cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Rise of First Nations’ Fiction Films: Shelley Niro, Jeff Barnaby, and Yves Sioui Durand

Since the 1960s, when First Nations crews began training at the National Film Board, indigenous filmmaking — mostly in the form of documentaries — has generally taken place on the margins of mainstream production in Quebec. While the commitment to addressing native issues and portraying native lives of NFB documentarists like Alanis Obomsawin has been of immeasurable social and aesthetic value, recent productions have shown a veritable thirst among native peoples to tell their stories and cultural heritage through a fictional frame. This essay profiles three First Nations directors whose recent productions have included fictional film. Mohawk artist and filmmaker Shelley Niro has made several films that deal with Native women who are trying to find their way in a modern world without losing sight of who they are. Kissed by Lightening is her first, award-winning, full-length feature and offers a synthesis of several themes present in her previous work. Jeff Barnaby, a Mi'gmaq filmmaker, has made three shor...
Treating Perpetrators of Domestic Violence: Gender Differences in the Applicability of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Female perpetrated intimate partner violence has commonly been treated, both legally and clinically, similarly to male perpetrated violence. However, there is little empirical research of the gender differences in treatment needs or the applicability of classic models of batterer intervention for women. This study examines the applicability of one theory that has commonly been used to guide treatment of male perpetrators, the theory of planned behavior. R. M. Tolman, J. L. Edleson, and M. Fendrich (1996) found the components of this theory to be moderately predictive of abusive behavior among males. In a survey of 114 male and female participants in batterer intervention counseling in Los Angeles County, the current study confirmed that the model predicted male behaviors but found the model did not apply to female violent behavior.
MEMS harsh environment sensor array-enabled hot spring mapping

We report the design and application of MEMS temperature and electrical conductivity sensor arrays for studying the harsh environments of hot springs. Centimeter-scale measurements were necessary to measure geochemical gradients across photosynthetic bacteria transition zones. Platinum, Parylene-C, and fused silica were critical materials used in fabrication. More than 700 temperature and 90 conductivity measurements were taken in the mixing zone where two geochemically different hot spring channels converged and the data show that the temperature gradients play an important role in determining where photosynthetic organisms appear. Additionally, a novel technique was developed for studying conservative parameters at centimeter spatial scales.
WHAT IS CORRELATED

Cronholm ( 1965) has given formulas for rapid computation of the Pearson r between frequencies or proportions of observations which fall into mutually exclusive and exhaustive categories on a nominal (or higher order) scale. Such an r is uncommon enough to have been mistakenly interpreted as being between nominally scaled measures. This error is avoided when the value and identification of an observation are distinguished. Let us define a "basis" to be a nominally identified object, person, category, etc., with which are associated the "values" (outcomes) of two measurements. If the two values are each standardized over a group of bases their covariance is r. This r is of course a function only of the values of the measurements. Only in a rough sense can we say that a correlation is between bases. Hence, when Gonholrn states that his formulas give ". . . a measure of the linear dependence between two groups of nominally scaled observations," he does not imply that the ualaer are nominally scaled (indeed, frequencies or proportions ate ratio scaled) but only that the ba~es are nominally identified (i.e., distinct) as is required for any meaningful r. Confusion of bases and measurement values is rather easy in 7 of frequencies since the usual correlational situation is almost inverted. Frequencies of Ss form the values and scale categories are the bases as opposed to the more familiar case in which scale categories form the values and Ss are the bases. Suppose, for example, we correlate the number of Ss who pass each item on a test with the number passing the same items on a retest. This method has been used to evaluate the reliability of test item difficulties (e.g., Carter, 1942; Gibbons, 1940). Here the bases are individual test items and the values are the number of SS passing the item on each rest administration. The resulting r can be interpreted as a measure of the precision of prediction of an item difficulty from a prior difficulty. It says nothing about the inverse problem of the precision of prediction of the passing of a given individual on an item, given his prior performance on the item.
Intravenous self-administration of the indirect dopaminergic agonist amfonelic acid by rats

Abstract The reinforcing properties of amfonelic acid, a nonamphetamine psychostimulant, were evaluated in an intravenous self-administration paradigm. Rats were trained to self-administer cocaine (0.5–3.0 mg/kg/infusion) on a fixed-ratio 10 schedule of reinforcement via surgically implanted intravenous catheters during daily 4-hr sessions. Substitution of amfonelic acid (0.0625–0.250 mg/kg/infusion) reliably maintained self-administration in a dose-dependent manner. These data indicate that amfonelic acid can act as a reinforcer in rats, and further suggest that amfonelic acid may have abuse potential in humans.
Laser surface refinement of YBa2Cu3Ox superconductor

A novel laser-processing technique that produces bulk YBa2Cu3Ox (1 2 3) plates has been developed. Through the application of a square CO2 laser beam with uniform energy density distribution to the surface of 1 2 3 powder compact, a single piece of ribbon-like plate is produced. This plate may be separated from the powder compact after laser scanning. The width of the plate is ≈ 6 mm, while its thickness is 0.1–0.2 mm. Powder X-ray diffraction indicates that laser-treated samples contain both orthorhombic and tetragonal 1 2 3 phases, as well as Y2O3 (2 0 0), Y2BaCuO5 (2 1 1), BaCuO2 (0 1 1), and CuO (0 0 1) phases. Scanning electron microscopy reveals a pattern of phase segregation along the transverse cross-section after solidification of the plate. After oxygen annealing of a single ribbon piece, T c is found to be 90 K. This technique may be applicable to the mass production of 1 2 3 bulk superconductor by continuous melting of 1 2 3 powders. In addition to its potential for practical applications, the laser technique also helps to explain the complex phases and microstructure formation during melting and solidification of laser-melted 1 2 3 liquid. A model relating the microstructure to the thermal history inside the laser-affected region and to the phase diagram of incongruently melting 1 2 3 material has been developed to analyse phase formation during laser melting and solidification processes. Reasonable correspondence between theoretical analysis and experimental results was obtained.
Activated diffusion of methane from coals at elevated pressures

Abstract Diffusion of methane from three coals ranging in rank from anthracite to HVA bituminous has been studied at initial methane pressures up to about 2.76 MPa (400 psi). Unsteady-state diffusion conditions existed, the methane pressure within the coal particle decreasing with time while the methane pressure outside the particles remained at atmospheric. The diffusion parameter D 1 2 r 0 increased with increasing methane concentration at high values of methane sorption. Diffusion was activated but the exact magnitude of the activation energy is uncertain owing to the suspected contribution of the heat of sorption to the temperature coefficient. D 1 2 r 0 increased with decreasing particle size of coal studied, but r0 is clearly less than the particle radius.
Optimal Performance Limits For Detection And Classification Algorithms

A system which accepts a two-dimensional scene as input and produces an image of the scene as output introduces degradations to the image which cause a loss of information about the original scene. A mathematical model is described which, under certain assumptions about the scene, the transformations and the noise sources, models the effects of these degradations on the original scene and on the ability of any algorithm to classify objects in the scene.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
DNase activation by hypoxia-acidosis parallels but is independent of programmed cell death.

Abstract Aims Hypoxia, acidosis and programmed cell death are each hallmarks of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We previously described a death pathway of cardiac myocytes mediated by hypoxia–acidosis that was characterized by activation of the Bcl2-family protein Bnip3 and programmed necrosis. The pathway included extensive DNA fragmentation that was sensitive to inhibition of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) and calpain inhibitors, but not caspase inhibitors. We did not identify the DNases responsible for DNA cleavage. Main methods Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were subjected to hypoxia with and without concurrent acidosis, and the cellular localization of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), DNase II and caspase-dependent DNase (CAD) were determined. Key findings Here we report the occurrence of biphasic pH-dependent translocations of AIF and DNase II but no change in CAD or its inhibitor ICAD. AIF co-localized with the mitochondria under aerobic and hypoxia-neutral conditions but translocated to the nucleus at pH ~ 6.7 coincident with a decrease of the mitochondrial membrane potential. DNase II co-localized with lysosomes under normoxia and hypoxia-neutral conditions, and translocated to the nucleus at pH ~ 6.1 coincident with the appearance of single strand DNA cuts. Inhibition of the mPTP pore with BH4-TAT peptide, calpain inhibition with PD150606, or knockdown (KD) of Bnip3 failed to prevent nuclear translocation of these DNase although Bnip3 KD blocked mitochondrial fission. Significance These results suggest that caspase-independent DNA fragmentation is precisely regulated and occurs in parallel but independently from programmed necrosis mediated by hypoxia–acidosis.
Comments on "A network theorem dual to Miller's theorem" by M.K. Kazimierczuk

The above-named work (ibid., vol.31, p.265-9, Nov. 1988) introduces a network theorem which is dual to Miller's theorem, and it is applied to the analysis of the common-emitter (CE) amplifier with emitter resistor. The same material can be found in earlier textbooks, specifically in the 1972 book by J. Millman and C.C. Halkias. It is noted that section 8-11 of that book bears the heading 'Miller's theorem and its dual'. Fig. 8-19 and its related discussion are identical to the paper's Fig.1 and equations (1)-(8). Fig. 8-28, applying the concept to the CE amplifier stage, is equivalent to the paper's Fig. 2. In addition, it is argued that the usefulness of the theorem in electronic circuit analysis is questionable. >
On the mean ergodic theorem for weighted averages

Let (Ω, ⌆, P) be a probability space and let T be a measurable and measure preserving point transformation from Ω into Ω. Let f be a measurable and square integrable function on (Ω, ⌆, P), and let a N,k for N, K=0, 1, ... be such that $$\sum\limits_k {a_{N,k} = 1}$$ for all N. The authors investigate conditions on the a N,k 's such that the sequence $$\sum\limits_{k = 0}^\infty {a_{N,k} f(T^k )}$$ converges in mean square for all (Ω, ⌆, P, T) and f described above. The special cases T weakly mixing and T strongly mixing are also considered.
Is aggressive heparinization necessary for elective ptca

The optimal level of heparin anticoagulation for elective PTCA is unknown. To determine if PTCA complications are related to the level of anticoagulation, serial ACT values were prospectively measured in 189 patients undergoing 201 elective PTCA procedures. The mean heparin dose before balloon inflation (pre-inflation) was 10,100 units, and the mean dose per procedure was 13,200 units. The mean pre-inflation ACT was 295 sec, but was <300 sec in more than 50% of patients. Acute complications were not related to any ACT parameter and the development of new intracoronary thrombus was not observed. In elective PTCA procedures, the routine monitoring of ACT values is unnecessary when standard heparin doses are used. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
American health care professionals should respect the traditions of other cultures.

One of the issues that Dhami and Sheikh raise in their article is that of gender and women's rights. What is most obvious to a feminist American mentality is the way that Muslim women are kept segregated from men by both their clothing and their behavior. Nurses have told me of many cases that illustrate the role of gender in Muslim culture. One is of a Muslim man who tried to keep laboratory technicians from drawing blood from his wife's arm before surgery, relenting only when he completely covered his wife's body, leaving just her arm exposed. Another is of a Muslim man who brought his pregnant wife to the hospital with vaginal bleeding, only to leave when no female physician was on duty to examine her.1 Frequently Muslim husbands will answer physicians' questions directed to their wives, rather than allowing them to speak. American medical students are often taught that such behavior is a sign of possible abuse. Such cases may leave some American health care professionals with negative attitudes toward Muslim patients. I suggest another way of looking at this issue. A Middle Eastern woman in my nursing class said that as a Muslim woman, she felt highly regarded. She felt that she was “put up on a pedestal.” Because family honor is one of the major Muslim values, and the purity of women is the key to family honor, women have an important place in Muslim society. We should remember that from a Muslim perspective, women are highly valued. One of the more interesting books I've read on women in Islam is called Nine Parts of Desire.2 The title comes from the Islamic belief that Allah (God) created sexual desire in 10 parts; he gave 9 to women and only 1 to men, which is why women's sexuality must be controlled. Mohammed began the segregation of women to protect his wives from scandal. Others, wanting to emulate the great prophet, followed suit. The author tells of a young professional woman in Gaza who had chosen to wear the hijab—the veiled Islamic dress. When questioned about her choice, the woman explained, “Before I put on hijab, I used to be afraid of everything; afraid of ghosts, afraid of being alone in a room. When I put it on, the fears vanished.” Another professional woman talked about how the hijab gave her a sense of freedom—allowing her to be listened to, and allowing her words to be judged on their own merit, without the listener being distracted by her physical appearance. If a man walks in front of a woman, is he doing it to show his dominance over her or to protect her by finding the potholes in the road? The issue of women in Muslim culture is a complex one, and it is important that health care professionals be nonjudgmental and respectful of the traditions of other cultures.
Isolation and characterization of attenuated mutants of vaccinia virus

Attenuated variants of vaccinia virus with two specific and stable genetic markers were obtained after long-term passage of persistently infected Friend erythroleukemia (FEL) cells. The genetic markers were an 8-MDa deletion on the left HindIII-C terminus of the viral genome and sequence alterations localized in the middle of the HindIII-A DNA fragment. This latter genetic marker led to small plaque size phenotype of these variants. The mode of replication of these variants in tissue culture cells and their virulence in mice were analyzed. In cultured cells, these variants have greatly reduced virus yields in cell lines of different origins. These variants penetrate into cells, synthesize early and late viral proteins, and replicate their DNA with about the same efficiency as wild-type virus. The defect of these variants appears at some step during virus maturation. When groups of BALB/c mice were inoculated intraperitoneally (ip) with these variants, 50% of the mice survived with greater than or equal to 1 X 10(9) plaque-forming units (PFU) as opposed to about 50% survival for mice inoculated with 1 X 10(6) PFU of wild-type virus. Mice inoculated with these variants were fully protected when challenged ip with lethal doses of wild-type virus. The reduced virulence of these variants correlated with the 8-MDa deletion; in addition, the plaque size phenotype marker contributes to a further decrease of the virulence of vaccinia virus. Due to their limited virus production and protective immune response, these variants may be potentially useful as vaccines.
Nonvolatile Nanopipelining Logic Using Multiferroic Single-Domain Nanomagnets

Multiferroic single-domain nanomagnetics is a promising emerging nanotechnology poised to usher in ultralow energy nanomagnetic nonvolatile logic circuits in numerous medical applications, such as implants and prosthesis, where battery longevity is paramount. This paper evaluates the fundamental mode of signal propagation over ferromagnetically and antiferromagnetically coupled wires and interaction between the magnetic nanoparticles to perform nonvolatile logic functions, such the majority gate that sets its output to 1 when the majority of the inputs is 1. By taking advantage of magnetic nonvolatility, the paper demonstrates nanopipelining signal processing, data propagation performance, and functionality of basic building blocks. Our results indicate that effective nanopipeling can be achieved with clock periods approaching 9 ns and energy dissipation of 20 aJ per nanomagnet switch with the device sizes considered.
Modeling airflow and particle transport/deposition in pulmonary airways ☆

A review of research papers is presented, pertinent to computer modeling of airflow as well as nano- and micron-size particle deposition in pulmonary airway replicas. The key modeling steps are outlined, including construction of suitable airway geometries, mathematical description of the air-particle transport phenomena and computer simulation of micron and nanoparticle depositions. Specifically, diffusion-dominated nanomaterial deposits on airway surfaces much more uniformly than micron particles of the same material. This may imply different toxicity effects. Due to impaction and secondary flows, micron particles tend to accumulate around the carinal ridges and to form "hot spots", i.e., locally high concentrations which may lead to tumor developments. Inhaled particles in the size range of 20nm< or =dp< or =3microm may readily reach the deeper lung region. Concerning inhaled therapeutic particles, optimal parameters for mechanical drug-aerosol targeting of predetermined lung areas can be computed, given representative pulmonary airways.
Monitoring and Postconfinement Treatment of Sex Offenders: An Urgent Need:

In addition to French's 1991 idea that we need to have treatment of sex offenders which carries over from prison to the real world environment, it is suggested that there is also an urgent need for (a) monitoring the sex offender after release from incarceration and (b) postconfinement treatment, similar to that provided by Alcoholics Anonymous.
Benzo [a] pyrene oxidation and microsomal enzyme activity in the mussel (Mytilus edulis) and other bivalve mollusc species from the Western North Atlantic

Analysis of subcellular fractions revealed a complement of microsomal electron transport components including reductases and heme proteins in several organs of the three bivalve species Mytilus edulis, Macrocallista maculata and Area zebra. Dithionite difference spectroscopy of CO-treated microsomes yielded spectra typical of cytochrome P-450 in digestive gland and gill, with absorption maxima at 450 nm. A time-dependent reduction of cytochrome P-450 was also observed. The levels of these components and rates of microsomal benzo[a]pyrene (BP) metabolism were highest in the digestive gland, and were very similar between species. In M. edulis there was a suggested seasonal variation in BP metabolism but no population differences in this activity or in levels of other components. Digestive gland microsomal metabolites of BP identified by HPLC retention and UV spectroscopy included BP-1.6-quinone, BP-3,6-quinone and BP-6,12-quinone, which comprised 65% of the total metabolites, and dihydrodiols and phenols, the latter products consistent with cytochrome P-450 monooxygenation and expoxide hydrolase function. However, the inconsistent dependence of BP metabolism on NADPH, and inconsistent inhibition by CO suggest that catalyst(s) additional to cytochrome P-450 may be acting in BP metabolism. Based on these results and the prominent quinone formation, we speculate that peroxidative mechanism(s) may be involved. The role of peroxidative as well as well as monooxygenase reactions in the in-vivo disposition and effects of foreign chemicals in bivalves, and also the major function of cytochrome P-450 in these bivalves, remain to be established.
El sueño demorado o por qué la educación multicultural no logra cerrar la brecha educativa. Un análisis histórico-cultural

ResumenEn el presente articulo se realiza un analisis critico del paradigma de la educacion multicultural y de su fracaso a la hora de reducir las severas diferencias que caracterizan el rendimiento estudiantil en los Estados Unidos, defendiendo una praxis que extienda la igualdad en el aprendizaje y en otras areas del desarrollo. Argumentamos que para desmantelar la desigualdad entre grupos se requiere una reforma sistematica de las estructuras y politicas que en la actualidad perpetuan la correlacion entre la historia etnico-cultural y economica de los ninos y su rendimiento escolar, y desde un marco teorico historico cultural apuntamos de que manera se puede alcanzar una mejor comprension de los multiples y complejos factores que hay detras del bajo rendimiento y, ademas, contrarrestarlos de forma que se pueda comenzar a invertir las tasas de fracaso escolar para los estudiantes estadounidenses de minorias etnicas, en particular los que no dominan el ingles.
Lack of Comparability Between Commonly Used Serological Assays of Immune Response to Haemophilus influenzae Vaccine

Reliable measures of the serum level of antibody to the capsular polysaccharide (PRP) of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) are essential for evaluating current and future vaccines intended to protect against invasive disease. It was recently noted, however, that certain commonly used assays of antibody to PRP produced incompatible results. To investigate this observation, we analyzed banked sera from four PRP vaccine studies in parallel by several assays. Significant differences were noted, both in absolute titers and in the ratios of post- to prevaccination titers, between the various assays. These differences seemed to be due to the different antigen preparations used in the assays. Unless workers standardize on a single assay, protective levels of antibody to PRP will have to be defined separately for each assay. Serological results of Hib vaccine trials cannot be compared without considering the assay methods used.
Chaos Controlled: Discovery of a Powerful Amyloid Inhibitor

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Evans et al. (2015) report that the hitherto largely unstudied CsgC protein is responsible for the suppression of premature amyloidogenesis within the cellular periplasm, preventing early aggregation and cellular toxicity.
Density of vitreous silica

Abstract The density of vitreous silica was varied by changes in thermal history, water concentration, and concentration of dissolved gases. Previous assumptions that the fictive temperature of vitreous silica is identical to the heat treatment temperature are incorrect at higher treatment temperatures. Contrary to earlier reports, maxima in density do not occur for fictive temperatures below 1650 °C for vitreous silica. An increase in water concentration of 1 wtppm results in a decrease in density of 0.96 ppm for vitreous silicas with the same fictive temperatures. Changes in density due to water concentration changes in irradiated, hydrogen-loaded vitreous silica are larger than those for water created during manufacturing. At high concentrations, dissolved H 2 and D 2 expand the glass, offsetting much of the increase in mass of the sample due to the presence of the dissolved gas. The magnitude of this effect can be partially explained by treating the glass as an elastic solid and assuming that the dissolved gas exerts an internal pressure on the glass equal to the original gas pressure.
Purification of macacque liver flavin-containing monooxygenase: A form of the enzyme related immunochemically to an isozyme expressed selectively in adult human liver

A microsomal flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) was purified 77-fold from macacque liver microsomes on the basis of its methyl p-tolyl sulfoxidase activity. Sequential chromatography on anion- and cation-exchangers, lauryl-Sepharose and 2',5'-ADP-Sepharose provided a purified preparation which exhibited an apparent molecular mass of 59 kDa and a pI of 8.3. N-terminal amino-acid sequencing revealed the characteristic Gly-X-Gly-X-X-Gly consensus sequence for the putative FAD-binding domain of microsomal FMO. In marked contrast to the well-characterized hepatic and pulmonary forms present in experimental animals, the macacque liver enzyme displayed stereoselectivity for sulfoxidation of p-tolyl methyl sulfide on the pro-S rather than the pro-R face of the substrate. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the macacque liver form exhibited little or no cross-reactivity with major purified forms of the enzyme isolated from rabbit liver, guinea-pig liver or rabbit lung. Anti-macacque liver FMO did not cross-react with human fetal liver or adult kidney microsomes, but did recognize a 59 kDa constituent of human adult liver microsomes. The intensity of this immunoreactive 59 kDa band correlated well with human liver microsomal N,N-dimethylaniline N-oxygenase activity. We conclude that human adult liver selectively expresses a microsomal FMO which is functionally and immunochemically distinct from the FMO form(s) present in human fetal liver and adult kidney, and from the major hepatic and pulmonary forms present in common laboratory animals.
Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Mass Media Interventions for Child Survival in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Through a systematic review of the literature, this article summarizes and evaluates evidence for the effectiveness of mass media interventions for child survival. To be included, studies had to describe a mass media intervention; address a child survival health topic; present quantitative data from a low- or middle-income country; use an evaluation design that compared outcomes using pre- and postintervention data, treatment versus comparison groups, or postintervention data across levels of exposure; and report a behavioral or health outcome. The 111 campaign evaluations that met the inclusion criteria included 15 diarrheal disease, 8 immunization, 2 malaria, 14 nutrition, 1 preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, 4 respiratory disease, and 67 reproductive health interventions. These evaluations were then sorted into weak (n = 33), moderate (n = 32), and stronger evaluations (n = 46) on the basis of the sampling method, the evaluation design, and efforts to address threats to inference of mass m...
Analysis of interactions for magnetic particles assembling on magnetic templates

Dipole approximations are used to model up to three superparamagnetic particle systems as they assemble on magnetic island templates. It is shown that small variations in the ratio of particle-to-island diameter as well as the particle positions above the island can change magnetic forces from attractive to repulsive. This observation could potentially permit a template to be designed to promote single particle coverage of individual magnetic islands.
Dominant language influence in acquisition and attrition of binding: Interpretation of the Korean reflexive caki

This study investigates how the dominant language of Korean heritage speakers (English) influences Korean (minority language) in the domain of binding interpretations by comparing the performance of Korean immigrants in English dominant context with that of incomplete learners of Korean and L2 learners of Korean. Four groups (10 Korean immigrants, 17 simultaneous bilinguals, 14 late L2 learners, and 30 Korean native speakers) were tested. Differences between English and Korean in Governing Category and structural constraints were tested through a Truth Value Judgment Task with stories. Overall results showed that Korean immigrants (attriters) did not differ from Korean controls, while simultaneous bilinguals (incomplete learners) and late L2 learners of Korean showed behavior different from Korean control when two languages were different in their binding properties.
Role of Transbronchial Biopsies in Pediatric Lung Diseases

Study objective: To evaluate the role of transbronchial biopsies (TBBs) in pediatric lung diseases. Design and methods: We reviewed the records of TBBs performed in pediatric patients at the University of Florida between July 1996 and August 2003. The sample adequacy, diagnostic utility, and procedural complications of the two types of bronchoscopy apparatuses used to collect the samples were assessed and compared. Patients: A total of 429 TBB procedures were performed in 46 patients (age range, 2 months to 21 years) who had received a heart-lung or lung transplant and in 38 non-lung transplant patients (age range, 2 weeks to 18 years). For 86 procedures, the pediatric bronchoscope and forceps that fit in a 1.2-mm channel were used, and a small adult bronchoscope and 2.0-mm forceps were used for the remaining procedures. Results: Adequate tissue samples were obtained in 85% of the procedures using a pediatric bronchoscope and in 97% using an adult bronchoscope. In the non-lung transplant patients, the biopsy findings were considered to be diagnostic in 58% of all procedures (adult bronchoscope, 64%; and pediatric bronchoscope, 50%), contributory in 21%, and noncontributory in 21%. In the lung transplant patients, treatable acute cellular rejection was diagnosed in 24% of the surveillance TBBs and in 47% of the TBBs performed as a result of clinical symptoms. Complications included five pneumothoraces and five episodes of excessive bleeding requiring the discontinuation of the procedure in three of the cases. Conclusions: Adequate lung tissue for histologic diagnosis can be obtained safely and effectively from pediatric patients of all ages via flexible bronchoscopy with TBB. The performance of bronchoscopy should be considered based on clinical indications, rather than on the age or size of the patient, when a tissue diagnosis is needed. When feasible, the use of an adult bronchoscope is preferable due to the higher diagnostic yield.
Cytologic Detection of Toxoplasma gondii Tachyzoites in Cerebrospinal Fluid

We reviewed our case records to see how often Toxoplasma gondii organisms were identified by cytologic evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). During a 12-year period, 6,090 CSF specimens were examined, and 2 cases (0.03%) showed tachyzoites. Both patients were immunocompromised. One patient underwent lumbar and ventricular taps, and the other underwent only ventricular tap. Organisms were identified in the ventricular specimens but not in the lumbar sample. Both patients were treated, and subsequent ventricular CSF samples were negative. Toxoplasma gondii can be identified by cytologic examination of CSF. Our results confirm prior observations that in patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, tachyzoites are more likely to be found in ventricular rather than lumbar specimens.
A limited feedback time-delay neural network

Neural networks with time delays offer the potential of providing massive parallelism and adaptation, and can provide excellent discrimination for temporal signal processing tasks. In a time delay neural network (TDNN), the shift-invariance capability required in speech recognition is achieved by explicitly making time-shifted copies of the inputs and internal responses and linking their corresponding weights. In this paper, we propose a limited feedback TDNN (LFB-TDNN), which feedbacks only those errors with significant magnitudes over a limited time span during the semi-batch back-propagation learning. Simulations show that the LFB-TDNN achieves favorable performance in isolated speech recognition tasks when compared with the standard TDNN, the discrete density and the continuous density hidden Markov models.
In vivo biocompatibility studies. VII. Inflammatory response to polyethylene and to a cytotoxic polyvinylchloride

The cellular biocompatibility of low-density polyethylene and a cytotoxic polyvinylchloride were investigated using an in vivo cage implant system. Components of the inflammatory response (white cells, extra-cellular alkaline and acid phosphatase, the complement component C3, and total protein content) were monitored over a 21-day implantation period. Scanning electron microscopy was used to evaluate the morphologic condition of leukocytes adherent to the implanted polymers. Prior to implantation, each polymer was evaluated using an established primary acute toxicity screen. The results showed that the cytotoxic polyvinylchloride stimulated an intense acute phase inflammatory response, and at later observation periods, an intense and increasing chronic inflammatory response. In contrast, the polyethylene promoted relatively small increases in the acute and chronic phases of inflammation; the overall cellular response being essentially resolved by the third week after implantation. The initial toxicity screen of each polymer suggested that the observed differences in inflammation were primarily caused by the release from the polyvinylchloride of the added cytotoxic agent (dioctyltinbisoctylmercaptoacetate).
Copyright Protection ofWeb Applications through Watermarking

Java has become a very popular programming language, especially for designing web applications. Java bytecode technique makes it with high portability. However, it also poses large dangers to malicious users. Many techniques have been proposed for software copyright protection. They are useful for stand-alone Java applications. Due to special characteristics of Java web applications, copyright protection faces new challenge. In this paper, we propose a copyright protection scheme for Java web applications. The core of this scheme is a software watermarking algorithm. Code tamper-proofing and code obfuscation are also applied to watermarked Java code for better protection. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the scheme.
A new genus and species of a lasiopterine gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from bud galls on renosterbos, Elytropappus rhinocerotis (Asteraceae), in South Africa

The new genus Afrolasioptera Dorchin is established for a new gall-midge species, A. tumida Dorchin (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Lasiopterini), described from bud galls on Elytropappus rhinocerotis (Asteraceae) in the Western and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa. The new genus is unique for the largely inflated segment 8 of the female abdomen and the laterally flattened and conspicuously setose ovipositor. The species is univoltine and induces common galls in shoot tips, often developing in small groups. This is the fifth species of gall midge to be described from Asteraceae hosts in southern Africa, a region whose rich cecidomyiid fauna is still largely unknown.
Disproportionate utilization of healthcare resources among veterans with COPD: a retrospective analysis of factors associated with COPD healthcare cost

COPD is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). To determine the clinical factors associated with the cost of COPD management, we analyzed the relationship between clinical characteristics and COPD healthcare costs at the Cincinnati VAMC. We queried the VHA Decision Support System for patients diagnosed with COPD at the Cincinnati VAMC and calculated their VHA COPD-related encounters and costs in FY2008. Patients were ranked by COPD-related cost. We determined the detailed clinical characteristics of patients selected by modified systematic sampling and performed univariate and multivariable ordinary linear regression analysis to determine factors associated with cost. 3263 Veterans had 11,869 encounters with a primary or secondary diagnosis of COPD: 10,032 clinic visits, 505 emergency department (ED) visits, and 1,332 hospitalizations and incurred a total COPD-related healthcare cost of $21.4 M: $2.4 M clinic visits, $0.21 M ED visits, and $18.7 M hospitalizations and $0.89 M for COPD-related prescription costs. When the patients were ranked by VHA healthcare costs, the top 20% of patients accounted for 86% of the total costs and 57% of the total encounters with a primary or secondary diagnosis code of COPD and 90% of the total costs and 75% of the total encounters with a primary diagnosis code of COPD. The clinical characteristics and VHA healthcare costs of 840 of the 3263 unique individuals with COPD were analyzed to determine those characteristics associated with increased COPD-related costs. Univariate analysis showed significant associations with 24 clinical variables; the 4 most highly associated factors were nursing home residence, total hospital admissions, use of oral corticosteroids, and supplemental oxygen (p < 0.001 for all). In multivariate analysis, total number of admissions (p < 0.001), management by a pulmonologist (p < 0.001), number of clinic visits (p < 0.001), use of short acting anticholinergic (p = 0.001), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (p = 0.011), number of prescriptions (p = 0.011), body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.025), and use of inhaled corticosteroid (p = 0.043) were associated with COPD management cost. The total number of admissions, clinic visits, physiologic impairment, BMI, number of medications, and type of provider are strongly associated with the total cost of COPD management. These factors may be used to focus COPD management toward patients with the potential for high utilization of healthcare resources.
A constraint network approach to design for assembly

Design for assembly (DFA) involves the consideration of the assembly process while designing. It is important in that it is at the design stage that significant decisions about the assembly process are made. This paper overviews the background to DFA and presents an approach to DFA that operates by analyzing a design using constraint networks. This approach gives advice to the designer on changes that should be made to improve the design. The designer can interact with the constraint network system to make gradual improvements. The approach has been implemented as a prototype using the constraint language SPARK. The use of constraint networks for DFA has a number of advantages over more conventional techniques: advice is given on how to improve the design, the designer can interact with the DFA system to improve the design, and the designer can approach the problem from any viewpoint in that a rigid procedure does not have to be followed. The result is a flexible DFA system that can be adapted relatively ...
A proposed unified system of photometry

,!A unified system of photometry is proposed that is based on human vision and allows the specification of visual stimuli at all light levels. To be useful, however, photometry can never be entirely synonymous with vision. Additivity is an essential characteristic of photometry, yet many visual responses, such as brightness matching, incorporate visual channels that are inherently non-additive in responding to light. Following a review of models of mesopic photometry based on a number of experimental techniques, a system of photometry based on reaction times is proposed to bridge conventional photopic and scotopic luminous efficiency functions through the mesopic region. The basis for the unified system is a parameter, X, which describes the proportion of photopic luminous efficacy at any luminance, and luminance can be calculated from a simple closed-form equation. The utility of the system is described, including instrumentation for the measurement of unified luminance.
Nontornadic convective wind fatalities in the United States

A database was compiled for the period 1977–2007 to assess the threat to life in the conterminous United States from nontornadic convective wind events. This study reveals the number of fatalities from these wind storms, their causes, and their unique spatial distributions. Nontornadic convective wind fatalities occur most frequently outdoors, in vehicles including aircraft, or while boating. Fatalities are most common in the Great Lakes and Northeast, with fewer fatalities observed in the central United States despite the climatological peak in severe thunderstorms in this region. Differences in fatality locations between tornadoes and nontornadic convective wind events highlight the unique combination of physical and social vulnerabilities involved in these deaths. Understanding these vulnerabilities is important to future reduction of nontornadic convective wind fatalities.
BioFlow: A Web-Based Declarative Workflow Language for Life Sciences

Scientific workflows in life sciences are usually complex, and use many online databases, analysis tools, publication repositories and customized computation intensive desktop software in a coherent manner to respond to investigative queries. These investigative queries are generally ad hoc, ill-formed, and often, used only once to test a single hypothesis. In such cases, developing customized workflows becomes a major undertaking, rendering the effort truly expensive, prohibitive and resource intensive. Such high development costs often act as deterrents to many interesting queries and promising on-time scientific discoveries. In this paper, we introduce a new query language that combines workflow features for scientific applications, called BioFlow, that exploits many recent developments in internet communication, databases, wrapper and mediator technologies, ontology, and data integration. BioFlow is a declarative language that abstracts these features to help hide most procedural aspects of mediation, data integration, communication protocols, data extraction and workflow details. We will demonstrate that fairly complex workflows can be effortlessly and declaratively expressed in BioFlow in an ad hoc fashion at minimal costs. We also report a prototype implementation of BioFlow in Windows VB .NET that includes most of its powerful and representative features as proof of feasibility of our proposal.
Robust approximation of uncertain functions where adaptation is impossible

The paper is concerned with the approximation of functions with an environmental parameter that is difficult or impossible to adapt to. Approximation with respect to the ordinary least-squares criterion provides a good overall approximation but at the cost of large approximation errors for some values of the independent variables. An alternative training method using the risk-averting training criterion is proposed that provides robust function approximation. The method adaptively adjusts the sensitivity index of the risk-averting criterion to tune to the effects of the unobservable parameter, when the measurement noises are negligible or unbiased. Numerical examples are presented illustrating the efficacy of the proposed adaptive risk-averting training method.
Rapid characterization of HIV clade C-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in infected African children and adults.

: Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) play a central role in successful control of HIV. Induction of effective CTL responses may therefore be an essential requirement of HIV vaccines. Knowledge of CTL epitopes targeted either in natural infection or following vaccination will be critical to understanding the anti-HIV immune response. Until recently, epitope definition was a slow and laborious process that could only be undertaken in laboratories specialized in this work. Recent incremental advances in the technologies that may be applied to this field have transformed what is possible, so that within 48 hours of receipt of a blood sample, novel epitopes may be optimized and the HLA restriction defined. Moreover, these technologies can now be applied in nonspecialized laboratories, so that new epitopes can be characterized locally in sites where the epidemic is most severe. Sub-Saharan Africans and C clade infection have been relatively neglected in terms of the HIV-specific CTL epitopes that have been defined to date. This review summarizes the evidence that cellular immunity is important in successful containment of HIV and describes the novel methods of epitope detection, illustrating their ready application to the study of C-clade infected persons in sub-Saharan Africa.
GABA Synthesis and Metabolism

GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in mammalian brain. GABA is synthesized from glutamate and degraded to succinate in a bypath of the tricarboxylic acid cycle known as the GABA shunt. In rodent neocortex GABAergic neurons comprise ∼15–30% of neurons and consume ∼18% of the glucose oxidized by neurons. GABA produced in neurons by glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and released by exocytosis is cleared from the synapse by reuptake into the terminal and also by uptake and metabolism in the glia via specialized GABA transporter proteins. GABA degraded in the astroglia is replenished by glial precursors mainly as glutamine in the glutamate/GABA–glutamine cycle, although other precursors may be involved as well. Different pools, cytoplasmic and vesicular, of GABA exist in the cell, and their synthesis may involve separate isoforms of GAD.
A Method for Determining In-vitro Drug Susceptibilities of Some Nocardiae and Actinomadurae Results with 17 Antimicrobial Agents

A simple timesaving method for determining drug susceptibilities in vitro of isolates of Nocardia and Actinomadura is reported. An isolate is considered “susceptible” when the quantity of drug required for inhibition of growth is that concentration which might be obtained in serum by conventional therapy. Sulfonamides remain the drugs of choice for treating disease due to Nocardia species. Although doxycycline and minocycline appear to be very effective against Nocardia species, susceptibility testing may be desirable when a physician is considering substitution of an antibiotic for a sulfonamide. Susceptibility testing also may be desired before a drug is selected for treating disease due to Actinomadura madurae .
Forming Coalitions: A Network-Theoretic Approach to the Contemporary South Korean Environmental Movement

This article investigates how multiple movement structures interplayed with each other in collective action/social movements in South Korea over the period, 2003-2004. By employing advanced methods in social network analysis, meta-network representation, analysis of structural association, and analysis of structural sequence, this article aims to complement existing paradigms of social movement research. Specifically, it investigates the forces that led environmental movement organizations (EMOs) to form coalitions based on the structured relations between governing personnel, movement ideologies and coalitions. The findings suggest that sharing similar ideologies facilitated coalition formation among EMOs and the role of coordination between governing personnel across the EMOs was marginal. Furthermore, a few leading EMOs were central actors across different movement structures, though religiously affiliated Green Christ and Catholic Environmental Network were also active in coalition formation. The fram...