cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of single case experimental designs toresearch with the visually impaired

This article discusses single-case experimental designs as an alternative to group comparison designs in research with the visually impaired and presents the advantages and limitations of both appr...
An Integrated Planning and Programming System for Human-Robot-Cooperation☆

Abstract The application of human-robot-cooperation in industrial environments is still in an initial stage. This is caused by safety reasons, the complexity of distributing tasks between the human and the robot as well as the time-consuming programming of the robot. Therefore, a concept for the combination of an automated distribution of the tasks between human and robot and a task-oriented programming of the robot is focused in this paper. The programming system consists of four parts: a task and world model, a planning system for the distribution of the tasks, a programming system to generate the robot program, and an operation module containing an action recognition. After the suggestions for the allocation of the tasks to human and robot conducted by the planning system, the tasks are presented to the user who can approve or adopt them on a human machine interface. According to the determined distribution the robot program will be generated subsequently. This automatically generated program consists of several modules where each module represents an assembly task. In order to detect the assembly task, which is carried out by the human, the movements of the worker's hands and of the object have to be detected by a camera system. In order to interpret the movements of the worker, an approach using Hidden Markov Model is used whereas the Hidden Markov Model is fed with the position data of the hands.
Mineral dissolution and wormholing from a pore-scale perspective

A micro-continuum approach is proposed to simulate the dissolution of solid minerals at the pore scale under single-phase flow conditions. The approach employs a Darcy–Brinkman–Stokes formulation and locally averaged conservation laws combined with immersed boundary conditions for the chemical reaction at the solid surface. The methodology compares well with the arbitrary-Lagrangian–Eulerian technique. The simulation framework is validated using an experimental microfluidic device to image the dissolution of a single calcite crystal. The evolution of the calcite crystal during the acidizing process is analysed and related to the flow conditions. Macroscopic laws for the dissolution rate are proposed by upscaling the pore-scale simulations. Finally, the emergence of wormholes during the injection of acid in a two-dimensional domain of calcite grains is discussed based on pore-scale simulations.
Pre-optimization of spinal surgery patients: Development of a neurosurgical enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol.

Abstract Objective Despite surgical, technological, medical, and anesthetic improvements, patient outcomes following elective neurosurgical procedures can be associated with high morbidity. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols are multimodal care pathways designed to optimize patient outcomes by addressing pre-, peri-, and post-operative factors. Despite significant data suggesting improved patient outcomes with the adoption of these pathways, development and implementation has been limited in the neurosurgical population. Methods/Results This study protocol was designed to establish the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of implementation of an ERAS protocol on the improvement of clinical and patient reported outcomes and patient satisfaction scores in an elective inpatient spine surgery population. Neurosurgical patients undergoing spinal surgery will be recruited and randomly allocated to one of two treatment arms: ERAS protocol (experimental group) or hospital standard (control group). The experimental group will undergo interventions at the pre-, peri-, and post-operative time points, which are exclusive to this group as compared to the hospital standard group. Conclusions The present proposal aims to provide supporting data for the application of these specific ERAS components in the spine surgery population and provide rationale/justification of this type of care pathway. This study will help inform the design of a future multi-institutional, randomized controlled trial. Results of this study will guide further efforts to limit post-operative morbidity in patients undergoing elective spinal surgery and to highlight the impact of ERAS care pathways in improving patient reported outcomes and satisfaction.
Effects of monoamines on the intrinsic excitability of lateral orbitofrontal cortex neurons in alcohol-dependent and non-dependent female mice.

Changes in brain reward and control systems of frontal cortical areas including the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) are associated with alcohol use disorders (AUD). The OFC is extensively innervated by monoamines, and drugs that target monoamine receptors have been used to treat a number of neuropsychiatric diseases, including AUDs. Recent findings from this laboratory demonstrate that D2, α2-adrenergic and 5HT1A receptors all decrease the intrinsic excitability of lateral OFC (lOFC) neurons in naive male mice and that this effect is lost in mice exposed to repeated cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor. As biological sex differences may influence an individual's response to alcohol and contribute to the propensity to engage in addictive behaviors, we examined whether monoamines have similar effects on lOFC neurons in control and CIE exposed female mice. Dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin all decreased spiking of lOFC neurons in naive females via activation of Giα-coupled D2, α2-adrenergic and 5HT1A receptors, respectively. Firing was also inhibited by the direct GIRK channel activator ML297, while blocking these channels with barium eliminated the inhibitory actions of monoamines. Following CIE treatment, evoked spiking of lOFC neurons from female mice was significantly enhanced and monoamines and ML297 no longer inhibited firing. Unlike in male mice, the enhanced firing of neurons from CIE exposed female mice was not associated with changes in the after-hyperpolarization and the small-conductance potassium channel blocker apamin had no effect on current-evoked tail currents from either control or CIE exposed female mice. These results suggest that while CIE exposure alters monoamine regulation of OFC neuron firing similarly in males and female mice, there are sex-dependent differences in processes that regulate the intrinsic excitability of these neurons.
Toward Human-Like Robot Learning

We present an implemented robotic system that learns elements of its semantic and episodic memory through language interaction with its human users. This human-like learning can happen because the robot can extract, represent and reason over the meaning of the user’s natural language utterances. The application domain is collaborative assembly of flatpack furniture. This work facilitates a bi-directional grounding of implicit robotic skills in explicit ontological and episodic knowledge and of ontological symbols in the real-world actions by the robot. In so doing, this work provides an example of successful integration of robotic and cognitive architectures.
Evaluation of MRI RF electromagnetic field induced heating near leads of cochlear implants.

A typical cochlear implant system under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures may couple with the radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic field (EMF) and results in an intensified electric field at the lead tip. As a result, the RF energy deposited in human tissues around the lead tip may induce heating and cause tissue damage concerns. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the RF-EMF-induced heating for cochlear implant system in 1.5 T MRI coil and highlight the factors that have significant effects on the heating. The potential factors involved in the RF-EMF-induced heating including the lead type, lead trajectory, human model and MRI landmark. In this paper, the RF-EMF-induced heating for three types of leads is evaluated in two virtual human models. A total of 24 lead trajectories and 23 anatomical landmark positions are studied using the transfer function method. The average temperature rise for all the studied cases in the human models is 0.79 ?C, and the maximum value is 2.80 ?C for a maximum whole-body average specific absorption rate of 2 W kg?1 in an RF body coil. It is found that the lead trajectory and MRI landmark are two primary influencing factors. The maximum temperature rises for different lead trajectories can vary from 0.82 to 2.80 ?C. A difference in heating of 2.80 ?C is observed when the landmark changes from???100 to 700?mm. This work demonstrates that it is necessary to take these factors into account when evaluating the RF-EMF-induced heating for implanted medical devices.
SURVIVING ON PLANET CCRMA, TWO YEARS LATER AND STILL ALIVE

Planet CCRMA at Home [2] is a collection of packages that you can add to a computer running RedHat 9 or Fedora Core 1, 2 or 3 to transform it into an audio workstation with a low-latency kernel, current ALSA audio drivers and a nice set of music, midi, audio and video applications. This presentation will outline the changes that have happened in the Planet over the past two years, focusing on the evolution of the linux kernel that is part of Planet CCRMA.
Teaching the Archaeology of War

With reference to the author’s experiences of teaching university classes on the topic of the archaeology of war (and also undertaking research into historic military sites), this chapter addresses the practicalities, and moral challenges, of teaching subjects such as “war,” and so the social utility of archaeology in contemporary cultural debates such as the place of conflict in “civilized” society. The practicalities of implementing different types of teaching strategy in relation to contentious subjects like war are discussed, as are the choice of case studies and field-trip opportunities, and the possibilities of involving the wider public – including veterans – in such teaching. What becomes clear is that a riveting, topical subject such as that of war provides useful alternative teaching opportunities, but that generating longer-lasting and deeper sociocultural impacts from such moments is a challenging goal.
Entering a New Era in the Search for Developmental Continuities

After reading this volume, we think the reader will agree that we are on the threshold of a new era in searching for continuities in behavior from early development to later. This statement requires an appreciation that our earlier expectations about continuities received a jolt from two decades of incontrovertible research findings. During this time developmental investigators engaged in longitudinal study were disappointed in finding little predictability from infancy to later ages. This was true for behavior related to cognition (see McCall, 1979; Kagan, Chapter 2, this volume) as well as for behavior presumably related to temperament (Plomin, 1983). During this time clinicians, who had assumed indelible effects from early experience, were repeatedly surprised by well-documented instances of resiliency following major infantile deficit and trauma (for review see Clarke & Clarke, 1977; Kagan, Kearsley, & Zelazo, 1978; Emde, 1981). Thus, in spite of our expectations for connectivity and continuity, rese arch evidence supporting such expectations has been meager.
Crowdsourcing architectural beauty: Online photo frequency predicts building aesthetic ratings

The aesthetic quality of the built environment is of paramount importance to the quality of life of an increasingly urbanizing population. However, a lack of data has hindered the development of comprehensive measures of perceived architectural beauty. In this paper, we demonstrate that the local frequency of geotagged photos posted by internet users in two photo-sharing websites strongly predict the beauty ratings of buildings. We conduct an independent beauty survey with respondents rating proprietary stock photos of 1,000 buildings across the United States. Buildings with higher ratings were found more likely to be geotagged with user-uploaded photos in both Google Maps and Flickr. This correlation also holds for the beauty rankings of raters who seldom upload materials to the internet. Objective architectural characteristics that predict higher average beauty ratings of buildings also positively covary with their internet photo frequency. These results validate the use of localized user-generated image uploads in photo-sharing sites to measure the aesthetic appeal of the urban environment in the study of architecture, real estate, urbanism, planning, and environmental psychology.
Involvement of the Young Person in Transition Planning

This chapter focuses on the involvement of the young person in transition planning. A good transition plan is one that is person-focused and includes personal development in academic skills, social and emotional skills, employment skills, and other related areas. A synthesis of current research on the involvement of incarcerated youth in transition planning and person-focused and personal development strategies to promote positive transition outcomes are outlined. While the strategies and information presented in this chapter are relevant to all young people in a variety of transitions, the focus is primarily on transition from incarceration to school, as many incarcerated young people are of mandatory school age during their period of incarceration. The education and transition planning they receive “behind the fence”, as well as when they return to the community, is important in enhancing positive life outcomes through skill development and self-determination.
Thermoelectrics that bend but don't break.

Sputtering brittle bismuth telluride onto webs of single-walled carbon nanotubes creates a reliably flexible, high-performance thermoelectric composite.
Microbial Sources of Amyloid and Relevance to Amyloidogenesis and Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

Since the inception of the human microbiome project (HMP) by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2007 there has been a keen resurgence in our recognition of the human microbiome and its contribution to development, immunity, neurophysiology, metabolic and nutritive support to central nervous system (CNS) health and disease. What is not generally appreciated is that (i) the ~1014 microbial cells that comprise the human microbiome outnumber human host cells by approximately one hundred-to-one; (ii) together the microbial genes of the microbiome outnumber human host genes by about one hundred-and-fifty to one; (iii) collectively these microbes constitute the largest ‘diffuse organ system’ in the body, more metabolically active than the liver; strongly influencing host nutritive-, innate-immune, neuroinflammatory-, neuromodulatory- and neurotransmission-functions; and (iv) that these microbes actively secrete highly complex, immunogenic mixtures of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and amyloid from their outer membranes into their immediate environment. While secreted LPS and amyloids are generally quite soluble as monomers over time they form into highly insoluble fibrous protein aggregates that are implicated in the progressive degenerative neuropathology of several common, age-related disorders of the human CNS including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This general commentary-perspective paper will highlight some recent findings on microbial-derived secreted LPS and amyloids and the potential contribution of these neurotoxic and proinflammatory microbial exudates to age-related inflammatory amyloidogenesis and neurodegeneration, with specific reference to AD wherever possible.
The Human Asset Report

The article examines the rationale for human resource accounting and the methods used both in the literature and in practice for human resource valuation and the production of human asset reports.
A Refined Energy Bound for Distinct Perpendicular Bisectors

Let $${\mathcal {P}}$$ be a set of n points in the Euclidean plane. We prove that, for any $$\varepsilon > 0$$, either a single line or circle contains n/2 points of $${\mathcal {P}}$$, or the number of distinct perpendicular bisectors determined by pairs of points in $${\mathcal {P}}$$ is $$\Omega (n^{52/35 - \varepsilon })$$, where the constant implied by the $$\Omega $$ notation depends on $$\varepsilon $$. This is progress toward a conjecture of Lund, Sheffer, and de Zeeuw, that either a single line or circle contains n/2 points of $${\mathcal {P}}$$, or the number of distinct perpendicular bisectors is $$\Omega (n^2)$$. The proof relies bounding the size of a carefully selected subset of the quadruples $$(a,b,c,d) \in {\mathcal {P}}^4$$ such that the perpendicular bisector of a and b is the same as the perpendicular bisector of c and d.
A nonlinear coordinated approach to enhance the transient stability of wind energy-based power systems

This paper proposes a novel framework that enables the simultaneous coordination of the controllers of doubly fed induction generators &#x0028 DFIGs &#x0029 and synchronous generators &#x0028 SGs &#x0029 . The proposed coordination approach is based on the zero dynamics method aims at enhancing the transient stability of multi-machine power systems under a wide range of operating conditions. The proposed approach was implemented to the IEEE 39-bus power systems. Transient stability margin measured in terms of critical clearing time along with eigenvalue analysis and time domain simulations were considered in the performance assessment. The obtained results were also compared to those achieved using a conventional power system stabilizer &#x002F power oscillation &#x0028 PSS &#x002F POD &#x0029 technique and the interconnection and damping assignment passivity-based controller &#x0028 IDA-PBC &#x0029 . The performance analysis confirmed the ability of the proposed approach to enhance damping and improve system &#x02BC s transient stability margin under a wide range of operating conditions.
Trends in Women With an HIV Diagnosis at Delivery Hospitalization in the United States, 2006-2014:

ObjectivesThe risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission can be reduced to ≤0.5% if the mother’s HIV status is known before delivery. This study describes 2006-2014 trends in diagnosed HIV infection ...
Wood Deterioration by Terrestrial Microorganisms

In terrestrial ecosystems the microbial decomposition of wood is caused principally by fungi, opposed to aquatic ecosystems where bacteria degradation predominates. This chapter discusses the deterioration of wooden Cultural Heritage caused by terrestrial basidiomycetes and in particular the decay types of brown and white rot.
Construction and Activation of Rockwell International's Acoustic Test Chamber

Rockwell International's Satellite Systems Division in Seal Beach recently completed a plant modernization program to support the mass production of 28 satellites. The modernization program consisted of multiple satellite integration and test stations and environmental test facilities, which included a high intensity acoustic test chamber, contained within a 4,645 m2 (50,000 ft2) cleanroom. This paper discusses the design philosophy, construction, integration, and activation of the high intensity acoustic test chamber for production acceptance testing of satellites.The 906m3 (32,000 ft3) acoustic test cell consists of a steel reinforced concrete chamber with six electropneumatic noise generators. One of the innovative features of the chamber is a unique quarter hom assembly that acoustically couples the noise generators to the chamber. Design concepts, model testing, and evaluation results are presented in the paper. Considerations such as nitrogen versus compressed air source, digital closed loop spectru...
Race- and Age-Related Disparities in Cervical Cancer Mortality.

Background Although the incidence of cervical cancer among younger Black women is now equivalent to that of White women, it is unknown whether the reduced incidence has affected survival rates among younger Black women. The goal of this study was to assess differences in survival by age and race. Patients and methods A retrospective cohort study was performed using the National Cancer Database to analyze women with nonmetastatic cervical cancer diagnosed between 2004 and 2014. Women with unknown survival data and those who died within 3 months of diagnosis were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression models evaluated interactions between age and race (Black vs non-Black) for presentation with stage I disease and receipt of optimal treatment. A multivariable Cox regression model was used to evaluate survival differences by age and race. Results Of 55,659 women included, 16.4% were Black. Compared with their non-Black counterparts, fewer Black women presented with stage I disease (37.8% vs 47.8%; P Conclusions Younger Black women with cervical cancer are at risk for presenting with higher-stage disease and having worse overall survival. These findings may be related to insurance-related disparities and inadequate follow-up for abnormal Papanicolaou test results. Younger Black women with cervical cancer may be a particularly vulnerable population.
Critical contributions to scholarship on women and work: Celebrating 50 years of progress and looking ahead to a new decade

Abstract Women's increased participation in the workplace constitutes one of the most dramatic shifts that has occurred in the world of work over the past 50 years. In line with these changes, vocational and industrial/organizational (I/O) scholarship on women and work has evolved from early research utilizing group difference approaches (Hall et al., 2016) to contemporary theory and research that incorporate gender-specific cultural and environmental variables that impact women's work decisions and behaviors. Using an intersectional and multicultural feminist perspective, we describe the context for women's labor force participation and then discuss what we believe to be five critical areas of research on external factors that have significantly enhanced our understanding of women's work experiences: women's job quality and labor empowerment, workplace climate, interpersonal and relational factors, multiple role management, and mentorship. We summarize key findings and identify gaps and research recommendations in each of these areas, and conclude by providing general suggestions for future research to advance our understanding of women and work.
Second generation fluids for 193nm immersion lithography

Our studies of second generation immersion fluid candidates are moving beyond the discovery phase, and into addressing issues for their commercial application. Thus, we continue work to examine and fundamentally understand fluid transparency and refractive index, to fully optimize these properties. At the same time, we are now examining other process concerns, including index variation with temperature, new imaging performance studies, fluid handling considerations, and fluid property maintenance with active recycle during lithographic exposure. The systems and procedures we have developed in these areas continue to show our fluids' promise for sub-45nm immersion lithography applications.
Российская промышленность в декабре 2020 г. (Russian Industrial Sector in December 2020)

Russian Abstract: Сохранение роста спроса при увеличивающемся недостатке запасов готовой продукции позволило российской промышленности в конце 2020 г. поддержать рост выпуска. Достаточно уверенный фактический и планируемый набор персонала и снижение инвестиционного пессимизма дают основания смотреть на будущие показатели промышленности с осторожным оптимизмом. English Abstract: Continued demand growth amid increasing shortage of finished goods inventories allowed Russian industry to maintain the output growth at the end of the year. Rather stable and planned recruiting of personnel coupled with a downward trend in investment pessimism allow to discuss the future industrial indexes with cautious optimism.
WHO Global Leprosy Programme による薬剤耐性拠点監視事業における我々の役割

Sentinel surveillance for drug resistance in leprosy by global leprosy programme has launched in 2006. Possible contribution of Japanese researchers to global leprosy control in the future were discussed on the base of circumstances of the project and our assignment in the sueveillance.
Evolving Instance-Specific Algorithm Configuration

One of the main underlying themes of the previous chapters has been to demonstrate that there is no single solver that performs best across a broad set of problem types and domains. It is therefore necessary to develop algorithm portfolios, where, when confronted with a new instance, the solver selects the approach best suited for satisfying the desired objective. This process can then be further refined to intelligently create portfolios of diverse solvers through the use of instance-oblivious parameter tuners. However, all of the approaches described thus far take a static view of the learning process. Once a portfolio has been trained, no other refinements take place regardless the amount of new data that becomes available. This chapter, therefore, focuses on an approach that demonstrates that it is at times necessary to retrain a portfolio as new instances become available. This is done by identifying when the incoming instances become sufficiently different from everything observed before, thus requiring a retraining step. The chapter shows how to identify this moment and how by doing so efficiently we can create an improved portfolio over the train-once methodology.
Computer Algebra and the World Wide Web

We discuss various ways in which the World Wide Web can be used to improve algebraic computation research and development. In particular, dynamic updating of programs becomes possible, enabling geographically distributed researchers to use the same version of a program. This can be accomplished by using platform-independent pseudocode for execution. We also consider other ways in which the Web can improve collaboration in this area.
Forced migration, female labor force participation, and intra-household bargaining: does conflict empower women?

Civilian displacement is a common phenomenon in developing countries confronted with internal conflict. While displacement directly affects forced migrants, it also contributes to deteriorating labor conditions of vulnerable groups in receiving communities. For the displaced population, the income losses are substantial, and as they migrate to cities, they usually end up joining the informal labor force. Qualitative evidence reveals that displaced women are better suited to compete in urban labor markets, as their labor experience is more relevant with respect to certain urban low-skilled occupations. Our study uses this exogenous change in female labor force participation to test how it affects female bargaining power within the household. Our results show that female displaced women work longer hours, earn similar wages and contribute in larger proportions to household earnings relative to rural women who remain in rural areas. However, as measured by several indicators, their greater contribution to households’ earnings does not strengthen their bargaining power. Most notably, domestic violence have increased among displaced women. The anger and frustration of displaced women also increases the level of violence directed at children. Because the children of displaced families have been the direct victims of conflict and domestic violence, the intra-generational transmission of violence is highly likely.
CYTOPATHOGENIC EFFECT OF BRUCELLA SPHEROPLASTS ON MONOCYTES IN TISSUE CULTURE.

Freeman, Bob A. (The University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.), and Barry H. Rumack. Cytopathogenic effect of Brucella spheroplasts on monocytes in tissue culture. J. Bacteriol. 88:1310–1315. 1964.—Mononuclear phagocytes from guinea pig peritoneal exudates were shown to ingest both normal Brucella suis and spheroplasts prepared from B. suis by treatment with glycine and with penicillin. Quantitative ingestion studies with P32-labeled Brucella showed that rough normal Brucella are ingested at a greater rate than are smooth normal Brucella. Spheroplasts prepared from smooth cells were phagocytized at a greater rate than were the normal smooth cells, and spheroplasts prepared from rough Brucella were phagocytized well, although apparently to a lesser extent than from the normal rough Brucella. The degree of phagocytosis of all spheroplasts appeared to reach a peak and then decrease, indicating a release of ingested bacteria; this release of intracellular bacteria is believed to be due to the cytopathogenic effect exerted by the spheroplasts. Direct microscopic observations showed that infection with living spheroplasts prepared from either smooth or rough Brucella destroyed a major portion of the host cells within 4 hr, but that formalin-killed spheroplasts were no more destructive than were normal Brucella. When host cell destruction was assayed by the release of cellular constituents into the medium, it was apparent that host-cell destruction by spheroplasts reaches a significant level within 0.5 hr after ingestion begins, and is almost complete by 4 hr. The implications of these findings in studies on the nature of intracellular Brucella are discussed.
Amino Acid Composition and Terminal Sequences of Ferredoxins from Two Photosynthetic Green Bacteria

The amino acid composition of ferredoxins from Chlorobium thiosulfatophilum 8327 and Chloropseudomonas ethylicum, like C. thiosulfatophilum Tassajara, resembled ferredoxins from nonphotosynthetic anaerobes rather than Chromatium; the terminal sequences, however, more closely resembled Chromatium ferredoxin.
Teaching programming using bricolage

Traditional approaches to programming education work well for conventional computer science students, but in the face of reduced enrollments and a severe underrepresentation of women and minorities, we must offer a variety of pedagogies to reach students who do not respond to this pedagogical approach. Research spanning several decades suggests that analytically less-experienced students may do well using a bricolage approach. This paper illustrates how to apply this approach to teaching students to program, and discusses its success in a course called, The Art and Science of Animation.
Biometric Authentication on Mobile Devices

Biometrics are more usable than lengthy text passwords on mobile devices, but their use must be tempered against security needs until authentication can be proven secure and reliable.
The Other Side of the Coin: Lessons from Peacekeeping and Counterinsurgency

Counterinsurgency and peacekeeping, despite their obvious differences, share many similarities. This paper argues that those similarities are due in large part to the demands of attaining legitimacy for the interveners themselves and for the government or post-war political system they are trying to support. At the same time, that government is an independent actor which may be acting in ways that undermine the legitimacy of both it and the interveners. These pressures lead each of the military operations to certain shared similarities. A brief examination of this argument, in light of the use of force, is presented.
Design of stable all-pass filters

A method for converting the allpass filter design problem to a more tractable spectral factorization problem is presented. Spectral factorization by a new two-dimensional linear prediction technique is discussed, and an efficient lattice structure for implementing the resulting 2-D allpass filter is described.
Cytogenetic analysis of the paternal sex ratio chromosome of Nasonia vitripennis

Paternal sex ratio (PSR) is a B chromosome found in the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis. PSR has a unique etiology in that it destroys the paternal chromosomes of fertilized eggs, resulting in the production of all male families. This study examined structural aspects of PSR including size, C-banding, and silver staining. PSR was found to constitute approximately 5.7% of the genome of carrier males. C-banding confirmed the heterochromatic nature of PSR and the data suggest that PSR remains primarily condensed throughout the cell cycle. Examination of prometaphase spermatocytes revealed a secondary constriction on PSR. The constriction, however, did not stain positive for nucleolus organizer activity. During mitosis, PSR and the pericentromeric regions of the A chromosomes displayed a temporal pattern of silver staining, involving dense precipitation of silver prior to metaphase. This reaction is indicative of a protein complex specific to the heterochromatin of these regions. The implications of these ...
Euthyroid sick syndrome in psychiatric inpatients

Numerous disorders are associated with euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS). This retrospective study examines the incidence and circumstances of ESS among 3188 psychiatric inpatients. There were 324 patients (10.2%) who met strictly defined criteria for ESS. Of these, 95 were hyperthyroxinemic (HT), 6 were hypothyroxinemic, 179 had mildly elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (HTSH), and 47 had suppressed TSH. All were classified by DSM-III-R discharge diagnoses, encompassing five categories. X 2 tests of significance of the 95 HT and 179 HTSH subjects revealed the following: 1) no relationship with age or gender; 2) the frequencies of HT and HTSH differed significantly ( p p p p
Quasicrystal formation in Zr-Cu-Ni-Al-Ta metallic glasses and composites

We have examined the crystallisation behaviour of Zr-Cu-Ni-Al-Ta metallic glasses and metallic-glass-matrix composites. Monolithic and composite alloys were prepared by varying the amount of Ta added to a Zr-based glass-forming alloy. We find that additions as low as 2 at.% Ta promotes the formation of the icosahedral phase during devitrification, which in turn has a significant effect on the subsequent crystallisation behaviour. The DSC and time-resolved X-ray scattering results show that following the nucleation of the quasicrystals the alloys exhibit an exothermic event that does not correspond to any discernible structural change. We discuss the possible mechanisms for the second exotherm.
Cuba and the Latin American Terms of Trade: Old Theories, New Evidence

There is little historical evidence to support the thesis that deteriorating terms of trade hindered Cuban and Latin American economic growth, at precisely the time when large international disparities in income began to emerge (1820s to 1870s). For Cuba at least, it was resurgent Spanish imperialism in the form of new tariffs, taxes, and outright prohibitions that distorted patterns of trade, particularly with the United States. Likewise for Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Peru, the terms of trade do not appear to have contributed significantly, if at all, to underdevelopment.
New treatment for extensive condylomata acuminata: External radiation therapy

Abstract A case is reported of extensive condylomata acuminata of the male urethra resistant to all known forms of treatment including 5-fluorouracil, podophyllin, thiotepa, and extensive transurethral resection, which responded dramatically to external radiation therapy. We herein report the first successful treatment utilizing external radiation therapy for extensive recurrent urethral condylomata acuminata.
Evidence that the mammalian nephron functions as a countercurrent multiplier system.

Fluid collected by micropuncture from the bend of the loop of Henle in the concentrating hamster kidney had the same osmotic pressure as fluid from a collecting duct at the same level, while that from the distal convolution was more dilute. This indicates that the tubular fluid is first concentrated, then diluted, before its final concentration.
BRG1 loss in MiaPaCa2 cells induces an altered cellular morphology and disruption in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton

BRG1 and Brahma are critical and mutually exclusive subunits of the multi-constituent SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes. These complexes play a key role in transcriptional regulation by dynamically altering chromatin architecture. Although the two proteins are very similar in structure, murine models demonstrate a clear dichotomy in BRG1/BRM function as heterozygous loss of BRG1 results in tumor development whereas homozygous loss of BRM does not. BRG1 and/or BRM protein is absent or disrupted in approximately 17% of all human adenocarcinomas. Concomitant loss is frequent in non-small cell lung carcinomas and incurs a negative prognosis. The mechanism(s) whereby loss of BRG1 (but apparently not BRM) may contribute to tumor development and/or progression is/are ill defined. In this study, we employ MiaPaCa2, a human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line that lacks BRM but retains BRG1 expression to evaluate the impact of BRG1 and BRM individually on growth and tumorigenicity. We show that the MiaPaca2 cell line can apparently tolerate only very low levels of BRM after restoration of stable expression. Reduction of expression of BRG1 via shRNAi in stable clones of MiaPaCa2 results in a marked change in morphology and alterations in actin cytoskeletal organization but does not appear to exert a significant effect on in vitro growth of the cell line. Our results implicate a role for the SWI/SNF complex in the regulation of cellular differentiation.
Determination of organic phosphonates by isotachophoresis

Summary Isotachophoresis is used to determine organic phosphonates formed during electrolysis of nitrilotri(methylenephosphonic acid). A mixture of commercially useful phosphonates can also be separated. Modification of the leading electrolyte by addition of zinc chloride gives an improved separation.
Reputation in Repeated Games with No Discounting

Abstract I study two-player, infinitely repeated games with no discounting. I examine how perturbations afford players opportunities to establish reputations and I determine how potential reputations lead to outcome selection in both equilibrium and non-equilibrium settings. The main result is the following. Assume that players have beliefs of countable support, players only adopt “forgiving strategies,” and players best-respond to their beliefs. (A forgiving strategy does not punish an opponent forever.) Then if the game is perturbed, each player expects to fare at least as well as if she selected any of her perturbation strategies and the opponent played a best-response. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C72, C73.
Plunger Slippage for Rod-Drawn Plunger Pumps

A theoretical calculation is needed to predict pump slippage in a rod pumped well. Slippage lubricates the pump plunger and barrel and prevents galling of metals. Additionally, an estimate of plunger slippage is necessary to calculate pump efficiency. Historical plunger slippage equations have been proven incorrect by recent testing. A new method for calculating plunger pump slippage in rod pumped wells is introduced. This method involves calculating a velocity profile for an annulus with the inner wall moving parallel to the outer wall. An average velocity is determined for the annular fluid flow, which in turn is used to calculate the fluid slippage. The results are evaluated against the historical field data and compare favorably to recent testing for smaller plunger clearances. Work remains to be done at larger clearances.
Phase II TPDCV protocol for pediatric low-grade hypothalamic/chiasmatic gliomas: 15-year update.

To report long-term results for children with low-grade hypothalamic/chiasmatic gliomas treated on a phase II chemotherapy protocol. Between 1984 and 1992, 33 children with hypothalamic/chiasmatic LGGs received TPDCV chemotherapy on a phase II prospective trial. Median age was 3.0 years (range 0.3–16.2). Twelve patients (36%) underwent STRs, 14 (42%) biopsy only, and seven (21%) no surgery. Twenty patients (61%) had pathologic JPAs, nine (27%) grade II gliomas, and four (12%) no surgical sampling. Median f/u for surviving patients was 15.2 years (range 5.3–20.7); 20 of the 23 surviving patients had 14 or more years of follow-up. Fifteen-year PFS and OS were 23.4 and 71.2%, respectively. Twenty-five patients progressed, of whom 13 are NED, two are AWD, and 10 have died. All children who died were diagnosed and first treated at age three or younger. Age at diagnosis was significantly associated with relapse and survival (P = 0.004 for PFS and P = 0.037 for OS). No PFS or OS benefit was seen with STR versus biopsy/no sampling (P = 0.58 for PFS, P = 0.59 for OS). For patients with JPAs and WHO grade II tumors, the 15-year PFS was 18.8 and 22.2% (P = 0.95) and 15-year OS was 73.7 and 55.6% (P = 0.17), respectively. Upfront TPDCV for children with hypothalamic/chiasmatic LGGs resulted in 15-year OS of 71.2% and 15-year PFS of 23.4%. No survival benefit is demonstrated for greater extent of resection. Age is a significant prognostic factor for progression and survival.
Validation of the extended Influence Behavior Questionnaire

Abstract We conducted four studies to evaluate the extended version of the Influence Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ), which measures proactive tactics used to influence people in organizations. The results provide support for the reliability and validity of the 11 tactic scales in the newest version of the IBQ. The questionnaire has widespread potential applications for both research and practice, and it is the most comprehensive and best validated measure of proactive influence tactics. However, the IBQ is not equally useful for all purposes, and we describe some limitations and potential problems that could reduce the validity of the scales.
Cross-impact analysis in social planning: Method and application to water rights

Abstract Cross-impact analysis was developed originally as a forecasting tool. Initial success has prompted its application to social planning. This paper examines the suitability of such application. The basic formulation of the technique is outlined, and cross-impact analysis is found to have great potential for assistance in planning efforts. But the exclusive use of probability and the assumption of random even: occurrence have been identified as major stumbling blocks. A modified formulation is developed to clear the hurdles. An illustration involving the possible transfer of water rights from New Mexico to the City of El Paso is provided to demonstrate how cross-impact analysis can be fruitfully applied to social planning.
Safe delivery of optical power from space

More than a billion gigawatts of sunlight pass through the area extending from Earth out to geostationary orbit. A small fraction of this clean renewable power appears more than adequate to satisfy the projected needs of Earth, and of human exploration and development of space far into the future. Recent studies suggest safe and efficient access to this power can be achieved within 10 to 40 years. Light, enhanced in spatial and temporal coherence, as compared to natural sunlight, offers a means, and probably the only practical means, of usefully transmitting this power to Earth. We describe safety standards for satellite constellations and Earth based sites designed, respectively, to transmit, and receive this power. The spectral properties, number of satellites, and angle subtended at Earth that are required for safe delivery are identified and discussed.
Enhanced electrical conductivity in mesoporous 3D indium-tin oxide materials

Free-standing, three-dimensional (3D) indium-tin oxide monoliths with an interconnected pore structure have been prepared using a non-alkoxide preparative method. This approach aids in the formation of stable frameworks with a regular pore structure and considerable electrical conductivity.
QuIB Calc

Quartz inclusion thermobarometry utilizes the pressure- and temperature-sensitive Raman peak shifts of quartz inclusions in garnet to determine formation pressure and temperature (PT) conditions. The measured Raman shift indicates the pressure currently retained in the inclusions at ambient external conditions, such that entrapment PT conditions (i.e., P and T of garnet growth) can be determined by elastic modeling. Most generally, trapping P is obtained with this method, based on an independent estimate of T. Here we describe QuIB Calc, a MATLAB? program that iteratively solves for garnet growth conditions using the pressure retained in quartz inclusions (as revealed by Raman peak shifts). The program explicitly accounts for the anomalous effects of the quartz lambda transition on the thermal expansivity, and utilizes a mixing subroutine to account for the physical properties of garnet solid solutions. QuIB Calc thus facilitates sophisticated PT calculations using quartz inclusions, and is particularly effective for geobarometry in high pressure terranes. Display Omitted QuIB Calc allows calculation of formation pressure from quartz inclusion in garnet.Effects from lambda transition on quartz thermal expansivity is considered.Linear proportionality for garnet composition are implemented for elastic refinement.
On detecting co-resident cloud instances using network flow watermarking techniques

Virtualization is the cornerstone of the developing third-party compute industry, allowing cloud providers to instantiate multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single set of physical resources. Customers utilize cloud resources alongside unknown and untrusted parties, creating the co-resident threat--unless perfect isolation is provided by the virtual hypervisor, there exists the possibility for unauthorized access to sensitive customer information through the exploitation of covert side channels. This paper presents co-resident watermarking, a traffic analysis attack that allows a malicious co-resident VM to inject a watermark signature into the network flow of a target instance. This watermark can be used to exfiltrate and broadcast co-residency data from the physical machine, compromising isolation without reliance on internal side channels. As a result, our approach is difficult to defend against without costly underutilization of the physical machine. We evaluate co-resident watermarkingunder a large variety of conditions, system loads and hardware configurations, from a local laboratory environment to production cloud environments (Futuregrid and the University of Oregon's ACISS). We demonstrate the ability to initiate a covert channel of 4 bits per second, and we can confirm co-residency with a target VM instance in $$<$$ < 10 s. We also show that passive load measurement of the target and subsequent behavior profiling is possible with this attack. We go on to consider the detectability of co-resident watermarking, extending our scheme to create a subtler watermarking attack by imitating legitimate cloud customer behavior. Our investigation demonstrates the need for the careful design of hardware to be used in the cloud.
Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the sternum in a child: resection and reconstruction

Pediatric primary malignancies of the sternum are rare. They represent less than 1% of all bone tumors. Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the chest wall or Askin's tumor is more often seen in the ribs than in the sternum. Surgical treatment involves resection of the tumor followed by primary reconstruction. We report the case of a 16-year-old adolescent boy who was diagnosed to have primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the sternum and underwent resection with primary reconstruction of the anterior chest wall. We describe for the first time the use of a 2-mm Gore-Tex Dualmesh plus biomaterial (W.L. Gore and Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz) and locking mandibular multiperforated titanium plates with screws (Stryker-Leibinger, Freiburg, Germany) for primary sternal reconstruction in a child. Despite having a wide resection, he did not require postoperative ventilation and had an uncomplicated recovery. The reconstructed chest wall has a normal contour with normal pulmonary physiology.