cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
School children with cerebral palsy at Bräcke Östergard Pediatric Habilitation Centre

Summary Bracke Ostergard is the regional centre for pediatric habilitation in western Sweden. All children with cerebral palsy in the region, except for the Goteborg and S province children, are registered at the Centre. The indications for full-board admission to the Centre are guided by uniform principles with due consideration to the need of each subject. The internationally accepted definition of cerebral palsy is used. The classification of the subgroups of cerebral palsy is Swedish and is based on the state of the muscular tone, on the type of associated movements and on the anatomical distribution of the symptoms.
Electron affinity of no

The electron affinity of NO has been measured to be 0.026 eV by laser photodetachment experiments. This low electron affinity (just 2.5 kJ/mol or 210 cm-1) presents a computational challenge that requires careful attention to several aspects of the computational procedure required to predict the electron affinity of NO from first principles. We have used augmented correlation consistent basis sets with several coupled cluster methods to calculate the molecular energies, bond dissociation energies, bond lengths, vibrational frequencies, and potential energy curves for NO and NO-. The electron affinity of NO, EA0, using the CCSD(T) method and extrapolating to the complete basis set limit, is calculated to be 0.028 eV. The calculated bond dissociation energies, D0, for NO and NO- are 622 and 487 kJ/mol, respectively, compared with experimental values of 626.8 and 487.8 kJ/mol. From the calculated potential energy curves for NO and NO- the vibrational wavefunctions were determined. The calculated vibrational ...
Cultural Representation in Philadelphia Murals: Images of Resistance and Sites of Identity Negotiation

This case study on the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia, PA, explores cultural representations of African Americans and their effects on cultural identifications in intercultural communities. Critical visual analysis of two popular murals reveals that when ethnic community members are empowered in producing self-representations, the resulting artwork counters dominant media images and constitutes new modes and themes of resistance for disenfranchised communities. Interpretive analysis of mural production processes and audience reception extends communication theory about cultural identity by suggesting how visual representations of cultural group members serve as sites of identity negotiation.
HEAT AND CALCIUM TREATMENTS FOR FIRMING RED TART CHERRIES IN A HOT-FILL PROCESS

— Preheating of freshly pitted cherries at about 140°F for 5–20 min promoted firming sufficiently to permit pasteurizing the fruit in bulk without excessive tearing. Improved texture from this pretreatment was demonstrated in terms of increased extrusion force, drained weight and bulk volume. Addition of calcium up to .04% of final product led to 50% greater firmness. Hot-fill temperatures of 180°F or higher were required to protect color and flavor from enzymatic degradation, even though product character was adversely affected thereby. While firmness or chewiness of the fruit was notably greater in the pretreated, hot-filled product, the conventional cold-fill, exhaust and retort process provided superior drained weight and bulk, with about equal color.
Ionic effects on intrinsic gill muscles in the freshwater bivalve, Dreissena polymorpha

Abstract The intrinsic gill muscles in Dreissena polymorpha are arranged to affect interfilament distance and ostial dimension. This orientation suggests a role in the general control of gill function including the regulation of water flow. Muscle contraction in the gill results in a decrease in overall surface area and we used this change in dimension as an indirect measure of muscle contraction. The Ringer’s solution bathing the gill was experimentally manipulated to assess the effects of ionic composition on muscle activity elicited by acetylcholine application. Eliminating CaCl2 in the Ringer’s and adding 1 mM EGTA, or replacing the CaCl2 with CoCl2 or MnCl2 abolished the contractile response. A proper balance between NaCl and KCl was also critical for the maintenance of muscle response. The optimal KCl concentration was between 1 and 2 mM and became most important at higher NaCl concentrations. Acclimation to hyperosmotic conditions was dependent in part on the ouabain-sensitive activity of a Na+/K+ATPase. Overall, these muscles respond to their ionic environment as one might expect from typical molluscan smooth muscles. An alteration of muscle function experienced during changing environmental conditions may limit the distribution of this species.
Falsification and Falsifiability in Historical Linguistics

La non-disponibilite d'eventuelles donnees falsificatrices pour les reconstructions (dans une interpretation realiste) ne diminue pas l'importance conjointe de la falsifiabilite de principe et du pouvoir explicatif des hypotheses en linguistique historique
Using policies in the checking of business to business contracts

The mechanization of business-to-business contract enforcement requires a clear architecture and a clear and unambiguous underpinning model of the way permissions and obligations are managed within organizations. Policies need to be expressed in terms of the basic model, and the expressive power available depends, in part, on the ability to compose sets of policies derived from different sources. The models used must reflect the structure of the organizations concerned and how the behaviour of organizations is constrained by broader shared rules. We consider a contract monitoring system intended to provide automated checking of business to business contracts, sets out a suitable model and explain how it can be used to guide the representation and control of contracts in a prototype monitoring system.
Cost effectiveness of using carboxymethylcellulose dressing compared with gauze in the management of exuding venous leg ulcers in Germany and the USA

ABSTRACTObjective: To assess the cost effectiveness of using carboxymethylcellulose dressing (CMCD; Aquacel Hydrofiber) compared to gauze in the management of exuding venous leg ulcers in Germany and the USA.Design and setting: This was a modelling study performed from the perspective of payers (i.e. the sickness funds in Germany and the community sector in the USA).Methods: Clinical outcomes attributable to managing exuding venous leg ulcers were obtained from the published literature in the English language. These data were combined with resource utilisation estimates derived from a panel of clinicians enabling us to construct two decision models depicting the management of venous leg ulcers with CMCD or gauze over 18 weeks in Germany and the USA. The models were used to estimate the cost effectiveness of CMCD compared to gauze in the management of exuding venous leg ulcers in both countries.Main outcome measures and results: Starting treatment with CMCD instead of gauze in both Germany and the USA is e...
Evidence of oxidative damage and inflammation associated with low glutathione redox status in the autism brain

Despite increasing evidence of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of autism, most studies have not evaluated biomarkers within specific brain regions, and the functional consequences of oxidative stress remain relatively understudied. We examined frozen samples from the cerebellum and temporal cortex (Brodmann area 22 (BA22)) from individuals with autism and unaffected controls (n=15 and n=12 per group, respectively). Biomarkers of oxidative stress, including reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and glutathione redox/antioxidant capacity (GSH/GSSG), were measured. Biomarkers of oxidative protein damage (3-nitrotyrosine; 3-NT) and oxidative DNA damage (8-oxo-deoxyguanosine; 8-oxo-dG) were also assessed. Functional indicators of oxidative stress included relative levels of 3-chlorotyrosine (3-CT), an established biomarker of a chronic inflammatory response, and aconitase activity, a biomarker of mitochondrial superoxide production. Consistent with previous studies on plasma and immune cells, GSH and GSH/GSSG were significantly decreased in both autism cerebellum (P<0.01) and BA22 (P<0.01). There was a significant increase in 3-NT in the autism cerebellum and BA22 (P<0.01). Similarly, 8-oxo-dG was significantly increased in autism cerebellum and BA22 (P<0.01 and P=0.01, respectively), and was inversely correlated with GSH/GSSG in the cerebellum (P<0.01). There was a significant increase in 3-CT levels in both brain regions (P<0.01), whereas aconitase activity was significantly decreased in autism cerebellum (P<0.01), and was negatively correlated with GSH/GSSG (P=0.01). Together, these results indicate that decreased GSH/GSSG redox/antioxidant capacity and increased oxidative stress in the autism brain may have functional consequence in terms of a chronic inflammatory response, increased mitochondrial superoxide production, and oxidative protein and DNA damage.
A micromachined array probe card-characterization

An array probe card fabricated on a silicon wafer for high performance and high pin count applications is characterized. The probe card is capable of providing a very large number of probe tips (>1000) that offer a contact resistance of less than 2 /spl Omega/. A novel approach to replacing the mechanical scrubbing motion with an electrical breakdown process is presented. The probe card is capable of operating at elevated temperatures for extended periods of time, offers alternative probe tip configurations, and is capable of probing a variety of pad metals. Controlled impedance (50 /spl Omega/) striplines that run all the way to the probe tips offer a delay time of 68 ps/cm, 3 GHz bandwidth, and far-end cross-talk of -49 dB/cm at a pitch of 32 /spl mu/m. >
Broadband Direction-Of-Arrival Estimation Based on Second Order Statistics

N wideband sources recorded using N closely spaced receivers can feasibly be separated based only on second order statistics when using a physical model of the mixing process. In this case we show that the parameter estimation problem can be essentially reduced to considering directions of arrival and attenuations of each signal. The paper presents two demixing methods operating in the time and frequency domain and experimentally shows that it is always possible to demix signals arriving at different angles. Moreover, one can use spatial cues to solve the channel selection problem and a post-processing Wiener filter to ameliorate the artifacts caused by demixing.
Tyrosine kinase signaling and the emergence of multicellularity

Tyrosine phosphorylation is an essential element of signal transduction in multicellular animals. Although tyrosine kinases were originally regarded as specific to the metazoan lineage, it is now clear that they evolved prior to the split between unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes (≈ 600 million years ago). Genome analyses of choanoflagellates and other protists show an abundance of tyrosine kinases that rivals the most complex animals. Some of these kinases are orthologs of metazoan enzymes (e.g., Src), but others display unique domain compositions not seen in any metazoan. Biochemical experiments have highlighted similarities and differences between the unicellular and multicellular tyrosine kinases. In particular, it appears that the complex systems of kinase autoregulation may have evolved later in the metazoan lineage.
THE INCIDENCE OF CROSSING VESSELS IN PATIENTS WITH NORMAL URETEROPELVIC JUNCTION EXAMINED WITH ENDOLUMINAL ULTRASOUND

ABSTRACTPurpose: We estimated the incidence of a crossing vessel at the normal ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) in patients undergoing ureteroscopy and endoluminal ultrasonography for indications other than UPJ obstruction.Materials and Methods: Endoluminal ultrasonography was performed in 141 patients undergoing upper tract endoscopy for various indications excluding UPJ obstruction. A detailed description of the anatomy of the UPJ as well as the location and size of crossing vessels was included in the operative note. Charts were reviewed to determine the precise anatomy of the UPJ.Results: The overall incidence of crossing vessels at the unobstructed UPJ was 19.2%. Endoluminal ultrasonography demonstrated a crossing vessel in 13.2% of patients with ureteral narrowing or stricture, 31.3% of those with tumors or filling defects, 10.5% of those with submucosal calculi and 16.7% of patients with ureteral diverticula. In cases where the position of a crossing vessel was ascertained, 41% were anterior to the ure...
Gait Generation and Control in a Climbing Hexapod Robot

We discuss the gait generation and control architecture of a bioinspired climbing robot that presently climbs a variety of vertical surfaces, including carpet, cork and a growing range of stucco-like surfaces in the quasi-static regime. The initial version of the robot utilizes a collection of gaits (cyclic feed-forward motion patterns) to locomote over these surfaces, with each gait tuned for a specific surface and set of operating conditions. The need for more flexibility in gait specification (e.g., adjusting number of feet on the ground), more intricate shaping of workspace motions (e.g., shaping the details of the foot attachment and detachment trajectories), and the need to encode gait "transitions" (e.g., tripod to pentapod gait structure) has led us to separate this trajectory generation scheme into the functional composition of a phase assigning transformation of the "clock space" (the six dimensional torus) followed by a map from phase into leg joints that decouples the geometric details of a particular gait. This decomposition also supports the introduction of sensory feedback to allow recovery from unexpected event and to adapt to changing surface geometries.
Slit2 Is a Repellent for Retinal Ganglion Cell Axons

We set out to isolate inhibitory guidance cues that affect retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons in vitro and that could potentially be involved in RGC pathfinding decisions. Here we describe the biochemical purification of an RGC growth cone collapsing factor from bovine brain membranes and its identification as Slit2. Recombinant human Slit2 collapses and repels RGC growth cones from all quadrants of the chick retina. In the developing mouse visual system, slit2 is expressed in the eye, in the optic stalk, and in the ventral diencephalon. Slit2 expression is strong in anterior ventral diencephalic structures but is absent from the ventral midline where the optic chiasm forms. The putative receptors for Slits, robo1 and robo2, are expressed in the inner retinal layer in which RGCs are located. A comparison of the expression patterns of Slit2 and retinal axon trajectories suggests that slit2 acts as a short range repellent for retinal ganglion cell axons.
Deformation of the Wenatchee Formation and its bearing on the tectonic history of the Chiwaukum graben, Washington, during Cenozoic time: Summary

The application of plate-tectonics theory to the geologic history of the continental crust cannot succeed without detailed structural and radiometric data that precisely define the timing and extent of local crustal deformation. Although the geology of the Pacific Northwest is known in reconnaissance fashion, much remains to be accomplished in the realm of detailed geologic mapping and structural interpretation. The Chiwaukum graben is an Eocene structure cut into crystalline basement rocks and the Swauk Formation on the eastern flank of the Cascade Range in central Washington (Willis, 1953; Whetten, 1976, 1977a, 1977b; Gresens, 1977) and it contains nonmarine sedimentary rocks of Eocene to Oligocene age (Fig. 1). The entire sedimentary section of the Chiwaukum graben and adjacent areas once was considered a single unit – the Swauk Formation of Paleocene (?) to early Eocene age (Russell, 1900; Smith, 1904). The term “Swauk” now is used in a more restricted sense as the oldest of several Tertiary formations (Gresens and others, 1977; Tabor and Frizzell, 1977). The late Eocene (45 m.y.) Chumstick Formation and the early Oligocene (34 m.y.) Wenatchee Formation are newly defined (Gresens and others, 1977). Several deformational episodes occurred during the time interval spanning deposition of the Swauk Formation to deposition of the Columbia River Basalt Group (which overlies the folded Wenatchee Formation). This has yielded a wealth of structural data and tectonic interpretation.
Developing Patient-Centered Treatment Protocols in Brain Stimulation: A Rationale for Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches in Persons With HIV

This article reports and discusses how quantitative (physiological and behavioral) and qualitative methods are being combined in an open-label pilot feasibility study. The study evaluates safety, tolerability, and acceptability of a protocol to treat depression in HIV-infected individuals, using a 2-week block of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the second most prevalent psychiatric disorder after substance abuse among HIV-positive adults, and novel antidepressant treatments are needed for this vulnerable population. The authors describe the challenges and contributions derived from different research perspectives and methodological approaches and provide a philosophical framework for combining quantitative and qualitative measurements for a fuller examination of the disorder. Four methodological points are presented: (1) the value of combining quantitative and qualitative approaches; (2) the need for context-specifi...
Developing Theories of Strategy Using Dominance Criteria

This article identifies key features of the strategy concept as a basis for reviewing existing theories of strategy. It also provides an agenda for future research. the article argues that there is a decision hierarchy in a firm, and defines strategy as the highest-level decision in the hierarchy. Consequently, strategy has to exhibit what may be called three features of dominance: vertical dominance, horizontal dominance, and dynamic dominance. A vertically dominant strategy is one that determines, directly or indirectly, other decisions of a firm. A horizontally dominant strategy seeks to optimize the value of the firm according to some criteria. Dynamic dominance implies that strategy should affect the subsequent decisions of a firm over a relevant period of time. With few exceptions, existing theories of strategy are issue-oriented and focus largely on horizontal dominance. More research should, therefore, be directed towards vertical and dynamic dominance criteria. If a comprehensive theory of strategy which satisfies the three dominance features cannot be developed, it is suggested that development should be directed towards integrating behavioural and economic approaches.
A Public Health Nursing Practice Model: Melding Public Health Principles with the Nursing Process

There has been a shift in emphasis in public health from the provision of personal health services for individuals to efforts targeted at improving the health of the whole community. Many in public health nursing (PHN) have welcomed this shift, recognizing the important role PHN can play in promoting health and preventing disease for all. There continues to be a need to redefine PHN roles and practice so that public health nurses can participate more effectively. Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Public Health Nursing (LAC PHN) has developed a practice model grounded in nationally recognized components: the public health team, PHN standards of practice, the 10 Essential Public Health Services, Healthy People 2010's 10 Leading Health Indicators and additional local indicators, and the Minnesota Public Health Nursing Interventions Model. The LAC PHN Practice Model provides a conceptual framework that assists in clarifying the role of the public health nurse and presents a guide for public health practice applicable to all public health disciplines.
Anomalous Differences of Light Elements in Determining Precise Binding Modes of Ligands to Glycerol-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase

Pathogenic protozoa such as Trypanosome and Leishmania species cause tremendous suffering worldwide. Because of their dependence on glycolysis for energy, the glycolytic enzymes of these organisms, including glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), are considered attractive drug targets. Using the adenine part of NAD as a lead compound, several 2,6-disubstituted purines were synthesized as inhibitors of Leishmania mexicana GPDH (LmGPDH). The electron densities for the inhibitor 2-bromo-6-chloro-purine bound to LmGPDH using a "conventional" wavelength around 1 A displayed a quasisymmetric shape. The anomalous signals from data collected at 1.77 A clearly indicated the positions of the halogen atoms and revealed the multiple binding modes of this inhibitor. Intriguing differences in the observed binding modes of the inhibitor between very similarly prepared crystals illustrate the possibility of crystal-to-crystal variations in protein-ligand complex structures.
Efficient uncertainty quantification with the polynomial chaos method for stiff systems

The polynomial chaos (PC) method has been widely adopted as a computationally feasible approach for uncertainty quantification (UQ). Most studies to date have focused on non-stiff systems. When stiff systems are considered, implicit numerical integration requires the solution of a non-linear system of equations at every time step. Using the Galerkin approach the size of the system state increases from n to Sxn, where S is the number of PC basis functions. Solving such systems with full linear algebra causes the computational cost to increase from O(n^3) to O(S^3n^3). The S^3-fold increase can make the computation prohibitive. This paper explores computationally efficient UQ techniques for stiff systems using the PC Galerkin, collocation, and collocation least-squares (LS) formulations. In the Galerkin approach, we propose a modification in the implicit time stepping process using an approximation of the Jacobian matrix to reduce the computational cost. The numerical results show a run time reduction with no negative impact on accuracy. In the stochastic collocation formulation, we propose a least-squares approach based on collocation at a low-discrepancy set of points. Numerical experiments illustrate that the collocation least-squares approach for UQ has similar accuracy with the Galerkin approach, is more efficient, and does not require any modification of the original code.
Photoelectron flux in the topside ionosphere measured by retarding potential analyzers

Satellite measurements of suprathermal electrons at conjugate sunrise, indicating photoelectron escape from production level and movement along geomagnetic lines into conjugate ionosphere
40Ar/39Ar Thermochronology of Detrital Minerals

Clastic sediments and sedimentary rocks provide important records of the erosional history of active and ancient orogenic systems. For example, foreland basin deposits are especially rich sources of information about the character of orogenic hinterlands that have long-since eroded away. A popular approach to extracting such information is the U-Pb dating of detrital zircon (e.g., Ross and Bowring 1990; Gehrels 2000); by matching detrital zircon age populations with age patterns in exposed bedrock regions, it is possible to constrain the source regions for basin fill—provided, of course, that what is left of the hinterland is at least representative of what was there at the time of exhumation! One reason that zircon is used for such studies is that it has a very high closure temperature for Pb diffusion, higher that metamorphic temperatures in all but high-temperature granulite settings (Cherniak and Watson 2000), so that detrital U-Pb zircon dates almost always reflect provenance ages. Unfortunately, the refractory nature of the U-Pb zircon system means that it is less useful for understanding the thermal and erosional evolution of the hinterland than other systems with lower closure temperatures. Other chapters in this volume deal with the application of low-temperature (U-Th)/He and fission-track thermochronometers to detrital samples. Here we review the methodology of detrital 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology and explore how it has been used in a variety of tectonic studies. Additional perspectives are available in Stuart (2002). We presume a basic familiarity with the fundamentals of 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and the laser 40Ar/39Ar microprobe; readers who would like a review should consult Harrison and Zeitler (2005) of this volume, McDougall and Harrison (1998), and Hodges (1998). With the development of laser microanalytical protocols for terrestrial 40Ar/39Ar geochronology in the late …
A Universal Scheme for Wyner–Ziv Coding of Discrete Sources

We consider the Wyner-Ziv (WZ) problem of lossy compression where the decompressor observes a noisy version of the source, whose statistics are unknown. A new family of WZ coding algorithms is proposed and their universal optimality is proven. Compression consists of sliding-window processing followed by Lempel-Ziv (LZ) compression, while the decompressor is based on a modification of the discrete universal denoiser (DUDE) algorithm to take advantage of side information. The new algorithms not only universally attain the fundamental limits, but also suggest a paradigm for practical WZ coding. The effectiveness of our approach is illustrated with experiments on binary images, and English text using a low complexity algorithm motivated by our class of universally optimal WZ codes.
Sexual selection in the squirrel treefrog Hyla squirella: the role of multimodal cue assessment in female choice

Anuran amphibians have provided an excellent system for the study of animal communication and sexual selection. Studies of female mate choice in anurans, however, have focused almost exclusively on the role of auditory signals. In this study, we examined the effect of both auditory and visual cues on female choice in the squirrel treefrog. Our experiments used a two-choice protocol in which we varied male vocalization properties, visual cues, or both, to assess female preferences for the different cues. Females discriminated against high-frequency calls and expressed a strong preference for calls that contained more energy per unit time (faster call rate). Females expressed a preference for the visual stimulus of a model of a calling male when call properties at the two speakers were held the same. They also showed a significant attraction to a model possessing a relatively large lateral body stripe. These data indicate that visual cues do play a role in mate attraction in this nocturnal frog species. Furthermore, this study adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests that multimodal signals play an important role in sexual selection.
The Long Exception: Rethinking the Place of the New Deal in American History

“The Long Exception” examines the period from Franklin Roosevelt to the end of the twentieth century and argues that the New Deal was more of an historical aberration—a byproduct of the massive crisis of the Great Depression—than the linear triumph of the welfare state. The depth of the Depression undoubtedly forced the realignment of American politics and class relations for decades, but, it is argued, there is more continuity in American politics between the periods before the New Deal order and those after its decline than there is between the postwar era and the rest of American history. Indeed, by the early seventies the arc of American history had fallen back upon itself. While liberals of the seventies and eighties waited for a return to what they regarded as the normality of the New Deal order, they were actually living in the final days of what Paul Krugman later called the “interregnum between Gilded Ages.” The article examines four central themes in building this argument: race, religion, class, and individualism.
Cap-and-trade: a sufficient or necessary condition for emission reduction?

Influenced by the success of emission trading in the US for sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ), some economists have argued for an upstream, economy-wide cap-and-trade scheme as the primary tool for achieving the required reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper addresses that argument and concludes that cap-and-trade will need to be accompanied by complementary regulatory measures. While it is a necessary component in a climate mitigation programme, it is unlikely to be sufficient by itself to accomplish the desired emission reductions. The paper reviews the evidence on how SO 2 emissions were reduced and the extent to which actual emission trading was responsible for the reduction as opposed to other innovations. It also identifies differences between the past regulation of SO 2 and other air pollutants and the challenges presented by the regulation of GHG emissions. What actually happened in the US with SO 2 emission trading deviated in several significant respects from what would be predicted based on the conventional theoretical analysis. While there was a dramatic reduction in SO 2 emissions, it occurred because of several factors, some of which are unlikely to apply for GHG emissions, and others of which argue for an activist regulatory policy by the government as a complement to the functioning of an emissions market for GHGs. Copyright 2010, Oxford University Press.
Bounded Subquotients of Pseudodifferential Operator Modules

Recently there have been several papers on the action of the Virasoro Lie algebra on the projective decompositions of the modules of pseudodifferential operators on the circle. We use their results to prove that a wide class of the uniserial (completely indecomposable) bounded modules of the Virasoro Lie algebra may be realized as subquotients of such modules of pseudodifferential operators. This gives easy proofs of the existence of many previously known uniserial modules, and moreover yields some hitherto undiscovered.
Private Protection of Patentable Goods

Conventional academic, policy, and judicial discussions of patent protection assume that patents solve a classic public goods or market underinvestment problem. This assumption states that, without patents, potential innovators would expect to have no or highly limited means of preventing unauthorized third-party imitation and consequently, would have few incentives to develop innovations. I challenge this assumption both as a positive description of patent practice and as a normative basis for patent policy. As a descriptive matter, I show that a large body of empirical evidence strongly suggests that, with the exception of a few industries, firms often have legal and extra-legal means other than patents by which to appropriate the proceeds of their innovations and that patents tend to be the least effective means of doing so. In particular, firms that establish a dominant market position are generally able to appropriate significant innovation proceeds through various business strategies collectively referred to as the first-mover advantage: superior cost efficiencies, production methods, distribution and marketing networks, and brand image that are difficult for rivals to replicate. This finding has important and surprising normative implications. Whereas the conventional view states that patents cure an underinvestment problem in the market generally, I argue that patents cure an underinvestment problem among entrants (and especially small-firm entrants) in particular. For these firms, the patent system offers significant marginal exclusionary value to the extent that most informal and non-patent means of protecting patentable innovations (in particular, the various elements of the first-mover advantage) are by definition far more accessible to larger, established incumbents than to smaller entrants. Insofar as patents mitigate incumbents' natural appropriability advantage relative to entrants, they counterintuitively weaken rather than strengthen entry barriers and, in doing so, stimulate innovation investment by smaller firms that are often the principal sources of the most fundamental technological advances. This market-entry thesis is reconcilable with extensive patenting by large-firm incumbents insofar as a significant percentage of such large-firm patenting facilitates the incumbent's entry either into other concentrated markets or into knowledge exchanges and other joint ventures with competitors, in each case promoting technological advance and informational dissemination. This thesis also has significant implications for patent policy insofar as it cautions against introducing or expanding patent protection in markets where informal methods of appropriating innovation proceeds are widely available and, in particular, where such informal methods are available to a similar extent to both incumbents and entrants.
Design of optimum solid oxide membrane electrolysis cells for metals production

Abstract Oxide to metal conversion is one of the most energy-intensive steps in the value chain for metals production. Solid oxide membrane (SOM) electrolysis process provides a general route for directly reducing various metal oxides to their respective metals, alloys, or intermetallics. Because of its lower energy use and ability to use inert anode resulting in zero carbon emission, SOM electrolysis process emerges as a promising technology that can replace the state-of-the-art metals production processes. In this paper, a careful study of the SOM electrolysis process using equivalent DC circuit modeling is performed and correlated to the experimental results. A discussion on relative importance of each resistive element in the circuit and on possible ways of lowering the rate-limiting resistive elements provides a generic guideline for designing optimum SOM electrolysis cells.
Specific renal parenchymal-derived urinary extracellular vesicles identify age-associated structural changes in living donor kidneys

Non-invasive tests to identify age and early disease-associated pathology within the kidney are needed. Specific populations of urinary extracellular vesicles (EVs) could potentially be used for such a diagnostic test. Random urine samples were obtained from age- and sex-stratified living kidney donors before kidney donation. A biopsy of the donor kidney was obtained at the time of transplantation to identify nephron hypertrophy (larger glomerular volume, cortex per glomerulus and mean profile tubular area) and nephrosclerosis (% fibrosis, % glomerulosclerosis and arteriosclerosis). Renal parenchymal-derived EVs in cell-free urine were quantified by digital flow cytometry. The relationship between these EV populations and structural pathology on the kidney biopsy was assessed. Clinical characteristics of the kidney donors (n=138, age range: 20–70 years, 50% women) were within the normative range. Overall, urine from women contained more EVs than that from men. The number of exosomes, juxtaglomerular cells and podocyte marker–positive EVs decreased (p<0.05) with increasing age. There were fewer total EVs as well as EVs positive for mesangial cell, parietal cell, descending limb of Henle’s loop (simple squamous epithelium), collecting tubule-intercalated cell and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 markers (p<0.05) in persons with nephron hypertrophy. The number of EVs positive for intercellular adhesion molecule-1, juxtaglomerular cell, podocyte, parietal cell, proximal tubular epithelial cell, distal tubular epithelial cell and collecting duct cells were fewer (p<0.05) in persons with nephrosclerosis. EVs carrying markers of cells from the renal pelvis epithelium did not associate with any indices of nephron hypertrophy or nephrosclerosis. Therefore, specific populations of EVs derived from cells of the glomerulus and nephron associate with underlying kidney structural changes. Further validation of these findings in other cohorts is needed to determine their clinical utility. Keywords: microvesicles; microparticles; exosomes; urinary vesicles; fibrosis; nephron hypertrophy; glomerulosclerosis; arteriosclerosis (Published: 1 February 2016) Citation: Journal of Extracellular Vesicles 2016, 5: 29642 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/jev.v5.29642
Southwestern Internal Medicine Conference: Human Gene Therapy

ABSTRACT Recent advances in molecular genetics have made possible the use of retroviral “vectors” to transfer cloned human genes into somatic cells. With this new technology, the genetic defect underlying many recessive inherited disorders can probably be corrected by inserting a normal gene into the patient’s hematopoietic stem cells. This article reviews the design and safety of the viral vectors and the results of in vivo studies in mice and large animals that have led to the first human trials. Other target cells for gene transfer, such as endothelial cells, fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and hepatocytes, are also discussed. The use of recombinant retroviruses for gene transfer in vivo is still a new area of research, but the feasibility of “gene therapy” for genetic disorders is rapidly gaining medical and scientific acceptance.
Case Report and Literature Review: Quinacrine-induced Cholestatic Hepatitis in Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease.

To the Editor: A 45-year-old African American woman presented to the rheumatology clinic with a history of undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD), manifesting as biopsy-proven urticarial dermatitis, inflammatory arthritis, fatigue, and weight loss in the setting of positive immunofluorescence antinuclear antibodies (1:160, speckled pattern), anti-RNP, anti-Sm/RNP, and antichromatin antibodies. She started treatment with quinacrine 100 mg per day for her disease. Quinacrine was chosen because she developed a pruritic rash after taking hydroxychloroquine for 2 months. At the time she started treatment with quinacrine, she was also receiving 5 mg of prednisone, diphenhydramine as needed, ergocalciferol, and norgestimate-ethinyl estradiol. All of these were longterm medications. Four weeks after starting quinacrine, she presented to the emergency department with generalized fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, diffuse abdominal pain, scleral icterus, and dark tea-colored urine. She reported no history of new medications, supplements, or alcohol intake. Laboratory investigations demonstrated … Address correspondence to Dr. R. Namas, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. E-mail: rnamas{at}med.umich.edu
Evaluation of Peach Cultivars as Peachtree Borer (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) Hosts

Eleven peach cultivars were evaluated at Thorsby, Ala., and Byron, Ga., for bark prunasin content, bark thickness, peachtree borer larvae entrance sites, and peachtree borer adult emergence. Significant differences in larval weight occurred after 21 d of feeding on four different peach cultivars but were not evident after 42, 64, or 88 d. Prunasin content and bark thickness exhibited considerable variation with time, location, and cultivar. A significant positive correlation was found between prunasin content and emergence in 1 of 3 yr. In that year, larval entrance sites were positively correlated with emergence. This phenomenon was attributed to the presence of an ovipositional stimulant on trees that had previously supported the successful development of peachtree borers rather than an oviposition preference for trees with high prunasin content. A statistical correlation between peachtree borer emergence and bark thickness was not shown. However, the cultivar from which the greatest emergence occurred also had the greatest bark thickness. Results indicated that differences in host suitability exist among cultivars, but that host suitability may vary with environmental conditions.
Chronic hypotensive effects of losartan are not dependent on the actions of angiotensin II at AT 2 receptors.

We have previously demonstrated the chronic hypotensive effects of the AT 1 antagonist, losartan, in normotensive, salt-replete rats. One explanation for this response is a reduction in vascular resistance due to blockade of AT 1 receptors. Another explanation is that increases in angiotensin II levels during losartan administration can bind to AT 2 receptors. Studies suggest that binding of angiotensin II at AT 2 receptors lowers arterial pressure by vasodilation. We hypothesized that the chronic effects of losartan are mediated by activation of angiotensin II effects at AT 2 receptors. We tested this hypothesis by infusing the AT 2 receptor antagonist, PD123319 (74 mg/kg/day), in conjunction with losartan (10 mg/kg/day) for 10 days in rats and compared the hypotensive response in rats treated with losartan alone. After 6 days of treatment, arterial pressure decreased similarly in losartan (-21 ± 2 mm Hg) and losartan+PD123319 (-23 ± 2 mm Hg) treated rats. However, by day 10 of the infusion, arterial pressure had decreased to a greater extent (p < 0.05) in rats treated with losartan and PD123319 (-31 ± 2 mm Hg) compared with rats treated with losartan alone (-22 ± 2 mm Hg). We conclude that the hypotensive effects of losartan are not dependent on the actions of angiotensin II at AT 2 receptors in normotensive, salt-replete rats.
Profiles of Platelet Volume Distributions in Normal Individuals and in Patients with Acute Leukemia

Several investigations have demonstrated that human platelets contain subpopulations of heavy–large (young) elements that are hemostatically more effective than subpopulations of lighter–smaller (old) platelets. By means of a multichannel particle size discriminator the authors could visualize such platelet subpopulations and were able to monitor the fluctuations that occur within different volume compartments in patients with acute leukemia. The subjects for this study included 55 blood bank donors (27 male) and 17 untreated patients with acute leukemia. Platelet volume distribution profiles were obtained with a multichannel particle size analyzer (100 channels) attached to an electronic particle counter. Platelet volumes monitored in all channels were averaged into groups of ten compartments consisting of discrete increments of 2 μ m3 each, to yield a ten-dimensional vector profile for each subject. The mean platelet volume distribution profile of normal individuals was represented by a skewed curve. Platelet volumes ranged from 1 to 21 μ m3, with a median of 8.4 μ m3. Small platelets (<3 μ m3) represented less than 7.5% of the population. In contrast, the mean platelet volume distribution profile of the leukemic patients demonstrated a skewed curve with a median platelet volume of only 4.9 μ m3 where small platelets comprised 25–30% of the population. These changes were statistically significant. In addition, the authors devised a single-value numerical index, the platelet volume distribution score, to summarize the entire range of values obtained for profiles of each individual. This value served as a sensitive index when comparing the extents of abnormality in the profiles of leukemic patients with the profile of normal donors.
Illustrating the Central Limit Theorem through Microsoft Excel Simulations.

Using Microsoft Excel, several interactive, computerized learning modules are developed to demonstrate the Central Limit Theorem. These modules are used in the classroom to enhance the comprehension of this theorem. The Central Limit Theorem is a very important theorem in statistics, and yet because it is not intuitively obvious, statistics students often have difficulty accepting it. Nevertheless, understanding this theorem is essential because of its importance in statistical inference.
Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux in children by Thal fundoplication.

The anterior fundoplication described by Thal has been used in treating gastroesophageal reflux surgically in 362 children at The Children's Mercy Hospital and at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, because medical therapy had failed or was inappropriate. Long-term results have been evaluated in regard to relief of reflux and relief of symptoms attributed to reflux. Of the 335 patients followed from 1 to 8 years, 90% had a satisfactory initial result. Five percent required reoperation for a recurrence of reflux due to failure of the fundoplication or development of a hiatus hernia. All recurrences developed within 5 months of the initial operation. Fifteen of 335 patients (4.5%) had persistent symptoms despite correction of the gastroesophageal reflux; in these patients, attributing the symptoms to reflux was incorrect. There were no deaths in this series of patients as a result of operation. The success rate of the Thal fundoplication in children compares favorably with that of the Nissen fundoplication.
Monetary Arrangements and Economic Performance

INTRODUCTION Before looking at the merits and likelihood of additional monetary integration in the Western Hemisphere and in East Asia, we turn our attention in this chapter to other monetary unions and ask how they have differed from EMU constitutionally and operationally. After that, we take on another important issue by examining the implications of monetary integration for economic performance, both in general and in the euro area. Our discussion of EMU in Chapter 3 stressed the many ways in which EMU is embedded in the institutional framework of the European Union. Some of those features may be unique to the European case, but other monetary unions, even those without comparable institutions, must deal with most of the questions that faced the architects of EMU. How is the union organized? How does a particular country qualify for membership? How is the union's monetary policy determined? Are the union's operations centralized or decentralized? And what, if anything, does monetary union imply for other policies of the member countries? Some of the monetary unions we highlight were not full-fledged monetary unions as we defined them in Chapter 1, because the countries involved did not share a single currency or hand over authority for monetary policy to a supranational central bank. Thus, our review of monetary unions past and present will show that only a few of them share features with EMU, although the EMU model has been important for the design of two prospective monetary unions, in western Africa and the Middle East.
Guelwaar, A View on Western Food Aid in Africa

(2010). Guelwaar, A View on Western Food Aid in Africa. Journal of the African Literature Association: Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 175-188.