cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intraoperative Touch Preparation Cytology for Margin Assessment in Breast-Conservation Surgery: Does It Work for Lobular Carcinoma?

Background Breast carcinoma is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in women of the North America. The combination of breast-conservation surgery and radiotherapy has become a standard of treatment for most breast cancers. It is critical to obtain clear margins to minimize local recurrence. The literature suggests that intraoperative touch preparation cytology (IOTPC) can be useful in evaluation of margins. Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) accounts for 10% to 15% of all breast cancers. Obtaining clear margins in ILC can be more challenging. Literature shows the positive margin rate for ILC to be as high as 60%. This report describes our experience with IOTPC for margin assessment in ILC by a single surgeon at Beth Israel Medical Center. The purpose of this study is to determine whether IOTPC is reliable for ILC.
Which components of working memory are important in the writing process

This study investigated the relationship between components of working memory (WM) and the macrostructure (e.g., planning, writing, and revision) and microstructure (e.g., grammar, punctuation) of writing. A battery of WM and writing measures were administered to 160 high-school students. Overall, hierarchical regression analyses showed that the central executive component of WM significantly predicted planning, writing, and revision as well the majority of microstructure measures. The results further validate the importance of WM in the writing process, but indicate that writing process is more intricately tied to the controlled attention component of WM when compared to storage of information.
Who, what, where, and when: A note on deontic logic

WITH respect to deontic logic-or perhaps it would be more accurate to speak of deontic logics-it seems to me that there are numerous points of difficulty that might profitably be raised for discussion. However, I will restrict myself here to some comments regarding the expressive adequacy of certain of the systems so far developed or proposed. One standard approach in the literature has been to consider deontic sentences as expressible by interpreting the deontic terms as monadic predicates of acts. Thus, the generally accepted principle that whatever is obligatory is permitted might be expressed as Pi. Oa -Pa.'
The linguistic-pragmatic turn in the history of philosophy

Did the pragmatic turn encompass the linguistic turn in the history of philosophy? Or was the linguistic turn a turn away from pragmatism? Some commentators identify the so-called “eclipse” of pragmatism by analytic philosophy, especially during the Cold War era, as a turn away from pragmatist thinking. However, the historical evidence suggests that this narrative is little more than a myth. Pragmatism persisted, transforming into a more analytic variety under the influence of Quine and Putnam and, more recently, a continental version in the hands of Richard Rorty and Cornel West. In this paper, I argue that proof of the linguistic turn’s presence as a moment in a broader pragmatic turn in philosophy can be garnered from close examination of a single article, W. V. O. Quine’s “Two Dogmas of Empiricism,” and a single issue: whether the analytic-synthetic distinction is philosophically defensible.
On typing in prolog

Frequently a domain of discourse can be described as a hierarchical structure. Then instead of using one place predicates to describe the type of a term one can associate types directly, and let the unification procedure take advantage of it. This prunes the search space without the use of the Cut operator.
International asset pricing and equity market risk

Abstract This paper presents a model to examine the behavioral relationship between the excess returns of foreign exchange and the variables that measure the risk factor. The test results of four major currencies support the hypothesis that the excess exchange returns are related to the relative risks of the two national equity markets. The evidence validates the existence of a risk premium in foreign exchange markets.
Public law status Chambers of Commerce: does Britain need them?

There have recently been considerable changes in the British Chamber of Commerce system, leading to the creation of a network of Approved Chambers and Chambers of Commerce, Training and Enterprise (CCTEs). However, the question of whether British Chambers of Commerce should move further towards the dominant Chamber model of mainland Europe, based on public law status, continues to be debated in academic and practitioner circles. This paper assesses the case for and against such a move, in order to contribute to the understanding of the likely impact of recent changes and possible future reforms to the British Chamber system. Various aspects of British, French and German Chambers are discussed, compared and contrasted in order to consider whether a move to public law status on the part of British Chambers would be in Britain’s best interests.
Molecular recognition in protein/carbohydrate systems: From biophysics to anti-viral therapies

Many cell-surface proteins are glycosylated, and the carbohydrates moieties can play important roles in the biological function of these proteins. Computational models have proven to be highly successful in providing deep insights into the functions of proteins and nucleic acids, and thus the application of similar approaches to the functional interactions of glycoproteins is promising area of research.We have developed several new approaches to the modeling of interactions between glycoproteins, including continuum solvation models optimized for carbohydrates, and adaptions of computational protein design algorithms for application to glycoproteins. Results in simple systems show that these methods are highly efficient and robust [Green, DF, J. Chem. Phys. 2008].Our new methods have additionally been applied to understanding the key features of carbohydrate recognition by virucidal lectins that are currently under investigation as anti-HIV prophylatics. Computional models explain the oligosaccharide specificity of cyanovirin-N, [Fujimoto, YK et al., Protein Sci. 2008] and initial results in the design of cyanovirin-N variants with enhanced efficacy are very promising.
Storage and Retrieval of Prose Material

72 Ss studied a prose passage under the same conditions of input. Two conditions of recall were compared: free recall in which as much of the passage was recalled as was possible, and question recall in which specific questions were answered. In both conditions, the major interest was in retrieval of the information that answered the questions used in question recall. Questions facilitated retrieval of this answer information from the latter portions of the input passage much more than from the initial portions. Several possible explanations were discussed.
Planarization of Cu and Ta Using Silica and Alumina Abrasives — A Comparison

Experimental results on chemical mechanical polishing of copper and tantalum in the presence of different chemicals, such as Fe(NO 3 ) 3 , H 2 O 2 and glycine, using both silica and alumina abrasive particles are presented. The polish rates with alumina slurries vary in accordance with the hardness of the material being polished, suggesting a dominant role for a wear mechanism. However, polish rates with silica slurries do not relate directly to the hardness of the film, indicating a more complex removal mechanism.
Educational decentralization in Latin America : lessons learned

Abstract This paper describes some of the financial, efficiency (wastage), quality, and equity changes which occurred during educational decentralization in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. The data show that there are obvious discrepancies between what educational policymakers preached and what was practiced through decentralization. Financial, efficiency, and power distribution arguments were the main thrust behind the reforms. Yet, for example, basic education financing continues, in general, to rely heavily on central government resources. The evidence suggests that management styles may not be key factors to increase sector productivity, but are appropriate fora to speed up efficiency. Quality of education did not improve during the decentralization process, and the gap between the better off and worst off schools actually widened.
Ultrasensitive radioisotope, stable-isotope, and trace-element analysis in the biological sciences using tandem accelerator mass spectrometry.

The new technique of tandem accelerator mass spectrometry (TAMS) has improved the sensitivity for measurement of several long-lived radioisotopes and certain stable isotopes by many orders of magnitude. Nuclear physics tandems and new small dedicated accelerators are now able to measure14C,10Be,26Al,32Si,36Cl,41Ca, and129I in natural materials. Sensitivities down to 105 atoms per sample can be achieved in favorable cases. By accelerating ions to MeV energies, one can eliminate molecules and uniquely identify the atomic numbers below 20. Although most applications to date have been in the earth sciences, the opportunity now exists for important new applications in biology and toxicology. Trace elements can be measured at the parts per billion (109) level using a secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) ion source. Radioactive tracer measurements can be made for elements, such as aluminum, for which there are no isotopes with suitable half-lives for conventional decay counting methods. For14C, counting times become much shorter and dose levels can be reduced.
The 24-Hour Knowledge Factory: Can It Replace the Graveyard Shift?

Collaborating centers in time zones six to eight hours apart can transfer work so that every center is working during the daytime. Although this concept avoids the hazards of night work, it requires careful planning and a way to automatically capture evolving knowledge.
Prevention of lower limb pain in soldiers using shock-absorbing orthotic inserts.

The utility of shock-absorbing boot and sneaker inserts for reducing the occurrence of lower limb pain among male US Army basic trainees was evaluated. Every other training unit was given inserts. The inserts were issued prior to the start of training when combat boots and sneakers were fitted. According to post-training questionnaires and the participants’ medical records, the inserts did not have any preventive effect on occurrence of lower limb problems during training. Five hundred seventeen trainees were issued inserts, 397 were followed but not issued inserts, and 218 were not issued inserts but purchased them on their own. Thirty-eight percent of those issued inserts had lower limb pain problems compared with 29% of those not issued inserts and 38% of those who bought their own. There was no statistical difference between these rates of occurrence. Prior to training, there were minor differences between the groups’ scores on physical fitness test scores and run times. These differences disappeared during training so that there were no differences among the groups on either training or clinical variables during or after basic training.
Extension of Drosophila life span by RNAi of the mitochondrial respiratory chain.

Summary Background Mitochondria have long been proposed to play an important role in the aging process. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans , genes important for mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) function stand out as a principal group of genes affecting life span. However, it has been suggested that this may be a peculiarity of nematode biology. In the present study, we have used an in vivo RNA interference (RNAi) strategy to inactivate ETC genes in Drosophila melanogaster and examine the impact on longevity. Results Here, we report that RNAi of five genes encoding components of mitochondrial respiratory complexes I, III, IV, and V leads to increased life span in flies. Long-lived flies with reduced expression of ETC genes do not consistently show reduced assembly of respiratory complexes or reduced ATP levels. In addition, extended longevity is not consistently correlated with reduced fertility or increased resistance to the free-radical generator paraquat. Targeted RNAi of two complex I genes in adult tissues or in neurons alone is sufficient to extend life span. Conclusions Our data suggest that the role of mitochondrial ETC function in modulating animal aging is evolutionarily conserved and might also operate in humans. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the longer life span of flies with reduced ETC gene expression cannot simply be attributed to reduced energy production leading to decreased "rate of living."
Asymptotic structure of the stress field in flow past a cylinder at high Weissenberg number

Abstract We study the flow of an upper convected Maxwell fluid past a cylinder in the limit of high Weissenberg number. We make the simplifying assumption that the velocity field is given and similar to the Newtonian case (as discussed below, this assumption is likely to be wrong) and consider the integration of the stress equations. The asymptotic behavior at high Weissenberg number leads to boundary layers along the edge of the cylinder as well as stress concentration in the wake. The stresses in the boundary layer are of order W while the width of the boundary layer is of order W−1. The stresses in the wake are of order W3, and the width of the wake is of order W−2. Just outside the boundary layer near the cylinder and wake, there is a region where the stresses are much larger (order W3 near the cylinder and W5 near the wake). The origin of these stresses is in the stretching flow near the upstream stagnation point.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Environmental Tobacco Smoke, and Respiratory Symptoms in an Inner-city Birth Cohort*

Study objectives: Several studies have found associations between diesel exposure, respiratory symptoms, and/or impaired pulmonary function. We hypothesized that prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), important components of diesel exhaust and other combustion sources, may be associated with respiratory symptoms in young children. We also hypothesized that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) may worsen symptoms beyond that observed to be associated with PAH alone. Design/participants: To test our hypotheses, we recruited 303 pregnant women from northern Manhattan believed to be at high risk for exposure to both PAH and ETS, collected 48-h personal PAH exposure measurements, and monitored their children prospectively. Results: By 12 months of age, more cough and wheeze were reported in children exposed to prenatal PAH in concert with ETS postnatally (PAH ETS interaction odds ratios [ORs], 1.41 [p < 0.01] and 1.29 [p < 0.05], respectively). By 24 months, difficulty breathing and probable asthma were reported more frequently among children exposed to prenatal PAH and ETS postnatally (PAH ETS ORs, 1.54 and 1.64, respectively [p < 0.05]). Conclusions: Our results suggest that early exposure to airborne PAH and ETS can lead to increased respiratory symptoms and probable asthma by age 12 to 24 months. Interventions to lower the risk of respiratory disease in young children living in the inner city may need to address the importance of multiple environmental exposures. (CHEST 2004; 126:1071–1078)
Wesleyanism and Empire

Much as late-Victorian Nonconformists were inclined to take a simplified view of national politics, which they saw as a perpetual conflict between the agents of darkness and the apostles of light, students of the period have tended to take a simplified view of political Nonconformity, which was as multifarious in its secular loyalties as in its theological variations. The self-appointed guardians of the Nonconformist Conscience spoke with many voices, rarely in unison. Indeed, the individual who gave currency to that catchphrase, the Rev. Hugh Price Hughes, was - much by his Wesleyanism as by his idiosyncrasy - among the least typical of those whom he was alleged to represent.
Rehospitalization for childhood asthma: timing, variation, and opportunities for intervention.

Objective To assess the timing of pediatric asthma rehospitalization, variation in rate of rehospitalization across hospitals, and factors associated with rehospitalization at different intervals. Study design Retrospective cohort analysis of 44 204 hospitalizations for children with asthma within 42 children's hospitals between July 2008 and June 2011. The main outcome measures were rehospitalization for asthma within 7, 15, 30, 60, 180, and 365 days of an index asthma admission. Results The rate of asthma rehospitalization ranged from 0.5% (n = 208) at 7 days to 17.2% (n = 7603) at 365 days. Black patients and patients with public insurance had higher odds of rehospitalization at 60 days and beyond ( P ≤ .01 for both). Adolescents (12- to 18-year-old), patients with a diagnosis of a complex chronic condition, and patients with a prior year asthma admission had higher odds of rehospitalization at every time interval ( P ≤ .001 for all). Significant hospital variation in case-mix adjusted rates of rehospitalization existed at each time interval ( P ≤ .01 for all). Rates at 365 days were ≤10.9% for the top 10% of hospitals; if all hospitals achieved this rate, 36.6% of rehospitalizations might have been avoided. Conclusions Significant variation in asthma rehospitalization rates exists across children's hospitals from 7 to 365 days after an index admission. Racial/ethnic and economic disparities emerge at 60 days. By 1 year, rehospitalizations account for 1 in 6 hospitalizations. Assessing asthma rehospitalizations at longer intervals may augment our current understanding of and approach to post-hospitalization care improvement.
Analysis of femoral artery intima-media thickness during the cardiac cycle

Abstract Background Variations in the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery during the cardiac cycle are well established. The change in femoral IMT during the cardiac cycle is largely unknown. This study focuses on the variation of femoral IMT, vessel diameter, and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the IMT during the cardiac cycle. Methods Video clips of the femoral artery were obtained using B-mode ultrasonography in 60 patients between the ages of 18 and 50. IMT and diameter measurements were made using automated software, and CSA was subsequently calculated. Triplicate measurements of each femoral artery were made at three points in the cardiac cycle: the R wave, the T wave, and at the point of maximal vessel diameter falling after the T wave and before the following P wave. Results Femoral IMT, diameter, and CSA did not show a statistically significant difference with measurement on the R versus the T wave (P > 0.36, P > 0.28, and P > 0.76, respectively). Interestingly, when comparing measurements on the R or T wave with measurements taken at the maximum vessel diameter, there was a statistically significant difference in vessel diameter (P 0.2). Conclusions Unlike studies of the carotid artery, there were no statistically significant differences between measurements made at the R versus the T wave. There were, however, statistically significant differences noted in diameter and CSA when measurements were taken at a point later in the cardiac cycle. This has ramifications for future studies on vascular remodeling.
New Strategies in Kidney Cancer: Therapeutic Advances through Understanding the Molecular Basis of Response and Resistance

The emergence of viable therapeutic strategies in metastatic renal cell carcinoma has invigorated translational and clinical research in this disease. Building upon the clinical activity observed with inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways, novel strategies are being investigated to extend existing clinical benefits. Preclinical study has identified potential molecular mechanisms of response and resistance, providing a rational basis for biomarker development as well as sequential and combination therapy strategies. Several treatment strategies have emerged that are in the early phases of clinical testing. Further clinical and translational research is needed to validate initial hypotheses and translate observations into novel treatment strategies.
Congenital abdominal aortic aneurysm causing renovascular hypertension, cardiomyopathy, and death in a 19-day-old neonate

A full-term baby girl who was sent home day of life 2 was admitted to the hospital on day of life 7 for respiratory distress and poor feeding. The child was found to be hypertensive and in heart failure. Further workup led to the diagnosis of a suprarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, but the infant had deteriorated clinically with heart failure, modest renal failure, renovascular hypertension, and no operative cure. The child died on day of life 20. Early diagnosis and prompt surgical resection are essential to managing this rare and lethal condition.
Defining a Workable Strategy to Stimulate Widespread Adoption of Electronic Health Records in the United States

This issue of JAMIA contains three articles that are based on discussions held at the 2004 Annual Symposium of the American Medical Informatics Association's College of Informatics. The College's agenda for the 2004 Symposium was to discuss and define a workable strategy to stimulate widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) in the United States. The remainder of this introduction provides background information that sets the context for reading the three associated papers in this issue. In September 2003, a general call was issued to the College membership for topics for the 2004 Symposium. On an e-mail discussion list, Dr. Ed Hammond suggested that the Symposium discuss and develop concrete ideas for how to stimulate the adoption of EHRs in the U.S. His suggestion generated dozens of e-mail messages that explored many facets of the issue. It was clear that the topic was of great interest. Dr. Hammond's suggestion for a symposium theme was accepted by the College's Scientific Program Committee, which …
Genome-wide upstream motif analysis of Cryptosporidium parvum genes clustered by expression profile

There are very few molecular genetic tools available to study the apicomplexan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum. The organism is not amenable to continuous in vitro cultivation or transfection, and purification of intracellular developmental stages in sufficient numbers for most downstream molecular applications is difficult and expensive since animal hosts are required. As such, very little is known about gene regulation in C. parvum. We have clustered whole-genome gene expression profiles generated from a previous study of seven post-infection time points of 3,281 genes to identify genes that show similar expression patterns throughout the first 72 hours of in vitro epithelial cell culture. We used the algorithms MEME, AlignACE and FIRE to identify conserved, overrepresented DNA motifs in the upstream promoter region of genes with similar expression profiles. The most overrepresented motifs were E2F (5′-TGGCGCCA-3′); G-box (5′-G.GGGG-3′); a well-documented ApiAP2 binding motif (5′-TGCAT-3′), and an unknown motif (5′-[A/C] AACTA-3′). We generated a recombinant C. parvum DNA-binding protein domain from a putative ApiAP2 transcription factor [CryptoDB: cgd8_810] and determined its binding specificity using protein-binding microarrays. We demonstrate that cgd8_810 can putatively bind the overrepresented G-box motif, implicating this ApiAP2 in the regulation of many gene clusters. Several DNA motifs were identified in the upstream sequences of gene clusters that might serve as potential cis-regulatory elements. These motifs, in concert with protein DNA binding site data, establish for the first time the beginnings of a global C. parvum gene regulatory map that will contribute to our understanding of the development of this zoonotic parasite.
The Importance of Natural Variability in Lake Areas on the Detection of Permafrost Degradation: A Case Study in the Yukon Flats, Alaska

Long-term lake area change has previously been measured to detect the temporal rate and spatial extent of permafrost degradation. However, the natural intra- and interannual variability of lake areas has not been considered explicitly and quantitatively, which can substantially interfere with the detection of long-term lake area change associated with permafrost degradation. In order to better understand the natural background variability of lake areas, we used Landsat 7 images obtained on 11 dates from 1999 to 2002 to quantify the intra- and interannual lake area variability for a 4224 km 2 study area within the Yukon Flats, Alaska. Total lake areas ranged from 179 km 2 (22 August 1999) to 326 km 2 (6 June 2000). Even within a single year (year 2000), the total lake area decreased by 42 per cent from 6 June to 16 August, well exceeding the previously reported trends for long-term decrease (14% and 18%) for the Yukon Flats. Both intra- and interannual area variability in August and September were smaller than in June and July, suggesting that images from later in summer are more reliable for detecting long-term change in lake area. Variability of no-closure lakes was twice that of closed-basin lakes. Intra-annual area changes in closed-basin lakes can be explained by the intra-annual water balance, defined as cumulative precipitation minus evaporation between two consecutivedateswithinthesameyear.Foragivenperiod,thetotallakeareawascorrelatedmorestronglywiththewater balance since the preceding October than with the water balance in the preceding 12 months. Spatial heterogeneity in the intra-annual area change of individual lakes was observed, which might be caused by different topographical, geological and permafrost characteristics around and beneath the lakes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Complex regulation of human cathelicidin gene expression: Novel splice variants and 5′UTR negative regulatory element

Cationic antimicrobial peptides play important roles in host defense, linking innate and adaptive immunity. hCAP18, the only human antimicrobial cathelicidin, consists of a conserved N-terminal cathelin-like domain and a C-terminal peptide, LL-37. Expression is regulated during myeloid differentiation, and tightly controlled during infection and inflammation, suggesting active regulation. Using 5' RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends), multiple transcription initiation sites were identified, as well as new splice variants leading to novel augmentations of hCAP18 amino acid composition in bone marrow but not peripheral blood neutrophils. Having expressed hCAP18 promoter constructs in cell lines, we found that full-length (-1739) and truncated (-978) promoter constructs had lower luciferase activities than 5'UTR deletion constructs. Transient transfection of progressively deleted constructs in the non-permissive K562 cell line led us to identify a negative regulatory element within the 53 bp immediately upstream of the ATG of hCAP18. Additionally, transient transfection of 5' deletion constructs identified a positive regulatory element within the 101 bases 5' of promoter sequence containing two GT-boxes. Negative and positive regulatory elements within the hCAP18 gene promoter provide new insights into the possible molecular basis of myeloid gene expression.
Functional Analysis of Human Tissue Kallikrein in Transgenic Mouse Models

Clinical studies show that an inverse correlation exists between blood pressure and urinary kallikrein levels. It has been postulated that the tissue kallikrein-kinin system contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure. To test this hypothesis, we have established transgenic mice that overexpress human tissue kallikrein under the promoter control of the mouse metallothionein gene and a liver-targeted albumin gene. These animals secrete human tissue kallikrein in plasma at levels 10- to 40-fold higher than that found in normal human serum, and they are chronically hypotensive. This hypotensive effect can be reversed by the injection of aprotinin, a potent tissue kallikrein inhibitor, or Hoe 140, a specific bradykinin receptor antagonist. Transgenic mice overexpressing human tissue kallikrein show a sustained reduction in blood pressure throughout their life spans, indicating the lack of sufficient compensatory mechanisms to reverse the hypotensive effect of kallikrein. Somatic gene delivery of rat kallikrein-binding protein by muscle injection increases the blood pressure of the hypotensive transgenic mice to levels comparable with those in normotensive control mice. These results indicate that a direct link exists between kallikrein gene expression and alterations in blood pressure. In addition, we have developed normotensive transgenic mice that harbor the human tissue kallikrein gene containing 801 bp of its native promoter. The tissue distribution pattern of human kallikrein in these transgenic mice is similar to that in human tissues, with the highest level in the pancreas and much lower levels in the kidney and salivary gland. These transgenic mice provide new animal models for investigating the tissue-specific regulation of tissue kallikrein and its role in altering blood pressure.
A new role for a yeast transcriptional silencer gene, SIR2, in regulation of recombination in ribosomal DNA

The yeast SIR2 gene is involved in regulating nucleosome phasing and transcription in the mating type system. We have found that SIR2 also plays another important role in the cell. Specifically, in wild-type SIR2 strains recombination between the tandemly repeated ribosomal RNA genes is depressed. In sir2 mutants, both mitotic and meiotic intrachromosomal recombination increase 10- to 15-fold. In striking contrast to its effect on rDNA, the SIR2 gene does not affect intrachromosomal recombination between non-rDNA gene duplications. Furthermore, in the absence of the SIR2 gene product, rDNA acquires a partial dependency on recombination gene functions (RAD50 and RAD52) that are normally dispensable for exchange in the rDNA array. Thus, SIR2 may function in excluding the rDNA region from the general recombination system. Here we demonstrate that SIR2's effect is not restricted to controlling mating type expression, but rather that SIR2 functions in a more general way in the genome.
Quantum criticality of U(1) gauge theories with fermionic and bosonic matter in two spatial dimensions

We consider relativistic U(1) gauge theories in $2+1$ dimensions, with ${N}_{b}$ species of complex bosons and ${N}_{f}$ species of Dirac fermions at finite temperature. The quantum phase transition between the Higgs and Coulomb phases is described by a conformal field theory (CFT). At large ${N}_{b}$ and ${N}_{f}$, but for arbitrary values of the ratio ${N}_{b}∕{N}_{f}$, we present computations of various critical exponents and universal amplitudes for these CFTs. We make contact with the different spin liquids, charge liquids, and deconfined critical points of quantum magnets that these field theories describe. We compute physical observables that may be measured in experiments or numerical simulations of insulating and doped quantum magnets.
Auditors' and Investors' Perceptions of the "Expectation Gap"

The auditing “expectation gap” refers to the difference between (1) what the public and other financial statement users perceive auditors' responsibilities to be and (2) what auditors believe their responsibilities entail. The notion of this divergence receives much attention in the accounting literature (i.e., Commission on Auditors' Responsibilities 1978; Guy and Sullivan 1988; AICPA 1993; U.S. Government Accounting Office 1996). Although prior empirical studies encompass certain expectations associated with a range of audit services, these papers often involve the opinions of bankers as the primary user group employed in the research (Nair and Rittenberg 1987; Lowe and Pany 1995). In contrast, this study extends the prior research by directly comparing audit partners' and investors' perceptions of auditors' responsibilities involving various dimensions of the attest function. We conducted the study to determine if an expectation gap currently exists and we find that it does; investors have higher expec...
Hybrid Coding of Pictorial Data

Two hybrid coding systems utilizing a cascade of a unitary transformation and differential pulse code modulators (DPCM) systems are proposed. Both systems encode the transformed data by a bank of DPCM systems. The first system uses a one-dimensional transform of the data where the second one employs two-dimensional transformations. Theoretical results for Markov data and experimental results for a typical picture are presented for Hadamard, Fourier, cosine, slant, and the KarhunenLoeve transformations. The visual effects of channel error and also the impact of noisy channel on the performance of the hybrid system, measured in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio of the encoder, is examined and the performance of this system is compared to the performances of the two-dimensional DPCM and the standard two-dimensional transform encoders.
Elevated serum S-adenosylhomocysteine in cobalamin-deficient elderly and response to treatment

BACKGROUND S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methylation reactions produce S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), the precursor of homocysteine, which has been associated with adverse events when it is elevated. OBJECTIVE We studied a cohort of elderly with a high prevalence of cobalamin deficiency to determine whether SAH, SAM, or their ratio was abnormal; whether they correlated with other markers of vitamin deficiency; and whether they changed with cobalamin therapy. DESIGN A convenience sample of elderly attending nutrition centers was enrolled for baseline demographic, biochemical, and nutritional assessments. Methylmalonic acid (MMA), total homocysteine, and other metabolites were measured by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Serum SAM and SAH were measured by using stable-isotope-dilution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Subjects found to have elevated serum MMA were treated with oral cyanocobalamin tablets (1000 microg/d) for 3 mo. Subjects with normal MMA were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dosage groups: 0, 25, or 100 microg cyanocobalamin/d. RESULTS The 149 elderly subjects had a mean age of 76.3 y; 81% were female, and 30% were African American. Serum MMA concentrations were elevated in 30% and SAH concentrations were elevated in 64% of the cohort. Those with elevated MMA concentrations had higher SAH and SAM concentrations. High-dose oral cobalamin lowered SAH, MMA, and total homocysteine concentrations significantly, although subjects with creatinine concentrations >109 umol/L had higher posttreatment SAH than did those with lower creatinine. CONCLUSIONS Elevated serum SAH concentrations are common in elderly and are strongly influenced by both renal status and cobalamin deficiency. These elevated concentrations can be lowered with high-dose oral cobalamin therapy.
The Cognitive Sciences

Some dictionaries still define cognition as the power or faculty of apprehending and knowing, a usage that harks back to the days when philosophers attributed all mental phenomena to one of three types od mental faculties: faculties of knowing or conotion, faculties of willing or cognition or conition, and faculties of feeling or affection (Hilgrd, 1980b). When cognition is used as an adjective — cognition anthropology, cognition pyschology, cognition neuroscience — it still presupposes this old dinstinction between the states and process of knowing and any other mental states or processes. Thus, perpection, memory, language, intelligence, and reasining are central concerns of any cognitive, enterprise, whereas such noncognitive states and processes as motivation, intention, feeling, and emotion are not.
Toward endoscopic ultrafast laser microsurgery of vocal folds

Vocal fold scarring is a predominant cause of voice disorders yet lacks a reliable treatment method. The injection of soft biomaterials to improve mechanical compliance of the vocal folds has emerged as a promising treatment. Here, we study the use of precise femtosecond laser microsurgery to ablate subsurface voids, with a goal of eventually creating a plane in dense subepithelial scar tissue into which biomaterials can be injected for their improved localization. Specifically, we demonstrate the ablation of small subepithelial voids in porcine vocal fold tissue up to 120 μm below the surface such that larger voids in the active area of vocal fold mucosa (∼3 × 10 mm 2 ) can eventually be ablated in about 3 min. We use sub-μJ, 776-nm pulses from a compact femtosecond fiber laser system operating at a 500-kHz repetition rate. The use of relatively high repetition rates, with a small number of overlapping pulses, is critical to achieving ablation in a very short time while still avoiding significant heat deposi- tion. Additionally, we use the same laser for nonlinear optical imaging to provide visual feedback of tissue structure and to confirm successful ablation. The ablation parameters, including pulse duration, pulse energy, spot size, and scanning speed, are comparable to the specifications in our recently developed miniaturized femtosecond laser surgery probes, illustrating the feasibility of developing an ultrafast laser surgical instrument. © 2012 Society of Photo- Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). (DOI: 10.1117/1.JBO.17.3.038002)
Exploring the Neurochemical Basis of Alcohol Addiction-Related Behaviors: Translational Research.

This Editorial presents the position that translational research continues to play a vital role in the field of alcohol addiction research. Using diverse animal models that mimic fundamental features of the disease, tremendous progress has been made in our understanding of alcohol actions in the brain and in identifying key neurobiological adaptations that may contribute to the pathophysiology of alcohol addiction. Current translational research in this field is now focusing on identifying the causal mechanisms that drive the shift from recreational to abusive ethanol drinking behaviors. The relatively recent development and application of optogenetic and chemogenetic techniques is beginning to afford alcohol researchers with the opportunity to identify specific neuronal circuits that govern key elements of the addiction process. These advances are rapidly pointing the way toward novel neural targets for the development of more effective treatments for addictive disorders
An Ethernet-based Data Acquisition System for the NIFFTE Time Projection Chamber

Abstract When fully instrumented, the NIFFTE Time Projection Chamber will consist of nearly 6000 channels, each of which requires a preamplifier, ADC, and digital readout. To minimize channel cost and size, the EtherDAQ data acquisition system utilizes off-the-shelf FPGA and Ethernet fiber technology. This application of commercially-available components made it possible to meet the requirements of the DAQ system with considerably less development cost and time than the a customized ASIC solution, and provides considerable flexibility in the final design. The detailed design and current status of the preamplifier and EtherDAQ boards will be discussed.
Panopticism and financial controls

This article examines financial controls, including accounting and auditing, as an anti-corruption methodology in public administration. Part I places accounting and auditing in the context of the anti-corruption project, the reformist pursuit of corruption-free government. Part II presents a case study of the evolution of anti-corruption accounting and auditing strategies in New York City. Part III examines the impacts of more comprehensive and intrusive financial controls for contemporary public administration.
Regional differentiation in the rat aorta: effects of cyclooxygenase inhibitors

Rat aortic endothelium is differentiated regionally for signaling the underlying smooth muscle via nitric oxide to increase the level of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) [R.E. Abbott and D. Schachter. Am. J. Physiol. 266 (Heart Circ. Physiol. 35): H2287-H2295, 1994]. Maximal activity is just distal to the aortic arch, i.e., in the "windkessel" region, and diminishes peripherally. This report describes the same pattern of endothelial differentiation for a second signal arising from the cyclooxygenase arm of the eicosanoid pathway. Treatment of sequential segments of rat aorta in vitro with indomethacin (50 microM) or acetylsalicylate (100 microM) increased the cGMP content selectively in aortic segments prepared from the windkessel region. The indomethacin effect was eliminated by denuding the endothelium or by inhibiting cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity. Prostaglandin H2 was identified as a cyclooxygenase product involved in this signal pathway because treatment with the compound decreased cGMP levels, and this effect was eliminated by inhibiting cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity. Endothelial regulation of smooth muscle cGMP via nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase pathways supports the concept of dynamic regulation of aortic wall properties in the windkessel region.
Stochastic Adaptive Dynamics

Stochastic adaptive dynamics require analytical methods and solution concepts that differ in important ways from those used to study deterministic processes. Consider, for example, the notion of asymptotic stability: in a deterministic dynamical system, a state is locally asymptotically stable if any sufficiently small deviation from the original state is self-correcting. We can think of this as a first step toward analysing the effect of stochastic shocks; that is, a state is locally asymptotically stable if, after the impact of a small, one-time shock, the process evolves back to its original state.
A high efficiency 0.25 mu m pseudomorphic HEMT power process

A high-efficiency power process based on a 0.25- mu m pseudomorphic HEMT (high-electron-mobility transistor) has been developed that consistently demonstrates state-of-the-art performance at X- through Ku-band frequencies. Discrete 1.2-mm transistors operating at 18 GHz have simultaneously demonstrated over 28.9 dBm (776 mW) output power with over 6.0 dB of associated gain and 53% power added efficiency. This combination of high power added efficiency, gain, and output power coupled with very versatile performance characteristics makes these devices suitable for a wide range of monolithic microwave integrated circuit applications. The high yield fabrication process is well suited for volume production and is currently being used for high-efficiency amplifiers through Ku-band. >
A Hybrid Inductive-Ultrasonic Link for Wireless Power Transmission to Millimeter-Sized Biomedical Implants

Ultrasound has recently been utilized for efficient wireless power transmission (WPT) to biomedical implants with millimeter (mm) dimensions and below. However, the power transmission efficiency (PTE) of ultrasonic links reduces significantly in mediums with different acoustic impedances. This brief presents a hybrid inductive-ultrasonic WPT link for powering mm-sized implants that utilizes two cascaded co-optimized inductive and ultrasonic links for WPT through bone/air and tissue, respectively. The ultrasonic link is first optimized based on the implant depth ( $\boldsymbol {d_{\mathrm{ us}}}$ ) and load ( $\boldsymbol {R_{L}}$ ) to find the optimal geometries for ultrasonic transducers and operation frequency ( $\boldsymbol {f_{p}}$ ). Then, the inductive link is optimized at $\boldsymbol {f_{p}}$ to drive the transmitter (Tx) transducer. A hybrid link was optimized and measured to transfer power to a receiver (Rx) transducer with the diameter of 1.1 mm, loaded by $\boldsymbol {R_{L}}$ of 2.5 k $\boldsymbol {\Omega }$ and located at $\boldsymbol {d_{\mathrm{ us}} = 3}$ cm inside castor oil, as the tissue model. The Tx coil was placed in air and spaced from the Rx coil by 3 cm, resulting in a total powering distance ( ${d}$ ) of 6 cm. At the optimal $\boldsymbol {f_{p}}$ of 1.1 MHz, the hybrid link achieved a considerable measured PTE of 0.16%.
Childbirth Education Class and Birth Plans Are Associated with a Vaginal Delivery

Background To determine whether the mode of delivery was different between women who attended childbirth education (CBE) class, had a birth plan, or both compared with those who did not attend CBE class or have a birth plan. Methods This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of women who delivered singleton gestations > 24 weeks at our institution between August 2011 and June 2014. Based on a self-report at the time of admission for labor, women were stratified into four categories: those who attended a CBE class, those with a birth plan, both, and those with neither CBE or birth plan. The primary outcome was the mode of delivery. Multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusting for clinical covariates were performed. Results In this study, 14,630 deliveries met the inclusion criteria: 31.9 percent of the women attended CBE class, 12.0 percent had a birth plan, and 8.8 percent had both. Women who attended CBE or had a birth plan were older (p < 0.001), more likely to be nulliparous (p < 0.001), had a lower body mass index (p < 0.001), and were less likely to be African-American (p < 0.001). After adjusting for significant covariates, women who participated in either option or both had higher odds of a vaginal delivery (CBE: OR 1.26 [95% CI 1.15–1.39]; birth plan: OR 1.98 [95% CI 1.56–2.51]; and both: OR 1.69 [95% CI 1.46–1.95]) compared with controls. Conclusion Attending CBE class and/or having a birth plan were associated with a vaginal delivery. These findings suggest that patient education and birth preparation may influence the mode of delivery. CBE and birth plans could be used as quality improvement tools to potentially decrease cesarean rates.
Defect-induced Burstein-Moss shift in reduced V 2 O 5 nanostructures

The main effects of oxygen vacancy defects on the electronic and optical properties of ${\mathrm{V}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{5}$ nanowires were studied through in situ Raman, photoluminescence, absorption, and photoemission spectroscopy. Both thermal reduction and electrochemical reduction via lithium insertion leads to the creation of oxygen vacancy defects in the crystal that gives rise to new electronic midgap defect states at energy 0.75 eV below the conduction band edge. The defect formation results in delocalization and injection of excess electrons into the conduction band, as opposed to localized electron injection as previously suggested. Contrary to what is seen in most oxides, the presence of vacancy defects leads to band filling and an increase in the optical band gap of ${\mathrm{V}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{5}$ from 1.95 to 2.45 eV, which is attributed to the Burstein-Moss effect. Other observed changes in the optical properties are correlated to the changes in the electronic structure of the oxide as a result of defect formation. Further, in situ Raman measurements during the electrochemical reduction at room temperature show that the oxygen atom that is most readily reduced is the threefold coordinated oxygen (O3).
Closed-end funds and the financial crisis

We compare the impact of the recent financial crisis on open-end and closed-end mutual funds related to the difference in their organisation structure: presence/absence of redemption pressure. Our primary findings are that the structural advantage of closed-end funds, i.e. absence of redemption pressure, is valuable and that such value is dynamic depending on market conditions. The structural advantage is stronger in the more volatile sectors of the market, i.e. equity sectors, and is strongest at the deepest of the crisis. Specifically, open-end bond funds outperformed their closed-end counterparts in 2008, while in sharp contrast, open-end equity funds underperformed closed-end equity funds in 2008.