cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linear Rheology of a Series of Second-Generation Dendronized Wedge Polymers

A series of second-generation dendronized wedge polymers were synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization, and the linear viscoelastic response over a wide range of temperatures was investigated. From 0 to 90 °C the dynamic moduli (G′(ω) and G″(ω)) were determined, and frequency–temperature superposition was used to create master curves that showed behavior from the terminal zone to the glassy regime. An apparent extremely low rubbery plateau of ∼10 kPa was observed in both the dynamic response and in the corresponding van Gurp–Palmen plot. However, further investigation shows that the apparent rubbery plateau is related to the steady-state recoverable compliance, not the onset of entanglements. In addition, these wedge polymers exhibit an extremely low glassy modulus of ∼100 MPa at 0 °C, which is shown to increase at 1 Hz to ∼700 MPa at −80 °C for the wedge polymer 2G-EHW-311. In addition, both small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering patterns were obtained for all of the polymers investigated, and these showed that the polymer molecules adopt an extended cylinder conformation. Furthermore, based on calorimetric measurements, the polymers were found to exhibit two glass transition temperatures, with a 100 K difference between the higher (T_(g,hi) = 26.8 ± 0.7 °C) and lower glass transition temperatures (T_(g,lo) = −76.1 ± 1.1 °C) for the 2G-EHW-311 material. Hence, an intermediate regime extends to well below the T_(g,hi) to T_(g,lo), providing an explanation for the low glassy modulus of ∼100 MPa at 0 °C and its increase to ∼700 MPa when measured at T_(g,hi) – 100 °C and approaching the T_(g,lo).
Antibodies to Brewer's Yeast in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Antibodies to brewer’s yeast or anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) have been detected in 70% of patients with Crohn’s disease and have become a part of the evaluation of a patient for Crohn’s disease. Prior evaluation of these antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis have been inconsistent. In an initial small study, the levels of antibodies were elevated but not statistically significant. In a second large study from China, 40% of rheumatoid arthritis patients were positive for immunoglobulin A (IgA) ASCA and 20% positive for immunoglobulin G (IgG) ASCA. Our study was inspired by the observation that several seronegative patients with rheumatoid arthritis were positive for ASCA antibodies. Between January 1, 2016 and January 1, 2018, a total of 241 patients with clinical rheumatoid arthritis were evaluated for antibodies to IGA and IGG ASCA, rheumatoid factor, cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP), and antinuclear antibody (ANA). Our results indicate that 158 (66%) of these patients were positive for ASCA; 70 (29%) of these patients were positive for ASCA but negative for other serologies; 62% of the patients were positive for rheumatoid factor. Our results also indicate that the percentage of rheumatoid factor (95%) and CCP positive (78%) patients in the ASCA negative group was higher than the percentage of rheumatoid factor positive (49%) and CCP positive (37%) patients in the ASCA positive group, suggesting serologic differences between the two groups. Only 4% of the rheumatoid patients were negative for all the evaluated serologies. The possible role of mannan, a mucopolysaccharide from the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) in producing rheumatoid arthritis is discussed.
A variety of optical solitons for nonlinear Schrödinger equation with detuning term by the variational iteration method

Abstract This work addresses a variety of Schrodinger equations (NLS) with detuning term in the anomalous and normal dispersive regimes. We operate the variational iteration method (VIM) for obtaining a set of diverse types of exact bright and dark soliton solutions. Singular and periodic solutions are derived as well. The presented analysis shows the pertinent features of the VIM in the presented analysis.
Automated Radar Mount-Angle Calibration in Automotive Applications

Precise knowledge of alignment and orientation of radar sensors around the vehicle is imperative to determining location of objects that it sees in ADAS applications. Experience has shown that erroneous sensor alignment and orientation leads to biased object location estimates, which manifest itself in incorrect decision making. Determining the location and orientation of sensor with respect to an origin on the vehicle is referred to as sensor calibration. Though many have acknowledged the problem of sensor calibration and emphasized on the need for its solution, to the best of our knowledge, there is no method publicly available to address this issue. In this paper, we present a new method for sensor calibration that is easy to execute, is repeatable with minimal supervision, and yields close-to-accurate results. We have demonstrated the viability of proposed calibration method by using the results obtained in an occupancy grid mapping application.
Model Order Reduction of Electromagnetic Particle-in-Cell Kinetic Plasma Simulations via Proper Orthogonal Decomposition

The proper orthogonal decomposition technique is applied to a finite-element time-domain particle-in-cell (PIC) algorithm for the simulation of kinetic plasmas, resulting in a reduced-order system. The reduced model is tested with representative examples involving an accelerated electron beam and a plasma ball expansion and compared with full-order simulations. The strengths and weakness of this type of model order reduction when applied to PIC algorithms are discussed through the analysis of the results. In particular, the method allows for a major reduction in the field degrees of freedom necessary to capture the relevant physics, but it can also lead to spurious results if proper care is not taken when assembling the reduced-order system.
Increasing Classroom Engagement in International Business Courses via Digital Technology

Digital technology is an integral part of the new generation international business students in higher education. The new realities of a tech-savvy student profile require some upgrades in classroo...
Chapter 21 – Enhanced Dechlorination of Trichloroethylene by Membrane-Supported Iron and Bimetallic Nanoparticles

Publisher Summary Zero-valent iron and bimetallic nanoparticles are very effective for the dechlorination of organics (e.g., trichloroethylene, TCE), but are prone to oxidation when exposed to air. Incorporation of the nanoparticles in a membrane phase may minimize oxidation and simplify the engineering of nanotechnology-based systems for water treatment. The polymer phase is also a strong absorbent for the organic, and retains the organic in the solid phase, even if the dechlorination rate is low. Nanoparticles composed of iron and combinations with nickel and palladium are synthesized in solution using common microemulsion techniques. The nanoparticles are continuously kept in organic solvent to inhibit oxidation, and are transferred to the polymer (cellulose acetate, CA) phase as slurry. Flat sheet membranes are made from this polymer dispersion using conventional and scalable phase inversion techniques.
PD-L1 as a prognostic biomarker in surgically resectable non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis

Background PD-L1 tumor expression has been associated with poor prognosis in a variety of solid tumors, including lung cancer, and represents a validated target for immune checkpoint inhibition in advanced malignances. It remains unknown, however, if PD-L1 can be used to predict survival in early stage, surgically treated cancers. This meta-analysis compares PD-L1 tumor expression and long term survival after surgical resection in early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods PubMed was searched to identify eligible studies that compared survival of surgically resected stage I-III NSCLC patients according to PD-L1 tumor expression. Included studies were grouped according to measurement criteria of PD-L1 expression: 1%, 5%, 50% cutoffs or H-score. Meta-analysis was performed using a linear mixed-effects model to determine overall survival (OS). I2 was used as a measure of heterogeneity. Results There were 40 eligible studies, including 10,380 patients. Regardless of cut-off used, higher PD-L1 tumor expression was associated with worse OS [hazard ratio (HR)1%: 1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.17-2.17; HR5%: 1.44, 95% CI, 1.03-2.00; HR50%: 1.52, 95% CI, 1.02-2.25, HRH-score: 1.34, 95% CI, 1.04-1.73]. Study heterogeneity was low and not statistically significant under all PD-L1 cutoffs. Conclusions PD-L1 expression is consistently associated with worse survival, regardless of how it is quantified. In addition to acting as a prognostic biomarker, PD-L1 may also be used in future as a predictive biomarker for patients most likely to benefit from adjuvant immunotherapy.
Termi-Luc: a versatile assay to monitor full-protein release from ribosomes

Termination of protein biosynthesis is an essential step of gene expression, during which a complete functional protein is released from the ribosome. Premature or inefficient termination results in truncated, non-functional or toxic proteins that may cause disease. Indeed, more than 10% of human genetic diseases are caused by nonsense mutations leading to premature termination. Efficient and sensitive approaches are required to study eukaryotic termination mechanisms and to identify potential therapeutics that modulate termination. Canonical radioactivity-based termination assays are complex, report on a short peptide release, and are incompatible with high-throughput screening. Here we describe a robust and simple in vitro assay to study the kinetics of full-protein release. The assay monitors luminescence upon release of nanoluciferase from a mammalian pre-termination complex. The assay can be used to record time-progress curves of protein release in a high-throughput format, making it optimal for studying release kinetics and for high-throughput screening for small molecules that modulate the efficiency of termination.
Refractory and Resistant Cytomegalovirus After Hematopoietic Cell Transplant in the Letermovir Primary Prophylaxis Era.

BACKGROUND Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation is one of the most common infectious complications after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) and may result in significant morbidity and mortality. Primary prophylaxis with letermovir demonstrated a reduction in clinically significant CMV infections (CS-CMVi) in clinical trials of CMV-seropositive HCT recipients. This study aims at exploring the effect of primary letermovir prophylaxis in this population on the incidence and outcomes of refractory or resistant CMV infections. METHODS This is a single-center, retrospective cohort study of 537 consecutive CMV-seropositive allogeneic HCT recipients cared for between March 2016 and October 2018. Baseline demographics, HCT characteristics, CMV infections, treatment, and mortality data were collected from the electronic medical record. CMV outcomes were defined according to the recently standardized definitions for clinical trials. Characteristics and outcomes were assessed according to receipt of primary letermovir prophylaxis. RESULTS Of 537 patients identified, 123 received letermovir for primary prophylaxis during the first 100 days after HCT; 414 did not. In a multivariate analysis, primary prophylaxis with letermovir was associated with reductions in CS-CMVi (hazard ratio [HR] 0.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16-0.41), CMV end-organ disease (HR 0.23; 95% CI, 0.10-0.52), refractory or resistant CMV infection (HR 0.15; 95% CI, 0.04-0.52), and nonrelapse mortality at week 48 (HR 0.55; 95% CI, 0.32-0.93). There was neither resistant CMV nor CMV-related mortality in the primary letermovir prophylaxis group. CONCLUSIONS Primary letermovir prophylaxis effectively prevents refractory or resistant CMV infections and decreases nonrelapse mortality at week 48, as well as CS-CMVi and CMV disease after allogeneic HCT.
Relief Fund Allocation Is No Place to Play Politics

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act gives the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve the authority to invest at least $850 billion to stabilize the economy, prevent business failures, and encourage businesses to retain employees on their payrolls until the public health crisis passes. However, there is a potential risk that capital allocation decisions will be intentionally or inadvertently distorted based on private firms’ social preferences rather than the needs of the public.
Evaluating the Impact of Social Deprivation on Mid-Term Outcomes Following Distal Radius Open Reduction Internal Fixation.

Purpose Although baseline biopsychosocial factors are associated with short-term patient-reported outcomes following distal radius fracture open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), their effect on mid-term outcomes is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effect of social deprivation, previously established as a surrogate for depression, pain interference, and anxiety, on quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) scores >1 year following distal radius ORIF. Methods Adult patients (≥18 years) with an isolated distal radius fracture treated with ORIF by orthopedic trauma and hand surgeons at a single tertiary academic center over a 3-year period were included. Outcomes at ≥1 year postoperatively were evaluated using QuickDASH. Age, follow-up duration, area deprivation index (ADI; a measure of social deprivation), subspecialty (hand vs trauma), and postoperative alignment were assessed using linear regression with 95% confidence intervals after bootstrapping and a permutation test for P values to test for their association with the final QuickDASH score. Results Follow-up data were obtained for 98 of 220 (44.5%) patients at a mean of 3.1 ± 1.0 years after surgery. Mean age and ADI were 53.2 ± 15.4 years and 26.8 ± 18.7, respectively. Most fractures were intra-articular (67.3%), and 72.4% had acceptable postoperative alignment parameters, as defined by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons clinical practice guidelines. The mean QuickDASH score was 13.0 ± 16.5. There were no significant associations between the final QuickDASH score and any studied factor, including ADI, as determined using univariable analysis. Multivariable analysis showed no association between ADI and the final QuickDASH score, independent of age, sex, treating service, follow-up duration, and fracture alignment or pattern. Conclusions At mid-term follow up after distal radius ORIF, ADI did not correlate with QuickDASH scores, and the QuickDASH scores of the patients did not differ from those of the general population. However, our cohort mostly comprised patients with levels of deprivation below the national median. Although studies have shown that the short-term outcomes of distal radius ORIF are influenced by biopsychosocial factors, outcomes at the time of final recovery may not be associated with social deprivation. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic IV.
Cross-Ownership, Returns and Voting in Mergers

We show that institutional shareholders of acquiring companies on average do not lose money around public merger announcements, because they also hold substantial stakes in the targets and make up for the losses from the former with the gains from the latter. Depending on their holdings in the target, acquirer shareholders may realize different returns from the same merger, some losing money and others gaining. Using a novel dataset we show that this conflict of interests is reflected in the mutual fund voting behavior: in mergers with negative acquirer announcement returns, cross-owners are more likely to vote for the merger.
Cell cultures of fetal rat brain: growth and marker enzyme development.

Abstract Growth and enzyme development in cell cultures of fetal rat brain were influenced by type of growth medium, cell density, and age of fetal tissue source. Cells grew better in one medium (DMEM), but the other (F12G) enhanced development of choline acetyltransferase activity. One type of growth medium (DMEM) lost efficacy 2 weeks after preparation of complete medium. Cell division rate was density dependent, and choline acetyltransferase development was related to time in culture and cell concentration. Some results suggested division of choline acetyltransferase producing cells. Differences in age of tissue source resulted primarily in differences in growth: cultures of 21 day fetal cells developed more protein per 10 6 cells inoculated than cultures of cells from younger animals; there was little difference in enzyme activity per culture. Conditions may be controlled such that fetal rat brain cells will grow and express differentiated functions in culture in a predictable manner.
An electrochemical interface for integrated biosensors

This paper presents an integrated, protein-based, biosensor that can be scaled to form high-density, multi-analyte sensor arrays physically integrated on a signal conditioning circuit die. A fully scalable, post-CMOS-compatible, three-electrode interface to biochemical sensors has been developed. A silicon substrate electrode system, consisting of Ti/Au working and auxiliary electrodes and a Ti/Au/Ag/AgCl reference electrode has been adapted to biomimetic sensors. The functional Ag/AgCl reference electrode is isolated from the environment using a Nafion cation-exchange membrane to extend operation lifetime. To complete the sensor structure, lipid bilayers have been deposited in passivation layer openings formed over individual working electrodes using a special tethering molecule. Total internal reflection microscopy (TIRFM) studies were done to confirm that a wide range of proteins, such as dehydrogenase enzymes and ion channels, can then be embedded into the lipid bilayers. These results verify the potential to form highly selective recognition elements with direct physical connection to readout electronics on the supporting silicon substrate.
Work in Progress - PEER College Summer Camp

The Partnership for Engineering Education in the Rockies (PEER) is comprised of local educational and industrial institutions committed to improving the engineering education paths available to students at all levels. Programs start with introductory engineering courses in the 8th grade and scaffold through the high school level. The PEER college summer camp expands on these course offerings to further enhance students' learning experience in a college setting. The camp also brings together secondary students and educators for an opportunity to extend the reach of the PEER program to new students and schools. This paper provides an overview of PEER, and describes the specific goals and format for the PEER summer camp
Wireless Smartphone ECG Enables Large-Scale Screening in Diverse Populations.

Twelve-Lead ECG as a Cardiovascular Screening Tool. Background: The ubiquitous presence of internet-connected phones and tablets presents a new opportunity for cost-effective and efficient electrocardiogram (ECG) screening and on-demand diagnosis. Wireless, single-lead real-time ECG monitoring supported by iOS and android devices can be obtained quickly and on-demand. ECGs can be immediately downloaded and reviewed using any internet browser. Objective: We compared the standard 12-lead ECG to the smartphone ECG in healthy young adults, elite athletes, and cardiology clinic patients. Accuracy for determining baseline ECG intervals and rate and rhythm was assessed. Methods: In 381 participants, 30-second lead I ECG waveforms were obtained using an iPhone case or iPad. Standard 12-lead ECGs were acquired immediately after the smartphone tracing was obtained. De-identified ECGs were interpreted by automated algorithms and adjudicated by two board-certified electrophysiologists. Results: Both smartphone and standard ECGs detected atrial rate and rhythm, AV block, and QRS delay with equal accuracy. Sensitivities ranged from 72% (QRS delay) to 94% (atrial fibrillation). Specificities were all above 94% for both modalities. Conclusion: Smartphone ECG accurately detects baseline intervals, atrial rate, and rhythm and enables screening in diverse populations. Efficient ECG analysis using automated discrimination and an enhanced smartphone application with notification capabilities are features that can be easily incorporated into the acquisition process. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. pp. 1-7)
Protection of early phase hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury by cholinergic agonists.

Cytokine production is critical in ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury. Acetylcholine binds to macrophages and inhibits cytokine synthesis, through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. This study examined the role of the cholinergic pathway in cytokine production and hepatic IR- injury. Adult male mice underwent 90-min of partial liver ischemia followed by reperfusion. The AChR agonists (1,1-dimethyl-4-phenyl-L-pioperazinium-iodide [DMPP], and nicotine) or saline-vehicle were administered i.p. before ischemia. Plasma cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, macrophage inflammatory protein-2, and Interleukin-6 were measured. Liver injury was assessed by plasma alanine transaminase (ALT) and liver histopathology. A reperfusion time-dependent hepatocellular injury occurred as was indicated by increased plasma-ALT and histopathology. The injury was associated with marked elevation of plasma cytokines/chemokines. Pre-ischemic treatment of mice with DMPP or nicotine significantly decreased plasma-ALT and cytokines after 3 h of reperfusion. After 6 h of reperfusion, the protective effect of DMPP decreased and reached a negligible level by 24 h of reperfusion, despite significantly low levels of plasma cytokines. Histopathology showed markedly diminished hepatocellular injury in DMPP- and nicotine-pretreated mice during the early-phase of hepatic-IR, which reached a level comparable to saline-treated mice at late-phase of IR. Pharmacological modulation of the cholinergic pathway provides a means to modulate cytokine production and to delay IR-induced heaptocellular injury.
Stokes Flow Behavior of an Accelerating Sphere

The relation for the force on a sphere undergoing an arbitrary rectilinear acceleration in a viscous fluid was established by Basset in the late nineteenth century. His derivation is based on neglecting the convective acceleration in the Navier Stokes equations. Basset's integro-differential equation indicates three components to the force: the viscous drag, the force necessary to accelerate the added fluid mass, and a term describing the history of acceleration. Basset's equation is applied to a sphere accelerating due to gravity. Velocity-time and displacement-time relations are obtained, and are presented in terms of tabulated functions. The added mass and history of acceleration terms of the force relation are investigated and found to be significant for all but conditions of quite high ratios of sphere density to fluid density. Displacements and corresponding times are measured for spheres accelerating to low terminal Reynolds numbers. The measured results are found to be in satisfactory agreement with the theory.
Simultaneous Rates of Ribonucleic Acid and Deoxyribonucleic Acid Syntheses for Estimating Growth and Cell Division of Aquatic Microbial Communities

A method for measuring rates of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) syntheses using a single radioactive precursor has been devised and tested using bacterial cultures and natural assemblages of marine and freshwater microorganisms. The procedure is based upon the uptake and incorporation of exogenous [3H]adenine into cellular adenosine triphosphate and deoxyadenosine triphosphate pools which serve as the immediate precursors for the adenine incorporated into RNA and DNA, respectively. It is proposed that the DNA/RNA rate ratio is correlated with the specific growth rate of microorganisms and can be used as an index for estimating and comparing the productivities of microbial assemblages in nature. This technique can also be used to detect discontinuous growth and cell division processes which frequently occur in surface plankton populations. The DNA/RNA rate ratios measured in a variety of aquatic ecosystems ranged from 3.3 to 31.8% without significant correlation to total microbial biomass.
MHD Analysis of the Evolution of Solar Magnetic Fields and Currents in an Active Region

We have used a self-consistent magnetohydrodynamics model to study the evolution of solar magnetic fields in an active region. The problem has been cast as an initial boundary-value problem based on explicit mathematical formalism (i.e., method of projected characteristics), whereby a variety of horizontal photospheric motions can be treated. In this paper we deal specifically with photospheric shear motions in the active region. Our results show the evolution of the magnetic energy, the electric current systems, including the distributions of J⊥ (current perpendicular to the magnetic field) J∥ (current parallel t6 the magnetic field), the magnetic field configuration and a comparison between the build-up of magnetic energy in a pre-twisted field and in an initial untwisted field due to photospheric shearing motions. From these results we conclude that the energy build-up is confined within a certain region near the neutral line at the photospheric level. The possible location of the particle acceleration also can be studied.
Selenium deficiency associations with gender, breed, serum vitamin E and creatine kinase, clinical signs and diagnoses in horses of different age groups: A retrospective examination 1996–2011

Summary Reasons for performing study Selenium and vitamin E deficiency have been associated with nutritional myopathy, more commonly known as white muscle disease (WMD) in horses. However, correlations between selenium concentrations and presenting clinical signs, age, breed, gender, serum vitamin E, creatine kinase (CK) and final diagnosis, have not previously been evaluated. Objectives To determine the number of hospitalised horses in 3 age groups that were selenium tested and the proportions of horses with categorised presenting clinical signs; the association/odds risk of final diagnosis with selenium deficiency and to examine the association between selenium status, vitamin E status and serum CK in adult horses. Methods Two hundred and seventy-one hospitalised horses with a selenium concentration evaluated between 1996 and 2011 were examined retrospectively. Records were examined in order to ascertain selenium and vitamin E concentrations, age, breed, gender, CK values, presenting clinical signs and final diagnosis. Data were analysed with proportions, Fisher's exact t test, odds ratios and multivariate linear regressions. Results Within the <30 day old age group, 13/20 animals had low selenium concentrations. There were 18/42 horses in the 30 days to 2 years old age group with low selenium and 77/209 horses more than 2 years of age with low selenium. There was an association between low selenium and myopathy in the <30-day-old animals (P = 0.017), all of which were classified as having WMD. No associations were identified between nutritional myopathy and selenium status in horses between 30 days and 2 years of age or in horses more than 2 years of age. Conclusions and potential relevance This study indicates that WMD occurs most commonly in foals <30 days old and is associated with low selenium concentrations (7 out of 8 affected foals had blood Selenium levels <1.26 μm/l). Low serum selenium concentrations are common in hospitalised adult horses while nutritional myopathy is rare in these animals.
Do budgets really matter? - evidence from public spending on education and health in Uganda

A survey can provide a useful reality check where institutions are weak. Certainly, budgets and official statistics are inadequate as a guide for policymakers. Ablo and Reinikka demonstrate that budget allocations alone can be misleading in explaining outcomes and making policy decisions, when institutions are weak. They diagnose the problem, using empirical evidence from primary education and health care in Uganda, but arguing that a similar problem exists in many countries. Adequate public accounts are not available so they carried out a field survey of schools and clinics to collect data on spending. Problems with the flow of public funds have to do largely with governance and a lack of accountability. Among problems with the service delivery system: ° Primary enrollments increased 60 percent in 199195, but official figures indicate enrollments were stagnant. Such a stunning discrepancy indicates that official data cannot always be trusted. ° The government's share of funding increased over time, but public primary education was still funded largely by parents, who contributed, on average, more than 70 percent of total spending on schools in 1991 (median 40 percent) and 60 percent in 1995 (median 20 percent). Parents' contributions continued to increase despite higher public spending. ° Less than 30 percent of funding intended for nonsalary public spending actually reached the schools in 1991-95; district authorities kept and used most of the capitation grant meant for schools. (An increase in enrollments which was not taken into account when the total amount of the grant was calculated is responsible for the remaining discrepancy.) Similarly, at best, schools were allowed to keep only a third of mandatory tuition fees from parents; the rest went to district education offices. ° By and large, salary payments did reach the schools, so at least the wage part of the increase in budget allocations filtered down through the system. The only systematic way of misappropriating salary funds were ghosts on the payroll. Close to 20 percent of all teachers on the payroll were removed as ghosts in 1993. ° The behavior of public service facilities in the two sectors varies considerably. Schools, for example, keep systematic records of financial flows and enrollments (perhaps because parents provide most of the funding and are likely to insist on accountability). The health care sector does not keep good records. Since release of the survey results, there have been changes. Among them, monthly transfers of public funds are reported in the media; school-based procurement has replaced the central supply of construction and other materials; and an effort has been made to institute basic public accounting systems in the public sector, including districts. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics 2, Africa Region - is part of a larger effort in the region to improve public expenditure management and service delivery. The authors may be contacted at eablo@worldbank.org and rreinikka @worldbank.org.
Diversity in phagocytic signalling.

Phagocytosis is a phylogenetically ancient process triggered by particulate ligands, such as bacteria, fungi and environmental particles. The spectrum of phagocytically competent cell types and receptors is diverse, but many of the basic processes of cytoskeletal rearrangement and membrane
On certain graded Sn-modules and the q-Kostka polynomials

Abstract We derive here a number of properties of the q-Kostka polynomials K λ , μ ( q ). In particular we obtain a very accessible proof that these polynomials have non-negative integer coefficients. Other monotonicity properties are also derived. These results are obtained by studying certain graded S n -modules R μ which afford a character that may be expressed in terms of the K λ , μ ( q ). Certain nesting properties of the R μ which correspond to the dominance order of partitions then translate themselves into combinatorial inequalities involving the K λ , μ ( q ). The modules R μ have been given an elementary presentation by DeConcini and Procesi ( Invent. Math. 64 (1981), 203–219), as rather simple quotients of the polynomial ring Q[ x 1 , x 2 , ..., x n ]. We show here that their basic properties may also be derived in an entirely elementary manner.
Flex life and long‐term strength of composite materials

The relationship is shown between the flex life and long-termtensile strength of flexible composite material. The long-term strength is interpreted in terms of a kinetic theory of failure. However, it is not posible to predict the flex life from tensile strength or even long-term strength data unless the stiffness or modulus is considered along with the thickness of the sample. With these factors it becomes possible to predict the flex life of a material and to compare various flex-testing instruments utilizing a new concept, which material and to compare various flex-testing instruments utilizing a new concept, which we call “effective force.” The usefulness of the concept of effective force is explained.
Proteolytic activities in hypertensive cardiomyopathy of rats

Two-kidney, one clip Goldblatt hypertension of 2, 4 and 8 weeks duration was induced in 100-g male Wistar-Kyoto rats. Nucleic acid content was determined in the isolated cardiac muscle cells from the left ventricle. The profile for several major proteolytic activities in either isolated cardiac muscle cells or left ventricle preparations was also studied, using [3H]acetyl-casein as substrate. From the soluble fraction of the tissue or cell preparation, a pH 6 proteolytic activity, two forms of calcium-activated protease as well as cathepsin D were identifiable by inhibitor assay or DEAE-cellulose chromatography. From the myofibrillar fraction of the same preparation, two kinds of proteolytic activity were detected at alkaline pH: a phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) inhibitable activity that was serine protease-like and the other a N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) inhibitable activity that resembled Ca2+-activated protease. At 2 weeks of hypertension, there was a significant increase in the pH 6 proteolytic activity as well as the calcium-activated protease I and the NEM-inhibitable alkaline protease activities, while the other identifiable proteolytic activities remained unchanged. Lysosomal cathepsin D showed a rise in activity only after 8 weeks of hypertension. These results may be related to the development of myocyte necrosis and lysis that occur in this model of hypertensive cardiomyopathy.
Stability and control aspects of a performance adaptive self-organizing control algorithm

Sufficient conditions for the stability of self-organizing control algorithms based on a subgoal approach are given. A method is presented which aids in the a-priori choice of the structure of the feedback control law under the assumption that on-line or off-line identification of the structure of the plant has been accomplished. Subsequent to closing the loop, bounds, which depend on the control law chosen on the performance index say be estimated. Illustrative examples are presented.
QoS-Constrained MIMO Subchannel Allocation in SDR Using the Tunable Channel Decomposition

Software defined radio (SDR) and multiple-antenna (MIMO) techniques have been of great interest recently. In this paper, we combine the flexibility of SDR with the channel capacity gain of MIMO to achieve an optimized scheme for future communication systems. Subject to limited spectrum resources and specified quality-of-service (QoS) constraints, our scheme maps the required services onto the available frequency bands in an optimized way. We make use of the recently proposed tunable channel decomposition (TCD) to partition the MIMO channel into subchannels having prescribed gains. As a result, the proposed technique determines the optimum subchannel allocation requiring the minimum transmitting power.
Errorless learning in newborn chicks

Nine newborn chicks were trained on a successive, red-green discrimination task. At the start of discrimination training, the intensity of the green light (S−) was slowly faded in for six chicks and was presented at full intensity for the remaining three. While meeting the response criterion for errorless learning, the chicks conditioned with the fading procedure made five times fewer errors than the full-intensity group. It was concluded that preexperimental error experience is not a necessary condition for the development of errorless learning.
The changing structure of the US national innovation system: implications for international conflict and cooperation in R&D policy

Abstract The paper summarizes recent trends in the structure of the US national innovation system. Among these trends is a decline in R&D spending by the federal government, largely due to reductions in defense-related R&D spending. Another important shift in the profile of US R&D spending is the reduction in the share of basic research funded by industry. Other policy-related changes are the introduction of federal programs that have sought to strengthen civilian technology capabilities by subsidizing and promoting joint research and collaboration between US universities and industry and the federal laboratories and US industry. The paper claims that sporadic efforts to limit the international dissemination of the results of publicly funded R&D have in many cases been frustrated. Similar efforts to restrict foreign firms' access to EU R&D programs have had little effect. It further concludes that the efforts to restrict foreign participation in US or EU publicly funded R&D programs seem to be ill-advised and infeasible. Considerable evidence suggests that the critical competitive weakness for both US and EU firms lie more in the translation of R&D advances into commercial products, rather than in the R&D capabilities per se. Consequently, the participation of non-European firms in EU technology development projects and non-US firms in publicly funded technology projects could convey powerful learning and `demonstration' benefits.
Beginning a Dialogue

We all have different ways of looking at the world that surrounds us, of interpreting our observations and communicating them to others. Models facilitate the process of interpretation and communication. At the same time, models open up new perspectives on the world and stimulate new questions about its workings.
Development of a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) procedure for the simultaneous determination of phenolic compounds in peanut skin extracts

Abstract A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) procedure was developed for simultaneous determination of five phenolic acids, two stilbenes and eight flavonoids in peanut skin extract. A C 18 column fitted with diode array detection at 250 and 320, 280 and 370, and 306 nm for phenolic acids, flavonoids and stilbenes, respectively, with mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid in water and 0.1% formic acid in 100% acetonitrile. Phenolic compounds were eluted with good resolution (Rs > 1.5) within 95 min as follows: gallic, protocatechuic, epigallocatechin, catechin, β-resorcylic (internal standard), caffeic, procyanidin B 2 , epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, p -coumaric, ferulic, piceid, epicatechin gallate, catechin gallate, resveratrol and quercetin. The variation in recovery and reproducibility in peak area was r , of calibration curves of the 15 compounds were >0.999. The method was used to quantify phenolic compounds in peanut skin extracts from Runner, Virginia and Spanish peanuts.
Teenage Fatherhood as a Potential Turning Point in the Lives of Delinquent Youth

The present study examines whether fatherhood, generally, and residential fatherhood, specifically, predicts desistance from criminal behavior and reduced contact with the criminal justice system among delinquent teens. Using multiple waves of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, two models were estimated and analyzed via fixed-effects negative binomial regression comparing periods of residential fatherhood to periods of non-residential fatherhood and non-fatherhood. Results indicated that nonresidential fatherhood placed delinquent teens at greater odds for future arrest compared to residential fatherhood. Further, delinquent teens when residing with their children reported less offending behaviors, such as marijuana use and drug distribution, compared to periods when they did not reside with their children.
Inputs, storage, and transport of total and methyl mercury in two temperate forest wetlands

connectivity to stream water. The volatilization rate of elemental mercury (Hg o )i n the beaver meadow wetland is of similar magnitude compared to total atmospheric Hg deposition and constitutes an important component of the overall annual Hg budget. In contrast, annual Hg o fluxes exhibited net transfer from the atmosphere to soil at the riparian wetland possibly because volatilization rates were retarded by slower diffusion of Hg o through soil to the air-water interface in water-saturated soil. The storage of THg and MeHg in wetland soil is a large pool which appears coupled with carbon and sulfur accumulation. In the current scenario of decreasing Hg emissions and atmospheric deposition, the large ‘‘active’’ soil pool in wetlands is a potential short-term and long-term source of Hg and MeHg to downstream aquatic ecosystems.
Exact Reconstruction of Sparse Signals via Nonconvex Minimization

Several authors have shown recently that It is possible to reconstruct exactly a sparse signal from fewer linear measurements than would be expected from traditional sampling theory. The methods used involve computing the signal of minimum lscr1 norm among those having the given measurements. We show that by replacing the lscr1 norm with the lscrp norm with p < 1, exact reconstruction is possible with substantially fewer measurements. We give a theorem in this direction, and many numerical examples, both in one complex dimension, and larger-scale examples in two real dimensions.
From adiposity to bone

Abstract Skeletal tissue defects, from surgery, trauma, tumor ablation, or congenital malformations, represent an enormous socioeconomic burden on the United States healthcare system. The current treatment options involved in bony reconstruction, namely autogenous, allogenic, or synthetic grafts, have many limitations. Regenerative medicine is a rapidly expanding field that has emerged as a potential solution in addressing the problems associated with current approaches to skeletal defects. Cell-based modalities incorporating the use of multipotent mesenchymal cells, particularly those derived from adipose tissue, have generated much attention both within the research and clinical realms. Our laboratory is particularly focused on the potential role of adipose tissue as a readily available post-natal source of osteoprogenitor cells. This article focuses on the necessary components of skeletal tissue engineering, the application of adipose-derived stromal cells, and future directions for the field.
Tumor gangliosides enhance α2β1 integrin-dependent platelet activation

Gamgliosides, sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids, enhance platelet adhesion to collagen and consequent platelet activation. For example, gangliosides shed by neuroblastoma tumor cells (NBTG) added to a subthreshold (non-activating) concentration (1 μg/ml) of collagen, cause platelet aggregation (59 ± 10%) and ATP release (2.3 ± 0.2 nmol) equivalent to that caused by 10 μg/ml collagen alone. Here we report further studies to characterize this effect. Platelet aggregation and ATP release were not induced by NBTG in combination with subthreshold concentrations of adenosine diphosphate, epinephrine, thrombin or arachidonic acid, suggesting that NBTG specifically influences collagen-mediated platelet activation. Maximal platelet aggregation and ATP release required extracellular magnesium and only a short (1 min) preincubation with NBTG, suggesting a collagen receptor-mediated mechanism of this ganglioside activity. Since gangliosides interact with several integrin receptors, we determined whether NBTG influences α2β1, a major integrin collagen receptor on platelets. Incubation of platelets with a monoclonal antibody directed against the α2 chain (5E8) blocked the increase in platelet aggregation (9 ± 3% vs. 80 ± 2%) and ATP release (< 0.2 vs. 2.5 ± 0.1 nmol) induced by NBTG and 1 μg/ml collagen. Incubation with an antibody to the non-integrin collagen receptor, CD36, or with an isotype control antibody did not abrogate the effect of NBTG. Finally, NBTG and its major component, GD2, enhanced α2β1-mediated platelet adhesion to immobilized collagen in an antibody 5E8-inhibitable manner. These findings implicate the α2β1-collagen interaction as a target of the effect of tumor-derived gangliosides.
RECRUITING HEALTH INFORMATION FACULTY: THE EFFECTS OF MONETARY RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES

This paper addresses recruitment of Health Information faculty for community and technical colleges, an issue of crucial importance because many faculty hired during the enrollment boom of the 1960s are retiring. The design for this research was a factorial experiment, involving a two-way analysis of variance. The participants (N = 194) were medical coding professionals. The participants role-played as applicants for community and technical college health information faculty positions by rating jobs described in simulated recruitment advertisements. Offering a salary incentive and a signing bonus increased applicant attraction to community and technical college faculty positions. Implications for faculty recruitment are discussed.
Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power

Steve Coll New York: The Penguin Press, 2010, 685 pp Steve Coll, Pulitzer-prize winning author, renowned journalist, and President and CEO of the New America Foundation, masterfully weaves together...
Population polygons of tektite specific gravity for various localities in Australasia

Abstract Measurements of specific gravity by the method of liquid flotation have been made on about 6000 tektites from 18 different localities in Australasia, from 1 locality in Texas and 2 in Czechoslovakia. Comparison of specific-gravity population polygons for various localities has led to the unanticipated conclusion that the australite population in southwest Australia is essentially the same as the philippinite population, rather than the population elsewhere in Australia. The javanite population appears closely related to certain populations in Australia. In several localities the presence of two superimposed populations is demonstrated. The specific-gravity evidence indicates that the Australasian tektites represent a single event comprising many distinguishable clusters, some of which have partially overlapped.
Minimising the use of assisted ventilation to reduce the risk of chronic lung disease: a tried and tested management.

Despite remarkable advances in the treatment of neonatal respiratory disorders, neonatal chronic lung disease (CLD) however, remains a serious complication especially among the most immature infants. The year 2000 report from Vermont Oxford Neonatal Network shows CLD incidence of 35% in VLBW infants and 54% among ELBW infants. There exists significant inter-NICU variation in the incidence of CLD,1 with some units more than double or triple the incidence of others. These differences in rates of CLD persist even after controlling for variation in patient characteristics. There is increasing evidence that this variation is the result of the differences in the neonatal respiratory care practices2 and hence changes in practice technique could potentially influence outcome. The author shall present his experience from an on-going collaboration of a focus group of 9 Vermont Oxford Network hospitals calling themselves Reduce Lung Injury Group who have devoted their time and energy since 1998 with a single goal in mind, i.e., to reduce lung injury and decrease the rate of chronic lung disease. This presentation will focus only to the mechanical aspect of lung injury and its prevention.