cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Broken Social Contract, Not High Inequality, Led to the Arab Spring

During the 2000s, expenditure inequality in Arab countries was low or moderate and, in many cases, declining. Different measures of wealth inequality were also lower than elsewhere. Yet, there were revolutions in four countries and protests in several others. We explain this so-called “inequality puzzle” by first noting that, despite favorable income inequality measures, subjective well-being measures in Arab countries were relatively low and falling sharply, especially for the middle class, and in the countries where the uprisings were most intense. The increasing unhappiness, reflected in perceptions of declining standards of living, was associated with dissatisfaction with the quality of public services, the shortage of formal-sector jobs, and corruption. These sources of dissatisfaction suggest that the old social contract, where government provided jobs, free education and health, and subsidized food and fuel, in return for the subdued voice of the population, was broken. The Arab Spring and its aftermath indicates the need for a new social contract, one where government promotes private-sector jobs and accountability in service delivery, and citizens are active participants in the economy and society.
Phytochemical Recovery for Valorization of Loblolly Pine and Sweetgum Bark Residues

Bark residues from forest products production using loblolly pine (LP) and sweetgum (SG) are currently combusted in pulp and paper mills. Hot water extraction (HWE) of phytochemicals from bark prior to combustion could be an effective method to valorize these biomass streams. On average, the LP and SG-HWE contained 12% monosaccharides, 33% polysaccharides, 21% total phenolics and 8% organic acids. Major phytochemicals recorded in LP and SG-HWE were shikimic acid (15%), gallic acid (7.5%), vanillic acid (5–7%) and vanillin. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of LP and SG-HWE were evaluated for LP and SG bark harvested in different months (January, April and September) and from different sized trees (diameter at breast height or DBH, ranging from 2 to 33 cm). All LP and SG-HWE inhibited a Staphylococcus aureus cocktail. LP-HWE harvested in April from DBH 27 and 33 cm also inhibited Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli. All SG-HWE preparations, at 12.5 μg, produced significa...
Microbial Secondary Production from Salt Marsh-Grass Shoots, and Its Known and Potential Fates

Several lines of evidence (direct microscopy, index biochemicals) point to predominance of eukaryotic decomposers in natural decay of dead shoots of smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). Recent research shows that this is also true for black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus). Ascomycetous fungi are the major initial secondary producers based on the dead shoots. There is no overlap between the species of the cordgrass (e.g., Phaeosphaeria spartinicola) and needlerush (e.g., Loratospora aestuarii) fungal-decay communities. Even when conditions in the marsh are manipulated in directions that would be expected to favor prokaryotes (extra water and nitrogen), the ascomycetes accumulate maximum organic masses in standing-decaying shoots hundreds of times larger than prokaryotic masses. Rates of fungal production are not increased by raising duration of high water availability, probably due to fine-tuned fungal adaptation to periodic dryness, but nitrogen does limit fungal productivity in decaying cordgrass. Content of living-fungal mass can be 10 to 20% of totalsystem (= microbes + remaining plant) mass, depending on nitrogen availability, rates of invertebrate mycophagy, and probably several further factors yet to be determined. Standing crops of living fungi in cordgrass marshes in Georgia (per-m2) basis) have been calculated to be equal to 3% (summer) to 28% (winter) of living-cordgrass standing crop. This is calculated to be about 50 to 100% of total (non-cyano) bacterial crop; the great bulk of bacterial crop is sedimentary. Fungal productivity per m2 standing-decaying-cordgrass marsh has been provisionally found to be 10 times greater in winter than in summer (3652 mg per m2 per day; μ=0.07 day−1). Total bacterial productivity per m2 was calculated to be about x2 fungal in summer, and x0.07 fungal in winter. High yields of fungi (on the order of 50%) from cordgrass shoots may be part of the explanation for high rates of animal secondary production in saltmarsh ecosystems. Cordgrass-fungal standing crops and productivities (per unit leaf mass) do not show pronounced variation (in autumn) along a south-north latitudinal gradient from 30° to 44°N. One major known fate of saltmarsh-fungal secondary production is output to shredder gastropods (periwinkles, Littoraria irrorata). Other potential substantial fluxes are to amphipods (especially Uhlorchestia spartinophila) and other gastropods (especially Melampus bidentatus), and fluxes as sexual propagules (ascospores) and as remnant hyphal wall/sheath mass in fallen, decayed fragments. Key opportunities for saltmarsh-ecological research lie: in learning the details of the life histories of the more important saltmarsh-fungal producers; in determining the biotic and abiotic controls on saltmarsh-fungal productivity; and in investigations of impacts of fungal activities, such as the probable role that saltmarsh ascomycetes have in release of dimethylsulfide to the atmosphere.
One-sided triangle: A case of double vision.

Abstract A 51-year-old woman presented with acute diplopia and was found to have ptosis and complete bilateral external and internal ophthalmoplegia. She had normal reflexes and gait. Serological testing showed elevated levels of GQ1b ganglioside autoantibodies, making the diagnosis of Miller Fisher syndrome. This case illustrates an atypical presentation of the Miller Fisher variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome, which should be considered in all patients presenting with bilateral ophthalmoplegia.
Antiangiogenic Therapy for Cancer: Current and Emerging Concepts

Angiogenesis is an essential step in the growth and spread of solid tumors-the cause of more than 85% of cancer mortality. Inhibiting angiogenesis would therefore seem to be a reasonable approach to prevent or treat cancer. However, tumor angiogenesis differs from normal angiogenesis in that the resulting vessels are tortuous, irregularly shaped, and hyperpermeable. These abnormalities result in irregular blood flow and high interstitial fluid pressure within the tumor, which can impair the delivery of oxygen (a known radiation sensitizer) and drugs to the tumor. Emerging evidence suggests that antiangiogenic therapy can prune some tumor vessels and normalize the structure and function of the rest, thereby improving drug delivery and normalizing the tumor microenvironment. This normalization effect may underlie the therapeutic benefit of combined antiangiogenic and cytotoxic therapies. This paper reviews current and emerging concepts of the mechanism of action of antiangiogenic therapies and discusses the implications of these mechanisms for their optimal clinical use.
Human health and pesticides-Community Pesticide Studies

The subject of pesticides and their influence upon human health has two important aspects: 1) the economic benefits that are gained from using pesticides and their value in controlling epidemics of malaria, plague, and many other diseases of man spread by vectors, and 2) the potential hazards from using pesticides and what is being done to assure their safety. I will confine my remarks to a discussion of the federally sponsored Community Pesticides Studies as they relate to this latter aspect of pesticides and human health.
Silencing of TLM B cells by chronic HIV infection.

Chronic infection with human immunodeficiency virus impairs B cell antigen receptor signaling via a newly described mechanism of inhibitory signaling mediated by IgG3 and the IgG Fc receptor FcRγIIb (CD32b).
Index Funds and Corporate Governance: Let Shareholders be Shareholders

Index funds and indexed ETFs managed by the “Big Three” – BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street – have grown to be the largest investors in the capital markets and have become the presumptive “deciders” of corporate law controversies. With this prominence has come controversy. Commentators have bemoaned their lack of financial incentives to ensure that the companies in their portfolios are well run and have suggested that index funds should not be allowed to vote the shares of the companies in their portfolio or should be subjected to special regulations. In this article, we provide a systematic and differentiated analysis of the incentive and information structure within which advisers to index funds operate. Overall, the Big Three have among the strongest direct financial incentives to become informed. These incentives derive from their enormous scale and scope. This is important in several ways. First, scale increases the likelihood that their decisions will be pivotal. Second, even at a low percentage fee, their share of increases in firm value will be larger than almost any other shareholder. Third, they benefit from economies of scope in setting market wide governance standards. Fourth, the scale generates reputational incentives to be seen as responsible stewards, both for marketing and to forestall regulation. On the other hand, unlike advisers to active funds, advisers to index funds do not have indirect, flow-based incentives and have lesser access to company-specific information generated by analysts in the context of their investment activities. The differences between advisers to active and advisers to index funds have different implications for the three core areas of engagement: high profile proxy contests between activist shareholders and boards; broad market wide governance standards; and monitoring of portfolio company governance and performance. With regard to the highest profile contests that will likely affect firm value, the strong direct incentives should assure that the Big Three will vote intelligently. With regard to market wide governance standards, the Big Three are better positioned than any other shareholders to set the standards: they enjoy economies of scope and analysts-generated information is generally not important. With regard to company specific monitoring of governance, the Big Three are similarly well positioned. By contrast, with regard to company specific performance – for which analyst-generated information tends to be important – hedge funds and advisers to large actively managed funds will often be in a better position to become engaged than advisers to index funds. On the whole, our corporate governance world would be poorer if index funds could not vote their shares and proposals singling out index funds for regulation are unwarranted.
Reposition of a Bi-caval Dual Lumen ECMO cannula using a trans-femoral lasso

Abstract Veno-venous double lumen Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VVDL-ECMO) in neonates and infants for viral pneumonia is a well-established therapy. However even after initial correct positioning of the VVDL-ECMO cannula, there is a risk of unexpected malpositioning of this cannula during the ECMO run. We report a case of reposition of a 16-French Avalon Elite Bi-caval Dual Lumen cannula from its malposition in the right atrium to its correct position in the inferior venous cava. The procedure was achieved by interventional catheter techniques using a goose neck snare and was done without ECMO-flow interruption.
Transnational Psychology of Women Expanding International and Intersectional Approaches

“The discipline of psychology is not an innocent bystander in the dismissal of the world’s women…” (p. x). So begins the series forward to this provocative book. The main premise detailed in its pa...
Transjugular mitral valve repair with the MitraClip: A step‐by‐step guide

The MitraClip procedure is carried out almost exclusively via the transfemoral approach. However, in some patients transfemoral delivery of MitraClip is not technically feasible (e.g., occluded inferior vena cava or tortuous/obstructive iliofemoral venous anatomy). The technical considerations and challenges of the MitraClip procedure are amplified when an alternate route is considered. We describe a successful case of MitraClip performed via the right internal jugular (IJ) approach in a patient with a flail A3 scallop and previous mitral valve repair. We reviewed prior cases in the literature and discuss step-by-step the pertinent clinical and technical considerations for performing this procedure via the transjugular route. In summary, the right IJ access site provides a reasonable alternative to perform the MitraClip procedure in cases where femoral access is contraindicated or prohibitive. A thorough understanding of the technical considerations is crucial in improving procedural success rates.
1.1 The Deep Learning Revolution and Its Implications for Computer Architecture and Chip Design

The past decade has seen a remarkable series of advances in machine learning, and in particular deeplearning approaches based on artificial neural networks, to improve our abilities to build more accurate systems across a broad range of areas, including computer vision, speech recognition, language translation, and natural language understanding tasks. This paper is a companion paper to a keynote talk at the 2020 International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) discussing some of the advances in machine learning, and their implications on the kinds of computational devices we need to build, especially in the post-Moore's Lawera. It also discusses some of the ways that machine learning may be able to help with some aspects of the circuit design process. Finally, it provides a sketch of at least one interesting direction towards much larger-scale multi-task models that are sparsely activated and employ much more dynamic, exampleand task-based routing than the machine learning models of today.
Black Music is American Music: Learning Underrepresented Aspects of Black History in College through Critical Race Media Literacy

The New York Times 1619 Project materials on American popular culture were presented to college students at a Historically Black University & College (HBCU) and Predominantly White Institution (PWI). Guided by Critical Race Media Literacy, we employed quantitative and qualitative analysis to explore the knowledge-based and emotional responses to Black historical media. The findings suggest that HBCU and PWI students had similar levels of prior knowledge. HBCU and PWI students experienced disparate emotional responses to the material. Overall, both HBCU and PWI students’ knowledge increased on this topic following the study as the content is underrepresented in education and popular culture.
Screening for depression in people with kidney failure

A large proportion of patients with CKD before and after initiation of maintenance dialysis suffer from major depressive disorder, such that about 20% of those with non-dialysis CKD and 25% of those with kidney failure are affected ([1][1]). More daunting is the actuality, validated in multiple
Writing motivation: A validation study of self-judgment and performance

Abstract This study reports on validation of a writing motivation survey and its relationship with a variety of indicators of academic performance of 566 undergraduate students drawn from six US postsecondary institutions. A writing motivation survey was used to capture students’ writing goals, confidence, beliefs, and affect. Two research questions are addressed in the study: 1) What is the internal factor structure of the writing motivation survey completed by a broad range of college students? (2) Using this factor structure, how are the subconstructs of writing motivation associated with the outcomes variables of student performance and features of student writing? Our results confirmed a unidimensional structure for confidence and affect, a 3-factor structure for goals, and a 2-factor structure for beliefs. Low level but significant correlations were also identified between motivation and outcome performance measures, as well as between motivation and features of student writing. The study findings yield insights about the relationship between students’ writing motivation, college success indicators, and writing domain knowledge. These findings suggest directions for pedagogical interventions targeting both motivation and writing feature use.
On Dangerous Ground: A Theory of Bargaining, Border Settlement, and Rivalry

As a rule, countries consider clearly defined international borders to be paramount for their survival and prosperity. Most borders gain definition peacefully and, once they do, these definitions stick (i.e., the border remains settled). The failure to define borders, however, produces protracted, geopolitical, militarized competitions (or rivalries) between neighboring countries. Rider and Owsiak model this failure as a particular type of bargaining problem - namely, bargaining over territory that affects the distribution of power between neighbouring states significantly - that undermines efforts to resolve border disagreements peacefully. Countries must then overcome this bargaining problem or risk falling into a protracted rivalry, which then needs to be addressed with more resources. The authors develop a theory of how borders settle. They then explore the consequences of the failure to settle, theoretically connecting it to the onset of rivalries. This leads to the process that helps rivals overcome the bargaining problem, resolve their border disagreement, and terminate their rivalry.
A brief review of reporter gene imaging in oncolytic virotherapy and gene therapy

Reporter gene imaging (RGI) can accelerate development timelines for gene and viral therapies by facilitating rapid and noninvasive in vivo studies to determine the biodistribution, magnitude, and durability of viral gene expression and/or virus infection. Functional molecular imaging systems used for this purpose can be divided broadly into deep-tissue and optical modalities. Deep-tissue modalities, which can be used in animals of any size as well as in human subjects, encompass single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional/molecular magnetic resonance imaging (f/mMRI). Optical modalities encompass fluorescence, bioluminescence, Cerenkov luminescence, and photoacoustic imaging and are suitable only for small animal imaging. Here we discuss the mechanisms of action and relative merits of currently available reporter gene systems, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of deep tissue versus optical imaging systems and the hardware/reagents that are used for data capture and processing. In light of recent technological advances, falling costs of imaging instruments, better availability of novel radioactive and optical tracers, and a growing realization that RGI can give invaluable insights across the entire in vivo translational spectrum, the approach is becoming increasingly essential to facilitate the competitive development of new virus- and gene-based drugs.
Feeding intolerance in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Early reports suggest significant difficulty with enteral feeding in critically ill COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of feeding intolerance in critically ill patients with COVID-19. METHODS: We examined 323 adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs) of Massachusetts General Hospital between March 11 and June 28, 2020 who received enteral nutrition. Systematic chart review determined prevalence, clinical characteristics, and hospital outcomes (ICU complications, length of stay, and mortality) of feeding intolerance. RESULTS: Feeding intolerance developed in 56% of the patients and most commonly manifested as large gastric residual volumes (83.9%), abdominal distension (67.2%), and vomiting (63.9%). Length of intubation (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.08), ≥1 GI symptom on presentation (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.59-0.97), and severe obesity (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.13-0.66) were independently associated with development of feeding intolerance. Compared to feed-tolerant patients, patients with incident feeding intolerance were significantly more likely to suffer cardiac, renal, hepatic, and hematologic complications during their hospitalization. Feeding intolerance was similarly associated with poor outcomes including longer ICU stay (median [IQR] 21.5 [14-30] vs. 15 [9-22] days, P < 0.001), overall hospitalization time (median [IQR] 30.5 [19-42] vs. 24 [15-35], P < 0.001) and in-hospital mortality (33.9% vs. 16.1%, P < 0.001). Feeding intolerance was independently associated with an increased risk of death (HR 3.32; 95% CI 1.97-5.6). CONCLUSIONS: Feeding intolerance is a frequently encountered complication in critically ill COVID-19 patients in a large tertiary care experience and is associated with poor outcomes.
A Rights-Based Framework in Global Social Work Education and International Development Work: Insights from a Global Independent Study in Tunisia

In this reflective analysis, we use a rights-based framework from international development studies to examine a global independent study (GIS) course as social work field education. Our GIS course entailed fieldwork with a Tunisia-based migrant-led organization that advocates for missing migrants who have gone missing en route from Tunisia to Italy via the Mediterranean Sea. We use our case study to illustrate the five elements to a human rights framework. Rights and obligations, as two elements, set the terms of the engagement for fieldwork. Capacity building moves beyond service delivery and teaches empowerment. Inequality and poverty focus on structural aspects: policies, institutions, and sociopolitical contexts related to fieldwork. Activism and advocacy facilitate the student’s participation in affecting change. The prioritizing of action in development work is thus applicable for teaching human rights in social work education “in the field,” which requires going from theory to practice.
Comparative assessment of outcomes and adverse effects using two different intramuscular testosterone therapy regimens: 100 mg IM weekly or 200 mg IM biweekly.

This study aimed to compare the change in levels of several laboratory values and the development of adverse events using two commonly used intramuscular testosterone therapy regimens. Men were included if they were 18 years or older and received one of the following testosterone therapy regimens: 100 mg intramuscular once weekly or 200 mg intramuscular once every other week. Primary outcomes were relative changes in total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, prostate-specific antigen, and hematocrit at 6 months after initiation of testosterone therapy. Secondary outcomes were any significant rises in estradiol, hematocrit, prostate-specific antigen, and any other treatment-related adverse events requiring cessation of testosterone therapy. A total of 263 men were enrolled. In a subanalysis of men who had a baseline hematocrit below 54% before intramuscular testosterone therapy initiation, we found the following: men who received 100 mg weekly injections were significantly less likely to have hematocrit levels rising above 54% (1/102 (1%) vs. 4/51 (8%); p = 0.023). No significant differences were recorded in the increase in total testosterone, free testosterone, prostate-specific antigen, and estradiol levels between both groups. A higher average serum testosterone over the dosing interval seen with the 200 mg regimen appears to be associated with a higher risk of erythrocytosis.
An Application of Methods of Multivariate Data Analysis to Compare Different Approaches to Exchange Rate Forecasting

The aim of this paper is to compare different methods of forecasting exchange rates using methods of multivariate data analysis. Traditional forecasting models like the random walk, prominent structural models and approaches using the forward rate to forecast the spot rate are evaluated. Time series analysis is conducted employing univariate time series models as well as multivariate time series models and error correction models. Model identification, estimation and forecasting are examplified using the DM/US-Dollar exchange rate. Forecasting performance is measured by different criteria, within the scope of the investigation methods of multivariate data analysis are efficiently employed.
Unanticipated Trends Stemming from Initial Events in the History of Cell Culture: Vitalism in 2013?

During the period 1907–1912, tissue culture pioneers developed the basic techniques that, with modifications, have been adopted by experimental biologists worldwide to resolve a variety of scientific and technological questions. Because their immediate pragmatic concern was the “growth” of the cells, these pioneers may have inadvertently ignored the theoretical underpinnings of why those cells grew in the artificial conditions they imposed on them. By theoretical underpinnings we mean what premises they adopted to interpret the fact that cells grew outside the organism from where they were explanted, i.e., did they favor proliferation or quiescence as their default state? Here, we argue that the premises adopted and the interpretation of the data they collected introduced important misconceptions that still remain in place. The crucial one has been the notion that quiescence, instead of proliferation, is the default state of cells in metazoan. Later on, this notion led to the claim that there were “signals,” so-called growth factors, that would stimulate those passively quiescent cells to undergo proliferation. Additionally, the notion that quiescence as the default state of cells in metazoa is inimical to evolutionary theory because it implies the intervention of some external, undefined entity that instruct cells to enter their cycle of reproduction. Probably unintentionally, this mistaken conclusion carrying a specific command may be considered as the core of a sort of a naive physicalism that hinders the understanding of biological organization.
Vibrations of a Finger Sliding on Flat and Wavy Surfaces

The fluctuations of the frictional force that arise from the stroke of a finger against flat and sinusoidal surfaces were studied. We used a custom-made, high-resolution friction force sensor able to resolve milli-newton forces, we recorded those fluctuations as well the net, low-frequency components of the interaction force. Measurement showed that the fluctuations of the sliding force were highly unsteady. Despite their randomness, force spectra averages revealed regularities. With a smooth, flat, but not mirror-finish, surface the background noise followed a 1/f trend. Recordings made with pure-tone sinusoidal gratings revealed complexities in the interaction between a finger and a surface. The fundamental frequency was driven by the periodicity of the gratings and harmonics followed a non-integer power-law decay that suggested strong nonlinearities in the fingertip interaction. The results are consistent with the existence of a multiplicity of simultaneous and rapid stick-slip relaxation oscillations. Results have implications for high fidelity haptic rendering and biotribology.
Pregnancy following major thoracic surgery for tuberculosis

Abstract Over a period of 95 months, Jan. 1, 1945, to and including Nov. 30, 1952, there were 25 women who became pregnant 37 times during or subsequent to major thoracic surgery employed to control extensive unilateral pulmonary tuberculosis. The three major chest surgical procedures considered in correlation with pregnancy included lobectomy in 2 cases, pneumonectomy in 14 cases, and three-stage thoracoplasty in 9 women. This series is compared to 119 cases of thoracoplasty and 8 cases of lobectomy or pneumonectomy during or prior to thoracoplasty and 8 cases of lobectomy or pneumonectomy during or prior to pregnancy derived from the literature. There were 4 maternal deaths in our series, 16 per cent. Among the 37 progeny there were 10 infants lost through abortion, spontaneous on 2 occasions, therapeutic in 5 instances, one stillbirth following rupture of the uterus, and 2 infant deaths; one infant died of prematurity at 3 days and one 19-month-old infant died of tuberculous meningitis. Among the 21 surviving mothers only one exhibits tuberculous activity after pregnancy following or concurrent with major chest surgery. These figures compare favorably with those collected from the literature.
Low temperature silicon circuit layering for three-dimensional integration

We report a thin device layer (/spl sim/1 /spl mu/m) transfer technique that allows wafer scale transplanting of fully fabricated circuits of SOI on to a host substrate to produce 3-D integrated circuits. This 3-D Parallel Layering Process (3-D PLP) uses temperature below 330 C and incorporates BCB as the dielectric bonding layer. The technique is particularly suitable for 3-D mixed-signal or heterogeneous integration applications where digital and RF/analog circuits benefit from separate manufacturing. Device layer to layer alignment of 3 /spl mu/m is demonstrated. Electrical measurement of the transistors on the SOI donor wafer before and after transfer process is presented.
Predicting the response time of real-time rule-based programs with variable-expression assignments

Real-time expert systems are embedded decision systems which must respond to changes in the environments within stringent timing constraints. Given a program p, the response time analysis problem is to determine the maximal response time of p. In this paper, we tackle this problem with a response time upper bound algorithm for a class of EQL rule-based programs whose variables range over finite domains, This algorithm computes a response tame upper bound of the given program by determining the maximal number of rule firings which result from the firings of individual rules enabled at the invocation. >
Development of a Monitoring Method for Nonlabeled Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Growth by Time-Lapse Image Analysis

Cell growth is an important criterion for determining healthy cell conditions. When somatic cells or cancer cells are dissociated into single cells for passaging, the cell numbers can be counted at each passage, providing information on cell growth as an indicator of the health conditions of these cells. In the case of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), because the cells are usually dissociated into cell clumps of ∼50–100 cells for passaging, cell counting is time-consuming. In the present study, using a time-lapse imaging system, we developed a method to determine the growth of hPSCs from nonlabeled live cell phase-contrast images without damaging these cells. Next, the hPSC colony areas and number of nuclei were determined and used to derive equations to calculate the cell number in hPSC colonies, which were assessed on time-lapse images acquired using a culture observation system. The relationships between the colony areas and nuclei numbers were linear, although the equation coefficients were dependent on the cell line used, colony size, colony morphology, and culture conditions. When the culture conditions became improper, the change in cell growth conditions could be detected by analysis of the phase-contrast images. This method provided real-time information on colony growth and cell growth rates without using treatments that can damage cells and could be useful for basic research on hPSCs and cell processing for hPSC-based therapy.
Characteristics of cytophilic antibody in the mouse.

Abstract Immunoglobulin M hemagglutinin and antibody cytophilic for macrophages were produced simultaneously in mice after primary antigenic stimulation with sheep erythrocytes in saline. Antigen emulsified in Freund's complete adjuvant induced formation of cytophilic antibody (CA) in high titer. Purified cytophilic globulin was isolated by permitting it to attach to macrophages in vitro and eluting it at 56 C. The chromatographic elution pattern, molecular weight, and resistance to mercaptoethanol suggested that CA is a member of the immunoglobulin G class of immunoglobulins.
What's an Apology Worth? Decomposing the Effect of Apologies on Medical Malpractice Payments Using State Apology Laws

Past studies find that apologies affect the outcomes of medical malpractice litigation, but such studies have largely been limited to laboratory surveys or case studies. Following Ho and Liu (2010), we use the passage of state-level apology laws that exclude apologies from being used as evidence in medical malpractice cases, and estimate that apologizing to a patient in cases of medical malpractice litigation reduces the average payout by $32,000. This article seeks to unpack the mechanism of apologies by examining the differential impact of apologies laws by various subsamples. We find that apologies are most valuable for cases involving obstetrics and anesthesia, for cases involving infants, and for cases involving improper management by the physician and failures to diagnose.
Image-guided core breast biopsy of ductal carcinoma in situ presenting as a non-calcified abnormality.

Abstract Objective: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) typically presents as calcifications which are detected mammographically. Our aim was to evaluate the less common presentations of ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosed by image-guided core biopsy and correlate with histopathologic diagnoses. Methods and Material: Imaging and histopathologic findings were retrospectively reviewed in 11 patients with ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosed at core biopsy that presented as noncalcified radiographic abnormalities. Results: Mammography showed non-calcified, circumscribed nodules, ill-defined nodules and architectural distortion. In two patients, no mammographic abnormality was detected. Sonography showed circumscribed, round or oval, solid masses; irregular, heterogeneous masses; and a tubular structure. Histopathologic diagnoses included multiple architectural subtypes and ranged from low to high nuclear grade. Conclusion: Although image-guided core biopsy diagnosis of ductal carcinoma is typically made when sampling calcifications, DCIS can be diagnosed following biopsy of non-calcified masses or distortion. There is no correlation between histopathologic subtype and radiologic appearance.
DC modulation noise and demagnetizing fields in thin metallic media

Measurements of noise excited in magnetic recording media by a head energized by direct current yield a peak noise when the total field in the medium equals the remanent coercivity and opposes the original sense of medium saturation. The total field is the head field and a demagnetizing field stemming from a pseudotransition pinned under the head gap. This phenomenon has been studied experimentally by examining a thickness series of thin-film media with a wide range of demagnetizing ratios and by self-consistent calculations of this magnetizing process. Measurements of replay spectra were used to calibrate the record head. The demagnetizing field is about 19% of the remanent coercivity for a demagnetizing ratio of 767 nm. It is argued that careful calibration of this noise measurement yields an accurate in situ technique to monitor disk media coercivity or head efficiency variability. >
Dissecting entropic coiling and poor solvent effects in protein collapse

The early events in protein collapse and folding are guided by the protein's elasticity. The contributions of entropic coiling and poor solvent effects like hydrophobic forces to the elastic response of proteins are currently unknown. Using molecular simulations of stretched ubiquitin in comparison with models of proteins as entropic chains, we find a surprisingly high stiffness of the protein backbone, reflected by a persistence length of 1.2 nm, which is significantly reduced by hydrophobic forces acting between protein side chains to an apparent persistence length of 0.3-0.6 nm frequently observed in single-molecule stretching experiments. Thus, the poor solvent conditions of a protein in water lead to a protein compaction much beyond the coiling of an entropic chain and thereby allow a protein to appear softer than when using good solvents.
Recent Advances in Human Quantitative-Trait–Locus Mapping: Comparison of Methods for Discordant Sibling Pairs

Extreme discordant sibling pairs (EDSPs) are theoretically powerful for the mapping of quantitative-trait loci (QTLs) in humans. EDSPs have not been used much in practice, however, because of the need to screen very large populations to find enough pairs that are extreme and discordant. Given appropriate statistical methods, another alternative is to use moderately discordant sibling pairs (MDSPs)—pairs that are discordant but not at the far extremes of the distribution. Such pairs can be powerful yet far easier to collect than extreme discordant pairs. Recent work on statistical methods for QTL mapping in humans has included a number of methods that, though not developed specifically for discordant pairs, may well be powerful for MDSPs and possibly even EDSPs. In the present article, we survey the new statistics and discuss their applicability to discordant pairs. We then use simulation to study the type I error and the power of various statistics for EDSPs and for MDSPs. We conclude that the best statistic(s) for discordant pairs (moderate or extreme) is (are) to be found among the new statistics. We suggest that the new statistics are appropriate for many other designs as well—and that, in fact, they open the way for the exploration of entirely novel designs.
Fast image drift compensation in scanning electron microscope using image registration

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image acquisition is mostly affected by the time varying motion of pixel positions in the consecutive images, a phenomenon called drift. In order to perform accurate measurements using SEM, it is necessary to compensate this drift in advance. Most of the existing drift compensation methods were developed using the image correlation technique. In this paper, we present an image registration-based drift compensation method, where the correction on the distorted image is performed by computing the homography, using the keypoint correspondences between the images. Four keypoint detection algorithms have been used for this work. The obtained experimental results demonstrate the method's performance and efficiency in comparison with the correlation technique.
A conceptual model for feedback control based instruction and evaluation

This paper presents a framework for formative or feedback control based system for engineering instruction and evaluation. The system involves formal knowledge representation using appropriate data structures that are XML compliant. A metric topology is used on the data structure which then can be used to develop quantitative measures of learning effectiveness and also for quantifying knowledge-error needed for feedback learning loop.
Regulation of Vasopressin V1b Receptors and Stress Adaptation

Vasopressin (VP) regulates pituitary corticotroph function by acting upon plasma membrane G-protein receptors of the V1b subtype (V1bR), coupled to calcium-phospholipid signaling. The number of these receptors in the anterior pituitary varies during stress in direct correlation with corticotroph responsiveness, suggesting that the V1bR plays an important role during adaptation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to stress. The molecular regulation of pituitary V1bR involves transcriptional and translational mechanisms. V1bR gene transcription, which is necessary to maintain V1bR mRNA levels, depends on a number of responsive elements in the promoter region, of which the stretch of GA repeats near the transcription start point (GAGA box) is essential. Although transcriptional activation is necessary to maintain V1bR mRNA levels, the lack of correlation between VP binding and V1bR mRNA suggests that V1bR content is mainly regulated at the translational level. Two potential mechanisms by which the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) of the V1bR mediates negative and positive regulation of V1bR translation were identified. This includes the repressor effect of small open reading frames (ORF) present upstream of the main V1bR ORF, and an internal ribosome entry site (IRES), which activates V1bR translation. The existence of multiple loci of regulation for the V1bR at transcriptional and translational levels provides a mechanism to facilitate plasticity of regulation of the number of pituitary vasopressin receptors according to physiological demand.
Some results on the imaging of incoherent sources through turbulence

We have studied how turbulence influences one’s ability to determine the spatial-frequency composition of an incoherent source by use of irradiance or speckle interferometry. We have found that results obtained by using these methods are not significantly affected by the turbulence for the case of high spatial frequencies; however, the lower frequencies may be affected considerably.
Using micro and nanofluidics with surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy for in vitro blood based biomarker detection

In this presentation we will discuss the development of a point-of-care optofluidic device that uses gold nanoparticlebased surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for detection of blood biomarkers. SERS approaches have been successfully used for detection of analytes due to the large enhancements provided by the interaction between the light, gold particles, and analyte. However, SERS approaches developed for use to accurately quantify an analyte have suffered from a lack of repeatability. We will describe our SERS optofluidic device with functionalized nanoparticles that helps to overcome these problems and will show results with a focus on blood cardiac biomarkers.
The significance of radiative coupling between vegetation and the atmosphere

Abstract In a recent theoretical study, Jarvis and McNaughton derived an expression for the elasticity of evaporation with respect to canopy conductance to analyze the coupling between vegetation and the atmosphere. They concluded that one cannot expect a fractional change in stomatal resistance to cause a proportional change in leaf or canopy transpiration, especially for vegetation with low aerodynamic roughness. However, a potentially important stomatal feedback was left out. As stomata close, transpiration decreases, while the temperature of sunlit leaves and the associated outgoing long-wave radiation from the leaf increase. The net result is a change both in transpiration and leaf net radiation. This paper examines the assumptions made in Jarvis and McNaughton's analysis, presents an alternative derivation for the elasticity of evaporation to conductance, and discusses its theoretical and practical implications.
Specifications of distributed programs

This paper discusses informal specifications of distributed programs, that is, programs that reside at nodes connected by a network. Such programs often have performance requirements, such as high availability and concurrency, that make it difficult to specify their behavior. These requirements often have an effect on the functional behavior of a program, forcing designers to change their initial expectations. In this paper we show how to give user-oriented specifications of the functional behavior of programs with such requirements. We propose a structure for specifications that distinguishes expected and desirable effects from undesirable ones. We believe that this distinction is an important one for both users and implementers of a system, and that it makes the specifications easier to understand. We illustrate our approach by giving example specifications of several distributed programs that have been described in the literature.
Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in kerogens using two-step laser mass spectrometry

Kerogen-bearing rocks from the Green River, Phosphoria, and Mowry formations were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using two-step laser mass spectrometry (L2MS). This method allows sensitive analyses to be carried out within minutes, and samples can be introduced into the instrument directly without pretreatment or processing. L2MS spectra were recorded from intact rocks and rock powder as well as from demineralized samples using a well-established acid digestion procedure to isolate the kerogen. The main findings were as follows: (i) Spectra from demineralized samples and from pulverized rocks look almost identical. This similarity shows that grinding is sufficient as a sample preparation method for L2MS. Conventional acid digestion does not alter the PAH compositions of these samples. (ii) For immature and marginally mature samples, demineralization and grinding induce a change in the mass spectra compared to data taken from fracture surfaces of intact rock. This preliminary study s...
Dynamic Financial Management Goal in Power Enterprise: From the View of Firm Life Cycle

The business environment has become very competitive and dynamic due to the increased global competition and efficient flow of information. Firm management must constantly change. So the financial management goal which is very important for the management of a power enterprise must be different in the development of the firm. The paper will analyze the characteristics of the different growth period for a power enterprise and point out the best goal in the each special period.
Scanning photoemission microscopy with synchrotron radiation

Abstract Progress in photoemission spectro-microscopy at various synchrotron radiation facilities is reviewed. Microprobe devices such as MAXIMUM at the SRC in Wisconsin, the X1-SPEM at the NSLS at BNL, as well as the ellipsoidal ring mirror microscope at DESY in Hamburg, recorded first images during the last few years. The present status of these devices which achieve their lateral resolution by focusing X-rays to a small spot is the primary focus of this paper, but work representing other approaches to spectro-microscopy is also discussed.
Tura´n's triangle theorem and binary matroids

A special case of a theorem of Turan is that a graph on v vertices, with no loops, parallel edges, or triangles, has no more than ⌊ν/2⌊ ⌋ν/2⌋ edges. This bound is achieved by a graph, G, if and only if G ≅ K⌊ν/2⌊ ⌋ν/2⌋. In this paper, Turin's result is generalized to classes of binary matroids.
Effect of the oxytocin antagonist antocin and agonist decomoton on baboon luteal cell production and release of progesterone

Objective To evaluate the effect of oxytocin, its antagonist antocin, and agonist decomoton on baboon luteal cell P secretion. Design Prospective study. Setting Academic department of obstetrics and gynecology in a US medical school. Animal(s) Luteal-phased timed corpora lutea (CL) from a cohort of adult cycling baboons (Papio anubis). Intervention(s) Dispersed luteal cells from luteal phase baboon CL were cultured and treated with nothing (control), oxytocin (4–400 mU), antocin (4–400 μg), oxytocin with antocin, decomoton (4–400 μg), or oxytocin with decomoton. Main Outcome Measure(s) Basal and hCG (10 U)-stimulated P were measured in the incubate. Result(s) Basal P secretion did not change significantly with all peptides studied. The hCG-stimulated P secretion was significantly inhibited by oxytocin (4–400 mU), antocin (4–400 μg), and antocin combined with oxytocin, and with oxytocin, decomoton, and decomoton combined with oxytocin. Antocin (−12%) was less inhibitory than oxytocin (−25% to −22%). Antocin combined with oxytocin enhanced the inhibition to −35% to −39%. Decomoton had stronger (not significant) inhibition than oxytocin. Mean inhibition was 28%–35% with all doses of oxytocin, decomoton, or combined together. Conclusion(s) Although decomoton, an oxytocin agonist inhibited hCG-stimulated luteal cell P secretion in vitro, antocin also acted like an agonist, rather than an antagonist, in inhibiting P secretion.
Metabolic deterioration of the sedentary control group in clinical trials.

Randomized clinical trials of exercise training regimens in sedentary individuals have provided a mechanistic understanding of the long-term health benefits and consequences of physical activity an...