cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engagement of DNA and H3K27me3 by the CBX8 chromodomain drives chromatin association.

Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) is critical for mediating gene repression during development and adult stem cell maintenance. Five CBX proteins, CBX2,4,6,7,8, form mutually exclusive PRC1 complexes and are thought to play a role in the association of PRC1 with chromatin. Specifically, the N-terminal chromodomain (CD) in the CBX proteins is thought to mediate specific targeting to methylated histones. For CBX8, however, the chromodomain has demonstrated weak affinity and specificity for methylated histones in vitro, leaving doubt as to its role in CBX8 chromatin association. Here, we investigate the function of the CBX8 CD in vitro and in vivo. We find that the CD is in fact a major driver of CBX8 chromatin association and determine that this is driven by both histone and previously unrecognized DNA binding activity. We characterize the structural basis of histone and DNA binding and determine how they integrate on multiple levels. Notably, we find that the chromatin environment is critical in determining the ultimate function of the CD in CBX8 association.
Assessing drug response in engineered brain microenvironments.

Abstract Tissue engineered systems are important models for the testing and discovery of therapeutics against a number of diseases. The use of these models in vitro can expand both our understanding of the mechanisms behind disease and allow for higher throughput and personalized modeling of therapeutic response. Over the past decade there has been an explosion of models of neurological disorders that can be used in vitro to study new therapies against devastating neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental, and neuro-oncological disease. These models span several types of engineered microenvironments which are produced using microfluidic devices, microtissue technology and/or the incorporation of biomaterial scaffolds to model neurological conditions such as; Alzheimer’s disease, idiopathic autism, Parkinson’s disease, Zika-induced microcephaly and neoplasms. Using engineered brain microenvironments, therapeutics can be tested in more physiologically relevant ways leading to new knowledge of the underlying causes and interactions occurring at the tissue level. However, much is still left to learn and model within these systems to make them truly valuable in the discovery and testing of novel therapies. Here we review the current state of the art of engineered brain microenvironments being used specifically to screen and test new therapeutic strategies and discuss the current benefits and limitations that still exist.
Robust Optimal Selection of Radio Type and Transmission Power for Internet of Things

Research efforts over the last few decades produced multiple wireless technologies, which are readily available to support communication between devices in various dynamic Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics applications. However, single radio technology can hardly deliver optimal performance across all critical quality of service (QoS) dimensions under the typically varying environmental conditions or under varying distance between communicating nodes. Using a single wireless technology therefore falls short of meeting the demands of varying workloads or changing environmental conditions. Instead of pursuing a one-radio-fits-all approach, we design ARTPoS, an Adaptive Radio and Transmission Power Selection system, which makes available at runtime multiple wireless technologies (e.g., WiFi and ZigBee) and selects the radio(s) and transmission power(s) most suitable for the current conditions and requirements. The principal components of ARTPoS include new empirical models of power consumption and packet reception ratio (the latter can also be refined online) and online optimization schemes. We have implemented our system and evaluate it on the physical testbed consisting of our new embedded platforms with heterogeneous radios. Experimental results show that ARTPoS can significantly reduce the power consumption, while maintaining desired link reliability, compared to standard baselines.
Crime, Sociology of

Abstract This article summarizes theoretical and empirical developments and trends in the sociology of crime. The history of the field is reviewed first, followed by discussion of its primary methods, data sources, and levels of explanation. Attention then turns to the social distribution of crime, dominant theoretical traditions, and issues of crime control. We close with brief comments concerning continuity and change in the contexts and processes associated with crime.
Single-cell copy number lineage tracing enabling gene discovery

Aneuploidy plays critical roles in genome evolution. Alleles, whose dosages affect the fitness of an ancestor, will have altered frequencies in the descendant populations upon perturbation. Single-cell sequencing enables comprehensive genome-wide copy number profiling of thousands of cells at various evolutionary stage and lineage. That makes it possible to discover dosage effects invisible at tissue level, provided that the cell lineages can be accurately reconstructed. Here, we present a Minimal Event Distance Aneuploidy Lineage Tree (MEDALT) algorithm that infers the evolution history of a cell population based on single-cell copy number (SCCN) profiles. We also present a statistical routine named lineage speciation analysis (LSA), which facilitates discovery of fitness-associated alterations and genes from SCCN lineage trees. We assessed our approaches using a variety of single-cell datasets. Overall, MEDALT appeared more accurate than phylogenetics approaches in reconstructing copy number lineage. From the single-cell DNA-sequencing data of 20 triple-negative breast cancer patients, our approaches effectively prioritized genes that are essential for breast cancer cell fitness and are predictive of patient survival, including those implicating convergent evolution. Similar benefits were observed when applying our approaches on single-cell RNA sequencing data obtained from cancer patients. The source code of our study is available at https://github.com/KChen-lab/MEDALT.
Residency training in the time of COVID-19: A framework for academic medical centers dealing with the pandemic

As cases of COVID-19 climb worldwide, academic medical centers (AMCs) are scrambling to balance the increasing demand for medical services while maintaining safe learning environments. The scale and nature of the current pandemic, limitations on key resources, risks of transmission, and the impact on trainee wellbeing pose additional challenges to AMCs. We propose a framework for AMCs to utilize in facilitating health system, organization and program-level adjustments to meet the needs of medical trainees during the pandemic. In February 2020, we developed a three-level approach to the pandemic response of training programs at our AMC. The first level involved AMC alignment and engagement with regulatory stakeholders. The second level utilized the graduate medical education committee and leveraged organizational functions such as human resources, finance, and clinical departments. The third level of intervention focused on common approaches used by programs to ensure continuity of learning in the context of dynamic changes in workflows and service operations. Outcomes at each level are reported. These include the co-development of a national framework on medical trainee responses to COVID-19, the composition of an operational guidance document, organizational protocols to accommodate novel challenges posed by the pandemic, and multiple program-level interventions. This methodical approach, employed during a global crisis, was critical in facilitating interventions required to fulfill the mission of AMCs. Future steps include assessing the impact of these changes on trainee performance and the applicability of the approach in diverse settings.
Functional Measures Are Severely Under-Captured in Electronic Health Records

Electronic health records (EHR) data are increasingly used to inform clinical care decisions, assess quality of care, and identify patients at high-risk of poor outcomes (e.g. readmission). Functional measures—including mobility and the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs)—are key indicators associated with health-related quality of life and chronic disease management in older adults. The goal of this analysis was to quantify the extent that measures of function are used in a national pool of structured EHR data. We used 2017-2019 data from IBM Watson Health Explorys, representing EHR data from 27 health systems and 360 hospitals nationwide (n=5,224,530 adults age 65 and older). Structured EHR data were mapped to SNOMED-CT codes that identifed six categories of function: mobility, fine motor, gross motor, large muscle, ADLs, and instrumental ADLs. Results indicated that only 3 of the 6 categories were used: ADLs (4.2% of study population), mobility (3.2%), and gross motor skills (2.4%). Fine motor, IADLs, and large muscle function were not recorded in any patients. These results indicate that functional measures appear to be under-reported in structured EHR data when compared to published estimates of the population prevalence. In conclusion, measures of function and mobility remain largely unused in structured EHR data, likely because this information is either not assessed, unavailable for inclusion, or is captured in a non-structured format (e.g. clinical notes). Comprehensive functional measures need to be added to EHRs to assess quality and improve delivery and outcomes in older adult patients.
A Review of Machine Learning Applications in Power System Resilience

The integration of power electronics enabled devices and the high penetration of renewable energy drastically increase the complexity of power system operation and control. Power systems are still vulnerable to large-scale blackouts caused by extreme natural events or man-made attacks. With the recent development in artificial intelligence technique, machine learning has shown a processing ability in computational, perceptual and cognitive intelligence. It is an urgent challenge to integrate the advanced machine learning technology and large amount of real-time data from wide area measurement systems and intelligent electronic devices, in order to effectively enhance power system resilience and ensure the reliable and secure operation of power systems. Therefore, this paper aims to systematically review the existing application of machine learning methods on power system resilience enhancement, to expand the interest of researchers and scholars in this topic, and to jointly promote the application of artificial intelligence in the field of power systems.
Strategies to better treat glioblastoma: antiangiogenic agents and endothelial cell targeting agents.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most prevalent and aggressive form of glioma, with poor prognosis and high mortality rates. As GBM is a highly vascularized cancer, antiangiogenic therapies to ...
Expert consensus on Didactic Clinical Skills Development for orthodontic curricula

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE Competence is expected of each beginning dentist and orthodontist. However, the broad definition of competence presents a challenge to academic programs in identifying the level of cognition for students to achieve competence. This study aimed to determine the Didactic Clinical Skills Development curriculum content and competency in predoctoral and advanced education orthodontic programs. METHOD A modified Delphi method with a consensus threshold of 70% was employed using an expert panel of academic orthodontists. RESULTS Round One (n = 26) identified that all topics proposed by a focus group were necessary, except for predoctoral Appliances, which was at 65%. Round Two (n = 23) included subtopics of Appliances to confirm the lack of consensus, plus subtopics of all the other topics and the level of cognition required for each subtopic. The expert panel reached a consensus that all 24 subtopics, hence all topics, were necessary. In Round Three, subtopic responses in Round Two were assigned a value between 1 (remember) and 6 (create) to generate a hierarchical level-of-learning scale. Mean values were calculated for each subtopic response. For all subtopics, the mean level of cognition for predoctoral education was at understand; for advanced education, it was at evaluate. CONCLUSION This consensus suggests that, to be deemed competent, beginning dentists must learn these topics and subtopics in the cognitive domain of understand, and beginning orthodontists in the cognitive domain of evaluate. This study showed an expert consensus on Didactic Clinical Skills Development orthodontic curriculum content and a panorama of educational objectives that could be used as a template for curriculum design.
Robust Analysis and Sensitivity Design of Model Predictive Control

Abstract Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithms have an inherently time domain based design. Design parameters are directly connected to the discrete time domain (sample time, prediction horizon), or impact the discrete time state-space model (weight matrices). We provide an analysis and design method for MPC systems in the frequency domain, including the determination of robustness margins. Pre-designed MPC applications are analyzed for their multi-dimensional gain and phase margin. An adjustment design method to improve unsatisfactory results is given. This approach is shown in a simulation example.
ScanBank: A Benchmark Dataset for Figure Extraction from Scanned Electronic Theses and Dissertations.

We focus on electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), aiming to improve access and expand their utility, since more than 6 million are publicly available, and they constitute an important corpus to aid research and education across disciplines. The corpus is growing as new born-digital documents are included, and since millions of older theses and dissertations have been converted to digital form to be disseminated electronically in institutional repositories. In ETDs, as with other scholarly works, figures and tables can communicate a large amount of information in a concise way. Although methods have been proposed for extracting figures and tables from born-digital PDFs, they do not work well with scanned ETDs. Considering this problem, our assessment of state-of-the-art figure extraction systems is that the reason they do not function well on scanned PDFs is that they have only been trained on born-digital documents. To address this limitation, we present ScanBank, a new dataset containing 10 thousand scanned page images, manually labeled by humans as to the presence of the 3.3 thousand figures or tables found therein. We use this dataset to train a deep neural network model based on YOLOv5 to accurately extract figures and tables from scanned ETDs. We pose and answer important research questions aimed at finding better methods for figure extraction from scanned documents. One of those concerns the value for training, of data augmentation techniques applied to born-digital documents which are used to train models better suited for figure extraction from scanned documents. To the best of our knowledge, ScanBank is the first manually annotated dataset for figure and table extraction for scanned ETDs. A YOLOv5-based model, trained on ScanBank, outperforms existing comparable open-source and freely available baseline methods by a considerable margin.
Modeling the Techno-Economics of Multicore Optical Fibers in Subsea Transmission Systems

We analyze the potential suitability or strength of arguments for the application of multicore optical fibers in high capacity submarine cable systems via transmission and techno-economic modeling. We consider hypothetical multicore fibers (MCFs) with 2-4 weakly coupled cores and compare capacity and cost/bit against conventional single-core fibers (SCFs). The analysis is performed in the context of a trans-Atlantic link length system and we evaluate the relative fiber performance with three different, but related, system design approaches. Two SCF coating diameters are assessed in terms of how this parameter affects the cost/bit through fiber density in submarine cables and resulting cable cost. We find that MCFs may enable higher cable capacity when fiber pair limits are imposed, but likely not at lower cost/bit unless optimistic and best case assumptions are made with respect to MCF relative fiber cost. We also find that reduced diameter SCFs can deliver much of the density and cable cost savings that motivates interest in MCF without the challenges of a new eco-system as required by MCF. However, MCF may enable the design of the largest cable capacities such as 1 Pb/s or more that might not be attainable with SCFs without significant cable changes.
Cyclic and SCC Behavior of Alloy 690 HAZ in a PWR Environment

The objective of this work is to determine the cyclic and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) crack growth rates (CGRs) in a simulated PWR water environment for Alloy 690 heat affected zone (HAZ). In order to meet the objective, an Alloy 152 J-weld was produced on a piece of Alloy 690 tubing, and the test specimens were aligned with the HAZ. The environmental enhancement of cyclic CGRs for Alloy 690 HAZ was comparable to that measured for the same alloy in the as-received condition. The two Alloy 690 HAZ samples tested exhibited maximum SCC CGR rates of 10−11 m/s in the simulated PWR environment at 320°C, however, on average, these rates are similar or only slightly higher than those for the as-received alloy.
Science and the Sacred: Intertextuality in Richard Powers's The Gold Bug Variations

ABSTRACT In The Gold Bug Variations, a novel published amidst contemporary debates over theories of secularism and postsecularism, Richard Powers celebrates the wonders of molecular biology via the relocation of religious transcendence. Throughout the book, Powers incorporates a host of quotations from various texts (e.g. Romantic and modern poetry, musical scores, medieval bestiaries, the Bible) in order to translate the wonder associated with religious experience into what might be referred to as secular piety. Extracted from their original textual environment, these passages are defamiliarized and re-contextualized, their signification altered by their inscription within a radically different literary landscape. This essay examines numerous instances of such thematic translation alongside theories of intertextuality in order highlight the amalgamation of, to borrow C. P. Snow's famous phrase, two “cultures” (evolutionary science and religion) that are often deemed antithetical by those engaged in curre...
Entering the Mindset of Violent Religious Activists

How can one enter the mindset of religious activists whose worldview and values are different from one’s own? This is the challenge for analyzing contemporary violent religious movements and individuals around the world. This essay suggests guidelines, based on the author’s interview experience, for entering religious minds through informative encounters, relational knowledge, bracketing assumptions, and constructing a view of the whole.
5-Methyltetrahydrofolate is reabsorbed and metabolized in isolated perfused rat kidney.

The renal regulation of folate excretion is an important component in maintaining the body burden of folate. The tubular processes for folate disposition have been examined by a variety of methods to elucidate the mechanism by which renal folate excretion is regulated. Accordingly, the isolated perfused rat kidney technique was evaluated by investigating the clearance and metabolic patterns of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-CH3-H4PteGlu). Kidneys from male Sprague-Dawley rats were perfused in vitro with [3H]5-CH3-H4PteGlu (1-2000 nmol/L). Linear regression analysis of 5-CH3-H4PteGlu excretion vs. filtered load revealed a tubular transport maximum of 7.5 pmol x min-1.g-1. A dual component system for tubular transport of 5-CH3-H4PteGlu was found: a high capacity, nonsaturable system and a low capacity, saturable system represented by the transport maximum. Furthermore, HPLC analysis of urine demonstrated renal uptake and metabolism of the labeled tracer. Tetrahydrofolate was identified as one metabolic product that indicated secretion of this compound. Additional metabolites were identified from kidney samples. Results suggest that 5-CH3-H4PteGlu undergoes net reabsorption by a dual component transport system; some of the reabsorbed 5-CH3-H4PteGlu is metabolized to other products that may be secreted in the urine.
ID: 229: Endothelial-derived IL-33 is cardioprotective after myocardial pressure overload

Hypertension increases the pressure load on the heart and is associated with a poorly understood chronic systemic inflammatory state. Interleukin-33 (IL-33) binds to membrane-bound ST2 (ST2L) and has anti-hypertrophic and anti-fibrotic effects in the myocardium. In contrast, soluble ST2 (sST2) appears to act as a decoy receptor for IL-33, blocking myocardial and vascular benefits and is a prognostic biomarker in patients with cardiovascular diseases. We found that a highly local intramyocardial IL-33/ST2 conversation regulates the heart’s response to pressure overload. Either endothelial-specific deletion of IL33 or cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of ST2 exacerbated cardiac hypertrophy with pressure overload. Furthermore, pressure overload induced systemic circulating IL-33 as well as systemic circulating IL-13 and TGF-beta1; this was abolished by endothelial-specific deletion of IL33 but not by cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of IL33. Our results demonstrated that endothelial cells are the major sources of systemic IL-33 induced by myocardial pressure overload. Our study reveals that endothelial cell secretion of IL33 is crucial for translating myocardial pressure overload into a selective systemic inflammatory state.
Assessing the Capability of Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) to Support Future Air Traffic Capacity

Alternative position, navigation, and timing (APNT) systems are needed by aviation to maintain operations for prolonged periods during an absence of Global Positioning System (GPS) service. This is especially important in the future as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) utilizes GPS to efficiently handle the anticipated twofold increase in air traffic over the next 15 years. Thus, an APNT system must be able to support the full capacity of future airspace. One candidate APNT system is distance measuring equipment (DME). Since DME has capacity limits, it is important to understand these limits and how they may be increased. This paper models DME capacity and uses the model to examine potential means of improving capacity. Results indicate that increasing DME station reply rate reduces availability for avionics at the current minimum operational performance standards (MOPS). However, with reasonable MOPS changes, DME could support anticipated air traffic levels. Copyright © 2012 Institute of Navigation.
Phase-shifts of the bulla ocular circadian pacemaker in the presence of calmodulin antagonists

Previous work has shown that light-induced phase shifts of the Bulla ocular circadian pacemaker require extracellular calcium, suggesting the possibility that the action of calcium as a second messenger via calmodulin is an element in the phase shifting mechanism. The calmodulin antagonists calmidazolium, trifluoperazine (TFP) and W7 were applied with phase shifting light pulses. Light phase shifts were not blocked by calmidazolium or TFP, suggesting that calmodulin does not mediate light-induced phase shifts. Period changes were observed with treatments of both TFP and W7, but not with calmidazolium and are probably not calmodulin-mediated.
Error reduction in molecular tagging velocimetry via image preprocessing

The effect of preprocessing molecular tagging velocimetry (MTV) images to reduce measurement error was studied using simulated and experimental images with signal-to-noise (SN) ratios of SN = 2–16. The results of the simulations showed that image filtering reduced the measurement error by up to 30 % for conditions typically seen in real-world MTV experiments. Under some conditions (i.e., thin lines or large spatial filters), filtering was found to increase the measurement error. Experiments confirmed the simulation results, although the actual error levels were higher. The use of an averaged initial or “undelayed” image, instead of individual undelayed images, was also investigated. This strategy increased the SN of the undelayed image by averaging out the random noise. It was shown that the use of an averaged undelayed image reduced error for low SN images but potentially increased error for high SN images.
Characterization of Fusarium Strains Recovered From Wheat With Symptoms of Head Blight in Kentucky.

Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) members cause Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and small grains in the United States. The U.S. population is diverse and includes several genetically distinct local emergent subpopulations, some more aggressive and toxigenic than the majority population. Kentucky is a transition zone between the Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern wheat production areas. Sixty-eight Fusarium strains were isolated from symptomatic wheat heads from central and western Kentucky and southern Indiana in 2007. A multilocus genotyping assay and a variety of additional molecular markers, including some novel markers developed using the F. graminearum genome sequence, were used to characterize the pathogen population. Five of the isolates were identified as members of two non-FGSC species, F. acuminatum and F. cf. reticulatum, but they did not cause symptoms in greenhouse tests. All the FGSC isolates belonged to the 15-ADON chemotype of F. graminearum. Comparative genet...
Cooling, Trapping and Manipulation of Neutral Atoms and Bose-Einstein Condensates by Electromagnetic Fields

We give a general discussion of the mechanical effects of light, and of laser cooling and trapping techniques. This is followed by a description of experiments in the manipulation of Bose-Einstein condensates with optical laser pulses.
Active interrogation using low-energy nuclear reactions

High-energy photons and neutrons can be used to interrogate for heavily shielded fissile materials inside sealed cargo containers by detecting their prompt and/or delayed fission signatures. The FIND ( F issmat I nspection for N uclear D etection) active interrogation system is based on a dual neutron+gamma source that uses low-energy (< 500 keV) proton- or deuteron-induced nuclear reactions to produce high intensities of mono-energetic gamma rays and/or neutrons. The source can be operated in either pulsed (e.g., to detect delayed photofission neutrons and gammas) or continuous (e.g., detecting prompt fission signatures) modes. For the gamma-rays, the source target can be segmented to incorporate different (p,γ) isotopes for producing gamma-rays at selective energies, thereby improving the probability of detection. The design parameters for the FIND system are discussed and preliminary accelerator-based measurements of gamma and neutron yields, background levels, and fission signals for several target materials under consideration are presented.
Comparative infrared and Raman spectroscopy of compounds in high-pressure media

The techniques of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy (FT-R) are compared for use in high pressure environments such as those encountered when using supercritical fluid solvents. FT-IR spectra in the 1000 to 3000 cm -1 region show severe pressure broadening of high-pressure molecular solvents, which eliminates much of the useful spectral range when using this technique. These solvent interferences are not a problem with FT-R at pressures as high as 35 MPa. Spectra of naphthalene in liquid carbon dioxide are used to compare these two spectroscopic techniques.
Unleashing Biocatalysis/Chemical Catalysis Synergies for Efficient Biomass Conversion

The goal of incorporating renewable carbon into the fuel and chemical enterprise will most likely be successful when combined systems of biocatalysts and chemical catalysts are exploited. Significant efforts in the biocatalytic release of sugars from biomass are being pursued for subsequent use in fermentation. Two recent papers demonstrate an alternative approach to converting these sugars to a liquid fuel by using chemical catalysts.
Major recommendations of the U.S. President's Patent Commission

On April 8, 1965, President Johnson ordered the establishment of a Commission to study the U.S. patent system in all of its aspects and to recommend legislation that would improve its service to society. The membership of the Commission was announced on July 23, 1965, and comprised 14 representatives of important areas affected by the patent system: science and engineering, large and small business, universities, patent attorneys, the judiciary, the National Science Foundation and the Departments of Commerce and Defense. Other government agencies were represented by observers. In its report, the Commission made 35 recommendations, some of which, if adopted, will represent the first major changes in our patent system since 1836. In this article one of the Commission members, the IEEE Secretary, presents some of the highlights of the Commission's report.
Mercury-chlorine exchange rates in chloride ion probe experiments

The importance of chemical exchange in determining the 35Cl linewidth in chloride ion probe measurements of protein-bound mercury sites is assessed. It is shown that in some cases the exchange rate may determine the observed broadening of the chloride ion resonance and in other cases it does not, depending on the protein investigated.
XRF 060428B: Observational evidence for a strongly lensed burst

Long‐duration GRBs and X‐ray flashes (XRFs; softer‐spectrum brethren of long GRBs) are thought to occur following the core‐collapse of massive stars. We report here on observations of a recent X‐ray flash (XRF 060428B) that occurred 2.6” in projection from the center of a massive red galaxy at redshift z = 0.348, well within its detectable light. While initial probabilistic arguments suggested a physical connection, deep Keck imaging reveals a compact blue source at the burst position, likely a higher‐redshift host galaxy. Since the observed offset is approximately equal to the Einstein radius of the foreground elliptical, we suggest that XRF 060428B may have been strongly gravitationally lensed, allowing us to detect an underluminous burst at high‐z. This would naturally explain the otherwise coincidental proximity to a nearby galaxy.
Inflicted head injury: Future directions and prevention

Although described only a quarter century ago, progress in this area is rapid and increasing at an accelerated rate. As a group, neurosurgeons, and particularly pediatric neurosurgeons, potentially have a lot to offer, both in the hospital, the courtroom, and the laboratory. As practitioners who see large numbers of brain injuries, both accidental and inflicted, they can provide a unique perspective to child abuse colleagues; unfortunately, neurosurgeons shy away from doing so for a variety of reasons: (1) they are too busy with clinical practice and cannot afford to devote the (largely uncompensated) time involved in keeping up with the literature on the subject, reviewing the case files in detail, and testifying in court; (2) they are reluctant to take the stand and potentially be subjected to the ridicule (and even abuse) hurled by attorneys in the defense of their clients; (3) they are uncertain in their minds about the validity of the evidence in some cases, especially when the evidence is not iron-clad; and (4) they perhaps fear later retribution from people they have helped convict for these crimes. Whatever the reasons, neurosurgeons need to be more involved in these cases and to be both knowledgeable and reasonable in assessments of the cause of injury. In no other area of neurosurgery is the truth so critical, because the lives of the infants for whom they care, and those who might be accused unjustly of perpetrating a crime that they did not commit, hang in the balance. Neurosurgeons must be unerringly accurate in obtaining and recording clinical information and physical findings. When asked, they must not shy away from providing an answer, but only if well enough versed in the literature to be capable of so doing, because to provide false or inaccurate information is a disservice; to do so may condemn an innocent person to prison, or an innocent infant to death. If there is uncertainty, it is probably in the best interests of the child to have the case analyzed and represented by an expert who knows the literature well; there are many excellent and objective child abuse experts who can do this. Finally, the author believes that this should be a much more active area of research for neurosurgeons. Although there has been much progress, there are also a number of uncertainties that remain to be answered, only a few of which have been touched on here. There is much to be done in this important field; neurosurgeons must concentrate on finding adequate answers for those questions that remain.
Novel developmental biology‐based protocol of embryonic stem cell differentiation to morphologically sound and functional yet immature hepatocytes

Background/Aims Liver diseases are common in the United States and often require liver transplantation; however, donated organs are limited and thus alternative sources for liver cells are in high demand. Embryonic stem cells (ESC) can provide a continuous and readily available source of liver cells. ESC differentiation to liver cells is yet to be fully understood and comprehensive differentiation protocols are yet to be defined. Here, we aimed to achieve human (h)ESC differentiation into mature hepatocytes using defined recombinant differentiation factors and metabolites. Methods Embryonic stem cell H1 line was sub-cultured on feeder layer. We induced hESCs into endodermal differentiation succeeded by early/late hepatic specification and finally into hepatocyte maturation using step combinations of Activin A and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 for 7 days; followed by FGF-4 and bone morphogenic protein 2 (BMP2) for 7 days, succeeded by FGF-10 + hepatocyte growth factor 4 + epidermal growth factor for 14 days. Specific inhibitors/stimulators were added sequentially throughout differentiation. Cells were analysed by PCR, flow cytometry, microscopy or functional assays. Results Our hESC differentiation protocol resulted in viable cells with hepatocyte shape and morphology. We observed gradual changes in cell transcriptome, including up-regulation of differentiation-promoting GATA4, GATA6, POU5F1 and HNF4 transcription factors, steady levels of stemness-promoting SOX-2 and low levels of Nanog, as defined by PCR. The hESC-derived hepatocytes expressed alpha-antitrypsin, CD81, cytokeratin 8 and low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor. The levels of alpha-fetoprotein and proliferation marker Ki-67 in hESC-derived hepatocytes remained elevated. Unlike stem cells, the hESC-derived hepatocytes performed LDL uptake, produced albumin and alanine aminotransferase and had functional alcohol dehydrogenase. Conclusion We report a novel protocol for hESC differentiation into morphological and functional yet immature hepatocytes as an alternative method for hepatocyte generation.
Switching Time in Junction Diodes and Junction Transistors

The time in which a junction diode may be switched from forward to reverse conduction is of great importance in computing networks. By considering the behavior of the minority carriers in a diode In a representative switching circuit an approximate solution for the switching transient may be derived. The transient is separated into two phases: first, one of constant current, where the flow is limited by the external resistance, and second, a "collection" phase, where the current decays at a rate determined by the minority carrier lifetime and the dimensions of the diode. A critical parameter in the solution is the ratio of the short-circuit reverse current to the forward current before switching. The mathematical treatment is a boundary value solution of the minority carrier diffusion equations which is accomplished by the use of Laplace transformations. The duration of the two phases of current flow is determined for a planar junction, a hemispherical junction, and for a planar junction with junction-to-contact distance small compared to a diffusion length. The last treatment is extended to the junction transistor and the behavior of the collector current is calculated. The general results indicate that for a given nority carrier lifetime the last two of the three diode structures will give the smallest switching times. In addition it is found generally that the time is minimized by decreasing lifetime and increasing the ratio of reverse to forward current.
Analyte-receptor binding and dissociation kinetics for biosensor applications : a fractal analysis

Abstract A fractal analysis of confirmative nature only is presented for analyte-receptor binding and dissociation kinetics for biosensor applications. Data taken from the literature may be modeled, in the case of binding using a single-fractal analysis or a dual-fractal analysis. The dual-fractal analysis represents a change in the binding mechanism as the reaction progresses on the surface. Relationships are presented for the binding and dissociation rate coefficients as a function of their corresponding fractal dimension, D f or the degree of heterogeneity that exists on the surface. When analyte-receptor binding or dissociation is involved, an increase in the heterogeneity on the surface (increase in D f ) leads to an increase in the binding and in the dissociation rate coefficient. It is suggested that an increase in the degree of heterogeneity on the surface leads to an increase in the turbulence on the surface owing to the irregularities on the surface. This turbulence promotes mixing, minimizes diffusional limitations, and leads subsequently to an increase in the binding and in the dissociation rate coefficient (Martin S.J., Granstaff, V.E., Frye, G.C., Anal. Chem., 65, (1991) 2910). The binding and the dissociation rate coefficient are rather sensitive to the degree of heterogeneity, D f,bind and D f,diss , respectively, that exists on the biosensor surface. For example, the order of dependence on D f,bind is 19.2 for the binding rate coefficient, k bind for the binding of 0.03–1.0 μM SH-2L d in solution to 2C TCR immobilized on a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor (Corr, M., Salnetz, A.E., Boyd, L.F., Jelonek, M.T., Khilko, S., Al-Ramadi, B.K., Kim, Y.S., Maher, S.E., Bothwell, A.L.M., Margulies, D.H., Science, 265, (1994) 946). The order of dependence on D f,diss is −6.22 for the dissociation rate coefficient, k diss for the dissociation of 250–1000 nM Sophora japonica agglutinin (SJA)-lactose complex from the SPR surface. In general, the technique is applicable to other reactions occurring on different types of surfaces, such as cell-surface reactions.
AB initio molecular orbital studies of the structures and potential energy surfaces of the BeAlF5 and MgAlF5 complexes

Abstract Ab initio molecular orbital calculations on BeAlF5 and MgAlF5 are reported. For both complexes, C2v structures with two fluorines in the bridge were more stable than structures with one and three fluorines in the bridges. Distortion away from C2v symmetry is relatively easy.
Arithmetic circuit fault detection by modular encoding

Design principles of self checking digital circuits are in the focus of the general interest and many papers exist treating that subject. The use of special data encoding techniques, suitable algorithms of arithmetic, special hardware elements have been proposed long ago. The purpose of this paper is to show that the design can produce rather simple self checking circuit when the design principles are chosen which collaborate harmoniously: 1) decimal numerical system is used 2) decimal digit d e {0, 1, …, 9} is represented in the Diamond Code by the 5-bit binary number f = 3·d + 2 3) decimal digits' addition algorithm introduced here is simple and effective so that 10 decimal digits can be added in parallel 4) implementation of the addition algorithm by conventional Full Adders results in in a single fault detecting circuit. The design of a decimal adder for 10 decimal numbers, each with 10 digits, is described here as an illustration. It shows the way how to design other decimal arithmetic circuits which are single fault detecting, for instance a multiplier (derived from the adder for 10 decimal numbers).
Diet‐induced phenotypic plasticity of feeding morphology in the orangespotted sunfish, Lepomis humilis

– Generalist fish species often exhibit two or more recognizable morphotypes specialized to exploit a particular habitat and niche. Divergent benthic and pelagic morphs of sunfish of the North American sunfish genus Lepomis have been found in some populations. The proximate cause of this phenomenon is not known. It could be differential survival and habitat segregation among different morphs produced by different genotypes within a species or it could be a phenotypically plastic response to environmental influences such as diet. I tested the hypothesis that variation in feeding morphology (body shape, gill raker and pharyngeal jaw morphology) in the orangespotted sunfish, Lepomis humilis occurs in response to diet. Fish were collected as young-of-the-year and were reared in individual aquaria and fed three differing arthropod diets. According to a multivariate analysis of covariance on principal components derived from body truss, gill raker and pharyngeal jaw measurements, diet significantly affected morphology. Fish that fed on a diet of mealworms developed a significantly more blunt snout based on a least squares means estimation of component values.
Effects of age, feeding regimen, and glucocorticoids on catecholamine and cortisol excretion in preterm infants.

Background: The sympathoadrenal system is important in maintaining normal physiologic functioning in infants and increased output also can reflect stress. We sought to determine the effects of age, feeding regimen, and glucocorticoids on catecholamine and cortisol excretion in preterm infants and to assess whether a particular strategy of feeding enhanced sympathoadrenal development or was stressful. Methods: Preterm infants (26-30 wk gestation; n = 171) were assigned randomly to begin trophic feedings from day 4 through 14 (trophic group) or to start feedings at day 15 (standard group) with feedings administered either by bolus every 3 hours (bolus) or continuously over 24 hours (continuous). At 10, 28, 40, 50, and 60 days of age, urine was collected continuously for 6 hours for measurement of catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine), cortisol, and creatinine. Data were available for 98 infants. Results: Norepinephrine excretion increased with postnatal age. The increase with age was significantly greater in the trophic group compared with that in the standard group. Epinephrine excretion did not change with age, and there were no differences between trophic and standard groups. Dopamine excretion increased with age but was similar between trophic and standard groups (borderline significantly greater in the trophic group). Cortisol excretion increased with age and also was similar between trophic and standard groups. There was no effect on catecholamine or cortisol excretion of bolus vs continuous feedings, antenatal or postnatal corticosteroids, gestational age at birth, age at which full feedings were attained, or use of human milk compared with preterm formula. Conclusions: The greatest determinant of catecholamine and cortisol excretion is postnatal age. Feeding method, type of feeding, and glucocorticoid administration in the amounts customarily used have little significant effect on catecholamine or cortisol excretion. The apparent link between early feeding and norepinephrine (and possibly dopamine) excretion warrants further investigation.
Prospective randomized evaluation of FOOT gel pads for operating room staff COMFORT during laparoscopic renal surgery.

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the comfort level of our laparoscopy team during and after laparoscopic renal surgery, with or without the use of gel footpads. METHODS Between September 2008 and April 2009 we prospectively randomized 100 consecutive laparoscopic renal procedures to examine whether the use of a foot gel pad altered the surgical team's comfort level. A questionnaire was used to measure the discomfort in 18 different subjects before and during surgery, and one day postoperatively. The procedures performed with or without the foot gel pads were compared. RESULTS One hundred laparoscopic procedures were randomized to being performed with and without gel pads. In 50 procedures, the foot gel pad was used. The mean age of the subjects was 36 years (range 25-52). The mean surgical experience was 7 years. The characteristics of the participants in procedures with and without the gel pad were similar. In the immediate postoperative period, there were significantly more breaks taken (P = .001), number of stretches (P = .001), foot pain (P = .003), knee pain (P = .001), back discomfort (P = .001), overall discomfort (P = .001), and diminished level of energy (P = .049) in the group not using the gel pad. Of the 24-hour postoperative time point, evaluation significantly favored the gel pads regarding foot pain (P = .004), overall amount of discomfort (P = .001), and energy level of the participants (P = .044). CONCLUSIONS The use of foot gel pads improves surgeon comfort and ergonomics during laparoscopy. The pads have been incorporated into our routine operating room set-up and may improve surgical performance by diminishing fatigue and discomfort.
Strategic Interaction and Conflict Negotiating Expectations in Accounting for Actions

Direct communication between parties is impossible in some conflict situations, and interactants must employ other means of conveying messages to deescalate the conflict or to sucker their opponents into costly maneuvers. Strategic interaction occurs when action displays by one party are to be taken as meaningful communications by the other. Interpretation of these displays depends on cultural or experiential background expectancies, which must be taken into account in the production of strategic displays as well. An Arab-Israeli paradigm illustrates the ways in which display sequences and interpretive procedures are manipulated by interactants to affect the dominant strategy of the fully interdependent games and ultimately affect the outcome of the conflict for the players.