cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immune status of patients with inherited bone marrow failure syndromes

Immune function abnormalities have been reported in patients with Fanconi anemia (FA), dyskeratosis congenita (DC) and, rarely, in Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS) and Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), but large systematic studies are lacking. We assessed immunological parameters in 118 patients with these syndromes and 202 unaffected relatives. We compared results in patients with reference values, and with values in relatives after adjusting for age, sex, corticosteroid-treatment and severe bone marrow failure (BMF). Adult patients (≥18 years) with FA had significantly lower immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA and IgM), total lymphocytes and CD4 T-cells than reference values or adult relatives (p<0.001); children with FA had normal values. Both children and adults with FA had lower B- and NK-cells (p<0.01) than relatives or reference values. Patients with DC had essentially normal immunoglobulins but lower total lymphocytes than reference values or relatives, and lower T-, B- and NK-cells; these changes were more marked in children than adults (p<0.01). Most patients with DBA and SDS had normal immunoglobulins and lymphocytes. Lymphoproliferative responses, serum cytokine levels, including TNF-α and IFN-γ, and cytokine levels in supernatants from phytohemagglutinin-stimulated cultures were similar across patient groups and relatives. Only patients with severe BMF, particularly those with FA and DC, had higher serum G-CSF and Flt3-ligand and lower RANTES levels compared with all other groups or relatives (p<0.05). Overall, immune function abnormalities were seen mainly in adult patients with FA, which likely reflects their disease-related progression, and in children with DC, which may be a feature of early-onset severe disease phenotype.
Angle-differential and momentum-transfer cross sections for e - +Rb, Cs, and Fr collisions at low energies: 3 F o shape resonances in Rb - , Cs - , and Fr - ions

Based on the relativistic Dirac R-matrix method, we calculate angle-dependent and momentum-transfer cross sections for electron scattering by Rb, Cs, and Fr atoms at impact energies below 3 eV. Our results for momentum transfer for ${e}^{\ensuremath{-}}+\mathrm{Rb}$ and Cs collisions are compared with available data from swarm experiments. We find clear evidence for a ${\mathrm{Cs}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{(}^{3}{F}^{o})$ shape resonance at 1.528 eV, in excellent agreement with angle-dependent electron-scattering measurements. We analyze and compare the ${}^{3}{F}^{o}$ shape resonance in ${e}^{\ensuremath{-}}+\mathrm{Rb},$ Cs, and Fr elastic collisions.
Total synthesis of (+)-roxaticin via C-C bond forming transfer hydrogenation: a departure from stoichiometric chiral reagents, auxiliaries, and premetalated nucleophiles in polyketide construction.

A total synthesis of the oxo-polyene macrolide (+)-roxaticin is achieved in 20 steps from 1,3-propanediol. In this approach, 9 of 10 C−C bonds formed in the longest linear sequence are made via metal catalysis, including 7 C−C bonds formed by iridium catalyzed alcohol C−C coupling. Notably, the present synthesis, which represents the most concise preparation of any oxo-polyene macrolide reported to date, is achieved in the absence of chiral reagents and chiral auxiliaries with minimal use of premetalated C-nucleophiles.
A ROMAN CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE OFFENSE OF REVELATION—RESPONSE TO WILLIAM ABRAHAM

Professor Abraham has given us a stimulating paper on the central and prophetic nature of revelation. I thank him for it. Several years ago at a meeting of a theological society Professor Gabriel Fackre gently chided David Tracy and myself by asking: “Why do Roman Catholic theologians neglect the work of Evangelical theologians?” This neglect was regrettable, he suggested, for Evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics have much in common theologically. Moreover, although they are numerically very large denominations in society, they both share a certain minority status in the academic community. They should, therefore, pay attention to one another's writings. His admonition has weighed heavily upon me.
Terahertz electromagnetic crystal (EMXT) based waveguide and horn antenna

All-dielectric Terahertz waveguides based on hollow-core EMXT fiber are fabricated via THz rapid prototyping using polymer jetting technique. Several waveguides of identical cross-section and differing lengths are characterized by THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) to extract the waveguide intrinsic propagation loss. Measurement results agree very well with simulation. This as an initial example demonstrates a waveguide with low propagation loss of 0.03 dB/mm at 105 GHz. Based on the waveguide, an EMXT antenna is also formed by modifying the defect shape into a horn. Simulation shows good performance of this horn antenna. The antenna is fabricated by the same rapid prototyping method, and its far-field pattern measurement is currently undergoing.
Logarithmic Compression of Digitally Telemetered Data

To express a number using true logarithmic compression, at least B = log2 [log R log(1 + Q/100 1 - Q/100/)] bits are required. (R = dynamic range, Q = ±error percent.) True logarithmic compression is rarely used in practice, but quasi-logarithmic methods such as normalized floating-point format are used frequently. A partially unnormalized floating-point format provides the best performance in the case of digital data. For this method B = log2 [100 log2 (4R Q/l00 Q 1 - Q/100)]-1. This paper contains analytical and graphical results that facilitate comparison of the various systems.
Locatum and location verbs in Lexeme-Morpheme base morphology

Hale and Keyser's Lexical Aargument Structure (LAS) (1993, 1997, 1998) is a currently influential hypothesis of verb derivation based entirely on the syntactic principles of head movement/incorporation (Travis, 1984/Baker, 1988). A specific claim of LAS concerns two types of denominal verbs: locatum, e.g., to saddle, from the syntax of the light verb to provide with, and location, e.g., to shelve, from the light verb to put. This article presents a reanalysis of locatum/location verbs within the framework of Lexeme-Morpheme Base Morphology (LMBM) (Beard, 1995). LMBM, one detailed realization of the type of lexeme-based morphology long advocated by Aronoff (1976, 1994), maintains a strict segregation of open-class lexical categories (lexemes: adjectives, verbs and nouns) from closed-classes (morphemes: adpositions, affixes, pronouns, etc.). By eliminating preposition as a lexical head of phrase, Prepositional Phrases (PP) must be reanalyzed as either Noun Phrase (NP) or Adjective Phrase (AP), a distinction which allows us to take advantage of insights provided by Kiparsky (1997), who notes that syntax of the type assumed by Hale and Keyser is incapable of distinguishing non-existent from existing locatum/location verbs. In addition to the syntactic distinctions provided by LMBM, the adoption of the notion telic role, “information about the use or purpose of an object” (Pustejovsky, 1995: 86), as part of the semantic representation of nouns, provides a mechanism to account for Kiparsky's observation that a denominal locatum/location verb must be derived from a “canonical use” of the base (Kiparsky, 1997: 482). In contrast with Hale and Keyser's arguments for syntactic sufficiency and Kiparsky's call for reliance on semantic principles, however, we argue in accord with LMBM's strict modularity that both syntax and semantics have a role.
Responses to clomazone and 5-ketoclomazone by Echinochloa phyllopogon resistant to multiple herbicides in Californian rice fields.

BACKGROUND: Late watergrass [Echinochloa phyllopogon (Stapf.) Koss.] is a major weed of Californian rice that has evolved P450-mediated metabolic resistance to multiple herbicides. Resistant (R) populations are also poorly controlled by the recently introduced herbicide clomazone. The authors assessed whether this cross-resistance was also P450 mediated, and whether R plants also had reduced sensitivity to photooxidation. Understanding mechanism(s) of resistance facilitates the design of herbicide management strategies to delay resistance evolution. RESULTS Ratios (R/S) of R to susceptible (S) GR50 were near 2.0. [14C]Clomazone uptake was similar in R and S plants. Clomazone and its metabolite 5-ketoclomazone reduced chlorophyll and carotenoids in S more than in R plants. The P450 inhibitors disulfoton and 1-aminobenzo-triazole (ABT) safened clomazone in R and S plants. Disulfoton safened 5-ketoclomazone only in S plants, while ABT synergized 5-ketoclomazone mostly against S plants. Paraquat was more toxic in S than in R plants. CONCLUSION: Cross-resistance to clomazone explains failures to control R plants in rice fields, and safening by P450 inhibitors suggests that oxidative activation of clomazone is needed for toxicity to E. phyllopogon. Clomazone resistance requires mitigation of 5-ketoclomazone toxicity, but P450 detoxification may not significantly confer resistance, as P450 inhibitors poorly synergized 5-ketoclopmazone in R plants. Responses to paraquat suggest research on mechanisms to mitigate photooxidation in R and S plants is needed. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Evolution of Kerr-Schild-type initial data for binary black holes using the horizon penetrating Teukolsky equation

We use the Kerr-Schild type Teukolsky equation (horizon penetrating) to evolve binary black hole initial data as proposed by Bishop {\em et al.} in the close limit. Our results are in agreement with those recently obtained by Sarbach {\em et al.} from the Zerilli equation evolution of the same initial data.
Frictional hot-spots and propellant sensitivity

When propellant cylinders are fired at low speeds against a steel plate, detonations are often observed. Since the process is not repeatable, and shock heating is not significant, it is natural to consider the possibility of detonation caused by hot spots. Several mechanisms are compared, and it is suggested that interfacial friction of closed cracks seems to be the most likely mechanism. 24 references.
DIPHENYLHYDANTOIN AND THE RELEASE OF ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE IN THE ALBINO RAT1

Rats, treated with diphenylhydantoin (Dilantin, 1OO mg./kg.) fail to show the expected depiction of adrenal ascorbic acid following unilateral adrenalectomy, intravenous Vasopressin, subcutaneous epinephrine or intraperitoncal histaminc. This blockade seems to occur in two stages, an initial phase presumably central in which the adrenal cortex maintains its ability to respond in a normal manner (by a depletion of ascorbic acid) to exogenous corticotropin; and later a second phase in which there is a reduction in the responsiveness of the adrenal itself to exogenous corticotropin.
Enteral nutrition in neonatal and pediatric extracorporeal life support: A survey of current practice

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to characterize enteral (EN) nutrition practices in neonatal and pediatric patients receiving extracorporeal life support (ECLS). Methods A Web-based survey was administered to program directors and coordinators of Extracorporeal Life Support Organization centers providing neonatal and pediatric ECLS. The survey assessed patient and clinical factors relating to the administration of EN. Results A total of 122 responses (122/521, 23.4%) from 96 institutions (96/187; 51.3%) were received. One hundred fifteen provided neonatal or pediatric ECLS, and 84.2% reported utilizing EN during ECLS. 55% and 71% of respondents provide EN ‘often' or ‘always' for venoarterial and venovenous ECLS, respectively. EN was reported as given ‘often' or ‘always' by 24% with increased vasopressor support, 53% with "stable" vasopressor support, and 60% with weaning of vasopressor support. Favorable diagnosis for providing EN includes respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, asthma, trauma/post-operative, pulmonary hemorrhage, and infectious cardiomyopathy. Vasopressor requirement and underlying diagnosis were the primary or secondary determinant of whether to provide EN 81% and 72% of the time. 38% reported an established protocol for providing EN. Conclusion EN support is common but not uniform among neonatal and pediatric patients receiving ECLS. ECLS mode, vasopressor status, and underlying diagnosis play an important role in the decision to provide EN.
Semantic generalization as a function of associative value of stimuli

The study attempted to determine if the smooth gradient usually obtained in primary generalization could be obtained for semantic generalization. Six generalization words were ranked in terms of associative strength to the conditioned stimuli. It was predicted that the greater the associative strength between CSs and each generalization stimulus, the greater the generalization. Shock was used to condition the S’s Galvanic Skin Response to the CSs. The magnitude of semantic generalization was then assessed by measuring the GSR to the generalization stimuli. Although the generalization gradient followed a decelerating curve, the GSR amplitude was not completely consistent with the measured associative strength of the stimulus words.
Molecular weight distribution in a polymer film degraded by light

An explicit expression is derived for the weight distribution function of polymer molecules in a photodegraded film. A most probable weight distribution of linear molecules is assumed initially present; normally incident, monochromatic light obeying a single Beer-Lambert absorption relation is the photolyzing radiation. The dependence of the weight distribution upon the film's optical thickness and the integrated incident light flux is illustrated by curves computed according to the derived functions. Predicted gel permeation chromatograms are indicated.
Exploring a quantum degenerate gas of fermionic atoms

We predict phenomena in the behavior of an ultracold, trapped gas of fermionic atoms. We find that quantum statistics radically changes the collisional properties, spatial profile, and off-resonant light-scattering properties of the atomic fermion system, and we suggest how these effects can be observed.
The coming wave of change: ICD-10.

Statistics on diseases and causes of death have been important to governments for a wide variety of reasons, including tracking changes in population health, guiding resource allocation, setting research agendas, among others. In 1893, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the International List of Causes of Death,[1] the precursor to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), as a standard coding system for reporting mortality data, an important advance for longitudinal and comparative studies. The ninth revision of ICD was expanded in the United States to more precisely capture morbidity data and to also include codes for surgical procedures, and is known as ICD-9-CM (Clinical Modification). In 1983, ICD-9-CM began to be used for reimbursement purposes, which remains one of its key functions today.
Enhancing allograft bone healing through gene therapy.

Study Design. A review and synopsis of recent literature pertinent to allograft bone healing. Objective. To review the basic principles and primary issues regarding the healing of allograft bone. To review progress made in understanding the molecular mechanisms of healing, and efforts being made to manipulate these processes to enhance healing. Summary of Background Data. Bone grafting with both autografts and allografts is a common reconstructive procedure. Failure to heal and catastrophic failure of seemingly healed structural grafts occur. There is currently a great deal of excitement about the potential of bone marrow-derived cells to enhance healing. Gene transfer techniques have been developed which allow the insertion of desired deoxyribonucleic acid-encoded messages into cells. Such messages can result in the production of therapeutic proteins. Gene therapy has been used to enhance the healing of allografts in a murine model. Methods. Literature review. Results. Autografts heal by endochondral ossification at the graft-host interface and by intramembranous bone formation over the surface of the graft. Allografts heal predominately by endochondral ossification at the graft-host interface. The living periosteum of a graft contains progenitor cells that have an important role in graft healing. The addition of bone marrow-derived cells to an allograft does not improve healing unless they are genetically modified to express bone morphogenetic protein 2. Gene therapy to induce expression of several other proteins (VEGF and RANKL, caALK2) can also result in markedly improved allograft healing. Conclusion. Gene therapy techniques can create revitalized allografts in a mouse model. These revitalized grafts heal faster, more completely, more durably, and stronger than allografts.
Microearthquakes in the Rift Valley of Kenya

During January 1967, 28 sites were occupied in the Eastern Rift in Kenya with three high-frequency, high-gain, portable seismographs. The microearthquakes recorded seem to be confined primarily to the center of the rift. They are directly related spatially to faults, some of which first formed in the early Tertiary, to a geothermal area, and to a recently dormant volcano. This study gives a clearer picture of the relation of seismic activity to rifting than is possible with the larger earthquakes routinely located by the world-wide seismic stations.
Bisphosphonates and breast carcinoma

The skeleton is a common site of breast carcinoma metastasis; 75% of patients with breast carcinoma demonstrate bone metastases at autopsy. The lytic destruction of bone in these patients is due to excessive osteoclastic activity. By reducing osteoclastic activity, bisphosphonates inhibit bone resorption. Initial studies of breast carcinoma patients were performed with clodronate, a first-generation bisphosphonate. Studies with small cohorts suggested reduction of pain, analgesic requirement, and development of hypercalcemia. A larger randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral clodronate 1600 mg/day demonstrated a significant reduction of the combined rate of all morbid skeletal events (significant reduction of the incidence of vertebral fractures, rate of vertebral deformity, and hypercalcemic episodes). Trends were observed that favored clodronate for the treatment of nonvertebral fractures and radiotherapy for relief of bone pain. There was no survival difference between the clodronate and placebo groups (Paterson et al., J Clin Oncol 1993;11:59-65). Pamidronate is a second-generation aminobisphosphonate that is a much more potent inhibitor of osteoclastic activity. Phase II studies again suggested an improvement in many of the skeletal complications of breast carcinoma. Two large Phase III studies have recently been completed. Women with Stage IV breast carcinoma who were receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy (380 patients) or endocrine therapy (371 patients) and had at least 1 lytic bone lesion were given either pamidronate 90 mg as a 2-hour infusion monthly for 2 years or a placebo infusion. After the two studies were pooled, 367 patients treated with pamidronate and 384 patients given placebo were available for analysis. The median time to first complication (pathologic fracture, vertebral collapse, spinal cord compression, or treatment of bone with radiation or surgery) was 12.7 months for the pamidronate patients and 7.0 months for placebo patients (P = 0.001). The time to first fracture was 25.2 months for pamidronate patients and 12.8 months for placebo patients (P = 0.003). The proportion of patients with fracture was 40% for pamidronate vs. 52% for placebo (P = 0.002); the proportion with radiation administered to bone was 29% for pamidronate vs. 43% for placebo (P = 0.001); and the proportion with any skeletal event was 51% for pamidronate vs. 64% for placebo (P = 0.001). The skeletal morbidity rate (the number of complications per year) at 24 months was 2.4 for the pamidronate group and 3.7 for placebo (P = 0.001). Pain and analgesic use was decreased among the pamidronate patients. There was no difference in survival between the groups. Not all patients responded to the same dose of bisphosphonate. Recent data suggests that patients who have a normalization of their urinary excretion of N-telopeptide have a reduced risk of progression of disease in bone and fracture. In summary, the addition of pamidronate to standard chemotherapy or endocrine therapy produces a sustained reduction in skeletal complications in breast carcinoma patients with osteolytic bone metastases.
PACEMAKERS IN NITELLA I. TEMPORARY LOCAL DIFFERENCES IN RHYTHM

A series of negative variations passing along the cell may reach a region where only every other variation registers. This condition may be temporary. It would seem to depend on a local change in the refractory period.
Radar observations of gravity waves over Jicamarca, Peru during the CADRE campaign

We present results obtained with the mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radar at Jicamarca, Peru, from three 10-day experiments in January 1993, March 1994, and August 1994. Horizontal and vertical velocities were measured over ranges spanning the lower part of the stratosphere and most of the mesosphere. In the stratosphere, the fluctuating part of the wind field was found to be dominated by inertia-gravity waves. Sinusoids of different period were fit to the velocity time series using a least squares procedure. The dominant periods of the inertia-gravity wave motions were found to be 1.5 days for the January 1993 experiment and 2.1 days for the August 1994 experiment. For the January 1993 experiment, the amplitudes and phases of the inertia-gravity wave oscillations were extracted for the vertical as well as the horizontal components. The vertical amplitude of the 1.5-day period wave was small (<0.1 ms−1), but measurable with the Jicamarca radar. The intrinsic periods of the inertia-gravity waves were inferred from the fits using two different methods. The first method predicted the intrinsic period using the orbital ellipses traced out in time by fits to the horizontal winds. The second method used information taken from the vertical as well as the horizontal fits. The values of intrinsic period made using the second method were found to have much less scatter than the values inferred solely from the orbital ellipses. The momentum flux estimates in both the stratosphere and mesosphere were found to depend significantly on the exact methodology used. A technique was adopted whereby estimates were formed only when radial velocities were measured simultaneously on both beams of a coplanar beam pair. Most of the total wave stress was usually contributed by waves at periods ≥4 hours in the stratosphere and ≥1 hour in the mesosphere. In the stratosphere, localized layers of enhanced momentum flux were sometimes observed. The obvious anticorrelation between the shear of the mean wind and the momentum flux in these layers suggests that they were caused by in situ generation of waves by the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, rather than gravity waves propagating from lower levels. At short periods, momentum flux spectra in the stratosphere and mesosphere showed numerous positive and negative peaks. A correlation analysis revealed that the high-frequency peaks were associated with discrete wave packets. The short-scale waves associated with these packets were fairly isotropic in their direction of propagation, and due to cancellation they contributed little net momentum.
An Euler Solver for Nonlinear Water Waves Simulation Using a Modified Staggered Grid and Gaussian Quadrature Approach

A structured finite volume Euler solver for non‐hydrostatic term, free‐surface flows has been developed to simulate nonlinear water waves. A semi‐implicit projection method which splits the pressure term into hydrostatic and non‐hydrostatic parts is employed. A vertically shifted staggered grid is designed to accommodate a new Gaussian discharge calculator and to the application of a non‐hydrostatic free‐surface boundary condition. The Gaussian discharge calculator on the shifted grid increases the dispersion accuracy compared to traditional approaches that calculate discharges on a regular staggered grid. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the improvements of these methods.
Down-regulation of neutral sphingomyelinase in androgen-dependent smooth muscle.

Background During puberty, proliferation of guinea pig seminal vesicle smooth muscle (SVM) is mediated by androgen-induced basal release of norepinephrine (NE), signaling through the post-junctional α 1 -adrenoceptor. In the adult, the SVM is terminally differentiated, such that cell number is androgen resistant. Sphingomyelinase activation generates second messenger ceramides, which in vascular smooth muscle have been reported to counter the α 1 -adrenoceptor-mediated contractile response and activate apoptosis. Accordingly, we hypothesized that SVM sphingomyelinase down-regulation by androgen may facilitate NE-induced proliferation and subsequent transition to the terminally differentiated state of the adult. Materials and methods Pre-pubertal and adult guinea pigs were orchiectomized and treated ± dihydrotestosterone (DHT). SVM was harvested free of epithelium, frozen, and stored for enzymatic analyses. Using radioactive sphingomyelin substrate, optimized reaction conditions for both neutral and acidic sphingomyelinase were established and used to assay the enzymes. Results Although acidic sphingomyelinase was stimulated by androgen in both the proliferative and amitotic phases of smooth muscle development, neutral sphingomyelinase was irreversibly reduced 35% at the time of DHT-induced proliferation. Conclusions Decreased concentrations of a second messenger ceramide attenuate apoptosis and increase sensitivity to α 1 -adrenoceptor-mediated mitogenic signaling. Therefore, DHT-dependent suppression of neutral sphingomyelinase activity may reduce ceramide concentrations and facilitate NE-dependent smooth muscle growth.
Utility of [18 F]FLT-PET to Assess Treatment Response in Trastuzumab-Resistant and Trastuzumab-Sensitive HER2-Overexpressing Human Breast Cancer Xenografts

The objective of this study was to evaluate 3’-deoxy-3’-[18 F]fluorothymidine ([18 F]FLT) positron emission tomography (PET) as an early marker of trastuzumab response in HER2-overexpressing xenografts. Tumor-to-muscle ratios were compared between both trastuzumab-sensitive and trastuzumab-resistant cohorts prior to and after one and two treatments. A significant difference (P = 0.03) was observed between treated and control trastuzumab-sensitive xenografts after one treatment, which preceded between-group differences in tumor volume. Reduced Ki67 (P = 0.02) and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) (P = 0.35) immunoreactivity was observed in the treated xenografts. No significant differences in volume, tumor-to-muscle ratio, or immunoreactivity were observed between treated and control trastuzumab-resistant cohorts. A significant difference (P = 0.02) in tumor-to-muscle ratio was observed between trastuzumab-sensitive and trastuzumab-resistant cohorts after two treatments; however, tumor volumes were also different (P = 0.04). Ki67 (P = 0.04) and TK1 (P = 0.24) immunoreactivity was ~50 % less in trastuzumab-sensitive xenografts. [18 F]FLT-PET provided early response assessment in trastuzumab-sensitive xenografts but only differentiated between trastuzumab-resistant and trastuzumab-sensitive xenografts concurrent with differences in tumor size.
DYNAMIC NUCLEAR EFFECTS IN PIONIC AND KAONIC ATOMS.

Abstract Corrections have been calculated to absorption widths in pionic and kaonic atoms due to the admixture of excited nuclear states. Effects as large as 12% and 27% are indicated for pionic and kaonic atoms, respectively.
In the office: Networks and coalitions☆

Abstract The study of the internal politics of an office demonstrates that levelling coalitions derive from established networks. This contradicts the view that network analysis is not useful in the study of levelling coalitions. Sixteen months of observation of office politics, particularly the functioning of levelling coalitions in the informal structure, could not be understood apart from the social networks from which they had sprung. Recruitment to and participation in the levelling coalitions derives directly from the existing networks. The analysis also demonstrates that the success or failure of the levelling coalition is dependent upon the relationships held and manipulated by the target. In order to understand the conflicts and be able to predict their outcome coalitions and networks must be analyzed.
The telencephalon and hypothalamus of the bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus): evoked feeding, aggressive and reproductive behavior with representative frontal sections.

Bluegills were stimulated electrically while swimming free in an aquarium containing other bluegills, a mirro, gravel and food. Stimulation sites have been plotted on representative frontal sections for which a nomenclature system was developed. Nestbuilding was evoked in both sexes by stimulation near the area dorsalis telencephali pars centralis, while strong after-responses were elicited from the ventral preoptic region. Stimulation in the preoptic region slightly rostral to the habenula simultaneusly inhibited aggressive behavior and evoked courtship. Feeding (snaping up prey, gravel or debris) and aggressive behavior (chasing and biting another bluegill) resulted from stimulation in the region surrounding the lateral recess of the third ventricle of the inferior lobe of the hypothalamus. In several cases feeding and aggressive responses alternated during stimulation; a similar pattern was observed as an after-response to stimulation in the nucleus rotundus. These results are discussed with regrard to stimulation in the nucleus rotundus. These results are discussed with regard to possible anatomical systems controlling reproductive, feeding and aggressive behavior in fishes.
Selective optogenetic activation of rostral ventrolateral medullary catecholaminergic neurons produces cardiorespiratory stimulation in conscious mice.

Activation of rostral ventrolateral medullary catecholaminergic (RVLM-CA) neurons e.g., by hypoxia is thought to increase sympathetic outflow thereby raising blood pressure (BP). Here we test whether these neurons also regulate breathing and cardiovascular variables other than BP. Selective expression of ChR2-mCherry by RVLM-CA neurons was achieved by injecting Cre-dependent vector AAV2-EF1α-DIO-ChR2-mCherry unilaterally into the brainstem of dopamine-β-hydroxylaseCre/0 mice. Photostimulation of RVLM-CA neurons increased breathing in anesthetized and conscious mice. In conscious mice, photostimulation primarily increased breathing frequency and this effect was fully occluded by hypoxia (10% O2). In contrast, the effects of photostimulation were largely unaffected by hypercapnia (3 and 6% CO2). The associated cardiovascular effects were complex (slight bradycardia and hypotension) and, using selective autonomic blockers, could be explained by coactivation of the sympathetic and cardiovagal outflows. ChR2-positive RVLM-CA neurons expressed VGLUT2 and their projections were mapped. Their complex cardiorespiratory effects are presumably mediated by their extensive projections to supraspinal sites such as the ventrolateral medulla, the dorsal vagal complex, the dorsolateral pons, and selected hypothalamic nuclei (dorsomedial, lateral, and paraventricular nuclei). In sum, selective optogenetic activation of RVLM-CA neurons in conscious mice revealed two important novel functions of these neurons, namely breathing stimulation and cardiovagal outflow control, effects that are attenuated or absent under anesthesia and are presumably mediated by the numerous supraspinal projections of these neurons. The results also suggest that RVLM-CA neurons may underlie some of the acute respiratory response elicited by carotid body stimulation but contribute little to the central respiratory chemoreflex.
L-edge X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Non-Heme Iron Sites: Experimental Determination of Differential Orbital Covalency

X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been utilized to obtain the L-edge multiplet spectra for a series of non-heme ferric and ferrous complexes. Using these data, a methodology for determining the total covalency and the differential orbital covalency (DOC), that is, differences in covalency in the different symmetry sets of the d orbitals, has been developed. The integrated L-edge intensity is proportional to the number of one-electron transition pathways to the unoccupied molecular orbitals as well as to the covalency of the iron site, which reduces the total L-edge intensity and redistributes intensity, producing shake-up satellites. Furthermore, differential orbital covalency leads to differences in intensity for the different symmetry sets of orbitals and, thus, further modifies the experimental spectra. The ligand field multiplet model commonly used to simulate L-edge spectra does not adequately reproduce the spectral features, especially the charge transfer satellites. The inclusion of charge transfer states with differences in covalency gives excellent fits to the data and experimental estimates of the different contributions of charge transfer shake-up pathways to the t(2g) and e(g) symmetry orbitals. The resulting experimentally determined DOC is compared to values calculated from density functional theory and used to understand chemical trends in high- and low-spin ferrous and ferric complexes with different covalent environments. The utility of this method toward problems in bioinorganic chemistry is discussed.
Power, liability, and the free-will defence: reply to Mawson

Tim Mawson argues that the ability to choose what one knows to be morally wrong is a power for some persons in some circumstances, but that it would be a mere liability for God. The lynchpin of Mawson's argument is his claim that a power is an ability that it is good to have. In this rejoinder, I challenge this claim of Mawson's, arguing that choosing a course of action is always an exercise of power, whether or not it is good for one to have that power. I then go on to develop an argument for saying that if (for the reasons presented by Mawson) it is not good for God to have the ability to make evil choices, then it isn't good for us to have it either, in which case the free-will defence is unsustainable. In an earlier paper written in response to Tim Mawson, I posed the fol lowing dilemma.' Either the ability to choose what one knows to be morally wrong is a genuine power, or it is a mere liability. If it is a power, then an omnipotent being must have that power, in which case omnipotence cannot consistently be combined with God's supposed necessary moral perfection. If, on the other hand, the ability to make evil choices is a mere liability, then it is a very bad thing to suffer from this liability and theodicy will have to do without the free-will defence. In his current contribution to this discussion,2 Mawson tries to move between the horns of this dilemma by arguing that an ability can be a power for some persons in some circumstances, whilst being a liability for persons who are dif ferently situated. This opens the way for him to claim that the ability to choose evil would be a mere liability for God, even though it is (at least sometimes) a genuine power for creatures like ourselves. Mawson's argument is ingenious, and his paper makes real progress in clarifying the underlying issues. But there are two main areas in which I think his proposal falls short. The first has to do with the proper way of distinguishing a genuine power from a mere liability, while the second is concerned with the implications of Mawson's view for the possibility of a free-will defence.
An architecture for a resilient cloud computing infrastructure

This paper proposes an architecture for a resilient cloud computing infrastructure that provably maintains cloud functionality against persistent successful corruptions of cloud nodes. The architecture is composed of a self-healing software mechanism for the entire cloud, as well as hardware-assisted regeneration of compromised (or faulty) nodes from a pristine state. Such an architecture aims to secure critical distributed cloud computations well beyond the current state of the art by tolerating, in a seamless fashion, a continuous rate of successful corruptions up to certain corruption rate limit, e.g., 30% of all cloud nodes may be corrupted within a tunable window of time. The proposed architecture achieves these properties based on a principled separation of distributed task supervision from the computation of user-defined jobs. The task supervision and enduser communication are performed by a new software mechanism called the Control Operations Plane (COP), which builds a trustworthy and resilient, self-healing cloud computing infrastructure out of the underlying untrustworthy and faulty hosts. The COP leverages provably-secure cryptographic protocols that are efficient and robust in the presence of many corrupted participants - such a cloud regularly and unobtrusively refreshes itself by restoring COP nodes from a pristine state at regular intervals.
Dynamical method for studying localization-delocalization transition in two dimensional percolating systems

We study quantum percolation which is described by a tight-binding Hamiltonian containing only off-diagonal hopping terms that are generally in quenched binary disorder (zero or one). In such a system, transmission of a quantum particle is determined by the disorder and interference effects, leading to interesting sharp features in conductance as the energy, disorder, and boundary conditions are varied. To aid understanding of this phenomenon, we develop a visualization method whereby the progression of a wave packet entering the cluster through a lead on one side and exiting from another lead on the other side can be tracked dynamically. Using this method, we investigate the localization-delocalization transition in a 2D system for various boundary conditions. Our results indicate the existence of two different kinds of localized regimes, namely exponential and power law localization, depending on the amount of disorder. Our study further suggests that there may be a delocalized state in the 2D quantum percolation system at very low disorder. These results are based on a finite size scaling analysis of the systems of size up to 70 × 70 (containing 4900 sites) on the square lattice.
Biomimetic catalysis in a larger context. Correlation of structure and function with genesis

Abstract The relationships between the formation (serial synthesis, self assembly, etc.) of biological and man-made catalysts and their catalyzed reactions are discussed. A potentially utilitarian implication of a correlation between catalyst genesis and function is a more resilient catalyst can ‘sense’ certain kinds of damage (those involved in reversal of the catalyst into its synthetic components) and repair itself. A set of correlated reactions has been developed. The catalyst, H4PVMo11O40, self assembles from several components and simultaneously catalyzes a new, fast and highly selective reaction, the oxidative dehydrogenation of α-terpinene to p-cymene by t-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP).
Development of Chlorophyll and Hill Activity

A sensitive luminometer is used to measure directly the low rates of oxygen evolution during greening of etiolated barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. var. Wong) leaves. Oxygen evolution is measured in leaf segments infiltrated with p -benzoquinone. When illuminated, these leaves do not produce significant amounts of oxygen until the end of the lag phase of chlorophyll synthesis. Chlorophyll is increased by feeding δ-aminolevulinic acid to leaves in the lag phase, but this does not cause an earlier appearance of photosynthesis. Chloramphenicol, and to a lesser extent cycloheximide, when fed to leaves together with δ-aminolevulinic acid, strongly inhibit the development of oxygen evolution in the light while only slightly inhibiting chlorophyll synthesis. The ability to evolve oxygen develops to only a slight extent in darkness, even in the presence of high levels of chlorophyll. We conclude that the development of photosystem II is limited by the synthesis of proteins in both the cytoplasm and the plastid, not by chlorophyll synthesis. Prolonged illumination is necessary for the development of oxygen evolution.
SU‐C‐18A‐06: Tracking Fuzzy Border Using Geodesic Curve and Its Application to Liver Segmentation On Planning CT

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of using geodesic curves to track fuzzy borders between liver and chest wall and to evaluate how it could improve the performance of automatic liver segmentation on treatment planning CT images. Methods: The performance of automatic liver segmentation usually suffers from the fuzzy borders between liver and the adjacent chest wall due to similar HU values on non-contrast-enhanced planning CT images. To address this issue, geodesic curves were used to track these fuzzy borders. We first constructed a horizontal gradient map on the coronal-view images. After automatically identifying one starting and one ending point, a minimal distance map (MDM) was constructed by evolving a front starting from an infinitesimal circle around the ending point to every pixel on the image. The value of each point in MDM represents the minimal distance from the point to the ending point, which combines both arc length and gradient magnitude along the path. The front evolution was numerically solved by fast-marching method. We coupled this method with our automatic liver segmentation method, in which an initial contour was firstly estimated by adaptive thresholding and then a distance-regularized geodesic active contour model was used to further refine the contour. Besides visual assessment, dice similarity coefficient (DSC) was calculated to quantitatively compare the computer-generated contours with manual outlines. Results: This study included five patients with 597 CT slices who received SBRT liver treatment. We observed clear separation between liver and chest wall after delineation. The results of automatic segmentation were in excellent agreement with manual outlines, yielding all DSCs higher than 0.9 with mean of 0.93. Conclusion: The preliminary results demonstrate that geodesic curve can be used to track fuzzy borders between liver and chest wall, and thus to improve the performance of automatic liver segmentation on planning CT images.
Global Transport of Anthropogenic Contaminants and the Consequences for the Arctic Marine Ecosystem

Three major groups of anthropogenic contaminants are atmospherically transported thousands of kilometres from mid- and low-latitude sources to the Arctic troposphere: acidifying gases (SOx), heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants (POP). Sulphur aerosols may cause acid rain and promote climate change in the Arctic. Heavy metals and organic pollutants are adsorbed by plankton at the base of the food web and biomagnified to significant levels at higher trophic levels. Top Arctic predators such as seals, cetacea, and polar bears have surprisingly high levels of contamination. Northern Inuit communities rely on marine mammals for a large portion of their diet and are therefore vulnerable to contaminant exposure. This paper examines transport mechanisms, source of influx of the major pollutants, susceptibility of the Arctic food web to contamination, and the impact on the health of Northern indigenous communities.
Negotiating for Money: Adding a Dose of Reality to Classroom Negotiations

Negotiation and conflict management courses have become increasingly common in business schools around the world. Frequently, these courses employ role plays and simulations to encourage students to try new strategies, tactics, techniques, and behaviors. While these simulations generally are designed to elicit realistic negotiation dynamics, they often lack the full emotional tension inherent in actual negotiations. One possible reason for this reduced tension is that no tangible resources, such as money, are at stake. This article describes an experiment in which MBA students paid a player's fee at the beginning of a negotiation course, and in which each negotiation exercise had an actual dollar value at risk. The article reports some results from this experiment and offers suggestions for instructors who might seek to add a player's fee to their own courses. In general, most students found the experience valuable, as it provided performance benchmarks while focusing their attention more sharply on risks and returns.
A multi-layer universally designed workspace for tracking students skills and mastery transition in mathematics manipulation in inclusive education

This paper presents a universally-designed web-based Workspace that facilitates the manipulation of elementary level mathematics: arithmetic and algebra. The Workspace features a multi-layer design that supports diversity along different dimensions: students with different degrees of visual acuity (from sighted to blind); different levels of proficiency in the subject; and different interaction modes. The universally designed workspace meant to be used in mainstream schools, where an increasing level of inclusion of students with visual impairments has been taking place recently.
Society of General Internal Medicine Symposium Principles of Intercultural Medicine in an Internal Medicine Program

ABSTRACT Internal medicine and medicine-pediatric residents (n = 76) completed a questionnaire that measured variables including sociodemographics, family dynamics, cross-cultural exposure, and exposure to intercultural medicine principles. Questions were answered regarding perceptions of their patients and level of comfort discussing specific cultural variables. Gender, training status, and geographic background did not influence responses, but the responses of European-Americans (71%) vs. ethnic minorities and foreign medical graduates (29%) were significantly different. European-Americans were more likely to be men, less likely to have an urban background (p = .02), and their self-described socioeconomic status was upper- middle to upper class (p = .02). European-Americans vs. all others differed in their perceptions of patients’ financial support (p = .001), and reasons for doctor-patient miscommunications (p = .05). The European-Americans had significantly less exposure to friends and classmates (p = .002), and instructors (p = .0001) of ethnic origins different than their own prior to residency training. Our data support the inclusion of intercultural medicine principles in the general internal medicine curriculum.
A simple model of the LLNL ELF FEL amplifier

Abstract The gain spectra and power evolution from simple, single-mode simulations are compared to the LLNL ELF amplifier experiment. The agreement is found to be good.