cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Impairment Is Associated with Medication Nonadherence in Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

Abstract Objective Adherence to medical management of vascular risk is vital for stroke prevention in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Because carotid disease is a risk factor for cognitive impairment, we sought to determine whether undiagnosed cognitive impairment affects medication adherence in this setting. Methods Sixty patients with asymptomatic ≥50% internal carotid artery stenosis without known dementia or stroke were screened for evidence of cognitive impairment using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Medication adherence was monitored using electronic pharmacy prescription refills. Medications studied included antiplatelet agents, statins, antihypertensives, and diabetes medications. Nonadherence was defined as a refill lag of ≥3 months during the 12 months before cognitive screening. Results Sixty percent of patients (36/60) had evidence of cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment P P = .009). A trend toward decreased adherence to statins ( P = .09) and antihypertensives ( P = .06) was observed. Conclusions Medication adherence in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis is significantly reduced among those with undiagnosed cognitive impairment. Cognitive screening of asymptomatic patients with carotid stenosis identifies those who may benefit from increased supervision to improve medication adherence.
Fast-matched filters in time domain for global positioning system receivers

A fast-matched filter algorithm in time domain is presented to correlate signals for optimal detection of signals in noise, to extract ranging measurements, for synchronisation, and so on. The matched filters are discussed in the context of global positioning system receivers, but the algorithms presented here can be directly used for other direct sequence spread spectrum receivers as no constraining assumptions are made in the derivations. The method proposed here outperforms the conventional time-domain method several times in arithmetic complexity. It is also competitive with transform-domain techniques based on fast Fourier transform (FFT). Unlike FFT-based methods, however, this approach is accurate and does not use rounding or scaling operations.
On conducting electron traffic across the periplasm

Dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria are able to conduct electrons from their cytoplasmic membrane across the periplasm and the outer membrane to redox proteins located on the surface of their cells. The Mtr respiratory pathway in Shewanella is the best-understood metal-reducing pathway to date. The core components of this pathway are well agreed upon, but are they sufficient? Could there be other components that we have yet to uncover? The present paper specifically considers the periplasm, its physical properties and organization. Two models are presented to explain how electrons could be conducted across this compartment in Shewanella.
Adaptation of inorganic quantum dots for stable molecular beacons

Abstract We have developed semiconductor quantum dots (QDs)-conjugated molecular beacons (MBs). The organic fluorophores are replaced with inorganic fluorescent ZnS-capped CdSe quantum dots covered with mercaptoacetic acid monolayer. We confirmed the overlap between emission spectrum of the QD after the surface modification and the absorption spectrum of 4-(4′-dimethylaminophenylazo) benzoic acid (DABCYL) as an organic quencher molecule. About 90% overlap between QDs and DABCYLs’ spectra promotes fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET). FRET efficiency between QD-DABCYL and 6-FAM (organic fluorophore)-DABCYL are compared by using 3-D molecular modeling. The farthest and nearest possible separation between the fluorophore and the quencher are predicted using 3-D molecular model considering the rotational freedom of the bonds defined by the type of chemical linker between MB-fluorophore and MB-DABCYL. Finally, QD-modified MBs are tested with their complementary target deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence and for non-specific sequences. The use of QDs instead of organic fluorophores may offer multiplexed imaging during DNA or RNA analysis due to their broad UV absorption spectrum.
Evaluation of a Hypocrea jecorina Enzyme Preparation for Hydrolysis of Tifton 85 Bermudagrass

Tifton 85 bermudagrass, developed at the ARS-USDA in Tifton, GA, is grown on over ten million acres in the USA for hay and forage. Of the bermudagrass cultivars, Tifton 85 exhibits improved digestibility because the ratio of ether- to ester-linked phenolic acids has been lowered using traditional plant breeding techniques. A previously developed pressurized batch hot water (PBHW) method was used to treat Tifton 85 bermudagrass for enzymatic hydrolysis. Native grass (untreated) and PBHW-pretreated material were compared as substrates for fungal cultivation to produce enzymes. Cellulase activity, measured via the filter paper assay, was higher for fungi cultivated on PBHW-pretreated grass, whereas the other nine enzyme assays produced higher activities for the untreated grass. Ferulic acid and vanillin levels increased significantly for the enzyme preparations produced using PBHW-pretreated grass and the release of these phenolic compounds may have contributed to the observed reduction in enzyme activities. Culture supernatant from Tifton 85 bermudagrass-grown fungi were combined with two commercial enzyme preparations and the enzyme activity profiles are reported. The amount of reducing sugar liberated by the enzyme mixture from Hypocrea jecorina (after 192 h incubation with untreated bermudagrass) individually or in combination with feruloyl esterase was 72.1 and 84.8%, respectively, of the commercial cellulase preparation analyzed under the same conditions.
History of American Marine Biology and Marine Biology Institutions Introduction: Origins of American Marine Biology

SYNOPSIS.In the 1840s and 1850s professional naturalists dredged shallow sea-water on the eastern coast of the United States to obtain marine specimens for teaching and research. In 1871 Spencer F. Baird, first U.S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, organized amarine biological laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, for basic biological research as well as for practical fishery biology. In 1873 Louis Agassiz established his summer marine station for teachers on Penikese Island, which stimulated others, especially some of his former students, to do likewise along the eastern coast in subsequent years, culminating in the renowned Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole (1888). On the Pacific coast the pioneer marine laboratories were the Hopkins Marine Laboratory (1892) and the prestigious Scripps Institute of Oceanography in California (1903), and the Puget Sound Biological Station, later known as the Friday Harbor Laboratories, in Washington (1903). Today, over 50 marine laboratories are in operation in the 21 contiguous coastal states for education and research in marine biology
Species comparison of phenol red transport and binding in the mammalian lung

Abstract 1. 1. The uptake of 35 S-phenol red (10 −6 M) by lung slices was studied in several mammalian species (mouse, guinea-pig, rabbit and squirrel monkey). 2. 2. The dye was accumulated in lung tissue by an energy-dependent process in all species studied. 3. 3. The rate and extent of accumulation over a 240-min incubation period ranked in the order monkey > guinea-pig > rabbit > mouse. 4. 4. Data are consistent with the existence of an active transport mechanism for organic acids in the mammalian lung.
Subchondral fluid dynamics in a model of osteoarthritis: use of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

Summary Objective The hypothesis of this study is that changes in fluid dynamics in subchondral bone bear a functional relationship to bone remodeling and cartilage breakdown in osteoarthritis (OA). We have utilized dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to extract kinetic parameters of bone perfusion at various stages in the development of OA in the Dunkin–Hartley guinea pig. Design Animals of four different ages (6, 9, 12 and 15 months), representing various stages in the development of OA, were studied. All animals underwent DCE MRI and perfusion data were analyzed based on the Brix two-compartment pharmacokinetic model. Regions of interest were studied at the medial and lateral tibial plateaus and compared to histological–histochemical scores of articular cartilage and subchondral bone plate thickness. Results A decrease in perfusion as well as outflow obstruction was observed in animals between 6 and 9 months of age, only in the medial tibial plateau subchondral bone. The eventual cartilage and bone lesions of OA occurred also in the medial tibia. Changes in perfusion occurred in the lateral tibia but not until OA lesions were established. Kinetic parameters of inflow were unchanged in both the medial and lateral plateaus. Conclusions DCE MRI can be used to extract kinetic information on bone perfusion in an animal model of OA. The signal enhancement in subchondral bone temporally precedes and spatially localizes at the same site of the eventual bone and cartilage lesions. Time–intensity curves suggest outflow obstruction as an underlying mechanism.
Intelligence for Policymaking

(1980). Intelligence for Policymaking. The Washington Quarterly: Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 118-129.
Cocaine: Acute effects of reinforcement thresholds for self-stimulation behavior to the medial forebrain bundle

Reinforcing thresholds for self-stimulation behavior to the medial forebrain bundle were determined in rats by means of rate-free psychophysical method. The acute administration of cocaine lowered the reinforcing thresholds independent of motor stimulatory effects. These results indicate that cocaine affects the sensitivity of the reward pathways in the brain, and further demonstrate the utility of rate-independent methods in the assessment of drug effects on self-stimulation behavior.
The centrality of critical rational reasoning in science: A response and further comments on the Life Skills Training program, the Seattle Social Development Project, and prevention studies

To yield knowledge, the scientiﬁc method must be accompanied by a scientiﬁcworld view . . . (Bunge 1991: 146)Following Popper (1963) and Campbell (1988), the central thesis of my paperpublished in the previous issue of the Journal of Experimental Criminology(Gorman 2005) was that the fundamental criterion by which to judge the scientiﬁcstatus of a theory is falsiﬁablity and that the ﬁeld of school-based drug andviolence prevention studies has, for the most part, failed to subject its predictionsabout the effects of intervention programs to genuinely critical tests. Instead,evaluations are designed and conducted so as to verify hypotheses pertaining toprogram effectiveness. Evaluations of two of the most prominent drug and violenceprevention programs Ythe Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) and the LifeSkills Training (LST) program Ywere used to demonstrate this point.The developers of both programs responded to my paper (Hawkins andCatalano 2005; Botvin and Grifﬁn 2005). These responses were very thoroughand focused on speciﬁc aspects of the two evaluation studies that I critiqued (e.g.,reasons for attrition, type of data analysis conducted), the general accomplishmentsof the ﬁeld of prevention studies, and the scientiﬁc status of this area of research.Like these commentators, I believe that attention to detail is of fundamentalimportance in assessing the quality of science that is practiced in the ﬁeld ofprevention studies. Accordingly, I will attempt to address each of the speciﬁcissues raised in their responses that pertain to the SSDP and LST programevaluation studies that were the focus of my initial critique. In addition, I willcomment on both sets of commentators’ views as to the accomplishments of theﬁeld of prevention studies as well as their claims that their own research and that ofthe ﬁeld in general attains the status of scientiﬁc inquiry. I begin with thecomments of Hawkins and Catalano.
Comparison of the distribution of binding sites for the potassium channel ligands [125I]Apamin, [125I]Charybdotoxin and [125I]Iodoglyburide in the rat brain

Abstract Potassium channels represent a diverse and promising target for drug development. Pharmacological subtypes of K channels have begun to emerge based on the development of both organic molecules and peptide toxins which possess subtype selectivity. In order to evaluate the neuroanatomical distribution of these subtypes we have utilized the ligands [ 125 I]apamin, [ 125 I]charybdotoxin and [ 125 I]iodoglyburide in an autoradiographic study of rat brain. In the rat brain, these ligands have selectivity for the low conductance Ca 2+ -activated, voltage-gated K channels and ATP-sensitive K channels respectively. The distribution of binding sites for these three ligands were distinctly different. [ 125 I]Apamin binding was highest in various thalamic and hippocampal structures, while only low to moderate levels of [ 125 I]charybdotoxin binding were seen in these regions. In contrast, very high levels of [ 125 I]charbydotoxin were seen in white matter regions such as the lateral olfactory tract and fasciculus retroflexus. High levels of [ 125 I]charybdotoxin binding were also seen in gray matter-containing regions such as the zona incerta, medial geniculate and superior colliculus, where low to moderate [ 125 I]apamin binding was found. [ 125 I]Iodoglyburide presented a more uniform binding with the highest levels in the globus pallidus, islands of Calleja, anteroventral nucleus of the thalamus and zonas reticulata of the substantia nigra. These results indicate that subtypes of K channels have very different distributions in the brain. As such, the results imply differing CNS actions for potential modulators of K channel subtypes.
Interfacial adsorption and crystallization of polycarbonate in carbon fiber composites

A polycarbonate (PC)/carbon fiber (CF) composite system has been examined with regard to interfacial adsorption and crystallization by altering times and temperatures of annealing. Times up to 180 min and temperatures of 245, 275, and 300°C have been investigated. Tranverse tensile, tranverse toughness, and scanning electron microscopy results on unidirectional, continuous-fiber composites indicate improved fiber/matrix adhesion at longer times and higher temperatures of annealing. Improvements in transverse toughness and transverse tensile strength of a factor of two is achieved. The data indicate that primarily adsorption rather than secondary interfacial crystallization is the likely mechanism for increased adhension. Isothermal transverse toughness values have been found to fit well to a Langmuir-type expression. The temperature dependence of adsorption as measured by transverse toughness is described well by an Arrhenius equation. The dependence of transverse toughness on PC molecular weights from Mw = 26,600 to 39,800 was found to be large, with higher molecular weights adsorbing more effectively.
THE GLOBAL CREDIT CRISIS AND CHINA'S EXCHANGE RATE

The case for stabilizing China's exchange rate against the dollar is strong. Before 2005 when the yuan/dollar rate was credibly fixed, it helped anchor China's domestic price level. But gradual RMB appreciation from July 2005 to July 2008 created a "one-way-bet" that disordered China's financial markets in two respects: (i) no private capital outflows to finance China's huge trade surplus leading to an undue build up of official exchange reserves and erosion of monetary control, and (ii) a breakdown of the forward exchange market in 2007–2008 so that exporters could no longer get trade credit — probably worsening the severe slump in Chinese exports. But after July 2008, the credit crunch induced an unexpected unwinding of the dollar carry trade leading to a sharp appreciation in the dollar's effective exchange rate. The People's Bank of China (PBC) then stopped RMB appreciation against the dollar. China's forward exchange market was restored and monetary control regained. Now the PBC can better support the fiscal stimulus by promoting a parallel expansion of bank credit. But, since March 2009, the fall in the dollar (with the RMB tied to it) again threatens to undermine the yuan/dollar rate and China's monetary stability.
Nonlinear response of Bloch electrons in infinite dimensions

The nonlinear response of noninteracting (Bloch) electrons is examined within a nonequilibrium formalism on the infinite-dimensional hypercubic lattice. We examine the effects of a spatially uniform, but time-varying electric field (ignoring magnetic-field effects). The electronic Green's functions, Wigner density of states, and time-varying current are all determined and analyzed. We study both constant and pulsed electric fields, focusing on the transient response region and on local properties. These noninteracting Green's functions are an important input into nonequilibrium dynamical mean field theory for the nonlinear response of strongly correlated electrons.
A Pilot-Plant Study of Continuous Ultrasonic Extraction of Soybean Protein

Methods were studied to extract soybean proteins from commercial defatted flakes with ultrasonic energy, continuously and efficiently, in a pilot plant. Studies also included batchwise sonication of aqueous soybean slurries in a tank. Parameters investigated included soybean-to-solvent ratios of 1:10, 1:20, and 1:30; solvents of tap water and 0.1N NaOH; and extraction with and without sonication. Protein yield and energy requirements for extraction were measured to correlate the operating condition with the extent of protein extraction. For a residence time of 0.7 sec in the continuous sonication process, the extracted protein yield was greatest at 1:30 soy-to-alkaline solvent ratio. Energy input to produce protein isolate is the least at 1:10 soy-to-alkaline solvent. Although the continuous sonication procedure is workable, the commercial operation remains to be tested.
The AT2 angiotensin receptor subtype predominates in the 18 day gestation fetal rat brain

The angiotensin II receptor subtype-specific antagonists Dup 753 (AT1) and PD 123177 (AT2) were used to characterize the angiotensin II receptor subtypes present in 18 day gestation fetal Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rat brain using in vitro receptor autoradiography. The AT2 subtype was predominant in the brain of both rat strains, even in areas that display predominantly the AT1 subtype in the adult rat brain.
Biomimetic synthesis of antimalarial naphthoquinones.

The total synthesis of naphthoquinone natural products isolated from the Bignoniaceae plant family is described. Pinnatal, isopinnatal, sterekunthals A and B, pyranokunthones A and B, and anthrakunthone have been prepared along the lines of a biosynthetic proposal involving pericyclic reactions as key steps. The first case of catalysis in oxa 6π electrocyclizations is reported.
Testis Transplantation in Male Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Abstract The objective of the present study was to establish a procedure for the transplantation of an intact testis from one male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to another individual and evaluate the reproductive function of the transplanted testis at sexual maturity. Isogenic (cloned) male rainbow trout were produced by crossing a completely homozygous male (YY) with a homozygous female (XX) to eliminate any problem of tissue rejection. Transplantation was performed on four pairs of sexually immature animals (n = 8); each served both as a donor and recipient. The left testis was removed by making a ventral midline incision to expose the body cavity and gonads. The left testis was disconnected at the anterior and posterior points of attachment and transferred to the recipient fish where it was placed in position adjacent to the pyloric cecae. The right testis was left intact. After 4 wk, the fish were injected (i.p.) twice weekly for 8 or 9 wk with salmon pituitary extract (1.5 mg/kg) to induce prec...
Comparative Study of Uptake and Cellular Distribution of Hg203-Labeled Phenyl-Mercuric Acetate and Mercuric Acetate by Pea Roots

Uptake and cellular distribution of mercury203 from dilute mercuric acetate or phenylmercuric acetate solutions by excised pea roots (Pisum sativum) have been investigated. The time course of uptake showed that the amount of mercury uptake was increased with the time of incubation, and was similar for inorganic mercury or phenylmercuric acetate. The trend of mercury203 incorporation into cellular components from mercuric acetate and phenylmercuric acetate differed greatly as the time of incubation increased. The concentrations of mercuric acetate and phenylmercuric acetate solutions or the temperature of incubation also affected the mercury203 uptake as well as its cellular distribution. Longer time of exposure or higher concentration resulted in a greater mercury incorporation into mitochondrial fraction from phenylmercuric acetate than from inorganic mercury. This difference in intracellular distribution may be responsible for the degree of toxicity between inorganic mercury and phenylmercuric acetate in biological systems.
Why is ‘incommensurability’ a problem?

The origins of the ‘incommensurability problem’ and its central aspect, the ‘meaning variance thesis’ are traced to the successive collapse of several distinctions maintained by the standard empiricist account of meaning in scientific theories. The crucial distinction is that between a conceptual structure and a theory. The ‘thesis’ and the ‘problem’ follow from critiques of this distinction by Duhem, Quine and Feyerabend. It is maintained that, rather than revealing the ‘problem’, the arguments leading to it simply show the inadequacy of the reductionist theory of meaning. The genuine remaining problem is that of the development of a new theory of meaning in science.
Myocardial infarction vaccine? Evidence supporting the influenza vaccine for secondary prevention

This editorial refers to ‘Influenza vaccination reduces cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome’, by A. Phrommintikul et al. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehr004 Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Both primary and secondary prevention strategies thus far substantially reduce the risk of acute cardiovascular events, but still a substantial number of patients have outcomes. As a result, there has been a call for newer avenues for risk reduction. The complex interplay between infection and atherosclerosis has been under scientific scrutiny for years. Many organisms have been implicated, including herpesviruses, Chlamydia pneumoniae , Mycoplasma pneumoniae , periodontal pathogens, and many others.1 There was much excitement regarding C. pneumoniae given its association with CHD and animal models suggesting a direct involvement in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, but trials using suppressive antibiotic therapy failed to show a reduction in clinical events.2,3 Although the evidence for chronic infections of intracellular pathogens and atherosclerosis exists, it was speculated that infection in CHD had begun the process of atherosclerosis decades before, thereby limiting the ability to employ antibiotic treatment so late in the evolution of CHD. However, the paradigm of inflammation significantly contributing to atherosclerosis and triggering acute cardiovascular events is firmly established, and as such there has been a continued interest in the role of infection as a contributor to this inflammatory response. Of acute infectious organisms, the influence of the influenza virus has been closely examined since it is one of the most severe respiratory viral pathogens and essentially the only one with …
On the Existence of Extended Range Predictability

Abstract On the basis of five years of Northern Hemisphere isobaric height data, states of the atmosphere separated by 12 days or less are found on the average to resemble each other more closely than randomly selected states, even after adjustment for seasonal trend has been made. The existence of partial predictability of instantaneous weather patterns at least 12 days in advance is thereby confirmed.
Enhancement of Event Related Potentials by Iterative Restoration Algorithms

An iterative procedure for the restoration of event related potentials (ERP) is proposed and implemented. The method makes use of assumed or measured statistical information about latency variations in the individual ERP components. The signal model used for the restoration algorithm consists of a time-varying linear distortion and a positivity/negativity constraint. Additional preprocessing in the form of low-pass filtering is needed in order to mitigate the effects of additive noise. Numerical results obtained with real data show clearly the presence of enhanced and regenerated components in the restored ERP's. The procedure is easy to implement which makes it convenient when compared to other proposed techniques for the restoration of ERP signals.
End-loss processes from mirror machines

The processes leading to end loss of ions from a mirror machine are reviewed. These include breakdown of adiabaticity, scattering and energy drag by classical collisions, and scattering by unstable fluctuations. Described are the linear theory of those modes thought to be of significance in present and reactor-size plasmas, and those features known of their nonlinear saturation.
Integration and equality

Abstract Some Afro‐American thinkers maintain that blacks will best serve their interests if they integrate with whites wherever they can. Others argue the case for separation, both as a means and as an end. This essay considers the arguments for integration and separation from the perspective of equality. Egalitarians tend to believe that their principles are capable of settling most social and political disputes. This is shown to be not true for the debate between integrationists and separatists.
An incremental primal-dual method for generalized networks

Abstract The primal simplex method has been computationally superior to primal-dual simplex and out-of-kilter methods for solving large-scale generalized network linear programs. In this paper, a new primal-dual simplex method is proposed that is well suited for capitalizing on the network structure. The algorithm employs a dynamically sized subbasis matrix to monotonically decrease the number of infeasible node constraints while simultaneously optimizing a dual program. Computational results indicate an implementation of this algorithm is efficient and faster than a state-of-the-art generalized network primal simplex code on many randomly generated benchmark problems.
Sex differences in the management and long-term outcome of acute myocardial infarction. A statewide study. MIDAS Study Group. Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System.

BACKGROUNDWe wished to evaluate whether differences in the rate of invasive cardiac procedures between men and women with acute myocardial infarction are associated with different short- and long-term mortality.METHODS AND RESULTSThe database (Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System, MIDAS) included all discharges for the years 1986 and 1987 with the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in New Jersey, based on the New Jersey hospital discharge data system (MIDS/UB-82). Accuracy of the data was evaluated by auditing 726 randomly selected charts. The variables examined included age, sex, race, comorbidity (anemia, chronic liver disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, hypertension, prior myocardial infarction), complications (left ventricular dysfunction, arrhythmias, conduction defects), insurance status, performance of cardiac catheterization, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and survival up to 3 years. Women were o...
Decaspirones A-E, bioactive spirodioxynaphthalenes from the freshwater aquatic fungus Decaisnella thyridioides.

Decaspirones A−E (1−5), five new compounds related to the palmarumycins, were isolated from cultures of the freshwater aquatic fungal species Decaisnella thyridioides. The known compound palmarumycin CP1 (6) was also obtained. The structures of 1−5 were determined by analysis of NMR and MS data, and their relative configurations were assigned by analysis of 1H NMR J-values and NOESY data. The structure of the lead compound 1 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Compounds 1−5 possess a trans ring fusion not previously reported in members of this structural class. The absolute configuration of 1 was assigned using the modified Mosher method. Compounds 1−5 showed potent antifungal and antibacterial activity.
On aggregation bias in sponsored search data: existence andimplications

There has been significant recent interest in studying consumer behavior in sponsored search advertising (SSA). Researchers have typically used daily data from search engines containing measures such as average bid, average ad position, total impressions, clicks and cost for each keyword in the advertiser's campaign. A variety of random utility models have been estimated using such data and the results have helped researchers explore the factors that drive consumer click and conversion propensities. However, virtually every analysis of this kind has ignored the intra-day variation in ad position. We show that estimating random utility models on aggregated (daily) data without accounting for this variation will lead to systematically biased estimates -- specifically, the impact of ad position on click-through rate (CTR) is attenuated and the predicted CTR is higher than the actual CTR. First, we prove that the average daily position of an ad is less in convex order than the actual position of the ad for an impression. Using this result, we analytically demonstrate the existence of the aggregation bias. Second, using a large disaggregate dataset from a major search engine containing 8 million impressions, we empirically validate our findings for both the traditional logit model and the Hierarchical Bayesian models that are commonly used in the SSA literature. Third, we build a game-theoretic model to analyze the effect of the bias on the equilibrium of the SSA auction.We find that advertisers bid lower in SSA auctions as a result of the bias, which always leads to lower search-engine revenue. We also find that an advertiser can always increase his payoff when he unilaterally switches to complete data from aggregate data. Finally, we empirically quantify the losses experienced by the search engine and the advertisers and find that the search engine loses over 17% of its revenue on average. We also observe that an advertiser loses around 6% of his payoffs due to data aggregation. Our findings raise serious concerns for SSA practitioners and also question the adequacy of the data standards that have become common in SSA. Finally, we provide recommendations for aggregate datasets that do not suffer from the bias.
A Pilot Study Examining a Group-Based Behavioral Family Intervention for Obese Children Enrolled in Medicaid: Differential Outcomes by Race

This pilot study examined the efficacy of a behavioral family intervention (BFI) to address weight management in obese children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Forty children, ages 6 to 12, and their parents enrolled in Medicaid were assigned to a BFI or an individual standard of care condition. Assessments were completed at baseline, posttreatment, and 9-month follow up. There were no differences in weight outcomes across treatment conditions. However, there were trends to suggest differences in weight change by child race. Specifically, children identified as African American benefited less from the BFI than Caucasian children. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
The Practice of Family Mentoring and Advocacy: A Theoretical Investigation of Critical Issues

This paper examines key theoretical underpinnings of an advocacy initiative reaching low-income and African American families in our community. Its practical benefits are proposed to ensue largely from distinct positions on several issues: the scope and location of intervention; the source of intervention (who the primary helpers are); and the nature of intervention (how helping occurs). For each issue, our own specific positions are detailed against a backdrop of competing general stances. Research on similar initiatives is also reviewed in a way that highlights salient and reoccurring themes across the literature. Overall, this inquiry aims to facilitate deliberation among both academics and practitioners regarding the potential of advocacy as a viable supplement to more traditional interventions for struggling families.
A computer science curriculum for a liberal arts college

This paper describes the development of a computer science major for a liberal arts college of 1400 students located in rural Central Indiana.In presenting this curriculum the paper also describes the institution for which this program has been developed; and shows the minimal and desirable personnel, equipment, and budgetary requirements needed to implement it. In addition, it attempts to justify the existence of computer science as a distinct program in the liberal arts tradition.
Class II transactivator suppresses transcription of thyroid-specific genes.

Abstract Class II transactivator (CIITA) is the master regulator of MHC class II genes, and mediates their induction by interferon gamma (IFNγ). To study the role of CIITA in modulating the expression of thyroid-specific genes, we cloned the full-length rat CIITA and use it to transfect a rat thyroid cell line. We found that only one type of CIITA, type IV, is induced in thyroid cells upon IFNγ stimulation, and that CIITA is capable not only of inducing the expression of MHC genes in the thyroid, but also of differentially suppressing the expression of thyroid-specific genes. These findings suggest new avenues for the development of thyroid autoimmune diseases.
Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Empire, 1402-1975

Preface Introduction The Dictionary Appendix A: A Historical Chronology of the Spanish Empire Appendix B: Colonial Viceroys of the Spanish Empire, 1535-1824 Selected Bibliography Index
Binocular retinal image differences influence eye-position signals for perceived visual direction.

Abstract Correctly perceiving the direction of a visible object with respect to one’s self (egocentric visual direction) requires that information about the location of the image on the retina (oculocentric visual direction) be combined with signals about the position of the eyes in the head. The Wells–Hering laws that govern the perception of visual direction and modern restatements of these laws assume implicitly that retinal and eye-position information are independent of one another. By measuring observers’ manual pointing responses to targets in different horizontal locations, we show that retinal and eye-position information are not treated independently in the brain. In particular, decreasing the relative visibility of one eye’s retinal image reduces the strength of the eye-position signal associated with that eye. The results can be accounted for by interactions between eye-specific retinal and eye-position signals at a common neural location.
The relation between response and attentional shifts in pigeon compound matching-to-sample performance

Pigeons’ pecks to the two elements of spatially separated compound samples were observed during matching-to-sample performance. An attentional biasing procedure was used in which the birds were tested on a subset of the information contained in the sample (either one of the two dimensions or one of the two sample key locations) for a large number of sessions. This procedure resulted in a greater proportion of sample pecks to the positively biased (tested during biasing) sample attribute. Increases in accuracy on the positively biased attribute as well as decreases in accuracy on the negatively biased (not tested during biasing) attribute were also found. However, not all of the shifts in matching accuracy could be explained by the shifts in pecking behavior.
Semantic analysis of free text and its application on automatically assigning ICD-9-CM codes to patient records

Free text written in natural languages is lack of definite structures, and semantic analysis of such text is critically important to many Natural Language Processing applications. In this paper, based on dependency parsing, we present a semantic analytic technique to automatically assign clinical ICD-9-CM codes to complex medical patient records written in English. Our semantics analysis method includes dependency parsing of clinical records obtained from testing and training data sets and the calculation of semantic matching scores. Our ultimate goal is to develop an automated disease diagnosis tool through accurate clinical code assignments. We evaluated our technique with a real-world corpus utilized in the 2007 International Natural Language Processing Challenge administered by the Computational Medicine Center at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital, and obtained promising results.
Establishment of a sandwich ELISA using commercial antibody for plasma or serum 3-nitrotyrosine (3NT). Elevation in inflammatory diseases and complementary between 3NT and myeloperoxidase.

Abstract Background Amino acid tyrosine residue of a protein can be nitrated to form 3-nitrotyrosine (3NT), which is now being considered as a marker of inflammation, oxidative and nitrosative stress. Method An in-house ELISA has been established using the same commercial antibody for both binding and detection of 3NT containing proteins. Results The sensitivity of the in-house ELISA was 1.8 nmol/l. The imprecision was Conclusion This ELISA can be used in the clinical laboratories to monitor the inflammatory disease activity and assess early risks that are associated with inflammation, oxidative and nitrosative stress.
Computer Imaging its Practical Application

You can do more with your dental office computer than keep records and process insurance claims, says Dr. Jacqueline Dzierzak. The Chicago clinician explores the use of computer imaging as a way to demonstrate the benefits of dental treatment before it begins.
Forward with Foresight

The Foresight panels were formed in April 1994, and given a year to report. The ITEC panel's most crucial conclusion is that the convergence of computing and communications will create a global economy in which geography will be an irrelevance for many investment decisions.
Impact of Defoliation on Corn Forage Yield

Farmers, agronomists, and crop insurance adjusters question whether leaf defoliation damage caused by hail or other factors affects corn (Zea mays L.) forage yield the same as grain yield. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of defoliation on corn grown for forage production. In studies conducted during 3 yr at two sites in Wisconsin and one site in Pennsylvania, forage yield decreased as leaf removal increased in severity, and as time of defoliation neared silking. Forage yield response to increasing levels of defoliation was quadratic. Averaged across all environments, forage yield decreased 16% when 100% defoliation occurred at V7. Likewise 100% defoliation decreased forage yield 43, 70, and 40% at V10, R1, and R4 growth stages, respectively. Greater forage yield decreases are measured with early defoliation (V7-V10) than predicted grain yield decreases currently used by hail adjusters. This likely occurred because both increased leaf removal and decreased grain yield combine to reduce forage yield. The response to defoliation from simulated hail damage is different between corn forage and corn grain. Alternative predictive models for estimating forage yield losses should be used by insurance adjusters.
Maternal triiodothyronine injections cause increases in swimbladder inflation and survival rates in larval striped bass, Morone saxatilis

We have experimentally elevated the triiodothyronine (T3) content of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) eggs by injecting female striped bass intramuscularly with a large dose of T3 (20 μg/g body weight) shortly before the induction of spawning. The significant elevation of T3 concentrations in the eggs from the hormone-injected fish (to 180 ng per gram), compared with those of vehicle injected controls (about 19 ng/g), confirms the transfer of T3 from the maternal circulation into oocytes. There were significant differences in the development of embryos and larvae from the two groups. Within the first week after hatching, the hormone-treated cohorts showed significantly greater larval body area, length, and dry weight, despite similar patterns of yolk and oil-globule utilization. The rate of swimbladder inflation and the survival rate were also significantly enhanced in the cohorts produced by T3-treated females. There was a positive and highly significant correlation between the concentration of T3 in the unfertilized oocytes and the rate of survival within the cohort. The improvement in larval survival may be a result of the maintenance of elevated T3 levels through the first week of development: during the transition to active feeding but before the onset of larval thyroid function. Thyroid hormone supplements appear to confer a distinct advantage to larval striped bass during this early, fragile developmental stage.
‘Fire and forget?’ — pharmacological considerations in coronary care

Abstract The potential risk of drug–drug interactions is often overlooked during drug therapy selection. Multiple risk factors for drug–drug interactions exist in both the acute and chronic phases of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including concomitant medications and underlying diseases. Some statins have been used for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) in these patients and are not all equivalent in their susceptibility to drug–drug interactions. The lipophilic drugs lovastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, cerivastatin and fluvastatin are metabolized via the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) system in the liver and the gut, making them subject to potential interactions with concomitantly administered drugs that are competing for metabolism via this system. Clinically important interactions with simvastatin or lovastatin and drugs that inhibit the 3A4 isoenzyme (part of the CYP450 system) may result in myopathy and rhabdomyolysis, which can be fatal. However, pravastatin is water-soluble, it does not undergo metabolism via CYP450 to any significant extent (
Ultrasonic wave velocity signal interpretation of simulated concrete bridge decks

Non-destructive evaluation techniques are used to assess the condition of concrete structures, predict future performance, and monitor repair systems. One of the best known non-destructive evaluation techniques is the ultrasonic pulse velocity technique, which determines both the travel time and velocity of the ultrasonic pulse from the source to the receiver through the tested material. Changes in velocity indicate the presence of anomalies in the material, yet do not enable predicting the severity of the position of such anomalies.
The Valence of Iraq? Globalization and the State

Four analytical frames link globalizing processes and Iraqi statehood: national security, the ‘failed’ state, oil resources, and military globalization. As conjured by US government officials and intellectuals, these discourses are used to explicate state-building and justify the occupation of Iraq. The representations are a system of both complementary and contradictory statements, some of them in the service of state power, others more critical of it. Emanating from the collusion of knowledge and power at the epicenter of globalization, efforts to win Iraq have not built, but shattered, a unitary state, resulting in political fragmentation, thereby cramping the national project. In actuality, state-building may well undercut nation-building. Although the future is open-ended, efforts to render neoliberal globalization increasingly coercive, as in Iraq, are provoking myriad resistances that counter its promises. Cuatro marcos analiticos enlazan los procesos globalizadores y la condicion de estado de Iraq...
Analysis of spatial filtering approach to decorrelation of coherent sources

One of the recently proposed preprocessing approaches to decorrelate coherent signals is the spatial filtering method which includes the spatial smoothing algorithm as one of its particular cases. The spatial filtering (SF) algorithm is based on the design of several FIR spatial filters which are aimed at effectively decorrelating coherent signals. The authors study and analyze the SF algorithm and then elaborate more on its statistical analysis under different conditions. >
Structure and Function of the CD1 Family of MHC‐like Cell Surface Proteins

The CD1 family of proteins are structurally related to MHC class I proteins, but are only distantly related to the class I proteins or other MHC-linked class I-like proteins. Sequence comparisons indicate that the CD1 proteins have evolved into two subfamilies, those which are similar to human CD1a, b, and c and those which are similar to human CD1d. The CD1A-, B-, and C-like genes were deleted from rodents and the CD1D gene was duplicated. CD1a, b, and c are expressed by thymocytes, dendritic cells, activated monocytes, and B cells (CD1c), a tissue distribution which strongly suggests a role in antigen presentation. In contrast, CD1d and its murine homologues are expressed by many cells outside of the lymphoid and myeloid lineages. The CD1 proteins are in most cases expressed as beta 2mg-associated membrane glycoproteins, but may associate with additional proteins. CD1d is expressed on the surface of intestinal epithelial cells in a nonglycosylvated form without beta 2mg. Whether the CD1 proteins function as antigen-presenting molecules is unresolved, but it is unlikely that they present conventional peptide antigens. Strong evidence indicates that murine CD1 proteins are recognized by a population of NK1.1+, CD4+ or CD4-CD8- (double negative, DN) T cells which express an invariant TCR alpha chain. CD1d is most likely recognized by the homologous T cell population in humans. DN alpha beta T cells which recognize CD1a, b, or c have been isolated, including clones which recognize a lipid antigen from mycobacteria presented by CD1b. A third potential population of CD1 reactive cells are CD8+ T cells in the intestinal epithelium. Taken together, these observations indicate that CD1 proteins interact with several specialized populations of T cells. The precise biological functions mediated through these interactions remain to be determined.
Phospholipase D Signaling Pathways and Phosphatidic Acid as Therapeutic Targets in Cancer

Phospholipase D is a ubiquitous class of enzymes that generates phosphatidic acid as an intracellular signaling species. The phospholipase D superfamily plays a central role in a variety of functions in prokaryotes, viruses, yeast, fungi, plants, and eukaryotic species. In mammalian cells, the pathways modulating catalytic activity involve a variety of cellular signaling components, including G protein–coupled receptors, receptor tyrosine kinases, polyphosphatidylinositol lipids, Ras/Rho/ADP-ribosylation factor GTPases, and conventional isoforms of protein kinase C, among others. Recent findings have shown that phosphatidic acid generated by phospholipase D plays roles in numerous essential cellular functions, such as vesicular trafficking, exocytosis, autophagy, regulation of cellular metabolism, and tumorigenesis. Many of these cellular events are modulated by the actions of phosphatidic acid, and identification of two targets (mammalian target of rapamycin and Akt kinase) has especially highlighted a role for phospholipase D in the regulation of cellular metabolism. Phospholipase D is a regulator of intercellular signaling and metabolic pathways, particularly in cells that are under stress conditions. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the regulation of phospholipase D activity and its modulation of cellular signaling pathways and functions.