cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elucidating the molecular basis of PPCD: Effects of decreased ZEB1 expression on corneal endothelial cell function.

PURPOSE To investigate the functional role that the zinc e-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) gene, which underlies the genetic basis of posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy 3 (PPCD3), plays in corneal endothelial cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and barrier function. METHODS A human corneal endothelial cell line (HCEnC-21T) was transfected with siRNA targeting ZEB1 mRNA. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and barrier assays were performed: Cell proliferation was assessed with cell counting using a hemocytometer; cell apoptosis, induced by either ultraviolet C (UVC) radiation or doxorubicin treatment, was quantified by measuring cleaved caspase 3 (cCASP3) protein levels; and cell migration and barrier function were monitored with electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS). RESULTS ZEB1 knockdown in HCEnC-21T cells transfected with siRNA targeting ZEB1 did not result in a significant difference in cell proliferation when compared with control. Although knockdown of ZEB1 in HCEnC-21T cells sensitized the cells to UV-induced apoptosis, ZEB1 knockdown did not alter the cells' susceptibility to doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, as measured with cCASP3 protein levels, compared with controls. Similarly, no difference was observed in cell migration following ZEB1 knockdown. However, cell barrier function increased significantly following ZEB1 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS The corneal endothelium in PPCD3 is characterized by morphologic, anatomic, and molecular features that are more consistent with an epithelial-like rather than an endothelial-like phenotype. Although these characteristics have been well documented, we demonstrate for the first time that susceptibility to UV-induced apoptosis and cell barrier function are significantly altered in the setting of reduced ZEB1. The significance of an altered cellular response to apoptotic stimuli and increased cell barrier function in the pathobiology of PPCD remains to be fully elucidated.
Intermediate Section: Recalling the Results Described in the Introduction, Outlining the Content of the Next Sections and How These Results are Derived

After Part I, where we recalled our earlier results and constructions in great detail, there is the need, before providing in the next sections the proofs of the results which are central to this work, to recall in general terms the contents of these results, stated in Theorems 1–6 and Propositions 1–6 ofthe introduction. There is also the need to indicate how these statements are established in the next sections and to indicate the content of these sections. This is the reason why we have created this short Part II in this work.
Impact of Admission Imaging Findings on Neurological Outcomes in Acute Cervical Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

Abstract Variable and unpredictable spontaneous recovery can occur after acute cervical traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). Despite the critical clinical and interventional trial planning implicat...
A case of epidural glioblastoma metastasis presenting with a cervical myelopathy, torticollis, and L'hermitte's phenomenon

Extraneural glioblastoma metastases are exceedingly rare, though previously described in the literature. Activating mutations in the BRAF kinase gene (V600E) are present in a minority of glioblastoma patients. Here, we describe a case of systemic metastases of a clonal subpopulation of BRAF V600E mutated glioblastoma in a patient previously treated with surgery, radiation, temozolomide and bevacizumab. The patient presented with a subacute cervical myelopathy during adjuvant treatment. He underwent emergent surgical decompression of an epidural spine metastasis. Analysis of the metastatic tumor demonstrated clonal expansion of a BRAF V600E subpopulation. Though rare, systemic metastasis of glioblastoma should be considered in patients presenting with subacute complaints in line with a mass lesion.
Using Information Processing Strategies to Predict Contagion of Social Media Behavior: A Theoretical Model

This study presents the Social Media Cognitive Processing model, which explains and predicts the depth of processing on social media based on three classic concepts from the offline literature about cognitive processing: self-generation, psychological distance, and self-reference. Together, these three dimensions have tremendous explanatory power in predicting the depth of processing a receiver will have in response to a sender’s message. Moreover, the model can be used to explain and predict the direction and degree of information proliferation. This model can be used in a variety of contexts (e.g., isolating influencers to persuade others about the merits of vaccination, to dispel fake news, or to spread political messages). We developed the model in the context of Brexit tweets.
FUNCTIONAL HEMISPHERIC ASYMMETRY ASSESSMENT IN A VISUAL LANGUAGE TASK USING MEG

We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to assess the degree of hemispheric activation in eleven normal, right-handed subjects with no history of neurological disorder or learning disability during performance of a word- and a face-recognition tasks. Neuromagnetic activity was recorded using a whole-head system, and the sources of the recorded magnetic fields were modeled as single equivalent current dipoles. Early ( 200 msec) cerebral activation was approximately double in the left hemisphere in almost all subjects, involving temporal and temporoparietal areas. In contrast, during the face-recognition task, the corresponding activation was mostly symmetrical across the two occipital lobes, also involving the posterior-inferior aspect of the right temporal lobe. Our results suggest that the MEG is a suitable method of assessing noninvasively hemispheric specialization for language.
The Moral Demands of Contemporary Life and Christian Moral Education

Rick is an engineer who works for a defence contracting company. After participating in an adult religious education program I offered he approached me and asked if I would serve as a sounding board as he reflected on his life. He raised specific questions about the potential for the immoral use of the weapons system he had just been asked to design, and wondered if he should request that certain design specifications for this project be changed. He then drew insight from Catholic Social Teaching in raising broader concerns about the morality and/or immorality of the defense contracting work he had done for the past twenty years and how he could use his professional expertise in ways that would be life-giving rather than death-dealing. Roberta is a lawyer. A colleague and friend of Roberta’s was suspended and later resigned from the firm for which they worked. He admitted to showing a serious lack of judgment in offering recommendations for a man whom he knew had faced multiple charges of serious sex offenses. This colleague approached Roberta for help and support. After Roberta found out as much as she could about the situation she sought my counsel as she struggled to answer for herself the questions: ‘Do I have a moral obligation to try and help my colleague Tom, or is the morally best thing to do to step back at this point from my friendship with Tom? How might Christian faith serve as a resource as I strive to cope with this situation?’ (The above stories are based on actual events. Names and details have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved.) There has always been, to some extent, an emphasis on Christian moral responsibility in the world, on the importance of Christians striving to connect their faith in meaningful and morally responsible ways with their everyday lives. As a pastoral minister and Christian religious educator, I have followed this emphasis
The Distinctiveness Model of the Narcissistic Subtypes (DMNS): What Binds and Differentiates Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism

Grandiose narcissists (GN) and vulnerable narcissists (VN) share traits of self-absorption, entitlement, and callousness but differ in self-esteem and confidence (i.e., high in GN but low in VN). Historical emphasis on the importance of self-enhancement, or maintaining high self-esteem, in narcissism theory places VN at a crossroads. Although some researchers view self-esteem as the primary feature defining the narcissistic subtypes (e.g., Rose, Pers Ind Diff 33:379–391, 2002), others use self-esteem to question if VN should be categorized as a narcissism subtype (e.g., Morf and Rhodewalt, Psychol Inquiry 12:177–196, 2001). To tackle this conceptual confusion, this chapter outlines the Distinctiveness Model of the Narcissistic Subtypes (DMNS). This motivational model builds on current trait-based theories in order to examine how GN and VN are similar enough to both be considered narcissistic but also different enough to be labeled as separate subtypes. Specifically, the DMNS proposes that GN and VN share a particularly strong need to differentiate themselves from others and be seen as distinct or “special.” However, the subtypes differ in how they orient to this motivation: whereas GN are promotion-focused in their need for distinctiveness, VN are prevention-focused. This leads GN to concentrate on gains and seek new opportunities to become more distinct. In contrast, VN worry about suffering losses and thus remain vigilant to defend against diminishing specialness. This chapter (a) concentrates on empirical evidence for the DMNS, (b) explores how this model can explain past findings, and (c) discusses the new predictions this model can make in narcissism literature.
Coupling Effect of Magnetic Fields on Piezotronic and Piezophototronic Properties of ZnO and ZnO/Co3O4 Core/Shell Nanowire Arrays

Piezoelectric-related multiproperty coupling effects have recently attracted much attention for developing next generation multifunctional devices. In this paper, the multiproperty coupling effects...
The fallopian tube, “precursor escape” and narrowing the knowledge gap to the origins of high-grade serous carcinoma

Most ovarian carcinomas are high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSC) that contain TP53 mutations, present at advanced stage, and eventually become resistant to chemotherapy. The rapid evolution of this disease has been attributed to an origin in the distal fallopian tube, in the form of serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STICs). This has led to a disease model where malignancy develops first in the tube and spreads to the peritoneum or regional lymph nodes. However, although most early or incidentally discovered HGSCs manifest in the tube with STICs, many advanced HGSCs are not accompanied by a malignancy in the fimbria. To resolve this paradox, the focus has shifted to earlier, premalignant serous proliferations (ESPs) in the tubes, which lack the cytomorphologic features of malignancy but contain TP53 mutations. These have been termed p53 signatures or serous tubal intraepithelial lesions (STILs). Although they have not been presumed to have cancer-causing potential by themselves, some ESPs have recently been shown to share identical TP53 mutations with concurrent HGSCs, indicating a shared lineage between these early mucosal changes and metastatic malignancy. This discovery supports a paradigm by which HGSCs can emerge not only from STICs but also from exfoliated precursor cells (precursor escape) that eventually undergo malignant transformation within the peritoneal cavity. This paradigm unifies both localized and widespread HGSCs to a visible pre-existing cellular alteration in the tubal epithelium, and highlights a consistent and necessary biologic event (TP53 mutation) rarely encountered in the ovary or secondary Mullerian system. This dual pathway to HGSCs underscores the subtle nature of many serous cancer origins in the tube, explains contrasting clinico-pathologic presentations, and explains why, until recently, the fallopian tube was unappreciated as the principal origin of HGSCs. Moreover, it highlights additional challenges faced in preventing or intercepting HGSCs at a curable stage.
Comparison of Deep Learning Models for Biometric-based Mobile User Authentication

Recent advances have demonstrated the efficacy of deep learning models for mobile biometrics. In this paper, we evaluate and compare different deep learning models in terms of their efficiency and accuracy when used for biometric user authentication on mobile devices. To this aim, well-known pre-trained architectures such as VGG, ResNet, DenseNet and models proposed for mobile vision applications such as MobileNetVl, MobileNetV2, and NasNet-mobile, are compared with respect to their matching performance and computational cost. Further, we propose a compact and fast custom deep learning model for efficient operations on resource-constrained mobile devices. Experimental investigations were performed as a case study on mobile ocular biometrics using a large-scale VISOB dataset. Reported results suggest the best trade-off between performance and computational cost by our custom model over existing deep learning architectures.
optimization of Nested Array-based LDPC Codes Via Spatial Coupling

Linear nested codes, where two or more subcodes are nested in a global code, have been proposed as candidates for reliable multi-terminal communication. In this paper, we consider nested array-based spatially coupled LDPC codes and propose a line-counting based optimization scheme for minimizing the number of dominant absorbing sets in order to improve its performance in the high signal-to-noise ratio regime. The presented multi-step optimization process is applied first to one of the nested codes, then an optimization of the remaining nested codes is carried out based on these code constraints. We also show that for certain code parameters, dominant absorbing sets in the Tanner graphs of all nested codes can be completely removed using our proposed optimization strategy.
Radiation Oncologist Perceptions of Telemedicine from Consultation to Treatment Planning: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Purpose Telemedicine was rapidly implemented for initial consultations and radiation treatment planning in the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this study, we explore utilization of and physician perspectives on this approach in an attempt to identify patient populations that may benefit most from virtual care. Methods and Materials This is a mixed-methods study with a convergent design. Approximately 6 to 8 weeks after implementation of telemedicine, all radiation oncologists in a single academic radiation oncology department were invited to participate in either semistructured interviews with embedded survey questions or a concurrently administered survey only. Rapid qualitative analysis was used to identify common themes, and quantitative data was assessed using descriptive statistics and univariable analyses. Results At the apex of the pandemic, 92% of radiation oncology visits were conducted via telemedicine. In total, 51 of 61 radiation oncologists participated in the study (response rate 84%). Most (71%) reported no difference in ability to treat cancer appropriately via telemedicine, which was more common among specialized physicians (P = .01) but not those with higher visit volume or years of experience. Over half (55%) perceived no difference or even improvement in overall visit quality with telemedicine. Virtual visits were deemed acceptable for a median of 70% to 96% of patients, which varied by disease site. Need for physical examination, and availability of an acceptable proxy, factored into telemedicine acceptability. Most (88%) found telemedicine better than expected, but opinions were split on how telemedicine would affect physician burnout. Almost all (96%) foresaw a role for telemedicine beyond the pandemic and would opt for a median of 50% (interquartile range 20%-66%) of visits conducted via telemedicine. Conclusions Among radiation oncologists in an academic setting, telemedicine was perceived to be highly appropriate and acceptable for most patients. Future studies should focus on identifying the 5% to 30% of patients whose care may be optimized with in-person visits, and if there is alignment with patient preferences.
Aerial sensing system for wildfire detection: demo abstract

Every day in the summer here in California, we are exposed to extreme wildland firefighting incidents. To fight such wildfires, thousands of firefighters need to spread across hundreds of square miles. Recent years have witnessed an aggressive push towards building Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) for helping the fire-fighting missions. In this demo, we present a vision-based aerial sensing system for early fire detection with on-board intelligent processor. We propose a new open source perception system for joint autopiloting and multi-sensory object detection with a tight power budget. The technical approach focuses on developing a robust aerial sensing pipeline for fire detection in low-visible and smoky environments based on multi-cameras and thermal image sensor.
Group Solidarity Versus Individual Autonomy in Research Involving American Indian/Alaskan Native Communities

Since the first European settlers arrived in the Americas, American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) people have suffered from devastating diseases, violence, and genocide. During the conquest of ...
What Directs Search? Experimental Evidence on Some Triggers of Exploration

Search is fundamental to managers and organizations, a cornerstone of the behavioral theory of the firm. But although theory and firm-level evidence rely on presumed individual mechanisms, these remain untested or are contested. Here we join the effort to uncover the micro-processes of search by identifying some conditions that encourage exploration. To do that, we design and conduct incentivized, randomized behavioral experiments, and replicate them across populations. We theorize that search can be reactive, a response to immediate negative experiences — but also proactive, guided by deliberation and anticipation. We begin by testing the prevalent assumption that exploration is a reaction to trailing aspirations. But then we demonstrate that exploration can be also prompted by stable performance (low variability). Moreover, performance stability (or variability) also interacts with the response to a negative aspiration–performance gap, seemingly changing how it is interpreted. We proceed to compare the observed human behavior to that of artificial intelligence (AI) agents. We find the populations behave similarly, starting with a broad exploratory search, which may not be immediately lucrative. The evidence, we propose, demonstrates that decision-makers can search proactively, not just in response to a failure or haphazardly. Rather, they act as if they use feedback to refine a mental model, a model that directs subsequent search.
Intraoperative CT as a registration benchmark for intervertebral motion compensation in image-guided open spinal surgery

An accurate and reliable benchmark of registration accuracy and intervertebral motion compensation is important for spinal image guidance. In this study, we evaluated the utility of intraoperative CT (iCT) in place of bone-implanted screws as the ground-truth registration and illustrated its use to benchmark the performance of intraoperative stereovision (iSV). A template-based, multi-body registration scheme was developed to individually segment and pair corresponding vertebrae between preoperative CT and iCT of the spine. Intervertebral motion was determined from the resulting vertebral pair-wise registrations. The accuracy of the image-driven registration was evaluated using surface-to-surface distance error (SDE) based on segmented bony features and was independently verified using point-to-point target registration error (TRE) computed from bone-implanted mini-screws. Both SDE and TRE were used to assess the compensation accuracy using iSV. The iCT-based technique was evaluated on four explanted porcine spines (20 vertebral pairs) with artificially induced motion. We report a registration accuracy of 0.57 $$\pm $$ 0.32 mm (range 0.34–1.14 mm) and 0.29 $$\pm $$ 0.15 mm (range 0.14–0.78 mm) in SDE and TRE, respectively, for all vertebrae pooled, with an average intervertebral rotation of $$4.9^{\circ } \pm 1.2^{\circ }$$ (range 1.5 $$^{\circ }$$ –7.9 $$^{\circ }$$ ). The iSV-based compensation accuracy for one sample (four vertebrae) was 1.32 $$\pm $$ 0.19 mm and 1.72 $$\pm $$ 0.55 mm in SDE and TRE, respectively, exceeding the recommended accuracy of 2 mm. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of iCT in place of invasive fiducials as a registration ground truth. These findings are important for future development of on-demand spinal image guidance using radiation-free images such as stereovision and ultrasound on human subjects.
Participatory Practice: Community-based Action for Transformative Change by Margaret Ledwith and Jane Springett

Participatory Practice: Community-based Action for Transformative Change is about pragmatic community approaches aimed at sustainable change to give a voice to the voiceless. Although participatory...
Eficácia dos cerumenolíticos: uma revisão baseada na evidência para Cuidados Primários

Goals: Impacted cerumen may have important effects on the well-being of the patient and is a common cause of visits to primary health care. The aim of this article is to review the evidence for the efficacy of cerumenolytic agents for the removal of cerumen. Data sources: Medline, Cochrane Library, National Guideline Clearinghouse, NHS Evidence and DARE. Review methods: A search for randomized controlled trials (RCT), meta-analyses, systematic reviews (SR) and clinical guidelines, published between January, 2000 and August, 2011 in Portuguese and English, using the MeSH terms cerumen and cerumenolytic agents was performed. The Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) of the American Family Physician was used to evaluate the quality and the strength of the recommendation of the studies. Results: Of 132 articles found, ten met the inclusion criteria (3 SR, 4 RCT and 3 guidelines). Most articles concluded that cerumenolytic agents were effective in removing impacted cerumen when compared to no treatment, but the data were inconclusive to demonstrate which agent is the most effective. There were no significant differences between cerumenolytic agents, even when compared with a saline solution. Conclusions: Cerumenolytic agents are effective in removing cerumen when compared to no treatment (SOR B). Although there was insufficient evidence to recommend the use of a particular cerumenolytic agent (SOR B), the removal of cerumen can improve the well-being of the patient. Family Physicians should treat impacted cerumen when it is associated with symptoms. If proper instruments or technique for manual removal of cerumen or irrigation are lacking, and considering the associated risk of perforation of the tympanic membrane with these methods, the use of cerumenolytic agents should be considered the most viable option. More methodologically robust patient-oriented studies to assess which agents and which regimens are more effective for the removal of cerumen are needed.
The Conservative Seventies: Memoir of an Epistemological Moment

Excerpt: "What I may contribute to this book and in which direction my answers to Pedro Dolabela's questions will go is quite easily explained. I was twenty-five years old back in 1973 and worked as [the German equivalent of] an Assistant Professor at the newly founded University of Konstanz. So I lived through, from a specific angle of course, the epistemology of that time. I was one of its countless embodiments. More specifically, my memories of the early Seventies refer to some of the positions, debates, and developments that were shaping the Humanities and Arts during those years [of course under the particular German conditions to which the name of “ Geisteswissenschaften ” alludes]. Altogether, the picture that I can see today, against the blurring effect of so many years passed, strikes me as heterogeneous and multi-vectorial -- but at least one type of observation, one peculiar complaint that was current in the present of forty years ago, came back over and again. It was the then so often reiterated impression that certain expectations, expectations based on an attitude that intellectuals, somehow pretentiously, used to call 'philosophy of history,' had not been fulfilled yet. History, after what had been hailed as a promising spurt of 'progress' during the late 1960s, now seemed to slow down within 'the conservative Seventies' -- and so it became the obvious obligation for whoever wanted to be 'progressive' to re-ignite the rhythm of History in order to ultimately reach what it had promised. To most of us the thought was still remote, if not unconceivable, that 'History,' in today's words: the construction of time that had emerged around 1800, could be historical itself. Rather, 'Time' and 'History' continued to look like one stable framework, valid for all times and cultures, and if any present did not seem to fulfill its pre-assigned function within these coordinates, we were tempted to react as if it made sense to accuse the present of a conspiracy against History."
Post-infectious sequelae of travelers' diarrhea.

Background Travelers' diarrhea (TD) has generally been considered a self-limited disorder which resolves more quickly with expeditious and appropriate antibiotic therapy given bacteria are the most frequently identified cause. However, epidemiological, clinical, and basic science evidence identifying a number of chronic health conditions related to these infections has recently emerged which challenges this current paradigm. These include serious and potentially disabling enteric and extra-intestinal long-term complications. Among these are rheumatologic, neurologic, gastrointestinal, renal, and endocrine disorders. This review aims to examine and summarize the current literature pertaining to three of these post-infectious disorders: reactive arthritis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome and the relationship of these conditions to diarrhea associated with travel as well as to diarrhea associated with gastroenteritis which may not be specifically travel related but relevant by shared microbial pathogens. It is hoped this review will allow clinicians who see travelers to be aware of these post-infectious sequelae thus adding to our body of knowledge in travel medicine. Methods Data for this article were identified by searches of PubMed and MEDLINE, and references from relevant articles using search terms “travelers' diarrhea” “reactive arthritis” “Guillain-Barre syndrome” “Post-Infectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” Abstracts were included when related to previously published work. Results and Conclusions A review of the published literature reveals that potential consequences of travelers' diarrhea may extend beyond the acute illness and these post-infectious complications may be more common than currently recognized. In addition since TD is such a common occurrence it would be helpful to be able to identify those who might be at greater risk of post-infectious sequelae in order to target more aggressive prophylactic or therapeutic approaches to such individuals. It is hoped this review will allow clinicians who see travelers to be aware of these post-infectious sequelae thus adding to our body of knowledge in travel medicine.
Infants’ perception of object–surface interplays

Twelve- and 18-month-old infants participated in a study designed to investigate the quality of their manual action when relating an object to the surface on which it is explored. Specifically, infants' perception-action routines were observed when they were presented with multiple objects (wooden scoop, Velcro block, and crayon) on surfaces of varying properties (paper, sand, and Velcro) to determine if sensory feedback or perceptual awareness steered their exploration of the available materials. Infants were observed to selectively tailor their manual actions across conditions, apparently guided by a perceived awareness of the fit between their manual dexterity and the environmental arrangement.
Overview of the NASA/JPL Lasercom program

The NASA-funded optical communications program being conducted at JPL is described. The spacecraft transceiver terminal developments, a test infrastructure for assessing the performance of future space terminals, an atmospheric visibility monitoring program, some recent systems-level demonstrations, and a communications technology roadmap for planetary missions over the next 25 years are presented.
Comment on “Tectonic control of Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge revealed by a buried canyon in Southern Tibet”

Wang et al. (Reports, 21 November, 2014, p. 978) describe a buried canyon upstream of the Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge and argue that rapid erosion of the gorge was merely a passive response to rapid uplift at ~2.5 million years ago (Ma). We view these data as an expected consequence emerging from feedbacks between erosion and crustal rheology active well before 2.5 Ma.
QoS-aware Active Gateway for Multimedia Communication

With the rapid growth of variety in networked multimedia applications over the Internet, active gateways between senders and receivers become more and more desirable. However, there are at least two major concerns to use the active network concept for multimedia communication at a gateway: (1) support of bounded end-to-end configuration delays when a gateway is dynamically configured with QoS services during media transmission, to maintain minimum QoS degradation (e.g. jitters) and (2) support of bounded reconfiguration delays for fault tolerance handling when a gateway goes down and a new gateway needs to be reconfigured. We have designed, implemented and experimented with a QoS-aware active gateway architecture which addresses the two above described concerns. Our experiments and results show that an active gateway with flexible QoS services can be configured in an efficient manner and QoS guarantees can be preserved during the configuration/reconfiguration time if no additional security services such as authentication have to be performed at each reconfiguration request. In case of authentication our results show that the QoS will be degraded over a period of time and upgraded once the reconfiguration process is finished.
The Bohr effect of fetal hemoglobin.

Abstract The Bohr effect of solutions of hemoglobin A, F, and A-F was studied. Between pH 7.2 and pH 7.8 the calculated Bohr effect was φ = −0.48 for all three solutions. However, between pH 7.2 and pH 6.5 the Bohr effect of hemoglobin F was greater (φ = −0.51) than hemoglobin A (φ = −0.43). The shape and inflection of the oxygen dissociation curves were identical for both hemoglobin types. The pertinent literature is reviewed, the dissimilarity of whole blood and hemoglobin solution equilibrations is discussed, and the physiologic significance of the Bohr effect in utero is studied.
Acute Ethanol Reduces Reversal Cost in Discrimination Learning by Reducing Perseverance in Adolescent Rhesus Macaques

Background Acute alcohol exposure produces cognitive deficits in adults but less is known about the acute cognitive effects of alcohol in adolescents. The cognitive impact of acute alcohol exposure includes deficits in discrimination and reversal learning, but traditional experimental approaches make it difficult to distinguish the effect of alcohol on discrimination learning from the effect of alcohol on reversal learning. Young rhesus macaques can be used to model some aspects of human adolescence because of their anatomical, neurophysiological, and cognitive similarities with humans. Methods Adolescent male rhesus monkeys (n = 10) were trained to respond to visual stimuli on touch-sensitive LCD panels controlled by the nonhuman primate version of CANTAB software. Discrimination and reversal learning tasks were subsequently assessed after monkeys were allowed to consume varying amounts of ethanol (EtOH) in a flavored vehicle (vehicle only, up to 0.5 g/kg EtOH, up to 1.0 g/kg EtOH, and up to 1.5 g/kg EtOH). Results Acute exposure to EtOH reduced perseverance, increased response accuracy, and reduced errors during reversal learning when the task was completed within 90 minutes of EtOH consumption. No reduction in reversal errors was observed when EtOH was consumed 3 or 24 hours prior to reversal learning. EtOH only impaired discrimination learning when monkeys had very little previous EtOH exposure. Conclusions The temporal relationship between EtOH consumption and reversal learning was consistent with selective EtOH-induced impairment of retrieval, but not storage, processes. This was evidenced by diminished perseverance on the previously correct stimulus leading to decreased errors to criterion.
Children's Eyewitness Memory: A Modern History and Contemporary Commentary.

This article provides a modern historical overview of child eyewitness research, as well as an evaluative commentary on the field, with special emphasis on children's eyewitness memory and suggestibility in child sexual abuse cases. Four historical periods are reviewed: the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s (to date). Examples of legal cases that inform scientific research are described, discussion of relevant laws is presented, and a review of selected studies is offered. It is concluded that although we have learned a great deal about children's eyewitness memory and suggestibility over the last few decades, simple answers are evasive and much more research is needed.
Three-Frequency Motion and Chaos in the Ginzburg-Landau Equation

The Ginzburg-Landau equation with periodic boundary conditions on the interval [0, $\frac{2\ensuremath{\pi}}{q}$] is integrated numerically for large times. As $q$ is decreased, the motion in phase space exhibits a sequence of bifurcations from a limit cycle to a two-torus to a three-torus to a chaotic regime. The three-torus is observed for a finite range of $q$ and transition to chaotic flow is preceded by frequency locking.
Soft-tissue profile-fallacies of hard-tissue standards in treatment planning

The study was designed to test the efficacy of using a cephalometric dentoskeletal standard as a clinical tool to produce predictable and desirable facial esthetics. Thirty adolescent patients were randomly selected who, at the completion of treatment, had lower incisors positioned approximately 1.5 mm anterior to the A-pogonion plane. A normal sample of excellent faces (Indiana sample) was used for comparison. Both profile measurements of hard and soft tissues were made. The most striking observation was the large variation in the facial profiles even in cases successfully treated to a cephalometric dentoskeletal standard. The variation (2 standard deviations) of lip protrusion from the subnasale pogonion plane was 5 mm or a total of 10 mm. Similar variations were found in other soft-tissue measurements. The results suggest that any given dentoskeletal standard has questionable validity in producing either desirable esthetics or reproducible profiles following treatment.
Systemic RNAi delivery to the muscles of ROSA26 mice reduces lacZ expression.

RNAi has potential for therapeutically downregulating the expression of dominantly inherited genes in a variety of human genetic disorders. Here we used the ROSA26 mouse, which constitutively expresses the bacterial lacZ gene in tissues body wide, as a model to test the ability to downregulate gene expression in striated muscles. Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAVs) were generated that express short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) able to target the lacZ mRNA. Systemic delivery of these rAAV6 vectors led to a decrease of β-galactosidase expression of 30–50-fold in the striated muscles of ROSA26 mice. However, high doses of vectors expressing 21 nucleotide shRNA sequences were associated with significant toxicity in both liver and cardiac muscle. This toxicity was reduced in cardiac muscle using lower vector doses. Furthermore, improved knockdown in the absence of toxicity was obtained by using a shorter (19 nucleotide) shRNA guide sequence. These results support the possibility of using rAAV vectors to deliver RNAi sequences systemically to treat dominantly inherited disorders of striated muscle.
Electrochemical evaluation of copper deposition with gas sparging

The influence of gas sparging during copper electrolysis was studied using standard electrochemical techniques. The polarization behaviour of acid copper electrolytes was determined in the presence and absence of gas sparging on vertical electrodes. Tracer ion techniques were employed to determine the effect of gas sparging and forced circulation of the electrolyte on the mass transfer characteristics of the system. In addition to the potentiodynamic scans, 3-h copper deposits were produced for morphology and orientation studies. The effect of current density and temperature on deposition were also studied. The polarization experiments have shown that a mass transfer component becomes evident at about 40% of the limiting current density at which point the deposit becomes noticeably rougher.
Cooking the Books: Strategic Inflation of Casualty Reports by Extremists in the Afghanistan Conflict

Islamist extremists in Afghanistan and elsewhere are exaggerating their successes in inflicting casualties on American and other International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces. This article quantifies the exaggeration for the month of November 2010, putting the claimed casualty rate at approximately one-half battalion per month. It provides an analysis of how and why this is occurring, and links this extremist strategic communication effort to dominant historical master narratives in the region that may produce sympathy among intended recipients of the messages. The authors argue that these measures undertaken by the extremists can be countered successfully through the use of similar story forms, more timely reporting, use of side-by-side comparisons, and use of similar reporting venues. These steps could challenge the credibility of the Taliban reports, reduce sympathy, and diminish potential recruitment.
Cryptographic lower bounds for learnability of Boolean functions on the uniform distribution

We investigate cryptographic lower bounds on the number of samples and on computational resources required to learn several classes of boolean circuits on the uniform distribution. Under the assumption that solving n x n1+e subset sum is hard, we construct (using the results of Impagliazzo and Naor [IN89] and Goldreich, Goldwasser, and Micali[GGM86] a pseudo-random function generator that can be computed by shallow boolean circuits. From this we conclude that learning AC1 circuits on the uniform distribution requires O(nlog log n) different samples, or, alternatively, that learning AC1 circuits on the uniform distribution with a polynomial number of samples is as hard as solving n x n1+e subset sum. We also show that no algorithm can learn NC1 circuits on the uniform distribution with a polynomial number of samples. Using the weaker assumption that solving n x (1+e)nsubset sum is hard, we show that the class of NC circuits can not be learned with nlogcn samples for any c.
Some properties of a crystalline-array virus (CAV) isolated from the grasshopper Melanoplus bivattatus (Say) (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Abstract A new virus, designated “crystalline-array virus” (CAV), was isolated from the grasshopper Melanoplus bivittatus (Say). Although some differences in species susceptibility were evident in infectivity assays, CAV was found to be capable of infecting and killing grasshoppers of a wide variety of species. The cytoplasm of muscle, tracheal matrix, and pericardial cells of infected grasshoppers bore numerous rod-shaped crystals consisting of spherical virus particles, approximately 13 mμ in diameter, in crystalline array. Purification of the virus was accomplished by sucrosedensity gradient ultracentrifugation. Physicochemical analyses indicated that CAV possessed a ribonucleic acid and protein content of 18–22% and 78–82%, respectively, and had a sedimentation coefficient of 42S.
Generation of novel DNA-binding compounds by selection and amplification from self-assembled combinatorial libraries

Abstract We describe a general method for the selection of compounds from self-assembled libraries which employs an immobilized receptor (i.e., and affinity reagent) to effect the selection. Using commercially available oligo d(A·T) DNA-cellulose resin, a set of three setereoisomeric coordination complexes are identified as DNA binding compounds from an equilibrating, self-assembled library of 36 bis(salicyladiminato)-zinc coordination complexes.
Nonparametric spatial models for extremes: application to extreme temperature data

Estimating the probability of extreme temperature events is difficult because of limited records across time and the need to extrapolate the distributions of these events, as opposed to just the mean, to locations where observations are not available. Another related issue is the need to characterize the uncertainty in the estimated probability of extreme events at different locations. Although the tools for statistical modeling of univariate extremes are well-developed, extending these tools to model spatial extreme data is an active area of research. In this paper, in order to make inference about spatial extreme events, we introduce a new nonparametric model for extremes. We present a Dirichlet-based copula model that is a flexible alternative to parametric copula models such as the normal and t-copula. The proposed modelling approach is fitted using a Bayesian framework that allow us to take into account different sources of uncertainty in the data and models. We apply our methods to annual maximum temperature values in the east-south-central United States.
The Search Conference In Active Adaptive Planning

The search conference is an experiential learning setting designed to stimulate active adaptation to turbulent environments. It has been used in a wide variety of contexts. Two critical dimensions are the structuring of the search conference task and the social organization of the participants. The general strategy is to explore issues in the future of the organization or larger social system being planned for in the context of trends in the wider society, to generate shared images of desirable futures which can guide choices between strategies. Search conferences usually produce proposals which must be negotiated with larger stakeholder groups and participants often develop networks which support their own ongoing activity. Several factors external and internal to the search conference may influence the outcomes.
Aggregation effects on oxygen binding of sickle cell hemoglobin

Deoxygenation of concentrated solutions (0.33 gram per milliliter) of sickle cell hemoglobin show (i) a "crisis point" where the oxygen binding curve is unusually steep (Hill coefficient of 5 to 6), and (ii) a simultaneous increase in light scattering. Nearly identical oxygen binding curves are obtained upon oxygenation and deoxygenation of these solutions. The influence of aggregation is to shift the curve toward higher pressures.
Magnetic anisotropy of serpentinized peridotites from the MARK area: Implications for the orientation of mesoscopic structures and major fault zones

[1] Mantle-derived serpentinized peridotites are exposed both along fracture zones and in areas of extreme tectonic extension at slow to intermediate spreading ridges and may constitute a significant volume of the shallow crust in these environments. Here we examine the potential of magnetic remanence data and structural features in serpentinized peridotites from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 920 (Mid-Atlantic Ridge south of Kane, MARK) to provide insights into the tectonic processes responsible for the exposure of these deep-seated rocks at the seafloor. Paleomagnetic data from 214 samples from Site 920 document a remarkably consistent inclination (36.1° +0.8°/-1.4°) that is shallower than either the expected geocentric axial dipole inclination (40.7°) or present-day inclination (41.9°) at the site. We show that the nearly univectorial remanence in these samples is likely to be a partial thermoremanence, possibly augmented by viscous processes at moderate temperatures. These properties were acquired during cooling from the relatively high temperatures (>350°C) at which serpentinization occurred. The remanence directions therefore provide some information on the latest stages of uplift of the serpentinite massif. However, interpretation of this tectonic history is complicated by the presence of a pronounced magnetic fabric, which presumably resulted in a deflection of the remanence. We estimate the magnitude and direction of this deflection using a relationship between the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and remanence anisotropy. The corrected remanent inclinations (mean 39.5°) more closely approximates the time-averaged inclination at the site, indicating that the massif experienced little or no resolvable tilt after serpentinization and cooling to 350°C. Accounting for the anisotropy-related deflection of the remanence also allows us to more accurately restore various structural features within the core to their geographic orientation. After this reorientation the dominant mesoscopic foliation in these rocks, defined by the preferred orientation of orthopyroxene and subparallel serpentine veins, has an average orientation that closely parallels the regional-scale fault zones on the western median valley wall.
Reliability of the visual analog scale for measurement of acute pain.

Objective: Reliable and valid measures of pain are needed to advance research initiatives on appropriate and effective use of analgesia in the emergency department (ED). The reliability of visual analog scale (VAS) scores has not been demonstrated in the acute setting where pain fluctuation might be greater than for chronic pain. The objective of the study was to assess the reliability of the VAS for measurement of acute pain. Methods: This was a prospective convenience sample of adults with acute pain presenting to two EDs. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) and a Bland-Altman analysis were used to assess reliability of paired VAS measurements obtained 1 minute apart every 30 minutes over two hours. Results: The summary ICC for all paired VAS scores was 0.97 [95% CI = 0.96 to 0.98]. The Bland-Altman analysis showed that 50% of the paired measurements were within 2 mm of one another, 90% were within 9 mm, and 95% were within 16 mm. The paired measurements were more reproducible at the extremes of pain intensity than at moderate levels of pain. Conclusions: Reliability of the VAS for acute pain measurement as assessed by the ICC appears to be high. Ninety percent of the pain ratings were reproducible within 9 mm. These data suggest that the VAS is sufficiently reliable to be used to assess acute pain.