cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organizational and External Factors Associated with Video Telehealth Use in the Veterans Health Administration Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: To identify organizational and external factors associated with medical center video telehealth uptake (i.e., the proportion of patients using telemedicine) before and early in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective, observational study using cross-sectional data for all 139 U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs). We used logistic regression analyses to identify factors that predicted whether a VAMC was in the top quartile of VA Video Connect (VVC) telehealth uptake for primary care and mental health care. Results: All 139 VAMCs increased their VVC uptake at least 2-fold early in the pandemic, with most increasing uptake between 5- and 10-fold. Pre-COVID-19, higher VVC uptake in primary care was weakly and positively associated with having more high-risk patients, negatively associated with having more long-distance patients, and positively associated with the prior fiscal year's VVC uptake. During COVID-19, the positive association with high-risk patients and the negative association with long-distance patients strengthened, while weaker broadband coverage was negatively associated with VVC uptake. For mental health care, having more long-distance patients was positively associated with higher VVC uptake pre-COVID-19, but this relationship reversed during COVID-19. Discussion: Despite the marked increase in VVC uptake early in the COVID-19 pandemic, significant VAMC-level variation indicates that VVC adoption was more difficult for some medical centers, particularly those with poorer broadband coverage and less prior VVC experience. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings highlight opportunities for medical centers, VA Central Office, and other federal entities to ensure equitable access to video telehealth.
Ensemble-based Transfer Learning for Low-resource Machine Translation Quality Estimation.

Quality Estimation (QE) of Machine Translation (MT) is a task to estimate the quality scores for given translation outputs from an unknown MT system. However, QE scores for low-resource languages are usually intractable and hard to collect. In this paper, we focus on the Sentence-Level QE Shared Task of the Fifth Conference on Machine Translation (WMT20), but in a more challenging setting. We aim to predict QE scores of given translation outputs when barely none of QE scores of that paired languages are given during training. We propose an ensemble-based predictor-estimator QE model with transfer learning to overcome such QE data scarcity challenge by leveraging QE scores from other miscellaneous languages and translation results of targeted languages. Based on the evaluation results, we provide a detailed analysis of how each of our extension affects QE models on the reliability and the generalization ability to perform transfer learning under multilingual tasks. Finally, we achieve the best performance on the ensemble model combining the models pretrained by individual languages as well as different levels of parallel trained corpus with a Pearson's correlation of 0.298, which is 2.54 times higher than baselines.
Texture synthesis via projection onto multiscale, multilayer statistics.

We provide a new model for texture synthesis based on a multiscale, multilayer feature extractor. Within the model, textures are represented by a set of statistics computed from ReLU wavelet coefficients at different layers, scales and orientations. A new image is synthesized by matching the target statistics via an iterative projection algorithm. We explain the necessity of the different types of pre-defined wavelet filters used in our model and the advantages of multilayer structures for image synthesis. We demonstrate the power of our model by generating samples of high quality textures and providing insights into deep representations for texture images.
Effect of a good buffer on the fate of metastable protein-rich droplets near physiological composition.

Abstract Metastable protein-rich microdroplets are produced from liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of protein aqueous solutions. These globules can be intermediates for the formation of other protein-rich phases. Lysozyme aqueous solutions undergo LLPS around 0 °C in the presence of NaCl near physiological conditions. Here, it is shown that insertion of small amounts of 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonate (HEPES, 0.1 M) as a second additive to lysozyme-NaCl-water solutions near physiological ionic strength (0.2 M) is an essential step for triggering conversion of protein-rich droplets into another phase. Specifically, LLPS induced by cooling reproducibly leads to a rapid and high-yield formation of compact tetragonal crystalline microparticles only in the presence of HEPES. These microcrystals exhibit small size (1-3 μm), narrow size distribution and guest-binding properties. The temperature-concentration phase diagram shows a characteristic topology with LLPS boundary metastable with respect to tetragonal microcrystals, which in turn become less stable than rod-shaped orthorhombic crystals above 40 °C. Interestingly, dynamic light scattering, hydrogen-ion titrations and isothermal titration calorimetry reveal that lysozyme-HEPES interactions were found to be weakly attractive and exothermic. Our findings indicate that additives of salting-in type can represent an important factor controlling the fate of metastable protein-rich microdroplets relevant to drug formulations, femtosecond crystallography, and potential implications in protein-driven cytoplasmic compartmentalization.
Testimony of Professor Laurie Ristino before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Small Business, June 21, 2018, Hearing on Accelerating Agriculture: How Regulations Impact Small Farmers

This Testimony to the House makes the following points and recommendations regarding the appropriate role of regulation in the agriculture sector, with a focus on supporting small and mid-size farms. In particular: 1. Regulation of the agriculture sector is essential to safeguard public safety and health. 2. At the same time, in some cases, regulations may be better tailored to small farmers and food producers by taking into account their different production methods and associated risks in a way that ensures health and safety while allowing for local innovation. 3. Producer financial and technical assistance as well as public research dollars that assess production methods and associated risks are needed to help level the playing field for small and mid-sized producers. Based on these three points, I will conclude that the question is not whether to regulate, but how to do so in a way that protects the public while fostering innovation at different scales of agricultural and food production. To that end, I offer several practical suggestions for how government can improve regulatory design and outcomes for small farmers and food producers. This testimony explains how regulation is key to ensuring public health and safety related to food production. At the same time, federal regulations like FSMA can be better tailored to facilitate and support small and mid-sized, diversified agriculture production. To better tailor federal regulation and programs to encourage local, diversified food systems several steps should be taken, including supporting research, improving regulatory design, and expanding USDA technical and financial assistance for small, mid-sized and diversified farmers.
Quivers and Fractons.

We discuss certain structural analogies between supersymmetric quiver gauge theories and lattice models leading to fracton phases of matter. In particular, classes of quiver models can be viewed as lattice models having subsystem symmetries, dimensions of moduli spaces growing linearly with the size of the lattice, and having excitations with limited mobility (with ``excitations'' and ``mobility'' properly defined).
Type A and Type B Elemental Uncertainties

Elemental uncertainties are from two sources: uncertainty in transducers, and uncertainty in the measurand. This chapter provides a non-mathematical introduction to the sources of many of these elemental uncertainties. The chapter also introduces the GUM (Guide to Uncertainty of Measurement), and Type A and B uncertainties.
Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness

This work seeks to expose the myths about mental illness and the way it is distorted by the American media. Statistics show that one out of every five people in the US will experience a psychiatric illness. The author of this book attempts to show the many ways in which false views of mental illness, purveyed in the media, shape the ways even the most enlightened of us view the world around us. He argues that inaccuracies about mental illness in newspapers, magazines, movies and books make it clear that this is not merely stereotyping, but rather a pervasive ignorance. He looks at the media's role in presenting this image.
Mortality and Cost of Acute and Chronic Kidney Disease After Vascular Surgery

Background Both acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are common yet underappreciated risk factors for adverse perioperative outcomes. We hypothesize that AKI and CKD are associated with similar increases in 90-day mortality and cost in patients undergoing major vascular surgery. Methods We used multivariable regression analyses to evaluate the associations between AKI and CKD and incremental 90-day mortality and hospital cost in a single-center cohort of 3646 adult patients undergoing major vascular surgery. We defined AKI using Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria as change in creatinine ≥0.3 mg/dL or ≥50% increase from the reference value. CKD was determined from medical history. Regression models were adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, comorbid conditions, surgery type, and postoperative complications. Results The prevalence of kidney disease among vascular surgery patients is high with 49% of patients developing AKI during hospitalization and 17% presenting with CKD on admission. In risk-adjusted logistic regression analysis, perioperative AKI (odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.5–3.3) was the most significant predictor of 90-day mortality. The risk-adjusted average cost was significantly higher for patients with any type of kidney disease. The incremental cost of having any type of kidney disease ranged from $9100 to $19,100, even after adjustment for underlying comorbidities and other postoperative complications. Conclusions Kidney disease after major vascular surgery is associated with significant increases in 90-day mortality and cost with the highest risk observed among patients with AKI regardless of previous CKD.
Abortion and the Culture

The continuing abortion debate in American society mirrors deeper cultural attitudes on such basic matters as the role of women in society, the use of law to solve social problems, and the priority given to individual freedom and responsibility in a liberal society. In one way or another, our attitudes and beliefs on these matters are expressions of a liberal cultural ethos. Indeed, the liberal character of the American cultural experiment is what has most influenced how we as a society have dealt with the abortion issue. For better or worse, our society is a liberal democratic polity in a heterogeneous, pluralistic culture. Our political-philosophical commitments are liberal, and they include an emphasis on individual freedom, where liberty is understood not as license but as, among other things, freedom from governmental restraint; an insistence on the separation of law and morals, associated with nineteenth century utilitarian liberal reformers such as Jeremy Bentham and John Austin; and a distinction between state and society, a distinction that led thinkers such as John Locke and J. S. Mill to favor limited government while relying on a resourceful citizenry to police itself, thereby preventing the excesses of an untrammeled exercise of individual freedom.1 In the ideal of a liberal society suggested by writers such as Mill, L. T. Hobhouse, and even a liberal egalitarian such as R. H. Tawney, human conduct would be the result of spontaneous voluntary action rather than governmental coercion, and the limits of liberty in the area of private, self-regarding conduct would be set less by bureaucratic regulation than by a vast array of intermediate institutions—religious, social, educational, and familial—that would monitor and shape the moral standards of the culture.2
Breast cancer: Oophorectomy for BRCA1 ER-negative disease—an open debate

Risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) is a standard intervention in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers owing to its associated reduction in mortality related to ovarian and breast cancer. A study has now reported a beneficial impact of adjuvant RRSO in patients with BRCA1 mutations and breast cancer. However, various biases confound these results.
Addressing concussion in youth sports.

Though new concussion laws protecting young athletes are a step in the right direction, more must be done.
An Update on ICU Management of the Potential Organ Donor

Solid organ transplantation was one of the great advances in medicine in the 20th century. Indications and demand for transplantation have, however, led to a chronic shortage of transplantable organs. Although donation rates have increased over the past decade, many patients die while waiting for a transplant [1]. In September 2009, there were 103,000 patients awaiting transplantation in the United States [2]. The development of artificial organs continues, but in the short to medium term the medical community will continue to rely on organs retrieved from recently-deceased patients. The majority of organs are procured from patients who have suffered a devastating neurologic injury and have progressed to brainstem death. In recent years, programs have been developed to allow organ donation after cardiac death, though such donors account for less than 10 % of all organs transplanted. Unfortunately, many individuals who satisfy criteria for becoming organ donors fail to donate, mainly because of lack of consent [3]. In others, a suboptimal number of organs are recovered. The greatest discrepancy between supply and demand exists for lungs and only 7–22 % of multiple-organ donors are deemed suitable to become lung donors. (Non-conversion' occurs for two main reasons: In 10–20 % of cases, the patient succumbs to somatic death (i.e., cardiac arrest) after brainstem death but before organs can be retrieved [4]; in other cases, organs are deemed unsuitable for donation because of their condition. ‘Optimization’ of such organs has been the focus of initiatives by organ procurement organizations. The Organ Donation and Transplantation Breakthrough Collaborative, the latest initiative of the United States Health Resources and Service Administration, seeks to meet the goals of 3.75 organs transplanted per donor and a 75 % conversion rate for all potential organ donors.
Increased length of long terminal repeats inhibits Ty1 transposition and leads to the formation of tandem multimers

The Ty1 retrotransposon of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is bounded by long-terminal repeats (LTRs). We have constructed a variety of Ty1 elements in which the LTR length has been increased from the normal length of 334 bp to >2 kb. Although small insertions in the LTR have minimal effects on transposition frequency, larger insertions dramatically reduce it. Nevertheless, elements with long LTRs are incorporated into the genome at a low frequency. Most of these rare insertion events represent Ty1 tandem (head to tail) multimers.
Overview of the FREEDOM compiler for mapping DSP software to FPGAs

Applications that require digital signal processing (DSP) functions are typically mapped onto general purpose DSP processors. With the introduction of advanced FPGA architectures with built-in DSP support, a new hardware alternative is available for DSP designers. By exploiting its inherent parallelism, it is expected that FPGAs can outperform DSP processors. However, the migration of assembly code to hardware is typically a very arduous process. This paper describes the process and considerations for automatically translating software assembly and binary codes targeted for general DSP processors into register transfer level (RTL) VHDL or Verilog code to be mapped onto commercial FPGAs. The Texas instruments C6000 DSP processor architecture has been used as the DSP processor platform, and the Xilinx Virtex II as the target FPGA. Various optimizations are discussed, including loop unrolling, induction variable analysis, memory and register optimizations, scheduling and resource binding. Experimental results on resource usage and performance are shown for ten software binary benchmarks in the signal processing and image processing domains. Results show performance gains of 3-20x in terms of reductions in execution cycles and 1.3-5x in terms of reductions in execution times for the FPGA designs over that of the DSP processors in terms of reductions in execution cycles.
Preserving the strength, vitality, and relevance of the Central Surgical Association: Presidential address to the 72nd annual meeting of the Central Surgical Association.

LET ME BEGIN by thanking Dr Soper, the immediate past president. Dr Soper, your introduction is one that I will remember for a long time. It is a great honor to be giving the presidential address at this the 72nd annual meeting of the Central Surgical Association and the 26th meeting held in Chicago. As I put my presidential address together I received a lot of advice. I would like to share the comments of Dr Picklemen, the 50th president of the Central Surgical Association who could not be here today.
Constructing Citizenship Without a Licence: The Struggle of Undocumented Immigrants in the USA for Livelihoods and Recognition

This article questions the meanings and expression of "citizenship" in the context of new Latina and Latino migration into the southeastern United States-a region long marked by legally policed racial systems and now experiencing the varied shocks of globalization. Focused on a legislative campaign that won access to a state-issued driver's licence for undocumented migrants in Tennessee in spring 2001, the article explores some of the tensions that emerged on the road to this unlikely victory and raises questions for the immigrants' rights movement in the US about the costs and gains that may follow from different ways of framing its demands. The dominant frame this particular campaign adopted was a pragmatic and politically acceptable call to improve traffic safety, one that reflected a conscious choice to downplay issues of rights, justice or global perspective. Yet the article also reports that the campaign in fact created and used opportunities for activists to raise issues related to migrant rights. It also made a dramatic, albeit temporary, improvement in the daily lives of migrants in the state. The article then sketches three citizenship norms that current struggles might prefigure. These three norms are: the full right to international mobility of human beings; the right to identity; and duties of citizenship in a globalizing world.
Is PCR testing of sentinel lymph nodes ready for clinical application in breast cancer

While the majority of breast cancer patients with histologically lymph node-negative cancers are cured by local therapy alone, approximately 25% will develop recurrent breast cancer and die of their disease in the absence of systemic adjuvant chemotherapy [1]. Cytotoxic chemotherapy markedly improves outcome for some of these patients. Assays that could better distinguish those nodenegative patients who are more likely to suffer distant recurrence could prove very useful in optimizing patient selection for chemotherapy. Technologies based on DNA microarray analysis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification seem like ideal candidates for the development of novel prognostic and predictive assays. The Oncotype DX TM test is a clinically validated, multigene assay performed on samples processed from primary invasive breast carcinomas. The assay provides a quantitative assessment of the likelihood of distant breast cancer recurrence in women with estrogen receptor-positive, node-negative disease, and also assesses the potential benefit from chemotherapy in these women [2]. A major strength of its 21-gene recurrence score is that it has been tested against outcomes data derived from the NSABP-B20 randomized trial in which cancer recurrence and survival is already known with several years of clinical follow-up. It seems likely that future assays will be developed using similar technology to address important clinical questions related to staging and cancer therapy.
In vivo and in vitro evaluation of a microencapsulated narcotic antagonist

Abstract Injectable microcapsules containing 75% (w/w) cyclazocine, a narcotic antagonist, were prepared with dl -poly (lactic acid) as the coating material. Capsule fractions falling between 105 and 295 μm released about 90% of their cyclazocine in 8 days of rotating-bottle extraction at 37° in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer. Although larger capsules released the drug somewhat more slowly, all capsules released cyclazocine far more rapidly than an ideal capsule should. This rapid release is attributed to macroscopic defects located in the capsule walls. The ability of the capsules to block the action of morphine in vivo was assessed by injection of a sesame seed oil suspension into Holtzman rats. A hot-plate test procedure was used to evaluate animal behavior. Capsule doses of 100–250 mg/kg to rats caused significant antagonism of morphine's analgesic effect for 14 days after injection. By Day 17, no antagonism occurred, indicating that the capsules completely released the drug in vivo between 14 and 17 days after injection.
Evidence for explosive volcanic density currents on certain Martian volcanoes

The morphologies of certain of the smaller Martian volcanoes are discussed as possible results of explosive volcanic density currents. An examination of newly-photographed flank and caldera features of the Martian volcanoes Ceraunius Tholus, Uranius Tholus, Uranius Patera and Hecates Tholus, including steep slope angles, Krakatoa-type caldera morphologies, erosional features (radial channels and anastamosing gullies) and constructional features (blanketed flanks and possible lava deltas) reveals their similarity to terrestrial cones and composite volcanoes such as Barcena Volcano. Crater age data from the surface of Martian domes and shields indicates that such explosive activity occurred more frequently early in Martian geologic history, consistent with the view that the volcanic density currents were base surges rather than nuees ardentes, with the melting of permafrost supplying the water required in base surge generation.
Evaluating the performance of sustainable development in urban neighborhoods based on the feedback of multiple stakeholders

Abstract Sustainable development (SD) has increasingly become a major priority in urban neighborhoods to maintain social quality of life and support their economic development while preserving the environment. To expand the use of SD in urban neighborhoods, local governments often adopt various strategies such as land use planning. The priorities and effectiveness of these strategies vary significantly for different stakeholders such as neighborhood communities and local governments because of their different and often conflicting interests. Accordingly, there is a pressing need to integrate the performance evaluation of SD strategies from all urban planning stakeholders to ensure that the conducted evaluation is comprehensive and representative of all the affected stakeholders. Although there are several studies that focused on evaluating SD in urban areas, there is still a need for a comprehensive model that is capable of integrating the varying evaluations of different SD stakeholders. Accordingly, this paper presents the development of a comprehensive and an effective model for evaluating the performance of SD that is capable of integrating the varying and often conflicting evaluations of various stakeholders. The model is developed in four main stages: (1) formulation stage that created a comprehensive set of sustainable development (SD) criteria for urban neighborhoods; (2) group decision making stage that integrates the evaluations and judgments of multiple stakeholders; (3) implementation stage that automated the model computations; and (4) performance evaluation stage that analyzed the performance of the developed model using an application example.
Metabolism by human endothelial cells of very low density lipoprotein subfractions isolated from Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients

The very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) fraction was isolated from 11 normolipidaemic Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients in good to fair glycaemic control and from 11 age-, sex- and race-matched, non-diabetic, control subjects. The rate of receptor-mediated degradation by human endothelial cells was significantly greater (p<0.02) for the total VLDL fraction isolated from diabetic patients compared to control subjects and averaged 1008±300 and 717±150 ng·mg cell protein−1·16 h−1, respectively. The total VLDL fraction was separated into three subfractions: VLDL-I, Sf 100–400 (Sf = Svedberg units); VLDL-II, Sf 60–100; VLDL-III, Sf20–60. Rates of receptor-mediated degradation of VLDL-I and VLDL-II isolated from diabetic patients were significantly greater than the comparable subfraction isolated from control subjects and averaged 1023±279 vs 361±122 (p<0.01) and 433±70 vs 294±70 ng·mg cell protein−1·16 h−1 (p<0.03), respectively. Rates of receptor-mediated degradation of the V-III subfraction isolated from the two groups did not differ significantly. There were no significant differences in the chemical composition or in the plasma concentrations of the VLDL subfractions isolated from diabetic patients compared to control subjects. There was a significant increase in the apoprotein E content of VLDL-I (p<0.01) and VLDL-II (p<0.05) isolated from diabetic patients. There was a significant increase in the ratio of apoprotein C compared to apoprotein E (p<0.03) in VLDL-I isolated from control subjects compared to the diabetic patients. There were no significant differences in the apoprotein composition of VLDL-III isolated from the two groups.
Induction of lymphokine production by EAC and of blastogenesis by soluble mitogens during human B-cell activation.

Two groups of human lymphocytes are distinguished on the basis of immune effector functions, membrane markers and in vitro mitogen reactivity. Thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes mediate cellular immunity either directly or by secreting pharmacologically active lymphokines1, and are implicated in facilitating antibody responses2. In contrast, bone marrow-derived (B) lymphocytes are thought to produce only antibodies. Studies in the guinea pig, however, indicate that, appropriately stimulated, B cells can produce macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)3. We have now found that the erythrocyte–antibody (19S)–complement (EAC) rosetting method, used to obtain pure human peripheral blood B cells, activates these B cells to produce mononuclear cell chemotactic (CTX) and mitogenic (MF) lymphokines. Furthermore, we have investigated the mechanism of B cell activation by EAC and the effects of mitogenic lymphokines on human T and B lymphocytes.
Upper limits to the S2 abundance in several comets observed with the International Ultraviolet Explorer

Abstract The presence of sulfur-bearing molecules in comets is well-established, with CS detected in almost all comets observed with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite, and atomic sulfur detected in many of the brighter ones. A'Hearn et al. (1983) discovered the short-lived species S 2 in the May 11, 1983, IUE spectra of Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983 VII) at a geocentric distance of 0.032 AU; however, S 2 has not been unambiguously identified in the spectrum of any other comet, although these were observed at larger geocentric distances. We reevaluate the S 2 scale length in Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock using reprocessed IUE spectra and a recent S 2 g -factor calculation (Kim et al. 1990) to derive a new value of 200 km. We also fit a reddened solar spectrum and modeled S 2 steady-state g -factors to a number of IUE cometary spectra in the wavelength region 2600–3240 A to determine S 2 abundances and use the ratio-of-variances method to estimate uncertainties or upper limits. The only comet surveyed for which S 2 is detected is Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock, whose S 2 production rate varied relative to the water production rate over several observations, with abundance ratios Q S 2 / Q H 2 O between 10 −4 and 2.5 × 10 −3 . Analysis of the spectra of Comets Bradfield (1979 X), Cernis (1983 XII), P/Giacobini-Zinner (1985 XIII), P/Halley (1986 III), and others results in upper limits in most cases of Q S 2 / Q H 2 O less than ∼10 −3 . We derive an upper limit to the Q S 2 / Q H 2 O ratio for Comet Austin (1990 V) of 7 × 10 −6 , an order of magnitude below the lowest detected value in Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock. This indicates comet-to-comet differences in the S 2 abundance relative to water, so spatial resolution limitations alone do not account for the lack of S 2 detections in other comets.
Introduction: The science of practice: addressing the challenges of modern health care

Begin early to make a threefold category—clear cases, doubtful cases, mistakes. And learn to play the game fair, no self­deception, no shrinking from the truth; mercy and consid­ eration for the other man, but none for yourself, upon whom you have to keep an incessant watch... It is only by getting your cases grouped in this way that you can make any real progress in your education; only in this way can you gain wisdom with experience. sir WiLLiAM osLer9
Star Formation Histories from Hubble Space Telescope Color-Magnitude Diagrams of Six Fields of the Large Magellanic Cloud

We present results on the analysis of background field stars found in Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 observations of six of the old globular clusters of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Treated as contaminants by the globular cluster analysts, we produce (V-I, V) color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of the field stars and use them to explore the LMC's star formation history. The photometry approaches V ~ 26, well below the turnoff of an ancient (~14 Gyr) LMC population of stars. The field star CMDs are generally characterized by an upper main sequence broadened by stellar evolution, an old red giant branch, a prominent red clump, and an unevolved lower main sequence. The CMDs also contain a few visual differences, the most obvious of which is the smeared appearance of the NGC 1916 field caused by heavy differential reddening. More subtly, the base of the subgiant branch near the old turnoff appears extended in V, and the red giant branch appears broad in V-I in four of the fields but not in the NGC 1754 field. We use a maximum likelihood technique to fit model CMDs drawn from Bertelli et al. isochrones to the observed CMDs. We constrain the models by the age-metallicity relation derived from LMC clusters, test four initial mass function (IMF) slopes, and fit for the reddening, distance modulus, and star formation rate. We find that we can just resolve structure in SFR(t) with time steps of ~0.15 in log (age), implying a resolution of ~4 × 108 yr at an age of 1 Gyr. For a Salpeter IMF, our derived star formation history for the NGC 1754 field is characterized by an enhanced star formation rate over the past 4 Gyr, qualitatively resembling that derived by others for a variety of LMC fields. The remaining four fields, however, appear to have had high levels of star formation activity as long as 5–8 Gyr ago; these fields lie in the LMC bar whereas the NGC 1754 field lies in the disk, suggesting that the inner regions of the LMC contain significantly more older stars than the outer regions. Examining the residuals of the models and observations, we find that the old red giant branches of the models provide a poor fit to the observations, which suggests an error in the model isochrones. The effect of the disagreement appears to be to underestimate the contribution of the old population.
PRIMORDIAL BLACK HOLES AND SHORT GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

Abstract The possible existence of primordial black holes (PBHs) has long been a key observational question. At present, the only known way to detect low-mass ones (below 10 15 g) is through the Hawking radiation process. This radiation in turn depends on the nature of hadron interactions in the 100 MeV region and beyond. In the case of a first-order quantum-chromodynamics phase transition, we expect a sharp burst of gamma rays from the PBH. We have pointed out that there is a class of gamma-ray bursts that have this property and could provide evidence for PBHs in the galaxy. Future study of these events is crucial. Recently, we have shown that a diffuse gamma-ray glow should exist in the halo from these PBHs. There now seems to be evidence for this effect as well.
A scientist revisits the atrophy-hypertrophy complex: hepatic apoptosis and regeneration.

In 1898, Cantlie demonstrated his deep insight into the AHC when he wrote. "It is theoretically possible to tie the vessels of one side at the gate of the liver...leaving the other side to do the work. That one-half of the liver can hypertrophy, so as to perform the function of the whole, is attested by pathological study...I commend this subject to all those who are working on the surgery of the liver; and I believe that if, in the hands of future observers, the statements I have made receive closer investigation, surgery of the liver will be advanced a step." More than 100 years later, his foresight is coming to fruition, but the understanding of the AHC remains rudimentary. Further insight into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that initiate hepatocyte replication after contralateral atrophy may allow the development of novel therapeutic treatments or adjuncts.
Organization Development Practitioners' Activities and Interventions in Organizations during the 1980s

A study was undertaken to determine the activities and interventions organization development (OD) practitioners engaged in during the 1980s. After interviews with practitioners and an examination of the OD literature, a survey was developed listing various activities and asking respondents to indicate the extent to which they had been involved in these activities. This survey was then administered to 142 participants of a professional development program for OD and human resource management practitioners, of whom 71 returned completed questionnaires. The responses were analyzed using factor analysis, which revealed five different activity factors. An examination of these factors suggests that OD practitioners engaged in management style enhancement, strategy development, culture change, technology integration, and employee development during the 1980s. The results are discussed in terms of the relationships among these activities, the business environment, and the organization development field at large.
OBSERVATIONS ON EARLY GERM CELL DEVELOPMENT AND PREMEIOTIC RIBOSOMAL DNA AMPLIFICATION IN XENOPUS LAEVIS

The origin of premeiotic ribosomal DNA (rDNA) amplification in germ-line cells of Xenopus laevis has been examined using in situ RNA-DNA hybridization on cytological preparations, tritiated thymidine autoradiography, and isopycnic density gradient centrifugation. Primordial germ cells (PGC), from the time they first become localized in the genital ridge at day no. 4 of development, until approximately day no. 22, remain in an extended interphase condition. During this time PGC do not incorporate tritiated thymidine, have near diploid levels of rDNA as demonstrated by cytological RNA-DNA hybridization, and possess only one or two nucleoli. Starting on day no. 22–24, mitosis, sexual differentiation, and rDNA gene amplification all begin in the germ cells. Multiple nucleoli also make their appearance at this stage. Ribosomal DNA amplification continues in gonial cells as long as they remain mitotically active. Amplified copies of rDNA are lost from germ cells at the onset of meiotic prophase. This loss is probably permanent in the male germ line, but variable and temporary in the female germ line. Early gonial cells in the ovary have been deduced to have an average cycle time for each mitotic division of between 3.8 and 4.3 days at a temperature of 21°C. Some oogonia appear to divide only four times before entering meiotic prophase, while the average during the initial wave of germ cell division is nine. Finally, a satellite DNA has been isolated from adult testes which has a density in neutral cesium chloride corresponding to the density of amplified oocyte rDNA. This satellite is not present in DNA isolated from somatic tissues of Xenopus.
A new way of looking at neurogenesis at the apical surface

The development of the mammalian brain requires a large expansion of the neural cell‐progenitor pool followed by terminal differentiation. One of the most general and fundamental mechanisms that regulates the conversion of undifferentiated neural stem cells and progenitor cells to differentiated neurons and glia is the conversion of the orientation of mitotic cleavage, which leads to a change from symmetric to asymmetric cell division. Proliferating neural stem cells divide symmetrically during early mammalian neurogenesis to increase the progenitor pool, whereas both symmetric (proliferative) and asymmetric (neurogenic) mitosis occur later in neurogenesis to generate neural stem cells and post‐mitotic neurons or glia, respectively (Noctor et al , 2004; Gotz & Huttner, 2005). During cell division at the apical (ventricular) surface of the brain, the proliferating neuroepithelial cells and the radial glial progenitors have a distinct apico‐basal polarity and an elongated radial morphology (Kosodo et al , 2004; Gotz & Huttner, 2005). The disruption of mitotic spindle orientation during neurogenesis results in proliferation and cell‐fate defects, supporting the importance of controlling symmetric and asymmetric division to determine cell fate. For example, loss of the G‐protein‐regulator complex LGN (Leu–Gly–Asn repeat‐enriched protein)/AGS3 (activator of G‐protein signalling 3)—also known as Gpsm2 (G‐protein‐signalling modulator 2)/Gpsm3—or the loss or reduction of LIS1 (Lissencephaly 1), which is a noncatalytic subunit of the platelet‐activating factor acetylhydrolase Ib, results in randomized spindle orientation during apico‐basal division and causes changes in the cell‐fate decisions of radial glial progenitors (Konno et al , 2008; Yingling et al , 2008). Although the importance of symmetric and asymmetric …
Evidence of Food Limitation of Rainbow and Brown Trout in Southern Appalachian Soft-Water Streams

Abstract Seasonal patterns of age-specific growth rates and condition factors of rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri and brown trout S. trutta were studied in relation to the available food resources in five streams of the southern Appalachian mountains. Standing crops of benthic invertebrates were low relative to streams of similar size in other geographic areas. Although terrestrial organisms contributed substantially to the invertebrate drift, total drift rates were also relatively low. Numbers of prey items per trout stomach were small and were directly related to drift rate. These results reflected the limited food base. Condition factors (weight˙length-3) of age- 1 trout declined during summer, and growth rates among age-1 and older trout were generally lower in summer than in winter, despite favorable summer water temperatures. This “inverted” seasonal pattern of growth was likely due to an inadequate food base. We believe that growth rates were relatively low in summer because much of the limited energy...
Prevention, management, and control of influenza: Role of amantadine

Amantadine, an oral antiviral agent, is effective in the prophylaxis and treatment of all strains of influenza A, preventing 70 to 90 percent of both experimentally induced and natural infections. Although not a substitute for vaccination, prophylactic amantadine can be particularly helpful in high-risk groups, including those with cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases and those in chronic-care settings. Adjunctive administration to previously immunized high-risk persons enhances the vaccine's efficacy. If given to nonimmunized persons who are then vaccinated during an influenza out-break, it will protect them for the two to three weeks needed for vaccine-induced immunity to develop. If given to residents of a chronic-care facility early in an outbreak, it is helpful in controlling the outbreak. Used therapeutically within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, amantadine will shorten influenza illness by up to 50 percent, reduce fever, and hasten the resumption of normal activities. Amantadine is particularly recommended for high-risk persons in whom influenza-like symptoms develop during a confirmed or suspected outbreak of influenza A.
Concentration of milk secretory immunoglobulin A against Shigella virulence plasmid-associated antigens as a predictor of symptom status in Shigella-infected breast-fed infants*

We conducted a prospective, community-based study of healthy breast-fed Mexican infants to determine the protective effects of anti- Shigella secretory IgA antibodies in milk. Milk samples were collected monthly, and stool culture specimens were obtained weekly and at the time of episodes of diarrhea. Nineteen breast-fed infants were found to have Shigella flexneri, Shigella boydii , or Shigella sonnel in stool samples. Ages of the 10 infants with symptomatic infection and the nine with asymptomatic infection did not differ significantly. Milk samples collected up to 12 weeks before infection were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for secretory IgA antibodies against lipopolysaccharides of S. flexneri, S. boydii serotype 2, S. sonnei , and virulence plasmid-associated antigens. The geometric mean titers of anti- Shigella antibodies to virulence plasmid-associated antigens in milk received before infection were eightfold higher in infants who remained well than in those in whom diarrhea developed. The significance of milk secretory IgA directed against lipopolysaccharide was less clear. We conclude that human milk protects infants against symptomatic shigella infection when it contains high concentrations of secretory IgA against virulence plasmid-associated antigens.
Modification of opioid agonist binding by pertussis toxin

Abstract Membrane fractions prepared from rat striate, cortex and midbrain were treated with pertussis toxin, which has been shown to adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylate the GTP-binding protein G i , reducing its coupling with receptors. In striatal membranes, treatment with 40 μg toxin per mg membrane protein labeled 60% of the G i present and 70% of another G protein, G o ; this treatment reduced binding of the opioid agonist [ 3 H] d -Ala 2 - d -Leu 5 -enkephalin ([ 3 H]DADLE) 20–50%, with the decrease largerly reflecting a decreased affinity. In cortex, toxin treatment reduced [ 3 H]DADLE binding by 35–70%, corresponding to ADP-ribosylation of 50% of G i and 40% of G o . In midbrain, [ 3 H]DADLE binding was unaffected by toxin treatment that ADP-ribosylated 86% of the G i and 72% of the G o . These results provide further evidence that opioid receptors are associated with GTP-binding proteins in striatum and cortex, where they have also been shown to inhibit adenylate cyclase. Despite the presence of G i and G o in midbrain, however, there appears to be no coupling between them and opioid receptors.
SERUM TRACE ELEMENTS AND CERULOPLASMIN (CP) CONCENTRATIONS ON MATERNAL AND CORD BLOOD AT DELIVERY

SERUM TRACE ELEMENTS AND CERULOPLASMIN (CP) CONCENTRATIONS ON MATERNAL AND CORD BLOOD AT DELIVERY
Tagging the Higgs boson in pp→ W+W−jj processes

We compute the exact matrix elements for the tree level O(α4W) process qq→qqW+W− and the tree level O(α2sα2W) mixed QCD-electroweak processes, gg→qqW+W−, etc. and use them to examine the Higgs boson signal in pp→W+W−jj for the representative case mH=800 GeV. By requiring two “tagging” jets, pTj>50 GeV and 2.5 <|ηj| < 5.0 (4.5) at the SSC (LHC), the W+W−jj backgrounds from the mixed QCD-electroweak process and the non-resonant purely electroweak qq→qqW+W− process are significantly reduced. We find that the mWW distribution of the Higgs boson signal is poorly described by the s-channel Higgs pole approximation.
Nano‐emissive display technology for large‐area HDTV

— Using nano-emissive display (NED) technology, Motorola labs has successfully developed 5-in. full-color display prototypes. Carbon-nanotube-based field-emission displays with a pixel size of 0.726 mm for a 42-in. HDTV exhibit video image quality comparable to CRT displays and demonstrate a luminance of 350 cd/m2. These novel low-drive-voltage NEDs take advantage of selective growth of CNTs to obtain the desired electron-emission performance while maintaining inexpensive manufacturing due to a simple self-focusing and self-regulating planar structure. Improved video image quality and color purity are achieved with very low power consumption and without the need for an expensive focusing grid.
Optimum Design of Sensitive Tunnel Diode Discriminators

A new and useful theory was developed to characterize switching properties of the tunnel diode. Expressions for time delay and time variance for small signals in the presence of amplitude noise were developed for the tunnel diode in the discriminator mode. The expression for time variance is used to determine the parameters of the tunnel diode, and the tunnel diode bias condition to obtain the optimum time resolution for a specified signal and noise. The minimum charge necessary to switch the tunnel diode is calculated for a given signal current pulse width and tunnel diode bias condition. The expressions characterizing the properties of the tunnel diode were developed after the author discovered experimentally that the positive resistance region of the device could be represented very accurately by a sine function in voltage. Since this region of the characteristic curve is responsible for the significant delay and time variance, it is sufficient to describe these properties of the tunnel diode discriminator. The usual equivalent circuit is used to represent the tunnel diode. The second order nonlinear differential equation which is necessary to describe the equivalent circuit is simplified by excluding terms which were insignificant for this particular mode of operation. The simplified differential equation is solved to determine the time for the tunnel diode to switch from its stable bias point to the negative resistance region. This switching time, or delay time, is then used to calculate the time variance.
Dicing Algorithm-Explore Multidimensional Space With Probability

Nonlinear inverse problem is still not so satisfying with the application of available search algorithm. Here a new search algorithm, dicing algorithm (DA) is presented, which offers potential in both the optimization and error analysis. It works as an approach of NA-Gibbs sampler but provides simpler cell, so it can sample among the neighborhood of numerous local optima. Because of its simplicity, we can calculate the probability of each cell. It is essential for strong nonlinear inversion problem and makes the searching of global optimum possible. It also provides convergernce guarantee by probability searching. And if we ignore the computation time of forward problem, this search algorithm will be very fast even in high dimensional space.