cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Busulfan Combined with Immunosuppression Allows Efficient Engraftment of Gene-Modified Cells in a Rhesus Macaque Model.

Busulfan conditioning is utilized for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) depletion in the context of HSC gene-therapy conditioning but may result in insufficient immunosuppression. In this study, we evaluated whether additional immunosuppression is required for efficient engraftment of gene-modified cells using a rhesus HSC lentiviral gene-therapy model. We transduced half of rhesus CD34+ cells with an enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP)-encoding vector (immunogenic) and the other half with a γ-globin-encoding vector (no predicted immunogenicity). After autologous transplantation of both transduced cell populations following myeloablative busulfan conditioning (5.5 mg/kg/day for 4 days), we observed immunological rejection of GFP-transduced cells up to 3 months post-transplant and stable engraftment of γ-globin-transduced cells in two animals, demonstrating that ablative busulfan conditioning is sufficient for engraftment of gene-modified cells producing non-immunogenic proteins but insufficient to permit engraftment of immunogenic proteins. We then added immunosuppression with abatacept and sirolimus to busulfan conditioning and observed engraftment of both GFP- and γ-globin-transduced cells in two animals, demonstrating that additional immunosuppression allows for engraftment of gene-modified cells expressing immunogenic proteins. In conclusion, myeloablative busulfan conditioning should permit engraftment of gene-modified cells producing non-immunogenic proteins, while additional immunosuppression is required to prevent immunological rejection of a neoantigen.
SAVIR: going forward by looking back.

As outgoing President of the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR), I had the opportunity in April 2019 to share some thoughts about both SAVIR work in the prior year and moving the organisation forward. I present the major points of that talk here. SAVIR has had a rich history, emerging from an organisation called the National Association of Injury Control Research Centres (NAICRC) in 1997 as a 501 c(3) non-profit registered in Maryland. The purpose of the new organisation was to expand beyond the boundaries of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded centres that comprised NAICRC and engage a broader range of injury scholars in our continuing effort to build the field. During the early years, SAVIR collaborated with Safe States in developing core competencies for the field, advocated for funding for injury research, partnered with Injury Prevention as our official journal and provided a forum for sharing research findings and methodological …
Density functional prediction of non cubic isomers of cubane and nitrated cubanes

Density functional molecular orbital calculations are used to show the existence of two non-cubic isomeric structures of cubane and nitrated cubane. The isomers are shown to have no imaginary frequencies and are thus at a minimum on the potential energy surface. The calculations indicate the isomers are slightly more stable than the cubic structures.
Doege-Potter Syndrome and Pierre-Marie-Bamberger Syndrome in a Patient With Pleural Solitary Fibrous Tumor: A Rare Case With Literature Review

Solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) represent a unique subset of mostly benign heterogeneous tumors with mesenchymal cell origins. These tumors have been reported in the past as being mostly indolent, with a slowly evolving clinical course and low potential for malignancy. Although found systemically, the incidence of SFT arising intrathoracically, from the pleura of the lung, is relatively poorly documented in the medical literature. SFT is a rare phenomenon, but in even rarer circumstances, these tumors are associated with distinctive paraneoplastic syndromes, such as Pierre-Marie-Bamberger syndrome (PMBS) and Doege-Potter syndrome (DPS). PMBS presents as digital clubbing and hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy. DPS has been characterized as a non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia due to the ectopic secretion of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2), a pattern seen in fewer than 5% of cases of SFT. Treatment is typically through surgical resection. In our research of the medical literature, we found only very few cases in which the association with SFT and both paraneoplastic syndromes were described. Here, we report an uncommon case of a 68-year-old male patient found to have an incidental right hemithoracic tumor with digital clubbing and intermittent severe episodes of fasting hypoglycemia after initially presenting with a syncopal episode.
Spatiotemporal Study of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Monolayer Formation at Liquid/Liquid Interfaces by Using In Situ Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

Spatial and temporal small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) scans show that 8.6 and 11.8 nm iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in heptane drop-cast on top of a heptane layer atop a diethylene glycol (DEG)...
Trade Law and Supply Chain Regulation in a Post-COVID World

COVID-19 hit as the world was undergoing the most significant upheaval in the international trade regime since at least the creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995. The pandemic has given urgency to a preexisting demand in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere for the localization of supply chains. When the crisis hit, many developed countries realized that their supply chains for critical medical supplies and pharmaceuticals were concentrated in China. When the pandemic temporarily halted production in China, developed countries faced significant shortages of medical supplies. As a result, approximately eighty nations restricted the export of such products. This Article argues that modern trade agreements overly constrain the ability of states to regulate supply chains for critical products such as medical supplies. I make two primary points. First, critics of reshoring have argued that further trade liberalization is the best guarantee against supply chain risks. To the contrary, I argue that modern free trade agreements (FTAs), the primary vehicle through which trade liberalization has proceeded since 1995, do little to encourage the diversification of supply chains and in some cases actually exacerbate supply chain risks, especially through loose rules of origin. Second, I argue that WTO rules constrain preventative regulation of supply chain risks designed to prevent a crisis, while providing exceptions for aggressive action only in the face of a crisis. WTO members are thus put to a choice. They can limit their attempts to preventatively regulate supply chain risks, waiting until a crisis occurs, or they can flout WTO rules. The former option risks more supply chain crises, while the latter option risks further undermining support for and adherence to the multilateral trading system. In this sense, trade law finds itself at a juncture similar to that faced by rules on the use of force two decades ago. Both sets of rules contain limited exceptions for preemptive action in the face of imminent threats. Just as nations like the United States felt that the imminence requirement did not give them enough flexibility to respond to modern threats in the use of force context, so too will nations chafe at the narrow exceptions for crisis-based supply chain regulation in the trade context.
Pressure mapping using a nanocomposite Smartfoam and electrical impedance tomography

Contact pressure sensing and pressure mapping are commonly used in many automotive, healthcare, industrial, and robotics applications. Many commercially available pressure mapping solutions use a dense array of transducers embedded in a pad. However, the pad is relatively thick with noticeable rigid components, and high-resolution pressure mapping systems can be complex, cumbersome, bulky, expensive, and not portable. Thus, the objective of this study was to validate pressure mapping using a commercial Smartfoam interrogated using an electrical impedance tomography (EIT) measurement strategy and algorithm. In addition, the sensitivity of the Smartfoam was enhanced by depositing on its surface a piezoresistive carbon nanotube-based thin film. EIT electrodes were installed along the foam boundaries, thereby eliminating the need for any electrodes or rigid objects on the foam and pressure mapping surface. A custom data acquisition system was employed to apply electrical current excitations while measuring the boundary voltage response across pairs of boundary electrodes. The boundary voltage datasets were used for solving the EIT inverse problem to reconstruct the conductivity distribution of the specimen. Controlled pressure mapping tests were performed by placing different weights of varying contact areas on different positions of the nanocomposite Smartfoam. The EIT results confirmed that the nanocomposite Smartfoam could resolve pressure hotspots at different locations, as well as different magnitudes of contact pressure applied. Real-time pressure mapping was successfully demonstrated, while pressure mapping resolution and accuracy were also characterized. Overall, the system is lightweight, low-profile, and does not use rigid components on the foam surface. Future work will align this method for targeted consumer and healthcare applications.
Bok binds to a largely disordered loop in the coupling domain of type 1 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor

Abstract Bcl-2-related ovarian killer (Bok) binds tightly to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs). To better understand this interaction, we sought to elucidate the Bok binding determinants in IP3R1, focusing on the ∼75 amino acid loop (residues 1882–1957) between α helices 72 and 73. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the majority of this loop is intrinsically disordered, with two flanking regions of high disorder next to a low disorder central region (∼residues 1914–1926) that is predicted to contain two fused, disjointed transient helical elements. Experiments with IP3R1 mutants, combined with computational analysis, indicated that small deletions in this central region block Bok binding due to perturbation of the helical elements. Studies in vitro with purified Bok and IP3R1-derived peptides revealed high affinity binding to amino acids 1898–1940 of IP3R1 (Kd ∼65 nM) and that binding affinity is also dependent upon both of the high disorder flanking regions. The strength of the Bok-IP3R1 interaction was demonstrated by the ability of IP3R1 or Bok to recruit transmembrane domain-free Bok or IP3R1 mutants, respectively, to membranes in intact cells, and that these two mutants can bind in the cytosol independently of membrane association. Overall, we show that Bok binding to IP3R1 occurs within a largely disordered loop between α helices 72 and 73 and that high affinity binding is mediated by multivalent interactions.
Progress in ecosystem services research: A guide for scholars and practitioners

Abstract The study of ecosystem services enables the understanding of the services that ecosystems provide at the landscape level by explaining the relationship between natural capital, ecosystem services, and human wellbeing. The limited number of studies summarizing important themes and approaches used in this area constrain the ability of scholars and practitioners to initiate or incorporate ecosystem services in their own domains of research. This paper develops a structured process that traces efforts in this domain of knowledge and proposes a systematic review of key themes and approaches that have developed over the last 40 years. Further, this study identifies emerging and dominant areas of interest in the field. Key themes represent underlying meanings or ideas widely used in the ecosystem services field and includes trending or rising topics. Approaches include tools, frameworks, perspectives and management strategies to analyze, assess, and quantify ecosystem services. Analyses showed that, among key themes, conservation of biodiversity and landscape planning had the most activity and interest. Among approaches, economic valuation showed the highest levels of activity, while conceptual framework was the most cited. This review paper contributes a guide to progress in ecosystem service research and provides a comprehensive understanding of its evolution and development.
Effects of Tirzepatide, a Dual GIP and GLP-1 RA, on Lipid and Metabolite Profiles in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes.

Context Tirzepatide substantially reduced HbA1c and body weight in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared with the GLP-1 receptor agonist dulaglutide. Improved glycemic control was associated with lower circulating triglycerides and lipoprotein markers and improved markers of beta-cell function and insulin resistance (IR), effects only partially attributable to weight loss. Objective Assess plasma metabolome changes mediated by tirzepatide. Design Phase 2b trial participants were randomly assigned to receive weekly subcutaneous tirzepatide, dulaglutide, or placebo for 26 weeks. Post hoc exploratory metabolomics and lipidomics analyses were performed. Setting Post hoc analysis. Patients or other participants 259 subjects with T2D. Intervention(s) Tirzepatide (1, 5, 10, 15 mg), dulaglutide (1.5 mg), placebo. Main outcome measure(s) Changes in metabolite levels in response to tirzepatide were assessed against baseline levels, dulaglutide, and placebo using multiplicity correction. Results At 26 weeks, higher dose tirzepatide modulated a cluster of metabolites and lipids associated with IR, obesity, and future T2D risk. Branched-chain amino acids, direct catabolic products glutamate, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate, branched-chain ketoacids, and indirect byproducts like 2-hydroxybutyrate decreased compared to baseline and placebo. Changes were significantly larger with tirzepatide compared with dulaglutide, and directly proportional to reductions of HbA1c, HOMA2-IR indices, and proinsulin levels. Proportional to metabolite changes, triglycerides and diglycerides were lowered significantly compared to baseline, dulaglutide, and placebo, with a bias towards shorter and highly saturated species. Conclusions Tirzepatide reduces body weight and improves glycemic control and uniquely modulates metabolites associated with T2D risk and metabolic dysregulation in a direction consistent with improved metabolic health.
Treatment Pattern and Outcomes with Systemic Therapy in Men with Metastatic Prostate Cancer in the Real-World Patients in the United States

Background: Both novel hormonal therapies and docetaxel are approved for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer (mPC; in castration sensitive or refractory settings). Present knowledge gaps include lack of real-world data on treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed mPC, and comparative effectiveness of novel hormonal therapies (NHT) versus docetaxel after treatment with a prior NHT. Methods: Herein we extracted patient-level data from a large real-world database of patients with mPC in United States. Utilization of NHT or docetaxel for mPC and comparative effectiveness of an alternate NHT versus docetaxel after one prior NHT was evaluated. Comparative effectiveness was examined via Cox proportional hazards model with propensity score matching weights. Each patient’s propensity for treatment was modeled via random forest based on 22 factors potentially driving treatment selection. Results: The majority of patients (54%) received only androgen deprivation therapy for mPC. In patients treated with an NHT, alternate NHT was the most common next therapy and was associated with improved median overall survival over docetaxel (abiraterone followed by docetaxel vs. enzalutamide (8.7 vs. 15.6 months; adjusted hazards ratio; aHR 1.32; p = 0.009; and enzalutamide followed by docetaxel vs. abiraterone (9.7 vs. 13.2 months aHR 1.40; p = 0.009). Limitations of the study include retrospective design.
Cultural Participation and Subjective Well-Being in Latin America: Does Ethnic-Racial Ascription Matter?

Cultural participation has been evidenced to bring several benefits to the well-being of individuals. However, the analysis of this relationship has been addressed mostly in the context of Westernized countries, without considering the diversity of populations in Latin America. Therefore, the aim of this manuscript is to explore the association between cultural participation and subjective well-being (measured by life satisfaction) in Latin America, considering ethnic-racial ascription. With data from the 2013 Latinobarometro survey (n=20204), several ordered logit regression analyses were performed. Results suggest that read books, read news, attend movies, attend theater, visit heritage places, and participation in community celebrations are associated with life satisfaction. However, these relationships show differentiated patterns depending on the ethnic-racial ascription, which implies that the positive impacts of cultural participation cannot be attributed to all populations, highlighting a process of social exclusion where some individuals get benefits of cultural participation, while others do not.
Experimental Investigation of Enteromorpha clathrata Biofouling on Lifting Surfaces of Marine Vehicles

Biological fouling can adversely affect the hydrodynamic performance characteristics of hydrofoil surfaces and lead to deterioration in the vehicle performance and maneuvering abilities and higher fuel and maintenance costs. Much attention has been drawn to the frictional resistance caused by large organisms, such as barnacles, bryozoa, and tubeworms in the past. Resistance to adhesion of many of these large organisms has been demonstrated by the use of antifouling paints. This paper describes the experimental results for fouling of Enteromorpha clathrata on marine surfaces and its impact on hydrodynamic performance characteristics, in conjunction with the design, construction, and operation of a water tunnel. It includes a description of the force balance system, laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) system, and the data acquisition system used to conduct the experimental study. Results of the experiments with Enteromorpha clathrata fouling are presented, and the effects of biofilms on turbulent boundary layer structure are outlined. The experimental results of the force balance experiment showed a constant increase in zero-lift angle of attack by 10 deg for as little as 10% fouling, and a reduction in maximum lift by as much as 70%. Similarly, the LDV experiment found an increase in the skin friction coefficient for all fouled surfaces, and an average increase of 187% for a surface dominated by an Enteromorpha species.
Matching with epipolar gradient features and edge transfer

A method for quickly and reliably selecting and matching points from three views of a scene is presented. The points that are selected are based on the concept of epipolar gradients, and consist in stable and relevant image features. Then, the selected points are matched using edge transfer, resulting in a measure of consistency for point triplets and the edges on which they lie, with the camera system's trinocular geometry. This matching scheme is invariant to image deformations due to changes in viewpoint.
A novel matching technique using image expansion into nonorthogonal wavelets

A novel approach for template matching by signal expansion into a set of nonorthogonal template similar basis functions (wavelets) is presented. It is shown that expansion matching is a special case of the general nonorthogonal expansion and is equivalent to restoration of undergraded images. Matching by expansion is quite robust in conditions of noise, superposition and severe occultation. Expansion matching also maximizes a new and more practically defined discriminative signal-to-noise ratio (DSNR). It is proved that maximizing the DSNR is equivalent to minimum squared error restoration by Wiener filters. Experimental comparisons with correlation matching (matched filtering) show that expansion matching yields much higher DSNR. >
Object Relations Theory and Marital Interaction

SUMMARY A model of marital communication based on object relations theory is presented, and its utility in integrating and organizing findings from psychological research on marital interaction is described. The model includes context and process components. The context model describes stages of development and lines of development in marriage that jointly influence the sorts of situations that come to the couple's attention. The process model describes a path that leads from situations to each partner's representation of the situation, and then to the acts of communication that form the partners' interaction. The influence of internal object representations on the process of communication is depicted. A feedback loop in the model implies both the possibility of change and also the potential limits on change at several levels of the marital system. Possible paths of unconscious communication are described that reflect the more dynamic aspects of object relations theory. Principal findings from psychologic...
The sigma term and corrections to the proton mass

Abstract The proton matrix element 〈p|m s s s|p〉 receives a large contribution from the calculable leading non-analytic m 3 2 s correction to the proton mass produced by meson loops. The m 3 2 s contribution is computed in chiral perturbation theory using a baryon chiral lagrangian that includes both octet and decuplet baryons. The best fit value for 〈p|m s s s|p〉 is significantly lower than the value obtained to linear order in ms.
Improving Satellite Quantitative Precipitation Estimation Using GOES-Retrieved Cloud Optical Depth

AbstractTo address gaps in ground-based radar coverage and rain gauge networks in the United States, geostationary satellite quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) such as the Self-Calibrating Multivariate Precipitation Retrieval (SCaMPR) can be used to fill in both spatial and temporal gaps of ground-based measurements. Additionally, with the launch of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R series (GOES-R), the temporal resolution of satellite QPEs may be comparable to Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) volume scans as GOES images will be available every 5 min. However, while satellite QPEs have strengths in spatial coverage and temporal resolution, they face limitations, particularly during convective events. Deep convective systems (DCSs) have large cloud shields with similar brightness temperatures (BTs) over nearly the entire system, but widely varying precipitation rates beneath these clouds. Geostationary satellite QPEs relying on the indirect relationship between B...
Schallwahrnehmung des Menschen

Die Eigenschaften des menschlichen Gehors sind fur die Schallwahrnehmung und die Beurteilung von Schallereignissen und damit auch fur die akustischen Masnahmen am Fahrzeug bestimmend. Die Lautstarkeempfindung des Menschen hangt logarithmisch mit der physikalischen Reizstarke zusammen. Nach dem Weber-Fechnerschen Gesetz ist die Anderung ΔE der Empfindungsstarke E $$\Delta E\sim \lg \frac{{{J_1}}}{{{J_2}}}$$ (1) naherungsweise proportional dem Logarithmus des Verhaltnisses der physikalischen Reize J 1 und J 2.
Uncertainty analysis of multiple epidemiological studies using frequency distributions of relative risks

A new format for presenting uncertainty in the results of multiple epidemiologic studies of the same outcome is suggested. A set of 95% confidence intervals for relative risk, RR, is transformed to a frequency distribution of the normalized deviations, ln(RR)/SE(ln(RR)), from the null value In(RR)=0 (RR=1). It is assumed that deviations from RR=1 are due to unaccounted residual biases and we compare the distribution of these deviations with the distributions of the actual errors in physical measurements where the true values have subsequently become known, and the incidence of large errors can be estimated. Comparison of these distributions can, by analogy, help to understand how convincing is the evidence of elevated risk in observational studies.
Re‐operative neck surgery for well‐differentiated thyroid cancer of follicular origin

This review focuses on the pathologic criteria for completion thyroidectomy in well differentiated thyroid cancer as well the diagnosis and treatment of recurrent disease. The roles of ultrasound in the diagnosis of a cervical recurrence, its value in determining the extent of lymph node dissection in the lateral compartment, and the importance of intra-operative ultrasound in re-operative thyroid surgery are discussed.
A 1-D model of physical chemistry in Saturn's inner magnetosphere

[1] Water vapor spewed out of Enceladus' geysers spreads across the Saturn system through dissociation, charge exchange, and neutral-neutral collisions. The combined effects of impact ionization by suprathermal electrons, charge-exchange between ions and neutrals, and radial transport of the plasma produce the observed distribution of ions and their temperature in the magnetosphere of Saturn. In this paper we combine our physical chemistry model with the neutral cloud model of Cassidy and Johnson (2010) to explore how the spatial distributions of hot electrons and of neutrals, as well as radial transport rates, produce the observed ion properties between 4 and 10 RS (where RS is the radius of Saturn). We investigate the sensitivity of the model output to radial transport rates and the radial profile of hot electron density. Selected results are as follows: (1) Hot electrons (e.g., tens to hundreds eV) at 4 RS (Enceladus' orbit) make up between ≈0.25% and 0.5% of the total electron density, consistent with our previous findings, increasing to ∼10% at 10 RS. (2) The region over which chemistry plays a dominant role extends to 7 RS. Beyond 7 RS radial transport takes over, establishing the rate of plasma outflow from Saturn's plasma torus. (3) The plasma radial transport rate at 10 RS is found to be between 20 and 80 kg/s for reasonable choices of hot electron density, radial transport rate, and neutral hydrogen and H2O densities.
Pathologic Upgrade Rates on Subsequent Excision When Lobular Carcinoma In Situ Is the Primary Diagnosis in the Needle Core Biopsy With Special Attention to the Radiographic Target

Context.—Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) as the primary pathologic diagnosis in a needle core biopsy is an infrequent finding, and the management of patients in this setting is controversial. Objective.—To determine the rate of pathologic upgrade (defined as the presence of a clinically more-significant lesion in the subsequent excision) in patients with a primary pathologic diagnosis of LCIS in the needle core biopsy. Design.—Patients with a primary diagnosis of LCIS in a needle core biopsy who underwent subsequent excision were identified. Core biopsies containing a concurrent high-risk lesion and cases with radiologic-pathologic discordance were excluded. The presence of selected microscopic features in the needle core biopsy was correlated with pathologic upgrade. Microscopic findings were correlated with the radiographic target in the needle core biopsy. Results.—Sixty-one women with primary LCIS in their needle core biopsy showed a 10% pathologic upgrade rate. The percentage of cores involved by LC...
Virtual localization improved by scaling nonindividualized external-ear transfer functions in frequency.

This study examined virtual sound localization in three conditions that differed according to the directional transfer functions (DTFs) that were used to synthesize the virtual targets. The own-ear and other-ear conditions used DTFs measured from listeners’ own ears and those measured from other subjects, respectively. The scaled-ear condition employed other-ear DTFs that were scaled in frequency to minimize the mismatch between spectral features in the listener’s and the other subject’s DTFs. All measures of localization error typically were lowest in the own-ear condition. In other-ear conditions, all error measures tended to increase in proportion to the inter-subject differences in DTFs. When spectral features in an other-ear set of DTFs fell systematically lower in frequency than in a listener’s own DTFs, low frontal targets typically were reported as low in the rear, and high rear targets were reported as high in front. When spectral features in a set of DTFs fell systematically higher in frequency than in a listener’s own DTFs, elevation judgements showed an upward bias. In the scaled-ear condition, all measures of performance tended to improve relative to the other-ear condition. In the majority of cases, frequency scaling more than halved the penalty for use of another subject’s DTFs.
The complexity of stochastic games

Abstract We consider the complexity of stochastic games—simple games of chance played by two players. We show that the problem of deciding which player has the greatest chance of winning the game is in the class NP ⌢ co- NP .
Effects of Rotational Grazing on Nesting Ducks in California

Abstract Grazing is thought to be incompatible with nesting by dabbling ducks (Anas spp.), but this belief is based on little data. We therefore conducted a 2-year, replicated field experiment to determine whether the habitat requirements of nesting ducks could be met on uplands managed by rotational grazing (1 Jul–1 Nov) in the northern San Joaquin Valley, California, USA. Grazed fields had shorter vegetation than ungrazed fields throughout the winter, but vegetation height did not differ by the beginning of the nesting season in late March, and by the end of the nesting season in late May, previously grazed fields had taller vegetation than did ungrazed fields. In 1996, densities of duck nests were >3 times higher in grazed than in ungrazed fields (least-squares means [± 1 SE]: grazed = 2.18 [0.34] nests/ha, ungrazed = 0.59 [0.34] nests/ha), but nest densities were substantially lower in 1997 and did not differ between treatment groups (grazed = 0.65 [0.32] nests/ha, ungrazed = 0.39 [0.32] nests/ha). Ma...
Image reconstruction from limited data

Image reconstruction algorithms implemented on existing CT scanners require the collection of line integrals that are evenly spaced over 360 degrees.1 In many practical situations requirements for high temporal resolution or the presence of an x-ray opaque structure prevent the measurement of all the line integrals. Attempts to use existing algorithms in this "limited data" situation result in images with severe streak artifacts.2 This paper formulates the limited data image reconstruction problem as an optimization problem. An estimate of the missing data is sought which is consistent with the measured data and any a priori knowledge about the object. An iterative procedure computes a set of error signals at each step and uses these errors to improve the missing data estimate. A variety of iterative algorithms can be derived using different methods of updating the estimate. These algorithms have been implemented on a commercial CT scanner. Examples of images with reduced streak artifact generated from limited data are presented.
A multivariate analysis of training, education, and readiness for public child welfare practice

Abstract Substantial resources have been expended in the last 20 years to implement various training initiatives and programs in order to ensure that child welfare workers have the knowledge and skills required to effectively work with the vulnerable populations referred to public child welfare systems. There has been little empirical research, however, testing for the differences that specialized training and education impart on such knowledge and skills. The current study adds to the knowledge base in this area by evaluating a pre-service training program for 469 newly hired workers at the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. A repeated measures analysis of pre- and post-training tests indicated that participants in Title IV-E funded programs performed significantly better at both time points. Similarly, both level of education (having a Master's degree) and the discipline in which the degree was received (social work) significantly predicted better performance on both the pre- and post-tests. Workers without such Title IV-E training and educational backgrounds were able to make up ground during agency-sponsored training and performed better at post-test when compared to their pre-test scores. Implications for training in public child welfare and future research in this area are discussed.
Off the Campaign Trail and Into the Courthouse: Does a Political Candidate's Use of a Song Infringe on the Performer's Trademark?

As the use of popular music in political campaigns has skyrocketed, so have complaints by musical artists who do not want their songs associated with candidates they do not support. Recently, musical artists have asserted that this constitutes trademark infringement by falsely suggesting that they endorse a candidate. Relying on court decisions and statutes, this article analyzes song-based performer trademarks and whether campaign's uses of music constitute infringement. Ultimately, this article concludes that typically musical compositions and sound recordings cannot be used as performer trademarks and, in any event, political uses would not amount to infringement.
The origin of selected lunar geochemical anomalies: Implications for early volcanism and the formation of light plains

The geochemical anomalies on the eastern limb and far side of the moon are presently identified and characterized, and their formation processes are investigated, in light of Apollo spacecraft geochemical and photogeologic remote sensing data sets. The results of recent spectral reflectance studies of dark-haloed impact craters, together with considerations of anomaly surface chemistry, indicate that the geochemical anomalies associated with light plains deposits displaying dark-haloed impact craters are due to basaltic units that are either covered by varying thicknesses of highland debris or have a surface contaminated by significant amounts of highland materials.
The utilization of integral equations for solving three-dimensional, time-invariant, conservative fields

Abstract This paper develops and demonstrates a method of obtaining computer solutions to three-dimensional boundary-value problems involving time-invariant, conservative fields in isotropic, linear, and piecewise-homogeneous media. The technique is applicable to the Dirichlet, Neumann, and mixed boundary types of problems. The method is based on a surface integral form of Poisson's equation and results in a set of integral equations. These equations are then approximated by a set of linear algebraic equations which are solved by a digital computer. Numerical approximation of a two-dimensional integral equation effectively reduces the three-dimensional problem to a two-dimensional problem.
Reversible, thermally-assisted solid-state redox processes in mixed valence dimers

Novel, reversible thermally-assisted solid-state redox behavior has been observed for symmetric fused hydrocarbon bridged binuclear mixed valence compounds containing low-spin FeII and FeIII. On cooling from ambient temperature to ∼4.2 K, the iron environments change from a mixture of ferricenium and ferrocene to primarily ferrocenelike. These data, in conjunction with ESR and susceptibility measurements, suggest an intermolecular electron transfer and an ionic to neutral transition for the dimers.
Development of associative and perceptual interference

In a choice reaction-time letter-identification task, the temporal development of perceptual and associative interference was studied with visual displays containing identical, irrelevant, or response-incompatible noise letters. Using the methods of variable-criterion theory, it was determined that perceptual interference is complete very early and has no effect on the shape of the function for the growth of associative strength. Associative interference begins later, gradually increases to a maximum, and then declines to zero at long latencies. In experiments with speeded performance, it was also found that the growth of excitatory strength for errors contains the same nonmonotonic process as for correct responses, but in reverse form. In addition, it was observed that the discriminability of the target stimuli affects the rate of growth of associative strength for the correct response. Analyses of individual differences in theoretical parameters indicate information-processing patterns similar to those reported for simple auditory tasks.
Changes in extracellular Ca2+ over a physiologic concentration range differentially modulate reactivity of resistance arteries of spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats.

Norepinephrine-induced contractile responses of mesenteric resistance arteries of normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats were examined in the presence of 1.25, 1.5, and 2.5 mM extracellular Ca2+. In endothelium-intact WKY segments, the three levels of extracellular Ca2+ had no effect on sensitivity to norepinephrine. However, the response of SHR vessels to low dose norepinephrine was significantly enhanced in the presence of 1.25 and 2.5 mM Ca2+ versus 1.5 mM Ca2+. After endothelial denudation, WKY vessels responded like SHR vessels, i.e. sensitivity to norepinephrine was enhanced in 1.25 mM Ca2+ compared with 1.5 mM Ca2+. This response to alterations in extracellular Ca2+ was also observed after blockade of the neuronal amine pump with cocaine. These results indicate that vascular smooth muscle of both SHR and WKY respond to small physiologic changes in extracellular Ca2+ with altered sensitivity to norepinephrine. This effect is independent of the neuronal amine pump. ...
Ion trap tandem mass spectrometry of intact GTP-binding protein γ-subunits

Tandem mass spectrometry (MS), including both MS2 and MS3 product ion scans, has been applied for the structural characterization of intact γ-subunits of heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins (G-Proteins). Intact γ-subunits were ionized by electrospray ionization and fragmented by collision-induced dissociation in a quadrupole ion trap instrument. Extensive fragmentation was observed for the multiply charged precursor ions of these 7–8 kDa proteins. Spectral interpretation was facilitated by loss of the labile isoprenyl modification and fragmentation at C-terminal proline residues. General rules for interpretation of product ion spectra were developed for determination of sequence and posttranslational modification. Second generation product ion scans were shown to be valuable for assisting in spectral interpretation. Analysis of charge state effects on product ion spectra indicated nearly identical fragmentation patterns with differing charges on resulting product ions and provided confirmation of product ion structure assignments. This approach can be used to identify specific γ-subunits and to determine the structures of posttranslational modifications without the need for proteolytic peptide mapping.
Hope as a Predictor of Reincarceration Among Mutual-Help Recovery Residents

Given the rates of reincarceration in the United States, it is important to understand criminal justice risk and protective factors. Hope is a potentially important factor with two components—agency (goal-directed determination) and pathways (planning to meet goals; Snyder et al., 1991). We conducted a secondary data analysis (n = 45) of a longitudinal survey of mutual-help recovery home residents. As hypothesized, greater global hope and agency significantly predicted lower odds for reincarceration, and lower levels of pathways was not predictive. We relate these findings to hope theory and potential community applications.
Tanning salons: an area survey of proprietors' knowledge of risks and precautions.

An area survey of tanning salon proprietors was conducted in a medium-sized midwestem city. Proprietors reported they were in compliance with federal safety regulations, but not all had age, frequency, or duration restrictions. Similarly, proprietors were not uniformly informing patrons of potential tanning hazards, including the possibility of skin cancer, and were not knowledgeable about the risk and benefits of tanning. Some establishments reported selling psoralens to patrons to enhance tanning. More explicit guidelines regarding the use of tanning equipment and more accurate consumer information are needed.
A pure reasoning engine for programming by demonstration

We present an inference engine that can be used for creating Programming By Demonstration systems. The class of systems addressed are those which infer a state change description from examples of state [9, 11].The engine can easily be incorporated into an existing design environment that provides an interactive object editor.The main design goals of the inference engine are responsiveness and generality. All demonstrational systems must respond quickly because of their interactive use. They should also be general—they should be able to make inferences for any attribute that the user may want to define by demonstration, and they should be able to treat any other attributes as parameters of this definition.The first goal, responsiveness, is best accommodated by limiting the number of attributes that the inference engine takes into consideration. This, however, is in obvious conflict with the second goal, generality.This conflict is intrinsic to the class of demonstrational system described above. The challenge is to find an algorithm which responds quickly but does not heuristically limit the number of attributes it looks at. We present such an algorithm in this paper.A companion paper describes Inference Bear [4], an actual demonstrational system that we have built using this inference engine and an existing user interface builder [5].
Project work in context : Regulatory change and the new geography of media

Like all forms of work, project work is constructed within the rules that govern labor and capital markets. In this paper, I examine how project work and the project workforce in ‘old’ media (motion pictures and television) and ‘new’ media (multimedia or Internet-based information, entertainment, and infotainment) have been affected by changes in the regulatory regime governing entertainment and information-intensive industries in the United States. Of particular significance is the role that collective bargaining institutions play in industry governance. In the case of old media, the regulatory regime initiated in the 1980s by the Reagan administration considerably reshaped the terrain for media production. ‘Virtual integration’ of a substantial portion of production resulted in the routinization of project work and decreased the need for collocation of preproduction, production, and postproduction in Los Angeles, the ‘home base’ of these industries. Old media, however, retained the key governance organi...
Differences in circular dichroism and flourescence between the DNA complexes formed with 3-amino- and 3,8-diaminophenan-thridinium derivatives.

The conformation of DNA complexes formed with various 3-amino- and 3,8-diamino-phenanthridinium derivatives were examined by CD and fluorescence methods. The CD of these complexes is characterized by major bands in the 300–350-nm and the 400–550-nm regions. The CD properties of the complexes formed with diaminophenanthridinium derivatives suggest that the structure of such complexes is well represented by the intercalation complex formed between DNA and ethidium bromide. The substantial and regular increases in ellipticities near 308 nm that occur with increasing DNA-bound diaminophenanthridinium to DNA phosphate ratios (r) may result from direct interactions between molecules intercalated in neighbouring binding sites. In contrast, the changes in the shape of the CD of DNA complexes of monoaminophenanthridinium derivatives with r and the much lower maximum ellipticities attained suggest that near-neighbor interactions among intercalated monoaminophenanthridinium derivatives occur much less efficiently than in the corresponding diamino complexes, if at all. Although alternative explanations for the differences in the optical properties between the mono- and diaminophenanthridinium complexes of DNA may be offered, such results seem to indicate that complexes formed with monoaminophenanthridinium derivatives are characterized by a conformation which is quite distinct and different from that of the DNA–diaminophenanthridinium complexes. This conclusion is further supported by the considerable increase in fluorescence that accompanies the binding of the diaminophenanthridinium derivatives to DNA as compared to the minor increases, which occur upon the binding of the monoaminophenanthridinium compounds. The importance of conformation as a factor influencing template, function, especially with respect to the RNA polymerase-catalyzed synthesis of RNA, is now well appreciated. Therefore, methods which could provide information readily about changes in the conformation of a template, i.e., as a result of dye intercalation, are expected to facilitate our understanding of the effects of conformational change on the function and activity of templates.
Understanding crosstalk in high-resolution color thin-film-transistor liquid crystal displays

Results correlating observed crosstalk-induced color artifacts as a function of the four signal-driving schemes used in high-resolution color thin-film-transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT/LCDs) are presented and theoretically explained. Experimental characterization has been carried out on a high-resolution 146-dot-per-inch, 262K-color, 5.5- in.-diagonal, 480 × 640-pixel (VGA) display. Mathematical modeling and simulations have been developed that help explain the crosstalk-induced color artifacts. The modeling is particularly advantageous for quantifying various tradeoffs between front-of-screen quality and signal-driving schemes when scaling pixel density toward higher-resolution TFT/LCDs.
Monkeys Pay Per View: Adaptive Valuation of Social Images by Rhesus Macaques

Summary Individuals value information that improves decision making. When social interactions complicate the decision process, acquiring information about others should be particularly valuable [1]. In primate societies, kinship, dominance, and reproductive status regulate social interactions [2, 3] and should therefore systematically influence the value of social information, but this has never been demonstrated. Here, we show that monkeys differentially value the opportunity to acquire visual information about particular classes of social images. Male rhesus macaques sacrificed fluid for the opportunity to view female perinea and the faces of high-status monkeys but required fluid overpayment to view the faces of low-status monkeys. Social value was highly consistent across subjects, independent of particular images displayed, and only partially predictive of how long subjects chose to view each image. These data demonstrate that visual orienting decisions reflect the specific social content of visual information and provide the first experimental evidence that monkeys spontaneously discriminate images of others based on social status.
Positive youth development, willful adolescents, and mentoring

This article describes positive youth development as a process in which young people’s capacity for being motivated by challenge energizes their active engagement in development. The first part of the article discusses the conditions under which this motivation is activated and considers obstacles to its activation in daily life. The second part discusses ways in which caring adults, including mentors, can support this process of positive development. Several frameworks that provide models of how adults can provide needed structure and guidance while supporting youth’s development as agents of their own growth are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Insect hormones: alpha ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone in bracken fern

The two major molting hormones of insects, alpha ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone, were isolated in crystalline form from dry pinnae of the bracken fern, Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn. Three unidentified substances with molting hormone activity were also detected. Bracken is the first plant found to contain both of the major insect ecdysones, and it is the first known plant source of alpha ecdysone.