cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk of developing chronic myeloid neoplasms in well-differentiated thyroid cancer patients treated with radioactive iodine

Exposure to ionizing radiation increases the risk of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), but such risks are not known in well-differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC) patients treated with radioactive iodine (RAI). A total of 148 215 WDTC patients were identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registries between 1973 and 2014, of whom 54% underwent definitive thyroidectomy and 46% received adjuvant RAI. With a median follow-up of 6.6 years, 77 and 66 WDTC patients developed MDS and MPN, respectively. Excess absolute risks for MDS and MPN from RAI treatment when compared to background rates in the US population were 6.6 and 8.1 cases per 100 000 person-years, respectively. Compared to background population rates, relative risks of developing MDS (3.85 (95% confidence interval, 1.7–7.6); P=0.0005) and MPN (3.13 (1.1–6.8); P=0.012) were significantly elevated in the second and third year following adjuvant RAI therapy, but not after thyroidectomy alone. The increased risk was significantly associated with WDTC size ⩾2 cm or regional disease. Development of MDS was associated with shorter median overall survival in WDTC survivors (10.3 vs 22.5 years; P<0.001). These data suggest that RAI treatment for WDTC is associated with increased risk of MDS with short latency and poor survival.
Wood Waste, the Challenges of Communication and Innovation

Wood is our material of choice for sustainable and environmental friendly construction and manufacturing of products. Wood has excellent properties for reuse, realized and implemented through a cascading utilization, introducing intermittent product lives. In contrast, wood waste is still a heavily under-valued resource in North America. With current practices of sourcing virgin wood at lowest cost and few efforts to shift wood out of the single-use convenience mode of utilization, true innovation is unlikely to occur. Technical problems have been assessed and solved. What remains is collecting and combining unintelligently scattered and hidden information about wood utilization into a single place. And, if connecting a complimentary feedstock supply to our current industries remains a challenge, then innovation must happen on the product-side too.
Effects of Gender-Specific Differences, Inflammatory Response, and Genetic Variation on the Associations Among Depressive Symptoms and the Risk of Major Adverse Coronary Events in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Depressive symptoms independently contribute to major adverse coronary events (MACEs), with the biological immune response to depression being a likely mediator of this relationship. To determine w...
Evidence for Somatic Hypersensitivity in Veterans With Gulf War Illness and Gastrointestinal Symptoms.

Introduction:Over 25% of Persian Gulf War (PGW) veterans with Gulf War Illness (GWI) (chronic health symptoms of undetermined etiology) developed gastrointestinal (GI) (diarrhea and abdominal pain) and other somatic symptoms.Objectives:Our study objective was to determine if veterans with GWI and GI
Physical and Physiological Principles Controlling Auditory Sensitivity in Primates

By way of introduction, we will give a brief description of the ear and the auditory nervous system. We will then discuss the role of the ear as an early warning device. The ear appears to be uniquely equipped for this role.
A multi-step strategy for BAC recombineering of large DNA fragments

Recombineering techniques have been developed to modify bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) via bacterial homologous recombination systems, simplifying the molecular manipulations of large DNA constructs. However, precise modifications of a DNA fragment larger than 2-3 kb by recombineering remain a difficult task, due to technical limitations in PCR amplification and purification of large DNA fragments. Here, we describe a new recombineering strategy for the replacement of large DNA fragments using the commonly utilized phage/Red recombination host system. This approach involved the introduction of rare restriction enzyme sites and positive selection markers into the ends of a large DNA fragment, followed by its release from the donor BAC construct and integration into an acceptor BAC. We have successfully employed this method to precisely swap a number of large DNA fragments ranging from 6 to 40 kb between two BAC constructs. Our results demonstrated that this new strategy was highly effective in the manipulations of large genomic DNA fragments and therefore should advance the conventional BAC recombineering technology to the next level.
PL Study of Phosphorus-Doped CdTe EVT Films

Low temperature photoluminescence (PL) was used to study the effect of in-situ phosphorus (P) doping on polycrystalline Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) deposited by the Elemental Vapor Transport (EVT) technique. The CdTe films discussed in this paper were deposited under Cd/Te vapor ratios of 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, and two vapor phase P concentrations of 4,000 and 16,000 ppm. Intensity and temperature dependent measurements revealed PL bands at 1.57, 1.50-1.56, 1.36-1.46, 1.28, 1.00 and 0.70 eV. It was determined that the 1.54 eV was due to transitions from donor to shallow acceptor states, likely P at Te vacancy (PTe). The 1.46 eV band was due to band to level transitions. Deep transitions around 1.00 and 0.70 eV were observed and are believed to be due to native defects.
Blocking IL-4Ra with dupilumab prevents lung inflammation in a mouse asthma model

Background: Dupilumab, an IL-4Rα binding monoclonal antibody (Ab) that inhibits IL-4 and IL-13 signaling, is approved for treatment of adults with inadequately controlled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Aim: Describe pharmacology associated with dupilumab mechanisms of action. Methods: Dupilumab effects on lung inflammation/function were evaluated in two house dust mite (HDM)-induced humanized mouse asthma models. Mice exposed to HDM thrice-weekly for 4 weeks (acute model) or 15 weeks (chronic model) received twice-weekly dupilumab, control (CTL) Ab, or no Ab prophylactically (acute model) or therapeutically (chronic model). Results: In the acute model, dupilumab blocked lung eosinophil (eos) infiltration by 96% (19% vs 1% live cells; P Conclusion: Dupilumab prevented lung immune cell infiltration, inflammatory cytokine/chemokine expression, and lung function impairment in humanized mouse asthma models, despite modest increases in circulating eos levels. Similar blood eos increases were observed in dupilumab-treated asthma patients, suggesting dupilumab prevents eos lung infiltration rather than eos generation and bone marrow egress. This study shows that dupilumab prevents lung function impairment and inflammation (prophylactically and therapeutically), independent of circulating eos levels.
Giant Cell Arteritis

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most prevalent of the systemic vasculitides. The disease’s two most common neurologic manifestations involve headache and visual problems. Stroke due to GCA, though infrequent, has an unusual propensity for the vertebrobasilar circulation. The incidence of other neurologic complications due to GCA is low.
A Longitudinal Hierarchical Examination of Smart Steps for Stepfamilies with Ethnically and Economically Diverse Couples

Over the past decade, relationship education has grown as a means of enhancing couple relationships. This longitudinal study was designed to examine the experiences and outcomes of 2,828 adults who...
On Not Knowing What We Don’t Know to Knowing What We Don’t Know: Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the Transgender Community

CITATIONEarl DC, Brown LK. On not knowing what we don’t know to knowing what we don’t know: obstructive sleep apnea in the transgender community. J Clin Sleep Med. 2019;15(10):1393–1395.
Transcriptomic Behavior of Salmonella enterica Newport in Response to Oxidative Sanitizers.

Agricultural water is a known source of contamination to fresh produce and can contain foodborne pathogens including Salmonella enterica, pathogenic Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter jejuni. To mitigate such risks, antimicrobial agents such as hypochlorites and peroxyacetic acid (PAA) can be applied to in-line irrigation systems as well as to water used in postharvest washing. Although these compounds are effective and widely used, some pathogenic bacteria adapt to survive exposure. RNA sequencing was used to analyze the Salmonella Newport transcriptome after exposure to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and PAA in a simulated agricultural water system. Overall cellular adaptive response was determined quantitatively as a function of overall gene expression of the >4,000 genes in the Salmonella Newport genome. Differentially expressed genes ranged from 11 due to 10-ppm NaOCl treatment, 316 due to 20-ppm NaOCl treatment, 1,719 due to 10-ppm PAA treatment, and 2,010 due to 20-ppm PAA treatment compared with that of the controls (water only). Differentially expressed transcripts included cellular functions such as biosynthesis, degradation, energy generation, and nonmetabolically linked functions. Oxidative exposure upregulated genes associated with key virulence, attachment, and gene transfer. Amino acid biosynthesis was upregulated due to NaOCl exposure but primarily downregulated when Salmonella Newport was exposed to PAA. Slight upregulation occurred in nucleoside and nucleotide biosynthesis, a known DNA repair mechanism seen during exposure to sanitizers. Our results indicate that Salmonella Newport reacts differently when exposed to NaOCl versus PAA, despite oxidative activity being the primary modes of antimicrobial action of both compounds.
How to change the world: the relationship between social media and social change in the classroom

Social media is used in many settings, including the college classroom. This study examined social media use to promote social change in an undergraduate leadership course. A qualitative iterative method and quantitative Likert scale were used to code student tweets and survey responses at both the beginning and end of the semester. Findings suggested that the effective use of social media in the classroom can change how students view the world. Recommendations include: educators should be wary of slacktivism; pedagogies should include repetition and discussion, and teachers should provide flexibility for their students on social media platform choice.
Vegetation management on private forestland can increase avian species richness and abundance

Conservation efforts on private lands are important for biodiversity conservation. On private lands in South Carolina, in the southeastern United States, forestry management practices (prescribed burning, thinning, herbicide application) are used to improve upland pine habitat for wildlife and timber harvest and are incentivized through U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Bill cost-share programs. Because many forest-dependent avian species have habitat requirements created primarily through forest management, data are needed on the effectiveness of these management activities. We studied privately owned loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands in the South Carolina Piedmont region. Our objective was to understand how management practices influence avian species richness and abundance at local (forest stand) and landscape levels in relatively small stands (average ∼28 ha). We surveyed 49 forest stands during 2 bird breeding seasons with traditional point counts and vegetation surveys. We evaluated the effects of management on pine stand characteristics, avian species richness, and abundance of state-designated bird species of concern. Repeated burning and thinning shifted stand conditions to open pine woodlands with reduced basal area and herbaceous understories. Stands with lower basal area supported greater avian species richness. Some species increased in abundance in response to active management (e.g., Brown-headed Nuthatch [Sitta pusilla] and Indigo Bunting [Passerina cyanea]), but relationships varied. Some species responded positively to increases in forest quantity at a landscape scale (1–5 km; e.g., Northern Bobwhite [Colinus virginianus]). We found species-rich avian communities and species of conservation concern on working timber lands, indicating that incentivized forest management on private lands can provide valuable habitat for wildlife.LAY SUMMARYPrivate timber lands can provide important habitat for birds, especially when landowners create open forest conditions.We surveyed birds and vegetation in southeastern U.S. loblolly pine forests in 2017 and 2018.Forests managed differently, for example with different numbers of burns, had different structures and compositions and supported different bird totals—both in numbers and types of species.We identified varying factors for different species' abundances from stand basal area to the forest extent (≤5 km).
A Qualitative Exploration of Barriers and Facilitators to Physical Activity Among Low-Income Latino Adolescents.

Introduction:Latino adolescents experience high rates of obesity and physical activity can protect against obesity and obesity comorbidities. Health interventions to promote physical activity are m...
Impact of a self-monitoring application on pediatric asthma disparities.

Abstract Objectives We previously reported improved outcomes after implementing the electronic-AsthmaTracker (e-AT), a self-monitoring tool for children with asthma, at 11 ambulatory pediatric clinics. This study assesses e-AT adherence and impact across race/ethnicity subgroups. Study Design Secondary data analysis of a prospective cohort study of children ages 2–17 years with persistent asthma, enrolled from January 2014 to December 2015 to use the e-AT for 1 year. Survival analysis was used to compare e-AT use adherence and generalized estimating equation models to compare outcomes pre- and post e-AT initiation, between race/ethnicity subgroups. Results Data from 318 children with baseline measurements were analyzed: 76.4 % white, 11.3 % Hispanic, 7.8 % “other”, and 4.4 % unknown race/ethnicity subgroups. Mean e-AT adherence was 82 % (95 %CI: 79–84 %, reference) for whites, 73 % (64–81 %, p = 0.025) for Hispanics, and 78 % (69–86 %, p = 0.373) for other minorities. Compared to whites, Cox proportional hazard ratio for study dropout risk was 2.14 (1.31–3.77, p = 0.001) for Hispanics and 0.95 (0.60–1.50, p = 0.834) for other minorities. Disparities existed at baseline, with lower QOL (74.9 vs 80.6; p = 0.025) and asthma control (18.4 vs 19.7; p = 0.027) among Hispanics, compared to whites. After e-AT initiation, disparities disappeared at 3 months for QOL (87.2 vs 90.5; p = 0.159) and asthma control (23.1 vs 22.4; p = 0.063), persisting until study end. Disparities also existed at baseline, with lower QOL (74.6 vs. 80.6; p = 0.042) and asthma control (18.2 vs. 19.7, p = 0.024) among “other” minorities, compared to whites, and disappeared at 3 months for QOL (92.7 vs. 90.5, p = 0.432) and asthma control (22.7 vs 22.4; p = 0.518), persisting until study end. Subgroup analysis was underpowered to detect a difference in oral steroid use or ED/hospital admissions. Conclusions Our study shows improved asthma control and QOL among minorities and disparity elimination after e-AT implementation. Future adequately powered studies will explore the impact on oral steroid and ED/hospital use disparities.
Spitz and fisher’s medicolegal investigation of death: Guidelines for the application of pathology to crime investigation, 5th ed: W.U. Spitz and F.J. Diaz, eds. Charles C Thomas, Springfield, IL, ISBN: 978-0-398-09312-9

A confession: I wanted to like this text more than I did. I first encountered this book in its second edition while training in forensic pathology in the 80 s, and it was formative in my understand...
The Proper Time Formalism, Gauge Invariance and the Effects of a Finite World Sheet Cutoff in String Theory

We discuss the issue of going off-shell in the proper time formalism. This is done by keeping a finite world sheet cutoff. We construct one example of an off-shell covariant Klein-Gordon type interaction. For a suitable choice of the gauge transformation of the scalar field, gauge invariance is maintained off-mass-shell. However, at the second order in the gauge field interaction, one finds that [U(1)] gauge invariance is violated due to the finite cutoff. Interestingly, we find, to the lowest order, that by adding a massive mode with appropriate gauge transformation laws to the sigma model background, we can restore gauge invariance. The gauge transformation law is found to be consistent, to the order calculated, with what one expects from the interacting equation of motion of the massive field. We also extend some previous discussion on applying the proper time formalism for propagating gauge particles, to the interacting (i.e. Yang-Mills) case.
Vitamin D Receptor Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Association With Vitamin D Levels and Endoscopic Disease Activity in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) comprise a heterogenous group of chronic gastrointestinal disorders that are multifactorial in etiology. Experimental in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that intestinal vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling plays a role in modulating the immune response in IBD as a cause and/or a consequence of chronic inflammation. AIM The aim of this study is to study the associations between vitamin D receptor gene single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs), vitamin D levels, and endoscopic disease activity in IBD. METHODS This is a cross-sectional analysis of IBD patients who underwent endoscopic evaluation at a tertiary care hospital. Demographic variables, IBD disease type and location, medical therapies, vitamin D levels, and endoscopic disease activity were collected. Colonic biopsies obtained were investigated for the presence of VDR SNPs: ApaI, TaqI, BsmI, FokI, and Tru9I. RESULTS Patients in endoscopic remission had higher vitamin D levels compared with those with inflammation found on endoscopy (P = <0.001). Patients with lower vitamin D levels were homozygous for Fok ancestral alleles (P = 0.0045). With regard to endoscopic disease activity, we found no differences in mutations of any of the VDR SNPs in our sample. CONCLUSIONS The association between the presence of the ancestral FokI and lower vitamin D levels suggests a multifactorial etiology for vitamin D deficiency in IBD. Higher vitamin D levels in those in endoscopic remission compared with lower levels in those with active inflammation suggests that the impact of VDR gene SNP on disease activity may be overcome with replacement therapy.
Comparing acquisitions and divestitures

Abstract We study the acquisition and divestiture activity of a sample of 1305 firms from 59 industries during the 1990–1999 period. Consistent with the importance of restructuring activity during the 1990s, we find that half of the sample firms are acquired or engage in a major divestiture. Consistent with the notion that economic change is a source of the observed restructuring activity, we find significant industry clustering in both acquisitions and divestitures. We also study the announcement effects of the two forms of restructuring and find that both acquisitions and divestitures in the 1990s increase shareholder wealth. Moreover, the wealth effects for both acquisitions and divestitures are directly related to the relative size of the event. The symmetric, positive wealth effects for acquisitions and divestitures are consistent with a synergistic explanation for both forms of restructuring and are inconsistent with nonsynergistic models based on entrenchment, empire building and hubris.
Levetiracetam treatment normalizes levels of the presynaptic endocytosis machinery and restores non-amyloidogenic APP processing in App knock-in mice

SUMMARY Increasing evidence indicates that toxic amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides, produced by sequential proteolytic cleavage of the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), induce neuronal circuit hyperexcitability in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As a result, treatments that modulate this early excitatory/inhibitory imbalance could act as potential AD therapies. Levetiracetam, an atypical antiepileptic drug, has garnered recent interest, despite the mechanism(s) of action remaining elusive. In this study, we set out to identify the pathways and mechanisms primarily affected by levetiracetam in diseased brains of amyloid pathology. Using the App knock-in mouse models and multiplexed TMT-quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis to determine how levetiracetam affects the proteome, our findings demonstrate that levetiracetam treatment selectively normalizes levels of presynaptic endocytosis proteins and is capable of lowering Aβ42 levels by altering APP processing. These novel findings demonstrate a mechanism of action for how levetiracetam lowers Aβ42 production.
Predicting Latent Constructs from Passive Datasets – Significance and Opportunities

Latent constructs are fundamental for theory-building and practice in various disciplines of the social sciences. Passive datasets and machine learning approaches provide an opportunity to predict latent constructs, thereby offering a strong potential to build scalable, granular, and theory-grounded models for various phenomena of interest in social sciences. However, there is little guidance for researchers to develop prediction models for latent constructs, especially given that latent constructs are different from observable variables in several keys ways. To address this gap, and drawing from both theoretical and applied literature across the social sciences, we first develop a taxonomy to classify latent construct models based on their ontology and measurement. Second, we synthesize the relevant literature on using passive data to predict latent constructs. Finally, by applying the developed taxonomy to various applications in the literature, we offer guidance for predicting latent constructs from passive data. By bringing together loosely tied research in the context of scaling up latent construct models, this paper makes two significant contributions: 1) identify key significant and specific gaps in this research area, 2) provide theoretically- and empirically-grounded guidance for social scientists interested in using passive data for developing scalable latent variable models.
In-Plane Critical Magnetic Fields in Magic-Angle Twisted Trilayer Graphene.

It has recently been shown [Y. Cao, J. M. Park, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, and P. Jarillo-Herrero, Pauli-limit violation and re-entrant superconductivity in moir\'e graphene, Nature (London) 595, 526 (2021).] that superconductivity in magic-angle twisted trilayer graphene survives to in-plane magnetic fields that are well in excess of the Pauli limit, and much stronger than the in-plane critical magnetic fields of magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene. The difference is surprising because twisted bilayers and trilayers both support the magic-angle flat bands thought to be the fountainhead of twisted graphene superconductivity. We show here that the difference in critical magnetic fields can be traced to a ${\mathcal{C}}_{2}{\mathcal{M}}_{h}$ symmetry in trilayers that survives in-plane magnetic fields, and also relative displacements between top and bottom layers that are not under experimental control at present. An gate electric field breaks the ${\mathcal{C}}_{2}{\mathcal{M}}_{h}$ symmetry and therefore limits the in-plane critical magnetic field.
Scalable Person Re-identification: Beyond Supervised Approaches

Person re-identification across cameras is an important problem as it enables associating targets over a wide area, which is likely to be viewed by multiple cameras. It is an extremely active area of research today. Most of the approaches are extensively supervised, in the sense that they require significant labeling effort to train re-identification models, usually based on deep networks. However, as in other problems in computer vision, it raises the question of scalability of the approaches as the number of people to be associated grows or the size of the network grows. In this chapter, we focus on two problems that hold the potential for developing highly scalable person re-identification approaches. In the first, we focus on the problem of how to limit the labeling effort even as the number of targets in the network grows. On the challenging Market-1501 dataset, we demonstrate that with only 8% labeling, we can achieve performance very close to that with full-set labeling. In the second problem, we focus on the size of the camera network and consider how to onboard new cameras into an existing network with little to no additional supervision. We leverage upon transfer learning approaches for this purpose and demonstrate the results on a benchmark dataset. Overall, the chapter provides some research directions and initial results in pushing person re-identification beyond fully supervised approaches and lays the groundwork for future research in this area.
Triangles and tribulations: the politics of Nazi symbols.

This article explores the politics of aeaereclamation.AEAE Its focus is on pink and black triangles, currently used as symbols for gay and lesbian pride and liberation. Previously, these same identifiers were worn by those destined for annihilation during the Holocaust. I suggest that, in [re]claiming these markers, activists, however well intentioned, run a path dangerously close to the denial of history.
A spiking neuron representation of auditory signals

We describe a model of the auditory system in which a population of spiking neurons with limited sampling rates represents the magnitude and phase of high bandwidth auditory signals. The basic premise of this model is based on the fact that each peripheral auditory neuron appears to have a very narrow band tuning characteristics. The signal in each narrow-band channel can, therefore, be sampled at frequencies that are much lower than the center frequency of the band, e.g., < 50 Hz and consistent with the capabilities of neurons. The new idea here is that the system can use non-uniform sampling, consistent with the refractory periods of the neurons, to capture both the amplitude of the modulation and the phase of the carrier signal. The computational model described in this paper consists of a short-term FFT analysis combined with overlap-add and a sampling process where magnitude is digitized but phase is represented using a temporal code of spiking neurons. The coding/decoding mechanism is using knowledge of the properties of the refractory period. We show that this model can represent arbitrary signals, but redundant signals such as speech are represented with higher accuracy than uncorrelated noise. We note that this basic coding approach may be useful for representation of signals in situation where binary representation is not feasible.
Dacryoscintigraphy: Review of technique, spectrum of imaging findings and current role in the management of patients with epiphora

1032 Learning Objectives 1. To review the indications and the technique of dacryoscintigraphy. 2. To review the spectrum of imaging findings on dacryoscintigraphy. 3. To review the current role of dacryoscintigraphy in the management of patients with epiphora as compared to contrast dacryocystography. Epiphora is a common symptom encountered in ophthalmology and is usually due to an obstruction of the lacrimal apparatus. Dacryoscintigraphy is an easy to perform, non invasive nuclear medicine procedure that provides useful physiological information regarding the functioning of lacrimal apparatus unlike contrast dacryocystography which provides only anatomical information. With the recent emphasis on minimally invasive management of patients with epiphora using silicone tube intubation and balloon dilatation, the physiological information provided by dacryoscintigraphy may be increasingly more useful in clinical decision making process including appropriate patient selection and management. Therefore the aim of the present educational exhibit is to review the indications and technique, spectrum of the imaging findings and current role of dacryoscintigraphy in the management of the patients with epiphora
Electronic laboratory notebooks for collaborative research

The laboratory notebook is a vital tool in scientific research. It is the central repository of information about the reasoning and preparation behind experiments, about the analyses done to obtain results, and about plans for future research. The notebook captures the scientific process that gives meaning to a scientist's observations. Sharing a notebook can help collaborating researchers to build a common understanding of their work. Unfortunately, at modern research facilities, where collaborations may span the globe, providing remote researchers with access to a laboratory notebook becomes a difficult task.
Concealed extrasystoles due to wenckebach conduction delay within the reentry loop

Long electrocardiographic strips were analyzed from an aged patient whose heart rhythm had periods of unifocal ventricular extrasystoles with fixed coupling intervals. Periods of gradual prolongation of the coupling interval finally led to omission of a ventricular premature beat. This sequence was repetitive and is considered to be the results of reentrant extrasystoles with a 3:2 Wenckebach type of conduction delay within the reentry loop. The mechanism of concealed conduction due to overlong propagation within the reentry loop is discussed.
Plan-based character diversity

Non-player character diversity enriches game environments increasing their replay value. We propose a method for obtaining character behavior diversity based on the diversity of plans enacted by characters, and demonstrate this method in a scenario in which characters have multiple choices. Using case-based planning techniques, we reuse plans for varied character behavior, which simulate different personality traits.
A high-precision instrument for mapping of rotational errors in rotary stages

A rotational stage is a key component of every X-ray instrument capable of providing tomographic or diffraction measurements. To perform accurate three-dimensional reconstructions, runout errors due to imperfect rotation (e.g. circle of confusion) must be quantified and corrected. A dedicated instrument capable of full characterization and circle of confusion mapping in rotary stages down to the sub-10 nm level has been developed. A high-stability design, with an array of five capacitive sensors, allows simultaneous measurements of wobble, radial and axial displacements. The developed instrument has been used for characterization of two mechanical stages which are part of an X-ray microscope.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and JC virus in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Of the 93 acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients autopsied between 1983 and 1986, 27 had evidence of viral encephalitis of which 3 had progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), confirmed by electron microscopy. Using in situ hybridization with biotinylated JC virus probes, paraffin sections from the brains of these 27 patients were examined. JC virus was found only in those patients with histologically proven PML, while no evidence of JC virus was detected in the brains of the other 24 AIDS patients despite the presence of white matter pathology. Brain biopsies of the PML patients demonstrated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected macrophages infiltrating regions of demyelination. When the patients died (2 to 6 months after diagnosis of PML), many more macrophages contained HIV antigens and some had fused to form multinucleated giant cells. These findings suggest that in AIDS patients, papovaviruses not only cause damage by directly infecting oligodendroglia but causes additional damage by eliciting the ingress of macrophages latently infected with HIV. As was seen with other infections (e.g., cytomegalovirus) of the CNS this might be a general mechanism of HIV entry into the brain.
Preliminary analysis of Miocene small mammals from Paşalar, Turkey

Abstract Comparison of the Insectivora, Lagomorpha, and Rodentia of the Miocene locality of Pasalar, Turkey, indicates greater resemblance to faunas from Europe than to the Siwaliks of Pakistan, and even less to East Africa. The fauna from Pasalar, however, is unique, shaped through dispersals from Europe and Asia, with little influence from Africa, and by endemic evolution. Pasalar differs from the Siwaliks in having a talpid, ochotonids, and a beaver. Pasalar also has two glirids, but that family does not appear in the Siwaliks until 13·8 Ma (megaannum). All of these families also occur in Europe. Pasalar has relatively low muroid diversity. Endemic evolution is seen in erinaceids (Schizogalerix), cricetids (Turkomys), and spalacids (Pliospalax). The fauna suggests open but not arid country, having a diverse set of non-arboreal squirrels, a mole rat, a gundi, non-arboreal dormice, and a mole.
Dilute Acid Pretreatment of Softwoods Scientific Note

Selective thinning of forests in the western United States will generate a large, sustainable quantity of softwood residues that can be an attractive feedstock for fuel ethanol production. The major species available from thinning of forests in northern California and the eastern Rocky Mountains include white fir (Abies concolor), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Douglas fir chips were soaked in 0.4% sulfuric acid solution, then pretreated with steam at 200-230°C for 1-5 min. After pretreatment, 90-95% of the hemicellulose and as much as 20% of the cellulose was solubilized in water, and 90% of the remaining cellulose can be hydrolyzed to glucose by cellulase enzyme. The prehydrolysates, at as high as 10% total solid concentration, can be readily fermented by the unadapted yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae D5A.
COLONIZATION AND GROWTH OF ASCOPHYLLUM NODOSUM (PHAEOPHYTA) IN MAINE1

Colonization and growth of Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol. were investigated in two Maine estuaries from 1972 to 1978. Following denudation of intertidal rock, substrata were initially colonized by Fucus vesiculosus L.; eventually, Ascophyllum supplanted Fucus, and became dominant in terms of percentage cover. Ascophyllum settled first and most densely in the low intertidal zone, but its fastest growth occurred in the mid-intertidal zone. Some, but not all, Ascophyllum germlings produced a vesicle within one year of colonization. The mean annual growth of A. nodosum was variable among sites, zones and years.
Information Ethics across Information Cultures

Information cultures consist of the values, beliefs and behaviour relating to information ownership and management, while information ethics applies to the moral application of data. The author’s experience of Russia and its information culture provides a striking case study of the disastrous social and business consequences of an absence of information ethics. This paper was delivered in its original form at the First World Congress of Business, Economics and Ethics of the International Society of Business, Economics and Ethics (ISBEE), held in Reitaku University, Tokyo, in July 1996. The author is Associate Professor of Information Systems in the School of Business, Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut 06430–5195.
Buckling of a Rotating Rod Under Axial Force

The difference equations governing the rotation of a segmented rod under axial force is formulated. The stability boundaries are found to be highly dependent on the number of links, the rotation rate and the compressive force. For a large number of links, the result approaches to that of the continuous elastic rod through some fractional power. The analysis is applicable to segmented drill shafts.
Damage Analysis in Reinforced LCP Composites by Acoustic Emission Location Techniques

Damage processes during cyclic deformation of short glass fiber reinforced liquid crystalline polyesters (LCP) have been investigated by acoustic emission (AE) source location techniques. The approach consisted of placing two sensors equidistant from a notch and monitoring the AE signals emitted from damage accumulation as cycling progressed. This was done in conjunction with a video-camera recording system and an infra-red thermal measuring device. The visual and thermal data indicated that no measur able stable crack propagation occurred. Acoustic emission measurements suggested that failure resulted in the last 20% of the cycling time by a damage-related microcracking mechanism. Three-dimensional linear location plots showed that damage was very local ized in the notch region in the reinforced materials and somewhat broader in the neat LCP resin. Correlations between the location of damage, the time and stress level at which it occurred as well as its AE amplitude characteristics have been made.
EXAMINATION OF VALUE OF THE FUTURE AND HEALTH BELIEFS TO EXPLAIN DIETARY AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BEHAVIORS

Abstract Background Studies have shown a negative association between value of the future (preference for long-term vs. short-term rewards) and harmful addictive behaviors; however, research in the area of preventive behaviors is limited and has shown conflicting results. Objectives The primary objectives were: (1) to examine the association among value of the future and diet and physical activity (PA) behaviors, and (2) to assess whether value of the future explained additional variance in behaviors after controlling for theory-based health beliefs related to coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods An online survey was conducted in adults ( N = 172) with no prior history of CHD. A delay discounting task was administered to measure value of the future. Questionnaire items were based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) and included CHD knowledge, perceived risk, perceived severity, perceived benefits of and barriers to behavior change, self-efficacy, cues to action, diet and PA behaviors and demographic variables. Results High value of the future was associated with younger age, lower BMI, more healthful diet, and increased PA. After controlling for HBM components and demographics, value of the future did not explain any additional variance in diet or PA behaviors. Significant predictors of healthful diet included female gender ( P = .013), increased age ( P = .029), greater than high school education ( P = .023), greater diet-related self-efficacy ( P = .021), and not having received a healthcare provider recommendation to improve diet ( P = .018). Significant predictors of PA level included income between $20,000 and $69,999 ( P = .014), greater exercise-related self-efficacy ( P P = .015). Conclusions Behaviors to prevent CHD may be associated with a person's outlook on the future; however, self-efficacy was a stronger predictor of behavior. These findings support recommendations for enhancement of diet- and PA-related self-efficacy and problem-solving to address myopia in terms of long-term health benefits.
Volcanic emissions of metals and halogens from White Island (New Zealand) and Erebus volcano (Antarctica) determined with chemical traps

Abstract Volcanic emission rates of As, Sb, Pb, Hg, Se, Cl, and F were determined at Erebus volcano, Antarctica and White Island, New Zealand, using chemical traps. The trace metal fluxes were determined by combining the species to S ratios in the solutions with SO2 emission rates measured by correlation spectrometry at the two volcanoes. At Erebus volcano, fluxes for the metals Pb and Hg were 2.0 × 10− 4 and 8.1 × 10− 6 kg s− 11, respectively. Fluxes for Cl, F, As, Sb and Se (0.35, 0.15, 2.5 × 10− 4, 1.2 × 10− 5, and 4.5 × 10− 6 kg s− 1, respectively) agreed within error limits for values determined previously by the LiOH impregnated filter method [Zreda-Gostynska, G., Kyle, P., Finnegan, D., Prestbo, K., 1997. Volcanic gas emissions from Mount Erebus and their impact on the Antarctic environment. Journal of Geophysical Research, 102(B7): 15039–15055.], demonstrating the utility of the chemical trap method. A fall in the As/S ratio from 7 × 10− 4 in 1997/1999 to 3 × 10− 4 in 2000 at Erebus coincided with a change in the frequency and style of eruptive activity that may have been due to injection of magma into the system. At White Island, chemical trap data indicated fluxes of Cl = 0.90, F = 0.0079, Pb = 2.7 × 10− 4, Hg = 1.1 × 10− 5, As = 1.3 × 10− 4, Sb = 1.9 × 10− 5 and Se = 1.5 × 10− 5 kg s− 1. Samples collected 600 m downwind of the active crater were comparable to samples collected adjacent to the main gas vent, showing that this method can still be used at some distance from a degassing vent.
On real-time features available in high-level languages and yet to be implemented

Abstract The requirements to be fulfilled by languages and systems in hard real-time environments are summarized. Subsequently, a comparison of the most prominent languages, viz. Ada, HAL/S, LTR, Pearl, as well as the real-time extensions of Fortran and PL/1, reveals how existing languages meet these demands and which features still need to be incorporated to enable the development of reliable software.
The role of associative factors in tolerance to the hypothermic effects of morphine in mice

Abstract Associative learning theories of drug tolerance emphasize the importance of stimuli which predict drug administration. One such model holds that drug tolerance is due to the development of a conditional response (CR) which is directionally opposed to the unconditional response (UCR) to the drug. By virtue of their opposing natures, the overlapping occurence of CR and UCR is seen as a diminished response, i.e., tolerance. The present experiments tested the predictions of this model using two doses of morphine, and included truly random controls to examine the role of excitatory and inhibitory conditioning in tolerance. Tolerance was greatest in mice administered morphine in the context of stimuli previously paired with drug administration, intermediate in random controls, and least or absent in mice administered the drug in the presence of cues paired with vehicle injections. No direct evidence of a compensatory CR which could offset morphine's hypothermic effect was obtained in placebo test sessions, nor was evidence for such a response obtained in cross-drug tests with amphetamine and apomorphine.
The Psilocybin Mushroom Pandemic

(1975). The Psilocybin Mushroom Pandemic. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 7, Polydrug Abuse, pp. 73-84.
Competence or Trust: the academic offering

Abstract One of higher education's characteristics is assisting in the development of its student's self‐trust. This might best be developed through empathetic trusting relations. This paper questions the nature of higher education's distinctiveness at a time of commercial change, which is likely to neglect empathetic trust in favour of a form of competence in trust.
Negative regulation of humoral immunity due to interplay between the SLAMF1, SLAMF5, and SLAMF6 receptors

Whereas the SLAMF-associated protein (SAP) is involved in differentiation of TFH cells and antibody responses, the precise requirements of SLAMF receptors in humoral immune responses are incompletely understood. By analyzing mice with targeted disruptions of the SLAMF1, SLAMF5 and SLAMF6 genes, we found that both T-dependent and T-independent antibody responses were twofold higher compared to those in single knockout mice. These data suggest a suppressive synergy of SLAMF1, SLAMF5 and SLAMF6 in humoral immunity, which contrasts the decreased antibody responses resulting from a defective GC reaction in the absence of the adapter SAP. In adoptive co-transfer assays, both [Slamf1+5+6]-/- B and T cells were capable of inducing enhanced antibody responses, but more pronounced enhancement was observed after adoptive transfer of [Slamf1+5+6]-/- B cells compared to that of [Slamf1+5+6]-/- T cells. In support of [Slamf1+5+6]-/- B cell intrinsic activity, [Slamf1+5+6]-/- mice also mounted significantly higher antibody responses to T-independent type 2 antigen. Furthermore, treatment of mice with anti-SLAMF6 monoclonal antibody results in severe inhibition of the development of TFH cells and GC B cells, confirming a suppressive effect of SLAMF6. Taken together, these results establish SLAMF1, SLAMF5 and SLAMF6 as important negative regulators of humoral immune response, consistent with the notion that SLAM family receptors have dual functions in immune responses.
The Kubota Symbol for Sp(2n, Q(i))

Abstract In this paper we show that there is a homomorphism ψ from a congruence subgroup of Sp(2 n , Z [ i ]) to {±1} which generalizes the classical Kubota homomorphism κ: ( a c b d ) → ( c / d ) where ( c / d ) is the quadratic residue symbol associated to Q ( i ).
Extremal results for a class of univalent functions

A variational method is used to obtain the sharp upper bound for the second coefficients of univalent functions which map onto regions of prescribed logarithmic capacity (Transfinite diameter).
Scanning probe imaging of surface ion conductance in an anion exchange membrane

Abstract The goal of this study was to investigate surface ion conductance variation in an anion-exchange membrane (AEM) using current-sensing scanning probe microscopy. No direct correlation was found between the membrane surface topography and local ion conductance. Smaller and larger conducting areas associated with ion channels and ionic clusters were identified in images of membrane surface ion conductance. Both the size of ion channels and the density of ionic clusters tended to increase significantly at higher relative humidity (RH) conditions. The ionic conductance of the AEM was one order of magnitude lower than its proton-exchange counterpart (Nafion ® ) at 100% relative humidity. This decrease may be due to the rate-limiting properties of the studied AEM, such as lower mobility of anions (HCO 3 − and OH − ), smaller size of ionic channels, lower density of ionic clusters, and lower capability for water uptake as compared to Nafion ® 212. Nevertheless, the ionic conductance was found to be higher on the AEM when the RH was lower than 45%. These results have direct implications for the application of the AEM in fuel cells without humidification systems.
Distribution of atrial natriuretic factor-like immunoreactive neurons in the rat brain.

Abstract Using antisera generated in rabbits against rat atriopeptin III [α-rANP(5–28)] and human α-atrial natriuretic polypeptide we mapped the distribution of atrial natriuretic factor-like immunoreactivity throughout the rat central nervous system. Cell bodies were observed in the telencephalon (nucleus interstitialis striae terminalis and between the amygdala centralis and medialis), throughout the diencephalon in all nuclei of the “anteroventral third ventricle”, the base of the hypothalamus, the subzona incerta area, the medial forebrain bundle and the medial habenula, in the mesencephalon (mamillary body, substantia nigra lateralis, dorsal and ventral parabrachial nuclei) and very sparse in the medulla oblongata along the fourth ventricle towards the vestibular nuclei, the nucleus tractus solitarii and nervi trigemini. Fibers were present wherever cell bodies were located. The highest relative densities were observed in the anteroventral third ventricle area and the medial habenula. Sparse fibers were also seen in the spinal cord (dorsal and ventral horn and around the central canal) and in the posterior pituitary. The predominance of the atrial natriuretic factor-like perikarya and fibers in the anteroventral third ventricle area suggests an involvement of this peptide in central blood pressure control.