cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The human Krebs cycle 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex creates an additional source of superoxide/hydrogen peroxide from 2-oxoadipate as alternative substrate

Recently, we reported that the human 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (hE1o) component of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHc) could produce the reactive oxygen species superoxide and hydrogen peroxide (detected by chemical means) from its substrate 2-oxoglutarate (OG), most likely concurrently with one-electron oxidation by dioxygen of the thiamin diphosphate (ThDP)-derived enamine intermediate to a C2α-centered radical (detected by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance) [Nemeria et al., 2014 [17]; Ambrus et al. 2015 [18]]. We here report that hE1o can also utilize the next higher homologue of OG, 2-oxoadipate (OA) as a substrate according to multiple criteria in our toolbox: (i) Both E1o-specific and overall complex activities (NADH production) were detected using OA as a substrate; (ii) Two post-decarboxylation intermediates were formed by hE1o from OA, the ThDP-enamine and the C2α-hydroxyalkyl-ThDP, with nearly identical rates for OG and OA; (iii) Both OG and OA could reductively acylate lipoyl domain created from dihydrolipoyl succinyltransferase (E2o); (iv) Both OG and OA gave α-ketol carboligaton products with glyoxylate, but with opposite chirality; a finding that could be of utility in chiral synthesis; (v) Dioxygen could oxidize the ThDP-derived enamine from both OG and OA, leading to ThDP-enamine radical and generation of superoxide and H2O2. While the observed oxidation-reduction with dioxygen is only a side reaction of the predominant physiological product glutaryl-CoA, the efficiency of superoxide/ H2O2 production was 7-times larger from OA than from OG, making the reaction of OGDHc with OA one of the important superoxide/ H2O2 producers among 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complexes in mitochondria.
Prototyping: Use in the Development of Computer-Based Information Systems

(1989). Prototyping: Use in the Development of Computer-Based Information Systems. Journal of Computer Information Systems: Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 62-66.
O fim do capitalismo dos bancos de investimento? Uma geografia econômica do emprego e do poder financeiro

This article investigates employment patterns, remuneration, and power relations in the U.S. financial sector between 1978 and 2008. It demonstrates that investment banking has played a central part in the securities industry, which has been by far the most expansive segment of the U.S. financial sector and a significant contributor to growing income inequality. The power of investment banking has risen over the past 30 years under the conditions of the growing demand for investment services, technological changes, deregulation, and globalization. Investment banks were at the heart of the shadow banking system, inventing many of the products used by it and often disguising its operation, thus contributing decisively to the outbreak of the global financial crisis of 2007–9. With leading U.S. investment banks converted into bank holding companies and the threat of reregulation, the future of investment banking is uncertain. One area of uncertainty is the banks’ relationship with sovereign wealth funds, which involves both opportunities and challenges. The article identifies the economic geography of investment banking as one of the keys to understanding the dynamics of the contemporary world economy and promotes a mesolevel approach to geographies of finance.
Outcomes for Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation in Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disorders: Ten-Year Experience

The treatment of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is immune reconstitution using hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation early in life. HLA-identical related donors are the preferred s...
Parent-infant room-sharing is complex and important for breastfeeding.

Commentary on: Paul IM, Hohman EE, Loken E, et al . Motherinfant room-sharing and sleep outcomes in the INSIGHT study. Pediatrics 2017;140:e20170122. Night-time parenting is a critical part of life that is understudied. The need to improve the evidence base for health recommendations so that parents have improved opportunity for informed decision-making is urgent. Currently, too little attention is paid to safe postpartum interactions. Mothers are cautious about reporting issues such as infant sleep in clinical visits.1 Fear-based messaging about infant sleep locations can …
Implementation of Moral Uncertainty in Intelligent Machines

The development of artificial intelligence will require systems of ethical decision making to be adapted for automatic computation. However, projects to implement moral reasoning in artificial moral agents so far have failed to satisfactorily address the widespread disagreement between competing approaches to moral philosophy. In this paper I argue that the proper response to this situation is to design machines to be fundamentally uncertain about morality. I describe a computational framework for doing so and show that it efficiently resolves common obstacles to the implementation of moral philosophy in intelligent machines.
Characterization of the Fe-Co-1.5V soft ferromagnetic alloy processed by Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS)

Abstract Processing of the low workability Fe-Co-1.5V (Hiperco® equivalent) alloy is demonstrated using the Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) metals additive manufacturing technique. As an innovative and highly localized solidification process, LENS is shown to overcome workability issues that arise during conventional thermomechanical processing, enabling the production of bulk, near net-shape forms of the Fe-Co alloy. Bulk LENS structures appeared to be ductile with no significant macroscopic defects. Atomic ordering was evaluated and significantly reduced in as-built LENS specimens relative to an annealed condition, tailorable through selection of processing parameters. Fine equiaxed grain structures were observed in as-built specimens following solidification, which then evolved toward a highly heterogeneous bimodal grain structure after annealing. The microstructure evolution in Fe-Co is discussed in the context of classical solidification theory and selective grain boundary pinning processes. Magnetic properties were also assessed and shown to fall within the extremes of conventionally processed Hiperco® alloys. Hiperco® is a registered trademark of Carpenter Technologies, Readings, PA.
Ethical action of a teacher in Levinas’ ethics of responsibility

Responsibility is one of the most important attitudes for people in relation to others. Human existence becomes meaningful if it realizes that responsibility for others and one takes it as an invitation to act ethically. Emmanuel Levinas has shared his thoughts on responsibility in his writings and works. Although Levinas’ ethics of responsibility come across as metaphysical, his thinking is radical and touches human’s daily life. The essence of Levinas’ responsibility for the ethical actions of a teacher are: the presence of the student as an existential fact teacher; teachers as saviors for learners; responsibility to the student as the basis of the teacher’s existence; the responsibility of humanizing himself, the responsibility making teachers unique from others; the teacher’s responsibility of concrete and asymmetrical action. Levinas’ concept of responsibility provides inspiration for ethical action for teachers at school. For this reason, teachers need to have an attitude of absolute responsibility towards their student’s lives.
Immunization update: pertussis, meningoccocus, and human papillomavirus.

Vaccinations have been a part of the childhood experience for generations. Adolescents receive booster vaccines for tetanus and diphtheria or when not given at a younger age measles mumps and rubella. In the early 1990s the hepatitis B immunization series was recommended for adolescents as catch-up to the universal vaccination recommended for all newborns and infants. This immunization series presented practitioners with the challenge of helping adolescents comply with a preventive health care strategy that included three separate visits. Adolescents often have difficulty with schedule adherence. Rates of immunization completion for 2004 for the second MMR and the full hepatitis B series by the 13th birthday were 57% for Medicaid and 63% for commercial insurance carriers; regional variation occurred with 47% completion in the south-central region of the United States and 79% completion in New England. Many of these vaccinations may have been given during the patients younger years. Adolescent immunization although a challenge is becoming an important component of preventive health care in this age group. Many new vaccines are targeted for young adolescents. This article discusses the newest vaccination recommendations for adolescents pertaining to the meningococcal and tetanus diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines and reviews detailed information about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines developed for use in the United States. With the advent of these new vaccines the potential exists to improve adolescent health significantly through prevention adding new incentive to increase adolescent immunization rates for all indicated vaccines. (excerpt)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN – Infertility

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some causes and treatments of male and female infertility. A woman can be infertile for several reasons. Some common reasons are less secretion of hormones from pituitary gland or blocked oviducts. A couple is considered to be infertile, if they have participated in unprotected coitus for a year without becoming pregnant. In about 35% of these couples the problem is with the female, 35% is with the male, 20% is with both the partner, and 10% of the cause is unknown. A couple can also be infertile because of pregnancy wastage or the inability to maintain a pregnancy once established. An infertile male with a low sperm count can be helped by the administration of gonadotropins. Some common treatments used are artificial insemination, which utilizes sperm from the husband or from a donor. In-vitro fertilization is the most frequently used high–technology solution to infertility. Other alternatives for infertile couples include gamete intrafallopian transfer, zygote intrafallopian transfer, and the use of frozen sperm, eggs, or embryos, or hiring a surrogate mother. Infertile couples may also be able to adopt a child.
The Impact of Online Dietary Assessment to Efficiency of Nutrition Counseling: A Pilot

IntroductionNutrition counseling is an important intervention for many chronic diseases and dietary assessment is a crucial component of any initial nutrition counseling visit. Although necessary, ...
BIM Modelling of Ancient Buildings

In the last years, new procedures on design and management of constructions, based on 3D standardised models of building elements, have been proposed. It’s the case of Building Information Modelling (BIM) applications, that, differently from CAD ones, allow to work with libraries of 3D parametrical objects (smart objects) describing geometric, structural and material properties of building elements. This methodology is based on the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) model, that represents a global standard for the building data exchange. Initially used for the design of new architectures, BIM methodology has been even more considered also for the management and the conservation of historical buildings, thanks to the possibilities of implementation of semantic information of 3D objects, guaranteed by the connection with the external database. At the same time, the lack of regular surfaces and standardised objects are relevant problems that nowadays strongly limit the use of BIM for Cultural Heritage (CH). Anyway, in recent times, the study of parameterised objects has opened new perspectives for BIM applications on historical buildings (HBIM). The present work shows the last achievements on this topic, focusing the problems derived from the application of BIM methodology to CH. In fact, the irregular shape of ancient architectural components, the wide variety of architectural languages that characterise historical buildings, the presence, sometimes, of different stratifications, are clear examples of the difficulties of implementing HBIM methodology for CH.
The Food Doctors: A Pilot Study to Connect Urban Children and Medical Students Using Nutrition Education.

Background:Children in the USA face increasing nutrition-related health risks, including obesity rates of 16.9% – a figure that has more than tripled over the past four decades. Nutrition education...
A 37.5-45. lGHz Superharmonic-Coupled QVCO with Tunable Phase Accuracy in 28nm Bulk CMOS

This paper presents a new superharmonic coupled millimeter-wave (mmW) quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator (QVCO) with high phase accuracy. The mechanism of using superharmonic coupling to ensure quadrature locking and its capability of rejecting phase error is analyzed. Based on the analysis, a new superharmonic coupling structure is proposed, which can adjust quadrature error against mismatch to satisfy practical system requirements. For verification, a 40GHz QVCO is implemented in 28nm bulk CMOS. The measurement shows a frequency coverage from 37.5GHz to 45.1GHz with 8.4mW power consumption and 0.18° quadrature error.
The 2017 Tax Law: A Boost to Growth or a Missed Opportunity?

This paper summarizes and extends the analysis in Barro and Furman (2018) of the 2017 tax law, which dramatically reduced the corporate income tax rate. Barro and Furman find that the tax law as written would increase the annual growth rate of gross domestic product over the next decade by 0.02 to 0.04 percentage points. Extending these results, the effect of the tax law on national income would likely be even smaller, or perhaps negative, due to increased payments to foreigners needed to finance the larger budget deficit and increased investment and due to increased capital depreciation. It concludes with a proposal for genuine tax reform by expanding and making expensing permanent, disallowing interest deductions and raising rates that would increase economic growth by substantially more than making the current system permanent. Such reform also would make the tax code more stable, simpler and more efficient.
Foucault and the use of exposure: discipline, ethics, and self-writing

This essay develops the concept of exposure as it functions in Michel Foucault's philosophical project. I argue that exposure is a critical component of subject formation in disciplinary society. I...
Conjugate eye movements guide jumping locomotion in an avian species.

ABSTRACT Many animals rely on vision to successfully locomote through their environments. However, our understanding of the interaction between vision and locomotion is surprisingly limited. This study therefore examined the visual mechanisms guiding jumping locomotion in an avian species. It recorded the eye movements of captive Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) as they jumped up onto and down from a perch. Peafowl shifted their eyes forward as they were jumping, increasing the degree of binocular overlap. Their eye movements were highly conjugate as they were jumping but were otherwise loosely conjugate. Finally, the peafowl rarely directed their gaze toward landing spots. These results suggest that eye movements play a central role in avian locomotion and they can vary depending on the specific locomotor task.
Framework for prioritizing head and neck surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an extraordinary demand on the United States health care system. Many institutions have canceled elective and non-urgent procedures to conserve resources and limit exposure. While operational definitions of elective and urgent categories exist, there is a degree of surgeon judgment in designation. In the present commentary, we provide a framework for prioritizing head and neck surgery during the pandemic. Unique considerations for the head and neck patient are examined including risk to the oncology patient, outcomes following delay in head and neck cancer therapy, and risk of transmission during otolaryngologic surgery. Our case prioritization criteria consist of four categories: urgent-proceed with surgery, less urgent-consider postpone > 30 days, less urgent-consider postpone 30 to 90 days, and case-by-case basis. Finally, we discuss our preoperative clinical pathway for transmission mitigation including defining low-risk and high-risk surgery for transmission and role of preoperative COVID-19 testing.
Are All Narcissistic CEOs Socially Responsible? An Empirical Investigation of an Inverted U-Shaped Relationship Between CEO Narcissism and Corporate Social Responsibility:

We investigate the relationship between CEO narcissism and corporate social responsibility (CSR). We suggest an alternative to the current assumption of a linear relationship between CEO narcissism...
Response to rituximab in children and adults with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

Background Rituximab is a monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody used as a second-line treatment for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). As additional treatments for ITP emerge, identifying the most appropriate patients and optimal timing for rituximab are important but challenging without established predictors of response to therapy. Objectives The purpose of this study was to describe demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of pediatric and adult patients with ITP to identify differences in evaluation before rituximab administration and correlates of platelet response. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study describing the characteristics of patients with ITP treated with rituximab from 2010 to 2020 at two academic tertiary care centers. Results A total of 64 patients met criteria for inclusion. Complete rituximab response (56%) was not significantly different between children (58%, n = 24) and adults (55%, n = 40). Response rate was similar in those with primary versus secondary ITP (53% vs 62%). Among patients treated with rituximab, Evans Syndrome was more common in children than adults (42% vs 18%). Immunologic labs assessed before rituximab varied by age and were more commonly evaluated in children (lymphocyte subsets 88% vs 22%). Immunologic markers, including antinuclear antibody, direct antiglobulin testing, immunoglobulin levels, and lymphocyte subsets, did not predict response to rituximab in pediatric or adult patients with ITP. Conclusions Pre-rituximab immunologic evaluation varied significantly between adults and children, which could represent institution-specific practice patterns or a more general practice difference. If the latter, underlying immunodeficiency in adults with ITP may be underrecognized. Standardized guidance for pre-rituximab immunologic evaluation is needed.
Altered functional neuronal activity in neuropsychiatric lupus: A systematic review of the fMRI investigations

Abstract Objective Recent years have seen a rapid increase in the investigation of neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Measuring specific neuronal activity in regional brain structures during a cognitive task may identify possible biomarker for NPSLE. Methods A systematic review of fMRI studies of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is carried out to address common findings that characterize NPSLE. Results A disturbance to the working memory and executive function brain regions is among the most well-replicated finding. Differences in brain activation may relate to an early primary dysfunction of these regions. Increased functional connectivity strength in the fronto–parietal cortex in the resting state is correlated with SLE disease activity in one study. Decrease functional connectivity is observed in lupus patients with long-term disease. However, there is strong evidence that points toward a lack of effective integration of distributed functional brain regions and disruptions in the subtle modulation of brain function in relation to task demands in SLE. Limitations of the literature to date include the use of small sample size and the lack of addressing the effect of confounding variables, including immunosuppressive treatment. Conclusion Careful definitions of the fMRI technique used both in the design, analyses, and interpretation of high dimensional data is needed, when dealing with a limited number of SLE subjects with heterogeneous manifestations and unknown pathophysiology.
Do Shareholders Benefit from the Adoption of Incentive Pay ForDirectors

We assess the stock market reaction to proposals of incentive plans for directors in a sample of 289 firms. We note a reaction that is both economically and statistically insignificant. This result suggests that shareholders do not necessarily benefit from the adoption of such plans. Across firms we find that the market reaction depends on whether the CEO is involved in director selection. We find that stock markets react negatively to plans proposed by firms without nomination committees. Our findings highlight the important link between corporate governance and the effectiveness of director incentive plans.
Stability conditions of the full KII model of excitatory and inhibitory neural populations

We consider the model of interacting neural populations to be the main building block of K-sets, as suggested by W.J. Freeman. The full KM set's dynamics is understood through building the system up from the reduced KII. Theoretical condition for stability of the intermediate KII model is derived and the regions of structural stability of the full KII model are identified based on numeric data.
Promotional Strategies Utilized by the Film Industry

Abstract With the average cost of a feature motion picture rapidly approaching the $100 million mark, major production studios are turning to greater use of promotions to help guarantee the success of their films. As an entertainment commodity, motion pictures offer unique challenges in terms of promotions. This article briefly reviews some of the major traditional promotional techniques as well as techniques more commonly used in the entertainment industry. The research presented in the second half of the article uses secondary data on critical reviews, awards and box office returns to determine the relationship between critical opinion and motion picture success. The results suggest that there appears to be little or no correlation between the opinion of critics and the success of a motion picture.
An intercalibration between the GEOTRACES GO‐FLO and the MITESS/Vanes sampling systems for dissolved iron concentration analyses (and a closer look at adsorption effects)

An intercalibration of dissolved iron (dFe) concentrations was conducted from samples collected on the GEOTRACES Pacific Intercalibration cruise using two different sampling devices: the GEOTRACES GO-FLO rosette system and MITESS/Vane samplers. At each depth, the dFe concentrations were identical within analytical error, except at 500 m where contamination in one bottle is suspected. dFe adsorption kinetics to bottle walls was also investigated. Over 29 h, 18% of the dFe adsorbed to the walls of 1 L bottles, whereas over 15 h, 19% adsorbed to the walls of 250 mL bottles, suggesting a relationship between dFe adsorption and sample bottle surface area to volume ratio. Contrary to expectations that refrigeration would slow adsorption, cold 250 mL bottles demonstrated a 29% dFe loss over 15 h compared to 19% loss at room temperature. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that the decreasing dFe observed in successive sub-sampled bottles from the (unacidified) SAFe D1 tank was due not only to adsorption but also to pH-dependent Fe solubility changes resulting from carbon dioxide outgassing to the headspace of the 500L SAFe D1 tank. Filtered, low-pH seawater collected at 1000 m in the North Pacific was placed into bottles with variable headspace for 15–17 h. The pH rose with increasing headspace, demonstrating that carbon dioxide outgassed, and dFe decreased in magnitude similar to the SAFe D1 sample. Fe size fractionation results did not conclusively reveal an Fe loss mechanism, but estimates of wall adsorption predicted from our adsorption experiments suggest that the decrease in dFe was more than can be expected by simple adsorption.
States' Senior Residential Property Tax Abatements: Uncontroversial Benefit or Looming but Unrecognized Problem?

All the U.S. states create residential property tax abatement policies that provide important benefits for a rapidly growing older population. These policies vary sharply, and we seek to explain variation in their generosity. We employ regression in conjunction with a cross-sectional data set of the 50 states focused early in the current decade. Several variables prominent in explaining cross-state variation in other public policies exert only modest effects on these programs. Rather, the primary influence is a positive one for a cultural orientation toward government helping a broad swath of the citizenry. We attribute this unusual pattern of explanatory factors to (1) abatement programs' older target populations; (2) their tax expenditure status; and (3) their tendency to be categorized as economic development rather than social programs. This explanatory pattern holds theoretical importance inasmuch as it provides few constraints on the growth of at least some programs serving older citizens. Todos los estados de la Union Americana establecen politicas de reduccion de impuestos para las propiedades residenciales que dan beneficios importantes para la poblacion, en rapido crecimiento, de adultos mayores. Estas politicas varian bruscamente y buscamos explicar la variacion en su generosidad. Empleamos una regresion conjuntamente con datos transversales de 50 estados y enfocados en el principio de la decada actual. Diversas variables que explican la variacion entre estados en otras politicas publicas solo ejercen efectos modestos en estos programas de reduccion de impuestos. En cambio, la influencia mas importante es una positiva para la orientacion cultural relacionada con la ayuda del gobierno para una amplia porcion de la ciudadania. Atribuimos este diseno inusual de factores explicativos a: (1) la poblacion objetivo de adultos mayores de estos programas de reducciones; (2) al estatus de los adultos mayores en los programas de reducciones y (3) a la tendencia de que la reduccion de impuestos para las propiedades residenciales sea categorizada como desarrollo economico en lugar de programas sociales. Este patron explicativo mantiene una importancia teorica dado que provee pocas restricciones para el desarrollo en el futuro de al menos algunos programas de ayuda a la ciudadania de adultos mayores.
Poverty Policy in the United States: Why Government Programs Fail

This article posits the issue of American poverty and governments' inability to significantly alter this adverse social condition. While data suggests there has been a substantial and measurable improvement in poverty rates over the past four decades, the fact remains, poverty is an inherent and permanent factor of the American social, economic and political landscape. The United States government has implemented numerous programs and allocated billions of dollars in an attempt to reduce or eliminate poverty and the problem persists. This review focuses on poverty reduction policy and philosophy in the United States since the 1960's. The primary objective of this review is to better understand data trends, barriers and flaws in the philosophy of policy reduction policy adopted by the United States federal government.
Fast algorithm for the analysis of scattering by dielectric rough surfaces

A novel multilevel algorithm to analyze scattering from dielectric random rough surfaces is presented. This technique, termed the steepest-descent fast-multipole method, exploits the quasi-planar nature of dielectric rough surfaces to expedite the iterative solution of the pertinent integral equation. A combination of the fast-multipole method and Sommerfeld steepest-descent-path integral representations is used to efficiently compute electric and magnetic fields that are due to source distributions residing on the rough surface. The CPU time and memory requirements of the technique scale linearly with problem size, thereby permitting the rapid analysis of scattering by large dielectric surfaces and permitting Monte Carlo simulations with realistic computing resources. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the steepest-decent fast-multipole method.
Real time in situ detection of organic nitrates in atmospheric aerosols

A new field instrument is described that quantifies total particle phase organic nitrates. The instrument is based on the thermal dissociation laser induced fluorescence (TD-LIF) method that thermally converts nitrates to NO2 which is then detected by LIF. This instrument is unique in its ability to provide fast sensitive measurements of particle phase organic nitrates, without interference from inorganic nitrate. Here we use it to quantify organic nitrates in SOA generated from high-NOx photooxidation of limonene, a-pinene, D-3-carene, and tridecane. In these experiments the organic nitrate moiety is observed to be 6-15percent of the total SOA mass, depending on the organic precursor.
Influence of population density and climate on the demography of subalpine golden-mantled ground squirrels

Temporal fluctuation in abundance is common in many wildlife populations, but the causes and consequences to population dynamics of these fluctuations remain poorly understood. We used long-term (1990–2008) field data to investigate the influence of population size and environmental factors (climatic variables and predation) on the demography of golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis). Survival varied by sex and age class, with highest survival for adult females (W 5 0.519, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 5 0.462– 0.576) and lowest survival for juvenile males (W 5 0.120, 95% CI 5 0.094–0.152). Population size negatively influenced survival with a time lag of 1 year. Among environmental factors, current year’s rainfall and intensity of predation substantially influenced survival. Probability of successful reproduction (probability that a female weans 1 pups) was higher for older females (Y 5 0.816, 95% CI 5 0.734–0.877) than for yearlings (Y 5 0.313, 95% CI 5 0.228–0.412). Rainfall negatively influenced probability of successful reproduction of both older and yearling females with a time lag of 1 year. Litter size ranged from 1 to 8 pups, with a mean of 4.8 (95% CI 5 4.5–5.1). We found no evidence that litter size varied among age classes or over time, or was influenced by population size or environmental factors. Our results suggest that population size and environmental factors do not affect all demographic variables in the same way, and that both density-dependent and environmental factors influence the size of our study population.
Simultaneous automatic detection of optic disc and fovea on fundus photographs

We describe an automated and simultaneous localization method for the optic disc and the fovea for fundus photographs. The method is enhanced by a correction step, which allows the detection result of one structure to facilitate the detection of the other one. In the first step of the method, a set of features is extracted from the color fundus image, and the relationship between the features and a distance variable is established during the training phase. For a test image, the same set of features is measured and the distance to the optic disc and the fovea can be estimated using k-nearest-neighbor classification. A probability image with every pixel labeled a probability of within the optic disc or the fovea is generated. In the second step of the method, a second k-nearest-neighbor classification is applied on the probability image. Another set of features is extracted and trained. For a test image, detected high likelihood regions from the first step can be enhanced only if they satisfy the trained relationship. A set of 250 color fundus images from the left eye were used to train the system. Another set of 310 color fundus images were used to test the system. The correct rate for the optic disc is 93.9%. The correct rate for the fovea is 88.1%. This is a fully automatic method to detect the optic disc and fovea simultaneously with excellent performance. We are currently expanding validation on larger datasets.
Magnetic-susceptibility measurements below a nearly-second-order nematic-isotropic phase transition in a lyotropic liquid crystal.

Magnetic-birefringence measurements were performed in the nematic phase of the binary lyotropic liquid crystal cesium perfluoro-octanoate and water within 75 mK of the superheating limit. Several results were obtained: (1) The induced birefringence was linear in H for small H, but showed significant deviations from linearity for Hg5 T; (2) the elastic constant was found to be very small near the transition, indicating that director fluctuations may contribute a significant multiplicative factor to the average order parameter; and (3) the order-parameter exponent \ensuremath{\beta}=0.34\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06. This last result is examined in the context of a mean-field theory with higher-order terms in the free-energy expansion and in the context of the d=3, N=5 N-vector model.
Treatment of recurrent eosinophilic granuloma of the mandible following radiation therapy.

Summary A case of recurrent eosinophilic granuloma of the mandible following radiation therapy is presented. The lesion was curetted and immediately reconstructed with autogenous bone for strength and lower border continuity. Since radiation therapy in low doses is normally curative for this disease, few recurrences have been reported. It is emphasized that polyostotic disease may have a greater propensity for recurrence and that patients presenting with multiple lesions should be followed up closely, regardless of the mode of therapy.
Know Your Current Ih: Interaction with a Shunting Current Explains the Puzzling Effects of Its Pharmacological or Pathological Modulations

The non-specific, hyperpolarization activated, Ih current is particularly involved in epilepsy and it exhibits an excitatory or inhibitory action on synaptic integration in an apparently inconsistent way. It has been suggested that most of the inconsistencies could be reconciled invoking an indirect interaction with the M-type K+ current, another current involved in epilepsy. However, here we show that the original experiments, and the simplified model used to explain and support them, cannot explain in a conclusive way the puzzling Ih actions observed in different experimental preparations. Using a realistic model, we show instead how and why a shunting current, such as that carried by TASK-like channels, and dependent on Ih channel is able to explain virtually all experimental findings on Ih up- or down-regulation by modulators or pathological conditions. The model results suggest several experimentally testable predictions to characterize in more details this elusive and peculiar interaction, which may be of fundamental importance in the development of new treatments for all those pathological and cognitive dysfunctions caused, mediated, or affected by Ih.
A manganese catalyzed covalent binding of estradiol — 17β to cytosol proteins of rabbit uterus

Abstract Studies of the temperature sensitivity of estradiol receptor binding in rabbit uterine cytosol have revealed the existence of an enzyme which catalyzes the covalent binding of estradiol to cytosol proteins. A fraction, prepared by chromatography on Biogel P-200 and incubated at 37°C in the presence of Mn++, exhibited a time-dependent, temperaturesensitive, oxidative binding of estradiol not seen in the crude cytosol preparation. Although the activity of this enzyme was shown to be independent of estradiol binding by the high affinity estrogen receptor, its presence may complicate studies of estrogen receptor action which involve the use of elevated temperatures.
Intracranial infusions of amphetamine into the medial preoptic area but not the nucleus accumbens affect paced mating behavior in female rats.

Abstract The present study evaluated the effects of intracranial administration of amphetamine (AMPH) on paced mating behavior and open field activity in sexually receptive female rats. In Experiment 1, AMPH (0.5 µl of 10 µg/µl) or vehicle was infused bilaterally into the medial preoptic area (mPOA). In Experiments 2 and 3, AMPH (0.5 µl of 40 µg/µl) or vehicle was infused bilaterally into the shell region of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) or core region of the NAc, respectively. In Experiment 1, infusions of AMPH into the mPOA increased the latency to return to the male following sexual stimulation without affecting locomotor activity in the open field test. However, when AMPH was infused 3.0 mm dorsal to the mPOA, no effects were observed. In Experiments 2 and 3, infusions of AMPH into the NAc shell or core significantly increased locomotor activity during the open field test but failed to affect most measures of paced mating behavior. Together these results suggest that amphetamine-stimulate dopamine release in the mPOA but not in the NAc alters paced mating behavior, confirming previous conclusions that the mPOA plays a critical role in female sexual behavior, whereas the NAc plays a relatively limited role.
Big Army Groups, Standardization, and Assaulting Fortified Positions: Chinese “Ways of War” and the Transition from Guerrilla to Conventional War in China’s Northeast, 1945-1948

Abstract Western military historians often describe the Chinese “way of war” as emphasizing a gradualist military strategy, tending to avoid battle except when victory was assured, and preferring to use subterfuge, maneuver, or psychological means to defeat the enemy without actually fighting. The roots of this understanding of the Chinese way of war lie in selective readings of Sunzi’s Art of War and Mao Zedong’s writings on guerrilla warfare. The record of Chinese Communist operations in China’s Northeast (Manchuria) from 1945 through 1948 instead suggests a Chinese approach to war that is characterized not only by close attention to strategy and maneuver, but also by a preference for offensive operations leading to the ultimate destruction of the enemy in battles of annihilation. In the Northeast theater of China’s civil war we also see that the Communist forces had to go through a process of transformation before they were able to carry out large-scale maneuvers, deploy overwhelming firepower, and conduct large-scale operations or campaigns of annihilation. In order to gain victory, the Chinese Communist forces in the Northeast under Lin Biao’s command had to make the transition from guerrilla to conventional warfare, including the ability to attack cities. This transformation was achieved through a combination of factors: critical assessment of battlefield performance, incorporation of new weapons and equipment, and techniques of staff work. This suggests that any workable understanding of Chinese ways of war must go beyond cultural determinism to take account of the Chinese military’s flexibility and capacity for learning.
Attraction of American Cockroaches (Orthoptera: Blattidae) to Traps Containing Periplanone B and to Insecticide-Periplanone B Mixtures

Periplanone B, a synthetic component of the female sex pheromone of Periplaneta americana , was field tested in traps and in conventional insecticide spray formulations. The pheromone significantly enhanced the trap catch and number of cockroaches killed with insecticides by stimulating locomotory activity, attracting males, and possibly reducing behavioral repellency.
Color printing technologies

The rapid emergence of color in the next five years will necessitate significant growth in the present technologies to generate quality output. An overview is given of the existing color technologies and some of the major technical advances required for future growth. The emphasis here is on the marking engine technologies, specifically on the leading ones, i.e., thermal, ink jet, and electrophotography.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Semiclassical theory of unimolecular dissociation induced by a laser field

A semiclassical nonperturbative theory of direct photodissociation in a laser field is developed in which photon absorption and dissociation are treated in a unified fashion. This is achieved by visualizing nuclear dynamics as a representative particle moving on electronic‐field surfaces. Methods are described for calculating dissociation rates and probabilities by Monte Carlo selection of initial conditions and integration of classical trajectories on these surfaces. This unified theory reduces to the golden rule expression in the weak‐field and short‐time limits, and predicts nonlinear behavior, i.e., breakdown of the golden rule expression in intense fields. Field strenghts above which lowest‐order perturbation theory fails to work have been estimated for some systems. Useful physical insights provided by the electronic‐field representation have been illustrated. Intense field effects are discussed which are amenable to experimental observation. The semiclassical methods used here are also applicable to multiple‐surface dynamics in fieldfree unimolecular and bimolecular reactions.
Model-based force-driven nonrigid motion recovery from sequences of range images without point correspondences

Abstract In this article we propose a new method for accurate nonrigid motion analysis when point correspondence data is not available. Nonlinear finite element models are constructed by integrating range data and prior knowledge about an object's properties. The motion sequence is recovered given an initial alignment of the model with the first frame of the sequence. The main idea of the method is to find the forces that are responsible for the motion or shape deformation of the given object. The task is broken into subtasks of finding the forces for each frame. Both absolute values and directions of these forces are taken into consideration and iteratively varied not only for each frame, but also between the frames. Experimental results demonstrate the success of the proposed algorithm. The method is applied to man-made elastic materials and human hand modeling. It allows for recovery of single and multiple forces using restricted (elastic-articulated) and completely unrestricted (elastic) models. Our work demonstrates the possibility of accurate nonrigid motion analysis and force recovery from range image sequences containing nonrigid objects and large motion without interframe point correspondences.
Determinants of outcome in hospitalized infants with congenital heart disease

To identify determinants of adverse outcome in this era of early, definitive treatment, retrospective data were analyzed for 1988 on infants aged less than 1 year with congenital cardiac disease hospitalized at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. In this cohort of 108 infants, 34% (37 of 108) had complex cardiac disease, 33% (36 of 108) had major extracardiac anomalies, 88 patients (81%) underwent 116 surgical procedures, 37% (40 of 108) were hospitalized for greater than 28 days and 29% (31 of 108) died during the first year. Univariate analysis showed that complex disease (i.e., severe ventricular hypoplasia, ventricular septal malalignment or outflow atresia), extracardiac anomalies, early initial presentation, and prolonged stay in the intensive care unit were significantly associated with infant death, whereas surgery was associated with a significantly increased rate of survival. The findings for complex disease and surgery persisted in multiple logistic regression analysis. It is concluded that outcome in most infants with congenital cardiac defects is now extremely favorable, and that major research and preventive efforts should focus on complex congenital cardiac defects.
Who joins advocacy organizations? Water quality and participation in rural shoreline Great Lakes communities

Civic organizations play an important role in translating individual preferences into the emergence of collective action for protection of the environment. The purpose of this article is to examine factors that help explain why individuals become aware of, and to ultimately join, local environmental advocacy groups. We conducted a mail survey of property owners in four slow growing, politically conservative rural watersheds along the southeast corner of Lake Ontario, inquiring about length of property ownership, engagement in outdoor activities, observations of impaired water quality, level of concern about the watershed environment, and awareness of and membership in local environmental organizations. We used two binary logistic regressions and find that owning property on the waterfront and length of tenure strongly predicts both awareness of and membership in stewardship and advocacy organizations in these watersheds.
Empirical Likelihood Based Rank Regression Inference

Rank regression procedures have been proposed and studied for numerous research applications that do not satisfy the underlying assumptions of the more common linear regression models. This article develops confidence regions for the slope parameter of rank regression using an empirical likelihood (EL) ratio method. It has the advantage of not requiring variance estimation which is required for the normal approximation method. The EL method is also range respecting and results in asymmetric confidence intervals. Simulation studies are used to compare and evaluate normal approximation versus EL inference methods for various conditions such as different sample size or error distribution. The simulation study demonstrates our proposed EL method almost outperforms the traditional method in terms of coverage probability, lower-tail side error, and upper-tail side error. An application of stability analysis also shows the EL method results in shorter confidence intervals for real life data.
ADaM: Augmenting existing approximate fast matching algorithms with efficient and exact range queries

Background Drug discovery, disease detection, and personalized medicine are fast-growing areas of genomic research. With the advancement of next-generation sequencing techniques, researchers can obtain an abundance of data for many different biological assays in a short period of time. When this data is error-free, the result is a high-quality base-pair resolution picture of the genome. However, when the data is lossy the heuristic algorithms currently used when aligning next-generation sequences causes the corresponding accuracy to drop.
Rescheduling of elective patients upon the arrival of emergency patients

In this study, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model is developed for rescheduling elective patients upon the arrival of emergency patients by considering two types of clinical units, namely operating rooms and post-anesthesia care units (PACUs). The model considers the overtime cost of the operating rooms and/or the PACUs, the cost of postponing or preponing elective surgeries, and the cost of turning down the emergency patients. The results indicate that a mainstream commercial solver can efficiently find an optimal solution in a particular scenario with light elective surgery load, but becomes very inefficient in searching optimal solutions in all other scenarios. As such, a genetic algorithm is developed to efficiently obtain the approximately optimal solutions in those scenarios that are difficult for the commercial solver. In the genetic algorithm, a novel chromosome structure is proposed and applied to represent the feasible solutions to the MILP model. It is shown that for the scenarios with heavy load of elective surgeries, the genetic algorithm can find approximate optimal solutions significantly faster than the commercial solver. In practice, the two solution methodologies should be used jointly to provide hospitals a solid tool for making sound and timely decisions in admitting emergency patients and rescheduling elective patients.