cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A diatom-inferred water depth reconstruction for an Upper Peninsula, Michigan, lake

Transects of surface sediment samples were taken in 4 lakes from the Sylvania Wilderness Area, Upper Peninsula of Michigan. These surface samples were compared with diatom samples from a core taken in the Northwest basin of Crooked Lake, also from the Sylvania Wilderness Area. Weighted Averaging calibration was used to reconstruct lake depths in Crooked Lake using the diatom microfossils from the core and the surface samples to infer past lake depth. During the early Holocene the lake was dominated by planktonic species and diatom-inferred water depth was large – approx. 13 m. At about 6700 BP inferred water depth was 2 m and samples were dominated by Fragilaria construens var. venter – a species characteristic of shallow parts of the surface sample transects. From 6700 to 5000 BP reconstructed water level was at its shallowest. From 5000 to 3000 BP it increased. This rise in water level was marked by increasing abundances of Aulacoseira ambigua and occurred at the same time increasing percentages of hemlock pollen indicate increasing available moisture. Modern water depth was reached about 3000 BP. The water level changes at Crooked Lake are consistent with regional climate changes in the Upper Midwest during the Holocene. The lake was shallowest during the mid-Holocene warm period documented by other investigators. It deepened as the Midwestern climate became cooler and wetter during the late Holocene.
Neurotransmitter systems: Glutamate

In addition to its antioxidant properties arising from its ability to increase the formation of glutathione, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is also a cystine prodrug that activates the cystine-glutamate exchanger (often referred to as system xc-). Via this latter mechanism, NAC modulates extracellular levels of glutamate, the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, making it a critical component of glutamate homeostasis in the central nervous system. As a result, NAC may have clinical efficacy in the treatment of various psychiatric and neurological disorders associated with dysregulated glutamate homeostasis. In this chapter, we first provide an overview of glutamatergic neurotransmission and regulation of extracellular glutamate by both excitatory amino acid transporters and system xc-. We then summarize the neurochemical mechanisms by which NAC regulates glutamate homeostasis. Finally, we discuss the mechanisms of action of newer NAC derivatives with respect to their interactions with glutamatergic transmission.
Towards a framework for generating program dependence graphs from source code

Originally conceived for compiler optimization, the program dependence graph has become a widely used internal representation for tools in many software engineering tasks. The currently available frameworks for building program dependence graphs rely on compiled source code, which requires resolving dependencies. As a result, these frameworks cannot be applied for analyzing legacy codebases whose dependencies cannot be automatically resolved, or for large codebases in which resolving dependencies can be infeasible. In this paper, we present a framework for generating program dependence graphs from source code based on transition rules, and we describe lessons learned when implementing two different versions of the framework based on a grammar interpreter and an abstract syntax tree iterator, respectively.
Integrated Optomechanical Resonators in Double-Layer Crystalline Silicon Platforms

We report the fabrication of the integrated deformable resonators with strong optomechanical interactions in the double-layer crystalline silicon platforms along with the experimental observation of the sustainable optomechanical oscillations (up to 75 MHz). This enables novel on-chip RF-photonics applications and wide-band high-speed integrated optical switches.
Tests of Matrix Structure for Construct Validation

Psychologists and other behavioral scientists are frequently interested in whether a questionnaire measures a latent construct. Attempts to address this issue are referred to as construct validation. We describe and extend nonparametric hypothesis testing procedures to assess matrix structures, which can be used for construct validation. These methods are based on a quadratic assignment framework and can be used either by themselves or to check the robustness of other methods. We investigate the performance of these matrix structure tests through simulations and demonstrate their use by analyzing a big five personality traits questionnaire administered as part of the Health and Retirement Study. We also derive rates of convergence for our overall test to better understand its behavior.
Autologous Transplantation Is Safe and Effective For Patients With Multiple Myeloma Related Renal Insufficiency

Introduction Patients (pts) with MM often present with varying degrees of renal insufficiency (RI) which can cause significant morbidity. In younger pts with MM, high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been shown to enhance remission and possibly improve survival. In pts with RI there has been concern about the safety and efficacy of proceeding to ASCT. At our center, ASCT has been routinely offered to pts with RI. Herein we report the results of MM pts with RI who received ASCT since 2000. Patients and Methods Outcomes of 50 MM pts with RI were compared to 100 matched ASCT recipients. The matched transplant pts studied were similar with respect to subject-, disease-, and transplant-related characteristics. All pts met standard eligibility criteria for ASCT and pts with RI had a serum creatinine (Cr) level of >2 mg/dL (average Cr = 6.07 with a range of 2 to 11.79 mg/dL), at the time of ASCT. 14 of the 50 pts were on dialysis at the time of ASCT. All patients had active MM requiring therapy and all pts had evidence of stable disease or treatment response prior to transplant. For pts with RI, the average age at transplant was 56 years (range 33 to 69 yrs) and the median time between diagnosis and ASCT was 302 days. The preparative therapy consisted of single agent Melphalan, given on Day (-3) or (-2) with a median administered dose of 140 mg/m2 (range 100-200 mg/m2) while the dose for the matched patients was 200mg/m2. All pts were hospitalized for ASCT and received standard supportive care; >2 x 10e6/Kg CD34(+) cells, G-CSF, transfusions as necessary and appropriate anti-infectives. Results The 30-day and 100-day treatment related mortality (TRM) rates for both the patients with RI and matches were 0%. Amongst the patients with RI, 4 patients required ICU care and the average duration of hospitalization was 23.36 days (range: 14 - 48 days) and duration of hospitalization for matches 19.4 days (range: 11-58 days). Time to ANC > 0.5 x10e9/L was 12 days (range 10-21 days) and 12 days (range 10-22 days) in the RI and matched cohort respectively. Time to platelets > 20 x 10e9/L was 11 days (range: 6-22 days) and 14 days (range 8-51days) in the RI and matched cohort respectively. 32% of pts with RI were in very good partial response (VGPR)+ complete remission (CR) of which 12% were in CR at ASCT. After ASCT, 50% of pts achieved a VGPR+CR of which 34% pts achieved a CR. The mean overall survival (OS) for patients with RI was 4.2 yrs and for controls was 6.5 yrs [[Figure 1][1]. HR 2.036, 95% CI (1.204-3.443) p=0.0084]. ![Figure 1][2] Figure 1 Kaplan-Meier OS curve of pts with RI (black) and matched controls (red). Conclusion ASCT is a safe and effective treatment option for MM pts with RI including those on dialysis with engraftment characteristics similar to pts without RI. Disclosures: Wolf: Onyx: Honoraria; Millenium: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding. [1]: #F1 [2]: pending:yes
Eph Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and Ephrin Ligands Are Epigenetically Inactivated in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Are Potential New Tumor Suppressor Genes in Human Leukemia.

Abstract The Eph (erythroprotein-producing hepatoma amplified sequence) family receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands (ephrins) are involved in a variety of functions in normal cell development and cancer. We have identified several members of this family as potential targets of aberrant DNA methylation using Methylated CpG Island Amplification (MCA) / DNA promoter microarray technology. This is of importance as there are no prior reports of potential Eph receptor or Ephrin epigenetic inactivation in human leukemia. To further investigate the role of Eph receptor and ephrin family genes in leukemia, we have analyzed their DNA methylation status in a panel of 23 leukemia cell lines and 65 primary ALL patient samples. Aberrant DNA methylation of 9 of these genes (EPHA4, EPHA5, EPHA6, EPHB2, EPHB3, EPHB4, EphrinA5, Ephrin B2, and EphrinB3) was detected in multiple leukemia cell lines but not in normal samples by bisulfite pyrosequencing. In ALL patient samples, the frequencies of DNA methylation detected in the promoter regions of these genes ranged from 23% to 87% for EPHA4, EPHA5, EPHA6, EPHB2, EPHB3, EPHB4, EphrinA5, Ephrin B2, and EphrinB3. Expression analysis of 3 of these genes (EPHA5, EPHB4 and Ephrin B2) in leukemia cell lines by real-time PCR further confirmed methylation associated gene silencing. Treatment of methylated/silenced cell lines with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5′-aza-2′-deoxycytidine resulted in gene re-expression. Forced overexpression of EPHB4 using a lentivirus transduction system in Raji cell lines resulted in decreased cell proliferation and adhesion-independent cell growth, as well as in an increase in staurosporine induction of apoptosis. In addition, EPHB4 overexpression resulted in a significant downregulation of phosphorylated Akt pathway but had no effect on mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. In summary, we describe for the first time the epigenetic suppression of Ephrin receptors and their ligands in human leukemia, indicating that these genes may be potential tumor suppressors in leukemia. Targeting of these pathways may result in the development of new potential therapies and biomarkers for patients with ALL.
Scale, Space and Canon in Ancient Literary Culture

Greek culture matters because its unique pluralistic debate shaped modern discourses. This ground-breaking book explains this feature by retelling the history of ancient literary culture through the lenses of canon, space and scale. It proceeds from the invention of the performative 'author' in the archaic symposium through the 'polis of letters' enabled by Athenian democracy and into the Hellenistic era, where one's space mattered and culture became bifurcated between Athens and Alexandria. This duality was reconfigured into an eclectic variety consumed by Roman patrons and predicated on scale, with about a thousand authors active at any given moment. As patronage dried up in the third century CE, scale collapsed and literary culture was reduced to the teaching of a narrower field of authors, paving the way for the Middle Ages. The result is a new history of ancient culture which is sociological, quantitative, and all-encompassing, cutting through eras and genres.
What Computational Archival Science Can Learn from Art History and Material Culture Studies

I discuss the significance of considering the material and cultural implications, as practiced in Art History and Material Culture Studies, of reproductive technology used by archives and libraries. Reproductive technologies like microfilming and digitizing shape how we view and remember history. Exploring a case study of newspaper representations of Panamanian Welterweight World Champion Boxer (1929-1936; 1938-1941), Alfonso Brown, I demonstrate how the absence of a grasp of the capabilities of reproductive technologies can lead to erasure and distortion of already marginalized communities of color and other under-represented populations in the historical record. Material Culture Studies conceptualization of reproductive technology as a material, or medium of representation warranting deep and rigorous consideration, is useful for computational archival science (CAS) as we move towards completely digital-based archives.
A Centralized Outbreak of Varicella among Children Attending Preschool in Suzhou, China.

Background. Varicella vaccine is available for voluntary purchase with a single dose currently recommended for children aged ≥12 months. An epidemiological study was undertaken in order to determine the characteristics of the outbreak, assess vaccine effectiveness, and examine risk factors for vaccine failure. Methods. A varicella case was defined as a generalized papulovesicular rash (without other apparent causes) in a child without prior varicella attending the kindergarten during February 22 to April 7 of 2016. Varicella among vaccinated children (breakthrough varicella) was defined as varicella occurring >42 days after vaccination. Children’s vaccination status was verified with immunization records through local vaccination information platform. Results. Of the 738 children, 664 (90.0%) had no prior varicella history. Of these, 364 (54.8%) had received a single-dose varicella vaccine before outbreak. A total of 30 cases occurred in the outbreak, and 9 of them (30%) had breakthrough varicella. Age at vaccination ( ). Single-dose varicella vaccination was 64.7% effective in preventing any varicella. Conclusions. Single-dose varicella vaccine is effective in reducing the varicella attack rate, but not high enough to prevent outbreak. Timely detection and effective isolation are key factors in controlling varicella. Improving single-dose vaccination coverage and implementing two-dose vaccination strategy should be recommended to provide excellent protection to prevent varicella in the future in Suzhou.
Parallel Markov chain Monte Carlo for Pitman-Yor mixture models

The Pitman-Yor process provides an elegant way to cluster data that exhibit power law behavior, where the number of clusters is unknown or unbounded. Unfortunately, inference in Pitman-Yor process-based models is typically slow and does not scale well with dataset size. In this paper we present new auxiliary-variable representations for the Pitman-Yor process and a special case of the hierarchical Pitman-Yor process that allows us to develop parallel inference algorithms that distribute inference both on the data space and the model space. We show that our method scales well with increasing data while avoiding any degradation in estimate quality.
Ground Glass Opacities Observed in a 26-Year-Old Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Rule-Out Patient With a History of Vape Use.

Pulmonary imaging findings in e-cigarette and vaping use associated lung injury (EVALI) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be similar. One such pulmonary radiographic finding is ground glass opacities (GGOs). These GGOs present a wide differential that is narrowed down through diagnostic testing, deliberation of past medical history as well as medication use, and social history. This case presents GGOs observed in a COVID rule-out admission clinically correlated with EVALI.
Reply to Patella et al. and Lindestam Arlehamn et al.: Complex pandemic dynamics and effect of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination on COVID-19 prevalence and mortality.

In agreement with our published results (1), the epidemiological analysis by Lindestam Arlehamn et al. (2), with COVID-19 data from April 22, 2020, found a significant negative correlation ( P = 0.0006) between mean bacillus Calmette–Guerin vaccination coverage and deaths from COVID-19. However, this correlation did not hold when the authors used updated mortality data from August 1, 2020 (2). Two major factors determine the probability that a person will die from COVID-19: first, whether the person becomes infected; second, for those who become infected, how well they respond to the infection, and this is determined by biological and social variables such as age, gender, preexisting conditions, immunological history (such as bacillus Calmette–Guerin vaccination), and the access and efficacy of medical interventions. The dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic are complex, and as time goes by, the degree of success of social distancing strategies predominate as the major determinant of the number of people that become infected and those that ultimately die from the infection. For example, COVID-19 mortality in the United States decreased from 6.1% on May 12 to 3.2% on August 12, 2020 (3), due, in part, to the large number of young people infected between June and August (4). We compared the mortality rates in different countries during the first 25 to 30 d of the pandemic, because the infections leading to those early deaths took place before … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: cbarillas{at}niaid.nih.gov. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Drop-Activation: Implicit Parameter Reduction and Harmonious Regularization

Overfitting frequently occurs in deep learning. In this paper, we propose a novel regularization method called drop-activation to reduce overfitting and improve generalization. The key idea is to drop nonlinear activation functions by setting them to be identity functions randomly during training time. During testing, we use a deterministic network with a new activation function to encode the average effect of dropping activations randomly. Our theoretical analyses support the regularization effect of drop-activation as implicit parameter reduction and verify its capability to be used together with batch normalization (Ioffe and Szegedy in Batch normalization: accelerating deep network training by reducing internal covariate shift. arXiv:1502.03167 , 2015). The experimental results on CIFAR10, CIFAR100, SVHN, EMNIST, and ImageNet show that drop-activation generally improves the performance of popular neural network architectures for the image classification task. Furthermore, as a regularizer drop-activation can be used in harmony with standard training and regularization techniques such as batch normalization and AutoAugment (Cubuk et al. in Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, pp. 113–123, 2019). The code is available at https://github.com/LeungSamWai/Drop-Activation .
Coordinated decline of leaf hydraulic and stomatal conductances under drought is not linked to leaf xylem embolism for different grapevine cultivars.

Drought decreases water transport capacity of leaves and limits gas exchange, which involves reduced leaf leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) in both the xylem and outside-xylem pathways. Some literature suggests that grapevines are hyper-susceptible to drought-induced xylem embolism. We combined Kleaf and gas exchange measurements, micro-computed tomography of intact leaves, and spatially explicit modeling of the outside-xylem pathways to evaluate the role of vein embolism and Kleaf in the responses of two different grapevine cultivars to drought. Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay exhibited similar vulnerabilities of Kleaf and gs to dehydration, decreasing substantially prior to leaf xylem embolism. Kleaf and gs decreased by 80% for both cultivars by Ψ leaf approximately -0.7 MPa and -1.2 MPa, respectively, while leaf xylem embolism initiated around Ψ leaf = -1.25 MPa in the midribs and little to no embolism was detected in minor veins even under severe dehydration for both cultivars. Modeling results indicated that reduced membrane permeability associated with a Casparian-like band in the leaf vein bundle sheath would explain declines in Kleaf of both cultivars. We conclude that during moderate water stress, changes in the outside-xylem pathways, rather than xylem embolism, are responsible for reduced Kleaf and gs. Understanding this mechanism could help to ensure adequate carbon capture and crop performance under drought.
FPGA-Based Candidate Scoring Acceleration towards LiDAR Mapping

Cartographer is a system that can provide realtime simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) in both 2D and 3D across multiple platforms and sensors. Cartographer has been used in commercial applications such as Google Street View and in robotics applications such as interior mapping based on robot operating system (ROS) bag file recordings. However, cartographer is a complex system and incurs heavy computation demand. This paper aims at alleviating this demand by utilizing an FPGA-based approach to accelerate key components of Cartographer. Based on our analysis, we found that candidate scoring is the most time-consuming component of Cartographer. By implementing the candidate scoring function on an FPGA, the candidates can be scored at a much faster rate, which in turn allows Cartographer to generate a map much more quickly. In addition, our FPGA-based approach can lead to significant reduction in energy consumption when compared with traditional CPU-based approach, which makes it more suitable to be deployed in mobile and embedded computing scenarios.
A novel Local Time Stepping algorithm for shallow water flow simulation in the discontinuous Galerkin framework

Abstract This paper introduces a generic and efficient Local Time Stepping (LTS) algorithm called Local Flux Flagged-Local Time Stepping (LFF-LTS). The applicability of LFF-LTS algorithm to the solution of shallow water flow equations, utilizing the discontinuous Galerkin finite element framework, is investigated for uniform and non-uniform meshes. The proposed algorithm can be incorporated in any numerical scheme using an explicit time integration scheme. The new scheme is developed by combining and modifying the two existing LTS algorithms, where the domain time step (maximum allowable time step within the domain based on the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy condition) and the local time step for an element is determined such that the stability criterion is satisfied for all elements. Frozen flux approximation is used during the intermediate time step as the solution for each element is advanced to the domain time step. The algorithm is applied to idealized and practical shallow water flow problems with wet/dry and partially wet bed conditions, and its accuracy and efficiency are compared to the traditional Global Time Stepping (GTS) method. Results show that, with no loss of accuracy, the new LTS algorithm achieves 47–73% CPU time reduction when compared to the GTS method. The accuracy of the LFF-LTS and GTS algorithms are compared with analytical/measured data and found to be in good agreement. The LFF-LTS algorithm is compared with the two existing LTS schemes and found to be more efficient.
Use of functional genomics to understand influenza-host interactions.

Abstract Infection with influenza typically results in mild‐to‐moderate illness in healthy individuals; however, it is responsible for 30,000–40,000 deaths each year in the United States. In extreme cases, such as the influenza pandemic of 1918, tens of millions of people have died from the infection. To prepare for future influenza outbreaks, it is necessary to understand how the virus interacts with the host and to determine what makes certain strains of influenza highly pathogenic. Functional genomics provides a unique approach to this effort by allowing researchers to examine the effect of influenza infection on global host mRNA levels. Researchers are making increasing use of this approach to study virus–host interactions using a variety of model systems. For example, data obtained using microarray technology, in combination with mouse and macaque infection models, is providing exciting new insights into the pathogenicity of the 1918 virus. These studies suggest that the lethality associated with this virus is in part due to an aberrant and unchecked immune response. Progress is also being made toward using functional genomics in the diagnosis and prognosis of acute lung infections and in the development of more effective influenza vaccines and antivirals.
Iron supplementation moderates but does not cure the Belgrade anemia

Belgrade rats inherit microcytic, hypochromic anemia as an autosomalrecessive trait (gene symbol b). Erythrocytes and tissue are iron deficientin the face of elevated TIBC (total iron binding capacity) and percent ironsaturation; iron injections increased the number of erythrocytes but theirappearance remained abnormal. We have investigated iron supplements toimprove husbandry of b/b rats and to learn more about the underlying defectand its tissue distribution. Weekly IM (intramuscular) injections ofiron–dextran (Imferon at 30 mg kg) improved the anemia but did not alter thered cell morphology. Certain diets also improved the health of b/b rats whencompared to standard rat chows by the criteria of weight, survival toadulthood, hematology and reproduction. The critical nutritional factorturned out to be iron bioavailability, with ferrous iron added to the dietimproving the health of Belgrade rats without affecting the underlyingerythroid defect. Tissue iron measurements after dietary or parenteralsupplementation confirmed the iron deficient status of untreated b/b rats andestablished that dietary ferrous iron partially relieved this deficiency,with injections leading to greater amounts of tissue iron. Serum iron andTIBC were also found to be elevated in untreated b/b rats, with dietarysupplementation decreasing but not eliminating the elevation in TIBC. Thesestudies indicate that iron supplements can improve the health of b/b ratswithout altering the underlying defect and also suggest that the mutationcould alter iron uptake in the GI (gastrointestinal) tract.
Representation of task-specific knowledge in a gracefully interacting user interface

Command interfaces to current interactive systems often appear inflexible and unfriendly to casual and expert users alike. We are constructing an interface that will behave more cooperatively (by correcting spelling and grammatical errors, asking the user to resolve ambiguities in subparts of commands, etc.). Given that present-day interfaces often absorb a major portion of implementation effort, such a gracefully interacting interface can only be practical if it is independent of the specific tool or functional subsystem with which it is used. Our interface is tool-independent in the sense that all its information about a particular tool is expressed in a declarative tool description. This tool description contains schemas for each operation that the tool can perform, and for each kind of object known to the system. The operation schemas describe the relevant parameters, their types and defaults, and the object schemas give corresponding structural descriptions in terms of defining and derived subcomponents. The schemas also include input syntax, display formats, and explanatory text. We discuss how these schemas can be used by the tool-independent interface to provide a graceful interface to the tool they describe.
Researching Students with Disabilities: The Importance of Critical Perspectives

In this chapter, the authors critically review the current state of quantitative research on college students with disabilities and examine the exclusion of this marginalized population from much of our research. They propose ways to conduct research that more fully accounts for this diverse and important college population. The authors argue that critical quantitative research will produce more thorough knowledge and, in turn, policies and practices that will lead to more equitable college outcomes for students with disabilities.
Behavioral factors in drug tolerance

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the behavioral factors in drug tolerance. Following repeated exposure, the effects of a drug can either be unchanged, lessened, or increased. When a drug's effects are diminished following exposure to it, the change is called tolerance, when they are enhanced the change is called sensitization. One simple way to define a change in a drug's effects is in terms of potency. Potency refers to the amount of drug needed to produce a particular effect. Using this simple approach, tolerance can be said to have occurred when it takes more drug to produce a specific effect. Conversely, when it takes fewer drugs to produce a given effect sensitization is invoked. The chapter also describes laboratory investigations of the effects of repeated exposure to drugs. It focuses on the behavioral effects of drugs and operant behavior. The chapter describes the roles played by contingent relations among drug administration, behavior, and the consequences that maintain behavior as the key factors in determining the outcomes of repeated drug administration.
Scientific Certainty: Research Versus Forensic Perspectives

The scientific community and the judicial system are different components of society with different structures and functions. Nevertheless, science can contribute relevant and useful information to judicial deliberations if the inherent limitations of that information are understood. These limitations stem from the way the information is presented and perceived both by those who are providing it and those who are providing the context in which it is presented.
A determination of the best macromodel circuits for a phase-locked loop

Macromodel circuits designed to model the components of a phase-locked loop and intended for use with circuit simulator programs are compared and evaluated to determine those most suitable for modeling the loop time-domain performance. Macromodels considered included those for the voltage-controlled oscillator, the phase detector, the frequency divider, and the loop filter. The macromodel characteristics used for evaluation included accuracy, complexity, and computational efficiency. The emphasis was placed on modeling phase-locked loop components fabricated with current integrated circuit technology. >
Responses to various exposure durations of levonorgestrel during early-life stages of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

Abstract Pharmaceuticals are routinely detected in the environment; and several of these compounds have been extensively researched due to their potential impacts to the endocrine system of aquatic organisms. The negative reproductive consequences of synthetic progestins in teleost species have only recently been investigated. The current study examined different exposure periods that may be most sensitive for levonorgestrel (LNG) in early-life stages of fathead minnow larvae. Larvae were exposed to a single concentration of LNG (125 ng/L) for different durations from fertilized egg through 28 days post hatch (dph) with growth and mRNA expression of FSH, 3β-HSD, 20β-HSD, and CYP19a1 measured. Regardless of the duration of exposure, LNG significantly decreased growth in the fathead minnow larvae at day 28. For both 20β-HSD and CYP19a1, mRNA expression was decreased following LNG exposure durations ≥7 days. 3β-HSD and FSH showed similar trends after exposure to LNG with later stages of development exhibiting decreased expression. 20β-HSD and 3β-HSD were the only transcripts to remain down regulated once larvae were moved to clean water after the 7–14 dph LNG exposure. This study is the first to investigate the effects of exposure time to a synthetic progestin on developing fish. Future research is needed to understand what impacts these changes have on adult stages of development.
Case 4--1995. Perioperative myocardial infarction in a patient undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm resection: perioperative risk assessment.

Case Presentatton A 79-year-old man with an 8-month history of lumbar back pain was sent for computed tomography (CT) scan by his local physician. CT examination showed an abdominal aortic aneurysm, 7 cm in diameter. The patient also had a history of leg claudication induced by walking 1 to 1½ blocks and a questionable history of angma or gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. He had a myocardial infarction (MI) in 1980 with a 40-pack-a-year smoking history, but he quit in 1980 after his MI. Medications included hydrochlorothiazide, a potassium supplement, timoptic eye drops, and vitamm C. His electrocardiogram (ECG) was remarkable for a right bundle-branch block with first-degree atrioventricular (AV) block. Chest x-ray showed mild cardiomegaly. The only abnormal preoperative laboratory value was a mildly elevated creatinine of 1.6 mg/dL. Cardiology was asked to evaluate this patient preoperatively. Two studies were obtained on the day before surgery. A resting echocardiogram showed normal left ventricular (LV) size and functmn, no evidence of regional wall motion abnormalities, normal valvular function, and an ejection fraction estimated between 50% and 60%. He also underwent a dobutamine stress echocardlogram that indicated no inducible regional wall motion abnormahties. The cardiology consultatmn stated that based on these studies, his "cardiac perioperative risk is not substantially increased." They also added that they would have a low threshold to use betablockers perioperatively. He underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm repair under general anesthesia with nitrous oxide, asoflurane, and intermittent boluses of epidural fentanyl. Monitoring included a radial arterial catheter and a pulmonary artery catheter
Pathological Features of Healing of a Ruptured Human Round Window Membrane

Pathology of a round window membrane rupture was demonstrated in a human temporal bone from a case in which labyrinthotomy had been performed through the round window membrane. Proliferation of mesothelial cells was seen in the inner layer of the membrane, and it appeared to be reinforced from the inside by these reactive cells. The middle layer of the membrane was thickened by increased collagen and elastin. The pathologic changes which take place during healing of the ruptured round window membrane are discussed.
Long term follow-up of women treated with 16-week, dose-intensive adjuvant chemotherapy for high risk breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND A Phase II study was performed evaluating the disease free and overall survival rates associated with a dose-intensive, 16-week, doxorubicin-based adjuvant chemotherapy regimen in women with breast carcinoma and ≥ 10 involved axillary lymph nodes. METHODS Eligible patients underwent staging with computed tomography and bone scanning and were treated with a 16-week, dose-intensive chemotherapy regimen, comprised of 8 2-week courses of cyclophosphamide, 100 mg/m2 orally, on Days 1–7; doxorubicin, 40 mg/m2 intravenously (i.v.), on Day 1; methotrexate, 100 mg/m2 i.v., on Day 1 with leucovorin rescue, 10 mg/m2, every 6 hours for 6 doses orally on Day 2; vincristine, 1 mg i.v. on Day 1; 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), 600 mg/m2 i.v., on Day 2 over 2 hours; and 5-FU, 300 mg/m2/day continuous i.v. on Days 8 and 9. Tamoxifen, 20 mg daily, was administered to patients with estrogen receptor positive tumors treated after October 1988. All patients were offered locoregional radiation therapy. RESULTS Sixty-four women were treated on protocol. The median follow-up of 27 surviving patients was > 8 years at last follow-up. Three patients were lost to follow-up. The median time to progression was 54 months, the Kaplan–Meier estimate of event free survival at 5 years was 44% (95% confidence interval [CI], 31–56%), and the Kaplan–Meier estimate of overall survival at 5 years was 57% (95% CI, 44–69%). At 98 months the Kaplan–Meier estimate of freedom from recurrence was 31% (95% CI, 19–43%) and the Kaplan–Meier estimate of survival at 111 months was 36% (95% CI, 23–49%). CONCLUSIONS Despite the use of dose-intensive, doxorubicin-based, adjuvant chemotherapy, and intensive staging prior to study entry, the results of the current study are similar to those of previous reports for standard dose chemotherapy and appear inferior to those reported for high dose therapy. Cancer 1999;85:899–904. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Experimental and theoretical ultraviolet spectra of haloindoles

Abstract The UV spectra of indole and the 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-haloindoles (X=F, Cl, Br) have been recorded in methanol and calculated using time-dependent density functional theory. The lowest-energy UV absorption of each of the indoles is due to the HOMO–LUMO π – π ∗ transition. This transition shifts to the red for the haloindoles relative to indole mainly as a result of the destabilization of the haloindole HOMOs.
Computer-aided instruction for introductory linear circuit analysis

A step-based tutoring system for linear circuit analysis is being developed with the capabilities to automatically generate circuit problems with specified characteristics, including randomly generated topologies and element values. The system further generates fully-worked, error-free solutions using the methods typically taught in such classes, and accepts a rich variety of student input such as equations, matrix equations, numerical and multiple-choice answers, re-drawn circuit diagrams, and sketches of waveforms. A randomized, controlled study was conducted using paid student volunteers to compare the effectiveness of two of our tutorials in comparison to working conventional textbook-based problems. The average learning gain was only 3/100 points for the textbook users, but 29/100 points, about 10 times higher, for the tutorial users. The effect size on the post-test scores was 1.21 pooled standard deviations (Cohen d-value) and was statistically significant. A motivational survey administered to these students yielded a 0.53 point higher rating for the software than for the textbook (on a 1-5 scale). The system is being used in Spring 2013 by over 340 students in EEE 202 at Arizona State and two community colleges. About 99% of these students rated the system as “very helpful” or “somewhat helpful”.
Measurements of fluorescence resonance energy transfer in the concanavalin A-dextran affinity system using frequency-domain lifetime spectroscopy

A glucose affinity sensor based on a homogeneous fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay system was developed to monitor the competitive binding between concanavalin A (con A), a sugar-binding protein labeled with acceptor fluorophore, Alexa Fluor 647 (AF647) and polysaccharides conjugated with donor fluorophore, Alexa Fluor 568 (AF568). Confounding factors such as: (i) the impact of scattering due to tissue optical properties; (ii) the reabsorption of propagated donor fluorescence by the acceptor fluorophore; (iii) photobleaching; and (iv) fluorophore loading must be accounted for before quantitative glucose measurements can be made from fluorescence intensity measurements. Fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy made in the frequency domain circumvents most of these artifacts by measuring phase-shift and modulation ratio related with the fluorophore lifetime change. Experiments were performed to assess the FRET effects of this affinity sensing system, using dextran (MW 2000K) labeled with donor molecule, AF568 (donor-dextran), and con A labeled with acceptor molecule, AF647 (acceptor- con A). Herein we demonstrate that the FRET decay kinetics can indicate changes in the competitive binding of 0.09 μM dextran as con A concentration (from 0 to 10.67 μM) and glucose concentration (from 0 to 224 mg/dL) are changed. Preliminary work also presented here shows that quantitative frequency-domain lifetime measurement of FRET changes could be achieved in tissue-like scattering media using the photon diffusion equation.
Host parasitism and progeny production of two geographic strains of the parasitoid Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) on house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) hosts.

Populations of Nasonia vitripennis Walker (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) were collected from house flies( Musca domestica L.) at poultry facilities in Sullivan County, New York (NY), and Zimbabwe, Africa (Af). In laboratory studies, the two populations parasitized approximately the same number of hosts, but more NY strain progeny emerged per host pupa than did Af strain progeny. Oviposition rates were similar between the two strains, but a larger number of Af individuals died during development within the host pupae. A greater number of diapause larvae was produced by the NY strain. The results of this study emphasize the importance of understanding intraspecific differences in insects used as biological control agents.
Levels of opioid physical dependence in heroin addicts

The levels of opioid physical dependence in a group of long-term heroin addicts were ascertained by measuring the severity of the opioid withdrawal syndrome before and after pharmacological challenge with either 0.4 mg naloxone or placebo. Prior to challenge, patients manifested some subjective symptoms but few objective signs of opioid withdrawal. Patients who received placebo (n = 18) showed a significant increase in the mean score on one of three rating scales used to assess opioid withdrawal. Patients who received naloxone (n = 58) showed significant increases in mean scores on all three rating scales, but this was due primarily to increases observed in a minority of patients. Sixty-one percent of patients failed to manifest clinically significant changes in subjective symptoms, and 74% of patients failed to manifest clinically significant changes in objective signs of opioid withdrawal following naloxone administration. The results suggest that a substantial subgroup of heroin addicts are able to use opioids regularly while maintaining relatively low levels of physical dependence.
Reaction Rate Constants and Mechanistic Detail of the Ni+ + Butanone Reaction

The unimolecular decomposition kinetics of the jet-cooled Ni(+)-butanone cluster ion has been monitored over a range of internal energies (16000-18800 cm⁻¹). First-order rate constants are acquired for the precursor ion dissociation into three product channels. The temporal growth of each fragment ion is selectively monitored in a custom instrument and yields similar valued rate constants at a common ion internal energy. The decomposition reaction is proposed to proceed along two parallel reaction coordinates. Each dissociative pathway is rate-limited by the initial Ni(+) oxidative addition into either the C-CH₃ or C-C₂H₅ σ-bond in the butanone molecule. Ratios of integrated product ion intensities as well as the measured rate constants are used to determine values for each σ-bond activation rate constant. The lowest energy measurement presented in this study occurs when the binary complex ion possesses an internal energy of 16000 cm⁻¹. Under this condition, the Ni(+) assisted decomposition of the butanone molecule is rate limited by k(act)(C-C₂H₅) = (0.92 ± 0.08) × 10⁵ s⁻¹ and k(act)(C-CH₃) = (0.37 ± 0.03) × 10⁵ s⁻¹. The relative magnitudes of the two rate constants reflect the greater probability for reaction to occur along the C-C₂H₅ σ-bond insertion pathway, consistent with thermodynamic arguments. DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory suggest the most likely geometries and relative energies of the reactants, intermediates, and products.
Radiometric levitation of spherical carbon aerosol particles using a Nd:YAG laser.

Experimental observations of highly absorbing spherical carbon particles trapped in the beam of a Nd: YAG laser are presented. The physical mechanism believed responsible is discussed along with possible application and implications of this phenomenon.
The Embodiment of Ugliness and the Logic of Love: The Danish Redstocking Movement:

oppositions themselves, they have a particular immediacy in our time, an immediacy which can be attributed, in dialectical logic, to a reaction against structuralism, politically and intellectually. (Ortner, 1984) The sense that we are presently at the end of something, as expressed in the terms 'postindustrial' and 'postmodern', is a sign of loss of confidence in the structures of the state, the political party, the labour union, and the established ways of doing and thinking. This same loss of confidence is also found in the laws, models, and theories of the social sciences, as expressed in the term 'poststructuralism'. Critiques from the right wing of the political spectrum of all manifestations of state power except those which support capitalism and critiques from the left wing of the state's support of capitalism, all speak of agency, either individual or collective, against structure. The bourgeois critique is essentially coherent. It is, simply stated, that any structure opposed to the orderly accumulation of capital is to be opposed. The left critique of structure is more theoretically problematic. How can one act within the system to oppose it without creating structures which simply negate the structures they oppose, that is, without creating mere antistructures? To escape the endless series of contradictions anti-antistructures one might pose anarchism as a political response or nihilism as an intellectual one. However, to the extent that we still consider ourselves to be social scientists, committed to problem solving, to abandon the project is not a very attractive prospect. Assuming one has not reached the highest state of antistructuralism, one's critique of it must take another form, both intellectually and politically.
Dusting Off That Old Proposal: How to Survive in the Land of Research

Pediatric oncology nursing would benefit from more research directed toward questions that relate to the care of children with cancer. There are many ideas and proposals that are begun but never carried to fruition. This article will detail how to assess and rework a research proposal to provide the basis for a research project that will add to the scientific knowledge of nursing care of children with cancer.
Regulatory Choices: Analyzing State Policy Design

Social regulatory policy designs are the outcomes of combinations of political decisions. This article addresses the factors that affect specific choices about regulatory provisions, which I term the scope, stringency, and prescription of policy design. These are investigated for American state efforts to regulate the water quality impacts of concentrated animal feeding operations. I find that Republican partisan control reduces the scope of a policy design; environmental groups work to increase design stringency, while trade groups work to reduce it; and governors use personal and formal powers to influence the prescription of regulatory provisions.
Mycotoxins of the trichothecane family produced by fusarium tricinctum and trichoderma lignorum

Abstract In addition to diacetoxyscirpenol (I) and T-2 toxin (II) the fungus Fusarium tricinctum , strain T-2, when grown at 24°, produces a new trichothecane derivative, HT-2 toxin, which has been isolated and characterized as 3,4-dihydroxy-15-acetoxy-8-(3-methylbutyryloxy)-12,13-epoxy-Δ 9 -trichothecene (IV). Another toxin-producing fungus, Trichoderma lignorum , isolated from moldy corn, also produces T-2 toxin (II). This is the first time that fungi of different genera have been shown to produce T-2 toxin.
Influence of the Organic Matrix on Crystal Type in Molluscs

THE calcium carbonate of mollusc shells occurs as calcite in some species, as aragonite in others, and certain species deposit calcite in one portion of the shell and aragonite in another portion. Various explanations have been suggested for the formation of aragonite, which is significantly less stable. Participation of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase and the influence of the protein matrix on which the crystals are deposited have both been suggested1. We have investigated the capacity of pieces of decalcified matrix to induce aragonite formation when inserted into a mollusc which normally forms only calcite, and also under in vitro conditions in which calcium carbonate is normally precipitated as calcite.
Dermo-epidermal interactions.

Abstract There is a need for considerable research into the interactions between epithelia and connective tissues in order to gain a better understanding of the pathology and physiology of skin and oral mucosa and the ulcerative lesions that affect them. A variety of tissues from different ages could be employed in such research. However, the ultimate test should be on skin and oral mucosa of the adult, preferably the human adult.