cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Retinal Architectural Changes Using Intraoperative OCT Following Surgical Manipulations With Membrane Flex Loop in the DISCOVER Study.

Purpose We investigate acute retinal alterations identified on intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) immediately following surgical intervention with the Finesse Flex Loop for vitreoretinal interface disorders. Methods The Determination of feasibility of Intraoperative Spectral domain microscope Combined/integrated OCT Visualization during En face Retinal and ophthalmic surgery (DISCOVER) study is a prospective multisurgeon intraoperative OCT clinical study. Subjects who had participated in the DISCOVER study and had undergone macular surgery with the membrane flex loop from August 2014 to July 2016 were identified. iOCT images and video sequences were evaluated at various surgical time points. Subjects were excluded if iOCT images were not obtained over the area of membrane peeling performed with the membrane flex loop. Qualitative characteristics of intraoperative changes in retinal images were analyzed, with particular focus on the retinal layers within the bed of membrane peeling performed specifically with the membrane flex loop. Results We studied 34 eyes of 34 patients, with a mean age of 72.7 (± 6.4) years, 25 of whom were women. The intraoperative diagnosis was full thickness macular hole in 21 eyes (62%) and epiretinal membrane in 13 (38%). All eyes had successful indocyanine green-assisted inner limiting membrane (ILM) flap initiation using the membrane loop. Intraoperative OCT demonstrated expansion of the ellipsoid zone-to-RPE distance in 3 eyes (9%), definitive subretinal fluid accumulation in 1 eye (3%), and hyperreflectivity of the inner retinal layers associated with retinal hemorrhage in 10 eyes (29%). Retinal breaks were not observed in any eye. Conclusions Acute retinal alterations after ILM peeling with the membrane flex loop were visualized at a frequency of less than 10%. Additional research is needed to understand the clinical impact, if any, of these architectural alterations.
Alcohol-Mediated Missplicing of Mcl-1 Pre-mRNA is Involved in Neurotoxicity.

Background Heavy and chronic ethanol (EtOH) exposure can cause significant structural and functional damage to the adult brain. The most devastating consequence of EtOH exposure is the neurotoxicity associated with the depletion of neurons. Regulation of splice variants in the brain can modulate protein functions, which may ultimately affect behaviors associated with alcohol dependence and EtOH-mediated neurotoxicity. As alcohol consumption is associated with neurotoxicity, it is possible that altered splicing of survival and pro-survival factors during the development of alcoholism may contribute to the neurotoxicity. Methods Primary human neurons and a neuroblastoma cell line were exposed to different concentrations of EtOH for various time periods. Cell viability and neuronal marker expression were analyzed by MTT assay and immunoblotting, respectively. Effect of EtOH exposure on splicing regulatory protein expression and alternative splicing of candidate genes was analyzed by a biochemical approach. Transcriptional activity of serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1) gene was determined by reporter gene analysis. Results Our results suggest that EtOH exposure to neuronal cells at 25 mM and higher concentrations are detrimental. In addition, EtOH exposure caused a dramatic reduction in SRSF1 expression levels. Furthermore, EtOH exposure led to pre-mRNA missplicing of Mcl-1, a pro-survival member of the Bcl-2 family, by down-regulating the expression levels of SRSF1. Moreover, ectopic expression of both SRSF1 and Mcl-1L isoform was able to recover EtOH-mediated neurotoxicity. Conclusions Our results suggest that EtOH exposure can lead to pre-mRNA missplicing of Mcl-1 in neuronal cells. Our results indicate that EtOH exposure of neurons leads to a decrease in the ratio of Mcl-1L/Mcl-1S by favoring pro-apoptotic Mcl-1S splicing over anti-apoptotic Mcl-1L isoform suggesting that Mcl-1S may play a crucial role in neurotoxicity associated with alcohol consumption.
Rationale for bipolar androgen therapy (BAT) for metastatic prostate cancer

Bui et al. report in Cell Cycle 2017; 16:879–893 that androgen can induce a quiescent dormant state that is self-sustained in a cell-autonomous manner through a “hit and run” mechanism in androgen ...
O28 Effects of a 4-week balance training and cognitive loading program in subjects with chronic ankle instability

Study Design 4 week training intervention. Background Previous research has suggested that both dynamic balance training and concurrent cognitive tasks can improve postural control in subjects with chronic ankle instability (CAI). However, combining a traditional balance-training program with cognitive loading has not yet been investigated. Case Description Eight subjects, (2 males and 6 females height=163.03±11.32, weight=73.88±8.34, age=19.6±1.3, with CAI completed this study. Static balance measures on a force plate were taken pre and post intervention. Subjects were assigned randomly to the dual task group or the traditional balance-training group. The balance training protocol was one established by McKeon. Both groups completed the balance training, however, the dual-task group also performed various cognitive tasks (backwards counting by 3 s and 7 s, and random number generation). Each group meet 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Outcomes There was a significant group by time interaction (p=0.006) for anterior-posterior (AP) mean time-to-boundary (TTB). Those in the dual task group saw significant improvement (p=0.001) in AP mean TTB from pre-test (4.57±1.40) to post-test (6.02±1.28) compared to those in the traditional balance training group (pre=4.53±0.58; post=4.78±0.80). There was also a significant group by time interaction (p=0.005) for AP standard deviation TTB. Those in the dual task group saw significant improvement (p=0.001) in AP standard deviation TTB from pre-test (3.18±0.88) to post-test (4.37±.80) compared to those in the traditional balance training group (pre=3.01±0.68; post=3.22±0.82. Discussion Preliminary data suggests those in the dual task group had significantly more improvements in AP mean TTB. With the inclusion of more subjects, it will be interesting to see if this difference continues in ML mean TTB. Dual task training may be a tool to add to rehabilitation plans to help further improve postural control.
Effects of Transpiration on Photochemical and Fluorescence Yields in Leaf Tissue

Use of traditional gas exchange methods combined with measurements of pulse modulated fluorescence is helping to resolve changes in radiant energy utilization in photosynthetic systems. The pulse modulated method enables separation and quantitation of fluorescence quenching reflecting the redox state of QA, the first stable electron acceptor in photosystem II (PSII) [i.e. photochemical quenching]. A second source of quenching (nonphotochemical) is composed of at least three component processes including a) diversion of excitation from PSII to PSI (state transitions) and thermal dissipation of energy associated with b) the magnitude of the transthylakoid pH gradient, and c) reversible photoinhibition.
Quantifying Microglia Morphology from Photomicrographs of Immunohistochemistry Prepared Tissue Using ImageJ

Microglia are brain phagocytes that participate in brain homeostasis and continuously survey their environment for dysfunction, injury, and disease. As the first responders, microglia have important functions to mitigate neuron and glia dysfunction, and in this process, they undergo a broad range of morphologic changes. Microglia morphologies can be categorized descriptively or, alternatively, can be quantified as a continuous variable for parameters such as cell ramification, complexity, and shape. While methods for quantifying microglia are applied to single cells, few techniques apply to multiple microglia in an entire photomicrograph. The purpose of this method is to quantify multiple and single cells using readily available ImageJ protocols. This protocol is a summary of the steps and ImageJ plugins recommended to convert fluorescence and bright-field photomicrographs into representative binary and skeletonized images and to analyze them using software plugins AnalyzeSkeleton (2D/3D) and FracLac for morphology data collection. The outputs of these plugins summarize cell morphology in terms of process endpoints, junctions, and length as well as complexity, cell shape, and size descriptors. The skeleton analysis protocol described herein is well suited for a regional analysis of multiple microglia within an entire photomicrograph or region of interest (ROI) whereas FracLac provides a complementary individual cell analysis. Combined, the protocol provides an objective, sensitive, and comprehensive assessment tool that can be used to stratify between diverse microglia morphologies present in the healthy and injured brain.
Targeting Breast Cancer Stem Cell State Equilibrium through Modulation of Redox Signaling.

Summary Although breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) display plasticity transitioning between quiescent mesenchymal-like (M) and proliferative epithelial-like (E) states, how this plasticity is regulated by metabolic or oxidative stress remains poorly understood. Here, we show that M- and E-BCSCs rely on distinct metabolic pathways and display markedly different sensitivities to inhibitors of glycolysis and redox metabolism. Metabolic or oxidative stress generated by 2DG, H2O2, or hypoxia promotes the transition of ROSlo M-BCSCs to a ROShi E-state. This transition is reversed by N-acetylcysteine and mediated by activation of the AMPK-HIF1α axis. Moreover, E-BCSCs exhibit robust NRF2-mediated antioxidant responses, rendering them vulnerable to ROS-induced differentiation and cytotoxicity following suppression of NRF2 or downstream thioredoxin (TXN) and glutathione (GSH) antioxidant pathways. Co-inhibition of glycolysis and TXN and GSH pathways suppresses tumor growth, tumor-initiating potential, and metastasis by eliminating both M- and E-BCSCs. Exploiting metabolic vulnerabilities of distinct BCSC states provides a novel therapeutic approach targeting this critical tumor cell population.
Redesign of aspartate aminotransferase specificity to that of tyrosine aminotransferase

The values of kcat/Km are strongly correlated with chain length for the reactions of E. coli tyrosine aminotransferase, but are nearly independent of this variable for aspartate aminotransferase. Both enzymes exhibit nearly equal reactivity with dicarboxylic acid substrates. Six key amino acid differences were identified that were found to be responsible for 80% of the specificity difference. It is postulated that a major role for Arg292 in aspartate transaminase is to exclude nonspecific substrates by keeping the enzyme in an open inactive form. The free energy to close the enzyme into its active conformation derives from association with specific ligands.
Automatic diaphragm segmentation for real-time lung tumor tracking on cone-beam CT projections: a convolutional neural network approach.

Purpose To automatically segment the diaphragm on individual lung cone-beam CT projection images, to enable real-time tracking of lung tumors using kilovoltage imaging. Methods The deep neural network Mask R-CNN was trained on 3500 raw cone-beam CT projection images from 10 lung cancer patients, with the diaphragm manually segmented on each image used as a ground truth label. Ground-truth breathing traces were extracted from each patient for both diaphragm hemispheres, and apex positions were compared against the predicted output of the neural network. Ten-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate the segmentation accuracy. Results The mean diaphragm apex prediction error was 4.4 mm. The mean percentage of projection images for which a successful prediction could me made was 87.3%. Prediction accuracy at some lateral gantry angles was worse due to overlap between diaphragm hemispheres, and the increased amount of fatty tissue. Conclusions The neural network was able to track the diaphragm apex position successfully. This allows accurate assessment of the breathing phase, which can be used to estimate the position of the lung tumor in real time.
Trajectories of Oral Anticoagulation Adherence Among Medicare Beneficiaries Newly Diagnosed With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background Only 50% of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients recommended for oral anticoagulation (OAC) use these medications, and less than half of them adhere to OAC. In a cohort of Medicare benefici...
Photomechanical Energy Conversion Using Polymer Brush Dissociation

A device is investigated that continuously and directly converts light into mechanical energy, using polymers and photodissociation. A polymer brush tethered to a surface is brought into contact with a parallel plate a small distance above it that contains reaction sites where photodissociation of bound polymer and light can occur. Under the appropriate conditions, the collective effect of these polymers is predicted to apply a force parallel to the plates, converting incoming light into mechanical work. Numerical work is carried out to understand this effect, a three-dimensional Langevin simulation, solution to the Fokker–Planck equation, and a one-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation. Theoretical analysis of the Fokker–Planck equation is used to study a model where equilibration of the unbound state occurs and equilibration to a metastable equilibrium is achieved in the bound state. It is shown that the work per cycle can be made much larger than the thermal energy but at the expense of requiring a greatl...
Insights for Implementation Science From 2 Multiphased Studies With End-Users of Potential Multipurpose Prevention Technology and HIV Prevention Products

Background:Lower adherence to biomedical HIV prevention and challenges with persistence among young women underscore the need for methods to identify factors that will achieve higher adoption and use of effective prevention options and inform new approaches.Setting:South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
Translocation, Biodistribution, and Fate of Nanomaterials in the Body

The potential health effects associated with the widespread use of engineered nanomaterials are broadly concerning to developers, researchers, and policy-makers alike. While extensive studies have been undertaken to understand the immediate consequences of exposure to these materials, the long-term effects associated with potential translocation to secondary and even tertiary organs are less well understood. Further, mechanisms underlying the toxic properties of nanomaterials after translocating to distal organs, if any, are largely unknown at this time. Here, we describe the current state of knowledge regarding translocation of commonly studied and primarily nonmedical engineered nanomaterials following exposure and discuss potential mechanisms and consequences to health outcomes. Current evidence suggests that nanomaterials are redistributed, at least in part, to secondary organs throughout the body. While the properties associated with any given nanomaterial may influence its redistribution, the most likely explanation for adverse effects following translocation involves increased inflammation leading to pathology. Whether more persistent nanomaterials will eventually be cleared from the body after exposure remains an important question. Further, information regarding the effects of systemic trafficking on the basic characteristics of nanomaterials would help predict whether nanomaterials will accumulate in specific organs and/or cause pathologies in secondary or even tertiary locations.
A Process-Based Approach to Responding to Parents or Guardians Who Hope for a Miracle.

When parents or guardians hope for a miracle for their child who is critically ill, ethical and professional challenges can arise. Often, although not always, the parent or guardian’s hope for a miracle entails a request for continued life-sustaining interventions. Striking a balance between the pediatrician’s conception of good medicine and the parent or guardian’s authority requires a response that is sensitive, practical, and ethically sound. In this article, we recommend 3 cumulative steps that promote such a response. First, we recommend ways of exploring essential issues through open inquiry, interdisciplinary dialogue, and self-reflection. As part of this exploration, pediatricians will discover that parents or guardians often have unique ideas about what a miracle might be for their child. The second step includes analyzing this diversity and seeking understanding. We classify the hope for a miracle into 3 distinct categories: integrated, seeking, and adaptive. After the pediatrician has categorized the parent or guardian’s hope, they can consider specific recommendations. We detail context-specific responses for each kind of hope. By attending to these nuances, not only will the parent or guardian’s perspective be heard but also the pediatrician’s recommendation can strike a balance between advocating for their conception of good medicine and respecting the parent or guardian’s beliefs.
Developmental temperature influences color polymorphism but not hatchling size in a woodland salamander

Phenotypic plasticity can be an important adaptive response to climate change, particularly for dispersal-limited species. Temperature frequently alters developmental and phenotypic traits including morphology, behavior, and reproductive cycles. We often lack crucial information about if and how thermal conditions during development will interact with genetic responses and facilitate persistence or adaptation under climate change. Polymorphic species offer an ideal test for this, as alternative morphs often confer differential adaptive advantages. However, few studies have examined the effects of incubation temperature on color expression or development in polymorphic taxa. Here we test if developmental temperature mediates morph frequency in the polymorphic salamander Plethodon cinereus. Although previous research suggests geographic variation in morph proportions results from differential climate adaptation, it remains unknown if plasticity also contributes to this variation. We used a split-clutch common garden experiment to determine the effects of developmental temperature on the color and development of P. cinereus. Our results indicate developmental temperature affects coloration in P. cinereus, either via plasticity or differential mortality, with eggs incubated at warmer temperatures yielding a higher proportion of unstriped individuals than those from cooler temperatures. This temperature response may contribute to the spatial variation in morph frequencies in natural populations. Surprisingly, we found neither temperature nor egg size affected hatchling size. Our study provides important insights into the potential for climate-induced responses to preserve diversity in dispersal-limited species, like P. cinereus, and enable time for adaptive evolution.
Beyond diffuse correlations: Deciphering random flow in time-of-flight resolved light dynamics

We critically examine the validity of the cumulant approximation, a major assumption in Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy (DWS) and Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS) of blood dynamics, and how it impacts conclusions about red blood cell motion.
An integrated gene catalog of the zebrafish gut microbiome reveals significant homology with mammalian microbiomes

Gut microbiome research increasingly utilizes zebrafish (Danio rerio) given their amenability to high-throughput experimental designs. However, the utility of zebrafish for discerning translationally relevant host-microbiome interactions is constrained by a paucity of knowledge about the biological functions that zebrafish gut microbiota can execute, how these functions associate with zebrafish physiology, and the degree of homology between the genes encoded by the zebrafish and human gut microbiomes. To address this knowledge gap, we generated a foundational catalog of zebrafish gut microbiome genomic diversity consisting of 1,569,102 non-redundant genes from twenty-nine individual fish. We identified hundreds of novel microbial genes as well as dozens of biosynthetic gene clusters of potential clinical interest. The genomic diversity of the zebrafish gut microbiome varied significantly across diets and this variance associated with altered expression of intestinal genes involved in inflammation and immune activation. Zebrafish, mouse, and human fecal microbiomes shared > 50% of their total genomic diversity and the vast majority of gene family abundance for each individual metagenome (~99%) was accounted for by genes that comprised this shared fraction. These results indicate that the zebrafish gut houses a functionally diverse microbial community that manifests extensive homology to that of humans and mice despite substantial disparities in taxonomic composition. We anticipate that the gene catalog developed here will enable future mechanistic study of host-microbiome interactions using the zebrafish model.
How pets factor into healthcare decisions for COVID-19: A One Health perspective

There is evidence that prioritizing pets' welfare can impact the health and well-being of their owners, especially when pet owners have a strong bond with their pet. This carries public health implications, particularly in a global public health emergency such as COVID-19. The study objective was to understand pet owners' consideration of their pets' welfare when making personal healthcare decisions specific to COVID-19. A large sample (n = 1356) of adult pet owners in the U.S. completed an online survey in April and May of 2020, coinciding with the onset of social distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Respondents were asked if they would delay or avoid testing or treatment for COVID-19 due to concern for their pets' welfare, and a follow-up question asked them to elaborate. Multinomial logistic regression models showed that attachment to pets and socioeconomic resources were important factors in pet owners' hypothetical decisions regarding testing and treatment for COVID-19. Qualitative analysis of responses to the follow-up question revealed explanations across three themes: (1) the need to find pet accommodation prior to seeking healthcare; (2) pet-related concerns; and, (3) human-related concerns. Pet owners often cited concern for their pets' welfare as a factor contributing to their decision making; participants' lack of a concrete plan for pet care was most commonly cited as the reason for their delay in seeking healthcare. Results from this study indicate that pet owners experience unique obstacles to accessing healthcare related to COVID-19, which has implications for future public health emergencies. Increased disease spread and prevalence of poor health outcomes could result if pet owners delay or avoid testing or treatment. Communities can benefit from a One Health/One Welfare approach to collaboration between human and animal health and service providers to reduce COVID-19 spread and secure the well-being of people and their pets.
The Distribution of Emails In An Organization As A Proxy for Information Flow

The faster an organization is able to make decisions, the better capable an organization it is—but that requires that information transit the organization quicker. If so, organizations should be structured with a form ideally capable of transmitting information. I propose a method for measuring the closeness of a real-world organization to the ideal form.
Selecting surgical candidates with locally advanced pancreatic cancer: a review for modern pancreatology

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is likely to become the second leading cause of malignancy-associated mortality within the next 10 years and surgery remains the best hope for cure. The introduction of effective neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) has increased the resection rate of PC in the era of contemporary pancreatology. This review summarizes the surgical selection criteria for locally advanced PC (LAPC), by focusing on the commonly used predictors for resectability and better overall survival outcome. Based on the currently available evidence, the role of change in carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and patient's tumor response to NAT are critical in surgical candidacy selection. Although, consensus on surgical candidacy selection for LAPC still needs to be made, several data have shown that surgery provides the most optimistic chance of cure for PC. Surgery is, therefore, recommended whenever the benefits of pancreatectomy outweigh surgical complications, and the chance of local or distant metastases in the postoperative setting is low. This review also provided our insight for and experience in selecting surgical candidates by focusing on optimizing the overall survival of LAPC patients. Nevertheless, a collaborative approach to formulating standardized criteria for surgical candidate selection and treatment guidelines for LAPC is a common goal that pancreatologists worldwide should focus on.
Core Binding Factor Acute Myeloid Leukemia: New Prognostic Categories and Therapeutic Opportunities

Core binding factor (CBF) is a heterodimeric protein complex involved in the transcriptional regulation of normal hematopoiesis. Mutations in CBF-encoding genes result in leukemogenic proliferative advantages and impaired differentiation of the hematopoietic progenitors. CBF molecular aberrations are responsible for approximately 20% of all adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although CBF-AMLs are considered to have relatively good prognosis compared to other leukemia subtypes, they are a heterogeneous group of disorders and modern therapy frequently leads to relapse and the associated morbidity and mortality. Improvements in risk stratification and development of targeted therapies are needed for better outcomes. In this review we provide a brief overview of the molecular basis, prognostic categories and the advanced treatment strategies for CBF leukemias.
An overview of solar flare results from COMPTEL

The COMPTEL experiment on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) has been operating in orbit since April of 1991. During that time, COMPTEL has observed several large flares, the most notable of which were several X‐class flares which took place in June of 1991. As a solar instrument, COMPTEL has the capability to measure solar flare radiation in two parallel observing modes. In its telescope mode, COMPTEL is capable of measuring both solar flare photons (in the 0.75–30 MeV range) and solar flare neutrons (in the 20–150 MeV range) using the double scatter technique with a field‐of‐view of ∼1 steradian. This approach also permits the imaging of the incident solar radiations (both photons and neutrons). The burst mode of COMPTEL utilizes two of the lower D2 detectors as large‐area spectroscopy detectors to provide additional data in the 0.6–10 MeV range. Here we shall review both modes of COMPTEL operation and provide an overview of solar flare results which are presently available.
Controlling cancer growth from within the blood coagulation mechanism

See also Kozlowski EO, Pavao MSG, Borsig L. Ascidian dermatan sulfates attenuate metastasis, inflammation and thrombosis by inhibition of P-selectin. This issue, pp 1807–15.
Agricultural Biotechnology, Food Safety, Risk, Consent, and Ethics

The ethical rationale for acceptable food safety risks can be interpreted according to two competing paradigms. The expected value paradigm stipulates that risks are functions of the harm associated with an adverse outcome accruing as a result of food consumption and the probability of that outcome. Although quantification of expected values for food safety presents challenges, the standard for acceptable risk is conceptualized as optimization of expected values. In present practice, optima for food safety risks are generally characterized as de minimus criteria. The alternative paradigm presumes that longstanding patterns of social food regimes constitute background practices not subject to moral judgment or risk assessment. Deviations from such patterns are understood as risky, and become acceptable only under the condition of informed consent for risk-bearers. While in many cases, both paradigms converge on a common policy, for foods derived from genetic engineering, they have diverged. Keywords: bioethics; genetically modified organism; food safety; animal transgenesis; probability consent
Multiplicative noise for masking numerical microdata with constraints

Before releasing databases which contain sensitive information about individuals, statistical agencies have to apply Statistical Disclosure Limitation (SDL) methods to such data. The goal of these methods is to minimize the risk of disclosure of the confidential information and at the same time provide legitimate data users with accurate information about the population of interest. SDL methods applicable to the microdata (i.e. collection of individual records) are often called masking methods. In this paper, several multiplicative noise masking schemes are presented. These schemes are designed to preserve positivity and inequality constraints in the data together with the vector of means and covariance matrix.
Retrofitting fieldbus technology in food industry

This paper discusses the system integration aspects of an automated system. Several fieldbus systems based on different standards are in use since a decade. Bearing in mind that a dedicated fieldbus for food plant operation and management does not exist, this paper highlights its applications in this sector. A case study for realizing low cost solution for distributed production line automation with control networking technology has been presented. A conveyor system that integrates sophisticated driving system, robotic platform, inspection system, color coding system, palletizing system, and safety measures was designed by using DCS (Distributed Control System) philosophy. PLC and control network technology were used to automate this laboratory based food processing and packaging demonstration cell.
Christian and Critical English Language Educators in Dialogue: Pedagogical and Ethical Dilemmas, by Shepard Wong, M., & Canagarajah, S. (Eds).

Proselytizing (whether religious or political) and the spread of languages of wider communication have been linked together since the beginning of recorded history (Ostler, 2008). However, it seems...
Lyapunov Exponents and Stability for the Stochastic Duffing-Van der Pol Oscillator

Let λ denote the almost sure Lyapunov exponent obtained by linearizing the stochastic Duffing-van der Pol oscillator $$ \ddot{x} = - {w^{2}}x + \beta \dot{x} - A{x^{3}} - B{x^{2}}\dot{x} + \sigma x{\dot{W}_{t}} "$$ at the origin x = x = 0 in phase space. If λ > 0 then the process {(x t , x t ): t > 0} is positive recurrent on R2 {(0,0)} with stationary probability measure μ, say. For λ > 0 let \( \tilde{\lambda } \) denote the almost sure Lyapunov exponent obtained by linearizing the same equation along a typical stationary trajectory in R 2 ∖{(0,0)}. The sign of \( \tilde{\lambda } \) is important for stability properties of the two point motion associated with the original equation. We use stochastic averaging techniques to estimate the value of \( \tilde{\lambda } \) in the presence of small noise and small viscous damping.
Bis(N‐methylsalicylaldimine)nickel

[14322-02-2] C16H16N2NiO2 (MW 327.00) InChI = 1S/2C8H9NO.Ni/c2*1-9-6-7-4-2-3-5-8(7)10;/h2*2-6,10H,1H3;/q;;+2/p-2/b2*9-6+; InChIKey = YAPZUVZXQUDVET-WJTRLQBQSA-L (used in conjunction with triisobutylaluminum for alkyne coupling,2 allene synthesis,3 and conjugate reduction of α,β-enones5) Alternate Name: Ni(mesal)2. Physical Data: mp 195–198 °C, d 1.45 g cm−3, λmax 354 nm (solid). Solubility: sol alcohol, ether, benzene, CHCl3; slightly sol hexane. Form Supplied in: olive-green solid, not commercially available. Preparative Method: easily prepared from a 2:2:1 mixture of salicylaldehyde, methylamine, and nickel acetate in alcohol solution at 60 °C for 1 h. The green solid can be recrystallized from alcohol or from chloroform/petroleum ether.1 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: stable, nonhygroscopic; nickel compounds are cancer suspect agents.
Mitotic chromosome loss in a disomic haploid of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Experiments designed to characterize the incidence of mitotic chromosome loss in a yeast disomic haploid were performed. The selective methods employed utilize the non-mating property of strains disomic for linkage group III and heterozygous at the mating type locus. The principal findings are: (1) The frequency of spontaneous chromosome loss in the disome is of the order 10-4 per cell; this value approximates the frequency in the same population of spontaneous mitotic exchange resulting in homozygosity at the mating type locus. (2) The recovered diploids are pure clones, and thus represent unique events in the disomic haploid. (3) Of the euploid chromosomes recovered after events leading to chromosome loss, approximately 90% retain the parental marker configuration expected from segregation alone; however, the remainder are recombinant for marker genes, and are the result of mitotic exchanges in the disome, especially in regions near the centromere. The recombinant proportion significantly exceeds that expected if chromosome loss and mitotic exchange in the disome were independent events. The data are consistent with a model proposing mitotic nondisjunction as the event responsible for chromosome loss in the disomic haploid.
A new circuit technique for improving transient load regulation in low-voltage CMOS LDOs

The paper presents a new circuit technique intended to improve the transient load regulation in dual-OTA CMOS LDOs, especially for low input and output voltages. The duration of overshoot that appears during fast transient load regulation is made quite small, improving the recovery of the output voltage when the output current is swept from maximum to minimum within 100ns. The presented technique is simple and needs a small number of additional components. The additional bias current is only few μA.
Development of a computer-based battery designed to screen adults for neuropsychological impairment.

Abstract The initial step in the development of a new computer-based neuropsychological testing system is described. A new hardware-software system and a screening battery consisting of an orientation task and five cognitive tests has been implemented. This novel screening battery is designed for use in identifying individuals among exposed groups who may require more extensive follow-up neuropsychological evaluation. Sophisticated, but currently available and relatively inexpensive hardware and software technology are employed, introducing an improvement over existing computer-based batteries. Use of a digitized speech production device for producing instructions facilitates testing of illiterate subjects, use of auditory stimulus materials and relatively easy translation of the testing instructions to other languages. Use of a pen-based notebook computer enables responding by the subject in a manner that is both natural and analogous to that used in existing paper-and-pencil testing instruments. Five neuropsychological tests were developed to cover a range of cognitive domains: 1) verbal list learning and recognition memory, 2) visual memory span, 3) conceptual and motor tracking, 4) psychomotor speed and accuracy and 5) delayed verbal recognition. The screening instrument has been pilot-tested for feasibility of use among outpatients at an occupational medicine clinic and among community-dwelling older adults. This instrument is intended to provide a standardized, efficient, costeffective method for widespread use in occupational medicine and public health to detect and track subclinical neurotoxic effects and to prevent additional harmful exposures. Additional aspects of development of the computer-based testing system are discussed.
Effects of Grading Practices and Time of Rating on Student Ratings of Faculty Performance and Student Learning.

The effects of grading practices (strict, lenient) and time of rating (after a lecture, after taking an examination, after receiving feedback on performance on the examination) on student ratings of faculty performance and student learning (i.e., performance on an examination) were assessed in two experimental studies. Results indicated that (1) student ratings were directly affected by grading practices and this effect was a function of the time at which ratings were cornpleted, and (2) student learning and students' ratings of faculty were positively correlated, and grading practices had no effect on student learning. Implications of these findings for the administrative use of student ratings are considered.
Transfer of discrimination learning based upon contingent and noncontingent training procedures.

An experiment was performed to determine the extent to which the transfer of discrimination training (DT) from one response class to another depends upon the specific response classes employed. One group of Ss (rats) first received free operant DT (SD = light on, SΔ = light off) on a horizontal bar-pressing response, while another group received noncontingent DT. Both groups then received DT with a vertical bar-pressing response, one-half of each group with the same SD and SΔ as in original training, the other half with the SD and SΔ reversed. Highly significant transfer was found for both original learning conditions and no significant differences could be detected in the amount of transfer in these two conditions. These results were interpreted as providing further evidence that the inter-response transfer of DT is not a matter of response generalization but involves a mediational process. Several possible mediational processes are discussed.
Structural alteration of intracellular φX174 DNA following infection of host cells in which protein synthesis is inhibited

Abstract The structure of the intracellular form of φX174 DNA was studied in cells treated to inhibit protein synthesis before infection. Inhibition of protein synthesis was accomplished in Escherichia coli 15 THU by 90 minutes incubation in medium lacking histidine and uracil, and in E. coli THU or HF4704 by addition of 135 μg chloramphenicol/ml. five minutes before infection. φXDNA containing parental label was isolated from treated cells. Its sedimentation rate in a neutral high salt gradient was 5% faster than RFI † , and the buoyant density in neutral cesium chloride was more broadly distributed and somewhat denser than RFI. When the intracellular parental labeled DNA was fractionated by chromatography on benzoyl naphthoyl DEAE-cellulose 10 to 20% chromatographed as RFI or II, while 80 to 90% was tightly bound and could only be eluted by 1.0 m -NaCl plus 2% caffeine. The tightly bound DNA was infective in the spheroplast assay, but infectivity was lost after denaturation. In alkaline CsCl equilibrium gradients the parental label was found in the position of viral DNA but no infectivity was found in the region of viral or complementary strand. Hybrid ( 13 C, 15 N parental: 12 C, 14 N post-infection) DNA had a lower buoyant density than normal hybrid RF. Parental strands sedimented slower than viral DNA on alkaline CsCl gradients with a peak around ~ 8 s. Post-infection DNA had a heterogeneous sedimentation distribution in alkali, but a majority of the counts sedimented faster than viral DNA. Most of the parental label was membrane associated, and all infected cells were able to contribute to initial progeny phage production. The structural and biological significance of these findings is discussed.
An integrated emergency management decision support system for hurricane emergencies

Hurricane Andrew has taught Florida a deadly and expensive lesson. Once again, we have been reminded how unprepared we are for natural disasters. In this paper we present a conceptual framework for an effective, integrated, and modular decision support system (DSS) for hurricane emergency management. As an important component of this decision support system, we have been developing a PC-based emergency hurricane evacuation planning module, Regional Evacuation Modeling System (REMS), at the University of Florida since 1990. The software uses simulation as well as several network optimization models in estimating the evacuation time and the traffic flow on a given transportation road network. The system is very robust and user friendly. One of the important features of REMS is its ability to be used in real time.
Interface and strain effects on the thermal conductivity of heterostructures: A molecular dynamics study

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to examine how thermal transport is affected by the presence of one or more interfaces. Parameters such as film thickness, the ratio of respective material composition, the number of interfaces per unit length, and lattice strain are considered. Results indicate that for simple nanoscale strained heterostructures containing a single interface, the effective thermal conductivity may be less than half the value of an average of the thermal conductivities of the respective unstrained thin films. Increasing the number of interfaces per unit length, however, does not necessarily result in a corresponding decrease in the effective thermal conductivity of the superlattice.
Surviving Katrina and Its Aftermath: Evacuation and Community Mobilization by Vietnamese Americans and African Americans

The flooding of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina on 29 August 2005 uncovered critical issues in local, state, and national strategies for emergency preparedness and disaster relief. The Katrina disaster reveals the persistent racial inequality and economic disparities in American society. This paper examines the pre-Katrina socio-spatial configuration of the African-American and Vietnamese-American communities in an eastern New Orleans suburb. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data and compare the two groups, our study reveals media are the first and foremost information sources for both groups. Many Katrina victims evacuated more than once, some not with their families during their first and subsequent relocations. However, the communities mobilized to provide intra- and inter-group self-help among families and relatives, friends and neighbors, while receiving assistance from community organizations, religious institutions, and the government. Compared to ...
Hand calculating degree days

Abstract Degree day accumulations can be used by growers to monitor the development of biological processes and thus can be used in crop and pest management. The adoption and use of degree days by individual growers and agricultural advisors, however, has been limited partly because of computational difficulties involved in the derivation of degree days. A method is described that allows for the calculation of degree days with any threshold temperature(s) using simple arithmetic operations and a table of normalized areas from the trigonometric sine curve method of calculating degree days. The technique described will assist agriculturalists with very limited mathematical skills and/or computational facilities to adopt the use of degree days in their on-farm management.
Field emission from cleaved diamond fibers

Abstract Diamond fibers 100–200 μm in diameter were investigated as electron emitters. Uniform, straight boron doped fibers were grown on tungsten and sapphire fiber cores. The field emitting surface was created by mechanically cleaving the polycrystalline fiber perpendicular to the fiber axis, a procedure in which it was assumed the necessary morphology would be present for field emission. Other than cleaving, no other special surface or bulk treatments were employed. Voltage dependence and noise power spectral density (PSD) measurements were carried out on the field emission current. A subset of the diamond coated sapphire fibers exhibited electron emission at a factor of 5 reduction in the applied field as compared to the tungsten core fibers. Within experimental error, the PSD exhibited a f−1.5 dependence on frequency.
The Impact of a Neuro-Intensivist on Patients with Stroke Admitted to a Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit

Stroke Units improve the outcome in patients with mild to moderate severity strokes. We sought to examine the role that a full-time neurointensivist (NI) might play on the outcomes of patients with more severe strokes admitted to a Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Data regarding 433 stroke patients admitted to a 10-bed university hospital NICU were prospectively collected in two 19-month periods, before and after the appointment of a NI. Outcomes and disposition of patients with ischemic stroke (IS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) or subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) were compared between the two periods, using univariate and multivariate analyses. One hundred and seventy-four patients with strokes were admitted in the period before and 259 in the period after the NI. Observed mortality did not differ between the two periods. More patients were discharged home in the after period (75% vs. 54% in the before period (P = 0.003). After adjusting for covariates, the NICU and hospital LOS were shorter for each type of stroke in the after period (Cox proportional hazard ratios, 95% CI were 2.37, 1.4–4.1 and 1.8, 1.04–3 for IS, 1.98, 1.3–3 and 1.2, 0.8–1.9 for ICH, and 1.6, 1.1–2.3 and 1.4, 1.01–2 for SAH, respectively) or for all strokes (1.92, 1.52–2.43 and 1.7, 1.28–2.25 for the first 12 days of hospital admission). The direct patient care offered and the organizational changes implemented by a NI shortened the NICU and hospital LOS and improved the disposition of patients with strokes admitted to a NICU.
Aerosol single-scattering albedo estimated from NOAA-14 AVHRR measurements: case studies over Brazil

Using NOAA-14 AVHRR satellite imagery and ground-based aerosol optical thickness ((tau) ) measurements, the single scattering albedo ((omega) 0 ) of biomass burning aerosols is estimated for selected days during the Smoke, Clouds and Radiation- Brazil (SCAR-B) experiment held in Brazil during 1995. The retrieved average aerosol single scattering albedos at 0.55 micrometer over the study areas range between 0.83 to 0.92 which is in good agreement with in situ measurements and previous studies. The uncertainty in the retrieved (omega) 0 due to the uncertainties in clear sky albedos and observed AVHRR reflectance is examined. When (tau) at 0.55 micrometer is smaller than 1.0, the retrieved (omega) 0 is sensitive to the assumed clear sky albedo values. When (tau) at 0.55 micrometer is larger than 2.0 , the retrieved (omega) 0 is less sensitive to clear sky albedos. This study shows that when ground-based aerosol (tau) is available, (omega) 0 can be retrieved to within 0.06 which could then be used to characterize biomass burning aerosols in radiative transfer calculations.
Theoretical performance of a multisensor track-to-track correlation technique

A multisensor track-to-track correlation technique, originally proposed by Singer and Kanyuck (1971) is analysed. It is shown that the probability of correlating two tracks is a function of two dimensionless scalar parameters, T and W. T is a threshold which guarantees a selected successful correlation probability when no biases exist between the two tracks state estimates. W is a normalised parameter which indicates the magnitude of the biases in position and rates which may exist between tracks. Results are presented for the probability of track-to-track correlation for various T and W values. The analysis is extended to quantify the probability of false association when two tracks from sensor B correlate with one track from sensor A and the conflict is resolved incorrectly. The false association probability is shown to be a function of three dimensionless parameters T, W and /spl Delta/ where T is the same threshold parameter as previously, W is a measure of the biases between the incorrectly paired tracks and /spl Delta/ is a relative measure of uncertainty between the two track pairings. Numerical results for the false association probability are presented for various T, W and /spl Delta/ values. The results will be of interest to scientists and engineers involved in multisensor system design.