cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Public-Private Partnerships to Mitigate Disparities in Access to Genetic Services: Lessons from Wisconsin

Abstract Purpose This mixed-methods study reports on an outreach clinics program designed to deliver genetic services to medically underserved communities in Wisconsin. Methodology/approach We show the geographic distribution, funding patterns, and utilization trends for outreach clinics over a 20-year period. Interviews with program planners and outreach clinic staff show how external and internal constraints limited the program’s capacity. We compare clinic operations to the conceptual models guiding program design. Findings Our findings show that state health officials had to scale back financial support for outreach clinic activities while healthcare providers faced increasing pressure from administrators to reduce investments in charity care. These external and internal constraints led to a decline in the overall number of patients served. We also find that redistribution of clinics to the Milwaukee area increased utilization among Hispanics but not among African-Americans. Our interviews suggest that these patterns may be a function of shortcomings embedded in the planning models. Research/Policy Implications Planning models have three shortcomings. First, they do not identify the mitigation of health disparities as a specific goal. Second, they fail to acknowledge that partners face escalating profit-seeking mandates that may limit their capacity to provide charity services. Finally, they underemphasize the importance of seeking trusted partners, especially in working with communities that have been historically marginalized. Originality/Value There has been little discussion about equitably leveraging genetic advances that improve healthcare quality and efficacy. The role of State Health Agencies in mitigating disparities in access to genetic services has been largely ignored in the sociological literature.
Detecting 10,000 cells in one second

In this paper, we present a generalized distributed deep neural network architecture to detect cells in whole-slide high-resolution histopathological images, which usually hold \(10^{8}\) to \(10^{10}\) pixels. Our framework can adapt and accelerate any deep convolutional neural network pixel-wise cell detector to perform whole-slide cell detection within a reasonable time limit. We accelerate the convolutional neural network forwarding through a sparse kernel technique, eliminating almost all of the redundant computation among connected patches. Since the disk I/O becomes a bottleneck when the image size scale grows larger, we propose an asynchronous prefetching technique to diminish a large portion of the disk I/O time. An unbalanced distributed sampling strategy is proposed to enhance the scalability and communication efficiency in distributed computing. Blending advantages of the sparse kernel, asynchronous prefetching and distributed sampling techniques, our framework is able to accelerate the conventional convolutional deep learning method by nearly 10, 000 times with same accuracy. Specifically, our method detects cells in a \(10^{8}\)-pixel (\(10^4\times 10^4\)) image in 20 s (approximately 10, 000 cells per second) on a single workstation, which is an encouraging result in whole-slide imaging practice.
Microengineered biomimetic ocular models for ophthalmological drug development

Current ophthalmological drug discovery and testing methods have limitations and concerns regarding reliability, ethicality, and applicability. These drawbacks can be mitigated by developing biomimetic eye models through mathematical and experimental methods which are often referred to as "eye-on-a-chip" or "eye chip". These eye chip technologies emulate ocular physiology, anatomy, and microenvironmental conditions. Such models enable understanding of the fundamental biology, pharmacology, and toxicology mechanisms by investigating the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of various candidate drugs under ocular anatomical and physiological conditions without animal models. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in theoretical and in vitro experimental models of the anterior segment of the eye and its microenvironment, including eye motions and tear film dynamics. The current state of ocular modeling and simulation from predictive models to experimental models is discussed in detail with their advantages and limitations. The potential for future eye chip models to expedite new ophthalmic drug discoveries is also discussed.
Twist 'n' Knock: A One-handed Gesture for Smart Watches

Interacting with a smart watch requires a fair amount of attention, which can disrupt a user's primary activity. While single-handed gestures have been developed for other platforms, they are cumbersome to perform with a watch. A simple interaction is needed that can be used to quickly and subtly access the watch at the user's convenience. In this paper, we developed Twist "n" Knock--a one-handed gesture that can quickly trigger functionality on a smart watch without causing unintended false positives. This gesture is performed by quickly twisting the wrist that wears the watch and then knocking on a nearby surface such as the thigh when standing or a table when sitting. Our evaluation with 11 participants shows that by chunking the twisting and knocking motion into a combined action, Twist 'n' Knock offers distinct features that produced only 2 false positives over a combined 22 hours of real world collection (11 users for 2 hours each). In structured tests, accuracy was 93%.
Constitutive and Stress-induced Expression of CCL5 Machinery in Rodent Retina.

Signaling by inflammatory cytokines and chemokines is associated with neurodegeneration in disease and injury. Here we examined expression of the β-chemokine CCL5 and its receptors in the mouse retina and evaluated its relevance in glaucoma, a common optic neuropathy associated with sensitivity to intraocular pressure (IOP). Using quantitative PCR, fluorescent in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and quantitative image analysis, we found CCL5 mRNA and protein was constitutively expressed in the inner retina and synaptic layers. CCL5 appeared to associate with Muller cells and RGCs as well as synaptic connections between horizontal cells and bipolar cells in the OPL and amacrine cells, bipolar cells and RGCs in the IPL. Although all three high-affinity receptors (CCR5, CCR3, CCR1) for CCL5 were expressed constitutively, CCR5 expression was significantly higher than CCR3, which was also markedly greater than CCR1. Localization patterns for constitutive CCR5, CCR3 and CCR1 expression differed, particularly with respect to expression in inner retinal neurons. Stress-related expression of CCL5 was primarily altered in aged DBA/2 mice with elevated IOP. In contrast, changes in expression and localization of both CCR3 and CCR5 were evident not only in aged DBA/2 mice, but also in age-matched control mice and young DBA/2 mice. These groups do not exhibit elevated IOP, but possess either the aging stress (control mice) or the genetic predisposition to glaucoma (DBA/2 mice). Together, these data indicate that CCL5 and its high-affinity receptors are constitutively expressed in murine retina and differentially induced by stressors associated with glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Localization patterns further indicate that CCL5 signaling may be relevant for modulation of synapses in both health and disease, particularly in the inner plexiform layer.
Physicochemical characteristics of pristine and functionalized graphene

Graphene-based nanomaterials have received significant attention in the last decade due to their interesting properties. Its electrical and thermal conductivity and strength make graphene well suited for a variety of applications, particularly for use as a composite material in plastics. Furthermore, much work is taking place to utilize graphene as a biomaterial for uses such as drug delivery and tissue regeneration scaffolds. Owing to the rapid progress of graphene and its potential in many marketplaces, the potential toxicity of these materials has garnered attention. Graphene, while simple in its purest form, can have many different chemical and physical properties. In this paper, we describe our toxicity evaluation of pristine graphene and a functionalized graphene sample that has been oxidized for enhanced hydrophilicity, which was synthesized from the pristine sample. The samples were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, zeta-potential, atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy. We discuss the disagreement between the size of imaged samples analyzed by atomic force microscopy and by transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the samples each exhibit quite different surface chemistry and structure, which directly affects their interaction with aqueous environments and is important to consider when evaluating the toxicity of materials both in vitro and in vivo. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Consistency in social network position over changing environments in a seasonally breeding primate

Social network analysis has become increasingly used to investigate the consequences of individuals’ social tendencies in recent years; however, the question of whether individuals are consistent in their social network position over time or situations has received comparatively scant attention. Knowledge of the degree to which individuals are stable in their social behavior can improve our understanding the fitness consequences of processes such as the transmission of disease and social information through networks, as well as the evolution of social behavior and social structure in general. Here, I investigated individual consistency in social behavior in wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerthrus) residing in a highly seasonal habitat. I constructed grooming networks for three time periods characterized by diverse environmental conditions and explored the repeatability of seven network metrics as well as the effects of sex and dominance rank on these metrics. Both female and male vervets were highly consistent in three correlated, weighted measures of social connectedness—grooming in-strength, out-strength, and eigenvector centrality, and in-degree was moderately repeatable in both sexes. In contrast, only males were consistent in their out-degree and clustering coefficient, and there was no evidence of consistency in betweenness for either sex. High-ranking females had higher in-degree and in-strength scores, and high-ranking males had lower out-degree and out-strength, but controlling for dominance rank did not affect the findings regarding the repeatability of any metric. These results add to the small number of studies that have explored the temporal and situational stability of social network phenotypes in wild animals. Relatively few animal social network studies have examined whether individuals are consistent in the positions that they occupy within networks. Determining the degree to which individuals are consistent in their social network characteristics over time and across naturally changing conditions is necessary for a better understanding of the ecology and evolution of social behavior. In this study, I examined individual consistency in several components of social network position in vervet monkeys residing in a highly seasonal environment. I also evaluated the effects of sex and dominance rank on these measures of sociality. I found that both male and female vervets were consistent in most measures of direct connectedness in grooming networks across seasons, but metrics capturing indirect social connections were overall less repeatable. Controlling for the effects of dominance rank on sociality measures did not change these results.
The optimal reward problem: designing effective reward for bounded agents

In the field of reinforcement learning, agent designers build agents which seek to maximize reward. In standard practice, one reward function serves two purposes. It is used to evaluate the agent and is used to directly guide agent behavior in the agent's learning algorithm. This dissertation makes four main contributions to the theory and practice of reward function design. The first is a demonstration that if an agent is bounded—if it is limited in its ability to maximize expected reward—the designer may benefit by considering two reward functions. A designer reward function is used to evaluate the agent, while a separate agent reward function is used to guide agent behavior. The designer can then solve the Optimal Reward Problem (ORP): choose the agent reward function which leads to the greatest expected reward for the designer. The second contribution is the demonstration through examples that good reward functions are chosen by assessing an agent's limitations and how they interact with the environment. An agent which maintains knowledge of the environment in the form of a Bayesian posterior distribution, but lacks adequate planning resources, can be given a reward proportional to the variance of the posterior, resulting in provably efficient exploration. An agent with poor modeling assumptions can be punished for visiting the areas of the state space it has trouble modeling, resulting in better performance. The third contribution is the Policy Gradient for Reward Design (PGRD) algorithm, a convergent gradient ascent algorithm for learning good reward functions. Experiments in multiple environments demonstrate that using PGRD for reward optimization yields better agents than using the designer's reward directly as the agent's reward. It also outperforms the use of an evaluation function at the leaf-states of the planning tree. Finally, this dissertation shows that the ORP differs from the popular work on potential-based reward shaping. Shaping rewards are constrained by properties of the environment and the designer's reward function, but they generally are defined irrespective of properties of the agent. The best shaping reward functions are suboptimal for some agents and environments.
Regioselectivity of the electrophilic nitration of α, α, α-trihalomethoxybenzenes

La nitrazione degli α, α, α-trialogenometossibenzeni con nitronio tetra-fluoroborato o nitrato di metile/trifluoruro di boro in nitrometano e stata studiata e paragonata a quella degli alogenobenzeni. E stata osservata principalmente la para-sostituzione, senza formazione delľisomero meta. La reattivita dei substrati relativa alla reattivita del benzene e k(C6H5OCX3)/k(C6H6) = 0.1-0.3.
Peyote, Race, and Equal Protection in the United States

This chapter will seek to outline the parameters of the “trust responsibility” as it relates to protections for the religious use of peyote by American Indians, to explain the significance of this doctrine in the preservation of tribal entities and American Indian culture, and to examine its shortcomings in relation to the preservation of the cultural institution of peyotism. Since American Indians first received a federal exemption for religious use of peyote in 1965, many groups seeking legal protection for the religious use of psychoactive substances have sought to capitalize on this exemption in the form of an Equal Protection challenge, arguing that their religious use of psychoactive drugs is parallel to the American Indian use of peyote. Challenges to the exemption are largely premised on the notion that “special” treatment of American Indians is based upon a fundamentally racial categorization, and is therefore constitutionally intolerable. The trust responsibility, while frequently misconstrued, has been applied in ways that raise legitimate questions regarding the use of racial criteria by the federal government when dealing with Native peoples. The importance of the trust responsibility will be examined in light of these race based Equal Protection challenges, and further critical examination of this doctrine will be made to understand how race has played a role in regulating religious use of peyote, and also how the static views of culture and cultural identity inherent in the racial application of this doctrine may ultimately threaten, rather than preserve, traditional American Indian practices such as peyotism.
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGULATIONS AND LICENSING

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the background of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as the successor to the regulatory portion of the Atomic Energy Commission, the mission assigned to the NRC by the Congress, and the way in which it is organized to carry out this mission. It explains the regulatory program of the agency—licensing and enforcement, confirmatory research, and standards development. The NRC's role, as a regulator of the use of nuclear energy in the civilian sector, is to ensure that the construction and operation of nuclear facilities and the use of nuclear materials are carried out in a manner that provides reasonable assurance of public health and safety, is consistent with national security considerations, and has proper regard for environmental values. The regulations under which the NRC carries out its responsibilities are found in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This chapter discusses some of the specific regulations that bear directly on reactor safety and the licensing process.
4.9 Catenas and Soils

Soil development is intimately tied to the slopes on which soils form. Soils across slopes are connected, process-wise, like links in a chain. This analogy has led to the concept of a catena – a term for a series of soils on a slope. This chapter explores the reasons for soil variation on catenas, focusing on (1) debris and moisture flux along the slope and (2) depth to the water table. Fluxes of sediment, commonly facilitated by water, vary predictably as a function of position on the slope, leading to soils that may be thinner or thicker than expected on steep slope segments where runoff is accentuated. Conversely, soils on lower, flatter slope segments may be overthickened from many years of slow but episodic sediment accumulations from upslope; when sediment accumulations are particularly fast or large, soils here can become buried. Soil texture and infiltration capacities dramatically impact these processes; on slopes composed of coarser, more permeable materials, catenary position is less important because there is less runoff, and thus, even on the steepest slope segments, much of the water infiltrates vertically. Water tables, commonly deepest on the steepest slope segments, vary predictably as a function of position on the slope. High water tables can dramatically affect internal soil processes, as well as weathering and related phenomena.
Probing the Atom

It has been hypothesized for millennia that all matter is made of tiny, indivisible, smallest bits of matter called atoms. Great progress had been made during the nineteenth century in attributing the thermodynamic laws and some of the properties of matter, especially gases, to the kinetic-molecular theory (Chapter 7). In addition, it was known for centuries that there are different types of so-called fundamental “elements” in nature—gold, silver, copper, sodium, etc. There are the smallest units into which substances can be divided by chemical means. Eventually it was found useful to give the elements special symbols, for example, “C” for carbon, “O” for oxygen, “H” for hydrogen, and so on.
Root dynamics in bottomland hardwood forests of the Southeastern United States Coastal Plain

Effects of flooding on root dynamics appear nonlinear and therefore difficult to predict, leading to disparate and often contradictory reports of flooding impacts on production in bottomland hardwood forests. We explored root dynamics in two adjacent wetland habitats by comparing results obtained from several methods of estimating root processes. Also, we tested the influence of flooding on root dynamics of cherrybark, overcup, water and swamp chestnut oaks. Fine root biomass in the laurel oak habitat was greater ( α< 0.05) than in the swamp tupelo habitat (5.7 vs. 2.4 Mg ha −1 ), as was fine root necromass (2.4 vs. 1.3 Mg ha −1 ), productivity (2.3 vs. 0.3 Mg ha −1 yr −1 when the sum of significant increments method was used, 5.6 vs. 2.5 Mg ha −1 yr −1 when the maximum minus minimum method was used, and 1.2 vs. 1.0 Mg ha −1 yr −1 , when the root screen method was used), and turnover (40% and 12% per year). Mortality estimates were lower in the laurel oak habitat (1.3 and 1.2 Mg ha −1 yr −1 ) than in the swamp tupelo community (2.8 and 2.1 Mg ha −1 yr −1 ) when significant increment and maximum minus minimum methods were used, respectively. This apparent contradiction between estimates of production and mortality may be due to more rapid decomposition rates in the more aerated soil of the laurel oak than in the swamp tupelo forest type. Roots in the swamp tupelo habitat appeared to be longer-lived than in the laurel oak habitat. We concluded that there was greater investment in roots in the laurel oak habitat, where a shallow rooting zone and episodes of flooding and drought required drastic changes in root structure and physiology. In contrast, the swamp tupelo habitat had a deeper rooting zone and more consistently moist to flooded hydroperiod, allowing flood adapted roots to persist. The four oak species varied in their phenology of root production and response to flooding, from no difference among treatments for overcup oak to dramatic reductions in root growth during and after flooding for cherrybark oak. Flooding enhanced or at least did not negatively influence root growth in overcup oak, but seriously impacted root growth and survival of cherrybark oak and swamp chestnut oak. Different responses were attributed to the timing of root production: root growth began early for cherrybark oak so spring flooding severely affected this species. Growth in overcup oak began later and ended earlier than the other species tested, allowing the species a means of avoiding flood stress.
An Intervention Tool to Increase Patient–Physician Discussion of Lifestyle Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

Abstract Background: Risk assessment and discussion of lifestyle in primary care are crucial elements of breast cancer prevention and risk reduction. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of a b...
Efficiency of polymer/nanocarbon-based nanocomposite membranes in water treatment techniques

Membrane technology has been employed as one of the powerful techniques for water treatment. Traditional membrane systems face several challenges such as limited water permeability, high operating ...
(125) When Patients Take Charge of Opioids: Self-Management and Safety of Prescribed Opioids for Cancer Pain in the Context of Opioid Crisis

Among insured adults, patients with cancer have more pharmacy claims and claims for higher doses of opioids. Patients with cancer also remain exempt from most state legislation and policy initiatives on prescribing opioids, necessitating a critical understanding of opioid management and risks among this group. This multi-method study investigated pain and opioid self-management practices reported by adult cancer patients recruited from an outpatient oncology clinic of an NCI-designated cancer center (n=65; mean age 56.3, SD=12.3; pain 6.0, SD=2.8; >50% with metastatic disease; IRB approval, University of Pennsylvania). Using Freelisting analysis (Smith's salience index, ANTHROPAC), “pain relief” and “addiction” were the most salient concerns identified by the participants. In the qualitative interviews (n=32, ATLAS ti. 8.0), taking charge of the prescribed opioids emerged as a major theme. Patients described opioid self-management practices including using long-acting/extended-release opioids on an as-needed basis; increasing duration between opioid doses until pain is “pretty bad” or “unbearable”; reducing prescribed opioid dose by cutting pills into half or one-quarter; self-tapering of opioids; outsourcing opioid management decisions to a family member to minimize potential risk for addiction; combining acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain relief in order to avoid prescription opioids; and use of licit and illicit marijuana to avoid having to go to prescribed opioids, which were considered “harder pills”. Many patients described knowing someone affected by opioid crisis, thought clinicians are quick to prescribe opioids without simultaneously providing alternatives; many preferred non-opioid treatments for pain but more commonly faced a variety of access barriers. While the recent HHS Pain Management Taskforce has identified self-management as one of the best practices for improving pain, function, and safety of prescribed opioids4, our findings point to potentially unsafe opioid self-management practices among cancer outpatients needing urgent attention to improve education and access to effective alternative treatments. Funding: American Cancer Society#128779-PEP-15-186-01.
Observational Assessment of the Young Child

This chapter discusses approaches to structuring the observation and assessment with focus on the young child’s behavior and developmental level. It gives an overview of the clinical tools that can be used in an office setting for the psychiatric assessment of a young child. It addresses the importance of both observation and direct interaction with the child in structured and unstructured ways. It covers the Infant and Toddler Mental Status Exam (ITMSE) in detail as the core assessment tool and provides an overview of other useful, adjunctive assessment tools such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), and the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS). Attention is paid to concrete logistical issues such as office set up, toys, physical boundaries and limit setting as well as cultural considerations.
Excess serum uric acid is associated with metabolic syndrome in obese adolescent patients.

Obesity is a significant cause of morbidity in adolescents. Excess serum uric acid (SUA) has been associated with metabolic syndrome (MS) among adults. We evaluated the relationship among SUA and markers of insulin resistance (IR) and low-grade inflammation in obese adolescents with and without MS. The study was a retrospective chart review of obese patients seen in the LeBonheur Endocrine clinic seen in clinic between September 2016 and December 2017. MS was defined as according to the International Diabetes Federation. Body mass index standard deviation score (BMI SDS), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body composition, fasting lipids, glucose, high sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP), serum uric acid (SUA), HbA1c, alanine transferase (ALT), aspartate transferase (AST), insulin and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were extracted from the charts of the 100 obese adolescents (57% female). Hyperuricemia (SUA >357 umol/L) was present in 41.8% of entire cohort without significant ethnic/racial and/or gender differences. Adolescents with HUA had higher FM, SBP, HbA1c, insulin and HOMA-IR (p < 0.05). While SUA was positively correlated with FM, SBP, HOMA-IR and HbA1c, and triglyceride:HDL-C ratio (TG:HDL-C) (p < 0.05). MS was identified in 32.8% of cohort. MS showed significantly higher FM, SBP, DBP, SUA, ALT, insulin, HOMA-IR, and TG:HDL-c ratio than non-MS subgroup (p < 0.05). FM was positively correlated with SUA, HOMA-IR and hsCRP (p < 0.01). In our study, those with hyperuricemia (HUA) showed elevated markers of metabolic syndrome including BP, serum glucoses, IR and triglycerides. In our cohort, SUA appears to correlate with MS comorbidities.
Chemical Activation of Forage Grass-Derived Biochar for Treatment of Aqueous Antibiotic Sulfamethoxazole.

Chemically activated forage Bermudagrass-derived biochar (A-BC) was produced, characterized, and utilized for adsorption of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in water for the first time. After NaOH activation...
Health-Related Digital Autonomy: An Important, But Unfinished Step

A mark of our modern age is the translation of the non-digital to the digital, an evolution likely only to accelerate and to demand the proactive development of robust ethical guidance to navigate ...
Implementation of an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Pathway to Reduce Inpatient Opioid Consumption after Cesarean Delivery

Objective Opioid prescription after cesarean delivery is excessive and can lead to chronic opioid use disorder. We assessed the impact of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway on inpatient opioid consumption after cesarean delivery. Study Design An ERAS pathway was implemented as a quality improvement initiative in December 2019. Preintervention (PRE) data were collected from March to May 2019 to assess baseline opioid consumption. Postintervention (POST) data were collected from January to March 2020. The primary outcome was inpatient postoperative opioid consumption in morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Secondary outcomes included the consumption of any opioids, postpartum length of stay, and opioid prescription at discharge. Results A total of 92 women were in the PRE group and 91 were in the POST group. Inpatient opioid consumption decreased by 87.3% from PRE to POST, from 124.7 (interquartile range [IQR]: 10–181.6) MME to 15.8 (IQR: 0–75) MME (p Conclusion Adoption of an ERAS pathway for cesarean delivery resulted in a marked reduction in inpatient opioid consumption. Such a pathway can be implemented across institutions and may be a powerful tool in combating the opioid epidemic. Key Points
Self-organized emergence of hyaline cartilage in hiPSC-derived multi-tissue organoids

Abstract Despite holding great therapeutic potential, existing protocols for in vitro chondrogenesis and hyaline cartilage production from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) are laborious and complex with unclear long-term consequences. Here, we developed a simple xeno- and feeder-free protocol for human hyaline cartilage production in vitro using hydrogel-cultured multi-tissue organoids (MTOs). We investigate gene regulatory networks during spontaneous hiPSC-MTO differentiation using RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses. We find the interplays between BMPs and neural FGF pathways are associated with the phenotype transition of MTOs. We recognize TGF-beta/BMP and Wnt signaling likely contribute to the long-term maintenance of MTO cartilage growth and further adoption of articular cartilage development. By comparing the MTO transcriptome with human lower limb chondrocytes, we observe that the expression of chondrocyte-specific genes in MTO shows a strong correlation with fetal lower limb chondrocytes. Collectively, our findings describe the self-organized emergence of hyaline cartilage in MTO, its associated molecular pathways, and its spontaneous adoption of articular cartilage development trajectory.
Correlation of infrared reflectance ratios at 2.3 microns/1.6 micron and 1.1 micron/1.6 micron with delta O-18 values delineating fossil hydrothermal systems in the Idaho batholith

Reflectance ratios from laboratory spectra and airborne multispectral images are found to be strongly correlated with delta O-18 values of granite rocks in the Idaho batholith. The correlation is largely a result of interactions between hot water and rock, which lowered the delta O-18 values of the rocks and produced secondary hydrous material. Maps of the ratio of reflectivities at 2.3 and 1.6 microns should delineate fossil hydrothermal systems and provide estimates of alteration intensity. However, hydrous minerals produced during deuteric alteration or weathering cannot be unambiguously distinguished in remotely sensed images from the products of propylitic alteration without the use of narrow-band scanners. The reflectivity at 1.6 micron is strongly correlated with rock density and may be useful in distinguishing rock types in granitic terranes.
Methionine synthase interreplacement in diatom cultures and communities: Implications for the persistence of B12 use by eukaryotic phytoplankton

Three proteins related to vitamin B12 metabolism in diatoms were quantified via selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry: B12-dependent and B12-independent methionine synthase (MetH, MetE) and a B12 acquisition protein (CBA1). B12-mediated interreplacement of MetE and MetH metalloenzymes was observed in Phaeodactylum tricornutum where MetH abundance was highest (0.06 fmol µg−1 protein) under high B12 and MetE abundance increased to 3.25 fmol µg−1 protein under low B12 availability. Maximal MetE abundance was 60-fold greater than MetH, consistent with the expected ∼ 50–100-fold larger turnover number for MetH. MetE expression resulted in 30-fold increase in nitrogen and 40-fold increase in zinc allocated to methionine synthase activity under low B12. CBA1 abundance was 6-fold higher under low-B12 conditions and increased upon B12 resupply to starved cultures. While biochemical pathways that supplant B12 requirements exist and are utilized by organisms such as land plants, B12 use persists in eukaryotic phytoplankton. This study suggests that retention of B12 utilization by phytoplankton results in resource conservation under conditions of high B12 availability. MetE and MetH abundances were also measured in diatom communities from McMurdo Sound, verifying that both these proteins are expressed in natural communities. These protein measurements are consistent with previous studies suggesting that B12 availability influences Antarctic primary productivity. This study illuminates controls on expression of B12-related proteins, quantitatively assesses the metabolic consequences of B12 deprivation, and demonstrates that mass spectrometry-based protein measurements yield insight into the functioning of marine microbial communities.
Byzantine Fault Tolerant Coordination for Web Services Atomic Transactions

In this paper, we present the mechanisms needed for Byzantine fault tolerant coordination of Web services atomic transactions. The mechanisms have been incorporated into an open-source framework implementing the standard Web services atomic transactions specification. The core services of the framework, namely, the activation service, the registration service, the completion service, and the distributed commit service, are replicated and protected with our Byzantine fault tolerance mechanisms. Such a framework can be useful for many transactional Web services that require high degree of security and dependability.
Complexity and specificity of integrin signalling.

The α-subunits of integrins — transmembrane adhesion proteins — associate with particular transmembrane and cytoplasmic proteins, providing a mechanism for the activation of specific intracellular signalling pathways by individual integrins.
Fanatical, Not Reasonable: A Short Correspondence between Walter Block and Milton Friedman

When I first received Milton Friedman’s letter in response to my article “Hayek’s Road to Serfdom,” I did not realize it would lead to more. Over the past few years I have shared these letters with several colleagues, friends, and students. However, such are his fame and accomplishments that I thought these back and forth letters might be of interest to a wider audience of readers.
Charge-based MOS correlated double sampling comparator and folding circuit

A novel charge-based comparator and folding circuit are presented. Correlated double sampling comparison is performed using a log-domain integrator, implemented by a subthreshold nMOS transistor with the source coupled to a capacitor. The circuit produces a current that is a logistic function of the change in voltage on the gate, with an input-referred offset voltage that is a logarithmic function of time. Folding operation for analog-to-digital conversion is obtained by differentially combining currents from a bank of these comparators. A prototype 128-channel parallel 4-bit gray-code analog-to-digital converter has been implemented in a 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS process, delivering 128 MS/sec at 76 mW power dissipation.
Relationship of medial temporal lobe atrophy, APOE genotype, and cognitive reserve in preclinical Alzheimer's disease

This study evaluated the utility of baseline and longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of medial temporal lobe brain regions collected when participants were cognitively normal and largely in middle age (mean age 57 years) to predict the time to onset of clinical symptoms associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Furthermore, we examined whether the relationship between MRI measures and clinical symptom onset was modified by apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype and level of cognitive reserve (CR). MRI scans and measures of CR were obtained at baseline from 245 participants who had been followed for up to 18 years (mean follow-up 11 years). A composite score based on reading, vocabulary, and years of education was used as an index of CR. Cox regression models showed that lower baseline volume of the right hippocampus and smaller baseline thickness of the right entorhinal cortex predicted the time to symptom onset independently of CR and ApoE-ɛ4 genotype, which also predicted the onset of symptoms. The atrophy rates of bilateral entorhinal cortex and amygdala volumes were also associated with time to symptom onset, independent of CR, ApoE genotype, and baseline volume. Only one measure, the left entorhinal cortex baseline volume, interacted with CR, such that smaller volumes predicted symptom onset only in individuals with lower CR. These results suggest that MRI measures of medial temporal atrophy, ApoE-ɛ4 genotype, and the protective effects of higher CR all predict the time to onset of symptoms associated with MCI in a largely independent, additive manner during the preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease.
Imaging melanin by two-photon absorption microscopy

Multiphoton excitation fluorescence microscopy has proven to be a powerful method for non-invasive, in vivo, thick tissue imaging with molecular specificity. However, many important endogenous biomolecules do not fluoresce (NAD) or fluoresce with low efficiency (Melanin). In this report femtosecond pulse shaping methods are used to measure two-photon absorption (TPA) directly with very high sensitivity. Combining with the laser scanning microscope, this Two-photon Absorption Microscopy (TPAM) retains the penetration and localization advantages of two-photon fluorescence microscopy and permits direct observation of important endogenous molecular markers (melanin or hemoglobin) which are invisible in multiphoton fluorescence microscopy. We have demonstrated here for the first time that TPAM can successfully and more efficiently image melanoma cells and tissues and provide a good melanin contrast in optical sectioning of the melanoma lesions which are comparable to pathological histology. Combining with the two-photon fluorescence images acquired simultaneously, the distribution patterns of the melanocytes and their intratissue behavior could be studied without cutting the lesions from patients. TPAM will undoubtedly find the applications in the clinical diagnosis and biomedical research.
Cellular processes causing defects in Bruch's membrane following krypton laser photocoagulation.

Abstract Krypton laser photocoagulation of the posterior fundus of the rat created white retinal lesions comparable with therapeutic burns in the human. Twenty-four hours after injury, the retinal pigment epithelium was destroyed and the majority of the endothelial cells survived. The choriocapillary lumen was occluded. Bruch's membrane was not fractured nor had it undergone thermal lysis in any area studied but choriocapillary endothelial cell buds invaded the choroidal side of Bruch's membrane. After seven days, cellular protrusions arising from retinal pigment epithelial cells traversed Bruch's membrane through full-thickness defects and entered the choroid. Although intense laser burns may destroy Bruch's membrane, we conclude from this data that many so-called "breaks" in Bruch's membrane following laser therapy are formed by cellular processes and are not caused primarily by laser coagulation.
The new US farm policies

Abstract This article is an early assessment of the agricultural policies of the Carter administration, particularly as they relate to Western Europe. The author examines emerging US farm policy with regard to: price and production, grain reserves, attitude toward the Common Agricultural Policy of the EEC, trade in agricultural products, and commodity agreements.
The role of perceptual salience and type of instruction in children’s recall of relevant and incidental dimensional values

Kindergarten and sixth-grade children were asked to recall the array locations of dimensional values in tasks in which instructions about the relevant dimension and the salience of the task dimensions were varied. For half of the subjects within each age group, the more salient dimension was relevant and the less salient dimension was incidental to problem solution. For the remaining subjects, the procedure was reversed. Before presenting the task within each salience condition, half of the subjects were shown the values of the relevant dimension and told to remember them. The results offered no support for the position that older subjects are cognitively better able than younger subjects to select relevant and to ignore incidental information. For younger and older subjects, both relevant and incidental recall were superior for values of the more salient dimension. Prior instructions about which dimension was relevant had no effect on recall.
Odor tracking flight of male Manduca sexta moths along plumes of different cross-sectional area

Males of the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, track wind-borne plumes of female sex pheromone by flying upwind, while continuously turning from side-to-side and changing altitude. Their characteristic "zigzagging" trajectory has long been thought to result from the interaction of two mechanisms, an odor-modulated orientation to wind and a built-in central nervous system turning program. An interesting and as of yet unanswered question about this tracking behavior is how the cross-section of an odor plume or its clean-air "edges" affects moths' odor tracking behavior. This study attempts to address this question by video recording and analyzing the behavior of freely flying M. sexta males tracking plumes from pheromone sources of different lengths and orientations with equal odor concentration per unit area. Our results showed that moths generated significantly wider tracks in wide plumes from the longest horizontally-oriented sources as compared to narrower point-source plumes, but had relatively unaltered tracks when orienting to plumes from the same length sources oriented vertically. This suggests that in addition to wind and the presence of pheromones, the area of the plume's cross section or its edges may also play an important role in the plume tracking mechanisms of M. sexta.
A qualitative analysis of perceptions and barriers to therapeutic lifestyle changes among homeless hypertensive patients.

Abstract Background Homeless individuals have higher rates of hypertension when compared to the general population. Therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLCs) have the potential to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension, yet TLCs can be difficult for homeless persons to implement because of competing priorities. Objectives To identify: (1) Patients' knowledge and perceptions of hypertension and TLCs and (2) Barriers to implementation of TLCs. Methods This qualitative study was conducted with patients from an urban health care for the homeless center. Patients ≥18 years old with a diagnosis of hypertension were eligible. Three focus groups were conducted at which time saturation was deemed to have been reached. Focus group sessions were audio recorded and transcribed for data analysis. A systematic, inductive analysis was conducted to identify emerging themes. Results A total of 14 individuals participated in one of the 3 focus groups. Most were female (n = 8) and African-American (n = 13). Most participants were housed in a shelter (n = 8). Others were staying with family or friends (n = 3), living on the street (n = 2), or had transitioned to housing (n = 1). Participants had a mixed understanding of hypertension and how TLCs impacted hypertension. They were most familiar with dietary and smoking recommendations and less familiar with exercise, alcohol, and caffeine TLCs. Participants viewed TLCs as being restrictive, particularly with regard to diet. Family and friends were viewed as helpful in encouraging some lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, but less helpful in having a positive influence on quitting smoking. Participants indicated that they often have difficulty implementing lifestyle changes because of limited meal choices, poor access to exercise equipment, and being uninformed about recommendations. Conclusions Despite the benefits of TLCs, homeless individuals experience unique challenges to implementing TLCs. Future research should focus on developing and testing interventions that facilitate TLCs among homeless persons. The findings from this study should assist health care practitioners, including pharmacists, with providing appropriate and effective education.
Tunable 2.5W continuous-wave optical source based on efficient parametric conversion in highly nonlinear fiber

An S-band tunable optical source based on highly-efficient parametric conversion is investigated. Generation of a continuous-wave 2.5W source that is tunable over 1470–1520nm is demonstrated.
On using Kalman Filter for Estimation of Unmeasurable Variables in Steel Mill Soaking Pit Control

In steel production, the main goal of the soaking pit operation is to equalize the temperature throughout the steel ingot masses at some prespecified level. Poor knowledge about the temperature distribution within the ingots results either in the underheating of ingots and an inability to roll them by the rolling mill, or in the overheating of ingots and a waste of energy. Unfortunately, no practical ways of direct measurement of the extermal and internal ingot temperatures (at least, for typical U.S. soaking pits) exist today. Thus, some estimation procedure is needed to do the on-line evaluation of the ingot temperatures. This paper describes one approach to the problem and some encouraging results that came out of its realization. A Kalman filter was used for the on-line ingot temperature estimation.
Needs and Aspirations of the Working Poor: Early Head Start Program Applicants:

This field study identified the characteristics, needs, and goals of 85 applicants for a new, suburban Early Head Start program, a recent federal initiative designed to address the needs of economically disadvantaged infants and toddlers and their families. Most applicants were working-poor, two-parent families with inadequate resources for meeting their basic needs, child-care needs, and personal wants; they had goals for becoming economically self-sufficient through more education, better jobs, and more income. Yet these applicants clearly were not a monolithic group. That the three distinct sociocultural subgroups identified within the sample differed significantly in characteristics, needs, and goals highlighted the critical importance of subgroup profiles for individualized family program planning. This also indicated the need for building coordinated and culturally sensitive community service systems and for developing and implementing individualized family service agreements to facilitate child wel...