cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in Cape Fear River Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) are associated with biomarkers of altered immune and liver function.

Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic chemicals of concern that persist in the environment. Environmental monitoring revealed high concentrations of hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) and other novel PFAS in the lower Cape Fear River; however, there is limited information on PFAS exposures and effects of this contamination on aquatic biota. Serum concentrations of 23 PFAS in Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) from the Cape Fear River (n = 58) and a reference population from an aquaculture laboratory on the Pamlico/Tar watershed (n = 29) were quantified using liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry, and correlations between PFAS concentrations and health-related serum biomarkers were evaluated. Perfluorooctane sulfonate, the predominant PFAS in Cape Fear River Striped Bass serum, was detectable in every sample with serum concentrations reaching 977 ng/mL. Perfluorononanoic and perfluorodecanoic acid were also detected in all samples, with perfluorohexanesulfonic acid present in >98% of the samples. HFPO-DA (range
Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer: A Simple and Safe Option for Lymphedema.

Summary Lymphedema is caused by lymphatic dysfunction which leads to progressive limb enlargement. Vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT) is a microsurgical treatment for lymphedema. Frequently used VLNT donor sites may risk donor-site lymphedema (groin) or require intraperitoneal harvest (right gastroepiploic). The purpose of this study is to describe a novel VLNT using the deep inferior epigastric artery (DIEA) nodes. Patients with lymphedema who underwent VLNT using DIEA nodes were retrospectively reviewed. The lymph nodes were harvested by taking the DIEA with the perivascular adipose near the medial and lateral row branches. Age, affected limb, body mass index (BMI), etiology of lymphedema, stage, recipient vessels, and arm measurements were assessed. Five patients underwent VLNT using DIEA nodes. All patients had upper extremity breast-cancer related lymphedema. Mean age and BMI were 55.6 years and 35.6 kg/m2, respectively. Patients underwent VLNT with DIEA to forearm (radial artery), bilevel VLNT (n=3) with DIEA to forearm or axilla with concurrent other lymph node transfer (right gastroepiploic, superficial groin), and conjoined DIEA nodes with contralateral DIEP flap breast reconstruction (to internal mammary vessels, DIEA nodes to thoracodorsal serratus branch). There were no donor site complications. Vascularized transfer of the DIEA nodes is a novel technique for treatment of lymphedema. Advantages of this technique include avoiding the risk of donor site lymphedema and convenient access during abdominally based autologous breast reconstruction. The lymph nodes can be conjoined with DIEP flap breast reconstruction.
Whole breast irradiation with high tangents in the prone position

Extending the superior border of the breast tangent fields to include the low axilla is a technique employed to target the axillary lymph node (LN) without adding additional fields. This technique, commonly referred to as high tangents, is typically done in the supine position. The feasibility of delivering high tangents in the prone position has never been reported. Patients from 2012 to 2018 at a single institution who were prescribed treatment with high tangents using two tangentially opposed beams in the prone position were identified. The levels I–III axillary LNs were retrospectively contoured. The dose delivered to the LN, breast, and organs at risk was calculated using the original treatment plan. For LN, coverage was defined as > 90% of the prescribed dose. Forty-one patients treated with high tangents were identified. The median age was 62. Most patients underwent sentinel LN biopsy (88%), of which 59% had macroscopic disease and 30% had micrometastatic disease. Four patients had no axillary staging. Most patients (76%) were treated with hypofractionated radiation. The median distance from the superior border of the anterior oblique field to the humeral head was 0.6 cm (range: 0–1.5 cm). The mean coverage of the level I and level II axilla was 88.7% and 40.0% respectively. Axillary level I coverage for distance from the humeral head 1 cm was 76.4% (p = 0.017). This series demonstrates the feasibility of high tangents in the prone position, offering good coverage of level I LN, particularly with < 1 cm distance from the humeral head.
Impacts of COVID-19 on residential treatment programs for substance use disorder.

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic may present special challenges for residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities, which may lack infrastructure and support to implement infection control protocols while maintaining on-site treatment services. However, little is known about how residential SUD treatment programs are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The research team conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 directors of 20 residential SUD treatment programs across California during the state's shelter-in-place order. The researchers then analyzed qualitative interview data thematically and coded them using ATLAS.ti software. Findings Thematic analyses identified six major themes: program-level impacts, staff impacts, client impacts, use of telehealth, program needs, and positive effects. “Program-level impacts” were decreased revenue from diminished client censuses and insufficient resources to implement infection control measures. “Staff impacts” included layoffs, furloughs, and increased physical and emotional fatigue. “Client impacts” were delayed treatment initiation; receipt of fewer services while in treatment; lower retention; and economic and psychosocial barriers to community re-entry. “Use of telehealth” included technical and interpersonal challenges associated with telehealth visits. “Program needs” were personal protective equipment (PPE), stimulus funding, hazard pay, and consistent public health guidance. “Positive effects” of the pandemic response included increased attention to hygiene and health, telehealth expansion, operational improvements, and official recognition of SUD treatment as an essential health care service. Conclusion Study findings highlight COVID-related threats to the survival of residential SUD treatment programs; retention of the SUD treatment workforce; and clients' SUD treatment outcomes. These findings also identify opportunities to improve SUD service delivery and suggest avenues of support for residential SUD treatment facilities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNDER-REGULATED HEALTH CARE PHENOMENA IN A FLAT WORLD: MEDICAL TOURISM AND OUTSOURCING

This Symposium Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Review & Student Publications at Digital Commons @ Western NewEngland University School of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Western New England Law Review by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons @ Western New England University School of Law. For more information, please contactpnewcombe@law.wne.edu.
Refusing the Test: Debating Assessment and Accountability in Public Education:

Through widespread “opt-out” efforts over the past several years, parent and student activists have pressured schools, districts, states, and the federal government to reconsider the extent and lim...
What Does a Financial Policy Shock Do? Some Evidence From the ‘Too Big to Fail’ Financial Institutions

This paper investigates the effects of SEC intervention from July 15, 2008 on the stability of “too big to fail” corporations. We show that: 1. SEC policy intervention maps to shocks in stock market variables, 2. stock market variables and a policy intervention indicator variable are informative in predicting corporate bond market variables, 3. in sharp contrast to the literature, the stabilizing effect of SEC intervention depends on the correlation between shocks to several stock variables and their transmission mechanism to the corporate bond variables, 4. for struggling institutions this policy intervention has much higher and in some cases opposite effects that last longer.
Iron-catalysed hydroboration of non-activated imines and nitriles: kinetic and mechanistic studies

Iron-catalysed hydroboration of imines and nitriles has been developed under low catalyst loading (1 mol%) in the presence of HBpin. A wide scope of substrate was found to smoothly undergo hydroboration, including electron releasing/withdrawing and halogen substitution patterns and cyclic substrates which all afforded the corresponding amines in good to excellent yields. Dihydroboration of nitriles was achieved conveniently under solvent free and additive free conditions. Promisingly, this catalytic system is also capable of the hydroboration of challenging ketimine substrates. Preliminary kinetic analysis of imine hydroboration reveals a first-order dependence on catalyst concentration. Both HBpin and 4-fluorophenyl-N-phenylmethanimine (1b) appear to exhibit saturation kinetics with first order dependence up to 0.5 mmol HBpin and 0.75 mmol imine, respectively. Temperature-dependent rate experiments for imine hydroboration have also been explored. Activation parameters for the hydroboration of FPhCNPh (1b) were determined from the Eyring and Arrhenius plots with ΔS≠, ΔH≠, and Ea values of −28.69 (±0.3) e.u., 12.95 (±0.04) kcal mol−1, and 15.22 (±0.09) kcal mol−1, respectively.
Emergence of fowl aviadenovirus C-4 in a backyard chicken flock in California:

Fowl aviadenovirus (FAdV) species D and E are associated with inclusion body hepatitis (IBH); species C, serotype 4 (hereafter, FAdV4) is associated with hepatitis–hydropericardium syndrome (HHS) i...
ADR holdings of US-based emerging market funds

Abstract What motivates investors to hold American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) rather than the underlying stock of US listed foreign firms? We analyze the investment allocation decision of actively-managed emerging market mutual fund managers. Although legal provisions are typically assumed to affect ADR and its underlying domestic shares equally, investors holding ADRs may have a higher level of legal protection as these securities are issued and traded in the US. We find that ADRs are the preferred mode of holdings if the local market of the issuer has weak investor protection, low liquidity and high transaction costs.
O15.2 ‘It’s behaviors; It’s not identity’: Attitudes Related to HIV Risk and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Transgender Women in the Southeastern US

Background Transgender women (TGW) are significantly impacted by HIV in the Southeastern U.S., where HIV prevalence is the highest in the nation. Uptake of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is low among TGW nationwide. We aimed to explore barriers to PrEP awareness and uptake among TGW in the Southeastern U.S. Methods HIV-negative TGW ≥18 years old in Alabama participated in virtual focus groups (FGs) exploring barriers and beliefs related to HIV risk and PrEP among TGW in the Southeastern U.S. Participants were recruitment via social media, community outreach, and financial incentives to participants for referrals. A trained qualitative researcher coded transcripts after each FG and iteratively amended the FG protocol as new themes emerged. Results Between July 2020 and December 2020, 17 TGW participated in 4 FGs. Mean participant age was 28.1±8.5 years. Black, non-Hispanic and white, non-Hispanic TGW represented 41% (n=7) and 47% (n=8) of participants, respectively. Fifteen participants had heard of PrEP but only one had ever taken PrEP. Participants identified several barriers to PrEP use, including frustration regarding the conflation of transgender identity and HIV risk, lack of appropriate transgender representation in PrEP advertising, concerns for drug-drug interactions between PrEP and hormone replacement therapy, the perception that PrEP is primarily meant for cisgender men who have sex with men, and limited trans-affirming healthcare resources. Participants expressed that sexual risk behaviors, rather than transgender identity, should be central to healthcare providers’ discussion of PrEP with TGW. Conclusion Nuanced messaging from healthcare providers and media is necessary to properly educate and engage TGW in HIV prevention strategies such as PrEP. A one-size-fits-all approach is inappropriate given the diversity among TGW regarding sexual behaviors and HIV risk factors. Discussions between TGW and healthcare providers should focus on individual HIV risk and patient concerns when determining whether or not PrEP is appropriate.
United States Regulatory Considerations for Development of Live Biotherapeutic Products as Drugs

Our expanding knowledge of the nature and importance of the human microbiota has provided additional impetus to investigate the use of beneficial bacteria to promote improved health. Recent technological developments in both next-generation DNA sequencing and novel bioinformatic analyses have advanced our understanding of the nature of our microbiome and the degree to which its makeup correlates with human health and specific disease states. It is clear that the application of these technologies has the potential to inform the mechanisms of beneficial effects and to identify potentially valuable candidates for intervention. It should be noted, however, that there is a long history of the use of bacteria, initially in the form of naturally fermented foods and later by investigation of the potential roles of individual bacterial strains in disease prevention. For example, the strain Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 was reportedly isolated about 100 years ago from a World War I soldier who, unlike his cohorts, appeared unaffected by bacterial dysentery, and it has remained a subject of study ever since ( 1 ).
Descending 13 real world steps: A dataset and analysis of stair descent

Abstract Background: Stair descent analysis has been typically limited to laboratory staircases of 4 or 5 steps. To date there has been no report of gait parameters during unconstrained stair descent outside of the laboratory, and few motion capture datasets are publicly available. Research question: We aim to collect a dataset and perform gait analysis for stair descent outside of the laboratory. We aim to measure basic kinematic and kinetic gait parameters and foot placement behavior. Methods: We present a public stair descent dataset from 101 unimpaired participants aged 18-35 on an unconstrained 13-step staircase collected using wearable sensors. The dataset consists of kinematics (full-body joint angle and position), kinetics (plantar normal forces, acceleration), and foot placement for 30,609 steps. Results: We report the lower limb joint angle ranges (30° and 8° for hip flexion and extension, 85° and -11° for knee flexion and extension, and 31° and 28° for ankle dorsi- and plantar-flexion). The self-selected speed was 0.79 ± 0.16 m/s, with cycle duration of 0.97 ± 0.18 s. Mean foot overhang as a percentage of foot length was 17.07 ± 6.66 %, and we calculate that foot size explains only 6% of heel placement variation, but 79% of toe placement variation. We also find a minor but significant asymmetry between left and right maximum hip flexion angle, though all other measured parameters were symmetrical. Significance: This is the first quantitative observation of gait data from a large number ( n = 101) of participants descending an unconstrained staircase outside of a laboratory. This study enables analysis of gait characteristics including self-selected walking speed and foot placement to better understand typical stair gait behavior. The dataset is a public resource for understanding typical stair descent.
Surface enhanced Raman tags for cellular cancer biomarker detection

4747 The diversity of Raman spectroscopic signatures, the single molecule sensitivity of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and the biocompatibility of metal nanoparticles make SERS an attractive platform for multiplexed biomolecular detection. We report the development of SERS probes for tagging specific biomolecules on living cells. Our design involves encapsulating gold nanoparticle-reporter molecule complexes with thiol-derivatized polyethylene glycol (PEG-SH) and PEG-SH linked antibodies. A surprising finding is that this design can incorporate both sulfur-containing and non sulfur-containing molecules as reporters, expanding the repertoire of sensitive SERS tags. Reporter molecule spectral properties and nanoparticle aggregation states are well-preserved under extremes of pH, salinity, and solvent changes, and in the presence of competing SERS reporters, proteins, and cells. To demonstrate the feasibility of SERS nanotechnology for practical molecular oncology applications, we used the SERS tags to measure expression of a cell surface cancer biomarker and discriminate breast carcinoma cells from non-carcinoma cells using both visible and near-infrared excitation. These results create new opportunities for ultrasensitive molecular detection and optical imaging in complex biological materials.
Site and situation strategy in tourism planning: A Mexican case study

Abstract Mexico has experienced all the effects, good and ill, of a large and expanding tourist trade. Tourism's negative consequences--economic dependency, crime, cultural erosion--have manifested themselves in tourist ghettos along Mexico's northern border, on the Mexican Riviera, and in the capital. This study is an assesment of contemporary Mexican tourism planning as it relates to these problems, and further as it seeks to make tourism a stimulus to economically depressed areas of the nation. A case study approach is utilized to identify the strategy of site and situation selection for the new programmed resort complex at Cancun on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan peninsula. It is concluded that Cancun embodies, at least for Mexico, a radical departure in tourism development. The resort is situated to attract a large foreign clientele and to create the greatest possible positive economic and social impact on a resident Mexican population that has suffered chronic underdevelopment.
Entropy-based profile characterization and classification for automatic profile management

The recent adoption of pre-JIT compilation for the JVM and .NET platforms allows the exploitation of continuous profile collection and management at user sites. To support efficient pre-JIT type of compilation, this paper proposes and studies an entropy-based profile characterization and classification method. This paper first shows that highly accurate profiles can be obtained by merging a number of profiles collected over repeated executions with relatively low sampling frequency for the SPEC CPU2000 benchmarks. It also shows that simple characterization of the profile with information entropy can be used to guide sampling frequency of the profiler in an autonomous fashion. On the SPECjbb2000 benchmark, our adaptive profiler obtains a very accurate profile (94.5% similar to the baseline profile) with only 8.7% of the samples that would normally be collected using a 1M instructions sampling interval. Furthermore, we show that entropy could also be used for classifying different program behaviors based on different input sets.
Apoptosis in skeletal muscle and its relevance to atrophy

Apoptosis is necessary for maintaining the integrity of proliferative tissues, such as epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal system. The role of apoptosis in post mitotic tissues, such as skeletal muscle, is less well defined. Apoptosis during muscle atrophy occurs in both myonuclei and other muscle cell types. Apoptosis of myonuclei likely contributes to the loss of muscle mass, but the mechanisms underlying this process are largely unknown. Caspase-dependent as well as -independent pathways have been implicated and the mode by which atrophy is induced likely determines the apoptotic mechanisms that are utilized. It remains to be determined whether a decrease in apoptosis will alleviate atrophy and distinct research strategies may be required for different causes of skeletal muscle loss.
The Puzzling Persistence of the Fixed Price Offering: Implicit Price Discrimination in IPOs

This chapter for a book on the regulation of primary securities markets investigates the persistence of the fixed price offering in the United States. Fixed price offerings present a puzzle because economic theory suggests that sellers would maximize returns by offering IPO shares for sale at different prices depending upon characteristics of the buyer or the buyer's order. Contrary to this expectation, however, American companies uniformly sell IPO shares at a single fixed offering price. Moreover, this is true regardless of whether the shares are sold through the traditional book-building process or at auction. This phenomenon is not a function of the legal or regulatory structure governing public offerings in the United States, which neither mandates fixed price offerings nor bars price discrimination in IPOs. Instead, it appears to be a result of the market power of underwriters. A close examination of the offering process reveals a form of implicit price discrimination in which underwriters clearly engage - that is, the selective allocation of shares with resale restrictions. The chapter argues that underwriters favor implicit price discrimination over explicit price discrimination because the benefits of implicit price discrimination redound to the underwriter while explicit price discrimination would benefit issuers and eliminate an important (but hidden) component of underwriter compensation.
RESIDUAL ACTIVATION OF ACCELERATOR COMPONENTS

A method to calculate residual activation of thin accelerator components is presented. A model for residual dose estimation for thick objects made of arbitrary composite materials for arbitrary irradiation and cooling times is employed in this study. A scaling procedure is described to apply the model to thin objects with linear dimensions less than a fraction of a nuclear interaction length. The scaling has been performed for various materials and corresponding factors have been determined for objects of certain shapes (slab, solid and hollow cylinder) which are important from practical standpoint and can serve as models for beam pipes, magnets and collimators. Both contact residual dose and dose attenuation in air outside the objects were considered. A comparison between calculations and measurements performed at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory using a 120 GeV proton beam is presented.
The Role of the International Association of Geodesy in Establishing User Services

The role of a presentation either at the opening or closing sessions of scientific meetings usually is a dubious one. Its subject is trivial but at the same time it should call attention to the not-so-obvious, especially for the non initiated and for the younger generation of scientists. Presumably this was on the mind of the Organizers of this symposium when they asked me to talk on the above topic.
Time-reversal-invariant Z4 fractional Josephson effect

We study the Josephson junction mediated by the quantum spin Hall edge states and show that electron-electron interactions lead to a dissipationless fractional Josephson effect in the presence of time-reversal symmetry. Surprisingly, the periodicity is $8\ensuremath{\pi}$, corresponding to a Josephson frequency $eV/2\ensuremath{\hbar}$. We estimate the magnitude of interaction-induced many-body level splitting responsible for this effect and argue that it can be measured by using tunneling spectroscopy. For strong interactions we show that the Josephson effect is associated with the weak tunneling of charge $e/2$ quasiparticles between the superconductors. Our theory describes a fourfold ground state degeneracy that is similar to that of coupled ``fractional'' Majorana modes but is protected by time-reversal symmetry.
Recent Approaches to Cultural History: American Photography, Film, and Music

Recent work in American cultural history reveals a strong interest in the methodologies of other disciplines as well as developing transnational interpretations of American history. This article considers work that examines photography, film, and music. The use of visual and oral sources has long offered scholars alternative ways of viewing the past – both in their research and in the classroom. Today not only are cultural historians placing these sources within their appropriate historical and cultural contexts (with subjects as diverse as Mexican American murals, immigration photography, film noir, and African American music), they are increasingly employing sensory studies, especially in terms of sound, which enable us to approach our research and teaching with new eyes and ears.
To be or not to be a locust? A comparative analysis of behavioral phase change in nymphs of Schistocerca americana and S. gregaria

Phenotypic plasticity in behavior induced by high rearing density is often part of a migratory syndrome in insects called phase polyphenism. Among locust species, swarming and the expression of phase polyphenism are highly correlated. The american grasshopper, Schistocerca americana, rarely swarms even though it is closely related to the swarming Old World desert locust, S. gregaria, as well as two swarming New World locusts. Anecdotal field observations of locust-like behavior in S. americana indicate that it may express behavioral phase polyphenism, but empirical investigations are lacking. In this study, I tested the hypothesis that S. americana expresses locust-like density-dependent changes in behavior during both the first and final nymphal instars. I then compared the expression of behavioral phase change between S. americana and S. gregaria. First instar S. americana exhibited significant geographic variation in behavior with grasshoppers from a North Carolina population expressing more pronounced density-dependent changes relative to grasshoppers from a Texas population. The behavior of final instar S. americana was only slightly affected by rearing density and there was no evidence for a difference between populations. Comparison with S. gregaria revealed that the magnitude of density-dependent behavioral change, particularly among final instar nymphs, was much reduced in S. americana.
Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of a Novel Dissonance-Based Group Treatment for Eating Disorders

The authors conducted a pilot trial of a new dissonance-based group eating disorder treatment designed to be a cost-effective front-line transdiagnostic treatment that could be more widely disseminated than extant individual or family treatments that are more expensive and difficult to deliver. Young women with a DSM-5 eating disorder (N = 72) were randomized to an 8-week dissonance-based Counter Attitudinal Therapy group treatment or a usual care control condition, completing diagnostic interviews and questionnaires at pre, post, and 2-month follow-up. Intent-to-treat analyses revealed that intervention participants showed greater reductions in outcomes than usual care controls in a multivariate multilevel model (χ(2)[6] = 34.1, p < .001), producing large effects for thin-ideal internalization (d = .79), body dissatisfaction (d = 1.14), and blinded interview-assessed eating disorder symptoms (d = .95), and medium effects for dissonance regarding perpetuating the thin ideal (d = .65) and negative affect (d = .55). Midway through this pilot we refined engagement procedures, which was associated with increased effect sizes (e.g., the d for eating disorder symptoms increased from .51 to 2.30). This new group treatment produced large reductions in eating disorder symptoms, which is encouraging because it requires about 1/20th the therapist time necessary for extant individual and family treatments, and has the potential to provide a cost-effective and efficacious approach to reaching the majority of individuals with eating disorders who do not presently received treatment.
EXAFS and XANES studies of Zn2+ and Rb+ neutralized perfluorinated ionomers

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) experiments have been carried out to probe the Zn2+ and Rb+ environment in perfluorinated ionomers. The cation environment has been determined for these ionomers in their dry, hydrated and n-amyl alcohol swollen state. It was found that a well ordered, crystalline-like nearest-neighbor oxygen shell predominates in the zinc neutralized perfluorinated ionomers. Unlike the zinc ionomers, the Rb+ neutralized ionomers show no discernible peaks in the radial structure function indicating that the rubidium environment is highly disordered. Coordination of the hydroxyl groups of namyl alcohol to cations was suggested by EXAFS analysis. XANES analysis was useful in corroborating the EXAFS information and in providing information about the ionic character of the nearest-neighbor bonding.
Synthesis and magnetic properties of the double perovskites Ln2NaRuO6 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd)

Abstract A series of double perovskite oxides, L n 2 NaRuO 6 (Ln=La, Pr, Nd), has been prepared as single crystals from acidic molten NaOH. All three oxides crystallize in the monoclinic space group P21/n (Glazer tilt system #10, a - a - b + ), forming a 1:1 ordered rock salt lattice of the Na+ and Ru5+ cations. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show evidence of antiferromagnetic correlations at temperatures below 16, 10 and 8 K for L n 2 NaRuO 6 (Ln=La, Pr, Nd), respectively.
A Discussion of Causality and the Lorentz Group

Zeeman (1964) has shown that the group of automorphisms for the relation of causality on Minkowski space is that generated by the orthochronous Poincare (Halpern, 1968) group and dilatations. Here we prove that the group of automorphisms that preserve the time-like vectors of Minkowski space normwise is the complete Poincare group. We prove that the timelike structure within the null cone of a single event does define the whole structure of Minkowski space. Further, it is shown that only inertial observers can use Minkowski space to describe space-time.
SCINTIGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF DISTAL EXTREMITY PERFUSION IN 17 PATIENTS

To assess the role of scintigraphic evaluation of distal limb perfusion, the medical records and scintigraphic perfusion images of 17 animals (8 dogs, 2 cats, 2 calves, 4 birds and 1 ferret) with clinical signs of distal limb ischemia were examined retrospectively. Images were obtained at 5 and 10 minutes following injection of 99mTc-MDP, or 99mTc-DTPA. The initial scintigraphic diagnoses of 17 animals included complete ischemia (8/17), partially reduced perfusion (5/17), and normal to increased perfusion (4/17). In 4 of the animals with partially reduced perfusion, follow-up scans indicated progression to complete ischemia (1/4) or normal to increased perfusion (3/4). Nine of 17 animals had a final scintigraphic diagnosis of complete distal limb ischemia, and these animals were either euthanized (5/9) or had limb amputation (4/9). A final diagnosis of complete ischemia was supported with either repeat scanning (3/10), continued clinical observation (6/10) and/or pathological examination (10/10). Clinical signs of ischemia resolved in all (7/17) animals with increased or normal perfusion on their final scan. Scintigraphy provided a safe and noninvasive assessment of distal limb perfusion, which corresponded with clinical outcome.
Pedigree analysis of plasmid segregation in yeast

We have used pedigree analysis to investigate the mitotic segregation of circular and linear DNA plasmids in Saccharomyces cerevisae. Circular ARS plasmids, which bear putative chromosomal replication origins, have a high segregation frequency and a strong bias to segregate to the mother cell at mitosis. The segregation bias explains how the fraction of plasmid-bearing cells can be small despite the high average copy number of circular ARS plasmids. Linear ARS plasmids do not show strong segregation bias, nor does the 2 mu ori-containing plasmid YEp 13, when it is present in strains containing intact 2 mu circles. In the absence of endogenous 2 mu circles, YEp 13 behaves like an ARS plasmid, showing a strong maternal segregation bias. The presence of a centromere on circular ARS plasmids eliminates segregation bias. We discuss a model for plasmid segregation, which explains these findings and the possible biological significance of mother-daughter segregation bias.
Synthesis of (S)-2-Boc-Amino-8-(R)-(tert-butyldimethylsilanyloxy) decanoic acid, a Precursor to the Unusual Amino Acid Residue of the Anticancer Agent Microsporin B

(S)-2-Boc-Amino-8-(R)-(tert-butyldimethylsilanyloxy)decanoic acid, the Boc-protected precursor of an unusual amino acid residue for the synthesis of microsporin B, was synthesized. The key steps include a Suzuki coupling followed by asymmetric homogeneous hydrogenation.
Guided-Resonance Induced Absorption Enhancement in Silicon Nanowire Arrays for Photovoltaic Application

We simulate the optical properties of silicon nanowire arrays using the transfer matrix method. Results reveal that guided resonances in nanowire arrays with proper size can greatly enhance the absorption of solar radiation.
Aerodynamic-Rotordynamic Interaction in Axial Compression Systems: Part II — Impact of Interaction on Overall System Stability

This paper presents an integrated treatment of the dynamic coupling between the flow field (aerodynamics) and rotor structural vibration (rotordynamics) in axial compression systems. This work is motivated by documented observations of tip clearance effects on axial compressor flow field stability, the destabilizing effect of fluid-induced aerodynamic forces on rotordynamics, and their potential interaction. This investigation is aimed at identifying the main nondimensional design parameters governing this interaction, and assessing its impact on overall stability of the coupled system. The model developed in this work employs a reduced-order Moore-Greitzer model for the flow field, and a Jeffcott-type model for the rotordynamics. The coupling between the fluid and structural dynamics is captured by incorporating a compressor pressure rise sensitivity to tip clearance, together with a momentum based model for the aerodynamic forces on the rotor (presented in Part I of this paper). The resulting dynamic model suggests that the interaction is largely governed by two nondimensional parameters: the sensitivity of the compressor to tip clearance and the ratio of fluid mass to rotor mass. The aerodynamic-rotordynamic coupling is shown to generally have an adverse effect on system stability. For a supercritical rotor and a typical value of the coupling parameter, the stability margin to the left of the design point is shown to decrease by about 5% in flow coefficient (from 20% for the uncoupled case). Doubling the value of the coupling parameter not only produces a reduction of about 8% in the stability margin at low flow coefficients, but also gives rise to a rotordynamic instability at flow coefficients 7% higher than the design point.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Counterbalance between BAG and URX neurons via guanylate cyclases controls lifespan homeostasis in C. elegans

Lifespan of C. elegans is affected by the nervous system; however, the underlying neural integration still remains unclear. In this work, we targeted an antagonistic neural system consisting of low-oxygen sensing BAG neurons and high-oxygen sensing URX neurons. While ablation of BAG neurons increases lifespan of C. elegans, ablation of URX neurons decreases lifespan. Genetic analysis revealed that BAG and URX neurons counterbalance each other via different guanylate cyclases (GCYs) to control lifespan balance. Lifespan-modulating effects of GCYs in these neurons are independent of the actions from insulin/IGF-1 signalling, germline signalling, sensory perception, or dietary restriction. Given the known gas-sensing property of these neurons, we profiled that lifespan of C. elegans is promoted under moderately low oxygen (4-12%) or moderately high carbon dioxide (5%) but inhibited under high-level oxygen (40%); however, these pro-longevity and anti-longevity effects are counteracted, respectively, by BAG and URX neurons via different GCYs. In conclusion, BAG and URX neurons work as a neural-regulatory system to counterbalance each other via different GCYs to control lifespan homeostasis.
An Overview of Surface Finishes and Their Role in Printed Circuit Board Solderability and Solder Joint Performance

An overview has been presented on the topic of alternative surface finishes for package I/Os and circuit board features. Aspects of processability and solder joint reliability were described for the following coatings: baseline hot‐dipped, plated, and plated‐and‐fused 100Sn and Sn‐Pb coatings; Ni/Au; Pd, Ni/Pd, and Ni/Pd/Au finishes; and the recently marketed immersion Ag coatings. The Ni/Au coatings appear to provide the all‐around best options in terms of solderability protection and wire bondability. Nickel/Pd finishes offer a slightly reduced level of performance in these areas which is most likely due to variable Pd surface conditions. It is necessary to minimize dissolved Au or Pd contents in the solder material to prevent solder joint embrittlement. Ancillary aspects that include thickness measurement techniques; the importance of finish compatibility with conformal coatings and conductive adhesives; and the need for alternative finishes for the processing of non‐Pb bearing solders are discussed.
Crack propagation by element-free Galerkin methods

Abstract Element free Galerkin methods (EFG) are gridless methods for solving partial differential equations which employ moving least square interpolants for the trial and test functions. EFG methods require only nodes and a description of the external and internal boundaries and interfaces of the model; no element connectivity is needed. The implementation of EFG to arbitrary crack growth in static problems such as fatigue is described. Numerical examples show that accurate stress intensity factors can be obtained by this method without any enrichment of the displacement field by a near crack tip singularity and that crack growth can be easily modeled since it requires almost no remeshing.
Application of SH and Lamb Wave Emat’s for Evaluation of Adhesive Joint in Thin Plate

The applicability of SH wave for the evaluation of adhesive joint in thin plate was studied. The advantages of the SH guided wave is that its displacement and stress are oriented parallel to the adhesive-adherent interface, and therefore, it can be used to evaluate interface properties. The experimental studies are focused on the relations between acoustic parameters and geometry conditions, the comparison of ultrasonic data and strength data of the joint, and the attenuation in different cases. The experiments were done on lap-shear samples and long samples. For excitation and reception of SH waves, non-contact electromagnetic transducers were used. An additional investigation was carried out using Lamb waves for the same sample parameters.
Factors related to women's practice of breast self-examination.

Factors related to women's practice of breast self-examination (BSE) were studied in a sample of upper-middle-class women attending meetings of voluntary women's groups. Factors found to relate directly to frequency of BSE practice were high perceived benefits of BSE, low perceived barriers to BSE, and high self-concept. Correlations with perceived susceptibility/seriousness of breast cancer, age, perceived level of social support, and social network properties were not significant. A multiple regression analysis was done with BSE frequency as criterion variable: perceived threat (susceptibility/seriousness) and perceived benefits minus perceived barriers were entered hierarchically; age, self-concept, and total social support were entered as a group. Perceived benefits minus barriers was the only significant predictor variable, R2 = .27. These findings underline the importance of assessing detective behaviors such as BSE as potentially different from preventive behaviors.
Echocardiographic observations in opiate addicts with active infective endocarditis. Frequency of involvement of the various values and comparison of echocardiographic features of right- and left-sided cardiac valve endocarditis.

Abstract Echocardiographic observations are described in 25 opiate addicts with active infective endocarditis involving apparently previously normal valves. Infective endocarditis was isolated to the tricuspid valve in 11 patients, involved both right- (tricuspid valve) and left-sided valves in 7 and was isolated to the left-sided valves in 7 (mitral valve in 6). Twenty patients (80 percent) had tricuspid valve regurgitation, 12 had mitral regurgitation, 3 had aortic regurgitation and none had pulmonary valve regurgitation. Considering the 75 cardiac valves (excluding the pulmonary) in the 25 patients, echocardiographic abnormalities consistent with active infective endocarditis were detected in 26 (74 percent) of the 35 clinically incompetent valves but in none of the 40 competent valves. Comparison of the 20 incompetent tricuspid valves with the 12 incompetent mitral valves indicated that (1) the echocardiogram was less sensitive in detecting tricuspid valve lesions, (2) rupture of tricuspid valve chordae tendineae was absent or not detectable, and (3) tricuspid valve vegetations tended to be larger.
Visuo-motor control: Giving the brain a hand

Sensory information is acquired in spatial coordinate systems linked to sense organs, yet movement must be executed in coordinate systems linked to motor effector organs. Neurophysiological experiments are yielding new insights into how the brain transforms coordinate systems to facilitate movement.
Parameter Influence in Structural Equation Modeling

In applications of structural equation modeling (SEM), investigators obtain and interpret parameter estimates that are computed so as to produce optimal model fit. The obtained parameter estimates are optimal in the sense that model fit would deteriorate to some degree if any of those estimates were changed. If a small change of a parameter estimate has large influence on model fit, such a parameter can be called highly influential, whereas if a substantial perturbation of a parameter estimate has negligible influence on model fit, that parameter can be called uninfluential. This is the idea of parameter influence. This article covers 2 approaches to quantifying parameter influence. One existing approach determines the direction vector of parameter perturbation causing maximum deterioration in model fit. In this article, we propose a new approach for quantifying the influence of individual parameters on model fit. In this new approach, the influence of individual parameters is quantified as the degree of ...
Identification of the class-3 aldehyde dehydrogenases present in human MCF-7/0 breast adenocarcinoma cells and normal human breast tissue

Affinity column chromatography was used to semipurify the very small amounts of class-3 aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-3) present in human MCF-7/0 breast adenocarcinoma cells and human normal breast tissue. Characterization of the semipurified enzymes revealed that each was a type-1 ALDH-3 rather than a type-2 ALDH-3 as previously reported. Although clearly a type-1 ALDH-3, the MCF-7/0 enzyme, as well as the type-1 ALDH-3 constitutively present in cultured colon C cells and induced in cultured MCF-7/0 cells by methylcholanthrene, does, however, differ from the prototypical human stomach mucosa type-1 ALDH-3 in one, perhaps pharmacologically important, way, viz. when the ability to catalyse the oxidation of aldophosphamide is normalized by the ability to catalyse the oxidation of benzaldehyde, each of these enzymes, as well as the type-2 ALDH-3 found in MCF-7/OAP cells, exhibits greater ability to catalyse the oxidation of aldophosphamide than does stomach mucosa type-1 ALDH-3; hence, although not type-2 ALDH-3s, they may be slight variants of the prototypical type-1 ALDH-3.
Data From the Diamond Blackfan Anemia Registry (Dbar) Suggest A Reevaluation Of Current Treatment Practices † 804

The DBAR was established in 1993. There are 268 registered Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA) patients (pts) in the U.S. and Canada; 5 have been excluded due to misdiagnoses. Of these 263 DBA pts, 203 are alive, 11 are dead, and information has not been obtained from 49 pts; the male:female ratio is 1:0.93. The current median age is 11yr 1mo (range, 1mo to 45yr 5mo). The median ages at presentation and diagnosis respectively, were 8 weeks (range, birth to 8yr 4mo) and 12 weeks (range, birth to 24yr). Ninety-one percent of the pts presented during the first year of life. Multiple cases were found in 16 of 199 families (8.0%, 12 presumed dominant inheritance and 4 recessive). Physical abnormalities, excluding short stature, were found in 48.1%; 22.6% had more than one anomaly. Of these anomalies 41% were of the face and neck, 36% upper limb and hand, 33% genitourinary, and 27% cardiac. Corticosteroids(CS) and red cell transfusions have been the mainstays of treatment. Of 203 pts, 81.3% were initially responsive to CS while 16.7% were CS non-responsive. Currently 40.5% are on daily or alternate day CS therapy. Significant CS related side effects are reported in the majority of pts (e.g. pathologic fractures 17.7%, cataracts 9.2%). Thirty-nine percent are receiving red cell transfusions: 30.8% were never CS responsive, 19.2% became refractory, and 44.9% could not be weaned to an acceptable CS dose. Thirty-two of 165 responders entered spontaneous remission (SR); 29 remain in SR. Only 2 of 34 of CS non-responders ever entered SR (p=.05). The median age of onset of first SR was 4yr 3mo (range, 7mo to 37yr 11mo). The median duration of SR was 5yr 6mo (range, 8mo to 36yr 8mo). There are 11 deaths reported in the DBAR; 3 due to iron overload, 2 of PCP, 1 from severe aplastic anemia and 5 from transplant related complications. Of 12 pts with stem cell transplants, all 4 matched related transplants are alive, only 2 of 6 unrelated and 0 of 1 mismatched related transplants are living; one is too early to evaluate. These data suggest the need for a reevaluation of current practices related to CS treatment, perhaps in favor of a more liberal use of red cell transfusion therapy. The role of alternative donor stem cell transplantation in DBA must be carefully considered, especially in pts with a higher likelihood of SR.
“Fitness” Marketing: Celebrity or Non-Celebrity Endorsement?

ABSTRACT This paper makes a beginning in the comparison of real ads on source credibility in the context of the marketing of “fitness” related goods and services. While the results establish the greater credibility of celebrity endorsed ads vis a vis non-celebrity endorsed ads in the context of the test product, the authors nevertheless empirically substantiate that certain ad characteristics may have potential for use as screening items to aid in effecting choice between a celebrity and a non-celebrity endorser in other product/service contexts. Additional exploratory analyses and results are reported.
COMPARISON OF DESENSITIZATION AND TIME-DEPENDENT BLOCK OF THE ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR RESPONSES BY CHLORPROMAZINE, CYTOCHALASIN B, TRITON X-100 AND OTHER AGENTS

1 Chlorpromazine, cytochalasin B, Triton X-100, lidocaine, QX-314, pentobarbitone, heptanol and ethanol, but not benzocaine or methylguanidine, caused a time-dependent inhibition of acetylcholine (ACh) potentials. Increasing the concentration of the agents increased the rate of inhibition. 2 The recovery rate from the time-dependent inhibition was the same as from desensitization except in Triton X-100 which slowed the recovery. 3 Hyperpolarizing the membrane potential caused an increase in the rate of the time-dependent inhibition. 4 It is suggested that the time-dependent inhibition and desensitization are very similar phenomena, with either ACh (in desensitization) or an agent (in time-dependent inhibition) causing a block of the activated ACh receptor, and with dissociation from the binding site being very slow. 5 Many of the agents also cause a steady state inhibition of the ACh receptor which appears to be caused by a separate blocking action of the agents.