cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coming Home: Pynchon's Morning in America

Vineland (1990) is a provocative, rambling meditation on the aftermath of that periodization of American history known as "the sixties." We are in 1984, after the Nixonian repression, at the height of Reagan's triumph. The surface of Pynchon's novel obsessively, distractingly (distressingly to some), bears witness to the impact of media and popular culture on those who would examine the recent past. A faultless ear for reminiscences and questions carries forward the soul-searching the predicament demands. We "listen" to the self-indulgence of zany and marginal types, hippies who were "turned" to work for the other side, as their would-be revolution fizzled. Pynchon pushes his characters to the edge of madness, through the discovery of the cynical manipulation and make-believe which brought down the dream.
Will rural family medicine residency training survive

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Rural family medicine residencies may be more threatened by declining interest in family medicine than their urban counterparts. This study examines the recent performance of rural residencies in the National Resident Matching Program as an indicator of their viability. METHODS: We surveyed all 30 family medicine residencies located in rural areas during the summer of 2004 and a geographically matched sample of 31 urban residencies. We gathered information about the matching process for 2002, 2003, and 2004. The response rate was 70.5%. RESULTS: Rural programs offer about one third fewer first-year (postgraduate year 1 [PGY-1]) positions than their urban counterparts. Rural programs had lower Match rates (60.1%) than urban programs (72.5%) in 2004 but no meaningful differences in the proportion of international medical graduates (IMGs) or osteopathic physicians (DOs) who ultimately accepted positions. The 44.2% of residencies that predicted they would be thriving 2 years in the future filled an average of 81.3% of their slots on Match Day; there were no rural/urban differences. Programs with less-optimistic appraisals of their future had much lower Match rates. Two factors were associated with lower Match rates when other variables were taken into account: the proportion of IMGs in the 2 previous entering years and a stated rural mission. CONCLUSIONS: Rural programs appear to be slightly less stable than their urban counterparts, but the differences are minor. The viability of rural family medicine residency programs is probably affected more by the overall attractiveness of family medicine as a discipline rather than the rural or urban location of the residency.
Roles of oxygen and oxygen substitutes in DNA sugar damage by antitumor antibiotics.

Oxidative damage to the deoxyribose backbone of DNA produced by ionizing radiation and antitumor antibiotics (e.g., bleomycin) generally involves oxygen at two stages in the damage process: 1) “reactive oxygen” (OH radical or its equivalent) as the hydrogen atom abstracting species, generating a carbon-centered radical on the deoxyribose, and 2) addition of dioxygen to the latter to “fix” the lesion in a form not readily repaired. By contrast, neocarzinostatin (NCS) is a member of a class of antitumor antibiotics that binds specifically to DNA and is itself converted to a radical species that directly attacks the DNA sugar. Dioxygen or its substitute is involved only after generation of the DNA damage intermediate. This review will focus on the roles of dioxygen and oxygen substitutes, the nitroaromatic radiation sensitizers, in the formation of novel types of oxidative DNA sugar damage by NCS.
Early urgent cranioplasty for symptomatic hygroma: Report of two cases

Following craniectomy, hygromas are relatively common. While many cases resolve spontaneously, some patients develop neurologic deficits. Management of symptomatic hygromas often involves shunting or drainage. We present two patients who three weeks after decompressive hemicraniectomy developed declining neurologic status secondary to enlarging hygroma. Failing conservative management, both were treated with urgent cranioplasty and returned to neurologic baseline. Early cranioplasty may be safe and effective for symptomatic collections.
Studying Cell Dynamics using Quantitative Phase Imaging

Most living cells do not absorb or scatter light significantly, i.e. they are essentially transparent, or phase objects. Phase contrast microscopy proposed by Zernike in the 1930's represents a major advance in intrinsic contrast imaging, as it reveals inner details of transparent structures without staining or tagging. While phase contrast is sensitive to minute optical path-length changes in the cell, down to the nanoscale, the information retrieved is only qualitative. Quantifying cell-induced shifts in the optical path-lengths permits nanometer scale measurements of structures and motions in a non-contact, non-invasive manner. Thus, quantitative phase imaging (QPI) has recently become an active field of study and various experimental approaches have been proposed.Recently, we have developed Spatial Light Interference microscopy (SLIM) as a highly sensitive QPI method. Due to its sub-nanometer pathlength sensitivity, SLIM enables interesting structure and dynamics studies over broad spatial (nanometers-centimeters) and temporal (milliseconds-weeks) scales. I will review our recent results on applying SLIM to basic cell studies, such as intracellular transport and cell growth. I will end with a discussion on new method, inspired from interferometry, for measuring cell-generated forces.
Role of GATA transcription factor ELT-2 and p38 MAPK PMK-1 in recovery from acute P. aeruginosa infection in C. elegans

Infectious diseases caused by bacterial pathogens reduce the fitness of their associated host but are generally limited in duration. In order for the diseased host to regain any lost fitness upon recovery, a variety of molecular, cellular, and physiological processes must be employed. To better understand mechanisms underlying the recovery process, we have modeled an acute Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in C. elegans using brief exposures to this pathogen and subsequent antibiotic treatment. To identify host genes altered during recovery from P. aeruginosa infection, we performed whole genome expression profiling. The analysis of this dataset indicated that the activity of the host immune system is down-regulated upon recovery and revealed shared and pathogen-specific host responses during recovery. We determined that the GATA transcription factor ELT-2 and the p38 MAP kinase PMK-1 are necessary for animals to successfully recover from an acute P. aeruginosa infection. In addition, we found that ELT-2 plays a more prominent and earlier role than PMK-1 during recovery. Our data sheds further light on the molecular mechanisms and transcriptional programs involved in recovery from an acute bacterial infection, which provides a better understanding of the entire infectious disease process.
Hyperactivation in Cognitive Control and Visual Attention Brain Regions During Emotional Interference in Adolescent Depression

Abstract Background Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) are characterized by biases in attention to negative emotional material. While there is evidence that anomalous functioning in frontocingulate regions may underlie these biases, we know little about the neural correlates of negative emotional biases in depressed adolescents. Methods Eighteen adolescents diagnosed with MDD and 21 matched healthy control adolescents underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing an emotional distractor task. In each trial participants were presented with task-relevant house pairs and task-irrelevant face pairs. Participants indicated whether the house pairs were identical while ignoring the face pairs, which were fearful, sad, or neutral. Results Despite equivalent behavioral performance (response time and accuracy) between groups, adolescents with MDD exhibited greater activation in frontocingulate regions, including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and inferior frontal gyrus/middle frontal gyrus, and occipitoparietal regions, including the lateral occipital cortex and superior parietal lobule, when ignoring fearful versus neutral faces. Response times to these trial conditions also correlated negatively with activation in inferior frontal gyrus/middle frontal gyrus and lateral occipital cortex, suggesting that these regions are recruited to effectively ignore emotional distractors. Groups did not differ when ignoring sad versus neutral faces or fearful versus sad faces. Conclusions Adolescents with MDD recruit both cognitive control and visual attention regions to a greater degree than do control adolescents, reflecting greater cognitive demand when downregulating threat-related stimuli.
Preliminary validation study of the 3-min wrist-worn psychomotor vigilance test

The 10-min psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) is a widely used tool to assess behavioral alertness. In operational environments, however, the 3-min version of the PVT is more practicable. Under controlled laboratory conditions, we compared performance on the 3-min PVT on a wrist-worn device with the 3-min PVT on a laptop computer. We conducted two repeated measures experiments (72 participants) to assess the effects of PVT device type (laptop or wrist-worn), backlight on the wrist-worn device (on or off), ambient light (low or normal levels), and interstimulus interval (ISI). First, we compared the wrist-worn PVT (ISI of 2–10 s) with the laptop-based PVT (ISI of 1–4 s). Participants performed six PVT trials counterbalanced for order of ambient light and device type. In both ambient-lighting conditions, the median differences in PVT metrics (reaction time, response speed, and percentage of 355-ms or 500-ms lapses combined with false starts) between the laptop and the wrist-worn PVT with the backlight on were less than 4.5 %. Specifically, the median difference in reaction times was less than 10 ms. However, the standard deviation in most metrics using the wrist-worn PVT was twice that of the laptop. In a second experiment, we compared the wrist-worn and laptop PVTs with the same ISIs (1–4 s) in normal light conditions. The results suggest that PVT data can be collected reliably in the field using the wrist-worn device with the backlight on and an ISI of 2–10 s.
The Alternating Product

The alternating product has applications throughout mathematics. In differential geometry, one takes the maximal alternating product of the tangent space to get a canonical line bundle over a manifold. Intermediate alternating products give rise to differential forms (sections of these products over the manifold). In this chapter, we give the algebraic background for these constructions.
TEMPERATURE AND MICROBIAL FLORA OF REFRIGERATED GROUND BEEF GRAVY SUBJECTED TO HOLDING AND HEATING AS MIGHT OCCUR IN A SCHOOL FOODSERVICE OPERATION1

The practices of handling precooked chilled gravy in school kitchens were simulated to determine if they could contribute to outbreaks of foodborne illness. Time-temperature measurements and bacteriological tests were made at intervals during chilling, holding, and heating of gravy. Sixty-six pounds of cooked ground beef gravy were packed hot (158 F, 70 C) in bags, cooled in chilled water for 1 h, and refrigerated for 16 h. The gravy was held for 5 h at 82 F (28 C) and at 42 F (5.5 C) and then it was heated in a compartment steamer for 35 min. After 1 h cooling in chilled water, the mean temperature of gravy was 82 F (28 C) and after 16 h of refrigerated storage, the temperature was 45.5 F (7.5 C). The mean temperature of chilled gravy held at 82 F (28 C) remained about 50 F (10 C) for 4 h and reached 64 F (18 C) at the end of the 5-h holding period. The mean temperature of gravy held under refrigeration for 5 h decreased 2 F, from 45.5 F (7.5 C) to 43.5 F (6.5 C). After 35 min of heating in a compartment...
A tale of two poles: Toward understanding the presence, distribution, and origin of volatiles at the polar regions of the Moon and Mercury

The Moon and Mercury both have permanently shaded regions (PSRs) at their poles, which are locations that do not see the Sun for geologically long periods of time. The PSRs of the Moon and Mercury have very cold temperatures (<120 K) and as a consequence act as traps for volatile materials. Volatile enhancements have been detected and characterized at both planetary bodies, but the volatile concentrations at Mercury's poles are significantly larger than at the Moon's poles. This paper documents the study of PSR volatiles at the Moon and Mercury that has taken place over the past 60 years. Starting with speculative ideas in the 1950s and 1960s, the field of PSR volatiles has emerged into a thriving subfield of planetary science that has significant implications for scientific studies of the solar system, as well as future human exploration of the solar system. While much has been learned about PSRs and PSR volatiles, many foundational aspects of PSRs are still not understood. One of the most important unanswered questions is why the PSR volatile concentrations at the Moon and Mercury are so different. After describing the initial predictions and measurements of PSR volatiles, this paper documents a variety of PSR measurements, summarizes the current understanding of PSR volatiles, and then suggests what new measurements and studies are needed to answer many of the remaining open questions about PSR volatiles.
"What Works": Recommendations on Improving Academic Experiences and Outcomes for Black Males.

This brief presents the most significant recommendations based on a review of key findings from research presented in this special issue. The authors offer what they believe to be the most importan...
DataShield: Configurable Data Confidentiality and Integrity

Applications written in C/C++ are prone to memory corruption, which allows attackers to extract secrets or gain control of the system. With the rise of strong control-flow hijacking defenses, non-control data attacks have become the dominant threat. As vulnerabilities like HeartBleed have shown, such attacks are equally devastating. Data Confidentiality and Integrity (DCI) is a low-overhead non-control-data protection mechanism for systems software. DCI augments the C/C++ programming languages with an- notations, allowing the programmer to protect selected data types. The DCI compiler and runtime system prevent illegal reads (confidentiality) and writes (integrity) to instances of these types. The programmer selects types that contain security critical information such as passwords, cryptographic keys, or identification tokens. Protecting only this critical data greatly reduces performance overhead relative to complete memory safety. Our prototype implementation of DCI, DataShield, shows the applicability and efficiency of our approach. For SPEC CPU2006, the performance overhead is at most 16.34%. For our case studies, we instrumented mbedTLS, astar, and libquantum to show that our annotation approach is practical. The overhead of our SSL/TLS server is 35.7% with critical data structures protected at all times. Our security evaluation shows DataShield mitigates a recently discovered vulnerability in mbedTLS.
Cooperation and Subgame Perfect Equilibria in Global Pollution Problems with Critical Threshold

The paper examines the issue of international pollution control under a dynamic framework involving heterogeneous countries and a critical threshold. We propose an appealing specification for this type of problem, and its novelty is illustrated by the fact that countries use linear strategies in equilibrium, although their utility and damage functions are highly convex. The stock of pollution under cooperation is always lower. Surprisingly, emissions are always higher in distant periods under the cooperative scenario; and we show through examples that this is a significant finding rather than some marginal effect. It is also shown that the efficient allocation of pollution abatement is driven only by the respective technologies of the countries. Finally, a dynamic transfer scheme allowing to implement the cooperative solution is proposed.
Genetic control of age-related gene expression and complex traits in the human brain

Age is the primary risk factor for many of the most common human diseases - particularly neurodegenerative diseases - yet we currently have a very limited understanding of how each individual9s genome affects the aging process. Here we introduce a method to map genetic variants associated with age-related gene expression patterns, which we call temporal expression quantitative trait loci (teQTL). We found that these loci are markedly enriched in the human brain and are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer9s disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Examining potential molecular mechanisms, we found that age-related changes in DNA methylation can explain some cis-acting teQTLs, and that trans-acting teQTLs can be mediated by microRNAs. Our results suggest that genetic variants modifying age-related patterns of gene expression, acting through both cis- and trans-acting molecular mechanisms, could play a role in the pathogenesis of diverse neurological diseases.
Sensor fusion for buried explosive threat detection for handheld data

Data from multiple sensors has been collected using a handheld system, and includes precise location information. These sensors include ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors. The performance of these sensors on different mine-types varies considerably. For example, the EMI sensor is effective at locating relatively small mines with metal while the GPR sensor is able to easily detect large plastic mines. In this work, we train linear (logistic regression) and non-linear (gradient boosting decision trees) methods on the EMI and GPR data in order to improve buried explosive threat detection performance.
Abstract 031: Diastolic Blood Pressure, Coronary Artery Calcium, and Cardiac Outcomes in the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Diastolic blood pressure (BP) has a J-curve relationship with coronary heart disease and death. Because this association is thought to reflect reduced coronary perfusion at low diastolic BP, our ob...
Microbial Biodiversity: Straight from the Dolphin’s Mouth

Advances in metagenomic sequencing and bioinformatics have vastly expanded our knowledge of microbial phylogenetic and functional diversity. In this issue, Dudek et al. show that shotgun metagenomic sequencing of a less-well-studied environment - dolphin gums - uncovers surprising novelty in the bacterial tree of life, underscoring the promise of future discovery.
Strength in numbers from integrated single-cell neuroscience.

Combining epigenomics and transcriptomics data from human brain samples reveals regulatory mechanisms that underlie cell type identity.
South Asian American Daughter–Father Relationships in the Aftermath of Maternal Loss

In this transcendental phenomenological study, we interviewed five South Asian American daughter–father dyads regarding their experiences of coping and resiliency in the aftermath of maternal/spous...
Modern Bereavement: A Model for Complicated Grief in the Digital Age

The experience of grief and death is an inevitable part of life. Grief, a natural response to death, can be a challenging and emotionally taxing journey. Bereaved individuals often feel lost in a fog, unaware of resources available to them and unsure of which resources could be useful for supporting their healing process. Complicated grief, a more intense form of grief that extends beyond six months following the death of a loved one, presents both a unique challenge and a design opportunity for the HCI community. In this work, we present the results of a survey and interview study on the technological practices of complicated grievers. Based on themes found in the data, we propose a new model for complicated grief in the digital age, consisting of the following phases: Fog, Isolation, Exploration, Immersion, and Stabilization. We then present a set of design considerations for designers seeking to create tools for complicated grievers navigating their unique grief journeys.
Query Performance Prediction using Passage Information

We focus on the post-retrieval query performance prediction (QPP) task. Specifically, we make a new use of passage information for this task. Using such information we derive a new mean score calibration predictor that provides a more accurate prediction. Using an empirical evaluation over several common TREC benchmarks, we show that, QPP methods that only make use of document-level features are mostly suited for short query prediction tasks; while such methods perform significantly worse in verbose query prediction settings. We further demonstrate that, QPP methods that utilize passage-information are much better suited for verbose settings. Moreover, our proposed predictor, which utilizes both document-level and passage-level features provides a more accurate and consistent prediction for both types of queries. Finally, we show a connection between our predictor and a recently proposed supervised QPP method, which results in an enhanced prediction.
Partial embedding distance for networks

This paper presents methods to compare networks where relationships between pairs of nodes in a given network are defined. We define such network distance by searching for the optimal method to embed one network into another network, and prove that such distance is a valid metric in the space of networks modulo permutation isomorphisms. The network distance defined can be approximated via multi-dimensional scaling, however, the lack of structure in networks results in poor approximations. To alleviate such problem, we consider methods to define the interiors of networks. We show that comparing interiors induced from a pair of networks yields the same result as the actual network distance between the original networks. Practical implications are explored by showing the ability to discriminate networks generated by different models. This paper is eligible for the student paper award.
Alterations in Platelet [3H]-Imipramine Binding, 5HT Uptake and Plasma α1-acid Glycoprotein Concentrations in Patients with Major Depression

ABSTRACT Several aspects of platelet serotonergic function have been investigated in patients with major depression. The specificity of the decreased number of platelet binding sites for [3H]-imipramine were investigated. Blood samples for platelet receptor binding were obtained from normal controls (n-102), patients with panic disorder (n-18), atypical depression (n-7), mania (n-16), fibromyalgia (n-24), and Alzheimer's disease (n-14) as well as patients with major depression (n-155). Only patients with major depression exhibited a significant decrease in the density of [3H]-imipramine binding sites on platelets. In addition, in vitro experiments revealed that imipramine was less effective in inhibiting radiolabeled serotonin (5HT) uptake into platelets in elderly depressed patients, when compared to either elderly normal controls or young-middle aged depressed patients. Lastly, an increase in the concentration of plasma α1-acid glycoprotein, a putative endogenous inhibitor of the [3H]-imipramine binding site, in drug-free depressed patients was observed.
History and quantitative conflict research: A case for limiting the historical scope of our theoretical arguments:

This essay examines the relationship between history and the quantitative study of international conflict. The usual distinction between these two pursuits does not hold up to close scrutiny. In fa...
Disclosure as a tool for enhancing consumer engagement and competition

Finding ways to get consumers engaged in markets is a major current topic of debate. This article examines why consumer engagement is so important in driving effective competition in markets. It then considers some key categories of intervention that can enhance consumer engagement, and in particular the various roles that disclosure can play. Recent examples are provided from the UK, where many such engagement measures have been implemented. The article emphasizes the importance, when policy-makers are designing such interventions, of understanding how real consumers truly behave. It also highlights the relevance to competitive outcomes of two further concepts: relative salience and relative consumer engagement. Finally, the article draws on both the successes and the failures of past interventions to identify some lessons for policy-makers when stepping into this area.
Herpesvirus-bacteria synergistic interaction in periodontitis.

The etiopathogenesis of severe periodontitis includes herpesvirus-bacteria coinfection. This article evaluates the pathogenicity of herpesviruses (cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus) and periodontopathic bacteria (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis) and coinfection of these infectious agents in the initiation and progression of periodontitis. Cytomegalovirus and A. actinomycetemcomitans/P. gingivalis exercise synergistic pathogenicity in the development of localized ("aggressive") juvenile periodontitis. Cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus are associated with P. gingivalis in adult types of periodontitis. Periodontal herpesviruses that enter the general circulation may also contribute to disease development in various organ systems. A 2-way interaction is likely to occur between periodontal herpesviruses and periodontopathic bacteria, with herpesviruses promoting bacterial upgrowth, and bacterial factors reactivating latent herpesviruses. Bacterial-induced gingivitis may facilitate herpesvirus colonization of the periodontium, and herpesvirus infections may impede the antibacterial host defense and alter periodontal cells to predispose for bacterial adherence and invasion. Herpesvirus-bacteria synergistic interactions, are likely to comprise an important pathogenic determinant of aggressive periodontitis. However, mechanistic investigations into the molecular and cellular interaction between periodontal herpesviruses and bacteria are still scarce. Herpesvirus-bacteria coinfection studies may yield significant new discoveries of pathogenic determinants, and drug and vaccine targets to minimize or prevent periodontitis and periodontitis-related systemic diseases.
How to Overcome Resistance in Mutation Driven Therapies Combination Targeted Therapy Regimens

ABSTRACT The identification of BRAF mutations in 2002 was the watershed event that turned the attention of the melanoma field to this concept. Seven years passed between the identification of BRAF mutations and the validation of this target in melanoma patients with a potent and specific BRAF inhibitor, PLX4032. As phase II and phase III single-agent trials have established BRAF inhibition as a new standard of care for the BRAF mutated subpopulation, attention now turns to understanding mechanisms of resistance and rational combination approaches. The available evidence regarding acquired resistance mechanisms does not point to an obvious approach for developing second line or salvage therapy for these patients. Current efforts are focused on combining other targeted therapies with BRAF inhibitors in the subgroup of patient who have BRAF mutations to overcome de novo resistance. The spectrum of potential combination therapy regimens is broad. It has been known for several years that BRAF mutations are accompanied by genetic alterations that activate the PI3K pathway and CDK4. Characterizing more than one genetic alteration before selecting such combinations is feasible and an appropriate way to stratify patients for next-generation combination therapy clinical trials. Recent evidence suggests that stromal secreted by the tumor microenvironment confers resistance to BRAF inhibitor therapy and HGF antibodies o small molecule c-met inhibitors represent available investigational agents to combined. Additionally, emerging evidence suggests that BRAF inhibitors induce a secondary immune response and combinations with various active immunotherapies is being pursued. However, the current inability to predict which patients are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy represents a persistent challenge in arriving at a personalized approach with such combinations. Similarly, combination therapy with BRAF inhibitors and anti-apoptotic drugs and agents that target developmental pathways in melanoma show promise but do not have an associated predictive biomarker. Disclosure K.T. Flaherty: Consultant - Roche/Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline
Detection Performance of Distributed MIMO Radar with Asynchronous Propagation and Timing/Phase Errors

Distributed multi-input multi-output (MIMO) radar has received significant interest in recent years. However, most prior works assume orthogonal transmit waveforms, which can be perfectly separated at the receiver using a set of waveform-specific matched filters. With widely separated antennas, the waveforms often arrive at the receiver at different times, losing their orthogonality. The problem becomes worse when timing/phase errors are present. In this paper, we examine target detection in distributed MIMO radar with synchronization errors. A general signal model is developed that takes into account asynchronous propagation and possible timing/phase synchronization errors in distributed MIMO radar. Two sets of linear frequency modulation (LFM) based waveforms with different characteristics, along with coherent and non-coherent detectors, are employed to examine the impact of asynchronous propagation and synchronization errors on target detection. Simulation results are provided to compare the target detection performance of these detectors under different scenarios. Our results show that while the coherent detector is in general sensitive to synchronization errors, the non-coherent detector may benefit from the cross interference among the transmit waveforms, which makes it less sensitive to synchronization errors, in particular for highly correlated waveforms.
The welfare implications of exchange rate choices in developing agricultural economies

Abstract This paper analyzes the appropriate choice of an exchange rate regime in agricultural commodity-exporting economies. In an estimated open economy model that incorporates key structural characteristics of agricultural commodity exporters including dual labor markets and imperfect asset markets, the benefits of exchange rate flexibility are shown to depend on the extent of labor and product market development. With developed markets, flexible exchange rates are preferred as they allow for greater relative price fluctuations, which amplify the transmission mechanism of labor re-allocation upon commodity price volatility. When labor and product markets are not well-developed, however, international relative price adjustments exacerbate currency and factor misalignments. A nominal exchange rate peg, by mitigating relative wage and price fluctuations, increases welfare relative to a float. Given the current low level of labor and product market development across most agricultural commodity exporters, the study provides a novel rationale as to why exchange rate targeting is implemented in many developing agricultural economies.
Management of Blood Product Market Withdrawals - A Single Institution's Process and Experience.

Objective While lookback investigations follow specific Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements, the management of blood product market withdrawals from suppliers varies widely. Follow-up data are limited, prompting this analysis of the types and reasons for recipient notification and their outcomes. Methods A single institution retrospective review of market withdrawal and lookback files from 2012-2015 included product type, reason, FDA category, notification, and turnaround time. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were performed. Results Over 4 years, 796/229,549 (0.35%) blood components were implicated in supplier notifications, including market withdrawals (84.3%) and lookbacks (15.7%). Seventy-nine cases resulted in patient notification. 97% of patient notifications were achieved within 3 months. Plasma with human leukocyte antigen antibodies was the most common reason for withdrawal (20.5%). Category 1 notifications were the most commonly reported by this transfusion service, apart from in 2015 when category 4 notifications were highest. Over four years, the proportion of notifications by category remained relatively stable. Conclusions Market withdrawal investigations involve significant effort to review, document, and appropriately notify. Standardized management and centralized reporting of recipient notification of market withdrawals may improve this process.
The binarity of the Clouds and the formation of the Magellanic Stream

The HST proper motion (PM) measurements of the Clouds have severe implications for their interaction history with the Milky Way (MW) and with each other. The Clouds are likely on their first passage about the MW and the SMC's orbit about the LMC is better described as quasi-periodic rather than circular. Binary L/SMC orbits that satisfy observational constraints on their mutual interaction history (e.g., the formation of the Magellanic Bridge during a collision between the Clouds ~300 Myr ago) can be located within 1σ of the mean PMs. However, these binary orbits are not co-located with the Magellanic Stream (MS) when projected on the plane of the sky and the line-of-sight velocity gradient along the LMC's orbit is significantly steeper than that along the MS. These combined results ultimately rule out a purely tidal origin for the MS: tides are ineffective without multiple pericentric passages and can neither decrease the velocity gradient nor explain the offset stream in a polar orbit configuration. Alternatively, ram pressure stripping of an extended gaseous disk may naturally explain the deviation. The offset also suggests that observations of the little-explored region between RA 21 h and 23 h are crucial for characterizing the full extent of the MS.
FiberAI: A Deep Learning model for automated analysis of nascent DNA Fibers

Abstract All life forms undergo cell division and are dependent on faithful DNA replication to maintain the stability of their genomes. Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors can stress the replication process and multiple checkpoint mechanisms have evolved to ensure genome stability. Understanding these molecular mechanisms is crucial for preventing and treating genomic instability associated diseases including cancer. DNA replicating fiber fluorography is a powerful technique that directly visualizes the replication process and a cell’s response to replication stress. Analysis of DNA-fiber microscopy images provides quantitative information about replication fitness. However, a bottleneck for high throughput DNA-fiber studies is that quantitative measurements are laborious when performed manually. Here we introduce FiberAI, which uses state-of-the art deep learning frameworks to detect and quantify DNA-fibers in high throughput microscopy images. FiberAI efficiently detects DNA fibers, achieving a bounding box average precision score of 0.91 and a segmentation average precision score of 0.90. We then use FiberAI to measure the integrity of replication checkpoints. FiberAI is publicly available and allows users to view model predicted selections, add their own manual selections, and easily analyze multiple image sets. Thus, FiberAI can help elucidate DNA replication processes by streamlining DNA-fiber analyses.
Optimization of Artificial Muscle Placements for a Humanoid Bipedal Robot

This work demonstrates an algorithm that is able to compute optimal placement for braided pneumatic actuators on a bipedal robot in order to emulate the biology of human legs. The algorithm calculates the torque that muscles are able to generate about a series of joints (back, hip, knee, ankle, subtalar, and metatarsophalangeal) in a human model. It then compares these torques to the torque that is achievable by a reduced number of pneumatic muscles actuating a bipedal robot model and optimizes the results to reduce the error between the robot and human model. The algorithm successfully finds new muscle placements that will be used in physical testing to verify that the torque output is correct and matches similarly to human capabilities. The algorithm was performed for three muscles about the back (lumbrosacral) joint: erector spinae, internal oblique, and external oblique. It generates placements capable of producing torque profiles that are more biologically realistic than the previously hand placed locations. Currently, the algorithm is not prevented from placing muscle paths that intersect the physical structure. This work will enable the development of controllable, physical models that more accurately capture force and torque capabilities of human muscles. Such physical models will enable more complete testing of how the nervous system performs effective control of over-actuated muscle systems, and if such systems have advantages for robotic applications.
Experiences of female agricultural workers in Michigan: Perspectives from the Michigan Farmworker Project

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Agricultural work is recognized as one of the most physically demanding and hazardous occupations worldwide and farmworkers face a myriad of complex social vulnerabilities that ...
Literature against Philosophy, Plato to Derrida: A Defence of Poetry

This timely book argues that the institutionalisation of literary theory, particularly within American and British academic circles, has led to a sterility of thought which ignores the special character of literary art. Mark Edmundson traces the origins of this tendency to the ancient quarrel between philosophy and poetry, in which Plato took the side of philosophy; and he shows how the work of modern theorists - Foucault, Derrida, de Man and Bloom - exhibits similar drives to subsume poetic art into some 'higher' kind of thought. Challenging and controversial, this book should be read by all teachers of literature and of theory, and by anyone concerned about the future of institutionalised literary studies.
Bressonians on Bresson

_Robert Bresson_ Edited by James Quandt Toronto: Toronto International Film Festival Group, 1998 ISBN 0-9682969-1-2 612 pp.
Acute hemiplegia and cortical blindness due to moya moya disease: report of a case in a child with Down's syndrome.

We are reporting what we believe to be the first case of moya moya disease (hemiplegia associated with supraclinoid carotid stenosis and multiple cerebral telangiectasia) in a child with Down9s syndrome. On cerebral angiography, multiple collateral vessels and rete mirabile (anastomosis of meningeal vessels with internal cerebral vessels) were noted, in addition to the supraclinoid carotid stenosis. Computerized tomography revealed nonobstructive hydrocephalus and findings consistent with multiple vascular insults or infarcts. It is not clear whether moya moya disease represents a true disease entity (congenital arterial dysplasia) or is a syndrome caused by nonspecific vascular reaction. Since abnormal vascular morphology has previously been described in children with trisomy 21, we suggest that the presence of these two disease entities may not be coincidental. It may represent a genetic predisposition in Down9s syndrome toward vascular abnormalities, with variable expressivity which manifested itself in this case by abnormalities in the cerebral circulation.
Effects of test spills of chemically dispersed and nondispersed oil on the activity of aspartate aminotransferase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in two intertidal bivalves, Mya arenaria and Mytilus edulis

In 1981, two test oil spills were made in Maine. One spill was 975 L (250 gal) of Murban crude oil; the other was 975 L of Murban crude oil premixed with 97 L (25 gal) of Corexit 9527. The uptake of the oil and its effects on enzymatic activity in two species of common intertidal bivalve mollusks, Mya arenaria and Mytilus edulis, were studied. Data were obtained on uptake and depuration of the oil for each species; data were also obtained on the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase for each species. Data were collected both before and after each of the spills. Much less oil was taken up by the populations of animals exposed to chemically dispersed oil than by those exposed to nondispersed oil. Rates of depuration were the same for each species; they were also the same regardless of oil exposure. Significant long-term effects on enzyme activity were detected only in those animals exposed to nondispersed oil.
Comparative analysis of spatial patterns of gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster imaginal discs

Determining the precise spatial extent of expression of genes across different tissues, along with knowledge of the biochemical function of the genes is critical for understanding the roles of various genes in the development of metazoan organisms. To address this problem, we have developed high-throughput methods for generating images of gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster imaginal discs and for the automated analysis of these images. Our method automatically learns tissue shapes from a small number of manually segmented training examples and automatically aligns, extracts and scores new images, which are analyzed to generate gene expression maps for each gene. We have developed a reverse lookup procedure that enables us to identify genes that have spatial expression patterns most similar to a given gene of interest. Our methods enable us to cluster both the genes and the pixels that of the maps, thereby identifying sets of genes that have similar patterns, and regions of the tissues of interest that have similar gene expression profiles across a large number of genes.
ACHIEVEMENT GOALS AND THE HIERARCHICAL MODEL OF ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION

The achievement goal approach has attained prominence in the achievement motivation literature and has produced a valuable empirical yield. However, the precise nature of the achievement goal construct is in need of scrutiny, as is the issue of how achievement goals and their antecedents combine to produce competence-based self-regulation. In this article, we address these important conceptual issues in the context of the hierarchical model of achievement motivation. The approach–avoidance distinction, which has been an integral part of the achievement motivation literature since its inception, is highlighted throughout.
Intellectual Property Rights Protection in China

According to the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR),theft of intellectual property is a major problem in China. Copyright piracy alone is estimated at between $2.5 billion and $3.8 billion a year and infringement levels in virtually all categories of intellectual property (IP) were 90 percent or higher in 2004. Intellectual property usually includes patents, copyright and trademarks. According to the Oxford Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus , patent is defined as an official document conferring a right or title, especially the sole right to make, use, or sell some invention. Patents are provided for a specified period, after which the use of and rights over the product or technology become part of the public domain. Patent protection is considered critical for generating returns to basic invention in pharmaceuticals, agricultural and industrial, chemicals and biotechnology .
Validation of SMOS salinity data and its applications the to Indian Ocean climatic events

Global Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) measurements retrieved from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission are the highest resolution salinity data available at regular intervals at present from space. There are many challenges to measuring SSS from space and obtaining an accuracy of 0.1 psu. Comparisons of level 2 SMOS salinity data with the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) simulations of SSS reveal large differences which should be corrected by spatial and temporal averaging during the creation of Level 3 (L3) SMOS data. SMOS Level 2 (L2) salinity data will have difficulty detecting SSS variations during climatic events in the Indian Ocean but the expected resolutions obtainable by SMOS should be able to monitor variations during intraseasonal and seasonal climatic events. The role of salinity during many oceanic processes will be better understood by measurements from SMOS.
Exhaled nitric oxide discriminates children with and without allergic sensitization in a population‐based study

Cite this as: T-C Yao, L-S Ou, W-I Lee, K-W Yeh, L-C Chen and J-L Huang , for the PATCH study group, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 556–564. Summary Background Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) as a biomarker of airway inflammation in children warrants better clarification. Objective To identify the determinants of FeNO in children and assess the validity of FeNO as a discriminative tool for asthma, rhinitis or allergic sensitization in a population setting. Methods Children aged 5–18 years (N=1717) were evaluated using online FeNO measurements, questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, pulmonary function tests and total and specific serum IgE. Results FeNO levels were age-dependent, with an average increase of 7.4% per year of age. It decreased with increasing body mass index (BMI), estimated at 1.5% decrease per kg/m2. Children with allergic sensitization had elevated FeNO independent of allergic symptoms. In the combined analyses of asthma, rhinitis and allergic sensitization, elevated FeNO levels were confined mainly to children having allergic sensitization. After adjusting for allergic sensitization, a significant association between rhinitis and FeNO remained, but no such association was seen with asthma. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of FeNO at the optimum cut-off of 28 p.p.b. for diagnosing asthma were 64.3%, 69.9%, 8.8%, and 97.7%, respectively (area under the ROC curve [AUC] 0.67), and were slightly better for diagnosing allergic asthma: 70.0%, 70.4%, 9.0%, 98.3%, respectively (AUC 0.71). FeNO had modest accuracy in discriminating rhinitis with an AUC value of 0.70, and performed better in discriminating allergic rhinitis (AUC 0.78). FeNO was a robust discriminator of allergic sensitization independent of symptoms at a cut-off of 15.4 p.p.b. (AUC 0.80; sensitivity 72.2%; specificity 71.2%; PPV 76.9%; NPV 65.8%). Conclusion and Clinical Relevance FeNO measurement discriminates children with and without allergic sensitization independent of allergic symptoms. On the other hand, low FeNO levels in children may help exclude allergic asthma but high levels may be caused by allergic sensitization, older age, rhinitis, and lower BMI, in addition to asthma.
Decreased glycolytic enzyme activity in epiphyseal cartilage of cortisone-treated rats.

Abstract Procedures are described for highly reproducible assays of protein content and the activity of hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, aldolase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, NAD-linked glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, and glucose-6-phos-phate dehydrogenase in epiphyseal cartilage from rat tibiae. Glucokinase is not present. With cortisone treatment the four glycolytic enzymes, phosphofructokinase, aldolase, pyruvate kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase, exhibit a closely coordinated decrease in activity of over 50% per cell, or an average decrease of 34% in specific activity (Enzyme Units/milligram protein). Glycerophosphate dehydrogenase follows a generally similar pattern. Hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase are also decreased per cell, but only to the same extent as total protein so that there is little change in specific activity. Starvation brings about changes in the enzyme activity pattern similar to those of cortisone-treatment.