cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Race/Ethnicity Concordant Provider

This chapter contains a case study of an African-American man in the outpatient setting who desires to have a medical provider from the same racial/ethnic background. The case highlights current evidence regarding race concordance and quality in clinical encounters.
Transcriptional repression of CDC6 and SLD2 during meiosis is associated with production of short heterogeneous RNA isoforms

Execution of the meiotic and mitotic cell division programs requires distinct gene expression patterns. Unlike mitotic cells, meiotic cells reduce ploidy by following one round of DNA replication with two rounds of chromosome segregation (meiosis I and meiosis II). However, the mechanisms by which cells prevent DNA replication between meiosis I and meiosis II are not fully understood. Here, we show that transcriptional repression of two essential DNA replication genes, CDC6 and SLD2, is associated with production of shorter meiosis-specific RNAs containing the 3' end of both genes. Despite the short CDC6 RNA coding for a short protein (Cdc6short), this protein is not essential for meiosis and it does not have either a positive or negative impact on DNA replication. Production of CDC6short mRNA does not require the upstream CDC6 promoter (PCDC6) and is not a processed form of the full-length RNA. Instead, CDC6short depends on transcription initiation from within the ORF upon repression of PCDC6. Finally, using CDC6 genes from related yeast, we show that repression of full-length CDC6 mRNA is evolutionarily conserved and that this repression is consistently associated with production of unique short CDC6 RNAs. Together, these data demonstrate that meiotic cells transcriptionally repress full-length CDC6 and SLD2, and that inactivation of PCDC6 results in heterogeneous transcription initiation from within the CDC6 ORF.
A Survey on the Use of Mobile Applications for People who Are Visually Impaired

IntroductionThe literature indicates that few studies have been conducted with persons with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) concerning mobile application or “ap...
Cross comparative analysis of liquid phase anaerobic digestion

Abstract This work developed and used performance indicators to quantitatively cross-compare over 82 liquid phase anaerobic digestion treatment processes/technologies. Results showed that anaerobic membrane reactors generally performed best in terms of reduction of total chemical oxygen demand, while upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors exceled with respect to the volumetric reduction of total chemical oxygen demand. Although packed bed and moving bed reactors showed large variations in reduction of total chemical oxygen demand, they generally produced higher methane yields (i.e. >0.25 m3 methane produced per kg total chemical oxygen demand reduced). While high performance was desired across all performance indicators, it was generally not achieved by any specific reactor type. The performance indicators were also used to directly cross-compare performance of two separate reactors treating identical wastewater streams. Result showed that both systems demonstrated good performance relative to the literature but neither was dominant in head-to-head comparison.
IGBT Applications: Defense

The insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) has become an integral part of the power electronic building block concept developed by the Navy and now used throughout the armed forces. The propulsion drive for electric warships uses IGBTs to allow replacing old hydraulic systems with electrical systems that are more reliable and easier to maintain. Aircraft carriers utilize IGBT-based motor drives for cargo doors and lifts. Railguns and aircraft launchers using electromagnetic propulsion require IGBTs for the high-voltage power supplies. Nuclear- and diesel-electric submarines make use of IGBT-based motor drives to reduce their noise signature. All-electric vehicles are being deployed by the army using IGBTs to run electric motors. IGBTs are required for the power supplies in radars used for missile defense networks.
Longitudinal Linkages among Parents’ Educational Expectations, Youth’s Educational Expectations, and Competence in Mexican-origin Families

The contribution that parental educational expectations for youth and youth’s perceptions of academic competence can have on youth’s own educational expectations across early to late adolescence is not well-understood. In a sample of Mexican-origin families, the current study examined longitudinal (from early to late adolescence) associations among mothers, fathers, and youth’s educational expectations, how youth’s educational expectations were associated with perceived academic competence, and the potential mediating role of youth’s perceived academic competence. Data from two-parent families which included one focal child (7th grade: N= 469; youth: Mage = 12.31, 50% female) at three waves (7th, 9th, and 11th grade) were utilized. Structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis were implemented to assess the study’s goals. Results revealed significant associations among parents’ 7th grade educational expectations and youth’s 9th and 11th grade educational expectations. The findings also revealed three significant associations among youth’s perceived academic competence and educational expectations between 7th and 11th grade. Specifically, youth’s 7th grade perceived academic competence predicted youth’s 9th grade educational expectations, youth’s 7th grade educational expectations predicted youth’s 9th grade perceived academic competence, and youth’s 9th grade perceived academic competence predicted youth’s 11th grade educational expectations. Multigroup analysis did not reveal gender differences for the associations tested. The findings highlight the long-term significance of parents’ educational expectations on youth’s educational expectations and underscore youth’s academic competence, an individual level factor, as critical to consider for understanding educational expectations across adolescence for Mexican-origin youth.
Two-Sided Adverse Selection and Bilateral Reviews in Sharing Economy

We examine two-sided adverse selection in a sharing economy context where a platform matches service providers with consumers and both providers and consumers derive heterogeneous payoffs depending on whom they are matched with. Unlike the more prevalent unilateral review scheme in which only consumers rate providers, many sharing economy platforms use a bilateral review scheme in which both consumers and providers rate each other to reduce the information asymmetry on both sides of the market and to facilitate superior matches. However, we show that the bilateral review scheme does not necessarily lead to a higher social welfare than either the unilateral review scheme or the no review scheme. If the proportion of the low-cost consumers is less than a threshold, consumers are better off, the platform is worse off, and the providers are worse off under the bilateral review scheme than the unilateral review scheme. The key driver for these results is that the price competition between providers for the low-cost consumers can be fundamentally different under the different review schemes; the price competition affects the consumer preference for a provider and hence the match between consumers and providers, which ultimately determines the payoffs to participants and the social welfare. Our results highlight the importance of addressing the consumer-side adverse selection first to eliminate a market failure even in the sharing economy context. Our findings also contribute to the adverse selection literature by identifying the critical role played by demand and supply conditions on the impact of adverse selection.
The effects of surface albedo and initial lignin concentration on photodegradation of two varieties of Sorghum bicolor litter.

Decomposition of plant litter exposed to solar radiation appears to be a significant contributor to carbon cycling in some ecosystems. One factor that may influence incident solar radiation exposure on litter is surface albedo. Snow and soils with high reflectivity may enhance photodecomposition, especially in litter that stands upright for extended periods. We examined the influence of different surface albedos on the photodegradation of two varieties of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) litter for 200-d, in southern Minnesota using litterbags made of material with a high transmittance of ultraviolet radiation (UV; 280–400 nm). One of these cultivars was a brown-midrib double mutant (DM) which had reduced levels of lignin compared to the wild type (WT). After 200-d sorghum litter had lost > 50% of its initial mass, and litter that was exposed to a high UV/high visible surface albedo had lost 1.4 and 2.5% more mass than litter exposed to a low UV/high visible and low UV/low visible surface albedo, respectively. Mass loss patterns agreed with initial litter chemistry, as DM litter had higher initial N, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) solubles and holocellulose:lignin ratios and lower lignin:N ratios than WT litter. Mass loss appears to be related to increased loss of hemicellulose and NDF soluble concentrations and not to lignin concentrations. Our results demonstrate that surface albedo has a small but significant effect on photodecomposition of sorghum litter.
Precision medicine in cow's milk allergy.

Purpose of review The aim of this review is to describe the role of precision medicine in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of cow's milk allergy. Recent findings The development of 'omics' sciences in the field of food allergy has led to a better understanding of the allergenicity of cow's milk proteins and significant advances in the knowledge of the pathogenesis and mechanisms of cow's milk allergy. Omics-based technologies allow the practitioner to better differentiate cow's milk allergy subtypes and to predict cow's milk allergy (CMA) persistence over time. Precision medicine extends the role of the oral food challenge, to determine the individual's threshold doses, and to establish tolerance to baked milk products. Other than symptom relief, dietary strategies are currently being investigated for the potential to induce tolerance. Oral immunotherapy offers a treatment option for patients with severe and persistent IgE-mediated CMA. Individual baseline-immune profiles may be predictive of cow's milk oral immunotherapy safety and efficacy.Patient data derived from current technology, in combination with the patient's history, can be translated into treatments targeted at patient-tailored interventions. Summary The identification of novel biomarkers may improve diagnostic accuracy and also predict patient responsiveness to treatments. Integration of patient data will become increasingly important as omics technologies become more widely used in the clinical setting.
Gaussian mixture modeling and model-based clustering under measurement inconsistency

Finite mixtures present a powerful tool for modeling complex heterogeneous data. One of their most important applications is model-based clustering. It assumes that each data group can be reasonably described by one mixture model component. This establishes a one-to-one relationship between mixture components and clusters. In some cases, however, this relationship can be broken due to the presence of observations from the same class recorded in different ways. This effect can occur because of recording inconsistencies due to the use of different scales, operator errors, or simply various recording styles. The idea presented in this paper aims to alleviate this issue through modifications incorporated into mixture models. While the proposed methodology is applicable to a broad class of mixture models, in this paper it is illustrated on Gaussian mixtures. Several simulation studies and an application to a real-life data set are considered, yielding promising results.
Trans Fats Consumption and Body Mass Index in Cross Sectional Analysis

BackgroundTrans fats remain on the market in parts of the world. Emerging evidence suggests that factors beyond calorie balance may affect fat deposition and body mass index (BMI). Trans fats are prooxidant, proinflammatory, and have shown adverse metabolic effects and increased fat deposition in animals. ObjectiveTo assess the relation of dietary trans fatty acid consumption (dTFA) to BMI in humans. DesignCross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a broadly-sampling study. SettingCommunity-dwelling adults from Southern California. Participants1018 adult men and women aged 20-85 without known diabetes, CVD, or cancer, with screening LDL 115-190mg/dL. Women of procreative potential and children were excluded. MeasurementsHeight, weight, and waist circumference were measured, and BMI calculated (kg/m2). The Fred Hutchinson Food Frequency Questionnaire provided data on dTFA (grams/day) and calories consumed. Additional covariates included activity, chocolate consumption frequency, and mood. Regression assessed the relation of BMI (outcome) to dTFA, unadjusted and in models adjusting for age and sex, and adding calories and activity, chocolate consumption frequency, and mood. ResultsHigher dTFA was associated with higher BMI and waist circumference. The coefficient was strengthened, not attenuated, with adjustment for calories and activity, and other assessed covariates. In the fully adjusted model, each gram/day of dTFAs was associated with 0.44 higher BMI (SE=0.12;95%CI=0.21,0.67); P<0.001 and 1cm greater waist circumference (SE=0.35;95%CI=0.37,1.7); P=0.003. ConclusionFindings relating greater dTFA to higher BMI in humans comport with experimental data in animals, extend adverse metabolic associations of dTFA, and buttress evidence that foods composition, as well as caloric number, bears on BMI. Findings are cross-sectional but strength and consistency of association, biological gradient, and biological plausibility add "weight" to the prospect of a causal connection. Strengths and limitations of this studyO_LIFindings are cross-sectional and rely on dietary recall. C_LIO_LIObservational studies carry risks of bias and confounding; but randomized trials are problematic where products with potential for harm are under evaluation. C_LIO_LIAlthough some nations have implemented plans to remove or reduce dTFAs from the food supply, dTFA remain on the market in other nations, rendering findings of continued interest. C_LIO_LIThe association of increased dTFA with increased BMI and waist circumference fits with other documented adverse metabolic associations of dTFA and is buttressed by experimental documentation that dTFA (without excess calories) increases visceral fat in animals, supporting prospects for causality in the observed association. C_LI
Emerging mosquitoes (Aedes nigripes) as a resource subsidy for wolf spiders (Pardosa glacialis) in western Greenland

Aquatic insects are often consumed by terrestrial predators in Arctic tundra. However, this aquatic-terrestrial linkage may be disrupted by rapid warming that is causing a decrease in freshwater habitats across large areas of the Arctic. In this study, we investigated emerging mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) as a resource subsidy for wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae) in western Greenland, an area where significant pond drying has occurred in recent decades. We used pitfall trapping to compare the abundance, size, and fecundity of wolf spiders collected near (< 1 m) versus far (75–100 m) from the margins of three tundra ponds before, during, and after mosquito emergence. Nearly 90% of the wolf spiders collected in our study were Pardosa glacialis, the species that subsequently became the focus of our analyses. P. glacialis abundances, sizes, and the proportion of females with an egg sac were similar throughout the season both near and far from ponds. However, females near ponds produced about 20% more eggs per egg sac. Stable isotope analyses and a laboratory experiment confirmed mosquito consumption by P. glacialis and demonstrated that individuals collected near tundra ponds were significantly depleted in 13C relative to those in upland habitats, indicating differences in food resources among habitats. Our evidence indicates that mosquitoes do indeed serve as a subsidy to wolf spiders in western Greenland, but the demographic effects on spiders appear to be modest. Thus, P. glacialis abundance in the landscape may be relatively robust to pond drying and associated biotic and abiotic changes. Further studies will be needed to assess the broader effects for tundra ecosystems of disruptions to this and other aquatic-terrestrial linkages via the drying of ponds.
Targeting the Complement Cascade in the Pathophysiology of COVID-19 Disease

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 causes multi-organ dysfunction with significant morbidity and mortality. Mounting evidence implicates maladaptive over-activation of innate immune pathways such as the complement cascade as well as endothelial dysfunction as significant contributors to disease progression. We review the complement pathways, the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on these pathways, and promising therapeutic targets in clinical trials.
Duizeligheid door lokale anesthesie

Een tandarts schrijft: ‘Geachte mevrouw Abraham- Inpijn, Graag wil ik u de volgende casus voorleggen: een patient van 49 jaar, gezond voor zover hij zelf weet, geen bijzonderheden uit anamnese. Sport behoorlijk intensief. Wat gespannen voor behandeling. Wilde voorheen om deze reden altijd verdoving, maar sinds de afgelopen 3 behandelingen (in een paar jaar tijd) heeft de patient in toenemende mate last van klachten na behandeling die hij zelf relateert aan de verdoving. Er zijn zowel in de boven als onderkaak restauraties gemaakt met verdoving, dus de plaats van anesthesie lijkt mij niet het probleem. Eind 2012 heeft patient na behandeling met verdoving direct na het verlaten van de stoel en nog diezelfde dag last gehad van duizeligheid. Augustus 2013 is dit nogmaals gebeurd, alleen toen hebben de klachten een week aangehouden. November 2013 zelfde verhaal, dit keer zelfs 4 maanden last gehouden van duizeligheidsklachten. U begrijpt, patient wil niet meer met verdoving behandeld worden. Er was nu weer een caviteit die gevuld moest worden en dat hebben we dus zonder verdoving gedaan. Dat ging prima, maar ik verwacht in de toekomst dat er zeker een keer verdoving gebruikt moet worden bv bij extractie of bij een endo. Kunt u mij adviseren wat te doen in deze casus?
Effects of Hemicastration or hCG‐treatment on Steroids in Testicular Vein and Jugular Vein Blood of Stallions

The relationships among testicular vein and jugular vein concentrations of androgens and estrogens were studied in anesthetized stallions. Blood was sampled from a vein on the surface of the testis and simultaneously from an artery on the surface of the testis and from the jugular vein. Concentrations of total 17β-hydroxy-androgens and total estrogens were measured for all samples and testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, 3α-andostanediol, 3β-androstanediol, and 5-androstenediol were quantified In selected samples. Following halothane anesthesia and hemicastration of 19 stallions, the testosterone concentration in jugular blood dropped over 3 hours but returned to normal within two days. Although jugular levels of total 17β-hydroxy-androgens were normal (∼1.4 ng/ml) 12 days after hemicastration, the concentration of total 17β-hydroxy-androgens in testicular vein blood was sixfold greater (P < 0.01) than it had been at hemlcastratlon (368 vs 62 nglml). The ratio of testosterone to 5α-reduced-androgens was similar in testicular vein blood from the first and second testes. Apparently, the clearance rate for testosterone had changed from ∼2.4 I/minI stallion to ∼6.2 1/min/stallion in 12 days. Concentrations of total estrogens in testicular vein blood were similar for the first and second testes (27, 400 pg/ml) as compared with the values for jugular vein and testicular artery blood (63 and 293 pg/mI, respectively). Clearance rate of estrogens (∼23.3 1/mm in Intact stallions) apparently decreased by 50%. Although anesthesia plus hemicastration may have altered blood flow to the remaining testis, a change in blood flow could not account for the concurrent increase in testosterone and decrease in estrogen clearance rates. Injection of 1500 IU of hCG markedly increased (P < 0.01) the concentration of total 17β-hydroxy-androgens in testicular vein blood 1 hour later, but the concentration of total estrogens was unaltered 1 or 2 hours after treatment. We concluded that the concentrations of total 17β-hydroxy-androgens and total estrogens in jugular blood bear little relationship to their concentrations a few minutes earlier in venous blood draining the testis.
Stewardship and Community: Watermark Curriculum in Responsible Citizenship

POL 101: Responsible Citizenship is a core curriculum course built on the foundation of the Benedictine value of community at the University of Mary. One of the core concepts at the University of Mary is the concept of Global Stewardship. The concept calls for graduates to be able to fully comprehend their place in the world around them. The Responsible Citizenship course is a required course that is designed to help students understand “the social and civic community of America. It serves as a focus of thinking, writing, and acting on issues of community import with critical awareness of the formation of American civic culture and an awareness of an individual’s responsibility within that culture” (course description). It is not about learning the three branches of government, the role of the executive and legislative as relates to making and enforcing law, the definition of federalism and state control, etc. We use the civil culture of America as the framework to talk to students about assessing argument, determining bias, formulating action plans, developing and understanding of community, bridging differences between groups, becoming aware of the concerns and issues in the world, and most importantly finding their own position in that world. Using pre-test/post-test data, along with assessment of assignments and the final paper projects, this paper explores the extent to which the course prepares non-majors in application of community to their lives.
Active properties of motoneurone dendrites: diffuse descending neuromodulation, focused local inhibition.

The dendrites of spinal motoneurones are highly active, generating a strong persistent inward current (PIC) that has an enormous impact on processing of synaptic input. The PIC is subject to regulation by descending neuromodulatory systems releasing the monoamines serotonin and noradrenaline. At high monoaminergic drive levels, the PIC dominates synaptic integration, generating an intrinsic dendritic current that is as much as 5-fold larger than the current entering via synapses. Without the PIC, motoneurone excitability is very low. Presumably, this descending control of the synaptic integration via the PIC is used to adjust the excitability (gain) of motoneurones for different motor tasks. A problem with this gain control is that monoaminergic input to the cord is very diffuse, affecting many motor pools simultaneously, probably including both agonists and antagonists. The PIC is, however, exquisitely sensitive to the reciprocal inhibition mediated by length sensitive muscle spindle Ia afferents and Ia interneurones. Reciprocal inhibition is tightly focused, shared only between strict mechanical antagonists, and thus can act to ‘sculpt’ specific movement patterns out of a background of diffuse neuromodulation. Thus it is likely that motoneurone gain is set by the interaction between diffuse descending neuromodulation and specific and focused local synaptic inhibitory circuits.
Grundstücksverkehr und Grundpfandrechte

Ein Grundstuck ist ein raumlich abgegrenzter Teil der Erdoberflache, fur den im Grundbuch ein besonderes Blatt gefuhrt wird. Ein Grundstuck kann mehrere Flurstucke umfassen.
Leucemic infiltration of the female internal genitalia as a cause of vaginal bleeding

Abstract This is a case of chronic lymphatic leucemia. The leucemic infiltration of the endometrium, cervix, and fornices of the vagina is discovered for the first time in a living woman. Furthermore, the examination of the tissue removed by biopsy led to the diagnosis of the disease. The relationship between the infiltration and abnormal vaginal bleeding is discussed. The beneficial response to therapy is demonstrated.
A clustering-based coordinate exchange algorithm for generating G-optimal experimental designs

In the optimal experimental design literature, the G-optimality is defined as minimizing the maximum prediction variance over the entire experimental design space. Although the G-optimality is a highly desirable property in many applications, there are few computer algorithms developed for constructing G-optimal designs. Some existing methods employ an exhaustive search over all candidate designs, which is time-consuming and inefficient. In this paper, a new algorithm for constructing G-optimal experimental designs is developed for both linear and generalized linear models. The new algorithm is made based on the clustering of candidate or evaluation points over the design space and it is a combination of point exchange algorithm and coordinate exchange algorithm. In addition, a robust design algorithm is proposed for generalized linear models with modification of an existing method. The proposed algorithm are compared with the methods proposed by Rodriguez et al. [Generating and assessing exact G-optimal ...
Origin of broad luminescence from site-controlled InGaN nanodots fabricated by selective-area epitaxy

We investigated the origin of broad luminescence observed from an array of site-controlled InGaN nanodots grown by selective area epitaxy (SAE). Epitaxially grown site-controlled nanodots with lateral dimensions <50 nm and an array density of 1010 cm−2 have been studied. During the nanoscale SAE, incorporation of adatoms from the SiO2 mask has greater relative importance, resulting in a non-uniform growth profile. This non-uniform growth profile leads to significant broadening of the InGaN nano-heterostructure luminescence. Later in the SAE process, an orientation-dependent growth rate coalesces various crystal planes and transforms these nanostructures into a more uniform array.
Character, Incidence, and Predictors of Knee Pain and Activity After Infrapatellar Intramedullary Nailing of an Isolated Tibia Fracture.

Objective:To study the activity and incidence of knee pain after sustaining an isolated tibia fracture treated with an infrapatellar intramedullary nail at 1 year.Design:Retrospective review of prospective cohort.Setting:Multicenter Academic and Community hospitals.Patients:Four hundred thirty-seven
Functional Principal Component Analysis and Randomized Sparse Clustering Algorithm for Medical Image Analysis

Due to the advancement in sensor technology, the growing large medical image data have the ability to visualize the anatomical changes in biological tissues. As a consequence, the medical images have the potential to enhance the diagnosis of disease, the prediction of clinical outcomes and the characterization of disease progression. But in the meantime, the growing data dimensions pose great methodological and computational challenges for the representation and selection of features in image cluster analysis. To address these challenges, we first extend the functional principal component analysis (FPCA) from one dimension to two dimensions to fully capture the space variation of image the signals. The image signals contain a large number of redundant features which provide no additional information for clustering analysis. The widely used methods for removing the irrelevant features are sparse clustering algorithms using a lasso-type penalty to select the features. However, the accuracy of clustering using a lasso-type penalty depends on the selection of the penalty parameters and the threshold value. In practice, they are difficult to determine. Recently, randomized algorithms have received a great deal of attentions in big data analysis. This paper presents a randomized algorithm for accurate feature selection in image clustering analysis. The proposed method is applied to both the liver and kidney cancer histology image data from the TCGA database. The results demonstrate that the randomized feature selection method coupled with functional principal component analysis substantially outperforms the current sparse clustering algorithms in image cluster analysis.
THE EFFECTS OF SIMULTANEOUS AND SUCCESSIVE CONTRAST ON PERCEIVED BRIGHTNESS

Abstract Two experiments conducted to investigate the relationship between simultaneous and successive brightness contrast indicate that both are governed by similar principles. However, an equivalent background transformation suggests that the spatial integration of light differs for each. Thus, although both seem to be governed by the same principles it was concluded that these effects result from different mechanisms.
The Role of Fathers in Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention

Adolescent substance abuse has been a major problem in society for many decades. Prevention has been deemed the most successful approach for dealing with this problem. Most research on this area focuses on family and emphasizes the role of mothers as either protective factors or as risk factors. The role of the father is more ambiguously discussed. The father figure can either be a member of the biological family or of the selective family. This article looks through the lens of theory to explore the role of fathers in a family and elucidates several risk and protective factors that may influence the prevention of substance abuse in adolescents.
Models for Quantum Effects in Electron Transfer: Co(Cp)2+|V(CO)6-

The authors model the absolute electron transfer (ET) rate and the vibrational quantum effects on ET rate previously observed experimentally for the ion pair complex Co(Cp){sub 2}{sup +}{vert_bar}V(CO){sub 6}{sup {minus}}. The absolute rate and vibrational rate effects cannot be predicted by the standard ET methods. In this work the authors analyze new resonance Raman, absorption, and infrared spectra and combine these results with density functional (DFT) quantum calculations of structure, vibrational modes, and solvent effects to predict absolute electron-transfer rates and vibrational quantum effects for ET. Related DFT calculations on Na{sup +}{vert_bar}V(CO){sub 6}{sup {minus}} are used to support a spectroscopic identification of the ion pair geometry. The ET is from the radical pair state reached by charge-transfer absorption of the ion pair Co(Cp){sub 2}{sup +}{vert_bar}V(CO){sub 6}{sup {minus}}. The weak coupling rate model based on the golden rule model of ET predicts absolute ET rates that are 135 times too large. From DFT calculations on Co(CP){sub 2}{vert_bar}V(CO){sub 6}, it was concluded that a small Jahn-Teller geometry change in both radicals can reduce the orbital overlap and electronic coupling in the radical pair state so that the effective coupling matrix element is much smaller than the 417 cm{sup {minus}1} inferred from themore » absorption spectrum. A new study of the electronic coupling versus geometry is required to test this suggestion versus the possibility that the weak coupling model is inappropriate for the molecule. The standard model, which emphasizes totally symmetric vibrations, also cannot explain prior experimental ET rates for quantum populations ({nu} = 0, 1, 2) in the nontotally symmetric CO stretching mode. These rate effects likely involve a fast IVR conversion from totally symmetric vibrations to IR active CO stretching motions followed by ET. The vibrational quantum effect on ET probably is caused by a breakdown in the Condon approximation, where an increase in the quantum number of vibration increases the electronic coupling matrix element. The models suggest a number of new experiments to probe the mechanism of ET in weak coupled molecules.« less
Altered coronary endothelial function in a patient with asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction

Coronary endothelial dysfunction has been demonstrated in patients with symptomatic heart failure. Furthermore the endothelium has been implicated in the pathogensis of cardiomyopathy in patients with normal coronary angiograms and no other known causes of heart failure. Herein we describe an asymptomatic patient with an early cardiomyopathy and abnormal coronary endothelial function. There was no evidence for coronary disease by both angiography and intravascular ultrasound. Epicardial coronary artery vasoconstriction and a decrease in coronary blood flow was noted during the intracoronary infusion of graded concentrations of acetylcholine. This case demonstrates that endothelial dysfunction occurs in the setting of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction and highlights the potential importance of the endothelium in the early development of heart failure.
ISE03-6: An Intersection-Based Multipath Routing Scheme

We consider the problem of choosing multiple paths across an overlay network in order to provide applications with high-throughput data transfer. Approaches based on traditional (link state) routing algorithms involve a substantial (quadratic) overhead for exchange of state information in fully-connected overlays. Moreover, in the absence of coordination, an apparently "good" link may be selected by multiple sessions simultaneously, causing it to become congested. The simple solution-more frequent exchange of state information-only exacerbates the overhead problem. We present an alternative algorithm that uses a lazy approach to collect link state information, and computes paths by finding the intersection of sets of candidate intermediate hops. Results from experiments show that this intersection-based approach produces paths that provide better performance, has significantly lower overhead, and distributes load more evenly through the network than link-state alternatives.
Synthesis and Characterization of Amine-Functionalized Polystyrene Nanoparticles

Functionalized polymer nanoparticles have been synthesized through an intramolecular cross-linking reaction with polystyrene as the backbone and an amino group as the functional moiety. The intramolecular cross-linking reaction was performed under ultradilute conditions, and the cross-linked polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The availability of the amino moiety in the nanoparticle for further functionalization was confirmed by its reaction with trimethylacetyl chloride.
Effect of Herbimycin A on Tyrosine Kinase Receptors and Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF)-Induced Signal Transduction

Herbimycin A is widely used as an inhibitor of Src family protein tyrosine kinases but is also reported to induce the downregulation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor number in A431 cells without inhibiting its tyrosine kinase activity. To determine the specificity of the receptor downregulation, we examined its effect on a variety of cell lines which express different levels of EGF receptor and on other tyrosine kinase receptors. Long-term herbimycin A treatment decreased the amounts of all the tyrosine kinase receptors examined in a dose-dependent manner. It also reduced ligand-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation in accordance with the reduction in the receptor level. Herbimycin A inhibited platelet derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins and DNA synthesis in NIH3T3 cells but did not affect the serum-stimulated DNA synthesis. PDGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of c-Src was inhibited but the protein level of c-Src was not reduced by herbimycin A. The reduced level of c-Src kinase activity correlated with the levels of both PDGF receptor and DNA synthesis. These results indicate that the herbimycin A treatment selectively downregulates receptor tyrosine kinases, independent of the number of receptors, and suggest that c-Src is to some degree involved in the selective inhibition of PDGF-induced mitogenesis by herbimycin A.
Calcium‐Sensitive Fluorescent Dyes Can Report Increases in Intracellular Free Zinc Concentration in Cultured Forebrain Neurons

High concentrations of Zn 2+ are found in presynaptic terminals of excitatory neurons in the CNS. Zn 2+ can be released during synaptic activity and modulate postsynaptic receptors, but little is known about the possibility that Zn 2+ may enter postsynaptic cells and produce dynamic changes in the intracellular Zn 2+ concentration ([Zn 2+ ] i ). We used fura-2 and magfura-2 to detect the consequences of Zn 2+ influx in cultured neurons under conditions that restrict changes in intracellular Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ concentrations. The resulting ratio changes for both dyes were reversed completely by the Zn 2+ chelator, N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine, indicating that these dyes are measuring changes in [Zn 2+ ] i . We found that fura-2 was useful in measuring small increases in [Zn 2+ ] i associated with exposure to Zn 2+ alone that may be mediated by a Na 2+ /Ca 2+ exchanger. Magfura-2, which has a lower affinity for Zn 2+ , was more useful in measuring larger agonist-stimulated increases in [Zn 2+ ] i . The coapplication of 300 μM Zn 2+ and 100 μM glutamate/ 10 μM glycine resulted in a [Zn 2+ ] i increase that was ∼40-100 nM in magnitude and could be inhibited by the NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801 (30 μM), or extracellular Na + . This suggests that Zn 2+ influx can occur through at least two different pathways, leading to varying increases in [Zn 2+ ] i . These findings demonstrate the feasibility of measuring changes in [Zn 2+ ] i in neurons.
Are Megabats Big

Traditionally, bats (Order Chiroptera) are divided into two suborders, Megachiroptera (“megabats”) and Microchiroptera, and this nomenclature suggests a consistent difference in body size. To test whether megabats are, in fact, significantly larger than other bats, we compared them with respect to average body mass (log transformed), using both conventional and phylogenetic statistics. Because bat phylogeny is controversial, including the position of megabats, we employed several analyses. First, we derived two generic-level topologies for 101 genera, one with megabats as the sister of all other bats (“morphological” tree), the other with megabats as the sister of one specific group of microbats, the Rhinolophoidea (“molecular” tree). Second, we used a recently published “supertree” that allowed us to analyze body mass data for 656 species. In addition, because the way body mass has evolved is generally unknown, we employed several sets of arbitrary branch lengths on both topologies, as well as transformations of the branches intended to mimic particular models of character evolution. Irrespective of the topology or branch lengths used, log body mass showed highly significant phylogenetic signal for both generic and species-level analyses (all P≤ 0.001). Conventional statistics indicated that megabats were indeed larger than other bats (P ≪ 0.001). Phylogenetic analyses supported this difference only when performed with certain branch lengths, thus demonstrating that careful consideration of the branch lengths used in a comparative analysis can enhance statistical power. A conventional Levene's test indicated that log body mass was more variable in megabats as compared with other bats (P=0.075 for generic-level data set, P ≪ 0.001 for species-level). A phylogenetic equivalent, which gauges the amount of morphospace occupied (or average minimum rate of evolution) relative to topology and branch lengths specified, indicated no significant difference for the generic analyses, but did indicate a difference for some of the species-level analyses. The ancestral bat is estimated to have been approximately 20–23 g in body mass (95% confidence interval approximately 9–51 g).
Toward a Dialogic Theory of Fundraising

Kelly (1991, 1998) theoretically grounded fundraising within the paradigm of public relations. The Internet can potentially help nonprofit organizations boost their volunteer, donor, and fundraising opportunities through effective website management (Kang & Norton, 2004). The work of Kent and Taylor (1998, 2002) and others provides fertile ground for scholars to explore dialogic relationship-building with donor publics. The purpose of this study was to extend research investigating the practical and theoretical implications of the fundraising activities via community college websites, viewed through the lens of the dialogic theory of public relations. A study of the full population of New Jersey's community colleges indicates that they are not taking full advantage of the dialogic fundraising capacities of the Internet. This is problematic, particularly in light of the many economic constraints that have been impinged on colleges and universities throughout the nation. The implications for scholars and pr...
The watercress glucosinolate-myrosinase system: a feeding deterrent to caddisflies, snails and amphipods

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) possesses the glucosinolate-myrosinase system. This system is regarded as a classic example of chemical defense for terrestrial crucifers. Damage of watercress initiates myrosinase-mediated hydrolysis of phenylethyl glucosinolate to a toxic endproduct, phenylethyl isothiocyanate. In multiple choice tests, the amphipod Gammarus pseudolimnaeus, the limnephilid caddisflies Hesperophylax designatus and Limnephilus sp., and the physid snail Physella sp. all strongly preferred (10X) yellowed senescent watercress (FY) over fresh green watercress (FG), despite the 2X higher nitrogen content of green watercress (6.9% for FG vs 3.8% for FY). Green watercress contained 10–40 X more glucosinolate than FY watercress (6.4–8.5 mg/g wet for FG vs 0.2–0.7 mg/g wet for FY). However, when the watercress was heated (ca 70°C), to deactivate the myrosinase enzyme, multiple choice tests showed that these species shift their preferences to heated green watercress (HG). Heating deactivated the deterrent effect and overall preference (consumption) was HG ≥ HY > FY ≫ FG for Gammarus. HG > HY ≥ FY ≫ FG for Hesperophylax, HG > FY ≥HY ≥ FG for Limnephilus, and HG ≥ FY > HY ≥ FG for Physella. Thus heating resulted in a shift in preference from the low glucosinolate, but low nitrogen, unheated yellowed tissue to the high nitrogen green tissue. These results suggest that deactivation of the myrosinase enzyme, and hence isothiocyanate production, results in a shift in preference. Preliminary results with Hesperophylax indicate that addition of myrosinase to the test water, which resulted in the formation of isothiocyanate, results in a significant decrease in HG consumption from control levels (p < 0.001) and no change in preference for HY watercress. With Gammarus, myrosinase resulted in reduced consumption of both green and yellowed watercress, but no significant differential effect. These results provide evidence that the glucosinolate-myrosinase system, recognized as the principle deterrent system of terrestrial crucifers, is the feeding deterrent in watercress and also suggest that in the absence of a functioning deterrent system, nitrogen content may influence consumption.
The presentation of financial information at corporate Web sites

Abstract The advent of the World Wide Web has provided a new avenue for companies to communicate with current and potential investors. Our study investigates corporate Web site financial disclosure practices. We evaluate and compare the Web site disclosure levels of 17 industries, and summarize the frequencies with which a variety of financial disclosure items are found. Our examination identifies several practices that raise potential concerns for the accounting profession. In particular, we investigate annual report excerpts tailored for Internet users and identify information found at Web sites that may increase disclosure risk. We also discuss issues associated with locating and using Web site data.
Regional cerebral blood flow patterns during verbal and nonverbal auditory activation

Abstract Current views of the relationship between audition and cerebral function suggest that increases in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) would occur in the superior, mid, and posterior portions of the temporal lobes, and that these changes would be more lateralized to the left hemisphere for a verbal than a nonverbal auditory task. We measured rCBF using the xenon inhalation technique in a group of healthy subjects during three conditions: (1) resting baseline, (2) auditory verbal activation (listening for word meaning), and (3) auditory nonverbal activation (listening for reduction of intensity in a series of noise bursts). Both verbal and nonverbal conditions produced highly significant increases in rCBF over the left posterior Sylvian region with a trend for verbal activation to evoke a wider area of flow increase than the nonverbal task.
A lower bound using Hamilton-type circuits and its applications

This paper presents a degree-two probability lower bound for the union of an arbitrary set of events in an arbitrary probability space. The bound is designed in terms of the first-degree Bonferroni summation and pairwise joint probabilities of events, which are represented as weights of edges in a Hamilton-type circuit in a connected graph. The proposed lower bound strengthens the Dawson-Sankoff lower bound in the same way that Hunter and Worsley's degree-two upper bound improves the degree-two Bonferroni-type optimal upper bound. It can be applied to statistical inference in time series and outlier diagnoses as well as the study of dose response curves.
Increased risk of tuberculosis among foreign-born persons with diabetes in California, 2010-2012.

Diabetes increases the risk of tuberculosis. We sought to identify populations of persons with diabetes in California at further increased risk for tuberculosis to target tuberculosis infection screening and treatment efforts. We performed a retrospective population-based analysis of adult (aged ≥18 years) tuberculosis cases reported in California during 2010–2012. Tuberculosis cases with and without diabetes were grouped into regions of birth and stratified by age category. Population estimates were calculated using 2011–2012 California Health Interview Survey data. We calculated tuberculosis disease rate and relative risk of tuberculosis among persons with diabetes stratified by birth location and age group; and the number needed to screen and, if positive, treat for tuberculosis infection to prevent one case of active tuberculosis over 5 years (NNS). During 2010–2012, among 6,050 adults with active tuberculosis in California, 82% were foreign-born and 24% had diabetes. The overall relative risk for tuberculosis among persons with diabetes was 3.5 (95% confidence interval, 3.3–3.7) with a rate of 21 per 100,000 persons with diabetes. The rate among foreign-born persons with diabetes (141.5/100,000) was almost 12 times greater than among nonforeign-born persons with diabetes (12.0/100,000). The NNS was 7,930 among all adults, 2,740 among adults with diabetes, 1,526 among all foreign-born adults, and 596 among foreign-born adults with diabetes. In California, foreign-born persons with diabetes had significantly elevated rates of active tuberculosis. Focusing tuberculosis infection screening and treatment efforts on foreign-born persons with diabetes may be a feasible and efficient way to make progress toward tuberculosis elimination in California.
Differences Between Belief and Knowledge Systems

Seven features which in practice seem to differentiate belief systems from knowledge systems are discussed. These are: nonconsensuality, “existence beliefs” alternative worlds, evaluative components, episodic material, unboundedness, and variable credences. Each of these features gives rise to challenging representation problems. Progress on any of these problems within artificial intelligence would be helpful in the study of knowledge systems as well as belief systems, inasmuch as the distinction between the two types of systems is not absolute.