cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Economic Analysis of Intensive Multidisciplinary Interventions for Treating Medicaid-Insured Children with Pediatric Feeding Disorders:

Background. Intensive multidisciplinary intervention (IMI) represents a well-established treatment for pediatric feeding disorders (PFDs), but program availability represents an access care barrier. We develop an economic analysis of IMI for weaning from gastronomy tube (G-tube) treatment for children diagnosed with PFDs from the Medicaid programs' perspective, where Medicaid programs refer to both fee-for-service and managed care programs. Methods. The 2010-2012 Medicaid Analytic eXtract claims provided health care data for children aged 13 to 72 months. An IMI program provided data on average admission costs. We employed a finite-horizon Markov model to simulate PFD treatment progression assuming 2 treatment arms: G-tube only v. IMI targeting G-tube weaning. We compared the expenditure differential between the 2 arms under varying time horizons and treatment effectiveness. Results. Overall Medicaid expenditure per member per month was $6814, $2846, and $1550 for the study population of children with PFDs and G-tube treatment, the control population with PFDs without G-tube treatment, and the no-PFD control population, respectively. The PFD-diagnosed children with G-tube treatment only had the highest overall expenditures across all health care settings except psychological services. The expenditure at the end of the 8-year time horizon was $405,525 and $208,218 per child for the G-tube treatment only and IMI arms, respectively. Median Medicaid expenditure was between 1.7 and 2.2 times higher for the G-tube treatment arm than for the IMI treatment arm. Limitations. Data quality issues could cause overestimates or underestimates of Medicaid expenditure. Conclusions. This study demonstrated the economic benefits of IMI to treat complex PFDs from the perspective of Medicaid programs, indicating this model of care not only holds benefit in terms of improving overall quality of life but also brings significant expenditure savings in the short and long term.
Differences between Licensed Healthcare Professionals with Substance Use-Related Licensure Discipline.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a significant public health concern in the United States and healthcare providers are not immune to this disease. The potential for patient harm presented by an impa...
Race and Racism

The articles in this Special Issue on Race and Dance Education represent the ideas and perspectives of twelve authors of color (Black, Latinx, Native American, Asian American) and four White allies...
Gary Bain's precepts for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient groups.

Our colleagues from Emphysema Foundation for Our Right to Survive (EFFORTS), whose article is published in this issue of the International COPD Coalition (ICC) Column, are part of one of the most active and successful of all the US COPD patient groups (1). They truly involve COPD patients and their families in their educational and advocacy efforts. They have continuously had thousands of COPD patients actively participating in their group since the 1980s. Their article modestly puts forward their programs and goals.
Using Critical Research Approaches to Teach Students About Nonprofit Organizations: A Case Examination

This paper presents a case example highlighting a community-based undergraduate research program designed and implemented through the lens of critical research approaches. While the primary purpose of the research program was to provide students with an intensive opportunity to design and conduct in research in collaboration with a community-based nonprofit organizational, the case demonstrates that when the high-impact educational practice of undergraduate research is implemented with attention towards teaching critical research approaches, students acquire knowledge and skills beyond that of the anticipated learning outcomes. Specifically emphasized are the unintended student learning outcomes of knowledge and skill development related to nonprofit organizational structure and function. Further, the case provides support for the utilization of undergraduate research programs to effectively augment traditional classroom education within undergraduate nonprofit and philanthropic studies. Subscribe to JNEL
Is Bitcoin Prudent? Is Art Diversified?: Offering Alternative Investments to 401(k) Participants

Whether any category of alternative investments ought to be considered for the menus offered to 401(k) participants is a fact-intensive question. Central to this inquiry are ERISA’s legal tests of prudence, diversification and loyalty. These tests require such fact-driven inquiries as the acceptability of a particular category of investments to investors in general and to professional defined benefit trustees in particular and the trustee’s motivation for embracing such investments. Another important concern when making this inquiry is the financial unsophistication of many (perhaps most) 401(k) participants. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) pass ERISA’s fiduciary tests because REITs now have a considerable track record amassed over six decades and have achieved broad acceptance, both among general investors and in the world of defined benefit pensions. In contrast, art funds, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are today not prudent to offer to 401(k) participants in light of such investments’ novelty and the failure to date of defined benefit trustees to embrace such investments. ESG funds are like art funds and Bitcoin, not objectively prudent under present circumstances and therefore not appropriate as a class for 401(k) investment menus. Hedge funds and private equity funds are closer to REITs in light of the widespread acceptance of these funds by defined benefit trustees. Consequently, as a class, such funds, if appropriately limited, qualify as prudent for 401(k) menus even if the trustee would not personally deploy his personal resources to such funds and even if some (perhaps many) such funds examined individually fail ERISA’s fiduciary standards. These determinations may change over time with new factual circumstances, e.g., greater acceptance of a particular asset class by investors including professional defined benefit trustees as gatekeepers for the 401(k) universe; the emergence of robust markets which provide more experience with particular investment categories. But the approach is ultimately what counts as the norms of prudence, loyalty and diversification, applied to current facts, govern the construction of 401(k) investment menus.
Early Concepts for the Coupling of a Nuclear Plant Computer to a Computerized Maintenance Management System for Autonomous Prognostic Model Development

Every day large amounts of process data are recorded in a variety of industries. For nuclear power plants, these data are stored within the Plant Computer (PC). As parts begin to degrade and components fail, maintenance personnel are responsible for making repairs and recording these repairs in a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). By coupling the information in the PC and CMMS, failure data can be extracted and repurposed for lifecycle prognostic models. Existing prognostic methods can be utilized to develop lifecycle models and predict the Remaining Useful Life (RUL). These efforts are currently done manually and require substantial amounts of time to develop. This results in offline predictions, which can drastically reduce response time for preventative maintenance. This paper outlines an early concept that uses data mining based on Big Data efforts in order to couple the plant computer data with the CMMS so that prognostic information can be gathered, sorted, and analyzed automatically. The extracted failure data can be used to autonomously update or build prognostic models based on component failure times, stressor information, and signal/residual values. An effective future implementation of this concept means that the results could be used as a priori prognostic information in lifecycle prognostic models, and the updating and/or development of such models can be automated for improved response time.
Taking Coding Home: Analysis of ScratchJr Usage in Home and School Settings.

With a growing number of ScratchJr usage, over 19 million users worldwide, we examined the use in the United States of the free ScratchJr programming language, explicitly designed for young children ages 5–7, to learn how to code. Our objective was to explore children’s usage of the ScratchJr tablet app at home and school settings. We analyzed usage data from Google Analytics in 1.5 years, comparing Scratchsr usage in the two different settings. Our dataset comprised a total of 4,352,802 coding sessions, generated by a daily average of 2525 home users and 9969 school users. The results suggested that, although children in both settings on average spent an equal duration with ScratchJr, children in home settings spent more time exploring advanced coding blocks and the paint editor compared to children at school. Further, children at school tended to use similar types of coding blocks across several days. In contrast, children at home were more likely to use a diversity of block categories and difficulty levels. The implications of this research are, first, that usage patterns may help us understand how children across settings learn to program differently. Second, based on these findings, it may be essential for parents at home and educators at school to consider using different approaches and strategies.
Role of Ionospheric Pedersen Conductance and its Gradient in Field-Aligned Currents

Field-aligned current (FAC) is one of the most important aspects in the coupling of magnetosphere and the ionosphere. This paper presents a systematic numerical study of the magnetospheric and ionospheric influences on the evolution and modification of FACs, with focus on the role of ionospheric Pedersen conductance and its gradient. FACs are typically generated in the magnetosphere and are carried into the ionosphere by Alfven waves. During their reflection from the ionosphere, these FACs are modified. The nature of modifications depends on the magnitude and distribution of ionospheric Pedersen conductance. A uniform ionosphere, having a high Pedersen conductance, enhances such a magnetospheric FAC strongly. For conductance-gradients perpendicular to the wave-polarization, FACs are generated after the reflection of simple Alfvenic perturbations, which are not carrying any FACs. A suitable arrangement of ionospheric Pedersen conductance can create a pair of antiparallel FACs, with consequent generation of a strong Pedersen current at the ionospheric boundary. For conductance-gradients along the polarization of the wave, the steady state velocity perturbation assumes an average value of the imposed Pedersen conductance over the entire region after reflection from the ionosphere. This configuration is comparable to the situation where the Cowling conductance operates.
A system for automatic adjustment of the inspired oxygen in mechanically ventilated premature infants

Episodes of hypoxemia are often observed in ventilated preterm infants. Assistance with a transient increase in the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO/sub 2/) is difficult and time consuming for the intensive care personnel. In order to reduce the morbidities associated with hypoxemia and oxygen toxicity, a system for closed loop control of FiO/sub 2/ (cFiO/sub 2/) was developed to respond to frequent and severe hypoxemic episodes and minimize oxygen exposure. The cFiO/sub 2/ system is based on a hybrid algorithm of rule based and differential feedback control. It automatically adjusts FiO/sub 2/ depending on the occurrence of the severity, duration, rate of change of the ensuing/resolving hypoxemia, and on the basal FiO/sub 2/ required to maintain oxygenation. In a clinical study, cFiO/sub 2/ was compared to a dedicated trained nurse managing the FiO/sub 2/ in a group of ventilated preterm infants and it was effective in limiting the duration and seventy of hypoxemia. Close loop FiO/sub 2/ control could improve the respiratory, ophthalmic and neurological outcome and facilitate the care of premature neonates.
Turbulence and quantum mechanics from cosmic to planck scales

A scale invariant model of statistical mechanics is applied to describe a modified statistical theory of turbulence and its quantum mechanical foundations. Hierarchies of statistical fields from cosmic to Planck scale are described. Energy spectrum of equilibrium isotropic turbulence is shown to follow Planck law. Predicted velocity profiles of turbulent boundary layer over a flat plate at four consecutive scales of LED, LCD, LMD, and LAD are shown to be in close agreement with the experimental observations in the literature. The physical and quantum nature of time is described and a scale-invariant definition of time is presented and its relativistic behavior is examined. New paradigms for physical foundations of quantum mechanics as well as derivation of Dirac relativistic wave equation are introduced.
Plasmid-associated sensitivity of Bacillus thuringiensis to UV light

Spores and vegetative cells of Bacillus thuringiensis were more sensitive to UV light than were spores or cells of plasmid-cured B. thuringiensis strains or of the closely related Bacillus cereus. Introduction of B. thuringiensis plasmids into B. cereus by cell mating increased the UV sensitivity of the cells and spores. Protoxins encoded by one or more B. thuringiensis plasmids were not involved in spore sensitivity, since a B. thuringiensis strain conditional for protoxin accumulation was equally sensitive at the permissive and nonpermissive temperatures. In addition, introduction of either a cloned protoxin gene, the cloning vector, or another plasmid not containing a protoxin gene into a plasmid-cured strain of B. thuringiensis all increased the UV sensitivity of the spores. Although the variety of small, acid-soluble proteins was the same in the spores of all strains examined, the quantity of dipicolinic acid was about twice as high in the plasmid-containing strains, and this may account for the differences in UV sensitivity of the spores. The cells of some strains harboring only B. thuringiensis plasmids were much more sensitive than cells of any of the other strains, and the differences were much greater than observed with spores.
Entrepreneurship, Austrian Economics, and the Quarrel Between Philosophy and Poetry

I consider whether entrepreneurship is a distinct category within economic theory. More generally, I consider the links between discussions of entrepreneurship and philosophic debates over the nature of the aesthetic. For instance, Kant's attempt to elevate the category of the aesthetic has much in common with Kirzner's attempt to elevate the concept of the entrepreneur. Shackle's theory of choice refers very directly to the notion of the aesthetic. Theories of the aesthetic and theories of the entrepreneur have common strengths and weaknesses.
The Education and Training of Mediators

Because mediation has become one of the major ways to resolves disputes, there is a great interest in the training of mediators. This paper first describes mediation and then discusses mediation training by answering questions such as: What kinds of conflicts can be mediated? Who can and should become a mediator? Do you need to be a lawyer to be a mediator? Can non-lawyers be good mediators? Where can people learn more about mediation? Is mediation training necessary? What would be included in mediation training? Where to go to take mediation training? What does it mean to be a “certified” as a mediator? How do you get hired as a mediator? This paper was presented at the Second International Conference for Construction Law and Economics Circle in Asia and Pacific (CLECAP) which was held in conjunction with the Fifth International Conference on Multi-national Joint Venture for Construction Works and the Inaugural Conference on Construction in the Muslim World Oct. 21-23, 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Discovering the Cause of AIDS

It is almost 20 years since HIV was first isolated and identified as the cause of AIDS. In this introductory Viewpoint, Prusiner details the early days of the AIDS epidemic and the huge task of trying to identify its cause. He introduces Viewpoints by Gallo and Montagnier, who describe the different yet complementary paths that each took to discover that HIV, a new human retrovirus, is the cause of AIDS.
The Biosynthesis of 4-Thiouridylate SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION OF TWO ENZYMES IN THE TRANSFER RIBONUCLEIC ACID-SULFURTRANSFERASE SYSTEM

Abstract The sulfurtransferase system which forms 4-thiouridylate in tRNA has been separated into two activities from Escherichia coli B. The system is stable and is freed of most of the other thionucleotide-forming activities. The first enzyme has absolute requirements for ATP, a divalent metal ion (optimally Mg2+), tRNA, and a sulfhydryl compound. The second enzyme requires cysteine as the sulfur donor and the product of the first reaction. β-Mercaptopyruvate is inactive either as a cofactor or as a sulfur donor when the enzymes are prepared using the dextran partition method. Both E. coli B and yeast tRNA can serve as sulfur acceptors, but no other polyribo- or polydeoxyribonucleotide sulfur acceptors have been found.
Gravitation at Spatial Infinity

For some time I have been interested in treating the gravitational field at spatial infinity (“spi”), as an exercise that might yield clues to the physics of gravitation in space-time. Strange as it may appear at first sight, though the field on spi represents nothing but the r-1 correction to the Minkowski metric of an asymptotically flat space-time, it has its own dynamics and causality quite independent of the degrees of freedom in space-time. More precisely, appropriate Cauchy data on a sub-manifold of spi determine the field on spi in its entirety, uniquely up to a well-defined freedom of gauge.
ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME RESPONSE AND REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES PRODUCTION IN MARINE RAPHIDOPHYTES

Raphidophytes (class Raphidophyceae) produce high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), yet little is known regarding cellular scavenging mechanisms needed for protection against these radicals. Enzymatic activities of the antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were measured in conjunction with the production of superoxide (O2•−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in batch cultures of five different raphidophytes species during early exponential, late-exponential, and stationary growth phases. The greatest concentrations of O2•− per cell were detected during exponential growth with reduced levels in stationary phases in raphidophytes Heterosigma akashiwo (Hada) Hada ex Y. Hara et Chihara, Chattonella marina (Subrahman.) Y. Hara et Chihara, and Chattonella antiqua (Hada) Ono (strain 18). Decreasing trends from exponential to stationary phases for SOD activity and H2O2 per cell were observed in all species tested. Significant correlations between O2•− per cell and SOD activity per cell over growth phase were only observed in three raphidophytes (Heterosigma akashiwo, Chattonella marina, and Chattonella antiqua strain 18), likely due to different cellular locations of externally released O2•− radicals and intracellular SOD enzymes measured in this study. CAT activity was greatest at early exponential phase for several raphidophytes, but correlations between H2O2 per cell and CAT activity per cell were only observed for Fibrocapsa japonica Toriumi et Takano, Chattonella antiqua (strain 18), and Chattonella subsalsa Biecheler. Our results suggest that SOD and CAT play important protective roles against ROS during exponential growth of several raphidophytes, while other antioxidant pathways may play a larger role for scavenging ROS during later growth.
A PID controller with adaptive error dispersion for interacting gates on main irrigation canals

A multivariable PID controller with a novel adaptive error dispersion technique has been developed for the control of interacting gates on main irrigation canals. The error dispersion technique was designed to cope with nonideal gates that cannot accomplish the movements requested by the controller and has proven to be robust with respect to disturbance directions, operating points and the model's topographical parameters. The controller was tested on a simulation model that uses the double-sweep method to solve the discretized de Saint Venant equations. Compared to other control algorithms reported in the literature, this controller provides improved performance, robustness and simplicity. Also of practical importance is that the controller can be implemented and maintained at reasonable cost.
Divergent four-point dynamic density correlation function of a glassy suspension.

We use a recently derived diagrammatic formulation of the dynamics of interacting Brownian particles [G. Szamel, J. Chem. Phys. 127, 084515 (2007)] to study a four-point dynamic density correlation function. We resum a class of diagrams which separate into two disconnected components upon cutting a single propagator. The resulting formula for the four-point correlation function can be expressed in terms of three-point functions closely related to the three-point susceptibility introduced by Biroli et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 195701 (2006)] and the standard two-point correlation function. The four-point function has a structure very similar to that proposed by Berthier and collaborators [Science 310, 1797 (2005); J. Chem. Phys. 126, 184503 (2007)]. It exhibits a small wave vector divergence at the mode-coupling transition.
Functional analysis of adult stem cells using Cre-mediated lineage tracing.

Lineage-tracing has been used for decades to establish cell fate maps during development. Recently, with the advent of genetic lineage-tracing techniques (employing Cre-lox recombination), it has been possible to permanently mark progenitor/stem cell populations within somatic tissues. In addition, pulse-chase studies have shown that only stem cells are capable of producing labeled progeny after an extensive period of chase. This unit focuses on the protocols used to target putative adult stem cells in vivo. Using these techniques, one should be able to functionally confirm or deny the stem cell capacity of a given cell population. Curr. Protoc. Stem Cell Biol. 9:5A.2.1-5A.2.15. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombination; lineage contribution; reporter activity; whole-mount analysis
Comparison of five color models in skin pixel classification

Detection of skin in video is an important component of systems for detecting, recognizing, and tracking faces and hands. Different skin detection methods have used different color spaces. This paper presents a comparative evaluation of pixel classification performance of two skin detection methods in five color spaces. The skin detection methods used in this paper are color-histogram based approaches that are intended to work with a wide variety of individuals, lighting conditions, and skin tones. One is the widely-used lookup table method, the other makes use of Bayesian decision theory. Two types of enhancements, based on spatial and texture analyses, are also evaluated.
Overview of renal tuberculosis

Abstract The incidence of renal tuberculosis has decreased considerably in recent years, but the disease has not been eradicated completely. Sixty-six patients were treated for renal tuberculosis at St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, from 1964 to 1974. Seventy-five per cent of these patients were under fifty years of age. Diagnosis can be made by Lowenstein Jensen culture of early morning urine samples. The best drugs for treatment of renal tuberculosis are probably isoniazid, ethambutol, and rifamycin. All patients should be treated for eighteen months to two years and carefully followed since reactivation of the infection is not uncommon. Radical, extirpative surgery has a smaller part to play than chemotherapy in the treatment of renal tuberculosis.
Penalized maximum likelihood methods for finite memory estimators of infinite memory processes

Stationary ergodic processes with finite alphabets are estimated by finite memory processes from a sample, an n-length realization of the process. Both the transition probabilities and the memory depth of the estimator process are estimated from the sample using penalized maximum likelihood (PML). Under some assumptions on the continuity rate and the assumption of non-nullness, a rate of convergence in d¯-distance is obtained, with explicit constants. The results show an optimality of the PML Markov order estimator for not necessarily finite memory processes. Moreover, the notion of consistent Markov order estimation is generalized for infinite memory processes using the concept of oracle order estimates, and generalized consistency of the PML Markov order estimator is presented.
Prevalence and costs of osteoporotic patients with subsequent non-vertebral fractures in the US

This study assesses prevalence of subsequent fractures during the year after incident osteoporosis-related non-vertebral fractures among privately insured and Medicare populations and compares costs between patients with and without subsequent fractures. Many non-vertebral fracture patients incur subsequent fractures, and those who do are significantly more costly during the year after incident fracture. To estimate the prevalence of subsequent osteoporosis-related non-vertebral (NV) fractures during the year following an incident NV fracture and compare costs between NV fracture patients with and without subsequent fractures. Using insurance claims data (1999–2006), privately-insured (ages 18–64 years) and Medicare (ages 65+ years) patients with ≥1 subsequent osteoporosis-related NV fracture within a year of an incident osteoporosis-related NV fracture were matched to controls with incident NV fractures but no subsequent fractures. Subsequent fractures were identified as any claim for an NV fracture occurring >3 months after the incident NV fracture (>6 months were required for fractures occurring at the same site as the incident fracture). The study assessed prevalence of subsequent fractures and compared costs (from the payer’s perspective) between patients with and without subsequent fractures over the year following an incident NV fracture. Among privately insured NV fracture patients, 14.1% had any subsequent NV fractures, 1.6% had subsequent hip fractures, and 13.0% had subsequent non-vertebral, non-hip (NVNH) fractures, while 22.6% of Medicare NV fracture patients had subsequent NV fractures, 9.4% had subsequent hip fractures, and 15.5% had subsequent NVNH fractures. Mean excess health care costs per privately insured subsequent fracture patient were $9,789 ($19,072 vs. $9,914, p < 0.01), while excess medical costs per Medicare subsequent fracture patient were $12,527 ($31,904 vs. $19,377, p < 0.01). NV fracture patients are at substantial risk for subsequent NV fractures within 1 year, and patients who incur subsequent fractures are significantly more costly than those who do not during the year following an incident fracture.
Synthesis of binary images from band-limited functions

Binary images usually are produced by clipping band-limited images generated through physical systems. We examine the conditions under which a prescribed image can be formed by this process. Obviously, when the desired image has infinitely sharp isolated corners, it cannot be formed by clipping a band-limited image. We show, however, that any desired binary image can be approximated arbitrarily closely. To make this approximation one must find a band-limited function that has approximately the desired level crossings, i.e., contours where the function is equal to the threshold value of the clipping operation. This can be done by defining a band-limited function in terms of a product of functions that define the function’s zero-crossing contours. In a finite region, these zero crossings are defined strictly in terms of the zeros of a two-dimensional polynomial.
Child Maltreatment and Deliberate Self‐Harm Among College Students: Testing Mediation and Moderation Models for Impulsivity

This study examined the relationship between child maltreatment, impulsivity, and deliberate self-harm in a sample of college students. Four subtypes of impulsivity (urgency, premeditation, perseverance, and sensation seeking) were examined. Results show that participants who report child maltreatment histories also report higher levels of negative affect and higher levels of impulsivity, specifically negative urgency. In addition, those who report histories of child maltreatment are more likely to endorse deliberate self-harm behaviors as an adult. Of the 4 subtypes of impulsivity, urgency was most strongly related to deliberate self-harm. Urgency, but not the other subtypes of impulsivity, mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and self-harm. The current study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms behind deliberate self-harm behavior by suggesting that individuals with histories of child maltreatment are more likely to engage in deliberate self-harm in an attempt to quickly reduce intense negative affect.
A cell mapping method for general optimum trajectory planning of multiple robotic arms

Abstract This paper proposes a method that uses cell state space and cell mapping based techniques for planning general optimum trajectories along given geometric paths for coordinated multiple robotic arm systems. The major advantages of this method include its simplicity and applicability to a wide range of problem formulations. In particular, three performance indices for optimum trajectory specification are investigated, i.e., minimum-energy, minimum-jerk, and minimum-time formulations. A simple search strategy is constructed using cell-to-cell mapping to find optimum trajectories. A special feature of this search algorithm is its ability to generate all optimum trajectories for all possible initial conditions through a single search. The computational complexity is analyzed for the search algorithm and its hierarchical implementation. Parallel execution of the hierarchical search method is discussed and the results indicate that it can improve the cell-mapping search efficiency significantly.
The Molecular Chaperone Hsp90 Is Required for mRNA Localization in Drosophila melanogaster Embryos

Localization of maternal nanos mRNA to the posterior pole is essential for development of both the abdominal segments and primordial germ cells in the Drosophila embryo. Unlike maternal mRNAs such as bicoid and oskar that are localized by directed transport along microtubules, nanos is thought to be trapped as it swirls past the posterior pole during cytoplasmic streaming. Anchoring of nanos depends on integrity of the actin cytoskeleton and the pole plasm; other factors involved specifically in its localization have not been described to date. Here we use genetic approaches to show that the Hsp90 chaperone (encoded by Hsp83 in Drosophila) is a localization factor for two mRNAs, nanos and pgc. Other components of the pole plasm are localized normally when Hsp90 function is partially compromised, suggesting a specific role for the chaperone in localization of nanos and pgc mRNAs. Although the mechanism by which Hsp90 acts is unclear, we find that levels of the LKB1 kinase are reduced in Hsp83 mutant egg chambers and that localization of pgc (but not nos) is rescued upon overexpression of LKB1 in such mutants. These observations suggest that LKB1 is a primary Hsp90 target for pgc localization and that other Hsp90 partners mediate localization of nos.
New and Improved Technologies for the OMEGA EP High-Energy Petawatt Laser

OMEGA EP (extended performance) is a petawatt-class laser under construction at the University of Rochester. This paper reviews both the OMEGA EP performance objectives and the enabling technologies required to meet these goals.
Effect of Continuous Load on the Mechanical Properties of Tendon Adhesions

The restoration of tendon gliding after tendon repair or grafting is dependent upon alteration of the scar about the tendon. Application of a load (active range of motion exercises) is used clinically to effect this alteration. Using the chicken as a model, we are attempting to define the optimal timing, quantity and duration of the load. In these initial experiments, the effects of application of a continuous load for forty eight hours were evaluated in eighty nine chickens. A continuous load applied for forty eight hours had no significant effect on motion of repaired tendons or the scar "stiffness".
Embryonic Tissue Interactions as the Basis for Morphological Change in Evolution

Phenotypic changes over geological time must result from alterations in the morphogenetic mechanisms associated with organogenesis. Recent advances in our understanding of such mechanisms suggest that there are certain patterns of metabolic activity and organelle synthesis which are present in many different cell lineages at different times during embryonic development, and that this ubiquity of genomic potential is available for expression at any time. Microevolutionary sequences of morphological change probably result from modulations of quantitative aspects of organogenesis, e.g., rates of cell proliferation, or cell density. It is also possible that certain macroevolutionary steps (“neomorphs”) may result from qualitative changes in the developmental programs, and such events underly “ultimate refinement” of morphological adaptation. The selection pressures involved in these different sequences of morphological change “see” embryonic processes in different ways. This thesis is illustrated with reference to the evolutionary history of the tetrapod limb.
160 RAPID ATRIAL PACING-INDUCED INFRA-HIS CONDDCTION BLOCK

Nine out of 285 (3%) pediatric patients (pts) were found to have pacing-induced infra-His conduction block (B). In 2 pts it occurred following a preceding long cycle as well as a peceding short-to-long sequence cycle length (CL) change. In one of them the infra-his B initiated a short sequence of 2:1 infra-His B. In 5 pts it occurred with an abrupt shortening of the coupling H-H (in one pt it simulated type II 2nd-degree AV B). In 2 pts the pacing-induced infra-His B simulated type II 2nd-degree AV block but the initiating events were not recorded. Rapid atrial pacing-induced infra-His B in children is a rare phenomenon. In many cases it is associated with pacing-induced infra-His conduction delay. The occurrence of either is determined by: (1) a preceding long cycle as well as a preceding short-to-long sequence CL change that can lengthen the refractoriness of the His-Purkinje system (HPS), (2) an abrupt shortening of the coupling H-H interval that exceeds the refractory period of the HPS, (3) a first impulse that results in an infra-His B initiating a series of 2:1 infra-His B due to a self-perpetuation sequence of events, (4) a 1st impulse that results in infra-His conduction delay initiating a series of 1:1 infra-His delay due to repetitive retrograde concealed conduction.
High-resolution foliage penetration with gimbaled lidar

Foliage penetration is a major application of airborne lidar systems. Typical ground resolutions achieved for floodplain-mapping applications are of the order of meters. Much higher ground resolution can be achieved by integrating multiple looks from several look-angles. This paper describes a new system that can achieve very high ground sampling densities in forested environments at significant altitudes (6 kft) using a modified commercial lidar and a custom gimbal system. Absolute calibration of the gimbal system demonstrated pointing knowledge comparable to the usual aircraft-fixed lidar performance (0.1-0.2 mrad). Bare-earth processing of the resultant data enables interactive virtual deforestation relative to a high-resolution ground.
Clinical aspects and management of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma

AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a tumour of vascular endothelium, which is seen predominantly in men who have sex with men. The majority of affected individuals have advanced immunosuppression at the time of the initial KS diagnosis. The disease may present with cutaneous lesions, or with involvement of visceral organs, of which the gastrointestinal tract is most common. KS may also present with lymphoadenopathy or with isolated lymphoedema, even in the absence of cutaneous lesions. Affected individuals are uniformly co-infected with HIV and with Human Herpesvirus type 8 (HHV8). HHV8 is present within KS tissues, and is aetiological in the pathogenesis of disease, along with aberrant cytokine expression, production of multiple angiogenic peptides, and immune dysregulation. While not presently curable, multiple treatment options exist and must be evaluated in terms of the specific needs of the individual patient. Various local therapies are aimed at eradicating small lesions, while acknowledging that the KS in general, or its likelihood of recurring will be unaffected. Systemic chemotherapy is used to treat extensive visceral involvement. Knowledge of the pathogenesis of disease has led to the development of novel treatment strategies, aimed at HHV8 as the target of therapy, or at the inflammatory cytokine or angiogenic milieu necessary for KS growth. Use of highly active anti-retroviral therapy, aimed at controlling the underlying HIV infection, has been associated with a dramatic decrease in the incidence of KS, and may also be useful in the treatment of existing KS disease.
Holocene evolution of Apalachicola Bay, Florida

A program of geophysical mapping and vibracoring was conducted to better understand the geologic evolution of Apalachicola Bay. Analyses of the geophysical data and sediment cores along with age control provided by 34 AMS 14C dates on marine shells and wood reveal the following history. As sea level rose in the early Holocene, fluvial deposits filled the Apalachicola River paleochannel, which extended southward under the central part of the bay and seaward across the continental shelf. Sediments to either side of the paleochannel contain abundant wood fragments, with dates documenting that those areas were forested at 8,000 14C years b.p. As sea level continued to rise, spits formed of headland prodelta deposits. Between ∼6,400 and ∼2,500 14C years b.p., an Apalachicola prodelta prograded and receded several times across the inner shelf that underlies the western part of the bay. An eastern deltaic lobe was active for a shorter time, between ∼5,800 and 5,100 14C years b.p. Estuarine benthic foraminiferal assemblages occurred in the western bay as early as 6,400 14C years b.p., and indicate that there was some physical barrier to open-ocean circulation and shelf species established by that time. It is considered that shoals formed in the region of the present barrier islands as the rising sea flooded an interstream divide. Estuarine conditions were established very early in the post-glacial flooding of the bay.
Vascular endothelial growth factor induces MEF2C and MEF2-dependent activity in endothelial cells.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, also referred to as VEGF-A) is a key regulator in physiological angiogenesis and in pathologic angiogenic processes, such as those associated with tumor growth and retinal neovascularization.1 The proangiogenic activity of VEGF derives from its ability to regulate many steps in the angiogenic process, including proliferation, migration, survival, and permeability. Much is known about the upstream events mediating the effect of VEGF on endothelial cells, including the major signaling pathways that are activated.2–4 Relatively less is known about the key transcription factors involved in the angiogenic effects of VEGF. The myocyte enhancer factor (MEF)-2 family of transcription factors consists of a group of transcriptional activators (MEF2A, -B, -C, and -D) that show homology in a MADS (MCM1, Agamous, Deficiens, serum response factor) box and an adjacent motif known as the MEF2 domain.5 MEF2 factors play a pivotal role in the morphogenesis and myogenesis of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells.6 Of the MEF2 family members, MEF2C appears to have a particularly important role in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during vascular development. MEF2C is expressed in endothelial cells in vivo7 and in vitro.8 Targeted deletion of the MEF2C gene in mice results in embryonic lethality between embryonic day (E) 9.5 and E10,7,9 with significant cardiovascular defects.7,10 These mice exhibit severe vascular abnormalities, including the absence of yolk sac vascularization.7 In these mice, endothelial cells are able to differentiate but are unable to become organized into a vascular network.7 The overall phenotype of MEF2C mutant mice is similar to that of mice lacking VEGF or Flt-1.7 MEF2C appears to be a direct transcriptional target of Ets transcription factors in the developing and the adult vasculature. A transcriptional enhancer from the MEF2C gene containing four consensus Ets transcription factor binding sites is sufficient to direct gene expression to the vascular endothelium in developing and adult vasculature in transgenic LacZ reporter mice.11 The regulation of MEF2C gene expression by Ets transcription factors is of particular interest because VEGF is known to upregulate Ets-1 in endothelial cells.12 In light of the important role of MEF2C in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, we were interested in characterizing the regulation of MEF2C by VEGF and the potential role of MEF2 in endothelial cells. We found that VEGF induces MEF2C gene expression in a protein kinase C–dependent manner. In addition, VEGF activates MEF2-dependent transcription, and this activation is regulated by several signaling pathways. Finally, MEF2C may play an important role in endothelial cell migration.
Brain cholecystokinin in fasted and fed mice

Immunoreactive cholecystokinin (iCCK) in brain extracts is reduced to 133 ± 6 ng/g from 274 ± ng/g in 2 to 5 day fasted C3H mice. Brain weights of fed and fasted mice do not differ although the body weights of fasted mice averaged only about two-thirds of the fed weights. Since the cortex contains over 80% of the brain iCCK in fed mice, it is concluded that food-deprivation is associated with decreased synthesis of cortical iCCK.
Muscarinic receptor-mediated increase in ζ-PKC expression in SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells

Anti-peptide antibodies specific for each protein kinase C (PKC) isozyme were used to screen SKN-SH human neuroblastoma cells. These cells were found to express only α- and ζ-PKC. Stimulation of these cells with phorbol esters caused α-but not ζ-PKC to translocate from cytosolic to membrane fractions. Stimulation of these cells with carbachol, which releases inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol, caused a transient translocation of α-PKC but not of ζ-PKC. Carbachol did, however, cause a gradual increase in immunoreactive ζ-PKC which reached maximal values 10–20 min after stimulation. These results implicate ζ-PKC in a receptor-mediated signalling event.
Cellular inflammatory responses and mediator release during early developing late-phase allergic cutaneous inflammatory responses: Effects of cetirizine

Background: Events in developing cutaneous late-phase allergic reactions can be characterized by a combination of skin chamber and biopsy approaches. In some previous studies, cetirizine reportedly inhibited mediator release and/or inflammatory cell responses in late-phase reactions. Objective: This study was carried out to determine the effects of cetirizine on early late-phase reactions by using skin chamber and skin biopsy speciments. Methods: Skin chamber responses during a 6-hour challenge with pollen antigens were assessed in 15 sensitive subjects during randomized, crossover treatment with cetirizine (20 mg/day) or placebo for 7-day periods with measurements of humoral and cellular components. Biopsy specimens of the underlying dermis were obtained. Results: During cetirizine treatment, there was significant ( p Conclusion: A persistent pattern of inflammatory cell accumulation with release of granule proteins during early late-phase reactions was unaffected by cetirizine treatment.
Echolocation in bats: the external ear and perception of the vertical positions of targets

Echolocating bats (Eptesicus fuscus) can perceive changes of as little as 3 degrees of arc in the vertical angles separating pairs of horizontal rods. This acuity depends upon modification of sounds entering the external ear canal by the structures of the external ear. Deflection of the tragus degrades the acuity of vertical-angle perception from 3 degrees to about 12 degrees to 14 degrees. The pinna-tragus structure produces a strong secondary echo of sounds entering the external ear canal, and the delay of this echo after the time when the sound directly enters the ear canal apparently encodes the vertical direction of a sound source.
Risk factors for coronary disease and stroke in previously hospitalized African-Americans with Type 1 diabetes: a 6-year follow-up.

Aims To report the 6-year incidence of, and risk factors for, cardiovascular disease (CVD), either coronary disease or stroke, in previously hospitalized African-Americans with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Methods African-Americans (n = 483) with Type 1 diabetes were re-examined as part of a 6-year follow-up. At both visits, patients underwent a structured clinical interview, which included history of either coronary disease or stroke, ocular examination and masked grading of seven stereoscopic fundus photographs, blood pressure measurements, and administration of the Beck Depression Inventory. Biological measurements included blood and urine assays. Results Of the 483 patients who had a 6-year follow-up, 449 had no evidence of CVD at the baseline examination. Of these 449 patients, 51 (11.4%) developed any CVD—42 (9.3%) coronary disease and 14 (3.1%) a stroke. Six-year incidence of any CVD was significantly associated with older age (P < 0.0001) and longer duration of diabetes (P < 0.0001) at baseline. Multiple logistic regression showed that baseline older age, higher body mass index, higher diastolic blood pressure, proteinuria, retinopathy severity and being depressed were significant and independent risk factors for incidence of any CVD. Conclusion Six-year incidence of CVD is high in previously hospitalized African-Americans with Type 1 diabetes. Risk factors appear to include older age, higher body mass index, higher diastolic blood pressure, proteinuria, retinopathy severity and depression.
THE MORTALITY OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDES IN FOLLOW-UP STUDIES OF MALE SUICIDE ATTEMPTERS

In 11 follow-up studies of samples of male suicide attempters, the percentage who subsequently completed suicide was associated with the length of follow-up.
A delta-kicked Brownian rotor

We study the evolution of a delta-kicked Fokker-Planck equation which is a certain limiting case of a driven Brownian rotor with large friction. The time evolution of the rotor is given by a Floquet map in which the effects of diffusion and of the kick are decoupled. For the case where absorbing boundaries are introduced, we show the mechanism causing an abrupt drop in the average survival time as the kick strength is increased.