cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NOD2 Regulates Hematopoietic Cell Function During Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Abstract 2453 Poster Board II-430 NOD2 polymorphisms are independent risk factors for Crohn9s disease and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In Crohn9s disease, the pro-inflammatory state resulting from NOD2 mutations have been associated with a loss of anti-bacterial function of enterocytes, such as paneth cells. NOD2 has not been studied in experimental allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT). We studied the role of NOD2 during inflammation in murine models of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and in experimental colitis. To investigate the role of NOD2 in regulating GVHD in allo-BMT recipients, we used MHC-matched as well as MHC-disparate allo-BMT models. We first assessed the role of NOD2 deficiency of the allo-BMT donor (either donor T cells or bone marrow) and found no significant impact on the development of GVHD. In contrast, we observed significantly more lethal GVHD in NOD2-/- allo-BMT recipients as compared with WT allo-BMT recipients. We next created chimeric mice, which were NOD2 deficient either in the hematopoietic or non-hematopoietic system. After three months, we performed allo-BMTs (B10BRþB6 and LPþB6) using either WT, NOD2-/- or chimeric recipients. We found that the NOD2 deficiency in the hematopoietic system of the recipient, as opposed to a NOD2 deficiency in the non-hematopoietic system, is responsible for the increased severity of GVHD (Fig. 1A). In NOD2-/- allo-BMT recipients we observed that the absolute number of donor T cells as well as their activation status was significantly increased. Next, we transferred CFSE labeled allogeneic WT T cells to NOD2-/- allo-BMT recipients and found increased proliferation and activation, suggesting that NOD2 plays a role in the regulation of host antigen presenting cells (APCs). We then quantified the expression of activation markers and co-stimulatory molecules on host dendritic cells (DCs): CD40, CD80 and CD86 were significantly up-regulated of on host NOD2-/- DCs as compared with WT DCs during GVHD. To study DC function we selected splenic DCs from WT and NOD2-/- allo-BMT recipients with GVHD and used them as stimulators in mixed leukocyte reactions (MLRs). NOD2-/- DCs had a significantly increased ability to induce proliferation of allogeneic T cells as compared with WT DCs. Finally, we used bone marrow chimeras in an experimental colitis model (which has not been done before) and observed again that NOD2 deficiency in the hematopoietic cells results in increased intestinal inflammation (Figure 1B). We conclude that NOD2 regulates the development of GVHD through its inhibitory effect on host APC function. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Market Reaction to Auditor Ratification Vote Tally

SYNOPSIS: This paper provides empirical evidence that the proportion of shareholder votes against the ratification of the auditor is informative to investors' perception of the auditor-client relationship. We find that lower shareholder approval of the auditor is associated with a negative market reaction to the 8-K announcement of the auditor ratification vote. Additionally, we find that the market reaction is more negative when a high level of auditor dissatisfaction is likely a surprise to investors, such as when audit and auditor characteristics suggest that the auditor provides high audit quality. We provide confirming evidence that withheld votes are associated with a higher likelihood of a future auditor dismissal and that the market reaction to the dismissal is more positive for firms with lower shareholder approval of the auditor. JEL Classifications: G34; G30; M40.
Keeping the Vision Alive: The Role of Networks in National Memorial Building A Case Study of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial and the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial

The process to win approval to build a national memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC is both long and complex. Many memorials are proposed, but few are chosen to inhabit the increasingly scarce space available on the Mall. Through the use of network analysis we compare and contrast two memorial proposals, with an eye toward understanding why one proposal was successful while the other seems to have failed. We conclude that the success of a specific memorial has less to do with the perceived popularity of the person or event to be memorialized, and more to do with how the sponsors use the network of people and resources available to advocate for a given proposal.
Determinants and outcomes of upfront surgery versus medical therapy for chronic rhinosinusitis in cystic fibrosis.

Background The indications for surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are poorly defined. In this study we compare outcomes of medical versus surgical treatment and examine trends associated with the transition from medical to surgical therapy in CF patients. Methods One hundred thirty-six patients with CF referred to a tertiary rhinology practice were retrospectively divided into 3 cohorts: Medical, Upfront Surgery, or Crossover, if they converted from medical to surgical management. The 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) and pulmonary function test (PFT) data were assessed up to 48 months. Results Compared to patients initially managed medically (n = 90), those who pursued upfront surgery (n = 46) had a greater incidence of nasal polyposis (p = 0.0011), prior sinus surgery (p = 0.0025), lower percent-predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (%FEV1) (p = 0.0063), and higher Lund-Mackay (p = 0.0025) and SNOT-22 (p = 0.0229) scores. Within the medical group, 35.5% converted to surgery after a mean of 14.3 months. Crossover (n = 32) was associated with a 6.1-point increase in SNOT-22 and a 4.5% deterioration in %FEV1. Despite worsened symptom severity, the Crossover cohort ultimately achieved similar postoperative SNOT-22 scores (p = 0.831) and %FEV1 (p = 0.114) as those who underwent upfront surgery. Although the Medical cohort had the lowest baseline SNOT-22 scores (p < 0.001), surgery at any time normalized scores to the same baseline level (p = 0.652). Neither medical therapy nor surgery improved PFTs. Conclusions Surgery effectively reduces CRS-related symptoms in CF patients but may not improve pulmonary function. In patients who first pursue medical therapy, symptomatic decline may prompt eventual conversion to surgery. Patients who delay surgery may achieve similar outcomes as those who pursue surgery upfront.
Symbolic Complexity Analysis Using Context-Preserving Histories

We propose a technique based on symbolic execution for analyzing the algorithmic complexity of programs. The technique uses an efficient guided analysis to compute bounds on the worst-case complexity (for increasing input sizes) and to generate test values that trigger the worst-case behaviors. The resulting bounds are fitted to a function to obtain a prediction of the worst-case program behavior at any input sizes. Comparing these predictions to the programmers' expectations or to theoretical asymptotic bounds can reveal vulnerabilities or confirm that a program behaves as expected. To achieve scalability we use path policies to guide the symbolic execution towards worst-case paths. The policies are learned from the worst-case results obtained with exhaustive exploration at small input sizes and are applied to guide exploration at larger input sizes, where un-guided exhaustive exploration is no longer possible. To achieve precision we use path policies that take into account the history of choices made along the path when deciding which branch to execute next in the program. Furthermore, the history computation is context-preserving, meaning that the decision for each branch depends on the history computed with respect to the enclosing method. We implemented the technique in the Symbolic PathFinder tool. We show experimentally that it can find vulnerabilities in complex Java programs and can outperform established symbolic techniques.
The Development and Initial Validation of the Child Perceived Discrimination Questionnaire

Perceived discrimination can affect psychological and physical health, starting in childhood. Yet, the measures that exist for measuring perceived discrimination among children have methodological limitations and structural/theoretical inconsistencies. The Child Perceived Discrimination Questionnaire (CPDQ) fills the gaps of the current measures by assessing two dimensions of everyday discrimination from both child and adult sources. To assess the reliability and validity of the CPDQ, we examined data from 163 participants, aged 9-11, 52.15% female, 57.67% Black. Results indicated that the CPDQ has good to excellent internal consistency and provided preliminary support for an a priori hypothesized factor structure. The CPDQ also discriminated between different race groups and demonstrated construct validity. Future research should seek additional evidence of reliability and validity for the CPDQ, though this preliminary evidence suggests that the CPDQ is appropriate for assessing perceived discrimination in children.
3.2 Ground, Aerial, and Satellite Photography for Geomorphology and Geomorphic Change

Historically, repeat coverage enabled change detection and study of landscape evolution. Today, digital cameras and videography permit new capabilities in terms of producing ground, aerial, and space ‘photography,’ as geomorphologists still rely on spatial data collected from camera sensors that enable them to collect field data and document geomorphic events and environmental change. Active geomorphological research now involves the acquisition of digital photography/imagery, videography, and the use of historical photography, as historical data must serve as baseline data that is compared to recently collected data for detecting and measuring geomorphic change. Digital camera technology has rapidly evolved, and scientists now use these sensors to record flooding, volcanic, mass movement, and other events. Movies and videos of geomorphic phenomena, especially transient processes such as landslides, debris flows, or time-lapse glacial activities are an essential research and teaching element. Finally, new gigapixel-panorama (gigapan) technology will provide new capabilities to assess multiscale geomorphic phenomena.
Fe-mediated HER vs N2RR: Exploring Factors that Contribute to Selectivity in P3EFe(N2) (E = B, Si, C) Catalyst Model Systems.

Mitigation of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a key challenge in selective small-molecule reduction catalysis. This is especially true of catalytic nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction reactions (N2RR and CO2RR, respectively) using H+/e– currency. Here we explore, via DFT calculations, three iron model systems, P3EFe (E = B, Si, C), known to mediate both N2RR and HER, but with different selectivity depending on the identity of the auxiliary ligand. It is suggested that the respective efficiencies of these systems for N2RR trend with the predicted N–H bond strengths of two putative hydrazido intermediates of the proposed catalytic cycle, P3EFe(NNH2)+ and P3EFe(NNH2). Further, a mechanism is presented for undesired HER consistent with DFT studies, and previously reported experimental data, for these systems; bimolecular proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) from intermediates with weak N–H bonds is posited as an important source of H2, instead of more traditional scenarios that procee...
Embryonic-only arsenic exposure alters skeletal muscle satellite cell function in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus).

Abstract Arsenic is a contaminant found worldwide in drinking water and food. Epidemiological studies have correlated arsenic exposure with reduced weight gain and improper muscular development, while in vitro studies show that arsenic exposure impairs myogenic differentiation. The purpose of this study was to use Fundulus heteroclitus or killifish as a model organism to determine if embryonic-only arsenic exposure permanently reduces the number or function of muscle satellite cells. Killifish embryos were exposed to 0, 50, 200, or 800 ppb arsenite (AsIII) until hatching, and then juvenile fish were raised in clean water. At 28, 40, and 52 weeks after hatching, skeletal muscle injuries were induced by injecting cardiotoxin into the trunk of the fish just posterior to the dorsal fin. Muscle sections were collected at 0, 3 and 10 days post-injury. Collagen levels were used to assess muscle tissue damage and recovery, while levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and myogenin were quantified to compare proliferating cells and newly formed myoblasts. At 28 weeks of age, baseline collagen levels were 105% and 112% greater in 200 and 800 ppb groups, respectively, and at 52 weeks of age, were 58% higher than controls in the 200 ppb fish. After cardiotoxin injury, collagen levels tend to increase to a greater extent and take longer to resolve in the arsenic exposed fish. The number of baseline PCNA(+) cells were 48–216% greater in 800 ppb exposed fish compared to controls, depending on the week examined. However, following cardiotoxin injury, PCNA is reduced at 28 weeks in 200 and 800 ppb fish at day 3 during the recovery period. By 52 weeks, there are significant reductions in PCNA in all exposure groups at day 3 of the recovery period. Based on these results, embryonic arsenic exposure increases baseline collagen levels and PCNA(+) cells in skeletal muscle. However, when these fish are challenged with a muscle injury, the proliferation and differentiation of satellite cells into myogenic precursors is impaired and instead, the fish appear to be favoring a fibrotic resolution to the injury.
Customizable Pressure Sensor Array: Design and Evaluation

Pressure senor array is widely used in gait analysis and robotics. To meet the demand on different sizes and reduce the manufacture costs, in this paper, we proposed a design method for customizable pressure sensor array which could be trimmed into different sizes. The customizable pressure sensor array was made of piezo-resistive fabric and flexible circuits, which made it suitable for the sensor array to be trimmed into different sizes. Pressure sensors were uniformly distributed to maintain the resolution of the pressure sensor array when trimmed into different sizes. Wires on the flexible circuits were designed to ensure that all the full/partial sensors remained on the sensor array could be used after trimming the sensor array into a smaller size. To evaluate the design method, we designed insole shaped customizable pressure sensor arrays to analyze gait parameters such as gait cycle and cadence. Spatial and temporal pressure distribution patterns acquired with trimmed and non-trimmed sensor arrays were used for analyzing. Experiment results indicated that the customizable pressure sensor array designed with the method proposed in this paper could be used to acquire spatial and temporal pressure distribution patterns without being influenced by trimming.
An adaptive factorization method for inverse scattering problems

To drastically speed up Kirsch's factorization method for inverse scattering problems, we propose a novel adaptive algorithm that automatically generates nonuniform sampling points according to the shape of the obstacle. Built upon adaptive quadrature rules, our algorithm approximates the integral of an indicator function and yields reliable reconstructions significantly faster than the standard factorization method. Numerical tests are performed to validate the effectiveness of our algorithm.
Open-source software in class: students' common mistakes

Introducing Open Source Software (OSS) projects into a software-engineering course has many advantages, for instance, allowing students to learn good coding practices from real-world projects, and giving students a glimpse of a real project. However, it is not easy for instructors to induce one or more OSS core teams to lend support for course projects. The alternative is to have students work on "toy features"---features for these projects not specified by OSS core teams, but by teaching staff. However, the project may be unimportant to the OSS project or may disrupt its design, making those code contributions unlikely to be integrated into the OSS code repository. In this paper, we, as both teaching staff and the core team for one OSS project called Expertiza, discuss our experience in supporting 700 students on 313 OSS-based course projects in the past five years. We manually checked these course projects, and summarize 13 common mistakes that frequently occur in students' contributions, such as not following the existing design or messy pull requests. We propose five suggestions to help students reduce the frequency of common mistakes and improve the quality of their OSS pull requests.
Functional Neurosurgery for Movement Disorders

In this chapter, the authors will provide an overview of movement disorders. It will begin with a review of nomenclature used to describe movement disorders, followed by a discussion of the basal ganglia circuitry. Neurosurgical treatment options for individual movement disorder syndromes will then be addressed.
Mechanistic insights into hydrodeoxygenation of phenol on bimetallic phosphide catalysts

Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of phenolics is a necessary step for upgrading bio-oils to transportation fuels. Bimetallic catalysts offer the potential of increased activities and selectivities for desired products. Adding non-metallic elements, such as phosphorous, allows for charge distribution between the metal and nonmetal atoms, which improves Lewis acid character of catalytic surfaces. This work utilizes experimental and density functional theory (DFT) based calculations to identify potential C–O bond cleavage pathways and product selectivities for HDO reactions on FeMoP, RuMoP, and NiMoP catalysts. Our work demonstrates that FeMoP catalyst favors direct deoxygenation pathway due to a lower activation energy barrier for C–O bond cleavage whereas RuMoP and NiMoP catalysts promote ring hydrogenation first, followed by the cleavage of C–O bond. The Bader charge analysis indicates that for these catalytic systems Moδ+ site bears a large positive charge which acts as a Lewis acid site for HDO reactions. Overall, we find that trends in the experimental product selectivities are in good agreement with that predicted with DFT calculations.
MHz-Rate Measurements of Time-Resolved Species Concentrations in Shock Heated Chemical Weapon Simulants

In this study, shock-heated decomposition kinetics study of triethyl phosphate (TEP), a simulant of chemical weapon Sarin-GB, was carried out in a shock tube. Mid-infrared, time-resolved laser absorption spectroscopy was used to measure the concentrations of CO, a key intermediate species, behind reflected shock waves.
Chapter 24 – Role of Epithelium in Mucosal Immunity

The mucosal surfaces that serve as absorptive surfaces—such as the intestinal epithelium—can be quite vast and are in contact with vast quantities of a diverse population of microbes and their metabolites including immunostimulatory/ proinflammatory products. The vast majority of these microbes and their metabolites are excluded from the internal access to the host by the physical barrier formed by the single layer of epithelial cells that line the mucosal surfaces. This barrier includes the epithelial cells themselves, their intercellular tight junctions, and the mucus that covers the epithelial surface. Further, this barrier is bathed in a milieu of antibacterial proteins to keep the microbial population in check. The intestinal epithelium has various specialized cell types that make crucial contributions to the mucosal immunity. Goblet cells—one of the most numerous intestinal epithelial cell type—are interspersed throughout the gut epithelium and are characterized by their brandy goblet shape and pale-stained mucin-filled granules. These cells produce the mucus layer that coats the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Berry curvature, semiclassical electron dynamics, and topological materials: Lecture notes for Introduction to Solid State Physics

Lecture notes used in a graduate-level Introduction to Solid State Physics course at Cornell University, to serve as a supplement to textbooks at the level of Ashcroft & Mermin.
Age-Related Low Testosterone.

The American College of Physicians Clinical Guidelines Committee provides recommendations for the use of testosterone treatment in men with age-related low testosterone. The editorialist discusses ...
Trust and happiness in the history of European political thought

In September 2014, the Central European University in Budapest hosted the third international conference of the European Society for the History of Political Thought. The subject of the conference ...
A Spatially Variable Time Series of Sea Level Change Due to Artificial Water Impoundment.

The artificial impoundment of water behind dams causes global mean sea level (GMSL) to fall as reservoirs fill but also generates a local rise in sea level due to the increased mass in the reservoir and the crustal deformation this mass induces. To estimate spatiotemporal fluctuations in sea level due to water impoundment, we use a historical data set that includes 6,329 reservoirs completed between 1900 and 2011, as well as projections of 3,565 reservoirs that are expected to be completed by 2040. The GMSL change associated with the historical data (-0.2 mm yr-1 from 1900-2011) is consistent with previous studies, but the temporal and spatial resolution allows for local studies that were not previously possible, revealing that some locations experience a sea level rise of as much as 40 mm over less than a decade. Future construction of reservoirs through ~2040 is projected to cause a GMSL fall whose rate is comparable to that of the last century (-0.3 mm yr-1) but with a geographic distribution that will be distinct from the last century, including a rise in sea level in more coastal areas. The analysis of expected construction shows that significant impoundment near coastal communities in the coming decades could enhance the flooding risk already heightened by global sea level rise.
P24. Acute failure of S2-alar-iliac pelvic fixation following adult deformity correction

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Pelvic fixation with S2-alar-iliac (S2AI) screws is a widely accepted technique in adult deformity surgery, with few descriptions of complications. PURPOSE To report novel acute failure mechanisms in S2AI instrumentation. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Retrospective chart review. PATIENT SAMPLE N/A OUTCOME MEASURES N/A METHODS We performed a retrospective review of all fusion surgeries extending from L2 or higher with instrumentation to the pelvis in which S2AI screws were placed with at least 6 months follow-up between 3/2017 and 6/2019. We excluded patients under 18 years of age and non-ambulatory patients. Acute instrumentation failure was defined as any case requiring revision of the pelvic fixation within 6 months from the index surgery. We reviewed the demographic and surgical characteristics of each patient, and reviewed preoperative and 6-week postoperative radiographs to document the change in their deformity parameters as well as for the presence of a transitional lumbo-sacral segment. RESULTS A total of 134 cases were identified, of which seven had acute S2AI instrumentation failure requiring revision (5%). Failure cases averaged age 56.6 years, BMI 32.5, 57% female, 12 levels of fusion, and average deformity correction was LL increase 32°, T1PA decrease 19°, and CSVL decrease 3.5cm. Failure mechanism was either set plug dislodgement from S2AI screw heads, sacral fracture/kyphosis with rod slippage out of S2AI set plugs, or both, and involved two different implant manufacturers. Three of seven (43%) failure patients had a nonmobile transitional segment at the lumbosacral junction and fractured through the transitional segment with kyphotic angulation. Salvage strategy involved removal and revision of the original S2AI screws with placement of additional stacked pelvic fixation and a multi-rod construct. CONCLUSIONS We have identified a novel mechanism of pelvic fixation failure involving set screw dislodgement and rod slippage, which affected 5% of the deformity patients in our series across two implant manufacturers. Patients with large angular deformity correction and/or transitional lumbosacral anatomy may be particularly at risk, and may benefit from supplemental pelvic fixation. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS S2AI Screws (Approved for this indication), thoracolumbosacral pedicle screw system (Approved for this indication).
Applied Anatomy in Blepharoplasty

The face is the most important area of the entire body when assessing one’s physical beauty and attractiveness. The face itself is composed of numerous cosmetic subunits. The eyes and periocular region, in particular, play a very important role in aesthetics as well as expression of one’s mood. As the population continues to age, the number of cosmetic procedures performed annually continues to increase. While a great number of the procedures are in the noninvasive realm such as injectables, blepharoplasty was the fifth most common surgical procedure performed in 2018 based on the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (Surgery, T. A. S. f. A. P., Cosmetic (Aesthetic) Surgery National Data Bank, 2018). Blepharoplasty is a relatively simple procedure that has minimal downtime for patients and can provide a significant impact in restoring the youthfulness of the face.
Exogenous Oil Supply Shocks: How Big Are They and How Much Do They Matter for the U.S. Economy?

Abstract The paper proposes a new measure of exogenous oil supply shocks. The timing, the magnitude, and the sign of this measure may differ greatly from current state-of-the-art estimates. It is shown that only a small fraction of the observed oil price increases during oil crisis periods can be attributed to exogenous oil production disruptions. Exogenous oil supply shocks cause a sharp drop of U.S. real GDP growth after five quarters rather than an immediate and sustained reduction in economic growth and a spike in CPI inflation after three quarters. Overall, exogenous oil supply shocks made remarkably little difference for the evolution of the U.S. economy since the 1970s, although they did matter for some historical episodes.
Coordinate Regulation of Virulence in Bordetella pertussis Mediated by the vir (bvg) Locus

Leslie and Gardner reported in 1931 that Bordetella pertussis could grow in any of four different phases (phases I to IV). These phases were distinguished by colony morphology, hemolysis, and antigenic profile. Subsequent reports differed on the exact number and nature of the phases of B. pertussis. By 1983 the biochemical characterization of B. pertussis had defined several virulence-associated proteins. Pertussis toxin, perceived to be one of the most important, had been purified, characterized biochemically, and shown to be an ADP-ribosylating toxin with host GTP-binding proteins as cellular targets. Filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), believed to be important in the specific adherence that B. pertussis demonstrates to the ciliated epithelium, had also been purified. It was also known that B. pertussis made fimbriae and a novel toxin, the extracytoplasmic adenylate cyclase toxin. The original DNA sequence predicted the presence of three fevg-encoded polypeptides, two of which shared significant sequence similarity with a large family of bacterial regulatory proteins commonly called "two-component" systems. The fha and bvg operons are distinguished from other bvg-regulated genes by their ability to respond to the presence of BvgA and BvgS in Escherichia coli. The frl gene products function as transcriptional activators that control the expression of several loci, including the structural gene for an alternative sigma factor, sigma F. Sigma F then activates late genes which include the flagellin locus. frlAB is the first-characterized example of an auxiliary regulatory locus within the bvg regulon.
Multilingualism: An African advantage. A paradigm shift in African languages of instruction policies

Being involved in language of instruction issues and in technical assistance, I found this book highly relevant and exciting. Seemingly, a significant percentage of the African population speaks more than one local language. Furthermore, many of the languages are closely related and are mutually intelligible, so the language situation in many countries is less complex than it seems to outsiders. As the book states, African multilingualism is most definitely an advantage. Besides binding people into multiple communities, multilingualism has cognitive benefits (Adesope et al. 2010). Official ‘‘colonial’’ languages tend to have complex spelling systems, but African languages are consistently spelled and ideal for teaching literacy to children and adults. The book also offers explanations about other issues that outsiders do not easily understand, such as the poor command of the official languages. The authors clarify that multiple languages are used alongside official languages. Teachers using English (or French or Portuguese) in class commonly code-switch into various languages, so students may not ever have heard the ‘‘pure’’ language being spoken. This may account for the limited understanding of English, for example, that even advanced students may have. The book would have been much more compelling if the interesting information that it presents were accompanied by some data. The contributors focus on sociological and personal perspectives, and they are somewhat vague. For example, how should teachers be assigned given multilingualism? What to do with parents who insist that their children get educated in official languages? No clear policy implications are given regarding what governments should do given the linguistic maps of their countries. Also the spelling and script issues could be laid out more specifically. Finally, the book only discusses Anglophone and Lusophone countries, with little reference to Francophone Africa.
MAKING BOREL FUNCTIONS LOOK CONTINUOUS

We investigate the possibility of making all functions in Baire class , < ! 1, close to continuous by adding to them a single function of Baire class + 1. Remnants of continuity are preserved, in various senses, in arbitrary Borel functions. Yet another way in which this is true has been considered recently by several authors. Given < ! 1, can we nd a single function f which makes all functions of the form f +g, with g Baire class , look continuous? Obviously, we would like f to be as simple as possible and the functions f +g as close to continuous as possible. The following four denitions are normally used, in this context, to measure the \degree of continuity" of f +g. How to measure simplicity of f will be clear from the statements of results. Let g be a function mapping a separable metric space X into the reals. g is Darboux if images of connected sets are connected. g is connectivity if the graph of the restriction of g to any connected subset of X is a connected subset of X R. g is almost continuous if any open subset of X R containing the graph of g contains also the graph of a continuous function from X to R. g is extendable connectivity if g(x) = G(x; 0), for all x 2 X, for some connectivity function G : X [0; 1]! R. It is known that if X = R, then the above classes are getting properly smaller as we go down the list and that all of them contain the continuous functions.
Microfermentation series for identification of single colonies of Enterobacteriaceae.

Microfermentation tests for members of the family Enterobacteriaceae were devised by using agar solutions in disposable, multi-welled, plastic trays. The tests could be made directly from isolated colonies picked from agar plates and represented a considerable saving in time, labor, and materials over the conventional methods. Tests were formulated for determining carbohydrate fermentations, citrate utilization, motility, amino acid decarboxylation, and production of H2S, indole, urease, and acetyl-methyl-carbinol.
Driving Forces of Corporate Capital Structure Variation Over Time

This paper develops a dynamic model of capital structure. It uses the model to determine whether shifts in the demand for capital or shifts in the supply of capital is the key driving force behind capital structure variation over time. Simulations of the model show that adjusting capital structure in response to variation in the supply of capital results in persistence of dividend and market leverage that is lower than the observed persistence in the data. When variation in the supply of capital is shut down, the persistence of dividend and market leverage of simulated firms is reasonably close to that in the data. The results suggest that shifts in the demand for capital are likely the key driving force behind capital structure variation over time.
Employee Rights and Dividend Policy Around the World

This paper explores the relationship between employee rights and dividend policy across countries. Using labor right index as a proxy for agency costs of employees, we test the association between labor rights and dividend policies across countries. The empirical results reveal that labor rights are negatively related to firms’ decision to pay dividends and dividend payment amounts. This relationship is reinforced to be more salient in civil countries where shareholder rights are weak. The empirical results are robust by controlling for sample selection bias, test model specification, and a series of country-level control variables. This paper explores the relationship between employee rights and dividend policy across countries. Using labor right index as a proxy for agency costs of employees, we test the association between labor rights and dividend policies across countries. The empirical results reveal that labor rights are negatively related to firms’ decision to pay dividends and dividend payment amounts. This relationship is reinforced to be more salient in civil countries where shareholder rights are weak. The empirical results are robust by controlling for sample selection bias, test model specification, and a series of country-level control variables.
Theory of Coherent Transients

In this paper we will be dealing mostly with coherence between levels in an atomic system. An atom is said to be in a coherent superposition of two levels if we can write the state of the system as $$ |\psi \rangle = {{\rm{C}}_{\rm{a}}}{\rm{exp}}({\rm{ - i}}{{\rm{E}}_{\rm{a}}}{\rm{t/}}\hbar ){\rm{|a}}\rangle {\rm{ + }}{{\rm{C}}_{\rm{b}}}{\rm{exp}}({\rm{ - i}}{{\rm{E}}_{\rm{b}}}{\rm{t/}}\hbar ){\rm{|b}}\cdot\rangle $$ (1)
Ecosystem Services, Ecosystem Resilience, and Resilience of Ecosystem Management Policy

Two emerging theoretical models have captivated ecological science and policy over the past decade. One is the concept of ecosystem services, which focuses on the benefits that people derive from ecosystems, including the flows of economically valuable services to human populations (Costanza 1997, Daily 1997, Ruhl et al. 2007; Ruhl and Salzman 2007). The other is resilience theory, which explores how natural and social systems withstand disturbances over time (Gunderson and Holling 2002, Gunderson et al., 2010). This chapter examines the connections between the two from two perspectives. The first is to ask whether using the concept of ecosystem services in policy can support the resilience of ecological systems. Is there anything to be gained in sustainable ecosystem management by applying ecosystem services theory, and are there any risks from doing so? The second perspective is to ask whether using the concept of ecosystem services in ecosystem management policy can support the resilience of policy itself. Will using ecosystem services concepts help ecosystem management policy deliver on its goals over sustained time frames in the face of massive perturbations such as global climate and economic changes?
Structure of an Engineered β-Lactamase Maltose Binding Protein Fusion Protein: Insights into Heterotropic Allosteric Regulation

Engineering novel allostery into existing proteins is a challenging endeavor to obtain novel sensors, therapeutic proteins, or modulate metabolic and cellular processes. The RG13 protein achieves such allostery by inserting a circularly permuted TEM-1 β-lactamase gene into the maltose binding protein (MBP). RG13 is positively regulated by maltose yet is, serendipitously, inhibited by Zn(2+) at low µM concentration. To probe the structure and allostery of RG13, we crystallized RG13 in the presence of mM Zn(2+) concentration and determined its structure. The structure reveals that the MBP and TEM-1 domains are in close proximity connected via two linkers and a zinc ion bridging both domains. By bridging both TEM-1 and MBP, Zn(2+) acts to "twist tie" the linkers thereby partially dislodging a linker between the two domains from its original catalytically productive position in TEM-1. This linker 1 contains residues normally part of the TEM-1 active site including the critical β3 and β4 strands important for activity. Mutagenesis of residues comprising the crystallographically observed Zn(2+) site only slightly affected Zn(2+) inhibition 2- to 4-fold. Combined with previous mutagenesis results we therefore hypothesize the presence of two or more inter-domain mutually exclusive inhibitory Zn(2+) sites. Mutagenesis and molecular modeling of an intact TEM-1 domain near MBP within the RG13 framework indicated a close surface proximity of the two domains with maltose switching being critically dependent on MBP linker anchoring residues and linker length. Structural analysis indicated that the linker attachment sites on MBP are at a site that, upon maltose binding, harbors both the largest local Cα distance changes and displays surface curvature changes, from concave to relatively flat becoming thus less sterically intrusive. Maltose activation and zinc inhibition of RG13 are hypothesized to have opposite effects on productive relaxation of the TEM-1 β3 linker region via steric and/or linker juxtapositioning mechanisms.
Brief cognitive behavioral group therapy for social anxiety disorder

The growth of managed health care in the United States has placed a high premium on the goal of efficiency in the treatment of psychopathology, but without sacrificing treatment efficacy in the process. A preliminary evaluation of a brief, 6-week version of cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) for generalized social anxiety disorder was conducted. Various self-report and behavioral assessment measures were collected at pre- and posttreatment, and self-report assessments were again conducted at 6- and 12-week follow-ups. The results suggest improvement during the acute 6-week treatment phase, and further improvement during the 6 weeks following treatment termination. These gains were maintained at the 3-month follow-up assessment. Effect size comparisons with prior studies revealed that the present treatment produced comparable treatment gains at the 6-week follow-up assessment to those produced by prior studies using the standard 12-week CBGT protocol. Clinical and research implications are discussed.
Feedback modification in instrumental conditioning of articulation.

Although the self-hearing of a child with defective articulation often has been altered in traditional methods of therapy (Van Riper & Irwin, 1958) , such practices have received little empirical verification. The present experiment was designed to investigate through an operant conditioning paradigm the differences between normal and modified auditory feedback in a sound-learning task for children with defective articulation of the / r / sound. The use of the stimulus-response method within an operant conditioning paradigm permitted consideration of the latency period between stimulus and response. Forty children with the consistent misarticulation of the / r / sound were assigned on the basis of age to one of four cypes of training sessions based on normal or modified feedback; 0to 3-sec. stimulus-response latency period. Each training procedure included 1 0 Ss equally divided between younger children ( 6 through 8 ) and older children (9 through 1 1 ) . During the training sessions a Uher recorder was used to present the taped stimuli consisting of the / r / sound in the prevocalic and posrvocalic positions in the following words: work, worry, far, and run. Each child completed 42 stimulus-response trials in approximately 25 min. During the normal feedback condition, the child heard his own responses without alteration in auditory feedback. During the modified feedback condition, the child heard his own sound production through earphones at a slightly increased intensity level. A lightbulb representing a clown's nose signalled the child's response immediately or 3 sec. following the stimulus. Reinforcement, based on the method of successive approximation, consisted of cereal bits delivered through the mouth of the clown whenever the investigator perceived a change in the child's response closer to that of the stimulus. A panel of 5 clinicians (reliability. 3 9 ) evaluated the recorded responses of each child before and after training on a three-point equal-appearing interval scale. Analysis of variance was used to examine effects of feedback, age, and latency. Mean difference scores show (Fig. 1 ) modified feedback (combined mean difference score, 9.7; SD, 9.3) was more successful than normal feedback (combined mean difference score, -.04; SD. 11.3) in eliciting standard productions of the /r / sound. N o significant differences were found between the conditions of 0-sec. latency and 3-sec. latency, nor bew e e n rhe older and younger children. The results agree with those of Arnold ( 1956) who
Sex-Ratio Adjustment in the Common Grackle

From the nestling period through maturity, female grackles are distinctly smaller than males and presumably cost less to rear. Individual birds nesting early in the season lay more female eggs than those nesting later, and in large broods, mortality after hatching consistently favors female fledglings. The first result suggests an adaptive nonrandom meiosis that anticipates seasonal conditions of food availability; the second implies a brood reduction strategy consistent with Fisher9s prediction that differential mortality in sexually dimorphic species should favor the less expensive sex.
A STUDY OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY ALLIANCE'S OUT-OF-SERVICE CRITERIA

This paper summarizes a two-phase project that reviewed the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's out-of-service criteria for vehicles. The first phase examined relevant background information and conducted a questionnaire survey of CVSA inspectors and industry representatives. The second phase of the project involved extensive collection and evaluation of accident data. The results of both phases show a high level of support, in terms of contribution to vehicle accidents, for four of the vehicle criteria (regarding brakes, load securement, tires, and wheels and rims). There was some support for coupling devices, fuel systems, lighting devices, steering and suspension. The support for the remaining vehicle criteria (exhaust systems, frames, van and open top trailer bodies, and windshield wipers) was little to none. Further research continuing the study of accident data is recommended to confirm these findings. However, the data must be collected in a consistent and detailed manner if accurate information on the relationship of accidents and vehicle criteria is to be established.
Labor in the Forgotten 1970s

Rebel Rank and Tile: Labor Militancy and Revolt from Below During the Long 1970s, edited by Aaron Brenner, Robert Brenner, and Cal Winslow. New York, NY: Verso, 2010. 408pp. $29.95 paper. ISBN: 9781844671748. The dominant U.S. labor federation over the last century, the American Federation of Labor, has experienced multiple internal and external challengers to its favored for mat of "business unionism." These include the American Labor Union (ALU, 1902 1904), the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW, 1905-1924, date of effective opera tion), the Trade Union Educational League (TUEL, 1920-1929), the Trade Union Unity League (TUUL, 1929-1934), the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO, 1937-1955), and, most recently, Change to Win (2005 present). These challengers provide fodder for interesting examinations that probe the possibilities for a different (namely, more progressive) type of labor movement in the United States. Yet in the end, it has been the AFL (which merged with the CIO in 1955 to form the American Federation of Labor Congress of Industrial Organiza tions (AFL-CIO)) that persisted. Many stud ies of the two largest challengers—the IWW and CIO—have sought to uncover the fac tors involved in their success. Fewer studies chronicle the ALU, TUEL and TUUL. Fewer still call attention to the rebellions of the 1970s.
Intraventricular neurocytoma: a report of two cases.

Intraventricular neurocytoma is a rare clincopathological entity that has been recently recognized. Previous reports have not described the magnetic resonance imaging findings of this tumor. This paper describes two patients with neurocytoma in which serpiginous flow voids and isointensity with cort
Caregiver speech and children's use of nouns versus verbs: A comparison of English, Italian, and Mandarin*

This paper examines naturalistic samples of adult-to-child speech to determine if variations in the input are consistent with reported variations in the proportions of nouns and verbs in children's early vocabularies. It contrasts two PRO-DROP languages, Italian and Mandarin, with English. Naturalistic speech samples from six 2:0 English-, six 1:11 Italian-, and ten 1:10 Mandarin-speaking children and their caregivers were examined. Adult-to-child speech was coded for the type frequency, token frequency, utterance position, and morphological variation of nouns and verbs as well as the types and placements of syntactic subjects and the pragmatic focus of adult questions. Children's spontaneous productions of nouns and verbs and their responses to adult questions were also examined. The results suggest a pattern consistent with the children's spontaneous production data. Namely, the speech of English-speaking caregivers emphasized nouns over verbs, whereas that of Mandarin-speaking caregivers emphasized verbs over nouns. The data from the Italian-speaking caregivers were more equivocal, though still noun-oriented, across these various input measures.
Avian Gut-Associated Immune System: Implication in Coccidial Vaccine Development

Abstract Host responses to coccidia are complex and involve both humoral and cellular immune mechanisms. Convincing evidence exists for a major role of cell-mediated immunity in anticoccidial resistance. With an increasing need for the development of coccidial vaccine, understanding of the intestinal immune system is crucial. To provide increased insight into the immune mechanisms involving mucosal immune response to coccidia, cellular events involved in the maturation of intestinal immune system were studied. Postnatal development of various T lymphocyte subpopulations expressing CD3, CD8, CD4, and antigen-specific T cell receptor (TCR) heterodimers expressing γδ (TCR1) or αβ (TCR2) was investigated in chickens. Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) expressing the CD8 antigen increased gradually following hatching and subsequently declined with age. The CD4+ cells represented a minor subpopulation among the IEL. The ratios of IEL T cells expressing γδ (TCR1) or αβ (TCR2) in the intraepithelium of chickens gradually increased after hatching. These results indicate maturational changes of intestinal immune system that should be considered in the development of vaccine against coccidia.
Engineering Plus: challenges and choices

Engineering Plus is a name for a structure that provides a wide range of enhancements for the four-year baccalaureate engineering program. Each of these enhancements requires a year or more beyond the basic engineering program. The Engineering Plus umbrella covers programs that include the basic engineering program plus something in addition. The something else is not just a random collection of courses but it is an educational experience which is designed to meet a particular educational goal. >