cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flexible Exchange Rates and Commodity Price Changes: The Case of Japan

Although agricultural commodities are often assumed to have flexible prices, little has been done to estimate exchange rate pass-through. Perfect commodity arbitrage opportunities imply complete pass-through; imperfect opportunities could lead to incomplete pass-through. Analysis of commodity price and exchange rate adjustments for five commodities exported to Japan by the United States reveals that during the 1970s, commodity prices were generally flexible. During the 1980s, when the dollar was rising, price stickiness on the part of exporters/importers contributed to inflexible prices and asymmetric exchange rate response. Specifically, an exchange rate increase was passed through for some commodities but not a decline.
Stabilization of Enzyme Immobilized in Temperature-sensitive Hydrogels

β-Galactosidase was immobilized in a crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide) hydrogel which exhibits an LCST(lower critical solution temperature) behavior. The hydrogel collapses above the LCST, and expands below the LCST. The temperature-dependent phase transition was around 37 °C. The stability of immobilized enzyme was investigated at different temperatures which allow different degrees of collapse in the hydrogel matrix. It was hypothesized that the immobilzed enzyme is more stable in the collapsed matrix due to the physical restraint imposed on the enzyme entrapped.
Water flow and solute mass flux in heterogeneous porous formations with spatially random porosity

The impact of the spatial variability of porosity on the solution of the flow equation is investigated using standard first-order perturbation analysis. We use existing theories of flow in heterogeneous media and incorporate spatially varying porosity that may or may not be correlated to the hydraulic conductivity. The first-order analysis shows that longitudinal velocity covariance and its cross covariance with the log-conductivity and head fields are significantly affected by porosity variability with increase or decrease in the magnitude of the covariance if there is a correlation between porosity and conductivity. In the absence of any correlation, only longitudinal velocity covariance is affected, but to a much lesser extent and with an increase in the velocity variance. In some cases where porosity variability is only one order of magnitude lower than that of the conductivity, the impact is so strong that it reverses the sign of the longitudinal velocity-head cross covariance. Transverse velocity covariance and its cross covariance with other flow quantities are not affected by porosity variability. The analytical results are confirmed by Monte Carlo simulations in terms of general patterns and porosity effects. The consequences of these results for transport processes are explored using the solute flux approach. The solute discharge and mass flux across an arbitrary control plane are strongly affected by porosity variability only when it is correlated to conductivity. The mean solute discharge is equally affected in both absolute and relative dispersion frameworks. The solute discharge variance computed within the absolute dispersion framework is more influenced by porosity variability than that computed within the relative dispersion framework. Accounting for the two-particle correlation of travel time and transverse displacement renders the effect of porosity variability less significant than when this correlation is dropped from the formulation of the point solute flux variance.
Devic disease: clinical course, pathophysiology, and management

Devic disease is characterized by an attack or attacks of optic neuritis and necrotizing myelitis without clinical or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of brain involvement or presence of oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). More than a century after its first systematic study by the French physician, Eugene Devic, its cause as well as its pathogenesis, remains unknown. Devic disease is both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to clinicians. The authors present the latest review on the nature, course, possible mechanisms, and therapeutic options of Devic disease.
Immunosuppressive Agents on the Horizon

The evolution of immunosuppression in organ transplantation has resulted in decreasing rates of rejection and improved allograft survival. The current successes, however, comes at the price of intense drug monitoring, frequent adverse affects, and long-term toxicity. New immunosuppressive agents offer the hope for decreased toxicity and improved long-term results. This article highlights those novel agents that are currently in late-stage clinical studies including new calcineurin inhibitor analogs and formulations, mycophenolate acid sodium, everolimus, FK-778, FTY720, and various monoclonal antibodies. The diverse mechanisms of action of these agents, coupled with promising efficacy and adverse effect profiles, may land each of them a unique niche for immunosuppression in organ transplantation.
Operation of terahertz quantum cascade lasers above 160 K covering a frequency range of 2-4 THz

The development of terahertz quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) has progressed significantly in the past ten years. Widely different types of QCLs have been demonstrated covering a frequency range from 1:2 THz to 5 THz (when operating without the existence of an external magnetic field). Improvement of operating temperatures of terahertz QCLs is one of the primary goals to make such devices viable for important terahertz applications. Some of the best techniques to obtain high operating temperatures have relied on electron-phonon scattering assisted depopulation. This paper reviews terahertz QCLs operating in a frequency range of 1:4 THz to 4:7 THz with such design schemes. Operation above a temperature of 160 K has been obtained across a broad range of frequencies from 1:8 THz - 4:3 THz. While the temperature degradation mechanisms are still not completely understood, it is speculated that collisional broadening of subbands may result in degradation of resonant tunneling transport at higher temperatures, which is critical to establishing population inversion in the QCL structure. The recently developed scattering-assisted injection techniques may mitigate subband broadening effects at higher temperatures, which is supported by experimental results. Further advances in the active region design as well as choice of different materials for growth and design of superlattices may result in even higher operating temperatures for terahertz QCLs.
Estrogen Enhances Proliferative Capacity of Cardiac Fibroblasts by Estrogen Receptor- and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase-Dependent Pathways

The role of female hormones in the prevalence of cardiac diseases are recognized but not fully explored. Proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts, the cellular origin of the extracellular matrix proteins, growth factors and cytokines in the heart, is an important underlying mechanism in the pathophysiological remodeling of the myocardium. In this study, we have investigated the effect of estrogen (17 beta-estradiol) on proliferative capacity of cardiac fibroblasts obtained from adult female rat heart. DNA synthesis, as determined by incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA, increased in estrogen-treated cells. In the presence of tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen with high affinity for estrogen receptor. 17 beta-estradiol-induced stimulation of DNA synthesis was abolished. Alpha-estradiol, a stereo-isomer which does not bind the estrogen receptor, did not change DNA synthesis. In the presence of a synthetic inhibitor of MAP kinase pathway. PD98059, estrogen failed to stimulate DNA synthesis. In-gel kinase assays showed rapid and transient increased phosphorylation of MAP kinase substrate, myelin basic protein (MBP), at 42 and 44 kDa by 17 beta-estradiol, which was not observed in the presence of PD98059 and tamoxifen, not induced by alpha-estradiol and persisted in the absence of protein kinase C. In vitro kinase assay confirmed 17 beta-estradiol-induced activation of ERK1 and ERK2, with predominant effect on ERK2 in cardiac fibroblasts. The results of immunofluorescent light microscopy using anti-type alpha and beta estrogen receptor antibodies showed the expression of estrogen receptor types alpha and beta in control untreated cells, and indicated that type beta receptor is the predominant type with both cytoplasmic and nuclear localization. 17 beta-estradiol treatment of cardiac fibroblasts induced the translocation of receptor protein to the nuclei. Together, these data provide evidence that cardiac fibroblasts are cellular targets for direct effects of estrogen, and that this hormone enhances proliferative capacity of cardiac fibroblasts via estrogen receptor- and MAP kinase-dependent mechanisms. These data further suggest that estrogen, by its growth-enhancing effects in cardiac fibroblasts, can regulate the remodeling of the extracellular matrix and alter the microenvironment of cardiac cells, and hence exert an impact on the integrity of myocardial function.
Recent developments in psychosocial treatments for schizophrenic patients.

Pessimistic views regarding the course and outcome of schizophrenia have been replaced by an emphasis on recovery. The concept of recovery emphasizes the need to provide access to treatments and services that are effective in both decreasing manifestations of the disorder and in assisting individuals to lead maximally productive and personally meaningful lives. To this end, the schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) published an updated consensus list of evidence-based practices that includes 14 recommendations, six of which describe psychosocial treatments (family interventions, supported employment, assertive community treatment, skills training, cognitive therapy and token economy programs). This paper reviews the schizophrenia PORT committee recommendations for psychosocial evidence-based practices, and discusses future needs and potential confounds that can have an impact on the effectiveness of these approaches. Among these potential confounds, the heterogeneity of individuals diagnosed...
Hot Gas Removal of Tars, Ammonia, and Hydrogen Sulfide from Biomass Gasification Gas

Gasification of biomass is a promising source of fuels and other chemical products. However, the removal of tars, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and other byproducts from the raw gas is required. The gas clean‐up technology that offers more advantages is hot catalytic gas conditioning downstream of the gasifier reactor. Here, we review the applications of basic, acidic, metallic, and redox catalysts for the removal of such by-products and research strategies to prevent coke accumulation on the catalytic surface, to increase the resistance to sulfur poisoning, and to bring the by‐product removal reactions to temperatures below 600°C.
Striving for Legitimacy Through Corporate Social Responsibility: Insights from Oil Companies

Being a controversial industry, oil companies turn to corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a means to obtain legitimacy. Adopting a case study methodology, this research examines the characteristics of CSR strategies and CSR communication tactics of six oil companies by analyzing their 2011–2012 web site content. We found that all six companies engaged in CSR activities addressing the needs of various stakeholders and had cross-sector partnerships. CSR information on these companies’ web sites was easily accessible, often involving the use of multimedia technologies and sometimes social media platforms. Furthermore, to boost the credibility of their CSR messages, these companies utilized a variety of tactics, such as factual arguments and two-sided messages. In sum, this research unveils the interconnectedness among business strategy, CSR practices, and CSR communication in oil companies’ attempt to gain legitimacy in an environment of controversy. The article ends with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of the research findings.
An investigation of mass and brand diversity in a spent battery recycling collection with an emphasis on spent alkaline batteries: Implications for waste management and future policy concerns

Abstract A count of the type and brand of spent alkaline batteries from a collection program operated by Butler County, Ohio was performed to determine the level of brand diversity, to provide estimates of the size of the waste stream, and quantities collected for recycling and for landfilling. The program has a total of 37 school drop off sites at both public and private elementary, middle and high schools. Several additional sites for battery drop include public libraries in the towns of Hamilton, Fairfield, Oxford, two county government administration centers, and two major retail stores in Fairfield and West Chester townships. A total of 32,866 spent alkaline batteries with a calculated mass of approximately 943.37 kg representing 10–15% of the recycling collection were counted by size and brand type. All five types (AAA, AA, C, D, and 9V) of spent alkaline batteries had approximately 68–76% of the samples concentrated among three or four brands. The number of brands varied among types with AAA (123); AA (228); C (44); D (65); 9V (79). The total annual spent alkaline waste stream mass for Butler County is estimated to be 84,665 kg, and a mass of the spent alkaline battery waste stream collected for Butler County is approximately 7.4% (6289.1 kg) to 11.1% (9433.7 kg). Several other battery types (lead, Ni–Cd, lithium, and button batteries) were observed and comprised 60.2 kg. Butler County spends $10,000 to collect the batteries each year and the estimated cost for collecting all batteries in the County would be an additional minimum cost of $144,000 to $186,000 per year translating into a per capita cost of approximately $0.39–0.51 per Butler County resident annually. The results of this investigation are useful for recycling program development, developing environmental policies specific to the United States and can be used for comparative purposes with other battery waste streams globally.
Origins of Natural Gas and Petroleum

Crude oils seem to be products of sequential processes which began with the isolation of natural gases by frontal analyses of ground water solutions of the gaseous constituents of sedimentary rocks.
XLIII. Observations on light propagated in a dielectric normal to the lines of force

(1897). XLIII. Observations on light propagated in a dielectric normal to the lines of force. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 44, No. 269, pp. 342-349.
Heat capacity of the superconducting Kondo system (LaCe)Al2

Abstract Heat capacity measurements between 0.07 and 20 K and 0 and 38 kOe are reported for the system ( La Ce)Al2. Normal state measurements show that the crystal-field ground state of the Ce ion is a doublet and reveal a characteristic Kondo anomaly in zero magnetic field. In the superconducting state there is evidence for an impurity band at low energies within the gap, and for a second order transition at the lower critical temperature Tc2.
Competing order and nature of the pairing state in the iron pnictides

We show that the competition between magnetism and superconductivity can be used to determine the pairing state in the iron arsenides. To this end we demonstrate that the itinerant antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase and the unconventional ${s}^{+\ensuremath{-}}$ sign-changing superconducting (SC) state are near the borderline of microscopic coexistence and macroscopic phase separation, explaining the experimentally observed competition of both ordered states. In contrast, conventional ${s}^{++}$ pairing is not able to coexist with magnetism. Expanding the microscopic free energy of the system with competing orders around the multicritical point, we find that static magnetism plays the role of an intrinsic interband Josephson coupling, making the phase diagram sensitive to the symmetry of the Cooper-pair wave function. We relate this result to the quasiparticle excitation spectrum and to the emergent SO(5) symmetry of systems with particle-hole symmetry. Our results rely on the assumption that the same electrons that form the ordered moment contribute to the superconducting condensate and that the system is close to particle-hole symmetry. We also compare the suppression of SC in different regions of the FeAs phase diagram, showing that while in the underdoped side it is due to the competition with AFM, in the overdoped side it is related to the disappearance of pockets from the Fermi surface.
Sintering behaviour and strength development in various coal ashes

Abstract Sintering, crystallization and mechanical properties of six coal ashes are studied to obtain an understanding of ash deposit and agglomerate formation in combustion and gasification systems. Results show that viscous sintering is accomplished by neck growth between particles, shrinkage of closed pores, and/or by diffusion of slag constituents in a liquid film along the grain surfaces. These processes are dependent on temperature, atmosphere and ash composition. In addition, studies show that the strength of sintered pellets produced from crystallized Beulah lignite ash are weaker than those produced from the amorphous form of the ash. Further, the amorphous form sintered in a CO CO 2 atmosphere is not as strong as the amorphous form sintered in air. Criteria are given for the relationship between compressive strength of sintered coal fly ashes and their activity in the sintering process measured by means of viscosity and surface tension.
Dissociation between early recovery of regional function and purine nucleotide content in postischaemic myocardium in the conscious dog.

Since abnormalities in regional myocardial function and nucleotide metabolism persist for a prolonged period after a brief coronary occlusion the temporal relation between the resolution of myocardial dysfunction and repletion of nucleotide pools in postischaemic myocardium was studied in conscious mildly sedated animals. In a second experiment 5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide riboside (AICAriboside) was infused in an attempt to influence myocardial function by altering the rate of adenine nucleotide synthesis. Conscious dogs mildly sedated with morphine underwent coronary occlusion for 15 min followed by reperfusion for 30 min or 12 h, at which time a myocardial sample was obtained for nucleotide analysis. Segment shortening averaged 62% of control values at 15 min of reperfusion and increased to 81% of control by 12 h of reperfusion (p<0.05). Adenine nucleotide content was 75(5)% of control after 30 min of reperfusion and did not change significantly over the next 12 h of reperfusion. Thus the early return of systolic function was not accompanied by a detectable increase in total adenine nucleotide content. In the second experiment a pronounced stimulation of the proximal purine nucleotide synthetic pathway occurred as evidenced by a 13-fold to 25-fold increase in inosine monophosphate content. One branch of the distal purine pathway was also stimulated as evidenced by complete repletion of guanine nucleotide pools, but the product of the other branch (adenine nucleotides) did not increase significantly. These results indicate a selective limitation of the distal adenine nucleotide synthetic pathway in postischaemic myocardium. The findings suggest that to achieve rapid repletion of adenine nucleotide pools agents that stimulate the purine synthetic pathway distal to inosine monophosphate may be most successful.
Landscape of Immigration in Europe

The Politics of Migration and Immigration in Europe. By Andrew Geddes. London: Sage 2003. 232 pp., $93.95 cloth (ISBN: 0-7619-5668-9), $38.95 paper (ISBN: 0-7619-5669-7). With the failure of its constitution, the European Union (EU) sits at a cross-roads, conflicted about which direction integration should and will take in the coming decades. At the same time, the threat of transnational terrorism, changing labor markets, and major demographic shifts—amplified by the admission of 10 new member states in 2004—mean that migration has become one of the most salient issues in European politics today. It is likely to remain crucial for decades to come. How these developments will intersect and play out is a key question for scholars examining immigration policy both within member states and for the EU as a whole. To understand how these issues may evolve, one must have a good understanding of the historical and contemporary foundations of immigration, both into and within Europe. Policymakers and scholars need descriptive information about migration policies in member states as well as analytic insights into what is happening at the EU institutional level. And, they need some good conceptual tools to make sense of it all. Andrew Geddes seeks to provide some of these products in his wide ranging Politics of Migration and Immigration in Europe . In writing about this topic, he joins plenty of company. There is a veritable plethora of work on migration in the international relations literature. The work can be roughly divided into three wide areas: those scholars who take a macro or global approach (for example, Sassen 1999; Castels and Miller 2003), those who use a comparative perspective (for example, Brubaker 1989; Cornelius, Martin, and Holifield 1994; Andreas and Synder 2000); and those who focus on particular states or regions, …
Precipitation strengthening of stress-aged Al–xCu alloys

Abstract Effects of stress aging on yield strength and yield anisotropy of single crystal and cube-textured polycrystalline Al–xCu alloys were investigated. The resulting microstructures were correlated with the yield stress and analyzed with respect to continuum mechanic models and computer simulations. The yield stresses of the stress-aged specimens, were found to be lower than those of the stress-free-aged specimens whether the test direction was along or perpendicular to the aging-stress direction. This was attributed to the effect of stress-induced preferential orientation of the θ′{100}-plates as well as to their “detrimentally” different volume fraction and/or morphology in the stress-aged specimen subjected to the same thermal treatment as the stress-free-aged specimen. When compared with the continuum models, both of which account for only effects of the orientation and volume fraction of the θ′{100}-plates, the computer simulation of interaction between slip dislocation and unshearable plates, which additionally incorporates the effect of plate morphology, yields the closest results to those obtained experimentally.
Do instant messaging interruptions help or hinder knowledge workers' task performance?

Abstract The modern workplace environment is filled with interruptions due to the necessity of coworkers to communicate with each other. Studies have revealed that interruptions can impact task performance (TP). Communication interruptions are due, in part, to the unavoidable side-effect of using technology to facilitate these interactions. This experimental case study reports about an investigation we conducted on the role of instant messaging interruptions (IMI) and its implications on knowledge workers’ TP in a workplace environment. We have gathered data from knowledge workers engaged in an e-learning activity. The case study included a total of 60 experimental observations and analysis of the 120 records revealed that the time to complete a task (TPtct) for certain types of tasks, was significantly affected by IMI. This case study addressed gaps in IM interruption research and practical knowledge about the role of instant messages in the organization. Previous research has been conducted in a laboratory environment with interruptions generated by means other than actual IM. This case study used IMI with participants working in their normal workplace. Findings were used to provide a set of lessons learned recommendations for managers when it comes to the use of IM in the workplace.
The microspectrophotometric determination of blood oxygen saturation in infants and children.

Summary A rapid and reasonably accurate(within 5 per cent) method for the microspectrophotometric determination of blood oxygen saturation in infants and children is presented. A technique for blood collection simply performed with a minimum of disturbance and cumbersome impedimenta is described.
Comparative outcomes of rituximab-based systemic therapy and splenectomy in splenic marginal zone lymphoma.

Despite diagnostic and therapeutic advances, the majority of patients with splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) are still treated with splenectomy. We analyzed survival outcomes after surgery or rituximab-based systemic therapy in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare database, using inverse probability of treatment weighting to minimize treatment selection bias. From the 657 recorded cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2007, with a median age of 77 years, we selected 227 eligible patients treated with splenectomy (68 %), rituximab alone (23 %), or in combination with chemotherapy (9 %) within 2 years from diagnosis. No significant difference between the groups was observed in the cumulative incidence of lymphoma-related death (LRD) at 3 years (19.6 % with systemic therapy and 17.3 % with splenectomy; hazard ratio [HR], 1.04; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.56–1.92; P = 0.90) or in the overall survival (HR, 1.01; 95 % CI, 0.66–1.55; P = 0.95). The 90-day mortality after splenectomy was 7.1 %. The rates of hospitalizations, infections, transfusions, and cardiovascular or thromboembolic events were higher after combination chemoimmunotherapy than after splenectomy. Conversely, there was no significant difference in most complications between groups treated with splenectomy or rituximab alone. The cumulative incidence of LRD after single-agent rituximab at 3 years was 18.7 % (95 % CI, 8.6–31.7). In conclusion, in SMZL patients over the age of 65 years, the risk of LRD and overall survival are similar with systemic therapy or splenectomy as initial therapy. Single-agent rituximab may offer the most favorable risk/benefit ratio in this population.
Subgenomic, cellular Rous sarcoma virus RNAs contain oligonucleotides from the 3′ half and the 5′ terminus of virion RNA

THE genome of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) is a 30-40S RNA of 10,000 nucleotides coding for four known genes1 which map in the order 5′-gag, pol, env, src, poly(A)-3′ (refs 2, 3). This 30-40S RNA serves as mRNA for a gag precursor protein and perhaps a gag-pol precursor-polyprotein when translated in vitro4,5. The env gene, however, may be translated from a smaller intracellular messenger. Poly(A)-containing 20-24S cellular RNA from infected cells can, upon microinjection, complement an env-defective virus6 and may also direct in vitro synthesis of a protein that is serologically related to the env gene product7. Moreover, hybridisation with DNA complementary (cDNA) to env and src sequences of virion RNA detects discrete classes of subgenomic poly(A)-containing RNAs present in infected cells as steady state species, while gag and pol-specific cDNAs hybridise only to full sized RNA8,9.
Spatially distributed stimuli show little effect of recency with either visual or auditory presentation

The effect of recency-the superior recall of final as opposed to middle items in serial presentation—is usually greater for auditorily as opposed to visually presented stimuli. However, the standard method of presenting both visual and auditory stimuli consists of temporal presentation in a single location. Having used a new procedure, in which stimuli were spatially distributed, Battacchi, Pelamatti, and Umilta (1990) reported a robust effect of visual recency in immediate serial recall, similar to that found with auditory stimuli. Their subjects were native speakers of Italian. To test and explain these findings, we performed three experiments with native speakers of English as subjects. The stimuli were letters of the alphabet and vowel-consonant syllables; presentations were both auditory and visual. The results suggest that the spatial distribution of stimuli does not produce a major recency effect in the visual modality and leads to a smaller recency effect with auditory stimuli than that usually found in the standard presentation condition. Finally, in Experiment 3, the use of native speakers of Italian as subjects demonstrated that the difference in the subjects’ language is not a factor in the discrepancy between our findings and those of Battacchi et al.
Phase structure and continuity in polymer blends and composites

Polymer blends and composites are composed of two different components, and usually, two different phases. Sometimes one phase is continuous and the other clearly discontinuous. Often, however, both phases retain some degree of continuity, as in certain fiber reinforced composites, block copolymers, materials composed of alternating lamellae structures and interpenetrating networks. A semi-empirical theory is developed to express mathematically not only the known structures, but also two-phase morphologies not yet synthesized or characterized. Many structures both real and proposed are shown to exhibit dual phase continuity, although for most systems, one phase can be said to be “more continuous” and the other “less continuous”.
Bladder outlet obstruction in women: Definition and characteristics

The prevalence of bladder outlet obstruction in women is unknown and most probably has been underestimated. Moreover, there are no standard definitions for the diagnosis of bladder outlet obstruction in women. Our study was conducted to define as well as to examine the clinical and urodynamic characteristics of bladder outlet obstruction among women referred for evaluation of voiding symptoms. Bladder outlet obstruction was defined as a persistent, low, maximum "free" flow rate of 20 cm H(2)O) during detrusor pressure-uroflow studies. A urodynamic database of 587 consecutive women identified 38 (6.5%) women with bladder outlet obstruction. The mean age of the patients was 63.9 +/- 17.5 years. The mean maximum "free" flow, voided volume, and residual urinary volume were 9.4 +/-3.9 mL/s, 144. 9 +/- 72.7 mL, and 86.1 +/- 98.8 mL, respectively. The mean p(det. Q)(max) was 37.2 +/- 19.2 cm H(2)O. Previous anti-incontinence surgery and severe genital prolapse were the most common etiologies, accounting for half of the cases. Other, less common, etiologies included urethral stricture (13%), primary bladder neck obstruction (8%), learned voiding dysfunction (5%), and detrusor external sphincter dyssynergia (5%). Symptomatology was defined as mixed obstructive and irritative in 63% of the patients, isolated irritative in 29%, and isolated obstructive in other 8%. In conclusion, bladder outlet obstruction in women appears to be more common than was previously recognized, occurring in 6.5% of our patients. Micturition symptoms relevant to bladder outlet obstruction are non-specific, and a full urodynamic evaluation is essential in making the correct diagnosis and formulating a treatment plan.
Traumatic events and physical health in a community sample

The relationship of traumatic events to physical health was examined in a randomized community survey (N = 2,364) of Los Angeles residents, 16% of whom had experienced a lifetime traumatic event. This study tested hypotheses that individuals experiencing traumatic events have poorer physical health and that the negative impact of traumatic events on physical health is greater among disadvantaged sociodemographic groups. Regression analyses showed that respondents with a traumatic event history indicated poorer perceptions of their physical health, more chronic limitations in physical functioning, and more chronic medical conditions compared with respondents without such a history, while controlling for demographics, psychiatric history, and other stressful life events. The association of traumatic events with poorer physical health among vulnerable sociodemographic groups was partially supported.
Integrating a simulation case study into CS2: developing design, empirical and analysis skills

Case studies are widely used in business and medicine to help students learn from the successes and failures of practitioners in the field. This paper discusses the potential benefits of case studies in computer science and how case studies differ from projects. We describe our preliminary experience with developing a network simulation case study for an object-oriented CS2 course and present some of ideas for teaching such a case study through close coupling of lectures with laboratories. The teaching materials for this case study are available on the web.
Reinforcement of Verbal Social Behavior in Moderately Retarded Children

Operant conditioning techniques were used to study talking behavior of retarded peers. A design using concurrent verbal and nonverbal operants was devised to test several hypotheses. Verbal social responding increased in a group with contingent reinforcement and verbal instructions about the reinforcement contingency but not in groups with either condition alone.
Virologic testing in bronchiolitis: does it change management decisions and predict outcomes?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, therapeutic, laboratory, and radiological differences between respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and non-RSV bronchiolitis in order to assess if the prior knowledge of viral etiology changed management decisions and would be able to predict outcomes. Medical charts of children <1 year admitted to the emergency department with bronchiolitis during two RSV seasons (2010–2012) were reviewed. We analyzed 221 episodes of bronchiolitis. The percentage of exams performed (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.74–2.52), abnormal laboratory and radiological findings (95 % CI 0.53–16.89) did not differ between groups. RSV bronchiolitis had a more severe clinical course. However, virologic testing for RSV had low specificity in identifying at-risk patients for hospitalization, longer hospital length of stay, and need of oxygen therapy and nasogastric tube (44, 40, 42, and 35 %, respectively), and while statistically significant, the positive likelihood ratios were only slightly greater than 1. Conclusion: Although RSV bronchiolitis has a more severe clinical course, virologic testing does not help in management decisions, and at an individual level, as a performance test, it seems insufficient to precisely predict outcomes.
Stress analysis of hexagonal shells

Abstract A convenient method for the stress analysis of long prismatic shells with hexagonal cross sections, subjected to static loading, is developed. By employing the semi-membrane method in conjunction with a variational principle a closed form solution is obtained. It is. therefore, easy to perform a parametric study of the influence of various geometries and boundary conditions on the state of stress. Among other things, it is shown that stiffening the shell with cross-sectional diaphragms is not always advisable.
Clutter suppression and moving target parameter estimation for airborne phased array radar

It is demonstrated through simulations that a combination of the vector auto-regressive (VAR) filtering technique and a maximum likelihood (ML) parameter estimation method is an effective means for carrying out clutter suppression and parameter estimation. It is also more robust against system mismatches than conventional displaced-phase-centre-antenna (DPCA) processing.
Emission properties of dithiooxamides

Abstract The luminescence of dithiooxamide, N,N′-dimethyldithiooxamide and tetramethyldithiooxamide has been investigated. The first two compounds exhibit an intense luminescence at 77°K (τ=10 −5 sec) which is assigned as 3 Γ nπ* → 1 Γ 1 ;a weak long-wavelength absorption (e max =1 & M −1 cm −1 ) is assigned as 3 Γ nπ* ← 1 Γ 1 . The tetramethyl derivative does not emit, an observation consistent with its severely-twisted conformation, with its consequent description as a composite of two “nearly-isoalted thioacetamide units”, and with the non-emissivity of such thioacetamide entities.
Attentive Turkers: MTurk participants perform better on online attention checks than do subject pool participants

Participant attentiveness is a concern for many researchers using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Although studies comparing the attentiveness of participants on MTurk versus traditional subject pool samples have provided mixed support for this concern, attention check questions and other methods of ensuring participant attention have become prolific in MTurk studies. Because MTurk is a population that learns, we hypothesized that MTurkers would be more attentive to instructions than are traditional subject pool samples. In three online studies, participants from MTurk and collegiate populations participated in a task that included a measure of attentiveness to instructions (an instructional manipulation check: IMC). In all studies, MTurkers were more attentive to the instructions than were college students, even on novel IMCs (Studies 2 and 3), and MTurkers showed larger effects in response to a minute text manipulation. These results have implications for the sustainable use of MTurk samples for social science research and for the conclusions drawn from research with MTurk and college subject pool samples.
Radiolarians and conodonts from pebbles in the Franciscan assemblage and the Great Valley sequence of the California Coast Ranges

Radiolarians from pebbles in chert-pebble conglomerates that occur in blocks in the Franciscan assemblage are similar to the radiolarians in lithologically similar conglomerate of the Toro Formation and correlative strata of the Great Valley sequence. The blocks may have been derived from the Toro or from a stratigraphic unit with the same source as the Toro. Most radiolarians are Middle and Late Triassic and in part may have been eroded from the Calaveras Formation of the Sierra Nevada. Radiolarians in Upper Cretaceous Franciscan conglomerates are Late Jurassic, which suggests that they were reworked from the Franciscan itself or from chert overlying the Coast Range ophiolite. Triassic conodonts found in Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous conglomerates have low color-alteration indices indicative of low temperature, whereas those found in an Upper Cretaceous conglomerate have high indices indicative of biotite-zone metamorphism. These data thereby bracket the time of metamorphism of the source area. The color index of conodonts in a Franciscan melange suggests a maximum temperature of about 60 °C.
Potentiometric investigation of calcium complexes with tri- and tetrametaphosphate using a calcium selective liquid ion-exchange membrane electrode—II

Abstract The calcium selective liquid ion-exchange electrode has been applied to the determination of stability constants of calcium ion with tetraphosphate, trimetaphosphate and tetrametaphosphate ions. The values 10 5·45 and 10 3·35 obtained for the stepwise addition of two calcium ions to a tetraphosphate ion with the ionic strength adjusted to unity with (CH 3 ) 4 NCl, T = 25°C are in good agreement with those obtained by pH titrations. The formation constant for the association of one protonated ligand, HP 4 O 13 5− , with Ca 2+ is 10 3·31 . Under similar conditions the formation constant for the association of one Ca 2+ ion with one trimetaphosphate ion is 10 1·64 ; with one tetrametaphosphate ion it is 10 3·1 .
Dehydrating agents sharply reduce curvature in DNAs containing A tracts

The structural basis of DNA curvature remains elusive, because models for curvature based on crystallographic structures of molecules containing A tracts do not agree with any of the models for sequence-directed curvature based on solution studies. Here we demonstrate that the difference is probably due to MPD (2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol), the dehydrating agent commonly used in crystallography. One characteristic signature of curved DNA molecules is that they run anomalously slowly on polyacrylamide gels, appearing to be larger than they actually are. The gel anomalies of three curved DNAs from trypanosome kinetoplast minicircles drop monotonically with increasing MPD concentration, indicating that MPD straightens molecules that are curved in aqueous solution. This is not due to some non-specific effect of MPD on poly(dA) or polypurine tracts, because control molecules containing dA70 and dG43 run normally over the full range of MPD concentrations. Circular dichroism spectra are not affected by MPD, ruling out a conformational change to a structure outside the B-DNA family. The effect is not due to MPD-induced changes in phasing of the curved sequences, because MPD has virtually no effect on the linking numbers of relaxed plasmids containing either curved sequences or dA70. At the concentrations of MPD used in X-ray crystallography, the curvature of DNAs containing A tracts is substantially lower than in solution, which probably explains the ongoing discrepancies between the crystallographic results and models based on solution studies.
The contact process on a tree: behavior near the first phase transition

Abstract We study the critical behavior of the contact process on a homogeneous tree. It is shown that if the degree of the tree is greater than four, then the survival probability θ(λ) behaves like (λ − λc)β with β = 1 when λ is near but above the critical point λc, and the expected infection time χ(λ) behaves like (λc − λ)−γ with γ = 1 when λ is near but below λc. Analogous results for the oriented percolation model are also obtained.
Redox regulation of signal transduction in cardiac and smooth muscle.

In addition to the well-known property of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to cause non-specific cellular damage, the potential role of ROS in regulation of signal transduction has been recognized. Studies of vascular smooth muscle cells strongly suggest that ROS are required for cell growth signaling. The IP3-induced Ca2+release from vascular smooth muscle can be selectively stimulated by ROS which may enhance signal transduction for muscle contraction and gene expression. The subunit–subunit contact within the ryanodine receptor complex, as well as intermolecular interactions between the ryanodine receptor and triadin, are redox sensitive, suggesting that ROS may regulate cardiac muscle Ca2+-signaling events. The biochemistry of ROS and thiol regulation may allow for specific interactions between ROS and target molecules during redox regulation.
The Drosophila dunce locus: learning and memory genes in the fly

The dunce gene, one of several genes critical for normal learning and memory in Drosophila, is organized in a complex and bizarre way, with enormous introns containing several other unrelated genes. Recent studies have focused on the spatial expression pattern of the product, cAMP phosphodiesterase, and have provisionally identified the mushroom bodies as important sites of action of dunce within adult brain. In addition, the recent cloning and characterization of dunce counterparts from mammals has revealed that these too may participate in animal behavior and, in particular, in the regulation of mood.
Ice‐Tethered Profiler observations of the double‐diffusive staircase in the Canada Basin thermocline

vertical heat fluxes through the staircase are in the range 0.05–0.3 W m � 2 , only about one tenth of the estimated mean surface mixed layer heat flux to the sea ice. It is thus concluded that the vertical transport of heat from the Atlantic Water in the central basin is unlikely to have a significant impact to the Canada Basin ocean surface heat budget. Icebreaker conductivity-temperature-depth data from the Beaufort Gyre Freshwater Experiment show that the staircase is absent at the basin periphery. Turbulent mixing that presumably disrupts the staircase might drive greater flux from the Atlantic Water at the basin boundaries and possibly dominate the regionally averaged heat flux.
Midnight Basketball and The 1994 Crime Bill Debates: The Operation of a Racial Code

This study examines the symbolic politics associated with the adoption of the omnibus $30 billion federal crime bill of 1994. Based upon critical race theory and close readings of Congressional hearings and print media coverage, we argue that race was the key to midnight basketball’s prominence in the legislative debates and that its introduction ultimately reduced prevention-oriented provisions included in the final legislation. The central empirical contribution is a content analysis that specifies how racially coded references to midnight basketball exerted their impact on the political process through the discursive framing of the bill. We find that while midnight basketball directly increased attention to race in the debates, its real impact was more indirect, serving to heighten fears of crime and produce images of criminals that made prevention appear misguided. In contrast to bottom-up theoretical approaches, these discursive shifts worked at the level of elite decision makers, the legislators themselves. The article concludes by drawing out the implications of this case study for theories of how the politics of race operate in the contemporary American political arena, especially those concerning crime control.
Characterizing overlay multicast networks and their costs

Overlay networks among cooperating hosts have recently emerged as a viable solution to several challenging problems, including multicasting, routing, content distribution, and peer-to-peer services. Application-level overlays, however, incur a performance penalty over router-level solutions. This paper quantifies and explains this performance penalty for overlay multicast trees via: 1) Internet experimental data; 2) simulations; and 3) theoretical models. We compare a number of overlay multicast protocols with respect to overlay tree structure, and underlying network characteristics. Experimental data and simulations illustrate that the mean number of hops and mean per-hop delay between parent and child hosts in overlay trees generally decrease as the level of the host in the overlay tree increases. Overlay multicast routing strategies, overlay host distribution, and Internet topology characteristics are identified as three primary causes of the observed phenomenon. We show that this phenomenon yields overlay tree cost savings: Our results reveal that the normalized cost L(n)/U(n) is propn0.9 for small n, where L(n) is the total number of hops in all overlay links, U(n) is the average number of hops on the source to receiver unicast paths, and n is the number of members in the overlay multicast session. This can be compared to an IP multicast cost proportional to n0.6 to n0.8
Applications of intravascular ultrasound in the treatment of peripheral occlusive disease.

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has emerged as a useful and often necessary adjunct in a rising number of catheter-based peripheral interventions. IVUS catheters enable luminal and transmural cross-sectional imaging of peripheral vessels with high dimensional accuracy and provide detailed information about lesion morphology. IVUS is able to guide the optimal choice of appropriate angioplasty technique, guide the delivery of endovascular devices, and assess the immediate outcome of an intervention. In this review we discuss the role of IVUS for peripheral occlusive diseases, specifically the applicaiton of IVUS technology during percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), intravascular stent placement, crossing total occlusions, and venous obstructive disease.
Medical Aspects of Delayed Convalescence

Disease and illness are not synonymous. In most instances, disease is demonstrable by anatomic, physiologic, biochemical, microbiologic, or immunologic abnormalities. Disease is a pathologic process. Not all persons with a disease are sick or ill. Symptoms of illness associated with a disease may be manifest or persist after the disease has disappeared. The absence of demonstrable disease, however, does not necessarily mean that symptoms of illness are unreal. Recovery from disease and recovery from illness are not always equated. Many factors, including personal characteristics and social circumstances, can be responsible for recovery from disease and illness. Chronic fatigue syndrome or symptoms of illness can persist in some patients but not in others after many different diseases.