cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dietary Interaction Between Methylmercury, Selenium, Arsenic, and Sulfur Amino Acids in Japanese Quail

Three experiments were conducted using Japanese quail to study the effect of arsenic (As) on the detoxifying role of selenium (Se) in methylmercury (Hg) toxicity and to test the possibility that arsenic could independently modify Hg toxicity. The possible role of sulfur-containing amino acids in Hg toxicity was also investigated. Methylmercuric chloride (10 ppm) had no significant effect on weight gain of the quail. However, it seriously decreased the survival of the quail and of their offspring when they were fed the control diet for 1 week after hatching. The addition of arsenic (up to 30 ppm as NaAsO2), methionine (.3%), cystine (.3%), or their combinations did not affect the survival of mercury-fed quail or their offspring. However, the addition of selenium (6 ppm as Na2SeO3) to the mercury diet, alone or combined with cystine, methionine, arsenic, or their combination significantly prolonged the survival time of Japanese quail compared to those fed the mercury alone. Although As improved the effectiveness of Se in prolonged survival of quail given methylmercury, As decreased the effectiveness of Se in protecting the offspring of such quail. Methylmercury also decreased egg production slightly, and fertility considerably. Addition of cystine, methionine, As (up to 15 ppm), or the combination of methionine and As to the mercury-containing diet usually improved egg production. The damaging effect of mercury on fertility was corrected by supplementing the mercury diet with Se, methionine, As, or a combination of these three. This study provides evidence that As added alone in the form of arsenite has little effect on methylmercury toxicity but altered the ability of selenite to modify methylmercury toxicity. The biological mechanism of the interactions between mercury, selenium, and arsenic are not yet understood.
Implications of Contemporary Intelligence Theories to Marketing Education

In recent years, prominent psychologists have redefined intelligence to refer to one's ability to successfully perform within a sociocultural context. They have also questioned the historical unidimensional conceptualization of intelligence. In this article, the author briefly reviews the history of intelligence research to this point then presents a discussion of the implications of contemporary intelligence theories to marketing education.
Using MATLAB to help teach Fourier optics

This paper discusses the development of a graduate level course that covers diffraction theory and Fourier optics. MATLABTM is used as the basic numerical tool for these projects. In addition to providing functions for the calculation of Fresnel diffraction, the FFT command enables the calculation of the diffraction pattern of an arbitrary aperture. Relatively simple MATLABTM scripts are constructed to calculate the diffraction patterns of arbitrary graphics created in other programs such as text, pictures of faces, fingerprints, etc. Furthermore, the resulting diffraction patterns can be filtered and the same FFT commands be used to perform an inverse Fourier transform. This paper also describes a few demonstrations that can be used to reinforce what is covered on the projects. The demonstrations are based on a simple 4F system. The first half of the 4F system is used to show how an illuminated image changes from a reduced version of the image into a spatial frequency mapping. A Fourier plane mask is also created with small features on a chrome plated photomask. Since the features are relatively small various different types aperture can be placed on the mask.
Recovery of diesel fuel from soil by supercritical fluid extraction–gas chromatography

Abstract Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) coupled with gas chromatography was used to analyze diesel fuel oil adsorbed on montmorillonite, kaolinite and illite clays. Adsorptive differences in the clays were reflected in the SFE desorption conditions required. However, in all instances the diesel hydrocarbon recovery was greater than 75% with an extraction precision of 2–3%. The short extraction times of 20 min and the other benefits of SFE make this method attractive over classical methods used to extract diesel oil quantitatively from soils.
Suppression of metachromasy by basic proteins.

Abstract A spectrophotometric method of measuring metachromasy (Wiame) in solution is adapted to the study of suppression of heparin metachromasy by basic proteins. It is shown that the absence of metachromasy is not necessarily an indication of the absence of a metachromatic substance. The sensitivity of heparin-protein combinations to heat, x-rays, and trypsin is also indicated. Certain results are related to histological observations.
Hydrokinetic Energy Harvesting System from Vortex Induced Vibrations of Submerged Bodies

A Vortex Induced Vibration (VIV) based hydrokinetic energy system is discussed in this paper. Vibrations induced on a body (facing an external flow) due to the periodic irregularities in the flow caused by boundary layer separation are called as VIV. This separation of the boundary layer from the surface causes vortex formation in the wake region of the cylinder. The lift-force or the transverse oscillation of the vibrating cylinder depends upon the strength and modes of the vortex formed. The VIV energy harvesting system is based on the idea of maximizing rather than spoiling vortex shedding and was discovered in 2004 at the University of Michigan by Bernitsas and Raghavan. The vibrating bodies will in turn be used to harness energy using an efficient power-take-off system. In this paper, we discuss the hydrodynamic design of such a VIV based energy harvesting system using computational fluid dynamics. A fluid structure interaction calculation is performed to determine the forces on the surface of a bluff body due to separation of vortices from the surface. The hydrodynamic forces that act on such a system depend on the cylinder diameter, flow velocity, modes of vortex shedding and arrangement of cylinder(s). A detailed computational study on the effect of different design parameters listed above are first carried on a single cylinder arrangement; this is followed by a more detailed analysis that is extended to multiple cylinders. For a two-cylinder arrangement, the positions in which the cylinders are placed are also found to play an important role, as the vortex shed from one cylinder may be used to enhance the forces of lift on another cylinder present in its wake. Furthermore, the design of a VIV generator requires optimal damping and low mass ratio to enable high energy conversion via an efficient power take-off mechanism. The working and design considerations of the energy converter is outlined starting with a set of basic definitions pertaining to this technology. A tubular linear interior permanent magnet generator (TL-IPM) connected to a power converter is used; a linear generator was chosen to minimize mechanical components, such as gears or cams in the system.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Performance and impedance studies of thin, porous molybdenum and tungsten electrodes for the alkali metal thermoelectric converter

Columnar, porous, magnetron-sputtered molybdenum and tungsten films show optinum performance as AMTEC electrodes at thicknesses less than 1.0 μm when used with molybdenum or nickel current collector grids. Power densities of 0.40 W cm−2 for 0.5 μm molybdenum films at 1200 K and 0.35 W cm−2 for 0.5 μm tungsten films at 1180 K were obtained at electrode maturity after 40–90 h. Sheet resistances of magnetron sputter deposited films on sodium beta″-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) substrates were found to increase very steeply as thickness is decreased below about 0.3–0.4 μm. The a.c. impedance data for these electrodes have been interpreted in terms of contributions from the bulk BASE and the porous electrode/BASE interface. Voltage profiles of operating electrodes show that the total electrode area, of electrodes with thickness <2.0 μm, is not utilized efficiently unless a fairly fine (∼1×1mm) current collector grid is employed.
Building privacy-preserving location-based apps

Social apps usually require a lot of personal information in order to be tailored to the needs of individual users. However, the inherent social exchange of data exposes a user's personal data to other app users or publicly for anyone to see. In this paper, we present an app that enables users to determine the optimal location and time to meet without exposing their information to other users. We compare this app to other research-based and commercial social apps and show that ours is the only one where the risk of exposure is not present. In order to provide such improved privacy protections, we use openPDS, a decentralized and open-source framework. openPDS enables users to store their data on their own servers and participate in group computations without exposing their raw data.
An analysis of poor risk assignment in patients with germ cell tumours.

Four methods for assigning patients with germ cell tumours to poor risk programmes were compared using 118 consecutive patients treated on ‘good’ and ‘poor’ risk studies. The median survival of patients deemed poor risk by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center was 11 months, by Indiana University 15 months, by the National Cancer Institute 15 months, and by the European Organization for Research on the Treatment of Cancer 23.5 months. The major differences between these criteria were in the use of pretreatment tumour marker values, and the use of specific sites of metastases as independent prognostic variables. These data imply that a variable number of good prognosis patients enter some poor risk trials, the number being dependent upon the criteria used. Poor risk criteria should be as restrictive as possible in order to avoid over treating good risk patients, and to avoid artificially inflated response rates resulting from the successful treatment of such poor risk patients.
International indicators of science and technology: How does the U. S. compare?

Because the basic determinants of innovative success are poorly understood, the data in SI-76 cannot support an unambiguous summary assessment of U. S. science. While some nations now rival the U. S. in relative expenditure for R&D, U. S. absolute expenditure still dwarfs that of any nation except the U. S. S. R., and the U. S. remains preeminent by most measures of technological capacity. However, the technology gap continues to narrow, bringing both costs and benefits to the U. S. Advances abroad threaten the U. S. position in some markets and exacerbate the nation's trade adjustment problems. But the nation may also benefit substantially from new opportunities to import as well as export advanced technology.
The politician's dilemma: What to represent

It is clear that the survival rate of officials who choose “popular” courses of action is greater than that of officials who choose “best” courses of action. Still, there are few officials who would vote forany course of action merely because it was popular. There are also several factors which limit the proposition that politicians to survive must be mercurial barometers of public opinion.
Preservation of and Animal Performance on High Moisture Corn Treated with Ammonia or Propionic Acid

Abstract High moisture shelled corn (27% moisture) was treated with ammonia or propionic acid and stored with minimal protection. Treatments were compared for storage losses of the additive, inhibition of temperature increases and fungal growth, and effects on animal performance. After 3 to 7 mo of storage, recovery of added ammonia was 50% while that of propionic acid was 88%. Ammonia, added at 1% delayed heating for up to 280 days, with the lower percents giving poorer protection. Ammonia and propionic acid decreased initial fungal counts. Incubation of ammonia-treated corn at 25 to 28C increased fungal counts with no change in corn treated with propionic acid. Milk yields were lower in cows fed corn treated with insufficient ammonia to retard heating and fungal growth than for those fed corn treated with propionic acid or higher ammonia. Dairy heifers readily consumed ammonia-treated corn when it comprised 70% of their ration dry matter and grew equally to those fed propionic-treated corn. Dry matter and apparent nitrogen digestion were similar for ammonia- and propionic-treated corns whereas true nitrogen digestion was higher for propionic. Nitrogen retention was slightly higher for ammonia corn because of the greater nitrogen intake.
Electron microscope heteroduplex study of the heterogeneity of Mu phage and prophage DNA.

Abstract The nature of the G-loop heterogeneity and of the split end heterogeneity in Mu phage DNA have been studied. The structures of the molecules seen in self-renatured Mu phage DNA samples show that there are two classes of native molecules in which the G sequence occurs either in a direct or in an inverted order. By studying the structure of a single strand of Mu DNA when spread under weakly denaturing conditions, it is shown that the G region is flanked by very short (50 nucleotides or less) inverted repeat sequence. The G loop inversion is attributed to a phage enzyme-directed reciprocal recombination between these inverted repeat sequences. A second slightly larger inverted repeat sequence occurs within the G loop, but this sequence is not active in reciprocal recombination. By studying suitable diheteroduplexes of F-prime factors containing an inverted Mu prophage, with a reference F factor and with Mu phage DNA, it is shown that the highly heterogeneous split ends of Mu phage are lost when Mu becomes a prophage.
Critical Transitions in Early Embryonic Aortic Arch Patterning and Hemodynamics

Transformation from the bilaterally symmetric embryonic aortic arches to the mature great vessels is a complex morphogenetic process, requiring both vasculogenic and angiogenic mechanisms. Early aortic arch development occurs simultaneously with rapid changes in pulsatile blood flow, ventricular function, and downstream impedance in both invertebrate and vertebrate species. These dynamic biomechanical environmental landscapes provide critical epigenetic cues for vascular growth and remodeling. In our previous work, we examined hemodynamic loading and aortic arch growth in the chick embryo at Hamburger-Hamilton stages 18 and 24. We provided the first quantitative correlation between wall shear stress (WSS) and aortic arch diameter in the developing embryo, and observed that these two stages contained different aortic arch patterns with no inter-embryo variation. In the present study, we investigate these biomechanical events in the intermediate stage 21 to determine insights into this critical transition. We performed fluorescent dye microinjections to identify aortic arch patterns and measured diameters using both injection recordings and high-resolution optical coherence tomography. Flow and WSS were quantified with 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Dye injections revealed that the transition in aortic arch pattern is not a uniform process and multiple configurations were documented at stage 21. CFD analysis showed that WSS is substantially elevated compared to both the previous (stage 18) and subsequent (stage 24) developmental time-points. These results demonstrate that acute increases in WSS are followed by a period of vascular remodeling to restore normative hemodynamic loading. Fluctuations in blood flow are one possible mechanism that impacts the timing of events such as aortic arch regression and generation, leading to the variable configurations at stage 21. Aortic arch variations noted during normal rapid vascular remodeling at stage 21 identify a temporal window of increased vulnerability to aberrant aortic arch morphogenesis with the potential for profound effects on subsequent cardiovascular morphogenesis.
Memory for implied versus directly stated advertising claims

An experiment tested young adults' memory for advertising slogans that either stated a strong claim directly or only implied the same claim by stating it in a much weaker form. Several advertising slogans were inserted into a story. There were two versions of each slogan, asserted and implied. The asserted version made a claim very directly and strongly (e.g.Alka-Seltzer stops common aches). The implied version only suggested the stronger claim (e.g.Alka-Seltzer helps lessen common aches). Subjects read the story, which contained one of the two versions of each ad. After subjects finished reading the story, they were asked to recall all the brands and products. Then they performed a multiple choice task testing memory for the content of the advertising claims. While results showed no difference on the recall task, subjects on the multiple choice task frequently falsely recognized implied claims as asserted but seldom the reverse. Although they correctly recognized more asserted than implied claims, they were more confident in their correct memory for the implied claims. Results were applied to the problem of deceptive advertising.
Thymoquinone suppressses in vitro production of IL-5 and IL-13 by mast cells in response to lipopolysaccharide stimulation

Objective: Activated mast cells produce Th2 cytokines that regulate allergic inflammation. We have previously shown that thymoquinone (TQ) attenuated airway inflammation in a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation. The present study investigated whether TQ affects Th2 cytokine response in vitro in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated rat mast cells, RBL-2H3.
Bicalutamide-induced hepatotoxicity: A rare adverse effect.

PATIENT Male, 81 FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Prostate cancer Symptoms: Anorexia • dark urine • joundice • letargy MEDICATION Casodex Clinical Procedure: - Specialty: Oncology. OBJECTIVE Adverse events of drug therapy. BACKGROUND Bicalutamide is a nonsteroidal anti-androgen used extensively during the initiation of androgen deprivation therapy with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist to reduce the symptoms of tumor flare in patients with metastatic prostate neoplasm. It can cause gynecomastia, hot flashes, fatigue, and decreased libido through competitive androgen receptor blockade. Although not as common, acute drug-induced liver injury is also possible with bicalutamide therapy. Typically, this results in transient derangement of liver function and patients remain asymptomatic. We share our experience with a case of symptomatic acute hepatotoxicity secondary to the use of bicalutamide and use this opportunity to present a brief review of existing literature. CASE REPORT An 81-year-old African American male with metastatic prostate neoplasm presented with nonspecific symptoms along with jaundice of 1-day duration. He was started on a trial of bicalutamide 3 weeks prior to presentation. On physical examination, scleral icterus was noted. Workup revealed acutely elevated liver transaminases (>5 times the upper limit of normal), alkaline phosphatase, conjugated hyperbilirubinemia, and coagulopathy. Other etiologies, including viruses, common toxins, drugs, autoimmune, and copper-induced hepatitis, were considered. Bicalutamide was discontinued and the patient was managed with supportive care. He showed improvement of clinical and laboratory abnormalities within days. CONCLUSIONS While rare, clinically significant and potentially life-threatening liver injury can result from use of bicalutamide. Prompt recognition and discontinuation of bicalutamide is necessary to avoid serious complications from this adverse reaction.
ENHANCED SYMMETRIES AND TENSOR THEORIES IN SIX DIMENSIONS

The partition functions (18) and (21) are constructed from the A k+ 1 , modular invariant Z k \( (\bar \tau ,\tau ) \) and related twisted expressions (22). These correspond to excitations of a type II fundamental string in a background described by degrees of freedom transverse to the NS fivebrane. The incorporation of exact results on Liouville cft may modify which states survive in this theory, and hence their gauge symmetry properties. We note the occurrence of the A k+ 1 modular invariants, and contrast this theory with a type II compactification[7–9] described by a 2D supersymmetric gauge theory leading to a D=6, N=(1,1) theory with massless spectrum of 1 SG multiplet, 19 U(1) and l SU(2) vector supermultiplets. A deeper understanding of how the conventional type IIcft breaks down in this case, due to massless solitons, may guide us to a more economical description of how string theory picks the vacum. It is believed that the appearance of these massless non-perturbative BPS states may be an important mechanism for the way in which nature incorporates gauge symmetry in string theory.
MicroRNA Expression Profiles of Esophageal Cancer

Objective Expression of microRNAs by array analysis provides unique profiles for classifying tissues and tumors. The purpose of our study was to examine microRNA expression in Barrett esophagus and esophageal cancer to identify potential markers for disease progression. Methods MicroRNA was isolated from 35 frozen specimens (10 adenocarcinoma, 10 squamous cell carcinoma, 9 normal epithelium, 5 Barrett esophagus, and 1 high-grade dysplasia). MicroRNA expression was analyzed with Ambion bioarrays (Ambion, Austin, Tex) containing 328 human microRNA probes. Results Unsupervised hierarchic clustering resulted in four major branches corresponding with four histologic groups. One branch consisted of 7 normal epithelium samples and 1 squamous cell carcinoma sample. The second branch consisted of 7 squamous cell carcinoma samples and 1 normal epithelium sample. The third branch contained 4 Barrett esophagus samples and 1 squamous cell carcinoma sample. The fourth contained all the adenocarcinoma samples and 1 sample each of Barrett esophagus, normal epithelium, squamous cell carcinoma, and high-grade dysplasia. Supervised classification with principal component analysis determined that the normal epithelium samples were more similar to the squamous cell carcinoma tumors, whereas the Barrett esophagus samples were more similar to adenocarcinoma. Pairwise comparisons between sample types revealed microRNAs that may be markers of tumor progression. Both mir_203 and mir_205 were expressed 2- to 10-fold lower in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinomas than in normal epithelium. The mir_21 expression was 3- to 5-fold higher in both tumors than in normal epithelium. Prediction analysis of microarray classified 3 Barrett esophagus samples as Barrett esophagus, 1 as adenocarcinoma, and 1 as normal epithelium. Conclusion Expression profiles of miRNA distinguish esophageal tumor histology and can discriminate normal tissue from tumor. MicroRNA expression may prove useful for identifying patients with Barrett esophagus at high risk for progression to adenocarcinoma.
MI017 - Integrated microwave frequency tunable bandpass filter using barium strontium titanate varactors

A bandpass filter for the frequency range of 6?9 GHz, based on tunable interdigital BST varactor is presented. This paper reports the processing steps required to obtain a functional and integrated bandpass filter, which include: via drilling and filling purpose, dielectric deposition, chromium/gold deposition and copper electroplating. Microwave measurements reveal an insertion loss range between 7?11 dB, a 20 dB rejection band, a bandwidth of less than 500 MHz, and 1.73 GHz of frequency tunability.
Optimal design of multirate digital filters with application to interpolation

This paper extends the Wiener filter theory to the design of an optimum multirate digital filter with emphasis on its application to Interpolation. An efficient recursive procedure, based on linear predictive deconvolution, is introduced to replace the matrix inversion required in solving the Wiener-Hopf equation. This reduces the amount of computation and thus improves numerical stability. A detailed error analysis is included.
Effect of green roof media depth on Crassulacean plant succession over seven years

Abstract This study follows the succession of 25 succulents (various species of Graptopetalum , Phedimus , Rhodiola , and Sedum ) grown at three media depths (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 cm) over the course of seven years in south central Michigan. Absolute cover was determined using a point-frame transect every two weeks during the first three growing seasons and monthly during years four through seven to measure community composition and change. At the 7.5 cm depth, 22 species were present at the end of the first growing season, but these numbers were reduced to 13, 8, and 7 after two, three, and five years, respectively. Similar results occurred at the shallower depths except that the number of species was reduced at a faster pace. For the most part, the species present did not change after four years, but the relative abundance for each species continued to change. At 5.0 cm and 7.5 cm, both Phedimus spurius and Sedum middendorffianum continued to expand through year 7 at the expense of the other remaining species. At 2.5 cm, Sedum acre and Sedum album were the dominant species. In addition to media depth, an important factor when evaluating green roof plant performance is the length of time that the study is conducted in order to avoid premature conclusions and misleading recommendations. Plants that initially survive may eventually experience reduced coverage or disappear completely due to competition, variability in climate, and other factors. These factors should all be considered during the design and planning phase of a green roof.
The meaning of sustainable agriculture: Reflections of some Kansas practitioners

In this paper we report on what “sustainable agriculture” means to farmers who seek to develop more sustainable farming systems. Group interviews were conducted with two groups of sustainable farmers in Kansas to learn how they developed their respective approaches, the kinds of parameters they have used to evaluate success and progress, and what other evaluation tools would be helpful to them. For the farmers we interviewed, the central meaning of sustainable agriculture is its holistic approach to assets management. It also means an alternative perspective on what constitutes success in farming. While economic considerations are important, they are balanced by other considerations such as environmental quality, quality of life, and the contributions the farmers can make to their communities. Sustainable agriculture also means an approach to agriculture that entails “thinking risks” as much as financial risks. Lastly, sustainable agriculture means whole farm planning; the farmers we interviewed were more interested in applying whole-farm planning principles based on their local knowledge, than in evaluation tools based on the expert knowledge of researchers and other scientists. The implications of what sustainable agriculture means to these farmers for research and educational programs are discussed.
Effects of Endurance Training and Resistance Training on Plasma Lipoprotein Profiles in Elderly Women

It has been shown that high levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are associated with health maintenance in older women, but the few studies that have examined the relationship between exercise and plasma lipoprotein levels in this elderly population have been equivocal. In addition, there are no studies that examine the plasma lipoprotein response of two different types of exercise in a group of active but nonexercising women. Thus, the effects of exercise training on plasma lipoprotein levels in elderly women remain unclear. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of endurance and resistance exercise on plasma lipoprotein levels in elderly women who were active but nonexercising prior to the study. A total of 45 healthy, active women, aged 70-87 years, were randomly assigned to either an aerobic training (AT, 76 +/- 5 years, n = 15), resistance training (RT, 73 +/- 3 years, n = 15), or control (C, 74 +/- 5 years, n = 15) group. The AT group walked 3 days a week at 70% heart rate reserve. The duration on day 1 was 20 minutes, and it was increased by 5 minutes each day until subjects were walking for 50 minutes (week 3). The exercise training session for the RT group consisted of one to three sets of eight repetitions of eight different exercises at an eight repetition maximum; the C group maintained normal activity. Weight and diet were unchanged across groups. The exercise interventions lasted 10 weeks. Blood samples were obtained from all subjects at week 0 and week 11. Training resulted in a significant decrease in 1-mile walk times and heart rate at completion of the walk for the AT group and a significant increase in eight repetition maximum of all RT exercises. Both AT and RT groups experienced increased HDL cholesterol and decreased triglycerides at week 11 compared with week 0. There were no positive changes in control lipoproteins. Both triglycerides and the total cholesterol to HDL ratio increased significantly while total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol remained unchanged. The RT group also had significantly lower LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol compared with controls at week 11. Both RT and endurance training resulted in favorable changes to plasma lipoprotein levels for elderly women in only 10 weeks. The fact that this occurred without concurrent changes in weight or diet is an indication that high-intensity exercise alone can be used to modify lipoproteins in populations of healthy elderly women.
Advanced BLDC motor drive for low cost and high performance propulsion system in electric and hybrid vehicles

In this paper, the authors propose an advanced brushless DC motor (BLDCM) drive for low cost and high performance electric propulsion system in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). It includes reduced parts power converter topologies and an optimal PWM control strategy to produce the desired dynamic and static speed and torque characteristics. The theoretical explanation and operational principle are described in detail, and the performance of the proposed low cost BLDCM drive is compared with its conventional counterpart by informative simulation results. An IGBT inverter with high speed DSP (TI TMS320 F243) is also built to provide experimental results.
Identifying liabilities of foreignness and strategies to minimize their effects: the case of labor lawsuit judgments in the United States

Most foreign direct investment (FDI) theories assume that foreign subsidiaries are at a disadvantage relative to domestic firms; that is, they suffer a liability of foreignness. Following this reasoning, most FDI research has focused on advantages foreign investors must possess to overcome whatever disadvantages they face. Research directly investigating the sources of foreign subsidiary disadvantages has been notably lacking, despite the fact that understanding disadvantages could uncover ways to reduce exposure to these liabilities of foreignness and improve management of FDI. This study focuses on whether labor lawsuit judgments represent a liability for foreign subsidiaries operating in the United States (U.S.). Specifically, I tested whether 486 British, German, and Japanese subsidiaries operating in the U.S. had more labor lawsuits brought to judgment than a matched sample of U.S.-owned firms. Results indicate that foreign subsidiaries faced significantly more labor lawsuit judgments in both federal and state jurisdictions. I also investigated several variables hypothesized to be associated with a reduction in labor lawsuit judgments facing foreign subsidiaries. Foreign subsidiaries who used American top officers or whose parent firms had more U.S. operations faced fewer lawsuits, while foreign subsidiaries using human resource professionals actually faced more labor lawsuit judgments. Implications of these findings and avenues for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transurethral Collagen Therapy in Women

AbstractPurpose: We evaluated our recent experience with transurethral collagen therapy in women.Materials and Methods: A series of 44 women with video urodynamic evidence of intrinsic sphincter deficiency were treated with transurethral collagen therapy using local anesthesia. Median patient age was 72 years (range 41 to 94). Mean duration of incontinence was 72 months. Incontinence was grade 3 in 42 patients. Mean abdominal leak point pressure before treatment was 56 cm. water. Patient response to treatment was evaluated by the change in the number of pads required to effect significant improvement.Results: Median number of pads used was 5 pretreatment (range 3 to 12) and 3 posttreatment. A total of 20 patients was cured and 8 others required only 1 pad daily after treatment (63 percent cured or needing no pads daily). Of the cured patients 4 had used greater than 10 pads daily before collagen injection. One treatment was given to 22 patients and 7 have not improved of whom 2 underwent only 1 treatment....
Measures of agreement between many raters for ordinal classifications

Screening and diagnostic procedures often require a physician's subjective interpretation of a patient's test result using an ordered categorical scale to define the patient's disease severity. Because of wide variability observed between physicians' ratings, many large-scale studies have been conducted to quantify agreement between multiple experts' ordinal classifications in common diagnostic procedures such as mammography. However, very few statistical approaches are available to assess agreement in these large-scale settings. Many existing summary measures of agreement rely on extensions of Cohen's kappa. These are prone to prevalence and marginal distribution issues, become increasingly complex for more than three experts, or are not easily implemented. Here we propose a model-based approach to assess agreement in large-scale studies based upon a framework of ordinal generalized linear mixed models. A summary measure of agreement is proposed for multiple experts assessing the same sample of patients' test results according to an ordered categorical scale. This measure avoids some of the key flaws associated with Cohen's kappa and its extensions. Simulation studies are conducted to demonstrate the validity of the approach with comparison with commonly used agreement measures. The proposed methods are easily implemented using the software package R and are applied to two large-scale cancer agreement studies.
Calmodulin kinase II inhibition protects against myocardial cell apoptosis in vivo

Inhibition of the multifunctional Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) or depletion of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) stores protects against apoptosis from excessive isoproterenol (Iso) stimulation in cultured ventricular myocytes, suggesting that CaMKII inhibition could be a novel approach to reducing cell death in conditions of increased adrenergic tone, such as myocardial infarction (MI), in vivo. We used mice with genetic myocardial CaMKII inhibition due to transgenic expression of a highly specific CaMKII inhibitory peptide (AC3-I) to test whether CaMKII was important for apoptosis in vivo. A second line of mice expressed a scrambled, inactive form of AC3-I (AC3-C). AC3-C and wild-type (WT) littermates were used as controls. AC3-I mice have reduced SR Ca(2+) content and are resistant to Iso- and MI-induced apoptosis compared with AC3-C and WT mice. Phospholamban (PLN) is a target for modulation of SR Ca(2+) content by CaMKII. PLN(-/-) mice have increased susceptibility to Iso-induced apoptosis. Verapamil pretreatment prevented Iso-induced apoptosis in PLN(-/-) mice, indicating the involvement of a Ca(2+)-dependent pathway. AC3-I and AC3-C mice were bred into a PLN(-/-) background. Loss of PLN increased and equalized SR Ca(2+) content in AC3-I, AC3-C, and WT mice and abolished the resistance to apoptosis in AC3-I mice after MI. There was a trend (P = 0.07) for increased Iso-induced apoptosis in AC3-I mice lacking PLN compared with AC3-I mice with PLN. These findings indicate CaMKII is proapoptotic in vivo and suggest that regulation of SR Ca(2+) content by PLN contributes to the antiapoptotic mechanism of CaMKII inhibition.
Ecological Science and Practice: Dialogues Across Cultures and Disciplines

Promoting earth stewardship entails re-examining economic arguments, such as the “tragedy of the commons” logic, which are coercive, out of step with cultural values, and often lack empirical support. A counter-example is the effort by Chesapeake Bay watermen to resist privatization of the commons, while adopting an alternative strategy more in keeping with their cultural values. Creating trust between scientists and watermen has been difficult, however. Research from the social sciences, notably by the late Elinor Ostrom and colleagues, and William Burch Jr., suggests that human ecology can be developed in a way that is more attuned to human values. Citizens have important roles in fostering good stewardship when they can mobilize support, as illustrated in Jane Jacobs’s writing about urban communities, and by citizen-led creation of a nature reserve in Toronto, Canada. Two challenges in promoting earth stewardship are to create trust between scientific experts and resource users, and to create an academic culture that values interaction between scholarly disciplines.
Substrate oxidation by isolated rat brain mitochondria and synaptosomes

The rates of [6-14C]-glucose oxidation by reconstituted systems of cytosol and mitochondria or cytosol and synaptosomes were essentially the same as the rate of oxidation of [3-14C]-3-hydroxybutyrate. However, the rate of [U-14C]-glutamine oxidation by mitochondria was 2.5 times that by synaptosomes. The addition of glutamine (5 mM) caused a reduction in the rates of oxidation of [6-14C]-glucose of 20% and 40% by mitochondria and synaptosomes, respectively. Conversely, the addition of glucose (5 mM) had little or no effect on the rate of [U-14C]-glutamine oxidation by either organelle. Amino-oxyacetate decreased [U-14C]-glutamine oxidation by mitochondria more than 35% but had little or no effect on the rate of glutamine oxidation by synaptosomes. When glucose (5 mM) was added to [3-14C]-3-hydroxybutyrate, the rates of oxidation by the mitochondria and synaptosomes were increased by 65% and 77%, respectively. However, in the reverse situation the addition of 3-hydroxybutyrate decreased [6-14C]-glucose oxidation by synaptosomes (35%) but did not decrease the rate by mitochondria. These results suggest that differences in the rates of substrate utilization by mitochondria and synaptosomes and differences in substrate interactions in these two subcellular organelles may contribute to metabolic compartmentation in the brain.
Two-photon excitation cross section of the B ← X(0,0) band of CO measured by direct absorption

We report new measurements of the two-photon absorption rate in the B←X(0, 0) band of CO, as determined from absorption spectra obtained with Fourier-transform-limited pulses of well-characterized spatial profile. By comparing measured absorption spectra of the CO Q branch near 230 nm with a nonlinear model for the pulse attenuation, we derive the spectrally integrated cross section σ0(2). The space- and time-dependent model considers two-photon absorption followed by one-photon photoionization of the excited state. The Q-branch spectral profile is simulated with previously measured coefficients of collisional broadening and shift. Remarkably, for modest irradiances of 80–350 MW/cm2 at the focus, attenuations of 10% and greater at the Q-branch peak were observed in a single pass through neat CO at pressures of 12–33 kPa. Our result for the spectrally integrated cross section, averaged over five experiments, is σ0(2)=(1.5+0.7/-0.2)×10-35 cm4.
‘The Most Interesting Genre of Music’: Performance, Sociability and Meaning in the Classical String Quartet, 1800–1830

It has long been recognized that journalistic discourse about the string quartet in early nineteenth-century sources stressed its elevation and seriousness in comparison to other genres, and that the string quartets of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven were described as ‘classical’ very early in the century. Less well known is that the idea of performance is embedded in this discourse – particularly around the question of the group dynamics of ensemble performance. The tendency to blur the roles of the parts and the roles of the players are evidence of this, as is the discussion of the relation between first-violin-centricity and the ideal of free and equal contribution by all four parts/players in ‘true’ or ‘classical’ works. This ideal, I argue, is distinct from the longstanding metaphor of ‘conversation’ to describe the relations of the parts. The first part of this article explores these broad topics. The second part of the article focuses on a single measure in the slow movement of Beethoven's op. 59 no. 2 and argues that in various ways it raises and thus exemplifies the issues of the distribution of power, of musical initiative or the ‘genius of performance’, and ultimately of differing subjectivities in the early nineteenth-century notion of the quartet.
Suspended Sediment Transport in the Freshwater Reach of the Hudson River Estuary in Eastern New York

Deposition of Hudson River sediment into New York Harbor interferes with navigation lanes and requires continuous dredging. Sediment dynamics at the Hudson estuary turbidity maximum (ETM) have received considerable study, but delivery of sediment to the ETM through the freshwater reach of the estuary has received relatively little attention and few direct measurements. An acoustic Doppler current profiler was positioned at the approximate limit of continuous freshwater to develop a 4-year time series of water velocity, discharge, suspended sediment concentration, and suspended sediment discharge. This data set was compared with suspended sediment discharge data collected during the same period at two sites just above the Hudson head-of-tide (the Federal Dam at Troy) that together represent the single largest source of sediment entering the estuary. The mean annual suspended sediment–discharge from the freshwater reach of the estuary was 737,000 metric tons. Unexpectedly, the total suspended sediment discharge at the study site in November and December slightly exceeded that observed during March and April, the months during which rain and snowmelt typically result in the largest sediment discharge to the estuary. Suspended sediment discharge at the study site exceeded that from the Federal Dam, even though the intervening reach appears to store significant amounts of sediment, suggesting that 30–40% of sediment discharge observed at the study site is derived from tributaries to the estuary between the Federal Dam and study site. A simple model of sediment entering and passing through the freshwater reach on a timescale of weeks appears reasonable during normal hydrologic conditions in adjoining watersheds; however, this simple model may dramatically overestimate sediment delivery during extreme tributary high flows, especially those at the end of, or after, the “flushing season” (October through April). Previous estimates of annual or seasonal sediment delivery from tributaries and the Federal Dam to the ETM and harbor may be high for those years with extreme tributary high-flow events.
Alien vs. Predator: Pathogens open niche space for opportunists, unless controlled by predators

Coral microbiomes are known to play important roles in organismal health, response to environmental stress, and resistance to disease. Pathogens invading the coral microbiome encounter diverse assemblages of resident bacteria, ranging from defensive and metabolic symbionts to opportunistic bacteria that may turn harmful in compromised hosts. However, little is known about how these bacterial interactions influence the overall structure, stability, and function of the microbiome during the course of pathogen challenge. We sought to test how coral microbiome dynamics were affected by interactions between two of its members: Vibrio coralliilyticus, a known temperaturedependent coral pathogen, and Halobacteriovorax, a unique bacterial predator of Vibrio and other gram-negative bacteria. We challenged specimens of the important reef-building coral Montastraea cavernosa with Vibrio coralliilyticus pathogens in the presence or absence of Halobacteriovorax predators, and monitored microbial community dynamics with 16S rRNA gene time-series. In addition to its direct effects on corals, pathogen challenge reshaped coral microbiomes in ways that allowed for secondary blooms of opportunistic bacteria. As expected, Vibrio coralliilyticus addition increased the infiltration of Vibrio into coral tissues. This increase of Vibrios in coral tissue was accompanied by increased richness, and reduced stability (increased beta-diversity) of the rest of the microbiome, suggesting strong secondary effects of pathogen invasion on commensal and mutualistic coral bacteria. Moreover, after an initial increase in Vibrios, two opportunistic lineages (Rhodobacterales and Cytophagales) increased in coral tissues, suggesting that this pathogen opens niche space for opportunists. Based on the keystone role of predators in many ecosystems, we hypothesized that Halobacteriovorax predators might help protect corals by consuming gram-negative pathogens. In keeping with a protective role,
Impact of illness per ICD-9 classification on progression to physical evaluation board for U.S. marines placed on limited duty status 2006-2010.

ABSTRACTMission readiness is of paramount importance to Marine Corps commanders. Personnel medically unable to perform at full capacity negatively affect a unit's readiness and ability to accomplish mission objectives. A retrospective cohort study was designed to evaluate the impact of diseases and conditions per International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Revision 9 (ICD-9) classification of primary diagnosis on likelihood of progressing to Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) for U.S. Marines placed on Limited Duty. A total of 30,937 records belonging to 19,042 unique individuals were identified in the Medical Board Online Tri-Service Tracking System database over the study surveillance period. Approximately half (9,133) of all Marines placed on Limited Duty were eventually referred to PEB. After multivariate adjustment Marines with a primary ICD-9 diagnosis indicating a blood disorder (OR = 4.1, 95% CI 2.1–8.1) or nervous system disorder (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 2.8– 3.8) were...