cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uniting for Peace? Democracies and United Nations Peace Operations after the Cold War

Does the level of democracy of a country incline it toward participation in post-cold war era, United Nations (UN) peace operations? The link between democracy and multilateral peace operations in liberal theory is explored, and the expanding UN global presence and its in debtedness to democracies are examined. Hypotheses drawn from liberal and realist theory are tested on a global set of countries in the period between 1993 and 2001, using cross-sectional, time-series data and a Heckman selection model. The descriptive evidence and robust model results provide strong support for the proposition that the UN peace operations of the post-cold war era relied on democratic contributions. A country’s level of democracy accounts for why and how much countries contributed to these operations when competing with a host of alternative explanations derived from a realist and liberal perspective.
Nitric Oxide Modifies Global Histone Methylation by Inhibiting Jumonji C Domain-containing Demethylases

Methylation of lysine residues on histone tails is an important epigenetic modification that is dynamically regulated through the combined effects of methyltransferases and demethylases. The Jumonji C domain Fe(II) α-ketoglutarate family of proteins performs the majority of histone demethylation. We demonstrate that nitric oxide ((•)NO) directly inhibits the activity of the demethylase KDM3A by forming a nitrosyliron complex in the catalytic pocket. Exposing cells to either chemical or cellular sources of (•)NO resulted in a significant increase in dimethyl Lys-9 on histone 3 (H3K9me2), the preferred substrate for KDM3A. G9a, the primary methyltransferase acting on H3K9me2, was down-regulated in response to (•)NO, and changes in methylation state could not be accounted for by methylation in general. Furthermore, cellular iron sequestration via dinitrosyliron complex formation correlated with increased methylation. The mRNA of several histone demethylases and methyltransferases was also differentially regulated in response to (•)NO. Taken together, these data reveal three novel and distinct mechanisms whereby (•)NO can affect histone methylation as follows: direct inhibition of Jumonji C demethylase activity, reduction in iron cofactor availability, and regulation of expression of methyl-modifying enzymes. This model of (•)NO as an epigenetic modulator provides a novel explanation for nonclassical gene regulation by (•)NO.
The Active Partition Gene incC of IncP Plasmids Is Required for Stable Maintenance in a Broad Range of Hosts

Plasmids of incompatibility group P (IncP) are capable of replication and stable inheritance in a wide variety of gram-negative bacteria. Three determinants of IncP plasmids are components of an active partition locus that is predicted to function in the segregation of plasmid copies to daughter cells. These determinants are incC, which codes for a member of the ParA family of partition ATPases; korB, which specifies a DNA-binding protein that also functions as a global transcriptional repressor; and OB, the DNA target for KorB, which occurs at multiple locations on IncP plasmids. To determine the importance and host range of the IncC/KorB partition system in the maintenance of IncP plasmids, we constructed an in-frame deletion of incC in the otherwise intact 60-kb IncPα plasmid R995. R995ΔincC was found to be highly unstable in Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, whereas wild-type R995 is stable in all these hosts. In addition, R995ΔincC could not be established in Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. trans-Complementation analysis showed that the coding region for IncC2 polypeptide, which is expressed from an internal translational start within the incC gene, was sufficient to restore stable maintenance to wild-type levels. The results show that the IncC/KorB active partition system of IncP plasmids is remarkably proficient for stable maintenance in diverse bacteria.
Amygdalae morphometry in late-life depression.

Objective The amygdalae have been a focus of mood disorder research due to their key role in processing emotional information. It has been long known that depressed individuals demonstrate impaired functional performance while engaged in emotional tasks. The structural basis for these functional differences has been investigated via volumetric analysis with mixed findings. In this study, we examined the morphometric basis for these functional changes in late-life depression (LLD) by analyzing both the size and shape of the amygdalae with the hypothesis that shape differences may be apparent even when overall volume differences are inconsistent.
Growth history and crown vine coverage are principal factors influencing growth and mortality rates of big-leaf mahogany Swietenia macrophylla in Brazil

Summary 1. Current efforts to model population dynamics of high-value tropical timber species largely assume that individual growth history is unimportant to population dynamics, yet growth autocorrelation is known to adversely affect model predictions. In this study, we analyse a decade of annual census data from a natural population of big-leaf mahogany Swietenia macrophylla King to quantify the strength and duration of growth autocorrelation, and experimentally investigate the role of crown vine coverage, a major predictor of performance. 2. The sample population consisted of 358 trees >10 cm diameter. The relative contributions of predictor variables including diameter, crown vine coverage and growth history to models of growth and mortality were evaluated using Akaike’s Information Criterion. Autocorrelation among trees was incorporated into growth models using generalized least squares. We experimentally removed vines from heavy-laden trees to test the strength and persistence of their impact on stem diameter growth. 3. Previous growth explained the highest amount of variation in annual diameter growth; the best-fitting model of autocorrelation was an AR(7) autoregressive model, indicating that autocorrelation persisted throughout the study period. Other factors explaining variation in growth were, in decreasing order of importance: year of measurement, crown vine coverage, diameter, crown illumination and fruit production. The best logistic regression model for mortality retained diameter growth plus crown vine coverage as predictors of risk. 4. The vine release experiment strongly supported these results. Released trees grew faster than control trees but required ≥5 years to approach growth rates of trees with minimal vine coverage. Trees with heavy vine coverage also experienced higher mortality rates. 5. Synthesis and applications. These results indicate that growth autocorrelation is strong, persistent, and an important predictor of future performance; demographic models for tree growth and yield projections can be improved by accounting for growth history. Our results also indicate that targeted silvicultural practices such as vine cutting can increase long-term growth and timber yield. These findings further current understanding of tropical tree growth and survival, and offer improved management tools for sustainable harvest practices for mahogany and similar species.
The OSMOSIS Optical Packet Switch for Supercomputers: Enabling Technologies and Measured Performance

The OSMOSIS project explores the role of optics in large-scale interconnection networks for high-performance computing (HPC) systems. Its main objectives are solving the technical challenges to meet the stringent HPC requirements of high bandwidth, low latency, low error rates, and cost-effective scalability. We discuss the technologies and architectural innovations that enabled us to build a demonstration system meeting these targets. We demonstrate the optical performance for the 64 ports @ 40 Gb/s data paths across the semiconductor optical amplifier based optical crossbar, and report on the implementation of the electronic central controller.
A Case of Respiratory Failure after Clean-up Work of the Hebei Spirit Crude Oil Spill in Taean

On 7 December 2007, the Hebei Spirit ran aground near Taean and released approximately 10,900 tons of oil into the sea. Crude oil on the coastal areas and fumes in the a ir increased the number of health problems among the local population. We report a case of respiratory failure a fter the oil spill clean-up work. A 66-year-old female was admitted to hospital with cough, sputum, and dyspnea of 1-m onth duration after the oil spill clean-up. She was diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia and treated with empirical antibiotics. However, she had progressive respiratory failure without identification of the p athogen. Respiratory failure due to chronic inhalation of hydrocarbons from the crude oil spill clean-up was suspected . After mechanical ventilation care, she recovered from respiratory failure and was discharged. We report a case o f severe respiratory toxic effects after an oil spill clean-up. We concluded that long-term hydrocarbon inhalation during the oil spill clean-up may have induced respiratory failure in this case.Key Words: Petroleum, Hydrocarbons, Respiratory insufficiency
Somatic hypermutation: Another piece in the hypermutation puzzle.

Abstract Studies with transgenic mice are beginning to define the minimal requirements for the somatic hypermutation of immunoglobulin genes that is critical in the production of high-affinity antibodies.
Analysis of Molecular Markers by Anatomic Tumor Site in Stage III Colon Carcinomas from Adjuvant Chemotherapy Trial NCCTG N0147 (Alliance)

Purpose: To determine the frequency and prognostic association of molecular markers by anatomic tumor site in patients with stage III colon carcinomas. Experimental Design: In a randomized trial of adjuvant FOLFOX ± cetuximab, BRAF V600E and KRAS (exon 2) mutations and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) proteins were analyzed in tumors ( N = 3,018) in relationship to tumor location, including subsite. Cox models were used to assess clinical outcome, including overall survival (OS). Results: KRAS codon 12 mutations were most frequent at the splenic flexure and cecum; codon 13 mutations were evenly distributed. BRAF mutation frequency sharply increased from transverse colon to cecum in parallel with deficient (d) MMR. Nonmutated BRAF and KRAS tumors progressively decreased from sigmoid to transverse (all P KRAS in distal [HR, 1.98; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.49–2.63; P P = 0.079) cancers. BRAF status and outcome were not significantly associated with tumor site. Proximal versus distal dMMR tumors had significantly better outcome. An interaction test was significant for tumor site by KRAS ( P adjusted = 0.043) and MMR ( P adjusted = 0.010) for OS. Significant prognostic differences for biomarkers by tumor site were maintained in the FOLFOX arm. Tumor site was independently prognostic with a stepwise improvement from cecum to sigmoid (OS: P adjusted = 0.001). Conclusions: Mutation in BRAF or KRAS codon 12 was enriched in proximal cancers whereas nonmutated BRAF / KRAS was increased in distal tumors. Significant differences in outcome for KRAS mutations and dMMR were found by tumor site, indicating that their interpretation should occur in the context of tumor location. Clin Cancer Res; 21(23); 5294–304. ©2015 AACR .
Sleep patterns among ADHD children

Abstract This article reviews seminal parent survey and polysomnogram research related to sleep patterns of children with ADHD. Although polysomnogram studies have shown no consistent, significant differences between the sleep patterns of medication-free children with and without ADHD, parents have consistently reported that children with ADHD have greater sleep difficulty than other children. Despite widespread clinician caution about insomnia side effects of stimulant medication prescribed for this population, research has been inconclusive as to whether children with ADHD who are taking stimulants experience greater sleep difficulty than those who remain medication free. Implications of this literature for current clinical practice and future research are discussed in depth.
Simple analytical and graphical tools for carrier based PWM methods

This paper provides analytical and graphical tools for the study, performance evaluation and design of the popular carrier based PWM methods which are widely employed in PWM VSI-fed AC motor drives. Simple techniques for generating the modulation waves of the high performance PWM methods are described. The two most important modulator characteristics, the current ripple and the switching losses, are analytically modeled. The graphical illustration of these often complex multivariable functions accelerate the learning process and help understand the microscopic (per carrier cycle) and macroscopic (per fundamental cycle) behavior of all the popular PWM methods. The analytical formulae and graphics are valuable educational tools. They also aid the design and implementation of the high performance PWM methods.
A strong intronic enhancer element of the EGFR gene is preferentially active in high EGFR expressing breast cancer cells.

Hormone-independent human breast cancer is characterized by estrogen receptor (ER) loss and the acquisition of high epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) levels. Despite the tendency for an inverse correlation between EGFR and ER, EGFR is a strong prognostic indicator for poor survival rate independent of ER status suggesting that EGFR overexpression is an important step in the progression to estrogen independence. We have previously shown that several DNase I hypersensitive sites which correspond to potential regulatory regions reside within the EGFR gene first intron exclusively in hormone-independent breast cancer cells. CAT assays investigating the transcriptional activity of the first intron of EGFR indicate that a 140 bp region has an enhancer ability specifically in these hormone-independent breast cancer cells. The DNA–protein interaction that occurs in this enhancer was localized to a 35 bp region and displayed enhancer-like activity in the same hormone-independent breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the protein that binds to this 35 bp region seems to be ubiquitous in the cell lines tested but in higher abundance in high EGFR expressing cells. Identifying the specific regulatory elements involved in EGFR up–regulation could lead to the development of therapies for preventing and treating estrogen-independent breast cancer. J. Cell. Biochem. 80:538–549, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Phasic accumbal firing may contribute to the regulation of drug taking during intravenous cocaine self-administration sessions.

Recent studies have applied chronic extracellular recording techniques to the intravenous cocaine self-administration paradigm to investigate the neurophysiological mechanisms that contribute to drug taking (e.g., Refs. 1–4). Data of one study suggest that a large percentage of nucleus accumbens (NAcc) neurons exhibit a change in firing during limited-access (fixed-ratio 1) self-administration sessions that is both synchronized to the self-infusion behavior and has a time course comparable to the interval that elapses between successive self-infusions. A firing pattern with such a time course may be involved in the regulation of the self-infusion behavior (cf. Ref. 4). The focus of the present study was to further characterize neurons that exhibit this firing pattern.
Laissez-Faire Thought in Massachusetts, 1790–1880

This paper will deal not with the development, but rather with the lack of development of laissez-faire thought in Massachusetts during most of the nineteenth century. A common misconception of American economic thought, as of American economy, ascribes a continuous laissez-faire bent to policy in the United States. This misconception will be found not only in the pretty publications of the National Association of Manufacturers where it might be expected, but also in the serious works of our most careful scholars into which it obtrudes almost automatically. Thus Mr. Nef recently referred to laissez faire as “part of our national heritage.” Yet, in general, and specifically as applied to Massachusetts, this is completely erroneous.
Retroperitoneal approach to the intervertebral disc for the annular puncture model of intervertebral disc degeneration in the rabbit.

Abstract Background context The rabbit annular puncture model of degeneration is among the most widely used models of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. There are no published reports of the specific surgical technique used to produce this model. Purpose To describe the model in detail in an effort to reduce center-to-center variability and hopefully improve the reproducibility of future experimental results. Study design Technical report of surgical approach and experience. Patient sample New Zealand White Rabbits. Methods A detailed report of the annular puncture technique in rabbits is provided including preparation of the animals, instrumentation, a description of retroperitoneal approach to the lumbar area, and the technique for IVD injury. Common pitfalls and complications of the procedure are described. Conclusions The methods described can serve to standardize the implementation of this important preclinical model of disc degeneration.
Addressing common pediatric concerns through children's books.

1. Ellen C. Perrin, MD* 2. Susan Starr, MEd* 1. 2. *Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA. Books about common pediatric concerns read to or by children can serve several purposes: 1) provide accurate information, 2) normalize feelings and experiences, 3) facilitate conversations between parents and children about difficult topics, 4) help children develop strategies to cope with complex situations, and 5) develop understanding and empathy for children coping with a variety of circumstances. Our recommended list of books is based on how regularly we have received requests for book suggestions from parents, children, students, residents, and clinicians. There is a virtual explosion of books for children, and it is impossible to be inclusive either of all possible topics or of particular books within each topic. In some topic areas few books are available (eg, smoking); in others the vast array makes it very difficult and sometimes overwhelming to make a reasoned choice (eg, death or illness). An informal survey of community pediatricians yielded specific direction for the choice of topic areas. We have included books that address new babies, adoption, sibling rivalry/sibling love, puberty and sexuality, divorce, eating problems, learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, substance abuse, depression and mental illness, illness and disabilities, family violence, and death. Other topics deserve similar lists, such as descriptions of doctor and dentist visits and the process of physical examination, anatomy and physiology, child development, and specific parenting practices. We have not included videotapes or books in languages other than English. We have assembled a list of books that we think are among the best in each content area, although not necessarily the only excellent examples. We have included books appropriate for children of all ages and for the adults who care for them. Many of these books go out of print very quickly and may be accessed best through libraries. For the most current information, we suggest that …
Densification Behavior and Thermal Properties of Hafnium Diboride with the Addition of Boron Carbides

Densification behavior and thermal properties of hot-pressed HfB2–BxC particulate composites were studied. Boron carbide powders were synthesized throughout the homogeneity range (B4.3C–B˜10C) and beyond the carbon-saturated (B3C) and boron-saturated (B12C) limits for use as sintering additives in HfB2. Changes in the densification behavior of HfB2 were observed with changes in the B/C ratio of the boron carbide sintering additive. The most effective sintering additives were either the carbon or boron saturated boron carbides which produced composites with the highest relative densities. The improved densification behavior was caused by a combination of removal of surface oxides due to chemical reactivity and changes in the B- or Hf-vacancy concentration in the HfB2 matrix phase. Thermal conductivities of the ceramics were only affected slightly by boron carbide stoichiometry. Thermal conductivities of HfB2 with 10 mol% additions of boron carbides ranged from 114 to 131 W·(m·K)−1 at room temperature and from 87 to 93 W·(m·K)−1 at 1000°C. Measureable changes in composite thermal conductivity with composition were attributed to slight differences in hot-pressed densities that resulted from different boron carbide B/C stoichiometries.
Identification of Regions in the Receiver Domain of the ETHYLENE RESPONSE1 Ethylene Receptor of Arabidopsis Important for Functional Divergence

Ethylene influences the growth and development of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) via five receptor isoforms. However, the ETHYLENE RESPONSE1 (ETR1) ethylene receptor has unique, and sometimes contrasting, roles from the other receptor isoforms. Prior research indicates that the receiver domain of ETR1 is important for some of these noncanonical roles. We determined that the ETR1 receiver domain is not needed for ETR1’s predominant role in mediating responses to the ethylene antagonist, silver. To understand the structure-function relationship underlying the unique roles of the ETR1 receiver domain in the control of specific traits, we performed alanine-scanning mutagenesis. We chose amino acids that are poorly conserved and are in regions predicted to have altered tertiary structure compared with the receiver domains of the other two receptors that contain a receiver domain, ETR2 and ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE4. The effects of these mutants on various phenotypes were examined in transgenic, receptor-deficient Arabidopsis plants. Some traits, such as growth in air and growth recovery after the removal of ethylene, were unaffected by these mutations. By contrast, three mutations on one surface of the receiver domain rendered the transgene unable to rescue ethylene-stimulated nutations. Additionally, several mutations on another surface altered germination on salt. Some of these mutations conferred hyperfunctionality to ETR1 in the context of seed germination on salt, but not for other traits, that correlated with increased responsiveness to abscisic acid. Thus, the ETR1 receiver domain has multiple functions where different surfaces are involved in the control of different traits. Models are discussed for these observations.
Interpretation of Genetic Association Studies: Markers with Replicated Highly Significant Odds Ratios May Be Poor Classifiers

Recent successful discoveries of potentially causal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for complex diseases hold great promise, and commercialization of genomics in personalized medicine has already begun. The hope is that genetic testing will benefit patients and their families, and encourage positive lifestyle changes and guide clinical decisions. However, for many complex diseases, it is arguable whether the era of genomics in personalized medicine is here yet. We focus on the clinical validity of genetic testing with an emphasis on two popular statistical methods for evaluating markers. The two methods, logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, are applied to our age-related macular degeneration dataset. By using an additive model of the CFH, LOC387715, and C2 variants, the odds ratios are 2.9, 3.4, and 0.4, with p-values of 10(-13), 10(-13), and 10(-3), respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) is 0.79, but assuming prevalences of 15%, 5.5%, and 1.5% (which are realistic for age groups 80 y, 65 y, and 40 y and older, respectively), only 30%, 12%, and 3% of the group classified as high risk are cases. Additionally, we present examples for four other diseases for which strongly associated variants have been discovered. In type 2 diabetes, our classification model of 12 SNPs has an AUC of only 0.64, and two SNPs achieve an AUC of only 0.56 for prostate cancer. Nine SNPs were not sufficient to improve the discrimination power over that of nongenetic predictors for risk of cardiovascular events. Finally, in Crohn's disease, a model of five SNPs, one with a quite low odds ratio of 0.26, has an AUC of only 0.66. Our analyses and examples show that strong association, although very valuable for establishing etiological hypotheses, does not guarantee effective discrimination between cases and controls. The scientific community should be cautious to avoid overstating the value of association findings in terms of personalized medicine before their time.
Recognition of lexical stress in a continuous speech understanding system - A pattern recognition approach

Stress is one of the key components in human speech perception. Its uses extend from the phonetic level over the lexical to the syntactic and semantic level. Several methods have been developed in the past to detect stress automatically from the signal. This paper takes a pattern recognition approach to the the problem of stress detection. The algorithm presented has three key features: (1) optimal combination of the evidence obtained from the acoustic correlates of stress is achieved by means of a Bayesian classifier assuming multivariate Gaussian distributions; (2) the algorithm detects lexical stress in continuously spoken English utterances; (3) rather than making hard decisions, the algorithm returns probabilities for each syllable, i.e., a measure of stressedness. The algorithm was tested over 4 databases of differing continuous speech data. When a forced decision is imposed by setting a threshold at stress probability 0.5, error rates of 7.79% to 14.85% missed stresses were obtained. Unlike in other languages (such as Japanese), amplitude integrals are the strongest predictor of English stress. Performance results and an analysis of errors are presented.
Sources of Normativity: How Multicultural Values Emerge

(2003). Sources of Normativity: How Multicultural Values Emerge. The American Journal of Bioethics: Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 16-18.
Methodologies for evaluating the socio-economic consequences of large earthquakes

Abstract A comprehensive methodology for evaluating the socio‐economic impacts of large earthquakes was developed during a three‐year project carried out by a team of researchers assembled by the nonprofit organization California Universities for Research in Earthquake Engineering (CUREe). New models were developed for some of the methodology components, such as the identification and ranking of critical facilities. For other components, such as the estimation of building and lifeline component damage, existing models from the ATC‐13 and NIBS studies were adopted and modified for use within a GIS environment. The methodology was illustrated through a case study for the city of Palo Alto, California. Damage and loss estimates were made for several earthquake scenarios. Critical buildings were identified and the water distribution system for the city was analyzed in terms of its post‐earthquake service capacity. An analysis of the hospital facilities in Palo Alto was made to illustrate the use of benefit‐co...
Simultaneous induction of an HDL receptor protein (SR-BI) and the selective uptake of HDL-cholesteryl esters in a physiologically relevant steroidogenic cell model

This study addresses the question of whether the level of expression of SR-BI (an HDL receptor) is linked to the expression of selective lipoprotein-cholesteryl ester delivery in a steroidogenic cell model. Rat ovarian granulosa cells are physiologically normal cells which show no selective uptake of HDL-cholesteryl esters and no progestin production until luteinized by trophic hormones or adenylate cyclase stimulators, after which expression of the selective cholesterol pathway and production of steroid hormone is dramatically up-regulated. The current study demonstrates that at every cell stage studied, the protein content and level of expression of SR-BI mRNA are linked to changes that occur in HDL-cholesteryl ester uptake; i.e., SR-BI is not present in basal (non-luteinized) cells, develops slowly (from 6-9 h) after hormone treatment, increases robustly from 9-48 h after stimulation, and remains high after incubation with HDL. In contrast, another structural protein, caveolin, did not follow this pattern; caveolin expression showed an inverse relationship to selective cholesteryl ester uptake, and was most prominent in basal cells and least prominent in luteinized, HDL-incubated cells. Morphologically, SR-BI appears to be associated with cell surface sites showing high levels of cholesteryl ester uptake (after luteinization and/or incubation with HDL labeled with fluorescent cholesteryl esters), and at the electron microscope level, SR-BI is most clearly associated with microvillar regions on the cell surface which also bind HDL-labeled with colloidal gold. Thus, induction of the SR-BI receptor system and induction of the HDL-selective cholesterol uptake pathway in rat granulosa cells appear to be linked morphologically, biochemically, and functionally.
Applying Behavior Theories to Financial Behavior

This chapter discusses how two behavior theories can be applied to financial behavior research. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is a motivational theory designed to predict and understand human behavior. The transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM) is a multi-stage theory designed to guide people toward positive actions stage by stage. This chapter first discusses how to define financial behavior and then reviews the two theories and their applications to financial behavior. Finally, it discusses issues relevant to future research to better understand and predict financial behavior and to assist consumers to develop positive financial behaviors that improve their quality of life.
Accurate measurement of copper-67 in the presence of copper-64 contaminant using a dose calibrator

The use of 67 Cu-labeled antibodies for the treatment of cancer has advanced to the clinical trial phase. Quantitation of 67 Cu radiopharmaceuticals is complicated by the presence of the radioimpurity of 64 Cu in 67 Cu supplies. Here we report a method to assay 67 Cu and 64 Cu in a mixed sample with a commonly available instrument, the ionization chamber dose calibrator. Methods : The activities of 67 Cu and 64 Cu in a mixed sample can be calculated from a single-dose calibrator measurement. The calculation requires (1) instrument-specific response coefficients D 67 and D 64 , generated by gauging the instrument for the efficiency of measurement of 67 Cu and 64 Cu, and (2) a value for the ratio of 67 Cu to 64 Cu in the sample, routinely provided by major suppliers of 67 Cu. D 67 and D 64 were empirically determined by measuring samples containing known amounts of 67 Cu and 64 Cu. The samples were also assayed by gamma ray spectroscopy to verify the isotope ratios given by the suppliers. Results : This method generated accurate response coefficients. At the recommended dose calibrator setting for the measurement of 67 Cu, at which D 67 = 1.0, the measurement for D 67 with this method was 1.02 (± 0.04). Isotope ratios provided by the radionuclide suppliers were corroborated by gamma ray spectroscopy. Conclusion : A method is presented by which 67 Cu and 64 Cu in a mixed sample can be assayed using a dose calibrator. Although the derived numeric constants are only correct for a specific dose calibrator and setting, the method can be adapted for use with any dose calibrator.
SNAP Out of It: A Study of Low-Income Families’ Underutilization of Food Stamps

ABSTRACTThe secondary data analysis examined low-income families’ use of Food Stamps and how it related to receipt of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits and other financial help. It employed a nationally representative sample of 54,703 nonelderly adults extracted from a longitudinal data set. Results showed Food Stamps utilization to be associated positively with TANF receipt; in-kind assistance; child-support receipt; number of dependent children; and being African American, female, and disabled and associated negatively with financial support from relatives/friends, family earnings, metropolitan areas, education and occupational skill, age, and being married. The findings’ implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Interrelations Among Dissymmetries in SU 3 Supermultiplets

The mass splittings within the (unitary) supermultiplets of the strongly-interacting particles are studied in the octuplet model of ${\mathrm{SU}}_{3}$ symmetry. Using arguments based on the requirement of dynamical self-consistency, qualitative properties of the first-order perturbations in masses and coupling constants are studied in the ladder approximation. Further evidence for the origin of the particular type of dissymmetry leading to the Gell-Mann-Okubo mass formula and to isotopic spin symmetry is gotten through the relations between the dynamical effects in different supermultiplets. The observed mass splittings in the pseudoscalar meson, vector meson, and the \textonehalf{}(+) baryon octuplets, as well as in the $\frac{3}{2}(+)$ baryon decuplet, are compatible with the general features expected from first-order perturbations. Some higher order perturbations in the $\frac{3}{2}(+)$ decuplet are also discussed.
Productivity, wages and unions in Japan

This paper begins by providing the historical context for the study of the link between productivity and wages and the role of unions in Japan since 1980. Using quantitative data from a variety of surveys conducted by the Japanese Government and qualitative data from field research, it then documents significant changes in the nature of Japanese unions and Shunto wage bargaining and their role in generating the link between productivity and wages during Japan’s “Lost Decade” and subsequent quiet recovery. Wages did not lag behind productivity growth during the “Japanese Miracle” that preceded the “Lost Decade” thanks in part to the contribution of an effective neutral third-party institution trusted by all parties to the development of a share economy with strong cooperation between labour and management and a strong link between wages and productivity. During the “Lost Decade”, wages started to fall behind productivity growth, however. Negotiations over base wage increases (base-up) were less pervasive, and negotiations over bonuses took centre stage. The idea of establishing the market for annual wage settlements became less relevant, suggesting the diminishing value of the Shunto synchronization of wage negotiations. In the end, the Japanese bonus system proved to be less downward rigid than the base wage, and this downward flexibility of bonuses appears to be a major factor in lagging wages (along with an insufficient increase in the base wage when productivity rises). The possibility that the changing nature of Japanese enterprise unions was an underlying cause of lagging wages is explored, and policy implications are identified.
Stem Probe Spreading

The theoretical ideas for STEM probe spreading using spherical wave X-ray diffraction theory and expel imental results of diffractive probe spreading are briefly described. Clear evidence is found for two beam Bormann fan effects arising from nigh order diffracted beams.
Nonprofit Employees to their Bosses: It's Not About the Money!

As the nonprofit sector faces increasing demand for services at the same time as declines in funding and job satisfaction, leaders need to find leadership behaviors that can foster high motivation,...
Utilization of serum lipids by cultured mammalian cells.

Summary1) A variety of mammalian cells growing in tissue culture took up appreciable amounts of lipid from the serum used in the medium. For the MB III strain of mouse lymphoblasts, triglycerides were most rapidly utilized followed by phospholipids and thea cholesterol. This preferential utilization of triglycerides was also shown by 4 other cell strains. 2) The MB III cell utilized saturated and unsaturated lipids equally readily, and there was little net breakdown of lipid to satisfy cell energy requirements. There was however considerable conversion of triglycerides to phospholipid following absorption. 3) Cholesterol uptake appears to be a general phenomenon, and appreciable amounts ranging from 0.6% to 2.8% of the dry weight were found in all strains of cultured cells examined. Cholesterol content of cells was related to the type of serum used in the growth medium. 4) The composition of the lipid taken up by the cells differed markedly from that in the medium. This is discussed from the point of view...
Analysis of immune function in children with congenital heart diseases and its clinical significance

Objective To understand the immune function of children with left right shunt congenital heart disease (CHD).Methods The contents of immunoglobulin including IgG,IgA and IgM in serum were detected in 33 cases;the contents of T lymphocyte subset were detected in 17 cases.Results The levels of IgG,IgA,CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio significantly decreased (P0 05).The levels of IgM and CD3 had no significant difference in comparison with the normal children.Conclusion Patients with left right shunt CHD had immune dysfunction,which may be one of the reasons for frequent pneumonia.
Problems in submitting chronic toxicity study of the new traditional Chinese medicine

The problems in application data of chronic toxicity study of the new traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) were analyzed.We explained what the researcher should pay attention to,such as design of experiment,collection of information,detection index,histopathology,and analysis of result for chronic toxicity study.
Nightmares: Under-Reported, Undetected, and Therefore Untreated.

Objective:Nightmares are a robust and modifiable predictor of increased suicidality and poor psychiatric outcomes, yet nightmare screening and treatment remain rare, even in sleep centers. This pap...
Factors that predict success in CS1

To predict how well future CS1 students will do, we examine how well students have done in CS1 over the past two years, and look backward to see how they performed on various other indicators. We examine the correlation between 401 students' CS1 grades versus their grades in CS0, CS2, Calculus, a pre-CS1 lab, scores on programming and calculus assessments, the number of credits they have completed before taking CS1, and SAT math and overall scores. Our goal is to identify students who are at risk of being unsuccessful before they start CS1.
The effects of Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E. Br. extract fraction in the chick anxiety-depression model

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E. Br. has been reported to elevate mood, reduce anxiety and stress and alleviate pain. Aim of study This study sought to examine the effects of an S. tortuosum alkaloid enriched fraction in the chick anxiety-depression model, a model that shows high predictive validity as a pharmacological screening assay. Material and methods Socially-raised male Silver Laced Wyandotte chicks (4–6 days old) were given IP vehicle, imipramine (10 mg/kg), or S. tortuosum fraction (10, 20, 30 mg/kg in Exp. 1 or 50, 75, 100 mg/kg in Exp. 2) 15 min prior to a 60 min isolation test period in which distress vocalizations (DVoc) were continuously recorded. Results Vehicle chicks displayed high DVoc rates in the anxiety phase (first 3 min). DVoc rates declined about 50% (i.e., behavioral despair) in the depression phase (30–60 min). S. tortuosum fraction at 75 and 100 mg/kg decreased DVoc rates during the anxiety phase indicative of an anxiolytic effect. Imipramine, but not S. tortuosum groups, increased DVoc rates in the depression phase indicative of an antidepressant effect. Conclusions The findings suggest that an alkaloid enriched S. tortuosum fraction may benefit some forms of stress-related disorders.
Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus infection of SJL/J and C57BL/6J mice: Models for multiple sclerosis and epilepsy

Mouse models are great tools to study the mechanisms of disease development. Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus is used in two distinct viral infection mouse models to study the human diseases multiple sclerosis (MS) and epilepsy. Intracerebral (i.c.) infection of the SJL/J mouse strain results in persistent viral infection of the central nervous system and a MS-like disease, while i.c. infection of the C57BL/6J mouse strain results in acute seizures and epilepsy. Our understanding of how the immune system contributes to the development of two disparate diseases caused by the same virus is presented.
Drawing listener attention in popular music: Testing five musical features arising from the theory of attention economy:

Technological changes in the last 30 years have influenced the way we consume music, not only granting immediate access to a much larger collection of songs than ever before, but also allowing us to instantly skip songs. This new reality can be explained in terms of attention economy, which posits that attention is the currency of the information age, since it is both scarce and valuable. The purpose of these two studies is to examine whether popular music compositional practices have changed in the last 30 years in a way that is consistent with attention economy principles. In the first study, 303 U.S. top-10 singles from 1986 to 2015 were analyzed according to five parameters: number of words in title, main tempo, time before the voice enters, time before the title is mentioned, and self-focus in lyrical content. The results revealed that popular music has been changing in a way that favors attention grabbing, consistent with attention economy principles. In the second study, 60 popular songs from 2015 ...
Low noise ultrafast pulse generation and signal processing using semiconductor lasers

This talk covers novel techniques and applications of low noise ultrafast optical pulses and stabilized optical frequency combs. Applications are focused on photonic ultrawide-band signal processing, such as waveform generation and measurement, and matched filtering.
Xps Study of the Oxidation State of Uranium Dioxide

In this article we report an investigation of the oxidation state of uranium dioxide using X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and by comparing to results obtained in previous studies. We find that uranium dioxide in powder appears to share its six valence electrons with the oxygen atoms to form crystalline UO3.
Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO/CuO Vertically-aligned Hierarchical Tree-like Nanostructure

Vertically aligned ZnO nanowire-based tree-like structures with CuO branches were synthesized on the basis of a multistep seed-mediated hydrothermal approach. The nanotrees form a p–n junction at the branch/stem interface that facilitates charge separation upon illumination. Photoelectrochemical measurements in different solvents show that ZnO/CuO hierarchical nanostructures have enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to that of the nonhierarchical structure of ZnO/CuO, pure ZnO, and pure CuO nanoparticles. The combination of ZnO and CuO in tree-like nanostructures provides opportunities for the design of photoelectrochemical sensors, photocatalytic synthesis, and solar energy conversion.
Corn and soybean response to soil pH level and liming

Limestone application to raise soil pH is needed when the pH is too acidic to allow for optimum crop growth and yield. Some Iowa soils are naturally acidic, and others become acidic over time mainly due to sustained N application for corn with urea or ammonium-based products that acidify soils during the microbial transformation of ammonium to nitrate (nitrification). Soil pH decreases as the acidity increases because the pH measurement expresses acidity as the negative logarithm of H+ ion concentration. Alfalfa is the most sensitive crop to low pH grown in Iowa, while forage grasses are the least sensitive and corn and soybean are intermediate. Soil acidity can affect plant growth directly or indirectly by affecting the plant-availability of several nutrients, increasing levels of some elements to phytotoxic concentrations, and influencing microbial activity or other soil properties.
Cartel Attributes and Cartel Performance: The Impact of Trade Associations

This paper employs a cartel policy experiment, the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, to examine whether industries that have trade associations in place prior to cartelization were better able to attain collusive outcomes than otherwise. Trade associations could potentially help industries better formulate effective cartel rules and could help with monitoring. We find that industries with trade associations were more successful in achieving collusionâ€“proxied by either reductions in industry output or increases in industry pricesâ€“than those without. In fact, industries without trade associations were generally unable to successfully collude under the NIRA.
Adsorption of Ethane and Ethylene over 3D-Printed Ethane-Selective Monoliths

The use of paraffin-selective adsorbents in separation of paraffin/olefin pairs has been recently demonstrated as a sustainable platform for recovering a highly pure olefin product directly from the adsorption step. These materials allow for development of a less expensive and economically attractive technology for olefin/paraffin separation. Herein, we report formulation of paraffin-selective adsorbents into monolithic contactors and evaluation of their adsorptive performance in ethane/ethylene separation. More specifically, Ni(bdc)(ted)0.5 and ZIF-7 were used as ethane-selective adsorbents for development of monoliths via 3D printing. Their formulation was optimized according to printability of the extruded paste and mechanical stability of the final monolith piece. Through equilibrium and dynamic adsorption experiments, it was demonstrated that formulation of the adsorbents into monoliths does not adversely affect their separation efficiency, and the monoliths exhibit uptakes proportional to the adsorb...
Delayed intracranial aneurysm formation after cardiac myxoma resection: Report of two cases and review of the literature

Myxomas are slowly growing benign neoplasms and represent the most common tumor of the heart. Embolism from cardiac myxoma occurs in 30-45% of patients and in at least half of the cases cerebral arteries are affected leading mainly to embolic ischemic strokes and rarely to delayed intracranial aneurysm formation. We present two cases with delayed intracranial aneurysmal formation 14 years and 18 years after cardiac myxoma resection. To the best of our knowledge these two cases represent the longest time interval between aneurysm detection after complete cardiac myxoma resection with no recurrence confirmed by transesophageal echocardiogram. Our study also provides the longest clinical and radiological follow-up on this type of lesion.