cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Avian binocular vision: It's not just about what birds can see, it's also about what they can't

With the exception of primates, most vertebrates have laterally placed eyes. Binocular vision in vertebrates has been implicated in several functions, including depth perception, contrast discrimination, etc. However, the blind area in front of the head that is proximal to the binocular visual field is often neglected. This anterior blind area is important when discussing the evolution of binocular vision because its relative length is inversely correlated with the width of the binocular field. Therefore, species with wider binocular fields also have shorter anterior blind areas and objects along the mid-sagittal plane can be imaged at closer distances. Additionally, the anterior blind area is of functional significance for birds because the beak falls within this blind area. We tested for the first time some specific predictions about the functional role of the anterior blind area in birds controlling for phylogenetic effects. We used published data on visual field configuration in 40 species of birds and measured beak and skull parameters from museum specimens. We found that birds with proportionally longer beaks have longer anterior blind areas and thus narrower binocular fields. This result suggests that the anterior blind area and beak visibility do play a role in shaping binocular fields, and that binocular field width is not solely determined by the need for stereoscopic vision. In visually guided foragers, the ability to see the beak—and how much of the beak can be seen—varies predictably with foraging habits. For example, fish- and insect-eating specialists can see more of their own beak than birds eating immobile food can. But in non-visually guided foragers, there is no consistent relationship between the beak and anterior blind area. We discuss different strategies—wide binocular fields, large eye movements, and long beaks—that minimize the potential negative effects of the anterior blind area. Overall, we argue that there is more to avian binocularity than meets the eye.
Silhouette clipping

Approximating detailed with coarse, texture-mapped meshes results in polygonal silhouettes. To eliminate this artifact, we introduce silhouette clipping, a framework for efficiently clipping the rendering of coarse geometry to the exact silhouette of the original model. The coarse mesh is obtained using progressive hulls, a novel representation with the nesting property required for proper clipping. We describe an improved technique for constructing texture and normal maps over this coarse mesh. Given a perspective view, silhouettes are efficiently extracted from the original mesh using a precomputed search tree. Within the tree, hierarchical culling is achieved using pairs of anchored cones. The extracted silhouette edges are used to set the hardware stencil buffer and alpha buffer, which in turn clip and antialias the rendered coarse geometry. Results demonstrate that silhouette clipping can produce renderings of similar quality to high-resolution meshes in less rendering time.
Inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) and inositol protect against ultraviolet B-induced cell injury in vitro and tumor formation in vivo

A3 Radiation, particularly ionizing radiation has cytotoxic effects on cells and tissues. We are exposed to ionizing radiation via anticancer radiotherapy, through occupational and/or environmental exposure, or most commonly ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sun. UVB and all other ionizing radiations cause DNA damage through formation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species, leading to cell injury, cell death and inflammation in the acute phase, and accelerated aging and cancer in the long run. Inositol and inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) are ubiquitous, abundantly present in cereals and legumes, and within almost all, if not all mammalian cells. IP6 and inositol are also broad-spectrum anticancer agents and are potent antioxidants with ability to prevent active oxygen species-mediated cell injury and carcinogenesis; they also affect cell cycle progression and apoptosis (Nutrition and Cancer 55: 109-125, 2006). We therefore tested the hypothesis that IP6 and inositol would be protective against UVB irradiation by using HaCaT human keratinocyte cell line in vitro (acute phase study) and SKH-1 mice for skin tumor formation in vivo (late effect study). In vitro:MTT assay and cell attachment assessment showed that cell viability significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner when exposed to UVB irradiation at 15, 30, 60, and 120 mJ/cm2. However, IP6 in a dose range of 0.5-2.0 mM significantly counteracted the harmful effects of UVB irradiation (p
Extended thromboprophylaxis in the acutely ill medical patient after hospitalization - a paradigm shift in post-discharge thromboprophylaxis.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant healthcare burden with approximately 900,000 events annually in the United States, over half of which are healthcare-associated. This number is anticip...
Pediatrician and Behavioral Clinician-Delivered Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment: Substance Use and Depression Outcomes.

Abstract Purpose Early intervention for adolescent substance use and mental health problems may mitigate potential harm. We examined patient outcomes from a pragmatic trial of two modalities of delivering screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) and usual care (UC) in pediatric primary care. Methods All clinic pediatricians (n = 52) were randomized to three arms: (1) pediatrician-only, in which pediatricians were trained to deliver SBIRT; (2) embedded behavioral clinician (BC), in which pediatricians were trained to refer eligible adolescents to a BC who administered SBIRT; and (3) UC. Using electronic health record data, changes in past year substance use and depression symptoms between the index visit and next screening visit were examined across treatment arms. Results Among patients who endorsed substance use and/or depression symptoms or were eligible for further assessments, brief interventions, and referrals based on clinician assessment at the index visit, 648 patients (mean age = 15.2 [standard deviation = 1.2]) were rescreened at a follow-up visit between 6 months and 2 years later. Among all patients, self-reported substance use rates did not differ over time or across arms, and depression symptoms increased over time. The embedded BC arm had lower odds of having depression symptoms at follow-up than the physician-only arm, and lower odds than the UC arm although not significant; we found no differences between the pediatrician-only and UC arms. Conclusions The increase in depression symptoms over time highlights this population's vulnerability and the importance of developing appropriate interventions. An embedded BC in pediatric primary care trained in SBIRT may benefit patients with depression symptoms.
"Double-expressor" intravascular large B-cell lymphoma involving the female genital tract.

![Figure][1] A 43-year-old woman was admitted with chronic pelvic pain and unexplained fever. Her laboratory findings were notable for anemia (hemoglobin, 10.6 g/dL). No masses were detected by pelvic ultrasound. She underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-
Explosive Volcanic Activity Generated from Within Advancing Silicic Lava Flows

After initial explosive activity, eruptions of silicic magma often decrease in violence and associated hazards due to a state of gentle degassing during effusion. Recent field mapping, microscopic, and geochemical analyses of drill core samples from the Inyo and Valles Scientific Drilling Programs indicate that during the advance of some silicic lava flows the concentration of volatiles may increase substantially, due to the migration and concentration of water vapor released by crystal growth and microfracturing. As a result, the explosive hazards related to emplacement of silicic lava flows may become greater rather than less as flow length increases, even though the overall volatile content of the extrusion is constant or decreasing. This idea is supported by the occurrence of explosion craters on the distal surfaces of large rhyolite flows, and by observations of nuees ardentes generated through the collapse of dacite lava flow fronts several kilometers from their vents. Volatile migration may also be responsible for the rise of diapirs of dark pumiceous lava to the flow surface. Hence, monitoring the surface appearance of an active silicic lava flow may provide indications of the potential for endogenic explosive activity.
Concentration Techniques for Volatile Samples

The direct analysis of trace concentrations of many organic compounds stretches the very limits of, or completely defies, even the most sensitive analytical equipment. For many areas of research, substances of interest are often at or below the part per billion level.
How socialization into reciprocity frames leads to entrepreneurial social capital: A field experiment with micro-entrepreneurs in Togo

In this paper I study how framing processes affect the formation of social capital for micro-entrepreneurs. Building on insights from social exchange theory, I argue that framing potential interact...
Additive Manufacturing of Hydrocarbon Elastomers viaSimultaneous Chain Extension and Cross-linking of Hydrogenated Polybutadiene

This work describes the first example of a hydrogenated polybutadiene elastomer photopolymer that addresses the process constraints of vat photopolymerization (VP) additive manufacturing. A synthet...
Gender-based harassment in early adolescence: Group and individual predictors of perpetration

Abstract The current study examined gender-based harassment in early adolescence and the characteristics of individuals who perpetrate such harassment (specifically, experiences with witnessing gender-based harassment and gender identity). Students in seventh and eighth grade (n = 483; 247 girls, 236 boys) completed surveys containing measures of gender identity (perceived same and other-gender typicality, felt pressure to conform to gender norms, and gender contentedness), and questions about witnessing and perpetrating teasing, bullying, and rejection because of a peer's gender typicality or atypicality. Results revealed that the more GBH an individual had previously witnessed in their classroom, the more likely they were to report perpetrating GBH themselves. Additionally, boys high in other-gender typicality reported perpetrating more GBH than boys low in other-gender typicality. For girls, same-gender typicality interacted with felt pressure to conform to gender norms to predict GBH perpetration. For girls low in felt pressure, same-gender typicality negatively predicted GBH perpetration. For girls high in felt pressure, same-gender typicality positively predicted GBH perpetration.
Response to the letter to the editor by Vermeylen and Leunen concerning “Ultrasound-guided suprainguinal fascia iliaca compartment block versus periarticular infiltration for pain management after total hip arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial”

To the Editor, We thank Vermeylen and Leunen[1][1] for taking interest in our study.[2][2] Regarding their concern on the safety of the ropivacaine dose (300 mg) used in our study, Pettersson et al [3][3] reported that the maximum free plasma concentrations after wound infiltration with ropivacaine
Biological variation of resting measures of ventilation and gas exchange in a large healthy cohort

Resting measures of ventilation and gas exchange are impacted by a variety of physiological stressors, such as those resulting from a research intervention or an extreme environment. However, the biological variation of these parameters, an important statistical consideration for identifying a meaningful physiological change, has not been quantified. We performed a retrospective analysis of 21 studies completed by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) from 1985 to present, totaling 411 healthy volunteers. First, we determined the intraindividual, interindividual, and analytic coefficients of variation (CVI, CVG, and CVA, respectively) and subsequently the index of individuality and heterogeneity (II and IH, respectively). Second, when deemed appropriate via these outcomes, we defined the accompanying static and dynamic thresholds, beyond which a significant deviation from normal is indicated. End-tidal partial pressure of oxygen (PETO2) and the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) approached the II threshold required to be considered useful in the static assessment of physiological deviations from normal. PETO2 and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) approached the IH threshold required to be considered useful in the dynamic assessment of physiological deviations from normal. This analysis identifies RER and PETO2 as parameters that might be most useful when aiming to identify a meaningful ventilatory change following a research intervention or stressor. Alternatively, other parameters of ventilation and gas exchange, such as PETCO2 and VE, may be less useful for observing an anticipated physiological change.
Dispositional Mindfulness Is Associated with Greater Nature Connectedness and Self-Reported Ecological Behavior

Environmental problems are worsening as human behavior continues to damage the environment. However, not all human behavior has negative environmental consequences, and many people make concerted e...
Bounded incoherence: a programming model for non-cache-coherent shared memory architectures

Cache coherence in modern computer architectures enables easier programming by sharing data across multiple processors. Unfortunately, it can also limit scalability due to cache coherency traffic initiated by competing memory accesses. Rack-scale systems introduce shared memory across a whole rack, but without inter-node cache coherence. This poses memory management and concurrency control challenges for applications that must explicitly manage cache-lines. To fully utilize rack-scale systems for low-latency and scalable computation, applications need to maintain cached memory accesses in spite of non-coherency. This paper introduces Bounded Incoherence, a programming and memory consistency model that enables cached access to shared data-structures in non-cache-coherency memory. It ensures that updates to memory on one node are visible within at most a bounded amount of time on all other nodes. We evaluate this memory model on modified PowerGraph graph processing framework, and boost its performance by 30% with eight sockets by enabling cached-access to data-structures.
Faster Range LCP Queries

Range LCP (longest common prefix) is an extension of the classical LCP problem and is defined as follows: Preprocess a string S[1...n] so that max a,b ∈ {i...j }LCP(S a , S b ) can be computed efficiently for the input i, j ∈ [1, n], where LCP(S a , S b ) is the length of the longest common prefix of the suffixes of S starting at locations a and b. In this paper, we describe a linear space data structure with O((j - i)1/2log e (j - i)) query time, where e > 0 is any constant. This improves the linear space and O((j - i)loglogn) query time solution by Amir et. al. [ISAAC, 2011].
Quantifying the Effects of Active Learning Environments: Separating Physical Learning Classrooms from Pedagogical Approaches.

Prior findings on the effects of active learning environments were limited by both research design and data-analysis techniques, such as lack of controls over confounding factors and misuse of statistical modeling. We (1) investigated the effects of active learning environments on student achievement and motivation and (2) overcame the limitations of prior studies. Using a three-group design, the effects of physical learning environments and pedagogical approaches were successfully separated. Active learning environments were found to have little influence, whereas active learning and teaching were found to have a significantly-positive influence on student achievements. The findings contribute to understandings of active learning environments in higher education, and invite more debate about whether further investments in active learning classrooms are worthwhile.
Case Studies of Intimate Partner Violence, Immigration-Related Stress, and Legal Violence During Pregnancy in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region:

This article explores how experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) combined with immigration-related stress shaped pregnancy and postnatal experiences among two immigrant women in the U.S.-Me...
Tp53 Suppression Promotes Cardiomyocyte Proliferation during Zebrafish Heart Regeneration

Zebrafish regenerate heart muscle through division of pre-existing cardiomyocytes. To discover underlying regulation, we assess transcriptome datasets for dynamic gene networks during heart regeneration and identify suppression of genes associated with the transcription factor Tp53. Cardiac damage leads to fluctuation of Tp53 protein levels, concomitant with induced expression of its central negative regulator, mdm2, in regenerating cardiomyocytes. Zebrafish lacking functional Tp53 display increased indicators of cardiomyocyte proliferation during regeneration, whereas transgenic Mdm2 blockade inhibits injury-induced cardiomyocyte proliferation. Induced myocardial overexpression of the mitogenic factors Nrg1 or Vegfaa in the absence of injury also upregulates mdm2 and suppresses Tp53 levels, and tp53 mutations augment the mitogenic effects of Nrg1. mdm2 induction is spatiotemporally associated with markers of de-differentiation in injury and growth contexts, suggesting a broad role in cardiogenesis. Our findings reveal myocardial Tp53 suppression by mitogen-induced Mdm2 as a regulatory component of innate cardiac regeneration.
Outcomes following immunotherapy re-challenge after immune-related adverse event: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Given the inconclusive evidence behind the safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors re-challenge, herein, we have conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize available data. Results/methodology: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Database, and ASCO and ESMO were searched for studies published from conception to March 2020. Pooled incidence of recurrent immune-related adverse events (irAEs), objective response rates, and odds ratios for irAEs at initial versus re-treatment were calculated. Overall, 437 patients (ten studies) were included. Incidence of any grade, grade 3/4, and steroid-requiring recurrent irAEs were 47%, 13.2%, and 26% respectively. Objective response rate in previous non-responders was 12.5% (5.8-24.8%). Odds ratio for severe irAEs was 0.28 (0.11-0.72) and steroid-requiring irAEs 0.19 (0.06-0.56). Discussion/conclusion: This analysis suggests that immune checkpoint inhibitors re-challenge is safe and potentially efficacious.
Arterial Wall Stiffening in Caveolin-1 Deficiency-Induced Pulmonary Artery Hypertension in Mice

Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a complex disorder that can lead to right heart failure. The generation of caveolin-1 deficient mice (CAV-1−/−) has provided an alternative genetic model to study the mechanisms of pulmonary hypertension. However, the vascular adaptations in these mice have not been characterized. To determine the histological and functional changes in the pulmonary and carotid arteries in CAV-1−/− induced PAH. Pulmonary and carotid arteries of young (4–6 months old) and mature (9–12 months old) CAV-1−/− mice were tested and compared to normal wild type mice. Artery stiffness increases in CAV-1−/− mice, especially the circumferential stiffness of the pulmonary arteries. Increases in stiffness were quantified by a decrease in circumferential stretch and transition strain, increases in elastic moduli, and an increase in total strain energy at physiologic strains. Changes in mechanical properties for the pulmonary artery correlated with increased collagen content while changes in the carotid artery correlated with decreased elastin content. We demonstrated that an increase in artery stiffness is associated with CAV-1 deficiency-induced pulmonary hypertension. These results improve our understanding of arterial remodeling in PAH.
COVID-19's Impact on Students with Disabilities in Under-Resourced School Districts

This Essay explores the plight of students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly those enrolled in under-resourced school districts. To address these ongoing disparities, remediate student regression, and prevent further educational loss, we must act quickly to get resources to the students who need it most and to guide districts towards using these resources effectively. This Essay questions whether federal and state governments are truly committed to creatively examining the current special education framework and adopting solutions that will prioritize expanding access to resources for students with disabilities. These solutions include an immediate advancement of funds to aid states and under-resourced school districts in implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), adopting effective guidelines to address educational loss, and closing the digital divide by providing greater access to technology for all students and their parents.
Bayesian data fusion: Probabilistic sensitivity analysis for unmeasured confounding using informative priors based on secondary data

Bayesian causal inference offers a principled approach to policy evaluation of proposed interventions on mediators or time-varying exposures. Building on the Bayesian g-formula method introduced by Keil et al., we outline a general approach for the estimation of population-level causal quantities involving dynamic and stochastic treatment regimes, including regimes related to mediation estimands such as natural direct and indirect effects. We further extend this approach to propose a Bayesian data fusion (BDF), an algorithm for performing probabilistic sensitivity analysis when a confounder unmeasured in a primary data set is available in an external data source. When the relevant relationships are causally transportable between the two source populations, BDF corrects confounding bias and supports causal inference and decision-making within the main study population without sharing of the individual-level external data set. We present results from a simulation study comparing BDF to two common frequentist correction methods for unmeasured mediator-outcome confounding bias in the mediation setting. We use these methods to analyze data on the role of stage at cancer diagnosis in contributing to Black-White colorectal cancer survival disparities.
App-based data collection, mental imagery, and naming performance in adults with aphasia.

Abstract Background and purpose Naming impairments are often found in aphasia. Combining mHealth technology with mental imagery may offer new insights into novel approaches to naming interventions in persons with aphasia. The aims of this study are to (1) explore whether mental imagery can improve performance during a naming task in adults with aphasia; and, (2) demonstrate the use of app-based data collection for research in aphasia rehabilitation through utilization of an app designed specifically for this study. Materials and methods A single subject non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was utilized. Four participants with anomic and conduction aphasia were included. Each participant's percentage of naming accuracy was measured before the initiating intervention to establish a baseline level of performance. Results Per overlap metrics, two of the participants demonstrated a strong effect in improving naming from baseline to intervention on items using the app. Two participants showed no effect in naming accuracy from the imagery intervention. Conclusion Some participants showed improvement in naming items following an imagery script, suggesting that this complementary health practice should continue to be explored. Additionally, this study demonstrates the successful use of app-based data collection.
Optical Properties of Zinc Selenide Quantum Dots

The focus on heavy metal-free semiconductor nanocrystals has increased interest in ZnSe semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) over the past decade. Reliable and consistent incorporation of ZnSe cores into core/shell heterostructures or devices requires empirical fit equations correlating the lowest energy electron transition (1S peak) to their size and molar extinction coefficients (e). While these equations are known and heavily used for CdSe, CdTe, CdS, PbS, etc., they are not well established for ZnSe and are non-existent for ZnSe QDs with diameters < 3.5 nm. In this study, a series of ZnSe QDs with diameters ranging from 2 to 6 nm were characterized with small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (MP-AES). SAXS-based size analysis enabled practical inclusion of small particles in the evaluation, and elemental analysis with MP-AES elucidates a non-stoichiometric Zn:Se ratio consistent with zinc-terminated spherical ZnSe QDs. Using these combined results, empirical fit equations correlating QD size with its lowest energy electron transition (i.e., 1S peak position), Zn:Se ratio, and molar extinction coefficients for 1S peak, 1S integral, and high energy wavelengths are reported. Finally, the equations are used to track the evolution of a ZnSe core reaction. These results will enable the consistent and reliable use of ZnSe core particles in complex heterostructures and devices.
Programmable viscoelasticity in protein-RNA condensates with disordered sticker-spacer polypeptides

Liquid-liquid phase separation of multivalent proteins and RNAs drives the formation of biomolecular condensates that facilitate membrane-free compartmentalization of subcellular processes. With recent advances, it is becoming increasingly clear that biomolecular condensates are network fluids with time-dependent material properties. Here, employing microrheology with optical tweezers, we reveal molecular determinants that govern the viscoelastic behavior of condensates formed by multivalent Arg/Gly-rich sticker-spacer polypeptides and RNA. These condensates behave as Maxwell fluids with an elastically-dominant rheological response at shorter timescales and a liquid-like behavior at longer timescales. The viscous and elastic regimes of these condensates can be tuned by the polypeptide and RNA sequences as well as their mixture compositions. Our results establish a quantitative link between the sequence- and structure-encoded biomolecular interactions at the microscopic scale and the rheological properties of the resulting condensates at the mesoscale, enabling a route to systematically probe and rationally engineer biomolecular condensates with programmable mechanics.
Niacin: Risk Benefits and Role in Treating Dyslipidemias

Niacin (nicotinic acid) was the first medication found to lower plasma cholesterol levels effectively and the first to demonstrate prevention of myocardial infarction. In 2011 and 2013, the clinical usefulness of niacin was challenged by two large clinical trials in which niacin failed to reduce major cardiovascular events in statin-treated patients with established atherosclerotic disease. Whether niacin use should be limited to patient subgroups such as those with statin intolerance or low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)/high triglyceride is under debate as study details emerge. Recent discoveries on niacin’s mechanism of action raise the possibility that clinical efficacy could be improved by appropriate dosing strategy.
The Economics of Female Recidivism: A Study of TARP Women Ex‐Offenders

This article examines the effect of economic incentives on the rearrest rates of 125 women ex-felons. The data are drawn from the TARP experiment designed around the premise that individuals steal largely out of economic need. Many criminologists have argued that female crime is sexual and emotional rather than rational and economic in nature. Results, however, support the expectation that unemployment compensation and employment are negatively associated with rearrests for economic crimes. Also, exogenous factors of criminal background and marital status reveal important differences in post-release behavior.
A Call to Action: A Client-Centered Evaluation of Collaborative Law

In the spring of 2005, I attended my second informational session on the topic of collaborative law at the annual conference of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. Toward the end of the session, as the question and answer period began, I wrote on my notepad: “If it is not discovered until long into the collaborative process that litigation is appropriate, haven’t you eliminated the client’s BATNA [Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement]?” During the intervening years, I have posed this question to many collaborative law advocates, but never felt my question was answered sufficiently. The most common answer tended to center on risk analysis. That is, the small risk of eliminating a client’s right to use this lawyer for litigation is far outweighed by the benefit of avoiding the negative effects of traditional litigation. While clearly a sound, logical answer, I continued to wonder whether clients would see collaborative law in this light. It was that scribbled note that led me to this current investigation into collaborative law literature to determine whether evidence has, in fact, established that clients benefit from eliminating the ability of counsel to pursue litigation, particularly in the family law setting. This paper will first examine the process of collaborative law, from deciding to hire a collaborative lawyer to the disqualification agreement, as well as identifying potential dangers for the client, including an analysis of collaborative law utilizing the negotiation theory of Roger Fisher and William Ury’s book Getting to Yes. The second part of the paper will examine how collaborative law literature evaluates and critiques the costs and benefits of collaborative law. This paper ultimately finds that the cost-benefit analysis either stems from small, non-controlled studies or personal anecdotes, or discussions of whether collaborative law complies with ethics rules, both of which are practitioner-centered.
The design and experimental use of a chest load-distribution transducer and force-indicating legs for the part 572 dummy

The current Part 572 50th percentile male dummy's chest and legs only indirectly and incompletely measure the forces acting upon them - by spinal acceleration for the chest and by mid-femur axial force for the legs. A new chest and set of legs have been designed and are in experimental use in a Part 572 dummy which far more completely measure the forces acting upon them during crash testing. These two new test devices, a chest load-distribution transducer and a pair of force-indicating legs, have been developed as an aid to developing improved vehicle occupant restraint systems. The chest load-distribution transducer is a modification of a Part 572 50th percentile male dummy thorax to permit dynamic measurements of three components of restraint system loads applied to six key segments of the rib cage during restraint system testing. The force-indicating dummy legs are completely new from the foot to the thigh. These legs permit the measurement of most of the skeletal forces that are likely to be experienced by a dummy's legs during leg-to-instrument panel (or knee bolster) contact in dynamic restraint system testing. This paper discusses the development and implementation of both of these new test devices.
Linton Reversed: Indirect Gifts and the Step Transaction Doctrine

The Ninth Circuit recently reversed the district court’s summary judgment in favor of the government in Linton on the issues of indirect gift and the applicability of the step transaction doctrine. The circuit court’s analysis focused on the taxpayers’ donative intent. With that emphasis, the Ninth Circuit remanded the case to the district court to determine the sequence of the relevant transactions.
The Benefits of Departure Obsolescence: Achieving the Purposes of Sentencing in the Post-Booker World

Since the Supreme Court decided United States v. Booker, much scholarly debate has focused on what weight the Sentencing Guidelines should be given. But this focus does not advance what should be the central issue in all sentencing decisions: whether the purposes of sentencing are being fulfilled by the sentence imposed. This Note advocates that the Booker opinion not only created a system of advisory Guidelines, but also was an attempt to refocus the sentencing inquiry on 18 U.S.C. Section 3553(a). Nowhere is this more relevant than in the case of a defendant seeking a reduced sentence. Prior to Booker, this was limited to narrowly defined departures from the applicable Guideline Sentencing Range. But because pre-Booker departure decisions were largely devoid of Section 3553(a) analysis, many departures were purposeless. Therefore, pre-Booker departure precedent should largely be discarded. Thus far, only the Seventh Circuit (and the Ninth Circuit to a lesser degree) has declared departures obsolete. That said, one very positive development post-Booker has been the increasing usage of the vastly superior "variance" as opposed to traditional departures. The Supreme Court has recently given its blessing to the increased judicial discretion post-Booker, perhaps best typified by the variance concept. This Note explores why departure "obsolescence" should be explicitly recognized in the wake of these post-Booker developments.
Enhanced virtual machining for sculptured surfaces by integrating machine tool error models into NC machining simulation

Abstract Sculptured surface machining is a time-consuming and costly process. It requires simultaneously controlled motion of the machine axes. However, positioning inaccuracies or errors exist in machine tools. The combination of error motions of the machine axes will result in a complicated pattern of part geometry errors. In order to quantitatively predict these part geometry errors, a new application framework ‘enhanced virtual machining’ is developed. It integrates machine tool error models into NC machining simulation. The ideal cutter path in the NC program for surface machining is discretized into sub-paths. For each interpolated cutter location, the machine geometric errors are predicted from the machine tool error model. Both the solid modeling approach and the surface modeling approach are used to translate machine geometric errors into part geometry errors for sculptured surface machining. The solid modeling approach obtains the final part geometry by subtracting the tool swept volume from the stock geometric model. The surface modeling approach approximates the actual cutter contact points by calculating the cutting tool motion and geometry. The simulation results show that the machine tool error model can be effectively integrated into sculptured surface machining to predict part geometry errors before the real cutting begins.
QTLs for murine red blood cell parameters in LG/J and SM/J F(2) and advanced intercross lines.

Red blood cells are essential for oxygen transport and other physiologic processes. Red cell characteristics are typically determined by complete blood counts which measure parameters such as hemoglobin levels and mean corpuscular volumes; these parameters reflect the quality and quantity of red cells in the circulation at any particular moment. To identify the genetic determinants of red cell parameters, we performed genome-wide association analysis on LG/J × SM/J F2 and F34 advanced intercross lines using single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping and a novel algorithm for mapping in the combined populations. We identified significant quantitative trait loci for red cell parameters on chromosomes 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, and 17; our use of advanced intercross lines reduced the quantitative trait loci interval width from 1.6- to 9.4-fold. Using the genomic sequences of LG/J and SM/J mice, we identified nonsynonymous coding single nucleotide polymorphisms in candidate genes residing within quantitative trait loci and performed sequence alignments and molecular modeling to gauge the potential impact of amino acid substitutions. These results should aid in the identification of genes critical for red cell physiology and metabolism and demonstrate the utility of advanced intercross lines in uncovering genetic determinants of inherited traits.
An Eulerian description of the streaming process in the lattice Boltzmann equation

This paper presents a novel strategy for solving discrete Boltzmann equation (DBE) for simulation of fluid flows. This strategy splits the solution procedure into streaming and collision steps as in the lattice Boltzmann equation (LBE) method. The streaming step can then be carried out by solving pure linear advection equations in an Eulerian framework. This offers two significant advantages over previous methods. First, the relationship between the relaxation parameter and the discretization of the collision term developed from the LBE method is directly applicable to the DBE method. The resulting DBE collision step remains local and poses no constraint on time step. Second, decoupling of the advection step from the collision step facilitates implicit discretization of the advection equation on arbitrary meshes. An implicit unstructured DBE method is constructed based on this strategy and is evaluated using several test cases of flow over a backward-facing step, lid-driven cavity flow, and flow past a circular cylinder. The speedup of convergence for some cases improves by a factor of about 20.
The Built Environment and Community Integration: A Review of States’ Olmstead Plans

Olmstead v. L.C. upheld the civil rights of individuals with disabilities to live, learn, work, and socialize in the community of their choice. The built environment plays a role in the community integration of individuals with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate states’ Olmstead Plans to determine the extent to which they address the role of the built environment in community integration of individuals with disabilities. The majority of the reviewed plans did not demonstrate a reasonably clear acknowledgment of the role of the built environment in community integration. The Olmstead Plans did address housing and transportation. However, housing and transportation policies need to reach out beyond disability into the community to affect the community integration of individuals with disabilities. An important step toward community integration through community planning practices is the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the standard community processes at the policy level.
The Role of the Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Receptor (IGF-1R), Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN), c-Met, and the PI3-Kinase Pathway in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the US and the third most common cancer malignancy annually. Overall prognosis of metastatic CRC is still poor, with five-year survival within 5–8 %. Previous molecular studies of CRC established several key events in CRC disease progression, including APC inactivation, β-catenin activation, and activating KRAS and BRAF mutations. More recent development of molecular therapeutics has led to the current use of anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody in targeted therapy of advanced CRC. Also, high-throughput cancer genome mutational analysis and newer second-generation cancer genome sequencing have, in recent years, resulted in a deeper understanding of the genome and of regulation of CRC. Most importantly, improved understanding of the involvement of many of the novel molecular targets in CRC tumorigenesis and tumor progression would engender the development of novel targeted therapeutics to treat the disease. Moreover, studies in molecular determinants of predictive and prognostic biomarkers of targeted therapy would further enable better strategies for the use of targeted therapeutics in preventing or overcoming treatment resistance. In this review, we focus on recent findings and their clinical relevance to actionable molecular targets—insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), c-Met and phosphatidylinositol 3-OH kinase (PI3-K)—in CRC personalized cancer therapeutics.
Standardized assessment of seizures in patients with juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis

Juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) is a neurodegenerative disorder of childhood onset caused by mutations in the CLN3 gene on chromosome 16p12.1 Clinical features include epilepsy, vision loss, progressive motor impairment, dementia, and death in the second or third decade of life. Seizures affect the majority of individuals with JNCL and are typically the second or third presenting symptom, with vision loss occurring first.2 JNCL is one in a family of disorders, neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs), defined by clinical and pathological similarities. Each NCL follows a different and characteristic, clinical course and is caused by mutations in a unique gene.3 Collectively, the NCLs are often cited as one cause of progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME), an epileptic encephalopathy characterized by the presence of myoclonus, epilepsy, and progressive neurological deterioration.4–6 Differentiation among NCL types is not consistently made in reference to associations with PME, despite the distinct nature of each NCL disease. There are varied estimates of the proportion of individuals with JNCL and myoclonus, ranging from 4–38%.7–9 We note that distinctions between epileptic and non-epileptic myoclonus are not consistently delineated. There are limited data specifically regarding seizure treatment in JNCL. In a single open-label study, lamotrigine, as either initial, add-on, or substitution therapy, was well tolerated and was associated with reductions in seizure frequency and severity in a majority of participants.8 In another series, a broad range of antiepileptics was used: 80% of children responded to valproate or lamotrigine as initial therapy, while only 33% responded to phenobarbital. A small proportion of participants required greater than two anti-epileptic medications for adequate seizure control.7 The primary objective of the current study was to improve our understanding of seizure phenomenology in JNCL. We obtained information on the occurrence, severity, and trajectory of seizures over time, and commonly used medications to treat seizures. We also sought to understand the occurrence of myoclonus and features that distinguish epilepsy in JNCL from existing knowledge of epilepsy in other NCLs.
Self-renormalization of the classical quasilocal energy

Pointlike objects cause many of the divergences that afflict physical theories. For instance, the gravitational binding energy of a point particle in Newtonian mechanics is infinite. In general relativity, the analog of a point particle is a black hole and the notion of binding energy must be replaced by quasilocal energy (QLE). The QLE derived by York, and elaborated by Brown and York, is finite outside the horizon but it was not considered how to evaluate it inside the horizon. We present a prescription for finding the QLE inside a horizon, and show that it is finite at the singularity for a variety of types of black holes. The energy is typically concentrated just inside the horizon, not at the central singularity.
Comparison of novice and expert evaluations of apparel design illustrations using the consensual assessment technique

Creativity assessment in apparel design is limited in scope and application. The purpose of this investigation is (1) the procedural use of the consensual assessment technique (CAT) when evaluating...
Heat-labile Macroglobulin revealed in Adenovirus 12 Tumour Sera by Gel Electrophoresis

THERE are two important differences in the way serum proteins separate by zone electrophoresis which employs gels, when compared with paper or moving boundary electrophoresis. First, the sieving effect of the gel alters the mobilities of the proteins and, second, more fractions are resolved. Varying the pore size of the gels excludes from or permits movement of the proteins based on the molecular size and shape relative to the gel pore size.
SINGULARITY THEORY AND THE DYNAMICS OF LUMPED-PARAMETER SYSTEMS: THE CASE OF A SINGLE SURFACE SPECIES CATALYTIC REACTION

Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction and singularity theory analytical techniques are used to study degenerate Hopf bifurcations in a single-species, gas-solid catalytic reaction system. The reactor is assumed to be well mixed and isothermal. The inlet pressure of the reactant is used as a bifurcation parameter. Adsorbate-adsorbate interactions are quantified by a linear increase in activation energy for desorption with coverage. The surface reaction is assumed to require a single site. In spite of the apparent simplicity of the model, the analysis reveals a structure rich in dynamic behavior patterns. The strengths and weaknesses of the analytical methods are discussed in view of the results obtained.
Standardized outcomes measurements in emergency medical services for children research.

Standardized and reliable outcomes measurements are essential to all pediatric research, and outcomes research is no exception. In any research, data inconsistency means that results cannot be compared across studies, across time, or across sites. In contrast, standardized measurements enable researchers and practitioners to compare results and can assist health care providers in making more effective and informed treatment decisions. A challenge for researchers is choosing which outcomes measures to validate and use as standards, a challenge that should be addressed before beginning data collection. It is useful to review these points in more depth before turning to the choice of measures itself.
Reproductive impact of MRI-guided focused ultrasound surgery for fibroids: a systematic review of the evidence.

Purpose of reviewMagnetic-resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of uterine fibroids. The purpose of this review is to highlight the impact of MRgFUS on fertility and reproductive outcomes.Recent findingsThe role of MRgFUS in the trea
Kinetics of the Microwave-Heated CO Oxidation Reaction over Alumina-Supported Pd and Pt Catalysts

Abstract The kinetics of the CO oxidation reaction on Pt/Al 2 O 3 as well as Pd/Al 2 O 3 have been measured in a packed bed reactor heated by microwave energy. The reaction rate was also measured in an identical reactor that was heated via conventional means. Several methods of temperature measurement were explored for the determination of catalyst temperature in the microwave heated reactor. Insertion of a thermocouple after the microwaves have been switched off provided the best method for temperature measurement in this study. However, large-scale temperature gradients must be eliminated before this method can provide accurate temperature measurements. After suitable modifications in our packed bed reactor to eliminate nonisothermality, we found that the rate of reaction and the reaction kinetics (order of reaction) for the microwave heated CO oxidation reaction were comparable to those for the conventionally heated reactor. The CO oxidation reaction therefore serves as an in situ probe of metal surface temperature. These observations suggest that the Pt and Pd crystallites in a supported catalyst are not significantly hotter than the alumina support in a microwave heated reactor.