cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cumulative adverse childhood experiences among children in foster care and the association with reunification: A survival analysis.

Abstract Background Research shows children in foster care are at amplified risk of experiencing cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Though separate bodies of literature exist for ACEs and foster care, ample research demonstrates overlap in negative outcomes between ACEs and foster care involvement, such as substance use, early pregnancy, and poorer educational outcomes, among others. Rare are studies that have explored ACEs influence on targeted foster care outcomes. Objective To address this gap in the literature, this study’s objective was to investigate the association between cumulative ACEs and reunification. Participants and setting 2,998 American children between 6–18 years old in foster care between October 2015 and July 2019 in a Midwestern state. Methods Cox proportional hazard regression was utilized to examine likelihood of and time to reunification, comparing children with 1–5 ACEs, 6–9 ACEs, and 10+ ACEs. Results Increased cumulative ACE exposure among children in foster care significantly impeded likelihood of reunification, and slowed time to reunification. Children with 6–9 ACEs and 10+ ACEs were 28 % (HR = .72, p = .024) and 42 % (HR = .58, p = .000) less likely to reunify, respectively, when compared to their counterparts with 1–5 ACEs. Other significant predictors of reunification included: race, age at foster care entry, siblings in foster care, and placement setting type. Conclusion Results support the notion that among an already vulnerable population, subgroups of children may disproportionally experience negative foster care outcomes. Continued research is necessary to further examine intersections and implications of cumulative ACEs among children in foster care.
How venture capital became a component of the US National System of Innovation

Venture capital (VC) is a relatively recent addition to the US national system of innovation (NSI). Tracing the history of the VC industry in the US provides an interesting example of how NSIs can add new institutions, and in the process be transformed. The history encompasses important exogenous events, endogenous developments, and actions by individual actors. The story of the development of VC is set in the technological trajectories where it has experienced its greatest success, the information, communications, and biomedical industries. The emergence of VC is intimately related to various government actions, and yet the paper does not attribute a deus ex machina role to government actors. While NSI theory provides the framework, it is also recognized that VC is geographically localized in a few regions, and a regional innovation system perspective is also valuable.
Cy3-RgIA-5727 Labels and Inhibits α9-Containing nAChRs of Cochlear Hair Cells

Efferent cholinergic neurons inhibit sensory hair cells of the vertebrate inner ear through the combined action of calcium-permeable α9α10-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and associated calcium-dependent potassium channels. The venom of cone snails is a rich repository of bioactive peptides, many with channel blocking activities. The conopeptide analog, RgIA-5474, is a specific and potent antagonist of α9α10-containing nAChRs. We added an alkyl functional group to the N-terminus of the RgIA-5474, to enable click chemistry addition of the fluorescent cyanine dye, Cy3. The resulting peptide, Cy3-RgIA-5727, potently blocked mouse α9α10 nAChRs expressed in Xenopus oocytes (IC50 23 pM), with 290-fold less activity on α7 nAChRs and 40,000-fold less activity on all other tested nAChR subtypes. The tight binding of Cy3-RgIA-5727 provided robust visualization of hair cell nAChRs juxtaposed to cholinergic efferent terminals in excised, unfixed cochlear tissue from mice. Presumptive postsynaptic sites on outer hair cells (OHCs) were labeled, but absent from inner hair cells (IHCs) and from OHCs in cochlear tissue from α9-null mice and in cochlear tissue pre-incubated with non-Cy3-conjugated RgIA-5474. In cochlear tissue from younger (postnatal day 10) mice, Cy3-RgIA-5727 also labeled IHCs, corresponding to transient efferent innervation at that age. Cy3 puncta in Kolliker's organ remained in the α9-null tissue. Pre-exposure with non-Cy3-conjugated RgIA-5474 or bovine serum albumin reduced this non-specific labeling to variable extents in different preparations. Cy3-RgIA-5727 and RgIA-5474 blocked the native hair cell nAChRs, within the constraints of application to the excised cochlear tissue. Cy3-RgIA-5727 or RgIA-5474 block of efferent synaptic currents in young IHCs was not relieved after 50 min washing, so effectively irreversible.
Multicomponent Fickian solution-diffusion model for osmotic transport through membranes

Abstract Osmotically-assisted membrane processes (OAMP) are separation technologies that leverage osmotic gradients to recover water from brine. Accurate modeling of the solute-coupling effects for transmembrane transport is integral to the development and subsequent optimization of OAMP unit operations. In the literature, multicomponent transport in OAMP is commonly linearized, and species fluxes are computed using binary solution-diffusion theory and then superposed. However, recent publications highlight the large predictive errors associated with such an approach as the transport coupling between species is ignored. In this paper, we demonstrate that significant improvements in multicomponent species fluxes can be obtained when solute-coupling interactions are incorporated. Here, we present a multicomponent solution-diffusion model, by extending the binary solution-diffusion model with multicomponent diffusion theory. When multicomponent diffusion coefficients are available, we find that the average absolute deviation (AAD) of the model decreased from 21.0% to 3.0% for 7 unique combinations of forward osmosis processes involving ternary mixtures. In the absence of data for multicomponent diffusion coefficients, we demonstrate that the multicomponent model can regress the impact of transport coupling on water and solute fluxes, using excess solute permeabilities. For the case of H 2 O-NaCl-EtOH forward osmosis process, the AAD of the solution-diffusion model is shown to decrease from 66.1% to 7.2% for NaCl concentrations from 0.0 to 1.5 M and EtOH mass fractions from 0.0 to 0.5. These values are extended to analyze the implications on the thermodynamic and membrane area requirements of the desalination systems employing OAMP.
Developing Robust Bidding Strategy for Virtual Bidders in Day-Ahead Electricity Markets

Purely financial players without any physical assets can participate in day-ahead electricity markets as virtual bidders. They can arbitrage the price difference between day-ahead (DA) and real-time (RT) markets to maximize profits. Virtual bidders encounter various monetary risks and uncertainties in their decision-making due to the high volatility of the price difference. Therefore, this paper proposes a max-min two-level optimization model to derive the optimal bidding strategy of virtual bidders. In this model, the risks of uncertainties associated with the rivals’ strategies and RT market prices are managed by robust optimization. The proposed max-min two-level model is turned into a single-level mixed integer linear programming model through duality theory (DT), strong duality theory (SDT), and Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions. An illustrative case is designed to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed model over the deterministic model. Moreover, case studies on the IEEE 24-bus test system validate the applicability of the proposed model.
Phenomenography of Student Perceptions of an Online Metacognitive Tool

The following phenomenographic study aims to explore student perceptions of an adaptive learning system employed within a large undergraduate cohort of chemistry students during the Fall 2013 term. In particular, the purpose was to determine what student perceptions were concerning the adaptive system and how these perceptions influenced the students metacognitive and self-regulatory behaviors.
PURLs: Suspect carpal tunnel? Try this.

An easy-to-administer modification of the traditional Phalen’s test for carpal tunnel syndrome increases the value of this diagnostic tool.
Fast kernels for inexact string matching

We introduce several new families of string kernels designed in particular for use with support vector machines (SVMs) for classification of protein sequence data. These kernels – restricted gappy kernels, substitution kernels, and wildcard kernels – are based on feature spaces indexed by k-length subsequences from the string alphabet Σ (or the alphabet augmented by a wildcard character), and hence they are related to the recently presented (k,m)-mismatch kernel and string kernels used in text classification. However, for all kernels we define here, the kernel value K(x,y) can be computed in O(c K (|x| + |y|)) time, where the constant c K depends on the parameters of the kernel but is independent of the size |Σ| of the alphabet. Thus the computation of these kernels is linear in the length of the sequences, like the mismatch kernel, but we improve upon the parameter-dependent constant \(c_K = k^{m+1} |\Sigma|^m\) of the mismatch kernel. We compute the kernels efficiently using a recursive function based on a trie data structure and relate our new kernels to the recently described transducer formalism. Finally, we report protein classification experiments on a benchmark SCOP dataset, where we show that our new faster kernels achieve SVM classification performance comparable to the mismatch kernel and the Fisher kernel derived from profile hidden Markov models.
Dedifferentiated liposarcoma and pleomorphic liposarcoma: a comparative study of cytomorphology and MDM2/CDK4 expression on fine-needle aspiration.

BACKGROUND: Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) and pleomorphic liposarcoma (PLPS) are distinct high-grade liposarcomas. DDLPS is a nonlipogenic sarcoma characterized by amplification of MDM2 and CDK4. PLPS is a high-grade sarcoma containing lipoblasts, characterized by a complex karyotype and a more aggressive clinical course. Rarely, DDLPS shows lipogenic differentiation, mimicking PLPS. The cytomorphologic features of DDLPS and PLPS and the utility of ancillary studies have not been systemically analyzed. METHODS: Cytologic preparations of 25 DDLPS and 13 PLPS, all histologically confirmed, were retrospectively reviewed along with clinical and cytogenetic data. Sample cellularity, vascular architecture, background material, predominant cell morphology, quality of the cytoplasm, and nuclear pleomorphism were compared for both tumor types. Immunohistochemistry for MDM2 and CDK4 was performed on cell blocks and/or core needle biopsies. RESULTS: Fine-needle aspirate smears from both DDLPS and PLPS were variably cellular, composed of cellular clusters and noncohesive cells. Abundant myxoid stroma was present in 25% of DDLPS and PLPS cases, whereas branching curvilinear vessels were more common in DDLPS than in PLPS (7 of 25 versus 2 of 13). Tumors were composed of predominantly spindled (18 of 25 DDLPS versus 3 of 13 PLPS) or epithelioid cells (7 of 25 DDLPS versus 6 of 13 PLPS). Pleomorphic cells were predominant in 3 PLPS, and were frequent in both (13 of 25 DDLPS versus 10 of 13 PLPS). The cytoplasm was mostly fibrillary and often vacuolated in both entities. Other features included necrosis, mitoses, and a prominent inflammatory infiltrate. The main cytologic differences were the presence of marked pleomorphism, abundant lipoblasts, and cells with microvacuolated cytoplasm in most PLPS. A total of 24 (96%) and 20 (80%) cases of DDLPS expressed MDM2 and CDK4, respectively, whereas none of the PLPS expressed both markers. Six DDLPS tested showed ring or giant marker chromosomes and/or MDM2 amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization; 2 PLPS had complex karyotypes. CONCLUSIONS: DDLPS and PLPS exhibit variable and occasionally overlapping cytologic features. The presence of lipoblasts, cells with microvacuolated cytoplasm, and marked pleomorphism are more suggestive of PLPS, but these characteristics can be present in DDLPS. Coexpression of MDM2 and CDK4 distinguishes DDLPS from PLPS. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2013;000:000-000. V C 2013 American Cancer Society.
“Bugs on Bugs”: An Inquiry-Based, Collaborative Activity to Learn Arthropod & Microbial Biodiversity

Diverse communities of arthropods and microbes provide humans with essential ecosystem goods and services. Arthropods are the most diverse and abundant macroscopic animals on the planet, and many remain to be discovered. Much less is known about microbial diversity, despite their importance as free-living species and as symbionts. We created “Bugs on Bugs” as an inquiry-based research project in which students investigate both arthropod and microbe diversity by collecting arthropods and culturing their symbionts. “Bugs on Bugs” was developed as a multiple-course project in which students from different disciplines specialize in parts of the project and collaborate in project design and data analysis. We provide instructions for use of “Bugs on Bugs” in active-learning courses, share experiences in which a biodiversity course and a microbiology course completed “Bugs on Bugs” together at our institution, and share suggestions for implementation based on our experiences.
Development of Faculty Course Assessment Reports for ME Program ABET Accreditation

The assessment of program outcomes for ABET accreditation has become a challenge for engineering programs nationwide. Various methods and approaches have been investigated to develop good practices for program assessment. At South Dakota State University (SDSU), an approach called Faculty Course Assessment Reports (FCAR) has been explored for mechanical engineering (ME) program assessment. FCAR provides an assessment tool to correlate the ME program outcomes with the outcomes of the core ME courses, and to evaluate student performance at the course level based on ABET outcome criterion. This process begins with the development of course objectives and outcomes. Then these course objectives and outcomes are directly mapped with the ME program objectives and outcomes respectively. Further the quantitative and qualitative details generated in the FCAR are lined up directly to ABET program outcome a to k criterion through FCAR rubrics. By use of the FCAR process, all ME program outcomes are evaluated at the course level based on the ABET program outcomes. The assessment results are being used for improvement of the ME curriculum. The process was developed to provide an effective tool for the ME program outcome assessment at the course level with reasonable effort.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Mice with a Fluorescent Marker for Interleukin 2 Gene Activation

Production of interleukin (IL)-2 by T lymphocytes is one of the earliest events during immune response. A mutant mouse strain was generated by replacing the IL-2 gene with a cDNA encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP). In this model, GFP fluorescence is readily detectable upon T cell activation and is mostly coexpressed with IL-2 at the single cell level. Thus, individual activated T cells can express the IL-2 gene biallelically. Upon stimulation through the T cell antigen receptor, CD4+ cells separate into distinct GFP+ and GFP- populations, both of which are capable of differentiating into either Th1 or Th2 effectors. These mice allow noninvasive detection of IL-2 production by single cells and analysis of the subsequent differentiative fate of these cells as an immune response develops.
Reconstruction of objects with a limited number of non-zero components in fluorescence microscopy

A reconstruction algorithm is developed that uses specific a-priori knowledge to produce higher resolution images than standard approaches. Deconvolution is an important image reconstruction tool in fluorescence microscopy. This is especially true for modern interferometric instruments (such as I5M and 4Pi systems), as they may have complicated oscillatory point spread functions. Current methods are designed to work on an arbitrary object - i.e. it is assumed that there is no available a-priori knowledge of the object (with the possible exception of a non- negative condition on the fluorophore-emission intensities). In situations where there is a-priori knowledge of the object, it may be possible to use this information to produce a higher quality reconstruction of the object. A useful a-priori condition is investigated here. It is assumed that the object can be represented by the sum of not more than L basis functions. The simplest example of this is when the basis functions are impulses - this leads to an object of L or less non-zero points on a background of zeros. This a-priori condition can be applied directly; applied to a limited region of the object; applied in one dimension (for an object with a layered structure such as lipid bilayers); or applied in two dimensions (for an object with a filamentary structure such as actin fibers.) A reconstruction algorithm is described and applied to some illustrative simulated examples. The results are found for several fluorescence microscopy methodologies and compared to the results produced by standard deconvolution methods.
Computational thinking through programming and algorithmic art

General education students can be taught computational thinking skills through courses that marry computer programming with algorithmic art. Algorithmic art is a varied and growing field where images are generated on the computer using mathematical and computer algorithms (see http://processing.org/exhibition/index.html for examples). Visually oriented students may be motivated to learn programming when it is taught in a context that is as much focused on art, artists, and design principles as it is on mathematics and programming. This presentation will include 1) a discussion of the challenges of teaching programming, 2) the role of teaching style, motivation, and programming environment, 3) a summary of common algorithms and their relation to design principles, and 4) examples of artwork that has been created by current artists.
Malaria: death and disappearing erythrocytes

Comment on Evans et al, page [1192][1] Severe anemia is the cause of a large proportion, if not a majority, of the 1 to 2 million deaths of African children that are attributed to malaria each year. One hundred and twenty-five years after the discovery of malaria parasites, remarkably, the
Nitroxides Scavenge Myeloperoxidase-Catalyzed Thiyl Radicals in Model Systems and in Cells

Nitroxide radicals possess important antioxidant activity in live tissues because of their ability to scavenge reactive radicals. Despite the fact that, in cells, damaging free radicals are primarily quenched by glutathione (GSH) with subsequent formation of harmful glutathionyl radical (GS•), interactions of nitroxide radicals with GS• and thiols have not been studied in detail. In addition, intracellular metabolic pathways leading to the formation of secondary amines from nitroxides are unknown. Here we report that GS• radicals react efficiently and irreversibly with nitroxides to produce secondary amines. We developed a sensitive method for the detection of GS• based on their specific interaction with Ac-Tempo, a nonfluorescent conjugate of fluorogenic acridine with paramagnetic nitroxide Tempo, and used it to characterize interactions between nitroxide and thiyl radicals generated through phenoxyl radical recycling by peroxidase. During reaction of Ac-Tempo with GS•, Tempo EPR signals decayed and acri...
SU‐E‐T‐245: Continuous Quality Improvement for Patient‐Specific IMRT/SBRT QA

Purpose: A continuous quality improvement (CQI) process for patient‐specific Quality Assurance (PSQA) was implemented to track those that did not meet the pass criteria. We investigated the reasons for the failures and derived corrective actions. Methods: At our clinic SBRT, Tomotherapy, and linacIMRT treatments are checked prior to treatment by a formal PSQA procedure. Plans are delivered using the record and verify system in QA mode, measured data are compared with calculated plan data and PSQA is assigned a pass or fail. We use MapCheck for point/planar dosimetry for IMRT and ion chamber/film in cheese phantom for Tomotherapy and SBRT with pass criteria of &#8805; 90% (using 3%/3mm criteria). Plans that fail initial QA are re‐measured and sometimes re‐planned, costing departmental resources and causing patient treatment delays. Data for 2010 were analyzed and categorized. Results: A total of 321 PSQA measurements were analyzed ‐ 52% Tomotherapy, 7 % SBRT and 41% linacIMRT patients. Overall failure rate was 15% of which majority was Tomotherapy (11.2%). Failure due to incorrect QA plan generation was major reason followed by issues related to treatment planning such as small segment sizes, machine related failures, and Tomotherapy output being out of tolerance (+3%). Conclusions: In one case, the failures lead to discovery of a machine problem. Tomotherapy failures in June and July lead to an investigation which led to a better understanding of the limitations of our current QA methodology, particularly the film measurement (artifacts). The point dose measurement pass criteria were re‐evaluated and changes made. Patient treatment can continue if point dose >3% but <5% if approved by physicist. These type failures are tracked and if upward trending noted, a thorough investigation is triggered. Recognition of PSQA failure categories and implementing proactive measures has led to decrease in failure rate.
Sodium movement across the blood-brain barrier in newborn and adult rats and its autoradiographic localization.

The net rate and structural specificity of 22Na entry into newborn and adult rat brain after intravenous injection were investigated. After a single injection, the half-time of sodium entry into adult rat brain was about 75 min, into newborn brain about 40 min, a difference not related to the history of plasma specific activity. Autoradiograms were made using Kodak NTB-3 plates 15 min after the intravenous injection of 22Na. In the adult rats, areas of increased uptake included a band across dorsal medulla and ventral cerebellum at the level of the foramen of Luschka, some white matter, the lateral walls of the posterior portion of the third ventricle, and the granular and medullary layers of the cerebellum. The regions of the subfornical organ (intercolumnar tubercle) and area postrema showed increased uptake, but the density in these areas was neither greatest at these specific structures nor restricted to them. Autoradiograms of newborn brain showed the greatest sodium uptake in the germinal cell zone (subependymal matrix cells). The neocortex, newly formed cell layers of Ammon's horn and the dentate gyrus, pineal body, and subfornical organ showed increased uptake; but the subcommissural organ did not. The density in the region of the walls of the third ventricle was not consistently increased. Areas destined to be white matter showed the least uptake of all. The pattern of increased barrier permeability to sodium does not conform to the traditional pattern established by trypan blue. From these data one can see the importance of considering the blood-brain barrier as unique for each class of tracer substance, age of animal, and structural area of the central nervous system.
Organocatalysis: Opportunities and Challenges for Polymer Synthesis

Organocatalysis offers a number of opportunities in polymer synthesis and was among the earliest methods of catalyzing the synthesis of polyesters. In the following Perspective we attempt to highlight the opportunities and challenges in the use of organic molecules as catalysts or initiators for polymerization reactions. The ring-opening polymerization of cyclic monomers is used as a representative polymerization process to illustrate some of the features of organic catalysts and initiators and to compare them to metal-based approaches. The convergence of convenience, functional group tolerance, fast rates, and selectivities will continue to drive innovations in polymerization catalysis, and it is our perspective that organocatalysis will continue to play an important role in these developments.
Differentiation of T-helper lymphocytes: Selective regulation by members of the STAT family of transcription factors

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) control the differentiation of T-helper cells. Here we summarize studies which investigate the mechanism by which these cytokines selectively reprogramme gene expression in T-lymphocytes. Cytokine stimulation leads to the phosphorylation of specific tyrosine residues within the intracellular domain of the corresponding cytokine receptor. These phosphotyrosines serve as docking sites for latent, cytoplasmic transcription factors known as signal transducers and activators of transcription (Stat) proteins. Receptor/Stat interaction is mediated by the src homology 2 (SH2) domain of the corresponding Stat protein. Although Stat binding to the intracellular domain of the cytokine receptor strongly depends on the phosphotyrosine residue, the recruitment of a specific Stat protein is dictated by amino acid residues C-terminal to the phosphotyrosine. Specific docking sites within individual cytokine receptors have been identified for almost all Stat proteins. The direct coupling between cytokine receptor and transcription factor helps to explain how different cytokines elicit distinct patterns of gene expression.
Calcium carbonate catalyzed alcoholysis of fats and oils

Several alcoholysis catalysts, known to be effective for reactions between simple alcohols and soybean oil, were evaluated and found to be ineffective toward alcoholysis of ethylene glycol with soybean oil under traditional reaction conditions. An initial survey of alternative catalysts revealed that organometallic tin complexes were effective but unsatisfactory due to toxicity and difficulty in recovering the catalyst. Satisfactory performance for several alcoholysis reactions was achieved with calcium carbonate catalysts even though at higher temperatures, typically greater than 200°C. Higher reaction temperatures are not considered to be a problem for flow reactors where heat exchangers can be readily used to minimize energy costs. Free fatty acids were esterified by the calcium carbonate and did not appear to inhibit the catalyst. Reaction times of 18 min provided essentially complete conversion. No decrease in the activity of calcium carbonate was observed after weeks of utilization. The robust structure is suitable for use in packed-bed reactors. The catalyst used for the flow reactors was pulverized limestone. Limestone from two locations was tested and found to be effective. Catalyst removal requires only a screening process at the reactor discharge.
Clotting factors to treat thrombolysis-related symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in acute ischemic stroke.

Background Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) occurs uncommonly after ischemic stroke therapy with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Clotting factor administration may be a treatment option. Objective To determine if treatment with clotting factors (fresh frozen plasma [FFP] or cryoprecipitate) was associated with improved outcomes in sICH. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study within University of Texas at Houston Stroke registry involving consecutive patients from February 1, 2007, to June 30, 2011, with tPA-related sICH, including cases with subsequent intra-arterial therapy. Outcomes were Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge, death, and hematoma expansion. Results Of 921 patients treated with tPA, 48 (5.2%) had sICH and 45 met criteria for the study. Nineteen patients received clotting factors (42.2%; 18 received FFP and 7 received cryoprecipitate), whereas 26 (57.8%) patients received conservative management without clotting factors. None of the patients treated with clotting factors and only 2 of those who did not receive clotting factors had a good outcome, mRS score of 2 or less. All the patients treated with clotting factors and most of those not treated were left bedridden or dead (mRS score 4-6), 19 (100%) versus 22 (85%). Mortality was 9 (47.4%) versus 9 (34.6%), respectively. There was no difference in hematoma expansion between the 2 groups. Conclusions We found no evidence that treatment for sICH with clotting factors has a favorable effect on clinical or radiological outcomes. However, the sample was small because of the low frequency of sICH. New treatments are urgently needed for this uncommon yet serious condition.
The Effect of Mineral Composition And Pressure On Carbonate Rocks

Carbonate rocks are important hydrocarbon reservoir rocks, characterized by a wide range of facies, porosity, and rock fabric. Such a complexity challenges a proper prediction of reservoir properties from remote seismic surveys. We started a comprehensive laboratory study on carbonate rocks to understand how physical properties such as mineralogy, pore shape, porosity, pore connectivity, fluid type, and pressure control seismic wave propagation. Such an understanding helps to delineate failures of seismic property predictions in these rocks. We built a database of hydraulic, transport, and acoustic properties of carbonate samples capturing a broad variability of lithofacies and depositional environments. This paper focuses on how mineralogical composition and microstructure affect porosity-velocity trends as well as pressure-velocity sensitivity. Results show that carbonates may not be as homogeneous as often reported in the literature: such heterogeneity controls the elastic behavior of carbonate rocks affecting both the velocity-porosity trend and the elastic input parameters to be used while modeling the seismic response. Furthermore, acoustic measurements under variable pressure show that carbonates experience anelastic deformation which, together with pore shape, controls velocity sensitivity to pressure.
Analyst coverage and market reaction around stock split announcements

This study examines the influence of the number of financial analysts following a firm on market reaction around the announcement of stock splits. Results show that the raw as well as abnormal returns at the announcement of stock splits are negatively related to the level of analyst coverage. The negative relation prevails even after controlling for size, book-to-market, momentum, split factors and post-split target price. Moreover, the impact of analyst coverage on market reaction is stronger for a sample of small size stocks than a sample of large stocks. The findings of this article suggest that information asymmetry is an important factor influencing market reaction to stock split announcements.
Climate and Indian effects on southern Ontario forests: a reply to Campbell and McAndrews:

Clark and Royall (1994) questioned the interpretation, drawn from a simulation model, that climatic cooling was responsible for the demise of typical northern hardwoods taxa and replacement with taxa that require fire or soil disturbance, Pinus and Quercus. Those questions were raised because the model predictions did not well describe the data, the ecology of the taxa is not consistent with the interpretation, the other sites in the region do not show the patterns consistent with climate cooling, and stratigraphic charcoal data support an alternative interpretation. Campbell and McAndrews (1995) challenged our questions, but made no effort to answer them. Rather, they questioned an alternative interpretation that Iroquois maize agriculture contributed to these transitions. The main discus sion here is devoted to the uses of historic evidence, models, and sedimentary data to interpret climate vs. cultural effects. I review the evidence for fire that pertains to this region, and I reanalyze regional data t...
Kristalline Eigenschaften und magnetische Anisotropien von destilliertem Wismut

Eine Apparatur wird beschrieben, in welcher Bi im Hochvakuum destilliert und kondensiert werden kann. Der kristalline Habitus des Kondensats wird beschrieben: es besteht aus einer mikrokristallinen Schicht von 0,5 bis 0,1mm Dicke, auf der sich ein makrokristallines Konglomerat von gleichorientierten Kristallindividuen ausbildet, deren [111]-Achse angenahert parallel der Wachstumsrichtung ist. Diese Kristalle zeigen eine angenahert aquidistante Schichtung (etwa 0,5μ). -Die magnetische AnisotropieR von aus dem Kondensat hergestellten Einkristallen wird gemessen und aus der bekannten FunktionR(N) aufN — die Konzentration von Fremdatomen (Pb) im Kristall — geschlossen. Der ReinigungsgradP bei wiederholten Destillationen (v) desselben Materials (NvNv−1) nimmt mitN ab; daraufhin wird die Destillation von Bi als zweckmasiger Reinigungsprozes verworfen.
Alveolar soft part sarcoma of the tongue

Abstract We report a case of alveolar soft part sarcoma – a rare malignancy that presented as a swelling at the base of the tongue in a 5-year-old child. Only about one-quarter of the few reported cases arise within the head and neck, the tongue and orbit being the favoured sites.
Comments on "Integrated Keynesian disequilibrium dynamics"

Abstract This comment on Asada et al.’s paper discusses the contrast between ‘integrated Keynesian disequilibrium dynamics’ (IKDD) and New Keynesian theory. Two areas are singled out: the treatment of stability issues and the approach to behavioral foundations. IKDD present a sophisticated stability analysis and rightly avoid the New Keynesian obsession with microfoundations based on optimizing behavior. The IKDD program, however, might benefit if behavioral questions were given greater prominence.
Exploring the Conformational Transitions of Biomolecular Systems Using a Simple Two-State Anisotropic Network Model

Biomolecular conformational transitions are essential to biological functions. Most experimental methods report on the long-lived functional states of biomolecules, but information about the transition pathways between these stable states is generally scarce. Such transitions involve short-lived conformational states that are difficult to detect experimentally. For this reason, computational methods are needed to produce plausible hypothetical transition pathways that can then be probed experimentally. Here we propose a simple and computationally efficient method, called ANMPathway, for constructing a physically reasonable pathway between two endpoints of a conformational transition. We adopt a coarse-grained representation of the protein and construct a two-state potential by combining two elastic network models (ENMs) representative of the experimental structures resolved for the endpoints. The two-state potential has a cusp hypersurface in the configuration space where the energies from both the ENMs are equal. We first search for the minimum energy structure on the cusp hypersurface and then treat it as the transition state. The continuous pathway is subsequently constructed by following the steepest descent energy minimization trajectories starting from the transition state on each side of the cusp hypersurface. Application to several systems of broad biological interest such as adenylate kinase, ATP-driven calcium pump SERCA, leucine transporter and glutamate transporter shows that ANMPathway yields results in good agreement with those from other similar methods and with data obtained from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, in support of the utility of this simple and efficient approach. Notably the method provides experimentally testable predictions, including the formation of non-native contacts during the transition which we were able to detect in two of the systems we studied. An open-access web server has been created to deliver ANMPathway results.
Entry Attitude Controller for the Mars Science Laboratory

This paper describes the preliminary concept for the RCS 3-axis attitude controller for the exo-atmospheric and guided entry phases of the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descend and Landing. The entry controller is formulated as three independent channels in the control frame, which is nominally aligned with the stability frame. Each channel has a feedfoward and a feedback. The feedforward path enables fast response to large bank commands. The feedback path stabilizes the vehicle angle of attack and sideslip around its trim position, and tracks bank commands. The feedback path has a PD/D structure with deadbands that minimizes fuel usage. The performance of this design is demonstrated via simulation.
Molecular beam epitaxy of InN dots on nitrided sapphire

Abstract A series of self-assembled InN dots are grown by radio frequency (RF) plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) directly on nitrided sapphire. Initial nitridation of the sapphire substrates at 900 °C results in the formation of a rough AlN surface layer, which acts as a very thin buffer layer and facilitates the nucleation of the InN dots according to the Stranski–Krastanow growth mode, with a wetting layer of ∼0.9 nm. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals that well-confined InN nanoislands with the greatest height/width at half-height ratio of 0.64 can be grown at 460 °C. Lower substrate temperatures result in a reduced aspect ratio due to a lower diffusion rate of the In adatoms, whereas the thermal decomposition of InN truncates the growth at T >500 °C. The densities of separated dots vary between 1.0×10 10 and 2.5×10 10 cm −2 depending on the growth time. Optical response of the InN dots under laser excitation is studied with apertureless near-field scanning optical microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy, although no photoluminescence is observed from these samples. In view of the desirable implementation of InN nanostructures into photonic devices, the results indicate that nitrided sapphire is a suitable substrate for growing self-assembled InN nanodots.
THE EFFECT OF LARGE GOVERNMENT DEFICITS ON INTEREST RATES AND EQUITY RETURNS

With the current economic expansion in the United States now beginning its third year, the persistence of federal government budget deficits on a historically unprecedented scale has clearly become the chief distinguishing characteristic of this business cycle both economically and politically. The budget for the 1978 fiscal year submitted to Congress by President Reagan acknowledges that, after a small improvement in 1984, the 1985 deficit will exceed even the record $208 billion mark posted in the immediate post-recession environment of 1983. More important, the President's new budget indi cates that even with a strong economy, and even after $50 billion of proposed spending cuts, the 1985 deficit will show no improvement over 1984.
Preparation of tagged sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate of high purity and specific radioactivity

Radioactive tagging of a surface active agent, commonly known as a “surfactant” is described. Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate was chosen because it is one of the principal surfactants used in household detergents. To increase the radiochemical yield, the tagged sulfuric acid was concentrated and the minimum amount of non-radioactive 30% fuming sulfuric acid needed to complete the sulfonation determined. The dodecylbenzene used was fractionated from “Neolene-400” using chromatographic methods. The difference in isomers was detected by infrared spectra and refractive indices. Two methods of introducing the radioactive sulfur were employed. The purity of the products obtained was determined from their respective infrared spectra. The final product had a specific radioactivity of 1.24 millicuries per gram of surfactant. Its purity was about 99%. Some experiments using the product are described.
Gene transfer of arginine kinase to skeletal muscle using adeno-associated virus.

In this study, we tested the feasibility of non-invasively measuring phosphoarginine (PArg) after gene delivery of arginine kinase (AK) using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) to murine hindlimbs. This was achieved by evaluating the time course, regional distribution and metabolic flux of PArg using 31phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS). AK gene was injected into the gastrocnemius of the left hindlimb of C57Bl10 mice (age 5 weeks, male) using self-complementary AAV, type 2/8 with desmin promoter. Non-localized 31P-MRS data were acquired over 9 months after injection using 11.1-T and 17.6-T Bruker Avance spectrometers. In addition, 31P two-dimensional chemical shift imaging and saturation transfer experiments were performed to examine the spatial distribution and metabolic flux of PArg, respectively. PArg was evident in each injected mouse hindlimb after gene delivery, increased until 28 weeks, and remained elevated for at least 9 months (P<0.05). Furthermore, PArg was primarily localized to the injected posterior hindimb region and the metabolite was in exchange with ATP. Overall, the results show the viability of AAV gene transfer of AK gene to skeletal muscle, and provide support of PArg as a reporter that can be used to non-invasively monitor the transduction of genes for therapeutic interventions.
Control of ovulation in cycling mares with ovarian steroids and prostaglandin

Abstract A combined progesterone-estradiol-17β treatment was given in two experiments conducted to examine its effectiveness in controlling ovulation time in cycling mares. In the first experiment, the combined steroid (150 mg progesterone, 10 mg estradiol-17β daily for 10 days) alone or combined with prostaglandin on the first and last days of steroid treatment resulted in ovulation in 15 of 16 mares 9–13 days after last injection, 13 of them on days 10–12. A CL present prior to treatment in one mare that received no prostaglandin persisted through and for 14 days after treatment. In the second experiment the combined steroid treatment started on the first or second day of estrus blocked ovulation in only 5 of 13 mares. Thus prostaglandin is necessary at least at the end of treatment. In both experiments a total of 20 mares with no luteal function at the end of steroid treatment ovulated on days 9–13 after last injection, 18 of these on days 10–12. These results indicate that the combined steroid-prostaglandin treatment can result in ovulations in a very restricted interval with apparently a normal distribution.
Effects of different data‐editing methods on trends in race‐specific preterm delivery rates, United States, 1990–2002

In recent years, national vital statistics data indicate that the US preterm delivery rate has decreased among African Americans and increased among whites. These trends in preterm delivery rates may have been affected, in part, by improvements in the accuracy of gestational age reporting on birth certificates. Several data-editing methods have been developed with the intention of reducing the percentage of records with misclassified gestational age. We explored whether three data-editing methods yielded different trends in preterm delivery for years 1990-2002 among US non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic African American singleton livebirths. Using National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) public-use data, we assessed two published methods for editing gestational age, one by Alexander et al. and the other by Zhang and Bowes (Zhang/Bowes). We also assessed a third method that substitutes the clinical estimate (CE) of gestational age when the NCHS last menstrual period (LMP)-based estimate differs from the CE by more than 2 weeks (the LMP/CE method). The percentage of records excluded and/or reclassified by each method was calculated for years 1990, 1996 and 2002. Gestational age-specific birthweight distributions were plotted by race for each method. Preterm delivery rates were calculated and compared by method of editing over time. The percentage of records excluded or reclassified declined from 1990 to 2002 regardless of the method applied. For infants at 28-33 weeks' gestation using the NCHS edited data, birthweight distributions were bimodal, with the second (right-sided) mode showing a mean birthweight consistent with that of term infants. The second mode was less pronounced using the Alexander et al. and the Zhang/Bowes methods, and was not present when the LMP/CE method was used. From 1990 to 2002, preterm delivery rates increased for non-Hispanic whites regardless of method (range 21.3-31.3%). Preterm delivery rates increased slightly for non-Hispanic African Americans with the LMP/CE method (1.8%), and decreased with the other methods (range 6.7-10.8%). Different approaches to editing gestational age from vital records can result in variation in preterm delivery rates and trends. Uncertainty persists around the true trends in preterm delivery, especially among African Americans. Additional research is needed to identify the approach that results in the most accurate classification of gestational age.
Immunologic "amnesia" of antibody-forming cells after RES blockade.

SummaryCellular and humoral antibody formation was markedly inhibited in mice treated with colloidal carbon particles to blockade the reticuloendothelial system. Appearance of 19S IgM and 7S IgG hemolysin-forming cells was prevented when adult mice were treated with carbon prior to a single inoculation of sheep erythrocytes. Carbon treatment also reduced markedly the expected secondary immune response in mice primed several weeks previously with sheep red blood cells. Few antibody-forming cells, either IgG or IgM, and only low levels of serum hemolysins appeared in primed mice injected with carbon 1 to 4 days before a secondary immunization. Mice injected with carbon before the primary inoculation of antigen had normal 19S IgM antibody-plaque responses after a second injection of red blood cells 1 month later. However, there was a marked absence of 7S IgG antibody-forming cells. Also, there was little, if any, 2-mercaptoethenol-resistant antibody in the sera of these mice after booster immunization. The i...
Thyroid Replacement Therapy and Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is a major public health and economic problem in Western countries and is one of the most common causes of hospitalization and death. Coronary artery disease is the underlying cause in more than two thirds of chronic HF patients. By 2020, the World Health Organization projects that ischemic heart disease alone will be the most important global cause of morbidity and mortality. The estimated increases in HF-related morbidity and mortality suggest that our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of this syndrome is inadequate. Interest in the role of thyroid hormones (THs) in HF has increased in recent years. The driving considerations can be summarized as follows: (1) the known effects of THs on contractile and relaxation properties of the heart; (2) experimental findings offering strong support for the hypothesis that TH signaling is critical in preserving cardiac structure and performance under normal conditions and after cardiac injury; and (3) evidence that mildly altered TH function is strongly associated with a worsening prognosis in cardiac patients in general and in HF patients in particular. Diastolic function and systolic function are clearly influenced by THs.1 Ventricular contractile function is also influenced by changes in hemodynamic conditions secondary to TH effects on peripheral vascular tone.1 TH homeostasis preserves positive ventricular-arterial coupling, leading to a favorable balance for cardiac work. A study in rats demonstrated that chronic hypothyroidism alone can eventually lead to HF.2 Other studies suggest reduced cardiac tissue triiodothyronine (T3) levels after myocardial infarction (MI) or with development of hypertension by upregulating type 3 deiodinase (D3), which leads to deactivation of T3 and T4 (thyroxine).3–6 This review highlights a growing body of evidence from animal studies and small-scale clinical trials suggesting that low cellular thyroid activity at the cardiac tissue level may adversely affect HF …