cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Cancer Outcomes Measurement Working Group: rationale overview and a look to the future

In 2001, the US National Cancer Institute created the Cancer Outcomes Measurement Working Group (COMWG) to assess the state-of-the-science of outcomes assessment in cancer and to make recommendations for moving the field forward. The COMWG focused on methods for assessing patient-reported outcomes (health-related QoL, patient needs and satisfaction and economic burden) in four cancers (breast, prostate, lung and colorectal) across the continuum of care (prevention/screening, treatment, survivorship and end-of-life). COMWG members also considered different perspectives on, and uses of, patient-reported outcomes data, including individual clinician–patient decision making, clinical trials and observational studies, and population surveillance and policy making. This Special Report describes the rationale behind the COMWGs creation, summarizes the COMWGs activities, notes selected findings and looks to the future of outcomes assessment in cancer.
The Research Environment The Challenge of Getting True Data

The environment in which research is conducted can present many challenges to data collection. This is the story of a research project that was designed to investigate the influence of personality type on the satisfaction of preceptors and new graduate nurses with the orientation process. Despite many adaptations in the data collection protocol, the researchers were not able to obtain enough data from participants to answer the research question. Challenges presented by the data collection site are described and suggestions are offered for consideration.
Fine Motor Skills for Children With Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, ed 2

Bruni M. Bethesda, MD 20817, Woodbine House, Inc, 2006, paperback, 241 pp, illus, ISBN: 978-1-890627-67-4, $19.95. This is one book in a series, “Topics in Down Syndrome,” published by Woodbine House. The second edition, similar to the first edition, is well organized and easy to read. It was written to serve as a practical resource for both professionals and parents. Professionals can use the information to explain to parents what a child with Down syndrome can do at different stages of development, and to provide parents with activities to do at home that will help the child master emerging motor skills. Parents will be able to use the book to understand …
Statistical and Computational Challenges in Whole Genome Prediction and Genome-Wide Association Analyses for Plant and Animal Breeding

Whole genome prediction (WGP) modeling and genome-wide association (GWA) analyses are big data issues in agricultural quantitative genetics. Both areas require meaningful input from the statistical scholarly community in order to further improve the accuracy of prediction of genetic merit and inference on putative causal variants as well as improving the computational efficiency of existing methods and algorithms. These concerns have become increasingly critical as new sequencing technologies will only exacerbate current model dimensionality problems. We focus primarily on mixed model and hierarchical Bayesian analyses which have been most commonly pursued by animal and plant breeders for WGP thus far. We draw attention to our observation that many such previous analyses have not carefully inferred upon hyperparameters defined at the top levels of the Bayesian model hierarchy, but simply arbitrarily specify their values. We also reassess previous discussions on WGP model dimensionality, believing that useful data augmentation schemes utilized in various Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) schemes have led to a general misunderstanding that heavy-tailed or variable selection-based WGP models may be highly parameterized relative to more standard mixed model representations. Computational efficiency is addressed with respect to MCMC and competitive, albeit approximate, alternatives. Furthermore, GWA analyses are reassessed, encouraging a greater reliance on shrinkage-based inferences based on critically chosen priors, instead of potentially nonreproducible fixed effects P value-based inference.
Advising College Students in the 21st Century

At the beginning of the new millennium professional advisors are challenged to examine the theory and delivery of services to students. Professional advisors must adapt to changes in institutional and student needs and take full advantage of available resources. This article suggests that effective advising practices can be found on a continuum from prescriptive advising, developmental advising, and counseling. Technological tools of positive intervention with students, such as Web sites, listservs, and E-mail, are related while knowledge of developmental theories and the use of narrative, knowledge of defense mechanisms, and reframing are discussed in detail.
LACK OF DISCRIMINATION OF CONSPECIFIC VOCALIZATIONS BY BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES: TESTS ON HAND-RAISED JUVENILES

Abstract We played conspecific and heterospecific vocalizations to juvenile, hand-raised Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapilla) in the laboratory and monitored their behavior in tests of preferential response to conspecific vocalizations. The subjects did not respond differently to conspecific and heterospecific vocal stimuli in three playback tests. We conclude that there was no evidence of selective attention to conspecific vocalizations during early life in these individuals. We speculate that this may explain the general lack of success in obtaining evidence for imitation learning by laboratory-tutored individuals in this species. Falta de Diferenciacion de las Vocalizaciones Coespecificas por Parte de Poecile atricapilla: Pruebas con Juveniles Criados a Mano Resumen. Expusimos a juveniles Poecile atricapilla criados en el laboratorio a vocalizaciones coespecificas y heteroespecificas y seguimos su comportamiento mediante pruebas de respuesta preferente a vocalizaciones coespecificas. Los sujet...
Novel Potentials for Emergency Hypothermia: Suspended Animation with Delayed Resuscitation from Exsanguination Cardiac Arrest

Most combat fatalities result from rapid exsanguination in the field and resuscitation via fluid administration is generally unsuccessful. In a series of experiments over the past 5 years, we have developed a novel approach targeting the use of rapid induction of profound hypothermia by aortic flush to produce a state of suspended animation for delayed resuscitation after experimental exsanguination cardiac arrest in dogs. In over 200 experiments in dogs, exsanguination cardiac arrest was induced by rapid hemorrhage over ~5 min. After the 5-min hemorrhage and an additional 2 min of cardiac arrest, hypothermia (8°–34°C, tympanic temperature) was induced by aortic or femoral flush of ice-cold saline via a balloon catheter. Cardiac arrest was then continued for durations ranging between 15 and 120 min. The specific duration and temperature selected depended on the goals of the specific study. Delayed resuscitation after the predefined suspended animation interval was achieved using cardiopulmonary bypass (for 1–2h), mild hypothermia (34°C to 12h), and 72–90 h of continuous intensive care. In some studies, the insult also included laparotomy, splenectomy, and thoracotomy, to simulate trauma. In other studies, pharmacological agents were combined with hypothermia to test for therapeutic synergy. Final neurologic outcome was assessed at 72–96 h by overall performance category and neurological deficit scores. Brain histopathology was also evaluated. Normal neurologic outcome with minimal histopathologic damage was routinely achieved after a cardiac arrest of 90 min using this suspended animation approach. In some dogs, good neurologic outcome was achieved even after a cardiac arrest of 120 min. A delay of 5–8 min in the induction of suspended animation attenuated its preservative effect. Of 14 drugs tested, only the antioxidant tempol produced a synergistic effect with hypothermia. The addition of trauma worsened organ function without affecting brain histopathology. Suspended animation with delayed resuscitation represents a revolutionary approach to resuscitation of the trauma victim with otherwise lethal exsanguination cardiac arrest. Our studies suggest additional benefit from the combination of antioxidants with hypothermia, and challenge the previously posed limits of hypothermic protection and preservation of the brain. In ongoing studies we are testing suspended animation after prolonged shock, evaluating the mechanisms of hypothermic protection using proteomics, and probing beyond the 2-h theoretical limit for cardiac arrest duration with intact survival.
Section 101 and Computer-Implemented Inventions

The current case law on whether many computer-related inventions constitute patentable subject matter under § 101 of the Patent Act is extraordinarily unclear. In the past two years, the Supreme Court has twice taken § 101 cases, producing opinions that have generated serious controversy among the patent bar. As a result, the Federal Circuit has struggled to determine when computer-related claims pass § 101, with its post-Bilski case law being defined by a major circuit split over computer-implemented inventions.With the Federal Circuit’s en banc review of CLS Bank on the horizon, this Article attempts to end this confusion. This Article does not engage the debate over whether broad subject matter eligibility is preferable to the Supreme Court’s recent restrictions. Rather, the main goal of this paper is to accept the Court’s rulings and propose an administrable test drawn from current precedent that the Federal Circuit can adopt in its upcoming CLS Bank en banc decision. I follow a pragmatic approach, demonstrating how courts can apply the Supreme Court’s § 101 jurisprudence and existing Federal Circuit doctrine to focus on the real issue: the effect a computer element has on a claim’s patentability. As one Federal Circuit panel has already done, courts should examine the computer’s role in the invention.
Improving IT Service Incident Resolution by Using an FAQ System

As the enterprise computing becomes more and more complex, recently, the cost of IT system maintenance in enterprises has become a significant problem from the perspective of technology as well as business operations. One approach to managing the IT system maintenance cost is preparing and leveraging an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) system as a way of knowledge management and reuse. However, because the preparation of an FAQ system and data may take significant investment, a cost justification for such a system is essential. In an effort to analyze the cost and effect of the FAQ approach, in this paper, we observed a software maintenance project where 66 FAQs were prepared and monitored for a period of 15 months. We found that 67% of the practitioner's resolution time was saved with FAQ references. We also applied our novel Natural Language Processing techniques using conditional branches, sequential analysis and topic detection as domain independent methods. We found that the number of text segments has strong correlation with the time and cost savings. We designed an FAQ system based on these findings and observed that more than 70% of the practitioners who tested the system reported that it is useful and significantly improved their productivity.
A Narrowing of Vision: Hardy L. Brian and the Fate of Louisiana Populism

In the 1890s, Hardy L. Brian was among Louisiana's leading Populists. He was a key founder of the Louisiana People's Party and served as state party secretary and editor of the organization's weekly newspaper. Son of a prominent agrarian dissident from the Louisiana piney woods, Brian believed deeply in the power of an aroused populace to bring fundamental changes to American political and economic life. Over time, however, he abandoned social movement organizing in favor of conventional party politics. The climax of this journey came in 1896, when Brian joined fellow delegates to the Populist national convention to give the People's Party presidential nomination to Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan. The Bryan nomination cost the Populists their independent political identity and precipitated a collapse of their party organization. Hardy L. Brian's journey from agrarian rebel to conventional reform politician reflects a loss of faith in the power of the Populist vision. While he never abandoned the goal of fundamental change, Brian lost faith in the power of this goal to inspire and arouse. Instead, he embraced the logic of conventional party politics, and upon that logic the Populist vision foundered.
Task-based optimization of flip angle for texture analysis in MRI

Chronic liver disease is a worldwide health problem, and hepatic fibrosis (HF) is one of the hallmarks of the disease. The current reference standard for diagnosing HF is biopsy followed by pathologist examination, however this is limited by sampling error and carries risk of complications. Pathology diagnosis of HF is based on textural change in the liver as a lobular collagen network that develops within portal triads. The scale of collagen lobules is characteristically on order of 1-5 mm, which approximates the resolution limit of in vivo gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in the delayed phase. We have shown that MRI of formalin fixed human ex vivo liver samples mimic the textural contrast of in vivo Gd-MRI and can be used as MRI phantoms. We have developed local texture analysis that is applied to phantom images, and the results are used to train model observers. The performance of the observer is assessed with the area-under-the-receiveroperator- characteristic curve (AUROC) as the figure of merit. To optimize the MRI pulse sequence, phantoms are scanned with multiple times at a range of flip angles. The flip angle that associated with the highest AUROC is chosen as optimal based on the task of detecting HF.
Renal performance during clinical cardiopulmonary bypass with and without hemodilution.

Summary Renal performances during clinical cardiopulmonary bypass, with and without hemodilution, were compared. The major difference consisted of a significantly larger rate of urine flow and a lower osmolality of urine during and immediately after cardiopulmonary bypass when hemodilution was utilized. Explanations for these phenomena were discussed. Glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, and postoperative urine electrolyte excretion and osmolality patterns were generally similar in both groups of patients. It was concluded that the increased production of urine associated with hemodilution perfusion might well protect renal-tubular integrity during stressful situations, such as intracardiac surgery.
Acute shifts in relaxin, progesterone, prolactin, and growth hormone secretion in Chinese Meishan gilts during late pregnancy and after hysterectomy.

Pregnant and hysterectomized Chinese Meishan gilts were used to investigate mechanisms regulating the production and secretion of relaxin, progesterone, prolactin (PRL), and growth hormone (GH) during different reproductive states. Gilts were bred to Meishan boars on the 1st d of the second observed estrus, and unmated gilts were hysterectomized on d 8 (estrus = d 0). Blood samples (10 mL) were collected twice daily (0800 and 2000) from d 90 to 120 and every 20 min within a 3-h period on d 112 to 116. Relaxin plasma concentra- tions were consistently greater in hysterectomized than in pregnant ( 6 vs 2 ng/mL, P < .05) gilts on d 99 to 109. The surge relaxin release on d 114 was greater in pregnant (66 ng/mL) than in hysterectomized gilts (34 ng/mL, P < .05). Thereafter, relaxin remained consistently increased (12 ng/mL) in hysterectomized gilts, whereas it was basal (< .5 ng/mL) during lactation. Progesterone concentrations decreased by half from d 109 to 115 and remained at 16 ng/mL through d 120 in hysterectomized pigs, whereas in pregnant pigs progesterone became basal after partu- rition. Prolactin in hysterectomized gilts remained at 4 ng/mL throughout the study period, whereas in pregnant gilts PRL increased steadily from 16 ng/mL on d 99 to 39 ng/mL at parturition and remained increased during lactation. Growth hormone concen- trations were similar in hysterectomized and pregnant gilts from d 99 to 114; however, GH concentrations were consistently greater ( P < .05) in lactating than in hysterectomized gilts (2.6 vs 1.0 ng/mL, respective- ly). These results indicate that PRL and GH secre- tions differ in pregnant and hysterectomized pigs because of the physiological changes necessitated by the onset of lactation.
Corneoretinal Potentials in Human Infants

Vestibularly induced horizontal eye movements were recorded to investigate the corneoretial potential of 23 infants ages 4 to 48 weeks. Infants were tested for 15 minutes in the dark, and 15 minutes in room light (85 ft. Lamberts). Under these conditions, the EOG did not change systematically with age. Also, the amplitude of this potential at the dark trough (mean = 230 µV; SD = 77 µV), amplitude at the light peak (mean = 492 µV; SD = 165 µV), time to dark trough (mean = 7.7 minutes; SD = 1.0 minute) and time to light peak (mean = 7.6 minutes; SD = 1.1 minute) were not significantly different from those obtained with adults. Thus, the present results suggest that retinal structures and processes responsible for the corneoretinal potential mature early.
Abstract 275: The Effect of High Salt-diet on Pioglitazone Treated-db/db-/- mice

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of high-salt-diet on pioglitazone treated db/db mice. Groups of 6 weeks-old db/db mice obtained from Jackson Laboratory were given either pioglitazone (0.02%) in diet or pioglitazone (0.02%) plus high salt-diet (8% NaCl) for 6 to 12 weeks. Control groups received either pioglitazone or normal salt diet. During the course of treatment, urine volume, urine sodium, creatinine and blood glucose were measured in the animals. For urine collection, mice were placed in metabolic cages. In order to evaluate whether differences exist between diabetic animals that received pioglitazone or not in the handling of a sodium load and to characterize the transport mechanisms involved, at the end of experimental period the animals were given an acute sodium load (physiological saline), 1.25 ml/100 g body weight by intraperitoneal route. The sodium load was repeated in mice that was treated 15 minutes earlier with hydrochlorothiazide (40 mg/kg i.p.) or furosemide (8 mg/kg i.p.), or amiloride (1.65 mg/kg). The animals were placed in metabolic cages and urine voided was collected over 5 hr. for determination of urine volume and sodium. Sodium was determined by flame photometer. No significant changes were observed in mean arterial blood pressure in all the groups (at p 0.05). There was significant increase in UNav with all the diuretics in db/db mice that received high salt diet at 6 weeks. The blood pressure did not increase with the sodium diet. This might be due to natriuresis resulting from polyurea in the diabetic condition of the mice.
Genomics, cancer and health disparities

KN01 Cancer is a disease of the genome. Over the past 25 years the cancer research community has made steady progress in identifying the hereditary and somatic changes in the genome that predispose to malignancy, but here in 2007 we are poised to see a rapid expansion of that catalog. For hereditary risk, the advent of the HapMap project and low cost genotyping has made it possible to survey the whole genome for risk factors, already revealing hitherto unknown genetic variants for breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer. For somatic variation, the launching of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) promises to provide a comprehensive view of recurrent somatic mutations in the common human cancers, beginning with glioblastoma multiforme, ovarian cancer, and squamous cell lung cancer. What will these new revelations tell us about cancer and health disparities? Clearly it would be a profound mistake to assume that such disparities primarily arise from genetic differences between groups, since many other environmental, social, and cultural factors are undoubtedly at work. But in at least once instance, the 8q24 variants that confer an increased risk of prostate cancer, the higher frequencies of the risk alleles in African-American men suggests that ancestral geographic origin may be playing a role. The debate about genetic vs. environmental origins of health disparities has raged for decades. Cancer research may be in a position to move this field forward more quickly than for many other diseases. With carefully designed, sensitively implemented, and objectively conducted research, we may finally have the chance to get some answers.
What makes delusions pathological

AbstractBortolotti argues that we cannot distinguish delusions from other irrational beliefs in virtue of their epistemic features alone. Although her arguments are convincing, her analysis leaves an important question unanswered: What makes delusions pathological? In this paper I set out to answer this question by arguing that the pathological character of delusions arises from an executive dysfunction in a subject’s ability to detect relevance in the environment. I further suggest that this dysfunction derives from an underlying emotional imbalance—one that leads delusional subjects to regard some contextual elements as deeply puzzling or highly significant.
Transgenic and tissue culture analyses of the muscle creatine kinase enhancer Trex control element in skeletal and cardiac muscle indicate differences in gene expression between muscle types

The muscle creatine kinase (MCK) gene is expressed at high levels only in differentiated skeletal and cardiac muscle. The activity of the cloned enhancer-promoter has previously been shown to be dependent on the Trex element which is specifically bound by a yet unidentified nuclear factor, TrexBF. We have further characterized the function of the Trex site by comparing wild-type and Trex-mutated MCK transgenes in five mouse skeletal muscles: quadriceps, extensor digitorum longus (EDL), soleus, diaphragm, and distal tongue, as well as in heart ventricular muscle. Several types of statistical analysis including analysis of variance (ANOVA) and rank sum tests were used to compare expression between muscle types and between constructs. Upon mutation of the Trex site, median transgene expression levels decreased 3- to 120-fold in the muscles examined, with statistically significant differences in all muscles except the EDL. Expression in the largely slow soleus muscle was more affected than in the EDL, and expression in the distal tongue and diaphragm muscles was affected more than in soleus. Median expression of the transgene in ventricle decreased about 18-fold upon Trex mutation. Transfections into neonatal rat myocardiocytes confirmed the importance of the Trex site for MCK enhancer activity in heart muscle, but the effect is larger in transgenic mice than in cultured cells.
Mixed-Method Research: Introduction and Application

Publisher Summary This chapter clarifies the terms used in mixed-method research in the social science literature. It constructs a brief historical overview of mixed method studies, and advance eight steps useful in conducting and evaluating a mixed-method project. The chapter ends with an illustration of each step as applied to a specific study in the field of education. A mixed-method study is one in which the researcher incorporates both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis in a single study. This type of a study enables a policy researcher to understand complex phenomena qualitatively as well as to explain the phenomena through numbers, charts, and basic statistical analyses. According to Rossman and Wilson, a multi-method approach to policy research holds potential , for understanding the complex phenomena of social world, seeing this world through multiple lenses, and using eclectic methodologies that better respond to the multiple stakeholders of policy issues than a single method or approach to research.
Substance Use and Special Education: Should We Pay Attention?

ABSTRACTThis study aims to identify the relationships between Individualized Education Program (IEP) status and substance use. More than 122,000 eighth-, ninth-, and eleventh-grade students provided survey data in 2013. Analyses tested associations between IEP status and tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use, accounting for emotional distress and demographic covariates. Approximately 10% of participants reported having an IEP; students with IEPs were significantly more likely to use substances than students without IEPs. In adjusted models, odds of cigarette smoking remained significantly elevated among students with IEPs. Education professionals may need to provide tailored substance use prevention programs to students with IEPs.
A mitochondrial delicacy: dynamin-related protein 1 and mitochondrial dynamics

The constant physiological flux of mitochondrial fission and fusion is inextricably tied to the maintenance of cellular bioenergetics and the fluidity of mitochondrial networks. Yet, the intricacie...
Arthroscopic evaluation and treatment of the patellofemoral joint.

The patella is the largest sesamoid bone in the body and serves the following six basic functions1: 1. Increases the moment arm of the quadriceps mechanism, improving the force of extension 25% to 30%. 2. By cartilage-to-cartilage articulation, a low coefficient of friction is established, improving quadriceps efficiency. 3. The divergent forces of the four heads of the quadriceps are centralized and there-fore are transmitted to the patellar tendon. 4. Protects the quadriceps and patellar tendon from friction. 5. Shields the articular cartilage on the anterior tibia as well as the anterior femur. 6. Serves a cosmetic function.
Do Financial Crises Make War More Likely

Financial crises precede deep and prolonged recessions. Political leaders face enormous challenges when confronting such dire economic situation, and they frequently have to face the possibility of losing power. In order to avoid this outcome, democratic and autocratic leaders may use war as a diversionary instrument to distract audiences at home. This empirical study enquires on the political consequences of financial crises. Using data from Rogoff and Reinhart (2009) including 66 developed and developing countries over the years 1800-2008, we compiled a panel to test the hypothesis that financial crises increase the likelihood of the onset of international conflict. We look at political instability, defined as turnover of the political leader, and we find that leaders can use war as a tool for political survival.
Introduction: Emancipatory and Transformative Climate Actions

Climate change, which evidences the impacts of humanity’s fossil fuel-based choices, is breaking down social, political, and economic order, with people living in poorer places unjustly carrying more of its burdens. Despite an international agreement to reduce present and future emissions, a number of governments all over the world continue their support on fossil fuels. With myopic climate actions from these governments, the time is ripe for strengthening the grassroots dimension of climate actions: to scale up efforts from citizen-oriented protests against the fossil fuel regime and to expand instances of prefiguring desirable futures. Beyond these, the climate action movement also needs to elevate the discourse about a counter-hegemony that would replace the neoliberal capital order, which, for generations, props up the fossil fuel-based paradigm of progress. Doing so requires the Movement to embark on expansive campaigns that advance alternative politics, new economics, and desirable social cultures.
Trends in active restoration of tropical dry forest: Methods, metrics, and outcomes

Abstract Active restoration may be necessary to the recovery of degraded tropical dry forests, which are highly threatened but relatively understudied compared to other forest ecosystems. A greater understanding of how different treatments affect various performance metrics and general outcomes is needed. A literature review of active restoration from 2000 to 2019 identified 30 tropical dry forest restoration-related peer-reviewed articles. Grazing (50% of studies), fire (37%), and cultivation (27%) were the most frequent causes of dry forest ecosystem degradation, and invasive non-native species were reported present in the majority of studies. Common site management needs thus included control of competitive vegetation, as well as supplemental irrigation. Outplanted species were most often selected for their functional traits (57%) or local abundance (32%), while only three studies focused on reintroducing or enhancing populations of rare, endangered, or sensitive species. Survival was the most common metric used to measure outplanted seedling performance (88%) and ranged from 13% to 80% (mean 45%). Seedlings planted in mixed assemblages had significantly higher survival rates (median 63%) than those in single species plots (29%), and a moderately positive relationship was observed between survival and the number of species planted. Survival was significantly higher for treatments in which non-native vegetation was continuously controlled throughout the study (median 61%), as well as treatments that received supplemental water for a portion of (63%) or the entire (51%) monitoring period. Survival rates tended to be higher in protected sites (54%) than in sites without any protection status (30%), but this difference was not statistically significant. The cause of seedling mortality, reported in 63% of studies, was most often attributed to desiccation (including soil conditions, timing or lack of precipitation, competition for available water). In general, variation in the format and level of detail reported in the results limited the cross-study analysis that could be performed. Metrics other than survival were often underreported, particularly reproductive measures. The majority of papers also did not report project costs (80% of studies) or community engagement (73%). Results suggest that more diverse metrics and outcomes should be regularly reported in active restoration literature in order to improve best practices and broaden the scope of future research. Remotely-sensed metrics, for example, have the potential to complement field-based evaluations and increase the frequency of future monitoring efforts.
Large-scale variation in single nucleotide polymorphism density within the laboratory axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

Background Recent efforts to assemble and analyze the Ambystoma mexicanum genome have dramatically improved the potential to develop molecular tools and pursue genome-wide analyses of genetic variation. Results To better resolve the distribution and origins of genetic variation with A mexicanum, we compared DNA sequence data for two laboratory A mexicanum and one A tigrinum to identify 702 million high confidence polymorphisms distributed across the 32 Gb genome. While the wild-caught A tigrinum was generally more polymorphic in a genome-wide sense, several multi-megabase regions were identified from A mexicanum genomes that were actually more polymorphic than A tigrinum. Analysis of polymorphism and repeat content reveals that these regions likely originated from the intentional hybridization of A mexicanum and A tigrinum that was used to introduce the albino mutation into laboratory stocks. Conclusions Our findings show that axolotl genomes are variable with respect to introgressed DNA from a highly polymorphic species. It seems likely that other divergent regions will be discovered with additional sequencing of A mexicanum. This has practical implications for designing molecular probes and suggests a need to study A mexicanum phenotypic variation and genome evolution across the tiger salamander clade.
Neurotoxicity of Ortho-Phthalates: Recommendations for Critical Policy Reforms to Protect Brain Development in Children.

Robust data from longitudinal birth cohort studies and experimental studies of perinatally exposed animals indicate that exposure to ortho-phthalates can impair brain development and increase risks...
Chapter 15 Discussion of the paper by Ronald Dubner: The effect of behavioral state on the sensory processing of nociceptive and non‐nociceptive information

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the effect of behavioral state on the sensory processing of nociceptive and non-nociceptive information. Movements generate peripheral inputs that guide ongoing behavior. Activation of voluntary movement mechanisms in the central nervous system may modulate central sensory transmission. Motivationally significant environmental stimuli selectively modify the sensory processing in several sensory systems. Some neurons that respond to sensory stimuli appear to encode behavioral state. The chapter presents the nature and degree of modulation of excitability of medullary dorsal horn cells and emphasizes the observation that wide dynamic range or multireceptive neurons encode stimulus intensity within the noxious range. It is also presented that the marked alteration in the activity of some of the dorsal horn cells is related specifically to the behavioral task required in the animal.
Studies on the me hanism of intestinal absorption of sugars. IV. Localization of galactose concenhrations within the intestinal wall during active transport, in vitro.

Abstract The concentrations of actively transported D -galactose in various parts of frozen, dried sections of hamster intestine have been measured. The relationships of these concentrations strongly indicate that active transport of sugars by the small intestine is mediated by a process which lies in or near the luminal or brush-border end of the epithelial cells.
Influence of Stabilizing Copper on the Quench Characteristics of Nb3Sn Wire

Recently there have been some attempts to construct 10-T dipole magnets using Nb3Sn conductors for future high-energy particle accelerators.1–4 For such magnets, high current densities in the coils (300 ~600 A/mm2) are required to make the magnet reasonably small. This can be attained through increasing the current density within the superconductor (Nb3Sn) and/or minimizing the copper stabilizer. In past years there have been substantial commercial developments of Nb3Sn multifilamentary wires, and currently wires with very high current densities Jc [above 1000 A/mm2 at 10 T (excluding Cu)] are commercially available.5,6 However, few studies have been made of the electromagnetic stability of these Nb3Sn wires,7,8 and it is not clear how much copper is required for stabilization of the conductor for these magnets. Thus, we have investigated the influence of the amount of stabilizing copper in a Nb3Sn conductor on the quench energies and quench propagation velocities of Nb3Sn multifilamentary wires at high magnetic fields.
Some Objectives of the Wide Field Spectroscopy in the Nearest Galaxies

The wide-field spectroscopy of stellar fields in the nearest galaxies has much of the same advantages as that one of the stellar clusters. In both occasions the distance and therefore luminosity of stars are known, and stars even in galaxies may be coeval and genetically related. The field of 5’ across is typical for a star cluster in our Galaxy as well as for an stellar associations in the Magellanic Clouds, whereas this area, large enough in linear scale (about 1 kpc across) in M31 or M33, still unite stars in coherent stellar complexes (Efremov, 1995).
Who Is Gordon Moore, and Why Is There a Law Named for Him?

This column reviews the book Moore's Law: The Life of Gordon Moore, Silicon Valley's Quiet Revolutionary.
Adaptive recursive state-space filtering

The least-mean-square adaptation algorithm is extended to state-space recursive filtering in order to obtain improved adaptive filter structures and take advantage of the better numerical performance of state-space filtering. The gradients for the parameters are derived directly from the state equations and formulated by matrix derivative linear operations. Simulation results showing that the adaptive state-space filters provide better performance in terms of stability control, convergence rate, and roundoff noise are reported, and the initialization of system matrices is considered. To speed up the adaptive process, a VLSI implementation is given. >
Achalasia: Diagnosis, Management, and Clinical Course in 16 Children

Clinical features, radiographic and esophageal manometry findings, and treatment results in 16 patients less than 15 years old with achalasia are described. Esophageal manometry performed in 15 patients showed results similar to those found in adults: (1) increased resting lower esophageal sphincter pressure, (2) incomplete or failure of relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter on swallowing, and (3) ineffective or absence of peristalsis in all. The most common symptoms in the 16 patients were: dysphagia in 15, postprandial vomiting in 13, and retrosternal pain in five. The average duration from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 28 months. The esophagram was diagnostic in all patients. Pneumatic dilation was the initial treatment in eight and was successful for more than 1 year in five. Two patients required two dilations and were then symptom-free for more than 1 year, but required a Heller myotomy. The remaining patients underwent Heller myotomy following failure of the second dilation. Three patients underwent myotomy and two patients had myotomy with fundoplication as initial treatment; only one remained symptomatic. Esophageal dilation using a pneumatic dilator should be the initial treatment of choice in school-aged children. However, if more than two dilations are required within 1 year, surgical management is recommended.
Wireless Sensor Networks

Sensor networks consist of a set of sensor nodes, each equipped with one or more sensors, communication subsystems, storage and processing resources, and in some cases actuators. The sensors in a node observe phenomena such as thermal, optic, acoustic, seismic, and acceleration events, while the processing and other components analyze the raw data and formulate answers to specific user requests. Recent advances in technology have paved the way for the design and implementation of new generations of sensor network nodes, packaged in very small and inexpensive form factors with sophisticated computation and wireless communication abilities. Although still at infancy, these new classes of sensor networks, generally referred to as wireless sensor networks (WSN), show great promise and potential with applications ranging in areas that have already been addressed, to domains never before imagined. In this article we provide an overview of this new and exciting field and a brief discussion on the factors pushing the recent flurry of sensor network related research and commercial undertakings. We also provide overview discussions on architectural design characteristics of such networks including physical components, software layers, and higher level services. At each step, we highlight special characteristics of WSNs and discuss why existing approaches and results from wireless communication networks are not necessarily suitable in WSN domains. We conclude by briefly summarizing the state of the art and the future research directions. Keywords: wireless; ad-hoc; multi-hop; sensor networks; location discovery; sensor coverage; localized algorithms
Experimental study of the pinch-beam diode with thin, unbacked foil anodes

Pinch-beam diodes are used extensively for intense electron and ion beam production. The large aspect ratio (diode radius/anode-cathode gap, R/D) diodes utilize the large electron path length (-R) relative to the ion path length (-D) to enhance ion production, over the bipolar limit, by R/D. Pinch-reflex diodes further enhance the electron path length and thus the ion production efficiency by incorporating thinner-than-electron-range anode foils attached to a flat solid anode (a few mm behind the anode foils) by a small, on-axis conducting stalk. Electron reflexing is induced by the magnetic field generated by the return current through the conducting stalk. In both cases, large R/D's are needed for high ion production efficiencies thus necessitating low impedance (Z ∝ D/R) diode operation. In this work, a new "backless" anode is studied in which the thin foil is held to the anode potential only along its circumference with the region behind it totally void. In this case, the self-pinching electrons are allowed to reflex between the real cathode and a self-formed virtual cathode behind the anode foil until either the virtual cathode dissipates or the electrons lose their energy in the foil. This diode has two potential advantages over conventional pinch-beam or pinch-reflex diodes. The ion production efficiency can be high even at high impedances (smaller R/D's) and the anode debris caused by the dissipating electron beam is substantially reduced. The experiments are carried out on the Gamble II generator (13 MV, 0.85 MA, 60 ns). When thin plastic anodes are used, efficient (−60%) positive ion production is observed. Thinner foils result in earlier ion production and larger time-integrated total ion energies. Furthermore, totally unbacked foils are significantly more ion-efficient at early times than standard reflexing (backed) foils of the same thickness. When high-Z metallic foils are used as anodes, the bremsstrahlung radiation provides an additional diagnostic for gaining insight into the dynamics of the electron orbits. Thin, unbacked foils produce more than twice the radiation compared with the same thickness foils backed with a low-Z material to prevent electron reflexing. The experimental results and their implications will be discussed.
Designing surface-mount technology for operational service life

In military and space applications, it is not unusual for the temperatures of solder joints and multilayer interconnection boards (MIBs) to cycle between -55 degrees and +95 degrees C. IBM has tested circuit card assemblies (CCA) and established the reliability of leadless chip carrier (LCC) components directly soldered to Kevlar epoxy MIBs, specifically solder joint life and plated-thru-hole (PTH) life, which are not adequately addressed by military specifications. The key is to match the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the MIB very closely to that of the LCC/SMT (surface mount technology). IBM's laboratory test data provide the basis for (a) predicting field life from both thermal and vibration perspectives (b) determining whether this type of interconnection will last beyond its useful life (operational service life) requirement for military and space applications, and (c) determining specific material and process controls required to ensure a reliable product. >
Presynaptic GABAB Autoreceptor Modulation of P/Q-Type Calcium Channels and GABA Release in Rat Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Neurons

GABA is the primary transmitter released by neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the circadian clock in the brain. Whereas GABAB receptor agonists exert a significant effect on circadian rhythms, the underlying mechanism by which GABAB receptors act in the SCN has remained a mystery. We found no GABAB receptor-mediated effect on slow potassium conductance, membrane potential, or input resistance in SCN neuronsin vitro using whole-cell patch-clamp recording. In contrast, the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen (1–100 μm) exerted a large and dose-dependent inhibition (up to 100%) of evoked IPSCs. Baclofen reduced the frequency of spontaneous IPSCs but showed little effect on the frequency or amplitude of miniature IPSCs in the presence of tetrodotoxin. The activation of GABAB receptors did not modulate postsynaptic GABAA receptor responses. The depression of GABA release by GABAB autoreceptors appeared to be mediated primarily through a modulation of presynaptic calcium channels. The baclofen inhibition of both calcium currents and evoked IPSCs was greatly reduced (up to 100%) by the P/Q-type calcium channel blocker agatoxin IVB, suggesting that P/Q-type calcium channels are the major targets involved in the modulation of GABA release. To a lesser degree, N-type calcium channels were also involved. The inhibition of GABA release by baclofen was abolished by a pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX), whereas the inhibition of whole-cell calcium currents by baclofen was only partially depressed by PTX, suggesting that G-protein mechanisms involved in GABAB receptor modulation at the soma and axon terminal may not be identical. We conclude that GABABreceptor activation exerts a strong presynaptic inhibition of GABA release in SCN neurons, primarily by modulating P/Q-type calcium channels at axon terminals.
Manganese absorption and retention by young women is associated with serum ferritin concentration

Background: The interaction between iron and manganese in the gut is well characterized but iron status has not been shown to affect manganese absorption. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether iron status as determined by serum ferritin concentrations affects manganese absorption, retention, balance, and status. Design: The subjects were healthy young women; 11 had serum ferritin concentrations >50 μg/L and 15 had serum ferritin concentrations <15 μg/L. In a crossover design, subjects consumed diets that supplied either 0.7 or 9.5 mg Mn/d for 60 d. Manganese absorption and retention were assessed during the last 30 d of each dietary period by using an oral dose of 54 Mn; balance was assessed simultaneously. Results: Dietary manganese did not affect manganese status, but high serum ferritin depressed arginase activity. The interaction of ferritin status and dietary manganese affected 54 Mn absorption and biological half-life. Absorption was greatest in subjects with low ferritin concentrations when they were consuming the low-manganese diet, and was least in subjects with high ferritin concentrations. Biological half-life was longest when subjects with high ferritin concentrations consumed the low-manganese diet, and was shortest in all subjects consuming the high-manganese diet. Manganese balance was only affected by the amount of manganese in the diet. Conclusions: These results show that iron status, as measured by serum ferritin concentration, is strongly associated with the amount of manganese absorbed from a meal by young women. When greater amounts of manganese are absorbed, the body may compensate by excreting manganese more quickly.
Increased medical cost metrics for patients 50 years of age and older in the collaborate care model of treatment for depression.

Background The collaborative care model (CCM) has been consistently shown to achieve effectiveness in depression management compared to usual care. In the present study, we aimed to determine the impact of age on cost metrics in patients who were treated with CCM for 6 months after a diagnosis of depression. Methods The upper quartile of age was 50 years and older (n = 56), and the comparison group was composed of patients in the three younger quartiles, aged 18–49 years (n = 163). Results Patients in the older age group had an elevated median Current Procedure Terminology cost rank of 255.5 compared to 168.0 for the younger patients (P 80th percentile) in patients with CCM. Conclusion Medical cost utilization in the 6 months after diagnosis of depression was significantly higher in patients in the upper age quartile (≥50 years) enrolled in CCM than those in the lower quartiles (age <50).
On the resolution capacity of wideband sensor arrays

Summary form only given. The superresolution estimation of bearings of wideband sources using fewer sensors than sources was addressed. The fundamental limits on the maximum number of wideband sources uniquely resolvable by a passive sensor array, called the resolution capacity of the array, were studied. The source signals are assumed to be uncorrelated zero-mean, second-order stationary, and ergodic wideband random processes occupying a common bandwidth. The array is assumed to be uniform and linear, and L>>1 Nyquist-rate samples of its output are assumed to be collected into a snapshot supervector. N>>1 such snapshots are assumed to be available. >