cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasmapheresis in Pediatric Renal Disease

Plasmapheresis or therapeutic plasma exchange has been known to be useful either as a first-line treatment or a second-line therapy in pediatric renal disease. Data is limited in children, and the vast majority of the data is extrapolated from adult-based evidence. Of the many kidney diseases in children, TPE may be beneficial in a small number of diseases. These include glomerular disease with a rapidly progressive form, such as ANCA-associated rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis; anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease (Goodpasture’s syndrome); nephrotic syndrome such as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), specifically after recurrence in kidney transplant; thrombotic microangiopathy (primary or secondary; and ABO incompatible kidney transplant or antibody-mediated rejection. This chapter reviews therapeutic apheresis with emphasis on special technical considerations unique to pediatric patients, including securing adequate vascular access, maintaining desired intravascular volume and circulating red cell mass, and preventing complications by early recognition of adverse reactions. Clinical applications of plasmapheresis in pediatric patients with renal diseases are discussed on the basis of evidence utilizing the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) guidelines. Furthermore, the most current data on plasmapheresis in renal diseases, the indications and plasmapheresis treatment approach, as well as specific technical considerations in children are presented.
Exploiting Proximity Information in a Satisfiability Based Attack Against Split Manufactured Circuits

Split Manufacturing (SM) was introduced as an effective countermeasure to reverse engineering of integrated circuits and as a potential deterrent to Trojan insertion and overproduction. In SM, some wires, assigned to the back-end-of-line (BEOL) layers and fabricated at a secure facility, are hidden from the attacker. However, proximity information based attacks use physical design hints such as wire-length, combinational cycles and routing directions obtained from the FEOL (front-end-of-line) netlist to recover some or all of the BEOL signals. In addition, a recently proposed satisfiability (SAT) based attack models the BEOL signal recovery problem as a problem of configuring a key-controlled interconnect network and solves for the key values using a SAT solver. While this method can recover 100% of the BEOL signals, it takes impractically long time for large circuits. In this paper, we propose an effective method to exploit proximity information extracted from the FEOL circuit to reduce the size of the interconnection network which models the missing BEOL layers which in turn significantly reduces the size of the resulting SAT problem. This leads to efficient recovery of 100% of the ‘hidden’ BEOL signals even for large circuits. Experimental results using circuits from ISCAS85, ISCAS89 and ITC99 benchmark suites show that the proposed method is up to 80x faster than the SAT-only attack (without proximity information) while maintaining the 100% attack correctness for all combinational and sequential benchmarks.
Enhancing Support for Machine Learning and Edge Computing on an IoT Data Marketplace

IoT applications are increasingly employing machine learning (ML) algorithms to manage and control the operational environment autonomously while predicting future actions. To leverage these emerging technologies, the application developers require an enormous amount of data to build models. Data marketplaces enable the IoT application developers to buy data from IoT device owners to train machine learning models. Contemporary data marketplaces only focus on connecting the IoT infrastructure owner (seller) with application developers (buyer) while lacking integrated support for data analytics. Application developers are required to manually create and manage machine learning pipelines by combining edge computing resources with data sources. In this paper, we present an architectural framework to build machine learning pipelines for data marketplaces automatically. Our framework enables application developers (buyers) to leverage the edge computing resources provided by the sellers and compose low-latency IoT applications that incorporate ML-based processing. We present a proof-of-concept implementation on the I3 data marketplace and outline open challenges in combining machine-learning, AI, and edge computing technologies with data marketplaces.
Efficient and tunable one-dimensional charge transport in layered lanthanide metal-organic frameworks

The emergence of electrically conductive metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has led to applications in chemical sensing and electrical energy storage, among others. The most conductive MOFs are made from organic ligands and square-planar transition metal ions connected into two-dimensional (2D) sheets stacked on top of each other. Their electrical properties are thought to depend critically on the covalency of the metal–ligand bond, and less importance is given to out-of-plane charge transport. Here, we report a series of lanthanide-based MOFs that allow fine tuning of the sheet stacking. In these materials, the Ln3+ ions lie between the planes of the ligands, thus connecting organic layers into a 3D framework through lanthanide–oxygen chains. Here, efficient charge transport is found to occur primarily perpendicular to the 2D sheets. These results demonstrate that high conductivity in layered MOFs does not necessarily require a metal–ligand bond with highly covalent character, and that interactions between organic ligands alone can produce efficient charge transport pathways. High electrical conductivities in metal–organic frameworks—attractive for applications in sensing and energy storage—typically arise in layered MOFs from metal–ligand bonds with strong covalent character. Now, lanthanide-based MOFs have shown high out-of-plane conductivities originating instead from the π-stacking of organic ligands.
The potential resiliency of a created tidal marsh to sea level rise

The purpose of this study was to determine the elevation dynamics of a created tidal marsh on the North Carolina coast. Deep rod surface elevation tables (RSET) and feldspar marker horizons (MH) were installed in plots to measure net surface elevation changes and to quantify contributing processes. Twelve total plots were placed on four elevation gradient transects (three transects within the created marsh and one within a reference marsh), with three plots along each transect. Elevation gradient transects included a low marsh plot dominated by , a middle marsh plot dominated by , and a high marsh plot dominated by . RSET and MH were measured in December 2012, January 2014, April 2017, and March 2018. Elevation change ranged from 1.0 to 4.0 mm year-1 within the created marsh and from -0.4 to 2.0 mm year-1 within the reference marsh. When compared to the long-term linear trend in local relative sea level rise (RSLR) of 3.10 ±0.35 mm year-1, the middle marsh plots within the created marsh trended toward survival, with an observed elevation increase of 3.1 ±0.2 mm year-1. Alternatively, the low and high marsh plots within the created marsh trended toward submergence, with observed elevation increases of 2.1 ±0.2 and 1.3 ±0.2 mm year-1, respectively. These results indicate that a created marsh can display elevation dynamics similar to a natural marsh and can be resilient to current rates of RSLR if constructed with a high elevation capital. Surface elevation changes were observed over a short time period and in a relatively young marsh, so it is uncertain if these trends will continue or how the long-term relation with RSLR will develop. While this study provided initial data on the ability of created tidal marshes to respond to observed sea level rise, subsequent observations are needed to evaluate the long-term elevation dynamics.
Feasibility and acceptability of active for life with COPD, an intervention to increase light physical activity in people with COPD.

Abstract Background People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are very sedentary; increasing light physical activity (LPA) may help to promote long-term maintenance of physical activity. Objectives We evaluated feasibility and acceptability of Active for Life with COPD, a self-efficacy-enhancing intervention designed to increase LPA. Methods The 10-week intervention included walking, functional circuit training, and behavioral and educational strategies. Measures included attrition, adherence, objectively measured physical activity, and qualitative interviews. Results Thirty-six subjects enrolled in the study; 26 completed the intervention and 19 completed the two-month follow-up. Subjects reported the intervention was enjoyable and beneficial, but disliked the activity log and buddy system. Subjects increased mean time spent standing/stepping by 36 (SD = 82) min/24 h (P > 0.05); they retained a gain of 21 (SD = 88) min/24 h at the two-month follow-up (P > 0.05). Conclusions The Active for Life with COPD intervention is feasible, acceptable, and may support long term maintenance of physical activity.
Preoperative differentiation of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma from oncocytoma: Aorta-lesion-attenuation difference on multiphasic multidetector computed tomography.

627Background: Differentiation of benign oncocytoma from chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC) remains a challenge. This study aimed to investigate whether Aorta-lesion-attenuation difference (A...
Cholo Politics and Urban Indigenous Self-Fashioning in Bolivia

This article reviews recent ethnographic approaches to indigeneity in Bolivia from the global north. It examines some consequences of ethnographic choices to treat indigeneity as primarily a political challenge of power and inclusion, where indigenous identity is understood to be most characteristically expressed in collective terms or through social mobilization. At the same time, it also assesses a complementary ethnographic focus upon legacies of neoliberalism, as a major context for situating contemporary indigenous projects in Bolivia, specifically, ethnographic contrasts drawn between political indigeneity and the liberal subject. Finally, this article offers an account of indigenous sense-making for the urban landscape of Quillacollo and explores the relevance of indigenous claims as integral to that small city’s “cholo politics,” and as an alternative means of understanding the construction of indigenous subjects.
Accuracy of Empirical Satellite Algorithms for Mapping Phytoplankton Diagnostic Pigments in the Open Ocean: A Supervised Learning Perspective

Monitoring phytoplankton community composition from space is an important challenge in ocean remote sensing. Researchers have proposed several algorithms for this purpose. However, the in-situ data used to train and validate such algorithms at the global scale are often clustered along ship cruise tracks and in some well-studied locations, whereas many large marine regions have no in-situ data at all. Furthermore, oceanographic variables are typically spatially auto-correlated. In this situation, the common practice of validating algorithms with randomly chosen held-out observations can underestimate errors. Based on a global database of in-situ HPLC data, we applied supervised learning methods to train and test empirical algorithms predicting the relative concentrations of eight diagnostic pigments that serve as biomarkers for different phytoplankton types. For each pigment, we trained three types of satellite algorithms distinguished by their input data: abundance-based (using only chlorophyll-a as input), spectral (using remote sensing reflectance), and ecological algorithms (combining reflectance and environmental variables). The algorithms were implemented as statistical models (smoothing splines, polynomials, random forests and boosted regression trees). To address clustering of data and spatial auto-correlation, we tested the algorithms by means of spatial block cross-validation. This provided a less confident picture of the potential for global mapping of diagnostic pigments and hence the associated phytoplankton types using existing satellite data than suggested by some previous research and a 5-fold cross-validation conducted for comparison. Of the eight diagnostic pigments, only two (fucoxanthin and zeaxanthin) could be predicted in marine regions that the algorithms were not trained in with considerably lower errors than a constant null model. Thus, global-scale algorithms based on existing, multi-spectral satellite data and commonly available environmental variables can estimate relative diagnostic pigment concentrations and hence distinguish phytoplankton types in some broad classes, but are likely inaccurate for some classes and in some marine regions. Overall, the ecological algorithms had the lowest prediction errors. Finally, our results suggest that more discussion of the best approaches for training and validating empirical satellite algorithms is needed if the in-situ data are unevenly distributed in the study region and spatially clustered.
Significance of Individual Domains of ClpL: A Novel Chaperone from Streptococcus mutans .

ClpL is a member of the HSP100 family of AAA+ chaperones that is widely present in Gram-positive but surprisingly absent in Gram-negative bacteria. ClpL is involved in various cellular processes, including stress tolerance response, long-term survival, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. ClpL is poorly characterized, and its molecular mechanisms of chaperone activity are largely unclear. Here, we biochemically characterized the ClpL protein from Streptococcus mutans, a dental pathogen, to understand its biological functions. ClpL harbors five domains: N-domain, two nucleotide binding domains (NBD-1 and NBD-2), M-domain, and C-domain. NBD-1 and NBD-2 contain distinct Walker A and B motifs for ATP binding and hydrolysis, respectively. We found that ClpL predominantly exists as a trimer in solution; however, upon ATP binding, it rapidly forms a hexameric structure. To study structure-function activity, we constructed several substitution and deletion mutants. We found that mutations in the Walker A and B motifs interfered with ATP hydrolysis and oligomerization. Similarly, deletions of N-, M-, and C-domains abolished both ATPase activity and oligomerization. Because we previously found that ClpL acts as a chaperone, we analyzed the chaperone activity. Surprisingly, we found that the NBD-2 mutants did not display any chaperone activity, indicating that ATP binding and hydrolysis by NBD-2 are essential for the chaperone. However, NBD-1 mutants showed chaperone activities, but the activities were variable depending on the nature of the mutations. Our results indicate that unlike other HSP100 family chaperones, ClpL is a novel chaperone that does not require any additional secondary chaperones for its activity.
A Comparison of Virtual Analog Modelling Techniques for Desktop and Embedded Implementations.

We develop a virtual analog model of the Klon Centaur guitar pedal circuit, comparing various circuit modelling techniques. The techniques analyzed include traditional modelling techniques such as nodal analysis and Wave Digital Filters, as well as a machine learning technique using recurrent neural networks. We examine these techniques in the contexts of two use cases: an audio plug-in designed to be run on a consumer-grade desktop computer, and a guitar pedal-style effect running on an embedded device. Finally, we discuss the advantages and disdvantages of each technique for modelling different circuits, and targeting different platforms.
Teaching Trump: A Frame Analysis of Educators’ Responses to ‘the Trump Effect’ in American Schools

This paper offers a frame analysis of educators’ responses to the anti-democratic statements and actions of candidate-turned-president Donald J. Trump. It asks how educators responded to Trump, then answers by identifying three types of frames (motivational, diagnostic, and prognostic) that educators employed to make sense of the Trump phenomenon. Using democratic education theory and frame analysis, this paper finds that educators were motivated by legality, complicity, and morality to address Trump’s anti-democratic statements with students. Educators framed the Trump problem in terms of historical precedent, present danger to democracy, and concern for the future. They framed the solution with new curricula, fact checking, and critical media literacy. This paper argues that educators assert collective democratic agency to uphold democratic norms in uncertain political times.
Cosmological consequences of gravity with spin and torsion

AbstractThe consistency of the gravitational field with the quantum-mechanical, spin angular momentum of matter requires space time to be endowed with curvature and torsion. The Einstein-Cartan-Sciama-Kibble theory of gravity, which extends general relativity to include torsion, may eliminate the singularity at the big bang and replace it with a nonsingular bounce. Gravity with spin and torsion may also solve several major problems in cosmology : singularities in black holes, the origin of the Universe, the flatness and horizon poblems, the arrow of time, the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the Universe, the nature of dark matter and dark energy, and the p referred axis in the Universe.
Sustainable Residential Development: Planning and Design for Green Neighborhoods

Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Thirty years ago, Berry, the Kentucky farmer and writer, argued that the root of the environmental crisis was the division of labor into specializations, ...
Microscopic flow measurements using optically trapped microprobes

Summary from only given. In previous work, we used a confocal detection modification of a method to measure fluid viscosity by recording the response of a microsphere in a viscous medium under the action of rapidly oscillating photonic force. We showed that the viscosity of the fluid can be accurately and rapidly measured by detecting the phase lag of the motion. In this paper, we extend this technique to measure local fluid flow. A spherical micron-sized silica bead is trapped in a flow cell on an inverted microscope by a strongly focused beam from a Ti-sapphire laser. An acousto-optic deflector nudges the particle periodically by moving the laser tweezers back and forth.
Early diagnosis of ovarian torsion by color Doppler ultrasonography

Ovarian torsion is often difficult to diagnose because of the nonspecific nature of the clinical findings. We report on the use of color Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosing early ovarian torsion. This technique provides a highly specific finding, the absence of blood flow to the ovary, that greatly facilitates the diagnosis of ovarian torsion.
ATTITUDINAL FACTORS IN CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE

This study considers the behavioral implications of congenital heart disease for the pediatric patient, his siblings, and his parents. The effects of a disease on the child, on his siblings, and on his parents and the interplay among these individuals are explored. The impact of the physician9s diagnosis is illustrated by the induced significant changes in family attitudes, which are not necessarily related to disease severity or child incapacity. Poorer adjustment and anxiety in the cardiac child related more highly to maternal anxiety and pampering than to his degree of incapacity. Maternal protectiveness and pampering were significantly greater in the cardiac than in the normal group and were highest in the cyanotic group. The best predictor of maternal protectiveness was maternal anxiety, and it was found that the addition of other variables such as incapacity and child dependence failed to improve prediction substantially. Maternal anxiety seemed related to the presence rather than to the severity of the heart condition.
Overview of the Preliminary Safety Analysis of the National Ignition Facility

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a proposed U.S. Department of Energy inertial confinement laser fusion facility. The candidate sites for locating the NIF are: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, New Mexico, the Nevada Test Site, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), the preferred site. The NIF will operate by focusing 192 individual laser beams onto a tiny deuterium-tritium target located at the center of a spherical target chamber. The NIF has been classified as a low hazard, radiological facility on the basis of a preliminary hazards analysis and according to the DOE methodology for facility classification. This requires that a safety analysis report be prepared under DOE Order 5481.1B, Safety Analysis and Review System. A Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) has been approved, which documents and evaluates the safety issues associated with the construction, operation, and decommissioning of the NIF.
Resveratrol Fails to Extend Life Span in the Mosquito Anopheles stephensi

Resveratrol, a plant polyphenol present in grape skins, has been theorized to account for the "French Paradox" by explaining how red wine may decrease the health risks associated with unhealthy diets. Resveratrol has been reported to extend life span in several different species. Other studies, however, have failed to find a resveratrol-induced life span effect. A recent meta-study analyzing previously published survival data concluded that, although resveratrol reliably and reproducibly extends life span in some species, its life span effects show diminished reliability in other organisms. The data are mixed, and it remains unclear how evolutionarily conserved resveratrol's effects on life span are. To gain further insight into this controversy, we studied the effects of various concentrations (200 μM, 100 μM, 50 μM, or 0 μM) of orally fed resveratrol on the life span of the mosquito Anopheles stephensi, an important vector of human malaria, under two different feeding treatments--sugar-fed only or sugar-fed with intermittent blood meals. Each treatment was repeated three times and both survivorship and mortality rates were analyzed for each replicate. For the majority of experiments, resveratrol failed to mediate a statistically significant effect on life span. Although there was one instance where resveratrol significantly increased life span, there were five other instances where resveratrol significantly decreased life span. We conclude from these data that, under normal conditions, resveratrol does not extend life span in A. stephensi.
National variation in preoperative imaging, carotid duplex ultrasound criteria, and threshold for surgery for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis

Objective Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis is among the most common procedures performed in the United States. However, consensus is lacking regarding optimal preoperative imaging, carotid duplex ultrasound criteria, and ultimately, the threshold for surgery. We sought to characterize national variation in preoperative imaging, carotid duplex ultrasound criteria, and threshold for surgery for asymptomatic CEA. Methods The Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) database was used to identify all CEA procedures performed for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis between 2003 and 2014. VQI currently captures 100% of CEA procedures performed at >300 centers by >2000 physicians nationwide. Three analyses were performed to quantify the variation in (1) preoperative imaging, (2) carotid duplex ultrasound criteria, and (3) threshold for surgery. Results Of 35,695 CEA procedures in 33,488 patients, the study cohort was limited to 19,610 CEA procedures (55%) performed for asymptomatic disease. The preoperative imaging modality used before CEA varied widely, with 57% of patients receiving a single preoperative imaging study (duplex ultrasound imaging, 46%; computed tomography angiography, 7.5%; magnetic resonance angiography, 2.0%; cerebral angiography, 1.3%) and 43% of patients receiving multiple preoperative imaging studies. Of the 16,452 asymptomatic patients (89%) who underwent preoperative duplex ultrasound imaging, there was significant variability between centers in the degree of stenosis (50%-69%, 70%-79%, 80%-99%) designated for a given peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, and internal carotid artery-to-common carotid artery ratio. Although 68% of CEA procedures in asymptomatic patients were performed for an 80% to 99% stenosis, 26% were performed for a 70% to 79% stenosis, and 4.1% were performed for a 50% to 69% stenosis. At the surgeon level, the range in the percentage of CEA procedures performed for a Conclusions Despite CEA being an extremely common procedure, there is widespread variation in the three primary determinants—preoperative imaging, carotid duplex ultrasound criteria, and threshold for surgery—of whether CEA is performed for asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Standardizing the approach to care for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis will mitigate the significant downstream effects of this variation on health care costs.
The effects of overtraining and delay on reversal and nonreversal shifts in kindergarten children

Kindergarten children were randomly assigned to one of eight treatment conditions in a 2 by 2 by 2 factorial design involving reversal and nonreversal shifts, criterion and overtraining, and immediate and delayed shifts. The problems were composed of a two-choice discrimination involving shape or brightness. A reversal shift consisted of shifting from the positive to the negative cue within a dimension, and a non-reversal shift consisted of shifting to a different dimension. The only significant finding was that the 24-h delay between training and transfer trials improved performance in the other conditions. Possible explanations for these findings were offered.
Effective antiplatelet drug concentrations in experimental arterial thromboembolism.

Abstract Although drugs that modify platelet function have been widely studied as antithrombotic agents in experimental and clinical studies, there is limited information regarding the relationship between in vivo drug blood concentrations and antithrombotic efficacy. This study compared the pharmaco kinetics of three antiplatelet agents with their antithrombotic effects in an experimental model of arterial thromboembolism in baboons. Thrombus formation was measured as steady-state platelet utilization induced by thrombogenic arteriovenous cannulae. The drugs studied were aspirin, dipyridamole and sulfinpyrazone. Aspirin was administered in daily doses of 20 mg/kg, dipyridamole in daily doses of 2.5 and 10 mg/kg, and sulfinpyrazone in daily doses of 20 and 100 mg/kg; each drug was given in two equal doses per day. Multiple blood samples were collected for drug analysis after steady-state had been reached. The average concentrations of dipyridamole at steady-state were 26 + 15 and 79 ± 69 ng/ml after 2.5 and 10 mg/kg/day. These concentrations were associated with 28 and 87% inhibition of cannula platelet consumption, respectively. The average steady-state concentrations of acetylsalicylic and salicylic acids were 0.67 ± 0.80 and 3.76 ± 2.60 μg/ml, respectively, after 20 mg/kg/day. Aspirin had no effect on platelet consumption. Average concentrations of sulfinpyrazone were 1.05 ± 0.45 and 12.25 ± 5.73 gg/ml after 20 and 100 mg/kg/day, with significant concentrations of the sulfide metabolite. These concentrations were associated with 23 and 85% inhibition of platelet consumption, respectively. No significant pharmacokinetic interactions were observed after concurrent administration of aspirin and dipyridamole or sulfinpyrazone. As the experimental model used involves thrombus formation on an artificial surface, it is likely that these results are most relevant to patients with arterial prosthetic devices.
Substrate specificity and reaction mechanism of purified alkane hydroxylase from the hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis (AbAlkB).

Abstract An alkane hydroxylase from the marine organism Alcanivorax borkumensis ( Ab AlkB) was purified. The purified protein retained high activity in an assay with purified rubredoxin (AlkG), purified maize ferredoxin reductase, NADPH, and selected substrates. The reaction mechanism of the purified protein was probed using the radical clock substrates bicyclo[4.1.0]heptane (norcarane), bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane (bicyclohexane), methylphenylcyclopropane and deuterated and non-deuterated cyclohexane. The distribution of products from the radical clock substrates supports the hypothesis that purified Ab AlkB hydroxylates substrates by forming a substrate radical. Experiments with deuterated cyclohexane indicate that the rate-determining step has a significant C H bond breaking character. The products formed from a number of differently shaped and sized substrates were characterized to determine the active site constraints of this AlkB. Ab AlkB can catalyze the hydroxylation of a large number of aromatic compounds and linear and cyclic alkanes. It does not catalyze the hydroxylation of alkanes with a chain length longer than 15 carbons, nor does it hydroxylate sterically hindered C H bonds.
RNA folding is unaffected by the nonrandom degenerate codon choice

Abstract The frequent suggestion that the nonrandom codon usage is explained by its forming more stable mRNAs is tested in 22 genes. Only the histones, globins, and the rat preproinsulin gene show a correlation between the preferred degenerate codons and the stability of the secondary structure of their mRNAs. However, the examined members from the histone and globin gene families, both among the oldest, in evolutionary sense, eukaryotic genes, have a high GC content (approx. 56% compared to an average of 42% in all eukaryotes) which is reflected in their degenerate codon choice and thus in their more stable folding.
Leadership and Success Factors in Online Creative Collaboration

Social computing systems have enabled new and "wildly successful forms of creative collaboration to take place. Two of the best-known examples are Wikipedia and the open-source software (OSS) movement. Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, boasts millions of articles (over 3-6 million just in English) written by thousands of volunteers col laborating via the Internet. The OSS movement, also fueled mainly by volun teer online collaboration, has produced some of the "world's most powerful and important software applications, includ ing the Apache HTTP Server, the Linux operating system, and the Mozilla Firefox Web browser. Many Wikipedia articles and OSS projects have been demon strated to be equal or superior in quality to their commercial competitors. But how is this possible? Why do online col laborations like these succeed, and what lessons can we learn from them?
Toward Normalizing U.S. Korea Relations: In Due Course?

In Due Course: A Vague Paradigm. U.S.-Korean Abnormality. Reinvigorating "Due Course" in the Post-Cold War Era. Asia's Role in Shaping "Due Course." Normalizing U.S. Policy Toward Korea: Options and Prospects.
A new ultrasensitive method for the determination of proteolytic activity.

Abstract An ultrasensitive method for the colorimetric determination of proteolytic activity in biological fluids is described. It is based on an insoluble substrate derived from hide powder labeled covalently with Remazolbrilliant Blue. All of six proteases tested: trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, collagenase, fibrinolysin and pepsin can be determined at concentrations of 50–100 ng/ml incubation mixture. Trypsin, fibrinolysin and elastase can still be estimated at concentrations as low as 1–2 ng/ml assay mixture. In contrast to other insoluble, non-covalent protein-dye complexes in use for the determination of proteolytic activity, the new chromogenic substrates are not affected by the presence of albumin.
Contemporary Treatment of APL

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized by coagulopathy, leukopenic presentation and sensitivity to anthracyclines, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO). For the last 25 years, APL has been treated with a combination of ATRA and chemotherapy for induction followed by consolidation and maintenance therapy. This general treatment approach has resulted in cure rates of 80–90 %. ATO, originally approved in relapsed APL, has been incorporated into contemporary upfront treatment regimens with excellent response rates. Recent studies show that most patients with APL can be cured with ATRA and ATO alone, eliminating cytotoxic chemotherapy and resulting in superior outcomes compared to standard treatment. We will herein review historical treatment of APL, treatment considerations in specific patient populations, and therapeutic updates.
Identification by Differential RT-PCR of a Novel Paired Homeodomain Protein Specifically Expressed in Sensory Neurons and a Subset of Their CNS Targets

Sensory neurons are a major derivative of the neural crest for which there have been no definitive molecular markers in mammals. We have developed a method that combines differential hybridization with degenerate RT-PCR to rapidly screen gene families for members exhibiting differential expression among tissues or cell types. We used this approach to search for transcription factor-encoding genes specifically expressed in mammalian sensory neurons. A novel paired homeodomain protein, called DRG11, was identified. DRG11 is expressed in most sensory neurons, including trkA-expressing neurons, but not in glia or sympathetic neurons. Unexpectedly, it is also expressed in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, a region to which NGF-dependent sensory neurons project. These data suggest that DRG11 is not only a useful marker for sensory neurons, but may also function in the establishment or maintenance of connectivity between some of these neurons and their central nervous system targets.
HyspIRI for energy and mineral resource exploration, applications, and impacts

This work addresses topics in modern energy and mineral resource development through specific sites and selected studies to 1) identify new systems linked to critical minerals, 2) identify high priority sites for geothermal energy development, 3) assess the land surface changes associated with large scale energy development (solar, wind, or natural gas), and 4) map and monitor the impacts associated with energy and mineral resource extraction. We provide surface compositional mapping in both the VNIR/SWIR and TIR using the HyspIRI preparatory airborne data collects over large regions of the state of California, USA. We have demonstrated the ability to identify and map relevant surface mineralogy at a range of locations. The high spectral fidelity of the proposed HyspIRI instrument allows characterization of diagnostic mineral features associated with hydrothermal systems, acid alteration, and surface weathering.
Induction of the oscillatory current by low concentrations of caffeine in sheep cardiac Purkinje fibres.

The actions of low concentrations of caffeine (0.5–2 mmol/1) on the transient inward oscillatory current (Ios) and the inward tail current (Iex) were studied in sheep cardiac Purkinje fibres by means of a two microelectrode voltage clamp method. The following results were obtained. Caffeine: 1. induced an Ios when this current was not already present; 2. increased the amplitude (within limits) and consistently decreased the time to peak of an already present Ios; 3. increased Iex upon which Ios may be superimposed; 4. shifted the depolarizing threshold for the appearance of Ios to more negative and the repolarizing threshold to less negative values; 5. increased the effects of strophanthidin of Ios and Iex; 6. exaggerated the effects of high [Ca]o which by itself mimicked some of the actions of caffeine; 7. had a small effect of Ios and Iex in low [Ca]o; 8. reversed the effect of norepinephrine on Iex; 9. enhanced the effects of trains of clamps and of longer clamp steps on Ios and Iex. It is concluded that low concentrations of caffeine facilitate the manifestations of calcium overload thereby inducing or exaggerating the oscillatory and tail currents and that these effects are modulated by the cellular calcium load but are not mediated through adrenergic mechanisms.
DNA polymerase α is tightly bound to the nuclear matrix of actively replicating liver

Summary Nuclear matrices from actively replicating regenerating liver contain significant DNA polymerase α activity but only trace amounts of β polymerase. In contrast, normal liver matrices are essentially devoid of α polymerase. The matrix bound α polymerase is completely inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and aphidocolin but not by dideoxy TTP. We propose that functional replicational complexes are assembled dynamically on the nuclear matrix during active DNA replication.
Spectral responsivity of various types of silicon photodiode at oblique incidence: comparison of measured and calculated values.

The spectral responsivity of several types of silicon photodiode at oblique incidence (≈45°) is investigated. Both windowless diodes and diodes that incorporate quartz windows are considered. The spectral responsivities are measured directly for both parallel and perpendicular polarized radiation. For comparison, the responsivity at oblique incidence is also calculated from the normal-incidence measured responsivity in conjunction with the reflectance values at normal and oblique incidence calculated from thin-film theory by use of the measured oxide thicknesses of the diodes and published data on the refractive indices of silicon and fused silica. A technique, believed to be novel, is described for accurately measuring the oxide thicknesses of the diodes. A comparison of calculated and measured responsivity values shows that, when imperfect polarizers are used, it may be more accurate over a certain spectral range to calculate the responsivities at oblique incidence rather than to measure them directly. The additional uncertainty associated with the calculated responsivity values at oblique incidence, with respect to the original source data for normal incidence, is ±1% over a wide spectral range.
Macroscopic mixing in fluidization

Mixing studies were performed in beds of lead and glass particles fluidized with water. A salt solution was injected from a point source, and electrical conductivity cells were used to determine time average and fluctuating salt concentrations at various points downstream from the point of injection. The frequency distribution of the fluctuations was determined, and correlation coefficients were measured for the fluctuations at two points separated by a known distance. The mixing data for the central portion of the bed yield radial eddy diffusivities and scales and intensities of turbulence. At the same fraction void the eddy diffusivity and scale of turbulence are larger for lead than for glass particles, but the velocity fluctuations appear to be independent of the density of the particles. Minimum Peclet numbers are observed at a fraction void of about 0.7. Scales based on correlation coefficients exceed those calculated from Peclet numbers, indicating that in a fluidized bed there are large-scale eddies whose size is much larger than a particle diameter. The interpretation of the mixing data is coupled with visual observations of fluidized bed flow patterns.
Protective effects of the flavonoid mixture, silymarin, on fetal rat brain and liver.

Abstract We investigated the possibility that the flavonoid mixture, silymarin (SY), administered as the compound Silymarin–Phytosome® (PHYTO), could protect the fetus from maternally ingested EtOH. Seventy-six female rats were randomly assigned to one of seven groups: pair-fed control; chow fed control; EtOH; and four groups receiving EtOH and PHYTO in varying dosages. All groups except the chow-fed control were maintained on a liquid diet. On day 1 of pregnancy the dams began the treatment protocol. On day 21 of pregnancy the rats were sacrificed and the fetuses removed. Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) activity was determined for liver and brain tissue from both the fetuses and the dams. GGTP activity in the EtOH/silymarin treatment groups did not differ significantly from that observed for the pair-fed control group. The observed GGTP activity levels for the EtOH-only group were significantly higher than those attained by the pair-fed control group. Although GGTP activity did not vary significantly with the quantity of PHYTO administered, as PHYTO dose was increased, GGTP activity decreased.
Rank-based regression with repeated measurements data

SUMMARY A rank-based regression method is proposed for repeated measurements data. It is a generalisation of the classical Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney rank statistic for independent observations. The method is valid under a weak condition on the error terms that can accommodate certain heteroscedasticity and within-subject dependency. The asymptotic normality of the proposed estimator is proved using empirical process theory. A variance estimator, shown to be consistent, is also constructed. The proposed method is illustrated using data from a clinical trial on treating labour pain. Robustness and efficiency of the estimator is demonstrated in simulation studies.
Charmless B decays from CLEO: Rare and not-so-rare

We present updated results from the CLEO collaboration from two studies of B meson decay to charmless hadronic final states. In the first analysis, we combine data from the CLEO II and CLEO III detectors to provide final measurements of thirteen two-body decay modes. In the second, the combined CLEO II and CLEO II.V data set is used to determine the $\eta'$ momentum spectrum and branching ratio in the inclusive process $B\to \eta' X_{nc}$ ; with a more powerful analysis technique than was previously used. For the momentum range $2.0<P_{\eta'}< 2.7$ GeV/c , we find a branching ratio, ${\cal B}(B \to \eta'X_{nc})$ , of [4.6± 1.1± 0.4± 0.5] × 10–4. The uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to subtraction of charm-decay background, respectively. PACS: 13.25.Hw Decays of Bottom Mesons
The role of formula feeds and natural productivity in culture of the prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Abstract A substantial increase in the growth of juvenile Macrobrachium rosenbergii resulted during pond culture when fed formula feeds as compared with treatments using fertilization; non-available formula feed; and no formula feed, no fertilization. Prawns fed pelleted feed had growth rates twice that of prawns fed pulverized, relatively unavailable feed, and three times that of prawns cultured on natural productivity induced by fertilization with manure. No growth occurred in prawns reared in ponds receiving neither formula feed nor fertilization. Formula pelleted diets were assumed to contribute directly to growth in the pond culture of M. rosenbergii .
Histone deacetylase inhibitors suppress mutant p53 transcription via histone deacetylase 8

Mutation of the p53 gene is the most common genetic alteration in human cancer and contributes to malignant process by enhancing transformed properties of cells and resistance to anticancer therapy. Mutant p53 is often highly expressed in tumor cells at least, in part, due to its increased half-life. However, whether mutant p53 expression is regulated by other mechanisms in tumors is unclear. Here we found that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors suppress both wild-type and mutant p53 transcription in time- and dose-dependent manners. Consistent with this, the levels of wild-type and mutant p53 proteins are decreased upon treatment with HDAC inhibitors. Importantly, we found that upon knockdown of each class I HDAC, only HDAC8 knockdown leads to decreased expression of wild-type and mutant p53 proteins and transcripts. Conversely, we found that ectopic expression of wild-type, but not mutant HDAC8, leads to increased transcription of p53. Furthermore, we found that knockdown of HDAC8 results in reduced expression of HoxA5 and consequently, attenuated ability of HoxA5 to activate p53 transcription, which can be rescued by ectopic expression of HoxA5. Because of the fact that HDAC8 is required for expression of both wild-type and mutant p53, we found that targeted disruption of HDAC8 expression remarkably triggers proliferative defect in cells with a mutant, but not wild-type, p53. Together, our data uncover a regulatory mechanism of mutant p53 transcription via HDAC8 and suggest that HDAC inhibitors and especially HDAC8-targeting agents might be explored as an adjuvant for tumors carrying a mutant p53.
Development of the visual cortex of rats treated with 6-hydroxydopamine in early life

The development of the visual cortex was examined in control rats and in littermates whose cortical noradrenergic innervation was removed with 6-hydroxydopamine. Qualitative and quantitative observations revealed no differences in the lamination, cytoarchitecture, cell density and size between the two groups of animals. These results suggest that the number, size, and distribution of cortical neurons are not significantly altered in the absence of noradrenergic afferents.
Early Childhood Assessment: Recent Advances.

Early childhood assessment and evaluation has become increasingly important over the last several years. This paper reviews recent advances, discusses several of the most well known assessment devices and provides information regarding their use, reliability and validity.
Range-Doppler Imaging with Motion through Resolution Cells

Doppler processing in pulsed radar is analyzed for time intervals which involve motion through range resolution cells, the emphasis being on the range-Doppler imaging of a rigid rotating body. The objective of the theory is to derive a method for compensating for motion through range and cross-range resolution cells. The compensation ion procedure described is compatible with optical data processing. With such a two-dimensional processor, the method permits simultaneous eous compensation for all points in the target field. The s consists of taking the Fourier transform in the range dimension, followed by a gentle distortion of this range-transform plane, and that followed by a two-dimensional Fourier transform. Two implementations with experimental results are briefly mentioned. One implementation is all optical and utilizes a holographic hyperbolic lens and/or holographic conical lens. The other implementation, involves applying the appropriate te distortion electronically as th " range sweeps" from the pulse train are received and put on film.