cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hate Speech, Genocide, and Revisiting the "Marketplace of Ideas" in the Digital Age

I would like to thank the organizers of the Conference, particularly Kenneth Marcus and Alexander Tsesis, for the gracious invitation to speak to what is undoubtedly one of the most pressing themes commanding our attention—hate speech, incitement, and genocide. This Symposium comes at a time when historical truth struggles to endure in the face of attacks insidiously couched in human rights rhetoric. For example, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recurring and unequivocal assertions that Israel “should be wiped off the map,”1 an incitement to ultimately commit genocide,2 was—not coincidentally—tactically justified in human rights terms, as freedom of expression, inter alia.3 These occurrences are by no means isolated. Rather, they echo similar calls for the Jewish state’s annihilation during
Impact of ionomer resistance in nanofiber-nanoparticle electrodes for ultra-low platinum fuel cells

Abstract Previously, nanofiber-nanoparticle electrodes produced via a simultaneous electrospinning and electrospraying (E/E) process (E/E electrodes) resulted in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells with high power densities at ultra-low platinum (Pt) loadings (
E-141 Porcine carotid bifurcation model for the evaluation thromboembolic events after stent implantation

Background Thromboembolic complications are the most common adverse events associated with extracranial and intracranial stent placement. Currently no model exists for evaluation of distal embolic events that allows for testing of novel stent devices. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of a porcine carotid bifurcation model for the evaluation of thromboembolic events after stent placement. Materials and methods Six Yorkshire pigs underwent implantation of an Enterprise vascular reconstruction device (Enterprise) across the carotid bifurcation and a size-mathced pipeline embolization device (PED) was placed across the contralateral carotid bifurcation. The porcine rete mirabile, a small vessel conglomerate between the extra and intracranial circulation, acted as a filter for embolic debris. Two weeks after stent placement, follow up catheter angiography was performed and the size of the rete mirabile was measured to determine the incidence of thromboembolic events. Results Two pigs in the Enterprise group (33%) and two pigs in the PED group (33%) had distal thromboembolic events. Of the pigs with no thromboembolic event present at 2 weeks, the rete height measured 17.0±0.6 mm, the width 8.8±0.4 mm, and the rete area 134.4±6.9 mm2 (n=8). For the animals with thromboembolic events (n=4), the perfused rete was reduced to a height of 9.5±0.9 mm, a width of 4.6±0.1 mm, covering an area of 37.1±8.6 mm2 (p Discussion This study shows that the porcine carotid bifurcation is a useful in-vivo model for assessment of stent thrombogenicity. Distal embolic events are characterized by stent/branch occlusions, the endothelial response and a reduction in size of the rete mirabile. While the PED was associated with increased neoendothelialization compared to the Enterprise, both devices demonstrated similar thrombogenicity. Disclosures A. Griffin: None. E. Hauck: None.
Changes in Days of Unhealthy Alcohol Use and Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence, HIV RNA Levels, and Condomless Sex: A Secondary Analysis of Clinical Trial Data.

In a sample of people with HIV (PWH) enrolled in an alcohol intervention trial and followed for 12 months, we examined the association of changes in days (i.e., decrease, increase, no change [reference]) of unhealthy drinking (consuming ≥ 4/≥ 5 drinks for women/men) with antiretroviral therapy adherence (≥ 95% adherent), viral suppression (HIV RNA < 75 copies/mL), condomless sex with HIV-negative/unknown status partners, and dual-risk outcome (HIV RNA ≥ 75 copies/mL plus condomless sex). The sample included 566 PWH (96.8% male; 63.1% White; 93.9% HIV RNA < 75 copies/mL) who completed baseline, 6-, and 12-month assessments. Decrease in days of unhealthy drinking was associated with increased likelihood of viral suppression (odds ratio [OR] 3.78; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06, 13.51, P = .04) versus no change. Increase in days of unhealthy drinking was associated with increased likelihood of condomless sex (OR 3.13; 95% CI 1.60, 6.12, P < .001). Neither increase nor decrease were associated with adherence or dual-risk outcome. On a continuous scale, for each increase by 1 day of unhealthy drinking in the prior month, the odds of being 95% adherent decreased by 6% (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.88, 1.00, P = 0.04).
Real-World Practice Patterns in the Era of Rectal Indomethacin for Prophylaxis Against Post-ERCP Pancreatitis in a High-Risk Cohort.

INTRODUCTION The benefit of indomethacin suppositories for prophylaxis against post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) in high-risk patients was established in a landmark trial published in 2012. The aims of this study were to measure the adoption of indomethacin prophylaxis in widespread clinical practice, evaluate concurrent trends in pancreatic duct (PD) stent utilization, and estimate the impact of these changes on PEP in a high-risk population. METHODS Data were extracted from a commercial database (Explorys, IBM Watson Health, Somers, NY) that aggregates electronic health records from 26 US healthcare systems from 2009 to 2018. Using Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms, we identified a cohort of patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and were at high risk for PEP based on narrow criteria. PEP was defined as an emergency department or hospital admission 1-5 days after ERCP with an associated diagnosis of pancreatitis. RESULTS Twenty six thousand eight hundred twenty ERCPs were performed on this high-risk cohort from 2009 to 2018. The overall PEP rate during the study period was 8.6%. There was no decrease in PEP rates from 2012 to 2018. Beginning in 2012, indomethacin usage increased linearly (P < 0.001), but remained below 50% in 2018. As indomethacin increased, utilization of PD stents declined abruptly from 2013 to 2014 (40.7%-8.5%) and trended to a nadir of 3.0%. DISCUSSION Despite its low cost, widespread availability, and level I evidence of benefit in reducing the risk of PEP in high-risk patients, the adoption of rectal indomethacin during ERCP has been slow and the medication continues to be under-utilized. In parallel, the PD stent usage has declined dramatically. The lack of change in PEP rates during the study period could be attributable to the persistent low usage of rectal indomethacin or the decline in PD stent use. Further educational efforts and quality assurance measures are warranted to ensure that rectal indomethacin and PD stent placement are more appropriately used in clinical practice.
Mortality in children hospitalised with respiratory syncytial virus infection in Singapore.

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to investigate the trend and seasonality of infection due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) in Singapore and to examine the risk factors for mortality among children with RSV infection requiring admission to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). METHODS A retrospective study was conducted at KKH on children with RSV infections who were admitted to the PICU between January 2004 and December 2010. The medical records of children who died from RSV infections were reviewed. Linear regression was performed to determine the risk factors of RSV mortality. RESULTS RSV infection was documented in 5,785 children during the study period, occurring throughout the year, with a small increase in prevalence between the months of June and August annually. Among 85 (1.5%) of 5,785 children who were admitted to the PICU for RSV infection, 74 (1.3%) survived and there were 11 (0.2%) deaths. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that significant haemodynamically significant cardiac disease (odds ratio [OR] 12.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9-16.7, p = 0.05), immunodeficiency (OR 71.4, 95% CI 8.2-500, p < 0.001) and metabolic disease (OR 71.4, 95% CI 4.3-1,000, p = 0.003) were independent risk factors for mortality in RSV infections. Prematurity increased the risk of admission to the PICU but was not significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSION Children with haemodynamically significant cardiac disease, immunodeficiency and metabolic disease were at higher risk of death after hospitalisation for RSV-related illnesses. These children should be considered for palivizumab prophylaxis.
Genotype-by-genotype epistasis for exploratory behaviour in D. simulans

Social interactions can influence the expression and underlying genetic basis of many traits. Yet, empirical investigations of indirect genetic effects (IGEs) and genotype-by-genotype epistasis-quantitative genetics parameters representing the role of genetic variation in a focal individual and its interacting partners in producing the observed trait values-are still scarce. While it is commonly observed that an individual's traits are influenced by the traits of interacting conspecifics, representing social plasticity, studying this social plasticity and its quantitative-genetic basis is notoriously challenging. These challenges are compounded when individuals interact in groups, rather than (simpler) dyads. Here, we investigate the genetic architecture of social plasticity for exploratory behaviour, one of the most intensively studied behaviours in recent decades. Using genotypes of Drosophila simulans, we measured genotypes both alone, and in social groups representing a mix of two genotypes. We found that females adjusted their exploratory behaviour based on the behaviour of others in the group, representing social plasticity. However, the direction of this plasticity depended on the identity of group members: focal individuals were more likely to emerge from a refuge if group members who were the same genotype as the focal remained inside for longer. By contrast, focal individuals were less likely to emerge from a refuge if partner-genotype group members remained inside for longer. Exploratory behaviour also depended on the identities of both genotypes that composed the group. Together, these findings demonstrate genotype-by-genotype epistasis for exploratory behaviour both within and among groups.
Using Google Search Trends to Estimate Global Patterns in Learning

The use of the Internet for learning provides a unique and growing opportunity to revisit the task of quantifying how much people have learned about a given subject in different regions around the world. Google alone receives over 5 billion searches a day and its publicly available data provides insight into learning process that is otherwise unobservable on a global scale. In this paper we, introduce the Computer Science Literacy-Proxy Index via Search (CSLI-s), a measure that utilizes online search data to make an educated guess around trends in computer science education. This measure uses a statistical signal processing technique to compose search volumes from a spectrum of topics into a coherent score. We intentionally explore and mitigate the biases of search data and, in the process, develop CSLI-s scores that correlate with traditional, more expensive metrics of learning. We then use search-trend data to measure patterns in subject literacy across countries and over time. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first measure of learning via Internet search-trends. The Internet is becoming a standard tool for learners and, as such, we anticipate search-trend data will have growing relevance to the learning science community.
Left Subclavian Pseudoaneurysm: A Case of Palsies in the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve, Phrenic Nerve, and Brachial Plexus.

A patient developed a subclavian pseudoaneurysm following placement of an intravascular catheter for cancer treatment. The patient presented with palsies in the phrenic nerve, brachial plexus, and ...
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis with meningitis in a child with disseminated staphylococcal disease

The availability of anti-staphylococcal antibiotics today has revolutionized the treatment strategies to fight Staphylococcus aureus. However, its virulent nature still remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in the pediatric age group. It presents with a wide spectrum of illnesses ranging from minor skin and soft-tissue infections to fatal necrotizing pneumonia and disseminated disease. However, its presentation as meningitis with septic venous sinus thrombosis in pediatrics remains a rare complication till date. We present the case of an 8-month-old girl child with disseminated staphylococcal disease (DSD) caused by community-acquired methicillin-sensitive S. aureus and complicated by acute mastoiditis, meningitis, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. This rare and severe manifestation of DSD was managed successfully with intravenous antibiotics and systemic anticoagulation.
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines induce a greater array of spike-specific antibody isotypes with more potent complement binding capacity than natural infection

BackgroundMass vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is on-going in the United States with vaccines approved for emergency use by the FDA. Each vaccine can induce spike-specific antibodies (Abs) with virus-neutralizing activities; however, the Fc-mediated Ab activities have received little attention. Moreover, while plasma/serum Abs are commonly studied, scant information is available about Abs in the respiratory mucosa, the site of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. MethodsPlasma and saliva were collected from mRNA vaccine recipients and convalescent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Antigen-specific total Ig and Ig isotypes were measured. In addition to virus neutralization, Fc-mediated activities were investigated, including antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) and complement deposition. ResultsSimilar to infection, vaccination stimulated spike-specific Ab responses detected in plasma and saliva, with IgG1 as the dominant isotype. Interestingly, vaccination produced greater IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 responses and higher ratios of (IgG1+IgG3)/(IgG2+IgG4) than infection. Moreover, while plasma neutralization and ADCP potencies were comparable in vaccinated and convalescent individuals, vaccine-induced plasma Abs elicited stronger complement binding and activation. ConclusionCompared with natural infection, mRNA vaccines induced a greater array of IgG subtypes against spike in saliva and plasma. The vaccine-induced Abs were also more potent in mediating complement activation.
MDS-083: Huntsman Cancer Institute Survival Analysis of Genetic Mutations in Patients with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia

Context: Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a rare hematopoietic stem cell disorder that predominantly affects the elderly. Previous genetic analysis supports the presence of mutations including ASXL1, TET2, spliceosome components (SF3B1, SRSF2, U2AF1, and ZRSR2), and the oncogenic RAS pathway (NRAS, KRAS, CBL, PTPN11, and NF1). Objective: As part of a precision cancer surveillance to increase our basic, translational, and clinical understanding of rare diseases at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, we identified a cohort of patients with CMML treated at our institution. This report reports their clinical and molecular characteristics based on standard of care molecular profiling with myeloid next-generation sequencing. We also describe the overall survival of patients with molecular profiles of interest. Design: We extracted data from 57 CMML patients from the Huntsman Cancer Institute electronic health record system. We categorized the patients using their first bone marrow myeloid malignancy panel diagnosis between October 2009 and September 2020. We reviewed their charts for the following information elements: date of birth, sex, vital status, bone marrow biopsy, CMML diagnosis, and date of death or last follow-up. Our analysis was performed by producing Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Results: We identified a total of 34 gene mutationstal Saint-Louis, Paris, France
Rate-distortion analysis of random access for compressed light fields

Image-based rendering data sets, such as light fields, require efficient compression due to their large data size, but also easy random access when rendering from the data set. Efficient compression usually depends upon prediction between images, which creates dependencies between them, conflicting with the requirement of having easy random access. Existing light field coders concentrate either on compression efficiency, or use ad hoc methods to design prediction that balances random access and compression efficiency requirements. In this paper, we study this joint problem of compression efficiency and random access. We propose a model for light field image generation, light field image coding and rendering novel views from these light field images. We present a view-dependent rate-distortion measure that allows us to consider random access and compression efficiency simultaneously. We compare the theoretical results from the model with the experimental results from our DCT-based coder and show that they qualitatively give similar results. Finally, we suggest how. with this model, we can better optimize the prediction dependency structure in our coder for random access and compression efficiency performance.
Paint Failure, Steel Surface Quality and Accelerated Corrosion Testing

Carbonaceous deposits on steel adversely affect the salt spray performance of painted steel, with a strong correlation between the amount of surface carbon and the time to salt spray failure. The carbonaceous residues, formed during the steelmaking process, interfere with the deposition of an effective zinc phosphate conversion coating. The poor performance of a painted steel with high surface carbon is attributable to excessive porosity in the phosphate coating. Cathodic electrocoats containing alkaline resistant resins have shown a relative insensitivity to cathodic undercutting in salt spray tests. A rapid corrosion test for painted steel has been developed which incorporates conditions encountered in service but as yet not used in currently accepted corrosion tests for painted steel. The addition of freeze/dry cycles, with surface dust contamination and the use of a higher test temperature in a salt immersion/humidity test produces substantially earlier failures than with the conventional salt spray test.
The cholinergic properties of some amino-acid esters and amides

1 Several amino-acid esters and amides have been prepared and their toxicological and pharmacological properties have been investigated. Some of the quaternary esters and amides were lethal to mice at doses below 1 mg/kg; this lethality was usually associated with high nicotinic activity. None of the compounds showed high muscarinic activity. 2 The cause of death was asphyxia due to paralysis of the respiratory muscles, but at higher doses there was also failure of the medullary respiratory centre. 3 Administration of sub-lethal doses of nicotine to mice was shown to protect the animals from subsequent lethal doses of nicotine. The amino-acid esters did not share this property, nor was there any cross-protection between nicotine and these esters. 4 The possible nature of the nicotinic receptor is discussed with reference to these compounds and other known nicotinic agents. A tentative suggestion is made that nicotinic activity can result from a two-point interaction between the drug and the receptor.
Multipass communication systems for tiled processor architectures

Multipass communication systems utilize multiple sets of parallel baseband receiver functions to balance communication data rates and available computation capabilities. This is achieved by spatially pipelining baseband functions across parallel resources to perform multiple processing passes on the same set of received values, thus allowing the system to simultaneously convey multiple sequences of data using a single wireless link. The use of multiple passes mitigates the effects of data rate on receiver processing bottlenecks, making the use of general-purpose processing elements for high data rate communication functions viable. The flexibility of general-purpose processing, in turn, allows the receiver composition to trade-off resource usage and required processing rate. For instance, a communication system could be distributed across 2 passes using 2× the overall area, but reducing the data rate for each pass and the resultant overall required processing rate, and hence clock speed, by 1/2. Lowering the clock speed can also be leveraged to reduce power through voltage scaling and/or the use of higher Vt devices. The characteristics of general-purpose parallel processors for communications processing are explored, as well as the applicability of specific parallel designs to communications processing. In particular, an in depth look is taken of the Raw processor's tiled architecture as a general-purpose parallel processor particularly well suited to portable communications processing. An example of a multipass system, based on the 802.11a baseband, implemented on the Raw processor along with the accompanying hardware implementation is presented as both a proof-of-concept, as well as a means to explore some of the advantages and trade-offs of such a system. A bit-error rate study is presented which shows this multipass system to be within a small fraction of 1dB of the performance of an equivalent data rate single pass system, thus demonstrating the viability of the multipass algorithm. In addition, the capability of tiled processors to maximize processing capabilities at the system block level, as well as the system architectural level, is shown. Parallel implementations of two processing intensive functions: the FFT and the Viterbi decoder are shown. A parallelized assembly language FFT utilizing 16 tiles is shown to have a 1,000× improvement, and a parallelized 48-tile assembly language Viterbi decoder is shown to have a 10,000× improvement over corresponding serial C implementations. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
EFFECT OF SOLVENTS ON STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF IONOMERS

Various analytical techniques (FTIR, ESR, SAXS, and dynamic mechanical analysis) were used to study the effect of low molecular weight solvents (diluents) on structure and properties of sulfonated polystyrene ionomers. The results were interpreted in terms of a two phase morphology for the ionomer where polar solvents interact most strongly with the ionic-rich phase and non-polar solvents with the ion-poor phase. Spectroscopic evidence is presented that demonstrates the relative ability of different solvents to perturb the local ionic interactions that are prevalent in these materials.
Realism's Military/Technical Wing and International Politics

The Limits of U.S. Military Capability: Lessons from Vietnam and Iraq. By James H. Lebovic Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010. 297 pp., $50.00 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-0-801-89472-5). The Problem of Force: Grappling with the Global Battlefield. By Simon W. Murden Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2009. 233 pp., $55.00 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-1-588-26649-1). The Iraq Wars and America's Military Revolution. By Keith L. Shimko New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010. 249 pp, $27.99 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-521-12884-1). The Vietnam War and the Iraq wars of 1990–91 and 2003 extended debates on military doctrine which had been under way since President Truman and General MacArthur's fallout over the more appropriate military strategy for the Korean War in 1950. In purely military terms, since then the division has been between the Never-Again School on the one hand and the Limited War School on the other. The former argued for all-or-nothing interventions, that is, “either the United States should be prepared to do everything necessary to win or it should not intervene at all” (George/Craig 1995:261). As for the latter, it suggested that the United States “might well have to fight limited wars again” after Korea and, in order to prevent escalation in the nuclear age, “the United States would most likely have to limit its objectives and the military means it employed” (ibid., 261, 262). The 1991 Iraq War reflected the Never-Again approach, while both the Vietnam War and 2003 Iraq War, in their respective ways, drew on the Limited War School . Since the most recent of these wars is a major concern in the books under consideration, the interplay between technological change and the conduct of foreign policy should be expected to deserve extended attention. This is especially true since one line of thinking about US foreign policy was to proactively take advantage of the “unipolar moment,” which was assumed would last only for a limited period in time, and the use of cutting-edge RMA technologies for specific policies (for example, regime change) under Defense Secretary Rumsfeld would have offered an interesting field for the analysis of the tension between technology and politics (Buzan/Hansen 2009:53–4).2 Unfortunately, the books do not assess this aspect. From the viewpoint of a recent sociology of International Security Studies, the …
Helicobacter pylori bacteria alter the p53 stress response via ERK-HDM2 pathway

H. pylori infection is the strongest known risk factor for gastric cancer. Inhibition of host tumor suppressor mechanisms by the bacteria underlies the development of this disease. Among the tumor suppressors affected by H. pylori are p53 and E-cadherin, which inhibition has been shown to increase the risk of gastric cancer. In this report, we investigated the interaction between E-cadherin and p53 in H. pylori-infected cells. We found that downregulation of E-cadherin leads to cellular stress and activation of p53. In the setting of H. pylori infection, this mechanism, however, is disrupted. We found that although co-culture of gastric epithelial cells with H. pylori led to downregulation of E-cadherin and cellular stress, it resulted in inhibition of p53, which is mediated by intracellular Erk kinases and HDM2 protein induced by H. pylori. Experimental inhibition of HDM2/p53 interactions restored p53 activity, and decreased survival of infected cells. Collectively, our results revealed that regulation of p53 and E-cadherin is tightly linked through the p53 stress response mechanism that is inhibited by H. pylori via activation of Erk1/2-HDM2-p53 pathway leading to survival of damaged cells. This might be advantageous to the bacteria but may increase the cancer risk.
Avoiding Regulatory Constraints: Contracting Safeguards and the Role of Informal Agreements

For all their differences, the two leading economic theories of regulation share a preoccupation with the issue of monopoly. According to the populist or public interest view, government restrictions function to bring monopoly pricing under control. The Chicago school, though, regards industries as seeking and enforcing regulations in order to promote their own cartel purposes. This preoccupation with monopoly has given us an era of"all or nothing" policy prescriptions. Depending on which of the leading theories he or she subscribes to, the policy analyst turns out to be invariably for or invariably against regulation. The formula may be easy to remember, but the results are often disappointing. Fortunately, the emerging new institutional economics (Williamson, 1975; 1976; 1979; 1983; Goldberg; Klein et al.; Palay, 1984) provides an alternative approach to the study of regulation. Its policy prescription is "use it when it works" and it provides a theoretical framework for determining when that might be. The framework begins with an examination of the explicit or implicit contract needed to implement some objective. But rather than concentrate solely on contract terms, the new theory also turns its attention to the institutional arrangement-that is, the governance structure
More ways to tile with only one shape polygon

I have exhibited several types of monotiles with matching rules that force the construction of a hexagonal parquet. The isohedral number of the resulting tiling can be made as large as desired by increasing the aspect ratio of the monotile. Aside from illustrating some elegant peculiarities of the hexagonal parquet tiling, the constructions demonstrate three points. 1. Monotiles with arbitrarily large isohedral number do exist; 2. The additional topological possibilities afforded in 3D allow construction of a simply connected monotile with a rule enforced by shape only, which is impossible for the hexagonal parquet in 2D; 3. The precise statement of the tiling problem matters— whether color matching rules are allowed; whether multiply connected shapes are allowed; whether spacefilling is required as opposed to just maximum density. So what about the quest for thek = ∞ monotile? Schmitt.
Distinctive Roles for 2′,5′-Oligoadenylate Synthetases and Double-Stranded RNA-Dependent Protein Kinase R in the In Vivo Antiviral Effect of an Adenoviral Vector Expressing Murine IFN-β

To evaluate the anti-HSV-1 mechanisms of murine IFN-beta in ocular infection, mice were transduced with an adenoviral vector expressing murine IFN-beta (Ad:IFN-beta). Ocular transduction with Ad:IFN-beta resulted in enhanced survival following infection with HSV-1. The protective effect was associated with a reduction in 1) viral titer, 2) viral gene expression, 3) IFN-gamma levels, and 4) the percentage of CD8(+) T lymphocyte and NK cell infiltration in infected tissue. Expression of IFN-beta resulted in an elevation of the IFN-induced antiviral gene 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS1a) but not dsRNA-dependent protein kinase R (PKR) in the cornea and trigeminal ganglion (TG). Mice deficient in the downstream effector molecule of the OAS pathway, RNase L, were no more sensitive to ocular HSV-1 compared with wild-type controls in the TG based on measurements of viral titer. However, the efficacy of Ad:IFN-beta was transiently lost in the eyes of RNase L mice. By comparison, PKR-deficient mice were more susceptible to ocular HSV-1 infection, and the antiviral efficacy following transduction with Ad:IFN-beta was significantly diminished in the eye and TG. These results suggest that PKR is central in controlling ocular HSV-1 infection in the absence of exogenous IFN, whereas the OAS pathway appears to respond to exogenous IFN, contributing to the establishment of an antiviral environment in a tissue-restricted manner.
Refined thresholds for non-linear ground motion and temporal changes of site response associated with medium-size earthquakes

SUMMARY We systematically analyse non-linear effects and temporal changes of site response associated with medium-size earthquakes, using seismic data recorded by the Japanese Strong Motion Network KIK-Net. We apply a sliding-window spectral ratio technique to surface and borehole strong motion records at six sites, and stack results associated with different earthquakes that produce similar peak ground acceleration (PGA). In some cases we observe a weak coseismic drop in the peak frequency when the PGA is as small as ∼20–30 Gal, and near instantaneous recovery after the passage of the direct S waves. The percentage of drop in the peak frequency starts to increase with increasing PGA values. We also observe a coseismic drop in the peak spectral ratio for two sites. When the PGA is larger than ∼60 Gal to more than 100 Gal, we observe considerably stronger drops of the peak frequencies followed by logarithmic recovery with time. The observed weak reductions of peak frequencies with near instantaneous recovery likely reflect non-linear response with essentially fixed level of damage, while the larger drops followed by logarithmic recovery reflect the generation (and then recovery) of additional rock damage. The results indicate clearly that non-linear site response may occur during medium-size earthquakes, and that the PGA threshold for in situ non-linear behaviour is lower than the previously thought value of ∼100–200 Gal.
Augmentative and alternative communication and cell phone use: one off-the-shelf solution and some policy considerations.

Use of cell phones has grown dramatically; however, there remains a gap between people with disabilities and the general public in regard to access to cellular telephony. This article describes the importance of cell phone use among people who use augmentative communication devices. An “off-the-shelf” solution is described and illustrated with the goal of improving access to mobile communication among individuals with significant communication disabilities. Finally, a discussion of the need for universal design of cell phones that includes such features as infrared ports, volume range, speakerphones, matrix displays, EZ buttons, voice dialing, and messaging is presented.
Characteristics of attachment organization and play organization in prenatally drug-exposed toddlers

Prenatally drug-exposed toddlers were compared to preterm toddlers of similar low socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and single-parent households on intellectual functioning, quality of play, and security of attachment to the primary caregiver. The drug-exposed toddlers had significantly lower developmental scores, less representational play, and the majority had insecure, disorganized, avoidant attachments. In all areas investigated, the prenatally drug-exposed toddlers showed more subtle behavioral deficits within each domain. Although developmental quotients were within the average range, they were significantly lower than the preterm comparison group and did not adequately represent the more evident deficits seen through play in an unstructured situation. Unstructured assessments that required the child's initiation, goal setting, and follow-through were more revealing of developmental disorganization within and among domains than were adult structured assessments such as developmental tests. While modest differences were seen in structured tasks, the marked differences between the drug-exposed and preterm groups were most evident in the unstructured tasks. The lack of coherence across developmental domains was illustrated by the large difference between developmental quotient scores and the poor performance in the cognitive representional competencies demonstrated in play. Insecurity and disorganization in attachment were found to compromise further the development of the drug-exposed toddlers.
Evaluation of the Clinical Utility of Routine Daily Chest Radiography in Intensive Care Unit Patients With Tracheostomy Tubes A Retrospective Review

Background:The utilization of imaging procedures is under scrutiny due to high costs and radiation exposure to patients and staff associated with some radiologic procedures. Within our institution’s intensive care unit (ICU), it is common for patients to undergo chest radiography (CR) not only immediately following tracheostomy tube placement but also on a daily basis, irrespective of the patient’s clinical status. We hypothesize that the clinical utility of performing routine daily CR on patients with tracheostomy tubes is low and leads to unnecessary financial cost.Methods:A retrospective medical chart review was done on 761 CRs performed on 79 ICU patients with tracheostomy from April 2010 to July 2011. We searched the radiology reports of the 761 CRs for the presence of new radiographically detected complications and reviewed medical records to determine which complications were clinically suspected and which radiology reports led to changes in patient management.Results:Of the 761 CRs, only 18 (2.3%)...
Amelioration of functional deficits from spinal cord trauma with systemically administered NBQX, an antagonist of non-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors

Excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptors play a significant role in delayed neuronal death after ischemic and traumatic injury to the CNS. Recent data based on focal microinjection experiments have demonstrated that 2,3-dihydro-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo(f)quinoxaline (NBQX), a highly selective and potent antagonist of non-N-methyl-D-aspartate ionotropic EAA receptors, i.e., those preferring alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) or kainate, can reduce histopathology and functional deficits after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Thus, non-NMDA receptors at or near the injury site appear to be important in secondary injury processes that contribute significantly to the consequences of SCI. We have now examined the effects of systemic NBQX, using intravenous infusion, the most commonly used and temporally efficient clinical mode of drug administration. Standardized contusive SCI was produced at the T8 vertebral level in Sprague-Dawley rats. Beginning at 15 min postin-jury, NBQX was administered intravenously at 1 mg/kg/min for 30 min. Behavioral tests of hindlimb functional deficits were performed at 1 day and weekly for 1 month after SCI. Spinal cord tissue was then examined morphometrically to compare lesion size and amount of spared tissue. We found that intravenous administration of NBQX significantly reduced functional impairment after SCI. The effects included more rapid and extensive recovery of hindlimb reflexes, more rapid establishment of a reflex bladder, and a more rapid and greater degree of recovery of coordinated use of hindlimbs in open field locomotion, swimming, and maintaining position on an inclined plane. The profile of effects was similar to that seen with focal microinjection of NBQX, suggesting that even with systemic administration, the drug acts mainly at the injury site. Further, the results support a therapeutic potential for NBQX, or similar drugs that antagonize non-NMDA receptors and inhibit secondary injury processes after SCI.
Apparent Incentive Contrast Effects in Autoshaping with Rats

Abstract The effects of shifts in reward quality and quantity on Pavlovian acquisition were studied in rats. In Experiment 1, animals preexposed to unsignaled food pellets, 10% sucrose solution, or home cage controls subsequently received autoshaping training (response-independent lever-pellet or lever-solution pairings, in three groups each). Unsignaled preexposure to sucrose solution facilitated autoshaping for pellets (relative to unshifted controls), whereas unsignaled preexposure to pellets retarded autoshaping for sucrose solution. In Experiment 2, unsignaled preexposure to 30% sucrose solution impaired acquisition reinforced by food pellets, relative to 2% solution. Using a choice procedure, Experiment 3 demonstrated that rats prefer pellets to either 2 or 10% sucrose solutions, but they prefer the 30% solution to the pellets. Experiment 4 demonstrated the facilitatory effect after an upward shift in reward magnitude rather than quality (from 1 to 12 pellets), but provided weaker evidence for retardation following a downward magnitude shift. Experiment 5 was similar to Experiment 4, except that animals received autoshaping training from the outset. No evidence of successive positive contrast was obtained, but there was a significant successive negative contrast effect. Moreover, extinction was faster after acquisition with 12 pellets rather than 1. These results suggest the presence of incentive contrast effects under Pavlovian training conditions.
Innervation of the levator ani muscles: description of the nerve branches to the pubococcygeus, iliococcygeus, and puborectalis muscles

We described the innervation of the levator ani muscles (LAM) in human female cadavers. Detailed pelvic dissections of the pubococcygeus (PCM), iliococcygeus (ICM), and puborectalis muscles (PRM) were performed on 17 formaldehyde-fixed cadavers. The pudendal nerve and the sacral nerves entering the pelvis were traced thoroughly, and nerve branches innervating the LAM were documented. Histological analysis of nerve branches entering the LAM confirmed myelinated nerve tissue. LAM were innervated by the pudendal nerve branches, perineal nerve, and inferior rectal nerve (IRN) in 15 (88.2%) and 6 (35.3%) cadavers, respectively, and by the direct sacral nerves S3 and/or S4 in 12 cadavers (70.6%). A variant IRN, independent of the pudendal nerve, was found to innervate the LAM in seven (41.2%) cadavers. The PCM and the PRM were both primarily innervated by the pudendal nerve branches in 13 cadavers (76.5%) each. The ICM was primarily innervated by the direct sacral nerves S3 and/or S4 in 11 cadavers (64.7%).
Effect of raphe lesions on the circadian pattern of wheel running in the rat

Abstract In order to investigate whether a serotoninergic (5-HT) system might be involved in the regulation of the circadian pattern of wheel running in rats, the effect on running of ablation of the medial and dorsal raphe nuclei was studied. It was found that sham lesioned and dorsal raphe lesioned animals initially displayed reduced total daily running, although the animals returned to preoperative running levels by the end of testing. Throughout the entire period there was no effect upon the circadian distribution of running in the two groups. During the first week following surgery, however, the animals which had received both medial and dorsal raphe lesions were initially hyperactive, showing a 200% increase in running during the light period. For one week following surgery and then throughout the rest of the testing period the total amount of running of this group dropped below control levels while the circadian pattern of running returned to normal. These data suggest that although a 5-HT system projecting from the medial raphe may modulate the circadian pattern of running, the system is not essential and other neural components can compensate for the absence of this system.
Cerebrospinal fluid norepinephrine reductions in man after degeneration and electrical stimulation of the caudate nucleus.

Lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) norepinephrine concentrations determined by radioenzymatic assay in 9 patients with caudate atrophy associated with Huntington's disease were lower (p < 0.02) than those in 9 age- and sex-matched control patients. Preoperative lumbar CSF norepinephrine concentrations were determined in 5 patients undergoing stereotaxic thalamotomy. No significant alterations in prestimulation lumbar CSF norepinephrine levels were recorded 12 days after electrode installation and thalamic coagulation. Lumbar CSF norepinephrine concentrations were reduced (p < 0.03), however, 12 hours following intermittent selective electrical stimulation of the caudate nucleus. These data suggest that noradrenergic pathways in man are (1) impaired in Huntington's disease and (2) inhibited by direct caudate stimulation.
Land-contingent poverty alleviation schemes

Abstract Target groups for rural poverty alleviation schemes in South Asia and elsewhere have often been identified in terms of their landholding class, with landless or near landless households being the intended beneficiaries. This paper offers a quantitative approach to the analysis and design of land-contingent poverty alleviation schemes. An application to Bangladesh suggests that, when income is generally unobserved, landholding class is a good instrument for targeting poverty relief, in that it is strongly correlated with the informationally feasible allocations which minimize aggregate poverty for a given budget. It is, however, far from being a perfect instrument. Even under otherwise ideal conditions, the maximum feasible reduction in poverty which is attainable by relying solely on land-based targeting is substantially less than that attainable with perfect income information. Indeed, the poverty alleviation impact of domestically financed and revenue-neutral transfers across 10 landholding classes in rural Bangladesh could also be achieved without targeting by simply giving every household a lump-sum payment equivalent to 10% of mean rural income. Political restrictions on tax powers or errors made in administration will further reduce the gains from land-contingent targeting. Greater impact on poverty for a given budgetary cost will require more precise targeting within landholding classes.
Fourier Transform and Intracavity Laser Spectroscopy of NiCl System H: Identification of a [12.3] 2Σ+ State

Abstract The (0,0) vibronic band of NiCl system H near 12 259 cm −1 was recorded at high resolution in absorption using intracavity laser spectroscopy (ILS) and in emission by Fourier transform (FT) spectroscopy. Though it was originally assigned in 1962 as the (1,1) vibronic band of 2 Π 3/2 – X 2 Δ 5/2 , we have shown that this transition is the (0,0) vibronic band associated with a newly identified 2 Σ + excited state and the X 2 Π 3/2 ground state. The molecular constants for the new 2 Σ + electronic state were derived from the rotational analysis. For the ILS absorption spectra, the NiCl molecules were produced in a nickel hollow cathode, operated with a small amount of CCl 4 . Line positions were referenced to iodine spectra observed from a heated extracavity cell using the intracavity laser as the light source. For the FT spectra, excited NiCl molecules were produced in a King-type carbon tube furnace.
Evolution of solar magnetic fields - A new approach to MHD initial-boundary value problems by the method of nearcharacteristics

A method of analysis for the MHD initial-boundary problem is presented in which the model's formulation is based on the method of nearcharacteristics developed by Werner (1968) and modified by Shin and Kot (1978). With this method, the physical causality relationship can be traced from the perturbation to the response as in the method of characteristics, while achieving the advantage of a considerable reduction in mathematical procedures. The method offers the advantage of examining not only the evolution of nonforce free fields, but also the changes of physical conditions in the atmosphere accompanying the evolution of magnetic fields. The physical validity of the method is demonstrated with examples, and their significance in interpreting observations is discussed.
Growth of single crystals from metallic fluxes

Abstract Our experience with the growth of a wide variety of intermetallic compounds from molten fluxes is reviewed. Common problems associated with this method of sample growth are discussed, as are problems and advantages of particular fluxes.
Monoallelic expression of the human FOXP2 speech gene

The recent descriptions of widespread random monoallelic expression (RMAE) of genes distributed throughout the autosomal genome indicate that there are more genes subject to RMAE on autosomes than the number of genes on the X chromosome where X-inactivation dictates RMAE of X-linked genes. Several of the autosomal genes that undergo RMAE have independently been implicated in human Mendelian disorders. Thus, parsing the relationship between allele-specific expression of these genes and disease is of interest. Mutations in the human forkhead box P2 gene, FOXP2, cause developmental verbal dyspraxia with profound speech and language deficits. Here, we show that the human FOXP2 gene undergoes RMAE. Studying an individual with developmental verbal dyspraxia, we identify a deletion 3 Mb away from the FOXP2 gene, which impacts FOXP2 gene expression in cis. Together these data suggest the intriguing possibility that RMAE impacts the haploinsufficiency phenotypes observed for FOXP2 mutations.