cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid and reversible epigenome editing by endogenous chromatin regulators.

Understanding the causal link between epigenetic marks and gene regulation remains a central question in chromatin biology. To edit the epigenome we developed the FIRE-Cas9 system for rapid and reversible recruitment of endogenous chromatin regulators to specific genomic loci. We enhanced the dCas9–MS2 anchor for genome targeting with Fkbp/Frb dimerizing fusion proteins to allow chemical-induced proximity of a desired chromatin regulator. We find that mSWI/SNF (BAF) complex recruitment is sufficient to oppose Polycomb within minutes, leading to activation of bivalent gene transcription in mouse embryonic stem cells. Furthermore, Hp1/Suv39h1 heterochromatin complex recruitment to active promoters deposits H3K9me3 domains, resulting in gene silencing that can be reversed upon washout of the chemical dimerizer. This inducible recruitment strategy provides precise kinetic information to model epigenetic memory and plasticity. It is broadly applicable to mechanistic studies of chromatin in mammalian cells and is particularly suited to the analysis of endogenous multi-subunit chromatin regulator complexes.
Constructive shearwave imaging: Feasibility and improvements in SNR

Shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) measures mechanical properties of tissues and has been used to characterize tissue stiffness, but SWEI is limited by low displacement SNR in stiff media such as skin. A method for repeatable measurement of skin elasticity is critical for longitudinal monitoring of sclerotic diseases such as morphea. Constructive Shearwave Interference (CSI) overcomes the SNR limitations of conventional SWEI in skin by generating greater shear wave displacements at the constructive center of an acoustic radiation force ring of excitation. The objective of this study is to characterize the increase in displacement SNR from constructively-interfering shear waves.
An Intelligent Speech Prosthesis with a Lexical Memory

We have interfaced a microcomputer with a voice synthesizer to produce a personal, (weakly) intelligent, and quick verbal response speech prosthesis useful for people who are unable to speak (Colby, Christinaz, and Graham, 1978). The intelligent speech prosthesis (ISP) is designed to aid those physically handicapped who are unable to speak due to a great variety of medical, neurological or surgical reasons. In its current state the ISP/1 can be used by users having communication disorders such as aphonia (loss of voice), dysphonia (an impairment of voice), or dysarthria (impairment in articulation) unaccompanied by damage to the semantic syntactic mechanisms of the language system. However, there exists a group of potential users who have some degree of damage in the semantic syntactic mechanisms of the language system. It is for a subgroup of this population, those people having word finding difficulties, that the development of an ISP/2 with a lexical memory and associative network is necessary.
The histopathology of acute renal failure.

Acute renal failure can result from disease processes affecting primarily glomeruli, vessels, interstitium or tubules. However, ischemic or toxic injury to the renal tubule produces the majority of cases of clinical acute renal failure in the intensive care unit, and this shall be the major focus of this chapter. Pathologic changes in the kidney in acute renal failure are at once more subtle than one would expect, and more complex. In this chapter, histologic findings in the kidney in prerenal azotemia and clinical “acute tubular necrosis” (“ATN”) will be reviewed. The spectrum of cell injury in “ATN” will be covered, including injury with loss of cell adhesion, coagulative necrosis, and apoptosis. Other morphologic findings will also be discussed.
Scheduling service tickets in shared delivery

We study the problem of optimally scheduling tickets in shared delivery of IT services. Such delivery models are characterized by a common pool of skilled agents who collectively support the service needs of several customers at a time. The ticket scheduling problem becomes interesting in this scenario due to the need to provide satisfactory experience to multiple customers with different Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in a cost-efficient and optimal way, by intelligently leveraging the available skill set and balancing workload across agents. We present a detailed description of the problem domain and introduce a novel metric for estimating the relative criticality of tickets from different customers at any point in time, taking into account several factors such as the distance from SLA breach, the SLA penalty and the expected volume of tickets during the rest of the service time window. This criticality measure is used within a Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) based solution approach to the ticket scheduling problem, where we consider the objectives of SLA penalty minimization, balancing breaches across customers, load balancing across agents, and maximizing skill match. Due to the complexity of the problem, optimization engines may not always return feasible or efficient solutions within reasonable time limits. Hence, we also develop a custom heuristic algorithm that returns acceptable solutions very fast. Detailed simulation experiments are used to compare these approaches and to demonstrate their efficiency in meeting the scheduling objectives of shared delivery.
Human-Managed Environments as Systems within the Biosphere

A sound ecological understanding of pest species, of the managed environment, and of the environmental effects of pest management procedures is a prerequisite to the instigation of a successful integrated pest management program. Pest problems do not arise in a vacuum; they arise because a combination of factors in the environment favors the growth of pest populations. For instance, availability of food and water, favorable weather, shelter, and a shortage of the organisms that normally feed on the pest species (predators) may provide conditions conducive to a pest outbreak. Likewise, actions taken to control pests have effects on the surrounding environment beyond killing the target pest. This chapter briefly describes the major ecological principles most necessary to gain an insight into the causes of pest problems, to understand integrated pest management literature, and to manage pests in an ecologically sound manner. For a more detailed discussion of these principles, the reader is urged to consult the many fine ecology textbooks available.
Fostering Achievement Motivation in Health Education: Are We Applying Relevant Theory to School-Based HIV Prevention Programs?

Abstract Though HIV preventive and other health interventions in educational settings have often been grounded in health behavior theory, such interventions have rarely taken into account achievement motivation theory. The purpose of this article is to discuss how and why theories of both health behavior and achievement motivation have the potential to play an important part in the design and delivery of HIV preventive interventions in school settings. First, we briefly discuss health behavior theories, with a primary focus on their commonalties. Next, we discuss theories of achievement motivation and what is known about motivating students to learn and excel in the classroom, specifically applying these theories to safer sexual education. The complementary aspects of these theoretical perspectives are then considered. Finally, implications for improving the design of HIV preventive and other health interventions in school settings are discussed. Such interventions may be vastly improved if they pay great...
6. PGT-A METHOD ALLOWING COMBINED PGT-M FOR DETECTION OF HETEROPLASMY AND ESTIMATION OF MTDNA MUTATION LOAD IN EMBRYO BIOPSIES

Introduction A large number of pathogenic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations have been identified and are implicated in a variety of disorders. As mtDNA is maternally inherited, women with pathogenic mtDNA mutations are likely to have affected children, the severity of the phenotype depending on the heteroplasmy proportion. A systematic meta-analysis showed that there is a ≥ 95% chance of being unaffected at a mutant level of ≤ 18% (Hellebrekers et al, 2012). PGT-M can be used to identify embryos with mutation loads below this phenotypic threshold. The PG-Seq™ kit yields superior coverage of mtDNA and may allow combined PGT-A and PGT-M for mtDNA diseases from single biopsies. Material and methods Two cell lines, a reference and “mutant”, with mitochondrial single nucleotide variants (SNV) were selected. Six 5-cell samples from each cell line were whole genome amplified (WGA). The replicates were pooled before the cell lines were mixed in proportions ranging from 0% to 100% (mutant), in increments of 10%. Libraries were prepared for each of the pools prior to sequencing using the MiSeq instrument (Illumina). SNV sites with Results The average (± sd) mitochondrial read count for cell line samples was 5037 (± 1083). After filtering, the average (± sd) depth of coverage for the cell line samples at the SNV sites was 25.8x (± 12.5). Combining SNV data in silico to achieve a read depth typical of a standard PG-Seq™ kit 48 sample run using a single embryo biopsy (500,000 reads total), the observed SNV proportion was within 25% of the expected proportion in all cases. Combining SNV data to achieve a read depth of 5x a standard PG-Seq™ kit 48 sample run, the observed SNV proportion was within 11% of the expected proportion in all cases. This means that in any case where a heteroplasmy is detected at 7% or lower, including no detection, the mutant load should be below the phenotype threshold. Conclusions The superior amplification of mtDNA achieved by the PG-Seq™ kit may allow combined PGT-A and PGT-M for mtDNA analysis. Combining PGT-A and PGT-M in this novel way would provide a streamlined workflow over currently available workflows. While accuracy is dependent on read depth, read depth can be increased by modulating sequencing throughput or by alternate means such as using PerkinElmer's Target Sequence Enrichment protocol. Due to variable but consistent depth of coverage across the mtDNA, some sites will be more suited for analysis by this method than others.
Editorial for the Special Issue on "Micro- and Nanofluidics for Bionanoparticle Analysis".

Bionanoparticles such as microorganisms and exosomes are recognized as important targets for clinical diagnostic and therapeutic applications as well as for food safety and environmental monitoring [...]
TWUMOO: The Female Collected, and, The Female Collective A Work in Progress on Women and the Technology that brings their Achievements to Life

TWUMOO is poised to be the revolutionary medium for women’s expression, scholarship, and collaboration. Short for Multi-User Domain, Object Oriented, a MOO allows multiple users to manipulate objects, as well as converse and conduct research online in real-time. TWUMOO stands for Texas Woman’s University’s MOO. This virtual land of female voices interweaves female scholarship with community outreach through the many programs currently in place. The Female Collected and The Female Collective form the two areas of focus through the archiving of women’s writing online, and, the real-time interaction among women and all MOO participants in a multi-dimensional online environment. The Female Collected is an exploration of the digital women’s collection, which currently includes the Women's Collection of Electronic Texts ( WCET) and The Gallery of Women Rhetoricians. The Female Collective serves as the clearinghouse for teaching, research, and service. MOO gatherings such as the upcoming 1999 “Feminisms and Rhetorics” Conference, discussions, archives, and the actual building of virtual spaces demonstrate the pedagogical virtues that have emerged from what used to be a text-based multiplayer gaming environment. Two case studies unveil how MOOs have transformed higher education and creative arts.
Relationship of soil hydrogen sulfide level to net carbon assimilation ofPanicum hemitomon andSpartina patens

Panicum hemitomon Schult andSpartina patens (Ait) Muhl. plants from Louisiana Gulf Coast fresh and brackish marshes were subjected to hydrogen sulfide under controlled sediment redox conditions. Net carbon assimilation responses of both species to the combined sediment anaerobiosis and hydrogen sulfide concentrations was measured.Panicum hemitomon was more sensitive to hydrogen sulfide as compared toSpartina patens. Initiation of reduction in net carbon assimilation inP. hemitomon began when H2S concentrations of soil solution exceeded 0.22 mgl-1. Reductions in net carbon assimilation inS. patens were also noted at H2S concentrations exceeding 0.34 mgl-1. The reduction in net carbon assimilation of both species measured at elevated H2S concentrations suggests that extreme anaerobiosis and elevated sulfide could contribute to the growth reduction of these species under certain conditions. However based on H2S concentration in fresh and brackish marsh soil profiles, levels were too low to cause any adverse effects ofPanicum hemitomon. In brackish marsh soils containing hydrogen sulfide of 3.4 mgl-1 in soil solution, sulfide could be a major factor limiting growth ofS. patens.
Problems and pitfalls in blood grouping tests for non-parentage. IV. Qualifications of experts.

The ready availability of commercial blood typing sera has led to the tacit assumption that any pathologist or laboratory technician is qualified to carry out blood grouping tests in medicolegal cases of disputed paternity, even without any previous experience or contact with problems of this nature. Suspensions of red cells from the putative father, mother, and child are merely mixed in turn with each of a battery of antisera, according to the printed directions of the manufacturer, and after the specified period of incubation, centrifugation or mixing, the reactions are read as positive or negative, depending on the presence or absence of agglutination of the red cells. The reactions for each blood specimen are then listed in tabular form for all the antisera used, and a decision is made whether or not paternity is excluded. However, the tests are by no means as simple as this description indicates; to be fully qualified to carry out such examinations one must have extensive training and experience in the field because the tests are delicate and subject to technical errors. Moreover, when the worker lacks thorough understanding, mistakes in the interpretation of the findings are inevitable, especially when it comes to the important and complex Rh-Hr blood types.
Chapter 12 – Cryospray Ablation

Endoscopic cryospray ablation or cryotherapy is a unique method of ablation that offers a versatile choice in the treatment of Barrett’s and early esophageal cancer. Cryotherapy is performed with a catheter delivering liquid nitrogen (−196°C), carbon dioxide (−70°C), or a newer balloon delivery device using nitrous oxide. Dosimetry is measured in duration of time (seconds) multiplied by repeated applications at the same site, termed cycles, after an interval thaw period. The freeze–thaw cycle results in cellular membrane disruption resulting in apoptosis of precancerous epithelium or cancerous neoplasms. Gastric acid suppression after esophageal ablation promotes healing with neosquamous epithelium. Side effects include gaseous distention, stricture formation, pain, and rarely bleeding. The unique features of spray cryotherapy include the ability to treat nodular or uneven surfaces and variable depth of ablation depending on dosimetry, which are ideal for nodular dysplasia and early carcinoma not amenable to endoscopic resection.
High incidence of venous thromboembolism and major bleeding in patients with primary CNS lymphoma

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and major bleeding in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) patients are not well described. We identified 992 PCNSL patients using the California Cancer Registry (2005-2014). The cumulative incidence of VTE and major bleeding was determined using California hospitalization data. The 12-month cumulative incidence of VTE was 13.6% (95% confidence interval (CI) 11.5-15.8%); chemotherapy and radiation therapy were associated with increased risk of VTE (hazard ratio (HR) 2.41, CI 1.31-4.46 and HR 1.56, CI 1.08-2.25, respectively). The 12-month cumulative incidence of major bleeding was 12.4% (CI 10.1-14.6%). Pulmonary embolism (PE) and proximal deep vein thrombosis were associated with increased risk of major bleeding, likely due to anticoagulation. PE (HR 1.61, CI 1.11-2.33, p=.011) and major bleeding (HR 2.36, CI 1.82-3.06, p<.0001) were associated with increased mortality. This study highlights the high incidence of both VTE and major bleeding and the significant impact on survival for PCNSL patients.
Asymmetric distance location model

In this note, we analyze location problems where the distance (time) to get to the destination by air is affected by winds. We propose two models: the asymmetric Weber location problem and the roun...
Balanced monolithic mixer for use at 44 GHz

Receiver front ends for satellite applications require low noise devices that have been space qualified to withstand shock and vibration during launch and to operate reliably for many years with continuous LO power and cyclic temperature changes as the satellite passes in and out of earth's shadow. Whisker-contacted Schottky barrier diodes that were hermetically sealed in copper-ceramic packages were developed for the Lincoln Experimental Satellites LES-8 and LES-9 [1], Pairs of these diodes were mounted in a two-diode balanced waveguide mixer. Although these diodes have operated flawlessly in space for over nine years, difficult and time-consuming manufacturing procedures were required to provide this level of reliability. This is because the device essentially used a mechanical pressure contact between an etched gold-plated tungsten whisker and a 3-μm diameter Schottky barrier metallization. As device diameters were reduced to submicrometer dimensions in order to provide low capacitance for operation into the submillimeter region, the difficulties of whisker contacting and reliability of the resulting contact under shock and vibration were of even greater concern.
Development and validation of the Systematic Assessment of Book Reading (SABR-2.2)

Abstract Measuring the quality of classroom-based interactive shared book reading within the early childhood classroom represents a specific dimension of teacher–child interactions that is of great interest to researchers. This interest reflects decades of research demonstrating the benefit of reading to young children in both the home and the classroom. The purpose of this validation study was to conduct a systematic investigation of the psychometric characteristics of a revised version of the Systematic Assessment of Book Reading (SABR-2.2), a measure that examines qualities of teacher talk through observation of classroom shared book reading. Validation of the SABR involved video-based coding of book-reading sessions in pre-k and Kindergarten classrooms (n = 286 teachers and 877 children). Teacher race/ethnicities included: Caucasian (64%), African American (27%), Latino (19%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1%), Asian (4%), and 4% reported their ethnicity as ‘other’. Children’s race/ethnicity was Caucasian (52.3%), African American (39.7%), Latino (30.6%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.2%), Asian (5.3%), and 1.5% reported their ethnicity as ‘other’. Using the SABR, we coded the frequency of 11 teacher behaviors that relied on explicitly defined behaviors and sets of keywords that indicated the presence of a behavior. Factor analyses yielded a single factor with item loadings between .41 and .86. Inter-rater reliability estimates were high (i.e., 95%–99%). Test–retest reliability revealed that the SABR factor scores were strongly correlated (r = .71) at Fall and Spring. We established concurrent validity with moderate relations with the ELLCO (rs = .31–.50). Predictive validity of the SABR was investigated for 877 children tested at baseline and follow-up. Findings revealed a significant and small association between teachers’ SABR scores and gains in children’s vocabulary and print knowledge scores. Additional analyses were conducted to examine psychometrics by race/ethnicity.
Nonmetropolitan COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality Rates Surpassed Metropolitan Rates Within the First 24 Weeks of the Pandemic Declaration: United States, March 1-October 18, 2020.

PURPOSE: This report compares COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates in the nonmetropolitan areas of the United States with the metropolitan areas across three 11-week periods from March 1 to October 18, 2020. METHODS: County-level COVID-19 case, death, and population counts were downloaded from USAFacts.org. The 2013 NCHS Urban-Rural Classification Scheme was collapsed into two categories called metropolitan (large central, large fringe, medium, and small metropolitans) and nonmetropolitan (micropolitan/noncore). Daily COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates were computed to show temporal trends for each of these two categories. Maps showing the ratio of nonmetropolitan to metropolitan COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates by state identify states with higher rates in nonmetropolitan areas than in metropolitan areas in each of the three 11-week periods. FINDINGS: In the period between March 1 and October 18, 2020, 13.8% of the 8,085,214 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 10.7% of the 217,510 deaths occurred among people residing in nonmetropolitan counties. The nonmetropolitan incidence and mortality trends steadily increased and surpassed those in metropolitan areas, beginning in early August. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the relatively small size of the US population living in nonmetropolitan areas, these areas have an equal need for testing, health care personnel, and mitigation resources. Having state-specific rural data allow the development of prevention messages that are tailored to the sociocultural context of rural locations.
The Effect of Multichannel and Omnichannel Retailing on Physical Stores

Most retailers today sell products through an online channel in addition to traditional physical stores. We investigate how such a multichannel or omnichannel retailer should decide the number and ...
The potential impact of discrepancies between automated susceptibility platforms and other testing metho`dologies for cefazolin in the treatment of Enterobacterales bloodstream infections.

Abstract Revised breakpoints for cefazolin (CFZ) against Enterobacterales may be difficult to implement with current automated susceptibility testing platforms and could falsely report organisms as susceptible, leading to inappropriate treatment for bloodstream infections (BSI). This was a retrospective cohort of adult patients with Enterobacterales BSI reported CFZ susceptible per Vitek®2. The primary outcome was the percentage susceptible by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) Gradient Test Strips and disk diffusion. Secondary outcomes included clinical outcomes between CFZ and non–CFZ-treated patients. Among 195 isolates reported CFZ-susceptible per Vitek®2, 84 (43.1%) were CFZ susceptible by MIC Gradient Test Strips vs 119 (61%) by disk diffusion. No difference was noted in 30-day all-cause mortality, secondary complications, or 30-day readmissions. Treatment failure was less likely to occur with source control (adjusted OR 0.06) and infectious disease consult (adjusted OR 0.37). There was a large degree of discrepancy between automated testing and manual methods; the clinical impact of this discrepancy warrants further investigation.
Design and Analysis of a High-frequency CLLC Resonant Converter with Medium Voltage insulation for Solid-State-Transformer

The isolated DC/DC converter is the key component in high-frequency medium-voltage solid-state transformer. This paper presents a comprehensive design of a CLLC converter, including the design of transformer and resonant tank. The transformer insulation is designed to pass the partial discharge and applied voltage test. And its impact on transformer leakage inductance, as well as the resonant converter characteristic is discussed. Also, the transformer is optimized based on loss and volume trade-off. Then the relation of zero voltage switching (ZVS) condition and circuit parameters and load condition is derived from equivalent circuit. The impact of magnetizing inductance, leakage inductance, MOSFETs junction cap, and characteristic factor Q on ZVS condition is revealed. Finally, this paper provides a guidance to select dead-time appropriately and demonstrates the design on a 200kHz converter with 1.6kV input and 1.1kV output, and achieves a peak efficiency of 98.9%.
Detecting Low-Energy Interactions and the Effects of Energy Accumulation in Materials

We hypothesize that avalanche-like releases of energy accumulated in materials due to radioactivity and other sources can produce parasitic background in dark matter particles searches and low-energy threshold detectors. We explore this hypothesis using published data on low-energy background in detectors and available condensed-matter physics information on excitations, defects, and energetic molecules which can be present in materials.
Evolving Tenure Rights and Agricultural Intensification in Southwestern Burkina Faso

Abstract Popular and official representations of the environment in Burkina Faso present soils as fragile and potentially subject to catastrophic collapses in fertility. In the cotton-growing zone of southwestern Burkina Faso, researchers and policy-makers attribute changes in land cover and land quality to population growth. This paper presents evidence questioning the dominant “population-degradation narrative” as applied to Burkina. We find that farmers are intensifying their production systems. While population has led to land scarcity, farmers are responding to both the resulting uncertainty in land rights and reductions in soil quality by intensifying the production process. Investments are used both as a soil-building and a tenure-building strategy. Instead of producing an optimistic intensification counternarrative, we contend that intensification is a process with social costs. A more complex intensification narrative should encompass elements of changing asset distribution, expropriation, and conflict in the process whereby individuals and social groups vie for land rights and invest in intensified production processes
Excuse Us, While We Fix the Sky: WEIRD Supermen and Climate Intervention

As alarm over global warming spreads, a radical idea is taking hold. An emerging breed of so-called climate engineers is promoting invasive techniques to cool the planet through albedo modification and so-called “negative carbon emissions” will be necessary. Shoot sulphates or reflective nanoparticles into the upper atmosphere, turning the blue sky milky white. Make the clouds thicker and brighter. Fertilise the oceans to stimulate massive algae blooms that turn the blue seas soupy green. Suck CO2 out of the air with hundreds of thousands of giant artificial trees. Store the captured CO2 safely underground for millennia. While these proposals seem edgy and exciting, they often test the limits of scientific, technological, and institutional possibility and overlook the political, ethical, and social consequences of managing the world’s climate. Advocates of climate engineering, with vanishingly few exceptions, are Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) males with superman complexes. Their views are short-sighted, dangerous, and “barking mad.” This chapter provides historical perspectives, social context, and a gendered analysis of these dangerous proposals.
On macroscopic freeway merge behavior: Estimation of merge ratios using asymmetric lane flow distribution

Abstract Data from several freeway merges reveal that, contrary to some previous findings, merge ratio can vary within a site with respect to the merge outflow and that the existing merge ratio estimates based on lane counts are not able to predict this within-site variation. Furthermore, the merge ratios estimated based on two well-known merging principles, “fair-share” and “zipper,” are found to be inaccurate for merges where merging streams compete directly due to a lane drop. In light of these findings, we estimate merge ratios using lane flow distribution (LFD) to better predict between and within site variations of merge ratio. In addition, we propose a merging principle specific for merges with a single lane-drop. The model was developed to better represent observed non-uniform redistribution of merging flow not captured by the current merge ratio estimation methods and merging principles. Empirical observations show that the proposed methods are able to improve merge ratio estimates, reproduce within-site variations of merge ratio, and represent more accurately non-uniform redistribution of merging flow dependent on the merge geometry.
Logic-Based Subsumption Architecture

We describe a logic-based AI architecture based on Brooks' subsumption architecture. In this architecture, we axiomatize different layers of control in First-Order Logic (FOL) and use independent theorem provers to derive each layer's outputs given its inputs. We implement the subsumption of lower layers by higher layers using circumscription to make assumptions in lower layers, and nonmonotonically retract them when higher layers draw new conclusions. WTe also give formal semantics to our approach. Finally, we describe four layers designed for the task of robot control and an experiment that empirically shows the feasibility of using fully expressive FOL theorem provers for robot control with our architecture.
The Role of the Sinus Wall in the Passage of Erythrocytes Through the Spleen

The passage of erythrocytes through the walls of splenic sinuses was studied in rats treated with phenylhydrazine. The sinus wall contained no preformed apertures. Instead, erythrocytes and other cells passing through the spleen entered interendothelial slits and squeezed through. The presence of phenylhydrazine-induced Heinz bodies within erythrocytes impeded their transmural passage. Normally, few erythrocytes were found in transit across the walls of sinuses. However, after phenylhydrazine, many of the interendothelial slits in sinuses were occupied by damaged erythrocytes. Virtually all of the interendothelial slits in sinuses appeared capable of passing erythrocytes. The slits seldom exceeded 0.2-0.5 µ in width, even with an erythrocyte in passage. Bands of intraendothelial microfilaments running alongside the interendothelial slits appeared to have a major role in causing the slits to remain narrow. Thus, the sinus wall, reinforced by microfilamentous bands, significantly controlled the circulation of erythrocytes through the spleen. Normal red cells were pliant enough to squeeze through, but cells containing large rigid inclusions were held in the slits or delayed in their passage. When many of the slits were occupied by cells slow in passage, the outflow track became blocked, and circulation through the spleen was impeded. Therefore, cells pooled in the cords, macrophages increased in number, and the sequences initiated that resulted in splenomegaly.
Humans use internal models to estimate gravity and linear acceleration

Because sensory systems often provide ambiguous information, neural processes must exist to resolve these ambiguities. It is likely that similar neural processes are used by different sensory systems. For example, many tasks require neural processing to distinguish linear acceleration from gravity, but Einstein's equivalence principle states that all linear accelerometers must measure both linear acceleration and gravity. Here we investigate whether the brain uses internal models, defined as neural systems that mimic physical principles, to help estimate linear acceleration and gravity. Internal models may be used in motor contro, sensorimotor integration and sensory processing, but direct experimental evidence for such models is limited. To determine how humans process ambiguous gravity and linear acceleration cues, subjects were tilted after being rotated at a constant velocity about an Earth-vertical axis. We show that the eye movements evoked by this post-rotational tilt include a response component that compensates for the estimated linear acceleration even when no actual linear acceleration occurs. These measured responses are consistent with our internal model predictions that the nervous system can develop a non-zero estimate of linear acceleration even when no true linear acceleration is present.
SURFACE KNOWLEDGE AND RISKS TO LANDING AND ROVING: THE SCALE PROBLEM

The role of surface information in the performance of surface exploration missions is discussed. Accurate surface models based on direct measurements or inference are considered to be an important component in mission risk management. These models can be obtained using high resolution orbital photography or a combination of laser profiling, thermal inertia measurements, and/or radar. It is concluded that strategies for Martian exploration should use high confidence models to achieve maximum performance and low risk.
Lichen sclerosus: a potpourri of misdiagnosed cases based on atypical clinical presentations

OBJECTIVE Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic progressive inflammatory autoimmune-induced disease that primarily affects the epidermis and dermis of the external genital-anal region. Intense and recalcitrant pruritus is the hallmark of LS. Physical exam reveals thinning, hyperkeratosis, and parchment-like appearance. However, the classic symptom and signs of LS may not always be present and patients may be asymptomatic for pruritus. Hence, we describe 15 misdiagnosed cases with atypical clinical presentations. We believe that the absence of pruritus contributed to their initial misdiagnosis. The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of atypical presentations of LS. METHODS Data base review of de-identified clinical case pictures was performed. All patients had histopathology-confirmed diagnoses of LS. The data base file contains 800 cases of vulvovaginal disorders. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) considered that searching a de-identified data base of pictures did not require IRB approval. RESULTS We identified 15 different atypical clinical cases. Patient ages were 18-75 years old. These patients were asymptomatic for pruritus and were misdiagnosed before they presented to the vulvovaginal specialized clinic. CONCLUSION Fifteen patients asymptomatic for pruritus with histopathology-confirmed diagnosis of LS were identified. They illustrate atypical clinical presentations that LS may have.
Bases of an Integrated Model of School Consultation

In this chapter, we present the underlying bases of the integrated model of school consultation, which is described in detail in Chap. 6. Bases associated with community mental health are the concepts of population-oriented prevention, crisis, and social support as well as Gerald Caplan’s model of mental health consultation (Caplan, 1970; Caplan & Caplan, 1993/1999). Bases associated with behavioral psychology are problem solving, behavior modification in applied settings, and John R. Bergan’s model of behavioral consultation (Bergan, 1977; Bergan & Kratochwill, 1990). Another important foundation is social influence, particularly as revealed through social power bases. Finally, we address the issue of laying the groundwork for successful entry into school and classroom settings. After reading this chapter, one should understand the bases of and rationale for the integrated model of school consultation presented in Chap. 6.
Shaping BMP Morphogen Gradients through Enzyme-Substrate Interactions

Summary Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) regulate dorsal/ventral (D/V) patterning across the animal kingdom; however, the biochemical properties of certain pathway components can vary according to species-specific developmental requirements. For example, Tolloid (Tld)-like metalloproteases cleave vertebrate BMP-binding proteins called Chordins constitutively, while the Drosophila Chordin ortholog, Short gastrulation (Sog), is only cleaved efficiently when bound to BMPs. We identified Sog characteristics responsible for making its cleavage dependent on BMP binding. "Chordin-like" variants that are processed independently of BMPs changed the steep BMP gradient found in Drosophila embryos to a shallower profile, analogous to that observed in some vertebrate embryos. This change ultimately affected cell fate allocation and tissue size and resulted in increased variability of patterning. Thus, the acquisition of BMP-dependent Sog processing during evolution appears to facilitate long-range ligand diffusion and formation of a robust morphogen gradient, enabling the bistable BMP signaling outputs required for early Drosophila patterning. PaperFlick
Ensemble instruction: A note on communicating sociology via computers

Computer software can manage intricate operations and complex data in order to make sociological ideas and methods concrete, animated, and relevant event to novices. This note describes how an approach called “ensemble instruction” makes use of such software in classrooms with personal computers for each student and a central projection system.
Lag times for small drainage basins

Abstract Over a period of ten years, simultaneous measurement of storm rainfall and resulting runoff during individual storms were made in small basins in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. By simple measurement, without any recording devices, data collected define a relation of basin lag time to drainage area. This lag time, expressed as time between center of mass of rainfall and center of mass of runoff, is a specific measure of some basin characteristics including the effect of urbanization. Using lag time relations, synthetic hydrography construction shows the effect of urbanization on peak discharge from a given storm. The method applied to one storm shows that urbanization increased the peak discharge by two fold.
Efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation over time: review of 65 consecutive patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy treated with VNS > 10 years.

Abstract Objective Studies have reported improved seizure control with increased duration of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) but are prone to methodological biases. We analyzed the efficacy of VNS over time in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy (TRE) who underwent VNS therapy 10 or more years. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 65 consecutive patients (29 females) who underwent VNS therapy ≥ 10 years. The mean age at VNS insertion was 30.0 years. Forty-four adults (≥ 18 years; 67.7%) and 21 children (32.3%) were included. Seizure frequency and antiepileptic drug (AED) regimens were recorded prior to VNS and, following VNS insertion, at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and every 2 years thereafter. Results The mean duration of VNS therapy for this group was 10.4 years, and the mean decrease in seizure frequency at last follow-up was 76.3%. The mean reduction in seizures at 6 months and years 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years was 35.7, 52.1, 58.3, 60.4, 65.7, 75.5, and 75.5%, respectively. Seizure frequency was significantly reduced from baseline at each of the recorded intervals ( P Conclusion Following a “ramp-up” and accommodation period throughout the initial 24 months after VNS implantation, seizure control improved slightly over the subsequent years of therapy and eventually stabilized. Variation in seizure frequency, however, was common, and frequent changes in AED regimens or stimulation parameters were likely an important and possibly synergistic component of seizure control.
Elder mistreatment: Legal interventions and policy uncertainties

This article descriptively overviews the important and growing contemporary American phenomenon of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older persons in home and institutional settings by their informal and formal caregivers. The article first discusses definitions and forms of elder mistreatment, followed by a summary of risk factors for victims and mistreaters. The role of health and social service providers in the identification, referral, treatment, reporting, and proof of suspected cases of elder mistreatment is then surveyed. Specific societal interventions based on the state's parens patriae authority to protect the most vulnerable citizens are listed, as are some of the most vexing ethical and public policy questions confronting policy makers and practitioners about society's proper response to the unpleasant reality that older people are sometimes seriously mistreated. The article concludes with a discussion of the researcher's obligation to report elder mistreatment which is observed during the come of the research. Language: en
Design and Operation of the APT Target/Blanket

Abstract The Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) Target/Blanket (T/B) system is comprised of the T/B assembly and the attendant heat-removal systems. The T/B assembly produces tritium using a high-energy proton beam and a spallation neutron source. All systems reside within the T/B building, located at the end of a linear accelerator. During nominal operation, protons are accelerated to an energy of 1030MeV at a current of 100mA. The protons interact with tungsten and lead nuclei in the T/B assembly to produce neutrons through the process of nuclear spallation. Neutron capture in 3 He gas produces tritium, which is removed on a semicontinuous basis. The T/B assembly is modular, to allow for replacement of spent components and minimization of waste. Inconel and Aluminum structural materials provide containment of spallation products, a coolant pressure boundary, and corrosion resistance. The operating environment is a combination of high-energy protons and neutrons. All structures operate at low temperature and are cooled with water. Structures directly in the proton beam, which endure the highest irradiation damage, are replaced annually. Materials in the blanket region are primarily in a low-neutron flux environment and potentially will last the life of the facility. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.
Entropy, Lyapunov exponents, and mean free path for billiards

We review known results and derive some new ones about the mean free path, Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy, and Lyapunov exponents for billiard-type dynamical systems. We focus on exact and asymptotic formulas for these quantities. The dynamical systems covered in this paper include the priodic Lorentz gas, the stadium and its modifications, and the gas of hard balls. Some open questions and numerical observations are discussed.
N.M.R. study of the dynamic structure of isopropylbenzene

The dynamic molecular behaviour of isopropylbenzene, IPB, in the liquid and supercooled state has been investigated by N.M.R. The proton, deuterium and 13C relaxation times were measured in selectively deuterated IPB, over the temperature range 125 to 200 K and the pressure range 1 bar to 5 kbar. The viscosity range extended from 1 cP to 10 P. The most significant result of the study is that although at ambient pressures the modified Debye-Stokes-Einstein relation adequately describes the microscopic dynamics of IPB in the slip limit, at high pressures the reorientational correlation times are no longer linear in η/T. The rotational-translational coupling parameter was found to be strongly density dependent, but insensitive to kinetic energy changes. An isotopic dilution study was employed to separate the intermolecular and intramolecular contributions to T 1ρ. It was shown that the viscosity anomaly at T k is related to a change in the type of translational rather than rotational motions. The intramolecu...
A nutrition and physical activity intervention promotes weight loss and enhances diet attitudes in low-income mothers of young children.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a nutrition and physical activity program for reducing body weight and improving nutrition attitudes in mothers of young children. A convenience sample of 114 intervention mothers and 33 comparison mothers was recruited from public health clinics and community centers. Eligibility criteria included Hispanic, African American, or white ethnicity; body mass index of at least 25 kg/m(2); low income ( or = 2.27 kg) and nonresponders (< 2.27 kg) were assessed at week 8. Intervention participants lost weight (x = -2.7 kg; P < .001), whereas comparison mothers gained a slight amount of weight (x = 0.1 kg) by week 8. Weight loss responders had healthier eating attitudes (5.6 vs 5.2; P < .01) and fewer perceived barriers (2.4 vs 2.9; P < .05) than nonresponders postintervention. In conclusion, this dietary and physical activity curriculum is a valuable resource for weight management programs serving low-income women.
Cerebral metabolism of (3H)-p-chloroamphetamine.

Abstract The time-dependent metabolism of intraventricularly administered [ 3 H ]-p- chloroamphetamine was followed. The parent compound and its metabolites were recovered by high pressure liquid chromatography and characterized by high pressure liquid chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. By 4 hr after injection, two major toluene-soluble metabolites were present in brain. Their biological half-lives were different from the parent compound. On the basis of their analyses, one of the metabolites is p-chloronorephedrine, the other (P3) is as yet unidentified. Pretreatment with Lilly 110140 prevented or markedly reduced the synthesis of both p-chloronorephedrine and P3. Iprindole prevented the synthesis of p-chloronorephedrine. The P3 appeared first in the brain then in the liver, suggesting that both of these organs can metabolize p-chloroamphetamine to this compound. The metabolites were recovered primarily from the nuclear and microsomal fractions following subcellular fractionation of the brain, with small quantities present in the synaptosomal fraction. The level of metabolites was higher in the brainstem than in the neocortex. Glutathione, administered simultaneously with p-chloroamphetamine either intraventricularly or intraperitoneally failed to alter the toxicity of p-chloroamphetamine.
Random gradient boosting for predicting conditional quantiles

Gradient Boosting (GB) was introduced to address both classification and regression problems with great power. People have studied the boosting with L2 loss intensively both in theory and practice. However, the L2 loss is not proper for learning distributional functionals beyond the conditional mean such as conditional quantiles. There are huge amount of literatures studying conditional quantile prediction with various methods including machine learning techniques such like random forests and boosting. Simulation studies reveal that the weakness of random forests lies in predicting centre quantiles and that of GB lies in predicting extremes. Is there an algorithm that enjoys the advantages of both random forests and boosting so that it can perform well over all quantiles? In this article, we propose such a boosting algorithm called random GB which embraces the merits of both random forests and GB. Empirical results will be presented to support the superiority of this algorithm in predicting conditional qu...
Aerosol deposition and clearance in the human upper airways.

The human upper respiratory tract, defined here as the airways above the trachea, is the portal of entry for airborne particles. Whether inhaled particles reach the bronchial or alveolated airways or are deposited in the upper airways (nasal or oral passage) depends upon a number of factors which are discussed in this paper. These factors can be divided into two groups: those which relate to the air flow properties and those which relate to the particles. If these factors are known to a sufficient degree, the regional deposition efficiency of the inhaled particles can be estimated. Particles once deposited in the upper airway are cleared by one of several mechanisms depending on the type of particle, site of deposition and functional state of the airway surface. The clearance processes and their importance for various particles are discussed.