cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase III Randomized Trial of Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab in Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer.

PURPOSEWe evaluated the addition of bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor, to platinum-based chemotherapy in recurrent or metastatic squamous ...
Postnatal Gene Therapy Improves Spatial Learning Despite the Presence of Neuronal Ectopia in a Model of Neuronal Migration Disorder

Patients with type II lissencephaly, a neuronal migration disorder with ectopic neurons, suffer from severe mental retardation, including learning deficits. There is no effective therapy to prevent or correct the formation of neuronal ectopia, which is presumed to cause cognitive deficits. We hypothesized that learning deficits were not solely caused by neuronal ectopia and that postnatal gene therapy could improve learning without correcting the neuronal ectopia formed during fetal development. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated spatial learning of cerebral cortex-specific protein O-mannosyltransferase 2 (POMT2, an enzyme required for O-mannosyl glycosylation) knockout mice and compared to the knockout mice that were injected with an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) encoding POMT2 into the postnatal brains with Barnes maze. The data showed that the knockout mice exhibited reduced glycosylation in the cerebral cortex, reduced dendritic spine density on CA1 neurons, and increased latency to the target hole in the Barnes maze, indicating learning deficits. Postnatal gene therapy restored functional glycosylation, rescued dendritic spine defects, and improved performance on the Barnes maze by the knockout mice even though neuronal ectopia was not corrected. These results indicate that postnatal gene therapy improves spatial learning despite the presence of neuronal ectopia.
Abstract A130: Progesterone expands a hormone-dependent progenitor population in luminal breast cancers

More women die of Luminal, hormone-dependent, breast cancers than any other types. These tumors are estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptor-positive. Luminal cancers can recur many years after diagnosis, and when they do, they are just as deadly as rapidly-recurrent Basal cancers. Cytokeratin 5 (CK5) is a marker of triple negative Basal breast cancers. We have models in which Luminal breast cancer cells grown as xenografts in ovx9d mice or as 3D colonies in hormone-free or estrogen (E)-containing media are ER+PR+CK5–. However, if E is supplemented with progesterone (P), an ER–PR–CK5+ Basal-like subpopulation expands; we term these cells “Luminobasal”. Detailed IHC shows heterogeneity within the E+P-induced Luminobasal population, with rare cells that are ER+PR+CK5+; hence “Double Positive”. Similar “Double Positive” cells can be detected in clinical Luminal tumor samples stained for PR and CK5. Luminal cells in E+P colonies were FACS-sorted into CK5+ and CK5– subpopulations. RNA was extracted and subjected to gene expression profiling. The gene list was analyzed for cell surface markers unique to the CK5+ cells that might be useful for live-cell FACS sorting. Several were tested, and one marker is of considerable interest. FACS analysis shows that these Double Positive cells are rare (0.12%) in E, but increase to 6.63% under E+P. The cells are confirmed PR+CK5+ by IHC. Importantly, these PR+CK5+ cells form mammospheres indicating their self-renewal capacity. In the absence of hormones, the cells within the mammospheres differentiate into the heterogenous subpopulations that characterize Luminal disease, including PR+CK5–, PR–CK5+ and PR+CK5+ cells. Studies of hormone dependence and tumor-forming potential are ongoing. We speculate that Double Positive cells are progenitors of Luminal tumor-cell heterogeneity. Citation Format: Huaping Fan, Kathryn B. Horwitz. Progesterone expands a hormone-dependent progenitor population in luminal breast cancers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Breast Cancer Research: Genetics, Biology, and Clinical Applications; Oct 3-6, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2013;11(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A130.
Equivalence among three alternative approaches to estimating live tree carbon stocks in the eastern United States

Abstract Assessments of forest carbon are available via multiple alternate tools or applications and are in use to address various regulatory and reporting requirements. The various approaches to making such estimates may or may not be entirely comparable. Knowing how the estimates produced by some commonly used approaches vary across forest types and regions allows users of carbon stock estimates to make informed comparisons. Here, we focus on equivalence of alternate estimates of aboveground live tree carbon in eastern U.S. forests derived from the carbon reports output by the Fire and Fuels Extension (FFE) to the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS). Three approaches to estimating individual-tree carbon are compared by FVS variant and forest type. There are two approaches available in the FVS Fire and Fuels Extension (labeled FFE and Jenkins) and a third based on the U.S. Forest Service’s forest inventory (component ratio method, labeled CRM). We found that the two volume-based approaches, CRM and FFE, are most often identified as equivalent within forest type group or whole-variant relative to the other two pairs of approaches. Equivalence is common in the Northeast and Southern variants, but relatively infrequent in the Central States and Lake States variants. The underlying volume equations of the FFE and CRM approaches influence the carbon equivalence patterns as indicated by differences in volume estimates between FVS and the U.S. Forest Service’s forest inventory. Aggregation, or expanding forest estimates to include increasingly larger areas, tends to reduce apparent differences between approaches – that is, they become more equivalent. This result is most evident with the CRM-FFE pair or in softwood forest type groups.
Managing the risks of big data at MyTelco: taking ethics seriously

In 2014, MyTelco established an independent Business Analytics (MyBA) organization that provided data analytics services to both MyTelco and third party customers. It was expected that this organization would be able to fund itself through the revenues generated from the commercialization of insights derived from MyTelco’s data. To address the ethical risks associated with mining and commercializing big data, MyBA relied on an Ethics and Compliance Committee (ECC) to review project proposals that involved customer data. Situated in November 2016, a week after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed new legislation to increase consumer’s choice over their personal information, the case describes three proposals that the ECC needed to evaluate. Students deliberate each proposal’s legality and ethicality from the point of view of MyTelco’s Ethics and Compliance Committee.
Comment on “The complex effects of ocean acidification on the prominent N2-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium”

Hong et al . (Reports, 5 May 2017, p. 527) suggested that previous studies of the biogeochemically significant marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium showing increased growth and nitrogen fixation at projected future high CO 2 levels suffered from ammonia or copper toxicity. They reported that these rates instead decrease at high CO 2 when contamination is alleviated. We present and discuss results of multiple published studies refuting this toxicity hypothesis.
Angular scattering of induced apoptosis in HeLa cells (Conference Presentation)

Angularly resolved elastic scattering microscopy enables the size distribution of cellular organelles to be estimated non-invasively. By comparing the angular distribution of light scattered from a cell to Mie theory models, our group is working towards obtaining quantitative estimates of mean organelle size within single cells and tracking them over time. These estimates can then be used to assess the health of the cell. We are now testing our system’s performance in measuring induced size changes in HeLa cells undergoing apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Apoptosis is induced in these cells by exposing them to a Fas ligand. Because the response of the cell occurs on the scale of a few hours, we can take multiple measurements of many cells individually before they show changes that would be visible with traditional microscopy. Additionally, we take measurements prior to exposing cells to the ligand to establish the baseline fluctuations in the organelle size estimates. Our goal is to find optical signatures that characterize the cellular progression prior to the final, most extreme stages of the apoptotic process. We would then be able to look at the behavior of multiple cells and predict when each cell will die.
Assessing the Impact of Electrostatic Drag on Processive Molecular Motor Transport

The bidirectional movement of intracellular cargo is usually described as a tug-of-war among opposite-directed families of molecular motors. While tug-of-war models have enjoyed some success, recent evidence suggests underlying motor interactions are more complex than previously understood. For example, these tug-of-war models fail to predict the counterintuitive phenomenon that inhibiting one family of motors can decrease the functionality of opposite-directed transport. In this paper, we use a stochastic differential equations modeling framework to explore one proposed physical mechanism, called microtubule tethering, that could play a role in this "co-dependence" among antagonistic motors. This hypothesis includes the possibility of a trade-off: weakly bound trailing molecular motors can serve as tethers for cargoes and processing motors, thereby enhancing motor-cargo run lengths along microtubules; however, this introduces a cost of processing at a lower mean velocity. By computing the small- and large-time mean-squared displacement of our theoretical model and comparing our results to experimental observations of dynein and its "helper protein" dynactin, we find some supporting evidence for microtubule tethering interactions. We extrapolate these findings to predict how dynein-dynactin might interact with the opposite-directed kinesin motors and introduce a criterion for when the trade-off is beneficial in simple systems.
The RAI travels to Latin America: Measuring regional authority under regime change

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a new dataset on regional authority in 27 Latin American and Caribbean countries for 1950–2010 based on the Regional Authority Index (RAI), which makes it possible to co...
Two-Stage Stochastic Mixed-Integer Programs: Algorithms and Insights

Stochastic (mixed-) integer programs pose a great algorithmic and computational challenge in that they combine two generally difficult classes of problems: stochastic programs and discrete optimization problems. Exploring its dual angular structure, various decomposition methods have been widely studied, including Benders’ decomposition, Lagrangian relaxation, and test-set decomposition. These decomposition methods are often combined with search procedures such as branch-and-bound or branch-andcut. Within the confines of these broad frameworks, fine-tuned algorithms have been proposed to overcome obstacles such as nonconvexity of the secondstage value functions under integer recourse, and to take advantage of the many similar structured scenario subproblems using variable transformations. In this chapter, we survey some recent algorithms developed to solve twostage stochastic (mixed-) integer programs, as well as provide insights into and results concerning their interconnections, particularly for alternative convexification techniques.
Other Operant Procedures

In the previous chapter, we examined basic operant procedures derived from the principles of operant conditioning. In this chapter we shall continue our discussion of operant-based techniques, focusing on contingency contracting procedures, token economy programs, and biofeedback training. Although the basic rationale for these three procedures may seem simple and straightforward, the implementation of the procedures and the mechanisms invoked to explain how they produce their therapeutic effects are, as we shall see, far from simple and direct. Each of these techniques actually involves the combined use of several different operant strategies. For example, token economies may include not only differential reinforcement procedures but also response cost, shaping, and chaining procedures.
Comparison of Self-Reported Weight Status Among Followers of Popular Diets: Data from the ADAPT (Adhering to Dietary Approaches for Personal Taste) Feasibility Survey

BackgroundPublic interest in nutrition is at the forefront of health and wellness and a major driver of popular diet adoption. Cohort studies lack specific data from followers of popular diets. Adh...
Falling for the Ones That Were Abusive: Cycles of Violence in Low-Income Women’s Intimate Relationships:

This study examines low-income women's cycles of lifelong violence victimization. A qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 24 low-income women living in Eastern Washington State illustrates the complexity of abusive interpersonal relationships, and the decision-making processes that abused women utilize to escape violence. The data illustrate patterns of a discursive process of normalization, wherein early experiences of violence socialized women to treat abuse as a normal and expected component of adult intimate unions. The normalization of abuse also set the stage for later abuse within intimate relationships to be downplayed. The participants' narratives demonstrate victims' efforts to interrupt cycles of violence by identifying protection of children and partners' other problematic behaviors as motivators in terminating their relationships. Abuse itself, however, is rarely stated as a main reason for victims to leave their abusers. The study's findings also highlight the importance of utilizing alternative sampling strategies, as the sample of domestic violence victims was not recruited via victim support services, but rather for a study of economic strain. The patterns elucidate the multiple ways in which abuse goes unrecognized and unreported within marginalized communities. These findings also provide insight for those within the victim advocacy network and researchers of domestic violence by showcasing the experiences of victims who are often excluded from studies of domestic violence. To those who work actively in the field, this study serves as a call to action to widen sampling strategies and examine abuse in ways that better fit victims' understandings and experiences of intimate partner and domestic violence.
National Trends in Multimodality Therapy for Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer.

Abstract Background Multimodality therapy (MMT) is recommended for patients with resectable gastric cancer, but no single approach has been established as standard. Little is presently known about current national practice patterns and sequencing of MMT. Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients with gastric cancer aged 18 to 80 y in the National Cancer Database (2006-2014) with ≥T2 and/or node-positive disease (i.e., stage Ib to III) treated with MMT. Clinical nodal staging accuracy was ascertained among those treated with upfront surgery by comparing clinical and pathologic nodal staging. Multivariable Cox regression was used to evaluate the association between overall risk of death and MMT approach (i.e., radiation used versus not and treatment sequence). Results Among 5817 patients, 16.1% received perioperative MMT, 50.6% preoperative only, and 33.3% postoperative only. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive values of clinical nodal staging were 68.4%, 88.8%, 91.1%, and 62.7%, respectively. Current clinical nodal staging modalities understage 37.3% of clinically node-negative patients. Over time, radiation utilization decreased (74.3% in 2006 versus 53.9% in 2014; trend test, P Conclusions One-third of patients with gastric cancer who are candidates to receive MMT are treated with upfront surgery. Given the high false negative rate of clinical nodal staging and high noncompletion rate of postoperative treatment, efforts should be directed at improving and optimizing preoperative therapy utilization.
Abstract 251: Thrombolysis, DAPT, and Anticoagulation Administration in the Region Around Amarillo, Texas, in Patients with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction From 2013-2016

While primary PCI is the gold standard of STEMI treatment, STEMI patients presenting to rural facilities without PCI capabilities are unlikely to undergo timely intervention. The outcomes of the CL...
A new species of the genus Eripus Dejean (Peleciini: Carabidae: Coleoptera) from Honduras

A new species of the genus Eripus, E. balli, sp. nov. is described from Honduras (Honduras, Cortes, Parque Nacional Cusuco). Digital images of the new species and its relatives are given for comparison. A taxonomic key as well as a distribution map for Honduran species of Eripus are provided. Key words: Coleoptera, Carabidae, Peleciini, Eripus, new species, distribution, Honduras, Chiapas Highlands province, Chiapan—Guatemalan Highlands
Passive Novel Isodamping Dynamometer for Mobile Measurement of Plantar Flexor Function

Isokinetic dynamometers are the gold standard tools used to assess in vivo joint and muscle function in human subjects, however, the large size and high cost of these devices prevents their widespread use outside of biomechanics lab. In this study, we developed a mobile dynamometer to allow for field measurements of joint level function. To ensure subject safety, we designed a new "isodamping" dynamometer that acted as passive energy sink which constrains velocity by forcing incompressible oil through an orifice with an adjustable diameter. We validated the performance of this device by testing plantar flexor function in six healthy adults on both a commercial isokinetic dynamometer and this novel device at three velocities/damper settings and at three different effort levels. During maximal effort contraction, measurements of peak moment and velocity at peak moment of the novel device and the commercial device were strongly correlated along the predicted quadratic line (R2 > 0.708, p [≤] 0.008). The setting of the damper prescribed the relationship between peak moment and velocity at peak moment across all subjects and effort levels (R2 > 0.91, p < 0.001). The novel device was significantly smaller (0.75 m2 footprint), lighter (30 kg), and lower cost (~$2,200 US) than commercial devices compared to commercially-available isokinetic dynamometers (5.95 m2 footprint, 450 kg, and ~$40,000 US respectively).
The ill-posedness of derivative interpolation and regularized derivative interpolation for band-limited functions by sampling

In this paper, the ill-posedness of derivative interpolation is discussed, and a regularized derivative interpolation for band-limited signals is presented. The ill-posedness is analyzed by the Shannon sampling theorem. The convergence of the regularized derivative interpolation is studied by the combination of a regularized Fourier transform and the Shannon sampling theorem. The error estimation is given, and high-order derivatives are also considered. The algorithm of the regularized derivative interpolation is compared with derivative interpolation using some other algorithms.
Targeting multiple domains of residual cardiovascular disease risk in patients with diabetes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW There has been a recent resurgence of diabetes-related cardiovascular complications after years of steady improvement. This review highlights established and emerging contemporary secondary prevention approaches that lower the risk of atherosclerotic and nonatherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events among patients with diabetes. RECENT FINDINGS Secondary prevention therapies modify residual risk targets, including cardiometabolic pathways, lipoproteins, thrombosis, and inflammation. Large-scale clinical trials of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors have demonstrated significant reductions in hospitalization for heart failure. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists have reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. Recent clinical trials provide evidence supporting the use of nonstatin lipid-lowering therapies, novel antiplatelet and anticoagulant strategies, and antiinflammatory strategies in select cases. SUMMARY Therapeutic approaches targeting multiple distinct pathways have been shown to improve cardiometabolic risk in diabetes. Individual patient characteristics and consideration of residual risk targets may help guide selection of comprehensive secondary prevention approaches.
Human Factors Correlation Analysis for Nuclear Micro-Reactors Based on Literature Review and Evidence Theory

Nuclear micro-reactors have drawn increasing attention in the nuclear industry since they can be potentially applied for a variety of purposes such as desalination and hydrogen production. Nuclear micro-reactors have unique characteristics (e.g. wider use of automation) compared with currently operating large nuclear power plants. These characteristics inevitably influence operator performance. To perform human reliability analysis and system design optimization, it is necessary to have a thorough investigation of such effects. To this end, in this paper we propose a method based on literature review and evidence theory to analyze human factor correlations for nuclear micro-reactors. A literature review is performed to identify studies related to characteristic human factors for micro-reactors. We divide human factors into independent variables that are used to characterize microreactors (e.g., level of automation) and dependent variables (e.g., situation awareness) that are influenced by the independent variables. The correlations between the independent and dependent variables are extracted from the reviewed studies. We should note that there may be conflicts between the correlations extracted from different studies. To address this problem, we use evidence theory to aggregate the potentially conflicting information to draw final conclusions about the correlations. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the high complexity of the relations between independent and dependent variables, including the uncertainties in the relations, the non-monotonic relations, and the inconsistent effects of one independent variable on different dependent variables. The potential applications of the results in human reliability analysis for nuclear micro-reactors and system design optimization are discussed.
Hospitality Employee and Customer Role in Value Co-Creation: Personal, Organizational and Collaborative Outcomes

Abstract With the growing frequency and importance of peer-to-peer service exchanges, the role of front-line employees for traditional hospitality service providers is changing. This study is the first to examine differences in value co-creation appraisal between front-line employees and customers. Respondents (N = 720) were equally assigned to either an employee or customer role and performed that role for four different online co-creation scenarios based on destination resort context: co-innovation, co-creation of marketing, co-production, and co-recovery. The results of between-within online experimental design were analysed using repeated measures ANOVA and PLS-SEM. Co-created value was appraised significantly higher by employees and positively affected well-being, satisfaction, and competitive advantage for both employees and customers. Co-created value served as a mediator between the four types of co-creation and outcomes only for customers. The study contributes to understanding roles as knowledge-based resources in value co-creation and provides practical implications for successful value co-creation in hospitality.
Long Run Growth of Financial Data Technology

"Big data" financial technology raises concerns about market inefficiency. A common concern is that the technology might induce traders to extract others' information, rather than produce information themselves. We allow agents to choose how much to learn about future asset values or about others' demands, and explore how improvements in data processing shape these information choices, trading strategies and market outcomes. Our main insight is that unbiased technological change can explain a market-wide shift in data collection and trading strategies. However, in the long run, as data processing technology becomes more and more advanced, both types of data continue to be processed. What keeps the data economy in balance is two competing forces: Data resolves investment risk, but future data creates risk. The efficiency results that follow from these competing forces upend common wisdom. They offer a new take on what makes prices informative and whether trades typically deemed liquidity-providing actually make markets more resilient.
Intensive care management of right ventricular failure and pulmonary hypertension crises

Pulmonary hypertension (PH), an often unrelenting disease that carries with it significant morbidity and mortality, affects not only the pulmonary vasculature but, in turn, the right ventricle as well. The survival of patients with PH is closely related to the right ventricular function. Therefore, having an understanding of how to manage right ventricular failure (RVF) and acute pulmonary hypertensive crises is imperative for clinicians who encounter these patients. This review addresses the management of these patients in detail, addressing: (a) the pathophysiology of RVF, (b) intensive care monitoring of these patients in the intensive care unit, (c) imaging of the right ventricle, (d) intubation and mechanical ventilation, (e) inotrope and vasopressor selection, (f) pulmonary vasodilator use, (g) interventional and surgical procedures for the acutely failing right ventricle, and (h) mechanical support for RVF.
Ion Correlations and Their Impact on Transport in Polymer-Based Electrolytes

Author(s): Fong, KD; Self, J; McCloskey, BD; Persson, KA | Abstract: The development of next-generation polymer-based electrolytes for energy storage applications would greatly benefit from a deeper understanding of transport phenomena in these systems. In this Perspective, we argue that the Onsager transport equations provide an intuitive but underutilized framework for analyzing transport in polymer-based electrolytes. Unlike the ubiquitous Stefan-Maxwell equations, the Onsager framework generates transport coefficients with clear physical interpretation at the atomistic level and can be computed easily from molecular simulations using Green-Kubo relations. Herein we present an overview of the Onsager transport theory as it applies to polymer-based electrolytes and discuss its relation to experimentally measurable transport properties and the Stefan-Maxwell equations. Using case studies from recent computational work, we demonstrate how this framework can clarify nonintuitive phenomena such as negative cation transference number, anticorrelated cation-anion motion, and the dramatic failure of the Nernst-Einstein approximation. We discuss how insights from such analysis can inform design rules for improved systems.
On the inference of positive and negative species associations and their relation to abundance

Summary Why do rare species persist in ecosystems? Rare species seem to be at a disadvantage by pure probabilistic odds1 and perhaps also from poorly adapted species-environment and species-species interactions,2 though negative density-dependence may help buoy rare species.3,4 The question of rarity and persistence thus remains unresolved. In a recent paper, Calatayuda et al.5 (CEA) have contributed toward helping resolve this question. They compiled an impressive collection of datasets, across many taxa and environments, capturing spatially replicated species abundance measures. With these data they inferred species-species association networks. Such association networks are hypothesized to reflect both potential species-species interactions and/or shared environmental preferences, though there is debate about their accuracy and interpretation.6–11 CEA found that rare species were statistically over-represented in positive-positive species association networks, while common species were statistically over-represented in negative-negative species association networks.5 CEA interpreted this finding as possible evidence that the persistence of rare species may be aided by positive species interactions, such as mutualism or facilitation, or by shared use of similar microhabitats. However, this result could be compromised by the unreliability of inferring species associations from abundance data alone. Here, I show that the correlation between abundance and association type (positive or negative) as reported by CEA can be explained by statistical artifacts. These artifacts arise because of spatial clustering in intra-specific abundances. It would therefore not be supported to assign biological interpretations to correlations between association types and abundances until more data can be brought to bear on the subject.
Energy efficiencies of European countries

Improving energy efficiency is essential for sustainable development; therefore, an accurate assessment of energy efficiency is needed to inform policymakers on how to set energy efficiency goals. ...
Looking for Work, Searching for Workers: American Labor Markets during Industrialization

The dynamic character of American industrialization produced imbalances between the supply of and demand for labor across cities and regions. This book describes how employers and job-seekers responded to these imbalances to create networks of labor market communication and assistance capable of mobilizing the massive redistribution of population that was essential to maintain the rapid pace of the nation's economic growth between the Civil War and World War I. It combines a detailed description of the emerging labor market institutions with a careful analysis of a variety of quantitative evidence to assess the broader economic implications for geographic wage convergence and for American economic growth. Despite an expansion in the geographic scope of labor markets at this time, the evidence suggests that labor market institutions reinforced regional divisions within the United States and left a lasting impact on the evolution of many other aspects of the employment relationship.
A substituted pyrrolidinone, BMY 21502, and classical conditioning of the nictitating membrane response in young and older rabbits

New Zealand white rabbits (N = 76; 38 at 3 months, 38 at 21–55 months) were classically conditioned for 10 90-trial sessions in the 750-msec delay paradigm using a tone conditioned stimulus (CS) and corneal airpuff unconditioned stimulus (US). Young and older rabbits were divided into groups receiving paired CS-US presentations with 0, 5, or 10 mg/kg of BMY 21502. Unpaired tone and airpuff presentations were given to control groups administered 0 or 5 mg/kg of BMY 21502. Over training sessions, the older BMY-21502-treated rabbits produced a higher percentage of conditioned responses (CRs) and greater CR amplitude than did the vehicle-treated older rabbits. BMY 21502 did not facilitate conditioning in the young rabbits. There were significant age differences in acquisition between the young and older vehicle-treated animals. Although the BMY-21502-treated older rabbits did not achieve the asymptotic level of performance of the young rabbits, BMY 21502 treatment resulted in conditioning for the older rabbits that was similar to that for the younger rabbits.
Spatially-global integration of closed, fragmented contours by finding the shortest-path in a log-polar representation

Finding the occluding contours of objects in real 2D retinal images of natural 3D scenes is done by determining, which contour fragments are relevant, and the order in which they should be connected. We developed a model that finds the closed contour represented in the image by solving a shortest path problem that uses a log-polar representation of the image; the kind of representation known to exist in area V1 of the primate cortex. The shortest path in a log-polar representation favors the smooth, convex and closed contours in the retinal image that have the smallest number of gaps. This approach is practical because finding a globally-optimal solution to a shortest path problem is computationally easy. Our model was tested in four psychophysical experiments. In the first two experiments, the subject was presented with a fragmented convex or concave polygon target among a large number of unrelated pieces of contour (distracters). The density of these pieces of contour was uniform all over the screen to minimize spatially-local cues. The orientation of each target contour fragment was randomly perturbed by varying the levels of jitter. Subjects drew a closed contour that represented the target's contour on a screen. The subjects' performance was nearly perfect when the jitter-level was low. Their performance deteriorated as jitter-levels were increased. The performance of our model was very similar to our subjects'. In two subsequent experiments, the subject was asked to discriminate a briefly-presented egg-shaped object while maintaining fixation at several different positions relative to the closed contour of the shape. The subject's discrimination performance was affected by the fixation position in much the same way as the model's.
Exit Competencies in Physical Education for the Secondary School Student

(1978). Exit Competencies in Physical Education for the Secondary School Student. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 46-47.
Long-Term Function of Alginate-Encapsulated Islets

Human trials have demonstrated the feasibility of alginate-encapsulated islet cells for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Encapsulated islets can be protected from the host's immune system and remain viable and functional following transplantation. However, the long-term success of these therapies requires that alginate microcapsules maintain their immunoprotective capacity and stability in vivo for sustained periods. In part, as a consequence of different encapsulation strategies, islet encapsulation studies have produced inconsistent results in regard to graft functioning time, stability, and overall metabolic benefits. Alginate composition (proportion of M- and G-blocks), alginate purity, the cross-linking ions (calcium or barium), and the presence or absence of additional polymer coating layers influence the success of cell encapsulation. This review summarizes the outcomes of long-term studies of alginate-encapsulated islet transplants in animals and humans and provides a critical discussion of the g...
Effects of green algal mats on infaunal colonization of a New England mud flat – long-lasting but highly localized effects

The response of benthic infauna to green algal mats is commonly examined in either small-scale short-term experiments or large-scale long-term data sets that are averaged over large areas. In this study, we used a small-scale approach to study long-term effects caused by the recurring appearance of green algal mats in the early 1990's on a New England mud flat. Algal mats frequently covered the inner parts of the mud flat, where algae persisted for 6 months between July and December, and were incorporated into the sediment after the growth season. These inner parts of the mud flat differed from the outer parts, where green algae never occurred. Between 1979 and 1996, infaunal numbers increased ten-fold at the 37 stations in the inner part, but not at the 19 stations in the outer part of the mud flat. Detritus-feeding annelids primarily contributed to the numerical increase of infaunal colonizers; grazing gastropods and amphipods, and suspension- and filter-feeding bivalves showed no change. The recurring development and deposition of green algae in the inner part of the mud flat resulted in a localized yet persistent change in the infaunal community. The results suggest that it is necessary to follow the fate of algal mats after the growth season. We propose that effects on infaunal colonizers are most severe and long-lasting where decaying algal mats finally become incorporated into the sediment. Brood protecting annelids are most likely to benefit from detrital material provided by moderately dense algal mats.
A survey of the MIS and telecommunications activities of major business firms

This paper presents results obtained from a survey of major business firms in a la rge metropolitan area done as part of a telecommunications systems research project. The goal of this study involved determining the telecommunication technologies and services currently used by business firms. The results show that firms are using intelligent terminals, satellites, microwave, local area networks, etc., and they are using these technologies for electronic mail, decision support system activities, and limited use of video teleconferencing. Information resource management in most of these firms is centralized. Hands-on use of terminals by managers and professional does not appear as widespread as commonly publicized to date.
A method for rapid filling of fine-tipped micropipettes with electrolyte solutions including those containing horseradish peroxidase

Cooling the tips of micropipettes pulled from filament-containing capillary glass dramatically increases the rate and completeness of filling with a variety of electrolyte solutions. In tests with solutions containing horseradish peroxidase this method increased the completeness of filling by more than two orders of magnitude.
The Mantel–Haenszel estimator adapted for complex survey designs is not dually consistent

Abstract We show via simulation and counterexamples that the Mantel–Haenszel estimator of a common odds ratio, adapted for complex survey designs using survey weights, is inconsistent for sparse-data limiting models. We also propose an alternative estimator that is consistent for sparse-data limiting models satisfying a positivity condition, but not for large-strata limiting models.
Normal and anomalous nuclear spin-lattice relaxation at high temperatures in Sc-H(D), Y-H, and Lu-H solid solutions.

We report the results of measurements of the proton ${(}^{1}$H) spin-lattice relaxation rate ${\mathit{R}}_{1}$ at high temperatures (to \ensuremath{\sim}1400 K) in the hcp (\ensuremath{\alpha}) solid-solution phases of the Sc-H, Y-H, and Lu-H systems, and of ${\mathit{R}}_{1}$${(}^{45}$Sc) in Sc-H and Sc-D solid solutions. The latter measurements show unambiguous evidence of an anomalous increase at \ensuremath{\sim}1000 K, whereas ${\mathit{R}}_{1}$${(}^{1}$H) shows no such increase at any temperature. This behavior of ${\mathit{R}}_{1}$${(}^{1}$H) contrasts with that in the bcc V-H, etc., solid solutions where anomalous relaxation occurs below \ensuremath{\sim}1000 K, and in all investigated metal dihydride phases, M${\mathrm{H}}_{2\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$. The anomalous ${\mathit{R}}_{1}$${(}^{1}$H) behavior in \ensuremath{\alpha}-${\mathrm{VH}}_{\mathit{x}}$, \ensuremath{\alpha}-${\mathrm{NbH}}_{\mathit{x}}$, etc., may be understood in terms of fast spin relaxation in the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ gas in equilibrium with the solid, mediated by fast gas-solid exchange of hydrogen. However, in the present systems, \ensuremath{\alpha}-${\mathrm{ScH}}_{\mathit{x}}$, \ensuremath{\alpha}-${\mathrm{YH}}_{\mathit{x}}$, etc., the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ gas pressure in equilibrium with the hcp systems is extremely low, resulting in negligible ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ concentration in the gas phase, and consequently a negligible contribution to ${\mathit{R}}_{1}$${(}^{1}$H). In contrast, some of the present measurements indicate that the ${\mathit{R}}_{1}$${(}^{45}$Sc) anomaly does result from the hydrogen content of the metal, but the mechanism remains unexplained.
The responsibilities of members in an organization that is learning

As organizations move toward organizational learning the responsibilities of members change. Organizational members, themselves, should be giving consideration to what these new responsibilities should be, rather than leaving this task to management. Six possible responsibilities are suggested here to begin such a discussion. These responsibilities call on organizational members to accept greater responsibility for the generation and sharing of knowledge, but equally important is determining the organization’s purpose and sharing in its governance.
Electronic Properties of Disordered Organic Semiconductors via QM/MM Simulations

Organic semiconductors (OSCs) have recently received significant attention for their potential use in photovoltaic, light emitting diode, and field effect transistor devices. Part of the appeal of OSCs is the disordered, amorphous nature of these materials, which makes them more flexible and easier to process than their inorganic counterparts. In addition to their technological applications, OSCs provide an attractive laboratory for examining the chemistry of heterogeneous systems. Because OSCs are both electrically and optically active, researchers have access to a wealth of electrical and spectroscopic probes that are sensitive to a variety of localized electronic states in these materials. In this Account, we review the basic concepts in first-principles modeling of the electronic properties of disordered OSCs. There are three theoretical ingredients in the computational recipe. First, Marcus theory of nonadiabatic electron transfer (ET) provides a direct link between energy and kinetics. Second, constrained density functional theory (CDFT) forms the basis for an ab initio model of the diabatic charge states required in ET. Finally, quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) techniques allow us to incorporate the influence of the heterogeneous environment on the diabatic states. As an illustration, we apply these ideas to the small molecule OSC tris(8- hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (Alq(3)). In films, Alq(3) can possess a large degree of short-range order, placing it in the middle of the order-disorder spectrum (in this spectrum, pure crystals represent one extreme and totally amorphous structures the opposite extreme). We show that the QM/MM recipe reproduces the transport gap, charge carrier hopping integrals, optical spectra, and reorganization energies of Alq(3) in quantitative agreement with available experiments. However, one cannot specify any of these quantities accurately with a single number. Instead, one must characterize each property by a distribution that reflects the influence of the heterogeneous environment on the electronic states involved. For example, the hopping integral between a given pair of Alq(3) molecules can vary by as much as a factor of 5 on the nanosecond timescale, but the integrals for two different pairs can easily differ by a factor of 100. To accurately predict mesoscopic properties such as carrier mobilities based on these calculations, researchers must account for the dynamic range of the microscopic inputs, rather than just their average values. Thus, we find that many of the computational tools required to characterize these materials are now available. As we continue to improve this computational toolbox, we envision a future scenario in which researchers can use basic information about OSC deposition to simulate device operation on the atomic scale. This type of simulation could allow researchers to obtain data that not only aids in the interpretation of experimental results but also guides the design of more efficient devices.
De Quincey, Varieties of the Palimpsest, and the Unconscious

Over twenty years ago, I published an essay on De Quincey, interpretation, and the palimpsest. Not having paid attention to the palimpsest since, I recently looked again at its appearances in literature, psychology, music, cinema, and history, for in these and other disciplines the palimpsest continues to lay down its layers, spreading imagistically everywhere. Much is common, even banal, in the palimpsest as a critical metaphor or simile. Not all of it. What sometimes we are asked to see in the image comes with true critical razzle-dazzle. But whether plainly put or draped in theory each changing sense of the palimpsest has accompanied the past century’s radical changes in notions of the unconscious. De Quincey’s panegyric on the palimpsest in Suspiria de Profundis (1845) was, well into the twentieth century, a common figure of Romantic self-identification and wholeness. With Wordsworthian restorative, healing memory always before him, De Quincey graced further what he calls memory’s ‘involutes’ with the metaphor of inerasable inscription. The result is an imagined vast mental archive. Here is a bit of De Quincey’s famous passage:
Imaging in the single-scattering, few-scattering, and light diffusion regimes with low-coherent light

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) affords diffraction- limited resolution to a depth of several hundred micrometers is tissue while diffuse optical tomography (DOT) offers few millimeter resolution through several centimeters of tissue. OCT typically works with singly scattered light while DOT uses diffuse light. To the best of our knowledge, no imaging technique uses light that has scattered multiple times, but is not yet diffuse. We believe that such a technique can offer hundred micron resolution for image depths up to a centimeter in tissue, thus filling the void between OCT and DOT. We demonstrate how OCT and DOT can be extended to the few scattering regime. We present experimental measurements of the broadening of the OCT point spread function as the imaging volume is moved to greater optical depth sin a highly scattering medium. Comparisons to Monte Carlo simulations are made in our other manuscript in this proceedings.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Protection of a hermit crab by its symbiotic sea anemoneCalliactis tricolor

Experimenteller Nachweis, dass Einsiedlerkrebse,Pagurus pollicaris, mit symbiontischer Seeanemone,Calliactis tricolor, anf ihrer Schale vom naturlichen Feind der Krabbe,Calappa flammea, weitgehend gemieden werden.
Survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: Morbidity and long-term survival☆

Abstract Sudden cardiac death accounts for two thirds of death due to coronary artery disease. Advanced cardiac life support can now be brought directly to patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and in this country, as many as 30% of such patients can be discharged from the hospital annually. Certain clinical and resuscitation-related factors are predictive of mortality and morbidity. The best clinical predictors of long-term survival are absence of previous history of myocardial infarction, lack of congestive heart failure during hospitalization, and age less than 60 years. Resuscitation-related predictors of long-term survival are a short time from collapse to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and a short time from collapse to CPR combined with a short time to provision of definitive care. The majority of cardiac arrest survivors are able to resume previous levels of function.
Modeling residential urban areas from dense aerial LiDAR point clouds

We present an automatic system to reconstruct 3D urban models for residential areas from aerial LiDAR scans. The key difference between downtown area modeling and residential area modeling is that the latter usually contains rich vegetation. Thus, we propose a robust classification algorithm that effectively classifies LiDAR points into trees, buildings, and ground. The classification algorithm adopts an energy minimization scheme based on the 2.5D characteristic of building structures: buildings are composed of opaque skyward roof surfaces and vertical walls, making the interior of building structures invisible to laser scans; in contrast, trees do not possess such characteristic and thus point samples can exist underneath tree crowns. Once the point cloud is successfully classified, our system reconstructs buildings and trees respectively, resulting in a hybrid model representing the 3D urban reality of residential areas.