cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visual pose stabilization of tethered small unmanned aerial system to assist drowning victim recovery

This paper proposes a method for visual pose stabilization of Fotokite, a tethered small unmanned aerial system, using a forward facing monocular camera. Conventionally, Fotokite stabilizes itself only relative to its tether and not relative to the global frame. It is, therefore, susceptible to environmental disturbances (especially wind) or motion of its ground station. Related work proposed visual stabilization for unmanned aerial systems using a downward facing camera and homography estimation. The major disadvantage of this approach is that all the features used in the homography estimation must be in the same plane. The method proposed in this paper works for features in different planes and can be used with a forward-facing camera. This paper is the part of a bigger project on saving drowning victims using lifesaving unmanned surface vehicle visually servoed by Fotokite to reach the victims. Some of the used algorithms are motion sensitive and, therefore, it is desirable for Fotokite to keep its pose relative to the world. The method presented in this paper will enable to prevent gradual drifting of Fotokite in windy conditions typical for coastal areas or when the ground station is on a boat. The quality of pose stabilization was quantitatively analyzed in 9 trials by measuring metric displacement from the initial pose. The achieved mean metric displacement was 34 cm. The results were also compared to 3 trials with no stabilization.
Studies on the action of lysyl oxidase on soluble elastin.

We have previously demonstrated that incubation of soluble elastin with lysyl oxidase results in the formation of isodesmosine and desmosine. We now report studies characterizing this reaction further.
Bone Marrow Transplantation after Nonmyeloablative Treosulfan Conditioning Is Curative in a Murine Model of Sickle Cell Disease.

Abstract Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can be curative for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). However, morbidity associated with myeloablative conditioning and graft-versus-host disease has limited its utility. To this end, autologous HSCT for SCD using lentiviral gene-modified bone marrow (BM) or peripheral blood stem cells has been undertaken, although toxicities of fully ablative conditioning with busulfan and incomplete engraftment have been encountered. Treosulfan, a busulfan analog with a low extramedullary toxicity profile, has been used successfully as part of a myeloablative conditioning regimen in the allogeneic setting in SCD. To further minimize toxicity of conditioning, noncytotoxic monoclonal antibodies that clear stem cells from the marrow niche, such as anti-c-Kit (ACK2), have been considered. Using a murine model of SCD, we sought to determine whether nonmyeloablative conditioning followed by transplantation with syngeneic BM cells could ameliorate the disease phenotype. Treosulfan and ACK2, in a dose-dependent manner, decreased BM cellularity and induced cytopenia in SCD mice. Conditioning with treosulfan alone at nonmyeloablative dosing (3.6 g/kg), followed by transplantation with syngeneic BM donor cells, permitted long-term mixed-donor chimerism. Level of chimerism correlated with improvement in hematologic parameters, normalization of urine osmolality, and improvement in liver and spleen pathology. Addition of ACK2 to treosulfan conditioning did not enhance engraftment. Our data suggests that pretransplant conditioning with treosulfan alone may allow sufficient erythroid engraftment to reverse manifestations of SCD, with clinical application as a preparative regimen in SCD patients undergoing gene-modified autologous HSCT.
Computation of Magnetic Field Distortions and Impact on T2∗-weighted MRI, with Applications to Magnetic Susceptibility Parameter Estimation

A two-step numerical computation of T2* signal weighting maps in gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging in the presence of an object with varied susceptibility property is presented. In the first step, the magnetic scalar potential is computed for an arbitrary 2D magnetic susceptibility distribution using an algebraic solver. The corresponding magnetic field disturbance is computed from the magnetic scalar potential. In the second step, nonlinear operations are used to compute T2* from the magnetic field disturbance and then to generate a map of T2* signal weighting. The linearity of the first step of the solution process is used to implement a superposition of basis solutions approach that increases computational efficiency. Superposition of basis solutions, computed from a system composed of a single node of differing magnetic susceptibility from the surround, herein referred to as the base system, is found to provide an accurate estimation of the scalar potential for arbitrary susceptibility distributions. Afterwards, nonlinear computation of the T2* signal weighting maps can be performed. The properties of the algebraic magnetic scalar potential solver are discussed in this work. Finally, the linearity of the magnetic scalar potential solver is used to estimate the magnetic susceptibility of various objects from in vitro MR-imaging data acquired at 9.4T.
Luminescence Study of the Electronic Band Structure of Inl-xGaxAsl-yPy

A luminescence study of In1-xGaxAs1-yPy has been performed to determine the electronic hand structure of this quarternary alloy. Electron microprobe cathodoluminescence at 300 K was used to determine the direct Γ8v-Γlc gap and photoluminescence at 2 K for the indirect Γ8v-Xlc gap. Comparison of the experimentally determined gaps is made with the theory of Van Vechten and Bergstresser and with a simple interpolation procedure employing the experimentally determined gaps of the ternary alloy systems which constitute the boundaries of this quaternary.
Quagents: a game platform for intelligent agents

The Quagents system provides a flexible interface to the functionality of a game engine. The goal is to make interactive games a useful research and teaching vehicle for academics. Quagents is freely available, and runs under Unix/Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. Intelligent agent controllers may be programmed in any language that supports sockets. A communications protocol between the controller and the bot resembles that between the high-level software and low-level controller of a mobile robot. More complex APIs may be built on the protocol that support complex interactions like trading. We describe the Quagent architecture and research and teaching applications.
The Ecology of Soil-Borne Human Pathogens

The surface of the Earth, with the exception of the oceans and polar ice caps, is in large part covered with a marvelously complex layer of material called soil, from which we derive a host of useful products including fiber, fuels, building materials, animal forage, many mineral commodities, natural medicines (including antibiotics), and most of our food supply. Soil is teeming with life and is home for a huge array of living organisms. The vast majority of these living organisms are microbes that are ubiquitous on Earth (Table 20.1). They occur in all soils, salt and fresh water, the harsh climates of the Arctic and Antarctic, adjacent to deep-sea hydrothermal vents associated with spreading zones between tectonic plates, throughout the atmosphere, and deep below the surface of the Earth in oil wells where they have been isolated from the surface environment for millions of years (Staley 2002, p. 13).
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Shifting Toward a Developmental Framework

This article reviews the current classification of posttraumatic stress disorder and its limitations when applied to youth. Distinctions are made between single-event and multiple-event traumas. Diagnosis, neurobiology, treatment development, and treatment outcomes are presented. A summary of current empirical interventions is provided. The authors present implications for future research and for clinical practice.
Properties of Eisenstein Triples

An Eisenstein triple (a, b, c) consists of three positive integers a < c < b such that a2 – ab + b2 = c2. These triples share a number of properties with the more familiar Pythagorean triples, but ...
Can Transfer Guides Improve the Uptake of Major Prerequisites? Evidence from Ohio’s Transfer and Articulation Policy Reform

This study investigates the use of transfer guides to help students identify transferrable prerequisite credits for academic majors. Employing administrative data of students enrolled in Ohio community colleges, I examine the impact of these curricular roadmaps, called Transfer Assurance Guides (TAG), which were featured in reforms of the state's articulation policy. Leveraging variation in the availability of TAGs as a natural experiment, I estimate the impact of these guides on prerequisite course-taking in the fields of history, business, and economics. I also consider whether the effect varies for first-year students compared to returning students. I find that effects on prerequisite course-taking differed across academic majors, and the effects were lower for students enrolled in their first year compared to returning students. The findings suggest that transfer guides may affect student course-taking, but the impact is small and varies by the preparedness level of students.
Cross-spectral analysis of the SST/10-m wind speed coupling resolved by satellite products and climate model simulations

This study aims to determine the spatial–temporal scales where the SST forcing of the near-surface winds takes places, and its relationship with the action of coherent ocean eddies. Here, cross-spectral statistics are used to examine the relationship between satellite-based SST and 10-m wind speed (w) fields at scales between 10 $$^2$$ –10 $$^4$$ km and 10 $$^1$$ –10 $$^3$$ days. It is shown that the transition from negative SST/w correlations at large-scales to positive at oceanic mesoscales occurs at wavelengths coinciding with the atmospheric first baroclinic Rossby radius of deformation; and that the dispersion of positively-correlated signals resembles tropical instability waves near the equator, and Rossby waves in the extratropics. Transfer functions are used to estimate the SST-driven w response in physical space ( $$w_c$$ ), a signal that explains 5–40% of the mesoscale w variance in the equatorial cold tongues, and 2–15% at extratropical SST fronts. The signature of ocean eddies is clearly visible in $$w_c$$ , accounting for 20–60% of its variability in eddy-rich regions. To provide further insight on the role of ocean eddies in the SST-driven coupling, the analysis is repeated for two climate model (CCSM) simulations using ocean grid resolutions of $$1^\circ$$ (eddy-parameterized, LR) and $$0.1^\circ$$ (eddy-resolving, HR). The lack of resolved eddies in LR leads to a significantly underestimated mesoscale w variance relative to HR. Conversely, the $$w_c$$ variability in HR can exceed the satellite estimates by a factor of two at extratropical SST fronts and underestimate it by a factor of almost six near the equator, reflecting shortcomings of the CCSM to be addressed in its future developments.
Increased Protein Insolubility in Brains From a Subset of Patients With Schizophrenia.

Objective:The mechanisms leading to schizophrenia are likely to be diverse. However, there may be common pathophysiological pathways for subtypes of the disease. The authors tested the hypothesis t...
Mutational burden on circulating cell-free tumor-DNA testing as a surrogate marker of mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability and/or response to immunotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer.

e15066Background: Circulating cell-free tumor-DNA (ctDNA) testing (‘liquid biopsy’) is increasingly being employed both in clinical trials as well as clinical practice. We aimed to contrast and com...
Favorable Outcome for Infant ALL Following Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT).

Abstract There exists controversy regarding the benefit of HSCT in infant ALL. At our institution, the standard treatment for high-risk infant ALL has been intensive chemotherapy per POG 9407 followed by HSCT in CR1. We retrospectively reviewed the outcome of the 15 patients (9 males, 6 females) with infant ALL that underwent allogeneic HSCT since 1992. We defined “very high-risk” as an infant with one or more of the following criteria: age 6 months or less at diagnosis, MLL+ or t(4:11), or WBC>100,000 at diagnosis. Fourteen of fifteen patients are considered “very high-risk.” All except one were under 12 months at diagnosis (range 2–14 months, median 7). The fourteen month old was included as she displayed infant ALL biology, with MLL+ and WBC>500,000. Seven were 6 months or under at diagnosis. Cytogenetics at diagnosis showed MLL+ or t(4:11) in 9, normal in 4, and indeterminate in 2 patients. WBC count at diagnosis was 4,300–1,000,000 (median 360,000). Twelve of the patients were CALLA-negative and four had CNS involvement at diagnosis. Time from diagnosis to transplant was 2.3–13.6 months (median 4.2). All patients were in morphologic CR1 at time of HSCT but one patient had persistent t(4:11). Cytoreduction: Patients received TBI 150cGy x 8 (d-10 to-7); VP-16 1g/m2 CI (d-5 to-4); cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg/day x 3(d-4 to-2). GVHD prophylaxis: CSA, short-course MTX, and ATG d +1, +3, +5, +7 (for unrelated cord blood (UCB)). Grafts were not T-cell depleted. Stem cell sources: 8 UCB, 6 HLA-identical sibling bone marrow, 1 HLA-identical sibling PBSC. Days to neutrophil engraftment was 11–25 days (median 16) and to platelet engraftment was 17–82 days (median 37). CNS prophylaxis consisted of intrathecal methotrexate and Ara-C monthly x 6 post-HSCT. Acute GVHD: 2 grade II and 1 grade III. Chronic GVHD: 3 limited, 1 extensive. Mortality: 4 patients have died. 2 (13%) of transplant-related mortality (TRM) within 100 days of HSCT and 2 of relapse (15% of evaluable patients), which included the patient with t(4:11) at time of HSCT. Range of follow-up is 0.1–11.8 years with a 73% event-free survival (EFS) and overall-survival at a median follow-up of 3.5 years. We conclude that patients with infant ALL who attain a CR1 (morphologic and cytogenetic) have good EFS with acceptable TRM following HSCT using either UCB or HSC from a matched-sibling. Long-term follow-up, including developmental assessments, are being pursued to document the impact of this intensive therapy in young children. Download : Download high-res image (121KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure
Measuring Executive Function (EF): reliability and validity of the weekly calendar planning activity in college students

Date Presented 04/06/19 This study examined reliability and validity of the Weekly Calendar Planning Activity-Student version (WCPA-S), an assessment of EF. Participants were 120 graduate and undergraduate students, ages 18 to 30. The WCPA-S was correlated with three other EF measures. Performance of students without and with learning challenges (e.g., ADHD, LD) was examined. There were small to moderate correlations among EF measures. It is essential for OT to have psychometrically sound measures. Primary Author and Speaker: Eddie Chu Additional Authors and Speakers: Sharon Cermak Contributing Authors: Rashelle Nagata, Creig Smith, Jesse Zhao, Margaret Goodfellow
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric Burkitt's lymphoma in an adolescent patient: a rare case

Primary gastric Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is rare in the pediatric population. Furthermore, the association of Burkitt's lymphoma with Helicobacter pylori is not well defined. We report a case of primary gastric Burkitt's lymphoma associated with Helicobacter pylori diagnosed in a pediatric patient. This diagnosis was made with the aid of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle biopsy (FNB). This is one of the first pediatric cases of EUS-guided FNB for the diagnosis of H. pylori-associated gastric BL.
Latina/o Children Living With an Immigrant Mother With Depression: Developmental and Cultural Nuances in Recognition and Coping

The psychological experience of maternal depression and its impact on immigrant Latina/o families often goes unrecognized and unaddressed. Children may feel especially helpless and confused about the changes they observe in their mothers' mood and behavior, and about the deterioration of family relationships. Given the interdependence of family structures of immigrant Latina/o households, maternal depression can be detrimental to Latina/o youth attributions and coping strategies, and to their relationship with their mothers. The quantitative focus of most research on maternal depression in Latina/o samples limits our understanding of family processes in maternal depression. The current qualitative study explores the perceived impact of maternal depression on Latina/o youths' attributions and coping strategies. This inquiry involved focus groups with 12 participants aged 9-16 years to explore their perspectives on maternal depression. All youth had participated in a 12-week multifamily group intervention focused on building family and cultural strengths to address maternal depression on immigrant Latina/o families. Findings of the focus groups illuminated the essential experience of youth living with maternal depression, and indicated that there are developmental considerations for how youth recognize and make meaning of maternal depression, and cope with disrupted family life. Additionally, youth reported engaging in these culture-specific ways of coping: using close sibling relationships and family structure as support, having fathers and extended family members engage in additional and restorative parenting practices, and participating in religious practices to seek refuge from family stress. We propose considerations for intervention and further areas of research.
Behavior emerges from unstructured muscle activity in response to neuromodulation

Identifying neural substrates of behavior requires defining actions in terms that map onto brain activity. Brain and muscle activity naturally correlate via the output of motor neurons, but apart from simple movements it has been difficult to define behavior in terms of muscle contractions. By mapping the musculature of the pupal fruit fly and comprehensively imaging muscle activation at single cell resolution, we here describe a multiphasic behavioral sequence in Drosophila. Our characterization identifies a previously undescribed behavioral phase and permits extraction of major movements by a convolutional neural network. We deconstruct movements into a syllabary of co-active muscles and identify specific syllables that are sensitive to neuromodulatory manipulations. We find that muscle activity shows considerable variability, which reduces upon neuromodulation. Our work provides a platform for studying whole-animal behavior, quantifying its variability across multiple spatiotemporal scales, and analyzing its neuromodulatory regulation at cellular resolution.
The Element of Surprise: Election Timing and Opposition Preparedness:

How can incumbent governments benefit when they control the timing of elections? The conventional wisdom is that incumbents gain an advantage by timing elections to coincide with favorable economic...
A multi-inversion multi-echo spin and gradient echo echo planar imaging sequence with low image distortion for rapid quantitative parameter mapping and synthetic image contrasts

Purpose Brain imaging exams typically take 10-20 min and involve multiple sequential acquisitions. A low-distortion whole-brain echo planar imaging (EPI)-based approach was developed to efficiently encode multiple contrasts in one acquisition, allowing for calculation of quantitative parameter maps and synthetic contrast-weighted images. Methods Inversion prepared spin- and gradient-echo EPI was developed with slice-order shuffling across measurements for efficient acquisition with T1 , T2 , and T 2 ∗ weighting. A dictionary-matching approach was used to fit the images to quantitative parameter maps, which in turn were used to create synthetic weighted images with typical clinical contrasts. Dynamic slice-optimized multi-coil shimming with a B0 shim array was used to reduce B0 inhomogeneity and, therefore, image distortion by >50%. Multi-shot EPI was also implemented to minimize distortion and blurring while enabling high in-plane resolution. A low-rank reconstruction approach was used to mitigate errors from shot-to-shot phase variation. Results The slice-optimized shimming approach was combined with in-plane parallel-imaging acceleration of 4× to enable single-shot EPI with more than eight-fold distortion reduction. The proposed sequence efficiently obtained 40 contrasts across the whole-brain in just over 1 min at 1.2 × 1.2 × 3 mm resolution. The multi-shot variant of the sequence achieved higher in-plane resolution of 1 × 1 × 4 mm with good image quality in 4 min. Derived quantitative maps showed comparable values to conventional mapping methods. Conclusion The approach allows fast whole-brain imaging with quantitative parameter maps and synthetic weighted contrasts. The slice-optimized multi-coil shimming and multi-shot reconstruction approaches result in minimal EPI distortion, giving the sequence the potential to be used in rapid screening applications.
Protocol for a quasi-experimental, 950 county study examining implementation outcomes and mechanisms of Stepping Up, a national policy effort to improve mental health and substance use services for justice-involved individuals

The criminal justice system is the largest provider of mental health services in the USA. Many jurisdictions are interested in reducing the use of the justice system for mental health problems. The national Stepping Up Initiative helps agencies within counties work together more effectively to reduce the number of individuals with mental illness in jails and to improve access to mental health services in the community. This study will compare Stepping Up counties to matched comparison counties over time to (1) examine the effectiveness of Stepping Up and (2) test hypothesized implementation mechanisms to inform multi-agency implementation efforts more broadly. The study will survey 950 counties at baseline, 18 months, and 36 months in a quasi-experimental design comparing implementation mechanisms and outcomes between 475 Stepping Up counties and 475 matched comparison counties. Surveys will be sent to up to four respondents per county including administrators of jail, probation, community mental health services, and community substance use treatment services (3800 total respondents). We will examine whether Stepping Up counties show faster improvements in implementation outcomes (number of justice-involved clients receiving behavioral health services, number of behavioral health evidence-based practices and policies [EBPPs] available to justice-involved individuals, and resources for behavioral health EBPP for justice-involved individuals) than do matched comparison counties. We will also evaluate whether engagement of hypothesized mechanisms explains differences in implementation outcomes. Implementation target mechanisms include (1) use of and capacity for performance monitoring, (2) use and functioning of interagency teams, (3) common goals and mission across agencies, and (4) system integration (i.e., building an integrated system of care rather than adding one program or training). Finally, we will characterize implementation processes and critical incidents using survey responses and qualitative interviews. There are few rigorous, prospective studies examining implementation mechanisms and their relationship with behavioral health implementation outcomes in justice and associated community behavioral health settings. There is also limited understanding of implementation mechanisms that occur across systems with multiple goals. This study will describe implementation outcomes of Stepping Up and will elucidate target mechanisms that are effective in multi-goal, multi-agency systems.
The Concept(s) of God

“The Concept(s) of God” In this chapter, Lorkowski draws attention to just how difficult the concept of a deity would be. Though different conceptions entail different problems, the author’s primary focus is on difficulties inherent to the concept of virtually any creator deity. These include the absolute foreignness of the being that is posited, the dilemma created by positing an eternal person either temporally or atemporally, and the difficulties inherent to positing a god as a metaphysically necessary ultimate cause. Lastly, to both emphasize how problematic the concept is and as an introduction to the reader, Lorkowski includes an appendix of twenty worries regarding the impossibility of standard conceptions of a deity.
Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies for HIV-1 Prevention

Given the absence of an effective vaccine for protection against HIV-1 infection, passive immunization strategies that utilize potent broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) to block acquisition of HIV-1 are being rigorously pursued in the clinical setting. bnAbs have demonstrated robust protection in preclinical animal models, and several leading bnAb candidates have shown favorable safety and pharmacokinetic profiles when tested individually or in combinations in early phase human clinical trials. Furthermore, passive administration of bnAbs in HIV-1 infected individuals has resulted in prolonged suppression of viral rebound following interruption of combination antiretroviral therapy, and robust antiviral activity when administered to viremic individuals. Recent results from the first efficacy trials testing repeated intravenous administrations of the anti-CD4 binding site bnAb VRC01 have demonstrated positive proof of concept that bnAb passive immunization can confer protection against HIV-1 infection in humans, but have also highlighted the considerable barriers that remain for such strategies to effectively contribute to control of the epidemic. In this review, we discuss the current status of clinical studies evaluating bnAbs for HIV-1 prevention, highlight lessons learned from the recent Antibody Mediated Prevention (AMP) efficacy trials, and provide an overview of strategies being employed to improve the breadth, potency, and durability of antiviral protection.
Reexamine the value of urban pocket parks under the impact of the COVID-19

Abstract While the focus of the wide-spread coronavirus is its impacts on people’s lives and economic wellbeing around the world, the pandemic substantially limits people’s available options of physical activities and exacerbates an enduring problem of large urban populations lack accessible green space to fulfill the essential physical and mental health needs. Under the current pandemic situation available green space is further reduced when some parks are closed or open with limited functions to reduce the spread of coronavirus. At the same time, the demand for green space has increased because of the unavailability of other activities. In this essay, we call the attention of urban planners and designers to pocket parks. Studies have shown that the tiny size of pocket parks makes them an easier fit into vacant properties scattered throughout the urban fabric. Therefore, pocket parks can improve health and encourage social cohesion of residents in often underserved high density urban neighborhoods. The potential of pocket parks in providing accessible urban green space to all urban population may have been considered desirable before the coronavirus outbreak and now it should be considered a necessary ‘lifeline’ to improve urban residents’ health during the coronavirus. In addition, with the long-overlooked value of accessible urban green space waken by the global-scale crisis, proper attention and improvement strategy, such as introducing more pocket park could lead to a better future after the COVID-19.
A Loop Transformation Algorithm Based on Explicit Data Layout Representation for Optimizing Locality

We present a cache locality optimization technique that can optimize a loop nest even if the arrays referenced have different layouts in memory. Such a capability is required for a global locality optimization framework that applies both loop and data transformations to a sequence of loop nests for optimizingl ocality. Our method finds a nonsingular iteration-space transformation matrix such that in a given loop nest spatial locality is exploited in the innermost loops where it is most useful. The method builds inverse of a non-singular transformation matrix column-by-column startingfrom the rightmost column. In addition, our approach can work in those cases where the data layouts of a subset of the referenced arrays is unknown. Experimental results on an 8-processor SGI Origin 2000 show that our technique reduces execution times by up to 72%.
A model for the management of imprecise queries in relational databases

A new way of using database design theory to facilitate the formulation of precise or imprecise queries in crisp or fuzzy relational databases is proposed. It is shown that a specific representation of multivalued dependencies between attributes in a database can be equivalently translated into the formal framework of qualitative Markov trees. Any imprecise query can then be modelled by a set of belief functions on a set of nodes in the tree to be propagated to some other nodes. The dependency structure can be used to reveal restrictions in the choice of composite attribute values even during formulation of queries.
Electoral Reform on Taiwan in Comparative Perspective

Broadly speaking, this paper seeks to assess whether or not reformers crafted anticipated outcomes. This can be understood along two dimensions. First, there are outcomes that vary in benefit for a particular party. Secondly, there are outcomes that result in anticipated structural changes in party system, for example, yet these may not be identical to the outcomes hoped for by a particular party. In order to address this guiding question, we first establish the basic conditions under which major reform became a salient issue for parties; their rationale for proposing the reforms they did; and how reform unfolded. Next, we assess the structural outcomes by comparing pre and post-reform elections on the basis of 1) seat bonuses and electoral proportionality; 2) effective number of elective and parliamentary parties; and 3) the presence of single party or coalition legislative majorities. By tagging the same data to those parties driving reform, we are then able to assess particular winners and losers of reform.
Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma: complete remission with fludarabine

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is an uncommon type of cutaneous lymphoma with an aggressive natural history. It generally carries a poor prognosis despite standard anthracycline-based chemotherapy. The optimum therapy is unknown. We report the case of a 66-year-old man with CD4/CD8 double negative SPTCL who achieved a complete remission with single-agent fludarabine. He received a total of six cycles of fludarabine given at 25 mg/m2 daily for 5 days every 4 weeks. His skin ulcers started to heal within 2 weeks of the first cycle of chemotherapy and were completely healed before the fourth cycle. Unfortunately, he died suddenly of unknown cause 3 months after the completion of chemotherapy while remaining in complete remission. Our report suggests that fludarabine may be an active agent in SPTCL and deserves further study.
Vascular healing after bare metal and drug-eluting stents in an experimental rabbit model of thin cap fibroatheroma

FUNDAMENTOS: A resposta de reparacao vascular e um importante fator no desenvolvimento de reestenose e trombose no stent. O presente estudo foi planejado para avaliar a reparacao vascular com stents nao-farmacologicos (SNF) comparados a stents com liberacao de everolimus (SLE) e de beta-estradiol (SLB) em um modelo experimental de fibroateroma de capa fina (FACF) em animais com aterosclerose cronica. METODO: Foram analisados 16 coelhos hipercolesterolemicos da raca Nova Zelândia acompanhados por quatro anos. Desses animais, 6 receberam SNF, 5 receberam SLE e 5, SLB (Guidant, Santa Clara, California, Estados Unidos). Um stent com polimero tambem foi implantado em cada animal. RESULTADOS: Analises histologicas realizadas aos 28 dias, comparando FACF de novo com FACF com implante de SNF, SLE e SLB, demonstraram que os stents com polimero induziram escores mais altos de fibrina e hemorragia. Os SLB induziram escores mais altos de inflamacao e fibrina e escores mais baixos de endotelizacao. Os SLE induziram escores mais altos de inflamacao, fibrina e hemorragia. SLB e SLE induziram escores de reparacao semelhantes. A porcentagem das areas de colageno tipo I foi semelhante nos quatro tipos de stents. A porcentagem das areas de colageno tipo III foi mais alta com SNF quando comparados ao polimero e aos stents farmacologicos. CONCLUSAO: Os stents farmacologicos estao associados a inflamacao reduzida, mas crescente, deposicao de fibrina e hemorragia, que parecem estar relacionadas aos efeitos vasculares do polimero.
Unanticipated Multiplex PCR-Based Identification of Polymicrobial Blood Culture Resulting in Earlier Isolation, Determination of Susceptibilities, and Optimization of Clinical Care.

ABSTRACT We describe a case of polymicrobial bloodstream infection with six organisms identified by multiplex PCR that was initially thought to be a monomicrobial infection. Early recognition of specific Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and fungal organisms and resistance elements allowed significantly more rapid optimization of therapy.
Mn2+ ions pass through Ca2+ channels in myoepithelial cells.

1.Intracellular recordings were made from the myoepithelial cells of the proventriculus of the marine polychaete worm Syllis spongiphila . Overshooting responses were elicited either by carbamylcholine added to the bathing medium or by directly applied intracellular current pulses. 2.In control artificial sea water (ASW) directly applied current pulses elicited regenerative responses of 68–119 mV in amplitude and 70–1800 ms in duration; these responses were associated with contractions of the myoepithelial cells. 3.Both pharmacologically and electrically elicited responses were reversibly abolished in Ca-free ASW and were unaffected by TTX or lowsodium solutions. Regenerative responses were elicited by direct intracellular stimulation in calcium-free ASW containing 1 mM-B 2+ or 10 mM-Sr 2+ . Directly elicited responses were blocked reversibly in ASW containing calcium and 15-20 mM-Co 2+ or 2.5-10 mM-Ni 2+ ; they were blocked irreversibly in ASW containing calcium and 10 mM-La 3+ or 100 μM-Zn 2+ . 4.Regenerative responses were elicited in Ca-free solutions containing 10-50 mM-Mn 2+ ; these responses were not associated with contractions, were consistently of longer duration than responses elicited in control ASW, and were blocked by 20 mM-Co 2+ or 10 mM-La 3+ . The overshoots of Mn 2+ responses elicited in both Na-free and Na-containing, Ca-free solutions increased as the external concentration of Mn 2+ was increased, with a slope of about 27 mV per 10-fold change in concentration of Mn 2+ . In Cacontaining solutions the slope was reduced to about 15mV per 10-fold change. 5.The results indicate that the myoepithelial cells generate Ca-spikes and that Mn 2+ ions, in addition to Sr 2+ and Ba 2+ ions, pass through the Ca 2+ channels of the myoepithelial cell membranes. Although Mn^ can replace Ca 2+ in generating spikes, it apparently cannot replace Ca 2+ in initiating contraction, and it many compete with Ca 2+ in activating repolarization of the cell.
Quantitative glass paper chromatography: a microdetermination of plasma cholesterol

A rapid, sensitive method for the determination of sterols is described. Microgram samples are spotted on impregnated glass fiber paper, chromatographed for 7 minutes, dried, sprayed with sulfuric acid, and charred by heating. The amount of char formed is measured by densitometry. Values obtained for cholesterol in the serum are in agreement with those obtained by the Sobel-Mayer method. The method has been adapted to the determination of cholesterol in 10 μl. of plasma, and to the determination of standard solutions of other sterols.
Developmental challenges, stressors and coping strategies in medical residents: a qualitative analysis of support groups.

OBJECTIVES Stress and burnout are endemic in postgraduate medical training, but little research is available to guide supportive interventions. The identification of the longitudinal emotional and developmental coping needs of internal medicine residents could assist in the better design and implementation of supportive interventions. METHODS In this retrospective, exploratory study, six internal medicine resident support groups (n = 62; residents in postgraduate years [PGY] 1-3) were followed for a period of 2 years. Qualitative data were extracted from monthly support group process notes to identify common themes, stressors, emotions, coping strategies and developmental challenges faced during training. Quantitative questionnaire data were collected on burnout, group attendance and resident satisfaction. RESULTS Using professional identity development models and classic stress and coping theory as a starting point, a derivation of grounded theory was used to identify common themes and emotions documented in support group process notes. The most common themes included understanding resident roles and responsibilities, developing an identity as a resident and doctor, building professional confidence, cognitive and behavioural responses to stress, and concerns about flaws in local and national health care training and delivery systems. Anxiety and guilt were the most commonly reported emotions, followed by positive emotions and anger. Burnout scores were highest for the second half of PGY1, but improved over subsequent training years. Support group attendance and satisfaction were both high. Residents overwhelmingly pointed to peer relationships as the most critical source of support throughout postgraduate training. CONCLUSIONS Developmentally informed programmatic adaptations could better support the emotional growth and personal and professional development of postgraduate medical trainees. Future directions should include a controlled trial of resident support groups, assessments of 'active ingredients' (i.e. to establish which supportive interventions are most effective), and evaluations of programmatic adaptations.
Protein Kinase C Expression and Activity After Global Incomplete Cerebral Ischemia in Dogs

Background and Purpose—Studies suggest that protein kinase C (PKC) activation during ischemia plays an important role in glutamate neurotoxicity and that PKC inhibition may be neuroprotective. We tested the hypothesis that elevations in the biochemical activity and protein expression of Ca2+-dependent PKC isoforms occur in hippocampus and cerebellum during the period of delayed neurodegeneration after mild brain ischemia. Methods—We used a dog model of 20 minutes of global incomplete ischemia followed by either 6 hours, 1 day, or 7 days of recovery. Changes in PKC expression (Western blotting and immunocytochemistry) and biochemical activity were compared with neuropathology (percent ischemically damaged neurons) by means of hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results—The percentage of ischemically damaged neurons increased from 13±4% to 52±10% in CA1 and 24±11% to 69±6% in cerebellar Purkinje cells from 1 to 7 days, respectively. The occurrence of neuronal injury was accompanied by sustained increases in PKC...
The Effect of Gastrointestinal Hormones on the Gastric Microcmculation

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of several gastrointestinal hormones on the gastric submucosal arterioles using an in vivo microscopy technique. Alteration in diameter of submucosal arterioles, 40 to 90 µ in diameter, in response to infusion of different agents into the celiac axis, was measured in the anesthetized cat. Pentagastrin, the octapeptide of cholecystokinin, natural secretin, and histamine produced arteriolar dilation. Only with histamine and the octapeptide of cholecystokinin did this occur with doses that might be considered physiological. Synthetic secretin had no vasodilator activity, suggesting the presence of a contaminating agent in natural secretin. Glucagon had no effect on the submucosal arterioles. In addition, the effect of glucagon on the smaller (10 to 30 μ) terminal and subterminal submucosal arterioles was studied in the rat by in vivo microscopy. Again no effect was observed with glucagon. but norepinephrine in small doses produced vasoconstriction.
Trends in Articles Published Over the Past 20 Years in The Journal of Chiropractic Education: Country of Origin, Academic Affiliation, and Data Versus Nondata Studies

Purpose: To review trends in articles published during the first 20 years of The Journal of Chiropractic Education (JCE), which is the primary periodical that publishes chiropractic educational research. This study focused on article type, country of origin, contributions by institutions, use of references, and use of structured abstracts.
Effect of medial septal lesions on conditioned taste aversion in the rat.

Abstract Rats that had sustained lesions of the medial septum developed a conditioned food aversion to sweetened condensed milk at the same rate as controls. This aversion was produced by post-ingestion administration of lithium chloride in ascending doses given on alternate days. Although development of the aversion was the same in lesioned animals as in controls, recovery from it was more rapid in the lesioned animals.
Detection in power-law noise: spectrum exponents and CD diagram slopes

Normal mammographic image backgrounds have approximately isotropic power spectra of the form, P(f) =K/fe, where f is radial frequency. The values ofthe exponent, 3, range from 1.5 to 3.5 with an average of about 2.8. The ideal observer model predicts that, for signals with certain properties, the log-log contrast-detail (CD) diagram slope, m, is given by: m = O.5(3-2). Previously, we reported results for detection of a model mass (designer nodule) in filtered noise with an exponent of 3. The model and human observer CD slopes were 0.5 and 0.45 respectively. Here, we report preliminary results for human and model observer 2AFC detection of a simple signal in filtered noise with exponents from 1.5 to 3.5. Our results are in good agreement with the prediction of the above equation. We will also describe results of 2AFC detection experiments done using "twin" noise backgrounds with identical noise realizations in the two backgrounds. We could not replicate the results ofJohnson et al. For '1/f3' noise, they found a CD slope of—O.59 while we found +0.37.
Reevaluation of grading standards and discounts for fungus-damaged soybean seeds

The proportion of off-colored seed is a primary quality-rating factor that influences the market grade of soybean,Glycine max L. Merrill. Off-colors, attributed to biological agents such as fungi and viruses, are visual characteristics that arbitrarily result in lower grade ratings when soybeans show more than ten percent discoloration. These damaged seeds may be further classified under current United States Department of Agriculture, Federal Grain Inspection Service standards as: moldy, weathered, bicolored, mottled, or other colors. Presently, all types of fungal damage and virus symptoms are evaluated equally in the application of discount schedules at grain-elevators. However, recent information shows that superficial discoloration caused by some biological agents does not lower grain quality. Indeed, methods are available to distinguish those symptoms that actually reduce seed quality from those that are more cosmetic in nature. This communication provides guidance on fungi that are involved most often in seed damage or discoloration. The following organisms are listed in descending order of importance:Phomopsis longicolla, Alternaria, Nematospora coryli, Fusarium graminearum, Colletotrichum, andCercospora kikuchii. Discoloration caused byPeronospora manchurica (downy mildew) and the soybean mosaic virus have limited effect on seed quality. Discoloration caused by each of these agents may be identified by recognizable characteristics. Therefore, knowledge of the relative impact of these organisms on seed quality should be practiced in the application of soybean grading standards and discount schedules.
Against Photography: Susan Sontag's Vietnam

AbstractThis essay argues that Susan Sontag's 1968 trip to Hanoi paved the way for her groundbreaking reflections on photography. More broadly, it describes political travel as an experimental practice that helped Sontag to develop her ideas about aesthetics, ethics, and activism. If, as Sontag repeatedly claimed, the trip to Hanoi marked a “turning point” in her writing and her life, the particulars of that experience bear close scrutiny. Sontag traveled to Hanoi in 1968 to demonstrate her opposition to the U. S. war in Vietnam. In her book, Trip to Hanoi, she describes the trip as an inward journey and a means to self-transformation; recording and critiquing her narrow-minded response to North Vietnam, Sontag tries to radicalize her perspective. Sontag's trip prepared her to mount On Photography's critique of photographic immediacy. In this book, the pernicious mental habits that Sontag casts off in Hanoi resurface as generalized traits of photographic perception. Sontag's essays on photography contain ...
Radical ions and dianions of a cis-stilbene derivative that cannot isomerize into a trans form

Abstract A derivative of cis -stilbene which cannot be isomerized into a trans form may be reduced to the respective radical anions and dianions; the disproportionation rate of these radical anions (10 8 M −1 s −1 ) and the respective equilibrium constant (≈ 8000) are exceedingly large.
Past decisions do affect future choices: An experimental demonstration

This paper demonstrates experimentally that the mere fact that an alternative was chosen in the past increases the likelihood that it will be re-chosen in the future, when new alternatives are being offered. The experimental design consists of a new variation of the free-choice paradigm that is immune to Chen and Risen (2010)’s criticism of how results have been interpreted in previous studies of post-decision effects. An additional experiment indicates that once a participant has chosen a particular alternative he views its characteristics more positively. It is suggested that the new design can be used to study various aspects of the effect of past decisions on future ones. In the present paper, it is applied to show that the allocation of limited resources among various uses may be biased in favor of a particular use if it was preferred to another in a previous situation.
CHANGES IN INKBLOT PERCEPTION WITH PRESENTATION OF THE HOLTZMAN INKBLOT TECHNIQUE AS AN "INTELLIGENCE TEST".

Abstract The Holtzman Inkblot Technique (HIT) was administered by the Group Method to 180 college students. Half the Ss received the standardized HIT instructional set; the other 90 Ss had the HIT represented as a test of intellectual ability. The difference in instructional set caused a significant decrease in HIT variables, Penetration, Hostility, Animal, and Pathognomic Verbalization. The results are interpreted as representing a “tightening up” of the cognitive-perceptual process, but without any accompanying increase in constriction or stereotopy of responses.