cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Bankruptcy Exemptions on Medical Malpractice Insurance Limits

Recent work using Texas closed claim data finds that physicians are rarely required to use personal assets in medical malpractice settlements even when plaintiffs secure judgments above the physician's insurance limits. In equilibrium, this should lead physicians to purchase less insurance. Qualitative research on the behavior of plaintiffs suggests that there is a norm under which plaintiffs agree not to pursue personal assets as long as defendants are not grossly underinsured. This norm operates as a soft constraint on physicians. All other things equal, while physicians want to lower their coverage, they do not want to violate the norm and trigger an attack on their personal assets. This constraint should be less effective when physicians have other ways to shield their assets. Using data from a national medical malpractice insurer, we show that doctors in states with more generous bankruptcy exemptions have systematically lower insurance limits. These results are supported in two other national datasets that cover multiple insurers. Among other things, these results suggest that the large haircuts and low insurance limits observed in the Texas data may not generalize to jurisdictions that do not have Texas's generous bankruptcy provisions.
Language Development in School-Age Children, Adolescents, and Adults

In this article, language development beyond the preschool years is described, covering significant changes that occur in school-age children (ages 6–12 years), adolescents (ages 13–19 years), and adults (ages 20+ years). For many years, it was widely believed that language development was largely complete by the time a child entered school, at five or six years of age. More recently, however, it has become apparent that a great deal of linguistic growth occurs during the school-age years, adolescence, and well into adulthood, and that the development of language has no obvious point of completion (Nippold, 1998).
The limits of statistics in planning analysis

The free will/determinism problem has plagued philosophers at least since Descartes [ 11. With the development of genetic theory in biology beginning in the ninteenth century a resolution of the free will/determinism problem was implicit. Mendel’s law of dominance suggests that the genetic structure of the two parents determines the probability of a particular character trait in the offspring [2]. Thus the brain’s structure and how one thinks and behaves is probabilistically-determinate [3]. Genetic theory soon assumed a (relatively) undisputed position in biology [4]. Yet the free will/determinism problem continued to appear in philosophical discourse [ 51. At the turn of this century the development of the theory of quanturn mechanics in physics implied a second resolution to the free will/ determinism problem. Quantum mechanics suggests that states of the brain (or world) are probabilistically-determinate. That is, given an initial state of the brain (or world) at time t,,, one can state precisely (at
The Personal Information Center

Early in his residency at the Boston City Hospital, Harold Jeghers (codiscoverer of the Peutz-Jeghers syndrome) was prompted by a case on his service to review the publications on herpes zoster. The attending physician, after having heard this young resident’s detailed review, asked him to discuss that subject at medical rounds. Jeghers, pleased that his review enabled him to lead an important discussion soon after beginning his residency, was motivated to develop a personal library that would give him quick access to medical information. He subsequently became a pioneer in development of the personal information center. Joseph Van Der Meulen attests to the success of Jegher’s methods; the best informed physicians he knows were trained by Jeghers to organize and use a personal reprint file.
Factor Analysis: Early Models and Methods

This chapter provides an overview of the theory of factor analysis. Spearman, 1904, was the first psychologist to advance a theory of factor analysis. Like any good theory, his postulates grew out of extended research, and like most theories, his was incomplete if not wrong. As his experience with psychological measures—mostly ability and performance measures—increased, he noted two significant trends: (1) most psychological measures resulted in moderately low but almost always positive intercorrelations and (2) observed reliability coefficients—test-retest—tended to be higher than correlations of the variable with other variables. The chapter discusses correlation of a variable with itself. Two cases are considered of which both are of some theoretical interest: (1) Case I, which is the correlation of a set of scores with themselves, and (2) Case II, which is the correlation of a set of scores from one administration with a second set of scores from another administration of the same test. In Case I, equating the word weight and the term loading, which is used in factor analysis, it is seen that the squares of the loadings represent the proportion of variance accounted for by the factor to which the loading is attached. In Case II, the correlation becomes, after substitution in the Pearson equation, expansion, and simplification.
IC3 and beyond: incremental, inductive verification

IC3, a SAT-based safety model checking algorithm introduced in 2010 [1, 2], is considered among the best safety model checkers. This tutorial discusses its essential ideas: the use of concrete states, called counterexamples to induction, to motivate lemma discovery; the incremental application of induction to generate the lemmas; and the use of stepwise assumptions to allow dynamic shifting between inductive lemma generation and propagation of lemmas as predicates.
Modeling First-Pass Metabolism

Table 1 lists 66 drugs which exhibit a first-pass effect. A reasonable definition of a first-pass drug is one that exhibits a significant arterial-venous concentration difference at steady-state. Also, after oral administration, and when there is complete absorption of the dose, the area under the blood concentration-time curve is less than the area under the curve when the drug is administered intravenously at the same dose. Figure 1 depicts the meaning of the area (AUC).
On the Use of Singular Yield Conditions and Associated Flow Rules

Abstract : It is well known that the use of Trasca's yield condition frequently leads to a simpler system of equations for the stresses in a plastic solid than the use of the yield condition of Mises. In most cases where Tresca's yield condition has been used for this reason, the flow rule associated with the Nises condition has been retained, however. Following Koiter, it is shown that further simplification results from the use of the flow rule associated with the Tresca condition. The reason for this is discussed in connection with two examples concerning the finite enlargement of a circular hole in an infinite sheet of perfectly plastic or work-hardening material. The second example is probably the first non-trivial case in which a problem of finite plastic deformation of a work-hardening material has been treated in closed form by the use of incremental stress strain relations.
Analysis of 154 Cord Blood Unit (CBU) Reports Demonstrates High Variability in Potency Data and Highlights the Need for Standardization of CBU Quality Assessment

Introduction Both total nucleated cell (TNC) & CD34+ cell doses are critical for CB engraftment. However, how CBU potency characteristics are reported is not established. Methods We evaluated the completeness of CBU potency information in NMDP Traxis system & individual Bank Reports at the time of selection/ release. We then compared the reported data to CBU post-thaw values. At our center, CBU underwent albumin-dextran dilution (1:8). Post-thaw flow cytometry for CD45+/CD34+ cell counts & 7-AAD viability was done within 2 hours. Results Between 1/2016-4/2018, 154 CBU were obtained from domestic (N=88) or international (N=66) Banks. Post-processing/ pre-cryopreservation results: At least 1 viability result was reported for 147/154 (95%) CBU (Table 1). CD34+ viability was present in only 75/154 (49%) Reports. In most, the method was not stated (presumed 7-AAD). "Total cell viability" (not specifying CD45+ or TNC) was present in 110/154 (71%); 26 of these were by trypan blue or ethidium bromide. Total CFU were reported in 96/154 (62%), mostly domestic CBU & 7 reported only CFU-GM. Of 7/154 (5%) CBU without any viability, 2 were domestic (collected 2006, 2012) & 5 international (collected 2012-2015). Only 6 domestic CBU did not have CFU data (5 collected in 2006). Post-thaw segment results: A minority of Reports (47/154, 31%), all international, included segment CD34+ data. 43/154 (28%) also had segment CFU results but few included pre-cryopreservation values for comparison. Five CBU Reports had only cryovial data. Results after CBU thaw: Median CD34+ viability was 93% (SD: 7%). Except one very low CD34+ viability (22%, no pre-freeze value reported), all others were >77%. Post-thaw CD34+ viability was similar between domestic (mean: 92%; SD: 8.1%) & international CBU (mean: 92%; SD: 3.6%). However, viable CD34+ cell recovery (ratio of viable CD34+ cells post-thaw to those pre-freeze) was significantly lower for international CBU (p 84% & 28/43 (65%) had higher post-thaw CBU CD34+ viability than the segment (median increase: 10%). Conclusions CBU Reports include highly variable potency data & may be incomplete even when the information is available at the Banks. Efforts to standardize CBU potency testing & reporting are needed. Disparities in CD34+ recovery likely indicate high inter-laboratory variability & possibly differences in flow gating strategies. Also, Banks need to provide interpretation of segment results as reduced viability may be due to technical challenges, not CBU quality problems. Finally, the clinical significance of this data requires validation.
Control and coordination of head, eyes, and facial expressions of virtual actors in virtual environments

This paper addresses the modeling and computational issues associated with the control and coordination of head, eyes, and facial expressions of virtual human actors. The emphasis, as much as possible, is on using accurate physics-based computations for motion computation. Some key issues discussed in this work include the use of kinematics and inverse kinematics, trajectory planning, and the use of finite element methods to model soft tissue deformations.
Reckonings: Legacies of Nazi Persecution and the Quest for Justice

To call Mary Fulbrook’s new book a history of the Holocaust and its legacy would do this remarkable work an injustice. It certainly is a history of the Holocaust, one that is deft and sure footed i...
Absence of the Wnt Antagonist Sclerostin Adversely Affects B Cell Development in the Bone Marrow Niche

Abstract 220 Hematopoietic cell fate decisions are dependent on their localized microenvironmental niche. In the bone, endosteal osteoblasts have been shown to support hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) self-renewal, as demonstrated by transgenic and knockout mouse models in which osteoblast populations were increased or decreased. In addition, Wnt signaling and the Wnt antagonist Dkk-1 have been implicated in various aspects of hematopoiesis and HSC self-renewal. Sclerostin ( Sost) is a secreted protein that is primarily expressed by fully mature osteocytes and acts on osteoblasts as a negative regulator of bone growth, by antagonizing Wnt signaling by its binding to the Wnt co-receptors Lrp4, Lrp5, and/or Lrp6. Here, we investigated the role of Sost on hematopoiesis in the bone marrow niche. Increased osteoblast activity in sclerostin-knockout ( Sost −/− ) mice results in hypermineralized bones with small bone marrow cavities. As such, Sost −/− mice contain markedly reduced numbers of CD45 + hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow. Since hematopoietic stem cell activity is dependent on osteoblast function, we examined whether the hyperactive osteoblast activity in Sost −/− mice influences the numbers of hematopoietic stem cells, lymphoid progenitor cells and myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. Surprisingly, no differences were observed in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell frequency and cell number. However, we found the bone marrow of Sost −/− mice to be depleted of B cells, and this reduction can be attributed to premature apoptosis beginning at the pre-pro-B cell stage. Examination of Sost expression showed that no hematopoietic cells expressed Sost , however, pre-pro, immature and recirculating B cells expressed Lrp5 and Lrp6 . These gene expression patterns suggested that the defect in B cell development in Sost −/− mice is non-cell autonomous and that absence of Sost could affect Wnt signaling in these populations. We observed that the expression of Wnt target genes CCND1 and Lef-1 were not affected by the absence of Sost, but c-Myc was significantly upregulated in recirculating B cells in the bone marrow. We also observed a significant decrease in CXCL12 expression in the bone marrow stroma in Sost −/− mice, consistent with their inability to adequately support B cell development. Taken together, our results indicate that the B cell developmental defects in Sost −/− mice are non-cell autonomous, and we are currently performing reciprocal bone marrow transplantation experiments to further support this hypothesis. Our studies demonstrate a novel role for Sost in the regulation of B cell development in the bone marrow, and demonstrate that distinct Wnt antagonists play specific roles in the regulation of hematopoiesis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
United States Unilateralism and the World Trade Organization

The ascendance of Donald J. Trump to the US Presidency coincided with the adoption of an aggressive US trade policy putting “America First” and backed by the use of unilateral trade sanctions by the US in defiance of the World Trade Organization. The basic tenets of US unilateralism, gleaned from legal sources propounded by the current US Administration, consists of three basic tenets: (1) the US will ignore any WTO decision with which it disagrees; (2) the US will unilaterally impose trade sanctions on WTO member nations without first consulting with or fulfilling any of the requirements of the WTO; and (3) the US will follow the law of the WTO or disregard it totally depending on whether it suits US needs, reducing the WTO to a mere instrumentality for US purposes. These positions have alienated US allies and antagonized powerful competitors, such as China, into retaliating on its own unilateral terms. US unilateralism threatens to undermine and reduce the WTO to irrelevance and to bring the world into a dangerous new era of economic nationalism and protectionism that can have catastrophic effects on the world economy.
Assimilation of low-peaking satellite observations using the coupled interface framework

AbstractCoupled data assimilation (DA) provides a consistent framework for assimilating satellite observations that are sensitive to several components of the Earth system. In this paper, we focus ...
Male of Color Refugee Teachers on Being Un/Desirable Bodies of Difference in Education

This study draws on racial formation theory and theories of racialized masculinities to situate how two early-career male teachers of color from refugee backgrounds (Hmong and Somali) have made sen...
Promoting Theatre Methodology for Expressive Robot Movement and Behavior

Theatre Arts has been and continues to be an expressive artform engaging humans in deeply emotional and meaningful human behavior through performance. As robots are performative artefacts for humans, the appropriation of theatre methodology from a human-human model to a human-robot model elucidates emerging theatrical techniques and tools for articulating authentic human-like behavior for robot and human interactions. The primary theatrical design structure for the transformation of the human to robot model is realized through body movement interacting with speech methodologies and applied theory.
Therapists' Multicultural Orientation: Client Perceptions of Cultural Humility, Spiritual/Religious Commitment, and Therapy Outcomes

Client perceptions of their therapists’ cultural humility have been associated with positive therapy outcomes; however, it is unclear whether these positive effects are consistent across clients. I...
Understanding the spread of prevention and cessation messages on social media for substance use in youth

Engagement is a critical metric to the effectiveness of online health messages. This paper explores how people engage in youth-generated prevention messages in social media.,The data sample consisted of engagement measures of 82 youth-generated messages hosted in a social media channel and a follow-up survey on content creators' motivation for promoting their messages and their dissemination strategies. A comparative analysis of engagement metrics along with qualitative analysis of the message types was performed.,Two types of messages were considered: stop messages and prevent messages. Our analyses found that people interacted with stop messages on social media more frequently than prevent messages. On analyzing the youth's motivation and promotion strategies, no significant difference was observed between stop message creators and prevent message creators.,This work has implications for programs promoting prevention and health information in social media.,This is the first study in social media-based prevention programs the authors are aware of that differentiated between the strategies of youth-produced prevention messages.
Downtown Diet: a global meta-analysis of urbanization on consumption patterns of vertebrate predators

Predation is a fundamental ecological process that shapes communities and drives long-term evolutionary dynamics. As the world rapidly urbanizes, it is critical to understand how the built environment and other human perturbations alter predation across taxa. We conducted a meta-analysis to quantify the effects of urban environments on three components of trophic ecology in predators: dietary species richness (DSR), dietary evenness (DEV), and stable isotopic ratios (d13C and d15N IR). We then evaluated whether intensity of anthropogenic pressure, using the human footprint index (HFI), explained variation in the effect sizes of dietary attributes using a meta-regression. We calculated Hedges9 g effect sizes from 44 studies including 11,986 samples across 40 predatory species in 39 cities globally. The direction and magnitude of effect sizes varied between predator taxonomic groups with reptile diets exhibiting the most sensitivity to urbanization. Effect sizes revealed that predators in cities had comparable DSR, DEV, and nitrogen ratios, though carbon consumption was significantly higher. We found that HFI did not explain variation in effect sizes, a result consistent between the 1993 and 2009 editions of this metric. Our study provides the first assessment of how urbanization has perturbed predator-prey interactions for multiple taxa at a global scale, revealing that the functional role of predators is conserved in cities and urbanization does not inherently relax predation.
Beyond Aggravating and Mitigating Factors: The Analysis of Colorado's Death Penalty Cases (1999-2010):

In Colorado, studies have shown that the likelihood of the prosecutions’ decision to pursue the death penalty is related to the defendant’s race and judicial district of the trial. These studies ex...
Abstract P759: Microglial EZH2 Inhibition Leads to Neuroprotection After Stroke in Aged Mice

Introduction: Ischemic stroke results in activation of microglia, which may polarize towards a pro-inflammatory (M1) phenotype and/or an anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotype. Enhancer of zeste homolog ...
Rational Voter Responses to the 2018 Trade War: Evidence From the 2018 U.S. House of Representatives Elections

I examine county-level outcomes of the 2018 U.S. House elections to investigate whether voters electorally responded to the economic impacts of the trade war tariffs in 2018. I find causal evidence that votes for the incumbent president's party (Republican) increased in counties that benefited from the domestic tariffs while those votes decreased in counties that were harmed. The median net effect is negative but economically insignificant. In contrast, I do not find comparable effects on the votes for Democratic candidates, which suggests the domestic tariffs largely impacted the turnout among Republican supporters but did not lead to switching of parties. Finally, I do not find any substantive responses to the retaliatory tariffs.
The true “me”—Mind or body?

Abstract Laypeople construe one's life narrative around a single protagonist – the true self. Who is this true self? Does it reside in our mind or body? Is it only aligned with one's biological essence, or also with their moral core, the home of free will? In three experiments, participants reasoned about John—a modern-day reincarnation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. John's character was evaluated by two tests (brain and behavioral), whose outcomes diverged (e.g., a brain test indicating benevolence; a behavioral test indicating aggression). Results showed that participants aligned John's free will with his good acts (irrespective of test), but they defined his essence by the outcomes of the brain test. We interpret the results to suggest that people hold conflicting tacit notions of the true self. One's freely-willed moral core is good, but one's essence is aligned with the body.
Comparing Old and New Partial Derivative Estimates from Nonlinear Nonparametric Regressions: Supplemental Materials

This paper contains the R-code and output for all experiments of partial derivative estimation using NNS, np, and OLS techniques.
Labour and the temporalities of Indian design and construction

This article examines discourses of time and temporality in architectural design and construction in India’s National Capital Region (NCR). Working with data gathered from fifteen months of ethnogr...
Smoking cessation intentions and attempts one year after the federally mandated smoke-free housing rule

Abstract The present study examines public housing residents’ smoking cessation intentions, expectancies, and attempts one year after implementation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s mandatory smoke-free rule in public housing. The sample includes 233 cigarette smokers, ages 18–80, who reside in the District of Columbia Housing Authority. Data collection occurred between March and August 2019. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and Wilcoxon two-sample test analyses assessed smoking cessation intentions, expectancies, and attempts across resident demographics and characteristics. Findings showed 17.2% of residents reported not thinking about quitting, 39.1% reported thinking about quitting, and 48.6% reported thinking about quitting specifically because of the rule. Residents ages 60–80 were more likely to consider quitting because of the rule, compared to residents ages 18–59. Of those thinking of quitting, 58.6% were sure they could quit if they tried. Those thinking of quitting due to the rule (62.0%) were more likely to have made at least one quit attempt in the past 3 months than those i not attributinging thinking of quitting to the rule. Res Residents trying to quit reported an average of 2.7 attempts in the last 3 months;; most perceived evidence-based cessation supports as not helpful. A A majority reported thinking about quitting and attempting to quit but continuing to smoke, indicating a significant gap between intent to quit and successfully quitting. Results suggest that the rule positively influenced smoking behaviors. However, additional interventions are needed to assist public housing residents with successfully quitting smoking.
The Elusive Malaria Vaccine: Miracle or Mirage?

Chronicling a 100-year quest, this book tells the fascinating story of the hunt for the still-elusive malaria vaccine. Its clear, engaging style makes the book accessible to a general audience and brings to life all the drama of the hunt, celebrating the triumphs and documenting the failures. The author captures the controversies, missteps, wars of words, stolen ideas, and clashes of ego as researchers around the world compete to develop the first successful malaria vaccine. The Elusive Malaria Vaccine: Miracle or Mirage? is based on author Irwin W. Sherman’s thorough investigation of the scientific literature as well as his first-hand interviews with today’s pioneers in malaria vaccine research. As a result, the book offers remarkable insights into the keys to a successful malaria vaccine and the obstacles hindering its development. Malaria is one of humankind’s greatest killers, currently afflicting some 300 to 500 million people. Moreover, malaria infections have begun to spread and surge in places previously free from the disease. With the book’s easy-to-follow coverage of such topics as immunity, immunology, recombinant DNA, and monoclonal antibodies, readers gain a new understanding of the disease itself, the importance of microbe hunters, and the need for responsible leadership to face the challenges that lie ahead in the battle against malaria. Hardcover, 391 pages, index.
Intrapersonal, Behavioral, and Environmental Factors Associated With Meeting Recommended Physical Activity Among Rural Latino Youth

This study aimed to identify intrapersonal, behavioral, and environmental factors associated with engaging in recommended levels of physical activity among rural Latino middle school youth. Data were from an anonymous survey of 773 Latino youth (51% female) about level of and barriers and motivators to physical activity, risk behaviors, and park use. Logistic regression models identified factors correlated with meeting recommended levels of physical activity (5 days or more 360 min/day). Thirty-four percent of girls and 41% of boys reported meeting this physical activity recommendation. Participation in an organized after school activity (p < .001) and in physical education (PE) classes 5 days a week (p < .001) were strongly associated with meeting recommended physical activity level. Making PE available 5 days a week and creating opportunities for organized after school physical activity programs may increase the number of rural Latino middle school youth who meet recommended physical activity level.
The effect of promethazine hydrochloride on fetal and maternal lymphocytes

THIS LABORATORY has been involved in the study of promethazine hydrochloride and its use in erythroblastosis for many years. Our interest in this drug was originally aroused by the report by Bierme-Alie-Enjalbert’ of a possible amelioration of the effects of erythroblastosis in 1 I patients treated with that drug during pregnancy. The possibility that its ability to ameliorate this immunologically mediated disease by an immunosuppressive capability was studied by us in patients and in the laboratory. Our most recent publication reviews our prior work and documents the in vitro inhibition, by promethazine hydrochloride, of the ability of macrophages of the newborn infant to form rosettes with anti-D opsonized red blood cells.’ We have previously shown that fetal red blood cell destruction in erythroblastosis caused by the Rh antigen was not accomplished directly by the antibody and that the anti-D was not complement-fixing. In addition, we have also documented the ability of promethazine hydrochloride to inhibit lymphocyte-mediated functions in vivo in animals. The first paper we published concerning the effectiveness of promethazine hydrochloride in the treatment of erythroblastosis involved only 15 patients. A subsequent paper involving more than 40 patients is in preparation. However, we have maintained a concern regarding the effects which promethazine hydro-
Induction of c-fos mRNA by kindled seizures: complex relationship with neuronal burst firing

Expression of the immediate-early gene c-fos has been advanced as a marker of neuronal activity in the adult nervous system. We sought to test the validity of c-fos mRNA expression as a marker of neuronal activity during seizures and to elucidate specific neurotransmitter receptors whose activation was necessary for seizure-evoked c-fos mRNA expression. We correlated c-fos mRNA expression, measured with in situ hybridization, with kindled seizure-induced firing of hippocampal dentate granule cells or substantia nigra pars compacta and pars reticulata neurons. We found that the occurrence of seizure-evoked synchronous action potentials during the seizure exhibited a perfect qualitative correlation with the presence of c-fos mRNA expression in the granule cells 30 min following the seizure (Fisher9s exact test, p = 0.002). However, there was no quantitative correlation between the number of seizure-induced population action potentials and the magnitude of c-fos mRNA expression in the granule cells. In the substantia nigra, where neuronal populations have previously been demonstrated to exhibit synchronous firing during kindled seizures, no induction of c-fos mRNA was detected in either pars compacta or pars reticulata. Pretreatment with antagonists of the NMDA subtype of glutamate receptor selectively and markedly decreased seizure-induced c- fos mRNA expression in the dentate granule cells, despite increasing the number of granule cell population action potentials. These findings illustrate the complexity of the relationship between c-fos induction and neuronal burst firing during kindled seizures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Disrupted glucocorticoid—Immune interactions during stress response in schizophrenia

Glucocorticoid and immune pathways typically interact dynamically to optimize adaptation to stressful environmental challenges. We tested the hypothesis that a dysfunctional glucocorticoid-immune relationship contributes to abnormal stress response in schizophrenia. Saliva samples from 34 individuals with schizophrenia (20 male, 14 female) and 40 healthy controls (20 male, 20 female) were collected prior to and at 3 time points following completion of a computerized psychological challenge meant to be frustrating. Salivary concentrations of cortisol and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and their response to the challenge were examined. Both cortisol and IL-6 significantly increased in response to stress in the combined sample (both p<.05). In controls, the rise in cortisol following the challenge was negatively correlated to the subsequent changes in IL-6 (r=-.461, p=.003), such that rise of cortisol immediately after stress predicts subsequently lower IL-6 levels. In contrast, this relationship was positive in schizophrenia patients (r=.379, p=.027). The trends were significantly different (Z=3.7, p=.0002). This stress paradigm induces a rise in both cortisol and IL-6. In healthy controls, a more robust acute cortisol response was associated with a steeper decline of IL-6 levels following stress, corresponding to the expected anti-inflammatory effects of cortisol. Patients exhibited the opposite relationship, suggesting an inability to down-regulate inflammatory responses to psychological stress in schizophrenia; or even a paradoxical increase of IL-6 response. This finding may partially underlie abnormalities in inflammatory and stress pathways previously found in the illness, implicating dysregulated stress response in the chronic inflammatory state in schizophrenia.
Polytene chromosomes in mouse trophoblast giant cells

Mouse trophoblast giant cells undergo successive rounds of DNA replication resulting in amplification of the genome. It has been difficult to determine whether giant cell chromosomes are polyploid as in liver cells or polytene as in Dipteran salivary glands because the chromosomes do not condense. We have examined the pattern of hybridization of mouse giant cells with a variety of in situ chromosome markers to address this question. Hemizygous markers displayed one hybridization signal per nucleus in both diploid and giant cells, while homozygous markers displayed two signals per nucleus in both cell types. These patterns are consistent with cytological evidence indicating that giant cell chromosomes are polytene rather than polyploid. However, in contrast to the situation in Dipteran salivary glands, the two homologues do not appear to be closely associated. We conclude that the mechanism of giant cell DNA amplification involves multiple rounds of DNA replication in the absence of both karyokinesis and cytokinesis, and that sister chromatids, but not homologous chromosomes, remain closely associated during this process.
Self-selection of copper-containing diets by copper-deficient and overloaded rats

Abstract To determine the effect of copper status on the preference for copper-containing food, male Sprague–Dawley rats were weaned to a copper-deficient, copper-adequate or high-copper diet. Four weeks later, alterations in copper status were confirmed by measurement of liver copper concentrations. Rats ( n =10) were then given the choice between a copper-adequate or a copper-restricted diet of similar composition. Preference scores indicated that control rats preferred copper-deficient food. Preferences of rats on the high-copper diet were not different from control rats, suggesting that copper overload did not alter the pattern of selection. However, 7 of the 10 copper-deficient rats ate 80% or more of their intake as copper-adequate food resulting in preference scores that were significantly different from controls ( p
The glycoprotein (mucus) content of tears from normals and dry eye patients

Abstract Tears were sampled by two different methods from patients with ocular pemphigoid, Stevens-Johnson's Syndrome and Sjogren's Syndrome, as well as from normals. The tear glycoprotein (mucus) content was determined by measuring hexosamine after hydrolysis. Also hexuronic acid and protein levels were determined, as well as tear flow rate in some instances. The level of glycoprotein (mucus) in tears was markedly reduced in pemphigoid and Stevens-Johnson, diseases which are characterized by early break-up of the tear film and decreased content of mucus-producing conjunctival goblet cells. Mucus has earlier been shown to be necessary for the wetting of epithelium, but it is questionable whether mucus is reduced enough in pemphigoid and Stevens-Johnson to explain tear film instability in these disease entities.
Observational study of relationships between incoming radiation, open water fraction, and ocean-to-ice heat flux in the Transpolar Drift: 2002–2010

[1] Ocean/ice interface heat fluxes (F0) are calculated from upper ocean measurements obtained from autonomous systems repeatedly deployed in the Arctic Ocean Transpolar Drift between 2002 and 2010. Average F0 values over the nine summer heating season realizations varied between 4.6 and 10.5 W m−2 with an average summer value of 7.6 W m−2. Between 2002 and 2010, summer-averagedF0passed through a clear minimum, with most inter-annual variability inF0 dominated by differences in ocean heat content, rather than by differences in surface forcing. We test if Transpolar Drift F0 is supported primarily by local, radiative energy flux entering the upper ocean through areas of open water (Frw). Frwis estimated by combining re-analysis solar radiation products with satellite-borne passive microwave ice concentration products and observed divergence of drifting buoys. Inter-annual variability of summer-averaged surface insolation is relatively small (0.04 normalized standard deviation, NSTD), so differences in open water fraction (0.30 NSTD) are the most likely sources of the observedF0variability. Ensemble-averaged over the 2002–2010 summers, the satellite and buoy-divergenceFrw, are equal to 8.1, and 8.0 W m−2, respectively. Therefore, over the course of the summer season, sufficient energy enters the upper ocean through open water to wholly support the observed F0. Reasonable agreement between the two open water fraction estimates further indicates that mechanical processes, rather than lateral melting, are controlling the amount of radiation entering the upper ocean, implying that ocean ice-albedo feedbacks were not strong in the Transpolar Drift in the last decade.
A fast egomotion estimation method based on visual feature tracking and Iterative Closest Point

This paper presents a method to speed up ICP (Iterative Closest Point) refinement of the egomotion estimation of a visual tracker using a 3D time-of-flight camera—SwissRanger SR 4000. The ICP algorithm may be used to reduce the egomotion estimation error of a visual tracker in a feature-sparse environment. However, the ICP refinement is a computationally expensive. To address this problem, we propose a new ICP refinement method that uses 3D convex hull to reduce the number of data points for ICP computation and thus its computational time. The 3D convex hull is generated using the visual feature correspondences between two camera views. It represents an approximate overlap between the two views. Using the data points within this region for ICP refinement does not affect the ICP refinement results but its ICP computational time. The efficacy of the proposed method is validated with multiple datasets collected in feature-sparse environments and from real-world navigation scenarios.
An experiment in index term frequency

This paper presents an experimental study of index-term frequency as a factor in retrieval performance. The frequency of an index term, or its “breadth” as it is called here, is the number of postings made to the term in a given collection. The question is asked: Of index terms assigned to documents, which function most effectively in retrieval, the most used or popular terms, or those which are used relatively infrequently? The experiment is a retrieval experiment and uses the Cran-field-Salton data. Breadth of indexing is varied by nonrandomly deleting terms from documents. Retrieval output is evaluated using the Expected Search Length measure of retrieval effectiveness as well as the usual precision and recall. The Wilcoxen Test is used to determine the statistical significance of the different indexings. The results show that the “optimal” breadth of indexing is a variable, depending on user needs: if a few documents are wanted or high precision is desired, then narrow terms are more effective than broad ones; if, on the other hand, all or most relevant documents are wanted, then broad terms are better. An argument, however, can be made for the quality of narrow terms, since when these terms are deleted precision never improves, whereas deleting broad terms always results in higher precision. A corollary experiment is carried out to compare two indexings of the same average breadth where one indexing consists of semantically appropriate terms—terms taken from the document title—and the other consists of merely “reasonable” index terms. The results suggest that title-term indexing is qualifiedly superior.
Atrial fibrillation early postoperatively following minimally invasive cardiac valvular surgery

We report a cohort of our first 100 minimally invasive cardiac valvular operations matched 1:1 by age and valvular surgery type with patients undergoing a traditional midline sternotomy approach. The prevalence of postoperative atrial fibrillation among patients with minimally invasive procedures versus traditional midline sternotomy was 26.3% versus 38.0%, respectively (p = 0.08). Neither multiple logistic regression nor Kaplan-Meier distribution analysis identified differences in postoperative atrial fibrillation between the 2 surgical techniques.
Age and inhibition

Two experiments assess adult age differences in the extent of inhibition or negative priming generated in a selective-attention task. Younger adults consistently demonstrated negative priming effects; they were slower to name a letter on a current trial that had served as a distractor on the previous trial relative to one that had not occurred on the previous trial. Whether or not inhibition dissipated when the response to stimulus interval was lengthened from 500 ms in Experiment 1 to 1,200 ms in Experiment 2 depended upon whether young subjects were aware of the patterns across trial types. Older adults did not show inhibition at either interval. The age effects are interpreted within the Hasher-Zacks (1988) framework, which proposes inhibition as a central mechanism determining the contents of working memory and consequently influencing a wide array of cognitive functions. Language: en
Parallel-Flux Parametric Voltage Regulator and Comparison with Orthogonal-Flux Parametric Voltage Regulator

An analysis of the parallel-flux parametric voltage regulator shows that it offers all the desirable characteristics of the orthogonal-flux parametric voltage regulator and that it offers several additional advantages. The most striking additional advantage is a much higher energy transfer capability, which implies higher efficiency in material utilization.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF INDOLYL RADICAL AND RADICAL CATION : IMPLICATIONS FOR TRYPTOPHAN RADICAL STUDIES

Tryptophan radicals or radical cations, currently believed to participate in electron transfer in cytochrome c peroxidase, DNA photolyase, galactose oxidase, and perhaps ribonucleotide reductase, a...
Proposal of Standardization on Screening Tests for Detection of Distant Metastases from Head and Neck Cancer

A standardized approach to screening for distant metastases must be flexible. This reflects the fact that the issues involved have not been adequately studied to allow evidence-based recommendations. Effective and responsible application of screening for distant metastasis would improve our ability to council patients regarding important therapeutic decisions. It would also have important consequences on healthcare economics. Screening recommendations should reflect the stage of the primary tumor and the histologic cell type because these two parameters most clearly correlate with the risk for distant metastases. The most commonly encountered distant metastases are pulmonary. The most sensitive validated screening technique is just computed tomography (CT). Advanced technologies such as simultaneous positron emission tomography/CT may replace these prior technologies in the near future. Recommendations for routine screening following curative treatment are subjective at this time. Careful history and physical examination remains the basis for the follow-up evaluation. The sensitivity and cost effectiveness of imaging studies in this setting remains unstudied and contentious.
A Computational Technique for Uncertainty Quantification and Robust Design in Cardiovascular Systems

Numerical simulations of blood flow in the human cardiovascular system are usually performed using custom Finite element methods and specialized boundary conditions. These simulations are performed to (a) understand the physics of blood flow in the human cardiovascular system and (b) a priori testing of proposed treatments/interventions whether surgical or endovascular. To perform these simulations, we require prior knowledge of parameters such as cardiovascular geometry, boundary conditions (inflow/outflow/pressure), etc. In the past, researchers have assumed exact values for these parameters. However, in reality, each of these parameters is uncertain. For example, inflow conditions into the model are dictated by the heart rate and cardiac output of the patient. Even during rest, there are variations in cardiac output and hence the corresponding blood inflow velocities need to be modeled as a random variable. Additionally, the cardiovascular geometry is built based on MRI-images. These are subject to uncertainties due to noise in the data and variability between users during model construction. We develop a computational toolbox that can account for uncertainties in such parameters in hemodynamic simulations. The uncertainties examined in this work include i) variation and accuracy of image-based model geometry ii) variability in inflow condition of the patient and iii) variability in the implementation of the final surgical design. The last source of uncertainty stems from the fact that optimally designed surgical parameters may not be exactly implemented in the operating room. We show numerical examples of (a) blood flow in stenotic vessels (b) effect of uncertainty in carotid sinus size on blood flow and (iii) develop a stochastic optimization technique to compute optimal parameters of an idealized Y-graft model for the Fontan surgery accounting for sources of uncertainties listed above.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Choosing Work and Family: Poor and Low-Income Mothers' Work-Family Commitments

This article sheds light on the work and family lives of those women with greater constraints on their work-life choices than the professional mothers driving the so called opt out revolution. I use qualitative interviews of a diverse group of poor and working class women on and off welfare to examine the issue of choice in work and family life. I find that low-income mothers share much of the concern expressed by social conservatives over mothers' increased time in the work place. They invoke a shared understanding of the responsibilities of motherhood setting themselves apart from more advantaged mothers who purportedly choose work over family responsibilities.
Modal reduction in 6-rod bundled single-crystal sapphire photonic crystal fibers

This paper presents the results of the finite element modeling of a unique 6-rod bundled sapphire photonic crystal fiber. The structure is composed of five rods of single crystal sapphire fiber 70μm in diameter symmetrically arranged around a solid single crystal sapphire core region, which is 50μm in diameter. The modeling work focuses on the optimization and modal analysis of this photonic crystal fiber using Comsol Multiphysics 4.2a. In sensor design and realization, reduction of the modal volume of the fiber can offer significant advantages, and as such, this research work is focused on computational determination of the structures, which may minimize the number of modes of the sapphire photonic crystal fiber. The fiber design being analyzed in this paper may be especially important for sensors operating in harsh high temperature environments.
Temperature effects on pupation-height response in four Drosophila species group triads

Abstract A comparison of pupation-height responses among four Drosophila species group triads (virilis, repleta, melanogaster and willistoni) was carried out in the laboratory at temperatures ranging from 4.5 to 38°C and 100% r.h. The effects of temperature on pupation-height response appear complex in the species groups examined. Two-way analyses of variance (species × temperature) reveal that significant effects differ for each triad. At temperatures where at least 50% pupation success was observed, mean pupation heights are low for all species (less than 5 mm). At high-temperature extremes, all species show little or no upward movement. At low-temperature extremes, maximal height is observed in some species within the repleta and willistoni groups, and the entire melanogaster triad. However, other species within the repleta and willistoni groups, and the entrie virilis triad show no upward movement at all under the same low-temperature conditions. A species' pupation-height response at one temperature extreme cannot be used to predict its response at the other temperature extreme. Temperature effects on pupation height in one species do not necessarily reflect the effects on other species within the group. Temperature effects for one species group cannot be used to predict responses for other groups from different phylogenetic and ecological backgrounds.
Rotational Transitions in Excited Vibrational States of D2O

Rotational transitions of D2O with J<12 in excited vibrational states (and the ground state) were measured with submegahertz precision in a pulsed discharge supersonic slit expansion of a D2O/NeHe mixture while scanning the range from 1473.69 to 1685.91 GHz using the Berkeley terahertz laser sideband spectrometer. Assignments were made using all available previous IR results, which include the (000), (010), (020), (001), (100), (111), (130), (031), (012), (210), and (121) vibrational states with levels up to 7500 cm−1.