cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Osmotic Regulation in the Brackish-Water Rotifer Brachionus Plicatilis (Muller)

The body fluid osmolarity of individual rotifers was measured at 12 external concentrations ranging from 32 to 957 m-osmol/1. Brachionus plicatilis is essentially an osmoconformer, since a change in the concentration of the medium results in a corresponding change in the concentration of the body fluids. Most animals were, however, slightly hyperosmotic throughout the range tested. The lowest body fluid osmolarity was 59 m-osmol/1 at an external concentration of 32 m-osmol/1. It appears that B. plicatilis is unable to tolerate the low concentrations that are frequently associated with acid water environments and this is responsible for the restriction of this species to alkaline and brackish waters.
SOME REFLECTIONS ON SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN COMPETITIVE ATHLETICS

(1975). SOME REFLECTIONS ON SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN COMPETITIVE ATHLETICS. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 133-139.
Accelerating Digital Transformation: Visual Insights from the API Ecosystem

Digital transformation is accelerated by the rapid emergence of open APIs. Using a curated dataset of nearly 15,000 APIs, the author visualizes the structure of the API ecosystem. These visualizations reveal distinct clusters within this ecosystem. The article concludes with theoretical and managerial implications.
Core–shell drug carriers: liposomes, polymersomes, and niosomes

Abstract Effective therapies require an efficient method for drug delivery. The main goals of drug delivery systems, or carriers, is to enhance therapeutic efficiency by targeting specific tissue, and to provide control over the rate of drug release. Core–shell vesicle drug carriers are based on bilayer-forming amphiphiles: liposomes composed of phospholipid bilayers, polymersomes composed of copolymers, and niosomes from nonionic surfactants. Designed to carry hydrophilic drugs, they offer, in addition to targeting and controlled release, protection of drugs from degradation, prolonged circulation time in vivo, and administration routes that are incompatible with the unmodified drugs. Extensive studies link delivery efficiency to the carrier size, shape, and surface chemistry and charge, as well as environmental conditions (temperature, pH) and cell type. This review discusses the three types of formulations and summarizes studies of their performance in biomedical applications such as cancer therapy (tumor targeting) or transport through the blood–brain barrier (BBB).
Conditional variance of symmetric stable variables

For two symmetric α-stable random variables with 1 < α < 2 we find a necessary and sufficient condition for the conditional variance to exist and be finite, we show it has a fixed functional form independent of their joint distribution, we describe its asymptotic behavior and we illustrate its global dependence on the joint distribution.
Perfusion and diffusion MRI signatures in histologic and genetic subtypes of WHO grade II-III diffuse gliomas

The value of perfusion and diffusion-weighted MRI in differentiating histological subtypes according to the 2007 WHO glioma classification scheme (i.e. astrocytoma vs. oligodendroglioma) and genetic subtypes according to the 2016 WHO reclassification (e.g. 1p/19q co-deletion and IDH1 mutation status) in WHO grade II and III diffuse gliomas remains controversial. In the current study, we describe unique perfusion and diffusion MR signatures between histological and genetic glioma subtypes. Sixty-five patients with 2007 histological designations (astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas), 1p/19q status (+ = intact/- = co-deleted), and IDH1 mutation status (MUT/WT) were included in this study. In all patients, median relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were estimated within T2 hyperintense lesions. Bootstrap hypothesis testing was used to compare subpopulations of gliomas, separated by WHO grade and 2007 or 2016 glioma classification schemes. A multivariable logistic regression model was also used to differentiate between 1p19q+ and 1p19q- WHO II-III gliomas. Neither rCBV nor ADC differed significantly between histological subtypes of pure astrocytomas and pure oligodendrogliomas. ADC was significantly different between molecular subtypes (p = 0.0016), particularly between IDHWT and IDHMUT/1p19q+ (p = 0.0013). IDHMUT/1p19q+ grade III gliomas had higher median ADC; IDHWT grade III gliomas had higher rCBV with lower ADC; and IDHMUT/1p19q- had intermediate rCBV and ADC values, similar to their grade II counterparts. A multivariable logistic regression model was able to differentiate between IDHWT and IDHMUT WHO II and III gliomas with an AUC of 0.84 (p < 0.0001, 74% sensitivity, 79% specificity). Within IDHMUT WHO II-III gliomas, a separate multivariable logistic regression model was able to differentiate between 1p19q+ and 1p19q- WHO II-III gliomas with an AUC of 0.80 (p = 0.0015, 64% sensitivity, 82% specificity). ADC better differentiated between genetic subtypes of gliomas according to the 2016 WHO guidelines compared to the classification scheme outlined in the 2007 WHO guidelines based on histological features of the tissue. Results suggest a combination of rCBV, ADC, T2 hyperintense volume, and presence of contrast enhancement together may aid in non-invasively identifying genetic subtypes of diffuse gliomas.
A Potential Role for mu-Opioids in Mediating the Positive Effects of Gratitude

Gratitude is a complex emotional feeling associated with universally desirable positive effects in personal, social, and physiological domains. Why or how gratitude achieves these functional outcomes is not clear. Toward the goal of identifying its' underlying physiological processes, we recently investigated the neural correlates of gratitude. In our study, participants were exposed to gratitude-inducing stimuli, and rated each according to how much gratitude it provoked. As expected, self-reported gratitude intensity correlated with brain activity in distinct regions of the medial pre-frontal cortex associated with social reward and moral cognition. Here we draw from our data and existing literature to offer a theoretical foundation for the physiological correlates of gratitude. We propose that mu-opioid signaling (1) accompanies the mental experience of gratitude, and (2) may account for the positive effects of gratitude on social relationships, subjective wellbeing, and physiological health.
Racial and ethnic disparities among state Medicaid programs for breast cancer screening

Breast cancer screening by mammography has been shown to reduce breast cancer morbidity and mortality. The use of mammography screening though varies by race, ethnicity, and, sociodemographic characteristics. Medicaid is an important source of insurance in the US for low-income beneficiaries, who are disproportionately members of racial or ethnic minorities, and who are less likely to be screened than women with higher socioeconomic statuses. We used 2006-2008 data from Medicaid claims and enrollment files to assess racial or ethnic and geographic disparities in the use of breast cancer screening among Medicaid-insured women at the state level. There were disparities in the use of mammography among racial or ethnic groups relative to white women, and the use of mammography varied across the 44 states studied. African American and American Indian women were significantly less likely than white women to use mammography in 30% and 39% of the 44 states analyzed, respectively, whereas Hispanic and Asian American women were the minority groups most likely to receive screening compared with white women. There are racial or ethnic disparities in breast cancer screening at the state level, which indicates that analyses conducted by only using national data not stratified by insurance coverage are insufficient to identify vulnerable populations for interventions to increase the use of mammography, as recommended.
The Influence of Formulation Variation and Thermal Boundary Conditions on the Near-Resonant Thermomechanics of Mock Explosives

The thermomechanics of energetic and inert particulate composite materials are of pronounced interest in the defense community. This work seeks to further characterize the macroscale, thermal and mechanical response of these materials under various near-resonant mechanical excitations. The fabrication of mock energetic samples based on the PBXN-109 formulation, comprised of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binder with 85% solids loading and varying additive content (0%, 15%, and 30%) of sucrose and/or spherical aluminum crystals, enabled a systematic investigation into the effect of formulation variation on the thermal and mechanical response. Experiments were also performed on insulated plate samples of identical composition to examine the effect of varying thermal boundary conditions. In each of these experiments, the samples were mechanically excited using an electrodynamic shaker, while their thermal and mechanical responses were recorded using an infrared camera and scanning laser Doppler vibrometer, respectively. The investigation of these responses aids in the effort to characterize and understand the behavior of polymer-bonded explosives under mechanical excitation.
Graded Metallization of Nonconducting Substrates by Glow Discharge Plasma Polymerization

The research described concerns the application of a composition graded film for use as a preplate for metallizing nonconducting materials. The composition of the graded film, which changes from 100% organic to nearly pure metallic over the thickness of the film, eliminates sudden changes in material structure and chemical composition between two dissimilar materials, and assists in establishing a stronger, more durable interface. The graded film was layered onto various polymeric substrates by glow discharge plasma polymerization, and the final metallizing material was plated onto the graded film electrolytically.
Improving HIV/AIDS Drugs Access: A Genealogy of the Human Right to Health from Below

This chapter underlines how the language and practice of human rights have been used to produce, translate, modify, and/or contest the reality of the human right to health. To do so, we use HIV/AIDS, and in particular the question of access to essential drugs and medicines, as our main case study. We underline the key battlefields that have punctuated the improvement of HIV/AIDS drugs access since the late 1990s. HIV/AIDS has been subject to both strong battles to frame it as a human right issue and at the same time falls short to be minimally recognized and implemented. This chapter shows that the human right to health, rather than being imposed from above, emerged from below, especially through the work of civil society, community groups, and activists.
Genitourinary disease risks among 5-year ovarian cancer survivors in a population-based cohort study.

10073Background: In the US, there are approximately 235,200 ovarian cancer survivors today. Five-year survival for ovarian cancer has increased from 36% for women who were diagnosed in 1975-1977 to...
Sex-specific pheromone responses in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The characterization of receptors for sex pheromones provides important clues for understanding the mechanisms controlling animal mating and reproduction. In this issue, Wan et al [1] identify a putative sex pheromone receptor, the G protein‐coupled receptor SRD‐1, acting in a single Caenorhabditis elegans olfactory neuron class, called AWA, to mediate male attraction to volatile sex pheromones. Like in other systems, C. elegans sex pheromone elicits sex‐specific responses even though sex pheromone activates sensory neurons of both sexes.
Probabilistic Forecasting of Real-Time LMP and Network Congestion

The short-term forecasting of real-time locational marginal price (LMP) and network congestion is considered from a system operator perspective. A new probabilistic forecasting technique is proposed based on a multiparametric programming formulation that partitions the uncertainty parameter space into critical regions from which the conditional probability distribution of the real-time LMP/congestion is obtained. The proposed method incorporates load/generation forecast, time varying operation constraints, and contingency models. By shifting the computation associated with multiparametric programs offline, the online computational cost is significantly reduced. An online simulation technique by generating critical regions dynamically is also proposed, which results in several orders of magnitude improvement in the computational cost over standard Monte Carlo methods.
University Students’ Attitudes Toward Palliative Care:

This study examines the experiences and beliefs of university students which affect attitudes toward palliative care. A total of 322 students responded to a survey on palliative care and end-of-life attitudes. Almost 40% of the students reported not having enough knowledge about options at the end of life. Results of multiple regression indicate students who have more negative attitudes toward palliative care did not believe in end-of-life care planning. Female students and those who had a family member or friend who used palliative care had more positive attitudes toward palliative care. Understanding student perceptions of palliative care allows for developing curriculum sensitive to learners' needs and addressing misconceptions.
Regulating safety-critical autonomous systems: past, present, and future perspectives

Abstract From unmanned aircraft to self-driving cars to closed-loop medical devices, autonomous systems offer great benefits but also pose new risks. Regulators must grapple with how to manage these risks, all while attempting to keep pace with technological developments and exhibit appropriate precaution without stifling innovation. Examination of how three agencies, the FAA, FDA, and NHTSA, regulate safety-critical systems, with a specific emphasis on their regulation of existing advanced automated systems, suggests important lessons learned that should be applied to the regulation of autonomous systems. These lessons include (1) regulation that begins early in a systems development life cycle may appear to be costly and time consuming, but for nascent technologies, systems engineering–based practices may provide critical checks and balances and ultimately such an approach may be the least expensive, (2) current regulation of automated safety-critical systems has not adequately addressed automation surprises in the form of mode confusion and software certification, which are likely to become more problematic with autonomous systems, and (3) expediting regulatory approvals for new technology with embedded software based on weak claims of existing equivalent technology likely significantly underestimates the risk that such technologies pose to the public. Going forward, not only do the federal agencies need to work together to better understand how regulation needs to fundamentally shift for autonomous systems but also need to consider companies and independent evaluators as critical stakeholders in defining future regulation.
Abstract I21: Understanding metabolic limitations in pancreatic cancer

Complex regulatory mechanisms enable cell metabolism to match physiologic state. The major pathways cells use to turn nutrients into energy and to synthesize macromolecules have been elucidated; however, there remain many unanswered questions regarding how metabolism supports cancer cell proliferation and thus how best to target metabolism for pancreatic cancer treatment. Of note, some therapies for pancreas cancer target metabolic processes that are thought to be essential in all cells. This raises a key question of how drugs that target otherwise essential processes like nucleotide metabolism show differential effectiveness to treat cancers. We have characterized the factors that drive sensitivity to disruption of specific metabolic processes, including nucleotide metabolism, and find that both cancer cell extrinsic and intrinsic factors dictate metabolic vulnerabilities. Further, this leads to different cells being more reliant on limiting nutrients for different metabolic processes, creating a framework to understand how specific cancer cells becomes sensitive to agents that target otherwise essential pathways. Citation Format: Matthew G. Vander Heiden. Understanding metabolic limitations in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care; 2019 Sept 6-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(24 Suppl):Abstract nr I21.
6.13 – Landscape Evolution

Erosion of rocks at the Earth's surface exposes deep-seated crustal rocks, rearranges continental mass, and can influence the mechanics of growing mountain ranges. This chapter reviews the present state of knowledge of erosion processes, mechanics, and rates. Fundamental controls on landscape evolution include relief, climate, lithology, and tectonic processes. Denudation rates depend strongly, and nonlinearly, on relief. Climate influences landscape evolution through precipitation, temperature, and biota, though the correlation between these factors and denudation rate is not a simple one. Lithology has a clear, though largely unquantified, influence, while tectonic processes contribute by weakening and seismically accelerating crustal material. We also review mechanistic models for the processes responsible for continental denudation.
Health-related and sociodemographic factors associated with physical frailty among older cancer survivors.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with frailty in older cancer survivors. Materials and methods This is a cross-sectional study using data from the National Social Health and Aging Project (NSHAP) Wave 2, and includes an in-home, nationally representative sample of community-dwelling adults ≥50 years and older from the United States. Frailty score was computed for each individual using a modified 4-point scale based on the phenotypic frailty. Ordinal logistic regression was used to characterize the association between health-related, sociodemographic factors and frailty. Results Among the 3377 participants, 461 were cancer survivors (answered “yes” to “ever have cancer other than skin cancer”). A final sample of 394 cancer survivors were included: 59 participants (16.1%) were frail, 219 participants were pre-frail (59.8%), and 88 participants were non-frail (24.0%). The univariate analyses showed increasing age (OR 1.48; CI 1.29–1.72; p-value Conclusion The findings highlight the importance of incorporating geriatric assessment into cancer survivorship to prevent and delay the progression of frailty.
Exploring the use of goal proximity by Olympic athletes: A preliminary study

An athlete’s 4-year Olympic preparation cycle requires systematic planning involving the use of short- and long-term goals. These goals provide athletes with increased motivation, persistence, effort and direction in their goal pursuit. Short-term goals can be viewed as steppingstones towards the long-term goals. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the use of short- and long-term goals by Olympic athletes. A qualitative design was used, with semi-structured interviews as the major data source. Participants were purposefully sampled from a typically understudied sports population. Four male Olympians, representing swimming and athletics, shared their experiences about how and why they set and used short- and long-term goals. The athletes spent an average of 11.3 years training and competing at the elite level. Findings revealed that winning a national championship and competing at the Olympic Games were their major long-term goals. Furthermore, these goals did not change during their athletic career. Short-term goals were primarily set to learn, develop and improve their skills/techniques that would allow them to reach their ultimate goals. Major competitive events (e.g. national championships, Pan Am Games, Olympic Games) dictated how they planned these goals. The findings also support previous research suggesting the use of both short and long-term goals. Coaches and young athletes can use the information provided to plan their sports goals. Future research should investigate the goal setting practices of team versus individual sport Olympic athletes.
Patient and Caregiver Perspectives on Palliative Care in End-Stage Liver Disease.

Background: Specialty palliative care (PC) is underutilized for patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD); however, studies exploring patient and caregiver perceptions of PC are lacking. Objecti...
Chemical and electronic structures of cobalt oxynitride films deposited by NH3vs. N2 plasma: theory vs. experiment.

The chemical structures of Co oxynitrides – in particular, interactions among N and O atoms bonded to the same cobalt – are of great importance for an array of catalytic and materials applications. X-ray diffraction (XRD), core and valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and plane wave density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to probe chemical and electronic interactions of nitrogen-rich CoO1−xNx (x > 0.7) films deposited on Si(100) using NH3 or N2 plasma-based sputter deposition or surface nitridation. Total energy calculations indicate that the zinc blende (ZB) structure is energetically favored over the rocksalt (RS) structure for x > ∼0.2, with an energy minimum observed in the ZB structure for x ∼ 0.8–0.9. This is in close agreement with XPS-derived film compositions when corrected for surface oxide/hydroxide layers. XRD data indicate that films deposited on Si(100) at room temperature display either a preferred (220) orientation or no diffraction pattern, and are consistent with either rocksalt (RS) or zinc blende (ZB) structure. Comparison between experimental and calculated X-ray excited valence band densities of states – also similar for all films synthesized herein – demonstrates a close agreement with a ZB, but not an RS structure. Core level XPS spectra exhibit systematic differences between films deposited in NH3 vs N2 plasma environments. Films deposited by N2 plasma magnetron sputtering exhibit greater O content as evidenced by systematic shifts in N 1s binding energies. Excellent agreement with experiment for core level binding energies is obtained for DFT calculations based on the ZB structure, but not for the RS structure. The agreement between theory and experiment demonstrates that these N-rich Co oxynitride films exhibit the ZB structure, and forms the basis of a predictive model for understanding how N and O interactions impact the electronic, magnetic and catalytic properties of these materials.
Automatic Generation of Piano Score Following Videos

This article studies the problem of generating a piano score following video from an audio recording in a fully automated manner. This problem contains two components: identifying the piece and aligning the audio with raw sheet music images. Unlike previous work, we focus primarily on working with raw, unprocessed sheet music from IMSLP, which may contain filler pages, other unrelated pieces or movements, or repeats and jumps whose locations are unknown a priori. To solve this problem, we combine state-of-the-art methods with a novel alignment algorithm called Hierarchical DTW to handle discontinuities, which are the bottleneck on system performance. Hierarchical DTW handles repeats and jumps by considering all line breaks as possible jump locations, and it applies DTW at both a feature level and a segment level. We evaluate our algorithm with 200 PDFs from IMSLP and real audio recordings from Youtube. Our experiments show that Hierarchical DTW consistently outperforms a previously proposed Jump DTW algorithm in handling various types of discontinuities. We present extensive experimental results and analysis of the proposed algorithm.
Student-run free clinic volunteers: who they are and what we can learn from them.

BACKGROUND Initiatives employing medical students' volunteerism and idealism, such as the Student-Run Free Clinics (SRFC) program, are prevalent in US medical schools. Many studies evaluated various aspects of volunteering, sometimes resulting in conflicting evidence. This study simultaneously sought to identify the characteristics of volunteers vs. non-volunteers, and to characterize the volunteers' perception of the SRFC. METHODS We administered a survey to the Long School of Medicine (LSOM) Class of 2018 before their third year of medical school. The authors compared and contrasted the findings of the SRFC volunteers with their non-volunteering counterparts by analyzing their demographics, volunteering history, academic performance, and clinical skills. The volunteers were also asked about their SRFC experiences. RESULTS While most volunteers were female (62 %) and non-traditional students (67 %), the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.15 and p = 0.38, respectively). Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in measures of academic performance (p = 0.25). Most of the volunteers learned about the SRFC program prior to starting medical school. Further, while SRFC volunteers were more likely to engage in additional local volunteering initiatives, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.03, prespecified α= 0.006). Importantly, volunteers agreed/strongly agreed that SRFC volunteering emphasized aspects that were missing or underemphasized in the formal medical school curriculum. CONCLUSIONS Medical students' age, gender, undergraduate major, and non-traditional status were not statistically different between volunteers vs. non-volunteers. However, there may be tendencies for volunteers to be female, non-traditional, and locally engaged. Further, the timing of knowledge of the SRFC program may not affect student involvement in the SRFC, either. Most importantly, however, while volunteering does not affect the students' academic performance, it may provide improvements in clinical competencies.
Gene Rearrangement Detection in Pediatric Leukemia.

The detection of gene rearrangements in pediatric leukemia is an essential component of the work-up, with implications for accurate diagnosis, proper risk stratification, and therapeutic decisions, including the use of targeted therapies. The traditional methods of karyotype and fluorescence in situ hybridization are still valuable, but many new assays are also available, with different strengths and weaknesses. These assays include next-generation sequencing-based assays that have the potential for highly multiplexed and/or unbiased detection of rearrangements.
Air Pollution: Synthesis of the Role of Major Air Pollutants in Determining Forest Health and Productivity

Forested ecosystems are exposed to not only a physical climate, but also a modern chemical climate which has the potential to alter forest health and productivity. Recently, unexplained forest deterioration has been identified throughout extensive areas in central Europe, at high elevation coniferous sites, and apparently in commercial forestlands in the eastern United States. Deposition of pollutants from the atmosphere is suspect in playing a role in these forest deterioration phenomena. To date, no cause and effect relationship has been conclusively demonstrated between regional versus local atmospheric deposition and forest deterioration. The major hypotheses currently thought to deserve the focus of scientific investigation deal with forest alterations due to (1) gaseous pollutants (primarily O3), (2) a fertilization effect (primarily from N), (3) acpd deposition effects on foliage and soils, (4) trace metals (e.g. Pb, Cu, Cd, Ni, Zn), (5) general stress from air pollutants, and (6) deposition of organic growth altering substances. Not enough is yet known to suggest adjustments in forest management decisions which might reduce the possible effects of atmospheric deposition. However, foresters must keep informed about the current state-of-knowledge on the air pollution and forest effects issue as we all will play a role in management and policy decisions which shape the character of the environment in which future forests will grow.
Introduction to NetBeans IDE

This chapter contains sections titled: Overview of the NetBeans IDE 6.8 Installing and Configuring the NetBeans IDE 6.8 Exploring NetBeans IDE 6.8 Chapter Summary Homework
Is the Presidential Succession Law Constitutional

In this essay, Akhil and Vikram Amar attack the constitutionality of the current presidential succession statute, which places the Speaker of the House and the Senate President pro tempore first and second in line, respectively, if there is neither a President nor a Vice President. Relying on the words of the Framers, the text and logic of the Constitution, and various practical and ethical concerns, the Amars conclude that federal legislators are not "Officers" under the Succession Clause and thus ineligible for the line of succession. Finally, the Amars suggest that an updated succession statute should provide for a prompt national election after succession, and should iron out various other wrinkles in the current succession statute.
High Efficiency Organic Solar Cells: December 16, 2009 - February 2, 2011

Details on the development of novel organic solar cells incorporating Trimetasphere based acceptors are presented including: baseline performance for Lu-PCBEH acceptor blended with P3HT demonstrated at 4.89% PCE exceeding the 4.5% PCE goal; an increase of over 250mV in Voc was demonstrated for Lu-PCBEH blended with low band gap polymers compared to a comparable C60-PCBM device. The actual Voc was certified at 260mV higher for a low band gap polymer device using the Lu-PCBEH acceptor; and the majority of the effort was focused on development of a device with over 7% PCE. While low current and fill factors suppressed overall device performance for the low band gap polymers tested, significant discoveries were made that point the way for future development of these novel acceptor materials.
Efficient Computation of Confidence Intervals for Bayesian Model Predictions Based on Multidimensional Parameter Space

A new algorithm is introduced to efficiently estimate confidence intervals for Bayesian model predictions based on multidimensional parameter space. The algorithm locates the boundary of the smallest confidence region in the multidimensional probability density function (pdf) for the model predictions by approximating a one-dimensional slice through the mode of the pdf with splines made of pieces of normal curve with continuous z values. This computationally efficient process (of order N) reduces estimation of the lower and upper bounds of the confidence interval to a multidimensional constrained nonlinear optimization problem, which can be solved with standard numerical procedures (of order N2 or less). Application of the new algorithm is illustrated with a five-dimensional example involving the computation of 95% confidence intervals for predictions made with a Bayesian forecasting model for cognitive performance deficits of sleep-deprived individuals.
Guardianship and End-of-Life Decision Making

As the population ages, more adults will develop impaired decision-making capacity and have no family members or friends available to make medical decisions on their behalf. In such situations, a professional guardian is often appointed by the court. This official has no preexisting relationship with the impaired individual but is paid to serve as a surrogate decision maker. When a professional guardian is faced with decisions concerning life-sustaining treatment, substituted judgment may be impossible, and reports have repeatedly suggested that guardians are reluctant to make the decision to limit care. Physicians are well positioned to assist guardians with these decisions and safeguard the rights of the vulnerable persons they represent. Doing so effectively requires knowledge of the laws governing end-of-life decisions by guardians. However, physicians are often uncertain about whether guardians are empowered to withhold treatment and when their decisions require judicial review. To address this issue, we analyzed state guardianship statutes and reviewed recent legal cases to characterize the authority of a guardian over choices about end-of-life treatment. We found that most state guardianship statutes have no language about end-of-life decisions. We identified 5 legal cases during the past decade that addressed a guardian's authority over these decisions, and only 1 case provided a broad framework applicable to clinical practice. Work to improve end-of-life decision making by guardians may benefit from a multidisciplinary effort to develop comprehensive standards to guide clinicians and guardians when treatment decisions need to be made.
A face detection bias for horizontal orientations develops in middle childhood

Faces are complex stimuli that can be described via intuitive facial features like the eyes, nose, and mouth, “configural” features like the distances between facial landmarks, and features that correspond to computations performed in the early visual system (e.g. oriented edges). With regard to this latter category of descriptors, adult face recognition relies disproportionately on information in specific spatial frequency and orientation bands: Many recognition tasks are performed more accurately when adults have access to mid-range spatial frequencies (8-16 cycles/face) and horizontal orientations (Dakin & Watt, 2009). In the current study, we examined how this information bias develops in middle childhood. We recruited children between the ages of 5-10 years old to participate in a simple categorization task that required them to label images according to whether they depicted a face or a house. Critically, children were presented with face and house images comprised either of primarily horizontal orientation energy, primarily vertical orientation energy, or both horizontal and vertical orientation energy. We predicted that any bias favoring horizontal information over vertical should be more evident in faces than in houses, and also that older children would be more likely to show such a bias than younger children. We designed our categorization task to be sufficiently easy that children would perform at near-ceiling accuracy levels, but with variation in response times that would reflect how they rely on different orientations as a function of age and object category. We found that horizontal bias for face detection (but not house detection) correlated significantly with age, suggesting an emergent category-specific bias for horizontal orientation energy that develops during middle childhood. These results thus suggest that the tuning of high-level recognition to specific low-level visual features takes take place over several years of visual development.
Surprising Symmetries in Objects Counted by Catalan Numbers

We prove that the total number $S_{n,132}(q)$ of copies of the pattern $q$ in all 132-avoiding permutations of length $n$ is the same for $q=231$, $q=312$, or $q=213$. We provide a combinatorial proof for this unexpected threefold symmetry. We then significantly generalize this result by proving a large family of non-trivial equalities of the type $S_{n,132}(q)=S_{n,132}(q')$.
Ownership Structure And Market Valuation: The Case Of Very Small, Young, And Fast-Growing Firms

In studies of primarily large, established firms, researchers find that increasing managerial ownership increases firm value, at least in some ranges of ownership. This evidence suggests that increasing managerial ownership can decrease net agency costs. Our study investigates managerial ownership and firm value for an atypical sample: very small, young, and fast-growing firms. We argue that increasing managerial ownership likely increases net agency costs in small, entrepreneurial firms. Consistent with this argument, we find that entrepreneurial firm value is positively related to outside board member ownership, but negatively related to inside board member ownership.
Association of Experimental Chronic Arthritis with the Persistence of Group A Streptococcal Cell Walls in the Articular Tissue

A single injection of isolated fragments of group A streptococcal cell walls into the joints of rabbits stimulated an initial acute reaction which was followed by a prolonged inflammatory process. The chronic process was characterized by hyperplasia of the synovial cells, diffuse infiltration of the villi by macrophages, and focal collections of lymphocytes in the stroma of the villi. These histological changes were similar to those seen in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis. Antibodies specific for the mucopeptide and group-specific C polysaccharide antigens of group A streptococcal cell walls were labeled with either fluorescein or (125)I, and were used to demonstrate antigen in the synovial tissues. The antigens persisted within macro-phages for at least 5 weeks. Their presence correlated with the evolution of the chronic inflammatory process.
Reasons for hospitalization from a psychiatric emergency service.

The reasons for hospitalization of 341 patients from a university-based psychiatric emergency service were studied. The need for protection was the most frequent reason for hospitalization (51%), with the need for inpatient diagnostic studies or treatment second in frequency (36%). The hospitalization rate was higher for older patients, widowed patients, nonwhite men, psychotics, patients having prior psychiatric care, and those accompanied by other people.
Chemical and live feeding stimulants of the sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator (Bosc)☆

The feeding responses of the sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator (Bosc), to various chemical and living food sources were determined using sand substrates. The only amino acids to elicit feeding were in order of preference : l-serine, l-alanine, l-asparagine and l-glutamic acid. A variety of sugars elicited feeding including insoluble dextrin. Sucrose and maltose, the most stimulatory sugars, were more stimulatory than l-serine. Synergistic interactions were observed in the stimulatory capacities of amino acids, amino acids + sugars, and living organisms. Diatoms, blue-green algae, and bacteria elicited feeding responses, but bacteria appeared to be less stimulatory than diatoms. Ciliates in themselves produced a weak feeding response, but they significantly increased the palatability of l-serine solution. The spectrum and threshold concentrations of chemicals which elicit feeding in U. pugilator are different from those of previously studied marine Crustacea. These differences are interpreted as resulting from adaptations to different food-limited foraging environments. Most previously studied Crustacea forage underwater on large parcels of fleshy food whose availability is limited by the distance between parcels. Sand fiddlers feed primarily out of water on benthic microorganisms whose availability is relatively unlimited in space but is limited by the time available for foraging by sand Fiddlers.
The prediction of radiation-induced liver dysfunction using a local dose and regional venous perfusion model.

We have shown that high dose conformal radiation combined with chemotherapy appears to prolong the survival of patients with unresectable intrahepatic cancers. The ability to safely deliver higher doses is primarily limited by the development of radiation-induced liver disease, characterized by venous occlusion. In this study, we investigated whether portal venous perfusion measured prior to the end of radiation therapy (RT) together with dose could predict liver venous perfusion dysfunction after treatment. Ten patients with unresectable intrahepatic cancer participated in an IRB-approved computer tomography (CT) perfusion study. Hepatic arterial and portal vein perfusion distributions were estimated by using dynamic contrast enhanced CT and the single compartmental model. Scans were obtained at four time points: prior to treatment, after 15 and 30 fractions of 1.5 Gy treatments, and one month following the completion of RT. Multivariant linear regression was used to determine covariances among the first three time point measurements plus dose for prediction of the post RT measurement. The reduction in the regional venous perfusion one month following RT was predicted by the local accumulated dose and the change in the regional venous perfusion after {approx}30 fractions (F=90.6,p<0.000 01). Each Gy produced an approximately 1.2% of reduction in the venousmore » perfusion. This local dose and venous perfusion model has the potential to predict individual sensitivity to radiation. This is the first step toward developing a method to deliver higher and potentially more curative radiation doses to the patients who can safely receive these higher doses.« less
Uniformly approximated WKB method as used for the calculation of phase shifts in heavy-ion collision problems

We treat the phase shift problems of the elastic scattering of $^{18}\mathrm{O}$+$^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$ (${E}_{\mathrm{lab}}=60$ MeV), $^{16}\mathrm{O}$+$^{16}\mathrm{O}$ (${E}_{\mathrm{lab}}=50$ MeV), and $\ensuremath{\alpha}+^{16}\mathrm{O}$ (${E}_{\mathrm{lab}}=104$ MeV) in a similar manner. We calculate the contributions to the zeroth order as well as the first order in ${\ensuremath{\hbar}}^{2}$. We find that the results approach the exact ones as they should.
Environmental Justice, Political Agenda Setting, and the Myths of History

The emergence of the environmental justice movement in the 1980s has stimulated much debate on the extent to which race and class have been or should become central concerns of modern environmentalism. Leaders in the environmental justice movement have charged that mainstream environmental organizations and, in turn, environmental policy have demonstrated a greater concern for preserving wilderness and animal habitats than addressing health hazards of humans, especially those living in cities; have embraced a “Save the Earth” perspective at the expense of saving people's lives and protecting their homes and backyards. Some advocates of environmental justice have gone so far as to dissociate their movement from American environmentalism altogether, rather identifying with a broader social justice heritage as imbedded in civil rights activities of the 1950s and 1960s.
Regulation of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor mRNA in Neuronal Cultures of Normotensive and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat Brains by Phorbol Esters and Forskolin

Neuronal cells in primary culture from the brains of normotensive, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats express angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptors. Treatment of WKY rat brain cultures with a phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), causes a time- and dose-dependent increase in the levels of an approximately 2.3-kb AT1 receptor mRNA transcript. A maximal stimulation of 4.5-fold in the AT1 receptor mRNA transcript level is observed with 200 nM PMA in 4 h and is blocked by 1 microM staurosporine. Forskolin also increases the AT1 receptor mRNA levels in WKY rat brain neurons in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and a 4.5-fold stimulation is achieved with 50 microM forskolin in 4 h. The stimulatory effects of both PMA and forskolin are completely abolished by coincubation of neuronal cultures with 1 microM actinomycin D. In addition, nuclear run-on assay indicated an increase in the transcription of AT1 receptor mRNA in WKY rat brain neurons treated with either PMA or forskolin. Both PMA and forskolin also stimulate levels of AT1 receptor mRNA in neuronal cultures from brain of the SH rat. The degree of stimulation in these cultures is comparable to that in WKY rat brain neurons. These observations show that although the basal AT1 receptor gene expression is significantly higher in SH rat brain neurons compared with WKY rat brain neurons, the protein kinase C- and protein kinase A-responsive stimulation is not altered. These data suggest a possible involvement of protein kinase C and protein kinase A response elements in AT1 receptor gene expression.
Effects of ACTH on membranous whorls in the adrenal gland of the Mongolian gerbil

The ultrastructure of whorls of rough endoplasmic reticulum in the adrenal gland of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) was examined during and after treatment with ACTH. Whorls were loosely wound after treatment for one day and consisted of only a few paired membranes. Focal areas of increased tubular smooth endoplasmic reticulum were seen throughout the cytoplasm of the cells. Whorls disappeared altogether after three days of ACTH treatment. The structures reappeared one day after stopping the ACTH injections and seemed to enlarge progressively by addition of membranes to the periphery of the structures. Numerous vesicles and sometimes parallel cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum were observed in the cytoplasm of adrenocortical cells containing newly forming whorls. The whorls apparently serve as a readily available reserve of rough endoplasmic reticulum, which can transform into smooth reticulum upon stimulation with ACTH.
An easy to use distributed computing framework

This paper introduces a client-server suite, which provides a readily configurable and simple to use network distributed computing framework. The suite will allow users to easily operate a distributed computing environment and solve real probls with a hybrid peer-to-peer (P2P) grid. This tool is most useful in a pedagogical setting such as an introductory computing course or as an adjunct to a computationally intensive course that addresses parallel computing issues.
Benign Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (Neurofibromas) of the Lacrimal Gland

Two patients, a 43-year-old woman and a 62-year-old man, developed benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors (neurofibromas) of the lacrimal gland, in the former case of the deep orbital lobe, and in the latter of the palpebral lobe. A neurogenic tumor was not seriously considered clinically in either case, because of the paucity of previous reports on the occurrence of neural tumors in the lacrimal fossa region. Instead, in the first case a benign mixed tumor was considered the most likely clinical diagnosis, whereas in the second the coexistence of a swelling in the parotid gland raised the possibilities of a lymphoid tumor or a leukemia. Due to unusual light microscopic features, transmission electron microscopy was required to secure unequivocal diagnoses. In the orbital lobe tumor, an encapsulated spindle cell proliferation without nuclear palisading but with focal areas of myxoid change suggested either a cellular benign mixed tumor or a schwannoma. The palpebral lobe lesion displayed a myxoid spindle cell proliferation that had splayed apart the ducts and acinae of the lacrimal gland, to impart the overall appearance of a benign mixed tumor. The ducts, however, were multilaminar rather than possessing the usual double cellular layer seen in classical benign mixed tumors, and the glandular units contained zymogen granules, which are typically not seen in benign mixed tumors. Electron microscopy disclosed in both lesions the presence of interrupted basement membrane material partially surrounding the tumor cells, long spacing collagen (banded basement membrane material), and poorly developed desmosomes, features compatible with a neural tumor. Neither myofilaments, tonofilaments, nor ductal-type granules sometimes observed in benign mixed tumors were discovered. The tumor cells in these cases therefore failed to demonstrate clear-cut Schwann cell characteristics (eg, continuous basement membranes, pseudo-mesaxons, tangles of cell processes), and more closely resembled perineural cells that have been described in ultrastructural studies of peripheral nerve tumors including neurofibromas of other sites.