cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Position: Meeting the Promise of Blocks-as-AST-Nodes Editing with “Typeblocking”

Despite the benefits [1, 2, 3] of “thinking in blocks” and using AST nodes as the unit of editing of programs [4], most blocks-based editors today remain clunky and slow because of a reliance on drag and drop, leading to a widely-held perception that text is a more efficient means of constructing a program [5]. However, there is no inherent property of blocks that limits them to being assembled in this manner. Indeed, by enabling keyboard-based editing of blocks, we posit that we should be able to match or surpass the efficiency of text while retaining the benefits of an AST-based program abstraction.Beginning with Corey McCaffrey’s master’s thesis in 2006 [6], and continuing with Terrance Liang’s master’s thesis in 2019 [7], the StarLogo Nova team is investigating ways to make blocks-based editing as efficient and intuitive as it should be, while keeping the abstractions firmly situated at the level of blocks/AST nodes rather than relying on textual representations. This position paper presents the design of StarLogo Nova’s Typeblocking system, including a discussion of related tools whose designs heavily influenced StarLogo Nova, and initial findings about the efficiency of Typeblocking.
The Potential Targets and Mechanisms of a Carbazole and Pyrazole Containing Anticancer Compound.

AIMS Characterization of a small anticancer compound. BACKGROUND The development of small molecules as new anti-cancer therapeutics is necessary to improve anti-tumor efficacy and reduce toxicities, especially for the treatment of brain tumors, where only small molecules can effectively cross the brain-blood barrier. Several novel hits were previously selected by concurrently screening colon and glioma cancer cell lines with a sensorconjugated reporter system. Here, we focused on one of them. OBJECTIVE Elucidating the potential target(s) of a novel anticancer compound. METHODS Computer-assisted structural and motif analysis (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator or LASSO score) was used to assess compound's targets, then direct kinase activity assays were used for the confirmation; Western blot of phosphorylated kinases, as well as FACS and caspase 3/7 activity assays, were used to decipher the action mechanisms. Finally, the expression profiling of proteins involved in various G-protein pathways by real-time PCR was performed. RESULTS The small chemical, (4E)-4-[2-(9-ethyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)hydrazin-1-ylidene]-3-methyl- 4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-5-one, with a formula C18H17N5O and MW of 319.36, designated as VUGX01, was predicted to be a ligand/inhibitor to receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) by computer analysis (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator or LASSO score). However, direct analysis with recombinant kinases showed that it is not an effective inhibitor to the popular receptor kinases at 1μM concentration. This compound can activate caspases in some tumor cell lines but has minimal effects on the cell cycle. Drug treatments lead to the changes in phosphorylation of AKT and c- RAF, as well as the expression level of MAP2K, suggesting this compound may interact with Gprotein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The expression profiling of 82 proteins involved in various Gprotein pathways by real-time PCR showed that the treatment up-regulates the expression of several proteins, including angiotensinogen, angiotensin II receptor, and IP3-kinase catalytic subunit gamma. CONCLUSION VUGX01 can effectively block proliferation and induce apoptosis of certain types of cancer cells, even it is predicted by high LASSO score, but it is not an effective RTKs inhibitor, it may inhibit cell growth through acting as a novel ligand to one or several GPCRs.
Confined yet free to go

Electrons are shown to move quickly while still presenting features typical of quantum confinement in films of mercury telluride quantum dots.
Moral Cultivation: Gongfu – Cultivation of the Person

The Confucian tradition concerned not so much at constructing philosophical theories than at cultivating the person and living a moral life. During the Song-Ming periods, this learning on cultivation of the person was widely characterized as the learning of gongfu 工夫 (or 功夫, aka. Kung fu). Since gongfu is what the Confucian learning is all about and the term permeates all of ZHU Xi’s writings, it should not be taken merely as one part of ZHU Xi’s teachings next to other parts, but as a leading cord with which to grasp Zhu’s entire system. Only in grasping this cord can we see clearly why ZHU Xi selected the Four Books as the most fundamental works of the Confucian tradition, what he meant by the cosmic principle (li 理), and where he differs from other influential thinkers of his time.
Small RNA-Mediated De Novo Silencing of Ac/Ds Transposons Is Initiated by Alternative Transposition in Maize.

Transposable elements (TEs) are a ubiquitous feature of plant genomes. Because of the threat they pose to genome integrity, most TEs are epigenetically silenced. However, even closely related plant species... Although transposable elements (TEs) comprise a major fraction of many higher eukaryotic genomes, most TEs are silenced by host defense mechanisms. The means by which otherwise active TEs are recognized and silenced remains poorly understood. Here we analyzed two independent cases of spontaneous silencing of the active maize Ac/Ds transposon system. This silencing is initiated by alternative transposition, a type of aberrant transposition event that engages the termini of two nearby separate TEs. Alternative transposition during DNA replication can generate Composite Insertions that contain inverted duplications of the transposon sequences. We show that the inverted duplications of two Composite Insertions are transcribed to produce double-stranded RNAs that trigger the production of two distinct classes of small interfering RNAs: a 24-nt class complementary to the TE terminal inverted repeats and noncoding subterminal regions, and a 21- to 22-nt class corresponding to the TE transcribed regions. Plants containing these small interfering RNA-generating Composite Insertions exhibit decreased levels of Ac transcript and heritable repression of Ac/Ds transposition. Further, we demonstrate that Composite Insertions can heritably silence otherwise active elements in trans. This study documents the first case of transposon silencing induced by alternative transposition and may represent a general initiating mechanism for silencing of DNA transposons.
A Contemporary Risk Analysis of Iatrogenic Transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) via Corneal Transplantation in the United States.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal, neurodegenerative prion disease potentially transmissible through corneal transplantation. While statistical analyses performed two decades ago estimated the overall prevalence of CJD in the corneal donor pool to be low, the recent significant increase in corneal transplants performed and deaths due to CJD in the U.S. warrants a contemporary risk analysis. A literature review was conducted to determine the overall number of globally reported cases of CJD transmission through corneal transplantation. U.S. mortality and cornea donation data were utilized to estimate the age-stratified prevalence of undiagnosed, latent CJD in the cornea donor pool in 2018. A historical statistical analysis was performed to estimate the number of corneas from donors with latent CJD entering the U.S. donor pool for each year between 1979 and 2018. From these statistical analyses, risk factors of iatrogenic transmission were identified and summarized. Ten reported cases of iatrogenic transmission of CJD through corneal transplants were identified globally. In 2018, an estimated 3.8 corneas from donors with undiagnosed latent CJD potentially entered the pool of 111,703 transplant-intended corneas harvested from individuals aged 31–80. Between 1979 and 2018, an estimated 47 corneas may have entered the U.S. transplant-intended pool from donors with latent CJD aged 35 to 84. The advanced age of donors and a history of multiple transplants in recipients were both prominent risk factors for iatrogenic transmission. The 10 reported global cases of iatrogenic transmission likely under-represent the number of individuals with a coinciding history of death by CJD and prior corneal transplantation, as supported by our statistical analysis and lack of geographical diversity of reported cases. As effective screening methods develop and globalization of cornea transplantation broadens, it is of utmost importance that cornea transplantation history among victims of CJD should be investigated and reported.
Suitability of Wetlands for Migrating and Breeding Waterbirds in Illinois

Wetland-dependent bird populations may be limited by habitat in regions where wetland loss and degradation are pervasive, such as the midwestern United States. However, available spatial datasets, such as the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI), may overestimate habitat availability if total wetland area includes wetlands unsuitable for wetland-dependent species. During 2016–2017, we assessed proportional coverages of wetland vegetation and inundation depth typically associated with suitable waterbird habitat relative to the NWI. We also modeled these data as a function of local and landscape characteristics during spring, summer, and autumn for three guilds of wetland-dependent, migratory birds. Suitable waterbird habitat conditions based on actual wetland characteristics measured comprised a small portion of the NWI. Shallowly inundated (<45 cm) emergent, aquatic bed, and forested wetlands suitable for foraging dabbling ducks comprised 29% of NWI area in Illinois during spring migration. Inundated emergent vegetation (Typha spp.) for migrating and breeding secretive marsh birds comprised 5% of NWI polygons during summer. Mudflats for migrating shorebirds comprised 6% and 4% of NWI polygons in summer and autumn, respectively. Wetlands with greater vegetation complexity and connectivity to other wetland types had the greatest suitable area across bird guilds and periods. These findings will inform conservation planners estimating waterbird habitat area and generating model-based habitat objectives using the NWI.
A global database of photosynthesis model parameters, and modelled photosynthetic responses from every major terrestrial plant clade

ABSTRACT Plant photosynthesis is a major part of the global carbon cycle and climate system. Carbon capture by C3 plants is most often modelled using the Farquhar-von-Caemmerer-Berry (FvCB) equations. We undertook a global synthesis of all parameters required to solve the FvCB model. The publicly available dataset we assembled includes 3663 observations from 336 different C3 plant species among 96 taxonomic families coming from every major vascular plant clade (lycophytes, ferns, gymnosperms, magnoliids, eudicots and monocots). Geographically, the species in the database have distributions that span the majority of the globe. We used the model to predict photosynthetic rates for a hypothetical average plant in each major terrestrial plant clade and find that generally plants have dramatically increased their photosynthetic abilities through evolutionary time, with the average monocot (the youngest clade) achieving maximum rates of photosynthesis almost double that of the average lycophyte (the oldest clade). We also solved the model for different hypothetical average plant functional types (PFTs) and find that herbaceous species generally have much higher rates of photosynthesis compared to woody plants. Indeed, the maximum photosynthetic rate of graminoids is almost three times the rate of the average tree. The resulting functional responses to increasing CO2 in average hypothetical PFTs would suggest that most groups are already at or near their maximum rate of photosynthesis. However, phylogenetic analysis showed that there was no evidence of niche conservatism with most variance occurring within, rather than among clades (K=0.357, p=0.001). This high within-group variability suggests that average PFTs may obscure important plant responses to increasing CO2. Indeed, when we solved the model for each of the 3663 individual observations, we found that, contrary to the predictions of hypothetical average PFTs, that most plants are predicted to be able to increase their photosynthetic rates. These results suggest that global models should seek to incorporate high within-group variability to accurately predict plant photosynthesis in response to a changing climate.
Another Damaging Use of the “Schizophrenia” Label . . . and What Seemed About to Help:

The use of the label “schizophrenia,” which does not have a scientific basis or validation, tends to lead prospective helpers of suffering people away from what can truly help and toward approaches...
How the use of vaccines outside the cold chain or in controlled temperature chain contributes to improving immunization coverage in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): A scoping review of the literature.

Background Most vaccines are recommended for storage at temperatures of +2°C to +8°C to maintain potency. Immunization supply chain bottlenecks constraints reaching populations with life-saving vaccines. The World Health Organization permits the use of vaccines outside the cold chain as "controlled temperature chain (CTC)" upon meeting certain conditions and has set targets to license more vaccines CTC by 2020. Objectives This scoping review aims to explore and synthesize the evidence in the literature on how the use of vaccines outside the cold chain or in a controlled temperature chain increases immunization coverage in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), with a focus on the timelines of the Global Vaccine Action Plan (2011-2020). Methods A systematic search of three online databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) due to their broad coverage of global health sciences retrieved 173 original peer-reviewed articles, of which 13 were included in the review having met our inclusion criteria. Results The majority of the studies were conducted in Africa (n = 9), followed by Asia (n = 3), and the least in the Pacific (n = 1). The different study designs captured included four non-randomized trials, three randomized trials, two simulation models, two cross-sectional studies, and one cohort study. Reported benefits included increased coverage, logistical ease, cost savings while vaccines remain potent. Conclusion Currently, only two vaccines have been licensed to be stored CTC. More needs to be done to get additional vaccines licensed for CTC and disseminate operational guidance to operationalize its use in low- and middle-income countries.
Curvature Sets Over Persistence Diagrams

We study an invariant of compact metric spaces which combines the notion of curvature sets introduced by Gromov in the 1980s together with the notion of Vietoris-Rips persistent homology. For given integers $k\geq 0$ and $n\geq 1$ these invariants arise by considering the degree $k$ Vietoris-Rips persistence diagrams of all subsets of a given metric space with cardinality at most $n$. We call these invariants \emph{persistence sets} and denote them as $D_{n,k}^\mathrm{VR}$. We argue that computing these invariants could be significantly easier than computing the usual Vietoris-Rips persistence diagrams. We establish stability results as for these invariants and we also precisely characterize some of them in the case of spheres with geodesic and Euclidean distances. We identify a rich family of metric graphs for which $D_{4,1}^{\mathrm{VR}}$ fully recovers their homotopy type. Along the way we prove some useful properties of Vietoris-Rips persistence diagrams.
Comparing Perceived and Objective Measures of Bikeability on a University Campus: A Case Study:

Using a participatory approach, this multi-method case study compared bicyclists’ perceptions and physical indicators of bikeability on a college campus. Student focus groups discussed campus bikea...
Transitioning ifosfamide chemotherapy regimens to the ambulatory setting: reviewing cost savings and safety profile

To characterize and compare both the outcome and cost of treatment of outpatient (OP) and inpatient (IP) ifosfamide therapy. A single-center retrospective chart review of patients 18 years and older receiving ifosfamide therapy. The primary endpoint compares and evaluates the side effect profiles of ifosfamide-treated patients in the OP/IP settings. The adverse event grading system was characterized using the CTCAE Version 5.0. The highest grade was documented per cycle. The secondary endpoint of this study compares the costs of OP/IP therapy. It was assumed that the cost of medication was equivalent for IP/OP treatments. The cost saved with OP administration was determined by the average cost of hospital stay for IP admission. Ifosfamide therapy of 86 patients (57 OP, 29 IP) was reviewed. The predominant OP regimens were doxorobucin-ifosfamide-mesna (AIM) with 43.9% and ifosfamide-etoposide (IE) with 29.8%. Grade 4 anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia were most frequent in IP vs OP therapies (22.9% IP vs 4.3% OP, 21.6% IP vs 9.2% OP, and 22.8% IP vs 19.6% OP respectively). Neutropenic fever (NF) occurred in 20 OP patients which were predominantly treated with AIM or IE and led to average hospital stay of 6 days. Neurotoxicity, treated with methylene blue (MB) occurred in 4 OP patients. OP therapy saved a total of 783 hospital days, leading to a cost savings of $2,103,921. Transitioning ifosfamide to the OP setting is feasible for academic and community infusion centers with the OP administration being safe, well-tolerated, and associated with decreased total cost of care. The current processes allow for safe transition of chemotherapy of chemotherapy under times of COVID.
The Boundary Contour Method

This chapter presents applications of the boundary contour method (BCM) in three dimensional (3-D) linear elasticity. Following a brief introduction, BCM and hypersingular BCM (HBCM) formulations, for this class of problems, are presented in Section 2. This is followed by sections describing shape sensitivity analysis, shape optimization and error analysis and adaptivity with the BCM. Numerical results for selected examples are included throughout the chapter.
Load Equalization on a Two-Armed Robot via Proprioceptive Sensing

As humans we use our arms and bodies in addition to our hands to grasp objects. We (and robots) often cannot use caging or closure strategies when manipulating bulky objects. This paper studies manipulating such objects in the context of a particular task: equalizing a load across the arms of a two-armed robot. Our PR2 robot performs this task using only proprioceptive force sensing and a simple, reactive equalization strategy.We demonstrate the robot robustly performing this task using numerous and various objects (e.g., boxes, pipes, broomsticks, backpacks).
Synthesis and anti-cancer potential of the positional isomers of NOSH-aspirin (NBS-1120) a dual nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide releasing hybrid

We recently reported the synthesis of NOSH-aspirin, a novel hybrid compound capable of releasing both nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). In NOSH-aspirin, the two moieties that release NO and H2S are covalently linked at the 1, 2 positions of acetyl salicylic acid, i.e., ortho-NOSH-aspirin. Here we report on the synthesis of meta- and para-NOSH-aspirins. We also made a head-to-head evaluation of the effects of these three positional isomers of NOSH-aspirin on colon cancer cell kinetics and induction of reactive oxygen species, which in recent years has emerged as a key event in causing cancer cell regression. Electron donating/withdrawing groups incorporated about the benzoate moiety significantly affected the potency of these compounds with respect to colon cancer cell growth inhibition.
Gender and Forgiveness in Early Married Couples

Gender and F~~givenesx A Qualitative R e J r k of 20 Years of Empirical Literature By Andrea J. Lerner, B. A. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at VirginkC~mmen\~ealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology Ninety-five studies that addressed the possibility of gender differences in forgiveness literature are reviewed. Gender differences were examined with respect to predictor variables and outcome variables. Participants were 3 14 couples fiom the community who had been married less than one year. Participants filled out questionnaires. Males were more forgiving and were more committed to the marriage. However, females were more successful at granting forgiveness. In addition, females were more religious and reported more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hostility. Four structural equation models were tested in OF& ta test for gender differences. Structural models including the latent variables of martial satisfaction, marital commitment, marital forgiveness, and mental health fit the databetter for males than for females. Results support the conclusion that there are gender differences in forgiveness in recently married couples. Chapter
An analysis of standardized reading ability tests: what do questions actually measure?

This study examined what types of passage and individual item attributes of reading ability tests affect item difficulty. Ninety-six questions from the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test for 7/9th graders were analyzed in terms of individual item characteristics and passage features that were considered to affect the item's difficulty. Whereas two passage features, word frequency and sentence length, influenced the item difficulty, none of the individual question characteristics were found to affect the item difficulty. Thus, the GMRT may be assessing how difficult a passage readers can comprehend, not how difficult a question readers can answer about a passage. These findings imply that the GMRT may function well when identifying basic reading comprehension skill differences, but not higher level reading skill differences. However, these findings may be the result of the passages in the GMRT having an atypical construction. Specifically, shorter passages tended to be composed of longer sentences.
On the distribution of tree growth stresses

Growth stress distributions in trees are derived using the hypothesis that longitudinal and circumferential growth strains are continuously induced at the periphery of the growing stem. A plane strain combined with pure torsion model is used to compute the internal stresses and strains due to forces and moments caused by the new growth increment. The twisting angle of the pure torsion model is caused by the shear stresses set up in the growth increment as the growth strains are induced along the grain axis and the coupling of axial and torsional effects due to the elastic constants for the inclined grain material. Detailed stress distributions are derived for a range of constant grain angle cases. The extreme sensitivity of the torsional shear distribution to small grain angles is noteworthy.
Lesions of the perirhinal and parahippocampal cortices in the monkey produce long-lasting memory impairment in the visual and tactual modalities

Compared to normal animals, monkeys with bilateral lesions of the perirhinal and parahippocampal cortices (PRPH lesion) were impaired on both a visual and a tactual version of the delayed nonmatching to sample task. In addition, the memory deficit was long-lasting, as indicated by the finding of a significant deficit when the visual version of the delayed nonmatching to sample task was readministered approximately 2 years after surgery. Animals with PRPH lesions performed normally on discrimination tasks in the visual and tactual modalities. Multimodal and long-lasting memory impairments are defining characteristics of human medial temporal lobe amnesia. Accordingly, these results demonstrate important parallels between the memory deficit associated with PRPH lesions and human medial temporal lobe amnesia. These data, taken together with previous findings, suggest that the perirhinal and parahippocampal cortices play an important role in memory function and that these cortical areas are critical components of the medial temporal lobe memory system.
Studies on nucleoside deaminase. Increase in activity in HeLa cell cultures caused by cytosine arabinoside.

Abstract Cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) is metabolized via two enzymatic pathways: by phosphorylation to the nucleoside triphosphate arabinosyl-CTP or deamination to the inert metabolite uracil arabinoside. Resistance to cytosine arabinoside had been attributed to a decreased synthesis of arabinosyl-CTP, the active inhibitor of DNA synthesis. Steuart and Burke (Nature New Biol. 233, 109, 1971) suggested the increased deamination of cytosine arabinoside as an alternative mechanism of resistance in patients treated with this drug. In the present study the mechanism for the effect of cytosine arabinoside on nucleoside deaminase activity was investigated in cell culture. HeLa cells grown in medium with added cytosine arabinoside had a 4-fold increase in nucleoside deaminase activity. The increase is dependent on the concentration and time of exposure to cytosine arabinoside. The levels of four control enzymes were unaffected by this agent. No difference was found between the properties of nucleoside deaminase purified from cells grown in the presence of cytosine arabinoside and in controls. The early appearance of an increase in nucleoside deaminase in the absence of cell killing made selection of a mutant population improbable. Cycloheximide did not prevent the elevation in nucleoside deaminase indicating that the mechanism, unlike "classical induction," may not be dependent on the synthesis of a new protein. These studies show that the presence of cytosine arabinoside in tissue culture leads to an increased activity of nucleoside deaminase which could result in accelerated drug degradation. This process may provide a mechanism for resistance to the antimetabolite.
Intimate partner violence screening tools: a systematic review.

Context Intimate partner violence (IPV) screening remains controversial. Major medical organizations mandate screening, whereas the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) cautions that there is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against screening. An effective IPV screening program must include a screening tool with sound psychometric properties. A systematic review was conducted to summarize IPV screening tools tested in healthcare settings, providing a discussion of existing psychometric data and an assessment of study quality. Evidence acquisition From the end of 2007 through 2008, three published literature databases were searched from their start through December 2007; this search was augmented with a bibliography search and expert consultation. Eligible studies included English-language publications describing the psychometric testing of an IPV screening tool in a healthcare setting. Study quality was judged using USPSTF criteria for diagnostic studies. Evidence synthesis Of 210 potentially eligible studies, 33 met inclusion criteria. The most studied tools were the Hurt, Insult, Threaten, and Scream (HITS, sensitivity 30%–100%, specificity 86%–99%); the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST, sensitivity 47%, specificity 96%); the Partner Violence Screen (PVS, sensitivity 35%–71%, specificity 80%–94%); and the Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS, sensitivity 93%–94%, specificity 55%–99%). Internal reliability (HITS, WAST); test–retest reliability (AAS); concurrent validity (HITS, WAST); discriminant validity (WAST); and predictive validity (PVS) were also assessed. Overall study quality was fair to good. Conclusions No single IPV screening tool had well-established psychometric properties. Even the most common tools were evaluated in only a small number of studies. Sensitivities and specificities varied widely within and between screening tools. Further testing and validation are critically needed.
Use of electrical imaging and distributed temperature sensing methods to characterize surface water-groundwater exchange regulating uranium transport at the Hanford 300 Area, Washington

[1] We explored the use of continuous waterborne electrical imaging (CWEI), in conjunction with fiber-optic distributed temperature sensor (FO-DTS) monitoring, to improve the conceptual model for uranium transport within the Columbia River corridor at the Hanford 300 Area, Washington. We first inverted resistivity and induced polarization CWEI data sets for distributions of electrical resistivity and polarizability, from which the spatial complexity of the primary hydrogeologic units was reconstructed. Variations in the depth to the interface between the overlying coarse-grained, high-permeability Hanford Formation and the underlying finer-grained, less permeable Ringold Formation, an important contact that limits vertical migration of contaminants, were resolved along ∼3 km of the river corridor centered on the 300 Area. Polarizability images were translated into lithologic images using established relationships between polarizability and surface area normalized to pore volume (Spor). The FO-DTS data recorded along 1.5 km of cable with a 1 m spatial resolution and 5 min sampling interval revealed subreaches showing (1) temperature anomalies (relatively warm in winter and cool in summer) and (2) a strong correlation between temperature and river stage (negative in winter and positive in summer), both indicative of reaches of enhanced surface water–groundwater exchange. The FO-DTS data sets confirm the hydrologic significance of the variability identified in the CWEI and reveal a pattern of highly focused exchange, concentrated at springs where the Hanford Formation is thickest. Our findings illustrate how the combination of CWEI and FO-DTS technologies can characterize surface water–groundwater exchange in a complex, coupled river-aquifer system.
Near-Complete Resolution of Clinical and Radiographic Findings After Endovascular Embolization of a Giant Serpentine A1 Aneurysm

Background Giant serpentine aneurysms are complex intracranial lesions, associated with a poor prognosis if left untreated. Treatment usually involves surgical trapping of the aneurysm with arterio-arterial anastomosis; however, recent endovascular management has been implemented for the management of such aneurysms. Case Description We report the unique case of a 71-year-old woman who presented with visual deficits due to the mass effect of a giant serpentine aneurysm arising from the A1 segment of the anterior cerebral artery. Because of its location proximal to a widely patent anterior communicating artery, angiographic cure was achieved with sacrifice of the A1 segment. Clinical and radiographic follow-up demonstrated resolution of the presenting symptoms and near-complete obliteration of the aneurysm. Conslusions Thrombosed giant serpentine aneurysms can show dramatic resolution of mass effect with endovascular treatment.
A potential field based approach to multi-robot manipulation

We describe a framework for controlling and coordinating a group of robots for cooperative manipulation tasks. The framework enables a decentralized approach to planning and control. It allows the robots to approach the object, organize themselves into a formation that will trap the object, and then transport the object to the desired destination. Our controllers and planners are derived from simple potential fields and the hierarchical composition of potential fields. We show how these potential field based controllers and planners benefit complex group interactions, specifically for manipulating and transporting objects in the plane. Theoretically, we show how we can derive results on formation stability with potential field based controllers in many cases. Simulation results demonstrate successful application to a wide range of examples without showing sensitivity to parameters. Because the framework is decentralized at both trajectory generation level and the estimation and control agent level, our framework can potentially scale to groups of tens and hundreds of robots.
Laser ultrasonic sensing of the melting and solidification of cadmium telluride

Abstract A noninvasive laser ultrasonic method has been used to investigate the melting and solidification of a (Cd,Zn)Te alloy during vertical Bridgman growth. A single zone vertical Bridgman furnace was integrated with a laser ultrasonic system and used to monitor the time-of-flight of ultrasonic pulses that propagate across an ampoule during the melting and solidification of Cd 0.96 Zn 0.04 Te. The measurement approach is based upon the difference in the elastic stiffness of the solid and liquid phases of Cd 0.96 Zn 0.04 Te (Queheillalt et al., J. Appl. Phys. 83 (1998) 4124) and its significant dependence upon temperature. This results in a reduction of the longitudinal wave ultrasonic velocity as the temperature was increased (from ambient temperature) followed by a ∼ 45% decrease upon melting. The laser ultrasonic sensor provided a robust in-situ method for monitoring the melting and solidification of Cd 0.96 Zn 0.04 Te. The data indicated that the melting was slow and that solidification was accompanied by a 10–15°C undercooling.
Uptake of Neutral Red by the Vacuoles of a Green Alga, Micrasterias pinnatifida

Neutral red (NR) in the culture medium entered the vacuoles of a green alga, Micrasterias pinnatifida, at a higher rate at pH 8 than at pH 5. NR remained soluble in vacuoles of cells cultured at pH 5, while it precipitated and formed granules in cells cultured at pH 8. The vacuoles of cells cultured at pH 8 contained fibrils, but those of cells cultured at pH 5 did not. The amount of NR that entered the cells was markedly reduced by the addition to the medium of nigericin at 10(-5) M, monensin at 10(-5) M, bafilomycin A1 at 10(-5) M, or ammonium chloride at 50 mM. The formation of NR granules in vacuoles were strongly inhibited and the disorganization of NR granules were accelerated by the addition of nigericin at 10(-5) M, or bafilomycin A1 at 10(-5) M to the culture medium. The possibility is discussed that NR which enters vacuoles might become positively charged (NRH+) by protons brought into vacuoles by proton pumps and that NRH+ might combine with some negatively charged macromolecules to form aggregates or granules.
PAPINEAU ON ETIOLOGICAL TELEOSEMANTICS FOR BELIEFS

Teleosemantics holds that the contents of psychological states depend crucially on the functions of such states. Etiological accounts of function hold that the functions of things depend on their histories, especially their evolutionary or learning histories. Etiological teleosemantics combines these two features. Consider the case of beliefs. Since selection rests on the stable effects of things, since beliefs have no obvious effects independent of unstable desires, and since desires themselves have mental content, beliefs may seem a hard case for etiological teleosemantics. But David Papineau deploys the effects of beliefs mediated by conation in an artful way to evade these difficulties. I argue that accounts with such an architecture are false.
Blooms of Surf‐zone Diatoms Along the Coast of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. VIII. Effect of Temperature and Oxygen Concentration on Respiration of Chaetoceros armatum in the Natural Environment

Dark respiration rates of the surf diatom species, Chaetoceros armatum, were measured in field experiments throughout a year-round study. Measurements of dissolved oxygen were made by employing the Winkler oxygen technique. Oxygen concentration in the ambient water had a significant positive effect upon respiration rate at all temperatures encountered during the period of study (4.6d up to 13.8 dC). Above 8d, respiration rate increased with increasing temperature up to about 12.5d. Above 12.5d, temperature had a detrimental effect. The relationship between the concentration of dissolved oxygen and respiration rate was confirmed experimentally by artificially lowering or raising the oxygen concentration.
On the superfluid density in 3 He from weak coupling theory

The superfluid density tensor in 3He is studied, from the weak coupling theory, assuming that the A phase is the axial state and the B phase the isotropic state. The results could explain why the A-B transition has not been seen in fourth-sound experiments.
A Novel Microwave Device Designed to Preserve Cell Structure in Milliseconds

We describe an innovative microwave instrument, designed in collaboration with and owned by Raytheon Company. The instrument permits the manipulation of biological specimens in their fluid milieu during the actual period of rapid tissue fixation. The specimen chamber is designed for sample containers up to 1.7 cm in diameter and 4.5 cm in height. Reflected power is reproducibly low, limiting the need for pretuning the microwave output to the sample. Microwave exposure can be controlled in 1 msecond increments with a range of 10 mseconds to 10 seconds. Mammalian cells and tissues fixed by this microwave device were evaluated by light and electron microscopy. Preliminary findings show large regions of excellent preservation in tissues and in cell suspensions in ˜100 mseconds.
Numerical investigation of the effect of signal trapping on soot measurements using LII in laminar coflow diffusion flames

Laser-induced incandescence has been rapidly developed into a powerful diagnostic technique for measurements of soot in many applications. The incandescence intensity generated by laser-heated soot particles at the measurement location suffers the signal trapping effect caused by absorption and scattering by soot particles present between the measurement location and the detector. The signal trapping effect was numerically investigated in soot measurements using both a 2D LII setup and the corresponding point LII setup at detection wavelengths of 400 and 780 nm in a laminar coflow ethylene/air flame. The radiative properties of aggregated soot particles were calculated using the Rayleigh-Debye-Gans polydisperse fractal aggregate theory. The radiative transfer equation in emitting, absorbing, and scattering media was solved using the discrete-ordinates method. The radiation intensity along an arbitrary direction was obtained using the infinitely small weight technique. The contribution of scattering to signal trapping was found to be negligible in atmospheric laminar diffusion flames. When uncorrected LII intensities are used to determine soot particle temperature and the soot volume fraction, the errors are smaller in 2D LII setup where soot particles are excited by a laser sheet. The simple Beer-Lambert exponential attenuation relationship holds in LII applications to axisymmetric flames as long as the effective extinction coefficient is adequately defined.
Children's Healthcare and Astrology in the Nurturing of a Central Tibetan Nation-State, 1916-24

Between 1916 and 1924, a Tibetan public healthcare programme that focused on childcare and natal astrology comprised a central aspect of the mission of the Lhasa Mentsikhang (Institute of Medicine and Astrology). Assessing previously unused Tibetan language materials—including the Thirteenth Dalai Lama's edict for implementation and an accompanying childcare manual—the programme is contextualized with regard to regional developments in British India and China. Like British 'mothercraft' education programmes of the same period, the Tibetan initiative links the health of the population (from infancy) to the health of the state and its economy. Rather than appealing to the authority of 'scientific' colonial medicine, however, this paper discusses how indigenous medical techniques and theories are put forward as effective means to prove the nascent Central Tibetan state's benevolence, legitimacy and sovereignty via intervention in the domestic sphere. Such attention to medical reform and to the domestic sphere brings light to an underappreciated effort by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama to cultivate a sense of Tibetan subjecthood and to reconfigure the relationship between his government and various segments of society. Significantly, this childcare initiative was entrusted not just to mothers, and the category of class is here more germane than the category of gender central within British programmes. Various social groups within a specifically delineated Tibetan territory are assigned tasks in the programme's implementation, illustrating the desire to incorporate each into a reorganised Tibetan state bound by a newly articulated Buddhist ideal of shared social responsibility.
Ultra-thin silicon (UTSi) on insulator CMOS transceiver and time-division multiplexed switch chips for smart pixel integration

We describe the design, fabrication and functionality of two different 0.5 micron CMOS optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEIC) chips based on the Peregrine Semiconductor Ultra-Thin Silicon on insulator technology. The Peregrine UTSi silicon- on-sapphire (SOS) technology is a member of the silicon-on- insulator (SOI) family. The low-loss synthetic sapphire substrate is optically transparent and has good thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion properties, which meet the requirements for flip-chip bonding of VCSELs and other optoelectronic input-output components. One chip contains transceiver and network components, including four channel high-speed CMOS transceiver modules, pseudo-random bit stream (PRBS) generators, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and other test circuits. The transceiver chips can operate in both self-testing mode and networking mode. An on- chip clock and true-single-phase-clock (TSPC) D-flip-flop have been designed to generate a PRBS at over 2.5 Gb/s for the high-speed transceiver arrays to operate in self-testing mode. In the networking mode, an even number of transceiver chips forms a ring network through free-space or fiber ribbon interconnections. The second chip contains four channel optical time-division multiplex (TDM) switches, optical transceiver arrays, an active pixel detector and additional test devices. The eventual applications of these chips will require monolithic OEICs with integrated optical input and output. After fabrication and testing, the CMOS transceiver array dies will be packaged with 850 nm vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), and metal-semiconductor- metal (MSM) or GaAs p-i-n detector die arrays to achieve high- speed optical interconnections. The hybrid technique could be either wire bonding or flip-chip bonding of the CMOS SOS smart-pixel arrays with arrays of VCSELs and photodetectors onto an optoelectronic chip carrier as a multi-chip module (MCM).
Eastern Pacific Tropical Cyclones of 1976

Abstract A summary of the 1976 season is presented. Included are seasonal statistics, storm tracks and comparisons with activity in recent years.
NUCLEAR LEVELS OF EVEN Sn ISOTOPES POPULATED IN THE DECAY OF In ISOMERS

The decay of the following neutron-rich indium isomers produced by 14-15-MeV neutron bombardments of isotopically enriched tin samples have been studied with beta and gamma scintillation techniques: 5.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5-sec and 4.35\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05-min ${\mathrm{In}}^{118}$, 3.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4-sec and 44.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.5-sec ${\mathrm{In}}^{120}$, and 7.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.8 sec-${\mathrm{In}}^{122}$. The disintegration of the 3.5-min ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{118}$ isomer has been investigated by using a highly mass-separated ${\mathrm{Te}}^{118}$ source. Numerous levels in the corresponding tin isotopes were found to be populated, and the level schemes are compared with the theoretical calculations of Kisslinger and Sorensen and of Arvieu et al. The systematics of odd-odd In isomers is discussed in light of the spectroscopic data and the nuclear-shell model. The isomeric cross-section ratios of the ($n, p$) reaction forming the ${\mathrm{In}}^{116}$, ${\mathrm{In}}^{118}$, and ${\mathrm{In}}^{120}$ isomers were measured and are briefly discussed.
Application of fluorescence and PARAFAC to assess vertical distribution of subsurface hydrocarbons and dispersant during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

We evaluated the use of excitation and emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence and parallel factorial analysis (PARAFAC) modeling techniques for monitoring crude oil components in the water column. Four of the seven derived PARAFAC loadings were associated with the Macondo crude oil components. The other three components were associated with the dispersant, an unresolved component and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM). The fluorescence of the associated benzene and naphthalene-like components of crude oil exhibited a maximum at ∼1200 m. The maximum fluorescence of the component associated with the dispersant (i.e., Corexit EC9500A) was observed at the same depth. The plume observed at this depth was attributed to the dispersed crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Results demonstrate the application of EEM and PARAFAC to simultaneously monitor selected PAH, dispersant-containing and humic-like fluorescence components in the oil spill region in the Gulf of Mexico.
HIV Drug Resistance in Mothers and Infants Following Use of Antiretrovirals to Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmission

The purpose of this article is to review prominent studies on HIV drug-resistance in mothers and their infants after the use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent mother-to-child-transmission in resource-limited communities. The effects of drug-resistance on subsequent combination antiretroviral therapy are discussed, as are the probable mechanisms of acquisition and decay or persistence of drug-resistant mutants. Differences in the rates of HIV drug-resistance from interventions used to prevent mother-to-child-transmission in North America and Europe are contrasted to the simplified regimens used in resource-limited settings. Unresolved issues related to HIV drug-resistance are reviewed, including: whether maternal zidovudine monotherapy selects significant resistance; the clinical relevance of HIV drug-resistant variants selected by single-dose nevirapine that persist as minority viral variants and can affect the outcome of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based therapy; and the use of maternal combination antiretroviral therapy during breastfeeding. Finally, the current and upcoming strategies to reduce HIV drug-resistance related to use of antiretrovirals to prevent mother-to-child-transmission are discussed and contrasted with the challenges of financing and administering antiretrovirals to prevent mother-to-child-transmission in resource-limited communities.