cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Species Identification of Vagrant Empidonax Flycatchers in Northeastern North America Via Non-Invasive DNA Sequencing

Abstract Vagrant individuals from cryptic species complexes pose a persistent challenge for accurate species identification, hindering our understanding of vagrancy in these taxa. Here, we used non-invasive sampling of fecal matter to sequence the ND2 mitochondrial gene of 2 vagrant western flycatchers observed in northeastern North America. The DNAsequence data we recovered from these vagrants fell within a clade of known Empidonax difficillis (Pacific-slope Flycatcher) haplotypes. Our work provides robust records of 2 vagrant Pacific-slope Flycatchers in the northeastern US. These findings illustrate the power of non-invasive sampling for species identification of vagrants from cryptic species complexes.
Amicus Brief in Wayfair v. South Dakota

The passage of time and changing circumstances have rendered the physical-presence requirement articulated in National Bellas Hess, Inc. v. Department of Revenue, 386 U.S. 753, 758 (1967), and Quill Corporation v. North Dakota, 504 U.S. 298, 324-15 (1992), a harmful anachronism. Standard tools of economic analysis that the Court considered in Comptroller of the Treasury v. Wynne reveal that South Dakota’s sales and use tax regime,3 as amended by S.B. 106, promotes neutral treatment of in-state and interstate commerce. By contrast, the bright-line physical-presence requirement set forth in Bellas Hess and Quill forces states to extend what is in practice a discriminatory subsidy in favor of a specific class of out-of-state sellers, namely, those sellers who lack a physical presence within the state. On the facts of the challenged statute, there is no valid economic reason to mandate such a discriminatory subsidy. While there once may have been sufficient concerns as to whether sales tax compliance costs would impose an undue burden on out-of-state sellers so as to justify a bright-line physical-presence rule, such concerns no longer exist here. Given the specific features of South Dakota’s sales and use tax regime and the state’s adherence to the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (“SSUTA”), there is no credible argument that the South Dakota tax regime is excessively burdensome on remote sellers. From an economic standpoint, a bright-line physical-presence requirement prohibiting S.B. 106 makes no sense. The Court has, in analogous circumstances, utilized the flexible balancing test articulated in Pike v. Bruce Church, Inc., 397 U.S. 137, 142 (1970), to assess whether a given state law imposes an undue burden on interstate commerce. Such an approach is warranted here. Under the balancing test, South Dakota’s important state interest in collecting sales taxes outweighs the minimal tax compliance burden on out-of- state sellers. S.B. 106 should therefore be upheld.
The Advent of Framebuilders in the Middle Paleozoic

Whereas the preceding Chapters discussed the fundamentals of carbonate sedi-mentology, stratigraphy, and petrography, this second portion of the book describes a variety of carbonate facies complexes given more or less in order of geologic age. These examples serve as documentation for many of the ideas expressed in the first three Chapters. The facies occur in many diverse tectonic settings and are found in shelf cycles, mounds and patch reefs on shelves, buildups at shelf margins, basinal banks, and pinnacles. Well-studied outcrop areas as well as subsurface petroleum reservoirs are included. The examples cited may serve as models for interpretation of less well-known facies patterns.
Cyclic Nucleotides and Phosphodiesterases in Monocytic Differentiation

Monocytes are immune cells that can differentiate into a number of cell types including macrophages, dendritic cells, and osteoclasts upon exposure to various cytokines. The phenotypes of these differentiated cells are highly heterogeneous and their differentiation can be affected by the cyclic nucleotides, 3′-5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and 3′-5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). The intracellular levels of cAMP and cGMP are controlled through regulation of production by adenylyl and guanylyl cyclases and through degradation by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs). PDE inhibition and subsequent changes in cyclic nucleotide levels can alter the final phenotype of a differentiating monocyte with regards to surface marker expression, gene expression, or changes in secreted chemokine and cytokine levels. The differentiation process itself can also be either inhibited or augmented by changes in cyclic nucleotide levels, depending on the system being studied and the timing of cyclic nucleotide elevation. This chapter explores the effects of PDE inhibition and increases in cGMP and cAMP on monocytic differentiation into osteoclasts, dendritic cells, and macrophages.
Multibreath Hyperpolarized 3He Imaging Scheme to Measure Alveolar Oxygen Tension and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient

Rationale and Objectives In this study, we compared a newly developed multibreath simultaneous alveolar oxygen tension and apparent diffusion coefficient (PAO2-ADC) imaging sequence to a single-breath acquisition, with the aim of mitigating the compromising effects of intervoxel flow and slow-filling regions on single-breath measurements, especially in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) subjects. Materials and Methods Both single-breath and multibreath simultaneous PAO2-ADC imaging schemes were performed on a total of 10 human subjects (five asymptomatic smokers and five COPD subjects). Estimated PAO2 and ADC values derived from the different sequences were compared both globally and regionally. The distribution of voxels with nonphysiological values was also compared between the two schemes. Results The multibreath protocol decreased the ventilation defect volumes by an average of 12.9 ± 6.6%. The multibreath sequence generated nonphysiological PAO2 values in 11.0 ± 8.5% fewer voxels than the single-breath sequence. Single-breath PAO2 maps also showed more regions with gas-flow artifacts and general signal heterogeneity. On average, the standard deviation of the PAO2 distribution was 16.5 ± 7.0% lower using multibreath PAO2-ADC imaging, suggesting a more homogeneous gas distribution. Both mean and standard deviation of the ADC increased significantly from single- to multibreath imaging (p = 0.048 and p = 0.070, respectively), suggesting more emphysematous regions in the slow-filling lung. Conclusion Multibreath PAO2-ADC imaging provides superior accuracy and efficiency compared to previous imaging protocols. PAO2 and ADC maps generated by multibreath imaging allowed for the qualification of various regions as emphysematous or obstructed, which single-breath PAO2 maps can only identify as defects. The simultaneous PAO2 and ADC measurements generated by the presented multibreath method were also more physiologically realistic, and allowed for more detailed analysis of the slow-filling regions characteristic of COPD subjects.
News Media Cartels are Bad News for Consumers

Antitrust has two legal standards by which to assess firm conduct. The first is the rule of reason, which applies to the majority of antitrust matters that appear before competition agencies. The second standard is per se condemnation, which is reserved for conduct that is deemed so plainly harmful that the act itself is sufficient to find liability — the canonical example being cartel price fixing. The reason why cartels are condemned under a per se standard is because there is little to no redeeming social value from allowing competitors to jointly set the terms of trade in a market. Put simply, cartels are the antithesis of competition. They collectively negotiate on behalf of their members in order to extract a greater share of the market surplus while also damaging the market through higher prices, lower output, and/or lower quality. This takes us to the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act. This bill was introduced with the professed objective of allowing small newspaper publishers to band together in negotiations with Facebook and Google in order to secure a more fair and equitable distribution of profits from online advertising. As virtuous as that may sound, the reality is quite different. The bill would allow all online newspaper publishers (including conglomerates such as the News Corporation, AT&T, and Viacom) to form a cartel to fix prices and other terms of trade. This is not a bill aimed at small publishers, nor is it a bill aimed at ensuring “quality” (which is often a red herring in antitrust as it invokes a desire for incumbents to create artificial barriers to entry). Rather, the bill would create antitrust immunity for colluding media conglomerates. In this short article, we first describe precisely what is in the bill. Next, we describe the structure of the online news market, and the role that online platforms play in distributing news content. Finally, we detail the impact that such collusion would have on the market.
Large-Scale Analysis of Cell Death Phenotypic Heterogeneity

SUMMARY Individual cancer cells within a population can exhibit substantial phenotypic heterogeneity such that exposure to a lethal agent will kill only a fraction of cells at a given time. Whether common molecular mechanisms govern this fractional killing in response to different lethal stimuli is poorly understood. In part, this is because it is difficult to compare fractional killing between conditions using existing approaches. Here, we show that fractional killing can be quantified and compared for hundreds of populations in parallel using high-throughput time-lapse imaging. We find that fractional killing is highly variable between lethal agents and between cell lines. At the molecular level, we find that the antiapoptotic protein MCL1 is an important determinant of fractional killing in response to mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway inhibitors but not other lethal stimuli. These studies lay the foundation for the large-scale, quantitative analysis of cell death phenotypic heterogeneity.
Genetic Risk for Hepatic Fat among an Ethnically Diverse Cohort of Youth: The Exploring Perinatal Outcomes among Children Study.

Objective To assess the importance of genetic and nongenetic risk factors contributing to hepatic fat accumulation in a multiethnic population of youth. Study design We investigated the relationship between genetic factors and hepatic fat fraction (HFF) in 347 children aged 12.5-19.5 years. We examined 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms previously associated with HFF and a weighted genetic risk score (GRS) and examined how these associations varied with ethnicity (Hispanic vs non-Hispanic white) and body mass index (BMI) category. We also compared how much variation in HFF was explained by genetic factors vs cardiometabolic factors (BMI z-score and the Homeostasis Model of Insulin Resistance) or diet. Results PNPLA3 rs738409 and the GRS were each associated with HFF among Hispanic (β = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.16-0.62; P = .001; and β = 0.20; 95% CI, 0.05-0.34; P = .007, respectively) but not non-Hispanic white (β = 0.04; 95% CI, −0.18 to 0.26; P = .696; and β = 0.03; 95% CI, −0.09 to 0.14; P = .651, respectively) youth. Cardiometabolic risk factors explained more of the variation in HFF than genetic risk factors among non-lean Hispanic individuals (27.2% for cardiometabolic markers vs 6.4% for rs738409 and 4.3% for the GRS), and genetic risk factors were more important among lean individuals (2.7% for cardiometabolic markers vs 12.6% for rs738409 and 4.4% for the GRS). Conclusions Poor cardiometabolic health may be more important than genetic factors when predicting HFF in overweight and obese young populations. Genetic risk is an important contributor to pediatric HFF among lean Hispanics, but further studies are necessary to elucidate the strength of the association between genetic risk and HFF in non-Hispanic white youth.
A RECURSIVE APPROACH TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DELTAHEDRA

Perhaps the most celebrated of all poly hedra are the five Platonic solids. Since an tiquity their highly regular and beautifully symmetrical shapes have fascinated the mathematician and nonmathematician alike. What few people realize, however, is that three of these famous figures, the tet rahedron, the octahedron, and the icosahe dron, are actually members of another elite family of convex polyhedra. (Convex sim ply means that the line segment joining any two points on the surface of the polyhedron must lie entirely on or within the figure.) Furthermore, the feature that is common to this second eight-member group is in a cer tain sense far more fundamental and obvi
Pathways to Help-Seeking Among Black Male Trauma Survivors: A Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Many Black men suffer symptoms of traumatic stress in the aftermath of traumatic injury, and they also often carry social concerns, including experiences of discrimination and stigma, and a lack of financial resources. The objective of the present study was to understand how traumatic symptoms and social factors combine in complex ways toward the outcome of psychological help-seeking. We analyzed qualitative and quantitative data from 32 injured Black men admitted to a Level 1 trauma center. Qualitative interviews explored their attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. We analyzed quantitative data, collected using validated instruments, on posttraumatic stress and depression symptoms, financial worry, and discrimination/stigma. Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was conducted by calibrating each condition to fuzzy set membership scores based on our knowledge of the causal conditions and the cases. We then constructed truth tables for QCA analysis using fsQCA software. Three causal pathways for psychological help-seeking were identified: Two pathways showed that severe trauma symptoms in the absence of financial worry were sufficient for seeking help, whereas the third showed that financial worry and discrimination in the absence of trauma symptoms were sufficient for help-seeking. We identified two causal pathways for negated help-seeking, in which low posttraumatic symptom severity and low levels of discrimination or financial worry were sufficient for not seeking psychological help. The QCA analysis revealed multiple pathways for psychological help-seeking among Black men who suffer trauma. These findings highlight the need for further research to understand complex pathways toward psychological help-seeking in this population.
Stereotypes about Compassion Across the Political Spectrum

To what extent are ideological differences in compassion real or exaggerated, and who is more likely to engage in stereotyping about such differences? In five studies, including three online studies and two field studies of voters at the Iowa Caucus and U.S. Presidential Election in 2016, we found evidence for political stereotyping about compassion. Although Democratic and Republican participants did not consistently rate themselves as feeling different amounts of compassion on a single-item self-assessment, there was a stereotype that the average Democrat/liberal is more compassionate than the average Republican/conservative. Importantly, this stereotype exaggerated the extent of self-reported differences in compassion across parties in these samples, and Democratic participants engaged in stronger stereotype exaggeration. These results suggest that although there can be ideological variability in compassion, the perceived difference may exaggerate this reality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Dual Anion–Cation Crosslinked Poly(ionic liquid) Composite Membranes for Enhanced CO2 Separation

Herein, we report a strategy for developing dual anionic–cationic photocrosslinked polymerized(ionic liquid)-ionic liquid [poly(IL)-IL] composite gas separation membranes for enhanced CO2 selectivi...
SARS-CoV-2 Testing Disparities in Massachusetts

Abstract Objective Early deficiencies in testing capacity contributed to poor control of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the context of marked improvement in SARS-CoV-2 testing infrastructure, we sought to examine the alignment of testing with epidemic intensity to mitigate subsequent waves of COVID-19 in Massachusetts. Methods We compiled publicly available weekly SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing data for period (May 27 to October 14, 2020) following the initial COVID-19 wave. We defined testing intensity as weekly SARS-CoV-2 tests performed per 100,000 population and used weekly test positivity (percent of tests positive) as a measure of epidemic intensity. We considered optimal alignment of testing resources to be matching community ranks of testing and positivity. In communities with a lower rank of testing than positivity in a given week, the testing gap was calculated as the additional tests required to achieve matching ranks. Multivariable Poisson modeling was utilized to assess for trends and association with community characteristics. Results During the observation period, 4,262,000 tests were reported in Massachusetts and the misalignment of testing with epidemic intensity increased. The weekly testing gap increased 9.0% per week (adjusted rate ratio [aRR]: 1.090, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.10). Increasing levels of community socioeconomic vulnerability (aRR: 1.35 per quartile increase, 95% CI: 1.23-1.50) and the highest quartile of minority and language vulnerability (aRR: 1.46, 95% CI 0.96-1.49) were associated with increased testing gaps, but the latter association was not statistically significant. Presence of large university student population (>10% of population) was associated with a marked decrease in testing gap (aRR 0.21, 95% CI: 0.12-0.38). Conclusion These analyses indicate that despite objectives to promote equity and enhance epidemic control in vulnerable communities, testing resources across Massachusetts have been disproportionally allocated to more affluent communities. Worsening structural inequities in access to SARS-CoV-2 testing increase the risk for another intense wave of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, particularly among vulnerable communities.
Role of myocardial strain imaging in surveillance and management of cancer therapeutics‐related cardiac dysfunction: A systematic review

Transthoracic echocardiography is the primary cardiac imaging modality for the detection of Cancer Therapeutics-Related Cardiac Dysfunction (CTRCD) through evaluation of serial changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, LVEF assessment by standard methods including 3D Echo has important limitations including the fact that reduction in LVEF occurs late in the process of CTRCD. In contrast, by detecting early myocardial change, myocardial strain or deformation imaging has evolved to be a preferred parameter for detecting CTRCD. Peak systolic global longitudinal strain (GLS) by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) has become an important prechemotherapy parameter that can independently predict subsequent adverse cardiac events as these abnormalities typically precede reduction in LVEF. While an absolute GLS measurement may be informative, a 10%-15% early reduction in GLS by STE appears to be the most useful prognosticator for cardiotoxicity while on therapy. In this paper, we present a current systematic literature review of application of myocardial strain imaging in cancer patients performed following PRISMA guidelines using electronic databases from MEDLINE, Embase, and SCOPUS Library from their inception until June 11th 2020. This review demonstrates the incremental value of myocardial deformation imaging over traditional LVEF in detection and its clinical implication in management of CTRCD.
Depressive symptoms among mostly heterosexual adolescents

Mostly heterosexual adolescents experience heightened depressive symptoms compared to heterosexual adolescents, though prior comparisons with other sexual minority adolescents have been inconsisten...
Net Neutrality: Unexpected Solution to Blockchain Scaling: Cloud-delivery networks could dramatically improve blockchains’ scalability, but clouds must be provably neutral first.

Provably neutral clouds are undoubtedly a viable solution to blockchain scaling. By optimizing the transport layer, not only can the throughput be fundamentally scaled up, but the latency could be dramatically reduced. Indeed, the latency distribution in today’s data centers is already biased toward microsecond timescales for most of the flows, with millisecond timescales residing only at the tail of the distribution. There is no reason why a BDN point of presence would not be able to achieve a similar performance. Adding dedicated optical infrastructure among such BDN points of presence would further alleviate throughput and reduce latency, creating the backbone of an advanced BDN. The key to this vision, however, lies in establishing trust by the blockchain ecosystem into the underlying networking infrastructure. This, in turn, is achieved by decoupling authority from infrastructure via a provably neutral network design.
Preparation, Properties and Crystal Structure of syn-Isomer of 2,6-Dichlorophenyl-cyanoxime, H(2,6-diCl-PhCO): Potent Carbonyl Reductase Inhibitor

The oximino(2,6-dichlorophenyl)acetonitrile, H(2,6-diCl-PhCO) has been synthesized in a reasonably high yield of 60%, and characterized using a variety of physical, electrochemical, spectroscopic methods and X-ray analysis. This compound belongs to the family of cyanoximes; a new subclass of oximes with the general formula NC–C(=N–OH)–R (where R is an electron-withdrawing group) which recently emerged as new biologically active compounds. This cyanoxime represents a disubstituted arylcyanoxime that was found to be a powerful inhibitor of the Carbonyl Reductase enzyme involved in the developing of resistance to anticancer treatment, and the making of cardiotoxic derivatives of anthracyclines that are currently used in medicine. The oximino(2,6-dichlorophenyl)acetonitrile, H(2,6-diCl-PhCO) is a weak acid with pKa = 6.17 and does not dissociate in organic polar protic and aprotic solvents. The cyanoxime was obtained as a microcrystalline mixture of two diastereomers (anti- and syn-) and deprotonates in solutions with the formation of yellow anions which exhibit solvatochromic behavior. However, one specific diastereomer—syn—was isolated in crystalline form from a solvent system as colorless blocks overlayed with pentane ether solution in a monoclinic system in a P2/c (#13) space group with unit cell parameters: a = 8.1720(2), b = 8.8013(3), c = 13.0146(4) and β = 102.546(3); Z = 4. A single crystal was studied using filtered CuKa radiation, providing Rint value of 0.0348 from a full-sphere of reflections. A crystal structure was solved using direct methods, and well refined to R1 = 0.0459, wR2 = 0.1268 and GOF = 1.107. The studied specimen of oximino(2,6-dichlorophenyl)acetonitrile, H(2,6-diCl-PhCO), represents a highly non-planar, rare syn-diastereomer in which the oxime fragment is positioned towards the chlorinated phenyl group. In the crystal, the compound forms a columnar structure extended along the c-direction by using slipped π–π stacking interactions. Columns are interconnected via H-bonding between the oxime OH-group and N atom of the nitrile group with the following parameters: N–H = 1.841 A, and 169.20° N···H–O angle. No thermal interconversion of syn- into anti- diastereomer was observed upon heating of crystals of one isomer under flow of Ar.
Mountains of the North Temperate Regions of the New World

The mountains of the north temperate regions of the New World embrace the principal mountains of Canada, the United States of America and of Mexico. The elevated regions of Canada are i. the Eastern Highlands or the Laurentian Highlands (the Labrador Plateau), ii. the Appalachian Highlands and iii. the Western Highlands or the Cordilleran mountain system. The Appalachian Highlands and the Cordillera continue southward into the United States of America. In marked contrast to the great Alpine-Himalayan Mountain Systems, the North American mountains are mostly meridional in their general trend.
Estimating the system price of redox flow batteries for grid storage

Abstract Low-cost energy storage systems are required to support extensive deployment of intermittent renewable energy on the electricity grid. Redox flow batteries have potential advantages to meet the stringent cost target for grid applications as compared to more traditional batteries based on an enclosed architecture. However, the manufacturing process and therefore potential high-volume production price of redox flow batteries is largely unquantified. We present a comprehensive assessment of a prospective production process for aqueous all vanadium flow battery and nonaqueous lithium polysulfide flow battery. The estimated investment and variable costs are translated to fixed expenses, profit, and warranty as a function of production volume. When compared to lithium-ion batteries, redox flow batteries are estimated to exhibit lower costs of manufacture, here calculated as the unit price less materials costs, owing to their simpler reactor (cell) design, lower required area, and thus simpler manufacturing process. Redox flow batteries are also projected to achieve the majority of manufacturing scale benefits at lower production volumes as compared to lithium-ion. However, this advantage is offset due to the dramatically lower present production volume of flow batteries compared to competitive technologies such as lithium-ion.
The Origins of the Propositional Functions Version of Russell's Paradox

Russell discovered the classes version of Russell's Paradox in spring 1901, and the predicates version near the same time. There is a problem, however, in dating the discovery of the propositional functions version. In 1906, Russell claimed he discovered it after May 1903, but this conflicts with the widespread belief that the functions version appears in The Principles of Mathematics , finished in late 1902. I argue that Russell's dating was accurate, and that the functions version does not appear in the Principles . I distinguish the functions and predicates versions, give a novel reading of the Principles , section 85, as a paradox dealing with what Russell calls assertions , and show that Russell's logical notation in 1902 had no way of even formulating the functions version. The propositional functions version had its origins in the summer of 1903, soon after Russell's notation had changed in such a way as to make a formulation possible.
New Concepts To Old Topics: Employee Recruitment, Selection And Retention

The major purpose of this study was to determine what actions hospitality companies are taking to combat the current labor shortage. The study identified the most productive sources of employees, and which techniques were most effective in selecting employees, and traditional and nontraditional reward systems used.
Novel polymorphisms and the definition of promoter ‘alleles’ of the tumor necrosis factor and lymphotoxin α loci: inclusion in HLA haplotypes

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and lymphotoxin alpha (LTA) influence a variety of cellular responses and play a complex role in the immune response. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported in these major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-linked loci; however, a comprehensive examination of polymorphisms in the promoter regions of TNF and LTA has not been carried out and was undertaken here. Seven novel SNPs in LTA were identified by sequence analysis of 69 samples. Eight novel TNF alleles and 16 novel LTA alleles were designated. The TNF alleles clustered into two closely related groups, while the LTA alleles clustered into three distinct groups using phylogenetic and percentage difference analyses. A total of 52 unique TNF-LTA-HLA haplotypes are reported. There appear to be some associations between TNF/LTA alleles and HLA haplotypes, but not with specific HLA alleles. The majority of the SNPs appear to be randomly associated within and between the two loci except for the LTA SNPs at -293, +81 and +369. These observations may provide an explanation for the oftentimes contradictory results of studies associating individual cytokine gene SNPs with expression level phenotypes, HLA and disease.
FDG-PET maximum standardized uptake value is prognostic for recurrence and survival after stereotactic body radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer

Objectives Glucose metabolic activity measured by [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has shown prognostic value in multiple malignancies, but results are often confounded by the inclusion of patients with various disease stages and undergoing various therapies. This study was designed to evaluate the prognostic value of tumor FDG uptake quantified by maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in a large group of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using consistent treatment techniques.
The Chinese Educational System: Historical Perspectives

(1980). The Chinese Educational System: Historical Perspectives. The Review of Education: Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 395-398.
Smart pixel imaging with computational-imaging arrays

Smart pixel imaging with computational-imaging arrays (SPICA) transfers image plane coding typically realized in the optical architecture to the digital domain of the focal plane array, thereby minimizing signal-to-noise losses associated with static filters or apertures and inherent diffraction concerns. MIT Lincoln Laboratory has been developing digitalpixel focal plane array (DFPA) devices for many years. In this work, we leverage legacy designs modified with new features to realize a computational imaging array (CIA) with advanced pixel-processing capabilities. We briefly review the use of DFPAs for on-chip background removal and image plane filtering. We focus on two digital readout integrated circuits (DROICS) as CIAs for two-dimensional (2D) transient target tracking and three-dimensional (3D) transient target estimation using per-pixel coded-apertures or flutter shutters. This paper describes two DROICs – a SWIR pixelprocessing imager (SWIR-PPI) and a Visible CIA (VISCIA). SWIR-PPI is a DROIC with a 1 kHz global frame rate with a maximum per-pixel shuttering rate of 100 MHz, such that each pixel can be modulated by a time-varying, pseudorandom, and duo-binary signal (+1,-1,0). Combining per-pixel time-domain coding and processing enables 3D (x,y,t) target estimation with limited loss of spatial resolution. We evaluate structured and pseudo-random encoding strategies and employ linear inversion and non-linear inversion using total-variation minimization to estimate a 3D data cube from a single 2D temporally-encoded measurement. The VISCIA DROIC, while low-resolution, has a 6 kHz global frame rate and simultaneously encodes eight periodic or aperiodic transient target signatures at a maximum rate of 50 MHz using eight 8-bit counters. By transferring pixel-based image plane coding to the DROIC and utilizing sophisticated processing, our CIAs enable on-chip temporal super-resolution.
A statistical method for evaluating the effects of antecedent rainfall upon runoff: applications to the coastal plain of Georgia

Abstract A statistical (hypothesis testing) method is described for analysing the effects of long-term (1 year) antecedent rainfall upon subsequent runoff. This method which is regional, rather than stream-specific, was applied to the southeastern US coastal plain in Georgia for the study period 1948–1994. Three sets of forty 12 month periods were used to classify antecedent rainfall into three populations: “high” (+15 to +59% normal), “low” (−11 to −42% normal), and “normal” (−9 to +8% normal). These groups were then interrelated with three groups of “subsequent” rainfall, subdivided upon a similar basis. This resulted in the creation of nine unique sub–populations consisting of combinations of antecedent and subsequent periods. Subsequent periods of 3, 6, 12, and 24 months were used. A “production ratio” (runoff/rainfall) was defined for each subsequent period and then normalized with the long-term (47 year study period) average production ratio for those months. The nonparametric Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test was used to evaluate differences between mean normalized production ratios for the nine subpopulations. The results of a critical hypothesis test revealed that production ratios return to normal between 1 and 2 years following a drought, given a return to normal rainfall conditions. This might represent the time required for contributions to streamflow from local ground-water flow systems to return to normal following a drought. Production ratios associated with “high” antecedent rainfall remain considerably greater than normal for a period of at least 2 years following a return to normal rainfall.
Characterization of the atmospheric modulation transfer function using the target contrast characterizer

An experimental tool and set of experiments for estimating the short and long exposure atmospheric modulation transfer function (AMTF) in the infrared are described. Measurements are presented using a new technique of simultaneously comparing close-up infrared images with optically matched distant images to isolate distortions due to atmospheric turbulence. A unique large area (1.8 m X 1.8 m) uniform temperature blackbody with spatial bar patterns is used as a target for the experiments. The AMTF is measured as a function of changing atmospheric conditions with thermally induced turbulence assessed in terms of changes in the measure of the AMTF. Additionally, imagery obtained during quiescent atmospheric conditions is used to characterize the system transfer function of the near-field imager and enhance the near-field image spatial resolution.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Photoelectron spectroscopic characterization of vapors over heated alkali metaborate solids

Abstract The He(I) photoelectron spectra of the gaseous metaborates of K, Rb, and Cs have been obtained using a modified high-temperature cylindrical-mirror electron spectrometer equipped with a resistance-heated sample oven. Attempts to acquire data for LiBO 2 and NaBO 2 were unsuccessful because of the high temperature required for volatilization (on the order of 1300–1400 K). The identities of the vapor-phase molecules were based on mass spectrometric and electron diffraction data. Spectral lines were assigned molecular-orbital origins through the use of MO calculations and by analogy with other compounds of similar type.
Circadian and cAMP-dependent modulation of retinal cone cGMP-gated channels does not require protein synthesis or calcium influx through L-type channels

Circadian oscillators of chicken retinal cone photoreceptors modulate the gating properties of cGMP-gated channels (CNGCs) such that they have a higher apparent affinity for cGMP during the subjective night. This effect is driven in part by cAMP, which acts through Erk MAP kinase to initiate a cascade leading to modulation of CGNCs. Here, we show that cAMP effects on the gating properties CNGCs persist when protein synthesis is blocked. The effects is cAMP also persist when calcium influx through L-type channels is blocked by nitrendipine. The mechanisms whereby cAMP modulates CNGCs therefore differ from those previously reported to underline regulation of melatonin synthesis and secretion.
Population Differences in Genetic Risk for Age-related Macular Degeneration and Implications for Genetic Testing

To the Editor: The personal genetics revolution has promised patients an accounting of their individual risk of common, complex diseases based on their DNA sequence. Though under increased scrutiny from the Food and Drug Administration, several direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing companies offer such services, and conflicting results for the same disease in the same individual are commonly reported1. Even for an unusual case like age-related macular degeneration (AMD) for which a small number of loci with strong effects has consistently replicated across studies, it is extremely difficult to predict who will or will not develop disease2. Furthermore, most genetic association studies have been conducted in European Americans, and because the frequency of genetic polymorphisms varies across race-ethnicities, the predictive value of any genetic algorithm developed in one population may not translate to another. We have seen an extreme example of this for the ARMS2 AMD susceptibility locus. The non-synonymous coding variant A69S within ARMS2 is one of the strongest genetic risk factors for AMD (odds ratios (OR) ~2.2 in heterozygotes, ~7.1 in homozygotes3 in European Americans). This variant (or others in strong linkage disequilibrium with it) has been used in predictive algorithms published in the scientific literature2, 4, marketed by DTC companies, and in the Macula Risk™ test available by physician order.
A model study for the synthesis of the tumor promoting agents lyngbyatoxin a and teleocidin b—further aspects of a new isoxazoline-based indole synthesis.

Abstract A new indole synthesis developed in our laboratories has been shown to be applicable to the preparation of 4-amino-7-carbon substituted indoles, a result of some relevance to the preparation of the title compounds.
Congenital adrenal cortical insufficiency associated with macrogenitosomia

Summary A case of adrenal cortical insufficiency, congenital in origin and associatedwith macrogenitosomia, has been reported with details of the history, course, and autopsy findings.
Spray Drying: Influence of Developing Drop Morphology on Drying Rates and Retention of Volatile Substances. 1. Single-Drop Experiments

Precise experiments were performed in which single drops of coffee or sucrose solutions containing a trace quantity of SF6 were dried. Simultaneous measurements were made of the drying rate, the loss rate of SF6, the drop temperature, and the physical appearance of the drop. The effects of adding small amounts of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were also explored. Mass-transfer rates of water and SF6 increased during morphological development, or puffing. The enhanced loss of water was caused by liquid-phase convection resulting from stretching of the drop during internal bubble growth and mixing during bubbling. The loss of SF6 during this period was by liquid-phase diffusion into rupturing bubbles. The cooling effect from enhanced water loss during droplet inflation was often sufficient to condense the water vapor in a bubble, thereby leading to inflation-deflation cycles that prevent rupture and remove water selectively.
Effect of aspirin upon male mouse fertility.

Abstract Administration of aspirin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, to male mice was associated with an increased level of male fertility in mice initially judged as sub-fertile. The observation is taken to support the possibility that prostaglandins do have a role in regulation of male fertility and that in the male mouse the net effect of prostaglandin is to modulate fertility in a negative direction.
Resistance to hypoxia in the rat hippocampal slice.

Abstract Rat hippocampal slices showed marked local variations in sensitivity to hypoxia within the CA1 region, judged by electrical criteria. There were also marked differences between slices, judged both by electrical and histological criteria. Local differences were attenuated by ‘adapting’ slices for 3–4 h in a uniformly oxygenated bath before testing. The local differences may reflect proximity to capillaries.
Comparison of hind limb muscle mass in neonate and adult prosimian primates

Little ontogenetic data exist to indicate whether muscular organization of neonates reflects adult locomotion (e.g., leaping) or infant activities like clinging or the initial quadrupedal phase of locomotion that typifies most infant primates. In the present study, five species of primates with contrasting modes of locomotion were examined. Twenty-eight preserved neonatal and adult cadavers were studied by careful dissection of the hip, thigh, and leg muscles. Wet weights were taken of limb muscles after removal, and the muscles were combined into major functional groups (e.g., flexors, extensors) of each limb segment. Results demonstrate that the distribution of muscle mass within the thigh and within the leg are similar between neonates and adults for all species, with major groups varying by 5% or less in all but two age comparisons. Crural indices of the neonates are nearly identical to those of the adults, but leg/thigh muscle mass ratios were higher in the neonates. Species vary greatly in the percentage of adult limb segment muscle mass present in neonates, with Tarsius syrichta having the greatest percentage for all segments and two lemurids showing the least. These results primarily track differences in relative body mass at birth rather than developmental differences. The adaptive distribution of muscle, as discussed previously for adult prosimians, appears to be established at birth. Neonates of leaping species already have much larger quadriceps muscles than quadrupeds. Differences between large- and small-bodied leapers (e.g., pronounced superficial plantarflexor masses in tarsiers and pronounced deep plantarflexor masses in sifakas) also are present in neonates. Ratios of muscle mass over body mass are smaller in all neonates than in their adult counterparts, suggesting that the neonates are relatively poorly muscled, and that muscle mass must increase with positive allometry during growth.
Connecting genes to brain in the autism spectrum disorders

The autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a complex group of neuropsychiatric conditions involving language, social communication, and mental flexibility. Here, we attempt to place recent genetic advances within a developmental and anatomical context. Recent progress in identifying ASD candidate genes supports involvement of multiple brain regions, including the frontal lobes, anterior temporal lobes, caudate, and cerebellum. Understanding genetic data within an anatomical context will be critical to explain how individual risk factors operate to shape phenotypic presentation in patients.
Reinforcement Value as Related to Decision Time

(1956). Reinforcement Value as Related to Decision Time. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 427-435.
Reachability analysis of nonlinear analog circuits through iterative reachable set reduction

We propose a methodology for reachability analysis of nonlinear analog circuits to verify safety properties. Our iterative reachable set reduction algorithm initially considers the entire state space as reachable. Our algorithm iteratively determines which regions in the state space are unreachable and removes those unreachable regions from the over approximated reachable set. We use the State Partitioning Tree (SPT) algorithm to recursively partition the reachable set into convex polytopes. We determine the reachability of adjacent neighbor polytopes by analyzing the direction of state space trajectories at the common faces between two adjacent polytopes. We model the direction of the trajectories as a reachability decision function that we solve using a sound root counting method. We are faithful to the nonlinearities of the system. We demonstrate the memory efficiency of our algorithm through computation of the reachable set of Van der Pol oscillation circuit.
GPS-tagged images define the trail of an interdisciplinary miniterm in Egypt

Egypt has one of the oldest civilizations of the world. Its history is rich with events and its land still hides a lot of mystery. With the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east, Egypt enjoys a strategic location on the map of the world. Many of the monuments and temples constructed thousands of years ago still stand, and are continuously maintained to preserve them in good shape. A survey of existing artifacts and archeological sites of ancient Egypt reveals an impressive inventory of Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic heritage and cultures. Egypt has also a remarkable array of modern wonders including the largest earth dam in the world, the Suez Canal that links the Mediterranean and Red Seas, subways, roads, bridges, tunnels, and huge energy generation, water storage, massive irrigation, and giant land reclamation projects. Faced with an explosive population increase, the effort of upgrading existing infrastructure and constructing new additions for the many new cities presently under construction is unparallel. Furthermore, for its beautiful nature, mild weather, endless beaches, and rich history, Egypt is a major tourist attraction.A three weeks miniterm has been developed to introduce students to many of the major features of ancient and modern Egyptian civilization. Visits to many ancient and modern places including temples and monuments all over Egypt introduced the students to places of historical significance. Using a GPS-enabled camera made it possible to link visited locations with points on the map of the world. This approach added to students' excitement as it was noticed that students developed greater sense of appreciation of the visited places, as they become part of a photo taken at a given place. Such a map-linked photo personalizes students' relationship with the visited location. The major goal of the miniterm was to help the students appreciate history/culture, as well as engineering/architecture of various noteworthy monuments. Students' interest in, and enthusiasm for this type of study were remarkable.
Interactive fuzzy linear programming

Abstract In this study, an interactive fuzzy linear programming approach is investigated to improve the flexibility and robustness of linear programming (LP) technique. This paper provides a practical modelling method which is a symmetric integration of Zimmermann's, Werners's, Vergegay's and Chanas's fuzzy LP approaches and additionally provides a decision support system for solving a specific domain of practical LP problems. The interactive concept provides a learning process about the system, whereby the decision maker can learn to recognize good solutions, relative importance of factors in the system and then, design a high-productivity system, instead of optimizing a given system. This interactive fuzzy LP system provides integration-oriented, adaptation and learning features by considering all the possibilities of a specific domain of LP problems which are integrated in logical order using an if-then rule.
Converging operations in the psychological experiment.

The problem of reliability in the behavioral experiment appears to be due to the dynamic nature of the subject matter of the behavioral sciences resulting in interactions between the subjects (Ss), the experimenter (E), and the experimental situation (SIT). Both the E and SIT elicit varying degrees of nonassessable conformity in the Ss' behavior. The S tends to preserve the behavior that the perceives is expected of him—the S's conformity obligation. Just as natural and physical sciences have relied upon inferences built upon many intersecting and overlapping observations (a method called converging operationalism), behavioral science could apply this method to resolve the difficulties of the E effect and the effects of the SIT, since both affect the reliability of the psychological experiment. Empirical factors that determine under what circumstances the E and SIT significantly affect the S's experimental behavior are reviewed.
Child psychiatry and the paediatrician in training.

Summary The author draws on his own experience to support the view that some practical experience and training in child psychiatry is an effective way for the paediatrician in training to gain understanding of that specialty. It is also an efficient way to acquire certain perspectives and skills which will be helpful in the future, either in hospital or community paediatrics.