cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The differing effects of pre-and post-1981 federal budget deficits on tax-adjusted real interest rates

This paper employs an estimating equation relating tax-adjusted real interest rates to deficits and other economic variables to examine the differing effects of pre- and post-1981 federal budget deficits on ex ante and ex post real tax-adjusted short-term interest rates over the period 1961:1-1992:2. The results for the 1961:1-1992:2 period, taking into account a shift in the linkage between the ratio of alternative measures of the deficit to potential GDP occurring in 1981:1, indicate that the ratio of both the NIPA deficit and the cyclically adjusted deficit to potential GDP have a significant effect on ex ante and ex post real tax-adjusted interest rates for the post-1981 period, but no significant effect before 1981.
Slums, Ghettos, and Urban Marginality

Following the riots of 2005, many commentators were drawn to a comparison of Paris's "problem areas" with the U.S. urban ghetto. But are the poor suburbs of Paris truly akin to the Black ghetto of Chicago, the quintessential American city of sociological lore? Urban Outcasts makes a powerful case against the efficacy of the comparison. In so doing, however, the role of federal housing and highway policies is probably overstated relative to the War on Drugs, the South Side of Chicago may not be the epitome of the American ghetto that it perhaps once was, and the French banlieues may be more troubled by unemployment and social marginalization than this book makes them appear. Ghettos, then—like slums more generally—may not be all alike. But why they are not alike should be subject to considerable debate. This book provides a lively starting point.
WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS TO REAL-TIME TRANSIT INFORMATION

A transit vehicle information system that delivers estimated departure times for buses at user-selectable geographic locations to Internet-enabled mobile devices is reported. The system is not merely schedule based; it makes use of real-time vehicle position reports to predict travel times to future locations. How the physical restrictions of mobile devices (e.g., screen size and input options) affect user interaction and data presentation is discussed. The system is hosted on the World Wide Web and is freely available. An overview of the system architecture is provided and some preliminary usage results are presented.
Whole Grains and Food Fun in an After-School Program

Abstract Programs in community-based, after-school settings are ideal to teach children about healthy eating. Objectives: After completing this Whole Grains & Food Fun lesson, children will be able to: (1) list at least two benefits of eating more whole grains, (2) demonstrate skills involved in child-friendly, basic food preparation, and (3) choose a whole grain food for each meal. Target Audience: This teaching idea is appropriate for children, ages 6-11, participating in a community-based, after-school program.
The boundary condition model of strong interactions

Abstract Analytic properties in the complex energy plane of the wave function following from the boundary condition model are considered. Here it is shown that in the finite plane these properties are identical with those which follow from the ordinary potential model. Moreover we obtain the Wigner condition on the logarithmic derivative F at the boundary condition radius, dF dE ≦ 0 , as a consequence of the requirements of causality, which are taken to apply for a given F for an arbitrary external potential. The Wigner condition implies that an F independent of energy arises in the presence of strong interactions. This is shown to be the case for the many body nonrelativistic system, with the addition of poles to F(E) for compound states present. The Mandelstam relations are assumed and employed in the strip approximation to determine the circumstances under which the boundary condition model would be most appropriate and serve as a good first approximation in an iterative procedure in which crossing symmetry is applied to eliminate model parameters. The relevant Landau-Cutkosky diagrams are determined together with the associated boundary condition radius. The conditions are obtained such that at the specified radius we may expect approximate energy independence of F, except for poles in F(E) due to intermediate single particle states, analogous to the effect of compound states in nonrelativistic theory. The characteristic dependence on energy of the phase shifts as generated by a boundary condition model is described. In the last section the results of the application of the model to elementary particle interactions, (NN), (πN), (ππ), (KN) and ( K N), are summarized; and the general results obtained in the preceding sections are elaborated and extended. Use is made of crossing symmetry and of coupled channels. The energy dependence of the S-matrices for these interactions is found to be of the boundary condition model form with the conclusion that the model will furnish a good first description of these interactions.
Coherent spontaneous radiation from highly bunched electron beams

Abstract Coherent spontaneous undulator radiation has now been observed in several FELs, and is a subject of special importance to the design of self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) devices. We report observations of coherent spontaneous radiation at the Stanford Picosecond FEL Center at wavelengths as short as 5 microns. Enhancement of spontaneous radiation over predicted incoherent levels by as much as a factor of 6 × 10 4 has been observed at longer wavelengths when the electron bunches are compressed after off-peak acceleration. We discuss the possible structure responsible for these enhancements and present direct measurements of the electron distributions using transition radiation techniques.
Black light: how sensors filter spectral variation of the illuminant

Visual sensor responses may be used to classify objects on the basis of their surface reflectance functions. In a color image, the image data are represented as a vector of sensor responses at each point in the image. This vector depends both on the surface reflectance functions and on the spectral power distribution of the ambient illumination. Algorithms designed to classify objects on the basis of their surface reflectance functions typically attempt to overcome the dependence of the sensor responses on the illuminant by integrating sensor data collected from multiple surfaces. In machine vision applications, it is shown that it is often possible to design the sensor spectral responsivities so that the vector direction of the sensor responses does not depend upon the illuminant. The conditions under which this is possible are given and an illustrative calculation is performed. In biological systems, where the sensor responsivities are fixed, it is shown that some changes in the illumination cause no change in the sensor responses. Such changes in illuminant are called black illuminants. >
Application of the Shortest-Path Problem to Routing Terminal Airspace Air Traffic

The flight navigation procedures envisioned under the Next Generation Transportation System will require a specification of the expected route of each flight. Once these specifications are provided, the flights must proceed along their routes with such speed profiles that every pair of aircraft complies with the minimal separation requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration. The task of separation assurance is most challenging in terminal airspace, with many routes merging and crossing. This paper contributes a mathematical model and an algorithmic approach for routing flights strategically, with a foresight that potentially helps the subsequent computation of speed profiles compliant with the separation requirements and with each aircraft’s feasible speed range. The approach consists of reducing a general routing problem to the shortest-path problem.
Frontier Disputes and Problems of Legitimation: Sokoto–Masina Relations 1817–1837

The nature of relations between the neighbouring West African caliphates of Sokoto and Hamdullahi in the early nineteenth century has been the subject of speculation by students of the western and central Sudan from the time of Barth's visit to the area in the mid-nineteenth century. Now, working from several new manuscript finds and the evidence built up by scholars who have studied the two caliphates in detail, a tentative reconstruction of relations between the states in the crucial period 1817–37 is possible. What emerges is evidence of an intricate balance between the two caliphates and their mutually acknowledged spiritual advisers from the Kunta confederation in the Azaouad in which economic and strategic priorities as well as internal politics and theological matters all seem to play a role in determining the nature of relations between Hamdullahi and Sokoto.
Mechanisms of ischemic acute renal failure

State University of New York at Stony Brook and Tufts University School of Medicine one liter/day. On day 13, the BUN was 78 mg/dl and the serum creatinine was 3.5 mg/dl. A blood culture grew methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Recurrent episodes of bradycardia required placement of a cardiac pacemaker; his blood pressure decreased from 130/80 mm Hg to 100/60 mm Hg. The serum albumin was 1.5 g/dl. The BUN and serum creatinine began to increase again, although he remained nonoliguric with a urine output greater than one liter/day. Urinalysis revealed numerous granular casts and epithelial cells. Urine osmolality was 370 mOsm/liter. The urine contained no white blood cells and an insignificant amount of protein. The BUN and serum creatinine increased to 154 mg/dl and 7.4 mg/dl respectively on the 17th hospital day, and peritoneal dialysis was initiated. The urine output decreased to 10 mI/hr. Peritoneal dialysis was continued until the 36th hospital day. On the 43rd hospital day, the BUN was 28 mgldl and the serum creatinine was 1.2 mg/dl. The hospital course was complicated by anoxic encephalopathy, recurrent sepsis, and respiratory failure. The patient was discharged to his home two months later with a BUN of 10 mg/dl and a serum creatinine of 1.1 mgldl.
An elementary proof of the strong law of large numbers

In the following note we present a proof for the strong law of large numbers which is not only elementary, in the sense that it does not use Kolmogorov's inequality, but it is also more applicable because we only require the random variables to be pairwise independent. An extension to separable Banach space-valuedr-dimensional arrays of random vectors is also discussed. For the weak law of large numbers concerning pairwise independent random variables, which follows from our result, see Theorem 5.2.2 in Chung [1].
Gene flow in house mice: Behavior in a population cage

The social behavior of house mice captured from natural populations was studied in an enclosure. Six replicate experiments with observations totalling 344 h were done to contrast the behavior of outbreeders, individuals that have progeny by interdemic reproduction; inbreeders, individuals that have progeny by intrademic reproduction; and nonbreeders. The frequency of outbreeding was also determined. In each replicate, two male and three female commensal house mice, Mus musculus, homozygous for the same allele at the hemoglobin locus, Hbb s , were put in half of a population cage. A barrier separated this deme from another deme homozygous for the alternative allele, Hbbd. The barrier was removed after a month and each experiment continued for a further two months with daily observations. In five of six experiments, the mice from both demes formed one social group and in the sixth experiment, the mice remained in their original demes. In two experiments, outbreeding occurred: females from one deme produced offspring by males from the other deme. In three experiments, inbreeding occurred: females produced offspring by males from the same deme. Soon after the demes had formed one social group in these three experiments, the remaining male in a deme was killed and the experiment terminated; females without a male readily join other demes. The pattern of breeding resulted in a genetically effective size, N e , that was approximately half of the maximum N e obtainable with random mating. The social organization of house mice, although structured and characterized by male territoriality, presents no major barrier to gene flow within populations. Affiliative (mount, allogroom, follow) and agonistic (fight, chase, attack) behavior occurring when the barrier was present had no predictive value in determining which mice would be outbreeders. With the barrier absent, outbreeders were the recipients of more affiliative behavior than inbreeders. Male outbreeders initiated more agonistic behavior than inbreeders. Outbreeders engaged in more interdemic affiliative behavior than inbreeders.
Chemically Modified Dansyl Probes: A Fluorescent Diagnostic for Ion and Proton Detection in Solution and in Polymers

The fluorescence emission intensity of the dansyl group is significantly diminished upon appending an ethyldimethylamino group to the N1 nitrogen substituent. Addition of acids and metal ions (i.e., Zn2+) to solutions of trimethylethylenediamine naphthalene sulfonamide (trinsyl) 2 produces a >25-fold increase in fluorescence intensity. Trinsyl probe 2 has been used as a diagnostic for the diffusion of protons and metal ions in a network polymer as well as an optical reporter for the glass transition temperature.
Abnormal thickening as well as thinning of the photoreceptor layer in intermediate age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose To investigate the relationship between photoreceptor layers overlying and adjacent to large drusen in intermediate nonneovascular AMD. Methods Patients with AMD (n = 41; aged 53-83 years) and elderly control subjects without eye disease (n = 10; aged 51-79 years) were studied with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Characteristics of large drusen (≥125 μm) were measured and the thickness of photoreceptor laminae overlying drusen and in retinal regions neighboring the drusen were quantified. Results There were 750 large drusen in 63 intermediate AMD eyes studied. The width of the drusen sampled averaged 352 μm (SD = 153) and the height averaged 78 μm (SD = 31). There was significant reduction of the photoreceptor outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness overlying 92% of the drusen. The thickness of the layer corresponding to photoreceptor inner and outer segments above drusen was also reduced, and the reduction was proportional to ONL thickness. In a substantial fraction (~20%) of normally laminated paradrusen locations sampled within ~300 μm of peak drusen height, ONL thickness was significantly increased compared with age and retinal location-matched normal values. Topographical analyses of the macula showed ONL thickening occurring in paradrusen regions as well as retinal locations distant from drusen. Conclusions Reductions in the photoreceptor laminae overlying drusen were detectable and this is consistent with histological studies revealing neuronal degeneration in AMD. ONL thickening in some macular areas of AMD eyes has not been previously reported and may be an early phenotypic marker for photoreceptor stress, as it has been speculated to be in hereditary retinal degenerations.
Multiple Perspectives for Determining the Roles of Speech-Language Pathologists in Inclusionary Classrooms

Most likely, readers will be left with more questions than answers in reflecting on the six perspectives presented in the clinical forum. Despite the different points of view and approaches of the ...
Precision attitude determination for multimission spacecraft

Attitude determination algorithms for a multimission spacecraft are derived and their performance analyzed. The attitude determination system is composed of a strapdown Inertial Reference Unit (IRU), two fixed head star trackers, and an onboard computer. IRU data is processed to maintain real-time knowledge of spacecraft attitude relative to an inertial reference frame. Star tracker data is processed using Kalman filtering techniques to estimate and correct the attitude determination errors and the gyro drift compensation errors. The results of a star availability analysis for stellar, solar and earth pointing missions are presented. Linear covariance analysis techniques are used to evaluate nominal attitude determination performance, the effects of sensor measurement accuracy variations, the effects of errors in knowledge of sensor measurement accuracy, and the effects of star tracker misalignment errors. Results of a nonlinear simulation analysis of attitude determination performance are also presented. These analyses show that precision attitude determination for stellar, solar and earth pointing missions is achieved.
Fluidized bed electrowinning of zinc from chloride electrolytes

Abstract The fluidized bed electrowinning of zinc from chloride electrolytes has been studied in a laboratory cell. The cell was operated at superficial current densities in the range 1200–7500 A/m 2 with catholytes containing up to 62 kg/m 3 Zn and up to 28 kg/m 3 HCl. Anolytes examined contained 58 kg/m 3 NaCl and up to 100 kg/m 3 HCl and, in some instances, had the same composition as the catholyte. Both “pure” catholytes and ones with deliberate additions of impurities (Ni, Co and Sb) were used. Pure solutions yielded current efficiencies and power consumptions comparable to or better than those of cells with conventional electrodes. Antimony (particularly in combination with Ni and Co) had a detrimental effect on cell performance; this detrimental effect was largely alleviated by simultaneous additions of glue.
Automatic generation of qualitative models of chemical process units

Abstract A library of general physical and chemical phenomena such as heat transfer and reaction has been developed in the qualitative process theory (QPT) representation of Forbus and used to build qualitative models of chemical process units. The QPT descriptions specify the conditions under which the phenomena become active and the constraints they contribute to the model, thus allowing the computer to automatically build and alter process unit models. In order to realistically model chemical plants, we introduce a Lagrangian approach to modelling the behavior of plug flow vessels and we present a set of techniques to focus the model building and solution mechanisms on specific aspects of unit behavior, reducing model complexity. These model generation and solution methods form a basis for developing flexible and robust expert systems that perform fault diagnosis, HAZOP studies and plant design.
Neuroanatomical localization of the effects of (+)-HA966 on locomotor activity after cocaine injections to the nucleus accumbens of rats.

Current research has shown that manipulation at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor by various compounds can modulate NMDA receptor function and its behavioural consequences. The present study was conducted in order to neuroanatomically localize the effects of (+)-HA966 upon the acute and chronic effects of cocaine. Locomotor activity of Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with (+)-HA966 (60 μg) into the nucleus accumbens five min prior to receiving cocaine (20 mg/kg i.p.) was significantly less than locomotor activity of the vehicle pretreated rats. Repeated treatment with cocaine resulted in sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effects of cocaine. Co-administration of (+)-HA966 with cocaine prevented the sensitization to a subsequent cocaine challenge, in which activity was comparable to levels of naive individuals given an acute injection of cocaine. These results suggest that the glycine site on NMDA receptors in the nucleus accumbens plays an important role in both the acute and sensitized responses to cocaine on locomotor activity.
B lymphocytes as antigen‐presenting cell‐based genetic vaccines

Inoculation of plasmid DNA is a simple way to immunize, but it is characterized by low immunogenicity, which has hampered the development of effective DNA vaccines for human use. Here, we discuss how poor immunogenicity can be solved and present our proposal: genetically programmed B lymphocytes as antigen-presenting cell (APC) vaccines. First, we demonstrate that mature B lymphocytes take up plasmid DNA spontaneously, i.e., in the absence of any facilitating molecule or event, spontaneous lymphocyte transgenesis. Second, we demonstrate that transgenic B lymphocytes are easily and reproducibly turned into functional APCs with dual characteristics: upregulation of costimulatory molecules and endogenous synthesis of antigen. Used as immunogens in mice, transgenic B lymphocytes induce robust and long-lasting T-cell immunity after single intravenous injection. Surprisingly, immunity and protection against lethal virus challenge can be obtained with a single intravenous injection of 3 x 10(2) transgenic lymphocytes. The new approach is discussed relative to the advantage of targeting secondary lymphoid organs with genetically programmed B lymphocytes and the advantage offered with respect to low antigen dose. We suggest that these properties reflect on simple characteristics, such as time synchronization and initial localization to secondary lymphoid organs of APCs endowed with protracted synthesis and presentation of antigen to T cells.
Solution-Based Assembly of Conductive Gold Film on Flexible Polymer Substrates

Conductive films of gold were assembled on flexible polymer substrates such as Kapton and polyethylene using a solution-based process. The polymer substrates were modified by using argon plasma and subsequent coupling of silanes with amino- or mercapto- terminal groups. These modified surfaces were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. Colloidal gold was assembled onto the silane-modified surface from solution. The gold particles are attached to the surface by covalent interactions with the thiol or amine group. Formation of a conductive film is achieved by increasing the coverage of gold by using a “seeding” method to increase the size of the attached gold particles. Field emission scanning electron microscopy was used to follow the growth of the film. The surface resistance of the films, measured using a four-point probe, was about 1 Ω/sq.
Recent Advances in the Use of Stents for Esophageal Disease

The use of self-expanding metal esophageal stents has evolved dramatically over the last 20 years. Stents themselves have morphed from simple open-mesh wire devices to a variety of partially and fully covered metal and plastic protheses designed to resist in-growth and migration. Indications include grown considerably from simply palliating malignant dysphagia to the treatment of benign conditions such as refractory strictures, perforations, and fistulas, bridging tumors through neoadjuvant therapy and even serving as support for mucosal healing after ablative therapies. This article describes the current experience with esophageal stenting for malignant and benign conditions and examines new innovations in stent design and applications.
Spectroscopic investigation of Al2N and its anion via negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy.

Negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy was used to elucidate the electronic and geometric structure of the gaseous Al2N/Al2N- molecules, using photodetachment wavelengths of 416 nm (2.977 eV), 355 nm (3.493 eV), and 266 nm (4.661 eV). Three electronic bands are observed and assigned to the X2Σu+ ← X1Σg+, A2Πu ← X1Σg+, and B2Σg+ ← X1Σg+ electronic transitions, with the caveat that one or both excited states may be slightly bent. With the aid of density functional theory calculations and Franck−Condon spectral simulations, we determine the adiabatic electron affinity of Al2N, 2.571 ± 0.008 eV, along with geometry changes upon photodetachment, vibrational frequencies, and excited-state term energies. Observation of excitation of the odd vibrational levels of the antisymmetric stretch (ν3) suggests a breakdown of the Franck−Condon approximation, caused by the vibronic coupling between the X2Σu+ and B2Σg+ electronic states through the ν3 mode.
Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels Among Boston Trainee Doctors in Winter

As indoor workers, trainee doctors may be at risk for inadequate vitamin D. All trainee doctors (residents) in a Boston pediatric training program (residency) were invited to complete a survey, and undergo testing for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], PTH, and calcium during a 3-week period in March 2010. We examined the association between resident characteristics and serum 25(OH)D using Chi2 and Kruskal-Wallis test and multivariable linear and logistic regression. Of the 119 residents, 102 (86%) participated. Although the mean serum 25(OH)D level was 67 nmol/L (±26), 25 (25%) had a level <50 nmol/L and 3 (3%) residents had levels <25 nmol/L. In the multivariable model, factors associated with 25(OH)D levels were: female sex (β 12.7, 95% CI 3.6, 21.7), white race (β 21.7, 95% CI 11.7, 31.7), travel to more equatorial latitudes during the past 3 months (β 6.3, 95% CI 2.0, 10.5) and higher daily intake of vitamin D (β 1.1, 95% CI 0.04, 2.1). Although one in four residents in our study had a serum 25(OH)D <50 nmol/L, all of them would have been missed using current Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) screening guidelines. The use of traditional risk factors appears insufficient to identify low vitamin D in indoor workers at northern latitudes.
Traditional Theories of L2 Acquisition

As briefly outlined in Chapter 1, the field of L2 acquisition has traditionally been dominated by two major theories: Contrastive Analysis (CA) (Fries, 1945, 1957; Lado, 1957) and Creative Construction (CC) (Dulay & Burt, 1972, 1974a, 1974b). Each of these theories provides a distinct perspective on the L2 learning process, CA focusing on the role of the L1 experience while CC emphasizes the role of processes independent of the L1. Neither of these theories as we now know them provides a full account of this learning task. In this chapter I reveal in detail how each fails as a complete theory of the L2 acquisition process. Identification of these inadequacies is helpful in formulating ideas about the type of theory necessary to explain adult L2 learning. Within that context, a parameter-setting model of UG can be shown to have certain critical advantages that allow us to use it as the basis of a principled account of adult L2 learning.1
Sand Composition and Transport History on a Fringing Coral Reef, Molokai, Hawaii

Abstract Composition of sand grains from the beaches, reef flat, and fore reef of south Molokai, Hawaii, provides key information about the origin and transport history of sediment on the reef and adjacent beach. The most common grain types include coralline algae, coral, chemically altered carbonate, and siliciclastic grains. Minor components include calcareous algal plates (Halimeda), mollusk fragments, and foraminifera; in selected areas, these components are abundant. Similarities in composition indicate that sand grains are freely transported between the beach and the reef-flat environments, whereas the fore reef has limited exchange of sand with either the beach or the reef flat. Overall, the calcium carbonate fraction of the sand, silt, and clay increases with distance offshore from 400 to 650 m, where the percentages plateau and remain relatively stable across the fore reef. The calcium carbonate content of bottom sediment indicates that sand transport on the reef flat is generally shore parallel ...
A genetic screen for sleep and circadian mutants reveals mechanisms underlying regulation of sleep in Drosophila.

Study Objectives: In order to characterize the genetic mechanisms underlying sleep, we have carried out a large-scale screen in Drosophila to identify short-sleeping mutants. The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) characterize the phenotypes of the shortest-sleeping mutants; (2) examine whether changes in arousal threshold or sleep homeostasis underlie short-sleeping phenotypes; (3) clone a gene affected in one of the shortest sleepers; and (4) investigate whether circadian mutants can be identified using light:dark (L:D) locomotor data obtained for studying sleep behavior.
Duloxetine: A Dual Reuptake Inhibitor

OBJECTIVETo review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, and safety profile of duloxetine for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).DATA SOURCESSearches using MEDLINE and PsycINFO were conducted (1966 to November 2003).STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTIONAll duloxetine MDD information gathered was considered. Articles containing comprehensive information regarding duloxetine use for MDD were evaluated.DATA SYNTHESISDuloxetine is a serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor being considered for treatment of MDD and stress urinary incontinence. While approved dosing ranges have not yet been determined, studies support the efficacy and safety of 40–60 mg twice daily for the treatment of acute MDD. Adverse effects have been of mild to moderate severity and are considered to be transient. Cardiovascular effects (increased heart rate or blood pressure), while present, do not appear to be clinically significant. Overall, duloxetine appears to be well tolerated.CONCLUSIONSDuloxetine is...
MtDNA point mutations are associated with deletion mutations in aged rat

The age-dependent accumulation of point mutations in the control region of human mtDNA has been suggested to contribute to aging processes. We investigated whether mtDNA point mutations accumulate to detectable levels in this region of mtDNA from aged Fischer 344 X Brown Norway F(1) hybrid rats. The control region and a portion of the major arc region (nucleotides 4386-7707) of the mtDNA were PCR-amplified and directly sequenced from microdissected single cardiomyocytes and single skeletal muscle fibers of 36-month old rats. Point mutations were not observed in these regions of the full-length mtDNA. Point mutations were, however, associated with deletion mutations, especially in cardiac cells. Approximately 40% of the deletion mutations identified in heart contained a point mutation, whereas only 1.9% of deletion mutations in skeletal muscle contained a point mutation. Point mutations were located adjacent to the deletion breakpoints and each point mutation was unique. In aged rats, point mutations are clonally expanded only when associated with deletion events suggesting that there are important differences between rats and humans in the mechanisms that cause mtDNA abnormalities.
Distributional Costs of Housing-price Bubbles: Who pays the Price when Bubbles Deflate?

AbstractIn considering whether asset-price bubbles should be offset through policy, an important issue is who pays the price when the bubble bursts. A bust that reduces the wealth of well-off households only may have small welfare costs, but costs may be sizable if broad swaths of households are affected. This paper uses micro data on millions of households from the US American Community Survey to examine how the bursting of the 1998–2006 housing bubble affected households’ employment, homeownership, home values, and housing costs. To separate dynamics of the housing bust from those of the aggregate downturn, we differentiate between metropolitan areas that did and did not experience bubbles. We find that, for most measures, deteriorations in well-being were more severe in bubble metros than elsewhere, and for several measures, differential effects on less-educated households were also more severe. This underscores the importance of leaning against broad-based housing bubbles via appropriate policies, as ...
Waite First Securities

An account executive has the task of calculating a beta value for three stocks of interest to an important client, based on five years of monthly total returns. The client is interested in these beta values as measures of the riskiness of the three investments. This case is best used near the beginning of a module on regression. It focuses on the simple linear regression model relating equity returns to market returns. This use of regression (to calculate a stock's beta) is very common in financial analyses and will be seen by the students in other courses. The case serves to clarify the distinction between systematic and unsystematic risk and between R-squared and the standard deviation of residuals as measures of forecasting uncertainty.
Substance Use Disorders, Evidence-Based Practices and the Possible Nature of Deep Flaws.

Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me…? So they say…This issue of substance use and misuse is dedicated to the notion of flaws and their ongoing impact on substance use(...
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by an excessive preoccupation with a perceived defect(s) or flaw(s) that is not observable or appears slight to others. BDD is a severe and common disorder associated with high levels of functional impairment and high rates of suicidality. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most studied and empirically supported psychosocial intervention for BDD. CBT for BDD consists of psychoeducation about BDD, cognitive restructuring of maladaptive appearance-related thoughts, and exposure and response and ritual prevention for feared and avoided situations. Additional therapeutic techniques include mindfulness/perceptual retraining and motivational interviewing. Flexible modules aimed at addressing common co-occurring concerns in BDD (e.g., skin picking/hair plucking, depression, surgery seeking) allow clinicians to further individualize the treatment. This chapter outlines the cognitive behavioral model and therapy of BDD and illustrates use of the treatment using a case example.
Ordering trees by their maximal degree distance

The problem on the!ordering trees by their maximal degree distance is investigated in this paper, and the first four trees in this order and the corresponding degree distance of these trees are determined.
Infrastructure optimization and economic feasibility of in-motion wireless power transfer

Integration of wireless power transfer (WPT) into roadways and vehicles represents a promising alternative to traditional transportation. In this study, the economic feasibility and infrastructure optimization of in-motion WPT is evaluated using dynamic vehicle models integrated with real world drive cycle data. Results show total vehicle level savings greater than the WPT EV purchase price with a societal level infrastructure payback time of 5.9 years at 10% fleet penetration for WPT deployment on interstate and urban roadways in the U.S. Limiting WPT charging to interstate systems shows 96% of light duty drive cycles are satisfied by a 25 mile on-board range.
Gender Stratified Monopoly: Why Do I Earn Less and Pay More?.

A modified version of Monopoly has long been used as a simulation exercise to teach inequality. Versions of Modified Monopoly (MM) have touched on minority status relative to inequality but without...
Development of a Computerized Adaptive Test Suicide Scale—The CAT-SS

Objective Current suicide risk screening and measurement are inefficient, have limited measurement precision, and focus entirely on suicide-related items. For this study, a psychometric harmonization between related suicide, depression, and anxiety symptom domains that provides a more balanced and complete spectrum of suicidal symptomatology was developed. The objective of this article is to describe the results of the early stages of computerized adaptive testing development for a suicide scale and pave the way for the final stage of validation. Methods Data from psychiatric outpatients at the University of Pittsburgh and a community health clinic were collected from January 2010 through June 2012. 789 participants were enrolled in the calibration phase; 70% were female, and 30% were male. The rate of major depressive disorder as diagnosed by DSM-5 was 47%. The item bank contained 1,008 items related to depression, anxiety, and mania, including 11 suicide items. Data were analyzed using a bifactor model to identify a core dimension between suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, and mania items. A computerized adaptive test was developed via simulation from the actual complete item responses in 308 subjects. Results 111 items were identified that provided an extension of suicidality assessment to include statistically related responses from depression and anxiety domains that are syndromally associated with suicidality. All items had high loadings on the primary suicide dimension (average = 0.67; range, 0.49-0.88). Analyses revealed that a mean of 10 items (5-20) had a correlation of 0.96 with the 111-item scale, with a precision of 5 points on a 100-point scale metric. Preliminary validation data based on 290 clinician interviews revealed a 52-fold increase in the likelihood of current suicidal ideation across the range of the Computerized Adaptive Test Suicide Scale (CAT-SS). Conclusions The CAT-SS is able to accurately measure the latent suicide dimension with a mean of 10 items in approximately 2 minutes. Further validation against an independent clinician-administered assessment of suicide risk (ideation and attempts) and prediction of suicidal behavior is underway.
Mechanical isolation structures for soft elastomer components

This paper presents the design of stretchable elastomer-eutectic gallium indium tin capacitors fabricated with mechanical isolation structures towards strain stable, soft temperature and chemical sensors. Three shapes of isolation structures are investigated: rectangle, trapezoid, and labyrinth. The capacitors and isolation structures are cast in a 3D printed mold, and the response to strain in the x or y-axis from 0% to 75% is characterized. The capacitor with a labyrinth isolation structure shows a strain rejection that is two times greater than the response of a capacitor without isolation at an x-axis strain of 70%.
Soy protein improves tibial whole-bone and tissue-level biomechanical properties in ovariectomized and ovary-intact, low-fit female rats.

Abstract Background Osteoporosis and related fractures, decreased physical activity, and metabolic dysfunction are serious health concerns for postmenopausal women. Soy protein might counter the negative effects of menopause on bone and metabolic health due to the additive or synergistic effects of its bioactive components. Objective To evaluate the effects of ovariectomy (OVX) and a soy-protein diet (SOY) on bone outcomes in female, low-capacity running (LCR) rats selectively bred for low aerobic fitness as a model of menopause. Methods At 27 weeks of age, LCR rats (N = 40) underwent OVX or sham (SHAM) surgery and were randomized to one of two isocaloric and isonitrogenous plant-protein-based dietary treatments: 1) soy-protein (SOY; soybean meal); or, 2) control (CON, corn-gluten meal), resulting in four treatment groups. During the 30-week dietary intervention, animals were provided ad libitum access to food and water; body weight and food intake were measured weekly. At completion of the 30-week intervention, body composition was measured using EchoMRI; animals were fasted overnight, euthanized, and blood and hindlimbs collected. Plasma markers of bone formation (osteocalcin, OC; N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen, P1NP) and resorption (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, TRAP5b; C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen, CTx) were measured using ELISA. Tibial trabecular microarchitecture and cortical geometry were evaluated using μCT; and torsional loading to failure was used to assess cortical biomechanical properties. Advanced glycation end-product (AGE) content of the femur was measured using a fluorimetric assay, and was expressed relative to collagen content measured by a colorimetric OH-proline assay. Two-factor ANOVA or ANOVCA was used to test for significant main and interactive effects of ovarian status (OV STAT: OVX vs. SHAM) and DIET (SOY vs. CON); final body weight was included as a covariate for body-weight-dependent cortical geometry and biomechanical properties. Results OVX had significantly greater CTx than SHAM; SOY did not affect bone turnover markers. OVX adversely affected trabecular microarchitecture as evidenced by reduced BV/TV, trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), and connectivity density (Conn.D), and by increased trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) and structural model index (SMI). SOY increased BV/TV only in ovary-intact animals. There was no effect of OVX or SOY on tibial cortical geometry. In SHAM and OVX rats, SOY significantly improved whole-bone strength and stiffness; SOY also increased tissue-level stiffness and tended to increase tissue-level strength (p = 0.067). There was no effect of OVX or SOY on AGE content. Conclusion Soy protein improved cortical bone biomechanical properties in female low-fit rats, regardless of ovarian hormone status.
Enzymatic Disaggregation of Human Bronchogenic Carcinomas followed by Velocity Sedimentation of Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the enzymatic disaggregation of human bronchogenic carcinomas followed by velocity sedimentation of cells. Tumors are heterogeneous populations of neoplastic cells, blood cells, and stromal cells including lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells. The biological and chemical characterization of tumors would be facilitated if solid tumors could be quantitatively disaggregated into suspensions of viable cells. The malignant cells in human lung carcinomas often comprise 50% or less of the total cells in the tumor. Thus, the biochemical changes that accompany malignant transformation will be more apparent when purified malignant cells are compared with purified normal epithelial cells. In a study described in the chapter, patients with widely disseminated lung carcinoma had elevated levels of urinary hexosaminidase compared to a healthy control population, and most patients who responded to therapy showed decreasing levels of urinary hexosaminidase. The theory and applications of cell separation by velocity sedimentation in isokinetic gradients have been used. Gradients of Ficoll were constructed with a two-chambered gradient generator. The isokinetic gradient is most useful for separating cells with different diameters, but the densities of cells also contribute to the sedimentation patterns. Gradients were centrifuged. Velocity sedimentation in isokinetic gradients of Ficoll in JTCM resulted in enriched preparations of both stromal cells and malignant cells from the same lung tumors.
ICDs, VADs, and Total Artificial Heart Implantation

Device therapy for heart failure has evolved rapidly over recent years and has become an important element in reducing mortality risk, improving quality of life and functional capacity for patients with heart failure. Therapies such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are aimed at reducing risk of sudden cardiac death and improving functional status. Heart failure is a progressive condition and, despite significant advances in medical therapy, may still develop into an end-stage state requiring consideration for advanced therapies such as mechanical circulatory support (MCS) and heart transplantation to prolong survival and improve quality of life. As with any procedure, each therapy poses its own risks and benefits which must be carefully weighed in each patient. Some, such as MCS, require significant psychosocial support in order to best achieve a positive outcome with maximal benefit to the patient.
Aminopolycarboxylate Bismuth(III)‐Based Heterometallic Compounds as Single‐Source Molecular Precursors for Bi4V2O11 and Bi2CuO4 Mixed Oxides.

Compounds (IV), (V), (VI), (VIII), and (X) are prepared as single-source precursors for Bi4V2O11 and Bi2CuO4 mixed oxides, and the crystal structures of (IV), (VI), (VIII), and (X) are determined by single crystal XRD.
Making dark matter out of light: Freeze-in from plasma effects

Dark matter (DM) could couple to particles in the Standard Model (SM) through a light vector mediator. In the limit of small coupling, this portal could be responsible for producing the observed DM abundance through a mechanism known as freeze-in. Furthermore, the requisite DM-SM couplings provide a concrete benchmark for direct and indirect searches for DM. We present updated calculations of the relic abundance for DM produced by freeze-in through a light vector mediator. We identify an additional production channel: the decay of photons that acquire an in-medium plasma mass. These plasmon decays are a dominant channel for DM production for sub-MeV DM masses, and including this channel leads to a significant reduction in the predicted signal strength for DM searches. Accounting for production from both plasmon decays and annihilations of SM fermions, the DM acquires a highly nonthermal phase-space distribution which impacts the cosmology at later times; these cosmological effects will be explored in a companion paper.
Interpersonal needs and suicide risk: The moderating roles of sex and brooding.

OBJECTIVES This paper tested two moderators, brooding and participant sex, on the respective relations between thwarted belongingness (TB), perceived burdensomeness (PB), and suicide risk. METHOD Using a cross-sectional design in a sample of undergraduates (N = 278), two hierarchical regression models examining the three-way interaction between brooding, sex, and either TB or PB on suicide risk were conducted. RESULTS A significant two-way interaction of brooding and TB was detected, but no moderating effect of sex was observed. There was a significant three-way interaction of brooding, sex, and PB on suicide risk. CONCLUSIONS High levels of TB and brooding produce increased suicide risk across sexes. The relation between PB and suicide risk is dependent on brooding for females but not males.
Electronic properties of two-dimensional IV–V group materials from density functional theory

Abstract Based on density functional theory, we have predicted a group of two-dimensional (2D) materials which contain IV and V elements with 3:1 stoichiometry, including C3N, C3P, C3As, Si3N, Si3P, Si3As, Ge3N, Ge3P and Ge3As. The structural, electronic, and optical properties of these compounds are theoretically discussed. Results suggest group IV–V monolayers have graphene-like structures with high kinetic and thermal stability. All the compounds exhibit semiconductor properties with band gaps ranging from 0.332 eV to 2.007 eV. The narrow band gaps indicate IV–V monolayers show excellent optical adsorption in visible light range. In addition, IV–V monolayers shows great anisotropy in electronic properties such as band structure and the electrons/hole effective mass.