cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conditional RARα knockout mice reveal acute requirement for retinoic acid and RARα in homeostatic plasticity

All-trans retinoic acid (RA) plays important roles in brain development through regulating gene transcription. Recently, a novel post-developmental role of RA in mature brain was proposed. Specifically, RA rapidly enhanced excitatory synaptic transmission independent of transcriptional regulation. RA synthesis was induced when excitatory synaptic transmission was chronically blocked, and RA then activated dendritic protein synthesis and synaptic insertion of homomeric GluA1 AMPA receptors, thereby compensating for the loss of neuronal activity in a homeostatic fashion. This action of RA was suggested to be mediated by its canonical receptor RARα but no genetic evidence was available. Thus, we here tested the fundamental requirement of RARα in homeostatic plasticity using conditional RARα knockout (KO) mice, and additionally performed a structure-function analysis of RARα. We show that acutely deleting RARα in neurons eliminated RA's effect on excitatory synaptic transmission, and inhibited activity blockade-induced homeostatic synaptic plasticity. By expressing various RARα rescue constructs in RARα KO neurons, we found that the DNA-binding domain of RARα was dispensable for its role in regulating synaptic strength, further supporting the notion that RA and RARα act in a non-transcriptional manner in this context. By contrast, the ligand-binding domain (LBD) and the mRNA-binding domain (F-domain) are both necessary and sufficient for the function of RARα in homeostatic plasticity. Furthermore, we found that homeostatic regulation performed by the LBD/F-domains leads to insertion of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors. Our results confirm with unequivocal genetic approaches that RA and RARα perform essential non-transcriptional functions in regulating synaptic strength, and establish a functional link between the various domains of RARα and their involvement in regulating protein synthesis and excitatory synaptic transmission during homeostatic plasticity.
Differential electrophysiological effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on dorsal horn neurons following chronic spinal cord hemisection injury in the rat.

Abstract To assess the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in nociceptive processing after chronic lateral spinal cord hemisection injury (SCI) at T13, we studied the effects of BDNF on evoked activity of dorsal horn wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons. Evoked responses of WDR cells ( n =34 total) at L3–L5 were characterized electrophysiologically after spinal administration of vehicle, or BDNF (10 μg). In hemisected animals, application of BDNF to the surface of the cord resulted in reductions in evoked activity in 24 of 32 cells (75%), and enhancement of evoked activity in eight of 32 (25%) cells. Phosphate-buffered saline-receiving animals demonstrated evoked response rates of between 75 and 93 Hz, while BDNF(−) cells had evoked rates from between 20 and 41 Hz, and BDNF(+) activities were between 80 and 119 Hz, significant changes of 76 and 124%, respectively. Effects were bilateral and differences in sidedness were not observed. These results further implicate BDNF in nociceptive processing, but suggest a complex role after chronic SCI.
The Effect of Exposure to a Professor With a Visible Disability on Students' Attitudes Toward Disabilities

An exploratory study was conducted on a small convenience sample of undergraduate social work students. The Modified Issues in Disability Scale was used to collect data on attitudes toward disability. There was no statistically significant difference in the attitudes scores among students who had different levels of contact with persons with disabilities. There was, however, a statistically significant difference between students who had a professor with a disability and those who did not. The former had more positive attitudes toward disability. These findings suggest that schools of social work should recruit more professors with disabilities.
Effect of natural and laboratory diet on O : N ratio in juvenile lobsters (Homarus americanus).

Abstract Oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates of juvenile lobsters spanning the size range from shelter-restricted to vagile (7–60 mm CL, carapace length) were measured. There are no significant size-dependent break points in the slope of oxygen consumption or nitrogen excretion rates versus weight in freshly caught wild or laboratory fed lobsters. This suggests that there are no inherent changes in energy metabolism in juvenile lobster in the 7–60 mm CL range (stage V to adolescent lobsters), despite major behavioral shifts related to foraging and shelter use. In addition, the O : N ratio of freshly caught wild lobsters (15.7 ± 7.4, mean ± S.D.) is not significantly different from that of lobsters fed brown algae (13.4 ± 4.9) or a mixed carbohydrate/protein diet (13.7 ± 6.8) in lab. The O : N ratio of wild lobsters is significantly higher than lobsters fed a high protein diet (7.5 ± 2.5) in the lab. This suggests that carbohydrates, particularly algal-derived carbohydrates, make up a significant portion of the metabolic fuel of wild juvenile lobsters from settlement through adolescence.
MD simulation of rotational relaxation in liquid nitrogen. Comparison with NMR and Raman data

Abstract A simulation of liquid nitrogen has been performed along the coexistence curve. Angular momentum, rotational energy and second-order orientational correlation times τJ, τE, τθ,2 were calculated. The first and the last were compared with the available data. The results for τE were compared with halfwidth data from the isotropic Raman scattering measurements. For the entire coexistence curve, the validity of stochastic perturbation theory was shown: ωQτE
Phonon engineering through crystal chemistry

Mitigation of the global energy crisis requires tailoring the thermal conductivity of materials. Low thermal conductivity is critical in a broad range of energy conversion technologies, including thermoelectrics and thermal barrier coatings. Here, we review the chemical trends and explore the origins of low thermal conductivity in crystalline materials. A unifying feature in the latest materials is the incorporation of structural complexity to decrease the phonon velocity and increase scattering. With this understanding, strategies for combining these mechanisms can be formulated for designing new materials with exceptionally low thermal conductivity.
CAPM Investors Do Not Get Paid for Bearing Risk: A Linear Relation Does Not Imply Payment for Risk

The relation between the excess return of each security and its beta, where beta is defined as its regression against the return on the market portfolio, is linear in the Sharpe-Lintner capital asset pricing model. This linear relation is often interpreted to mean that CAPM investors are paid for bearing systematic risk. In fact, this is not a correct interpretation, because two securities may have different excess returns even though they have identical risk structures in terms of their covariances with other securities in the market. If the parameters of the CAPM are generated in a natural way, securities with the same risk structure almost surely will have different expected returns.
Erythropoietin for neurologic protection and diabetic neuropathy

Administering erythropoietin to rats with diabetic neuropathy prevents and partly reverses biochemical and physical deficits in nerve and muscle. Certain drawbacks limit the immediate applicability of this approach in patients.
Copyright Policy and Practice in Electronic Reserves among ARL Libraries.

This paper presents the results of a survey of 110 ARL institutions regarding their copyright policies for providing electronic reserves. It compiles descriptive statistics on library practice as well as coding responses to reveal trends and shared practices. Finally, it presents conclusions about policy making, decision making and risk aversion in ARL institutions.
The role of accounting in the corporate personhood debate

A recent US Supreme Court decision, Citizens United v. Federal Elections Committee affirmed the treatment of corporations as persons under the law. This interpretation of the Constitution provides corporations with the same freedoms that protect individual citizens. Of most importance is the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech. This decision allows corporations to exercise their substantial financial power, as political power, to influence elections. The court’s opinion also offers corporations a constitutional shield against unannounced searches under the Fourth Amendment. This means that health and safety inspections of corporate property must be done pursuant to a court authorised warrant. International accounting firms owe much of their existence and success to business corporations. As a consequence, accounting firms, through their affiliation with lobbying concerns and friend of the court brief advocates, appear to have exerted an influence on this issue with the courts.
Halogens for negative ion beams and ion–ion plasmas

Negative ions have attractive features as drivers for inertial confinement fusion, because they will avoid electron cloud effects, and could be efficiently photodetached to neutrals after the final focus, which could also be beneficial in heating warm dense matter targets. The halogens have large electron affinities, and thus should be able to produce high current densities of relatively robust negative ions. Recent experiments comparing chlorine beams to argon beams using the same source, extraction optics, and diagnostics have demonstrated that Cl− beams can be produced with similar emittance to Ar+ beams, and with about 34 the current density from the same configuration. The observed effective beam temperature of about 13eV, and the similarity of current densities show that negative halogen beams can meet the current density and emittance requirements of heavy ion fusion. The near equivalence of the Cl− and Cl++Cl2+ current densities reaching the Faraday cup after passage through a substantial line density of effluent gas demonstrates that beam losses in the higher vacuum of a heavy ion fusion accelerator should be acceptable. A number of lines of evidence show that negative ion–positive ion plasmas (hereafter ion–ion plasmas), composed primarily of negative and positive ions with a small population of electrons, were produced in the sources near the extractor plane. Since Cl, F, I, and Br should all show similar chemistry, any of these halogens should be suitable as fusion driver beams, and heating thin iodine or bromine foils may produce ion–ion plasmas in the warm dense matter regime.
The spatial pattern and dispersion of Lygodium microphyllum in the Everglades wetland ecosystem

Since 1958, L. microphyllum (Old World Climbing Fern), which originated from the Old World Tropics, has become a nuisance exotic and has rapidly spread and is being established system-wide in extremely remote and undisturbed areas such as the Florida Everglades. Of particular concern is that L. microphyllum is disrupting, at an alarming rate, the flora and fauna of the native ecosystem at the same time that a major 8.4 billion dollar Everglades restoration program is trying to enhance these same attributes. This research utilized IKONOS satellite data to map L. microphyllum within the 58,000-ha Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge wetland in south Florida. Results show that approximately 11.6% of the tree/shrub vegetation within the impoundment has been infected by L. microphyllum. These data were then utilized to explore the spatial spread patterns of L. microphyllum within the Refuge. Results suggest that L. microphyllum is more likely to establish on the southeast side of a tree/shrub island and then spread to the northwest, which corresponds to the prevailing wind direction in south Florida. Spatial pattern analysis of L. microphyllum spread indicated that it is correlated with the density and spatial distribution of tree/shrub island vegetation. It appears that the dispersion of L. microphyllum is density dependent, which can be expressed as a logistic function and has a catastrophic threshold of 160 m of mean distance between tree/shrub islands in the Everglades. It is predicted that 38% (or 1910 ha) of tree/shrub islands in the Refuge will be invaded by L. microphyllum by 2012. Tree islands in the Everglades wetland could be considered similar to oceanic islands throughout the world that are notoriously vulnerable to biological invasions.
Estimation of parameters for the truncated exponential distribution

We consider the right truncated exponential distribution where the truncation point is unknown and show that the ML equation has a unique solution over an extended parameter space. In the case of the estimation of the truncation point T we show that the asymptotic distribution of the MLE is not centered at T. A modified MLE is introduced which outperforms all other considered estimators including the minimum variance unbiased estimator. Asymptotic as well as small sample properties of different estimators are investigated and compared. The truncated exponential distribution has an increasing failure rate, ideally suited for use as a survival distribution for biological and industrial data.
Cost benefit of influenza vaccination in healthy, working adults: an economic analysis based on the results of a clinical trial of trivalent live attenuated influenza virus vaccine

Abstract Introduction : Trivalent, intranasal, live attenuated influenza virus vaccine (LAIV) is safe and clinically effective in healthy, working adults. However, the potential economic benefits of vaccinating this population are still uncertain. We therefore conducted a cost benefit analysis of influenza vaccination of healthy working adults utilizing clinical outcome data from a trial of LAIV in healthy working adults. Methods : This cost benefit analysis was based on the results of a multi-center, randomized, double blind placebo controlled trial that assessed the clinical effectiveness of LAIV in healthy working adults. Outcomes from the trial that were included in the cost benefit analysis were days of work missed, days working but at reduced effectiveness, and days with a health care provider visit due to at least one of the following symptoms: fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, muscle aches, chills, or tiredness/weakness. Cost data were obtained from nationally representative databases. Probability distributions for the key model variables were defined, and Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate the mean break even costs for vaccine and its administration. Sensitivity analyses explored how changes in the variables affected these estimates. Results : There were 4561 participants in the clinical trial. LAIV lowered work loss due to illness symptoms by 18% (relative rate [RR] 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74–0.91), days of working at reduced effectiveness by 18% (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.74–0.91), and days with a health care provider visit by 13% (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.98). The mean break even cost for vaccine and its administration was US$ 43.07 per person vaccinated (5–95% percentiles, US$ 25.72–58.92). Major cost drivers were hourly wage and vaccine effectiveness in reducing productivity losses and health care use. Conclusion : This cost benefit analysis based on the results of the LAIV trial provides additional evidence that influenza vaccination may provide both health and economic benefits for healthy, working adults.
Level-set methods for the simulation of epitaxial phenomena

We introduce a model for epitaxial phenomena based on the motion of island boundaries, which is described by the level-set method. Our model treats the growing film as a continuum in the lateral direction, but retains atomistic discreteness in the growth direction. An example of such an ‘‘island dynamics’’ model using the level-set method is presented and compared with the corresponding rate equation description. Extensions of our methodology to more general settings are then discussed. @S1063-651X~98!50212-7#
THE DOOM OF EARLY AFRICAN HISTORY

In the initial paragraph of a set of book reviews dealing with a sixteenth-century relation and a map by Ptolemy, Michel Doortmont informs us casually that:The ancient and early modern [sic] history of Africa is no longer a very popular topic with mainstream [sic] African historians. Sources are scarce, often difficult to interpret and in many cases the results of research are disappointing [sic]: no wonder that most serious scholars [sic] leave the earlier periods alone. This is unfortunate, however, as the lack of serious and methodical scholarship [sic] on these periods gives fuel to the view of Africa as a mysterious and highly exotic continent still held by many outside the academic community.Quite a statement! How arrogant and how gratuitously insulting to all those who do study “ancient and early modern history.” If Doortmont were alone in his views, one might just as well ignore this as an example of regretable idiosyncrasy. But the cavalier way in which he delivers his opinion suggests that he merely voices a truism, i.e., an opinion that he thinks is shared by most of his colleagues. Moreover, such a statement will surely frighten budding scholars away, which in itself is a good reason not to let such a sweeping condemnation of the study of earlier African history pass without comment.Four main claims are made here: (a) a dichotomy and a contrast exists between those who who study the more remote past and those who study the recent past; (b) the first group is small and out of the mainstream; (c) its research yields disappointing results; (d) its scholarship lacks seriousness and method—with (b) and (c) of course in implicit contrast to the second group.
Forgiveness and Health: Assessing the Mediating Effect of Health Behavior, Social Support, and Interpersonal Functioning

Religiousness and spirituality are important to most Americans and while beneficial associations between forgiveness and health are consistently observed, little is known regarding the mechanism of association. Cross-sectional multiple mediation-based analyses of associations between dimensions of forgiveness and physical and mental health were conducted using a sample of 363 undergraduate students from rural Southern Appalachia. Controlling for demographic variables (i.e., gender, age, education, ethnicity, and marital status) and lifetime religiousness, multivariable analyses reflected associations of forgiveness of self and forgiveness of others, but not feeling forgiven by God, with physical health status, somatic symptoms, mental health status, and psychological distress. All such associations operated through health behavior and/or social support; however, only in the context of forgiveness of self did such associations also operate through interpersonal functioning (problems). While forgiveness of self and forgiveness of others each appear to have a robust indirect relationship with health, mediation-based associations involving forgiveness of self were nearly twice as frequent. It may be that forgiveness of self is relatively more important to health-related outcomes.
Superoxide dismutases: ancient enzymes and new insights.

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) catalyze the de toxification of superoxide. SODs therefore acquired great importance as O2 became prevalent following the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis. Thus the three forms of SOD provide intriguing insights into the evolution of the organisms and organelles that carry them today. Although ancient organisms employed Fe-dependent SODs, oxidation of the environment made Fe less bio-available, and more dangerous. Indeed, modern lineages make greater use of homologous Mn-dependent SODs. Our studies on the Fe-substituted MnSOD of Escherichia coli, as well as redox tuning in the FeSOD of E. coli shed light on how evolution accommodated differences between Fe and Mn that would affect SOD performance, in SOD proteins whose activity is specific to one or other metal ion.
Mitotic response induced in sensitive guinea-pigs by tuberculin.

NUMEROUS investigations in the past have been directed towards the detection of an in vitro parameter of systemic delayed hypersensitivity. Pearmain, Lycette and Fitzgerald1 and others2,3 found in vitro a mitotic responsiveness to tuberculin of peripheral lymphocytes from tuberculin positive human beings, but there is still much to learn about the immunological specificity and dynamics of this phenomenon. Similar in vitro mitotic responsiveness in the appropriately sensitized laboratory animal would have obvious advantages in the study of immune responses. Lycette and Pearmain4 claimed to have shown such mitotic activity in lymphocytes from sensitized guinea-pigs, but Marshall and Roberts3 and Aspegren and Rorsman5 were unable to obtain such results. The mitotic response of peripheral lymphocytes from guinea-pigs has been studied in our laboratory. Using the technique described here, we have found an excellent correlation between tuberculin skin reactivity and in vitro response.
DNA binding affinity of hTRβ1 mutants as heterodimers with traps from different tissues

Patients with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone (GRTH) show various organ-specific features, for example mental retardation, growth abnormalities, liver damage, delayed bone age or cardiac disorders. Could this reflect aberrant mutant thyroid hormone receptor beta1 (TRbeta1) heterodimerization with specific TR auxiliary proteins (TRAPs) from different tissues, altering the mutant's ability to transactivate tissue-specific genes? To answer this question, we examined the heterodimerization of TRbeta1 mutants and TRAPs of several rat tissues (cerebrum, cerebellum, liver, heart, lung, spleen, and kidney), and in vitro translated RXRalpha, beta and gamma by electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA). Mutant TRbeta1 proteins, synthesized in reticulocyte lysate, were incubated with 32P rat malic enzyme (rME) thyroid hormone response elements (TRE) and nuclear extracts of rat tissues. The TRbeta1 mutants used were Mf (G345R), and GH (R316H). Both have non-detectable T3 binding affinity. GH has weak dominant negative effect and Mf has strong dominant negative effect. Two major bands were observed in EMSA. Cerebrum, cerebellum, lung and liver extracts formed a slower migrating band than a TR homodimer, while kidney extracts formed a faster migrating band, and heart and spleen extracts had both bands. There were no qualitative differences in heterodimerization between TRbeta1wt, and TRbeta1 mutants, when using tissue extracts and DNA in excess ratio to TR. We found that RXRalpha, beta, and gamma were differentially expressed in each rat tissue and formed heterodimer complexes with wild type (WT) TRbeta1. Scatchard analysis of affinity and capacity of the binding of TR-TRAP heterodimers to response elements was performed by competing with 2.5-, 5-, 10-, 25-, and 250-fold excess non-radiolabeled rME-TRE. When using kidney extract, the DNA binding affinity of heterodimers was significantly decreased both in wild type and mutant TRs, suggesting that the DNA binding affinity of the faster migrating band was lower than that of the slower migrating band. Mutant GH, which causes 'pituitary RTH' and shows weak dominant negative effect, tended to form heterodimers with lower DNA binding affinity than TRbeta1wt with all extracts. Mutant Mf, which has strong dominant negative effect, tended to show higher DNA binding affinity than TRbeta1WT. When the data were pooled for all tissues, GH and Mf were found to form heterodimers with significantly lower, or higher, affinity for TREs than TRbeta1wt. These results indicate that: 1) differences of DNA binding affinity of mutant TR-TRAP heterodimers to response elements in DNA play a part in its reduced or strong dominant negative effect; and 2) differences in formation of heterodimers with TRAPs present in tissues do not appear to explain the apparent tissue-specific and mutant-specific variations seen in RTH.
The effects of hydrogenous and nonhydrogenous filters on the quality of a p(66)Be(49) neutron beam

The hardening effects of hydrogenous and nonhydrogenous filters on a p(66)Be(49) neutron beam have been investigated. It was found that all materials studied, Teflon, aluminum,lead, steel, and polyethylene, harden the neutron beam, albeit polyethylene to a greater extent. Relationships were found to exist between the attenuation of a filter and its hardening effect, and also between the build‐up characteristics and the depth for half‐maximum dose of the hardened beams.
Chromosome behavior in spermatogenesis of Cecidomyiidae (Diptera).

The first spermatocyte division has been investigated in Rhabdophaga batatas Walsh and Wachtliella persicariae L. It was shown that the course of this division cannot be described as mitosis, either “unipolar” or “modified bipolar”. Its essential features are: complete absence of pairing and the segregation of the chromosomes into two groups composed of 4 and 30-odd chromosomes. The segregation is accomplished by a peculiar expulsion of the group of 4 chromosomes from the main nucleus followed by an unequal cytokinesis. The spindle is absent and the nuclear membrane remains present during the entire course of the division. The second spermatocyte division occurs only in the smaller cell, which contains 4 chromosomes and bears all features of normal mitosis.
Released Si microstructures fabricated by deep etching and shallow diffusion

A novel etch-diffusion process is developed for fabricating high-aspect-ratio Si structures for microsensors. This is accomplished by first dry etching narrow gap Si microstructures using an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) source, followed by a shallow B diffusion to fully convert the etched microstructures to p/sup ++/ layer. Microstructures up to 40 /spl mu/m deep with 2-/spl mu/m-wide gaps were etched with a Cl/sub 2/ plasma generated using the ECR source. Vertical profile and smooth morphology were obtained at low pressure. A shallow B diffusion at 1175/spl deg/C for 5.5 h. was then carried out to convert the 40-/spl mu/m-thick resonant elements to p/sup ++/ layer. A second dry etching step was used to remove the thin p/sup ++/ layer around the bottom of the resonant elements, followed by bonding to glass and selective wet etch. Released high-aspect-ratio Si microsensors with thicknesses of 35 /spl mu/m have been demonstrated. At atmospheric pressure, only 5 V/sub dc/ driving voltage is needed for 2.5 /spl mu/m vibration amplitude, which is less than the 10 V/sub dc/ required to drive 12-/spl mu/m-thick resonators fabricated by conventional dissolved wafer process.
Comparison of frequency and severity of longitudinal stent deformation among various drug-eluting stents: an intravascular ultrasound study.

Abstract Background Longitudinal stent deformation (LSD) in drug-eluting stents (DES) has been described as a disruption of stent structure. This study aimed to compare first- versus second-generation DES with respect to their actual stent length post deployment. Methods A total of 617 DES for de novo coronary lesions in 552 patients were analyzed. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was utilized to compare the degree and rate of LSD among six different DES types. IVUS-measured stent length was compared to the labeled length for calculation of absolute difference in stent length and relative absolute difference (absolute difference divided by the labeled length). Results The baseline characteristics were comparable between groups, except for higher calcification in the sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) group (p=0.037). The absolute and relative difference in length showed the lowest degree in the SES group and the highest degree in the Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent group (p=0.085 and 0.078, respectively). The percentage of more than 5% relative absolute difference was the lowest in the SES group compared to the other groups (p=0.018). However, the percentage of significant (>15%) relative absolute difference was similar among groups (p=0.99). In multivariate linear regression analysis, labeled stent length and stent diameter, but not stent type, were identified as independent correlates to the absolute and relative difference in the actual stent length post-deployment. Conclusion This IVUS analysis confirms that among second-generation DES, there is overall similar frequency and severity of LSD when deploying in common coronary lesions.
Abdominopelvic Ultrasound: A Cost-Effective Way to Diagnose Solitary Kidney

Purpose: Solitary kidneys are detected on approximately 1 of 1,500 prenatal ultrasounds and during evaluation for other urological complaints. Although renal scintigraphy is currently the gold standard for confirming the diagnosis and ruling out renal ectopia, scintigraphy is associated with radiation exposure, placement of an intravenous line and sedation. We hypothesize that ultrasonography alone is sufficient to detect solitary kidneys and that confirmatory renal scintigraphy is unnecessary.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of children with a solitary kidney who underwent ultrasound and nuclear scintigraphy at our institution from 2001 to 2010. Radiological findings were compared to assess the accuracy of ultrasound in diagnosing solitary kidneys. Costs were calculated based on 2011 Medicare global reimbursement.Results: A total of 25 children met the inclusion criteria of undergoing ultrasound and renal scintigraphy (dimercapto-succinic acid or mercaptoacetyltriglycine scan). The majority...
Technology--Safety and Security.

This chapter reviews safety and security issues as they relate to technology, both for individuals and for the institution.
Linking baby boomer and Hispanic migration streams into rural America - a multi-scaled approach.

Dramatic transformations in the nature of urban economies across the globe have led to the arrival of linked migration streams into destination ‘global cities’. This paper extends these theorisations of linked migration streams into the rural context by examining the overlap between baby boomer and Hispanic migration streams into non-metropolitan counties and across spatial scales. We argue that boomers arriving in non-metropolitan destinations are likely to stimulate demand in personal and household services, construction, restaurants, and other service sectors, and such demands are akin to those precipitated by economic restructuring in global cities. Just as immigrants flock to global cities to fill labour demand in burgeoning service sectors, we argue Latinos are arriving in certain non-metropolitan destinations in response to growing service demands brought about by recently arriving boomers. Our exploratory analysis documents the extent to which these migration streams converge in rural America, and describes the residential geographies that emerge in the wake of such migration. The analysis identifies 75 counties in which these migration streams overlap, and these counties are distinct in terms of geographical distribution and economic structure. Within these counties, however, there is considerable residential separation between these two populations, leading to new questions concerning community integration and fragmentation in these increasingly diverse non-metropolitan destinations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Time-Changed Levy Process and Option Pricing

We apply stochastic time change to Levy processes to generate a wide variety of tractable option pricing models. In particular, we prove a fundamental theorem that transforms the characteristic function of the time-changed Levy process into the Laplace transform of the stochastic time under appropriate measure change. We extend the traditional measure theory into the complex domain and define the measure change by a class of complex valued exponential martingales. We provide extensive examples to illustrate its applications and its link to existing models in the literature.
Electron spin resonance spectroscopy investigation of ion beam sputtered HfO2 and SiO2 thin films

In this work we use electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy to investigate defects in dual ion beam sputtered HfO 2 and SiO 2 films. "As-grown" SiO 2 films exhibit an ESR feature consistent with an E' center associated with an oxygen vacancy previously reported. A similar feature with axial symmetry is seen in HfO 2 films. The defect giving rise to the HfO 2 ESR feature is distributed throughout the film. In addition, post process annealing of HfO 2 and SiO 2 films greatly reduces these defects.
Reply to "Comment on 'Mechanism of nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in insulators at very low temperatures' "

The authors explain, in the language of their original paper, the error discovered by R\~o\~om. The error consists of using an expression for the electron spin-lattice relaxation time which is based on the high-temperature approximation. Use of the exact expression gives R\~o\~om's result. The so-called electron-wobble mechanism proposed by the authors remains correct, but it turns out to compete less effectively than the authors stated previously with the mechanism in which the electron-spin flips rather than wobbles.
Economic reform in Latin America and the prospects for distributive justice: The market, neoliberal theory, and the state

Abstract To overcome distributive injustice in Latin America, it is necessary to produce a sufficient quantity of wealth. This article argues that the superior productive efficiency of the market system makes it the best economic system for the task. Further, the article demonstrates that under certain conditions, free markets can produce just outcomes. However, the neoliberal application of market reform in Latin America raises concerns about the value system underlying neoliberal theory that values economic efficiency over all other possible development objectives. This value system makes the neoliberal model inadequate to deal with the massive poverty in Latin America. In its place, the article suggest an individual-based value system that places greater priority on overcoming the distributive injustices in the region. The article concludes by suggesting some ways the state may enhance market outcomes to produce a more just distribution of income in Latin America.
Low temperature, high growth rate epitaxial silicon and silicon germanium alloy films

Epitaxial growth of silicon and silicon germanium alloy films on Si(1 0 0) substrates in an ASM Epsilon® single wafer reactor system using trisilane and germane has been investigated. The results obtained reveal that it is possible to achieve epitaxial silicon and silicon germanium growth rates at 630 °C and below that are substantially higher than those possible using silane, while maintaining high quality crystalline structure. The films grown were characterized using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), high resolution X-Ray diffraction (HR-XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (X-TEM).
ON NEUTRON SCATTERING FROM AN IMPERFECT FLUX-LINE LATTICE

The diffraction of neutrons from the imperfect vortex lattice of a type-II superconductor is investigated. It is found that flux pinning leads not only to a broadening of the Bragg reflections but also to diffuse scattering into the first Brillouin zone, which at high fields exceeds Bragg scattering.
Poor Women and Elite Men

Victorian Women, Unwed Mothers and the London Foundling Hospital, Jessica A. Sheetz-Nguyen, London: Continuum, 2012, xii +258 pp., (softcover), ISBN 978-1-441-1-4112-5 Elizabeth M., a waitress in a...
Morphology and biochemistry of small, intensely fluorescent cells of sympathetic ganglia.

NEURAL transmission in sympathetic ganglia has been regarded as an automatic relay involving only pre- and postganglionic neurones. It is now agreed, however, that the small, intensely fluorescent cells — at least some of which are interneurones1,2 — modulate transmission in the superior cervical ganglion. Greengard et al.3–6 have documented the role of the ganglionic interneurone in modulating ganglionic transmission. Dopamine released from an interneurone binds to a receptor on the surface of the ganglionic neurone, activating an adenylate cyclase. The increased production of cyclic AMP leads to hyperpolarisation of the ganglionic neurone by a mechanism which is still obscure.
Photosynthetic responses of Miconia species to canopy openings in a lowland tropical rainforest

We examined the photosynthetic acclimation of three tropical species of Miconia to canopy openings in a Costa Rican rainforest. The response of photosynthesis to canopy opening was very similar in Miconia affinis, M. gracilis, and M. nervosa, despite differences in growth form (trees and shrubs) and local distributions of plants (understory and gap). Four months after the canopy was opened by a treefall, photosynthetic capacity in all three species had approximately doubled from closed canopy levels. There were no obvious signs of high light damage after treefall but acclimation to the gap environment was not immediate. Two weeks after treefall, Amax, stomatal conductance, apprarent quantum efficiency, and dark respiration rates had not changed significantly from understory values. The production of new leaves appears to be an important component of light acclimation in these species. The only variables to differ significantly among species were stomatal conductance at Amax and the light level at which assimilation was saturated. M. affinis had a higher stomatal conductance which may reduce its water use efficiency in gap environments. Photosynthesis in the more shade-tolerant M. gracilis saturated at lower light levels than in the other two species. Individual plant light environments were assessed after treefall with canopy photography but they explained only a small fraction of plant variation in most measures of photosynthesis and growth. In conclusion, we speculate that species differences in local distribution and in light requirements for reproduction may be more strongly related to species differences in carbon allocation than in carbon assimilation.
Strengthening Academic and Community Ties Through Schools

Santa Barbara County, located along the Pacific Ocean approximately one hundred miles north of Los Angeles, is well known for its spectacular coastline, Mediterranean climate, and many celebrity inhabitants. Those of us who live there know, however, that if Santa Barbara is paradise, it is paradise spelled with a small "p." The growing gap between rich and poor, the lack of affordable housing for the middle class as well as the poor, and the deplorable living conditions of the poor and homeless are all signs of a decline in the human environment. The emergent tuberculosis epidemic in the county, which is particularly striking among the growing Latino population of farm workers and their families, but which threatens the entire population, is another sign of this decline.
Blood–spinal cord barrier breakdown and pericyte reductions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The blood–brain barrier and blood–spinal cord barrier (BSCB) limit the entry of plasma components and erythrocytes into the central nervous system (CNS). Pericytes play a key role in maintaining blood–CNS barriers. The BSCB is damaged in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Moreover, transgenic ALS rodents and pericyte-deficient mice develop BSCB disruption with erythrocyte extravasation preceding motor neuron dysfunction. Here, we studied whether BSCB disruption with erythrocyte extravasation and pericyte loss are present in human ALS. We show that 11 of 11 cervical cords from ALS patients, but 0 of 5 non-neurodegenerative disorders controls, possess perivascular deposits of erythrocyte-derived hemoglobin and hemosiderin typically 10–50 μm in diameter suggestive of erythrocyte extravasation. Immunostaining for CD235a, a specific marker for erythrocytes, confirmed sporadic erythrocyte extravasation in ALS, but not controls. Quantitative analysis revealed a 3.1-fold increase in perivascular hemoglobin deposits in ALS compared to controls showing hemoglobin confined within the vascular lumen, which correlated with 2.5-fold increase in hemosiderin deposits (r = 0.82, p < 0.01). Spinal cord parenchymal accumulation of plasma-derived immunoglobulin G, fibrin and thrombin was demonstrated in ALS, but not controls. Immunostaining for platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, a specific marker for CNS pericytes, indicated a 54 % (p < 0.01) reduction in pericyte number in ALS patients compared to controls. Pericyte reduction correlated negatively with the magnitude of BSCB damage as determined by hemoglobin abundance (r = −0.75, p < 0.01). Thus, the BSCB disruption with erythrocyte extravasation and pericyte reductions is present in ALS. Whether similar findings occur in motor cortex and affected brainstem motor nuclei remain to be seen.
Ethnic differences in the use of regular mammography: the multiethnic cohort

Women’s regular use of mammography over a 6 year interval was examined among women aged 45–75 in the Hawaii and Los Angeles Multiethnic Cohort (MEC). The analyses included 81,722 African American, Japanese, Latina, Native Hawaiian, and White females using self-reported mammography history from 1993 to 1998. Ninety-one percent of MEC women reported ever having a mammogram, however only 36% reported regular annual and 48% reported regular biennial mammography over the interval. Mammography was lowest among women who were obese, had a high school education or less, or who were aged 70 and over. Regular mammography use during follow-up was low compared to prior studies reporting on recent mammography. African American, Latina, and Native Hawaiian women had significantly lower annual and biennial mammography use compared to White women even after controlling for age, education, family history, body mass index and hormone therapy indicating that gaps exist in mammography that remain unexplained by known predictors of screening behavior.
A comprehensive comparison of IMRT and VMAT plan quality for prostate cancer treatment

Purpose We performed a comprehensive comparative study of the plan quality between volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for the treatment of prostate cancer. Methods and Materials Eleven patients with prostate cancer treated at our institution were randomly selected for this study. For each patient, a VMAT plan and a series of IMRT plans using an increasing number of beams (8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 beams) were examined. All plans were generated using our in-house–developed automatic inverse planning (AIP) algorithm. An existing eight-beam clinical IMRT plan, which was used to treat the patient, was used as the reference plan. For each patient, all AIP-generated plans were optimized to achieve the same level of planning target volume (PTV) coverage as the reference plan. Plan quality was evaluated by measuring mean dose to and dose–volume statistics of the organs at risk, especially the rectum, from each type of plan. Results For the same PTV coverage, the AIP-generated VMAT plans had significantly better plan quality in terms of rectum sparing than the eight-beam clinical and AIP-generated IMRT plans ( p Conclusions Considering the superior plan quality as well as the delivery efficiency of VMAT compared with that of IMRT, VMAT may be the preferred modality for treating prostate cancer.
Effect of Time and Temperature on Thermal Barrier Coating Failure Mode Under Oxidizing Environment

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) have been recently introduced to hot section components, such as transition pieces and the first two stages of turbine blades and vanes of advanced F, G, and H class land-based turbine engines. The TBC is typically applied on metallic-coated components. The metallic bond coat provides oxidation and/or corrosion protection. It is generally believed that the primary failure mode of TBCs is delamination and fracture of the top ceramic coating parallel to the bond coat in the proximity of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) between coatings. One of the concerns associated with the use of a TBC as a prime reliant coating is its long-term stability. The effect of long-term operation at typical land based turbine operating temperatures of below 1010°C (1850°F) of the failure mode of TBCs is unknown. Long-term isothermal tests were conducted on the thermal barrier-coated specimens at three temperatures, 1010°C (1850°F), 1038°C (1900°F), and 1066°C (1950°F), to determine the effects of long term exposure on the TBC failure location (mode). Following the isothermal testing, the samples were destructively examined to characterize the degradation of the TBC and determine the extent of TGO cracking, TGO growth, bond coat oxidation, and TBC failure location after long term exposure for up to 18,000 h. Optical microscopy and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) attached with an energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) system were used to study the degradation of the TBC and bond coatings. The results showed that long term isothermal exposure leads to a change in the TBC failure mode from the delamination of the TBC at the TGO/TBC interface to the internal oxidation of the bond coat and bond coat delamination. In this paper, the effect of long-term exposure on the delamination of TBC and the bond coat failure mode is discussed.
Commentary by J. Scott Armstrong on Fildes et al.: Generalizing about Univariate Forecasting Methods: Further Empirical Evidence

Fildes, Hibon, Makridakis and Meade (1998), which will be referred to as FHMM, extends two important published papers. The idea of taking findings from each study and testing them against the data used in the other study is a good one. Such replications and extensions are important in the effort to develop useful generalizations and publication of this paper reflects the commitment of International Journal of Forecasting to replication research. In addition, the study examines procedures for estimating smoothing parameters, and it evaluates the need for using multiple starting points when evaluating forecasting methods. On the negative side, FHMM does not fully describe the conditions under which one might expect a given extrapolation method to provide more accurate forecasts than competing methods. This limits the generalizability of its findings. In addition, I believe that the FHMM generalizations are even more limited than they might appear at first glance.
Highlights from ACM SIGSPATIAL GIS 2009: The 17th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems (Seattle, Washington, - November 3--6, 2009)

ACM GIS 2009 was the seventeenth event of a series of conferences, symposia, and workshops that began in 1993 with the mission of bringing together researchers, developers, users, and practitioners carrying out research and development of novel systems based on geo-spatial data and knowledge. The conference fosters interdisciplinary discussions and research in all aspects of Geographic Information Systems and Science (GIS) and provides a forum for original research contributions covering all conceptual, design, and implementation aspects of GIS ranging from applications, user interface considerations, and visualization to storage management, indexing, and algorithmic issues.