cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ergot of Grain

Ergot is a disease of wild and cultivated species of grass throughout the world. Incidence is always very low and no threat is posed to production of grain or survival of natural grasslands. Ergot is a disease only of the flowers. When a grass blooms, the ovaries are attacked, and once the head matures, the seeds, or kernels, are replaced by larger, hard, purplish bodies of the pathogen called sclerotia (Fig. 28-1). The sclerotia are harvested along with the grain and contaminate animal feedstuffs and flour with poisonous alkaloids which cause sickness, abortion, and death. This is called ergotism. The extracted alkaloids are used as drugs to induce abortion and to control hemorrhage.
Latina/os and Party Politics in the California Campaign against Bilingual Education: A Case Study in Argument from Transcendence

This essay analyzes the campaign for California Proposition 227, a 1997 ballot initiative outlawing bilingual education, in the discourse of the movement's Republican organizer Ron Unz. Unlike previous Republican campaigns which were targeted exclusively at Latina/os, Proposition 227 had to appeal to both Latina/o and Anglo voters. As a result, the campaign used argument from transcendence and identification to resolve the difficult tensions in language policy and party politics and to portray Proposition 227 as a pro-Latino and pro-assimilation initiative. Analysis of this campaign enriches our understanding of argument from transcendence and complicates scholarship on Republican campaigns targeting Latina/o voters.
Vascular calcification in patients with large-vessel vasculitis compared to patients with hyperlipidemia.

Abstract Objective Calcification of the coronary arteries, aorta, and branch vessels can occur in both large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) and atherosclerosis. The study objective was to determine the location and amount of vascular calcification in patients with LVV versus hyperlipidemia (HLD) and to identify risk factors associated with vascular calcification in LVV. Methods Patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA), Takayasu's arteritis (TAK), and HLD underwent non-contrast computed tomography of the aorta and branch vessels. Vascular calcification in 14 specific arterial territories (4 segments of the aorta, 9 branch arteries, and the coronary arteries) was quantified throughout the large arteries by a cumulative Agatston score. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to identify associations between traditional and disease-specific risk factors and total Agatston score. Results A total of 88 subjects, including GCA (n = 29); TAK (n = 22); and HLD (n = 37), participated. Prevalence of vascular calcification in the aorta and branch vessels significantly differed in the coronary arteries (HLD = 67%, GCA = 35%, TAK = 9%, p Conclusion The prevalence of coronary artery calcification is lower in LVV compared to HLD, but the amount of total vascular calcification throughout the large arteries is greater in LVV. Both traditional and disease-specific risk factors are associated with vascular calcification in LVV.
Real-time thermal imagery from an unmanned aerial vehicle can locate ground nests of a grassland songbird at rates similar to traditional methods

Abstract Monitoring songbird reproductive output is a well-established method for assessing population persistence, but reproductive studies on grassland songbirds often suffer from low sample sizes, high labor costs, and high levels of disturbance due to the difficulty of finding nests. However, technological advances in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) might improve our ability to locate these hidden nests with minimal intrusion. We compared the effectiveness and efficiency of locating grassland songbird nests with a thermal camera mounted on a UAV versus traditional nest searching techniques. We used a paired experimental design to determine whether UAV-assisted searches could replicate the results from traditional search methods. Two independent teams surveyed field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) territories with active ground nests for up to 2 h on consecutive days. Each team recorded the outcome and time it took to locate the nest. Both methods were highly successful at locating ground nests. UAV-assisted searches located nests 28% faster than traditional methods, but the results from a survival-style analysis indicated that the methods were not significantly different. Although UAVs may temporarily increase stress and alter the behavior of animals, UAV-assisted searches are generally less invasive than traditional methods because piloting the aircraft from the territory edge drastically reduces the need to traverse and trample vegetation within the territory. Thus, UAV-assisted nest searches represent a promising technique for locating grassland bird nests. Continued advances in UAV and thermal technology are likely to increase the efficiency of UAV-assisted nest searches and may eventually remove the need for humans to enter target territories when monitoring nest success.
Metal Oxide Semiconductor-Carbon Nanomaterial Network as a Flexible Chemical Sensor for Volatile Organic Compound Detection

Recently, wearable chemical sensors based on metal oxide semiconductors (MOSs) have attracted considerable attention for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from exhaled breath as a noninvasive tool for diagnosing physiological condition at early stages. Since the conventional spectrometric techniques are highly sophisticated and a trained technician is required, nanomaterial-based chemiresistive sensors are alternative to this. We have fabricated a metal oxide-carbon nanocomposite-based flexible sensor using a low-cost screen-printing technique. Its microstructure and composition was characterized by a scanning electron microscope and an energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The fabricated sensor was able to detect volatile organic compounds at room temperature.
Tax Planning Gone Awry: Do Tax-Motivated Firms Experience Worse Tax Outcomes from Losses Compared to Other Firms?

We study the tax outcomes associated with losses in publicly traded U.S. multinational firms. We find that tax planning using tax haven operations, which is commonly associated with relatively favorable tax outcomes for profitable firms, is associated with poor tax outcomes from losses compared to multinational firms that do not tax plan with tax haven operations. Specifically, we find that firms with tax haven operations receive significantly lower tax loss benefits in terms of both tax loss carrybacks and tax loss carryforwards. We demonstrate the striking asymmetry of the tax U.S. system, in which U.S. multinational firms are often unable to fully realize tax benefits for their losses despite provisions for tax loss carrybacks and carryforwards, and show that tax planning exacerbates this asymmetry. In addition, we note that our findings highlight a potential cost of tax avoidance: lower tax benefits from losses. We also contribute to the tax avoidance literature by providing a research design framework for studying tax outcomes during loss years.
Shared decision making, satisfaction with care and medication adherence among patients with diabetes

Abstract Objectives We examined factors associated with shared decision making and whether shared decision-making (SDM) was associated with satisfaction with care or with adherence to anti-diabetic medication. Methods A retrospective study was conducted using 2011–2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Inclusion criteria were 18 years or older and visit to a usual source of care during the prior 12 months. Exclusion criteria were reported cognitive limitation, proxy response, less than two prescription fills, or missing data on study variables. SDM was assessed using seven MEPS items. Satisfaction with care was assessed using a single MEPS item 12 months after SDM measurement. Adherence was assessed using Medication Possession Ratio in 12 months after SDM measurement. Results The weighted sample of 797 respondents represented 15.6 million with diabetes. Being older, male, or uninsured were associated with low SDM. High SDM was associated with higher satisfaction (p Conclusions Patients with higher SDM were more satisfied with their healthcare. We did not find association between SDM and adherence to antidiabetic medication. Practice implications Involvement in SDM is encouraged to improve patient satisfaction. Providers may consider age, sex and insurance status in facilitating communications to improve SDM.
Nanotechnology and chemical engineering as a tool to bioprocess microalgae for its applications in therapeutics and bioresource management

Microalgae are a dynamic biological resource with various biotechnological applications. During recent times, the scope of this application has expanded to include: nutritional health foods, pharmaceuticals, agricultural and industrial products, environmental remediation and bioenergy production. At the same time, the methods and technologies to bioprocess microalgae for the intended applications have also evolved. However, there are still significant developments needed to reach the full potential of microalgae. The presented review discusses current methodologies to improve the effectiveness of algal feedstocks by bioprocessing them innovatively with cost-effective and environmentally sustainable techniques for their applications in therapeutics and bioresource management. The first section discusses the diversity of microalgae and its applications. In following sections, bioprocessing microalgae for their applications in therapeutics focusing on the efficacy of algae-mediated metallic nanoparticles against microbial infections and cancer is discussed. In addition, a discussion on bioresource management to produce value-added products for bioenergy and bioresource conservation elaborated the potential of microalgae as a biological reservoir to resolve the energy crisis for the modern world.
Quantifying Research Domain Criteria Social Communication Subconstructs Using the Social Communication Questionnaire in Youth.

Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) has posited a set of social dimensions that could be useful in identifying sources of individual variation in social impairments across neurodevelopmental disorders. The current investigation aimed to derive estimates of the RDoC social constructs from the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) and examine whether RDoC social processes, as captured by the SCQ, are best represented by a dimensional, categorical, or hybrid model. Individual SCQ items from 4 databases were combined resulting in a total of 26,407 individuals (Mage = 8.13 years, SDage = 4.19; 69.1% male). The sample consisted of 60.0% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 6.8% with a range of neurodevelopmental disorders and 33.2% of siblings of individuals with ASD. Comparison of a range of factor solutions through the use of exploratory structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a 3-factor structure with separate attachment and affiliation, production of nonfacial and facial communication factors provided excellent fit to the data (comparative fit index = .989, Tucker-Lewis index = .984, root mean square error of approximation = .045). and robustness across clinical groups, age, sex, and verbal status. Comparison between the best-fitting factor analysis, latent class analysis, and factor mixture analysis solutions demonstrated that the RDoC social processes domain is best represented as dimensional. Our findings show promise for capturing some of the important RDoC social constructs using the SCQ but also highlight crucial areas for the development of new, dedicated dimensional measures.
Influence of Discrete Defects on Observed Acoustic-Phonon Dynamics in Layered Materials Probed with Ultrafast Electron Microscopy.

The structural anisotropy of layered materials leads to disparate lattice responses along different crystallographic directions following femtosecond photoexcitation. Ultrafast scattering methods are well-suited to resolving such responses, though probe size and specimen structure and morphology must be considered when interpreting results. Here we use ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM) imaging and diffraction to study the influence of individual multilayer terraces and few-layer step-edges on acoustic-phonon dynamics in 1T-TaS2 and 2H-MoS2. In TaS2, we find that a multilayer terrace produces distinct, localized responses arising from thickness-dependent c-axis phonon dynamics. Convolution of the responses is demonstrated with ultrafast selected-area diffraction by limiting the probe size and training it on the region of interest. This results in a reciprocal-space frequency response that is a convolution of the spatially-separated behaviors. Sensitivity of phonon dynamics to few-layer step-edges in MoS2...
Bio-Mimetic Attentional Feedback in Music Source Separation

Attention plays a vital role in helping us navigate our acoustic surroundings. It guides sensory processing to sift through the cacophony of sounds in everyday scenes and modulates the representation of targets sounds relative to distractors. While its conceptual role is well established, there are competing theories as to how attentional feedback operates in the brain and how its mechanistic underpinnings can be incorporated into computational systems. These interpretations differ in the manner in which attentional feedback operates as an information bottleneck to aid perception. One interpretation is that attention adapts the sensory mapping itself to encode only the target cues. An alternative interpretation is that attention behaves as a gain modulator that enhances the target cues after they are encoded. Further, the theory of temporal coherence states that attention seeks to bind temporally coherent features relative to anchor features as determined by prior knowledge of target objects. In this work, we study these competing theories within a deep-network framework for the task of music source separation. We show that these theories complement each other, and when employed together, yield state of the art performance in music source separation. We further show that systems with attentional mechanisms can be made to scale to mismatched conditions by retuning only the attentional modules with minimal data.
Compare This: How Employers Use Comparator Evidence to Defeat Employment Discrimination Claims

Employment discrimination statutes prohibit employers from discriminating against individuals on the basis of certain protected characteristics, such as race or sex. For intentional discrimination claims, plaintiffs often attempt to prove an employer’s discriminatory intent with comparator evidence attempting to show that the plaintiff was treated differently than a similarly situated individual outside the plaintiff’s protected class. Although plaintiffs often invoke comparator evidence to prove discriminatory intent, comparator evidence may also be helpful in disproving that alleged intent. This Article identifies the four primary ways employers use comparator evidence to defeat employment discrimination claims, and shows how courts have analyzed those defenses with a particular emphasis on recent decisions of the United States Courts of Appeal. From there, this Article presents a unique framework for defendants to employ in creating a defense to an employment discrimination claim involving comparator proof, one modeled from the theory of stasis from classical Greek and Roman rhetoric.
Enhancement of high-harmdnic gyrotron gain by a dielectric rod

A dielectric rod is shown to reduce the energy requirements of the electron beam for high-harmonic gyrotron operation. A large interaction filling factor can occur for moderate-energy electrons (∼ 80 keV) spiralling around the rod within the evanescent region of a dielectric waveguide mode. Since the magnetic field strength is reduced by an order of magnitude in an interaction at the tenth harmonic of the cyclotron frequency, a submillimeter-wave gyrotron is now truly feasible because the acceleration voltages can be conveniently produced by DC power supplies.
Occupational Socialization and Value Orientation of Athletic Coaches

Abstract Socialization theory suggests that members of a group tend to possess the values, attitudes, and behaviors that are normative for that group. Earlier research indicates that this is true of members of certain occupations. Research on values also indicates that adults tend to become more conservative in value orientation with age. The Polyphasic Values Inventory (PVI) was sent to 330 college football, track, and basketball head coaches to ascertain their value orientations on selected dimensions of value difference. Chi-square tests of independence were used to determine whether coaches in the three sports were significantly different in value orientation and whether coaches over 40 years of age were significantly different from those under 40 years of age. No significant differences were found on any of the 20 items of the PVI when comparing coaches from the various sports. Furthermore, no significant differences were found on any of the items between coaches over 40 years of age and coaches unde...
Constraining Galactic $p\gamma$ Interactions with Cosmic Ray Electron and Positron Spectra

High energy protons produced by various sources of cosmic rays, {\it e.g.} supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae, active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts participate in $p\gamma$ and $pp$ interactions. Although $pp$ interactions may be the dominant mechanism in our Galaxy, it is unclear how important $p\gamma$ process is. We show that the upper bound on the fraction of protons participating in $p\gamma$ interactions inside all Galactic astrophysical sources of cosmic rays is 10%.
Development of fluorine-intercalated biochar material for radiation shielding

Abstract Biochar is a sustainable, carbon rich material that can be utilized for several applications including ionizing radiation protection. In this work, a high electron dense fluorine-doped biochar-based carbon material was developed by treating biochar with fluorine-based catalysts. Its application as a composite additive created several radiation protection materials was explored and compared to industry standards. It was found that the biochar composites were able to compete with the industry standards in both alpha radiation and gamma radiation, showing no significant difference between the materials and industry standards (p-value >.99), effectively performing as well as the industry standards. Lead was the most effective material at blocking beta radiation due to its high area density (about 1200 mg/cm2), but the biochar composites were able to reduce beta radiation by over 80 % in some composites, performing exceptionally well relative to their lower area densities (less than 200 mg/cm2). In general, the results indicated that the newly developed biochar composite materials have excellent shielding performance and can be used as an effective replacement for the industry standards ranging from lead to concrete.
Vegetative phase change in Populus tremula × alba

Plants transition through juvenile and adult phases of vegetative development in a process known as vegetative phase change (VPC). In poplars (genus Populus) the differences between these stages are subtle, making it difficult to determine when this transition occurs. Previous studies of VPC in poplars have relied on plants propagated in vitro, leaving the natural progression of this process unknown. We examined developmental morphology of seed-grown and in vitro derived Populus tremula × alba (clone 717-1B4), and compared the phenotype of these to transgenics with manipulated miR156 expression, the master regulator of VPC. In seed-grown plants, most traits changed from node-to-node during the first 3 months of development but remained constant after node 25. Many traits remained unchanged in clones over-expressing miR156, or were enhanced when miR156 was lowered, demonstrating their natural progression is regulated by the miR156/SPL pathway. The characteristic leaf fluttering of Populus is one of these miR156-regulated traits. Vegetative development in plants grown from culture mirrored that of seed-grown plants, allowing direct comparison between plants often used in research and those found in nature. These results provide a foundation for further research on the role of VPC in the ecology and evolution of this economically important genus.
Health-related quality of life and caregiver burden after hip reconstruction and spinal fusion in children with spastic cerebral palsy

Aim To evaluate the effect of hip reconstruction or spinal fusion on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in non-ambulatory children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and caregiver burden. Method This was a prospective, longitudinal study of changes in HRQoL and caregiver burden over the 5 years after surgical correction of hip instability or scoliosis in children with bilateral spastic CP classified in Gross Motor Function Classification levels IV or V. Serial parent proxy measures of HRQoL and caregiver burden were obtained before and 6 weeks, and 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, and 60 months after surgery using the Caregiver Priorities and Child Health Index of Life with Disabilities and the Assessment of Caregiver Experience with Neuromuscular Disease. Scores 5 years or more after surgery were compared to pre-surgery scores using paired Student's t-tests. Serial outcome trajectories were estimated by linear mixed modeling. Results Of 69 participants (40 males, 29 females; mean age 11y 6mo, SD 4y 1mo, range 3y 10mo-20y 7mo), 43 had hip reconstruction and 26 had spinal fusion. Clinically significant improvements in HRQoL were detected (average increase 7.6 points) 5 years or more postoperatively, with hip reconstruction providing greater benefit. Domains improved by surgery included positioning, transferring/mobility, comfort/emotions, and health. Caregiver burden did not change as these children remain maximally dependent. Interpretation Surgical treatment of hip and spine deformity improves HRQoL, especially for painful hip instability, but does not change caregiver burden.
Students' perceptions of a course dedicated website A regression analysis to predict its use

There has been an unprecedented surge in the number of web related tools used for course delivery. This paper examined the reasons for students to go to course dedicated websites and the impact these sites have on classroom attendance. An empirical assessment shows that course dedicated websites enhance learning and do not tempt students to turn away from the class­ room. A software program called Zlocker which gives students and teachers an opportunity to share a locker in cyberspace was incorporated in the courses that were examined in this study. INTRODUCTION The Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) provide a plethora of opportunities to facilitate, assist and enhance the process of imparting education. Learning is no more confined by the constraints of distance, time and space. Distance education has become a veritable reality and researchers are striving to find new features that they could add to web-based course software in order to make on-line course delivery effective. This article is organized around the following topics. First, certain new features in distance education software programs in general and certain specific features of a new software called Zlocker are presented. Next, Information Technology and distance education literatures are reviewed to develop the theoretical foundation for this study. Third, the sample, measures and data analysis techniques used in this study are presented. Following this, the results of testing the hypotheses are presented and discussed. Finally, the study concludes with a section on the strengths and weaknesses of this study. Features in Distance Education Software The number of web-based course delivery systems are on the rise. Course management tools are plenty (e.g., WebCT (2000), Courselnfo (2000), Blackboard (2000), Lotus LeamingSpace (2000). While most of the software that supports distance education supports asynchronous
The Long Duration: The Cultural History of Yucatán

In Annales methodology, the long duration encompasses forces that act at the longest wavelength of time. This includes the historical trajectory of civilizations and the gradual, cumulative processes of culture change. The long duration is characterized by slowly changing forces including stable technologies, ideologies, and worldviews. The previous chapter explored the long-term geological, environmental, and climatological patterns that provided the stage on which Maya culture has waxed and waned over the last four millennia. Chronologically, I focus on the most part to the cultural history of the Maya in this region during the Classic and Postclassic periods, ca. A.D. 250 to the Spanish Conquest; my regional focus will be limited to the northern part of the Yucatan peninsula.
A Quantitative Analysis of the Effects of Postsecondary Institution Conversions from Not-For-Profit to For-Profit

This study highlights the changes that have occurred at postsecondary institutions after conversion from not-for-profit to for-profit control. Using Delta Cost Project Data and a pre-post study design with a control group of not-for-profit institutions that did not convert, comparisons are drawn. The findings suggest that institutions that convert experience greater enrollment growth, a decline in fulltime employment levels per full time equivalent (FTE) student, no change in average expenses per FTE student, a decrease in total revenue, a decrease in Pell Grants received, a decrease in tuition and fees revenue, and a decline in average subsidy per student post conversion. These findings are critical to the creation of informed policy decisions regarding institutional conversions.
From Family Violence to Dating Violence: Testing a Dual Pathway Model.

Risk factors for adolescent perpetration of or victimization by dating violence stem from different levels of adolescents’ social ecologies, including the family, individual, and peer domains. However, these multiple risk factors have not been fully integrated into a single comprehensive model of dating violence development. The present study examined prospective links between exposure to family violence in pre-adolescence; pro-violent beliefs, aggression, deviant peer affiliation, and aggression toward opposite-sex peers in early adolescence and dating violence in late adolescence. Using a longitudinal study of 461 youth (51 % female; 80 % African American, 19 % Caucasian, 1 % other ethnicities), path modeling evaluated a theoretically developed dual pathway model involving a general violence pathway and an early romantic aggression pathway. Each pathway links exposure to family violence in pre-adolescence with early adolescent pro-violent beliefs and/or aggressive behavior. In both pathways, pro-violent beliefs may reinforce aggressive behaviors between same-sex and opposite-sex peers, as well as strengthen bonds with deviant peers. In the last part of both pathways, aggressive behavior and peer deviance in early adolescence may contribute directly to late adolescent dating violence perpetration and victimization. The findings provided support for both pathways, as well as sex differences in the model.
Counting Functions for the k-Error Linear Complexity of 2n-Periodic Binary Sequences

Linear complexity is an important measure of the cryptographic strength of key streams used in stream ciphers. The linear complexity of a sequence can decrease drastically when a few symbols are changed. Hence there has been considerable interest in the k-error linear complexity of sequences which measures this instability in linear complexity. For 2 n -periodic sequences it is known that minimum number of changes needed per period to lower the linear complexity is the same for sequences with fixed linear complexity. In this paper we derive an expression to enumerate all possible values for the k-error linear complexity of 2 n -periodic binary sequences with fixed linear complexity L, when k equals the minimum number of changes needed to lower the linear complexity below L. For some of these values we derive the expression for the corresponding number of 2 n -periodic binary sequences with fixed linear complexity and k-error linear complexity when k equals the minimum number of changes needed to lower the linear complexity. These results are of importance to compute some statistical properties concerning the stability of linear complexity of 2 n -periodic binary sequences.
Alternating RQ Timed Automata

Two major difficulties in verification with timed automata are state explosion and dependence of complexity on time constants, even with restricted timing constraints. Based on the observation that a vast majority of timed automata have a very regular timing structure, We propose a class of timed automata, alternating RQ timed automata, andprove that they have simple pathpropertieswhich, even with arbitrary timing constraints, yield efficient verification algorithms. In addition, the complexity of the algorithms is independent of the time constants. Next, we give graphical necessary and sufficient conditions for timed automata to be RQ alternating. Finally, we discuss verification algorithms of alternating RQ L-automata (L-processes).
Justice for Hire: Financial Incentives in Jury Deliberation

Trial by one's peers is a foundation of the American legal system. In this paper, I present evidence that in addition to legally relevant facts, financial incentives influence the jury deliberation process. I take advantage of cross county variation in the opportunity cost of serving as a juror, and find that a 10% increase in juror compensation increases the time juries spend deliberating by 5%. While preliminary, these results suggest that the opportunity cost of jurors' time does influence how long they spend determining legal culpability, which has implications for legal and sociological research on deliberation length and judicial outcomes. In addition, jurors are able to choose they number of hours they work without the typical labor demand constraints faced by workers, and in particular low wage workers. My results suggest that the failure of existing empirical studies to identify an intensive labor supply response to wage changes is due to incorrect specification of the demand for low wage labor and measurement error in hours worked.
In Vitro Chemotherapeutic Combinations Against Isoniazid-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium fortuitum

It is an acceptable medical practice to use second-line antimycobacterial drugs in combination with isoniazid in treatment of isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis. Recent investigations have demonstrated the importance of determining chemotherapeutic interaction in instances of multiple antibiotic use. We studied the inhibitory effect of combinations of isoniazid with ethambutol, rifampin, ethionamide, cycloserine, viomycin, and kanamycin against three isoniazid-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and three strains of M. fortuitum. The isobologram technique with drug concentrations of 0.4 to 100 μg/ml was used. With the exception of single instances in which kanamycin plus isoniazid (M. tuberculosis strain 9999) and ethionamide plus isoniazid (M. fortuitum strain 2080) seemed to have a synergistic effect, neither synergy nor antagonism was noted for any of the combinations. These studies show that the combined use of isoniazid and a second line antimycobacterial agent results in vitro in indifferent inhibitory activity.
On counting and counting errors

Counting objects in histological sections is often a necessary, sometimes an unexpected part of a research project. The recent literature shows that the subject of counting is of particular interest to readers of the Journal of Comparative Neurology but that it is also contentious and difficult. Even a brief review of past issues of the Journal shows that there are many misconceptions about counting and that there remain issues that have received little or no attention. Counts are subject to many errors. Some reports include readily recognizable errors, others fail to include all of the information that is needed for an evaluation of their accuracy. This review is above all a plea for adequate information about the methods used for counts in all publications. It serves to help those who are new to quantitative methods in histology; it considers some of the basic issues arising for anyone undertaking counts, or reviewing manuscripts that include counts. In particular, it considers recently introduced or re-introduced counting methods that depend on accurate measures along the axis perpendicular to the plane of the sections, and looks at the difficulties inherent in these measures.
Propensity score methods for creating covariate balance in observational studies

Randomization of treatment assignment in experiments generates treatment groups with approximately balanced baseline covariates. However, in observational studies, where treatment assignment is not random, patients in the active treatment and control groups often differ on crucial covariates that are related to outcomes. These covariate imbalances can lead to biased treatment effect estimates. The propensity score is the probability that a patient with particular baseline characteristics is assigned to active treatment rather than control. Though propensity scores are unknown in observational studies, by matching or subclassifying patients on estimated propensity scores, we can design observational studies that parallel randomized experiments, with approximate balance on observed covariates. Observational study designs based on estimated propensity scores can generate approximately unbiased treatment effect estimates. Critically, propensity score designs should be created without access to outcomes, mirroring the separation of study design and outcome analysis in randomized experiments. This paper describes the potential outcomes framework for causal inference and best practices for designing observational studies with propensity scores. We discuss the use of propensity scores in two studies assessing the effectiveness and risks of antifibrinolytic drugs during cardiac surgery.
Microtubule crossbridging by chlamydomonas dynein.

Dynein, obtained from axonemes of Chlamydomonas, binds by both its A and B ends to microtubules assembled from twice cycled (2 ×) and purified (6S) brain tubulin as well as to microtubules in native spindles, thereby inducing microtubule crossbridging. The two ends of the dynein arm exhibit distinct binding characteristics for the different microtubule preparations. Greater than 99% of the dynein arms are bound exclusively by their B ends to microtubules assembled from 6S tubulin in the presence of dynein and decorated to saturation. In contrast, greater than 80% of the dynein arms are bound by both their A and B ends to and, therefore, crossbridge 6S microtubules that are only partially dynein decorated. Binding of the A end of the dynein arm to saturated 6S microtubules can be enhanced by destabilizing the binding of the B end upon addition of ATP and vanadate. These observations suggest that Chlamydomonas dynein arms can bind by their A ends to microtubules assembled from 6S tubulin only when the B ends of the arms either are not bound or are bound but do not occupy all available dynein binding sites. Dynein exhibits a slight preference for binding by its A end to microtubules assembled from 2 × tubulin and containing microtubule associated proteins (MAPs). Approximately 90% of the dynein arms crossbridge adjacent 2 × microtubles that are only partially decorated. But as saturation of these microtubules with dynein is approached, the majority of the arms are bound solely by their A ends, while a smaller percentage are bound by their B ends or by both their A and B ends. These studies indicate that the type of microtubule as well as the degree of saturation of the microtubule with dynein can determine whether microtubule crossbridging occurs.
Selection of therapy: rational decisions based on molecular events.

Chronic myeloid leukemia is a haematopoietic stem cell malignancy caused by BCR-ABL, a fusion protein derived from a reciprocal translocation between chromosome 9 and 22 [t(9;22)(q34;q11)], cytogenetically visible as the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph). BCR-ABL is a constitutively active tyrosine kinase that activates multiple signaling pathways, thereby promoting the expansion of myeloid cells. The clinical result is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by an increase of neutrophils and their precursors. In the initial chronic phase (CP) cellular differentiation is largely intact, and the disease is easily managed with drug treatment. In the absence of effective therapy, CML progresses to an acute leukemia, termed blastic phase (BP), sometimes through an intermediary state, termed accelerated phase (AP).[1] BP CML has a poor prognosis, with survival frequently measured in weeks. The realization that the kinase activity of BCR-ABL is central to CML pathogenesis led to the development of imatinib, a small molecule ATP-competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) as a rational molecularly targeted therapy. Subsequently the second-line TKIs, nilotinib and dasatinib were introduced, initially for the treatment of patients who failed imatinib and recently for the therapy of newly diagnosed patients.[2] All these drugs inhibit BCR-ABL activity, thereby blocking the activation of downstream signals critical for proliferation and survival of CML cells.[3] However, they are distinct by their differential potency against the primary target, activity profiles against BCR-ABL mutants and ‘off-target’ effects against kinases other than BCR-ABL. Third generation TKIs, like ponatinib and DC-2036, are in clinical development and will add additional diversity to the therapeutic space. In this paper we will review to what extent molecular data can be used to rationalize therapeutic choices. Naturally, this discussion will include two categories of data. The first is markers that globally measure risk, but do not provide a molecular rationale for therapy selection. The second category is biomarkers with a causal link to a clinical phenotype, such as certain mutations of the BCR-ABL kinase domain. Despite considerable progress on both fronts, as of 2011, therapy selection is still mainly based on clinical criteria, and therefore we have decided to discuss molecular biomarkers in the context of available clinical prognostication tools. Given the extensive literature on the prognostic value of BCR-ABL transcripts and their dynamics during therapy we will focus on biomarkers that do not directly reflect disease burden as a surrogate of responsiveness to treatment, and refer the reader to excellent reviews of this topic.[4]
Determination of atmospheric composition and temperature from the u.v. airglow

Abstract Recent spectroscopic observations of atmospheric emissions in the u.v. region of the spectrum have been analyzed using laboratory-measured excitation cross-sections, models and observations of energetic electron fluxes and models of atmospheric composition. In both the airglow and the aurora, self-consistent pictures of the excitation processes and atmospheric composition have been obtained. These analyses have shown that photoelectron fluxes measured from the Atmospheric Explorer satellite are in good agreement with the photoelectron-excited dayglow and that a large number of recent laboratory-measured excitation processes are able to reproduce the u.v. spectra in both the dayglow and aurora. In this paper we show that accurate quantitative determinations of thermospheric parameters can now be made from u.v. spectral observations. In particular, we show that the composition and temperature can be obtained from altitude profiles of the emissions alone, without reliance on the absolute photoelectron flux.
Parental perceptions of supplemental interventions received by young children with autism in intensive behavior analytic treatment

Parents of children with autism in applied behavior analytic treatment were surveyed on their use and perceptions of supplemental treatments. In study 1, respondents (N=121) reported enrolling their children in an average of seven supplemental interventions, most commonly non-behavior-analytic speech therapies (85%), megavitamins (61%), Sensory Integration Therapy (56%), and elimination diets (50%). In study 2, parents (N=24) were interviewed about these four interventions and typically reported little or no benefit. Factors that parents cited as influencing their decision to obtain supplemental interventions for their children varied substantially, depending on the individual intervention. Because of the extensive use of unvalidated interventions that parents deemed unhelpful, it seems important to reduce children's participation in such interventions. However, because of the diverse influences on parents' decisions to obtain the interventions, a multifaceted strategy may be needed. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Strength of the mass inflation singularity.

Whether the «mass inflation» singularity believed to lie inside a realistic charged black hole is strong enough to completely destroy any infalling matter is addressed. Despite the fact that the physical deformation of an infalling object remains finite at the singularity, we argue that the infalling matter is completely destroyed as the energy absorbed by the object diverges as the Cauchy horizon singularity is approached. Thus, in the phase space of the infalling object, the object's configuration in the length dimensions remains finite, but the momentum dimensions become unbounded
Dose Decrease and Other Correlates of Relapse in Patients with Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder During Olanzapine Drug Therapy

Purpose To assess dose decrease and other variables as correlates of relapse during olanzapine treatment. Methods In two 28-week, randomized, double-blind clinical trials, a Cox proportional hazards model was used for post hoc analysis of potential correlates of relapse (defined as ≥20% worsening on PANSS total and CGI-Severity ≥ 3) among patients ( N = 271) who responded to 8 weeks of olanzapine treatment (10-20 mg/day). Variables examined included demographics, illness characteristics, baseline symptoms, symptom changes, dose, adverse events, and functioning. Results Patients with a lower last dose relative to that of the preceding visit interval were 4 times more likely to relapse during that visit interval than patients without a lower dose ( p p = 0.027). A dose decrease in women was not associated with relapse ( p = 0.922), whereas a dose decrease in men did predict relapse ( p p p = 0.007). The occurrence of a nonpsychiatric adverse event was not associated with relapse. Conclusion Dose decrease was a significant predictor of relapse in male patients. Psychiatric adverse events were also a significant predictor of relapse. Symptom worsening and dose decrease are both clinical measures that call for closer monitoring of patients due to increased likelihood of relapse.
Identity Distress During the Era of Globalization: A Cross-National Comparative Study of India, China, and the United States

In recent decades, globalization has become a growing concern for developing countries. Eastern countries in particular, who have traditionally adhered to group-focused interests and the development of an interpersonal sense of identity, have endured sweeping changes as Western values, opinions, and attitudes begin to pervade its younger generations. With the ease of connection that technological advances such as the Internet provides, late adolescents and emerging adults must negotiate between adopting an identity that is based on the traditional viewpoints of their local culture and adopting an identity that is consistent with the values of a global culture. In this study, the identity distress reported by 422 late-adolescent college students in India, China, and the United States was compared as it relates to the endorsement of individualistic and collectivistic value systems. Identity distress was found to significantly vary by country, with participants from China and India scoring significantly high...
Cultured bovine monocytes exhibit decreased release of superoxide anion and increased levels of lysosomal enzymes but do not secrete detectable lysozyme activity

In this study we determined the effects of in vitro maturation on the phagocytic activity, lysosomal enzyme content and oxidative response of bovine monocytes. Intracellular levels of the lysosomal enzymes acid phosphatase, beta glucuronidase, and beta glucosaminidase increased as bovine monocytes matured in vitro. However, in marked contrast to the mononuclear phagocytes of other mammalian species, lysozyme activity was undetectable in the culture supernatants and cell lysates of adherent bovine blood monocytes cultured for one to fifteen days. In vitro maturation of bovine monocytes also increased their phagocytic activity as determined by the ingestion of opsonized yeast. A greater percentage of monocyte-derived macrophages that were stimulated with opsonized yeast and phorbol myristic acetate (PMA) reduced nitroblue tetrazolium than did similarly treated monocytes. Monocyte-derived macrophages stimulated with PMA released significantly less superoxide anion than did PMA-stimulated monocytes. Bovine monocytes and macrophages also failed to bind the monoclonal antibody Mac-1, which binds to human and mouse macrophages. Bovine monocytes demonstrated both similarities and differences with other mammalian mononuclear phagocytes, thus making them a useful model for further study of the comparative and developmental biology of mononuclear phagocytes.
Oculosympathetic Response to Circulatory Arrest

REPORTS of the role of the sympathetic nervous system in anoxic mydriasis are not clear. A generalized sympathetic discharge occurs during systemic anoxia1,2, but some published data suggest that the sympathetic nervous system plays no part in the pupillary dilatation which occurs during anoxia and ischaemia. Little or no dilatation of the parasympathectomized pupil was observed during anoxia in the presence of an intact sympathetic innervation3. The pupil which has had an interruption of sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation dilates during asphyxia4.
Big Galois representations and -adic -functions

© 2014 Foundation Compositio Mathematica. Let p ≥ 5 be a prime. If an irreducible component of the spectrum of the 'big' ordinary Hecke algebra does not have complex multiplication, under mild assumptions, we prove that the image of its Galois representation contains, up to finite error, a principal congruence subgroup Γ(L) of SL 2 (Z p [[T]]) for a principal ideal (L) = 0 of Z p [[T]] for the canonical 'weight' variable t=1+T. If L ∞ Λ×, the power series L is proven to be a factor of the Kubota-Leopoldt p-adic L-function or of the square of the anticyclotomic Katz p-adic L-function or a power of (tpm-1). This journal is