cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decline and Disenchantment: Reflections on the Aging of the National Labor Relations Board

=920458). 133. See supra note 74 and accompanying text. 134. See, e.g., Barbara Rose, Board Decision Could Bar More From Unions, CHI. TRIB., Oct. 4, 2006, at B9; Jane M. Von Bergen, Testing Unions' Clout; Pivotal cases: For Some Employees, Their Union Status Hinges on an NLRB Decision that Will Define the Word "'Supervisor", PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Aug. 10, 2006, at Cl; Steven Greenhouse, Labor Board Decision Broadens Definition of Supervisors, N.Y. TIMES, Oct. 4, 2006, at A16. 135. Oakwood and its companion decisions were released on October 3, 2006. Oakwood Healthcare, Inc., 348 N.L.R.B. No. 37 (2006); Croft Metals, Inc., 348 N.L.R.B. No. 38 (2006); Golden Crest Healthcare Ctr., 348 N.L.R.B. No. 39 (2006). See NLRB Press Release R-2603, NLRB Issues Lead Case Addressing Supervisory Status in Response to Supreme Court's Decision in Kentucky River (Oct. 3, 2006), available at www.nlrb.gov. DECLINE AND DISENCHANTMENT even included a segment on the issue. "' And there has been wide coverage 3 7 of the Employee Free Choice Act,"' approved by the House of Representatives on March 1, 2007, but filibustered in the Senate.' With this publicity, Americans are being educated about the erosion of the right to organize and the danger posed to our society as a consequence, especially in the context of growing income inequality. Labor law policy has been marginalized for too long, and public dialogue on these issues has too long been absent. Public consideration of labor policy, in which the Board plays a positive role, is sorely needed if we are to protect the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively in a competitive global economy. How do we achieve a proper balance between market freedom and democratic values? How do we preserve a middleclass society? Today, the story of faded trust in American labor law lies in the gap between early hopes and later results. Like dinosaur DNA, however, the promise of the Act is worth preserving. The stakes are too high to do otherwise. 136. The Colbert Report: Solidarity (Comedy Central television broadcast Jul. 18, 2006), available at http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the-colbert-report/index.jhtml. 137. See, e.g., Increasingly Labor's Day in Congress, L.A. TIMES, Mar. 2, 2007; Steven Greenhouse, House Passes Top Priority of Unions, N.Y. TIMES, Mar. 2, 2007, at A14; Edward Epstein, House Passes Pro-Labor Bill to Help Workers Form Unions, S.F. CHRON., Mar. 2, 2007, at A4. 138. Employee Free Choice Act, H.R. 800, 110th Cong. (2007). 139. See Supporters of Card Check Fall Short of Votes Needed to Limit Senate Debate, DAILY LABOR REPORT (BNA), June 27, 2007, at AA-2. 2007 590 BERKELEY JOURNAL OF EMPLOYMENT & LABOR LAW Vol. 28:2
Reliable computation of phase stability using interval analysis : Cubic equation of state models

The reliable prediction of phase stability is a challenging computational problem in chemical process simulation, optimization and design. The phase stability problem can be formulated either as a minimization problem or as an equivalent nonlinear equation solving problem. Conventional solution methods are initialization dependent, and may fail by converging to trivial or non-physical solutions or to a point that is a local but not global minimum. Thus there has been considerable recent interest in developing more reliable techniques for stability analysis. In this paper we demonstrate, using cubic equation of state models, a technique that can solve the phase stability problem with complete reliability. The technique, which is based on interval analysis, is initialization independent, and if properly implemented provides a mathematical guarantee that the correct solution to the phase stability problem has been found.
Identification and Isolation of a DNA Region Required for Tabtoxin Production: Apparent Deletion in Pseudomonas Syringae Pv Tabaci Variant ‘Angulata’ and Tox−Mutants

Tabtoxin is a dipeptide pretoxin produced by several path-ovars and isolates of Pseudomonas syringae. Examples of such strains, their plant hosts, and the diseases they cause are listed in Table 1. While tabtoxin is synthesized in a biologically inactive form, it is readily cleaved by aminopep-tidases, present in either the bacteria or the plant, yielding threonine and the active moiety tabtoxinine-β-lactam (Figure 1). Cleavage of (2-serine)tabtoxin, a derivative form containing a serine molecule in place of threonine, yields T-β-L and serine. The accumulation of tabtoxinine-β-1actam (T-β-L) in planta results in a chlorotic halo surrounding the bacterial lesion and is thought to be a contributing factor in disease severity. T-β-L is an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase isolated from plants, bacteria, and fungi. The chlorosis caused by tabtoxin-producing phytobacteria has been attributed to ammonia accumulation resulting from the inhibition of glutamine synthetase by T-β-L in planta (Durbin, 1982).
Probable Rates vs. Self-Reported: Variances in Concussion Reporting and Extent of Education for High School Athletes (P2.055)

Objective: Investigate variances between rates of possible concussions and self-reported rates of concussion in Los Angeles high school athletes. Determine extent of school-mandated concussion education. Background: All 50 U.S. states have youth sports concussion safety laws with mandatory athlete education. There is great variability in the quality of concussion education for youth athletes and limited evidence of efficacy. Design/Methods: An anonymous survey was electronically administered to 189 high school student athletes before the start of pre-season baseline testing. Results: Participants included 107 boys, 80 girls, and 2 chose not to indicate. Subjects were evenly distributed between grades 9–12 and played one of 6 sports (football, cheer, soccer, volleyball, water polo and basketball). Of the entire cohort, 77 (41%) reported having one or more symptoms of concussion after a bump or blow to the head or body [headache; feeling dazed/disoriented or confused/having your bell-rung; dizziness or difficulty with balance; difficulty concentrating (problems with schoolwork); loss of consciousness; ear-ringing or noise sensitivity]. Of those reporting symptoms after a hit or blow to the body, only 19 (25%) reported sustaining a concussion, leaving 58 possible concussions unreported. A majority of students (119, 63%) reported they had not received concussion education. Only 48 (25%) of participants reported receiving education from school. Conclusions: A large discrepancy exists between the number of athletes who anonymously reported symptoms of possible concussion and the number self-reporting a diagnosed concussion. There were a strikingly low percentage of athletes surveyed that indicated having received concussion education at school (25%). This potential gap in education could contribute to variability in self-reported concussions. Future directions of the study include collecting responses from more athletes and also investigating how the mandated education is implemented to identify possible interventions. Study Supported by: UCLA BIRC, UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, Today’s and Tomorrow’s Children Fund, Ken and Christy Fearn, Stan and Patti Silver. Disclosure: Dr. Johnson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rosenbaum has nothing to disclose. Dr. Giza has received personal compensations for activities with the Medical Education Speakers Bureau as a medicolegal consultant. He has consulted for and received personal compensations for activities with the Advisory Panels for Major League Soccer, the US Soccer Federation, and the NCAA. Dr. Giza has received personal compensations for activities with the NFL-NCP, NHLPA and MLS as a medical consultant.
Reaching Out to Your Peers: Performance Consequences of Investment Bank Networks

This paper examines the impact of investment bank peer networks on bank and issue performance using U.S. IPOs between 1970-2007. Network analysis methodology is applied to construct investment bank network measures. The analysis reveals that investment bank networks significantly affect performance. Specifically, investment banks with larger networks, more reciprocated ties, and central positions in the network capture higher market shares. These banks are more likely to win IPO mandates and retain their client firms in the subsequent SEOs. IPOs underwritten by book managers with greater network capabilities are also associated with lower underpricing and higher post-IPO stock returns as well as higher likelihood of offer price revision. The results suggest that investment bank peer networks have significant performance implications, and therefore, issuers should pay close attention to a bank's network structure when selecting underwriters.
Validation of PROMIS Global-10 compared with legacy instruments in patients with shoulder instability.

BackgroundOutcomes instruments are used to measure patients’ subjective assessment of health status. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global-10 was developed to...
Convective distribution of dust over the Arabian Peninsula: the impact of model resolution

Abstract. Along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, convective dust storms are a considerable source of mineral dust to the atmosphere. Reliable predictions of convective dust events are necessary to determine their effects on air quality, visibility, and the radiation budget. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting Model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) is used to simulate a 2016 summertime dust event over the Arabian Peninsula and examine the variability in dust fields and associated vertical transport due to the choice of convective parameterization and convection-permitting versus parameterized convection. Simulations are run at 45 and 15 km grid spacing with multiple cumulus parameterizations, and are compared to a 3 km simulation that permits explicit dry and moist convective processes. Five separate cumulus parameterizations at 15 km grid spacing were tested to quantify the spread across different parameterizations. Finally, the impact these variations have on radiation, specifically aerosol heating rates is also investigated. On average, in these simulations the convection-permitting case produces higher quantities of dust than the parameterized cases in terms of dust uplift potential, vertical dust concentrations, and vertical dust fluxes. Major drivers of this discrepancy between the simulations stem from the convection-permitting case exhibiting higher surface wind speeds during convective activity; lower dust emission wind threshold velocities due to drier soil; and more frequent, stronger vertical velocities which transport dust aloft and increase the atmospheric lifetime of these particles. For aerosol heating rates in the lowest levels, the shortwave effect prevails in the convection-permitting case with a net cooling effect, whereas a longwave net warming effect is present in the parameterized cases. The spread in dust concentrations across cumulus parameterizations at the same grid resolution (15 km) is an order of magnitude lower than the impact of moving from parameterized towards explicit convection. We conclude that tuning dust emissions in coarse-resolution simulations can only improve the results to first-order and cannot fully rectify the discrepancies originating from disparities in the representation of convective dust transport.
Does Hazardous Alcohol Use Impact Individual and Relational Functioning Among Couples Seeking Couples Therapy

Objective:The effects of alcohol use on the couple unit are largely under studied, especially among distressed couples. To address this gap, this study explored groups differences between couples p...
Distributions of modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture in four mill-run lumber populations

The modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) of graded lumber populations are commonly modeled by normal, lognormal, or Weibull distributions, but recent research has cast doubt on the appropriateness of these models. Such modeling has implications for ultimate performance and efficiency of resource use. It has been shown mathematically that the distribution of MOR in a graded subpopulation does not have the same theoretical form as the full, ungraded (or “mill-run”) population from which it was drawn; rather, its form is pseudo-truncated, exhibiting thinned tails. Although the phenomenon of pseudo-truncation in graded populations has been well substantiated, the form of the underlying full distribution—an essential factor in characterizing the distribution of the graded population—remains unsettled. The objective of this study was to characterize the distributions of both MOE and MOR in four diverse mill-run lumber populations to determine if and to what extent the distributions of strength and stiffness in mill-run lumber are similar from mill to mill. The authors collected a mill-run sample of 200 southern pine 24 specimens from each of four sawmills, for a total of 800 test pieces. After measuring MOE and MOR, they fit candidate distributions to those data by mill and evaluated each distribution for goodness of fit. Results suggest that perhaps none of the traditional distributions of normal, lognormal, or Weibull is adequate to model MOE or MOR across all four mills; rather, MOE and MOR in full lumber populations might be better modeled by skew normal or mixed normal distributions.
1607-P: Prevalence and Correlates of Potential Glycemic Overtreatment and Undertreatment among U.S. Adults with Diabetes

Poor glycemic control increases the risk of long-term complications, while overtreatment exposes patients to hypoglycemia. In this study, we examined the rates and correlates of potential overtreatment and undertreatment among adults (≥18 years) with diabetes using OptumLabs® Data Warehouse, an administrative claims dataset of commercial and Medicare Advantage enrollees across the U.S. Patient comorbidities were ascertained in 2014. Demographics, HbA1c, glucose-lowering medications, and attributed provider (internal medicine [IM], family medicine [FM], endocrinology) were ascertained in 2015. Patients were classified as potentially over- or undertreated based on their HbA1c, treatment regimen, and clinical complexity. The study cohort was comprised of 215,429 adults with diabetes; mean age 65.0 years, 59.4% white, 4.2% with type 1 diabetes, 23.1% ≥75 years, and 12.1% clinically complex. Overall, 21.3% were undertreated (22.7% low complexity, 10.9% high complexity) and 7.7% overtreated (5.4% low complexity, 23.8% high complexity). Younger age, male sex, black/Hispanic race/ethnicity, type 1 diabetes, FM management, and low clinical complexity were associated with glycemic undertreatment (Table). Younger age, male sex, white/Asian race/ethnicity, type 1 diabetes, endocrine management, and high clinical complexity were associated with glycemic overtreatment. Disclosure R.G. McCoy: None. K.J. Lipska: Consultant; Self; Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG). Research Support; Self; National Institute on Aging. Other Relationship; Self; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. H. Van Houten: None. N. Shah: None. Funding American Association of Retired Persons; OptumLabs; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K23DK114497)
Abstract 2967: Activity of G-quadruplex stabilizing small molecule that downregulates MYC and synergizes with Navitoclax in acute myeloid leukemia cells

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a malignancy of myeloid precursor cells that can occur when genomic changes alter expression of key genes, causing cells to resume an undifferentiated state and proliferate. Ongoing efforts have focused on developing therapies that specifically target the protein products of aberrantly expressed genes. However, many of the identified proteins are difficult to target because of structural challenges, protein overexpression, or mutations that confer resistance to therapy. A type of therapy that circumvents these issues is the use of small molecules that stabilize DNA secondary structures called G-quadruplexes, which are present in the promoters of many potential oncogenes, and have regulatory roles in their transcription. This study analyzes the activity of G-quadruplex stabilizing small molecule GQC-05 that has been shown to down-regulate MYC, which is commonly misregulated in AML. Treatment of MYC-expressing AML cell lines KG-1a, CMK and TF-1 with GQC-05 resulted in decreased expression of MYC mRNA and protein, with the effect more pronounced in KG-1a cells. GQC-05 treatment of the AML cells decreased cell viability, while increasing apoptosis and DNA damage. Combinational drug screening was performed to identify compounds that potentiated the anti-proliferative effects of GQC-05. Results from the screen identified the BCL-2 inhibitor Navitoclax as a compound that potentiated GQC-05 activity. Co-treatment with GQC-05 and Navitoclax showed synergistic effect on cell viability of AML cells as determined by Chou-Talalay analysis. Furthermore, co-treatment with Navitoclax did not affect the downregulation of MYC by GQC-05, but did increase apoptosis and DNA damage leading to rapid cytotoxicity. These results indicate that the G-quadruplex stabilizing small molecule GQC-05 may function more as a DNA damaging agent in AML cells and that combining GQC-05 with a Bcl-2/Bcl-XLinhibitor such as Navitoclax can result in increased cytotoxic activity. Citation Format: Justin J. Montoya, Megan A. Turnidge, Daniel H. Wai, David W. Lee, Apruvi Patel, Vijay Gokhale, Laurence J. Hurley, David O. Azorsa. Activity of G-quadruplex stabilizing small molecule that downregulates MYC and synergizes with Navitoclax in acute myeloid leukemia cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2967.
Principles of Complete Mesocolic Excision for Colon Cancer

Since the initial description by Heald of total mesorectal excision (TME), there has been a steady interest in the relationship between the quality of a rectal cancer resection and oncologic outcomes. The current point of controversy is the role for complete mesocolic excision (CME) in colon cancer surgery. To be able to understand the literature on this topic, we must first understand the meaning of the various definitions which have been proposed. We will then examine the impact of these techniques on survival after colon cancer surgery and the evolving role of minimally invasive surgery in these techniques.
Football: the philosophy behind the game: by Stephen Mumford, Cambridge, UK, Polity Press, 2019, 140 pp., $45.00 (Cloth), $12.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1-5095-3531-6; ISBN: 978-1-5095-3532-3

Readers of Stephen Mumford’s engaging new book about association football (or soccer, for North American readers) may be forgiven some initial confusion.1 The volume’s subtitle – The Philosophy Beh...
Inflammasome Is Activated in the Liver of Cholestatic Patients and Aggravates Hepatic Injury in Bile Duct-Ligated Mouse.

Background & Aims Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cholestatic liver injury, but it is unclear whether the inflammasome is involved and is the objective of this study. Methods Gene expression was analyzed in the livers of patients with primary biliary cholangitis (n = 15) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (n = 15). Bile duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation was performed in wild-type (WT) and Caspase-1–/– (Casp1–/–) mice for 7 days. Mouse hepatocytes and macrophages were treated with bile acids. Results Caspase-1, NLRP1, NLRP3 and IL-1β were significantly increased in the livers of cholestatic patients when compared to healthy control subjects (n = 9). Significantly higher levels of plasma IL-1β (826 vs 345 pg/ml), ALT (674 vs 482 U/L) and ALP (900 vs 622 U/L) were seen in WT BDL mice compared to Casp1–/– BDL mice. Caspase-1 cleavage was found only in WT BDL livers. Assessment of liver histology indicated more fibrosis in Casp1–/– BDL mice than in WT BDL mice, confirmed by analyses of liver hydroxyproline content and the expression of fibrotic genes. Profiling of immune cells revealed that there were more macrophages in Casp1–/– BDL livers than in WT BDL livers. Further macrophage phenotype characterization indicated that Casp1–/– BDL livers had more M2 anti-inflammatory macrophages evidenced by more CD206 positive cells and higher expression of IL-4, CD163, Fizz1 and IL-33. When mouse hepatocytes and peritoneal macrophages were exposed to cholestatic levels of major endogenous bile acids (300μM TCA), neither IL-1β induction nor procaspase-1 cleavage were detected. Conclusions The inflammasome exacerbates cholestatic liver injury, but bile acids do not directly activate the inflammasome.
A Strong Teacher Identity May Buffer Woman-Scientist Identity Interference: Preliminary Evidence from a Teaching-Intensive University

Previous research has shown that women in STEM often feel a tension between their woman and scientist identities. However, this has not been examined at teaching-intensive institutions, where women in STEM in the United States are more likely to be employed (compared to research-intensive institutions), and where faculty members’ identities as teachers may be especially salient. Because aspects of the teacher identity and woman identity overlap, and because STEM faculty must integrate their scientist identity and teacher identity when teaching STEM classes, women faculty in STEM at teaching-intensive universities may be able to resolve their woman-scientist identity interference through teaching. In an online survey, women faculty in STEM and social sciences at a teaching-intensive institution in the northeastern United States (N = 44) reported their identity centrality for teacher, woman, and scientist identities, as well as their woman-scientist identity interference and experiences of workplace flexibility. Analyses revealed that those who had a strong teacher identity had a positive correlation between their woman and scientist identities, whereas those with a weak teacher identity had a negative correlation between their woman and scientist identities. Furthermore, for women in STEM (but not social sciences), a strong teacher identity was associated with lower woman-scientist identity interference. Finally, greater workplace flexibility was associated with lower woman-scientist identity interference. Though not yet generalizable, these findings raise questions about the stature of teaching in academia and its relationship to the underrepresentation of women in STEM.
Machine learning approaches to predict the micromechanical properties of cementitious hydration phases from microstructural chemical maps

Abstract This paper demonstrates the use of normalized intensities of chemical species obtained from energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) as inputs to machine learning (ML) models, in order to predict the nanoindentation moduli (M) of different phases in a cementitious matrix. Single and multi-component blends belonging to conventional and ultra-high performance (UHP) pastes are evaluated using a variety of ML models. It is shown that the relative intensities of Ca, Si, and Al can be used to accurately predict the phase moduli in well-hydrated pastes with limited microstructural complexities, using all the ML models investigated. When data sets belonging to multiple binders or those for UHP pastes consisting of multiple materials and low degrees of reaction are considered, the accuracy of ML predictions are found to be significantly lower. This is partly attributable to the presence of mixed phases with widely differing chemistry-property relationships, and the lack of data for higher stiffness phases that exaggerate the skew-sensitivity of ML models like ANN. Potential data augmentation strategies to tide over some of these effects are suggested.
Risk assessment for distant metastasis in differentiated thyroid cancer using molecular profiling: A matched case-control study

BACKGROUND Risk stratification for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is based primarily on pathologic tumor characteristics. Accurate preoperative prognostication could allow for more informed initial surgical recommendations, particularly among patients at a higher risk for distant metastasis (DM). The objective of this study was to characterize the genetic profile of DTC with DM and to validate a molecular-based risk stratification. METHODS A case-control study design was used to analyze patients who had DTC with DM (n = 62) and a propensity matched cohort of patients who had DTC without DM after at least 5 years of follow-up using the ThyroSeq version 3 targeted next-generation sequencing assay. The results were classified into high-risk, intermediate-risk, and low-risk of aggressive disease. RESULTS Most patients who had DTC with DM (66%) had a late-hit mutation in TERT, TP53, or PIK3CA. After propensity matching by age, tumor size, and sex, the high-risk molecular profile had strong association with DM (high-risk vs intermediate-risk: odds ratio, 25.1; 95% CI, 3.07-204.4; P < .001; high-risk vs low-risk: odds ratio, 122.5; 95% CI, 14.5-1038.4; P < .001). Overall, molecular risk categories were associated with DM risk, with a concordance index of 0.836 (95% CI, 0.759-0.913), which remained consistent after internal validation. Within the range of 5% to 10% of DM observed in DTC, the expected probability of DM would be 0.2% to 0.4% for the low-risk molecular profile, 4.7% to 9.4% for the intermediate-risk molecular profile, and 19.3% to 33.5% for the high-risk molecular profile. CONCLUSIONS In this matched case-control study, genetic profiling using an available molecular assay provided accurate and robust risk stratification for DM in patients with DTC. The availability of preoperative prognostication may allow tailoring treatment for patients with DTC.
Truth and Communication in Ethics Consultation.

In “Deception and the Clinical Ethicist,” Christopher Meyers defends that view that deception practiced by clinical ethicists is legitimate if it satisfies a series of justifying conditions (Meyers...
The fine print: process and permissions for behavioral research

Abstract This activity will introduce you to the process of getting permission for the conduct of research. You will complete either an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) proposal for an experimental study or a zoo research proposal for an observational study.
Austenite Grain Growth and Precipitate Evolution in a Carburizing Steel with Combined Niobium and Molybdenum Additions

Austenite grain growth and microalloy precipitate size and composition evolution during thermal processing were investigated in a carburizing steel containing various additions of niobium and molybdenum. Molybdenum delayed the onset of abnormal austenite grain growth and reduced the coarsening of niobium-rich precipitates during isothermal soaking at 1323 K, 1373 K, and 1423 K (1050 °C, 1100 °C, and 1150 °C). Possible mechanisms for the retardation of niobium-rich precipitate coarsening in austenite due to molybdenum are considered. The amount of Nb in solution and in precipitates at 1373 K (1100 °C) did not vary over the holding times evaluated. In contrast, the amount of molybdenum in (Nb,Mo)C precipitates decreased with time, due to rejection of Mo into austenite and/or dissolution of fine Mo-rich precipitates. In hot-rolled alloys, soaking in the austenite regime resulted in coarsening of the niobium-rich precipitates at a rate that exceeded that predicted by the Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner relation for volume-diffusion-controlled coarsening. This behavior is attributed to an initial bimodal precipitate size distribution in hot-rolled alloys that results in accelerated coarsening rates during soaking. Modification of the initial precipitate size distribution by thermal processing significantly lowered precipitate coarsening rates during soaking and delayed the associated onset of abnormal austenite grain growth.
Upper Echelons Theory

Upper Echelons Theory states that top management team (TMT) members' characteristics, including past experiences, values, and personalities, affect how they make strategic and organizational decisions. Keywords: Upper Echelons Theory
A longitudinal analysis of reparative probation and recidivism

Longitudinal data on 9078 probationers were used to assess the impact of Vermont’s reparative probation program on criminal recidivism. A quasi-experimental design was employed to compare five-year reconviction rates of 6682 standard and 2396 reparative probationers sentenced during the years 1998, 1999, and 2000. Propensity score methods were used to address selection bias and to generate two equivalent groups of probationers for comparison. Results from a Cox regression model indicated that over the five-year period following the imposition of the original probationary sentence, reparative probationers evidenced a significantly lower risk of reconviction than standard probationers. This disparity in recidivism was maintained when holding constant probationer’s prior record, type of offense, age, and gender. Implications for policy are discussed.
Nuclear magnetic resonance studies on pyridine dinucleotides. Carbon-13 assignments and structure determination of NADHX and the primary acid product of NADH.

Abstract The 13 C spectra of β-NADH, NADHX, and the primary acid product of NADH were obtained and assigned. The conversion of the NADHX isomers to the two isomers of NADH acid product is demonstrated through the use of 13 C-enriched compounds. The structure of NADHX is assigned as β-6-hydroxy-1,4,5,6-tetrahydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and the structures of the primary acid products of NADH are assigned as α- O 2′ -6B-cyclotetrahydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and α- O 2′ -6A-cyclotetrahydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The structures of NADHX and the major isomer of the primary acid product, derived from studies of model compounds, are consistent with those proposed by Oppenheimer and Kaplan [ Biochemistry (1974) 13 , 4675, 4685] . However, the spectra of 13 C-enriched primary acid product also demonstrated the existence of the A isomer which was not observed in the latter 1 H study. The A and B isomers were found to exist in the same ratio even when the primary acid product was formed directly from NADHX. This observation is discussed in terms of the previously proposed mechanism for the acid decomposition of NADH.
A novel application specific emission tomograph (ASET) for breast imaging

A novel, dedicated and compact single photon ASET dedicated to pendant-breast nuclear medicine-based lesion imaging is developed. The prototype ASET system utilizes a compact gamma camera mounted on a support with variable radius-of-rotation, which is coupled to a polar goniometric cradle, all on an azimuthal vertical axis-of-rotation stage. The combination of radial, polar and azimuthal motions can achieve nearly any contiguous 3D acquisition orbit on an inverted hemispherical domain of the pendant breast reference frame. Tomographic resolution and volume sampling considerations were evaluated with cold rod and disk phantoms imaged with simple orbits, with the projection data reconstructed using an OSEM algorithm which accounts for the arbitrary Euler angles of the camera's vantage. With parallel-beam collimation, the 3.1 mm cold rods were visualized with the smallest radius-of-rotation; increasing polar tilt angle demonstrated insufficient sampling of the Orlov volume for the highly symmetric cold disk phantom, but can be ameliorated by the complex 3D orbits possible with the system. An uncompressed breast phantom containing Tc-99m and 0.6 and 1.0 cm diameter hot lesions was affixed to an anthropomorphic torso phantom with total activity concentration ratios for lesions: breast+body: cardiac+liver of 11:1:19. Despite insufficient sampling with simple orbits about the volume, as well as torso background contamination, the hot lesions were easily visualized on the uniform breast background, yielding signal-to-noise ratios and contrasts which were >9 times higher than for planar data; scatter correction further increased the SNR and contrast improvements. This new, compact, dedicated ASET imaging system has the potential of providing valuable, fully 3D, functional imaging information about small (<1 cm), otherwise indeterminate breast lesions as an adjunct to diagnostic mammography.
The importance of monetary shocks: Evidence from pre-Federal Reserve data

Abstract Monetary innovations explain more of output fluctuations than interest rates do in a variance decomposition using pre-Federal Reserve data. This is consistent with McCallum's (Economics Letters, 1983, 13, 167) conjecture that the relative importance of interest rates in postwar data results from the Federal Reserve targeting interest rates.
Building the Case for Culturally Responsive Teaching in Physical Education: Using High School Studentsâ€™ Perceptions Toward Multiethnic Groups

Recent census data indicates student populations are changing drastically. It is essential to inform educators on the benefits of culturally responsive teaching with their students. Educators must be open to learning about their students and modifying their teaching to increase students academic success. Physical education offers a unique environment for students to be engaged with each other in a variety of learning opportunities. This study investigated high school students' perceptions toward multiethnic groups using a modified Multicultural Sensitivity Scale. Participants included 140 high school male and female students ages 14-18 years. Students voluntarily completed the 27-item 5-point Likert type questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were computed to determine differences in responses. Results indicated some students are open to learning about other cultures which is the first step in reducing prejudices and stereotypes. For educators, culturally responsive teaching provides opportunity to raise awareness and breakdown racial barriers within their school.
Requirement of Polyamines for Bacterial Division

Synchronous cell division in an arginine auxotroph and a histidine auxotroph of Escherichia coli was obtained after starving for the required amino acid for 1 hr. However, cell division was not synchronized after starvation for 1 hr in another arginine auxotroph. This difference is proposed to depend on differences in the concentrations of polyamines in the cells. During amino acid starvation the ratio of putrescine concentration to spermidine concentration decreased in all strains, but it recovered afterward more rapidly in the third strain than in the other two. The cells divided when the ratio returned to normal in the Arg(-) mutants. Added putrescine permitted some of the cells of the first two mutants to divide sooner after amino acid starvation and thus eliminated synchrony. Spermidine added alone had no effect, but, when it was added together with putrescine, it restored synchronous division. Synchrony was established in the third mutant by adding spermidine after arginine starvation. Thus, both the variations in polyamine content and the effects of added polyamines suggest that the polyamines are essential in permitting cell division. We suggest that the molar ratio of putrescine to spermidine can be a critical factor for cell division. This effect of polyamines seems to be specific for cell division. Amino acid starvation does not induce delays in subsequent mass increase or deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis. Possible mechanisms of polyamine action are discussed.
Manganese homeostasis and utilization in pathogenic bacteria

Manganese (Mn) is a required cofactor for all forms of life. Given the importance of Mn to bacteria, the host has devised strategies to sequester Mn from invaders. In the macrophage phagosome, NRAMP1 removes Mn and other essential metals to starve intracellular pathogens; in the extracellular space, calprotectin chelates Mn and Zn. Calprotectin-mediated Mn sequestration is a newly appreciated host defense mechanism, and recent findings are highlighted herein. In order to acquire Mn when extracellular concentrations are low, bacteria have evolved efficient Mn acquisition systems that are under elegant transcriptional control. To counteract Mn overload, some bacteria possess Mn-specific export systems that are important in vivo, presumably for control of intracellular Mn levels. Mn transporters, their transcriptional regulators and some Mn-requiring enzymes are necessary for virulence of certain bacterial pathogens, as revealed by animal models of infection. Furthermore, Mn is an important facet of the cellular response to oxidative stress, a host antibacterial strategy. The battle for Mn between host and pathogen is now appreciated to be a major determinant of the outcome of infection. In this MicroReview, the contribution of Mn to the host-pathogen interaction is reviewed, and key questions are proposed for future study.
T‐ and L‐Type Voltage‐Gated Calcium Channels: Their Role in Diabetic Bladder Dysfunction

Aims We investigated the mechanisms of diabetic bladder dysfunction (BD) through analysis of the roles of L- and T-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), with the ultimate goal of identifying potential drug targets for diabetic BD. Methods Bladder function of db/db (type 2 diabetes) and wild type (Wt) mice was evaluated by behavioral tests and in vivo cystometry. Contractile responses of bladder strips to carbachol were measured with or without pre-treatment with nifedipine (a L-type VGCC blocker) or mibefradil (a T-type VGCC blocker). Furthermore, the effects of mibefradil and nifedipine on the proliferation of human bladder smooth muscle cells (BSMCs) were studied. Results db/db mice had significantly increased voiding frequency, bladder weight, bladder compliance and capacity, and heightened contractile response to carbachol, compared to Wt mice. Nifedipine, but not mibefradil, dramatically suppressed bladder tissue contraction in Wt mice. Whereas nifedipine nearly completely inhibited bladder contraction in db/db mice, mibefradil “normalized” the heightened bladder contractility of db/db mice to the level of Wt mice. In culture, mibefradil, but not nifedipine, inhibited the proliferation of human BSMCs. Conclusion Our results indicate that while L-type VGCCs play a major role in the contraction of both diabetic and non-diabetic bladders, T-type VGCCs are involved in the contraction of diabetic bladders and mediate BSMC proliferation. This study provides support for further investigations on the effect of blockade of T-type VGCC or combined blockade of both types of VGCCs in the treatment of diabetic BD. Neurourol. Urodynam. 33:147–152, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Saving statistical lives: contributions of statistics to public health.

Prevention is about saving "statistical lives"-lives that society knows about only through the efforts of public health statisticians like Jack Smith. As Mr. Smith's lifework suggests, statistics in public health are critical for calling attention to problems, identifying risk factors, and suggesting solutions, and ultimately for taking credit for our successes. His work illustrates two important lessons about public health statistics today.First, it's important to get the facts straight. Mr. Smith's experience shows that a careful, thoughtful analysis is not only more convincing in the end, but also brings to light important subtleties not seen in the initial analysis. Second, it takes considerable time and attention to get the facts straight. Jack Smith's work illustrates the importance of partnerships with other federal agencies, state statistical organizations, and private-sector entities.
The silence of the doctors fifty years after nuremberg

When Seiss-Inquart, Reich Commissar for the Occupied Netherlands Territories, wanted to draw the Dutch physicians into the orbit of activities of the German medical profession, he did not tell them ‘you must send your chronic patients to death factories’ or ‘you must give lethal injections at government request in your offices,’ but he couched his order in most careful and superficially acceptable terms… ‘It is the duty of the doctor, through advice and effort, conscientiously and to his best ability, to assist as helper the person entrusted to his care in the maintenance, improvement and re-establishment of his vitality, physical efficiency and health. The accomplishment of this duty is a public task.’
Grünbaum's ‘defense’ of the symmetry thesis

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that Grunbaum's purported defense of Hempel's thesis of the symmetry of explanation and prediction is fundamentally inadequate by virtue of the fact that Grunbaum adopts an extended and revised version of the thesis pertaining to scientific understanding in general in lieu of the original and restricted version advanced by Hempel pertaining to scientific explanation in particular. When Hempel's thesis rather than Grunbaum's revision is recognized as the relevant object of criticism, it becomes clear that Grunbaum has not demonstrated that Hempel ab omni naevo vindicates. Indeed, when correctly understood, it becomes clear that Bromberger's criticisms, especially, support the sound conclusion that the relationship between explanations and predictions is sometimes symmetrical yet sometimes asymmetrical, i.e., the relationship that obtains is non-symmetrical.
Sample size in clinical outcome research: The case of behavioral weight control*

This paper develops the thesis that the sample sizes which are commonly used in clinical outcome research are not sufficient to detect meaningful differences between treatments. Behavioral weight control is used to exemplify this problem. The sample sizes needed to statistically detect a difference between treatment conditions of 5, 10, and 15 pounds have been computed based on the attrition and the variability of treatment effects reported in the literature. It is demonstrated that sample sizes used in behavioral weight control studies are usually too small to detect any but the largest differences between conditions. With usual sample sizes, a 10-pound difference between conditions at the end of treatment and a 15-pound difference at follow-up (effect size of 1.2–1.3) would be required to assure statistical significance. Recommendations are made for (a) greater attention to sample size calculation in study design, (b) attempts to reduce between-subject variability, and (c) consideration of relaxing standard criteria for statistical significance in exploratory studies.
Gabbroic rocks from the Mathematician Ridge failed rift

Plutonic rocks from the ocean crust provide direct evidence on the petrological processes leading to its formation and evolution. The nature of such rocks is important for interpreting the origin of on-land ophiolites. So far, oceanic plutonic rocks have been mainly recovered from slow-spreading ridges and their associated fractures1–13 and from trenches14,15. Here we report the results of petrological studies of a suite of gabbros and related plutonic and volcanic rocks dredged from the Mathematician Ridge (MR), which was a fast-spreading ridge (43 mm yr−1) until it was abandoned ∼3.5 Myr ago16. Textures and mineral chemistry of the rocks together with structural considerations indicate that before abandonment the MR produced fractionated mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) and fractionated gabbros. The gradual decrease of spreading rate during abandonment resulted in morphological change, eruption of more primitive MORB and possibly tectonic emplacement of the older ferrogabbros. Alternatively, the latter could have been tectonically emplaced after abandonment.
Psychological differentiation, arousal, and lipreading efficiency in hearing-impaired and normal children

Psychological differentiation, psychophysiological arousal, hearing capacity, and ability to lipread unrelated sentences presented in a silent technicolor film were investigated in 62 children (mean age 10 years, 4 months), classified into three hearing categories (normal, mild to moderate hearing loss, severe hearing loss) based on their average hearing threshold in the range of speech frequencies for their best ear. All subjects were administered the Rod and Frame Test, Craig Lipreading Inventory, and skin conductance measures under two conditions (pre-task and task). The results showed that the ability to lipread sentences from a film was related significantly to psychological differentiation (cognitive style) and pre-task conductance level, but was not related to hearing capacity or task conductance level. The best predictors of lipreading ability were successful performance on the Rod and Frame Test and high increases in skin conductance from pre-task to task situation.
Effects of phenylalanine and related compounds on serum alkaline phosphatase assay

Abstract Human sera were assayed for alkaline phosphatase with and without the addition of l - or d -phenylalanine, p-chlorophenylalanine, chloramphenicol, or l - phenylalanine mustard using a phenolphthalein monophosphate substrate. Significant inhibition of phosphatase activity was observed at all concentrations of l - and d -phenylalanine. Enzyme activity was not decreased by l -phenylalanine, p-chlorophenylalanine, or chloramphenicol at therapeutic concentrations, but was decreased at higher concentrations (0.01 M) of p-chlorophenylalanine. Levo stereoisomerism and p-chloro substitution on the benzene ring of phenylalanine were associated with increased inhibition of phosphatase. Serum alkaline phosphatase from patients with liver disease (heat-stable enzyme and clinical parameters) and enzyme from patients with skeletal disease (heat- labile enzyme) were inactivated to similar degrees by the compounds tested. The degree of inactivation was greater than expected if only the intestinal isoenzyme were inhibited. Phenylketonuric patients may show artifactually low alkaline phosphatase activity if measured by this method.
Δ9-Tetrahydroeannabinol enhances presynaptic dopamine efflux In medial prefrontal cortex

Abstract Acute administration of 1.0–2.0 mg/kg Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinoI Δ 9 -THC) increased presynaptic dopamine (DA) efflux in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats, as measured by intracerebral microdialysis in awake, behaving rats. These data are congruent with suggestions that (1) marijuana's euphorigenic effects and abuse potential may be related to augmentation of presynaptic DA mechanisms, and (2) the medial prefrontal cortex may be an important site of action for drugs of abuse in general and for Δ 9 -THC in particular.
Picosecond Raman Spectroscopy: A Two Dye Laser Synchronously Pumped Raman System

Raman spectroscopy is a mature field of science that does not need introduction nor rationalization for its use. The majority of the Raman spectroscopy literature is concerned with C.W. high resolution spectroscopy. The Raman Scattering instruments utilize almost exclusively laser light sources, and lately nanosecond and picosecond data on time resolved spectra have made their entrance into the scientific journals. The difficulty in most of these resonance Raman experiments is that they do not provide any more time dependent information than fluorescence. This is due to the limitation that a single laser, quite often, a dye laser and its second harmonic are the only two frequencies available for excitation and resonance probe of the excited state. In this scenario, a Raman Scattering signal is emitted and detected only during the lifetime of the excited state. As the excited state decays to either the ground state or other transient species which absorb at a different wavelength, the resonance with the probe wavelength disappears at the same rate as the population of the excited state decays. This rate of depopulation is also portrayed in an identical fashion. These systems are therefore drastically limited in their use as means for the measurement of the evolution of a chemical intermediate. An additional interesting aspect is that of the understanding of the process itself which is being studied, namely the majority of the research papers presented do not address the possibility of the data depicting stimulated emission gain rather than Raman Scattering.