cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Landmark-based mixed-reality perceptual alignment of medical imaging data and accuracy validation in living subjects

Medical augmented reality (AR) applications where virtual renderings are aligned with the real world allow to visualize internal anatomy of the patient to a medical caregiver wearing an AR headset. Accurate alignment of virtual and real content is important for applications where the virtual rendering is used to guide the medical procedure such as a surgery. Compared to 2D AR applications, where the alignment accuracy can be directly measured on the 2D screen, 3D medical AR applications require alignment measurements using phantoms and external tracking systems. In this paper we present an approach for landmark-based alignment, validation and accuracy measurement of a 3D AR overlay of medical images on the real-world subject. This is done by performing an initial MRI of a subject’s head, an AR alignment task of the virtual rendering of the head MRI data to the subject’s real-world head using virtual fiducials, and a second MRI scan to test the accuracy of the AR alignment task. We have performed these 3D medical AR alignment measurements on seven volunteers using a MagicLeap AR head-mounted display. Across all seven volunteers we measured an alignment accuracy of $4.7 \pm 2.6$ mm. These results suggest that such an AR application can be a valuable tool for guiding non-invasive transcranial magnetic brain stimulation treatment. The presented MRI-based accuracy validation will furthermore be an important versatile tool to establish the safety of medical AR techniques. Index Terms: Mixed / augmented reality; Visualization design and evaluation methods
Prediction of long-term overall survival using quantification of myocardial flow reserve in cancer patients referred for clinical 82-rubidium PET perfusion imaging

1601 Introduction: PET-CT myocardial perfusion imaging allows quantification of myocardial blood flow (MBF) at rest and stress in each vascular territory and calculation of myocardial flow reserve (MFR). Abnormal MFR is a predictor of short-term cardiovascular events. It is unclear if this predictive power is lost in patients with competing serious morbidity, such as cancer. We investigated the prognostic value of quantitative myocardial perfusion imaging with 82Rb PET/CT in cancer patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Methods: 221 cancer patients (median age 71 years, range 41-92 years) underwent rest-stress 82Rb PET/CT scans between 2009 and 2011. Studies were analyzed by 3 observers visually and quantitatively, measuring MBF at rest and stress, and calculating MFR, using 4DM software. To stratify cancer mortalities, patients were divided into early-stage or advanced-stage groups using expected cancer life-expectancy, based on their cancer histology and clinical state. Patients were also stratified using 82Rb PET parameters, including MFR (dichotomized by median), summed stress score (SSS), and summed difference score (SDS). Results: During a median follow-up of 60.7 months, 120 deaths, including 5 cardiac deaths, were confirmed. MFR (≥1.97 versus 1.97 and early-stage), 53% (MFR ≤1.97 and early-stage), 33% (MFR >1.97 and advanced-stage), and 13% (MFR ≤1.97 and advanced-stage), respectively. Conclusions: Abnormal MFR retains its prognostic value in patients with competing cancer morbidity. The combination of MFR and cancer clinical state is a powerful predictor of OS which may guide cardiovascular management of patients with cancer.
Berni Julian Alder, theoretical physicist and inventor of molecular dynamics, 1925-2020.

Berni Julian Alder, one of the leading figures in the invention of molecular dynamics simulations used for a wide array of problems in physics and chemistry, died on September 7, 2020. His career, spanning more than 65 years, transformed statistical mechanics, many body physics, the study of chemistry, and the microscopic dynamics of fluids, by making atomistic computational simulation (in parallel with traditional theory and experiment) a new pathway to unexpected discoveries. Among his many honors, the CECAM prize, recognizing exceptional contributions to the simulation of the microscopic properties of matter, is named for him. He was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Obama in 2008. Berni Julian Alder in 2015. Image credit: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Alder was born to Ludwig Adler and Otillie nee Gottschalk in Duisburg, Germany on September 9, 1925. Alder’s father Ludwig was a chemist who worked in the German aluminum industry. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, Alder, his parents, elder brother Henry, and twin brother Charles fled to Zurich, Switzerland. In 1941, they further emigrated to the United States (becoming “Alders” in the process), where they settled in Berkeley, California. From then on, he and his family lived and worked in the Bay Area, which they considered their “slice of heaven.” Alder completed his senior year of high school there and then did his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Alder’s education was interrupted by his service in the … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: libby1{at}llnl.gov. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Indirect Investor Protection: The Investment Ecosystem and Its Legal Underpinnings

This paper argues that the key mechanisms protecting retail investors’ financial stake in their portfolio investments are indirect. They do not rely on actions by the investors or by any private actor directly charged with looking after investors’ interests. Rather, they are provided by the ecosystem that investors (are legally forced to) inhabit, as a byproduct of the mostly self-interested, mutually and legally constrained behavior of third parties without a mandate to help the investors (e.g., speculators, activists). This elucidates key rules, resolves the mandatory vs. enabling tension in corporate/securities law, and exposes passive investing’s fragile reliance on others’ trading.
Estimated Plan Enrollment Outcomes After Changes to US Health Insurance Marketplace Automatic Renewal Rules

Importance The American Rescue Plan increases premium subsidies for health insurance marketplace enrollees, potentially leading to situations in which enrollees could switch to other health care plans with lower premiums and less cost sharing (ie, deductibles and copayments). Current policy defaults enrollees to their current health care plan if they automatically renew their coverage, which may cause them to stay in health care plans that, because of the American Rescue Plan, are now dominated in that they have higher premiums and cost sharing than other options. Objective To estimate the extent to which a smart default policy could reduce US health insurance marketplace enrollees’ cost sharing and premiums. Design, Setting, and Participants Using 2018 individual enrollment data and 2021 premium data from California’s marketplace and the American Rescue Plan premium tax credit subsidy schedule, this economic analysis estimated the characteristics of enrollees’ default health care plans if they defaulted into 2021 health care plans under current and smart default policies. The analysis was conducted from March 20 to April 8, 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures Characteristics of enrollees’ default health care plans under current and smart default policies, including net premiums, plan levels, and cost sharing. Results The analytic sample consisted of 748 087 Covered California enrollees from 2018 (mean [SD] age, 44.80 [13.72] years; 408 410 [54.6%] women). Under current policy with the enhanced subsidies implemented under the American Rescue Plan, 5.8% of sample enrollees would default into dominated health plans. Of these enrollees, 98.0% would have incomes below 250% of the federal poverty level. A smart default policy would lead to a mean $102.47 decrease in monthly premiums (95% CI, $103.84-$101.10), a mean $1960 reduction in individual annual medical deductibles (95% CI, $1991-$1928), and a $49.56 reduction in specialty prescription copays (95% CI, $49.77-$49.34). Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this economic analysis suggest that a smart default policy could avoid defaulting lower-income marketplace enrollees to objectively inferior health care insurance plans and may lead to large reductions in lower-income enrollees’ deductibles, copayments, and maximum out-of-pocket amounts. Implementation of a smart default policy could enable marketplace administrators to reduce the prevalence of underinsurance among lower-income marketplace enrollees.
Effectiveness of a School-Based Fitness Program on Youths’ Physical and Psychosocial Health Outcomes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an existing physical fitness program (CHAMPIONS) implemented during physical education on health-related indices (BMI percentile, waist circumference, cardiorespiratory endurance), self-perceptions, academic performance, and behavioral conduct over a school year. Students in 3 intervention (n = 331) and 3 control (n = 745) middle schools participated in the study that included assessments at pre, mid, and postintervention. Multivariate repeated measures analyses indicated that boys and girls in CHAMPIONS compared favorably (p < .0125) to Controls at postintervention on cardiorespiratory endurance, and boys significantly improved on BMI percentile from pre- to mid- and postintervention (p < .0125). Students in CHAMPIONS maintained healthy BMI percentile and waist circumference values over the year. Findings provide preliminary evidence that CHAMPIONS is effective in improving or maintaining physical health indices among middle school youth.
Modeling the acquisition and improvement of motor skkills

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the acquisition and improvement of motor skills in human. The ability to manipulate the environment is one of the intrinsic features that demonstrates intelligence, and human intelligence is distinguished from that of other species by the sophisticate d level of such manipulation. Learning is an especially important issue to any model of human motor behavior as evidenced by contrasting the breadth and proficiency of an adult's motor skills to that of a child. A considerable tradition of research has developed that identifies numerous phenomena in human motor behavior. Several theories have come out of this tradition that attempt to account for a wide range of the phenomena. Although these theories have helped identify the important processes involved in human motor performance and learning, including both acquisition and improvement, they have mostly been presented as abstract models that leave the details of the individual processes unspecified. The evaluation of the candidate motor schemas is based on their predicted performance at the time of the failure point as opposed to measuring error across the entire movement as if the revised schemas were actually executed.
Thermodynamic Aspects of the Prevention of the Oxidation of Graphite Fibers in Metal-Matrix Composites

A general model for oxidation at the interface between graphite fibers and metallic matrices is presented and the important thermo dynamic parameters related to this phenomenon identified. The very significant influence of external oxides, carbide or other intermediate phases between the fiber and the matrix, and protective fiber coatings upon the thermodynamic factors which control the direction and magnitude of the driving force for mass transport are discussed.
Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC): Mouse

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the mouse, which is called the H2 complex, is located on chromosome 17. It contains genes critical to the functioning of the immune system, the products of which are intimately involved in the initiation of immune responses. The proteins made by these genes display a significant amount of polymorphism, or sequence variability. Few genes possess this degree of polymorphism, but it is critical to the immune response and to the survival of a species. The chief characteristic of MHC molecules is their ability to bind small peptides. These bound peptides along with specific areas of the MHC molecule are the structures that interact with the T-cell receptor (TCR) leading to activation of a T-cell immune response, which in turn can active other cells of immune system. Thus, they determine which TCRs are functional which in turn indicates which peptides a T cell will respond to. Key Concepts The historical background and the genetics of MHC development are described. The expression and function of MHC class I genes is described. MHC class I molecules are expressed on virtually all nucleated cells and function to present foreign and self-antigens to the immune system. MHC class I expression is dependent on peptide binding in the peptide binding groove of the molecule. MHC class I polymorphism is important for species resistance to infectious disease. The expression and function of MHC class II genes is described. MHC class II expression is required for generation and function of CD4 T cells. Nonclassical class I molecules bind a variety of peptide and nonpeptide antigens that are commonly expressed by pathogenic organisms. . The function of other genes found within the H2 complex is described. Keywords: H2 complex; MHC; MHC restriction; class I; class II; MHC peptide association; T-cell activation
Semiquantitative Oropharyngeal Culture Technique

Abstract A semiquantitative method for determining the concentration of organisms constituting the normal oropharyngeal flora has been developed. Eleven species of organisms were isolated from the 18 subjects studied. The concentration of organisms in multiple samples, taken at 5-min intervals, was quite similar. The concentration of organisms increased slightly at the end of the day. Obtaining specimens on different days of the week did not appreciably affect the concentration or kinds of organisms. Eating had only a minimal effect on the oropharyngeal flora, but brushing teeth reduced the concentration of organisms substantially. When specimens were obtained 6 months after the initial specimens, the concentration of organisms remained the same but the species of organisms isolated varied considerably. The gargle method was compared to a swab method and proved to be superior. This method of obtaining oropharyngeal culture specimens is reliable and useful as a means of monitoring the normal oropharyngeal flora.
Supported by an unrestricted educational grant

Pharmaceutical companies use various means to communicate messages about their products. They produce advertisements and original research articles that are published in peer-reviewed journals, they use direct advertising through a variety of media, and they produce “educational” meeting reports
Effects of epidermal growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-I, and dialyzed porcine follicular fluid on porcine oocyte maturation in vitro.

Undefined follicular factors that may influence nuclear maturation and/or cytoplasmic maturation are required during in vitro maturation of pig oocytes. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and dialysed porcine follicular fluid (dpFF) were evaluated for their effects on porcine oocyte nuclear maturation in vitro. In Experiment I, eight different maturation media were made in a split-plot factorial design with dpFF (0% vs. 10% v/v dialyzed pFF) as the whole plot component, and EGF (0.0 vs. 50 ng/ml) and/or IGF-I (0.0 vs. 100 ng/ml) as the factorial subplot component. Experiment II was a complete factorial design with dpFF and EGF. Pig follicular granulosa-cumulus-oocyte complexes (GCOC) were obtained from slaughterhouse ovaries, washed, and cultured at 38.5°C in a humidified incubator with 5% CO2 in air for 42 h. Following culture, GCOC were mechanically stripped of granulosa-cumulus cells and evaluated for nuclear maturation by light microscopy. In Experiment I, the percentage of Metaphase II oocytes for control, IGF-I, EGF, and IGF-I + EGF treatments without pFF were 50.7%, 52.6%, 80.9%, and 84.3% (control and IGF-I groups significantly less, P<.001). The same treatments in the presence of pFF were similar and high (84.2, 84.9, 82.1, and 86.8%, respectively). Experiment II gave similar results. These results demonstrate that EGF, in the absence of pFF, promotes a similar level of oocyte nuclear maturation as does pFF alone or pFF with EGF and/or IGF-I. IGF-I does not appear to influence nuclear maturation of GCOC. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Maternal cell-free DNA-based screening for fetal microdeletion and the importance of careful diagnostic follow-up.

Noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) by next-generation sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in maternal plasma is used to screen for common aneuploidies such as trisomy 21 in high risk pregnancies. NIPS can identify fetal genomic microdeletions; however, sensitivity and specificity have not been systematically evaluated. Commercial companies have begun to offer expanded panels including screening for common microdeletion syndromes such as 22q11.2 deletion (DiGeorge syndrome) without reporting the genomic coordinates or whether the deletion is maternal or fetal. Here we describe a phenotypically normal mother and fetus who tested positive for atypical 22q deletion via maternal plasma cfDNA testing. We performed cfDNA sequencing on saved maternal plasma obtained at 11 weeks of gestation from a phenotypically normal woman with a singleton pregnancy whose earlier screening at a commercial laboratory was reported to be positive for a 22q11.2 microdeletion. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and chromosomal microarray diagnostic genetic tests were done postnatally. NIPS detected a 22q microdeletion that, upon diagnostic workup, did not include the DiGeorge critical region. Diagnostic prenatal or postnatal testing with chromosomal microarray and appropriate parental studies to determine precise genomic coordinates and inheritance should follow a positive microdeletion NIPS result. Genet Med 17 10, 836–838.
Interactive Resources at the ARCHIVES Web Site

A s Internet access has become more commonplace, the scope, content, and influence of the world of online publishing continue to expand. The most common use of the World Wide Web (herewith referred to as the Web) by traditional journals is still the distribution of material from the printed version. However, one of the advantages of Internet publishing is the inclusion of text and other media beyond the capacity of the paper journal. Some editors have pushed this concept further, to the point of Web-only publication of original peer-reviewed material, never appearing “in print.”
Effect of X-rays on the migration of cells from adult tissue explants.

SummaryEvidence is presented that irradiation with small doses of X-rays decreases the time—latent period—required for a migrating cell to appear at the margin of a fresh explant of normal adult chicken heart. The maximum shortening of the latent period occurs with a dose of about 30 r. With larger doses of X-rays the latent period increases again, although a dose of the order of 1,000 r is necessary before the latent period is as long as that of the controls.
Usefulness of a rapid initial increase in plasma creatine kinase activity as a marker of reperfusion during thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction

This study evaluates a new nonangiographic marker of reperfusion--a rapid initial increase in plasma creatine kinase (CK) and CK-MB activity--in 50 patients receiving intracoronary streptokinase. Blood for CK and CK-MB activity was sampled at 30-minute intervals and angiography performed at 15-minute intervals or earlier if there were clinical signs suggestive of reperfusion. An absolute first-hour increase in CK activity of 480 +/- 345 IU/liter (range 54 to 1,440 IU/liter), or a relative first-hour increase of 34 +/- 18% (range 13 to 67% of the peak rise), or an absolute first-hour increase in CK-MB activity of 48 +/- 36 IU/liter (range 10 to 144 IU/liter) or a relative first-hour increase of 27 +/- 13% (range 13 to 57%) was found in patients immediately after reperfusion with Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade 3 perfusion of the artery of infarction. The onset of rapid increase in CK and CK-MB activity closely reflected the time of angiographic documentation of reperfusion. In contrast, in the absence of reperfusion, the absolute rate of increase in CK activity measured in the last hour of the 2 1/2-hour period beginning with the start of treatment was only 15 +/- 9 IU/liter on the average (range 2 to 30 IU/liter) and the relative rate of rise was 3 +/- 2% on the average (range 1 to 6%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Limb swelling in a pediatric sickle cell patient after revaccination with pneumococcal vaccine

Case (description) This report describes an incident of limb swelling after revaccination with the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). A 5-year old female with sickle cell disease experienced severe arm swelling with edema to the extent that it was difficult to put a shirt over the arm. The day prior, she received PPSV23 concomitantly with the meningococcal vaccine. She had received the PPSV23 vaccine 2.5 years prior to the event. The patient was managed with analgesics, antiemetics, and antibiotic prophylaxis and the arm swelling resolved 24 h later. A decreased length of time between revaccination and concurrent administration with the meningococcal vaccine could have contributed. Conclusion Although rare, limb swelling after revaccination could be a concern in special at-risk populations where repeated vaccination is necessary for pneumococcal protection.
An exploratory examination of the meanings of residual injuries from intimate partner violence.

ABSTRACT The meanings attached to residual injuries resulting from intimate partner violence (IPV) may play an important role in shaping psychological distress associated with these experiences. This study explored IPV victims' personal definitions and meanings of their residual IPV-related injuries as a first step in determining the potential psychological implications. Sixteen female victims of IPV with partner violence-related residual injuries, defined as marks, scars, and other permanent changes to their bodies met in small groups of 3–5 participants. Group discussions focused on the meanings individuals associated with their most distressing residual injury and the implications of those meanings for body image, interpersonal relationships, cues for posttraumatic responses, and other emotional reactions. Findings suggested that IPV-related injuries may be connected to the IPV, IPV-related blame, and may have implications for victims' self-identity and perceived potential for future relationships.
Stimulation of Strontium Accumulation in Linoleate-Enriched Saccharomyces cerevisiae Is a Result of Reduced Sr2+ Efflux

The influence of modified plasma membrane fatty acid composition on cellular strontium accumulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Growth of S. cerevisiae in the presence of 1 mM linoleate (18:2) (which results in 18:2 incorporation to approximately 70% of total cellular and plasma membrane fatty acids, with no effect on growth rate) yielded cells that accumulated Sr2+ intracellularly at approximately twice the rate of S. cerevisiae grown without a fatty acid supplement. This effect was evident over a wide range of external Sr2+ concentrations (25 microM to 5 mM) and increased with the extent of cellular 18:2 incorporation. Stimulation of Sr2+ accumulation was not evident following enrichment of S. cerevisiae with either palmitoleate (16:1), linolenate (18:3) (n-3 and n-6 isomers), or eicosadienoate (20:2) (n-6 and n-9 isomers). Competition experiments revealed that Ca2+- and Mg2+-induced inhibition of Sr2+ accumulation did not differ between unsupplemented and 18:2-supplemented cells. Treatment with trifluoperazine (TFP) (which can act as a calmodulin antagonist and Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor), at a low concentration that precluded nonspecific K+ efflux, increased intracellular Sr2+ accumulation by approximately 3.6- and 1.4-fold in unsupplemented and 18:2-supplemented cells, respectively. Thus, TFP abolished the enhanced Sr2+ accumulation ability of 18:2-supplemented cells. Moreover, the rate of Sr2+ release from Sr2+-loaded fatty acid-unsupplemented cells was found to be at least twice as great as that from Sr2+-loaded 18:2-enriched cells. The influence of enrichment with other fatty acids on Sr2+ efflux was variable. The results reveal an enhanced Sr2+ accumulation ability of S. cerevisiae following 18:2-enrichment, which is attributed to diminished Sr2+ efflux activity in these cells.
Dickinson's I HEARD A FLY BUZZ

I willed my Keepsakes—Signed away What portion of me be Assignable—and then it was There interposed a Fly— With Blue—uncertain stumbling Buzz— Between the light—and me— And then the Windows failed—...
A general-purpose natural language interface to an operating system

One of the most difficult tasks facing new computer users is the management of data and programs through an operating system (OS) interface. Both command languages and graphical interfaces can impede a user unfamiliar with the terminology and organizational techniques of modern file management systems. Various attempts have been made in recent years to develop systems that will enable users to interact with the computer in natural language. By simplifying the form of user input to an OS, such interfaces allow the user to concentrate on file management tasks rather than on the means of expressing OS-specific instructions. The Informational Network for a Natural Talking (INFANT) System was originally developed as a conversational system for communication at the level of a small child. It has since been adapted for use as a general-purpose English language interface for standard OS file management operations. The INFANT System reduces an input sentence to a hierarchy of standardized propositional forms, which are mapped through a propositional knowledge base and a compositional semantics process into a high-level representation of meaning. Its effectiveness as a working natural language interface has been verified in a pair of experiments performed in a college computer lab. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A birth control alternative.

“Research on contraception still in the doldrums” (C. Holden, Reproductive Biology Special Issue, News, 21 June, p. [2172][1]) is an excellent review of the birth control field, with one glaring exception. It omits “sterilization,” specifically trancervical chemical sterilization using
Human immunodeficiency virus infection is a risk factor for adverse perinatal outcome.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal human immunodeficiency virus infection and adverse perinatal outcomes. Study Design: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a population of pregnant women who were delivered in a large inner-city hospital between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 1995. The study population consisted of 563 women who were human immunodeficiency virus seropositive and 2252 control subjects who were human immunodeficiency virus seronegative. Results were analyzed with descriptive statistics, χ 2 tests, and logistic regression to adjust for potential confounders. Results: Women who were seropositive were more likely than control subjects to deliver low birth weight infants (29.3% vs 16.3%; odds ratio, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.68-2.64), preterm infants (28.9% vs 18.2%; odds ratio, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.45-2.38), and intrauterine growth-restricted infants (16.5% vs 10.6%; odds ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.26-2.19). They were also more likely to have perinatal deaths (11.5% vs 8.3% odds ratio, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03-1.95). The risk of fetal malformations, fetal distress, and route of delivery were similar between the groups. After race, parity, alcohol use, prenatal care, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, percent ideal body weight, and sexually transmitted diseases were controlled with logistic regression, the increased risk of low birth weight (adjusted odds ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.14-1.86) and preterm delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.04-1.70) persisted. Conclusion: Parturients in our inner-city hospital who were infected with human immunodeficiency virus are at increased risk for delivery of low-birth-weight and premature infants. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;186:903-6.)
Spatial patterns of spawning in the coral-reef damselfish Dascyllus albisella

Reproductive patterns of the endemic Hawaiian damselfish Dascyllus albisella were examined around the island of Oahu for 5 m in 1992. Daily variation in spawning was studied at four spatial scales: individual territories; reef transects; whole patch reefs; and locations separated by>20 km. A 6 d, non-lunar nesting cycle was found for individual males, and a synchronized, 6 d, nonhinar spawning cycle was found within reef transects, whole patch reefs, and locations. Spawning synchronicity was maintained among reefs within a location. However, spawning among locations was found to be asynchronous, limiting the spatial scale of reproductive synchrony to>1 km but<20 km. Inherent benefits of synchronous reproduction are discussed for D. albisella, but only the localized swamping of planktonic predators may be an inherent benefit of synchronous spawning for this species. Alternatively, synchronous spawning among populations may exist from adults tracking local, favorable environmental conditions rather than having evolved towards an inherent benefit of synchronization.
Hong Kong cinema and the portrayal of the Nanyang Chinese in the 1950s and 1960s

ABSTRACTThis article examines Hong Kong cinema's filmic representation of the Nanyang Chinese in the 1950s and 1960s. Drawing on four films, Niangre/Nyonyah (Yue Feng, 1952), Fengyu Niuche Shui/Rainstorm in Chinatown (Yan Jun, 1956), Niangre yu Baba/Nonya and Baba (Yan Jun, 1956) and Niangre zhi Lian/Love with a Malaysian Girl (Lui Kei, 1969), it illustrates how these films were produced as an attempt to secure and expand the Chinese overseas market for the Hong Kong film industry by showcasing the overseas Chinese and reflecting their values. Consequently, the ideological imposition of Chinese values on the overseas Chinese in Malaya via the cinematic misrepresentation of the Nanyang Chinese communities complicates and deconstructs the prescriptive notion of a homogenous Chinese identity in the ethnic and cultural diversity of Malaya.
Institutional productivity in criminal justice and criminology: An examination of author affiliation in selected journals

In recent years considerable research has focused on the scholarly activities of criminology and criminal justice educators. These efforts have revealed that the generation of knowledge about crime is a process characterized by diversity and complexity. The investigation described in this article aimed to contribute to the understanding of this process by examining the institutional affiliation of primary authors whose work has appeared in three of the leading journals in criminal justice and criminology. It analyzed all research articles and notes published by academics in the Journal of Criminal Justice and Criminology between 1976 and 1988, inclusive, and Justice Quarterly for its first five years of publication, 1984 through 1988. The analysis explored institutional authorship by journal, and this article provides a composite ranking of universities based on the frequency of first author affiliations across the journals. The findings indicate that schools supporting doctoral programs in criminology and criminal justice are generally well represented in the pages of these leading journals. Additionally, the analysis revealed that several institutions have assumed more prominent positions in the production of criminal justice and criminological knowledge in recent years.
COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING: A PILOT STUDY

In the face of scepticism regarding the value of modern psychology for language teaching, attempts have been made by some psychologists to adopt a group approach to language learning which takes into account personality, motivational, and emotional factors. Both a theory of language learning and a practical methodology for language teaching can be gathered from the research of Curran (1961, 1966). “Community Language Learning” (CLL) emerged as an application of the group counseling process to language teaching and learning. Five demonstrations of CLL at the University of Michigan suggested the emergence of a theory of human learning. Practical results were: (i) quick apprehension of the phonology of an inflected, but not of a tone language; (ii) difficulties and insights experienced by both client and counselor; and (iii) positive motivational factors.
Immunologic analysis of mononuclear cells in liver tissues and blood of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis

Using monoclonal antibodies to surface antigens, we typed and quantitated the mononuclear cells (MNCs) infiltrating liver tissues from 23 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. The circulating T lymphocytes were also enumerated by flow cytometry in 12 of these patients. In blood, T lymphocytes and especially T8+ cells were decreased. T cells were the major components of MNCs (78%) in portal tracts. Few of these cells were Tac+ or HLA-DR+. Total MNCs (929 +/- 90 vs. 106 +/- 18 in controls) included 11% M1+ and 8% B1+ cells. Aggregates of T4+ and T8+ cells were common in portal areas. The portal T4/T8 ratio of 1.27 +/- 0.1 was significantly (p less than 0.01) different than that around proliferating bile ductules (0.8 +/- 0.1). The T8+ and M5+ cells localized in these areas of proliferation and infiltrated ductal epithelium. On the other hand, T4+ cells accumulated on the parenchymal side of fibrosed tissue and densely surrounded certain intralobular bile ducts. Even late in the disease, variability in the extent of MNCs infiltration, ductal proliferation and periductal fibrosis was seen in each biopsy.
The Effects of Salt and Meclofenamate Administration on the Hypertension of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

The effects of prolonged (3 mos) high sodium intake and meclofenamate were studied in 2 groups of male SHR. Group 1 (6 rats) received 1% NaCl in tap water and Group 2 (8 rats) received 1% NaCl in tap water plus 50 μg of meclofenamate per ml of drinking fluid. Renal metabolic and hemodynamic studies in the unanesthetized unrestrained state, showed that the meclofenamate treated rats had higher arterial pressures (p<.005), left ventricular weight (p<.05) and renal vascular resistance (p<.005); lower glomerular filtration rate (p<.005) than the control rats. The hematocrit and right ventricular weight were similar in the two groups of rats. This study has demonstrated that the combination of high sodium intake and meclofenamate have a greater damaging effect on the arterial pressure and renal function of SHR than salt alone.
On the role of local vibrational modes in excimer formation

Abstract A model recently used to study solid-state excimer formation is generalized to account for the possibility that the strong excited state interactions characteristic of excimers may render the excimer bond less stiff relative to the ground state, complicating the exciton-phonon interaction by introducing a vibrational defect at the location of the excimer. We analyze the changes wrought by such a restructuring of host vibrations. Fits of experimental data from α-perylene suggest a significant softening of the excimer bond; the quality of fit is significantly improved relative to previous work. In the physically interesting regime, excimer state structure is found to be dominated by coupling to the local mode.
Association of Alzheimer's disease and smoking: the case for sibling controls.

OBJECTIVES: To study the association between cigarette smoking and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). DESIGN: Intrafamily case-control, with sibling controls and a variable number of controls per case. SETTING: AD cases were identified through the Research Registry of the University Hospitals of the Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University Alzheimer Center. PARTICIPANTS: Study subjects were 86 probable AD cases (index cases) and all of their full siblings, alive or dead, aged ≥ 50 years, a total of 238 subjects. MEASUREMENTS: Exposure for each individual was ascertained with a questionnaire answered by several informants. Cognitive status of siblings of the AD cases (impaired or intact) was ascertained by telephone using validated instruments. Diagnosis of dementia in cognitively impaired siblings of index cases was not attempted. RESULTS: Chi-square analysis tested for departure from a random distribution of disease across smokers and non-smokers within families. No significant departure was found utilizing all families (P > .40) nor utilizing those families where only the index case was affected (P > .90). Conditional logistic regression evaluated the association within families, controlling for age, sex, and education. Analyses both included and excluded secondary cases of cognitive impairment. No association was found between smoking and disease (OR = 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-2.42, and OR = 1.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.69-2.89, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: No significant association was found between smoking and cognitive status. Further, analyses based on the comparison of persons with AD with their unaffected siblings also suggest that smoking does not decrease the risk of AD. J Am Geriatr Soc 48:800–806, 2000.
Social, structural and behavioral determinants of overall health status in a cohort of homeless and unstably housed HIV-infected men.

Background Previous studies indicate multiple influences on the overall health of HIV-infected persons; however, few assess and rank longitudinal changes in social and structural barriers that are disproportionately found in impoverished populations. We empirically ranked factors that longitudinally impact the overall health status of HIV-infected homeless and unstably housed men.
Bilateral Medial Medullary Stroke: A Challenge in Early Diagnosis

Bilateral medial medullary stroke is a very rare type of stroke, with catastrophic consequences. Early diagnosis is crucial. Here, I present a young patient with acute vertigo, progressive generalized weakness, dysarthria, and respiratory failure, who initially was misdiagnosed with acute vestibular syndrome. Initial brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that was done in the acute phase was read as normal. Other possibilities were excluded by lumbar puncture and MRI of cervical spine. MR of C-spine showed lesion at medial medulla; therefore a second MRI of brain was requested, showed characteristic “heart appearance” shape at diffusion weighted (DWI), and confirmed bilateral medial medullary stroke. Retrospectively, a vague-defined hyperintense linear DWI signal at midline was noted in the first brain MRI. Because of the symmetric and midline pattern of this abnormal signal and similarity to an artifact, some radiologists or neurologists may miss this type of stroke. Radiologists and neurologists must recognize clinical and MRI findings of this rare type of stroke, which early treatment could make a difference in patient outcome. The abnormal DWI signal in early stages of this type of stroke may not be a typical “heart appearance” shape, and other variants such as small dot or linear DWI signal at midline must be recognized as early signs of stroke. Also, MRI of cervical spine may be helpful if there is attention to brainstem as well.
Role of hypothalamic norepinephrine in control of meal patterns

Abstract Feeding behavior has been shown to be strongly affected by central administration of catecholamines. In this study, we examined in freely-feeding rats the effect of hypothalamic norepinephrine (NE) injections on the basic parameters of spontaneous ingestion. Precise changes in feeding behavior in rats maintained on ad lib food and water intake were monitored by a PDP 8 computer connected to an apparatus capable of measuring licks and bites of food. Injections of NE were administered into the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, the most sensitive brain area for the elicitation of feeding through direct α-noradrenergic stimulation. In tests conducted under both light and dark conditions, NE facilitated food intake, primarily by an increase in meal size rather than meal frequency. The first meal after injection was increased in size and duration; the rate of eating was also enhanced. Whereas the following intermeal interval was significantly larger, subsequent meals and intermeal intervals appeared generally unaffected. This evidence is consistent with the proposal of a role for hypothalamic NE in the maintenance, rather than initiation, of feeding behavior in freely-feeding rats.
Comparison of the natriuresis and chlorures is associated with glomerular hyperfiltration induced by atrial natriuretic factor or glucagon

Abstract The impact on renal sodium chloride reabsorption of an acute increase in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) induced by atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) or glucagon was examined in the conscious rat. These hormones have no direct effect on proximal solute transport and have opposite effects on distal transport. ANF and glucagon increased GFR to a comparable extent (2.0 ± 0.2 to 3.5 ± 0.4 ml/min, p
Systemic Change for RTI: Key Shifts for Practice

RTI has the potential to meet the challenges of increasing diversity in student populations and the need for increasingly complex systems of instructional design. Three fundamental shifts in understanding systems and systems change must ground RTI policy and implementation work. First, RTI must be seen as an activity system nested within a larger system of influences and practices. Second, change is context-sensitive and, therefore, systems must invest in multiple strategies for implementing RTI. Third, local education agencies (LEAs) and state education agencies (SEAs) must invest in system and school improvement so that RTI aligns at multiple levels of the system to bridge the significant gap between research and practice. Consequently, a deep understanding of RTI models can only be obtained through the careful examination of both LEA and SEA system demands and investments.
Optimal control methods applied to economic systems

This work formulates the system equations, state and control space constraints and ft performance index for the models of economic growth, and proposes a general algorithm for obtaining the optimal control policy using the principles of optimal control theory. The control and state trajectories are interpreted and the effects of different constants in the models are also studied. Certain interesting problems for further investigation are stated and references to other models and more general work in mathematical economics are cited.
Maternal tea consumption during early pregnancy and the risk of spina bifida

Studies have demonstrated that catechin, an antioxidant found in tea, can reduce the bioavailability of folate. Because periconceptional folic acid intake has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of spina bifida, tea consumption may put pregnant women at risk because of its possible antifolate properties. Using data collected in the Slone Epidemiology Center Birth Defects Study, we examined whether tea consumption during early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of spina bifida. Mothers of 518 spina bifida cases and 6424 controls were interviewed within 6 months after delivery about pregnancy events and exposures. Data on tea intake were collected during three periods (1976-1988, 1998-2005 and 2009-2010). Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for study center. Intake of both periconceptional food folate and diet and supplemental folic acid were examined as a potential effect modifier. For 1976 to 1988, ORs were not elevated for daily tea intake. For 1998 and onward, ORs were also close to 1.0, but there was a modest increase for those who drank more than 3 cups/day (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 0.84-4.38). Among women with total folic acid intake greater than 400 μg, consumption of 3 cups or more of tea per day was associated with an increased risk of spina bifida in 1976 to 1988 (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 0.69-7.66) and in the later periods (OR, 3.13; 95% CI, 0.87-11.33). Our data do not support an overall association between tea consumption and spina bifida, but there is a suggestion of a possible interaction between higher levels of folic acid intake and tea consumption.
Characterization of a Phosphoprotein Phosphatase for the Phosphorylated Form of Nucleoside-diphosphate Kinase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Nucleoside-diphosphate kinase (ATP:nucleoside- diphosphate phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.6; NDP kinase) is an important enzyme for the maintenance of the correct cellular levels of nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) and their deoxy derivatives (dNTPs) and is involved in the regulation of cellular development. The enzyme is under the dual control of algR2 and algH in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We report here the purification and characterization of a protein that dephosphorylates the phosphorylated intermediate form of the P. aeruginosa NDP kinase (Ndk). Dephosphorylation of Ndk phosphate leads to loss of its enzymatic activity. The 10.1-kDa polypeptide shows 77% homology at the N terminus with the Spo0E phosphatase, identified as a negative regulator of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis and 66% with the human Bax protein, identified as an effector of programmed cell death. The phosphatase termed Npp showed varied specificity toward phosphorylated Ndks from different sources including human erythrocyte Ndk phosphate. Its activity toward other histidine phosphates such as CheA or the α-subunit of succinyl-CoA synthetase or phosphoesters such as p-nitrophenyl phosphate was quite limited. Npp was stable at room temperature up to 2 h and required Mg2+ for activity. The presence of a phosphatase capable of dephosphorylating the phosphorylated form of P. aeruginosa Ndk represents an interesting and efficient mode of post-translational modification of an enzyme crucial to cellular development.
Impaired innate immunity at birth: deficiency of bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) in the neutrophils of newborns.

Impaired Innate Immunity at Birth: Deficiency of Bactericidal/Permeability-Increasing Protein (BPI) in the Neutrophils of Newborns
Damage-induced reactivation of cohesin in postreplicative DNA repair.

Cohesin establishes sister-chromatid cohesion during S phase to ensure proper chromosome segregation in mitosis. It also facilitates postreplicative homologous recombination repair of DNA double-strand breaks by promoting local pairing of damaged and intact sister chromatids. In G2 phase, cohesin that is not bound to chromatin is inactivated, but its reactivation can occur in response to DNA damage. Recent papers by Koshland's and Sjogren's groups describe the critical role of the known cohesin cofactor Eco1 (Ctf7) and ATR checkpoint kinase in damage-induced reactivation of cohesin, revealing an intricate mechanism that regulates sister-chromatid pairing to maintain genome integrity.
Carbon nanotube-based non-cryogenic cooled spectrum IR detectors

This paper presents the development of non-cryogenic-cooling spectrum infrared (IR) detectors using a single Carbon nanotube (CNT). CNT has been found to be one of the promising materials for IR detection and used in different nanoelectronic devices due to its unique electrical properties. Here, the design, fabrication and experimental result of the CNT-based optical detectors are described. By developing the electrical breakdown process, the band gap of CNTs can be precisely adjusted and therefore, spectrum detectors can be obtained. The results indicate that CNTs are very sensitive in the near-IR (NIR) and middle-wave IR (MWIR) regions. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the detectors is studied. We demonstrate that CNT-based optical detectors can operate at room temperature.