cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell therapy for diverse central nervous system disorders: inherited metabolic diseases and autism

The concept of utilizing human cells for the treatment of medical conditions is not new. In its simplest form, blood product transfusion as treatment of severe hemorrhage has been practiced since the 1800s. The advent of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) began with the development of bone marrow transplantation for hematological malignancies in the mid-1900s and is now the standard of care for many hematological disorders. In the past few decades, HSCT has expanded to additional sources of donor cells, a wider range of indications, and the development of novel cell products. This trajectory has sparked a rapidly growing interest in the pursuit of innovative cell therapies to treat presently incurable diseases, including neurological conditions. HSCT is currently an established therapy for certain neurologically devastating inherited metabolic diseases, in which engrafting donor cells provide lifelong enzyme replacement that prevents neurological deterioration and significantly extends the lives of affected children. Knowledge gained from the treatment of these rare conditions has led to refinement of the indications and timing of HSCT, the study of additional cellular products and techniques to address its limitations, and the investigation of cellular therapies without transplantation to treat more common neurological conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder.
Brachytherapy monotherapy may be sufficient for a subset of patients with unfavorable intermediate risk prostate cancer.

Abstract Purpose/objective(s) Brachytherapy (BT) monotherapy is a well-established treatment modality for favorable intermediate risk (FIR) prostate cancer. However, patients with unfavorable intermediate risk (UIR) disease are often recommended trimodality therapy involving BT, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). We sought to investigate the relative benefit of supplemental therapies (ADT and/or EBRT) for FIR and UIR prostate cancer in a large dataset. Materials/methods We identified 3,723 patients with intermediate risk prostate cancer treated with BT between 1997 and 2013, including 1,989 and 1,734 patients with FIR and UIR disease, respectively. For the FIR cohort, Fine and Gray’s competing risks regression model was used to evaluate whether there was a difference in prostate cancer specific mortality (PCSM) between BT vs. BT + supplemental therapy (ADT, EBRT, or both). For the UIR cohort, this regression model was used to evaluate whether supplemental ADT, EBRT, or both decreased PCSM beyond BT alone. Both regression models were adjusted for clinical and treatment-related factors. Results The median follow-up periods were 7.7 years (interquartile range: 5.4–10.5) for the FIR cohort and 7.8 years (interquartile range: 5.3–10.6) for the UIR cohort. For the FIR cohort, there was no difference in PCSM between BT monotherapy vs. BT + supplemental therapy (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 1.70; 95% CI: 0.46–6.29; P = 0.43). For the UIR cohort, supplemental EBRT (AHR = 2.66; 95% CI: 1.12–6.34; P = 0.03), ADT (AHR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.38–2.43; P = 0.93), or both (AHR = 1.46; 95% CI: 0.42–5.01; P = 0.55) were not associated with improved PCSM compared with BT alone. Conclusion In our analysis, supplemental therapies did not offer an improvement in PCSM compared with BT alone for FIR or UIR prostate cancers. Further prospective clinical trials are required to determine whether BT monotherapy may be sufficient for a subset of patients with UIR disease.
Quality before Quantity: Inspecting CFTR

CFTR biosynthesis is highly dynamic. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Okiyoneda et al. (2018) show that RFFL serves as a CFTR conformation scrutinizer at the plasma membrane. It recognizes misfolded CFTR proteins and marks them for degradation. This quality control mechanism may be explored to benefit cystic fibrosis patients.
Differential immediate-early gene responses to elevated pressure in porcine aortic valve interstitial cells.

Background and aim of the study Cardiovascular risk factors are believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of aortic valve disease. In the present study the hypothesis was proposed that elevated pressure would cause a change in the expression of prototypical pro-inflammatory genes. Hence, the expression of MCP-1, osteopontin (OPN), VCAM-1, GM-CSF and PAI-1 was examined using semi-quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Methods Porcine aortic valve interstitial cells at passage 1 were exposed to constant pressures of 100, 140, or 170 mmHg or cyclic pressures of 80-120, 120-160, or 150-190 mmHg for 2 h. Static cultures at atmospheric pressure served as controls. Total RNA from pooled experiments was isolated for analysis of gene expression. Single tube primer-mediated RT-PCR was performed directly on the RNA. Results Cells responded differently to constant and cyclic pressure. The most notable response was the expression of OPN, which was significantly up-regulated under steady conditions but down-regulated under cyclic conditions. The opposite was true in VCAM-1 expression, which was significantly down-regulated at 170 mmHg static pressure, but up-regulated at 140 and 170 mmHg mean cyclic pressure. There was no clear proportional correlation between pressure magnitude and expression of MCP-1, GM-CSF, or PAI-1. However, elevated cyclic pressure caused a proportional increase in VCAM-1 expression and a proportional decrease in OPN expression. Conclusion Elevated cyclic pressure is a potent stimulus for the up-regulation of VCAM-1 expression and the down-regulation of OPN expression. This demonstrates an association between hypertension and aortic valve stenosis and calcification. The regulation of the chemotactic genes MCP-1 and GM-CSF is not correlated to a change in compressive forces.
Consulting With Integrity: Some Reflections on Team Health Care and Professional Responsibility

The moral confusion present in health care is compounded by the number of emerging professions which are seeking their own identity and integrity as part of the health care team. The leading example of such a profession is nursing. Christine Mitchell’s essay, “Integrity in Interprofessional Relationships”, speaks well to the needs of a profession which is developing a strong sense of its own integrity and responsibility. There are additional, more recent examples, however, in which new groups of health care professionals are seeking recognition and responsibility. At my institution, for example, the roles of patient representative, risk-manager, and patient-educator have been created only within the past few years. On a national scale, these professionals are seeking recognition for themselves. As these groups develop their own sense of identity and integrity, the problems associated with the team delivery of health care will undoubtedly become magnified.
III-Nitride semiconductor growth by MBE: Recent issues

Semiconductor III-Nitrides, such as GaN, AlN, InN and their ternaries, have recently gained considerable attention after an uneven effort around the first half of the 1970s which paved the way to intense activity in the preceding decade. This is in part due to early obstacles achieving high quality layers, particularly those with p-type conductivity. With marketing of blue LEDs, the interest and consequently the effort grew to the point that CW lasers, high power amplifiers, and UV detectors have been added to the list of devices made in this material system. GaN and its allied semiconductors are grown with a variety of techniques. Generally, thick GaN layers are grown with hydride vapor phase epitaxy whereas the thin ones and heterojunctions formed by the above mentioned binaries and their ternaries are grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy and molecular beam epitaxy. OMVPE uses ammonia and metalorganics for group V and III elements whereas MBE uses either ammonia or RF activated $$ N_2 $$ , and metal for group III elements. Among the above mentioned thin-film growth methods, only the issues pertaining to MBE will be reviewed in this paper.
Halichoerus grypus (Grey seal)

Lung tissue culture of two neonatal animals were used for the karyotypes displayed. They are gifts of Dr. U. Arnason (University of Lund, Sweden). The karyotypes are arranged following his system which groups the chromosomes into metacentrics, submetacentrics and subtelocentrics. The X was identified by autoradiography; its length is 5.4% of the haploid set. Chromosome 1 has a characteristic secondary constriction. Arnason gives measurements and autoradiographic findings.
Utilizing satellite radar remote sensing for burn severity estimation

Abstract The increasing knowledge in the capabilities of satellite imagery to hazard applications is especially useful in emergency situations where timing and ability to cover large areas are of the essence. For optical imagery, cloud coverage can corrupt an image rendering it unusable for intended emergency analyses. This study proposes the use of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery for burn severity analysis for western United States sites, as an alternative to its optical based counterpart, differenced normalized burn ratio (dNBR). Unlike optical sensors, the radar sensor is an active sensor that is able to penetrate clouds and smoke, an attribute that is crucial in emergency situations where immediate burn severity data are needed to assess the vulnerability of fire affected areas to post-fire hazards. Using C5 decision tree algorithm we developed a SAR-based metric that attempts to classify burn severities of fire affected locations in the western USA. We then compared the performance of this developed metric to that obtained by the existing dNBR metric, to determine if there is any merit to its adoption as an alternative for the western USA landscape. The results showed the SAR approach to produce higher validation metrics in comparison to the dNBR. It had an overall accuracy and kappa of 60% and 0.35, respectively, in comparison to the 35% and 0.1 of the dNBR approach. This shows an improved ability to quickly obtain burn severity data and make better informed decisions in emergency situations.
A Sea of Diversity: Historical Archaeology in the Caribbean

The Caribbean region projects a rich diversity in cultural settings that relate to a complex historical landscape in which local contexts punctuate global trends with unique material expressions. Archaeologists have explored a wide range of social issues and intellectual problems including colonialism, contact, globalization, power, and the complexities of slavery and freedom. This chapter will provide an overview of historical archaeology in the region including a review of research foci, an examination of thematic problems that have been addressed, theoretical approaches that have been used, and perspectives on new trends and ideas that are being explored today (Figs. 1 and 2). The social history of the region defines some of the key problems that researchers have addressed. For the Caribbean Basin, this includes understanding the region as a point of contact between European and Native Americans, a place where the Atlantic worlds of Africa, Europe, and theAmericas, and in particular the Caribbean, served as a critical stage for the intersection of global relations (Fig. 3). Archaeological studies have in one way or another addressed and bridged broad geographical, cultural, and political issues with the examination of localized sites and global contexts. Archaeologists have pursued their research from a wide range of theoretical perspectives and thematic interests, but the composite results highlight the importance of understanding historical contexts of cultural diversity, the richness of local history, and the interconnected nature of social relations from multiple scales of analysis.
Response to “Embracing Postcolonialism: The Future of Christian Education” by Mark A. Maddix:

The commitment of postcolonial studies to honor the perspectives of oppressed and marginalized groups is commendable. However, allowing the contemporary context of any group to determine the meanin...
Characterization of an Acetylcholine Receptor

This communication describes recent studies of an acetylcholine receptor from the electric ray Torpedo californica. For characterization of neurotransmitter receptors at the biochemical and biophysical levels, it is necessary to obtain at least milligram quantities of the molecules involved. Torpedo electroplax constitute an excellent source for these receptors. To understand molecular mechanisms involved in postsynaptic depolarization due to interaction of neurotransmitter with its receptor, studies can and should be conducted at several physical levels, viz. cellular, membrane, isolated molecule and reconstituted systems. Most of the work for the study of acetylcholine receptors at the cellular level has been done on vertebrate neuromuscular junctions or on Electrophorus electricus electroplax. Torpedo electroplax are not so well suited for such studies since the individual cells are basically too thin for the insertion of microelectrodes. Studies on this system can, however, be conducted at the membrane level, on isolated receptor molecules and on reconstituted systems. In this communication we describe studies at two of these levels, the membrane level and isolated receptor molecules. Several important questions can be answered by reconstitution, and this has now been achieved (Michaelson and Raftery, in press, 1974).
Design optimization for x-ray telescopes

The capability of future X-ray telescopes depends on the quality of their Point Spread Function (PSF) and the size of their field of view. Traditional designs, such as Wolter, and Wolter-Schwarzschild telescopes are stigmatic on the optical axis but their PSF degrades rapidly off-axis. At the optimal focal surface, their PSFs can be significantly improved. We present a simple optimization process for Wolter (W), Wolter-Schwarzschild (WS) and Hyperboloid-Hyperboloid (HH) telescopes that substantially improves the off-axis PSF for either narrow or wide field of view applications. In this paper, we will compare the optical performance of conventional and optimized W-, WS-, and HH-telescopes for a wide range of telescope diameters that can be used to build up future x-ray telescopes.
Outcome for Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with the Hyper-CVAD (with or without Rituximab) Regimens for De Novo Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) or Lymphoblastic Lymphoma.

Abstract Abstract 3084 Poster Board III-21 AYAs aged 16–20 yrs with de novo ALL or LL have superior outcomes when treated with intensive pediatric regimens; event-free survival rates range from 60–70% compared to 30–40% after conventional adult chemotherapy [Stock W, Blood 112:1646, 2008]. This is in part attributed to higher dose intensity (and cumulative dose) of the anthracycline, vincristine [VCR], corticosteroid and asparaginase components. The intensive hyper-CVAD regimen (fractionated cyclophosphamide, VCR, doxorubicin, dexamethasone alternating with methotrexate and cytarabine) was originally modeled after childhood therapy for Burkitt lymphoma, and had been applied as frontline adult ALL therapy without age restriction since 1992. In contrast to conventional adult or pediatric ALL regimens, asparaginase is not administered during induction or consolidation phases. Modifications to the regimen have included the addition of rituximab for CD20 positive precursor B-cell ALL owing to adverse influence of CD20 expression, particularly in the younger subgroup [Thomas D, Blood 113:6330, 2009]. An adapted augmented Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (BFM) regimen modeled after the CCG experience was developed specifically as frontline therapy for adolescents and adults up to age 30 in lieu of the hyper-CVAD regimen at our institution; accrual is ongoing. We updated the previous comparative hyper-CVAD experience in this young adult subset. One hundred seventy-six pts aged 13 to 30 yrs (median 22 yrs) with de novo ALL (n=149) or LL (n=27) were treated with hyper-CVAD (n=96) or modified hyper-CVAD (25 with anthracycline intensification, 55 without; 32 overall with rituximab). Eighty-three (47%) were less than 21 years of age (median 19 yrs). Forty-nine (29%) were CD20 positive. Overall complete remission (CR) rate was 97%; overall 3-yr CR duration (CRD) and survival (OS) rates were 65% and 70%, respectively. Rates for 3-yr CRD and OS were 68% and 75% if age 21 yrs or less, compared with 60% and 66%, respectively, if age 22 to 30 yrs (p=NS). The addition of rituximab improved the 3-yr CRD rates from 26% to 65% (p=.001) and 3-yr OS rates from 47% to 75% (p=.05) for the CD20 positive precursor B-cell ALL subsets, partly accounting for the improvement in outcomes. There were no significant differences in outcome by regimen for the CD20 negative subsets (all 3-yr rates > 70%). Outcomes with the hyper-CVAD regimens in AYAs appear to more closely resemble those of the pediatric approaches than the conventional regimens; incorporation of pegylated asparaginase and intensification of vincristine/corticosteroids (e.g., augmented hyper-CVAD) may further improve the efficacy of this regimen in the frontline setting. Incorporation of rituximab or the novel CD20 antibodies such as ofatumumab into the pediatric regimens warrants consideration. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Sulfate Formation via Cloud Processing from Isoprene Hydroxyl Hydroperoxides (ISOPOOH).

The oxidation of sulfur dioxide (SO2) by peroxides leads to the formation of sulfate in cloudwater, contributing to particulate matter (PM) formation. The reaction with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is ...
Harnessing heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Personalized, or precision, medicine in type 2 diabetes mellitus is becoming a reality with new insights into the contributions of subgroup analyses. The roadmap to future implementation must take into account individual and subgroup variability in genetic architecture, environment, clinical measures, lifestyle, cost-effectiveness and treatment burden.
Supramolecular Sandwiches: Halogen-Bonded Coformers Direct [2+2] Photoreactivity in Two-Component Cocrystals

The halogen-bond (X-bond) donors 1,3- and 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene (1,3-di-I-tFb and 1,4-di-I-tFb, respectively) form cocrystals with trans-1,2-bis(2-pyridyl)ethylene (2,2'-bpe) assembled by N···I X-bonds. In each cocrystal, 2(1,3-di-I-tFb)·2(2,2'-bpe) and (1,4-di-I-tFb)·(2,2'-bpe), the donor molecules support the C=C bonds of 2,2'-bpe to undergo an intermolecular [2+2] photodimerization. UV irradiation of each cocrystal resulted in stereospecific and quantitative conversion of 2,2'-bpe to rctt-tetrakis(2-pyridyl)cyclobutane (2,2'-tpcb). In each case, the reactivity occurs via face-to-face π-stacked columns wherein nearest-neighbor pairs of 2,2'-bpe molecules lie sandwiched between X-bond donor molecules. Nearest-neighbor C=C bonds are stacked criss-crossed in both cocrystals. The reactivity was ascribed to the olefins undergoing pedal-like motion in the solid state. The stereochemistry of 2,2'-tpcb is confirmed in cocrystals 2(1,3-di-I-tFb)·(2,2'-tpcb) and (1,4-di-I-tFb)·(2,2'-tpcb).
Gaussian Happy Numbers

This paper extends the concept of a $B$-happy number, for $B \geq 2$, from the rational integers, $\mathbb{Z}$, to the Gaussian integers, $\mathbb{Z}[i]$. We investigate the fixed points and cycles of the Gaussian $B$-happy functions, determining them for small values of $B$ and providing a method for computing them for any $B \geq 2$. We discuss heights of Gaussian $B$-happy numbers, proving results concerning the smallest Gaussian $B$-happy numbers of certain heights. Finally, we prove conditions for the existence and non-existence of arbitrarily long arithmetic sequences of Gaussian $B$-happy numbers.
"Conditional Scholarships" for Hiv/Aids Health Workers: Educating and Retaining the Workforce to Provide Antiretroviral Treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa

Without large increases in the number of health workers to treat HIV/AIDS (HAHW), most developing countries will be unable to achieve universal coverage with antiretroviral treatment (ART), leading to large numbers of potentially avoidable deaths among people living with HIV/AIDS. We use Markov Monte Carlo microsimulation to estimate the expected net present value (eNPV) of a scholarship for health care education that is conditional on the recipient entering into a contract to work for a number of years after graduation delivering ART in sub-Saharan Africa. Such a scholarship could increase the number of health workers educated in the region and decrease the probability of HAHW emigration. "Conditional scholarships" for a team of health workers sufficient to provide ART for 500 patients have an eNPV of 1.23 million year-2000 US dollars, assuming that the scholarship recipients are in addition to the health workers who would have been educated without scholarships and that the scholarships reduce annual HAHW emigration probabilities from 15% to 5% for five years. When individual variable values are varied from this base case within plausible bounds suggested by the literature, eNPV of the "conditional scholarships" never falls below 0.5 million year-2000 US dollars.
Design of an 81-Channel Read-Out System for a Hybrid PMT/SiPM Modular Gamma-Ray Camera

AdaptiSPECT-C is a dedicated human brain SPECT system currently under development. The system utilizes hybrid PMT/SiPM modular gamma-ray scintillation cameras with 81 photosensor channels for each camera. Here we present the read-out system design for the modular cameras. A front-end board inside the camera enclosure performs the current-to-voltage conversion for the photosensor signals. The back-end board receives the 81 analog signals and estimates time of interaction and amount of light acquired by each photosensor. The energy estimation is performed by sigma-delta modulation (SDM). A non-uniform 2-bit SDM is utilized for triggering and timing. The SDM approach utilized in the front-end board reduces the complexity of the system compared to conventional ADC methods, while maintaining system performance. The digital side of the SDMs is implemented on the FPGA of a system-on-chip, which also contains an ARM-based processor. A direct memory access (DMA) controller implemented on the FPGA writes the data to on-board memory. An embedded lightweight TCP/IP stack reads the data from memory and streams it to the system computer. The back-end board also monitors and controls camera temperature, and supplies power to the camera.
Finding Trustworthy Users: Twitter Sentiment Towards US Presidential Candidates in 2016 and 2020

For any topic in which the public opinion matters, there is a potential of using social media to evaluate the public opinion. Previous researches have proven the effectiveness of using social media as an indicator to elections. Nevertheless, the composition of social media users can never be the same as the real demographic. What makes things worse is the existence of malicious users who intend to manipulate the public’s tendencies toward candidates or parties. In this paper, we aim to increase the prediction correctness under the premise that the extracted data are noisy. By taking an individual’s trustworthiness, participation bias and the influence into account, we propose a novel method to forecast the U.S. presidential election in 2016 post facto and make predictions for the 2020 election. In essence, we identify the social media as a polling mechanism: What does social media predict as an election outcome?
Eccentrically Loaded Steel Columns with Initial Curvature

The behavior of eccentrically loaded wide-flange columns with initial curvature is studied. The flange elements of the column section are assumed to be thin in comparison with the depth of the section. The moment-curvature relationship based on this assumption is derived for an elastic-perfectly plastic material, and is subsequently extended to include the effect of initial curvature. The differential equation is solved by double integration and interaction curves are obtained with the aid of a suitable stability criterion. Semi-empirical equations are suggested to approximate these interaction curves, by which the strength of steel wide-flange columns with initial curvature can be accurately estimated. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the procedure of analysis.
Prevention of recurrent autonomic dysreflexia: a survey of current practice.

There is a dearth of literature on the treatment of chronic recurrent autonomic dysreflexia (AD), a well-known complication of spinal cord injury that can have life-threatening implications. This study sought to identify clinical practices regarding the treatment of AD, both acute and recurrent, in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Online survey regarding AD management in SCI composed of 11 questions designed to obtain information on respondent characteristics, AD treatment options, and causes of AD. Veterans Administration health care system. Veterans Health Administration National SCI Staff Physicians were sent an electronic email to participate in the anonymous web-based survey. None applicable. The response rate was 52 %. The most commonly prescribed medications for minor and severe acute manifestations of AD were nitrates. For recurrent AD, clonidine was the most commonly prescribed medication. Anti-hypertensive medications continue to be the mainstay in the management of both acute and chronic recurrent AD. Current literature is lacking in prospective randomized controlled trials investigating the relative efficacy of AD interventions. Evidence-based practice guidelines are necessary to improve clinical care.
Effect of Iododeoxyuridine upon Conjugation and the Fate of Transferred Deoxyribonucleic Acid in Escherichia coli K-12

The incorporation of 5-iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) into Escherichia coli K-12 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been found to decrease significantly the viability of female strains A288 and JC411r but to have only minor effect upon their ability to act as conjugational recipients and to perform recombination after conjugation. In contrast, IUdR incorporation into male strain HfrC appears to interfere with both chromosome transfer and genetic recombination. By using IUdR to densitylabel female DNA, and carrying out large-scale matings with 3H-thymidine-labeled male cells, we examined the fate of transferred DNA. After a 30-min mating, the T6-sensitive male cells were lysed, and the DNA of the merozygotes and remaining female cells was isolated. Initial centrifugation of this DNA in a CsCl gradient showed that the male and female DNA species were associated. The nature of this association of the parental DNA species was determined by formaldehyde denaturation followed by CsCl centrifugation. Denaturation of DNA isolated immediately after T6 lysis gave a peak of radioactivity banding at the density of light single-stranded DNA. However, denaturation of DNA isolated after T6 lysis and dilution of the cells into fresh medium, exhibited peaks of radioactivity banding at positions corresponding to single-stranded, density-labeled DNA. The results indicate that recombination after conjugation in E. coli takes place by a breakage-and-reunion mechanism. The process of recombination can be separated into two stages. In the first stage, the donor and recipient DNA molecules become associated. The second stage consists of the formation of phosphodiester bonds between the donor and recipient segments comprising the recombinant molecule.
Enchanted Ideologies: A Collection of Rediscovered Nineteenth-Century Moral Fairy Tales

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2010 Pages: 307 Publisher: True Bill Press ISBN: 978-0-9791116-5-5 (hard cover). Prices: $45.00 USD(hard cover).
Improved conditional e-payments

Conditional e-cash or conditional e-payments have been introduced by Shi et al. as the means for enabling electronic payments to be based on the outcome of a certain condition not known in advance. In this framework, a payer obtains an electronic coin and can transfer it to a payee under a certain condition. Once the outcome of the condition is known, if it was favorable to the payee, the payee can deposit the coin; otherwise, the payer keeps the money. In this work, we formalize conditional payments and give a scheme to achieve conditional e-payments that outperforms the original solution in several respects.
Loggerhead sea turtle environmental sex determination: Implications of moisture and temperature for climate change based predictions for species survival

It has been proposed that because marine turtles have environmentally determined sex by incubation temperature, elevated temperatures might skew sex ratios to unsustainable levels, leading to extinction. Elevated temperatures may also reduce availability of suitable nesting sites via sea level rise. Increased tropical storm activity can directly affect nest site moisture, embryonic development, and the probability that nests will survive. Here, we question some of these assumptions and review the limits of sex ratio estimates. Sea turtles may be more resilient to climate change than previously thought, in part because of hitherto unappreciated mechanisms for coping with variable incubation conditions.
No Fault, No Foul: Litigating First-Party-Benefit Cases - Part II

This article, Part II in a series, discusses no-fault law in New York State, with special emphasis on no-fault trials in New York's First and Second Judicial Departments.
Cryogenic Principles and Applications

Cryogenics is generally referred to as the science and technology of producing a low-temperature environment for applications. The word cryogenics has its origin in the Greek language where “kryos” means frost or cold and “gen” is a common root for the English verb to generate. Strictly speaking, cryogenics means to produce cold, yet the term has developed a more general connotation over years of usage by engineers and scientists. Today, the word cryogenics is associated with the production and study of low-temperature environments with a cryogenic engineer being a person who specializes in these areas. The expertise of a cryogenic engineer can vary considerably within this discipline. For example, he or she may be concerned mostly with heat transfer aspects of low-temperature fluids such as liquid hydrogen or helium or alternatively may be a specialist in methods of producing low temperatures such as various refrigeration technologies. Expertise in cryogenic engineering is in demand in a wide variety of technical fields including advanced energy production and storage technologies, transportation and space programs, and a wide variety of physics and engineering research efforts. As a result, the field is very interdisciplinary consisting of essentially all engineering fields focused on low temperature technology.
Cognitive Penetrability of Perception

Perception is typically distinguished from cognition. For example, seeing is importantly different from believing. And while what one sees clearly influences what one thinks, it is debatable whether what one believes and otherwise thinks can influence, in some direct and non-trivial way, what one sees. The latter possible relation is the cognitive penetration of perception. Cognitive penetration, if it occurs, has implications for philosophy of science, epistemology, philosophy of mind, and cognitive science. This paper offers an analysis of the phenomenon, its theoretical consequences, and a variety of experimental results and possible interpretations of them. The paper concludes by proposing some constraints for analyses and definitions of cognitive penetrability.
Progressing from student to professional: the importance and challenges of teaching software engineering

Most Computer Information Systems and Computer Science programs offer some type of software engineering as an elective. This paper has three main objectives. First, it addresses the need for software engineering as a CS/CIS program requirement rather than an elective. Secondly, an approach to software engineering is presented that while emphasizing a project to teach the software development and team skills required in a software professional, it also emphasizes theoretical aspects of program development, and testing. Third, it describes how to structure a semester project so that it can be used to assess team skills.
A Test for Threshold Effects in Bank Entry

While there exists an empirical literature on the market structure-performance relationship in banking, the possibility of threshold effects in bank entry has not been addressed. Two possible concerns relating to threshold effects are presented. One is whether or not increased market entry exerts differential effects on performance as related to current levels of competition. For example, does an X percent increase in entry exert a larger effect on performance in markets with a relatively few number of firms per capita versus markets with a larger number? The second concern is whether or not it makes a difference on performance if entry is de novo or by branches. For example, do de novo or branch entry exhibit different thresholds? Regression analysis relates market performance and possible threshold effects. Performance is gauged by the effective interest rate charged on conventional mortgages by banks, savings and loans, and mutual banks. A crosssectional sample of 39 cities is chosen so that they are located in states without unit banking laws. This choice is made for two reasons. One is to allow for both de novo and branch entry. The other is to minimize the impact of entry on performance by bank holding companies (BHC's). It is widely accepted that the growth of BHC's has been greatest in unit banking states. The basic equation uses the interest rate by city in 1975 as the dependent variable. The independent variables are population growth, term-to-maturity, loan-to-value, percentage growth in entry, and a dummy variable to measure for threshold effects. The dummy variable is set up so as to separate out cases of banks per capita above certain hypothesized threshold values. Threshold points are chosen by first measuring the average number of banks per capita. Subtracting one, one and one-half, two and two and one-half standard deviations of this variable from this average number of banks per capita Variable forms four possible threshold points. Also, by adding these multiples of the standard deviation to the average banks per capita variable forms four possible saturation points. The following results are obtained. The nonentry variables are found to exert the expected and significant effects on performance. While both de novo and branch entry variables exert significant and competitive effects on performance, the threshold and saturation dummies do not exert significant impacts. That is, both types of entry are found to exert positive effects on performance which are undifferentiated by present levels of competition. The implication is that both types of entry offer means of improving performance in these 39 markets. L t n
Effect of food restriction on the phosphocreatine energy shuttle components in rat heart.

Malnutrition has been associated with changes in cardiac metabolism and performance. We have previously reported a diabetic-type cardiomyopathy associated with chronic food restriction and weight loss [28]. Because the creatine-phosphocreatine-creatine kinase system is important in the contractile process, we studied the components of this system in rats fed a food-restricted diet (33% of control animal intake). After 4 weeks of food restriction, total creatine kinase (CK) activities were reduced by 28% in ventricles and by 38% in atria. The CK isoenzymes in the heart were not equally affected. The BB isoenzyme was decreased by 77% and 78%, the MB isoenzyme by 45% and 43%, the MM isoenzyme by 22% and 19% and CKmito by 16% and 15% in ventricles and atria, respectively. In contrast, brain CK activity which is predominately the BB isoenzyme, was slightly higher in the food-restricted than in control rats. Further studies on ventricular tissue from food-restricted rats revealed a 27% decline in myofibrillar CR activity and a 58% decline in myofibrillar ATPase activity. Phosphocreatine and creatine concentrations were not changed by food restriction, however ATP was decreased by 23% in ventricles from rats on the restricted diet. Cardiac mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was also impaired. State 3 respiration with α-ketoglutarate was reduced 20% in the food-restricted heart. These changes are compared to those which we previously observed in the diabetic rat heart [29] and the significance of these findings is discussed.
Could plate tectonics on Venus be concealed by volcanic deposits

The present investigation is supplementary to a study reported by Kaula and Phillips (1981). From an analysis of Pioneer Venus altimetry, Kaula and Phillips had inferred that any heat loss from the planet by plate tectonics must be small compared to that from the earth. However, it has been suggested by others that plate tectonic may exist on Venus, but that the expected 'square root of s' dependence of the topographic drop off is not observed because it is concealed by lava flows. The present investigation has the objective to conduct an examination whether this suggestion of concealment by lava flow is correct. On the basis of the performed analysis, it is concluded that the results obtained by Kaula and Phillips appear to be well justified.
Surgical Anatomy of the Nose

■ Expert knowledge of nasal anatomy and function is the key to success in rhinoplasty surgery.
A genetic locus in mutant poliovirus genomes involved in overproduction of RNA polymerase and 3C proteinase

Abstract A mutagenic oligonucleotide cassette was used to introduce single and tandem amino acid substitutions into the proteinase 3C coding region of an infectious poliovirus type 1 cl)NA. The sites targeted for mutagenesis, residues 60, 61, and 66, are located within a putative helical loop structure which may be involved in substrate recognition by the enzyme. Fourteen viable 3C proteinase mutants were isolated. A Lys a Arg substitution at position 60 resulted in cold sensitivity for growth at 33°. Replacement of Lys 60 with lie, either singly or in combination with substitutions at position 61, resulted in viruses that produced three- to fivefold more 31) RNA polymerase than wild-type poliovirus. 3C-mediated processing of the remaining sites within the polyprotein was not noticeably affected. The overproduction of 3D is a consequence of more efficient processing of the carboxy-terminal Gin-Gly amino acid pair of 3C. Together with a previous report in which substitution of Val 54 with an Ala residue results in a poliovirus that produces decreased levels of 3D, these observations provide evidence that the putative loop region (residues 51–66) may be a functional domain involved in recognition of the carboxy-terminal Gln-Gly cleavage site of 3C.
Informed consent and parental choice of anesthesia and sedation for the repair of small lacerations in children

This study investigated the issue of informed consent by surveying parent preferences for local anesthesia and sedation in the repair of small lacerations in their children in the emergency department (ED). Of the 45 ED patients with actual lacerations receiving a suture repair, 11 requested tetracaine-adrenaline-cocaine (TAC), 25 requested infiltrated lidocaine, and 9 were not given a choice (lidocaine administered because of wound proximity to a mucous membrane site). All 45 patients preferred nonsedation over sedation. In 44 of 45 patient cases, parents preferred to be included in the medical decision-making for their children. Of the 94 non-ED cases (interviewed in private offices) with a hypothetical chin laceration, 16 preferred TAC and 78 preferred infiltrated lidocaine. Sixty-seven of 94 preferred nonsedation over sedation. In 89 of 94 patient cases, parents preferred to be included in the medical decision-making for their children. Favorable points of continuous informed consent were presented, with risks, benefits, and alternatives disclosed. From the data presented, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) parents preferred infiltrated local anesthesia more commonly than topical local anesthesia; (2) parents preferred nonsedation over sedation under the clinical circumstances described; (3) parents overwhelmingly preferred to be included in the medical decisions affecting their children.
Tight bounds on the number of l-nodes in a faulty hypercube

The spanning binomial tree is one of most frequently used spanning tree structures to implement various parallel applications in multiprocessor systems, such as hypercubes. In this paper, we define...
The design of computer simulation experiments with an econometric model of a regional economy: The state of Colorado

This paper presents an annual econometric model of the Colorado economy and reports on the results of simulations through 1981 of the economic impacts which selected exogenous state and national economic policies may have on the state economy. Specification of the model's demand-oriented equations was guided by the a priori economic base information derived from the Colorado State University input-output model of the Colorado economy. The block recursive 180 equation model is linked to the Wharton Annual Model of the U.S. economy. Elasticity analysis indicates that the Colorado economy will (1) grow more rapidly than the national economy through 1981 and be less cyclically volatile, (2) be strongly affected by an agricultural drought or a boom in the state's coal industry, and (3) be virtually unaffected by a 50 percent reduction in the state's active duty military industry. Although the state of Colorado was selected as the focus of this paper, the methodology was developed with sufficient generality to encourage application to any regional economy.
Thyroid antigens, not central tolerance, control responses to immunization in BALB/c versus C57BL/6 mice.

Background: Vaccination with cDNA for the human thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) in a plasmid, without adjuvant, induces TSHR antibodies in C57BL/6 but rarely in BALB/c mice. This outcome could be due to a difference between “high” versus “low” antibody responder mouse strains. However, unlike their poor response to TSHR-DNA vaccination, BALB/c mice vaccinated with thyroid peroxidase (TPO)-cDNA readily develop antibodies to TPO. We hypothesized that insight into these conundrums would be provided by the following differences in central tolerance: (i) between two mouse strains (C57BL/6 versus BALB/c) for the TSHR; and (ii) between two thyroid autoantigens (TPO and the TSHR) in one mouse strain (BALB/c). Methods: We studied autoantigen expression using real-time polymerase chain reaction to quantify mRNA transcripts for the TSHR, TPO, and thyroglobulin (Tg) in thymic tissue (as well as in thyroid) of young mice. Results: Our hypothesis was not confirmed. Intrathymic TSHR transcript expression was similar in BALB...
Oscillating reactivity and resonances in the three-dimensional Cl+HCl reaction

Abstract A hyperspherical reactive scattering program is used to calculate J = 0 reaction probabilities for Cl + HCl. The results for a “tight bend” LEPS potential surface show oscillating reactivity and at least one narrow resonance (perhaps three), while results for a “loose bend” LEPS potential show no oscillating reactivity, and several broad peaks that correlate with rotationally adiabatic thresholds. Narrow resonance-like structure is also observed on the “loose bend‘ surface, with energies and widths that are similar to those on the “tight bend” surface.
Coenzyme A transferase activity in rat brain.

Summary Succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase (CoA transferase) activity in the rat brain has been demonstrated to be 3–4 fold higher at 12 to 20 days of life than at birth or throughout adult life. No increase in the transferase activity was observed as the result of starvation. These data indicate that the metabolism of ketone bodies by the brain during early development proceeds through the activation of acetoacetate as catalyzed by CoA transferase.
Identification of hypoxia-induced genes in a malignant glioma cell line (U-251) by cDNA microarray analysis

Overcoming the metabolic restrictions of hypoxia may allow the progression of lower-grade tumors to glioblastoma multiforme. Our findings of up-regulation of HIF-1alpha and its downstream targets VEGF, GLUT-1, and CAIX in higher-grade gliomas support this hypothesis. We compared the gene expression profiles of the U-251 malignant glioma cell line under normoxic and hypoxic conditions to discover future research targets. U-251 cells were grown to 75% confluence and exposed to either normoxic or hypoxic conditions for 24 h. RNA was extracted, amplified, and hybridized to a cDNA microarray chip containing ~8,800 universal cellular genes. A threefold increase in mRNA expression was used as a threshold value for differential expression. Identified genes were divided into cell cycle control, stress response, and "newly connected" genes. Hybridization identified 11 hypoxia-induced genes: 1 involved with cell cycle control (CCNG2), 6 in stress response (IGFBP3, SLC2A3, GSTT2, FOS, DDIT3, AKR1C3), and 2 newly connected genes (Depp, AKAP4). One stress-related gene (AKR1C3) encodes for an enzyme that synthesizes progesterone. Of newly connected genes, the gene decidual protein induced by progesterone (Depp) showed the highest expression (4.2-fold increase). Possible future targeting for "hypoxic" glioma cells includes the targets for the AP-1 transcription factor complex (FOS), as well as blockade of the enzyme AKR1C3 with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Possible functions of the highly expressed gene Depp include tumor vascularization. Future studies will focus on the hypothesis that Depp is up-regulated in an autocrine fashion by the AKR1C3 enzyme in U-251 glioma cells under hypoxic conditions.
Intraspecific variation and species coexistence.

Abstract: We use a two‐species model of plant competition to explore the effect of intraspecific variation on community dynamics. The competitive ability (“performance”) of each individual is assigned by an independent random draw from a species‐specific probability distribution. If the density of individuals competing for open space is high (e.g., because fecundity is high), species with high maximum (or large variance in) performance are favored, while if density is low, species with high typical (e.g., mean) performance are favored. If there is an interspecific mean‐variance performance trade‐off, stable coexistence can occur across a limited range of intermediate densities, but the stabilizing effect of this trade‐off appears to be weak. In the absence of this trade‐off, one species is superior. In this case, intraspecific variation can blur interspecific differences (i.e., shift the dynamics toward what would be expected in the neutral case), but the strength of this effect diminishes as competitor d...