cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determinants of the Uptake of the Full Dose of Diphtheria–Pertussis–Tetanus Vaccines (DPT3) in Northern Nigeria: A Multilevel Analysis

Objectives Health behaviors are influenced by an array of factors at the individual, household, community and societal levels. This paper examines the relative contribution of child’s characteristics, mother’s attributes, household profiles and community factors on the probability that a child will receive the full series of diphtheria–pertussis–tetanus vaccines (DPT3) as a proxy for full immunization. Methods We used data from a 2004 household survey conducted in three northern Nigeria states: Borno, Kano and Yobe. We estimated multilevel models with fixed effects specified at the individual, household and community levels, and random effects at the community level. Results Overall, only 16.0% of the children aged 12–35 months had received DPT3. The data show that a significant amount of the variation in DPT3 uptake occurs at the community level. The most significant predictors of the uptake of DPT3 are found at multiple levels and include child’s place of birth, presence of an immunization card, mother’s ideation, mother’s decision-making power and perceived social approval of immunization. The data further show that significant community-level variations in immunization uptake remain even after individual and household factors have been considered. Conclusions The data reveal that childhood immunization is influenced by norms and unmeasured factors at the community level in addition to factors operating at the level of the individual child and the household. Strategies for improving the uptake of immunization should include culturally appropriate interventions that target multiple levels of influences. Improving parental attitudes towards immunization without addressing the issue of community norms is not likely to yield significant results.
Advanced Via Inspection Tool

The AVIT inspects vias on unfired ceramic layers used in microelectronic packaging for paste fill depth spacing and size. Four shadow images from different angles and one vertical image determine the fill status of 100 89um vias in the area of 160mm by 160mm. Each via is filled with a conductive paste. The cycle time to inspect a greensheet is 3. 75 seconds. The paste depth is determined by the area of shadow given by each oblique direction. The greater area of shadow is used to determine via depth. In order to achieve the cycle time of 3. 75 seconds we incorporate a laser scanner rotating at 28 rpm telecentric scan lens and dedicated signal processing one of the electronic racks uses ECL running at 87 MHz. The other electronics are predominant Fast-TTL.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS OF PEROMYSCUS MANICULATUS AND PEROGNATHUS PARVUS IN EASTERN WASHINGTON

Populations of the deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus , and the Great Basin pocket mouse, Perognathus parvus , were studied from April through September 1969 in eastern Washington. Live-traps were set along an elevational gradient from 152 to 1067 meters. Peromyscus density increased with elevation, and that of Perognathus decreased. Edaphic conditions appear to be a major factor in distribution; Perognathus , a deep burrower, finds the stoneless, loose, sandy soil of the desert floor optimal habitat, whereas Peromyscus prefers shallow holes in the rocky substrate found at upper elevations. Deer mice may also thrive only at higher elevations because more moderate summer temperatures and greater available moisture permit them to remain active and to breed during the warmest months. Analyses of cheek pouch and stomach contents showed the greatest dietary overlap to occur in early spring, prior to seed ripening, when both species feed on insects. Thereafter Perognathus is preferentially granivorous; Peromyscus continues to be largely insectivorous. Partial temporal separation exists in both daily and seasonal activity patterns. Home ranges do overlap interspecifically but fights initiated by the more dominant Peromyscus appear to be rare in the naturally open field situation.
Plasma and cytoplasmic gelsolins are encoded by a single gene and contain a duplicated actin-binding domain.

Gelsolin is representative of a class of actin-modulating proteins found in lower eukaryotes to mammals, which sever actin filaments1. Gelsolin found in the cytoplasm of cells is functionally similar to a mammalian plasma protein of similar size, originally called ADF or brevin. Human plasma and rabbit macrophage gelsolins differ by the presence of a 25-amino-acid residue extension on plasma gelsolin which appears to account for the difference in relative molecular mass (Mr) between the proteins as assessed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), 93,000 (93K) and 90K, respectively2. Here we report the isolation of full-length human plasma gelsolin complementary DNA clones from a HepG2 library. The inferred amino-acid sequence reveals the presence of a signal peptide, a long tandem repeat that matches the actin-binding domains of gelsolin, a tetrapeptide present in actin and extended regions of identical sequence with rabbit macrophage gelsolin. Southern blot analysis indicates that a single gene in the haploid genome encodes both protein forms.
On the quasi-static approximation in general relativity

The three main methods used for solving the quasi-static field equations are discussed and it is shown that certain theorems have to be proved before it can be said that the physical equations of motion follow from the symmetry of the field around the sources. We have proved these results, and in the process have shown that there are seven and only seven physical equations of motion for each particle. These correspond to the classical equations of energy, motion and angular momentum. Also, we have shown that the quasi-static field equations may be integrated without expanding any particle parameters, and without introducing a stress-energy tensor.
The Neoclassicists vs. The Austrians: A Partial Reconciliation of Competing World Views

Economists of the neoclassical-Chicago and Austrian schools of thought are usually vociferous defenders of individual freedom, critics of government, developers of market economics, and believers in rational discourse as a means of seeking solutions to observed social concerns. However, instead of claiming intellectual kinship based on shared values and theoretical premises, members of both schools frequently dismiss (in private) one another as muddleheaded or even perverse in their theoretical attachments.
Progressive Zonal Outer Retinitis

We examined an immunocompetent patient with uniocular acute progressive outer retinitis. The retinitis was curvilinear in shape, showed progressive enlargement, and appeared to be altered by treatment with intravenous acyclovir. When regressed, the affected area of retina appeared atrophic and, at one-year follow-up, demonstrated intraretinal pigment migration with retinal pigment epithelial atrophy and atrophy of the choriocapillaris. Although visual acuity was unaffected, a dense scotoma was recorded on field testing. The response to acyclovir implicates the herpesvirus family, and acyclovir or another antiherpetic agent should be considered for such cases.
Lymphatic malformations: diagnosis and management.

Abstract Lymphatic malformations are benign vascular lesions that arise from embryological disturbances in the development of the lymphatic system. They encompass a wide spectrum of related abnormalities, including cystic lymphatic lesions, angiokeratoma, lymphatic malformations that occur in bones (Gorham–Stout Syndrome), lymphatic and chylous leak conditions, and lymphedema. This article will focus only on lymphatic malformation mass lesions, whereas other related disease entities will be covered elsewhere in this journal issue. Lymphatic malformations occur frequently in lymphatic-rich areas such as the head and neck region, but they can also be found on any anatomical site in the body. In general, lymphatic malformations are categorized into macrocystic, microcystic, or combined depending on the size of the cysts contained within the lesion. Lymphatic malformations can cause both deformation of the anatomical site involved and functional deficits. The goal of this article is to discuss the etiology, epidemiology, treatment modalities, and comorbidities associated with lymphatic malformations.
02A. Design, Methods, and Outcomes for Recent Clinical Trials Utilizing Ayurvedic Medicine, Yoga, and Meditation

Focus Area: Integrative Approaches to Care The panel discussants will present on the outcomes of four recent pragmatic trials covering the spectrum of Ayurvedic medicine, yoga, and meditation as therapeutic approaches for both acute and chronic conditions. The presenters will discuss: (1) a pilot study of a whole-systems Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy intervention for obesity; (2) a comparative eﬀectiveness randomized controlled trial of hatha yoga, physical therapy, and education for non-specific chronic low back pain in low-income minority populations; (3) an investigation of the therapeutic usefulness of Shirodhara (Ayurvedic oil dripping therapy) as a treatment for insomnia; and (4) a discussion of the evidence base supporting implementation of meditation interventions in schools and workplace settings. Discussants will present information on study designs, research methodology, and outcome measure selection to highlight special considerations in conducting research on whole medical systems that use multi-target therapies and focus on patient-centered outcomes. Ayurvedic medicine and yoga are characterized by low-cost, noninvasive interventions that can be usefully offered as part of an integrative medicine therapeutic approach.
Age differences in responses to temporally modulated patterns at 6 and 12 weeks

In this study of young infants' attentive responses to patterned visual stimuli, 6- and 12-week-old groups of infants responded differently, based on behavioral and cardiac indices of attention, to temporal modulation. Looking behavior and phasic heart-rate changes were measured while infants viewed checkerboard and bull's-eye patterns presented continuously, flashed at 1 Hz, or flashed at 5 Hz. For 12-week-oid subjects, visual fixation increased with increasing flashing rate, and cardiac responses were more decelerative to flashing than to continuous patterns. For 6-week-old subjects, total durations of visual fixation did not differ among conditions; however, durations of first fixation to each pattern were reduced in the flashing conditions. These infants showed slight decelerative cardiac responses to the continuous and 1-Hz patterns but markedly accelerative responses to the 5-Hz patterns. State changes and/or movement increases were coded from videotape and were rejected as major contributors to this accelerative response. The observed differences between 6- and 12-week-old infants add to a multitude of evidence suggestive of discontinuities around 2 months of age.
GEOMETRIC CONTROL THEORY AND CLASSICAL PROBLEMS IN CHEMICAL REACTOR DESIGN

Abstract A classical problem in chemical reactor design can be stated roughly in the following way: Given a network of chemical reactions and a specified feed, how should one design a chemical reactor to enhance the production of certain desired species while suppressing the production of undesired ones? The purpose of this article is to describe recent work in which geometric control theory provides sometimes surprising answers to classical reactor design questions. As an example it is shown that, associated with a given reaction network (with kinetics) and a given feed composition, there are certain exceptional numbers – something like eigenvalues – having special significance for reactor design: A classical steady-state CFSTR design can have an optimal conversion relative to all other steady-state designs only if the CFSTR residence time assumes one of those exceptional values.
Comparison of inferior oblique myectomy to recession for the treatment of superior oblique palsy

Purpose To compare inferior oblique (IO) myectomy with recession for the treatment of superior oblique (SO) palsy. Methods A retrospective review of medical records identified all patients with SO palsy who underwent IO weakening procedures. Patients were excluded if IO muscle surgery was bilateral, combined with other vertical muscle surgery and if follow up was less than 4 weeks. Good outcome parameters were: improvement of deviation in primary gaze, resolution of diplopia in primary and reading gazes and correction of head tilt to the contralateral side. We analysed subsets of subjects with large preoperative vertical deviations (>15Δ) and those with small-moderate deviations (≤15Δ). Comparisons were made using Wilcoxon rank sum and Fisher9s exact tests. Results Eighty-five patients met the study criteria. Forty-three eyes underwent myectomy, and 42 underwent recession of the IO. Those patients who underwent myectomy compared with recession had less postoperative hypertropia (HT) in primary gaze (p Conclusions IO weakening procedures, including both recession and myectomy, are effective in the treatment of SO palsy. While the two procedures were similar in treatment of diplopia and abnormal head tilt, our findings support myectomy as slightly more effective than recession in improving HT in primary gaze; this difference is more pronounced in individuals with small-moderate preoperative hyperdeviations.
Infant and fetal mortality among a high fertility and mortality population in the Bolivian Amazon.

Abstract Indigenous populations experience higher rates of poverty, disease and mortality than non-indigenous populations. To gauge current and future risks among Tsimane Amerindians of Bolivia, I assess mortality rates and growth early in life, and changes in risks due to modernization, based on demographic interviews conducted Sept. 2002–July 2005. Tsimane have high fertility (total fertility rate = 9) and infant mortality (13%). Infections are the leading cause of infant death (55%). Infant mortality is greatest among women who are young, monolingual, space births close together, and live far from town. Infant mortality declined during the period 1990–2002, and a higher rate of reported miscarriages occurred during the 1950–1989 period. Infant deaths are more frequent among those born in the wet season. Infant stunting, underweight and wasting are common (34%, 15% and 12%, respectively) and greatest for low-weight mothers and high parity infants. Regression analysis of infant growth shows minimal regional differences in anthropometrics but greater stunting and underweight during the first two years of life. Males are more likely to be underweight, wasted, and spontaneously aborted. Whereas morbidity and stunting are prevalent in infancy, greater food availability later in life has not yet resulted in chronic diseases (e.g. hypertension, atherosclerosis and diabetes) in adulthood due to the relatively traditional Tsimane lifestyle.
The Response of Host-Seeking Cephenemyia Females to Visual Cues Associated with Anatomically-Modified Baited Deer Models

Females of C. jellisoni larviposited significantly more often on deer models with black or blue muzzles than on models with red or white muzzles. Females of C. apicata only larviposited on models with black muzzles. For C. jellisoni, which sprays larvae into nostrils, a model having a muzzle with no nostrils received no larvipositions, but females larviposited into all nostril depressions placed in abnormal positions on muzzles. For C. apicata, which targets the lips, there was no significant difference in the number of larvipositions on muzzles with nostrils in abnormal positions or when muzzles were oriented in different positions. For both species there was no significant difference in the number of larvipositions on models when CO2 was released at different parts of the body.
Attachment style, childhood adversity, and behavioral risk among young men who have sex with men.

Abstract Purpose To examine relationships among childhood adversity, attachment style (one's core beliefs regarding the self and others), and the following risk behaviors and contexts among young men who have sex with men (YMSM): homelessness, daily substance use, participation in sex work, involvement in the criminal justice system, and being out of school or work. Methods Using a targeted sampling approach, we recruited 569 YMSM aged 17–28 years from natural venues in New York City including bars, clubs, parks, and bus stations. Youth completed a structured interview assessing lifetime and current risk and protective contexts and behavior. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical methods, including hierarchical logistic regression. Results After controlling for demographic characteristics and childhood adversity, YMSM with a fearful attachment style were more likely to have been homeless (OR 2.93, 95% CI 1.65–5.18), to have participated in sex work (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.44–3.85), to use substances daily (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.29–6.03), to have been involved in the criminal justice system (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.38–3.01), and to be out of school/work (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.47–4.15). Three subgroups were particularly vulnerable: YMSM who identified as heterosexual, or bisexual, and/or transgender. Conclusions A fearful attachment style contributes to some YMSM remaining outside of the protective systems of family, school, and work, and is associated with risky contexts where they are less likely to encounter prosocial peers and adults. Further, it is associated with risk behavior. Although gay-identified youth are generally found to have poor outcomes when compared with the general population of adolescents, in the present report, YMSM who identified as heterosexual were at particular risk. Attachment theory can guide interventions by informing how individuals experience relationships and manage developmental transitions.
Nonlinear Response of Flexible Robotic Manipulators Performing Repetitive Tasks

For a manipulator programmed to perform repetitive tasks, the dynamical equations governing the compliant motion are parametrically excited. Nonlinear dynamics of a two-degree-of-freedom model is investigated in parameter regions where the nominal motion is predicted by the Floquet theory to be unstable. Multiple time scales technique is used to study the nonlinear response, and it is shown that the compliant coordinates can execute small but finite amplitude periodic motions
Rapid conversion of cellulose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using single and combined metal chloride catalysts in ionic liquid

Abstract Direct conversion of cellulose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was performed by using single or combined metal chloride catalysts in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([EMIM]Cl) ionic liquid. Our study demonstrated formation of 2-furyl hydroxymethyl ketone (FHMK), and furfural (FF) simultaneously with the formation of HMF. Various reaction parameters were addressed to optimize yields of furan derivatives produced from cellulose by varying reaction temperature, time, and the type of metal chloride catalyst. Catalytic reaction by using FeCl 3 resulted in 59.9% total yield of furan derivatives (HMF, FHMK, and FF) from cellulose. CrCl 3 was the most effective catalyst for selective conversion of cellulose into HMF (35.6%) with less concentrations of FHMK, and FF. Improving the yields of furans produced from cellulose could be achieved via reactions catalyzed by different combinations of two metal chlorides. Further optimization was carried out to produce total furans yield 75.9% by using FeCl 3 /CuCl 2 combination. CrCl 3 /CuCl 2 was the most selective combination to convert cellulose into HMF (39.9%) with total yield (63.8%) of furans produced from the reaction. The temperature and time of the catalytic reaction played an important role in cellulose conversion, and the yields of products. Increasing the reaction temperature could enhance the cellulose conversion and HMF yield for short reaction time intervals (5–20 min).
Gabor frames and directional time–frequency analysis

Abstract We introduce a directionally sensitive time–frequency decomposition and representation of functions. The coefficients of this representation allow us to measure the “amount” of frequency a function (signal, image) contains in a certain time interval, and also in a certain direction. This has been previously achieved using a version of wavelets called ridgelets [E.J. Candes, Harmonic analysis of neural networks, Appl. Comput. Harmon. Anal. 6 (1999) 197–218. [2] ; E.J. Candes, D.L. Donoho, New tight frames of curvelets and optimal representations of objects with piesewise- C 2 singularities, Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 57 (2004) 219–266. [3] ] but in this work we discuss an approach based on time–frequency or Gabor elements. For such elements, a Parseval formula and a continuous frame-type representation together with boundedness properties of a semi-discrete frame operator are obtained. Spaces of functions tailored to measure quantitative properties of the time–frequency–direction analysis coefficients are introduced and some of their basic properties are discussed. Applications to image processing and medical imaging are presented.
Seizure activity in vitro: a dual focus model.

Abstract Recently, we have reported that the exposure of hippocampal slices in vitro to artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) containing no added magnesium results in ictal-like (ictaform) activity in area CA3 of the hippocampal formation. Other reports describe such activity in slices of entorhinal cortex (EC) under similar conditions. Because of the close interrelationship between the entorhinal area and the hippocampal formation, we have begun to study, in vitro, brain slices which contain both the entorhinal cortex and the hippocampal formation. In these slices, we have found that, in the magnesium-free (0-Mg 2+ ) model, there is good electrical communication between area CA3 and the EC. Simultaneous recordings of the activity in the EC and CA3 showed that, when the circuitry linking the two areas was intact, the EC tended to initiate the ictaform activity and lead CA3. However, late in the event, CA3 could lead EC. Furthermore, interictal-like spontaneous bursting in CA3 led to a disorganized pattern of ictaform activity in EC. Finally, when the EC was separated from the hippocampal formation, both areas were capable of ictaform activity which was temporally unrelated. This model provides the opportunity to explore the relationship between two epileptogenic areas in vitro, and to compare and contrast the morphology of the ictaform activity present in both structures. As such, it may prove valuable in both pharmacological and physiological studies of seizure disorders.
A case of sensory ataxia as the presenting manifestation of Neurosarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis rarely selectively affects the cauda equina with characteristic motor and sensory impairments. Using imaging, we report a case of cauda equina polyradicul- opathy presenting with progressive sensory ataxia without clin- ical or electrophysiological evidence of motor involvement. Neurosarcoidosis was diagnosed pathologically by proximal dorsal root biopsy after systemic investigations for inflamma- tory, infectious, and neoplastic etiologies were found to be negative. There was clinical and radiographic improvement with corticosteroids. In addition, we review previously reported cases of cauda equina sarcoidosis. Muscle Nerve 43: 900-905, 2011 Nervous system involvement has been reported in up to 4% of patients with sarcoidosis, of whom 70% present initially with neurological symp- toms. 1-3 Among sarcoidosis patients without neuro- logical symptoms, at least one third will have sub- clinical evidence of nervous system involvement on pathologic review at autopsy. 4-6 Cranial neuropa- thies are the most common neurological manifes- tations of sarcoidosis. Unilateral or bilateral facial nerve palsies are most recognized, although abdu- cens nerve, optic nerve, vagus nerve, or multiple cranial neuropathies have also been reported. 1,2,5 Other neurological presentations include aseptic meningitis, seizures, hypothalamic dysfunction, encephalopathy, movement disorders, psychiatric symptoms, hydrocephalus, peripheral neuropathy, myopathy, spinal cord disease, and rarely, cauda equina involvement. 2,3,6,7 Among biopsy-confirmed sarcoid neuropathy patients, pain and positive sen- sory symptoms are more problematic than weak- ness or sensory loss, although root involvement with associated imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities is also common. 7
On the role of electronic polarization in continuous structural transitions

Martensitic transitions are defined to be diffusionless structural transitions that lower the crystal symmetry and in which the order parameter, usually strain and shuffle, changes discontinuously. It had been proposed that martensitic transitions are driven by the entropy, due to the soft phonons. Anderson and Blount have shown that it is highly improbable that structural transitions are second-order (continuous), and they have suggested that the apparently continuous structural transition in V 3 Si is a ferroelectric transition. Recently, a continuous structural martensitic transition has also been identified in crystalline AuZn by Lashley et al. Furthermore, pressure measurements on AuZn show that the martensitic temperature can be depressed and suggest the existence of a quantum critical point. The exact nature of the apparently continuous structural transitions is still being debated. However, measurements of magneto-acoustic oscillations in the speed of sound of AuZn indicate that the phonon softening may be driven by the polarization of the conduction electrons. This has been confirmed by recent measurements on AuZn and V 3 Si in magnetic fields, which have shown that the transitions are intimately linked to the dielectric response, and are in accord with the predictions of Dieterich and Fulde for V 3 Si. The field dependence of the electronic polarization and its role in the transition is discussed.
Mirror mirror on the wall (On two-dimensional black holes and Liouville theory)

We present a novel derivation of the duality between the two-dimensional Euclidean black hole and supersymmetric Liouville theory. We realise these (1+1)-dimensional conformal field theories on the worldvolume of domain walls in a (2+1)-dimensional gauge theory. We show that there exist two complementary descriptions of the domain wall dynamics, resulting in the two mirror conformal field theories. In particular, effects which are usually attributed to worldsheet instantons are captured by the classical scattering of domain walls.
Remote Control of Behavior through Genetically Targeted Photostimulation of Neurons

Optically gated ion channels were expressed in circumscribed groups of neurons in the Drosophila CNS so that broad illumination of flies evoked action potentials only in genetically designated target cells. Flies harboring the "phototriggers" in different sets of neurons responded to laser light with behaviors specific to the sites of phototrigger expression. Photostimulation of neurons in the giant fiber system elicited the characteristic escape behaviors of jumping, wing beating, and flight; photostimulation of dopaminergic neurons caused changes in locomotor activity and locomotor patterns. These responses reflected the direct optical activation of central neuronal targets rather than confounding visual input, as they persisted unabated in carriers of a mutation that eliminates phototransduction. Encodable phototriggers provide noninvasive control interfaces for studying the connectivity and dynamics of neural circuits, for assigning behavioral content to neurons and their activity patterns, and, potentially, for restoring information corrupted by injury or disease.
SU‐E‐T‐290: Results of a 12 Year Survey of Workload for 10 Linear Accelerators at a High‐Throughput Comprehensive Cancer Center

Purpose: To report on the workload for 10 different treatment machines in terms of number of patients (pts), monitor units delivered (MUs), dose at isocenter (Gys), use factors (U) and modulation factors (C). Methods: The survey was performed for 10 treatment machines in the years from 2001 to 2012. The machines represented different generations of Varian linear accelerators (6EX, 600C, 2100C, 2100EX, and True Beam) operating at different electron and photon energies (6, 9, 12, 16 and 20 MeV electrons and, 6 and 15MV photons). An IRB approval was acquired to perform this study. Data regarding patient workload, number of monitor units delivered, dose at isocenter, beam energies, gantry angles, and techniques were exported from ARIA treatment management system (Varian Medical Systems) into excel spreadsheets. Data analysis was performed in Matlab (R2011a). Results: The number of patients, dose at isocenter, and number of monitor units delivered per week in 2002 was on average 92±32 pts, 267±34 Gys, and (49.2±10) × 103 MUs respectively. Meanwhile, the average workload in 2012 was 106±38 pts, 326±69 Gys, and (110.7±34) × 103 MUs. The photon beam energies predominantly used were the 6 and 15 MV. The modulation factors for SBRT (CS) and IMRT (CI) were 4.1 and 3.4. Use factor (30° bin angles) varied considerably among different techniques and ranged between 0.06 and 0.35. Conclusion: The workload, in terms of monitor units (MUs), has been steadily increasing over the past decade. However, the patient workload and consequently the dose at isocenter remained relatively constant. This increase can be attributed to the emergence of treatment techniques (SBRT, IMRT) which require more MUs per Gy as compared to more conventional treatment (3DCRT). The findings of this report show that variables are still within the recommendation of NCRP Report 151. youtube to mp3
Intelligence tests on trial: An “interview” with judges Robert F. Peckham and John F. Grady

Abstract The issue of culturally biased intelligence tests has been heard in two federal courts. Judge Robert F. Peckham, in the Larry P., et al. v. Wilson Riles, et al. case, ruled that intelligence tests were culturally biased. In contrast, Judge John F. Grady, in the Parents in Action on Special Education, et al. v. Joseph P. Hannon, et al. case, ruled that intelligence tests were not culturally biased. A mock “interview” based on the judges' written opinions, shows similarities and differences in their approach to various issues involved in the trials.
ISOELECTRIC POINTS FOR THE MYCELIUM OF FUNGI.

1. Mycelium of Rhizopus nigricans when stained with certain acid and basic dyes and washed with buffer mixtures of 0.1 M phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide responded much like an amphoteric colloid with an isoelectric point near pH 5.0. 2. When grown on potato dextrose agar the reaction of which was varied with phosphoric acid the extent of colony growth of Rhizopus nigricans plotted against the initial Sorensen value of the agar produced a double maximum curve with the minimum between the two maxima at initial pH 5.2. 3. When grown in potato dextrose broth the reaction of which was varied with phosphoric acid the dry matter produced by Rhizopus nigricans plotted against the Sorensen value of the broth produced a double maximum curve with the minimum between the two maxima at initial pH 5.2 or average pH 4.9. 4. Mycelium of Rhizopus nigricans placed in buffer mixtures of 0.01 M phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide of pH 4.1 to 6.3, changed the reaction in most cases toward greater alkalinity. 5. Mycelium of Fusarium lycopersici stained with certain acid and basic dyes and washed with buffer mixtures of 0.1 M phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide responded much like an amphoteric colloid with an isoelectric point near pH 5.5.
Respiration-induced motion of the kidneys in whole abdominal radiotherapy: implications for treatment planning and late toxicity

Abstract Purpose : Whole abdominal radiotherapy (WAR) has potential utility in the management of several malignancies. The limited radiation tolerance of the kidneys is an important consideration in the design of WAR fields. Although renal blocking is standard for WAR, few guidelines exist in the literature to factor respiration-induced kidney motion into the design of these blocks. Methods : Radiographs were obtained to measure kidney excursion under forced respiratory conditions in eight patients (14 visualized kidneys). Intravenous contrast was administered and AP films were obtained at maximum inspiration and expiration. Renal excursion was measured relative to a horizontal reference line at the bottom of the L3 vertebral body. The kidney position on the actual treatment simulation film was also determined using this technique. Treatment isodose distributions through the kidneys were obtained for a sample patient using phantom measurements and two blocking schemes: AP/PA and PA only. These provided quantification of the actual dose received by the kidney in a typical WAR treatment. Results : In the worst case scenario, the left kidney block required an additional 10 mm above and 15 mm below the renal silhouette on the simulation film in order to account for all phases of respiration. The corresponding values for the right kidney were 2 mm and 19 mm, respectively. The dose received by the kidney under the center of the block was 20% of prescribed using AP/PA blocks and 50% of prescribed using PA blocks only. However, portions of ‘blocked' kidney received up to 90% of the prescribed dose with either technique. Conclusions : Although kidney motion under forced respiratory conditions is not representative of typical treatment conditions, the data highlight the possibility of renal movement during treatment. This is particularly important in light of the significant dose (20 to 50%) delivered to the kidney under the center of the kidney block in typical treatments. Given the potential for overdosage of this critical organ, careful prospective documentation of renal function is warranted in patients receiving WAR.
Development and evolution of avian racket plumes: Fine structure and serial homology of the wire

Avian racket plumes, characterized by a vaned paddle-shaped tip borne on a wirelike segment, are among the most spectacular pennaceous contour feathers. This is the first detailed description of the fine structure of the wirelike segment in several racket plumes that acquire their shape exclusively during development, for the parrot Prioniturus discurus, the hummingbirds Ocreatus underwoodii and Loddigesia mirabilis, the kingfisher Tanysiptera carolinae, and the bird of paradise Parotia carolae. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that the wirelike segments are comprised of small, structurally simplified barbs located along a central rachis, indicating that racket plumes retain the basic structural organization of pennaceous contour feathers. The diverse structures provide evidence of several alterations to normal developmental processes, including arrested and disrupted development of the barbs. Many of the major differences among the five species in the fine structure of the wire apparently result from differences in the morphogenesis of barb ridges on the epidermal collar of the developing plume. The structure and morphogenesis of the racket plumes described herein are distinct from those described in motmots (Momotidae), indicating that racket plumes can evolve through convergence.
Kinetics, Dialysis Systems, and Adequacy Copper deficiency: A common cause of erythropoietin (rHuEPO) resistant anemia in children on hemodialysis (HD)?

Copper (CU) deficiency, as reflected by a low serum CU and ceruloplasmin (CER) level, is a rare complication of chronic HD. When present, common clinical manifestations include anemia and neutropenia. Anecdotally, CU deficiency has been linked to the use of sevelamer hydrochloride (SH), a recently introduced phosphate binding agent. The finding of severe CU deficiency and rHuEPO-resistant anemia in 3 of our patients (pts) prompted a review of our entire pediatric HD population for the frequency of CU deficiency and its possible relationship to SH. An assessment of serum CU was conducted in 17 pts (male-11; mean age 169.4 + 49.6 mo) who had received HD for 21.5 + 33.9 months. All pts received three 4-hour HD sessions weekly with mean single-pool and equilibrated Kt/V values of 2.29 + 2.5 and 1.56 + 0.37, respectively. 14 of 17 (82%) pts had low serum CU levels with a mean value of 69.1 + 38.3 mcG/DL (normal = 85–150 mcG/DL). 9 of 17 (53%) pts had values <60 mcG/DL and 3 pts had values <25 mcG/DL with CER values of 1.2 mg/dL, 0.6 mg/dL, and 1.8 mg/dL, respectively (normal = 24–40 mg/dL). In the latter 3 pts, hemoglobin values fell to 5.4 gm/dL, 5.2 gm/dL, and 9.2 gm/dL despite regular rHuEPO dosing and adequate iron stores and all pts responded to supplemental CU therapy. The mean hemoglobin of the remaining 14 pts was 11.7 + 1.3 gm/dL. Whereas 13 of 14 (93%) CU deficient pts were receiving SH (142.1 + 112.3 mg/kg/d) for 331.0 + 293.6 days at the time of the CU assessment, there was no significant relationship demonstrated between the dose of SH or the duration of SH therapy and the serum CU level. In conclusion, CU deficiency appears to commonly occur in pediatric HD pts with extremely low values associated with profound anemia responsive to CU therapy. While the chronology of CU deficiency and the introduction of SH suggests an association, additional research is necessary to address this issue in a more definitive manner.
Resonant waveguide field enhancement in dimers

It is shown that a waveguide mode, which exists between metal dimer particles and does not cut off, produces an enhanced electric field and hence a mechanism for surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Structures can thus be designed that provide large average field enhancement over significant length scales.
Kinetic properties of mirror waves in magnetosheath plasmas

Linear and nonlinear properties of waves excited by the mirror instability in high beta, low anisotropy plasmas characteristic of the magnetosheath are investigated using linear theory and one-dimensional hybrid simulations. The mechanisms for wave growth and saturation at low amplitudes are discussed. A new method is considered for generating the large amplitude mirror waves observed in the magnetosheath based on external compression of magnetic flux tubes. Simulations in which the anisotropy is maintained by recycling the ions shows this process can inhibit the growth of ion cyclotron waves and enhances the growth of mirror waves.
Tissue Factor Mediates Prolonged Procoagulant Activity on the Luminal Surface of Balloon-Injured Aortas in Rabbits

Background Activation of coagulation has been implicated in both acute thrombotic occlusion and restenosis after balloon angioplasty. However, concomitant administration of antithrombotic agents has thus far failed to prevent these complications. Importantly, the factors contributing to procoagulant activity of balloon-injured arteries over time have not been defined. This study was designed to determine the duration of procoagulant activity on the luminal surface of balloon-injured arteries and the relative roles of tissue factor and thrombin in this response. Methods and Results Abdominal aortas in rabbits were subjected to repetitive balloon hyperinflations sufficient to disrupt the internal elastic lamina. Aortas were excised at <1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 48, and 72 hours and 1, 2, and 4 weeks after injury; divided into segments; and perfused with recalcified human pooled plasma (n=58) or plasma depleted of vitamin K–dependent coagulation factors (n=27) or first incubated with a monoclonal antibody to rabbit tissue factor (n=33) followed by perfusion with human plasma. Samples of the effluent and plasma perfusate were collected over 10 minutes and assayed for fibrinopeptide A (FPA) as an index of the rate of thrombin-induced fibrin formation. FPA in the effluent from segments perfused with recalcified plasma, expressed as a percentage of FPA in the perfusate, was elevated for 16 hours after balloon-induced injury and exhibited two distinct increases occurring <1 hour (1297±473%, mean±SD, n=5) and 8 hours (1052±330%, n=6) after injury ( P ≤.000001 versus uninjured vessels). Preincubation of segments at these intervals with an antibody to tissue factor markedly attenuated the increases in FPA, as did perfusion of segments with plasma depleted of vitamin K–dependent coagulation factors, indicating that the observed increases in FPA in whole plasma did not result from preformed thrombin bound to the injured vessel wall. Conclusions Tissue factor–mediated coagulation appears to be primarily responsible for prolonged procoagulant activity of balloon-injured arteries.
Programmable impulse neural circuits

A description is given of CMOS electronic circuits which emulate natural neurons at a more detailed level than that typically used by artificial neural network models. A pulse-firing circuit which realizes general short-term neuron dynamics is discussed. Both fixed and programmable synapse circuits for realizing long-term dynamics are also described. Together, these establish the basic structures required for the implementation of programmable impulse neural networks. >
Communication Skills Training in a Hospice Volunteer Training Program

As hospice services have expanded, patient care volunteers have become increasingly important in providing support to the dying and their families. Fundamental to the success of hospice volunteers is the quality of interaction among the volunteer, the dying patient, and his or her family. This article examines the extent to which a specific hospice program provided communication skills training for its volunteers. Results indicate that, while listening, empathy, and nonverbal communication were touched upon, broader communication skills were not addressed and specific communication skills training was not provided. The implications for this lack of communication training are noted and methods of increasing active empathetic listening skills are proposed. The article concludes with a discussion of potential theoretical and pragmatic research contributions that the field of communication studies can make to hospice training programs.
Agent trust evaluation and team formation in heterogeneous organizations

This demonstration highlights different aspects of the bottom-up assembly of multi-agent teams; illustrating trust evaluation of potential partners via experience- and reputation-based trust models, multi-dimensional trust evaluation of potential partners, task selection through personality-based modeling and team selection strategies that maximize a team's ability to function in dynamic environments. The demonstration format will be a software live demo with supporting slide shows.
A fast radiative transfer model for visible through shortwave infrared spectral reflectances in clear and cloudy atmospheres

Abstract A computationally efficient radiative transfer model (RTM) for calculating visible (VIS) through shortwave infrared (SWIR) reflectances is developed for use in satellite and airborne cloud property retrievals. The full radiative transfer equation (RTE) for combinations of cloud, aerosol, and molecular layers is solved approximately by using six independent RTEs that assume the plane-parallel approximation along with a single-scattering approximation for Rayleigh scattering. Each of the six RTEs can be solved analytically if the bidirectional reflectance/transmittance distribution functions (BRDF/BTDF) of the cloud/aerosol layers are known. The adding/doubling (AD) algorithm is employed to account for overlapped cloud/aerosol layers and non-Lambertian surfaces. Two approaches are used to mitigate the significant computational burden of the AD algorithm. First, the BRDF and BTDF of single cloud/aerosol layers are pre-computed using the discrete ordinates radiative transfer program (DISORT) implemented with 128 streams, and second, the required integral in the AD algorithm is numerically implemented on a twisted icosahedral mesh. A concise surface BRDF simulator associated with the MODIS land surface product (MCD43) is merged into a fast RTM to accurately account for non-isotropic surface reflectance. The resulting fast RTM is evaluated with respect to its computational accuracy and efficiency. The simulation bias between DISORT and the fast RTM is large (e.g., relative error >5%) only when both the solar zenith angle (SZA) and the viewing zenith angle (VZA) are large (i.e., SZA>45° and VZA>70°). For general situations, i.e., cloud/aerosol layers above a non-Lambertian surface, the fast RTM calculation rate is faster than that of the 128-stream DISORT by approximately two orders of magnitude.
Forage production of cool season pasture grasses as related to irrigation

A significant portion of the irrigated acreage in the intermountain western U.S. is comprised of cool season grass pastures. Droughts, coupled with increasing demands for limited water supplies in the region, have decreased the water volumes available for irrigating these pastures and other crops. Consequently, relationship between crop yield and irrigation (water production functions) should be defined for various species and cultivars to help growers and water managers make appropriate selections based on water availability. During a 3-year study on the Colorado Plateau, a line-source irrigation system was used to evaluate the relationship between applied water and dry forage production of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), meadow brome (Bromus riparius Rehmann), smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.), two cultivars of intermediate wheatgrass (Elytrigia intermedium [Host] Nevski), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum L. Gaertn. X desertorum [Fisch. ex Link] J.A. Schultes) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Irrigation treatments, including precipitation, ranged from 457 to 970 mm in 1996, 427 to 754 mm in 1997 and 490 to 998 mm in 1998. There was a positive linear relationship between yield and irrigation for all cultivars when averaged over all years but the relationships varied between cultivars and years. Orchardgrass, meadow brome and tall fescue produced more dry forage than the other grasses at the highest irrigation levels in all years. These grasses also produced the greatest rates of yield increase per unit of irrigation (average of 0.0129 Mg ha 1 mm 1 ) and exhibited greater yield stability from year to year than the other grasses at irrigation levels above 700 mm. The intermediate wheatgrasses produced more forage than the other grasses under limited irrigation (less than 600 mm) but the average production rate with irrigation (0.0066 Mg ha 1 mm 1 ) was only about half that of the aforementioned