cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlating Ophthalmology Exposure in Medical School to Applying and Matching Into an Ophthalmology Residency.

PURPOSE To correlate ophthalmology curricular exposure in medical school to the number of students who applied and matched into ophthalmology residency programs. Given the high curricular burden placed on medical schools, the authors sought to better characterize existing ophthalmology curricula and to delineate which offerings are closely related to high numbers of students applying and matching into ophthalmology residencies. METHOD The authors reviewed the extent of ophthalmology curricula between 2007 and 2017 via a survey administered in 2018 to all U.S. Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)-affiliated medical schools. They obtained residency application and match data with permission from the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology. The authors compared metrics of ophthalmology exposure with the number of students who applied and matched into ophthalmology during the corresponding year using mixed-effects Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS This study includes 49 U.S. AAMC-affiliated medical schools. When adjusted for the number of applicants per year, the following were significantly (P < .05) associated with matching into an ophthalmology residency: the presence of an ophthalmology department, an ophthalmology residency program, an ophthalmology interest group, ophthalmologists on faculty, ophthalmology content in the preclinical curriculum, preclinical lectures taught by ophthalmologists, and the availability of an optional fourth-year ophthalmology elective. Multivariable analysis indicated both that the presence of an ophthalmology residency program was the only independent predictor of matching into an ophthalmology residency and that the presence of an ophthalmology residency program, ophthalmology content in the preclinical curriculum, and preclinical lectures taught by ophthalmologists are independent predictors for applying. CONCLUSIONS A foundation in ophthalmology is crucial for all physicians, especially those who may encounter patients with eye problems in emergency or primary care settings. However, for those students considering a career in ophthalmology, choosing a medical school with an ophthalmology department and residency program is particularly important.
Multiple autoimmune side effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors in a patient with metastatic melanoma receiving pembrolizumab

IntroductionImmune agents including anti-programmed death receptor-1 and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 have been associated with numerous immune-related complications. Pembrolizumab, a prog...
Direct Observations of Field-Intensity-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown Mechanisms in TiO2 Single Nanocrystals

One of the main challenges for next-generation electric power systems and electronics is to avoid premature dielectric breakdown in insulators and capacitors and to ensure reliable operations at higher electric fields and higher efficiencies. However, dielectric breakdown is a complex phenomenon and often involves many different processes simultaneously. Here we show distinctly different defect-related and intrinsic breakdown processes by studying individual, single-crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles using in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As the applied electric field intensity rises, rutile-to-anatase phase transition, local amorphization/melting, and ablation are identified as the corresponding breakdown processes, the field intensity thresholds of which are found to be related to the position of the intensified field and the duration of the applied bias relative to the time of charged defects accumulation. Our observations reveal an intensity-dependent dielectric response of crystalline oxides at breakdown and suggest possible routes to suppress the initiation of premature dielectric breakdown. Hence, they will aid the design and development of next-generation robust and efficient solid dielectrics.
Reply to HEP‐20‐0970

We thank Akbulut et al for their letter to the editor (1) on our study (2) which analyzed patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the UNOS database with at least one measured AFP >1000 ng/ml prior to liver transplant (LT). We validated recently approved national policy (3) by demonstrating significantly improved post-LT outcome among patients with a reduction in AFP to 70% of patients included in this study did not fulfill this national policy and also pointed out that over one-third of included patients did not receive LRT prior to LT. We absolutely agree that patients with AFP >1000 ng/ml should not undergo LT but instead first undergo LRT with a goal of achieving AFP reduction. We would like to clarify that the study period of 2005-2015 predated OPTN/UNOS HCC policies mandating AFP reduction to 1000 ng/ml as well as a waiting period of 6 months before granting MELD exception. Prior to this latter policy, some HCC patients were offered LT within a few months after listing (4) and thus often did not receive LRT prior to LT. Since institution of the 6 month wait policy, nearly all listed HCC patients now receive at least one LRT prior to LT (5).
‘Let us imagine that God has made a miniature earth and sky’: Malebranche on the Body-Relativity of Visual Size

Malebranche holds that visual experience represents the size of objects relative to the perceiver's body and does not represent objects as having intrinsic or nonrelational spatial magnitudes. I argue that Malebranche's case for this body-relative thesis is more sophisticated than other commentators—most notably, Atherton (1990) and Simmons (2003)—have presented it. Malebranche's central argument relies on the possibility of perceptual variation with respect to size. He uses two thought experiments to show that perceivers of different sizes—namely, miniature people, giants, and typical human beings—can experience the very same objects as having radically different sizes. Malebranche argues that there is no principled reason to privilege one of these ways of experiencing size over the others and, more specifically, that all three kinds of perceivers experience size veridically. From the possibility of this kind of veridical perceptual variation, Malebranche infers that visual experience represents only body-relative size.
Sound and Sense

Drawing on sources as different as Robert Frost, Joan Didion, and Chief Justice John Roberts, this short essay explores the connection between “sound and sense” and offers strategies to improve many kinds of legal and business writing.
Differential Expression of IGF1, IGFBP5, MSTN, and MYH1 Across Different Age Classes in American Quarter Horses.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of age on expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP5), myostatin (MSTN), and myosin (MYH1) genes which are related to growth and muscle development in the American Quarter Horse. Thus, horses (n = 10) from weanling, yearling, 2-, 3-, and 10-year-old age classes were sampled and gene expression was assessed by RT-qPCR. ΔCT was calculated using the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase gene as an internal normalizer. The generalized linear model was used to determine differentially expressed genes, by pairwise comparison between ages. Among technical replicates, the coefficient of variation ranged from 1.0 to 5.2% and was lower than the variation observed between biological replicates (2.1-12.9%). IGF1 demonstrated significantly lower expression in the 3-year-old age class than in weanlings and yearlings, but the 10-year-old age class displayed a significantly higher level than 2- and 3-year-old age classes. Expression of IGFBP5 was highest in weanlings compared with all other age classes. Expression of MSTN was significantly higher in weanlings than in other age classes, whereas 10-year-old horses had an intermediate level of expression, but significantly different from yearlings, 2- and 3-year-old fillies. Finally, expression of MYH1 was lower in 2- and 10-year-old horses than in weanlings and yearlings, whereas 3-year-old fillies demonstrated an intermediate level of expression. Differential expression patterns observed in this preliminary study provide insight into the physiological changes occurring throughout the life span of horses. These patterns could also help explain the variation in performance and endurance between individuals at different developmental stages.
Cardiac electrophysiology consultative experience at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly altered the practice of cardiac electrophysiology around the world for the foreseeable future. Professional organizations have provided guidance for practitioners, but real-world examples of the consults and responsibilities cardiac electrophysiologists face during a surge of COVID-19 patients is lacking. Methods In this observational case series we report on 29 consecutive inpatient electrophysiology consultations at a major academic medical center in New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States, during a 2 week period from March 30-April 12, 2020, when 80% of hospital beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, and the New York City metropolitan area accounted for 10% of COVID-19 cases worldwide. Results Reasons for consultation included: Atrial tachyarrhythmia (31%), cardiac implantable electronic device management (28%), bradycardia (14%), QTc prolongation (10%), ventricular arrhythmia (7%), post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement conduction abnormality (3.5%), ventricular pre-excitation (3.5%), and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (3.5%). Twenty-four patients (86%) were positive for COVID-19 by nasopharyngeal swab. All elective procedures were canceled, and only one urgent device implantation was performed. Thirteen patients (45%) required in-person evaluation and the remainder were managed remotely. Conclusion Our experience shows that the application of a massive alteration in workflow and personnel forced by the pandemic allowed our team to efficiently address the intersection of COVID-19 with a range of electrophysiology issues. This experience will prove useful as guidance for emerging hot spots or areas affected by future waves of the pandemic.
Defining Minimal Clinically Important Difference After Open Hip Abductor Repair.

Background:Open repair for gluteus medius and minimus tears is a common surgical treatment for patients with lateral hip pain associated with abductor tears; however, clinically meaningful outcomes...
Social media capital and civic engagement: Does type of connection matter?

This study examines the relationship between a person’s social media capital and civic engagement, focusing on the networks formed via two social network sites (SNSs) of Facebook and Twitter. The analysis of the survey data on young people’s social media use and civic engagement in the U.S. shows that, although all three types of online social ties (Facebook Friends, Twitter followers, and people one follows on Twitter) are positively associated with civic engagement, there are differences across the different types of connections. The findings reveal that Twitter social capital is more strongly associated with participation in political organizations while Facebook social capital is more strongly associated with participation in non-political charitable organizations. Between Twitter followers and following, the number of people one follows is more strongly associated with participation in both types of organizations than the number of one’s followers. These findings suggest that nonprofit managers take a platform-specific approach when using social media for marketing and stakeholder involvement.
Environmental impact assessment of biomass supported electricity generation for sustainable rural energy systems - A case study of Grenada County, Mississippi, USA.

Abstract Fossil fuels have been the major source of electricity supply in the United States of America (USA) for many decades. While a significant shift has occurred from coal-dominated supply to natural gas and renewable source based supplies in recent decades, there is still large potential to improve biomass supported electricity contribution in rural communities, which depend majorly on forest-related activities. Wood waste, an underutilized renewable resource, has the potential for electricity generation in rural areas to reduce the contribution of electricity generated from fossil fuels and assist in greenhouse gas savings. In this study, a life cycle assessment approach was used to estimate the emissions of electricity generated by wood residues in a rural community (Grenada County, Mississippi (MS), USA) and compared with those emissions from the recent electricity mix (2018), a previous electricity mix (2010) supply, along with natural gas (NG) and coal (Bituminous Coal, BC) based electricity generation options. A significant reduction (85.9–94.6%) in global warming impact was observed when compared with BC, NG and grid supplied electricity for years 2010 and 2018. When compared to the current electricity mix at the grid (2018), acidification, eutrophication, respiratory effects and smog formation showed higher emissions ranging from 30.8% to 72.4%. The sensitivity analysis showed an improvement in emissions savings with increased biomass to power conversion efficiency (40%), lower moisture content of the biomass (0%, bone dry biomass), and reduced transportation distance (35 km). This study showed an improvement in the electricity mix supplied to Grenada county, MS, which implies sustainable development opportunities for promoting energy security in rural communities with forest-based industries.
Socio-demographic and -economic factors associated with 30-day readmission for conditions targeted by the hospital readmissions reduction program: a population-based study

Early hospital readmissions remain common in patients with conditions targeted by the CMS Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP). There is still no consensus on whether readmission measures should be adjusted based on social factors, and there are few population studies within the U.S. examining how social characteristics influence readmissions for HRRP-targeted conditions. The objective of this study was to determine if specific socio-demographic and -economic factors are associated with 30-day readmissions in HRRP-targeted conditions: acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction, and heart failure. The Nationwide Readmissions Database was used to identify patients admitted with HRRP-targeted conditions between January 1, 2010 and September 30, 2015. Stroke was included as a control condition because it is not included in the HRRP. Multivariate models were used to assess the relationship between three social and economic characteristics (gender, urban/rural hospital designation, and estimated median household income within the patient’s zip code) and 30-day readmission rates using a hierarchical two-level logistic model. Age-adjusted models were used to assess relationship differences between Medicare vs. non-Medicare populations. There were 19,253,997 weighted index hospital admissions for all diagnoses and 3,613,488 30-day readmissions between 2010 and 2015. Patients in the lowest income quartile (≤$37,999) had an increased odds of 30-day readmission across all conditions (P < 0.0001). Female gender and rural hospital designation were associated with a decreased odds of 30-day readmission for most targeted conditions (P < 0.05). Similar findings were also seen in patients ≥65 years old. Socio-demographic and -economic factors are associated with 30-day readmission rates and should be incorporated into tools or interventions to improve discharge planning and mitigate against readmission.
Topic classification of electric vehicle consumer experiences with transformer-based deep learning.

Summary The transportation sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is a driver of adverse health effects globally. Increasingly, government policies have promoted the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) as a solution to mitigate GHG emissions. However, government analysts have failed to fully utilize consumer data in decisions related to charging infrastructure. This is because a large share of EV data is unstructured text, which presents challenges for data discovery. In this article, we deploy advances in transformer-based deep learning to discover topics of attention in a nationally representative sample of user reviews. We report classification accuracies greater than 91% (F1 scores of 0.83), outperforming previously leading algorithms in this domain. We describe applications of these deep learning models for public policy analysis and large-scale implementation. This capability can boost intelligence for the EV charging market, which is expected to grow to US$27.6 billion by 2027.
NOT QU'ILE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD: A BIBLICAL SUBTEXT IN MARINA CVETAEVA'S OPUS

connections between linguistic units and their extensive historical, literary, and religious associations, bringing a nearly Futurist verbal inventiveness to the more traditional poetic exploitation of cultural subtexts. Personal names are no exception to this rule. Other poets' names initiate and structure her addresses to them-she structures poetic meaning around the clicking, splashing or trigger-cocking sound of Blok (SiP 1:227), the ecstatic "Ax" of Axmatova (SiP 1:232) and the runbling "Er" of Erenburg (SiP II:160).1 Her own name, Marina, repeatedly provokes poetic treatments of its etymology and associations.2 Cvetaeva exploits her own name's poetic and mythological significance, bringing into play both its etymological and its historical and literary planes of meaning. Another significant level of naming works to illuminate Cvetaeva's speaking selves through names that are not strictly speaking her own. This study will explore two examples, the names Ivan and Marija (equivalent to the English John and Mary), and their function in Cvetaeva's writing. These names have tremendous resonance in Russian culture, as indeed in all Christian traditions: they spring from and refer back to central figures in the Gospels. Using them lets the poet claim creative power within Russian cultural and poetic traditions which insist on strictly polarized genders and value female silence. Gospel names cast their light onto other literary and historical figures who bear them, intiating patterns of relationship and furthering the poet's exploration of far-reaching identities. Finally, "Ivan" and "Marija" are also the names of Cvetaeva's parents, Ivan Vladimirovic Cvetaev and Marija Aleksandrovna Mejn. Therefore her poetic treatment of these two names plumbs her personal, family heritage while it works to define and refine her relationship to the fundamental narrative of Western
Requirement of RhoA activity for increased nuclear factor κB activity and PC-3 human prostate cancer cell invasion

To determine the molecular mechanisms of aggressive prostate cancer behavior, we studied RhoGTPases in high and low invasive variants of PC-3 prostate cancer cells. Prior studies with these cells revealed that elevated nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) expression and activity were necessary for the highly invasive phenotype. In the current study, increased RhoA expression was found in the PC-3 highly invasive cells as compared with the PC-3 low invasive cells through cDNA array and Western blot analyses. Similarly, RhoA activity, as measured by the Rhotekin binding assay, was elevated in the PC-3 highly invasive cells. Transfection of these highly invasive cells with dominant negative RhoA N19 or treatment with 1.0 μg/ml RhoA inhibitor C3 exoenzyme demonstrated that RhoA activity was necessary for both NF-κB activity and cellular invasion of a Matrigel reconstituted basement membrane. Furthermore, stable transfection of the PC-3 highly invasive cells with constitutively active RhoA Q63L resulted in activation of NF-κB activity and Matrigel invasion, effects reversed by treatment of the cells with C3 exoenzyme. RhoA was also shown to act through the motility component of the invasion process. RhoA activity was therefore both necessary and sufficient for the elevated NF-κB, invasion, and motility activities of the PC-3 highly invasive cells. These findings suggest molecular targets to control cancer cell invasion and aid in the development of definitive tools for predicting the invasive and metastatic potential of cancer cells.
Multi-feed NVIS realization on small aircraft using characteristic modes

Characteristic modes (CMs) are used to design an NVIS antenna system on-board an electrically small UAV. Using the CMs of the UAV platform, near-vertical incident skywave (NVIS) are realized using pre-specified locations for antenna mounting. The appropriate excitation level of each monopole feed can be computed in a systematic manner using the CMs of the composite UAV + monopole antenna system. Discussions on pattern and bandwidth of this approach as a function of feeding element number will be presented, as well as discussions on further optimization approaches that can be effectively utilized from a characteristic modes perspective.
Reconciling LGB and Christian Identities in the Rural South

Drawing on in-depth interviews with rural Christians living in the South who identify as lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB), this study analyzes how they negotiate their religious, geographic, and sexual identities. We find that most interviewees employed two strategies to reconcile their Christian and gay identities: emphasizing a personal connection to an accepting God and finding a local church in their rural community in which they felt accepted. We argue that rural contexts influenced interviewees' reliance on these strategies and show how individuals can construct multiple interpretations about themselves, which do not always align with existing cultural assumptions. In addition, we argue that gender differences exist with regard to participants' residential choices and the importance they place on "community". We find that, in general, women value the privacy and freedom afforded to them in rural areas, a sentiment that is echoed in their religious choices while many of the men value the close knit community they find in their small towns.
Increased expression of cytokeratins CK8 and CK19 is associated with head and neck carcinogenesis.

Malignant transformation is often associated with alterations in the expression of normal differentiation markers, which may serve as intermediate end points in carcinogenesis and cancer prevention. To identify early changes in differentiation markers during head and neck cancer development, we examined the expression of cytokeratins (CK1, CK8, CK13, and CK19) and involucrin by immuohistochemical methods in surgical specimens from 29 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients that included, in addition to carcinoma, adjacent dysplastic lesions (17 cases), hyperplastic lesions (21 cases), and adjacent histologically normal tissues (15 cases) and in specimens from 31 subjects with premalignant oral lesions (e.g, oral leukoplakia) without cancer, CK13 and involucrin were detected in all specimens from the cancer patients, and no differences in their expression were found among the different histopathological group. CK8 was detected in only 2.7% (1 of 36) of adjacent normal and hyperplastic tissues but in 58.8% (10 of 17) and 75.9% (22 of 29) of dysplastic and carcinoma tissues. The corresponding figures for CK19 expression in adjacent normal, hyperplastic, dysplastic, and carcinoma tissues were 13.3, 70, 71.4, and 82.1%, respectively. The expression of CK1 was not related to the progression from normal to malignant. In the leukoplakia lesions, CK8 CK13, CK19 and involucrin were detected in 13.8, 100, 74.2 and 100% of the specimens, respectively. These results demonstrate that CK19 expression increases in hyperplastic lesions and continues to be expressed in dyplastic and malignant lesions, whereas CK8 expression in low in adjacent normal and hyperplastic tissues and increases only in dysplastic and malignant lesions. Thus, CK19 and CK8 could be markers of sequential premalignant changes in head and neck carcinogenesis.
The mechanism of iodide accumulation by the brown sea weed Laminaria digitata; the uptake of 131 I.

Laminaria digitata frond rapidly absorbs radio-active iodine from aerated sea water. The absorption rate remains substantially constant throughout experiments lasting 2 or 3 h. After an hour the weed shows about thirty times as much activity as an equal volume of the surrounding sea water. The uptake rate is reduced if inactive iodide be added to the sea water to give a concentration of 10 -4 M. The further observations support the view that iodide uptake proceeds by: (1) the oxidation of iodide to I 2 , (2) the diffusion of I 2 (or its hydrolysis product HIO) into the tissues, and finally (3) the reduction of the penetrant I 2 , or HIO within the tissues. Iodide added to aerated sea water is rapidly oxidized to I 2 in the presence of the weed and the agents and conditions mentioned in the succeeding paragraph as slowing or halting radio-iodine uptake have also been shown to prevent elementary iodine being formed. 131 I absorption is slowed or halted by thiocyanate, thiosulphate, metabisulphite, catechol, tyrosine and pyruvate in concentrations of 1–3 x 10 -3 M. The full effect of these inhibitors persists only so long as they are present in the sea water about the weed. If an excess of inactive iodide be added to sea water, or if the weed be kept in the dark, then an atmosphere of N 2 interrupts the uptake of 131 I; darkness alone, however, has no immediate influence on radio-iodine uptake. When elementary iodine rather than iodide be added to weed maintained in the dark under N 2 a rapid absorption of activity is initiated. After the weed has been placed in iodide-enriched sea water, analyses indicate that about three-quarters of the element lost from the water occurs in the tissues as iodide.
Nutritional determinants of mobility.

Purpose of reviewIn many countries, persons over 65 are one of the fastest growing segments of the population. Mobility disability is one of the major risk factors for morbidity and mortality in this age group. There is increasing evidence that improved nutrition can reduce the risk of developing di
Removal of toxic metal ions from metal-finishing wastewater by solvent extraction

Abstract Solvent extraction procedures are presented for the removal of chromium, cadmium, and zinc from metal-finishing wastewater. The procedures utilize a 25% Alamine 336-xylene solution as the extractant. The three metals can be extracted selectively or simultaneously using a 100 to 1 aqueous phase to organic phase ratio. All three metals can be stripped from the organic phase with better than 99.5% efficiency with 4 M NaOH. The regenerated reagent can be recycled and reused without any loss of extraction efficiency. The procedures are reproducible, rapid, and simple.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY MEDICAL EVALUATION OF CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 7.5 YEARS BORN AFTER PREIMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS FOR MONOGENIC DISEASES

INTRODUCTION: The growing cohort of children conceived after preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) techniques underlines the importance of evaluating potential risks for their developmental outcome. There are some data concerning the incidence of congenital anomalies, medical status, and cognitive development of children conceived after PGD techniques, based mainly on reports and not on objective medical evaluation. OBJECTIVE: We sought to perform multidisciplinary evaluation (physical, genetic, and developmental) of 31 children conceived after PGD techniques (aged 30 days to 7.5 years) and the stress level of parents who used PGD regarding their parental role. METHODS: Among 24 couples at risk for transmitting monogenic diseases and with an unsuccessful reproductive history, 31 children conceived after PGD techniques were examined. Genetic examination was performed by 2 independent geneticists, and developmental assessment included formal testing of cognitive and motor skills (Bayley scales, Griffiths scales, Athina test). Parental stress was measured by using the Parent Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF), a self-report questionnaire that assesses parental stress. The PSI-SF was also completed by 35 parents of naturally conceived, healthy children matched for age, gender, and socioeconomic level. RESULTS: A high rate of cesarean deliveries were reported, but no higher risk was found for perinatal complications. The increased incidence of prematurity and low birth weight among children conceived after PGD techniques did not seem to affect their growth development later in life. Major malformations (cardiac, gastrointestinal, urogenital, skeletal) were present in 4 (12.9%) of 31 children, with a discrepancy between singletons and multiples. A significant number of children conceived after PGD techniques (6 of 31 [19%]), mostly multiple, premature, and small-for-gestational-age infants, experienced low levels of cognitive, verbal, and perceptual abilities (Global Development Quotient scores of CONCLUSIONS: Children conceived after PGD techniques seem to be at greater risk for exhibiting congenital malformations and lower cognitive skills. Whether these observations are linked to the PGD procedure itself, rather than to subfertility, multiplicity, or prematurity, is a question that is difficult to answer. An unexpected finding was that once parents who used PGD finally had what they struggled for (a healthy infant), the stresses of parenthood may have been offset by a broader sense of fulfillment.
Baryon Octet Masses in Broken SU(3) ⊗ SU(3)

We calculate the contribution to the baryon octet masses of the symmetry breaking term ${u}_{0}+c{u}_{8}$ by means of a phenomenological Lagrangian. Our result gives a theoretical justification of the conclusion of von Hippel and Kim.
Designing an effective statewide tobacco control program--Massachusetts.

OVERVIEW. Smoking-related illnesses kill > 10,000 Massachusetts residents each year and cost hundreds of millions of dollars of public and private expenditures for health care. To combat this public health problem, in 1992 Massachusetts voters approved a referendum question calling for an increased excise tax on tobacco products, with the revenue supporting a Health Protection Fund. Approximately 40% of the fund is used to finance the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program (MTCP), administered by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. During the first 3 fiscal years (FY), the MTCP budget has averaged just over $40 million annually, declining during that period from approximately $43 million in FY 1995 to < $37 million in FY 1997.
Explaining ‘I Can’t Draw’: Parallels between the Structure and Development of Language and Drawing

Both drawing and language are fundamental and unique to humans as a species. Just as language is a representational system that uses systematic sounds (or manual/bodily signs) to express concepts, dra
Induction of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 gene expression by measles virus in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) by endothelial cells is important for the regulation of adhesion and transendothelial migration of a variety of leukocytes that express the integrins lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) and/or Mac-1. Here, we demonstrate strain-specific differences in the ability of measles virus (MV) to induce ICAM-1 expression. The vaccine strain Moraten (Mor) rapidly induced high levels of ICAM-1 mRNA and protein expression, whereas the vaccine strain CAM-70 and the Edmonston wild type (Ed-wt) strain were far less effective, even when they were used at very high multiplicities of infection (MOIs). Strain-specific differences in the induction were not a consequence of differences in the ability to infect ECs. Furthermore, induction of ICAM-1 by Mor was not dependent on de novo expression of MV or cellular proteins. Dual-immunofluorescence analysis indicated that there was no association between the expression of either MV nucleocapsid or hemagglutinin protein and the induction of ICAM-1 expression. Some human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) that expressed high nucleocapsid protein in response to either Mor or CAM-70 failed to express elevated ICAM-1, whereas some HUVECs that were incubated with Mor expressed high ICAM-1 prior to expression of MV nucleocapsid protein. Strain-specific differences in the ability of Mor and CAM-70 to induce ICAM-1 correlated with their ability to activate the latent transcription factor NF-kappaB. These studies suggest a preexisting component of MV particles that leads to strain-specific differences in the activation of NF-kappaB and the induction of ICAM-1 gene expression.
Causes, proximate and ultimate

Within evolutionary biology a distinction is frequently made between proximate and ultimate causes. One apparently plausible interpretation of this dichotomy is that proximate causes concern processes occurring during the life of an organism while ultimate causes refer to those processes (particularly natural selection) that shaped its genome. But “ultimate causes” are not sought through historical investigations of an organisms lineage. Rather, explanations referring to ultimate causes typically emerge from functional analyses. But these functional analyses do not identify causes of any kind, much less ultimate ones. So-called “ultimate explanations” are not about causes in any sense resembling those of proximate explanations. The attitude, implicit in the term “ultimate cause”, that these functional analyses are somehow superordinate to those involving “proximate causes” is unfounded. “Ultimate causes” are neither ultimate nor causes.
Intrinsic Physical-Layer Authentication of Integrated Circuits

Radio-frequency distinct native attribute (RF-DNA) fingerprinting is adapted as a physical-layer technique to improve the security of integrated circuit (IC)-based multifactor authentication systems. Device recognition tasks (both identification and verification) are accomplished by passively monitoring and exploiting the intrinsic features of an IC's unintentional RF emissions without requiring any modification to the device being analyzed. Device discrimination is achieved using RF-DNA fingerprints comprised of higher order statistical features based on instantaneous amplitude, phase, and frequency responses as a device executes a sequence of operations. The recognition system is trained using multiple discriminant analysis to reduce data dimensionality while retaining class separability, and the resultant fingerprints are classified using a linear Bayesian classifier. Demonstrated identification and verification performance includes average identification accuracy of greater than 99.5% and equal error rates of less than 0.05% for 40 near-identical devices. Depending on the level of required classification accuracy, RF-DNA fingerprint-based authentication is well-suited for implementation as a countermeasure to device cloning, and is promising for use in a wide variety of related security problems.
Applying hotspot detection methods in forestry: a case study of chestnut oak regeneration.

Hotspot detection has been widely adopted in health sciences for disease surveillance, but rarely in natural resource disciplines. In this paper, two spatial scan statistics (SaTScan and ClusterSeer) and a nonspatial classification and regression trees method were evaluated as techniques for identifying chestnut oak (Quercus Montana) regeneration hotspots among 50 mixed-oak stands in the central Appalachian region of the eastern United States. Hotspots defined by the three methods had a moderate level of conformity and revealed similar chestnut oak regeneration site affinity. Chestnut oak regeneration hotspots were positively associated with the abundance of chestnut oak trees in the overstory and a moderate cover of heather species (Vaccinium and Gaylussacia spp.) but were negatively associated with the abundance of hayscented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) and mountain laurel (Kalmia latiforia). In general, hotspot detection is a viable tool for assisting natural resource managers with identifying areas possessing significantly high or low tree regeneration.
A new water column profiler for shallow aquatic systems

Coupled physical and biogeochemical processes in shallow (<2 m deep) productive systems must be observed on fine temporal and spatial scales with automated sampling and monitoring devices. We developed a pump profiler system that can sample six to eight depths at 10-cm resolution every 30 min. The system is economical, secure from vandalism, portable, and capable of integration with a real-time remote monitoring system. Solenoid valves select the suction depth, and a diaphragm pump delivers water to a flow cell where temperature, oxygen, pH, specific conductivity, turbidity, oxidation reduction potential, and fluorescence are measured with probes mounted on a water quality sonde. A microcontroller is used to direct the operation of the system. Water column disturbance and maintenance requirements are minimized by eliminating exposed moving parts. The data can be retrieved remotely and graphically displayed on the Internet in real time. The system has been deployed successfully in two freshwater ponds and a tidal saltwater system. The pump profiler is used to study coupled physical biogeochemical processes in shallow systems with strong diel cycles and large density and chemical gradients. Applications may include studies in aquaculture ponds, storm water retention ponds, shallow lakes, and small estuaries.
Amount vs contrast of masking-figure contour in visual backward masking

In an earlier study on configurational factors in visual backward masking, varying amounts were deleted from the contour of a masking ring, and it was found that mask effectiveness was directly related to amount of contour present in the masking figure. In response to a question about whether the independent variable in that study was correctly identified as amount of contour in the masking figure rather than perhaps as the amount of its average contrast, we compared the masking effectiveness of both variables in the present experiment. The target was a black disk; its detectability was assessed by a two-alternative spatial forced-choice indicator response. The data clearly support the identification of the independent variable in the earlier study as amount of ring contour, although the two variables do have qualitatively similar effects on masking.
Similarity of the Rigor Mortis Process in Normal and Germ-free Rats

Bate-Smith and Bendall1 reported that rigor mortis in muscle was caused by the irreversible association of actin and myosin as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) became depleted. Conflicting reports have appeared concerning the process of rigor mortis in germ-free animals. Harmon2 has observed that germ-free rats do not become rigid after death. These observations were only visual, but classical theories of the process would require critical re-evaluation if muscle from germ-free animals showed no rigor mortis. We have designed an experiment to investigate the time course of rigor mortis development and associated parameters in normal and germ-free rats (Table 1).
Presentation of the Roebling Medal for 2007 of the Mineralogical Society of America to Gordon E. Brown Jr.

President Barb Dutrow, Officers, Past Roebling Medalists, Members of the Mineralogical Society of America and Guests: It gives me great pleasure to say a few words about Gordon Brown, the 2007 Roebling Medalist, a mineralogist who, in his own words, claims to have gone astray. I have always defined mineralogy as what mineralogists do and what Gordon has done, at least in my mind, is to have broadened the field of mineralogy during his career into other exciting areas such as biology, chemistry, and physics. The great rewards of being a professor are the brilliant students who grace your life. Gordon was one such student. I first met him at Penn State University in 1965 where I was Assistant Professor of Mineralogy. Shortly after making a commitment to work with me, I was made an offer that I could not refuse. Virginia Tech made an offer to Don Bloss, Paul Ribbe, and our students, hiring us as a small team to establish a Center of Mineralogical Research at Virginia Tech. Much to my delight, Gordon agreed to join the team. His decision had to have been a bit scary to leave the well-established internationally known Mineralogy-Geochemistry Department at Penn State University and to go a virtually unknown sleepy school in Southwest Virginia with little or no reputation in mineralogy. I remember talking about my decision with one of my colleagues at Penn State. His comment was “Jerry, you’re going where? To Virginia Tech, we will never hear from you again!” Gordon hit the ground at Tech running. He wrote a Master’s thesis that was published in its entirety and then he undertook a comprehensive study of the crystal chemistry of the olivines that was published in the Reviews in Mineralogy. I know that several …
Rasch models of aphasic performance on syntactic comprehension tests.

Responses of 42 people with aphasia to 11 sentence types in enactment and sentence–picture matching tasks were characterized using Rasch models that varied in the inclusion of the factors of task, sentence type, and patient group. The best fitting models required the factors of task and patient group but not sentence type. The results provide evidence that aphasic syntactic comprehension is best accounted for by models that include different estimates of patient ability in different tasks and different difficulty of all sentences in different groups of patients, but that do not include different estimates of patient ability for different types of sentences.
Congenital Nystagmus and Sleep: A Replication

In 8 subjects with congenital nystagmus, clearly manifested nystagmus was present while awake, with eyes open and closed, and during a variety of experimental tests, but could not be definitely discerned during REM and NREM sleep stages. However, conjugate REMs were present during the REMPs of all 8 subjects and could not be distinguished from patterns recognized in normal subjects. Brief episodes of reduced amplitude series of jerks were occasionally observed which could be considered to be “depressed” nystagmus, but such phenomena have been observed in the records of normal subjects. This replicates the findings of our previous report.
Genetic testing by cancer site: urinary tract.

The roles of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and urothelial cancers of the upper urinary tract are often overlooked as indicators for genetic risk assessment. The key features of 5 hereditary cancer susceptibility conditions involving an increased risk for RCC are discussed. von Hippel-Lindau disease, hereditary papillary RCC, and hereditary leiomyomatosis and RCC each predispose to a specific histological type of RCC, whereas Birt-Hogg-Dube and hereditary paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma entail a variety of histologic findings. Familiarity with the rare or uncommon clinical features associated with these conditions, such as cutaneous neoplasms, paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma, and recurrent spontaneous pneumothoraces, aids in identifying patients with an underlying RCC susceptibility. A path to identifying syndromic cases lies in thorough investigation of the patient's medical history, their family history, and the histological type of RCC reported in the family. A guide to genetic predisposition testing for RCC is proposed. Upper urinary tract cancers in Lynch syndrome are also discussed.
Concentrations of radionuclides in Lake Ontario water from measurements on water treatment plant sludges

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to compare the results of indirect measurements of radionuclide concentrations in water with those measured directly. The levels of 137 Cs and 226 Ra in western Lake Ontario nearshore waters were derived from high-resolution γ-spectrometric measurements on aluminum hydroxide sludge samples obtained from four water treatment plants. The concentrations of 137 Cs evaluated by this indirect technique averaged 0.036 compared with 0.023 pCi l −1 measured directly, while those of 226 Ra averaged 0.047 compared with the direct measurement of 0.03 pCi l −1 . The concentrations of a number of other radionuclides at these locations were also calculated from the sludge γ-ray measurements.
Statistical Analysis of Fourier Coefficients in a Restricted Harmonic Dial

Due to the physical nature of certain periodic data, the harmonic dial points (the Fourier coefficients obtained from harmonic analysis of the data) are sometimes restricted to circular regions in the dial plane. It is proposed that a circular normal distribution (CND) truncated outside a circular region be used to describe the probabilistic behavior of the random phenomena. Recurrence relations for the population moments of a CND truncated outside a circular region are derived. These recurrence relations are used to obtain consistent asymptotically (jointly) normal estimators of the unknown parameters of the distribution. A numerical example based on the harmonic dial points representing the 27-day recurrence tendency of the daily international magnetic character-figureC i is given to illustrate the theory.
Theoretical description of pseudocubic manganites

A comprehensive theoretical model for the bulk manganite system ${\text{La}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{(\text{Ca},\text{Sr})}_{x}{\text{MnO}}_{3}$ is presented. The model includes local and cooperative Jahn-Teller distortions and the on-site Coulomb and exchange interactions. The model is solved in the single-site dynamical mean-field approximation using a solver based on the semiclassical approximation. The model semiquantitatively reproduces the observed phase diagram for the doping $0\ensuremath{\le}xl0.5$ and implies that the manganites are in the strong-coupling region but close to Mott insulator/metal phase boundary. The results establish a formalism for use in a broader range of calculations, for example, on heterostructures.
Inhibition by carbaryl of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in cultured rat lung cells.

The carbamate pesticide carbaryl rapidly inhibited DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in L-2 cells from rat lung. the inhibiton was partly reversible and was not accompanied by inhibiton of transport of tritiated precursors into intracellular pools or destruction of the integrity of the cell membrane.
Movement-related macropotentials in cat cortex.

Abstract Cats were implanted chronically posterior to the post-cruciate dimple and trained to perform a self-paced reaching behavior. Evoked potentials were observed contralateral but not ipsilateral to the moving limb. It was observed that irregular movements yielded poor evoked potential averages, whereas stereotyped behavioral responses produced typical looking average potentials. The latency of a late component in the evoked potential seemed linearly related to time of behavioral response termination. It was suggested that this latency—termination relation was secondarily generated by an instantaneous representation of limb displacement by evoked potential amplitude.
Client-side dynamic metadata in web 2.0

Web 2.0 brings with it new opportunities for deploying highly interactive webpages. A challenge for Web 2.0 developers is capturing information to document the user experience. Client-side dynamic metadata provides one solution to capturing and logging information on the client-side, while lowering the bandwidth requirements for communication with the server. This paper discusses the architecture of a proof-of-concept system, the Dynamic Metadata Prototype. The architecture is described as an AJAX Design Pattern.