cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
'Hep C's like the common cold': understanding barriers along the HCV care continuum among young people who inject drugs.

Abstract Background New highly effective medications are available to treat the hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, little is known about HCV treatment knowledge and readiness among young people who inject drugs (PWID), or factors that may contribute to treatment uptake and adherence in this treatment era. Purpose Using a framework for understanding healthcare utilization, we examined perspectives and experiences of young PWID tied to the HCV care continuum in Boston, Massachusetts, to inform future strategies. Methods We conducted 24 in-depth interviews with active and recent PWID aged 22–30 years living with HCV in Boston, February-August 2016. At the time of the interviews, no participants had been prescribed or had taken the new direct acting antivirals. We developed a codebook deductively from the interview guide and coded and analyzed the data into themes using a consensus-based process. Results The following five themes emerged, which captured PWID’s knowledge of and experiences with HCV along the care continuum through social determinants of engagement in care, as well as illness level: (1) deservingness of HCV treatment and stigma, (2) dissatisfaction with provider interactions, (3) perceived lack of referral to treatment and care continuity, (4) disincentives around HCV treatment for PWID; and (5) perceived need for treatment. Young PWID living with HCV face unique barriers to HCV testing, counseling, and treatment. Conclusion Breakdowns in the HCV care continuum may have adverse effects on HCV-treatment readiness and willingness. Improved public health and practice approaches are needed to address these barriers to effectively engage young PWID in care.
Neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles inhibit synovial inflammation and alleviate joint damage in inflammatory arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common chronic inflammatory disorder and a major cause of disability. Despite the progress made with recent clinical use of anti-cytokine biologics, the response rate of rheumatoid arthritis treatment remains unsatisfactory, owing largely to the complexity of cytokine interactions and the multiplicity of cytokine targets. Here, we show a nanoparticle-based broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory strategy for rheumatoid arthritis management. By fusing neutrophil membrane onto polymeric cores, we prepare neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles that inherit the antigenic exterior and associated membrane functions of the source cells, which makes them ideal decoys of neutrophil-targeted biological molecules. It is shown that these nanoparticles can neutralize proinflammatory cytokines, suppress synovial inflammation, target deep into the cartilage matrix, and provide strong chondroprotection against joint damage. In a mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis and a human transgenic mouse model of arthritis, the neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles show significant therapeutic efficacy by ameliorating joint damage and suppressing overall arthritis severity.
Comparing Long-term Mortality After Carotid Endarterectomy vs Carotid Stenting Using a Novel Instrumental Variable Method for Risk Adjustment in Observational Time-to-Event Data

Importance Choosing between competing treatment options is difficult for patients and clinicians when results from randomized and observational studies are discordant. Observational real-world studies yield more generalizable evidence for decision making than randomized clinical trials, but unmeasured confounding, especially in time-to-event analyses, can limit validity. Objectives To compare long-term survival after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) in real-world practice using a novel instrumental variable method designed for time-to-event outcomes, and to compare the results with traditional risk-adjustment models used in observational research for survival analyses. Design, Setting, and Participants A multicenter cohort study was performed. The Vascular Quality Initiative, an observational quality improvement registry, was used to compare long-term mortality after CEA vs CAS. The study included 86 017 patients who underwent CEA (n = 73 312) or CAS (n = 12 705) between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2016. Patients were followed up for long-term mortality assessment by linking the registry data to Medicare claims. Medicare claims data were available through September 31, 2015. Exposure Procedure type (CEA vs CAS). Main Outcomes and Measures The hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause mortality using unadjusted, adjusted, propensity-matched, and instrumental variable methods were examined. The instrumental variable was the proportion of CEA among the total carotid procedures (endarterectomy and stenting) performed at each hospital in the 12 months before each patient’s index operation and therefore varies over the study period. Results Participants who underwent CEA had a mean (SD) age of 70.3 (9.4) years compared with 69.1 (10.4) years for CAS, and most were men (44 191 [60.4%] for CEA and 8117 [63.9%] for CAS). The observed 5-year mortality was 12.8% (95% CI, 12.5%-13.2%) for CEA and 17.0% (95% CI, 16.0%-18.1%) for CAS. The unadjusted HR of mortality for CEA vs CAS was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.64-0.71), and Cox-adjusted and propensity-matched HRs were similar (0.69; 95% CI, 0.65-0.74 and 0.71; 95% CI, 0.65-0.77, respectively). These findings are comparable with published observational studies of CEA vs CAS. However, the association between CEA and mortality was more modest when estimated by instrumental variable analysis (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70-0.98), a finding similar to data reported in randomized clinical trials. Conclusions and Relevance The study found a survival advantage associated with CEA over CAS in unadjusted and Cox-adjusted analyses. However, this finding was more modest when using an instrumental variable method designed for time-to-event outcomes for risk adjustment. The instrumental variable-based results were more similar to findings from randomized clinical trials, suggesting this method may provide less biased estimates of time-dependent outcomes in observational analyses.
A Cost-Effective, Rapidly Constructed Simulation Model for Ultrasound-Guided Pericardiocentesis Procedural Training.

Abstract Background Emergent ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis (USGP) is an uncommonly performed procedure by emergency physicians (EPs). USGP simulation models have previously been developed to increase procedural proficiency, but these models are limited for routine implementation secondary to high-cost, lengthy time to construct, and lack of durability. The objective of this study was to develop an USGP simulation model that is cost-effective, easily and rapidly constructed, and has procedure-specific fidelity. Discussion We have developed a novel tofu simulation model for USGP training. The model cost per unit was $1.81 and the average construction time was 2.5 ± 0.3 min. The model can withstand upward of 100 needle punctures. Our model provides USGP procedure–specific aspiration of a simulated pericardial effusion. Conclusions The tofu USGP model provides a cost-effective and rapidly constructible simulation tool that could be readily integrated in EP procedural training.
Who's Afraid of Swiss Cheese? Resolving the Copyright Claims of Non-Coauthors

Driven by a fear of making “Swiss cheese” out of movie copyrights, courts have consistently rejected any possibility that an actor or director may hold an independent copyright interest in his or her movie performance or direction. To justify the exclusion of such contributions from the canon of copyright, courts have resorted to redefining the constitutional and statutory limits on copyrightable subject matter. While their efforts succeed in squeezing out the authorship claims of actors and directors, the collateral damage wrought by their new restrictions on what constitutes a “work of authorship” has not previously been evaluated. In this Comment, I suggest these new doctrines, which are inconsistent with foundational principles of copyright law and established case law, ought to be rejected as there is no need to fear the authorship claims of actors and directors. The 1976 Copyright Act envisions nine circumstances under which one may contribute to a larger work; all contribution claims can be resolved within that framework. Furthermore, courts have existing gatekeeping doctrines to mitigate their policy fears without altering existing copyright law. Copyright claims from those making creative contributions should not drive courts to implement ill-conceived novel solutions, thereby distorting collaborative forms of authorship, such as movies. Instead, by enforcing traditional copyright doctrines, courts can provide the stable framework necessary to facilitate bargaining among the multiple authors involved in these complex creative works.
Wildland fuel treatments

The purposeful use of any silvicultural method, including mechanical methods, managed wildfire, prescribed fire, or a combination of approaches, to intentionally alter the fuel complex in such a way as to modify fire behavior and thereby minimize the potential negative impacts of future wildfires on ecosystem goods and services, cultural resources, and human communities.
Association of septic shock definitions and standardized mortality ratio in a contemporary cohort of critically ill patients.

Abstract Purpose The newly proposed septic shock definition has provoked a substantial controversy in the emergency and critical care communities. We aim to compare new (SEPSIS-III) versus old (SEPSIS-II) definitions for septic shock in a contemporary cohort of critically ill patients. Material and methods Retrospective cohort of consecutive patients, age ≥ 18 years admitted to intensive care units at the Mayo Clinic between January 2009 and October 2015. We compared patients who met old, new, both, or neither definition of sepsis shock. SMR were calculated using APACHE IV predicted mortality. Results The initial cohort consisted of 16,720 patients who had suspicion of infection, 7463 required vasopressor support. The median (IQR) age was 65(54–75) years and 4167(55.8%) were male. Compared to patients with old definition, the patients with new definition had higher APACHE III score (median IQR); (73 (57–92) vs. 70 (56–89), p Conclusions Compared to SEPSIS-II, SEPSIS-III definition of septic shock identifies patients further along disease trajectory with higher likelihood of poor outcome.
Modeling CLN6 with IPSC-derived neural cells

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscionosis type 6 (CLN6) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with dementia, seizures, and retinopathy. The disorder is due to mutations in the CLN6 gene encoding a resident ER transmembrane protein of unknown function. Similar to other NCLs, the cellular pathology associated with CLN6 includes the abnormal accumulation of autofluorescent storage material, with subunit C of the mitochondrial ATP synthase (SUBC) being the predominant component. Four CLN6 patient-derived IPSC lines were generated and differentiated into neuroprogenitor cells (NPCs), cortical neurons and oligodendroglia in order to model human CLN6. CLN6-IPSCs and CLN6-NPCs did not possess any overt storage material and were similar to control cells with regards to subcellular organelle morphology and organization. IPSC-derived CLN6-neurons were generated with two neuronal differentiation protocols, a more conventional dual-SMAD protocol and an inducible neurogenin-2 (I3N) protocol. CLN6-neuronal cultures differentiated with the dual-SMAD protocol consisted of a mixed population of neural cells (mitotic NPCs ad post-mitotic neurons) and had significantly increased SUBC+ puncta after ~30-40 days in culture compared to control lines. Alternatively, the I3N-CLN6 cultures generated post-mitotic neurons in only 3-5 days (consisting of >95% TUJ1+ cells) that had accumulated SUBC+ puncta during the same period. Preliminary studies with IPSC-derived oligodendroglia from CLN6 lines also had increased SUBC+ puncta. These findings indicate that molecular markers for this disorder can be monitored in IPSC-derived neural cells. Differentiated neurons and oligodendroglia are undergoing further phenotypic characterization and RNA evaluation to identify other cellular markers of CLN6 disease. These molecular markers can then be used to measure efficacy of therapeutic interventions including small molecule compounds, anti-sense oligonucleotides, and gene therapy.
The epigenetic basis for the impaired ability of adult murine retinal pigment epithelium cells to regenerate retinal tissue

The epigenetic plasticity of amphibian retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) allows them to regenerate the entire retina, a trait known to be absent in mammals. In this study, we investigated the epigenetic plasticity of adult murine RPE to identify possible mechanisms that prevent mammalian RPE from regenerating retinal tissue. RPE were analyzed using microarray, ChIP-seq, and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing approaches. We found that the majority of key genes required for progenitor phenotypes were in a permissive chromatin state and unmethylated in RPE. We observed that the majority of non-photoreceptor genes had promoters in a repressive chromatin state, but these promoters were in unmethylated or low-methylated regions. Meanwhile, the majority of promoters for photoreceptor genes were found in a permissive chromatin state, but were highly-methylated. Methylome states of photoreceptor-related genes in adult RPE and embryonic retina (which mostly contain progenitors) were very similar. However, promoters of these genes were demethylated and activated during retinal development. Our data suggest that, epigenetically, adult murine RPE cells are a progenitor-like cell type. Most likely two mechanisms prevent adult RPE from reprogramming and differentiating into retinal neurons: 1) repressive chromatin in the promoter regions of non-photoreceptor retinal neuron genes; 2) highly-methylated promoters of photoreceptor-related genes.
Catalytic Electrochemical Reduction of Perchlorate over Rh-Cu/SS and Rh-Ru/SS Electrodes in Dilute Aqueous Solution

AbstractMono metallic (Mo, Ru, Rh, Cu, and Pd) and bimetallic (Rh-Cu and Rh-Ru) catalysts supported on stainless steel (SS) were prepared for perchlorate reduction. Results showed that perchlorate ...
Ethics Assessment Program for a School of Business

This article is designed to help business schools implement ethics assessment with a sample ethics assessment plan. It contains the following components:1. Ethics Learning Objective2. Learning Goals3. Assessment Tool4. Assessment Instrument5. Assessment Rubric
Ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser engineered net shaping of Inconel 718 parts: Effects of ultrasonic frequency on microstructural and mechanical properties

Abstract Laser additive manufacturing (LAM) becomes a competitive method in fabricating Inconel 718 (IN718) parts in recent years. Among different LAM processes, laser engineered net shaping (LENS) has small substrate deformation, unique advantages of part remanufacturing capability, high part building efficiency, and high efficiency of powder utilization. LENS of IN718 is receiving extensive research and industrial applications. However, several problems (e.g. heterogeneous microstructures, internal cavities, and large porosity) still exist in LENS-fabricated IN718 parts. To reduce these problems, ultrasonic vibration-assisted (UV-A) LENS has been developed based on ultrasonic vibration’s actions in materials melting and solidification processes. This process has been proven to be an effective manufacturing method in fabrication of IN718 parts. As one of the basic parameters of ultrasonic vibration, ultrasonic frequency will greatly influence the UV-A LENS processes, since it significantly affects ultrasonic vibration-induced two nonlinear effects (including cavitation and acoustic streaming) in materials melting and solidification processes. The influences of ultrasonic frequency in UV-A LENS processes are still unknown. The effects of ultrasonic frequency on microstructural properties (such as grain sizes, phase composition, precipitated phase morphology, bonding interface, and porosity) and mechanical properties (including microhardness, wear rate, and elastic modulus) of UV-A LENS fabricated IN718 parts are studied in this investigation. With the ultrasonic frequency increasing in UV-A LENS, the grain size is decreased, Laves phase is changed from long-bar columnar shape to particle shape, the bonding interface becomes smoother, the porosity is increased, the microhardness is increased, and the elastic modulus is decreased.
Filtration as a Method for Air Quality Control in Occupied Spaces

Filtration, or removal control, is one of three methods currently available to provide acceptable indoor air quality in occupied spaces. While the other two methods, source and dilution control, are primarily employed foroccupant needs, filtration has conventionally been used for protection of components within the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems. In this paper, filtration technology is reviewed with respect to current ventilation standards for occupants. The difference between ventilation and air quality control is discussed in terms of acceptability criteria and control methods. Parameters that relate these terms are identified and control strategies are proposed that can be used to optimize removal and dilution methods for occupant acceptability and cost-effectiveness.
The analysis of hepatitis B virus genetic characterization and ratio of mutation in low-age group of Hunan province of china

Objective In order to investigate the characterization of mutation and genotype distributing in the younger group which was under the universal vaccination. The sequence of HBV was analyzed to offer the information to control and prevention in the area. Methods young person's sera with positive HBsAg are collected, and the Large S sequence of HBV including preS and S gene are amplified and sequenced. The genotype and serotype were determined by clastwal with the standard genotype sequence. And one virus complete genome is amplified. Results The virus gene are successful amplified from the 33 sera. The sequence result indicate the 30of 33 (90.9%) HBV genotype is B and 3 of 33 (9.0%) is C. The HBV serotype including ayw (1), adr (3), adw (29), 5 of 33 mutated in the "a" dominant of HBV, and the percentage is 15.2%. The HBV full length gene of serum number of 5856 is amplified and sequenced. Its genotype is B, serotype is adw and length is 3215 base. Conclusion s The dominant genotype of HuNan is B, and t he dominant serotype is adw. Key words: Hepatitis B virus; Ggenotype; Serotyping; Mutation
Fetal overgrowth in pregnancies complicated by diabetes: validation of a predictive index in an external cohort

To assess validity of a fetal overgrowth index in an external cohort of women with diabetes in pregnancy We performed a retrospective analysis of data derived from women with singleton gestations complicated by diabetes who delivered January 2015–June 2018. The following index variables were used to calculate risk of fetal overgrowth as defined by a customized birthweight ≥ 90th centile: age, history of fetal overgrowth in a prior pregnancy, gestational weight gain, fetal abdominal circumference measurement and fasting glucose between 24 and 30 weeks. In our validation cohort, 21% of 477 pregnancies were complicated by fetal overgrowth. The predictive index had a bias-corrected bootstrapped area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.90 (95% CI 0.86–0.93). 55% of the cohort had a low-risk index (≤ 3) which had a negative predictive value of 97% (95% CI 94–98%), while 18% had a high-risk index (≥ 8) that had a positive predictive value of 74% (95% CI 66–81%). The fetal overgrowth index incorporates five factors that are widely available in daily clinical practice prior to the period of maximum fetal growth velocity in the third trimester. Despite substantial differences between our cohort and the one studied for model development, we found the performance of the index was strong. This finding lends support for the general use of this tool that may aid counseling and allow for targeted allocation of healthcare resources among women with pregnancies complicated by diabetes.
Too Far To Regulate

I show causal evidence that regulators are averse to traveling long distances to supervise distant banks, indicating regulator moral hazard. Further, by exploiting exogenous distance-based variation in the scope and frequency of regulatory oversight, I show that regulatory oversight increases bank value. Distant banks benefit less from regulatory oversight as regulators are averse to traveling long distances. However, I find that this aversion can be mitigated by compensating regulators adequately, for instance through higher per diem rates. Overall, my results capture a previously overlooked aspect, namely, regulator moral hazard due to distance-based frictions. In contrast, distance-based frictions such as the inability to monitor or collect soft information over long distances would suggest a lower quality of regulatory oversight despite the regulator's best efforts to oversee distant banks.
The deer and the dragon: Southeast Asia and China in the 21stcentury: edited by Donald K. Emmerson, Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, 2020, 386 pp., US$29.90 (paperback)

The Deer and the Dragon is a well-organised and engaging collection of chapters on “the nature, dynamics and implications of inequality between China and the countries of Southeast Asia” (p. xxii)....
Evaporation of Methylammonium Iodide in Thermal Deposition of MAPbI3

Thermal evaporation is an important technique for fabricating methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3), but the process is complicated by the need to co-evaporate methylammonium iodide (MAI) and PbI2. In this work, the effect of water vapor during the thermal deposition of MAPbI3 was investigated under high vacuum. The evaporation process was monitored with a residual gas analyzer (RGA), and the film quality was examined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The investigations showed that during evaporation, MAI decomposed while PbI2 evaporated as a whole compound. It was found that the residual water vapor reacted with one of the MAI-dissociated products. The higher iodine ratio suggests that the real MAI flux was higher than the reading from the QCM. The XPS analysis demonstrated that the residual water vapor may alter the elemental ratios of C, N, and I in thermally deposited MAPbI3. Morphologic properties were investigated with atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was observed that a sample grown with high water vapor pressure had a roughened surface and poor film quality. Therefore, an evaporation environment with water vapor pressure below 10−8 Torr is needed to fabricate high quality perovskite films.
Virilio, War, and Technology

Chapter 7 presents French theorist and technology critic Paul Virilio in an analysis of “Virilio, War, and Technology,” which explores destructive and unsettling aspects of digital technologies. I follow Virilio in pursuing what he calls the “riddle of technology” and interrogate his attempts to elucidate this conundrum. I probe Virilio’s perspectives on technology to determine the extent of his insight and use-value, and to indicate what I see as the limitations of his perspectives. In this reading, Virilio emerges as one of the major critics of war, technology, and vision machines in our time, albeit with excessively negative and even technophobic proclivities.
Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol use disorder is one of the most common disorders that healthcare professionals will evaluate and manage across specialties. Despite the vast prevalence, many physicians struggle in managing this heterogeneous illness. In this chapter, the author presents the case of a man with severe alcohol addiction, highlighting the biopsychosocial factors of developing substance use, the overlap in dual diagnosis symptoms, and the barriers to care that patients with addiction encounter in hospital settings. Treatment for alcohol use disorder is complex and involves assessment of medical complications, evaluation for psychiatric comorbidities, and provision of medication-assisted and psychosocial treatment options. A thorough understanding of the dynamics of alcohol use disorder is instrumental in improving outcomes for this patient population.
Ionizing Radiation and Tumor Production

Ionizing radiation has long been a promising agent for studying the mechanism of cancer induction. The dose of radiation delivered to a given tissue can usually be determined with much greater precision than can the dose of a chemical agent. By varying the radiation dose, or dose rate, while holding other factors constant, and then measuring the yield of malignant conditions, the investigator can hope to quantitate the kinetics of the cancer induction process. To be sure, there are many obstacles. For example, to assay for malignancy after exposure of somatic cells to radiation is much more difficult than to assay for chromosomal or gene damage after exposure of germ cells to radiation. Doses as low as several hundred rads, when delivered to the organism acutely, may not only kill large numbers of somatic cells but may disrupt the immunological and hormonal systems in such a way as to modify the yield of malignancies in a complex manner.
The Role of Cholesterol in UV Light B-induced Apoptosis

Modification of major lipid raft components, such as cholesterol and ceramide, plays a role in regulation of programmed cell death under various stimuli. However, the relationship between cholesterol level modification and the activation of apoptotic signaling cascades upon UVB light has not been established. In this report, we demonstrate that upon UVB irradiation cholesterol levels in membrane rafts of skin cells increase, which leads to Fas-receptor (Fas) aggregation in the rafts. Utilizing a continuous velocity floatation technique, we show that Fas accumulated in the lipid rafts of human melanoma M624 cells after UVB irradiation. The subsequent events of death-inducing signaling complex formation were also detected in the lipid raft fractions. Depletion of cholesterol by methyl-β-cyclodextrin reduces Fas aggregation, while overloading increases. Disruption of lipid rafts also prevents Fas death domain-associated protein (Daxx) from dissociating from Fas in the lipid rafts, which is accompanied with a reduced apoptotic, but increased nonapoptotic death of UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. Results indicate that cholesterol located in the plasma membrane of skin cells is required for lipid raft domain formation and activation of UVB-induced apoptosis.
Stimulation of the Transhydrogenase Activity of Spinach Ferredoxin-Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Reductase by Ferredoxin

Abstract Ferredoxin stimulated the transhydrogenase activity of ferredoxin-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reductase and reversed the inhibition due to factors in boiled spinach extracts. The percentage stimulation by ferredoxin was pH-dependent. Ferredoxin had little effect at the pH optimum (8.8), but the stimulation increased as the pH was lowered. At pH 7.0 a 5-fold stimulation of the transhydrogenase activity was demonstrated. Under these conditions the maximal stimulation occurred on addition of 1 molecule of ferredoxin to 3 to 6 molecules of the flavoprotein.
(Re)writing Identities: Past, Present, and Future Narratives of Young People in Juvenile Detention Facilities

ABSTRACTUsing the published work of incarcerated youth in the United States, this paper explores how the youth creatively constructed their past, present, and future identities as students, sons, love partners, siblings, and juvenile offenders. The paper focuses on how writing transgresses the physical boundaries of confinement, while simultaneously reifying the centrality of incarceration as a life-changing experience; an experience had by tens of thousands of young people in the US year after year. An analysis of written work published in the publications of InsideOut Writers, a non-profit organisation that provides creative writing classes to incarcerated youth in Los Angeles County, CA, indicated that many youth engaged themselves as objects of study. More to the point, they studied themselves in: 1) remembered/reconstructed past interactions and/or contexts; 2) (re)constructed present contexts; and in 3) imagined future contexts and interactions with others, including society as a whole. Relying on t...
Measuring circulating neuroblastoma cells by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis.

BACKGROUND Histologic examination of bone marrow (BM) is an accepted clinical standard for the detection of metastatic neuroblastoma (NB). Circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood (PB) derive from depots other than BM, and its measurement may provide additional information in the management of patients with NB. METHODS One hundred twenty patients with Stage 4 NB were evaluated for tumor cell content in PB by quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis of GD2 synthase mRNA with a sensitivity of 1 NB cell in 106 normal cells. These findings were correlated with qRT-PCR analysis of their simultaneously sampled BM aspirates and 5 standard modalities of disease detection (histology, computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, bone scan, metaiodobenzylguanidine scan, and urinary homovanillic acid/vanillylmandelic acid levels). RESULTS Detection of GD2 synthase transcript was found in 62 patients: Eleven patients had positive (+) samples in their BM and PB (BM+PB+), 38 patients had BM+PB-negative (BM+PB−) specimens, and 13 patients had BM−PB+ samples. BM+PB+ paired samples had the highest transcript levels. When the extent of disease was scored (from 0 to 5) according to the number of positive disease detection modalities, the magnitude of the transcript level correlated with disease score. Ninety-one percent of patients with BM+PB+ samples had evidence of disease in ≥ 3 modalities, whereas 97% of patients with BM−PB− samples and 100% of patients with BM−PB+ samples had low disease scores ≤ 2. Marker positivity in BM correlated with disease score. Patients who had positive marker in BM or PB had higher rates of relapse and death compared with patients who had negative marker. Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated a significantly greater risk of death for patients who had BM+PB+ specimens compared with patients who had BM−PB− samples (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS BM monitoring should continue to be an integral part of disease follow-up for patients with Stage 4 NB. PB monitoring to complement tumor surveillance in the BM can be informative. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Meron-Cluster Simulation of Quantum Spin Ladders in a Magnetic Field

Numerical simulations of numerous quantum systems suffer from the notorious sign problem. Meron-cluster algorithms lead to an efficient solution of sign problems for both fermionic and bosonic models. Here we apply the meron concept to quantum spin systems in an arbitrary external magnetic field, in which case standard cluster algorithms fail. As an example, we simulate antiferromagnetic quantum spin ladders in a uniform external magnetic field that competes with the spin-spin interaction. The numerical results are in agreement with analytic predictions for the magnetization as a function of the external field.
An integrated systems approach to explanation-based conceptual change

Understanding conceptual change is an important problem in modeling human cognition and in making integrated AI systems that can learn autonomously. This paper describes a model of explanation-based conceptual change, integrating sketch understanding, analogical processing, qualitative models, truth-maintenance, and heuristic-based reasoning within the Companions cognitive architecture. Sketch understanding is used to automatically encode stimuli in the form of comic strips. Qualitative models and conceptual quantities are constructed for new phenomena via analogical reasoning and heuristics. Truth-maintenance is used to integrate conceptual and episodic knowledge into explanations, and heuristics are used to modify existing conceptual knowledge in order to produce better explanations. We simulate the learning and revision of the concept of force, testing the concepts learned via a questionnaire of sketches given to students, showing that our model follows a similar learning trajectory.
Cultural Psychiatry: Theoretical, Clinical, and Research Issues

As a discipline, cultural psychiatry has matured considerably in recent years and the ongoing quality of its theoretical, clinical, and research development holds great promise. The contemporary emphasis on culture as process permits a deeper analysis of the complexities of sociosomatics--the translation of meanings and social relations into bodily experience--and, thus, of the social course of illness. We also are learning a great deal more about cultural processes that affect therapy, including ethnopharmacologic and culturally valid family interventions that are directly relevant to patient care and mental health policy. And an important set of studies is examining the trauma experienced by refugees and immigrants. But at the same time many disquieting findings still point to the limited impact of cultural psychiatry on knowledge creation and clinical application in psychiatry. The failure of the cultural validation of DSM-IV is only the most dismaying. The persistent misdiagnosis of minority patients and the continued presence of racial bias in some treatment recommendations are also disheartening, as is the seeming contempt of many mainstream psychiatrists for culturally defined syndromes and folk healing systems. Widespread inattention to ethnic issues in medical ethics is another source of dismay. It is for these reasons that the culture of psychiatry itself becomes as important as the culture of patients as a topic for research and intervention. Most of the world still suffers from a terrible lack of basic mental health services, including life-saving medications and hospital beds. In the face of these limitations, and because of the increasing multicultural and pluralistic reality of contemporary life, the growing interpretive bridges linking indigenous systems of illness classification and healing to Western nosologies and therapeutic modalities become even more essential and the reluctance of mainstream clinicians to explore folk healing methods more incomprehensible. Psychiatry needs new ways of delivering culturally appropriate care to the disenfranchised and the destitute, for whom mainstream approaches are often too expensive, foreign, and centralized. As a profession, we also have much to learn from indigenous diagnosticians and therapists. Finally, psychosomatic, mind-brain, behavioral health, and psychopathologic investigations need to configure the social world in their paradigms of research if we are to understand better the sources and consequences of mental illness. Psychiatry can no more afford to be contextless than it can afford to be mindless or brainless.
Effect of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Additions on Plant Biomass and Soil Nutrient Content of a Swale Barrier Strand Community in Louisiana

La fertilisation est etudiee sur la vegetation des marais de Louisiane afin de constater si son effet est identique a celle des dunes de sable. Dans ce but, la biomasse est mesuree au-dessus et en dessous du sol, et la composition du sol en elements est exposee avant et apres addition de differentes concentrations et combinaisons d'azote, de phosphore et de potassium
Contested Mergers and Equilibrium Antitrust Policy

Although the Guidelines should improve the predictability of the Agency's merger enforcement policy, it is not possible to remove the exercise of judgement from the evaluation of mergers under the antitrust laws. Because the specific standards set forth in the Guidelines must be applied to a broad range of possible factual circumstances, mechanical application of those standards may provide misleading answers to the economic questions raised under the antitrust laws. Moreover, information is often incomplete and the picture of competitive conditions that develops from historical evidence may provide an incomplete answer to the forward-looking inquiry of the Guidelines. Therefore, the Agency will apply the standards of the Guidelines reasonably and flexibly to the particular facts and circumstances of each proposed merger.
THE AGE OF THE UNIVERSE

IT Is not easy to decide whether the Ionians can properly be called scientists or whether they were simply philosophers. We incline to call them the first scientists because they were concerned to give a rational discussion of such problems as the nature of matter; we hesitate because their answers, so far as our slender records show, were qualitative and not based on an experimental method. But it is clearly true that however much we wish to restrict the term' science ', the greater part of its history and much of its current practice consists in research associated with that very problem : and it is also true that the foremost contributors to the field are still wrestling with difficulties that are at least partly philosophical, such as the prediction-requirements of a satisfactory physical theory, or the reality of the neutrino. One is at first inclined to say that the Ionians were asking a scientific question, but that they failed to give a really scientific answer. Perhaps a better description would be that they were asking a question which is partly scientific and partly philosophical, and that they had a very much simpler conception than we have of the sort of answer that can be given to each part, both in kind and in detail. The other great problem that concerned the Greeks (as it had the Babylonians and the Egyptians before them) was the nature of the universe. Each of these problems had one particularly important sub-problem : in the first case, the origin of living matter; in the second, the originl of the universe. The importance of these topics lies not only in their scientific interest but also in the fact that they represent in a sense the last stakes that the world-religions have in science. The origin of life is connected with the existence of the soul and the freedom of the will; the origin of the universe is connected with the existence of a God. It is now doubtful whether any research concerning the nature of life will directly support or conflict with the official interpretation of any important creeds, though a century ago it did. But experimental production of living creatures would undoubtedly affect the climate of religious belief. Just as evolutionary evidence made it impossible to interpret the book of Genesis literally, i.e. to accept the separate creation of man, so biological creation 181
Translation Effects on Simulated Tornadoes

Abstract A simulation of tornadoes translating over the ground was carried out in a modified Ward simulator. The purpose was to investigate the effects of translation on tornado dynamics. The results are as follows: • Secondary vortexes were found to be generated by the relative motion between the main vortex and rough “ground.” The secondary vortexes trail the primary vortex. Apparently they feed off the energy of the primary vortex, and achieve a momentary transition state from a single vortex to multiple vortexes. • The core radius increases with swirl ratio and decreases with surface roughness. Translation causes a local increase in swirl ratio, increasing the core size over that of a stationary vortex. • The central pressure drop increases with swirl ratio during translation. Translation also causes a steeper pressure gradient on the trailing side of the vortex core. A similar characteristic tilt on the trailing side of the pressure profile has been noted on barograms for real tornadoes.
Orbital alignment effects in the Ca(4s5p1P1)to Ca(4s5p3Pj) electronic energy transfer with molecular collision partners

Abstract The effects of orbital alignment on the Ca(4s5p 1 P 1 ) to Ca(4s5p 3 P j ) electronic energy transfer process are determined for molecular collision partners, H 2 , D 2 , N 2 , O 2 , CO, CO 2 CH 4 , C 2 H 6 , and SF 6 . Most of the molecules exhibit negligible effects, except for H 2 (D 2 ) and CO 2 , which show significant preferences for perpendicular and parallel initial orbital alignments, respectively. In the reverse transfer direction, hydrogen exhibits an even larger effect favoring the perpendicular laser polarization.
Comments on “a parallel-symmetric thinning algorithm” by Bourbakis

Abstract In a recent paper (Bourbakis, Pattern Recognition 22, 387–396 (1989)) a thinning algorithm which is characterized as a parallel-symmetric thinning algorithm (PSTA) is presented. There are several concerns regarding this algorithm which bring into question its utility as a parallel thinning algorithm. In this note it is shown that PSTA is fundamentally the parallel application of two largely sequential components and is most aptly characterized as a sequential algorithm; that it produces unacceptable geometric results for many images; and that it fails to preserve connectivity properties for a large class of images.
Settling of the occlusion following orthodontic treatment may not improve functional occlusion.

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Changes in functional occlusion during the postorthodontic retention period: a prospective longitudinal clinical study. Morton S, Pancherz H. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009;135(3):310-5. Reviewer Gregory King DMD, DrMedSci Purpose/Question In orthodontic patients treated to a satisfactory static occlusion with a fixed appliance, how does functional occlusion change following orthodontic appliance removal and during retention? Source of Funding Information not available Type of Study/Design Cohort study Level of Evidence Level 2: Limited-quality, patient-oriented evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable
Morphology and glycoprotein synthesis of uterine glandular epithelium in human basal plate at term: an ultrastructural and autoradiographic study.

This study describes the morphologic features of uterine glandular epithelium in human basal plate at term and identifies this epithelium as an active site of glycoprotein synthesis. Wedge biopsies were obtained from the basal plate at the time of repeat cesarean section from 11 normal pregnant patients at term. Biopsy specimens were either processed immediately for microscopic examination or incubated in vitro with 25μCi/cc of 3H-galactose or 3H-leucine. Tissues incubated with tritiated compounds (2-hour pulse ± 3-hour chase in nonradioactive medium) were either processed for light microscopic autoradiographic analysis or extracted for determination of trichloroacetic-acid-precipitable tritiated macromolecules in tissues and medium. Profiles of cuboidal-columnar glandular epithelium were identified in the decidual component of the basal plate region adjacent to spiral arterioles and perpendicular to the inner layers of myometrial muscle. Autoradiographic and biochemical studies identified the glandular epithelium, as well as large decidual cells, to be major sites of incorporation of both 3H-galactose and 3H-leucine and to be prime sources for secretion of tritiated macromolecules that appeared in the medium during in vitro incubation of basal plate tissue. Ultrastructurally, the glandular epithelium was noted to rest on a basal lamina, to have lateral cell membranes with numerous desmosomes, and to exhibit an apical surface with microvilli projecting into a luminal space. Cytologic features of the cells included abundant profiles of rough endoplasmic reticulum, multiple mitochondria with lamellar cristae, a well-developed perinuclear but nonpolarized Golgi apparatus, and nuclei containing predominantly euchromatin. Lipid droplets and glycogen deposits were present in some cells. This study indicates that uterine glands persist throughout human gestation in the basal plate and that these glands continue to be active in glycoprotein synthesis and secretion.
Approaching the one billion transistor logic product: process and design challenges

Microprocessor product density and performance trends have continued to follow the course predicted by Moore's Law. To support the trends in the future and build logic products approaching one billion or more transistors before the end of the decade, several challenges must be met. These challenges include: (1) maintaining transistor/interconnect feature scaling, (2) the increasing power density dilemma, (3) increasing relative difficulty of 2D feature resolution and general critical dimension control, (4) identifying cost effective solutions to increasing process and design database complexity. The trend in transistor scaling can be maintained while addressing the power density issue with new transistor structures exemplified by the Depleted Substrate Transistor incorporating a raised source-drain and high-K gate dielectric. The general 2D patterning and resolution control problems will require several solution approaches both through design and technology e.g. reduce design degrees of freedom, use of simpler arrayed structures, improved uniformity, improved tools, etc. The data base complexity/cost problem will require solutions likely to involve use of improved data structure, improved use of hierarchy, and improved software and hardware solutions.
Two‐dimensional velocity, optical risetime, and peak current estimates for natural positive lightning return strokes

Velocities, optical risetimes, and transmission line model peak currents for seven natural positive return strokes are reported. The average 2D positive return stroke velocity for channel segments of less than 500 m in length starting near the base of the channel is 0.8 +/- 0.3 x 10 exp 8 m/s, which is slower than the present corresponding average velocity for natural negative first return strokes of 1.7 +/- 0.7 x 10 exp 8/s. It is inferred that positive stroke peak currents in the literature, which assume the same velocity as negative strokes, are low by a factor of 2. The average 2D positive return stroke velocity for channel segments of greater than 500 m starting near the base of the channel is 0.9 +/- 0.4 x 10 exp 8 m/s. The corresponding average velocity for the present natural negative first strokes is 1.2 +/- 0.6 x 10 exp 8 m/s. No significant velocity change with height is found for positive return strokes.
Microfabricated two-dimensional electrophoresis device for differential protein expression profiling.

A microfluidic separation system is developed to perform two-dimensional differential gel electrophoretic (DIGE) separations of complex, cellular protein mixtures produced by induced protein expression in E. coli. The micro-DIGE analyzer is a two-layer borosilicate glass microdevice consisting of a single 3.75 cm long channel for isoelectric focusing, which is sampled in parallel by 20 channels effecting a second-dimension separation by native electrophoresis. The connection between the orthogonal separation systems is accomplished by smaller channels comprising a microfluidic interface (MFI) that prevents media leakage between the two dimensions and enables facile loading of discontinuous gel systems in each dimension. Proteins are covalently labeled with Cy2 and Cy3 DIGE and detected simultaneously with a rotary confocal fluorescence scanner. Reproducible two-dimensional separations of both purified proteins and complex protein mixtures are performed with minimal run-to-run variation by including 7 M ur...