cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of compactional pressure on a wheat germ lipase preparation.

Wheat germ lipase is a relatively homogeneous proteinaceous enzyme known to suffer inactivation by compactional pressure. However, earlier investigators suggested that the inactivation was due to thermal degradation following the application of mechanical energy. A wheat germ preparation (Sigma) was compacted over a range of pressures from 85 to 1800 MPa. The 100-mg compacts were carefully dispersed and dissolved in aqueous 0.05 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, and the biological activity was determined using triacetin as a substrate. No significant loss of activity occurred up to a pressure of 175 MPa. After this point, a discontinuity was evident with a loss of 30% activity but this loss of activity remained constant over the remainder of the applied pressure range studied. The density/applied pressure relationship indicated that the discontinuity was due to space constraints. The density failed to go higher than a limiting value of approximately 1.2 g cm−3, irrespective of the applied pressure. There was an approximately linear relationship between the relative loss of biological activity and density, indicating that the observed loss of biological activity is unlikely to be due to applied thermal energy but more likely to be due to space constraints on the volume occupied by the molecule. However, circular dichroism measurements and SDS-PAGE examination did not reveal any obvious protein structural changes, suggesting that the mechanism involved in activity loss is subtle.
Genotype patterns in growing solid tumors

Over the past decade, the theory of tumor evolution has largely focused on the selective sweeps model. According to this theory, tumors evolve by a succession of clonal expansions that are initiated by driver mutations. In a 2015 analysis of colon cancer data, Sottoriva et al. proposed an alternative theory of tumor evolution, the so-called Big Bang model, in which one or more driver mutations are acquired by the founder gland, and the evolutionary dynamics within the expanding population are predominantly neutral. In this paper we will describe a simple mathematical model that reproduces qualitative features of the observed patterns of genetic variability and makes quantitative predictions.
Characterization and targeting of malignant stem cells in patients with advanced myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a chronic hematologic disorder that frequently evolves to more aggressive stages and in some cases leads to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). MDS arises from mutations in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Thus, to define optimal therapies, it is essential to understand molecular events driving HSC pathogenesis. In this study, we report that during evolution of MDS, malignant HSCs activate distinct cellular programs that render such cells susceptible to therapeutic intervention. Specifically, metabolic analyses of the MDS stem cell compartment show a profound activation of protein synthesis machinery and increased oxidative phosphorylation. Pharmacological targeting of protein synthesis and oxidative phosphorylation demonstrated potent and selective eradication of MDS stem cells in primary human patient specimens. Taken together, our findings indicate that MDS stem cells are reliant on specific metabolic events and that such properties can be targeted prior to the onset of clinically significant AML, during antecedent MDS.
Lobectomy with mediastinal nodal dissection versus partial lobectomy in patients with bronchial carcinoid tumors: A NCDB analysis.

8549Background: Bronchial carcinoid tumors are a rare group of neoplasms that usually have an indolent clinical behavior. Surgical resection is the main treatment modality for patients with early s...
The cyclic phosphodiesterase CNP and RNA cyclase RtcA fine-tune noncanonical XBP1 splicing during ER stress

The activity of X box–binding protein 1 (XBP1), a master transcriptional regulator of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis and the unfolded protein response (UPR), is controlled by a two-step noncanonical splicing reaction in the cytoplasm. The first step of nuclease cleavage by inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), a protein kinase/endoribonuclease, is conserved in all eukaryotic cells. The second step of RNA ligation differs biochemically among species. In yeast, tRNA ligase 1 (Trl1) and tRNA 2′-phosphotransferase 1 (Tpt1) act through a 5′-PO4/3′-OH pathway. In metazoans, RNA 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate and 5′-OH ligase (RtcB) ligate XBP1 exons via a 3′-PO4/5′-OH reaction. Although RtcB has been identified as the primary RNA ligase, evidence suggests that yeast-like ligase components may also operate in mammals. In this study, using mouse and human cell lines along with in vitro splicing assays, we investigated whether these components contribute to XBP1 splicing during ER stress. We found that the mammalian 2′-phosphotransferase Trpt1 does not contribute to XBP1 splicing even in the absence of RtcB. Instead, we found that 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (CNP) suppresses RtcB-mediated XBP1 splicing by hydrolyzing 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate into 2′-phosphate on the cleaved exon termini. By contrast, RNA 3′-terminal cyclase (RtcA), which converts 2′-phosphate back to 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate, facilitated XBP1 splicing by increasing the number of compatible RNA termini for RtcB. Taken together, our results provide evidence that CNP and RtcA fine-tune XBP1 output during ER stress.
Examining the link between reward and response inhibition in individuals with substance abuse tendencies

Abstract Background Substance use problems are often characterized by dysregulation in reward sensitivity and inhibitory control. In line with this representation, the goal of this investigation was to determine how substance abuse tendencies among university students affect incentivized response inhibition. Additionally, this study examined whether striatal dopamine moderates the impact of substance use on response inhibition performance. Methods The sample included ninety-eight university students. Participants completed this prospective experimental study at an on-campus laboratory. All participants completed substance abuse and disinhibition subscales of the Externalizing Spectrum Inventory-Brief Form. Using a within-subjects design, participants then performed the Stop Signal Task under both neutral (unrewarded) and reward conditions, in which correct response cancellations resulted in a monetary reward. Striatal tonic dopamine levels were operationalized using spontaneous eyeblink rate. Results The outcome measures were Stop Signal Reaction Time (SSRT) performance in the unrewarded and rewarded phases of the task. A hierarchical linear regression analysis, controlling for trait disinhibition, age, gender, and cigarette smoking status, identified an interactive effect of substance use and striatal dopamine levels on incentivized SSRT. Substance abuse tendencies were associated with slower SSRT and thus poorer inhibitory control under reward conditions among individuals with low levels of striatal dopamine (F = 7.613, p = .007). Conclusions This work has implications for research examining advanced drug use trajectories. In situations in which rewards are at stake, drug users with low tonic dopamine may be more motivated to seek those rewards at the expense of regulating inhibitory control.
A high-frequency mobile phone data collection approach for research in social-environmental systems: Applications in climate variability and food security in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract Collecting high-frequency social-environmental data about farming practices in sub-Saharan Africa can provide new insight into environmental changes that farmers face and how they respond within smallholder agro-ecosystems. Traditional data collection methods such as agricultural censuses are costly and not useful for understanding intra-annual and real-time decisions. Short-message service (SMS) has the potential to transform the nature of data collection in coupled social-ecological systems. We present a system for collecting, managing, and synthesizing weekly data from farmers, including data infrastructure for management of big and heterogeneous datasets; probabilistic data quality assessment tools; and visualization and analysis tools such as mapping and regression techniques. We discuss limitations of collecting social-environmental data via SMS and data integration challenges that arise when linking these data with other social and environmental data. In combination with high-frequency environmental data, such data will help ameliorate issues of scale mismatch and build resilience in environmental systems.
Ultrahigh Performance Mass Spectrometry in Clinical Chemistry: A Taste of the Future?

The application of mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods for the analysis of proteins in clinical chemistry has been a source of inspiration for many years (1, 2). Today, however, despite substantial advances in methodology and instrumentation, protein MS is still far from being the standard in clinical chemistry laboratories. MS's ability to generate complex protein or peptide profiles that can be compared among samples was initially recognized as a powerful approach for characterizing pathophysiological states and therefore a promising tool for disease diagnosis and prognosis. This strategy works well with low-complexity proteomes of simple organisms and has allowed MALDI-TOF MS protein profiling to revolutionize the identification of bacteria and fungi in clinical microbiology laboratories (3). However, when applied to more complex samples, such as human blood or urine, the lack of reproducibility of MS proteomic profiling methods and the difficulty in extracting useful information from a vast background of nonmeaningful data were soon considered insurmountable obstacles to clinical application. Because of these limitations, the prevailing view became that, to integrate clinical laboratories, MS protein assays should rely on simpler analytical work flows and straightforward data analysis processes. In other words, rather than comparing long protein lists as done in discovery proteomics, clinical proteomics should focus on the quantification of specific protein biomarkers of relevant clinical interest, taking advantage of the higher analytical performance MS can offer over traditional immunoassays (4, 5). Such targeted MS assays typically combine a protein digestion step, the fractionation of the resulting peptides by liquid chromatography, and the quantification of signature peptides by MS. An immuno-enrichment step of proteins or peptides can be added to increase …
Ion-Ion Interactions in Charge Detection Mass Spectrometry

Charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS) is a single-particle technique where the masses of individual ions are determined by simultaneously measuring their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) and charge. Ions are usually trapped inside an electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) where they oscillate back and forth through a detection cylinder, generating a periodic signal that is analyzed by fast Fourier transforms. The oscillation frequency is related to the ion's m/z, and the magnitude is related to the ion's charge. In early work, multiple ion trapping events were discarded because there was a question about whether ion-ion interactions affected the results. Here, we report trajectory calculations performed to assess the influence of ion-ion interactions when multiple highly charged ions are simultaneously trapped in an ELIT. Ion-ion interactions cause trajectory and energy fluctuations that lead to variations in the oscillation frequencies that in turn degrade the precision and accuracy of the m/z measurements. The peak shapes acquire substantial high and low m/z tails, and the average m/z shifts to a higher value as the number of trapped ions increases. The effects of the ion-ion interactions are proportional to the product of the charges and the square root of the number of trapped ions and depend on the ions' m/z distribution. For the ELIT design examined here, ion-ion interactions limit the m/z resolving power to several hundred for a typical homogeneous ion population.
Though Miles Apart: Soft Tangible Interface that Evokes Nostalgic Memories

Though Miles Apart is an interactive installation that encourages people to join together through a soft tangible interface, to reminisce on their personal experiences. Based on a traditional Chinese melody, Shuidiao Getou, the installation embodies the idea of separation but, though apart, "we are still able to share the beauty of the moon together''. Initially, as people enter the area, they are invited to sit around the pond-like surface, near glowing points. When a viewer grasps a glowing, soft conductive unit in their hands, it will trigger videos in response to their touch. Viewers will listen and watch stories from people of different cultures and backgrounds, as they recollect on their memories. It creates a meditative, immersive environment, where the collective is allowed to sit and experience nostalgia.
Overcoming Status Quo Bias for Resilient Stormwater Infrastructure: Empirical Evidence in Neurocognition and Decision-Making

AbstractGreen infrastructure solutions like bio-retention systems, permeable pavements, and water harvesting programs are cost-effective for stormwater management and more adaptive to a changing cl...
In his own image: an existential evolutionary perspective on the origins and function of religion

Abstract An integration of existential and evolutionary perspectives on religion suggests that humankind used their evolved cognitive capacities to intelligently design gods in their own image, to manage anxiety that resulted from emerging awareness of the precariousness of life and the inevitability of death. Integrating ideas from evolutionary and existential theories of religion provides a comprehensive explanation of the initial emergence of spirit concepts and the psychological dynamics that motivated our ancestors to expand these intuitions into increasingly elaborate cosmologies that enabled them to face the realities of existence with relative equanimity. We discuss how emerging awareness of death led early humans to transform morality from its initial function of promoting social cohesion to that of transcending death by pleasing powerful gods capable of granting immortality. We also discuss the role that powerful humans played in inspiring the characteristics attributed to gods capable of defeating death, as well as the relationship between individual-level psychological motives for religious behavior and the societal consequences of that behavior.
Efficacy of triclopyr and synthetic auxin herbicide mixtures for common blue violet (Viola sororia) control

Common blue violet is a widely distributed, perennial broadleaf that is difficult to control in lawns. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of synthetic auxin herbicides and their mixtures or rate for common blue violet control. A herbicide comparison experiment was conducted with treatments including a nontreated check; 2,4-D dimethylamine; 2,4-D isooctyl ester (2,4-D ester); dichlorprop (2,4-DP) ethylhexyl ester, MCPA dimethylamine; mecoprop dimethylamine; triclopyr butoxyethyl ester; quinclorac; and mixtures of triclopyr + quinclorac; 2,4-D ester + 2,4-DP; 2,4-D ester + triclopyr; 2,4-D ester + 2,4-DP + triclopyr. All herbicides were applied at 1.12 kg ae ha–1 except quinclorac (0.84 kg ha–1). Additionally, a triclopyr dose-response experiment was conducted using rates of 0, 0.14, 0.28, 0.56, 0.84, and 1.12 kg ha–1. Epinasty ranged from 80% to 99% at 21 d after application for triclopyr-containing treatments and no more than 28% for all other treatments. Plant mass from harvest and regrowth data from the comparison experiment indicated triclopyr-containing treatments provided the highest common blue violet control. Mixtures containing triclopyr did not differ from triclopyr alone, indicating there was no added effect between herbicide mixtures. The triclopyr dose-response experiment confirmed triclopyr efficacy across data collection types. As triclopyr dose increased, violet epinasty increased and chlorophyll content and dry weight decreased. Triclopyr applied at 0.81 kg ha–1 or greater concentration provided 75% or greater control, as indicated by regrowth data. Many herbicides containing triclopyr are registered for use in turf, but most apply a concentration not greater than 0.56 kg ha–1 triclopyr when applied at the high label rate. Thus, to achieve good (75%) common blue violet control, turf managers should select products that contain triclopyr and apply doses of at least 0.81 kg ha–1 when used according to the label.Nomenclature: 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; (±)-2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)propanoic acid (mecoprop); (±)-2-(2, 4-dichlorophenoxy) propanoic acid (dichlorprop); 2, 4-D dimethylamine; 2, 4-D isooctyl ester; 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid; 3, 7-dichloro-8-quinolinecarboxylic acid (quinclorac); 3, 5, 6-trichloro-2-pyridinyloxyacetic acid (triclopyr); common blue violet; Viola sororia Willd. VIOPP.
Optomechanics of a stable diffractive axicon light sail.

Beamed propulsion of a light sail based on radiation pressure benefits from a passively self-stabilizing “beam riding” diffractive film. We describe the optomechanics of a rigid non-spinning light sail that mitigates catastrophic sail walk-off and tumbling by use of a flat axicon diffraction grating. A linear stability analysis and numerical integration of the coupled translational and rotational equations of motion are examined. Stability is traded against longitudinal acceleration. The examined system achieves 90% of the theoretical longitudinal force limit and stability against a relative sail translation up to 30% of the sail radius when the payload is attached to a long boom.
Water warming increases aggression in a tropical fish.

Our understanding of how projected climatic warming will influence the world’s biota remains largely speculative, owing to the many ways in which it can directly and indirectly affect individual phenotypes. Its impact is expected to be especially severe in the tropics, where organisms have evolved in more physically stable conditions relative to temperate ecosystems. Lake Tanganyika (eastern Africa) is one ecosystem experiencing rapid warming, yet our understanding of how its diverse assemblage of endemic species will respond is incomplete. Herein, we conducted a laboratory experiment to assess how anticipated future warming would affect the mirror-elicited aggressive behaviour of Julidochromis ornatus, a common endemic cichlid in Lake Tanganyika. Given linkages that have been established between temperature and individual behaviour in fish and other animals, we hypothesized that water warming would heighten average individual aggression. Our findings support this hypothesis, suggesting the potential for water warming to mediate behavioural phenotypic expression through negative effects associated with individual health (body condition). We ultimately discuss the implications of our findings for efforts aimed at understanding how continued climate warming will affect the ecology of Lake Tanganyika fishes and other tropical ectotherms.
An Experimental and Statistical Study of Normal Strength Concrete (NSC) to Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Interface Shear Behavior

With number of existing bridges in U.S, classified as structurally deficient and many bridges nearing end of their design service life, there is a need for a durable and accelerated construction solution. Recently, several state DOTs developed innovative solutions using Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) as infill material between prefabricated bridge components or as an overlay over existing structural elements. The normal strength concrete (NSC) to UHPC interface behavior is critical for overall performance of such structures. Experimental investigation consisting of 10 push-off specimens was performed to investigate shear transfer behavior at NSC-UHPC interface. In general, the results showed that increasing roughness depth and reinforcement area has positive effect in interface shear capacity. The experimental results were compared with current AASHTO LRFD, ACI and PCI design guidelines. Though the design guidelines were conservative; they were not accurate in predicting the interface shear strength. Additionally, a database including results from past push-off tests on NSC-UHPC interface was developed and a reliability analysis was carried out with respect to AASHTO LRFD design guidelines. The reliability index was found to be lower than the target reliability index in standard design practices.
Sound manipulation through multi-scattering, gradient-based optimization, deep learning and reinforcement learning

This talk discusses recent advances and current challenges encountered during the application of gradient-based optimization, deep learning, reinforcement learning, and generative modeling in an inverse design of acoustic metamaterials. We first summarize and group existing approaches in the inverse design of metamaterials then discuss current algorithmic limitations and open challenges to preview possible future developments in metamaterial design. Specifically, broadband sound focusing, cloaking, steering, localization, and diffusion are the focus of this talk. The objective (loss) functions are evaluated by means of multiple scattering theory, and analytical gradients are evaluated with respect to a design vector, i.e., the positions of each scatterer. Our observations show that the development of hybrid models improves the performance of these algorithms. Specifically, the performance of deep reinforcement learning and gradient-based optimization as well as generative network models are enhanced when gradients of target functions are supplied to the model. In reinforcement learning models, the agent receives a reward proportional to the negative of the target function. The performance of the double-deep Q-learning network (DDQN) and the deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithms were improved when gradients were supplied to the reward function. Numerical examples are presented for planar configurations of cylindrical scatterers.
Design of Backward Collision Warning and Avoidance System when On-street Parking Using LiDAR

In the past decades, Collision Avoidance System has grown to a level more developed than it has ever been, actively and significantly improving the safety of passengers of cars. However, it only focused on the period of time when the vehicles are driving, and ignored the moment when passengers are most vulnerable - when they are getting off the car as their attention to the surrounding drops and are no longer protected by the structure of the vehicle. Therefore, in this paper, an additional system is proposed to warn the passengers to open the doors and get off with caution, and even interfere to stop them getting off temporarily.
An in-depth comparison of well-being among Latinx and non-Latinx White adults: A cautionary tale.

Abstract Understanding how to optimize the health and well-being of Latinxs is crucial and will aid in informing actions to address inequities. Latinxs’ unique cultural backgrounds and lived experiences could have implications for their well-being, which may differ from other racial/ethnic groups. We compared overall and domain-specific well-being and their socio-demographic correlates among two samples of Latinxs and a sample of non-Latinx Whites. Cross-sectional samples were independently drawn from the Stanford WELL Initiative (n = 217 Latinxs, n = 943 non-Latinx Whites) and the On the Move Trial (n = 238 Latinxs), both recruiting in Northern California. Well-being was assessed using the Stanford WELL scale, a novel multifaceted measure. Propensity score matching and mixed effect regressions were employed to compare well-being between samples. Overall well-being levels did not differ between groups. However, when examining constituent domains of well-being, several differences were found. Both Latinx samples reported experiencing more stress, having worse physical health, and being more religious than did the matched non-Latinx White sample. However, on four other well-being domains, only one of the Latinx samples differed from the non-Latinx White sample. Moreover, the two Latinx samples differed from each other in four out of nine domains examined. When evaluating well-being across racial/ethnic groups, we recommend employing multidimensional measures and multiple samples to promote greater confidence in the conclusions. This approach can better inform future research and the tailoring of public health efforts by furthering our understanding of the nature of group well-being differences. Our methods offer a blueprint for similar studies examining well-being in multi-ethnic groups.
The Challenging Image-Guided Preoperative Breast Localization: A Modality-Based Approach.

Breast conservation surgery (BCS) is the standard of care for treating patients with early-stage breast cancer and those with locally advanced breast cancer who achieve an excellent response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The radiologist is responsible for accurately localizing nonpalpable lesions to facilitate successful BCS. In this article, we present a practical modality-based guide on approaching challenging preoperative localizations, incorporating illustrative examples of challenging localizations performed under sonographic, mammographic, and MRI guidance, as well as under multiple modalities. Aspects of preprocedure planning, modality selection, patient communication, as well as procedural and positional techniques are highlighted. Clip and device migration is also considered. Further, an overview is provided of the most widely used wire localization (WL) and non-wire localization (NWL) devices in the United States. Accurate preoperative localization of breast lesions is essential to achieve successful surgical outcomes. Certain modality-based techniques can be adopted to successfully complete challenging cases.
Consumer Acceptability of Brand Extensions: The Role of Brand Reputation and Perceived Similarity

This study empirically examines the role of independent variables in deciding Consumer Acceptability of Brand Extension (CAOBE) considering the ‘Kist’ brand in Sri Lanka. The acceptability of brand extension has been tested with regard to ‘perceived similarity’ and ‘brand reputation’. The data was collected from a convenience sample of 200 ‘Kist’ brand consumers through a closed-ended questionnaire and was analyzed using univariate and bivariate techniques. The results reveal that in evaluating brand extensions, consumers take into account the existing brand reputation as well as perceived similarity between the new product and the products already associated with the brand. These variables have positive influence on consumer evaluation, and the brand extension of ‘Kist’ has a high level acceptance among the target consumers.
Capacity Design in School Choice

We study a new variant of the school choice problem in which capacities can be altered by distributing additional seats across schools in response to students’ reported preferences. We show that heuristics solutions to this capacity design problem can be inefficient, even if they focus on allocating seats to the most demanded schools. However, we introduce a simple myopic algorithm that characterizes the set of efficient matchings among those that respect priorities.
Scaling security for big, parallel file systems

The need for petaand exabyte scale parallel file systems that support high-performance computing (HPC) has been rapidly increasing. These systems have unique demands, different from those of traditional distributed file systems. As a result, securing I/O in big, parallel file systems without significantly impacting performance has proven challenging. Parallel file systems are commonly composed of three components: clients, metadata servers, and network-attached storage devices, such as disks or object-storage devices. Security is commonly based on a capability model, where capabilities are ’tokens’ which represent single block or object I/O authorization. Capabilities are generated by metadata servers, given to clients, and presented to storage devices with I/O requests. Petaand exabyte scale systems may have tens of thousands of clients and storage devices. Files are very large, often gigabytes to terabytes, and are commonly striped across thousands of storage devices. HPC workloads are parallel and bursty, meaning I/O often comes from many clients at a time with very short inter-arrival times. This implies files are commonly accessed by thousands of clients within a few seconds. These factors are often worst-case scenarios for many existing solutions. While there are many security schemes for distributed file systems, few have addressed large-scale, demanding environments. In these environments existing solutions cannot sustain high performance or must weaken security to do so. HPC workloads can burden metadata and data servers with generating and verifying millions of single block or object capabilities. Reliance on shared-key cryptography introduces vulnerabilities when millions of storage devices are susceptible to attack. Also, many common security techniques, such as revocation, become difficult with so many clients and storage devices.
Commercializing Human Rights: Trademarks in Europe After Anheuser-Busch v Portugal

This article uses the European Court of Human Rights decision in Anheuser-Busch v Portugal (2007) to explore the intersection between intellectual property—specifically trademarks—and human rights. It applies the three possible paradigms of intellectual property—human rights jurisprudence identified by Laurence Helfer—“rule of law”, “enforcement” and “balancing”—to Anheuser-Busch and then critiques the court's lack of engagement with the intellectual property elements of the case, particularly the theoretical underpinnings of trademark law as distinctly commercial property. It concludes that this makes trademarks especially unsuitable for treatment in a human rights context. Agreeing with Helfer's prescription for the “rule of law” paradigm when taking such cases in the future, this article emphasizes that an additional sensitivity to the special nature of the subject matter must be involved if the court were to take intellectual property cases in the future. This is particularly important given that court's oversight may enable the proliferation of the concept of “corporate human rights”—potentially leading to corrosive effects on the integrity of the human rights law it seeks to protect.
Biomechanical analysis of a novel hook-screw technique for C1-2 stabilization.

The Food and Drug Administration has not cleared the following medical devices for the use described in this study. The following medical devices are being discussed for an off-label use: cervical lateral mass screws. Object As an alternative for cases in which the anatomy and spatial relationship between C-2 and a vertebral artery precludes insertion of C-2 pedicle/pars or C1–2 transarticular screws, a technique that includes opposing laminar hooks (claw) at C-2 combined with C-1 lateral mass screws may be used. The biomechanical stability of this alternate technique was compared with that of a standard screw-rod technique in vitro. Methods Flexibility tests were performed in 7 specimens (occiput to C-3) in the following 6 different conditions: 1) intact; 2) after creating instability and attaching a posterior cable/graft at C1–2; 3) after removing the graft and attaching a construct comprising C-1 lateral mass screws and C-2 laminar claws; 4) after reattaching the posterior cable-graft at C1–2 (posterio...
Patterns of depressive symptom response in duloxetine-treated outpatients with mild, moderate or more severe depression.

Summary Aims: This was a post hoc analysis to determine whether baseline severity of depression influenced the efficacy of duloxetine in treating major depressive disorder (MDD) and to better characterise the symptom response profile for duloxetine in patients with mild, moderate or more severe depression. Methods: Data were pooled from four double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in which outpatients with MDD were randomised to duloxetine (60 mg/day) or placebo for 8–9 weeks. Patients were retrospectively stratified according to baseline 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HAMD17) total scores: mild = total score ≤ 19 (duloxetine, n = 246; placebo, n = 184); moderate = 20–24 (duloxetine, n = 333; placebo, n = 217); severe = 25+ (duloxetine, n = 127; placebo, n = 87). Results: Duloxetine produced significantly greater baseline-to-end-point improvement vs. placebo (p < 0.05) on the HAMD17 total score, Maier and retardation subscales, HAMD17 items 1 (depressed mood), 7 (work and activities) and 10 (psychic anxiety) in all three patient cohorts. The largest effect sizes were observed in assessments of core emotional depressive symptoms. A significant improvement for duloxetine vs. placebo was not observed for sleep-related symptoms at end-point or genital symptoms at any time point during acute treatment. With respect to the time course of depressive symptom improvement, the data show that regardless of baseline severity, the most rapid and consistent improvement for duloxetine compared with placebo was observed in the core symptoms of MDD (measured by the Maier subscale). Conclusion: Regardless of baseline MDD severity, duloxetine at one dose (60 mg/day) produced a significant improvement compared with placebo on the core emotional symptoms of MDD.
A Review of “The A to Z of Corporate Social Responsibility: A Complete Reference Guide to Concepts, Codes and Organizations”

This guide resulted from the realization by Manfred Pohl, founder, and Takis Arapoglou, chairman, of the Institute for Corporate Culture Affairs (ICCA), at its 2004 annual meeting and conference on...
IL-13-Mediated Gender Difference in Susceptibility to Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Females tend to have stronger Th1-mediated immune responses and are more prone to develop autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. Macrophages are major effector cells capable of mediating or modulating immune responses in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). IL-13 and estrogen have opposing roles on macrophages (the former enhancing and the latter inhibiting) in terms of MHC class II (MHC II) up-regulation and, thus, these factors might influence susceptibility to EAE differently in females vs males. In accordance with this hypothesis, females lacking IL-13 displayed lower incidence and milder EAE disease severity than males after immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-35–55 peptide/CFA/pertussis toxin. Female IL-13 knockout (KO) mice with EAE consistently had reduced infiltration of CD11b+ macrophages in the CNS along with significantly reduced expression of MHC II on these cells. Impaired MHC II expression was further corroborated upon LPS stimulation of female but not male bone marrow-derived CD11b+ macrophages from IL-13KO mice, with restored expression after IL-13 pretreatment of female but not male macrophages. APCs from IL-13KO females induced less proliferation by MOG-35–55-reactive T cells, and splenocytes from MOG peptide-immunized females had lower expression of IL-12, IFN-γ, MIP-2, and IFN-γ-inducible protein 10 than males. In contrast, these splenocytes had higher expression of anti-inflammatory factors, IL-10, TGF-β1, and FoxP3, a cytokine pattern typical of regulatory type II monocytes. These data suggest that the difference in EAE susceptibility in females is strongly influenced by gender-specific proinflammatory effects of IL-13, mediated in part through up-regulation of Th1-inducing cytokines and MHC II on CD11b+ macrophages.
Understanding the Change Process: Valuing What it is That Coaches Do A Commentary

In her article regarding change in the coaching profession, Tania Cassidy argues for the application of Giddens’ Structuration theory and specifically the concepts of “knowledgeability,” “practical consciousness,” and “slippage.” She suggests that coaches incorporate time-honored practices and day-to-day conventions into their coaching that they may have learned or seen from a mentor. Simply put, she is suggesting that we examine these day-to-day routines and the regimes of coaches to better understand change, and specifically the lack of change within the coaching profession. THE CHANGE PROCESS AND FEMALE COACHES As I was reading Cassidy’s argument, I was reminded of the experiences of women coaches and how her argument applies to their experiences. This is likely because Cassidy’s examples are from a paper which I reviewed by Leanne Norman [1], and the experiences of women coaches has been my primary research focus for the last several years. Although her argument applying Giddens’ framework is not specific to women coaches, I find it interesting that both examples she provides are related to women. I wonder if her inclusion of these examples is intentional and that Cassidy is suggesting Giddens’ framework should specifically be used to examine the lack of change related to women coaches, or if she is suggesting this framework should be applied more broadly to the coaching profession. When focusing specifically on women coaches, research has clearly documented how the patriarchal and homophobic nature of sport has impacted women coaches’ experiences in sport, leading some women to leave the coaching profession [2-4]. Norman’s paper is just one example that documents the lack of opportunities for women in coaching, and research supports the conclusion that this trend is occurring worldwide [5-6]. Women coaches need to work twice as hard as any male coach to establish credibility and respect [1], and many feel isolated and describe an atmosphere of gender discrimination and the centrality of male coaches [2]. In general, women coaches receive fewer resources, have lower salaries, more responsibilities, less administrative support, and older facilities [2]. These findings clearly point to the day-to-day routines and regimes that Cassidy is arguing we examine. Discussing some of those day-to-day routines and regimens in athletics more closely, the “good old boys” network constrains women coaches and impacts the hiring of coaches. The “good old boys” network has been demonstrated by findings supporting the notion of homologous reproduction or the tendency in which the “dominant group systematically
Stock Price Reactions to Securities Fraud Class Actions Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act

We study the stock market's reaction to three events in the litigation process: (1) the revelation of potential fraud; (2) the filing a lawsuit; and (3) the judicial resolution of the lawsuit. We find a large and statistically significant negative reaction to the first event, and a smaller but still statistically significant reaction to the second. We find no significant reaction to the resolution of the motion to dismiss. We find little overlap between the variables that previous research has found to be correlate with the incidence of the litigation and the variables that correlate with the resolution of the motion to dismiss. We also find little overlap between the variable that correlate with the outcome of the motion to dismiss and the variables that explain the variance in stock market returns for these dates. We conclude that the outcome of litigation is not generally anticipated by stock market participants and that market returns are not influenced by the outcome of litigation.
A CCD chip for parallel pulse-Doppler radar processing

The generic signal processing requirements for a pulse-Doppler radar are presented and a CCD device for performing a portion of the signal processing is described.
Virtual humans for animation, ergonomics, and simulation

The last few years have seen great maturation in the computation speed and control methods needed to portray 3D virtual humans suitable for real interactive applications. We first describe the state of the art, then focus on the particular approach taken at the University of Pennsylvania with the Jack system. Various aspects of real-time virtual humans are considered such as appearance and motion, interactive control, autonomous action, gesture, attention, locomotion, and multiple individuals. The underlying architecture consists of a sense-control-act structure that permits reactive behaviors to be locally adaptive to the environment, and a "PaT-Net" parallel finite-state machine controller that can be used to drive virtual humans through complex tasks. Finally, we argue for a deep connection between language and animation and describe current effects in linking them through the JacMOO extension to lambdaMOO.
Ethics Principles, Personal Values, And Ethical Judgment

Researchers have conducted various studies in an attempt to gain insights into the ethics of business leaders to postulate possible reasons for unethical behavior. Recent scandals such as Enron, Worldcom, and Adelphia indicate an ethical problem still exists in the business community. Business ethics are typically discussed at length in university business programs, sometimes with one or more courses devoted to the topic. Very often students are used as surrogates for business leaders. One such study by Ahmad and Fadzly (A & F, 2004) posited that when a person observes what they consider to be an unethical act they will try to explain ( ethical judgment ) why the individual acted unethically. The person would then either endorse the action as acceptable in the circumstances or reject it as unacceptable. Their ethics principles and personal values would supposedly influence that decision. Additionally, the authors suggest that the perceived consequences of the unethical act would have an influence. This study is an attempt to replicate the A & F study, using accounting and business students in the United States (their study was conducted with Malaysian students). Ahmad and Fadzly’s questionnaire was modified and administered to 418 university business and accounting students. The questionnaire contained 19 questions, randomly arranged, that related to five factors. Respondents in the present study indicated a high level of ethics principles and personal values , and females displayed higher level personal values . The ethical judgment scale reflects the level of acceptance of (making excuses for) unethical acts and less than 20% of the participants in the present study indicated that they would agree that the unethical acts contained in the scale were acceptable in the environment described. Almost 60% of the respondents in the present study believed that they would experience positive consequences from unethical actions and a similar number, 56.13%, believed that they would experience negative consequences from unethical actions.
The fine structure of cerebellar lesions after L-dopa administration in the dog.

Abstract l -Dopa (Norwich) (50 mg/kg/day) was given orally to dogs for 1, 2, 4, or 6 months. Cerebral and cerebellar cortex, substantia nigra, corpus callosum, corpus striatum, and globus pallidus were then examined electron microscopically after osmium tetroxide immersion fixation. Lesions resembling infarcts were found in the cerebellar hemispheric cortex at 2, 4 and 6 months only. Free erythrocytes, degenerated nerve cell processes, phagocytosis, and hemosiderinlike granules were interpreted as infarction. Collagen formation within the neuropil and adjacent to capillaries was observed in significant amounts and was interpreted as repair of a degenerative process induced by l -Dopa.
Oxysterols: functional significance in fetal development and the maintenance of normal retinal function.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Recent findings extend the biologic activities of oxysterols as ligands for nuclear receptors to a role in morphogenesis during fetal development and to a role in the metabolism of photooxidation products of cholesterol in the retina. RECENT FINDINGS A 1000-fold increase of the 27-hydroxy metabolite of 7-dehydrocholesterol in the plasma of children with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome imply that intermediates in cholesterol synthesis follow alternate pathways of metabolism that generate novel oxysterols. A mouse model also finds an increase in sterol intermediates as the proximate cause of dysmorphisms. A role for oxysterols in the effects of Sonic hedgehog protein focuses on their role in normal fetal development. Both CYP27A1 and CYP46A1 are expressed in primate retina indicating that local metabolism of 7-ketocholesterol to nontoxic derivatives is important for preventing retinal degeneration. SUMMARY Recent data expand the functional roles of oxysterols to fetal development and to the detoxification of oxidation products of cholesterol. This review shifts the focus of attention from studies of their ligand-binding activity to studies of animal models that indicate a number of important biologic effects during fetal development and during the aging process.
Considerations for Maintenance of Postural Alignment for Voice Production

There is general agreement that postural alignment is important in optimizing voice function. A number of articles have illuminated the way in which posture, particularly of the cervical spine, is directly related to vocal resonance and pitch control. Despite frequent involvement in muscle training, few speech pathologists have the background in exercise physiology necessary to appreciate the contribution of muscular length-tension relationships to postural alignment. The purpose of this article is to provide voice therapists with information to help them formulate appropriate recommendations for improving postural alignment. This article synthesizes information from the literature regarding the role of muscular length-tension balance in the attainment and maintenance of postural alignment. Important considerations in the assessment of muscle tension and weakness are presented along with advice regarding application to the treatment of voice-disordered patients. Concepts detailed include agonist/antagonist relationships, the biomechanics of stretching, postural assessment, and the relationship between muscle tension and muscle weakness. The role of both stretching and strength-based training is discussed. Specific exercises with emphasis on altering the alignment of the cervical and thoracic spine are presented with suggestions for their use in the clinic. There is growing understanding of the physiology behind recommendations of voice teachers and therapists to maintain optimal alignment. To effectively mediate postural misalignment, clinicians must have knowledge of the length-tension relationships between muscles. This understanding will lead to better interventions for postural alignment.
Minimum realizations and system modeling: II. Theoretical and numerical extensions

The ideas and techniques discussed in Part I of this Review11 are extended to the modeling of nonlinear lumped and distributed systems. Troublesome numerical and computational difficulties are examined, and recommendations for the alleviation of these difficulties are made. Particular emphasis is placed on the stability of system models constructed with the Tether method. Highly successful modeling of realistic systems are presented numerically.