cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taxing Capital Appreciation

The realization rule — which defers tax on asset gains and losses until a disposition — is a well-known flaw in the income tax. Tax scholars have long recognized that the rule causes inequity, inefficiency, complexity, and revenue loss; allows wealthy taxpayers to avoid the income tax; and distorts the taxation of corporations and capital gains. The realization rule was a problem in the past, and a greater problem now, as financial innovations increase the opportunities for abuse and the need for reform. Prior proposals have generally favored replacing the realization rule with an accrual method accounting for the timing of gains and losses, through mark-to-market taxation, which taxes observed changes in asset value, formulaic taxation, which taxes deemed changes in asset value, or a combination thereof in a mixed regime. While these proposals have attracted much academic interest, they have not gained political traction, due to concerns of administrative feasibility, taxpayer liquidity, behavioral distortions, and public acceptance. This Article first introduces a framework for evaluating realization rule reform proposals, based on the rule’s harms and justifications, and demonstrates that none of the prior proposals adequately satisfies the framework’s criteria. It then introduces a new approach to taxing capital appreciation, “Deferred Tax Accounting,” which integrates accrual principles within the current realization system. Deferred Tax Accounting has two components, a flexible payment rule for traded or regularly valued assets, and a retrospective rule for nontraded assets that are not regularly valued. Deferred Tax Accounting allows taxpayer choice in timing tax payments, and — as under current law — never requires payment of tax prior to a realization event. Unlike prior proposals, Deferred Tax Accounting addresses all the key considerations for effective realization rule reform, and thereby eliminates the biggest obstacle to a more fair and consistently progressive income tax.
Association between Medicare high-risk criteria and outcomes after carotid revascularization procedures

Abstract Background The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has defined a set of high-risk criteria to help define patients who are appropriate for carotid artery stenting (CAS), but these criteria have never been validated. We aimed to validate the CMS high-risk criteria in a nationally representative cohort of patients undergoing CAS and carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Methods All patients undergoing CAS (with embolic protection) or CEA in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) database (2013-2016) were included. Patients were stratified as being at normal risk (Nr) or high risk (Hr) for undergoing CEA on the basis of CMS criteria. Thirty-day and 2-year stroke outcomes were compared for CAS vs CEA in both the Nr and Hr groups using 1:1 coarsened exact matching and multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling. Results A total of 51,942 patients (CAS, 7030; CEA, 44,912) underwent carotid revascularization during the study period. Thirty-day (Nr, 1.7% vs 1.0%; Hr, 2.5% vs 1.4%) and 2-year (Nr, 1.9% vs 1.0%; Hr, 2.4% vs 1.3%) stroke occurred more frequently after CAS vs CEA on crude analysis ( P Conclusions These data suggest that the utility of CAS in Nr patients may be underappreciated, whereas the potential benefit of CAS in Hr patients may be overestimated. Re-evaluation of the criteria for identifying patients at high risk for CEA and the national guidelines on the indications for CAS is strongly indicated.
Patient features and survival of pediatric aplastic anemia in the USA: a large institution experience

BACKGROUND We performed the first epidemiologic investigation to examine association of demographics and clinical characteristics at diagnosis, as well as health care expense coverage, with survival of US children with aplastic anemia (AA). METHODS We obtained electronic medical record data of 1140 children aged 0-19 years diagnosed with AA followed at a pediatric health system between 2004 and 2014. Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox proportional hazards regressions were used. RESULTS Self-pay patients had a mortality risk five times higher than that of those insured by publicly funded insurance (hazards ratio, 95% CI: 6.0, 3.7-9.8). Other features associated with higher mortality risk include pancytopenia (hazards ratio, referent: 4.2, constitutional AA); underweight (2.0, normal-weight); platelet count <50 × 109/l (1.3, ≥50 × 109/l); male sex (1.3, female); and ages at diagnosis 6-11, 11-16 and 16-19 years (1.6, 1.9, 2.3, 1-3 years), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Self-pay was the strongest prognostic factor for pediatric AA mortality. Older age, pancytopenia, underweight, male sex and lower platelet count were also associated with increased risk of mortality. These findings may be useful for providers, researchers and policymakers to ensure effective health care delivery to this population and to motivate future etiologic research and establishment of a surveillance registry.
A General Computational Method for Grammar Inversion

A reversible grammar is usually understood as a computational or linguistic system that can be used both for analysis and generation of the language it defines. For example, a directive pars-gen(Sent,Form) would assign, depending upon the binding status of its arguments, the representation in(Miami,chased(Fido,John)) to the sentence Fido chased John in Miami, or it would produce one of the several possible paraphrases of this sentence given its representation. Building such bi-directional systems has long been considered critical for various natural language processing tasks, especially in machine translation. This paper presents a general computational method for automated inversion of a parsing-oriented unification grammar for natural language into an efficient generating grammar. We clarify and expands the results of the earlier work on reversible grammars by this author and the others. A more powerful version of the grammar inversion algorithm is developed with a special emphasis being placed on the proper treatment of recursive rules. The grammar inversion algorithm described here is at the core of the Japanese-English machine translation project currently under development at NYU.
Chemistry and Analysis of Sialic Acid

The term “sialic acid” first appeared in the literature in 1952 to describe an unusual acidic aminosugar present in gangliosides and submaxillary mucin (Blix et al., 1952). Although the name was new, the substance had been isolated in crystalline form many years before by Blix (1936), and its general properties were already well known by the early 1950s. Other names employed over the years included lactaminic acid (Kuhn and Brossmer, 1956b), hemataminic acid (Yamakawa and Suzuki, 1952), gynaminic acid (Zilliken et al., 1955), and O-sialic acid, but eventually the nomenclature proposal of Blix et al. (1957) was adopted by consensus. This nomenclature designated “neuraminic acid” as the unsubstituted parent structure (Figure 1) and “sialic acid” as the generic term for the family of related derivatives having an acyl group on the amino nitrogen and frequently other substituents elsewhere.
Ch. R-14 Enhanced Oil Recovery at Simulated Reservoir Conditions

Abstract Experiments were conducted to elucidate the principal mechanism(s) of microbial enhanced oil recovery at simulated subsurface reservoir conditions up to 1500 meters depth. Two species of bacteria were used: Bacillus licheniformis JF-2 and Clostridium acetoqutvlicum. Sandstone cores (70 cm 3 PV) were equilibrated to the desired simulated reservoir conditions, saturated with oil and brine, and flooded to residual oil saturation. The waterflood brine was displaced with a nutrient solution (3% cattle-feed-molasses in brine). The cores were then inoculated with bacteria (10° cells/ml) and shut-in. The pore pressure was monitored until there was no further increase in pore pressure. Finally, a pressure maintenance waterflood was conducted and the additional oil recovery was recorded (17–19%). Pore pressure increases up to 23 MPa (from an initial pressure of 17 MPa) due to biogenic gas was observed. The gas dissolved in the oil and brine establishing a solution gas drive mechanism. The MEOR recovery efficiency was directly related to the dissolved gas-oil ratio. The principal MEOR mechanism observed in this work was solution gas drive. All other possible mechanism (surface tension reduction, pH reduction, selective pore plugging, etc.) were shown to be minor compared to solution gas drive. The experiments suggested a procedure for field application of gas-generating bacteria.
Stakeholder-Driven Enterprise Process Model for Complex Services Adaptation

Service - oriented organizations often deal with incoming non-routine request types, each with significant variations in requirements consequently driving discovery of processing needs. At the same time such organizations are often challenged with sharing high-cost resources and executing static processes that do not lead to effective delivery. This requires an ontology designed for flexible adaptation to facilitate performance traceability and knowledge mining. Specifically we present a formal dynamic service ontology that 1) obtains tacit knowledge as explicit in-the-micro feedback from workers performing roles, 2) provides in-the-small evolutionary (dynamic) process instance structures and monitoring mechanisms, and 3) aggregates process instances metrics into a performance and decision-making facility to align to in-the-large goals of stakeholders. The multidimensional ontology for process flexibility and performance traceability was derived from industry case studies and is cognizant of stakeholder interests. We use customer service request data to validate the ontology through its use in adaptive decision-making applied to a large IT shared services organization.
Persistent organic pollutants in fish from Charleston Harbor and tributaries, South Carolina, United States: A risk assessment.

Abstract Fish consumption is an important route of exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in dolphins as well as humans. In order to assess the potential risks associated with these contaminants, 39 whole fish and 37 fillets from fish representing species consumed by dolphins and humans captured from Charleston Harbor and tributaries, South Carolina, USA, were measured for a suite of POPs. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were the predominant contaminant with concentrations ranging from 5.02 to 232.20 ng/g in whole fish and 5.42–131.95 ng/g in fillets (weight weight ww) followed by total organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Total POPs levels varied by location and species with general trends indicating significantly higher levels in fish from the Cooper (93.4 ng/g ww) and Ashley Rivers (56.2 ng/g ww) compared to Charleston Harbor (31.6 ng/g ww). Mullet and spot were found to have significantly higher PCBs, OCPs and total POPs, 2–3 times higher than red drum; mullet were also significantly higher in OCPs compared to seatrout. PCB concentrations in whole fish and fillets exceeded EPA human screening values for cancer risk in all fish sampled. For PCBs in fillets, all samples had values of maximum allowable meals per month that were less than the EPA, FDA guidelines for recommended fish meals per month, suggesting lower (more stringent) allowable fish meals per month. All fish exceeded PBDE wildlife values and all fish except two exceeded the level where 95% of the dolphin population would have tissue levels below the health effect threshold. Considering that POP concentrations in fish potentially consumed by humans exceed human health effect thresholds levels, consumption advisories should be considered as a prudent public health measure.
Automated Scanning Techniques Using UR5

This study seeks to advance technologies pertaining to integration of low-cost collaborative robots to perform scanning operations where moderate accuracy is needed. Part inspection is an almost universal aspect of manufacturing which traditionally requires human observation. Advanced metrology techniques, such as scanning, allow greater inspection capabilities but still require a human operator and require significant capital investment. Using off-the-shelf line scanners in conjunction with small collaborative robots can completely automate the inspection process while minimizing cost. This project seeks to investigate the feasibility of utilizing a UR5 robot with a Keyence line scanner for scanning inspection in an industrial setting. Data from the line scanner is gathered, along with the position and orientation of the end-effector of the robot. The data are collected, combined, and analyzed in MATLAB to generate surface geometry. A user interface will allow viewing of the specific points gathered, expedite product inspection during manufacturing, and involve humans in higher skill-based decision-making tasks. A professional grade scan of the test part is used for comparison of experimentally gathered data. Feasibility is assessed on cost, effectiveness, ease of programming and operation, and development difficulty. In the preliminary result, it was found that the UR5 and line scanner provide a cheap and easily programmable and automated solution to line inspection. However, effectiveness and difficulty of development may pose challenges that require future research.
Comparison of a Potential Hospital Quality Metric With Existing Metrics for Surgical Quality–Associated Readmission

Importance The existing readmission quality metric does not meaningfully distinguish readmissions associated with surgical quality from those that are not associated with surgical quality and thus may not reflect the quality of surgical care. Objective To compare a quality metric that classifies readmissions associated with surgical quality with the existing metric of any unplanned readmission in a surgical population. Design, Setting, and Participants Cohort study using US nationwide administrative data collected on 4 high-volume surgical procedures performed at 103 Veterans Affairs hospitals from October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2014. Data analysis was conducted from October 1, 2017, to January 24, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Hospital-level rates of unplanned readmission (existing metric) and surgical readmissions associated with surgical quality (new metric) in the 30 days following hospital discharge for an inpatient surgical procedure. Results The study population included 109 258 patients who underwent surgery at 103 hospitals. Patients were majority male (94.1%) and white (78.2%) with a mean (SD) age of 64.0 (10.0) years at the time of surgery. After case-mix adjustment, 30-day surgical readmissions ranged from 4.6% (95% CI, 4.5%-4.8%) among knee arthroplasties to 11.1% (95% CI, 10.9%-11.3%) among colorectal resections. The new surgical readmission metric was significantly correlated with facility-level postdischarge complications for all procedures, with ρ coefficients ranging from 0.33 (95% CI, 0.13-0.51) for cholecystectomy to 0.52 (95% CI, 0.38-0.68) for colorectal resection. Correlations between postdischarge complications and the new surgical readmission metric were higher than correlations between complications and the existing readmission metric for all procedures examined (knee arthroplasty: 0.50 vs 0.48; hip replacement: 0.44 vs 0.18; colorectal resection: 0.52 vs 0.42; and cholecystectomy: 0.33 vs 0.10). When compared with using the existing readmission metric, using the new surgical readmission metric could change hip replacement–associated payment penalty determinations in 28.4% of hospitals and knee arthroplasty–associated penalties in 26.0% of hospitals. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, surgical quality–associated readmissions were more correlated with postdischarge complications at a higher rate than were unplanned readmissions. Thus, a metric based on such readmissions may be a better measure of surgical care quality. This work provides an important step in the development of future value-based payments and promotes evidence-based quality metrics targeting the quality of surgical care.
Synthesis of N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2-hydroxysuccinimide-O-sulfate: A potential metabolite of the nephrotoxicant N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide

The sulfate conjugate 2 of N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2-hydroxysuccinimide, a potential metabolite of the nephrotoxicant N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide, is prepared from the 2-hydroxysuccinimide (1) by the reaction with chlorosulfonic acid in chloroform and ether mixture at −78°.
Western Diet-Fed, Aortic-Banded Ossabaw Swine: A Preclinical Model of Cardio-Metabolic Heart Failure

The development of new treatments for heart failure lack animal models that encompass the increasingly heterogeneous disease profile of this patient population. This report provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that Western Diet-fed, aortic-banded Ossabaw swine display an integrated physiological, morphological, and genetic phenotype evocative of cardio-metabolic heart failure. This new preclinical animal model displays a distinctive constellation of findings that are conceivably useful to extending the understanding of how pre-existing cardio-metabolic syndrome can contribute to developing HF.
Demographic and clinical features of pediatric patients with orthostatic intolerance and an abnormal head-up tilt table test; A retrospective descriptive study.

Background Clinical presentation varies in children with Orthostatic Intolerance. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with orthostatic intolerance (OI) and positive head-up tilt test (HUTT). Methods This study was a retrospective review of clinical data from outpatients over 18 months period. Results We included 112 patients with abnormal HUTT results. Females were 78 (70%). Mean age of presentation was 15.6 years (sd: 3.3). Fifteen percent were overweight, and 14% were obese. A headache and syncope were the most frequent presenting symptoms (46% and 29% respectively). Review of systems identified more patients with headaches (84%), Syncope (61%), presyncope (87%) and abdominal pain (29%). Except for fatigue being more prevalent during a review of systems among patients with severe OI (69%) compared to those with moderate OI (46%, p = 0.02), there was no statistically significant difference in the clinical presentation between investigator-defined moderate and severe OI. Comorbidities identified in this cohort were Chiari malformations (9%), idiopathic intracranial hypertension (9%), electroencephalographic abnormalities (8%) and patent foramen ovale (43%). Conclusions Adolescents, mainly females had OI. Patients with OI and abnormal HUTT predominantly had a headache, syncope, and presyncope during the presentation. Eliciting review of systems and using tools such as clinical questionnaire identifies significant clinical presenting features and comorbidities.
Alternating Cascade Metathesis Polymerization of Enynes and Cyclic Enol Ethers with Active Ruthenium Fischer Carbenes

Ruthenium alkoxymethylidene complexes have rarely been demonstrated as active species in metathesis reactions and are frequently regarded as inert. Herein, we highlight the ability of these Fischer-type carbenes to participate in cascade alternating ring-opening metathesis polymerization through their efficient alkyne addition reactions. When enyne monomers are combined with low-strain cyclic vinyl ethers, a controlled chain-growth copolymerization occurs that exhibits high degrees of alternation (>90% alternating diads) and produces degradable poly(vinyl ether) materials with low dispersities and targetable molecular weights. This new method is amenable to the synthesis of alternating diblock polymers that can be degraded to small-molecule fragments under aqueous acidic conditions. This work furthers the potential of Fischer-type ruthenium alkylidenes in polymerization strategies and presents new avenues for the generation of functional metathesis materials.
Litigation Update in Negusie v. Holder: The Board of Immigration Appeals Nears Decision on the Persecutor Bar

In Negusie v. Holder, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed whether the statutory bars to asylum and withholding of removal for individuals who otherwise qualified as refugees but had engaged in the persecution of others should be interpreted to contain an exception for conduct performed under duress. Immigrant advocates, international law scholars, and religious groups, filed amici briefs with the Court describing how vulnerable groups are often forced to persecute others as part of the persecution perpetuated against them and how the United Nations and many other countries interpret the U.N. Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees to include a duress exception. The Court’s 2009 decision rejected the Board of Immigration Appeals’ position that any conduct that had the objective effect of assisting in the persecution of others disqualified an applicant from protection — regardless of circumstance, knowledge, or choice. After years of fits and starts, the Board is now poised to determine the scope of the persecutor bar in the United States’ refugee provisions. In 2016, the Board requested briefs from the parties and invited amici curiae to address whether there is “an involuntariness or duress” exception to the persecutor bar and if so, what standard should govern the exception. The Alert reviews the initial position of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alongside the contrary position taken by DHS under the Trump Administration. The Alert then summarizes the arguments asserted by Negusie and various amici in support of a duress exception, which practitioners can draw on in their own cases. It also provides links to the briefs filed with the Board. It concludes with a checklist of arguments and supporting authority for practitioners to consider when challenging the application of the persecutor bar.
Detecting detrital carbonate in shale successions - Relevance for evaluation of depositional setting and sequence stratigraphic interpretation

Abstract The Portwood Member of the New Albany Formation is a dolomitic black shale succession that was deposited in the western portion of the Appalachian Basin. Correlative of the Tully Limestone interval found to the northeast in the Appalachian Basin and slightly more than 5 m thick, it nonetheless consists of three erosion-bounded stratal packages that record Late Givetian eustatic sea-level variations. Detailed petrographic study shows that its carbonate interbeds, though readily interpreted as transgressive in nature, are largely detrital, and represent lowstand deposits eroded from the Cincinnati Arch in the west. Petrographical inspection showed abundant silt-sized detrital carbonate within the black shales, as well as a range of other key features, such as mud-dominated composite particles and agglutinated benthic foraminifera, that shed a new and much differentiated light on depositional setting and history of sediment accumulation. Whereas earlier recognized internal erosion surfaces still anchor the sequence stratigraphic framework, reinterpreting carbonate beds as lowstand deposits, and identifying condensed intervals and maximum flooding surfaces via distinct glauconite maxima, supports a reassessment of system tracts that is in agreement with petrographic constraints. Thin section based microfacies analysis identified multiple sedimentary settings, ranging from comparatively shallow (10's of meters, suboxic to dysoxic, tempestites) to very shallow (meters, dysoxic to oxic, wave and current action), and enabled subdivision of the Portwood into a series of upwards shallowing parasequences. This study demonstrates that petrographic due diligence is essential to correctly identify the origin of shale hosted carbonate intervals, and as an added benefit yields a sophisticated understanding of depositional conditions and long-term depositional trends that rivals what is possible for sandstone or carbonate successions.
A Survey of Blind Orientation and Mobility Specialists about the Accommodations and Teaching Strategies They Use When Providing Orientation and Mobility Services.

Introduction:The purpose of the study was to survey orientation and mobility (O&M) instructors who are blind concerning the identification of accommodations, teaching techniques, and resources to t...
Certainty Equivalent Quadratic Control for Markov Jump Systems.

Real-world control applications often involve complex dynamics subject to abrupt changes or variations. Markov jump linear systems (MJS) provide a rich framework for modeling such dynamics. Despite an extensive history, theoretical understanding of parameter sensitivities of MJS control is somewhat lacking. Motivated by this, we investigate robustness aspects of certainty equivalent model-based optimal control for MJS with quadratic cost function. Given the uncertainty in the system matrices and in the Markov transition matrix is bounded by $\epsilon$ and $\eta$ respectively, robustness results are established for (i) the solution to coupled Riccati equations and (ii) the optimal cost, by providing explicit perturbation bounds which decay as $\mathcal{O}(\epsilon + \eta)$ and $\mathcal{O}((\epsilon + \eta)^2)$ respectively.
Activity and Sleep

Sleep research can be divided into two eras around the work of Aserinsky and Kleitman (1953, 1955), and Dement and Kleitman (1957), who discovered rapid eye movement during sleep, now referred to as REM sleep, which revitalized research in this area.
Strategische Referenzprofile als Leitmotiv für die Strategieentwicklung industrieller Unternehmen

Die Forderung nach Konsistenz der von der Geschaftseinheit und dem Fertigungsbereich eines Unternehmens verfolgten Strategie ist Ausgangspunkt dieses Beitrags, der auf dem Projekt „International Manufacturing Strategy Survey“ basiert. Die Erfolgsbeitrage der Strategiekonfigurationen zeigen, dass die Verfolgung einer konsistenten Strategie zwar Potenzial fur unternehmerischen Erfolg birgt, dieser jedoch nicht unabhangig davon ist, welche Strategie gewahlt wird. Auf dieser Basis wird ein strategisches Idealprofil ermittelt und gezeigt, inwieweit die Unternehmen der untersuchten Stichprobe mit diesem ubereinstimmen und welche Implikationen sich in Abhangigkeit von der Entfernung zum Idealprofil ergeben. Die Untersuchung lasst erkennen, dass ein positiver Effekt auf den Unternehmenserfolg zu verzeichnen ist, wenn Unternehmen dem idealen strategischen Leitbild folgen. Voraussetzung fur Definition und wirksame Umsetzung eines strategischen Profils ist jedoch ein grundlegendes strategisches Denken, das alle Ebenen des Unternehmens mit einbezieht. Nur dann kann eine wechselseitige Unterstutzung und Integration der verschiedenen Strategieebenen einer Geschaftseinheit verwirklicht werden.
Physical Properties of an Ag-Doped Bioactive Flowable Composite Resin

The aim of this work was to study the physical and antibacterial properties of a flowable resin composite incorporating a sol-gel derived silver doped bioactive glass (Ag-BGCOMP). The depth of the cure was calculated by measuring the surface micro-hardness for the top and bottom surfaces. The volumetric polymerization shrinkage was measured by recording the linear shrinkage as change in length, while the biaxial flexural strength was studied measuring the load at failure. The antibacterial properties of the samples were tested against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacillus casei (L. casei). The measured values were slightly decreased for all tested physical properties compared to those of control group (flowable resin composite without Ag-BG), however enhanced bacteria inhibition was observed for Ag-BGCOMP. Ag-BGCOMP could find an application in low stress-bearing areas as well as in small cavity preparations to decrease secondary caries. This work provides a good foundation for future studies on evaluating the effects of Ag-BG addition into packable composites for applications in larger cavity preparations where enhanced mechanical properties are needed.
Bianchi-Bäcklund Transformations, Conservation Laws, and Linearization of Various Field Theories

My friend and colleague Maurice Goldhaber likes to classify physics activities into two kinds: the Olympian kind and the bloodhound kind. The latter refers to physics research activities that deal more directly with the comparison between theory and experimental results. The former refers to physics activities more of esertoric kind which is intellectually satisfying and mathematically oriented, but its immediate relevance respect to experimental results is not clear. My talk today falls into this category. I hope that I can convey to you some flavor of such research in a quite specialized field.
Safety assessment of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring component present in living cells. Its physiological function is to act as an essential cofactor for ATP production, and to perform important antioxidant activities in the body. In most countries, CoQ10 has been widely used as a dietary supplement for more than 20 years. Recently, the use of CoQ10 as a dietary supplement has grown with a corresponding increase in daily dosage. The present review describes the safety profile of CoQ10 on the basis of animal and human data. The published reports concerning safety studies indicate that CoQ10 has low toxicity and does not induce serious adverse effects in humans. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) is 12mg/kg/day, calculated from the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 1200 mg/kg/day derived from a 52-week chronic toxicity study in rats, i.e., 720 mg/day for a person weighing 60 kg. Risk assessment for CoQ10 based on various clinical trial data indicates that the observed safety level (OSL) for CoQ10 is 1200 mg/day/person. Evidence from pharmacokinetic studies suggest that exogenous CoQ10 does not influence the biosynthesis of endogenous CoQ9/CoQ10 nor does it accumulate into plasma or tissues after cessation of supplementation. Overall, these data from preclinical and clinical studies indicate that CoQ10 is highly safe for use as a dietary supplement. Additionally, analysis of CoQ10 bioavailability or its pharmacokinetics provides the pertinent safety evaluation for CoQ10.
Activated PD-1highCD127highCD27highCD45RAlowCD4 T cell phenotype is associated with increased susceptibility to HIV infection rather than exhaustion. (HUM8P.339)

The role of PD-1 as regulator of CD4 T cells in HIV infection is not well understood. We found a differential expression of PD-1 on CD4 and CD8 T cells with the PD-1highCTLA-4lowCD127highCD27highCD45RAlowCD4 T cell population (PD-1highCD4TCM) declining with disease progression. Induction of PD-1highCD4TCM cells after HAART was accompanied by reduction of PD-1highCTLA-4highCD27highCD45RAlowCD4 T cells, a population enriched with HIV-specific CD4 T cells. Increased HIV-1 gag DNA was found in PD-1high compared to PD-1lowCD127highCD27highCD45RAlowCD4 T cells. This profile was associated with increased activation and expression of the HIV coreceptor CCR5 on PD-1highCD4TCM cells. We found increased telomerase activity indicating that PD-1 upregulation is due to a direct rather than a bystander activation of CD127highCD27highCD45RAlowCD4 T cells. In vitro stimulation of sorted populations revealed an increased production of IFN-g, MIP1-a, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-17 by PD-1high compared to PD-1lowCD127high CD27high CD45RAlow CD4 T cells. In line with our previous studies, the majority of CCR7highCXCR5highCCR6highCD4 T cells, a population with increased capacity for delivering in vitro help to autologous B cells, was found in the PD-1highCD4TCM cell compartment. Our data show that expression of PD-1 on early-differentiated CD4 T cells may represent a higher susceptibility to HIV infection associated with a recent activation and differentiation rather than exhaustion of these cells.
Natural language, computational complexity, and generative capacity

We show that the logical expressions of natural languages are strictly context-sensitive. However, even though context-sensitive languages are intractable in general, this weak generative capacity result does not necessarily imply any computational difficulty
197: Observed Trends in Hydrologic Cycle Components

Documentation of change in the Earth's climate is accomplished by assessing the rates, magnitude, and distribution of changes in various elements of the climate system, such as the components of the hydrologic cycle. The present section reviews the general character of changes in precipitation, streamflow, and evaporation as determined using systematically collected data through the end of the twentieth century. Precipitation over global land areas increased about 2% during the century, and streamflow also exhibited widespread increases. There was good agreement regionally between the observed precipitation and streamflow increases. The precipitation increases appear to have occurred most commonly in higher intensity categories (>50 mm per day), while the streamflow increases were overwhelmingly observed in the low to moderate range of flows. No systematic increases were observed in peak streamflows. These findings indicate that a general intensification of the hydrologic cycle occurred during the twentieth century, but that this intensification did not result in increased hydrologic extremes. Keywords: evaporation; hydrologic cycle; precipitation; streamflow; trends
Pentagastrin in the gastric fistula dog.

The stimulation of secretion of water, H + , pepsin, and electrolytes from the innervated stomach was studied in 6 fistula dogs. Each of eight doses of pentagastrin (0.1 to 12.0 μg per kg-hr) was given by a separate 4-hr infusion. Both peak and total output of each component could be related to dose in a linear model (S/V = aS + b, where S=dose and V=output) conforming to isotherm kinetics. By this model, the S 50 dose of pentagastrin for water secretion in this experiment was 0.35 μg per kg-hr, for a molar S 50 activity ratio to histamine of 125:1. There was a steep fade of output of water and electrolytes at all doses by up to 70% of peak at 240 min which could not be reversed by KCl injection as was the case with fade in histamine stimulation. Calculation of changes in body fluid composition showed no significant differences in Na + , K + , and Cl − shifts from that seen for comparable histamine-stimulated gastric juice loss. Although electrolyte secretion is apparently stimulated in a manner similar to that due to histamine, pentagastrin stimulates pepsin much more, is sensitive to atropine inhibition, and apparently is unresponsive to KCl injection. These differences show that pentagastrin cannot be exerting all of its effects through the intermediation of histamine.
A study of mindfulness and self-care: A path to self-compassion for female therapists in training.

Research has shown the prevalence of burnout and “compassion fatigue” in women mental health professionals. Mindfulness training addresses these potential problems, building strategies for both prevention and coping. Training in mindfulness can benefit women psychotherapists-in-training as they handle the stresses of graduate school, and as therapists, in addition to benefiting their future therapy clients. This study explores the impact of a course on mindfulness for psychotherapists-in-training, evaluating outcomes of a 10-week elective course offered at California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in San Diego, CA.
Reduction of Eddy Current Losses by the Inverted Turn Transposition and the Twisted Lead Transposition

The first section of the paper contains a brief review of the general theory underlying the determination of extra copper losses in armature windings carrying alternating currents. Simplified methods of calculation are then described. The second part extends the study of the inverted turn transposition to the special case of three-phase windings having two phases connected in series to form a single-phase winding and the third phase left idle. Formulas and tables are presented to show what reductions in copper losses may be expected for this connection, and to aid in deciding what type of transposition is best for a given winding. The final section of the paper deals with the twisted lead transposition, and presents formulas and tables showing reductions in extra losses to be gained from this method of inversion and connection. Details of the derivations of the formulas and examples of the use of the twisted lead transposition are contained in appendices at the end of the paper.
Studies on affinity chromatography of aldosterone-binding macromolecules.

Deoxycorticosterone-hemisuccinate competes with [3H]-aldosterone for loci on mineralocorticoid-binding macromolecules found in the cytosol fraction of kidneys from adrenalcctomized rats. Studies on deoxycorticosterone-hemisuccinate (ligand) covalently linked to aminoethylagarose (gel) show that exposure of cytosol to the ligand-gel results in loss of mineralocortocoid-binding activity from the cytosol. Substitution of estriol for deoxycorticosterone in the ligandgel complex does not result in loss of mineralocorticoid-binding activity from the cytosol. Thus, deoxycorticosterone-hemisuccinate-agarose causes a steroid-specific loss of mineralocorticoid binding activity and satisfies at least two of the criteria we established to define the utility of the ligand-gel in affinity Chromatography.
Prolactin binding in rat mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation.

Abstract Lactogenic hormones from the placenta and pituitary are primarily responsible for the growth and function of the mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation. In the present study we describe the optimal conditions for the measurement of 125 I-labeled ovine prolactin binding to mammary gland slices of pregnant and lactating rats. Prolactin binding is saturable ( K d approx. 2.36 · 10 −9 M) , hormone specific and destroyed by proteases. The hormonal environments of pregnancy and lacation dramatically influence the availability and measurement of prolactin binding sites. Whereas binding consistently appears to be low in mammary glands removed from rats during pregnancy, binding levels rise 7–8-fold shortly after birth and remain high during the 22 days of lactation. However, the removal of the ovaries and gravid uteri at specific times during pregnancy results in prompt 3–6-fold increase in prolactin binding. Elevated levels in potential prolactin binding capacity appear in mammary tissue coincident with the reported rise in serum rat placental lactogen between the eight and eleventh days. We suggest that high levels of this lactogenic hormone promote the appearance of prolactin binding sites during pregnancy and mask the sites such that they are not available for measurement in vitro.
Identification and Functional Characterization of the p66/p68 Components of the MeCP1 Complex

Methylation of cytosine at CpG dinucleotides is a common feature of many higher eukaryotic genomes. A major biological consequence of DNA methylation is gene silencing. Increasing evidence indicates that recruitment of histone deacetylase complexes by methyl-CpG-binding proteins is a major mechanism of methylated DNA silencing. We have previously reported that the MeCP1 protein complex represses transcription through preferential binding, remodeling, and deacetylation of methylated nucleosomes. To understand the molecular mechanism of the functioning of the MeCP1 complex, the individual components of the MeCP1 complex need to be characterized. In this paper, we report the identification and functional characterization of the p66 and p68 components of the MeCP1 complex. We provide evidence that the two components are different forms of the same zinc finger-containing protein. Analysis of the p66 homologs from different organisms revealed two highly conserved regions, CR1 and CR2. While CR1 is involved in the association of p66 with other MeCP1 components, CR2 plays an important role in targeting p66 and MBD3 to specific loci. Thus, our study not only completes the identification of the MeCP1 components but also reveals the potential function of p66 in MeCP1 complex targeting. The identification and characterization of all the MeCP1 components set the stage for reconstitution of the MeCP1 complex.
The Rise of In-Store Clinics — Threat or Opportunity?

Dr. Richard Bohmer writes that in-store clinics are increasing in prevalence and appeal to payers, patients, entrepreneurs, and proponents of consumer-driven health care. Physicians, however, express concern about the quality of care and the potential impact on their businesses. Richard Bohmer discusses the business model behind in-store clinics, quality and continuity of care, and the factors contributing to this trend in primary care delivery.
Time-Domain Simulation of a Multi-Body Floating System in Waves

It is important to study multi-body dynamics when analyzing the transfer of cargo between ships and platforms at sea. The hydrodynamic interactions should be considered in an accurate way to predict the relative motions between them. In this paper, the response amplitude operators (RAOs) of a single vessel will be compared with those of a multi-body system, considering different spacing between them. Further, the coupled hydrodynamic interactions among multiple vessels in close proximity are studied. Various levels of approximation, including the constant coefficient method (CCM) and the impulse response function (IRF) method, are employed to model the hydrodynamic interactions. Finally, the comparison between a single vessel and multi-body time domain simulation is also given.© 2010 ASME
Immunoassay for B. globigii spores as a model for detecting B. anthracis spores in finished water.

The 2001 anthrax alarm in the US raised concerns about the Nation's preparedness to the threat of bioterrorism, and the demand for early warning systems that might be used in the case of a biological attack continues to grow. Here we develop an ultra-sensitive rapid detection method for B. globigii (BG) spores, the simulant of B. anthracis (BA) spores. BG spores were detected by a bead-based sandwich immunoassay with fluorescence detection. Paramagnetic Dynal® beads were used as a solid support, primary antibody was attached to the beads by streptavidin-biotin coupling and the secondary antibody had an alkaline phosphatase (AP) enzyme label. Enzymatic conversion of fluorescein diphosphate (FDP) to fluorescein by AP was measured in real time with λex = 490 nm and λem = 520 nm. The assay was linear from 2.6 × 103–5.6 × 105 BG spores mL−1, and the detection limit was 2.6 × 103 spores mL−1 or 78 spores. All reagent concentrations and incubation times were optimized. The assay time from the moment the spores were introduced to the system was 30 min, and real-time fluorescence detection was done in less than 1 min. Formation of the BG spores–capture beads complex was confirmed by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). BG spores were detected successfully when doped into Cincinnati tap water to demonstrate the applicability of the developed method to detect the spores in non-buffered media.
Perchlorate uptake by salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima) in the Las Vegas Wash riparian ecosystem

Abstract Perchlorate ion (ClO 4 − ) has been identified in samples of dormant salt cedar ( Tamarix ramosissima ) growing in the Las Vegas Wash. Perchlorate is an oxidant, but its reduction is kinetically hindered. Concern over thyroid effects caused the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to add perchlorate to the drinking water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL). Beginning in 2001, utilities will look for perchlorate under the Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule (UCMR). In wood samples acquired from the same plant growing in a contaminated stream, perchlorate concentrations were found as follows: 5–6 μg g –1 in dry twigs extending above the water and 300 μg g –1 in stalks immersed in the stream. Perchlorate was leached from samples of wood, and the resulting solutions were analyzed by ion chromatography after clean-up. The identification was confirmed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry after complexation of perchlorate with decyltrimethylammonium cation. Because salt cedar is regarded as an invasive species, there are large scale programs aimed at eliminating it. However, this work suggests that salt cedar might play a role in the ecological distribution of perchlorate as an environmental contaminant. Consequently, a thorough investigation of the fate and transport of perchlorate in tamarisks is required to assess the effects that eradication might have on perchlorate-tainted riparian ecosystems, such as the Las Vegas Wash. This is especially important since water from the wash enters Lake Mead and the Colorado River and has the potential to affect the potable water source of tens of millions of people as well as irrigation water used on a variety of crops, including much of the lettuce produced in the USA.
Observation of dynamic behavior of lithographically induced self-assembly of supramolecular periodic pillar arrays in a homopolymer film

The dynamic behavior of lithographically induced self-assembly (LISA), a newly discovered pattern formation phenomenon, was recorded and analyzed with real time video. Two surprising and intriguing phenomena were observed. First, a LISA pillar array was formed in an orderly manner starting under the corners of a mask pattern, then the edges, and later propagating to the center of the mask pattern. Second, the time interval between the formation of two subsequent LISA pillars has a shell structure. The observation presents evidence critical to uncovering the physical origin of this phenomenon, which is believed to be related to the interplay of electrodynamics, fluid hydrodynamics, and polymer chemistry at the nanometer scale.
AMPA glutamate receptor activation in the posterior zona incerta inhibits amphetamine- and apomorphine-induced stereotypy.

Previous work demonstrated that alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) glutamate receptor antagonism in the zona incerta (ZI) dorsal to the subthalamic nucleus inhibits stereotypy in rats. The current investigation was undertaken to determine if AMPA receptors in a more caudal portion of the ZI have a role in the expression of stereotyped behavior. Rats were injected bilaterally with AMPA into the posterior ZI dorsal to the substantia nigra, and immediately given a systemic injection of d-amphetamine (10 mg/kg, s.c.) or apomorphine (1 mg/kg s.c.). AMPA produced a dose-dependent inhibition of stereotypy induced by both drugs which was prevented by the coadministration of the AMPA/kainic acid antagonist, 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX) (0.5 microgram/0.5 microliter). A dose of AMPA as low as 62.5 ng completely abolished the oral component of stereotypy induced by both apomorphine and amphetamine. This dose of AMPA alone had no significant effect on spontaneous locomotor activity but enhanced the locomotor response stimulated by amphetamine (10 mg/kg, s.c.) due to an inhibition of stereotypy. The finding that activation of AMPA receptors in the posterior ZI inhibits stereotypy shows a contrast to results in the neighboring medial ZI dorsal to the subthalamic nucleus, where blockade of AMPA/kainic acid glutamate receptors with DNQX inhibits stereotypy.