cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomarkers for Immunotherapy Toxicity: Are Cytokines the Answer?

Immune checkpoint inhibitors induce durable responses in some advanced cancer patients, but may simultaneously trigger auto-inflammatory immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The pathogenesis of irAEs may relate to genetic predisposition, environmental insults, or tumor-host interactions. Elevated expression of certain cytokines may signal subclinical inflammation that evolves into severe irAEs with treatment.
Trafficking of Myanmar women for forced marriage in China

Trafficking of foreign women into China for forced marriage, once unheard of in China, has ceased to surprise the general public with frequent news stories about women from Vietnam, Myanmar, and North Korea being deceived and sold as brides into the interior of China. Using data extracted from official sources in the Chinese judicial system, we analyzed a total of 73 court cases involving 184 Myanmar women who were trafficked into China, spanning a period of 13 years (2003 through 2016). We found people of diverse backgrounds participated in the trafficking business, most were of low education and unemployed or underemployed. Little formal organizational structures appeared to be needed in these trafficking activities. The vast majority of traffickers were Chinese nationals, who seemed well-connected with the cross-border trade as well as traditional matchmaking business. Most trafficking occurred under the guise of employment opportunities, in which Myanmar women were offered jobs in interior China. The majority of victims appeared to have been recruited from inside Myanmar, and wound up being trafficked to three Chinese provinces (Henan, Anhui, and Shandong). Policy implications as well as Data limitations are also discussed.
"Russian Society and Foreign Policy: Mass and Elite Orientations After Crimea"

Most Russians applaud the official narrative that Russia has reemerged as a great power. Yet they increasingly disagree with the assertion of the Kremlin that the United States is a looming externa...
MP07-13 SACRAL NEUROMODULATION IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE PATIENTS WITH NEUROGENIC BLADDER

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Parkinson′s Disease (PD) alters central inhibition of micturition resulting in detrusor overactivity, negatively impacting patients′ functional independence and quality ...
Optimizing multi-robot communication under bandwidth constraints

Robots working collaboratively can share observations with others to improve team performance, but communication bandwidth is limited. Recognizing this, an agent must decide which observations to communicate to best serve the team. Accurately estimating the value of a single communication is expensive; finding an optimal combination of observations to put in the message is intractable. In this paper, we present OCBC, an algorithm for Optimizing Communication under Bandwidth Constraints. OCBC uses forward simulation to evaluate communications and applies a bandit-based combinatorial optimization algorithm to select what to include in a message. We evaluate OCBC’s performance in a simulated multi-robot navigation task. We show that OCBC achieves better task performance than a state-of-the-art method while communicating up to an order of magnitude less.
RT-Trust: Automated refactoring for different trusted execution environments under real-time constraints

Abstract Real-time systems must meet strict timeliness requirements. These systems also often need to protect their critical program information (CPI) from adversarial interference and intellectual property theft. Trusted execution environments (TEE) execute CPI tasks on a special-purpose processor, thus providing hardware protection. However, adapting a system written to execute in environments without TEE requires partitioning the code into untrusted and trusted parts. This process involves complex manual program transformations that are not only laborious and intellectually tiresome, but also hard to validate and verify adherence to real-time constraints. To address these problems, this paper presents novel program analyses and transformation techniques, accessible to the developer via a declarative meta-programming model. The developer declaratively specifies the CPI portion of the system. A custom static analysis checks CPI specifications for validity, while probe-based profiling helps identify whether the transformed system would continue to meet the original real-time constraints, with a feedback loop suggesting how to modify the code, so its CPI can be isolated. Finally, an automated refactoring isolates the CPI portion for TEE-based execution, communicated with through generated calls to the TEE API. The reference implementation of our approach profiles and transforms real-time systems to isolate their CPI functions to execute on two different TEE platforms: OP-TEE and SGX. Although these platforms substantially differ in terms of their respective APIs and performance characteristics, our refactoring completely hides these differences from the developer by automatically synthesizing the correct CPI functionality required for these dissimilar TEE implementations. We have evaluated our approach by successfully enabling the trusted execution of the CPI portions of several microbenchmarks and a drone autopilot. Our approach shows the promise of declarative meta-programming in reducing the programmer effort required to adapt systems for trusted execution under real-time constraints.
Discurso ideológico e idea de España en El cocinero español de 1898 y 1938

El presente articulo propone una lectura y analisis de dos recetarios concretos, ambos titulados El cocinero espanol pero publicados en diferentes circunstancias, lugares y fechas (1898 y 1938), y ...
Human Odometry with a Two-Legged Hopping Gait: A Test of the Gait Symmetry Theory

AbstractBiological odometry refers to the capacity for perceptually measuring distances traveled during locomotion. In the case of haptic odometry, information about distance traversed is generated...
Probabilistic Time-Varying Parameter Identification for Load Modeling: A Deep Generative Approach

The uncertainty of power resources introduces significant challenges for classic load modeling approaches. Moreover, load parameter identification techniques are affected by various load components with highly nonlinear time-varying behaviors and dependencies. This article presents a new deep generative architecture (DGA) based on the long short-term memory (LSTM) network for probabilistic time-varying parameter identification (PTVPI). In contrast to previous methods that merely compute point estimations of load parameters, our objective is to learn the continuous probability density function (PDF) of load parameters for composite load modeling (CLM) with ZIP load and induction motor. The proposed DGA learns complex temporal patterns from the time-varying parameters/measurements to estimate load parameters in a probabilistic fashion. Leveraging the LSTM network, our DGA computes deep temporal states and state transitions of load parameters. An encoding neural network extracts useful latent variables from the captured temporal states that are further mapped by a decoding neural network into the observed load parameters; hence, learning the underlying PDF of these parameters. Numerical results on the 68-bus New England and New York Interconnect System with four CLMs show accurate results for PTVPI in terms of various probabilistic estimation metrics, including reliability, sharpness, and continuous ranked probability score.
Public Affairs Triumvirate in Higher Education: Science to Service to Philosophy

This chapter extends the philosophy of the Public Affairs Triumvirate leadership strategy in higher education by providing the application of social theory, a quantum leadership dialogue, and a summary of numerous trilogies in the Public Affairs Triumvirate. Overall, the purpose of the book explains a phenomenon of higher education leadership within public affairs through a conceptual model, theory, scientific confirmation of a framework, and application, and this chapter proposes a larger philosophical vision in higher education leadership. The chapter ends the thesis to introduce a novel, yet eccentric “leading from the future” strategy to the higher education leadership literature that has been pioneered through application to rethink community policy connections and overcome the limits of a one-dimensional leadership approach.
The efficacy of somatosensory evoked potentials in evaluating new neurological deficits after spinal thoracic fusion and decompression

OBJECTIVE Posterior thoracic fusion (PTF) is used as a surgical treatment for a wide range of pathologies. The monitoring of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) is used to detect and prevent injury during many neurological surgeries. The authors conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of SSEPs in predicting perioperative lower-extremity (LE) neurological deficits during spinal thoracic fusion surgery. METHODS The authors included patients who underwent PTF with SSEP monitoring performed throughout the entire surgery from 2010 to 2015 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The sensitivity, specificity, odds ratio, and receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of SSEP changes in predicting postoperative deficits. Univariate analysis was completed to determine the impact of age exceeding 65 years, sex, obesity, abnormal baseline testing, surgery type, and neurological deficits on the development of intraoperative changes. RESULTS From 2010 to 2015, 771 eligible patients underwent SSEP monitoring during PTF at UPMC. Univariate and linear regression analyses showed that LE SSEP changes significantly predicted LE neurological deficits. Significant changes in LE SSEPs had a sensitivity and specificity of 19% and 96%, respectively, in predicting LE neurological deficits. The diagnostic odds ratio for patients with new LE neurological deficits who had significant changes in LE SSEPs was 5.86 (95% CI 2.74-12.5). However, the results showed that a loss of LE waveforms had a poor predictive value for perioperative LE deficits (diagnostic OR 1.58 [95% CI 0.19-12.83]). CONCLUSIONS Patients with new postoperative LE neurological deficits are 5.9 times more likely to have significant changes in LE SSEPs during PTF. Surgeon awareness of an LE SSEP loss may alter surgical strategy and positively impact rates of postoperative LE neurological deficit status. The relatively poor sensitivity of LE SSEP monitoring may indicate a need for multimodal neurophysiological monitoring, including motor evoked potentials, in thoracic fusion surgery.
CNN E xplainer: Learning Convolutional Neural Networks with Interactive Visualization

Deep learning's great success motivates many practitioners and students to learn about this exciting technology. However, it is often challenging for beginners to take their first step due to the complexity of understanding and applying deep learning. We present CNN E xplainer, an interactive visualization tool designed for non-experts to learn and examine convolutional neural networks (CNNs), a foundational deep learning model architecture. Our tool addresses key challenges that novices face while learning about CNNs, which we identify from interviews with instructors and a survey with past students. CNN E xplainer tightly integrates a model overview that summarizes a CNN's structure, and on-demand, dynamic visual explanation views that help users understand the underlying components of CNNs. Through smooth transitions across levels of abstraction, our tool enables users to inspect the interplay between low-level mathematical operations and high-level model structures. A qualitative user study shows that CNN E xplainer helps users more easily understand the inner workings of CNNs, and is engaging and enjoyable to use. We also derive design lessons from our study. Developed using modern web technologies, CNN E xplainer runs locally in users' web browsers without the need for installation or specialized hardware, broadening the public's education access to modern deep learning techniques.
Chapter 36 – Oxidative Phosphorylation

: The electron transport chain (ETC) is the major consumer of O2 in mammalian cells. The ETC passes electrons from NADH and FADH2 to protein complexes and mobile electron carriers. Coenzyme Q (CoQ) and cytochrome c (Cyt c) are mobile electron carriers in the ETC, and O2 is the final electron recipient. The malate and glycerol 3-P shuttles regenerate cytoplasmic NAD+ for glycolysis, and deliver reducing equivalents to the mitochondrial ETC. Inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation arrest cellular respiration. Uncouplers dissociate oxidation from phosphorylation, and help to generate heat as animals adapt to the cold.
The friendly fossa: The effect of anthropomorphic language on learning about unfamiliar animals through both storybooks and live animal experiences.

Abstract Children’s storybooks about animals often use elements of fantasy; even educational storybooks intended to teach children about factual and biological properties include talking animals depicted as more like humans than animals. Previous research has found that anthropomorphic images, specifically in storybooks, hinder factual learning and thus should not be used in the context of educational experiences. However, little research has explored the impact of anthropomorphic language alone as well as its use in other contexts such as zoos where parents often naturally use anthropomorphic language. The current studies explored the impact of anthropomorphic language on learning about an unfamiliar animal (fossa) across two contexts: storybooks (Study 1; N = 48; age range = 4;0–6;3 [years; months]) and a zoo (Study 2a; N = 29; age range = 4;5–7;10). An adult comparison group (Study 2b, N = 82) was also included. Across both studies, there was no evidence that anthropomorphic language decreased factual learning. However, children given anthropomorphic information about a fossa were more likely to generalize anthropomorphic traits, such as emotions, intentions, and preferences, to other fossas, and this was consistent with the adult comparison group. We discuss considerations for parents and educators regarding the appropriateness of fantastical language about animals in experiences specifically designed to support biological learning.
Factors associated with Interhospital transfers of emergency general surgery patients from emergency departments.

Abstract Background Emergency general surgery (EGS) conditions account for over 3 million or 7.1% of hospitalizations per year in the US. Patients are increasingly transferred from community emergency departments (EDs) to larger centers for care, and a growing demand for treating EGS conditions mandates a better understanding of how ED clinicians transfer patients. We identify patient, clinical, and organizational characteristics associated with interhospital transfers of EGS patients originating from EDs in the United States. Method We analyze data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) for the years 2010–2014. Patient-level sociodemographic characteristics, clinical factors, and hospital-level factors were examined as predictors of transfer from the ED to another acute care hospital. Multivariable logistic regression analysis includes patient and hospital characteristics as predictors of transfer from an ED to another acute care hospital. Results Of 47,442,892 ED encounters (weighted) between 2008 and 2014, 1.9% resulted in a transfer. Multivariable analysis indicates that men (Odds ratio (OR) 1.18 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 1.16–1.21) and older patients (OR 1.02 (95% CI 1.02–1.02)) were more likely to be transferred. Relative to patients with private health insurance, patients covered by Medicare (OR 1.09 (95% CI 1.03–1.15) or other insurance (OR 1.34 (95% CI 1.07–1.66)) had a higher odds of transfer. Odds of transfer increased with a greater number of comorbid conditions compared to patients with an EGS diagnosis alone. EGS diagnoses predicting transfer included resuscitation (OR 36.72 (95% CI 30.48–44.22)), cardiothoracic conditions (OR 8.47 (95% CI 7.44–9.63)), intestinal obstruction (OR 4.49 (95% CI 4.00–5.04)), and conditions of the upper gastrointestinal tract (OR 2.82 (95% CI 2.53–3.15)). Relative to Level I or II trauma centers, hospitals with a trauma designation III or IV had a 1.81 greater odds of transfer. Transfers were most likely to originate at rural hospitals (OR 1.69 (95% CI 1.43–2.00)) relative to urban non-teaching hospitals. Conclusion Medically complex and older patients who present at small, rural hospitals are more likely to be transferred. Future research on the unique needs of rural hospitals and timely transfer of EGS patients who require specialty surgical care have the potential to significantly improve outcomes and reduce costs.
Little Evolution, BIG Evolution: Rethinking the History of Darwinism, Population Genetics, and the “Synthesis”

This chapter explores the history of the “micro-/macroevolution” distinction and its significance for the history of Darwinism, its “eclipse,” and the “evolutionary synthesis.” By noting how Darwin, Galton, DeVries, Fisher, Wright, Haldane, Chetverikov, Severtsov, Filipchenko, Dobzhansky, Goldschmidt, J. Huxley, Mayr, Simpson, Guyenot, Rensch, and others understood the distinction, and the language and arguments they used, the article chronicles the problems it posed for “synthesizing” diverse biological disciplines, and documents how the fundamental disagreements among them were successfully finessed by synthesis advocates. These findings force us to rethink the history of Darwinism, population genetics, and the evolutionary synthesis and their political, methodological, and national dimensions.
Behavioral dynamics of COVID-19: estimating underreporting, multiple waves, and adherence fatigue across 92 nations

Abstract Effective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic require integrating behavioral factors such as risk-driven contact reduction, improved treatment, and adherence fatigue with asymptomatic transmission, disease acuity, and hospital capacity We build one such model and estimate it for all 92 nations with reliable testing data Cumulative cases and deaths through 22 December 2020 are estimated to be 7 03 and 1 44 times official reports, yielding an infection fatality rate (IFR) of 0 51 percent, which has been declining over time Absent adherence fatigue, cumulative cases would have been 47 percent lower Scenarios through June 2021 show that modest improvement in responsiveness could reduce cases and deaths by about 14 percent, more than the impact of vaccinating half of the population by that date Variations in responsiveness to risk explain two orders of magnitude difference in per-capita deaths despite reproduction numbers fluctuating around one across nations A public online simulator facilitates scenario analysis over the coming months ? 2021 System Dynamics Society
Storytelling in the Accounting Classroom

Under what conditions and in what situations is the telling of personal history and other stories an effective teaching tool? Storytelling has been used by many of the greatest teachers throughout history. Plato, Jesus and Gandi, used stories, parables and personal histories to educate students (Zabel 1991). In fact, storytelling has been referred to as the foundation of the teaching profession (Abrahamson 1998). In recent years, the use of storytelling has received attention from academic researchers and has been studied in several academic disciplines. It has been suggested that the use of storytelling in higher education settings increases student performance and recollection (Bryant & Harris 2011). However, few students have considered the potential for the use of storytelling in the accounting classroom. This archival research seeks to describe the value of storytelling as a pedagogical tool across academic disciplines, review the literature regarding the use of storytelling in other academic disciplines in higher education, synthesize the findings of existing research and describe the uses, benefits and difficulties with using storytelling in various accountancy classes across the curriculum, and suggest possible uses for storytelling in accountancy classes.
Scale‐Free Networks

This chapter contains sections titled: Generating a Scale‐Free Network Properties of Scale‐Free Networks Navigation in Scale‐Free Networks Analysis Exercises
Combinatorial actions of Tgfβ and Activin ligands promote oligodendrocyte development and CNS myelination. (P2.204)

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND: In the embryonic CNS, development of myelin-forming oligodendrocytes is limited by bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmp), which form one arm of the transforming growth factor-β family and signal canonically via Smads1/5/8. Tgfβ ligands and Activins comprise the other arm and signal via Smads2/3, but their roles in oligodendrocyte development are incompletely characterized. Here, we report that Tgfβ ligands and Activin B (ActB) act in concert in the mammalian spinal cord to promote oligodendrocyte generation and myelination. DESIGN/METHODS: This work examined transcriptional patterns for Tgfβ superfamily members, their receptors and downstream effectors in developing mouse spinal cord. Studies in vitro tested responses of primary oligodendrocyte cultures and myelinating CNS co-cultures to Tgfβ1, ActB and Bmp4. RESULTS: In mouse neural tube, newly-specified oligodendrocyte progenitors (OLP) are first exposed to Tgfβ ligands in isolation, then later in combination with ActB during maturation. In primary OLP cultures, Tgfβ1 and ActB differentially activate canonical Smad3 and non-canonical MAP kinase signaling. Both ligands enhance viability, and Tgfβ1 promotes proliferation whereas ActB supports maturation. Importantly, co-treatment strongly activates both signaling pathways, producing an additive effect on viability and enhancing both proliferation and differentiation, such that mature oligodendrocyte numbers are strongly increased. Co-treatment promotes myelination in OLP-neuron co-cultures, and maturing oligodendrocytes in spinal cord white matter display strong Smad3 and MAP kinase activation. In spinal cords of ActB-deficient Inhbb-/- embryos, apoptosis in the oligodendrocyte lineage is increased and OLP numbers transiently reduced, but numbers, maturation and myelination recover during the first postnatal week. Smad3-/- mice display a more severe phenotype, including diminished viability and proliferation, persistently reduced mature and immature cell numbers, and delayed myelination. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these findings suggest that in mammalian spinal cord, Tgfβ ligands and ActB together support oligodendrocyte development and myelin formation. Disclosure: Dr. Dutta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zameer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mariani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Asp has nothing to disclose. Dr. Huynh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mahase has nothing to disclose. Dr. Laitman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tadesse Argaw has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mitiku has nothing to disclose. Dr. Casaccia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hayot has nothing to disclose. Dr. John has received research support from Teva.
Circadian Dysfunction Induces Leptin Resistance in Mice

Circadian disruption is associated with obesity, implicating the central clock in body weight control. Our comprehensive screen of wild-type and three circadian mutant mouse models, with or without chronic jet lag, shows that distinct genetic and physiologic interventions differentially disrupt overall energy homeostasis and Leptin signaling. We found that BMAL1/CLOCK generates circadian rhythm of C/EBPα-mediated leptin transcription in adipose. Per and Cry mutant mice show similar disruption of peripheral clock and deregulation of leptin in fat, but opposite body weight and composition phenotypes that correlate with their distinct patterns of POMC neuron deregulation in the arcuate nucleus. Chronic jet lag is sufficient to disrupt the endogenous adipose clock and also induce central Leptin resistance in wild-type mice. Thus, coupling of the central and peripheral clocks controls Leptin endocrine feedback homeostasis. We propose that Leptin resistance, a hallmark of obesity in humans, plays a key role in circadian dysfunction-induced obesity and metabolic syndromes.
Failure of Beta-Adrenergic Blockade to Alter Ventricular Fibrillation Threshold in the Dog Evidence for Extra-Adrenergic Effects of Pronethalol

The effects of two beta-adrenergic blocking agents, pronethalol and propranolol, on ventricular fibrillation thresholds were tested in dogs. Pronethalol (4.0 mg/kg, 5 dogs) produced a mean increase of 45% in the fibrillation threshold. Propranolol (0.4 mg/kg, 7 dogs) failed to produce a significant change of the fibrillation threshold. To examine the possibility that the difference between the responses to pronethalol and propranolol might be related to the difference in dose of the beta-blocking agents, 4.0 mg/kg of propranolol was given to 3 dogs; this dose also failed to produce a consistent change of ventricular fibrillation threshold. These data indicate that under the conditions of our experiments it was possible to block the beta-adrenergic receptors with propranolol without producing a change of the ventricular fibrillation threshold. The increase of the fibrillation threshold produced by pronethalol was probably a consequence of its quinidine-like properties rather than of its beta-receptor blockade.
Trends in US Army child maltreatment reports: 1990–2004

We present the victim rates and severity of child maltreatment in US Army families by the sex of the child and parent from 1990–2004. Neglect rates decreased from a high point in 1991 to a low in 2000, but by 2004 the rates had increased to about the 1991 level. During two large-scale deployments of the US Army to the Middle East (1991 and 2002–2004), the rates of neglect increased. Neglect rates were highest for the youngest children and decreased as age increased. Physical abuse rates decreased from 1990–2004, but the decline was slowed during 2001–04. Physical abuse was more severe by male offenders. Emotional abuse showed wide fluctuations in rates. Emotional abuse rates were similar for boys and girls up to age 11, but the rates for older girls were higher. Sexual abuse had the lowest rates throughout the time of this report, decreasing from about 0.5/1000 to about 0.1/1000. The rates of physical abuse and neglect were generally higher for boys than for girls up to the teenage years when the rates reversed. Male offenders were more likely to maltreat children (even excluding sexual abuse) than were female offenders and offenders of both sexes were more likely to abuse male children. We provide suggestions for practice, prevention and research in child maltreatment. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Associations among Gut Permeability, Inflammatory Markers and Symptoms in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Background Alterations in gastrointestinal (GI) permeability and immune measures are present in some patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but the relationship to symptoms is poorly defined. In adults with IBS, we compared permeability, unstimulated peripheral blood monocyte (PBMC) interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels, IBS life interference, and GI and psychological distress symptoms.
An acoustic study of the ‘pre-aspirated trill’ in narrative Cibaeño Dominican Spanish

This paper examines the acoustic characteristics of the Cibaeno Dominican Spanish ‘pre-aspirated’ trill. The data are based on narrative speech of ten native speakers from the Cibao region. The findings reveal that the segment is most often produced as a period of pre-breathy voice followed by a single tap, [hr]. The second most frequently occurring production involves pre-breathy voice and a trill. The term pre-breathy-voiced vibrant is proposed as a more appropriate characterization of the Cibaeno Dominican Spanish trill.
Guerrilla economics and the wild economy

This paper assesses the latest contributions, by Harding and Jenkins and by Portes, Castells and Benton, to the literature on the informal or hidden economy. It places these works in the context of the now significant body of theoretical and empirical research that has developed over the past 17 years. It traces the emergence of the concept from its roots in economic anthropology, developmental studies, criminology, poverty studies, industrial and urban sociology, and Soviet studies, to its current demand for an interdisciplinary economics. It shows how, what was originally a fragmented polemical critique of the classical model of economic man, dismissed by many as peripheral, even trivial, has emerged as a new approach to the analysis of economic life. This guerrilla interdisciplinary irreverence is forcing a new dialectical vision in which economic life is reveled to be anything but the predictable, rational activity of market forces. Instead we see a wild economy, of formal and informal, market and non-market, as interrelated dimensions of the same whole, a whole permeated by social networks and clusters of workers. Failure to take this development seriously is to be blind to the realities of modern economic life and itself constitutive of the myth that is the formal economy. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** AW502012 00002
Seasonal Influence on Reproduction in Chimpanzees of Gombe National Park

Although wild chimpanzees are not seasonal breeders, there are seasonal effects on several aspects of chimpanzee reproduction. I examined the seasonal incidence of anogenital swelling in cyclic, pregnant, and acyclic female chimpanzees in Gombe National Park, May 1975–April 1992, and surveyed important reproductive events to determine whether there is a seasonal effect. I analyzed data by season (wet vs. dry) and seasonal quarter;early dry season = May–July;late dry = August–October;early wet = November–January;late wet = February–April. When data for the 17 years are combined, the percentage of females in each reproductive state remains consistent throughout the year. In a given month, 30–35% of subjects were in the cyclic category, 11–15% were pregnant, and 54–61% were acyclic. Cyclic females showed full swelling more often during the late dry season. Pregnant females exhibited anogenital swelling more often during the late dry and early wet seasons. Acyclic females also exhibited a seasonal effect with more anogenital swelling during the late dry season. There is no seasonal difference in frequency of live births (dry, 20;wet, 23). However, the timing of conception showed a seasonal effect (dry, 32;wet, 16). Consistent with earlier reports, the onset of postpartum cycles is highly seasonal;30 occurred during dry season, 9 during wet season. The occurrence of first full swellings for young females is also concentrated in the late dry season. It appears that the dry season is a time of great change for Gombe chimpanzee reproductive physiology. Previous studies indicated that seasonal changes in food availability play a role in increasing group size during the dry season and social contact between females can enhance cyclicity. Accordingly, I suggest that seasonal changes in diet may play a role, either directly (food content) or indirectly (social contact), to alter reproductive physiology.
Introduction: From Affect to Exegesis

This article introduces a thematic issue of Biblical Interpretation on the high-profile field of affect theory as it relates to biblical studies. Affect theory analyzes emotions and still more elemental forces that are rooted in bodies and pass between them. In addition to previewing the six articles in the issue – three of which grapple with Hebrew Bible texts and three with early Christian texts – this introduction provides a brief history of affect theory and maps its main variants. The article also reflects on the challenges of turning a body of theory largely uninterested in literary interpretation into a set of strategies for reading biblical texts.
Transition states of the retro-ene reactions of allylic diazenes.

Density functional theory studies of intramolecular retro-ene reactions of allyldiazenes show that the reaction is a concerted process involving a six-center cyclic transition state. The activation barriers for deazetization for X = H, Me, F, Cl, and Br (3a−e) are 2.4, 40.2, 22.3, 9.3, and 8.8 kcal/mol, respectively.
Primary Ewing sarcoma of lumbar spine with massive intraspinal extension.

Primary vertebral Ewing sarcoma-primitive neuroectodermal tumor is uncommon. Although epidural extension has been seen in such tumors, cases with massive intraspinal involvement are decidedly rare. Here we present the case of a 4-year-old girl with back pain and difficulty walking. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass filling the spinal canal from T 11 to the L 3 /L 4 levels. Vertebral involvement with extension into the paraspinal soft tissue through neural foramina was seen. Histologically, a small-blue-cell tumor with strong membranous CD99 reactivity was noted. Molecular analysis revealed translocation t(11;22)(q24;q12), thus confirming the diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma-primitive neuroectodermal tumor. Our case emphasizes that vertebral Ewing sarcoma-primitive neuroectodermal tumor may present with massive intraspinal extension and should be included in the differential diagnosis of intraspinal lesions.
Electrophysiologic studies of penile mechanoreceptors in the rat

Abstract The neural activity of afferent fibers in the dorsal nerve of the penis was studied in 16 barbiturate-anesthetized rats. Sixty-one single units responsive to mechanical stimulation were isolated. Each receptor was tested for critical displacement, force, and velocity thresholds as well as its sinusoidal stimulation frequency-following characteristics and fiber conduction velocity. Based on adaptation responses to sustained mechanical stimuli, 36 of the 61 fibers were classified as rapidly adapting (RA) units and 25 as slowly adapting (SA) units, whereas previous workers did not find any slowly adapting receptors. We believe our ability to find SA units is due to mechanical and thermal stabilization of the penis and to our use of a wellcontrolled mechanostimulator.
A Table of Relative Abundances of Nuclear Species

A new table of relative abundances of nuclear species existing in nature has been prepared based upon the best available data on the compositions of the sun, stars, and meteorites. The general methods utilized in compiling the table are explained.
Newly Discovered Viral E3 Ligase pK3 Induces Endoplasmic Reticulum-associated Degradation of Class I Major Histocompatibility Proteins and Their Membrane-bound Chaperones

Viral immune invasion proteins are highly effective probes for studying physiological pathways. We report here the characterization of a new viral ubiquitin ligase pK3 expressed by rodent herpesvirus Peru (RHVP) that establishes acute and latent infection in laboratory mice. Our findings show that pK3 binds directly and specifically to class I major histocompatibility proteins (MHCI) in a transmembrane-dependent manner. This binding results in the rapid degradation of the pK3/MHCI complex by a mechanism dependent upon catalytically active pK3. Subsequently, the rapid degradation of pK3/MHCI secondarily causes the slow degradation of membrane bound components of the MHCI peptide loading complex, tapasin, and transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP). Interestingly, this secondary event occurs by cellular endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. Cumulatively, our findings show pK3 uses a unique mechanism of substrate detection and degradation compared with other viral or cellular E3 ligases. More importantly, our findings reveal that in the absence of nascent MHCI proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, the transmembrane proteins TAP and tapasin that facilitate peptide binding to MHCI proteins are degraded by cellular quality control mechanisms.
A novel sample reuse methodology for fast statistical simulations with applications to manufacturing variability

In this paper we propose a highly efficient statistical simulation methodology based on sample reuse. In the event of design re-centering, multiple manufacturing variability corners, or statistical sensitivity analysis the methodology enables design yield estimations at no additional cost to the reference center analysis. Sample points from the reference center statistical simulation can be utilized to estimate the yield at multiple neighboring centers. The capabilities of the methodology are further extended by projecting the new center onto the critical fail/sampling direction of the reference simulation. This improves the accuracy of the estimate and widens the scope of application. Theoretical applications and analysis of state of the art memory designs indicate excellent yield estimate matching and several orders of magnitude of speedup due to sample reuse.
An Enhanced Extract-Transform-Load System for Migrating Data in Telecom Billing

Data migration has become a priority in many industries, spawned by a variety of business needs. Most of the existing tools for Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) process of data migration are piece-meal and do not present a complete solution. Moreover, while research has focused on the problem of Schema Mapping, a key step in the ETL process, most of the current algorithms do not perform well on real-world data. Researchers have suggested the use of Domain Knowledge to enhance schema mapping. In this paper, we use domain knowledge in an innovative manner to improve schema mapping in an 'actual' industrial setting. Further, we take a comprehensive view of the data migration problem and present an end-to-end system for the ETL process, utilizing existing tools for each step and building connectors, wherever required. We focus on Data Migration for Telecom Billing and utilize domain knowledge captured in an ontology, a thesaurus and a set of rules to improve schema mapping. Experiments conducted on a real-life data demonstrate the effectiveness of our system and validate the utility of domain knowledge in data migration projects.
Bilateral and Extensive Xanthelasma Palpebrarum in a Young Man

A 25-year-old white man had been aware since childhood of yellow discolorations of the medial aspects of his upper lids. The skin changes progressively spread to involve all four eyelids, the inferior skin of the brow, and the lateral and medial canthal skin. The clinical diagnosis was extensive bilateral xanthelasmas . The patient had no manifest abnormality of lipid metabolism, although his father and grandfather had both developed xanthelasmas early in childhood. A snip biopsy of upper lid skin was performed and studied by both light and electron microscopy. The light microscopic appearance confirmed the diagnosis of xanthelasma, in that the upper dermis contained mono- and multinucleated foamy xanthoma cells beset with myriad cytoplasmic vacuoles. Cells displaced outwardly into the interstitium evidenced degradation phenomena within the vacuoles, consisting of lamellar bodies or fingerprint-like inclusions, presumably the result of fusion of lysosomes with the lipidic inclusions. Scattered non- lipidized mononuclear histiocytes with abundant profiles of smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum possibly represented a reserve population of monocytes for conversion into xanthoma cells.
SU‐GG‐T‐59: Optimization of the Applicator Position in the Treatment of Vaginal Vault HDR Brachytherapy: A Study Based on GEC‐ESTRO Guidelines

Purpose: Rectum and bladder are the most common critical structures in the prophylactic treatment of vaginal vault following surgery of early stage endometrial cancers using high‐dose‐rate (HDR) brachytherapy.Brachytherapy treatment usually involves employing a single catheter in a vaginal cylinder applicator with dose prescription at 5mm from a variable diameter colpostats leaving very little patient specific customization/optimization options. CT based brachytherapytreatment planning has opened yet another avenue of optimization based on patient's anatomy. Present study focuses to see if changing the applicator angle reduces the doses to the critical structures. Methods & Materials: In this retrospective study, we have used 6 patients with the applicator in natural position as well as in a position parallel to the treatment couch using a simple spirit level. CT scans were obtained in both the positions. Rectum and bladder were segmented in each set by the same physician. An optimized treatment plan, designed to deliver 700cGy at 5mm from the colpostats surface, was generated employing 5cm length along the vagina in both the CT datasets. The treatment plans were evaluated based on GEC‐ESTRO guidelines of 0.1, 1 & 2 cc of rectum and bladder. Results: The mean angle of vagina was found to be 10.3° [min=4.4°, max=22.2°] in relation to the treatment couch. Placing the applicator in a position parallel to couch resulted in mean dose reduction of 6, 8.1 & 9.5% for 0.1, 1 & 2 cc of rectum, respectively. However, it resulted in an increase in the respective bladder doses by 15.3, 13.2 & 13.3%. Conclusion: Since the bladder has significantly higher radiation tolerance than the rectum, use of vaginal applicator in a position parallel to the couch reduces rectal dose and potential rectal morbidity. This procedure can be easily adapted in any clinic with minimum additional efforts or hardware cost.
Study of surface reactions in atomic layer epitaxy of GaAs using trimethylgallium by reflectance difference spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy

Abstract An in situ real-time study of surface reactions in atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) of GaAs using trimethylgallium (TMGa) by reflectance difference spectroscopy (RDS) and sampled beam mass spectroscopy is reported. These studies reveal several phases in atomic layer epitaxy of GaAs and the self-limiting atomic layer deposition of epilayers using TMGa. The results also lend further support to a proposed reaction kinetics model from a recent RD investigation. The self-limiting mechanism which occurs during TMGa exposure cycles is believed to result from both selective adsorption and reaction of TMGa at As atoms and Ga-vacancy-induced Ga-rich surface reconstructions. It is also shown that strategies for optimal ALE growth of GaAs can be obtained through RD monitoring.
Oral disease burden in patients undergoing prosthetic heart valve implantation

Abstract Background . Valvular heart disease predisposing to endocarditis and requiring prosthetic valve implantation is common among the elderly. Spontaneous bacteremias associated with acute or chronic oral/odontogenic infections may represent a far greater cumulative risk for the development of endocarditis than do occasional health care procedures administered in a professional setting. Methods . To determine the oral disease burden in patients undergoing mechanical or bioprosthetic heart valve implantation, we performed a comprehensive clinical and radiographic regional examination on 156 consecutive patients, with emphasis on identifying acute and chronic oral/odontogenic infections and conditions. Results . The mean number of remaining teeth in the cohort was 19.32; of these, 1.07 were carious, involving a mean number of 2.51 tooth surfaces. In addition, 15.38% of the patients had evidence of acute or chronic periapical abscesses, and 43.6% of the patients had moderate to advanced periodontitis. Conclusions . In view of the substantial morbidity and mortality associated with prosthetic valve endocarditis and based upon the high incidence of dental disease identified in patients undergoing valvular operations, routine preoperative dental assessment should be deemed a "medical necessity" by third-party payors. Appropriate therapeutic intervention should be initiated whenever possible before valve implantation. (Ann Thorac Surg 1997;63:402–4)
Response of the rotating-detector ellipsometer to incident partially polarized light.

L'ellipsometre a detecteur tournant peut etre utilise pour mesurer les 3 premiers parametres de Stokes de la lumiere incidente
Crystalline Structure and Lithium-Ion Channel Formation in Self-Assembled Di-lithium Phthalocyanine: Theory and Experiments

The crystalline structure of di-lithium phthalocyanine (Li2Pc) is analyzed via a sequence of theoretical methods starting with ab-initio optimizations of a single molecule and dimers, followed by a series of classical molecular dynamics simulations that emulate four alternative crystalline structures. Calculated X-ray spectra are compared with those from experiments, and the results suggest that the features correspond to a dominant β-phase, although similarities in the calculated spectrum of alternative phases may imply the possible existence of polymorphism in this material. Since Li2Pc has been proposed as a solid electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries, the existence of ion-conducting channels is examined through the analyses of the simulated structures. Dynamical properties such as the lithium-ionic diffusion coefficient are determined through the velocity autocorrelation function and compared to experimental values.
Overview of the theory of highly charged ions

Abstract The theory of multiple electron transitions in atomic interactions is briefly reviewed. In general, two contributions are considered for transitions in systems with more than one electron: independent electron (uncorrelated) and multi-electron (correlated) contributions. In the simple independent electron approximation the correlation interaction between electrons is neglected. Including the electron-electron interactions is generally difficult and the interpretation of correlation mechanisms is generally not well established. Some effects of the interactions of electrons on two different atomic centers is understood and some understanding of the interrelation of scattering by photons and charged particles has been established.
Reactions of Alpha Particles with Iron-54 and Nickel-58

The excitation functions for the ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, p$), ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, n$), ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, \mathrm{pn}$), ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, 2n$), ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, 2pn$), and ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, p2n$) reactions of ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{54}$ and the ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, {\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}p$), ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, {\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}n$), ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, {\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}\mathrm{pn}$), and ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, {\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}2n$) reactions of ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{58}$ have been determined for alpha-particle energies up to 40 Mev. A large preference for proton emission is observed. At the maxima in the excitation functions, these ratios were obtained: $\frac{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, p)}{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, n)}=3.1$; $\frac{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, pn)}{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, 2n)}=70$; $\frac{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, {\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}p)}{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, {\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}n)}=6$; $\frac{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, 2pn)}{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, p2n)}=6.3$ (at 40 Mev); and $\frac{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, {\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}pn)}{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, {\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}2n)}=140$ (at 40 Mev). These results are discussed in terms of the compound-nucleus model. A value of ${r}_{0}=1.7$ fermis is required to fit the low-energy portion of the observed "total" cross section with total reaction cross section calculated from continuum theory.