cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclear Imaging for Device Therapy

Nuclear imaging procedures have grown since the first gamma camera was invented in the late 1960s, and have now become an essential part of clinical cardiology practice. Major clinical applications of SPECT and PET in cardiology continue to be in the ­diagnosis, prognostic evaluation, and risk stratification of patients with known or ­suspected coronary artery disease. Additionally, both SPECT and PET remain gold ­standard in determining myocardial viability using radiotracers of blood flow and glucose metabolism. Recent developments in cardiology research suggest that nuclear imaging may prove to be an important clinical tool for evaluating patients with cardiac ­electrophysiologic pathologies. Although still in the investigational stage, nuclear ­imaging techniques such as gated SPECT MPI with phase analysis have been shown clinically useful in selecting appropriate candidates for CRT. Cardiac neurotransmission imaging with SPECT using 123I-MIBG has also been shown to predict fatal cardiac outcomes and may be useful in combination with other clinical parameters for selecting patients who would greatly benefit from ICD. Studies also demonstrated the potential clinical utility of 123I-MIBG in assessing CRT response through improvement in cardiac adrenergic ­activity. Additionally, PET has provided metabolic characterization of myocardial scar that has been shown valuable in guiding ablation of scar-related ventricular tachycardia. In this chapter, the potential role of nuclear imaging for device therapy is discussed.
Evaluation of gait and turns

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews that successful ambulation in everyday environment requires the ability to produce not only the basic walking pattern, but adaptive modifications of that pattern that include the changes of direction. Vestibular stimulation has phase-dependent effects on gait that vary depending upon the time in the gait cycle, at which the stimulation is presented and causes veering during walking; individuals with vestibular deficits tend to veer off path. The chapter presents information for both clinicians and researchers on the methods available for the evaluation of gait and turning. Assessment of walking and turning in individuals with vestibular dysfunction may be done in a laboratory setting or a clinical setting. It explores that variety of tools are available in each setting to assess walking and turning, and the contribution of the vestibular system in these tasks. Vestibular deficits are often the easiest to observe when tasks are made increasingly complex that can be accomplished in any number of ways, including eliminating vision, adding obstacles, and adding secondary tasks.
Special Applications of the Pathways Model

This chapter summarizes unique applications of the Pathways concepts. Several examples are provided, including applications of the Pathways Model in support groups, in intensive outpatient services, and in patients with lifestyle issues and patients with vague, diffuse symptoms, among others. When a group intervention is the most practical, then the Pathways principles are adapted to provide the best care. Some patients with complex psychiatric and medical comorbid chronic illnesses need more than weekly sessions, so an intensive outpatient program using the Pathways Model is detailed. Patients with medically unexplained symptoms often search for ways to cope with their daily suffering, but also the negative reactions of medical professionals to them. This chapter will also attempt to project the Pathways Model into the future, particularly to anticipate what advances people with chronic illness can expect. The use of technology, self-help programs, and better understanding of the biological basis of illness hold great promise for those who struggle every day with pain or depression. Finally, the chapter described the application of the Pathways Model for those who are biologically and psychologically healthy—“not sick”—but who desire to be fully well, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, with suggestions for implementation.
Evaluating Disaster Time-Line from Social Media with Wavelet Analysis

For over a decade, social media has proved to be a functional and convenient data source in the Internet of things. Social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit have their own styles and purposes. Twitter, among them, has become the most popular platform in the research community due to its nature of attracting people to write brief posts about current and unexpected events (e.g., natural disasters). The immense popularity of such sites has opened a new horizon in `social sensing' to manage disaster response. Sensing through social media platforms can be used to track and analyze natural disasters and evaluate the overall response (e.g., resource allocation, relief, cost and damage estimation). In this paper, we propose a two-step methodology: i) wavelet analysis and ii) predictive modeling to track the progression of a disaster aftermath and predict the time-line. We demonstrate that wavelet features can preserve text semantics and predict the total duration for localized small scale disasters. The experimental results and observations on two real data traces (flash flood in Cummins Falls state park and Arizona swimming hole) showcase that the wavelet features can predict disaster time-line with an error lower than 20% with less than 50% of the data when compared to ground truth.
Prior Arrest, Substance Use, Mental Disorder, and Intent-Specific Firearm Injury.

Introduction Substance use, mental disorders, and arrest are markers of increased firearm injury risk. It is unclear how these markers vary by intent. Examining these interrelated factors together can clarify their associations with assault-related, self-inflicted, unintentional, and legal intervention firearm injuries, informing intent-specific interventions. Methods In 2017–2018, 2-year diagnosis and arrest histories of intent-specific firearm injury cases were compared with those of unintentionally injured motor vehicle collision passenger controls. Fatal and nonfatal firearm and motor vehicle collision injury records in Seattle (2010–2014) were linked to statewide hospitalization and arrest records. Multinomial logistic regression models compared odds of prior arrest, substance use, and mental disorder diagnoses among intent-specific firearm injury cases relative to controls, adjusting for age, race, and gender. Results A total of 763 cases and 335 controls were identified. Unintentional and self-inflicted cases did not differ significantly from controls in arrest history. Legal intervention cases resembled assault-related cases in their arrest history, and self-inflicted cases in their hospitalization history. The legal intervention cases were more likely than controls to have a prior felony arrest (OR=7.72, 95% CI=2.63, 20.97), and diagnoses involving alcohol (OR=4.06, 95% CI=1.04, 15.84); cannabis (OR=11.00, 95% CI=1.01, 119.36); depression/anxiety (OR=7.22, 95% CI=1.89, 27.67); psychosis (OR=6.99, 95% CI=1.35, 36.24); or conduct disorder (OR=22.01, 95% CI=1.44, 335.93). Conclusions Individuals with intent-specific firearm injuries have distinct patterns of prior substance use, mental disorder, and arrest. Many injuries occur after a series of encounters with institutions meant to help individuals during crises that can fail to provide longer-term solutions.
Classroom instruction results in better exam performance than online instruction in a hybrid course.

The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether performance on a subsequent exam was affected when two lessons were as similar as possible except that one was presented in class and the oth...
We Go Together (or Maybe Not): Examining director-board match stability and dissolution

Director selection represents a significant decision for both the appointing firm and potential individual joining the board. However, the process does not necessarily end with the outcome of selec...
Molecular Diagnostics in Salivary Gland Cytology

Salivary gland tumors (SGTs) can be diagnostically challenging due to morphologic overlap between benign and malignant entities. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology has proven to be an important tool in the evaluation of SGTs and shows high sensitivity and specificity; however, the diagnostic accuracy of FNA is variable, especially when used to subtype a neoplasm. The cited reasons for the limitation of FNA in the diagnosis of SGTs include the complexity, diversity, and overlap of morphological features, as well as the ever-growing list of newly described entities of SGTs. Several studies have shown that the use of ancillary techniques can be helpful in overcoming these diagnostic challenges. In fact, recent molecular advances have shown that subsets of SGTs are associated with specific translocations and gene fusions, some of which can be used to accurately diagnose SGTs in cytologic material. This chapter will provide an account of the most relevant molecular testing and its application to FNA specimens of SGTs.
R-Accelerator: A Reconfigurable Accelerator with RRAM Based Logic Contraction and Resource Optimization for Application Specific Computing

In this paper, we introduce a novel reconfigurable accelerator (R-accelerator) design which embeds RRAM device into traditional logic circuits for high-performance application specific computing. To facilitate the synthesis of the proposed RRAM based logic cell, a special logic contraction technique is developed to maximize the area saving. In order to optimize the arithmetic unit array for instruction set mapping and interconnect routing, a new resource allocation algorithm is also proposed to achieve further saving in area and power. Using a fully integrated design flow with commercial design tools, our experimental results show that the proposed RRAM based R-accelerator architecture offers 45% area improvement, 33% power reduction and 32% performance enhancement in a 45nm CMOS process compared with conventional CMOS design.
Linking parasitoid nectar feeding and dispersal in conservation biological control

Abstract The nectar provision hypothesis posits that biological control by parasitoids can be enhanced by providing supplemental nectar in the vicinity of cropland. The rationale for this hypothesis is that parasitoid longevity and fecundity can be greatly enhanced by sugar meals and that many agricultural areas are devoid of naturally occurring sugar sources. While some experimental field studies have produced results supporting the nectar provision hypotheses, many others have failed to show that supplemental nectar can improve biological control by parasitoids. I propose that some parasitoids may engage in medium- or long-range dispersal upon feeding on nectar and thus not contribute to local parasitism adjacent to flower plantings. If true, this could help to explain some of the negative results of nectar supplementation experiments. I further propose that certain conditions favor nectar-induced dispersal and discuss four of these here: (i) the risk of self-superparasitism, (ii) the risk of density-dependent hyperparasitism, (iii) benefits of ‘spreading the risk’ of catastrophic mortality and (iv) the risk of inbreeding among parasitoid offspring.
ניטור איכות האוויר בישראל - דו

אחת התוצאות מהעלייה המהירה של התוצר הלאומי הגולמי לנפש (תמ"ג) במדינת ישראל הייתה עליה משמעותית ברמת החיים. גידול התמ"ג בשיעור ממוצע של כ-8% לשנה במהלך העשור האחרון גרר אחריו עליה גדולה בשימוש במקורות אנרגיה וכתוצאה ישירה מכך עליה גדולה בפליטת מזהמי האוויר לאטמוספירה. הדוגמאות הבולטות הן העלייה החדשה במספר כלי הרכב המוטוריים שמספרם הוכפל בעשור האחרון והגיע עד למעלה מ- 1,600,000 כלי רכב בסוף שנת 1996. במקביל חלה גם עליה בצריכת החשמל שהוכפלה בעשור האחרון, הרבה מעבר לכל התחזיות של מתכנני משק האנרגיה. העלייה בייצור החשמל והגדלת מספר כלי הרכב גרמה להרעה משמעותית באיכות האוויר בארץ. בעוד שבשנות השבעים והשמונים הבעיה המרכזית של איכות האוויר הייתה קשורה לפליטות גופרית דו חמצנית ממספר קטן של תחנות כוח ותעשיות עתירות אנרגיה אשר השפיעו על איכות האוויר ברדיוס של 2-3 קילומטרים. השינויים שהתרחשו בעשור האחרון, כתוצאה מגידול האוכלוסייה והעלייה ברמת החיים, גרם לתופעות נוספות שבהם השפעת פליטת המזהמים אינה מתרחשת רק ברדיוס הקרוב, אלא גורמת ליצירה של מזהמי אוויר במרחקים של עשרות ק"מ מנקודת הפליטה. תופעה נוספת שיש לתת עליה את הדעת היא נדידת מזהמי אוויר ממקורות שאינם בשטח ישראל. ישנן עדויות ברורות המצביעות על כך שכמות לא מבוטלת של מזהמי אוויר, במיוחד חלקיקים תת מיקרוניים שמכילים יוני אספלט, מגיעים ארצה ממקורת זהום המצויים במזרח ובדרום אירופה. השינוי העיקרי שחל בסביבתנו מבחינת איכות האוויר בעשור האחרון היה מצד אחד הקטנה משמעותית בזיהום האוויר הנראה לעין, כמו: תמרות של מפעלים עתירי אנרגיה ושל אוטובוסים ומשאיות מעשנשים, ומצד שני עליה אדירה ברמות המזהמים שאותם לא ניתן לראות, כמו: תחמוצות החנקן, חד תחמצות הפחמן, הפחמימנים והאוזון (מדובר באוזון בטרופוסרה-פירוט בסעיף 5).
Noncontact Acoustical Techniques for Nondestructive Characterization of Materials and Structures

The Johns Hopkins University Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) is an interdisciplinary cooperative center between the university, government, and industrial organizations dedicated to the development of more accurate and innovative methods for the nondestructive evaluation of materials and to the education of talented students. This paper will describe several innovative noncontact nondestructive materials characterization methods developed in the CNDE. Lasers, optical interferometers, electro-magnetic transducers, and air(gas)-coupled systems are used for noncontact generation and detection of ultrasonic waves to inspect art paintings, metals, wood, and composites. Optical detection of acoustic emission signals permits detection of surface displacements caused by acoustic emission events without any modification of the detected waveforms or frequency spectra.
Pore Structure Models to Predict Hydraulic Conductivity of Recycled Asphalt Pavements

AbstractRecycled asphalt pavement (RAP) is increasingly being used due to the economic savings and environmental benefits. RAP contains removed or reprocessed asphalt binder and aggregates instead ...
Is Routine Recurrence Score Testing in Patients Older than 70 Years of Age Warranted? An Evaluation of the National Cancer Database After TAILORx.

Recurrence score (RS) testing in early-stage, ER-positive breast cancer is used to predict the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for disease recurrence and overall survival. TAILORx results decreased the ambiguity of “intermediate risk” RS by creating a binary classification system. We aimed to determine how women ≥ 70 years with intermediate RS were redistributed post-TAILORx and to identify predictors of low RS. Patients ≥ 70 years with early-stage, node-negative, ER-positive breast cancers in the National Cancer Database(2006–2014) were included. “Pre-TAILORx” RS were classified as low (0–17), intermediate (18–30), and high (> 30). “Post-TAILORx” RS were classified as low (0–25) and high (> 25). In total, 14,925 women were included. Average age was 74 years. 60% (n = 9009) had low pre-TAILORx RS, 31% (n = 4635) intermediate, and 9% (n = 1281) high. Of 4635 patients with intermediate RS, 72% (n = 3660) were reclassified to low RS. Only 12% (n = 1783) of patients received chemotherapy. Of patients with pre-TAILORx intermediate RS who received chemotherapy, 55% (n = 417) would have been spared chemotherapy by being reclassified with low RS post-TAILORx. The strongest predictor of post-TAILORx low RS was tumor grade; 95% of well-differentiated had low RS, compared with 56% of poorly/undifferentiated tumors (p < 0.001). Smaller tumor size also was associated with low RS. Age was not associated with RS. With post-TAILORx RS criteria, the vast majority of patients ≥ 70 years can be classified as low-risk and unlikely to benefit from chemotherapy. Given that the elderly have greater rates of chemotherapy-associated complications, reconsideration of routine RS testing in patients ≥ 70 years is warranted. Tumor grade and size also may inform the decision to omit RS testing.
Tangents of σ-finite curves and scaled oscillation

We show that every continuous simple curve with σ-finite length has a tangent at positively many points. We also apply this result to functions with finite lower scaled oscillation; and study the validity of the results in higher dimension. © Cambridge Philosophical Society 2016.
Vitreous degeneration and associated ocular abnormalities in the dog.

Objective To identify the frequency of vitreous degeneration and its association with ocular comorbidities including cataracts, lens luxation, glaucoma, and retinal detachment. Methods This is a retrospective study of 4217 dogs from the Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER) that underwent breed screening ophthalmic examinations between 2013 and 2016. The breeds analyzed included the Italian Greyhound, Shih Tzu, Affenpinscher, Bichon Frise, Brussels Griffon, Whippets, and Greyhound. Data collected from CAER included age, gender, number of examinations, and whether vitreous degeneration, along with cataracts, lens luxation, glaucoma and/or retinal detachment were present in either or both eyes. Results The study found that breed and age are significant drivers for developing VD. Italian Greyhounds, Brussels Griffons, and Shih Tzus have a significantly higher likelihood of VD compared to the negative control breed, the Greyhound. Additionally, with every 1-year age increase, there is a 24% higher likelihood of developing VD. However, no association was identified between vitreous degeneration and cataracts, lens luxation, glaucoma, or retinal detachment. Conclusions While the study found that breed and age were significant drivers for developing VD, no association was found between VD and the other ocular comorbidities examined.
Quadratic Optimization with Switching Variables: The Convex Hull for $n = 2$

We consider quadratic optimization in variables $(x,y)$ where $0\le x\le y$, and $y\in\{0,1\}^n$. Such binary $y$ are commonly refered to as "indicator" or "switching" variables and occur commonly in applications. One approach to such problems is based on representing or approximating the convex hull of the set $\{ (x,xx^T, yy^T) : 0\le x\le y\in\{0,1\}^n\}$. A representation for the case $n=1$ is known and has been widely used. We give an exact representation for the case $n=2$ by starting with a disjunctive representation for the convex hull and then eliminating auxilliary variables and constraints that do not change the projection onto the original variables. An alternative derivation for this representation leads to an appealing conjecture for a simplified representation of the convex hull for $n=2$ when the product term $y_1y_2$ is ignored.
Preferences of Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Persons in Gender-Confirming Surgical Care: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION Increased awareness for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals may lead to increased demand for surgical interventions in gender-confirming care. However, limited literature exists regarding transgender and gender-nonconforming preferences and experiences with medical or surgical care. The authors aim to characterize the medical and surgical care sought by this population, as well as their surgical preferences, motivations, and barriers to care. METHODS An online questionnaire about opinions and personal experiences with medical and surgical care during gender transition was publicized via regional online social networking forums in Connecticut and surrounding areas catering to transgender communities. RESULTS Responses were received from 313 participants. Participants were 97% male gender at birth and 92% white with an average (SD) age of 51.6 (13.5) years. Fifty-nine percent identified as male-to-female transgender and 20% as gender nonconforming. Respondents were aware of their gender identity at a mean (SD) age of 9.6 (9.0) years, but did not begin transitioning until a mean (SD) age of 38.9 (20.8) years, with gender-nonconforming respondents choosing to transition at a significantly younger age as compared with transgender respondents (29.8 vs 41.4 years; P = 0.0061, unpaired t test). Only 42% of all respondents, with a significantly greater number of transgender as opposed to gender-nonconforming individuals, had previously met with a physician to discuss transitioning (49% vs 21%, P = 0.002, χ test). Eight percent of the study population had undergone gender confirmation surgery (GCS), 52% were interested in GCS, and 40% were not interested in GCS. Primary motivation for GCS included discomfort in one's current body (28%), and barriers to GCS included cost (40%) and reactions of family (40%), partners (32%), and friends (25%). CONCLUSIONS Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals lack medical support for gender transition, with fewer than half of survey respondents reporting a prior meeting with a physician to discuss transitioning. The reported perspectives offer important insight into transgender preferences that should act as the basis of future efforts to improve the efficacy of gender-confirming care.
Chapter 120 – Homeostasis, Behavioral

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses homeostasis in groups of insects, such as the colonies of bees, wasps, ants, and termites. Insects are relatively small animals, with high surface-to-volume ratios. Because of this, they readily lose body heat or water to the environment. However, a few species of insects form large groups that are able to exert some control over these processes. Most striking examples of this come from the social insects, but some other insects also form groups that enhance homeostasis. The control of groups of insects over heat exchange may take two forms. First, they may form a cluster that effectively makes them more similar collectively to larger organisms. If the surface-to-volume ratio is of a cluster of insects rather than an individual, it has a smaller value, and heat exchange is slower. Second, most social insects construct nests, and the architecture of these nests can result in the interior environment being substantially different from the ambient environment outside the nest.
Good Science: Psychological Inquiry as Everyday Moral Practice

Good Science is an account of psychological research emphasizing the moral foundations of inquiry. This volume brings together existing disciplinary critiques of scientism, objectivism, and instrumentalism, and then discusses how these contribute to institutionalized privilege and to less morally responsive research practices. The author draws on historical, critical, feminist, and science studies traditions to provide an alternative account of psychological science and to highlight the irreducibly moral foundations of everyday scientific practice. This work outlines a theoretical framework for thinking about and practicing psychology in ways that center moral responsibility, collective commitment, and justice. The book then applies this framework, describing psychological research practices in terms of the their moral dilemmas. Also included are materials meant to aid in methods instruction and mentoring.
Genetic testing in individuals with cerebral palsy

AIM To determine which patients with cerebral palsy (CP) should undergo genetic testing, we compared the rate of likely causative genetic variants from whole-exome sequencing in individuals with and without environmental risk factors. METHOD Patients were part of a convenience and physician-referred cohort recruited from a single medical center, and research whole-exome sequencing was completed. Participants were evaluated for the following risk factors: extreme preterm birth, brain bleed or stroke, birth asphyxia, brain malformations, and intrauterine infection. RESULTS A total of 151 unrelated individuals with CP (81 females, 70 males; mean age 25y 7mo [SD 17y 5mo], range 3wks-72y) participated. Causative genetic variants were identified in 14 participants (9.3%). There was no significant difference in diagnostic rate between individuals with risk factors (10 out of 123; 8.1%) and those without (4 out of 28; 14.3%) (Fisher's exact p=0.3). INTERPRETATION While the rate of genetic diagnoses among individuals without risk factors was higher than those with risk factors, the difference was not statistically significant at this sample size. The identification of genetic diagnoses in over 8% of cases with risk factors suggests that these might confer susceptibility to environmental factors, and that further research should include individuals with risk factors. What this paper adds There is no significant difference in diagnostic rate between individuals with and without risk factors. Genetic variants may confer susceptibility to environmental risk factors. Six causative variants were identified in genes not previously associated with cerebral palsy. Global developmental delay/intellectual disability is positively associated with a genetic etiology. Extreme preterm birth, stroke/brain hemorrhage, and older age are negatively associated with a genetic etiology.
Comparison of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Rates In High School and Middle School Sports Over a 30-year Period:

Background:Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a major concern in interscholastic sports. Comparison of ACL injuries between high school (HS) and middle school (MS) athletes over multiple...
Refrains for More-Than-Human Intimacy: Mutual Inclusion With a Canine Difference:

In my article, I speculate on intimacy that embraces uncertainty, difference, and/in more-than-human relations. An intimacy that embraces uncertainty is what Massumi characterizes as “indiscernable...
Transfer of Maternal Food Proteins in Milk

For more than 60 years, it has been recognized that nursing infants may develop allergic reactions to substances in the maternal diet.1,2,3 Recent studies demonstrate that, colic,4,5 atopic dermatitis,6,7 and colitis7,8 can be related directly to the presence of a specific protein in the mother’s diet. To understand the basis for these disease processes, investigators have determined dose and molecular character of antigens in milk,6,9,10 probed for a history of atopic disease in the family,10 examined the relationship of antigen-induced disease to skin-test results obtained with the antigen,6 and measured total and cow’s milk-specific IgA antibody titers in breast milk of mothers with symptomatic infants.10 In the latter study, Machtinger and Moss10 found that all breast-fed infants with allergic symptoms had consumed maternal milk with low total and cow’s milk-specific IgA antibody.
Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with differential pulse polarographic detection for assaying drugs in feed: stability-indicating assay of diacetolol.

Abstract Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with differential pulse polarographic detection at a dropping mercury electrode provides a high degree of specificity for stability-indicating assays of drugs in animal feed. The selectivity of this detection system is demonstrated in the assay of diacetolol in feed at concentrations down to 50 μg/g.
Marketing, Ethics of

This article focuses on ethical questions arising from marketing theory and practice. Ethical issues arising from marketing concepts such as market segmentation, marketing research, product development, pricing, channels of distribution, personal selling, advertising, and globalization are discussed briefly. Four challenges for marketing ethics in the future are advanced in the conclusion. Keywords: marketing ethics; stakeholders; corporate societal responsibility; ethical theory; globalization
Fast Adaptive Alternatives to Nonlinear Diffusion in Image Enhancement: Green`s Function Approximators and Nonlocal Filters

Nonlinear diffusion, as well as image-driven nonlinear filtering, provide improved contrast enhancement and noise reduction relative to linear techniques, but are too computationally expensive for use in real-time vision applications. In this paper we review several recently developed methods which achieve results comparable to those obtained from nonlinear diffusion at considerably less computational cost. In the first technique, we train a function approximator to learn a kernel function which produces nonlinear diffusion-type results via spatial integration of the kernels across the image. The second method involves the construction of a vector field of “offsets” at which to apply a (single-scale) filter. When combined with space-variant (e.g. log polar) architectures, which themselves provide between one and three orders of magnitude of speed-up relative to conventional image representations, we are able to achieve frame rate image enhancement similar to that of nonlinear diffusion.
Online vs. In-Class: Comparison Based on Grades

This study forms two portfolios, online and in-class, each consisting of ninety matched undergraduate classes offered at a university and compares them on the basis of the grade performance of the students. The enrollment in the two portfolios is 1,958 and 2,073 students respectively. It finds that students in the online portfolio get lower grades compared to those in the in-class portfolio. Furthermore, the difference is significant for students with the following characteristics: female, white, closer proximity to campus, and income level. In the two years after portfolio formation, irrespective of the grade performance and other characteristics, a significantly lower proportion of the online students compared to the in-class students take the subsequent course (relative to their portfolio course). Subject to this caveat, the grade performance of students in the subsequent course is not different for the two groups.
Spontaneous drinking: is it stimulated by hypertonicity or hypovolemia?

Ten young female pigs were allowed to eat and drink whenever they wanted, and blood samples were taken without disturbance to the pig. Samples were divided into four categories: 1) base line, i.e., taken when not drinking and not eating; 2) preprandial, i.e., taken when starting to drink just before eating; 3) postcibal, i.e., taken when starting to drink after any eating; and 4) nonprandial, i.e., taken when starting to drink but not in association with eating. Osmolality (mosmol/kgH2O), plasma protein (g/dl), and packed cell volume (%) were, respectively, as follows (mean +/- SE): base line 294.9 +/- 1.8, 6.2 +/- 0.1, and 30.0 +/- 1.2; preprandial 295.1 +/- 1.7, 6.1 +/- 0.2, and 29.7 +/- 1.4; postcibal 295.0 +/- 3.3, 6.5 +/- 0.2, and 31.7 +/- 1.3; and nonprandial 295.2 +/- 1.4, 6.3 +/- 0.1, and 30.0 +/- 1.3. None of the parameters associated with drinking were significantly different from base-line parameters, except for the postcibal rise of packed cell volume. Calculated blood volume differences from base line were as follows: preprandial 0.7 +/- 1.2% fall; postcibal 0.2 +/- 1.7% increase; and nonprandial 0.8 +/- 0.9% fall. It is unlikely that either plasma hypertonicity or hypovolemia stimulates drinking under spontaneous conditions.
On performance characteristics of LAN interfaces with PING/PONG buffers

The authors consider a front end system consisting of a number of source stations generating LAN traffic; a queue to accommodate the transmission delays; and a number of ping/pong buffers, one for each LAN connection, served by the internal bus of the front-end processor. An incoming frame segment at a front end interface is assumed to be lost if there is no buffer available to store the segment. An algorithm is developed and used to investigate the performance characteristics of the ping/pong buffering scheme. >
The Drosophila ninaC locus encodes two photoreceptor cell specific proteins with domains homologous to protein kinases and the myosin heavy chain head.

Abstract The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been extensively used to identify genes required for photoreceptor cell function. We show that the ninaC gene, originating isolated as a Drosophila visual mutation with an electrophysiological phenotype, encodes two novel cytoskeletal proteins. We identified the DNA sequences encoding the ninaC genes by rescuing the electrophysiological phenotype using P-element-mediated germ line transformation. The ninaC locus is expressed as two extensively overlapping mRNAs encoding proteins of 1135 and 1501 amino acids. Both proteins contain a putative protein kinase domain joined to a domain homologous to the head region of the myosin heavy chain and are spatially restricted to photoreceptor cells.
Associative RAM-net memory neural target classifier

We propose a broad-based target classifier that recognizes a target on the principle of pattern matching based on associative memory, and can be implemented in hardware with standard complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) cells. A major drawback in the field of neural networks is the inability to implement network designs in hard- ware inexpensively. Here we have designed an associative RAM-net memory neural classifier, which is based on the associative memory model of a winner-take-all classifier. In this model extensive use of ordi- nary random access memory is made. The benefit of this approach is that the entire architecture can be designed with current CMOS standard cells application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) technologies as op- posed to current analog very large scale integration (VLSI) approaches. Since RAM can be easily added using the standard cell ASIC approach, a low-cost implementation for a wide variety of neural classification prob- lems is provided. The integration of all necessary features on a single chip results in an easily implementable, low-chip-count classification sys- tem. A full gate-level design of the architecture is created and simulated using the VHDL hardware programming language (Navabi, 1993; Mentor Graphics, 1992). The results are very encouraging, and warrant further research into various memory types and configurations. © 1998 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (S0091-3286(98)00507-8) Subject terms: target classifier; neural networks; associative memory; RAM-net memory.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF SALMONELLA INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN. 1093

Human epidemics of Salmonella are commonly attributed to the ingestion of contaminated foods, but the role of foods in the development of disease in infants and children is not understood. The purpose of this study was to delineate the role of foods and the surrounding environment in the development of infections with Salmonella in infants and children. The families of children < 4 years of age who were infected withSalmonella between July 1993-June 1995 were given an extensive questionnaire about exposures, food preparation and consumption, pets in the home, and day care attendance. Three age-matched controls per patient were also queried. The two commonly isolated serotypes of Salmonella underwent restriction enzyme digestion (SpeI, XbaI) followed by pulsedfield gel electrophoresis in order to establish DNA fingerprint patterns. These patterns were visually inspected for similarities. Ninety cases and 264 controls were evaluable at the completion of the study. Univariate analysis of data demonstrated that controls rather than cases were more likely to have consumed food considered to be high risk (e.g., cole slaw, whole milk, uncooked apples, turkey; p<0.05), receive support from WIC (p<0.02) and Medicaid (p<0.01), and boiled their water prior to mixing formula(p<0.05). S. newport and S. typhimurium were the most common isolates recovered (62%) and the DNA fingerprinting data from these isolates demonstrated 23 unique patterns for S. newport and 21 forS. typhimurium. Identical fingerprint patterns were found in 4 fingerprint clusters involving 10 patients with S. newport and in one cluster involving 2 patients with S. typhimurium. Review of the demographic data demonstrated that 7 of the children had a history of living or traveling to the same town as others with identical isolates. Although the majority of cases of salmonellosis in children encountered were sporadic, molecular fingerprinting demonstrated that at least 14% of our cases were infected with isolates identical to that of another child. The lack of common epidemiologic factors implicating contaminated foods suggests that environmental contamination remains important in the development of salmonellosis in infants and children. Until the role of environmental contamination is understood, prevention of this disease will not occur.
A Hierarchical Model of Housing Choice

The main objective of this paper is the construction of an expanded model of housing choice that includes not only tenure choice, which has traditionally been the subject of analysis, but also other housing characteristic choices. In this model the probability of the household making a given tenure choice is estimated at the first level of a choice hierarchy. The family's choices over dwelling size and quality are then estimated at succeeding levels of that hierarchy, conditionally on the choices which precede them. These conditional probabilities can be combined with the probability of tenure choice to produce eight joint probabilities of housing choice. In addition, for a particular household or group of households, we can determine the effect of a change in any of the systems variables on the probability of the families making a given housing choice.In the empirical section it is demonstrated that this model provides much greater insight than the conventional tenure choice study regarding the effects o...
A psychometric assessment of the Lennox and Wolfe self-monitoring scale in the sales force

Abstract In today's turbulent business environment, salespeople and sales managers must constantly adapt to changes. Self-monitoring, i.e., the cognitive ability to adapt one's own behavior in response to the behavior of others, may be a meta-KSA (knowledge, skill, or ability) that influences adaptive selling behavior. To assist researchers and practitioners seeking to identify and improve the self-monitoring skills of salespeople, this study investigates Lennox and Wolfe's (1984) self-monitoring scale with a sample of salespeople and one with sales managers. Although a hypothesized relationship between self-monitoring and job performance was supported partially, our results highlight potential problems with the measure. Further investigations are needed to determine whether or not the problems lie with the scale or the concept of self-monitoring in a selling context.
The Mechanisms of PML-Nuclear Body Formation

PML nuclear bodies (NBs) are nuclear structures that have been implicated in processes such as transcriptional regulation, genome stability, response to viral infection, apoptosis, and tumor suppression. PML has been found to be essential for the formation of the NBs, as these structures do not form in Pml null cells, although PML add back fully rescues their formation. However, the basis for such a structural role of PML is unknown. We demonstrate that PML contains a SUMO binding motif that is independent of its SUMOylation sites and is surprisingly necessary for PML-NB formation. We demonstrate that the PML RING domain is critical for PML SUMOylation and PML-NB formation. We propose a model for PML-NB formation whereby PML SUMOylation and noncovalent binding of PML to SUMOylated PML through the SUMO binding motif constitutes the nucleation event for subsequent recruitment of SUMOylated proteins and/or proteins containing SUMO binding motifs to the PML NBs.
Impact of motion and channel parameters on the estimation of transmitter position in robotic networks

In this paper we study the impact of the motion of a mobile robot as well as the underlying parameters of the channel on the estimation of the transmitter position in a networked robotic operation. We consider the case that the robot gathers a number of received signal strength (RSS) measurements from a fixed transmitter along its trajectory and use them to estimate the position of the transmitter. We first mathematically characterize two metrics for the estimation performance of the transmitter position: 1) the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) and 2) the error covariance matrix of a least square (LS) estimator. We then mathematically analyze the impact of the positions of the channel measurements as well as the underlying channel parameters, such as shadowing power, correlation distance, multipath power, and path loss slope, on each metric individually. Motivated by our analysis, we then utilize a motion planning strategy to improve the estimation quality of the transmitter position. Our simulation results confirm our theoretical analysis.
Germanium Fet--A Novel Low-Noise Active Device

A novel device for low-noise amplification-the germanium junction field-effect transistor (JFET)--is introduced. The properties of germanium and silicon at cryogenic temperatures are summarized. Based on the conclusions of this summary, a theoretical comparison between germanium and silicon JFET's is made, followed by a comparison of commercially available JFET's from both materials. A low-noise preamplifier featuring liquid-helium-cooled germanium JFET's was built and operated with semiconductor radiation detectors. Pulse generator resolution of the preamplifier for zero external capacitance is 0.28 keV FWHM (Ge) with a slope of 0.018 keV/pF. Actual resolution obtained with the silicon detector for low-energy x rays is 0.37 keV.
Role of cGMP in Isolated Rat Parotid Acinar Cells

The role of cGMP as the intracellular mediator of the activation of cholinergic receptors in the secretory cells of the rat parotid gland was investigated in vitro using isolated rat parotid acinar cells. It was demonstrated that this cyclic nucleotide is involved in the intracellular translation of activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in these cells.
Impact of values clarification on cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor

Abstract The present study investigated whether a brief values clarification intervention impacted neuroendocrine stress reactivity in a standardized social stress task, and whether psychological variables, such as experiential avoidance and consistency with living personal values, predicted that reactivity. Participants were 98 healthy undergraduates who were randomized to receive values clarification or a control activity, followed by the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kirschbaum, Pirke, & Hellhammer, 1993 ), a standardized social stressor. Individuals who received the values intervention demonstrated significantly lower cortisol. Contrary to hypotheses, experiential avoidance appeared to be a significant negative predictor of baseline cortisol, and in a subset of participants in the values condition ( N =34), use of values during the stress task was a significant positive predictor of stress reactivity. These results indicate that values clarification, but not values utilization, may be an effective method of mitigating stress reactivity in acutely stressful contexts.
Drosophila telomeres: new views on chromosome evolution

In Drosophila, chromosome ends (telomeres) are composed of telomere-specific transposable elements (the retroposons HeT-A and TART). These elements are a bona fide part of the cellular machinery yet have many of the hallmarks of retrotransposable elements and retroviruses, raising the possibility that parasitic transposable elements and viruses might have evolved from mechanisms that the cell uses to maintain its chromosomes. It is striking that Drosophila, the model organism for many discoveries in genetics, development and molecular biology (including the classical concept of telomeres), should prove to have chromosome ends different from the generally accepted model. Studies of these telomere-specific retrotransposable elements raise questions about conventional wisdom concerning not only telomeres, but also transposable elements and heterochromatin.
The magnetic field of cortical current sources: the application of a spatial filtering model to the forward and inverse problems

Summary We extend our theoretical model based on spatial filtering to determine the ability of a SQUID magnetometer to resolve 2 localized current sources in the brain. We find that in order to resolve 2 separated but coaxial cortical sources, the source-to-pickup coil distance must be comparable to the distance between the 2 sources. The size of the current sources affects the resolving power of a magnetometer, but an anisotropy of 3 in the cortical tissue does not produce a significant effect. The model also provides a solution of the inverse calculation, either to reconstruct the original current source distribution from the measured magnetic field, or to continue the field at the magnetometer inward towards the sources. Both the inverse and inward calculations are limited by the fact that the inverse filter function serves as a high-pass filter, which leads to instabilities at high spatial frequencies, particularly in the presence of noise. The instabilities can be minimized by choosing an appropriate window to attenuate the noise, but this in turn reduces the spatial resolution.
Novel compounds lowering the cellular isoform of the human prion protein in cultured human cells.

Abstract Purpose: Previous studies showed that lowering PrPC concomitantly reduced PrPSc in the brains of mice inoculated with prions. We aimed to develop assays that measure PrPC on the surface of human T98G glioblastoma and IMR32 neuroblastoma cells. Using these assays, we sought to identify chemical hits, confirmed hits, and scaffolds that potently lowered PrPC levels in human brains cells, without lethality, and that could achieve drug concentrations in the brain after oral or intraperitoneal dosing in mice. Methods: We utilized HTS ELISA assays to identify small molecules that lower PrPC levels by ⩾30% on the cell surface of human glioblastoma (T98G) and neuroblastoma (IMR32) cells. Results: From 44,578 diverse chemical compounds tested, 138 hits were identified by single point confirmation (SPC) representing 7 chemical scaffolds in T98G cells, and 114 SPC hits representing 6 scaffolds found in IMR32 cells. When the confirmed SPC hits were combined with structurally related analogs, >300 compounds (representing 6 distinct chemical scaffolds) were tested for dose–response (EC50) in both cell lines, only studies in T98G cells identified compounds that reduced PrPC without killing the cells. EC50 values from 32 hits ranged from 65 nM to 4.1 μM. Twenty-eight were evaluated in vivo in pharmacokinetic studies after a single 10 mg/kg oral or intraperitoneal dose in mice. Our results showed brain concentrations as high as 16.2 μM, but only after intraperitoneal dosing. Conclusions: Our studies identified leads for future studies to determine which compounds might lower PrPC levels in rodent brain, and provide the basis of a therapeutic for fatal disorders caused by PrP prions.
An electron spin resonance study of merocyanine 540-mediated type I reactions in liposomes.

— The merocyanine 540 (MC540)-mediated reduction of nitroxide spin labels in a liposomal system was examined using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Spin label reduction was light driven, and occurred in liposomes composed of both fully-saturated (dimyristoyl) and mono-unsaturated (1-palmtoyl-2-oleoyl) phosphatidylcholine. Loss of the nitroxide ESR signal was enhanced by the physiological electron donors glutathione, cysteine, and NADPH; and was strongly inhibited by the presence of molecular oxygen. Nitroxides reduced in the presence of MC540 alone could be regenerated either by purging the sample with air or by the addition of ferricyanide, indicating that the ESR signal loss was due to reduction to the corresponding hydroxylamines. Only partial regeneration was attained for nitroxides reduced in the presence of glutathione, cysteine, or NADPH. Reduction rates for the lipophilic spin labels, 5-, 12-, and 16-doxyl stearic acid, were not influenced by the position of the nitroxide moiety along the alkyl chain, however reduction of spin labels occupying primarily the aqueous phase was much slower. These studies demonstrate that MC540 can initiate oxidation/reduction (Type I) reactions. Such Type I processes may augment the effects of singlet oxygen in MC540-mediated photodynamic therapy.