cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Juvenile competence to stand trial: Research issues in practice

The recent referral of a 10-year-old boy to an outpatient Forensic Clinic in Virginia for the evaluation of his competence to stand trial (CST) raised four research issues in practice. Two of these research issues are raised in the context of mental health law: (1) What is the legal standing of the concept of competence to stand trial in juvenile court? (2) If there is such a distinct concept in juvenile court, how do relevant case law and statutes suggest that it differs from the adult standard of trial competence? Two further questions are relevant for behavioral science researchers: (1) Assuming that competence to stand trial is contextual (Grisso, 1986), what are the components of juvenile trial competence, and how can they be measured? (2) What are the relevant norms for performance of these tasks, and how can such norms be used by clinicians to separate developmentally induced deficits from those caused by psychopathology or mental retardation? There are no Virginia statutes or case law on juvenile CST5 However, one report has indicated that 17 state and the federal jurisdictions recognize this form of competence explicitly (Grisso, Miller, & Sales, 1987). Moreover, apparently no court has ruled that there is no such competence (Fitch, 1989), and the U.S. Supreme Court has determined (In re Gault, 1967) that juvenile defendants are entitled to a number of the procedural protections accorded adults (e.g., the rights to be represented by counsel and to confront witnesses, and the right against self-incrimination). The adult standard for competence to stand trial, applied without elaboration in the federal and nearly all state jurisdictions,6 was set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court in Dusky v. United States (1960): "whether (the defendant) has sufficient pre-
Finiteness of moments of randomly stopped sums of i.i.d. random variables

Let {Xn; n ⩾ 1} be a sequence of i.i.d. random variables with partial sum sequence {Zn} and proper stopping time N. We show the following: For EX = 0, r ϵ (0, ∞), and α ϵ[1, 2]; ENr/α < ∞ and E|X|max(r,α) < ∞ together imply E|ZrN|< ∞. This result is known for r ⩾ 2, and improves known results for r < 2.
When did mantle convection cease

Abstract A summary of limitations on upper mantle convection negates the concept of such convection from the Present to the Upper Cretaceous. The comparison of tectonic histories for western Europe and northwest Africa with eastern North America indicates that their tectonic histories are unrelated and therefore are not caused by continuous, discontinuous or surging mantle convection in the Paleozoic or Mesozoic. The existence of the tectonic quiet period in the Late Precambrian extends the lack of upper mantle convection to at least 900 million years ago.
Validation of patient determined disease steps (PDDS) scale scores in persons with multiple sclerosis

The Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) is a promising patient-reported outcome (PRO) of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). To date, there is limited evidence regarding the validity of PDDS scores, despite its sound conceptual development and broad inclusion in MS research. This study examined the validity of the PDDS based on (1) the association with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores and (2) the pattern of associations between PDDS and EDSS scores with Functional System (FS) scores as well as ambulatory and other outcomes. 96 persons with MS provided demographic/clinical information, completed the PDDS and other PROs including the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12), and underwent a neurological examination for generating FS and EDSS scores. Participants completed assessments of cognition, ambulation including the 6-minute walk (6 MW), and wore an accelerometer during waking hours over seven days. There was a strong correlation between EDSS and PDDS scores (ρ = .783). PDDS and EDSS scores were strongly correlated with Pyramidal (ρ = .578 & ρ = .647, respectively) and Cerebellar (ρ = .501 & ρ = .528, respectively) FS scores as well as 6 MW distance (ρ = .704 & ρ = .805, respectively), MSWS-12 scores (ρ = .801 & ρ = .729, respectively), and accelerometer steps/day (ρ = -.740 & ρ = -.717, respectively). This study provides novel evidence supporting the PDDS as valid PRO of disability in MS.
Optimum noise performance of optical amplifiers

The concept of noise figure F and noise measure M applicable to radio frequency and microwave amplifiers is reviewed and extended to cover optical amplifiers. Two noise figures are defined in the optical regime: one gives the ASE output, while the other gives the ratio of signal-to-noise ratios at the input and output. In the quantum regime, the lower limit on these optimum values is set by a generalization of Heisenberg's uncertainty relation. A Raman back-pumped fiber link with post-amplification with an erbium-doped fiber amplifier is used to illustrate the use of noise measure.
A periclase-dolomite-calcite carbonatite from the Oka complex, Quebec, and its calculated volatile composition

The eutectic mineral assemblage calcite-dolomite-periclase-apatite-forsterite-magnesioferrite-pyrrhotite-alabandite in a carbonatite dike within the Oka complex, Quebec, buffers the fugacities (and partial pressures) of all gas species in C-O-H-S-F, assuming vapor saturation. At the inferred eutectic (640° C, 1 kbar), the most important gas species and their partial pressures (bars) were: H2O, 882; CO2, 110; H2, 4.6; H2S, 2.7; CO, 0.5; and CH4, 0.1. Oxygen fugacity was near the QFM buffer, logf(O2)=−18.6, and sulfur fugacity was near the QFM-pyrrhotite buffer, logf(S2)=−5.9. Fluorine fugacity was low, logf(F2)=−43.9, consistent with the absence of fluoride minerals other than apatite. Presence of a water-rich gas phase is consistent with experiments on synthetic carbonatite systems (e.g. Fanelli et al. 1981), although compositions of the gas phase in published experiments cannot be determined exactly.
9th Annual Meeting of the Regional Cancer Consortium for the Biological Therapy of Cancer. 16-18 February 2006, UPMC Herberman Conference Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

The 9th Annual Meeting of the Regional Cancer Center Consortium for the Biological Therapy of Cancer took place in Pittsburgh, USA on 16 – 18 February 2006 (http://www.cancerbiologicaltherapy.org/f...
Polystyrene with designed molecular weight distribution by atom transfer radical coupling

Copper-mediated atom transfer radical coupling (ATRC) was studied for monobrominated and dibrominated polystyrenes as well as their mixtures. In the ATRC process macroradicals, generated in situ by an atom transfer radical equilibrium, participate in coupling reactions in the presence of a reducing agent, such as nanosize copper, zerovalent iron, tin octanoate (SnOct2), and ascorbic acid. 1H NMR analyses performed on the coupling product of monobrominated polystyrene (PStBr) showed the disappearance of the signal attributed to the methine proton located in the α-position to the bromine. ATRC is influenced by the nature of ligand as well as the amounts of ligand and zerovalent metal used in the process. The molecular weight of the coupling product is a function of the extent of coupling, which is defined by the proportion of polymeric chains participated in the reaction. Thus, molecular weights of the ATRC products of monobrominated polystyrene were approximately twice higher than those of PStBr precursors...
Thiol-ene reactions of 1,3,5-triacryloylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (TAT): facile access to functional tripodal thioethers

Abstract Efficient syntheses of tripodal thioethers have been achieved by ionic thiol-ene reactions of 1,3,5-triacryloylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (TAT) with a variety of commercially available thiols. The reactions are complete within minutes and give the products in high yields (63−96%) and high purity without a complex workup. The thiol-ene reactions tolerate a wide range of functionality, including hydroxy, amino, carboxylate, and trimethoxylsilyl groups. The amino acid cysteine is also an excellent substrate for this reaction.
The Proto-Oncogene Cot Kinase Participates in CD3/CD28 Induction of NF-κB Acting through the NF-κB-Inducing Kinase and IκB Kinases

Abstract The proto-oncogene Cot/Tpl-2 encodes a MAP3K-related serine-threonine kinase. Expression of wild type Cot activates the IκB kinases (IKK) leading to induction of NF-κB. Conversely, expression of kinase-deficient Cot inhibits CD3/CD28 but not TNFα induction of NF-κB. These findings suggest the selective involvement of Cot/Tpl-2 or a closely related kinase in the CD3/CD28 costimulatory pathway leading to induced nuclear expression of NF-κB. In contrast, a kinase-deficient mutant of the NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) inhibits both CD3/CD28 and TNFα signaling, indicating that these pathways converge at or prior to the action of NIK. Consistent with such a sequential function of these two kinases, Cot physically assembles with and phosphorylates NIK in vivo.
Rural-Urban Differences in Preventable Hospitalizations among Community-Dwelling Veterans with Dementia.

Context: Alzheimer's patients living in rural communities may face significant barriers to effective outpatient medical care. Purpose: We sought to examine rural-urban differences in risk for ambulatory care sensitive hospitalizations (ACSH), an indicator of access to outpatient care, in community-dwelling veterans with dementia. Methods: Medicare and Veteran Affairs inpatient claims for 1,186 US veterans with dementia were linked to survey data from the 1998 National Longitudinal Caregiver Survey. ACSH were identified in inpatient claims over a 1-year period following collection of independent variables. Urban Influence Codes were used to classify care recipients into 4 categories of increasing county-level rurality: large metropolitan; small metropolitan; micropolitan; and noncore rural counties. We used the Andersen Behavioral Model of Health Services to identify veteran, caregiver, and community factors that may explain urban-rural differences in ACSH. Findings: Thirteen percent of care recipients had at least 1 ACSH. The likelihood of an ACSH was greater for patients in noncore rural counties versus large metropolitan areas (22.6% vs 12.8%, unadjusted odds ratio [OR]= 1.99; P < .01). The addition of other Andersen behavioral model variables did not eliminate the disparity (adjusted OR = 1.97; P < .05). Conclusions: We found that dementia patients living in the most rural counties were more likely to have an ACSH; this disparity was not explained by differences in caregiver, care recipient, or community factors. Furthermore, the annual rate of ACSH was higher in community-dwelling dementia patients compared to previous reports on the general older adult population. Dementia patients in rural areas may face particular challenges in receiving timely, effective ambulatory care.
Reduction of Heart Sounds from Lung Sounds by Adaptive Filterng

Auscultation of the chest is an attractive diagnostic method used by physicians, owing to its simplicity and noninvasiveness. Hence, there is interest in lung sound analysis using time and frequency domain techniques to increase its usefulness in diagnosis. The sounds recorded or heard are, however, contaminated by incessant heart sounds which interfere in the diagnosis based on, and analysis of, lung sounds. A common method to minimize the effect of heart sounds is to filter the sound with linear high-pass filters which, however, also eliminates the overlapping spectrum of breath sounds. In this work we show how adaptive filtering can be used to reduce heart sounds without significantly affecting breath sounds. The technique is found to reduce the heart sounds by 50?80 percent.
Application of vibrotactile feedback of body motion to improve rehabilitation in individuals with imbalance.

Background and Purpose: Balance rehabilitation and vestibular or balance prostheses are both emerging fields that have a potential for synergistic interaction. This article reviews vibrotactile prosthetic devices that have been developed to date and ongoing work related to the application of vibrotactile feedback for enhanced postural control. A vibrotactile feedback device developed in the author’s laboratory is described. Methods: Twelve subjects with vestibular hypofunction were tested on a platform that moved randomly in a plane, while receiving vibrotactile feedback in the anteroposterior direction. The feedback allowed subjects to significantly decrease their anteroposterior body tilt but did not change mediolateral tilt. A tandem walking task performed by subjects with vestibulopathies demonstrated a reduction in their mediolateral sway due to vibrotactile feedback of mediolateral body tilt, after controlling for the effects of task learning. Published findings from 2 additional experiments conducted in the laboratories of collaborating physical therapists are summarized. Results: The Dynamic Gait Index scores in community-dwelling elderly individuals who were prone to falls were significantly improved with the use of mediolateral body tilt feedback. Discussion and Conclusions: Although more work is needed, these results suggest that vibrotactile tilt feedback of subjects’ body motion can be used effectively by physical therapists for balance rehabilitation. A preliminary description of the third-generation device that has been reduced from a vest format to a belt format is described to demonstrate the progressive evolution from research to clinical application.
Illuminated Rhodopsin Is Required for Strong Activation of Retinal Guanylate Cyclase by Guanylate Cyclase-Activating Proteins†

We have recently shown that activation of retinal guanylate cyclase (retGC) by GC-activating proteins (GCAPs) is much stronger than that previously reported and that preincubation of photoreceptor outer segment homogenates with ATP or its analogue, adenylyl imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP), is required for the strong activation [Yamazaki, A., Yu, H., Yamazaki, M., Honkawa, H., Matsuura, I., Usukura, J., and Yamazaki, R. K. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 33150-33160]. Here we show that illuminated rhodopsin is essential for development of the AMP-PNP incubation effect. This was demonstrated by illumination of dark homogenates and treatments of illuminated homogenates with 11-cis-retinal and hydroxylamine prior to the AMP-PNP incubation and by measurement of the GCAP2 concentration required for 50% activation. We also found that the AMP-PNP incubation effect was not altered by addition of guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate), indicating that transducin activation is not required. It is concluded that illuminated rhodopsin is involved in retGC activation in two ways: to initiate the ATP incubation effect for preparation of retGC activation as shown here and to reduce the Ca 2+ concentrations through cGMP phosphodiesterase activation as already known. These two signal pathways may be activated in a parallel and perhaps proportional manner and finally converge for strong activation of retGC by Ca 2+ -free GCAPs.
Catalase activity in young red cells.

THE process of ageing of mature red blood cells is thought to be related to a progressive deterioration of one or more metabolic functions on which the morphological integrity of the cell appears to depend1. At present, there is insufficient evidence available to permit an identification of the critical processes within the cell that control and delineate its life span. Recent investigation of this problem has been focused at the enzyme-level, and it has been reported that young red cells have increased levels of catalase2 as well as other enzymes3,4 which fall progressively as the cells age.
Practice effects for visual resolution in the periphery.

Resolution thresholds at 0° (fovea), 20°, 40°, and 60° along the horizontal meridian of the temporal visual field revealed a characteristic degradation in visual resolution with increasing stimulus eccentricity. However, substantial individual differences were found, particularly at 40° and 60° of eccentricity. Dramatic improvements in peripheral visual resolution occurred over a period of 11 practice sessions, with the time course of practice effects increasing for greater visual field eccentricities. Improvements with practice reduced, but did not eliminate, individual differences. The present visual resolution findings are compared to previous studies of peripheral motion detection and increment thresholds.
Oxygen isotope composition of the Luna 16 soil

The results of the 0-18/0-16 analysis of the available 16-mg sample of Luna 16 soil are presented and compared with oxygen-isotope compositions of several Apollo soils. The analytical techniques were the same as those of Onuma et al. (1970) applied to the Apollo samples. It is found that the soil from Mare Fecunditatis is indistinguishable in oxygen isotopic composition from the soils of Mare Tranquillitatis and the Fra Mauro region.
The role of Pi in glycolytic inhibition of calcium ion uptake by ELD ascites tumor cells

1. 1. In contrast to previous investigations at 25° C [1], glucose was shown to support 45Ca2+ uptake at 37° C in intact ELD ascites tumor cells. 2. 2. Intact ascites tumor cells in vitro accumulated up to 5.0 μmol of 45Ca2+ per g cells dry wt. within 20 min. 3. 3. In the presence of 10.0 mM glucose, intracellular Pi levels fell from 40.0 μmol · g−1 cells dry wt. to 20.0 μmol · g−1 cells dry wt. in 5 min. 4. 4. Intracellular Pi levels were maintained by 20.0 mM extracellular Tris-Pi. 5. 5. 45Ca2+ uptake was inhibited in Pi-depleted cells, even though the metabolic rate (as measured by Qlactate) and energy state (as measured by ATP levels) were at acceptable levels [2]. 6. 6. Evidence has been presented suggesting that previous reports of glucose inhibition of calcium uptake can be attributed to a competition for available intracellular Pi between glycolytic processes and the mitochondrial calcium uptake mechanism.
Nonmechanical zoom system through pressure-controlled tunable fluidic lenses

We have developed a variable-power zoom system that incorporates fluidic lenses and has no moving parts. The designed system applies two single-chamber plano–convex fluid singlets, each with their own distinct design, as well as a conventional refractive lens. In this paper, we combine the two fluid elements to form a variable-power telescope, while the fixed lens enables image formation. In this configuration, the image plane location is fixed. By synchronizing the powers of the two fluidic lenses, we produce a varying magnification zoom system. The design of each lens and the coupled system is analyzed. The coupled device experimentally produced a magnification range of 0.1× to 10× zoom or a 20× zoom magnification range with no moving parts. Furthermore, we expand on optical performance and capabilities of our system with fluidic lenses relative to traditional zoom lenses.
Adolescents' perceived barriers to healthcare services.

PURPOSE. To explore adolescents' perceptions of information needed to feel both mentally and physically healthy and their perceptions of barriers that exist to obtaining health-care services related to these needs. METHODS. A convenience sample of 64 adolescents ages 11-18 years, living in a metropolitan southern community. Content analysis was used to analyze the written responses of the subjects to open-ended questions. FINDINGS. Adolescents wanted information about what activities were defined as healthy and unhealthy, including facts about exercise, nutrition, and expressing feelings. Perceived barriers included money, time, personal characteristics, parents, and unavailability of appropriate resources. CONCLUSIONS. Findings have implications for designing services to meet the mental health care and educational needs of adolescents. Involving adolescents in the planning of these services is an important step in promoting health and self-care competence.
X‐ray pulses observed above a mesoscale convective system

During a balloon flight into and above the stratiform region of a mesoscale convective system, we observed three x-ray pulses while the balloon was at an altitude of approximately 15 km MSL (atmospheric pressure of 130 mb). These pulses were one to two orders of magnitude above the background x-ray count rate with peak fluxes between 37 and 270 (cm²-s-sr)−1 and durations of about one second. No significant electric field was measured at the time of these pulses.
A PROCEDURE FOR THE ALLOCATION OF TWO-DIMENSIONAL RESOURCES IN A MULTIAGENT SYSTEM

This paper presents a constructive solution to the classic problem of land division. It is the first solution that enables the allocation of higher-dimensional resources without degenerating them first into a series of one-dimensional resource allocation problems. We base our allocation procedure on the topology of overlaps among the regions of interest of different agents. Our result is an algorithm suitable for computer implementation, unlike earlier ones that were only existential in nature. It uses the notion of degree of partial overlap to create a sufficiency condition for the existence of a solution, and proposes a procedure to find the overlaps in such a case. The proposed solution is fair, strategy-proof, non-existential, and does not explicitly need the resource to be measurable. The agents do not have to reveal their private utility functions. We extend our earlier result for one-dimensional resource allocation to this two-dimensional one and explain the distinctive issues involved.
Mental Health Service Use by Persons of Asian Ancestry With DSM-IV Mental Disorders in the United States

Objectives:This study compared the prevalence and odds of mental health service utilization among people of Asian ancestry with lifetime DSM-IV mood, anxiety, alcohol, and drug use disorders with utilization by members of other racial and ethnic groups with similar disorders. Methods:Between 2001 and 2002, a total of 43,093 noninstitutionalized individuals were assessed by the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) study of lifetime prevalence of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders and mental health service utilization among various ethnic and racial groups. Results:Among individuals with lifetime mood disorders, Asians had significantly lower mental health service utilization compared with whites (odds ratio [OR]=.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]=.21–.46), Hispanics (OR=.49, CI=.33–71), and Native Americans (OR=.27, CI=.15–.48) but similar utilization compared with blacks. There were no statistically significant differences in lifetime mental health service utilization for alco...
VOLITIONAL ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR THE SHORT BOY

Short boys, referred without pathologic etiology but with social maladjustment present or anticipated, were offered a choice of ameliorative therapy. 168 boys, over a period of more than 15 years, ranging in age from less than 10 to 16 were originally referred; 37 were seen twice or less and 23 were less than 11 years old, leaving 108. Of the 108, 35 chose no treatment; 6 grew well enough to cross growth lines and 29 continued to grow within growth lines. 58 of the treated boys received only testosterone enanthate at 50 mg/month or less, considered to be less than the dose that would induce pubescence. 30 of the 58 crossed growth lines; 28 did not. A total of 72 boys were treated with combined therapies, receiving cyproheptadine (CY), clonidine (CL), fluoxymesterone (FL) and oxandrolone, singly or in combination with testosterone (TT). About 1/2 of this group also crossed growth lines. Neuroseeretory growth hormone dysfunction was not absolutely ruled oui in either group although none was truly growth hormone deficient. The results of such choice therapy with testosterone in low dose for the treatment of delayed (or anticipated delayed) adolescence and short stature in boys, may recommend its selected use.
SIMPLE CYSTECTOMY IN PATIENTS REQUIRING URINARY DIVERSION

Purpose: Urinary diversion is an alternative treatment for conditions such as radiation and interstitial cystitis, neurogenic bladder and severe incontinence. The subsequent complication rate may reach 60% due to the retained nonfunctional bladder. The subsequent cystectomy rate may be as high as 20% because of pyocystis, hematuria, pelvic pain and rarely bladder cancer. We describe simple cystectomy involving bladder removal without the adjacent structures, avoiding deep pelvic dissection.Materials and Methods: Ileal conduit or continent diversion and simple cystectomy were performed for crippling bladder symptoms secondary to neurogenic bladder, pelvic radiation, hematuria and/or severe incontinence in 12 women and 7 men with a mean age of 63 years. We performed urinary diversion and simple cystectomy only when all conservative means of treatment had failed. The majority of patients had multiple co-morbidities, previous surgeries and pelvic radiation. An average of 5 conservative procedures (range 2 to ...
Clobetasol propionate in the treatment of premenarchal vulvar lichen sclerosus.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of treating premenarchal vulvar lichen sclerosus with clobetasol propionate. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of girls presenting to the University of Michigan Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Clinic from January, 1995, to July, 2000, with premenarchal lichen sclerosus. Subjects in the study were treated with topical clobetasol propionate ointment 0.05% for 2–4 weeks, and then tapered to a less potent steroid. Information was extracted concerning age at onset, symptoms, vulvar examination, previous treatments, effectiveness of clobetasol, follow-up, and complications. The parents were contacted for a follow-up telephone survey. RESULTS: Fifteen girls averaging 5.7 years at the start of symptoms met criteria. The diagnosis of lichen sclerosus was made visually in 11 and by biopsy in four. Follow-up ranged from 2 months to 6 years. Fourteen girls had good improvement within 4–7 weeks. One girl developed a yeast superinfection and one developed transient erythema. At least 1 year of follow-up by clinic visit or telephone interview was available in 11 girls. Of these 11, two girls had no further vulvar symptoms after the initial treatment, five had one or two total flares, three reported three to eight flares per year, and one girl continues to be unresponsive to therapy. CONCLUSION: Clobetasol propionate was an effective treatment of premenarchal vulvar lichen sclerosus in this small group; however, recurrences were common and required additional steroid treatment. Furthermore, complications of treatment were infrequent, minor, and easily treatable.
The Context for Political Corruption: A Cross‐National Analysis

Objective. How do we explain variations across nations in the incidence of political corruption? Recent theoretical work locates the causes for corruption in a combination of institutional conditions: monopoly power, little accountability, and wide discretion. This focus on the form of political institutions clarifies the micro-scale causes of political corruption, but it leaves unanswered questions about the macro-scale causes of corruption. Methods. This article addresses these questions about the macro scale through an analysis of perceived levels of corruption across nations. Results. Our work identifies poverty, large populations, and small public sectors as contextual causes of corruption. Historically-based differences in political cultures across broad geographical regions also affect the perceived incidence of corruption in nations. Conclusion. Further research should attempt to link micro- and macro-scale causes together in a single, multi-scalar model of corruption.
Dispersion Characteristics of Mid-IR Glasses and Optical Fibers

We have investigated the material, waveguide and total dispersion in a fluorozirconate glass and found that the total dispersion can be kept below 3ps/nmkm over a broad wavelength region (1,4-3,9μm) in a step-index single-mode fiber structure.
Nanoparticle-based theragnostics: Integrating diagnostic and therapeutic potentials in nanomedicine.

Theragnostics is a strategy that integrates therapeutics with diagnostics to develop new personalized treatments with enhanced efficacy and safety. One key component of theragnostics is diagnostic imaging with high sensitivity and molecular specificity. The advent of molecular imaging has brought revolutionary changes to conventional imaging by enabling characterization of biological processes at the cellular and molecular levels spatially and temporally [1]. Depending on the molecular imaging modality and contrast agent used, theragnostics could be achieved by applying imaging throughout treatment planning, drug and dosage selection, and therapeutic response monitoring. Nanotechnology has led the advances in theragnostics, as a result of the development of a variety of fine particulate materials with size dimensions in the range of 1–200 nm, and the discovery of their unique physicochemical properties that are not found in their bulk counterparts. These properties include quantum confinement in semiconductor nanoparticles (also known as quantum dots), superparamagnetism in certain oxide nanoparticles, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in metallic nanoparticles, among others. These unique physical properties have substantially expanded the potential of molecular imaging, and led to the development of highly sensitive, and cost-effective novel molecular imaging agents. These new imaging agents can be broadly categorized as optical (fluorescent, SERS, photoacoustic, etc.), magnetic, radioactive (positron or γ-ray emitting), X-ray opaque (nanoparticles with high electron density) and ultrasound-sensitive (nanobubbles) agents. Nanoparticles used in medicine are typically coated with a polymer that bears ample functional groups providing flexibility to integrate multiple functionalities. With this flexibility, nanoparticles can serve as diagnostic tools, or therapeutic carriers, or both. In fact, the rapid emerging of theragnostics in nanomedicine is largely dependent upon this flexibility. Various biomolecules have been conjugated on nanoparticles through surface functional groups for intended function, such as targeting ligand for cell specific binding, drugs for chemotherapy, genes for cell transfection, or combination of them. With size dimensions at the nanoscale, these particles can navigate through microvasculature and across various biological barriers to reach target tissue. The size, surface charge, and hydrophobicity of nanoparticles can be controlled to minimize renal and hepatic clearance [2], and thus extend their blood circulation time and reduce potential immunogenicity. Most of theragnostic nanoparticles, such as liposomes, micelles, and nanocomposites, have complex nanostructures that consist of building blocks with diverse chemical compositions [3-6].
Robust Forced Response in South Asian Summer Monsoon in a Future Climate

AbstractA robust response of South Asian summer monsoon precipitation to increasing greenhouse gas concentration during the twenty-first century is identified in 23 models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. The pattern of this response is dominated by two dipole structures, one oriented east–west across the Maritime Continent and another oriented north–south across the equatorial Indian Ocean, and is characterized by enhanced rainfall in South Asia and diminished rainfall over the Maritime Continent. The response is robust in the sense that the same pattern has a trend that is within one standard deviation of the trend of other models. Another robust feature is that the variability of precipitation about this trend decreases in all models, and hence becomes more detectable with time. The response is negligible compared to internal variability during the twentieth century but emerges clearly by the middle of the twenty-first century. Although the pattern as a whole is robust, the re...
Active Expectant Management of Preterm Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes (PROM) with Cervical Cerclage

Previous experience has shown that an ‘active expectant management’ protocol consisting of prophylactic antibacterial agents, tocolysis and intensive fetal monitoring is superior to passive expectant management in patients with premature rupture of fetal membranes (PROM). Active expectant management was utilised in 3 patients with PROM and a cervical cerclage left in place. The latent phases for the 3 patients were 4.6, 14.3 and 30.25 days, respectively. No relationship was noted between C-reactive protein levels or WBC and clinical outcome. Pseudomembranous enterocolitis developed in 1 patient and was successfully treated without stopping prophylactic antibacterial therapy or delivering the fetus. A low rate of infection-related morbidity was observed.
Pattern recognition in multiband imagery using stochastic expectation maximization

Hyperspectral sensors can facilitate automatic pattern recognition in cluttered imagery since man made objects often differ considerably from the natural background in absorbing and reflecting the radiation at various wavelengths i.e., the identification of the objects is based on spectral signature of the objects in the scene. In this paper, a unified approach for pattern recognition with known object signature is formulated by generating Gaussian mixture model to effectively utilize the underlying statistics of the data cube. To estimate the model parameters, enhanced version of the stochastic expectation maximization (SEM) algorithm is employed, which is also used successfully for image classification by reducing the unwanted information in the data cube. In the proposed scheme, at first we used the modified SEM to identify the different classes in the scene including the desired object class. Then, the Mahalanobis distance between the desired object signature and distributions of the mixture model is employed to detect the object class. Finally, the maximum a posteriori (MAP) probability for each pixel is estimated and Bayesian decision law is applied in order to isolate object pixels. The proposed algorithm has been tested using real life hyperspectral imagery and the results show that the algorithm shows robust performance in noisy environment.
Impaired glucocorticoid synthesis in premature infants developing chronic lung disease.

Premature infants have higher cortisol precursor concentrations than term infants; however, many sick preterm infants have surprisingly low cortisol concentrations. Those who develop chronic lung disease (CLD) have lower cortisol values than those who recover. We hypothesized that some infants have a decreased ability to synthesize cortisol, leading to physiologic disruptions including amplified inflammatory responses, thereby resulting in CLD. We measured cortisol, 11-deoxycortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and ACTH in 40 extremely low birth weight infants enrolled in a study of low-dose hydrocortisone therapy to prevent CLD. Thirty-four infants survived and 15 developed CLD. Hydrocortisone therapy did not suppress ACTH or any measured steroid value. Before study (<48 h of life), 17-OH progesterone was higher in CLD infants, as was the ratio of 17-OH progesterone to 11-deoxycortisol. On d 15–19 (≥72 h after end of therapy), basal and stimulated cortisol concentrations were lower in CLD infants. In contrast, the basal ratio of 11-deoxycortisol to cortisol was higher in CLD infants, as were stimulated values of 17-OH progesterone and stimulated ratios of 17-OH progesterone to 11-deoxycortisol and 11-deoxycortisol to cortisol. Thus, infants who developed CLD had lower basal and stimulated cortisol values, but elevated cortisol precursors and precursor to product ratios, compared with infants who recovered. These data support the hypothesis that these immature infants have a decreased capacity to synthesize cortisol, which may lead to a relative adrenal insufficiency in the face of significant illness.
Spatial Patterns of Variability in Antarctic Surface Temperature: Connections to the Southern Hemisphere Annular Mode and the Southern Oscillation

The 17-year (1982-1998) trend in surface temperature shows a general cooling over the Antarctic continent, warming of the sea ice zone, with moderate changes over the oceans. Warming of the peripheral seas is associated with negative trends in the regional sea ice extent. Effects of the Southern Hemisphere Annular Mode (SAM) and the extrapolar Southern Oscillation (SO) on surface temperature are quantified through regression analysis. Positive polarities of the SAM are associated with cold anomalies over most of Antarctica, with the most notable exception of the Antarctic Peninsula. Positive temperature anomalies and ice edge retreat in the Pacific sector are associated with El Nino episodes. Over the past two decades, the drift towards high polarity in the SAM and negative polarity in the SO indices couple to produce a spatial pattern with warmer temperatures in the Antarctic Peninsula and peripheral seas, and cooler temperatures over much of East Antarctica.
Two critical psychological components of ski racing: Fun and feelings

Abstract The concepts of having fun and being aware of feeling states are presented as two critical factors in ski racing. First, the positive motivational characteristics of ‘fun’ are outlined. It is suggested that fun is not only a concept for young athletes but elite ones as well. Preliminary data based on a questionnaire, completed by the United States Alpine Ski Team and approximately 150 ski coaches, are presented. Second, the discussion on feelings refers to the mental programming of tactile sensations and determining one's emotional arousal (feeling state) prior to, and during, competition. Practical suggestions are made with regard to the psychological states and their effects on ski racing.
Exploratory Bayesian Model Selection for Serial Genetics Data

Characterizing the process by which molecular and cellular level changes occur over time will have broad implications for clinical decision making and help further our knowledge of disease etiology across many complex diseases. However, this presents an analytic challenge due to the large number of potentially relevant biomarkers and the complex, uncharacterized relationships among them. We propose an exploratory Bayesian model selection procedure that searches for model simplicity through independence testing of multiple discrete biomarkers measured over time. Bayes factor calculations are used to identify and compare models that are best supported by the data. For large model spaces, i.e., a large number of multi-leveled biomarkers, we propose a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) stochastic search algorithm for finding promising models. We apply our procedure to explore the extent to which HIV-1 genetic changes occur independently over time.
Configurable error correction for multi-wire errors in switch-to-switch SOC links

We present a configurable error correction scheme, combining a set of single-error correction (SEC) codes with interleaving, to achieve reliable and energy-efficient SoC links. Both the encoder and interleaver adapt to different noise conditions in order to address adjacent multi-wire errors. Using this approach, we achieve residual flit-error rate one order of magnitude less than with a simple SEC code. For a given reliability, the proposed approach achieves up to 15% power improvement over a fixed coding scheme. Furthermore, an XOR-tree-sharing method reduces codec area overhead by about 30%.
Rigidity and mapping class group for abstract tiling spaces

We study abstract self-affine tiling actions, which are an intrinsically defined class of minimal expansive actions of ℝd on a compact space. They include the translation actions on the compact spaces associated to aperiodic repetitive tilings or Delone sets in ℝd. In the self-similar case, we show that the existence of a homeomorphism between tiling spaces implies conjugacy of the actions up to a linear rescaling. We also introduce the general linear group of an (abstract) tiling, prove its discreteness, and show that it is naturally isomorphic with the (pointed) mapping class group of the tiling space. To illustrate our theory, we compute the mapping class group for a five-fold symmetric Penrose tiling.
Nonadaptive MIMO radar techniques for reducing clutter

Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO) radars enhance performance by transmitting and receiving coded waveforms from multiple locations. This paper describes how MIMO techniques can be used to improve radar performance, especially in airborne GMTI applications. A previous analysis of the clutter-to-noise-ratio (CNR) for stationary, surface-based MIMO radar is extended to the airborne radar scenario. Our analysis shows that MIMO airborne radars will have lower CNRs, resulting in smaller losses when observing stationary and low-velocity targets. We also address the implementation of MIMO radar modes using Electronically Scanned Arrays (ESAs). Herein, we show that implementing MIMO techniques within a subarrayed antenna can result in high sidelobes and/or reduced search rates. To address this problem, we describe how space-time waveform coding can be used to improve performance. Two space-time waveform encoding approaches are proposed: (1) an overlapped virtual transmit subarray approach, and (2) a beamspace MIMO processing approach. A third approach, involving conventional MIMO waveforms and irregular subarrays, is also briefly considered.
Changes in gene expression associated with acclimation to constant temperatures and fluctuating daily temperatures in an annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus.

SUMMARY Eurythermal ectotherms commonly thrive in environments that expose them to large variations in temperature on daily and seasonal bases. The roles played by alterations in gene expression in enabling eurytherms to adjust to these two temporally distinct patterns of thermal stress are poorly understood. We used cDNA microarray analysis to examine changes in gene expression in a eurythermal fish, Austrofundulus limnaeus , subjected to long-term acclimation to constant temperatures of 20, 26 and 37°C and to environmentally realistic daily fluctuations in temperature between 20°C and 37°C. Our data reveal major differences between the transcriptional responses in the liver made during acclimation to constant temperatures and in response to daily temperature fluctuations. Control of cell growth and proliferation appears to be an important part of the response to change in temperature, based on large-scale changes in mRNA transcript levels for several key regulators of these pathways. However, cell growth and proliferation appear to be regulated by different genes in constant versus fluctuating temperature regimes. The gene expression response of molecular chaperones is also different between constant and fluctuating temperatures. Small heat shock proteins appear to play an important role in response to fluctuating temperatures whereas larger molecular mass chaperones such as Hsp70 and Hsp90 respond more strongly to chronic high temperatures. A number of transcripts that encode for enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of nitrogen-containing organic osmolytes have gene expression patterns that indicate a possible role for these `chemical chaperones9 during acclimation to chronic high temperatures and daily temperature cycling. Genes important for the maintenance of membrane integrity are highly responsive to temperature change. Changes in fatty acid saturation may be important in long-term acclimation and in response to fluctuating temperatures; however cholesterol metabolism may be most critical for short-term acclimation to fluctuating temperatures. The variable effect of temperature on the expression of genes with daily rhythms of expression indicates that there is a complex interaction between the temperature cycle and daily rhythmicity in gene expression. A number of new hypotheses concerning temperature acclimation in fish have been generated as a result of this study. The most notable of these hypotheses is the possibility that the high mobility group b1 (HMGB1) protein, which plays key roles in the assembly of transcription initiation and enhanceosome complexes, may act as a compensatory modulator of transcription in response to temperature, and thus as a global gene expression temperature sensor. This study illustrates the utility of cDNA microarray approaches in both hypothesis-driven and `discovery-based9 investigations of environmental effects on organisms.
Origins of the equivalent circuit concept: the current-source equivalent

The voltage-source equivalent was first derived by Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894) in an 1853 paper. Exactly thirty years later in 1883, Leon Charles Thevenin (1857-1926) published the same result, apparently unaware of Helmholtz's work. The generality of the equivalent source network was not appreciated until forty-three years later. Then, in 1926, Edward Lawry Norton (1898-1983) wrote an internal Bell Laboratory technical report that described in passing the usefulness in some applications of using the current-source form of the equivalent circuit. In that same year, Hans Ferdinand Mayer (1895-1980) published the same result and detailed it fully. As detailed subsequently, these people intertwine in interesting ways.
Renal Peripheral Neuroectodermal Tumor Presenting at Age 78: Case Report

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of the kidney is a rare and aggressive tumor, often presenting in advanced stages and progressing rapidly. Renal PNET (rPNET) may affect a wide age spectrum, but the majority of cases are in young adults. We present a case of advanced rPNET in a 78-year-old woman. To our knowledge, this is the most advanced age of presentation of this neoplasm to date. We report on her presentation and management, and discuss the current clinical management of this tumor.
T4+ (helper phenotype) chronic lymphocytic leukemia: case report with liver failure and literature review

T-cell lymphomas and leukemias are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms found in each anatomic compartment of the T system (marrow, thymus, and various peripheral tissues) and that have varying phenotypic expressions. Histopathologic features of the thymic and peripheral T neoplasms do not fit into a clearly defined pattern, and clinical expressions of T neoplasms are likewise variable. This report describes a 60-year-old man with “chronic” lymphocytic leukemia of T4 + (helper) phenotype. Rapid deterioration in liver function, presumably due to tumor infiltration, was unexpected and has not previously been reported. The unusual clinical and pathologic features are reviewed in the context of T-cell neoplasms, particularly T4 + processes.
Towards Hardware Support for Common Sensor Processing Tasks

Sensor processing is a common task within many embedded system domains, such as in control systems, the sensor feedback is used for actuator control. In this paper we have surveyed several embedded system domains, and extracted kernels of computation that are common across applications within a given domain, or across domains. We have shown that adding architectural support for executing these common kernels of computation can yield an overall better system performance. We present a light weight, simplified prototype of a Sensor Processing Unit (SPU) that offloads these computations from the main Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) of an embedded processor, and that accesses sensor data in a low latency manner. Our SPU prototype shows an average speed up factor of 2.48 over executing these kernels on an embedded PowerPC processor. A large portion of this speed up is due to our low latency method for accessing sensor data. Isolating our speed up to purely computation still shows an average speed up factor of 1.38 for these kernels.