cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Conservation Model for American Archaeology

ABSTRACTArchaeological research on any particular segment of the past is based on a non-renewable resource, and one that is being very rapidly eroded. If archaeological field work is to continue very much into the future, we must slow down the attrition of the resource base and must see that from now on it is expended very frugally. Some implications of conservation thinking in archaeology are explored. Foremost are direct conservation measures, such as public education, involvement of archaeologists in land use planning, and establishment of archaeological preserves. These require archaeologists to become involved in all aspects of archaeological resource management, not just in the exploitive aspect. Emergency salvage archaeology should be carried out only as a last resort, and should combine a strong problem orientation with additional work designed to preserve a representative sample of the data to be lost when the site or sites are destroyed. Sites not immediately threatened with destruction should b...
A world-championship-level Othello program

Abstract Othello is a recent addition to the collection of games that have been examined within artificial intelligence. Advances have been rapid, yielding programs that have reached the level of world-championship play. This article describes the current champion Othello program, iago . The work described here includes: (1) a task analysis of Othello; (2) the implementation of a program based on this analysis and state-of-the-art AI game-playing techniques; and (3) an evaluation of the program's performance through games played against other programs and comparisons with expert human play.
Comparative performance of non-contrast MRI with HASTE vs. contrast-enhanced MRI/3D-MRCP for possible choledocholithiasis in hospitalized patients.

To compare the performance of non-contrast MRI with half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) vs. contrast-enhanced MRI/3D-MRCP for assessment of suspected choledocholithiasis in hospitalized patients. 123 contrast-enhanced abdominal MRI/MRCP scans in the hospital setting for possible choledocholithiasis were retrospectively evaluated. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, intraoperative cholangiogram or documented clinical resolution served as the reference standard. Readers first evaluated the biliary tree using coronal and axial HASTE and other non-contrast sequences, and later reviewed the entire exam with post-contrast sequences and 3D-MRCP. Test performance for the image sets was compared for choledocholithiasis, acute hepatitis, cholangitis, and acute cholecystitis. Reader agreement, MRCP image quality, and confidence levels were also assessed. Clinical predictors of age and fever were tested for association with perceived need for contrast in biliary assessment. There were 27 cases of choledocholithiasis, 31 cases of acute hepatitis, 37 cases of acute cholecystitis, and 3 clinically diagnosed cases of acute cholangitis. Both the abbreviated and full contrast-enhanced/MRCP image sets resulted in high accuracy for choledocholithiasis (91.1–94.3% vs. 91.9–92.7%). There was no difference in sensitivity or specificity for either reader for any diagnosis between image sets (p > 0.40). 1 reader showed improved confidence (p < 0.001) with inclusion of MRCP and contrast-enhanced images, but neither confidence nor MRCP quality scores were associated with diagnostic accuracy. Patient age and fever did not predict the need for contrast-enhanced images. In hospitalized patients with suspected choledocholithiasis, performance of non-contrast abdominal MRI with HASTE is similar to contrast-enhanced MRI with 3D-MRCP, offering potential for decreased scanning time and improved patient tolerability.
Visuospatial processing in adolescents with critical congenital heart disease: Organization, integration, and implications for academic achievement.

Among the most significant factors affecting quality of life in individuals with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) are neurodevelopmental challenges, including deficits in visuospatial processing and academic achievement. Few studies have compared outcomes across CCHD subgroups, despite their significant differences in anatomy/physiology and medical/surgical courses. This study compared visuospatial processing abilities using the Developmental Scoring System for the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (DSS-ROCF) across groups of adolescents with CCHD (d-transposition of the great arteries [TGA, n = 139], Tetralogy of Fallot [TOF, n = 68], single-ventricle cardiac anatomy requiring the Fontan operation [SVF, n = 145]) and a group of healthy controls (CTR, n = 111), and examined the validity of visuospatial processing in predicting concurrent academic outcomes. The CCHD subgroups were found to differ in Organization, ps .23. The regression results showed that the DSS-ROCF Style rating (reflecting integration) accounted for a small yet statistically significant portion of unique variance in "assembled" academic outcomes, over and above the variance already accounted for by DSS-ROCF Organization, p < .01. These findings support the need for comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and monitoring of children and adolescents with CCHD, as well as targeted intervention for organization and integration deficits that may increase their risk for academic underachievement.
Kindergarten readiness profiles of rural, Appalachian children from low-income households

Abstract The present study used a person-centered approach to examine profiles of school readiness among entering kindergartners in rural, Appalachian communities. Aims were twofold: to determine the extent to which reliable profiles may characterize kindergartners' school readiness, with readiness encompassing language, literacy, math, socio-emotional skills, and learning-related behaviors; and to identify potential predictors of children's kindergarten readiness profiles. Participants included 396 entering kindergartners. Results of latent profile analysis showed there to be four profiles of kindergarten readiness: global risk (16% of children), academic risk (35%), sociobehavioral risk (13%), and readiness (36%). In general, predictors of profile membership included sex, race, family income, maternal education, and pre-k classroom quality. Study results show that a non-trivial percentage of children (49%) exhibit academic readiness, and 71% exhibit socio-behavioral readiness. This work improves our understanding of profiles of children from rural, Appalachian communities at school entry, and factors that may contribute to positive kindergarten readiness.
Improving Urban Street Network Efficiency by Prohibiting Conflicting Left Turns at Signalized Intersections

The accommodation of left turns at signalized intersections plays a significant role in the overall operational efficiency of urban traffic networks. Allowing left turns in traditional ways (such as implementing protected, permitted, and protected–permitted phasing schemes) reduces available intersection capacity but provides vehicles the most direct routing options to reach their destinations. Prohibiting left turns allows simpler phasing plans but requires vehicles to travel longer distances. This paper uses macroscopic performance measures to quantify and compare the efficiency of urban grid networks when various left-turn treatments, including left-turn prohibitions, are implemented. The findings reveal that prohibiting left turns generally increases a network’s maximum trip completion rate, especially when trips are not very short; however, left-turn prohibitions reduce efficiency in very light or heavy traffic conditions. A dynamic strategy is proposed: left turns are allowed only during light traff...
Notch3 as a novel therapeutic target in metastatic medullary thyroid cancer.

Background Medullary thyroid cancer portends poor survival once liver metastasis occurs. We hypothesize that Notch3 overexpression in medullary thyroid cancer liver metastasis will decrease proliferation and growth of the tumor. Methods TT cells were modified genetically to overexpress Notch3 in the presence of doxycycline, creating the TT-Notch3 cell line. Mice were injected intrasplenically with either TT-Notch3 or control vector TT-TRE cells. Each cell line had 3 treatment groups: control with 12 weeks of standard chow, early DOX with doxycycline chow at day 0 and for 70 days thereafter, and late DOX with doxycycline chow at 8 weeks. Each animal underwent micro-computed tomography to evaluate for tumor formation and tumor quantification was performed. Animals were killed at 12 weeks, and the harvested liver was stained with Ki-67, hematoxylin and eosin, and Notch3. Results Induction of Notch3 did not prevent formation of medullary thyroid cancer liver metastases as all mice in the early DOX group developed tumors. However, induction of Notch after medullary thyroid cancer liver tumor formation decreased tumor size, as seen on micro-computed tomography scans (late DOX group). This translated to a 37-fold decrease in tumor volume (P = .001). Notch3 overexpression also resulted in decreased Ki-67 index (P = .038). Moreover, Notch3 induction led to increased areas of neutrophil infiltration and necrosis on hematoxylin and eosin staining of the tumors Conclusion Notch3 overexpression demonstrates an antiproliferative effect on established metastatic medullary thyroid cancer liver tumors and is a potential therapeutic target in treatment.
A cross-national exploration of societal-level factors associated with child physical abuse and neglect

Children around the world experience violence at the hands of their caregivers at alarming rates. A recent review estimates that a minimum of 50% of children in Asia, Africa, and North America experienced severe physical violence by caregivers in the past year, with large variations between countries. Identifying modifiable country-level factors driving these geographic variations has great potential for achieving population-level reductions in rates of child maltreatment. This study builds on previous research by focusing on caregiver-reported physical abuse and neglect victimisation, examining 22 societal factors representing 11 different constructs among 42 countries from 5 continents at different stages of development. Our findings suggest that gender inequity may be important for both child physical abuse and neglect. Indicators of literacy and development may also be important for child neglect. Given the limitations of the correlational findings and measurement issues, it is critical to continue to investigate societal-level factors of child maltreatment so that interventions and prevention efforts can incorporate strategies that have the greatest potential for population-level impact.
ANALYSIS OF COST AND TIME OVERRUN IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT USING SMART-PLS

Infrastructure projects regularly experience cost and schedule overruns. Unfortunately construction industry today is facing major risk in achieving completion of project within estimated time and cost. Total 37 factors affecting cost and time overrun were categorized in 5 major groups. After consideration of factors and ranking them with the help of questionnaire survey, the data has been analysed using Smart PLS software. In software analysis by Smart PLS, the coefficient of determination, R^2, is 0.496 for the Cost Overrun endogenous latent variable and similarly for time overrun, the coefficient of determination, R^2, is 0.60 for the Time Overrun endogenous latent variable. This study also suggest that assurance of Funds Resources, availability of good quality construction material, owners quick response and many others will help to control the identified risk factors. It is hoped that finding of this paper will help the stakeholders to act on critical causes and further to reduce cost and time overrun in construction project.
The impact of multi-channel and multi-product strategies on firms' risk-return performance

Abstract This paper investigates the impact of a firm's multi-channel and multi-product strategies on its risk-return performance. We argue that channel diversity is positively associated with a firm's profitability and negatively associated with its profit volatility, and that channel diversity and product diversity are complementary in driving these profit-enhancing and volatility-suppressing effects. We test our hypotheses in the U.S. credit union industry, in which credit unions offer a variety of loan and deposit products through a variety of online and offline channels, including physical branches, ATMs, telephone banking, online banking, and mobile banking. By analyzing a longitudinal dataset of 7577 credit unions in 2009–2016, the study provides empirical evidence that operating a full spectrum of online and offline channels leads to higher profitability and lower profit volatility for credit unions. The study also reveals differential moderating effects of loan product diversity and deposit product diversity, in that loan product diversity enhances the profit-enhancing effect of channel diversity while deposit product diversity enhances the volatility-suppressing effect of channel diversity. This paper contributes to the studies of channel-based strategic differentiation as a competitive strategy and the studies of firms' risk-return performance.
The Reproductive Body of the Goseihō School

This chapter begins with an overview of the field of medicine in the early Tokugawa period, followed by an exposition of how Katsuki Gyūzan’s obstetrics manual Fujin kotobukigusa [A Guide for a Woman’s Celebratory Event, 1692] described the body, reproduction, and obstetric methods. The descriptions presented in Gyūzan’s manual followed mainstream Chinese medicine at the time, and they were based on Yin Yang Five Phases theory and the idea that the circulation of ki [Ch qi], “blood,” and other bodily fluids determined the body’s health. The medicalization of the female reproductive body helped ambitious physicians—whose status was generally far below the samurai—procure higher status and wealth.
Turing Test as a Defining Feature of AI-Completeness

The paper contributes to the development of the theory of AI-Completeness by formalizing the notion of AI-Complete, C-Complete and AI-Hard problems. The intended goal is to provide a classification of problems in the field of Artificial General Intelligence. We prove Turing Test to be an instance of an AI-Complete problem and further show certain AI problems to be AI-Complete or AI-Hard via polynomial time reductions. Finally, the paper suggests some directions for future work on the theory of AI-Completeness.
Assessment of subjective well-being during childhood and adolescence.

Publisher Summary The subjective well-being of adults has been a popular research topic during the last three decades. Much of this research includes studies of subjective well-being in elderly populations and national studies of the quality of life. As part of these research efforts, several self-report measures of subjective well-being were designed and models of subjective well-being were proposed. Most of the models define subjective well-being in terms of affective and cognitive or judgmental components. The chapter provides the readers with information regarding the assessment of subjective well-being in students from kindergarten through 12th-grade. The author first reviews some of the research related to one popular model of adults' subjective well-being. In the process of reviewing this model, a framework is built for a model of subjective well-being in students. Also, the chapter discusses developmental issues that may affect the assessment of students' subjective well-being and this discussion is based on research regarding children's self-concept and self-worth. It also describes the assessment of subjective well-being in students, as well as three self-report instruments designed to reflect that well-being. Finally, the chapter concludes that along with the construction of new instruments to assess students' subjective well-being, researchers need to generate truly developmental research programs.
The Class III Protein Deacetylases

Sirtuins are NAD-dependent protein deacetylases found in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans that share sequence homology with the yeast transcriptional regulator Sir2. In eukaryotes, sirtuins regulate The first two authors contributed equally to this review. transcriptional repression, recombination, cell cycle division, microtubule organization, and cellular responses to DNA-damaging agents. Sir2 proteins have also been implicated in regulating the molecular mechanisms of aging. Eukaryotic sirtuins contain a core catalytic domain and variable amino- and carboxyl-terminal extensions that regulate their subcellular localizations and catalytic activity. This review focuses on the diverse sub-cellular distribution, substrate specificity, and cellular functions of sirtuins with particular emphasis on the biology of mammalian sirtuins.
Multiheme Cytochrome Mediated Redox Conduction through Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 Cells.

Multiheme cytochromes function as extracellular electron transfer (EET) conduits that extend the metabolic reach of microorganisms to external solid surfaces. These conduits are also proposed to facilitate long-distance electron transport along cellular membranes and across multiple cells. Here we report electrochemical gating measurements of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 cells linking interdigitated electrodes. The dependence of the source–drain current on gate potential demonstrates a redox conduction mechanism, which we link to the presence of multiheme cytochromes of the Mtr pathway. We also find that the measured thermal activation energy of 0.29 ± 0.03 eV is consistent with these obtained from electron hopping calculations through the S. oneidensis Mtr outer-membrane decaheme cytochromes. Our measurements and calculations have implications for understanding and controlling micrometer-scale electron transport in microbial systems.
How to Prepare for Expert Testimony on the Safety of Vaccination.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently announced that vaccine coverage in American children has begun to decline as more parents seek medical, religious, and so-called philosophical exemptions. The proportion of unvaccinated American children has now reached 1.3%.1 This was a depressing announcement but not surprising in view of the increase in antivaccinationism, or as it is euphemistically called, “vaccine hesitancy.” One of the reasons for the decline in vaccination became clear to me in January 2018, when I was asked to do a pro bono deposition in a case in which a father who wanted his daughter vaccinated before entering kindergarten was suing his divorced wife, who opposes vaccination. I accepted because I viewed it as a public service, and I thought I merely had to testify about the benefits of vaccination and its overall safety. However, when I arrived at the conference room where the deposition was to be conducted, I found 2 lawyers representing the mother. I later learned that 1 of the lawyers was a partner at a New York City law firm that specializes in vaccine injury and antivaccination suits. The firm represents those opposed to mandatory vaccination. As an example, it opposed a regulation in New York that would allow a child … Address correspondence to Stanley A. Plotkin, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Vaxconsult, 4650 Wismer Rd, Doylestown, PA 18902. E-mail: stanley.plotkin{at}vaxconsult.com
Ear biometrics for patient identification in global health: a field study to test the effectiveness of an image stabilization device in improving identification accuracy

In many low and middle-income countries (LMICs), difficulties in patient identification are a major obstacle to the delivery of longitudinal care. In absence of unique identifiers, biometrics have emerged as an attractive solution to the identification problem. We developed an mHealth App for subject identification using pattern recognition around ear morphology (Project SEARCH (Scanning EARS for Child Health). Early field work with the SEARCH App revealed that image stabilization would be required for optimum performance. To improve image capture, we designed and tested a device (the ‘Donut’), which standardizes distance, angle, rotation and lighting. We then ran an experimental trial with 194 participants to measure the impact of the Donut on identification rates. Images of the participant’s left ear were taken both with and without use of the Donut, then processed by the SEARCH algorithm, measuring the top one and top ten most likely matches. With the Donut, the top one identification rate and top ten identification rates were 99.5 and 99.5%, respectively, vs. 38.4 and 24.1%, respectively, without the Donut (P < 0.0001 for each comparison). In sensitivity analyses, crop technique during pre-processing of images had a powerful impact on identification rates, but this too was facilitated through the Donut. By standardizing lighting, angle and spatial location of the ear, the Donut achieved near perfect identification rates on a cohort of 194 participants, proving the feasibility and effectiveness of using the ear as a biometric identifier. This study did not include a medical intervention or assess a medical outcome, and therefore did not meet the definition of a human subjects research study as defined by FDAAA. We did not register our study under clinicaltrials.gov .
Reestablishing the Balance of Power: Responding to Deceptive and Aggressive Tactics

Attempting to deal with aggressive and manipulative people is rarely easy or pleasant. Deceptive tactics help aggressors gain momentary first-strike advantages and keep the targets temporarily unaware that they are in a fight. Once the targets recognize deceptive enticements, they should not waste time responding to them but act quickly to set up defenses. Should the aggressors attempt to distract and confuse them, the targets must remain focused and composed. When faced with aggressive controlling behaviors, the targets should attempt to manage them by maintaining calm, escaping, finding a safe place, and securing help. Those who successfully implement these strategies may stop the process to criminal victimization from progressing further.
Physical exercise for negative symptoms of schizophrenia: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials and meta-analysis

Abstract Introduction The negative symptoms of schizophrenia contribute strongly to functional impairment but are inadequately treated by antipsychotic medication. Several studies have suggested that physical exercise could reduce the negative symptoms. Methods We conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effectiveness of physical exercise interventions in improving the negative symptoms of schizophrenia using different databases and trial registries. Results Seventeen RCTs were included in the meta-analysis (n = 954 patients). Overall, the results revealed a significant beneficial effect of physical exercise on negative symptoms. We conducted a subgroup analysis differentiating between aerobic interventions (12 RCTs) and non-aerobic interventions (5 RCTs). Aerobic exercise reduced negative and positive symptoms, while this was not the case for non-aerobic interventions. A sensitivity analysis including only studies with a low risk of bias confirmed the effect on negative but not on positive symptoms. Conclusion Aerobic exercise had a beneficial effect on negative symptoms, albeit with a small effect size. The conclusions are limited by the fact that the included studies did not assess patients for predominant or primary negative symptoms. Given the important role of exercise for physical health, the additional effects on negative symptoms are promising and justify further research to disentangle the effects on primary and secondary negative symptoms.
Tactical Separation and Safety-Alerting System for Terminal Airspace

The provision of tactical alerts to aid air traffic controllers in providing separation assurance in terminal airspace is hindered by the complexity of the airspace, its operations, and flight proc...
Do Green Treefrogs Use Social Information to Orient Outside the Breeding Season

Gerlinde Hobel and Ashley Christie (2016) To decide efficiently where to forage, rest or breed, animals need information about their environment, which they may gather by monitoring the behavior of others. For example, attending to the signals of conspecifics or heterospecifics with similar habitat requirements may facilitate habitat choice. Such social information use seems taxonomically widespread, yet there is currently a dearth of information for amphibians. Anuran amphibians, with their highly developed auditory system and robust phonotaxis towards advertisement calls when searching for mates seem predisposed to use this hearing capability in other behavioral contexts. We conducted playback experiments to test whether anurans exploit acoustic signals in a non-reproductive context. In our experiments female Green Treefrogs did not show phonotaxis to signals associated with the presence of other frogs, and the orientation and speed of their movement was not different from animals randomly moving inside a silent arena. Previous studies documenting social information use in anurans have tested reproductively active frogs during the breeding season. By contrast, our study examined non-reproductive animals, and these did not approach social signals. We propose two non-exclusive hypotheses for this observed difference in phonotaxis behavior: (1) attending to social signals is restricted to ecologically most relevant time periods in a frogs life (i.e., finding breeding sites during the mating season), or (2) the ability of acoustic signals to stimulate the auditory system may be influenced by hormone levels regulating the reproductive state.
Blockchain-authenticated sharing of cancer patient genomic and clinical outcomes data.

e19358Background: Efficiently sharing health data produced during standard care could dramatically accelerate progress in cancer treatments but various barriers make this difficult. Not sharing the...
Reconceptualizing Segregation from the Global South

In American sociology, segregation is usually conceived in terms of spatial concentration, social isolation, and the consolidation of race, place, and poverty. This conceptualization fails to captu...
The SEC, Digital Assets and Game Theory

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not provided a clear rule to digital-asset market participants concerning the nature of cryptoassets, namely, how to determine whether an asset is a security subject to the federal securities laws or something else, like a commodity regulated outside of the purview of the securities statutes. Instead of a formal rule, the SEC has chosen a more flexible modus operandi of enforcement actions in reliance on the functional definition embedded in the Supreme Court Howey decision interpreting the term “investment contract.” This Article examines empirical data and develops a model suggesting that, despite the underlying indeterminacy associated with functional definitions and regulation by enforcement, the SEC attempted to reduce information losses and improved regulatory clarity by following a set of well-defined strategies during the first years of its crypto-enforcement efforts. Unfortunately, recent enforcement actions may upend these initially successful game strategies and undermine the efficacy of the techniques the SEC used to minimize the downsides of functional definitions and the regulation via enforcement tactics. As a result, the fabric of cooperation between the innovators and the SEC may be broken, leading to a suboptimal outcome for all market participants and the Commission itself. These problems are particularly important in the rapidly evolving world of crypto, DeFi, and fintech.
OP0267 SHORT-TERM CHANGES IN THE RADIOGRAPHIC EXTENT OF INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE PREDICT LONG-TERM MORTALITY IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

Background: The forced vital capacity (FVC) is often used as the primary endpoint in treatment trials for systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD), and while trends in FVC have been found to predict mortality in SSc-ILD,1,2 FVC measurements are also influenced by extra-pulmonary factors, such as cutaneous sclerosis, myopathy, and patient/technician effort. Change in the quantitative extent of ILD (QILD) on HRCT is an emerging endpoint in clinical trials; however, no studies have evaluated whether changes in radiographic extent ILD predict mortality in SSc-ILD. Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between changes QILD in the whole lung (WL) and long-term survival in patients who participated in the Scleroderma Lung Study (SLS) I3 and II.4 Methods: SLS I randomized 158 SSc-ILD patients to 12 months of cyclophosphamide (CYC) vs. placebo. SLS II randomized 142 SSc-ILD patients to 12 months of CYC, followed by 12 months of placebo vs. 24 months of mycophenolate (MMF). QILD-WL scores were calculated at baseline and 12 months (SLS I) and 24 months (SLS II). Participants were followed for up to 12 (SLS I) and 8 years (SLS II). Using landmark survival analysis, Kaplan Meier curves were generated to compare survival between participants who had worse QILD-WL scores (≥2% increase) and those who had stable/improved QILD-WL scores ( Results: Among all the SLS I and II participants, 82 and 90 had follow up HRCT scans, respectively, and were included in these analyses. SLS I participants with an increase in QILD-WL scores of ≥2% at 12 months had significantly worse long-term survival (P= 0.01; Figure). Similarly, SLS II participants with an increase in QILD-WL scores of ≥2% at 24 months had significantly worse long-term survival (P= 0.019; Figure). After adjusting for baseline FVC, age, and modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), an increase in QILD-WL scores of ≥2% remained associated with worse long-term survival in SLS I (trend: P=0.089) and SLS II (P=0.014). Conclusion: Progression of the radiographic extent of ILD of ≥2% was associated with worse long-term survival in two independent SSc cohorts with extensive long-term follow up. The findings provide compelling evidence that short-term changes in the radiographic extent of ILD may serve as a surrogate endpoint for mortality in patients with SSc. References: [1]Goh NS, et al. Arthritis Rheum 2017. [2]Volkmann ER, et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2019. [3]Tashkin DP, et al. NEJM 2006. [4]Tashkin DP, et al. Lancet Resp Med 2016. Disclosure of Interests: Elizabeth Volkmann Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Grant/research support from: Forbius, Corbus, Donald Tashkin: None declared, Michael Roth Grant/research support from: Genentech/Roche, Jonathan Goldin: None declared, Grace Kim: None declared
Induced pluripotent stem cell line (SDQLCHi041-A) from a male patient with mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB.

Abstract Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by mutations in NAGLU gene, and characterized by progressive cognitive decline and behavioral difficulties and motor function retardation. A human induced pluripotent stem cell line, SDQLCHi041-A was generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a 4 years and 9 months old patient with MPS IIIB, who carried compound heterozygous mutation of c.1336G > A and c.608G > A in NAGLU gene. SDQLCHi041-A offers a useful cell model to investigate pathogenic mechanisms in MPS IIIB.
Testing dental calculus as a means to determine paleodiet of extinct equid Merychippus sp.

Abstract During the Miocene Epoch, radiation of merychippine equids may have coincided with a transitional North American habitat of forests with patches of open grassland, and merychippine diet may reflect this diverse environment. Dental calculus on teeth of extinct herbivores like Merychippus can incorporate a long-term dietary record in the form of plant microfossils, such as phytoliths and fibers. In the present study, the purpose was to test dental calculus as a measure of paleodiet in equids by identifying and comparing Merychippus paleodiet constituents among preliminary sample groups. Calculus samples obtained from seven isolated Barstovian age Merychippus teeth from sites in Nebraska, Oregon, and Maryland, USA contained plant microfossils that were identified to categories based upon morphological characteristics. Grass silica short-cell phytoliths of BOP clade, C3-pathway subfamilies were most frequent, comprising 45–57% of all calculus samples. Microfossils from woody taxa were also present in all assemblages (18–29%). Softwood tracheary elements and sedge grass phytoliths (Family Cyperaceae) were significantly more frequent in Merychippus from the Maryland site. The combined presence of hardwood and grass microfossils from each Merychippus specimen indicates a mixed browse/grass diet that included C3 grasses, supporting recent micro- and mesowear analyses. Some significant differences among these preliminary samples suggest that calculus is a valid means to compare diet among regions. Within a broader context, this type of study can generalize aspects of the Merychippus paleoenvironment and stands as an evaluation for using microfossils from dental calculus as a means for diet determination.
Dynamic control of photon lifetime for quantum random number generation

In a passive cavity geometry, there exists a trade-off between resonant enhancement and response time, which is inherently limited by the cavity photon lifetime. We demonstrate frequency-selective, dynamic control of the photon lifetime using a silicon-nitride coupled-ring resonator. The photon lifetime is tuned by controlling an avoided mode crossing using thermo-optic tuning of the cavity resonance with integrated heaters. Using this effect, we achieve fast turn-on/off of a χ(3) degenerate optical parametric oscillator (DOPO) and on-chip true random number generation. Our approach allows us to overcome the Q-limited generation rate of a single-ring-based DOPO and offers a path toward the development of a scalable integrated high-quality entropy source for modern cryptographic systems.
Back to the Bad Old Days: President Putin's Hold on Free Speech in the Russian Federation

This paper addresses new laws promulgated in Russia that restrict freedom of speech. Each implicitly reflects the Kremlin’s hostility toward political dissidence in the aftermath of serious protests following President Putin’s reelection and elections to the legislature. Disturbed by the outcry, which took place in cities across Russia but also infiltrated the Internet, the Russian legislature passed strict laws censoring Internet speech, prohibiting behavior and speech deemed “extremist,” and curbing the size and type of public gatherings. The new legislation is examined through the lens of some of the Kremlin’s most infamous and recent targets: namely, the Internet blacklist and the Pussy Riot scandal. It is critical to note that these instances are only a fraction of the free speech violations that are now legal in the Russian Federation. These incidents—and the potential for similar and more serious results under the new laws—are of grave importance. For many Western critics and Russian citizens, the laws confirm their worst fears about Putin’s autocratic leanings: that with the stifling of free speech will come a complete unraveling of Russian democracy. The effect is a grim future for the former Soviet Union eerily reminiscent of the past.
Genetics of Retinal Disease

The retina forms the inner lining of the posterior segment of the eye. Vision is dependent on intact retinal photoreceptors to transduce incident light to an electrical signal for relay to the brain. The function of these cells is in turn reliant upon their intimate relationship with the adjacent retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Indeed, if RPE cells become degenerate or are lost, PR degeneration ensues and vice versa. These events form the basis of vision loss in many retinal degenerative diseases and are key features of such conditions as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa and other genetically inherited retinal diseases such as Stargardt macular dystrophy. Cumulatively, these conditions now comprise the foremost causes of untreatable visual loss in developed countries. The diverse phenotypes observed reflect the remarkable genetic heterogeneity of retinal disease. Furthermore, different mutations within the same gene can cause different phenotypes. AMD is now known to be a complex genetic disorder with a number of genetic variants (single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs) now known to confer susceptibility to vision loss from the condition. Key Concepts: The retina is a multilayered neural tissue that comprises a variety of highly specialised cells that receive and process visual stimuli. The majority of genetic diseases of the retina affect the photoreceptor cell. Although many diseases affect the whole retina, certain conditions affect predominantly or exclusively the macula of the eye, that region of the retina specialised for central vision. More than 200 genes have been identified that cause monogenic retinal degeneration in humans. Hundreds of mutations have been described that can be inherited as autosomal dominant, recessive, X-linked, mitochondrial, oligogenic and digenic traits. Monogenic retinal diseases are slowly progressive and in many instances lead to blindness. Age-related macular degeneration is the most frequent cause of blindness in older individuals. It is a complex disease, one that arises due to the interplay of both multiple genetic and environmental factors. Although major advances are being made in treating these with gene and stem cell therapies, there is no currently approved treatment. Keywords: retina; genes; mutations; age-related macular degeneration; retinitis pigmentosa; macular; complex disease; photoreceptor; retinal pigment epithelium
High-frequency analysis of the signal-averaged ECG. Correlation with left ventricular mass in rabbits.

Abstract Standard electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria have exhibited poor correlation with left ventricular mass and poor sensitivity for left ventricular hypertrophy at acceptable levels of specificity. To assess the ability of the high-frequency filtered signal-averaged ECG to improve ECG correlation with left ventricular mass, signal-averaged orthogonal lead recordings in 29 normal rabbits and seven rabbits with left ventricular hypertrophy due to chronic aortic regurgitation were compared with left ventricular mass corrected for body weight. Voltage of the vector QRS complex was integrated over the total duration of the QRS after separate filtering with standard frequency (0–100 Hz) low-pass and high-frequency (44 Hz) high-pass filters. Measurement of individual X, Y, and Z lead R and S wave voltage was performed on averaged, standard frequency filtered complexes, and the maximal spatial vector magnitude was determined from the standard frequency filtered vectors. Voltage of the 44 Hz high-pass filtered vector QRS complex integrated over the total duration of the QRS (high-frequency vector integral) correlated closely with indexed left ventricular mass (r = 0.84, p
Producing Short Counterexamples Using Crucial Events

Ideally, a model checking tool should successfully tackle state space explosion for complete system validation, while providing short counterexamples when an error exists. Techniques such as partial order (p.o.) reduction [1,2] are very effective at tackling state space explosion, but do not produce short counterexamples. On the other hand, directed model checking [3,4] techniques find short counterexamples, but are prone to state space explosion in the absence of errors. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no single technique that meets both requirements. We present such a technique in this paper. For a subset of CTL, which we call CETL (Crucial Event Temporal Logic), we show that there exists a unique minimum set of events in each program trace whose execution is both necessary and sufficient to lead to an error state. These events are called "crucial events". We show how crucial events can be used to produce short counterexamples, while also providing state space reduction. We have implemented the techniques presented here as an extension to the model checker SPIN, called SPICED (Simple PROMELA Interpreter with Crucial Event Detection). Experimental results are presented.
I/O-Conscious Volume Rendering

Most existing volume rendering algorithms assume that data sets are memory-resident and thus ignore the performance overhead of disk I/O. While this assumption may be true for high-performance graphics machines, it does not hold for most desktop personal workstations. To minimize the end-to-end volume rendering time, this work re-examines implementation strategies of the ray casting algorithm, taking into account both computation and I/O overheads. Specifically, we developed a data-driven execution model for ray casting that achieves the maximum overlap between rendering computation and disk I/O. Together with other performance optimizations, on a 300-MHz Pentium-II machine, without directional shading, our implementation is able to render a 128x128 greyscale image from a 128x128x128 data set with an average end-to-end delay of 1 second, which is very close to the memory-resident rendering time. With a little modification, this work can also be extended to do out-of-core visualization as well.
Pharmacist management of a hyperlipidemia clinic

A hyperlipidemia clinic in which a pharmacist provides primary care is described. The clinic was established at a Veterans Affairs medical center in January 1990. A pharmacist performs limited physical assessments, refers patients to other clinics as necessary, orders laboratory and diagnostic tests, and selects and monitors the use of lipid-lowering medications. Interventions are performed according to the pharmacist's clinical judgment; there is no set protocol. Recommendations for patient management are approved by an attending physician, who prescribes the antilipemic drugs. The pharmacist teaches patients about hyperlipidemia, the impact of diet and life-style, and the mechanism of action, administration, and adverse effects of the antilipemics prescribed. The pharmacist also monitors compliance, laboratory test values, and the response to treatment. Treatment is modeled after the recommendations of the National Cholesterol Education Program. If a patient has not achieved the targeted cholesterol concentration after receiving dietary therapy for three months, further education about diet and lifestyle is provided. If, after three more months, the cholesterol level remains high, drug therapy is begun. Four antilipemic drugs--colestipol, gemfibrozil, lovastatin, and niacin--are used in the clinic. Since it began operating, the clinic has enrolled 284 patients. Compliance with the lipid-lowering agents has ranged from 43% to 100%. Adverse effects have accounted for the majority of cases of noncompliance. A pharmacist provides primary care for patients with hyperlipidemia in an ambulatory-care clinic.
Isolation and Identification of Ripening-Related Tomato Fruit Carboxypeptidase

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruit carboxypeptidase active on N-carbobenzoxy Z-L-phenylalanine-L-alanine was found to constitute a family of isoforms whose abundance changed differentially during ripening. A specific polyclonal antibody against the fruit carboxypeptidase was raised in rabbits and used to purify and identify the protein. The data from immunoaffinity chromatography, immunoinhibition studies, immunoprecipitation of the in vivo- and in vitro-labeled proteins, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of native isoforms strongly suggest that the fruit carboxypeptidases are monomers or oligomers of 68- and/or 43-kD subunits.
A Single Cell Study on the Temperature Effects of Electroporation

In electroporation, the charging of the cell membrane due to an applied electric field is followed by a localized structural rearrangement of the membrane, which consequently creates pores or aqueous pathways that perforate the membrane. A tremendous increase in ionic and molecular transport through the membrane occurs because of the presence of these aqueous pores. As part of a comprehensive study on the effects of temperature on electroporation of cells, we have designed a micro device capable of integrating single cells into an electronic circuit while controlling the temperature. In the present work, we have studied the effect of temperature on the electroporation of Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells (MDCK) with a micro-electroporation device. It was found that the critical voltage for electropermeabilization was strongly dependent on temperature, increasing by a factor of 2 with decreasing temperature from 37 to 5 °C. Data shows there is a correlation among the viscoelastic properties of the cell membrane and the temperature.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Epstein-Barr virus-induced viral and soluble complement-fixing antigens in Burkitt lymphoma cell cultures.

SummaryEpstein-Barr virus-infected Burkitt lymphoma cell cultures contain viral (V) and virus-induced, nonsedimentable, soluble (S) antigens which react in complement-fixation tests with certain human and subhuman primate sera containing antibodies to the V antigen. An apparently related soluble antigen was demonstrated in concentrated cell-free fluids of virus-free Raji cell cultures. Serologic evidence is presented to relate S antigens to EBV infections in man and subhuman primates. The release of S antigen by virus-free Raji and other lymphoid cell lines suggests the possible presence of a portion of the viral genome in some of these cells. Data on the physical properties of V and S antigens are presented.
Blood pressure tracking systems and their application to biofeedback

Two automatic electronic systems for tracking diastolic or systolic blood pressure (BP) and their use in biofeedback experiments are described. Both systems are based on the use of an arm cuff and the recording of Korotkoff sounds with a microphone. An electronic control system receives input from the microphone and provides output to several solenoid valves that control compressed airflow to the cuff. For one of the tracking systems we devised, the cuff is alternately inflated for 45 sec and deflated for 45 sec. During inflation, small increments and decrements in cuff pressure, based on the occurrence of Korotkoff sounds, are used to track BP. The other tracking system is slower but provides more continuous measurements: The cuff is alternately inflated to approximately the BP level for 5 sec and then deflated for 5 sec. During each inflation, the number of Korotkoff sounds is recorded by the system and according to this number, the amount of inflation on the next trial is automatically adjusted so that the cuff pressure follows BP. Both systems have been used successfully in biofeedback applications.