cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-Selection and Tests for Bias and Risk in Mortgage Lending: Can You Price the Mortgage If You Don't Know the Process?

There is increasing interest in understanding the determinants of mortgage rejection by lenders and default by borrowers. Although many researchers have proposed simple single-equation models of rejection and default, we argue that far more complex econometric specifications are needed. This paper focuses attention on problems of sample selection in the process creating a sample of applicants for conventional mortgages. We illustrate that corrections for sample selection bias may have a substantial effect on estimation results and hence should not be ignored in studies of mortgage rejection or default.
Asphalt Emulsion for Environmental Coating and Encapsulation

In this new era, people are more concerned about their living environment. Environmental problems become a global issue in this world, and many of the environmental problems come from material corrosion such as underground storage tank corrosion, buried pipe line corrosion, etc., which can cause soil and groundwater contamination. Such contaminations directly threaten human health and human life when the underground water is contaminated or when the seepage of volatile organic compounds from underground contaminated soil becomes explosive.
Distinct Molecular Program Imposed on CD4+ T Cell Targets by CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells

CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells (Tregs) are key modulators of immunity, but their mechanism of action is unclear. To elucidate the molecular consequences of Treg encounter, we analyzed changes in gene expression in CD4 + T cell targets activated in the presence or absence of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs. Tregs did not alter the early activation program of CD4 + T cells, but had reversed many of the activation-induced changes by 36 h. It is not known whether Tregs simply induce a set of transcriptional changes common to other nonproliferative states or whether instead Tregs mediate a distinct biological activity. Therefore, we compared the gene profile of T cells following Treg encounter with that of T cells made anergic, TGF-β-treated, or IL-2-deprived; all possible modes of Treg action. Strikingly, all genes down-regulated in suppressed cells were indeed common to these nonproliferative states. In contrast, Treg encounter led to elevated expression of a unique set of genes in the target T cells. Although different from the nonproliferative states tested, the Treg-imposed gene program is exemplified by expression of many genes associated with growth arrest or inhibition of proliferation. We suggest that Tregs function by the induction of a distinct set of negative regulatory factors that initiate or maintain target T cells in a nonproliferative state.
BROWNSVILLE: BORDER PORT FOR MEXICO AND THE U.S.

(1969). BROWNSVILLE: BORDER PORT FOR MEXICO AND THE U.S. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 178-183.
Clinical pharmacology of sisomicin.

Studies were conducted in 30 patients with neoplastic diseases. Twelve patients received sisomicin intramuscularly at doses of 20 mg/m2 and 40 mg/m2. The mean peak serum concentration occurred at 1 h and was 2.5 μg/ml and 4.0 μg/ml, respectively. Ten patients received intravenous sisomicin at doses of 30 mg/m2 during 30-min infusion. Mean peak serum level determined at 30 min was 5.1 μg/ml. The levels gradually decreased and at 6 h was 0.6 μg/ml. The serum half-life was 160 min. Serum levels determined in eight patients who received sisomicin by continuous infusion at doses of 30 mg/m2 every 6 h were greater than 1.4 μg/ml during the 6-h period. The urinary excretion of sisomicin during the 6-h period after intramuscular administration of 20 mg/m2 and 40 mg/m2 was 49 and 61%, respectively. The pharmacology of sisomicin is similar to gentamicin.
Magnetic resonance image-guided salvage brachytherapy after radiation in select men who initially presented with favorable-risk prostate cancer: a prospective phase 2 study.

BACKGROUND. The authors prospectively evaluated the late gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) control of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided brachytherapy used as salvage for radiation therapy (RT) failure. METHODS. From October 2000 to October 2005, 25 men with a rising PSA level and biopsy-proven, intraprostatic cancer at least 2 years after initial RT (external beam in 13 men and brachytherapy in 12 men) who had favorable clinical features (Gleason score ≤7, PSA < 10 ng/mL, negative pelvic and bone imaging studies), received MRI-guided salvage brachytherapy to a minimum peripheral dose of 137 gray on a phase 1/2 protocol. Estimates of toxicity and cancer control were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS. The median follow-up was 47 months. The 4-year estimate of grade 3 or 4 GI or GU toxicity was 30%, and 13% of patients required a colostomy and/or urostomy to repair a fistula. An interval < 4.5 years between RT courses was associated with both outcomes with a hazard ratio of 12 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.4–100; P = .02) for grade 3 or 4 toxicity and 25 (95% CI, 1.1–529; P = .04) for colostomy and/orurostomy. PSA control (nadir +2 definition) was 70% at 4 years. CONCLUSIONS. The current results indicated that MRI-guided salvage brachytherapy in men who are selected based on presenting characteristics and postfailure PSA kinetics can achieve high PSA control rates, although complications requiring surgical intervention may occur in 10% to 15% of patients. Prospective randomized studies are needed to characterize the relative cancer control and toxicity after all forms of salvage local therapy. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Optimal policies for protecting the quality of groundwater

Abstract This paper provides an analytical framework for use by a regional authority when assessing the potential impacts of a policy initiative directed at improving groundwater quality. In particular, a policy model is developed relying on three decision components (a farm level production decision model, a household decision model and a regional policy decision model) where the objective is that of identifying the trade-offs that a regional authority will be confronted with as it strives to balance the preferences of farmers and households while endeavoring to maximize net economic welfare. The basic rule developed indicates that the regional authority must choose a policy such that any increase (decrease) in regional income is just equal to the decrease (increase) in net benefits to households.
Finite Element Modeling of Concentrating Solar Collectors for Evaluation of Gravity Loads, Bending, and Optical Characterization

Understanding the effects of gravity and wind loads on concentrating solar power (CSP) collectors is critical for performance calculations and developing more accurate alignment procedures and techniques. This paper presents a rigorous finite-element model of a parabolic trough collector that is used to determine the impact of gravity loads on bending and displacements of the mirror facets and support structure. The geometry of the LUZ LS-2 parabolic trough collector was modeled using SolidWorks, and gravity-induced loading and displacements were simulated in SolidWorks Simulation. The model of the trough collector was evaluated in two positions: the 90° position (mirrors facing upward) and the 0° position (mirrors facing horizontally). The slope errors of the mirror facet reflective surfaces were found by evaluating simulated angular displacements of node-connected segments along the mirror surface. The ideal (undeformed) shape of the mirror was compared to the shape of the deformed mirror after gravity loading. Also, slope errors were obtained by comparing the deformed shapes between the 90° and 0° positions. The slope errors resulting from comparison between the deformed vs. undeformed shape were as high as ∼2 mrad, depending on the location of the mirror facet on the collector. The slope errors resulting from a change in orientation of the trough from the 90° position to the 0° position with gravity loading were as high as ∼3 mrad, depending on the location of the facet.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Using web-based learning logs to analyze students' conceptual understanding of truss analysis in an engineering statics course

Engineering statics is a gateway course in engineering education that prepares students for subsequent courses such as dynamics and mechanics of materials. However, students may not explicitly voice their concerns or challenges encountered when trying to understand the material due to their unfamiliarity with engineering concepts in statics. Therefore, it is important to explore different venues that would allow the instructor to determine and understand the areas where students struggle. This work in progress investigates how web-based learning logs can help the instructor identify the information necessary to facilitate instruction, and help students understand difficult concepts regarding truss analysis. The intent of this work is to generate a framework, through constant comparative analysis, that describes the different areas engineering students struggle with when working on truss analysis. The objective is to describe the complexity of truss analysis in order to provide a series of codes and schemes that will eventually advance the research in engineering statics, and provide a better understanding of students' concerns in engineering statics to facilitate future interventions.
HYDROXYLATION OF TRYPTOPHAN AND PHENYLALANINE IN NEOPLASTIC MAST CELLS OF THE MOUSE.

Abstract The hydroxylation of tryptophan to 5-hydroxyindoles and phenylalanine to tyrosine was studied in intact neoplastic mast cells. Although both substrates were hydroxylated at rapid rates, the rate of formation of tyrosine was two to three times greater than the rate of formation of 5-hydroxyindoles. This is apparently the first demonstration of tyrosine synthesis in a mammalian tissue other than liver. Because of the simplicity of the techniques involved and the small range of variability in the results in these studies, it is suggested that the methods described should prove useful in studying potential inhibitors of tryptophan until a suitable cell-free system becomes available.
Induction of the interleukin-2/15 receptor β-chain by the EWS–WT1 translocation product

EWS–WT1 is a chimeric transcription factor resulting from fusion of the N-terminal domain of the Ewing sarcoma gene EWS to the three C-terminal zinc fingers of the Wilms tumor suppressor WT1. This translocation underlies desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT), which is noted for the abundance of reactive stroma surrounding islets of tumor cells, suggestive of paracrine signals contributing to tumor cell proliferation. Hybridization to high-density oligonucleotide microarrays can be used to identify targets of EWS–WT1. Expression of EWS–WT1 from a tetracycline-regulated promoter leads to the induction of growth-associated genes, of which the most remarkable is the beta-chain of the interleukin-2/15 receptor (IL-2/15Rβ). Potent transcriptional activation by the chimeric protein maps to two bindings sites within the IL-2/15Rβ promoter. Analysis of primary DSRCT tumor specimens demonstrates high levels of IL-2/15Rβ within the tumor cells, along with expression of IL-2 and IL-15 by the abundant hyperplastic endothelial cells within the reactive stroma. Activation of this cytokine signaling pathway is consistent with the nuclear localization of its downstream effectors, phosphorylated STAT3 and STAT5. These observations suggest that the transcriptional induction of a cytokine receptor by a tumor-associated translocation product enables a proliferative response of epithelial cancer cells to ligands secreted by the surrounding stroma.
Hydrogen and methane production from swine wastewater using microbial electrolysis cells

The production of a useful and valuable product during swine wastewater treatment, such as hydrogen gas, could help to lower treatment costs. Hydrogen can theoretically be produced from wastewater by electrohydrogenesis in a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) or by fermentation. Using a single-chamber MEC with a graphite-fiber brush anode, hydrogen gas was generated at 0.9-1.0 m(3) m(-3) day(-1) H2 using a full-strength or diluted swine wastewater. COD removals ranged from 8 to 29% in 20-h tests, and from 69 to 75% in longer tests (184 h) using full-strength wastewater. The gas produced was up to 77+/-11% hydrogen, with overall recoveries of up to 28+/-6% of the COD in the wastewater as hydrogen gas. Methane was also produced at a maximum of 13+/-4% of total gas volume. The efficiency of hydrogen production, based on the electrical energy needed (but excluding the energy in the wastewater) compared to the energy of the hydrogen gas produced, was as high as 190+/-39% in 42-h batch tests with undiluted wastewater, but was lower in longer batch tests of 184 h (91+/-6%). Hydrogen gas could not be recovered in fermentation tests using wastewater with a heat-treated inoculum. Hydrogen production was shown to be possible by fermentation when the wastewater was sterilized, but this process would not be practical or energy efficient. We therefore conclude from these tests that MECs are an effective method for hydrogen recovery from swine wastewater treatment, although the process needs to be further evaluated for reducing methane production, increasing the efficiency of converting the organic matter into current, and increasing recovery of hydrogen gas produced at the cathode.
Case Studies of Computer-Aided Design Sensitivity to Thermodynamic Data and Models

The design of chemical processes relies on simulation. However, the results are strongly dependent on thermodynamic models for the basic properties. While proper choice of the thermodynamic model is important, even with the best available model, the uncertainties in the model parameters and the experimental data that are used to regress them can be significant. The uncertainty induced from the different simulators is another factor to be considered in process design. Through a series of case studies on steady-state and dynamic simulation, we show how uncertainties of the thermodynamic data and models of the system can have a profound effect on the process design. In the meantime, the strategies for quantification of such thermodynamic-parameter-induced uncertainties via Monte Carlo simulation, with the Latin hypercube sampling technique, equal probability sampling technique, and regression analyses, are described. The study indicates that the designs developed through use of these models are significantly...
Computational methodology to predict injury risk for motor vehicle crash victims: A framework for improving Advanced Automatic Crash Notification systems

Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) systems, capable of predicting post-crash injury severity and subsequent automatic transfer of injury assessment data to emergency medical services, may significantly improve the timeliness, appropriateness, and efficacy of care provided. The estimation of injury severity based on statistical field data, as incorporated in current AACN systems, lack specificity and accuracy to identify the risk of life-threatening conditions. To enhance the existing AACN framework, the goal of the current study was to develop a computational methodology to predict risk of injury in specific body regions based on specific characteristics of the crash, occupant and vehicle. The computational technique involved multibody models of the vehicle and the occupant to simulate the case-specific occupant dynamics and subsequently predict the injury risk using established physical metrics. To demonstrate the computational-based injury prediction methodology, three frontal crash cases involving adult drivers in passenger cars were extracted from the US National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System. The representative vehicle model, anthropometrically scaled model of the occupant and kinematic information related to the crash cases, selected at different severities, were used for the blinded verification of injury risk estimations in five different body regions. When compared to existing statistical algorithms, the current computational methodology is a significant improvement toward post-crash injury prediction specifically tailored to individual attributes of the crash. Variations in the initial posture of the driver, analyzed as a pre-crash variable, were shown to have a significant effect on the injury risk.
The importance of patient preferences for comorbidities in cost-effectiveness analyses

Abstract When using cost-effectiveness analyse to prioritize the allocation of health care resources across patients, a standard definition of effectiveness must be used. In an informal review of cost-effectiveness analyses, we found a heterogeneity in the methods used to qualify adjust years of life. Many studies do not account for the morbid conditions that patients experience other than the index condition being studied. These studies systematically overstate health benefit relative to studies that do for comorbidities. We recommend that patient preferences for comorbid conditions be incorporated into analyses to allow a consistent and facile comparison of cost-utility ratios for societal decision making.
Cyclins and Cyclin-Dependent Kinases Are Differentially Regulated during Terminal Differentiation of C2C12 Muscle Cells

Abstract Differentiation of skeletal myoblasts into contractile myotubes is associated with permanent withdrawal from the cell cycle. Little is known about the expression of cell cycle regulating genes during terminal differentiation of muscle cells. We investigated the expression pattern, biological activity, and cellular localization of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases during terminal differentiation of the mouse skeletal myogenic cell line C2C12. After induction of differentiation by serum deprivation, cdc2 mRNA levels transiently increased, followed by a down-regulation to undetectable levels within 42 h. In contrast, cdk2 mRNA stayed constant during this period. During differentiation cyclin A, B, and C were down-regulated within 24 h to undetectable levels. Interestingly, cyclin D1/CYL1 mRNA was upregulated by twofold at 9-12 h after serum deprivation followed by a down-regulation to undetectable levels within 42 h, while cyclin D3/CYL3 mRNA levels remained constant. Restimulation of the differentiated myotube culture with serum reinduced cdc2 as well as cyclin D1/CYL1 mRNA close to the levels observed in dividing myoblasts. At the protein level p34cdc2 was detected in nuclei of proliferating myoblasts and nascent myotubes, but not in mature myotubes. Restimulation with serum-induced p34cdc2 protein in a small minority of unfused myoblasts, but never in myotubes. Histone H1 kinase activity of p34cdc2 decreased during differentiation while p33cdk2 activity did not change. These findings suggest that terminal differentiation of skeletal muscle cells is associated with a differential regulation of cyclins and their associated kinases. Inability to accumulate p34cdc2 protein in response to serum stimulation, despite the induction of its mRNA, in differentiated myotubes may play an important role in maintaining the postmitotic state of skeletal muscle in the presence of high concentrations of growth factors.
Mastocytoma-mediated suppression of mixed lymphocyte culture and mitogen responsiveness.

Abstract Murine spleen cells, stimulated in vitro by allogeneic spleen, display a strong proliferative response with the subsequent development of cytotoxic cells. This proliferation and sensitization can be abrogated by the addition of mitomycin-treated or X-irradiated murine DBA/2 mastocytoma cells (P-815). The substance required for this depression of lymphocyte responsiveness is present in the cell-free supernatant fluids of P-815 cultures. The suppression appears to be due to interference with cell proliferation in the mixed lymphocyte culture, because the P-815 also prevents spleen cells from proliferating in response to the mitogens concanavalin A (Con A), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and phytohemagglutinin (PHA). The significance of these findings is discussed.
Paleoclimatic and tectonic control on the accumulation of North American cratonic sediment

Variation in accumulation rate as a function of depositional latitude has been determined for North American limestone, dolostone, sand-stone, gray-black shale, red shale, and evaporite rocks from tabulations by Ronov and co-workers, from data in lexicons of United States and Canadian stratigraphy, and from isopach and lithofacies maps published in 1975 by Cook and Bally. Phanerozoic sediment is similar to that on other continents, consisting of 63% terrigenous elastic facies (23% sandstone; 40% shale), 36% carbonate, and 1% chert, evaporite, and other minor rock types. Latitudinal variation in accumulation rate is influenced primarily by past positions of foreland and intracratonic basins. Additional variation related to paleoclimate is recorded as strong dependence of limestone, dolostone, red shale, and evaporite deposition on latitudes of accumulation, a relation reflecting the importance of ambient temperature and meteoric precipitation on the formation of various authigenic phases. Poleward increase in dolostone/total carbonate ratio in both hemispheres implicates the importance of syndepositional diagenesis in the formation of most dolostone sequences. The ratio of sandstone/total terrigenous clastic sediment exhibits little variation with latitude, a constancy indicating that most sand and mud is derived from older sediment rather than from the weathering of crystalline rock. As a result, terrigenous lithofacies record little climatic influence in the proportional delivery of mechanically versus chemically derived weathering products to basins of accumulation.
Junctions of multiple quantum wires with different Luttinger parameters

Within the framework of boundary conformal field theory, we evaluate the conductance of stable fixed points of junctions of two and three quantum wires with different Luttinger parameters. For two wires, the physical properties are governed by a single effective Luttinger parameter for each of the charge and spin sectors. We present numerical density-matrix-renormalization-group calculations of the conductance of a junction of two chains of interacting spinless fermions with different interaction strengths, obtained using a recently developed method [ Phys. Rev. Lett. 105 226803 (2010)]. The numerical results show very good agreement with the analytical predictions. For three spinless wires (i.e., a Y junction) we analytically determine the full phase diagram and compute all fixed-point conductances as a function of the three Luttinger parameters.
Communication disturbances in schizophrenia: a two-process formulation

We hypothesized that communication disturbances in the form of unclear linguistic references in schizophrenia are associated with excess-related pathophysiologic processes in some individuals and deficit-related processes in others. We divided a sample of 28 acutely ill schizophrenic inpatients into two groups: those with negative symptoms and those without. We analyzed audiotaped speech samples from each subject, and found that the two groups did not differ significantly on overall level of communication disturbance. In patients without negative symptoms, level of communication disturbance was associated with severity of positive symptoms (r = .62, P < .02) and with neuroleptic responsiveness (r = .52, P < .06 [trend]). In those with negative symptoms, level of communication disturbance did not correlate with severity of positive symptoms (r = .09, NS), and correlated negatively with medication responsiveness (r = −.66, P < .01) These findings support a two-process hypothesis of schizophrenic communication disturbance.
Nursing management of patients receiving interferon.

I NTERFERON was identified in 1957 by Drs Isaacs and Lindemann at the National Institute of Medicine Research, London. ’ They discovered that cells exposed to a virus produced a protein that interfered with subsequent viral assaults. The scientific community, viewing this discovery with great skepticism, doubted the existence of the protein.’ Interestingly, interferon had its debut in the media in a 1960 Flash Gordon comic-strip adventure by artist Dan Barry, in which interferon injections were used to save the lives of spacemen infected with an extraterrestrial virus.3 In the mid1960s other effects of interferon, including its antiproliferative properties were identified. Cantell’s work in the early 1970s led to the production of human interferon alpha (a) in sufficient quantities for limited clinical research.2 In 1975, these clinical trials were expanded by funding from the National Cancer Institute, followed by the American Cancer Society in 1978. The media hailed interferon as the “magic bullet” in cancer therapy despite limited clinical therapeutic data. In 1979, Taniguchi successfully cloned p-interferon4 This was followed by recombinant cloning of o-interferon subtypes and y-interferon. The subsequent development of recombinant DNA technology facilitated the production of large quantities of purified interferons for clinical research.
Chemical preparation of conductive polypyrrole–polytetrafluoroethene composites

A process for depositing a uniform, smooth and coherent film of conductive polypyrrole onto and into commercially available polytetrafluorethene (PTFE) tape is described. Adhesion is promoted by using Nafion (a perfluorosulfonate ionomer marketed by Du Pont) to create an interface between the polytetrafluoroethene and the polypyrrole. The composite shows low surface resistivity. Furthermore, the Teflon substrate can be oriented, and growth of polypyrrole on this oriented surface yields an oriented conductive polymer film.
Preparation of a proteolytic enzyme mixture containing trypsin, elastase, and chymotrypsin for use in tissue disaggregation

We describe a purification method for tissue culture-grade trypsin that yields an enzyme mixture with reproducible activities of trypsin, elastase, and chymotrypsin and eliminates amylase and lipase.
Ultrastructure of the subfornical organ of the chicken (Gallus domesticus)

The SFO of the chicken is divided in half by a large central blood sinus; ventrally it is covered by a thin layer of ependyma (including tanycytes, dendrites, and axons) which connects the two lateral halves and protrudes as a midsagittal crest into the lumen of the third ventricle. The ependyma consists predominantly of tanycytes with long basal processes which terminate upon perivascular spaces. These cells have an extensive Golgi apparatus and abundant lysosomes; their cellular apices containing polyribosomes and a few vesicles frequently protrude into the ventricle. In addition to astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglial cells, there is another glial cell population that is distinguished by the presence of parallel stacks or spherical to ovoid conglomerates of rough ER and their unique location, i.e., limited to areas ventral and ventral-lateral to the large blood sinus. Two types of neurons are present: neurons in which there is a paucity of granulated vesicles and occasional vacuoles in both the cytoplasm and nuclei, the second type of neuron elaborates many granulated vesicles. Numerous puncta adhaerentia are observed between adjacent neuronal perikarya and between glial processes and neuronal perikarya.
Evolution of Pharm D Education and Patient Service in the USA

The pioneering pharmacy care in the USA is a model for other countries. As in other countries, US pharmacy care has been evolving gradually. The history of American pharmacy can be traced back to 1850, when it mainly emphasized manufacturing medications and compounding prescriptions; pharmacists did not need a pharmacy-related degree to practice. The responsibilities of pharmacists have been changing over time. During the 20th century, pharmacists had a clear social role as the primary care provider. However, pharmacists were restricted to work as drug dispensers after the American Pharmacists Association released the Code of Ethics and the Durham–Humphrey Amendment was passed. Nevertheless, those obstacles never restrained the pharmacy profession from developing. In the 1960s, a revolutionary era, the profession progressed dramatically in the US health care system and pharmacy education. During past two decades, the pharmacy profession has gradually matured. Nowadays, in the interest of providing complete pharmacy care to patients, every pharmacist candidate is required to complete a 6-year education program, including 1 year of clinical practice experience. Pharmaceutical care is administrated in the different pharmacy settings to help patients obtain the best results from their medications.
The Rise of Professional Government: Evidence from Large‐Scale Public Works Projects

Books reviewed: Drew Fetherston, The Chunnel:The Amazing Story of the Undersea Crossing of the English Channel Joanne Goldman, Abel.Building New York's Sewers: Developing Mechanisms of Urban Management Stephen Halliday, The Great Stink of London: Sir Joseph Bazalgette and the Cleansing of the Victoria Metropolis
Interactions of calcium, copper, iron, and zinc with methylmercury and selenium in guinea pig tissues

Female guinea pigs were exposed to 10 doses of 3 mg/kg body weight of methylmercuric chloride with or without concomitant equimolar doses of sodium selenite. Tissue concentrations of calcium, copper, iron, and zinc were determined 1, 14, and 28 d after the final dose, in red blood cells, plasma, pancreas, spleen, kidney, liver, cerebrum, and cerebellum. Various alterations were observed, most notably a marked depression in cerebellar calcium levels, a change that did not take place in the presence of selenium. The alterations are discussed in terms of their possible relevance to mechanisms of methylmercury toxicity and selenium protection against it.
Loss leaders and cross-category retailer pass-through: A Bayesian multilevel analysis ☆

Abstract Retail pass-through has been extensively analyzed analytically and empirically, and recent empirical work has stressed the importance of appropriate methodology and data for inferring correct retail pass-through. However the literature on retail pass-through has interpreted ‘pass-through’ as being confined to a specific product category, and only to brands within that category. This category restriction has been derived from a tradition of modeling retailers as ‘category profit maximizers’. Yet it is widely accepted that retailers strive to maximize profits across categories, with several categories specifically functioning as ‘loss leaders’. In this paper we argue that this pragmatic view of retailers makes it necessary to reevaluate retailer pass-through from being merely a ‘within category’ phenomenon to also a ‘cross category phenomenon’. Using a unique dataset we construct category price indices and empirically evaluate cross category pass-throughs with a variety of categories – selected on the basis of profitability. We find that by and large cross category pass-throughs tend to be negative (about eighteen percent as compared to nine percent positive), that is, price cuts in a focal category being accompanied by price increases in other categories. Category characteristics such as price elasticity and proportion of loss leaders increase the probability of negative cross-category pass-throughs. We conclude that future work on retailer pass-throughs needs to incorporate cross category analysis in order to capture the ‘true’ strategic behavior of the retailer.
Mileage-Based User Fee: A Financial Evaluation Case Study for the State of Florida

Fuel taxes, assessed on a per-gallon basis nationally, have been the major source of transportation funding for the past century. Despite increasing travel demand, aging infrastructure, and soaring construction, operation, and maintenance costs, federal tax rates have remained unchanged since 1993. This article assesses the financial impacts of the current per-gallon taxing regime and a variety of travel demand management strategies, utilizing mileage-based user fees (MBUFs) for the state of Florida. The results indicate that combining MBUFs with congestion pricing (CPMBUFs) can be a viable pricing and demand management strategy for enhancing Florida's transportation funding.
Modeling the mixing behavior of a novel fluidized extracorporeal immunoadsorber

A Taylor-Couette flow hemofilter, referred to as vortex flow plasmapheretic reactor (VFPR), has been designed to treat blood plasma with a fluidized-bed of small porous particles (∼100micron). Previously, the ability of this extracorporeal bioreactor to remove heparin and beta-2-microglobulin from whole blood has been demonstrated using immobilized enzymes and monoclonal antibodies. The VFPR employs an unsupported track-etched membrane, attached to the outer cylinder, to prevent contact between blood cells in the innermost annular compartment and the fluidized particles in the outer, active compartment. Taylor vortices in the innermost annular compartment induce undulations in the membrane, which drive the particle fluidization within the active compartment and potentially minimize cell polarization at the membrane's surface. To gain a better understanding of this novel device and to provide a framework for the development of an immunoadsorption model, the mixing pattern within a prototype device was characterized through residence time distribution experiments and mathematical analyses. A mathematical compartmental model was developed using the tanks-in-series approach to describe the mixing behavior within each physical compartment of the VFPR. Under clinically feasible process conditions, the macroscopic mixing behavior of the bulk fluid within the active compartment could be characterized as a single well-mixed control volume.
Regulation of insulin responsiveness in rat hepatoma cells

Summary: Insulin causes a 5 to lo-fold increase in the velocity of a-aminoisobutyric acid transport and a 2 to 3-fold increase in tyrosine aminotransferase activity in dexamethasone-treated hepatoma tissue culture cells. Maximal responses occur 2-4 hours after insulin addition but then decrease to control levels by 24 hours incubation. Medium conditioned by cells incubated with insulin for 24 hours retains sufficient biologically active insulin to produce an insulin response in fresh dexamethasone-treated cells. Readdition of insulin to insulin-treated cells, however, elicits no response, indicating that the cells are insensitive to the hormone. Incubation of such unresponsive cells in the absence of insulin results in recovery of responsiveness within 2 hours. These data suggest that exposure of rat hepatoma cells to insulin causes a complete but reversible loss of sensitivity to this hormone. Hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) 1 cells, an established line of rat hepatoma
An adaptive total variation regularization method for electrical capacitance tomography

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is a nonintrusive imaging technique for monitoring dynamics within a closed container. In this paper, an image reconstruction algorithm for ECT, termed Adaptive Total Variation Regularization (ATVR), is introduced. The ATVR algorithm reduces total image error while preventing loss of features of interest in fluid-air interface monitoring. Unlike traditional total variation regularization for ECT, ATVR allows the regularization factor to change during image reconstruction allowing the algorithm to achieve higher accuracy at discontinuous boundaries (such as fluid interfaces) for the same overall image error. ATVR doesn't require additional iteration steps compared to traditional TVR and so is equally well-suited for the online monitoring of rapidly flowing fluids. Experimental analysis has been conducted on a custom-built ECT test bed and confirms the simulation results and demonstrates the application of the algorithm to the case where a dielectric working fluid (oil) is undergoing steady pumping.
Adsorption and Decomposition of 2(5H)-Furanone on Pd(111) and Pt(111): Comparison of Ring-Opening Pathways of an Unsaturated Cyclic Ester

The thermal surface chemistry of 2(5H)-furanone (25HF) on Pd(111) and Pt(111) was studied using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). After adsorbing 25HF on each surface at <140 K, increasing the temperature above 300 K resulted in opening and decomposition of the furanone ring. On both surfaces, 25HF undergoes decarbonylation and dehydrogenation to form CO and H 2 as the principal desorption products. A key difference between Pd(111) and Pt(111) reactivity is the relatively high amount of CO 2 produced from Pt(111), suggesting that 25HF decomposition proceeds in part through an additional surface intermediate on Pt(111). HREELS provides further indications that the reactions proceed through distinct pathways. On Pd(111), direct decarbonylation to surface CO and ethylidyne is observed. On Pt(111), two reaction pathways are proposed. One pathway is similar to the reaction pathway for Pd(111) and produces CO during TPD, and the other proceeds through an intermediate that retains the OCO functional group and results in CO 2 as a desorption product.
Inherent properties of adenylosuccinate lyase could explain S-Ado/SAICAr ratio due to homozygous R426H and R303C mutations

Adenylosuccinate lyase (ADSL) is a homotetrameric enzyme involved in the de novo purine biosynthesis pathway and purine nucleotide cycle. Missense mutations in the protein lead to ADSL deficiency, an inborn error of purine metabolism characterized by neurological and physiological symptoms. ADSL deficiency is biochemically diagnosed by elevated levels of succinylaminoimidazolecarboxamide riboside (SAICAr) and succinyladenosine (S-Ado), the dephosphorylated derivatives of the substrates. S-Ado/SAICAr ratios have been associated with three phenotypic groups. Different hypotheses to explain these ratios have been proposed. Recent studies have focused on measuring activity on the substrates independently. However, it is important to examine mixtures of the substrates to determine if mutations affect enzyme activity on both substrates similarly in these conditions. The two substrates may experience an indirect communication due to being acted upon by the same enzyme, altering their activities from the non-competitive case. In this study, we investigate this hidden coupling between the two substrates. We chose two mutations that represent extremes of the phenotype, R426H and R303C. We describe a novel electrochemical-detection method of measuring the kinetic activity of ADSL in solution with its two substrates at varying concentration ratios. Furthermore, we develop an enzyme kinetic model to predict substrate activity from a given ratio of substrate concentrations. Our findings indicate a non-linear dependence of the activities on the substrate ratios due to competitive binding, distinct differences in the behaviors of the different mutations, and S-Ado/SAICAr ratios in patients could be explained by inherent properties of the mutant enzyme.
Impact of genetic polymorphisms of the β2-adrenergic receptor on albuterol bronchodilator pharmacodynamics

Objective To determine whether genetic polymorphisms of the β2-adrenergic receptor gene affect the relationship between albuterol (INN, salbutamol) plasma concentrations and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in subjects with moderate asthma. Methods Sixteen clinically stable patients with moderate asthma who participated in a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic study of albuterol volunteered to provide a blood sample for determination of β2-adrenergic receptor genotype. FEV1 and plasma concentrations of albuterol were determined at various times after administration of an oral solution that contained 8 mg albuterol. Patients withheld inhaled β2-agonist and corticosteroid therapy 12 and 24 hours, respectively, before the study. β2-Adrenergic receptor genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction with allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization. Results Albuterol-evoked FEV1 was higher and the response was more rapid in Arg16 homozygotes compared with the cohort of carriers of the Gly16 variant: Maximal percentage increase in FEV1 (%ΔFEV1), 18% versus 4.9% (P < .03); area under FEV1 albuterol concentration curve, 194%·mL/ng versus 30%·mL/ng (P < .05); initial slope (dE/dC), 1.43%·mL/ng versus 0.55%·mL/ng (P < .003). Conclusions The β2-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphism is a major determinant of bronchodilator response to albuterol. Future pharmacodynamic studies of β2-agonists should include determination of β2-adrenergic receptor genotype. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (1999) 65, 519–525; doi:
Determination of oxidation-reduction potentials by spectropolarimetric titration: Application to several iron-sulfur proteins

Abstract The oxidation-reduction potential (E0−') and the stoichiomotry of electron equivalents (n) of several iron—sulfur proteins determined by direct potentiomctric titration in the presence of redox-mediator dyes and monitored by concomitant changes in circular dichroism are reported. The absence of circular dichroism or changes in circular dichroism by the redox mediators undergoing redox transitions forma the operational basis for the spectropolarimetric titration. The applicability of the method was explored by extensive investigations with spinach ferredoxin. The redox potential and stoichiometry values determined by spectropolarimetric titration are: (1) a plant-type (spinach) ferredoxin, E0−' = —0.423 V, pH-independent in the range 8.0–9.5; n = 1, (2) a ferredoxin from the nonphotosynthetic bacterium, Clostridium pasteurianum, E0−' = —0.390 V at pH 8.8, ΔE Δ pH ≅ 30 mV for pH rangc 6.8–8.8; n = 2, (3) a ferredoxin from the photosynthetic bacterium, Chromatium, E0′ = −0.489 V at pH 9.0 and 9.5; n = 2, and (4) an iron sulfur protein designated “Protein II” isolated from Azotobactetr vinelandii, E0− = −0.225 V at pH 7.0 and 8.0; n, = 1. An automatic-titration method with a continuously recorded titration curve was demonstrated using the azotobacter Protein II. The general applicability of the spectropolarimetric-titration technique to other biological electron carriers and some experimental factors are discussed.
Ultrafast nonlinear response in PLZT thin films with ultrashort pulses

We have time resolved, for the first time to our knowledge, the field-induced second-harmonic generation in lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) thin films. Ultrafast nonlinear properties of 35/0/100 PLZT thin films are investigated with a Ti:sapphire laser, which generates 200-fs laser pulses. The PLZT responds with a rise time of 10 ps to a step-function electric field derived from a fast photoconductive coplanar waveguide structure switch. The dispersion characteristics of the measurements are addressed.
Microwave Spectroscopy and Molecular Structure: Some Undergraduate Laboratory Projects

Experiments on determination of the structure of some small molecules by microwave spectroscopy are reported. These experiments are suggested for undergraduate laboratories. The apparatus is relatively simple and inexpensive and demonstrates principles of spectroscopy and electronics. The observation of rotational absorption lines demonstrates basic principles of quantum mechanics. Electric dipole moments or nuclear quadrupole coupling may be obtained from further analysis of the data. Apparatus and specific experiments on OCS, BrCN, HDO, HDS, and NH2D are described.
Rural out-migration in the drought prone areas of Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis.

This article presents a multilevel analysis of rural out-migration in Ethiopia over the 1984–1994 period. Using a recent household survey carried out in the drought prone rural areas of Ethiopia, discrete-time hazard models are used to examine the impact of individual, household and community factors on migration. Incorporating a life-course and the “new economics of migration” perspectives, our findings suggest that rural out-migration in these areas can be viewed as a function of individual, household and community characteristics. We find that mobility of people for schooling in the impoverished rural communities is minimal. Migration of both sexes was possible mainly through marriage, although females tend to depart their residences more than males. Our findings also reveal substantial period effects on out-migration trends.
Relativistic solitary-wave solutions of the beat-wave equations.

The relativistic equations governing the nonlinear interaction of two light waves and a Langmuir wave are shown to admit two classes of solitary-wave solutions. Temporal solitary waves propagate at speeds greater than the speed of light and carry no information. Spatial solitary waves propagate at speeds less than the speed of light and do carry information. The properties of these waves are discussed and the spatial solitary waves are shown to be well suited to the beat-wave acceleration of particles.
Indiana bat summer maternity distribution: effects of current and future climates

Temperate zone bats may be more sensitive to climate change than other groups of mammals because many aspects of their ecology are closely linked to temperature. However, few studies have tried to predict the responses of bats to climate change. The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) is a federally listed endangered species that is found in the eastern United States. The northerly distribution of Indiana bat summer maternity colonies relative to their winter distributions suggests that warmer climates may result in a shift in their summer distribution. Our objectives were to determine the climatic factors associated with Indiana bat maternity range and forecast changes in the amount and distribution of the range under future climates. We used Maxent to model the suitable climatic habitat of Indiana bats under current conditions and four future climate forecasts for 2021–30, 2031–40, 2041–50, and 2051–60. Average maximum temperature across the maternity season (May–August) was the most important variable in the model of current distribution of Indiana bat maternity colonies with suitability decreasing considerably above 28oC. The areal extent of the summer maternity distribution of Indiana bats was forecasted to decline and be concentrated in the northeastern United States and Appalachian Mountains; the western part of the current maternity range (Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio) was forecasted to become climatically unsuitable under most future climates. Our models suggest that high temperatures may be a factor in roost-site selection at the regional scale and in the future, may also be an important variable at the microhabitat scale. When behavioral changes fail to mitigate the effects of high temperature, range shifts are likely to occur. Thus, habitat management for Indiana bat maternity colonies in the northeastern United States and Appalachian Mountains of the Southeast is critical as these areas will most likely serve as climatic refugia.
Induction of differentiation of African Burkitt's lymphoma cells by phorbol ester: possible relation with early B cells.

AbstractThe phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was used to examine the phenotypic changes in three African Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines, P3HR1, Daudi, and Raji. Cells were cultured with a nanogram concentration of TPA for up to seven days and then analyzed by flow cytometry and an immunoperoxidase staining method. The cells were stained with a panel of monoclonal antibodies reactive with B lymphocytes or B cell leukemia/lymphomas, and an antibody to the enzyme terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (Tdt). All three cell lines were found to express more HLA-linked DC/DS (Leu 10) antigen, while demonstrating a concomitant decrease in the expression of common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen (CALLA) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase after TPA induction. The other antigens including Ig, BA1, BA2, Tac, Leu 8, Leu 1, C3bR, Leu 12, and Leu M5 showed no significant changes. The marker expression and differentiation pattern of these African Burkitt's lymphoma lines are very simil...