cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional video games in CS1 II: from structural recursion to generative and accumulative recursion

The use of video games to teach introduction courses to programming and Computer Science is a trend that is currently flourishing. One of the most successful and promising approaches uses functional video games to get students interested and engaged in programming. This approach is successful, in part, because functional video games provide a domain of interest to most Computer Science undergraduates and remove the need to reason about designing state-based programs. A plethora of examples exist that have students develop games exploiting structural recursion which resemble such classics as Space Invaders and Snake. Once students master the basics of structural recursion the time comes to move beyond structural recursion to generative and accumulative recursion. It is up to the instructor to harness the enthusiasm and appetite that students have to develop more video games. This requires finding games that require the generation of subproblems in the same class as the input problem or that require accumulators to be successfully played or solved. This article presents a road map to make the transition from structural recursion to accumulative recursion using the N-puzzle problem as motivation to capture student enthusiasm and exploit what they have learned about program design. The N-Puzzle was also chosen to demonstrate that informed heuristic search strategies, traditionally the domain of undergraduate courses in Artificial Intelligence, are within the grasp of CS1 students. With proper guidance, CS1 students can reason such an algorithm into existence instead of simply using a textbook to study such algorithms. If the work described in this article is replicated elsewhere, there is no doubt that it will be an exciting time for Computer Science education and it will elevate the relevance of functional programming in the minds of future CS professionals.
Molecular Modeling of the 1,1-Cyclopropane- and 1,1-Cyclobutanedicarboxamide Systems. Insights into the Self-Assembly of Diamide Diacids in Water

Modeling of the following compounds bis-(N-α-amido-L-phenylalaninyl)-1,1-cyclopropane dicarboxylate, 3, and bis-(N-α-amido-L-phenylalaninyl)-1,1-cyclobutane dicarboxylate, 4, were undertaken. The study involved construction and optimization of the precursory 1,1-dicarboxaldehydes and continued stepwise via the 1,1-dicarboxamides, the bis-N-(methyl)dicarboxamides, the bis(N-α-amidoglycinyl) dicarboxylates, the bis(N-α-amido-L-alaninyl) dicarboxylates and onto the targeted bis(N-α-amido-L-phenylalaninyl) dicarboxylates. Using the X-ray crystal structure of 4 (i.e., 4X) as a guide, we found that our approach was not able to reproduce the packable conformer of 4, via the computational methods employed. Nevertheless, an enhanced understanding of the intramolecular hydrogen bonding patterns available to these systems was obtained from IR and VT-NMR studies. In summary, the conformational preferences found in the 1,1-disubstituted cycloalkanes (3 and 4) direct their respective self-assembly processes by controlling the orientation of their amide NH populations.
Fusion heals the broken-hearted

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain one of the most severe conditions facing patients with reported mortality rates of 17.92 million in 2015 (1). Myocardial infractions (MIs), a prevalent form of CVD, trigger localized cardiomyocyte loss after ischemic injury, and the following inflammatory response and deposition of extracellular matrix causes scar formation (2).
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptom profiles of children with comorbid Down syndrome (DS) and ASD: A comparison with children with DS-only and ASD-only.

Abstract Background Down syndrome (DS) is associated with increased rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by social−communicative impairments (SOC−COM) and repetitive behaviors and interests (RBI). However, little is known about the ASD symptom presentation in children with DS + ASD. Aims The current study sought to describe parent-report of SOC−COM and RBI symptoms on the Autism Diagnostic Interview -Revised (ADI-R) in children with DS (n = 22), DS + ASD (n = 11), and ASD (n = 66). Method SOC−COM and RBI scores from the ADI-R were compared across the groups whose autism status was ascertained using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Results Differences in SOC−COM and RBI symptom severity was observed. The general pattern of findings was ASD > DS+ASD > DS. Dissimilar ASD symptom profiles were observed across groups. In ASD, SOC−COM scores were higher than RBI scores; in DS + ASD, similar SOC−COM and RBI scores were observed. Lastly, SOC−COM impairments were highly related to verbal cognition in youth with DS + ASD but not in those with DS or ASD. Conclusions and Implications These findings suggest that children with DS + ASD have a distinct profile of ASD symptoms that differs from peers with either disorder in isolation. Thus, care should be taken in evaluating and designing treatments for this group.
Influenza Antiviral Prescribing Practices and the Influence of Rapid Testing Among Primary Care Providers in the US, 2009-2016.

Background Early influenza antiviral treatment within 2 days of illness onset can reduce illness severity and duration. Reliance on low sensitivity rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) to guide antiviral prescribing has been reported. We describe antiviral prescribing practices among primary care providers from a large surveillance network in the United States. Methods From 2009-2016, a network of 36 to 68 outpatient clinics per year collected respiratory specimens and clinical data for patients with influenza-like illness (ILI). Specimens were tested for influenza using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We used multivariable logistic regression to assess factors influencing antiviral prescribing. Results Among 13 540 patients with ILI, 2766 (20%) were prescribed antivirals. In age groups recommended to receive empiric antiviral treatment for suspected influenza, 11% of children <2 years and 23% of adults ≥65 years received a prescription. Among 3681 patients with a positive PCR test for influenza, 40% tested negative by RIDT. In multivariable analysis, prescription receipt was strongly associated with a positive RIDT (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 12, 95% CI 11-14) and symptom onset ≤2 days before visit (aOR 4.3, 95% CI 3.8-4.9). Antiviral prescribing was also more frequent among pediatric and private family practice clinics compared with community health centers (aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.6-2.2, and 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.5, respectively). Conclusion Primary care providers were more likely to prescribe antivirals to patients with a positive RIDT, but antivirals were prescribed infrequently even to patients in high-risk age groups. Understanding patient and provider characteristics associated with antiviral prescribing is important for communicating treatment recommendations.
Abstract 2498: MCL1 binds and negatively regulates the transcriptional function of tumor suppressor p73

MCL1 is an anti-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, which has become a popular therapeutic target in cancer research over the past decade due to its propensity to promote cancer cell survival and facilitate chemoresistance. Through a phage display screen, we identified a novel MCL1 binding motif that is the reverse of the canonical BH3-binding helix that mediates interactions amongst Bcl-2 family members. Upon a BLAST sequence analysis of native proteins, we identified a putative reverse BH3 (rBH3) motif in the tumor suppressor protein, p73. Here, we show that MCL1 and p73 bind through a direct protein-protein interaction. Using fluorescence polarization assay, we characterize the strength of this interaction and reduce binding down to the rBH3-containing alpha helix in the tetramerization domain of p73. To elucidate biological function, we employ electrophoretic mobility shift assay to show that excess MCL1 negatively impacts p73 binding to DNA. Finally, using two p53-/- cancer cell lines, we demonstrate that MCL1 inhibits the transcriptional function of p73 through analysis of p73 target gene expression. In summary, we characterize a novel protein-protein interaction between MCL1 and p73 and show that MCL1 negatively impacts p73 target gene activation. This work establishes a novel function of MCL1 outside of apoptotic regulation at the mitochondria and provides new evidence of cross talk between the Bcl-2 family and the DNA damage response pathway. Citation Format: Hayley Widden, Aneta Kaczmarczyk, Robert H. Whitaker, William J. Placzek. MCL1 binds and negatively regulates the transcriptional function of tumor suppressor p73 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2498.
Early Graft Dysfunction Following Heart Transplant: Prevention and Management:

Heart transplant can be considered as the "gold standard" treatment for end-stage heart failure, with nearly 5.7 million adults in the United States carrying a diagnosis of heart failure. According to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation registry, nearly 3300 orthotopic heart transplants were performed in 2016 in North America. In spite of significant improvements in overall perioperative care of heart transplant recipients for the past few decades, the risk of 30-day mortality remains 5% to 10%, primarily related to early failure of the allograft. Early graft dysfunction (EGD) occurs within 24 hours after transplant, manifesting as left ventricular dysfunction, right ventricular dysfunction, or biventricular dysfunction. EGD is further classified into primary and secondary graft dysfunction. This review focus on describing overall incidences of EGD, potential risk factors associated with EGD, perioperative preventive measures, and various management options.
Understanding the variability of handheld spectral-domain optical coherence tomography measurements in supine infants.

Purpose Central foveal thickness (CFT) measurements from optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans provide a precise measure of severity of pathologic changes in the fovea, progress of disease and response to treatment. Although these measures are additionally valuable to assess foveal development in infants, their reproducibility is not known. The goal of this retrospective study is to evaluate the variation and reproducibility of CFT measurements using handheld spectral-domain OCT (hh-SDOCT) in supine infants compared to conventional adult tabletop imaging. Methods Imaging sessions with multiple macular, volume scans in one eye were selected for analysis from two participant groups: Group 1, 25 imaging sessions from 21 preterm infants without macular edema imaged supine in the nursery using hh-SDOCT (Leica/Bioptigen Envisu C2300, RTP, NC); Group 2, 25 imaging sessions from 25 adults imaged using tabletop Bioptigen SDOCT. For each imaging session, three macular OCT volumes with acceptable image quality were selected for analysis. CFTs were measured using a customized script for automatic segmentation. An expert grader and a typical grader corrected the segmentation lines for the central foveal frame. Coefficient of variations (CV) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated for graders and systems and compared to the previous literature on OCT reproducibility. Results CFT measurements were repeatable and reproducible for both handheld and tabletop SDOCT systems. For handheld, grader ICC (CI) and mean CV were 0.94 (0.90-0.97) and 3.8 (typical) and 0.98 (0.96-0.99) and 2.9 (expert), and for tabletop were 0.91(0.83-0.96) and 2.1 (typical) and 0.92 (0.86-0.96) and 1.9 (expert). Intergrader reproducibility of handheld and tabletop SDOCT systems were ICC(CI) 0.97 (0.95-0.98) and 0.93 (0.89-0.96) respectively, and both are comparable to previously reported reproducibility of tabletop systems. Conclusion Handheld SDOCT is a reproducible instrument to measure foveal thicknesses in supine infants. It can be used in clinical research to evaluate foveal changes during retinal development and pathological conditions.
Media, Myth, and Millennials: Critical Perspectives on Race and Culture

This edited collection attempts to ensconce the myth of a post-racial United States in the hands of a more open-minded Millennial generation. However, with their deft and diverse critical approache...
Impact of Intraoperative Dexamethasone on Surgical and Oncologic Outcomes for Patients with Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Administration of dexamethasone to mitigate postoperative nausea and vomiting has been suggested to improve short- and long-term outcomes after pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) resection. This study aimed primarily to evaluate these hypotheses in a contemporary patient cohort treated with multimodality therapy. The clinicopathologic and perioperative characteristics of consecutive resected PDAC patients (July 2011 to October 2018) were analyzed from a prospectively maintained database. Intraoperative administration of dexamethasone (4–10 mg) was retrospectively abstracted from the electronic medical record. The majority of 373 patients (59.8%) received intraoperative dexamethasone. Most of these patients underwent neoadjuvant therapy (75.3%), were potentially resectable at presentation (69.7%), and underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (79.9%). Women were more likely to receive dexamethasone than men (69.9 vs 30.1%; p < 0.001). The cohorts were otherwise clinically similar. Intraoperative dexamethasone was not associated with differences in postoperative major complications (PMCs) (21.1 vs 19.3%; p = 0.68), postoperative pancreatic fistulas (6.3 vs 6.7%; p = 0.88), or composite infectious complications (28.7 vs 24.7%; p = 0.39). Dexamethasone was not associated with any improvement in median recurrence-free survival (RFS) (17 vs 17 months; p = 0.99) or overall survival (OS) (46 vs 43 months; p = 0.90). After adjustment for clinical factors including margin status, clinical classification, tumor size, and dexamethasone, the only factors independently associated with OS were pathologic node-positivity (hazard ratio [HR], 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32–2.47), perineural invasion (HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.23–3.31), multimodality therapy (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13–0.70), and PMCs (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.17–2.29) (all p < 0.006). Dexamethasone failed to demonstrate any protective advantage in terms of mitigating short-term PMCs or infectious complications, or to confer any long-term survival benefit. Tumor biology, multimodality therapy, and PMCs remain the main prognostic factors after PDAC resection.
PERSIA: a PuzzlE-based InteReSt FloodIng Attack Countermeasure

With the proliferation of smart and connected mobile, wireless devices at the edge, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are increasing. Weak security, improper commissioning, and the fast, non-standardized growth of the IoT industry are the major contributors to the recent DDoS attacks, e.g., Mirai Botnet attack on Dyn and Memcached attack on GitHub. Similar to UDP/TCP flooding (common DDoS attack vector), request flooding attack is the primary DDoS vulnerability in the Named-Data Networking (NDN) architecture. In this paper, we propose PERSIA, a distributed request flooding prevention and mitigation framework for NDN-enabled ISPs, to ward-off attacks at the edge. PERSIA's edge-centric attack prevention mechanism eliminates the possibility of successful attacks from malicious end hosts. In the presence of compromised infrastructure (routers), PERSIA dynamically deploys an in-network mitigation strategy to minimize the attack's magnitude. Our experimentation demonstrates PERSIA's resiliency and effectiveness in preventing and mitigating DDoS attacks while maintaining legitimate users' quality of experience (> 99.92% successful packet delivery rate).
Decoration to Demonstration: A New Point Source for 3D Ray Tracing

Possibly the greatest irony of physics education is the difficulty of demonstrating optics in a visible way. The two most common solutions to this conundrum are to either use “all-inclusive” optical apparatuses, like a large- format camera, or to rely on classic ray-tracing diagrams. While the former looks elegant while demonstrating the inverted nature of its images at the front of a classroom, its inner workings and method of inverting remain mysterious. The mechanics of the latter are more evident but are limited to two dimensions and the willingness of students to accept the drawing as fact. More advanced solutions include computer modeling of 3D optics or benchtop ray-tracing demonstrations, but between these the demonstrator effectively trades a third dimension for verisimilitude. A more encompassing solution would be a means to trace rays in three dimensions through a variety of optical devices. Previously, the rub has been identifying a viable point source of rays for classroom demonstrations. In this paper, we present such a source and several sequences of demonstrations utilizing it.
Electriflow: Soft Electrohydraulic Building Blocks for Prototyping Shape-changing Interfaces

We present Electriflow: a new class of soft electrohydraulic actuators as building blocks for prototyping shape-changing interfaces. These actuators are silent and fast in operation and can be fabricated with commodity materials. Electriflow generates an immediate hydraulic force upon electrostatic activation without an external fluid supply source, enabling a simple and compact self-contained design. This paper describes the materials and mechanisms of these shape-changing building blocks, as well as the underlying fabrication process, which includes a software tool that assists in their design, shape visualization and construction. Finally, we explore four classes of application prototypes: tangible animation, actuating origami creases, shape-changing phone, and shape-changing bowl.
Firm Creation, Entry Costs, and House-Price Volatility

Reforms aimed at reducing the regulatory barriers to firm entry and bolstering greater firm creation have gained significant prominence in economies beyond the U.S. Given these facts and amid growing work on the link between firm creation and cyclical housing-market dynamics, we document a significant, positive, and robust crosscountry relationship between the level of new firm creation and the cyclical volatility of house prices. Using a business cycle model with endogenous firm entry, housing, and housing finance constraints, we show how greater average firm entry can be a powerful amplification mechanism of housing-market shocks amid housing finance constraints, with these shocks and frictions playing a key role in quantitatively rationalizing the link between firm creation and house-price volatility across countries.
Recent advances in algebraic geometry: A volume in honor of Rob Lazarsfeld’s 60th birthday

List of contributors Preface 1. The effect of points fattening in dimension three Thomas Bauer and Tomasz Szemberg 2. Some remarks on surface moduli and determinants Aaron Bertram 3. Valuation spaces and multiplier ideals on singular varieties Sebastien Boucksom, Tommaso de Fernex, Charles Favre and Stefano Urbinati 4. Line arrangements modeling curves of high degree Gregory Burnham, Zvi Rosen, Jessica Sidmana and Peter Vermeire 5. Rationally connected manifolds and semipositivity of the Ricci curvature Frederic Campana, Jean-Pierre Demailly and Thomas Peternell 6. Subcanonical graded rings which are not Cohen Macaulay Fabrizio Catanese 7. Threefold divisorial contractions to singularities of cE type Jungkai Alfred Chen 8. Special prime Fano fourfolds of degree 10 and index 2 Olivier Debarre, Atanas Iliev and Laurent Manivel 9. Configuration spaces of complex and real spheres Igor Dolgachev and Benjamin Howard 10. Twenty points in P3 David Eisenbud, Robin Hartshorne and Frank-Olaf Schreyer 11. The Betti table of a high degree curve is asymptotically pure Daniel Erman 12. Partial positivity: geometry and cohomology of q-ample line bundles Daniel Greb and Alex Kuronya 13. Generic vanishing fails for singular varieties and in characteristic p>0 Christopher D. Hacon and Sandor J. Kovacs 14. Deformations of elliptic Calabi-Yau manifolds Janos Kollar 15. Derived equivalence and non-vanishing loci II Luigi Lombardi and Mihnea Popa 16. The automorphism groups of Enriques surfaces covered by symmetric quartic surfaces Shigeru Mukai and Hisanori Ohashi 17. Lower order asymptotics of Szegoe and Toeplitz kernels under Hamiltonian circle actions Roberto Paoletti 18. Gaussian maps and generic vanishing I: subvarieties of abelian varieties Giuseppe Pareschi 19. Torsion points on cohomology support loci: from D-modules to Simpson's theorem Christian Schnell 20. Rational equivalence of 0-cycles on K3 surfaces and conjectures of Huybrechts and O'Grady Claire Voisin.
Fatigue Damage Accumulation Mechanisms in Monolithic Alumina

The characterization of damage accumulation processes in monolithic ceramics under cyclic loading is important towards the understanding of the mechanical behavior of structural ceramics that would ultimately be exposed to actual field environments. To this end, our study examines the role of microstructural mechanisms that control the fatigue damage accumulation of ceramic materials exposed to cyclic loading. It is seen that mechanisms of damage accumulation include energy dissipation and interfacial wear by friction at lower temperatures. The effect of elevated temperatures is also examined and observations indicate that the relaxation of internal microstructural stresses greatly influences fatigue behavior. Also, for the quasistatic loading problem, accumulation of damage has been related to features on the order of the grain size, but apparent from data in this study, fatigue related damage depends upon damage to sub-grain size features.
Do-not-resuscitate orders among trauma patients

Abstract Background Do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders are an important means to communicate end-of-life wishes. Previous studies have demonstrated variable prevalence of DNR orders among hospitalized trauma patients. Objective This study was conducted to identify the prevalence and type of DNR orders among trauma patients and to identify associations of DNR orders with injury severity, length of stay, and whether CPR was performed in cases of cardiac arrest. Methods In this retrospective study, medical records were reviewed for 263 trauma patients at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, in 2014 with a DNR order. Results Among 3394 trauma patients in 2014, 263 (8%) patients had a DNR order. Participants were 43% male and 57% female. The mean age was 76 (range, 16-90 +) years. The most common mechanisms of injury included fall (n = 214, 81.4%) and motor vehicle collision (n = 16, 6.1%). Most DNR orders in this patient population were instituted during the hospitalization (n = 176, 67%). The most common types of advance directives included DNR order (n = 224, 85.2%), living will (n = 124, 47.2%), and durable power of health care attorney (n = 126, 47.9%). A minority of patients died during hospitalization (n = 100, 38.0%). Among patients who were deceased, 14 (14.0%) had CPR performed. Conclusions Among trauma patients with DNR orders, most DNR orders were instituted during the hospital admission. Most deceased patients with DNR orders did not have CPR performed during the hospital stay.
Effect of muscle strength on VO_{2} plateau occurrence rate

The purpose of this study was to investigate the plateau occurrence rate in a cycle ergometer VO 2 max test in two groups of subjects, one biased toward low muscle strength relative to cardiovascular fitness (low muscle strength/cardiovascular fitness ratio) and the other biased toward high muscle strength relative to cardiovascular fitness. The subjects, 7 collegiate distance runners (DR) and 6 collegiate football linemen (FL), performed a multiple stage cycle protocol ranging in power output from 60-484 W. VO 2 was averaged over 15 sec intervals during each stage. Stage VO 2 was recorded as the average of the steady state values on the VO 2 /time curve. Each subject performed a VO 2 max test that consisted of two parts, a continuous phase and a discontinuous phase. Leg strength was assessed by 1RM leg press using a hip sled. Plateau occurrence rate was not different between groups (6/7 DR and 6/6 FL;p = 0.538). Absolute VO 2 max was similar in DR and FL (4.34 ± 0.4 vs. 4.63 ± 0.5 L/min; p = 0.266), relative VO 2 max was greater in DR than FL (65.6 ± 5.6 vs. 38.9 ± 5.5 ml/(kg/min); p < 0.001). Absolute leg strength was greater in FL than DR (342.0 ± 36.0 vs. 158.1 ± 31.8 kg; p < 0.001), as was the leg strength to body mass ratio (2.85 ± 0.22 vs. 2.38 ± 0.37; p = 0.034). The leg strength to cardiovascular fitness ratio, expressed in kg/(ml/min), was greater in DR than FL (9.02 ± 2.2 vs. 2.46 ± 2.2; p < 0.001). These data suggest that leg strength does not affect the occurrence rate of a plateau in VO 2 /power output curve.
Family-Based Interventions with Older, At-Risk Youth: From Promise to Proof to Practice

The paper reviews a group of family-based interventions, which have received strong empirical support, with respect to intervention with older and more seriously at-risk youth. With such family-focused interventions it is not uncommon for the risk factors experienced by youth who already express clear behavioral problems to exist also for their siblings who may not yet show any of the negative behavior patterns, but nonetheless may be at high risk. Thus, a “treatment” program that effectively changes the ongoing maladaptive family processes surrounding the already dysfunctional youth will at the same time be changing the risk factors for the siblings who is not yet behaving problematically. As such, the program will simultaneously represent a treatment and a primary prevention program.
Direct reconstruction of CT-based attenuation correction images for PET with cluster-based penalties

Extremely low-dose CT acquisitions for the purpose of PET attenuation correction will have a high level of noise and biasing artifacts due to factors such as photon starvation. This work explores a priori knowledge appropriate for CT iterative image reconstruction for PET attenuation correction. We investigate the maximum a posteriori (MAP) framework with cluster-based, multinomial priors for the direct reconstruction of the PET attenuation map. The objective function for direct iterative attenuation map reconstruction was modeled as a Poisson log-likelihood with prior terms consisting of quadratic (Q) and mixture (M) distributions. The attenuation map is assumed to have values in 4 clusters: air+background, lung, soft tissue, and bone. Under this assumption, the MP was a mixture probability density function consisting of one exponential and three Gaussian distributions. The relative proportion of each cluster was jointly estimated during each voxel update of direct iterative coordinate decent (dICD) method. Noise-free data were generated from NCAT phantom and Poisson noise was added. Reconstruction with FBP (ramp filter) was performed on the noise-free (ground truth) and noisy data. For the noisy data, dICD reconstruction was performed with the combination of different prior strength parameters (β and γ) of Q- and M-penalties. The combined quadratic and mixture penalties reduces the RMSE by 18.7% compared to post-smoothed iterative reconstruction and only 0.7% compared to quadratic alone. For direct PET attenuation map reconstruction from ultra-low dose CT acquisitions, the combination of quadratic and mixture priors offers regularization of both variance and bias and is a potential method to derive attenuation maps with negligible patient dose. However, the small improvement in quantitative accuracy relative to the substantial increase in algorithm complexity does not currently justify the use of mixture-based PET attenuation priors for reconstruction of CT images for PET attenuation correction.
Molecular requirements for auxin action—I.

Abstract In order to obtain evidence for or against the concept that the biological activity of the indole auxins depends upon the fractional positive charge of the —NH group and its distance from the carboxyl group, two new indole compounds and their methyl and ethyl esters have been prepared. In these the intensity of the charge on the —NH would be predicted to be increased, while the auxin activity according to other theories should be decreased. Of these compounds, 2-chloro-indole-3-acetic acid has about 350 per cent of the activity of indoleacetic acid; the 2-bromo acid has 160 per cent activity, and the activities of the esters are even higher. Thus the activities of the 2-halogenated derivatives contrast strongly with that of the 2-methyl derivative, which has only 12 per cent of the activity ofindoleacetic acid. In a larger series of indole compounds with substituents on the benzene ring, the frequency of the i.r. solvent-bonded —NH stretching band in acetonitrile has been found to vary linearly with the Hammett sigma value for the substituent. The 2-halogenated derivatives agree perfectly with this behavior. Since σ measures the change in the tendency of an anion or proton to associate reversibly when a substituent is introduced, it is deduced that the —NH stretch frequency is a measure of the relative positive charge on the —NH group (other factors being equal). In standard auxin tests with the same compounds, using curvature of slit pea stems, it is shown that the log of the growth activity is also a roughly linear function of the solvent-bonded —NH stretch frequency and hence of σ, providing that gross steric effects and lipophilic properties of the compounds are not too different. The data are therefore all consistent with the theory stated above, and it is suggested that analogous considerations may hold for the biological activity of the indolealkylamines of the tryptamine and serotonin series.
Examining the Validity of Low-Income African American Women's Responses to Items from the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI)

The CSBI assesses problems associated with compulsive sexual behavior in male samples. Three hundred and six low income women were administered a 13-item CSBI prior to a sexual health seminar. CFA was used to confirm the previously-established two factor model. The two factor model showed acceptable fit. Women's scores appeared lower than men's. CSBI-13 total and subscale scores were higher in women who reported having engaged in sex exchange. Results support continued use of CSBI Total and Control scores in studying women's sexual behavior. It is unclear whether women's lower scores indicate less CSB or whether women's symptoms are inadequately measured by the CSBI.
Increased Synchronization of Neuromagnetic Responses during Conscious Perception

In binocular rivalry, the observer views two incongruent images, one through each eye, but is conscious of only one image at a time. The image that is perceptually dominant alternates every few seconds. We used this phenomenon to investigate neural correlates of conscious perception. We presented a red vertical grating to one eye and a blue horizontal grating to the other eye, with each grating continuously flickering at a distinct frequency (the frequency tag for that stimulus). Steady-state magnetic fields were recorded with a 148 sensor whole-head magnetometer while the subjects reported which grating was perceived. The power of the steady-state magnetic field at the frequency associated with a grating typically increased at multiple sensors when the grating was perceived. Changes in power related to perceptual dominance, presumably reflecting local neural synchronization, reached statistical significance at several sensors, including some positioned over occipital, temporal, and frontal cortices. To identify changes in synchronization between distinct brain areas that were related to perceptual dominance, we analyzed coherence between pairs of widely separated sensors. The results showed that when the stimulus was perceived there was a marked increase in both interhemispheric and intrahemispheric coherence at the stimulus frequency. This study demonstrates a direct correlation between the conscious perception of a visual stimulus and the synchronous activity of large populations of neocortical neurons as reflected by stimulus-evoked steady-state neuromagnetic fields.
American High School Students from Different Ethnic Backgrounds: The Role of Parents and the Classroom in Achievement Motivation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between ethnically diverse US high school students’ ( $$N = 331$$ ) perceptions of their parents’ or classroom’s motivating factors and their achievement motivation in their math class, connecting achievement goal orientation and self-determination theories. Two hypothesized path models were supported, in which the high school students’ goal orientations were predicted by their perceptions of either parental or classroom variables. The students’ academic self-regulated motivations mediated the relationships. An additional hypothesis was supported that students with different ethnic backgrounds (i.e., students of European, Asian, and Latino descent) differed in how their perceptions of their parents’ motivating variables were related to their own achievement motivations, but not the relationships between students’ self-regulated motivations and achievement goal orientations. Implications for achievement motivation of ethnically diverse high school students are discussed.
RESPONSES TO SONGS WITH ALTERED TONAL QUALITY BY ADULT SONG SPARROWS (MELOSPIZA MELODIA)

Pure-tone sounds are a common and distinctive feature of many birdsongs. We used field playback experiments to test whether this tonal quality is perceptually salient to adult male song sparrows in the context of song recognition, by comparing responses to playback of normal songs with responses elicited by songs that had harmonics added. This species was chosen for study based on the recent finding that young song sparrows do not show a preference for songs with pure tones over songs with harmonics when choosing model songs to copy during their sensitive phase for learning. We found adult song sparrows to be significantly more responsive to normal song than to harmonic song, consistent with results from adult birds of other species. We conclude that the perceptual salience of the tonal quality of song changes during ontogeny or is context-dependent.
Effects of chlordecone and malnutrition on immune response in rats

Abstract Effect of Chlordecone (Cd) and malnutrition on total body and spleen weights, and plaque forming cells (PFC) were studied. Rats were fed on normal, calcium (CaD), protein (PD) or Ca+P-deficient diets containing 0, 10 or 100 ppm of Cd for 2 or 4 weeks. High (95−100%) mortality was observed in malnourished rats treated with 100 ppm of Cd for 4 weeks. A slight decrease in body weight and an increase in spleen weight was observed in normal but not malnourished rats treated with 10 ppm of Cd for 4 weeks. PFC were significantly increased in both malnourished and Cd-treated rats. Similar increase in PFC was observed in rats fed on CaD but not PD diet containing 10 or 100 ppm of Cd. Whereas, rats fed on Ca+P-D diet containing 100 ppm of Cd exhibited a significant decrease in PFC.
Bessel function of the first kind with complex argument

Abstract A new method of computing integral order Bessel functions of the first kind J n ( z ) when either the absolute value of the real part or the imaginary part of the argument z = x + iy is small, is described. This method is based on computing the Bessel functions from asymptotic expressions when x ∼ 0 (or y ∼ 0). These expansions are derived from the integral definition of Bessel functions. This method is necessary because some existing algorithms and methods fail to give correct results for small x small y . In addition, our overall method of computing Bessel functions of any order and argument is discussed and the logarithmic derivative is used in computing these functions. The starting point of the backward recurrence relations needed to evaluate the Bessel function and their logarithmic derivatives are investigated in order to obtain accurate numerical results. Our numerical method, together with established techniques of computing the Bessel functions, is easy to implement, efficient, and produces reliable results for all z .
Stenting in the carotid artery: initial experience in 110 patients.

Purpose:To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of intravascular stents in the treatment of extracranial carotid artery occlusive disease.Methods:According to protocol, stent therapy was offered to symptomatic patients with ≥ 70% arteriographically defined carotid stenoses or ulcerative lesions and, after September 1994, to asymptomatic patients with ≥ 75% stenoses. From April 1993 to September 1995, 110 nonconsecutive patients (79 males; mean age 72 years, range 45 to 85) consented to participate in the study. The majority (79 [72%]) were asymptomatic. Lesions meeting the treatment criteria were in the proximal common (n = 3); mid common (n = 12); distal common (n = 8); internal (ICA) (n = 92); and external (n = 2) carotid arteries. Seven patients had bilateral ICA stenoses, and 17 patients were treated for postsurgical recurrent disease. The mean lesion length and diameter stenosis for all lesions were 12.4 ± 9.2 mm and 86.5% ± 10.6%, respectively.The procedures were performed either via direc...
Reactive oxygen species contribute to contractile dysfunction following rapid ventricular pacing in dogs.

Abstract Background: Ventricular tachyarrhythmias may produce subsequent myocardial dysfunction through the formation of oxygen-derived free radicals. We tested the hypothesis that the antioxidant N -acetylcysteine enhances recovery of contractile function after rapid ventricular pacing. Methods: Barbiturate-anesthetized dogs were instrumented for measurement of systemic and coronary hemodynamics and subendocardial segment shortening (%SS). All dogs were subjected to 3 h of rapid ventricular pacing (230 beats/min) followed by a 2 h recovery period. In three groups ( n =8 each), dogs received intravenous 0.9% saline or N -acetylcysteine (50 or 150 mg/kg over 60 min) in a random manner before pacing. Results: N -acetylcysteine did not affect systemic and coronary hemodynamics or alter regional myocardial contractility. Rapid ventricular pacing significantly ( P P /d t max . Rapid ventricular pacing produced equivalent degrees of contractile dysfunction in dogs receiving saline or N -acetylcysteine (e.g. %SS of 14.7±1.8 to −3.8±2.7% before and during pacing in saline-pretreated dogs). Dogs receiving the 150 mg/kg dose of N -acetylcysteine demonstrated greater recovery of contractile function than those pretreated with saline or the 50 mg/kg dose (e.g. %SS of 12.3±1.7% compared to 7.0±2.0% 2 h after pacing in dogs receiving saline). No differences in systemic and coronary hemodynamics were observed between groups during recovery from pacing. Conclusions: The results indicate that the N -acetylcysteine enhances recovery of contractile function after rapid ventricular pacing independent of alterations in systemic and coronary hemodynamics and imply that reactive oxygen species are an important component of the contractile dysfunction following rapid pacing in vivo.
Effects of proximity on mis-matched composites

Composite materials typically have some degree of disorder in the distribution of particles of the second phase, leading to instances of close proximity of such particles. It is well known that under stress the two phases deform incompatibly giving rise to induced internal stresses. We show that proximity can lead to additional stresses in two different ways. First, and lesser, the incompatibility at the interface of a particle with the matrix is affected by the presence of a neighboring particle. Second, and much greater, the finite nature of the displacements associated with the incompatibility means that at close approach these displacements become significant with respect to the interparticle spacing with correspondingly large strains and stresses.
Case report 544

L'etude a pour objet la description d'un syndrome de Munchhausen chez un patient de 40 ans qui presente a la radiographie et au scanner une destruction bilaterale etendue de l'articulation scapulohumerale secondaire a une automutilation
National Trends in the Usage and Success of Sacral Nerve Test Stimulation

Purpose: Little is known about outcomes of sacral neuromodulation in the general community, with published reports to date limited to case series or randomized, controlled trials. The goal of this analysis was to identify the national sacral neuromodulation test phase success rate and patient factors that contribute to success. Materials and Methods: Medical claims data were obtained from a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries (1997 to 2007) and from employees of 25 large (Fortune 500) companies (Ingenix®, 2002 to 2007). Using billing codes for the sacral neuromodulation procedure, success was defined as progressing from test phase (percutaneous or staged) to battery implantation. The rate of success was compared based on age, race, gender and diagnosis. Results: In the Medicare sample 358 patients received percutaneous test stimulation and 1,132 underwent 2-stage lead placement, of whom 45.8% and 35.4%, respectively, underwent subsequent battery implantation. In the privately insured sample there were 266 percutaneous procedures and 794, 2-stage procedures. Percutaneous procedures were followed by battery placement in 24.1% of cases, whereas 50.9% of staged procedures resulted in battery implantation. Gender was the only consistent predictor of success, with female patients demonstrating higher success rates in each data set. Conclusions: The sacral neuromodulation success rates in these data sets are inferior to those published in case series and small randomized, controlled trials. Women had significantly better results than men and privately insured individuals had better results than those with Medicare, indicating a potential age effect.
Total Synthesis of the Cyanolide A Aglycon

The synthesis of the potent molluscicide cyanolide A has been achieved in 10 steps without the use of protecting groups. The synthesis features a key Sakurai macrocyclization/dimerization reaction that simultaneously forms both tetrahydropyran rings and the macrocycle of the natural product.
Run length distributions and economic design of X charts with unknown process variance

The run length distribution of\(\bar X\) charts with unknown process variance is analized using numerical integration. Both traditional\(\bar X\) chart limits and a method due to Hillier are considered. It is shown that setting control limits based on the pooled standard deviation, as opposed to the average sample standard deviation, provides better run length performance due to its smaller mean square error. The effect of an unknown process variance is shown to increase the area under both tails of the run length distribution. If Hillier’s method is used instead, only the right tail of the run length distribution is increased. Collani’s model for the economic design of\(\bar X\) charts is extended to the case of unknown process variance by writing his standardized objective function in terms of average run lengths.
Can the fool lead the blind? Perception and the given in dharmakīrti's thought

Etude du probleme de la perception et du mythe du donne de l'experience dans la pensee de Dharmakirti (600-660 ap J.-C.) et chez ses commentateurs indiens et tibetains. Examinant l'interpretation revisionniste du systeme de Dharmakirti par Dharmottara (750-810), l'A. privilegie l'analyse de Sa-skya Pandita (1182-1251) concernant la fonction reflexive de la conscience
EFFECTS OF URACIL INCORPORATION, DNA MISMATCHES, AND ABASIC SITES ON CLEAVAGE AND RELIGATION ACTIVITIES OF MAMMALIAN TOPOISOMERASE I

Abasic sites and deamination of cytosine to uracil are probably the most common types of endogenous DNA damage. The effects of such lesions on DNA topoisomerase I (top1) activity were examined in oligonucleotides containing a unique top1 cleavage site. The presence of uracils and abasic sites within the first 4 bases immediately 5' to the cleavage site suppressed normal top1 cleavage and induced new top1 cleavage sites. Uracils immediately 3' to the cleavage site increased cleavage and produced a camptothecin mimicking effect. A mismatch with a bulge or abasic sites immediately 3' to the top1 cleavage site irreversibly trapped top1 cleavable complexes in the absence of camptothecin and produced a suicide cleavage complex. These results demonstrate that top1 activity is sensitive to physiological, environmental, and pharmacological DNA modifications and that top1 can act as a specific mismatch- and abasic site-nicking enzyme.
Condena postmoderna y redención "Transmetropolitana"

The analysis of the semiotic relationship between the city and the sciencefiction mode in Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson’s Transmetropolitanallows first of all for a critical introduction that challenges certain canonicalcertainties regarding the science fiction mode as well as the medium ofcomic books, and lead us to refine our terminology to better distinguishliterary genres from narrative modes. Transmetropolitan can be consideredas paradigmatic when it comes to the treatment of the city in the sciencefiction mode for it offers a variety of interpretive layers, which, whenstudied from the particular to the general —from micro to macrostructures— enable us to establish a vast array of connotative levels thatwork complementarily in order to generate a highly coherent narrativesemiosphere. Ultimately, the study of the narrative function of the city astheme and background in the Transmetropolitan saga reveals its politicaland ethical intentionality, which transcends the ideological limitations ofpost-structuralist cultural constructionism and puts forth a hopeful, albeitlucid and godless positivism.
Video imagery applications for intelligent home condition assessment

Video imagery collection and analysis is used to understand conditions and dynamic changes within the home environment. This is part of a joint venture between George Washington University and America Online to design, develop and evaluate new technology for the Home of the 21st Century. This initial phase is focused on capture and distribution of image information within the home and over the internet to allow local and remote observation and control of in home systems.
Colocalization of neurotensin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and progesterone receptor mRNA in rat arcuate neurons under estrogen-stimulated conditions.

In the female rat, estrogen and progesterone directly or indirectly regulate the activity of neurotensin (NT)-synthesizing neurosecretory cells located in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). To determine whether these NT neurons are subject to direct regulation by ovarian steroids, estrogen-inducible messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding nuclear progesterone receptor (PR) was used as a cellular marker for nuclear estrogen receptor (ER) as well as PR, and double label in situ hybridization was employed to determine the extent to which NT/neuromedin N mRNA and PR mRNA are colocalized in ARC neurons under estrogen-stimulated conditions. In estradiol-treated ovariectomized rats, approximately 80% of NT/neuromedin N mRNA-expressing cells in sections through the dorsomedial division of the ARC and approximately 60% of such cells in sections through the ventrolateral division of the ARC were found to contain PR mRNA. Depending on the ARC division and rostrocaudal level, double labeled cells accounted for approximate...