cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does researcher activity impact nest survival of sharp-tailed grouse?

Nest survival is a key vital rate of game birds and frequently studied to guide population management. Common scientific protocols are invasive and often involve flushing females from their nests to assess nest contents and status. Biased inference of population dynamics, and thus improper management recommendations, may result if nest survival estimates are affected by researcher activities. We evaluated whether standard nest monitoring protocols for game birds biased estimates of nest survival for sharp-tailed grouse Tympanuchus phasianellus, a common ground-nesting bird in northern grassland ecosystems in the US. We hypothesized that flushing females from nests would negatively affect estimates of daily nest survival and result in biased inferences about population growth regardless of potentially mediating environmental conditions. Our results indicated that cumulative precipitation received during the nesting period had the largest effect on nest survival. Flushing sharp-tailed grouse from nests resulted in reduced nest survival during dry periods, although differences over the entire nesting period were not statistically significant. Downward-biased estimates of nest survival for females that were flushed did not significantly bias estimates of population growth rates. With minimal data loss, we successfully monitored nests of radio-marked females without flushing and recommend that researchers carefully consider potential biases related to research techniques when determining nest monitoring protocols.
Spatiotemporal dynamics and risk factors of oak decline and Mortality in the Missouri Ozarks of the United States based on repeatedly measured FIA data

Abstract During recent decades there has been widespread oak decline and mortality in the Missouri Ozarks, USA. We extracted data of 18,403 oak trees measured during 1999–2019 from the US Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database to examine the spatiotemporal patterns of oak decline and mortality and associated risk factors. The Missouri Ozarks were classified into three spatial clusters with low ( 1.5%) annual oak mortality rates using kernel smoothing and the Jenks natural breaks method. Oaks within each spatial cluster were further divided into four, five and three risk groups respectively with differentiated annual mortalities (0.35%–3.05%) using a classification and regression tree model. The Kaplan-Meier survival analyses showed that oak trees from individual spatial clusters and risk groups responded differently to droughts, a major regional or sub-regional inciting factor of oak decline. Droughts could have a three to nine year lagged impact on tree mortality in the high risk groups, whereas had little effect on oak mortality in the low risk groups. Tree species, crown class, and stand age were the regionwide predisposing factors of oak decline. However, localized disturbances and geographic/vegetation conditions (e.g., drought, fire, insects, aspect, elevation, ecoregions, historical forest types) could either incite or alleviate the decline process and the fate of declining trees depending on the differentiated spatial clusters or risk groups. Resource managers can base associated risk factors and spatial clusters to rank risk levels to prioritize and plan management activities to mitigate oak decline and mortality.
Traffic Sign Detection and Recognition using Deep Learning

The Advanced Driver Assistance System includes traffic sign identification and recognition. Traffic signs warn drivers of traffic laws, road conditions, and route directions, assisting them in driving more efficiently and safely. Traffic Sign Recognition is a technique for regulating traffic signals, warning drivers, and commanding or prohibiting specific acts. A quick real-time and reliable automated traffic sign detection and recognition system can assist and relieve the driver, improving driving safety and comfort significantly. For autonomous intelligent driving vehicles or driver assistance systems, automatic identification of traffic signals is also important. This paper aims to use Neural Networks to identify traffic sign patterns. Several image processing methods are used to pre-process the images. Then, to understand traffic sign patterns, Neural Networks stages are performed. To find the best network architecture, the system is trained and validated. The results of the experiments show that traffic sign patterns with complex backgrounds can be classified very accurately.
The Dangers of Psychotropic Medication for Mentally Ill Children: Where Is the Child’s Voice in Consenting to Medication? An Empirical Study

When a child with a mental illness is being prescribed psychotropic medication. who decides whether the child should take the medication -- the parent or the child? What if the child is sixteen years of age? What if the child is in foster care: Should the parent or social service agency decide? Prior to administering psychotropic medication, what specific information should be provided to the person authorized to consent on behalf of the child? Should children be permitted to refuse psychotropic medications? If so, at what age should a child he able to refuse such medication What procedures should be put in place to forcibly medicate a child with psychotropic medication? There are numerous reports indicating that children in foster care are overmedicated as compared to children not in foster care. What are the reasons for this occurrence? Are there abuses within the foster care system? Should the state mental health agency monitor psychotropic medications for children, require oversight or a second opinion, or monitor abuse? What authority should a state agency have to stop prescribing psychotropic medication to children? This article will explore the overmedication of children with mental illness, with a specific emphasis on foster care children. Part I will examine the use of psychotropic medication on children, from the viewpoint of psychiatrists, pediatricians, parents, and children. Part II will explore the reasons why foster children receive psychotropic medications at a higher rate than children under their parents' care. Part IIl will provide an explanation of the consent procedures for children, and a critical inquiry into the manner psychiatrists and psychiatric hospitals undertake to address a minor's refusal to take psychotropic medication. Additionally, Part I will analyze various states' responses to addressing both the overmedicating of children as well as consent and refusal issues that ultimate]y result from the medication of children. It will offer recommendations for a model consent form to be utilized by psychiatrists and in-patient psychiatric hospitals. It will present the rights of children to refuse psychotropic medication as recommended and the procedure for overriding such refusal. Finally, Part III will analyze a survey of psychiatrists and pediatricians on the use of psychotropic medications to understand the existing consent procedures governing a minor's refusal to take psychotropic medications. The survey's design allows for a better understanding of the reasons behind the overmedication of foster children. The analysis will highlight the best practices and offer recommendations that provide for a state reporting and monitoring system.
Blocking probability of a centralized switch with shared wavelength conversion

This paper presents a new blocking probability model for a centralized switch with shared wavelength conversion. The ingress and egress link wavelengths are selectable. A small number of converters achieves the performance of full conversion.
Properties of Protoporphyrin-Apomyoglobin Complexes and Related Compounds

Abstract The conformation of the 1:1 complex of protoporphyrin IX and apomyoglobin was studied by circular dichroism, potentiometric titration, and reaction with bromoacetate. Circular dichroism studies indicate that protoporphyrin and heme similarly affect the α-helix content of apomyoglobin. The apparent number of normal imidazoles in the protoporphyrin-apomyoglobin complex, as judged by reactivity to H+ ion and bromoacetate, is very similar to that of myoglobin and different from that in globin. These data suggest that the conformational difference between myoglobin and apomyoglobin is determined mainly by the interaction of globin with the porphyrin and not with the heme iron. The lesser stability to acid of porphyrin complexes than of myoglobin is tentatively explained by the absence of the iron-imidazole bond in the porphyrin complexes. Potentiometric titration of the 1:1 complex of globin with 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate indicates that this complex has the same number of normal imidazoles as does globin. These studies and those summarized above support a direct relationship between the α-helix content of myoglobin derivatives as determined by optical activity and the number of normally titratable imidazole side chains. The photosensitivity of porphyrin-apomyoglobin complexes was shown to be due to porphyrin-sensitized photooxidation of globin. Manometric studies and amino acid analysis indicated that it is the initial oxidation of 1 or 2 histidine residues, apparently at the binding site, which leads to impairment of porphyrin binding.
Modeling and mechanisms of polar winter upper stratosphere/lower mesosphere disturbances in WACCM

This work focuses on the characteristics and mechanisms of upper stratosphere/lower mesosphere (USLM) disturbances in the polar winter as simulated by a free-running 40 year run of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) version 4. USLM disturbances have been shown to precede the development of every major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW), thus potentially increasing the predictability of SSWs. WACCM4 is shown to internally and spontaneously generate polar USLM disturbances that are consistent with an established USLM climatology based on the UK Meteorological Office stratospheric assimilation. Arctic USLM disturbances in WACCM4 occur on average 2.65 times per winter season; are most frequently generated in the months of December, January, and February; and are preferentially located in the longitude band between 30°E and 120°E, poleward of 40° latitude, all in good agreement with observations. Analysis of composite USLM events corroborates the underlying mechanism responsible for their formation as planetary wave breaking between ~45 km and 65 km that decelerates the mean flow, induces vertical air motion, and causes regions of adiabatic heating in a limited longitude band. These conditions are suitable for the growth of a baroclinic instability at the stratopause level. Using the Trenberth localized three-dimensional Eliassen-Palm flux along with the Charney-Stern criteria, a WACCM4 case study of an independent USLM event implicates baroclinic instability as a critical process in the development of the USLM thermal structure.
Mid-IR interferometric nulling for TPF

By the middle of 2006, the Interferometry Technology development program for NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) Mission has the goal of demonstrating deep and stable interferometric nulling of broadband Mid-IR thermal radiation under conditions that are traceable to the expected on-orbit conditions. Specifically, the task is to demonstrate null levels of 10-6, with a 50% bandwidth centered at 10 μm, with null stabilities of 10-7 all at cryogenic temperatures for observational periods of a couple of hours. The Achromatic Nulling activity at JPL addresses this concern in two testbeds: the warm nulling testbed and the cryonulling testbed. The warm nulling testbed will demonstrate the physics of nulling broadband thermal sources in an environment that is conducive to efficient research. We'll explore nulling techniques, optical-mechanical alignment methods, motion control, and path-length metrology for a single beam interferometer, as well as preliminary planet detection techniques. Ultimate nulling capabilities under conditions that are more flight-like will be demonstrated in the cryogenic nulling testbed. Knowledge gained from operation at room temperature will be applied to the cryogenic experiment where we face the additional challenges of extreme temperatures, cryogenic actuators, component survivability and fluxes that are within an order of magnitude of expected flux levels on orbit. Concurrently, we will develop a low flux mid-IR camera that will allow us to measure the nulls at these faint photon fluxes. This talk will review this development activity and will include recent nulling experimental results and plans for future work.
Re-membering: The Return of the Body to Experiential Learning.

Abstract Like many Western knowledge‐practices, experiential learning is seen to require what is, in effect, an act of self‐dismemberment, a splitting of the head from the body that denies the connectedness of knowledge to the body and thus loses sight of knowledge as a product of corporeally and emotionally grounded human life. This article first traces the history through which modernist knowledge‐practices were predicated on the rejection of the experiencing body and examines the impact of the resultant epistemology on power relationships. It then suggests that, as a function of memory, experiential learning is more properly understood as an act of re‐membering. It argues that experience is itself located in the body as well as in the social and material locations that bodies invariably occupy — and asks what a theory of experiential learning might look like that re‐members body and mind.
Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in non-Asians: demographic, clinical, and radiographic findings in 43 patients.

Object Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a disorder afflicting as many as 2% of East Asians. However, reports of OPLL in non-Asians have been sporadic in the medical literature. This study describes clinical and radiographic findings with OPLL in non-Asians at a tertiary care center treating a diverse multiethnic population. Methods Over a 6-year period, 43 patients not of East Asian descent presented to an urban tertiary medical center with OPLL. Patient data, including ethnicity, spinal cord function, Nurick grade, radiographic findings, OPLL subtype, and degree of cervical stenosis, were recorded. Results The average patient age was 59 years (range 32–92 years) with 18 women and 25 men. There were 22 Caucasian patients, 17 Hispanic patients, and 4 Black patients. With respect to the radiographic findings, OPLL morphology was continuous in 19, segmental in 17, mixed in 6, and other in 1. Average canal diameter was 7.6 mm (range 4.2–9.0 mm) at the most stenotic points. The mea...
Influence of molecular architecture on fast and segmental dynamics and the glass transition in polybutadiene

Changes in the fast dynamics of polybutadiene (PB) with molecular weight and molecular architecture have been investigated by light and neutron scattering spectroscopy. Differences observed in the fast dynamics of various molecules correlate with differences seen in the value of the glass-transition temperature (Tg). The segmental and fast dynamics as well as the value of Tg are dependent on the total molecular weight of the molecule but independent of its architecture. In other words, the dynamics of PB depend on the number of segments in the molecule but do not show a significant dependence on how the segments are connected (molecular topology), even for arm molecular weights commensurate with the entanglement molecular weight. Literature data for the Tg's of highly branched, phenolic-terminated dendritic poly(benzyl ethers) of various core structures exhibit the same trend. There is no explanation for why the segmental motion appears to be sensitive to the total molecular weight of the molecule but is independent of its architecture. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2431–2439, 2002
Can management strategies alter the course of diabetic nephropathy

End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is a common consequence of diabetic nephropathy (DN). DN is the major cause of death in patients with IDDM, accounting for greater than 40% of deaths with this form of diabetes. There is no clearly documented therapeutic technique that will prevent or reverse progressive renal damage in IDDM. While pancreatic transplantation and “cure” of diabetes in experimental animals may be associated with some histological reversal of renal pathology, this has not been documented in humans. Most studies agree that once diabetic renal disease is present (as documented by proteinuria), progression is inevitable, albeit the rate of progression may be altered by different therapeutic methods. There is considerable hope that “tight metabolic control” will prevent the initial damage that leads to DN and ESRD, but evidence remains inconclusive. There is some evidence that careful monitoring for microalbuminuria will allow for very early detection of damage and alterations in therapy. Our studies have documented a decrease in both morbidity and mortality in IDDM in patients who have been competitive athletes, suggesting that promotion of physical fitness may be a valuable means of delaying progression of renal disease while control of BP delays progression. Early detection and aggressive therapy is recommended. Some studies utilizing diets low in sodium and/or protein appear beneficial but more studies are needed before pediatric application
Forced midexpiratory time: reference values and the effect of cigarette smoking.

Background: Forced midexpiratory time (FET25–75%), the time required to exhale from 25 to 75% of forced vital capacity (FVC), has been advocated as a relatively volume-independent measure of obstruction. Previous estimates of normal FET25–75% have not systematically studied the effect of age, height, sex, and smoking history.
Instructional technology: a key to successful information systems

Abstract Success and failure patterns of information systems development are widely discussed. However, the potential of education and training to address these problems has not received adequate attention. Managers and other information systems professionals need to be aware of the best technologies both for development of information systems and for the associated training of developers and end users. The best way to produce effective, efficient training is through instructional technology. Although derived from system science, as are information system development methods, the processes and techniques of instructional technology are often unknown to information systems professionals. This paper discusses the parallels between these two disciplines and points out where each could benefit from the other.
Evaluation of varying morphological parameters on the biomechanics of a cranial cruciate ligament-deficient or intact canine stifle joint with a computer simulation model.

Objective—To investigate the influence of varying morphological parameters on canine stifle joint biomechanics by use of a 3-D rigid-body canine pelvic limb computer model that simulated an intact and cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL)–deficient stifle joint across the stance phase of gait at a walk. Sample—Data from computer simulations. Procedures—Computer model morphological parameters, including patellar ligament insertion location, tibial plateau angle (TPA), and femoral condyle diameter (FCD), were incrementally altered to determine their influence on outcome measures (ligament loads, relative tibial translation, and relative tibial rotation) during simulation of the stance phase of gait at a walk. Outcome measures were assessed for each scenario and compared between an intact and CrCL-deficient stifle joint with the sensitivity index (the percentage change in outcome measure divided by the percentage change in input parameter). Results—In a CrCL-intact stifle joint, ligament loads were most sensitive...
Structural basis for selective inhibition of Src family kinases by PP1

Background Small-molecule inhibitors that can target individual kinases are powerful tools for use in signal transduction research. It is difficult to find such compounds because of the enormous number of protein kinases and the highly conserved nature of their catalytic domains. Recently, a novel, potent, Src family selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor was reported (PP1). Here, we study the structural basis for this inhibitor's specificity for Src family kinases. Results A single residue corresponding to Ile338 (v-Src numbering; Thr338 in c-Src) in Src family tyrosine kinases largely controls PP1's ability to inhibit protein kinases. Mutation of Ile338 to a larger residue such as methionine or phenylalanine in v-Src makes this inhibitor less potent. Conversely, mutation of Ile338 to alanine or glycine increases PP1's potency. PP1 can inhibit Ser/Thr kinases if the residue corresponding to Ile338 in v-Src is mutated to glycine. We have accurately predicted several non-Src family kinases that are moderately (IC 50 ~ 1 μM) inhibited by PP1, including c-Abl and the MAP kinase p38. Conclusions Our mutagenesis studies of the ATP-binding site in both tyrosine kinases and Ser/Thr kinases explain why PP1 is a specific inhibitor of Src family tyrosine kinases. Determination of the structural basis of inhibitor specificity will aid in the design of more potent and more selective protein kinase inhibitors. The ability to desensitize a particular kinase to PP1 inhibition of residue 338 or conversely to sensitize a kinase to PP1 inhibition by mutation should provide a useful basis for chemical genetic studies of kinase signal transduction.
THE REACTION OF CATIONS WITH ANIONS IN SOLUTION

Some general concepts involved in theories of solvent effects on ionic reactions in solution are discussed and some fallacies in extant theories are pointed out. The initial results of an exact treatment of a simplistic model for solvent effects on cation-anion combinations are presented. The model system consists of two charges and eight finite dipoles interacting through coulombic forces and [1/r]**12 repulsions. Local minima in the potential energy surface of the system are found which correspond to “solvent-separated” ion pairs and “intimate” ion pairs, and reaction paths and saddle points connecting the species have been found.
RBC Transfusion in the ICU: Is There a Reason?

Objective To evaluate RBC transfusion practice in the ICU. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Multidisciplinary ICU in a tertiary care center. Patients All patients admitted to the ICU with a length of stay of greater than 1 week. Results A total of 23% of all patients admitted to the ICU had a length of stay of greater than 1 week (19.6 ± 1.6 days). Of these patients, 85% received blood transfusions (9.5 ± 0.8 U per patient). These transfusions were not solely a function of acute blood loss. Patients were transfused a constant 2 to 3 U/wk. Patients receiving blood transfusions were phlebotomized on average 61 to 70 mL per day. Phlebotomy accounted for 49% of the variation in amount of RBCs transfused. No indication for blood transfusion was identified for 29% of transfusion events. A low hematocrit ( Conclusion The long-term ICU population receive a large number of blood transfusions. Phlebotomy contributes significantly to these transfusions. There is no clear indication for a large number of the blood transfusions given. Many blood transfusions appear to be administered because of an arbitrary "transfusion trigger" rather than a physiologic need for blood. Blood conservation and adherence to transfusion guidelines could significantly reduce RBC transfusion in the ICU.
Computer-aided assessment of cardiac computed tomographic images

The accurate interpretation of cardiac CT images is commonly hindered by the presence of motion artifacts. Since motion artifacts commonly can obscure the presence of coronary lesions, physicians must spend much effort analyzing images at multiple cardiac phases in order to determine which coronary structures are assessable for potential lesions. In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) classifier was designed to assign assessability indices to calcified plaques in individual region-of-interest (ROI) images reconstructed at multiple cardiac phases from two cardiac scans obtained at heart rates of 66 bpm and 90 bpm. Six individual features (volume, circularity, mean intensity, margin gradient, velocity, and acceleration) were used for analyzing images. Visually-assigned assessability indices were used as a continuous truth, and jack-knife analysis with four testing sets was used to evaluate the performance of the ANN classifier. In a study in which all six features were inputted into the ANN classifier, correlation coefficients of 0.962 ± 0.006 and 0.935 ± 0.023 between true and ANN-assigned assessability indices were obtained for databases corresponding to 66 bpm and 90 bpm, respectively.
Electrocardiogram and Vectorcardiogram in Right Ventricular Hypertrophy and Right Bundle-Branch Block

Electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic studies on normal subjects and patients with heart disease suggest that criteria for the diagnosis of right ventricular hypertrophy can be improved and simplified. This report proposes new criteria for the electrocardiographic diagnosis of right ventricular hypertrophy. These criteria decrease the incidence of "false negative" and "false positive" interpretations, and also make possible the recognition of right ventricular hypertrophy in the presence of the R' - V1 pattern, provided the QRS duration is less than 0.12 second. The findings and limitations of vectorcardiography in right ventricular hypertrophy and "right bundle-branch block" are discussed.
Solution of the Hartree–Fock problem by expansion onto nested bases

A method for solving the Hartree–Fock problem in a finite basis set is derived, which permits each orbital to be expanded in a different basis. If the basis set for each orbital ϕi contains the basis functions for the preceding orbitals, ϕi−1, ϕi−2,… ϕ1, then the ϕi form an orthonormal set. One advantage over the standard Hartree–Fock method is that a different long range behavior for each orbital, as for example is required in the Hartree–Fock-Slater method, can be forced. A calculation on the ground state of beryllium is performed using the nested procedure. Very little energy is lost because of nesting, and the node in the 1s orbital disappears.
Staphylococcus aureus toxins

Staphylococcus aureus is a dangerous pathogen that causes a variety of severe diseases. The virulence of S. aureus is defined by a large repertoire of virulence factors, among which secreted toxins play a preeminent role. Many S. aureus toxins damage biological membranes, leading to cell death. In particular, S. aureus produces potent hemolysins and leukotoxins. Among the latter, some were recently identified to lyse neutrophils after ingestion, representing an especially powerful weapon against bacterial elimination by innate host defense. Furthermore, S. aureus secretes many factors that inhibit the complement cascade or prevent recognition by host defenses. Several further toxins add to this multi-faceted program of S. aureus to evade elimination in the host. This review will give an overview over S. aureus toxins focusing on recent advances in our understanding of how leukotoxins work in receptor-mediated or receptor-independent fashions.
A graphitized-carbon monolithic column.

The preparation of a novel carbon monolithic column for high performance liquid chromatography is described. A phenolic resin rod with embedded 10-μm silica beads was prepared by acid-catalyzed polymerization of a resorcinol/iron(III) complex and formaldehyde. This rod was carbonized and graphitized under inert atmosphere with a programmed temperature cycle from room temperature to 1250 °C. Subsequently, the silica beads along with iron catalysts were removed, leaving a porous carbon rod. Imaging of this monolithic rod by scanning and transmission electron microscopies revealed a highly interconnected bimodal porous structure. The porosity and pore size distribution of the mesopores were characterized by N2 absorption/desorption. Graphene sheets were found in the TEM images of the carbon rod, and the graphite index was characterized by Raman spectrum and X-ray diffraction. A monolithic column prepared with the aforementioned carbon rod was evaluated using a mixture of alkylbenzenes. It exhibited an excell...
The WT1 Protein Is a Negative Regulator of the Normalbcl-2 Allele in t(14;18) Lymphomas

The translocated and normal bcl-2 alleles in the DHL-4 cell line with the t(14;18) translocation were separated by pulsed field electrophoresis. An in vivofootprint over a potential WT1 binding site in the bcl-2 5′-flanking sequence was identified on the normal silent allele. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with the bcl-2 WT1 site demonstrated a single specific complex. UV cross-linking and Western analysis revealed that this gel shift complex contained WT1 protein. Deletion or mutation of the WT1 site resulted in an increase in activity of the bcl-2 promoter in DHL-4 cells. Cotransfection with a 3:1 ratio of a WT1 expression vector to thebcl-2 promoter construct led to a 3.0-fold repression of the bcl-2 promoter. Cotransfection with a WT1 expression vector and the bcl-2 promoter with the mutated WT1 site resulted in only 1.2-fold repression. We conclude that the WT1 site functions as a negative regulatory site for the normal silentbcl-2 allele in t(14;18) lymphomas. The WT1 site is not occupied on the translocated bcl-2 allele.
Longitudinal examination of american national adult reading test (AMNART) performance in dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT): Validation and correction based on degree of cognitive decline

The American National Adult Reading Test (AMNART) was constructed to provide a valid and stable estimate of premorbid verbal IQ (VIQ) in dementing individuals. However, recent studies have brought into question its validity in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT). The present study was designed to longitudinally assess the validity of the AMNART in 40 DAT patients and 40 demographically matched normal control (NC) subjects. The results showed that VIQ estimates for patients with DAT were significantly lower than those of NC subjects and declined significantly over time with increasing dementia severity as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Dementia Rating Scale (DRS). An MMSE-based correction factor was derived for the DAT group which allows for the effective estimation of premorbid VIQ in these patients.
Murine models of acute leukemia: important tools in current pediatric leukemia research.

Leukemia remains the most common diagnosis in pediatric oncology and, despite dramatic progress in upfront therapy, is also the most common cause of cancer-related death in children. Much of the initial improvement in outcomes for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was due identification of cytotoxic agents that are active against leukemias followed by the recognition that combination of these cytotoxic agents and prolonged therapy are essential for cure. Recent data demonstrating lack of progress in patients for whom standard chemotherapy fails suggests that the ability to improve outcome for these children will not be dramatically impacted through more intensive or newer cytotoxic agents. Thus, much of the recent research focus has been in the area of improving our understanding of the genetics and the biology of leukemias. Although in vitro studies remain critical, given the complexity of a living system and the increasing recognition of the contribution of leukemia extrinsic factors such as the bone marrow microenvironment, in vivo models have provided important insights. The murine systems that are used can be broadly categorized into syngenic models in which a murine leukemia can be studied in an immunologically intact host and xenograft models where human human leukemias are studied in highly immunocompormised murine host. Both of these systems have limitations such that neither can be used exclusively to study all aspects of leukemia biology and therapeutics for humans. This review will describe the various ALL model systems that have been developed as well as discuss the advantages and disadvantages inherent to these systems that make each particularly suitable for specific types of studies.
The Effect of Cortisone Acetate on the Leukocytes of Young Chickens

ABSTRACT IT IS known that the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and several adrenal steroids will decrease the number of circulating lymphocytes and eosinophils in certain mammals, Dougherty and White (1944) and Dougherty and Dougherty (1953). Less is known about the effects of ACTH and adrenal steroids on the circulating white cells in the chicken. Adrenocorticotrophic hormone has been reported by Huble (1955) to decrease lymphocytes and increase the number of heterophils, and to have no effect on lymphocytes and eosinophils, Stamler et al. (1950). Shapiro and Schechtman (1949) reported that the injection of adrenal cortical extract into adult chickens produced a transient lymphopenia and an increase in heterophils. The data of Huble (1955) and Bannister (1951) indicate that daily administration of cortisone acetate will reduce the lymphocytes and eosinophils and increase the number of heterophils in the chicken. The number of leukocytes and variation in differential counts after cortisone injection may not . . .
THE THEORY OF THE SECOND VARIATION IN EXTREMUM PROBLEMS FOR UNIVALENT FUNCTIONS

Abstract : An attempt is made to improve the method of variations by considering further necessary conditions for the extremum function which arises from a study of the second variation. The formulas for the second variation of coefficients of univalent functions are, in general, so involved as to be impractical for a finer study of the extremum function. However, using the fact that this function satisfies a differential equation due to the first variational condition, success was reached in simplifying the expressions considerably. It was shown that a whole new set of necessary extremum conditions can be obtained to test every competing solution of the first variational condition. The new extremum conditions have the form of quadratic inequalities which are similar in type to those occurring through the method of contour integration. The characteristic difference lies in the fact that the quadratic inequalities have only to hold in the case of the extremum function, while in the other case the inequalities are asserted for all univalent functions. Nevertheless, it seems that the theory of the second variation is more closely connected with the method of contour integration than is that of the first variation. It might be possible to combine both methods for a unified approach to the general coefficient problem. (Author)
The pituitary-adrenal axis in the bird.

Abstract Significant atrophy of the adrenal gland of the bird was obtained with either cortisol or corticosterone. Cortisone also induced atrophy of the adrenal gland but much higher doses were required than for the other two hormones. Similarly, cortisol and corticosterone inhibited bursa weight at much lower doses than did cortisone. Porcine ACTH suspended in a beeswax-oil mixture increased the relative weight of the adrenal gland by 40 to 193% following treatment with 1 to 10 USP units daily for 7 days. These results indicate the presence of some pituitary control over the adrenal gland of the bird but do not disprove partial independence of the adrenal from the anterior pituitary gland.
A Multi-Objective Programming Approach to Compromising Classification Performance Metrics

In this paper, we propose an MOP approach for finding the best compromise solution among more than two competing performance criteria. Our formulation for classifier learning, which we refer to as iterative constrained optimization (ICO), involves an iterative process of the optimization of individual objectives with proper constraints on the remaining competing objectives. The fundamental idea is improving one objective while the rest are allowed to degrade. One of the main components of ICO is the supervision mechanism based on the local changes on a selected utility function for controlling the changes in the individual objectives. The utility is an aggregated preference chosen to make a joint decision when evaluating the appropriateness of local changes in competing criteria, i.e. changes from one iteration to the next. Another important component is the adjustment of constraint bounds based on the objective functions attained in the previous iteration using a development set. Many MOP approaches developed so far are formal and extensible to large number of competing objectives. However, their utilities are illustrated using a few objectives. We illustrate the utility of the proposed framework in the context of automatic language identification of 12 languages and 3 dialects, i.e., with a total of 30 objectives. In our experiments, we observed that the ICO-trained classifiers give not only reduced error rates but also a better balance among the many competing objectives.
Species variation in the specificity of ribulose biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

The balance between photosynthesis and photorespiration in many species, including most crop plants, is determined by the kinetic properties of ribulose-l,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase/oxygenase1,2. Photosynthesis is initiated by the carboxylase activity3 while the oxygenase activity catalyses the first reaction in the photorespiratory pathway1,2,4. In these reactions, CO2 and O2 are competitive substrates2. Because O2 inhibits carboxylation, and photorespiration oxidizes reduced carbon to CO2 with no known benefit to the plant, it has been suggested that photosynthetic efficiency and thus productivity might be increased by chemical or genetic alterations of the enzyme which increase carboxylation or decrease oxygenation5–7. On the other hand, it has been argued that RuBP carboxylase/oxygenase cannot completely discriminate between CO2 and O2, so that photorespiration is unavoidable8. From analyses of RuBP carboxylase/oxygenase enzymes purified from several different species, we report here large differences in specificity towards the substrates CO2 and O2. Evolutionary pressures seem to have directed the enzyme towards more efficient utilization of CO2.
Regional differences in striatal dopamine uptake and release associated with recovery from MPTP-induced parkinsonism: an in vivo electrochemical study.

Abstract : This study directly assessed striatal dopamine (DA) uptake rates and peak release in response to KCl in normal, symptomatic, and recovered 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated cats using in vivo electrochemistry. DA uptake rates measured after direct application of known concentrations of DA to the striatum were slowed significantly in both dorsal and ventral striatum in symptomatic cats compared with rates recorded in normal animals. DA uptake rates remained significantly slowed in recovered cats and were not significantly different from the rates recorded in symptomatic animals. In symptomatic cats, both DA uptake rates and the signal recorded in response to KCl stimulation were significantly decreased from normal in all dorsal and ventral striatal regions sampled. Reduction/oxidation (redox) ratios recorded in response to KCl stimulation suggested DA to be the predominant electroactive species. In spontaneously recovered MPTP-treated cats, recordings in the ventral striatum subsequent to KCl stimulation again suggested DA to be the predominant electroactive species released, and peak levels were significantly higher than those recorded in symptomatic animals. In the dorsal striatum of recovered cats, redox ratios recorded subsequent to KCl stimulation suggested serotonin rather than DA to be the predominant electroactive species released. Peak levels of release in the dorsal striatum were not significantly greater than those recorded in symptomatic animals. These results suggest that in spontaneously recovered MPTP-treated cats, there is partial recovery of ventral striatal DAergic terminals, persistent loss of dorsal striatal DAergic terminals, and a down-regulation of DA transporter number/function throughout the striatum. These processes may contribute to volume transmission of DA in the striatum and promote functional recovery.
Phonological Awareness Screening to Identify At-Risk Readers: Implications for Practitioners.

The purpose of this study was to investigate informal phonological awareness measures as predictors of first-grade broad reading ability. Subjects were 91 former Head Start students who were admini...
Molecular cloning of cDNA encoding porcine interleukin-15

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a recently identified growth and differentiation factor with an important potential role in the initial immune responses to infection. To enable the study of the role of this cytokine in the protective immune-mechanisms generated against parasitic diseases of swine, cDNA was generated from a macrophage enriched adherent cell population from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). This cDNA was used for the enzymatic amplification of the porcine IL-15 sequence using human IL-15-derived primers. The open-reading frame of the porcine IL-15 cDNA is 486 base pairs (bp) in length and encodes a 162-amino-acid (aa) protein. Comparisons of the predicted swine protein sequence with those predicted from human, bovine and mouse IL-15 sequences indicate similarities of 82.1, 84.6, and 71.6%, respectively.
Distribution of cerebellar and somatic lemniscal projections in the ventral nuclear complex of the Virginia opossum.

The distributions of cerebellar and somatic lemniscal projections to the ventral nucleus of the thalamus were compared in the opossum to determine the extent of overlap in the terminal field of these two fiber systems. Following lesions of these structures, the degenerated fibers were traced to the thalamus using the Fink-Heimer technique. The results indicate that the cerebellum projects only to the rostral portion of the ventral nucleus, while the gracile and cuneate nuclei project to the caudal portion of the ventral nucleus. We conclude from comparing these two afferent fiber systems that there is no detectable overlap in the cerebellar and lemniscal projections to the ventral thalamic nucleus of the opossum. These results support the hypothesis that the single somatic sensory-motor area of the opossum's cortex receive afferent fibers from at least two separate subdivisions of the ventral nucleus. Outside the border of the ventral nucleus, cerebellar and lemniscal projection fields do overlap, especially in a cell group just dorsal to the ventral posterior nucleus. This is a distinctly different type of organization of these afferent fiber systems. This cell group has recently been shown likewise to project to the parietal somatic sensory-motor cortex. Since the mode of intracortical termination of this projection differs markedly from that of the VP and VAL projections, the somatic sensory-motor cortex of the opossum can be said to receive fundamentally different projections from two thalamic regions both of which are recipients of both cerebellar and somatic-lemniscal information.
SF6 plasma etching of silicon nanocrystals.

An SF6-based plasma has been employed to perform in-flight etching of silicon nanocrystals (Si-NCs) after they were synthesized in an SiH4-based plasma. The photoluminescence of the Si-NCs blue-shifts after etching, indicating an etching-induced size reduction of the Si-NCs. It is shown that both the SF6 plasma power and the flow rate can be utilized to control the etch rate (and thus the size reduction) of the Si-NCs. The SF6 etched Si-NCs show only low concentrations of residual impurities other than fluorine. Quantum yields as high as 50% have been observed from these SF6 etched Si-NCs despite oxidation.
Evaluation of trabecular mechanical and microstructural properties in human calcaneal bone of advanced age using mechanical testing, μCT, and DXA

Early detection of fracture risk is important for initiating treatment and improving outcomes from both physiologic and pathologic causes of bone loss. While bone mineral density (a quantity measure) has traditionally been used for this purpose, alternative structural imaging parameters (quality measures) are proposed to better predict bone's true mechanical properties. To further elucidate this, trabecular bone from cadaveric human calcanei were used to evaluate the interrelationship of mechanical and structural parameters using mechanical testing, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning, and micro computed tomography (μCT) imaging. Directional specific structural properties were assessed in three-dimensional (3-D) and correlated to mechanical testing and DXA. The results demonstrated that μCT-derived indices of bone quality (i.e., volume fraction and structural model index) are better than DXA-derived bone mineral density for the prediction of the mechanical parameters of bone (i.e., elastic modulus, yield stress, and ultimate stress). Diagnostically, this implies that future work on the early prediction of fracture risk should focus as much on bone quality as on quantity. Furthermore, the results of this study show that a loss of bone primarily affects the connectedness and overall number of trabeculae. Ultimate stress, however, is better correlated with trabecular number than thickness. As such, primary prevention of osteoporosis may be more important than later countermeasures for bone loss.
Augmented reality in the surgery of cerebral arteriovenous malformations: technique assessment and considerations

Augmented reality technology has been used for intraoperative image guidance through the overlay of virtual images, from preoperative imaging studies, onto the real-world surgical field. Although setups based on augmented reality have been used for various neurosurgical pathologies, very few cases have been reported for the surgery of arteriovenous malformations (AVM). We present our experience with AVM surgery using a system designed for image injection of virtual images into the operating microscope’s eyepiece, and discuss why augmented reality may be less appealing in this form of surgery. N = 5 patients underwent AVM resection assisted by augmented reality. Virtual three-dimensional models of patients’ heads, skulls, AVM nidi, and feeder and drainage vessels were selectively segmented and injected into the microscope’s eyepiece for intraoperative image guidance, and their usefulness was assessed in each case. Although the setup helped in performing tailored craniotomies, in guiding dissection and in localizing drainage veins, it did not provide the surgeon with useful information concerning feeder arteries, due to the complexity of AVM angioarchitecture. The difficulty in intraoperatively conveying useful information on feeder vessels may make augmented reality a less engaging tool in this form of surgery, and might explain its underrepresentation in the literature. Integrating an AVM’s hemodynamic characteristics into the augmented rendering could make it more suited to AVM surgery.
Pseudorandom Test of Nonlinear Analog and Mixed-Signal Circuits Based on a Volterra Series Model

This paper presents new test methods for nonlinear Analog and Mixed-Signal (AMS) circuits which use a pseudorandom signal to test multiple Devices Under Test (DUTs) accurately. The goal of the studies presented in this paper is to understand the behaviors of nonlinear AMS circuits in a low-cost test environment and to develop the algorithm to extract the performance information of the DUTs using simple test measurements. The extracted information is then used to estimate the various specifications of DUTs. In order to achieve this goal, we analyze the behaviors of AMS circuits using a Volterra series model, and investigate the stochastic properties of the pseudorandom signals to develop the efficient performance characterization algorithms. The mathematical theory and experimental results are presented to validate the presented test methods.