cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maturation and Breeding of Blarina Brevicauda in Winter

Eighty-two short-tailed shrews, Blarina brevicauda, were collected between 1 October 1967 and 20 February 1968, in northern Wayne County, Pennsylvania. Only mature shrews, including four pregnant females, were caught between 15 and 19 February. Females in estrus were caught as early as 5 January. Numbers per sample were too small for accurately determining the beginning of the winter-spring breeding season, but these data establish the fact that shrews of both sexes mature and females become pregnant by mid-winter.
Concentration of Thiocyanate by the Choroid Plexus of the Rabbit in vitro.

SummaryThe choroid plexus of the rabbit was incubated in vitro in a medium containing S35 C N-. The thiocyanate was accumulated in the tissue against a gradient of concentration. The accumulation was impaired by both competitive and metabolic inhibitors and was proportional to the concentration of thiocyanate only at low concentration.
HYBRIDIZATION, HOMOGAMY, AND SYMPATRIC SPECIATION

Mayr (1947) has presented a strong case against the hypothesis of sympatric speciation in the course of supporting the universal hypothesis of geographic (or at least microgeographic) speciation. In the summary (p. 286) of that paper he made the following statement: "It is unproven and unlikely that reproductive isolation can develop between contiguous populations." Later, Grant (1949), in a discussion of pollination systems as isolating mechanisms, presented a model for sympatric speciation in angiosperms dependent on the known flower constancy of bees. This model indicated the means by which an important mutation in flower color or form might become established within a population, thus resulting in time in a new and well isolated species to which internal isolating mechanisms are unnecessary. In passing, the latter author suggested that hybridization might also provide an example of sympatric speciation. It is the purpose of the present paper to further develop this last hypothesis on the basis of a realistic model suggested by recent studies of hybridization and floral isolation in a group of Penstemon species. It is not the purpose of this paper to refute the general conclusions reached by Mayr (I.c.) on the importance of geographic speciation, but merely to indicate that sympatric speciation may be less unlikely than previously considered. The word, species, is here used in its biological sense.
A Blind Cricket-Locust (Typhloceuthophilus Floridanus n. gen. et sp.) Inhabiting Geomys Burrows in Peninsular Florida (Orthoptera, Gryllacrididae, Rhaphidophorinae)

The remarkable insect here described, which was discovered in 1938 by the late C. C. Goff[2][1], is a member of the peculiar assemblage of arthropods commensal in the burrows of Florida pocket-gophers ( Geomys floridanus subspp.). It is the first completely blind Rhaphidophorid to be made known, and is evidently highly adapted to its hypogeic commensal existence. [1]: #fn-2
\delta -Radius Unified Influence Value Reinforcement Learning

Nowadays Decentralized Partial Observable Markov Decision Process framework represents the actual state of art in Multi-Agent System. Dec-POMDP incorporates the concepts of independent view and message exchange to the original POMDP model, opening new possibilities about the independent views for each agent in the system. Nevertheless there are some limitations about the communication.
Seeing the forest through the trees: a meta-analysis of political budget cycles

Despite a vast number of articles, the political budget cycle literature contains many conflicting theories and empirical results. I conduct the first ever meta-analysis of this literature in order to establish whether a link between elections and government budgets exists. Using data on 1198 estimates across 88 studies published between 2000 and 2015, I find evidence of a statistically significant—yet substantively small—increase in government expenditures and public debt around elections, and reductions in revenues and fiscal balance. Using meta-regression analysis combined with Bayesian model averaging, I find support for some of the context-conditional theories in the literature. Although the findings of political budget cycles are robust to publication bias as well as some of the methodological- and study-specific choices authors are forced to make, they also shed light on how certain decisions may affect a study’s findings. This has implications for current and future research on political budget cycles.
Genetic predisposition to elevated levels of C-reactive protein is associated with a decreased risk for preeclampsia

ABSTRACTObjective: To examine the association between genetic predisposition to elevated C-reactive protein (CRP)and risk for preeclampsia using validated genetic loci for C-reactive protein. Methods: Preeclampsia cases (n = 177) and normotensive controls (n = 116) were selected from live birth certificates to nulliparous Iowa women during the period August 2002–May 2005. Disease status was verified by the medical chart review. Genetic predisposition to CRP was estimated by a genetic risk score on the basis of established loci for CRP levels. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships between the genotype score and preeclampsia. Replication analyses were performed in an independent, US population of preeclampsia cases (n = 516) and controls (n = 1,097) of European ancestry. Results: The genetic risk score (GRS) related to higher levels of CRP demonstrated a significantly decreased risk of preeclampsia (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82–0.96). When the GRS was analyzed by quartile, an inverse ...
Index to key words, taxa, geographical distribution, and authors

This index references the page numbers for the key words cited for the articles in these Proceedings, the taxonomic names and geographical names found in their titles and abstracts, and the authors by family name.
Functional, quality of life, and neurodevelopmental outcomes after congenital cardiac surgery

Throughout the past few decades, advances in cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and surgical techniques have resulted in a growing cohort of thriving school-aged children with previously lethal complex congenital heart diseases. While survival has increased, there remains significant morbidity following repair including neurodevelopmental sequelae. Compared to children with a structurally normal heart, these infants and children have a higher frequency of abnormalities in tone, feeding, and delayed developmental milestones, as well as challenges with speech and learning disabilities, while a higher proportion of adolescents suffer from problems with processing speed, executive function, and a unique set of medical hardships related to exercise intolerance and obesity, medication burden, and mental health comorbidities. Innovative perioperative techniques and early psychosocial intervention in these young survivors has shown that despite the obstacles, the majority of these children can grow to have fulfilling lives with intelligence and social skills in the normal range. Additionally, a comprehensive medical home aids in optimizing the quality of life for these children and their families.
Solving nonlinearly separable classifications in a single-layer neural network

Since the work of Minsky and Papert 1969, it has been understood that single-layer neural networks cannot solve nonlinearly separable classifications i.e., XOR. We describe and test a novel divergent autoassociative architecture capable of solving nonlinearly separable classifications with a single layer of weights. The proposed network consists of class-specific linear autoassociators. The power of the model comes from treating classification problems as within-class feature prediction rather than directly optimizing a discriminant function. We show unprecedented learning capabilities for a simple, single-layer network i.e., solving XOR and demonstrate that the famous limitation in acquiring nonlinearly separable problems is not just about the need for a hidden layer; it is about the choice between directly predicting classes or learning to classify indirectly by predicting features.
Water-food-energy nexus index to maximize the economic water and energy productivity in an optimal cropping pattern

ABSTRACTThis article illustrates a method for applying the water-food-energy nexus approach to propose an optimal cropping pattern. The proposed cropping pattern maximizes economic water and energy productivity and minimizes water and energy use. Through this method a water-food-energy nexus index is applied. A case study from Egypt is applied to illustrate the method.
Water and temperature requirements for growth and possible role in infecting cave crickets by the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria caledonica isolated from the cave beetle, Darlingtonea kentuckensis (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

This is the first report that adult cave beetles Darlingtonea kentuckensis carry the fungus Beauveria caledonica . This fungus was isolated from dead beetles, collected from the Garbage Pit entrance in Sloans Cave in south-central Kentucky (Pulaski County), USA. The beetles were collected in late September, from soil and guano mixtures that were on the ground nearby ceiling roosts of cave crickets, Hadenoecus spp, in the twilight zone. Beauveria caledonica was the largest single fungal component, comprising 46% of the beetle mycoflora: 31/67 total body isolates from n = 6 beetles. Fungus identification was based on 99% ITS Blast match to other B . caledonica strains (Rehner et al. 2011). An isolate of this fungus is deposited at University of Alberta Microfungus Collection and Herbarium (UAMH), Toronto, Canada. The isolate is listed as B . caledonica strain UAMH 11912. Other components of the beetle mycoflora consisted of 16% Aspergillus (11/67 isolates), 10% Penicillium (7/67 isolates), 10% Mucor (7/67 isolates), 6% Mortierella (4/67 isolates), 3% Cladosporium (2/67 isolates), and 8% unidentified (5/67 isolates) that failed to yield identifiable spore characteristics. Keith Philips identified the beetles, and vouchers are at the Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA (supporting references: Barr 1979; Boyd 2015).
Making Peace in Drug Wars : Crackdowns and Cartels in Latin America

Over the past thirty years, a new form of conflict has ravaged Latin America's largest countries, with well-armed drug cartels fighting not only one another but the state itself. In Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil, leaders cracked down on cartels in hopes of restoring the rule of law and the state's monopoly on force. Instead, cartels fought back - with bullets and bribes - driving spirals of violence and corruption that make mockeries of leaders' state-building aims. Fortunately, some policy reforms quickly curtailed cartel-state conflict, but they proved tragically difficult to sustain. Why do cartels fight states, if not to topple or secede from them? Why do some state crackdowns trigger and exacerbate cartel-state conflict, while others curb it? This study argues that brute-force repression generates incentives for cartels to fight back, while policies that condition repression on cartel violence can effectively deter cartel-state conflict. The politics of drug war, however, make conditional policies all too fragile.
Cadherins and Synapse Organization

Cadherins are a large superfamily of cell adhesion molecules defined by the presence of multiple extracellular copies of the cadherin motif. The classical, seven-pass transmembrane (Flamingo), protocadherin, and Fat cadherins are expressed in synapses and control synapse formation, function, and plasticity. The classical cadherins regulate axon–target interactions as well as pre- and postsynaptic differentiation. Flamingo cadherins appear to act at early stages of synapse development. Protocadherins regulate synaptic density and seem likely to regulate synaptic specificity. Fat cadherins control organization of the F-actin cytoskeleton and are highly expressed in the brain, but their synaptic roles remain to be studied.
Finite element modeling of residual stresses in austenitic stainless steel pipe girth welds

Three-dimensional finite element modeling of residual stresses in a girth-welded pipe is presented in this paper, with an emphasis on modeling procedures for the global residual stress characteristics. The shell element model with a heat source moving along the circumferential joint is demonstrated to be cost effective and capable of predicting the global residual stress features. Transient residual stress behaviors near the weld start and stop locations are discussed. The effects of pipe wall thickness and welding speed on residual stresses also are presented in this paper.
Varicella-Zoster Virus Vaccine: Molecular Genetics

The genetic differences that potentially account for the attenuation of the Oka vaccine VZV preparation are more clearly defined than for perhaps any other vaccine in current use. This is due in large part to the small number of differences between the vaccine and the parental strain from which it was derived, and to the high level of genomic conservation that characterizes VZV. This information has been used with great success to develop methods that discriminate vaccine from wild-type strains, to begin determining which specific vaccine markers contribute to the attenuated phenotype, to improve evaluations of vaccine efficacy and safety, and to observe the behavior of the live, attenuated preparation as it becomes more prevalent through widespread immunization.
Drug Cues: Significance of Conditioning Factors in Drug Abuse and Addiction

The conditioning of the subjective effects of drugs or alcohol with environmental stimuli is a major factor in the abuse potential of these substances. Conditioned responses to such stimuli can activate brain reward mechanisms and have been implicated in the initiation, maintenance, and extinction of self-administration of drugs. Drug-paired conditional stimuli can produce responses that resemble the effects of the unconditioned drug stimulus, such as locomotor activation or by, acting as secondary reinforcers maintaining responding under second-order schedules of reinforcement, and reinstating extinguished drug-seeking similar to the effects of a small dose of the drug itself. Several of these effects are subject to conditioned sensitization and thought to reflect the incentive motivational properties of drug-associated cues that underlie drug seeking and recidivism in dependent individuals. Exposure to drug-related stimuli or events has been recognized as a major factor in precipitating craving and relapse in humans. Extensive studies in animals have confirmed that exposure to environmental stimuli that have become associated with the reinforcing actions of drugs of abuse – either by means of classical conditioning or by acting as contextual stimuli signaling drug availability – reliably elicit drug-seeking behavior and reinstate drug-seeking responses in animals in which this behavior had been previously extinguished. Finally, stimuli associated with opiate withdrawal elicit withdrawal-like symptoms that may precipitate resumption of drug use.
Congenital cytomegalovirus: Impact on child health

Despite the high prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus, many pediatricians and even obstetricians lack knowledge and awareness of the adverse sequelae of this disease on children.
A tale of two clocks: phosphorylation of NICD by CDKs links cell cycle and segmentation clock

The Notch signaling pathway is tightly controlled via post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that promote or terminate pathway activity. In this issue, Carrieri et al [1] show that phosphorylation of the Notch intracellular domain (NICD) by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) suppresses Notch activity by promoting NICD turnover. These findings link Notch pathway activity to the cell cycle, and the authors propose connections between this regulation and the segmentation clock that times embryonic somitogenesis.
International politics by other means: External sources of civil war:

The literature on civil wars has recently turned towards their international context but lacks an account for how conflict beyond a state’s borders contributes to civil war onset. I argue that inte...
Bacterial and Somatic Cell Counts in Bulk Tank Milk from Nine Well Managed Herds1.

Factors associated with bulk tank milk bacterial and somatic cell counts were investigated for one year on nine well managed dairies. Geometric mean total bacterial count among dairies was 4.4 × 103 colony cfu/ml. Geometric mean bulk tank milk somatic cell counts among herds was 265 × 103ml. Bacterial counts in bulk tank milk were correlated with rates of coliform and environmental streptococcal clinical mastitis cases. Rates of total clinical cases were also correlated with bulk tank milk somatic cell counts. Correlations were measured among bulk tank milk bacterial counts and gram-negative bacterial, coliform, Klebsiella species, and streptococcal counts in materials used to bed lactating cows. Total bacterial and staphylococcal bulk tank milk counts increased when synthetic rubber liners were used greater than 800 quarter milkings. Correlations measured indicated that monitoring bulk tank milk may be an effective means of detecting management changes in herds with low bacterial and milk somatic cell counts.
Developing Evidence-Based Assessment to Prevent Over- or Underidentification of Disorders for New Language Learners

Purpose The purpose of this review article is to present certain linguistic domains to consider in the assessment of children learning a new language. Speech-language pathologists frequently face d...
70. WOULD YOU BE MY MENTOR? COULD YOU BE MY MENTOR? UNLOCKING A RESIDENTS SUPERPOWER OF PEER MENTORSHIP

Background Pediatric training can be a time of great growth, but includes psychological, mental, and physical challenges 1 . In-person mentorship is key in promoting fulfillment in medical practice and equipping people for professional success 2 . A formalized peer mentorship program among residents can serve as a key measure to improve pediatric training programs and combat barriers in medical education. Objective: To develop a formal mentorship program, Residents As Mentors (RAM), for all residents to serve as mentors and mentees throughout their training. The program creates a network where residents have a well-defined resource for questions, concerns, and advice. Through mentorship, residents’ abilities to achieve personal, professional, and program clinical rotation goals will be enhanced. Methods A pre-participation survey sent to all 52 of the Saint Louis University pediatric residents was used to assess existing informal mentorship and aid in developing formal resident mentorship. PL1 resident mentees were paired with PL3 resident mentors. A RAM handbook, including outlines of inpatient rotations, tips for completion of scholarly and clinical work, as well as tools for building resilience and self-care, was provided to facilitate mentorship. Participation, efficacy, and challenges of the program were assessed by surveys throughout the academic year. Results Pre-participation survey were completed by 39 of 52 (75%) of residents, including all levels. Prior to RAM initiation, 89.2% had an individual to contact regarding concerns, 48.6% had an informal resident mentor, and 50% actively mentored a peer. 54.5% of residents identified faculty as the main source of mentorship, with peers following at 36.4%. 91.3% of respondents favored formalized peer mentorship. Surveys completed by PL1 and PL3 residents 6 months after implementation of RAM revealed 64.3% found the program helpful, 57.14% had an increased level of confidence, and 42.9% endorsed building upon their leadership skills as a result of the program.
“I Wish Dance Class NEVER Ended”: An Activist Approach to Teaching Dance

In an attempt to respond to the calls for dance educators to explore alternatives to harmful authoritarian teaching practices, we propose that one such route forward is an Activist Approach to teac...
How Does Cochlear Implantation Lead to Improvements on a Cognitive Screening Measure

Purpose Cognitive screening tools to identify patients at risk for cognitive deficits are frequently used by clinicians who work with aging populations in hearing health care. Although some studies...
In the Salons of Mariquita Sánchez: Tertulias, Culture, and Politics in Nineteenth-Century Buenos Aires and Montevideo

Mariquita Sanchez hosted an influential literary salon, or tertulia, in her magnificent home in Buenos Aires in the early nineteenth century. Her salon, along with those of others, created a space for locals and foreigners to meet, dance, and converse about the latest trends in literature, music, art, and politics in the developing nation of Argentina. Even during her self-imposed exile after 1837, Mariquita kept up her salon-like activities in Montevideo, serving as inspiration and mentor to a remarkable group of young statesmen who would shape Argentina in the second half of the nineteenth century. By looking through the window of her salon, we can glimpse the important cultural and political role played by Mariquita and others in the early nation-building efforts in Buenos Aires.
Isolated Agenesis of Septum Pellucidum and Adult-Onset Seizure Tendency With Eye Closure Sensitivity

Septum pellucidum is a thin midline membrane that separates the anterior horns of the lateral ventricle. Agenesis of septum pellucidum (ASP) is considered a continuum of forebrain maldevelopment. Isolated ASP is a rare radiographic finding of unclear significance. We report a case of a 42-year-old male with ASP who presented with a new-onset seizure and eye closure sensitivity seen in the electroencephalogram. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain confirmed the ASP. In the absence of data about the association between seizure and ASP, further studies are needed to determine its significance.
In situ experimental evaluation of a novel modular living wall system for industrial symbiosis

Abstract The emerging concept of Industrial Symbiosis (IS) is becoming an important strategy to achieving goals of the circular economy paradigm shift. In this interdisciplinary study between academia and the industry, large and consistent volumes of predictably sized waste prompt sheet metals obtained from standard stamping and blanking processes at the automotive industry during production of automobile bodies were used to design and fabricate planters in a custom-designed modular living wall system (MLWS) which was installed as a retrofit on an existing building facade. This study is the second part of an attempt to foster IS between the automotive and building and construction industries through creative architectural reuse of these automotive by-products and waste-flows for more sustainable MLWS. Experimental data from field observations of a case study were used to calibrate 24-hour simulations of four seasons in ENVI-met. Life cycle analyses were carried out using Tally a Revit plug-in and United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Waste Reduction Model. Results showed that the MLWS has a promising cooling effect on the brick building facade when compared to bare brick surface. Applying reuse strategy in IS could reduce heat islands, greenhouse gas emissions and energy from conventional recycling practices of prompt metal.
Indoor radio propagation modeling for system performance prediction

This thesis aims at proposing all the possible enhancements for the Multi-Resolution Frequency-Domain ParFlow (MR-FDPF) model. As a deterministic radio propagation model, the MR-FDPF model possesses the property of a high level of accuracy, but it also suffers from some common limitations of deterministic models. For instance, realistic radio channels are not deterministic but a kind of random processes due to, e.g. moving people or moving objects, thus they can not be completely described by a purely deterministic model. In this thesis, a semi-deterministic model is proposed based on the deterministic MR-FDPF model which introduces a stochastic part to take into account the randomness of realistic radio channels. The deterministic part of the semi-deterministic model is the mean path loss, and the stochastic part comes from the shadow fading and the small scale fading. Besides, many radio propagation simulators provide only the mean power predictions. However, only mean power is not enough to fully describe the behavior of radio channels. It has been shown that fading has also an important impact on the radio system performance. Thus, a fine radio propagation simulator should also be able to provide the fading information, and then an accurate Bit Error Rate (BER) prediction can be achieved. In this thesis, the fading information is extracted based on the MR-FDPF model and then a realistic BER is predicted. Finally, the realistic prediction of the BER allows the implementation of the adaptive modulation scheme. This has been done in the thesis for three systems, the Single-Input Single-Output (SISO) systems, the Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) diversity systems and the wideband Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems.
Identification of two protein kinases that phosphorylate the neural cell-adhesion molecule, N-CAM

The neural cell-adhesion molecule (N-CAM) is detected as at least 3 related polypeptides generated by alternative splicing of a single gene. In vivo the 2 larger polypeptides are phosphorylated, but the smallest polypeptide, which lacks a cytoplasmic domain, is not. We have found that the 2 larger polypeptides are phosphorylated in vivo on several common phosphorylation sites. Furthermore, the largest polypeptide has additional sites, suggesting that some phosphorylation occurs in that portion of the intracellular region unique to it. In vitro N-CAM is not a substrate for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I, II, or III, protein kinase C, or casein kinase II. However, we have isolated 2 protein kinases from mammalian and avian brain that phosphorylate rodent and chicken N-CAM. On the basis of their chromatographic behavior and substrate specificity, the 2 kinases are glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) and casein kinase I (CK I). The 2 kinases phosphorylate N-CAM rapidly, to a high stoichiometry and with a low Km for N-CAM, suggesting that the phosphorylation of N-CAM by these kinases is physiologically relevant. Both enzymes phosphorylate the 2 larger N-CAM polypeptides in vitro in the cytoplasmic domain on threonyl residues that are phosphorylated to a low level in vivo. In addition, the threonyl residues are close to seryl residues phosphorylated to a high level in vivo. Prior phosphorylation at the in vivo sites appears to be a prerequisite for phosphorylation by GSK-3 and CK I. Taken together, the results suggest that N-CAM may be physiologically phosphorylated on 2 sets of interrelated sites, one demonstrable in vivo and one in vitro. Phosphorylation on the “in vivo” sites is resistant to dephosphorylation and may be constitutive, while phosphorylation on the “in vitro” sites is much more labile.
C-arm tracking and reconstruction without an external tracker

For quantitative C-arm fluoroscopy, we have developed a unified mathematical framework to tackle the issues of intra-operative calibration, pose estimation, correspondence and reconstruction, without the use of optical/electromagnetic trackers or precision-made fiducial fixtures. Our method uses randomly distributed unknown points in the imaging volume, either naturally present or induced by randomly sticking beads or other simple markers in the image pace. After these points are segmented, a high dimensional non-linear optimization computes all unknown parameters for calibration, C-arm pose, correspondence and reconstruction. Preliminary phantom experiments indicate an average C-arm tracking accuracy of 0.9o and a 3D reconstruction error of 0.8 mm, with an 8o region of convergence for both the AP and lateral axes. The method appears to be sufficiently accurate for many clinical applications, and appealing since it works without any external instrumentation and does not interfere with the workspace.
Accounting for imperfect detection and survey bias in statistical analysis of presence‐only data

Aim During the past decade ecologists have attempted to estimate the parameters of species distribution models by combining locations of species presence observed in opportunistic surveys with spatially referenced covariates of occurrence. Several statistical models have been proposed for the analysis of presence-only data, but these models have largely ignored the effects of imperfect detection and survey bias. In this paper I describe a model-based approach for the analysis of presence-only data that accounts for errors in the detection of individuals and for biased selection of survey locations. Innovation I develop a hierarchical, statistical model that allows presence-only data to be analysed in conjunction with data acquired independently in planned surveys. One component of the model specifies the spatial distribution of individuals within a bounded, geographic region as a realization of a spatial point process. A second component of the model specifies two kinds of observations, the detection of individuals encountered during opportunistic surveys and the detection of individuals encountered during planned surveys. Main conclusions Using mathematical proof and simulation-based comparisons, I demonstrate that biases induced by errors in detection or biased selection of survey locations can be reduced or eliminated by using the hierarchical model to analyse presence-only data in conjunction with counts observed in planned surveys. I show that a relatively small number of high-quality data (from planned surveys) can be used to leverage the information in presence-only observations, which usually have broad spatial coverage but may not be informative of both occurrence and detectability of individuals. Because a variety of sampling protocols can be used in planned surveys, this approach to the analysis of presence-only data is widely applicable. In addition, since the point-process model is formulated at the level of an individual, it can be extended to account for biological interactions between individuals and temporal changes in their spatial distributions.
Fetal Anticonvulsant Syndrome

Fetal anticonvulsant syndrome refers to the increased birth prevalence of major malformations and the characteristic pattern of minor anomalies identified in some children born to women who have taken antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy. The major malformations described most frequently are those common in the general population: congenital heart defects, cleft lip and/or cleft palate, and genitourinary abnormalities. There is an even greater birth prevalence of major malformations in children born to women taking two antiepileptic drugs, and the prevalence of major malformations continues to increase with each additional antiepileptic drug taken during pregnancy. Microcephaly or growth retardation may be observed, particularly when there has been exposure to multiple antiepileptic drugs. A characteristic pattern of minor anomalies may be observed, including midface and digital hypoplasia, and there is an increased incidence of hemorrhagic disease of the newborn in children exposed to phenytoin, carbamazepine, and phenobarbital., We discuss the evaluation and management of children exposed to antiepileptic drugs in utero. Keywords: fetal anticonvulsant syndrome; anticonvulsant embryopathy; fetal hydantoin syndrome; fetal valproate syndrome; carbamazepine embryopathy
Generation of Terahertz Regime Radiation by Microfabricated Folded Waveguide Traveling Wave Tubes

The fabrication of a Terahertz regime folded waveguide traveling wave tube (FWTWT) using MEMs microfabrication techniques is currently underway. Recent developments in the design, fabrication method, and measured data will be presented.
Polynomial Coefficient Enumeration

Let $f(x_1,...,x_k)$ be a polynomial over a field $K$. This paper considers such questions as the enumeration of the number of nonzero coefficients of $f$ or of the number of coefficients equal to $\alpha\in K^*$. For instance, if $K=\ff_q$ then a matrix formula is obtained for the number of coefficients of $f^n$ that are equal to $\alpha\in \ff_q^*$, as a function of $n$. Many additional results are obtained related to such areas as lattice path enumeration and the enumeration of integer points in convex polytopes.
Involvement of rho and rho-associated kinase in sphincteric smooth muscle contraction by angiotensin II.

The tonic smooth muscles of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and internal anal sphincter (IAS) are subject to modulation by the neurohumoral agents. We report that angiotensin (Ang) II-induced cont...
Diagnostic dilatation and curettage as an outpatient procedure

The data for this study is based on 403 women undergoing dilatation and curettage and representing all aspects of an average clinic population cross-section in age parity and health. This method (dilatation and curettage) is extensively used for detection of cancer of the corporeal endometrium. Exposure of the cervix and vaginal fornices was the biggest problem in terms of applying the technique. There were basic contraindications to office curettage including intact hymen marked obesity of the patient leading to difficult positioning inebriation etc. Generally the patients agreed that the operation was less painful than the extraction of a tooth. 91% of the patients did not have any complications. There were 2 uterine perforations and one cervical laceration.
Determination and application of the atomic geometries of solid surfaces

Abstract In order to calculate the electronic charge density and excitation spectra associated with a surface, the positions of the atomic constituents in the vicinity of the surface must be known. This paper is an assessment of the accuracy with which these positions can be determined by state-of-the-art analyses of experimental measurements, especially elastic low-energy electron diffraction, ion scattering spectroscopy (at both medium and high energies), and photoemission spectroscopy. The methodology is that of comparing the results of various techniques as applied to specific systems. Our major finding is that when carefully and accurately applied, the various methods provide structural results which are consistent to within about 0.1 A. Perusal of the literature reveals larger discrepancies which, however, have exhibited a tendency to disappear as a function of increasing time once conflicting results became sufficiently precisely specified that the origin of the discrepancies could be identified and resolved. The examples of Pt(111), GaAs(110) and CO on Ni(100) provide explicit examples of the convergence of the various spectroscopies to common results with the passage of time. Finally, two applications of spectroscopically-determined surface structures are illustrated: the determination of surface states at the GaAs(110) surface and the description of the nature and consequences of Al replacement reactions at Al-semiconductor interfaces.
The excitement of science

The Science of Pleasure: Cosmos and Psyche in the Bourgeois World View, by Harvie Ferguson, London: Routledge, 1990, 364 pages, pb £12.99
Temporary Suppression of Streptococcus mutans in Humans through Topical Application of Vancomycin

Vancomycin, an antibiotic with desirable properties for oral usage, was applied in a 15% gel formulation to the teeth of children, and as a 1% paste to the teeth of young adults. Temporary suppression was observed in the presence of Streptococcus mutans, an organism which has been implicated in human dental caries.
Variations in CCL3L gene cluster sequence and non-specific gene copy numbers

Copy number variations (CNVs) of the gene CC chemokine ligand 3-like1 (CCL3L1) have been implicated in HIV-1 susceptibility, but the association has been inconsistent. CCL3L1 shares homology with a cluster of genes localized to chromosome 17q12, namely CCL3, CCL3L2, and, CCL3L3. These genes are involved in host defense and inflammatory processes. Several CNV assays have been developed for the CCL3L1 gene. Through pairwise and multiple alignments of these genes, we have shown that the homology between these genes ranges from 50% to 99% in complete gene sequences and from 70-100% in the exonic regions, with CCL3L1 and CCL3L3 being identical. By use of MEGA 4 and BioEdit, we aligned sense primers, anti-sense primers, and probes used in several previously described assays against pre-multiple alignments of all four chemokine genes. Each set of probes and primers aligned and matched with overlapping sequences in at least two of the four genes, indicating that previously utilized RT-PCR based CNV assays are not specific for only CCL3L1. The four available assays measured median copies of 2 and 3-4 in European and African American, respectively. The concordance between the assays ranged from 0.44-0.83 suggesting individual discordant calls and inconsistencies with the assays from the expected gene coverage from the known sequence. This indicates that some of the inconsistencies in the association studies could be due to assays that provide heterogenous results. Sequence information to determine CNV of the three genes separately would allow to test whether their association with the pathogenesis of a human disease or phenotype is affected by an individual gene or by a combination of these genes.
Science studies: bringing the big issues back in

L'A. repond a l'article de L. Leydesdorff intutile «Exchange on the Cognitive Dimension as a Problem for Empirical Research in Science Studies», en emettant des doutes quant a la necessite de reintroduire des unites cognitives de l'analyse dans l'etude scientifique, et quant a la validite d'un scheme multi-dimensionnel de la sience au regard de l'heritage de la grande theorie
Residual stress determination in thermally sprayed coatings—a comparison of curvature models and X-ray techniques

Abstract Residual stresses were calculated from the curvature of coating-substrate coupons using three different models: a simple two-beam elastic model, the Tsui–Clyne progressive deposition model, and the Tsui–Clyne progressive deposition model with substrate plasticity. The coatings studied were metallic and prepared by high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying. The calculated stresses were compared to those measured on the same coupons using X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Coating surface stresses calculated using the two-beam elastic model disagreed with those measured using XRD for coupons with significant curvature. Trends in residual stresses (with varying coating and substrate thickness, substrate material, and HVOF spray particle velocity) predicted by the elastic and elastic-plastic versions of the Tsui–Clyne progressive deposition model agreed with the trends measured by XRD. The magnitudes of stresses calculated using the Tsui–Clyne model agreed with the XRD measurements for coatings sprayed at low particle velocities but were significantly more compressive for coatings sprayed at higher velocities. Accounting for substrate plasticity in the Tsui–Clyne model improved the agreement with the XRD results, but only slightly.
Comparison of Redox Indicators in a Paddy Soil during Rice-Growing Season

The objective of this study was to compare three methods of evaluating redox status, i.e., conventional redox potential (E H ) measurement, terminal electron-accepting processes (TEAPs) and oxidative capacity (OXC) in pore waters of a paddy soil during the rice-growing season. The redox potential can be measured readily which can monitor progressive development of reducing conditions and distinguish oxic from anoxic conditions but with little information on specific redox processes under anoxic conditions. Identifying dominant TEAPs requires intensive data collection and analysis. The sequence of TEAPs development basically followed theoretical predictions but overlapping, typically among Mn, Fe, SO 2- 4 -S reductions and methane production, was featured throughout the season. The measured dissolved H 2 gas as the intermediate product, reflected the overlap among electron acceptors. Oxidative capacity integrated all the major oxidized and reduced species to a single conservative parameter and showed dearly the progressive redox status from oxic to postoxic and then to sulfidic conditions in the paddies with no apparent methanic condition during this particular growing season. In OXC computations, a more reliable method to estimate Mn and Fe oxyhydroxide concentrations as electron acceptors needs further testing. The measured E H showed a higher correlation to redox species Mn(II), Fe(II) and methane concentrations (r 2 = 0.76, 0.73, and 0.76, respectively) than to dissolved O 2 (DO), NO - 3 -N, and SO 2- 4 -S (r 2 = 0.53, 0.37, and 0.16, respectively). Measured E H was also highly correlated to OXC for low sulfate solutions. The three methods for evaluating redox status all indicated that more reducing conditions were developed in straw-incorporated paddies than that with straw-burned.
An Algorithm for Retrieving Water Vapor Profiles in Clear and Cloudy Atmospheres from 183 GHz Radiometric Measurements: Simulation Studies

The latent heat represented by atmospheric water vapor is extremely important to the energetics of the earth system. Future satellites (NOAA and DMSP) will carry microwave radiometers designed to measure the profile of water vapor globally. The problem of retrieving water vapor from the measurements is highly nonlinear even in clear atmospheres and the addition of clouds only makes it more so. In this paper, an algorithm with several novel features, which will retrieve water vapor profiles from microwave radiometric measurements even in the presence of clouds, is developed. Simulations with this algorithm show a vertical resolution on the order of 3 km and that clouds are well handled in many, but not all, circumstances. The most surprising result is that clouds can actually improve the vertical resolution of the retrieval.
On maximal operators along surfaces

In this paper, we establish the boundedness of the following maximal operator $$Mf(x,x_n ) = \mathop {\sup }\limits_{r > 0} \left\{ {\frac{1}{{r^{n - 1} }}\int_{\left| y \right| \leqslant r} {\left| {f(x - y,x_n - \Gamma (y))} \right|dy} } \right\}(x,y \in R^{n - 1} ,x_n \in R)$$ onLp (Rn) for allp>1, n≥2, where Γ(y)≡Γ(|y|) is a real, measurable, and radial function defined onRn−1.
MagCloud: magazine self-publishing for the long tail

ABSTRACT In June of 2008, Hewlett-Packard Labs launched MagCloud, a print-on-demand web service for magazine self-publishing. MagCloud enables anyone to publish their own magazine by simply uploading a PDF file to the site. There are no setup fees, minimum print runs, storage requirements or waste due to unsold magazines. Magazines are only printed when an order is placed, and are shipped directly to the end customer. In the course of building this web service, a number of technological challenges were encountered. In th is paper, we will discuss these challenges and the methods used to overcome them. Perhaps the most important decisi on in enabling the successful launch of MagCloud was the choice to offer a single product. This si mplified the PDF validation phase and streamlined the print fulfillment process such that orders can be printed, folded and trimmed in batches, rather than one-by-one. In a sense, MagCloud adopted the Ford Model T approach to manufacturing, where having just a single model with little or no options allows for efficiencies in the production line, enabling a lower product price and opening the market to a much larger customer base. This platform has resulted in a number of new niche publications  the long tail of publishing. Keywords: digital publishing, e-commerce, web-to-print, long tail
Current state of in vivo confocal microscopy in management of microbial keratitis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review the current literature on in vivo confocal microscopy of the cornea and to discuss the current clinical indications for its use in microbial keratitis.Methods: Review of select recent literature on in vivo confocal microscopy and atypical microbial keratitis.Results: Delayed diagnosis of Acanthamoeba and fungal keratitis is typical, resulting in significant vision loss. This is partially due to the low sensitivity and time delay of corneal cultures. In the hands of an experienced viewer, the confocal microscope has been found to have a sensitivity of up to 90% in the diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis and close to 80% for fungal keratitis.Conclusion: In vivo confocal microscopy is emerging as a tool for rapid diagnoses in severe infectious keratitis with high sensitivity. In addition, it can be used to monitor treatment response, allowing guidance to clinicians for medical or surgical management.
Q for P Waves in the Sediments of the Virginia Coastal Plain

The seismic quality factor Q for P waves in Atlantic Coastal Plain sediments is estimated using data from the 2004 U.S. Geological Survey seismic survey in eastern Virginia. The estimates are based on spectral ratios derived from reflections and sediment-guided P waves in Late Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments within the annular trough of the Late Eocene Chesapeake Bay impact structure. The estimates of Q for the frequency range of 10–150 Hz are from 75 to 100, with the best estimate of 80 based on multichannel stacking of spectral ratios from receivers in the offset range of 200–2000 m. This result is approximately a factor of 2 larger than the results previously reported for the Charleston, South Carolina, area, and it is approximately one-half of that recently reported for the Mississippi Embayment.
Photon fluence spectra and absorbed dose in water irradiated by cladded 60Co source plaques

Abstract It seems there are little or no quantitative data on the photon fluence spectra as a function of depth in a product that pertain to the irradiation by large plaque sources used in radiation processing. Such data can be used to determine absorbed-dose correction factors for dosimeters whose energy response differs from that of the product material. The present work describes Monte Carlo calculations that have been done to obtain this information. The assumed configuration typifies the irradiation of a unit-density product by a large plaque source comprised of a uniform distribution of AECL Type C-188 source pencils. The calculations take into account pair-production, Compton, and photoelectric interactions in the 60 Co slug, the Zircalloy/steel inner/outer capsule wall materials, and the 45-cm thick water targets on both sides of the plaque source. The calculated photon fluence spectra are used to assess the ratio of the dose in various thick dosimeters to that in the water product. Dosimeter materials of C, LiF, Li 2 B 4 O 7 , SiO 2 , PMMA, nylon, and alanine and of ferrous sulfate, ceric sulfate, K-Ag dichromate, and ethanol-chlorobenzene solutions have been considered.
The ratio of full length IgY to truncated IgY in immune complexes affects macrophage phagocytosis and the acute phase response of mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos).

Ducks produce a full length IgY and a truncated isoform (IgYDeltaFc). IgY and IgY(DeltaFc) were isolated from ducks vaccinated against Escherichia coli and used to make E.coli-Ig immune complexes (IC). Phagocytosis of IC by duck monocytes decreased directly with the proportion of IgYDeltaFc (p<0.001). IC containing IgY:IgY(DeltaFc) at ratios of 100:0, 50:50, 0:100, and 0:0 (E. coli alone) were injected intravenously into naive mallard ducks. At 24 h after injection, plasma hemopexin levels were higher in ducks given either the 0:100 ratio or the 100:0 ratio than those given 50:50 or E. coli alone (p<0.005) Liver IL-1beta mRNA levels followed a similar pattern. Splenic IL-1beta mRNA decreased markedly as the proportion of IgY(DeltaFc) increased (p<0.01) Thus, IgY(DeltaFc) may shift the response to IC from the spleen to the liver as infections progress from acute to chronic.