatly across human populations, constituting a data set that does not lend itself well to modeling. Our previous work showed that the wide variations seen across training sets of "normal" chest radiographs make it difficult to successfully classify test radiographs with an inductive (modeling) approach, and that a transductive approach leads to much better performance in detecting atypical regions. The problem with the transductive approach is its high computational cost. This paper develops and demonstrates a novel semi-transductive framework that can address the unique challenges of atypicality detection in chest radiographs. The proposed framework combines the superior performance of transductive methods with the reduced computational cost of inductive methods. Our results show that the proposed semitransductive approach provides both effective and efficient detection of atypical regions within a set of chest radiographs previously labeled by Mayo Clinic expert thoracic radiologists.
Cost inefficiency and mortality rates in Florida hospitals.

This study examines the relationship between health outcomes and cost inefficiency in Florida hospitals over the period 1999–2001, with health outcomes measured by risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates. Previous research has come to conflicting conclusions regarding the relationship between costs and health outcomes. We hypothesize that these seemingly conflicting findings are due to the fact that total cost has two components – cost that reflects the best use of resources under current circumstances and cost associated with waste or inefficiency. By isolating costs due to inefficiency, we can examine directly their relationship, if any, to hospital mortality rates, and begin to assess whether policies that create incentives for hospitals to increase efficiency have adverse effects on health outcomes. We regress an in-hospital mortality index for each hospital on a measure of the hospital's cost inefficiency, obtained from a stochastic cost frontier estimation, as well as on predicted mortality and a set of variables linked to mortality performance. Our results indicate a positive and significant relationship between a hospital's mortality performance and its inefficiency: on average, a one percentage point reduction in cost inefficiency would be associated with one fewer in-hospital death per 10 000 discharges, holding patient risk and other factors constant. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Collision Detection System Based on Differential Carrier-Phase Global Positioning System Broadcasts

The Global Positioning System has great potential for the development of new collision avoidance systems and is being considered for the next-generation traffic alert and collision avoidance system. The navigation states estimated by Global Positioning System code information can be broadcast to nearby airplanes via the current traffic alert and collision avoidance system equipment. In this paper, the problem of aircraft collision detection system using Global Positioning System carrier-phase information is addressed. A new approach to the carrier-phase-based relative position estimation problem is proposed that uses particle filters in which the samples are drawn from Cartesian position space coordinates. The particle filters with position samples makes the Global Positioning System carrier-phase-based position estimation algorithm robust and practical in that the algorithm is not sensitive to changes of Global Positioning System satellites and cycle slips. The same algorithm can be used to estimate the vehicle attitude if multiple Global Positioning System antennas are used. For a reliable and enhanced collision avoidance system, three-dimensional trajectories are projected using relative position, velocity, and attitude estimates. It is shown that the performance of the Global Positioning System carrier-phase-based collision-detecting algorithm meets the accuracy requirements for a precise approach of flight with significantly less collision false alarms and no miss alarms.
Birthweight-adjusted Mortality Rates for Assessing the Effectiueness of Neonatal Intensive Care

Mortality rates for very-low-birthweight infants vary significantly among different neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Computational models and computer simulation are used to predict the performance of an algorithm for identifying individual NICUs within a network that have greater than 110% of the expected birthweight-adjusted mortality risk. The algorithm maintains high sensitivity and specificity with as few as three moderately heterogeneous risk categories when applied to large health care networks; the model parameters were based on preliminary data from a real NICU network. The performance of the algorithm depends on the number of admissions at the individual NICU. A NICU with a center-specific risk 130% of the network average would be correctly identified as an outlier 50% of the time if it had 35 admissions, 59% of the time if it had 70 admissions, and 77% of the time if it had 280 admissions. A NICU with average risk would be incorrectly identified as an outlier 16%, 12%, or 2% of the time if it had 35, 70, or 280 admissions, respectively. Severity-of-illness casemix adjustment did not improve these results. It is concluded that the sensitivity and specificity of the algorithm in determining which facilities have higher-than-expected mortality will be less in typical NICU networks than in large health care networks that treat adult patients. It is unlikely that severity-of-illness adjustments will overcome the problem of the small numbers of admissions at individual NICUs.
Load-balancing routing for wireless access networks

The widespread use of wireless devices presents new challenges for network operators, who need to provide service to ever larger numbers of mobile end users, while ensuring quality-of-service guarantees. We describe a new distributed routing algorithm that performs dynamic load-balancing for wireless access networks. The algorithm constructs a load-balanced backbone tree, which simplifies routing and avoids per-destination state for routing and per-flow state for QoS reservations. We evaluate the performance of the algorithm using several metrics including adaptation to mobility, degree of load-balance, bandwidth blocking rate, and convergence speed. We find that the algorithm achieves better network utilization by lowering bandwidth blocking rates than other methods.
P-Stranding Under Sluicing in a Non-P-Stranding Language?

Dans cette discussion, l'A. part de la generalisation suivant : une langue permettra l’abandon de la preposition dans un contexte de sluicing si et seulement si elle permet l’abandon de la preposition dans le mouvement wh. Il montre ainsi ce phenomene dans la langue serbo-croate.
Language Interpretation for Diverse Families: Considerations for Special Education Teachers

The special education field is challenged by a lack of attention to and recruitment of well-trained language interpreters in schools. As such, special education teachers need to take a leadership role in working with interpreters to ensure diverse families are collaborative members of individualized education program (IEP) teams. Using the framework of collaborative family school partnerships, this article describes practical strategies for special educators when working with interpreters during IEP meetings with families. Taking a proactive role when working with interpreters can help improve the quality of service delivery for diverse students with disabilities and their families.
A segmental polynomial model of ventricular electrograms as a simple and efficient morphology discriminator for implantable devices.

Background: The goal of this study is to construct a polynomial model of the ventricular electrogram (EGM) that faithfully reproduces the EGM and can be implemented in current, low computational power implantable devices. Such a model of ventricular EGMs is still lacking. Methods: New Zealand White rabbits underwent chronic implantation of pacemakers through a left thoracotomy approach. Unipolar ventricular EGMs sampled at a frequency of 1 kHz were stored digitally in 1-minute segments before and after intravenous injection of isoproterenol or procainamide. Each cardiac cycle was divided into a QR and an RQ segment which were modeled separately using a 6th order polynomial equation. Results: The 14 coefficients of each cardiac cycle were reproducible throughout the baseline recordings (r ≥ 0.94, P < 0.002). Isoproterenol caused no changes in the coefficients of the QR segment but significantly altered all but one of the seven coefficients of the RQ segment (p6 = 0.0039, p5 = 0.017, p4 = 0.00007, p3 = 0.112, p2 = 0.00016, p1 = 0.0086, pa = 0.00003). Procainamide caused statistically significant changes in both QR segment (p6 = 0.018, p5 = 0.287, p4 = 0.019, p3 = 0.176, p2 = 0.016, p1 = 0.362, pa = 0.000044) and RQ segment (p6 = 0.0028, p5 = 0.036, p4 = 0.002, p3 = 0.058, p2 = 0.022, p1 = 0.718, pa = 0.0018) coefficients. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate the feasibility of a segmental polynomial equation that reproduces the phases of depolarization and repolarization of the rabbit EGM. This model is reproducible and demonstrates the expected changes with antiarrhythmic drug administration. If reproduced in humans, these findings can have wide applications in patients with implantable devices, ranging from morphologic discrimination of arrhythmias to early detection of metabolic derangements or drug effects.
Optical pulse generation in a transistor laser via intra-cavity photon-assisted tunneling and excess base carrier redistribution

For a direct-gap semiconductor (e.g., a p-n junction), photon-assisted tunneling is known to exhibit a high nonlinear absorption. In a transistor laser, as discussed here, the coherent photons generated at the quantum well interact with the collector junction field and “assist” electron tunneling from base to collector, thus resulting in the nonlinear modulation of the laser and the realization of optical pulse generation. 1 and 2 GHz optical pulses are demonstrated in the transistor laser using collector voltage control.
Empirical bayes estimation of the mean in a multivariate normal distribution

We consider the problem of estimating the mean vector of a multivariate normal distribution under a variety of assumed structures among the parameters of the sampling and prior distributions. We adopt a pragmatic approach. We adopt distributional familites, assess hyperparmeters, and adopt patterned mean and coveariance structures when it is relatively simple to do so; alternatively, we use the sample data to estimate hyperparameters of prior distributions when assessment is a formidable task; such as the task of assessing parameters of multidimensional problems. James-Stein-like estimators are found to result. In some cases, we've been abl to show that the estimators proposed uniformly dominate the MLE's when measured with respect to quadratic loss functions.
Comparison of PACS and Hard-copy 51-inch Radiographs for Measuring Leg Length and Deformity

Background The picture archiving and communication system (PACS) eventually will replace the use of standard hard-copy radiographs. It is unknown whether measurements of limb length discrepancy (LLD) and deformity on PACS compare in accuracy and reproducibility with those from hard-copy radiographs.
Learning expert systems for robot fine motion control

The authors present a learning expert system which enables a robot to acquire fine motion skills automatically. The system follows the paradigm of Expert Assisted Robot Skill Acquisition (EARSA) proposed by the authors (1987). EARSA is mainly concerned with the self-discovery of skills by a robot in conjunction with the transfer of human skills to a robot and emphasizes the distinctive difference in perceptual and physical capabilities between a human and a robot. The authors review the theory and mechanism of EARSA, describe the robot fine motion skill learning algorithm formulated on the basis of EARSA, and present the details of simulation on the robot learning of two-dimensional peg-hole insertion skills. The results of simulation indicate the dramatic improvement of performance as a result of skill learning. >
SUBURBAN SUPPORT FOR NO‐GROWTH POLICIES: Implications for the Growth Revolt

: This article analyzes suburban support for no-growth policies in surveys conducted in rapidly growing Orange County, California. Slow-growth policies are consistently favored by wide margins. However, 64% of the respondents to a 1987 survey were opposed to measures halting all local development. No-growth supporters are a select group, are more likely to live in a rapidly growing area, perceive growth as the biggest problem, rate the local quality of life negatively, express pessimism about the future, and prefer living in small communities. The lack of public support for no growth has a number of important policy implications which are discussed in this article.
FACTOR STRUCTURE OF THE WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALES FOR CHILDREN–FOURTH EDITION AMONG REFERRED NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS

The Native American population is severely underrepresented in empirical test validity research despite being overrepresented in special education programs and at increased risk for psychoeducational evaluation. The structural validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) was investigated with a sample of 176, six-to-sixteen-year-old Native American children referred for a psychoeducational evaluation. Confirmatory factor analysis procedures replicated the normative first-order factor structure and a higher-order general ability factor that accounted for the greatest amount of common (69%) and total (33%) variance. These results support the structural validity of the WISC-IV with a referred Native American sample and suggest that interpretation of the WISC-IV scores should not neglect the strong general ability factor.
Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Learned via a Web-Based Computerized Case Series

Abstract Study Objective To increase resident knowledge in pediatric and adolescent gynecology via a Web-based self-tutorial. Study Design Prospective cohort involving 11 third- and fourth-year residents in a large university program. Residents were asked to complete a Web-based teaching series of cases involving common topics of pediatric and adolescent gynecology (PAG). A pretest and a posttest were completed to assess knowledge gained. Residents were asked to give feedback regarding improvements to the Web-based series for future case development. Setting University-affiliated residency program in a major metropolitan area. Participants Resident physicians in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Interventions Introduction of a Web-based teaching series to enhance resident education. Main Outcome Measures Improvement of resident knowledge in PAG. Results All residents improved their knowledge in PAG after reviewing the series of cases. The pretest group mean score was 50%. The posttest group score was 69% (P Conclusion A computer-based self-tutorial in pediatric and adolescent gynecology is a feasible and satisfactory teaching adjunct to PAG.
Symmetries of the Relativistic Two-Particle Model with Scalar-Vector Interaction

Abstract A relativistic two-particle model with superposition of time-asymmetric scalar and vector interactions is proposed and its symmetries are considered. It is shown that first integrals of motion satisfy nonlinear Poisson-bracket relations which include the Poincare algebra and one of the algebras so(1,3), so(4) or e(3).
Ethnicity- and Gender-based Subject Retrieval Using 3-D Face-Recognition Techniques

While the retrieval of datasets from human subjects based on demographic characteristics such as gender or race is an ability with wide-ranging application, it remains poorly-studied. In contrast, a large body of work exists in the field of biometrics which has a different goal: the recognition of human subjects. Due to this disparity of interest, existing methods for retrieval based on demographic attributes tend to lag behind the more well-studied algorithms designed purely for face matching. The question this raises is whether a face recognition system could be leveraged to solve these other problems and, if so, how effective it could be. In the current work, we explore the limits of such a system for gender and ethnicity identification given (1) a ground truth of demographically-labeled, textureless 3-D models of human faces and (2) a state-of-the-art face-recognition algorithm. Once trained, our system is capable of classifying the gender and ethnicity of any such model of interest. Experiments are conducted on 4007 facial meshes from the benchmark Face Recognition Grand Challenge v2 dataset.
Life Cycle and Larval Morphology of Diomus Terminatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and its Potential as a Biological Control Agent of Melanaphis Sacchari (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

ABSTRACT The life cycle, morphology, and potential of Diomus terminatus Say (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to control the sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), were examined in the laboratory. The morphologies of first and fourth instars are described and illustrated, with emphasis on characters of first instar that differ from those of later instars. Dramatic differences exist in the relative size and abundance of specialized setae between early and late instars. Field-collected late instars of D. terminatus were successfully reared to adult stage at 26°C by using M. sacchari feeding on small pieces of sugarcane {Saccharum, spp.) leaves. The eggs laid on the sugarcane leaves hatched in 4.5 ± 0.1 d. Larval and pupal stages lasted an average of 6.8 ± 0.6 and 4.9 ± 0.2 d, respectively. D. terminatus required 12.1 ± 0.6 d from egg hatch to adult emergence. The adult longevity test with single adults in petri dishes revealed that D. terminatus remained alive for 26 ± 1.9 d when ...
Association of total bilirubin with indinavir and lopinavir plasma concentrations in HIV-infected patients receiving three different double-boosted dosing regimens

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics and tolerability of three different indinavir and lopinavir/ritonavir dosing regimens. Methods: HIV-infected adults receiving lopinavir/ritonavir 400/100 mg twice daily with food had nine plasma samples taken over a 12 h dosing interval at baseline (BL), after adding indinavir 600 mg twice daily for 10 days (R1), indinavir 800 mg twice daily for 5 days (R2) and lopinavir/ritonavir 533/133 mg plus indinavir 600 mg twice daily for 10 days (R3). Plasma samples were assayed using HPLC. Results: A total of 12 patients completed the BL visit [10 male; mean (SD) age = 43.9 (5.8) years] and 9, 7 and 7 completed R1, R2 and R3 visits, respectively. Two subjects discontinued treatment due to hypertriglyceridaemia. Compared with BL, the R3 lopinavir AUC (P < 0.05) and Cmin (P = 0.0025) were significantly higher and the R2 AUC trended higher (P = 0.09). The indinavir AUC (P = 0.030) and Cmax (P = 0.035) were significantly higher for R2 compared with R1. There was a trend for increased total bilirubin (TB) after the addition of indinavir (P=0.09). Lopinavir and indinavir AUC, Cmax and Cmin were associated with TB during univariate analyses (P < 0.01) while only lopinavir AUC (P = 0.0004) and indinavir AUC (P = 0.0028) were associated with TB during multivariate analysis. Only indinavir AUC was significant when both drugs were included in the model (P = 0.0028).
Pathogen Replication, Host Inflammation, and Disease in the Upper Respiratory Tract

Published ahead of print 14 January 2013 The views expressed in this Commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal or of ASM.
Evolution of the measurement of quality of life in migraine

Although headache is among the most common pain complaints seen by physicians, the measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in headache patients is in its earliest stages. Two types of questionnaire have been used to measure HRQoL in headache sufferers: general and disease-specific instruments. General quality-of-life (QoL) instruments use scales to assess QoL with respect to a number of activities within physical, social, psychological, and behavioral life domains. Disease-specific instruments reflect particular limitations or restrictions associated with specific disease states. These instruments are designed to be most sensitive in determining the effects of treatment or the longitudinal course of disease. Data from the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF)-20 and SF-36 generic QoL instruments demonstrated that chronic headache disorders were associated with significant limitations in all eight health domains of patient wellbeing and functioning. The SF-20 outcomes profiles for each of the common benign headache disorders (migraine, tension-type headache, mixed headache, and cluster headache) appear to be unique for the specific headache diagnosis. The SF-20 and SF-36 were also used to compare headache disorders with other chronic illnesses. Chronic headache disorders, including migraine, were found to cause significantly more impairment of function than diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and low back pain. Preliminary studies of QoL during pharmacologic therapy have suggested that disease specific instruments may be more sensitive than generic instruments for evaluating the longitudinal impact of treatment. Generic QoL instruments, such as the SF-20 or SF-36, may be more useful to define populations being studied than to measure changes in the population over time. The publication of headache-specific QoL instruments, which have been widely used in clinical trials and have been validated, is awaited. Until such time, the SF-36 will remain the standard measure of QoL in headache.
Research Note: Assessing Household Service Losses with Joint Survival Probabilities

Traditional analyses of household service losses in personal injury and wrongful death litigation calculate the losses over the expected lifetime of the injured or deceased individual. In fact, the losses to the surviving family members are more accurately described by using joint survival probabilities of the injured or deceased person and their survivors, or a “joint life expectancy.” The use of joint probabilities will always serve to reduce expected household service losses and these reductions can be especially significant when the deceased is significantly younger than the surviving spouse or if the survivor has a relatively low remaining life expectancy. (This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
Object recognition in high clutter images using line features

We present an object recognition algorithm that uses model and image line features to locate complex objects in high clutter environments. Finding correspondences between model and image features is the main challenge in most object recognition systems. In our approach, corresponding line features are determined by a three-stage process. The first stage generates a large number of approximate pose hypotheses from correspondences of one or two lines in the model and image. Next, the pose hypotheses from the previous stage are quickly ranked by comparing local image neighborhoods to the corresponding local model neighborhoods. Fast nearest neighbor and range search algorithms are used to implement a distance measure that is unaffected by clutter and partial occlusion. The ranking of pose hypotheses is invariant to changes in image scale, orientation, and partially invariant to affine distortion. Finally, a robust pose estimation algorithm is applied for refinement and verification, starting from the few best approximate poses produced by the previous stages. Experiments on real images demonstrate robust recognition of partially occluded objects in very high clutter environments
A follow-up study of factors that mediate the development of psychological symptomatology in sexually abused girls

This study was a follow-up investigation of several child and family factors and their impact on the development of psychological symptomatology in sexually abused girls. Sixty abused girls aged 8 to 13 were compared with 85 normal controls at 6- and 12-month follow-up assessments. The mediating variables examined included abuse-related attributions and perceptions, general attributions, locus of control, parental support, the parent's emotional reaction to the abuse, and family cohesion and adaptability. At both follow-ups, abuse-related attributions and perceptions, as measured by the Children's Attributions and Perceptions Scale, were significantly correlated with and predictive of self-reported symptoms in the abused group. Also, at the 12-month follow-up, locus of control and the parent's emotional reaction to the abuse emerged as significant predictor variables of symptom development in abused subjects. Mediating factors from the 6- to 12-month follow-up in the abused group did not change. Locus of ...