cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amygdala, pulvinar, and inferior parietal cortex contribute to early processing of faces without awareness

The goals of the present study were 2-fold. First, we wished to investigate the neural correlates of stimulus-driven processing of stimuli strongly suppressed from awareness and in the absence of top-down influences. We accomplished this using a novel approach in which participants performed an orthogonal task atop a flash suppression noise image to prevent top-down search. Second, we wished to investigate the extent to which amygdala responses differentiate between suppressed stimuli (fearful faces and houses) based on their motivational relevance. Using continuous flash suppression (CFS) in conjunction with fMRI, we presented fearful faces, houses, and a no stimulus control to one eye while participants performed an orthogonal task that appeared atop the flashing Mondrian image presented to the opposite eye. In 29 adolescents, we show activation in subcortical regions, including the superior colliculus, amygdala, thalamus, and hippocampus for suppressed objects (fearful faces and houses) compared to a no stimulus control. Suppressed stimuli showed less activation compared to a no stimulus control in early visual cortex (EVC), indicating that object information was being suppressed from this region. Additionally, we find no activation in regions associated with conscious processing of these percepts (fusiform gyrus and/or parahippocampal cortex) as assessed by mean activations and multi-voxel patterns. A psychophysiological interaction analysis (PPI) that seeded the amygdala showed task-specific (fearful faces greater than houses) modulation of right pulvinar and left inferior parietal cortex. Taken together, our results support a role for the amygdala in stimulus-driven attentional guidance toward objects of relevance and a potential mechanism for successful suppression of rivalrous stimuli.
Infantile autism and the temporal lobe of the brain

Studies are reviewed that support the hypothesis that infantile autism results from a neuropathology of the temporal lobes of the brain. First, there are parallels between symptoms noted in autism and those found in the Kluver-Bucy and amnesic syndromes. Second, there is a similarity between developmental dysphasia and autism. Third, the formation of cross-modal associations may be deficient in autistic children, a symptom resembling aspects of Geschwind's disconnection syndromes. Finally, a large number of organic factors have been associated with the development of autism, some of these having specific implications for temporal lobe involvement. It is concluded that the main autistic symptoms are most consistent with a neurological model involving bilateral dysfunction of the temporal lobes. Individual differences in the extent of bilateral involvement and/or other coexistent neuropathologies could contribute to the heterogeneity of the autistic population.
Molecular and biologic markers of premalignant lesions of human breast.

Summary: There is currently great interest in the detection and characterization of putative precursor breast cancer lesions because of the possibility of chemoprevention. Knowledge of the biologic features of premalignant lesions, although limited, is rapidly evolving. Premalignant breast lesions have been examined for the presence of genetic alterations and for the expression of biomarkers such as the estrogen receptor (ER), Ki67, p53, and HER2/neu. Data obtained from genetic studies of precursor breast lesions clearly support the contention that genetic alterations begin quite early in selected subsets of histologically benign lesions. Although the results of biomarker expression profiles have been contradictory, most studies agree that precursor lesions significantly overexpress ER and that progressive alterations in ER expression accompany the transition of normal cells to hyperplastic lesions and carcinoma in situ. So far, the collected evidence indicates that precursor lesions in the breast demonstrate biomarker expression profiles and genetic abnormalities that are distinct from those of terminal ductal lobular units but share some of these features with invasive tumors. Future research in this field is urgently needed to identify specific biomarkers of prognostic and predictive value, which can help not only in the selection of patients for chemopreventive therapy but in monitoring the progression of high-risk lesions.
Toxicological implications of pesticides: Their toxic effects on seeds of food plants

Abstract Pesticides are widely used for the protection of economic crops from a variety of noxious pests. The repeated and indiscriminate uses and the extreme stability of certain pesticides have led to their accumulation in plants, animals, soild and sediments, thus effecting widespread contamination of the environment. Soil contaminants are especially serious because they can inhibit or impair the seed germination of our food and feed crops. Seeds can come in close contact with pesticides through processes such as prematurity application, fumigation, seed dressings, and seed treatments. Several reports have indicated the toxic effects of pesticides on seed germination. Possible mechanisms of the toxic action of pesticides during the germination of seeds have been discussed with emphasis on biochemical, histological, and cytological alterations. Bioassay procedures employing seed germination as a simple, feasible, economical, time-saving indicator of toxicity have been described briefly. Attention is then drawn to the possible potential health hazards arising from the presence of pesticidal chemicals in food plants since the toxicological implications of long term exposure to pesticides are often more far-reaching.
The Effect of Interactivity on Initial Interactions: The Influence of Information Seeking Role on Computer-Mediated Interaction

Predictions based on the principle of interactivity regarding the influence of structural affordances (information seeking role, information valence, communication format [study 2 only]) on experiences of interactivity (involvement, mutuality) and interaction outcomes (postinteraction uncertainty, predictions of future relational outcomes) were tested in 2 experimental studies. The overall results indicate that information seeking role and information valence significantly influenced the degree of interactivity experienced and positivity of relational outcomes forecasted. The communication format moderated the effect of information seeking role on uncertainty. Regression analyses indicated that the effect of the structural affordances on initial interaction outcomes was partially mediated by the experiential properties.
An efficient means to mitigate wavefront curvature effects in polar format processed SAR imagery

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images processed using the polar format algorithm (PFA) may exhibit distortion if the curvature of the spherical wavefronts are not accounted for. The distortion manifests in geometric shifts and defocusing of targets, and intensifies as distances between pixels and the scene reference position increase. In this work, we demonstrate a method to mitigate the effects of wavefront curvature by applying localized (space-variant) phase corrections to sub-regions selected from the polar format processed image. The modified sub-images are then reassembled into a full image. To minimize discontinuities in the reconstructed image, the spatially variant phase adjustments are made to regions larger than the sub-images, and pared down before being reinserted into the complete image. The result is a SAR process that retains the efficiency of the PFA, yet avoids scene size limitations due to wavefront curvature distortions. The method is illustrated and validated using simulations and real data collected by the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) Lynx® Multi-mode Radar System.
Bias in Ponded Infiltration Estimates Due to Sample Volume and Shape

with estimates increasing as much as a factor of 20 when the scale of measurement increased from 0.1 t o2m( e.g., figuration or a divider placed in the center of a 45-cm cylinder demon- oflarger samples.In termsof thevariance, large-volume strated that adding vertical barriers reduced infiltration even when samples should be equivalent to pooling small samples, the total infiltration area was unchanged. A pulse of dye introduced unless the measurement technique creates artifacts de- 10 min before removing the ponded water showed an extensive net- pendent on the volume or dimensions of the sample. To work of dyed flow pathways in all but the slowest infiltration situa- account for the decrease in infiltration measured with tions. The pathways were not associated with visible macropores. smaller infiltration rings, Shouse et al. (1994) suggested Careful consideration should be given to the dimensions of samples that a stagnation zone (an artifact of the measurement used to estimate saturated and possibly unsaturated flow from infil- technique) was introduced when partitions were driven tration experiments. into the soil to contain and measure infiltration. Many soil parameters, such as denitrification rate and water infiltration, are lognormally distributed (e.g., Par-
W-pair production in unparticle physics

Abstract We consider the W -pair production for both e + e − and hadron colliders in the context of unparticle physics associated with the scale invariant sector proposed by Georgi. We have shown that the unparticle contributions are quite comparable with Standard Model (SM) specially for low values of non-integral scaling dimension ( d U ) and hence it is worthwhile to explore in current and future colliders.
Radar Observations of Humidity Variability in and above the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Abstract Humidity variability at the top of the marine atmospheric boundary layer and in the overlying free troposphere was examined using data collected during the marine stratocumulus phase of the First Regional Experiment (FIRE) of the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Program. A time series of the humidity structure-function parameter Cq2 derived from Doppler wind profiler reflectivity data is compared to a concurrent time series of specific humidity q. Both q and its vertical gradient were calculated from rawinsonde data obtained from sondes launched within 500 m of the profiler. Time-height correlation analysis between log(Cq2) and log(∂q/∂z)2 shows that the two time series are highly correlated at and just above the inversion base, with r approximately equal to 0.7. The correlation is slightly lower in the free troposphere where r is about 0.5 (a value of r greater than 0.2 is significant at the 95% confidence level). There is also correlation between log(Cq2) and log(q), which is maximized...
A computer-aided diagnosis system to identify regions of pathologic change in temporal subtraction images of the chest

Radiologists often compare sequential radiographs side-by-side in order to identify regions of change and evaluate the clinical significance of such regions. Some changes in pathology, however, may be overlooked or misinterpreted. For this reason, temporal subtraction (TS) images provide an important tool for enhanced visualization. Not all areas of “change” demonstrated on a TS image, however, are caused by pathology. The purpose of this study was to develop an automated computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system to locate regions of change in TS images as well as to classify such regions as being true regions of pathologic change or false regions of change caused by misregistration artifacts. The dataset used in this study contained 120 images, on which an experienced radiologist outlined 74 regions of true pathologic change that were used as the gold standard. Through gray-level thresholding and initial false-positive reduction, an initial set of candidates was extracted and inputted into a classifier. A five-fold cross-validation method was employed to create training and testing groups. Both false-candidate regions as well as the gold-standard regions were used as training data. Of the three classifiers tested (support vector machine, logistic regression, and linear discriminant analysis), the logistic regression classifier performed the best with a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 84%; receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis resulted in an area under the ROC curve of 0.94. These results show promise in the performance of the CAD system to detect regions of pathologic changes in TS images of the chest.
Nutrition of a Hemoflagellate (Leishmania tarentolae) Having an Interchangeable Requirement for Choline or Pyridoxal.

SUMMARY. Leptomonads of Leishmania tarentolae were grown continuously in a defined medium containing: inorganic salts', glucose, hemin, 17 amino acids, purines and pyrimidines, and a mixture of vitamins of the B group. In this medium the population of organisms reached about 20 to 50 million per ml. alter 1 week at 27°C. Only slightly better growth occurred in a partially defined medium containing bovine plasma fraction V. In earlier experiments, however, omission of the plasma fraction resulted in decreased growth, and under these circumstances cholesterol or lecithin had growth-stimulating effects. In later experiments in the fully-defined medium no effect of these lipids could be found. The leptomonads were shown to require at least the following substances: inorganic salts; a source of purines and pyrimidines; tryptophan and the nine other amino acids essential for the growth of rats, glutamic acid, tyrosine, proline, serine, one or more of the group alanine, glycine and aspartic acid; folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, nicotinamide, riboflavm, thiamine, and either pyridoxine plus choline or pyridoxal or pyridoxamine. Choline at 2 × 10−5 m gave optimal growth in the presence of pyridoxine at 1 × 10−5 m. In a medium with a suboptimal concentration of choline (0.4 × 10−5 m) the leptomonads grew through nine transfers but they were mostly somewhat rounded and aflagellate.
Uterine carcinosarcoma: A review of the literature.

Objective Uterine carcinosarcomas (UCSs) are aggressive tumors previously considered to be sarcomas, but now recognized as malignancies composed of metaplastic transformation of epithelial elements. Much of the management for UCS has been extrapolated from studies of endometrial carcinomas and sarcomas. This article critically reviews the literature pertinent to the pathology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of women with UCS. Methods MEDLINE was searched for English language literature on UCS with a focus on the past 20years. Given the rarity of this tumor, studies were not limited by design or number of reported patients. Results UCS is biologically a de-differentiated endometrial carcinoma with its own pathogenesis and molecular profile. It commonly presents with extrauterine disease which can be identified by comprehensive surgical staging. Most UCS patients are candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy. The role of radiation is less clear. Combination therapy, while commonly used, has not been studied in depth. The high recurrence rate and poor overall survival for UCS suggest an ongoing need for clinical trials for UCS specifically. Conclusions UCS represents a distinct subtype of uterine malignancy, and should be studied as such via focused clinical trials.
An interactive capability for shape optimal design

Abstract Shape optimal design of two-dimensional structures discretized in finite elements is investigated with emphasis on creating an interactive Computer-Aided Design capability. The paper will first provide a brief description of the approach followed to create an appropriate geometric model, involving a relatively small number of design variables. Next a general procedure to perform the sensitivity analysis is proposed, that takes advantage of the parametric modeling concepts used to create the design model. This sensitivity analysis method is based on the so-called semi-analytical approach, i.e. a finite difference approximation of the derivative of the stiffness matrix is employed. The numerical solution to the shape optimal design problem is obtained by resorting to an efficient optimizer based on the convex linearization method. A two-dimensional pre- and post-processing module is described, which is aimed at performing interactive shape optimal design on an engineering workstation. This module exhibits some innovative visualization techniques that should highly facilitate the task of a designer. Examples of application to shape optimal design problems are offered to illustrate the various functions of the new interactive optimization system. Although the described capability is restricted to simple two-dimensional structures, it is based upon very general concepts that could be readily implemented in general-purpose finite element systems.
Frequency response functions of a disordered periodic beam

An ideal periodic structure is one which is constructed by connecting together identical units. Since manufacturing inaccuracy and material inhomogeneity are always present in practice, ideal periodic structures never actually exist. The term “disorder” is used here to indicate the departure from a perfect periodicity. The present paper explores the effect of random span-length deviations of an otherwise perfect periodic beam on many hinge supports as manifested by the random values of frequency response functions. Two types of excitation are considered. The first is either a concentrated force or a concentrated moment. The second is a frozen force distribution convected at a constant velocity. Four types of response are treated simultaneously, including defelection, slope, moment and shear at any location on the beam. It is shown that the magnitude of the statistical average of a frequency response function can be considerably greater than the value computed without taking into account the disorder in span lengths, especially near the frequencies of resonance. Also, near these frequencies the standard deviation of a frequency response function becomes quite large, indicating greater uncertainty in such regions. Furthermore, in the case of convected loading the use of a perfect periodic model cannot account for the response in certain vibration modes while these modes can be actuated in a disordered system.
Statistically Optimum Optical Data Processing with Automatic Focus Estimation

The problem of optimally processing data with unknown focus is investigated. Optimum data processors are found by the method of maximum likelihood under a variety of assumptions that apply to most of the situations arising in practice. The unknown focus may be either an unknown parameter or an unknown random variable; the signal may be of known form or a random function; it is further assumed that the signal is received in additive, white, Gaussian noise. The problems of jointly estimating other unknown parameters and, in the case of a random signal, jointly estimating the signal, are also treated. The asymptotic variance and correlation of the estimators is discussed. Electrooptical realizations of the maximum likelihood computers are given. An iterative method of solution of the likelihood equation is also discussed. The discussion and results are directly applicable to the processing of synthetic aperture radar data.
Variability in the tensile ductility of high-pressure die-cast AM50 Mg-alloy

Abstract Variability in the tensile ductility of high-pressure die-cast AM50 Mg-alloy is examined at five different test temperatures. The fracture path preferentially goes through the regions of clusters of pores. The percent ductility is correlated to area fraction of porosity in the fracture surfaces using a power law equation.
Telemedicine through the use of digital cell phone technology in pediatric neurosurgery: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Advances in medicine have largely followed advances in technology. Medical strides have been made when physicians and researchers have adapted growing science to target specific problems. A new medical field, telemedicine, has emerged that links physicians with colleagues and patients. Cell phone technology is affordable for almost everyone, and basic models include digital photography. OBJECTIVE: We present a case series exhibiting the utility of digital pictures taken with patients'cell phones. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Our patients had wound infections requiring daily intravenous antibiotics and dressing changes. In years past, these patients would have required prolonged hospitalizations. In the era of managed care, patients with these infections are discharged from the hospital, but close outpatient observation is required to monitor the wound. Our patients lived up to 8 hours away from the hospital. Daily appointments for wound checks in the clinic were not practical. Wounds were thus monitored via cell phone images with - out the inconvenience of travel and the expense of staying in a local hotel, along with leaving appointments in the clinic available for others with new neurosurgical issues. INTERVENTION: Wound evaluations were conducted with the cameras on patients'cell phones. These images were transmitted to the surgeon via text messaging and emails. CONCLUSION:This application of cell phone technology has been documented previously in the literature of other specialties and could attain greater stature as a legitimate method for close outpatient observation by neurosurgeons if medicolegal issues are addressed.
Anisotropic reactivities of graphite—I. Reactions of ozone and graphite☆

Abstract The reaction rates of ozone with single crystals of graphite have been measured separately in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the layer planes, by using the techniques of etch decoration. The rates were found to be exceedingly sensitive to various pretreatments of the crystals, and even to the material used for supporting the crystals. It is believed that the most reliable rates were obtained on crystals supported on polycrystalline graphite and pretreated at 900°C in purified helium prior to reacting with ozone. Under these conditions, the rate of the parallel reaction was 900 times faster than the rate of the perpendicular reaction. The apparent activation energies were 16.7 for the faster and 20 kcal for the slower reaction. These results have been applied to remove single layer planes from graphite crystals and to measure step heights on crystals. Peculiar surface irregularities found on crystals after prolonged ozone attack have been attributed to catalytic effects.
First calibration and visible wavelength observations of Khayyam, a tunable spatial heterodyne spectroscopy (SHS)

We describe results from a new instrument-telescope configuration that combines all of the capabilities necessary to obtain high resolving power visible band spectra of diffuse targets from small aperture on-axis telescopes where significant observing time can be obtained. This instrument, Khayyam, is a tunable all-reflective spatial heterodyne spectrometer (TSHS) that is mounted to a fixed focal plane shared by the 0.6m Coude auxiliary telescope on Mt. Hamilton, CA. Khayyam has up to 55 arcsec input field of view, resolving power up to 176000, and a tunable bandpass covering (triangle)λ B < 100nm. Khayyam is being field tested to study spatially extended astronomical targets where high resolving power is necessary to separate multimodal signals, crowded molecular bands, and to sample low (<10 km/s) velocities at rapid temporal cadence. Here we will discuss the design considerations going into this new system, its installation, testing of the interferometer-telescope combination, the first science target observations and future plans.
Controls on marine animal biomass through geological time

Total animal biomass depends on four factors: (1) food supply, (2) the efficiency with which animals consume available food, (3) the efficiency with which animals convert consumed food into biomass, and (4) the rate at which animals lose biomass to the environment through respiration or death. Each of these factors may change through geological time because each is a function of animal ecology and physiology. Animal ecology and physiology, in turn, are products of interacting evolutionary and environmental factors. The direction of change in animal biomass through time may be predicted given knowledge of environmental and ecological change. At a finer level, physiological differences among phyla or other higher taxa suggest that they would have had differential responses to specific environmental changes. Physiological features shared by all of life, such as the dependence of metabolic rate on ambient temperature, suggest that even a coarse time-series of relative changes in animal biomass may enrich understanding of biogeochemical cycling among all organisms, including phytoplankton and microbes. Changes in the abundance of skeletal material in shallow marine deposits through geological time indicate that the biomass of benthic skeletal invertebrates has fluctuated significantly on timescales from millions to hundreds of millions of years. During the Ordovician radiation, increase in the complexity of animal food webs and increase in the efficiency of animal communities in removing available food from the water column and sediment appear most likely to account for a secular increase in animal biomass. Decrease in animal biomass after the end-Permian extinction appears to have been driven by a combination of factors but particularly decreased aggregate growth efficiency and consumption efficiency. Comparing biomass and diversity trends through other major transitions in the history of animal life has the potential to shed light on the relationship between physical environmental change and ecosystems evolution.
Acceptance of the Mineralogical Society of America Distinguished Public Service Medal for 2009

Friends and Colleagues: It’s a terrific honor to receive MSA’s Medal for Public Service, especially with my close friends and collaborators Russell Hemley and Nancy Ross standing beside me. I am keenly aware of the extraordinary contributions of previous winners of this medal, and I accept this award in the spirit of a challenge to attempt to live up to their efforts. Indeed, we are all challenged by the need to communicate what we do to a broader audience: to the general non-specialist audience to be sure, but also within the Earth sciences community. We all know that mineralogy and petrology have changed dramatically over the past three decades. Since the …
Breast conservation therapy: the radiation oncologist's perspective

Les auteurs situent la place de la radiotherapie dans le traitement du cancer du sein et donnent les resultats d'etudes retrospectives effectuees depuis 1960 comparant les taux de survie en fonction des modalites therapeutiques. Ils definissent ensuite les indications d'un traitement conservateur et les modalites de la radiotherapie et comparent la frequence des rechutes
Decreased interleukin-2 production in murine acute pancreatitis: potential for immunomodulation.

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: The role of the cytokine interleukin 2 (IL-2) has long been recognized as central to normal immunologic function and defense against infection after burns and trauma, but little effort has been directed towards its role in acute pancreatitis (AP), which also has a high mortality related to sepsis. This study investigated the potential role of IL-2 in mice with diet-induced AP. METHODS: AP was induced in mice by 10 days of feeding a choline-deficient, ethionine- supplemented diet. T-helper (CD4) cells were estimated, and T-cell mitogen-stimulated splenocyte proliferation and IL-2 production in vitro were measured on days 3, 7, and 10. RESULTS: Significant reduction in IL-2 production was found on day 3 (32%; P CONCLUSIONS: Murine diet-induced AP is associated with impaired immune function and increased susceptibility to sepsis and may be a valuable tool in the investigation of immunomodulation in AP. (Gastroenterology 1996 Feb;110(2):583-8)
p53 and stem cells: new developments and new concerns

As the guardian of the genome, the tumor suppressor p53 prevents the accumulation of genetic mutations by inducing cell cycle arrest, apoptosis or senescence of somatic cells after genotoxic and oncogenic stresses. Recent studies have identified the roles of p53 in suppressing pluripotency and cellular dedifferentiation. In this context, p53 suppresses the self-renewal of embryonic stem cells after DNA damage and blocks the reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). If the inactivation of p53 pathway is a prerequisite for successful reprogramming, these findings raise concerns for the genomic stability and tumorigenecity of iPSCs and their derivatives. Elucidation of the roles of p53 as a barrier to pluripotency and cellular dedifferentiation might also reveal the mechanisms by which p53 coordinates tumor suppression and aging.
Ultrasonic bistatic Doppler sonar in air for personnel motion detection

The National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA) at the University of Mississippi is working on the application of ultrasonic Doppler sonars in air for personnel motion detection. Two traditional Doppler sonar configurations, a monostatic and a bistatic, are being studied. In the monostatic configuration, the distance between the transmitter and the receiver is small. The proximity of the source to the receiver places a limitation on the system associated with the overloading of the receivers' input due to acoustic energy leakage from the transmitters' output. The maximum range of detection is therefore limited by the dynamic range of the acquisition system. In a bistatic Doppler ultrasonic sonar, the source and receiver are spaced apart and the acoustic energy along the direct path does not constrain the maximum acoustic power level output of the transmitter. In a monostatic configuration the acoustic signal suffers from beam spreading and natural absorption during propagation from the transmitter to the target and from the target back to the receiver. In a bistatic configuration the acoustic propagation is in one direction only and theoretically the detection distance can be twice the monostatic distance. For comparison the experiments of a human walking in a building hallway using the bistatic and monostaic Doppler sonars in air were conducted. The experimental results for human signatures from these Doppler sonars are presented and discussed.
Preoperative and postoperative treatment of gastric disease

Abstract Preoperative and postoperative care are important factors in reducing the mortality following gastric surgery. An outline of each is presented here as carried out in the University of Kansas Clinic.
Interaction Platforms, Energy Conservation, Behavior Change Research, and More

This installment of Notes from the Community covers new developments in interaction toolkits and platforms, security and privacy, smartphones, power consumption and battery life, and ubicomp education. It also includes a vision of ubicomp's past and future and presents works in progress on behavioral change.
Priming of Early Closure: Evidence for the Lexical Boost during Sentence Comprehension.

Two self-paced reading experiments investigated priming in sentences containing ‘early’ vs. ‘late closure’ ambiguities. Early closure sentences impose relatively large processing costs at the point of syntactic disambiguation. The current study investigated a possible way to reduce processing costs. Target sentences were temporarily ambiguous and were disambiguated towards either the preferred ‘late’ closure analysis or the dispreferred ‘early’ closure analysis. Each target sentence was preceded by a prime that was either structurally identical or that required a different syntactic analysis. In Experiment 1, all the prime sentences shared the same critical verb as the target. In Experiment 2, verb repetition was eliminated by reorganising the stimuli from Experiment 1. In Experiment 1, processing of the disambiguating verb was facilitated when an ‘early’ closure target sentence followed an ‘early’ closure prime. In Experiment 2, there were no significant priming effects, although an overall difference in...
Extending decision support systems: the integration of data, knowledge, and model management

The proliferation of desktop computing has once again rekindled the interest in making computerized tools available to managers and other decision makers. This paper elaborates on a model that integrates data, knowledge, and model management and shows how decision support systems (DSSs) can be extended to support managers in a truly novel way. The model, the Knowledge/Data Model (KDM), is explained and the significance of its applicability to the management of data, knowledge, and models is illustrated through several examples. KDM continues to evolve and is being applied to domains from computer chip design to production and inventory management systems.
Plane waves and canonical sources in a gyroelectromagnetic uniaxial medium

A characteristic of a gyroelectromagnetic uniaxial medium is that its permittivity and permeability tensors have the same preferred axis. Dyadic analysis is used to obtain expressions for plane waves in such a medium, and their characteristics are explored. Conditions for incidental and pathological unirefringence are identified; and expressions for time-averaged Poynting vectors and time-averaged energy densities are obtained. Canonical sources for this medium are also identified.
Expression of human complement factor H prevents age-related macular degeneration-like retina damage and kidney abnormalities in aged Cfh knockout mice.

Complement factor H (CFH) is an important regulatory protein in the alternative pathway of the complement system, and CFH polymorphisms increase the genetic risk of age-related macular degeneration dramatically. These same human CFH variants have also been associated with dense deposit disease. To mechanistically study the function of CFH in the pathogenesis of these diseases, we created transgenic mouse lines using human CFH bacterial artificial chromosomes expressing full-length human CFH variants and crossed these to Cfh knockout (Cfh−/−) mice. Human CFH protein inhibited cleavage of mouse complement component 3 and factor B in plasma and in retinal pigment epithelium/choroid/sclera, establishing that human CFH regulates activation of the mouse alternative pathway. One of the mouse lines, which express relatively higher levels of CFH, demonstrated functional and structural protection of the retina owing to the Cfh deletion. Impaired visual function, detected as a deficit in the scotopic electroretinographic response, was improved in this transgenic mouse line compared with Cfh−/− mice, and transgenics had a thicker outer nuclear layer and less sub–retinal pigment epithelium deposit accumulation. In addition, expression of human CFH also completely protected the mice from developing kidney abnormalities associated with loss of CFH. These humanized CFH mice present a valuable model for study of the molecular mechanisms of age-related macular degeneration and dense deposit disease and for testing therapeutic targets.
Expression of thromboxane synthase, prostacyclin synthase and thromboxane receptor in atherosclerotic lesions: Correlation with plaque composition

Abstract Objectives Prostaglandins, such as thromboxane A 2 (TxA 2 ) and prostacyclin (PGI 2 ), are bioactive lipid mediators that are implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that thromboxane synthase (TXAS), prostacyclin synthase (PGIS) and thromboxane receptor (TP) are expressed within the atherosclerotic lesion. Methods Atherosclerotic aorta segments were obtained from low-density lipoprotein receptor deficient (LDL r-KO) mice on a high fat diet. Expression levels of TXAS, PGIS and TP were evaluated by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR, and immunohistochemistry; TxA 2 and PGI 2 biosynthesis was also assayed. Results After 8 weeks on the fat diet, aortic arches from LDL r-KO mice showed a significant increase in PGIS, TXAS, TP mRNA, TxA 2 and PGI 2 levels, when compared with controls. By contrast, after 16 weeks on the high fat diet PGIS and PGI 2 were significantly reduced, whereas TXAS and TP message and protein and TxA 2 levels were further and significantly increased in the atherosclerotic tissues when compared with the 8-week group. These changes correlated with the cellular composition of the atherosclerotic lesions. Conclusions TXAS, PGIS and TP are all present within the atherosclerotic lesion areas, their levels change during progression of atherogenesis and contribute to TxA 2 and PGI 2 formation.
Peregrine—Twenty Years of Fraudulent Cash Balances

ABSTRACT: In July 2012, Peregrine Financial Group filed for bankruptcy following the discovery that $215 million in customer balances had been embezzled. Investigation revealed that its Chief Executive Officer, Russell Wasendorf, Sr., fooled auditors and regulators for 20 years by preparing fictitious bank statements and cash balance confirmations to hide the theft of cash. The fraud was uncovered when Peregrine's regulator, the National Futures Association (NFA), demanded that Peregrine participate in an electronic confirmation process for verification of customer accounts. This case discusses how the fraud was allowed to go undetected for 20 years, the importance of auditing cash, and how new electronic confirmation technology improves the ability to authenticate confirmation responses. The case is suitable for use in both auditing and accounting information system courses.
Effectiveness Of Anti Ferromagnetic Oxide Exchange For Sandwich Layers

This study of Co50 AA/Cu(t)/Co50 AA sandwich films with large magnetoresistance (MR) is presented. Emphasis is placed on the function of a cobalt-oxide overlayer which exchanges couples with the Co(50 AA) upper layer. By purposely adding a CoO layer, the consistency of the magnetic properties which govern MR is observed. Uniform MR properties are found for Cu(t) thicknesses from 10 to 60 AA. The temperature dependence of MR, which is related to the antiferromagnetic transition temperature of the CoO, shows that MR becomes small at 180 K. The MR is absent when a metallic Cu overlayer is used instead of CoO. The possibilities that exchange coupling between the upper and lower Co(50 AA) layers exist are discussed. >
Does the diplomacy of shame promote human rights in China

Human rights advocates have sought to shame the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) into compliance with 'universal' norms. For more than a decade, foreign critics have tried to give the PRC the diplomatic equivalent of a black eye. Proponents of human rights have exposed abuses in the PRC, condemned Beijing in international settings, and protested when PRC leaders travelled abroad, as a way of denying the PRC international prestige. In response, the PRC has issued a sequence of indignant white papers on human rights and has demonstrated a robust capacity to offer gestures of compliance while otherwise resisting pressure to reform. This paper questions whether the effort to shame the PRC leads to enduring improvement in the protection of human rights. It suggests that efforts to shame Beijing arouse indignation born of national pride, coupled with a cultural relativist defence, but that there is little evidence of enduring change. Thomas Risse and Kathryn Sikkink's model of socialisation to...
Dynamic Modelling of Chaotic Time Series with Neural Networks

This paper discusses the use of artificial neural networks for dynamic modelling of time series. We argue that multistep prediction is more appropriate to capture the dynamics of the underlying dynamical system, because it constrains the iterated model. We show how this method can be implemented by a recurrent ANN trained with trajectory learning. We also show how to select the trajectory length to train the iterated predictor for the case of chaotic time series. Experimental results corroborate the proposed method.
Transcorporal Artificial Urinary Sphincter Placement for Incontinence in High-risk Patients After Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Objectives To investigate the transcorporal (TC) vs standard (ST) approach of artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) placement for incontinence after treatment of prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa) with radiotherapy or surgery, or both. Methods A database was created to include the data from all patients who had undergone AUS placement from January 2000 to August 2005 at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center. We noted the demographic features, comorbidities, PCa therapy, technique for AUS placement, and postoperative outcome. The continence and failure rates were recorded for TC AUS placement in patients previously treated for PCa. Results A total of 30 patients underwent aus surgery during the study period: 26 for incontinence after PCa treatment. Of the 26 patients, 18 had undergone ST (ST group) and 8 had undergone TC (TC group) AUS placement, with a minimal follow-up of 12 months and a mean follow-up of 31 and 28 months, respectively. The 2 groups did not differ widely in age or comorbidities. Of the patients in the ST and TC groups, 44% and 50% had undergone external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy and 78% and 100% had undergone radical prostatectomy, respectively. Of the patients in the ST and TC groups, 22% and 89% had undergone ≥2 types of urethral surgery before AUS placement, respectively. A total of 50% of TC group underwent TC placement without having undergone a previous sling or ST AUS procedure. The AUS removal rates were equivalent between the 2 groups at 2 years. Finally, the success rate for social continence was 69% and 81% for ST and TC group, respectively. Conclusions The results of our study, with 2 years of follow-up, have shown that TC AUS placement is an effective salvage or primary incontinence treatment for high-risk patients after PCa therapy.
Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents: Associations with Physical Activity, Fitness, and Sleep

Background Physical activity and fitness are independently associated with cardiometabolic dysfunction, and short sleep duration is an emerging marker of obesity. Few have examined interrelations among these factors in a comprehensive risk model.
Knowledge acquisition using neural networks for intelligent interface design

Several methods for using neural net models for intelligent interface design are investigated. All of the methods use a bottom-up approach in which the intelligence incorporated into the interface is based upon the inputs from individual users. In the first piece of research, the input came from the mental and external operators, closely coupled to the keystrokes, and these were mapped to high-level cognitive goals. In the second piece of research, the input came from individual commands and these were mapped to the efficiency of the command sequences. In the last piece of research, information from bulletin board messages could be filtered by using the dictionary of words from the messages and outputting the subcategory. This experimentation demonstrates some of the possibilities of using neural nets in intelligent interfaces: the neural net can extract information from the user, such as cognitive goals, strategies, command sequences, and information needs, which can be used to provide intelligent advice to the user or to filter intelligently the incoming information. >
Comparison of cytosolic calcium shifts, superoxide generation, and lactoferrin secretion in the neutrophils of atopics and nonatopics

We previously found that platelet-activating factor (PAF) stimulated greater lactoferrin secretion by neutrophils of atopics than nonatopics. To help under- stand underlying mechanisms, we compared agonist- stimulated lactoferrin secretion with another response, superoxide generation, to determine whether there is a global alteration in the reactivity of atopic neutrophils to these stimuli. We also determined Ca2� mobilization in such neutrophils because such mobilization is a signaling pathway for both superoxide generation and granule con- tent exocytosis. Although PAF again stimulated greater lactoferrin secretion in atopic than in nonatopic neutro- phils, the peak superoxide secretion and cytosolic Ca2� mobilization were not significantly different in atopics and nonatopics. Leukotriene B4-induced superoxide secretion and cytosolic Ca24 shifts were also similar in atopics and nonatopics. These findings suggest that (1) the enhanced PAF-induced lactoferrin secretion in atopic neutrophils is not a reflection of greater PAF binding or broad-based cell hyperreactivity and (2) a selective sig- naling pathway in atopic neutrophils may be responsible for the enhanced lactoferrin secretion. These findings may be relevant to in vivo events because we have found increased PAF and lactoferrin release in skin chambers overlying immunoglobulin E-mediated human skin reac- tions.J. Leukoc. Biol. 53: 727-731; 1993.
Operator splitting for the numerical solution of free surface flow at low capillary numbers

Free surface flows are pervasive in engineering and biomedical applications. In many interesting cases-particularly when small length scales are involved-surface forces (capillarity) dominate the flow dynamics. In these cases, computing the flow together with the shape of the surfaces, requires specialized solution techniques. This article investigates the capabilities of an operator splitting/finite elements method at handling accurately incompressible viscous flow with free surfaces at low capillary numbers. The test case of flow in the downstream section of a slot coater is used for three reasons: (1) it is an established benchmark; (2) it represents an idealized, yet industrially relevant flow; (3) high-fidelity results obtained with monolithic algorithms are available in literature. The flow and free surface shape attained with the new operator splitting scheme agree very satisfactorily with the results obtained with monolithic solvers. Because of its inherent computational simplicity, the new operator splitting scheme is attractive for large-scale simulations, three-dimensional flows, and flows of complex fluids.
Storing radiographs on a PC using a hand scanner: A simple tool to improve the teaching quality of radiographs in medical education

Using a hand scanner, radiographs were scanned into a personal computer (PC) for storage and viewing. These images were of superior or similar quality to x-ray photographs published in textbooks and journals. This represents a simple and inexpensive way for emergency physicians to store x-ray files electronically for instant access from a desktop or laptop computer. This optimizes emergency medicine teaching when radiographic studies are involved. Identical copies of the image files can be made and distributed for viewing on other PCs. The PC is a new tool that will improve our ability to organize our educational resource materials. Multimedia methods represent a new way to present and distribute audiovisual educational materials at a desktop.
Selective permeabilization of cervical cancer cells to an ionic DNA-binding cytotoxin by activation of P2Y receptors.

Extracellular ATP is known to permeabilize certain cell types to polyatomic cations like YO-PRO1. Here, we report that extracellularly applied ATP stimulated rapid uptake and accumulation of an otherwise weakly membrane permeable fluorescent DNA-binding cytotoxin, Hoechst 33258, into cervical cancer cells. While ATP stimulated Hoechst 33258 uptake in 20–70% of cells from seven cervical cancer cell lines, it stimulated uptake in less than 8% of cervical epithelial cells obtained from the normal transformation zone and ectocervix tissue of 11 patients. ATP-evoked Hoechst 33258 uptake was independent of ionotropic P2X receptors, but dependent on activation of P2Y receptors. Thus, we show here that cervical cancer cells can be selectively induced to take up and accumulate an ionic cytotoxin by exposure to extracellular ATP.