cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Retrospective View Of The IFRS Conceptual Path And Treatment Of Fair Value Measurements In Financial Reporting

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) require some assets, liabilities and equity instruments to be measured at fair value (IASB ED/2009/5). Thus begins the Fair Value Measurement IASB 2009 Exposure Draft. The IFRS requirement for fair value reporting has actually existed since 1975, due to the adoption of pronouncement IAS 2 (IASC/IAS 2 1975). This standard required that Inventory be valued at fair value less costs to sell for both reporting and disclosure purposes. But, as is the case in the history of many accounting standards and practice, the devil has always been in the details. This paper explores a brief historical path of fair value accounting within the venue of international accounting standards. Because of the impending plan of convergence and harmonization, plus potential global acceptance of standards of reporting and content, both the IASB and FASB have extensively explored the relevance and reliability of fair value reporting as compared with the more traditional costbased system. This exploration has been controversial because it goes to the very heart of the centuries-old cost-based foundation of financial accounting. In spite of the ongoing controversy of fair value versus historical cost accounting and the multiple uses and requirements of the fair value theoretical concept in IFRSs, there has been no definitive guidance on the various alternative calculations and appropriate uses of these differing representations of fair value. As the comment period closes on a second exposure draft directed at resolving Fair Value Measurement, this retrospective view of the international standards moves through the past standards and into the future methodology of reporting fair value. With FASBs latest exposure draft on fair value currently pending, the convergence opportunity of a more closely defined concept and its subsequent use in global practice is quite possibly at hand.
The Relative Importance of Post-Acute Care and Readmissions for Post-Discharge Spending.

Objective To understand what patterns of health care use are associated with higher post-hospitalization spending. Data Sources Medicare hospital, skilled nursing, inpatient rehabilitation, and home health agency claims, and Medicare enrollment data from 2007 and 2008. Study Design For 10 common inpatient conditions, we calculated variation across hospitals in price-standardized and case mix–adjusted Medicare spending in the 30 days following hospital discharge. We estimated the fraction of spending differences between low- and high-spending hospitals attributable to readmissions versus post-acute care, and within post-acute care between inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) versus skilled nursing facility (SNF) use. For each service, we distinguished between differences in probability of use and spending conditional on use. Data Extraction Methods We identified index hospital claims and examined hospital and post-acute care occurring within a 30-day period following hospital discharge. For each Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group (MS-DRG) at each hospital, we calculated average price-standardized Medicare payments for readmissions, SNFs, IRFs, and post-acute care overall (also including home health agencies and long-term care hospitals). Principal Findings There was extensive variation across hospitals in Medicare spending in the 30 days following hospital discharge. For example, the interquartile range across hospitals ranged from $1,245 for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to over $4,000 for myocardial infarction MS-DRGs. The proportion of differences attributable to readmissions versus post-acute care differed across conditions. For myocardial infarction, 74 to 93 percent of the variation was due to readmissions. For hip and femur procedures and joint replacement, 72 to 92 percent of the variation was due to differences in post-acute care spending. There was also variation in the relative importance of the type of post-acute spending. For hip and femur procedures, joint replacement, and stroke, whether patients received IRF was the key driver of variation in post-acute care spending In contrast, for pneumonia and heart failure, whether patients received SNF care was the key driver of variation in post-acute spending. Conclusions Through initiatives such as bundled payment, hospitals are financially responsible for spending in the post-hospitalization period. The key driver of variation in post-hospitalization spending varied greatly across conditions. For some conditions, the key driver was having a readmission, for others it was whether patients receive any post-acute care, and for others the key driver was the type of post-acute care. These findings may help hospitals implement strategies to reduce post-discharge spending.
The feasibility of establishing a free clinic for uninsured patients with neurologic disorders

The Dream Center Neurology Clinic (DCNC) is a free specialty clinic associated with the Medical University of South Carolina that provides health care for uninsured patients with neurologic disorders. Routine neurologic care is often neglected by free primary care clinics, leaving indigent and uninsured patients to suffer from treatable neurologic ailments. The DCNC was established by supplementing existing resources from a free primary care facility called the Dream Center. Our strategy of building a high-need specialty service into a preexisting primary care infrastructure may provide a blueprint for neurologists who are eager to address the neurologic needs of the underserved in their local communities. According to local charge estimates, the DCNC has provided roughly $120,000 worth of outpatient neurologic care over the past year. The clinic runs through the collaborative effort of medical students as well as academic and private health care providers. Donated services such as EEG, diagnostic lab work, botulinum toxin, supplies, and imaging are also critical to clinic operations. In addition to providing the uninsured with services that are normally inaccessible to them, the DCNC provides a unique educational opportunity for medical students, residents, and all volunteers who are eager to help and learn.
Improved outcomes with novel agents and auto-SCT for multiple myeloma in African-American patients

Improved outcomes with novel agents and auto-SCT for multiple myeloma in African-American patients
Clinical analysis of 8 children with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery

Objective:To summarize clinical manifestations of children with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery(ALCAPA) and improve knowledge of ALCAPA. Methods:To analyze clinical manifestations and examination findings of children with ALCAPA who had been diagnosed in Beijing Children’s Hospital from Aug. 2006 to Dec. 2008. All of the patients had been diagnosed as endocardial fabroelastosis first. Results:Eight children with ALCAPA aged from 2 months to 10 months(median 5. 3months). All the patients represent symptom of heart failure such as shortness of breath,wheeze,hoarseness,diaphoresis, feed failure etc. those pantients had been diagnosed as endocardial fabroelastonsis first. Patients with ALCAPA have characteristic findings at electrocardiogram( ECG),echocardiogram,computerized tomography. Conclusions:"ALCAPA"and"endocardial fabroelastosis"are a source of confusion in clinical diagnose. We should pay more attention at patients who had been diagnosed as endocardial fabroelastosis in ECG finding. Patients whose ECG finding are similar with ALCAPA should take more check such as echocardiogram,computerized tomography,DSA examination which are helpful to the diagnosis of ALCAPA.
Implications of fluctuations in substitution rates: impact on the uncertainty of branch lengths and on relative-rate tests.

Many tests of the lineage dependence of substitution rates, computations of the error of evolutionary distances, and simulations of molecular evolution assume that the rate of evolution is constant in time within each lineage descended from a common ancestor. However, estimates of the index of dispersion of numbers of mammalian substitutions suggest that the rate has time-dependent variations consistent with a fractal-Gaussian-rate Poisson process, which assumes common descent without assuming rate constancy. While this model does not affect certain relative-rate tests, it substantially increases the uncertainty of branch lengths. Thus, fluctuations in the rate of substitution cannot be neglected in calculations that rely on evolutionary distances, such as the confidence intervals of divergence times and certain phylogenetic reconstructions. The fractal-Gaussian-rate Poisson process is compared and contrasted with previous models of molecular evolution, including other Poisson processes, the fractal renewal process, a Levy-stable process, a fractional-difference process, and a log-Brownian process. The fractal models are more compatible with mammalian data than the nonfractal models considered, and they may also be better supported by Darwinian theory. Although the fractal-Gaussian-rate Poisson process has not been proven to have better agreement with data or theory than the other fractal models, its Gaussian nature simplifies the exploration of its impact on evolutionary distance errors and relative-rate tests.
Adaptive spatio-temporal exploratory models: Hemisphere-wide species distributions from massively crowdsourced ebird data

Broad-scale spatiotemporal processes in conservation and sustainability science, such as continent-wide animal movement, occur across a range of spatial and temporal scales. Understanding these processes at multiple scales is crucial for developing and coordinating conservation strategies across national boundaries. In this paper we propose a general class of models we call AdaSTEM, for Adaptive Spatio-Temporal Exploratory Models, that are able to exploit variation in the density of observations while adapting to multiple scales in space and time. We show that this framework is able to efficiently discover multiscale structure when it is present, while retaining predictive performance when absent. We provide an empirical comparison and analysis, offer theoretical insights from the ensemble loss decomposition, and deploy AdaSTEM to estimate the spatiotemporal distribution of Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) across the Western Hemisphere using massively crowdsourced eBird data.
cAMP-dependent recruitment of acidic organelles for Ca2+ signaling in the salivary gland.

Autonomic neural activation of intracellular Ca2+ release in parotid acinar cells induces the secretion of the fluid and protein components of primary saliva critical for maintaining overall oral h...
Geometry and Physics without Gravity: Special Relativity

The next two chapters deal with Einsteins theory of relativity, which will be needed to discuss gravitational waves and collapse in Chapter 8 and relativistic mechanics in Chapter 9. This is, by no means, a book on relativity, so we will try to keep the treatment and mathematics of relativity as simple as possible and yet still construct all the concepts and tools that are needed to tinker with black hole engines.1 Knowledge of relativity requires a knowledge of geometry and considerably more than high school or college geometry. Nevertheless, that is where we will start, and then develop only enough to understand metrics and four dimensional spacetime (which is crucial to even begin understanding black holes).We then shall introduce the basic concepts of mechanics like time dilation, Lorentz transformations, four vectors, and relativistic beaming. And, finally, we will begin our extended discussion on fluid dynamics and electromagnetism, but deal here with flat spacetime only. Once we have covered Einsteins theory of gravity in Chapter 7, will we return to this subject and go into more depth in Chapter 9.
Mystical Religious Experience and Psychosis: Contours of the Problem

This chapter explicates the challenges to diagnosing psychosis and mystical religious experience based on the criteria of one psychological approach alone. It introduces the five psychological approaches that will contribute, along with Reformed Theology beliefs, to the new paradigm for distinguishing mystical and psychotic experiences introduced in Chap. 7. The views of mystical experience expressed by Reformed Theology are presented, and a Reformed pastor’s call to ministry is used to demonstrate how a mystical religious experience could be interpreted as a psychotic or authentic mystical experience.
Cellular Mechanisms of Propagation and Clearance

Here, we focus on the implications of two cellular degradation pathways on prion replication and clearance. The first one is autophagy which can have a promoting and inhibiting role in prion infection. Lysosomal prion clearance can be enhanced in vitro and in vivo by drug-induced activation of autophagy. More recent work revealed that a certain level of autophagy is needed for establishing acute and persistent prion infection, implicating that autophagy might represent a functional equivalent for a disaggregase function. Such one was postulated for seed fragmentation in prion propagation, similar to sonication in PMCA or Hsp104 in yeast prion biology. The second pathway described here is the proteasomal one. We have challenged various cell lines by inducing ER stress or compromising proteasomal activity and analyzed the effects on PrP metabolism strictly in the secretory pathway. Both events led to enhanced detection of PrP aggregates and significant increase of PrPSc in prion-infected cells, which could be reversed by overexpression of proteins of the cellular quality control. These findings suggest a novel pathway which possibly provides additional substrate and template for prion formation when protein clearance by the proteasome is impaired and point to mechanisms which might play a role in prion de novo generation in sporadic prion diseases.
The Association of Program Ratios and Consolidation Choices: Evidence from Nonprofit Hospitals

SYNOPSIS The program expense ratio is widely used as a measure of nonprofit (NP) performance. It can be derived from either GAAP financial statements or IRS Form 990. However, these sources have conflicting disclosure requirements that can significantly affect the ratio. The FASB has consolidation requirements for GAAP financial statements, but allows wide latitude in how program-specific functional expenses are disclosed. The IRS requires disclosure of functional expenses on Form 990, but allows wide latitude in how the reporting entity is defined. Thus, the program ratio can vary significantly based on the accounting choices of management. We examine the association of program ratios and consolidation choices in NP hospitals using Form 990 data. We find that hospitals receiving support from unconsolidated affiliates realize significantly higher program ratios. The IRS and FASB should consider this finding when evaluating the latitude in reporting requirements for NP hospitals. JEL Classifications: G1; G...
Influence of Diabetes-Related Support on Aerobic Activity Among Older African Americans With Type 2 Diabetes.

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of diabetes-related support in promoting aerobic activity in a sample of older African Americans. A secondary data analysis was conducted ba...
High performance, power efficient hardware accelerators: emerging devices, circuits and architecture co-design

General-purpose digital systems have long benefited from favorable scaling, but performance improvements have slowed dramatically in the last decade. Computing is therefore returning to custom and specialized systems, frequently using heterogeneous accelerators. Particularly driven by the data-centric workloads of machine learning and deep learning, an intense development of conventional accelerators (GPUs, FPGAs, CMOS ASICs) but also unconventional accelerators using novel circuits and devices beyond CMOS is currently underway. In this talk, I will discuss some common characteristics of high-performance and power-efficient accelerators in this diverse space and the ecosystem development (such as new interconnects) needed for them to thrive. To illustrate accelerator characteristics and their potential, I will describe our group's efforts to co-design from algorithms and architectures down to novel devices for gains in speed and power. We have developed architectures leveraging the analog and non-volatile nature of memristors (tunable resistance switches) assembled in crossbar arrays to accelerate machine learning, image and signal processing. We have also developed new circuits and assembled architectures to accelerate Finite Automata, enabling rapid pattern matching used in applications from security to genomics. Significant improvements over CPUs, GPUs, and custom digital ASICs are forecasted in both such systems, highlighting the potential for unconventional accelerators in future high-performance computing systems.
Molybdenum Oxide-Modified Iridium Catalysts for Selective Production of Renewable Oils for Jet and Diesel Fuels and Lubricants

Supported inverse metal–metal oxide catalysts have received significant research interest owing to their effective hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) activity toward biomass substrates, but the high cost of the reported catalysts poses a challenge for commercialization. We present the synthesis of a series of metal–metal oxide catalysts, Ir–MOx/SiO2 (M = Re, Mo, W, V, or Nb) and M′–MoOx/SiO2 (M = Rh, Ru, Pt, or Pd) and their HDO performance on multifuran (high carbon) substrates to produce renewable jet and diesel fuels and lubricant base oils. A MoOx-modified Ir/SiO2 catalyst with a Mo/Ir ratio of 0.13 (Ir–MoOx/SiO2) exhibits the highest product yield (78–96%) under mild reaction conditions. Controlled experiments using probe substrates reveal that furan ring hydrogenation and C–O hydrogenolysis of saturated and unsaturated furan rings occur in a sequential manner. The carbon atom adjacent to the furan or saturated furan ring of substrates or intermediate compounds undergoes slow C–C bond scission, resulting in a ...
Smoking in schizophrenic patients: A critique of the self-medication hypothesis

A common remark among laypeople, and notably also among mental health workers, is that individuals with mental illnesses use drugs as self-medication to allay clinical symptoms and the side effects of drug treatments. Roots of the self-medication concept in psychiatry date back at least to the 1980s. Observations that rates of smokers in schizophrenic patients are multiple times the rates for regular smoking in the general population, as well as those with other disorders, proved particularly tempting for a self-medication explanation. Additional evidence came from experiments with animal models exposed to nicotine and the identification of neurobiological mechanisms suggesting self-medication with smoking is a plausible idea. More recently, results from studies comparing smoking and non-smoking schizophrenic patients have led to the questioning of the self-medication hypothesis. Closer examination of the literature points to the possibility that smoking is less beneficial on schizophrenic symptomology than generally assumed while clearly increasing the risk of cancer and other smoking-related diseases responsible for early mortality. It is a good time to examine the evidence for the self-medication concept as it relates to smoking. Our approach is to focus on data addressing direct or implied predictions of the hypothesis in schizophrenic smokers.
School Leadership Preparation and Technology Implementation: Ensure Successful Change Processes Through Transformative Mind Shifts

Leadership is changing and is now more commonly defined as a shared, collaborative responsibility rather than an individual one. Preparing leaders in the 21st Century, will require a team effort. Those responsible for preparing new leaders will need to consider leader behavior along with new technologies and research based best practices to ensure that preparation programs are in tune with the world as it is now. Mind shifts in the way leaders perceive issues and problems will be essential to success. This issue is of particular interest to principal preparation programs which must focus on developing effective school leaders. One way to begin the process of change will be to redefine popular conceptions of 21st Century leadership. Aspiring leaders and learners will need to be exposed to new ideas, attitudes, and approaches to work—making these shifts will also be required to transition aspiring leaders from teaching to leading. School leaders, and school principals, after teachers, have the most impact on student learning in their schools. However, it is not clear that principals are prepared to make decisions about what works best for staff and students in today’s schools, new requirements and new accountability measures are in place, and many principal preparation programs have not changed to reflect what is now needed. In this digital age, being a leader for schools requires adequate preparation, experience, and good decision making: problem solving and technology leadership. An aspiring leader needs to make transformational mind shifts in their approach to leading. Technology changes also raise the bar for school leaders; the stakes are usually higher because of the anticipation around the likely impact of new ideas and newly adopted technologies. The school leader, to be effective, must also shift—their thinking, changing a focus from what happened, the events—to how they respond to what is happening now; from reacting to responding, from contracting to interacting. The way the new leader makes this mind shift and behavior transition; how the leader makes changes becomes a personal choice and responsibility. This article discusses the mind shifts necessary for the new leader to make, first in thought, and later in action changes in his or her personal behavior and awareness, in order to effectively and successfully manage and lead the change process to succeed in today’s school environment.
Preoperative bronchial cytology for the assessment of tumor spread through air spaces in lung adenocarcinoma resection specimens

Background Tumor spread through air spaces (STAS), a significant prognostic indicator, has been described recently as a pattern of invasion in pulmonary carcinomas. However, questions remain regarding preoperative identification of STAS and whether it represents an in vivo phenomenon versus an ex vivo artifact. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 67 paired preoperative bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or bronchial washing (BW) cytology specimens with the subsequent lung adenocarcinoma surgical resection specimen to determine whether preoperative cytology could predict STAS. Other clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of the resected lesions were also correlated with preoperative bronchial cytology results. Results Positive bronchial cytology was observed in 28 cases (41.8%), 24 of which had STAS (85.7%); however, negative BAL/BW cytology was observed in 39 cases (58.2%), 29 of which had STAS (74.4%) (x2 = 1.27, P = .26, not significant). High-STAS burden was observed in 44 cases (83.0%), 21 (47.7%) with negative BAL/BW and 23 (52.3%) with positive BAL/BW. Low-STAS burden was observed in 9 cases (17.0%), 8 (88.9%) with negative BAL/BW and only 1 (11.1%) with positive BAL/BW (x2 = 5.11, P = .024, significant). For tumors with STAS, a statistically significant difference was identified in the maximal STAS distance from the main tumor edge between BAL/BW-positive and BAL/BW-negative groups (P = .007). Of the remaining clinicopathologic and radiologic features, only visceral pleural invasion was significantly associated with BAL/BW positivity. Conclusion Presurgical bronchial cytology alone cannot adequately predict tumor STAS; however, it may provide useful information regarding the extent and overall burden of STAS on the subsequent resection specimen.
Factors associated with phylogenetic clustering of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs in Baltimore.

The availability of effective, oral direct acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment has put elimination of HCV as a public health challenge within reach. However, little is known about the characteristics of transmission networks of people who inject drugs (PWID). Sequencing of a segment of the HCV genome was performed on samples collected from a community-based cohort of PWID between August 2005 and December 2016. Phylogenetic trees were inferred, and clusters were identified (70% bootstrap threshold; 0.04 maximum genetic distance threshold). We describe sex, race, age difference, and HIV infection status of potential transmission partners. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with being in an HCV cluster. Of 508 HCV genotype 1 viremic PWID, 8% (n = 41) were grouped into 20 clusters, consisting of 19 pairs and 1 triad. In adjusted analyses, female sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–4.5]) and HIV infection (OR 5.7 [CI 2.7–11.9]) remained independently associated with being in an HCV infection cluster. Molecular epidemiological analysis reveals that, in this cohort of PWID in Baltimore, HIV infection and female sex were associated with HCV clustering. Combination HCV prevention interventions targeting HIV infected PWID and addressing HCV infection prevention needs of women have potential to advance HCV elimination efforts.
Factors Associated With Implantable Pulse Generator Site Pain: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES Implantable pulse generator (IPG) site pain following neuromodulation procedures is a recognized complication. The site of the IPG placement varies depending on the neuromodulation type and physician preference. The incidence of IPG site pain as a function of the site of IPG implantation has not been studied systematically. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a multicenter cross-sectional survey of the incidence, severity, and quality of IPG site pain, location of the IPG, the pain management needs, functional impairment, and cosmetic appearance related to the IPG placement. Contingency table analysis was conducted for categorical variables, and logistic regression analysis and linear regression model was used. RESULTS The survey response rate was 60.5% (n = 510). Overall, 31.0% of patients reported pain at the IPG site in the last 72 hours with 31.4% reporting moderate to severe pain and 7.6% reporting severe pain. Older age was inversely associated with IPG-related pain (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.96-0.99, p = 0.001). IPG implantation site did not have a statistically significant interaction with IPG site pain (p > 0.05). The most important factor for IPG site-associated pain was having a spinal cord stimulator implanted as compared to a deep brain stimulator, or sacral nerve stimulator. Most subjects reported no functional impairment related to IPG site pain (91%), found the IPG site pain as expected (80%), and found IPG site cosmetic appearance as expected (96%). CONCLUSIONS The incidence of IPG site pain is an important complication of invasive neuromodulation. The anatomic location of the IPG placement does not appear to affect the incidence or severity of IPG site pain. However, the presence of a pre-implant chronic pain disorder does appear to affect the frequency and severity of IPG site pain.
Myxobolus cerebralis Causes Presporogonic Mortality in Juvenile Mountain Whitefish.

Recent range expansions of whirling disease impelled us to understand the impacts of its causative agent, the myxozoan parasite Myxobolus cerebralis, on lesser-studied fish hosts. Mountain Whitefish Prosopium williamsoni overlap broadly with M. cerebralis across the western United States and Canada, and populations have experienced widespread declines since the 1990s. To evaluate effects of the parasite on Mountain Whitefish, we revisit formerly unpublished work of the Colorado Division of Wildlife (now Colorado Parks and Wildlife), comparing infection in age-matched Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, and Brown Trout Salmo trutta. To complement the original report, we reanalyze mortality data and include additional SEM imagery. Infection of M. cerebralis in juvenile Mountain Whitefish was characterized by a brief but heavy period of mortality in the first 2 weeks after exposure, with limited pathology. This clinical effect is unique among the known salmonid hosts of M. cerebralis.
Stock Prices under Dust Dome: Evidence from Chinese Market

Though the environmental issues have been increasingly important for global investors, studies of both environment and capital markets are scant in finance research. This study examines the effect of an environmental documentary, Under the Dome, on the stock prices of the environmentally friendly companies and the polluters listed on the Chinese stock market. We obtain the panel data from the Wind Financial Terminal from at daily frequency from Feb 9, 2015 to May 12, 2015 and apply propensity scoring matching (PSM) and difference in difference (DID) technique to identify the price impact of this documentary on the stock market. Specifically, each environmentally friendly company or polluting company, the treatment group, is matched with two companies selected as the control group. We show a significantly positive effect of the documentary on stock prices of the environmentally friendly companies and a negative effect on the polluters and this result is robust to another functional form. To explain the mechanism behind this phenomenon, we further show a significant correlation between the price change and some firm-level characteristics such as company name, news recommendation, market power, state holding, etc.
Positive Emotion and Honesty.

We report an experiment that considers the impact of emotional state on honesty. Using the die-rolling task created by Fischbacher and Follmi-Heusi (2013) to detect the level of dishonesty in a sample of individuals, we study the effects of induced happiness on the incidence of self-interested lying. The experiment uses 360-degree videos to induce emotional state. We find that people behave more honestly in a state of happiness than they do in a neutral state.
Growth Factor Roles in Soft Tissue Physiology and Pathophysiology.

Repair and healing of injured and diseased tendons has been traditionally fraught with apprehension and difficulties, and often led to rather unsatisfactory results. The burgeoning research field of growth factors has opened new venues for treatment of tendon disorders and injuries, and possibly for treatment of disorders of the aorta and major arteries as well. Several chapters in this volume elucidate the role of transforming growth factor β (TGFs) in pathogenesis of several heritable disorders affecting soft tissues, such as aorta, cardiac valves, and tendons and ligaments. Several members of the bone morphogenetic group either have been approved by the FDA for treatment of non-healing fractures or have been undergoing intensive clinical and experimental testing for use of healing bone fractures and tendon injuries. Because fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are involved in embryonic development of tendons and muscles among other tissues and organs, the hope is that applied research on FGF biological effects will lead to the development of some new treatment strategies providing that we can control angiogenicity of these growth factors. The problem, or rather question, regarding practical use of imsulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in tendon repair is whether IGF-I acts independently or under the guidance of growth hormone. FGF2 or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) alone or in combination with IGF-I stimulates regeneration of periodontal ligament: a matter of importance in Marfan patients with periodontitis. In contrast, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) appears to have rather deleterious effects on experimental tendon healing, perhaps because of its angiogenic activity and stimulation of matrix metalloproteinases-proteases whose increased expression has been documented in a variety of ruptured tendons. Other modalities, such as local administration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and/or of mesenchymal stem cells have been explored extensively in tendon healing. Though treatment with PRP and mesenchymal stem cells has met with some success in horses (who experience a lot of tendon injuries and other tendon problems), the use of PRP and mesenchymal stem cells in people has been more problematic and requires more studies before PRP and mesenchymal stem cells can become reliable tools in management of soft tissue injuries and disorders.
A Costly Signaling Theory of Hard Look Review

Judges often review decisions made by government actors, such as agencies or legislatures, with greater expertise about the effects of different policy choices. One judicial response to this asymmetric information problem has been to shift the focus of review from a substantive evaluation of the policy to an assessment of the quality of the explanation the government offers in support of that choice. Proponents of this type of "hard look" review argue that it improves the quality of government decisions; critics charge that it imposes costs on government policymakers without providing useful information to reviewing courts. This paper offers an alternative perspective: Judicially-imposed explanation requirements can help reviewing courts overcome their informational disadvantage for reasons that are independent of their ability to assess the substantive content of government explanations. If producing impressive explanations is expensive, then the court can reason that the government's willingness to produce a high-quality explanation signals the government's belief that the proposed policy has large benefits. Furthermore, if the preferences of the court and government are positively correlated in expectation, then the fact that the government places a high value on the policy means the policy is more likely to be acceptable to the court. Therefore, judicial evaluation of explanation quality ameliorates the court's informational disadvantage, and may induce a court to uphold a government decision it would otherwise invalidate. The paper develops this costly signaling perspective on hard look review in the administrative law context, and then considers other applications in constitutional and criminal law.
The glucose catabolism of the genus Brucella. II. Cell-free studies with B. abortus (S-19).

Abstract Cell-free extracts of B. abortus (S-19) were assayed for the enzymes of the major pathways of glucose catabolism. Cell-free preparations readily oxidized d -glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, glucose 1-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, 6-phosphogluconate, ribose 5-phosphate, and d -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. Fructose 1,6-diphosphate was oxidized very slowly. No activity was observed with either pyruvate or acetate. The enzymes of the EMP pathway were demonstrated except for phosphofructokinase. Only weak fructose diphosphate aldolase activity was detected. The glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase was specific for NAD and was stimulated by arsenate. Glucose 6-phosphate and 6-phosphogluconic acid dehydrogenase activities were demonstrated. Either NADP or NAD could serve as the cofactor for glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase while the 6-phosphogluconic acid dehydrogenase appeared to be specific for NAD. Transaldolase, transketolase, ribose phosphate isomerase, and ribulose phosphate 3-epimerase were detected during the anaerobic dissimilation of ribose 5-phosphate. Phosphogluconate dehydratase was not detected; however, phospho-2-keto-3-deoxy-gluconate aldolase was present. The cell-free studies support the data obtained with whole cells that show the bulk of the glucose catabolism in the brucellae is via the HMP pathway operating in conjunction with the TCA cycle.
Regulation of Salmonella-induced neutrophil transmigration by epithelial ADP-ribosylation factor 6.

Salmonella typhimurium elicits an acute inflammatory response in the host intestinal epithelium, characterized by the movement of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) across the epithelial monolayer to the intestinal lumen. It was recently shown that SipA, a protein secreted by S. typhimurium, is necessary and sufficient to drive PMN transmigration across model intestinal epithelia (Lee, C. A., Silva, M., Siber, A. M., Kelly, A. J., Galyov, E., and McCormick, B. A. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 97, 12283–12288). However, the epithelial factors responsible for this process have not been identified. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that S. typhimurium-induced PMN transmigration across Madin-Darby canine kidney-polarized monolayers is regulated by the GTPase ARF6. Apically added S. typhimurium promoted the translocation of ARF6 and its exchange factor ARNO to the apical surface. Overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant of ARF6 inhibitedSalmonella-induced PMN transmigration, which was due to a reduction in apical release of the PMN chemoattractant PEEC (pathogen-elicited epithelial chemoattractant), without affecting bacterial internalization. Furthermore, ARF6 and its effector phospholipase D (PLD) were both required for bacteria-induced translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) to membranes. These results describe a novel signal transduction pathway, in whichSalmonella initiates an ARF6- and PLD-dependent lipid signaling cascade that, in turn, directs activation of PKC, release of PEEC, and subsequent transepithelial PMN movement.
Parental Health Beliefs as a Cause of Nonorganic Failure to Thrive

Parental misconceptions and health beliefs concerning what constitutes a normal diet for infants is reported as a cause for failure to thrive. There were seven patients (four boys, three girls), 7 to 22 months of age, who were evaluated for poor weight gain and linear growth. They were only consuming 60% to 94% of the recommended caloric intake for age and sex. The children9s caloric intake had been restricted by their parents. They were concerned that the children would become obese, develop atherosclerosis, become junk food dependent, and/or develop eating habits that the parents believed were unhealthy. The parents instituted diets consistent with health beliefs currently in vogue and recommended by the medical community for adults who are at risk for cardiovascular disease. These diets caused the infants to experience inadequate weight gain and have a decreased linear growth rate. With nutritional counseling, all food restrictions were removed, the caloric intake was increased to 94% to 147% of the recommended intake for age. The weight gain rate increased significantly (P
Regulation of gelatinase B production in corneal cells is independent of autocrine IL-1alpha.

PURPOSE: The matrix metalloproteinase gelatinase B is synthesized by cells at the leading edge of the corneal epithelium migrating to heal a wound. Recent data from the authors' laboratory suggest that excessive synthesis contributes to repair defects. The goal of the study reported here was to investigate mechanisms controlling gelatinase B production by corneal epithelial cells. METHODS: Freshly isolated cultures of corneal epithelial cells and early passage stromal fibroblasts from rabbit were used for these studies. RESULTS: In a previous study, it was found that the cytokine interleukin (IL)-1alpha is released into the culture medium of corneal epithelial cells more efficiently when they are plated at low density with limited cell-cell contact than when plated at high density. In this study, we show that production of gelatinase B by these cells is similarly affected by cell plating density. However, it is further demonstrated that these two events are not dependent on one another but occur in parallel: IL-1alpha does not regulate gelatinase B production (synthesis), nor was there evidence that any other secreted autocrine cytokine acts as mediator. Instead, our data suggest that gelatinase B production is downregulated directly by high cell density and indicate a connection to the level of protein kinase C activity. Nevertheless, the anticancer agent suramin, which blocks collagenase synthesis by interfering with autocrine cytokine-receptor interactions, still inhibits synthesis of gelatinase B. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike collagenase synthesis by corneal stromal fibroblasts, production (synthesis) of gelatinase B does not appear to be controlled by secreted autocrine cytokines but can still be inhibited by suramin. Suramin may make an effective therapeutic agent for controlling pathologic overproduction of gelatinase B in corneal ulcers.
A two-dimensional Hahn-Banach theorem

Let T = ∑n i=1 ũi⊗ vi : V → V = [v1, ..., vn] ⊂ X, where ũi ∈ V ∗ and X is a Banach space. Let T = ∑n i=1 ui ⊗ vi : X → V be an extension of T to all of X (i.e., ui ∈ X∗) such that T has minimal (operator) norm. In this paper we show in particular that, in the case n = 2 and the field is R, there exists a rank-n T such that ‖T‖ = ‖T‖ for all X if and only if the unit ball of V is either not smooth or not strictly convex. In this case we show, furthermore, that, for some ‖T‖ = ‖T‖, there exists a choice of basis v = v1, v2 such that ‖ui‖ = ‖ũi‖, i = 1, 2; i.e., each ui is a Hahn-Banach extension of ũi.
Cyclops: miniature robotic reconnaissance system

Miniature mobile robots are desirable for military applications because of their ability to function covertly in highly constrained environments. However, work on such tiny robotic systems has been hampered by the difficulty of packaging locomotion, sensing, computing and power subsystems into diminutive spaces. This paper presents the design and initial prototype of a miniature mobile robot designed to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance missions in an urban environment. This initial prototype is spherical in shape, with a diameter of 5.5 inches, and weighs only 4.5 pounds. A novel inertial steering system, along with the robot's robust control and communication systems, make it useful for covert video surveillance and reconnaissance in tightly constrained spaces.
Chloral Hydrate and the Carbon Dioxide Chemoreceptor Response: A Study of Puppies and Infants

CO2 chemoreceptor function was assessed during natural sleep and following the administration of 100 mg/kg of chloral hydrate to 26 puppies. With chloral hydrate-induced sleep, there were no significant changes in ventilation or in CO2 chemoreceptor response. The ventilation and CO2 chemoreceptor response of a group of infants in natural sleep were compared with those of a group receiving 50 mg/kg of chloral hydrate. Tidal volume O2 consumption, and CO2 elimination were slightly higher in the group given chloral hydrate. There was no difference in the CO2 chemoreceptor response. The proportion of time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in chloral hydrate-induced sleep was similar to that occurring in natural sleep. Use of chloral hydrate stabilizes O2 consumption sleep. Use of chloral hydrate stabilizes O2 consumption and CO2 production, and it greatly facilitates the assessment of chemoreceptor function in infants. The CO2 chemoreceptor response appears not to be altered in puppies or infants.
Effects of Local Anesthetics on Articular Cartilage

Background: Recent basic science studies have demonstrated local anesthetic chondrotoxicity in vivo and in vitro in both human and animal cartilage. Clinically, chondrolysis associated with the use of intra-articular local anesthetic pain pumps has been described by several groups. This has raised concern regarding the clinical use of intra-articular local anesthetics.Methods: The authors undertook a review of the current orthopaedic literature on local anesthetic chondrotoxicity and its potential relationship to clinical chondrolysis.Results: Local anesthetics such as bupivacaine, lidocaine, and ropivacaine are chondotroxic to human articular cartilage in vitro, although ropivacaine is less so. The evidence suggests that there is a greater risk for chondrolysis with a longer exposure to a higher concentration of local anesthetic, such as with a pain pump, than with a single injection. However, late cellular and metabolic changes are seen after even a single injection of bupivacaine in animal models, and ...
A comparison of protein assays for oyster larval proteins using two different standards

Abstract Using bovine serum albumin and bovine gamma-globulin as protein standards, two methods, a dye-binding method and the Lowry protein assay were employed to estimate the protein contents in oyster larvae. It was found that when both methods were used to measure the same concentration of the same larval protein sample, the Lowry method persistently generated higher calculated protein value than the dye binding method. The effect of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and strong alkali (1 N NaOH) on these two protein assays was also determined. We found that TCA cause some interference with the dye binding method.
Arthropod succession in exposed carrion in a tropical rainforest on O'ahu Island, Hawai'i

Arthropod succession in exposed carrion in a tropical rainforest on the island of O'ahu, Hawaiian Islands, was observed. A total of 45 species of arthropods in 10 orders, 27 families, and 40 genera was recorded. Five stages of decomposition were recognized as follows: fresh, bloated, decay, postdecay, and remains.
Fight for Yasuni Far from Finished

![Figure][1] CREDIT: BANKTRACK/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS As a scientist with experience in Western Amazonia since 1979, including 16 years monitoring oil impacts in Yasuni, I appreciate the publicity that E. Marx's News Focus story (“The fight for Yasuni,” 26 November 2010, p. [1170][2]) brings
Wiring optimization in cortical circuits.

Wiring a brain presents a formidable problem because neural circuits require an enormous number of fast and durable connections. We propose that evolution was likely to have optimized neural circuits to minimize conduction delays in axons, passive cable attenuation in dendrites, and the length of "wire" used to construct circuits, and to have maximized the density of synapses. Here we ask the question: "What fraction of the volume should be taken up by axons and dendrites (i.e., wire) when these variables are at their optimal values?" The biophysical properties of axons and dendrites dictate that wire should occupy 3/5 of the volume in an optimally wired gray matter. We have measured the fraction of the volume occupied by each cellular component and find that the volume of wire is close to the predicted optimal value.
Provoked ovulation or long-delayed pseudopregnancy from coital stimuli in barbiturate-blocked rats.

When spontaneous release of the ovulation quota of hypophysial gonadotropin was blocked in female rats by pentobarbital or phenobarbital on 2 successive days, 91 of 170 (53.5 %) copulated when placed with potent males during the night following proestrus, indicating that estrous behavior does not depend on the proestrous surge of ovulating hormone. Among 74 females that copulated, 14 (19%) became pregnant as the result of ovulations clearly invoked by the copulatory stimulus. This confirms other evidence that “reflex” ovulation can occur in rats under special conditions. In the remaining animals copulation had 2 bizarre effects: 1) The current set of graafian follicles became atretic instead of ovulating on the third night as expected. 2) Pseudopregnancy usually followed the formation of new corpora lutea during the next cyclic estrus 5 or 6 days after the copulatory stimulus. Thus, information from the stimulus was apparently retained within the central nervous system long after being received. Whether p...