cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Encoding of Visual Information by LGN Bursts

Encoding of visual information by LGN bursts. Thalamic relay cells respond to visual stimuli either in burst mode, as a result of activation of a low-threshold Ca2+ conductance, or in tonic mode, when this conductance is inactive. We investigated the role of these two response modes for the encoding of the time course of dynamic visual stimuli, based on extracellular recordings of 35 relay cells from the lateral geniculate nucleus of anesthetized cats. We presented a spatially optimized visual stimulus whose contrast fluctuated randomly in time with frequencies of up to 32 Hz. We estimated the visual information in the neural responses using a linear stimulus reconstruction method. Both burst and tonic spikes carried information about stimulus contrast, exceeding one bit per action potential for the highest variance stimuli. The “meaning” of an action potential, i.e., the optimal estimate of the stimulus at times preceding a spike, was similar for burst and tonic spikes. In within-trial comparisons, tonic spikes carried about twice as much information per action potential as bursts, but bursts as unitary events encoded about three times more information per event than tonic spikes. The coding efficiency of a neuron for a particular stimulus is defined as the fraction of the neural coding capacity that carries stimulus information. Based on a lower bound estimate of coding efficiency, bursts had ∼1.5-fold higher efficiency than tonic spikes, or 3-fold if bursts were considered unitary events. Our main conclusion is that both bursts and tonic spikes encode stimulus information efficiently, which rules out the hypothesis that bursts are nonvisual responses.
The Impact of Adequate Prenatal Care in a Developing Country: testing the WHO recommendations

Deficient birth outcomes entail greater mortality risks, and higher probabilities of poor future health. This study is the first statistical examination of the effect of the World Health Organization’s recommended number of prenatal care visits for developing countries on birth outcomes. This study accounts for the endogenous nature of prenatal care decisions by using an instrumental variables approach based on the accessibility of prenatal services. Using the CLHN Survey I construct a measure of prenatal care which involves both timing and intensity and that shows positive impacts for the combination of both. The results are highly robust to changes in measures of birth outcome but are only significant for urban areas. The lack of impact on rural areas could be due to the inferior quality of prenatal care services received there. This theory is corroborated when controlling directly for care quality.
Results of a pilot trial comparing prolonged intravenous antibiotics with sequential intravenous/oral antibiotics for children with perforated appendicitis.

Hypothesis For children with perforated appendicitis, the use of a prolonged course of intravenous (IV) antibiotics is equivalent to a short course of IV antibiotics followed by sequential conversion to oral (PO) antibiotics. Design Prospective, randomized, clinical trial. Setting Multicenter study in tertiary children's hospitals. Patients Children (aged 5-18 years) with perforated appendicitis found at laparotomy. Intervention Children were randomized after appendectomy either to a 10-day course of a combination of IV ampicillin, gentamicin sulfate, and clindamycin (n = 10); or to a short course of a combination of IV ampicillin, gentamicin, and clindamycin, followed by conversion to a combination of PO amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium plus metronidazole (n = 16). Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome measure was clinical success, which was rated as complete, partial, or failure. Secondary outcome measures included return of oral intake, duration of fever, return of normal white blood cell count, and patient charges. Treatment equivalence was determined using confidence interval analysis. Results We found treatment equivalence between the IV and IV/PO groups, with 6 (60%) complete and 4 (40%) partial successes for the 10 patients in the IV group and 15 (94%) complete and 1 (6%) partial successes for the 16 patients in the IV/PO group ( P ≤.05). There was no difference in return of oral intake, duration of fever, or return of normal white blood cell count between the groups. Conversion to oral therapy results in savings of approximately $1500 per case. Conclusion There is treatment equivalence between prolonged IV therapy and IV therapy followed by conversion to oral antibiotic therapy in children with perforated appendicitis.
Induction of Efflux-Mediated Macrolide Resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae

The antimicrobial efflux system encoded by the operon mef(E)-mel on the mobile genetic element MEGA in Streptococcus pneumoniae and other Gram-positive bacteria is inducible by macrolide antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides. Induction may affect the clinical response to the use of macrolides. We developed mef(E) reporter constructs and a disk diffusion induction and resistance assay to determine the kinetics and basis of mef(E)-mel induction. Induction occurred rapidly, with a >15-fold increase in transcription within 1 h of exposure to subinhibitory concentrations of erythromycin. A spectrum of environmental conditions, including competence and nonmacrolide antibiotics with distinct cellular targets, did not induce mef(E). Using 16 different structurally defined macrolides, induction was correlated with the amino sugar attached to C-5 of the macrolide lactone ring, not with the size (e.g., 14-, 15- or 16-member) of the ring or with the presence of the neutral sugar cladinose at C-3. Macrolides with a monosaccharide attached to C-5, known to block exit of the nascent peptide from the ribosome after the incorporation of up to eight amino acids, induced mef(E) expression. Macrolides with a C-5 disaccharide, which extends the macrolide into the ribosomal exit tunnel, disrupting peptidyl transferase activity, did not induce it. The induction of mef(E) did not require macrolide efflux, but the affinity of macrolides for the ribosome determined the availability for efflux and pneumococcal susceptibility. The induction of mef(E)-mel expression by inducing macrolides appears to be based on specific interactions of the macrolide C-5 saccharide with the ribosome that alleviate transcriptional attenuation of mef(E)-mel.
X-chromosome linked mutations affecting mosaic expression of the mouse X chromosome.

In eutherian females one of the two sex chromosomes is inactive (Lyon, 1961; Russell, 1961) . The inactive status is established relatively early during embryogenesis and is somatically heritable within a cell lineage throughout development (see Chapman, 1987) . The inactivation event is generally random with respect to the parental origin of an X chromosome such that equal numbers of cells expressing the paternal (XP) - and maternal (Xm) chromosome can be seen as a mosaic mixture in adult tissues using a variety of direct and indirect measures of X chromosome gene function (see reviews by West, 1982; Gartler and Riggs, 1983; Chapman, 1987)
Thermoelectric transport properties of the n-type impurity Al in PbTe

Because Tl and In are known to be resonant levels in IV--VI semiconductors, here we synthesize and electrically characterize lead telluride doped $n$-type with aluminum. The results show that Al behaves as a normal donor in PbTe, reaching a maximum electron concentration of 4 10${}^{19}$ cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. At 300 K, the thermopower, when plotted as function of electron concentration (the Pisarenko relation), follows the calculated line for the conduction band of PbTe, and no enhancement is observed that could indicate the presence of a resonant level.
Layered Multiple Scattering Method for Analysis of Scatterer Lattice

The layered multiple scattering method is derived from an approximate solution for infinite gratings. In this method, an array of regularly arranged scatterers is viewed as comprising of layers of infinite grating, and scattering of waves is treated as a multiple transmission-reflection process in a multilayer panel. The infinity nature enables the waves due to a planar incident wave to be expressed as planar waves and divided into propagating and evanescent modes. The layered multiple scattering method accounts only for the propagating modes. In this paper, this method is evaluated by comparing with exact solutions obtained by other means. The layered multiple-scattering method suggests that the only important geometric parameters for wave transmission and reflection are the grating distance and the interlayer distance. Numerical examples indicate that the method provides excellent approximate solution in general, but the errors due to evanescent modes might be significant in some aspect of wave propagation, due to interlayer interactions, such as critical frequencies of a stopband.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Genetic consequences of outcrossing in the cleistogamous annual, Impatiens capensis. II: Outcrossing rates and genotypic correlations

The genetic consequences of a plant's mating system depend on both the degree of outcrossing and the genetic relationship between mates. We examined the electrophoretic genotypes of seeds derived from cleistogamous (CL) and chasmogamous (CH) flowers in six populations of the facultatively cleistogamous annual, Impatiens capensis. Multilocus estimates of the outcrossing rates for the strongly protandrous CH flowers ranged from 0.29 to 0.71 and were higher than estimates based on single-locus data. Such results suggest that the CH flowers experience variable levels of both geitonogamous self-fertilization and biparental inbreeding. A new and generally applicable technique based on the relative level of inbreeding within progeny groups provided direct estimates of the correlation between the genotypic values of outcrossed mates. These correlations varied widely among populations and contributed up to half of the inbreeding observed among the CH progeny. Such biparental inbreeding biases estimates of the outcrossing rate based on the mixed-mating model downward and influences mating-system evolution by decreasing the "cost of meiosis."
2016 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium: update on pancreatic cancer.

Agent Mechanism of action/target 196 [9] BBI-608 Cancer stemness inhibitor 341 [10] Demcizumab Humanized anti-DLL4 antibody 334 [11] Cabozantinib c-Met inhibitor 371 [12] Sonidegib Smoothened receptor inhibitor 385 [13] Atu027 Protein kinase N3 (PKN3) inhibitor 419 [14] Apatorsen Heat shock inhibitor
Talking with friends and clients about their concerns with animal agriculture.

It is not unusual these days for popular media stories to voice concerns about how food is produced, particularly food from animals. Important societal concerns are about how cattle production systems affect the health and well-being of humans, animals, and the environment. It takes effort to stay current on the worries of society associated with cattle production, and what to tell friends and clients when asked. It is also difficult to know which sources of information on these topics are accurate and reliable. The objective of this paper is to help veterinarians and technicians become better aware of the issues being discussed by society about how cattle production systems affect the health and well-being of the cattle, the public, and the world so they can help their friends and clients become more informed. It is a paradox that in an era with information so readily available, what we read and hear is so hard to trust.
Phenomenological Reflection on the Positivism in Communication Studies

Communication studies,as a kind of discipline,are often interested in uncovering the laws of human interactive activity using elaborate scientific methods and skills.Such epistemological perspective of positivism has become one of the features of communication studies.This paper reveals the essence of the construction of communication theories through reflection on the phenomenology of positivism.
Comprehensive self-medication program for epileptic patients

The establishment and operation of a comprehensive self-medication program for hospitalized epileptic patients are described. The patients in the program are required to meet established behavioral criteria during each of four stages of self-medication before progressing to the next stage. The patient has increasing responsibility in each successive phase of the program. The areas of patient involvement for the pharmacist are: (1) obtaining a medication history, (2) teaching patients about seizure medications, (3) conducting patient consultations during the self-medication program and (4) counseling the patient at discharge.
An effective automated method for teaching EEG interpretation to neurology residents.

Abstract Purpose EEG interpretation is a fundamental procedural skill in the practice of neurology, but there is no standardized method for educating residents. One-to-one instruction is commonly employed, but is time intensive for supervising physicians, provides arbitrary exposure to normal and abnormal EEG patterns, and often lacks immediate and detailed feedback on performance. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of a novel automated program to assist in educating neurology residents in EEG interpretation. Methods An EEG teaching program was developed to provide neurology residents EEG training less dependent on attending supervision. Residents enter interpretations of full-length pre-selected EEGs and receive immediate feedback based on consensus interpretation of supervising epileptologists. Resident learning was assessed based on performance on matched pre- and post-tests covering common EEG findings including artifacts, normal variants, and abnormalities. Results Twenty residents were included in this analysis: 12 post-graduate year (PGY) 3 and eight PGY 4 neurology residents. All residents showed improvement, from a mean score of 42.7% (95% CI 36.9–48.5%) on the pre-test to 75.4% (95% CI 70.7–80.2%) on the post-test ( p Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated the effectiveness of an automated EEG teaching program used by neurology residents in training. This tool could serve as an effective method of supplementing resident education.
Saturation of stool color in HSV color model is a promising objective parameter for screening biliary atresia

Abstract Purpose We aimed to study whether saturation in HSV color model could be a parameter for acholic stool and utilized for designing a mobile application for screening biliary atresia (BA). Methods Saturations of the colors in the three validated stool color cards (Taiwan, Japan, Britain) were read using PHOTOSHOP. Stools from 40 BA patients and 40 in-hospital neonates with pneumonia were photographed and analyzed with color-analyzing mobile applications. Results Saturations of normal colors in the published stool cards were all >50% (67%~99%, median 85%) and were all Conclusion Saturation of stool color in HSV model is a promising objective parameter for acholic stool and could be utilized in designing mobile APPs for screening BA. Level of evidence Study of diagnostic test, level II.
Measurement sensitivity analysis of information embedded power systems using ABCD matrices

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of measurement set selection, placement and distortion on calculation of unmeasured buses in over-determined systems. Among questions posed is whether or not spatial distortion effects are more pronounced than their temporal counterparts. In addition, a proposed technique to derive multi-dimensional ABCD matrices is provided and their condition numbers are studied for the purposes of understanding effects, if any, on calculated unmeasured bus values. Example test cases included 3 and 9 bus power system models and inferences were obtained on effects of scaling results for larger sized power systems.
Cost-Effectiveness of Endovascular Stroke Therapy: A Patient Subgroup Analysis From a US Healthcare Perspective.

Background and Purpose—Endovascular therapy in addition to standard care (EVT+SC) has been demonstrated to be more effective than SC in acute ischemic large vessel occlusion stroke. Our aim was to ...
What Can We Do “In Principle”?

It is characteristic of some quite important discourses in mathematics, having to do with computability and constructivity, to appeal to what appear to be possibilities of human thought and action, where, however, these possibilities go beyond what is “practically” possible. In particular, they do not rest on actual human abilities. Such possibilities are what I have in mind in asking what we can “in principle” do. Such possibilities are also invoked about nonhuman agents, in particular computers. I am primarily concerned, however, with real agents, human beings like you and me and computers like the ones we have on our desks, or at most supercomputers. But talk about the “in principle” capabilities of real agents is roughly equivalent to talk about the capabilities of ideal agents.
Analysis of Airway Mechanics in a Ventilated Lumped Alveolar Model Coupled with Pulmonary Gas Exchange

Abstract A mathematical model of the external respiratory system has been developed which integrates component models of airway mechanics and gas exchange at the pulmonary capillaries. The airway is lumped into three compartments: (1) the dead space (conducting zone), (2) a collapsible region and (3) the alveolar space (respiratory zone) where gas exchange occurs between air and the blood in the pulmonary capillary. The pulmonary capillary is described using a one-dimensional spatially distributed model with blood flowing in the capillary considered as a homogeneous fluid. The partial pressure gradient between the gas in the alveolar space and capillary blood determines the transport of gas across the capillary-alveolar barrier. Ventilation of alveolar space is accomplished by driving the airway model with a simulated pleural pressure waveform. Simulations of the effect of cyclic fluctuation of airflow upon the gas composition in the three airway compartments, as well as within the pulmonary capillary are studied for several breathing patterns in normal and diseased subjects and compared with clinical data from humans. This model provides insight into respiratory dynamics and quantifies changes in blood and gas compositions during various pulmonary function tests such as panting and vital capacity maneuvers.
Exposure, Effects and Absorption of Lead in American Woodcock (Scolopax minor): A Review

Due to long term declines of American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) and widespread distribution of environmentally available lead (Pb) throughout their geographic range, it is important to assess if Pb exposure is a potential contributor to these declines. Woodcock are exposed to Pb through various environmental sources and are known to exhibit relatively high bone-Pb concentrations. Absorption of Pb by birds, and woodcock specifically, is not well understood. Some studies show that interactions among calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and vitamin D levels may play an important role in Pb absorption. Therefore, when future Pb studies are performed for woodcock, and other birds, interactions among these elements should be considered. For example, these interactions are relevant in the acquisition and mobilization of calcium in female birds during egg development and shell calcification. These factors should be considered to understand potential mechanisms of Pb exposure, Pb absorption, and subsequent Pb toxicity to birds in general, and woodcock specifically. This review discusses Pb exposure routes, effects of Pb toxicity, and the distribution of Pb in American woodcock and identifies areas for future research in woodcock and other avian species.
Effects of Question Wording on Eyewitness Testimony

This study examined the effect of the wording of interview questions on eyewitness testimony. Participants were male and female college students (Mean age = 19.1). Participants were presented with a short video of a vehicle accident. They were then given a questionnaire consisting of six items. To study the impact of question wording on testimony, the wording of one of the items was changed between two conditions. This item asked either how fast the vehicles were traveling when they “contacted” each other, or how fast the vehicles were traveling when they “smashed into” each other. On average, participants in the “smashed into” condition reported slightly higher speed estimations than participants in the “contacted” condition. However, the difference between the two groups was not large enough to be statistically significant.
Abstract 23: Trends in Kawasaki Disease Incidence - 2004-2014

Background: Kawasaki disease is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in the US. While it remains a rare disease, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence of KD Meth...
Underuse of the Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for High-Risk Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Skin

This study examines the underuse of the sentinel lymph node biopsy in the management of high-risk squamous cell carcinoma.
Filtering with Abstract Particles

By using particles, beam search and sequential Monte Carlo can approximate distributions in an extremely flexible manner. However, they can suffer from sparsity and inadequate coverage on large state spaces. We present a new filtering method for discrete spaces that addresses this issue by using "abstract particles," each of which represents an entire region of state space. These abstract particles are combined into a hierarchical decomposition, yielding a compact and flexible representation. Empirically, our method outperforms beam search and sequential Monte Carlo on both a text reconstruction task and a multiple object tracking task.
Paraneoplastic Neurological Disorders in Leukemia and Lymphoma

Paraneoplastic neurological disorders can affect any part of the central or peripheral nervous system. Many of these syndromes have an immunopathogenesis, and are mediated by immunological responses triggered by the presence of a cancer. In this chapter, we focus on paraneoplastic disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system associated with leukemia or lymphoma. We also review paraneoplastic syndromes related to plasma cell malignancies (myeloma, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia), which in contrast to leukemia and lymphoma, frequently cause paraneoplastic neuropathies.
Youth, Music, and Peace Building

This article explores the ways through which youth mobilize music to advance peace in their communities, specifically emphasizing that music is not only used to bring people together for social harmony and reconciliation but also for protest and resistance in order to create a ‘culture of peace.’ It further seeks to establish the impetus that propels youth into persistent participation in peace building especially through an analysis of the interrelatedness of concepts of peace building and culture of peace as they interact with youth identity. Using examples of the role played by new media in shaping such identity, the article illuminates the power of music in building some kind of virtual coalition that promotes peace. As an expressive medium that often defies physical and cultural barriers, music provides both a platform for advancing peace and an analytical tool through which to understand sociocultural dynamics within which peace building can occur.
Implementation of Routine HPV Vaccination in the Management of Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis.

Objectives:To investigate vaccine compliance and clinical outcomes after implementation of an initiative to provide the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to all patients with recurrent respiratory...
La Belle Époque from Eastern Africa: an individual experience of the “globalizing” world, 1898–1918

ABSTRACTThis article seeks to expand our historical understanding of late-nineteenth-century “globalization” through the letters of a female Christian convert living in southeastern Tanganyika. By ...
Utilization of thromboelastograms in management of Crotalus adamanteus envenomation

Background: Crotalinae (pit viper) envenomations are frequently encountered in North American emergency departments. Cases can be complicated by ambiguity in initial species identification as well ...
Barrier Enclosure for Endotracheal Intubation in a Simulated COVID-19 Scenario: A Crossover Study

Author(s): Laack, Torrey A; Pollok, Franziska; Sandefur, Benjamin J.; Mullan, Aidan F.; Russi, Christopher S.; Yalamuri, Suraj M. | Abstract: Introduction: Barrier enclosures have been developed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission to healthcare providers during intubation, but little is known about their impact on procedure performance. We sought to determine whether a barrier enclosure delays time to successful intubation by experienced airway operators.Methods: We conducted a crossover simulation study at a tertiary academic hospital. Participants watched a four-minute video, practiced one simulated intubation with a barrier enclosure, and then completed one intubation with and one without the barrier enclosure (randomized to determine order). The primary outcome measure was time from placement of the video laryngoscope at the lips to first delivered ventilation. Secondary outcomes were periprocedural complications and participant responses to a post-study survey.Results: Proceduralists (n = 50) from emergency medicine and anesthesiology had median intubation times of 23.6 seconds with practice barrier enclosure, 20.5 seconds with barrier enclosure, and 16.7 seconds with no barrier. Intubation with barrier enclosure averaged 4.5 seconds longer (95% confidence interval, 2.7-6.4, p l .001) than without, but was less than the predetermined clinical significance threshold of 10 seconds. Three complications occurred, all during the practice intubation. Barrier enclosure made intubation more challenging according to 48%, but 90% indicated they would consider using it in clinical practice.Conclusion: Experienced airway operators performed intubation using a barrier enclosure with minimal increased time to procedure completion in this uncomplicated airway model. Given potential to reduce droplet spread, use of a barrier enclosure may be an acceptable adjunct to endotracheal intubation for those familiar with its use.
TIGIT in cancer immunotherapy.

Tumors evade immune-mediated recognition through multiple mechanisms of immune escape. On chronic tumor antigen exposure, T cells become dysfunctional/exhausted and upregulate various checkpoint inhibitory receptors (IRs) that limit T cells’ survival and function. During the last decade, immunotherapies targeting IRs such as programmed cell death receptor 1 (PD-1) and anticytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) have provided ample evidence of clinical benefits in many solid tumors. Beyond CTLA-4 and PD-1, multiple other IRs are also targeted with immune checkpoint blockade in the clinic. Specifically, T cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT) is a promising new target for cancer immunotherapy. TIGIT is upregulated by immune cells, including activated T cells, natural killer cells, and regulatory T cells. TIGIT binds to two ligands, CD155 (PVR) and CD112 (PVRL2, nectin-2), that are expressed by tumor cells and antigen-presenting cells in the tumor microenvironment. There is now ample evidence that the TIGIT pathway regulates T cell-mediated and natural killer cell-mediated tumor recognition in vivo and in vitro. Dual PD-1/TIGIT blockade potently increases tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cell expansion and function in vitro and promotes tumor rejection in mouse tumor models. These findings support development of ongoing clinical trials with dual PD-1/TIGIT blockade in patients with cancer.
Neuroanatomy and neurochemistry of rat cornea: Changes with age.

Abstract Purpose To characterize the entire rat corneal nerve architecture, the changes that occur with aging, and its sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic fiber distribution. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 1 day to 2 years old) of both sexes were euthanized, and the whole corneas were immunostained with protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5). The specimens were double-labeled with antibodies against calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) as sensory nerve markers, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) as a parasympathetic nerve marker, and neuropeptide Y (NPY) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) as markers of sympathetic fibers. Relative nerve density positive for each antibody was assessed by computer-assisted image analysis. Results Thick nerve trunks enter the cornea in the middle of the stroma and run towards the anterior stroma, subsequently dividing into smaller branches that penetrate upwards into the epithelium to form the subbasal nerve bundles. There was no significant difference in corneal innervation between sexes. CGRP and SP were the major sensory neuropeptides with 47.6% ± 3.5% and 34.9% ± 5.1%, respectively, of the total nerves. VIP was 18.4% ± 5.7%, and NPY and TH positive fibers took up 6.92% ± 2.66% and 2.92% ± 1.52%, respectively. Epithelial nerve density increased with age, reached full development at 5 weeks, and decreased at 120 weeks. Conclusion This study provides a complete nerve architecture and content of components of sensory, parasympathetic, and sympathetic nerves in the rat cornea. The normal innervation pattern described here will provide an essential baseline for investigators who use the rat model for assessing corneal pathologies that involve nerve alterations.
Teaching Middle School Mathematics: Standards, Recommendations and Teacher Candidates’ Perspectives

This chapter aims to demonstrate the need for linkages between textbook content and the pedagogical ideas underpinning current standards for middle school mathematics instruction, to share recommendations for the mathematical preparation of the middle grades teachers, and describe a number of notable perspectives on mathematics education that have been the backbone of the current reform movement of pre-college mathematics teaching worldwide. As will be demonstrated through multiple citations of the standards and other educational materials (available in English), there is a true congruency of the ideas of mathematics pedagogy recorded in Australia, Canada, Chile, China, England, Japan, Korea, Singapore and the United States. Throughout the chapter, the authors will share both solicited and unsolicited (over the years) comments by middle school teacher candidates about their learning to teach the subject matter at that level, indicating the candidates’ interest in acquiring deep understanding of grade-appropriate mathematical content and methods towards gaining much needed professional expertise. Some comments will also include reflections on the candidates’ own experience of learning mathematics as youngsters. In all, the comments will show that positive attitude towards knowledge acquisition stems from the candidates being passionate in helping their future students to be better mathematical thinkers.
Quantitative evaluation of footwear evidence: Initial workflow for an end-to-end system

In the United States, footwear examiners make decisions about the sources of crime scene shoe impressions using subjective criteria. This has raised questions about the accuracy, repeatability, reproducibility, and scientific validity of footwear examinations. Currently, most footwear examiners follow a workflow that compares a questioned and test impression with regard to outsole design, size, wear, and randomly acquired characteristics (RACs). We augment this workflow with computer algorithms and statistical analysis so as to improve in the following areas: (1) quantifying the degree of correspondence between the questioned and test impressions with respect to design, size, wear, and RACs, (2) reducing the potential for cognitive bias, and (3) providing an empirical basis for examiner conclusions by developing a reference database of case-relevant pairs of impressions containing known mated and known nonmated impressions. Our end-to-end workflow facilitates all three of these points and is directly relatable to current practice. We demonstrate the workflow, which includes obtaining and interpreting outsole pattern scores, RAC comparison scores, and final scores, on two scenarios-a pristine example (involving very high quality Everspry EverOS scanner impressions) and a mock crime scene example that more closely resembles real casework. These examples not only demonstrate the workflow but also help identify the algorithmic, computational, and statistical challenges involved in improving the system for eventual deployment in casework.
Uncertainty analysis of flow velocity estimation by a simplified entropy model

The velocity field in a river flow cross-sectional area can be determined by applying entropy as done in 1978 by Chiu, who developed a two-dimensional model of flow velocity based on the knowledge of maximum velocity, umax, and the dimensionless entropic parameter, characteristic of the river site. This is appealing in the context of discharge monitoring, particularly for high floods, considering that umax occurs in the upper portion of flow area and can be easily sampled, unlike velocity in the lower portion of flow area. The simplified form of Chiu's entropy-based velocity model, proposed in 2004 by Moramarco et al., has been found to be reasonably accurate for determining mean flow velocity along each vertical sampled in the flow area, but no uncertainty analysis has been reported for this simplified entropy-based velocity model. This study, therefore, performed uncertainty analysis of the simplified model following a procedure proposed by Misirli et al. in 2003. The flow velocity measurements at the Rosciano River section along the Chiascio River, central Italy, carried out for a period spanning 20 years were used for this purpose. Results showed that the simplified entropy velocity model was able to provide satisfactory estimates of velocity profiles in the whole flow area and the 95% confidence bands for the computed estimated mean vertical velocity were quite representative of observed values. In addition, using these 95% confidence bands, it was possible to have an indication of the uncertainty in the determination of mean cross-sectional flow velocity as well. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sample preparation and in-solution protease digestion of proteins for chromatography-based proteomic analysis.

The adoption of chromatography-based proteomics approaches has resulted in the development of new methods for optimal use of these technologies. One such technology, named multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT), directly couples liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. In the MudPIT approach, digested protein samples are directly loaded onto a microcapillary column packed sequentially with reversed-phase and strong cation exchange resins. Once digested protein samples are loaded onto the column, the column is placed in-line between a high-performance liquid chromatography system and an electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometer (ESI-MS/MS). The digested protein samples for MudPIT analysis must be directly compatible with ESI-MS/MS, so the sample preparation and digestion protocols must be optimized for this purpose. The primary objective of all of the protocols in this unit is to yield a final digested protein mixture of less than 300 µl that can then be directly loaded onto a MudPIT column. Curr. Protoc. Protein Sci. 53:23.6.1-23.6.11. © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: multidimensional protein identification technology; MudPIT; proteomics; protein; proteolysis in solution; trypsin digestion
Acromegaly--hot or cold? Some clinical and metabolic observations.

Abstract Subjects suffering from acromegaly may present with complaints related to (1) an expanding intracranial mass, (2) the anabolic and/or diabetogenic actions of HGH, and (3) irritation or compression of neighboring pituitary cells. In ‘fugitive’ acromegaly, peripheral nerve, joint, skeletal and cardiac muscle lesions may antedate florid evidence of acromegaly. Even when the anatomical diagnosis has been established, it may be difficult to distinguish active from burnt out acromegaly. Elevation of serum phosphorus and evidence of continuing acral enlargement are satisfactory but insensitive tests. These tests can be supplemented by (1) direct assay of growth hormone levels in plasma, and (2) measurement of basal forearm metabolism and the response of forearm to intra-arterial insulin.
Transcription of the Influenza Ribonucleic Acid Genome by a Virion Polymerase I. Optimal Conditions for In Vitro Activity of the Ribonucleic Acid-Dependent Ribonucleic Acid Polymerase

Abstract In vitro reaction conditions have been determined for the maximal synthesis of product ribonucleic acid by the influenza (WSN) virion ribonucleic acid polymerase. The reaction requires the presence of all four triphosphates, Mg2+ and Mn2+ ions, monovalent cations, nonionic detergent, and ribonucleoside triphosphates at concentrations above certain threshold values. The optimum pH for the reaction is around 8.0 to 8.2 and the kinetics of product synthesis are linear through at least 6 hr when incubated at 31 to 33 C.
Parapertussis: Clinical and serologic observations

Summary Ten cases of respiratory infections in children due to B. parapertussis are described. Only two presented the classical picture of whooping cough, and in two more the clinical diagnosis was mild whooping cough. The remainder presented the symptoms of tracheitis or upper respiratory infection. Two of the children had had whooping cough previously, and three had had H. pertussis vaccine. In two other children typical pertussis occurred seven months and one year, respectively, after the attack of parapertussis. Thus apparently cross protection does not occur. In three instances where exposure was known the incubation periods were six, twelve, and fifteen days. In the case of the child whose onset of parapertussis was six days after that of her sister an earlier exposure common to both siblings seems likely. The appearance of specific agglutinins was demonstrated in all ofthe ten cases. The agglutinins persisted for as long as forty months. Nonspecific H. pertussis agglutinins did not appear and were found only in the sera of those children who had also had pertussis or H. pertussis vaccine. B. parapertussis agglutinins were also found in 40 per cent of the children with negative histories for parapertussis, pertussis, and H. pertussis vaccine. This suggested that the incidence of unapparent B. parapertussis infections in this community is relatively high. It was observed that attacks of pertussis and injections of H. pertussis Phase I vaccine may very occasionally give rise to the production of nonspecific parapertussis antibody in low titer. The development of specific mouse protective antibody in the sera of three patients with parapertussis was observed.
Basal bodies exhibit polarized positioning in zebrafish cone photoreceptors

The asymmetric positioning of basal bodies, and therefore cilia, is often critical for proper cilia function. This planar polarity is critical for motile cilia function but has not been extensively investigated for non-motile cilia or for sensory cilia such as vertebrate photoreceptors. Zebrafish photoreceptors form an organized mosaic ideal for investigating cilia positioning. We report that in the adult retina, the basal bodies of red, green-, and blue-sensitive cone photoreceptors localized asymmetrically on the cell edge nearest to the optic nerve. In contrast, no patterning was seen in the basal bodies of ultraviolet-sensitive cones or in rod photoreceptors. The asymmetric localization of basal bodies was consistent in all regions of the adult retina. Basal body patterning was unaffected in the cones of the XOPS-mCFP transgenic line, which lacks rod photoreceptors. Finally, the adult pattern was not seen in 7 day post fertilization (dpf) larvae as basal bodies were randomly distributed in all the photoreceptor subtypes. These results establish the asymmetrical localization of basal bodies in red-, green-, and blue-sensitive cones in adult zebrafish retinas but not in larvae. This pattern suggests an active cellular mechanism regulated the positioning of basal bodies after the transition to the adult mosaic and that rods do not seem to be necessary for the patterning of cone basal bodies.
Constraint solving methods and sensor-based decision-making

The author describes a novel approach to sensor-based decision-making that involves formulating and solving large systems of parametric constraints. The constraints describe a model for sensor data and the criteria for correct decisions about the data. An incremental constraint solving technique performs the minimal model recovery required to reach a decision. The approach was demonstrated on two different problems, graspability and categorization, using range data and a superellipsoid data model. The experiments indicated that simultaneous solution of both data constraints and decision criteria can lead to be efficient and effective decision-making. even when the observed data was imprecise and incomplete. >
Health and Medical Care among the Children of Immigrants.

Using data spanning 1996-2009 from multiple panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this study investigates children's (average age 8.5 years) physical health, dental visits, and doctor contact among low-income children (n=46,148) in immigrant versus native households. Immigrant households are further distinguished by household citizenship and immigration status. The findings show that children residing in households with non-naturalized citizen parents, particularly those with a nonpermanent resident parent, experience worse health and less access to care even when controlling for important demographic, socioeconomic, and health insurance variables.
Investigating science learning for rural elementary school teachers in a professional‐development project through three distance‐education strategies

Distance education is a significant topic of discussion within institutions at all levels of education. It is not only significant in terms of finances and student enrollment but also in terms of meaningful learning. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative effectiveness of three distance-education strategies for enhancing the science learning of 94 Midwestern elementary-school teachers participating in a 5-year professional-development project. The three distance-education strategies studied were interactive television with all presenters live in real time (live), interactive television with live discussions wrapped around videotaped presentations (video), and asynchronous, Web-based sessions with streamed videotaped presentations supported by interaction through discussion boards (Web). A repeated measures design was used to analyze the science learning and attitudes of the study participants. Analysis of variance of participants' postsession science scores yielded differences (p < 0.05) on multiple-choice and constructed-response science subscales. Participants in the live mode outperformed participants in the Web and video modes on all three assessment types (multiple choice, constructed response, and vignettes). Participants in the Web mode outperformed participants in the video mode on multiple choice and constructed response. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 1019–1039, 2006
Time constants for nonstationary arcs

The time constants associated with the initial deviations of an arc column from a static state have been studied analytically. The basic approach is to use a Taylor series expansion in powers of time of the energy balance equation. It is assumed that the arc gas is optically thin and is in local thermal equilibrium. Initially the effects of radial gas flow (which must exist for dynamic arcs) are neglected, but this simplification is later relaxed. The initial conditions are given by the properties of a cylindrically symmetric, wall-stabilized DC positive column. The interrupted (freely decaying) and the step-modulated arcs are considered, and initial time constants for conductance, electric field, and heat flux potential are computed. For numerical results the best available values of thermodynamic and transport properties have been used.
Controlled VLF Wave Injection Experiments in the Magnetosphere

Whistler-mode waves injected into the magnetosphere from ground sources (e.g., lightning discharge, vlf transmitters) are used to probe the distribution of ions and electrons in the magnetosphere. They also cause wave growth (vlf emissions) and precipitation of electrons. Bursts of X-rays (> 30 keV) and enhancements of D-region ionization are examples of precipitation effects caused by lightning-generated waves. Growing narrowband wave trains are triggered by manmade coherent waves. Growth rates of ∼ 100 dB s-1 and total growths up to 30 dB have been measured using 5.5 kHz signals transmitted from Siple Station, Antarctica. Another source of coherent wave input to the magnetosphere are the harmonics from commercial power line systems. Power line harmonic radiation may suppress triggered emissions or change their frequency-time slope. Exponential growth of narrowband emissions is explained in terms of cyclotron resonance between the waves and trapped energetic electrons, with feedback included. Applications of wave injection experiments include: (1) study of emission mechanisms, (2) control of energetic particle precipitation, (3) diagnostics of cold and hot plasma, and (4) vlf communications.
Universal domination of stein-type estimators

For the problem of estimating the location parameter of a p-variate spherically symmetric distribution (p>3), Hwang (1985) established the dominance of some positive-part James-Stein (1961) estimators over the usual estimator simultaneously under a very general class of loss function. Vie show that many of his results can be extended to a class of positive-part Baranchik-type estimators (1970).
A fine grid finite element computation of two-dimensional high Reynolds number flows

A velocity-pressure-integrated mixed-interpolation Galerkin finite-element computation of the Navier-Stokes equations using the grids is presented. The velocity variables are interpolated using complete quadratic shape functions, and the pressure was interpolated using linear shape functions defined on a triangular element which is contained inside the quadratic element for velocity variables. Comprehensive computational results for a cavity flow at Reynolds number Re = 400-10,000 and a laminar backward-facing step flow at Re = 100-900 are presented. Many high-Re flows involve convection-dominated motion as well as diffusion-dominated motion in the flow domain. The computational results for both of the fluid motions compared favorably with high-accuracy finite-difference computational results and/or experimental data.
From sequential pattern mining to structured pattern mining: a pattern-growth approach

Sequential pattern mining is an important data mining problem with broad applications. However, it, is also a challenging problem since the mining may have to generate or examine a combinatorially explosive number of intermediate subsequences. Recent studies have developed two major classes of sequential pattern mining methods: (1) a candidate generation-and-test approach, represented by (i) GSP, a horizontal format-based sequential pattern mining method, and (ii) SPADE, a vertical format-based method; and (2) a pattern-growth method, represented by PrefixSpan and its further extensions, such as gSpan for mining structured patterns.In this study, we perform a systematic introduction and presentation of the pattern-growth methodology and study its principles and extensions. We first introduce two interesting pattern-growth algorithms, FreeSpan mid PrefixSpan, for efficient sequential pattern mining. Then we introduce gSpan for mining structured patterns using the same methodology. Their relative performance in large databases is presented and analyzed. Several extensions of these methods are also discussed in the paper, including mining multi-level, multi-dimensional patterns and mining constraint-based patterns.