cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical usefulness and safety of routine intraoperative angiography for patients and personnel.

OBJECTIVE: The routine use of intraoperative angiography (IA) is still surrounded by controversy. We prospectively performed lAs in consecutive patients undergoing surgery for aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and dural arteriovenous fistulae. We calculated the percentage of identified residual pathologies, the cases requiring further surgical intervention, and the complication rates associated with the procedure. We also recorded radiation dose received by personnel during IA for comparison with elective procedures. If our review supported the routine use of IA, recommendations should be tempered by radiation dose to personnel regarding whether or not annual exposure would go beyond recommended limits and whether or not radiation doses indicate a need for specialized operating rooms. METHODS: Two hundred and four consecutive lAs were performed on 191 patients over a 2-year period. Angiographic findings were reviewed retrospectively and noted for additional interventions. Complications related to IA were recorded. Radiation doses received by personnel and fluoroscopy times were compiled from 18 lAs. Mean dose/minutes in intraoperative procedures was compared with mean dose/minutes of a separate cohort of 15 elective angiograms (Student's t test). RESULTS: Twenty-three percent of lAs revealed relevant findings. Clip repositioning or additional clip placement was performed in 8% of the patients. Resection of residual arteriovenous malformations or additional surgery for residual arteriovenous shunting in dural arteriovenous fistulae was performed in 2% of the patients. Fewer than 1% of the patients received intra-arterial verapamil or topical papaverine. The complication rate was less than 1%. The mean dose per procedure for physicians was 1.018 microsieverts (uSv) versus 0.988 uSv for technicians (P = 0.94). The mean effective dose/minutes in the angiogram suite was 0.9209 uSv/minute versus 1.213 uSv/minute in the operating room (P = 0.33). CONCLUSION: IA identifies a significant number of pertinent findings during open neurovascular surgery, half of which require additional intervention. It is associated with a low complication rate. Radiation dose received by personnel per procedure is negligible. IA radiation dose is not different from dose in the angiogram suite; thus, specialized operating rooms may not be necessary. These data support routine intraoperative angiography in open surgeries for neurovascular disorders.
Phylogeny, historical biogeography, and patterns of diversification for Pinus (Pinaceae): Phylogenetic tests of fossil-based hypotheses

Abstract Pines comprise one of the largest coniferous genera, are distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and have an abundant fossil record. Distributions of fossils have been used to derive a three-step hypothesis of early pine evolution, which postulates a Mesozoic origin for the genus, east–west expansions across Laurasia, and retraction into Eocene refugia. Here, we present phylogenetic tests of this hypothesis using chloroplast sequence data from four loci for 83 pine species. We used the fossil-based hypothesis to derive null expectations concerning monophyly of taxonomic groups, dates of cladogenesis, and patterns of diversification. Phylogenetic analyses using several algorithms subsequently provided rigorous tests of these expectations. Our inferred phylogenies illustrated broad congruence with taxonomic groups, but highlighted consistent problems within subgenus Strobus. Estimated minimum dates of divergence derived from relaxed clock methods were largely consistent with the fossil record and yielded a date for the ingroup node of Pinus of 128 ± 4 mya, depending upon the calibration used for subgenus Pinus. Ancestral area reconstructions showed Pinus to have most likely originated in Eurasia. Major clades differed in biogeographic patterns, but were consistent with the fossil-based hypothesis. We found weak support, however, for a change in diversification rate in the Eocene as interpretations of fossil distributions would have predicted.
Nuclear DNA variation in spider monkeys (Ateles).

Phylogenetic relationships based on DNA sequence variation for the aldolase A intron V nuclear genomic region were evaluated and compared to phylogenies based on mitochondrial DNA sequence variation among spider monkeys (Ateles). Samples of Ateles ranging from Central America throughout the Amazon Basin were sequenced to determine phylogenetic relationships among geographically widely distributed populations. Analysis of nuclear DNA sequences using parsimony, maximum-likelihood, and genetic distance analyses produced similar phylogenies. Four previously proposed monophyletic species of spider monkeys were: (1) Ateles paniscus, composed of haplotypes from the northeastern Amazon Basin; (2) A. belzebuth, found in the western and southern Amazon Basin; (3) A. hybridus, located primarily along the Magdalena River valley of Colombia; and (4) A. geoffroyi, including all haplotypes found in the Choco region of South America and throughout Central America. The nuclear phylograms were analyzed based on associated bootstrap support and confidence probabilities. Support from the nuclear DNA genome was less robust than support from the mitochondrial DNA data, most likely due to a level of sequence variation, which was 90% less than that of the mitochondrial DNA genome. Nuclear DNA congruencies with mitochondrial DNA-based phylogenies, as supported by the incongruence length difference and winning sites tests, provide further support for the suggested revisions in Ateles taxonomy that are contradictory to long-held taxonomies based on pelage variation.
Complete sequence of a mariner transposable element from the predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis isolated by an inverse PCR approach

Degenerate primers designed and synthesized based on two conserved regions of the mariner transposase open reading frame were used to amplify a 454 bp DNA fragment from M. occidentalis. Two inverse primers were then synthesized and used to amplify flanking genomic DNA fragments from M. occidentalis by a ligation-mediated inverse PCR. The complete mariner element (Moc1) was 1284 bp long, including the imperfect 28 bp inverted terminal repeat sequences, and shared 59% similarity to an active 1286 bp long D. mauritiana mariner element (Mos1). Insertions, deletions and substitutions were observed in the Moc1 sequence at several positions. No intact open reading frame was detected and the Moc1 element is considered inactive. Stringent Southern blot hybridizations revealed at least twelve copies of mariner sequences similar to Moc1 in the colonies tested.
Physical modeling observations of wave velocity and apparent attenuation in isotropic and anisotropic two-phase media

We study wave propagation through isotropic and anisotropic scatterer distributions in order to observe azimuthal variations in velocity and apparent attenuation. Using thin aluminum plates as physical models, we obtained seismograms for compressional and shear wave propagation through heterogeneous media. Three random distributions of scatterers are studied: circular scatterers in isotropic distributions (modeling circular scatterers), elongated scatterers in isotropic distributions (modeling randomly oriented elliptical scatterers), and elongated scatterers in anisotropic distributions (modeling aligned elliptical scatterers). All scatterers had approximately the same cross-sectional area and were filled with epoxy in order to reduce the impedance contrast. In addition to seismograms recorded for no scatterers, seismograms were recorded for several scatterer volume fractions. Azimuths were measured relative to the long axis of the aligned elongated scatterers. Velocities were calculated using travel times and phase shifts at low frequencies. The velocities measured from the data were compared to simple low-frequency average-velocity theories based on thin lamellae or on distributions of penny-shaped cracks. The apparent attenuation for different scatterer distributions was computed using spectral ratios.
Parent‐Only Treatment for Childhood Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Parent-only (PO) treatments for childhood obesity are feasible, more cost-effective and potentially easier to disseminate. The objective of this study was to determine whether a PO treatment is not inferior to a parent + child (PC) treatment for childhood obesity. Eighty parent-child dyads with an 8-12 year old overweight or obese child (>85th BMI-P) were recruited and randomized into PO or PC treatment for childhood obesity. Parents or parent-child dyads attended 5-month treatment groups. Child and parent body size, child caloric intake, and child physical activity were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-months follow-up. Noninferiority testing using mixed linear models was used to compare PO treatment with PC treatment. Results showed that the PO group was not inferior to the PC group in terms of child weight loss. Results also showed that the PO group was not inferior to the PC group in terms of parent weight loss and child physical activity, but not child caloric intake. This study suggests that a PO treatment could provide similar results to PC in child weight loss and other relevant outcomes, and potentially could be more cost-effective and easier to disseminate. Although further research is needed, this study suggests that PO groups are a viable method for providing childhood obesity treatment.
Nonlinear effects in the site blocking induced oscillations in the catalytic reaction of CO oxidation

Higher order nonlinear effects of the site blocking induced oscillations in the Monte Carlo simulations of CO oxidation are outlined. It is shown that the rate equations accounting for these effects display a supercritical Hopf bifurcation.
Salt marsh sediment and metal fluxes in response to rainfall

We applied simulated rainfall to a salt marsh surface to mimic the effects of a low-tide summer storm, and we collected runoff and sediment transported to the downslope end of the 1- × 2-m plot. Sediment concentration (SC), discharge, and rainfall rate were assessed in the field, and sediment metal contents were analyzed in the lab (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Ag, Cd, Al, Sn, Hg, Tl, and Pb). SC peaked at 6100 mg L–1 after 3 min and remained within a quasi-steady range for 16 min. Time series of metal contents were highly variable, but most were elevated relative to the background content by a factor of 4–4000. Up-scaling the plot results indicates that a single storm may mobilize 4.8–8.4 tonnes km–2 min–1 of sediment, or up to 96–168 tonnes yr–1. We used the observed metal contents on the order of 0.1–200 μg g–1 to estimate the annual loading of heavy metals that occurs in the larger subtidal channels, fed by intertidal creeks draining the salt marsh. This study highlights the importance of low-tide salt marsh rainfall-runoff processes as an intraestuarine material cycling process and shows that rainfall-entrained sediment is a potentially large nonpoint source of metals to benthic and aquatic ecosystems.
Race-Ethnicity and Culture in the Family and Youth Outcomes: Test of a Path Model with Korean American Youth and Parents.

This study examined the interplay of parental racial–ethnic socialization and youth multidimensional cultural orientations to investigate how they indirectly and directly influence youth depressive symptoms and antisocial behaviors. Using data from the Korean American Families Project (220 youths, 272 mothers, and 164 fathers, N = 656), this study tested the relationships concurrently, longitudinally, and accounting for earlier youth outcomes. The main findings include that racial–ethnic socialization is significantly associated with mainstream and ethnic cultural orientation among youth, which in turn influences depressive symptoms (but not antisocial behaviors). More specifically, parental racial–ethnic identity and pride discourage youth mainstream orientation, whereas cultural socialization in the family, as perceived by youth, increases ethnic orientation. These findings suggest a varying impact of racial–ethnic socialization on the multidimensional cultural orientations of youth. Korean language proficiency of youth was most notably predictive of a decrease in the number of depressive symptoms concurrently, longitudinally, and after controlling for previous levels of depressive symptoms. English language proficiency was also associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms, implying a benefit of bilingualism.
Triptans: Where Things Stand

Triptans, selective serotonin receptor agonists, were developed almost 20 years ago and represented a major breakthrough in the treatment of acute migraine attacks. Since then, the triptans have become first-line agents for most patients with migraine, both with and without aura, unless contraindicated. This article reviews the development of triptans, discusses reasons for their success or failure, and examines the limitations and controversies surrounding this class of medication.
Program solves N-job, M-machine sequencing problem

Abstract The objective of this program is to find a schedule that minimizes the completion time (make-span) of all jobs, and in so doing it also minimizes the idle time on the last machine in a flow shop problem.
A New Automatic Constant Current Stimulator and Its Biological Applications

An instrument capable of constant current stimulation of biological preparations is described. The device can be automatically programmed in an on-line manner by a digital computer or special purpose logic. Experiments are freed of the time consuming and error producing task of continually monitoring experimental situations. Several biological uses of this instrument are discussed.
What software engineering can do for computational science and engineering

It is becoming increasingly common for scientists and engineers to use software simulations to replace dangerous or expensive experimentation. In other domains, such as earth science, experiments may not be particularly dangerous or expensive, but take so long that it is more efficient for scientists and engineers to use software simulations instead of performing direct experimentation. Because of this heavy reliance on the results of software simulations, it is vital for the software to produce accurate results. To help ensure accurate results, software should be correctly designed and implemented. In more general applications, software engineering (SE) researchers and practitioners have developed practices that help developers design their software and implement those designs.
Barriers to clinical trials: Part II: Knowledge and attitudes of potential participants

The reasons why less than 3% of cancer patients receive treatment in a clinical trial are complex and multiply determined. Because an individual cannot sign herself into a research study, an understanding of the doctor-patient interaction must be considered in addition to individual patient dynamics. Patients may be concerned that a physician's primary allegiance is to the requirements of the trial, not the specific health needs of the individual. Physicians may worry about the effects that placing an individual in a trial will have on the special doctor-patient relationship. Specific psychologic factors that may make a patient reluctant to enter a trial include self-protectiveness, time and travel constraints, concern about the quality of research versus clinical care, the nature of the informed consent, and worry about the usual low level priority assigned to quality-of-life issues in biomedical research. Enrollment in and adherence to investigative research may be served better by the construction of studies that combine questions about both medical outcome and impact of treatment on patient quality of life. Individuals who require high levels of personal control, want to feel they are a high priority with their physician, and need frequent feedback about results are not likely to be good candidates for investigative research.
Adhesion-induced instabilities in elastic and elastic–plastic contacts during single and repetitive normal loading

Abstract Adhesive interaction in spherical contacts was modeled with the Lennard-Jones (L-J) potential. Elastic adhesive contact was analyzed by the equivalent system of a rigid sphere with reduced radius of curvature and a half-space of effective elastic modulus. The critical gap at the instant of abrupt surface contact (jump-in) and separation (jump-out) was determined from the deformed surface profile of the elastic half-space and geometrical relationships. A finite element model of a rigid sphere and an elastic–plastic half-space was used to examine elastic–plastic adhesive contact. Surface adhesion was modeled by nonlinear springs with a force–displacement relationship governed by the L-J potential. The evolution of the interfacial force and the central gap distance as well as the occurrence of jump-in and jump-out instabilities were investigated in terms of the Tabor parameter, plasticity parameter, and dimensionless maximum normal displacement. The force–displacement response due to several approach–retraction cycles was interpreted in the context of elastic and plastic shakedown behaviors using dimensionless parameters.
Determination of the structure of ordered adsorbed layers by analysis of LEED spectra

Abstract Recent work on the structure of ordered overlayers of chalcogens on nickel is reviewed, and discussed as a convincing example of the use of LEED intensity spectra for surface structure determination. Guidelines are suggested for successful application of LEED to surface structure, and the special suitability of the muffin-tin potential for the LEED calculation is brought out. The model of the complex crystal potential used for the calculation, and the systematic determination of the four parameters of the model from the data for clean Ni are described. The application to chalcogen overlayers is illustrated by the case of c(2 × 2)S and c(2 × 2)O on Ni(001) surfaces, and the correspondence between experiment and theory is exhibited for the intensity versus energy spectra of 1 2 1 2 beams. The correspondence is close and detailed; the complex shapes of broad features are reproduced and the average of the magnitude of the deviation between peaks in measured and calculated spectra is less than 2 eV, whereas the accidental correspondence of two spectra is shown to fluctuate around 4 eV. The observed values of the bond lengths of O, S, Se, Te on Ni are shown to be plausible on the basis of the covalent radii and the expected deviations from them. Results for other surfaces and other structures are tabulated. In all cases but one [O/Ni(110)] the chalcogen occupies sites that the next layer of Ni atoms would use.
Racemic (1,4-dioxan-2-yl)diphenylmethanol.

The title compound, C17H18O3, prepared by microwave irradiation of benzophenone and dioxane, crystallizes in a racemic mixture that forms one-dimensional chains via strong hydrogen bonding of the hy­droxy group to the adjacent symmetry-generated 1,4-dioxan-2-yl group; the O—H⋯O distance is 1.99 (3) A and the O—H⋯O angle is 160 (2)°.
Effect of ERCP Utilization and Biliary Complications on Post-Liver-Transplantation Mortality and Graft Survival

Background Biliary complications after liver transplant are a frequent source of morbidity. However, little recent mortality data exists related to endoscopic management of these complications.
Advances and challenges of computing with FPGAs

The primary challenges in reconfigurable computing relate to ease of use. The usual approach to mapping an application for execution on an FPGA has been equivalent to laborious RTL design. The research presented in this talk will highlight our experimentation with techniques for improving the ease of use of reconfigurable devices on a variety of fronts and for a wide range of computing tasks. This research has been driven by a few major application areas, including tasks in computer system simulation and a set of compute intensive tasks drawn from signal processing in radio astronomy and data-processing in systems biology.
Activity Rhythms and Light Intensity Preferences of Micropterus salmoides and M. dolomieui

Abstract Activity rhythms and light intensity preferences of largemouth (Micropterus salmoides) and smallmouth (M. dolomieui) black basses were investigated in laboratory experiments designed to elucidate aspects of niche separation between these sympatric congeners. Both species exhibited crepuscular activity, but M. salmoides also showed a mid-day activity peak. M. dolomieui avoided bright light, and their peak activity periods occurred at the beginning and end of the dark periods. Activity of M. salmoides was much more depressed during the dark periods, and rose sharply at the onset of light periods. Activity records in constant light conditions showed these activity rhythms to be endogenous.
Signaling and Election Motivations in a Voting Model with Common Values and Responsive Candidates

In this paper we focus on strategic voting behavior when both an election and a signaling motivation affect voters' behavior. We analyze a model of elections with two candidates competing on a one-dimensional policy space. Voters are privately and imperfectly informed about a common shock affecting the electorate's preferences. Candidates are assumed to choose policy in response to information gleaned from election results and according to exogenous factors that may lead to polarization in candidates' policy choices. We analyze a subset of symmetric equilibria in which strategies are symmetric to candidates' names and private signals (CSS equilibria). We show that signaling and election motivations pull voters to vote in different directions. We provide conditions that show the relation between the amount of information aggregated in the election and the motivation that influences voting behavior the most. Finally, we show that when candidates are responsive and polarized, all CSS equilibria are inefficient in the limit.
Formal support for certificate management policies

Traditionally, creation and revocation of certificates are governed by policies that are carried manually, off-line, by trusted agents. This approach to certificate management is appropriate for many current applications, where these policies cannot be verified automatically (e.g. require verification of non-digital credentials). But it is expensive, time consuming and error-prone for the growing class of applications where certificate management policies can be formalized and carried out automatically. We argue that, in these cases, creation and revocation of certificates could be viewed as any other on-line service available in a system. Access to these particular service instances could be regulated much in the same manner as file access or resource allocation. This paper proposes a formulation for certification and revocation policies, and a framework for their support. In this framework, certificate management policies are enforced by generic policy engines, wrapped around certification authorities and revocation servers. The proposed framework is easy to deploy, requiring no modifications of current public-key infrastructure (PKI). Moreover, we show that this framework is quite affordable, even in its present, experimental stage.
Information measures, effective complexity, and total information

This article defines the concept of an information measure and shows how common information measures such as entropy, Shannon information, and algorithmic information content can be combined to solve problems of characterization, inference, and learning for complex systems. Particularly useful quantities are the effective complexity, which is roughly the length of a compact description of the identified regularities of an entity, and total information, which is effective complexity plus an entropy term that measures the information required to describe the random aspects of the entity. Mathematical definitions are given for both quantities and some applications are discussed. In particular, it is pointed out that if one compares different sets of identified regularities of an entity, the ‘best’ set minimizes the total information, and then, subject to that constraint, minimizes the effective complexity; the resulting effective complexity is then in many respects independent of the observer. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Some remarks on tensor differentiation

The Jacobian of classical tensor analysis is generalized to a transformation operator containing second derivatives. This operator and the Jacobian may be used to formulate a second order tensor calculus. In this calculus, a simple contraction scheme includes as special cases Lie differentiation, the Lie bracket, covariant differentiation, and differentiation with respect to the tensor connections of Bompiani.
An Infinite Dimensional Distributed Base Controller for Regulation of Flexible Robot Arms

An exponentially stable variable structure controller is presented for regulation of the angular displacement of a one-link flexible robot arm, while simultaneously stabilizing vibration transient in the arm. By properly selecting the sliding hyperplane, the governing equations which form a nonhomogenous boundary value problem are converted to homogenous ones, and hence, analytically solvable. The controller is then designed based on the original infinite dimensional distributed system which, in turn, removes some disadvantages associated with the truncated-model-base controllers. Utilizing only the arm base angular position and tip deflection measurements, an on-line perturbation estimation routine is introduced to overcome the measurement imperfections and ever-present unmodeled dynamics. Depending on the composition of the controller, some favorable features appear such as elimination of control spillovers, controller convergence at finite time, suppression of residual oscillations and simplicity of the control implementation. Numerical simulations along with experimental results are provided to demonstrate and validate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
Developments of a force image algorithm for micromachined optical bend loss sensor

A flexible high-resolution sensor capable of measuring the distribution of both shear and pressure at the plantar interface are needed to study the actual distribution of this force during daily activities, and the role that shear plays in causing plantar ulceration. We have previously developed a novel means of transducing plantar shear and pressure stress via a new microfabricated optical system. However, a force image algorithm is needed to handle the complexity of construction of two-dimensional planar pressure and shear images. Here we have developed a force image algorithm for a micromachined optical bend loss sensor. A neural network is introduced to help identify different load shapes. According to the experimental result, we can conclude that once the neural network has been well trained, it can correctly identify the loading shape. With the neural network, our micromachined optical bend loss Sensor is able to construction the two-dimensional planar force images.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nicotine and/or Cocaine Alters Postnatal Ventilatory Control in the Rat Pup Gestationally Exposed

Nicotine and/or Cocaine Alters Postnatal Ventilatory Control in the Rat Pup Gestationally Exposed
Determinants of salaries earned: Comparisons of black and white healthcare managers

We develop and test a model of salaries attained for four groups of healthcare executives: white males (n=216); black males (n=124), white females (n=249) and black females (n=139). We show that blacks are not earning as much as whites and that females of either race are earning less than males. Three sets of predictors are evaluated: individual achievements; access to employment by certain types of healthcare organizations; and treatment within the employing organization. Individual attainments, such as years of experience, predict higher salaries in all four groups. Only black males benefit from having taken a specialized degree in healthcare management. Also, supervision of whites within the employing organization raises the salaries of all groups except white females. Hospital employment, and private-sector employment play only an indirect role in salaries achieved by blacks in this 1991 survey.
Adaptive motion estimation using local measures of texture and similarity

Traditional approaches to the estimation of motion in video sequences have relied on the appropriate selection of various algorithm parameters. This dependence becomes a prohibitive drawback in applications where automation is desirable or necessary or in sequences where a single set of parameters can not achieve sufficiently accurate results. We investigate a number of techniques for locally adapting both the spatio-temporal filters and the hierarchical structure used in the estimation of optical flow. The surviving technique utilizes projected active contours and gradient-based Chamfer distance images to adapt the filters and a temporally-based Kolmogorov-Smirnov metric to locally adapt the hierarchical structure. The advantages of using these adaptive variations are demonstrated on articulated and self-occluding motion.
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and its deceivers.

Summary There is a myriad of disorders that can mimic ADHD. Often parents or teachers, through their own investigation, will determine the diagnosis for their child's school problems as ADHD, when in fact, the difficulties are unrelated to ADHD. A carefully taken history, observation, and interaction with the child are needed. An evaluation of the school situation will help to indicate if the child's primary problem is behavioral, academic, medical, psychiatric, social, or attentional. Psychologic and educational testing is necessary to completely delineate the child's problems and needs. The greatest service that a physician can give children with academic problems is to approach each child in a systematic, scientific, and professional manner to determine the best treatment for the child and to demonstrate the most favorable outcome.
Smoothing splines using compactly supported, positive definite, radial basis functions

In this paper, we develop a fast algorithm for a smoothing spline estimator in multivariate regression. To accomplish this, we employ general concepts associated with roughness penalty methods in conjunction with the theory of radial basis functions and reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces. It is shown that through the use of compactly supported radial basis functions it becomes possible to recover the band structured matrix feature of univariate spline smoothing and thereby obtain a fast computational algorithm. Given n data points in R 2, the new algorithm has complexity O(n 2) compared to O(n 3), the order for the thin plate multivariate smoothing splines.
Incomplete Cd8+ T Lymphocyte Differentiation as a Mechanism for Subdominant Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Responses to a Viral Antigen

CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) recognize antigen in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. Class I epitopes have been classified as dominant or subdominant depending on the magnitude of the CTL response to the epitope. In this report, we have examined the in vitro memory CTL response of H-2d haplotype murine CD8+ T lymphocytes specific for a dominant and subdominant epitope of influenza hemagglutinin using activation marker expression and staining with soluble tetrameric MHC–peptide complexes. Immune CD8+ T lymphocytes specific for the dominant HA204-210 epitope give rise to CTL effectors that display activation markers, stain with the HA204 tetramer, and exhibit effector functions (i.e., cytolytic activity and cytokine synthesis). In contrast, stimulation of memory CD8+ T lymphocytes directed to the subdominant HA210-219 epitope results in the generation of a large population of activated CD8+ T cells that exhibit weak cytolytic activity and fail to stain with the HA210 tetramer. After additional rounds of restimulation with antigen, the HA210-219–specific subdominant CD8+ T lymphocytes give rise to daughter cells that acquire antigen-specific CTL effector activity and transition from a HA210 tetramer–negative to a tetramer-positive phenotype. These results suggest a novel mechanism to account for weak CD8+ CTL responses to subdominant epitopes at the level of CD8+ T lymphocyte differentiation into effector CTL. The implications of these findings for CD8+ T lymphocyte activation are discussed.
Breach of Trust: Valuing Financial Service Firms in the Post-Crisis Era

Valuing banks, insurance companies and investment banks has always been difficult, but the market crisis of 2008 elevated the concern to the top of the list of valuation issues. The problems with valuing financial service firm stem from two key characteristics. The first is that the cash flows to a financial service firm cannot be easily estimated, since items like capital expenditures, working capital and debt are not clearly defined. The second is that most financial service firms operate under a regulatory framework that governs how they are capitalized, where they invest, how much they can pay in dividends and how fast they can grow. Changes in the regulatory environment can create large shifts in value. In this paper, we confront both factors. We argue that financial service firms are best valued using equity valuation models, rather than enterprise valuation models, and with actual or potential dividends, rather than free cash flow to equity. The two key numbers that drive value are the cost of equity, which will be a function of the risk that emanates from the firm’s investments, and the return on equity, which is determined both by the company’s business choices as well as regulatory restrictions. We also look at how relative valuation can be adapted, when used to value financial service firms.
Repair, Revision, and Complexity in Syntactic Analysis: An Electrophysiological Differentiation

One of the core aspects of human sentence processing is the ability to detect errors and to recover from erroneous analysis through revision of ambiguous sentences and repair of ungrammatical sentences. In the present study, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to help identify the nature of these processes by directly comparing ERPs to complex ambiguous sentence structures with and without grammatical violations, and to simpler unambiguous sentence structures with and without grammatical violations. In ambiguous sentences, preference of syntactic analysis was manipulated such that in one condition, the structures agreed with the preferred analysis, and in another condition, a nonpreferred but syntactically correct analysis (garden path) was imposed. Nonpreferred ambiguous structures require revision, whereas ungrammatical structures require repair. We found that distinct ERPs reflected different characteristics of syntactic processing. Specifically, our results are consistent with the idea that a positivity with a posterior distribution across the scalp (posterior P600) is an index of syntactic processing difficulty, including repair and revision, and that a frontally distributed positivity (frontal P600) is related to ambiguity resolution and/or to an increase in discourse level complexity.
Requirement of cortical actin organization for bombesin, endothelin, and EGF receptor internalization

The role of actin organization in occupancy-induced receptor internalization remains poorly defined. Here we report that treatment of mouse Swiss 3T3 cells with latrunculin A, a potent inhibitor of...
Novel Weissenberg effects

We have observed two novel manifestations of the Weissenberg effect in viscoelastic liquids which are set into motion by the rotation of a circular rod. In the first experiment we floated a layer of STP on water. The STP climbs up the rod into the air and down the rod into the water. The ‘down-climb’ is much larger than the ‘up-climb’, their ratio being roughly the square root of the density difference (STP-air)/ (water–STP). The magnification of the down-climb may be regarded as normal-stress amplification. [dagger] The magnitudes of the up- and down-climbs are simultaneously in good agreement with the predictions of a theory of rod climbing when the angular frequency of the rod is small. In the second experiment, we set the rod into torsional oscillations. When the amplitude of the oscillation is small, the fluid climbs the rod; the climb is divided into an axisymmetric steady mean part and an oscillating part (Joseph 1976b; Beavers 1976). The mean axisymmetric climb dominates the total climb at low frequencies. At a higher critical speed the axisymmetric climbing bubble loses its stability to another time-periodic motion with the same period but with a ‘flower’ pattern displaying a certain integral number of petals.
Orbital excitation blockade and algorithmic cooling in quantum gases

A type of interaction blockade that occurs for ultracold atoms confined to an optical lattice may offer a means of reducing the temperature and, thus, entropy of quantum gases to the level necessary for quantum simulation. This work demonstrates an atom-number-sensitive blockade mechanism with potential applications in condensed matter physics and quantum information processing. Blockade can occur when strong interactions in a confined few-body system prevent a particle from occupying an otherwise accessible quantum state. The authors observe a new form of interaction blockade for ultracold atoms in optical lattices, which they term orbital excitation blockade. In this system, a single atom on a lattice site can be excited to a higher orbital by resonantly modulating the lattice depth. But when two atoms occupy the same site, interactions between them lead to orbital-dependent energy shifts. Therefore, modulation at an appropriate frequency to excite one atom to the higher orbital is off-resonant for exciting the second, which is 'blocked'. The effect is used here to demonstrate algorithmic cooling with ultracold atoms, potentially important for reaching the ultralow entropies required for quantum simulation. In addition, orbital excitation blockade could enable the implementation of quantum gates in optical lattices. Interaction blockade occurs when strong interactions in a confined, few-body system prevent a particle from occupying an otherwise accessible quantum state. Blockade phenomena reveal the underlying granular nature of quantum systems and allow for the detection and manipulation of the constituent particles, be they electrons1, spins2, atoms3,4,5 or photons6. Applications include single-electron transistors based on electronic Coulomb blockade7 and quantum logic gates in Rydberg atoms8,9. Here we report a form of interaction blockade that occurs when transferring ultracold atoms between orbitals in an optical lattice. We call this orbital excitation blockade (OEB). In this system, atoms at the same lattice site undergo coherent collisions described by a contact interaction whose strength depends strongly on the orbital wavefunctions of the atoms. We induce coherent orbital excitations by modulating the lattice depth, and observe staircase-like excitation behaviour as we cross the interaction-split resonances by tuning the modulation frequency. As an application of OEB, we demonstrate algorithmic cooling10,11 of quantum gases: a sequence of reversible OEB-based quantum operations isolates the entropy in one part of the system and then an irreversible step removes the entropy from the gas. This technique may make it possible to cool quantum gases to have the ultralow entropies required for quantum simulation12,13 of strongly correlated electron systems. In addition, the close analogy between OEB and dipole blockade in Rydberg atoms provides a plan for the implementation of two-quantum-bit gates14 in a quantum computing architecture with natural scalability.
Subacute Effusive-Constrictive Pericarditis

Clinical and hemodynamic observations are reported in 13 patients who demonstrated a distinct pathophysiologic form of compressive pericardial disease characterized by effusion into a free pericardial space associated with constriction of the heart by the visceral pericardium. The pericardial disease was idiopathic (nine patients) or subsequent to radiotherapy (four patients), with a maximal duration of symptoms of 16 months. Enlarged heart shadow, prominent paradoxical pulse, predominant systolic dip in the venous pressure pulse, and absence of atrial fibrillation were features that tended to distinguish the effusive-constrictive cases from those with noneffusive chronic constrictive pericarditis. The value of pressure measurements during combined cardiac catheterization and pericardiocentesis is emphasized in the differentiation of effusive-constrictive pericarditis from cardiac tamponade without constriction. Four patients were observed to progress through an effusive-constrictive phase to noneffusive ...
Government and Science: A Troubled, Critical Relationship and What Can Be Done about It

The U.S. government–science relationship, which helped win World War II, put a man on the moon, unravel the human genome, and nurture economic growth, is troubled. Money is one reason. However, far more than funding, the tensions between government and science are about politics and policy management. Many scientists and their allies argue that the Bush administration has crossed the line separating appropriate control of information from political interference. That is, there has been a “politicization of science.” This essay examines the current debate about politicization in historical context; discusses the tensions among scientists, politicians, and administrators; and suggests possible ways to strengthen the government–science partnership in the future.
Progressive collapse resistance of steel-concrete composite floors

This paper discusses the progressive collapse resistance of steel-concrete composite floors in which steel beams are attached to columns through shear tabs. This is a common type of system used for the gravity bay portions of steel buildings. The study is conducted using computational simulation models validated through extensive comparisons to disparate test data. The models are used to investigate key parameters influencing the robustness of generic composite floors subjected to the removal of a center column. In particular, the effects of deck thickness, steel reinforcement, and the numbers of bolts in the shear tab connection on the behavior of the system are studied as a function of the loading scheme. The simulation results show that the majority of collapse resistance comes from the steel deck and that, for the system considered, increasing connection strength by adding more bolts might not be that beneficial in increasing overall collapse strength. The dynamic impact factor, which is widely used to account for dynamic effects within a static design framework, is also computed and the DIF value recommended in existing design guidelines is evaluated.
Formation and Degradation of Cobalt Dioxygen Complexes

The extensive literature dealing with cobalt dioxygen complexes has been summarized in several reviews 1–6 The earliest known synthetic dioxygen complex is probably the decamminedicobalt dioxygen adduct described by Werner and Myelius7in 1889. Forty years later Tsumaki 8 discovered the oxygen complexing properties of cobalt Schiff bases. This work was followed up through extensive investigations by Calvin and coworkers9–14 and Diehl etal.15 These studies established the fact that oxygen may be reversibly bound by the cobalt(II) complexes of tetradentate and pentadentate Schiff bases formed by diamines and triamines with salicylaldehyde and its derivatives. Later work by Basolo and coworkers, and others, extended Schiff bases to include those of acetylacetone and analogous compounds.3 These complexes form in solution, sometimes with an appropriate axial base as an auxiliary ligand, or in the solid state. A typical binuclear cobalt complex is illustrated by formula 1 for the Schiff base ligand “fluomine”. For this complex, and for all the dioxygen complexes described in this paper, the Co3+-O2 or Co3+-ō-ō-co3+ formalism is employed for convenience, although it realized that dioxygen complexes involve more or less stable intermidiate states between Co2+-dioxygen, and Co3+-superoxide or 2Co3+-peroxide systems.
The Effect of Context on the L2 Thinking for Speaking Development of Path Gestures

Author(s): Lewis, Tasha N | Abstract: Different languages inherently present different thinking for speaking patterns, targeting different meaning components for expression. Previous research has demonstrated that second language learners largely tend transfer their first language thinking for speaking pattern to their second language, however, this paper presents evidence to the contrary. Second language learners studying in the target language country demonstrate an unexpected thinking for speaking pattern. The data indicate that learners mainly use second language gesture patterns related to path when communicating in the second language. The findings also support the notion that there are considerable linguistic benefits to study abroad that include more than just second language verbal developments; they also consist of the subtler aspects of language such as second language gesture usage.
Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Dulaglutide in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Analyses of Data from Clinical Trials

Dulaglutide is a long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist administered as once-weekly subcutaneous injections for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The clinical pharmacokinetics of dulaglutide were characterized in patients with T2D and healthy subjects. The pharmacokinetics of dulaglutide were assessed throughout clinical development, including conventional pharmacokinetic analysis in clinical pharmacology studies and population pharmacokinetic analyses of data from combined phase 2 and phase 3 studies in patients with T2D. The effects of potential covariates on dulaglutide population pharmacokinetics were evaluated using nonlinear mixed-effects models. Dulaglutide gradually reached the maximum concentration in 48 h and had a terminal elimination half-life of 5 days. Steady state was achieved between the second and fourth doses. The accumulation ratio was 1.56 for the 1.5 mg dose. Intra-individual variability estimates for the area under the plasma concentration–time curve and the maximum concentration were both <17 % [coefficient of variation (CV)]. There was no difference in pharmacokinetics between injection sites (arm, thigh or abdomen). Dulaglutide pharmacokinetics were well described by a two-compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination. The population clearance was estimated at 0.126 L/h [inter-individual variability (CV) 33.8 %]. Age, body weight, sex, race and ethnicity did not influence dulaglutide pharmacokinetics to any clinically relevant degree. The pharmacokinetics of dulaglutide support once-weekly administration in patients with T2D. The pharmacokinetic findings suggest that dose adjustment is not necessary on the basis of body weight, sex, age, race or ethnicity or site of injection.