cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk of Hospitalization Due to Medication Nonadherence Identified Through EMRs of Patients With Psychosis

Objective:This study examined whether outpatients with a psychotic disorder who are at risk of hospitalization can be identified by using data from electronic medical records (EMRs).Methods:Data from EMRs of outpatients enrolled in two clinics for treatment of psychotic disorders were abstracted. Monthly data were collected for 75 patients over two years. The study examined the association of medication nonadherence, substance use, participation in psychiatric rehabilitation, and long-acting injectable antipsychotic use in any given month with the risk of hospitalization in the subsequent month by using generalized estimating equations.Results:The only variable found to increase the relative risk of future hospitalization was recorded medication nonadherence (adjusted relative risk=7.19, p<.001).Conclusions:Results suggest that recording medication nonadherence in EMRs is feasible and that these data may be used to identify patients at high risk of future hospitalization, who may require more intensive in...
Noise enhanced distributed Bayesian estimation

In this paper we consider distributed estimation of an unknown Gaussian random variable with known mean and variance, where each sensor observation is affected by both multiplicative and additive Gaussian observation noises. We derive the corresponding Cramer Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) for both quantized and full precision observations. In sequel we provide some closed-form approximations for both CRLB expressions which provide us with better understanding of behavior of CRLBs. Afterwards through analytic and simulation results we report some scenarios that multiplicative observation noise can play an enhancive role in terms of estimation accuracy. We call this phenomena enhancement mode of multiplicative noise.
Abstract 3513: Randomized Trial of Outpatient Cardiac Monitoring After Cryptogenic Stroke

Background: Diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) as a cause of stroke or TIA is important because it identifies patients who may benefit from anticoagulation. Observational studies indicate that outpatient cardiac monitoring detects previously undiagnosed AF in 5-20% of patients with stroke, but these studies may overestimate the rate of AF if selection bias prompts analysis and publication. It is also unknown whether the yield of cardiac monitoring is higher than that of routine clinical follow-up. Methods: In a pilot trial, we randomly assigned consecutive patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA (ABCD 2 score ≥ 4) to wear a Cardionet mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry monitor for 21 days after discharge, or to not wear a monitor. We excluded patients with a known history of AF, AF detected by inpatient cardiac telemetry (at least 24 hours required), a definite small-vessel etiology, a source found by vascular imaging or echocardiography, an obvious culpable systemic illness such as endocarditis, or inability to provide written, informed consent. All patients received routine clinical follow-up from their primary care physician and neurologist. We contacted patients and their physicians 3 months after discharge and used validated questionnaires to inquire about clinical diagnoses of AF and recurrent stroke or TIA. Results: The target enrollment of 40 patients was completed over 18 months. The mean age was 67 years (± 13), 23 (58%) were men, and 32 (80%) had at least one vascular risk factor; the baseline characteristics of our cohort were broadly similar to those in prior observational studies of cardiac monitoring after stroke. Our prespecified feasibility criteria were met, with full follow-up on 38 patients (95%) and successful completion of monitoring in 15 of the 20 patients (75%) randomized to monitoring. Overall, patients wore monitors for 64% of the assigned days. No patient in either study arm received a diagnosis of AF. Cardiac monitoring revealed AF in zero patients (0%, 95% CI 0-17%), brief episodes ( Conclusions: The results of our pilot trial indicate that randomizing patients to outpatient cardiac monitoring after stroke is feasible. However, rates of AF detection were lower than expected, which may be due to publication bias in prior observational studies or selection of lower risk patients in our trial. Furthermore, 25% of patients assigned to undergo monitoring were not compliant. These results suggest that an adequately powered randomized trial of cardiac monitoring after stroke may require large numbers of participants.
Botanical materials based on biomechanics

Botanical simulation plays an important role in many fields including visual effects, games and virtual reality. Previous plant simulation research has focused on computing physically based motion, under the assumption that the material properties are known. It is too tedious and impractical to manually set the spatially-varying material properties of complex trees. In this paper, we give a method to set the mass density, stiffness and damping properties of individual tree components (branches and leaves) using a small number of intuitive parameters. Our method is rooted in plant biomechanics literature and builds upon power laws observed in real botanical systems. We demonstrate our materials by simulating them using offline and model-reduced FEM simulators. Our parameters can be tuned directly by artists; but we also give a technique to infer the parameters from ground truth videos of real trees. Our materials produce tree animations that look much more similar to real trees than previous methods, as evidenced by our user study and experiments.
ADS-B message contents evaluation and breakdown of anomalies

Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) data from the Grand Forks International Airport ground receiver was explored in this investigation. The results highlight some anomalies in the message contents including partial message loss, drop out, altitude discrepancy. The ADS-B payload data frame contains the aircraft position (latitude, longitude), altitude, aircraft status (ground/air), quality indicators as well as a few other pieces of information. These are important navigation information, which are crucial for separation and collision avoidance. Our primary assessment reveals that the message contents were sometimes inconsistent from nominal conditions. This study took the raw archived binary data sets, and converted to a readable format. An exploratory analysis was conducted where several unusual characteristics were identified. Drop outs were spotted, which implies that the ADS-B update period exceeds one second. There are cases of partial message content losses and some data showed drift from the nominal value. Discrepancies between geometric and barometric altitude were also noticed. Introducing unmanned aircraft to National Airspace (NAS) will significantly increase the volume of traffic. Therefore, prior to the complete implementation of ADS-B, it is important to address, understand and monitor these deficiencies. This will help to improve system performance to design assurance levels appropriate for both manned and unmanned aircraft.
Hunter acceptance of antlerless moose harvest in Alaska: Importance of agency trust, proximity of hunter residence to hunting area, and hunting experience

ABSTRACTLiberalized harvest of antlerless moose (Alces alces) in Alaska has resulted in conflict between wildlife managers and hunters. To address this issue, I surveyed moose hunters (n = 845, 35%...
Organocatalytic Synthesis and Evaluation of Polycarbonate Pendant Polymer:β-Cyclodextrin-Based Nucleic Acid Delivery Vectors

A family of mPEG-b-polycarbonate (mPEG-PC) diblock pendant polymers were synthesized from trimethylene carbonate and other cyclic carbonate monomers bearing hydrophobic guest ligands via organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization using 1,4,5-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene catalyst or 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene/thiourea cocatalyst. Diblock copolymers composed of a methoxypoly(ethylene oxide) (mPEG) block and a polycarbonate block containing either homopolymer or mixed polycarbonates (PC) were prepared by homopolymerization or copolymerization of the cyclic carbonate monomers in the presence of mPEG2000 or mPEG5000 initiator to give materials having a tunable pendant group density along the polycarbonate backbone. Polycarbonate blocks targeting the 2.4–10 kDa range were prepared with good molecular weight control and modest polydispersities (averaging ∼1.3). Complexation of plasmid DNA with β-cyclodextrin–polyethylenimine2.5 kDa produced nanoparticle cores that were then coated with the mPEG–PC dibl...
Dispersion transitions and pole-zero characteristics of finite inertially amplified acoustic metamaterials

This work presents a comprehensive analysis of wave dispersion patterns and band gap formation associated with Inertially Amplified Acoustic Metamaterials (IAAM). The findings explain the different mechanisms by which inertial amplification affect wave dispersion in the individual IAAM cell as well as the evolution of such effects in finite configurations of these cells. Derived expressions for acoustic wave dispersion in IAAMs reveal unique features including flat dispersion branches with zero group velocity and a transition from a metamaterial (local resonance) to a phononic behavior that is directly related to the location and magnitude of the inerter elements. Using a closed-form transfer function approach, the translation of such effects to IAAM realizations with a known number of cells is interpreted from the pole-zero distributions of the resultant finite structures. It is also shown that band gaps are not always necessarily enlarged in the presence of inertial amplification. Comparing with benchma...
Degradation of Highly Alloyed Metal Halide Perovskite Precursor Inks: Mechanism and Storage Solutions

Whereas the promise of metal halide perovskite (MHP) photovoltaics (PV) is that they can combine high efficiency with solution-processability, the chemistry occurring in precursor inks is largely unexplored. Herein, we investigate the degradation of MHP solutions based on the most widely used solvents, dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). For the MHP inks studied, which contain formamidinium (FA+), methylammonium (MA+), cesium (Cs+), lead (Pb2+), bromide (Br–), and iodide (I–), dramatic compositional changes are observed following storage of the inks in nitrogen in the dark. We show that hydrolysis of DMF in the precursor solution forms dimethylammonium formate, which subsequently incorporates into the MHP film to compromise the ability of Cs+ and MA+ to stabilize FA+-based MHP. The changes in solution chemistry lead to a modification of the perovskite film stoichiometry, band gap, and structure. The solid precursor salts are stable when ball-milled into a powder, allowing for the storag...
Hispanidad and the Hollywood ambassador: friendship, kinship and the rearticulation of Spanish national identity before the pact of Madrid

ABSTRACTThis essay argues that the discourse of friendship in public diplomacy surrounding the figure of US Ambassador Stanton Griffis during his tenure in Spain in 1951–1952 circulated in the Spanish national imaginary to construct a more favorable popular image of the United States. Though the ideological positions guiding the Truman presidency and the Franco regime differed drastically, positive affect under the guise of friendship circulated via the media spectacle surrounding Griffis’s image – thus fostering a sense of Griffis as a friend not only to the regime but also to individual Spaniards. Using articles drawn from the Spanish press, as well as letters found in the Stanton Griffis Papers at the Truman Library Institute, I will show how objects of the specific Spanish national pride promoted by the Franco regime – such as Catholicism and anti-Communism, brotherhood and even bullfighting – “stuck” to Griffis’s image via the use of affectively “sticky” words, such as kindness and sympathy, shared v...
A New Class of Antiretroviral Enabling Innate Immunity by Protecting APOBEC3 from HIV Vif-Dependent Degradation

The infectivity of HIV depends on overcoming APOBEC3 (A3) innate immunity, predominantly through the expression of the viral protein Vif, which induces A3 degradation in the proteasome. Disruption of the functional interactions of Vif enables A3 mutagenesis of the HIV genome during viral replication, which can result in a broadly neutralizing antiviral effect. Vif function requires self-association along with interactions with A3 proteins, protein chaperones, and factors of the ubiquitination machinery and these are described here as a potential platform for novel antiviral drug discovery. This Review will examine the current state of development of Vif inhibitors that we believe to have therapeutic and functional cure potential.
Characteristics of sleep in children with autism spectrum disorders from the Simons Simplex Collection

Abstract Background An estimated 40–80% of children with ASD have sleep problems, including bedtime behavior problems, difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, decreased sleep time, and daytime sleepiness. This study aimed to examine the relationship between sleep problems and characteristics of children with ASD in a large, nationwide sample. Methods This secondary analysis of children 4- to 18-years explored 11 sleep problems using the Simons Simplex Collection Sleep Interview (SSCSI). The SSCSI includes nighttime problems, daytime problems, and sleep duration problems subscales. Chi square, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann- Whitney U tests were performed to detect differences between age groups, sexes, and sleep problem groups (none/minimal, mild, moderate/severe). Odds ratios for variables associated with sleep problems were assessed using baseline and adjacent category logistic regression. Two-way interaction effects were included in regression models, and stratified analyses were performed for age groups. Results Approximately 41% of children were categorized as having mild or moderate/severe sleep problems. The most commonly reported SSCSI items were in the nighttime problems subscale; difficulty falling asleep was the most frequently reported item. Mean sleep duration was approximately 9 h, although more than one-quarter slept less than the hours recommended for their age. Increased odds of sleep problems were most frequently associated with gastrointestinal distress (GID) and non-verbal IQ (NVIQ), followed by male sex and age. ADOS severity score is likely not associated with sleep problems in this sample. Conclusions This study advances our understanding of sleep in ASD by showing that GID, NVIQ, sex, and age increased the odds of sleep problems in children with ASD. These results reinforce that healthcare professionals should screen for sleep problems in children with ASD and suggest future lines of inquiry.
The Shock of the Old: A Narrative of Transpersonal Experience

Here I present a description of some transpersonal experiences that occurred as a result of meditation practices as well as reflections on those experiences. I connect these experiences with some historical precedents, particularly to sources in the Eastern Orthodox Christian spiritual tradition, but also to contemporary sources as well as some 20 th century philosophical ideas. Lastly, I describe how these experiences ended up shaping a new worldview, the most significant and lasting being a deep sense of interconnectedness with the world. This sense of interconnectedness further lends support to an inclusive rather than an exclusive understanding of religious belief, and correspondingly a mystical sense of the world and humans’ place in it.
Design and Modeling of Smart Material Systems for High Voltage Insulation

Smart materials systems have been widely used to develop sensors, actuators and energy harvesters. This work is driven by the question about the possibility of strengthening electrical insulation systems via new designs based on smart materials/structures. Specifically, in this work, we seek for innovative solutions to partial discharge (PD) detection and mitigation inside gas or liquid insulated high voltage equipment by exploiting smart material systems' response to electric potential or current changes. The early-concept design includes a dielectric elastomer based actuator which has a spring that is relaxed when normal high voltage is applied to the elastomer (stretched). When partial discharge occurs, the voltage drop will cause the elastomer to contract, compress the spring, enlarge the insulation gap, and lower the electric field. The transient response of the dielectric elastomer actuator subject to PD voltage pulses is simulated. The results indicate that the systems can respond to PD in the direction toward PD suppression. This work also explores various settings to reveal the requirements on the material and system parameters for their use in high voltage insulation. This work presents a promising paradigm in the electrical insulation of high voltage equipment which combines sensing and actuating in the same material and features “responsive monitoring” by harnessing the electromechanical and/or electrochemical properties of smart materials.
Addressing Over-Medicalization in Children with Medical Complexity

Children with medical complexity (CMC) are at risk for over-medicalization and medical child abuse. Their multiple diagnoses, medical complexities, and functional limitations require providers to partner with parents in their care. Even in the context of shared decision-making, over-medicalization and medical child abuse can occur. We define over-medicalization and medical child abuse as related to the care of CMC, present strategies to prevent, identify, and address shared provider-parent decision-making, and review ethical principles that can guide care decisions. Complex pediatric care programs designed specifically for CMC promote care of the highest value for CMC through longitudinal documentation of comprehensive assessments and detailed care plans. Goal-directed care—focused on the child’s function and quality of life and the family’s values and preferences—offers opportunities to prevent, identify, and manage over-medicalization and medical child abuse.
Multicriteria risk analysis of commodity-specific dock investments at an inland waterway port

Managing risks to critical infrastructure systems requires decision makers to account for impacts of disruptions that render these systems inoperable. This article evaluates dock-specific resource ...
Short-Lag Spatial Coherence Imaging in 1.5-D and 1.75-D Arrays: Elevation Performance and Array Design Considerations

Short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) imaging has demonstrated improved performance over conventional B-mode ultrasound imaging. Previous work has evaluated the performance of SLSC using 2-D matrix arrays in simulation and in vivo studies across various levels of subaperture beamforming, demonstrating improved contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and speckle signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) over 1-D arrays. This work explores the application of SLSC imaging in 1.5-D and 1.75-D arrays to quantify the impacts of elevation element count, mirroring, and Fresnel element spacing on SLSC image quality. Through simulation and in vivo studies, increased elevation element count was shown to improve CNR and speckle SNR relative to 1-D SLSC and B-mode images. Elevation mirroring (1.5-D) was shown to force the inclusion of long lags into the SLSC calculation, introducing additional decorrelation and reducing image quality relative to 1.75-D arrays with individually connected elements. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of SLSC imaging in 1.5-D and 1.75-D arrays.
Modes of Cholesterol Binding in Membrane Proteins: A Joint Analysis of 73 Crystal Structures

Cholesterol is a highly asymmetric lipid molecule. As an essential constituent of the cell membrane, cholesterol plays important structural and signaling roles in various biological processes. The first high-resolution crystal structure of a transmembrane protein in complex with cholesterol was a human β2-adrenergic receptor structure deposited to the Protein Data Bank in 2007. Since then, the number of the cholesterol-bound crystal structures has grown considerably providing an invaluable resource for obtaining insights into the structural characteristics of cholesterol binding. In this work, we examine the spatial and orientation distributions of cholesterol relative to the protein framework in a collection of 73 crystal structures of membrane proteins. To characterize the cholesterol-protein interactions, we apply singular value decomposition to an array of interatomic distances, which allows us to systematically assess the flexibility and variability of cholesterols in transmembrane proteins. Together, this joint analysis reveals the common characteristics among the observed cholesterol structures, thereby offering important guidelines for prediction and modification of potential cholesterol binding sites in transmembrane proteins.
DIASTEREOSELECTIVE FORMATION OF CYCLIC ACETALS VIA AN INTRAMOLECULAR FLUORIDE-CATALYZED HETERO-MICHAEL REACTION

Abstract Treatment of the tert-butyldimethylsilyl ethers 1a-g with tetra-N-butylammonium fluoride furnished the corresponding cyclic acetals 2/3a-g in 82–90% yield and with excellent diastereoselectivity for n = 1 and 2.
Tunable neuronal scaffold biomaterials through plasmonic photo-patterning of aerogels

The authors have shown recently that the neurite extension by neuronal PC12 cells is greatly impacted by aerogel topography. Indeed, the average neurite length of PC-12 cells grown on aerogels is greater than that in cells cultured on control substrates. Here, the authors report on the first experimental study focused on the design and development of a plasmonic photo-patterning technique for collagen-coated mes-oporous aerogel biomaterials. Herein, the authors have produced specific patterns on silica aerogels by performing precise plasmonic photo-patterning on liquid crystal-coated aerogels. The authors report the methodology employed to create a collagen–liquid crystal gel mixture imprinted with precise plasmonic photo-patterns. PC12 cells plated on these patterns did attach and survive and followed the spatial cues of the pattern to align themselves in a similar pattern.
Bayesian Audits Are Average But Risk-Limiting Audits are Above Average

Post-election audits can provide convincing evidence that election outcomes are correct—that the reported winner(s) really won—by manually inspecting ballots selected at random from a trustworthy paper trail of votes. Risk-limiting audits (RLAs) control the probability that, if the reported outcome is wrong, it is not corrected before the outcome becomes official. RLAs keep this probability below the specified “risk limit.” Bayesian audits (BAs) control the probability that the reported outcome is wrong, the “upset probability.” The upset probability does not exist unless one invents a prior probability distribution for cast votes. RLAs ensure that if this election’s reported outcome is wrong, the procedure has a large chance of correcting it. BAs control a weighted average probability of correcting wrong outcomes over a hypothetical collection of elections; the weights come from the prior. In general, BAs do not ensure a large chance of correcting the outcome of an election when the reported outcome is wrong. “Nonpartisan” priors, i.e., priors that are invariant under relabeling the candidates, lead to upset probabilities that can be far smaller than the chance of correcting wrong reported outcomes. We demonstrate the difference using simulations based on several real contests .
Mesophyll cells mediate systemic reactive oxygen signaling during wounding or heat stress

ABSTRACT Sensing of heat, high light (HL), or mechanical injury by a single leaf of a plant results in the activation of different systemic signals that reach systemic tissues within minutes and trigger systemic acquired acclimation (SAA) or systemic wound responses (SWRs), resulting in a heightened state of stress readiness of the entire plant. Among the different signals associated with rapid systemic responses to stress in plants are electric, calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS) waves. These signals propagate from the stressed or injured leaf to the rest of the plant through the plant vascular bundles, and trigger SWRs and SAA in systemic tissues. However, whether they can propagate through other cell types, and whether or not they are interlinked, remain open questions. Here we report that in response to wounding or heat stress (HS), but not HL stress, the ROS wave can propagate through mesophyll cells of Arabidopsis thaliana. Moreover, we show that propagation of the ROS wave through mesophyll cells during these stresses is sufficient to restore SWR and SAA transcript accumulation in systemic leaves, as well as SAA to HS (but not HL). We further show that propagation of the ROS wave through mesophyll cells could contribute to systemic signal integration during HL&HS stress combination. Our findings reveal that the ROS wave can propagate through tissues other than the vascular bundles of plants, and that different stresses can trigger different types of systemic signals that propagate through different cell layers and induce stress-specific systemic responses. One-sentence summary In addition to vascular bundles, mesophyll cells can mediate the ROS wave during systemic responses to wounding or heat stress in Arabidopsis.
Study of the mirror neuron network through functional connectivity

This study suggests a new approach to examine mirror neuron network (MNN) using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). Instead of looking at the averaged cerebral hemodynamic change during the action-observation and action-execution, we correlated the connectivity during the tasks across all subjects. We found 8 within region connections and 7 between regions connections in the precentral, postcentral, angular, and parietal lobes, which can be part of the MNN. These connections satisfy conditions of having a strong connectivity in both action-observation and action-execution task and a significant correlation between the connectivity during both tasks. This study results are consistent with previous studies.
Opsiyon Piyasalarının Gözetimi ve Çeşitli Uygulamalar (Market Surveillance of Option Markets and Some Applications)

Turkish Abstract: Bu makalede opsiyon piyasalarinin gozetiminde yurtdisi uygulamalari ve faaliyetleri incelenmistir ve cesitli elestirilerde bulunulmustur. Turkiye’de yapilabilecek olan duzenlemeye ornek teskil edilebilecek yurtdisinda yer alan bazi borsalarin faaliyetleri ile bu borsalari duzenlemeye ve denetlemeye yetkili otoritelerin opsiyon piyasalarinin gozetimine yonelik uygulamalari detayli bir sekilde ele alinmistir. English Abstract: This paper addresses the option markets surveillance applications used by major financial centers and criticize their effectiveness. In order to design Turkish option markets and its surveillance system, option markets surveillance and enforcement tools are studied.
Vitamin A poisoning

Two cases of hypervitaminosis A have been presented together with a review of experimental and clinical literature. The first case presented the highest reported fasting plasma vitamin A level, the increase being chiefly due to a high vitamin A alcohol fraction. This elevated level of alcoholic vitamin A probably denotes large stores of vitamin A in the liver and data have been given to show that it is a better index of hypervitaminosis A than is the total vitamin A level. In addition, evidence has been presented that the toxic factor in hypervitaminosis A is the permanent elevated plasma vitamin A level. The similarity between the experimental studies in animals and the observations in the authors9 first case has been shown. The important points necessary for making a diagnosis of hypervitaminosis A have been discussed and several similar conditions have been differentiated. It cannot be emphasized too strongly that excess vitamin intake may be as dangerous as a deficient intake.
Japanese Rice Protectionism: A Challenge for the Development of Agricultural Trade Laws

The Japanese government has failed to contribute meaningfully to agricultural trade negotiations. Japan’s extreme negotiation posture primarily stems from a disinclination to make concessions in its domestic rice market. It is also a result of the ability of Japan, and other developed nations, to take advantage of the rule structure outlined by the Agreement on Agriculture. Under current agricultural laws, Japan is able to maintain many domestic measures that provide support for rice farmers while also charging prohibitively high tariffs. Japan’s reluctance to limit its support for domestic rice farmers is based on the premise that rice plays a central role in Japanese culture, and without protection, the industry would collapse. What Japan has failed to realize, however, is that the bases of its arguments have little merit today. Perhaps more importantly, Japanese resistance to agricultural trade reform seriously undermines the legitimacy of the WTO.
The nicotinic blocking agents d-tubocurare and alpha-bungarotoxin save motoneurons from naturally occurring death in the absence of neuromuscular blockade

Motoneurons undergo a phase of target-dependent cell death during development. In chick embryos, motoneuronal death is blocked by the application of the nicotinic antagonists d-tubocurare (dTC) or alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha BTX). Paralytic doses of these drugs also increase intramuscular nerve branch formation. To investigate the possibility that a neuronal rather than a muscle-type nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) might be responsible for the toxin-induced arrest of naturally occurring motoneuronal death, we compared the doses of dTC and alpha-BTX required for paralysis with those needed to protect motoneurons from cell death. We also measured the effects of dTC on the survival of retrogradely labeled motoneurons in culture, and of various doses of dTC on intramuscular nerve branch formation. Subparalytic doses of dTC caused small but significant increases in nerve branch number, while higher doses produced larger effects. In contrast, motoneuronal survival was already maximal at doses of dTC or alpha-BTX below those needed for a visible effect on limb movement. Moreover, dTC increased motoneuron survival in culture, in the absence of muscle cells and muscle-type nAChRs. Nicotinic blocking agents can therefore rescue motoneurons with minimal depression of neuromuscular transmission, suggesting that this effect may be mediated through neuronal, rather than muscle-type.
resorbable Internal Splint: An Adjunct to Primary Correction of Unilateral Cleft Lip-nasal Deformity

There is usually some relapse in position of the alar cartilage after primary repair of unilateral cleft lip. Therefore, preoperative or postoperative external splinting has been recommended to supplement either closed or open suspension of the alar cartilage. The authors present a method using a resorbable internal nostril splint to shield the positioned alar cartilage from deformational forces caused by scar, and thus avoiding the problems associated with external splinting. An internal nasal splint was placed in 15 infants during repair of unilateral complete cleft lip and nasal deformity. The nasal morphology was compared with that of 15 control patients who had the same nasolabial procedure without internal splinting. Average follow-up time was 20.4 months (range, 4 to 30 months). Photogrammetric analysis showed that asymmetry of the alar contours averaged 8.6 percent in the splinted patients, as compared with 23 percent for controls (p < 0.01). Thus, alar asymmetry was decreased two-thirds in the splinted group. An internal resorbable nasal splint is an adjunct to open alar suspension in primary repair of the unilateral cleft lip nasal deformity. An internal nasal splint protects the corrected alar cartilage longer than an external splint and eliminates drawbacks, such as necrosis, cutaneous depression of the nostril sill, and patient non-compliance. This strategy of temporary internal support of healing cartilage has other applications.
Effects of Stress-induced Anisotropy On Monopole And Dipole Logging

Anisotropy of the formation surrounding a borehole might be caused by intrinsic characteristics (bedding, mineral orientation, etc.) or the effect of stresses on fractures. In this study, we make monopole and dipole logging measurements in a borehole drilled in an anisotropic rock block. Then we apply uniaxial horizontal stresses parallel and perpendicular to anisotropy symmetry axes and measure velocities with the same logging systems. The experimental results show that the fast and slow shear velocities measured depend on both intrinsic anisotropy and stress-induced anisotropy. A combination of P and S wave velocities obtained from monopole logs and shear velocities obtained from flexural wave recorded by dipole logs can be used to determine intrinsic anisotropy and direction of maximum horizontal stresses.
Prediction of Drug Response and Safety in Clinical Practice

Many clinicians hoped that the completion of the Human Genome Project would result in “individualized drug therapy,” i.e., determining the right medication at the right dose 100% of the time based upon the individual's genetics. The pharmacogenomic prediction of drug efficacy and safety has not become a reality due to continuing realization of the complexity dictating the human–drug interaction. New methods of metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics that account for this complexity hold promise for translational researchers hoping to increase drug efficacy and decrease drug toxicity.
Conceptualizing the Third World: Language, Theory, and Method

Book reviewed in this article: Pearl L. Hahn and Mary Ann Heiss, Empire and Revolution: The United States and the Third World since 1945
The transfer of pyrethroid resistance resulting from crosses between resistant German cockroaches and susceptible Asian cockroaches

Crosses were made between the Asian cockroach, Blattella asahinai Mizukubo, and resistant strains of the German cockroach, B. germanica (L.), to assess the transfer of pyrethroid resistance to the progeny and to study the inheritance mechanism(s) involved. It was shown that the strain of Asian cockroaches studied was susceptible to four pyrethroids. F 1 progeny were essentially susceptible to the same compounds. Tests with F 2 progeny and those from backcrosses to the resistant parent indicated that the data for each pyrethroid fit an hypothesis of simple, autosomal, nearly completely recessive inheritance. The results are discussed from the standpoint of the impact of the Asian genome on the inheritance mechanism(s)
II. The concept of mental illness: Working through the myths

In ‘Some Myths about “Mental Illness'” (Inquiry, Vol. 18 [1975], No. 3), Michael Moore attempts to clarify and refute what he takes to be the radical (existential) position concerning the nature and diagnosis of mental illness. Moore's dissatisfaction with certain formulations and conceptualizations of the radical position is endorsed; as also the need to introduce greater rigor and precision into the discussion of mental illness. But Moore's clarifications are really misunderstandings and, in consequence, his refutations do not succeed. Moore's five‐fold interpretative classification of the radical thesis is retained.
A Note on Forecasting with Adaptive Filtering

Adaptive filtering has been suggested as a short-term-forecasting technique that is superior to other time series analysis methods. This note discusses several aspects of adaptive filtering and indicates its equivalence to an autoregressive process. The performance of adaptive filtering and two other forecasting techniques are compared for a particular time series.
Investigation of Bipolar Oscillatory Spark Discharges

Bipolar spark discharges were investigated to determine whether the two cathodic vapor plumes successively created would mix, and, if so, whether energy transfer between the plume species would occur. Vapor mixing was observed; changes in sampling or excitation mechanisms were also indicated. Possible reasons for the changes in emission patterns are discussed.
Estimation of Relative Fishing Power of Different Vessels

Let ( X_{1},Y_{1}) ..... (X_{p}, Y_{p} ) be independent random vectors. This paper is concerned with the estimation of E(X_{1}|X_{1} >0)/E(Y_{1}|Y_{1} >0 ). This problem arises naturally in comparing the fishing ability of different vessels. In this case ( X_{i},Y_{i} ) denote the catch per tow of the two vessels at the site i or time i. Due to the highly skewed nature of the distributions of the catches the difference of the average means would not give a realistic idea of the fishing power of the vessels.
The application of the gel permeation chromatography-intrinsic viscosity method to the determination of long-chain branching in polychloroprene

Abstract We report the preparation of a low-temperature (—20°C), low-conversion (4.5%) emulsion polymer of 2-chlorobutadiene-1,3 which has been employed as a “linear” standard trans-1,4-polychloroprene. This “linear” standard was fractionated, and the fractions characterized by light scattering, viscometry, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The Mark-Houwink constants, K and a, were determined in tetrahydrofuran at 30°C and found to be 4.18 × 10−5 dl/g and 0.83, respectively. Furthermore, polychloroprene was found to adhere to the concept of universal calibration. The GPC-intrinsic viscosity method for the determination of long-chain branching has been applied to polychloroprene polymers prepared at 40°C as a function of conversion. The degree of branching increases with conversion in a manner consistent with the accepted mechanism of free radical diene polymerization.
Effect of insulin treatment in vivo on heart glycerides and glycogen of alloxan-diabetic rats.

Abstract The effect of insulin treatment in vivo on cardiac glycerides and glycogen was studied in alloxan-diabetic rats. In untreated alloxan-diabetic rats, heart glycerides and glycogen were increased two- to threefold. The increase in heart glycerides and glycogen and in concentrations of serum FFA were maximal 36 hr after alloxan; serum glucose continued to rise through 48 hr. Insulin, started 24-hr postalloxan, restored heart glycerides to control values within 12 hr and reduced heart glycogen content and serum glucose and FFA concentrations. Heart glycogen and serum FFA were normal 24 hr after insulin treatment.
Molecular signaling in feather morphogenesis.

The development and regeneration of feathers have gained much attention recently because of progress in the following areas. First, pattern formation. The exquisite spatial arrangement provides a simple model for decoding the rules of morphogenesis. Second, stem cell biology. In every molting, a few stem cells have to rebuild the entire epithelial organ, providing much to learn on how to regenerate an organ physiologically. Third, evolution and development (‘Evo-Devo’). The discovery of feathered dinosaur fossils in China prompted enthusiastic inquiries about the origin and evolution of feathers. Progress has been made in elucidating feather morphogenesis in five successive phases: macro-patterning, micro-patterning, intra-bud morphogenesis, follicle morphogenesis and regenerative cycling.
Chemically defined parallel pathways in the monkey auditory system.

: The pathways ascending through the brain stem to the medial geniculate complex of the thalamus can be distinguished by immunostaining for the calcium binding proteins parvalbumin and calbindin and by the properties of the neurons in the subdivisions of the medial geniculate complex in which they terminate. The parvalbumin pathway, ascending from the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus, is the more direct and terminates in the ventral nucleus. The calbindin pathway is more diffuse in its origins and terminates in the dorsal and medial nuclei. Ventral nucleus neurons are sharply tuned, tonotopically organized and consistent in their responses. They project to core areas of the auditory cortex characterized by high parvalbumin immunoreactivity and by similar neuronal properties. Neurons in the dorsal and medial nuclei are not frequency specific or tonotopic and are labile in their responses. They project more diffusely to belt areas of the auditory cortex in which parvalbumin immunoreactivity is reduced and in which neuronal responses are less specific than in the core. The belt areas are the origins of streams of corticocortical connections leading into the temporal, parietal, and frontal lobes. These routes can be differentially engaged in functional imaging studies of monkeys responding to biologically significant sounds.
Homocysteine-mediated thrombosis and angiostasis in vascular pathobiology

The mechanisms by which homocysteine contributes to atherothrombosis are complex and their in vivo relevance uncertain. In this issue of the JCI, Jacovina and colleagues report a unique in vivo mechanism by which homocysteine may contribute to vascular disease (see the related article beginning on page 3384). This group had previously reported that homocysteine impairs endothelial cell surface plasminogen activation by posttranslationally modifying annexin A2, the coreceptor for plasminogen and tissue plasminogen activator. They now show that an annexin A2-deficient mouse rendered hyperhomocysteinemic by dietary means has impaired fibrinolysis, perivascular fibrin persistence, and attenuated angiogenesis (angiostasis). Potential mechanisms by which homocysteine-dependent changes in endothelial phenotype link thrombosis to angiostasis are reviewed and their relationship to homocysteine-dependent vascular disease considered.
Absorbed radiation dose from radionuclidic impurities in 99mTc obtained by different procedures

Resume Dose de radiation absorbee, provenant d'iumpretes radionuclidiques du 99mTc obtenu par differents procedes Le 99mTc, actuellement le radinuclide le plus utilise en Medecine Nucleaire, peut etre produit de plusieurs facons differentes. Il est tres important de mesurer la purite radioactive du 99mTc prepare par les diverses methodes et de determiner la dose de radiation etrangere du malade due a des impuretes. Dans la presente etude des donnees originales et des donnees publiees ont ete combinees pour comparer les impuretes radioactives presentes dans le 99mTc produit par elution, par extraction MEK, par sublimation et par bombardement au cyclotron. Les contaminants radioactifs furent mesures par analyse spectrometrique aux rayons gamma, utilisant des scintillateurs au NaI(Tl) et des detecteurs de transistors au Ge(Li). La dose totale de radiation recue par le malade a ete calculee pour chaque impurete identifiee. La dose totale de radiation recue par le malade et provenant d'impuretes dans le 99mTc produit par elution, par extraction MEK et par sublimation a ete inferieure a 1% de la dose due au 99mTc. Dans le cas de la production au cyclotron, la dose de radiation des impuretes peut atteindre 27% de celle du 99mTc lorsqu'un “target” de 100Mo enrichi a 97% est utilise.
A cohesive zone model for cracks terminating at a bimaterial interface

Abstract Linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) does not provide a realistic propagation criterion for a crack tip touching a bimaterial interface. In fact, LEFM predicts that the crack penetrates the interface at either zero or infinite value of the characteristic applied load, depending on the relative stiffness of the bonded materials. This paper presents a cohesive zone model that provides a propagation criterion for such cracks in terms of the parameters that define the relation between the crack opening displacement and the traction acting along the crack surfaces. Extensive numerical results are presented for the case of constant cohesive traction, σ o associated with a critical crack tip opening displacement, η c . A quantitative evaluation of the effective toughening resulting from the presence of the interface is presented, for both small scale and large scale bridging, in terms of the Dundurs parameters (α and β), and ρ 2 / L , where ρ 2 is proportional to the small scale critical cohesive zone length and L is a characteristic length of the crack problem. In particular, universal results for small scale bridging are presented as where k c and δ c are, respectively the critical stress intensity factor and critical cohesive zone length, λ is the power of the stress singularity associated with the elastic crack touching the interface, and A and B ∗ are universal functions. These equations generalize those derived from the Dugdale model for a homogeneous medium. It is shown through the analysis of a finite length crack that for a relatively wide range of α-β and ρ 2 / L values, the presence of the interface has a rather insignificant effect on the critical stress, and the elastic singularity associated with a crack terminating at the interface between two dissimilar elastic materials dominates the stress field within an extremely small near-tip region.
Using multi-criteria cost surface analysis to explore past regional landscapes: a case study of ritual activity and social interaction in Michigan, AD 1200–1600

Abstract Major advances have occurred in the analytical use of GIS in archaeology, particularly in uses of this tool for furthering understandings of past social landscapes. A major focus of these efforts has been visibility studies and archaeologists have paid less attention to how GIS can facilitate the study of another important socio-spatial component, movement. This paper examines the GIS application of multi-criteria cost surface analysis as a robust technique for modeling past movement and applies this approach to the Late Prehistoric period (ca. AD 1200–1600) in Michigan as a case study. This analysis extends understandings of the role of localized connections and tribal territoriality with the spread of maize agriculture in this period and adds further support to the proposal that earthwork enclosures served as uniquely accessible ritual centers for social, economic and ideological interaction between separate tribal communities within the Late Prehistoric regional organization. By showing this technique can build on and validate models of past social developments, grant real insights into social connections and affiliations, and stimulate new directions for future research, this specific case illustrates the general heuristic value of multi-criteria cost surface analysis for exploring regional landscapes in archaeology.