cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tissue engineering of skin and regenerative medicine for wound care

Engineering of biologic skin substitutes has progressed over time from individual applications of skin cells, or biopolymer scaffolds, to combinations of cells and scaffolds for treatment, healing, and closure of acute and chronic skin wounds. Skin substitutes may be categorized into three groups: acellular scaffolds, temporary substitutes containing allogeneic skin cells, and permanent substitutes containing autologous skin cells. Combined use of acellular dermal substitutes with permanent skin substitutes containing autologous cells has been shown to provide definitive wound closure in burns involving greater than 90% of the total body surface area. These advances have contributed to reduced morbidity and mortality from both acute and chronic wounds but, to date, have failed to replace all of the structures and functions of the skin. Among the remaining deficiencies in cellular or biologic skin substitutes are hypopigmentation, absence of stable vascular and lymphatic networks, absence of hair follicles, sebaceous and sweat glands, and incomplete innervation. Correction of these deficiencies depends on regulation of biologic pathways of embryonic and fetal development to restore the full anatomy and physiology of uninjured skin. Elucidation and integration of developmental biology into future models of biologic skin substitutes promises to restore complete anatomy and physiology, and further reduce morbidity from skin wounds and scar. This article offers a review of recent advances in skin cell thrapies and discusses the future prospects in cutaneous regeneration.
Ejaculatory Preserving Middle Lobe Onl-Transurethral Resection and Vaporization of the Prostate: 12-Year Experience

Abstract OBJECTIVES To report long-term safety and efficacy data on middle lobe only TURP (MLO – TURP). MATERIALS AND METHODS We evaluated: 1) efficacy: International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life (QoL), peak flow rate (Qmax), post-void residual urine (PVR), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and ejaculatory function, which was assessed by the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ). Men were evaluated at 1 month, 6 months, and yearly thereafter. RESULTS A total 312 men (mean age 61.3 +/- 8.6) with significant LUTS (n = 147) or urinary retention (n = 175 were treated with MLO – TURP from 2005 to 2017. Mean baseline prostate volume was 79.8 grams (30-178 grams); mean baseline IPP was 13.6. Improvements in IPSS, QoL, Qmax and PVR were durable throughout the study period. There was no difference in outcomes between monopolar and bipolar MLO–TURPs. Postoperatively, the incidence of EjD was 2.6% (N = 8) and there was 1 case of new onset ED (0.3%). There were modest improvement in bother due to ejaculatory function (baseline: 2.4 and at 5 years: 1.27). CONCLUSIONS MLO–TURP is a safe and effective treatment for men with LUTS. Patients experience long-term improvement of symptoms and preserve antegrade ejaculation. In select men with prominent middle lobes, MLO–TURP should be considered a therapeutic, ejaculation-sparing option.
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis presenting with facial nerve paralysis and strawberry gingivitis in a child

Abstract Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA), formally termed Wegener's Granulomatosis, is characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation affecting the upper and lower respiratory tract and the kidneys. We report a case of a 10-year-old female who presented with a complete right facial paralysis preceded by a 6-week history of intermittent fever, headaches, and a right-sided otorrhea. She was admitted for urgent placement of bilateral tympanostomy tubes and intravenous antibiotics. Despite maximal medical management, she had recurrent fever and was noted to have intermittent epistaxis and gum bleeding with erythematous gingival lesions resembling strawberries in appearance. Gingival biopsy combined with other clinical features confirmed the diagnosis of GPA. Strawberry gingivitis, a reddish-purple exophytic gingival swelling, is a rare presenting feature of GPA; however, when present, it is almost pathognomonic. Early recognition of this clinical feature is critical in establishing a timely diagnosis.
Polyglutamine binding protein 1 (PQBP1) inhibits innate immune responses to cytosolic DNA.

Abstract Recent studies have highlighted the importance of immune sensing of cytosolic DNA of both pathogen and host origin. We aimed to examine the role of DNA sensors interferon-γ-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) and cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) in responding to cytosolic DNA. We show IFI16 and cGAS can synergistically induce IFNb transcriptional activity in response to cytoplasmic DNA. We also examined the role of polyglutamine binding protein 1 (PQBP1), a protein predominantly expressed in lymphoid and myeloid cells that has been shown to lead to type I interferon production in response to retroviral infection. We show PQBP1 associates with cGAS and IFI16 in THP-1 cells. Unexpectedly, knockout of PQBP1 in THP-1 cells causes significantly increased type I IFN production in response to transfected cytosolic nucleic acids or DNA damage, unlike what is seen in response to retroviral infection. Overexpression of PQBP1 in HEK293 T cells impairs IFI16/cGAS-induced IFNb transcriptional activity. In human cancer patients, low expression of PQBP1 is correlated with improved survival, the opposite correlation of that seen with cGAS or IFI16 expression. Our findings suggest that PQBP1 inhibits IFI16/cGAS-induced signaling in response to cytosolic DNA, in contrast to the role of this protein in response to retroviral infection.
Israeli Water Use Patterns: Resource Conservation and Transboundary Security

This chapter proposes that a successfully implemented water conservation management policy can play a role in Israel’s ability to increase physical, human and environmental transboundary security. Fresh water reliability is critical to the security of any country, especially those which are arid and semi-arid in nature. In such regions annual rainfall is predictably unreliable and droughts are the norm. Thus, when water resources become additionally scarce due to compounding societal pressures, they may become a point of tension between riparian neighbors who find themselves in competition for increasingly scarce resources. Israel is tied by treaty, hydrology, and infrastructure to the water use of its riparian neighbors - Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and the Palestinians - and has some minor hydro-political ties to Egypt as well. As such, any analysis of Israel’s water policy must consider domestic and transboundary security concerns.
Qualification of source test methods as reference methods

Air pollution measurements require test methods that have a demonstrated capability to yield reliable data when the procedures are carried out by people with different backgrounds and experience. Collaborative testing canprovide "real world" situations in which the performance of test methods can be evaluated and useful measures of the accuracy and precision of data obtained by a given method can be obtained. For methods designed to measure emissions from stationary sources, this form of round robin approach requires that the samples be collected on-site and simultaneously by the various teams involved. Laboratory analyses of the samples can then be performed on an individual basis. Statistical analysis of the collaborative test data from properly designed experiments should yield estimates of within-laboratory and between-laboratory precision and accuracy of the method under test. It should also be possible in some cases to separate the overall accuracy and precision into the individual components due to sampling techniques and laboratory analytical procedures. This discussion is concerned with measurement methods for gaseous emissions from stationary sources. The circumstances and data cited are based on experience with the American Society for Testing and Materials Project Threshold test program. Collaborative testing of methods for sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides is discussed specifically; however, the considerations involved with the experimental design, conduct of the testing, and data analysis are applicable to testing of other methods. Collaborative sampling was performed at both an oil- and coal-fired power station, a foundry, a cement plant, and using a pilot-plant furnace unit with gas and oil firing. Samples which were spiked with known amounts of the pollutant gases were included at the pilot plant site to provide a measure of the accuracy of the methods. Sampling for sulfur oxides was accomplished by a continuous method in which the sulfur trioxide was condensed from the gas stream and the sulfur dioxide was absorbed and reacted with a hydrogen peroxide solution. Both sulfur oxides were then determined by the barium chloranilate method. The nitrogen oxides were samples by a "grab" technique in which an evacuated bulb was used to collect the gas sample. The nitrogen oxides were reacted with acidified hydrogen peroxide in the bulb, and then determined by the phenol disulfonic acid method. Statistical analysis of the collaborative test data provides equations which express the accuracy and precision of the methods as functions of the gas concentration. Accuracy and precision of the analytical procedures also were measured from analyses of standard reference materials by the participating laboratories.
Leadership in implementation of quality family-centred services in early childhood: an exploration of administrators’ perceptions, needs and realities

The term family-centred practices refer to a particular set of beliefs, principles, values, and practices for supporting and strengthening family capacity to enhance and promote child development a...
On the impact of uncertain gene tree rooting on duplication-transfer-loss reconciliation

Duplication-Transfer-Loss (DTL) reconciliation is a powerful and increasingly popular technique for studying the evolution of microbial gene families. DTL reconciliation requires the use of rooted gene trees to perform the reconciliation with the species tree, and the standard technique for rooting gene trees is to assign a root that results in the minimum reconciliation cost across all rootings of that gene tree. However, even though it is well understood that many gene trees have multiple optimal roots, only a single optimal root is randomly chosen to create the rooted gene tree and perform the reconciliation. This remains an important overlooked and unaddressed problem in DTL reconciliation, leading to incorrect evolutionary inferences. In this work, we perform an in-depth analysis of the impact of uncertain gene tree rooting on the computed DTL reconciliation and provide the first computational tools to quantify and negate the impact of gene tree rooting uncertainty on DTL reconciliation. Our analysis of a large data set of over 4500 gene families from 100 species shows that a large fraction of gene trees have multiple optimal rootings, that these multiple roots often, but not always, appear closely clustered together in the same region of the gene tree, that many aspects of the reconciliation remain conserved across the multiple rootings, that gene tree error has a profound impact on the prevalence and structure of multiple optimal rootings, and that there are specific interesting patterns in the reconciliation of those gene trees that have multiple optimal roots. Our results show that unrooted gene trees can be meaningfully reconciled and high-quality evolutionary information can be obtained from them even after accounting for multiple optimal rootings. In addition, the techniques and tools introduced in this paper make it possible to systematically avoid incorrect evolutionary inferences caused by incorrect or uncertain gene tree rooting. These tools have been implemented in the phylogenetic reconciliation software package RANGER-DTL 2.0, freely available from http://compbio.engr.uconn.edu/software/RANGER-DTL/ .
The Effects of Group Size and Time on the Formation of Online Communities: Evidence From Reddit:

These studies examine the influence of group size and the passage of time on two characteristics of online communities: dispersion of participation in group discussions and active member turnover f...
Hippocampal Activity Dynamics During Contextual Reward Association in Virtual Reality Place Conditioning

ABSTRACT Exposure to environmental contexts associated with drug use can induce cravings that promote continued use and/or relapse. Opioid abuse is marked by high relapse rates, suggesting that contextual memories formed during opioid use may be particularly strong. While it is known that reward-seeking behavior is controlled by the mesolimbic reward circuit, little is understood about how contextual memories are altered by drug use. The dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) is necessary for multiple types of contextual learning and the place-specific activity of CA1 place cells map out space in a given environment. Here we examined the neuronal representation of context as animals developed morphine-paired environmental associations using a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. To investigate changes in the hippocampal encoding before, during, and after drug-pairing, we developed a virtual reality (VR) morphine CPP (Mor-CPP) paradigm and used in vivo two-photon calcium imaging to record the activity of CA1 pyramidal neurons. We found increased activity in rewarded contexts following real-time operant conditioning with water rewards, but not after Mor-CPP training, suggesting different neural encoding mechanisms for natural reinforcers and morphine.
Abstract 2129: CPTAC: Biospecimen accrual for proteogenomics

The Clinical Proteomics Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) is a National Cancer Institute initiative that seeks to uncover the molecular basis of cancer using a proteogenomic approach to study prospective cancer specimens from treatment naive patients. Leidos Biomed provides an infrastructure for supporting the collection of high quality biospecimens specific to proteogenomics and the corresponding clinical data, in addition to project and subcontract management for the program. The proportion of biospecimens so far from racial and ethnic minority patients are underrepresented, which preclude equitable research across all patient groups for cancer treatment. CPTAC program seeks diversity in the accrual cohort and an effort is ongoing to encourage the participation of tissue source sites serving racial and ethnic minorities that can contribute high quality biospecimens towards the collection. CPTAC applies the understanding of the molecular basis of cancer to identify biomarker candidates. CPTAC Phase II completed in 2016, collecting over 350 cases from breast, colon and ovarian patients. CPTAC Phase III that is in progress began to collect and analyze 200 cases from each of ten additional cancers. Analysis is close to completion for uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma, kidney clear cell renal cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma while accruals are ongoing for 7 other cancer types. The study entails collection and pathology evaluation of biospecimens, high-quality clinical data and images from clinical sites from around the world. A biorepository evaluates and processes the biospecimens, sending nucleic acids to a sequencing center and tissues to proteomics groups. Data are combined and analyzed by analysis and translational centers. Genomic data are made available to the research community through the NCI Genomic Data Commons(GDC). Proteomic data are made available through CPTAC’s Data Coordinating Center(DCC). Imaging data are made available through The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA). The program is expanding and initiating biospecimen collection for proteogenomic analysis of ten additional rare tumor types. Citation Format: Mathangi Thiagarajan. CPTAC: Biospecimen accrual for proteogenomics [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 2129.
Cardiogenic Shock in Patients with Myocardial Infarction

This review article contains presentation of modern diagnostic criteria and prognostic scales for cardiogenic shock in patients with myocardial infarction as well as analysis of current clinical guidelines. Main results of clinical trials underlying recommendations of these guidelines are discussed. The article focuses on controversial and unfounded recommendations and issues requiring further research.
Experienced Buyers, Long-Term Fee Contracts, and the Value of Property Transactions in the Hotel Industry:

Hotel property sales have often been bundled with contracts, such as franchise agreements and management contracts. In these transactions, the seller/operator and the buyer/owner essentially entere...
Frontogenesis at Estuarine Junctions

Observations of Newark Bay, a sub-estuary network characterized by multiple junctions, reveal that fronts are generated by tidal flow through transitions in channel geometry. All fronts substantially contribute to along-channel estuarine heterogeneity, and most are associated with both changes in channel geometry and tidal velocity phase-shifts. A lift-off front forms at the mouth of the sub-estuary during ebb tide in response to the abrupt seaward channel expansion. While forming, the front is enhanced by a tidal velocity phase-shift; flood tide persists in the main estuary until 90 min after the start of ebb tide in the sub-estuary. A second lift-off front forms during ebb tide at a channel–side-channel junction and is enhanced by a lateral baroclinic circulation induced by baroclinic and barotropic tidal velocity phase-shifts between the main channel and side channel. The lateral circulation also bifurcates the along-channel ebb flow at the surface, generating a surface front above the lift-off front. At the head of Newark Bay, a second surface front forms during ebb tide at the confluence of two tributary estuaries. This confluence front is rotated across the mouth of the primary fresh water source by high velocities from the adjacent tributary estuary and is maintained through much of ebb tide by lateral straining and mixing. Although the overall stratification of Newark Bay would categorize it as a partially mixed estuary, the fronts divide the density structure of the sub-estuary into a series of nearly homogeneous segments—a characteristic that is more often associated with fjords.
Validation and standardization of a new radial-arm water maze protocol using a murine model of mild closed head traumatic brain injury

Cognitive impairments can be a significant problem after a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which affects millions worldwide each year. There is a need for establish reproducible cognitive assays in rodents to better understand disease mechanisms and to develop therapeutic interventions towards treating TBI-induced impairments. Our goal was to validate and standardize the radial arm water maze (RAWM) test as an assay to screen for cognitive impairments caused by TBI. RAWM is a visuo-spatial learning test, originally designed for use with rats, and later adapted for mice. The present study investigates whether test procedures, such us the presence of extra-maze cues influences learning and memory performance. C57BL/6 mice were tested in an 8-arm RAWM using a four-day protocol. We demonstrated that two days of training, exposing the mice to extra-maze cues and a visible platform, influenced learning and memory performance. Mice that did not receive training performed poorer compared to mice trained. To further validate our RAWM protocol, we used scopolamine.We, also, demonstrated that a single mild closed head injury (CHI) caused deficits in this task at two weeks post-CHI. Our data supported the use of 7 trials per day and a spaced training protocol as key factor to unmask memory impairment following CHI. Here, we provide a detailed standard operating procedure for RAWM test, which can be applied to a variety of mouse models including neurodegenerative diseases and pathology, as well as when pharmacological approaches are used.
Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings: An Introduction for State and Local Governments

Author(s): Schwartz, Lisa C; Leventis, Greg | Abstract: This report describes grid-interactive efficient buildings in the context of state and local government interests; highlights trends, challenges and opportunities for demand flexibility; provides an overview of valuation and performance assessments for demand flexibility; and outlines actions that state and local governments can take, in concert with utilities, regional grid operators, and building owners, to advance demand flexibility.
A study of chemical carcinogenesis. 57. Synthesis and mutagenicity of dihydrodiol metabolites of benzo[b]fluoranthene

On prepare les dihydro-1,2 dihydroxy-1,2benzo [b] fluoranthene et dihydro-11,12 dihydroxy-11,12 benzo [b] fluoranthene. L'activite mutagene vis-a-vis de Salmonella typhimurium T100 est moins grande que celle du benzo [b] fluoranthene
Effects of implantation of a deep brain stimulation device on patient weight in Parkinson's disease and essential tremor

OBJECTIVE Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established therapy for treating neurological movement disorders. Some patients who have received DBS therapy have noticed significant weight gain. Further investigation into correlations between patient characteristics and weight gain following DBS device implantation, which the authors here have done, will provide physicians with useful clinical information. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective study of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) who had received DBS therapy in the period from 2012 to 2017. Patient weights had been recorded preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. These data were used to compare patient characteristics, including diagnosis, body mass index (BMI), sex, levodopa equivalent dose (LED), and change in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score. For PD patients, a quantile multivariate regression analysis was used to examine whether significant correlations existed between several of these patient characteristics, as well as age and weight gain following implantation. RESULTS PD patients had gained a significant amount of weight at 3 months (mean [SE] 2.66 [0.428] kg, p < 0.001), 6 months (3.64 [0.492] kg, p < 0.001), and 12 months (4.18 [0.540] kg, p < 0.001) after DBS placement. Patients who had undergone subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS device placement gained, on average, more weight than the patients with globus pallidus internus (GPi) placement at both 6 months (mean 2.558 [1.020] kg, p = 0.01) and 12 months (2.358 [1.130] kg, p = 0.04). BMI in the STN cohort was greater than that in the GPi cohort at 6 months (mean difference [SE] 2.60 [1.127] kg/m2, p = 0.02) and at 12 months (2.36 [1.112] kg/m2, p = 0.04). A reduction in LED was negatively correlated with weight change at 6 months (r = -0.33, p < 0.001) and 12 months (r = -0.41, p < 0.001). There was no weight gain correlated with DBS therapy for ET. CONCLUSIONS PD patients experienced a significant change in weight over time after DBS therapy, whereas ET patients did not. PD patients with an STN target site experienced greater weight gain, on average, than those with a GPi target site. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in BMI at 6 and 12 months in patients with an STN target compared to that in patients with a GPi target. PD patients whose LED was reduced after DBS gained more weight at 6 and 12 months after surgery than the patients whose LED was kept at the same level or increased.
Dynamic cerebellar network organization across the human menstrual cycle

Abstract The cerebellum contains the vast majority of neurons in the brain and houses distinct functional networks that constitute at least two homotopic maps of the cerebrum. While the functional organization of the human cerebellum has been characterized, the influence of sex steroid hormones on intrinsic cerebellar network dynamics has yet to be established. Here, we investigated the extent to which endogenous fluctuations in estradiol and progesterone alter functional cerebellar networks at rest in a woman densely sampled over a complete menstrual cycle (30 consecutive days). Edgewise regression analysis revealed negative associations between sex hormones and cerebellar coherence, with progesterone showing more pronounced negative associations relative to estradiol. Graph theory metrics probed sex hormones’ influence on topological brain states, revealing relationships between sex hormones and intra- and inter-network integration in Ventral Attention, Dorsal Attention, and Somato-Motor Networks. Together, these results suggest that the intrinsic dynamics of the cerebellum are intimately tied to day-by-day changes in sex hormones.
Self Defense, an Unalienable Right in a Time of Peril: Protected and Preserved by the Second Amendment

For Americans frightened for their own and their family’s safety, the Covid-19 pandemic; lockdown in March 2020; release of convicted offenders; protests against the police morphing into weeks of violence and calls to defund them; and a presidential candidate promising to seize their guns has led to record-setting applications for firearms. This essay explores the constitutional background of the right to armed self-defense then tests the arguments against it: 1) it’s unnecessary, the police will protect you and 2) guns in your hands pose a danger to public safety. But can the police protect us and do they have a legal duty to do so? To answer the questions the success of restraining orders for vulnerable individuals and violent crime statistics during an era of increased public carry are examined. The essay concludes with the experience of England, where the very right to self-defense has been effectually removed.
Career planning courses increase career readiness of graduate and postdoctoral trainees

Background: Given national calls for intentional career development during graduate and post-graduate scientific training, this study assessed career readiness development within the context of academic career courses. The current study evaluated the effects of academic career courses offered at two institutions that were specifically designed to increase career awareness, interest, and career-related confidence among doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows. Methods: Participants enrolled in a career course at trainees' respective academic institutions and responded to pre- and post-course surveys (n=32, n=148). The paper offers a thematic analysis of each of the two courses using an individualized learning plan career development framework and describes the results of their respective pretest-posttest evaluations which indicated increases in career readiness. Results: Though the format and content provided in each course varied, participation was associated with increases in career readiness. Participants reported increased career-awareness including a greater familiarity with different types of careers overall. Furthermore, interest in tenure track faculty careers increased in both samples, which may assuage fears that exposure to diverse career pathways could reduce interest in academic careers. Transferrable skills, including career planning and awareness also significantly increased. Course participants reported an increase in the number and type of mentors they interacted with beyond their principal faculty mentor (other faculty, professional PhDs, peers, and administrative staff). Conclusions: Findings provide supporting evidence for the benefits of implementing structured career development efforts during PhD training; even with varying content, delivery methods, and instructor type, both academic career courses led to significant gains in career awareness and readiness. Successful development and delivery of academic career courses, with a focus on career planning skills, suggest that institutions can utilize these and are an effective way to prepare PhDs for their transition from training positions into careers.
Merger Opportunities Among Club Shopping Stores

The primary subject matter of this case concerns mergers and divestures in the club shopping retail space. The club shopping concept has made significant inroads, both in U.S. and International markets, since the 1970’s. This case requires students to examine the prospect for mergers and divestures among club shopping stores. The case considers four club stores, and one similar non-club store. Case information provides a discussion of each store’s history, management issues and related financial information. Students must analyze the data and provide specific recommendations. Students may seek external information to refine their recommendations.
Implikasi Hikmat Menurut Paulus Dalam Menentang Pengaruh Ajaran Kaum Sofis Di Korintus

Paul, Apostle relates the Good News to the wisdom of God that is understood by humans who give themselves to believe in Jesus. However, the presence of the powerful Sophists with the teaching of worldly wisdom and relying on the power of the word of wisdom (sophia logou), has obscured the true meaning of God's wisdom. This study aims to explore the influence of the Sophists in the life of the Corinthian church which caused Paul to explain the true meaning of wisdom. Knowing the background of the wisdom problem in Corinth will give you a complete picture of the wisdom of God that Paul preached. This study applies historical research methods to find out the origin and influence of the Sophists' teachings. The results show that the sophia logou owned by the Sophists has obscured the meaning of the cross of Christ which is the wisdom of God. The wisdom that Paul means in the letter to the Corinthians is the openness of one's mind to believe in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross which has implications for congregational unity and survival in the face of problems or struggles.
The Neoercantilist Fallacy and the Contextual Reality of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is domestic legislation and should be analyzed as such. This article addresses a persistent failure in analysis of the Act, by scholars and policymakers alike. Many discussions of the Act approach it from a neomercantilist perspective. This approach contains three flaws. First, whereas neomercantilism envisions manipulation of the market to give advantage to national champion industries, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act was adopted for the purpose of strengthening and enhancing the integrity of the global market. A neomercantilist perspective is contrary to the purpose of the Act. Second, this article shows that neomercantilism fundamentally misunderstands the world of business – the modern equivalent of the mercantilist fallacy. Business firms form networks of relationships with little reference to political borders, whereas neomercantilism envisions a world in which business firms are siloed by national borders. By importing this fallacy, a neomercantilist perspective invariably yields a flawed analysis. Third, Congress asked that the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act become part of a global anticorruption regime, and that request has been robustly answered. By its own definitions the Act applies only to business actors engaged in transnational activities. These business actors will also be subject to the other elements of the global regime, as will their competitors. Neomercantilism cannot account for the Act’s place in that regime. Legal analysis in general has difficulty in accounting for domestic business regulations that encompass transnational behavior. Law must overcome this difficulty or it risks becoming irrelevant to business. Analysis of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act must avoid the neomercantilist approach, not just for the sake of intellectual rigor, but also to accrue the benefits of a sound market as envisioned by Congress.
The Mexican food system (SAM)

Abstract In March 1980, Lic Jose Lopez Portillo, President of Mexico, announced the initiation of the Mexican Food System, or the Sistema Alimenticio Mexicano (SAM). SAM is a declaration of intent to restructure the food system to both guarantee all Mexicans an adequate level of nutrition, and to achieve self-sufficiency in production of basic foodstuffs. This article reviews the background to SAM, strategies pursued, targets established for major components of SAM, and its funding. Being one of the first comprehensive attempts to adapt the food production system of a nation to basic food requirements of its population, SAM should be monitored closely.
Mobile dental vans: planning considerations and productivity.

Objectives: Many children, especially those from lower socio-economic families, have limited access to dental care, transportation problems and poor appointment attendance. Mobile dental clinics have been implemented in many communities to address these issues. Methods: Structured surveys were sent to the three mobile programs in Connecticut to collect information on the age of the program, issues encountered in planning and implementation, and ongoing costs and productivity. Results: Each mobile clinic had two operatories and operated 140–200 days per year. Programs provided 2921–3417 diagnostic and preventive procedures and 359–721 treatment procedures per year for an average daily production of 18–24 procedures. All programs required external funding to remain financially solvent. Conclusion: Implementation and management of these programs is complicated. However, they provide an innovative solution to bringing dental care to underserved children and when operated in conjunction with schools can eliminate transportation problems and missed appointments.
Effect of Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Endovascular Closure on Stroke Quality of Life (P4.229)

Objective/Background : Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an independent stroke risk factor associated with more than 150,000 strokes per year in the US. PFO stroke patients tend to be younger - of child bearing age, enjoy an active lifestyle and are a major component of the work force, who are not long-term anticoagulant candidates. While clinical trials have demonstrated variable results in PFO closure vs medical treatment, younger stroke patients tend to prefer endovascular closure rather than long-term anticoagulation. We found previously that PFO related stroke is a multi-organ disease affecting the brain, heart, and circulation, and have implemented multi-disciplinary care from neurology, cardiology and hematolgy. Here we investigate the effect of PFO closure for stroke prevention on patients’ quality of life. Design/Methods: Patients were recruited per IRB-approved protocol from the MGH Cardio-Neurology Clinic. To quantify the effect of PFO closure on depression and anxiety, validated Becks Depression and Anxiety Inventory were performed at 3 months before and 3-6 months after PFO closure. Clinical data on stroke severity, outcome and blood samples were also collected and analysed. Results: Consecutive PFO stroke patients (age range 20-55; 54% male) adjudicated by vascular neurologists were enrolled. No new treatments (e.g. anti-depressant/anti-anxiety meds) were initiated during the study. After successful PFO closure, patients had significantly improved anxiety (post vs pre - 5.8 vs 3, p<0.05) and depression scores (post vs pre 3 vs 2.5, p<0.05). Cortisol level also lowered significantly post PFO closure. Conclusion: PFO stroke patients have improved quality of life after PFO closure as measured by validated quantitative anxiety and depression scales under multi-disciplinary care. Patient’s stress hormone levels were also lowered post PFO closure. These findings demonstrate the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to stroke patient care, and individualizing care in younger stroke patients. Longer term future studies are needed to understand the effect of PFO closure vs multi-disciplinary specialized care. Study Supported by: NIH/NINDS Disclosure: Dr. K has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ning has nothing to disclose. Dr. Deng has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wickham has nothing to disclose. Dr. Inglessis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Palacios has nothing to disclose. Dr. Buonanno has nothing to disclose.
Locality Estimates for Quantum Spin Systems

We review some recent results that express or rely on the locality properties of the dynamics of quantum spin systems. In particular, we present a slightly sharper version of the recently obtained Lieb-Robinson bound on the group velocity for such systems on a large class of metric graphs. Using this bound we provide expressions of the quasi-locality of the dynamics in various forms, present a proof of the Exponential Clustering Theorem, and discuss a multi-dimensional Lieb-Schultz-Mattis Theorem.
Cytokinesis defects, polyploidy and premature senescence in SSeCKS/Gravin/AKAP12-null mouse embryo fibroblasts

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 2696 SSeCKS/Gravin/AKAP12 (“SSeCKS”) regulates a number of proliferative and cytoskeletal signaling events by scaffolding a number of key mediators of G1→S progression, such as protein kinase (PK) A and C, cyclins and calmodulin. SSeCKS expression is suppressed by Src and Ras oncogenes and in many cancer cell lines and human cancer tissues. Moreover, the re-expression of SSeCKS to physiologic levels can suppress oncogenic growth by disengaging active Src from MEK-ERK and PI3K proliferation pathways and by re-establishing a normalized actin cytoskeletal architecture through the inhibition of Rho-family GTPases (1-3). Although the overexpression of SSeCKS in untransformed cells is known to induce G1 arrest through the suppression of cyclin D1 expression (4), the precise mechanism of how SSeCKS controls normal cell cycle progression is not known. In this study, we have examined a role of SSeCKS on cellular functions by using SSeCKS-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (KO-MEF). KO-MEF exhibit premature-senescence (between passages 6 and 7), coincident with the expression of senescence-associated β-galactosidase and with a very high level of multi-nucleation and/or tetraploidy. Preliminary evidence suggests that the senescence in KO-MEF is both Rb- and p53-dependent. Using a combination of live cell imaging and immunofluorescence staining, we show that SSeCKS is enriched around nascent segregated daughter chromosomes in anaphase cells and that KO cells are defective in both the polarity of anaphase spindles and the ability of late-stage cytokinetic plates to septate. Evidence will be shown suggesting that SSeCKS controls normal cell cycle progression by attenuating RhoA-mediated late-stage events in cytokinesis.
How Reliable is the Oberholzer-Gee and Strumpf Paper on File-Sharing?

This is a lengthy critique of the empirical findings, factual claims, and logic of the empirical examination of file-sharing by Felix Oberholzer-Gee and Koleman Strumpf. It is written for a general audience and provides details of calculations, data, and industry measurements that allow replication by the reader whenever possible. It provides much of the detail for the shorter, more academic version that is also posted.
Grid Computing: The Next Stage of the Internet

Grid computing is the next wave of distributed computing based on open standards and using commercial-off-the-shelf building blocks. It is becoming the new economy and major forces propelling the IT industry. In the emerging world of the virtual Internet, grids will provide instant global access to innovative services that deliver the power of the entire Internet to mobile users anywhere, any time, via any device, online or offline.
High speed, high temperature electrical characterization of phase change materials: metastable phases, crystallization dynamics, and resistance drift

During the fast switching in Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change memory devices, both the amorphous and fcc crystalline phases remain metastable beyond the fcc and hexagonal transition temperatures respectively. In this work, the metastable electrical properties together with crystallization times and resistance drift behaviour of GST are studied using a high-speed, device-level characterization technique in the temperature range of 300 K to 675 K.
Intraspecific and interspecific variation in 5S RNA genes are decoupled in diploid wheat relatives

5S RNAs form part of the ribosome in most organisms. In some, e.g., prokaryotes and some fungi, the genes are part of the ribosomal operon, but in most eukaryotes they are in tandem arrays of hundreds to thousands of copies separate from the main ribosomal array. 5S RNA genes can be aligned across kingdoms. We were therefore surprised to find that, for 28 diploid species of the wheat tribe (Triticeae), nucleotide diversity within an array is up to 6.2% in the genes, not significantly different from that of the nontranscribed spacers. Rates of concerted evolution must therefore be insufficient to homogenize the entire array. Between species, there are significantly fewer fixed differences in the gene than would be expected, given the high within-species variation. In contrast, the amount of variation between species in the spacer is the same as or greater than that within individuals. This leads to a paradox. High variation within an individual suggests that there is little selection on any particular gene within an array. But conservation of the gene across species implies that polymorphisms are periodically eliminated at a rate approximately equal to or greater than that of speciation. Levels of intraspecific polymorphism and interspecific divergence are thus decoupled. This implies that selective mechanisms exist to eliminate mutations in the gene without also affecting the spacer.
Kinetic Analysis of Aqueous-Phase Pd-Catalyzed, Cu-Free Direct Arylation of Terminal Alkynes Using a Hydrophilic Ligand

The engineering of reaction mixtures that ensure the solubility of inorganic salt byproducts without compromising the reactivity is a grand challenge for continuous flow manufacturing in upstream pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals process development. Aqueous cross-coupling reactions are possible solutions. We report the study of an aqueous phase Pd-catalyzed Cu-free direct arylation of an alkyne using a hydrophilic ligand towards understanding the role of water on the cross-coupling kinetics. Kinetic analyses of theoretically estimated molar flux rates and the measured reaction kinetics reveal a transition from mass transfer to kinetically controlled deprotonation and carbopalladation mechanisms. Interfacial contact areas of immiscible aqueous–organic phases control the crossover from the mass-transfer-limited to the reaction-rate-limited regime. Highly agitated batch reactors and multiphase capillary flow reactors are needed to overcome the mass transport limitations and, thus, discover the transition f...
Oletheriostrigula, a new genus for Massarina papulosa (Fungi, Ascomycetes)

A new genus, Oletheriostrigula, is erected for Massarina papulosa. The fungus is redescribed and illustrated, additional synonymy is given, and its relationships within the Ascomycetes are discussed.
Solid-phase genotoxicity assay for organic compounds in soil

A genotoxicity assay was developed for samples from environments in which toxic organic compounds are largely sorbed. The assay entails measurement of the rate of mutation of a strain of Pseudomonas putida to rifampicin resistance. The ratio of induced to spontaneous mutants was a function of the concentration of a test mutagen in soil. In studies of the utility of the assay in samples amended with 2-aminofluorene as a test mutagen, the ratio of induced to spontaneous mutants declined with time. The decline paralleled the disappearance of extractable 2-aminofluorene from the soil. The ratio of induced to spontaneous mutants also fell in four other soils with dissimilar properties. We suggest that this solid-phase assay is more appropriate for the estimation of genotoxicants sorbed in soil than assays involving extractants or suspensions of soil or sediment samples.
Information, Advertising, and Health Choices: A Study of the Cereal Market

In markets where conditions are changing rapidly, the flow of information to consumers becomes a primary determinant of welfare. Individuals’ food choices represent an important example of consumption decisions in a changing environment. The rapidly developing scientific evidence linking diet and health now indicates that individual dietary choices are important determinants of health; five of the top ten causes of death in the U.S. have been substantially linked to diet (U.S. Surgeon General 1988). Clearly, this evolving scientific information can improve welfare only if it is assimilated into consumers’ decision-making. Yet, our understanding of how economic forces determine whether information is quickly incorporated into decisions is quite limited.
Retirement: Institutional Pathways and Individual Trajectories in Britain and Germany

Since the 1970s people have retired increasingly early across advanced societies. Parallel to this trend, numerous institutional early retirement pathways evolved, such as bridge unemployment and p...
The role of collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 in injured arteries, collagen expression, and transforming growth factor beta signaling.

Collagen triple helix repeat containing protein 1 (Cthrc1) is a gene product with novel biochemical activities, and its ability to reduce collagen deposition by inhibition of Smad2/3 activation could have major clinical applications in the fields of vascular disease, repair, and fibrosis. Currently available data indicate that Cthrc1 expression in vascular cells regulates transforming growth factor β responsiveness, thereby impacting transforming growth factor β target genes, including collagens; and regulation or activation of Cthrc1 is strictly controlled in these cells. Determining Cthrc1 activation (or inactivation) and addressing the interaction with known signaling pathways are important aspects aimed at developing this work toward clinically relevant applications.
System capacity of CDMA, TDMA and FDMA in cluster type underwater acoustic networks

It is well acknowledged that CDMA scheme could achieve higher system capacity in cellular type Radio Frequency networks (RFN) than either TDMA or FDMA, since the system capacity of TDMA or FDMA is resource (bandwidth) restricted, while the one of CDMA is interference restricted; and the interference level can be reduced by lowering the user activity ratio and controlling of transmission power. However, this conclusion could not be applied to underwater acoustic networks (UANs) due to the significant differences between propagation environment of RFNs and that of UANs. Using sonar equation and with the Thorp's water absorption formula, this paper analyzes the capacity of CDMA, TDMA and FDMA schemes in a cluster type underwater acoustic network. In the following analysis, all the power symbols, e.g., Pts, Pintracluster, etc., represent time average value instead of instantaneous value.
Foregrounding Desire: A Defense of Kant’s Incorporation Thesis

In this paper I defend Kant’s Incorporation Thesis, which holds that we must “incorporate” our incentives into our maxims if we are to act on them. I see this as a thesis about what is necessary for a human being to make the transition from ‘having a desire’ to ‘acting on it’. As such, I consider the widely held view that ‘having a desire’ involves being focused on the world, and not on ourselves or on the desire. I try to show how this view is connected with a denial of any deep distinction between reason and inclination. I then argue for an alternative view of what ‘having a desire’ involves, one according to which it involves being focused both on the world and on ourselves. I show how this view fits naturally with the Kantian distinction between reason and inclination, accounts for independent intuitions about ‘having a desire’, and supports the Incorporation Thesis. I then make some further suggestions about how we might conceive of the object of incorporation.