cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between Foreclosures and Intimate Partner Violence During the U.S. Housing Crisis

The recent U.S. housing crisis led to increases in neighborhood foreclosures and stress. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is linked to neighborhood stress, but less is known about whether foreclosures aggravate neighborhood conditions affecting IPV. Using police, foreclosure, and census data for three cities in the Phoenix region coupled with cross-sectional time series modeling, we find a direct effect of foreclosures on IPV, with the largest effects appearing at the end of the housing crisis. Our findings suggest that households living in communities that recover more slowly from housing downturns may be more prone to IPV.
A high-spin ground-state donor-acceptor conjugated polymer

Interest in high-spin organic materials is driven by opportunities to enable far-reaching fundamental science and develop technologies that integrate light element spin, magnetic, and quantum functionalities. Although extensively studied, the intrinsic instability of these materials complicates synthesis and precludes an understanding of how fundamental properties associated with the nature of the chemical bond and electron pairing in organic materials systems manifest in practical applications. Here, we demonstrate a conjugated polymer semiconductor, based on alternating cyclopentadithiophene and thiadiazoloquinoxaline units, that is a ground-state triplet in its neutral form. Electron paramagnetic resonance and magnetic susceptibility measurements are consistent with a high-to-low spin energy gap of 9.30 × 10-3 kcal mol-1. The strongly correlated electronic structure, very narrow bandgap, intramolecular ferromagnetic coupling, high electrical conductivity, solution processability, and robust stability open access to a broad variety of technologically relevant applications once thought of as beyond the current scope of organic semiconductors.
Analysis of the effect of rehabilitation nursing in the nursing of cerebral palsy in children

Objective To explore the nursing effect of rehabilitation nursing in children with cerebral palsy. Methods A total of 62 children with cerebral palsy admitted to our hospital from July 2015 to July 2016 were selected and randomly divided into control group and observation group with 31 cases in each group. The control group was given routine nursing, while the observation group was given routine + rehabilitation nursing intervention. The living ability and nursing satisfaction of the children before and after nursing were compared. Results After nursing, the score of self-care ability of children in the observation group [(86.52±2.34)] was significantly higher than that in the control group [(62.34±4.67)] (P<0.05), and the total satisfaction rate of the observation group (93.55%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (64.52%) (P<0.05). Conclusion Rehabilitation nursing is effective in children with cerebral palsy, which can improve children's self-care ability, improve their quality of life, and improve their overall nursing satisfaction, of positive significance. Key words: Infantile cerebral palsy; Rehabilitation nursing; Application effect
Switchgrass metabolomics reveals striking genotypic and developmental differences in saponins

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a bioenergy crop that grows productively on low-fertility lands not suitable for food production. We hypothesize that traits such as low soil nitrogen demand, tolerance to water limitation and resistance to insect pests and microbial pathogens are influenced by low molecular weight compounds known as specialized metabolites. We leveraged untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and quantitative gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify differences in above- and below-ground metabolomes of three northern upland and three southern lowland switchgrass cultivars. This analysis documented abundant steroidal saponins and terpenoid glycosides as well as varied phenolic compounds in switchgrass extracts. We identified many metabolite 9features9 (annotated as retention time/mass-to-charge ratio pairs), which differentially accumulated between upland and lowland ecotypes. These include saponins built on at least five different steroidal sapogenin cores. The total saponin concentrations were statistically different between roots of the two switchgrass ecotypes. In contrast, flavonoids such as quercetin mainly exhibited a tissue-specific accumulation pattern and predominantly accumulated in shoots. These results set the stage for testing the impacts of differentially accumulating metabolites on biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and inform development of low-input bioenergy crops.
The role of individual differences in risk learning: Who learns to place optimal wagers?

Abstract Managing risk is an integral part of life. Whereas risk-taking is sometimes construed as only “bad” (e.g., drug use) or “good” (e.g., investing), the present research focuses on “optimal risk-taking.” In economic settings, optimal risk on an exceedingly large number of repeated wagers can be computed using Kelly’s Formula (Kelly, 1956). We tested whether individual differences in cognitive abilities (fluid intelligence and working memory) and emotion-related traits (behavioral inhibition and behavioral activation system sensitivity) predict learning to take optimal risks in an investment paradigm. Participants first completed a Learning Phase in which they received explicit feedback on what the optimal wager was for each of a series of gambling opportunities. Next, they completed a Test Phase where they were asked to transfer the information from the Learning Phase to predict the optimal wager on a new set of gambling opportunities (not taught during the Learning Phase). Last, with this second set of gambling opportunities, they were asked to manage a bankroll and place wagers in a Gambling Phase. During the Learning Phase, we found that participants with greater cognitive resources (fluid intelligence and working memory) and behavioral activation system (BAS) strength learned faster. During the Test Phase, participants generally struggled to transfer this learning to novel (unlearned) opportunities and often assumed too little risk. Those with higher working memory capacities showed the best transfer of learning. During the Gambling Phase, we found that those high in BAS were less prone to the error of assuming too little risk when managing a bankroll. Thus, cognitive resources and BAS appear to be important predictors for who is best able to both learn and utilize optimal risk taking.
Impact of Opioid Restrictions During a Critical Drug Shortage Period: Interrupted Time Series for Institutional Opioid Utilization

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the impact of intravenous opioid product restrictions at an academic medical institution in an urban setting during the time of critical opioid shortages. We assessed the effect of ordering restrictions on inpatient opioid utilization measured by 1) changes in intermittent oral and injectable opioid product administration; 2) changes in total institutional opioid administration; and 3) changes in the utilization of individual restricted opioid agents. Methods This study is a single-center retrospective analysis by interrupted time series of institutional opioid utilization from 07/2017 to 06/2018. Utilization was quantified using milligrams of intravenous morphine equivalent administered or dispensed per admitted patient. Restrictions were grouped into 10 distinct phases, which informed the interruptions in linear regression models. Results Sequential restrictions during the study period led to shifts in use of individual agents but did not have a significant impact on overall total opioid utilization. "Soft" restrictions did not have a direct, statistically significant impact on medication use but did decrease utilization over time. In situations where a product was restricted with a "soft stop" followed by a "hard stop," the "hard stop" directly reduced usage. Conclusions Targeted ordering restrictions allowed the institution to redirect drug use according to clinical need without affecting the overall utilization. Clinical decision support led providers to choose therapeutically equivalent alternatives. The demonstrated effect of restrictions will guide institutions in the selection of "hard stop" or "soft stop" restrictions in response to future shortages.
Evaluation of area under the concentration–time curve-guided vancomycin dosing with or without piperacillin-tazobactam on the incidence of acute kidney injury

ABSTRACT Objectives: Recent studies suggest that the combination of piperacillin-tazobactam (P-T) and vancomycin increases the risk for acute kidney injury (AKI). The purpose of this study was to determine if area under the concentration–time curve (AUC)-guided vancomycin dosing reduced the incidence of AKI in a sample of patients who also received P-T. Methods: This single-centre, retrospective, pre–post quasi-experimental study compared the incidence of AKI before and after a health-system-wide change from trough- to AUC-guided vancomycin dosing using two post-distribution levels. The primary outcome was AKI, defined as an increase in serum creatinine ≥0.5 mg/dL or 50% from baseline for two consecutive measurements, in patients who received vancomycin with or without concomitant P-T. Results: In total, 636 patients were included in this study (308 trough-guided, 328 AUC-guided); of these, 118 patients in each group received concomitant P-T. The primary outcome occurred in 35 (11.4%) patients in the trough-guided group and 24 (7.3%) patients in the AUC-guided group (P=0.105). There was no difference in the incidence of AKI in the population receiving concomitant P-T between dosing strategies. The incidence of AKI was significantly higher in patients who received concomitant P-T compared with patients who did not receive concomitant P-T in both the trough-guided group [21/118 (17.8%) versus 14/190 (7.4%), respectively; P=0.003] and the AUC-guided group [16/118 (13.6%) versus 8/210 (3.8%), respectively; P=0.0011]. Conclusions: The incidence of AKI did not differ significantly between trough- and AUC-guided vancomycin dosing. Caution should be taken when combining vancomycin and P-T regardless of dosing strategy. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Factors that Influence Organ Donor Registration Among Asian American Physicians in Queens, New York

Organ donation rates in the United States are lowest among Asians. Physicians are highly respected in Asian communities and may be influential in promoting donor registration, but little is known about their organ donor registration attitudes. We assessed associations between knowledge, attitudes, personal/professional experience, cultural/religious beliefs surrounding organ donation and donor registration status using multivariable logistic regression. We surveyed 121 Asian physicians in Queens, New York; 22% were registered donors. Registered donors were more likely to discuss donation wishes with their family (OR 9.47, 95% CI 2.60-34.51), know that donor human leukocyte antigen does not need to match organ recipients (OR 6.47, 95% CI 1.66-25.28), and have experience advising patients about organ donation (OR 5.35, 95% CI 1.50-19.02). Culturally tailored educational materials providing updated information to promote family discussion about organ donation could potentially increase Asian physicians' level of comfort and expertise in discussing organ donor registration with patients.
Ratio and Proportion

At the simplest level, proportional reasoning, whether involving ratio or proportion, relies on the ability to use multiplicative thinking rather than additive thinking. In other words, instead of describing a relationship between two quantities as being larger by three or smaller by five, the relationship would be described in terms such as triple the size, one fifth the size, four times greater, etc. The ability to use proportional reasoning is essential in developing a broad variety of mathematical concepts including similarity, relative growth and size, dilations, scaling, \(\pi\), constant rate of change, slope, speed, rates, percent, trigonometric ratios, probability, relative frequency, density, and direct and inverse variations.
The Germans of the Soviet Union

1. 'Many Germans' - Germanic Communities in the Russian Empire 2. Many Deportations and their Legal Basis 3. 1941-1945 Intentions and Realities of Early Years 4. Life in Special Settlements 5. Women's Dimension of Soviet Exile and the End to Hardships 6. Long-Term Consequences of Deportation and Exile: The Formation of Ethnic Identity among Germans in the Soviet Union 7. At the End of the Road...
Experiencing Mathematics: What Do We Do, When We Do Mathematics?

Most mathematicians, when asked about the nature and meaning of mathematics, vacillate between the two unrealistic poles of Platonism and formalism. By looking carefully at what mathematicians really do when they are doing mathematics, Reuben Hersh offers an escape from this trap. This book of selected articles and essays provides an honest, coherent, and clearly understandable account of mathematicians' proof as it really is, and of the existence and reality of mathematical entities. It follows in the footsteps of Poincare, Hadamard, and Polya. The pragmatism of John Dewey is a better fit for mathematical practice than the dominant ""analytic philosophy". Dialogue, satire, and fantasy enliven the philosophical and methodological analysis. Reuben Hersh has written extensively on mathematics, often from the point of view of a philosopher of science. His book with Philip Davis, The Mathematical Experience , won the National Book Award in science.
Motor Nerve Terminal Morphology Following Botulinum a Toxin Injection in Humans

Botulinum A toxin injection into muscle is an important form of therapy for focal dystonias, including blepharospasm. The basis for the effect of botulinum toxin is paralysis of muscle by blocking neuromuscular transmission, as discussed elsewhere in this volume. The block of neuromuscular transmission produces functional muscle denervation. Muscle denervation stimulates changes in terminal motor axons and neuromuscular junctions, which can, in some types of denervation, be a repair process. This paper will discuss the morphology of motor nerve terminals and neuromuscular junctions following two types of denervation, the morphology the neuromuscular junction following botulinum toxin in experimental animals, and the response of the human neuromuscular junction to injection of botulinum toxin.
Micro Determinants of Labor Force Status Among Older Americans Ü

This paper uses the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) to investigate the determinants of labor force status among older Americans. With and emphasis on the return to work decision. Using transitions at two-year intervals we nd that after being retired or unemployed, those who are actively searching for a job have a higher probability of returning to work. We also nd that being in good physical and mental healthomeasured by objective and subjective variablesoincreases the chances of becoming employed, as does having worked in the last twelve months. Those who are receiving disability payments are less likely to make this transition. If we focus on those who are married, we nd a preference for joint leisure through the inuence of the labor force status, health and age of the respondent’s partner on the transition decisions. Using monthly employment dummies for the period 1989-97, we analyze monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual transitions and nd that most of our conclusions are independent of the periodicity but that the effects of the variables vary across specications.
Application of transmission line matrix method to antenna synthesis

A transmission-line matrix (TLM) model was developed to generate field patterns for antenna arrays. The spatial resolution of the proposed model is better than a tenth of a wavelength. Numerical modeling was carried out at 20GHz. The excitation current for each element was computed using the Fourier Transform method. A good agreement was obtained between TLM generated patterns and the analytical results for the considered geometries.
A functional role for the ‘fibroblast-like cells’ in gastrointestinal smooth muscles

Non-technical summary Smooth muscles, as in the gastrointestinal tract, are composed of several types of cells. Gastrointestinal muscles contain smooth muscle cells, enteric neurons, glial cells, immune cells, and various classes of interstitial cells. One type of interstitial cell, referred to as ‘fibroblast-like cells’ by morphologists, are common, but their function is unknown. These cells are found near the terminals of enteric motor neurons, suggesting they could have a role in generating neural responses that help control gastrointestinal movements. We used a novel mouse with bright green fluorescent protein expressed specifically in the fibroblast-like cells to help us identify these cells in the mixture of cells obtained when whole muscles are dispersed with enzymes. We isolated these cells and found they respond to a major class of inhibitory neurotransmitters – purines. We characterized these responses, and our results provide a new hypothesis about the role of fibroblast-like cells in smooth muscle tissues.
Ectopic expression of Olig1 promotes oligodendrocyte formation and reduces neuronal survival in developing mouse cortex

In the cerebral cortex of the developing murine central nervous system, formation of neurons and astrocytes can be modulated by transcription factors with basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) domains. However, transcription factors that promote formation of oligodendrocytes have yet to be identified. We show here that ectopic expression of the bHLH gene Olig1 promotes oligodendrocyte formation while suppressing neuronal survival in the cerebral cortex of developing mice.
Safety of catheter-delivered plasmin in patients with acute lower extremity arterial or bypass graft occlusion: phase I results.

Summary. Background: Current treatment of acute peripheral artery or bypass graft occlusion utilizes catheter-directed thrombolysis of a plasminogen activator (PA). Plasmin is a direct-acting thrombolytic with a striking safety advantage over PA in preclinical models. Objectives: To report the first use of purified plasmin for acute lower extremity arterial or bypass graft thrombosis in a phase I dose-escalation study of a catheter-delivered agent. Methods: Eighty-three patients with non-embolic occlusion of infrainguinal native arteries or bypass grafts were enrolled (safety population) into seven sequential dose cohorts to receive 25–175 mg of plasmin by intrathrombus infusion over 5 h. Arteriograms were performed at baseline, 2 h, and 5 h, and subjects were monitored for 30 days for clinical outcomes and laboratory parameters of systemic fibrinolysis. Results: Major bleeding occurred in four patients (4.8%), and minor bleeding alone in 13 (15.7%), with no trend towards more bleeding at higher dosages of plasmin. There was a trend towards lower plasma concentrations of fibrinogen, α2-antiplasmin and α2-macroglobulin with increasing doses of plasmin, but the nadir fibrinogen concentration was > 350 mg dL−1 at the highest plasmin dose. Individual nadir values were above 200 mg dL−1 in 82 of 83 subjects, and were not different in patients with or without bleeding. Thrombolysis (≥50%) occurred in 79% of subjects receiving 125–175 mg of plasmin, as compared with 50% who received 25–100 mg. Conclusions: Catheter-delivered plasmin can be safely administered to patients with acute lower extremity arterial occlusion at dosages of 25–175 mg.
Inference about the ED50 using the trimmed Spearman-Karber procedure - a Monte Carlo investigation

A Monte Carlo study was conducted to investigate the estimated standard errors of the estimate and the 95 percent confidence interval estimates associated with the trimmed Spearman-Karber (SK) estimators of the ED50 and the logistic model maximum likelihood estimator (MLE). The simulated binary response bioassay experiments had widely spaced doses with 5, 10, or 20 subjects per dose. For data following a logistic tolerance distribution, the trimmed SK confidence intervals were nearly as accurate as the logistic MLE intervals. For heavy-tailed tolerance distributions, the trimmed SK confidence intervals were more accurate than those based on the logistic MLE.
Death due to intraperitoneal rupture of a strictured lymphogranulomatous rectum during parturition

Abstract 1. 1. This is the first proved case of spontaneous rupture of a lymphogranulomatous stricture of the rectum at delivery. 2. 2. It is possible, though it cannot be proved in our case, that the rupture was initiated by spontaneous hemorrhage in the wall of the rectum. 3. 3. We believe that the pressure from within had much to do with the origin of the rupture. 4. 4. The case is exceptional in that there were two strictures in the bowel, one in the rectum, and the other in the sigmoid; the lymphogranulomatous changes were more severe in the rectum than in the sigmoid. 5. 5. We come to the conclusion that pregnancy and delivery increase the danger of rupture of a lymphogranulomatous rectal stricture. This danger should indicate the advisability of early radical surgical treatment before pregnancy or in the earliest months of pregnancy. Furthermore, in the case of collapse or beginning peritonitis, during and after delivery of a patient with lymphogranulomatous rectal stricture, it is of greatest importance to suspect a rupture of the strictured rectum. Then surgical help would be immediate.
The Jurisdiction of the Federal Courts Based on Diversity of Citizenship

A bill ' introduced by Senator Norris, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, proposes to amend Section 24 of the Judicial Code 2 by striking out the provisions for suits "between citizens of different states", thus completely abolishing the jurisdiction of the federal courts based upon the diversity of citizenship as between the states of the litigant.3 Despite the vigorous opposition of the American Bar Association and various other professional bodies, the bill has been favorably reported by the committee, but has not yet come to a vote in the Senate. The committee has been justly criticized by the American Bar Association for reporting the bill without adequate notice to the profession and without any subsequent opportunity for a hearing of objections.4 Nevertheless, this is, of course, no proof that the bill is undesirable; and, in fact, it has had vigorous support from wellknown authorities upon the subject.5 The purpose of this article is to examine the desirability of this very important branch of federal jurisdiction, and, in consequence, to consider the desirability of its complete abolishment as provided in the Norris Bill.
Parenting and environmental risk : an examination of child loss and maternal involvement among Bofi foragers in Central Africa.

The majority of adaptationist models and research related to parenting strategies have focused on extrinsic or population-level risk as predictors of parenting. However, some researchers have called for greater consideration of cultural factors as well as on intracultural variation in parenting. This study uses a biocultural approach to examine intracultural variation in environmental risk and parenting among the Bofi foragers in Central Africa. In particular, we examine 30 mothers’ experiences of child loss as a predictor of variation in maternal involvement (proximity, holding, and affection) with their young children. Multivariate and univariate analyses indicate that child loss accounted for substantial variation in maternal behaviors and was predictive of maternal holding and the expression of physical affection. In sum, our findings indicate that intracultural variation in child loss is predictive of maternal involvement with young children and that a biocultural approach is useful in explaining this variation.
Transcription of the Petunia mitochondrial CMS-associated Pcf locus in male sterile and fertility-restored lines.

Transcripts of the Petunia mitochondrial cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)-associated S-Pcf locus, which consists of three co-transcribed genes (pcf, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3, and ribosomal protein S12), have been characterized in reproductive tissues of CMS and fertility restored (Rf) Petunia lines by nuclease protection experiments and by RNA blot hybridization. Three 5′ transcript termini have been previously described. Two 3′ transcript termini and an additional S-Pcf locus transcript have now been identified. The relative abundance of the three 5′ transcript termini is influenced by the presence of the nuclear Rf gene. A decrease in the abundance of the −121 5′ transcript terminus relative to the −266 and −522 termini is consistently seen in Petunia lines which are restored to fertility by the Rf gene, compared to CMS Petunia lines. An additional transcript with a 5' terminus within the urf-s region of pcf is much more abundant in immature bud and anther tissue than in leaf or suspension cells. The total abundance of pcf transcripts varies greatly between plants of different nuclear backgrounds which lack the nuclear Rf allele, indicating that other nuclear genes also influence expression of the S-Pcf locus.
An autonomous instrument for time series analysis of TCO2 from oceanographic moorings

The design and testing of a robotic analyzer for autonomous TCO2 measurement from oceanographic moorings is described. The analyzer employs a conductimetric method of TCO2 measurement wherein CO2 from an acidified sample diffuses across a semi-permeable membrane into a NaOH solution decreasing the conductivity of the base. The instrument is capable of ∼850 analyses over a period of at least six months. It is designed to operate to depths of at least 1000 m. TCO2 calibration is based on in situ standardization throughout a deployment. We report both laboratory and in situ tests of the analyzer. In the laboratory automated analyses over a period of 38 days at temperatures ranging from 8° to 25 °C yielded a TCO2 accuracy and precision of ±2.7 μmol/kg. In situ tests were conducted at the WHOI dock with a deployment of 8 weeks at in situ temperatures of 5°–13 °C. The accuracy and precision of TCO2 analyses over the deployment period, based on in situ calibration, was ±3.6 μmol/kg. Laboratory tests of reagent and standard solution stability are also reported. Standards, based on Certified Reference Material were followed for periods of up to 2 years. In all cases TCO2 increased. Drift of the standards was the equivalent of ∼1 to 3 μmol/kg per 6 months. The conductivity indicator solution was found to be stable for at least 2 months.
Thermal Behavior and Nonfreezing Water of Soybean Protein Components

ABSTRACT Thermal denaturation and hydration of two soybean protein components were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Results showed that temperature of denaturation (Td) of both 11S and 7S globulins decreased sharply with an increase in water content. Enthalpy of denaturation (ΔHd) of 11S increased with increasing water content at first, and then leveled off at high water content. However, ΔHd of both 7S and 11S components in 7S samples first increased and then decreased at high water content. The preparation method of samples influenced the ΔHd value significantly but had little effect on the Td. Nonfreezing water was determined from the DSC results. It increased in both 11S and 7S as water content increased but was more abundant in 7S, probably because of different compositions and structures. Threshold value of water content for the appearance of freezing water was 0.30–0.32 h (g of water/g of protein, mass ratio) for 11S. The water absorbed by both 11S and 7S during denaturation i...
Spatial variability and temporal dynamics analysis of soil erosion due to military land use activities: uncertainty and implications for land management

Human activities, such as military off-road vehicular traffic, disturb ground and vegetation cover of landscapes and increase potential rainfall related runoff and soil erosion. On military lands, soil erosion is of major concern in order to sustain training lands and thus there is a need for land condition maps for planning training activities and land management. In this study, we presented a conditional co-simulation algorithm to generate annual time series maps of soil erosion status from 1989 to 2001 for an army installation. The spatial variability and temporal dynamics of land condition were analyzed. This algorithm modeled soil erosion as realizations of a random function by combining a set of permanent plot data and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images. In addition to estimation maps of soil erosion status, we obtained the maps of uncertainties including the variance of each pixel estimate and the probability of poor land condition. The results and maps are useful tools for land managers and decision-makers to guide military training programs and to generate management plans for sustaining training lands. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
From Community Conservation to the Lone (Forest) Ranger: Accumulation by Conservation in a Mexican Forest

This paper explores the paradigm shift from 1990s models of community conservation that encoded environmentalist praxis within legal and cadastral frameworks, to recent attempts to encode environmentalist principles and goals within individual practice. Using the case of Chimalapas, Mexico, I look at how community-based conservation was abandoned after being deemed 'too political' to implement, and how new models of conservation not dependent on community consent emerged. Environmental services models of conservation pay individuals for forest ranger services, for reforestation, and for access to waterways and for water use. These models commodify land and labor in new ways, and join carbon markets as an important new avenue for what I call accumulation by conservation. They also institutionalise conservation practices designed for private property regimes, despite the fact that the world's well-preserved forests are located principally on indigenous, communally-organised territories.
Anomalously high porosities in the proto-decollement zone of the Barbados Accretionary Complex: Do they indicate overpressures?

Elevated pore pressures have been hypothesized to play a key role in the development of the decollement zones of accretionary complexes. Drilling within the proto-decollement zone of the Barbados accretionary complex revealed anomalously high porosities up to 6 km seaward of the deformation front. Defining whether the high porosities are a reflection of overpressures is critical for understanding the seaward propagation of the decollement zone. In this investigation, we used numerical modeling to assess whether the high porosities reflect overpressures due to sedimentation. From this work, we concluded that reported permeabilities are not low enough to produce overpressures, even if additional fluid were contributed from areas of greater sedimentation. Furthermore, overpressures within the proto-decollement zone are demonstrated to be inconsistent with normally compacted underlying sediments. Locally anomalous sediment strength provides a more likely explanation for the observed high porosities.
Migrating partial seizures in infancy: expanding the phenotype of a rare seizure syndrome.

Summary: Purpose: The constellation of early-onset, unprovoked, alternating electroclinical seizures and neurodevelopmental devastation was first described by Coppola et al. We report six new patients and the prospect of a more optimistic developmental outcome. Methods: Retrospective chart reviews were performed on six infants evaluated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (five patients) and at Hershey Medical Center (one patient) who had electroclinically alternating seizures before age 6 months of age. Electroclinical characteristics and long-term follow-up were recorded. Results: All had unprovoked, early-onset (range, 1 day to 3 months; mean, 25 days) intractable electroclinical seizures that alternated between the two hemispheres. Each patient underwent comprehensive brain imaging and neurometabolic workups, which were unrevealing. In all patients, subsequently intractable partial seizures developed and often a progressive decline of head circumference percentile occurred with age. Three demonstrated severe developmental delay and hypotonia. All survived, and 7-year follow-up on one patient was quite favorable. Conclusions: Our patients satisfied the seven major diagnostic criteria first described by Coppola et al. The prognosis of this rare neonatal-onset epilepsy syndrome from the original description and subsequent case reports was very poor, with 28% mortality, and the majority of survivors were profoundly retarded and nonambulatory. Our patient data validate the diagnostic criteria of this syndrome and further quantify a previously described observation of progressive decline of head circumference percentiles with age. Our data also suggest that the prognosis of this syndrome, although poor, is not as uniformly grim as the cases reported previously in the literature.
Is rheumatoid arthritis care more costly when provided by rheumatologists compared with generalists

Objective Controversy surrounds the cost-effectiveness of rheumatologist care compared with generalist care for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Rheumatologists can provide 2 distinct types of care for RA patients: primary care and specialist care. We sought to examine the relationship between cost and type of care in a population-based cohort of patients with RA. Methods Data regarding specialty of care and use of health services (i.e., total direct medical costs, surgeries, radiographs, laboratory tests, hospital days) were collected from a community sample of 249 patients with RA (defined using the 1987 American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria) among Rochester, Minnesota residents ≥35 years of age. In a randomly selected subset of 99 of these RA patients, detailed information on all physician encounters was collected and categorized according to whether or not the care received constituted “primary care” according to the Institute of Medicine definition. Using these data, we evaluated the influence of type of care as well as specialty of provider on utilization. For these analyses, total direct costs included all inpatient and outpatient health care costs incurred by all local providers (excluding outpatient prescription drugs). Results The 249 patients with RA (mean age 64 years, 75% women) were followed up for a median of 5.4 years, while the subset of 99 RA patients (mean age 64 years, 77% women) were followed up for a median of 4.7 years. The overall median direct medical costs per person per year were $2,749 and $2,929 for the total cohort and for the subset of 99 patients, respectively. Generalized linear regression analyses (considering all visits of the 249 RA patients) revealed that after adjusting for demographics and disease characteristics, rheumatologist care (compared with nonrheumatologist care) was not associated with higher total direct medical costs (P = 0.85) or more hospital days (P = 0.35), but was associated with slightly more radiographs (P = 0.037) and significantly more laboratory tests (P < 0.0001). When considering only primary care, such care by rheumatologists was, again, not associated with higher total direct medical costs (P = 0.11) or more hospital days (P = 0.69) or more laboratory tests (P = 0.54), but was associated with slightly more radiographs (P = 0.035). Conclusion Rheumatologist care is not more costly than generalist care for patients with RA. Important differences (especially in the use of laboratory tests) become apparent when the type of care provided as well as the specialty of the provider are considered in the analyses.
A multidimensional scaling approach for representing XML documents

It has been shown that storing documents having similar structures together can reduce the fragmentation problem and improve query efficiency. Unlike the flat text document, the Web document has no standard vectorial representation, which is required in most existing classification algorithms. In this paper, we propose a vectorization method for XML documents by using multidimensional scaling (MDS) so that Web documents can be fed into an existing classification algorithm. The classical MDS embeds data points into an Euclidean space if the similarity matrix constructed by the data points is semidefinite. The semidefniteness condition, however, may not hold due to the inference technique used in practice. We will find a semi-definite matrix which is the closest to the distance matrix in the Euclidean space. Based on recent developments on strongly semismooth matrix valued functions, we solve the nearest semi-definite matrix problem with a Newton-type method. Experimental studies show that the classification accuracy can be improved.
Mutation in collagen gene induces cardiomyopathy in transgenic mice

In many remodeling tissues, such as the heart, collagen degradation to provide new integrin-binding sites is required for survival. However, complete loss of integrin signaling due to disconnection from extracellular matrix (ECM) leads to apoptosis and dilatation. To test the hypothesis that a mutation in type I collagen gene induces cardiomyopathy, we employed a metalloproteinase-resistant collagen mutant homozygous transgenic male (B6,129-Colla-1) and compared with age-sex matched wildtype C57BL/J6 control mice. At the age of 38–42 weeks, aortic and left ventricle (LV) pressure were measured. The LV wall thickness and diameter were measured by a digital micrometer. The levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity and cardiospecific tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-4 (TIMP-4) were measured by zymography and Western blot analyses, respectively. The levels of collagenolysis were measured by Western blot using anti-collagen antibody. In transgenic and wildtype mice, end-diastolic pressure (EDP) was 8.3 ± 1.7 and 6.5 ± 1.1 mmHg; LV diameter was 3.43 ± 0.07 and 2.94 ± 0.05 mm; wall thickness was 1.18 ± 0.03 and 1.28 ± 0.04 mm; end-diastolic wall stress was 600 ± 158 and 347 ± 49 dynes/cm2, respectively. The increase in LV wall stress was associated with increased MMP-2 activity, increased collagenolysis, and decreased levels of TIMP-4. This leads to reduced elastic compliance in collagen mutant transgenic mice. The occurrence of cardiomyopathy in adult Colla-1 mice may be a significant confounding factor as it may be indicative of increased basal levels of ECM disruption. This phenotype is what would be expected if collagen degradation normally supplies integrin ligands during cardiac muscle remodeling. J. Cell. Biochem. 85: 259–267, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) thermochemolysis for probing in situ softwood lignin modification in each gut segment of the termite.

Termites are highly effective in lignocellulose degradation; however, the process of lignin deconstruction along the alimentary canal is not well understood. In this study, the wood metabolites in each gut segment were tentatively analyzed using pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide. Collectively, the significant differences in the pyrolysate distribution among each sample established (1) conservation of the major β-O-4′ bonds of lignin during termite digestion, although a selective lignin substructure modification was observed across the whole gut; (2) initiation of lignin–polysaccharide dissociation, aliphatic oxidation/carboxylation, phenolic dehydroxylation in the foregut, and linkage modification of the 5-5′, β-5′, and β-1′ substructures; (3) the continuation of foregut reactions into the midgut with further phenolic carboxylation/demethoxylation/carbonylation; and (4) phenolic/aliphatic esterifications in the hindgut. Overall, elucidation of ...
Solution of large compartmental models using numerical transform inversion.

Compartmental models of biological or physical systems are often described by a system of “stiff” differential equations. In this paper an algorithm for solving a system with linear coefficients is presented that employs numerical inversion of the Laplace transform of the model equations. The inversion algorithm and Gear's backward differentiation method are compared for two stiff test problems and a differential system governing a 27-compartment model of bile acid transport and metabolism. The inversion algorithm is reliable, requires modest computation time on a desktop computer and provides better accuracy than Gear's method, especially for the extremely stiff example.
On the theory of macroeconomic quasi-equilibria

It has been shown that for the Classical System a quasi-equilibrium cannot exist, unless we make the ad hoc assumption of inflexible nominal wages8. The equilibrium in the classical regime corresponds to the general competitive equilibrium, and of course the validity of Walras' Law cannot be questioned. At the same time, however, it has been shown that to extend these conclusions to the Keynesian system as well is not justified. The Keynesian system has, in general, a quasi-equilibrium. The model constructed in this paper and the resulting conclusions are significant because the model: (a) Incorporates the Keynesian notion of effective demand, which includes the demand for capital goods (investment) as being performed by a group of people distinct from the consumers (and so, answering Negishi's point, there is a prince in Hamlet!), (b) Unlike other models (like the recent paper by Glustoff), it does not rely on nominal wage rigidity to explain unemployment, but instead, again answering Negishi's remark, it explains rather than postulates why real wages do not adjust in the presence of unemployment so as to eliminate it. (c) It verifies the validity of Clower's proposition that in the Keynesian System Walras' Law holds only in equilibrium. (d) It reconsiles Bent Hansen's original quasi-equilibrium model with the Keynesian proposition of an unemployment “equilibrium”, against the apparent view of Hansen that to do that would require the assumption of a Phillips curve, a view also shared by Arrow and Hahn, and many others.
Building 3-D Models of the Full-Length IKs Cnannel using Computational Techniques

Background: KCNQ1 (Q1, pore-forming) and KCNE1 (E1, regulatory) associate to form the IKs channel, a critical determinant of QT interval. None of Q1 homology models or Q1/E1 docking models includes the cytoplasmic domain (CD), despite its critical roles in IKs assembly/trafficking/modulation. One major obstacle is the very long (∼320 aa) and dynamic Q1 carboxyl terminus (CT). However, sub-regions of CT of Q1 and homologous KCNQ4 have been crystallized, and there is rich information on the functional roles of, and relationships among, sub-regions or residues in CD of Q1/E1. These prompt us to build 3-D models of full-length Q1/E1 (i.e. including CD) using a hierarchical approach.Methods: (1) Use Robetta server to predict structures of amino-terminus (NT, aa 1-140) and CT (aa 354-676) of Q1. (2) Select Robetta models compatible with existing structural data. (3) Remove flexible loop regions, and dock the helical regions of chosen Robetta models to the Q1 transmembrane homology model. This manual docking procedure is guided by data in the literature. (4) The most favored docking-configurations are triplicated to produce the full-length Q1 models. (5) Dock refined E1 NMR structure to the full-length Q1 model, guided by our disulfide-trapping data and information in the literature. (6) After energy-minimization and removing steric clashes, the systems will be subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. (7) Analyze the MD trajectories to design disulfide-trapping experiments for model validation or rejection.Results and Conclusion: We have narrowed down to three docking-configurations in step 4. Docking of E1 indicates that stoichiometries (E1:Q1) higher than 2:4 will make the system unstable, due to steric clashes between CT of Q1 and E1. Although we need to experimentally validate our models, our progress with computational approaches has provided insights into this critical region of IKs.
The distribution of functional bacteriophage T4 mRNA on polysomes.

Abstract Functional bacteriophage T4 deoxynucleotide kinase and α-glucosyl transferase mRNAs can be isolated from polysomes extracted from cells 8 min after infection. At least 55% of the 8-min deoxynucleotide kinase mRNA is associated with polysomes and is released from the cell membrane by deoxyribonuclease (DNase) treatment (soluble mRNA). Approximately 20% of the kinase mRNA remains tightly bound to membrane after DNase treatment (membrane mRNA) and 25% of the kinase mRNA is routinely lost during fractionation. The membrane-bound kinase mRNA is about three times as stable in vitro as the soluble kinase mRNA. Soluble kinase mRNA (14.5S) is found associated with as few as one ribosome and as many as 22 ribosomes; however, 14.5S α-glucosyl transferase mRNA is found predominantly in six ribosome polysomes. The size of the α-glucosyl transferase mRNA is heterogenous, ranging between 14.5 and 20S. The larger α-glucosyl transferase mRNAs are never found on small polysomes but appear only in polysomes containing at least nine ribosomes (18S α-glucosyl transferase mRNA). Maximum-size α-glucosyl transferase mRNA (approximately 20S) appears on polysomes containing at least 14 ribosomes. The relationships between decay of T4 mRNA and polysome size and the location of ribosome loading sites on the 20S α-glucosyl transferase message are also discussed.
QoS management for NNEW: requirements, challenges, and solutions

• Providing multi-layered QoS provisioning approach that - Coherently addresses QoS issues across all the layers - And, it is cost-effective • QoS management entails - Classifying and prioritizing users using policies consistent across all the layers - Redirecting users to appropriate WCS/WFS based on their QoS needs (Application-layer) - Using multiple brokers as well as queues, selecting the broker's optimizing parameters, and investigating DDS and marking of ActiveMQpackets (Middleware-layer) - Configuring routers and switches - traffic conditioning and scheduling (Network-layer) • Our suggested solutions align with the QoS vision of the SWIM and FTI programs
Computational materials science: Think locally, act globally.

New first-principles calculations reveal the range of atomic arrangements underlying the average crystallographic structure of a perovskite oxide, PZT. This work opens the door to understanding the exceptional physical behaviour of PZT and related systems.
Systematics of first 2$^{+}$ state g factors around mass 80

The systematics of the first ${2}^{+}$ state $g$ factors in the mass 80 region are investigated in terms of an IBM-II analysis, a pairing-corrected geometrical model, and a shell-model approach. Subshell closure effects at $N=38$ and overall trends were examined using IBM-II. A large-space shell-model calculation was successful in describing the behavior for $N=48$ and $N=50$ nuclei, where single-particle features are prominent. A schematic truncated-space calculation was applied to the lighter isotopes. The variations of the effective boson $g$ factors are discussed in connection with the role of $F$-spin breaking, and comparisons are made between the mass 80 and mass 180 regions.
TERT-BUTYL ARSOLANE AND ARSENANE: SYNTHESIS AND MASS SPECTROMETRY

Abstract The reaction of ′BuAsCl2 with BrMg(CH2)nMgBr (n = 4, 5) in ether at 0°C yields cyclo-(CH2)nAs'Bu, with cyclo-(CH2)nAsBr and cyclo-(CH2)nAsCl as minor constituents. Reaction of the tert-butyl substituted compounds with Cl2 in CCl4 gives the dichlorides, cyclo-(CH2)nAs(Cl2)(′Bu). Upon mild heating, the dichloride for n = 5 loses ′BuCI to give the monochloride, while the dichloride for n = 4 is inert to thermolysis. Mass spectral data for the As(III) compounds is used to speculate on their suitability as GaAs MOCVD precursors.