cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Iraq Independent Investigative Team & Prospects for Justice for the Yazidi Genocide

This paper explores the the origins, reach and prospects of the Independent Iraqi Investigative Team (IIIT), created by the UN Security Council in 2017 to investigate the crimes of the Islamic State in Iraq. Although mandated to investigate all atrocity crimes, the commission of what many experts consider to be a genocide against the Yazidi people emerged as one of the central motivations for the IIIT’s formation. This paper explores the potential of the IIIT to achieve a measure of justice for the Yazidi people. Although the Yezidi people are not monolithic when it comes to their preferences for justice, glaring limitations in the Iraqi legal framework (particularly with respect to international crimes and crimes of sexual violence), may not produce results that are acceptable to Yazidi victims’ groups. This outcome, however, is not inevitable if local authorities are amenable to proposals for legal reform that the IIIT experts will inevitably propose as part of their capacity-building mandate. Moreover, the IIIT is ultimately only an investigative body; it has no prosecutorial powers or formal ability to influence the imposition of charges or criminal justice process writ large. As a result, it will be obliged to work with local, regional, and national authorities to ensure that potential evidence is fully exploited and that appropriate charges are brought. Although there may be a temptation among victims’ groups for swift justice resulting in the ultimate penalty, the IIIT should also protect against local prosecutions going the way of the Iraqi High Tribunal, which were perceived as deeply flawed and never earned the respect of the international community. Much of the IIIT’s efficacy will thus depend on who ends up staffing it, with many urging the appointment of individuals with solid experience investigating and prosecuting international criminal law violations (as opposed to career diplomats or human rights advocates) who also possess the diplomatic acumen to navigate the region’s roiling political waters and the sensitivity to work with the most vulnerable of victims.
Diagnosis in Cyber-Physical Systems with Fault Protection Assemblies

Fault Protection Assemblies are used in cyber-physical systems for automated fault-isolation. These devices alter the mode of the system using locally available information in order to stop fault propagation. For example, in electrical networks relays and breakers isolate faults in order to arrest failure propagation and protect the healthy parts of the system. However, these assemblies themselves can have faults, which may inadvertently induce secondary failures. Often these secondary failures lead to cascade effects, which then lead to total system collapse. This behavior is often seen in electrical transmission systems where failures of relays and breakers may cause overloading and the disconnection of parts of an otherwise healthy system. In the past, we had developed a consistency based diagnosis approach for physical systems based on the temporal failure propagation graph. We now describe an extension that uses the concept of timed discrete event observers in combination with the timed failure propagation graphs to extend the hypothesis to include the possibility of failures in the fault protection units. Using a simulated power system case study, we show that the combined approach is able to diagnose faults in both the plant and the protection devices.
Perspectives on Advanced Data Assimilation in Strongly Nonlinear Systems

Most of the data assimilation methods in use or proposed were derived and validated for linear systems with Gaussian noise. Many, if not most problems of interest involve nonlinear dynamics. In nonlinear systems, even if the errors are initially Gaussian, they do not, in general, remain so. It is therefore important to ask what happens when our linearized methods are applied to nonlinear systems. This question becomes particularly important in cases of dynamical models which exhibit behavior which cannot occur in linear systems. Ultimately, it will be necessary to design data assimilation systems specifically for treatment of nonlinear systems.
Deconstructing planning as satisfiability

The idea of encoding planning as satisfiability was proposed in 1992 as a method for generating interesting SAT problems, but did not appear to be a practical approach to planning (Kautz & Selman 1992). This changed in 1996, when Satplan was shown to be competitive with current planning technology, leading to a mini-explosion of interest in the approach (Kautz & Selman 1996). Within a few years, however, heuristic search planning appeared to be vastly superior to planning as satisfiability, and many researchers wrote off the earlier success of the approach as a fluke. It was therefore rather surprising when Satplan won first place for optimal STRIPS planning in the 2004 ICAPS planning competition (Edelkamp et al. 2004). This talk will attempt to deconstruct the reasons for Satplan’s successes and failures, and discuss ways the approach might be extended to handle “open” domains, metric constraints, and domain symmetries.
Do Prior Experiences of Top Executives Enable or Hinder Product Market Entry

How firms achieve entry into new‐to‐the‐firm product markets is an important but overlooked topic. Some aspiring entrants fail during product development, and they miss the opportunity to enter. In such contexts, firms often take action to de‐risk entry, for example, by drawing upon the experience of top executives with market‐specific expertise obtained in prior jobs. However, the empirical evidence from this study shows that beyond a narrow threshold, greater prior experience in the top executive team was associated with a greater likelihood of failed entry attempts among the firms that I tracked over two decades in the biotechnology industry. This result held across product markets with low and high degrees of dynamism. Based on the literature on dynamic managerial capabilities, where entry into new markets indicates managers’ ability to reconfigure organizational resources and adapt to a changing environment, this study’s main contribution is to illustrate how and why experience matters for entry.
Focus on . . . Mandatory Arbitration of ERISA Disputes

This article explores the enforceability of arbitration provisions with respect to claims under ERISA, including benefit claims and claims for breach of fiduciary rule.
WE-E-202-01: Virtual Simulator CT QA

The virtual CT simulation process is a vital component of radiation oncology planning . It is during this step that a patient's CT scan is performed, which is then transferred to a virtual simulation system. Depending on the vendor and configuration the system may be used for applications such as image registration, structure delineation, field arrangement and anatomical measurements. A robust quality assurance program ensures that images and structures created during this step are rendered and transferred accurately. Practical methods of performing standard QA tests which evaluate parameters such as image uniformity, resolution, and distortion will be presented. New technology has brought multi slice scanners, PET‐CT scanners, breath gating systems and image fusion. Tests that address the quality and accuracy of these newer technologies will be also presented. SRS and SBRT require an enhanced arsenal of QA tools due to a superior requirement in spatial and anatomical accuracy. Tests will be described that address these requirements as well. Learning Objectives: 1. Explain how to perform tests that evaluate certain aspects of Virtual Simulator QA 2. Describe the components of the Virtual CT simulation process that require testing 3. Describe the effects that poor a QA program could have on treatment planning
Pallister-Hall Syndrome Presenting in Adolescence

Pallister-Hall syndrome (PHS) is an extremely rare syndrome of unknown prevalence with autosomal dominant inheritance due to GLI3 gene mutations classically characterized by the presence of a hypothalamic hamartoma and polydactyly. Additional diagnostic criteria include bifid epiglottis, imperforate anus, small nails, hypopituitarism, growth hormone deficiency, and genital hypoplasia. It is typically diagnosed in infancy and early childhood, presenting with seizures and/or precocious puberty due to the hypothalamic hamartoma, and with limb anomalies due to central polydactyly. Our patient had presented with polysyndactyly at birth. However, as this is not uncommon in infants and is usually as part of the sporadic, isolated form of polydactyly, no further work up was done. He then presented at age 16 years with a headache and subjective visual changes, with brain imaging revealing a hypothalamic hamartoma. He did not have a history of seizures or central precocious puberty. Genotyping revealed a pathogenic variant affecting the GLI3 gene. We encourage all clinicians to consider PHS or an associated syndrome with a clinical finding of polydactyly. Further, as the natural history continues to reveal itself, this patient's presentation provides important new data to the broad phenotypic spectrum of PHS.
Oncology Nurse Managers’ Perceptions of Palliative Care and End-of-Life Communication:

The purpose of this study was to describe pediatric oncology nurse managers' (NMs) perspectives of palliative care/end-of-life (PC/EOL) communication. The study, guided by group-as-a-whole theory and empirical phenomenology, was part of a larger, multisite study aimed at understanding pediatric oncology nurses' experiences of PC/EOL communication. Nurses were assigned to focus groups based on length or type of experience (i.e., nurses with 5 years' work experience and NMs). Eleven NMs from three Midwestern pediatric hospitals with large oncology programs participated in one focus group. The participants' mean years of experience was 15.8 in nursing and 12 in pediatric oncology; 90% had a BSN or higher degree; all had supervisory responsibilities. The authors identified 2,912 meaning statements, which were then analyzed using Colaizzi's method. Findings include NMs' overall experience of "Fostering a Caring Climate," which includes three core themes: (1) Imprint of Initial Grief Experiences and Emotions; (2) Constant Vigilance: Assessing and Optimizing Family-Centered Care; and (3) Promoting a Competent, Thoughtful, and Caring Workforce. Findings indicate that pediatric oncology NMs draw on their own PC/EOL experiences and their nursing management knowledge to address the PC/EOL care learning needs of nursing staff and patient/family needs. NMs need additional resources to support nursing staff's PC/EOL communication training, including specific training in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs and national and hospital-based training programs.
Intravenous Compared to Oral Busulfan with Cyclophophamide for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Transplant Conditioning for AML and MDS.

Abstract 3475 Busulfan (Bu) is commonly used with cyclophosphamide (Cy) as a conditioning regimen for allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation (HPCT). Recently, intravenous (IV) Bu has often replaced oral Bu for conditioning. We have previously reported that substituting IV for oral Bu was associated with a lower rate of relapse, and superior relapse-free and overall survivals for relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients undergoing autologous HPCT (Dean et al. Br J Haematol 2010 Jan;148(2):226-34). We retrospectively compared the outcomes of 135 consecutively treated AML and MDS patients who underwent allogeneic HPCT at our institution from 5/2001 through 10/2009 with BuCy using oral (n = 93) or IV (n = 42) Bu, without dose adjustment. The analysis included matched related (n=97) and 8/8 HLA matched unrelated donors (n=38). Oral Bu was administered as 1 mg/kg every 6 hours for 16 doses while IV Bu was administered as 0.8 mg/kg every 6 hours for 16 doses (days –8 through -4) followed by Cy 60 mg/kg/day × 2 (days –3 and –2). The IV Bu patients were older (median age 49 vs. 47 yrs, respectively, p=0.037), more commonly had unrelated donors and peripheral blood stem cells for their HPCT cell source than those treated with oral Bu. There were no significant differences between the groups with regards to patient gender, race, CIBMTR comorbidity index score, number of prior chemotherapy regimens, pre-transplant disease status (each group had 45% of patients in CR1 or CR2), donor-recipient gender relationships or nucleated cell dose infused. The IV Bu group had a higher median CD34+ cell dose infused than those who received oral Bu (3.34 vs. 2.19 ×106/kg, respectively, p=0.028). The IV Bu patients experienced a significantly lower incidence of mucositis (3% vs. 55%, p Disclosures: Sobecks:Otsuka Pharm.: Research Funding.
A techno-socio-economic approach to the management of exposure to formaldehyde in indoor air, evidence from China

The United Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and World Health Organization (WHO) have clearly demonstrated that indoor exposure to organic gases such as Formaldehyde could cause both chronic and acute health problems ranging from irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat to headaches, dizziness, fatigue, respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer. Formaldehyde is a common and persistent indoor air pollutant that can virtually be found indoor and particularly in most of the existing and new homes and buildings in either developing or developed countries. The main goal and objectives of this study are to (a) understand and map socio-techno-economic motives behind having this health risk problem in built environments, and (b) develop sustainable strategies for managing exposure to Formaldehyde in indoor living. Utilizing data collected in a Case study in China suggested that exposure to formaldehyde in indoor environment is primarily a result of: (I) lack of societal awareness of the health risks associated with exposure to indoor air pollutants and effectiveness of the existing technologies, (II) weaknesses in building/architectural design and furnishing, and (III) absence of proper strategic models and programs for exposure assessment and design of instruments that could properly educate public about both the exposure risks and benefits of utilizing indoor air pollution control technologies.
Highly Dispersive Coupled Modes in a SiN/SiO 2 /Si Heterostructure

We present a SiN/SiO 2 /Si heterostructure that can achieve extremely high dispersions (>| ± 107| ps · nm−1 km−1). The large group velocity difference between the SiN and Si waveguides results in such high dispersions.
An analysis on 486 casesof pediatric pre-hospitalization rescue in Kunming

：Objective To study thecharacteristics of the pediatric pre-hospitalization rescue in kun-ming. Methods Theinformation of spectrum of disease,locus in quo,peak incidence and peak of visiting timewere retrospectively analyzed. Results There were 486 patients with pre-hospi-talizationrescue in Kunming in the year 2008. The ratio of male to female was 1.47:1. The patientsaged from 13 months to 3 years accounted for 39.30% in all the pre-hospitalization rescuecases. The major causes of disease in children with pre-hospi talization rescue werefebrile convulsion (30.45% ) .disease of digestive system (14.19% ),disease of respiratory system (13. 37% ) , afebrile convulsion (11.93% ) , and fever (10. 08% ). The majorrescue sites were from family (37. 86% ) .small town health center (21. 81% ) .publicplaces (7. 61% ). The first visiting peak was May and June,and the second was October.During the daytime,the occurrence of the pre-hospitalization rescue cases peaked at13:00,19:00 and 23:00. The peak incidence of febrile convulsion was in winter,and therespiratory and alimentary system diseases were common in summer and autumn. ConclusionThe professional instruction of pediatric emergency care personnel should focus on febrileconvulsion,digestive and respiratory system diseases. At the same time, the popularity offamily emergency is indispensable. The characteristic of pre-hospitalization rescue is animportant guidance to arrange emergency medical resources rationally.
An RGDKGE-Containing Cryptic Collagen Fragment Regulates Phosphorylation of Large Tumor Suppressor Kinase-1 and Controls Ovarian Tumor Growth by a Yes-Associated Protein-Dependent Mechanism.

The growth and spread of malignant tumors, such as ovarian carcinomas, are governed in part by complex interconnected signaling cascades occurring between stromal and tumor cells. These reciprocal cross-talk signaling networks operating within the local tissue microenvironment may enhance malignant tumor progression. Understanding how novel bioactive molecules generated within the tumor microenvironment regulate signaling pathways in distinct cellular compartments is critical for the development of more effective treatment paradigms. Herein, we provide evidence that blocking cellular interactions with an RGDKGE-containing collagen peptide that selectively binds integrin β3 on ovarian tumor cells enhances the phosphorylation of the hippo effector kinase large tumor suppressor kinase-1 and reduces nuclear accumulation of yes-associated protein and its target gene c-Myc. Selectively targeting this RGDKGE-containing collagen fragment inhibited ovarian tumor growth and the development of ascites fluid in vivo. These findings suggest that this bioactive collagen fragment may represent a previously unknown regulator of the hippo effector kinase large tumor suppressor kinase-1 and regulate ovarian tumor growth by a yes-associated protein–dependent mechanism. Taken together, these data not only provide new mechanistic insight into how a unique collagen fragment may regulate ovarian cancer, but in addition may help provide a useful new alternative strategy to control ovarian tumor progression based on selectively disrupting a previously unappreciated signaling cascade.
Impacts of the COVID Lockdowns on Consumption: Household Data from India

The COVID-19 pandemic and policy responses to control it have together created a major, but unusual, economic shock. In March 2020, India instituted a severe lockdown, which was relaxed only slowly, leading to a severe decline in GDP. In this paper, we analyze household survey data for consumption expenditure, from the Indian state of Punjab. Punjab by itself would constitute the world’s 50th most populous nation. We analyze the effects of the pandemic and lockdown on household consumption expenditure levels and composition. We separate the effects on rural versus urban households, and by socio-economic characteristics, particularly occupation and the gender of the household head. While the urban population cut back expenditure across all categories, rural households shifted toward basic commodities and cut back more on other expenditure. Rural female-headed households were the most severely affected.
11C-Choline PET/CT Depiction of Rectal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor.

ABSTRACT 18F-FDG PET/CT is an established imaging modality for gastrointestinal stromal tumor evaluation and its posttherapeutic monitoring. 68Ga-PSMA has been recently reported with the incidental demonstration of this neoplasm on PET/CT. The author presents an uncommon case of this tumor detected by 11C-choline during the assessment of prostate cancer.
Abstract P050: Natural History Of Prediabetes In Middle-aged Adults

Background: Few studies have examined the natural history of prediabetes, specifically, regression to normoglycemia as well as progression to clinical diabetes. Furthermore, there are several defin...
Integration of optical microcavities

In this chapter, we limit our consideration to integration of open-ring micro-cavities that are characterized with the highest achievable Q-factors among the variety of the optical microcavities. These microcavities lend themselves to the planar integration. The resonant PIC were improved tremendously during last few years. On the one hand, the Q-factors of the integrated microcavities were improved beyond 107. On the other hand, planar couplers were demonstrated for bulk resonators characterized with Q-factors exceeding 109. In this chapter, we review recent developments in the field that can be divided into two categories: (i) improvement of the quality of the planar microcavities integrated on a chip (Si [51], Si3N4 [52-63], SiO2 [64], LiNbO3 [65-70]) as well as the waveguide couplers for the planar microcavities [55,71] and (ii) integration of ultra-high-Q bulk resonators with planar waveguides to make practical PIC systems involving ultra-high-Q microcavities [72-75]. Either better manufacturing procedures or new materials were utilized to improve the microcavities. Optimally engineered waveguides were designed for bulk microcavities to enable their PIC integration. This task is espe-cially intricate for the integration of microcavities made out of low refractive index materials. The chapter is organized as follows. In Section 6.2, we present the basic terms for the description of the coupling efficiency for optical microresonators and describe the major types of the bulk evanescent field couplers. In Section 6.3, we discuss recent progress in the development of high-Q (>107) planar resonators integrated in PICs. In Section 6.4, we highlight recent results on integration of bulk microcavities with Q> 109. Section 6.5 concludes the chapter.
Experimental evolution of extremophile levels of radiation resistance in Escherichia coli

Recent human development of high-level sources of ionizing radiation (IR) prompts a corresponding need to understand the effects of IR on living systems. One approach has focused on the capacity of some organisms to survive astonishing levels of IR exposure. Using experimental evolution, we have generated populations of Escherichia coli with IR resistance comparable to the extremophile Deinococcus radiodurans. Every aspect of cell physiology is affected. Cellular isolates exhibit approximately 1,000 base pair changes plus major genomic and proteomic alterations. The IR resistance phenotype is stable without selection for at least 100 generations. Defined and probable contributions include alterations in cellular systems involved in DNA repair, amelioration of reactive oxygen species, Fe metabolism and repair of iron-sulfur centers, DNA packaging, and intermediary metabolism. A path to new mechanistic discoveries, exemplified by an exploration of rssB function, is evident. Most important, there is no single molecular mechanism underlying extreme IR resistance.
A laparoscopic approach to cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy.

Cesarean scar pregnancies confer serious risk and severe morbidity. Appropriate management is key to preventing complications. While expectant management is usually contraindicated, the ideal combination of medical or surgical treatments is unclear and must be tailored to the patient's preferences and stability, provider skill, and available resources. In this article, we present a combined medical and surgical approach successfully employed for the termination and excision of a cesarean scar pregnancy of 12 weeks gestation in a patient desiring uterine preservation. A video is included demonstrating the surgical steps of a laparoscopic approach used to safely resect the pregnancy and cesarean scar with minimal blood loss. The management technique described can be utilized to effectively resolve cesarean scar pregnancy, possibly decrease risk of recurrence, and preserve future fertility with a minimally invasive outpatient surgery.
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated γ Coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) mRNA Expression Correlates Highly with mRNA Expression of Myosin Heavy Chain (MHC) Isoforms in Resistance-Trained Men

Resistance-trained men performed two separate bouts of resistance exercise of higher and lower intensity in cross-over fashion. Total PGC-1α, PGC-1α1, MHC I, MHC IIA, and MHC IIX mRNA expression were determined by RT-PCR from muscle samples obtained before (PRE) and 45 min, 3 hr, 24 hr, and 48 hr post-exercise (PE). Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA revealed no differences in expression between exercise intensities, thus data were pooled for correlation analyses. Pearson product-moment correlation revealed total PGC-1α mRNA expression was significantly correlated with MHC isoforms at PRE (MHC I: r = .85, P < .01; MHC IIA: r = .88, P < .01; MHC IIX: r = .85, P < .01), 45 min PE (MHC I: r = .89, P < .01; MHC IIA: r = .86, P < .01; MHC IIX: r = .91, P < .01) , 3 hr PE (MHC I: r = .64, P < .05; MHC IIA: r = .77, P < .01; MHC IIX: r = .68, P < .05), 24 hr PE (MHC I: r = .79, P < .01; MHC IIA: r = .78, P < .01; MHC IIX: r = .73, P < .05) and 48 hr PE (MHC I: r = .83, P < .01; MHC IIA: r = .87, P < .01; MHC IIX: r...
Poliomyelitis and Poliovirus Immunization

Poliomyelitis is an acute, febrile illness characterized by aseptic meningitis and weakness or paralysis of one or more extremities. This chapter reviews the historical background, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations of poliomyelitis. It also reviews current issues regarding both inactivated and live, attenuated poliovirus vaccines. The clinical, epidemiologic, and scientific foundations for the control of poliomyelitis were laid in the first half of the 20th century, and eradication has since been achieved through routine immunization programs that use two very effective vaccines, each of which possesses unique advantages and disadvantages.
Feature-Rich Language-Independent Syntax-Based Alignment for Statistical Machine Translation

We present an accurate word alignment algorithm that heavily exploits source and target-language syntax. Using a discriminative framework and an efficient bottom-up search algorithm, we train a model of hundreds of thousands of syntactic features. Our new model (1) helps us to very accurately model syntactic transformations between languages; (2) is language-independent; and (3) with automatic feature extraction, assists system developers in obtaining good word-alignment performance off-the-shelf when tackling new language pairs. We analyze the impact of our features, describe inference under the model, and demonstrate significant alignment and translation quality improvements over already-powerful baselines trained on very large corpora. We observe translation quality improvements corresponding to 1.0 and 1.3 BLEU for Arabic-English and Chinese-English, respectively.
Public surface transportation and regional output: A spatial panel approach

This paper studies regional impact of three mature public surface transportation infrastructures in the Northeast corridor of the US: highway, public railway and public transit. Infrastructure stock is valued in real terms from 1991 to 2009. A spatial panel approach with fixed effects is adopted to test the hypothesis of spillovers by allowing for spatial dependence. The result shows that public surface transportation infrastructure in general does have a significant impact on regional output, most of which is from spillover effect; highways have an overwhelming influence through both local effects and spillover effects. The impacts from public railway and public transit are not significant, but transit does show a positive though small spillover effect.
Heritable differences in the dopaminergic regulation of sensorimotor gating. II. Temporal, pharmacologic and generational analyses of apomorphine effects on prepulse inhibition.

The disruption of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle in rats by dopamine agonists has been used in a predictive model for antipsychotics, and more recently, to study the neural basis of strain differences in dopaminergic function. We have previously reported that Sprague-Dawley (SDH) and Long Evans (LEH) rats differed in their sensitivity to the PPI-disruptive effects of the D1/D2 agonist apomorphine (APO) in two distinct ways: 1) compared to LEH rats, SDH rats were more sensitive to the ability of APO to disrupt PPI with relatively long prepulse intervals (60–120 ms), and 2) APO enhanced PPI in LEH rats with 10–30 ms prepulse intervals, but this effect was limited to 10 ms prepulse intervals in SDH rats. In the present study, we replicated this temporal profile in SDH versus LEH rats, assessed the role of D1 versus D2 substrates in the two components of this strain difference, and assessed the heritability of these temporally distinct processes. Pharmacologic studies revealed that: 1) D2 blockade prevented the long interval PPI-disruptive effects of APO in both strains, and extended the temporal range of the PPI-enhancing effects of APO from 10 to 30 ms in SDH rats, and 2) D1 blockade increased PPI and blocked the PPI-enhancing effects of APO at short intervals in both strains. Generational studies in adult F0 (SDH and LEH), F1 (SDHxLEH) and N2 (SDHxF1) rats demonstrated that sensitivity to APO of both short and long interval PPI were inherited in a manner suggestive of relatively simple additive effects of multiple genes. The present findings demonstrate that inherited differences in the dopaminergic regulation of sensorimotor gating are manifested not only in quantitative shifts (more versus less), but also in qualitative shifts in the temporal properties of sensorimotor gating that appear to be under separate control of D1 and D2 substrates.
Electroporation of plant protoplasts and tissues

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the electroporation of plant protoplasts and tissues. Electroporation utilizes short, high-voltage electric shocks to make cells permeable to exogenous molecules. Although direct physical evidence is still lacking, it is widely believed that pores form transiently in the cell membrane in response to these shocks and that the uptake of exogenous molecules occurs through these pores. Electroporation is used to induce the cellular uptake of reporter dyes, enzyme substrates, nucleic acids, and even antibodies and viruses. In plants, electroporation is used primarily to stimulate the uptake of plasmids for stable and transient genetic transformation. Protoplasts are normally utilized in plant electroporation because the cell wall is a major barrier to the diffusion of macromolecules. However, recent work indicates that plasmid DNAs can be introduced into walled plant cells by electroporation. Most of the instruments currently used for electroporation are capacitive-discharge instruments; a capacitor bank is charged by a high-voltage power supply and then discharged into a chamber containing the experimental material.
Multipathway modulation of exercise and glucose stress effects upon GH secretion in healthy men.

Objective Exercise evokes pulsatile GH release followed by autonegative feedback, whereas glucose suppresses GH release followed by rebound-like GH release (feedforward escape). Here we test the hypothesis that age, sex steroids, insulin, body composition and physical power jointly determine these dynamic GH responses.
Curvature of Binocular Visual Space. An Experiment

The sign of the curvature of any geometry is an intrinsic property independent of its coordinatization. Accordingly, it is possible in principle to determine the sign of the curvature of binocular visual space without employing knowledge of the particular relationship between the physical stimulus and the associated visual geometry. A simple experiment for making this determination is described and the outcome for a number of observers is presented. For most of the observers the indicated curvature is negative, in agreement with the preponderance of earlier findings.
Google ads and the blindspot debate

This article renews Dallas Smythe’s ‘blindspot’ argument by examining the economy of Google advertising. I argue that Google sells at least three types of commodities: keywords, statistics of keywo...
Osteoblast ablation reduces normal long-term hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal but accelerates leukemia development

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in regulatory niches in the bone marrow (BM). Although HSC niches have been extensively characterized, the role of endosteal osteoblasts (OBs) in HSC regulation requires further clarification, and the role of OBs in regulating leukemic stem cells (LSCs) is not well studied. We used an OB visualization and ablation mouse model to study the role of OBs in regulating normal HSCs and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) LSCs. OB ablation resulted in increase in cells with a LSK Flt3(-)CD150(+)CD48(-) long-term HSC (LTHSC) phenotype but reduction of a more highly selected LSK Flt3(-)CD34(-)CD49b(-)CD229(-) LTHSC subpopulation. LTHSCs from OB-ablated mice demonstrated loss of quiescence and reduced long-term engraftment and self-renewal capacity. Ablation of OB in a transgenic CML mouse model resulted in accelerated leukemia development with reduced survival compared with control mice. The notch ligand Jagged-1 was overexpressed on CML OBs. Normal and CML LTHSCs cultured with Jagged-1 demonstrated reduced cell cycling, consistent with a possible role for loss of Jagged-1 signals in altered HSC and LSC function after OB ablation. These studies support an important role for OBs in regulating quiescence and self-renewal of LTHSCs and a previously unrecognized role in modulating leukemia development in CML.
Human Limbal Mesenchymal Cells Support the Growth of Human Corneal Epithelial Stem/Progenitor Cells

Purpose. We tested the viability of human limbal mesenchymal cells (LMCs) to support the expansion of human corneal epithelial stem/progenitor cells (LSCs).
Tandem Helium Plasma Spectrometry with a Capacitively Coupled Discharge Formed above a Helium ICP

A tandem helium plasma was formed by placing a water-cooled, grounded electrode above a helium inductively coupled plasma (He ICP). The tandem plasma could be operated at 250 to 700 W. Detection limits of F, Cl, Br, S, and C at 500 W were comparable or superior to those from a He ICP operated at 1500 W. At 500 W, the electron number density for the tandem helium plasma was greater than that for the He ICP at 1500 W, but similar excitation temperatures and roughly similar rotational temperatures were obtained.
Role of central prostaglandin E2 in the regulation of gastric acid secretion in the rat.

Abstract The central action of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) on gastric acid secretion was investigated in rats by comparing the effects of intracisternal (i.ci.) and i.v. administration of PGE 2 and the influence of i.ci. injection of indomethacin on acid secretion and PGE 2 generation in the brain and stomach. I.ci. injections of PGE 2 (1–10 μg) or the stable analog, 16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 , (0.01–0.1 μg) induced a dose dependent inhibition of baclofen-stimulated gastric acid secretion by 0–82% and by 7–87% respectively. I.v. infusion of PGE 2 also induced a dose related inhibition of baclofen-stimulated acid secretion, but 10 fold higher doses were required. I.ci. or i.v. injection of indomethacin in doses ranging from 50 to 500 μg/rat, produced a similar dose dependent inhibition of the PGE 2 generation in both the gastric mucosa and brain cortex measured 1 h post injection. I.ci. injection of indomethacin (500 μg) increased within 10 min acid secretion with a peak response at 20–30 min; 60–120 min post injection, when prostaglandin synthesis was inhibited by 90%, basal and baclofen-stimulated acid output were not altered. These results further establish that PGE 2 acts in the brain to inhibit vagally stimulated gastric acid secretion in rats, and do not support a tonic inhibitory influence of endogenous brain PGE 2 in the regulation of gastric acid secretion. In addition, these data showed that indomethacin injected i.ci. at 500 μg does not induce a selective inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis in the brain.
Attribution Feedback in the Elementary Classroom

Abstract This study investigates the types of feedback statements utilized by 3rd-grade teachers during mathematics instruction. It considers how these statements might affect numerous education variables from the perspective of attribution theory (Weiner et al., 1971). The goal of the study was to create and test a coding scheme by which attribution feedback can be reliably identified. Twenty teachers were observed, and feedback statements were analyzed. The results support a conceptual relationship between feedback and attribution theory, and indicate that teachers rarely provide students with attributionally informative feedback. Implications for motivation, achievement, and teacher training are discussed.
The effect of season and group size on survivorship and larval growth in Plagiodera versicolora.

. 1 The larvae of the multivoltine imported willow leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora (Laicharting), are found in larval aggregations during the first half of the larval stage. An experimental study was conducted to test for seasonal (brood) and group size effects on larval fitness. For each of the three broods, egg group sizes of1, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 32 were established in the field and monitored for the first 6 days post-hatching. 2 There was no effect of group size on larval weight, but there was a significant effect of group size on survival. Individuals from group size 16 had the highest survival, which coincides with the mean natural cluster size of 15.3 eggs. 3 There were no significant interactions between brood and group size. 4 The effect of larval weight on adult fitness was determined in the laboratory and the field. Larval weight was correlated with egg production in the laboratory but not in the field.
Quiescent polymer crystallization: Modelling and measurements

The problem of predicting nonisothermal crystallization kinetics based on isothermal data is considered, with reference to the difficulties involved, both experimental and theoretical. The kinetic model used is the differential form of the Nakamura equation which is an extension of the Avrami equation so as to apply to nonisothermal crystallization. Nonisothermal induction times are obtained from isothermal induction times according to the concept of induction time index. The theory of Hoffman Lauritzen is used to extrapolate the limited isothermal crystallization rate data. Good agreement between DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) nonisothermal crystallinity results and model predictions is obtained for our own data on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and some literature data on nylon-6, if the temperature lag between the sample and the DSC furnace is taken into account. The advantages of the present approach in process modeling are pointed out. Quenching experiments have also been performed in which PET slabs are allowed to cool and crystallize from the melt under quiescent conditions. The resulting crystallinity distributions in the thickness direction are measured and predicted by using kinetic parameter values obtained from isothermal DSC measurements alone.
Gli3 mutation rescues the generation, but not the differentiation, of oligodendrocytes in Shh mutants

In the developing spinal cord, early oligodendrocyte progenitor cells are induced from the ventral neural tube by the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signal. Previous studies suggested that the Gli3 zinc finger transcription factor is an important signal transducer of Shh signaling during animal development. Here, we demonstrated that Gli3 plays a non-essential role in ventral oligodendrogenesis during normal development. However, in the absence of Shh signaling, Gli3 functions as a repressor of ventral oligodendrogenesis and ventral oligodendrogenesis is restored in Shh-/-Gli3-/- mutants. Interestingly, despite a normal production of oligodendrocyte precursor cells in the double mutants, oligodendrocyte differentiation is completely suppressed, implying that Shh signaling plays an important role in the terminal differentiation of oligodendrocytes.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in autism: a review of efficacy and tolerability.

BACKGROUND: Awareness of the impact and prevalence of autism spectrum disorders has significantly increased in recent years. Given the dearth of reliable interventions, there is great interest in demonstrating efficacy of the various treatment options. A growing body of evidence links autism spectrum disorders to abnormalities in serotonin function, and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been utilized to target various symptoms of the disorders. This article reviews the available data on the efficacy and tolerability of SSRIs in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Objectives for future research in this area will also be suggested. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION: The entire PubMed database including MEDLINE (1966-July 2005) was searched for English-language biomedical articles. Search terms included autism, autism spectrum disorder, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, pervasive developmental disorder, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and sertraline. All clinical trials evaluating treatment outcomes associated with the use of SSRIs in managing symptoms of autism that were identified in the search were reviewed. All randomized controlled trials and open-label trials were included in this review. Case reports and case series were excluded. DATA SYNTHESIS: We identified 3 randomized controlled trials and 10 open-label trials or retrospective chart reviews on the use of SSRIs in autism and autism spectrum disorders. The SSRIs that have been studied in autism spectrum disorders are citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, and sertraline. Most studies demonstrate significant improvement in global functioning and in symptoms associated with anxiety and repetitive behaviors. While side effects were generally considered to be mild, increased activation and agitation occurred in some subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Although SSRIs may demonstrate therapeutic benefit in autism spectrum disorders, methodological weaknesses of many of the clinical trials suggest the need for additional randomized controlled trials. Furthermore, given the increased awareness of the dangers associated with SSRI-induced activation and agitation, the presence of these side effects in the autistic population warrants closer attention to dosage, titration, and subject selection issues.
Ontogeny of insulin-like growth factor-I and -II gene expression in ovine fetal heart.

Objective Insulin-like growth factors (IGF)-I and -II have been implicated in growth and differentiation during embryonic and fetal development. To examine the role of the IGFs ingrowth of the fetal heart, we determined the gene expression of IGF-I and IGF-II in the four cardiac chambers of the ovine fetus from 58 to 146 days’ gestation (term = 147 days).
Two Simple Variations of Top Trading Cycles

Top Trading Cycles is widely regarded as the preferred method of assigning students to schools when the designer values efficiency over fairness. However, Top Trading Cycles has an undesirable feature when objects may be assigned to more than one agent as is the case in the school choice problem. If agent $$i$$ ’s most preferred object $$a$$ has a capacity of $$q_a$$ , and $$i$$ has one of the $$q_a$$ highest priorities at $$a$$ , then Top Trading Cycles will always assign $$i$$ to $$a$$ . However, until $$i$$ has the highest priority at $$a$$ , Top Trading Cycles allows $$i$$ to trade her priority at other objects in order to receive $$a$$ . Such a trade is not necessary for $$i$$ ’s assignment and may cause a distortion in the fairness of the assignment. We introduce two simple variations of Top Trading Cycles in order to mitigate this problem. The first, Clinch and Trade, reduces the number of unnecessary trades but is bossy and depends on the order in which cycles are processed. The second, First Clinch and Trade, is nonbossy and independent of the order in which cycles are processed but allows more unnecessary trades than is required to be strategyproof and efficient. Both rules are strategyproof.
Telescopes for space-based gravitational wave missions

Space-based observation of gravitational waves promises to enable the study of a rich variety of high energy astrophysical sources in the 0.0001 to 1 Hz band using signals complementary to traditional electromagnetic waves. Gravitational waves represent the first new tool for studying the sky since gamma ray telescopes debuted in the 1970s, and we expect compelling science to be the result. The fundamen- tal measurement is to monitor the path length difference between pairs of freely falling test masses with laser interferometry to a precision of picom- eters over gigameter baselines. The test masses are arranged in an equi- lateral triangle to allow simultaneous measurement of both gravitational wave polarizations. The heliocentric orbital space environment enables the test masses to be shielded from large ground motions at low frequen- cies, and allows the construction of long measurement baselines that are well matched to the signal wavelengths. Optical telescopes play an impor- tant role in the measurement because they deliver laser light efficiently from one spacecraft to another. The telescopes are directly in the meas- urement path, so there are additional performance requirements to sup- port precision metrology beyond the usual requirements for good image formation. © 2013 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) (DOI: 10 .1117/1.OE.52.9.091811)
Chronic allogeneic disease. II. Development of lymphomas.

The incidence of lymphomas in 371 CAF1 mice injected with BALB/c spleen cells was compared with that in 324 control CAF1 mice. A high incidence of lymphomas was found in the treated mice, but not in the control animals. The development of the neoplasms was a function of the number of parental cells administered. Analyses of the injected mice for the presence of donor cells indicated that the majority of the injected parental cells lost antihost activity, probably within 24 hr of their administration. The tumors were of host origin, as judged by transplantation tests and antigenic analysis of tumor cells.
Target selectivity in mRNA silencing

Despite the excitement and promise of RNA interference in treating neurodegenerative disease, disease gene mRNA might resist mRNA silencing. Conventional siRNA design does not uniformly distinguish a mutant from a wild-type allele. CAG expansions in trinucleotide repeat diseases are unselective targets for small siRNAs. This review will consider recent discoveries in mechanisms of RNA interference and siRNA modifications that improve siRNA selectivity, delivery and performance.
Synaptic Clustering of Fasciclin II and Shaker: Essential Targeting Sequences and Role of Dlg

Abstract Previous studies have shown that both the Fasciclin II (Fas II) cell adhesion molecule and the Shaker potassium channel are localized at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction, where they function in the growth and plasticity of the synapse. Here, we use the GAL4-UAS system to drive expression of the chimeric proteins CD8–Fas II and CD8–Shaker and show that the C-terminal sequences of both Fas II and Shaker are necessary and sufficient to drive the synaptic localization of a heterologous protein. Moreover, we show that the PDZ-containing protein Discs-Large (Dlg) controls the localization of these proteins, most likely through a direct interaction with their C-terminal amino acids. Finally, transient expression studies show that the pathway these proteins take to the synapse involves either an active clustering or a selective stabilization in the synaptic membrane.
Innocent Attackers and Rights of Self-Defense

Imagine that a neighboring state drafts an army of ignorant soldiers, makes them falsely believe that your state poses an imminent threat to their survival or political independence, and then launches them across your border. As a soldier, would you have a right to kill such attackers in self-defense or in defense of your country? In this brief comment, I will focus primarily on the question of whether one may kill “innocent attackers,” that is, individuals who pose a lethal threat through no moral fault of their own, but because they are acting under a combination of duress and nonculpable ignorance.