cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decreased swelling pressure of rat nucleus pulposus associated with simulated weightlessness

Data are presented on the effects of actual and simulated weightlessness on the swelling pressure of nucleus pulposus in rats exposed to 12.5 days of flight aboard Cosmos 1887 or to seven days of tail suspension, respectively. The flight-exposed rats were adapted to normal gravity for over 50 hrs prior to sacrifice and tissue harvesting. In the experiments with flight-exposed rats, swelling pressures were 690, 675, and 622 mm Hg for flight rats, synchronous controls, and vivarium controls, respectively. In experiments with simulated weightlessness, swelling pressures were 295, 610, and 527 mm Hg for tail-suspended rats, cage controls, and vivarium controls, respectively, suggesting that fluid moves into the disc during seven days of simulated weightlessness.
R-spondin signaling as a pivotal regulator of tissue development and homeostasis.

Abstract R-spondins (Rspos) are cysteine-rich secreted glycoproteins which control a variety of cellular functions and are essential for embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. R-spondins (Rspo1 to 4) have high structural similarity and share 60% sequence homology. It has been shown that their cysteine-rich furin-like (FU) domain and the thrombospondin (TSP) type I repeat domain are essential for initiating downstream signaling cascades and therefore for their biological functions. Although numerous studies have unveiled their pivotal role as critical developmental regulators, the most important finding is that Rspos synergize Wnt signaling. Recent studies have identified novel receptors for Rspos, the Lgr receptors, closely related orphans of the leucin-rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptors, and proposed that Rspos potentiate canonical Wnt signaling via these receptors. Given that Wnt signaling is one of the most important developmental signaling pathways that controls cell fate decisions and tissue development, growth and homeostasis, Rspos may function as key players for these processes as well as potential therapeutic targets. Here, I recapitulate the Wnt signaling and then outline the biological role of Rspos in tissue development and homeostasis and explore the possibility that Rspos may be used as therapeutic targets.
What If Our Schools Are Working? Base, Superstructure, and Hegemony in Education

American schools are working exactly the way they are intended to work. The modern public education system developed to serve the managerial needs of industrial capitalism in the first half of the nineteenth century. It reached maturity along with the economic system as the factory-model in the 1920s and has changed very little since. As education became more regimented to meet the workforce needs of industrial capitalism, high schools became key areas for indoctrination and sorting, especially for urban immigrant populations. In recent decades, as automation, robotics, and globalization have decreased the need for unskilled and semi-skilled labor, three trends have added to the capitalist nature of miseducation in the United States—zero tolerance criminal justice, high-stakes testing, and charter schools. American schools do however allow some space for promoting progressive change. Marxists can support the development of students from disadvantaged backgrounds as Gramscian organic intellectuals of the working class.
HIGH INTENSITY EXERCISE INDUCED STEMI

High intensity training has become an increasingly recognized risk factor for spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) in young women. We present a case of a young healthy female who developed SCAD following high intensity exercise. She suffered a cardiac arrest and was found to have an
The Excess Mortality Risk and Prevalence of Drinking-and-Driving in the United States: 1983–2017

Drinking-and-driving remains a leading cause of preventable mortality and morbidity in the United States, yet reliable estimates of its prevalence and the increased risk it imposes on other road users remain elusive. The tendency of respondents to under-report illicit and socially stigmatized behavior and the likelihood that they select out of random sample designs suggests survey-based prevalence estimates are biased downward, resulting in upward biased estimates of excess mortality risk. Moreover, in 2015 the House of Representatives voted to prohibit the use of federal funds to plan or administer the National Roadside Survey (NRS). Therefore, in this article, we apply a statistical approach to document how the excess mortality risk, prevalence, and externality of drinking-and-driving in the United States has evolved over the past four decades. We find that drinking-and-driving declined significantly between 1983 and 1992, but has since plateaued. We also find that the excess mortality risk of drinking drivers rose steadily between 1983 and 2012, but the associated external cost of drinking drivers decreased, suggesting that ‘sober-biased technical change’ may have made all driving less dangerous, but had a smaller impact on drivers influenced by alcohol. For the latest five-year period, however, we identify a sharp reversal in both these trends.
Consciousness-Based Management Development

Abstract Training in meditation is being introduced into corporations worldwide, yet analyses of programs are rare. Case studies document the experiences of members of three top management teams who learned the Transcendental Meditation program in corporate-supported programs and suggest a new trend in management development: Con-sciousness-BasedSM Management Development. This approach, which allows managers to access inner latent capacities, appears to meet criteria described in the literature for an effective management and team development program. The comprehensive changes reported are said to result from unfolding the organizing power of Natural Law in the awareness of the manager.
Prepregnancy body mass index and spina bifida: Potential contributions of bias.

Background Epidemiologists have consistently observed associations between prepregnancy obesity and spina bifida in offspring. Most studies, however, used self-reported body mass index (potential for exposure misclassification) and incompletely ascertained cases of spina bifida among terminations of pregnancy (potential for selection bias). We conducted a quantitative bias analysis to explore the potential effects of these biases on study results. Methods We included 808 mothers of fetuses or infants with spina bifida (case mothers) and 7,685 mothers of infants without birth defects (control mothers) from a population-based case-control study, the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2011). First, we performed a conventional epidemiologic analysis, adjusting for potential confounders using logistic regression. Then, we used 5,000 iterations of probabilistic bias analysis to adjust for the combination of confounding, exposure misclassification, and selection bias. Results In the conventional confounding-adjusted analysis, prepregnancy obesity was associated with spina bifida (odds ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.2, 1.7). In the probabilistic bias analysis, we tested nine different models for the combined effects of confounding, exposure misclassification, and selection bias. Results were consistent with a weak to moderate association between prepregnancy obesity and spina bifida, with the median odds ratios across the nine models ranging from 1.1 to 1.4. Conclusions Given our assumptions about the occurrence of bias in the study, our results suggest that exposure misclassification, selection bias, and confounding do not completely explain the association between prepregnancy obesity and spina bifida.
Task-specific efficient channel selection and bias management for Gabor function channelized Hotelling observer model for the assessment of x-ray angiography system performance.

PURPOSE Channelized Hotelling observer (CHO) models have been implemented to assess imaging performance in x-ray angiography systems. While current methods are appropriate for assessing unprocessed images of moving test objects upon uniform-exposure backgrounds, they are inadequate for assessing conditions which more appropriately mimic clinical imaging conditions including the combination of moving test objects, complex anthropomorphic backgrounds, and image processing. In support of this broad goal, the purpose of this work was to develop theory and methods to automatically select a subset of task-specific efficient Gabor channels from a task-generic Gabor channel base set. Also, previously described theory and methods to manage detectability index (d') bias due to nonrandom temporal variations in image electronic noise will be revisited herein. METHODS Starting with a base set of 96 Gabor channels, backward elimination of channels was used to automatically identify an "efficient" channel subset which reduced the number of channels retained in the subset while maintaining the magnitude of the d' estimate. The concept of a pixelwise Hotelling observer (PHO) model was introduced and similarly implemented to assess the performance of the efficient-channel CHO model. Bias in d' estimates arising from temporally variable nonstationary noise was modeled as a bivariate probability density function for normal distributions, where one variable corresponds to the signal from the test object and the other variable corresponds to the signal from temporally variable nonstationary noise. Theory and methods were tested on uniform-exposure unprocessed angiography images with detector target dose (DTD) of 6, 18, and 120 nGy containing static disk-shaped test objects with diameter in the range of 0.5 to 4 mm. RESULTS Considering all DTD levels and test object sizes, the proposed method reduced the number of Gabor channels in the final subset by 63-82% compared to the original 96 Gabor channel base set, while maintaining a mean relative performance ( (dCHO'/dPHO')×100% ) of 95% ± 4% with respect to the reference PHO model. Experimental results demonstrated that the bivariate approach to account for bias due to temporally variable nonstationary noise resulted in improved correlation between the CHO and PHO models as compared to a previously proposed univariate approach. CONCLUSIONS Computationally efficient backward elimination can be used to select an efficient subset of Gabor channels from an initial channel base set without substantially compromising the magnitude of the d' estimate. Bias due to temporally variable nonstationary noise can be modeled through a bivariate approach leading to an improved unbiased estimate of d'.
Ion fluxes and memory effects in an Ar–O2 modulated radiofrequency-driven atmospheric pressure plasma jet

In this paper, we report a characterization of ion fluxes impinging on substrates as produced by a modulated RF-driven atmospheric pressure plasma jet operating in a homogenous gasenvironment (Ar+1% O2) using molecular beam mass spectrometry (MBMS). The influence of the RF modulation frequency (100 Hz-20 kHz) upon the ion fluxes was investigated by time-resolved measurements, and lifetimes of the dominant ions, O2+, NO+, O-, O2- and O3-, were found to be 28±2 μs, 117±8 μs, 7.3±0.4 μs, 17±1 μs, and 23±2 μs, respectively. The absolute ion densities in the near afterglow region were found to be on the order of 1011cm-3.Significant differences in the dynamics of the positive and negative ions were found and explained by significant electron densities in the afterglow produced by electron detachment reactions from negative ions due to the large concentrations of atomic oxygen and singlet delta oxygen. Transitions in ion flux dynamics for different modulation frequencies and at the startup of the plasma were analyzed together with ICCD images recording the plasma propagation, to assess the dynamics of plasma plume propagation and how it is impacted by "memory effects". Quantitative measurements of the ion densities enabling these memory effects are reported. The results in this paper highlight the tremendous impact of memory effects on plasma propagation and their corresponding pre-ionization.
Defense Counsel's Cross Purposes: Prior Conviction Impeachment of Prosecution Witnesses

A broad scholarly coalition supports the prohibition or diminution of the impeachment of criminal defendants with their convictions. Yet scholars should pay more attention to the flipside arrangement: impeachment of prosecution witnesses by defense counsel. First because new efforts at reform need to resolve the competing interests: constitutional arguments on behalf of the defense, but on the other hand concerns about a tool that (regardless of the nature of the witness) risks reinforcing biases and stereotypes. Second because the impossibility of adequate resolution is itself important to note. Whether one considers the conflicting values of rule makers deciding whether to regulate this, or the conflicting values of defense attorneys deciding whether to deploy it, the intractability underscores the appeal of abolitionist visions.
Neonatal Nasal Obstruction

Neonates are obligate nasal breathers. As a result, they are uniquely suspectable to nasal obstruction, particularly when bilateral, and can present with life-threatening respiratory distress, feeding concerns, or noisy breathing. The differential diagnosis for pediatric nasal obstruction is broad; nasal obstruction in the post-natal period can manifest in different levels of the nasal passageway and vary in laterality and severity. Clinicians must be able to quickly identify signs and symptoms, develop an appropriate differential diagnosis, and plan treatment to manage neonatal nasal obstruction. This review will use the newest literature to highlight common causes of neonatal nasal obstruction and discuss the epidemiology, presentation, associated problems, workup, management, and review controversial topics in neonatal obstruction. Neonatal nasal obstruction can be congenital; or secondary to neurogenic/neoplastic diseases, infectious processes, foreign bodies, inflammatory processes, or maternal factors; or can be indicative of underlying syndromic diseases.
Technology-supported Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for chronic health conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Chronic health conditions (CHCs) are common and associated with functional limitations. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) shows promise in improving functioning, quality of life, and distress across several CHCs. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of technology-supported ACT for CHCs and perform a meta-analysis on functioning and ACT process outcomes. Multiple databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials. A total of 20 unique studies with 2,430 randomized participants were included. CHCs addressed in these studies were chronic pain (k = 9), obesity/overweight (k = 4), cancer (k = 3), hearing loss (k = 1), HIV (k = 1), multiple sclerosis (k = 1), and tinnitus (k = 1). Internet and telephone were the most used technology platforms. All studies included therapist contact with considerable heterogeneity between studies. Random effects meta-analyses found medium effect sizes showing technology-supported ACT outperformed comparator groups on measures of function at post-treatment (Hedges' g = −0.49; p = 0.002) and follow-up (Hedges' g = −0.52; p = 0.02), as well as ACT process outcomes at post-treatment (Hedges' g = 0.48; p
Introduction: Basic Concepts, Method, and Summary of Chapters

The questions that motivate this book are “What, ultimately, is there reason to do?” and “On what grounds should any view of ultimate reasons be accepted?” Our deliberations in ordinary life typically presuppose an answer to the first question, and the answer to the second question determines the justification of the first answer. Thus we cannot be indifferent to these questions insofar as we are reflective rational beings. We deliberate about countless matters. Some of these matters are relatively trivial, such as which vacation destination to select; some relatively weighty, such as which career to pursue. Some deliberations aim at decisions that are meant to affect only ourselves; some aim at decisions meant to affect others. Deliberations may be solitary, or they may involve dialogue with others. All deliberations, however, involve thinking about reasons for action.
Optimal Time Self Stabilization in Dynamic Systems (Preliminary Version)

A self-stabilizing system is a distributed system which can tolerate any number and any type of faults in the history. After the last fault occurs the system starts to converge to a legitimate behavior. The self-stabilization property is very useful for systems in which processors may malfunction for a while and then recover. When there is a long enough period during which no processor malfunctions the system stabilizes.
The role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in proliferation and regeneration of the developing basilar papilla and lateral line.

Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been implicated in multiple developmental events including the regulation of proliferation, cell fate, and differentiation. In the inner ear, Wnt/β-catenin signaling is required from the earliest stages of otic placode specification through the formation of the mature cochlea. Within the avian inner ear, the basilar papilla (BP), many Wnt pathway components are expressed throughout development. Here, using reporter constructs for Wnt/β-catenin signaling, we show that this pathway is active throughout the BP (E6-E14) in both hair cells (HCs) and supporting cells. To characterize the role of Wnt/β-catenin activity in developing HCs, we performed gain- and loss-of-function experiments in vitro and in vivo in the chick BP and zebrafish lateral line systems, respectively. Pharmacological inhibition of Wnt signaling in the BP and lateral line neuromasts during the periods of proliferation and HC differentiation resulted in reduced proliferation and decreased HC formation. Conversely, pharmacological activation of this pathway significantly increased the number of HCs in the lateral line and BP. Results demonstrated that this increase was the result of up-regulated cell proliferation within the Sox2-positive cells of the prosensory domains. Furthermore, Wnt/β-catenin activation resulted in enhanced HC regeneration in the zebrafish lateral line following aminoglycoside-induced HC loss. Combined, our data suggest that Wnt/β-catenin signaling specifies the number of cells within the prosensory domain and subsequently the number of HCs. This ability to induce proliferation suggests that the modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling could play an important role in therapeutic HC regeneration. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 74: 438–456, 2014
A new structure for an analog divider

A structure for an analog divider that allows the use of short-channel devices for high speed without loss in accuracy due to second-order effects is proposed. It consists of 13 parallel modules that each approximate a division in a small region. The weighted sum of all outputs approximates a division for ratios between 1/4 and 4. The design of the modules and the complete circuit is explained. The circuit has been fabricated in a 2- mu m CMOS technology. The accuracy is better than 10% and the maximum operating frequency is about 2 MHz. >
Effects of operating conditions on DMD hinge memory lifetime

This paper will show how different operating conditions improve the hinge memory lifetime of the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). The correlation of parametric measurements to physical properties will also be developed. Specific operating conditions explored include the effects of (1) on/off duty cycle, (2) relaxation during nonoperation and (3) reversibility on hinge memory lifetime performance.
Comparison of genetic maps for two Leptospira interrogans serovars provides evidence for two chromosomes and intraspecies heterogeneity.

Genetic maps were constructed for Leptospira interrogans serovars icterohaemorrhagiae and pomona. Previously we independently constructed physical maps of the genomes for these two serovars. The genomes of both serovars consist of a large replicon (4.4 to 4.6 Mb) and a small replicon (350 kb). Genes were localized on the physical maps by using Southern blot analysis with specific probes. Among the probes used were genes encoding a variety of essential enzymes and genes usually found near bacterial chromosomal replication origins. Most of the essential genes are on the larger replicon of each serovar. However, the smaller replicons of both serovars contain the asd gene. The asd gene encodes aspartate beta-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, an enzyme essential in amino acid and cell wall biosyntheses. The finding that both L. interrogans replicons contain essential genes suggests that both replicons are chromosomes. Comparison of the genetic maps of the larger replicons of the two serovars showed evidence of large rearrangements. These data show that there is considerable intraspecies heterogeneity in L. interrogans. Images
Teaching basic EMTs endotracheal intubation: can basic EMTs discriminate between endotracheal and esophageal intubation?

Hypothesis: Advanced airway intervention techniques are being considered for use by basic emergency medical technicians (EMTs). It was hypothesized that basic EMTs would be able to discriminate reliably between intratracheal and esophageal endotracheal tube, placement in a mannequin model. Design: An airway mannequin with a closed chest cavity was intubated randomly either esophageally or tracheally, and the cuff was inflated. A stethoscope, bag ventilator, and laryngoscope were available next to the mannequin. Placement was assessed by auscultation or direct visualization at the discretion of the EMT. A blinded investigator graded the student. Setting: A classroom in a large, urban medical center. Participants: Subjects were basic EMTs who volunteered to take part after the conclusion of a six-hour endotracheal intubation training course. Results: Thirty-three subjects were tested. Seventeen of 18 (94%) tracheal intubations and 11 of 15 (73%) esophageal intubations were identified correctly. Only 72% of the students listened to the epigastrium, 81% listened to the lungs, and 85% attempted ventilation. The 10 students who visualized the cords discovered all five esophageal intubations. The 23 students who did not visualize the cords missed four and found six esophageal intubations. Conclusion: Basic EMTs had difficulty assessing endotracheal tube placement in a mannequin model. The 27% miss rate for identifying esophageal intubations suggests that basic EMTs will require additional training for safe field use of any airway that requires assessment of tube placement.
Entropy change-induced elastic softening of lithiated materials

Abstract To understand the “elastic softening” of Li–Si alloys for the development of Li-ion batteries, the effect of stress-induced change of entropy on the mechanical properties of lithiated materials is examined within the theories of thermodynamics and linear elasticity. An approach is presented whereby the change of Gibbs free energy is governed by the change of the mixture entropy due to stress-induced migration of mobile atoms, from which the contribution of the change of the mixture entropy to the apparent elastic modulus of lithiated materials is determined. The reciprocal of the apparent elastic modulus of a lithiated material is a linear function of the concentration of mobile Li-atoms at a stress-free state and the square of the mismatch strain per unit mole fraction of mobile Li-atoms.
Preliminary Scanning Electron Microscopy Study of Microbiologically Induced Deterioration of High Alkali Low-Lime Glass

The existence of microbiologically caused deterioration of historical glass has not been experimentally verified to data. Further, it is a difficult hypothesis to prove from static examination of historical glass in the field or laboratory. Isolation and identification of microbes, from glass surfaces provide circumstantial evidence for an association, but do not prove a causal relationship.
The impact of asynchrony on computer architecture

The performance characteristics of asynchronous circuits are quite different from those of their synchronous counterparts. As a result, the best asynchronous design of a particular system does not necessarily correspond to the best synchronous design, even at the algorithmic level. The goal of this thesis is to examine certain aspects of computer architecture and design in the context of an asynchronous VLSI implementation. We present necessary and sufficient conditions under which the degree of pipelining of a component can be modified without affecting the correctness of an asynchronous computation. As an instance of the improvements possible using an asynchronous architecture, we present circuits to solve the prefix problem with average-case behavior better than that possible by any synchronous solution in the case when the prefix operator has a right zero. We show that our circuit implementations are area-optimal given their performance characteristics, and have the best possible average-case latency. At the level of processor design, we present a mechanism for the implementation of precise exceptions in asynchronous processors. The novel feature of this mechanism is that it permits the presence of a data-dependent number of instructions in the execution pipeline of the processor. Finally, at the level of processor architecture, we present the architecture of a processor with an independent instruction stream for branches. The instruction set permits loops and function call/return to be executed with minimal control-flow overhead.
Therapy: Intensive glucose control in the ICU: is sugar nice?

Intensive insulin therapy is extensively used to lower blood glucose concentrations in critically ill patients hospitalized within the intensive care unit. The discovery by the NICE-SUGAR study investigators that tight glucose control in this setting might actually increase mortality has generated considerable discussion about the wisdom of this approach.
Relationship Maintenance Behavior and Adult Attachment: An Analysis of the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

Associations between relationships maintenance behaviors (positivity, openness, assurances, and sharing tasks) and anxious and avoidant attachment were examined in 265 married couples. Using structural equation modeling to employ the actor-partner interdependence model, the use of positivity, assurances, and sharing tasks were found to be negatively associated with anxious and avoidant attachment for both husbands and wives. Being open and self-disclosing in marriage was not strongly associated with attachment. Results indicated that the use of maintenance behaviors in marriages could have the potential to foster increased security in partners. Research and clinical implications are discussed.
Effect of high temperature heat treatments on the quality factor of a large-grain superconducting radio-frequency niobium cavity

Large-grain Nb has become a viable alternative to fine-grain Nb for the fabrication of superconducting radio-frequency cavities. In this contribution we report the results from a heat treatment study of a large-grain 1.5 GHz single-cell cavity made of ``medium purity'' Nb. The baseline surface preparation prior to heat treatment consisted of standard buffered chemical polishing. The heat treatment in the range $800--1400\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$ was done in a newly designed vacuum induction furnace. ${Q}_{0}$ values of the order of $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{10}$ at 2.0 K and peak surface magnetic field (${B}_{p}$) of 90 mT were achieved reproducibly. A ${Q}_{0}$ value of $(5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{10}$ at 2.0 K and ${B}_{p}=90\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{mT}$ was obtained after heat treatment at $1400\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$. This is the highest value ever reported at this temperature, frequency, and field. Samples heat treated with the cavity at $1400\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$ were analyzed by secondary ion mass spectrometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive x ray, point-contact tunneling, and x-ray diffraction, and revealed a complex surface composition which includes titanium oxide, increased carbon, and nitrogen content but reduced hydrogen concentration compared to a non-heat-treated sample.
Rodent trypanosomes: Their conflict with the immune system of the host

Rodent trypanosome infections provide the opportunity to study major phenomena that are displayed in many parasite-host combinations and, therefore, the chance to contribute to the elucidation of those phenomena. Here, Julia and Joseph Albright focus on the immune responses to rodent trypanosomes and on the tricks the parasites play to minimize the effects of those responses.
Robust self-calibration and evidential reasoning for building environment maps

We address the problem of building a map of the environment utilizing sensory depth information obtained from multiple viewpoints. The desired representation of the environment is in the form of a finite-resolution three-dimensional grid of voxels. Each voxel within the grid is assigned a binary value corresponding to its occupancy state. We present an approach for multi-sensory depth information assimilation based on Dempster-Shafer theory for evidential reasoning. This approach provides a mechanism to explicitly model ignorance which is desirable when dealing with an unknown environment. A fundamental requirement for such an approach to be used is accurate knowledge of the camera motion between two viewpoints. We present a robust least median of squares (LMS) based algorithm to recover this motion which provides a self-calibration mechanism. We present results obtained from this approach on a laboratory stereo sequence.
Altered NMDA receptor trafficking contributes to sleep deprivation-induced hippocampal synaptic and cognitive impairments

Recent evidence indicates that continuous wakefulness (sleep deprivation, SD) causes impairments in behavioral performance and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in animals. However, the mechanisms by which SD impairs long-term synaptic plasticity and cognitive function are not clear. Here, we report that 24-h SD in mice results in impaired hippocampus-dependent contextual memory and LTP and, unexpectedly, in reductions of the surface expression of NMDA receptor (NMDAR) subunit NR1 and NMDAR-mediated excitatory post-synaptic currents at hippocampal perforant path-dentate granule cell synapses. The results suggest that the reduction of functional NMDAR in hippocampal neurons may underlie the SD-induced deficits in hippocampus-dependent contextual memory and long-term synaptic plasticity.
Entering the last frontier: expansion by US multinationals to Africa

Abstract Literature on multinationalism, even that which focuses on economic development and incentives for foreign direct investment (FDI), largely ignores the African continent despite its market of over 700 million inhabitants and its unique challenges for foreign firms. However, the African continent provides an important arena for examining the effects of infrastructure, wealth, and political differentials across countries and the effects of these variables on the expansion decisions of US multinational corporations (MNCs). In this paper we examine the US stock market reaction to announcements of US firms entering African markets through both FDI and Non-FDI modes. Finally, we investigate the accounting performance implications of these expansions. Our results show that, on average, firms experience negative wealth effects when expanding to Africa. Further analysis shows that expansions to South Africa produce losses, while expansion to the rest of Africa produce positive gains. We also show that firms with higher return on equity perform better than firms with lower return on equity when they expand to Africa in countries other than South Africa.
Structure determinations of two new ternary oxides: Ti3PdO and Ti4Pd2O

Two new compounds, Ti{sub 3}PdO and Ti{sub 4}Pd{sub 2}O, have been prepared by melting Ti, TiO, and Pd in an arc furnace, followed by annealing at 1273 K in vacuum. Both materials are deficient in palladium and have a range of oxygen stoichiometries as determined by wavelenght dispersive X-ray microprobe analyses. The crystal structures were determined by profile analysis of powder X-ray diffraction data. The powder pattern of Ti{sub 3}PdO was indexed based on a body-centered tetragonal unit cell with dimensions a = 5.7247(1){angstrom}, and c=8.3725(2){angstrom}, and the structure was refined in the space group I4/m. This compound contains a three-dimensional network of distorted Ti{sub 6}O octahedra that share corners, and is a new type of oxygen-stabilized Nowotny phase with a distorted antiperovskite structure. The powder pattern for Ti{sub 4}Pd{sub 2}O was indexed based on a cubic unit cell with a=11.6901(1) {angstrom}, and the structure was refined in the space group Fd{ovr 3}m. This compound crystallizes with the Ti{sub 2}Ni structure type commonly found in other ternary oxide systems and also contains Ti{sub 6}O octahedra.
The photochemical activation of thyroxine.

Recent evidence suggests that thyroxine is not the active form of the thyroid hormone. Since thyroxine's phenolic hydroxyl group appears to be quite labile, changes in this group may be involved in converting thyroxine to its active form. Light was found to catalyze an apparent oxidation of the hydroxyl group, and this photosensitivity suggested the possibility that exposure to light might hasten thyroxine activation. Accordingly, Qo2 was measured in liver slices and in diaphragm from normal and thyroxine injected rats, with half the tissues in each group exposed to brilliant illumination. Both tissues exhibited an increased response to thyroxine when subjected to the light, although the effect on liver was considerably greater than on muscle.It is postulated that thyroxine activation may require oxidation of the phenolic hydroxyl group and that a free radical may represent the active form of this hormone.
Petrology of Baby Bare and Mama Bare lavas

The Three Bares are small volcanoes that host the only-known hydrothermal vents active in oceanic crust older than 2 Ma. Major element data for Baby and Mama Bare lavas indicate formation by low extents of partial melting of a depleted mantle source, with limited cooling and crystallization prior to eruption. These lavas are compositionally unlike all lavas produced at the adjacent spreading center, but resemble a subset of lavas from small seamounts nearby. We conclude that the Three Bares represent off-axis volcanism rather than normal crustal accretion. Such off-axis volcanism increases basement roughness locally, and thus plays an important role in hydrothermal circulation in sedimented ridge flank settings.
Fluorinated materials for 157-nm lithography

Theoretical absorption spectra at 157 nm for a variety of fluorinated norbornene monomers were calculated by time dependent-density functional theory (TD.DFT). Based on the theoretical spectra, we have prepared a number of fluorinated norbornene monomers via different synthetic routes. Norbornene based fluorinated monomers were readily prepared from commercially available starting materials in good yields.
Deficiencies in verbal labeling in retarded readers.

In a study of the conversion of visual-temporal to visual-spatial patterns, retarded readers were found to be inferior to normal readers. This deficiency in integrating sensory information was found to be dependent upon the retarded readers' difficulty in labeling stimuli.
Effect of Polishing Pad Material Properties on Chemical Mechanical Polishing (Cmp) Processes

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technology has successfully met the stringent requirements of ultraplanarized surfaces in semiconductor manufacture. Commonly, polyurethane based pads have been used to achieve this level of planarization. Recent studies have shown that the material properties of polishing pads used in the CMP process strongly influence the ability to reduce topography. In addition, past work has shown that in the absence of pad regeneration, polishing rate drops dramatically with polishing time. This decrease in material removal rate is believed to coincide with deterioration of the pad surface due to “cold flow” and/or “caking” of the pad material. This study attempts to correlate the intrinsic polymer properties and cellular structure of the pad material to CMP process indices like polishing rate and planarity. For example, the drop off in removal rate as a function of time can be attributed to the mechanical response of polyurethanes under conditions of critical shear. Moreover, planarity achieved is a function of pad stiffness - which itself is dependant upon intrinsic polymer stiffness and cell density.
IN VITRO STUDIES OF GONADAL ORGANOGENESIS IN THE PRESENCE AND ABSENCE OF H-Y ANTIGEN'

In a very strict sense, the primary (gonadal) sex of mammals is determined not so much by the presence or absence of the Y but the expression or nonexpression of the evolutionary extremely conserved plasma membrane H-Y antigen. The central somatic blastema of embryonic indifferent gonads contains one cell lineage characterized by the possession of S−F differentiation antigen that differentiates into testicular Sertoli cells in the presence of H-Y and into ovarian follicular (granulosa) cells in its absence. This cell lineage appears to play the most critical role in gonadal differentiation. Whether or not testicular Leydig cells and ovarian theca cells are similarly derived from the common cell lineage has not been determined. Nevertheless, if given H-Y antigen, presumptive theca-cell precursors of the fetal ovary acquire hCG (LH?)-receptors—the characteristic of fetal Leydig cells.
Effect of aging on body fat

Objective: To examine the effects of aging on body fat. Design: Cross-sectional comparison by age and gender. Setting: Community health fairs, medical school, and a Department of Veterans Affairs Nursing Home Care Unit. Participants: Five hundred and fourteen individuals between the ages of 29–96 attending three different community health fairs; 62 first year medical students; and 121 male residents of a nursing home. Intervention: None Measurements: All underwent measurements of weight, height, and percentage body fat using the RJL Spectrum Bodycomp II Bioelectrical Impedance machine. Results: Percentage body fat increased slightly between ages 20 to 39 years and 40 to 84 years. There were no significant differences noted in percentage body fat among the age groups 40–64, 65–74 and 75–84 in either males or females. There were also no significant differences noted in percentage body fat between any age groups when age-matched for body mass index. Patients over the age of 85 had significantly lower percentage body fat compared with all other age groups. Finally, nursing home patients were more likely to have a lower percentage body fat compared with the ambulatory population. Conclusions: The percentage body fat does not appear to increase significantly after the age of 40 years. In addition, the major reason for the increase in body fat in older persons appears to be weight gain rather than a true age-related increase in percentage body fat. Previous studies suggesting a marked increase in percentage body fat with advancing age have failed to correct for the presence of an increased body mass index that commonly occurs at middle age.
Tar ‘specks’ in the North Atlantic

Abstract A number of dark specks retained on filters, through which seawater had been filtered, contained material that absorbed UV light very strongly. This material was most likely sunken pieces of tar. The amount was 0.12 μg/l on an average and was independent of hydrographic parameters.
The association between health information exchange and measures of patient satisfaction

Objective: Health information exchange (HIE) is the interorganizational sharing of patient information and is one of many health information technology initiatives expected to transform the U.S. healthcare system. Two outcomes expected to be improved by HIE are patient-provider communication and patient satisfaction . This analysis examined the relationship between the level of HIE engagement and these two factors in a sample of U.S. hospitals. Methods: Independent variables came from existing secondary sources and the dependent measures were from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. The analysis included 3,278 hospitals. Using ordinary least squares regression, implemented HIE was positively associated with the percentage of patients reporting nurses communicated well and higher satisfaction. Due to the potential for selection bias, results were further explored using a propensity score analysis. Results: Hospitals that had adopted HIE, but not yet implemented saw no benefits. Hospitals’ level of HIE was not associated with the percentage of patients reporting doctors communicated well. According to propensity score corrected estimates, implemented HIE was associated with the percentage of patients who reported nurses always communicated well and who would definitely recommend the hospital. Conclusion: Few studies have examined the impact of HIE at the organizational level. This examination provides some evidence that hospitals engaging in HIE are associated with higher patient satisfaction.
Chemical analysis with a low energy particle accelerator

The low energy particle accelerator at Brooklyn College is being applied to chemical analysis by studies of: charged particle induced nuclear reactions, proton induced X-ray emission, and inelastic neutron scattering. Fluorine-containing gaseous compounds in the atmosphere and fluorine in airborne particulates will be determined by detection of the prompt gamma-rays and/or alpha particles emitted in the reaction19F(p,a)16O. The PIXE technique is being applied to analysis of a variety of environmental samples, and activation by inelastic neutron scattering is being investigated for elements which are not amenable to thermal neutron activation.
Dynamics of the Charge-Transfer-to-Solvent States in I - (Xe)n Clusters

The authors have used femtosecond photoelectron spectroscopy to monitor the dynamics associated with the charge-transfer-to-solvent (CTTS) states in I{sup {minus}}(Xe){sub n} clusters. The authors find that the lifetime for the {sup 2}P{sub 1/2} CTTS state increases approximately linearly with cluster size, e.g. 550 {+-} 50, 700 {+-} 50, and 1,550 {+-} 200 fs for clusters n = 11, 20, and 38, respectively. These states are determined to decay by spin-orbit autodetachment. In contrast, the {sup 2}P{sub 3/2} CTTS state has a lifetime greater than 225 ps for even the smallest cluster studied, n = 6. No evidence for solvent reorganization is observed in the photoelectron spectra.
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: The disease, the diagnosis, and the treatment

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is a disease of unknown etiology, the diagnosis and treatment of which has changed dramatically in the past decade. Increased clinical awareness and recent developments in imaging techniques combine to promote earlier and less invasive diagnosis. Improved surgical thromboendarterectomy techniques and decreased perioperative mortality have enabled remarkable cures for most patients with this previously fatal condition. This article reviews current understanding of the disease process, imaging modalities used in diagnosis, and surgical treatment of patients with chronic thromboembolism.
Strategic Uncertainty, Equilibrium Selection, and Coordination Failure in Average Opinion Games

Deductive equilibrium analysis often fails to provide a unique equilibrium solution in many situations of strategic interdependence. Consequently, a theory of equilibrium selection would be a useful complement to the theory of equilibrium points. A salient equilibrium selection principle would allow decision makers to implement a mutual best response outcome. This paper uses the experimental method to examine the salience of payoff-dominance, security, and historical precedents in related average opinion games. The systematic and, hence, predictable behavior observed in the experiments suggests that it should be possible to construct an accurate theory of equilibrium selection.
Comparative aspects of cardiac ultrastructure, morphometry, and electrocardiography of hearts from rats fed restricted dietary copper and selenium.

Comparative cardiac ultrastructure, morphometry, and electrocardiography after dietary copper and selenium restriction were examined. Male weanling Long-Evans rats were fed diets that were either adequate in both copper and selenium (Cu+/Se+) or restricted in either Cu (Cu−) or Se (Se−) for 8 wk. At wk 8, electrocardiograms (ECG) anddP/dts were obtained and heart tissue was utilized for electron microscopy. Upon examination, Cu− rats were anemic, exhibited a greater heart: body weight ratio, and developed concentric hypertrophy characterized by an enhanced thickening of the left and right ventricular free walls, and interventricular septum. ECG recordings from lead aVF in the Cu− group showed a greater R wave amplitude in comparison to the Cu+/Se+ group. Se− rats recorded a greater left ventricular +dP/dtmax than both the Cu+/Se+ and Cu− groups.
Efficient file synchronization: Extensions and simulations

We study the problem of synchronizing two files X and Y at two distant nodes A and B that are connected through a two-way communication channel. In our setup, Y is an edited version of X; edits are insertions and deletions that are potentially numerous. We previously proposed an order-wise optimal synchronization protocol for reconstructing file X at node B with an exponentially low probability of error. In this paper, we introduce an adaptive algebraic code to the synchronization protocol in order to increase efficiency in the presence of substitution errors. In addition, we expand on our previous results by presenting experimental results from several scenarios including different types of files and a variety of realistic error patterns.
Production of short-lived radiopharmaceuticals for pet

Research projects currently being undertaken in the area of postron emission tomography (PET), require the use of very high specific activity radiopharmaceuticals. The cyclotron targetry necessary to produce near carrier free radiopharmaceuticals has posed some interesting and challenging problems in target design and construction. Radionuclides are produced at Brookhaven from gas, liquid and solid targets. Each of these phases of matter has its own special problems associated with it. Besides the normal design considerations such as heat transfer, density reduction and beam scattering, other factors such as radiation damage to metal surfaces, surface wetting angles, transport line materials and solder fluxes must also be taken in account in the design of the target. The most difficult target in which to maintain the isotopic purity has proven to be the 11 C from nitrogen gas target. The most difficult target in which to maintain the chemical form and reactivity over long periods of time is the 18 F from 18 O water target. These targets and the design consideration which went into them are discussed in detail.