cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complement Components in Rheumatic Diseases

The complement system consists of a group of at least 18 serum proteins that interact sequentially to affect systems of inflammation (Fearon, 1981; Frank and Atkinson, 1975; Muller-Eberhard, 1974; Schur, 1977). Activation of complement is accompanied by a series of specific and limited enzymatic reactions that result in the cleavage of certain components, which subsequently generate new enzymatic activities and lead to the formation of complement complexes that have additional biological activities. Some of these activities are carried out on cells or immune complex surfaces and some in fluid; in some cases, other proteins inhibit these activities, at least in part.
Still Too Much of a Good Thing? The Replication of Tong, Van Der Heide, Langwell, and Walther (2008)

Tong, Van Der Heide, Langwell, and Walther (2008) tested the relationship between the number of Facebook friends and impressions of the profile owner. They found the number of Facebook friends a person had influenced impressions of social attractiveness and extraversion, but not physical attractiveness, of the profile owner. The current study replicates their original study by experimentally testing for differences when the Facebook profile owner has 102, 302, 502, 702, or 902 friends. Results of the replication indicated no significant effect of the number of Facebook friends and impressions of social attractiveness or physical attractiveness. However, results did indicate significant differences in impressions of extraversion. Warranting theory is applied to aid in interpretation of results.
Using a One Health Approach to Build an Integrated Surveillance Data System

Objective: Integrate and streamline the collection and analysis of environmental, veterinary, and vector zoonotic data using a One Health approach to data system development. Introduction: Environmental Public Health Zoonotic Disease surveillance includes veternary, environmental, and vector data. Surveillance systems within each sector may appear disparate from each other, although they are actually complimentaly and closely allied. Consolidating and integrating data in to one application can be challenging, but there are commonalities shared by all. The goal of the One Health Integrated Data Sysytem is to standardize data collection, streamline data entry, and integrate these sectors in to one application. Methods: Data Assessment. An assessment of each surveillance function was carried out to evaluate data types and needs. Identify Commonalities. Common data was identified across each of the surveillance areas. Identify Unique Data. Data unique to specific surveillance efforts was identified. Build Data Structure. A back-end data structure was developed that reflected the data needs from each surveillance area. Build Data Entry Interfaces. Data entry interfaces were developed to meet the needs of each surveillance area. Build Data QC. Procedures were developed that run several quality control checks on the data. Build Data Eports. To allow users to carry out more extensive analysis of data, customized data exports were built. Results: This data integration project resulted in: ● Reduced time spent entering and managing data ● Improved data entry error rates ● Increased visibility through automated program metrics ● Improved access to data from data users Conclusions: Integrating data and building a data system that reflects the diversity of environmental, veterinary, and vector surveillance data is doable using off-the-shelf database tools. The process of integrating data and building the data structure results in a more intimate understanding of the data revealing opportunities for improving data quality.
Modelling the Error in Flood Discharge Measurements

Abstract The measurement of peak discharge is typically composed of three distinct processes. Low magnitude floods are determined with an established rating curve. Intermediate magnitude floods are inferred by extrapolating the established rating curve. High magnitude floods are usually determined through a field survey. The measurement error characteristics for each process are different, a phenomenon termed discontinuous measurement error (dme). Monte Carlo experiments with an error model that approximates the peak measurement process reveal a bias in the measured coefficients of variation, skewness, and kurtosis. This bias is significant and has important implications with regard to-flood frequency analysis.
Facilitation of Organ Transplantation with Gene Therapy

Currently, prolonging survival or promoting permanent acceptance of an organ graft depends mostly on the judicious use of pharmacologic agents, usually for the lifespan of the recipient. More recently, humanized antibodies against immunostimulatory molecules have become available and offer improved specificity than earlier agents. The problem with both approaches, however, lies in the degree of toxicity and unwanted immune modulation, either in the form of stimulation or suppression. Consequently, more specific intervention is required. At the same time, it is becoming apparent that the procedures initiated at the time of organ procurement may be important in determining the outcome of graft survival. Gene-based approaches offer the potential for intervention at early stages of organ procurement to prevent oxidative damage and cell death, during preservation to maintain viability, peri-transplant to promote acceptance by suppressing unwanted immune responses and post-transplant to promote long-term survival.
Preoperative nutritional status and use of total parenteral nutrition in pediatric and adolescent patients undergoing continent urinary tract reconstruction.

Summary Introduction A nutritional assessment is a critical but often neglected aspect of a preoperative evaluation. Malnutrition is clearly associated with worse surgical outcomes in adults undergoing major abdominal surgery, whereas a paucity of evidence is available in the pediatric population. Objective The objectives were to describe the preoperative nutritional status of pediatric and adolescent patients undergoing continent urinary tract reconstruction and to determine the association among malnutrition, use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and surgical outcomes. Study design A retrospective cohort study was performed for patients aged up to 20 years who underwent continent urinary tract reconstruction between January 2012 and November 2016. Malnutrition was classified with body mass index and height for age z-scores on admission as well as change in z-scores and weight over the 3–6 months before surgery. Primary outcomes included the duration of intensive care and hospitalization as well as readmissions and complications within 30 days. Results A total of 123 patients who underwent 130 continent urinary tract reconstructions were identified during the study period. Demographic and perioperative data are provided in the Table. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements as well as the early initiation of TPN (≤2 days) were not associated with any primary outcomes. In a subgroup analysis of patients with a bowel anastomosis, the early initiation of TPN was an independent predictor for duration of hospitalization ( P P = 0.005) after adjusting for other statistically significant and clinically relevant variables. Discussion The few available studies on surgical nutrition have primarily focused on infants and young children undergoing cardiac surgery and provided no consensus on a preoperative nutritional assessment. The findings on TPN from the present study favorably compare with a growing body of evidence in adult and pediatric critically ill and surgical patients. The limitations of the present study include its retrospective design at a single institution, potential misclassification of nutritional status, and selection bias from the initiation of TPN at the discretion of the primary surgeon. Conclusions Malnutrition was identified in greater than 20% of pediatric and adolescent patients undergoing continent urinary tract reconstruction. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were not associated with surgical outcomes, although the early initiation of TPN did not offer any benefit for nutritional support. In a subset of patients with a bowel anastomosis, TPN was associated with worse surgical outcomes, including a longer duration of hospitalization and development of 30-day complications.
Orbital Tumors: Report of 70 Surgically Treated Cases

Objective The orbital cavity is an anatomically complex region and an area of interest of many specialists, each of whom is familiar with specific surgical approaches. Methods We retrospectively reviewed clinical and outcome data of 70 patients who underwent surgery for resection of an orbital tumor with a mean follow-up of 111.9 ± 79.6 months. The clinical outcome was reported and the role of sex, age, histology, tumor location, tumor size, and surgical approach on the extent of tumor removal was assessed. Results Total removal was achieved in 74.3%, subtotal removal in 20%, and partial removal in 5.7% of patients. A fronto-orbital craniotomy was used in 57.1% of cases, frontal approach in 17.1%, fronto-orbit-zygomatic approach in 10%, and endoscopic endonasal approach in 11.4%. Complications included visual acuity decrease (4.3%), cerebrospinal fluid leak (4.3%), nerve palsy (10%; supra-orbital nerve 4.3%; frontal branches of facial nerve 2.9%, third cranial nerve 2.9%), and enophthalmos (1.4%). Lateral orbitotomy, combined fronto-orbital and maxillotomy, and trans-eyelid approaches were used in the remaining cases. The fronto-orbital, frontal, and lateral orbitotomy approaches were associated with greater rates of total resection as compared with the fronto-orbit-zygomatic approach, which was used in difficult cases in which the tumor involved several regions. Conclusions We recommend, 1) the endoscopic endonasal approach for primary orbital tumors located in the medial or inferior orbital walls without extra-orbital extension; 2) the trans-eyelid approach for tumors of the upper and upper-lateral quadrants extraconally located, and 3) the fronto-orbital approach for intraconally located tumors involving more than one quadrant.
A multi-component, family-focused and literacy-sensitive intervention to improve medication adherence in patients with heart failure–A randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Medication nonadherence is prevalent and links to serious outcomes (e.g., rehospitalization/death) in heart failure (HF) patients; therefore, an urgent need exists for an intervention to improve and sustain adherence after intervention completion. Objectives To test the efficacy of a multi-component, family-focused, li t eracy-sensitive (FamLit) intervention on medication adherence in HF patients. Methods Forty-three HF patients and their care partners were enrolled and randomized to receive FamLit or attention-only intervention, including an in-person session at baseline and bi-weekly phone boosters for 3 months. We measured medication adherence from baseline to 3-month post-intervention using the Medication Event Monitoring System. Results After 3-month intervention, intervention patients had significantly better medication adherence than control patients. At 6 months (3-months post-intervention), intervention effect on adherence was sustained in the FamLit intervention group, while adherence decreased in the control group. Conclusion Incorporating care partner support and providing an easy-to-understand intervention to patients-care partners may improve/sustain adherence.
Effects of cell cycle activation on the short-term engraftment properties of ex vivo expanded murine hematopoietic cells.

Loss of long-term hematopoietic stem cell function in vitro is associated with cell cycle progression. To determine whether cytokine-induced proliferation also limits the rate of short-term engraftment and potential clinical utility of ex vivo expanded hematopoietic cells, murine Sca-1+c-kit+Lin− cells were cultured in interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-11, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), stem cell factor, flk-2 ligand, and thrombopoietin for 7 days. Cells amplified 2000-fold were then stained with Hoechst 33342, separated into G0/G1 (72% ± 3%) or S/G2/M (27% ± 3%) fractions by flow sorting, and injected into lethally irradiated mice. Although long-term (more than 6 months) engraftment of lymphoid and myeloid lineages was greater in primary and secondary recipients of expanded cells residing in G0/G1 at the time of transplantation, there were no noted differences in the short-term (less than 6 weeks) recovery kinetics of circulating blood cells. When hematopoietic cells were expanded in cultures containing the tetrapeptide stem cell inhibitor N-Acetyl-Ser-Asp-Lys-Pro (AcSDKP) to reduce progenitor cycling prior to transplantation, again there were no differences observed in short-term reconstitution by inhibited or uninhibited cells. Interestingly, AcSDKP significantly accelerated engraftment by expanded hematopoietic cells when administered in vivo at the time of transplantation. Leukocytes recovered to 20% of normal levels approximately 1 week faster, and thrombocytopenia was largely abrogated in AcSDKP-treated versus untreated mice. Therefore, while AcSDKP can accelerate the engraftment of ex vivo expanded hematopoietic progenitors, which suggests a relatively simple approach to improve their clinical utility, its effects appear unrelated to cell cycle arrest.
Inhibition of the key metabolic pathways, glycolysis and lipogenesis, of oral cancer by bitter melon extract

Metabolic reprogramming is one of the hallmarks of cancer which favours rapid energy production, biosynthetic capabilities and therapy resistance. In our previous study, we showed bitter melon extract (BME) prevents carcinogen induced mouse oral cancer. RNA sequence analysis from mouse tongue revealed a significant modulation in “Metabolic Process” by altering glycolysis and lipid metabolic pathways in BME fed group as compared to cancer group. In present study, we evaluated the effect of BME on glycolysis and lipid metabolism pathways in human oral cancer cells. Cal27 and JHU022 cells were treated with BME. RNA and protein expression were analysed for modulation of glycolytic and lipogenesis genes by quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analyses and immunofluorescence. Lactate and pyruvate level was determined by GC/MS. Extracellular acidification and glycolytic rate were measured using the Seahorse XF analyser. Shotgun lipidomics in Cal27 and JHU022 cell lines following BME treatment was performed by ESI/ MS. ROS was measured by FACS. Treatment with BME on oral cancer cell lines significantly reduced mRNA and protein expression levels of key glycolytic genes SLC2A1 (GLUT-1), PFKP, LDHA, PKM and PDK3. Pyruvate and lactate levels and glycolysis rate were reduced in oral cancer cells following BME treatment. In lipogenesis pathway, we observed a significant reduction of genes involves in fatty acid biogenesis, ACLY, ACC1 and FASN, at the mRNA and protein levels following BME treatment. Further, BME treatment significantly reduced phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and plasmenylethanolamine, and reduced iPLA2 activity. Additionally, BME treatment inhibited lipid raft marker flotillin expression and altered its subcellular localization. ER-stress associated CHOP expression and generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species were induced by BME, which facilitated apoptosis. Our study revealed that bitter melon extract inhibits glycolysis and lipid metabolism and induces ER and oxidative stress-mediated cell death in oral cancer. Thus, BME-mediated metabolic reprogramming of oral cancer cells will have important preventive and therapeutic implications along with conventional therapies.
Dynamics of quasi-periodic metastructures

This presentation illustrates results of investigations of quasi-periodic assemblies, which uncover unique properties related to vibration localization in one-dimensional and two-dimensional systems. These can be as interesting if not more useful than the interface modes that are found in periodic structures, as the quasi-periodicity framework provides a consistent methodology that leads to vibration confinement in systems that are not ordered, but are described by deterministic property distributions. Moreover, the study of localization in quasiperiodic structure can be supported by the analysis of localization landscapesassociated with elliptic operators governing the dynamic behavior of the media under consideration, which suggests that localization may be predictable and tunable in a more deterministic way than originally thought. Beam and plate structures with quasiperiodic arrangements of grounding springs and lumped masses are presented as structural components which support a variety of localized modes and that are suitable for the experimental characterization of the dynamic behavior of these configurations. These observations open new avenues and offer new ideas for concepts that may be applied in the design of structures operating in dynamic environments, whose vibrations need to be localized or isolated from specific regions.
Enlarging Perivascular Spaces Following Radiation Therapy in the Brain: A Report of 2 Cases and Literature Review

Background Virchow-Robin or enlarged perivascular spaces (PVS) are benign pial-lined spaces that surround penetrating arteries and arterioles through the brain parenchyma. We present 2 cases of enlarging PVS in adults following whole-brain radiation therapy. Case Description Two patients underwent whole-brain radiation therapy for adult-onset medulloblastoma. Neither patient had enlarged PVS at the time of radiation treatment. The patients presented with PVS in the basal ganglia 6 and 8 years following the completion of radiation, respectively. One patient subsequently showed a decrease in size of PVS over time. Neither patient experienced symptoms, required surgical intervention, or had signs of tumor recurrence. Conclusions Enlarging PVS can occur years after radiation therapy to the brain parenchyma. Recognition of these benign PVS is important so as not to mistake the changes for more sinister pathology that could lead to unnecessary intervention. Moreover, focal cystic changes more frequently seen surrounding areas of focal brain radiation therapy might represent enlarged PVS.
A new modeling approach to include EAF flexibility in the energy-aware scheduling of steelmaking process

When properly scheduled, steel plants can exploit their flexibility to minimize their energy cost and increase their revenue by participation in demand-response programs aiming at increasing the grid stability. Electric arc furnaces (EAFs), as the most energy-consuming component in such plants, can play an important enabling role in this regard. While advanced mathematical tools such as Mixed Integer Linear Programming have been proven efficient in handling the complexity of scheduling problems, the integration of energy-related constraints has always been a major challenge. In this work, we are going to propose an extension to the state-of-the-art optimization models, such that the flexibility of the EAFs can be further exploited. To this end, first we use the concept of virtual machines as a natural extension to a state-of-art model in literature. Then a novel scheduling model is formulated to include multi-mode operations for the EAFs. Numeric experiments are carried out to investigate the tradeoff between optimality and computational performances and highlight the effectiveness of the multi-mode approach for industrial-scale problems.
Managed Wetlands Can Benefit Juvenile Chinook Salmon in a Tidal Marsh

Loss of estuarine and coastal habitats worldwide has reduced nursery habitat and function for diverse fishes, including juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Underutilized off-channel habitats such as flooded rice fields and managed ponds present opportunities for improving rearing conditions and increasing habitat diversity along migratory corridors. While experiments in rice fields have shown enhanced growth rates of juvenile fishes, managed ponds are less studied. To evaluate the potential of these ponds as a nursery habitat, juvenile Chinook salmon (~ 2.8 g, 63 mm FL) were reared in cages in four contrasting locations within Suisun Marsh, a large wetland in the San Francisco Estuary. The locations included a natural tidal slough, a leveed tidal slough, and the inlet and outlet of a tidally muted managed pond established for waterfowl hunting. Fish growth rates differed significantly among locations, with the fastest growth occurring near the outlet in the managed pond. High zooplankton biomass at the managed pond outlet was the best correlate of salmon growth. Water temperatures in the managed pond were also cooler and less variable compared to sloughs, reducing thermal stress. The stress of low dissolved oxygen concentrations within the managed pond was likely mediated by high concentrations of zooplankton and favorable temperatures. Our findings suggest that muted tidal habitats in the San Francisco Estuary and elsewhere could be managed to promote growth and survival of juvenile salmon and other native fishes.
Self-compassion training within a workplace physical activity program: A pilot study.

Background Desire2Move (D2M) is an 8-week team-based, workplace program that incorporates competition and self-monitoring to encourage physical activity (PA). Objective The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-compassion (SC) intervention within the existing workplace PA program. Methods University employees (n = 20) were assigned to a SC treatment group or an attention control group. Participants logged their PA minutes using MapMyRun. Treatment group. participants received a 7-week, SC podcast intervention. Participants self-reported PA, SC, and demographic information at pre- and post-intervention. Separate ANOVAs were used to determine group differences. Results There was not a statistically significant group x time interaction for SC, F(1, 18) = 0.02, p = 0.90, or main effects for time, F(1, 18) = 0.28, p = 0.61, or group, F(1, 18) = 1.70, p = 0.21, g = -0.42 [95%CI = -3.13, 2.29]. There were not significant differences between groups for total PA minutes during D2M, F(1, 18) = 2.15, p = 0.16, g = -0.63 [-1.53,0.27]. Overall, participants engaged in more than the recommended levels of PA each week. Conclusions This pilot study provided feedback and guidance for future online SC training within a workplace PA intervention.
The Effect of Audit Culture on Auditor Honesty and Skepticism

Auditors’ honesty and skepticism are crucial to their effectiveness as enablers of trust in capital markets. Regulators have recently expressed concerns that audit culture does not sufficiently strengthen these attributes. We overcome significant obstacles to investigate the influence of audit culture on auditor honesty and skepticism. In our experiment, practicing auditors and non-auditor accountants take part in two economic tasks with economic incentives that allow us to unobtrusively measure honesty and skepticism. Drawing on prior research, we measure the influence of audit culture by manipulating the salience of participants’ occupational identity. We find evidence that audit culture increases skepticism but decreases honesty. We do not observe a similar effect for non-auditor accountants, suggesting our auditor findings are not driven by broader firm- or profession-wide influences.
Calcitonin (FORTICAL, MIACALCIN) for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures.

# Purpose of Review Osteoporosis is a common condition affecting the musculoskeletal system. It carries with it increased risks of fracture in many areas of the body, leading to reduced quality of life, limited mobility, and other long-term implications such as chronic pain. Vertebral compression fractures are a common development in patients with osteoporosis. Current treatment options focus on reducing pain; preventative methods are somewhat limited and focus on minimizing risk factors for the development of osteoporosis. In this review, we explore the use of calcitonin (FORTICAL, MIACALCIN) to treat vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). # Recent Findings Osteoporosis had a prevalence of more than 10% in the United States in 2010. The CDC estimates that nearly 25% of women over age 65 have findings of osteoporosis, which include low spinal bone mass. The condition is highly prevalent and, in an aging U.S. population, quite clinically relevant. Risk factors for development include advanced age, cigarette smoking, medications, reduced physical activity, and low calcium and vitamin D intake. Family history may also play a role. Diagnosis is made based on bone mineral density. Standard therapy for VCFs in osteoporosis includes analgesic medications, such as NSAIDs and biphosphonates, and surgical intervention. NSAIDs address the chronic pain that is a common long-term effect of VCFs. Biphosphonates have recently been used to attempt to halt the progression and provide prevention. Surgical interventions such as balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are typically reserved for patients who have failed other methods. Calcitonin is a peptide naturally produced by the human body, released from the parathyroid gland. It binds to osteoclasts, inhibiting them from inducing bone resorption. By relatively unknown mechanisms, it also appears to cause endorphin release and mitigate pain. Clinical data has shown safety and efficacy for exogenous calcitonin in reducing bone turnover and reducing VCF-induced pain. # Summary Osteoporosis is a common condition that can lead to complications such as vertebral compression fractures. It can significantly impact the quality of life in many elderly Americans. There is currently no singular treatment, but calcitonin has recently been explored as a possible option for minimizing pain and reducing disease progression. Further studies are needed to understand its preventative benefits fully.
Light scattering of coated aerosols: II. Scattering by linolenic acid aerosols☆

Abstract Linolenic acid aerosols exhibiting higher order Tyndall spectra and comparable in monodispersity to monodisperse sulfur sols have been prepared reproducibly using silver chloride nuclei. Particle size distributions can be obtained precisely by analysis of the light-scattering data and when appropriate precautions in sampling are observed, excellent agreement with electron microscope counts is found. Samples are fixed for electron microscopy by treatment with OsO 4 . The influence of boiler temperature, nuclei concentration, and dilution of the aerosol upon the light scattering and particle size distribution has been considered.
Evolutionary significance of fecundity reduction in threespine stickleback infected by the diphyllobothriidean cestode Schistocephalus solidus.

Parasites may cause fecundity reduction in their hosts via life-history strategies involving simple nutrient theft or manipulation of host energy allocation. Simple theft of nutrients incidentally reduces host energy allocation to reproduction, whereas manipulation is a parasite-driven diversion of energy away from host reproduction. We aimed to determine whether the diphyllobothriidean cestode parasite Schistocephalus solidus causes loss of fecundity in the threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) through simple nutrient theft or the manipulation of host energy allocation. In one stickleback population (Walby Lake, Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Alaska), there was no difference in the sizes and ages of infected and uninfected reproducing females. Lightly- and heavily-infected females produced clutches of eggs, but increasingly smaller percentages of infected females produced clutches as the parasite-to-host biomass ratio (PI) increased. Infected, clutch-bearing sticklebacks showed reductions in clutch size, egg mass, and clutch mass, which were related to increases in PI and reflected a reduction in reproductive parameters as growth in parasite mass occurs. The findings obtained for this population are consistent with the hypothesis of simple nutrient theft; however, populations of S. solidus in other regions may manipulate host energy allocation. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100, 835–846.
A common set of engulfment genes mediates removal of both apoptotic and necrotic cell corpses in C. elegans

Similar to mammalian excitotoxic cell death, necrotic-like cell death (NCD) in Caenorhabditis elegans can be initiated by hyperactive ion channels. Here we investigate the requirements for genes that execute and regulate programmed cell death (PCD) in necrotic-like neuronal death caused by a toxic MEC-4 channel. Neither the kinetics of necrosis onset nor the total number of necrotic corpses generated is altered by any C. elegans mutation known to block PCD, which provides genetic evidence that the activating mechanisms for NCD and apoptotic cell death are distinct. In contrast, all previously reported ced genes required for phagocytotic removal of apoptotic corpses, as well as ced-12, a new engulfment gene we have identified, are required for efficient elimination of corpses generated by distinct necrosis-inducing stimuli. Our results show that a common set of genes acts to eliminate cell corpses irrespective of the mode of cell death, and provide the first identification of the C. elegans genes that are required for orderly removal of necrotic cells. As phagocytotic mechanisms seem to be conserved from nematodes to humans, our findings indicate that injured necrotic cells in higher organisms might also be eliminated before lysis through a controlled process of corpse removal, a hypothesis that has significant therapeutic implications.
East Asian Financial Regionalism and the Politics of Global Financial Governance: Structural and Institutional Power in Global and Regional Governance

The Asian Financial Crisis in 1997–1998 and the mishandling of the crisis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the United States catalyzed the rise of East Asian financial regionalism. In spite of skepticism, region-wide financial arrangements in East Asia have continually evolved and a new multilateral financial lending facility in the region was finally launched. However, the financial lending facility in East Asia is still linked to the IMF, a global institution, and has significant limits in its capacity. In the wake of the Global Financial Crisis, mounting criticism resurfaced against the IMF's legitimacy and effectiveness, but its reform process has been sluggish and its outcome remains uncertain. My argument here is that the limits of East Asian financial regionalism and the slow and uncertain reform process of the IMF, which is the linchpin of global financial governance, are attributed to the path-dependent nature of the structural and institutional power of the United States. This study aims to show that power is an integral element of global and regional governance, and global structures and institutions, originally created by a hegemonic state, can have long-lasting effects even though the hegemon is in decline.
Taxes and the Relative Valuation of S Corporations and C Corporations

We analyze the net tax advantage of S corporations relative to C corporations. Our analysis indicates that the net tax advantage is economically important; it varies directly with the company's payout ratio, the marginal corporate tax rate, and the capital gains rate of the marginal investor; and it varies inversely with the personal tax rate of the marginal investor. The analysis predicts that the fair market value of an S corporation will exceed that of an otherwise identical C corporation. This prediction holds even in the case of an acquisition of an S corporation. Consistent with our predictions, we find that publicly traded master limited partnerships, which enjoy net tax advantages in the early 1980s, are valued at a premium relative to taxable corporations operating in the same industry.
A path modeling approach to understanding family conflict: reciprocal patterns of parent coercion and adolescent avoidance.

Conflict between parents and adolescents involves reciprocal exchanges in which family members influence and shape each other’s behavior. This study uses multilevel path analysis to examine interrelations in observed behavior during 15-minute conflict discussions conducted by 103 family triads, looking specifically at parent coercive and youth avoidant behaviors. We also explore the moderating roles of parents’ past aggressive family conflict behavior on parents’ responses to youth behavior. Discussions were coded in three-minute segments. Analyses used time-lagged codes so that a family member’s behavior in one segment predicted another family member’s behavior in the following segment. The fully saturated cross-lagged model tested all possible paths (parents’ behavior predicting parents’ and youths’ subsequent behavior, and vice versa). Parents’ coercive behavior was associated with more avoidant youth behavior in the following segment when controlling for youths’ prior avoidant behavior. The opposite direction of effects also emerged: mothers became more coercive when youth were more avoidant in a prior segment. Fathers’ coercive behavior was not associated with youths’ prior behavior and, with both parents in the same model, father and youth behavior were no longer associated; however, fathers’ coercive behavior predicted more mother coercive behavior in the following segment. Mothers who had behaved more aggressively during family conflict over two waves of data collection became more coercive when youths were more avoidant, although parents’ history of aggressive family conflict behavior did not moderate father-to-youth or youth-to-parent paths.
Water-vapor continuum absorption in the 800-1250 cm-1 spectral region at temperatures from 311 to 363 K

Abstract About 200 pure water-vapor spectra covering the region from 800 to 3500 cm−1 were recorded with resolution of 0.1 cm−1 at temperatures 311, 318, 325, 339, 352, and 363 K using a 2 m base White cell coupled to the BOMEM DA3.002 FTIR spectrometer. The water-vapor pressure varied from 28 to 151 mbar (21–113 Torr). Under these conditions, the continuum absorbance is quite measurable with the available path lengths up to 116 m. A program was developed for spectral processing that calculates, fits, and removes ro-vibrational structure from the spectrum. The spectra obtained were used to retrieve averaged and smoothed binary absorption coefficients over the region from 800 to 1250 cm−1. Our continuum data extrapolated to room temperature are in reasonable agreement with the MT_CKD continuum model. But at higher temperatures the MT_CKD model provides very low values, which are up to 50% less than those experimentally measured.
Residency education in the nursing home: a national survey of internal medicine and family practice programs.

Objective:To assess the role of the nursing home in post-graduate medical education. Design:A survey questionnaire addressing the following issues: 1) prevalence of nursing home rotations in internal medicine and family practice residency programs, 2) duration and type of rotation, 3) extent of residents’ responsibilities, 4) patterns of faculty supervision, 5) program directors’ assessments of nursing home experience, and 6) frequently encountered problems. Participants:Directors of accredited internal medicine and family practice residency programs in the United States. Measurements and main results:A total of 502 surveys were returned for a response rate of 60%. Nursing home rotations were more frequent in family practice programs (87%) compared with internal medicine programs (32%). Rotations in internal medicine were generally optional and limited to a short block of time compared with family practice, where rotations were most often required and longitudinal. Internal medicine residents received more intense supervision, whereas family practice residents had greater clinical responsibilities. Few faculty had formal geriatric training or certification. Reimbursement for physician services was low. Although availability of faculty, resident interest, and conflict with other clinical services were identified as problem areas, program directors in both internal medicine and family practice were supportive of nursing home rotations for their trainees.
Superdupersizing the mind: extended cognition and the persistence of cognitive bloat

The hypothesis of extended cognition (EC) contends that parts of the world outside of the head partly comprise the vehicles of representation and mind. I consider and reject recent efforts to defend EC from the problem of “cognitive bloat.”
Developmental regulation of yolk sac hematopoiesis by Kruppel-like factor 6.

Kruppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) is a member of a growing family of transcription factors that share a common 3 C2H2 zinc finger DNA binding domain and have broad activity in regulating proliferation and development. We have previously established that Klf6 is expressed in neuronal tissue, hindgut, heart, lung, kidney, and limb buds during midgestation. To explore the potential role of Klf6 in mouse development, we analyzed Klf6-/- mice and found that the homozygous mutation is embryonic lethal by embryonic day (E) 12.5 and associated with markedly reduced hematopoiesis and poorly organized yolk sac vascularization. Additionally, mRNA levels of Scl and Gata1 were reduced by approximately 80% in Klf6-/- yolk sacs. To further analyze this phenotype, we generated Klf6-/- embryonic stem (ES) cells by homologous recombination, and compared their capacity to differentiate into the hematopoietic lineage with that of either Klf6+/- or Klf6+/+ ES cells. Consistent with the phenotype in the early embryo, Klf6-/- ES cells displayed significant hematopoietic defects following differentiation into EBs. Prolongation of epiblast-like cells and delays in mesoderm induction were also observed in the Klf6-/- EBs, associated with delayed expression of Brachyury, Klf1, and Gata1. Forced expression of KLF6 using a tet-inducible system enhanced the hematopoietic potential of wild-type EBs. Collectively, these findings implicate Klf6 in ES-cell differentiation and hematopoiesis.
Angiographic scoring of vascular occlusive disease in the diabetic foot: relevance to bypass graft patency and limb salvage.

Abstract Objective: We graded the severity of occlusive disease in foot vessels of patients with diabetes and correlated the scoring obtained with graft patency and limb salvage. Methods: In this retrospective review of 199 limbs studied by means of angiography in 117 patients with diabetes mellitus, 124 limbs underwent bypass grafting. Each dorsalis pedis (DP), lateral plantar (LP), and medial plantar (MP) artery was assigned a score according to the reporting standards of the Joint Vascular Societies Council (0, no stenosis > 20%; 1, 21%-49% stenosis; 2, 50%-99% stenosis; 2.5, half the vessel length occluded.) A foot score (DP + MP + LP + 1) was calculated for each foot (1 to 10). The mean follow-up period was 14 months. Results: For all 199 limbs and for the 124 limbs that underwent bypass grafting, the mean scores were similar for the DP, MP, and LP (1.8 ± 1.0, 1.9 ± 1.0, 1.9 ± 1.0, respectively; P >.4). Only the MP and LP correlated with each other (r = 0.57; P P P P Conclusion: In patients with diabetes mellitus, the foot score is a useful tool for predicting the likelihood of graft patency and limb salvage for infrapopliteal revascularization. However, the relatively high bypass success rate (70%) in the presence of a high foot score (≥ 7) does not allow its use in identifying the subgroup of patients who are unlikely to benefit from bypass grafting surgery. It cannot be used as a means of selecting patients for primary amputation. (J Vasc Surg 2002;35:494-500.)
Electrophysiological studies on the specificity of the cholecystokinin antagonist proglumide.

Recent evidence suggests that the glutaramic acid derivative proglumide (PROG) is a selective antagonist of cholecystokinin (CCK) in the rat CNS. The extent of this selectivity has now been characterized in more detail. Iontophoretic or intravenous (i.v.) administration of PROG was ineffective against the excitatory effect of iontophoretically applied neurotensin on midbrain dopamine (DA) cells, the excitatory effect of substance P and the inhibitory effect of Met-enkephalin on prefrontal cortical neurons, and the inhibitory effect of histamine on neurons of the sensorimotor cortex. In contrast, PROG blocked the excitatory effect of the C-terminal octapeptide of CCK in all 3 areas. Furthermore, iontophoretic PROG diminished, whereas CCK enhanced the inhibitory effect of similarly applied DA and GABA on DA cells. PROG pretreatment (1 mg/kg, i.v.) reduced the inhibitory potency and maximum effect of i.v. apomorphine (APO) on A9 DA neurons, while the inhibitory potency of APO was enhanced by i.v. CCK. Pretreatment with PROG plus CCK resulted in APO effects which were no different from those after PROG alone. Chronic treatment with PROG (1 mg/kg, p.o., 21 days) resulted in a return to normal of DA cell APO sensitivity. Combined, these findings suggest that PROG may be a relatively selective CCK antagonist, that the functional effect of dendritically released DA may be influenced by endogenously released CCK, and that tolerance may develop to the effects of chronic CCK receptor blockade.
The Roles of Combat Exposure, Personal Vulnerability, and Involvement in Harm to Civilians or Prisoners in Vietnam-War-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder:

The diagnosis, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, was introduced in 1980 amidst debate about the psychiatric toll of the Vietnam War. There is controversy, however, about its central assumption that potentially traumatic stressors are more important than personal vulnerability in causing the disorder. We tested this assumption with data from a rigorously diagnosed male subsample (n = 260) from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study. Combat exposure, pre-war vulnerability, and involvement in harming civilians or prisoners were examined, with only combat exposure proving necessary for disorder onset. While none of the three factors proved sufficient, estimated onset reached 97% for veterans high on all three, with harm to civilians or prisoners showing the largest independent contribution. Severity of combat exposure proved more important than pre-war vulnerability in onset; pre-war vulnerability at least as important in long-term persistence. Implications for the primacy of the stressor assumption, further research, and policy are discussed.
Effect of septal lesions on detection threshold and unconditioned response to shock

Abstract Rats with septal lesions were compared to non-operated controls in an investigation of gross bodily movement in response to shocks of various intensities. The results of two experiments indicated that septal-operated rats: (a) display the same detection threshold for electric shock as controls; (b) do not display a greater magnitude of response to supra-threshold shocks although they tend to respond to a greater proportion of shock intensities between the 50 per cent and 100 per cent thresholds; (c) do not display more rapid habituation to repeated shock presentations; and, (d) are more active during the inter-shock interval. These results are discussed with reference to the literature on avoidance learning in septal-operated animals.
Loop-configured upper-arm hemodialysis graft for the “hostile” arm

As previously described by Brescia and colleagues in 1966, the totally autogenous arteriovenous (AV) fistula still remains the gold standard for longterm hemodialysis access. Even though there has been an increased emphasis on the use of AV fistulas, an AV fistula cannot be constructed in all hemodialysis patients, mainly because of poor venous anatomy. An AV bridge graft, usually made with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), continues to be a reasonable alternative form of hemodialysis access for most of these remaining hemodialysis patients. Our initial preference for an AV PTFE graft is usually a loop-configured forearm access, which is either anastomosed totally below the elbow or as a primary jump graft to the upper-arm basilic vein. For an upperarm PTFE hemodialysis access, our preference has been a straight-configured AV PTFE graft anastomosed from the lower upper-arm brachial artery just above the elbow to the upper brachial or axillary vein. We have a group of patients for whom an upper-arm loop-configured AV PTFE graft needed to be constructed (Fig. 1). With no identified series to reference, concerns about indications and longterm patency of these upper-arm loop AV PTFE grafts prompted us to review our most recent patient experience with this type of configured graft.
Determinants of Firm Entry into the Brazilian Automobile Manufacturing Industry, 1956–1968

This article examines the negotiating process between the Brazilian state and transnational auto companies. It argues against dichotomous frameworks that emphasize either economic or political variables in shaping foreign direct investment and in favor of a more complicated bargaining framework that takes into account the strategic objectives of state policy as well as the form and timing of firm investment. Using archival evidence and interviews, the article documents the implantation of the industry; it concludes that the process of firm entry into Brazil must be understood in light of the policies and institutions that made the threat of market closure and the deadlines credible and made it costly for firms not to participate on schedule.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Dementia

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) occur frequently in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). The authors examined the relationship between NPS and white-matter integrity in these conditions. Twenty-two individuals with MCI and 23 with mild AD underwent clinical assessments including the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire and 3.0-tesla magnetic resonance scans. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured in the following manually-drawn regions of interest (ROI): fornix, cingulum bundle, splenium, and cerebral peduncles (control region). The probability of having NPS by tertile of ROI FA was assessed by logistic regression. Because associations were similar within MCI and AD groups, the two groups were combined. Compared with those in the highest tertile, participants within the lowest anterior cingulum (AC) FA tertile were more likely to exhibit irritability, agitation, dysphoria, apathy, and nighttime behavioral disturbances. After adjusting for Mini-Mental State Exam status, parti...
The Doctor as Culture Hero: The Routinization of Charisma

Culture heroes have arisen in many areas and have been made known in many ways. At present, one of the most important sources of creating and perpetuating culture heroes is that of mass media, and of these, television in its scope and influence eclipses all others. Of the assorted social types presented as dramatic heroes on television programs, one has recently gained more and more attention—the doctor. From his previous status as an old standby, the doctor has become in the past few years a figure vying in popularity with the ubiquitous cowboy. At present in the United States there are seven regularly scheduled television dramas devoted to the exploits of the doctor. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the nature and function of two kinds of popular heroes, cultural and charismatic, and then to suggest that while the physician as currently depicted in mass media has attributes of both, he appears to be losing his charisma and becoming a culture hero. Finally, some implications of these changes fo...