cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantum magmatism: Magmatic compositional gaps generated by melt-crystal dynamics

Compositional gaps are common in volcanic series worldwide. The pervasive generation of compositional gaps influences the mechanical and thermal properties of the crust, and holds clues on how our planet differentiates. We have explored potential mechanisms to generate these gaps using numerical simulations coupling crystallization kinetics and multiphase fluid dynamics of magma reservoirs. We show that gaps are inherent to crystal fractionation for all compositions, as crystal-liquid separation takes place most efficiently within a crystallinity window of ∼50–70 vol% crystals. The probability of melt extraction from a crystal residue in a cooling magma chamber is highest in this crystallinity window due to (1) enhanced melt segregation in the absence of chamber-wide convection, (2) buffering by latent heat of crystallization, and (3) diminished chamber-wall thermal gradients. This mechanical control of igneous distillation is likely to have played a dominant role in the formation of the compositionally layered Earth9s crust by allowing multiple and overlapping intrusive episodes of relatively discrete or quantized composition that become more silicic upward.
Amphetamine-induced zif268 mRNA expression in the medial posterior nucleus accumbens in cholecystokinin-A receptor mutant rats.

Abstract Converging evidence supports a role for cholecystokinin (CCK) in modulating dopamine (DA)-mediated activity in the rat mesolimbic system. In particular, CCK co-localized with mesolimbic DA cells originating in the ventral tegmental area potentiates DA function in the medial posterior nucleus accumbens (mpNA) through CCK-A receptors. Recently, a strain of rats lacking the CCK-A receptor, Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF), has been discovered making it possible to study the mesolimbic DA regulatory role of CCK-A receptors. Previous studies have shown that OLETF rats are less sensitive to amphetamine (AMPH)-induced behavioral effects compared to controls. To determine if this altered sensitivity is associated with decreased AMPH-induced postsynaptic activation in the mpNA in OLETF rats, we performed the following experiment. OLETF (CCK-A mutants) and Long Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats (controls) were given subcutaneous injections of either saline or AMPH (5.0 mg/kg). One hour after injection all animals were sacrificed and activation of the mpNA was assessed using in situ hybridization with antisense probes for zif 268 mRNA. AMPH treatment produced a significant up-regulation of zif 268 mRNA expression in both OLETF and LETO rats (P≤0.0002), compared to saline treatment. However, AMPH had almost an identical effect on zif 268 mRNA expression in the mpNA in both rat strains suggesting similar postsynaptic neural activation. The significance of this AMPH-induced zif 268 mRNA expression in these two rat strains and its relationship to CCK function in the nucleus accumbens are discussed.
Reflections on Loewald's "Internalization, separation, mourning, and the superego".

(2007). Reflections on Loewald’s “Internalization, Separation, Mourning, and The Superego”. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly: Vol. 76, No. 4, pp. 1135-1151.
Information science research, the National Library of Medicine and the public/private sectors

Two trends, the decline in funding for information science research and the accelerating contention between the public and private sectors in the information field, pose a threat to government institutions that conduct and support information science research. The appropriateness of the activities of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in particular has been questioned by the private sector. NLM, which has heretofore been a leader in information science research and development and in serving the health professional community (as mandated by law) is threatened. Private sector opponents should bear in mind that the contributions made by the Government both directly through contracts and indirectly through education and spinoff from research efforts have paved the way and laid the groundwork for the online information industry. Continued growth of the industry will require continued research.
Behavior of reinforced concrete elements under cyclic shear. II: Theoretical model

In order to design reinforced concrete (RC) structures in earthquake regions, a cyclic softened membrane model (CSMM) is presented to predict the load–deformation behavior of RC membrane elements subjected to reversed cyclic shear stresses. This model is an extension of the softened membrane model for monotonic shear behavior. Both models are rational because they satisfy Navier’s principles of mechanics of materials (stress equilibrium, strain compatibility, and constitutive laws of materials). Three new components of material laws were required in developing CSMM: the stress–strain relationships for concrete and steel in the unloading and reloading regions, the modifications of the envelope curve for compressive concrete, and the Hsu/Zhu ratios for cyclic loading. In order to verify the CSMM as a valid theoretical model, this study focused on comparing the predictions of CSMM with actual test results reported in the companion paper. We conclude from this comparison study that the CSMM can indeed predict...
Potential use of hematopoietic stem cells after radiation injury.

Bone marrow transplantation has been used for several years in the treatment of hematopoietic system malfunction. However, this particular therapy option has had minimal benefit when the hematopoietic system failure results from radiation exposure, such as that after the Chernobyl accident. In the last ten years, there has been considerable progress in the development of methods to encourage stem cell repopulation with the application of hematopoietic growth factors, and to reconstitute the hematopoietic system with stem cells extracted from the peripheral blood. Problems with allogeneic bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation as a therapy option include graft-versus-host disease and a shortage of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donors. These problems can be overcome if an autologous bone marrow or peripheral blood transplant is performed, but this is not always practical. Another approach to combat these difficulties is the use of umbilical cord blood as a source of donor cells, since placental blood is rich in stem cells and less prone to lead to graft-versus-host disease than mature blood. Stem Cells 1997; 15(suppl 2): 305-310
Elastic Depth Profiling of Soft Tissue by Holographic Imaging of Surface Acoustic Waves

Digital holography is used to image surface acoustic waves in tissue-mimicking silicone phantoms. Elastic depth profiles, at depths up to 30mm, are then obtained from the phase velocity dispersion curves by solving the inverse problem.
Book Review: Jessica Tuchman Mathews (ed.), Preserving the Global Environment: The Challenge of Shared Leadership (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1991), pp. 362.:

(1994). Book Review: Jessica Tuchman Mathews (ed.), Preserving the Global Environment: The Challenge of Shared Leadership (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1991), pp. 362. Political Science: Vol. 46, No. 1, pp. 125-126.
Enhancing advocacy skills of teacher candidates

This case study explores the dynamics of enhancing the capacities of teacher candidates in the Bilingual/Bicultural Education Students Interacting to Obtain Success (BESITOS) recruitment and retention program to advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Herrera and Murry’s advocacy framework provides the theoretical framework for this study and comprises three components – currency, defensibility, and futurity. This study serves as a documentary account of the efforts of one Midwestern university to increase the number of highly qualified teachers prepared to address the challenges that confront CLD students. Moreover, this paper identifies potential strategies for the future design and implementation of advocacy skills development curricula.
The application of michigan-style learning classifiersystems to address genetic heterogeneity and epistasisin association studies

Genetic epidemiologists, tasked with the disentanglement of genotype-to-phenotype mappings, continue to struggle with a variety of phenomena which obscure the underlying etiologies of common complex diseases. For genetic association studies, genetic heterogeneity (GH) and epistasis (gene-gene interactions) epitomize well recognized phenomenon which represent a difficult, but accessible challenge for computational biologists. While progress has been made addressing epistasis, methods for dealing with GH tend to "side-step" the problem, limited by a dependence on potentially arbitrary cutoffs/covariates, and a loss in power synonymous with data stratification. In the present study, we explore an alternative strategy (Learning Classifier Systems (LCSs)) as a direct approach for the characterization, and modeling of disease in the presence of both GH and epistasis. This evaluation involves (1) implementing standardized versions of existing Michigan-Style LCSs (XCS, MCS, and UCS), (2) examining major run parameters, and (3) performing quantitative and qualitative evaluations across a spectrum of simulated datasets. The results of this study highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the Michigan LCS architectures examined, providing proof of principle for the application of LCSs to the GH/epistasis problem, and laying the foundation for the development of an LCS algorithm specifically designed to address GH.
Compactin (ML-236B) reduces the content of filipin-cholesterol complexes in the plasma membrane of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells

Abstract The polyene antibiotic filipin was used to visualize the presence and distribution of cholesterol in the plasma membrane of glutaraldehyde-fixed human chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. Both compactin (ML-236B), a competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, and 25-hydroxycholesterol reduced the content of filipin-cholesterol complexes in the plasma membrane of CLL cells grown in media supplemented with either 15 % delipidized horse serum or 15 % normal (whole) horse serum. The reduction due to compactin was reversed by the concomitant addition of mevalonolactone. The ability of compactin to reduce the relative cholesterol content (as judged by filipin labeling) in CLL cells grown in lipoprotein-containing (normal) serum suggest that either CLL cells are different from other cells in that they predominantly utilize endogenously synthesized cholesterol for incorporation into the plasma membrane, or that a separate pool of endogenously synthesized cholesterol provides cholesterol for the plasma membrane.
Sex determination: where environment and genetics meet

and differentiation of an individual’s gonadal sex, epigenetic forces shape those morphological, physiological, and behavioral traits that characterize each individual’s unique sexuality. Research with the leopard gecko thus relates to the fundamental question of what factors determine individual variability, particularly as it relates to sexually dimorphic behaviors. Taken together, this research illustrates how sexuality depends on sex, but sex should not be confused with sexuality. That is, sex is merely a means of categorizing individuals or gonads, whereas sexuality serves as a descriptor of concordant traits each of which is typically sexually dimorphic in its expression.
High-resolution wind retrieval for SeaWinds

The SeaWinds instrument on the QuikSCAT satellite was designed to measure near surface winds over the ocean at a nominal resolution of 25 km with daily global coverage. Recently, reconstruction and resolution enhancement algorithms have been applied to the QuikSCAT measurements to generate high resolution backscatter fields. These high resolution fields make it possible to retrieve the wind at higher spatial resolution. Substantially finer wind and rain features are evident in the dense wind fields. The tradeoff is a higher noise level in the estimated winds. This paper describes the high resolution wind retrieval approach and the accuracy of the resulting high resolution winds. The limitations of the high resolution winds are considered. Methods for improving the accuracy of the data are presented.
Use of the Boltzmann Equation for the Study of Ionized Gases of Low Density. II

The Boltzmann equation for ionized gases of low density in an external magnetic field is used to obtain approximate solutions in the nonstatic case. The Boltzmann and Maxwell equations are linearized by assuming small deviations from a static solution. It is shown that in the limit of a strong magnetic field ($\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\ll}1$, as defined in the text), the motion transverse to the magnetic field is described by the conventional hydrodynamic equations. The variation along field lines is described by a one-dimensional (i.e., one space dimension and one velocity dimension) Boltzmann equation. Several applications are given, including an analysis of the Kruskal-Schwarzschild gravitational instability of a plasma.
Mechanisms of combustion wave propagation in heterogeneous reaction systems

For many condensed heterogeneous systems, the propagation of the combustion front occurs in a planar, steady manner, when observed using typical imaging rates (30 frames/s) and magnifications (4×). However, using much higher magnification (> 400×) and imaging rates (1000 frames/s), two different mechanisms (quasihomogeneous and relay-race) of combustion propagation have been observed recently. For the former, the microstructure of the combustion wave resembles what is viewed macroscopically (i.e., at typical magnification and imaging rates). Under these conditions, steady, planar propagation occurs. In the relay-race mechanism, while planar at the macroscopic level, the combustion front profiles are irregularly shaped, with arc-shaped convexities and concavities at the microscopic level. Moreover, the reaction front propagation consists of a series of rapid jumps and hesitations. In this paper, based on the local conditions during combustion (i.e., the microstructure of the combustion wave), we develop and evaluate several new criteria for determining the mechanisms of combustion wave propagation. Using these criteria, the boundaries between quasihomogeneous and relay-race mechanisms are determined experimentally as a function of the initial organization of the reaction medium (i.e., particle size and porosity). Further, the characteristics of the two mechanisms in terms of temperature gradients and ignition delays are also studied.
Nanophthalmos and Acquired Retinoschisis

Purpose To report three cases of nanophthalmos associated with acquired (senile) retinoschisis. Design Observational case series. Methods Complete ophthalmologic evaluation (including funduscopy with scleral indentation, total axial length measurement with A-scan, optical coherence tomography [Stratus 3 OCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc, Dublin, California, USA], and fundus photography) of three consecutive patients presenting with nanophthalmos and acquired retinoschisis. Results Three patients with nanophthalmos presented with bilateral acquired retinoschisis. One patient underwent a course of systemic steroids to treat concurrent and bilateral uveal effusion with macular edema. In this patient, one eye responded to this course of therapy without recurrence, while the fellow eye required vortex vein decompression with scleral windows, with subsequent, successful resolution. The average follow-up period was 40 months (range, eight to 95 months). Retinoschisis cavities remained stationary in each case. Conclusions Bilateral acquired retinoschisis may occur in patients with nanophthalmos, suggesting that there may be correlation in the mechanisms underlying these ocular disorders.
The use of antikeratin antibodies in the immunohistochemical distinction between neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma of the skin, lymphoma, and oat cell carcinoma

Paraffin sections of formalin-fixed tumor samples from 26 patients with neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma of the skin (NECS) were studied immunohistochemically with three monoclonal antibodies to low molecular weight keratin (MAB-K) and with antibodies to leukocyte common antigen (LCA), neurofilament (NF), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S100 protein (S100), and chromogranin (CGN), to investigate the relative diagnostic value of these antibodies. Samples from 20 lymphomas, 10 non-oat cell undifferentiated carcinomas, 10 oat cell carcinomas, and 10 melanomas served as controls. Keratin was found in 25 of the 26 NECS and in all undifferentiated and oat cell carcinomas. A ball-like immunostaining for keratins, resembling an inclusion body was seen only in cases of NECS and some carcinoids. Neurofilament, NSE, and CGN were expressed by fewer NECS than was keratin and all NECS were negative for LCA and S100. None of the lymphoinas and melanomas contained detectable keratin, NF, NSE, or CGN. Only the lymphomas stained with LCA. Only the melanomas were S100-positive. It is concluded that keratin is the most useful single discriminating marker in the separation of neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma of the skin from lymphoma, melanoma and, when the characteristic inclusion-like pattern is seen, from metastatic oat cell carcinoma. Cancer 58:1040-1049, 1986.
Partial Arytenoidectomy in the Horse with and without Mucosal Closure

Left-sided partial arytenoidectomy was performed in eight horses to evaluate healing. Four horses underwent conventional partial arytenoidectomy with suture apposition of the mucosa. In four horses, most of the arytenoid cartilage, including overlying mucosa, vocal fold, and laryngeal saccule, were excised en bloc without mucosal closure. The horses were monitored clinically by endoscopic examination. One horse from each group was euthanatized at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 16. Complete necropsies with gross and histologic examination of the arytenoidectomy sites were performed. Postoperative complications such as coughing, dysphagia, and aspiration pneumonia were not encountered and problems with wound healing were minimal in both groups. The defect created by partial arytenoidectomy without mucosal closure initially filled to the level of the luminal surface with granulation tissue, with a gradual transition to mature fibrous connective tissue. Grossly, the defect appeared to be healed and was completely epithelialized by week 16 without apparent narrowing of the laryngeal lumen. Partial arytenoidectomy sites with mucosal closure healed in a similar pattern by week 8. Partial dehiscence of the dorsal portion of the sutured mucosa occurred in three horses.
Detecting Suspicious Behavior From Only Positional Data With Distributed Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks are increasingly popular, and are being used to measure simple properties of their environment. In many applications such as surveillance, we would like them to distinguish “suspicious” behavior automatically. We distinguish here between suspicious and anomalous behavior, and develop a mathematical model which we illustrate on some sample data. We show the model predicts six classic deception strategies. We conclude with analysis of more sophisticated deceptions that exploit system responses to simpler deceptions.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Prediction of low temperature cracking of asphalt concrete mixtures with thermal stress restrained specimen test results

A deterministic model and a probabilistic model were developed to predict low-temperature crack spacing as a function of time using thermal stress restrained specimen test results, pavement thickness and bulk density, pavement restraint conditions, and air temperature. The effect of aging on pavement properties was incorporated in the models by predicting the field aging with long-term oven aging treatment in the laboratory. The calculation of the crack spacing is based on the theory that the pavement slab cracks when the pavement temperature reaches the cracking temperature of the mixture and the slab is fully restrained. The deterministic model predicts crack spacing with time, whereas the probabilistic model predicts crack spacing and its variation with time and yields the reliability of the design with regard to a minimum acceptable crack spacing criterion defined by road authorities. The probabilistic model is recommended for use in predicting the low-temperature cracking of asphalt concrete mixtures.
The Effect of Anterior Transposition of the Inferior Oblique Muscle on the Palpebral Fissure

Background Anterior transposition of the inferior oblique muscle is a popular treatment for dissociated vertical divergence. It seems that this surgical procedure may alter the palpebral fissure. Objectives To investigate the alteration of the palpebral fissure with inferior oblique muscle anterior transposition when it is performed as the sole operative procedure and to report the cases of patients who developed noticeable upper eyelid retraction after inferior oblique muscle anterior transposition preceded by large superior rectus muscle recessions. Methods The change in the height of the palpebral fissure surgery was evaluated from photographs by 2 masked observers in 3 groups of patients. The control group underwent inferior oblique muscle recession without transposition. The second group (or the insertion study group) underwent transposition of the inferior oblique muscle that was level with the inferior rectus muscle insertion. The third group (or the 2-mm study group) had the inferior oblique muscle placed 2 mm anterior to the inferior rectus muscle insertion. Also, the insertion study and the control groups were evaluated after surgery for bulging and elevation of the lower eyelid on upgaze. Results The narrowing of the palpebral fissure after surgery (mean + SD) was −0.14 + 0.6 mm in the 16 patients in the control group, −1.2 + 0.9 mm in the 14 patient in the insertion study group, and −2.1 + 0.5 mm in the 6 patients in the 2-mm study group. The differences were statistically significant between the control and the insertion study groups ( P = .001, t test) and between the control and the 2-mm study groups ( P P Conclusions Anterior transposition of the inferior oblique muscle causes significant narrowing of the palpebral fissure as a sole procedure. When preceded by large superior rectus muscle recessions, it can cause upper eyelid retraction.
e-Nanoflex sensor system: Smartphone-based roaming health monitor

The growing need and market demand for point of care (POC) systems to improve patient’s quality of life are driving the development of wireless nanotechnology based smart systems for diagnosis and treatment of various chronic and life threatening diseases. POC diagnostics for neurological, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders require constant long term untethered monitoring of individuals. Given the uncertainty associated with location and time at which immediate diagnosis and treatment may be required, constant vigilance and monitoring are the only practical solutions. What is needed is for a remote cyber-enabled health care smart system incorporating novel ideas from nanotechnology, low power embedded systems, wireless networking, and cloud computing to fundamentally advance. To meet this goal, we present e-Nanoflex platform, which is capable of monitoring patient health wherever they may be and communicating the data in real time to a physician or a hospital. Unlike state-of-the-art systems that are either local sensor systems or rely on custom relaying devices, e-Nanoflex is a highly nonintrusive and inexpensive end-to-end cyber-physical system. Using nanostructured sensors, e-Nanoflex provides nearly invisible monitoring of physiological conditions. It relies on smartphones to filter, compress, and relay geo-tagged data. Further, it ties to a backend cloud infrastructure for data storage, data dissemination, and abnormality detection using machine learning techniques. e-Nanoflex is a complete end-to-end system for physiological sensing and geo-tagged data dissemination to hospitals and caregivers. It is intended as a basic platform that can support any nanostructure based flexible sensor to monitor a variety of conditions such as body temperature, respiration air flow, oxygen consumption, bioelectric signals, pulse oximetry, muscle activity, and neural activity. Additionally, to address the cost of manufacturing sensors, e-Nanoflex uses a low cost production technique based on roll to roll gravure printing. We show the efficacy of our platform through a case study that involves acquiring electrocardiogram signals using gold nano-electrodes fabricated on a flexible substrate.
New Insights into Subtypes of Invasive Bladder Cancer: Considerations of the Clinician

Muscle-invasive bladder cancers (MIBCs) are highly heterogeneous tumors with variable clinical courses and responses to conventional cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy (gemcitabine and cisplatin or methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin [MVAC]) [1]. Current clinical staging systems are woefully inaccurate, leading to understaging (and hence undertreatment) in at least 40% of cases [2]. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy produces meaningful pathologic responses in almost half of the cases, but it remains impossible to prospectively identify the patients who will obtain this benefit, and its impact on overall survival in unselected patients is considered modest at 5–10% [3]. In spite of the availability of level 1 evidence to support its use, perioperative chemotherapy remains underused (currently 20% of patients receive it) [4]. Finally, and unlike the reality in the other major genitourinary cancers, no molecular targeted agents have been approved for the therapy of MIBC, and consequently no transformative changes have been made in its clinical management since the cisplatin-based combinations were introduced more than three decades ago [1]. The introduction of whole-genome approaches has transformed our understanding of cancer heterogeneity in other solid tumors. Using whole genome messenger RNA expression profiling, Perou et al. [5] discovered that human breast cancers can be grouped into five ‘‘intrinsic subtypes’’ (claudin-low, basal, human epidermal growth receptor 2 [HER2]-enriched, luminal A, and luminal B) based on shared gene expression patterns (Fig. 1). Studies performed in the intervening 15 yr have established that these subtypes behave as distinct clinical entities in terms of patterns of progression and response to conventional chemotherapy,
Developmental markers of psychiatric disorders as identified by sensorimotor gating.

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle relfex is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating that is amenable to cross-species comparisons. Deficits in PPI have been repeatedly reported in patients with schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders characterized by abnormalities in sensory, cognitive, or motor gating. Because some forms of schizophrenia appear to be attributable to early developmental perturbations, many animal studies have examined the influences of various developmental manipulations on PPI in adulthood. For example, isolation rearing of rats from weaning into adulthood leads to a reorganization of brain circuitry including changes in monoamine systems that modulate PPI. Isolation rearing of rats leads to deficits in PPI that are not evident pre-puberty, are enduring in adulthood, and are developmentally specific, in that isolation of adult rats does not affect PPI. The PPI deficits in isolation-reared rats are reversed by typical or atypical antipsychotic treatments, including raclopride, haloperidol, clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, and even the putative antipsychotic M100907. In contrast, other psychoactive drugs, such as chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, prazosin, or amitriptyline, do not normalize PPI in isolation-reared rats. Hence, the isolation-rearing model may help identify novel antipsychotics. Thus, social isolation rearing of rats provides a developmentally specific, non-pharmacological manipulation that leads to deficits in sensorimotor gating that mimic those observed in schizophrenia patients and are responsive to antipsychotic medications.
Distribution of antimony between carbon-saturated iron and synthetic slags

In order to develop an understanding of the behavior of Sb in the blast furnace, the distribution of antimony between carbon-saturated iron and synthetic slags of CaO-MgO-SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 has been investigated. The experiments were conducted at 1450°C, 1500°C, and 1550°C and at slag basicities [(wt pct CaO + wt pct MgO)/(wt pct SiO 2 + wt pct Al 2 O 3 )] of 0.666, 0.818, and 1.00. Those values correspond to silicate degrees of 2.37, 2.01, and 1.74, respectively
A well-posed weak statement algorithm for the pressure Poisson equation for incompressible flows

This paper examines the physical and computational implications of natural boundary conditions for pressure determination in incompressible Navier-Stokes fluid flows. The boundary condition statement arises naturally from the application of Green's theorem to a Galerkin weak statement for the classic pressure Poisson equation. The resulting nonhomogeneous Neumann conditions for impenetrable boundaries are equivalent to those obtained by projecting the Reynolds-averaged momentum equations onto the outward-pointing normal unit vector at the boundary. The pressure weak statement also produces natural boundary conditions for inflow and outflow boundaries. Numerical results for several benchmark problems validate the resulting two-dimensional finite element implementation.
Ethics of rationing the flu vaccine.

It is good to see that the Centers for Disease Control are seeking ethical guidance about the rationing of flu shots this year (“Ethicists to guide rationing of flu vaccine,” J. Couzin, News of the Week, 5 Nov., p. [960][1]). They should also be seeking ways to reduce the scientific uncertainties that make this ethical question difficult. For example, how effective is the influenza vaccine in different age groups, and in preventing disease, mortality, and risk of transmitting to others? How much benefit do hospital patients or nursing home residents receive through reduced risk of transmission if the staff of these institutions are vaccinated, compared with the benefits of being vaccinated themselves? Surely the answers to these questions are important inputs to the ethical calculus, and existing data are not adequate to answer them. Attempts to solve this short-term ethical problem should not obscure the larger failures that led to it. It has been common knowledge for years that the influenza vaccine supply was fragile at best, and no serious effort has been made to ensure a safe and plentiful supply. This failure also increases the risk of delays and and limited supplies of the new vaccine that will be required for a pandemic. Other pandemic preparedness activities, including surveillance for new strains in Asia, are seriously underfunded. Big failures of policy and politics have led to ethical dilemmas that would not otherwise have existed. While offering their guidance for the short term, perhaps the ethical advisory board can also highlight the ethical and other benefits of taking actions to minimize the likelihood of rationing in the future. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.306.5698.960b
Combining anatomy and function: the path to true image fusion

Modern imaging technologies visualize different aspects of disease in a non-invasive way. Considerable progress has been made in the fusion of images from different imaging modalities using software approaches. One goal of fusion software is to align anatomical and functional images and allow improved spatial localization of abnormalities. The resulting correlation of the anatomical and functional images may clarify the nature of the abnormality and help diagnose or stage the underlying disease. Whereas successful image fusion software has been developed for the brain, only limited success has been achieved for image alignment in other parts of the body. The development and current status of alternative approaches are presented. Dual-modality imaging is described with devices where two modalities are combined and mounted in a single gantry. The use of existing scanner technology ensures that no compromises are made in the clinical efficacy of either the anatomical or functional imaging modality. A combined positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) scanner has been developed and is undergoing clinical evaluation. Combining PET with MR is technologically more challenging because of the strong magnetic fields restricting the use of certain electronic components. An overview of the current status and future prospects of dual-modality imaging devices is presented.
Exploration of a Submerged Sinkhole Ecosystem in Lake Huron

Dissolution of the Silurian-Devonian aquifer in the Lake Huron Basin has produced several karst formations in the bedrock (sinkholes), through which groundwater emerges onto the lake floor. During September 2003, we explored a recently discovered submerged sinkhole ecosystem (55 m × 40 m × ∼1 m) located at a depth of 93 m with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) system, an acoustic navigational system, a video camera, and a water sampling system. In addition to two morphotypes of benthic mats, a 1–2 m thick visibly cloudy near-bottom nepheloid-like layer (sinkhole plume) with a strong hydrogen sulfide odor prevailed just above the seepage area of clear water. Relative to lake water, water samples collected within the sinkhole plume were characterized by slightly higher (by 4°C) temperatures, very high levels of chloride (up to 175 mg l−1) and conductivity (1,700 μS cm−1), as well as extremely high concentrations of sulfate (1,400 mg l−1), phosphorus (3 mg l−1) and particulate organic matter (400 mg C l−1). Compared to background lake water, sinkhole plume water was characterized by approximately twofold lower C:N ratios and tenfold higher levels of dissolved organic carbon, bacterial biomass as well as heterotrophic bacterial production. Significant uptake of 14C-bicarbonate in dark incubations provided preliminary evidence for occurrence of chemosynthesis, possibly mediated by specialized Bacteria and Archea present in this submerged sinkhole ecosystem in the Laurentian Great Lakes.
Honesty and Integrity in Academic Economics

There may not be much outright plagiarism or cheating in economics research, argues this economist, but there are grounds to conclude that a bias exists in statistical research. Does this amount to dishonesty? The author tackles the issue.
Growth energetics of carbon nanotubes.

The growth energetics of carbon nanotubes during arc discharge conditions are investigated. Ab initio molecular dynamics calcualtions show that the electric field alone cannot stabilize the growth of open metallic tubes. The addition of atoms and small clusters to tubes were studied using realistic atomic potentials. Deposition on tubes narrower than \AA{}3 nm leads to nucleation of curved defects (adjacent pentagon pairs) and eventual tube closure, while deposition on wider tubes favors the formation of hexagons and isolated pentagons, thereby promoting open-ended growth.
U.S. farm women, politics and policy

Abstract Women Involved in Farm Economics (WIFE), as one of the first national organizations of farm women, has made women a visible force in U.S. farm politics and policy circles in the past decade. WIFE has given farm women experience in official positions at all levels. Leadership positions together with political pressures brought about by the women's movement have helped to draw WIFE officers into the leadership circle of agricultural coalitions and interest groups at state and national levels. This paper explores the emergence, orientation and initial influence of WIFE in comparison with that of their foremothers, who were members of general farm organizations and associated political movements. While the level of farm women's participation in farm politics and policy-making has changed, there is continuity with their foremothers in the orientations toward family farm and farm family welfare, education and unity issues.
Variance of interaction effects of sire and herd for yield traits of Holsteins in California, New York, and Pennsylvania with an animal model.

Abstract An animal model with a REML algorithm was used to estimate variances of additive genetic effects and interaction effects of sire and herd. Milk and fat yields were analyzed for first, second, and third lactations of Holsteins from California, New York, and Pennsylvania. Twenty samples of data were used in the study: 10 from California, 4 from New York, and 6 from Pennsylvania. Mean number of lactations per sample was 36,820 from 18,189 cows in 156 herds. Mean fractions of phenotypic variance of interaction effects of sire and herd for milk and fat yields were .015 and .019 for first lactation and .019 and .021 for all (up to three) lactations rather than the .14 used for national genetic evaluations in the US. Mean heritability estimates for milk and fat yields were .26 and .24 for first lactation and .21 and .21 for all lactations in California and .34 and .35 for first lactations and .28 and .29 for all lactations in New York. Sums of variances of permanent environmental and interaction effects of sire and herd were similar to those used for national genetic evaluations in the US. Analysis of another 10 samples from California and 10 samples from New York showed only slightly different fractions of phenotypic variance for milk yield for interaction effects of sire by herd, sire by herd by year, and sire by herd by year by season: .023, .027, and .037 for California and .023, .017, and .023 for New York, respectively.
Land shortage, social change, and social conflict in East Africa:

Social conflict to some degree is inevitable in any society for it is inconceivable that in the real world the whole network of social roles and relationships and the ideas and values associated with them should be so well adjusted that conflict is removed. Utopia remains a literary and political dream. In situations of rapid social change the degree of conflict is likely to be greater for many of the established modes of mutual adjustment and resolution of conflict are upset as new roles or new conceptions of old roles emerge, as older beliefs, attitudes, and ideas are challenged by new ones and new techniques are introduced. In these circumstances conflict may appear in any area of social life.1 In this paper it is intended to concentrate on one single factor currently causing change and conflict in East Africa: that is, the growing shortage of agricultural land in rural country which results principally from a rapidly increasing population, but also in part from a greater demand for land for new economic purposes (e.g., the growing of cash crops) and from new techniques permitting individuals to work larger areas (e.g., the introduction of the plough).
The Effects of Locus of Control and Task Difficulty on Procrastination

The authors investigated the effects of locus of control expectancies and task difficulty on procrastination. Forty-two college students were administered an academic locus of control scale and a task that was similar to a typical college homework assignment. The students were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 task difficulty levels. Although none of the results involving task difficulty was significant, several results involving locus of control were significant. Specifically, analyses revealed that students with internal locus of control expectancies tended to begin working on the assignment sooner than students with external locus of control expectancies. In addition, students with internal locus of control completed and returned the assignment sooner than students with external locus of control. The results are discussed within the context of J. B. Rotter's (1966, 1975, 1982) social learning theory.
Ceramic joining III bonding of alumina via Cu/Nb/Cu interlayers

A method of ceramic-ceramic joining that exploits a multilayer interlayer designed to form a thin, potentially transient layer of liquid phase has been used to join alumina to alumina. Microdesigned multilayer Cu/Nb interlayers were used to achieve bonding at 1150 °C. Flexure strengths of as-bonded samples ranged from 119 to 255 MPa, with an average of ≈ 181 MPa. The ability to form ‘strong’ ceramic/metal interfaces is also indicated by instances of ceramic failure. Microstructural and chemical characteristics of fracture surfaces were evaluated using SEM, EDS and microprobe. The impact of post-bonding anneals of 10 h duration at 1000 °C in gettered argon on room-temperature joint strength was assessed. High strengths (198 to 238 MPa) were obtained. The retention of strength following annealing in low oxygen partial pressure argon differs from the behaviour previously observed in Cu/Pt bonded alumina. Effects of the anneal on interfacial microstructure were determined, and an explanation for this difference in behaviour is proposed.
Next cache line and set prediction

Accurate instruction fetch and branch prediction is increasingly important on today's wide-issue architectures. Fetch prediction is the process of determining the next instruction to request from the memory subsystem. Branch prediction is the process of predicting the likely out-come of branch instructions. Several researchers have proposed very effective fetch and branch prediction mechanisms including branch target buffers (BTB) that store the target addresses of taken branches. An alternative approach fetches the instruction following a branch by using an index into the cache instead of a branch target address. We call such an index a next cache line and set (NLS) predictor. A NLS predictor is a pointer into the instruction cache, indicating the target instruction of a branch.In this paper we examine the use of NLS predictors for efficient and accurate fetch and branch prediction. Previous studies associated each NLS predictor with a cache line and provided only one-bit conditional branch predictors. Our study examines the use of NLS predictors with highly accurate two-level correlated conditional branch architectures. We examine the performance of decoupling the NLS predictors from the cache line and storing them in a separate tag-less memory buffer. Our results show that the decoupled architecture performs better than associating the NLS predictors with the cache line, that the NLS architecture benefits from reduced cache miss rates, and it is particularly effective for programs containing many branches. We also provide an in-depth comparison between the NLS and BTB architectures, showing that the NLS architecture is a competitive alternative to the BTB design.
Energy Services for the Urban Poor: NGO Participation in Slum Electrification in India

Some 40% of the world's urban poor—living predominantly in informal settlements—lack access to legal electricity. Urban upgradation programmes, if they exist, prioritize water supply over electrification since water is nonsubstitutable and more essential for sustaining human life. Illegal electricity—albeit unreliable, expensive and dangerous—is also already widely available in informal settlements. I share the experiences of the Self-Employed Women's Association and Saath—two nongovermental organizations (NGOs) based in India—of participating in a multiple-stakeholder propoor electrification programme. By 2008 close to 100 000 homes had been electrified in the city of Ahmedabad and the programme is currently being replicated in smaller cities in Gujarat and in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan. I use academic literature on urban infrastructure provision and politics, project reports and evaluations, pricing surveys, and interviews with electricity utility and NGO staff to analyze the programme for its ...
An adaptable spatial-temporal error concealment method for Multiple Description Coding based on error tracking

Multiple Description Coding (MDC) is one of the most efficient methods to combat error-prone channels especially when retransmission is unacceptable. In applications involving scalable, multicast and P2P environments, it is advantageous to use more than two descriptions. In this paper, we present an adaptable temporal-spatial error concealment method based on error tracking to improve the performance of MDC. A Gilbert model is used as the channel model for burst packet loss simulation. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method.
The representation of insects in the seventeenth century: a comparative approach

The investigation and representation of insects in the seventeenth century posed huge problems: on the one hand, their size and texture required optical tools and fixation techniques to disentangle and identify their tiny parts; on the other, the esoteric nature of those parts required readers to make sense of images alien to their daily experiences. Naturalists and anatomists developed sophisticated techniques of investigation and representation, involving tacit and unusual conventions that even twentieth-century readers found at times baffling. This essay develops a comparative approach based on seven pairs of investigations involving Francesco Stelluti, Francesco Redi, Giovanni Battista Hodierna, Robert Hooke, Marcello Malpighi, and Jan Swammerdam. Seen together, they document an extraordinary time in the study of insects and reconstruct a number of iconographic dialogues shedding light on the conventions and styles adopted.
Computed radiography acceptance testing

Compact sized computed radiography (CR) systems based on photostimulable phosphor technology are now being more widely used in radiology departments. Measurement of imaging performance at time of installation is essential to ensure that the CR system is operating within the manufacturer's specifications and producing a clinically acceptable image quality. At any given radiation dose, CR imaging performance primarily relates to image contrast, spatial resolution, and noise. Tests for these key aspects of CR performance are described and typical results, as obtained with a commercial system, are presented.
Interplay between low threshold voltage-gated K(+) channels and synaptic inhibition in neurons of the chicken nucleus laminaris along its frequency axis.

Central auditory neurons that localize sound in horizontal space have specialized intrinsic and synaptic cellular mechanisms to tightly control the threshold and timing for action potential generation. However, the critical interplay between intrinsic voltage-gated conductances and extrinsic synaptic conductances in determining neuronal output are not well understood. In chicken, neurons in the nucleus laminaris (NL) encode sound location using interaural time difference (ITD) as a cue. Along the tonotopic axis of NL, there exist robust differences among low, middle, and high frequency (LF, MF, and HF, respectively) neurons in a variety of neuronal properties such as low threshold voltage-gated K+ (LTK) channels and depolarizing inhibition. This establishes NL as an ideal model to examine the interactions between LTK currents and synaptic inhibition across the tonotopic axis. Using whole-cell patch clamp recordings prepared from chicken embryos (E17-E18), we found that LTK currents were larger in MF and HF neurons than in LF neurons. Kinetic analysis revealed that LTK currents in MF neurons activated at lower voltages than in LF and HF neurons, whereas the inactivation of the currents was similar across the tonotopic axis. Surprisingly, blockade of LTK currents using dendrotoxin-I (DTX) tended to broaden the duration and increase the amplitude of the depolarizing inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) in NL neurons without dependence on coding frequency regions. Analyses of the effects of DTX on inhibitory postsynaptic currents led us to interpret this unexpected observation as a result of primarily postsynaptic effects of LTK currents on MF and HF neurons, and combined presynaptic and postsynaptic effects in LF neurons. Furthermore, DTX transferred subthreshold IPSPs to spikes. Taken together, the results suggest a critical role for LTK currents in regulating inhibitory synaptic strength in ITD-coding neurons at various frequencies.