cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wildlife Conservation in the Line Islands, Republic of Kiribati (formerly Gilbert Islands)

Important colonies of seabirds occur on all eight islands comprising the Line group of the Republic of Kiribati, the former Gilbert Islands. The greatest density and diversity is reached on Christmas Island, the principal island of the group, with 18 regularly nesting species. Climatic factors and the extent of human activities in the past, however, have led to widely differing conditions prevailing on the different islands. Christmas (which came to prominence as a post-war atomic testing-base), Fanning, and Washington, Islands have permanent settlements; the five southern Line Islands are totally uninhabited. Wildlife generally is threatened by introduced animals, especially cats, and additionally on inhabited islands by environmental changes and the direct impact of human disturbance. A Wildlife Conservation Unit, set up in 1977, administers five reserves on Christmas Island and is responsible for the islands of Malden, Starbuck, and Vostok, which are wildlife sanctuaries. Wildlife laws give protection to the Green Turtle and to 31 resident and regularly-occurring migratory species of birds. Naturalist-orientated tours to the Line Islands constitute a key development project which provides some optimism for the future.
Ultrafast REMPI in benzene and the monohalobenzenes without the focal volume effect.

We report on the photoionization and photofragmentation of benzene (C6H6) and of the monohalobenzenes C6H5–X (X = F, Cl, Br, I) under intense-field, single-molecule conditions. We focus 50-fs, 804-nm pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser source, and record ion mass spectra as a function of intensity in the range ∼1013 W/cm2 to ∼1015 W/cm2. We count ions that were created in the central, most intense part of the focal area; ions from other regions are rejected. For all targets, stable parent ions (C6H5X+) are observed. Our data is consistent with resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) involving the neutral 1ππ* excited state (primarily a phenyl excitation): all of our plots of parent ion yield versus intensity display a kink when this excitation saturates. From the intensity dependence of the ion yield we infer that both the HOMO and the HOMO−1 contribute to ionization in C6H5F and C6H5Cl. The proportion of phenyl (C6H5) fragments in the mass spectra increases in the order X = F, Cl, Br, I. We ascribe these substituent-dependent observations to the different lifetimes of the C6H5X 1ππ* states. In X = I the heavy-atom effect leads to ultrafast intersystem crossing to a dissociative 3nσ* state. This breaks the C–I bond in an early stage of the ultrashort pulse, which explains the abundance of fragments that we find in the iodobenzene mass spectrum. For the lighter X = F, Cl, and Br this dissociation is much slower, which explains the lesser degree of fragmentation observed for these three molecules.
Height of children successfully treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a report from the late effects study committee of childrens cancer study group

One hundred eighty-seven patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) between 1972 and 1975 were evaluated for height 6.4-8.8 years (median 7.2 years) from the time of diagnosis of their disease. All patients had been treated on protocols CCG-101/143 conducted by the Childrens Cancer Study Group. After induction of remission, patients received either cranial radiation plus six doses of intrathecal methotrexate, craniospinal radiation, or craniospinal radiation plus abdominal radiation, followed by systemic maintenance chemotherapy for either 3 or 5 years. No significant difference was observed in the distribution of height percentiles at the time of diagnosis compared to expected population standards. After treatment an excess (P less than 0.001) was observed in the proportion of patients in the lower percentiles in conjunction with a decrease in the proportion of patients in the higher percentiles. After adjustment for height at diagnosis, the only factor found to have significant impact on attained height percentile was exposure to craniospinal plus abdominal radiation (P less than 0.001) where there was a fivefold excess in the proportion of patients below the fifth percentile for height. Craniospinal radiation only was not associated with a greater reduction in attained height percentile when compared to cranial radiation only.
Dynamic centrifuge testing of a cantilever retaining wall

Two correctly-scaled model cantilever retaining walls of different stiffnesses were tested under dynamic loading conditions in a centrifuge. A medium-dense fine sand was retained with a range of backfill slopes. For the centrifuge model, an earthquake-generating mechanism was designed to produce seismic shaking equivalent to that generated at ground surface in the epicentral area of an earthquake of approximate magnitude 5–5. The response of the model retaining walls to the input dynamic motion was measured by strain gauges, pressure transducers and accelerometers. From the measurements plots were constructed of moment, shear, pressure and displacement over the height of the walls as a function of time. The results are compared with calculations based on the quasi-static Mononobe-Okabe theory. Although the calculated resultant force is in reasonable agreement with the experiments, the moments can be substantially different. Residual values of all parameters at the end of shaking are considerably greater than the initial static values. It is recommended that dynamic behaviour be incorporated in the earthquake design of retaining walls.
Review of block matching based motion estimation algorithms for video compression

Block matching motion estimation is a key component in video compression. Typical applications include HDTV, multimedia communications, video conferencing, etc. In this paper, we present a review of block matching based motion estimation algorithms. These algorithms are classified into three categories, namely fast algorithms, layered structure algorithms and inter-block motion field prediction algorithms. They are compared with respect to estimation accuracy and computational complexity. In addition, various matching criterion are also reviewed. >
A sensemaking lens on reliability

Summary This study assessed the applicability of current theories of reliability in dynamic settings by exploring the sensemaking processes experienced by a sample of medical residents around lapses in reliability of patient care. Important differences in lapses surfaced, particularly with respect to whether actors were aware that a lapse was occurring in real-time and whether there was anything they could do or say to mitigate or prevent the lapse. In over half of the incidents recounted, the actors did not become aware of the lapse in reliability until after the consequence of the lapse had occurred or the consequence occurred simultaneously with the recognition of the lapse. In other incidents, they faced a critical moment in which they had to decide whether and how to act to intervene in real-time. In the majority of these critical moments, residents had an issue of concern to voice that could have helped mitigate or correct the lapse but instead they remained silent. Issues related to identity and relationships appeared to either inhibit or promote voice during critical moments. We end with ideas for how our findings can inform existing work on reliability in healthcare and the growing literature on voice and silence in organizations. Copyright # 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of the Nonsense-Mediated Decay Factor hUpf3 in the Splicing-Dependent Exon-Exon Junction Complex

Nonsense-mediated messenger RNA (mRNA) decay, or NMD, is a critical process of selective degradation of mRNAs that contain premature stop codons. NMD depends on both pre-mRNA splicing and translation, and it requires recognition of the position of stop codons relative to exon-exon junctions. A key factor in NMD is hUpf3, a mostly nuclear protein that shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm and interacts specifically with spliced mRNAs. We found that hUpf3 interacts with Y14, a component of post-splicing mRNA-protein (mRNP) complexes, and that hUpf3 is enriched in Y14-containing mRNP complexes. The mRNA export factors Aly/REF and TAP are also associated with nuclear hUpf3, indicating that hUpf3 is in mRNP complexes that are poised for nuclear export. Like Y14 and Aly/REF, hUpf3 binds to spliced mRNAs specifically (∼20 nucleotides) upstream of exon-exon junctions. The splicing-dependent binding of hUpf3 to mRNAs before export, as part of the complex that assembles near exon-exon junctions, allows it to serve as a link between splicing and NMD in the cytoplasm.
Layer by layer imaging of diblock copolymer films with a scanning electron microscope

Abstract We present a novel technique which allows for the investigation of block copolymer microstructures on various substrates and at different depths. Using a low voltage, high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM), we examined the topography and underlying morphology of poly(styrene)—poly(butadiene) diblock copolymer films. The internal morphology of the film was exposed for SEM imaging by using a non-selective fluorine-based reactive ion etching (RIE) technique. By controlling the depth of the RIE etch we removed the surface layer of poly(butadiene) and exposed the microphase separated structure underneath for SEM imaging. After obtaining SEM images of this exposed layer, we subsequently removed this layer with further RIE to obtain SEM images of the layer underneath. By continuing this procedure, we can obtain images of the microstructures as a function of depth with a 4-nm lateral resolution and a 10-nm depth resolution.
HORSE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM: Nutritional programming and the impact on mare and foal performance

Many environmental factors can alter the phenotype of offspring when applied during critical periods of early development. In most domestic species, maternal nutrition influences fetal development and the fetus is sensitive to the nutrition of the dam during pregnancy. Many experimental models have been explored including both under- and overnutrition of the dam. Both nutritional strategies have yielded potential consequences including altered glucose tolerance, pancreatic endocrine function, insulin sensitivity, body composition, and colostrum quality. Although the impact of maternal nutrition on fetal development in the equine has not been thoroughly investigated, overnutrition is a common occurrence in the industry. Work in our laboratory has focused on effects of maternal overnutrition on mare and foal performance, mare DMI, foaling parameters, colostrum quality and passive transfer of immunity, and glucose and insulin dynamics. Over several trials, mares were fed either 100 or 140% of NRC requirements for DE, and supplemental Se and arginine were added to diets in an attempt to mitigate potential intrauterine growth retardation resulting from dams overfed during the last third of pregnancy. As expected, when mares were overfed, BW, BCS, and rump fat values increased. Foal growth over 150 d was also not influenced. Maternal nutrition did not alter colostrum volume but influenced colostrum quality. Maternal overnutrition resulted in lower colostrum IgG concentrations but did not cause failure of passive transfer in foals. Supplemental Se and arginine were unable to mitigate this reduction in colostrum IgG. Additionally, mare and foal glucose and insulin dynamics were influenced by maternal nutrition. Mare glucose and insulin area under the curve (AUC) increased with increased concentrate supplementation. Foal insulin AUC and peak insulin concentrations were increased when mares were fed concentrate and, in a later trial, foal peak glucose values were reduced with arginine supplementation of the mare. This influence of maternal nutrition on glucose and insulin dynamics warrants further investigation because it may be related to athletic performance and metabolic disease in the adult. Further studies will be necessary to fully elucidate the influence of mare nutrition during pregnancy on development of the fetus as well as long-term consequences of developmental programming.
The resilience of ethnic minority parties in the face of strategic voting incentives A research note

Recent research has indicated that social heterogeneity impacts party system size, even in restrictive settings. This research as yet has not established whether it is minority or majority voters who are behaving outside Duvergerian expectations. This study argues that it is ethnic voters that seem to defect from their parties at lower rates, which explains why small parties proliferate and persist in heterogeneous states. This hypothesis is tested on party-in-district level election returns in the German lander Schleswig-Holstein. The results show that small ethnic parties suffer notably less defection than small non-ethnic parties. The study proposes a number of potential causal mechanisms that could be driving ethnic voters, as a group, to defect at lower rates than non-ethnic voters.
Eosinophilic Cystitis: An Uncommon Form of Cystitis

Since 1959, 39 cases of eosinophilic cystitis have been reported in the literature. Eosinophilic cystitis is a rare form of allergic cystitis in patients who usually have a strong allergic history. It mimics other forms of intractable cystitis, such as interstitial cystitis, tuberculosis and bladder neoplasms. It is caused by various antigens that form immune complexes at the bladder level and stimulate eosinophilic infiltration. Food allergens, medications, topical agents and parasites have been implicated. The diagnosis is made by excluding all other forms of cystitis.
Stigma and Prejudice in Patients with HIV/AIDS

An abundance of advances related to pharmacology, diagnostics, patient education, management, and biomedical research over the past three decades has resulted in a dramatic decrease in the morbidity and mortality from HIV/AIDS. However, suffering remains high among those who are affected with HIV and their families as a result of negative mental health and quality of life consequences due to stigma. HIV stigma exists worldwide; its common drivers are recognized across different settings [1]. Stigma continues to be one of the greatest challenges in the fight against HIV/AIDS [2]. The goal of this chapter is to highlight stigma and prejudice as it pertains to patients with HIV/AIDS. We will set the stage with regard to stigma and HIV in this chapter by giving a historic overview of the HIV/AIDS epidemic from the 1980s; summarize the biology of HIV, transmission of the virus, course of illness and how they impact stigma; and discuss the implications of HIV detection and diagnosis on stigma.
Using supervised learning to uncover deep musical structure

The overarching goal of music theory is to explain the inner workings of a musical composition by examining the structure of the composition. Schenkerian music theory supposes that Western tonal compositions can be viewed as hierarchies of musical objects. The process of Schenkerian analysis reveals this hierarchy by identifying connections between notes or chords of a composition that illustrate both the small- and large-scale construction of the music. We present a new probabilistic model of this variety of music analysis, details of how the parameters of the model can be learned from a corpus, an algorithm for deriving the most probable analysis for a given piece of music, and both quantitative and human-based evaluations of the algorithm's performance. This represents the first large-scale data-driven computational approach to hierarchical music analysis.
Are My Professional Evaluation Dispositions to Be Found in My Early Life Experiences

Having searched for prescient stories from his early life, Robert Stake passes on these observations from recollections, interviews with David Williams, and symposium sessions of the American Evaluation Association in 2012 and 2013. He speaks of opposing views of evaluation held by his parents, perhaps eventually appearing in his writings. He reflects on ordinary evaluation decisions he made about getting married, going to graduate school, and raising children. He does not see such early experiences much paralleling or informing his professional evaluation theories and practices. Readers may see values he found extraprofessionally marking his professional work.
Assessment of critical thinking skills progression in a pre-pharmacy curriculum

Abstract Objective To evaluate changes in different components of students' critical thinking skills through a sequential series of assignments in pre-pharmacy courses. Methods For 3 years, two cohorts of pre-pharmacy students completed an annual ethics-related critical thinking assignment. Progressive, 3-item rubrics (considering context, problem-solving, and innovative thinking) were used to evaluate critical thinking skills on a four-point Likert-type scale (0=not present, 3=mastery) for each year. Rubrics were designed in such a way that equivalent or higher scores indicated advancement in critical thinking skills. Longitudinal changes were assessed using the Friedman test. Results Students' ( n = 44) innovative thinking scores remained the same ( p = 0.21), problem-solving scores increased ( p p = 0.01) throughout the three years. Total critical thinking scores also remained the same ( p = 0.53). Conclusions Students began to formulate new ideas and implement a multifaceted approach when solving problems but remained limited in considering contexts. Thus, students need further education regarding the impact of recognizing multiple perspectives on solving problems.
Provenance in situ: Documenting Information of Origins Across GLAM Contexts

Column Editor's NotesThe “Advances in Library Data and Access” column examines technological advances internal and external to libraries. The focus is on how library data is created and used. The strength of the column is its broad, international focus and contributors are encouraged to explore issues and recent advances in information technology relevant to their geographical region, as well as the larger, global audience. Interested authors are invited to submit proposals and articles to the column editor at moulaisonhe@missouri.edu. Please include “IILR Submission” in the subject line of the email.
Low Temperature Tolerance of Culicoides sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Eggs, Larvae, and Pupae From Temperate and Subtropical Climates.

Culicoides sonorensis Wirth and Jones biting midges are the primary North American vectors of bluetongue virus (BTV), which infects domestic ruminant livestock and can cause high morbidity and mortality. Both virus and vector exhibit highly seasonal activity patterns, even in subtropical climates like southern California. However, the exact mechanism of BTV and Culicoides overwintering has been debated. In this study, we examined the supercooling point (SCP) and lower lethal temperature of a laboratory colony of C. sonorensis eggs, larvae, and pupae, as well as of field-collected larvae and pupae from subtropical (California) and temperate (Colorado) climates. Larvae and pupae succumbed to temperatures higher than their respective SCPs, indicating death from prefreezing cold injury. Eggs were the most cold-tolerant life stage, and were able to tolerate 1-h exposures to temperatures as low as -20 °C without suffering complete mortality. Larvae were the least cold-tolerant life stage and suffered complete mortality at -3 °C) than colony larvae, but did not differ significantly in their survival. Culicoides sonorensis immatures did not cold harden when exposed to 4 °C for 24 h before freezing. Results of this study indicate that C. sonorensis eggs are more tolerant of environmental stress than previously thought. Further work is needed on C. sonorensis winter survival in the field to corroborate laboratory studies.
Imaging of Central Nervous System Disease in Pediatrics

Pediatric Neuroradiology, a radiologic discipline in which neuroimaging techniques are used to assess central nervous system (CNS) disease in the infant, child, and teenager, relies on: (1) an understanding of normal brain development and maturation from gestation through adolescence; (2) a technical mastery of the neuroimaging techniques that are used in evaluating brain diseases of childhood; (3) an overall grasp of the imaging features of numerous brain pathologies, both acquired and congenital; and (4) the ability to select the most appropriate modality or modalities in evaluating a suspected or diagnosed case of pediatric CNS disease.
Super-Resolution Microscopy Reveals the Native Ultrastructure of the Erythrocyte Cytoskeleton

Summary The erythrocyte cytoskeleton is a textbook prototype for the submembrane cytoskeleton of metazoan cells. While early experiments suggest a triangular network of actin-based junctional complexes connected by ∼200-nm-long spectrin tetramers, later studies indicate much smaller junction-to-junction distances in the range of 25-60 nm. Through super-resolution microscopy, we resolve the native ultrastructure of the cytoskeleton of membrane-preserved erythrocytes for the N and C termini of β-spectrin, F-actin, protein 4.1, tropomodulin, and adducin. This allows us to determine an ∼80-nm junction-to-junction distance, a length consistent with relaxed spectrin tetramers and theories based on spectrin abundance. Through two-color data, we further show that the cytoskeleton meshwork often contains nanoscale voids where the cell membrane remains intact and that actin filaments and capping proteins localize to a subset of, but not all, junctional complexes. Together, our results call for a reassessment of the structure and function of the submembrane cytoskeleton.
Self-management assessment in multiple chronic conditions: A narrative review of literature.

Abstract Objectives Effective self-management in individuals with multiple chronic conditions is necessary to optimize health outcomes. Self-management in multiple chronic conditions involves an iterative process prioritizing multiple changing needs/conditions. However, self-management in multiple chronic conditions has been assessed with instruments designed to assess self-management of a single chronic illness. The instruments may not address the complexity of self-management in multiple chronic conditions. Thus, this review aimed to examine how self-management has been operationalized in the context of multiple chronic conditions. Design A narrative review method was used. Data source The online databases, Pubmed, CINAHL Plus, and PsycInfo, were searched. The search was conducted of the database from January 2006 through November 2017. Review methods Peer-reviewed research articles which operationalized self-management in adults with at least two or more chronic illnesses were selected for review. Two reviewers read full text of selected articles and extracted data regarding operational definitions of self-management and instruments used to assess self-management. Operational definitions were categorized to conceptualize how self-management has been assessed. Results A total of seven peer-reviewed research articles were selected for inclusion. This review found that self-management has been assessed through prerequisites of self-management and behaviors involved in self-management. Prerequisites of self-management included attitude, self-efficacy, perceived ability, and knowledge. Behaviors included an individual's engagement in self-management such as health-related behaviors, health service use, and medication adherence. Conclusions This review revealed that current literature does not operationalize self-management in multiple chronic conditions as a process, indicating incomplete assessments of self-management. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of self-management in multiple chronic conditions, future studies should consider self-management as an iterative process in addition to prerequisites for self-management and behaviors. Such studies will inform the development of patient-centered self-management interventions for individuals with multiple chronic conditions.
Truncated Sequential Tests of the Mean

The purpose of this expository paper is to explain the construction of exact truncated sequential tests for the mean of the normal distribution when the standard deviation is know. Exact one-sided and approximate two-sided tests are given. The parameter..
Algorithmic matching of genomic profiles to precision cancer medicine clinical trials at DFCI.

6620Background: Genomic profiling and access to precision medicine clinical trials are now standard at leading cancer institutes and many community practices. Interpreting patient-specific genomic information and tracking the complex criteria for precision medicine trials requires specialized computational tools, especially for multi-institutional basket studies such as NCI-MATCH and TAPUR. Methods: To address this challenge we have developed an open source computational platform for patient-specific clinical trial matching at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) called MatchMiner, which aides in both patient recruitment to precision medicine trials, as well as decision support for oncologists. Trial matches are computed based on genomic criteria, including mutations, CNAs, and SVs, as well as clinical and demographic information, including cancer type, age, and gender. A formal standard called clinical trial markup language (CTML) to encode complex clinical trial eligibility criteria has also been created...
Prospects of detecting the nonlinear gravitational wave memory

In GW150914, approximately $3\text{ }\text{ }{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ were radiated away as gravitational waves from the binary black hole system as it merged. The stress energy of the gravitational wave itself causes a nonlinear memory effect in the detectors here on Earth called the ``Christodoulou memory.'' We use an approximation that can be applied to numerical relativity waveforms to give an estimate of the displacement magnitude and the profile of the nonlinear memory. We give a signal-to-noise ratio for a single GW150914-like detection event, and by varying the total mass and distance parameters of the event, we find distances and source masses for which the memory of an optimally oriented GW150914-like event would be detectable in aLIGO and future detectors.
Subsidizing Health Insurance: Tax Illusion and Public Choice for a Mostly Private Good

The Affordable Care Act (commonly termed Obamacare) has and continues to experience substantial political and economic challenges to the “Exchange” market for individual (non-job-related) insurance it is trying to build to cover the uninsured. The promise to make insurance available to those who have already become above-average risks has resulted in high and growing premiums for Exchange coverage. Efforts to control the rate of growth of medical spending have been ineffective in curbing the growth of private sector spending. Furthermore, the cost of subsidies to the formerly uninsured has provoked taxpayer backlash to such an extent that repeal of the entire program almost succeeded. I explore whether there is a way to redesign subsidies and the distribution of methods to overcome these difficulties by developing insights contained on some of James Buchanan’s work, particularly his contributions to “positive political economy” and “fiscal illusion.”
Development and Assessment of a Connected Vehicle Training Program for Truck Drivers

In Wyoming, because of the high likelihood of dangerous winter driving conditions, truck-related crashes on the freeway have resulted in remarkable fatalities, extended closures, and significant ec...
Effect of Polymer Volume Fraction on Fracture Initiation in Soft Gels at Small Length Scales

The influence of polymer volume fraction, ϕv on fracture initiation via puncture is studied in self-assembled triblock copolymer gels. Spherically tipped indenters of radii varying over a wide rang...
Development of ASMBS research agenda for bariatric surgery using the Delphi methodology.

Abstract Background While the number of research publications related to bariatric surgery have increased remarkably in the past decade, research efforts remain uncoordinated and have limited focus, and numerous important questions remain unanswered. Objective To generate a research agenda in bariatric surgery. Setting National survey. Methods The membership of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) was asked to submit research questions needed to advance the field of bariatric surgery. An expert panel grouped and collated submitted questions and redistributed them back to the membership to rate their importance on a 5-point Likert scale using a 3-round modified Delphi methodology. The top research questions were determined based on provided rankings. Results Two hundred ninety-two research questions were initially submitted that were collapsed to 59 unique questions. The ratings for the top 40 questions ranged from 2.67–4.33 (overall mean, 3.46). The highest-ranked questions centered on the mechanisms of effectiveness of bariatric surgery for weight loss and diabetes resolution, the underlying etiology of weight recidivism, and predictors of success. Conclusions A research agenda for bariatric surgery was developed using the Delphi methodology. This research agenda may enhance the ability of investigators and funding organizations, including the ASMBS, to focus attention to areas most likely to advance the field, and by editors and reviewers to assess the merit and relevance of scientific contributions.
Neural Anatomy and Optical Microscopy (NAOMi) Simulation for evaluating calcium imaging methods

Abstract The past decade has seen a multitude of new in vivo functional imaging methodologies. However, the lack of ground-truth comparisons or evaluation metrics makes large-scale, systematic validation impossible. Here we provide a new framework for evaluating TPM methods via in silico Neural Anatomy and Optical Microscopy (NAOMi) simulation. Our computationally efficient model generates large anatomical volumes of mouse cortex, simulates neural activity, and incorporates optical propagation and scanning to create realistic calcium imaging datasets. We verify NAOMi simulations against in vivo two-photon recordings from mouse cortex. We leverage this access to in silico ground truth to perform direct comparisons between different segmentation algorithms and optical designs. We find modern segmentation algorithms extract strong neural time-courses comparable to estimation using oracle spatial information, but with an increase in the false positive rate. Comparison between optical setups demonstrate improved resilience to motion artifacts in sparsely labeled samples using Bessel beams, increased signal-to-noise ratio and cell-count using low numerical aperture Gaussian beams and nuclear GCaMP, and more uniform spatial sampling with temporal focusing versus multi-plane imaging. Overall, by leveraging the rich accumulated knowledge of neural anatomy and optical physics, we provide a powerful new tool to assess and develop important methods in neural imaging.
On the Biasedness of Observable Monetary Indicators

The literature on monetary indicators has, almost since its inception, included a significant strain of thought which maintained that the entire class of readily observable endogenous gauges were, by their very nature, unable to yield unbiased policy assessments. In fact, it may easily be shown in a theoretical context that interest rates and other money market variables are systematically weighted toward an overly favorable characterization of Federal Reserve actions. Conversely, monetary aggregates and related measures are conceptually biased to provide an adverse description of the performance of monetary policy. Both contentions are, as will be seen in this chapter, quite logically appealing, but are nevertheless subject to empirical verification or refutation. This process will constitute the bulk of the analysis in Chapter 4. Initially, a basic framework is set forth for utilization in the ultimate determination of the optimal choice for a monetary indicator. An extensive characterization of Federal Reserve actions over the 1953–1975 period is then provided. An assessment of the ability of observable measures to provide accurate information regarding the stance of policy is given.
Synergistic enhancement of efficacy of platinum drugs with verteporfin in ovarian cancer cells

Epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs) comprises the majority of malignant ovarian neoplasms. Combination treatment with chemotherapeutic agents seems to be a promising strategy in ovarian cancer (OVCA) patients in order to overcome drug resistance. In this in vitro study, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of verteporfin (VP) alone and in combination with cisplatin (CDDP), carboplatin (CP) and paclitaxel (Taxol). The main objectives of this study are to determine the nature of interactions between VP and CDDP/CP/Taxol and to understand the mechanism of action of VP in OVCA cells. The efficacy of VP on cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, invasion and clonogenic capacity was assayed in CDDP-sensitive (COV504, OV-90) and CDDP-resistant (A2780Cis) cell lines. The cytotoxic effects of drugs either alone or in combination were evaluated using MTT assay and Cell Viability Blue assay. The effects of drugs on the metabolic functions were studied using matrigel invasion assay and clonogenic assay. Immunoblot analysis was carried out to investigate changes in YAP and cell cycle genes. Changes in the cytokines due to drug treatments were analyzed using a cytokine array. Treatment with VP inhibited cell proliferation, invasion and increased cytotoxicity of OVCA cells. We observed that VP chemosensitized CDDP-resistant cells, even at lower doses. When added either in constant or non-constant ratios, VP produced synergistic effects in combination with CDDP/CP/Taxol. A cytokine array identified upregulation of cytokines in OVCA cells that were inhibited by VP treatment. Either in cisplatin-resistant cell lines or cisplatin-sensitive cell lines, VP proves to be more efficient in inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing cytotoxicity. Our results suggest that novel combinations of VP with CDDP or CP or Taxol might be an attractive therapeutic strategy to enhance OVCA chemosensitivity. The fact that lower doses of VP are effective in chemosensitizing the CDDP-resistant cells, might ultimately lead to the development of an innovative combination therapy for the treatment of OVCA patients.
Increased Aqueous Humor GDF15 Is Associated with Worse Visual Field Loss in Pseudoexfoliative Glaucoma Patients.

Purpose To determine whether increased growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) in aqueous humor (AH) is associated with worse visual field loss in patients with pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PXG). Methods We recruited 12 patients (6 males, 6 females) with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or PXG who were scheduled to undergo glaucoma surgery. AH was obtained from the initial peripheral paracentesis for the planned glaucoma surgery, and GDF15 levels were quantified with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay by an investigator masked to clinical information. Humphrey visual field testing was performed as a part of routine care; results were obtained by reviewing the medical record. Results AH GDF15 was detectable in patients with POAG and PXG. Increased AH GDF15 was significantly associated with worse mean deviation in patients with POAG (r = -0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.99 to -0.33; P = 0.02) and PXG (r = -0.92; 95% CI, -0.99 to -0.41; P = 0.01). Conclusions AH GDF15 is detectable in patients with PXG and POAG. Elevated AH GDF15 is strongly associated with worse mean deviation in both subgroups. These findings suggest that GDF15 may be a molecular marker of glaucoma severity that is generalizable to multiple types of glaucoma regardless of the underlying etiology. Translational relevance This study provides proof of concept that GDF15, a molecular marker of retinal ganglion stress that was initially identified in rodent models, may have clinical utility as a measure of glaucoma severity not only in POAG but also in PXG.
A Dual-Rail Hybrid Analog/Digital Low-Dropout Regulator With Dynamic Current Steering for a Tunable High PSRR and High Efficiency

A dual-rail hybrid analog/digital low-dropout regulator (DRLDO) targeting heterogeneous integration in a multichip package (MCP) platform is presented. Different from the classic single-input–single-output low-dropout regulator (LDO) topology, which incurs an efficiency penalty due to a large dropout voltage, this DRLDO architecture breaks the tradeoff of power-supply rejection and high efficiency by exploiting two rails available in a typical MCP system on a chip. One rail is the larger dropout ac branch rail which helps with power-supply rejection while the other is the low-dropout dc branch that helps with maximizing efficiency. The hybrid combination of analog and digital branches achieves both high efficiency and high power-supply rejection ratio (PSRR) simultaneously. Moreover, a dynamic current steering mechanism actively regulates the current contribution between the two rails and flexibly tunes the PSRR and power conversion efficiency performances. Measurements on a 22-nm CMOS chip demonstrate up to −46-dB PSRR and 89% efficiency across a 0–80-mA load from 1.8-V HV and 1.05-V LV dual-input rails. It improves the efficiency of the conventional analog LDO (ALDO) in MCP applications up to 32% while still maintaining −20-dB PSRR performance.
The Pledge Requirement: U.S. Anti-Prostitution Policy and the Public Health Context for People-in-Prostitution

The human immunodefi ciency virus, which causes the acquired immunodefi ciency syndrome (HIV and AIDS), is a pandemic that militates against public health policy and practice on a global scale. The sex industry is frequently cited as one of the growth factors contributing to increased HIV and AIDS transmission, as well as the spread of sexually transmitted infections across international lines. Therefore, the prevention of HIV and AIDS among commercial sex workers is a major goal of the public health operations of both U.S. and foreign-based organizations working in the sex sector. As it stands, current U.S. laws and policies that dictate the funding of organizations working with sex workers are deleterious to public health and run counter to best practices that prevent the global spread of HIV and AIDS, as well as human rights norms. This article is centrally concerned with the public health implications of the Anti-Prostitution Pledge, which requires foreign NGOs and U.S.-based NGOs working abroad to explicitly oppose the practice of prostitution in order to receive U.S. federal funding for HIV and AIDS prevention among commercial sex workers. Policy prescriptions concerning the public health dimensions of commercial sex work will be offered based on the analysis.
Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species scavenging attenuates thrombus formation in a murine model of sickle cell disease

BACKGROUND Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by hemolysis-associated platelet dysfunction that leads to increased risk of thrombosis and plays a role in the high morbidity and mortality of the disease. The mechanisms by which hemolysis induces platelet activation remain unclear. We recently demonstrated that patients with SCD showed increased platelet mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production that correlates with markers of hemolysis and platelet activation. Experiments in isolated platelets demonstrated that mtROS stimulated platelet activation. However, the role of hemolysis-induced mtROS in thrombus formation in vivo remains unclear. OBJECTIVES Here, we hypothesize that scavenging of mtROS attenuates the propensity for thrombosis in mouse models of hemolysis. METHODS We used models of hemolysate infusion into wildtype mice as well as the Berkley transgenic mouse model of SCD, a chronic mode of hemolysis, to test the effect of hemolysis on platelet mtROS production and thrombosis. RESULTS We show that infusion of hemolysate in wildtype mice induces platelet mtROS production and decreases time to vessel occlusion in a model of ferric chloride-induced carotid artery thrombosis. Increased mtROS and propensity for thrombosis was also observed in the Berkley transgenic mouse model of SCD. Notably, treatment with mtROS scavengers decreased platelet mtROS levels and attenuated the propensity for thrombus formation in both models. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that mtROS significantly contribute to the mechanism of hemolysis-induced thrombosis in vivo and suggest a potential role for mitochondrially targeted antioxidant therapy in hemolysis and SCD-related thrombosis.
Towards a Rigorous Theoretical Analysis and Evaluation of GNN Explanations.

As Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) are increasingly employed in real-world applications, it becomes critical to ensure that the stakeholders understand the rationale behind their predictions. While several GNN explanation methods have been proposed recently, there has been little to no work on theoretically analyzing the behavior of these methods or systematically evaluating their effectiveness. Here, we introduce the first axiomatic framework for theoretically analyzing, evaluating, and comparing state-of-the-art GNN explanation methods. We outline and formalize the key desirable properties that all GNN explanation methods should satisfy in order to generate reliable explanations, namely, faithfulness, stability, and fairness. We leverage these properties to present the first ever theoretical analysis of the effectiveness of state-of-the-art GNN explanation methods. Our analysis establishes upper bounds on all the aforementioned properties for popular GNN explanation methods. We also leverage our framework to empirically evaluate these methods on multiple real-world datasets from diverse domains. Our empirical results demonstrate that some popular GNN explanation methods (e.g., gradient-based methods) perform no better than a random baseline and that methods which leverage the graph structure are more effective than those that solely rely on the node features.
Transcriptomic profiling of BRD-attributed mortality in stocker cattle identifies active inflammatory and antiviral pathways at arrival

Diagnosis and management of bovine respiratory disease (BRD), the most significant disease complex in post-weaned beef cattle, relies predominantly upon nonspecific clinical signs. Research is necessary to discern the underlying biological processes associated with BRD acquisition and severity. We hypothesize that at-arrival whole blood transcriptomes of stocker cattle will distinguish host immunologic responses that influence BRD severity, defined by BRD-attributed mortality.
The Legitimacy and Limits of Punishing

There are often public calls to codify moral sentiments after failures to help others, and recent tragedies have renewed interest in one’s legal duty to aid another. This Article examines the moral underpinnings and legitimacy of so-called “Bad Samaritan” laws—laws that criminalize failures to aid others in emergency situations. Part I examines the theoretical backdrop of duties imposed by Bad Samaritan laws, including their relationship with various moral duties to aid. This leads to the analysis in Part II, which examines two related questions that are raised when moving from moral to legal duties: First, on what ground does the state have the authority to dictate that one’s needs should be met in the way specified by a particular legal duty? Second, does a special relationship exist that legitimizes the establishment of such legal duties?
Why Ban "Assault Weapons"?

Banning assault weapons would not achieve anything because, even assuming there is a satisfactory definition, they are functionally identical to most other semi-automatic firearms.
Matrix metalloproteinases: role in skeletal development and growth plate disorders.

Abstract Differentiation is the cellular process that regulates development of long bones and joint surface cartilage of synovial cavities. Growth plate cartilage development is commonly referred to as endochondral ossification which is the end stage of long bone development. Endochondral ossification proceeds as a continuum of chondrocyte proliferation cycles followed by non-proliferative phases coupled to extracellular matrix protein transformations that are regulated by proteins of the hedgehog family and by parathyroid-hormone-related peptide and its receptor, the parathyroid-hormone-related peptide receptor. A compelling body of evidence has now emerged implicating matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the process of long bone lengthening and endochondral ossification. Among the MMPs, MMP-13 (collagenase-3), MMP-9 (92-kDa gelatinase; gelatinase B) and MMP-14 (MT1-MMP) are the most abundant proteinases that regulate cellular migration, alterations in the extracellular matrix and apoptosis in growth plate cartilage. Murine mutation or ablation models of growth plate development that target MMPs often result in skeletal abnormalities, indicating the critical role that MMPs play in these animal models and in skeletal maturation. Many of the MMPs that have been identified as regulating the spatial and temporal changes in rodent and rabbit endochondral ossification have also been identified by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analysis of human long bone development. Genetic manipulation to correct defective or dysfunctional MMP genes or MMP activity found in certain human chondrodysplasias may provide a novel strategy for treating medical disorders characterized by skeletal anomalies.
The type I TGFß receptor ALK-1 and it’s ligands promote angiogenesis (544.2)

Control of angiogenesis is critical in diseases such as cancer, heart disease, or wound repair. Growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta (TGFs) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) contribute to angiogenesis. The TGFs family signaling receptor Activin-Like Kinase 1 Receptor (ALK-1) is expressed in coronary venular endothelial cells (CVEC) at near confluent cell densities on gelatin, but not collagen but it is induced by TGFs + FGF-2 during tube formation in collagen. Other genes induced during tube formation were Smad 6 and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 (FGFR1). By contrast, ALK-5, a related TGFs type 1 receptor, and TGFsRII were expressed in these cells in both gelatin and collagen. ALK-1 is also expressed in other EC types, smooth muscle cells, cardiac fibroblasts, embryonic fibroblasts (3T3) but not epithelial cells. Three ligands: TGFs, activin, and bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP-9), have been shown to bind ALK-1. We show that endogenous activin binds ALK 1 and can be displace...
The effects of aldosterone on toad bladder: Measurements of [3H]uridine incorporation into RNA

Abstract The effect of aldosterone on RNA metabolism has been investigated by studying the incorporation of [ 3 H]uridine into RNA of the mucosal epithelial cells of toad bladder. The toad bladder responds to this hormone by a stimulation of Na + transport. Incorporation of [ 3 H]uridine was found to be very low. No stimulation of RNA metabolism was detected due to the influence of aldosterone under a variety of conditions except when a concentration of the hormone 100-fold greater than that required to maximally stimulate Na + transport was used. It is concluded that, while indirect evidence for an action of aldosterone via synthesis of RNA is strong, the traction affected by the hormone must be extremely small and undetectable by currently used techniques.