cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Medicare Part D on drug affordability and use: Are seniors with prior high out-of-pocket drug spending affected more?

Abstract Background Medicare Part D was expected to have differential impacts on patient drug expenditures and use based on beneficiaries' levels of pre-Part D patient drug spending, but it is unknown whether these projections have borne out. Objectives We sought to evaluate whether and how the policy effect of Medicare Part D on drug expenditures and use was modified by levels of pre-Part D drug spending. Methods A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, nonequivalent control group design was used. Data were obtained from a regional supermarket chain for all prescriptions dispensed between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2007 (n = 1,230,612) to patients aged 60 years and older as of January 1, 2005 (n = 51,305) to construct 12-month pre-Part D and post-Part D periods. Annual medication use was measured as the total number of pill days acquired. Annual drug expenditures were measured as total expenditures, patient out-of-pocket expenditures, and the proportion of total expenditures paid out of pocket by the patient. Results Part D resulted in significant reductions in out-of-pocket spending (17.6%) and significant increases in drug use (4.0%) for individuals in the highest pre-Part D drug-spending group relative to controls. The reduction in out-of-pocket spending for the highest pre-part D spending group was significantly greater compared with the moderate and lowest pre-Part D spending groups. Conclusions Our findings suggest that, as expected, Part D facilitated access to medications for patients who previously experienced the greatest costs without adversely increasing use and costs among those with the lowest prior cost.
Antipredator behavior of Colorado potato beetle larvae differs by instar and attacking predator

To avoid capture by predators, herbivores often deploy predator avoidance or deterrence behaviors. Chemical defenses of Colorado potato beetles (CPB, Leptinotarsa decemlineata) have been described, but little is known about antipredator behaviors of CPB larvae in response to attack by generalist predators. We examined the behavioral responses of second, third, and fourth instar CPB larvae when contacted by predatory lady beetles (Hippodamia convergens) or damsel bugs (Nabis alternatus). Of these predators, only the damsel bug readily captures CPB larvae. First, in simple Petri-dish arenas we touched single CPB larvae with either a lady beetle or damsel bug adult attached to the end of a wooden dowel, or a bare dowel as a control. Larvae responded to predator contact by walking away, rearing up, regurgitating onto their ventral surface, wiggling their bodies, and/or defecating. The number of behavioral responses increased significantly when larvae were touched with a predator compared to a bare dowel, when larvae were in later instars, and when larvae were contacted by a damsel bug rather than a lady beetle. Next, we observed natural encounters between CPB larvae and predators on potato plants. We again found that fourth instar larvae were most likely to initiate antipredator behaviors, and that all larval stages reacted more intensely to damsel bugs than lady beetles. In summary, we found that CPB larvae deployed a complex suite of behaviors when accosted by generalist predators. The frequency of behavioral response varied by larval instar, and appeared to be scaled to the risk posed by the predator encountered.
Stabilizability Across a Gaussian Product Channel: Necessary and Sufficient Conditions

We present necessary and sufficient conditions for stabilizing a discrete-time LTI plant in the mean squared sense when a sensor transmits the plant state information to a remotely placed controller across a Gaussian product channel. The Gaussian product channel models a continuous-time waveform Gaussian channel, where the encoder transmits information to the receiver across multiple noisy paths. The conditions presented are in terms of the power at the transmitter, noise variances and the unstable eigenvalues of the plant. It is known that linear coding schemes may lead to overly restrictive stabilizability conditions in such scenarios. We present a nonlinear coding scheme and present the resulting sufficient stabilizability conditions. We then prove the necessity of the conditions using information theoretic tools.
New criteria for diagnosis of infective endocarditis : Utilization of specific echocardiographic findings. Duke Endocarditis Service

Abstract purpose: This study was designed to develop improved criteria for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis and to compare these criteria with currently accepted criteria in a large series of cases. patients and methods: A total of 405 consecutive cases of suspected infective endocarditis in 353 patients evaluated in a tertiary care hospital from 1985 to 1992 were analyzed using new diagnostic criteria for endocarditis. We defined two "major criteria" (typical blood culture and positive echocardiogram) and six "minor criteria" (predisposition, fever, vascular phenomena, immunologic phenomena, suggestive echocardiogram, and suggestive microbiologic findings). We also defined three diagnostic categories: (1) "definite" by pathologic or clinical criteria, (2) "possible," and (3) "rejected." Each suspected case of endocarditis was classified using both old and new criteria. Sixty-nine pathologically proven cases were reclassified after exclusion of the surgical or autopsy findings, enabling comparison of clinical diagnostic criteria in proven cases. results: Fifty-five (80%) of the 69 pathologically confirmed cases were classified as clinically definite endocarditis. The older criteria classified only 35 (51%) of the 69 pathologically confirmed cases into the analogous probable category (p conclusion: Application of the proposed new criteria increases the number of definite diagnoses. This should be useful for more accurate diagnosis and classification of patients with suspected endocarditis and provide better entry criteria for epidemiologic studies and clinical trials.
Pronuclear embryo cryopreservation experience: outcomes for reducing the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and for fertility preservation in cancer patients

Purpose To evaluate pregnancy rate (PR) and live birth rate (LBR) after freezing pronuclear (PN) embryos for two purposes: to reduce the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and to bank embryos for cancer patients anticipating gametotoxic chemotherapy/radiotherapy.
Public Welfare Workers' Knowledge Of Group Dynamics

Abstract To address the question of what social workers employed in public welfare know about group dynamics, which is related to group work, a survey research study was conducted in a major city in Israel. The study's findings showed that in regard to groups the social workers' prior course work, knowledge base in and use of theory, practice experience, and peer consultation were modest. Furthermore, the social workers received little support for studying group dynamics and little inservice training was available. The findings of the study are consistent with those of related studies of social work practitioners' knowledge. The study points to a need for better education and training in public welfare social work in the area of knowledge about group dynamics.
The fate of cellulose and lignin in peats: an exploratory study of the input to coalification

Abstract The plant organs that give rise to preserved tissue in peats are often composed chiefly of cells with cellulosic (unlignified) walls, which frequently retain the birefringence characteristic of cellulose. Yet unaltered polymeric cellulose is present in very low concentration and, if inserted into peat as cotton, is rapidly destroyed. Our objective is to resolve this paradox and also identigy chemical changes undergone by any lignin that escapes depolymerization. Cores of peat from four environments in the Florida Everglades and one in Okefenokee Swamp (Georgia) are being studied. Size separation of peat from various depths by slurrying in water and passing through an 80 mesh sieve is an effective method of segregating rootlets and other plant tissue from fine-grained humic matter. In most cases, the various plant tissue fragments seem to consist chiefly of the principal plant polymers (cellulose and lignin), though these are somewhat oxidized and cellulose tends to decrease with depth. The fine-grained humic matter contains more or less the same structural features as the plant polymers, but shows bands of different shapes and relative intensities. In the case of the Cypress peat (only), the spectra of coarse and fine materials are quite similar. Thus there is evidence that cellulose does survive in some peats and that the polymers can be somewhat altered without destruction of cellular morphology.
Space-borne tethers

The astronauts onboard the Space Station are busy conducting experiments with the Station's tethered nano-gravity facility-a mobile platform which can be moved up and down a tether to fine-tune the amount of gravitational force present in their experiments. The tether itself is an insulated conducting wire which connects the station to a remote facility orbiting in tandem 50 km above the Station. All is going well until a malfunction in the solar arrays mounted on the Station causes its power system to fail. The batteries will not last until the next Shuttle visit. Without the tether, the astronauts would most likely have to abandon the Station in its emergency escape vehicle. However, the specialist onboard changes the tether configuration to allow it to generate power from its motion across the Earth's magnetic field. In this configuration, the tether provides the Station with large amounts of power, enough to run the station as well as most of its experiments. The extra drag on the station due to this power generation is counteracted by its reboost module. >
An Iterative Aggregation/Disaggregation Approach for the Solution of a Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Oilfield Infrastructure Planning Model

A multiperiod mixed-integer nonlinear programming model for offshore oilfield infrastructure planning is presented where nonlinear reservoir behavior is incorporated directly into the formulation. Discrete decisions include the selection of production platforms, well platforms and wells to be installed/drilled, and the drilling schedule for the wells over the planning horizon. Continuous decisions include the capacities of the platforms and the production profile for each well in each time period. For the solution of this model, an iterative aggregation/disaggregation algorithm is proposed in which logic-based methods, a bilevel decomposition technique, the use of convex envelopes, and aggregation of time periods are integrated. Furthermore, a novel dynamic programming subproblem is proposed to improve the aggregation scheme at each iteration in order to obtain an aggregate problem that resembles the disaggregate problem more closely. A number of examples are presented to illustrate the performance of the...
Amish in the 21st Century

AbstractThe Amish community is a boon to social science analysis. They are so similar in many ways to the outside world; they live as part of it. And yet they are also quite different. These similarities and especially differences provide a contrast that can be studied. The present paper looks at this religious group of people through the eyeglasses of history, law, philosophy, culture and economics.
Immunologic Studies of Human Growth Hormone

The nature of the serum protein contaminant in the human growth hormone preparation of Raben was examined, utilizing the techniques of agar gel diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis and hemagglutination. Human growth hormone antiserum interreacted with Cohn fractions II, IV-4 and V, with a highly purified human serum albumin preparation and with normal human serum. Human growth hormone interreacted with antihuman globulin serum and antialbumin serum. On immunoelectrophoresis, 2 precipitin arcs formed between human growth hormone and the antiglobulin serum. The more intense precipitin line appeared to be related to γ-globulin. The secondary precipitin line corresponded to an area to which the slower moving components of α1 α2 and β-globulin migrate. Fractionation of human growth hormone in cross-linked dextran provided 2 distinctly different electrophoretic components. The major antigen and most of the somatotropic activity were associated with the retarded material and suggested that the active component of gr...
Simple method to make a night guard for an extraoral superstructure.

auricular prostheses often complain of unwelcome noise at night caused by the rubbing of bed linen against the superstructure.1 The vibrations are conducted through the superstructure and bone to the inner ear, where the sensation is greatly magnified and thus disturbs sleep. A night guard that will deaden this unwanted noise can be fabricated with readily available and inexpensive vacuum-formed mouth guard material.
NMR study of peplomycin in aqueous solution. Assignment of resonances by means of two-dimensional spectroscopy

1H-NMR spectra of peplomycin (PEP) recorded at 400 and, for the first time, 900 MHz at 2 °C were examined. All the spin systems in the PEP molecule were identified through 2D NMR spectroscopy. The use of NMR spectroscopy allowed the unambiguous assignment of 62 protons, generating 47 non-exchangeable and 15 exchangeable signals. The analysis of the signals observed in 2D-NOE spectra indicates that PEP exhibits an extended conformation at 2 °C. A comparison between the solution conformation of apo-PEP and the solution structure of HOO-Co(III)-PEP indicates that the overall structure of apo-PEP is extended in solution, but exhibiting a conformation of the bithiazole (B)-sulfonium (S) unit similar to that of HOO-Co(III)-PEP. The present investigation represents the initial stage of an NMR study of the solution conformation and dynamics of PEP, its derivatives, its metal complexes and the interactions of metallo-PEPs with their target DNA.
A high-efficiency acoustic chamber and the anomalous sample rotation

A high efficiency acoustic chamber for the levitation and manipulation of liquid or molten samples in a microgravity environment has been developed. The chamber uses two acoustic drivers that are mounted at opposite corners of the chamber; by driving these at the same frequency, with 18-deg phase shifts, an increase in force of a factor of 3-4 is obtainable relative to the force of a single-driver system that is operated at the same power level. This enhancement is due to the increased coupling between the sound driver and the chamber. An anomalous rotation is noted to be associated with the chamber; this is found to be eliminated by a physically as-yet inexplicable empirical solution.
Pectus excavatum surgery: sternochondroplasty versus Nuss procedure.

Background The repair of pectus excavatum (PE) by minimally invasive Nuss surgery is well established, but its complication rate is high and its indication is indiscriminate. Sternochondroplasty (SCP) provides good results with a low complication rate but requires a small transverse incision. Methods To compare SCP and Nuss, we analyzed 40 patients with PE who underwent surgery (SCP, n=20; Nuss, n=20). Thirty subjects (75.0%) were male and 10 (25.0%) were female. In the SCP group, 9 (45.0%) had symmetric PE, and 11 (55.0%) had asymmetric PE. In the Nuss group, 17 (85%) had symmetric PE, and 3 (15%) had asymmetric PE ( p = 0.020). Results The mean duration of SCP was 229.5 minutes, and the mean duration of Nuss was 54.3 minutes. The average length of hospital stay was 4 days with SCP and 6.3 days with Nuss ( p = 0.172). The SCP results were favorable in 18 subjects (90%) and fair in 2 subjects (10%). In the Nuss group, we observed 17 patients (85.0%) with favorable results and 3 (15.0%) with poor results. Patients with asymmetric PE exhibited severe pectus carinatum. No complications were found in 17 patients (85%) in the SCP group. In the Nuss group, 9 patients (45.0%) had 13 complications (65.0%; p = 0.004). Conclusions Sternochondroplasty surgery yielded better results than the Nuss procedure and more patients with asymmetric PE, less pain, and fewer complications. Nuss surgery had shorter operating times than SCP, younger patients, more symmetric PE, and 3 patients who experienced severe postoperative asymmetric pectus carinatum. In summary, for asymmetric PE the best indication is SCP.
The Dark Side of Social Encounters: Prospects for a Neuroscience of Human Evil

This article discusses how findings from social, cognitive, and affective neuroscience might contribute to our understanding of human evil. Integrating theories of personality and social psychology as well as the notions of deindividuation and dehumanization with recent neuroscientific insight, the authors elaborate on the nature of human evil and its potential roots in brain systems associated with affective processing and cognitive control.
Psychosomatic concepts in chronic pain.

Abstract Rashbaum IG, Sarno JE. Psychosomatic concepts in chronic pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003;84 Suppl 1:S76-80. This self-directed learning module highlights the obstacles faced by physicians treating chronic pain, in particular, the occasional lack of correlation between test results and symptoms, and the treatment pitfalls that may occur. A review of psychosomatic pain disorders is presented along with a psychodynamically based diagnosticand management approach. Popular mind-body treatments for chronic pain are presented with pertinent references. Overall Article Objectives: (a) To review the diagnostic and therapeutic limitations of conventional chronic pain management, (b) to explore a psychodynamically based psychosomatic chronic pain diagnostic and therapeutic construct, and (c) to examine several additional mind-body chronic pain treatments.
Context effects on the spontaneous leg movements of infants with spina bifida.

Purpose Our understanding of the developmental profiles of infants with spina bifida (SB) is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine over four months the impact of the movement context on the spontaneously produced leg movements of infants with spina bifida (SB). Method Six infants with lumbar or sacral SB and six infants who were developing typically were videotaped while they were supine and seated in two different infant seats. Results Infants with SB moved their legs less often than did the infants who are developing typically. Both groups produced the slowest, smallest leg movements when they were in a conventional infant seat, moved their legs with the greatest velocities when they were supine and in a specially designed infant seat, and with the greatest amplitudes when they were supine. Conclusions These results suggest that the leg movements of infants with SB emerge from the cooperative interactions of their intrinsic characteristics and their movement context.
The Second Moment Matters! Cross-Sectional Dispersion of Firm Valuations and Expected Stock Returns

Behavioral theories predict that firm valuation dispersion in the cross section (“dispersion”) measures aggregate overpricing caused by investor overconfidence and should be negatively related to expected aggregate returns. This paper develops and tests these hypotheses. Consistent with the model predictions, I find that measures of dispersion are positively related to aggregate valuations, trading volume, idiosyncratic volatility, past market returns, and current and future investor sentiment indexes. Dispersion is a strong negative predictor of subsequent shortand long-term market excess returns. Market beta is positively related to stock returns when the beginning-of-period dispersion is low and this relationship reverses when initial dispersion is high. A simple forecast model based on dispersion significantly outperforms a naive model based on historical equity premium in out-of-sample tests and the predictability is stronger in economic downturns.
Paradoxes related to the rate of transmission of information

This paper discusses paradoxes related to the possibility of infinite information capacity of certain types of channels. First, a paradox of this type is derived which shows that such paradoxes are not necessarily dependent on the assumption of Gaussian statistics. Next, in the case where signal and noise are assumed to be Gaussian, a different example of this type of paradox is derived; also, a necessary and sufficient condition for the avoidance of this form of the paradox is derived. This condition is shown to be satisfied in a class of plausible physical situations.
Sol-gel processing and automation of tunable ceramic materials

Sol gel processing of ceramic materials has attracted much interest in the past decade because of its inherent advantages in homogeneity of the resulting powder, fine grain size, high purity, and ability to mix disparate materials well. Sol gel processing is particularly apt to tunable electroceramics such as barium strontium titanate (BST) because of the fine grain size and purity desirable in such materials. It may be desirable to develop a semiautomatic system to produce the tunable ceramic powder, thin film and ceramic devices. Thin film tunable ceramics can be deposited on to a substrate with or without conductive traces by using a microwave plasma deposition system. In this paper, we have shown such a system incorporating microwave power for calcination, binder burn out and final sintering to a near net shape manufacturing of ceramic devices. This paper also describes the sol gel processing method for BST and compares properties of materials prepared by the sol gel method and the more conventional carbonate and oxide powder method.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Differential expression of two members of the nuclear gene family encoding arginine decarboxylase in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L).

Two nuclear genes (NtADC-1 and Nt ADC-2) encoding arginine decarboxylase (ADC, EC 4.1.1.19) have been characterized from Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi and their differential expression during development analyzed. The two nuclear genes are 95% identical in nucleotide sequence within their coding and 5’-and 3’-noncoding regions. Both genes contain a single open reading frame, uninterrupted by introns, encoding proteins of 720 (ADC1) and 721 (ADC2) amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence of ADC1 is identical to that encoded by the cDNA PR24 previously isolated from N. tabacum cv Burley 21, and differs at 22 amino acids residues from ADC2 (96.4% identical). Transcripts encoding ADC1 and ADC2 are expressed predominantly in the root and floral tissues of wild-type tobacco plants. A small, transient increase in ADC transcript abundance is observed in the roots of wild-type Burley 21 tobacco within 24 h after topping (i.e., removal of the floral meristem and upper leaves and stem). Low alkaloid (nic1 nic2) mutants subjected to the same treatment showed no induction in ADC expression. Using semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis and synthetic oligonucleotide primers capable of distinguishing between the two different ADC transcripts, it has been shown that NtADC2 is preferentially expressed in roots and accounts for the major portion of ADC transcripts present.
Helping melanoma patients decide whether to choose adjuvant high-dose interferon-α2b

High-dose interferon- α2b is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment for stage III melanoma, and yet, because of its limited efficacy and well-known toxicity, it is not universally accepted by patients and oncologists. In this paper, we evaluate the benefits and risks of adjuvant high-dose interferonα2b and try to provide a framework to help oncologists guide patients trying to decide whether to undergo adjuvant high-dose interferon therapy. The Oncologist 2005;10:739–742
Persistent connections in high speed internets

The authors examine persistent connections as a part of the very high speed internet (VHSI) abstraction proposed by G.M. Parulkar (see ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communications Review, p.18, 1990). An important component of the VHSI is a novel multipoint congram-oriented high-performance internet protocol (Mchip). The congram is the basic service primitive of Mchip which incorporates strengths of both connection and datagram approaches. Mchip supports two types of congrams: the user congram (UCon) and the persistent internet congram (PICon). The authors evaluate the need for PICons, and their place in the VHSI model. They focus on the PICon control packet organization and present examples of PICon setup and use. Future research directions are identified. >
Embodied solution: The world from a toddler’s point of view

An important goal in studying both human intelligence and artificial intelligence is an understanding of how a natural or artificial learning system deals with the uncertainty and ambiguity in the real world. We suggest that the relevant aspects in a learning environment for the learner are only those that make contact with the learnerpsilas sensory system. Moreover, in a real-world interaction, what the learner perceives in his sensory system critically depends on both his own and his social partnerpsilas actions, and his interactions with the world. In this way, the perception-action loops both within a learner and between the learner and his social partners may provide an embodied solution that significantly simplifies the social and physical learning environment, and filters irrelevant information for a current learning task which ultimately leads to successful learning. In light of this, we report new findings using a novel method that seeks to describe the visual learning environment from a young childpsilas point of view. The method consists of a multi-camera sensing environment consisting of two head-mounted mini cameras that are placed on both the childpsilas and the parentpsilas foreheads respectively. The main results are that (1) the adultpsilas and childpsilas views are fundamentally different when they interact in the same environment; (2) what the child perceives most often depends on his own actions and his social partnerpsilas actions; (3) the actions generated by both social partners provide more constrained and clean input to facilitate learning. These findings have broad implications for how one studies and thinks about human and artificial learning systems.
Equivalent circuits for electrically small antennas

A method for finding the equivalent circuit of an electrically small antenna (ESA) is introduced. The equivalent circuit is based on the ESA's frequency dependent polarizability. Using this equivalent circuit, the input impedance, radiation quality factor (Q), and radiation efficiency (η eff ) can be found. The circuit also provides physical insight into the fundamental operation of a small antenna. Equivalent circuits for a negative permittivity sphere and a negative permittivity shell are reported.
Privileged Access, Privileged Accounts: Toward a Socially Structured Theory of Resources and Discourses

Environmental harms involve a double diversion - two forms of privilege that deserve greater attention. The first involves disproportionality, or the privileged diversion of rights/resources: Contrary to common assumptions, much environmental damage is not economically necessary - instead, it represents privileged access to the environment. It is made possible in part by the second diversion - the diversion of attention, or distraction - largely through taken-for-granted or privileged accounts, which are rarely questioned, even in leftist critiques. Data show that, rather than producing advanced materials, major polluters tend to be inefficient producers of low-value commodities, and rather than being major employers, they can have emissions-to-jobs ratios a thousand times worse than the economy as a whole. Instead of simply focusing on overall/average levels of environmental problems, sociologists also need to examine disproportionalities, analyzing the socially structured nature Of environmental and discursive privileges. Doing so can offer important opportunities for insights, not just about nature, but also about the nature of power, and about the power of the naturalized.
Invariance and factorial models

Summary. Two factors having the same set of levels are said to be homologous. This paper aims to extend the domain of factorial models to designs that include homologous factors. In doing so, it is necessary first to identify the characteristic property of those vector spaces that constitute the standard factorial models. We argue here that essentially every interesting statistical model specified by a vector space is necessarily a representation of some algebraic category. Logical consistency of the sort associated with the standard marginality conditions is guaranteed by category representations, but not by group representations. Marginality is thus interpreted as invariance under selection of factor levels (Z-representations), and invariance under replication of levels (S-representations). For designs in which each factor occurs once, the representations of the product category coincide with the standard factorial models. For designs that include homologous factors, the set of Srepresentations is a subset of the Z-representations. It is shown that symmetry and quasi-symmetry are representations in both senses, but that not all representations include the constant functions (intercept). The beginnings of an extended algebra for constructing general Z-representations is described and illustrated by a diallel cross design.
Open Borders? Immigration in Open Source Projects

Open source software is built by teams of volunteers. Each project has a core team of developers, who have the authority to commit changes to the repository; this team is the elite, committed foundation of the project, selected through a meritocratic process from a larger number of people who participate on the mailing list. Most projects carefully regulate admission of outsiders to full developer privileges; some projects even have formal descriptions of this process. Understanding the factors that influence the "who, how and when" of this process is critical, both for the sustainability of FLOSS projects, and for outside stakeholders who want to gain entry and succeed. In this paper we mount a quantitative case study of the process by which people join FLOSS projects, using data mined from the Apache web server, Postgres, and Python. We develop a theory of open source project joining, and evaluate this theory based on our data.
Influence of healthy candidate bias in assessing clinical effectiveness for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: cohort study of older patients with heart failure

Objective To assess the potential contribution of unmeasured general health status to patient selection in assessments of the clinical effectiveness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy.
Inflammation promotes the loss of adeno-associated virus-mediated transgene expression in mouse liver

Background & Aims Non-self transgenes delivered to mouse liver via adeno-associated virus (AAV) are expressed stably due to the induction of immune tolerance. However, such transgene expression has been reported to be lost in higher-order primates. We investigated whether inflammatory processes, which likely differ between species, impact the stability of transgene expression. Methods We developed a mouse model that mimics a scenario in which a subject that has received hepatic AAV-mediated gene transfer develops subsequent, vector-unrelated, systemic inflammation. Results Inflammation eliminated previously stable expression of transgenes delivered by AAV; the limited tissue destruction and persistence of AAV genomes implicated pathways besides the cytotoxic T-cell response. Tumor necrosis factor-a down-regulated expression of the transgene from the AAV, indicating a role for similar inflammatory cytokines in such loss of transgene expression. Conclusions Inflammation can block AAV-mediated expression of transgenes in mouse liver. The presence of inflammation might therefore affect hepatic expression of transgenes from viral vectors in humans.
Effects of Cross-Frame on Stability of Double I-Girder System Under Erection

Double-girder systems investigated here consist of two steel I-shaped straight girders connected by intermediate cross-frames. In the erection stage, loading on the girder system, consisting mainly of girder self-weight, may not be significant. However, the concrete deck typically is not present to provide continuous lateral support to girder flanges, and there may be fewer cross-frames than in the service condition, resulting in fewer discrete lateral constraints to girder flanges and torsional constraints to girder sections. Such conditions could contribute to significant lowering of lateral torsional buckling capacity of the girder system compared with the service condition, and the girder system may become unstable during construction if the girder span is too long or if cross-frames do not provide enough discrete lateral support. Thus, it is important to investigate the effects of cross-frames on the stability of double-girder systems during construction. The AASHTO load and resistance factor design code has no specific requirements for maximum allowable spacing of cross-frames. To identify the dominant parameters and quantify the effects of cross-frames on double-girder system stability, finite element analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of the area of the cross-frame braces and cross-frame spacing on lateral torsional buckling capacity of double-girder systems under self-weight. The area of cross-frame members had negligible effects, but cross-frame spacing above a certain value affects system capacity. A method is presented to determine maximum cross-frame spacing (i.e., minimum number of cross-frames) for double-girder systems during erection. The goal is to achieve construction safety and labor reduction at the same time.
An Approach to Determining the Kinematic Parameters of Biomechanical Systems with Applications to the Wrist

This paper presents an accurate and robust approach for determining the kinematic parameters of biomechanical systems. A computationally efficient algorithm is given for estimating the translation vector and rotation matrix of a moving body from measurements of the position of at least four spatially distributed points on the body. This algorithm provides an estimation of the spatial location and orientation of the body which is less sensitive to measurement error than other methods. It is indicated how the kinematic parameters can be used to determine the linear translation and angular rotation of the moving body in terms of an anatomically relevant coordinate system. The design, fabrication and calibration of an inexpensive, serial-link, three-dimensional mechanical digitizer for use in data acquisition is described. This device is kinematically optimized and is easy to use for accurate data collection. An implementation of this approach to quantifying certain aspects of the kinematics of the human wris...
Low Cost, Wide Bandwidth Microstrip Signal Switching System for ATE Applications

ATE signal switching systems are subject to ever wider signal switching bandwidths and higher levels of adjecent channel isolation requirements. With the MATE Guidelines, the specified channel-to-channel isolation at the ATE Interface has been set to 50 dB at 300 MHz. Present methods to realize these bandwidth and isolation requirements in ATE station switching systems often include the use of coaxial switches. Coaxial cable connects these coaxial switches to each other, and to the ATE Interface connector pins. The coaxial switches are expensive. In addition, the assembly exgenses associated with building the coaxial cables are also major cost factors when building these ATE signal switching systems. This paper describes how microstrip transmission llnes, connecting mercury wetted reed relays to each other and to the ATE Interface connector pins were used to make a prototype low cost, 350 MHz bandwidth, 50 ohm impedance signal switching system. This prototype microstrip switching system had a measured signal bandwidth equivalent to, or exceeding that for a comparable coaxial relay, signal switching system in present use. In addition, this microstrip signal switchinq system can be assembled using wave soldering fabrication methods to further reduce the labor costs normally incurred to assemble the coaxial cables. This type of mercury-wetted reed relay, microstrip switching system can replace a coaxial-switched signal matrix within a Honeywell H3500 ATE station. Cost reduction of $20,000 per station is anticipated.
Mifepristone (RU 486) for induced abortion.

Abstract Mifepristone (RU 486), an oral antiprogestin, effectively induces abortion in early pregnancy and significantly expedites induction-of-labor abortions in later pregnancy.
Emerging treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening disease characterised by a progressive pulmonary vasculopathy with ensuing right heart failure if left untreated. In the 1980s, prior to the current treatment era, idiopathic PAH carried a very poor prognosis, with a median survival of 2.8 years from the time of diagnosis. Since then, continuous intravenous epoprostenol has been used for the treatment of severe PAH with tremendous success, improving haemodynamics, quality of life, exercise capacity, functional class and even survival. In addition, in the past 5 years there have been several new advances in the treatment of PAH; however, there is still no cure. A better understanding of how the currently available agents work together is essential to optimise the long-term care of patients with PAH. Ultimately, additional agents that target the underlying pulmonary vasculopathy and endothelial abnormalities are necessary to cure this fatal disease. This comprehensive review of the currently availa...
Intrinsically photosensitive polyimides: Approaches to fluorinated homologs

Cyclobutane tetracarboxylic acid dianhydrides, which were prepared via photodimerization of maleic anhydride or methylmaleic anhydride, gave high molecular weight film-forming polyimides with oxydianiline. The resulting polylmides were found to be photosensitive, presumably because of retrocyclization of the cyclobutane ring. Despite the presence of the cyclobutane ring, the polylmides show good thermal stability
Metal wire waveguides for broadband terahertz pulses

Guided propagation of terahertz pulses on metal wires, characterized with the direct measurement of the electric field in the time domain, shows record low loss and negligible group velocity dispersion.
The economic implications of high-risk abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abstract Financial data of 102 patients undergoing elective and emergent abdominal aortic aneurysm repair over a 3-year period were evaluated in terms of postoperative length of stay, net revenue, total standard cost, and net margin. Cost reimbursement was based on diagnosis related group payments. Aneurysm repairs were classified as emergent, high-risk elective, or low-risk elective. A net loss of $409,459 was noted for the entire series. Emergent repairs, although only 12% of the population, accounted for 73% of total losses, with a mean loss of $24,655/patient. The mean net loss in the high-risk elective group was $3590/patient, and a net gain of $1132/patient was noted in the low-risk elective group. Length of stay outliers, defined as length of stay > 28 days, contributed to the bulk of the losses in the elective series and were predominant in the high-risk group. No preoperative comorbidity, other than high-risk classification, predicted outlier status. Length of stay correlated with total standard costs in all categories of aneurysm repair. Third party payment for length of stay outliers was inadequate; the diagnosis related group system warrants revision so that outlier reimbursement will be based on a tiered system derived from length of stay. (J VASC SURG 1991;13:798-804.)
Columbia NLP: Sentiment Detection of Sentences and Subjective Phrases in Social Media

We present two supervised sentiment detection systems which were used to compete in SemEval-2014 Task 9: Sentiment Analysis in Twitter. The first system (Rosenthal and McKeown, 2013) classifies the polarity of subjective phrases as positive, negative, or neutral. It is tailored towards online genres, specifically Twitter, through the inclusion of dictionaries developed to capture vocabulary used in online conversations (e.g., slang and emoticons) as well as stylistic features common to social media. The second system (Agarwal et al., 2011) classifies entire tweets as positive, negative, or neutral. It too includes dictionaries and stylistic features developed for social media, several of which are distinctive from those in the first system. We use both systems to participate in Subtasks A and B of SemEval2014 Task 9: Sentiment Analysis in Twitter. We participated for the first time in Subtask B: Message-Level Sentiment Detection by combining the two systems to achieve improved results compared to either system alone.
Locally adapted traits maintained in the face of high gene flow

Gene flow between phenotypically divergent populations can disrupt local adaptation or, alternatively, may stimulate adaptive evolution by increasing genetic variation. We capitalised on historical Trinidadian guppy transplant experiments to test the phenotypic effects of increased gene flow caused by replicated introductions of adaptively divergent guppies, which were translocated from high- to low-predation environments. We sampled two native populations prior to the onset of gene flow, six historic introduction sites, introduction sources and multiple downstream points in each basin. Extensive gene flow from introductions occurred in all streams, yet adaptive phenotypic divergence across a gradient in predation level was maintained. Descendants of guppies from a high-predation source site showed high phenotypic similarity with native low-predation guppies in as few as ~12 generations after gene flow, likely through a combination of adaptive evolution and phenotypic plasticity. Our results demonstrate that locally adapted phenotypes can be maintained despite extensive gene flow from divergent populations.
Electronic spectroscopy and photoisomerization of trans-urocanic acid in a supersonic jet.

trans-Urocanic acid (trans-UA), a component of the epidermal layer of skin, exhibits wavelength-dependent photochemistry. The quantum efficiency of isomerization to cis-UA is greatest when the molecule is excited on the long wavelength tail of its absorption profile in solution (300−320 nm). However, exciting the molecule where it absorbs UV light most efficiently (260−285 nm) causes almost no isomerization. We have used fluorescence excitation and dispersed emission methods in a supersonic jet to investigate the electronic states involved in this complex and interesting photochemistry. Three distinct regions are present in the excitation spectrum. Region I, which is below the isomerization barrier, contains sharp, well-resolved peaks that upon excitation emit from the S1 state of trans-UA. Region II exhibits peaks that increase in broadness and decrease in intensity with increasing excitation energy. Upon excitation these peaks produce dual emission from the S1 states of both trans- and cis-UA. The trans...
Alternative Ankle-Brachial Index Method Identifies Additional At-Risk Individuals

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine whether use of an alternative ankle-brachial index (ABI) calculation method improves mortality risk prediction compared with traditional methods. Background The ABI is used to diagnose peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and to identify those at risk for cardiovascular events. Traditionally, the ABI is calculated with the higher of the dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial ankle arteries. Studies directly comparing calculation methods are limited. Methods The ABI was calculated at baseline in 1,413 study participants undergoing nonemergent coronary angiography subsequently followed for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. There were 224 individuals assigned to the traditional-PAD group (ABI Results There were 163 mortalities during a median follow-up of 5.0 years. Adjusted Cox regression models showed that the alternative-PAD group had an increased risk for all-cause (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.49; 95% confidence interval: 1.01 to 2.19) and cardiovascular mortality (HR: 3.21; 95% confidence interval: 1.53 to 6.37) versus the no-PAD group. Additionally, in the no-PAD group, there was an 11% (HR: 1.11; 95% confidence interval: 1.05 to 1.17) increased risk of all-cause mortality/1-mm Hg increased difference between the left and right brachial systolic pressures. Conclusions The implementation of an alternative ABI method and use of the brachial difference identifies individuals at an increased risk for mortality who are currently missed with traditional ABI methods. Current ABI protocols might need to be evaluated.
Wives’ Economic Resources and Risk of Divorce

Using longitudinal data covering 25 years from 1979 to 2004, the author examines the relationship between wives’ economic resources and the risk of marital dissolution. The author considers the effects of labor force participation, income, and relative income while accounting for potential endogeneity of wives’ economic resources. The extent to which wives’ economic resources are differentially related to marital disruption for Whites and Blacks is also ascertained. The author finds that the economic resources of women are tightly linked to the risk of divorce, both negatively and positively, for Whites but not for Blacks.
Save that deal using Earn‐outs

How do you resolve the “bid-ask spread” between buyer and seller in an acquisition? One common tool is the earn-out—a payment contingent on events and performance after the deal has closed. Earn-outs can be a powerful tool. But it is vital that you consider the risks carefully. The author explains how to construct earn-outs that minimize the risk of future disagreement and litigation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The fibrillin-1 gene: unlocking new therapeutic pathways in cardiovascular disease

The dramatic reductions in DNA sequencing costs allow us to delve deeper into the genomic alterations that increase susceptibility to many polygenic cardiovascular diseases. One such condition is an abnormal proximal aorta. Until recently, many believed that dilated, distorted or dissected proximal aortas might represent a forme fruste of Marfan syndrome or a continuum of aortopathy. Although an FBN-1 mutation does not guarantee the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome it is clear however that FBN-1 mutations independently confer additional risk for many of the cardiovascular complications classically associated with the disease. Furthermore, treatment with an angiotensin receptor blocker has proven effective in reducing rates of thoracic aortic root dilatation in preliminary studies of Marfan syndrome patients. Awareness of an FBN-1 mutation then highlights the need for increased vigilance for the associated cardiovascular phenotypes. Knowledge of an FBN-1 gene mutation may allow actionable interventions earlier in the natural history of the condition.
Data Modeling Using Channel-Remapped Generalized Features

Sparse coding is a very powerful method to learn high-level features from raw data input. It is able to learn an over complete basis that has the potential to capture robust and discriminative patterns within the data. However, like many other feature learning algorithms, it is unable to detect very similar features or stimuli on different input channels. In this paper, we propose a novel method to build general features that can be applicable to different sets of channels. This succinct representational model will express the stimuli independent of the locality in which they appeared. As a result, it prepares the groundwork for transferring the learned features from a set of input channels to other possible sets of input channels.