cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review of interventions against fetal alcohol spectrum disorder targeting oxidative stress

Abstract Introduction Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is caused by maternal ethanol exposure; it causes physical, behavioral, cognitive, and neural impairments (Murawski et al., 2015). Mechanisms of FASD causing damage are not yet fully elucidated. Oxidative stress might be one of its mechanisms (Henderson et al., 1995). Yet no effective treatment against FASD has been found other than ethanol abstention (Long et al., 2010). Methods This review summarizes relevant literatures regarding interventions targeting oxidative stress that may relieve fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Results Astaxanthin was found to mitigate embryonic growth retardation induced by prenatal ethanol treatment through ameliorating the down regulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) caused by alcohol in a mice model (Zheng et al., 2014; Vabulas et al., 2002). Vitamin E protected against fatal alchol spectrum disorders by ameliorating oxidative stress in rat models (Mitchell et al., 1999a), and yielded a better outcome when it was combined with Vitamin C (Packer et al., 1979; Peng et al., 2005). Vitamin C mitigated embryonic retardation caused by alcohol and reversed ethanol induced NF-κB activation and ROS (reactive oxygen species) formation in a Xenopus laevis model (Peng et al., 2005). Beta carotene supplement was proved to protect against neurotoxicity in hippocampal cultures of embryos induced by alcohol in a rats model (Mitchell et al., 1999a). Prenatal folic acid supplement reversed the decrease of body weight caused by maternal ethanol treatment and ameliorated the increment of glutathione reductase specific activities as well as the increase of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) induced by alcohol in a rats model (Cano et al., 2001). Omega-3 fatty acids reversed the decrease of reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in brain caused by prenatal ethanol treatment in a rats model (Patten et al., 2013). EUK-134 treatment reduced the incidence of forelimb defects caused by ethanol treatment in a mice model (Chen et al., 2004). Pretreatment of activity-dependent neurotrophic factor-9 (ADNF-9) and NAPVSIPQ (NAP) protected against prenatal ethanol induced fetal death as well as fetal growth abnormalities in a mice model, and such treatment reversed the decrease of the rate of reduced glutathione (GSH)/ oxidative glutathione (GSSG) caused by alcohol (Spong et al., 2001). Conclusion By now interventions against fetal alcohol spectrum disorder targeting oxidative stress includes astaxanthin, Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin E, beta-carotene, (–)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), Omega-3 fatty acids, etc (see Fig. 1). However, most interventions are only assayed in animal models, more clinical trials are needed to show whether antioxidants make an effort against FASD damage.
Validation and comparison of non-hyperemic pressure reserve to fractional flow reserve for assessment of coronary artery stenosis: A real world study.

BACKGROUND The visual interpretation of an angiographic stenosis may not always reflect the physiological significance of a lesion. Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) is a reliable index to assess the significance of a lesion during hyperemia. However, there are pitfalls that can lead to significant misinterpretation and adverse events. OBJECTIVE This study sought to evaluate the accuracy and predictability of the non-hyperaemic pressure ratio (NHPR) without hyperemic stimuli, compared to hyperemic FFR. METHODS We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study of 700 patients who underwent a pressure recording during coronary angiography using NHPR and FFR measurements. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed. NHPR sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy test were calculated. The most accurate NHPR cutoff was determined. RESULTS Of the 700 procedures, 449 cases were included. By ROC analysis, the optimal cut-point for NHPR was 0.93 to predict an FFR of ≤0.80 with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 78.84%. The sensitivity of this NHPR cutoff was 85.06%, specificity of 75.59%, PPV of 64.53% and a NPV of 90.65%. There was an overall accuracy of about 80% for predicting non-hyperemic index (FFR < 0.80) using a cutoff of NHPR ≤ 0.93. CONCLUSIONS The use of NHPR can be considered in certain clinical scenarios where adenosine is contraindicated or there are other challenges; with the knowledge that hyperemia might be necessary if there is any high clinical suspicion as it still remains the reference standard for diagnostic certainty.
Structure and function studies of the nucleocapsid protein of mouse hepatitis virus.

Coronaviruses, like virtually all single-stranded RNA viruses, contain a nucleocapsid (N) protein in close structural association with their genomes.1 Knowledge of the structure and functions of N proteins would be fundamental to an understanding of the viral life cycle and pathogenesis. We have undertaken a study of the N protein of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) in an attempt to learn the roles of this protein in viral assembly, transcription and translation. Specifically, we would like to examine: (i) the nature of the interaction between N protein and the genome RNA; (ii) the nature of the interactions between adjacent and more distant pairs of N monomers in the helically symmetric viral nucleocapsid; and (iii) the location and purpose of the phosphoserine residue(s) known to occur in the N molecule.2,3 To date, we have pursued three approaches to these questions: (i) a comparison of the sequences of the N proteins of different, independently isolated strains of MHV; (ii) the examination of an N protein mutant of MHV-A59, Albany-4; and (iii) the in vitro expression and functional assay of N protein and of engineered mutants of N protein. Our results suggest that the MHV N protein has three structural domains, at least two of which may be functionally distinct.
Exploratory Analysis of Entrustable Professional Activities as a Performance Measure During Early Pharmacy Practice Experiences

Objective. To examine entrustable professional activities (EPAs) as an assessment tool for student pharmacists completing early practice experiences. Methods. Students completed a 2-month practice experience upon conclusion of their first year. Student performance on EPAs was assessed by preceptors and students at the midpoint and conclusion of the experience using a scale that ranged from dependent (1.0) to independent (5.0). Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test assessed for differences between the midpoint and final evaluations on student self-evaluations and between the midpoint and final evaluation on preceptor-student evaluations. Cronbach’s α assessed reliability of the EPAs. Results. From May to August 2016, 147 students completed a practice experience. Student-self and preceptor-student evaluations at the midpoint and final approximated a median score of 3.0 (IQR 2) and 4.0 (IQR 3), respectively, on EPAs 1-14. Analyses revealed statistically significant increases from midpoint to final evaluation for all constructs on both evaluations. Cronbach’s α yielded scores of 0.98 for the preceptor evaluations and 0.95 for the student self-evaluation. Conclusion. There was an increase in student performance over time. The EPA statements may be a reliable assessment tool for student performance in pharmacy education.
A Multivariate Approach to Ensure Statistical Reproducibility of Climate Model Simulations

Effective utilization of novel hybrid architectures of pre-exascale and exascale machines requires transformations to global climate modeling systems that may not reproduce the original model solution bit-for-bit. Round-off level differences grow rapidly in these non-linear and chaotic systems. This makes it difficult to isolate bugs/errors from innocuous growth expected from round-off level differences. Here, we apply two modern multivariate two sample equality of distribution tests to evaluate statistical reproducibility of global climate model simulations using standard monthly output of short (~ 1-year) simulation ensembles of a control model and a modified model of US Department of Energy's Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM). Both the tests are able to identify changes induced by modifications to some model tuning parameters. We also conduct formal power analyses of the tests by applying them on designed suites of short simulation ensembles each with an increasingly different climate from the control ensemble. The results are compared against those from another such test. These power analyses provide a framework to quantify the degree of differences that can be detected confidently by the tests for a given ensemble size (sample size). This will allow model developers using the tests to make an informed decision when accepting/rejecting an unintentional non-bit-for-bit change to the model solution.
O’Grady’s birational maps and strange duality via wall-hitting

We prove that O’Grady’s birational maps [K. G O’Grady, The weight-two Hodge structure of moduli spaces of sheaves on a K3 surface, J. Algebr. Geom. 6(4) (1997) 599–644] between moduli of sheaves on...
Scattering-Angle Randomization in Nonthermal Gas–Liquid Collisions

Our ability to characterize the physical and chemical properties of gas–liquid interfaces is limited by the information content of surface-sensitive methods. Dynamical observables from gas–liquid s...
Pavlov's pea plants? Not so fast. An attempted replication of Gagliano et al. (2016)

Gagliano et al. (Learning by association in plants, 2016) reported associative learning in pea plants. Associative learning has long been considered a behavior performed only by animals, making this claim particularly newsworthy and interesting. In the experiment, plants were trained in Y-shaped mazes for three days with fans and lights attached at the top of the maze. Training consisted of wind consistently preceding light from either the same or the opposite arm of the maze. When plant growth forced a decision between the two arms of the maze, fans alone were able to influence growth direction, whereas the growth direction of untrained plants was not affected by fans. Importantly, some plants were trained to grow towards the fan and others to grow away, demonstrating the flexibility of associative learning. However, a replication of their protocol failed to demonstrate the same result, calling for further verification and study before mainstream acceptance of this paradigm-shifting phenomenon. This replication attempt used a larger sample size and fully blinded analysis.
A disappearing abdominal mass in a teenage female.

We present a case of a 17-year-old female who presented to an urgent care for evaluation of a right-sided abdominal mass. Prior to her evaluation, she had undergone advanced imaging and exploratory...
Introduction to the 54th Karl Terzaghi Lecture

AbstractDr. Rudolph Bonaparte delivered the 54th Terzaghi Lecture on March 8th, 2018, at IFCEE 2018 held in Orlando, Florida. This introduction briefly reviews Dr. Bonaparte’s contributions to geot...
The Persuasiveness of One- vs. Two-Tailed Tests of Significance: When Weak Results are Preferred Over Strong

There is disagreement in the psychological literature over whether researchers should report one- or two-tailed tests of significance. The present research asks a slightly different question: Which approach is more compelling to research consumers? In three between-subject experiments, advanced psychology undergraduates (Experiment 1), psychology Ph.D. students (Experiment 2), and faculty at several top-ranked psychology programs (Experiment 3) read a summary of a fictitious experiment. Participants were more persuaded by the result when it was described as p
Retreatment with venetoclax and hypomethylating agents among AML patients who have relapsed after initial response and subsequent interruption of therapy.

The combination of venetoclax and a hypomethylating agent (VEN-HMA) as an induction regimen for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has become widely used due to ease of administration and...
A microRNA Signature for Impaired Wound-Healing and Ectopic Bone Formation in Humans.

Background Heterotopic ossification (HO) is characterized by the abnormal growth of ectopic bone in soft tissues, frequently occurring within the military population because of extensive orthopaedic combat trauma. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that act as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. We hypothesized that a clinically relevant miRNA signature could be detected in patients following injury that progressed to form HO (HO+) or did not form HO (HO-). Methods Tissue samples were obtained from injured servicemembers during their initial surgical debridements, and miRNA profiling was performed using a real-time miRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array. Primary mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) were harvested from debrided traumatized human muscle tissue, and cells were isolated and cultured in vitro. Mimic miRNAs were transfected into MPCs, followed by downstream in vitro analyses. Results The investigation of the miRNA expression profile in the tissue of HO+ compared with HO- patients demonstrated a molecular signature that included the upregulation of miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-206, miR-26a, and miR-125b. Transfection of each of these mature miRNAs into MPCs followed by osteogenic induction demonstrated that miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b, and miR-206 enhanced osteogenic differentiation compared with control treatments. In silico and in vitro analyses identified the transcription factor SOX9 as a candidate downstream target of miR-1 and miR-206 miRNAs. Conclusions Our data demonstrated a molecular signature of miRNAs in the soft tissue of wounded servicemembers that was associated with the development of HO, providing novel insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with posttraumatic HO. Level of evidence Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Life cycle and behavioural assessments of the influence of substrate particle size on Chironomus tentans (Diptera: Chironomidae) in laboratory assays

Identifying and understanding factors that affect interpretation of sediment toxicity is critical to the development and standardization of sediment test methods. In this study, we evaluated the influence of sediment particle size on survival, growth, emergence, and reproduction in a life cycle test with the midge Chironomus tentans, and on substrate selection behaviour of C. tentans larvae. In the life cycle assessment, larval development was followed for one generation on six substrates with mean particle sizes of 8, 146, 218, 306, 448, and 592 μm. For behavioural tests, first and third instar larvae were provided with a choice between paired substrates, with and without equal quantities of food. Survival of larvae at 20 d was not affected by particle size; however, survival of larvae at test completion was significantly reduced (65.6%) in the 8 μm substrate. Larval growth was not systematically related to particle size. Total emergence was significantly lower in the 8 and 592 μm substrates (50 and 53.1%, respectively) relative to the other substrates, reflecting the lower survival in these treatments. In addition, time to first emergence was significantly longer, and the rate of emergence depressed, in the 8 μm treatment. Reproductive output (mean eggs/female) was not significantly different among substrates, although fewer egg masses were produced in the 592 and 8 μm substrates. In behavioural tests, third instar larvae exhibited a weak preference for the smaller of two grain sizes when food was equally available, but this was not systematically related to the absolute difference in mean grain size. In contrast, first instar larvae consistently selected the smaller of two grain sizes when food was equally available; for these larvae, substrate selection was significantly correlated with the absolute difference in mean grain size. When food supply differed between substrates, a significantly higher proportion of both first and third instar larvae selected the substrate with food, independent of particle size. Together, the life cycle and behavioural data from this study suggest that sediment particle size, by itself, should not significantly influence interpretation of the results of toxicity tests with C. tentans.
COVID-19 Pandemic Prompts a Paradigm Shift in Global Emergency Medicine: Multidirectional Education and Remote Collaboration

To date, the practice of global emergency medicine (GEM) has involved being "on the ground" supporting in-country training of local learners, conducting research, and providing clinical care. This face-to-face interaction has been understood as critically important for developing partnerships and building trust. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant uncertainty worldwide, including international travel restrictions of indeterminate permanence. Following the 2020 Society for Academic Emergency Medicine meeting, the Global Emergency Medicine Academy (GEMA) sought to enhance collective understanding of best practices in GEM training with a focus on multidirectional education and remote collaboration in the setting of COVID-19. GEMA members led an initiative to outline thematic areas deemed most pertinent to the continued implementation of impactful GEM programming within the physical and technologic confines of a pandemic. Eighteen GEM practitioners were divided into four workgroups to focus on the following themes: advances in technology, valuation, climate impacts, skill translation, research/scholastic projects, and future challenges. Several opportunities were identified: broadened availability of technology such as video conferencing, Internet, and smartphones; online learning; reduced costs of cloud storage and printing; reduced carbon footprint; and strengthened local leadership. Skills and knowledge bases of GEM practitioners, including practicing in resource-poor settings and allocation of scarce resources, are translatable domestically. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a paradigm shift in the practice of GEM, identifying a previously underrecognized potential to both strengthen partnerships and increase accessibility. This time of change has provided an opportunity to enhance multidirectional education and remote collaboration to improve global health equity.
Phosphonium-Based Polyzwitterions: Influence of Ionic Structure and Association on Mechanical Properties

This manuscript describes a synthetic strategy and structure–property investigation of unprecedented phosphonium-based zwitterionic homopolymers (polyzwitterions) and random copolymers (zwitterionomers). Free radical polymerization of 4-(diphenylphosphino)styrene (DPPS) provided neutral polymers containing reactive triarylphosphines. Quantitative postpolymerization alkylation of these pendant functionalities generated a library of polymers containing various concentrations of neutral phosphines, phosphonium ions, and phosphonium sulfobetaine zwitterions. The zwitterionic homo- and copolymers exhibited significantly higher glass transition temperatures (Tg) and enhanced mechanical reinforcement in comparison to neutral and phosphonium analogues. These changes in Tg and mechanical properties were attributed to nanoscale morphological domains, which formed due to electrostatic interactions between zwitterionic groups, as revealed by X-ray scattering and broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS). BDS revealed increased static dielectric constants (>25) for the phosphonium zwitterionomers compared to ionomeric or neutral analogues. These high static dielectric constants for the solvent-free polyzwitterions supported their stronger polarization response in comparison with polymers containing neutral phosphines and phosphonium ions, and these interactions accounted for morphological differences and enhanced mechanical behavior. This work describes a versatile strategy for modulating electrostatic interactions with tunable mechanical properties for an unprecedented family of zwitterionic polymers.
Quantification of the environmental and economic benefits of the electrification of lawn mowers on the US residential market

Gasoline-powered lawn mowers and garden equipment are emitting 30 million tons of pollutants yearly in the USA, accounting for a quarter of all non-road gasoline emissions. While the US market is dominated by gasoline-powered lawn mowers, this study offers an assessment of the environmental implication and cost of electrifying the lawn mower industry. First, the lifecycle environmental footprint and total cost of ownership of electric-powered mowers are calculated and compared to those of conventional gasoline-powered counterparts, using life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) methodologies. A multi-indicator impact assessment is notably conducted, using the SimaPro software (v8.5), the ReCiPe methodology (H), and the ecoinvent database (v3.4) completed with data from the GREET model for the use phase. Second, an extrapolation model is computed to interpret the results at a national and regional scale, considering the proper energy mix in each US state. The combination of LCA and LCC results, mapped out in a two-dimensional chart, allows a clear visual representation of the environmental and economic trade-offs between the gasoline and electric solutions. The findings indicate a reduction of 49.9% and 32.3% of CO2 emissions, respectively, for push and riding mowers, by using the electric solution instead of the conventional one over their lifecycle. Yet, the total cost of ownership is slightly higher (4.7–10.6%) for the electric solutions, even if the operating costs are lower. And as the initial buying price of the electric solution is more expensive than the gasoline solution of the same category, this could be a real hindrance for consumers who do not systematically consider the overall lifecycle cost when comparing mowers. In this line, the quantification of a suitable financial incentive to support the electrification of the lawn mower market is of utmost importance and appears as a promising line for future work. The present results are significant in at least two major respects for the potential electrification of lawn mowing equipment. First, they show how an increased market share of electric mowers can contribute to cutting down greenhouse gas emissions. Second, such quantitative results can be useful for decision-makers in businesses and state governments to take appropriate ecological actions, e.g., in the development of adequate financial incentives or green policy to support the energy transition in this sector, and thus tackle global warming.
Did Covid‐19 Kill Trump Politically? The Pandemic and Voting in the 2020 Presidential Election

This article investigates the impact of public reactions to the Covid‐19 panemic on voting for former President Donald Trump in the 2020 American presidential election The impact of the pandemic on voting is assessed by multivariate statistical analyses of representative national survey data gathered before and after the 2020 presidential election Analyses show that voters reacted very negatively to Trump's handling of the pandemic Controlling for several other relevant factors, these reactions affected voting for Trump and exerted a significant impact on the election outcome Before the onset of Covid‐19 Trump had a very narrow path to victory in 2020, and the pandemic did much to ensure his defeat [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use This abstract may be abridged No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract (Copyright applies to all Abstracts )
Applying the NIA Health Disparities Research Framework to Identify Needs and Opportunities in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Research.

Abstract Disparities in the experience of chronic musculoskeletal pain in the United States stem from a confluence of a broad array of factors. Organized within the National Institute on Aging Health Disparity Research Framework, a literature review was completed to evaluate what is known and what is needed to move chronic musculoskeletal pain research forward specific to disproportionately affected populations. Peer-reviewed studies published in English, on human adults, from 2000 to 2019, and conducted in the United States were extracted from PubMed and Web of Science. Articles were reviewed for key words that focused on underrepresented ethnic/race groups with chronic musculoskeletal pain applying health factor terms identified in the NIAHealth Disparity Research Framework four levels of analysis: 1) environmental, 2) sociocultural, 3) behavioral, and 4) biological. A total of 52 articles met inclusion criteria. There were limited publications specific to underrepresented ethnic/race groups with chronic musculoskeletal pain across all levels with particular research gaps under sociocultural and biological categories. Current limitations in evidence may be supplemented by a foundation of findings specific to the broader topic of “chronic pain” which provides guidance for future investigations. Study designs including a focus on protective factors and multiple levels of analyses would be particularly meritorious. Perspective Chronic musculoskeletal pain unequally burdens underrepresented ethnic/race groups. In order to move research forward and to systematically investigate the complex array of factors contributing toward health disparities, an organized approach is necessary. Applying the NIA Health Disparities Research Framework, an overview of the current state of evidence specific to chronic musculoskeletal pain and underrepresented ethnic/race groups is provided with future directions identified.
How to Quarantine False Information: What the U.S. Government May Do as False Information Spread on Social Media during a Public Health Crisis Becomes a Biosecurity Threat

With the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation about the pandemic spread prolifically on social media. False or harmful information about the coronavirus pandemic spread on social media included hate-speech, vaccine misinformation, and misinformation about public health and safety measures. In the midst of a serious public health crisis, where public cooperation for mandated health and safety measures hinges on trust in government and facts, false information rapidly spread through social media becomes a biosecurity threat. This article explores whether false or harmful information can be regulated during a serious public health emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Biosecurity, Biosafety & Biodefense Law is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Dynamic borrowing from a single prior data source using the conditional power prior.

The conditional power prior is a popular method to borrow information from a single prior data source. The amount of borrowing is controlled by the power parameter which is fixed before running the...
Meta-Analysis Of Antenatal Depression And Adverse Birth Outcomes In US Populations, 2010-20.

Untreated depression presents a distinct set of risks for pregnancy complications. Past studies have connected antenatal depression with adverse birth outcomes. The purpose of this study was to con...
Negotiating Participant Status in Participation Frameworks

It is not always easy to find your place within a conversation. In this brief piece, I suggest that participant status (i.e., speaker and hearer roles) within a participation framework, is not always agreed upon by all members, but can be asserted, resisted, and otherwise negotiated. In an effort to address this, I will present an excerpt taken from videotaped recordings of naturally-occurring talk among three colleagues. The line-by-line analysis used in Conversation Analysis (CA) will allow a more nuanced look into what happens when a participant self-selects as speaker, and tries to either maintain or move into a central position in the participation framework. In addition to a line-by-line reading of interaction, CA allows us not only to highlight intonation and loudness of speech, but also to focus on pauses within a turn and gaps between turns. This helps clarify the various strategies that hearers may use to resist or block a move by a speaker.
Spectrum of domains in Riemannian manifolds

Soit M n une variete de Riemann complete, de dimension n, avec une courbure de Ricci bornee inferieurement par −(n-1)c, C≥0. Soit Ω un domaine a frontiere lisse contenu dans M. On considere le laplacien Δ=d*d agissant sur L 2 Ω avec des conditions aux limites de Dirichlet. On etudie le spectre de Δ sur differents domaines Ω
Forcing Boys to Be Boys: The Persecution of Gender Non-Conforming Youth

Christina Hoff Sommers' book, The War Against Buys: How Misguided Feminism is Harming Our Young Men, complains of an educational system bent on feminizing boys and reconceptualizing gender by erasing differences between boys and girls. In doing so, Sommers assumes that gender is exclusively binary. The experiences of gender non-conforming youth in schools and the legal system highlight a reality Sommers ignores. This Book Review explores the experience of youth who do not conform to the stereotypical male model and, in turn, suffer severe harassment and discrimination. The stories of four gender non-conforming youth elucidate how schools remain primary enforcers of a binary gender system that fails to address the needs of many. This Book Review concludes that the strides being made in the legal system to expand notions of gender-appropriate behavior and to recognize individual identity contrast starkly with the lack of progress in schools. While the legal system offers hope for gender non-conforming youth, schools must soberly begin to address their adherence to a gender model that has punitive effects on those labelled "different." [OJ ne of the more agreeable facts of life is that buys will be buys.1 In her new book, The War Against Boys: Haw Misguided Feminism is Harming Our Young Men, Christina Hoff Sommers fears for American boys.2 She fears that by trying to foster gender equality, U.S. schools, * Staff Writer, BOSTON COLLEGE THIRD WORLD LAw JOURNAL (2000-2001). I extend a warm thanks to Jennifer Levi of Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders for help in getting information about the Doe case, to Shannon Minter of the National Center for Lesbian Rights for heIp in getting information about the Montgomery case, and to Matt, Kelly and Grace Crozier for their limitless support. 1 CHRISTINA HOFF SOMMERS, THE WAR AGAINST Boys: How MISGUIDED FEMINISM Is HARMING OUR YOUNG MEN 213 (2000). 2 See id. at 13, 172, 211.
Detection of multiple overlapping bands of known amplitude, with application to DNA fingerprinting

One of the technologies in DNA mapping is the preparation of electrophoretic gels, which when stained and imaged electronically contain a number of diffuse rectangular objects, called "bands", several pixels in area, which must be detected and localized. This paper describes an algorithm which is central to the automated analysis of such gels, part of a large software product now in use for mapping projects at several genomics laboratories. The problem addressed is that of detecting multiple overlapping pulses of known shape and amplitude. The basic algorithm is one of analysis-by-synthesis, where pulses are added one by one to a forward synthesis model, with revisit to all pulses after each new pulse is added. Because the amplitudes are known there is no risk of significantly overfitting the data with additional model terms. The cost function utilized is a weighted least-squares function, which gives more weight to the shape of the test signal and less to its overall amplitude. Application of this algorithm in the larger context of DNA fingerprinting is discussed.
A Knowledge-Based Structure for Process Control

A knowledge-based system is being developed to aid in the control of complex processes. This paper focuses on the structure of the system. A distributed architecture employing the concept of a blackboard, is used for implementation. A hierarchy is formed as the system is segregated into three distinct levels. The top level directs control of the system, the intermediate level contains individual knowledge domains and the low level is responsible for the control and interface to the process. The knowledge representation is also distributed to give the system the required flexibitity needed for complex problem solving.
Medical Defense Against Protein Toxin Weapons

The term “toxin weapon” has been used to describe poisons, classically of natural origin but increasingly accessible by modern synthetic methods, which are suitable for delivery on a battlefield in a form that causes death or severe incapacitation at relatively low concentrations (reviewed in ref. 1). Several of the most important toxin weapons are proteins, and these molecules are the focus of this chapter. Recent technological changes have increased the importance of protein toxins for biological warfare (BW): (a) progress in biotechnology has made large-scale production and purification feasible for a larger number of protein toxins; (b) molecular biology techniques, especially the polymerase chain reaction, have enabled the identification, isolation and comparison of extended families of previously obscure natural toxins; and (c) gene manipulation and microbiology have greatly expanded the accessible delivery vehicles for protein toxins to include, for example, natural or genetically modified bacteria and engineered viruses.
Particulate matter sources, emissions, and control options—USA

A new national standard for particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air is being developed in the United States (U.S.). Whereas the current standard applies to PM less than 10 micrometers (m) in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), the standard being developed would also address particles smaller than 2.5 m (PM2.5). To meet either the current standard or a new one, sources of both primary and secondary particles need to be inventoried and controlled. (Control of ‘primary’ particles, which are emitted directly into the air, involves emissions prevention or collection at the source. Control of ‘secondary’ particles, which are formed in the atmosphere, requires reducing emissions of precursor constituents such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia.) This paper summarizes the current knowledge on sources of primary particles in the U.S., and options for control of their emissions. Research needs and plans are briefly addressed.
Use of indentation technique to measure elastic modulus of plasma-sprayed zirconia thermal barrier coating

Elastic modulus of an yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thermal barrier coating (TBC) was evaluated with a Knoop indentation technique. The measured elastic modulus values for the coating ranged from 68.4 {+-} 22.6 GPa at an indentation load of 50 g to 35.7 {+-} 9.8 at an indentation load of 300 g. At higher loads, the elastic modulus values did not change significantly. This steady-state value of 35.7 GPa for ZrO{sub 2} TBC agreed well with literature values obtained by the Hertzian indentation method. Furthermore, the measured elastic modulus for the TBC is lower than that reported for bulk ZrO{sub 2} ({approx} 190 GPa). This difference is believed to be due to the presence of a significant amount of porosity and microcracks in the TBCs. Hardness was also measured.
The Bedesman and the Hodbearer: The Epistolary Friendship of Francis James Child and William Walker

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2001 Pages: 117 Publisher: Aberdeen University Press for the Elphinstone Institute Prices: $£10.00
Postgraduate Training in Breast Surgery

Dramatic changes have taken place in the field of breast surgery within the past ten years. Much of the change in practice is due to the advent of less invasive surgical procedures and increased technology such as the evolution of sentinel node biopsies. Many surgeons choose to undergo additional postgraduate training to gain an increased proficiency in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of benign and malignant disorders of the breast.
Solid Propulsion: Motor Interior Ballistics - Modelingand Design

Virtual engineering, a combination of numerical simulation, empiricalism, and small-scale testing for validation, is useful for motor design and is rapidly becoming the standard tool for designing new motors. Appropriate physics-based models are required for the propellant, chamber, nozzle, and plume regions. We discuss some modern developments of physics-based models used in virtual engineering, and comment on current trends. We anticipate that virtual engineering will one day be used at the design stage, with full scale motor firings reserved as a final qualification test.
Motorcycle Rider Trajectory in Pitch-Over Brake Applications and Impacts

This paper describes how pitch-over events are common in motorcycle accidents, and can be caused by impact to the front wheel and occasionally by hard brake application. In either case, the rider of the motorcycle can be propelled over the handlebars as the motorcycle pitches rear-end up. In accidents caused by pitch-over braking, the accident investigator may be faced with limited evidence and then must rely on analyzing the throw distance of the rider in attempting to reconstruct the pre-accident speed of the motorcycle. This analysis can be complicated by the presence of a second rider (the passenger) on the motorcycle. Pitch over caused by front wheel impact can be similarly complex. Although motorcycle deformation as a result of front wheel impact has been studied, circumstances surrounding the nature of the deformation, or the impact itself, may require that the trajectory of the rider be analyzed in order to determine the pre-impact motorcycle speed. A series of sled tests was conducted to analyze rider and passenger motion during pitch-over events to develop a more complete understanding of how deceleration and initial speed affect the occupant trajectory and velocity. Brake stops were simulated on the sled as well as front wheel impacts. A full-scale crash test was also conducted and compared against the results of the sled simulations. High-speed video footage was analyzed to develop an understanding of the pitch-over dynamics as well as rider/passenger trajectories and velocities. This paper presents the results of this study and offers a method for accident reconstructionists to employ as they examine motorcycle accidents that involve pitch-over events.
In vitro modulation of inflammatory cytokine and IgG levels by extracts of Perna canaliculus

Inflammation is a predominant characteristic of autoimmune diseases which is characterized by the increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Soon to be published work from our laboratory has shown that ingestion of Perna canaliculus prevents the development of autoimmune diseases such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis in laboratory animals. The current paper attempts to illustrate how Perna can alleviate inflammation by modulating inflammatory cytokines, cyclooxygenase enzymes and Immunoglobulin-G (IgG) levels. In the present study, hydrochloric acid [HCl] and Tween-20 were used to develop extracts of Perna. These extracts were assayed for protein content. Increasing concentrations of these extracts were then tested in cell culture for modulation of inflammatory cytokine, cyclooxygenase enzymes and IgG levels. Parallel tests were run using an available glycogen extract of Perna as a comparison to our in-house laboratory preparations. Tween-20 Perna extracts were found to be more stable and less toxic in cell culture than HCl digest of Perna. They also assayed higher in protein content that HCl extracts. Although both extracts inhibited IgG production in V2E9 hybridomas, Tween-20 extracts were more consistent in IgG suppression than HCl extracts. Overall Tween-20 extracts effectively decreased levels of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-2 and IL-6 as observed using cytokine bioassays. Twenty micrograms of Tween-20 Perna extracts induced such significant decreases in inflammatory cytokine production that when tested on sensitive cell lines, they very nearly abolished the decrease in viability induced by these cytokines. Tween-20 extracts effectively inhibited both COX-1 and COX-2 cyclooxygenase activity. As a comparison, the glycogen extract also demonstrated a similar though weaker effect on COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. The active components of both extracts (Tween-20 and glycogen) were observed to possess molecular weights above 100 kDa. Although the anti-cytokine activity of the Tween-20 extract was destroyed by Proteinase-K treatment, the anti-COX-1 and anti-COX-2 activity of both the extracts were not sensitive to protease treatment. We have successfully demonstrated modulation in the levels of inflammatory cytokines, cyclooxygenase enzymes and immunoglobulins by our in-house laboratory preparations of Perna canaliculus, whereby suggesting an immunomodulatory role of Perna canaliculus in regulating inflammation.
Eosinophilic granuloma of bone manifesting mandibular involvement

Eosinophilic granuloma of bone was first described as a specific disease entity in 1940. It is now encompassed in the triad of diseases known as the histiocytosis-X diseases. Manifesting itself usually within a single bone, eosinophilic granuloma of bone is a benign entity which readily lends itself to cure by surgical curettage, low-dosage irradiation, or a combination of the two. This report contains a review of the subject matter, a concise historical and literature review, and a presentation of two cases manifesting multiple bone involvement and requiring multiple procedures to obtain a cure.
Detection of Electrical Winding Deterioration in Induction Motors

Presented in this paper is the development and analysis of deterioration predictors that may be used to detect electrical winding deterioration in induction motors. One major advantage of the approach that is described is that it may be used to reliably indicate low levels of deterioration in induction machine windings even though the machine may have internal construction unbalances and may be operating under conditions of varying applied voltage magnitude and symmetry. In addition, the proposed monitoring scheme is relatively simple in concept and may be implemented in practical situations. The procedure, and its robust nature, is illustrated by application to the detection of turn-to-turn deterioration in the stator winding of a three-phase induction motor.
Geographic barriers to child health services in rural northern New England: 1980 to 1989.

: Despite substantial recent increases in the number of rural physicians, it is unknown whether rural children still face significant barriers to medical care. To address this question, we determined travel times in 1980 and in 1989 to child health services for the rural pediatric population of northern New England–the area with the highest per-capita primary care physician supply of any non-metropolitan region in the United States. The study population in 1989 included 363,443 children living in 936 nonmetropolitan towns. The study revealed important spatial relationships in health service supply and demand not identified using other methods of assessing physician availability. Although travel times to physicians decreased slightly during the decade, we found that 15.5 percent of the children in our population were more than 30 minutes from pediatricians in 1989, and travel time to emergency rooms was more than 30 minutes for 9.9 percent of the children. In contrast, only 1.8 percent of children faced excessive travel times to family/general practitioners. While towns with pediatricians were likely to also have a family physician or an emergency room, the majority of towns with family physicians had neither a pediatrician nor an emergency room. Towns with poor geographic access to pediatricians and emergency rooms had low population densities and were distant from metropolitan areas. The analysis indicates that even in rural areas of high physician supply, access to pediatricians and emergency rooms for many children remains limited, and family physicians are the dominant medical providers for children. Future work using travel time variables will clarify the relative importance of travel to medical care as a factor in rural health outcomes.
Susceptibility artifact reduction in fat suppression

Strong fat signal in regions where a large susceptibility difference exists, for instance at the interface between air and tissue near the maxillary sinus, may not be eliminated by currently available fat suppression techniques without sacrificing the overall quality of the images. In this article, we show that this fat signal, which appears as a susceptibility artifact, can be significantly reduced by using an optimized presaturation pulse with sharp edges and a broad bandwidth, while causing minimal disturbance of the water signal. Several optimized presaturation pulses can be reproduced by the Fourier coefficients provided in the Appendix.
An optimal termination testing procedure for discrete event simulations

Abstract In this paper we consider discrete-event simulations which yield results until a termination condition is satisfied. The simulation can proceed beyond this time, but no useful information is generated. The time at which the termination condition will be satisfied is not known initially, and is taken to be randomly distributed with some prescribed density. It is necessary, therefore, to periodically check the termination condition, and this consumes CPU time. The question that we address is how to distribute checking time to minimize expected CPU expenditure. We do this by taking a limit in which the cost of checking is small, and then minimizing the limiting expected CPU expenditure. In general, uniformly distributed checking times are not optimal. The layouts of checking times which are generated by our minimization procedure can significantly outperform constant checking intervals.
High color fidelity thin film multilayer systems for head-up display use

Head-up display is gaining increasing access in automotive vehicles for indication and position/navigation purposes. An optical combiner, which allows the driver to receive image information from outside and inside of the automobile, is the essential part of this display device. Two multilayer thin film combiner coating systems with distinctive polarization selectivity and broad band spectral neutrality are discussed. One of the coating systems was designed to be located at the lower portion of the windshield. The coating reduced the exterior glare by approximately 45% and provided about 70% average see-through transmittance in addition to the interior information display. The other coating system was designed to be integrated with the sunshield located at the upper portion of the windshield. The coating reflected the interior information display while reducing direct sunlight penetration to 25%. Color fidelity for both interior and exterior images were maintained in both systems. This facilitated the display of full-color maps. Both coating systems were absorptionless and environmentally durable. Designs, fabrication, and performance of these coating systems are addressed.