cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A study of active learning methods for named entity recognition in clinical text

Display Omitted We developed novel active learning algorithms for clinical named entity recognition.Equal cost per sample is not a practical annotation cost assumption in this task.We evaluated methods based on two types of estimated annotation cost.To achieve 0.8 in F-measure, active learning could save 42% annotation cost in words.The actual benefit of active learning should be further evaluated in real time. ObjectivesNamed entity recognition (NER), a sequential labeling task, is one of the fundamental tasks for building clinical natural language processing (NLP) systems. Machine learning (ML) based approaches can achieve good performance, but they often require large amounts of annotated samples, which are expensive to build due to the requirement of domain experts in annotation. Active learning (AL), a sample selection approach integrated with supervised ML, aims to minimize the annotation cost while maximizing the performance of ML-based models. In this study, our goal was to develop and evaluate both existing and new AL methods for a clinical NER task to identify concepts of medical problems, treatments, and lab tests from the clinical notes. MethodsUsing the annotated NER corpus from the 2010 i2b2/VA NLP challenge that contained 349 clinical documents with 20,423 unique sentences, we simulated AL experiments using a number of existing and novel algorithms in three different categories including uncertainty-based, diversity-based, and baseline sampling strategies. They were compared with the passive learning that uses random sampling. Learning curves that plot performance of the NER model against the estimated annotation cost (based on number of sentences or words in the training set) were generated to evaluate different active learning and the passive learning methods and the area under the learning curve (ALC) score was computed. ResultsBased on the learning curves of F-measure vs. number of sentences, uncertainty sampling algorithms outperformed all other methods in ALC. Most diversity-based methods also performed better than random sampling in ALC. To achieve an F-measure of 0.80, the best method based on uncertainty sampling could save 66% annotations in sentences, as compared to random sampling. For the learning curves of F-measure vs. number of words, uncertainty sampling methods again outperformed all other methods in ALC. To achieve 0.80 in F-measure, in comparison to random sampling, the best uncertainty based method saved 42% annotations in words. But the best diversity based method reduced only 7% annotation effort. ConclusionIn the simulated setting, AL methods, particularly uncertainty-sampling based approaches, seemed to significantly save annotation cost for the clinical NER task. The actual benefit of active learning in clinical NER should be further evaluated in a real-time setting.
Germination ecology of Littorella uniflora (L.) Aschers

A pilot experiment was conducted to study the germination of seeds of Littorella uniflora (L.) Aschers. in relation to light, temperature, immersion, pH and (bi) carbonate (alkalinity). In general, germination was very poor (< 13.3%). The best germination was performed in light, on a moist, waterlogged substrate, at a temperature of 20°C and in a bicarbonate-free environment. In a second experiment it was found that alternation of day and night temperatures and a desiccation pre-treatment of seeds significantly enhanced germination percentages and rates. Desiccation was the most stimulatory factor. The optimum treatment was 2–4 weeks of drying, after which 76% germination occurred. These experimental results corroborate the success of already applied nature management activities aimed at restoring or maintaining isoetid vegetations.
Primary Extraosseous Ewing Sarcoma of the Kidney With Level III Inferior Vena Cava Thrombus

Ewing sarcoma typically presents as a skeletal-based tumor, with rare instances of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) arising in the soft tissues. Few examples of organ-based PNETs have been previously described in the literature. These tumors are exceedingly rare as a primary renal neoplasm. To our knowledge, this is the first report documenting a primary extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma of the kidney with thrombus extending into the intrahepatic inferior vena cava thrombus (level III).
Characterization and Detection of Blueberry Scorch Carlavirus and Red Ringspot Caulimovirus

ABSTRACT Detection systems for blueberry scorch virus (BBScV), a member of the carlavirus group of RNA-containing plant viruses, and red ringspot virus (BBRRV), a member of the caulimovirus group of DNA-containing plant viruses, have been developed. The most sensitive method for detection of both viruses was polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Nucleic acid spot hybridization was somewhat less effective. Transmission experiments confirmed that at least one aphid species is capable of transmitting BBScV.
Burnet and Nossal: The Impact on Immunology of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

THE WALTER AND ELIZA HALL Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia is probably the world's best known research center devoted to the study of immunology. This recognition was gained under the leadership of its third director, Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, who headed the Institute from 1944 to 1965. Subsequently, the Institute has shown explosive growth under the leadership of its present director, Sir Gustav Nossal (1966 to present). The two individuals differ markedly in personal characteristics, but both made major and unique contributions to the definition of immunology as a modern science. Two recent publications have brought the Hall Institute to general attention: the first is Life among the Scientists: An Anthropological Study of an Australian Scientific Community (Charlesworth et al., 1989). The second is The Seeds of Time (1991), a biography of Sir Macfarlane Burnet by Christopher Sexton. The overall perspectives of the two books are quite distinct. The first has the stated purpose of attempting "to understand how a small group of scientists at a particular research institute, and in a specific scientific field, do science, as distinct from what the received scientific mythology says they do and what philosophers of science and other science watchers suppose they do" (p. 1). For this study a group of anthropologists used interviews and techniques of anthropological analysis to characterize a group of scientists as if they were a separate subculture working within the context of its own historical, sociological and mythological milieu. Charlesworth et al. write from an avowedly Marxist perspective, and address too many issues facing contemporary science to do justice to any single one or to give a coherent picture of the subject. The volume is interesting because it states many of the issues that have currently been brought to the front in various popular criticisms of science and analyses them within the philosophical context of the authors' beliefs and within the framework of interviews with scientists working in a single research institute. It should prove useful to historians of the Hall Institute and Australian Science and to future sociological or anthropological studies of the scientific subculture. Sexton's book is a well-constructed biography of the life of Sir Macfarlane Burnet starting with the immigration of his father, Frank Burnet, to Australia in 1880 and ending with Burnet's death in 1986. The biography makes extensive use of interviews with Burnet, his writings, and interviews of individuals closely associated with him. I found it to be a fascinating book that provided an overall perspective of Burnet's life and times.
A Novel GALNT3 Mutation in a Pseudoautosomal Dominant Form of Tumoral Calcinosis: Evidence That the Disorder Is Autosomal Recessive

Familial tumoral calcinosis is a rare metabolic disorder, characterized by ectopic calcification and hyperphosphatemia. Recently biallelic mutations in the GalNAc transferase 3 (GALNT3) gene were identified in two families with tumoral calcinosis. In the present study, we performed mutation analysis of the GALNT3 gene in a multigenerational family, which was originally described to have an autosomal dominant form of tumoral calcinosis. We identified a novel splice site mutation in intron 1 (IVS1–2a→t), likely leading to skipping of exon 2. The proband was a compound heterozygote for the splice site mutation and the previously reported nonsense mutation (484C→T; R162X). His affected maternal great uncle was homozygous for the splice site mutation. Biallelic mutations found in two generations demonstrated that the family had pseudoautosomal dominant inheritance, confirming that tumoral calcinosis is in fact an autosomal recessive trait. However, genetic and biochemical findings suggest that carriers of a si...
New Energy-Dependent Soft X-Rav Damage In MOS Devices

New Energy- Dependent Soft X -Ray Damage in MOS DevicesTung -Yi Chan, Henry Gaw, Daniel SeligsonIntel Corporation, SC2 -253065 Bowers AvenueSanta Clara, CA 95051Lawrence Pan, Paul L. King, and Piero PianettaStanford Synchrotron Radiation LaboratorySLAC /SSRL Bin 69, P.O. Box 4349Stanford, CA 94305AbstractAn energy- dependent soft x- ray- induced device damage has been discovered in MOSdevices fabricated using standard CMOS process. MOS devices were irradiated bymonochromatic x -rays in energy range just above and below the silicon K -edge (1.84keV). Photons below the K -edge is found to create more damage in the oxide andoxide /silicon interface than photons above the K -edge. This energy- dependent damageeffect is believed to be due to charge traps generated during device fabrication. Itis found that data for both n- and p -type devices lie along a universal curve ifnormalized threshold voltage shifts are plotted against absorbed dose in the oxide.The threshold voltage shift saturates when the absorbed dose in the oxide exceeds1.4X105 mJ /cm3, corresponding to 6 Mrad in the oxide.Using isochronal anneals, the trapped charge damage is found to recover with anactivation energy of 0.38 eV. A discrete radiation - induced damage state appears inthe low frequency C -V curve in a temperature range from 175 0C to 325 °C.I. IntroductionX -ray lithography is likely to displace optical lithography for semiconductordevice fabrication with dimensions < 0.4 um. Since x -ray photons have energies muchhigher than the band gap of silicon dioxide (about 9 eV), oxide damage caused by x-ray irradiation may be a serious concern in the application of x -ray lithography. Theeffects of x -rays and other forms of ionizing radiation on MOS structures have beenextensively studied for years [1 -4]. However, little work has been done to examinethe effect of varying the incident x -ray energy [5].In this paper, synchrotron x -ray sources were used to study the effect of x-rayenergy on radiation - induced device damage. X -ray photons studied have energy justabove and just below the silicon K -edge (1.84 keV). An energy- dependent soft
Pigmented Cells in Adrenals and Testes of Hypophysectomized Rats

SummaryHypophysectomy in the rat caused invariably in the reticular zone of the adrenal and sometimes in the intertubular spaces of the testis the formation of cells containing yellow pigment granules. The nuclei of the cells usually showed varying degrees of pycnosis or were absent. Gonadotropic hormone prevented or corrected these changes in the testis, but failed to have any apparent effect upon the pigmented structures in the adrenal.
Developmental Psychopathology in Suicidal and Nonsuicidal Adolescent Girls

Abstract Objective This study presents two distinct profiles of female suicide attempters based on socialcognitive development and investigates the relationship of both developmental and suicide risk variables in these profiles. Method The sample included 139 girls, aged 13–16, admitted to an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Patients were divided into four groups based on their suicidal status (attempter/nonsuicidal) and ego development (preconformist/conformist level). Results Results support two developmental types of female suicide attempters that differed significantly on symptomatology, diagnoses, and defensive style. Preconformist attempters, the “angry-defiant‘’ suicidal type, present with both depression and aggression as well as externalizing defense mechanisms. Conformist attempters, the “self-blaming‘’ suicidal type, present with depression, and use more internalizing defenses to cope with conflict. Comparing suicide attempters and nonsuicidal girls, depression was found to be a risk factor for suicide at all developmental levels. Defense mechanisms were only associated with suicide at the preconformist developmental level. Conclusions Social-cognitive development has an important impact on the expression of suicidal behavior in adolescent girls. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 1993, 32, 3:501–508.
Effects of father-daughter contact on use of pregnancy services by Mexican, Mexican-American, and Anglo adolescents.

Abstract This study describes whether frequency and quality of father-daughter contact during adolescent pregnancy differ by ethnicity, whether this contact affects health behavior, and how ethnicity conditions the relationship between contact and behavior. Health behavior is defined as timing of pregnancy test and first prenatal visit. Data were gathered from a sample of 105 Anglo, Mexican-American, and Mexican adolescents interviewed at mid-pregnancy. Almost twice as many Mexicans (64%) as Mexican-Americans never saw their fathers ( p p p p
In vitro activity of pleconaril and AG7088 against selected serotypes and clinical isolates of human rhinoviruses

Abstract Background : We tested the in vitro activity of pleconaril and AG7088 against five numbered human rhinovirus (HRV) serotypes and 46 clinical HRV isolates of undefined serotype recovered from patients with common colds. Antiviral effect of pleconaril and AG7088 were assessed by cytophathic effect (CPE) inhibition assays in Ohio HeLaI cells using microscopic and spectrophotometric methods. Both compounds were tested at concentrations of 1.0, 0.1 and 0.01 μg/ml. For the numbered HRV serotypes, the median EC 50 value determined by the microscopic CPE inhibition was slightly better for AG7088 compared to pleconaril ( P =0.02) but was similar by spectrophotometric assay ( P =0.15). For clinical HRV isolates the median EC 50 value determined microscopically was 0.01 μg/ml range, 1 μg/ml) for pleconaril ( P 50 value determined by spectrophotometric assay was 0.01 μg/ml (range, 1 μg/ml) for pleconaril ( P 50 value of AG7088 was 10.0 μg/ml of pleconaril for approximately 9% of isolates. In vitro AG7088 appeared to be more potent and to have a broader antirhinoviral spectrum than pleconaril among clinical HRV isolates. The clinical relevance of these in vitro results needs to be determined in controlled clinical trials.
Making Pt-shell Pt30Ni70 nanowires by mild dealloying and heat treatments with little Ni loss

Dealloying treatment is one way to make a Pt rich shell on Pt alloy through chemically depleting the surface of non-noble metals. However, this treatment usually causes more than half of the non-noble metal to be lost before the catalyst forms an effective protective surface. This process may cause unfavorable morphology and size change of the alloy catalyst. Our research indicates that a mild dealloying treatment in acid combined with an annealing treatment could make an effective Pt rich surface layer when only a little non-noble metal is dissolved from the alloy surface. Pt–Ni alloy nanowires are chosen as the treatment target because long nanowires are mechanically more stable than nanoparticles, which tend to migrate, agglomerate and lose surface area during working. Pt–Ni nanowires are made by electrospinning followed by a mild dealloying treatment and a post-heat treatment to make a core–shell structure in which Ni loses only ∼10 atom% and the resultant Pt-shell could prevent nickel (>70 atom% of the whole wire) in the core from dissolving in 1 M hot sulfuric acid. These long nanowires have diameters around 10–20 nm and form a self-supporting net.
Measurement of pain and morphine hypalgesia in monkeys

Abstract In order to determine the relative sensitivities of different behaviors to systemic morphine, monkeys were trained: (a) to escape electrical stimulation (ES) at intensities that defined escape thresholds and permitted quantification of reactions to sub- and suprathreshold stimuli, (b) to perform the same operant response to auditory stimulation for food reinforcement, and (c) to detect minimal intensities of light tactile stimulation, defining thresholds for touch. Thresholds for escape responses corresponded to pain thresholds of human subjects previously tested with identical stimulus parameters. The response measures that best differentiated suprathreshold levels of stimulation of the hind limbs were the force and the speed of escape responses by the forelimbs. Reflexive responses of the stimulated leg were related to ES intensity by a negatively accelerating function that was flat through much of the range of stimulus intensities that were escaped. Frequency histograms of adjunctive behaviors in the intertrial intervals revealed little, if any, relationship to the presence or the intensity of ES. The frequencies of intertrial vocalizations, spontaneous bar pulls and general bodily activity were similarly distributed following subthreshold vs. suprathreshold levels of ES and following ES vs. food reinforced trials. Dose-response curves for the different behavioral measures revealed significant effects of systemic morphine at the following dosages: (a) The adjunctive behaviors clearly were the most susceptible to depression. Intertriai vocalizations, bar pulls and activity were reduced significantly in frequency at 0.25 mg/kg and above, (b) At doses of 1 mg/kg and above, the percentage, speed and force of escape responses were reduced. The effects on response tendency and latency cannot be ascribed with confidence to an inhibition of pain, since the percentage and speed of responses for food reinforcement also were reduced at these dosages; and thresholds for detection of light touch were significantly elevated. The force of appetitive responses was not significantly reduced by moderate doses of morphine, suggesting that reduction of escape force may represent an effect on pain sensitivity, (c) The magnitudes of reflexive responses to ES were increased by doses below 3 mg/kg, and 3–5 mg/kg attenuated reflexive force. The low doses appeared to release an inhibition of reflexive vigor that could be demonstrated by behavioral disruption prior to ES. At the doses that depressed reflex reactions, the animals gave evidence of a powerful behavioral suppression that virtually eliminated adjunctive responses and reduced the frequency, speed and vigor of operant responses to non-nociceptive or nociceptive stimulation. These results document a requirement of high levels of systemic morphine to attenuate reactions to phasic pain from activation of myelinated peripheral afferents. At the doses that are commonly used to evaluate reactions of laboratory animals to somatosensory stimuli, rigorous control procedures are required to factor out generalized behavioral suppression.
Optical fiber tip acoustic resonator for hydrogen sensing.

A microscale acoustic resonator fabricated on a standard single-mode fiber tip was demonstrated as a hydrogen sensor. The fabrication of the resonator involved standard fiber cleaving and splicing, radio frequency sputtering, focused-ion-beam patterning and deposition, and wet etching. A submicrometer layer of platinum was coated on the vibration arms of the resonator serving as a catalytic heater upon hydrogen exposure. The heat locally raised the resonator temperature, which led to an acoustic resonance frequency shift. The sensor’s resonance frequency at 1.7MHz shifted 1170.4Hz upon exposure to 1% hydrogen concentration; the sensitivity of the sensor was estimated to be better than 0.1%.
The stabilizing fraction of α-casein

Abstract The quantitative relation of soluble N and P released from α-casein, treated with the enzyme rennin, has been studied. The amounts of soluble N and P are correlated with the calcium-sensitivity of the α-casein. The calcium-insensitive α-casein contains a larger amount of the protective fraction than does the calcium-sensitive α-casein. These findings support the Linderstrom-Lang (2, 3) and Holter (4) protective colloid theory of the clotting of casein by rennin.
Formal verification of sequential Galois field arithmetic circuits using algebraic geometry

Sequential Galois field (F 2k ) arithmetic circuits take k-bit inputs and produce a k-bit result, after k-clock cycles of operation. Formal verification of sequential arithmetic circuits with large datapath size is beyond the capabilities of contemporary verification techniques. To address this problem, this paper describes a verification method based on algebraic geometry that: i) implicitly unrolls the sequential arithmetic circuit over multiple (k) clock-cycles; and ii) represents the function computed by the state-registers of the circuit, canonically, as a multi-variate word-level polynomial over F 2k . Our approach employs the Grobner basis theory over a specific elimination ideal. Moreover, an efficient implementation is described to identify the k-cycle computation performed by the circuit at word-level. We can verify up to 100-bit sequential Galois field multipliers, whereas conventional techniques fail beyond 23-bit circuits.
Domain 4 of the anthrax protective antigen maintains structure and binding to the host receptor CMG2 at low pH

Domain 4 of the anthrax protective antigen (PA) plays a key role in cellular receptor recognition as well as in pH-dependent pore formation. We present here the 1.95 A crystal structure of domain 4, which adopts a fold that is identical to that observed in the full-length protein. We have also investigated the structural properties of the isolated domain 4 as a function of pH, as well as the pH-dependence on binding to the von Willebrand factor A domain of capillary morphogenesis protein 2 (CMG2). Our results provide evidence that the isolated domain 4 maintains structure and interactions with CMG2 at pH 5, a pH that is known to cause release of the receptor on conversion of the heptameric prepore (PA63)7 to a membrane-spanning pore. Our results suggest that receptor release is not driven solely by a pH-induced unfolding of domain 4.
Low-pressure microwave-induced plasma emission spectrometry method for the determination of nanogram quantities of arsenic in monoarsanilazoTyr-248 carboxypeptidase

Abstract A new sample vaporization procedure for the determination of arsenic by microwave-induced plasma cmission spectrometry is described. Optimum analytical conditions are reported, and the relative merits of atomization filaments fashioned of tantalum, molybdenum, and tungsten are compared. The method has been employed for the determination of arsenic in monoarsanilazoTyr-248 carboxypeptidase. The procedure is very sensitive, accurate, and precise for the determination of arsenic in microsamples of azocarboxypeptidase studied as an example of a metalloenzyme.
HIF1α is a critical regulator of secretory differentiation and activation, but not vascular expansion, in the mouse mammary gland

During pregnancy the mammary epithelium and its supporting vasculature rapidly expand to prepare for lactation, resulting in dramatic changes in the micro-environment. In order to investigate the role of oxygenation and metabolism in these processes, the oxygen-responsive component of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1 complex, HIF1α, was deleted in the murine mammary gland. Although vascular density was unchanged in the HIF1α null mammary gland, loss of HIF1α impaired mammary differentiation and lipid secretion, culminating in lactation failure and striking changes in milk composition. Transplantation experiments confirmed that these developmental defects were mammary epithelial cell autonomous. These data make clear that HIF1α plays a critical role in the differentiation and function of the mammary epithelium.
Halazepam and diazepam in neurotic anxiety: a double-blind study.

Halazepam (160 mg/day) was compared to diazepam (20 mg/day) and to a placebo in a double-blind study with anxious neurotic outpatients from general family practice and a symptomatic volunteer clinic. One hundred twenty-five patients completed at least 4 weeks of treatment. Halazepam produced the most amount of side effects followed by diazepam, while placebo produced the least amount of side effects. Sedation was the most frequently reported side effect. No significant drug x population interaction effects were found and only very few population effects occurred indicating SVC patients to improve more than GP patients. Treatment differences indicate diazepam to be slightly more effective than halazepam, and both drugs to be superior to placebo according to several outcome criteria. At the 6-week period, diazepam, in fact, was significantly more effective than halazepam according to physician and patient questionnaire ratings. Global ratings of improvement, however, indicated both drugs to be equally effective and to produce significantly more improvement than placebo. Initial levels of anxiety and depression were found to have a differential effect on treatment outcome. Anxious patients with little secondary depression improved more than patients with more marked secondary depression regardless of treatment agent prescribed. High anxious halazepam-treated patients were found to improve significantly more than low anxious halazepam-treated patients, while initial level of anxiety showed little effect on the diazepam response. It would thus seem that in the present study diazepam (20 mg/day) was slightly more efficacious in reducing anxious symptomatology than halazepam (160 mg/day) and particularly in the only mildly anxious patient. Perhaps a daily dosage of 120 mg/day of halazepam might have been more appropriate for most anxious patients.
Innovative regional milieux, small firms, and regional development: Evidence from Mediterranean France

The purpose of this article is to critically examine key factors that have been involved in the remarkable economic turnaround of Mediterranean France, which until recently was always considered to be a peripheral zone within the national economy. Particular attention is given to the role of noneconomic factors that condition the location choices of households and firms and to the roles of technological innovation, service activities, and small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in the regional development process. With increasing vertical disintegration, Mediterranean France has been realizing external economies from the expansion of the entire system of production. SMEs, which are especially prevalent in this region — and which have behavior patterns that follow a logic that is more spatial than sectoral in nature — have contributed significantly to endogenous regional development through their growth as an ensemble. The new regional organizational paradigm transcends older forms of industrialization.
Subgingival Microbial Profiles of Smokers with Periodontitis

The subgingival microbiome is largely uncultivated, and therefore, cultivation-based and targeted molecular approaches have limited value in examining the effect of smoking on this community. We tested the hypothesis that the subgingival biofilm is compositionally different in current and never-smokers by using an open-ended molecular approach for bacterial identification. Subgingival plaque from deep sites of current and never-smokers matched for disease was analyzed by 16S sequencing. Smokers demonstrated greater abundance of Parvimonas, Fusobacterium, Campylobacter, Bacteroides, and Treponema and lower levels of Veillonella, Neisseria, and Streptococcus. Several uncultivated Peptostreptococci, Parvimonas micra, Campylobacter gracilis, Treponema socranskii, Dialister pneumosintes, and Tannerella forsythia were elevated in this group, while Veillonella sp. oral clone B2, Neisseria sp. oral clone 2.24, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Capnocytophaga sp. clone AH015 were at lower levels. The microbial profile of smoking-associated periodontitis is distinct from that of non-smokers, with significant differences in the prevalence and abundance of disease-associated and health-compatible organisms.
STABILIZATION OF CAROTENOIDS IN DRIED CITRUS FLAVEDO

Low temperature (-10°F) was considerably more effective than addition of antioxidants for preservation of the carotenoid pigments in stored, dehydrated citrus flavedo. Flavedo dehydrated under conditions similar to commercial practices for dried citrus pulp resulted in losses during drying of from 30–90% of the pigments present in the fresh flavedo. Pigment losses increased with increasing drying temperatures (210°F. 225°F, 290°F). Addition of an antioxidant to the flavedo prior to dehydration aided in retention of pigments during processing. However, none of the common antioxidants effectively prevented pigment destruction during storage of dehydrated flavedo. Much more flavedo color and pigment retention was achieved by carefully controlling dehydration parameters than by adjusting storage variables.
Detailed population projections for small areas: The Massachusetts experience

There is an urgent and growing need for population projections that are not only detailed by geographic unit, but are also detailed by demographic characteristics. A high level of disaggregation allows the planner considerable flexibility to aggregate the projected data in a variety of geographic and demographic configurations. This study reports on the methodology and results of the Massachusetts experience in developing detailed population projections. Combining conventional with some not-so-conventional techniques, population projections are developed for 351 geographic units, as well as 108 demographic categories. The projections are currently in use in a large variety of public and private planning activities.
Spam software evaluation, training, and support: fighting back to reclaim the email inbox

This paper explains two projects dealing with spam recently completed at Iowa State University (ISU). The first project was undertaken by a team composed of members of the campus IT community to test, evaluate, and recommend several desktop anti-spam software products. The second project was initiated to develop a website to educate users how to cope with and obtain support and training regarding spam. Spam Education Day, a festival featuring a Hormel SPAM™ luncheon and an effigial junk mail toss, was used to promote the new website and services during the university's annual VEISHEA celebration to help rally the ISU community to fight back and reclaim the email inbox.
Treatment of Parkinson's disease in early and late phases. Use of pharmacological agents with special reference to deprenyl (selegiline).

ABSTRACT — There are at present numerous pharmacological agents available for the control of parkinson symptoms. None are ideal; all have their limitations. The most potent is levodopa administered with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor. However, because its effectiveness declines after long-term use and side effects increase in severity, it should be reserved for individuals with established symptoms which are functionally impairing. In patients with minimal symptoms, anticholinergic agents, or agents which facilitate dopaminergic mechanisms normally operative in the nervous system, should be used. In a limited trial, deprenyl has produced promising results during this phase of parkinsonism. Deprenyl's major usefulness however, has been demonstrated in patients under treatment with levodopa which has become complicated by fluctuating responses – particularly those of the end-start-dose variety. In such patients, it is possible to achieve an increase in “on” time and a decrease in the severity of parkinsonism. In most patients, such a response can maintained for a period of two years or longer.
Parallel characteristics of sequence alignment algorithms

Parallel algorithms for analyzing DNA and protein sequences are becoming increasingly important as sequence data continues to grow. This paper examines the parallel characteristics of four sequence alignment algorithms. The four algorithms presented are the dynamic programming algorithm developed by Needleman, Wunsch, and Sellers (the NWS algorithm), Fickett's algorithm, a parallel algorithm using some of Fickett's ideas, and an algorithm which uses some of Wilbur and Lipman's ideas for constructing alignments which are not always optimal. The NWS algorithm contains the most parallelism but also does more work than any of the other algorithms which we studied. Fickett's algorithm contains the least parallelism. However, a parallel algorithm which requires significantly fewer instructions than the NWS algorithm is obtained by modifying Fickett's algorithm. The algorithms have been implemented for a dataflow computer in the dataflow language Id.
Biology as a Source of Non-convexities in Ecological Production Functions

Generating ecological production functions, including harvest yield functions, is a high priority research area. Most yield functions used in economics and ecology rely on convexity properties of species growth functions, but convexity is shown here to depend on whether realistic biology is incorporated. Optimizing behavior by individual organisms is connected with species population dynamics in order to derive growth functions in a general equilibrium ecosystem model. Non convexities are shown to be an inherent property of the growth functions owing to familiar biological processes including predator-prey and competitive relations, predator satiation and prey substitution. The growth functions generate yield functions that are problematic for management, because they exhibit kinked average revenue curves, discontinuous marginal revenue curves, and knife edge optimum effort levels where a small increase above the optimum effort can rapidly deplete the stock. These phenomena can be explained entirely by the underlying biological processes.
Laparoscopic pull-through procedure for Hirschsprung's disease

Abstract Contemporary surgical management of Hirschsprung's disease (HD) has evolved toward resection and reconstruction earlier in life. The introduction and miniaturization of laparoscopic instrumentation currently permits the application of this approach to the treatment of HD in the neonate. The authors' experience with this technique demonstrates several potential advantages over the "classical" two-stage operation. (Semin Pediatr Surg 1998 Nov;7(4):228-31)
Allocation of Critical Care Resources: Entitlements, Responsibilities, and Benefits

Abstract Determination of allocation of limited critical care resources appears to be an inevitable development. Criteria proposed to assign such limited resources among patients are not defined. It has been argued that allocation of critical care resources could be based on the principals of patient entitlements to health care, responsibilities of the physician to the critically ill patient, and benificence. However, based on an analysis of the philosophical tenants of the Hippocratic Oath, there is little to support the concept of “sin” taxes or patient triage on the basis of judgment on the moral merit of the patient.
Storage products and transcriptional analysis of the endosperm of cultivated wheat and two wild wheat species.

The starch and protein in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) endosperm provide 20% of the calories eaten by humans and were heavily selected for during domestication. We examined the main storage products and gene expression patterns that may embody compositional differences between two wild speciesAegilops crassa andAegilops tauschii and cultivated bread wheat. The storage product profiles differed significantly withT. aestivum accumulating twice as much carbon as the wild species, while the latter had 1.5 to 2-fold more total nitrogen per seed. Transcriptional analyses of endosperms of similar fresh weight were compared using a cDNA macroarray.Aegilops tauschii, and especiallyAe. crassa had stronger hybridizations with storage protein sequences, but while there were differences in transcripts for starch biosynthetic genes, they were less dramatic. Of these, we cloned the Starch Branching Enzymes (SBE) IIa promoter region and the genomic clone of the Brittle-1 (Bt1) ADPglucose transporter. WhileAe. crassa SBEIIa sequence was more divergent than that ofAe. tauschii’s compared to bread wheat, there were no sequence polymorphisms that would explain the observed expression differences inBt1 between these species. Furthermore, while there were nucleotide differences betweenBt1 inAe. crassa and bread wheat, they were synonymous at the amino acid level. Some of transcriptional differences identified here, however, deserve further examination as part of a strategy to manipulate wheat starch and protein composition.
The composition of the saponifiable lipides of cultured tissue cells. A microfractionation study of Earle's strain L☆

Abstract Methods are described for the extraction of lipides and the simultaneous determination of total fatty acids, unsaturation, and lipide phosphorus in as little as 0.2 mg. of dry tissue. The levels of these constituents were found to be quite constant in batches of Earle's strain L tissue culture cells grown for 12–18 days under standard conditions.
Adaptive, model-based restoration of textures by generalized Wiener filtering

We consider the adaptive restoration of inhomogeneous textured images degraded by linear blur and additive white Gaussian noise. The method consists of segmenting the image into individual homogeneous textures and restoring each texture separately. The individual textures are assumed to be realizations of 2-D Wold-decomposition based regular, homogeneous random fields which may possess deterministic components. The conventional Wiener filter assumes that the spectral distribution of the signal is absolutely continuous and, therefore, cannot be directly used to restore the individual textures. A generalized Wiener filter accommodates the unified texture model and is shown to yield minimum mean-squared error estimates for fields with discontinuous spectral distributions. Texture discrimination is performed by obtaining maximum a posteriori estimates for the label field using simulated annealing. The performance of our segmentation algorithm is investigated in the presence of noise.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Awareness of Interpersonal Style and Self-Evaluation

Interpersonal theorists assume that the greater the discrepancy between a person's own assessment of his or her interpersonal style and the perceptions of others, the greater will be that individual's reported psychological distress. In the present study, 32 U.S. undergraduate students, all female, completed the Interpersonal Checklist (ICL) of LaForge and Suczek (1955) to measure their interpersonal styles and the Symptom Distress Checklist-Revised (SCL-90-R) of Derogatis (1983) to measure their psychological distress. On the basis of their ICL scores, they were placed with complementary partners of the same sex to interact for 7 min. Verbal transcripts and soundless videotapes were prepared from the videotapes of their interactions. After either reading the verbal transcript or watching the soundless videotape, raters completed an ICL describing the impression each participant was communicating. When, on the basis of either the videotape or the transcript, raters judged a participant as more dominant than the participant judged herself, the discrepancy was significantly related to SCL-90-R scale scores on Positive Symptom Total, Global Severity Index, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Anxiety, and Depression. The results supported the assumption that self-other discrepancy was associated with psychological difficulties, especially when the discrepancy involved participants believing themselves less dominant than others perceived them.
Keeping Your Readers' Eyes on the Screen: An Eye-Tracking Study Comparing Sans Serif and Serif Typefaces

An exploratory eye-tracking study was designed to compare the onscreen legibility of sans serif and serif typefaces. The typefaces selected for this study included the serif font Times New Roman and the sans serif font Arial—both originally designed for printing on paper—and the serif font Georgia and the sans serif font Verdana—both designed in recent years especially for reading onscreen. Six participants read four short news stories, each displayed in a different typeface, while their eye-movement behavior was recorded. Overall, Verdana performed best. Participants were able to read more quickly and experienced fewer regressions (backward movements) when the type was set in Verdana. They also expressed a strong preference for this font on the computer screen.
Impurity Energy Levels For Se And Zn In Ga (1 -x) Al x As

Electrical properties and the impurity energy levels in Se-doped n-Ga(l-x)AlxAs (0≤x≤0.82) and Zn-doped p-Ga1-xAlxAs (0≤x≤1) prepared by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition have been investigated. The van der Pauw technique was used to measure the electrical properties of Ga(l-x)AlxAs. The resistivity and carrier concentrations of Ga(1-x)AlxAs were found to be strongly affected by the impurity energy levels for Se and Zn. Tne donor energy levels, ED, of Se in Ga(1-x)A1xAs was found to take the form of an inverted V with a maximum at the direct-indirect band crossover while the acceptor energy levels, EA, of Zn was found to increase with increasing A1 mole fraction.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mechanisms of Membrane-Protein Insertion at the Inner and Outer Membranes

For nearly all membrane proteins, insertion into a membrane is not direct, but rather is assisted by other proteins. At the inner membrane, the key element is a protein-conducting channel, the SecY/Sec61 complex. This channel provides a lateral exit into the bilayer while simultaneously offering a pathway into the periplasm. Now, using molecular dynamics flexible fitting (MDFF), we have determined new structures of inactive and active SecY-ribosome complexes. The latter structure reveals in detail how the nascent chain enters the channel, forming loops both above and below it, with the signal anchor intercalated at the open lateral gate. Although bacterial outer-membrane (OM) proteins must first transit SecY into the periplasm, they are inserted via the BamA complex that resides in the OM. Simulations of recently solved crystal structures of BamA suggest that it also opens laterally to the membrane, which has led to the development of a dynamical model for BamA-assisted insertion that is similar in many respect to SecY-mediated insertion.
Vaccination of Mice Against H pylori Induces a Strong Th-17 Response and Immunity That Is Neutrophil Dependent

Background & Aims Vaccine efficacy against gastric Helicobacter pylori infection has been shown in mice, but little is known about the mechanisms of bacterial clearance. Our aim was to investigate a possible T-cell/neutrophil pathway of vaccine-induced protection. Methods Nonimmune and immunized mice were compared for their response to H pylori challenge. T-cell responses were assessed by recall assays. Interleukin (IL)-17–induced chemokine production was evaluated by cytokine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In a kinetic study, biopsy specimens were collected at multiple time points postchallenge and assessed for bacterial load and inflammation. Relative levels of T cells, IL-17, interferon gamma, MIP-2, KC, and LIX were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The role of neutrophils was evaluated by antibody-mediated depletion of neutrophils following challenge. Results Immunization induced strong interferon gamma– and IL-17–producing T-cell responses, and IL-17 was capable of inducing significant amounts of KC and MIP-2 from dendritic cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, and gastric epithelial cells. Challenge of immunized mice induced significantly greater gastritis than that of infected mice, preceding significantly lower bacterial loads by day 7. In immune mice, T-cell recruitment to the gastric mucosa correlated with a continuous rise in IL-17 and interferon gamma levels, followed by KC, MIP-2, and LIX production and the recruitment of significant numbers of neutrophils by day 5. Antibody-mediated depletion of neutrophils abrogated vaccine efficacy. Conclusions Vaccination of mice against H pylori results in a significant Th-17 cell recall response associated with increases in chemokines that attract neutrophils to the stomach, which are important for eradication of H pylori .
Family of origin and interpersonal contributions to the interdependence of dating partners' trust

The purpose of the present investigation was to further the study of factors that contribute to trust in relation to a dating partner. Specifically, this study investigated the interdependence of dating partner trust using a nonrecursive path model that included present-day family-of-origin experience. The most reliable data available suggest that self-disclosure and trust from the other partner are significant contributors to trust (cf. Butler, 1986; Haas, 1981; Larzelere & Huston, 1980; Rubin, 1975). However, these do not appear to explain completely the ability to trust another. Using these findings and theoretical linkages between trust and family-of-origin experiences, a model was specified with a reciprocal path between male partner and female partner trust. The reciprocal paths were not significant. However, male partner trust was best explained by his emotional reactivity toward his parents, and female partner trust was best explained by her comfort with self-disclosure. These results are discussed in relation to previous research.
Choosing Books for Reading: An Analysis of Three Types of Readers

Abstract This article will present the findings of a project that examined book choices made by three types of readers involved in a literature-based instructional reading program. Three below-average, three average, and three above-average students were randomly selected from a 4th-grade class, which was using a self-selection literature-based reading program. At the end of the self-selection component, these students' records of conferences with the teacher were analyzed to determine what types of strategies they used to choose books and to determine the levels of books they were choosing (i.e., books at their independent, instructional, or frustration levels). The author found that the readers chose books for similar reasons, but these reasons were mentioned at different frequency with the below-average readers, whose criteria included looking at pictures, reading familiar authors, and using friends' recommendations. In judging book difficulty, the students mentioned looking at the length of the word, ...
Evolution of Malate Dehydrogenase in Birds

Heart extracts from over 100 species of birds were subjected to starch-gel electrophoresis at pH 7. The "supernatant" form of malate dehydrogenase, an enzyme present in every extract, was then located on the gels by a specific staining method. The mobility of this enzyme shows very little interspecific variation. Nearly all birds tested have a supernatant malate dehydrogenase that moves as fast as the chicken enzyme. Those species with an enzyme of unusual mobility are of taxonomic interest. For example, hummingbirds and swifts, which are usually considered as two suborders of Apodiformes, are unique among the birds tested in having an enzyme that moves 63 percent as fast as the chicken enzyme. This finding appears to confirm the unity of the Apodiformes, an order whose unity has long been open to question. Similarly all families tested in the shorebird order (Charadriiformes) are unique in having an enzyme that moves 55 percent as fast as the chicken enzyme. The unity of this order was also previously open to question.