cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ventriculomegaly and postoperative lateral/third ventricular blood as predictors of cerebrospinal fluid diversion following posterior fossa tumor resection.

Objective Postoperative hydrocephalus occurs in one-third of children after posterior fossa tumor resection. Although models to predict the need for CSF diversion after resection exist for preoperative variables, it is unknown which postoperative variables predict the need for CSF diversion. In this study, the authors sought to determine the clinical and radiographic predictors for CSF diversion in children following posterior fossa tumor resection. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study involving patients ≤ 18 years of age who underwent resection of a primary posterior fossa tumor between 2000 and 2018. The primary outcome was the need for CSF diversion 6 months after surgery. Candidate predictors for CSF diversion including age, race, sex, frontal occipital horn ratio (FOHR), tumor type, tumor volume and location, transependymal edema, papilledema, presence of postoperative intraventricular blood, and residual tumor were evaluated using a best subset selection method with logistic regression. Results Of the 63 included patients, 26 (41.3%) had CSF diversion at 6 months. Patients who required CSF diversion had a higher median FOHR (0.5 vs 0.4) and a higher percentage of postoperative intraventricular blood (30.8% vs 2.7%) compared with those who did not. A 0.1-unit increase in FOHR or intraventricular blood was associated with increased odds of CSF diversion (OR 2.9 [95% CI 1.3-7.8], p = 0.02 and OR 20.2 [95% CI 2.9-423.1], p = 0.01, respectively) with an overfitting-corrected concordance index of 0.68 (95% CI 0.56-0.80). Conclusions The preoperative FOHR and postoperative intraventricular blood were significant predictors of the need for permanent CSF diversion within 6 months after posterior fossa tumor resection in children.
PSA: Declining utilization of prostate brachytherapy.

Abstract PURPOSE To analyze rates of brachytherapy use for prostate cancer over time and evaluate patient characteristics, demographics and factors predictive for its utilization. METHODS Data was retrospectively analyzed from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) for patients with localized prostate cancer treated between 2010 and 2015. Patients were included if they had biopsy confirmed localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate, were treated with radiation as definitive local therapy, and were at least 18 years old. Utilization rates of external beam radiation (EBRT), brachytherapy (BT) and combination (EBRT + BT) were evaluated over time. Univariable (UVA) and backwards elimination multivariable (MVA) analysis were performed to determine characteristics predictive for brachytherapy use. RESULTS We analyzed 178,837 patients with localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate treated between 2010 and 2015 with radiation therapy. During this period, the use of EBRT increased from 67% to 78%, BT (both monotherapy and combination with EBRT) decreased from 33% to 22%, BT monotherapy decreased from 25% to 16% and EBRT + BT decreased from 8% to 6%. Age >70, government funded insurance or lack of insurance, intermediate or high-risk disease and treatment at an academic center were associated with significantly lower utilization of brachytherapy (all p CONCLUSION Rates of brachytherapy utilization for the treatment of prostate cancer continue to decrease over time. Treatment at an academic center was associated with reduced likelihood of brachytherapy use. This has significant implications for the training of future radiation oncology residents/fellows and direct consequences for both our patients and healthcare expenditure.
Production of axions during scattering of Alfven waves by fast-moving Schwarzschild black holes

We discuss a novel mechanism of axion production during scattering of Alfven waves by a fast moving Schwarzschild black holes. The process couples classical macroscopic objects, and effectively large amplitude electromagnetic (EM) waves, to microscopic axions. The key ingredient is that the motion of a black hole (BH) across magnetic field creates classical non-zero second Poincare invariant, the electromagnetic anomaly (Lyutikov 2011). In the case of magnetized plasma supporting Alfven wave, it is the fluctuating component of the magnetic field that contributes to the anomaly: for sufficiency small BH moving with the super-Alfvenic velocity the plasma does not have enough time to screen the parallel electric field. This creates time-dependent $ {\bf E} \cdot {\bf B} \neq 0$, and production of axions via the axion-EM coupling.
Modelling of Dynamically Positioned vessels and managed ice-field interactions using multiple regression techniques

Abstract Empirical models based on full-scale or model scale measurements are often preferred over high-fidelity numerical models when real-time predictions for ice actions on ships and floating offshore platforms are needed. This paper presents multiple regression-based empirical models for predicting a Dynamically Position (DP) controlled vessel and managed ice-field interactions developed using a large dataset from ice basin tests of two distinct DP-controlled vessels. The authors carried out a detailed analysis of measurements from two physical modelling programs for developing a unique database. A multiple regression modelling procedure was developed to predict the time-averaged and average peaks of forces and moment of the DP-controlled vessels due to ice actions in multiple configurations of managed ice-field. The models were validated using model scale measurements for the predictions of time-averaged and average peak responses. The models were then used to evaluate the effects of each ice-field parameter on vessel forces and moment and interaction event parameters. The models presented in this paper showed reasonable accuracy in predicting the effects of several ice-field parameters on the forces and moments of two distinct DP-controlled vessels in a range of realistic operating conditions.
Myocardial Dysfunction and Shock after Cardiac Arrest

Postarrest myocardial dysfunction includes the development of low cardiac output or ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction after cardiac arrest. Impaired left ventricular systolic function is reported in nearly two-thirds of patients resuscitated after cardiac arrest. Hypotension and shock requiring vasopressor support are similarly common after cardiac arrest. Whereas shock requiring vasopressor support is consistently associated with an adverse outcome after cardiac arrest, the association between myocardial dysfunction and outcomes is less clear. Myocardial dysfunction and shock after cardiac arrest develop as the result of preexisting cardiac pathology with multiple superimposed insults from resuscitation. The pathophysiology involves cardiovascular ischemia/reperfusion injury and cardiovascular toxicity from excessive levels of inflammatory cytokine activation and catecholamines, among other contributing factors. Similar mechanisms occur in myocardial dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass, in sepsis, and in stress-induced cardiomyopathy. Hemodynamic stabilization after resuscitation from cardiac arrest involves restoration of preload, vasopressors to support arterial pressure, and inotropic support if needed to reverse the effects of myocardial dysfunction and improve systemic perfusion. Further research is needed to define the role of postarrest myocardial dysfunction on cardiac arrest outcomes and identify therapeutic strategies.
Huntington's Disease – A Brief Historical Perspective

Although the disease today known as Huntington's was described as early as the mid-19th century, knowledgeable physicians despaired of finding successful therapies and affected families largely kept it hidden. Starting in the late 1960 s, the confluence of grass-roots advocacy by HD family members, advances in Parkinson's treatment, and the development of molecular genetics and neuroscience helped turn HD into a focus of growing biomedical research. While therapies lag behind laboratory discoveries, disease altering interventions are now moving closer to the clinic. The Journal of Huntington's Disease is a welcome new resource in this effort.
FIML Estimation of Sample Selection Models for Count Data

The econometric issue of sample selection concerns the possible biases that arise when a nonrandomly sampled set of observations from a population is used as if the sample were random to make inferences about that population. Current literature, with a few exceptions noted below, has focused on, and finely tuned, the known results relating to this issue in the framework of the linear regression model and analysis of a continuous dependent variable, such as hours worked or wages. This paper will examine an extension of the sample selection model to the Poisson regression model for discrete, count data, such as numbers of patents, of children, of visits to facilities such as shops or recreation sites, of convictions for crimes committed, and so on.
Evaluation of 41 elite and exotic inbred Sorghum genotypes for high quality callus production

Interest is high in the genetic study and improvement of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), a crop of worldwide agronomic importance. The ability to initiate and maintain high quality (pigmentless, mucilage-free, fast growing, type II) callus cultures from a variety of sorghum genotypes is important for certain tissue culture-based genetic studies. The objective of this study was to identify high-quality callus-producing genotypes from a group of 41 diverse inbred sorghum lines. Callus cultures of 20 elite inbred sorghum genotypes and 21 inbred genotypes of exotic background were initiated from immature inflorescences. The cultures were subjected to several cycles of subculturing with selection for high quality callus growth, then rated for the callus quality traits pigment/tannin production, mucilage production, embryogenesis, and friability. Genotypic effects on each of the traits was highly significant. The range in quality of callus produced by different sorghum genotypes was large. Based on mean ratings assigned for each of the traits, 7 elite inbred genotypes and 5 nonelite genotypes were identified as producers of high quality callus.
Recursive Lagrangian Dynamics of Flexible Manipulator Arms via Transformation Matrices

Abstract The nonlinear equations of motion for flexible manipulator arms consisting of rotary joints connecting two flexible links are developed. Kinematics of both the rotary joint motion and the link deformation are described by 4×4 transformation matrices. The link deflection is assumed small so that the link transformation can be composed of summations of assumed link shapes. The resulting equations are presented as scalar and 4×4 matrix operations ready for programming. The efficiency of this formulation is compared to rigid link cases reported in the literature.
Research on the Present Situation of Primary and Secondary Teachers’ Professional Ethics in China

Teachers’ professional ethics is a core element in the professional development of teachers. Through the survey, it is found that currently there are some problems in the professional ethical construction of primary and secondary teachers in China. There is an imbalance between “justice” and “profit” for teachers in the process of professional ethical construction. Therefore, we should not only stimulate teachers’ ethical needs in the construction of professional ethics and advocate the unification of teachers’ utilitarian spirit and the spirit of dedication, but also establish and improve the reward and punishment mechanism for teachers’ professional ethics, providing ethical rewards for teachers from a practical perspective so as to promote the development of teachers’ professional ethics in China.
An Approach To Benchmarking Ada Compilation Systems

This paper focuses on the approach used by IBM to benchmark the Ada Compilation Systems being used in the development of the Advanced Automation System (AAS). AAS is a major FAA program that involves a system-wide replacement of the United States air traffic control system. Ada performance risk management, establishment of compilation system performance requirements, and techniques used to monitor and improve compiler performance are discussed.
A Biopsychosocial Perspective of Adolescent Health and Disease

Although considered to be a normative part of adolescence, risk-taking behaviors are nonetheless concerning because these actions often endanger adolescents’ current and future health and well-being. A variety of factors, including biological, psychosocial, and environmental, have been found to be associated with various adolescent risk-taking behaviors. The biopsychosocial model of risk-taking provides a framework in which social environmental factors as well as existing biological and psychological predispositions interact to influence risk-taking behavior. In this chapter, we (1) briefly review the studies or theories of risk-taking that focus predominately on one factor (i.e., biological, psychological, and environmental) as it related to risk-taking behavior; (2) describe the multidimensional biopsychosocial model of risk-taking; (3) provide empirical evidence supporting the utility of the biopsychosocial model for better understanding various adolescent health-endangering behaviors; and (4) suggest future directions for the utility of the biopsychosocial model of risk-taking for advancing our understanding of adolescent health.
Full wave analysis of microstrip discontinuities

In this paper, we present a full-wave analysis of microstrip discontinuities, including open-end, gap and dummy line. First, the Green's function for dielectric slab is derived in a tensor form and the Sommerfeld integrals are carefully treated by pole extraction technique and folding approach. Then the integral equation formulated is solved by method of moments to obtain the current distribution along and transmission line and the S-parameters. With the scattering matrix given, the equivalent circuit parameters are also extracted. The phenomenon of resonance induced by dummy line is studied in the paper as well.
Resonator mode matching for free-electron-laser optical guiding

Abstract The FELEX code is used to evaluate optical guiding in a grazing-incidence resonator at the Boeing FEL facility. The results indicate that a high-brightness e-beam requires a resonator that is “mode-matched” to curvature changes caused by optical guiding. However, mode matching is not necessary for a low-brightness e-beam.
Where Hypotheses Come From: Learning New Relations by Structural Alignment

We test whether comparison can promote learning of new relational abstractions. In Experiment 1, preschoolers heard labels for novel spatial patterns and were asked to extend the label to one of two alternatives: one sharing an object with the standard or one having the same relational pattern as the standard. Children strongly preferred the object match when given one standard but were significantly more likely to choose the relational match when they compared two standards. Experiment 2 provided evidence that comparison processing—as opposed to simply seeing two exemplars—is necessary for this relational effect. Preschoolers who were shown the two standards sequentially without a prompt to compare them preferred object matches, as did those who viewed only one standard. In contrast, those who saw the exemplars together, with a prompt to compare them, showed the same elevated relational responding as found in Experiment 1. We suggest that structural alignment processes are crucial to developing new relat...
Biological applications of scanning electrochemical microscopy: chemical imaging of single living cells and beyond

Recent applications of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) to studies of single biological cells are reviewed. This scanning probe microscopic technique allows the imaging of an individual cell on the basis of not only its surface topography but also such cellular activities as photosynthesis, respiration, electron transfer, single vesicular exocytosis and membrane transport. The operational principles of SECM are also introduced in the context of these biological applications. Recent progress in techniques for high-resolution SECM imaging are also reviewed. Future directions, such as single-channel detection by SECM, high-resolution imaging with nanometer-sized probes, and combined SECM techniques for multidimensional imaging are also discussed.
The diverse CheC-type phosphatases: chemotaxis and beyond.

Summary A new class of protein phosphatases has emerged in the study of bacterial/archaeal chemotaxis, the CheC-type phosphatases. These proteins are distinct and unrelated to the well-known CheY-P phosphatase CheZ, though they have convergently evolved to dephosphorylate the same target. The family contains a common consensus sequence D/S-X3-E-X2-N-X22-P that defines the phosphatase active site, of which there are often two per protein. Three distinct subgroups make up the family: CheC, FliY and CheX. Further, the CheC subgroup can be divided into three classes. Bacillus subtilis CheC typifies the first class and might function as a regulator of CheD. Class II CheCs likely function as phosphatases in systems other than chemotaxis. Class III CheCs are found in the archaeal class Halobacteria and might function as class I CheCs. FliY is the main phosphatase in the B. subtilis chemotaxis system. CheX is quite divergent from the rest of the family, forms a dimer and some may function outside chemotaxis. A model for the evolution of the family is discussed.
An Apparatus to Determine the Pull-Off Force of a Conducting Microparticle from a Charged Surface

A unique experimental apparatus has been developed to determine the pull-off force of a conducting microparticle resting on a conducting surface in the presence of a DC electric field. The apparatus precisely measures the applied electric-field strength at which an individual microparticle of known diameter, which is measured in situ, is removed from the surface. This information is used to determine the adhesion pull-off force required to remove the microparticle from the surface to within an uncertainty of approximately 12% at 95% confidence. In the experiment, the electric field strength between a conducting-surface electrode and a grounded electrode is increased in time using a microcontroller-driven digital-to-analog converter. Both electrodes are semi-transparent, which permits the surface-resident microparticles to be viewed from underneath the surface using microphotography. The microphotography system is operated in conjunction with pixel-intensity, gradient-search software to determine the diame...
Effectiveness of alternative parent training formats.

Abstract Alternative formats were compared for training parents of retarded children to teach self-help skills and manage problem behaviors. Sixty-six families with moderately to severely retarded children ages 3–13 were assigned for 3 months to group parent training (n = 37), individual parent training (n = 16), or delayed training control (n = 13). Measures administered before and after training evaluated: (1) parent knowledge of behavior modification, (2) a behavior sample of parent teaching, and (3) child self-help skills and behavior problems. Trained families gained significantly more than control families on parent measures but not on the child self-help skill measure. Group and individually trained families demonstrated almost identical gains. At a 6-month follow-up, group and individually trained families continued to show equal performance. Group training requires about half the professional time per family as individual training, and therefore seems a more cost-effective approach.
Solution STM images of porphyrins on HOPG reveal that subtle differences in molecular structure dramatically alter packing geometry

Solution STM images are reported for free-base octaethylporphyrin (H2OEP) and the Cu(II) and Zn(II) chelates (CuOEP and ZnOEP) on HOPG in 1,2-dichlorobenzene solution under ambient conditions. H2OEP and CuOEP each form a quasi-square lattice, whereas ZnOEP forms a quasi-hexagonal lattice on the surface. The binary mixture of any two of the porphyrins forms a well-ordered two-layer structure on the HOPG surface, with one species occupying the bridge sites of the array of the other species. All of the mixed adlayers exhibit a quasi-hexagonal lattice with a higher packing density than the single-component adlayers. Collectively, these observations indicate that the structure of the adlayers is controlled by a complex interplay of substrate-molecule and molecule-molecule interactions.
New stability theorems concerning one-step numerical methods for ordinary differential equations

Abstract A measure of the stability properties of numerical integration methods for ordinary differential equations is provided by their stability region, which is that region in the complex ( Δtλ ) plane for which a given method is stable when applied to the differential equation d y d t=λy with a time-step Δ t . Free parameters which exist in numerical integration algorithms may be used to maximize, in some sense, the size of the stability region, rather than increasing the order of accuracy, as is usually done. We derive new results which set theoretical limits to this maximization process for one step, explicit methods. Specifically, if K is the number of function evaluation invoked, then: (i) we prove (Theorem 1) that if ϱ is the radius of the largest circle, tangent to the imaginary axis at the origin of the complex plane that is contained in the stability region S , then ϱ cannot exceed K . (ii) we also prove (Theorem 2) that the imaginary stability boundary S I (or maximum stable value of ∣ Δtλ ∣ with λ imaginary) cannot exceed ( K − 1). While Theorem 1 is to our knowledge new, a limited form of theorem 2 ( K odd only) had been established in v.d. Houwen (1977). That the maximum imaginary boundary S I = ( K − 1) is attainable had been shown (constructively) for K odd. We show that this maximum is also reached for K = 2 and K = 4, and correct in the process an erroneous result in the above reference.
Surgical Management of Retinal Traction Caused by Toxocariasis

We reviewed the results of vitreous surgery in 12 eyes of 12 patients with tractional macular detachment from Toxocara canis. We performed a vitrectomy and membrane peeling in all eyes, with additional scleral buckling in four eyes. After a minimum of six months' follow-up, ten of the 12 eyes (83%) had complete retinal reattachment. Visual acuity improved in seven eyes, two had no change, and three eyes had decreased visual acuity. Good postoperative vision correlated best with good preoperative vision. Preoperative traction retinal folds through the macula were associated with a poor visual outcome.
Real-Time Surface Analysis of Individual Airborne Environmental Particles

Typically, in real-time aerosol mass spectrometry (RTAMS), individual airborne particles are ablated and ionized with a single focused laser pulse. This technique yields information that permits bulk characterization of the particle, but information about the particle's surface is often masked or diluted by the particle bulk. Here we show that it is possible to probe the surface composition of individual airborne particles by separating the desorption and ionization steps using a two-laser real-time aerosol mass spectrometry technique (L2RTAMS). First, a weak excimer laser pulse was used to desorb the semivolatile components of the particle surface when the particle was in the center of the ion trap. After a short delay, another excimer laser pulse was used to ionize the semivolatile surface components in the gas phase and subsequently mass analyzed. The results from the one- and two-laser techniques were compared and found to be complementary. The L2RTAMS technique was found very sensitive to polycyclic ...
Early outcomes of MDR-TB treatment in a high HIV-prevalence setting in Southern Africa.

Background Little is known about treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in high HIV-prevalence settings such as sub-Saharan Africa. Methodology/Principal Findings We did a retrospective analysis of early outcomes of the first cohort of patients registered in the Lesotho national MDR-TB program between July 21, 2007 and April 21, 2008. Seventy-six patients were included for analysis. Patient follow-up ended when an outcome was recorded, or on October 21, 2008 for those still on treatment. Fifty-six patients (74%) were infected with HIV; the median CD4 cell count was 184 cells/μl (range 5–824 cells/μl). By the end of the follow-up period, study patients had been followed for a median of 252 days (range 12–451 days). Twenty-two patients (29%) had died, and 52 patients (68%) were alive and in treatment. In patients who did not die, culture conversion was documented in 52/54 patients (96%). One patient had defaulted, and one patient had transferred out. Death occurred after a median of 66 days in treatment (range 12–374 days). Conclusions/Significance In a region where clinicians and program managers are increasingly confronted by drug-resistant tuberculosis, this report provides sobering evidence of the difficulty of MDR-TB treatment in high HIV-prevalence settings. In Lesotho, an innovative community-based treatment model that involved social and nutritional support, twice-daily directly observed treatment and early empiric use of second-line TB drugs was successful in reducing mortality of MDR-TB patients. Further research is urgently needed to improve MDR-TB treatment outcomes in high HIV-prevalence settings.
Enhancing the apoptotic potential of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 in prostate cancer by modulation of CK2 phosphorylation.

IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) promotes apoptosis by both IGF-dependent and -independent mechanisms. We have previously reported that phosphorylation of IGFBP-3 (S156) by DNA-dependent protein kinase enhances its nuclear accumulation and is essential for its ability to interact with retinoid X receptor-α and induce apoptosis in cultured prostate cancer cells. Using specific chemical inhibitors and small interfering RNA, we demonstrate that preventing casein kinase 2 (CK2) activation enhanced the apoptotic potential of IGFBP-3. We mapped potential CK2 phosphosphorylation sites in IGFBP-3 to S167 and S175 and identified that wild-type IGFBP-3- and IGFBP-3-S175A-induced apoptosis to a comparable extent. In contrast, IGFBP-3-S167A was far more potently apoptosis inducing due to inability to undergo CK2 phosphorylation. Pretreatment of 22RV1 cells with IGFBP-3 small interfering RNA also limits the ability of high doses of CK2 inhibitor to induce apoptosis. These effects can be reversed by the addition of exogenous IGFBP-3 protein, suggesting reciprocal regulation of cell survival and apoptosis by IGFBP-3 and CK2. These studies reveal multisite phosphorylation of IGFBP-3 that both positively and negatively regulate its apoptotic potential. Understanding such intrinsic regulation of IGFBP-3 action may enhance the development of potential cancer therapies.
Mesoscale Weather and Aviation Safety: The Case of Denver International Airport

The new Denver International Airport will be the first new major commercial airport to be built in the United States in 20 years. Concern has been expressed about the meteorology at the new airport site and its potential impact on aviation safety. Several levels of assessment of weather safety at and in the vicinity of the new airport site have been conducted by airport planners. In addition, the new airport site area has been intensively studied by research scientists. Meteorologists and aviation experts have concluded that the site of the new Denver airport does not raise special concerns regarding weather safety. Denver International should enhance aviation weather safety as a consequence of the improved alignment and spacing of runways, greater distance from the Rocky Mountains, and technological advances at the new facility.
In situ methods to explore microstructure evolution in chemically derived oxide thin films

In situ residual gas analyzer techniques were used to identify process-property relationships that regulate microstructure evolution in chemical solution-deposited BaTiO3 films. In situ analysis of furnace exhaust gasses enabled quantitative exploration of thermolysis and crystallization reactions and an ability to identify processing parameters that influence the temperature ranges over which they occur. The atmospheric analysis was instrumental in identifying heat treatments that produced optimally consolidated precursor gels that crystallized into BaTiO3 layers with optimized structure and properties. Slow ramp rates resulted in higher porosity, larger grain size, and a dramatic drop in the capacitor yield. Fast ramp rates produced similar trends; however, the mechanisms were distinct. The effects of oxygen partial pressure were also explored. BaTiO3 grain size increased with increasing pO2, whereas there was no appreciable influence on density and capacitor yield. Optimal firing parameters, i.e., 20 °C/min ramp rate at a pO2 of 10-13 atm, were identified as those that produced an overlap in the temperature ranges of thermolysis and crystallization reactions and thus a precursor gel with a density and compliance that supports crystallization and densification while tolerating the associated volume contraction. This in situ approach to analyze downstream furnace gas is shown to be a generically applicable means to understand synthesis methods that are complicated by simultaneous mechanisms of precursor decomposition, extraction of volatile components, and crystallization.
In situ measurements of ionospheric plasma turbulence over five frequency decades: Heritage flight of the Plasma Local Anomalous Noise Experiment (PLANE)

Abstract Observations of ionospheric plasma density and frequency-dependent broadband plasma turbulence made during the heritage flight of the Plasma Local Anomalous Noise Experiment (PLANE) are presented. Rather than record high frequency time series data, the experiment was designed to record Power Spectral Distributions (PSDs) in five decadal frequency bins with upper limits ranging from 1.0 Hz to 10 kHz. Additionally, PLANE was designed distinguish turbulence in the ambient plasma from that local to the spacecraft. The instrument consists of two retarding potential analyzers (RPAs) connected together via a feedback loop to force one analyzer into the I – V trace retardation region at all times. Fluctuations in this measurement are believed to be ambient only as the RPA’s voltage would be too high for locally turbulent plasma to surmount the potential barrier, which is nominally at ram energy. The instrument requires pointing along the spacecraft’s ram velocity vector to make this measurement, thus requiring stabilization in pitch and yaw. During PLANE’s heritage flight, though the satellite’s attitude control system failed early in the mission, plasma data were collected during opportune times in which the instrument rotated into and out of the ram. Observations of plasma density and PSDs of high frequency plasma turbulence were recorded on several occasions. Additionally, a plasma source onboard the satellite was used to generate artificial plasma turbulence, and the PLANE data observed periodic structure presumably associated with the rotation of the spacecraft during these source firings. A brief comparison with other high frequency in situ plasma instruments is presented.
Simulation of nucleation kinetics—an application to secondary nucleation

Abstract In order to study the effect of a disturbance on a supersaturated system (as occurs during secondary nucleation), the kinetics of the nucleation process has been simulated. During the process of secondary nucleation the currently accepted survival theory predicts that only clusters whose sizes are greater than the critical size will survive. This study has shown, however, that the critical size does not establish a sharp cutoff point. Rather, certain conditions can cause subcritical clusters (embryos) to survive and supercritical clusters (nuclei) to dissolve.
Concerning the structure of the corannulene tetraanion.

Abstract The question of an anion within an anion structure for corannulane tetraanion is examined by ab initio and semi-empirical calculations, as well as by the behavior of corannulene anionic intermediates in anhydrous ammonia. Calculations do not lend much support to a central cyclopentadienyl anion in the tetraanion, and a tetraanion is either not formed or does not resist protonation in liquid ammonia.
Heaven's Soldiers: Free People of Color and the Spanish Legacy in Antebellum Florida. By Frank Marotti. (Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press, 2013. Pp. x, 176. $39.95.)

After decades of inattention, antebellum Florida has recently become the centerpiece of several scholarly publications. Works by Lee Willis and Larry Rivers explore social relationships in the regi...
Propofol acts on different sites than ethanol and butanol in recombinant glycine receptors: Evidence from pressure studies

Abstract The present study investigated the effects 12 times normal atmospheric pressure (pressure) on propofol and ethanol potentiation of α1 and α2 glycine receptors (GlyRs) expressed in Xenopus oocytes using two-electrode voltage clamp. Pressure significantly antagonized potentiation by high, but not low, ethanol concentrations in α1 GlyR. Pressure did not antagonize ethanol at any concentration in α2 GlyR. These findings paralleled prior studies with ethanol and butanol. In contrast, pressure antagonized propofol at all concentrations in both α1 and α2GlyRs. These findings suggest that propofol acts on different sites or by different mechanisms than ethanol and butanol in GlyRs.
Cell death during development of the cochlear and vestibular ganglia of the chick.

Abstract This report documents and quantitates the naturally occurring death of neurons in the cochlear and vestibular ganglia during the normal development of the chick embryo. The data are compared with the amount of cell loss in the cochlear and vestibular nuclei to evaluate the possibility that the death of the neurons in the same sensory pathway may be related to the formation of their connections. Neurons of the cochlear and vestibular ganglia of the chick were counted and their cell bodies measured with light microscopic methods at the beginning of their period of synapse formation, embryonic day 8 (E8), at the end of the period of synapse formation (E14), and again at a more mature stage, post-hatching day 14 (P14). The number of neurons declined between E8 and E14 in the cochlear ganglion by 25% (from 11170 to 8353) and in the vestibular ganglion by 24% (from 12687 to 9613). The neuronal population remained relatively stable between E14 and P14. Cell counts at each age were accompanied by morphological descriptions of the neurons and of their synaptic targets in the sensory epithelia of the inner ear. During the period of cell loss the mean diameters of the cell bodies in the cochlear ganglion increased slightly, from 9.5 to 111 μm and reached 17.6 μm at P14, while those in the vestibular ganglion increased from 10.4 to 13.3 μm and reached 20.9 μm at P14. The period of cell loss in the cochlear and vestibular ganglia coincides with the stages in their development when the sensory neurons have already contacted their target cells in the primary sensory nuclei and in the receptor epithelium. It is during this period that the transformation from the immature axonal endings to the definitive types of synapses begins. Thus the present data are consistent with the view that the formation of central as well as peripheral synapses is involved in determining the extent of neuronal death during the development of sensory neurons.
New Empirical Evidence for the Design of Group Randomized Trials in Education

Abstract This article provides practical guidance for researchers who are designing studies that randomize groups to measure the impacts of educational interventions. The article (a) provides new empirical information about the values of parameters that influence the precision of impact estimates (intraclass correlations and R 2 values) and includes outcomes other than standardized test scores and data with a three-level structure rather than a two-level structure, and (b) discusses the error (both generalizability and estimation error) that exists in estimates of key design parameters and the implications this error has for design decisions. Data for the paper come primarily from two studies: the Chicago Literacy Initiative: Making Better Early Readers Study (CLIMBERS) and the School Breakfast Pilot Project (SBPP). The analysis sample from CLIMBERS comprised 430 four-year-old children from 47 preschool classrooms in 23 Chicago public schools. The analysis sample from the SBPP study comprised 1,151 third ...
Local site effects on weak and strong ground motion

Abstract This is a review of the current state of the art in characterizing effects of local geology on ground motion. A new horizon is clear in this aspect of strong motion studies. Non-linear amplification at sediment sites appears to be more pervasive than seismologists used to think. Several recent observations about the weak motion and the strong motion suggest that the non-linear amplification at sediment sites may be very common. First, on average, the amplification is always greater at the younger sediment sites for all frequencies up to 12 Hz, in the case of weak motion; while the relation is reversed for frequencies higher than 5 Hz, in the case of strong motion. Secondly, the application of the amplification factor determined from weak motion overestimates significantly the strong motion at sediment sites observed during the Loma Prieta earthquake within the epicentral distance of about 50 km. Thirdly, the variance of peak ground acceleration around the mean curve decreases with the increasing earthquake magnitude. Finally, the above non-linear effects are expected from geotechnical studies both in the magnitude of departure from the linear prediction and in the threshold acceleration level beyond which the non-linearity begins.
Cultural frames: Loci of intercultural communication asynchrony in a CBS 60 Minutes news segment

Abstract This paper utilizes as data a CBS 60 Minutes news story titled “Tango Finlandia”. In it Morley Safer steps into his role as surrogate Middle American adventurer on a voyage of discovering the ever-exotic Finn. I explore the manipulation and modification of discourse elements by Finnish contributors to demonstrate a distinctive way of framing responses to the questions asked by foreigners (in this case an American). While the interview segments are not independent of the media frames in which they are presented, the Finnish responses utilize the following three cultural frames: (1) the use of a “we+predicate” form to frame a distinctive Finnishness and positioning the foreigner as some other, (2) the utilization of a continuum of emotional expression vs. restraint to position nations as moral, cultural, and political entities, and (3) the distortion of a domestic tradition of self-racism and stigmatization for humorous effect. I claim that these cultural frames have at one level a pragmatic force and are of great consequence for Finns in constituting, managing, and negotiating their national identities. At another level, because of the complex interpretive resources required to understand the cultural framing, this implicates an exchange that has all the classic hallmarks of asynchronous intercultural communications.
Studies on the experimental induction of overgrowth in chick embryos

An analysis has been made of the experimental conditions under which overgrowth can be produced in the brains of chick embryos. A total of 122 individuals were obtained from six series of embryos subjected to varying degrees of surgical manipulation involving the anterior rhombomere and/or its substratum. The results indicate that in addition to the cases of overgrowth obtained by the standard technique of removing the entire anterior rhombomere, overgrowth could also be successfully induced when a portion of the chordamesoderm underlying the anterior rhombomere was either removed or merely dissociated from the neural tissue, while leaving the latter relatively intact. In embryos in which the roof and sides of the anterior rhombomere were removed, overgrowth could not be obtained in the absence of damage to the substratum.
The G protein α subunit (GPα1) is associated with the ER and the plasma membrane in meristematic cells of Arabidopsis and cauliflower

Towards the elucidation of the cellular function(s) of GP alpha1, we have characterized its subcellular localization using immunofluorescence and cell fractionation. GP alpha1 is not present in nuclei or chloroplasts. It is a membrane-bound protein, and analysis of isolated endoplasmic and plasma membranes indicates a good correlation between GP alpha1 in both the plasma membrane and the ER compartment. Interestingly, these results may suggest more different functions for GP alpha1: it might be involved in transmission of extracellular signals across the plasma membrane and in the cytoplasm, and/or it may also be involved in regulating some aspects of the ER functions or membrane trafficking between both membranes.
Entropic Exclusion by Neurofilament Sidearms: A Mechanism for Maintaining Interfilament Spacing†

A long-range repulsive force near isolated neurofilaments was detected by exclusion of large molecules and by direct force measurements with atomic force microscopy. Adsorption of isolated native neurofilaments to a solid substrate in a high-salt solution (170 mM NaCl), in the presence of coisolating contaminants, shows that the contaminants are excluded from a zone that extends from 50-100 nm from the core of the filament. Force-distance measurements by AFM show the presence of a weak repulsive force that extends >50 nm from the core of the filament; this repulsive force is absent in homopolymers of neurofilament L or trypsinized native filaments that lack the long sidearms present in native filaments. These results suggest that neurofilament sidearms form an entropic brush, thereby providing a mechanism for maintaining interfilament spacing.
Crystallization Behavior of Electrospun PB/PMP Blend Fibrous Membranes

Although polyolefins are used extensively in the plastics industry, these polymers have found restricted use in electrospinning due to the limited number of solvents which provide reasonable solubility and dielectric constant. We have successfully prepared polyolefin fibrous membranes via electrospinning from multicomponent solvent systems. Fibers spun using a PB/PMP blend have a twisted-ribbon structure with irregular twisting points along the length of the fibers. The crystallization behavior was investigated by wide-angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It was found that the crystallization of poly(1-butene) (PB) was strongly affected by the addition of poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (PMP) to the blend. In pure PB fibrous membranes, a mixture of forms I and II were obtained, and the thermodynamically metastable form II gradually transformed into form I with aging at room temperature. However, this transformation did not occur in the PB/PMP bl...
Vitamin D, Blood Pressure, and African Americans: Toward a Unifying Hypothesis

Vitamin D deficiency has increasingly been recognized in the general population and especially in African Americans whose deep skin pigmentation makes vitamin D photosynthesis inefficient. Over the last decade there has been increasing interest in the role that vitamin D deficiency may play in BP modulation because many epidemiologic studies have shown an inverse association between serum vitamin D concentration and BP. There is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in African Americans who also have an increased susceptibility to develop hypertension and its consequences. This paper will review the circumstances leading to vitamin D deficiency in the African American population and will also discuss how vitamin D deficiency can affect the renin-angiotensin system, free radical production, inflammatory processes, and carbohydrate tolerance that in turn influence vascular endothelial function and vascular structure producing increased vascular resistance. It will speculate that the presence of vitamin D deficiency throughout life from its earliest phases may adversely affect the microvasculature in African Americans, thereby playing a major role in the genesis and maintenance of hypertension.
Molecular phylogenies help resolve taxonomic confusion with Asian Crassostrea oyster species

Identification of oyster species is still largely based on phenotypic characters that are highly plastic. Prompted by the proposed introduction of the Asian oyster species Crassostrea ariakensis into the Chesapeake Bay region of the U.S.A., this study uses molecular genetic information to understand the taxonomic framework surrounding C. ariakensis and to confidently distinguish among various sympatric oyster species. Putative samples of C. ariakensis and other species of cupped oysters from across Asia were collected and phylogenetic analyses were conducted on DNA sequences of both nuclear (ITS-1) and mitochondrial (COI) regions. Trees generated based on the two independent molecular datasets were highly congruent, and indicate that many oysters collected for this study as C. ariakensis were originally misidentified. Results also indicate that C. ariakensis, C. hongkongensis and C. nippona are distinct, but closely related species. There is strong support in both analyses for a close relationship between C. gigas and C. sikamea, as well as between C. belcheri and C. gryphoides, and between C. iredalei and C. madrasensis. The parsimony analyses based on these DNA markers, however, did not provide evidence to support C. angulata as a distinct species from C. gigas. Overall, the results emphasize the need for rigorous species identification, and additional extensive and intensive sampling to more accurately determine relationships among Crassostrea species, define their geographic distributions, and establish existing sympatry patterns.
Experiment on optical OFDM transmission with frequency spacing of subchannels at 80% of symbol rate

We propose a novel OFDM scheme with the subchannel frequency spacing at 80% of the symbol rate. Experiment results show that the scheme achieves OSNR-sensitivity and dispersion-tolerance levels equal to those of the conventional OFDM.
Studies on the specificity of bacterial collagenase.

Abstract The specificity of Clostridium histolyticum Collagenases A and B has been investigated employing a cyanogen bromide peptide of known sequence obtained from chick skin collagen. The enzyme A cleaves only between the X and Gly bond in the sequence-Pro-X-Gly-Pro-Y-.
A software model and specification language for non-WIMP user interfaces

We present a software model and language for describing and programming the fine-grained aspects of interaction in a non-WIMP user interface, such as a virtual environment. Our approach is based on our view that the essence of a non-WIMP dialogue is a set of continuous relationships—most of which are temporary. The model combines a data-flow or constraint-like component for the continuous relationships with an event-based component for discrete interactions, which can enable or diable individual continuous relationships. To demonstrate our approach, we present the PMIW user interface management system for non-WIMP interactions, a set of examples running under it, a visual editor for our user interface description language, and a discussion of our implemantation and our restricted use of constraints for a performance-driven interactive situation. Our goal is to provide a model and language that captures the formal structure of non-WIMP interactions in the way that various previous techniques have captured command-based, textual, and event-based styles and to suggest that using it need and not compromise real-time performance.