cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feature Subset Selection Based on Relative Dependency between Attributes

Feature subset selection is an importent component of knowledge discovery and data mining systems to help reduce the data dimensionality. Rough sets theory provides a mechanism of selecting feature subsets. In the rough set community, most feature subset selection algorithms are attributes reduct-oriented; that is, finding minimum reducts of the conditional attributes of a decision table. Two main approaches to finding attribute reducts are categorized as discernibility functions-based and attribute dependency-based. These algorithms, however, suffer from intensive computations of either discernibility functions for the former or positive regions for the latter. In this paper, we propose a new concept, called relative attribute dependency, and present a sufficient and necessary condition of the minimum conditional attributes reduct of a decision table represented with the relative attribute dependency. The relative attribute dependency can be calculated by counting the distinct rows of the sub-decision table, instead of generating discernibility functions or positive regions. Thus the computation efficiency of minimum reducts are highly improved. We develop two algorithms for finding minimum reducts of the conditional attributes, one brute-force algorithm and the other heuristic algorithm using attribute entropy as the heuristic function. We also show the results of these algorithms by an illustrative example.
Bodies of Evidence: Burial, Memory and the Recovery of Missing Persons in Cyprus

Bodies of Evidence: Burial, Memory and the Recovery of Missing Persons in Cyprus. Paul Sant Cassia. New York: Berghahn Books, 2005. 246 pp.
Inhibition of mesodermal fate by Xenopus HNF3β/FoxA2

Abstract The winged-helix transcription factor HNF3β/FoxA2 is expressed in embryonic organizing centers of the gastrulating mouse, frog, fish, and chick. In the mouse, HNF3β is required for the formation of the mammalian node and notochord, and can induce ectopic floor plate formation when misexpressed in the developing neural tube; HNF3β expression in the extraembryonic endoderm is also necessary for the proper morphogenesis of the mammalian primitive streak. In the frog Xenopus laevis , several lines of evidence suggest that the related winged-helix factor Pintallavis functions as the ortholog of mammalian HNF3β in both axial mesoderm and neurectoderm; the role of Xenopus HNF3β itself, however, has not been clearly defined, and is the subject of this study. HNF3β is widely expressed in the vegetal pole but, as previously suggested, is excluded from the gastrula-stage mesoderm. We find that expression of an HNF3β-Engrailed repressor fusion protein induces ectopic axes and inhibits head formation in Xenopus embryos, while ectopic HNF3β inhibits mesoderm and anterior endoderm formation in explant assays and in vivo. Our studies suggest that HNF3β target genes function to limit the extent of mesoderm formation in the Xenopus gastrula, and point to related roles for Xenopus HNF3β and the extraembryonic component of mammalian HNF3β during vertebrate gastrulation.
PREDICTING UNDERGRADUATE INTEREST IN GERONTOLOGY

This paper reports results of a survey of undergraduate students on their interest in gerontology. Path analysis revealed a strong direct influence on academic interest in gerontology for career interest in working with the elderly and a weak direct influence for attitude toward the elderly. Indirect effects were found for respondents’ sex and for family experience with the elderly. The implications of these findings are discussed. Thanks to Steve Hoffman for assistance in data collection and anlysis and to Victoria Molfese for comments on an earlier draft. This research was supported in part by Administration on Aging Grant #90‐A‐952(01) and the Gerontology Council at Southern Illinois University.
An application of Bloom's taxonomy to the teaching of business ethics

Benjamin S. Bloom and a large committee of educators did extensive research to develop a taxonomy of global educational goals and of ways to measure their achievement in the classroom. The result was a taxonomy of three domains: Cognitive, Affective, and Motor Skills. This paper examines the cognitive and affective domains and applies them to teaching business ethics. Each of the six levels of the cognitive domain is explained. A six-step case method model is used to illustrate how the six cognitive levels might be used and tested in the classroom. The five levels of the affective domain are also described. They are illustrated behaviorally in terms of a student's increasing interest, motivation and commitment to business ethics.
Reconsidering null models of diversity: Do geometric constraints on species ranges necessarily cause a mid-domain effect?

Recent null models that place species ranges randomly within a bounded domain have produced controversial results. Many such geometric constraint models predict a peak in species richness in the centre of domains in the absence of underlying environmental gradients or interspecific interactions. We used two-dimensional simulation models to explore different ways that species ranges could interact with the domain boundary. In the rejection model, a randomly generated range that overlaps a domain boundary is removed from the simulation. In the reshaping model, a range that overlaps the domain boundary is reshaped so that the entire range is placed within the domain. The truncation model allows potential ranges to extend across the boundary, but only that portion of the range within the domain is included in the realized range. Both rejection and reshaping models produced a drop in species richness near domain boundaries, though the effect was less pronounced in the reshaping model. Our truncation model did not produce any spatial pattern in species richness. Thus the random placement of species ranges within a bounded domain does not necessarily lead to a mid-domain effect. Range truncation is consistent with bioclimate envelope models, which can successfully predict a species range in response to the availability of appropriate climate conditions. We argue that such flexible range sizes are more realistic than the assumption that range size is an unvarying characteristic of a species. Other range characteristics, including size and shape, can change near domain boundaries in the null models, including the truncation model. A broader consideration of range characteristics near domain boundaries could be productive.
Constant-current source for an electrolytic microinfusion transducer system.

Abstract A circuit is described herein which provides the different magnitudes of current required when using an electrolytic microinfusion transducer system (EMITS) for intracranial drug delivery. The constant-current source provides for precise regulation of a quiescent current (3–20 μA) in addition to the current needed for infusion (100–500 μA). Analog meters are included which allow continuous monitoring of current and voltage.
Estimating view parameters from random projections for Tomography using spherical MDS

During the past decade, the computed tomography has been successfully applied to various fields especially in medicine. The estimation of view angles for projections is necessary in some special applications of tomography, for example, the structuring of viruses using electron microscopy and the compensation of the patient's motion over long scanning period. This work introduces a novel approach, based on the spherical multidimensional scaling (sMDS), which transforms the problem of the angle estimation to a sphere constrained embedding problem. The proposed approach views each projection as a high dimensional vector with dimensionality equal to the number of sampling points on the projection. By using SMDS, then each projection vector is embedded onto a 1D sphere which parameterizes the projection with respect to view angles in a globally consistent manner. The parameterized projections are used for the final reconstruction of the image through the inverse radon transform. The entire reconstruction process is non-iterative and computationally efficient. The effectiveness of the sMDS is verified with various experiments, including the evaluation of the reconstruction quality from different number of projections and resistance to different noise levels. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method. Our study provides an effective technique for the solution of 2D tomography with unknown acquisition view angles. The proposed method will be extended to three dimensional reconstructions in our future work. All materials, including source code and demos, are available on https://engineering.purdue.edu/PRECISE/SMDS .
Kaposi's Sarcoma of the Conjunctiva

A 75-year-old man with known Kaposi's sarcoma of three-years' duration developed chronic hemorrhagic thickening of the conjunctiva. Biopsy demonstrated histopathologically that the conjunctiva thickening represented sarcoma involvement. Although surgically untenable, the conjunctival lesion responds satisfactorily to radiotherapy.
13.7 A reconfigurable sense amplifier with auto-zero calibration and pre-amplification in 28nm CMOS

This work presents an area-efficient and variation-tolerant small-signal differential sensing (VTS) scheme that modifies the conventional SA circuit to include: 1) a structure for on-the-fly, auto-zeroing offset compensation, 2) pre-amplification of bitline differential by reconfiguring the SA inverter pair as amplifiers, and 3) latching of the amplified voltage differential by returning the SA to its conventional cross-coupled configuration. The approach is demonstrated to improve SA robustness over conventional sensing at isosensing time without area overhead (Fig. 13.7.1). Conversely, sensing time can be reduced at iso-robustness and area. Measurements of a 28nm CMOS test chip show that an iso-area VTS scheme improves offset noise tolerance by -1.2σVth or sensing speed by up to 42% at iso-robustness (<;0.3% failure rate).
IDENTIFICATION OF AN N-FORMYL PEPTIDE RECEPTOR LIGAND BINDING DOMAIN BY A GAIN-OF-FUNCTION APPROACH

Replacement of N-formyl peptide receptor (FPR) domains with those from a homologous receptor, FPR2, resulted in chimeric receptors displaying low binding affinity to fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLF). To characterize fMLF binding domain, we adopted a "gain-of-function" approach by selective replacement of non-conserved residues in the FPR2 portion of the chimeric receptors with those from the FPR. This led to the identification of 3 clusters of residues required for high-affinity fMLF binding. Introduction of 2 positively charged amino acids, Arg84 and Lys85, dramatically improved binding affinity of one chimeric receptor (Kd from 105 nM to 1.6 nM). Similarly, restoration of either Gly89/His90 or Phe102/Thr103 improved the binding affinity of another chimeric receptor from a Kd of 275 nM to a 2.3 Kd and 3.3 nM, respectively. Increased ligand binding affinity was accompanied by a gain in calcium mobilization capability, suggesting functional coupling to G proteins. These results demonstrate the presence of structural determinants in the first extracellular loop and its adjacent transmembrane domains that are essential for high affinity fMLF binding.
Hedgehog Pathway Activation Parallels Histologic Severity of Injury and Fibrosis in Human Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway mediates several processes that are deregulated in patients with the metabolic syndrome (e.g., fat mass regulation, vascular/endothelial remodeling, liver injury and repair, and carcinogenesis). The severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the metabolic syndrome generally correlate. Therefore, we hypothesized that the level of Hh pathway activation would increase in parallel with the severity of liver damage in NAFLD. To assess potential correlations between known histologic and clinical predictors of advanced liver disease and Hh pathway activation, immunohistochemistry was performed on liver biopsies from a large well-characterized cohort of NAFLD patients (n=90) enrolled in the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN) Database 1 study. Increased Hh activity (evidenced by accumulation of Hh-ligand producing cells and Hh-responsive target cells) strongly correlated with portal inflammation, ballooning, and fibrosis stage (each p<0.0001), supporting a relationship between Hh pathway activation and liver damage. Pathway activity also correlated significantly with markers of liver repair, including numbers of hepatic progenitors and myofibroblastic cells (both p<0.03). In addition, various clinical parameters that have been linked to histologically-advanced NAFLD, including increased patient age (p<0.005), BMI (p<0.002), waist circumference (p<0.0007), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p<0.0001) and hypertension (p<0.02), correlated with hepatic Hh activity. Conclusion: In NAFLD patients, the level of hepatic Hh pathway activity is highly correlated with the severity of liver damage and with metabolic syndrome parameters that are known to be predictive of advanced liver disease. Hence, deregulation of the Hh signaling network may contribute to the pathogenesis and sequelae of liver damage that develops with the metabolic syndrome.
Three Pricing Policies for a Multi-Product Multi-National Company

A price leader must formulate list prices every time he introduces a new product line fairly frequently in a technologically developing industry. This is not easy. When the company is multi-national, pricing policy becomes further complicated by the issues of centralization versus autonomy of the national subsidiaries, and three pricing schemes are encountered in practice. Scheme 1. The price of an item is the same around the world, except that the customers absorb freight plus import duty. Very simple price coordination and auditing results from this policy. Scheme 2. National prices for the line equal an optimally determined national weighting factor multiplied by a set of benchmark prices. Scheme 3. The subsidiaries can take advantage of local competitive climates with no fixed requirement that prices be coordinated across the nations. For each pricing scheme the overall profit equals the model profit minus administrative costs. The three schemes are sequenced in order of their model profits, which is also their likely administrative cost sequence. We shall compute their comparative model profitabilities so as to have bonds against which to gauge administrative costs. A base case is presupposed. Adjustments to prices and to marketing budgets induce changes in the quantity sold, and hence in the production cost. The profit function is approximated as quadratic in the control variables of price and marketing budget, so that optimal adjustments can be calculated by little more than inverting a partitioned matrix.
Welcome to seattle and the 2012 Photonic Society summer topicals

The Topical Meetings of the IEEE Photonics Society are the premier conference series for exciting new areas in photonic science, technology, and applications, creating the opportunity to learn about emerging fields and to interact with the research and technology leaders in an intimate environment. This year the meetings will be held at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel, located in downtown Seattle, WA.
In vitro regeneration from hypocotyl and seedling cotyledons of tronchuda (Brassica oleracea var. tronchuda Bailey)

Four tronchuda (Brassica oleracea var. tronchuda Bailey) cultivars were tested for their ability to regenerate in vitro on Murashige & Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3 different combinations of α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Explants were either axillary bud-free whole cotyledons or hypocotyls from 7-day-old darkgrown seedlings. The ability to regenerate varied by cultivars, explants and the concentration of growth regulators. Hypocotyl explants of all 4 cultivars, and cotyledon explants of 2 cultivars, developed plantlets within 4 weeks. Hypocotyl explants produced more shoots than cotyledons. Cotyledon explants produced more roots than hypocotyls. Best shoot regeneration was on MS medium supplemented with 2 mgl-1 BAP and 0.1 mgl-1 NAA. ‘Portuguesa’ produced the most shoots. Some regenerants varied in leaf shape and phyllotaxy.
Abstract 3865: The rGel/BLyS fusion toxin enhances the therapeutic effects of bortezomib in in vitroand in vivomodels of mantle cell lymphoma.

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an incurable, aggressive histo-type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with both high relapse rates and relatively short survival. MCL is a therapeutic challenge and presents an opportunity for the application of novel, targeted agents. Because MCL over-expresses receptors for B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and displays constitutively active NF-κB, agents targeting these pathways may be of therapeutic relevance in this disease. To explore the potential clinical use of the rGel/BLyS fusion toxin in combination with bortezomib in MCL, we evaluated this fusion toxin for its ability to inhibit MCL growth in a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) xenograft model. Compared with PBS-treated mice, mice treated with rGel/BLyS showed both prolonged median (84 d vs. 125 d) and overall survival (40%) (p=0.0027). Compared with bortezomib alone-treated mice, mice treated with rGel/BLyS plus bortezomib showed significant median (91d vs. 158d) and overall survival (20%) (p=0.0127). Histopathologic analysis of peritoneal intestinal mesentery from MCL-SCID mice showed no demonstrable microscopic lymphomatous involvement at 225 days after treatment with rGel/BLyS. Followup in vitro mechanistic studies demonstrated that the rGel/BLyS plus bortezomib combination resulted in an additive or a synergistic growth inhibition, reduction of NF-κB DNA-binding activity, inhibition of cyclin D1, Bcl-xL, p-Akt, and Akt and up-regulation of Bax. We additionally found that combination treatment caused induction of apoptosis associated with caspase-9, caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage. rGel/BLyS is an effective therapeutic agent for both primary and savage treatment of aggressive MCL and may be an excellent candidate for clinical development. This research was conducted, in part, by the Clayton Foundation for Research and by a Translational Research Award (LLS 6234-07) from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3865. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3865
Tumor localization and beam monitoring—electrofluorotomography

Methodology and instrumentation are presented which are potentially capable of presenting fluoroscopically derived transverse axial body sections for use in radiation‐oncology treatment planning and beam monitoring. These combine the methods of Takahashi for generating transverse axial tomograms with electronic radiography, electrofluorotomography, and a contouring program for extracting body and tumor contours in a digital format. The system will also be capable of assuring both initial and day‐to‐day beam alignment.
The value implications of restrictions on asset sales

Abstract This paper examines the effect of restrictions over asset disposition, measured by the ratio of secured debt to fixed assets, on firm value. We find evidence consistent with two non-mutually exclusive hypotheses. (1) Restrictions on the disposition of assets reduce firm value by limiting a firm's ability to restructure assets or to raise funds to finance higher NPV projects. (2) Restrictions on asset disposition increase firm value by limiting agency costs of managerial discretion over uncommitted assets. The net effect of restrictions over asset disposition on firm value is determined by potential agency problems and the need for operating flexibility.
CO/NOx Emissions of Strongly Pulsed Jet Diffusion Flames

The CO and NOX emissions of strongly pulsed, turbulent diffusion flames were examined experimentally in a co-flow combustor. Video imaging was performed and time-averaged emissions were measured at the combustor exit and near the visible flame tip. Both the case of a fixed fuel injection velocity during the injection interval and a constant fuelling rate were studied for jet Reynolds numbers ranging from 5,000 to 15,000. For fixed injection velocity, maximum emission indices of CO occurred for compact, isolated flame puffs. CO decreased substantially with decreasing jet-off time as the flame puff interaction increased. The pulsed flames had lower NOX than the steady flames, particularly for the case of isolated flame structures. Similar trends in NO formation were seen for constant fueling rate. The CO emissions were, however, considerably different, largely due to a significant impact of the Reynolds number. Radial emissions profiles suggest an improved fuel/air mixing for shorter jet-off times and longe...
Atom funnel for the production of a slow, high-density atomic beam.

A new scheme has been developed that produces a slow atomic beam of high brightness with a narrow velocity distribution. The technique can provide long measurement times and high counting rates for future precision experiments. In our initial work, densities of 10{sup 8} Na atoms/cm{sup 3} at a velocity of 270 cm/sec and at a temperature of {approx}200 {mu}K were obtained.
Observation of transient free radicals during coal pyrolysis

Abstract Electron spin resonance studies of the early stages of carbonization of a high-volatile A bituminous coal have been used to detect and quantify transient free radicals present in the coal pyrolysate. Free radical (spin) populations are converted from susceptibilities measured at elevated temperatures assuming that the population present after ≈1 h of pyrolysis does not change when the coal pyrolysate is cooled to 20 °C. Co-carbonization of 9–10 dihydroanthracene and anthracene with the coal suggest that disproportionation pathways may be preferred over combination pathways as temperatures of pyrolysis and of liquefaction processes are increased.
Estrogen receptor β is expressed in human colorectal adenocarcinoma

Estrogen receptor beta (ER-beta) has recently been detected in a human colon cancer cell line. The aim of this work was to determine whether ER-beta is expressed in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC) tissue and the extent of this expression. ER-beta expression in CRC was investigated by immunohistochemical staining of sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 55 CRC. The percent of positive cells was recorded. ER-beta immunoreactivity was always present in normal epithelium and adenomas in the same sections of some CRC and was always nuclear. In CRC, nuclear ER-beta immunoreactivity was detected in >10% of the cancer cells in 67% of the cases and was almost always associated with cytoplasmic immunoreactivity. There were no statistically significant differences between the ER-beta-positive and -negative groups in regard to depth of invasion, nodal metastases, or survival, regardless of the cut-off value used. We conclude that (1) a significant number of CRCs are positive for ER-beta. (2) estrogen may play an important role in the proliferation of normal colonic epithelium, and (3) there is differential localization of ER-beta immunoreactivity between normal colon, adenomas, and CRCs. Whether different ER-beta isoforms are differentially expressed in CRCs, and whether human CRCs respond to treatment with antiestrogens, is the subject of studies currently in progress.
Three-dimensional echocardiographic estimation of infarct mass based on quantification of dysfunctional left ventricular mass.

Background Two-dimensional echocardiography is useful for estimating the extent of infarct-related wall motion abnormalities. Such estimation, however, is based on a few selected views and extrapolated for the whole left ventricle (LV). This approach does not provide us with the actual amount of dysfunctional myocardium. Volume-rendered three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) might overcome these limitations. In this study we explored (1) how well volume-rendered 3DE delineates regional dysfunction of the infarcted LV and (2) how well dysfunctional myocardial mass quantified by 3DE reflects the actual anatomic infarct mass. Methods and Results 3DE was performed before and 3 hours after coronary occlusion in 16 dogs. With the LV viewed in equidistant short-axis slices, the region of dysfunction was demarcated, and the dysfunctional myocardial mass was derived from this. With triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, anatomic infarct regions were delineated, dissected, and weighed. The anatomic infarct mass ...
Mitigating power fluctuations in electrical ship propulsion using model predictive control with hybrid energy storage system

Shipboard electric propulsion systems experience large power and torque fluctuations on their drive shaft due to propeller rotational motions and waves. This paper explores new solutions to address the fluctuations by integrating a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) and exploring coordinated power management. A propeller and ship dynamic model, which captures the underlying physical behavior, is established to support the control development and system optimization. Given the fact that both high and low frequency contents exist in the power fluctuations, a combination of battery pack and ultracapacitor bank is proposed, coordinated control is developed, and performance is evaluated in different sea conditions. Simulation results show that the proposed HESS with model predictive control provides substantial benefits in terms of reducing fluctuation and sustaining self-operation, compared to other solutions that involve batteries or ultracapacitors alone. Moreover, our analysis shows that the benefits of HESS are achievable only through both effective power management and device coordination.
Persistent sciatic artery and vein: An unusual case

Abstract Persistent sciatic artery is a rare anomaly that has been reported in 48 patients in the North American literature. No report has contained more than two cases. This article discusses the first reported case of bilateral persistent sciatic arteries in a patient who also has normally developed superficial femoral arteries. This unique situation allowed removal of the superficial femoral artery for a malignant femoral nerve schwannoma without a concomitant reconstructive arterial procedure. A similar anomaly of the venous system permitted the operation to be done without compromising venous outflow. (J VASC SURG 1986;3:162-5.)
From top management to entrepreneurship: women's next move?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide better understanding of women's career advancement to top management and their future aspirations to become entrepreneurs.Design/methodology/approach – The paper's approach is qualitative research hermeneutic phenomenology.Findings – Women's career experiences predisposed them to find an alternate route, entrepreneurship, despite having achieved top management.Research limitations/implications – Understanding factors that successfully contribute to the development of women entrepreneurs from a career development perspective is a critical endeavor for any type of organization. This qualitative research is limited to US for‐profit organizations.Originality/value – The value of this paper is that it provides a unique way to look at the career development for women from those who reached top management and their motivations to become entrepreneurs.
Ethics in Academic Advising

Academic advisors confront many ethical problems and benefit from being able to draw on a system of ethical principles. Such principles, to be credible, should be philosophically defensible and not merely reflective of individual tastes. This article proposes such a set of principles, shows how they can be used to cope with ethical dilemmas, and explains why such dilemmas cannot be prevented. These principles are intended to be useful in training academic advisors but are not intended to create a code of ethics for advising.
Voxelized 3D Computational Transport Model of Infusions Into the Ventral Hippocampus: Comparison With Experimental Studies

Convection enhanced delivery (CED) is a promising local delivery technique for overcoming the blood brain barrier (BBB) and treating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). For CED, infusate is infused directly into brain tissue and the drug agent is spread through the extracellular space, which is considered highly tortuous porous media. Previous studies have indicated that the infusion of therapeutic agents into the hippocampus is a potential treatment method for epilepsy [1]. In this study, a 3D interstitial transport modeling approach is presented in which tissue properties and anatomical boundaries are assigned on a voxel-by-voxel basis using tissue alignment data from magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The developed model was used to predict CED transport in the ventral hippocampus and predicted tracer distributions were compared with experimental studies. In rat CED experiments, T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MR images were acquired to measure Gd-DTPA albumin tracer distributions after infusion into the ventral hippocampus. Similar infusate distribution patterns were obtained demonstrating the reliability and repeatability of this modeling scheme. Qualitative comparisons between predicted and measured distribution patterns, volumes and shapes were also conducted to determine the model’s proficiency.© 2011 ASME
Dogme 95 and disabled identity on film

ABSTRACTDogme 95 was a film and video movement that energized Danish film production and provoked reams of publicity and criticism. The conceit of the movement was to rail against aesthetic considerations and to make films in a uniform fashion; to move beyond tired formalism and find freedom within a rigid set of self-imposed rules. Two works produced during the initial years of the movement—Lars von Trier's Idioterne (1998) and Harmony Korine's Julien Donkey-Boy (1999)—remain significant for cannily linking the movement's anti-aesthetic aims with a concern for and/or fascination with representations of mental and physical disability. Both films use that kinship between form and content as a starting point and then up the ante by having actors encounter actual disability within fictional contexts. A comparison of these two works calls attention to divergent methods of representing disabled identity in fiction film and the ethical quandaries therein. In my analysis of the films' narrative and aesthetic app...
Two (k + 1)-Decision Selection Procedures for Comparing k Normal Means with a Specified Standard

Abstract The problem of comparing k normal means with a specified (absolute) standard is considered. A single-stage and a two-stage (k + 1)-decision procedure are proposed for the cases of common known variance and common unknown variance, respectively. The procedures guarantee that (1) with probability at least P 0* (specified), no population is selected when the largest population mean is sufficiently less than the standard, and (2) with probability at least P 1* (specified), the population with the largest population mean is selected when that mean is sufficiently greater than its closest competitor and the standard. Tables to implement the procedures are provided. Applications and generalizations are described.
Aesthetic structural nasal augmentation

This article addresses the author's preferred technique in the reconstruction of moderate and severe saddle nasal deformities. The prevailing concept is the provision of adequate structural support for the overlying nasal soft tissue coverage for an aesthetically pleasing outcome. All reconstructive efforts are undertaken via the external rhinoplasty approach. Detailed descriptions of the individual steps involved in the reconstructive sequence are included. Representative patient cases are included to demonstrate the versatility of techniques.
Block copolymers obtained by free radical mechanism III. Synthesis in emulsion

Block copolymers were synthesized by a sequential free radical polymerization method with the use of di-t-butyl-4,4′-azobis(4-cyanoperoxyvalerate) as the trifunctional initiator. The polymerizations were carried out in two stages. First, the poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(butyl methacrylate) polymeric initiators were synthesized by activating, at room temperature, the perester groups of the initiator with tetraethylenepentamine. For the second stage, the reaction ingredients were pre-emulsified, then the azo groups of these polymeric initiators were activated thermally in the presence of either styrene or p-methylstyrene. It was found that the reaction in the emulsion particles followed bulk kinetics, although the average size of the particles was small, 50–100 nm.
Stability of Core Language Skill from Early Childhood to Adolescence: A Latent Variable Approach.

This four-wave prospective longitudinal study evaluated stability of language in 324 children from early childhood to adolescence. Structural equation modeling supported loadings of multiple age-appropriate multisource measures of child language on single-factor core language skills at 20 months and 4, 10, and 14 years. Large stability coefficients (standardized indirect effect = .46) were obtained between language latent variables from early childhood to adolescence even when accounting for child nonverbal intelligence and social competence and maternal verbal intelligence, education, speech, and social desirability. Stability coefficients were similar for girls and boys. Stability of core language skill was stronger from 4 to 10 to 14 years than from 20 months to 4 years, so early intervention to improve lagging language is recommended.
Determination of the Minimum Time for Binder Removal and Optimum Geometry for Three‐Dimensional Porous Green Bodies

A model is developed to optimize two aspects of the thermal removal of binder from green ceramic components. The model, which accounts for flow in porous media arising from the thermal decomposition of binder in three-dimensional bodies with anisotropic permeability, describes the pressure within the body as a function of position, time, and temperature during the heating cycle. The model is used with variational calculus to predict the heating profile that minimizes the cycle time for the thermal removal of binder. The model is also used to determine which body geometry maximizes the buildup of pressure in parallelepipeds, a common shape of multilayer ceramic capacitors.
Efficacy and Safety of Hospital-Based Intravenous Immunoglobulin and Home-Based Self-Administered Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin in Polish Children with Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases.

To the Editor : To evaluate alternative modes of immunoglobulin administration, we designed an openlabel observational study to compare the efficacy and safety of hospital-based intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and home-based self-administered subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) in children with primary immune deficiency diseases (PIDD) switched from IVIG to SCIG. We studied 18 patients, aged 2–18 y, diagnosed with different types of PIDD (Fig. 1). Children were given IVIG therapy at a dose 400 mg/kg every 4 wk (Kiovig® or Octagam®) and were switched towards home SCIG at a weekly dose of 100 mg/kg (Subcuvia®). At enrollment, a retrospective analysis of IVIG replacement therapy within the last 12 mo was performed. At each visit (every 4 wk), the number of respiratory tract infections, the IgG serum levels and the frequency of adverse events were evaluated. The differences in number of infections and IgG serum level between groups were assessed by Mann–Whitney test. Nominal and categorized variables were compared with Chi-square test. Higher serum level of IgG in patients from SCIG group (median; upper-lower quartiles: 9.3; 7.7–11.8) compared with IV group (median; upper-lower quartiles: 6.5; 5.8– 8.5) were shown. The administration of IVIG led to a rapid and high rise in the serum immunoglobulin G concentration followed by a rapid fall over the next few days whereas the IgG serum level during SCIG remained at the stable average level. Less frequent respiratory tract infections in patients from SCIG group (median; upper-lower quartiles: 1.0; 0.75–1.0) compared with IVIG group (median; upper-lower quartiles: 3.0; 1.0–3.25) were observed. The number of episodes of infections in both the groups are shown in Fig. 2 and Table 1. SCIG therapy was better tolerated then IVIG therapy (1 local vs. 9 systemic adverse events per year). Less frequent systemic adverse reactions (0 % in SCIG group vs. 50 % in IVIG group; p 0.0005; Chi-square, df=12.00, 1) were shown. Thus, as found in other studies SCIG therapy is much more effective and safe for children with primary immune
A Rowland Circle, multielement graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer

Abstract A simultaneous, multielement atomic absorption spectrometer utilizing a graphite furnace atomizer was constructed and evaluated. The optical arrangement employs a concave grating to combine the spectral output from a deuterium lamp and four hollow cathode lamps that are placed on the perimeter of a Rowland Circle. A graphite furnace atomizer is positioned on the circle at the point of convergence of the five light sources. Background correction is performed by the continuum source method. Simultaneous detection of the analyte absorption signals is accomplished with a charged-coupled device. Four test elements were used for evaluation purposes: cadmium, lead, copper and chromium. Even though the elements differ greatly in volatility, the detection limits approach the values published for single element GFAAS: 4, 12, 14 and 12 pg for Cd, Pb, Cu and Cr, respectively. The characteristic masses (integrated absorbance) for the four metals are 3, 24, 14 and 7 pg, respectively. Three drinking water reference materials are analyzed: NIST SRM #1643b (Trace Elements in Water), Fisher Scientific “Metals Drinking Water Standard,” and High Purity Standards “Drinking Water Metals Solution A and B”. The determined amounts were within 10% of the certified values for each of the four elements for all three reference materials.
Atomoxetine in the Treatment of Adults with Subthreshold and/or Late Onset Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder‐Not Otherwise Specified (ADHD‐NOS): A Prospective Open‐Label 6‐Week Study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of atomoxetine hydrochloride (ATX) in the treatment of adults with atypical manifestations of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (not otherwise specified [NOS]). We hypothesized that treatment with ATX will be safe and efficacious for the treatment of adults with ADHD-NOS. This was a 6-week, open-label, prospective treatment study of ATX monotherapy in 45 adult patients with ADHD-NOS assessed using standardized instruments for diagnosis and a robust oral daily dose of up to 1.2 mg/kg/day or 120 mg/day. Symptom severity was assessed with the adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Report Scale (AISRS) and Clinical Global Impression Scale. Treatment with ATX at an average daily dose of 78.7 +/- 27.8 mg was associated with a statistically and clinically significant reduction in ADHD symptoms relative to baseline as assessed through the (AISRS) (-12.1 +/- 8.4; P < 0.001). Using a categorical definition of response (CGI-I much or very much improved), a majority (N = 29; 64%) of subjects were rated as improved at study endpoint. Treatment with ATX was relatively well tolerated. These open-label results suggest that ATX may be safe and effective in the treatment of adults meeting criteria for ADHD-NOS and support the need for further controlled clinical trials of ATX in this population.
Parathyroid Hormone and the Hypercalcemia of Immobilization

Serial measurements of serum calcium and immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (PTH) were performed in two young patients with hypercalcemia of immobilization. Serum PTH was elevated in both patients. With mobilization, both serum PTH and serum calcium returned to normal levels and remained so during six months of follow-up. The hyperparathyroidism of immobilization is an unexplained, reversible disorder that should be treated by medical measures and aggresive attempts at early mobilization.
Kawasaki-like Syndrome in an Adult AIDS Patient

A 42-year-old white male with HIV infection and Kaposi's sarcoma presented with a 4 day h/o fever, rash, arthralgias, red eyes, and headache. Physical examination revealed T102.6F, bilateral conjunctival injection with limbal sparing and no exudate, an erythematous oropharynx and fissured lips, and an erythematous, maculopapular rash on the trunk and extremities with a violaceous desquamating rash of the scrotum. Multiple, tender 1 cm anterior cervical lymphnodes were palpated bilaterally. Cardiac and abdominal exam were unremarkable.The hands and feet were edematous with red palms and soles. There was warmth, swelling, and tenderness of both ankles. Extensive evaluation including head CT scan, LP, serologic tests for Cryptococcus, Coccidioidomycosis and Treponema pallidum, cultures for virus, bacteria, and PCR for parvovirus were negative. The patient was treated initially with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and high-dose aspirin (ASA) and defervesced with resolution of his rash and peripheral edema. His conjunctival injection improved only minimally. His CD4 count was 10 cells/mL and his HIV load was >750,000 copies/uL. He was started on antiretroviral therapy. Within the next week, he relapsed with fevers, peripheral edema and worsening of conjunctival injection. Again, he was treated with IVIG and high dose ASA with resolution of the edema and fever. An initial echocardiogram revealed dilated (5-6 mm)arteries. Transesophageal echo after the second IVIG dose revealed 5 mm coronary arteries. After a third relapse, the patient was treated with plasmapharesis followed by IVIG with complete resolution of his symptoms. We reviewed 13 English language case reports (11 adults) of HIV-infected patients who developed a Kawasaki-like syndrome. Most patients experienced typical signs and symptoms of KD and the illness resolved spontaneously with no CAA, even without specific therapy. These reports raise interesting questions about the possible infectious nature of KD and the occurrence of a pediatric illness in immunosuppressed adults.
Visibility calibrations with the Palomar Testbed Interferometer

The Palomar Testbed Interferometer is a long-baseline, near-infrared astronomical interferometer capable of visibility measurement and narrow-angle differential astrometry. In this submission we consider the problem of fringe amplitude calibration as applied to the study of single and binary star systems with PTI. Methodologies for selecting appropriate calibration objects, and performing the calibrations to produce consistent multi-night datasets are considered. Applications of such calibrated datasets to binary orbit determination and stellar diameter measurements will be presented.
Purification and characterization of a highly unusual tetrameric D-lactate dehydrogenase from the muscle of the giant barnacle, Balanus nubilus Darwin.

Abstract d -Lactate dehydrogenase from the depressor muscle of the giant barnacle, Balanus nubilus Darwin, was purified to homogeneity. The molecular weight of this enzyme, as judged by meniscus depletion sedimentation equilibrium and gel filtration, corresponds to a tetrameric subunit organization unlike the d -lactate dehydrogenases from the horeseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus , and the polychaete, Nereis virens , which are dimeric. It is concluded that substrate stereospecificity and the degree of subunit organization are two independent parameters in the evolution of lactate dehydrogenases. The amino acid composition of B. nubilus d -lactate dehydrogenase shows general similarities to both the Limulus enzyme and the l -lactate dehydrogenase from the lobster, Homarus americanus , except for an unusually high cysteine content (10 residues per subunit). The isoelectric point of the barnacle enzyme is 5.0. B. nubilus d -lactate dehydrogenase is clearly a muscle-type enzyme, as it displays very little substrate inhibition at high pyruvate concentrations. The catalytic properties of this enzyme, including high reactivity with α-ketobutyrate and α-hydroxybutyrate, lowered pH optimum (7.5) for lactate oxidation, and relative insensitivity to oxamate, also set it apart from other animal d -lactate dehydrogenases.
Water-Soluble, Cyclodextrin-Modified CdSe−CdS Core−Shell Structured Quantum Dots

β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD)-modified CdSe (β-CD/CdSe) and CdSe−CdS core−shell structured (β-CD/CdSe−CdS) quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized by a single-phase approach in aqueous solutions. These recepto...
Role of Free Apolipoprotein A-I in Cholesterol Efflux Formation of Pre–α-Migrating High-Density Lipoprotein Particles

This article characterizes products formed by the interaction of purified apolipoprotein (apo) A-I and human fibroblasts. Fibroblasts were incubated with different concentrations of purified apoA-I (1 to 30 micrograms/mL) in tissue culture medium for different periods of time (0 to 24 hours). The medium was then characterized by one- (agarose) and two-dimensional (agarose: polyacrylamide nondenaturing gradient gel) electrophoresis. At any given concentration of apoA-I, the rate of cellular cholesterol efflux appeared linear over 24 hours. Incubating purified apoA-I with fibroblasts for 4 hours, we detected five pre-alpha lipoproteins with particle sizes between 114 and 684 kDa. Formation of pre-alpha lipoproteins was concentration-dependent. At low concentrations (below 5 micrograms/mL apoA-I), all purified apoA-I (with pre-beta mobility) was converted to pre-alpha lipoproteins. At higher concentrations (greater than 5 micrograms/mL apoA-I), more apoA-I remained with pre-beta mobility. The pre-alpha lipoproteins were characterized by colocalization of apoA-I particles with 14C-cholesterol and 32P-phospholipids. Results showed that the pre-alpha particle of lowest molecular weight contained phospholipid and apoA-I but no cholesterol. The remaining pre-alpha particles contained all three substances. When pre-alpha particles were subjected to ultracentrifugation, all particles floated at d 1.21 g/mL fraction. Based on these results, we postulated that in the first stages of reverse cholesterol transport, pre-alpha lipoproteins are formed by the interaction of lipid free apoA-I and peripheral cells.
Mild hypercalcemia: an indication to select 4-dimensional computed tomography scan for preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas

Abstract Background Technetium sestamibi scanning is the most accepted method of imaging used for preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas. Four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) scanning is a relatively new localization technique that has not been as rigorously evaluated. Methods One hundred thirty-five consecutive patients who underwent preoperative sestamibi scanning, 4D-CT scanning, and parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism were evaluated. Patient characteristics, parathyroid gland weights, and the probability of having positive preoperative localization were examined. Results Four-dimensional computed tomography scanning was significantly more accurate than sestamibi (73% vs 62%, P = .016). In those with serum calcium levels less than 10.8 mg/dL, 4D-CT scanning was significantly more accurate than sestamibi scanning for the quadrant (45% vs 29%, P = .013) and hemisphere (66% vs 48%, P = .012). Also, 4D-CT scanning was more accurate among patients with parathyroid gland weights less than 500 mg (69% vs 45%, P Conclusions Four-dimensional computed tomography scanning provides better preoperative localization than sestamibi scanning, particularly in patients with mild hypercalcemia and smaller parathyroid adenomas.
For The New Commander In Chief: A Violence Prevention Strategy

In May, 2007 two factions of the Gangster Disciples street gang were at war on the far Southside of Chicago. One gang member fired multiple gunshots on a crowded bus. He missed his intended target ...