cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Anions on Deep Desilication of Sodium Aluminate Solution

The influences of anions(SO42-,CO32-and Cl-) on deep desilication of sodium aluminate solution were investigated.The optimal conditions of desilication were studied by examining the temperature,time,anion and Al2O3 concentration,ak and stirring speed.Under the conditions of 95℃,Al2O3 150 g/L,ak 1.5,and stirring speed 867 r/min,after 110 min the silica module was above 3815,and at the Al2O3 concentration of 30 g/L,the silica module was above 3943,3545 and 3221.When the concentration of anion was 0～70 g/L,deep desilication was promoted by SO42-,but deep desilication was promoted firstly and then inhibited by CO32-and Cl-.Silica residue was analyzed by XRD,and the desilication mechanism by SO42-,CO32-and Cl-clarified.
Gendered Self-Concepts and Drinking Behavior in a National Sample of Emerging Adults:

Despite evidence that males drink more than females, there is much to be learned about gendered explanations for sex differences in alcohol use. We use the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health data to investigate gendered self-concept as related to alcohol use and related consequences among a sample of emerging adults. Dominance Masculinity (e.g., being aggressive, forceful, dominant) was the most consistent predictor of alcohol-related outcomes for both males and females. Endorsement of feminine characteristics (e.g., compassion, understanding, sympathetic) was protective against binge drinking and social consequences for males whereas endorsement of general masculine characteristics (e.g., independent, assertive, leader) protected against social consequences for females.
Circuit-specifically hippocampal reduction of complexin during aging in SAMP8 mice

Using immunohistochemistry method,the aging effects on the levels of complexin1/2 in drosal hippocampus in the SAMP8 mice was explored.The results showed that compared to the 4.5-month mice,the 13-month mice had significantly lower level of complexin1/2 in the polymorphic layer and outer molecular layer of dentate gyrus and the stratum radiatum of CA1 subfield,so had the 8-month-old mice in the outer molecular layer of dentate gyrus and the stratum radiatum of CA1 subfield.In addition,complexin1/2 relative amount of the 13-month-old mice was significant lower than that of the 8-month-old mice in CA3 stratum lucidum.These results suggested that the levels of complexin1/2 expression in hippocampus appeared a circuit-specific reduction during aging in SAMP8 mice.
Luminal influences on potassium secretion: chloride replacement with sulfate

Electrolyte transport by the renal distal tubule of rats was studied by in vivo continuous microperfusion to determine whether replacing luminal chloride with sulfate would stimulate net potassium secretion. Results in a first series of experiments showed that replacing all Cl in the perfusion fluid with SO4 reduced net Na absorption, reversed the direction of net Cl transport from net absorption to net secretion, increased the lumen-negative transepithelial voltage, and increased net K secretion. In a second series of experiments adding NaCl to a perfusion fluid containing SO4 increased net Na absorption, reversed the direction of net Cl transport from net secretion to net absorption, decreased the transepithelial voltage, and decreased net K secretion. In a third series of experiments addition of 10(-6) M amiloride to a SO4-containing perfusion fluid reduced the transepithelial voltage but did not prevent the increase in K secretion, indicating that the changes in K secretion cannot be explained solely by changes in electrical driving forces. Since net fluid absorption was controlled, the changes in K secretion cannot be attributed to solvent drag effects. In all three series of experiments the rate of net K secretion was increased when luminal Cl concentration was reduced to less than 10 mM. The results suggest the existence of a cotransport system mediating K and Cl absorption by the distal tubule. Inhibition of K absorption by low lumen Cl may contribute to the increased net K secretion seen when nonchloride anions are present in distal fluid.
Computer-Based Diagnostic Analysis of Cells in the Urinary Sediment

Evaluation of images of cells from the urinary sediment by a computer-based microscope has yielded important preliminary results. Computer identification of benign and malignant urothelial cells can now be accomplished with a small margin of error. Furthermore, 2 categories of atypical urothelial cells can be identified. This information has been applied successfully to the study of 12 patients with bladder cancer, including 3 with non-papillary carcinoma in situ. Computer-generated diagnostic profiles based on a relatively modest number of urothelial cells (60 to 150 per patient) proved to be of diagnostic value. It is anticipated that within a few years a practical computerized system of identification of cells in the urinary sediment can be made available for general laboratory use.
The Grim Prospect Ahead

This volume has painted a very foreboding picture. In this, it lives up to Carlyle’s description of economics as a “dismal science.”
Conflicting Claims and Inflation in the Post-World War II US Economy

This chapter develops and estimates a model of conflict inflation using quarterly data for the US economy for the 1956–85 period. There have been no previous attempts to rigorously estimate a full-scale model of conflict inflation – that is, a model incorporating the factors underpinning the growth of aggregate income claims, as well as the monetary validation of competing income claims and the associated price level linkages posited under the conflict approach (see Chapter 1). This may in part reflect the anecdotal nature of many sociological and political-economic analyses of conflict inflation, which has made it difficult to locate these analyses in a testable framework. The seminal empirical work on conflict inflation in the US economy is that of Rosenberg and Weisskopf (1981), whose analysis is restricted to an accounting framework for delineating growth of income available and growth of income claims in the post-war US economy.
Editor's Highlight: Interactive Genotoxicity Induced by Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Benzo(a)Pyrene Metabolites and Arsenite in Mouse Thymus Cells.

Arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposures affect many people worldwide leading to cancer and other diseases. Arsenite (As+3) and certain PAHs are known to cause genotoxicity. However, there is limited information on the interactions between As+3 and PAHs at environmentally relevant concentrations. The thymus is the primary immune organ for T cell development in mammals. Our previous studies showed that environmentally relevant concentrations of As+3 induce genotoxicity in mouse thymus cells through Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition. Certain PAHs, such as the metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), are known to cause DNA damage by forming DNA adducts. In the present study, primary mouse thymus cells were examined for DNA damage following 18 hr in vitro treatments with 5 or 50 nM As+3 and 100 nM BaP, benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol (BP-Diol), or benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE). An interactive increase in genotoxicity and apoptosis were observed following treatments with 5 nM As + 3 + 100 nM BP-diol and 50 nM As + 3 + 100 nM BPDE. We attribute the increase in DNA damage to inhibition of PARP inhibition leading to decreased DNA repair. To further support this hypothesis, we found that a PARP inhibitor, 3,4-dihydro-5[4-(1-piperindinyl) butoxyl]-1(2H)-isoquinoline (DPQ), also interacted with BP-diol to produce an increase in DNA damage. Interestingly, we also found that As+3 and BP-diol increased CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 expression, suggesting that increased PAH metabolism may also contribute to genotoxicity. In summary, these results show that the suppression of PARP activity and induction of CYP1A1/CYP1B1 may act together to increase DNA damage produced by As+3 and PAHs.
Tumor segmentation of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in neurofibromatosis type 1 patients: tumor burden correlates

Segmentation of whole-body MRI (WBMRI) to assess the feasibility, quantitate the total tumor volume (tumor burden) in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and examine associations with demographic, disease-related and anthropomorphic features. A consecutive series of patients with NF1 underwent WBMRI and were reviewed for tumors. Tumors were segmented using a semiautomated software-based tool. Tumors were classified as superficial or deep and discrete or plexiform. Segmentation times were recorded. Segmentation yielded the quantity and tumor burden of superficial, internal and plexiform tumors. Correlations between segmentation data and demographic, disease-related and anthropomorphic features were examined. Fifteen patients were evaluated (42.3 ± 13.6 years, 10 female, 5 male). Segmentation times were a median of 30 min and yielded 2,328 tumors (1,582 superficial, 746 internal and 23 plexiform). One tumor was malignant. Tumor counts ranged from 14 to 397. Tumor burden ranged from 6.95 cm3 to 571 cm3. Individual tumor volume ranged from 0.0120 cm3 to 298 cm3. Significant correlation was found between the total volume of superficial tumors and height (ρ = 0.5966, p < 0.02). Male patients had higher overall tumor burdens (p < 0.05) and higher superficial tumor burden (p < 0.03). Patients with negative family history had more tumors (p < 0.05). Segmentation of WBMRI in patients with NF1 is feasible and elucidates meaningful relationships among disease phenotype, anthropomorphic and demographic features.
Weight Gain and Obesity in Infants and Young Children Exposed to Prolonged Antibiotic Prophylaxis.

Importance An association between antibiotic use and excessive weight gain or obesity in healthy infants and young children has been reported, but evidence is inconsistent and based on observational studies of growth in relation to incidental antibiotic exposures. Objective To evaluate whether prolonged antibiotic exposure is associated with weight gain in children participating in a clinical trial of antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent recurrent urinary tract infection. Design, Setting, and Participants Secondary analysis of data from the Randomized Intervention for Children With Vesicoureteral Reflux Study, a 2-year randomized clinical trial that enrolled participants from 2007 to 2011. All 607 children who were randomized to receive antibiotic (n = 302) or placebo (n = 305) were included. Children with urinary tract anomalies, premature birth, or major comorbidities were excluded from participation. Interventions Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or placebo taken orally, once daily, for 2 years. Main Outcomes and Measures Weight gain as measured by change in weight-for-agezscore from baseline to the end-of-study visit at 24 months. Secondary outcomes included weight gain at 6, 12, and 18 months and the prevalence of overweight or obesity at 24 months. Results Participants had a median age of 12 months (range, 2-71 months) and 558 of 607 (91.9%) were female. Anthropometric data were complete at the 24-month visit for 428 children (214 in the trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole group and 214 in the placebo group). Weight gain in the trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole group and the placebo group was similar (mean [SD] change in weight-for-agezscore: +0.14 [0.83] and +0.18 [0.85], respectively; difference, −0.04 [95% CI, −0.19 to 0.12];P = .65). There was no significant difference in weight gain at 6, 12, or 18 months or in the prevalence of overweight or obesity at 24 months (24.8% vs 25.7%;P = .82). Subgroup analyses showed no significant interaction between weight gain effect and age, sex, history of breastfeeding, prior antibiotic use, adherence to study medication, or development of urinary tract infection during the study. Conclusions and Relevance Based on a secondary analysis of data from a large clinical trial of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis, there was no evidence that prolonged exposure to this antibiotic has a concurrent effect on weight gain or the prevalence of overweight or obesity in healthy infants and young children.
The Physiology of Phenolic Compounds in Plants

An Oriental fable tells of six blind men who found an elephant and did not know what it was. They described it as resembling a wall, a spear, a snake, a tree, a fan, or a rope; depending on which part each had touched. Each believed he knew just how the animal looked; and each called the others hard names because they did not agree with him. One finds similarly diverse opinions of how certain treatments, or environmental situations, influence phenolic enzymes or phenolic accumulations76, 112.
Living Zen Remindfully: Retraining Subconscious Awareness

James Austin, born in 1925, won the Scientific and Medical Network Book Prize for Zen and the Brain (MIT Press, 1998). His series of six books that followed culminated in 2016 with Living Zen Remin...
Clonal Evolution: Driver/Passenger Mutation Model in CLL

Most neoplasms undergo clonal evolution that results from acquired genetic variability allowing for sequential selection of more aggressive subtypes. For genetic evolution or to acquire additional chromosomal aberrations, a cell has to be proliferative and display inherent intra-humoral heterogeneity that plays a critical role in clonal evolution that emerges over time. CLL has been considered a disease of accumulation due to presumed defect in programmed cell death with immunologically incompetent B cells building up over time to produce disease. So are they proliferative? What can the telomere length tell us about the CLL proliferation histories? Do they display genetic, epigenetic, or transcriptional heterogeneity that can explain differences in clinical behavior? In 1976 Peter Newell published a landmark perspective on cancer as an evolutionary process, driven by stepwise, somatic cell mutations with sequential subclonal selection akin to Darwinian natural selection. What is this driver/passenger mutation model in CLL? What role does it play in aggressive behavior or treatment resistance? These issues are addressed in this chapter.
Response by Sharma et al to Letter Regarding Article, "The Fluid Mechanics of Transcatheter Heart Valve Leaflet Thrombosis in the Neosinus".

Tang and colleagues raise 3 pertinent issues related to our study1 and its related findings. First, they seek clarification regarding the prevalence of observed leaflet thrombosis across the different inflation parameters quoted in a prior study2 arising from a similar data pool. In addition, they question the potential suggestion that nominal inflation should be avoided given the presence of thrombus in valves expanded <100%. Although the data from this study originated from the same registry as the previously quoted study by Kazuno et al,2 there is no way to determine which, if any, of the 39 patients in that study overlap with the 72 cases in our study, as all data were deidentified. This study is a purely mechanistic …
An empirical investigation into the conceptual structure of chest radiograph findings.

Abstract A method of investigating the conceptual structure of findings is presented, in which: 1) finding statements are extracted manually from free text, 2) the main concepts in each finding are manually identified and classified, and 3) the resulting sets of classes are examined for insights into finding structure. This study applies the method to chest radiograph reports. Although the subjects of the findings studied fall into seven classes, the same conceptual structure can be used for most of them.
EXISTENCE AND UNIQUENESS OF SOLUTIONS TO NONLINEAR-OPERATOR-DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS GENERALIZING DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS OF AUTOMATIC SPACESHIP NAVIGATION

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the existence and uniqueness of solutions to nonlinear-operator-differential equations generalizing dynamical systems of automatic spaceship navigation. The chapter presents a differential equation describing the motion of a spaceship. As the velocity of any motion does not exceed the speed of light and the gravitational acceleration for motions in a central gravitational field, which is bounded away from the center, can be considered as bounded, the resulting function f can be assumed to be bounded, at least for physical motions, and the gravitational acceleration can be written in the form as given. The chapter focuses on time delay operator and the operators associated with automatic control of spaceships. It also discusses the operators of exponential type and properties of a Volterra integral operator.
A calorimetry investigation of glass temperature and fragility of ancient ambers from Texas and Canada

Abstract In prior work from this lab it was reported that the glass transition temperature (Tg) -fragility (m) or apparent activation (Eg) energy correlation for a series of ambers was similar to the behavior of aromatic synthetic polymers. In the present work we have broadened the range of ambers studied to include three Texas ambers and three Canadian ambers that have only recently been discovered and/or chemically classified. Upon comparison with the prior data, we find that the results for the Texas ambers fall within the same correlation of fragility and activation energy with glass transition temperature as was found previously. On the other hand, the Canadian ambers exhibit a very different behavior as reflected in very high fragility and activation energy at the Tg. We propose that, the observation is related to the unique crosslinking structure or other subtle chemistry differences in the polymer structure of the studied Canadian ambers.
Females with ASD

Girls and women may have been underdiagnosed now and in the past, skewing the ratio of boys to girls considerably. This chapter discusses what we know about females with ASD.
Inhibition of bone morphogenetic protein 6 receptors ameliorates Sjögren’s syndrome in mice

Primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic autoimmune disease, with only palliative treatments available. Recent work has suggested that increased bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) expression could alter cell signaling in the salivary gland (SG) and result in the associated salivary hypofunction. We examined the prevalence of elevated BMP6 expression in a large cohort of pSS patients and tested the therapeutic efficacy of BMP signaling inhibitors in two pSS animal models. Increased BMP6 expression was found in the SGs of 54% of pSS patients, and this increased expression was correlated with low unstimulated whole saliva flow rate. In mouse models of SS, inhibition of BMP6 signaling reduced phosphorylation of SMAD1/5/8 in the mouse submandibular glands, and led to a recovery of SG function and a decrease in inflammatory markers in the mice. The recovery of SG function after inhibition of BMP6 signaling suggests cellular plasticity within the salivary gland and a possibility for therapeutic intervention that can reverse the loss of function in pSS.
The Internal Representations Questionnaire: Measuring modes of thinking

Does the format in which we experience our moment-to-moment thoughts vary from person to person? Many people claim that their thinking takes place in an inner voice and that using language outside of interpersonal communication is a regular experience for them. Other people disagree. We present a novel measure, the Internal Representation Questionnaire (IRQ) designed to assess people's subjective mode of internal representations, and to quantify individual differences in "modes of thinking" along multiple factors in a single questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis identified four factors: Internal Verbalization, Visual Imagery, Orthographic Imagery, and Representational Manipulation. All four factors were positively correlated with one another, but accounted for unique predictions. We describe the properties of the IRQ and report a test of its ability to predict patterns of interference in a speeded word-picture verification task. Taken together, the results suggest that self-reported differences in how people internally represent their thoughts relates to differences in processing familiar images and written words.
Moses Augmented Holmium Laser Cystolitholapaxy Is an Effective Safe Method for Treatment of Intravesical Calculi

Introduction: Management of intravesical calculi is not uncommon at the time of bladder outlet surgery.1 With advancement of endourologic surgery and laser technology for lithotripsy, holmium laser...
54 – Eigenfunction Expansions*

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the eigenfunction expansions applicable to linear differential equations with linear boundary conditions. Any “well-behaved” function can be expanded in a complete set of eigenfunctions. In the method discussed in the chapter, the dependent variable in a differential equation is expanded as a sum of the eigenfunctions with unknown coefficients. From the given equation and boundary conditions, equations can then be determined for the unknown coefficients. The chapter describes the procedure for ordinary differential equations, but the same procedure can be used for partial differential equations. If the chosen eigenfunctions do not come from a self-adjoint operator, then it will be necessary to know the eigenfunctions of the adjoint operator. This is because the orthogonality condition will utilize the eigenfunctions of the adjoint operator. The chapter highlights that to determine that a set of functions is complete, it is not necessary that they be derived from a self-adjoint operator.
Prevalence, risk factors and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with a history of pancreatitis in Northern California.

Zhang et al recently described ACE2 expression along the GI tract and suggests the digestive system as a potential route for COVID-19.1 ACE2 is also expressed in the pancreas2 and lipase elevations, suggestive of pancreatic involvement, have been reported among patients with COVID-19.3 A recent case report4 demonstrated that severe pancreatitis may occur in COVID-19. However, the clinical implications of these findings with regards to COVID-19 susceptibility among patients with prior pancreatitis are unclear. In this retrospective study, we explored the prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of COVID-19 among patients with a history of pancreatitis. Consecutive patients whose severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA testing was performed at Stanford between 4 March 2020, and 14 April 2020 (Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocol 55975) and had a history of acute (K85) or chronic pancreatitis (K86) were included. We performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression to determine …
Rehabilitation of Knee Injuries in Basketball Players

At every level of play, knee injuries are some of the most common, and often most severe, injuries in basketball. As a result complete and comprehensive rehabilitation is necessary to help players return to their preinjury level of performance and hopefully avoid future injury. This chapter focuses on relevant information for rehabilitation of all knee injuries in basketball players, with notes related to specific injuries.
Estimating impacts of recurring flooding on roadway networks: a Norfolk, Virginia case study

Climate change and sea level rise have increased the frequency and severity of flooding events in coastal communities. This study quantifies transportation impacts of recurring flooding using crowdsourced traffic and flood incident data. Agency-provided continuous count station traffic volume data at 12 locations is supplemented by crowd-sourced traffic data from location-based apps in Norfolk, Virginia, to assess the impacts of recurrent flooding on traffic flow. A random forest data predictive model utilizing roadway features, traffic flow characteristics, and hydrological data as inputs scales the spatial extent of traffic volume data from 12 to 7736 roadway segments. Modeling results suggest that between January 2017 and August 2018, City of Norfolk reported flood events reduced 24 h citywide vehicle-hours of travel (VHT) by 3%, on average. To examine the temporal and spatial variation of impacts, crowdsourced flood incident reports collected by navigation app Waze between August 2017 and August 2018 were also analyzed. Modeling results at the local scale show that on weekday afternoon and evening periods, flood-impacted areas experience a statistically significant 7% reduction in VHT and 12% reduction in vehicle-miles traveled, on average. These impacts vary across roadway types, with substantial decline in traffic volumes on freeways, while principal arterials experience increased traffic volumes during flood periods. Results suggest that analyzing recurring flooding at the local scale is more prudent as the impact is temporally and spatially heterogeneous. Furthermore, countermeasures to mitigate impacts require a dynamic strategy that can adapt to conditions across various time periods and at specific locations.
Video Generation from Text Employing Latent Path Construction for Temporal Modeling.

Video generation is one of the most challenging tasks in Machine Learning and Computer Vision fields of study. In this paper, we tackle the text to video generation problem, which is a conditional form of video generation. Humans can listen/read natural language sentences, and can imagine or visualize what is being described; therefore, we believe that video generation from natural language sentences will have an important impact on Artificial Intelligence. Video generation is relatively a new field of study in Computer Vision, which is far from being solved. The majority of recent works deal with synthetic datasets or real datasets with very limited types of objects, scenes, and emotions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the very first work on the text (free-form sentences) to video generation on more realistic video datasets like Actor and Action Dataset (A2D) or UCF101. We tackle the complicated problem of video generation by regressing the latent representations of the first and last frames and employing a context-aware interpolation method to build the latent representations of in-between frames. We propose a stacking ``upPooling'' block to sequentially generate RGB frames out of each latent representation and progressively increase the resolution. Moreover, our proposed Discriminator encodes videos based on single and multiple frames. We provide quantitative and qualitative results to support our arguments and show the superiority of our method over well-known baselines like Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) and Deconvolution (as known as Convolutional Transpose) based video generation methods.
Hierarchical PCA and Modeling Asset Correlations

Modeling cross-sectional correlations between thousands of stocks, acrosscountries and industries, can be challenging. In this paper, we demonstratethe advantages of using Hierarchical Principal Component Analysis (HPCA)over the classic PCA. We also introduce a statistical clustering algorithmto identify homogeneous clusters of stocks or “synthetic sectors”. We applythese methods to study cross-sectional correlations in the US, Europe, China,and Emerging Markets.
Common Pediatric Conditions and Evaluation of the Limping Child

A common reason to bring a child to the pediatrician, orthopedic surgeon, urgent care, or emergency department is for evaluation of a limp. The differential diagnosis for a limp in a child is long and includes trauma, infection, structural variations, neuromuscular conditions and malignancy. Evaluation of a limping child requires a thorough history and physical and oftentimes additional lab and imaging studies. This chapter discusses the workup of a limping child and discusses causes of limping in children in adolescents.
Le transfert de territoire en droit international selon Vattel et la cession de la Louisiane aux États-Unis d'Amérique

[A l'origine dans / Was originally part of : Fac. Droit - Coll. facultaire - Droit international]
A DPLL-Based Calculus for Ground Satisfiability Modulo Theories

We describe and discuss DPLL(T), a parametric calculus for proving the satisfiability of ground formulas in a logical theory T. The calculus tightly integrates a decision procedure for the satisfiability in T of sets of literals into a sequent calculus based on the well-known method by Davis, Putman, Logemann and Loveland for proving the satisfiability of propositional formulas. For being based on the DPLL method, DPLL(T) can incorporate a number of very effective search heuristics developed by the SAT community for that method. Hence, it can be used as the formal basis for novel and efficient implementations of satisfiability checkers for theories with decidable ground consequences.
Negotiating the nation: diaspora contestations in the USA about Hindu nationalism in India

. Diaspora positions and identities are being continually constructed, negotiated and reframed. Nevertheless, many studies tend to focus on the ethno-centric, exclusionary and/or nationalistic orientation of some groups. In this article, I will explore variations in the responses of the Indian American diaspora community to Hindu nationalism in India. The article will focus on the opposition of progressive groups to a particularly controversial Hindu nationalist leader, Narendra Modi. They stand in contrast to those US-based organisations that support Modi and his political ideology. The debate between the two sides shows a high degree of political polarisation within the community. This study illustrates the variations in interpretations of nationalism and identity that exist among groups operating in the transnational political space. In particular, it shows us that the political process that articulates these differences can impact policy in the home or adopted country.
Media and the Criminal Justice System

People are influenced by what they see on television. With this in mind, legal scholars and criminal justice practitioners have begun to express concern that the discrepancy between how the justice system operates and how it is portrayed in popular media has hindered the system’s ability to function effectively. This interference has been coined the “CSI effect”; specifically, the use of forensic technology in crime dramas such as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” has limited prosecutors’ ability to obtain a conviction without DNA or other forensic evidence. Combining data on television viewing habits, convictions in state and federal courts, and capacity measures of publically funded forensics labs, I present evidence that these anecdotal concerns have merit, although the CSI effect primarily affects conviction rates through plea bargaining. I estimate that on average, increases in CSI popularity were weakly correlated with increases in conviction rates in federal and state court. However, in jurisdictions with small or unproductive forensic labs, the direction of the effect reverses.
Renal medullary carcinoma: molecular, pathological and clinical evidence for treatment with topoisomerase-inhibiting therapy

Study Type – Aetiology (case series) Level of Evidence 4 OBJECTIVE To present the molecular rationale and potential clinical benefit of topoisomerase II (TopoII)-inhibiting therapy for renal medullary carcinoma (RMC), a rare but extremely lethal form of kidney cancer that classically afflicts young men with sickle-cell trait. The current therapeutic approach with these aggressive tumours is radical nephrectomy followed by systemic chemotherapy, but the prognosis remains dismal. MATERIALS AND METHODS The whole-genome expression was analysed in four RMC tumours. We also report a case of metastatic RMC in which a complete response was achieved for 9 months using a TopoII-inhibiting therapy. RESULTS Expanded whole-genome expression analysis showed increases of TopoII in all cases. There was also overall deregulation of DNA remodelling and repair, and an ontological association between RMC and urothelial carcinoma. Using a TopoII-inhibiting agent, there was a complete response for 9 months in a patient with metastatic RMC. CONCLUSION This report provides molecular evidence for the rational use of TopoII inhibitors in the treatment of RMC.
Instability of a liquid jet of parabolic velocity profile

Abstract A linear instability analysis is performed to arrive at the dispersion relation that governs the instability of an inviscid liquid jet emanated into an inviscid gas. The velocity profile within the jet is varied from parabolic to uniform in order to model the effects of its relaxation on jet instability and intact length. The results indicate that the closer the profile to uniform the more pronounced the instability. In the jet atomization regime, increasing Weber number and/or gas to liquid density ratio promote instability.
Effect of Foreign Ions on the Magnetic Properties of Chromium Dioxide

Numerous dopant ions were introduced into chromium dioxide at 65 kbar and 1200°C. The effect of 2 mole percent Fe, Ir, and Ru was to raise T c by 19°, 4°, and 2°, respectively. The effect of 2 percent of 2 percent V, As, Sb, Re, Mo, and W was to lower T c by 20°, 21°, 10°, 37°, 38°, and 42°, respectively. The saturation moment of the V-, As-, Re-, and W-doped samples was not reduced by more than 4 percent. With the exception of the As-doped sample, the cell dimensions are consistent with the substitution of M 5+ +Cr 3+ for 2 Cr 4+ or M 6+ +2 Cr 3+ for 3 Cr 4+ .
Pathways to Health: A Cluster Randomized Trial of Nicotine Gum and Motivational Interviewing for Smoking Cessation in Low-Income Housing

Despite high smoking rates among those living in poverty, few cessation studies are conducted in these populations. This cluster-randomized trial tested nicotine gum plus motivational interviewing (MI) for smoking cessation in 20 low-income housing developments (HDs). Intervention participants (10 HDs, n = 66) received educational materials, 8 weeks of 4 mg nicotine gum, and 5 MI sessions on quitting smoking. Comparison participants (10 HDs, n = 107) received 5 MI sessions and educational materials addressing fruit and vegetable consumption. Participants had a mean age of 46.3 years and were predominantly female (70%) and African American (83%). Biochemically-verified 7-day abstinence rates at 8 weeks were 6.1% and 5.6% in the intervention and comparison arms, respectively (p = ns); and at 26 weeks were 7.6% and 9.3%, respectively (p = ns). Results suggest that nicotine gum plus MI were not effective for smoking cessation in lowincome housing. Programs are needed to enhance the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy and counseling in underserved populations.
Peer Review: The Many Sides of Virtue

When asked last spring to assist NIE in reviewing the status of peer review in the agency, I doubted the task would require a great deal of deep deliberation. Peer review was clearly a virtue, a fundamental tenet of quality assurance long supported in the academic community. As my fellow advisors (Jim Greeno, David Smith, and Bob Mattson) and I began to examine the issues involved, to discuss alternative approaches with representatives of other agencies-NSF, NIH, NEH and others-and to explore the options exercised by NIE in its own brief history, the apparent simplicity of the task began to crumble. What, exactly, is a peer? What constitutes an adequate, fair review? If the process of review entails the exercise of different standards at different stages, does the definition of "peer" also change? How should a jury of one's peers operate in the competitive evaluation of educational research proposals? The account that follows is a personal one. It represents my interpretation of the changing condition of NIE during the past 4 years. This view of the agency became the ground for my recommendations on a new system of peer review. In no way do the views expressed in this paper reflect the opinions of the other NIE advisors, AERA, or Director Justiz and his staff. Initially an NIE director was appointed who at times seemed more intent on curtailing or even closing
Determination of the 50% and 2.5% Span Lengths and the Uniformity Ratio with the Fibrograph

Length measures of cotton fibres on a Fibrograph will appear about 6% short because of crimp. Fibrograph measurements must be started at a distance from the combs and this requirement causes the 50% span length measurement to be increased by half this distance. The 2.5% span length is increased by a negligible amount. The resulting uniformity ratio can be increased by as much as 25%. An arithmetic determination of the average length of fibre held behind the front edge of the comb teeth is approximately 0.44 cm. This holding length is dependent upon cotton fibre rigidity, thereby causing a variable shortening of the measured lengths. Corrected parameters from theoretical fibrograms generated from array data compared well with measured data presented in the literature in four of the five cases examined.
Novel bioactivity of phosvitin in connective tissue and bone organogenesis revealed by live calvarial bone organ culture models.

Abstract Egg yolk phosvitin is one of the most highly phosphorylated extracellular matrix proteins known in nature with unique physico-chemical properties deemed to be critical during ex-vivo egg embryo development. We have utilized our unique live mouse calvarial bone organ culture models under conditions which dissociates the two bone remodeling stages, viz., resorption by osteoclasts and formation by osteoblasts, to highlight important and to date unknown critical biological functions of egg phosvitin. In our resorption model live bone cultures were grown in the absence of ascorbate and were stimulated by parathyroid hormone (PTH) to undergo rapid osteoclast formation/differentiation with bone resorption. In this resorption model native phosvitin potently inhibited PTH-induced osteoclastic bone resorption with simultaneous new osteoid/bone formation in the absence of ascorbate (vitamin C). These surprising and critical observations were extended using the bone formation model in the absence of ascorbate and in the presence of phosvitin which supported the above results. The results were corroborated by analyses for calcium release or uptake, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity (marker for osteoclasts), alkaline phosphatase activity (marker for osteoblasts), collagen and hydroxyproline composition, and histological and quantitative histomorphometric evaluations. The data revealed that the discovered bioactivity of phosvitin mirrors that of ascorbate during collagen synthesis and the formation of new osteoid/bone. Complementing those studies use of the synthetic collagen peptide analog and cultured calvarial osteoblasts in conjunction with mass spectrometric analysis provided results that augmented the bone organ culture work and confirmed the capacity of phosvitin to stimulate differentiation of osteoblasts, collagen synthesis, hydroxyproline formation, and biomineralization. There are striking implications and interrelationships of this affect that relates to the evolutionary inactivation of the gene of an enzyme l -gulono-γ-lactone oxidase, which is involved in the final step of ascorbate biosynthesis, in many vertebrate species including passeriform birds, reptiles and teleost fish whose egg yolk contain phosvitin. These represent examples of how developing ex-vivo embryos of such species can achieve connective tissue and skeletal system formation in the absence of ascorbate.
Morphology and taxonomy of Chaetoceros compressus Lauder var. Hirtisetus var. nova, with preliminary consideration of closely related taxa

During the fall Chaetoceros blooms of 1985–1988, an unusual taxon was observed in Narragansett Bay, and its morphological structure was studied from both field-collected and cultured material. It shares some conservative characters with the section Compressa species C. compressus Lauder and C. coruortus Schutt, and section Furcellata species C. radicans Schutt, but possesses a unique combination of characters. Preliminary examination and comparison of material from the Indo-West Pacific and North Atlantic suggests that Gran & Yendo's (1914) synonomy of C. compressus Lauder and C. contortus Schutt was erroneous; the two are in fact clearly delineated species. Our Narragansett Bay taxon is most clearly affiliated with C. compressus Lauder (non Schutt, non Gran & Yendo), originally described from Hong Kong Harbour, and is described herein as C. compressus Lauder var. hirtisetus var. nov.
Spatial thinking for educational innovation: the Rwandan Iwacu project

In this note, we describe our research in progress efforts in Rwanda focused on developing spatial thinking skills for educational innovation and development. In this regard, we present "Iwacu" which is a Kinyarwanda word meaning "Our Home". Iwacu is an open source, modular, mobile geographic ICT (geoICT) developed using a user-centered design approach with Rwandan stakeholders. Iwacu is theoretically motivated by the ideas of spatial thinking. We discuss how Iwacu's technical implementation is closely matched with spatial thinking components we are testing via a Spatial Thinking Ability Test or STAT to measure our educational innovation. We are finding that our use of mobile geoICTs to build spatial thinking skills are having positive, unintended consequences of building strong general ICT interest among young Rwandans and providing critical education pathways for young women and girls.
Studies of carbon- and hydrogen-containing adspecies present during CO hydrogenation over unsupported Ru, Ni and Rh

Abstract Isotopic tracer studies have been conducted to determine the coverages of adsorbed CO, carbon, and hydrogen on the surfaces of unsupported Ru, Rh, and Ni powders during CO hydrogenation. Two forms of hydrogen are observed on each catalyst at 298 K: a low-energy form which is in equilibrium with the gas phase and is rapidly displaced from the surface by CO adsorption and a high-energy form which is not in equilibrium with the gas phase and is not displaced by CO adsorption. The low-energy form is ascribed to hydrogen adsorbed on the exterior surfaces of the metal powder. It is proposed that the high-energy form may be hydrogen which has migrated along crystal grain boundaries into the interior of the metal powder. Adsorbed carbon and CO are also observed on each catalyst. It is demonstrated that high methanation activity correlates with the surface coverage of active carbon but not with the coverage of adsorbed hydrogen.
1207 FAMILIAL FACTORS IN SYNDROMIC AND NON-SYNDROMIC EAR MALFORMATIONS

Ear malformations, minor or severe, occur in 1% of the population. When observed in combination with other anomalies, a wide variety of syndromes has been identified. We surveyed 350 patients with ear malformations, of whom 45 subjects with monogenic syndromes were identified. Of interest were families of probands with the Treacher Collins syndrome, an autosomal dominant (AD) disorder with incomplete penetrance; a high percentage of cases are assumed to result from new mutation. In 2/32 families, 2 affected siblings were born to phenotypically normal parents with negative family history, suggesting that caution be exercised in genetic counselling in this situation. Patients not identified as having monogenic syndromes are being evaluated to assess familial factors in the etiology of ear malformations. Ear anomalies were found to be familial in 32/84 families studied. In familial cases, pedigrees appeared to be suggestive of AD inheritance with incomplete penetrance, or of multifactorial inheritance. 8.8% (33/376) of first-degree relatives exhibited ear anomalies. The following conclusions are suggested: 1) The presence of an ear malformation should alert the clinician to the possible presence of a syndrome with a high recurrence risk; 2)Apparently non-syndromic ear malformations are often familial; genetic counselling with recurrence risk estimation is indicated. Supported by grant DE02872, National Institutes of Health
Fetal Cardiac Tumors: Prenatal Diagnosis and Outcome

We present our experience in the management of fetuses diagnosed with huge cardiac tumors. These cases illustrate that the size of the tumor likely does not impact on survival as much as the location of the tumor and how it compromises blood flow into and out of the ventricles. We speculate that obstruction of right-sided inflow and/or simultaneous obstruction to outflow from both ventricles may lead to diminished cardiac output, atrial and caval hypertension, and hydrops fetalis. Obstruction can occur at any point in gestation and depends on both the size and the location of the tumor in relation to all cardiac structures. We therefore suggest serial assessment of these fetuses throughout gestation, particularly after the point of postnatal viability, to assess the hemodynamic effects that the tumor has on the heart. If obstruction to blood flow and/or early fetal compromise is noted, then the decision of whether to deliver early can be made. At the time of birth, if obstruction to blood flow persists, surgery can be considered, keeping in mind that the natural history of these tumors is to shrink and become clinically less important over time.
On the Measurement of Rent Seeking and its Social Opportunity Cost

Utilizing 4-digit industry data by county, we compare the allocation of resources across industries in state capital areas with noncapital areas. We are able to identify which industries are expanded and contracted relative to noncapital areas. Our results provide the first direct evidence and measurement of the forgone productive activity resulting from resources being reallocated toward rent seeking and interest group activity. Our data also allow us to measure total rent seeking, and also to isolate the extent of indirect and in-kind rent seeking, which can account for part of the Tullock paradox.
An Application of Automated Negotiation to Distributed Task Allocation

Through automated negotiation we aim to improve task allocation in a distributed sensor network. In particular, we look at a type of adaptive weather-sensing radar that permits the radar to focus its scanning on certain regions of the atmosphere. Current control systems can only computationally handle the decision making for a small number of radars because of the complexity of the process. One solution is to partition the radars into smaller, independent sets. Redundant scanning of tasks and loss of cooperative scanning capabilities can occur as a result. With negotiation we can reduce these occurrences, helping to ensure that the correct radars scan tasks based on the overall social welfare. We develop a distributed negotiation model where on each cycle the overall system utility improves or remains constant. Experimental results show that as compared to the centralized task allocation mechanism, the proposed distributed task allocation mechanism achieves almost the same level of social welfare but with a significantly reduced computational load.