cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Indeterminate pediatric acute liver failure is uniquely characterized by a CD103+CD8+ T-cell infiltrate

The cause of pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) is unknown in up to 40% of cases. Evidence suggests that aberrant immune system activation may play a role. We hypothesized that indeterminate PALF cases would exhibit a unique pattern of hepatic inflammation. This was a retrospective and prospective study of PALF cases due to indeterminate (iPALF), autoimmune hepatitis, or known diagnosis (dPALF) etiology. Liver tissue sections were stained with immunohistochemical markers for cytotoxic T-cells (cluster of differentiation 8 [CD8]), perforin, and tissue resident memory T-cells (CD103) and scored as minimal, moderate, or dense. Lymphocytes were isolated from liver tissue for T-cell receptor beta sequencing and flow-cytometric studies. Thirty-three iPALF, 9 autoimmune hepatitis, and 14 dPALF cases were included. Dense hepatic infiltrates of CD8+ T-cells were found in 27 (82%) iPALF cases compared to 1 (7%) dPALF case (P < 0.0001). Perforin staining was dense or moderate in 19 (73%) of 26 iPALF cases compared to minimal in all 7 dPALF cases (P = 0.004); 16 (62%) of 26 iPALF cases had dense CD103 staining compared to none of the 6 dPALF cases (P = 0.001). T-cell receptor beta sequencing of iPALF cases demonstrated increased clonality compared to dPALF and control cases. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry revealed that iPALF intrahepatic leukocytes were predominantly tissue resident memory CD8+ T-cells. CONCLUSION Indeterminate PALF is characterized by a dense CD8+ T-cell hepatic infiltrate consistent with expansion of a tissue resident memory T-cell phenotype; CD8+ T-cells are a biomarker of immune dysregulation in iPALF and may be used to better identify and define this group. (Hepatology 2018).
Multicenter Experience using Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir ± RBV to Treat HCV GT 1 Relapsers after Simeprevir and Sofosbuvir Treatment.

Abstract Introduction and aim. Approximately 10%-15% of patients with hepatitis C genotype 1 (HCV GT1) experience virological relapse after all-oral antiviral regimen using simeprevir (SMV) and sofosbuvir (SOF). The efficacy and safety of treating such relapsers using ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) with/without ribavirin (RBV) has been limited. Objective. Report the virological response and safety of LDV/SOF with/without RBV for 12-24 weeks in treating HCV GT1 relapsers after SMV + SOF. Material and methods. Patients treated with standardized clinical protocol utilizing LDV/SOF with/without RBV at three transplant centers were retrospectively reviewed. Results. Forty-five patients (29% post-LT, 82% male, 13% non-white, 73% subtype 1a, 86% IL28B CT/ TT, 78% F3-4) started LDV/SOF with/without RBV at a median of 22 weeks (range 7-55 weeks) after the last dose of SMV+SOF treatment. Thirty-seven patients received LDV/SOF for 24 weeks (24/37 patients with RBV) and eight patients received LDV/SOF for 12 weeks (5/8 patients with RBV). RBV dose was adjusted for renal function. Sixteen patients who were RBV-ineligible received LDV/SOF without RBV for 12 or 24 weeks. SVR 12 was achieved in 96% (43/45) of patients. Baseline viral load, RBV use, or GT1 subtype did not impact SVR 12. Minimal adverse events were reported in those without RBV; 45% of patients who received RBV developed significant anemia requiring RBV dose reduction and/or discontinuation. In LT recipients, minimal immunosuppression dose adjustments were required and no biopsy-proven acute rejection occurred. Conclusions. Treatment with LDV/SOF with/without RBV for 12-24 weeks was very well tolerated and resulted in high SVR 12 rates (96%) in HCV GT1 relapsers to SMV + SOF treatment.
Towards Verified, Constant-time Floating Point Operations

The runtimes of certain floating-point instructions can vary up to two orders of magnitude with instruction operands, allowing attackers to break security and privacy guarantees of real systems (\eg browsers). To prevent attacks due to such floating-point timing channels, we introduce CTFP, an efficient, machine-checked, and extensible system that transforms unsafe floating-point operations into safe, constant-time computations. CTFP relies on two observations. First, that it is possible to execute floating-point computations in constant-time by emulating them in software; and second, that most security critical applications do not require full IEEE-754 floating-point precision. We use these observations to: eliminate certain classes of dangerous values from ever reaching floating-point hardware; emulate floating-point operations on dangerous values when eliminating them would severely alter application semantics; and, leverage fast floating-point hardware when it is safe to do so. We implement the constant-time transformations with our own domain-specific language that produces LLVM bitcode. Since the transformations themselves equate to bit surgery on already complicated floating-point arithmetic, we use a satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) solver to ensure that their behavior fits our specifications. Finally, we find that CTFP neither breaks real world applications nor incurs overwhelming overhead.
Automated data mining of the electronic health record for investigation of healthcare-associated outbreaks.

Background:Identifying routes of transmission among hospitalized patients during a healthcare-associated outbreak can be tedious, particularly among patients with complex hospital stays and multiple exposures. Data mining of the electronic health record (EHR) has the potential to rapidly identify common exposures among patients suspected of being part of an outbreak.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed 9 hospital outbreaks that occurred during 2011–2016 and that had previously been characterized both according to transmission route and by molecular characterization of the bacterial isolates. We determined (1) the ability of data mining of the EHR to identify the correct route of transmission, (2) how early the correct route was identified during the timeline of the outbreak, and (3) how many cases in the outbreaks could have been prevented had the system been running in real time.Results:Correct routes were identified for all outbreaks at the second patient, except for one outbreak involving >1 transmission route that was detected at the eighth patient. Up to 40 or 34 infections (78% or 66% of possible preventable infections, respectively) could have been prevented if data mining had been implemented in real time, assuming the initiation of an effective intervention within 7 or 14 days of identification of the transmission route, respectively.Conclusions:Data mining of the EHR was accurate for identifying routes of transmission among patients who were part of the outbreak. Prospective validation of this approach using routine whole-genome sequencing and data mining of the EHR for both outbreak detection and route attribution is ongoing.
Synthesis and Investigation of Linker-Free BODIPY–Gly Conjugates Substituted at the Boron Atom

An efficient synthesis of boron-functionalized cyclic BODIPY-Gly conjugates, using commercially available N-protected glycine amino acids and a BF2-BODIPY moiety as starting materials, is reported. The existence of two conformers (up and down) is revealed through comprehensive DFT calculations and 1H and 11B NMR analyses. The experimental and computational results indicate that all BODIPYs are stable in aqueous solutions at neutral pH and that Fmoc-BODIPY (4) is more stable than Ac-BODIPY (6) in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). In part due to their enhanced rigidity, all BODIPY-Gly conjugates display increased fluorescence quantum yields (0.6 < Φ < 0.9) relative to the corresponding BF2-BODIPY, making them excellent candidates for fluorescence imaging applications.
Equal Zones and Tautochrones

We describe surfaces of revolution with the parallel equal zones property, where equally-spaced planes parallel to the axis of rotation cut the surface into zones with equal surface areas. The sphe...
Safety of carotid artery revascularization procedures in patients with atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is a major contributor to cerebrovascular events. Coexisting carotid artery disease is not uncommon in Afib patients, yet they have been excluded from major randomized clinical trials. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) in Afib patients. METHODS The Premier Healthcare Database was queried (2009-2015). Patients who underwent CEA or CAS were captured by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Multivariable logistic modeling was implemented to examine the outcomes: in-hospital stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), mortality, and stroke/death. RESULTS There were 86,778 patients included. The majority were asymptomatic (n = 82,128 [94.6%]). Afib was reported in 6743 patients (7.8%). In terms of absolute outcomes in both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients, Afib patients (vs non-Afib patients) had higher mortality and stroke/death (asymptomatic: mortality, 0.4% vs 0.2%; stroke/death, 1.7% vs 1.2%; symptomatic: mortality, 6.9% vs 2.1%; stroke/death, 10.6% vs 4.5%; all P < .05). Adjusted analysis yielded higher odds of ICH (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.67), mortality (aOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.11-2.26), and stroke/death (aOR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.08-1.58) in Afib patients. Although univariable analysis found Afib to be a statistically significant predictor of ischemic stroke, similar results could not be elucidated in the multivariable analysis (aOR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.93-1.47). In Afib patients, important predictors of stroke/death included CAS (aOR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.21-2.68) and symptomatic presentation (aOR, 5.00; 95% CI, 3.20-7.83). Other important predictors were type of preoperative medication use, age, and hospital size. CONCLUSIONS Afib was associated with worse postoperative outcomes in patients with carotid artery disease. Symptomatic status in Afib patients is associated with a stroke/death risk that is higher than in recommended guidelines for CEA and particularly for CAS. Overall, CEA was associated with lower periprocedural ICH, mortality, and stroke/death in Afib patients compared with CAS.
Tritium generation, release, and retention from in-core fluoride salt irradiations

Abstract Further understanding of tritium transport mechanisms in the combined molten fluoride salt and graphite environment is necessary for the design and licensing of a Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR). The three in-core fluoride salt irradiations completed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) are a useful parallel for studying transport phenomena expected in a FHR environment. During the irradiations, evolution of tritium from the flibe salt was monitored and compared to the calculated total generation rate. A difference of 22 ± 10% between the integrated calculated tritium generation rate and the total release was measured for the third MITR irradiation (FS-3). The fraction of tritium which was not released from the salt could be explained by tritium retention in graphite. For post irradiation examination, a thermal desorption furnace was used to heat nuclear graphite samples in order to release and measure retained tritium. The desorption analysis in this work utilized seven subsections of graphite from the second salt irradiation (FS-2); three from a disc of IG-110U and four from ARB matrix graphite. Observed desorption versus temperature as well as total tritium content in the samples after irradiation indicate that the graphites were not volumetrically saturated with tritium, but rather tritium retention was likely limited to the near-surface region. Measurements of the samples resulted in 2.90 ± 0.29 μCi/mm2 of tritium retained by IG-110U and 1.83 ± 0.31 μCi/mm2 for ARB during the 300 h FS-2 in-core irradiation. Based on the desorption measurements, the estimated total tritium retention in graphite from the FS-2 samples is consistent with the tritium release measurements from the FS-3 experiment.
Clavin, Matthew J., The Battle of Negro Fort: The Rise and Fall of a Fugitive Slave Community

Brilliantly researched by Matthew J. Clavin, The Battle of Negro Fort tells the story of one of the most unique maroon-like communities in American history. Runaway slaves and Native Americans who ...
Regularised rank quasi-likelihood estimation for generalised additive models

Generalised additive models (GAMs) provide flexible models for a wide array of data sources. In the past, improvements of GAM estimation have focused on the smoothers used in the local scoring algo...
A 5-Year Analysis of Physician-Industry Interactions, Physician Gender, and Anti-VEGF Use in US Ophthalmologists.

Purpose: To explore physician gender, industry payments, and prescribing habits of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents.Methods: Retrospective review of U.S. ophthalmologists prescribing and receiving industry payments for aflibercept and/or ranibizumab (brand anti-VEGF injections) between August 2013 to December 2017.Results: Men receiving industry payments were older and had longer post-residency experience than women (both P 5 payments (P = .003), and receive payments totaling >$1000 (P = .008). Men administered more injections on average than women when receiving >3 industry payments (P $100 (P < .01). On multivariate analysis, years in practice, male gender, number of payments, and total value of payments were independent factors associated with the number of brand injections administered (all P < .001).Conclusions: A positive association between industry payments and brand anti-VEGF use was identified, however, causality was not determined. Gender bias may be present in physician-industry relationships.
Anything Is Possible so Is Possible Anything

This is an unsettling time for Radiologists. We have become an issue for public attention not just for our capabilities but also for our connection to the matter of dose deposition-a subject generating many current newsworthy story lines. Most acute is the inadvertent excessive radiation received from perfusion CT studies but an issue with more “legs”, so to speak, continues to be the perception and the reality of overutilization in imaging. No doubt, investigative journalists will continue to seize upon it and inevitably individual radiologists and the specialty itself will be deemed, by some self-appointed opinions makers, to be in need of reform.
A New Proof of the Expected Frequency Spectrum under the Standard Neutral Model

The sample frequency spectrum is an informative and frequently employed approach for summarizing DNA variation data. Under the standard neutral model the expectation of the sample frequency spectrum has been derived by at least two distinct approaches. One relies on using results from diffusion approximations to the Wright-Fisher Model. The other is based on Polya urn models that correspond to the standard coalescent model. A new proof of the expected frequency spectrum is presented here. It is a proof by induction and does not require diffusion results and does not require the somewhat complex sums and combinatorics of the derivations based on urn models.
An In Vitro Comparison of the Marginal Adaptation Accuracy of CAD/CAM Restorations Using Different Impression Systems.

Purpose To compare the marginal adaptation of 3-unit zirconia fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) obtained from intraoral digital scanners (Lava True Definition, Cadent iTero), scanning of a conventional silicone impression, and the resulting master cast with an extraoral scanner (3Shape lab scanner). Materials and Methods One reference model was fabricated from intact, non-carious, unrestored human mandibular left first premolar and first molar teeth (teeth #19 and 21), prepared for a three-unit all-ceramic FDP. Impressions of the reference model were obtained using four impression systems (n = 10), group 1 (PVS impression scan), group 2 (stone cast scan), group 3 (Cadent iTero), and group 4 (Lava True Defintion). Then the three-unit zirconia FDPs were milled. Marginal adaptation of the zirconia FDPs was evaluated using an optical comparator at four points on each abutment. The mean (SD) was reported for each group. One-way ANOVA was used to assess the statistical significance of the results, with post hoc tests conducted via Tukey's HSD. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. All analyses were done using SPSS 22.0. Results The mean (SD) marginal gaps for the recorded data from highest to lowest were silicone impression scans 81.4 μm (6.8), Cadent iTero scan 62.4 μm (5.0), master cast scan 50.2 μm (6.1), and Lava True definition scan 26.6 μm (4.7). One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences (p < 0.001) in the mean marginal gap among the groups. The Tukey's HSD tests demonstrated that the differences between all groups (silicone impression scan, master cast scan, Lava True definition scan, iTero Cadent scan) were statistically significant (all p < 0.001). On the basis of the criterion of 120 μm as the limit of clinical acceptance, all marginal discrepancy values of all groups were clinically acceptable. Conclusions Within the confines of this in vitro study, it can be concluded that the marginal gap of all impression techniques was within the acceptable clinical limit (120 μm). Group 4 (Lava True Defintion) showed the lowest average gap among all groups followed by group 2 (stone cast scan), group 3 (Cadent iTero), and group 1 (PVS impression scan); these differences were statistically significant.
Scholarly communication: science librarians as advocates for change

Science librarians are in a unique position to take a leadership role promoting scholarly communication initiatives and to aid in making scientific information more accessible. This article outlines steps and identifies resources that science librarians can employ to become scholarly communication advocates on their campuses.
DynTG: a tool for interactive, dynamic instrumentation

With the increasing complexity of today's systems, detailed performance analysis is more important than ever. We have developed DynTG, a tool for interactive, dynamic instrumentation. It uses performance module plugins to reconfigure the data acquisition and provides a source browser that allows users to insert any probe functionality provided by the modules dynamically into the target application. Any instrumentation can be added both before and during the application's execution and the acquired data is presented in realtime within the source viewer. This enables users to monitor their applications' progress and interactively control and adapt the instrumentation based on their observations.
Balloon catheter dilation for treatment of adults with partial nasolacrimal duct obstruction: a preliminary report.

Abstract PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy and morbidity of balloon catheter dilation for treatment of partial acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction in adults with epiphora. METHODS: We performed balloon dacryocystoplasty prospectively on a series of 15 partial nasolacrimal duct obstructions in 13 adults with epiphora. Partial obstruction was diagnosed by a negative Jones-1 test and canalicular irrigation revealing simultaneous reflux through the opposing punctum and drainage into the nose. Balloon dacryocystoplasty was performed under local anesthesia using an antegrade insertion technique. Silicone intubation of the nasolacrimal system was performed immediately after balloon catheter dilation, and the tubes were removed 2 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Success was measured objectively and subjectively at follow-up examinations 2 months and 6 months after the procedure. At 2 months, 11 (73%) of 15 obstructions were open on irrigation, with subjective success (Munk, grade 0 or grade 1) reported in 13 (87%) of 15 obstructions. At 6 months, 11 (73%) of 15 obstructions were open on irrigation, with subjective success (Munk, grade 0 or grade 1) reported in 9 (60%) of 15 obstructions. CONCLUSIONS: Balloon dacryocystoplasty may be a satisfactory primary treatment for adults with acquired partial nasolacrimal duct obstruction who exhibit no clinical signs of chronic infection. Additional long-term observations following balloon dacryocystoplasty are required.
Expression of mitochondrial fission and fusion regulatory proteins in skeletal muscle during chronic use and disuse

Introduction: The mitochondrial network within cells is mediated by fission and fusion processes. Methods: We investigated the expression of the proteins responsible for these events during conditions of altered oxidative capacity. Results: With chronic contractile activity, the mitochondrial reticulum increased in size, along with concomitant increases in the fusion proteins Opa1 and Mfn2 (by 36% and 53%; P < 0.05). When we induced muscle disuse through denervation for 7 days, fragmented mitochondria were observed, along with significant decreases in the expression of Mfn2 and Opa1 (by 84% and 70%). To assess the effects of aging on mitochondrial morphology, young (5 month) and aged (35 month) Fisher 344 Brown Norway rats were used. Aged animals also possessed smaller mitochondria and displayed increased levels of fission proteins. Conclusions: Chronic muscle use increases the ratio of fusion:fission proteins, leading to reticular mitochondria, whereas muscle disuse and aging result in a decrease in this ratio, culminating in fragmented organelles. Muscle Nerve 48: 963–970, 2013
The Management of Antibody‐Mediated Rejection in the First Presensitized Recipient of a Full‐Face Allotransplant

We report on the management of the first full-face transplantation in a sensitized recipient with a positive preoperative crossmatch and subsequent antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). The recipient is a 45-year-old female who sustained extensive chemical burns, with residual poor function and high levels of circulating anti-HLA antibodies. With a clear immunosuppression plan and salvage options in place, a full-face allotransplant was performed using a crossmatch positive donor. Despite plasmapheresis alongside a standard induction regimen, clinical signs of rejection were noted on postoperative day 5 (POD5). Donor-specific antibody (DSA) titers rose with evidence of C4d deposits on biopsy. By POD19, biopsies showed Banff Grade III rejection. Combination therapy consisting of plasmapheresis, eculizumab, bortezomib and alemtuzumab decreased DSA levels, improved clinical exam, and by 6 months postop she had no histological signs of rejection. This case is the first to demonstrate evidence and management of AMR in face allotransplantation. Our findings lend support to the call for an update to the Banff classification of rejection in vascularized composite tissue allotransplantation (VCA) to include AMR, and for further studies to better classify the histology and mechanism of action of AMR in VCA.
Estimating the effects of time-varying exposures in observational studies using Cox models with stabilized weights adjustment.

Purpose Assessing the safety and effectiveness of medical products with observational electronic medical record data is challenging when the treatment is time-varying. The objective of this paper is to develop a Cox model stratified by event times with stabilized weights (SWs) adjustment to examine the effect of time-varying treatment in observational studies. Methods Time-varying SWs are calculated at unique event times and are used in a Cox model stratified by event times to estimate the effect of time-varying treatment. We applied this method in examining the effect of an antiplatelet agent, clopidogrel, on events, including bleeding, myocardial infarction, and death after a drug-eluting stent was implanted in coronary artery. Clopidogrel use may change over time on the basis of patients' behavior (e.g., non-adherence) and physicians' recommendations (e.g., end of duration of therapy). We also compared the results with those from a Cox model for counting processes adjusting for all covariates used in creating SWs. Results We demonstrate that the (i) results from the stratified Cox model without SWs adjustment and the Cox model for counting processes without covariate adjustment are identical in analyzing the clopidogrel data; and (ii) the effects of clopidogrel on bleeding, myocardial infarction, and death are larger in the stratified Cox model with SWs adjustment compared with those from the Cox model for counting processes with covariate adjustment. Conclusions The Cox model stratified by event times with time-varying SWs adjustment is useful in estimating the effect of time-varying treatments in observational studies while balancing for known confounders. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of RPA-protein interactions and their dependence on the phospho-mimetic state of the N-terminus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rfa2 (735.13)

Replication protein A (RPA) is a heterotrimeric complex in all eukaryotic cells that is essential for DNA replication, repair/recombination, and cell cycle regulation. A common intermediate of each of these DNA processes is the formation of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and the major biochemical function of RPA is to bind to ssDNA. Therefore, RPA not only acts as a sensor of incomplete duplex DNA, but also as a recruiter of factors necessary to process this intermediate. It is clear that RPA interacts with a number of proteins; however, many of these interactions have not been well characterized in yeast, making unclear the physiological role of each RPA-protein interaction in cellular DNA metabolism.It is well known that in response to DNA damage, the N-terminus of the human 32-kDa subunit (Rpa2) becomes phosphorylated, and this has been demonstrated to modulate some RPA-protein interactions. Although phosphorylation of the Rfa2 N-terminus has not been definitively demonstrated during the DNA damage respon...
Ice Particle Impacts on a Flat Plate

An experimental study was conducted at the Ballistic Laboratory of NASA Glenn Research Center to study the impact of ice particles on a stationary flat surface target set at 45 degrees with respect to the direction of motion of the impinging particle (Figure 1). The experiment is part of NASA efforts to study the physics involved in engine power-loss events due to ice-crystal ingestion and ice accretion formation inside engines. These events can occur when aircraft encounter high-altitude convective weather.
Prediction of Cancer Prevention: From Mammogram Screening to Identification of BRCA1/2 Mutation Carriers in Underserved Populations

Background The US Preventative Service Task Force recommends that physicians perform a genetic risk assessment to identify women at risk for BRCA1/2 mutations associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome. However, outcomes data after a diagnosis of HBOC syndrome especially in diverse populations, are minimal. Here we asked if genetic screening of high-risk underserved women identified in the mammogram population reduces cancer incidence.
Inference in Hybrid Bayesian Networks with Deterministic Variables

The main goal of this paper is to describe an architecture for solving large general hybrid Bayesian networks (BNs) with deterministic variables. In the presence of deterministic variables, we have to deal with non-existence of joint densities. We represent deterministic conditional distributions using Dirac delta functions. Using the properties of Dirac delta functions, we can deal with a large class of deterministic functions. The architecture we develop is an extension of the Shenoy-Shafer architecture for discrete BNs. We illustrate the architecture with some small illustrative examples.
The Use of Open- and Closed-Loop Control During Goal-Directed Force Responses by Children with Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure.

Background Many daily functional activities involve goal-directed responses based on open-loop and closed-loop motor control, yet little is known about how children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure organize and regulate these 2 types of control systems when completing a goal-directed force response. Methods Children with (n = 19) or without (n = 23) heavy prenatal alcohol exposure were required to match a target force (25 and 50% of maximum voluntary force) in a specified target time (200, 800, and 2,000 ms). Target force and produced force were visually displayed on a computer monitor. The analog force–time record was parsed into 2 segments: the period beginning from force initiation to the first reversal in force was designated the open-loop phase, and the remainder of the response was the closed-loop phase. Results Compared to controls, alcohol-exposed children produced a significantly shorter duration of open-loop control, a higher open-loop phase rate of force development, a shorter time to reach maximum force during the closed-loop phase, and greater absolute target force error. Increasing target force magnitude did not differentially alter the performance of the clinical group. Conclusions The results indicate that alcohol-exposed children experience deficits in completing goal-directed force responses that likely stem from an alcohol-related insult to the central nervous system. Therapeutic exercises should be designed to recalibrate internal timing systems and improve visuomotor integration.
Noise-sustained structures in the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation

We investigate the interaction between external noise and spatial degrees of freedom for the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky (KS) equation with and without damping, a prototype equation which is known to show weak spatial turbulence and which arises in many areas including flame fronts, flow down an inclined plane, convection between insulating boundaries, etc. We show that the KS equation can be convectively unstable and can lead to noise-sustained structures.
Role of timing of visual monitoring and motor rehearsal in observational learning of action patterns.

This experiment tested the hypothesis that observational learning is enhanced by visual monitoring of enactments that is optimally timed for conception-action matching and by motor rehearsal that s...
Supraorbital ridge and masticatory apparatus I: Primates

The supraorbital ridge formation in apes is a result of the traction of the masticatory force exerted by the anterior part of the temporalis muscle. This force varies inversely with the ratio of the power arm to the load arm of the mandible. The smaller this ratio, the greater the anterior part of the temporalis muscle and the larger the supraorbital ridge. The size of the ridge is independent of the actual size of the skull. The orang has a larger skull but the smallest brow ridge of the three species studied: gorilla, chimpanzee and orang. Pearson’s correlation coefficient shows a positive correlation between the anterior temporalis muscle and the ridge as well as between the ridge/sinus and anterior/whole temporalis muscle. The correlation is negative between the power/load arms and anterior/whole muscle and also between the power/load arms and the ridge/sinus ratio.
Non-rigid registration techniques for automatic follow-up of lung nodules

Abstract Our long-term research goal is to develop an automatic approach for early detection of lung nodules that may lead to lung cancer. This paper focuses on the monitoring of the progress (growth or shrinking) of lung nodules in successive chest low dose CT (LDCT) scans of a person using non-rigid registration. The overall nodule detection approach consists of four main steps: (1) extraction of lung region by modeling the gray level distribution of LDCT slices using a linear combination of Gaussians, (2) classifying the lung region into homogenous tissues, arteries, veins and lung nodules, (3) applying rigid registration using a combination of segmentation information and mutual information as a similarity measure, and (4) compensating for the effects of heartbeats and respiration using non-rigid registration. Our earlier work addressed a number of steps in this protocol; this paper focuses on the registration step. We show that proper registration could lead to precise identification of the progress of the lung nodules.
Nonlinear absorption and optical limiting properties of fullerene materials

Optical limiting results of methanol fullerene derivatives, pendant fullerene polymers, and fullerene-styrene copolymers with different fullerene contents are reported. The optical limiting properties of the t-butyl methanol fullerene carboxylate derivative in polymethylmethacrylate films are also reported and compared with the result in solution.
Structural properties of soluble peptide amphiphile micelles

Peptide amphiphiles (PAs) self-assemble into dynamic micellar structures that provide a multivalent display of functional peptides and are currently being developed for use in a wide range of therapeutic and diagnostic applications. This review focuses on the physical properties of PA assemblies that remain soluble under physiological conditions, termed protein analogous micelles. The relationship between PA monomer design, secondary structure, and the resulting micelle size and shape is examined, highlighting the complex balance of forces between the hydrophobic tail and the peptide headgroup. Micelle stability is also discussed, as stability is an important factor which will dictate the circulation behavior of micelles and their interaction with various tissues and cells. Analysis of different PA systems reveals methods for controlling micelle structure and stability, demonstrating how the physical properties of PA micelles can be tailored for specific applications.
Atomic-Scale Simulation of Silicon Atomic Beam Deposition

The mechanisms which control low energy (10–100 eV) beam deposition of silicon onto a relaxed (111) silicon substrate have been studied using a molecular dynamics technique. A many-body empirical potential was used to describe the covalent Si-Si bonding. 10 eV silicon beams with near-perpendicular incidence were simulated to study capture mechanisms and the local lattice excitation resulting from impact. Grazing angles of incidence (3°–30°) were studied for beam energies of 20–100 eV. For incidence angles less than an energy- and orientation-dependent critical value, the phenomenon of ‘surface channeling’ is predicted, in which the incoming particle is steered parallel to, and roughly 2 A above, the surface of the substrate through inelastic substrate interactions. The phenomena seen in low-energy beam deposition offer new avenues of control over growth of modulated semiconductor structures.
A profit-maximizing supply chain network design model with demand choice flexibility

We present a profit-maximizing supply chain design model in which a company has flexibility in determining which customers to serve. The company may lose a customer to competition if the price it charges is too high. We show the problem formulation and solution algorithm, and discuss computational results.
Diagnostic and Pathogenic Significance of Glutamate Receptor Autoantibodies

Autoantibodies against glutamate receptors, first reported in Rasmussen encephalitis, have been observed in other focal epilepsies, central nervous system ischemic infarcts, transient ischemic attacks, sporadic olivopontocerebellar atrophy, systemic lupus erythematosus, and paraneoplastic encephalopathies. The detection of glutamate receptor autoantibodies is not useful in the evaluation of Rasmussen encephalitis but may be a biomarker for brain ischemia, and it is helpful in diagnosing certain paraneoplastic encephalopathies. Passive transfer of glutamate receptor autoantibodies from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or paraneoplastic encephalopathy suggests that glutamate receptor autoantibodies can actively contribute to neurologic dysfunction.
Three-dimensional object surface identification

This paper describes a computationally efficient matching method for inspecting 3D objects using their serial cross sections. Object regions of interest in cross-sectional binary images of successive slices are aligned with those of the models. Cross-sectional differences between the object and the models are measured in the direction of the gradient of the cross section boundary. This is repeated in all the cross-sectional images. The model with minimum average cross-sectional difference is selected as the best match to the given object (i.e., no defect). The method is tested using various computer generated surfaces and matching results are presented. It is also demonstrated using Symult S-2010 16-node system that the method is suitable for parallel implementation in massage passing processors with the maximum attainable speedup (close to 16 for S-2010).
Biology of Australian and United States strains of Trissolcus basalis, a parasitoid of the green vegetable bug, Nezara viridula

Strains of Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) Hymenoptera: Scelionidae, an egg parasitoid of the green vegetable bug, Nezara viridula (L.), were obtained from three regions of Australia and from Homestead, Florida (USA). Percent parasitoid emergence was approximately the same for freezer-stored (-75°C) and fresh eggs, and freezer-stored eggs were suitable hosts for a longer time. Optimum host age, oviposition and emergence patterns, mean number of progeny per female, sex ratio and longevity were examined and certain comparisons were made between the Australian and USA parasitoids. Genetic crosses made between males and females of each strain revealed that reproductive isolation did not occur. Higher fecundity of the Australian strains may make them more successful than indigenous (USA) strains for controlling pest populations of N. viridula in the southern USA.
An Assessment of the Varieties of Croton glandulosus (Euphorbiaceae) in the United States

Abstract. Croton glandulosus is one of the most common and widespread species of the genus. It is a morphologically variable species for which more than thirty varieties have been described. This work provides a critical evaluation of the varieties of C. glandulosus that have been applied to specimens from North America north of Mexico. Five natively occurring varieties are recognized in this region. Several varieties are reduced to synonymy, and the new combination C. glandulosus var. arenicola is made. Lectotypes are designated for those varieties lacking a designated holotype.
You Say You Want a Revolution: An Interview with Pat Brown

I have known Pat Brown for about two decades and he never ceases to amaze me. Over the years, I have heard him speak quite a few times, and on each occasion I can feel my jaw drop. What will he think up next?
Methodological Issues in Meta-Analyzing Standard Deviations: Comment on Bond and DePaulo (2008).

In this comment on C. F. Bond and B. M. DePaulo, the authors raise methodological concerns about the approach used to analyze the data. The authors suggest further refinement of the procedures used, and they compare the approach taken by Bond and DePaulo with standard methods for meta-analysis.
The Effects of Push-ups with the Trunk Flexed on the Shoulder and Trunk Muscles

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare the activity of the shoulder and trunk muscles in two push-up positions: standard push-ups and push-ups with the trunk flexed. [Subjects] Fifteen young adult males participated in the study. [Methods] This study measured the clavicular and sternocostal portions of the pectoralis major, the serratus anterior, and the rectus abdominis during push-ups under the two conditions. [Results] The activity of the sternocostal portion of the pectoralis major and that of the rectus abdominis were significantly greater under Condition 1 than under Condition 2. The activity of the clavicular portion of the pectoralis major and that of the serratus anterior were significantly greater under Condition 2 compared with Condition 1. [Conclusion] These results indicate that exercises can selectively activate muscle parts under different clinical situations.
do we need an arts policy

With the help of a donation from the Leonard Harris Fund, a prize of £1,000 was offered for the best essay on the subject ‘Do we need an arts policy?’ by an author under the age of 36. The John B. Wood Memorial Essay Competition was established as a memorial to the former deputy director of the Institute of Economic Affairs. Jonathan Le Cocq, of Lincoln College, Oxford, was the outright winner and an edited version of his article is reproduced below. Glen Whitman and Barry Macleod-Cullinane were the runners-up.
Dependency and Urban Growth: A Critical Review and Reformulation of the Concepts of Primacy and Rank-Size

Concepts of city-size distributions are critically reviewed and reformulated. City-size distributions are conceptualized in terms of a continuum that is not necessarily unidirectional. Processes of urban growth and decline are explained with reference to interurban linkages and dominance-dependence relationships within and across national boundaries.
Cytotoxicity of synthetic racemic ptilocaulin: a novel cyclic guanidine.

(+)-Ptilocaulin, a novel cyclic guanidine extracted from the Caribbean sponge Ptilocaulis aff. P. Spiculifer, is reported to have broad spectrum antimicrobial activity in vitro as well as in vitro activity against L1210 murine leukemia. To more fully evaluate this compound as an anticancer agent, the in vitro cell growth inhibitory potencies of synthetic racemic ptilocaulin and ten clinical anticancer drugs were determined and compared in 16 different normal and transformed human and murine cell populations. Potency, expressed as the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50), was determined by a tetrazolium reduction (MTT) assay. Ptilocaulin showed a fairly broad spectrum of in vitro activity against colon and mammary adenocarcinomas, melanomas, leukemias, transformed fibroblasts and normal lymphoid cells (IC50s 0.05- > 10 μg/ml). This activity was comparable to that of many of the clinical drugs, including vinca alkyloids, antibiotics, alkylators and antimetabolites. Cell viability was affected only after a 72 hr exposure to the compound. In a clonogenic assay, cytocidal effects were observed after 24–72 hr exposures to 10 × IC50 concentrations of ptilocaulin, as evidenced by failure of cells to resume growth after removal of the compound. Cytostatic effects were observed at ≤ IC50 concentrations, as evidenced by resumption of growth to near-control levels after removal of the compound. Ptilocaulin was toxic at 50 and 25 mg/kg in an in vivo L1210 tumor model and was ineffective at lower concentrations (T/Cs 100–112%). In vivo studies in a more sensitive tumor system are recommended but are limited by the lack of availability of sufficient quantities of the compound.
Notch1 activation in embryonic VE-cadherin populations selectively blocks hematopoietic stem cell generation and fetal liver hematopoiesis

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are found in several independent sites embryonically. Loss-of-function studies indicated that Notch1, but not Notch2 signaling was required for HSC emergence from the aortic-gonado-mesonephros (AGM) region. We previously showed that constitutive Notch1 activation impaired primitive erythroid differentiation, but its effects on HSC emergence from the AGM region were not studied. To further define specific roles of Notch receptors, we characterized HSC in mouse embryos expressing either Notch1 intracellular domain (ICD) or Notch4ICD in VE-cadherin or SM22α expressing populations. Although embryonic Notch1 activation in VE-cadherin populations led to lethality after E13.5, earlier defects in the fetal liver were observed. Embryos were analyzed at E12.5 to assess hematopoiesis and the phenotype of developing cells in the AGM region. We found that activation of Notch1 in the endothelial compartment in VE-cadherin expressing cells resulted in the absence of intra-aortic clusters and defects in fetal liver hematopoiesis. In contrast, although Notch4 expression is regulated during fetal hematopoiesis, activation of Notch4 in VE-cadherin expressing populations did not affect HSC phenotype, although later vascular remodeling was impaired. Likewise, activation of Notch1 in SM22α positive populations had no significant effect on hematopoiesis. Our results indicate a cell type-dependent activity and distinct features of Notch1 versus Notch4 signaling and their impact on HSC generation.
Alterations of serotonin 2C and 2A receptors in response to T10 spinal cord transection in rats

Abstract Recent studies reported that a recovery of motoneurons after spinal cord transection at the sacrocaudal level may depend on adaptive alterations of the serotonin 2C (5-HT 2C R) and 2A (5-HT 2C R) receptor function via changes in mRNA editing or protein expression, respectively. It has been suggested that depletion of serotonergic input may drive these adaptations. Here, mRNA editing and/or expression of 5-HT 2C R and 5-HT 2A R was evaluated in rats that sustained a complete transection at the thoracic (T10) level. While 5-HT 2A R mRNA expression was upregulated below the site of spinal cord injury (SCI), no changes in 5-HT 2C R mRNA editing or expression were detected. These findings argue against the hypothesis that 5-HT 2C R editing is regulated by extracellular serotonin levels. Rather, it appears that the editing process is just one of the ways in which excitability of motor neurons can be restored following SCI. To this end, the influence of excitatory locomotor circuits on motor neurons in the thoracic spinal cord of rats requires further exploration.
Usage-based dynamic pricing of Web services for optimizing resource allocation

Web services technology is becoming an important technological trend in Web application development and integration. Based on open standards, such as SOAP, WSDL, and UDDI, Web services allow Web-based applications to communicate with each other through standardized XML messaging and to form loosely coupled distributed systems. Although the open feature of Web services benefits service providers in servicing consumers, the unlimited computing resources access of Web services to network bandwidth, storage throughput, and CPU time may lead to overexploitation of the resources when applications based on the Web services technology are widely accepted. Therefore, it is critical to optimize the operation of Web services, subject to the QoS requirements of service requests, to assure the total benefits of the service providers and the service consumers. This paper proposes a usage-based dynamic pricing approach to optimizing resource allocation of Web services in the principle of economics, and reports on a pilot implementation demonstrating the technical feasibility of the proposed approach.