cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Concept of the “Size Set Point” and Implications for Organ Size During Growth

Size is one of the most recognizable features of any organism, defining its physiology and behavior. The size of an animal is both an evolutionary response to, and adaptive for, its environmental niche. Likewise, within a given organism, individual body parts – skeleton, internal organs, etc. – grow to a stereotypical size that is proportional to the whole. Disordered growth puts an animal at a competitive disadvantage, and attainment of proper organ and organism size is a highly reproducible feature of mammalian development. During embryonic and postnatal life, animals are subjected to innumerable environmental and genetic factors that influence growth, and a comprehensive treatment of these growth-controlling factors, and the consequences of their dysregulation, forms the content of this volume. The purpose of this introductory chapter is to provide examples of how growth is controlled in various organisms and their internal organs, the extent to which growth control is regulated versus “hard-wired” into the fabric of developing tissues, and the limits of our understanding of these mechanisms.
Orthographic Knowledge: Clarifications, Challenges, and Future Directions.

Orthographic knowledge is the understanding of how spoken language is represented in print. However, the terms used to describe the two levels of orthographic knowledge, lexical and sublexical orthographic knowledge, have been variably defined and inconsistently measured, potentially contributing to discrepancies in research findings. Dissimilarities in how orthographic knowledge has been operationally defined and measured and the associated differences in tasks used to assess that construct are discussed. As part of that discussion, we relate how some measures assess either implicit or more explicit levels of orthographic knowledge. Using current theories and the existing research, we next provide an argument for how initial development of sublexical orthographic knowledge occurs before lexical orthographic knowledge. Suggestions are provided for what researchers might do in the future to help move the field toward a better understanding of orthographic knowledge. Strategies for assessing orthographic knowledge in literacy research are offered.
A Study of Accounting Students' Perception of Changes in Requirements for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensure in New York State

Changes in New York State’s requirements for obtaining a CPA license have brought change to many accountancy departments. This study questioned how students planned to meet the 150-hour (credit) requirement for CPA licensure. In addition, this study addressed the question of how students planned to obtain the one year experience requirement. The results showed that most students plan to go to graduate school. Many students will also have 150 credits when completing their accounting studies and will not have need for additional education. Furthermore, the students surveyed took a departure from the traditional approach of public accounting, or more specifically audit, as satisfying the one year experience requirement towards licensure.
Accuracy of patient reported stone passage for patients with acute renal colic treated in the emergency department

Abstract Objective To study patients who initially presented to the Emergency Department with acute renal colic to determine if patient-reported stone passage detects stone expulsion as accurately as follow-up computed tomography (CT) scan. Methods This is a secondary analysis of a multi-center prospective trial of patients diagnosed by a CT scan with a symptomatic ureteral stone Results Four-hundred-three patients were randomized in the original study and 21 were excluded from this analysis because they were lost to follow-up or received ureteroscopic surgery. Of the 382 remaining evaluable patients, 237 (62.0%) underwent a follow-up CT scan. The mean (standard deviation) diameter of the symptomatic kidney stone was 3.8 mm (1.4). In those who reported stone passage, 93.8% (91/97) demonstrated passage of the symptomatic ureteral stone on follow-up CT. Of patients who did not report stone passage, 72.1% (101/140) demonstrated passage of their stone on follow-up CT. Conclusions For patients who report capture or visualization of a ureteral stone, a follow-up CT scan may not be needed to verify stone passage. For patients who do not capture their stone or visualize stone passage, imaging should be considered to confirm passage.
Critical Cosmopolitan Citizens: Experiential Engagement with Local Immigrant and Refugee Communities

This chapter presents a case study of an experiential learning project where undergraduate students conducted interviews with leaders and representatives of local immigrant and refugee communities and with people in local organizations involved with these communities. This community-engaged project leads students to see the inherent interconnections of local to global issues. The open-ended process fostered opportunities for growth in cultural humility and a sense of critical global citizenship, while the design of the project remained very accessible to students and manageable for faculty workloads. Students become aware of the numerous local immigrant and refugee communities and their contributions to the well-being of the larger community, and often developed relationships and skills that carried them into other experiences of emergent cosmopolitan citizenship. Students went on to community organizing, documentary work, policy advocacy, further research, and on-campus activism around refugee and immigrant rights. We believe that this project has fostered cultural humility and critical cosmopolitan perspectives among students, as well as contributing to practices of solidarity and insurgent democratic citizenship (Majka and Longazel in Public Integrity, 19[2]:151–163, 2017; Leitner and Strunk in Urban Geography, 35[7]:943–964, 2014) that are transforming the local community.
Topical phenytoin effects on palatal wound healing.

Background The clinical benefits of autogenous soft tissue grafts are countered by donor site morbidity. The aim of this prospective split-mouth clinical trial is to assess clinical, histological and patient outcomes following topical phenytoin (PHT) treatment of experimental palatal wounds. Material and methods Systemically healthy adults were recruited. One 6 mm diameter wound (posterior) and one 4 mm diameter wound (anterior), each 1-1.5 mm deep, were created on both sides of the palate. Wounds on one randomly chosen side received 10% phenytoin USP and contralateral wounds received carrier alone. Biopsies were harvested from anterior wounds (Day 1 or Day 5) and were routinely processed for histology. Posterior wounds were left undisturbed to clinically evaluate healing (using photographs and Healing Score Index) on Days 1, 5, 14 and 21. Questionnaires were used to assess patient-centred outcomes. Data analysis was performed using generalized logistic and generalized linear mixed models. Results 20 participants completed all visits. 30% of participants reported more pain on control side than the PHT side at Day 1 (p = 0.014). PHT treated sites were more likely to not exhibit swelling (OR = 9.35; p = 0.009) and to not experience pain on palpation (OR = 6.278; p = 0.007). PHT significantly and time-dependently affected granulation tissue appearance (p = 0.004). Histologically, there were no significant differences between control and PHT, at any time point (p≥0.853). Conclusions The results of the present study, the first one to report on topical PHT as palatal wound treatment, suggest that PHT application on palatal wounds could result in improved healing outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Ca14AlBi11—a new Zintl phase from earth-abundant elements with a great potential for thermoelectric energy conversion

Abstract The Zintl phase Ca14AlBi11 has been synthesized and structurally characterized for the first time. Its crystal structure has been carefully determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods, and shown to crystallize in the tetragonal space group I41/acd, No. 142 (Z = 8). Not surprisingly, Ca14AlBi11 adopts the Ca14AlSb11-structure type, although Ca14AlBi11 is the first alumo-bismuthide among the ‘14–1–11’ family whose structure is unequivocally established. In the respective Ca–Al–Bi ternary system, so far, Ca14AlBi11 is only the second identified phase. Electronic structure calculations for this new bismuthide indicate the opening of a small gap at the Fermi level, suggestive of intrinsic semiconducting behavior. Resistivity measurements on as-synthesized single crystalline sample show temperature dependence akin to those of heavily doped semiconductors or the bad metals. In addition to the moderately high electrical conductivity (ρ300 = 1.05 mΩ cm), specimens of Ca14AlBi11 also exhibit excellent thermopower, with high-temperature (HT) values of the Seebeck coefficient approaching and possibly exceeding 200 μV/K. These metrics, coupled with preliminary HT conductivity estimates, are comparable with the best state-of-the-art p-type Zintl thermoelectric materials and are among the best within the known bismuthides with the same atomic arrangements. Therefore, Ca14AlBi11 represents a new platform for the development of a novel, low-cost thermoelectric materials family with first-class transport properties and enhanced thermal stability. Initial data suggest that Ca14AlBi11 is amenable to doping, which opens up many opportunities for tuning charge-carrier concentration and optimizing the transport properties in this new, HT thermoelectric material.
Surfactant-free syndiotactic polystyrene aerogel foams via Pickering emulsion

Abstract This work investigates fabrication of aerogel foams from syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) using silica-based Pickering emulsion method. A large fraction of micrometer size voids (macrovoids) is created inside porous thermo-reversible sPS gels by dispersing water droplets without the use of surfactants before gelation of sPS solution. The method used in this work alleviates two critical concerns of surfactant-stabilized emulsion templating method, namely the sensitivity of emulsion stability to temperature and the difficulty of removing the surfactants from aerogel foams. Hydrophobic silica particles of diameter 50–70 nm are used to stabilize Pickering emulsion of micrometer size water droplets in emulsions of sPS solution in toluene at 110 °C. Emulsion stability shows weak dependence on temperature and on water volume fraction. The sPS chains form thermo-reversible gels when cooled to room temperature and lock the water droplets inside the gel. The aerogel foams, recovered via supercritical drying, show high porosity and coexisting macrovoids and macropores. The most probable macrovoid size varies in the range of 50–600 μm and is strongly dependent on water volume fraction. The silica particles are found localized on macrovoid surfaces.
Linking responses of native and invasive plants to hurricane disturbances: implications for coastal plant community structure

Hurricane disturbances produce significant changes in forest microclimates, creating opportunities for seedling regeneration of native and invasive plant species alike. However, there is limited information on how changes in microclimates and pre-existing forest conditions affect native and invasive plants responses to hurricane disturbances. In this manipulative study, we examined the responses of three common shrub/small stature tree species, two of which are native to the coastal region of the southeastern USA (Baccharis halimifolia and Morella cerifera) and one that is invasive (Triadica sebifera), to two key components of hurricane disturbance (canopy damage and saline storm surge). In a greenhouse, we grew seedlings of these species under a range of shade levels that mimicked pre-and post-hurricane canopy conditions for wet pine forest and mixed hardwood forest, two forest communities common in coastal areas of the southeastern USA. Seedlings were subjected to saline storm surges equivalent to full strength sea water for 3 days. Seedling responses (mortality and growth) to the treatments were monitored for 16 months. All species benefitted from higher canopy openness. Storm surge effects were short-lived and seedlings readily recovered under high light conditions. The storm surge had stronger negative effects on survival and growth of all species when coupled with high shade, suggesting storm surge has greater negative impacts on seedlings where hurricane winds cause minimal or no canopy damage. The invasive T. sebifera was by far more shade tolerant than the natives. Survival of T. sebifera seedlings under highly shaded conditions may provide it a competitive edge over native species during community reassembly following tropical storms. Differential responses of native and invasive species to hurricane disturbances will have profound consequences on community structure across coastal forest stands, and may be regulated by legacies of prior disturbances, community structure, extent of canopy damage, and species’ tolerance to specific microclimates.
Radiation exposure in fluoroscopy-guided anterior total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review.

To investigate the average fluoroscopy time, as well as the patient and surgical staff average radiation exposure in the context of intraoperative fluoroscopy use during anterior total hip arthroplasty (THA). PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus were systematically searched for studies pertaining to intraoperative anterior THA fluoroscopy (PROSPERO ID 258049). The comprehensive literary search was conducted using “THA,” “fluoroscopy” and “radiation exposure” as the search criteria, which resulted in 187 total papers. Of these 187 papers, 11 studies were included in this systematic review as they involved anterior THA and specifically contained data regarding radiation exposure dose and/or time. Eleven studies were included, enrolling 1839 patients. The average fluoroscopy time was 21.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] 16.6–26.1) seconds, whereas the average patient radiation dose was 1.8 × 10–3 (95% CI 7.4 × 10–4–2.9 × 10–3) Gy. Although several studies fail to report fluoroscopy time and radiation dose in THA patients, fluoroscopy-guided THA has emerged as a safe procedure. Additional studies may analyze if radiation exposure during the surgeon’s THA learning curve is significantly higher, as well as what protocols may potentially reduce radiation exposure even further.
Variance-based sensitivity analysis of dynamic systems with both input and model uncertainty

Abstract This paper develops a methodology to compute variance-based sensitivity indices for dynamic systems with time series inputs and outputs, while accounting for both aleatory and epistemic uncertainty sources, and both random process and random variable inputs. We present semi-analytical methods for computing sensitivity indices for linear systems with Gaussian random process inputs, and for the general case of nonlinear systems with non-Gaussian random process inputs. The novel elements in this approach are the treatment of model form error, quantifying the cumulative effects of uncertainty sources over time, and evaluating sensitivity indices for multi-physics models. Bayesian state and parameter estimation methods are incorporated to quantify the model uncertainty arising from unknown model parameters and model form errors, and sensitivity indices are computed before and after model updating. The proposed methods are illustrated for (a) a linear Timoshenko beam erroneously modeled as an Euler-Bernoulli beam, and (b) hypersonic flow behavior of a flexible panel represented by a coupled multi-physics nonlinear model.
Accelerating applications using edge tensor processing units

Neural network (NN) accelerators have been integrated into a wide-spectrum of computer systems to accommodate the rapidly growing demands for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications. NN accelerators share the idea of providing native hardware support for operations on multidimensional tensor data. Therefore, NN accelerators are theoretically tensor processors that can improve system performance for any problem that uses tensors as inputs/outputs. Unfortunately, commercially available NN accelerators only expose computation capabilities through AI/ML-specific interfaces. Furthermore, NN accelerators reveal very few hardware design details, so applications cannot easily leverage the tensor operations NN accelerators provide. This paper introduces General-Purpose Computing on Tensor Processing Units (GPTPU), an open-source, open-architecture framework that allows the developer and research communities to discover opportunities that NN accelerators enable for applications. GPTPU includes a powerful programming interface with efficient runtime system-level support---similar to that of CUDA/OpenCL in GPGPU computing---to bridge the gap between application demands and mismatched hardware/software interfaces. We built GPTPU machine uses Edge Tensor Processing Units (Edge TPUs), which are widely available and representative of many commercial NN accelerators. We identified several novel use cases and revisited the algorithms. By leveraging the underlying Edge TPUs to perform tensor-algorithm-based compute kernels, our results reveal that GPTPU can achieve a 2.46× speedup over high-end CPUs and reduce energy consumption by 40%.
Comparison of Black and White participants with severe mental illness in response to cognitive remediation as an augmentation of vocational rehabilitation.

Abstract Purpose Despite evidence that cognitive remediation improves cognitive and employment outcomes in persons with severe mental illnesses (SMI), its effects have not been systematically compared between Black and White participants. Considering that Black adults have more negative experiences receiving mental health treatment, providers may have greater difficulty engaging and retaining Black Americans in cognitive remediation. Due to the effects of structural racism on reducing employment opportunities for Black Americans, it is unclear whether Black participants will reap the same benefits of cognitive remediation on work outcomes as White Americans. This paper addressed this question. Methods A secondary analysis was conducted of five randomized controlled trials comparing cognitive remediation (the Thinking Skills for Work program: TSW) and vocational rehabilitation vs. vocational rehabilitation only in 137 Black and 147 White Americans (64.2% schizophrenia-schizoaffective disorder) who were followed up for two years. Results Comparable proportions of Black and White participants were engaged and retained in TSW (>75%). Participants who received TSW improved significantly more in cognition than those receiving vocational services alone, with no racial differences in benefit. Participants in TSW obtained more work, earned more wages, and worked more weeks than those receiving vocational services alone, with no differences between the races. Conclusions The findings indicate that Black Americans with SMI receiving vocational services could be successfully engaged in and benefit from cognitive remediation, highlighting the vital role of healthcare service systems in giving credence to structural racism to more effectively mitigate racial disparities in treatment outcomes.
Optimization of a simplified Fleet Assignment Problem with metaheuristics: Simulated Annealing and GRASP

The Fleet Assignment Problem consists of assigning aircrafts to flights, taking into consideration operational constraints of the airline company. This paper presents heuristics based on simulated annealing and GRASP for solving a simplified version of the Fleet Assignment Problem. The application of heuristics is essential as the space of feasible solutions grows exponentially with the size of the fleet and the number of flights. It allows to quickly find near-optimal results, by exploring only small part of the space of solutions.
Pharmacologic and Non-Pharmacologic Treatments of Adolescents with Chronic Tension-type Headache. (P7.297)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of two preventive protocols for adolescents with CTTH, we extracted data from medical records. Patients were either maintained on a daily preventive medication or given bimonthly osteopathic treatments combined with a daily mindfulness and internal qi gong routine. BACKGROUND: Chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) is a serious pain condition that may affect as many as 20% of adolescents. These headaches can persist into adulthood with dramatic effects upon overall health, including the development and worsening of associated psychiatric and medical co-morbidities. DESIGN/METHODS: Study design was a retrospective chart review of 83 adolescents with CTTH presenting for management at a university-based clinic between 2009-2013. Group 1 received a daily preventive medication (amitriptyline or gabapentin). Group 2 received bimonthly osteopathic manipulation and instruction in daily mindfulness and internal qi gong. Patients were assessed and compared at 3 month intervals (baseline, 3 mos., and 6 mos.) for headache frequency, pain intensity (Brief Pain Inventory question 3), and quality if life (SF-12 questions 1 and 12). Number of bilateral tender points were assessed and compared at baseline and 6 mos. To evaluate treatment outcome differences on these five assessments across time, we used mixed regression. Group differences in treatment outcomes are indicated by a significant (p < .05) group by time interaction effect. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in group composition so no covariate adjustment was necessary. With the exception of one SF-12 question, there were no baseline differences in outcome measures. For all five measures, non-pharmacological treatment produced the better results (all five interaction effects were significant at or below p = .001). Headache frequency in the pharmacological group reduced from 23.9 to 16.4 and in the non-pharmacological group from 22.3 to 4.9. The non-pharmacological treatment advantage also was substantial. CONCLUSIONS: Both protocols improve CTTH in adolescents, although the non-pharmacological protocol appears more effective. Randomized protocols should be planned to confirm these encouraging findings. Study Supported by: Disclosure: Dr. Przekop has nothing to disclose. Dr. Przekop has nothing to disclose.
Hepatic Lesions in Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease: I. Clinical correlations with liver biopsy diagnoses in 103 patients

Summary Liver biopsies of 103 patients with inflammatory bowel disease were classified according to the diagnostic term which best described the hepatic changes. Pericholangitis was the main biopsy diagnosis in 33 patients, fatty change in 22, nonspecific reactive change in 22, and cirrhosis or bridging portal hepatofibrosis in 20. The most frequent form of cirrhosis was a relatively uniform, systematized alteration of hepatic architecture resembling the pattern usually noted in biliary cirrhosis. All stages between mild portal fibrosis and cirrhosis were seen in the biopsy material as a whole. Therapeutic agents used in treating inflammatory bowel disease could not be related to either the type or severity of liver lesions. Intensity or type of bowel disease, as defined by clinical criteria of severity or duration, did not correlate well with either the type or severity of the liver disease. Bacteriological cultures of material from 69 of the liver biopsies were essentially negative, suggesting that infection in the liver may not be a factor in the hepatic changes. Serum Bromsulphalein retention and alkaline phosphatase levels were the best laboratory measures of the presence of hepatic lesions. Since it was not possible to define any consistent relationship between chronic bowel disease and liver injury, and since liver function tests may be normal in the presence of hepatic injury, liver biopsy must be utilized to determine the type and severity of the liver disease. No specific recommendations concerning therapeutic measures can be made at this time; adequate treatment of the bowel disease appears to be the best available measure for the prevention and control of the hepatic complications.
Differential expression of pseudoconditioning and sensitization by siphon responses in Aplysia: novel response selection after training

Nonassociative training with a noxious unconditioned stimulus (US) applied to the head or tail of freely moving Aplysia caused a qualitative change in siphon responses to midbody test stimulation, so that the midbody test responses came to resemble the unconditioned siphon response (UR) to the US when tested 1 d after exposure to the US. Such a nonassociative, US-induced transformation of test responses into responses resembling the UR has traditionally been termed "pseudoconditioning." Short-term pseudoconditioning was compared to sensitization and to habituation in a reduced preparation that used a photocell to distinguish "head-type" siphon responses from qualitatively different "tail-type" responses. Transformation of test responses (pseudoconditioning) was observed only when the type of preexisting alpha response to the midbody test stimulus was different from the UR. Sensitization, defined as a US-induced enhancement of the alpha response to the test stimulus, was observed when the initial alpha response and the UR were of the same type. General sensory facilitation was excluded as a critical mechanism for pseudoconditioning by the observation that the same midbody test response could be transformed to either a head-type or tail-type response, depending on the site of the US, and by the observation that simply increasing the intensity of the midbody test stimulus in the absence of a head or tail US did not produce similar response transformations. These studies demonstrate pseudoconditioning in a preparation amenable to analysis at the level of identified neurons, and draw attention to a distinctive and widespread form of behavioral modifiability that has been neglected by investigators of learning.
POSITIVE DEVIANCE: A CLASSIFICATORY MODEL

The topic of positive deviance is analyzed in relation to how various theorists have conceptualized this particular type of deviance. In addition, the divergent examples of positive deviance/deviants that have been cited in the literature are reviewed. Finally, a typology is developed that is based on those previously cited examples. The typology includes the following kinds of positive deviance: altruism, charisma, innovation, supra-conforming behavior, and innate characteristics. Another potential type--ex-deviants-is also suggested.
Purification and Properties of a Bacteriophage-induced Cell Wall Peptidase from Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract A phage-induced cell wall solubilizing enzyme isolated from phage-infected Staphylococcus aureus phage type 80 was purified 588-fold. The pH optimal activity was 6.8 to 7.3, and pH optimal stability, 6.5 to 7.5. It was inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and specific rabbit antisera. The cell wall lytic reaction is a peptidase resulting in cleavage of the cell wall peptide at N-terminal alanine, glutamic acid, and glycine. Electron micrographs are shown of cell wall “ghosts” remaining after the enzymatic digestion of cell walls.
A Dual Authentication Protocol for IEEE 802.11 Wireless LANs

In this paper, we first identify a vulnerability of IEEE 802.11 wireless LANs in which a compromised access point can still authenticate itself to a wireless station and gain control over the connection, and show that the current IEEE 802.11i standard does not address this problem. We then propose a new protocol that can counter this attack by providing dual authentication for both a wireless station and its corresponding access point at connection setup time using the authentication server. We also consider roaming situations and present a roaming authentication protocol. Finally, we show that our protocol is in conformance with the requirements of the IEEE 802.11i standard, and show that it performs no worse with respect to communication time than IEEE 802.11i using a prototype implementation of each protocol
Discount Point Concessions and the Value of Homes with Conventional Versus Non-Conventional Mortgage Financing

This is an empirical investigation on the impacts of certain seller concessions on home prices. Specifically, we examine the impacts of two seller concessions: discount point concessions (DPC's) and closing cost concession (CCC's) on home prices. Using hedonic analysis, we find that DPC's are capitalized into home prices. We do not find that CCC's produce capitalization effects. DPC's appear to work in a manner similar to other creative financing technique such as a buydown mortgage. DPC's enhance affordability by lowering interest costs and debt service payments. DPC's thus lead to increases in effective demand. CCC's will reduce out of pocket expenses but will not necessarily enhance long term affordability, thus their price effects are less certain. We show that these price premiums are prevalent only when conventional mortgage financing is used. When FHA and VA loans are used premiums disappear. Of course, governmental insured/guaranteed loans are much more subject to regulation than conventional loans which may prevent homesellers from price premium maximization. The study establishes the relative significance of discount points versus closing costs as marketing incentives. It appears that the use of discount points as a marketing incentive produces more capitalization effects. The presence of such capitalization effects if consistent with results found in other creative financing studies.
Costs of immunity in insects: an induced immune response increases metabolic rate and decreases antimicrobial activity

Summary 1. Life-history theory predicts that immune responses have evolved in the context of costs and benefits. However, our understanding of the costs of mounting an immune response is limited. 2. Using four species of insects, we tested for metabolic costs of immunity by inducing a short-term immune response and/or wounding and measuring CO2 production. Inducing an encapsulation response and/or wounding raised resting metabolic rate by up to 28% with a strong positive correlation between individual encapsulation response and metabolic rate in Tenebrio molitor, Acheta domesticus, Cotinis nitida and Periplaneta americana. Interestingly, we found that haemolymph removal increased metabolic activity relative to only wounding, suggesting a cost to sampling haemolymph. 3. We also tested for how mounting an encapsulation response and/or wounding would affect other immune components. We found that inducing an encapsulation response led to increased levels of phenoloxidase and decreased levels of lysozyme, an antimicrobial protein. 4. Our results support the growing evidence that immune responses entail specific energetic and corresponding physiological costs.
IRLED-Based Patient Localization for Linac Radiosurgery

Abstract Purpose: Currently, precise stereotactic radiosurgery delivery is possible with the Gamma Knife or floor-stand linear accelerator (linac) systems. Couch-mounted linac radiosurgery systems, while less expensive and more flexible than other radiosurgery delivery systems, have not demonstrated a comparable level of precision. This article reports on the development and testing of an optically guided positioning system designed to improve the precision of patient localization in couch-mounted linac radiosurgery systems. Methods and Materials: The optically guided positioning system relies on detection of infrared light-emitting diodes (IRLEDs) attached to a standard target positioner. The IRLEDs are monitored by a commercially available camera system that is interfaced to a personal computer. An IRLED reference is established at the center of stereotactic space, and the computer reports the current position of the IRLEDs relative to this reference position. Using this readout from the computer, the correct stereotactic coordinate can be set directly. Results: Bench testing was performed to compare the accuracy of the optically guided system with that of a floor-stand system, that can be considered an absolute reference. This testing showed that coordinate localization using the IRLED system to track translations agreed with the absolute to within 0.1 ± 0.1 mm. As rotations for noncoplanar couch angles were included, the inaccuracy was increased to 0.2 ± 0.1 mm. Conclusions: IRLED technology improves the accuracy of patient localization relative to the linac isocenter in comparison with conventional couch-mounted systems. Further, the patient’s position can be monitored in real time as the couch is rotated for all treatment angles. Thus, any errors introduced by couch inaccuracies can be detected and corrected.
The effect of noise constraints on engine cycle optimization for long-haul transports

Results are presented of NASA studies to determine optimum engine cycles for noise levels of 10, 15, and 20 EPNdb below current FAA regulations. The study aircraft were 200-passenger trijets flying over ranges of 5,556 and 10,200 km at cruise speeds of Mach 0.90 to 0.98. The economic impact of reducing noise, the identification of needed advanced technology and the effect of these advances are presented. The studies showed that the noise constraints imposed compromises on the optimum cycle with resulting economic penalties. The application of advanced engine technologies, however, could effectively offset these economic penalties.
Conformational analysis of siloxane‐based enzyme‐mimic precursors[1]

The conformational flexibility of six hybrid organodisiloxane oligomers were studied using the Low Mode-Monte Carlo conformational search method with the MM2* force field and the Generalized Born/Surface Area continuum solvent model for water., These systems have enzyme-like properties as synthetic acyltransferases and contain aminopyridine groups in various states of protonation. An ensemble of low energy structures was generated and used to investigate the dependence of molecular shape and flexibility on protonation, which plays an important role in catalyst solubility and self-association. The results as measured by the number of unique conformations, end-to-end or longest intramolecular distance and radius of gyration of the conformational point cloud indicate that the number of protonated pyridines plays a significant role in the overall molecular shape. A similar study was also carried out on various POSS-substitutive organodisiloxane oligomers.
Regulation of megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production by tyrosine kinases and tyrosine phosphatases.

Megakaryocytopoiesis is the process by which bone marrow progenitor cells develop into mature megakaryocytes, which in turn produce platelets required for normal hemostasis. The development of this hematopoietic lineage depends on a variety of growth factors and cytokines. Growth factor-dependent tyrosine kinase receptors important in megakaryocytopoiesis include c-Kit, fibroblast growth factor receptor, the RON receptor, and the macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor. Binding of growth factors to their respective receptors results in receptor dimerization and subsequent autophosphorylation on tyrosine residues. Tyrosine autophosphorylations become sites of association for cytoplasmic signaling molecules via their SH2 domains. Some of these molecules are themselves cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases such as the Src kinases, TEC, and CHK. Others are molecules such as phospholipase C-gamma, phosphoinositol 3-kinase, Shc, GTPase-activating protein, and the SH2-containing tyrosine phosphatases SHP-1 and SHP-2. These molecules generate second messengers, regulate the phosphorylation of other downstream molecules, and also regulate the phosphorylation of the receptor itself. The different cytoplasmic components activate pathways involved in either changes in cell growth or changes in the cytoskeleton that affect maturation of the cell. Cytokine receptors also generate signals involved in growth and differentiation. Some of these second messengers overlap with those of the receptor tyrosine kinases. Others, such as the JAKs/STATs, are involved in transcriptional control and are unique to the signaling mediated by cytokine receptors. We describe the contribution of these different signals to the growth/differentiation processes of megakaryocytes. We also describe the contribution of receptor and nonreceptor tyrosine phosphatases to these processes. Lastly, we have compiled selected methods related to the study of protein phosphorylation in megakaryocytes.
Status of the D0 fiber tracker and preshower detectors

In this report we focus on the performance of the D0 central fiber tracker and preshower detectors during the high luminosity p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 GeV delivered by the Tevatron collider at Fermilab (Run IIb). Both fiber tracker and preshower detectors utilize a similar readout system based on high quantum efficiency solid state photo-detectors capable of converting light into electrical signals. We also give a brief description of the D0 detector and the central track trigger, and conclude with a summary on the central tracker performance.
A web accessibility assessment on the Texas public school system

As the World Wide Web becomes one of the main communication channels between school districts and their community of stakeholders, the need to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with disabilities is no longer just an ethical issue, but also a legal obligation. This communication reports on testing the 1,117 entities within the Texas public school system using the Bobby Software. The results show that most of the web sites fail to meet the minimum required standards: Section 508 guidelines and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines priorities. Each violation is counted, a breakdown of the data is given, and finally a global approach for designing the web sites is proposed for the Texas public school system to enhance its web accessibility.
Global sampling for integrating physics-specific subsystems and quantifying uncertainties of CO2 geological sequestration

Abstract The risk of CO 2 leakage from a deep storage reservoir into a shallow aquifer through a fault is assessed and studied using physics-specific computer models. The hypothetical CO 2 geological sequestration system is composed of three subsystems: a deep storage reservoir, a fault in caprock, and a shallow aquifer, which are modeled respectively by considering sub-domain-specific physics. Supercritical CO 2 is injected into the reservoir subsystem with uncertain permeabilities of reservoir, caprock, and aquifer, uncertain fault location, and injection rate (as a decision variable). The simulated pressure and CO 2 /brine saturation are connected to the fault-leakage model as a boundary condition. CO 2 and brine fluxes from the fault-leakage model at the fault outlet are then imposed in the aquifer model as a source term. Uncertainties are propagated from the deep reservoir model, to the fault-leakage model, and eventually to the geochemical model in the shallow aquifer, thus contributing to risk profiles. To quantify the uncertainties and assess leakage-relevant risk, we propose a global sampling-based method to allocate sub-dimensions of uncertain parameters to sub-models. The risk profiles are defined and related to CO 2 plume development for pH value and total dissolved solids (TDS) below the EPA's Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) for drinking water quality. A global sensitivity analysis is conducted to select the most sensitive parameters to the risk profiles. The uncertainty of pH- and TDS-defined aquifer volume, which is impacted by CO 2 and brine leakage, mainly results from the uncertainty of fault permeability. Subsequently, high-resolution, reduced-order models of risk profiles are developed as functions of all the decision variables and uncertain parameters in all three subsystems.
Modeling analysis of change in neurologic abnormalities in children born prematurely: a novel approach.

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to evaluate changes in neurologic abnormalities in 212 preterm and 128 full-term children. Preterm infants with severe medical complications were considered at high risk, while those with milder complications were considered at low risk for neurodevelopmental abnormality. The patterns of change in neurologic status for the high- and low-risk preterm and term groups across 6, 12, 24, 40, and 54 months of age were compared using growth modeling analysis. As expected, the term group showed minimal change, while the two preterm groups demonstrated complex, nonlinear patterns of change in neurologic abnormalities. While the results demonstrate improvement over time in both groups of preterm infants, 35% of the children in the high-risk group had neurologic scores in the borderline or abnormal range at 54 months. These findings demonstrate that neurologic deficits are still evident at preschool age in some preterm children and that these deficits are related to the sev...
The roseate tern: World distribution and status of a threatened species

Abstract The roseate tern Sterna dougallii Montagu (Aves, Laridae) has a nearly cosmopolitan breeding distribution. The North American and European populations, the only ones which have been well-documented, have both declined drastically in the past decade, raising grave concern over the species' future. Literature search and correspondence reveal that the species currently maintains substantial breeding populations in the Indian Ocean, Caribbean, and Australasian regions. Most old reports provide no quantitative population estimates, while even many recent reports provide only vague estimates of population size. Nonetheless it has been possible to estimate regional populations in most cases to within one order of magnitude. The North American and Caribbean populations total about 10 000 pairs, while the European population is about 1500 pairs. The African population, including the Seychelles and the western Indian Ocean, may have 15 000 to 22 000 pairs. The documented world population is between 20 000 and 30 000 pairs, but the breeding populations of many areas are not yet documented. Substantial variation within and between regions in appearance and breeding biology indicates that each of the five named forms, at least, should be studied and managed separately.
Photoemission study of monoclinic BaBiO 3

We present the results of photoemission studies of ``valence-disordered'' monoclinic ${\mathrm{BaBiO}}_{3}$ in the photon energy range 15\char21{}120 eV. The line shapes of the valence-band photoemission spectra and the Ba contributions to the valence band are similar to the line shapes of the total density of states and Ba partial density of states, respectively. The Bi 5d core levels show only one peak for each spin-orbit component. Oxygen resonance is observed, demonstrating the existence of empty O 2p states. These results support a more covalent rather than a simple ionic picture for the electronic states of ${\mathrm{BaBiO}}_{3}$. Our data suggest that the charge fluctuation between the two unequal Bi sites is small. We also discuss the origin of the semiconducting character of the ``valence-disordered'' ${\mathrm{BaBiO}}_{3}$.
Treatment Resistant Depression: Strategies for Primary Care

Depression is commonly diagnosed and treated in primary care. Recent evidence indicates that the majority of depressed patients will not fully recover with an initial antidepressant treatment. This paper reviews commonly used options for treatment after an inadequate initial antidepressant response. The alternatives range widely, and include escalating the dose of the initial antidepressant, switching to an alternative medication, combining two antidepressants with different mechanisms of action (e.g., bupropion + SSRI or mirtazapine + venlafaxine), adding other medications such as lithium or certain atypical antipsychotics (olanzapine, aripiprazole, or quetiapine) to the antidepressant, adding a natural product such as l-methylfolate or s-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), or adding cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. What agent to be used will depend on the comfort level of the primary care practitioner and the availability of Psychiatry referral. However, it is reasonable to take one or more additional steps to attempt to achieve remission.
Degradation and Release Properties of Pellets Fabricated from Three Commercial Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) Biodegradable Polymers

Abstract Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide, 50:50) samples of similar molecular weight were obtained from three commercial sources and were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction, viscometry, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Pellets were prepared by meltpressing spray-dried polymer with a 4-mm standard concave punch and die set and a thermostated holder of original design. Amaranth (5% w/w) was incorporated in pellets used for release studies. Degradation and release studies were conducted at 37 °C in pH 7.2 phosphate buffered saline. The molecular weights of all polymers were found to decrease continuously after exposure to phosphate buffered saline. All polymers showed two distinct regions of molecular weight decrease. Mass loss experiments for all polymers resulted in sigmoidal curves typical of polymers undergoing bulk hydrolysis. The onset of mass loss (defined as 10% mass loss) was found to differ by as much as 6 days among the three polymers studied. The release studies showed an initial burst of release followed by a period of 15-25 days during which little or no dye was released. A second phase of release followed, lasting —10 days, until all dye was released. The time at which release began slightly preceded the onset of mass loss.
An altered peptide ligand mediates immune deviation and prevents autoimmune encephalomyelitis

In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced with myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) peptide 139-151, we have previously shown that the disease is mediated by Th1 cells, which recognize tryptophan 144 as the primary TCR contact point. Here we describe an altered peptide ligand (APL), generated by a single amino acid substitution (tryptophan to glutamine) at position 144 (Q144), which inhibits the development of EAE induced with the native PLP 139-151 peptide (W144). We show that the APL induces T cells that are cross-reactive with the native peptide and that these cells produce Th2 (IL-4 and IL-10) and Th0 (IFN gamma and IL-10) cytokines. Adoptive transfer of T cell lines generated with the APL confer protection from EAE. These data show that changing a single amino acid in an antigenic peptide can significantly influence T cell differentiation and suggest that immune deviation may be one of the mechanisms by which APLs can inhibit an autoimmune disease.
Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase B of Enterococcus faecalis. Characterization and insights into chemical mechanism.

Enterococcus faecalis dihydroorotate dehydrogenase B is a heterodimer of 28 and 33 kDa encoded by the pyrK and pyrDb genes. Both subunits copurify during all chromatographic steps, and, as determin...