cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retinal and choroidal vascular features in patients with retinitis pigmentosa imaged by OCT based microangiography.

To image vascular features of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Patients with RP were imaged by spectral domain optical coherence tomography based angiography (OCTA). The optical microangiography (OMAG) algorithm was applied to scanned datasets to generate 3D OCTA retinal angiograms, i.e., OMAG angiograms. Motion tracking was used to minimize artifacts due to eye movement, and large field of view OMAG angiograms were achieved through a montage scanning protocol. For better visualization, depth volumes were segmented to separate the superficial retinal layers from deep outer retinal layers. The choriocapillaris and other choroidal layers were also segmented. To investigate the changes in retinal architecture, the inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junction to RPE layer was segmented to generate en face structural images through averaging intensity projection. Color fundus images and/or Goldmann visual fields were available for comparison of the findings to OMAG images. A total of 25 eyes (13 patients, seven women and six men) diagnosed with RP at various stages were enrolled in this study from October 2014 to January 2016 and imaged by OCTA. The resulting OMAG angiograms provided detailed visualization of retinal and choroidal vascular networks presented within the retina and choroid in a large field of view (FOV) (∼6.7 mm × 6.7 mm). All patients with a severity score greater than 3 showed abnormal microvasculature in both deep retinal and choroidal layers on OMAG images. Images of patients with a score of 4 indicating only peripheral abnormalities demonstrated relatively normal vasculature networks. Microvascular changes in the retinal and choroidal vasculature correlate with structural changes in the slab from IS/OS junction to RPE layer. OCTA is useful in evaluating the microvascular changes in a large FOV encompassing the maculae of patients with RP. The large FOV of OMAG angiograms, enabled by the motion tracking, provides visualization of high definition and high resolution microvascular networks at varying stages of RP. Microvascular imaging may have significant utility in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression in RP patients.
Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation for Orthotopic Diversion

Accumulating evidence supports the benefits of pelvic floor physical therapy as the first-line conservative management for urinary incontinence. While the evidence is strongly demonstrated in the post-prostatectomy and aging populations, the principles of pelvic floor rehabilitation can also be applied to those who undergo the orthotopic neobladder procedure. This chapter will discuss the role of pelvic floor physical therapy in treating the neobladder population and the value provided with the patient’s return to quality of life postoperatively from a bladder, bowel, and sexual functioning perspective.
An Integrative Review of Scientific Evidence for Reconnective Healing

Abstract Background: Biofield therapies offer a novel, non-invasive approach to treating chronic diseases based on assessing and adjusting an individual's physiological and emotional responses through their bio-energetic field. Reconnective Healing™ (RH) is defined as: “…not just energy healing, but instead a more comprehensive spectrum of healing composed of energy, light, and information.” Objectives: Several biofield therapies, such as Reiki, Therapeutic Touch and Johrei, have already been reviewed in the literature but RH has received little attention even though it is taught and practiced worldwide. This review provides a critical assessment of RH as a healing modality. Methods: Scientific research articles published in peer-reviewed journals addressing RH were identified using relevant databases and archives. Information was extracted from each article that met selection criteria for evaluation of quality of reporting and design. This review summarizes and critically evaluates the five currently pub...
Longitudinal Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study of Adolescents and Young Adults With Bipolar Disorder.

Objective Longitudinal neuroimaging during adolescence/young adulthood, when bipolar disorder (BD) commonly emerges, can help elucidate the neurodevelopmental pathophysiology of BD. Adults with BD have shown reduced structural integrity in the uncinate fasciculus (UF), a white matter (WM) tract providing major connections between the amygdala and ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC), important in emotion regulation. In this longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study of adolescents/young adults, we hypothesized differences in age- and time-related changes in UF integrity in BD compared to healthy controls (HC). Method Two DTI scans were obtained in 27 adolescents/young adults with BD and 37 HC adolescents/young adults, on average approximately 2.5 years apart. Interactions between diagnosis with age and with time for UF fractional anisotropy (FA) were assessed. Exploratory analyses were performed including euthymic-only participants with BD, and for potential influences of demographic and clinical factors. Whole-brain analyses were performed to explore for interactions in other regions. Results There were significant interactions between diagnosis with age and with time for UF FA (p Conclusion These findings provide neuroimaging evidence supporting differences in UF WM structural development during adolescence/young adulthood, suggesting that differences in the development of an amygdala−vPFC system subserving emotion regulation may be a trait feature of BD neurodevelopment.
The Cinematic Savior: Jesus Films and Related Literature

I n 1897, a mere two years after the advent of the motion picture, the life of Jesus was first chronicled on the silver screen. No longer extant, La Passion was a brief passion play, consisting of twelve scenes and lasting only five minutes. In 1903, French directors Ferdinand Zecca and Lucien Nonguet produced Vie et Passion du Christ, the first feature-length film about Jesus. Since then, over a hundred additional films depicting the life and ministry of Jesus have been made, each providing unique interpretations and perspectives on Jesus and the Gospels. Jesus films have come to be understood as much more than simple adaptations of the gospel story, but as bearers of meaning and theology in their own right. These films also capture the social and cultural concerns of their time, so that the various incarnations of the celluloid Christ stand as artifacts of our pluralistic and diverse society. As a pedagogical tool, Jesus-film clips are increasingly used in religion courses to illustrate either specific gospel incidents or the various possible interpretations of the New Testament in film. Furthermore, Jesus films have now become a full-fledged subject of scholarly inquiry, with classes centered entirely on Jesus films becoming regular course offerings at many colleges and universities. Entire sessions on “Jesus in Film” are often held at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, and a burgeoning number of scholars in both biblical studies and film are responding to the significant role that the cinematic savior has played in our cultural and religious history.
Baselines for demographic inference on a new gold standard twitter corpus

A variety of studies have shown that machine learning methods like convolutional neural nets and random forests can be used to accurately infer characteristics of people online such as their gender, age, race, or political orientation. However, these studies are based on labels generated using the data themselves, typically human coding of subjects, and presume subjects are authentic humans. This creates systematic selection biases owing what features humans can draw inferences from. In this preliminary study, we connect Twitter Data to an exogenous data source, public voter data, to create a new gold standard data set for inferring demographic information about online participants. We run a standard battery of machine learning algorithms on bag-of-words representations of individuals' twitter posts to generate new baselines for how well these characteristics can be predicted. Our baselines are substantially lower than most reported studies, suggesting sampling bias has led to an over-estimation of how well machine learning algorithms perform on this task.
Investigating the effects of behavioral change, social support, and self-efficacy in physical activity in a collectivistic culture: Application of Stages of Motivational Readiness for Change in Korean young adults.

The study investigated the roles of social support, self-efficacy, and behavioral change in physical activity (PA) in the Korean culture. The subjects were 164 Korean college students. In November 2016, the study participants completed an online survey asking about PA behavior, PA Self-Efficacy, PA Stages of Change (stages of behavioral change in PA), and Social Support for PA. The collected data were statistically analyzed through structural equation modeling. In the results, PA Stages of Change had a direct effect (β = 0.57, p < .01) on PA with an explanatory power of r2 = 0.46. Moreover, PA Self-Efficacy had an indirect (βindirect = 0.29) effect on PA through PA Stages of Change as PA Self-Efficacy had a direct effect (β = 0.50, p < .001) on PA Stages of Change. However, Social Support for PA did not show an effect on other factors. Additionally, Social Support for PA had a correlation of r = 0.45 (p < .001) with PA Self-Efficacy. The study concluded PA Stages of Change is a significant PA predictor. Moreover, high PA Self-Efficacy indirectly helps Korean young adults to be more physically active by fostering advancement on the stages of behavioral change in PA. In contrast, Social Support for PA does not have a significant association with PA or PA Stages of Change. This non-significance of Social Support for PA can be explained with Korea's collectivistic culture. Furthermore, there is a possibility that Social Support for PA can positively affect PA by interacting with PA Self-Efficacy.
Enthalpic Driving Force for the Selective Absorption of CO2 by an Ionic Liquid

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations validated against two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) measurements of CO2 in an imidazolium-based ionic liquid have revealed new insights into the mechanism of CO2 solvation. The first solvation shell around CO2 has a distinctly quadrupolar structure, with strong negative charge density around the CO2 carbon atom and positive charge density near the CO2 oxygen atoms. When CO2 is modeled without atomic charges (thus removing its strong quadrupole moment), its solvation shell weakens and changes significantly into a structure that is similar to that of N2 in the same liquid. The solvation shell of CO2 evolves more quickly when its quadrupole is removed, and we find evidence that solvent cage dynamics is measured by 2D-IR spectroscopy. We also find that the solvent cage evolution of N2 is similar to that of CO2 with no atomic charges, implying that the weaker quadrupole of N2 is responsible for its higher diffusion and lower absorption in ionic liquids.
The MRItab: A MR-compatible touchscreen with video-display.

Abstract Background A touchscreen interface permits rich user interactions for research in many fields, but is rarely found within a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) environment due to difficulties adapting conventional technologies to the strong electromagnetic fields. Conventional MR-compatible video display technology uses either large-screen displays that are placed outside of the bore of the MRI itself, or projectors located beyond the participant's reach, making touch interfaces impossible. New method Here, we describe the MR-compatibility of the ‘MRItab’ in terms of MR safety and image quality. The MRItab adapts inexpensive off-the-shelf components with special signal-driver circuitry and shielding to bring the touchscreen interface into the MR environment, without adversely affecting MRI image quality, thereby making touch interfaces possible. Results Our testing demonstrated that the functioning of the MRItab was not affected by the functioning of the MRI scanner and that the MRItab did not adversely affect the image data acquired. Participants were able to interact naturally with the MRItab during MRI scanning. Comparison with other method (s) The MRItab is the first MR-compatible touchscreen device with video-display screen capabilities designed for use in the MRI environment. This interactive digital device is the first to allow participants to see their hands directly as they interact with a touch-sensitive display screen, resulting in high ecological validity. Conclusions The MRItab provides a methodological advantage for research in many fields, given the realistic human-computer interaction it supports.
Multidisciplinary Team Involvement and Prosecutorial Decisions in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

This study examines the impact of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) coordinated by Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) on the prosecutorial decision to accept or reject cases of child sexual abuse (CSA). This analysis is part of an examination of the utility of CACs as it relates to prosecutorial decisions. Case specific information was obtained on all cases with both child protective services (CPS) law enforcement involvement processed through one Texas CAC, serving multiple counties, from 2010 to 2013. For the purposes of this study one county is listed as rural and one is listed as urban. The study site also unofficially serves several more rural counties. The urban county accounts for approximately 75% of all cases processed through the CAC. The final analyses included 553 cases of alleged CSA. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the utility of MDTs and case coordination among law enforcement and CPS as they relate to prosecutorial decisions. The number of participants at MDT meetings was correlated with an increase in prosecutorial acceptance rates by approximately 30%. Prosecutor presence at MDT meetings was correlated with an increase in acceptance rates by approximately 80%. Official case coordination between law enforcement and CPS was not statistically significant. Results of this study suggest that the MDT model provides a useful tool for prosecutors when determining whether to accept or reject cases of CSA, while official coordination may be less impactful.
Real Analysis: The Riemann–Stieltjes Integral

Weights and Measures Several times throughout this book we've hinted at a physical basis for some of our notation. It's time that we made this more precise; a simple calculus problem will help explain. Consider a thin rod, or wire, positioned along the interval [ a, b ] on the x -axis and having a nonuniform distribution of mass. For example, the rod might vary slightly in thickness or in density (mass per unit length) as x varies. Our job is to compute the density (at a point) as a function f ( x ), if at all possible. What we can measure effectively is the distribution of mass along the rod. That is, we can easily measure the mass of any segment of the rod, and so we know the mass of the segment lying along the interval [ a, x ] as a function F ( x ). Said in slightly different terms, we are able to measure small, discrete “chunks” of mass as dm = F ( x + dx ) − F ( x ) = dF , and so we're led to define the density f ( x ) = dm/dx = F ′( x ) as the derivative of the distribution F ( x ), provided that F is differentiate, of course. But F is an arbitrary increasing function – is every such function differentiate? And, if not, can we say anything meaningful about this problem? Could we, for example, still find the center of mass (the line x = µ through which the rod balances) when F is not differentiable?
Resting-state connectivity and spontaneous activity of ventromedial prefrontal cortex predict depressive symptomology and peripheral inflammation in HIV

Depression and chronic inflammation are common in persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV+). Although depression and response to inflammatory challenge are shown to reflect activity in common neural networks, little is known regarding sub-clinical presentation in persons chronically infected with HIV. The relationship of resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) and bilateral amygdala to Beck Depression Inventory-1 (BDI) scores were compared within a group of 23 HIV+ and 23 HIV-negative comparison adults. An interaction was found wherein lower rsFC between the sgACC and both right and left amygdala was associated with higher BDI scores in HIV+ individuals. Total BDI scores and plasma levels of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and IL-10 made available from 10 of the HIV+ patients were regressed upon an index of spontaneous whole-brain activity at rest; i.e., the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFFs). Elevated levels of depression and IL-6 were associated with increased ALFF in a cluster of voxels on the medial portion of the ventral surface of the frontal lobe (Brodmann Area 11). Within this sample of HIV+ individuals lower rsFC of the sgACC with subcortical limbic regions predicts greater burden of depressive symptomology whereas elevated activity in the adjacent BA 11 may reflect sickness, indexed by elevated IL-6, and associated depressive behaviors.
Follow-Up Subject Visits

For all visits, the confirmation phone calls the day before can be used as another time to thank the subject for participating in clinical research. The subject should also be told what to expect at the visit. Demographic information should be updated at every visit, as subjects regularly change cell phone numbers. Any new consents should be signed at the beginning of the visit, study medication should be collected and re-dispensed, and equipment and questionnaires should be collected. A physical examination, any procedures, and laboratory tests should be performed. The visit should conclude with providing the subject with the parking voucher and the stipend. This further encourages the subject to return for subsequent visits.
The roles of heavy drinking and drug use in engagement in HIV care among hospitalized substance using individuals with poorly controlled HIV infection.

Abstract Background Substance use can reduce care engagement for individuals with HIV. However, little is known as to whether heavy drinkers differ from drug users. This study compares heavy drinkers, drug users, and those drinking heavily and using drugs on their HIV care engagement. Methods HIV-infected adult inpatients (n = 801; 67% male; 78% Black) from 11 urban hospitals across the United States participated in a multisite clinical trial to improve patient engagement in HIV care and virologic outcomes. All participants drank heavily and/or used drugs, and had poorly controlled HIV. Participants reported care history at baseline. We compared heavy drinkers, drug users, and those both drinking heavily and using drugs (reference group) on their engagement in care. Results Heavy drinkers reported lowest rates of lifetime HIV care, AOR = 0.59 (95% CI = 0.36, 0.97). Groups did not differ in recent care, prescription of HIV medication, medical mistrust, or patient-provider relationship. Drug users evidenced the best medication adherence, AOR = 2.38 (95% CI = 1.33, 4.23). Exploratory analyses indicated that drinkers had lower initial care engagement, but that it increased more rapidly with duration of known HIV infection, with similar rates of recent care. Drinkers had the lowest CD4 counts (B=-0.28, p Conclusions Heavy drinkers were least likely to have ever been in HIV care. More research is needed to determine why heavy drinkers evidence the lowest initial care engagement and current CD4 counts, and whether drinking intervention early in infection may increase HIV care engagement.
Acute hepatic porphyrias: Current diagnosis & management

Each of the four acute hepatic porphyrias is due to mutation of an enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway. The accumulation of pathway intermediates that occur most notably when these diseases are active is the basis for screening and establishing a biochemical diagnosis of these rare disorders. Measurement of enzyme activities and especially DNA testing also are important for diagnosis. Suspicion of the diagnosis and specific testing, particularly measurement of urinary porphobilinogen, are often delayed because the symptoms are nonspecific, even when severe. Urinary porphyrins are also measured, but their elevation is much less specific. If porphobilinogen is elevated, second line testing will establish the type of acute porphyria. DNA testing identifies the familial mutation and enables screening of family members. Management includes removal of triggering factors whenever possible. Intravenous hemin is the most effective treatment for acute attacks. Carbohydrate loading is sometimes used for mild attacks. Cyclic attacks, if frequent, can be prevented by a GnRH analogue. Frequent noncyclic attacks are sometime preventable by scheduled (e.g. weekly) hemin infusions. Long term complications may include chronic pain, renal impairment and liver cancer. Other treatments, including RNA interference, are under development.
Measuring bidirectional reflectance distribution of low reflectivity surfaces in the near infrared

Knowledge of bidirectional reflectance angular distribution of low reflectivity surfaces is important for predicting stray light in optical systems. We have performed bidirectional reflectance distribution measurements at wavelengths of 633 nm and 850 nm for surfaces coated with Z302, a commercial optical coating material widely used in optical instruments. The bidirectional reflectance properties of these surfaces depend on surface topology characterized by thickness and roughness parameters. To explain our results, we have employed directional scatter analysis of the experimental data that can be represented by a linear combination of diffuse, glossy, and specular, components. Modeling the bidirectional reflectance distribution in the context of a ray-trace can provide important information of stray light, coated surfaces, and their impact on performance of optical instruments.
The Implications of Pre-Field Training, Negative Family-Related Events, and Negative Pre-Field Events for Resilience among Cross-Cultural Workers:

Cross-cultural workers are often exposed to a host of environmental, interpersonal, and physical stressors. This exposure may lead to negative mental health outcomes such as PTSD, depression, anxie...
Constraints on long term warming in a climate mitigation scenario

Abstract. Cumulative emissions budgets and net-zero emission target dates are often used to frame climate negotiations (Frameet al., 2014; Millar et al., 2016; Van Vuuren et al., 2016; Rogelj et al., 2015b; Matthews et al., 2012). However, their utilityfor near-term policy decisions is confounded by an uncertainties in future negative emissions capacity (Fuss et al., 2014; Smith et al., 2016; Larkin et al., 2018; Anderson and Peters, 2016) and in long term Earth System response to climate forcers(Rugenstein et al., 2019; Knutti et al., 2017; Armour, 2017) which may impact the utility of an indefinite carbon budget if peak temperatures occur significantly after net zero emissions are achieved, the likelihood of which in a simple model is conditionalon prior assumptions about the long term dynamics of the Earth System. Here we illustrate that the risks associated with nearterm positive emissions can be framed using a definite cumulative emissions budget with a 2040 time horizon, allowing thenecessity and scope for negative emissions deployment later in the century to be better informed by observed warming overcoming decades.
When to Raise Our White Flag-A Discussion of Scope of Practice in a Resource Scarce World.

CASE Thomas is a 13-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder who presented for a follow-up to his developmental and behavioral pediatrician (DBP). His mother describes an increase in symptoms of anxiety and depression for the last 6 weeks, accompanied by suicidal ideation and thoughts of self-mutilation.Before this increase in symptoms, he had been doing well for the last several months with the exception of increasing weight gain, and Abilify was decreased from 5 mg to 2.5 mg at his last visit. Other medications at that time included Zoloft 100 mg twice daily, Focalin XR 40 mg every morning, and Focalin 5 mg every night. Without seeking the guidance of our developmental and behavioral pediatrics clinic, his mother increased his intake of Zoloft to 150 mg each morning and continued 100 mg each evening because of worsening anxiety and depression.Religion is very important to Thomas and his family. He acknowledges that he does not want to die and feels badly because "suicide is against our religion."Helping Thomas receive appropriate care has been a challenge. He was diagnosed with ADHD and Asperger disorder at the age of 5. Thomas is homeschooled and is very attached to his mother. His parents have very different parenting styles, with his mother being more permissive and his father more authoritarian. At the time of initial diagnosis, the behavioral health services (BHS) in Thomas' community, which is about an hour away from the DBP, were limited to older children, and he was followed by a DBP for ADHD medication management. At the age of 11, he expressed passive suicidal ideation and described that he imagined his mother as "the devil with fire coming out of her eyes" when she corrected him. He was evaluated by BHS, diagnosed with anxiety disorder, and started on Lexapro. BHS linked to the DBP were out of network for his insurance. The family was unable to pay out of pocket, so care was subsequently transferred to a DBP clinic that was in network. Soon after, Thomas developed auditory hallucinations, and Abilify was added after consultation with BHS.Over the last few years, Thomas' symptoms have waxed and waned. He did well for a short time and then again developed auditory hallucinations, worsening symptoms of anxiety and depression, and increasing somatic symptoms including vomiting and penile pain. Medications were adjusted with input from BHS, and further attempts were made to link him to local BHS but were unsuccessful. With his current concerns of suicidal ideation and self-mutilation, what would be your next steps?
The long tail of language change: A trend and panel study of Québécois French futures

A previous panel study of 59 speakers of Montreal French showed an increase in inflected futures (IF) at the expense of periphrastic futures (PF) as this population aged, running counter to the direction of historical change: reduction of IF. Matching two samples of speakers across the same time interval by age and social characteristics, the current trend study investigates whether or not this increase reflects retrograde change in the speech community. Results show community stability over the same period, confirming the earlier age grading interpretation and disconfirming any possibility that the disappearance of IF may be reversing. We propose that this pattern of retrograde lifespan change may emerge from a combination of social forces typically found in late stages of language change, with concomitant stylistic effect. Further, such a pattern may suggest the mechanism that creates a very long tail for retreating variants.
Scaled-up Neuromorphic Array Communications Controller (SNACC) for Large-scale Neural Networks

Neuromorphic computing is one promising post-Moore’s law era technology, which takes inspiration from biological brains to perform computing tasks. The human brain contains billions of neurons with trillions of synapses and as neuromorphic hardware systems scale to larger and larger sizes, the communication system used to transfer information between neuromorphic elements and traditional computers must scale to keep up. In prior work, we describe the use of a separate neuromorphic array communications controller to support low-latency, high-throughput communication between our neuromorphic systems and a traditional computer. In this work, the neuromorphic array communications controller is used to support the scaling of a neuromorphic development system which uses multiple neuromorphic processors arranged in a two-dimensional array. The neuromorphic array communications controller, along with scalable local connections, is used to create a scalable neuromorphic platform to enable the development and testing of large neuromorphic network arrays.
Can Price Incentive to Smuggle Explain the Contraction of Cocoa Supply in Ghana

From the early 1960s to the early 1980s, the officially recorded output of cocoa in Ghana declined by 60 percent. During the 1983-95 Economic Recovery Program, however, cocoa official output doubled. Although these developments have inspired much empirical research, most of the studies have been unable to explain the medium-term persistence of cocoa output to remain below its estimated capacity level. The paper argues that the price incentive to smuggle can explain as much as one half of the observed decline in official output from its trend and the subsequent recovery. A cointegration analysis and a dynamic error correction model of cocoa supply support the analysis.
Selective hydroxylation of aryl iodides to produce phenols under mild conditions using a supported copper catalyst

Owing to the high activity and low-cost, copper-based catalysts are promising candidates for transforming aromatic halides to yield phenols. In this work, we report the selective hydroxylation of aromatic iodides to produce phenols using an atomically dispersed copper catalyst (Cu–ZnO–ZrO2) under mild reaction conditions. The reactions were conducted without the use of additional organic ligands, and the protection of an inert atmosphere environment is not required. The catalyst can be easily prepared, scalable, and is very efficient for a wide range of substrates. The catalytic reactions can be carried out with only 1.24 mol% Cu loading, which shows great potential in mass production.
Human-computer interactive simulation for the training of minimally invasive neurosurgery

The surgical training system presented in this paper provides the surgeon a virtual surgical practice environment for the robot assisted minimally invasive neurosurgery, which includes collision detection, deformation of soft issue and haptic rendering. The 3D model of the brain structure of the patient is reconstructed based on the 2D images. After the virtual robot move to the entrance pose that is planned by the user, it is fixed, and the user can control the virtual needle to insert into the virtual head to verify his planning. During needle insertion, the inner structure of patient head is displayed, and the resistance force between the needle and organs is calculated and reflected to surgeon by haptic device. An improved collision detection scheme is also proposed to meet the need of real time haptic rendering. Using this virtual training system, the surgeon can make virtual neurosurgery to take cost-effective practice and training.
Willingness to Pay Estimation When Protest Beliefs are not Separable from the Public Good Definition

Public good attributes that are correlated with protest beliefs but not separable from the good's value, would affect stated preference estimates of the WTP for the public good. Survey data collected to value a program to prevent ecosystem losses on Nevada rangelands, where the majority of land is publicly owned and managed, reveal more than half of the respondents exhibiting some protest belief. Of these, about 60% voted 'yes' to some nonzero bid amount. By treating protest beliefs and opposition to the proposed program as separate concepts, we systematically analyze their determinants and impacts on WTP. In this framework, people with protest beliefs may or may not vote 'no' to all bids and people may, without being protesters, answer 'no' to all dollar amounts. Multinomial logit regression results suggest that factors motivating people to protest and/or oppose the proposed program are so diverse that a single model does not provide a good fit. We estimate nested models and conclude that different underlying processes determine WTP for "protesters" ($34.02) and "non-protesters" ($69.56).
Effects of lentivirus-mediated CREB expression in the dorsolateral striatum: memory enhancement and evidence for competitive and cooperative interactions with the hippocampus

Neural systems specialized for memory may interact during memory formation or recall, and the results of interactions are important determinants of how systems control behavioral output. In two experiments, we used lentivirus-mediated expression of the transcription factor CREB (LV-CREB) to test if localized manipulations of cellular plasticity influence interactions between the hippocampus and dorsolateral striatum. In Experiment 1, we tested the hypothesis that infusion of LV-CREB in the dorsolateral striatum facilitates memory for response learning, and impairs memory for place learning. LV-CREB in the dorsolateral striatum had no effect on response learning, but impaired place memory; a finding consistent with competition between the striatum and hippocampus. In Experiment 2, we tested the hypothesis that infusion of LV-CREB in the dorsolateral striatum facilitates memory for cue learning, and impairs memory for contextual fear conditioning. LV-CREB in the dorsolateral striatum enhanced memory for cue learning and, in contrast to our prediction, also enhanced memory for contextual fear conditioning, consistent with a cooperative interaction between the striatum and hippocampus. Overall, the current experiments demonstrate that infusion of LV-CREB in the dorsolateral striatum (1) increases levels of CREB protein locally, (2) does not alter acquisition of place, response, cue, or contextual fear conditioning, (3) facilitates memory for cue learning and contextual fear conditioning, and (4) impairs memory for place learning. Taken together, the present results provide evidence that LV-CREB in the dorsolateral striatum can enhance memory formation and cause both competitive and cooperative interactions with the hippocampus.
Cesium chloride density distributions in preparative equilibrium ultracentrifugation

A computer program has been developed for calculating equilibrium centrifugation density distributions by direct integration of tabulated data, which eliminates curve fitting. Error calculations showed that a high accuracy is required for the measurement of the data needed a determine a density distribution either by computation or by direct measurements. In particular, the variation in drop size during the fractionation of the contents of a centrifuge tube have been investigated by computer simulation. A direct measurement of the drop size indicated that it may increase somewhat during collection. In addition, plots are presented of the dependence upon seven parameters of the centrifugation required to approach equilibrium to a desired degree (based on the formula of Van Holde and Baldwin).
Romeinse reg en regsgeskiedenis in die LLB kurrikulum

In this article it is argued that Roman law and legal history should remain part of the LLB curriculum of South African universities - at least those which aspire to develop wellrounded, confident and educated graduates who can hold their own in an increasingly globalised society. In fact, both the SAQA minimum outcomes for the LLB degree and the practice requirements for LLB graduates (as indicated in the CHE report on the LLB curriculum 2010) place a high premium on a sound understanding of the fundamental principles of South African law and the ability to do research. SAQA mentions in particular that LLB graduates should be able to do comparative and legal historical research. A knowledge of Roman law and legal history is essential for the development of these competencies.
Passivity of stainless steel

Passivity behavior in austenitic stainless steel has been studied both with bulk metal samples and by characterization of surface oxide films stripped from the stainless steel in various states of passivity. Electrochemical measurements of (1) break-through potentials, (2) resistance to pit initiation and (3) solution potential change with time provide a direct indication of the passivity state and point to the presence and influence of surface films in the control of passivity and corrosion behavior. Protective surface films have been isolated and characterized with respect to structure and chemical composition. Microgravimetric techniques have been applied to the determination of the kinetics of formation of oxide films on activated stainless steel surfaces. The influence of adsorption on the over-all process of film formation has been carefully considered on the basis of the kinetic data. A concept for the state of passivity of stainless steel is presented on the basis of data on gas adsorption, film properties and alloy composition. Es wird die Passivitat von austenitischem rostfreien Stahl untersucht, sowohl an kompakten Metallproben als auch an Oberflachenfilmen, die in verschiedenen Passivitatsphasen vom Metall isoliert wurden. Elektrochemische Messungen: 1 des Durchbruchspotentials, 2 der Bestandigkeit gegenuber der Auslosung von Pittingkorrosion und 3 der zeitlichen Anderung des Korrosionspotentials werden zur Bestimmung des Passivzustandes ausgewertet. Sie zeigen, das die Passivitat und das Korrosionsverhalten des rostfreien Stahls durch den Einflus vorhandener Oberflachenfilme bestimmt werden. Schutzende Oberflachenschichten wurden abgetrennt und hinsichtlich ihrer Struktur und chemischen Zusammensetzung analysiert. Es wurden mikrogravimetrische Methoden angewendet, um die Kinetik der Oxydfilmbildung auf der Oberflache von aktiviertem nichtrostenden Stahl zu ermitteln, wobei an Hand der kinetischen Daten der Einflus von Adsorptionsvorgangen auf den Gesamtprozes der Filmbildung sorgfaltig studiert werden konnte. Es wird eine Vorstellung uber den Passivzustand des rostfreien Stahls entwickelt, die sich auf die erhaltenen Ergebnisse uber Gasadsorption, Filmeigenschaften und Legierungszusammensetzung grundet.
High Fidelity Detection of Defects in Polymer Films using Surface-Modified Nanoparticles

Several high technology applications, such as the development of Integrated Circuits, require complex layer-by-layer integration of new materials and processing over large areas that rely on techniques such as chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) to remove material in a planar and uniform fashion. CMP is an example of a process controlled by various parameters such as slurry concentration, spin speed, pattern density, hardness of the polishing pad, temperature etc. where minor deviation from the set process parameters leads to several critical defects including stress cracking, delaminating at weak interfaces, pitting and corrosive attacks from slurry chemicals. The current method of detection of these defects is scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which on a 12inch Si wafer can take up to 48 hours. Likewise, there are many other large area polymeric coating applications such as pacemakers where pin-hole defects can be critical to performance. The detection of these defects poses a major challenge and is an example of the classic “needle-in-haystack” problem for nano and macroscale detection. We address this issue by developing a novel, efficient method for the optical detection of surface topographical features using fluorescent nanoprobes, which are surface-modified polystyrene nanospheres whose ability to detect surface features can be tuned via size (entropic effects) and chemical properties (enthalpic effects). We have successfully applied this approach to detect numerous types of artificial and natural defects on polymeric and non-polymeric substrates including lines, pinholes and sharp edges. This method can elucidate the surface structure of large areas in a minimal amount of time. It is estimated that this new method will decrease imaging time compared to traditional imaging methods like atomic force microscopy (AFM) and SEM by 50 fold. Our defect detection approach is particularly applicable to many problems where polymers are used in the form of surface and interfacial layers in hybrid nanomaterial films.
Hormone-induced protection of mammary tumorigenesis in genetically engineered mouse models

The experiments reported here address the question of whether a short-term hormone treatment can prevent mammary tumorigenesis in two different genetically engineered mouse models. Two mouse models, the p53-null mammary epithelial transplant and the c-neu mouse, were exposed to estrogen and progesterone for 2 and 3 weeks, respectively, and followed for development of mammary tumors. In the p53-null mammary transplant model, a 2-week exposure to estrogen and progesterone during the immediate post-pubertal stage (2 to 4 weeks after transplantation) of mammary development decreased mammary tumorigenesis by 70 to 88%. At 45 weeks after transplantation, analysis of whole mounts of the mammary outgrowths demonstrated the presence of premalignant hyperplasias in both control and hormone-treated glands, indicating that the hormone treatment strongly affects the rate of premalignant progression. One possible mechanism for the decrease in mammary tumorigenesis may be an altered proliferation activity as the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index was decreased by 85% in the mammary glands of hormone-treated mice. The same short-term exposure administered to mature mice at a time of premalignant development also decreased mammary tumorigenesis by 60%. A role for stroma and/or systemic mediated changes induced by the short-term hormone (estrogen/progesterone) treatment was demonstrated by an experiment in which the p53-null mammary epithelial cells were transplanted into the cleared mammary fat pads of previously treated mice. In such mice, the tumor-producing capabilities of the mammary cells were also decreased by 60% compared with the same cells transplanted into unexposed mice. In the second set of experiments using the activated Her-2/neu transgenic mouse model, short-term estradiol or estradiol plus progesterone treatment decreased mammary tumor incidence by 67% and 63%, and tumor multiplicity by 91% and 88%, respectively. The growth rate of tumors arising in the hormone-treated activated Her-2/neu mice was significantly lower than tumors arising in non-hormone treated mice. Because these experiments were performed in model systems that mimic many essential elements of human breast cancer, the results strengthen the rationale for translating this prevention strategy to humans at high risk for developing breast cancer.
Insulin and insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptors during central nervous system development: expression of two immunologically distinct IGF-1 receptor beta subunits.

Abstract Insulin and insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptors are present in brain, yet their function remains obscure. Expression of these tyrosine kinase-bearing growth factor receptors during rat brain development was examined by using three antipeptide antibodies directed against epitopes in the beta subunits (AbP2, AbP4, and AbP5). All three antibodies recognized both insulin and IGF-1 receptors. Membranes were prepared from fetal brains (14 to 21 days of gestation), neonatal brain (postnatal day 1), and adult brain. Immunoblot analyses using AbP4 and AbP5 revealed a 92-kilodalton (kDa) protein that corresponded to the beta subunit of the insulin and IGF-1 receptors. Densitometric scanning of immunoblots indicated that receptor proteins were 4- to 10-fold more abundant in fetal brain membranes than in membranes from adult brain. Expression was highest during 16 to 18 days of gestation and declined thereafter to the relatively low level found in adult brain. Immunoblot analyses with AbP2 as well as ligand-activated receptor autophosphorylation revealed an additional protein of 97 kDa. This protein was phosphorylated in response to IGF-1 and was not directly recognized by AbP4 or AbP5. The covalent association of the 97-kDa protein with the 92-kDa beta subunit was indicated by the ability of AbP4 and AbP5 to immunoprecipitate both proteins under nonreducing conditions but only the 92-kDa protein after reduction. In contrast, AbP2 immunoprecipitated both proteins regardless of their association. This immunospecificity remained unchanged after deglycosylation of the isolated proteins. Two-dimensional tryptic phosphopeptide analysis showed that the 92- and 97-kDa subunits of the IGF-1 receptor are related but distinct proteins. Taken together, the data suggest that the 92- and 97-kDa subunits differ in primary amino acid sequence. Thus, two distinct beta subunits may be present in a single IGF-1 receptor in brain. These subunits have in common an epitope recognized by an antibody to the tyrosine kinase domain (AbP2) but differ in regions thought to be important in receptor kinase regulation and signal transduction.
Thermochronology, geochronology, and upper crustal structure of the Cordillera Real: Implications for Cenozoic exhumation of the central Andean plateau

[1] Structural mapping, 40Ar/39Ar and fission track thermochronology, U-Pb geochronology, and basin analysis reveal rapid cooling during middle Eocene–late Oligocene and late Miocene–Pliocene exhumation in the central Andean plateau of Bolivia. In the 4–6 km high Cordillera Real, numerous granites and SW directed fold-thrust structures define the central Andean backthrust belt along the Altiplano–Eastern Cordillera boundary. U-Pb zircon analyses indicate Permo-Triassic granitic magmatism, with less extensive magmatism of late Oligocene age. Mapping reveals low magnitudes of slip ( 5 km depth. The ∼26 Ma Quimsa Cruz granite postdated most thrust structures, suggesting that upper crustal shortening in the Cordillera Real had largely ceased by late Oligocene time. Results of 40Ar/39Ar and fission track modeling help constrain the moderate to low-temperature (<350°C) cooling history, revealing two phases of rapid cooling from 45–40 Ma to 26 Ma and from ∼11 Ma onward. Initial cooling coincided with middle Eocene–late Oligocene deformation in the backthrust belt and associated deposition of coarse clastic sediments in the Altiplano basin. Eocene-Oligocene exhumation of ∼7.5 km of upper crust is estimated on the basis of thermochronologic data. Rapid late Miocene and younger cooling involved an estimated ∼3.5 km of exhumation and occurred in the apparent absence of upper crustal shortening. These findings suggest that crustal shortening and resultant exhumation of middle Eocene–late Oligocene age played a major role in construction of the central Andes. However, for late Miocene exhumation, the importance of alternative, nonshortening mechanisms is difficult to ascertain due to a poor understanding of subsurface structures. We speculate that greater precipitation on the eastern edge of the central Andean plateau north of ∼17.5°S was a key factor in driving rapid, youthful exhumation of the Cordillera Real.
Method of measuring the spatial resolution of a photoresist

By analysis of the response of a high-contrast photoresist to sinusoidal illumination, generated interferometrically, one can extract a phenomenological modulation transfer function of the resist material, thereby characterizing its spatial resolution. Deep-ultraviolet interferometric lithography allows the resist response to be quantified at length scales below 100 nm. As an example, the resolution (FWHM) of the commercial resist UVII-HS is found to be approximately 50 nm. This simple method can be applied to materials under development for advanced photolithography with short-wavelength illumination.