cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolving and Dissolving Synergies in the Development of Leg Coordination

The development of leg coordination during the first year of infancy is described from a dynamical systems perspective. In this view, the patterns of coordination seen in infant leg movements are context-assembled synergies that are preferred, but not obligatory, movement configurations. Patterns of movement emerge and dissolve as a function of the maturational status of the neuromuscular system and the task context. Adaptive and effective coordinative patterns are selected from a larger universe of movement topologies by multimodal mapping of the multiple sensory consequences of natural movements. In this sense, mature patterns are carved out and built up through movement experience. Three infant-task situations are especially crucial in reorganizing leg movements for adaptive actions: the transition to extrauterine life, the transition to supporting the weight on the limbs, and the transition to dynamic balance.
An analytical model of an urban heat island circulation in calm conditions

We obtain an analytical model solution to an idealization of an urban heat island (UHI) circulation—the steady shallow convective flow of a viscous stably stratified fluid over a differentially heated lower boundary without system rotation (no Coriolis force) or background wind. The coupled linearized equations of motion and thermal energy are solved for flows in two-dimensional Cartesian (slab-symmetric) and axisymmetric geometries forced by laterally varying surface buoyancies considered as Gaussian and parabolic arch functions. The scaled problem is free of governing parameters, and the solutions are universal. In all cases the flow is dominated by an in-up-out circulation. The updraft is stronger in the axisymmetric case than in the slab-symmetric case, while the surrounding downdraft, and the inflow and outflow branches of the circulation are stronger in the slab-symmetric case. These differences are explained in terms of the response of the perturbation pressure to the thermal forcing in the different geometries. The scalings themselves provide insight into observations that daytime UHI circulations can be stronger than nighttime circulations despite the relative weakness of urban–rural temperature contrasts during the daytime.
The Curse and Blessing of Not-All-Equal in k-Satisfiability

As a natural variant of the $k$-SAT problem, NAE-$k$-SAT additionally requires the literals in each clause to take not-all-equal (NAE) truth values. In this paper, we study the worst-case time complexities of solving NAE-$k$-SAT and MAX-NAE-$k$-SAT approximation, as functions of $k$, the number of variables $n$, and the performance ratio $\delta$. The latter problem asks for a solution of at least $\delta$ times the optimal. Our main results include: (1) A deterministic algorithm for NAE-$k$-SAT that is faster than the best deterministic algorithm for $k$-SAT on all $k \ge 3$. Previously, no NAE-$k$-SAT algorithm is known to be faster than $k$-SAT algorithms. For $k = 3$, we achieve an upper bound of $1.326^n$. The corresponding bound for $3$-SAT is $1.328^n$. (2) A randomized algorithm for MAX-NAE-$k$-SAT approximation, with upper bound $(2 - \epsilon_k(\delta))^n$ where $\epsilon_k(\delta) > 0$ only depends on $k$ and $\delta$. Previously, no upper bound better than the trivial $2^n$ is known for MAX-NAE-$k$-SAT approximation on $k \ge 4$. For $\delta = 0.9$ and $k = 4$, we achieve an upper bound of $1.947^n$. (3) A deterministic algorithm for MAX-NAE-$k$-SAT approximation. For $\delta = 0.9$ and $k = 3$, we achieve an upper bound of $1.698^n$, which is better than the upper bound $1.731^n$ of the exact algorithm for MAX-NAE-$3$-SAT. Our finding sheds new light on the following question: Is NAE-$k$-SAT easier than $k$-SAT? The answer might be affirmative at least on solving the problems exactly and deterministically, while approximately solving MAX-NAE-$k$-SAT might be harder than MAX-$k$-SAT on $k \ge 4$.
Transcriptomic analysis of immune response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide in zebra finch ( Taeniopygia guttata )

Despite the convergence of rapid technological advances in genomics and the maturing field of ecoimmunology, our understanding of the genes that regulate immunity in wild populations is still nascent. Previous work to assess immune function has relied upon relatively crude measures of immunocompetence. However, with next-generation RNA-sequencing, it is now possible to create a profile of gene expression in response to an immune challenge. In this study, captive zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata; adult males) were challenged with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or vehicle to stimulate the innate immune system. 2 hours after injection, birds were euthanized and hypothalami, spleen, and red blood cells (RBCs) were collected. Taking advantage of the fully sequenced genome of zebra finch, total RNA was isolated, sequenced, and partially annotated in these tissue/cells. In hypothalamus, there were 707 significantly upregulated transcripts, as well as 564 and 144 in the spleen and RBCs, respectively, relative to controls. Also, 155 transcripts in the hypothalamus, 606 in the spleen, and 61 in the RBCs were significantly downregulated. More specifically, a number of immunity-related transcripts (e.g., IL-1β, RSAD2, SOCS3) were upregulated among tissues/cells. Additionally, transcripts involved in metabolic processes (APOD, LRAT, RBP4) were downregulated. These results suggest a potential trade-off in expression of genes that regulate immunity and metabolism in birds challenged with LPS. This finding is consistent with a hypothermic response to LPS treatment in small birds. Unlike mammals, birds have nucleated RBCs, and these results support a novel transcriptomic response of avian RBCs to immune challenge.
Feasibility of neobladder reconstruction after pelvic irradiation.

479Background: To assess the effects of pelvic radiotherapy (RT) on orthotopic neobladder reconstruction (ONR), this review presents retrospective data of surgical outcomes following prior RT. Meth...
Endoscopic evaluation of bezoars and foreign bodies in inflammatory bowel diseases

Abstract Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often develop structural complications, such as strictures, and, in most cases, would eventually require surgical intervention. IBD-associated strictures and IBD surgery–associated altered bowel anatomy, as well as complications, make patients prone to the development of the formation or retention of bezoars and foreign bodies. There are various forms of bezoars and foreign bodies, ranging from dislodged or misfired staples to trapped capsule endoscope. Patients with bezoars or foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract can have various clinical presentations, including bleeding, pain, to partial small bowel obstruction. Under most circumstances, bezoars or foreign bodies should and can be safely removed endoscopically. Few patients require surgical intervention. A multidisciplinary approach with endoscopists, colorectal surgeons, and urologists may be needed in complex cases. Strictures near the bezoars or foreign bodies can be treated with endoscopic balloon dilation or endoscopic stricturotomy.
Morphology and transport of multivalent cation-exchanged ionomer membranes using perfluorosulfonic acid-cez+as a model system

Perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs) are commonly used as solid polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) in electrochemical energy devices, where they are vulnerable to attack by radical species during oper...
Generic Continuous Spectrum for Ergodic Schrödinger Operators

We consider families of discrete Schrodinger operators on the line with potentials generated by a homeomorphism on a compact metric space and a continuous sampling function. We introduce the concepts of topological and metric repetition property. Assuming that the underlying dynamical system satisfies one of these repetition properties, we show using Gordon’s Lemma that for a generic continuous sampling function, the set of elements in the associated family of Schrodinger operators that have no eigenvalues is large in a topological or metric sense, respectively. We present a number of applications, particularly to shifts and skew-shifts on the torus.
Median nail dystrophy.

A 34-year-old man presented to his primary care physician with a 20-year history of painless bilateral thumbnail lesions. The patient had no history of nail trauma or infection. Both thumbs had a central linear depression in a fir tree pattern, surrounded by parallel transverse ridges ([Figure 1][1
Does High School Size Matter for Risky Behaviors and Mental Health of Low-Income Teenagers? Evidence from New York City

We evaluate the impacts of small high schools on youth risky behaviors and mental health in New York City, using rich student-level administrative and survey datasets and Medicaid claim data. We use distance between student residence and school to instrument for endogenous school enrollment, using a two-sample-instrumental-variable approach that combines enrollment information from the educational administrative data with information on outcomes from the Medicaid claim data. We find that girls enrolled in old small schools (opened before 2003) are less likely to get pregnant before age 18 or to be diagnosed with substance use disorders between age 15-18. Boys in old small schools are less likely to be diagnosed with mental and substance use disorders. By contrast, we find that enrollment in more recently opened small schools increases the likelihood of violence, for both girls and boys, and the likelihood of mental disorder diagnoses for girls. Utilization of contraception treatment and access to school-based health facilities do not explain the findings. A close look at school characteristics suggests that the higher per student expenditures and lower student-teacher ratios in older small schools may contribute to the finding that they improve health outcomes. Conversely, lower teacher quality and higher probability of co-location with large schools in newly-opened small schools may explain their relatively poor performance. These results indicate that improving a package of both schooling organization and inputs is likely more effective than reducing school size alone in addressing youth risky behaviors.
Stem Cell Based Treatment Strategies for Degenerative Diseases of the Retina

BACKGROUND The main cause of progressive vision impairment in retinal degenerative diseases is the dysfunction of photoreceptors and the underlying retinal pigment epithelial cells. The inadequate regenerative capacity of the neural retina and lack of established therapeutic options demand the development of clinical grade protocols to halt degenerative process in the eye or to replace the damaged cells by using stem cell derived products. Recently, stem cell-based regenerative therapies are at the forefront of clinical investigations for retinal dystrophies. Objective: This article will review different stem cell-based therapies currently employed for retinal degenerative diseases, recent clinical trials, and major challenges in the translation of these therapies from bench to bedside. Methodology: A systematic literature review was carried out to identify potentially relevant articles published in MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, Drugs@FDA, European Medicines Agency, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and CENTRAL Result: Transplantation of healthy cells to replace the damaged cells in the outer retina is a clinically relevant concept because the inner retina that communicates with the visual areas of the brain remains functional even after the photoreceptors are completely lost. Different methods have been established for the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into different retinal cell types that can be used for therapies. Factors released from transplanted somatic stem cells showed trophic support and photoreceptor rescue during early stages of the disease. Several preclinical and phase I/II clinical studies using terminally differentiated photoreceptor/ retinal pigment epithelial cells derived from pluripotent stem cells have shown proof of concept for visual restoration in Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Stargardt disease and Retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Conclusion: Cell replacement therapy has great potential for vision restoration. The results obtained from the initial clinical trials are encouraging and indicates its therapeutic benefits. The current status of the therapies suggests that there is a long way to go before these results can be applied to routine clinical practice. Input from the ongoing multicentre clinical trials will give a more refined idea for the future design of clinical- grade protocols to transplant GMP level HLA matched cells.
Endovascular and thrombolytic treatment eligibility in childhood arterial ischemic stroke

Abstract Aim To describe factors affecting eligibility for, and rates of utilization of, hyperacute therapy in children with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) following establishment of our institutional acute stroke treatment pathway in 2005. Methods A retrospective analysis of a prospectively enrolled, single-center cohort was performed including children age 2 – Results Of 90 children (median age at presentation 11.3 years, 36% female) with acute AIS, 5 (6%) received hyperacute therapy: 3 received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) alone, 1 received endovascular therapy (EVT) alone, and 1 received IV-tPA and EVT. Of 54 children (60%) who presented within 4.5 h of time last seen well, 6 had PedNIHSS scores 6–24, no medical contraindication to IV-tPA, and a partial or complete vessel occlusion. Of 7 children >3 years old who presented after EVT became available at our hospital and within 6 h of time last seen well with a PedNIHSS score 6–24, 3 (43%) had a large vessel occlusion (LVO). Two patients underwent EVT and the other patient was not transferred until >6 h from time last seen well. Conclusions Delay to presentation and diagnosis of childhood acute AIS, mild neurologic deficits at presentation, medical contraindications to IV-tPA, and lack of vessel occlusion on acute neuroimaging contribute to low rates of hyperacute treatment in children with acute AIS.
The presence of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and incidence of acute non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Platelets play an integral role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The purpose of this study was to investigate any correlation between immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NTSEMI), a common presentation of ACS. Using the large Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we studied any correlation between NSTEMI and ITP utilizing ICD-9 codes. We performed uni- and multivariate analysis adjusting for risk factors from the years 2002–2011. Data was extracted from 106,653 ITP patients and 79,636,090 controls. In multiple years of the study period (2002–2011), NSTEMI incidence was significantly higher in ITP patients when compared with non-ITP patients in the univariate analysis (odds ratio average 1.226). However, no significant association was found after adjusting for additional risk factors in multivariate analysis. Based on our large database study, ITP is not independently associated with NSTEMI incidence after adjusting for comorbidity.
Elections as a Distinct Sphere Under the First Amendment

This essay asserts that the strongest legal arguments for justifying regulations of election financing, such as electioneering paid for out of a corporation’s or union’s general treasury funds, ultimately rest on the view that elections should be considered a distinct sphere of political activity for constitutional purposes. Elections should be conceived as distinct from the more general arena of democratic debate, both because elections serve a specific set of purposes and because those purposes arguably can be undermined or corrupted by actions such as the willingness of candidates or officeholders trade their votes on issues for campaign contributions or spending. Given this risk of corruption of the political judgment of officeholders, regulations of the electoral sphere - including how elections are financed - might be constitutionally permissible that would not otherwise be permissible outside the electoral sphere, including in the arena of democratic debate more generally. The essay argues that this is the form of argument best structured to be accepted within the American constitutional tradition and that is necessary to justify measures such as ceilings on campaign contributions, disclosure of campaign spending, and limits on the role of corporate and union electioneering. If such regulation would be desirable as a policy matter, its permissibility would depend on the ability to develop First Amendment principles permitting such regulation while still prohibiting regulations that some would see as somewhat similar in non-electoral environments. Even if the Supreme Court has implicitly rejected this argument in Citizens United (without directly confronting the argument), the various possible ways of responding constitutionally to the decision, through federal or state legislation, administrative regulation, or corporate governance rules, depend on conceptualizing clearly the nature of the underlying problem and the justifications for the specific policy response being adopted. Whatever the merits of any particular response, this essay argues that the best underlying justification for such responses will depend on recognizing the distinct values, purposes, and justifications that underwrite the role of elections in democratic societies.
No time like the present: Examining transfer at the interfaces in second language acquisition

Abstract We examine whether or not L1 Spanish and L1 Japanese learners can acquire the extended range of meanings associated with the simple present and present progressive in L2 English in order to test whether properties that require the integration of pragmatic knowledge can be acquired and to investigate to what extent similarity in these properties between the L1 and L2 facilitates acquisition. The first experiment examines the simple present and present progressive with activities and targets the core meanings of the aspectual forms ( Sara writes/is writing poetry ). The second experiment examines progressive habituals ( Sarah is writing poetry this week ). The third experiment tests the simple present and present progressive with achievements ( Clara returns/is returning home at 5:00 ). The fourth experiment focuses on simple present and present progressive futurates ( Sarah is leaving/leaves next week ). The results of a grammaticality judgment task and an interpretation task suggest that the acquisition of these extended meanings is not facilitated by similarity in the L1. Nevertheless, the results also suggest that learners successfully integrate contextual information in the interpretation of aspectual forms, demonstrating sensitivity to pragmatic constraints.
Standardization of Information Systems and Technology at Multinational Companies

The purpose of this research is to explore how international companies adopt and enforce standards in information systems and technology. Standardization of hardware, software, and data is often perceived to be beneficial for an organization. However, for multinational companies, differences among nations in language and culture, law and regulation, and business practices and climate, among other factors, combine to thwart standardization efforts. This research examines the problems that a number of multinational companies have faced and the solutions they have pursued in attempting to standardize their systems. The lessons learned from these case studies offer a prescription for improving the standardization process.
Development and characterization of solid oral dosage form incorporating candesartan nanoparticles

Sparingly water-soluble drugs such as candesartan cilexetil offer challenges in developing a drug product with adequate bioavailability. The objective of the present study was to develop a tablet dosage form of candesartan cilexetil incorporating drug nanoparticles to increase its saturation solubility and dissolution rate for enhancing bioavailability while reducing variability in systemic exposure. The bioavailability of candesartan cilexetil is dissolution limited following oral administration. To enhance bioavailability and overcome variability in systemic exposure, a nanoparticle formulation of candesartan cilexetil was developed. Candesartan cilexetil nanoparticles were prepared using a wet bead milling technique. The milled nanosuspension was converted into solid intermediate using a spray drying process. The nanosuspensions were characterized for particle size before and after spray drying. The spray dried nanoparticles were blended with excipients for tableting. The saturation solubility and dissolution characteristics of the nanoparticle formulation were investigated and compared with commercial candesartan cilexetil formulation. The drug nanoparticles were evaluated for solid-state transitions before and after milling. This study demonstrated that tablet formulation incorporating drug nanoparticles showed significantly faster rate of drug dissolution in a discriminating dissolution medium as compared to commercially available tablet formulation. Systemic exposure studies in rats indicated a significant increase in the rate and extent of drug absorption.
Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia prophylaxis with atovaquone in trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole–intolerant orthotopic liver transplant patients: A preliminary study

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is an opportunistic infection associated with increased morbidity and mortality in solid-organ and bone-marrow transplant recipients. Side effects of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) are frequent; therefore, we performed a preliminary study using atovaquone suspension, 750 mg once daily, for 1 year for the prevention of PCP in liver transplant recipients intolerant to TMP/SMX therapy. Twenty-eight patients were treated, and data were analyzed for efficacy and toxicity. Adverse events occurred in 14 subjects, mainly related to the gastrointestinal tract. Side effects from TMP/SMX, i.e., rash, completely resolved and bone-marrow suppression improved in 62% of patients. No patients developed Pneumocystis carinii infection. Although a lower dose of atovaquone once daily may be effective in transplant recipients, further studies are necessary to confirm this preliminary observation. Liver Transpl 2001;7:750-751.)
Caregivers’ Level of Trust in Their Children's Health Care Providers

Trust in healthcare providers is associated with clinical outcomes among adult patients. Children with disabilities have complex health needs that place stress on caregivers. Consequently, they are increasingly likely to rely on their children's health care providers to ensure children's health care needs are met. However, no studies have explored factors affecting caregivers’ trust in their children's providers. We assessed caregivers’ trust in their children's providers and identified predictive factors of trust. The results indicate that children's disability condition, functional status, age, the providers’ specialty, and the type of health care plan are significant predicators of caregiver's trust. Specifically, caregivers of children with emotional/behavioral disabilities and children with poor physical or emotional/behavioral functioning reported less trust in their children's providers compared to caregivers of children without physical disabilities or no disability and those having higher levels of physical or emotional/behavioral functioning. In addition, caregivers of younger children had more trust compared to caregivers of older children. Caregivers of children enrolled in a managed care plan for physical health care reported less trust compared to caregivers of children in other organizational arrangements. Finally, caregivers reported more trust in physical health providers compared to mental health providers.
Percutaneous coronary intervention of moderate to severe calcified coronary lesions: insights from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry.

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and safety of drug-eluting stents (DES) when compared with bare metal stents (BMS) in patients with moderate to severe calcified coronary lesions.
A Multicultural Education Experience: The Importance of Process

This article addresses the issues and problems involved in the development and implementation of multicultural education programs. It focuses on a diverse group of educators who sought to help early-childhood teachers deal more effectively with the increasing number of intergroup conflicts among their pupils. As the group of educators interacted among themselves in planning, deciding, and implementing their goal of helping early- childhood teachers, a process emerged that raises critical issues and challenges pertinent to all educators interested in multicultural education. The author identifies a set of criteria that are necessary for the successful implementation of multicultural education programs.
A class of generalized decision- feedback equalizers

Abstract An upper bound and a lower bound to the probability of error for data transmission systems using a decision-feedback equalizer, with error propagation effects taken into account, are presented. Numerical examples show that they are tight bounds. We introduce the concept of a generalized decision-feedback equalizer suggested by the form of the derived bounds. A subclass is studied and optimized numerically with the aid of the derived error probability bounds. The solution represents the best compromise achievable by that class between the output noise power and the output intersymbol interference due to error propagation. A numerical example is carried out in detail to illustrate the concept.
On what inferentially justifies what: : the vices of reliabilism and proper functionalism

We commonly say that some evidence supports a hypothesis or that some premise evidentially supports a conclusion. Both internalists and externalists attempt to analyze this notion of evidential support, and the primary purpose of this paper is to argue that reliabilist and proper functionalist accounts of this relation fail. Since evidential support is one component of inferential justification, the upshot of this failure is that their accounts of inferential justification also fail. In Sect. 2, I clarify the evidential support relation. In Sects. 3–5, I subject reliabilist and proper functionalist accounts of evidential support to various counterexamples. In Sect. 6, I show that the most promising ways to address these counterexamples aren’t very promising.
Phase velocities of Rayleigh waves in the MELT experiment on the East Pacific Rise

The phase velocities of Rayleigh waves increase more rapidly with distance from the East Pacific Rise (EPR) axis than is predicted by models of conductive cooling of the lithosphere. Low velocities near the axis are probably caused by partial melt at depths of 20 to 70 kilometers in a zone several hundred kilometers wide. The lowest velocities are offset to the west of the EPR. Wave propagation is anisotropic; the fast direction is approximately perpendicular to the ridge, parallel to the spreading direction. Anisotropy increases from a minimum near the axis to 3 percent or more on the flanks.
The Relationship between Attitude toward Reading and Reading Achievement

For a sample of 116 first-grade pupils, scores from a reading attitude inventory were correlated .18 (p < .05) with the Reading composite scores on the Metropolitan Achievement Test. Coefficients of .48 (p < .01) and of .32 (p < .01) were also found for females and blacks, respectively. The low degree of correspondences, however, limited the practical significance of the results.
Effects of γ-aminobutyric acid and glycine on synaptic excitability of neurones in the solitary tract nucleus

In the solitary tract nucleus, neuronal responsiveness to synaptic input from peripheral afferent fibres has been found to decrease as the frequency of that input is increased. The present study investigated the possibility that glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are (1) involved in this phenomenon of "frequency-dependent inhibition" or (2) capable of otherwise modifying neuronal responsiveness to synaptic input. In 32 of 57 neurones, application of glycine reduced responsiveness to input from visceral afferents. gamma-Aminobutyric acid reduced the responsiveness in 22 of 56 neurones but induced an increase in another 6. Selectivity of agonist effects was verified using glycinergic antagonist strychnine and the GABAergic antagonists picrotoxin and bicuculline. Of 67 neurones examined, 32 exhibited decreased numbers of action potentials with increasing stimulus frequency. Strychnine disrupted the frequency-dependent inhibition in 3 of 11 neurones, while picrotoxin and bicuculline prevented it in 2 of 7 and 4 of 9 neurones, respectively. These results indicate that both glycinergic and GABAergic systems may modulate the responsiveness of neurones in the solitary tract nucleus but that neither fully accounts for the expression of frequency-dependent inhibition.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Web site is a comprehensive resource for patients, family, health care professionals, and researchers seeking information about neurological conditions, diseases, and stroke. The Web site has five areas of interest: current NINDS information, health information, clinical trial opportunities for patients, stroke awareness, and a column for researchers. All of the NINDS information is free and provided by the National Institutes of Health.
Routing and wavelength assignment computed jointly for a given set of multicast trees reduces the total wavelength conversion

A significant drawback when establishing multicast optical trees (light-tree) using lambda channels in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) network is the potentially large amount of wavelength converters (WCs), which are required when the wavelength continuity constraint cannot be satisfied across each light-tree. Prior works address this challenge by solving the routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) problem for each individual light-tree sequentially, to locally minimize the number of WCs required by each light-tree. In this paper, the authors intend to solve the RWA problem for a group of light-trees with the objective of globally minimizing the number of WCs that are required to support the entire group of multicast requests. The rationale for using the proposed RWA solution is that a joint solution of the RWA problem across the whole set of requested multicast trees may significantly reduce the number of WCs overall.
Interfraction and intrafraction setup variability for prone breast radiation therapy.

Purpose To report the interfraction and intrafraction setup variation for prone breast radiotherapy and to determine an appropriate clinical tumor volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV)_ margin to account for motion and positional uncertainties. Methods and Materials Ten consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled in a protocol of accelerated, hypofractionated prone breast irradiation. Portal images were acquired using an electronic portal imaging device in cine mode. Interfraction setup error was determined by comparing the first image from each fraction with the digitally reconstructed radiograph. The intrafraction motion was determined by evaluating every image acquired during each fraction and measuring the maximum displacement of an external fiducial and the breast surface. Mean values and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Based on these results, a CTV to PTV expansion was derived using the equation M=2.5Σ tot + 0.7σ tot. Results The mean interfraction setup variability for the fiducial was 0.08 cm (CI: 0.02–0.14) in the anterior to posterior (AP) direction and −0.04 cm (CI: −0.07–0.00) in the superior to inferior (SI) direction. The mean interfraction variability of the breast surface was −0.14 cm (CI: −0.24 to −0.04) in the AP direction. The mean intrafraction displacements of the fiducial and the breast surface were 0.13 cm (CI: 0.12–0.15) and 0.15 cm (CI: 0.14–0.17), respectively. Using the systematic and random errors for the external fiducial, the calculated CTV to PTV expansion was 1.4 cm. Conclusions Acceptable interfraction and intrafraction variability were demonstrated. The findings resulted in a CTV to PTV expansion of 1.4 cm.
Variability in Postharvest Decay Among Apple Cultivars

The level of resistance to decay caused by four fungal pathogens, the force required to break the epidermis, and the extent of open sinuses as measures of potential decay resistance were determined for the fruit of several apple cultivars. No single cultivar was the most resistant to each of the four pathogens in this study. In addition, each cultivar that was the most resistant to one pathogen also was the most susceptible to one of the other pathogens. However, Royal Gala was the most resistant to the wound pathogens Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum, and Mucor piriformis. Fuji and Oregon Spur II were more resistant than other cultivars to Pezicula malicorticis. The epidermis (skin) of Fuji and Granny Smith were the most resistant to puncture, requiring an average of 81.5 and 87.0 Newtons, respectively, to break the epidermal layer. Fuji had the highest percentage of fruits with open sinuses, with a mean of 38%, whereas Braeburn had 0% of fruit with open sinuses. The cultivar information presented herein may be a valuable measure of decay resistance and may be of use to the apple industry.
Quantum Mechanics, Orthogonality, and Counting

In quantum mechanics it is usually assumed that mutually exclusive states of affairs must be represented by orthogonal vectors. Recent attempts to solve the measurement problem, most notably the GRW theory, require the relaxation of this assumption. It is shown that a consequence of relaxing this assumption is that arithmetic does not apply to ordinary macroscopic objects. It is argued that such a radical move is unwarranted given the current state of understanding of the foundations of quantum mechanics.
Minimum Expected Loss Estimators of the Shape & Scale Parameters of the Weibull Distribution

The shape and scale parameters of the Weibull distribution are estimated by assuming a weighted squared-error loss function and minimizing the corresponding expected loss with respect to a given posterior distribution. These estimators are called minimum expected loss (MELO). The inverse square form of the weighting function is assumed to demonstrate how it can be applied to find the MELO estimators. We have obtained the corresponding Bayes, Bayes maximum likelihood, and the classical maximum likelihood estimators; we compare them with MELO estimators.
Comparison of dose homogeneity effects due to electron equilibrium loss in lung for 6 MV and 18 MV photons

Purpose : Loss of electronic equilibrium within and adjacent to low density materials can result in a dose reduction along the central axis and near the beam edge for megavoltage photon beams. In this context, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) protocol #91-05 recommends the use of photon beams of energy 12 MV or less for nonsmall cell lung cancer therapy. This work presents data to support the use of higher energy photons for some clinical lung field setups. Methods and Materials : Beam profiles were obtained from films inserted into homogeneous (polystyrene) and heterogeneous (polystyrene and lung-equivalent material) phantoms and irradiated in both single-field and parallel-opposed setups with 6 and 18 MV photon beams. Depth-dose curves were obtained with a parallel-plate ion chamber in the heterogeneous phantom to determine the range of field sizes over which the dose reduction at the lung/polystyrene interface becomes clinically significant. Results : Opposed field profiles show less degradation in the penumbra (50-90% width) at the lung/polystyrene interface than single-field profiles. The difference between 6 and 18 MV penumbra widths at the interface is also reduced when an opposed field is added. The central axis dose reduction at the interface was negligible for single fields of a width of 8 cm or more. Conclusion : Our results show that for opposed fields, the difference in penumbra degradation of the 6 and 18 MV photon beams is clinically insignificant compared to daily setup errors and patient motion. The central axis dose reduction is also shown to be small. Our data support the use of higher energy beams to obtain lower peripheral dose maxima in some clinical geometries.
Milk and serum concentration of ceftiofur following intramammary infusion in goats.

Five dairy goats were used to determine the milk and serum concentrations along with elimination characteristics of ceftiofur following intramammary administration. One udder half of each goat was infused twice with 125 mg ceftiofur with a 24-h interval between infusions. Milk samples were collected at 1, 2, 8, and 12 h after the last infusion and then every 12 h for a total of 7 days. Blood was collected from each animal at 3, 8, 12, and 24 h after infusion and then every 24 h for 6 days. Following a washout period of 1 week, the experiment was repeated using the opposite udder half. The elimination half-life of ceftiofur from the mammary gland was 4.7 h. The concentration of ceftiofur was greater than published MIC90 values for Staphylococcus spp. bacteria for 24 h. Ceftiofur was absorbed into systemic circulation from the mammary gland. The maximum concentration was 552 ng/mL at 3 h after infusion, and the serum elimination half-life was 10 h. Intramammary infusion of 125 mg ceftiofur every 24 h can be expected to maintain drug concentration in milk above published MIC90 for Staphylococcus spp.
Interactions between maize dwarf mosaic and weed interference on sweet corn

Abstract Maize dwarf mosaic (MDM) and weed interference are two economically important stresses to sweet corn; however, a fundamental understanding of the extent to which the crop is affected by combinations of these stresses is lacking. The objective of this study was to quantify the extent to which MDM incidence and weed interference influence the sweet corn canopy, phenological development, and yield. In field research, five levels of MDM incidence (0, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the plant population) were established in two sweet corn hybrids that also were grown in the presence or absence of wild-proso millet. During the vegetative phase of crop growth, the crop's ability to tolerate these multiple stresses was largely additive. For instance, incidence of MDM decreased crop growth and delayed development by as much as five days, and wild-proso millet added to those detrimental effects by an extent that was determined by the severity of weed interference. In contrast during the reproductive phase, MDM incidence and weed interference interacted in their effect on the crop. Moreover, differences in hybrid responses to the multiple stresses indicated that the benefit of improved crop tolerance to weed interference was not lost when the crop is infected with MDM. Use of hybrids with high levels of MDM resistance and improved competitive ability with weeds reduces the risk of losses from MDM and weed interference, two commonly occurring stresses in sweet corn.
KCC2 Expression Promotes the Termination of Cortical Interneuron Migration in a Voltage-Sensitive Calcium-Dependent Manner

Summary The molecular mechanisms controlling the termination of cortical interneuron migration are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that, prior to synaptogenesis, migrating interneurons change their responsiveness to ambient GABA from a motogenic to a stop signal. We found that, during migration into the cortex, ambient GABA and glutamate initially stimulate the motility of interneurons through both GABA A and AMPA/NMDA receptor activation. Once in the cortex, upregulation of the potassium-chloride cotransporter KCC2 is both necessary and sufficient to reduce interneuron motility through its ability to reduce membrane potential upon GABA A receptor activation, which decreases the frequency of spontaneous intracellular calcium transients initiated by L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channel (VSCC) activation. Our results suggest a mechanism whereby migrating interneurons determine the relative density of surrounding interneurons and principal cells through their ability to sense the combined extracellular levels of ambient glutamate and GABA once GABA A receptor activation becomes hyperpolarizing.
Bowen's Disease of the Nipple in a Young Man with AIDS : A Case Report

Bowen's disease, or squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) of the skin, is a malignant neoplasm restricted to the epidermis, without evidence of dermal invasion. It usually develops in sun-exposed area of skin, but other sites can also be affected. Bowen's disease of the nipple is extremely rare and has thus far been reported only in women. We present the case of Bowen's disease of the nipple in an HIV-positive male patient who presented with a scaly lesion on nipple for one year. He also had past genital infection with human papillomavirus, but he was found to be negative for high-risk subtypes. Biopsy of the lesion revealed SCCIS of the nipple areola complex, with extension into the underlying lactiferous ducts of the breast. There was no evidence of invasive carcinoma. The patient was treated with a simple mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy. With the advent of highly active antiretroviral treatment, chronic non-HIV related conditions have become more important, male breast cancer being one of them. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case in the worldwide literature of Bowen's disease of the nipple in a young immunocompromised male patient. More aggressive therapy in HIV-positive male patients presenting with precancerous and cancerous breast lesions is recommended.
Characterization of an Antisense Transcript Spanning the UL81-82 Locus of Human Cytomegalovirus

In this study we present the characterization of a novel transcript, UL81-82ast, UL81-82 antisense transcript, and its protein product. The transcript was initially found in a cDNA library of monocytes from a seropositive donor. mRNA was obtained from monocytes isolated from a healthy donor with a high antibody titer against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). The mRNAs were cloned into a lambda phage-derived vector to create the cDNA library. Using PCR, UL81-82ast was amplified from the library. The library was tested for the presence of numerous HCMV genes. Neither structural genes nor immediate-early genes were found. UL81-82ast was detected in five bone marrow samples from healthy antibody-positive donors. This same transcript was also found in in vitro-infected human fibroblasts early after infection but disappears at the same time that UL82 transcription begins. Not only was the transcript amplified using reverse transcription-PCR and sequenced but its protein product (UL82as protein) was detected by both Western blot and immunofluorescence. Phylogenetic studies using UL82as protein were conducted, showing a high degree of conservation in clinical isolates, laboratory strains of HCMV, and even in chimpanzee CMV. The transcript could be involved in the posttranscriptional regulation of the UL82 gene, affecting its mRNA stability or translation. Since the UL82 product, pp71, functions as an immediate-early transactivator, its posttranscriptional control could have some effect over latency reactivation and lytic replication.
The uptake and release of [3H]dopamine in the goldfish retina.

— The uptake and release of [3H]dopamine was studied in the goldfish retina with the following results: (1) when goldfish retinas were incubated with 2 ± 10-7m-[3H]dopamine for less than 20min and processed for autoradiography. most of the label was associated with dopaminergic terminals that contact certain horizontal cells. Biochemical analysis showed that > 93% of this label was [3H]-dopamine. (2) [3H]dopamine uptake saturated with increasing dopamine concentration and followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. This uptake could be explained by a single ‘high-affinity’ mechanism with a Km of 2.61 ± 0.41 ± 10-7m and a Vmax of 66 ± 12 ± 10-12 mol/min/mg protein. (3) [3H]dopamine uptake was temperature-dependent with a temperature coefficient of 1.7 and an energy of activation of 11.4 kcal/mol. (4) The initial rate of uptake was unaffected by the absence of Ca2+ or the presence of Co2+; however, more than 85, uptake was blocked in the absence of external Na+. (5) Neither 1 mm-cyanide nor 5 mm-iodoacetate blocked more than 30% of uptake individually; however, in combination > 70% of uptake was blocked. (6) Centrally acting drugs benztropine and diphenylpyraline inhibited at least 60–70% of [3H]dopamine uptake. (7) [3H]dopamine in the retina could be released by increasing the external K+ concentration. This release was Ca2+ -dependent and was blocked by 10mm-Co2+ or 2Omm-Mg2+. The amount of [3H]dopamine released was not affected by the presence of benztropine, diphenylpyraline or fluphenazine in the incubation medium. These studies add further support for dopamine as a neurotransmitter used by interplexiform cells of the goldfish retina.
Comparative Analyses of Normal and Tetraploid Datura Stramonium and Datura Tatula

Tetraploids of Datura stramonium and Datura tatula were produced by colchicine treatment and confirmed by chromosome counts. Normal and tetraploid plants did not differ appreciably in moisture, ash, and acid‐insoluble ash content. Total alkaloid content, however, was generally higher in the teuaploids, particularly in the leaves, stems, and seeds. The proportions of alkaloids were not significantly altered. Both normal and tetraploid leaves contained chiefly hyoscyamine, a small amount of scopolamine, and little or no atropine. Datura tetraploids are self‐reproducing and have a higher alkaloid content and much larger leaves than the normal plants and therefore should be of commercial value.
WE‐E‐BRC‐10: Quality Assurance of Deformation Algorithms Using a Two‐Dimensional Deformable Phantom

Purpose: Clinical implementation of deformation algorithms requires dependable quality assurance techniques. A two‐dimensional deformable phantom that can objectively verify the accuracy of the algorithms throughout an entire slice of the anatomy is proposed. Methods: The phantom represents a single plane of the anatomy for a head and neck patient. Inflation of a balloon catheter inside the phantom simulates tumor growth. CT and cameraimages of the phantom are acquired before and after its deformation. Non‐radiopaque markers reside on the surface of the deformable anatomy and are visible through an acrylic plate, which enables an optical camera to measure their positions; thus, establishing the ground truth deformation. This measured deformation can be directly compared to the predictions of deformation algorithms, using several similarity metrics, and it can be applied to create a simulated deformation for a patient CT, which can also be used to test algorithm accuracy. The ratio of the number of points with more than a 3 mm deformation error over those that are deformed by more than 3 mm was used for an error metric. A comparison of the deformation algorithm accuracy for the phantom CTs and the simulated CTs evaluates the adequacy of the phantom electron density heterogeneity. Results: The balloon catheter deforms 32 out of the 54 surface markers by more than 3 mm. Different deformation errors result from the different similarity metrics. The most accurate deformation results for the phantom CTs had an error of 75%, compared to 25% for the simulated CTs. Conclusions: The developed phantom demonstrates its utility for verifying deformation algorithms and determining which is the most accurate. The reduction of the deformable anatomy to a two‐dimensional system allows for the use of non‐radiopaque markers, which do not influence deformation algorithms. This is the fundamental advantage of this verification technique.