cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linking Permeation Behavior and Structure of Ion Channels with a Microscopic Model

The fast-paced progress in both structural and permeation studies of ion channels demands that these two aspects be bridged quantitatively. In this work, I attempt to pursue this objective with a simplified microscopic model that has been developed recently. This model can be used to interpret the permeation behavior of channels resulting from the mutation of functional groups. The presence of ion-ion interactions is independent of the number of binding sites in the pore. A proposed two-step dehydration process in the pore leads to a predication that there are at least two energy minima for impermeant ions, and an additional one for permeant ions in a channel.
Tribal Courts, the Indian Civil Rights Act, and Customary Law: Preliminary Data

This study is an attempt to assess the validity of my theory that tribal courts do not apply "unusually difficult" laws in cases involving nonmembers. I theorized that in most cases (if not the vast, overwhelming majority), tribal courts apply a kind of "intertribal common law," which consists of the application of tribal statutes that mirror federal and state statutes and the federal and state cases that interpret them. Of the 120 cases involving an ICRA issue, tribal court judges applied federal and state case law as persuasive (and often controlling law) in 114 cases (95 percent). And, of the six cases in which the tribal court explicitly refused to apply federal or state case law, either the parties involved tribal members in a domestic dispute or else the tribal court held that its interpretation of the substantive provisions of ICRA were stronger or more protective of individual rights than would otherwise be available in parallel federal or state cases.
Mitral valve surgery in the presence of flail leaflet

Ruptured chordae tendineae may involve chordae inserting into either leaflet. The causes are diverse and include infective endocarditis, acute rheumatic carditis, Marfan’s syndrome or Barlow’s disease, and direct or blunt cardiac trauma. In a large percentage of cases there is no identifiable cause, so-called idiopathic rupture of chordae tendineae. The syndrome of acute severe mitral regurgitation due to idiopathic chordal rupture should be readily recognized clinically. All cardiologists are familiar with the presentation of a patient with recent or sudden onset of severe breathlessness due to chordal rupture. The usual findings at surgery are that one or more chordae to the posterior leaflet or to the anterior leaflet or to both leaflets are ruptured. The leaflet itself is often ballooning as well as flail. The billowing may be localized to the middle scallop of the leaflet.
Clear Cell Carcinoma

Clear cell carcinoma affects primarily adults and presents at a mean age of approximately 60 years. Women are involved more than men. The majority of cases involve minor salivary glands in the oral cavity, presenting as single or multiple masses. Most cases of clear cell carcinoma behave as low-grade malignancies. Clear cell carcinoma is infiltrative, comprised of one cell type (ductal), and may exhibit a variety of architectural patterns (single cells, nests, trabeculae, and solid) with or without hyalinized stroma (Figs. 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 12.7, 12.8, 12.9, 12.10, 12.11, 12.12, 12.13, 12.14, 12.15, 12.16, 12.17, 12.18, 12.19 and 12.20).
Direct patient care activities and interventions of emergency medicine pharmacists.

Background Emergency medicine (EM) pharmacists are increasingly recognized as integral team members in the care of emergency department (ED) patients but there is variability in the scope of direct patient care services. Objectives The primary objective was to categorize direct patient care activities and drug therapy recommendations. The secondary objectives were to categorize recommendations based on drug class and to determine the proportion of recommendations associated with Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) high-alert medications. Methods This retrospective, single-center, chart review was conducted in an academic ED with 65,000 annual visits. EM pharmacists documented direct patient care activities in the electronic health record. Documented activities from 1/1/2015 through 3/31/2015 were abstracted electronically for analysis by a trained reviewer. Results There were 3567 interventions and direct patient care activities documented. The most common activities were facilitation of medication histories (n = 1300) and drug therapy recommendations (n = 1165). Of 1165 drug therapy recommendations, 986 were linked to a drug class such as antimicrobial agents (31.9%), cardiovascular agents (16.6%), and analgesic agents (13.2%) and 20% of these interventions were associated with ISMP high-alert medications. Conclusion EM pharmacists documented several types of direct patient care activities with the majority being drug therapy recommendations and medication histories.
Power System Reliability Evaluation using Monte Carlo Simulation and Multi Label Classifier

This paper presents a new method for evaluation of power systems reliability indices. In this study, a combination of Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) and Multilabel Radial Basis Function (MLRBF) classifier is used for computing system reliability indices. Multilabel classification algorithms is different from single label approaches, in which each instance can be assigned into multiple classes. This study shows that MLRBF can be used to classify composite power system states (success or failure) without requiring optimal power flow (OPF) analysis, with exception of training phase. Therefore, this approach shows that the computational efficiency of the reliability evaluation analysis to evaluate reliability indices can be significantly increased. The proposed method is applied to the IEEE Reliability Test System (IEEE-RTS-79) for different load levels. The outcomes of case studies show that MLRBF algorithm provides good classification accuracy in reliability evaluation while reducing computation time substantially.
“Those who can’t hear must feel”: Confronting racism, privilege, and self with pre-service teachers

Teacher education courses on multicultural education, social justice, and international cross-cultural experiences have been used to increase pre-service teachers’ (PST) cross-cultural skills and a...
Adsorption isotherms and isosteric heat in Coffea arabica beans

ABSTRACT The knowledge of the adsorption hygroscopic equilibrium in coffee is pertinent for the adequacy of its storage, thus ensuring the quality of the product to the end consumer. The present study aimed to determine the adsorption isotherms of Arabica coffee (Acaua Novo cultivar) beans at the temperatures of 30 oC, 40 oC, 50 oC and 60 oC, as well as the integral adsorption isosteric heat. The equilibrium moisture contents were obtained by the gravimetric static method, using water activities between 0.10 and 0.83 (decimal). From the obtained data, several mathematical models were fitted to represent the adsorption isotherms. The statistical criteria for selecting the best model were the coefficient of determination, estimated mean standard error, relative mean error and distribution of residues. The Peleg model was the one that best represented the adsorption isotherms of the Arabica coffee beans under the studied conditions. The isotherms showed a sigmoidal type II shape. For a constant water activity, an increase in the temperature promotes a decrease in the equilibrium moisture content of Arabica coffee beans. In a moisture content range between 0.0191 and 0.2534 (dry base), the isosteric heat values ranged from 4,042.19 kJ kg-1 to 2,395.48 kJ kg-1.
Lipid laden macrophages and electronic cigarettes in healthy adults.

Abstract Background An outbreak of E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) with significant morbidity and mortality was reported in 2019. While most patients with EVALI report vaping tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oils contaminated with vitamin E acetate, a subset report only vaping with nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes (e-cigs). Whether or not e-cigs cause EVALI, the outbreak highlights the need for identifying long term health effects of e-cigs. EVALI pathology includes alveolar damage, pneumonitis and/or organizing pneumonia, often with lipid-laden macrophages (LLM). We assessed LLM in the lungs of healthy smokers, e-cig users, and never-smokers as a potential marker of e-cig toxicity and EVALI. Methods A cross-sectional study using bronchoscopy was conducted in healthy smokers, e-cig users, and never-smokers (n = 64). LLM, inflammatory cell counts, and cytokines were determined in bronchial alveolar fluids (BAL). E-cig users included both never-smokers and former light smokers. Findings High LLM was found in the lungs of almost all smokers and half of the e-cig users, but not those of never-smokers. LLM were not related to THC exposure or smoking history. LLM were significantly associated with inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 in e-cig users, but not smoking-related cytokines. Interpretation This is the first report of lung LLM comparing apparently healthy smokers, e-cig users, and never-smokers. LLM are not a specific marker for EVALI given the frequent positivity in smokers; whether LLMs are a marker of lung inflammation in some e-cig users requires further study. Funding The National Cancer Institute, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products, the National Center For Advancing Translational Sciences, and Pelotonia Intramural Research Funds
Editorial and Front Matter

Welcome to the third issue of SERJ for 2020. First published December 2020 at Statistics Education Research Journal: Archives
Do Lead Independent Directors Serving on the Audit Committee Affect Financial Reporting Quality

This study examines whether lead independent directors serving on audit committees affect firms' financial reporting quality. The lead independent director is a board-of-director position that companies voluntarily adopt to improve corporate governance or respond to corporate governance criticisms. For example, when the threat to effective separation of decision making and control occurs because a powerful CEO also serves as board chair (CEO duality), the Board may appoint a lead independent director. The lead independent director position offers a compromise between CEO duality and CEO-board directorship separation. The position encompasses several responsibilities, including facilitating communication between the other independent directors and CEOs. When a lead independent director also serves on the company's audit committee, the position creates direct links among audit committees, external auditors, and CEOs. We find that companies with lead independent directors serving on the audit committee have higher financial reporting quality and more efficient audits, suggesting that lead independent directors on audit committees improve corporate governance.
Design and Evaluation of an Affective, Continuum Robotic Appendage for Child-Robot Interaction

We introduce a robotic appendage (a "fin") for a non-humanoid mobile robot that can communicate affect to child collaborators. Affective configurations were generated from a collection of cartoon images that featured characters with floppy or bunny ears. These images were classified according to the six Ekman emotions, analyzed to create ideal emotion configurations, and validated with a user study. From these configurations, we designed multiple continuum robot fin appendages and evaluated them based on (a) their ability to achieve the generated affect configurations, and (b) their durability for sustained use in child-robot interaction studies.
The effect of shopping goals and in-store mobile device use on purchase outcomes in brick-and-mortar stores

Abstract The present study examines the effect of using a mobile device on search and evaluation by a shopper in a brick-and-mortar store. A conceptual model that proposes inter-relationships between shopping goals, the amount and type of in-store mobile device use, and purchase outcomes is developed. Data from a national quota sample of 1034 mobile shoppers is used to test hypotheses derived from the proposed model. The findings provide several new insights into the impact of in-store mobile device use on the consumer decision journey in a brick-and-mortar store. Depending upon the shopping goals of the consumer, the use of a mobile device by shoppers in a brick-and-mortar store can either decrease or increase search, lead to more deferred purchases or in-store-now purchases, and more online or physical store purchases. The study is among the first to model the pathway to purchase for mobile device assisted shoppers in brick-and-mortar stores.
Residential Site Planning and Perceived Densities

Spiraling inflation in urban land prices and the national needs to conserve energy and promote environmental quality will continue to pressure planners to make more intensive use of residential land and yet maintain user satisfaction. To achieve this goal the site planner must understand the concept of perceived density and the physical attributes that influence it. The paper reviews both theoretical and applied literature that discuss these attributes. Empirical work is presented that suggests how selected site characteristics affect user perception of and satisfaction with density. Suggestions for future research are given.
Characterisation of systemic resistance in sugar beet elicited by a non-pathogenic, phyllosphere-colonizing Bacillus mycoides, biological control agent

Abstract Bacillus mycoides isolate Bac J, a non-pathogenic, phyllosphere-inhabiting bacterium, reduces Cercospora leaf spot ( Cercospora beticola Sacc.) of sugar beet by 38–91% in both glasshouse and field experiments. Disease control is attributed to the bacterium's ability to induce systemic resistance, which was demonstrated through classical induced resistance challenge experiments, western analysis and enzyme activity assays. Enzyme assays following B. mycoides and acibenzolar- S -methyl treatment demonstrated increased activity of chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, and peroxidase, all pathogenesis-related proteins and accepted indicators of systemic resistance. Western analysis detected numerous chitinase isoforms in B. mycoides and acibenzolar- S -methyl-treated plants that were not detected in the water controls. The active chitinase isoforms were identified using in-gel activity assays. β-1,3-glucanase activity assays following native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed two unique isoforms produced following B. mycoides treatment, one of which was also found with acibenzolar- S -methyl treatment. The increase in peroxidase specific activity following acibenzolar- S -methyl and B. mycoides treatment was due to production of two unique isoforms not found in the water-treated plants as shown by activity assays following native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
Illumination invariant faces

We create a model of joint color changes in face images due to lighting variations. This is done by observing how colors of an individual's face with fixed pose and expression are mapped to new colors under different lighting conditions. One of the challenges we are dealing with in this work is that the scenes are not constant for different lighting. Hence we cannot observe the joint color changes of the scenes. However all the scenes have a human subject with approximately frontal pose, so we use the color changes observed on a human subjects face to learn the color mapping. The joint color mappings are represented in a low dimensional subspace obtained using singular value decomposition (SVD). Using these maps the detected face from a new image can be transformed to appear as if taken under canonical lighting condition.
Mitigating cognitive bottlenecks via an augmented cognition adaptive system

A conceptual framework for designing human-computer cognitive systems is proposed. The Cognitive Bottleneck Framework (CBF) identifies four significant "cognitive bottlenecks" that negatively impact the quality and tempo of decision making: (1) Information overload; humans cannot manage the vast amounts of information delivered by their computing environment, (2) Sequential cognitive processing; while information arrives in parallel, humans are essentially serial processors that can only address a single thread or task at a time, (3) Narrow user input capabilities: the system has more sophisticated means of communicating to the human than the human has of communicating to the system, and (4) Function mis-allocation; tasks are allocated to humans by default rather than by design, leaving them with tasks for which they are cognitively ill-suited. The overall purpose of CBF is to "right-size" these bottlenecks, remove constraints that restrict information flow, and better fit information channels to the abilities of either the human or computer.
CARDIAC SURGERY AND PREGNANCY.

Heart disease in pregnancy. In this country the recorded incidence of heart disease in pregnancy in several large series varies from 1.2 to 3.7 per cent (Table I). In Scandinavia it appears to be significantly lower. Buemann and Kragelund,16 in 1962, found an incidence of 0.9 per cent in over 22,000 pregnancies. Their review of the Scandinavian literature showed a rate of 0.23 to 1.1 per cent. Similarly, from Germany, Graeff, Jung, and Sto11,57 in 1963, reported a 0.4 per cent incidence of cardiac disease
Computational Metatheory in Nuprl

This paper describes an implementation within Nuprl of mechanisms that support the use of Nuprl's type theory as a language for constructing theorem-proving procedures. The main component of the implementation is a large library of definitions, theorems and proofs. This library may be regarded as the beginning of a book of formal mathematics; it contains the formal development and explanation of a useful subset of Nuprl's metatheory, and of a mechanism for translating results established about this embedded metatheory to the object level. Nuprl's rich type theory, besides permitting the internal development of this partial reflection mechanism, allows us to make abstractions that drastically reduce the burden of establishing the correctness of new theorem-proving procedures. Our library includes a formally verified term-rewriting system.
Valence and Campaigns

We present a model of two-candidate elections in which candidates are office-motivated, campaigning is voluntary and costly, and one candidate has a valence advantage. In equilibrium, the order of campaign announcements matters: Each candidate would prefer to announce his or her position after the other candidate has announced his or hers. The fundamental predictions of the model are (1) the impact of valence and campaigning costs on candidates' equilibrium behaviors is in general ambiguous, requiring further specification of the details of the electoral situation, and (2) in general, equilibrium platform announcements are essentially independent of the location of the median voter's ideal point. In addition, the model is consistent with elections in which both, only one, or neither candidate actively campaigns, and, finally, even when one candidate has a large valence advantage, there might be no equilibrium in which he or she will win the election with certainty
Assessing systematic effects of stroke on motor control by using hierarchical function‐on‐scalar regression

Summary This work is concerned with understanding common population level effects of stroke on motor control while accounting for possible subject level idiosyncratic effects. Upper extremity motor control for each subject is assessed through repeated planar reaching motions from a central point to eight prespecified targets arranged on a circle. We observe the kinematic data for hand position as a bivariate function of time for each reach. Our goal is to estimate the bivariate function-on-scalar regression with subject level random functional effects while accounting for potential correlation in residual curves; covariates of interest are severity of motor impairment and target number. We express fixed effects and random effects by using penalized splines, and we allow for residual correlation by using a Wishart prior distribution. Parameters are jointly estimated in a Bayesian framework, and we implement a computationally efficient approximation algorithm using variational Bayes methods. Simulations indicate that the method proposed yields accurate estimation and inference, and application results suggest that the effect of stroke on motor control has a systematic component observed across subjects.
Anticipation of incentive gain

In four experiments, the once daily availability of saccharin (.15%) preceded the availability of sucrose (32% or 2%). Experiment 1 showed that the intake of saccharin was reduced when it preceded 32% sucrose but not when it preceded 2% sucrose, as compared with saccharin-alone conditions. Experiment 2 showed that less saccharin was consumed when the saccharin preceded sucrose by 5 min than when there was a 30-min intersolution interval. Experiment 3 replicated this finding and showed that the presentation of the two solutions through the same or different access holes in the apparatus was not relevant to the result. Experiment 4 showed that there was an inverse relationship between saccharin intake and the length of the intersolution interval in the range of 1 to 30 min. These data were interpreted to indicate that the animals learn the predictive relationship between the saccharin and sucrose solutions and that the intake of the saccharin is reduced by an anticipatory contrast mechanism—a mechanism that may have restricted temporal parameters.
Columbia tragedy: High-temperature materials chemistry and thermodynamic considerations of the breached wing leading edge

Metallurgical analysis of debris from the leading edge of the breached left wing of the Columbia space shuttle demonstrated that the temperatures inside the leading edge structural subsystem exceeded 1760 °C (3200 °F). A thin, relatively uniform deposit containing aluminum, Inconel, and Cerachrome was found inside most of the reinforced carbon-carbon composite panels. Such deposition indicates the melting and concurrent deposition of spar, attachment hardware, and insulation. In contrast, panel 8 showed thick, nonuniform deposits suggesting this panel was the breach location. The characteristics of these nonuniform deposits provided indications of plasma flow direction and plasma impingement locations and were helpful in establishing the sequence of failure events. In addition, no indications of A286 were found in the deposits inside panel 8. The lack of evidence for A286 suggests that the breach location was remote from the A286 fittings.
Assessing NEXRAD P3 Data Effects on Stream-Flow Simulation Using SWAT Model in an Agricultural Watershed

AbstractRadar-derived next generation weather radar (NEXRAD) process 3 (P3) data offer high spatial resolution precipitation data that might improve stream-flow simulation accuracy using watershed models. The objective of this study was to assess the performance of spatially averaged subwatershed-specific P3 data on stream-flow simulations by using the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) hydrologic model. This study was the first to evaluate the P3 product in watershed modeling. The SWAT model was chosen to simulate hydrological processes in North Fork Ninnescah Watershed (2,400 km2) located in south central Kansas. A precipitation gauge (PG) station was created for each subwatershed by using an area-weighted average of P3 precipitation estimates for all 16-km2 grid cells intersecting the subwatershed. Average subwatershed area (19 km2) was selected to correspond roughly with NEXRAD cell area to minimize spatial aggregation of radar precipitation data. The SWAT model was calibrated with both P3 data a...
Brownian dynamics mean first passage time of two hard disks diffusing in a channel

We use Brownian dynamics simulations of two hard disks in a channel to study the mean first passage time to pass each other. The disks have a diameter σ and are confined in a channel with hard reflective walls. The mean first passage time diverges with an exponent η as the channel width (2Rp) approaches that of the nonpassing limit (2σ). There are two different theoretical predictions for the exponent η of the two disk hopping time divergences. Transition state theory and a Fick–Jacobs type of dimensional reduction approach predict exponents of 2 and 32, respectively. Previous Brownian dynamics simulations results have a range of effective exponents and are inconclusive. Here, we present extensive Brownian dynamics simulations results which are consistent with the predictions of transition state theory. The new data show that one must be close to the nonpassing limit to observe the asymptotic scaling exponent. The scaling dependence crosses over from the bulk limit to the nonpassing limit as the width of ...
The SHIMMER Instruments: Spatial Heterodyne Imagers for Space Based Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere

SHIMMER (Spatial Heterodyne Imager for Mesospheric Radicals) denotes a family of SHS instruments for space based UV remote sensing of the atmosphere. Two future satellite missions, a shuttle mission and their objectives are presented here.
Effects of mixed and ionic conduction in ZrO2 and ThO2 as CO oxidation catalysts

A comparison is made of the heterogeneous catalytic activities of ZrO2, Zr0.91Ca0.09O1.91 and Th0.85La0.15O1.925 for the oxidation of CO by O2. A correlation is evident with the magnitudes of the simultaneous bulk ionic and electronic conductivities. This is in accord with a postulated model for reaction at separate reactant absorption sites in which oxygen ions and electronic charge are transported in and on the surface of the oxide catalyst.
Phase II trial of vinorelbine in recurrent and progressive epithelial ovarian cancer

Abstract Objective. A phase II, multicenter trial was conducted to define the efficacy and safety of vinorelbine (Navelbine (vinorelbine tartrate) injection, NVB) in the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods. Patients with persistent or recurrent EOC who had received one prior platinum-based chemotherapy regimen were eligible. NVB was administered at 30 mg/m 2 as a weekly outpatient intravenous infusion. Results. Using an intent-to-treat analysis of the 38 patients who received at least one dose, 11(29%, 95% confidence limits 15–46%) objective responses (4 complete, 7 partial) were observed. The median duration of response was 19 weeks. For all 38 patients, the median time to treatment failure and median survival were 12 and 60 weeks, respectively. Four of the 12 patients with platinum-resistant disease responded, while 7 of the 24 patients with platinum-sensitive disease responded. Toxicity was evaluable in all 38 patients. During course 1, 15 patients required dose reduction and 21 required dose delays. Grade 3–4 granulocytopenia occurred in 23 (62%) of 37 reporting patients. Grade 3–4 anemia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 16 and 5%, respectively. The most common nonhematologic toxicities were nausea (grade 3 or less, in 34%), constipation (grade 3 or less, in 29%), and asthenia (grade 2 or less, in 24%). No life-threatening adverse effects were reported. Conclusions. NVB is an effective, palliative agent for women with recurrent EOC. Dose-limiting granulocytopenia is substantial, yet manageable.
Colorectal cancer: managing diminutive polyps-what is the optimal approach?

A single-center study demonstrates that omitting pathologic examination of some resected diminutive polyps rarely changes management. These results are indicative of the overall innocuous nature of diminutive polyps, and reinforce the rationale underlying the use of alternative polypectomy strategies at CT colonography rather than universal polypectomy for the management of these lesions.
The rules remain the same for genomic medicine: The case against “reverse genetic exceptionalism”

The rules remain the same for genomic medicine: The case against “reverse genetic exceptionalism”
A Continuum-Based Model for Analysis of Laterally Loaded Piles in Layered Soils

An analysis is developed to calculate the response of laterally loaded piles in multilayered elastic media. The displacement fields in the analysis are taken to be the products of independent functions that vary in the vertical, radial and circumferential directions. The governing differential equations for the pile deflections in different soil layers are obtained using the principle of minimum potential energy. Solutions for pile deflection are obtained analytically, whereas those for soil displacements are obtained using the one-dimensional finite difference method. The input parameters needed for the analysis are the pile geometry, the soil profile, and the elastic constants of the soil and pile. The method produces results with accuracy comparable with that of a three-dimensional finite element analysis but requires much less computation time. The analysis can be extended to account for soil non-linearity.
Adjusting for Confounding due to Population Admixture when Estimating the Effect of Candidate Genes on Quantitative Traits

When analyzing the relationship between allelic variability and traits, a potential source of confounding is population admixture. An approach to adjusting for potential confounding due to population
A divided difference expansion of a divided difference

A divided difference expansion with remainder for a general divided difference is derived that contains Floater's recent derivative expansion as a special case.
Spherical aberration yielding optimum visual performance: evaluation of intraocular lenses using adaptive optics simulation.

Purpose To evaluate the influence of spherical aberration on contrast sensitivity using adaptive optics. Setting Vision Science and Advanced Retinal Imaging Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USA. Methods Contrast sensitivity at 8 cycles per degree was evaluated using an adaptive optics system that permitted aberrations to be measured with a Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor and controlled by a 109 actuator continuous-surface deformable mirror that was at a plane conjugate to the observer's pupil. Vertical Gabor patches were viewed through a 6.3 mm diameter pupil conjugate aperture. Contrast sensitivity was measured with the deformable mirror set to produce 1 of 5 spherical aberration profiles (−0.2 to +0.2 μm). Contrast sensitivity over the range of spherical aberration was fitted with a polynomial function. Results Three subjects (age 21 to 24 years) participated. The measured total mean spherical aberration resulting from the spherical aberration profiles produced by the deformable mirror was between −0.15 μm and +0.25 μm. The peak contrast sensitivity of this function for the 3 subjects combined occurred at +0.06 μm of spherical aberration. The peak contrast sensitivity was also achieved with positive spherical aberration for each subject's data fitted individually (mean 0.09). Conclusion There was intersubject variability in the measurements; however, the mean visual performance was best with the introduction of a small positive spherical aberration.
Formation of crystalloid inclusions in the small intestine of neonatal pigs: an immunocytochemical study using colloidal gold

Enterocytes of the small intestine in 1-day-old suckling piglets contain numerous vesicles in the apical cytoplasm and a large granule located beneath the nucleus. Within the next 3 days, these granules transform into electron-dense crystalloid inclusions. These membrane-bound inclusions are up to 10 μm in length and 1–2 μm in diameter, and they are composed of electron-dense lamellae 3.9 nm apart. Postembedding immunocytochemistry, using rabbit anti-porcine IgG and goat anti-rabbit IgG conjugated to 10 nm colloidal gold, revealed that both the granules and the crystalloid inclusions contained a high concentration of maternal IgG. Although the IgG content of the crystalloid inclusions was detected on epoxy-embedded sections, the use of LR White resin resulted in a much higher density of labelling. Quantification of the labelling density showed that the concentration of IgG in the crystalloid inclusions was approximately ten times higher than that in the lumenal colostrum and approximately three times higher than that in the granules. These observations showed that there are at least three compartments involved in the accretion of IgG in the small intestine of neonatal piglets: smaller apical endocytotic vesicles, large subnuclear granules and crystalloid inclusions. The role of these compartments in maternal immunoglobulin absorption and in the acquisition of passive immunity has yet to be explored.
Insights into the inhibition of platelet activation by omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: beyond aspirin and clopidogrel.

Abstract Objectives We sought to examine the effects of escalating doses of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplements on platelet function using light transmission aggregometry (LTA) and electrophoretic quasi-elastic light scattering technology (EQELS). Background PUFA may inhibit platelet function through fatty acid substitution in the platelet membrane by changing the surface charge density and causing decreased production of thromboxane A2. EQELS can measure platelet surface charge density and determine whether the platelet is in resting or activated state. Methods A total of 30volunteers were divided in 3 groups of 10 as follows: Group A, no antiplatelet agent; Group B, daily aspirin only, and Group C, daily aspirin and clopidogrel. All patients received escalating doses of omega-3PUFA from 1 to 8 g daily over 24 weeks. Platelet function was measured by template bleeding time, LTA, and EQELS at baseline and at 6, 12, 18 and 24 weeks. Results Mean bleeding time increased in a dose-dependent manner with escalating omega-3 PUFA doses. LTA confirmed expected antiplatelet effects of aspirin and clopidogrel, but did not detect any additional antiplatelet effects of omega-3 PUFA. EQELS showed a significant increase in the negative resting platelet charge compared to baseline and an attenuated response to arachidonic acid mediated platelet activation. No bleeding events were observed. Conclusions In this pilot study we were able to successfully measure platelet surface charge variation as a measure of omega-3 PUFA effect on platelets. Our results suggest that omega-3 PUFA increase the total platelet surface charge and, therefore, attenuate platelet activation, even among patients taking aspirin or aspirin plus clopidogrel. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of these measured effects and EQELS results.
Incorporation of the gene for a cell-cell channel protein into transformed cells leads to normalization of growth.

Incorporation of the gene for connexin 43, a cell-cell channel protein of gap junction, into the genome of communication-deficient transformed mouse 10T1/2 cells restored junctional communication and inhibited growth. Growth was slowed, saturation density reduced and focus formation suppressed, and these effects were contingent on overexpression of the exogenous gene and the consequent enhancement of communication. In coculture with normal cells the growth of the connexin overexpressors was completely arrested, as these cells established strong communication with the normal ones. Thus, in culture by themselves or in coculture, the connexin overexpressor cells grew like normal cells. These results demonstrate that the cell-cell channel is instrumental in growth control; they are the expected behavior if the channel transmits cytoplasmic growth-regulatory signals.
Investigating glatiramer acetate for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis at the double dose--is more better?

Investigating glatiramer acetate for relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis at the double dose—is more better?
Task-sensitive cinematography interfaces for interactive 3D learning environments

Interactive 3D learning environments can provide rich problemsolving experiences with unparalleled visual impact. In these environments, students interactively solve problems by directing their avatars to navigate through complex worlds, transport entities from one location to another, and manipulate devices. However, realtime camera control is critical to their successful deployment. To create effective learning experiences, a virtual camera must in realtime “film” their activities in a manner that most clearly depicts the salient aspects of the tasks students are performing. To address this problem, we have developed the cinematic task modeling framework for automated realtime task-sensitive camera control in 3D environments. Cinematic task models dynamically map the intentional structure of users’ activities to visual structures that continuously depict the most relevant actions and objects in the environment. By exploiting cinematic task models, a cinematography interface to 3D learning environments can dynamically plan camera positions, view directions, and camera movements that help users perform their tasks. To investigate the effect of the cinematic task modeling framework on student-environment interactions, we have constructed a fullscale cinematography interface and a 3D learning environment testbed. Focus group studies suggest that task-sensitive camera planning significantly improves students’ interactions with complex 3D learning environments.
Submandibular gland tumors. Adverse histologic factors and therapeutic implications.

• We reviewed our 41-year experience with tumors of the submandibular gland to determine what factors influence outcome and their implications for treatment. The most common benign neoplasm was pleomorphic adenoma (21), while among malignant tumors the adenoid cystic variety (37) predominated. For the 86 patients who had malignant tumors, the 2- and 5-year survivals by the life table method were 82% and 69%, respectively. For patients with malignant tumors, histology, size, perineural invasion, and prior treatment did not affect overall survival. Factors adversely affecting outcome were extraglandular soft-tissue extension and lymph node metastasis. Local-regional control was enhanced in patients with soft-tissue extension if they were treated by surgery followed by radiotherapy rather than by surgery alone. ( Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg . 1990;116:1055-1060)
Hot electron effect in the DC SQUID

The authors investigated the temperature dependence of the noise in thin-film DC superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDS) down to 20 mK. The white noise measured in the early versions of the SQUIDS did not decrease as the bath temperature was lowered below 150 mK. The authors have attributed this saturation to a hot electron effect in the thin-film AuCu resistors shunting the Josephson junctions. A theoretical investigation showed that the temperature of the electrons in the shunts should be given by T/sub e/=(P/ Sigma Omega )/sup 1/5/, where P is the power dissipated in the shunts, Omega is the shunt volume, and Sigma is a proportionality constant. Experimentally, the authors found epsilon =(2.4+or-0.6)*10/sup 9/ WK/sup -5/ m/sup -3/. The shunts were redesigned, adding large thin-film cooling fins, to increase their volume substantially. This technique has reduced T/sub e/ to about 50 mK, with a corresponding improvement in the sensitivity of the SQUIDS. >
Modulation of the cytotoxic mechanism of 6-thioguanine by 4-amino-5-imidazolecarboxamide.

Previous evidence has indicated that either purine starvation or incorporation into DNA may be the dominant biochemical effect of the antileukemic agent 6-thioguanine (TG), depending on exposure conditions. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the paradoxical decrease in TG-induced cytotoxicity at high drug concentrations may be due to an antagonistic interaction between these two mechanisms, in which purine starvation inhibits DNA synthesis and, therefore, incorporation of TG into DNA. In this report we test the hypothesis that by concurrent treatment of L1210 cells with TG and the purine precursor 4-amino-5-imidazolecarboxamide (AIC) it is possible to alleviate DNA synthesis inhibition caused by high concentrations of TG, thus enhancing TG incorporation into DNA and TG-induced cell kill. Both the cytotoxic and cytokinetic results presented support this hypothesis. However, gross incorporation of TG into DNA was not increased by AIC under conditions in which a significant enhancement of cytotoxicity (i. e., 1 log) was observed. These findings suggest that the potentiating effect of AIC may be most prominent on the subpopulation of cells that are resistant to treatment with TG alone, and they demonstrate that the cytotoxic effects of TG treatments are more accurately reflected by observing specific cytokinetic changes (delayed late S/G2 arrest) than by measuring the average extent of TG incorporation into DNA within a given population. Finally, we propose that it may be possible to select conditions for administration of TG that favor one or the other cytotoxic mechanism, depending on whether the clinical objective is induction of remission (where rapid cell lysis due to purine starvation would be desired) or eradication of subclinical disease during remission (where proliferation-dependent cytotoxicity due to DNA incorporation should be more effective).
The Berkeley EUV spectrometer for ORFEUS

A novel EUV spectrometer is presented for the ORFEUS-SPAS mission. It uses a set of four varied line-space spherical diffraction gratings to obtain high-resolution spectra of point sources at wavelengths between 390 and 1200 A. The spectra are recorded with two detector units, each containing curved-surface microchannel plates and a delay-line anode-readout system. An independent optical system detects the image of the source in the entrance aperture and tracks the source as it drifts during an observation, enabling a reconstruction of the spectra postflight. The overall system performance is discussed and illustrated by synthetic spectra.
Reduced attentional engagement contributes to deficits in prefrontal inhibitory control in schizophrenia.

Background Problems with the voluntary control of behavior, such as those leading to increased antisaccade errors, are accepted as evidence of prefrontal dysfunction in schizophrenia. We previously reported that speeded prosaccade responses, i.e., shorter response latencies for automatic shifts of attention to visual targets, were associated with higher antisaccade error rates in schizophrenia. This suggests that dysregulation of automatic attentional processes may contribute to disturbances in prefrontally mediated control of voluntary behavior. Methods Twenty-four antipsychotic-naive schizophrenia patients and 30 healthy individuals completed three tasks: a no-gap prosaccade task in which subjects shifted gaze toward a peripheral target that appeared coincident with the disappearance of a central fixation target and separate prosaccade and antisaccade tasks in which a temporal gap or overlap of the central target offset and peripheral target onset occurred. Sixteen patients were retested after 6 weeks of antipsychotic treatment. Results Patients’ prosaccade latencies in the no-gap task were speeded compared with healthy individuals. While patients were not atypical in the degree to which response latencies were speeded or slowed by the gap and overlap manipulations, those patients with diminished attentional engagement on the prosaccade task (i.e., reduced overlap effect) had significantly elevated antisaccade error rates. This effect persisted in patients evaluated after antipsychotic treatment. Conclusions This study provides evidence that a reduced ability to engage attention may render patients more distracted by sensory inputs, thereby further compromising impaired executive control during antisaccade tasks. Thus, alterations in attentional and executive control functions can synergistically disrupt voluntary behavioral responses in schizophrenia.
Developing an Information Literacy Action Plan

In order to increase the benefits that the student receives from bibliographic instruction, many community college libraries are incorporating the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) into their BI programs. In order to take full advantage of the Competency Standards, community college libraries would be well advised to develop an information literacy action plan. Components of such a plan include a faculty survey, setting goals, marketing, and assessment.
A lattice Monte Carlo simulation of nanophase compositions and structures in irradiated pressure vessel Fe-Cu-Ni-Mn-Si steels

Abstract A self-consistent analysis, combining thermodynamic calculations, recent small angle neutron scattering and atom probe field ion microscopy measurements and lattice Monte Carlo (LMC) simulations, is used to characterize the ultra fine coherent precipitates that form in irradiated reactor pressure vessel steels. These nanofeatures are typically rich in impurity copper precipitated from highly supersaturated solution at vessel operating temperatures around 300 °C at rates greatly accelerated by radiation enhanced diffusion. Although some copper appears to be needed to catalyze their formation, manganese nickel-rich precipitates may replace copper-rich precipitates at high concentrations of these alloying elements and/or lower temperatures. Thermodynamic and kinetic models are generally consistent with observations on the number densities, sizes, compositions and nucleation, growth and coarsening behavior of the nanofeatures. However, the LMC atomic scale simulations of complex nanofeature structures are needed to fully unify experiment and theory.
Malignant phyllodes tumor of prostate

Abstract A case of malignant phyllodes tumor of the prostate, with clinical course of recurrence and pulmonary metastasis is described in a thirty-eight-year-old man. Histologically the tumor was characterized by a fibrosarcoma-like pattern with adjacent changes of fibroadenoma and phyllodes type of prostatic atypical hyperplasia. The pathology, histogenesis, differential diagnosis and the role of immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis and demonstration of its components is reviewed.
Simultaneous determinations of plasma insulin, glucose and glucagon levels in fasting, previously stressed but convalescing bald eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus linnaeus

Abstract 1. 1. Twenty seven plasma samples were collected from fourteen convalescing (min 3 weeks) bald eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus Linnaeus (nine males, five females) after fasting 32–36 hr. One to three samples were taken per bird and plasma insulin, glucose and glucagon levels were simultaneously determined. 2. 2. Plasma insulin levels (in 27 samples) ranged widely from 64 to 245 pg/ml (1.42 to 5.44 μ Units/ml), X = 132 ± 10.7 pg/ml ( X ± SE ) and appeared to be higher in plasma of males. 3. 3. More consistent plasma glucose levels ranged from 196 to 318 mg / dl ( X = 266 ± 5.3) with no significant difference between sexes. 4. 4. Plasma glucagon levels ranged most widely from 229 to 1239 pg/ml ( X = 534 ± 53.9) and tended to be higher in females. 5. 5. Plasma I/O ratios varied from 0.0389 to 0.4691 ( X = 0.1823 ± 0.0235) and appeared to be lowest in plasma from females. 6. 6. No significant correlation existed between plasma insulin and glucose (r = 0.0837), glucose and glucagon (r = −0.0983), insulin and glucagon (r= −0.3280) nor between I/G ratios and glucose levels (r = 0.0104).