cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alcohol, Homicide, and Cultural Context A Cross-National Analysis of Gender-Specific Homicide Victimization

The study of homicide in North America has been limited by its focus on U.S. data and cross-sectional analyses, as well as a lack of consideration of alcohol in homicide causation. European research has been more dynamic, dealing extensively with the alcohol and violence relationship, but these studies also have limited generalizability. A cross-national dynamic analysis of homicide victimization by gender is reported here as an extension and replication of Gartner's theoretical model of homicide, with alcohol-related concepts integrated into this model. Results based on the analysis of 17 nationstates for the period 1950-1980 provide evidence that two aspects of alcohol-related behavior, consumption rates and the drinking culture, produce interaction effects with divorce rates that are strongly predictive of homicide victimization. However, gender differences are in the nature of these interactions. The importance of these results for homicide causation and violence prevention policy are discussed.
The dynamical instability of nonrelativistic many-body systems

From computations in an exactly solvable many-body dynamical model we argue that, quite generally, a nonrelativistic quantum mechanics of infinitely many interacting particles must admit states without a global time evolution; equivalently, that the (quasi-local) observables of any such theory are not preserved in time by the Heisenberg dynamics. Our analysis is based on a dynamical instability common to interacting finite-particle systems.
Warranty markets and public policy

Abstract Search equilibrium models in the Economics of Information concern themselves exclusively with consumer ignorance of the prices that different firms charge. Legal regulation dealing with information, on the other hand, concerns itself primarily with contact terms. In particular, firms are often required to warrant against product related defects on the supposed ground that firms respond to consumer ignorance only by degrading contract quality. This paper is the beginning of an attempt to make the Economics of Information useful to policymakers. It models a market for warranties under imperfect information and shows that firms are more likely to respond to consumer ignorance by raising prices for the warranties that consumers prefer rather than deleting warranties from consumer contracts. Hence, policymakers should be concerned more with reducing supracompetitive prices than with “improving” contract quality.
Antibacterial properties of several drug categories

Several drugs of various pharmacological classes were tested for antimicrobial activity by the agar diffusion technique and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) estimation. Among them diclofenac sodium, haloperidol, meclastine fumarate, chlorpromazine, chlorimipramine and promethazine were the more active.
Precision tracking of driving wave forms for inertial reaction devices

Inertial reaction devices (also referred to as impact drive, or slip-stick devices) enable nano/micro resolution positioning over macroscopic ranges. Such positioning devices are characterized by the displacement of a mass by utilizing stick-slip phenomena between the mass and the device’s actuators. The displacement of the actuator (i.e., the driving wave form) is chosen such that the mass sticks to the actuator and is displaced with the actuator during the first tracking phase, and the mass slips with respect to the actuator during the second retrace phase during which the actuator’s position is reset. However, as the driving wave form’s frequency is increased to operate an inertial-reaction device at high speed, induced mechanical vibrations prevent accurate actuator positioning and thereby, limit the maximum achievable operating speed. In this article, the actuator dynamics is modeled and iteratively inverted to find the input that compensates for the induced mechanical vibrations. This inversion-base...
Prevalence of floppy eyelid syndrome in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

Objectives To determine the prevalence of floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) in obstructive sleep apnea–hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and to develop a method to measure eyelid laxity. Design Masked cross-sectional (prevalence) study examining patients referred to the Mayo Sleep Disorders Center. Participants and/or Controls Fifty-nine subjects were examined before undergoing polysomnography. Forty-four subjects had OSAHS, and 15 did not have it. Testing Subjects underwent slit-lamp examination and eyelid laxity measurements, followed by polysomnography. Main Outcome Measures Presence of FES as defined by subjectively easy eyelid eversion, tarsal papillary conjunctivitis, and lash ptosis; force required to displace the upper lid 5 mm, as measured by a strain gauge device; number of apnea or hypopnea episodes per hour (apnea–hypopnea index [AHI]); presence of OSAHS, as defined by an AHI of ≥5; and abnormalities on electrocardiography. Results One patient with OSAHS was found to have FES, yielding a prevalence of 2.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.1%–12.0%). One patient was referred to the Sleep Disorders Center due to a diagnosis of FES; if this patient were included, the prevalence would be 4.5% (95% CI: 0.5%–15.1%). Subjectively easy lid eversion was more common in OSAHS patients than in non-OSAHS patients. When adjusted for age and body mass index, there was a trend for association between subjectively easy lid eversion and OSAHS, but this did not reach statistical significance. Subjectively easy lid eversion was associated with AHI. Force required to displace the upper lid 5 mm was lower in lids with subjectively easy eversion, but was not associated with OSAHS or AHI. Intraclass correlation among 3 strain gauge measurements was good for both right (82%) and left (83%) lids. There were no statistically significant differences in frequency of electrocardiographic abnormalities among the various groups. Conclusions The prevalence of FES among OSAHS patients is low. Patients with subjectively easy upper lid eversion are at risk for OSAHS. By recognizing the potential for OSAHS in these patients, the ophthalmologist may play an important role in initiating their evaluation and treatment.
The keyword method and children's vocabulary learning: An interaction with vocabulary knowledge

Abstract Fifth-grade students with either high or low levels of vocabulary knowledge were taught a list of new vocabulary words according to the mnemonic keyword method. The children were randomly assigned either to one of three keyword instructional conditions that varied in the degree of structure provided by the experimenter, or to a no-strategy control condition. All three variations of the keyword method facilitated students' vocabulary learning. Aptitude × treatment interactions involving vocabulary knowledge materialized, however, such that the degree of keyword method structure made far less of a difference for the high knowledge students than it did for the lows. In particular, when the children had to execute the dual components of the keyword method entirely on their own, low vocabulary knowledge students experienced considerably more difficulty than did highs.
Identity development as a lens to science teacher preparation

Concepts and findings from research on identity development are employed tobetterunderstandwhycurrentscienceteacherpreparationprogramsarefailingtoprepare teachers who are able and choose to implement the vision for science education articulated in professional standards. Identity theory is used as a theoretical lens to make sense of and better address some of the unique challenges of becoming a reform-minded science teacher, a professional identity that does not reflect the common norm in the profession; these challenges include the emotional risk and possible need for "repair work," lack of familiarity with and buy-in into complex practices of inquiry, and the need for opportunities to participate in competent practice and have this participation acknowledged. Two basic design principles for science teacher preparation are identified as a result of this analysis: (a) the need to create safe places and scaffolded ways for beginning science teachers to try on and develop their identities as reform-minded science teachers, which may include capitalizing on the unique opportunities of practice teaching in out-of-school contexts; and (b) the need to offer opportunities to be recognized, by self and others, as reform-minded teachers through ongoing, structured, and supported reflection. C
The organization and animal-vegetal asymmetry of cytokeratin filaments in stage VI Xenopus oocytes is dependent upon F-actin and microtubules.

Abstract Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy with anti-cytokeratin antibodies revealed a continuous and polarized network of cytokeratin (CK) filaments in the cortex of stage VIXenopusoocytes. In the animal cortex, CK filaments formed a dense meshwork that both was thicker and exhibited a finer mesh than the network of CK filaments previously observed in the vegetal cortex (Klymkowskyet al.,1987). CK filaments first appeared in association with germinal vesicle (GV) and mitochondrial mass (MM) of oocytes in early mid stage I, indicating that CK filaments are the last of the three cytoskeletal networks to be assembled. By late stage I, CK filaments formed complex networks surrounding the GV, surrounding and penetrating the MM, and linking these networks to a meshwork of CK filaments in the oocyte cortex. During stage III–early IV, CK filaments formed a highly interconnected, apparently unpolarized, radial array linking the perinuclear and cortical CK filament networks. Polarization of the CK filament network was observed during mid stage IV–stage V, as first the animal, then the vegetal CK filament networks adopted the organization characteristic of stage VI oocytes. Treatment of stage VI oocytes with cytochalasin B disrupted the organization of both cortical and cytoplasmic CK filaments, releasing CK filaments from the oocyte cortex and inducing formation of numerous cytoplasmic CK filament aggregates. CB also disrupted the organization of cytoplasmic microtubules (MTs) in stage VI oocytes. Disassembly of oocyte MTs with nocodazole resulted in loss of the characteristic A–V polarity of the cortical CK filament network. In contrast, disruption of cytoplasmic CK filaments by microinjection of anti-CK antibodies had no apparent effect on cytoplasmic or MT organization. We propose a model in which the organization and polarization of the cortical network of CK filaments in stage VIXenopusoocytes are dependent upon a hierarchy of interactions with actin filaments and microtubules.
Prioritized multihypothesis tracking by a robot with limited sensing

To act intelligently in dynamic environments, mobile robots must estimate object positions using information obtained from a variety of sources. We formally describe the problem of estimating the state of objects where a robot can only task its sensors to view one object at a time. We contribute an object tracking method that generates and maintains multiple hypotheses consisting of probabilistic state estimates that are generated by the individual information sources. These different hypotheses can be generated by the robot's own prediction model and by communicating robot team members. The multiple hypotheses are often spatially disjoint and cannot simultaneously be verified by the robot's limited sensors. Instead, the robot must decide towards which hypothesis its sensors should be tasked by evaluating each hypothesis on its likelihood of containing the object. Our contributed algorithm prioritizes the different hypotheses, according to rankings set by the expected uncertainty in the object's motion model, as well as the uncertainties in the sources of information used to track their positions. We describe the algorithm in detail and show extensive empirical results in simulation as well as experiments on actual robots that demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Extraction of estrogens by the hind limb of the dog. Evidence for entry into the lymphatics.

Substantial extrasplanchnic metabolism of estrogens is known to occur in humans and dogs. As part of an investigation into the anatomic sites of such metabolism, the extraction of estrogens by the hind limb of the dog was studied during a constant infusion of [3H]estrone. Simultaneous femoral artery (A) and femoral vein (FV) plasma samples were obtained and analyzed for total radioactivity, unconjugated and conjugated radioactivity, for [3H]estrone and for its metabolites estradiol-17β, estrone sulfate and estrone glucosiduronate. The percent extraction across the hind limb was calculated [100(1-FV/A)]. The mean percent extraction ± SE of total, conjugated and unconjugated radioactivity was 31 ± 3.9, 27 ± 4.4 and 16 ± 3.7 respectively, indicating significant net uptake of these moieties by the hind limb (P<.01). Mean percent extractions ± SE for estrone and estradiol-17β were 40 ± 4.9 and 32 ± 2.7, indicating significant net uptake of these specific unconjugated estrogens by the hind limb (P<.01). The mean percent extraction of estrone glucosiduronate was 16 ± 3.1 indicating significant net uptake of this conjugate (P<.01). However, the mean percent extraction of estrone sulfate was negative (−12 ± 4.1) indicating net production of this conjugate by the hind limb (P<.01). Since the net uptake of total radioactivity cannot be explained on the basis of metabolism by the hind limb, the lymphatics were investigated as an alternate efferent pathway. In similar experiments the thoracic duct was cannulated, the estrogens in lymph were analyzed and compared with those in femoral artery plasma. Each estrogen measured in plasma appeared in lymph within 10 minutes following the start of the [3H]estrone infusion. The lymph/femoral artery concentration ratios reached a plateau at 70–100 minutes after the start of the infusion. The plateau concentrations were 20–70% of those in plasma. It is suggested that removal of estrogens in the lymph may account, in part at least, for the net uptake of total radioactivity across the hind limb calculated from the plasma data.
Pretransplant evaluation of a patient with acute intermittent porphyria.

The pretransplant evaluation of a patient with a rare diagnosis requires knowledge of the pathophysiology and the transplant literature. A 55-year-old man presented with hypertensive kidney failure and the clinical diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria. Complications of acute intermittent porphyria, which is a defect of heme production, are due to the accumulation of heme intermediates often precipitated by medications. Based on animal data, cyclosporine is considered unsafe in patients with acute intermittent porphyria. As part of the pretransplant evaluation, the patient received separate trials of tacrolimus and cyclosporine, which did not stimulate his acute intermittent porphyria. Four months after a kidney transplant, the patient still had no signs of rejection or symptoms of acute intermittent porphyria. This is the first documented patient with acute intermittent porphyria who successfully received a kidney transplant using tacrolimus. Because of individual variations, pretransplant testing of...
Regulators of the Bacillus subtilis cydABCD Operon: Identification of a Negative Regulator, CcpA, and a Positive Regulator, ResD

The cydABCD operon of Bacillus subtilis encodes products required for the production of cytochrome bd oxidase. Previous work has shown that one regulatory protein, YdiH (Rex), is involved in the repression of this operon. The work reported here confirms the role of Rex in the negative regulation of the cydABCD operon. Two additional regulatory proteins for the cydABCD operon were identified, namely, ResD, a response regulator involved in the regulation of respiration genes, and CcpA, the carbon catabolite regulator protein. ResD, but not ResE, was required for full expression of the cydA promoter in vivo. ResD binding to the cydA promoter between positions -58 and -107, a region which includes ResD consensus binding sequences, was not enhanced by phosphorylation. A ccpA mutant had increased expression from the full-length cydA promoter during stationary growth compared to the wild-type strain. Maximal expression in a ccpA mutant was observed from a 3'-deleted cydA promoter fusion that lacked the Rex binding region, suggesting that the effect of the two repressors, Rex and CcpA, was cumulative. CcpA binds directly to the cydA promoter, protecting the region from positions -4 to -33, which contains sequences similar to the CcpA consensus binding sequence, the cre box. CcpA binding was enhanced upon addition of glucose-6-phosphate, a putative cofactor for CcpA. Mutation of a conserved residue in the cre box reduced CcpA binding 10-fold in vitro and increased cydA expression in vivo. Thus, CcpA and ResD, along with the previously identified cydA regulator Rex (YdiH), affect the expression of the cydABCD operon. Low-level induction of the cydA promoter was observed in vivo in the absence of its regulatory proteins, Rex, CcpA, and ResD. This complex regulation suggests that the cydA promoter is tightly regulated to allow its expression only at the appropriate time and under the appropriate conditions.
The Relationship Between Several Environmental Factors and the Density of European Chafer Larvae in Permanent Pasture Sod

The European chafer, Amphimallon niajalis (Razoumnowsky) (Scarabaeidae) is an introduced pest of turf which has become established in several areas in New York, Connecticut, and West Virginia. The largest of these infested areas include major portions of Wayne, Ontario, and Monroe Counties, New York. The larvae of the European chafer feed primarily on fibrous root systems and often cause considerable damage to stands of grasses and winter grains. The adults, which are active (luring June and July, do not feed. They emerge from the soil at sunset, fly to trees, mate, and return to the soil before sunrise. With the exception of these adult nocturnal flights, the entire life cycle is completed in the soil. In New York, one year is normally required for development from egg to adult. There are 3 larval instars, with the 3rd instar larva being the usual overwintering stage. Burrage and Gyrisco (1954a, 1954b) have demonstrated that the larvae of the European chafer are not distributed at random in permanent l)asture sod. The (listribution of the larvae more closely approximated a negative binomial than a Poisson series, indicating that there is more clustering of larvae in the soil than would be expected if they were distributed at random. Some of this clustering probably arises because, although deposited singly, the eggs are laid in small groups in the soil. Clustering also could be attril)utal)le to environmental factors which might produce differences in the suitability or accessibility to the European chafer of different areas within a field. Certain of these factors have been investigated by Gyrisco et al. (1954), who found that areas in fields kept fallow or covered by tall grass contained fewer larvae than areas having a short grass cover. They noted also that larval infestations were usually light in poorly drained locations. In the course of sampling studies conducted between 1949 and 1958, several environmental
The benefits to Caribbean Basin countries from the U.S. CBI tariff eliminations

Abstract The Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act eliminates U.S. tariffs on many exports of countries in the Caribbean Sea and Central America. This paper estimates the short-run effects of these tariff eliminations on the export earnings and economic welfare of the beneficiary countries. It is found that the tariff eliminations increase annual export earnings of beneficiaries by at most $81 million and provide annual welfare gains to these countries of $15 million to $24 million. The benefits are concentrated in agricultural products (particularly sugar, beef, and tobacco) and in products assembled from U.S. components for export to the United States (particularly electronic equipment). The countries that benefit most are the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Guatemala.
Intraspecific agonistic interactions of squilla empusa (crustacea: stomatopoda)

Mantis shrimp are benthic, predatory marine crustaceans that have complex agonistic interactions. These crustaceans are divided into two functional groups based on the morphology and use of their raptorial appendage: smashers and spearers. Most research on the agonistic behaviours of mantis shrimp has focused on smasher species and on contests between asymmetrical and same-sex individuals. No studies have investigated the intersexual and intrasexual interactions of size-matched spearer individuals. I conducted a laboratory experiment using Squilla empusa, a spearer that lives in the Gulf of Mexico, to determine if agonistic differences exist between males and females. The results suggest that (1) although threat displays are rare in both males and females, male aggressive interactions involving physical contact are common, (2) males engage in more aggressive behaviours and interactions than do females, (3) females are less aggressive toward both males and females than males are toward males and females; interactions involving females are usually passive, non-striking, whereas interactions involving males can result equally in a strike or passive behaviour, (4) males are more aggressive than females, and (5) an increase in the number of treatment individuals resulted in an increase in the number of interactions. The behaviours of Squilla empusa are compared with literature reports concerning other species of mantis shrimp. The differences in habitat, feeding method, vision, and burrow type may explain the differences between smashers and spearer agonistic behaviours.
Interactions of antiglucocorticoids with glucocorticoid receptors

Abstract Six known or potential antiglucocorticoids were used as steroid probes in a competitive binding assay to elucidate the binding specificity of the agonist sites of four different rat glucocorticoid receptors. The object was to determine whether the binding of this class of steroids was particularly sensitive to subtle differences between these sites. Cytosolic extracts of heart, pancreas, kidney and liver were evaluated. The order of competitive potency for the first three preparations was found to be medroxyprogesterone > deoxycorticosterone > progesterone > R-5020 > cortexolone > 17-hydroxyprogesterone. The order for the glucocorticoid receptor of liver, on the other hand, was R-5020 > progesterone > deoxycorticosterone > medroxyprogesterone > cortexolone > 17-hydroxyprogesterone. Although this partial reversal of specificity could reflect a difference in the agonist site of the liver receptor, mixing experiments, in which cytosolic extracts of liver were incubated with kidney cytosol extracts, demonstrated that the liver cytosol contained an additional factor that could change the apparent specificity of the kidney glucocorticoid receptor. This factor was stable at 0°C for at least 18 h, heat-labile and non-dialyzable. These results suggest that the liver receptor's specificity may actually be the same as the other three, but appears to be different in this type of assay because of this additional factor. It is concluded that since the binding specificity of these four receptors for agonists and antagonists is so similar that their agonist sites are most likely identical.
Nuclear Progestin Receptors in Normal and Malignant Human Endometrium

Abstract A nuclear progestin receptor assay was developed for human endometrium using [3H]medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). MPA is a better ligand than progesterone since it does not bind to corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) and imparts greater kinetic stability to the nuclear complex. Thus, the rate of dissociation of the MPA nuclear receptor complex was slower than that with progesterone. The MPA nuclear receptor complex for malignant endometrium, however, dissociated at a faster rate than did the complex obtained from normal endometrium. This unexpected alteration in binding kinetics could not be explained by instability of the receptors from malignant endometrium. Factors which could influence the interpretation of the receptor assay were systematically evaluated. They included radiation therapy, plasma proteins, endogenous steroids, receptor degradation, tissue heterogeneity, and limited sample size. This assay was employed to measure receptor concentrations in samples from women with normal and...
When Your Son Becomes Your Daughter: A Mother's Adjustment to a Transgender Child:

This article applies the theory of self-psychology, developed initially by Heinz Kohut and more recently adapted to brief treatment and counseling the mother of an individual who underwent male to ...
Derivation and application of the reciprocity relations for radiative transfer with internal illumination

A Green's function formulation is used to derive basic reciprocity relations for planar radiative transfer in a general medium with internal illumination. Reciprocity (or functional symmetry) allows an explicit and generalized development of the equivalence between source and probability functions. Assuming similar symmetry in three-dimensional space, a general relationship is derived between planar-source intensity and point-source total directional energy. These quantities are expressed in terms of standard (universal) functions associated with the planar medium, while all results are derived from the differential equation of radiative transfer.
SU-E-T-446: Evaluation of the Dosimetric Properties of a Diode Detector to Proton Radiosurgery

Purpose: To test the PTW PR60020 proton dosimetry diode in radiation fields relevant to proton radiosurgery applications and evaluate its suitability as a high resolution, real time dosimetry device. Methods: Data was collected using our standard nominal radiosurgery energies of 126 MeV and 155 MeV through a single stage scattering system, corresponding to a range of 9.7 and 15 cm in water respectively. Various beam modulations were tested as part of this study. Depth dose and beam profile measurements were completed with the PTW PR60020 dosimetry diode with comparative measurements using a PTW Markus ionization chamber and EBT2 Gafchromic film. Monte Carlo simulations were also completed for comparison. Results: The single 1 mm{sup 2} by 20 μm thick sensitive volume allowed for high spatial resolution measurements while maintaining sufficient sensitive volume to ensure that measurements could be completed without excessive beam delivery. Depth dose profiles exhibited negligible LET dependence which typically impacts film and other solid state dosimetry devices, while beam ranges measured with the PTW diode were within 1 mm of ion chamber data. In an edge on arrangement beam profiles were also measured within 0.5 mm full-width at half-maximum at various depths as compared to film and simulationmore » data. Conclusion: The PTW PR60020 proved to be a very useful radiation metrology apparatus for proton radiosurgery applications. Its waterproof and rugged construction allowed for easy deployment in phantoms or water tanks that are commonly used in proton radiosurgery QA. Dosimetrically, the diode exhibited negligible LET dependence as a function of depth, while in edge on arrangement to the incident proton beam it facilitated the measurement of beam profiles with a spatial resolution comparable to both Monte Carlo and film measurements. This project was sponsored in part by funding from the Department of Defense (DOD# W81XWH-BAA-10-1)« less
Growing Older in Special Olympics: Meaning and Benefits of Participation—Selected Case Studies

As the population of persons with intellectual disabilities continues to age and to increase, so, too, has Special Olympics witnessed the growth of numbers of adults who have remained involved for years and are now in their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Data from 2005 showed 44.9% of Special Olympians in North America to be age 22 or older (Lenox, 2007). Recent studies of motives and benefits of participation (Farrell, Crocker, McDonough, & Sedgwick, 2004; Goodwin, Fitzpatrick, Thurmeier, & Hall, 2006) have noted issues related to the maturing of athletes. Case studies of three adult Special Olympians were used to explore meaning and benefits (8 categories) of participation. Adult athletes were selected to represent different stages of adulthood and differing health conditions. Age-related changes for parents were also noted. Similar to previous research, athletes confirmed the importance of benefits such as fitness, sport skills, friendships, and competition. Practical implications for coaches and administrators...
Transport in two-dimensional maps: concepts, examples, and a comparison of the theory of Rom-Kedar and Wiggins with the Markov model of MacKay, Meiss, Ott, and percival

Abstract We consider the problem of transport across partial barriers in the phase space of two-dimensional maps. We study examples illustrating the recent transport theory of Rom-Kedar and Wiggins and provide a detailed comparison with the Markov model of transport across partial barriers developed by MacKay, Meiss, and Percival and Meiss and Ott.
Use of a radiopaque localizer grid to reduce radiation exposure

Minimally invasive spine surgery requires placement of the skin incision at an ideal location in the patient's back by the surgeon. However, numerous fluoroscopic x-ray images are sometimes required to find the site of entry, thereby exposing patients and Operating Room personnel to additional radiation. To minimize this exposure, a radiopaque localizer grid was devised to increase planning efficiency and reduce radiation exposure. The radiopaque localizer grid was utilized to plan the point of entry for minimally invasive spine surgery. Use of the grid allowed the surgeon to accurately pinpoint the ideal entry point for the procedure with just one or two fluoroscopic X-ray images. The reusable localizer grid is a simple and practical device that may be utilized to more efficiently plan an entry site on the skin, thus reducing radiation exposure. This device or a modified version may be utilized for any procedure involving the spine.
Chronic hyperalgesia induced by repeated acid injections in muscle is abolished by the loss of ASIC3, but not ASIC1.

Clinically, chronic pain and hyperalgesia induced by muscle injury are disabling and difficult to treat. Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying chronic muscle-induced hyperalgesia are not well understood. For this reason, we developed an animal model where repeated injections of acidic saline into one gastrocnemius muscle produce bilateral, long-lasting mechanical hypersensitivity of the paw (i.e. hyperalgesia) without associated tissue damage. Since acid sensing ion channels (ASICs) are found on primary afferent fibers and respond to decreases in pH, we tested the hypothesis that ASICs on primary afferent fibers innervating muscle are critical to development of hyperalgesia and central sensitization in response to repeated intramuscular acid. Dorsal root ganglion neurons innervating muscle express ASIC3 and respond to acidic pH with fast, transient inward and sustained currents that resemble those of ASICs. Mechanical hyperalgesia produced by repeated intramuscular acid injections is prevented by prior treatment of the muscle with the non-selective ASIC antagonist, amiloride, suggesting ASICs might be involved. ASIC3 knockouts do not develop mechanical hyperalgesia to repeated intramuscular acid injection when compared to wildtype littermates. In contrast, ASIC1 knockouts develop hyperalgesia similar to their wildtype littermates. Extracellular recordings of spinal wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons from wildtype mice show an expansion of the receptive field to include the contralateral paw, an increased response to von Frey filaments applied to the paw both ipsilaterally and contralaterally, and increased response to noxious pinch contralaterally after the second intramuscular acid injection. These changes in WDR neurons do not occur in ASIC3 knockouts. Thus, activation of ASIC3s on muscle afferents is required for development of mechanical hyperalgesia and central sensitization that normally occurs in response to repeated intramuscular acid. Therefore, interfering with ASIC3 might be of benefit in treatment or prevention of chronic hyperalgesia.
Non-US Firms' Accounting Standard Choices

Abstract My study investigates the factors associated with non-US firms voluntarily reporting financial information prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standards (IAS) or United States (US) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US-GAAP). Documenting the factors associated with non-US firms' disclosures of IAS or US-GAAP financial information is important in that many equity market regulators are now allowing, or considering allowing, registrants to report under alternative sets of accounting standards. The annual reports of 211 non-US firms listed with the London Exchange are examined to determine firms' disclosure of IAS or US-GAAP financial information. Using multivariate logit regression, I found systematic differences in firm characteristics associated with non-US firms disclosing IAS or US-GAAP financial information rather than or in addition to financial information prepared in accordance with their domestic generally accepted accounting principles (domestic-GAAP). The results are consistent with the hypotheses that non-US firms are more likely to disclose IAS or US-GAAP financial information as their shares trade in more equity markets. In addition, I found that firms are more likely to disclose IAS or US-GAAP financial information when by doing so they can provide more standardized financial information relative to the information generated via their domestic-GAAP. I also found that firms are more likely to report IAS financial information when they participate in seasoned equity offerings and when US-GAAP requires more accounting policy changes relative to what is required under firms' domestic-GAAPs. These results suggest that non-US firms report IAS financial information to receive some benefits of providing more standardized financial information at costs less than what are incurred to implement US-GAAP.
A catalogue of isohormones of human growth hormone based on quantitative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

With the growing recognition that all polypeptide hormones exist in heterogeneous forms, i.e., isohormones, this study represents the initial development of a comprehensive catalogue of the various isohormone species of human growth hormone (hGH) in relation to molecular structure. The catalogue is based primarily on results obtained in quantitative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) in a multiphasic buffer system optimized for characterization of hGH. Thus, hGH forms can be recognized in objective, numerical terms based on physicochemical parameters of molecular size and net charge. Isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gel; and PAGE in sodium dodecyl sulphate in the presence and absence of reducing agents supplement the quantitative PAGE criteria. Specific hGH immunoreactivity is necessary to completely distinguish hGH from hormones of similar size and charge properties (prolactin and chorionic somatomammotrophin). In the examination of eight standard hGH preparations obtained from four laboratories, all preparations exhibited multiple isohormone species, from two to five components per preparation. These identifiable components appear to represent the predominant species of a bidirectional continuum of hGH components, the continuum being in regard to both molecular size and charge. Within any given preparations, the continuum presents itself as a series of identifiable "charge isomers". Between preparations, in addition, there are size differences as well, which may relate to conformational changes (unfolding) in some preparations.
The Pet Relationship Impact Inventory

Pets are an essential aspect of many families. The present article introduces the Pet Relationship Impact Inventory questionnaire developed by the author. Theoretical input concerning the role of pets in the home concludes the article.
Chronic Ethanol Administration Impairs Degradation of Formaldehyde‐Treated Albumin by the Perfused Rat Liver

Nonparenchymal cells of the liver appear to be important in the pathogenesis of various liver diseases, including that caused by ethanol. It is known that chronic ethanol administration impairs the process of receptor-mediated endocytosis in hepatocytes. Liver endothelial cells are also actively endocytic cells, playing a prominent role in the clearance from the circulation of a variety of macromolecules. In this study, we assessed the effect of ethanol administration on this "scavenger" function of liver endothelial cells by measuring the degradation of formaldehyde-treated albumin in isolated, perfused livers of ethanol-fed rats. Rats were pair-fed for 1 or 4 weeks with a liquid diet containing either ethanol as 36% of total calories or an isocaloric amount of carbohydrate. Chronic ethanol administration in this manner for 1 or 4 weeks significantly impaired the degradation of this endothelial cell ligand (by 60 +/- 9% and 37 +/- 9%, respectively). Liver perfusions were also performed on rats that had been administered ethanol acutely or in which ethanol was added to the perfusate. No acute effect of ethanol on the degradation of this ligand was seen. These results demonstrate that chronic ethanol ingestion impairs receptor-mediated endocytosis of formaldehyde-treated albumin by liver endothelial cells, indicating that the adverse effects of ethanol on protein trafficking within the liver are not limited to the hepatocytes.
FastSies: a fast stochastic integral equation solver for modeling the rough surface effect

In this paper we describe several novel sparsification techniques used in a fast stochastic integral equation solver to compute the mean value and the variance of capacitance of 3D interconnects with random surface roughness. With the combination of these numerical techniques, the computational cost has been reduced from O(N/sup 4/) to O(Nlog/sup 2/(N)), where N is the number of panels used for the discretization of nominal smooth surfaces. Numerical experiments show that the proposed numerical techniques are accurate and efficient.
How many different ways do patients meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder

There are 227 possible ways to meet the symptom criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, symptom occurrence is not random, and some symptoms co-occur significantly beyond chance. This raises the questions of whether all of the theoretically possible different ways of meeting the MDD criteria actually occur in patients, and whether some combinations of criteria are much more common than others. More than 1500 patients who met DSM-IV criteria for MDD at the time of the evaluation were interviewed with semi-structured interviews. The patients met the MDD symptom criteria in 170 different ways. Put another way, one-quarter (57/227) of the criteria combinations did not occur. The most frequent combination was the presence of all 9 criteria (10.1%, n = 157). Nine combinations (all 9 criteria, 3 of the 8-criterion combinations, 4 of the 7-criterion combinations, and one 6-criterion combination) were present in more than 2% of the patients, together accounting for more than 40% of the diagnoses. The polythetic definition of MDD, which requires a minimum number of criteria from a list, results in significant diagnostic heterogeneity because there are many different ways to meet criteria. While there is significant heterogeneity amongst patients meeting the MDD diagnostic criteria, a relatively small number of combinations could be considered as diagnostic prototypes as they account for more than 40% of the patients diagnosed with MDD.
Prostaglandin production by corpora lutea of rhesus monkeys: characterization of incubation conditions and examination of putative regulators.

Prostaglandins (PGs) are produced by the corpus luteum (CL) of many domestic and laboratory species and may play a role in CL regulation. The production of PGs by luteal tissue of the rhesus monkey has yet to be clearly elucidated. The production of PGE2, PGF�, and 6-keto-PGF1� by CL from rhesus monkeys and the incubation conditions (time and cell number) that permit assessment of their synthesis were examined. CL (n 3 per characterization) were surgically removed from nonpregnant monkeys during the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (‘--P8-10 days after ovulation). Luteal tissue was dissociated and the cells were incubated at varying concentrations for increasing periods of time at 37#{176}C. Subsequent to defining incubation conditions, various exogenous factors were examined for their potential to modify PG production. Indomethacin, calcium ionophore, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), estradiol-1 7f3 (E2), progesterone (P), testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and 1-4-6 androstatriene-3, 1 7-dione (ATD) were incubated with luteal cells in increasing doses. PG and P concentrations in the medium were determined by radioimmunoassay. PGs in the medium after 6 h incubation were detectable at all cell concentrations tested (50,000, 100,000, 200,000 cells! tube). Concentrations of PGs and P increased with cell number (p<0.05). Luteal cells (50,000 cells/tube) were incubated for times of 0-24 h. Concentrations of P, PGE2, and PGF,� in the medium were relatively low prior to incubation (0 h), increased (p<0.05) linearly within the first 6-12 h, and plateaued through the remaining 24 h. A similar pattern was observed for concentrations of 6-keto-PGF1�. Incubation times of 6-12 h were deemed appropriate for subsequent studies as they provided PG concentrations detectable and above baseline (0 h). Indomethacin, a PG-synthesis inhibitor, decreased concentrations of PGs in the medium in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). The highest dose of indomethacin prevented any increase in concentrations of PGs above the levels prior to incubation. There was no effect on P concentrations. Conversely, hCG had no effect on PG production but stimulated Pproduction in a dose-dependent manner (p< 0.05). Calcium ionophore, a stimulator of PG synthesis, increased PGF�, PGE2 (p<0.01), and 6-keto-PGF1a (p<0.05) in a dose-dependent manner. Other hormones (T, P, E2, DHT, A TD) did not influence P and PG production, and thus had no acute effect on luteal function in vitro. The observations made in this study substantiate that the CL of the rhesus monkey synthesizes PGs. Further studies are necessary to identify and define the roles that luteal PGs may play in the regulation of the primate CL.
Health care utilization among homebound elders: does caregiver burden play a role?

Objectives:To describe informal caregiver and patient characteristics associated with high caregiver burden in homebound elders and to examine associations between high caregiver burden and patient health care utilization at the practice level. Method: We used a cross-sectional and prospective cohort design to study 214 caregiver-patient dyads in a home-based primary care program. Results: Informal caregivers with the highest burden were more likely to help with more activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living and spend >40 hr/week in caregiving. Patients whose caregivers experienced the highest burden were more likely to be non-White males without 24-hr paid homecare. There were no significant independent associations between high burden and high calls, high visits, or social work involvement. Discussion: In this medically complex and highly dependent population, further study of how families and other caregivers impact health care utilization is needed.
A unified signal processing and machine learning method for detection of abnormal heart beats using Electrocardiogram

In this paper, a unified signal processing and machine learning method to automatically process Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal for classification of heartbeat type is presented. The method is divided into three stages: signal processing and transformation, feature extraction, and classification. The method can classify a beat into one of eight classes. Thirty features are extracted from time and frequency domains of ECG signal. The data are obtained from MIT/BIH arrhythmia database. The classification results are found to have high accuracy of classification (99.73%). When compared to previously reported algorithms, the method exhibit great performance. The approach plays an important role in a decision support system for early detection of arrhythmias, which can greatly help in planning and timing of resuscitation.
Antipredator responses to skin extract of redbelly dace, Phoxinus eos, by free-ranging populations of redbelly dace and fathead minnows,Pimephales promelas

Fishes in the superorder Ostariophysi possess specialized epidermal cells that contain a chemical alarm cue. The alarm cue is released when the skin is damaged during a predatory attack. Therefore, the cue serves as a reliable indicator of predation risk to nearby conspecifics and ecologically similar heterospecifics with which it shares predators. Antipredator behavior in response to these alarm cues has been demonstrated in numerous studies in confined spaces (laboratory aquaria, field traps, fluvarium). When tested on a natural field population however, behavioral response has been inconsistent. Here, we expose free-ranging redbelly dace and fathead minnows to skin extract of redbelly dace and record their behavioral response with an underwater video camera. We observed avoidance of areas in which skin extract was introduced, but no avoidance of areas in which water (control) was introduced. These data confirm the ecological function of skin extract in mediating predator–prey interactions in aquatic habitats, and argue against the hypothesis that alarm reactions are an artifact of confined spaces.
A heated absorption cell for studying infrared absorption bands.

A 1-m length absorption cell has been designed for observation of ir absorption spectra of gases at high temperatures. The design allows use of windows of NaCl, KBr, etc., which have a tendency to cleave when subjected to temperature variations. The absorption spectrum of HCl37 at temperatures in excess of 800°C revealed more than twenty-five previously unobserved lines in the 1–0 band of this molecule. Some molecule constants of HCl37 have been evaluated. Usefulness of the cell in work connected with other molecular problems has been indicated.
Primary Care for Adolescents with Developmental Disabilities

Disability is a natural part of the human experience. To maximize potential, adolescents with disabilities require multidisciplinary transition planning and life-skill training. Health care professionals can reduce barriers to accessing health care. They can encourage self-determination and connect patients to self-advocacy organizations. They can facilitate smooth transitions to adult health care services. Careful descriptions of a patient's baseline traits and function are critical, not only to assist in person centered planning processes, but to ensure that new caregivers and clinicians have the information they need to recognize changes in function or behavior that can signal illness.
Capacity of social networks in wireless environments

We study capacity of social networks when nodes communicate in a wireless environment. Such hybrid networks that are combination of wireless communication and social networks are defined as composite networks. Each node has at least one local contact in each of four directions of the network area and q(n) independent long-range contacts, one of which is selected as the destination. We study the throughput capacity for such networks containing n nodes assuming the same number of social contacts for all nodes. The nodes communicate using multi-hop communications through relaying the packet to one of their local contacts until the packet reaches the destination. The distance between source and its long-range social contacts follows power law distribution with parameter α. The order capacity is derived and compared for different values of α and q(n).