cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supratentorial and Infratentorial Approaches to Pineal Surgery: A Database Analysis.

Objectives Neoplasms involving the pineal gland are rare. When they do occur, tumor resection is anatomically challenging and is traditionally addressed by either a supratentorial or an infratentorial approach. To date, no large, multicenter studies have been performed that systematically analyze outcomes comparing these two approaches. This study aimed to evaluate outcomes for patients undergoing pineal neoplasm resection, comparing supratentorial and infratentorial approaches. Design Retrospective database review. Setting Multi-institutional database. Participants From 2005 to 2016, 60 patients were identified, with 13 undergoing a supratentorial approach and 47 undergoing an infratentorial approach. Main Outcome Measures Patient demographics, comorbidities, and 30-day postoperative outcomes were investigated using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Demographics, readmission, reoperation, and complication rates were analyzed and compared with previous studies. Results Patient demographics were similar between these two groups. The overall complication rates for the supratentorial and infratentorial approaches were 30.8 and 17%, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant. The most common medical complications encountered were respiratory and hematological. Conclusion As the first multi-institutional database analysis of approaches to the pineal gland, this study provides an analysis of patient demographics, comorbidities, and postoperative complications. After controlling for preoperative risk factors and demographic characteristics, no statistically significant differences in postoperative outcomes were found between infratentorial and supratentorial approaches. The mean readmission, reoperation, and complication rates were found to be 2.1, 8.3, and 20%, respectively. The lack of significant difference between approaches suggests that clinical decision-making should depend upon anatomical considerations and physician preference, although the complications illustrated here may provide some preoperative guidance.
The Potential for a Speech Brain–Computer Interface Using Chronic Electrocorticography

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a technology that uses neural features to restore or augment the capabilities of its user. A BCI for speech would enable communication in real time via neural correlates of attempted or imagined speech. Such a technology would potentially restore communication and improve quality of life for locked-in patients and other patients with severe communication disorders. There have been many recent developments in neural decoders, neural feature extraction, and brain recording modalities facilitating BCI for the control of prosthetics and in automatic speech recognition (ASR). Indeed, ASR and related fields have developed significantly over the past years, and many lend many insights into the requirements, goals, and strategies for speech BCI. Neural speech decoding is a comparatively new field but has shown much promise with recent studies demonstrating semantic, auditory, and articulatory decoding using electrocorticography (ECoG) and other neural recording modalities. Because the neural representations for speech and language are widely distributed over cortical regions spanning the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes, the mesoscopic scale of population activity captured by ECoG surface electrode arrays may have distinct advantages for speech BCI, in contrast to the advantages of microelectrode arrays for upper-limb BCI. Nevertheless, there remain many challenges for the translation of speech BCIs to clinical populations. This review discusses and outlines the current state-of-the-art for speech BCI and explores what a speech BCI using chronic ECoG might entail.
Semi-Supervised Learning and ASIC Path Verification

To counter manufacturing irregularities and ensure ASIC design integrity, it is essential that robust design verification methods are employed. It is possible to ensure such integrity using ASIC static timing analysis (STA) and machine learning. In this research, uniquely devised machine and statistical learning methods which quantify anomalous variations in Register Transfer Level (RTL) or Graphic Design System II (GDSII) formats are discussed. To measure the variations in ASIC analysis data, the timing delays in relation to path electrical characteristics are explored. It is shown that semi-supervised learning techniques are powerful tools in characterizing variations within STA path data and has much potential for identifying anomalies in ASIC RTL and GDSII design data.
Global Contributions to Aesthetic Surgery Journal Over the Past Decade

Background The Aesthetic Surgery Journal (ASJ) is a world-renowned publication with valuable contributions from around the globe. Objectives To better characterize the journal's evolving representation of global contributions to aesthetic surgery, the authors examined the author affiliations of all articles published in ASJ over the last decade. Methods A PubMed search was performed for all journal articles published in ASJ from January 2008 to August 2018. For each article, the first author's primary affiliation as indexed in MEDLINE was recorded as the source country. Data were tabulated by source country and year. The authorless errata, corrigenda, and Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank Statistics were excluded from analysis. Results A total of 1746 articles were published during this period, contributed from 49 distinct countries. All continents other than Antarctica were represented. Higher income countries where aesthetic surgery is more prevalent produced 87% of published articles. The total number of published articles in ASJ has climbed from 77 annually in 2008 to 318 in 2018 as of August. In 2008, 27.3% of articles were from non-US countries, whereas in 2018 this increased to 43.7%. In particular, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, and Italy demonstrate steady increases in contributions over the 10-year period. Conclusions Publications in ASJ have increased in number over the past decade, and the journal has become increasingly global in its network of contributing authors. The increased global contribution to the ASJ may enhance readers' experience both in the United States and in the world beyond.
Sensitivity and model reduction of simulated snow processes: contrasting observational and parameter uncertainty to improve prediction

Abstract The hydrology of high-elevation, mountainous regions is poorly represented in Earth Systems Models (ESMs), yet these ecosystems play an important role in the storage and land-atmosphere exchange of water. As much of the western United States’ water comes from water stored in the snowpack (snow water equivalent, SWE), model representation of these regions is important. This study assesses how uncertainty in both model parameters and forcing affect simulated snow processes through sensitivity analysis (active subspaces) on model inputs (meteorological forcing and model input parameters) for a widely used snow model. Observations from an AmeriFlux tower at the Niwot Ridge research site are used to force an integrated, single-column hydrologic model, ParFlow-CLM. This study finds that trees can mute the effects of snow albedo causing the evergreen needleleaf scenarios to be sensitive primarily to hydrologic forcing while bare ground simulations are more sensitive to the snow parameters. The bare ground scenarios are most sensitive overall. Both forcing and model input parameters are important for obtaining accurate hydrologic model results.
Robotic Postchemotherapy Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Testicular Cancer.

Abstract Background Postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (pcRPLND) is mandated in patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumor found to have residual masses after chemotherapy. Performed via the open approach, pcRPLND can incur significant perioperative morbidity. Objective To demonstrate the feasibility of robotic pcRPLND (r-pcRPLND) and provide evidence for its selection criteria. Design, setting, and participants A retrospective search identified 93 patients undergoing pcRPLND between April 2007 and March 2018, comprising 30 r-pcRPLND and 63 open pcRPLND (o-pcRPLND) procedures performed by a single surgeon. Intervention r-pcRPLND and o-pcRPLND. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Baseline clinicopathologic characteristics and intraoperative variables including operating room (OR) time, estimated blood loss (EBL), resection of adjacent organs, and intraoperative consultation with other surgical services were recorded. Hospital length of stay (LOS) and perioperative complications were assessed as per the Clavien-Dindo classification, and oncologic outcomes such as nodal yield, histologic distribution, pathologic staging, time to recurrence, and cancer-specific survival were compared. Results and limitations r-pcRPLND was performed in a well-selected cohort with lower clinical stage (p = 0.006), favorable International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group classification (p = 0.01), and smaller retroperitoneal mass (p = 0.001). o-pcRPLND required more frequent bilateral template dissection (88.9% vs 43.3%; p Conclusions With rigorous patient selection, r-pcRPLND can be safely performed and may reduce perioperative morbidity while maintaining oncologic proficiency. Patient summary Resection of residual retroperitoneal mass after chemotherapy in patients with metastatic testicular cancer can be performed safely via a robotic approach. Robotic surgery can reduce the morbidity of the procedure.
Preventing physician burnout: satisfaction or something more?

Physician burnout and depression have been recognized as serious international problems and the secondary costs of poor physician mental health are substantial. Interventions to address this problem can be split into two categories: those focusing on the individual, and those addressing the work environment. Individual-focused programs often include instruction in mindfulness, nutrition, and exercise, while those in the work environment have focused largely on stressors such as administrative burden, electronic health records, and productivity pressures. The recent IJHPR article entitled “Burnout and intentions to quit the practice among community pediatricians: Associations with specific professional activities”, by Grosman et al., offers an additional path to address burnout and well-being in pediatricians through increasing of hours in more satisfying professional activities. While “satisfaction” was the metric in this study, what lay at the root of that satisfaction may be deeper and more profound. What the study does not measure is that the less-burned out physicians who felt greater satisfaction may have also felt a greater sense of meaning in their lives. Grossman et al. rightly urge health care managers to encourage diversification of the pediatrician’s job by enabling greater engagement in the identified ‘anti- burnout’ professional activities, however more can and should be done. Physicians themselves should take an active role in both the seeking of, and connection to, meaning. Burnout and frustration, understandably, may have led some doctors to possess a sense of cynicism that has obscured meaning in their lives. If physicians cannot find a path to meaning on their own, they should seek colleague partners, coaches, or therapists to assist. Physicians can advocate for programs to reduce work-force stressors, but they can also advocate for formal programs such as Healers Arts programs, Schwartz rounds, and narrative medicine programs to help reconnect to meaning in their daily clinical work. Brief courses in cognitive behavioral techniques may also help in combating problematic mindsets endemic in medicine such as negativity bias, maladaptive perfectionism, and pessimistic explanatory style. With effort, a growth mindset, and when needed, guidance and some reinforcement, these negative and toxic mindsets can diminish; they can fade, and further open physicians to the healing power of meaning.
Ligamentous Lisfranc Injury: A Biomechanical Comparison of Dorsal Plate Fixation and Transarticular Screws.

Objectives Optimal fixation technique after purely ligamentous Lisfranc injury remains controversial. This biomechanical study compares dorsal plate versus transarticular screw fixation by measuring dorsal and plantar joint diastasis. A unique protocol was developed, using reflective triad markers and positional cameras. Methods Eleven cadaveric matched pairs were assigned to either transarticular screw or dorsal plate fixation. Two reflective triad markers were placed into the medial cuneiform (C1) and second metatarsal base (MT2). Three cameras recorded the 3-dimensional location of triads to quantify C1-MT2 diastasis in the following states: intact Lisfranc ligament (INTACT), cut ligament (CUT), fixed (SCREW or PLATE) joint, and fixed joint after 10,000 loaded cycles. On completion, the plantar Lisfranc ligament insertions were identified, and plantar diastasis was determined using additional reflective triads. Statistical post hoc pairwise comparisons assessed differences in diastasis. Results C1-MT2 diastasis in the CUT state increased relative to INTACT (P 0.99). PLATE plantar diastasis was numerically higher than INTACT but not significantly (P > 0.39). PLATE plantar diastasis tended to be greater than SCREW before cycling (P = 0.068) and after cycling (P = 0.080). Conclusions Transection of the Lisfranc ligament complex yielded C1-MT2 diastasis. Both SCREW and PLATE fixation successfully reduced dorsal diastasis. However, upon load, the PLATE resulted in greater plantar diastasis, nearly statistically different relative to the SCREW. Cyclic loading at 343 N did not worsen diastasis.
Disaster and Emergency Preparedness for Early Learning Providers: A Pilot Assessment and Training Workshop

Purpose: The 2015 Save the Children report identified our state as one of several nationally not meeting minimum requirements for disaster preparedness in child care settings. Re-authorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act requires states to establish disaster preparedness training for child care providers. Our state lacks available training. Our initiative partnered with Child Care Network (CCN) to pilot a new workshop at their annual conference. Our goal was to find deficits in provider’s current disaster plans and to teach basic principles of emergency preparedness during a …
Pairwise tests for conditional selection use evolutionary logic to predict intrinsic drug resistance in ALK alterations

Background: Genomic data can facilitate personalized treatment decisions by enabling therapeutic hypotheses in individual patients. Conditional selection (encompassing both mutual exclusivity and co-occurrence) is commonly used to consider rare genomic variants relative to established cancer drivers. However, the direct comparison of p-values across multiple pairs of genes is confounded by the often-dramatic differences in sample size between established driver mutations and novel findings. Methods: We develop a resampling based method for the direct pairwise comparisons of conditional selection between sets of gene pairs. This effectively creates quantitative positive control guideposts of conditional selection that normalize differences in population size. We applied this method to a transcript variant of ALK in melanoma, termed ALKATI, which has been the subject of a recent controversy in the literature. We reproduced some of the original cell transformation experiments, performed rescue experiments, and analyzed drug response data to revisit the original ALKATI findings. Finding: We found that we are powered to quantitatively compare the degree of relative mutual exclusivity (down to an abundance of 10 patients in a cohort of 500) between novel gene variants and positive controls. We also found that ALKATI is not as mutually exclusive as BRAF and NRAS are with each other. Our in vitro transformation assays and rescue assays suggested that alternative transcript initiation in ALK is not likely to be necessary or sufficient for cellular transformation or growth. Interpretation: Pairwise comparisons of conditional selection represent a sensitive method of utilizing existing genomic data to directly and quantitatively compare relative levels of conditional selection. The results of using our method in ALKATI and our experiments strongly disfavor the role of ALKATI as a targetable oncogenic driver. The progress of other experimental agents in late stage melanoma and our experimental and computational re-analysis led us to conclude that further single agent testing of ALK inhibitors in patients with ALKATI should be limited to cases where no other treatment hypotheses can be identified.
Single Residue Error Correction in Residue Number Systems

We present a new method to correct single errors in an n-residue number system through the use of r redundant moduli. The method requires ⌈2n/r⌉ + 2 recombinations of n residues in the worst case. This is of lower complexity than any other known method.
Temperature-Dependent Reversible Morphological Transformations in N-Oleoyl β-d-Galactopyranosylamine.

Amphiphilic molecules self-assemble into supramolecular structures of various sizes and morphologies depending on their molecular packing and external factors. Transformations between various self-...
Planar tunneling spectroscopy of Y 1-x Pr x Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7 thin films as a function of crystallographic orientation

We present a systematic study of the charge transport and quasiparticle tunneling properties of ${\mathrm{Y}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Pr}}_{x}{\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ thin films. Pr doping increases the resistivity along the copper oxide planes and suppresses the superconducting critical temperature ${T}_{c},$ ultimately inducing a superconductor-insulator transition. The tunneling conductance is reproducible and correlated with the crystallographic film orientation. The crystallographic dependence can be divided into two distinct categories: tunneling into (001)-oriented $(c$-axis) films and tunneling into (100)-, (110)-, and (103)-oriented $(ab$-oriented) films. c-axis tunneling data exhibit a conductance dip at zero bias and a broad temperature-dependent peak over $\ensuremath{\sim}15--40$ mV that decreases in magnitude but stays fixed in energy for increasing Pr doping levels. $\mathrm{ab}$-plane tunneling data exhibit a zero-bias conductance peak and a gaplike feature at an energy that scales roughly linearly with ${T}_{c}$ for $x=0.0,$ 0.2, and 0.4. When $x=0.5,$ the resistivity is not linear in temperature and a zero-bias conductance dip is observed. The background conductance that ensures conservation of states in the low-temperature $\mathrm{ab}$-plane data exhibits temperature- and doping-dependent structure over $\ensuremath{\sim}15--40$ mV that is very similar to the peak observed in c-axis tunneling. Finally, analysis of the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the zero bias conductance peak indicates that states are conserved to within $\ensuremath{\sim}20%,$ supporting its interpretation as a feature of a superconducting density of states.
Effects of chain length and polydispersity on shear banding in simple shear flow of polymeric melts

The characteristics of shear banding were investigated in entangled, polydisperse, linear polymer melts under steady-state and startup conditions of simple shear flow. This virtual experimentation was conducted using course-grained nonequilibrium dissipative particle dynamics simulations expressed in terms of a force-field representation that faithfully models the atomistic system dynamics. We examined melts with two mean molecular bead numbers of Nn = 2 50 and 400 and polydispersity indexes of 1.0, 1.025, and 1.05. The wide range of relaxation timescales in the polydisperse melts decreased the nonmonotonic character of the steady-state shear stress vs. shear rate profile compared to a monodisperse linear melt. The polydispersity level required to observe a stress plateau in the shear stress profile at intermediate shear rates was correlated with the nominal entanglement density. Startup of shear flow simulations revealed the development of spatial inhomogeneities and dynamic instabilities in polydisperse fluids containing both monotonic and nonmonotonic shear stress flow curves. Although the shape and duration of instabilities were found to be correlated with the monotonicity of the shear stress profile, the onset and underlying mechanism leading to the formation of shear bands were generally universal. The simulations revealed that perturbations arose soon after the occurrence of a large stress overshoot under startup conditions, and that banded structures stemmed from local reorientation and subsequent deconstruction of the entanglement network. Furthermore, data indicated that the inception of strain localization occurred at shear rates near the reciprocal of the Rouse characteristic timescale, > τR−1. Transient shear banding was observed in shorter chain melts undergoing startup of shear flow in which instabilities arose after the appearance of a stress overshoot. These instabilities eventually decayed, but only long after the stresses had attained their steady-state values. The longer chain melt exhibited a shear band structure that remained indefinitely after the stresses had attained steady state.
Moral Foundations, Himpathy, and Attitudes Toward Sexual Misconduct Claims

Since the #MeToo movement began, women are increasingly coming forward to report experiences of sexual misconduct in a number of organizations and industries, generating renewed attention to the is...
Multiacquisition Variable-Resonance Image Combination Magnetic Resonance Imaging Used to Study Detailed Bone Apposition and Fixation of an Additively Manufactured Cementless Acetabular Shell

Abstract Background The ability to utilize magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess bony fixation in 3 dimensions may allow a better understanding of the implant design and bony integration. We hypothesized that a new 3-dimensionally printed cementless highly porous acetabular component (Stryker Trident II TritaniumTM) would show better fixation than an earlier cup from the same manufacturer as assessed by the noninvasive technique of multispectral MRI. Methods Multiacquisition variable-resonance image combination selective metal suppression MRI was performed in 19 patients implanted with a new 3-dimensionally printed cup and 20 patients who had received a previous-generation cup from the same manufacturer at 1-year follow-up. Each cup was graded globally as well as by 9 specific zones. Integration grades were performed for each zone: 0, full bone integration; 1, fibrous membrane present; 2, osteolysis; and 3, fluid present. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to compare fixation between the 2 groups. Results All cups in both cohorts showed greater than 90% radiographically estimated global bony integration (3-dimensionally printed cups, 99.4%; regular cups 91.6%) with no osteolysis or fluid observed in any cup. The 3-dimensionally printed cup had 1 of 171 zones (0.6%) graded as fibrous membrane present, while the 2-dimensional group had 15 of 180 zones (8.3%) graded as fibrous. Of note, screw hole regions were omitted but may be read as fibrous membrane areas. Conclusion Using multiacquisition variable-resonance image combination selective MRI, our analysis showed greater biologic fixation and less fibrous membrane formation in the 3-dimensionally printed cups than the control group at 1-year follow-up.
Near zero index THz perfect metasurface absorber using inverted conformal mapping

We describe here the use of a metasurface geometry previously reported by the author, based upon geometric in- version of a set of conformal mapping contours, for application in the THz bandwidth as the basis for an uncooled microbolometer in downhole chemical spectroscopy. The resulting geometry forms a nearly continuous series of perfect absorption resonances in a broad bandwidth of the THz gap by an ultrathin (λ/1600) metasurface. The metasurface is derived from a geometric inversion of the Rhodonea, or more commonly called four-leaf roses, con- formal mapping contours and was found to exhibit a near zero index metamaterial behavior. The near zero index properties of the metasurface lead to an absorption phenomenom characterized by surface plasmon resonances that confine the absorption mechanism within the ultrathin metasurface plane and make the absorption prop- erties of the microbolometer design practically independent of the material properties of the remaining laminae. This unusual feature allows the metasurface to be integrated on a single dielectric support layer with a single V02 material thermometric layer which is now able to be operated at downhole elevated temperatures within its metal-insulator-transition region. Within this transition region the V02 layer is effectively a metallic electrical conductor and exhibits more than an order of magnitude enhancement in its thermometric propertie√s. This leads to a metasurface microbolometer design with predicted maximum detectivity D*= 2.2 × 1010cm√Hz/W and noise equivalent difference temperature NEDT of 1 mK at a modulation frequency of 50 Hz. These levels of THz detector performance conventionally would be achievable only with cryogenically cooled technologies and could represent a significant step in the effort towards deploying miniaturized uncooled THz sensor devices into oilfield exploration and production applications.
New Media Technologies and Information Processing Theory—George A. Miller and Others

In the early 1950s, researchers started to become dissatisfied with the behaviorists’ explanations of learning. The emergence of the information processing theory, which equates human cognition to computer processing, emerged as the fundamental learning process model for cognitive scientists. The information processing theory demonstrates that the manner in which educators present information to students has an effect on whether long-term learning is achievable (Gurbin, 2015, p. 2337). Today, there is an overabundance of new information and access to this information through the Internet. The role that new media technologies have played and should play within the classroom is under debate. In this chapter, we will offer an overview of the information processing theory, as well as outline how new media technologies and content fit into our modern society. We will then examine the advantages and disadvantages of implementing new media technologies into science teaching, and learning processes. As a concluding argument, we suggest that understanding the participatory nature of new media technologies, as well as their individual learning functionalities, is crucial to their successful implementation in the classroom. With this in mind, we provide specific examples of how science educators can integrate new media technologies and content into their class design to promote long-term learning.
527 Committees and the Political Party Network

We investigate the links between 527s and other political organizations through the employment histories of 527 staff. We find that 527s are highly central to modern political party networks and ar...
Glycine additive enhances sensitivity for N- and O-Glycan analysis with hydrophilic interaction chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry

Abstract Glycosylation is critical for many biological processes and biotherapeutic development. One of the most powerful approaches for analyzing released glycans is hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HILIC-ESI-MS). The high sensitivity of MS is crucial for detecting low-abundance glycans and elucidating their structures. In this study, we presented a simple solution to boost MS response of procainamide (ProcA) labeled glycans for 2- to over 60-fold by including 1 mM glycine in ammonium formate mobile phases for HILIC-ESI-MS. The glycine additive increased charge states, enhanced ion intensities and signal-to-noise ratios, and improved tandem MS spectral quality of various N- and O-glycans without affecting chromatographic performance. Furthermore, more homogeneous ionization among different ProcA labeled glycans was achieved by using the glycine additive, resulting in more comparable quantitative results relative to fluorescence-based quantification. We demonstrated that ammonium formate caused ion suppression to ProcA labeled glycans, which were likely mitigated by glycine with enhanced ESI ionization. Overall, simple addition of glycine to mobile phases during HILIC-ESI-MS analysis significantly improves MS detection sensitivity and will facilitate future profiling and quantitation of glycans released from N- and O-glycoproteins.
Source authentication and path validation with orthogonal network capabilities

In-network source authentication and path validation are fundamental primitives to construct security mechanisms such as DDoS mitigation, path compliance, packet attribution, or protection against flow redirection. Unfortunately, most of the existing approaches are based on cryptographic techniques. The high computational cost of cryptographic operations makes these techniques fall short in the data plane of the network, where potentially every packet needs to be checked at Gigabit per second link rates in the future Internet. In this paper, we propose a new protocol, which uses a set of orthogonal sequences as credentials, to solve this problem, which enables a low overhead of verification in routers. Our evaluation of a prototype experiment demonstrates the fast verification speed and low storage consumption of our protocol, while providing reasonable security properties.
How to Implement Boltzmann’s Probabilistic Ideas in a Relativistic World?

This article outlines some of the problems, as well as some recent progress, in the implementation of Boltzmann’s probabilistic ideas in a world ruled by relativistic gravity and electromagnetism.
FAULTS: an equipment maintenance and repair system using a relational database

The authors present a new scheme, the Berkeley FAULT system, for managing information concerning equipment maintenance and repair activities. The solution to the problems is designed with four goals in mind. First, the system must help facility management keep track of equipment maintenance events as they occur. Secondly, the system should help maintenance technicians conduct offline equipment maintenance by reviewing previous maintenance cases. Thirdly, the system must be usable and maintainable by equipment operators, maintenance technicians, and facility managers without need of assistance from expert programmers. Fourthly, the system should cooperate with automated diagnostic systems by maintaining failure histories of equipment in the facility and by providing a mechanism that allows a diagnostic system to schedule necessary maintenance tasks automatically. >
Physical linkage of mouse lambda genes by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis suggests that the rearrangement process favors proximate target sequences.

Abstract The first complete map of a mammalian immunoglobulin gene locus is presented. Mouse lambda genes were mapped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The gene order is V2-Vx-C2-C4-V1-C3-C1. The distance between V2 or Vx and the C2-C4 cluster is 74 or 55 kilobases (kb), respectively, whereas that between V1 and C3-C1 is only 19 kb; V2 and C3-C1 are at least 190 kb apart. Thus, the distances between the lambda subloci are inversely proportional to their frequencies of rearrangement. The related gene lambda 5 is not within the 500 kb of the lambda locus mapped here.
Integration of New Endogenous Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus Proviral DNA at Common Sites in the DNA of Mammary Tumors of C3Hf Mice and Hypomethylation of the Endogenous Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus Proviral DNA in C3Hf Mammary Tumors and Spleens

To understand the molecular mechanisms by which the endogenous murine mammary tumor virus (MuMTV) proviruses are expressed and produce late-occurring mammary tumors in C3Hf mice, we analyzed, by the use of restriction enzymes and the Southern transfer procedure, genomic DNA from normal organs of mammary tumor-bearing and tumor-free mice and from 12 late-occurring C3Hf mammary tumors. We found, by using the restriction enzymes EcoRI and HindIII, that in addition to the preexisting endogenous MuMTV proviruses, new MuMTV-specific proviral DNA was integrated into new sites in the host genome in all 12 of the tumors that we examined. PstI digests of C3Hf tumor DNA revealed that the new proviral DNA found in C3Hf tumors was of endogenous origin. Moreover, the respective sizes of at least one of the new DNA fragments generated by EcoRI or HindIII digestion were the same in at least 50% of the C3Hf tumors analyzed, suggesting that the integration site of this new proviral DNA could be at the same location in the host genome of these tumors. Our results may imply that mammary tumorigenesis in C3Hf mice results from activation of cellular oncogenes by an MuMTV proviral DNA promoter. Specific hypomethylation of MuMTV proviral DNA was detected in the mammary tumors and spleens of C3Hf tumor-bearing mice. Our results indicated that most, if not all, of the hypomethylated MuMTV proviral DNA sequences were derived from the endogenous MuMTV provirus located at the MTV-1 locus, a locus responsible for the production of MuMTV antigens and increased incidence of mammary carcinoma in C3Hf mice. In spleens of non-tumor-bearing mice of ages 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, there was progressive hypomethylation of proviral DNA with increasing age, suggesting a possible correlation between demethylation of MuMTV proviral DNA in the spleens of C3Hf mice and the expression of endogenous MuMTV.
Games and Information, Third Edition, Preface

I am revising my game theory book, which is due at the publisher's September 1, 1999. This is the preface, which tells what I have changed from previous editions.
Hyperfine Structure of Praseodymium-142

The hyperfine structure of 19-hr ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{142}$ in the electronic ground state $^{4}I_{\frac{9}{2}}$ has been studied by the atomic-beam magnetic-resonance method. The following results have been obtained: electronic splitting factor ${g}_{J}(^{4}I_{\frac{9}{2}})=\ensuremath{-}0.7322(3)$, nuclear spin $I=2$, magnetic-dipole hyperfine-structure constant $|A|=67.5(5)$ Mc/sec, electric-quadrupole hyperfine-structure constant $|B|=7.0(2.0)$ Mc/sec, and $\frac{B}{A}g0$. From the hyperfine-structure constants, and assumptions made concerning the electronic fields at the nucleus, the nuclear moments are calculated to be $|{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}|=0.297(15)$ nm, and $|Q|=0.035(15)$ b, with $\frac{Q}{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}}g0$.
Intradermal needle-free powdered drug injection by a helium-powered device

We present a new method for needle-free powdered drug injection via a bench-top gas-powered device. This injector provides an alternative method of vaccine delivery to address the cold chain problem—the cost and risk of transporting temperature sensitive vaccines to developing countries. The device houses interchangeable nozzle inserts to vary orifice geometries and is capable of delivering polymer beads (1–5 µm diameter) into the dermal layer of porcine tissue. Results for injection shape and injection depth versus nozzle orifice diameter demonstrate the device's controllability.
Automatic Ca2+ Sparks Detection System

This paper proposes a fully automatic approach for Ca2+ spark events detection in confocal image system. This system automatically detects the region of interest and separates it from the background, automatically finds the optimal thresholds for Ca2+ Sparks detection, and takes advantage of the correlation between two consecutive frames in detecting the Ca2+ sparks. The experiment results show that the proposed method is very promising. Compared to the conventional system (proposed by Cheng et. al. and later improved by Chun et. al.), the preliminary experimental results show that the proposed system can achieve higher accuracy rate without compromising false alarm rate.
The Process of Restabilization for Mother-Headed Homeless Families: How Social Workers Can Help

ABSTRACT Although homelessness among mother-headed families has been increasing steadily in recent years, little is known about how such families successfully emerge from homelessness. This study addresses this gap by exploring the process by which mother-headed homeless families become stably rehoused through interviews with ten formerly homeless mothers. The grounded theory method of qualitative research, including constant comparison data analysis techniques, was used. Findings indicate a three stage process of restabilization: Meeting Immediate Family Needs (locating shelter, maintaining parental role, keeping up morale, and preserving stability); Creating a New Home (managing cash flow, addressing personal and interpersonal problems, locating and furnishing the new home); and Maintaining Family Stability (managing finances, managing ongoing personal and interpersonal problems, and reestablishing family relationships). Social workers have a major role to play in helping families successfully navigate ...
Control of D-C aircraft generators

Physical integration of all t h e control elements normally associated with a d-c generator is the object of this proposed electric system. With a carbon pile regulator as the basic element, the other necessary elements are added to produce a relatively simple but dependable system.
Morphological basis of tolerance to ozone.

Abstract The purpose of this research was to study Type 1 epithelial cells in the ozone (O 3 )-tolerant lung epithelium. Rats were made tolerant by exposure to 0.5 ppm O 3 for 2 days and allowed to recover in air. Reexposure to a lethal concentration of O 3 (6 ppm) at 3, 7, and 15 days of recovery revealed that tolerance was present at 3 days but almost absent at 7 and 15 days of recovery. Using Type 2 cell proliferation as a means of quantitating Type 1 cell injury, it was observed that when the preexposed rats were reexposed to 0.5 ppm at 3, 7, and 15 days, very little Type 1 cell injury occurred at 3 days. However, at 7 and 15 days the amount of Type 1 cell injury was the same as that associated with the original exposure. To determine whether there was any change in the alveolar epithelial cell populations between the periods of tolerance (3 days) and its decline (7 and 15 days), the percentage of tritiated thymidine ([ 3 H]TdR)-labeled Type 1 and 2 cells at these times were determined. There was a significant decrease in [ 3 H]TdR-labeled Type 1 and 2 cells between the third and fifteenth days of recovery as excess cells were sloughed off and the tissue returned to normal. Using electron microscopic morphometry, Type 1 and 2 cells were then studied during the decline of tolerance. No change was found in the morphology of Type 2 cells; however, the morphology of Type 1 cells revealed a 58% decrease in surface area and a 25% increase in the arithmetic mean thickness when tolerance was present at 3 days. As tolerance declined (7 and 15 days), Type 1 cell morphology returned to normal. It was concluded that tolerance exists when the surface area of a cell exposed to a particular concentration of ozone is small enough so that the existing antioxidant mechanism contained within that cell volume can protect it from damage.
A circadian susceptibility rhythm in rats to Pentobarbital Sodium.

A colony of adult rats was maintained on a standardized regimen with artifical photoperiods extending from 0600 to 1800 alternating with 12 hours of darkness. Every hour during a 24-hour period separate subgroups of rats were injected with 35 mg/kg of pentobarbital sodium, and the duration of time each animal remained under anesthesia was recorded. The rats remained anesthetized for longer periods of time between the hours of 1600 and 2200 than at other times of the day; this indicates that the response to the drug is dependent on he circadian phase system of the animal. When the results were plotted along the 24-hour time scale, the difference between the crest and trough of the curve was about 100%. A second colony of rats was maintained in a similar fashion except that the animals were subjected to continuous illumination. The rhythm of their susceptibility to pentobarbital sodium persisted for at least four weeks in a form highly modified from the animals synchronized to a light-dark cycle. In a third colony of animals, the rhythm still was present four months after they had been blinded; but it was modified and different from either the light-dark synchronized animals or from rats subjected to continuous illumination. The importance of recognizing the time structure of the living organism is discussed.
Phosphocreatine T1 measurements with and without exchange in the heart.

The intrinsic phosphocreatine (PCr) T1 values measured by time-dependent magnetization transfer in isolated perfused rat, hamster, and turkey hearts were indistinguishable. The value of 3.5 ± 0.3 s for the rat heart is similar to values measured by other magnetization transfer methods. Irreversibly inhibiting the phosphoryl exchange between PCr and ATP in the rat heart using iodoacetamide changed the apparent T1 values of the two exchanging species when measured by inversion recovery: The apparent T1 of PCr increased from 1.92 ± 0.06 s to 3.55 ± 0.06 s, in excellent agreement with the intrinsic T1, measured by magnetization transfer. The apparent T1 of [γ-P]ATP decreased from 0.92 ± 0.07 s to 0.44 ± 0.03 s. The value for the T1 of [γ-P]ATP in hearts with inhibited phosphoryl exchange was similar to T1 values for [α-P]ATP and [β-P]ATP, which remained unchanged. This illustrates that apparent T1 values for PCr and [γ-P]ATP measured by inversion recovery in the presence of exchange are average T1 values in between the intrinsic values. The large differences between the intrinsic T1 measured by magnetization transfer and the T1 measured by inversion recovery makes the use of the appropriate value in different applications quantitatively important.
Thought-experiment intuitions and truth in fiction

What sorts of things are the intuitions generated via thought experiment? Timothy Williamson has responded to naturalistic skeptics by arguing that thought-experiment intuitions are judgments of ordinary counterfactuals. On this view, the intuition is naturalistically innocuous, but it has a contingent content and could be known at best a posteriori. We suggest an alternative to Williamson’s account, according to which we apprehend thought-experiment intuitions through our grasp on truth in fiction. On our view, intuitions like the Gettier intuition are necessarily true and knowable a priori. Our view, like Williamson’s, avoids naturalistic skepticism.
Network security: Protocol reference model and the trusted computer system evaluation criteria

Issues arising from the application of the Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) to networks are discussed, particularly those requiring further research. The focus is on how to integrate many of the concepts in the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) security addendum into the framework of the TCSEC. The discussion covers the protocol architectural issues of the trusted network with particular emphasis on the relationship among network protocols, protocol reference model, and network security. It is argued that application of the TCSEC to computer networks requires incorporation of a network protocol reference model as implemented in a protocol suite.
The Cloudy Condensation of Steam

(1) THE fault I have to find with Mr. Bidwell (NATURE, December 28, p. 212, 1893) and others who are aiming to revive the chemical hypothesis tentatively broached by the late R. von Helmholtz (Wied. Ann. xxxii. p. 1, 1887. cf. p. 7 et Seq.), is that these gentlemen are abandoning a tried theory when its capabilities are far from exhausted. To begin at once with the most recent contribution to our knowledge of the subject, Mr. Bidwell's observation, let a series of excessively small condensation nuclei be enclosed in a vessel without further interference. They were active before being put there; but after remaining imprisoned for a sufficient length of time, Mr. Bidwell finds them shorn of their power to produce condensation in supersaturated steam. Now, I ask, is it at all probable that these particles will remain distinct throughout the whole time of confinement? I think not. Take the familiar case of fine clay suspended in water. What goes on during subsidence is an agglomeration of particles. This process may be enormously accelerated by small additions of acid or almost any other foreign matter to the water. In ether the speed of agglomeration is so marked, that the (dry) mud which may be suspended in water for weeks, or even months, falls out of ether like so many grains of sand. Witness, furthermore, the case of any chemical precipitate. Those little solid corpuscles were originally all but molecular in size; yet they grew with such enormous rapidity to so enormous a bulk (relatively speaking), that the formed precipitate subsides quickly (in most cases) even in water. Think of those monstrous clots of fresh chloride of silver; think, too, that they were being built up of individual molecules in an instant and before one's very eyes. Then why should condensation nuclei be so good as to remain distinct indefinitely?
The role of HOx in super‐ and subsonic aircraft exhaust plumes

The generation of sulfuric acid aerosols in aircraft exhaust has emerged as a critical issue in determining the impact of supersonic aircraft on stratospheric ozone. It has long been held that the first step in the mechanism of aerosol formation is the oxidation of SO2 emitted from the engine by OH in the exhaust plume. We report in situ measurements of OH and HO2 in the exhaust plumes of a supersonic (Air France Concorde) and a subsonic (NASA ER-2) aircraft in the lower stratosphere. These measurements imply that reactions with OH are responsible for oxidizing only a small fraction of SO2 (2%), and thus cannot explain the large number of particles observed in the exhaust wake of the Concorde.
Randomized comparison of ligation versus ligation plus sclerotherapy in patients with bleeding esophageal varices

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: Combining endoscopic sclerotherapy with ligation has been proposed to hasten variceal eradication. A randomized trial was performed comparing combination ligation plus sclerotherapy with ligation alone in patients with major bleeding from esophageal varices. METHODS: Forty-one patients were randomly assigned to receive ligation or ligation plus 1 mL 1.5% tetradecyl injected just above each band. Treatment was repeated weekly until varices were eradicated. Repeat endoscopy was performed for rebleeding and every 3 months after eradication. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between combined therapy and ligation in rebleeding (29% vs. 30%), blood transfused (3.1 +/- 1.1 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.8 U), hospital days (9.3 +/- 2.1 vs. 7.5 +/- 1.2), complications (29% vs. 10%), or deaths (14% vs. 15%) during a mean follow-up period of 28 weeks. Combined therapy required significantly more sessions to achieve eradication (4.9 +/- 0.6 vs. 2.7 +/- 0.4) and greater time per treatment session (18.3 +/- 1.7 vs. 13.3 +/- 0.5 minutes). CONCLUSIONS: Combined ligation plus sclerotherapy does not reduce the number of treatment sessions required for variceal eradication as compared with ligation alone. Combined therapy lengthens the time required for treatment without improving efficacy or decreasing complications. Thus, combined ligation and sclerotherapy should not be used to treat patients with bleeding esophageal varices. (Gastroenterology 1996 Feb;110(2):529-33)