cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A suite of automated tools to quantify hand and wrist motor function after cervical spinal cord injury

Cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI) often causes chronic upper extremity disability. Reliable measurement of arm function is critical for development of therapies to improve recovery after cSCI. In this study, we report a suite of automated rehabilitative tools to allow simple, quantitative assessment of hand and wrist motor function. We measured range of motion and force production using these devices in cSCI participants with a range of upper limb disability and in neurologically intact participants at two time points separated by approximately 4 months. Additionally, we determined whether measures collected with the rehabilitative tools correlated with standard upper limb assessments, including the Graded Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensibility, and Prehension (GRASSP) and the Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT). We find that the rehabilitative devices are useful to provide assessment of upper limb function in physical units over time in SCI participants and are well-correlated with standard assessments. These results indicate that these tools represent a reliable system for longitudinal evaluation of upper extremity function after cSCI and may provide a framework to assess the efficacy of strategies aimed at improving recovery of upper limb function.
Reply to Lambers et al.: How does nitrogen-fixing red alder eat rocks?

The symbiotic nitrogen (N)-fixing tree red alder ( Alnus rubra ) is an ecologically and economically important species that has been studied for over 50 y (1, 2). Our recent finding that red alder can preferentially access rock-derived nutrients provides additional insight into the ecology of this N-fixing tree. Our manuscript evaluates several explanations for how red alder eats rocks and suggests that the main driver is nitric acid (3). Lambers et al. (4) agree that red alder preferentially accesses rock-derived nutrients, but instead hypothesize that red alder produces cluster roots, which mobilize rock-derived nutrients by releasing carboxylates. Our analysis builds on widespread observations that excess fixed N … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: sperakis{at}usgs.gov. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Practice Patterns Among Radiation Oncologists Treating Pediatric Patients With Proton Craniospinal Irradiation.

Abstract Purpose Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is an important component of therapy for many pediatric central nervous system malignancies. Proton therapy is increasingly available and used for minimizing radiation exposure to normal tissues. The absence of an exit dose with proton therapy mandates decisions regarding coverage of the vertebral bodies (VB) in non–skeletally mature patients. Although the contents within the thecal sac represent the true clinical target volume (CTV), some physicians target the entire VB in growing children because of concerns over asymmetrical growth. This study aims to assess current practice patterns regarding VB coverage for pediatric patients undergoing CSI. Methods and Materials Pediatric radiation oncologists were identified from the Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group pediatric subcommittee membership or affiliation with US proton centers. Potential participants were contacted by e-mail with a link to an institutional review board–approved, anonymized web-based survey distributed in June 2017 with follow-up in October 2017. The survey used skip logic and included up to 11 questions regarding practice patterns. Results Thirty-three physicians responded to the survey (39%), 5 of which were excluded for lack of recent pediatric proton CSI experience. Of the 28 included responses, 23 physicians sometimes treat the entire VB and 5 physicians report always treating the entire VB. Most common responses regarding anterior CTV expansion for uncertainty were no expansion (n = 9) and 3 to 4 mm (n = 8). Most physicians modify the anterior CTV margin to protect normal structures, most commonly esophagus (n = 15), thyroid (n = 6), heart (n = 5), bowel (n = 4), and pharynx (n = 2). Conclusions Vertebral body coverage in proton CSI varies among radiation oncologists in respect to target delineation, CTV expansions, and modifications for organs at risk. These data suggest the radiation oncology community may benefit from a standardized approach to pediatric proton-based CSI.
Conceptual modeling for improved understanding of the Rio Grande/Río Bravo socio-environmental system

Social processes are essential components of human-environment systems and their dynamics. However, modeling a tightly coupled socio-environmental system over a large area and across wide social and environmental diversity presents several challenges, given the complexity of the interactions and their spatial heterogeneity. The transboundary Rio Grande/Rio Bravo (RGB) Basin is an excellent case study to address these challenges. Water scarcity and over-allocation of water are present in a highly engineered system with extensive damming and a complex structure of agreements and compacts that govern the distribution of hydrological resources among users. Since no basin-wide approaches to modeling the RGB as a socio-environmental system exist, we attempt to close this gap. Building on data collected through extensive ethnographic fieldwork, we used a structured, collaborative, and integrative approach for documenting existing knowledge on and modeling of the RGB socio-environmental system. We assess different models for conceptualizing human behavior applied in the RGB, identify a need to redefine the (spatial) boundaries of the system and produce inductively generated knowledge about the interlinkages of social processes with environmental system components in the form of a semi-quantitative conceptual model. Our research demonstrates an alternative to ad-hoc approaches to defining “the social” in socio-environmental models and is a first step towards the development of a basin-wide computer simulation model of the RGB socio-environmental system.
Towards An Ocean Altimetry Product Using Cygnss

This paper presents recent work being done to produce a new GNSS Reflectometry (GNSS-R) ocean altimetry product using data from NASA’s CYGNSS Mission, a constellation of 8 small satellites that measure reflected GPS signals off of the surface of the ocean. Although CYGNSS is not intended or optimized for altimetry, creation of a research product will allow assessment at the synoptic level over the life of the CYGNSS mission. The algorithms being developed here are for generation of large-scale production runs, unlike previous reports that have have examined limited sets of data. The CYGNSS Level 1 data is processed using a modified CYGNSS End-to-end Simulator (E2ES) which provides a full-forward-model waveform fit (along both delay and Doppler space) and precise delay retrieval. The delay is converted into estimated sea surface height (SSH) using auxiliary data sources for corrections, such as ionospheric, tropospheric, tidal, orbital and instrument. The resulting data product will enable thorough characterization of altimetry accuracy and remaining error sources.
Thermal acclimation of rainbow trout myotomal muscle, can trout acclimate to a warming environment?

Abstract Climate change is a looming threat to the planet. Cold-water aquatic species will face significant physiological challenges due to elevated summer temperatures. Salmonids, such as rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) maintain fidelity to native streams, limiting their ability to mitigate the impact of climate change through migration. We examined how rainbow trout swimming performance and muscle function were shaped by the thermal environment. We hypothesized that trout would show slower muscle contractile properties and slower swimming performance with long-term exposure to warmer water. For fish held at either 10 °C or 20 °C, maximum steady swimming speed (Ucrit) was determined, and contractile properties of both fast-twitch (white) and slow-twitch (red) myotomal muscle were examined. In addition, immunohistochemistry and quantitative PCR were used to assess changes in myosin content of the myotomal muscle in response to holding temperature. Rainbow trout exposed to warm water for six weeks displayed relatively limited thermal acclimation response. When tested at a common temperature (10 °C), 20 °C acclimated fish had modestly slower muscle performance compared to 10 °C acclimated fish. Significant differences in swimming performance and muscle contractile properties were primarily at colder test temperatures (e.g. 2 °C for muscle mechanics). Shifts in myosin heavy chain protein composition and myosin heavy chain gene expression in the swimming muscle were observed in white but not red muscle. Our results suggest that rainbow trout will have a limited ability to mitigate elevated environmental temperature through thermal acclimation of their myotomal or swimming muscle.
Functional Requirements of Small- and Large-Scale Neural Circuitry Connectome Models

We have truly entered the Age of the Connectome due to a confluence of advanced imaging tools, methods such as the flavors of functional connectivity analysis and inter-species connectivity comparisons, and computational power to simulate neural circuitry. The interest in connectomes is reflected in the exponentially rising number of articles on the subject. What are our goals? What are the “functional requirements” of connectome modelers? We give a perspective on these questions from our group whose focus is modeling neurological disorders, such as neuropathic back pain, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and age-related cognitive decline, and treating them with neuromodulation.
Phosphogypsum-Based Roller Compacted Concrete

A demonstration project is described which designed, constructed, and monitored a phosphogypsum-based roller compacted concrete (RCC) pavement. The project showed that phosphogypsum-based RCC is suitable for the construction of parking facilities. Without being detrimental to strength, it contributes to good mix compactibility and surface finish as a result of its fine grading. It has also set retardation for a better bond at consturction joints, and drying shrinkage compensation to limit the occurrence of cracking when saw cut joints are not provided. The quality of aggregates is important in the strength properties. The paper describes details of the mix design, construction, and material properties.
Dynamic Speed Feedback Signs Are Effective in Reducing Driver Speeds: A Meta-Analysis:

Excess speed contributes to over a quarter of all fatal automobile crashes in the United States, costing society billions of dollars each year. Lowering excess speeds to reduce these human, societa...
Quantifying the impact of residential space heating electrification on the Texas electric grid

Abstract In this technical analysis, we studied the effects of complete electrification of space heating in the Texas residential sector on the energy consumption, peak power demand, and grid capacity utilization in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) electricity grid. We utilized the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) ResStock tool to develop geographically representative housing stock models and the physics-based EnergyPlus modeling software to create an aggregate building stock energy model that represents the residential sector in the ERCOT operating region. In this aggregate building energy model, we replace all natural gas and other fossil-fuel furnaces with reversible electric heat pumps of varying efficiencies that can provide heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. We integrate spatially-resolved actual meteorological weather data with the building stock energy model to simulate a specific year (2016) of hourly-resolved energy usage in the ERCOT region. We find the annual electricity consumption, peak hourly power demand for each day, and load duration curves for each of 17 regions within ERCOT. From the base case, the absolute winter peak electrical power demand in the residential sector could increase by as much as 36%, or 12 GW. These results indicate that grid capacity would need to increase by 10 GW (a 25% increase for the residential sector) to accommodate a winter peaking residential sector. Though winter electricity consumption would increase for home heating, the annual amount of electricity consumption would stay roughly the same or decrease because the higher efficiency heat pumps provide more efficient cooling than the conventional air conditioners they also replace. Using average 2018 emissions rates, we estimate a change to standard efficiency heat pumps would lead to a 4.1% reduction of CO2 emissions and a 5.8% reduction of NOx emissions from the residential sector. There is no significant change in SOx emissions in our standard efficiency scenario, but in the high and ultra-high aggregate efficiency scenarios, SOx emissions are reduced by 8.3% and 15.0% respectively.
Learning to Detect Open Carry and Concealed Object with 77GHz Radar.

Detecting harmful carried objects plays a key role in intelligent surveillance systems and has widespread applications, for example, in airport security. In this paper, we focus on the relatively unexplored area of using low-cost 77GHz mmWave radar for the carried objects detection problem. The proposed system is capable of real-time detecting three classes of objects - laptop, phone, and knife - under open carry and concealed cases where objects are hidden with clothes or bags. This capability is achieved by initial signal processing for localization and generating range-azimuth-elevation image cubes, followed by a deep learning-based prediction network and a multi-shot post-processing module for detecting objects. Extensive experiments for validating the system performance on detecting open carry and concealed objects have been presented with a self-built radar-camera testbed and dataset. Additionally, the influence of different input, factors, and parameters on system performance is analyzed, providing an intuitive understanding of the system. This system would be the very first baseline for other future works aiming to detect carried objects using 77GHz radar.
Prenatal diagnosis of zellweger syndrome by fetal MRI: a case report.

Abstract Zellweger Syndrome (ZS) is a rare peroxisomal disorder also referred to as cerebrohepatorenal syndrome. ZS is an autosomal recessive disease often manifesting in the neonatal period with profound dysfunction of the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. Prenatal diagnosis of this syndrome is infrequent with imaging findings on fetal MRI rarely illustrated in the literature. This case highlights the pivotal role fetal MRI can play in identifying subtle features of the disease that are difficult to visualize on prenatal ultrasound. It is important for pediatric radiologists to be familiar with the most common imaging features of ZS on fetal MRI to expedite the diagnosis and help facilitate appropriate prenatal counseling.
New World and Old World Leishmania Infections: A Practical Review

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic infection endemic to more than 90 countries worldwide. As travel to endemic areas increases, dermatologists need to keep this entity in the differential for any chronic skin lesion in persons who may have had a possible exposure for any duration. It can be difficult to diagnose because manifestations are varied and sometimes subclinical. This article discusses the current state of epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment options. A special focus is placed on cutaneous manifestations and their treatment.
MAP Image Reconstruction Using Wavelet Decomposition

In this paper, we present a Bayesian image reconstruction approach for positron emission tomography (PET) using the wavelet decomposition. The image is decomposed via the wavelet transform into a selected number of subbands and each subband is modeled as a simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) Gaussian process. This decomposition allows the SAR processes to adjust independently to the distinctive characteristics of the subbands. Desirable features such as smoothness within regions and sharp transitions along the edges can be incorporated into the reconstruction algorithm. An iterative algorithm similar to the EM algorithm is proposed to solve this MAP image reconstruction problem. We seek to maximize the conditional likelihood of the image x, L(x), through the maximization of a sequence of functions {L n (x)} which approximate locally to L(x) near the current estimate x( n ). By restricting L n (x) to be a separable function of x, maximizing L n (x) is trivial. We present a method of selecting such a sequence L n (x) based on x( n ), and show that the sequence {x( n ) converges to the MAP solution of L(x).
Structure and activity of ragweed antigen E—III: The role of the thiol group in the conformation and allergenic activity of antigen E

Abstract The free thiol groups of antigen E (AgE) were titrated with ρ-hydroxymercuribenzoate (PHMB) under various conditions to determine the number and accessibility of these groups in solution. The native protein possessed one free thiol group. Reaction with PHMB under dissociating conditions exposed no further thiol reactivity indicating that the thiol group was not buried or partially masked in native AgE. A derivative of AgE, modified at the single thiol group under non-dissociating conditions by PHMB showed little or no conformational changes relative to native AgE as revealed by ORD and CD measurements. AgE and its derivative both had equal rotatory powers showing a negative minimum at 233 mm. In CD measurements, both proteins gave negative ellipticity bands at 205 and 222 nm and the [θ'] values at these minima were comparable. The allergenicity was unaltered in the derivative relative to AgE, as measured by RAST with ragweed sensitive sera. Thus it was concluded that the thiol group of AgE is not involved in a conformationally critical interaction within the molecule and is not involved in the binding of AgE with its immunoglobulin E antibodies.
Observations on the mechanism of intranasal absorption of vitamin B12 in pernicious anemia.

Satisfactory clinical and hematologic response was obtained from the single application to the nasal mucosa of 200 and 150 micrograms of crystalline vitamin B12 in two patients with pernicious anemia. Thirty-two patients with pernicious anemia in relapse and 55 in remission have been controlled satisfactorily by intranasal B12 either in saline solution, lactose powder, or as crystals. Absorption of the vitamin was probably direct and did not require binding with "intrinsic substance." Chronic disease of the nose did not contraindicate this modality of therapy; local irritation of the mucous membranes by the crystalline B12 or the vehicles employed has not been observed.
Biological activities of ecalectin: a novel eosinophil-activating factor.

Ecalectin, produced by Ag-stimulated T lymphocytes, is a potent eosinophil-specific chemoattractant in vitro as well as in vivo and thus is implicated in allergic responses. Ecalectin differs structurally from other known eosinophil chemoattractants (ECAs); ecalectin belongs to the galectin family defined by their affinity for β-galactosides and by their conserved carbohydrate recognition domains. These characteristic features suggest that ecalectin has unique activities associated with allergic inflammation besides ECA activity. Conversely, ecalectin may mediate ECA activity by binding to a receptor of a known ECA via affinity for the β-galactosides present on this receptor. In this study, we have tested whether ecalectin mediates ECA activity by binding to a receptor of a known ECA, and we have assessed its effects on eosinophils. Ecalectin did not mediate ECA activity by binding to the IL-5R or to CCR3. Also, the ECA activity of ecalectin was mainly chemokinetic. In addition, ecalectin induced concentration-dependent eosinophil aggregation, a marker for eosinophil activation. Ecalectin induced concentration-dependent superoxide production from eosinophils but did not induce degranulation; usually these two events are coupled in eosinophil activation. Moreover, ecalectin directly prolonged eosinophil survival in vitro and did not trigger eosinophils to secrete cytokines that prolong eosinophil survival. These results demonstrate that ecalectin has several unique effects on eosinophils. Therefore, we conclude that ecalectin is a novel eosinophil-activating factor. Presumably, these effects allow ecalectin to play a distinctive role in allergic inflammation.
CADICS-cyclic analog-to-digital converter synthesis

CADICS is a technology-independent synthesis tool for generating complete netlists and layouts for CMOS cyclic analog-to-digital converters from a set of specifications. The program is capable of synthesizing A/D converters which have a broad range of sampling rate, resolution (up to 12 bits plus sign bit), and silicon area, and performance comparable to a manual approach without using any standard cell libraries. At higher resolutions provisions for internal self-calibration or capacitor trim array are included automatically. >
Whole-genome expression analysis reveals a role for death-related genes in stress acclimation of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana

Low iron (Fe) availability critically limits diatom distribution and productivity in vast regions of the modern ocean, such as open-ocean, high nutrient low chlorophyll areas and coastal regimes characterized as Fe limitation 'mosaics'. While unique strategies of Fe uptake and storage confer competitive advantages to pennate diatoms, the molecular determinants of low Fe acclimation are largely unknown in centric diatoms. We combined genome-wide and targeted comparative transcriptomic analysis with diagnostic biochemistry and in vivo cell staining as a platform to identify the suite of genes involved in acclimation to Fe and associated oxidative stress in Thalassiosira pseudonana. A total of 1312 genes, nearly 12% of the total genome content, responded to Fe starvation in growing cells characterized by low photosynthetic efficiency and enhanced oxidative stress, caspase activity and metacaspase expression. While 82% of the most highly upregulated genes were also represented in EST libraries derived from diverse diatoms grown under various stress conditions (e.g. silicon, CO(2) and nitrogen limitation), our analysis suggests that T. pseudonana mounts a unique molecular response to Fe starvation that includes a number of genes distinct from those of the model pennate diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, which diverged ~90 million years ago. Homologues to ~50% of the upregulated genes were also identified in a metatranscriptome of eukaryotic phytoplankton communities from a chronically Fe-limited region in the Northeast Pacific. Furthermore, we provide experimental evidence that a subset of putative death-related genes participate in the cellular acclimation to low Fe and associated oxidative damage, suggesting that they co-evolved with other metabolic pathways and play adaptive roles in the success of diatoms.
Prevention of Obesity

Faced with the extraordinary increases in the prevalence of obesity and overweight in both the developed and the developing countries and with the high rate of recidivism following weight-loss programs for the obese, we must turn our attention to primary prevention if we are to stem this epidemic and its negative health consequences. The discussion which follows considers the questions and issues shown in Table 1.
Ethics And The Accountants' Code Of Conduct

Although the AICPA has established the Professional Code of Conduct to deal with the behavior of CPAs, research has also shown that an individual's behavior is affected by his or her personal values. While there has been considerable research of the ethical behavior of business professionals and business students, there has been limited research of the personal values of public accountants. This study was designed to examine the values and value types underlie the ethics of Big Six public accountants.A survey instrument, consisting of 56 values, developed and validated by Schwartz was administered to audit and tax professionals at each of the Big Six public accounting firms in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Value types were derived from the 56 values. The results of the study show there are differences in values and value types by gender, area of practice (audit, tax) professional level (staff, senior, manager, partner) and firm. Although the rankings of the values and value types differed within each category (i.e., gender, area of practice), there was considerable uniformity in the rankings of the most important and least important values, and value types. The most important values are Family Security, Healthy, Self-respect, Honest and True Friendship, while the least important values are Accept My Portion in Life, Daring, Unit With Nature, Detachment and Social Power. Benevolence and Achievement are the most important value types, while Tradition and Power are the least important.
Dopamine Terminals in the Rat Prefrontal Cortex Synapse on Pyramidal Cells that Project to the Nucleus Accumbens

Afferents to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) from dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area have been implicated in working memory processes and in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Previous anatomical investigations have demonstrated that dopamine terminals synapse on dendritic spines and shafts of pyramidal cells in the PFC. Moreover, neurochemical and physiological studies suggest that dopamine modulates the activity of PFC neurons that project to the nucleus accumbens. However, whether this modulation involves direct synaptic input to cortico-accumbens projection neurons has not been determined. To address this question, retrograde transport of an attenuated strain of pseudorabies virus (PRV) from the nucleus accumbens was combined with immunoperoxidase labeling of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) to identify dopamine terminals in the PFC. At survival times <48 hr, extensive dendritic distribution of immunogold labeling for PRV was observed in cortico-accumbens neurons. However, evidence consistent with trans-synaptic passage of PRV within this timeframe was observed only rarely. When examined at the electron microscopic level, immunogold labeling for PRV was localized to neuronal somata, proximal and distal dendrites, and dendritic spines. Some of these dendritic processes received symmetric synaptic input from TH-immunoreactive terminals. These data represent the first demonstration of dopamine synaptic contacts onto an identified population of pyramidal cells in the PFC. The findings have important implications for understanding how dopamine modulates cortical outflow to limbic regions in normal brain and pathological states such as schizophrenia.
Residency program director’s perception of PGY-1 applicants: Results of the National 35½ Second Survey

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate perceived importance of common applicant characteristics in addition to the type of pharmacy education (traditional versus accelerated) by residency directors when evaluating residency candidates. Methods A seven-question survey was administered to a convenience sample of residency program directors (RPDs). Directors were asked to evaluate seven residency applicant variables by order of importance in the selection process. Location of residency and type of institution were also collected. Results The survey was distributed to 660 residency directors of American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP) accredited PGY-1 residency programs. A total of 335 (52%) completed the survey. Overall, 49 of the 50 states responded. When limiting the analysis to two types of institutions, there were significant differences in importance placed on maturity between health care system and university hospital Residency Directors ( p = 0.047). The perceptions of community hospital and VA/military residency directors significantly differed in the importance they place on accelerated three-year programs ( p = 0.029) and age ( p = 0.04). University Hospital Directors also differed from the VA/military residency directors in terms of the importance placed on an accelerated three-year program ( p = 0.041). Conclusion The most important metrics when selecting a residency candidate include maturity, letters of reference, attainment of a prior degree, and status of licensure. Although the importance placed on type of education was largely neutral or unimportant, there are perceived differences between types of residency programs.
Understory vegetation response to thinning disturbance of varying complexity in coniferous stands

Question: Can augmented forest stand complexity increase understory vegetation richness and cover and accelerate the development of late-successional features? Does within-stand understory vegetation variability increase after imposing treatments that increase stand structural complexity of the overstory? What is the relative contribution of individual stand structural components (i.e. forest matrix, gaps, and leave island reserves) to changes in understory vegetation richness? Location: Seven study sites in the Coastal Range and Cascades regions of Oregon, USA.
Negative regulation of interferon-β gene expression during acute and persistent virus infections

The production of type I interferons (IFNs) in response to viral infections is critical for antiviral immunity. However, IFN production is transient, and continued expression can lead to inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. Thus, understanding the mechanisms underlying the negative regulation of IFN expression could lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches to the treatment of these diseases. We report that the transcription factor IRF3 plays a central role in the negative regulation of interferon-β (IFNβ) expression during both acute and persistent (chronic) virus infections. We show that the degradation of IRF3 during acute infections, rather than the activation of transcriptional repressors, leads to the down regulation of IFNβ expression. We also show that the block to IFNβ expression in mouse embryonic fibroblasts that are persistently infected with Sendai virus (SeV) correlates with the absence of transcriptionally active IRF3. Remarkably, ongoing protein synthesis and viral replication are required to maintain repression of the IFNβ gene in persistently infected cells, as the gene can be activated by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, or by the antiviral drug ribavirin. Finally, we show that the SeV V protein inhibits IRF3 activity in persistently infected cells. Thus, in conjunction with the known interference with STAT1 by the SeV C protein, both IFN activation and its signaling pathways are blocked in persistently infected cells. We conclude that the transcription factor IRF3 is targeted for turnover and inactivation through distinct mechanisms from both the host cells and virus, leading to the inhibition of IFNβ gene expression during acute and persistent viral infections. These observations show that IRF3 plays a critical role, not only in the activation of the IFNβ gene, but also in the controlling the duration of its expression. (284 words).
PSYCHORHYTHMICS: A SPECIAL REVIEW

The purpose was to review systematically recent non-periodical publications concerned with the behavioral aspects of cyclic phenomena, especially of the “circadian” rhythms, including sleep and wakefulness. The author considers the reports of the international conferences of the Society for Bilogical Rhythms as well as publications in English (rythmic annimal behavior, ibernation, sleep), German (periodicity in psychopathology, vircadian rhythms inman and shift-work), and Russian (circadian rhythms in annimals). It is suggested that, while the mastery of fire-making and invention of more modern means of artiticial illuminiation have long liberated man from dependence on the natural sequence of day and night, consderations of space flight put the whole subject of biological rhythms into a new, challenging perspective.
REM Sleep Reorganizes Hippocampal Excitability

Summary Sleep is composed of an alternating sequence of REM and non-REM episodes, but their respective roles are not known. We found that the overall firing rates of hippocampal CA1 neurons decreased across sleep concurrent with an increase in the recruitment of neuronal spiking to brief "ripple" episodes, resulting in a net increase in neural synchrony. Unexpectedly, within non-REM episodes, overall firing rates gradually increased together with a decrease in the recruitment of spiking to ripples. The rate increase within non-REM episodes was counteracted by a larger and more rapid decrease of discharge frequency within the interleaved REM episodes. Both the decrease in firing rates and the increase in synchrony during the course of sleep were correlated with the power of theta activity during REM episodes. These findings assign a prominent role of REM sleep in sleep-related neuronal plasticity.
Insulin resistance of uremia.

Glucose intolerance is a nearly universal finding in patients with chronic renal failure and in animal models of uremia. The glucose intolerance results from impaired insulin-mediated glucose disposal by muscle, adipose, and liver tissue. Insulin binding by these tissues is not reduced. Rather, several defects exist in the post receptorcascade of insulin action. Although impaired insulin-mediated glucose uptake and metabolism occur, the primary defect and causative agent are not established. The purpose of the present article is to review recent literature on the potential mechanisms underlying the insulin resistance of chronic renal failure.
Remarks on the perturbation process for certain conservative systems

Abstract A method is given for extending the range of validity of perturbation expansions to situations where the (original) parameter is not small. The method is applied to the equation ẍ + ω2x + ϵx3 = 0. It is shown, by comparing the period of the approximate solution with the precise period, that the results are quite good.
A Micromachined Silicon Flexure for Tunable External Cavity Diode Laser

We present a novel external cavity diode laser design developed for atomic physics which employs a micromachined silicon flexure to sweep the laser frequency and a volume holographic reflection grating (VHG) to provide the optical feedback. The advantages of using a silicon flexure are its simple microfabrication process and reduction of the overall size of the laser system. The results demonstrate an optimized threshold current reduction from 59mA to 43mA, a frequency sweeping range of 2.069 GHz, and 87 Rb, 85 Rb (Rubidium) D2 line absorption at 780 nm.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Effect of Three Lifetime Ambient Temperatures on Growth, Feed and Water Consumption and Various Blood Components in Male and Female Leghorn Chickens

Abstract In two trials, SC White Leghorns were subjected to constant ambient temperatures of 21.1, 29.4, and 35.0 C from 2 to 31 or 32 weeks of age. Weekly measurements were made of body weight, feed efficiency, water consumption, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, total plasma protein, Po2, Pco2, pH, and mortality. It was found that the blood picture changes with age, sex, and ambient temperature. Age at which sex differences become significant varies with the blood component studied.
Improvement in skin thickening in systemic sclerosis associated with improved survival.

Objective The natural history of changes in skin thickening in diffuse scleroderma is quite variable, but the significance of these changes is not clear. Clinical trials are using changes in skin thickening as the primary outcome measure, and thus it would be helpful to determine the significance of improvement in skin thickening. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether improvement in skin thickening over time was associated with improved survival. Methods Patients with early ( 25% of their peak skin score and a rate of change of at least 5 units/year were defined as the improved group; patients with increased skin thickening or no improvement were termed the no improvement group. Demographic and clinical features, organ system involvement, and survival rates were determined and the groups were compared. Regression and Cox regression analyses were used to determine what features were associated with improved skin thickness and survival. Results Two hundred seventy-eight patients fulfilled the entry criteria, 63% in the improved group and 36% in the no improvement group. The groups were similar in terms of clinical and demographic characteristics at the initial visit. The improved group had an average improvement of 50% of their peak skin score at 2 years after the initial visit. Survival was significantly better in the improved group compared with the unimproved group at 5 and 10 years, with rates of 90% and 80%, respectively, in the improved group and 77% and 60%, respectively, in the no improvement group (P < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the occurrence of severe organ involvement during the first 2 years to account for the later differences in survival. The duration of the use of D-penicillamine was significantly associated with improved skin thickness and improved survival. Conclusion Among patients surviving the first few years of diffuse scleroderma, striking improvement in skin thickening may occur in up to two-thirds. This improvement in skin thickening is associated with improved survival. Improvement in skin thickening may be useful as a surrogate for improvement in survival in clinical trials.
Comparative protein accumulation patterns in soybean somatic and zygotic embryos

The relative maturity and competence of somatic embryos is often estimated on the basis of their morphologic similarity to various stages of immature zygotic embryo development. Morphologic abnormalities noted in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] somatic embryos are similar to those observed in zygotic embryos maturing in vitro and may reflect common interruptions of normal developmental processes. We provide here a more objective means of assessing the point(s) at which cultured embryos deviate from the normal embryogenical pathway by comparing the accumulation of the embryo-specific marker proteins (11S and 7S storage globulins, soybean agglutinin, and seed lipoxygenase) between somatic and immature zygotic embryos maturing in culture to zygotic embryos maturingin planta. Immature (heart-stage) soybean (cv. ‘McCall’) zygotic embryos were removed from the testa and cultured for 5, 15, or 45 days in nien modified Linsmaer-Skoog salts, 5% sucrose liquid medium. Somatic embryos were induced from immature cotyledon explants on a medium containing either naphthalene acetic acid or 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (10 mg·liter−1). The measured level of the marker proteins present in cultured embryos never exceeded those observed in mature soybean seeds. During the culture period, immature zygotic embryos accumulated significant levels of all marker proteins except a 29 kDa soybean agglutinin associated with the final stages of seed maturationin planta. Somatic embryos of all morphologic classes exhibited similar levels of the marker proteins suggesting that morphology may not accurately represent the developmental state of the culture-derived embryos. Somatic embryos induced on naphthalene acetic acid-containing medium accumulated detectable levels of all maturation-specific marker proteins except the 7S β and 29-kD soybean agglutinin antigen and seemed similar in most respects to the cultured zygotic embryos. Embryos induced on 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid accumulated none of the mature 7S or 11S storage globulin subunits nor any soybean agglutinin antigen, and yet the synthesis of 7S and 11S precursor polypeptides was similar in both naphthalene acetic acid-and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-induced somatic embryos. These observations are consistent with the view that embryos induced on high 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic are arrested at a relatively earlier developmental stage than naphthalene acetic acid-induced embryos of similar morphology and may indicate that some external signal (e.g., abscisic acid or desiccation or both) is necessary for the transition to the late maturation stage of seed ontogeny.
A FAST ALGORITHM FOR ON-LINE MACHINING PROCESS MODELING AND ADAPTIVE CONTROL

A fast, on-line algorithm for machining process modeling and control is proposed. The modeling is accomplished via a new recursive estimator that offers good ac­ curacy at a minimal computational load. Its Fast Kalman-type version, that further reduces its computational complexity, is also presented. The adaptive controller, which is based on on-line identification and closed-loop pole assignment, is characterized by a low computational load and no need for a priori process informa­ tion. The analytical results are supplemented by numerical simulations, where the proposed scheme is used for the control of a turning operation and shown to offer very good performance under noisy conditions and suddenly changing machining dynamics.
Efficient Generation of Unmarked Deletions in Legionella pneumophila

Unmarked gene deletions facilitate studies of Legionella pneumophila multicomponent processes, such as motility and exonuclease activity. For this purpose, FRT-flanked alleles constructed in Escherichia coli using λ-Red recombinase were transferred to L. pneumophila by natural transformation. Resistance cassettes were then efficiently excised using the Flp site-specific recombinase encoded on a plasmid that is readily lost.
Dimensional Continuation and the Two $\lambda \phi^4$ in Four-dimensions Theories

The Gaussian effective potential for (λφ4)4 theory indicates that two distinct, non-trivial, theories may exist. In the context of dimensional regularization these can be understood as thed→4 limits of two separate theories inhabitingd≧4 andd≦4 dimensions, respectively.
WE‐G‐141‐02: Impact of Imaging Quality On Interfraction Patient Setup Errors and Autocorrelation in Image Guided Head‐And‐Neck Radiotherapy

Purpose: To assess the impact of imaging quality of three commonly used on‐board image‐guidance systems on interfraction patient setup errors for head‐and‐neck (H&N) cancer irradiation. Serial correlation patterns and trend of the setup errors over the treatment course were investigated via time‐series analysis. Methods: 117 H&N patients imaged with different IGRT modalities: 29 kilovoltage cone beam CT (KVCBCT, Synergy, Elekta Inc.), 35 megavoltage fan beam CT (MVFBCT, TomoTherapy, Accuray Inc.), and 53 megavoltage cone beam CT (MVCBCT, MVision, Siemens Inc.) were studied retrospectively. The daily displacements in mediolateral (ML), craniocaudal (CC) and anteroposterior (AP) dimensions were investigated. The CTV‐to‐PTV margins were calculated using 1.96σp, where σp was random error for the pooled standard deviations in each cohort. Time series analysis was performed to further investigate possible autocorrelations and time trend of the setup errors serially for each patient during the course of the treatment. Results: Based on a total of 3302 pretreatment CT scans, including 632 KVCBCT, 974 MVFBCT and 1696 MVCBCT scans, the maximal random errors in three translational directions for H&N cases were 1.6 (KVCBCT), 1.7 (MVFBCT) and 2.1 mm (MVCBCT), the calculated CTV‐to‐PTV margins that would encompass 95% of the cohort were 3.1, 3.3 and 4.2 mm respectively. Approximately 24%, 29% and 52% of the shifts were auto correlated in one of the three translational directions with KVCBCT, MVFBCT and MVCBCT, approximately half of the autocorrelations were found in AP direction. Conclusion: CTV‐to‐PTV margin for H&N IMRT may be a function of the imaging modality if determined based on IGRT data. Superior image quality in KVCBCT, compared to MVFBCT and MVCBCT, results in smaller random errors and smaller CTV‐to‐PTV margins. Coincidentally, modality with superior image quality also resulted in less autocorrelation serially in setup errors. IGRT modalities with better image quality are encouraged in clinical practice.
Experimental investigation of friction-base isolation

Structural vibration control is one of the main goals of civil engineers involved in the structural safety and reliability of buildings situated in regions susceptible to earthquakes. Friction-base isolators have been adopted as a means of passive control. The purpose of this experimental investigation is to measure the response statistics in the presence of base friction and other friction sources. The experimental model emulates a single-floor building supported on four leaf springs, subjected to band limited random excitation. Two different types of model base are considered, a friction base and a frictionless base. In both cases, friction can also be applied at two sides of the models main mass against the direction of its motion. Excitation and response transducer signals are processed to estimate excitation and response statistics in the presence and in the absence of top mass friction. Measured statistics include mean squares, autocorrelation functions, power spectra, and probability density functions. The dependence of the mean square response on the excitation level in the presence of friction reveals linear and nonlinear regimes, as well as a drift in the response due to dry friction. Above a certain excitation level the response-excitation relationship displays nonlinearity. A transition from narrow band to wide band response spectra is observed when friction is applied to the systems top mass. Analytical and Monte Carlo simulation results are compared with those measured experimentally based on a constant friction force.
Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of Learning a Foreign Language Online: Preparing Teachers to Work with Linguistic, Cultural, and Technological Diversity

Due to the continuing linguistic and cultural diversity among K-12 students in the US and across the English-speaking world and the increasing influence of digital technologies on learning, this qualitative study explores pre-service teachers' perceptions of learning a foreign language online, and how such experience influence teaching linguistically, culturally, and technologically diverse students in the U.S. Participants comprised 35 teacher education students, all of whom took a 9-week online Chinese language/culture course designed specifically for pre-service teachers. Surveys with closed and open-ended questions were conducted before, during, and after the course. Data were collected online and then coded and analyzed. The participants' responses suggested that: 1 new forms of online learning were engaging to teacher-learners with diverse learning styles, prior technological experience, needs and goals; 2 the pre-service teachers perceived that online foreign language learning during their teacher education program enhanced their linguistic, cultural and technological awareness; and 3 the participants felt that they benefited from being prepared to work with linguistic, cultural, and technological diversity in classrooms. This study has implications for similar contexts around the world.
Using Selected Operational Descriptors To Examine the Heterogeneity within a Bulk Humic Substance.

The heterogeneity within a bulk humic substance (HS) was investigated for ultrafiltration (UF) fractions of purified Aldrich humic acid (PAHA) using specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA), weight- ...