cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Center-Level Variations in Maximum Recipient Body Mass Index in Heart Transplantation

This study explored center-level variations in maximum recipient body mass index (BMI) and the associated impact of morbid obesity on outcomes of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Using the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database, we examined adults (≥18 years) who underwent OHT between 2010 and 2018. Centers performing 40 kg/m2. Kaplan-Meier analysis was utilized to model survival and Cox regression analysis was utilized for adjusted analysis of 1-year mortality. A total of 17,821 candidates underwent OHT with 1,330 having a BMI >35kg/m2. Among 84 centers, a mean of 92.06% of recipients per center had a BMI 40 at each center, respectively. A total of 5, 54, 17, and 8 centers had maximum recipient BMIs of 40 kg/m2, respectively. Centers performing OHT on recipients with higher BMIs displayed higher overall OHT volume (p = 0.002). Rates of post-transplant dialysis (p 40 (HR 2.85, p 38.
Comparative population genomics in two sympatric species of Strophostyles (Fabaceae) with contrasting life histories

PREMISE OF THE STUDYLife history is an important predictor of population genetic variation, although this link remains unexplored in numerous important plant lineages. One such lineage is the legume genus Strophostyles, which contains both annual and herbaceous perennial vines native to eastern North America. Specifically, it remains to be determined whether Strophostyles species with different life histories show different patterns of genetic differentiation and diversity, as well as if these species hybridize across their range. METHODSHere we sampled the perennial Strophostyles helvola and annual S. leiosperma in five sites across a latitudinal transect in the central United States, including three sites where the species occur in sympatry. Using genotyping-by-sequencing, we identified 5556 polymorphic SNPs across 166 individuals. KEY RESULTSThere is no evidence that Strophostyles helvola and S. leiosperma hybridize in the populations examined. Within species, Strophostyles helvola (perennial) displays admixture among populations, while S. leiosperma (annual) does not, although both species show more genetic diversity among rather than within populations. Patterns of genetic diversity are varied across populations of both species, with both heterozygote excess and deficiency. CONCLUSIONSThe complex patterns of genetic differentiation and diversity warrant further investigation of life history and population dynamics in Strophostyles, particularly mating system and modes of gene flow. This study exemplifies the diversity of population genetic patterns even within a small genus, and it reinforces the need to characterize such diversity in non-model systems to gain a more complete understanding of how life history contributes to population genetics.
Rejecting the Myth of Popular Sovereignty and Applying and Agency Model to Direct Democracy

INTRODUCTION 396 I. THE SHORTCOMINGS OF LAWMAKING BY INITIATIVE AND PROPOSALS TO MODIFY JUDICIAL REVIEW 401 A. The Tension Between Direct Democracy and Representative Government 401 B. Interpretive Dilemmas in Direct Democracy 406 C. The Indirect and Selective Nature of Existing Proposals for Modified Judicial Review 411 II. REJECTING THE MYTH OF POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY IN DIRECT DEMOCRACY 412 A. The Myth of Popular Sovereignty in Direct Democracy 412 B. The Role of Initiative Proponents 420 C. The Privileged Status of Initiative Proponents in Judicial Review . . 432 III. THE NEED FOR REASONED DECISIONMAKING IN DIRECT DEMOCRACY 435 A. The Constitutionally Suspect Nature of 'Alternative" Lawmaking 435 B. Deliberation and Accountability in the Administrative State 440 C. Application of the Agency Model to Direct Democracy 447 IV. A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE APPLICATION OF AN AGENCY MODEL TO DIRECT DEMOCRACY 460 A. The Safeguard of Consideration by the Electorate.. 460 B. Due Process of Lawmaking in Direct Democracy .... 465 C. The Agency Model and the First Amendment ......... 476 D. Stacking the Odds Against Initiative Proponents? 482 E. Legitimizing an Illegitimate Enterprise? 491 CONCLUSION 494 INTRODUCTION The use of direct democracy is at its highest level in more than one hundred years.1 The direct initiative, which is the primary focus of this Article, allows private citizens to bypass the traditional legislative process and make binding laws, often in highly contentious areas of public policy.2 The 2000 elections, for example, placed directly before voters the issues of school vouchers, physician-assisted suicide, samesex marriage and other gay and lesbian rights, gun control, campaign finance reform, bilingual education, gambling, medical use of marijuana, and sentencing for drug offenders, as well as some of the IMAGE FORMULA265 perennial favorites-tax reform and environmental policy.3 The prominence of direct democracy in American government is likely to increase in the foreseeable future as a result of widespread public support for the process, as well as technological innovations, like the Internet, that promise virtually instant access to voters' preferences.4 Not surprisingly, as the use of direct democracy has come to play a more prominent role in the formulation of public policy, this type of lawmaking has also received closer scrutiny from legal scholars,5 governmental commissions,6 and the media.7 Although direct democracy undoubtedly has its supporters among these ranks, a number of commentators have criticized initiative lawmaking on a variety of theoretical and practical grounds. Some advocate the outright abolition of initiative lawmaking on constitutional grounds; IMAGE FORMULA266 some advocate increased regulation of the procedures by which proposed measures are enacted; and others advocate more stringent judicial review of successful ballot measures. …
Structure, electronic and magnetic characterization, and calculated electronic structures of two oxyhalide hexagonal perovskites

We report the crystal structures, initial magnetic and charge transport characterization, and calculated electronic structures of the hexagonal oxyhalide perovskites, ${\mathrm{Ba}}_{7}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{15}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{Ba}}_{7}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{15}{\mathrm{Br}}_{2}$. The experimental information is obtained through the study of single crystals. Face-sharing $\mathrm{Ru}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ octahedra form ${\mathrm{Ru}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{9}$ dimers in a layered triangular geometry in these materials; minor amounts of off-magnetic-site structural disorder are present in our crystals. Both are magnetically isotropic, with 2.5 \ensuremath{\mu}B/mol-Ru, Curie-Weiss theta \ensuremath{-}185 K, and 2.9 \ensuremath{\mu}B/mol-Ru, Curie-Weiss theta \ensuremath{-}168 K, respectively. Broad features in the magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity associated with magnetic ordering (at 35 and 37 K, respectively) are observed. The charge transport band gaps are 0.03 eV for the oxychloride and 0.006 eV for the oxybromide. There is no gap at the Fermi level for either of these compounds in density-functional theory electronic structure calculations.
Association between exposure to parabens and total mortality in US adults

Abstract Background Parabens are a group of endocrine disruptors that have been associated with health effects such as hypertension, diabetes, oxidative stress and obesity, which are associated with increased mortality risk over time. Women are exposed to higher paraben levels than men through use of consumer products. The current prospective study examines paraben exposure in association with mortality risk for women and men. Methods We analyzed 2005–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data on urinary paraben analyte concentrations and covariates in adults aged 20 years and over, prospectively linked to National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) mortality through 2015 (N = 2939). Proportional hazard regression models examined mortality risk in association with exposures, controlling for covariates for women and men. Covariates included age, race/ethnicity, smoking, education, income, body mass index, physical activity, self-reported health status and baseline health conditions. Results Women were exposed to significantly higher concentrations of all studied parabens than men. Exposures were highest for methyl paraben. Women had significantly higher mortality risk in association with higher natural log exposure to ethyl (HR = 2.048, 95% CI 1.164–3.601), methyl (HR = 1.312, 95% CI 1.013–1.700), butyl (HR = 2.719, 95% CI 1.591–4.647) and total parabens (HR = 1.292, 95% CI 1.006–1.659). Exposure concentrations were associated with higher mortality risk for men only for ethyl paraben (HR = 2.532, 95% CI 1.217–5.268). Discussion Women were found to be at greater mortality risk in association with exposure to ethyl, methyl, butyl and total parabens. These findings require confirmatory research but add to the evidence base that exposure to parabens, probably through consumer products, may have adverse effects on human health, especially for women.
A Distributed and Safe Weighted Clustering Algorithm for Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract The main concern of clustering approaches for mobile Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is to prolong the battery life of the individual sensors and the network lifetime. In this paper, we propose a distributed and safe weighted clustering algorithm which is an extended version of our previous algorithm (ES-WCA) for mobile WSNs using a combination of five metrics. Among these metrics lie the behavioral level metric which promotes a safe choice of a cluster head in the sense where this last one will never be a malicious node. The goals of the proposed algorithm are: detecting common routing problems and attacks in clustered WSNs, based on behavior level. The highlight of our work is summarized in a comprehensive strategy for monitoring the network, in order to detect and remove the malicious nodes. Generating a reduced number of balanced and homogeneous clusters in order to minimize the energy consumption of the entire network and prolong sensors lifetime. We implemented and tested a simulation of the proposed algorithm to demonstrate its performance.
Examining the causal effects of changes in iron status on brain and attentional functioning using structural equation modeling

Iron deficiency (ID) in otherwise healthy adults can impair perceptual and cognitive functioning, along with brain dynamics (as measured by EEG). We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesis that changes in iron status lead to changes in brain functioning and then to changes in behavioral measures. The data used here were taken from 54 ID (sFt <15 µg/L) participants in a randomized double-blind efficacy study. Blood, behavioral, and EEG measures were taken at baseline, endline, and at one of eight random time-points in between. Five measures of iron status, behavioral data from three tasks measuring attentional capture and control, and peak amplitudes of a set of event related potentials (ERP) measures taken during the tasks at baseline were used as indicators of separate latent constructs in a set of contrasting SEMs. Thus far, a model with three latent factors provides the best description of the data, with the three latent factors being (a) systemic iron (sFt and sTfR) directly inf...
Implications of Behavioral Research for the Use and Regulation of Consumer Credit Products

This paper reviews the behavioral literature on inter-temporal choice and decision making under uncertainty and assesses the evidence on behavioral influences affecting consumers' credit decisions. The evidence reviewed suggests that consumers often do not consider all information available in the market nor deliberately evaluate each alternative. Consumers simplify, take shortcuts, and use heuristics, which may not always be optimal but nevertheless may be an economical means for achieving desired goals. While most economists and psychologists agree that cognitive errors and time inconsistent behavior occur, the extent to which these phenomena impair actual decisions in markets is not at all clear. At this time, neither existing behavioral evidence nor conventional economic evidence supports a general conclusion that consumers' credit decisions are not rational or that markets do not work reasonably well. Empirical evidence suggests that behavioral research can help improve required information disclosures and contribute to more effective regulation, which enhances the performance of markets and improves individual outcomes.
A single 2'-hydroxyl group converts B-DNA to A-DNA. Crystal structure of the DNA-RNA chimeric decamer duplex d(CCGGC)r(G)d(CCGG) with a novel intermolecular G-C base-paired quadruplet.

We have found that the introduction of a single 2'-hydroxyl group on the sugar-phosphate backbone of the B-DNA decamer d(CCGGCGCCGG) transforms it to A-DNA. Thus, for the first time the X-ray structures of the same sequence have been observed in both the A and B-DNA conformations, permitting a comparison. Crystals of the DNA-RNA chimeric decamer d(CCGGC)r(G)d(CCGG) belong to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit cell dimensions a = 25.63 A, b = 45.24 A and c = 47.99 A, and one decamer duplex in the asymmetric unit. The structure was solved by a rigid body search using the coordinates of the isomorphous structure d(CCCGGCCGGG) and refined to an R value of 0.136 using 2753 unique reflections at 1.9 A resolution. The final model contains 406 nucleotide atoms and 61 water molecules. The chimeric duplex exhibits typical A-DNA geometry, with all the sugars in the C(3')-endo puckering and the base-pairs inclined and displaced from the helix axis. The 2'-hydroxyl groups on rG6 and rG16 protrude into the minor groove surface and form different types of hydrogen bonds; that on strand 1 forms an intermolecular hydrogen bond with the furanose ring O(4') of a symmetry-related C1 residue, while that on strand 2 is involved in two water bridges. Crystal packing forces the G4-G17 base-pair in the top half of the duplex to slide significantly into the minor groove compared to the corresponding G7-G14 base-pair in the bottom half, resulting in these base-pairs exhibiting different base stacking and intermolecular interactions. The base G4 of the G4-G17 base-pair forms an unorthodox base "triple", G4*(G10-C11), hydrogen-bonding through its minor groove sites N(2) and N(3) to the minor groove atoms N(2) and O(2) of both bases of the G10-C11 base-pair of a symmetry-related molecule. The base G10 of this triple in turn forms a second similar unorthodox base triple, G10*(G3*C18), with the adjacent base-pair G3-C18 of the duplex, thus G10 is involved in a double triple. On the other hand, in the bottom half of the duplex, the C7-G14 base-pair is involved only in a single similar unorthodox base triple with G20, (C7-G14)*G20, while the adjacent base-pair rG6-C15 is involved in a novel quadruple with C1-G20, (rG6-C15) *(C1-G20), where the latter base-pairs are hydrogen-bonded to each other via the minor groove sites G(N(2))...C(O(2)).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Intersections of Disability Studies and Critical Trauma Studies: A Provocation

In this essay, we explore possible affinities between disability studies and trauma studies. We suggest that a fruitful engagement between these fields should start with the meanings of trauma and disability in their embodiment. We offer theoretical provocations alongside a comparative cultural analysis of traumatic brain injury and obstetric fistula. Ironically, while many disability studies scholars have worked to dislodge definitions of "abnormal" from the body, a conceptual focus on stigma still keeps the disabled body partially in view. Yet wounds, impairment, and pain are erased, and in many framings, the object of analysis is an individual being, whose now-disabled body is socially constructed, and whose agency is posited as being in struggle and resistance against the normative culture. We suggest that the body itself provides a link between disability studies and critical trauma studies, arguing both for the significance of representations as well a materialist understanding of breach, for a notion of the organic, fleshy body as it is damaged, sometimes profoundly, in its operations of life. Keywords: Disability studies; Trauma studies; Traumatic Brain Injury; Obstetric Fistula; Theory
Direct Democracy in the United States

The United States is hardly a "model" of direct democracy. Historically, our system has been notable for several institutions of government that might more accurately be described as distinctly "indirect" and "undemocratic." Against this backdrop of "indirect undemocracy," we might ask how it happened that the instruments of direct democracy -- initiative, referendum, and recall -- gained a place in the American political system. This manuscript is a brief history of how direct legislation became a part of state and local government in America during the twentieth century.
Paving the seafloor: Volcanic emplacement processes during the 2005–2006 eruptions at the fast spreading East Pacific Rise, 9°50′N

[1] The 2005–2006 eruptions near 9°50′N at the East Pacific Rise (EPR) marked the first observed repeat eruption at a mid-ocean ridge and provided a unique opportunity to deduce the emplacement dynamics of submarine lava flows. Since these new flows were documented in April 2006, a total of 40 deep-towed imaging surveys have been conducted with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's (WHOI) TowCam system. More than 60,000 digital color images and high-resolution bathymetric profiles of the 2005–2006 flows from the TowCam surveys were analyzed for lava flow morphology and for the presence of kipukas, collapse features, faults and fissures. We use these data to quantify the spatial distributions of lava flow surface morphologies and to investigate how they relate to the physical characteristics of the ridge crest, such as seafloor slope, and inferred dynamics of flow emplacement. We conclude that lava effusion rate was the dominant factor controlling the observed morphological variations in the 2005–2006 flows. We also show that effusion rates were higher than in previously studied eruptions at this site and varied systematically along the length of the eruptive fissure. This is the first well-documented study in which variations in seafloor lava morphology can be directly related to a well documented ridge-crest eruption where effusion rate varied significantly.
Experimental study of the momentum correlation of a pseudo-thermal field in the photon counting regime

Thermal radiation has been recently proposed for imaging and interference experiments to simulate entangled state. We report an experimental study on the momentum correlation properties of a pseudo-thermal field in the photon counting regime.
Growth of Juvenile Lake Sturgeon Reared in Tanks at Three Densities

Abstract Juvenile (106-d-old) lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens were reared at three densities, 150, 300, and 450 fish/m2 (1.35, 2.5, and 3.75 kg/m2), for 5 weeks to determine if rearing density affected growth. Feeding rates of fish fed on chironomid larvae (72%, wet weight), brine shrimp Artemia sp. (8%), and euphausiids (krill, 20%) ranged from 15% to 34% body weight per day and varied with water temperature and diet. Food conversion (weight of food fed/weight gained) averaged 7.2 during the 5 weeks. Juvenile lake sturgeon increased in mean length from 127 to 169 mm (33%) and in mean weight from 8.5 to 21.1 g (147%). However, changes in length and weight did not differ significantly among the three rearing densities, and patterns of change in length and weight were consistent among the three rearing densities. We conclude that rearing densities of 150-450 fish/m2 (1.35-3.75 kg/m2) are equally acceptable for rearing lake sturgeon for stocking.
Scutoid mutation of drosophila melanogaster specifically decreases olfactory responses to short‐chain acetate esters and ketones

A molecular-genetic approach has been taken to identify genes involved in olfactory transduction in Drosophila melanogaster. Two independent lines of research led to the finding that the dominant Scutoid (Sco) mutation causes a diminished extracellular electroantennogram response to the odorants ethyl acetate (EtAC) and acetone (AC). Sco flies showed about 4- and 2.5-fold reduced responses to EtAC and AC, respectively, compared to Canton-S wild-type and sibling control flies lacking the Sco mutation when electroantennogram recordings were made from the proximal anterior third antennal segment. The responses to five other odors from three different chemical classes were unaltered. The maximum response to either EtAC or AC was decreased with no change in apparent affinity. Responses to short-chain (but not long-chain) acetate esters and ketones were dramatically affected at all antennal locations tested. Only in the proximal quadrants were responses to ethyl acetoacetate also reduced. Most Sco revertants tested had a normal olfactory response; duplications of the region including no-ocelli partially suppress the Sco bristle as well as olfactory phenotypes. Sco adults had an impaired behavioral response to EtAC but not to banana or propionate. There was no effect of the mutation on larval chemosensory behavior or extracellularly recorded adult compound eye and ocellar visual responses. These findings suggest the involvement of Sco in an olfactory pathway in adults which is specific for short-chain acetate esters and ketones.
The Effects of Nifedipine on Regional Vascular Resistance and Blood Flow in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat

The purpose of the study was to compare the peripheral vascular effects of the calcium blocker nifedipine (NF) in normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY; n=25) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR; n=28). Male eighteen week old animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital (50 mg/kg i.p.) and subjected to the radioactive microsphere technique for measurement of systemic and regional hemodynamics. While NF (30 ug/kg i.v. or 100 ug/kg i.v.) was effective in reducing resistance in all sampled vascular beds of SHR and WKY, it reduced renal vascular resistance to a greater extent in the SHR than in WKY (p < 0.025). The data suggested a similar strain-specific effect in the SHR coronary, stomach and brain vasculatures (0.12 < p < 0.16). By contrast, high dose NF had a preferential effect on the skeletal muscle vasculature of WKY (p < 0.025 for blood flow, p < 0.16 for resistance). The findings support the premise that each calcium blocker has unique regional effects that differ between SHR and WKY.
The Internal Consistency, Range, and Sensitivity of Scales of Satisfaction and Quality of Care for the Terminally Ill

PURPOSE Patient and family satisfaction and subjective assessments of the quality of care are often more appropriate than standard outcome measures in the setting of terminal illness, but there are few well-studied instruments available.
Multilineage differentiation activity by cells isolated from umbilical cord blood: expression of bone, fat, and neural markers.

Abstract The stromal cell population in bone marrow has been the focus of much attention since it has been shown that this cell population can be expanded and differentiated into cells with the phenotype of bone, cartilage, muscle, stroma, neural, and fat cells. We evaluated umbilical cord blood (UCB) for the presence of these cells. From the mononuclear fraction of UCB, we demonstrated the presence of a subset of cells that have been maintained in continuous culture for more than 6 months (>10 passages). These adherent cell populations express adhesion molecules CD13+, CD29+, and CD44+, but not antigens of hematopoietic differentiation. Exposure of these cells to osteogenic agents resulted in an increase in expression of alkaline phosphatase and the appearance of hydroxyapatite nodules by Von Kossa staining. Incubation with adipogenic agents resulted in morphological change and staining with Oil Red O. In addition, when exposed to basic fibroblast growth factor and human epidermal growth factor the cells underwent changes consistent with cells of neural origin. These changes were demonstrated by a combination of immunofluorescent labeling and Western immunoblots for neural-specific markers. Thus, similar to what has been previously reported with bone marrow, cord blood contains a population of cells that can be expanded in culture and are able to express the phenotype of multiple lineages. Cord blood multilineage cells are slower to establish in culture, have a lower precursor frequency and a lower level of bone antigen expression, and lack constitutive expression of neural antigens when compared to bone marrow, suggesting a more primitive population. Cord blood may prove to be a new source of cells for cellular therapeutics for stromal, bone, and, potentially, neural repair. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2001;7(11):581-8.
Functional Reconstitution of a Prokaryotic K+ Channel

SliK, a K+ channel encoded by the Streptomyces KcsA gene, was expressed, purified, and reconstituted in liposomes. A concentrative 86Rb+ flux assay was used to assess the ion transport properties of SliK. SliK-mediated ionic flux shows strong selectivity for K+ over Na+ and is inhibited by micromolar concentrations of Ba2+, mirroring the basic permeation characteristic of eukaryotic K+ channels studied by electrophysiological methods. 86Rb+ uptake kinetics and equilibrium measurements also demonstrate that the purified protein is fully active.
Optimization of Fundamental Frequency Modulation for Cascaded Multilevel Inverter Based Transformer-less UPFC

This paper proposes an optimized fundamental frequency modulation (FFM) for cascaded multilevel inverter (CMI) based transformer-less unified power flow controller (UPFC). Compared to traditional FFM techniques, the proposed method features superior power sharing between H- bridge modules, thereby leading to better equalization of dc capacitor currents and voltage ripples. It also retains all the advantages of the traditional FFM such as low total harmonic distortion (THD) of output voltage and high efficiency. The proposed method is developed for a 2 MVA transformer-less UPFC system, nevertheless, it also can be applied to other applications such as CMI based static synchronous compensators (STATCOM), static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) and motor drives. I. INTRODUCTION
Glucocorticoids and Central Nervous System Inflammation

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are well known for their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties in the periphery and are therefore widely and successfully used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation, or transplant rejection. This led to the assumption that GCs are uniformly anti-inflammatory in the periphery and the central nervous system (CNS). As a consequence, GCs are also used in the treatment of CNS inflammation. There is abundant evidence that an inflammatory reaction is mounted within the CNS following trauma, stroke, infection, and seizure, which can augment the brain damage. However an increasing number of studies indicate that the concept of GCs being universally immunosuppressive might be oversimplified. This article provides a review of the current literature, showing that under certain circumstances GCs might fail to have anti-inflammatory effects and sometimes even enhance inflammation.
Developments in Anaerobic Stabilization of Organic Wastes - The Two-Phase Concept

(1971). Developments in Anaerobic Stabilization of Organic Wastes - The Two-Phase Concept. Environmental Letters: Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 255-266.
Immunoglobulin A supplementation abrogates bacterial translocation and preserves the architecture of the intestinal epithelium

Abstract Background: Breast milk has been shown to prevent gut-origin infections in neonates through undefined mechanisms. Putative protective factors in breast milk include immunoglobulin (Ig)A, IgG, and lactoferrin. We examined their role in bacterial translocation in neonatal rabbits. Methods: IgA, IgG, and lactoferrin were isolated from rabbit breast milk through gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Neonates were randomized to receive breast milk, formula alone, or formula supplemented with IgA, IgG, or lactoferrin. Quantitative cultures were performed on day 7 for bacterial translocation. Hematoxylin-eosin–stained sections of distal ileum were examined by light microscopy. Transmucosal bacterial passage was determined in vitro, and the ileal mucosal membranes were examined by confocal microscopy. Results: IgA supplementation abrogated bacterial translocation. IgG and lactoferrin had no significant effect. Neonates that received IgA or breast milk gained more weight than those in the other groups. IgA reduced transmucosal bacterial passage in vitro. In contrast to the normal-appearing distal ileum of neonates fed breast milk, intestinal epithelium from neonates that received formula or formula with IgG or IgA demonstrated prominent vacuoles by light microscopy. Those fed formula alone or formula with lactoferrin had slightly shortened villi. Conclusions: IgA supplementation prevents bacterial translocation by enhancing gut mucosal barrier function. (Surgery 1998;124:284-90.)
Nucleotide shuffling and ssDNA recognition in Oxytricha nova telomere end-binding protein complexes

Sequence-specific protein recognition of single-stranded nucleic acids is critical for many fundamental cellular processes, such as DNA replication, DNA repair, transcription, translation, recombination, apoptosis and telomere maintenance. To explore the mechanisms of sequence-specific ssDNA recognition, we determined the crystal structures of 10 different non-cognate ssDNAs complexed with the Oxytricha nova telomere end-binding protein (OnTEBP) and evaluated their corresponding binding affinities (PDB ID codes 1PH1-1PH9 and 1PHJ). The thermodynamic and structural effects of these sequence perturbations could not have been predicted based solely upon the cognate structure. OnTEBP accommodates non-cognate nucleotides by both subtle adjustments and surprisingly large structural rearrangements in the ssDNA. In two complexes containing ssDNA intermediates that occur during telomere extension by telomerase, entire nucleotides are expelled from the complex. Concurrently, the sequence register of the ssDNA shifts to re-establish a more cognate-like pattern. This phenomenon, termed nucleotide shuffling, may be of general importance in protein recognition of single-stranded nucleic acids. This set of structural and thermodynamic data highlights a fundamental difference between protein recognition of ssDNA versus dsDNA.
Superconducting Microwave Multivibrator Produced by Coherent Feedback

We investigate a nonlinear coherent feedback circuit constructed from preexisting superconducting microwave devices. The network exhibits emergent bistable and astable states, and we demonstrate its operation as a latch and the frequency locking of its oscillations. While the network is tedious to model by hand, our observations agree quite well with the semiclassical dynamical model produced by a new software package (N. Tezak et al., arXiv:1111.3081v1 [Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A (to be published)]) that systematically interpreted an idealized schematic of the system as a quantum optic feedback network.
Large strain inelastic state variable theory

Abstract A precise format for the construction of three-dimensional, large strain inelastic state variable models through the continuum modeling of micromechanism is proposed. This general theory is based on a concept of state wherein each material element in its present configuration is regarded as a “black box” which converts possible future stimuli (deformations) into future response (stress and internal energy). Fundamental considerations suggest that state is determined by the instantaneous spatial distribution of the material bonds. The parameterization of the accessible states with N -tuples of tensor state variables is considered and the explicit assumptions which make it possible to reduce causal functional forms to response and incremental evolution equations are enumerated. The specific restrictions associated with material frame invariance and material symmetry are specified at each step of this development. The presentation concludes by considering some important specialized theories which contain virtually all successful models in the field of inelasticity.
Polygons and Faceted Polyhedra and Nanoporous Networks.

Small rhombihexahedra and small cubicuboctahedra, namely faceted polyhedra, form the basis of two novel low-density framework solids that are afforded by the self-assembly of molecular squares only or molecular squares and triangles, respectively.
An investigation into the goals of research in automatic theorem proving as related to mathematical reasoning

Abstract We argue that theorem provers based on domain dependent knowledge must be able to increase their domain dependent deductive knowledge if they are to serve as a component of a mathematical reasoning system. The reason for this is that if such systems are not extensible then they would not be able to assimilate and use new deductive knowledge produced by a mathematical reasoning system.
Sonographic Screening Examinations in Pregnancy

There is no consistent evidence of risk caused by sonographic examinations—neither biologic risk for the fetus nor increased use of health services as a result of ascertained conditions. There is also no consistent benefit to routine sonography in terms of important health outcomes. The use of fetal sonography to screen for anomalies reveals evidence that raises substantial concerns regarding interobserver variability. This might be expected when using a test for screening that requires considerable skill. The range of reported sensitivities underscores the disadvantages of performing sonography on a routine basis rather than on selected patients. Pretest counseling may identify a subset of women for whom screening may be effective in improving health outcomes.
Utilizing Positive Behavior Supports in High School Settings to Improve School Completion Rates for Students with High Incidence Conditions

The integration of primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions through positive behavior supports (PBS) can provide benefit for students, staff, and families (Bohanon et al., 2006; Turnbull et al., 2002). However, there is limited application of PBS to high schools settings (Sugai, Flannery, & Bohanon, 2004). However, preliminary data is promising (Bohanon et al., 2006) and this article describes the benefits of providing PBS in high school settings for all students, including those with high-incidence disabilities. The authors focus on school-wide supports associated with creating an environment that improves the general school expectations and positive interactions between students and teachers. Specifically, this article will focus on how implementation of PBS may be related to improvement in student behavior, school climate, and subsequently improved rates of school completion. A successful completion of school enhances the likelihood that students will have improved post-secondary outcomes.
Path analysis under generalized assortative mating. I. Theory.

Assortative mating is generalized to include social homogamy and phenotypic homogamy as two special cases. This generalization, called mixed homogamy, enables tests of hypotheses on the nature of assortment. Cultural inheritance is also extended to include two components: transmitted from parental environments, and non-transmitted sibship environment. Familial correlations are derived for a variety of relationships under mixed homogamy.
A feature study for classification-based speech separation at low signal-to-noise ratios

Speech separation can be formulated as a classification problem. In classification-based speech separation, supervised learning is employed to classify time-frequency units as either speech-dominant or noise-dominant. In very low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions, acoustic features extracted from a mixture are crucial for correct classification. In this study, we systematically evaluate a range of promising features for classification-based separation using six nonstationary noises at the low SNR level of -5 dB, which is chosen with the goal of improving human speech intelligibility in mind. In addition, we propose a new feature called multi-resolution cochleagram (MRCG). The new feature is constructed by combining four cochleagrams at different spectrotemporal resolutions in order to capture both the local and contextual information. Experimental results show that MRCG gives the best classification results among all evaluated features. In addition, our results indicate that auto-regressive moving average (ARMA) filtering, a post-processing technique for improving automatic speech recognition features, also improves many acoustic features for speech separation.
Origin of the Thymidine Kinase Induced by Polyoma Virus in Productively Infected Cells

Abstract Cells of the 3T3 mouse line efficiently supported the multiplication of polyoma virus, and the infectious process was accompanied by a marked increase in thymidine kinase (TK) activity. Two lines of 5-bromodeoxyuridine-resistant 3T3 cells have been isolated. As expected, these cells incorporated practically no exogenous thymidine into their deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and contained negligible TK activity. Like the parental 3T3 cells, TK− lines were susceptible to productive infection by polyoma virus, but infection did not lead to an increase in TK activity. Since kinase activity did appear after infection with another virus (vaccinia) known to contain the gene(s) for that enzyme, it is concluded that TK is not one of the gene products of polyoma virus. As induction of cellular DNA synthesis by polyoma virus occurs normally when the TK− cells are infected in the stationary phase, TK cannot play a role in the determination of this phenomenon.
Multifunctional actuation systems responding to chemical gradients

The ability to manipulate the movement of surface microstructures is essential for the development of dynamic, responsive materials. We demonstrate that in addition to bulk actuation upon drying, a unique type of highly localized, directional actuation can be achieved when microstructures embedded in pH responsive gel are exposed to pH gradients. Theory and modelling elucidates the underlying mechanism behind this novel approach to inducing responsive actuation.
Efficacy of the vacuum constriction device in patients with corporeal venous occlusive dysfunction

Abstract Objectives The vacuum constriction device (VED) is an effective nonsurgical treatment for erectile dysfunction. Its efficacy in specific patient groups, however, has not been extensively studied. Only one study to date has examined the use of the VED in patients with corporeal veno-occlusive dysfunction (CVOD). This study used a mailed questionnaire and no statistical analysis of the data. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the VED in patients with documented CVOD. Methods From 1989 to 1992, 294 patients chose to use a VED as treatment for erectile dysfunction. All patients were evaluated with a thorough history and physical examination, hormonal testing, glucose tolerance testing, and nocturnal penile tumescence studies. Ninety-eight patients underwent additional vascular testing. When seen in follow-up, patients were asked to assess erection quality and overall satisfaction with the device. Results Fifty patients had documented CVOD (33 by cavernosometry, 16 by ultrasound, and 1 by cavernosography). Twenty-eight patients (56%) were satisfied, 13 patients (26%) were unsatisfied, and in 9 patients (18%) satisfaction could not be determined. Thirty-eight patients (76%) achieved an erection of at least 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. There was no relationship between the severity of disease (as measured by cavernosometry) and the rating of erection (Kruskal-Wallis test, P = 0.77) or satisfaction with the device (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.95). Conclusions The VED is an acceptable nonsurgical treatment for patients with erectile dysfunction secondary to CVOD regardless of severity. Its success rate is comparable to other therapeutic modalities such as injection therapy.
The economic transformation of Spain: Systemic change and accelerated growth, 1959–73

Abstract Spain's economic policy-makers have been eminently successful in transforming a less developed, inward-oriented corporate state into a more developed market economy. The profound power shift from the Falange to the new ‘Europeanist’ technocrats signified Spain's emergence into a post-ideological era in which, for an interval, from 1960 to 1973, economics held primacy over politics. During this period Spain achieved the second highest GNP growth rate after Japan among the 24 OECD member nations. This phenomenal performance was associated with the international transfer of technology and advanced managerial methods, greater competition in the product and resource markets, and the renewal and modernization of the nation's capital stock.
The place of psychoanalysis in the history of the Jews.

Abstract Situating psychoanalysis in the context of Jewish history, this paper takes up Freud's famous 1930 question: what is left in Judaism after one has abandoned faith in God, the Hebrew language and nationalism, and his answer: a great deal, perhaps the very essence, but an essence that we do not know. On the one hand, it argues that ‘not knowing’ connects psychoanalysis to Judaism's ancestral preoccupation with God, a preoccupation different from that of the more philosophical Greek, Latin and Christian traditions of theology. On the other hand, ‘not knowing‘ connects psychoanalysis to a post-Enlightenment conception of the person (i.e. of personal life), as opposed to the more abstract notion of the subject associated with Kant.
The Implementation of Brown in Achieving Unitary Status.

Commemorating and reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education, this article reexamines their impact on school desegregation efforts. Specifically, this article traces the history of the Supreme Court’s rulings in cases focused on outlining and clarifying the proper implementation of the Brown decisions. The cases discussed in this text, which came before the Court between 1958 and 1995, questioned the legality and validity of using busing, school assignments, district restructuring, and other methods to remedy the lingering presence of segregation in public school districts. This article contends that one the main reasons Brown failed to initiate effective remedies and end segregated schooling in the United States is because the Supreme Court simply lost interest in supporting, reviewing, and achieving school desegregation.
Polymer-Layered Silicate Nanocomposites for Cryotank Applications

Previous composite cryotank designs have relied on the use of conventional composite materials to reduce microcracking and permeability. However, revolutionary advances in nanotechnology derived materials may enable the production of ultra-lightweight cryotanks with significantly enhanced durability and damage tolerance, as well as reduced propellant permeability. Layered silicate nanocomposites are especially attractive in cryogenic storage tanks based on results that have been reported for epoxy nanocomposite systems. These materials often exhibit an order of magnitude reduction in gas permeability when compared to the base resin. In addition, polymer-silicate nanocomposites have been shown to yield improved dimensional stability, strength, and toughness. The enhancement in material performance of these systems occurs without property trade-offs which are often observed in conventionally filled polymer composites. Research efforts at NASA Glenn Research Center have led to the development of epoxy-clay nanocomposites with 70% lower hydrogen permeability than the base epoxy resin. Filament wound carbon fiber reinforced tanks made with this nanocomposite had a five-fold lower helium leak rate than the corresponding tanks made without clay. The pronounced reduction observed with the tank may be due to flow induced alignment of the clay layers during processing. Additionally, the nanocomposites showed CTE reductions of up to 30%, as well as a 100% increase in toughness.
Simple Radiative Transfer Methods for Calculating Domain-Averaged Solar Fluxes in Inhomogeneous Clouds

Abstract The use of cloud fraction as a means of incorporating horizontal cloud inhomogeneity in radiative transfer calculations is widespread in the atmospheric science community. This study addresses some issues pertaining to the use of cloud fraction by performing radiative transfer in inhomogeneous two-dimensional media. Two approximation techniques are developed to solve the equation of transfer for the spatial averages of diffuse flux. The first is based on a first-order closure technique that leads to a one-dimensional equation of transfer with a modified source term. The computational speed of this technique is equivalent to the plane-parallel method. The second method of approximation performs a full two-dimensional computation of the direct solar beam that is used as the pseudo-source in an independent pixel diffuse radiative transfer calculation. Both methods require a knowledge of the spatial distribution of the direct solar transmission, rather than cloud fraction, for their specification. Te...
Microcolinearity in sh2-homologous regions of the maize, rice, and sorghum genomes

Large regions of genomic colinearity have been demonstrated among grass species by recombinational mapping, but the degree of chromosomal conservation at the sub-centimorgan level has not been extensively investigated. We cloned the rice and sorghum genes homologous to the sh2 locus of maize on bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs), and observed that a homologue of the maize a1 gene was also present on each of these BACs. In sorghum, we found a direct duplication of a1 homologues separated by about 10 kb. In maize, sh2 and a1 are approximately 140 kb apart and transcribed in the same direction, with sh2 upstream of a1. In rice and sorghum, this arrangement is fully conserved. However, the sh2 and a1 homologues are separated by about 19 kb in both rice and sorghum. We found low-copy-number and repetitive DNAs between the sh2 and a1 homologues of sorghum and rice. The sh2 and a1 homologues cross-hybridized, but the repetitive DNA and most low-copy-number sequences between these genes did not. These results indicate that maize, sorghum, and rice have conserved gene order and composition in the sh2-a1 region, but have acquired extensive qualitative and quantitative differences in the sequences between these genes.
The mas oncogene enhances angiotensin-induced [Ca2+]i responses in cells with pre-existing angiotensin II receptors.

Abstract The proposal that the mas oncogene is an angiotensin receptor was evaluated in Xenopus oocytes injected with human and rat mas RNA transcripts, and during transient expression of mas in several cell lines. No evidence of mas -induced angiotensin II (AII) receptors or [Ca 2+ ] i responses was observed in Xenopus oocytes or in most of the transfected cells. However, Cos-1 cells, which showed a small endogenous [Ca 2+ ] i response to AII, exhibited a modest but reproducible enhancement of this response after mas transfection. Such responses were inhibited by [Sar 1 , Ala 8 ]AII and [Sar 1 , Ile 8 ]AII, but not by [ d -Arg 1 , d -Pro 2 , d -Trp 7.9 , Leu 11 ]substance P, an antagonist reported to inhibit mas -induced responses to AII in oocytes. These findings are not compatible with the proposal that the mas oncogene is an angiostein receptor, but suggest that expression of mas leads to increased responsiveness of the endogenous AII signaling system.