cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of nuclear DNA content, ploidy, and FISH location of ribosomal DNA in Hibiscus hamabo

Abstract Hibiscus hamabo Sieb.et Zucc, a deciduous shrub or tree, is an important semi-mangrove plant with golden yellow flowers. The plant is also cultivated for its fiber and grown as an ornamental. It is halophytic and considered one of the best afforestation trees used in reclamation programs in urban and coastal areas high in salt content. However, very little work has been done on its genetics; therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the genome size, the chromosome numbers, and rDNA (18S rDNA and 5S rDNA) loci in H. hamabo using flow cytometry, protoplast spread technique, and oligonucleotide fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), respectively. H. hamabo was found to have a 2C-value of 4.06 + 0.08 pg (3973.08 + 78.90 Mbp) and a chromosome number of 2n = 92. We observed four 18S loci and one 5S rDNA locus on five different pairs of homologous chromosomes. The observed FISH signal intensities for the 18S rDNA varied from chromosome to chromosome, indicating that each locus had different rDNA repeat copy numbers. The pericentromeric regions of each chromosome observed were highly heterochromatic. The findings of this study will benefit future cytogenetics and genomic investigations as well as lay the groundwork for more efficient breeding programs aimed at developing improved H. hamabo hybrids.
MLK Smart Corridor: An Urban Testbed for Smart City Applications

Urbanization over the next decade will present many complex challenges to developing cities. The smart city concept aims to address these challenges by exploiting large scale deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) and communication technologies. These technologies generate data that provide quantifiable insights into the state of the infrastructure within a city. Using these insights, cities can more effectively allocate resources, manage services, and enhance the lives of its citizens. The data generated by smart cities is complex and requires high throughput. Advanced data integration platforms must support city-wide data collection, analysis, and storage. These systems must provide features that allow them to scale alongside the growth of the cities to support high rates of data ingestion in large volumes. Additionally, these systems must support low latency response times which is a critical requirement for time sensitive smart city applications. In this paper, we introduce a smart city testbed that will provide a real-world testing environment for applications in areas such as intelligent transportation, pedestrian safety, and autonomous vehicles. The proposed testbed will act as an open platform for researchers and developers to test new sensors, algorithms and more in a live urban environment, allowing them to test before deploying a product or application. In addition to the physical testbed and its capabilities, we will discuss the data integration system and applications responsible for collecting, analyzing, and storing the data generated by the testbed. Lastly, we will introduce an open data platform where researchers can access datasets generated by the testbed.
Changing Therapeutic Landscape for Melanoma With Multiple Brain Metastases

Over 90 000 people are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma in the United States this year. The development of brain metastases is particularly difficult to manage. Over the past few years, melanoma patients with multiple unresectable brain metastases for which stereotactic surgery might also not be a viable option have fortunately experienced a dramatic expansion in available management options given improvements made to targeted agents, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. Whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) is a long-standing radiation technique that has become increasingly sophisticated. In this review, we summarize retrospective and prospective studies on individual advances in targeted agents, immunotherapy, and WBRT, highlighting important variables such as overall survival, intracranial progression-free survival, control and response rates, and toxicities. We also discuss the recent integration of these therapies into a multimodality approach, which has shown promise in the clinical setting although toxicities have not been insignificant. Finally, we describe ongoing prospective trials relevant to melanoma with brain metastases, and we conclude with our own thoughts on the optimal approach for these patients.
Photon counting and precision photometry for the Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will include, as one of its two instruments, the highest contrast coronagraph ever attempted, with sensitivity down to Jupiter class planets. With ux ratio below 1e-8, these planets will be exceedingly dim, so that signal rates are as low as 0.01 electrons per second at the imaging detector. These rates necessitate ultra-low noise detectors and methods. For its science imaging camera, the Roman Coronagraph will employ an electron multiplication CCD (EMCCD), to achieve near-zero read noise. EMCCD's, however, deliver the low read noise at the cost of amplification of all other noise, because of the stochastic nature of the electron multiplication process. To circumvent this next-order challenge, a thresholding technique called photon counting can be used. The resulting image has no read noise and no excess noise factor (ENF). The remaining challenge, for precision photometry, is to account for the undercount and overcount effects inherent to photon counting. These arise primarily from the inefficiency of thresholding itself, and coincidence loss, where multiple-electron events are not distinguished from single-electron ones. Here we present a detailed description of the photon counting algorithm and the corrections necessary to achieve photometric accuracy below 0.5%.
Review: the LW blood group system

The LW blood group system had its origin in the early Rh experiments of the 1940s and played an important role in our understanding of hemolytic disease of the newborn. Considered for a number of years to be the animal equivalent of the human Rh(D) antigen, LW(a) has been shown to be unique. Biochemical studies have located the antigen on a different protein from proteins of the Rh antigens; however, the interdependence of LW and D still exists. The disappearance of LW antigens in various disease states and in pregnancy, associated with production of apparent alloantibody, remains puzzling, but this phenomenon may eventually help our understanding of the immunology of disease.
A story of bodying in science education

In poetic dialogue with Becoming Alive within Science Education (Research): Thinking with Life History(ies), Bodies and Stickiness, stories of bodying and body(ies) of work are playfully explored.
A Meta-analysis of the Effects of Mentoring on Youth in Foster Care.

Research suggests that mentoring programs may promote a range of positive outcomes in youth populations. Less is known, however, about the extent to which such programs are effective in specialized youth populations, such as youth involved in the foster care system. The current study aimed to investigate the extent to which mentoring interventions promote positive outcomes among youth involved in the foster care system and to systematically explore factors that may moderate the effectiveness of mentoring interventions. Using a multilevel meta-analytic approach, this study estimated the effect size of nine formal mentoring programs in the United States serving youth involved with the foster care system (total n = 55,561). Analyses revealed a small-to-medium-sized overall effect (g = 0.342). Moderator analyses revealed weaker effects for studies containing higher proportions of youth with emotional abuse histories. Programs deploying near-peer mentors were more than twice as effective as intergenerational mentors. The findings highlight the salience of emotional abuse history, suggesting the utility of providing mentor trainings in trauma-informed care for this population.
Introduction: British Drama and the Neoliberal Consensus

This chapter establishes the social and political contexts of the book with an overview of neoliberal policy reform since the 1980s and its impacts on the theatre. Installed under the Thatcher administration, neoliberalism achieved political hegemony under Blair in the 1990s and extended its status as consensus politics under Cameron in the 2010s. Against this political backdrop, the introduction traces how Britain’s theatre industry resisted and adapted to policy reforms, particularly with respect to government subsidy and the increased reliance on box office appeal. Matilda the Musical (2010), a play born of the subsidised sector that has since become an international commercial hit, articulates a politics of resistance and collectivism (especially directed towards young audiences) even as it simultaneously reveals its instrumentalisation by larger commercial forces, thus setting up the central dilemma at the heart of the book.
Experiments on asynchronous partial gauss-seidel method

This paper presents design and experimental results of a parallel linear equation solver by asynchronous partial Gauss-Seidel method. The basic idea of this method is derived from the asynchronous iterative method; newly computed values of unknowns are broadcast to all other processors and are incorporated into computing the next value immediately after they are received. However, since the asynchronous iterative method requires frequent data passing, it is difficult to achieve high performance on practical cluster computing systems due to its enormous communication overhead. To avoid it, the asynchronous partial Gauss-Seidel method reduces frequency of broadcasting new values of unknowns by passing multiple values in a chunk. The experimental results show the advantage of the asynchronous partial Gauss-Seidel method.
Porous Semiconductor Chalcogenide Aerogels

Chalcogenide aerogels based entirely on semiconducting II-VI or IV-VI frameworks have been prepared from a general strategy that involves oxidative aggregation of metal chalcogenide nanoparticle building blocks followed by supercritical solvent removal. The resultant materials are mesoporous, exhibit high surface areas, can be prepared as monoliths, and demonstrate the characteristic quantum-confined optical properties of their nanoparticle components. These materials can be synthesized from a variety of building blocks by chemical or photochemical oxidation, and the properties can be further tuned by heat treatment. Aerogel formation represents a powerful yet facile method for metal chalcogenide nanoparticle assembly and the creation of mesoporous semiconductors.
A Sacred Trust of Civilization: Fiduciary Foundations of International Law

Many legal scholars have characterized the international community’s “responsibility to protect” as a moral or political ideal without a well-established foundation in international law. In this chapter, I argue that the legal character of the responsibility to protect cannot be so easily dismissed. The idea that individual states and the broader international community share responsibility for guaranteeing the security and basic rights of human beings can be traced back to international law’s colonial-era origins, a time when Western nations rationalized their subjugation of indigenous peoples by casting themselves as benevolent “guardians” or “trustees” for humanity. Although the historical record suggests that colonial powers abused fiduciary rhetoric as a pretext for subjugating, exploiting, and even destroying indigenous communities, over time the continuing penetration and diffusion of fiduciary concepts has subtly redefined sovereignty itself as a form of legal authority that is entrusted to states as fiduciaries for the benefit of humanity. Under this fiduciary model of sovereignty, international law and international institutions are necessary to mediate the relationship between states and their people, ensuring that this relationship is not corrupted by domination or instrumentalization. When states flagrantly neglect their responsibility to protect their people from abuse or affirmatively violate the human rights of their people, international law entrusts the international community as a whole — acting primarily through the U.N. Security Council — with responsibility to intercede for the protection of oppressed peoples. Although the international community’s responsibility to protect requires further institutional development, it constitutes an essential feature of international legal order.
Radiofrequency ablation of stage IA non–small cell lung cancer in medically inoperable patients: Results from the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z4033 (Alliance) trial

BACKGROUND This study evaluated the 2-year overall survival rate, adverse event rate, local control rate, and impact on pulmonary function tests for medically inoperable patients with stage IA non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing computed tomography (CT)–guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in a prospective, multicenter trial. METHODS Fifty-four patients (25 men and 29 women) with a median age of 76 years (range, 60-89 years) were enrolled from 16 US centers; 51 patients were eligible for evaluation (they had biopsy-proven stage IA NSCLC and were deemed medically inoperable by a board-certified thoracic surgeon). Pulmonary function tests were performed within the 60 days before RFA and 3 and 24 months after RFA. Adverse events were recorded and categorized. Patients were followed with CT and fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. Local control rate and recurrence patterns were analyzed. RESULTS The overall survival rate was 86.3% at 1 year and 69.8% at 2 years. The local tumor recurrence–free rate was 68.9% at 1 year and 59.8% at 2 years and was worse for tumors > 2 cm. In the 19 patients with local recurrence, 11 were re-treated with RFA, 9 underwent radiation, and 3 underwent chemotherapy. There were 21 grade 3 adverse events, 2 grade 4 adverse events, and 1 grade 5 adverse event in 12 patients within the first 90 days after RFA. None of the grade 4 or 5 adverse events were attributable to RFA. There was no significant change in the forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration or the diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide after RFA. A tumor size less than 2.0 cm and a performance status of 0 or 1 were associated with statistically significant improved survival of 83% and 78%, respectively, at 2 years. CONCLUSIONS RFA is a single, minimally invasive procedure that is well tolerated in medically inoperable patients, does not adversely affect pulmonary function tests, and provides a 2-year overall survival rate that is comparable to the rate reported after stereotactic body radiotherapy in similar patients. Cancer 2015;121:3435–43. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Formation in the Worlds of Theological Education: Moving from “What” to “How”

. Theological educators in church and academy alike continue to ask, “What is formation for ministry?” Dissatisfaction has increased within all participants of theological education – faculty, students, administrators, pastors, and church professionals. Temporarily postponing the “what” of formation, this article explores the dissatisfaction with formation language in terms of one critical dissonance: the improbable quest for a pastoral identity amidst the observable reality of multiple identities, chosen and imposed. A constructive response crafted by identities-in-practice, as configured by disciplined spiritual stewardship, gives both critical and contemplative guidance for a fuller participation by all in Christian formation. Formation then becomes defined with a publicly theological coherence: the “shaping-being-shaped” primarily by the Holy in the worlds mutually configured within improvised, risked service.
Disaster recovery and continuity planning for digital library systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of disaster recovery and contingency planning for digital library systems.Design/methodology/approach – Using best practices, the paper develops a context for developing business continuity and disaster recovery plans.Findings – Business continuity planning and disaster recovery are important components of digital library system planning. Two out of five organizations that incur a major disaster event are unable to permanently recover, but by developing a continuity and recovery plan in advance, libraries can greatly increase the likelihood of long‐term recovery of institutional resources.Originality/value – This paper will be of interest to systems developers and managers, as well as senior library management, who need to plan for unexpected organizational disruption. The paper provides a context and outline for developing a business continuity and disaster recovery plan.
Levels of reduced TPN generating systems in chick embryos in ovo and in explants

Abstract The relation of the enzymes glucose 6-phosphate and isocitric dehydrogenase to protein and DNA accumulation were studied using chick embryo explants. The results show a much closer correlation of the activities of the two enzymes with changes in DNA content than in the total protein content.
Synthesizing insight: artificial life as thought experimentation in biology

What is artificial life? Much has been said about this interesting collection of efforts to artificially simulate and synthesize lifelike behavior and processes, yet we are far from having a robust philosophical understanding of just what Alifers are doing and why it ought to interest philosophers of science, and philosophers of biology in particular. In this paper, I first provide three introductory examples from the particular subset of artificial life I focus on, known as ‘soft Alife’ (s-Alife), and follow up with a more in-depth review of the Avida program, which serves as my case study of s-Alife. Next, I review three well-known accounts of thought experiments, and then offer my own synthesized account, to make the argument that s-Alife functions as thought experimentation in biology. I draw a comparison between the methodology of the thought-experimental world that yields real-world results, and the s-Alife research that informs our understanding of natural life. I conclude that the insights provided by s-Alife research have the potential to fundamentally alter our understanding of the nature of organic life and thus deserve the attention of both philosophers and natural scientists.
Voxel-based morphometric gray matter correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with functional abnormalities within a neurocircuitry that includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and medial prefrontal cortex. Evidence of structural abnormalities within these regions, and their association with PTSD severity and symptom burden is, however, sparse. The present study evaluated the relation between indices of gray matter volume and PTSD symptom severity using voxel-based morphometry. Fifteen individuals meeting DSM-IV criteria for PTSD completed the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. Greater PTSD severity and avoidance/numbing were correlated with increased gray matter volume of the right amygdala-hippocampal complex. Greater hyper-arousal was associated with reduced gray matter volume in the left superior medial frontal gyrus. Findings are consistent with current neurocircuitry models of PTSD, which posit that the disorder is associated with structural and functional variance within this distributed network.
Measurement of the radial temperature distribution of the heated spot produced by a focused laser beam using an optical pyrometer

A method is described for the evaluation of the Gaussian curve parameters needed for the description of the temperature distribution of the heated spot produced on a target substrate by a well-focused laser beam, using an optical pyrometer to read the weighted average temperatures from two distinct distances. The parameter so found gave a calculated distribution curve in excellent agreement with experimental determinations of that distribution.
Glycosylation of the active sequence ser-ile-lys-val-ala-val from the α1 chain of laminin reduces tumor cell attachment activity

Abstract N-terminal serine O-glycopeptides of SIKVAV-, a sequence located on the long arm of the α1 chain of laminin, were synthesized to study the effect of glycosylation on the adhesive properties of this biologically relevant peptide. The data show that covalently linked carbohydrates decrease the cell-attachment activity in a structurally dependent manner.
Hurler and Hunter Syndromes: Mutual Correction of the Defect in Cultured Fibroblasts

The biochemical defect of cultuired skin fibroblasts from Hurler or Hunter patients (faulty degradation of sulfated mucopolysaccharide, resulting in excessive intracellular accumulation) may be corrected if cells of these two genotypes are mixed with each other or with normal cells. The effect is mediated by substances released into the medium.
Volcanism: Eruptions and Extinctions

Fossils from southern China provide evidence for a mass extinction during middle Permian time, 260 million years ago. The close association of this event with an outpouring of lava, initially into the sea, indicates that explosive volcanism may have been the cause.
A robust sequential detection algorithm for cardiac arrhythmia classification

In ibid., vol. 37, no. 9, p. 837-43 (1990) and Proc. IEEE 9th Annu. Conf. Eng. Med. Biol. Soc., p. 918-19 (1988) N.V. Thakor et al. describe a sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) based on threshold crossing intervals (TCI) for the discrimination of ventricular fibrillation (VF) from ventricular tachycardia (VT). However, in applying their algorithm to data from the MIT-BIH malignant arrhythmia database, the authors observed some overlap in the distributions of TCI for VF and VT resulting in 16% overall error rate for the discrimination. In this communication, the authors describe a modified SPRT algorithm, using a new feature dubbed blanking variability (BV) as the basis for discrimination. Using the MIT-BIH database, the preliminary results showed that the proposed method decreases the overall error rate to 5%.
A Review of “Seven Strategies for Positive Aging”

Dr. Robert Hill is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Utah where he has been a faculty member for over 14 years. He received his PhD in counseling psycholo...
GROPHECY: GPU performance projection from CPU code skeletons

We propose GROPHECY, a GPU performance projection framework that can estimate the performance benefit of GPU acceleration without actual GPU programming or hardware. Users need only to skeletonize pieces of CPU code that are targets for GPU acceleration. Code skeletons are automatically transformed in various ways to mimic tuned GPU codes with characteristics resembling real implementations. The synthesized characteristics are used by an existing analytical model to project GPU performance. The cost and benefit of GPU development can then be estimated according to the transformed code skeleton that yields the best projected performance. With GROPHECY, users can leap toward GPU acceleration only when the cost-benefit makes sense. The framework is validated using kernel benchmarks and data-parallel codes in legacy scientific applications. The measured performance of manually tuned codes deviates from the projected performance by 17% in geometric mean.
Thinking Critically about Strip Club Research

This article explores two interrelated issues in the exotic dance literature: (1) claims that research on strip clubs is virgin, unstudied territory, and not taken seriously, and (2) the unrelenting focus on negotiations of power between men and women in the clubs. It argues that the study of commercial sex — and here specifically of exotic dance — is itself culturally informed. Thus, there has been a great deal of studying in strip clubs, but less exploration of the ways that these venues, and those of us who study them, are implicated in larger social, cultural, political, economic, and intimate relationships, processes, and patterns of meaning. A cultural approach to the study of strip clubs (Agustin, 2005) opens our investigation of these important sites of sexual-economic exchange in theoretically innovative and timely ways.
Detecting stepping-stones under the influence of packet jittering

Hackers often use a chain of intermediate stepping-stone hosts to hide their identity before launching an attack. This type of stepping-stone attack can be detected by applying timing-based correlation algorithms on the connections in and out of a host. However, hackers can add chaff packets or jitter the original packets to decrease the detection rate of these correlation algorithms. This paper proposes a novel method to detect intrusions under the influence of packet jittering. Our study shows how the distribution of the inter-arrival time gaps of a jittered connection differs from connections without jittering. We study the impact of the jittering probability model on the detection rate as well as parameters of the model upon the detection rate. Our study suggests a way to detect stepping-stones and complements the existing correlation-based stepping-stone detection algorithms to form a much more robust solution.
Strength over time of a resorbable bioscaffold for body wall repair in a dog model.

The change in strength over time of a biomaterial derived from the small intestinal submucosa (SIS) was determined in a dog model of body wall repair. Full-thickness body wall defects measuring 8 x 12 cm were surgically created and then repaired with a multilaminate eight-layer form of SIS in 40 dogs. Five dogs were sacrificed at each of the following time points: 1 day, 4 days, 7 days, 10 days, and 1, 3, 6, and 24 months. Ball burst tests that measured biaxial ultimate load-bearing capability were performed on the device prior to implantation and on the device/implant site at the time of sacrifice. The strength of the device at the time of implant was approximately 73 +/- 12 pounds. The strength of the implant site diminished to 40 +/- 18 pounds at 10 days, and then progressively increased to a value of 156 +/- 26 pounds at 24 months (P < 0.05). The clinical utility of a degradable biomaterial such as SIS depends on a balance between the rate of degradation and the rate of host remodeling. Naturally occurring extracellular matrix scaffolds such as SIS show rapid degradation with associated and subsequent remodeling to a tissue with strength that exceeds that of the native tissue when used as a body wall repair device.
Interleukin-10 inhibits postinjury tumor necrosis factor-mediated human vascular smooth muscle proliferation.

Background.Both ischemic and direct vascular injury (angioplasty) result in the elaboration of proinflammatory substances, including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF), which may regulate vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and promote vessel stenosis. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a pleiotropic cytokine with potent antiinflammatory effects in many cells lines. We hypothesized that IL-10 could be used therapeutically to influence vascular remodeling by inhibiting TNF-induced VSMC proliferation. The purposes of this study were (1) to determine whether human myocardium produces endogenous TNF in response to ischemia–reperfusion, (2) to examine the effect of TNF on human arterial smooth muscle proliferation, and (3) to explore the potential therapeutic effect of IL-10 on unstimulated and TNF-stimulated VSMC proliferation. Materials and Methods.Right atrial muscle was obtained from patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Atrial muscle was subjected to simulated ischemia and reperfusionin vitroand TNF was measured by immunoassay. Human aortic VSMCs were isolated and cultured. Proliferation assays were performed to determine the effect of TNF and IL-10 on VSMC growth. Results.Ischemia–reperfusion resulted in an increase in atrial myocellular TNF (94.5 ± 15.8 pg/g wet tissue versus control 12.9 ± 4.4 pg/g wet tissue,P< 0.002). Compared with control, TNF stimulated concentration-dependent VSMC proliferation (P< 0.005). IL-10 alone did not influence VSMC growth. However, following TNF stimulation, IL-10 inhibited VSMC growth at a dose as low as 0.1 pg/ml (P< 0.005). Conclusions.Ischemia–reperfusion insult results in increased endogenous myocardial TNF accumulation. TNF stimulates VSMC growth which is abrogated by physiologically relevant levels of IL-10. This antiinflammatory cytokine may prove to be an effective therapeutic agent in regulating vessel wall remodeling following both ischemic and direct cardiovascular injury.
Noninvasive measurement of pyruvate uptake by ovine preimplantation embryos and unfertilized ova

Abstract A noninvasive, fluorometric assay was used to measure pyruvate uptake by ovine unfertilized ova and preimplantation embryos up to the expanded blastocyst stage. There was a significant (P
Racial Disparities in Early Criminal Justice Involvement

Criminologists have long reported the existence of racial disparity in the criminal justice system, but the important question is why. While some argue that observed differences are a consequence of more criminal behavior among minorities, the weight of the evidence indicates that this is but a partial explanation. In this paper, we study data from a sample of juveniles to examine how racial differences in early police contact, and important social environments—family, school, and neighborhoods—affect later contact and arrests, controlling for self-reported delinquency. We find that early (in middle school) contact with police is an important predictor of later (high school) arrests. Also we found that, in addition to being male and living in a low-income family, children who have parents who have a history of arrest, who have experienced school disciplinary actions, who have delinquent peers, and who are in networks with deviant adults are more likely to have problems with law enforcement. These factors help to explain racial differences in police contacts and arrests.
A Comparison of Monocular and Binocular Depth Perception in 5- and 7-Month-Old Infants.

Monocular depth perception was compared with binocular depth perception in 5- and 7-month-old infants. Reaching was used as the dependent measure. Two objects, identical except in size, were presented simultaneously to each infant. The smaller object was within reach for the infants while the larger object was just beyond reach. The two objects subtended equal visual angles from the infants' observation point. With binocular presentation, 96% of the 7-month-olds' reaches and 89% of the 5-month-olds' reaches were for the nearer object. With monocular presentation, 58% of the 7-month-olds' reaches and 65% of the 5-month-olds' reaches were for the nearer object. The reaching preferences observed in the monocular condition indicated sensitivity to monocular depth information (motion parallax, accommodation, and relative size information were available). Binocular viewing, however, resulted in a far more consistent tendency to reach for the nearer object. This result suggests that the infants' perception of the objects' distances was more veridical in the binocular condition than in the monocular condition.
Gastrointestinal perforation without intraperitoneal air-fluid level in neonatal pneumoperitoneum.

Twenty-one cases of neonatal pneumoperitoneum seen at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital between 1970 and 1974 were reviewed. Of 14 cases with autopsy or surgically proven gastrointestinal perforation, six did not have an intraperitoneal air-fluid level on the initial cross-table lateral roentgenogram while eight did. Four cases of pneumoperitoneum secondary to mechanically assisted ventilation and air leak phenomenon had no air-fluid level. A postmortem study in one premature infant cadaver suggests that the air-fluid level may not be reliably demonstrated when the amount of intraperitoneal fluid is small. These data support the contention that an intraperitoneal air-fluid level does not uniformly occur in perforated viscus and that its absence, even in the presence of mechanically assisted ventilation, does not exclude the necessity for surgical intervention. In some cases, water-soluble contrast examination of the gastrointestinal tract appears to be a more reliable diagnostic adjunct to document a perf...
Development and consumer validation of the Functional Evaluation in a Wheelchair (FEW) instrument.

Purpose : The purpose of the study is to develop an outcome measurement tool to investigate functional performance of consumers using seating and wheelchair systems as their primary seating and mobility device. The instrument is undergoing systematic development in three phases. The results of Phase 1 will be reported. Method : Manual and power wheelchair users were interviewed using a modified version of a client-centred outcome measure. An item bank was derived based on the interview data. Subjects were then asked to validate item categories of the new instrument, and finally to self-administer the first version of the instrument. Results : Subjects reported 154 self-care, productivity, and leisure occupational performance issues related to their current seating-mobility system. Based on their input, 10 categories (i.e. transfers, reach, accessing task surfaces, transportation-portability, human-machine interface, architectural barriers, transportation-accessibility, transportation-securement, natural b...
Instantaneous concentration profiles of oxygen accompanying absorption in a stratified flow

Absorption of oxygen from air to water is studied for a stratified flow. Instantaneous concentration profiles in the liquid, close to the interface, are measured by utilizing oxygen quenching of the fluorescence from pyrenebutyric acid. When waves are present very large temporal variations of the concentration profile and of the mass transfer rate are observed. These results seem to rule out the notion that turbulence in the liquid is controlling mass transfer.
Preferred rates in helium film transfer

Abstract Observations of discontinuities in the transfer rate for He II film flow over glass, from 0.4°K to 1.5°K, are summarized and their interpretation is discussed.
Progression of HIV in haemophilia

Summary. The recent elucidation of the life cycle and dynamics of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and technological advances in development of the HIV RNA PCR assay for sensitive detection of viral load have revolutionized the diagnosis, management, and treatment of HIV infection. Beginning with initial infection, there is unremitting, high-level viral replication that persists throughout the course of HIV infection. The measure of the amount of virus present in plasma, HIV viral load, is the single most important predictor of HIV progression, the best indicator of immune system decline, and the best guide for initiating and monitoring antiviral treatment. Further, HIV viral load has become the new yardstick against which other markers, including CD4 number, age, chemokine receptor mutations, cytotoxic T-cell responses, and neutralizing antibody titers are assessed. For individuals with haemophilia, additional ‘markers’ may have significant impact on the outcome of HIV disease. Chronic factor concentrate treatment has led to transfusion-associated hepatitis, co-infection with hepatitis C (HCV), and chronic liver disease. The latter may become accelerated with HIV progression and may lead to hepatotoxicity with antiviral drug therapy. Chronic factor concentrate treatment has also been associated with immunosuppression, including both B- and T-cell immune defects. In HIV(+) haemophilic men, this immune deficit has led to lower CD4 counts with HIV progression and poorer CD4 response to antiviral drugs than in gay men. The underlying haemophilic bleeding tendency may result in significant haemorrhage with HIV-associated immune thrombocytopenia and with protease inhibitor antiretroviral therapy. Although AIDS is the leading cause of death in this group, the reduction in the size of the haemophilia population over the next two centuries is estimated to be small, and survival should improve as better antiviral therapeutics are identified.
Interpretation of Channeled-Ion Energy-Loss Spectra

The energy-loss spectra produced in beams of energetic He and I ions transmitted through planar channels in thin Au monocrystals have been explained by a simple model in which the ions execute transverse anharmonic oscillations in the channel between a pair of adjacent planes of target atoms and in which the stopping power of the medium is a function of the distance of the ion from the crystal planes. A quantitative comparison of this model with recent experiments is made using a plane-averaged potential based on Moliere's approximation to the Thomas-Fermi screening function to describe the oscillatory motion. The stopping power is found to obey the same functional dependence on the coordinates, but with a doubled screening length. The parameters of the model may be deduced directly from the experimental data. For He in Au, these parameters agree well with those expected from Firsov's treatment of the interaction potential between neutral atoms. For I in Au, the high charge of the ion leads to parameters which differ significantly from Firsov's theory. The data also suggest that the energy dependence of the stopping power for channeled ions may be somewhat different from that for randomly directed ones.
Peripancreatic enhancing lesion in a cirrhotic patient.

Question: A 74-year-old white man with a history of decompensated alcoholic liver disease was referred to our clinic for further management of his cirrhosis. The patient initially presented to an outside hospital 2 months prior with increasing abdominal girth and confusion. Small, nonbleeding esophageal varices were visualized on upper endoscopy. Doppler ultrasonography revealed a portal vein thrombus with cavernous transformation. The patient was initiated on warfarin. He presented to us for a second opinion. Physical examination revealed an elderly, ill-appearing gentleman with anicteric sclera, shifting dullness and bilateral lower extremity edema. Laboratory testing was notable for a total bilirubin of 0.8 mg/dL, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases 190 and 150 U/L, respectively, and alkaline phosphatase 1000 U/D. International Normalized Ratio was prolonged (on warfarin) at 4.2; creatinine was 1.1 mg/dL and albumin 3.2 g/dL. Triphasic computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated a large peripancreatic lesion enhancing on portal venous phase with resultant mass effect on adjacent structures (Figure A). What is the diagnosis? Look on page 324 for the answer and see the Gastroenterology web site (www.gastrojournal.org) for more information on submitting your favorite image to Clinical Challenges and Images in GI.
Inclusive reactions: A new parametrization

Abstract We have fitted the π− spectra from the reactions π±p → π−+ anything using an expression which exhibits the differing forward-backward slopes of the x-distributions, the turnover near (but not exactly at) x = 0 and the correlations between P1 and p2T. The expression is a generalized Bose-Einstein distribution which is covariant with respect to Lorentz transformation along the incident beam direction.
Comparison of 3 Different Methods to Analyze Ankle Plantarflexor Stiffness in Children With Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy

Abstract Ross SA, Foreman M, Engsberg JR. Comparison of 3 different methods to analyze ankle plantarflexor stiffness in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. Objective To compare 3 different methods of measuring plantarflexor stiffness in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy (CP) and children without disability. Design Case-control study. Setting Human performance laboratory. Participants A retrospective analysis was conducted with children with spastic diplegia (n=121; mean age, 8.4y) and children with typical development (TD) (n=48; mean age, 9.7y). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures An isokinetic dynamometer was used to measure ankle plantarflexor stiffness at 10°/s using 3 methods: (1) end-range method, which applied a linear slope to the end of the torque-angle curve; (2) set-range method, which applied a linear slope from 30° to 10° plantarflexion; and (3) a linear method, which applied a slope only to the linear portion of the curve. Results Two-way analysis of variance revealed significant main effects for group and stiffness method. The end-range method showed no significant difference between groups for plantarflexor stiffness ( P =.62), the set-range method showed the CP group with 120% greater stiffness than the TD group ( P P Conclusions The linear method appeared to resolve the issues with the previous methods; applying a linear slope to a nonlinear curve or applying a linear slope to the same range of motion for each child regardless of their range limitations. It is clear that children with CP have limited range of motion; therefore, stiffness occurs earlier in the range than would be expected for a typically developing child. Using the linear method, children with CP were 35% stiffer in the ankle plantarflexors than typically developing peers.
Convergence in Economic Models with Bayesian Hierarchies of Beliefs

Abstract I study a model where hierarchies of beliefs (the beliefs about the beliefs of other agents, etc.) are important. I provide conditions under which optimal actions of agents will converge to the Nash equilibrium of the model characterized by the true, previously unknown “fundamentals.” The conditions are (i) a contraction property on the best-response mappings and (ii) a mutual absolute continuity condition on beliefs. Violation of (i) may result in an “anything is possible” result: any stochastic process of actions is consistent with maximizing behavior and Bayesian updating. Violation of (ii) may result in cyclical behavior of actions on each sample path. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C70, C73, D81, D82, D83, D84.
Mexican Immigrant Families: Relating Trauma and Family Cohesion

This article applies structural equation modeling techniques to explore the relationships between constructs related to family strength and cohesion, acculturation, and trauma symptoms. The study uses a purposive sample comprised of 122 immigrant men and women from the Mexican community based in a large midwestern metropolitan Area. The data were collected using standardized instruments: Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES IV), The Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI), and the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH). A factor analysis was conducted with three scales and the modified versions were found to be a better fit for this sample. The model reporting good fit indices is presented in this article. Cohesion and anxiety were found to be significantly and inversely related (.574), in other words family cohesion explained 57% of the variance in TSI. The indicators of the latent variable FACES shared variance of more than 47% with the underlying latent factor. Although the latent fa...
Quantitative ultrastructural studies of hepatocytes from fed and starved frogs

Stereological analysis of liver tissue excised from mature female Rana pipiens starved for 59 days and from a fed control group was conducted both at the light and electron microscopy levels. Average cellular volume decreased by more than a factor of 4 following prolonged fasting. Nuclear volume was not significantly decreased. Mitochondrial volume per cell showed a slight, though not statistically significant, decrease from 540 μm3 to 420 μm3. Rough endoplasmic reticulum decreased in absolute surface area per cell from 13,600 μm2/cell to 3,000 μm2/cell after starvation, but its surface density in the cytoplasm remained relatively constant. Lipid decreased from 650 μm3 per cell to less than 1 μm3 per cell after fasting. Glycogen decreased from 49% of hepatocyte cytoplasmic volume to less than 15%, a decrease in absolute volume from 4,000–240 μm3 per cell. Glycogen changed from the α to the β-configuration during fasting. Condensed cross-banded fibers or sheets formed within the rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae of some fasted animals. The significance of these results relative to the energy metabolism of poikilotherms is discussed.
Chemotherapy for eye cancer

Chemotherapy has been used to treat a multitude of eye cancers. We attempted to review the role of chemotherapy in the treatment of ocular, adnexal, and orbital malignancies by conducting an extensive search of the medical literature. Unfortunately, the published reports typically contain few patients with limited follow-up, precluding definitive recommendations. For most eye cancers, multicenter trials will offer the potential to gather the numbers of patients required to determine the clinical utility of chemotherapy.
Cognitive issues in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an age-related, progressive neurodegenerative disorder initially characterized by resting tremor, rigidity, or bradykinesia [1]. Cognitive changes can complicate the long-term management of PD and are estimated to occur in 20% to 40% of all diagnosed patients who have PD, leading to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease with dementia (PDD). Alternatively, dementia may precede or may occur concomitantly with the onset of motor symptoms, suggesting a diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Excellent reviews have been published illustrating the effects of dementia as a complication of PD (ie, PDD) or possibly as a separate entity (DLB) [2–13]. Regardless of the specific classification of cognitive impairment accompanying the extrapyramidal features of PD, dementia has a great impact on the course and management of PD symptomatology. This review is designed to highlight the difficulty in distinguishing PDD from DLB and to discuss current management strategies. Risk and consequences of dementia complicating Parkinson’s disease The long-term risk of developing dementia as a consequence of PD is controversial. In one longitudinal study, 20% of patients who had PD developed dementia during a 10-year follow-up [14]. In this study, none of the age-matched controls met clinical criteria for dementia during the followup period. In another study, patients diagnosed with PD were followed prospectively for the development of dementia for an average of 8 years. Results showed 4-year and 8-year prevalence rates of dementia of 51.6% and 78.2%, respectively, compared with a 5-year prevalence rate of only 18.5% among patients who did not have PD [15]. Unfortunately, in this study, a large number of subjects failed to complete the trial, and those who
On the Size of African Riverine Fish Faunas

SYNOPSIS. An apparent anomaly exists in the size of riverine fish faunas of the Nile and Zaire; the Nile while considerably longer, appears depauperate when compared with the Zaire. This paradox is explained when discharge, not length, is used as a measure of river size. Indeed, the number of freshwater fish species in African rivers is more closely related to discharge than to length or catchment area. Discharge is directly proportional to terrestrial productivity of a river basin, which in turn affects total biomass of fish and number of species. Changes in the size of rivers during the geologic past affected their capacity to sustain diverse fish faunas. Rivers flowing through especially arid lands during the late- Pleistocene were reduced in discharge, and concomitantly, fish faunas. Immigration of fish from refuge rivers during the Holocene partially restored these diminished faunas. We propose that fish are more mobile than they seem, and that the distinctiveness of riverine fish faunas may be maintained by competitive pressure from established residents, rather than by limited dispersal abilities of fish. Theories of the distribution of fish in Africa are considered, and we suggest that discharge as affected by climatic stability is largely responsible for the size of African riverine fish faunas.