cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Executive Override of Central Banks: A Comparison of the Legal Frameworks in the United States and the United Kingdom

This Article examines executive branch powers to “override” the decisions of an independent central bank. It focuses in particular on the power and authority of a nation’s executive branch to direct its central bank, thereby circumscribing canonical central bank independence. To investigate this issue, this Article compares two types of executive over- rides: those found in the United States, exercised by the U.S. Treasury (Treasury) over the U.S. Federal Reserve (the Fed), and those in the United Kingdom, exercised by Her Majesty’s Treasury (HM Treasury) over the Bank of England (the Bank). This Article finds that in the former, the power is informal and subject to minimal formal oversight, whereas in the latter, there are legal powers of executive override within an established and transparent legal framework. This Article is the first piece of scholarship to undertake comparative analysis of the legal powers of executive override over these two leading central banks. The comparison is indeed striking—it juxtaposes the express, but limited, legal powers of HM Treasury to direct the Bank of England with the ad hoc and informal conventions of Treasury or presidential control of the Federal Reserve. The comparative analysis begs a paradoxical question in the conception of central bank independence: could a narrowly tailored set of override powers that authorize a treasury, with oversight from the legislature, to direct a central bank in exigent circumstances yield a sturdier form of central bank independence than a system which establishes few or limited legal mechanisms of executive override? Ultimately, this analysis prompts renewed examination of the way in which the law structures the Fed’s independence vis-a`-vis the Treasury and the President, informed by lessons from the U.K. design.
Tips for Teaching. Name It and Disclaim It: A Tool for Better Discussion in Religious Studies

This article proposes a strategy of creating labels for problematic ways doing analysis in religious studies classes. By identifying patterns of weak analysis and naming them, faculty can give students the ability to talk about analysis and become more critical in their approach to religious studies.
Incidental Learning and Memory Deficits on a Computerized Symbol-Digit Modalities Test in Adults with HIV/AIDS.

Objective: Incidental learning and memory, as well as processing speed, were examined in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive adults and a seronegative control group. Methods: Participants completed a computerized Symbol-Digit Modalities Test (cSDMT) with two blocked conditions: a set of trials with the standard symbol–digit pairings and the second set with a rearranged symbol–digit pairings. Results: HIV-positive adults showed slower overall reaction time compared to the HIV-negative group. More importantly, the most cognitively impaired HIV-positive group showed no interference in the rearranged set of symbol–digit pairings from the standard pairings on the cSDMT. Conclusion: The relative slowing, or interference, in the HIV-negative group and two HIV-positive groups (unimpaired and impaired) was quite large (between 122 and 131 ms). We argue that the lack of such relative slowing in the most cognitively impaired HIV-positive group indicates a deficit in incidental learning and memory.
Redistribution and the Monetary-Fiscal Policy Mix

We show that the effectiveness of redistribution policy in stimulating the economy and improving welfare is directly tied to how much inflation it generates, which in turn hinges on monetary-fiscal adjustments that ultimately finance the transfers. We compare two distinct types of monetary-fiscal adjustments: In the monetary regime, the government eventually raises taxes to finance transfers, while in the fiscal regime, inflation rises, effectively imposing inflation taxes on public debt holders. We show analytically in a simple model how the fiscal regime generates larger and more persistent inflation than the monetary regime. In a quantitative application, we use a two-sector, two-agent New Keynesian model, situate the model economy in a COVID-19 recession, and quantify the effects of the transfer components of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. We find that the transfer multipliers are significantly larger under the fiscal regimeâ€”which results in a milder contractionâ€”than under the monetary regime, primarily because inflationary pressures of this regime counteract the deflationary forces during the recession. Moreover, redistribution produces a Pareto improvement under the fiscal regime.
Chapter 63 – Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic disorder characterized by inflammation and progressive obliterative fibrosis of the intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic bile ducts which can lead to cirrhosis and complications related to portal hypertension. PSC is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly ulcerative colitis (UC), as well as an increased risk of hepatobiliary and colorectal malignancy. PSC has several important subtypes, chiefly small duct PSC and PSC-autoimmune hepatitis (PSC-AIH) overlap. The pathophysiology behind PSC is poorly understood, but is likely a complex interaction between genes and the environment. Mounting evidence suggests key immunologic components involved in the development and progression of PSC. Currently, there is no effective medical therapy for PSC and liver transplantation (LT) provides PSC patients with excellent long-term outcomes. Aside from LT in appropriate patients, recognition and treatment of co-morbid conditions and cancer surveillance remain key components to the management of patients with PSC.
Hamilton-Jacobi Equations with Semilinear Costs and State Constraints, with Applications to Large Deviations in Games

We characterize solutions of a class of time-homogeneous optimal control problems with semilinear running costs and state constraints as maximal viscosity subsolutions to Hamilton-Jacobi equations ...
Mitochondria in neurodegenerative apoptosis: An opportunity for therapy?

Apoptotic cell death has been shown to constitute the terminal process in some neurodegenerative diseases, notably Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease (PD). A decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psiM) causing opening of the permeability transition pore (PTP) in mitochondrial membranes has been implicated as a critical effector of apoptosis in a variety of non-neural cells. Opening of the PTP leads to the release of so-called apoptosis initiation factors that induce the degradative events of apoptosis, such as nuclear chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. We have extended those findings to a neuronal model of apoptosis caused by trophic withdrawal, by showing that a decrease in delta psiM is an early event occurring 2 to 6 hours before the degradative events of apoptosis. A deficiency in mitochondrial complex I activity has been demonstrated in the substantia nigra of postmortem brains and several peripheral tissues obtained from PD patients. Because delta psiM is generated by the pumping of protons out across the inner mitochondrial membrane at the mitochondrial complexes, particularly complex I, we hypothesized that the decrease in complex activity could result in a decrease in delta psiM that would render PD substantia nigra neurons vulnerable to apoptosis. In preliminary studies, we have found a decrease in delta psiM in fibroblasts obtained from some PD patients. If a decrease in delta psiM consequent on decreased complex activity is an intrinsic defect in some PD patients, it would open a number of new avenues for the reduction of neuronal apoptosis in PD. The oncoprotein BCL-2 and the scavenger protein SOD-1 have been shown to reduce apoptosis by facilitating closure of the PTP. A number of agents have been shown to maintain BCL-2 and/or SOD-1 synthesis in damaged nerve cells and thereby reduce apoptosis. Other agents, such as cyclosporin A and some benzodiazepine receptor-binding agents, have been found to act directly on the PTP to reduce apoptosis. Accordingly, agents that maintain delta psiM and PTP closure may offer new and effective means of treating neurodegenerative apoptosis.
Specific binding of 3N-(2′-[18F]fluoroethyl)benperidol to primate cerebral dopaminergic D2 receptors demonstrated in vivo by PET

Abstract 3N-(2′-[ 18 F]Fluoroethyl)benperidol ([ 18 F]FEB) an 18 F-labeled analogue of the D 2 antagonist benperidol, was evaluated as a tracer for positron emission tomography (PET). PET imaging of a living baboon showed that the fluorinated ligand rapidly localized in vivo within D 2 receptor-rich brain tissue, with selective retention lasting over 2 h after tracer injection. Pretreatment of the animal with unlabeled D 2 -specific antagonist eticlopride (4 mg/kg, i.v.) 1 h before [ 18 F]FEB completely abolished the selective disposition of the radioligand, whereas the regional cerebral blood flow, blood volume and peripheral metabolism/protein binding of [ 18 F]FEB were not changed. Tracer localization when the baboon was pretreated with unlabeled ketanserin (0.55 mg/kg, i.v.) or SCH 23390 (1.1 mg/kg, i.v.) was identical to that for the control case, indicating that the [ 18 F]FEB did not bind to S 2 of D 1 receptors in vivo. [ 18 F]FEB has advantages compared to previously used PET tracers, and may be an excellent radioligand for non-invasive study of D 2 receptor binding.
The RF Link

This chapter first introduces the fundamental elements of the communications satellite Radio Frequency (RF) or free space link. It then introduces basic transmission parameters, such as antenna gain, beamwidth, free‐space path loss, and the basic link power equation. In this chapter, the authors develop procedures to determine the equivalent noise temperature for specific elements of interest in the communications circuit. The chapter discusses three types of devices, including active devices, passive devices, and the receiver antenna system. The chapter deals with a description of a) parameters of interest describing the desired signal power levels on the satellite communications RF link, and, b) parameters of interest describing the noise power levels on the link. It brings together these concepts to define overall RF link performance in the presence of system noise. These results will be essential for defining satellite system design and link performance for a wide range of applications and implementations.
Asynchronous Systems and Binary Diagonal Random Matrices: A Proof and Convergence Rate.

In a synchronized network of $n$ nodes, each node will update its parameter based on the system state in a given iteration. It is well-known that the updates can converge to a fixed point if the maximum absolute eigenvalue (spectral radius) of the $n \times n$ iterative matrix ${\bf{F}}$ is less than one (i.e. $\rho({\bf{F}})<1$). However, if only a subset of the nodes update their parameter in an iteration (due to delays or stale feedback) then this effectively renders the spectral radius of the iterative matrix as one. We consider matrices of unit spectral radii generated from ${\bf{F}}$ due to random delays in the updates. We show that if each node updates at least once in every $T$ iterations, then the product of the random matrices (joint spectral radius) corresponding to these iterations is less than one. We then use this property to prove convergence of asynchronous iterative systems. Finally, we show that the convergence rate of such a system is $\rho({\bf{F}})\frac{(1-(1-\gamma)^T)^n}{T}$, where assuming ergodicity, $\gamma$ is the lowest bound on the probability that a node will update in any given iteration.
RESPECT TOWARDS ELDERLY DEMENTED PATIENTS

One question of applied ethics is the status and proper treatment of marginal cases, i.e., of people who are not yet or not anymore in full possession of their rational capacities, such as elderly demented people. Does one belittle them if one does not treat them like normal human adults, or would it be disrespectful and demanding too much if one did? Are elderly demented even the proper object of respect? In this paper I explore what Kant would say about these questions if he had addressed them. I look at what Kantian respect is, how he justifies the requirement to respect others, and what it demands more specifically. My claim is that Kant conceives of respect as a maxim of not exalting oneself above others. One should adopt this attitude independently of what the other is like. Differences between normal human adults and marginal cases are important for how one should treat them, but ultimately not for the question of why one should treat them with respect. Accordingly, elderly demented people should be respected, and it depends on the individual case what kind of actions this implies.
Higgs boson physics in the s-channel at μ+μ− colliders

Abstract Techniques and strategies for discovering and measuring the properties of Higgs bosons via s-channel production at a μ+μ− collider, and the associated requirements for the machine and detector, are discussed in detail. The unique feature of s-channel production is that, with good energy resolution, the mass, total width and partial widths of a Higgs boson can be directly measured with remarkable accuracy in most cases. For the expected machine parameters and luminosity the standard model (SM) Higgs boson hSM, with mass ≲ 2mW, the light h0 of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), and the heavier MSSM Higgs bosons (the CP-odd A0 and the CP-even H0) can all be studied in the s-channel, with the heavier states accessible up to the maximal √s over a large fraction of the MSSM parameter space. In addition, it may be possible to discover the A0 and H0 by running the collider at full energy and observing excess events in the bremsstrahlung tail at lower energy. The integrated luminosity, beam resolution and machine/detector features required to distinguish between the hSM and h0 are delineated.
Silence is golden?-the effects of silence deletion on the CPU load of an audio conference

This paper seeks to identify, improvements that reduce audioconference CPU load. A major contribution is the comparison of the performance benefits of five potential audioconference improvements: faster CPU, faster communication, better compression, digital signal processing (DSP) hardware, and silence deletion. To compare audioconference CPU load, we develop a model that identifies components of a typical audioconference. We hypothesize that silence deletion will improve the scalability of audio more than any of the above four improvements. We parameterize our model with measurements of the actual component performance. Overall, we find audioconference CPU loads with silence deletion scale better than audioconference CPU loads with any of the other four improvements. Techniques based on DSP hardware alone do not scale as well as silence deletion alone. However, DSP based silence deletion and compression together scale better than any other technique. These results hold even when using compression and even for ten times faster processors, networks and DSP hardware. >
The Children's Attitudes toward the Environment Scale

Abstract The authors describe the development of a scale to measure environmental attitudes of grade-school children. The scale items reflect children's knowledge of environmental issues, and the scale uses an age-appropriate format. The 25 items that make up the scale were selected through item analysis from a larger pool of items. The internal-consistency reliability of the scale (Cronbach's alpha) ranged from .70 to .85. Test-retest reliability was .68. The authors discuss potential use of this scale for research and evaluation of programs.
The use of complementary and alternative medical providers by insured cancer patients in Washington state

BACKGROUND Insurance coverage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is expanding. However, to the authors' knowledge, little is know concerning CAM utilization among cancer patients under the insurance model of financing. In this study, the authors evaluated CAM provider utilization by cancer patients in a state that requires the inclusion of alternative practitioners in private, commercial insurance products. METHODS An analysis was carried out of year 2000 claims data from two large Washington State insurance companies. RESULTS Of 357,709 claimants, 7915 claimants (2.3%) had a cancer diagnosis. Among cancer patients, 7.1% had a claim for naturopathy, acupuncture, or massage; and 11.6% had a claim for chiropractic during the study year. The use of naturopathy (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; P < 0.001) and acupuncture (OR, 1.4; P < 0.001) were more common, and the use of chiropractic was less common (OR, 0.9; P < 0.001) for cancer patients compared with those without cancer. No significant differences were noted in the use of massage between the two groups. Except in 2 individuals (0.03%), cancer patients also had at least 1 conventional provider claim during the year. Factors associated with nonchiropractic alternative provider use were female gender, the presence of metastatic cancer, hematologic malignancy, and the use of chemotherapy. Increased use of naturopathic physicians accounted for much of this trend. Musculoskeletal pain was the most common diagnosis at the CAM provider visit. Billed amounts for alternative services were < 2% of the overall medical bills for cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS A substantial number of insured cancer patients will use alternative providers if they are given the choice. The cost of this treatment is modest compared with conventional care charges. For individuals with cancer, CAM providers do not appear to be replacing conventional providers but instead are integrated into overall care. Cancer 2004;100:1522–30. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
License Renewal Demonstration Project

Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) report, License Renewal Standard Review Plan (SRP-LR), and regulatory guide were issued by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in June 2001. The intent of these documents was to provide the technical and process basis that will lead to a more effective, efficient and predictable license renewal process for industry and the NRC. The GALL report provides the aging effects on components and structures, identifies the relevant existing plant programs, and evaluates the program attributes to manage aging effects for License Renewal. The GALL report also identifies when existing plant programs would require further evaluation for License Renewal. The SRP-LR allows the applicant to reference the GALL report to demonstrate that the programs at the applicant’s facility correspond to those reviewed and approved in the GALL report. Programs that correspond to those in the GALL report will not need further detailed review by the staff. Implementation of the aging management program are verified as part of the license renewal inspection program. The GALL report identifies one acceptable way of demonstrating that components and structures have adequate aging management programs. However, applicants may propose alternatives to the programs identified in GALL. During the license renewal review, the NRC primarily focuses on areas where existing programs should be augmented or new programs developed for License Renewal. This paper will provide an overview of these documents and some of the lessons learned during a demonstration project in the application of the new guidance. This topic will be of interest to the U.S. participants considering License Renewal and desiring to know state-of-the-art information about License Renewal in the United States.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Tolerance, withdrawal, and physical dependency after long-term sedation and analgesia of children in the pediatric intensive care unit.

ObjectiveTo describe the consequences of the prolonged administration of sedative and analgesic agents to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patient. The problems to be investigated include tolerance, physical dependency, and withdrawal.Data SourcesA MEDLINE search was performed of literature
A comparison of narcotic analgesics with neuroleptics on behavioral measures of dopaminergic activity.

Abstract Because of many practical difficulties which are encountered in obtaining direct evidence for the involvement of brain neurotransmitters in the action of narcotic drugs, several indirect procedures are often employed. One such method is to compare on the same measures of drug action the narcotic drugs with a non-narcotic drug having a known mechanism of action. Haloperidol is a prototype non-narcotic drug which blocks dopamine receptors and many of its actions are believed to be associated with this receptor blockade. In this paper we compare various actions of haloperidol or other neuroleptics with morphine or other narcotic analgesics using the same testing parameters. We hope that such a comparison would evaluate the role of dopamine receptors in narcotic action and narcotic dependence. This discussion is limited only to the behavioral measures as a comparison of neurochemical measures was recently reviewed in another paper (1).
Basic fibroblast growth factor increases cortical blood flow in vivo.

Abstract Basic FGF has recently been shown to produce systemic and cerebral vasodilation. To test the hypothesis thatbFGF increases regional cortical blood flow (rCBF), rCBF and brain pHi were measured whilebFGF or vehicle was superperfused onto the cortex of rabbits. The results of this study demonstrate that topical application ofbFGF causes an increase in rCBF.
Adopting Cut Scores: Post‐Standard‐Setting Panel Considerations for Decision Makers

Standard-setting studies utilizing procedures such as the Bookmark or Angoff methods are just one component of the complete standard-setting process. Decision makers ultimately must determine what they believe to be the most appropriate standard or cut score to use, employing the input of the standard-setting panelists as one piece of information among multiple sources. However, guidance for weighing the various components is limited. The current article describes considerations about data that are used to make standard-setting decisions, as previously outlined by Geisinger (1991). The ten points provided by Geisinger have been expanded as they relate to shifts in educational policy and practice in educational measurement. They have been amended with six new components as well. The new considerations addressed are smoothing across grades, raising standards in progression (over grades or over time), opportunity to learn or instructional validity, input from other groups, equating or linking to previous standards, and organizational vision and goals.
World Health Organization. Comprehensive Implementation Plan on Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition. Geneva, Switzerland, 2014

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) has long advocated for and worked toward substantial and sustained improvements in maternal, infant, and child nutrition around the globe. This is in large part because of the many acute and longlasting negative impacts that poor maternal/infant nutrition has on not only individuals but entire communities and nations. Together, maternal and child undernutrition are estimated to account for 11% of the global burden of disease, and childhood malnutrition is considered the root cause of mortality in ~35% of all deaths among children younger than the age of 5 y. Malnutrition can also lead to lifelong deficits in cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and work productivity. As such, improving nutrition in early life and during a woman’s reproductive years has far-reaching implications onmany levels both directly and indirectly related to basic health outcomes.
TRAIL-mediated signaling in prostate, bladder and renal cancer.

The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) signaling pathway has been implicated in the development of genitourinary cancers but it's exact role in cancer development, progression, and treatment responses remains unknown, as it can both inhibit and promote tumor growth. In this Review, the author describes the TRAIL apoptosis pathway and discusses how TRAIL-based therapies and combination treatments targeting TRAIL could be used to treat genitourinary malignancies.
Procedurally mediated social inferences: The case of category accessibility effects

Abstract Social judgments and social behaviors generally have been assumed to be mediated by declarative knowledge structures, such as schemas, stereotypes, prototypes, or scripts. In particular, prevailing theories attribute the effects of priming on category accessibility to changes in abstract declarative knowledge structures (e.g., the activation of a schema, or changes in the schema's position in a Storage Bin in memory). These prevailing assumptions may be incomplete; category accesibility effects may be mediated through several different mechanisms including changes in procedural knowledge. A model of the mediation of category accessibility effects by content-specific procedures is developed and tested in two experiments. The results support two hypotheses derived from this model and fail to fit the patterns that would be expected if the effects were mediated by abstract schemas. The effects of priming by reading trait-related behavior descriptions are longer lasting than effects of reading trait words. The effects of priming are process-specific, depending on the overlap between the operations subjects perform on the priming materials and the operations required by the test used. Both declarative and procedural knowledge fit within a general model of memory and inference processes that links social cognition and cognitive psychology.
The Primary Cilium of Connective Tissue Cells: Imaging by Multiphoton Microscopy

Although the role of the primary cilium as a sensory organelle in epithelial cells has been elucidated significantly over the past decade, the function of primary cilia in connective tissue cells has been studied less extensively. Primary cilia have been implicated as mechanotransducers in connective tissues, but the mechanisms by which the cells sense loads and convert them to biochemical signals for tissue formation and adaptation are poorly understood. Before hypotheses regarding the function of the primary cilium in connective tissue cells can be tested, methods for quantitation of incidence as well as three-dimensional visualization of primary cilia with respect to the extracellular matrix (ECM) are needed. The objective of this study was to develop a rapid method for visualizing primary cilia in their native ECM in a wide range of connective tissues. Whole-mount immunohistochemical and multiphoton microscopy techniques were developed to simultaneously image primary cilia, cell nuclei, and collagen and their relationships to each other in situ. Axonemes of primary cilia projecting into the ECM were successfully visualized in thick sections of growth plate cartilage, tendon, ligament, meniscus, intervertebral disc, and perichondrium. These methodologies will allow analysis of the incidence and three-dimensional orientation of primary cilia and enable investigation of the role of primary cilia in normal and pathological growth and adaptation in a variety of musculoskeletal tissues.
Darkening of the anal organ of larvae of Musca autumnalis and Orthellia caesarion when parasitized by the nematode Heterotylenchus autumnalis

Abstract Several larvae of the flies Musca autumnalis and Orthellia caesarion infected by the nematode Heterotylenchus autumnalis were found to have large, brown to black symmetrical patches surrounding the anus. Histological examination showed the darkened region to be confined only to the cuticle and underlying epidermal cells of the anal organ. The pigment is believed to be melanin and the darkening reaction in infected larvae appears to be related to the pigmentation of the anal organ in some tumor strains of Drosophila and to the darkened lesions produced in the epidermis of house fly larvae fed vertebrate carcinogens.
TMEM106B and frontotemporal lobar degeneration: can over-expression tell us how reductions are beneficial?

The inheritance of risk for frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) the disease state underlying frontotemporal dementia (FTD; for a comprehensive review, see Sieben et al. 2012) seems to be getting increasingly complicated with each new publication of a genetic study. In addition to the causal mutations in five major genes such as progranulin (GRN) and microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT), several quantitative trait loci and other low-penetrance, modifying genes have been identified in the last six years. While this latter category of risk-modifying polymorphisms (vis-a-vis “causal” genes) are not considered strictly causative, one might think that such a growing list would begin to fall within a signaling pathway or other mechanistic relationship that would serve to outline the pathogenesis of FTLD. Discovering such a common pathogenic process would be a coup for our understanding of this group of disorders that is increasingly appreciated as making a rather large demographic contribution to the total cases of age-related dementia. However, only vague and obtuse connections have been unveiled to date.
High-pressure sodium lamps: Practical design model:

A model is presented which predicts HPS lamp efficacy to within about 5 1m W-1 over a wide span of design space. When the input wattage is fixed and the cold-spot temperature of standard colour HPS...
Comparative study of ultraviolet-infrared cutoff filters prepared by reactive electron-beam deposition and reactive ion-assisted deposition

UV-IR cutoff filters consisting a number of alternating layers of TiO2 and SiO2 were prepared by reactive electron-beam deposition (EBD) at a glass-substrate temperature of 300°C and by reactive ion- assisted deposition (IAD) at an ambient substrate temperature. All the filters were prepared in the same coater, equipped with two electron beam guns and one advanced plasma source. The uniformity and repro- ducibility of filters prepared by both techniques were investigated and compared, and correlated with results from single-layer materials. The useful sample radii, with optical thickness variation less than 1.6%, for EBD and IAD filters were up to 50 and 30 cm, respectively. The run-to- run reproducibility of EBD filters was as good as or even better than that of IAD filters. However, the temperature stability of IAD filters was supe- rior to that of EBD filters, which confirmed that the energetic ion bom- bardments made the component films denser. © 1998 Society of Photo- Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (S0091-3286(98)03405-9) Subject terms: UV-IR cutoff filters; reactive electron-beam deposition; reactive ion-assisted deposition; advanced plasma source; uniformity; reproducibility; tem- perature stability.
Influence of Media Components and pH on Somatic Embryo Induction in Three Genotypes of Soybean

The influence of media components on the initiation of somatic embryogenesis in three genotypes of soybean was investigated. The following genotypes were used: Iroquois, Macon, and Savoy. Media modifications included sucrose concentration, type and concentration of auxin at two pH levels, and pH level independently. Immature cotyledons were used as the source of explant. Cotyledons were placed on a medium containing MS salts, B5 vitamins, sucrose, and auxin. Gelrite (0.2%) was used as the solidifying agent. Sucrose concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 4.5, or 6% were used. The auxins used included 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) with each at concentrations of 45.2, 90.4, 135.7, 180.9, and 226.2 μM. The pH of each the media was adjusted to either 5.7 or 7.0 with 1 N NaOH. In an additional experiment, the effect of the two pH levels, 5.7 and 7.0, was investigated independently. Overall, the frequency of somatic embryogenesis significantly varied among the different genotypes used in this study, with Iroquois showing the highest response. Frequency of somatic embryogenesis also varied in response to the different treatments used, including sucrose and auxin. The highest initiation (91.7%) and mean number of somatic embryos per responding explant (14.9) of Iroquois was observed in a medium containing 2% sucrose. The highest initiation (97.1%) and mean number of somatic embryos per responding explant (19.5) was observed in Iroquois on 135.7 μM 2,4-D and Savoy on 135.7 μM 2,4-D, respectively, for the auxin by pH level experiment. No significant differences were observed among the two pH treatments used.
Stress-induced wall motion abnormalities with low-dose dobutamine infusion indicate the presence of severe disease and vulnerable myocardium

BACKGROUND Patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction due to coronary artery disease (CAD) may develop stress-induced wall motion abnormalities (SWMA) with low-dose (10 microg/kg/min) dobutamine infusion. The clinical significance of low-dose SWMA is unknown. OBJECTIVE We investigated the clinical, hemodynamic and angiographic correlates of low-dose SWMA in patients with chronic ischemic LV systolic dysfunction. METHODS Seventy patients with chronic ischemic LV systolic dysfunction who had dobutamine stress echocardiography were studied. Clinical, hemodynamic, and angiographic parameters at rest and low-dose were compared between 38 patients (mean ejection fraction (EF) of 30 +/- 8%) with low-dose SWMA and 32 patients (EF 30 +/- 11%) without low-dose SWMA. RESULTS Multivariate analysis showed that the number of coronary territories with severe disease (stenosis > or =70%)(P = 0.001, RR = 6.3) was an independent predictor of low-dose SWMA. An increasing number of collateral vessels protected patients from low-dose SWMA (P = 0.011, RR = 0.25). A higher resting heart rate was a negative predictor of low-dose SWMA (P = 0.015, RR = 0.92) but no other hemodynamic variables were predictors. In the patients with low-dose SMA, regions with low-dose SWMA were more likely to be supplied by vessels with severe disease than regions without low-dose SWMA (92% vs 58%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION In patients with ischemic LV systolic dysfunction, the extent of severe disease and a lower numbers of collaterals predict the occurrence of low-dose SWMA. Low-dose SWMA is a highly specific marker for severe disease.
To bet the impossible bet

Notre sens de la logique nous rappelle que Dieu n'existe ou qu'il n'existe pas. Malgre tous ses efforts, la raison ne peut decider si Dieu existe ou non. Le probleme amene necessairement au pari. L'intention de l'A. est de mettre un terme a la question du pari envisagee par Pascal. Son aspect central reside dans les termes de Pascal: la raison ne peut rien fonder dans ce monde et nous sommes par consequent contraints a faire ce pari. Pour l'A., ce pari est inutile en raison d'une rupture structurale dans les conditions qui determinent les relations entre l'acte du pari et les autres options de remboursement
The Downingtown furnace atomic absorption workshop: a report

Abstract A report on an International Workshop on furnace atomic absorption, held in Downingtown PA, Sept. 19–23, 1983, is presented. Major topics of deliberation included temperature measurements, furnace design alternatives, chemical characterization of the furnace environment, and furnace materials. Alternatives in each of these areas are considered and, where possible, a concensus opinion of the workshop group regarding current status and future needs identified.
A novel wall reaction of OH

A moderately fast second-order reaction between OH and atomic hydrogen, which occurred on the halocarbon-coated or acid-washed walls of a standard discharge-flow apparatus, has been investigated using epr spectroscopy. The reaction that occurred in a halocarbon-coated flowtube was found to be unusual in that it produced a reactive product, namely, atomic oxygen.
Shear bond strength of two resin adhesives for acid-etched metal prostheses

This study compared the shear bond strength of Panavia EX and Comspan Opaque adhesive resins with electrolytically etched or sandblasted Rexillium III or Litecast B metals bonded to extracted teeth. An analysis of variance revealed that there is no difference in bonding strength among etched or sandblasted Rexillium III metal with either Panavia EX or Comspan Opaque resins. With Litecast B metal, sandblasting produced a greater bond strength than etching with Panavia Ex resin (38.19 MPa sandblasted; 30.53 MPa etched). Conversely, Comspan Opaque resin had a value of 30.10 MPa etched and 15.40 MPa sandblasted. The etched Rexillium III and Panavia EX resins recorded a greater bond strength (38.38 MPa) than Comspan Opaque resin (27.83 MPa) or sandblasted Rexillium III metal (Rexillium III 34.74 MPa; Comspan Opaque 20.39 MPa) and Litecast B metal (Panavia EX 38.19 MPa; Comspan Opaque 15.40 MPa). Eighty percent of the failures occurred at the cement-metal interface with both cements.
Exclusion of lung metastases in placental site trophoblastic tumor using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography: A case report

Abstract Background. We present the first case using [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) for the evaluation of multiple lung nodules in a woman with placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT) and history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Case. PSTT was diagnosed by endometrial biopsy in a 38-year-old female, 11 months after an abortion. She had received medical treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis 8 years ago. Nodular lung lesions in upper and lower lung fields were noted on the chest X-ray and computed tomography, which was not shown on PET. She then received hysterectomy and complete remission of serum β-hCG titer with stationary lung lesions in follow-up images were noticed thereafter. Conclusion. PET, as adjuvant study to conventional images, may help in the differentiation of chest lesions in PSTT.
Androgen-receptor gene structure and function in prostate cancer.

Androgen-receptor (AR) gene mutations have been found in clinical prostate cancer, both prior to hormonal therapy and in hormone-refractory disease that persists despite androgen-ablative therapy. Thus, mutations that are present in late-stage disease might arise prior to therapy rather than as a result of therapy. A common feature of mutations in untreated prostate cancer and in hormone-refractory prostate cancer is that the AR retains activity as a ligand-dependent transcription factor. Some AR mutations in prostate cancer show broadened ligand specificity, such that the transcription-factor activity of the AR can be stimulated not just by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) but also by estradiol and other androgen metabolites that have a low affinity for the AR. The activation of mutant AR by estrogen and weak androgens could confer on prostate cancer cells an ability to survive testicular androgen ablation by allowing activation of the AR by adrenal androgens or exogenous estrogen. Such mutations might confer an advantage even prior to androgen ablation, since prostate cancer has lower levels of 5 alpha-reductase and, therefore, of DHT, than normal. Thus, AR mutations that occur prior to therapy may characterize a more aggressive disease. A large percentage of tumors appear to have no AR gene mutation. In tumors without an AR gene mutation, AR function might be affected via other mechanisms (e.g., AR gene amplification, which could increase the amount of AR activity at a given DHT level). Importantly, the apparent absence of AR gene mutations in the majority of earlystage tumors indicates that the role of androgen in the development of clinical prostate cancer is mediated predominantly by a normal AR gene. There are actually multiple alleles of the normal AR gene; these allelic variants differ in glutamine and glycine repeat length in the transactivation domain of the protein, and they may differ in signal-transducing activity. The glutamine and glycine repeat length may thereby modulate the effect of androgen on tumor-cell proliferation that occurs during clonal expansion.
The diagnosis and management of polycythemia vera in the era since the Polycythemia Vera Study Group: a survey of American Society of Hematology members' practice patterns

The Polycythemia Vera Study Group (PVSG) was organized in 1967 to identify the optimal approach to the diagnosis and treatment of polycythemia vera (PV). Nevertheless, a systematic assessment of US physicians' approach to PV has not been performed. To determine practice patterns in the management of PV, a random sample of the US American Society of Hematology (ASH) membership was surveyed. Thirty-three percent of 3000 surveys were returned. Significant variations in diagnostic and therapeutic approach were evident by region, practice type, specialty, and clinical experience. Red cell volume determinations (78% of respondents), serum erythropoietin levels (76%), and arterial blood gases (75%) were the most frequent tests used in the diagnosis of PV. Sixty-nine percent of physicians use phlebotomy as their first choice for erythrocytosis. Phlebotomy plus hydroxyurea (27.8%) and hydroxyurea alone (10%) were used less often. Despite PVSG recommendations, almost 16% of physicians used a target hematocrit of 0.55 (50%) or 0.55 (55%) for phlebotomy therapy. Eighty-two percent of physicians treated thrombocytosis only when platelet counts exceeded 1000 × 109/L (1 000 000/μL) or in the event of symptoms. Hydroxyurea (62.8%) and anagrelide (35.4%) were the primary agents used to treat thrombocytosis. Thus, this national survey of US hematologists and oncologists has identified substantial variation in the approach to the diagnosis and treatment of PV. A significant minority of physicians undertreat erythrocytosis, and little consensus exists regarding the treatment of thrombocytosis.
Academic Disqualification and Persistence to Graduation by Financial Aid Category and Academic Ability

In this longitudinal study of 21,243 students, the academic disqualification and persistence to graduation by financial aid category and academic ability were studied. Students who had greater financial need disqualified at higher rates and persisted to graduation at lower rates. However, when financial aid categories were stratified by academic ability, academic ability was a better indicator of disqualification and persistence to graduation than was financial aid category. These data may provide clues to determine where financial intervention with institutional need-based aid may be most beneficial and how programmatic interventions may be appropriate.
Factors associated with incomplete DASH questionnaires

Background Missing data are unavoidable in clinical research. Older age, female gender, and fewer years of education are risk factors for missing items in a questionnaire. This study assessed the differences between patients with complete and incomplete Disabilities of the Arms, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaires in terms of demographics and psychological factors.
Use of computerized health claims data to monitor compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis in sickle cell disease.

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate how computerized claims data can be used to identify children with sickle cell disease probably having low compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis of pneumococcal disease. METHODS The study included under-5-year-old children with sickle cell disease who were on antibiotic prophylaxis and covered by Medicaid in Michigan (N=158), Missouri (N=64), and New York (N=297). Medicaid pharmacy claims from 10-month periods were used to estimate the total days' supply of antibiotics dispensed for each child. Low compliance was defined as a ratio less than 0.33 for the child's estimated total days' supply of antibiotics divided by days in the child's study period. Two slightly different methods of estimating antibiotic supplies were used to generate a low and high estimate of the percentage of children having low compliance. RESULTS Low and high estimates of the percentage of children having low compliance were 20% and 25% in Michigan, 19% and 31% in Missouri, and 16% and 24% in New York. With each method of estimating antibiotic supplies, low compliance was not associated with age in any state. CONCLUSIONS Computerized claims data can be used, potentially by Medicaid programs and managed care organizations, to identify children with sickle cell disease who probably have low compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis.
RECOGNIZING COMORBID PERSONALITY DISORDER CAN HELP MANAGE AND TREAT THE “UNTREATABLE”

Personality disorder is surprisingly prevalent. Clinical syndromes accompanied by personality disorder tend to be more severe, more treatment resistant, and more likely to recur than their counterparts. Learning to recognize personality disorder can enhance the efficacy of the clinician's management style and his or her ability to make appropriate plans for long-term psychotherapy. To assist diagnosis of personality disorder according to the DSM-IV, the authors present interpersonal descriptions and necessary and exclusionary conditions.
A tale of two land uses in the American West: rural residential growth and energy development

This paper describes a spatiotemporal land use map for a rural county in the western United States. Sublette County, Wyoming has undergone recent land use change in the form of heightened rural residential development on private land and increased energy development on both public and private land. In this study we integrate energy production data, population census data, ownership parcel data, and a series of Landsat Thematic Mapper and Enhanced Thematic Mapper scenes (over a 25-year period) to create a map that illustrates the changing landscape. Spatial change on the landscape is mapped at 30 square meters, congruent with a Landsat pixel. Sublette County has a wealth of wildlife and associated habitat which is affected by both types of growth. While we do not attempt to quantify the effect of disturbance on wildlife species, we believe our results can provide important baseline data that can be incorporated into land use planning and ecological-wildlife research at the landscape scale.
Combining Modeling Methodologies for Improved Understanding of Smart Material Characteristics

Smart materials are complex materials that contain both active and passive components. The system performance depends not only on active component performance capabilities but the synergistic response of the smart material and companion structure. Behavior is a result of interaction between diverse subsystems including, but not limited to, sensors, actuators, drive amplifiers and connecting digital electronics. An integrated model is developed which incorporates structural characteristics of a smart material and companion structure with a dynamic model of the amplifier used to power the smart material. Actuators are modeled using nonlinear constitutive laws and integrated with the dynamic model of the amplifier. The actuators have a significant structural influence on the smart material response. This interaction is obtained through a detailed finite element model used to determine the structural response of the smart material. Calculated displacements are compared for the dynamic model and the static finite element response model. The two analysis methodologies are used in conjunction to obtain a better understanding ofthe smart material performance.
Building buyer commitment to the salesperson

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine predictors of buyer's commitment to the salesperson. Using the Geyskens et al. (1999) meta-analysis as a base for hypothesis development, this study examines economic satisfaction, non-economic satisfaction, conflict, trust, and commitment. Further, this study examines four additional linkages based on research since the publication of the meta-analysis. Study findings provide evidence that examining additional linkages beyond those which are examined in the Geyskens et al. meta-analysis are beneficial to explaining buyer–salesperson relationships. The importance of examining economic and relational based constructs is highlighted.