cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Customizable Multimodality Imaging Compound That Relates External Landmarks to Internal Structures

UNLABELLED Numerous research and clinical interventions, such as targeting drug deliveries or surgeries and finding blood clots, abscesses, or lesions, require accurate localization of various body parts. Individual differences in anatomy make it hard to use typical stereotactic procedures that rely on external landmarks and standardized atlases. For instance, it is not unusual to incorrectly place a craniotomy in brain surgery. This project was thus performed to find a new and easy method to correctly establish the relationship between external landmarks and medical scans of internal organs, such as specific regions of the brain. METHODS This paper introduces an MRI, CT, and radiographically visible compound that can be applied to any surface and therefore provide an external reference point to an internal (eye-invisible) structure. RESULTS Tested on nonhuman primates and isolated brain scans, this compound showed up with the same color in different scan types, making practical work possible. Conventional, and mostly of specific utility, products such as contrast agents were differentially colored or completely failed to show up and were not flexible. CONCLUSION This compound can be customized to have different viscosities, colors, odors, and other characteristics. It can also be mixed with hardening materials such as acrylic for industrial or engineering uses, for example. Laparoscopy wands, electroencephalogram leads, and other equipment could also be embedded with or surrounded by the compound for ease in 3-dimensional visualizations. A pending U.S. patent endorses this invention.
Duodenal motility in fasting dogs: humoral and neural pathways mediating the colonic brake

We have previously described a negative feedback loop that inhibits duodenal motility when nutrients are infused into the ileum and colon. In the present study, we examined the role of extrinsic innervation and plasma levels of peptide YY (PYY) in mediating this phenomenon. We perfused neurally intact (n = 5 dogs) or extrinsically denervated (n = 6 dogs) isolated loops of proximal colon with isomolar NaCl or a mixed-nutrient solution at 2 and 6 ml/min for 4 h during fasting or for 2 h beginning 15 min after a meal. Both rates of infusion with NaCl prolonged the cycle length of the duodenal migrating motor complex (MMC) in the group with neurally intact loops but not in the group with extrinsically denervated loops. Nutrient infusions increased the MMC cycle length in both groups. Integrated plasma concentrations of PYY were increased by nutrients but not by NaCl in both groups. These data suggest that increased volumes and unabsorbed nutrients in the proximal colon alter proximal small bowel motility. Volume-induced effects are mediated via extrinsic nerves, whereas nutrient-induced effects may be mediated by humoral factors, such as plasma PYY.
The perception of auditory patterns as a function of incidental visual stimulation

Twenty-four subjects received four series of constant-intensity tones presented at equal intervals. Brief increases in ambient illumination, varying in intensity, were synchronized with the presentation of the tones. Although only a few subjects reported being aware of the illumination shifts, seven-eighths of the subjects tested described auditory rhythms directly related to the patterning of illumination changes.
Hydrogen chloride gas for effecting staining of internal structures in Escherichia coli.

The cells were smeared in water or water which had stood over about 10 mg. of magnesium powder per ml. for 30 minutes or longer. After the smear was dry and whitish in appearance it was held over a beaker of hot water (60-65° C.) until it was translucent or becoming translucent and exposed immediately to hydrogen chloride (gas) for a few seconds. After drying, it was covered with a 0.1% aqueous solution of neutral red for 5-8 minutes. The excess stain was washed from the slide with water and, while wet, placed in a saturated aqueous solution of mercuric nitrate for 5-15 seconds. The smear was rinsed in water and allowed to dry. When dry the slide was placed on a 50° C. warm plate and covered with a thin film of a 5% aqueous solution of nigrosin adjusted to a pH of about 3. The film dried quickly and upon cooling was ready for study. The stained material in the cells varied in shape and location with the moisture content of the smear and the time of exposure to hydrogen chloride. In the area of the smear d...
Way of Software Applicability Improved by Using Data Dictionary

The structure definition of data sheet for system functions is analyzed with data dictionary in detail, and the information of database configuration is saved into database table when designed database table, namely, the structure definition and key data of database (sheet) is saved into database. The configuration of database is changed using database functions to improve agility and software applicability. The data entry and table print of statistical software for human resource and labour and capital was realized with the method.
The research of relationship between fatigue degree and quality of life in chronic fatigue syndrome patients

Objective To analyse the influence of fatigue syndrome(CFS)patients' fatigue to their quality of life(QOL).Methods 75 CFS patients,and 68 health persons were researched.Fatigue scale-14 (FS-14)and short form 36-health survey questionnaire(SF-36)were used to analyse patients' fatigue,QOL. Results There were significant differences in FS-14 factor 1,total mark,GH and VT between two groups:FS factor 1[(5.13±1.55)vs(3.75±1.96),P＜0.01];FS total mark[(7.80±1.74)vs(6.45±2.24),P＜0.05];GH[(55.20±19.25)vs(73.85±17.94),P＜0.01];VT[(58.33±16.11)vs(68.42±17.96),P＜0.05].And CFS patients' FS-14 marks were significantly correlated with their GH,MH,VT,SF,RE,RP and PF(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusion Fatigue could bring significantly negative effection to CFS patients' quality of life.
Multidetector CTA with venography was more sensitive for diagnosing pulmonary embolism than CTA alone.

Source Citation Stein PD, Fowler SE, Goodman LR, et al. Multidetector computed tomography for acute pulmonary embolism. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:2317-27. 16738268
A Case for School Connectedness

Although connecting students to school is important at all grade levels, it's especially crucial during the adolescent years. In the last decade, educators and school health professionals have increasingly pointed to school connectedness as an important factor in reducing the likelihood that adolescents will engage in health-compromising behaviors. A connected school environment also increases the likelihood of academic success.
Structural transition of nanogel star polymers with pH by controlling PEGMA interactions with acid or base copolymers

ABSTRACTWe use small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to characterise a class of star diblock polymers with a nanogel core on which the outer block arms are comprised of random copolymers of temperature sensitive PEGMA with pH sensitive basic (PDMAEMA) and acidic (PMAA) monomers. The acquired SAXS data show that many of the nanogel star polymers undergo a sharp structural transition over a narrow range of pH, but with unexpectedly large shifts in the apparent pKa with respect to that of the acidic or basic monomer unit, the linear polymer form or even an alternate star polymer with a tightly cross-linked core chemistry. We have demonstrated a distinct and quantifiable structural response for the nanogel star copolymers by altering the core or by pairing the monomers PDMAEMA–PEGMA and PMAA–PEGMA to achieve structural transitions that have typically been observed in stars through changes in arm length and number.
Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy in the Large, Ptotic Breast

Nipple-sparing mastectomy with expander/implant-based reconstruction in selected patients is an accepted method for the treatment of breast cancer. Patients with different breast sizes ranging from small to large and with various degrees of ptosis may be reconstructed with expander/implant following inframammary nipple-sparing mastectomy. Patients with large or very large, ptotic breasts who are to undergo mastectomy will, however, require a mastopexy if the nipple-areola is to be spared. The mastopexy procedures previously described for nipple-sparing mastectomy, either done as a separate procedure prior to the mastectomy or simultaneously with the mastectomy, cannot be performed on patients with large ptotic breasts. The buttonhole mastopexy technique allows a major lift to be carried out at the time of nipple-sparing mastectomy in patients with large breasts. The indications, technique, and results of combined primary buttonhole mastopexy and nipple-sparing mastectomy are described in this chapter. Also discussed is secondary mastopexy in the management of patients with ptotic breasts after the completion of staged implant reconstruction.
Delineation of a novel pre-B cell component in plasma cell myeloma: immunochemical, immunophenotypic, genotypic, cytologic, cell culture, and kinetic features

A novel pre-B cell component in direct and cultured myeloma bone marrow material has been delineated by using immunochemistry and flow cytometry techniques. Our phenotypic studies suggest a novel hybrid expression of pre-B and plasma cell antigens with coexpression of cytoplasmic mu, common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase, and plasma cell antigens (PCA-1 and PC- 1). This suggests that myeloma pre-B-like cells are aberrant malignant cells and not normal pre-B lymphocytic counterparts. With the advantage of a pure and stable source of these cells from M3 culture to allow molecular characterization, we performed one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and Western blotting. We found that the cytoplasmic mu in myeloma pre-B-like cells has a molecular weight of 74,000 daltons and an isoelectric point of 6.3 and that it is strikingly homogeneous and discrete in size and charge compared with standard secretory mu, which suggests an aberrant, mutant, or monoclonal form of mu. Monoclonality was further evidenced by heavy- and light-chain immunoglobulin gene rearrangements demonstrated with JH and C kappa probes. We also established that this novel myeloma pre-B component is a major proliferative element as determined by double-labeling experiments with phenotype coupled to labeling/proliferative indexes. Our stimulatory studies indicate some capacity of these cells to mature on exposure to phorbol esters. These myeloma pre-B cells may represent the stem cell or self-renewal component in myeloma. Our establishment of these cells in long-term culture offers a considerable asset in studying the immature cells, which may be critical to the immortalization of myeloma.
Green growth machines? Competing discourses of urban development in Playa Vista, California

Playa Vista is a massive mixed-use development built on coastal wetlands in west Los Angeles. Its land use story illustrates how strategically constructed discourses shape contested urban spaces. T...
Cigarette Lighter Fluid Induced Gastric Ulcer: A Severe Complication of Delayed Foreign Body Removal

The majority of foreign bodies ingested pass uneventfully through the gastrointestinal tract without endoscopic intervention. Nevertheless, certain ingested objects pose a greater risk for complications and are more challenging to remove than others. This case report describes a 49-year-old male who swallowed a cigarette lighter causing a gastric ulcer. The lighter was successfully removed by flexible endoscopy using a polypectomy snare. Urgent removal is required due to the shape of the object and its hazardous contents. This is the first case report published in the United States describing cigarette lighter ingestion and management.
The California HIV/AIDS Research Program: History, Impact, and HIV Cure Initiative

Abstract This Special Issue of AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses features results from the HIV Cure Initiative, funded by the California HIV/AIDS Research Program (CHRP). As a publicly funded grant maker, CHRP has served for more than three decades as a unique resource for innovative researchers in California, whose work seeks to address all aspects of the HIV epidemic and the communities affected by it. Early initiatives at CHRP pioneered what would become enduring cornerstones of HIV science: isolation of the virus; efficacy and toxicities of the first HIV treatments; the emergence of drug resistance; the first biospecimen banks for HIV-related research; the first community-based laboratory service for HIV diagnostic serology; and the first longitudinal case-control study of progression from HIV to AIDS—The San Francisco General Hospital Cohort. More recently, CHRP-funded conceptual studies of zinc-finger nuclease-mediated disruption of CCR5 genomic sequences and the safety of solid organ transplanta...
Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Sequential Precision Reach Movements.

Introduction: Sequential reach tasks are a common component of manual assembly jobs. These tasks typically involve manipulating a work object or material and reaching to successive target locations...
The Effects of Uncertainty and Sunk Costs on Firms’ Decision-Making: Evidence from Net Entry, Industry Structure and Investment Dynamics

This paper presents selected evidence on the impact of uncertainty and sunk costs on firms’ decisions related to entry and exit, and investment expenditures. Evidence from a large sample of US manufacturing industries shows that greater uncertainty about profits significantly lowers net entry as well as investment. The negative effects are most pronounced in industries that are dominated by small firms and have high sunk costs. We note some implications for policy related to antitrust, employment and economic stabilization.
A nulls synthesis method for high-resolution DoA estimation in MIMO systems

In this paper, a two-step high-resolution Direction of Arrival (DoA) estimation method using signal segregation algorithm in conjunction with a novel Closely-spaced Nulls Synthesis Method (CNSM) for MIMO systems is proposed. In the first step, the DoAs of the signals which are apart by more than the array beamwidth are estimated by Array Signal Segregation using an Iterative Approach (ASSIA). In the second step, CNSM is used to estimate the DoAs of the closely spaced signals. Implemented by a circular array, the presented method is more accurate and less computationally expensive compared to the other high resolution techniques such as Maximum Likelihood method.
Malignant Glioma Patients: Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Monoclonal Antibody, Bevacizumab

Malignant gliomas are the most common and the most devastating type of primary brain tumors in adults. Hence, the search for more effective treatments continues. Because a tumor’s viability depends on its blood supply, antiangiogenic drugs are an attractive approach for treatment. The monoclonal antibody bevacizumab inhibits angiogenesis by blocking the binding of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to its receptors. Bevacizumab recently received accelerated approval for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. In this chapter, we first discuss antiangiogenic therapy and its mechanisms of action. We review the efficacy of bevacizumab as therapy for malignant glioma, as well as the drug’s toxicity profile and ways of assessing response to therapy. Then we discuss mechanisms of resistance to anti-VEGF therapy. Finally, we present some ideas for future work.
Knowing what is out there

So far we have mostly considered the species richness that is already known to exist, and the mechanisms which may control this. However, it is clear that not all the world’s species have so far been discovered. Every year, biologists find thousands of “new” species (i.e., new to science), and describe and name them. Most of the new species that are presently being discovered are either insects, or their relatives the mites that are universally present in forests and soils, or the little nematode worms that burrow into sediment everywhere. Additionally, some of each year’s new species are plants and a few of them are birds, mammals, or fishes.
Enteral Leucine and Protein Synthesis in Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle

After more than a decade of research, it is now well recognized that leucine is a unique amino acid that not only serves as a substrate for protein synthesis but also acts as an anabolic agent to regulate protein synthesis. Leucine stimulates protein synthesis in a number of tissues but its effectiveness in promoting protein synthesis is greatest in skeletal muscle and less pronounced in cardiac muscle. The molecular mechanism by which leucine regulates protein synthesis has been generated primarily from in vitro studies under strictly controlled conditions in different cell types, but more recent in vivo studies are revealing signaling components involved in the leucine-induced stimulation of protein synthesis under physiological conditions. Although solid evidence has demonstrated that leucine stimulates protein synthesis by activating mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), the precise mechanism by which leucine regulates mTORC1 is still not clear. Moreover, whether leucine’s effectiveness in stimulating protein synthesis can be sustained in the long-term to promote lean growth has not been determined and merits investigation.
Hypercalcemia and Hypercalcemia Treatment

Hypercalcemia is a common and sometimes urgent clinical problem. In general, hypercalcemia occurs when there is increased bone resorption relative to new bone formation, increased gastrointestinal calcium absorption, or decreased renal calcium excretion. In many instances, a combination of these processes is involved. Appropriate management of the patient with hypercalcemia requires understanding the role of calcium in homeostatic systems as well as the conditions under which failure of normal calcium regulation may occur.
The Use of Trypsin to Prepare Skeletal Material for Comparative Collections with a Focus on Fish

There are skeletal collections in museums and universities throughout the world that are not useful to the zooarchaeologist because they have not been properly cleaned–often the result of having been processed in the field. In this paper, a method to clean the bones of smaller animals is presented that is both quick and efficient with a minimum of special requirements. This method was designed to work under field conditions to create reference collections of local fauna. Three objectives were considered: a) preparing high quality skeletal material, b) minimizing the amount of specialized equipment needed to do so, and c) having a process easy to perform under non-laboratory conditions. The method developed involves maceration by the use of the enzyme proteinase trypsin. This form of maceration is easy to use and has given excellent results both in the laboratory and in the field. It has been used to prepare skeletons of small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and especially fish.
Modeling Memristor Radiation Interaction Events and the Effect on Neuromorphic Learning Circuits

An ideal memristor model is modified to include the effects of radiation interactions with the device. Modeling is done in Cadence Virtuoso design suite using Verilog-A. Simulations include the effect of radiation events that could change the state of device or can ionize the device to create e-h+ pairs or change the off-state resistance of the device. Combination of these events occurring simultaneously is also studied. Simulation results are compared with the experimental results published in existing research papers. Finally, transient simulation of a three-input, two-output spiking electronic neural network with memristive synapses is performed. Varying amounts of energy deposited by radiation are modeled, and it is observed that radiation exposure dramatically alters the synaptic weight evolution.
Lack of Lymphopenia Following First Phase of Treatment with Alemtuzumab (P5.377)

Objective: To report the case of a patient with RRMS who did not have a significant and expected drop in T-cell counts after treatment with alemtuzumab. Background: Alemtuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD52, is approved for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. Treatment with alemtuzumab rapidly induces a profound and prolonged depletion of CD52 positive T- and B-cells. Design/Methods: Case report. Results: A 50 year-old woman with worsening RRMS was transitioned from dimethyl fumarate (DMF) to alemtuzumab. Prior treatments included interferon beta-1a and natalizumab. She had discontinued DMF for 8 weeks prior to the first infusion of alemtuzumab. Her absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) was 2400 cells/ųL (ref. 850–3900 cells/ųL) just before initiating alemtuzumab. She underwent a series of 5 infusions of 12 mg/d each. There were no adverse events other than a non-pruritic erythematous rash on her legs 3 days after completing the treatment. Approximately 2 months later, the ALC and CD4 reached a nadir of only 1245 cells/ųL and 332 cells/ųL, respectively. She has not experienced any relapses or side effects since receiving alemtuzumab. Conclusions: Alemtuzumab is widely regarded as one of the most potent disease modifying agents for relapsing MS. Administration of the drug is expected to induce severe lymphopenia rather quickly. Resistance to alemtuzumab reflected by a less than expected decrease in lymphocyte count following drug administration has not been reported in the literature for MS patients. A possible explanation may lie in rare genetic variations to the CD52 glycoprotein. Another possibility is the role of binding and neutralizing antibodies which are recognized to develop in response to alemtuzumab. Whether the less than expected immune suppression following alemtuzumab in our patient is reflective of decreased efficacy remains to be seen. Disclosure: Dr. Stone has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cahill has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rizvi has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Biogen, Genzyme, Novartis, EMD Serono, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Bayer Healthcare, Genentech, Allergan.
Models of Schizophrenia. A Selective Review of Genetic, Neuropharmacological, Cognitive, and Social Approaches

Abstract This chapter will provide a brief overview and critique of the leading early hypotheses on the causes of psychotic disorders (focusing on schizophrenia as the classic example): the role of genetics, the neurodevelopmental account, and the dopamine hypothesis. It will then discuss the rise of prevailing cognitive models of psychosis and the re-emergence of an emphasis on the role of stress and social adversity in the development of schizophrenia. The key learning objectives for this chapter are to (i) introduce etiological models of schizophrenia, and (ii) illustrate the clinical utility of these integrated models in the context of treatment.
Complementary and integrative health interventions in post-stroke rehabilitation: a systematic PRISMA review

Researchers have reported measurable improvements in emotional and physical health among adults post-stroke after participating in complementary and integrative health techniques. The aim of this m...
Time preferences as partisan politics: what do party manifestos show in twenty-two OECD countries?

This study examines the correlation between economic freedom and sexual freedom in the twenty-two OECD nations included in the 2020 Comparative Welfare States Dataset (Brady and Stephens, 2020. Com...
Joint analysis of multivariate interval-censored survival data and a time-dependent covariate:

We develop a joint modeling method for multivariate interval-censored survival data and a time-dependent covariate that is intermittently measured with error. The joint model is estimated using nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation, which is carried out via an expectation-maximization algorithm, and the inference for finite-dimensional parameters is performed using bootstrap. We also develop a similar joint modeling method for univariate interval-censored survival data and a time-dependent covariate, which excels the existing methods in terms of model flexibility and interpretation. Simulation studies show that the model fitting and inference approaches perform very well under realistic sample sizes. We apply the method to a longitudinal study of dental caries in African-American children from low-income families in the city of Detroit, Michigan.
Yeast cells actively tune their membranes to phase separate at temperatures that scale with growth temperatures

Membranes of vacuoles, the lysosomal organelles in yeast, undergo extraordinary changes during the cells normal growth cycle. The cycle begins with a stage of rapid cell growth. Then, as glucose becomes scarce, growth slows, and the vacuole membranes phase-separate into micron-scale liquid domains. Recent studies suggest that these domains are important for yeast survival by laterally organizing membrane proteins that play a key role in a central signaling pathway conserved among eukaryotes (TORC1). An outstanding question in the field has been whether yeast stringently regulate the phase transition and how they respond to new physical conditions. Here, we measure transition temperatures - an increase of roughly 15{degrees}C returns vacuole membranes to a state that appears uniform across a range of growth temperatures. We find that broad populations of yeast grown at a single temperature regulate the transition to occur over a surprisingly narrow temperature range. Moreover, the transition temperature scales linearly with the growth temperature, demonstrating that the cells physiologically adapt to maintain proximity to the transition. Next, we ask how yeast adjust their membranes to achieve phase separation. Specifically, we test how levels of ergosterol, the main sterol in yeast, induce or eliminate membrane domains. We isolate vacuoles from yeast during their rapid stage of growth, when their membranes do not natively exhibit domains. We find that membrane domains materialize when ergosterol is depleted, contradicting the assumption that increases in ergosterol cause membrane phase separation in vivo, and in agreement with prior studies that use artificial and cell-derived membranes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTPhase separation in membranes creates domains enriched in specific components. To date, the best example of micron-scale phase separation in the membrane of an unperturbed, living cell occurs in a yeast organelle called the vacuole. Recent studies indicate that the phases are functionally important, enabling yeast survival during periods of cellular stress. We have discovered that yeast regulate this phase transition; the temperature at which membrane components mix into a single phase is ~15{degrees}C above the growth temperature. To maintain this offset, yeast may tune the level of ergosterol (a molecule that is structurally similar to cholesterol) in their membranes. We find that reducing sterol levels in vacuole membranes causes them to phase separate, in contrast to previous assumptions.
Effects of Mediated Communication on Conflict Behavior, Resolution, and Affect in Romantic Couples:

Mediated communication such as text messaging influences how romantic couples engage in and perceive conflict interactions, but the precise nature of these effects is unclear. We randomly assigned ...
Integrating Mobile Objects into the Wirelessly Wired World: The Need for Energy Efficient Algorithms (Abstract)

There is a need to design a new type of communication systems which can respond to the restricted and changing energy resources encountered due to mobility. Energy efficient or "Power Aware" Communication needs to create protocol building blocks that meet given Quality of Service and performance criteria, while working within a limited energy budget. Devices and systems such as smart tags, smart pagers, intelligent ID cards, warehouse identification tags, store labels, personal battlefield communicators, have dealt with the issue of power for several years now. More recently consumer electronics has entered this realm too. New Internet ready "smart phones", expected to appear in the market by mid 2001, will adapt to changes in frequencies, transmission standards and protocols around the world at a push of a button. These "software defined radios" will provide a universal way for connecting to multimedia services and Internet. In all these, the battery power to support them is seen as a primary limitation. In this talk we present some of the new paradigms leading to the design of communications protocols with energy constraint. Their general principle is the minimization of time in which the device needs to be active (awake), the maximization of the limited bandwidth utilization, and meeting access delays of the applications' constraints. We will use tag type devices as a vehicle to present solutions available at the access/network layer. Through these we will demonstrate approaches unique to the energy aware communication as it moves from tags, to phones, to desktop to portable and mobile platforms by efficiently dealing with power-aware needs and strategies.
Precipitation of mixtures of anionic and cationic surfactants. III: Effect of added nonionic surfactant

Abstract The precipitation of an anionic surfactant by a cationic surfactant in the presence of a nonionic surfactant is examined. The precipitation domains for sodium dodecyl sulfate/dodecylpyridinium chloride were measured over a wide range of surfactant concentrations as a function of nonylphenol polyethoxylate concentration. Increasing the nonylphenol polyethoxylate concentration decreases the tendency for precipitation to occur. A model for predicting precipitation domains in ternary surfactant mixtures has been developed and verified experimentally. The model allows the nonionic surfactant to affect the precipitation behavior only by lowering the critical micelle concentration of the mixture. Small deviations between theory and experiments along part of the anionic-rich micelle boundary result from adsorption of SDS on the precipitate which gives the microcrystals a negative charge and prevents their growth to a visible size.
The Volatility of Foreign Portfolio Investment and the Access to Finance of Small Listed Firms

This paper examines the impact of foreign portfolio investment (FPI) volatility on the access to capital of small listed firms. The volatility of FPI is significantly associated with decreased access to finance for small listed firms only in years when nations are considered less “creditworthy.” Even in these times, however, the benefits of FPI are not completely depleted. These results underscore the significance of both a good financial system that minimizes capital flow volatility and national creditworthiness in inspiring confidence in foreign investors.
A Comprehensive Wealth Tax

Income, consumption, and wealth are all possible bases for a tax system in the United States. Scholars have specified the structure of income tax and consumption taxes, but no one has attempted to describe in detail a comprehensive wealth tax for the United States. In this paper, we begin to develop such a structure. In particular, we hypothesize that the combination of a flat rate tax on networth and a flat rate tax on earned income along with an appropriate level of exemptions, could be an attractive tax base. In order to explore the structure of a wealth tax, we first specify the base of the tax. Using the Federal Reserve Board?s Survey of Consumer Finances we then estimate the tax rates that would be needed to raise the same revenue as currently raised by the personal and corporate income tax. We find that rates of 1.57% on net worth and 17.7% on earned income would be required. We also explore the rates that would be required under alternative specifications of the base. Once we have specified the base and the rates, using the SCF data we are then able to explore the distribution of the tax by income class. We compare the distribution to the distribution of the current Federal income tax. We find that the wealth tax we describe is able to achieve the same level of progressivity over much of the income range.
Zur Theorie des Koeffizienten der Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit

Es wird ein uberblick uber die wichtigsten Methoden zur Berechnung von Geschwindigkeitskoeffizienten chemischer Reaktionen gegeben und an Hand eines Modells der Begriff der adiabatischen reaktiven Streuung erlautert. Klassische Abschatzungen der inneren Stosfrequenz machen die Unzulanglichkeit adiabatischer Theorien der Reaktionsprozesse deutlich. Einige grundsatzliche uberlegungen zur Struktur nichtadiabatischer Formalismen folgen. Die Ergebnisse einer Theorie von Fischer, Hofacker und Seiler werden diskutiert und an einigen besonders interessanten Punkten (Vorhersage reaktiver Resonanzstreuung, explizite Angabe innerer Stoszeiten) scharfer beleuchtet. A survey is given of the most important methods of calculating the rate coefficients of chemical reactions and the concept of adiabatic reactive scattering is explained by means of a model. Classical estimates of the internal collision frequency pinpoint the shortcomings of adiabatic theories, some principal considerations regarding the structure of nonadiabatic formalisms following. The results of a theory by Fischer, Hofacker and Seiler are discussed, focusing on a few points of particular interest (prediction of reactive scattering, explicit presentation of internal collision times).
Exploring the Feasibility of Using Writing Process Features to Assess Text Production Skills

In this report, we examine the feasibility of characterizing writing performance using process features derived from a keystroke log. Using data derived from a set of CBAL™ writing assessments, we examine the following research questions: (a) How stable are the keystroke timing and process features across testing occasions? (b) How consistent are the patterns of feature–human correlation across genres and topics? (c) How accurately can we predict human ratings on writing fundamentals using a combination of the keystroke timing and process features, and what are the contributions of each feature to the reliable variance in the human ratings? (d) If we train a predictive model on one prompt, how well do its predictions generalize to the other prompts of the same or different genre? The results of the study indicate that keystroke log features vary considerably in stability across testing occasions and display somewhat different patterns of feature–human correlation across genres and topics. However, using the most stable features, we can obtain moderate to strong prediction of human essay scores, and those models generalize reasonably well across prompts though more strongly within than across writing genres.
Una novela en la que no sucede nada: Der Stechlin de Fontane y la amistad literaria

Este articulo pretende mostrar la crucial importancia de la conversacion en la obra Der Stechlin de Fontane. Frente al tradicional desarrollo de la trama literaria, que centra la atencion en el drama de los conflictos (complicacion y desenlace, tension y sorpresa, conflicto romantico, etc.), en esta novela no encontramos nada de eso y, entonces, aparentemente, no ha pasado nada. No obstante, este juicio inicial queda desacreditado en la medida en que, compartiendo las conversaciones que entablan los personajes de Der Stechlin, vamos entrando en su mundo personal y terminamos por convertirnos en “amigos” de ellos. Esto lleva a revisar nuestras experiencias literarias ordinarias con mirada critica: ?que manera es esa de tratar a una persona? Se sostiene, entonces, que lo que preocupa a Fontane es el peso de las narrativas sociales por encima de la imaginacion amistosa, y de ahi que Fontane nos exija ver a estos “amigos” (personajes) sin recurrir a ciertos tipos de narrativas socialmente transmitidas. Leer Der Stechlin invita, asi, a no generalizar a las personas apresuradamente, a no entenderlas a partir de ciertos guiones o mitos socialmente establecidos.
Academic excellence for minority engineering students

The goal of the Office of Minority Engineering Programs (OMEP) at Arizona Stare University (ASU) is to build a climate that develops not only academic excellence, but, also, provide experiences for students that will build self esteem, competence, and flexible and marketable skills that will sustain them through the twenty first century. Comprehensive approaches to the development of engineering strategies are most often created not in isolation, but through collaborative, team building strategies. OMEP has the challenge of preparing students to meet the changing industry climate. Therefore, a program was called for that could reinforce engineering concepts in a team setting to improve academic excellence. Supported by the Foundation Coalition, the OMEP has now begun an Academic Excellence Program that clusters under represented minority (African American Hispanic and Native American) students enrolled in ECE 100, a course designed to teach engineering concepts and computer skills. Non minority students in the course are also invited to participate in these workshops. The students develop their own community of learners and collectively come to conclusions on how to process information. The Academic Excellence Workshops help to move away from traditional tutoring that is often a short term fix. Rather, these sessions enhance the mastery of engineering concepts as opposed to isolated problems. We feel this process prepares students for potential curriculum integration in the future, as well as for team participation in industry.
Biogenic ice nuclei in boundary layer air over two U.S. High Plains agricultural regions

[1] With 18% of the total U.S. landmass devoted to croplands, farmland and farming activities are potentially major sources of biogenic particles to the atmosphere. Farms harbor large populations of microbes both in the soil and on plant surfaces which, if injected into the atmosphere, may serve as nuclei for clouds. In this study, we investigated two farms as potential sources of biological ice nuclei (IN): an organic farm in Colorado and a cornfield in Nebraska. We used a continuous-flow diffusion chamber (CFDC) to obtain real-time measurements of IN at these farm sites. Total aerosol particles were also collected at the sites, and their temperature-dependent ice nucleating activity was determined using the drop freezing method. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing of 16S rDNA clone libraries were used to test aerosols and washings of local vegetation for abundance of theinagene in ice nucleation active bacteria (from the well-known group within theγ-Proteobacteria) and to identify airborne primary biological aerosol particles. The vegetation in each of these farms contained 6 × 105 to 2 × 107 ina genes per gram vegetation. In contrast to the vegetation, airborne ina gene concentrations at the organic farm were typically below detectable limits, demonstrating a disconnect between local vegetative sources and the air above them. However, for measurements made during combine harvesting at the Nebraska corn field, ina gene concentrations were 19 L−1, with maximum IN concentrations of 50 L−1 determined from the CFDC at −20°C and above water saturation. At both farms, there was also an apparent biological contribution to the IN population which did not contain the ina gene.
Prenatal Exclusion of Recessively Inherited Disorders: Should Maternal Plasma Analysis Precede Invasive Techniques?

Since the presence of large amounts of circulating fetal DNA in maternal plasma and serum samples was first reported by Lo et al. in 1997 (1), a multitude of clinical applications for the noninvasive diagnosis of complications of pregnancy have been reported [reviewed in Ref. (2)]. These applications have largely focused on the quantification of male fetal DNA in maternal plasma/serum samples and its associated increase in conditions such as fetal trisomy 21, maternal hyperemesis gravidarum, preeclampsia, invasive placenta, and preterm labor (3)(4)(5)(6)(7). In addition, qualitative detection of uniquely fetal DNA sequences in maternal plasma/serum has facilitated the noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of Rhesus D genotype, myotonic dystrophy, and achondroplasia (8)(9)(10). Both of these approaches are feasible because fetal and maternal DNA can be distinguished from each other. This same approach, however, will not work in the noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of autosomal recessive disorders, in which a fetus shares a mutant allele with its mother. In this issue of Clinical Chemistry , Chiu et al. (11) describe a novel strategy to exclude the diagnosis of a recessive condition by identifying polymorphic markers that distinguish the uniquely paternal mutant and wild-type alleles. They amplified cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma at 11 and 17 weeks of gestation, and by comparison with DNA from the couple’s first affected child, were able to determine that the current pregnancy was unaffected. As a model system, these investigators chose the disease congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), but the approach …
Observations and proxies of the surface layer throughflow in Lombok Strait

[1] Seasonal to interannual variability of the Lombok Strait surface layer transport is investigated. The geostrophic transport within the surface layer is estimated from the cross-channel pressure gradient measured by a pair of shallow pressure gauges positioned on opposing sides of Lombok Strait during 1996-1999. The Ekman transport through Lombok Strait, derived from scatterometer winds, is less than 10% or ∼0.15 Sv of the estimated surface layer geostrophic transport. Monsoonal forcing is clearly evident in the regional sea surface height anomalies (SSHA) as derived from the satellite altimeter measurements. During the southeast monsoon, relatively low sea level is observed to the south of Lombok Strait, with relatively high sea level to the north; conditions reverse during the northwest monsoon. Estimated transports from the cross-channel pressure gradient, winds, SSHA and thermocline depth anomalies all reveal interannual variability associated with ENSO. Both the thermocline depth anomaly and the SSHA to the south of the East Java coast correlate significantly (r = 0.7) with the Lombok Strait total surface layer throughflow. The difference of SSHA from the south of the East Java coast minus the SSHA north of Lombok shows a higher correlation (r = 0.84). These high correlation values suggest that SSHA and thermocline depth anomalies can be used as proxies for the Lombok Strait surface layer throughflow. Qualitatively, such proxy transports agree with the surface transport inferred from the pressure gauges and Ekman transport in Lombok Strait from 1996 to 1999, and also with direct velocity measurements from current meter data obtained in 1985 and 2004-2005.
Reduced Activation of RAF-1 and MAP Kinase by a Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Mutant Deficient in Stimulation of Phosphatidylinositol Hydrolysis

Signaling via the fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1, flg) was analyzed in Ba/F3 hematopoietic cells expressing either wild-type or a mutant FGF receptor (Y766F) unable to activate phospholipase C-γ (PLC-γ) and stimulate phosphatidylinositol (PI) hydrolysis. Stimulation of cells expressing wild-type or mutant FGFR with acidic FGF (aFGF) caused similar activation of Ras. However, an approximately 3-fold reduced activation of Raf-1 and MAP kinase was observed in aFGF-stimulated cells expressing mutant receptors as compared to cells expressing wild-type FGF receptors. Comparison of phosphopeptide maps of Raf-1 immunoprecipitated from the two cell types activated by either aFGF or the phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate) suggests that Raf-1 is phosphorylated by both Ras-dependent and PLC-γ-dependent mechanisms. In spite of the differential effect on Raf-1 and MAP kinase activation, aFGF stimulated similar proliferation of cells expressing wild-type or mutant receptors indicating that Ras-dependent activation of Raf-1 and MAP kinase is sufficient for transduction of FGFR mitogenic signals. Ras may also activate signal transduction pathways that are complementary or parallel to the MAP kinase pathway to stimulate cell proliferation.
Effect of gender on fast-track recovery after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Abstract Objective: To examine the effects of gender on time to extubation after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and intensive care unit and hospital length of stay. Design: Retrospective study comparing outcomes as related to gender. Setting: Tertiary care university teaching hospital. Participants: Consecutive patients (n = 561; 376 men, 185 women) undergoing CABG surgery between January 1995 and December 1997. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Early extubation was possible in 74% of men versus 64% of women (p = 0.03); length of stay was ≤5 days in 60% of men versus 48% of women (p = 0.008); overall postoperative length of stay was 5.7 days for men versus 6.5 days for women (p = 0.003); morbidity and mortality were not significantly different between groups. Conclusion: Women undergoing CABG surgery with a standardized fast-track protocol have longer intubation times, intensive care unit length of stay, and hospital length of stay than their male counterparts. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Results of subtotal parathyroidectomy in hemodialysis patients

In 61 hemodialysis patients undergoing subtotal parathyroidectomy, there was a good correlation between the preoperative serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone value (iPTH) and the weight of parathyroid tissue removed surgically (p less than or equal to 0.001). Postoperatively, iPTH decreased rapidly from an initial mean (+/- SD) of 2,928 +/- 1,600 muleq/ml and remained at 365 +/- 296 muleq/ml at last follow-up of patients still undergoing hemodialysis (normal, less than 50 muleq/ml). Of six patients who had recurrent hyperparathyroidism (10 percent of total), three required a second subtotal parathyroidectomy. Aluminum-related osteomalacia eventually developed in six patients with bone biopsy-proven hyperparathyroidism before parathyroidectomy. Nine patients with severe fracturing bone disease and hypercalcemia preoperatively but without clear evidence of hyperparathyroidism did not show a favorable response to subtotal parathyroidectomy (high mortality within 28 months, persistence of hypercalcemia, and symptomatic bone disease). Thus, subtotal parathyroidectomy can benefit patients with clearly established severe progressive hyperparathyroidism not responsive to medical therapy but is contraindicated in patients with low iPTH values and no bone biopsy evidence of severe hyperparathyroidism.