cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Density‐dependent vulnerability of forest ecosystems to drought

Climate models predict increasing drought intensity and frequency for many regions, which may have negative consequences for tree recruitment, growth and mortality, as well as forest ecosystem services. Furthermore, practical strategies for minimizing vulnerability to drought are limited. Tree population density, a metric of tree abundance in a given area, is a primary driver of competitive intensity among trees, which influences tree growth and mortality. Manipulating tree population density may be a mechanism for moderating drought-induced stress and growth reductions, although the relationship between tree population density and tree drought vulnerability remains poorly quantified, especially across climatic gradients. In this study, we examined three long-term forest ecosystem experiments in two widely distributed North American pine species, ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa (Lawson & C. Lawson) and red pine Pinus resinosa (Aiton), to better elucidate the relationship between tree population density, growth and drought. These experiments span a broad latitude and aridity range and include tree population density treatments that have been purposefully maintained for several decades. We investigated how tree population density influenced resistance (growth during drought) and resilience (growth after drought compared to pre-drought growth) of stand-level growth during and after documented drought events. Our results show that relative tree population density was negatively related to drought resistance and resilience, indicating that trees growing at lower densities were less vulnerable to drought. This result was apparent in all three forest ecosystems, and was consistent across species, stand age and drought intensity. Synthesis and applications. Our results highlighted that managing pine forest ecosystems at low tree population density represents a promising adaptive strategy for reducing the adverse impacts of drought on forest growth in coming decades. Nonetheless, the broader applicability of our findings to other types of forest ecosystems merits additional investigation.
Oryzomys subflavus (Rato-de-cana; Rato vermelho)

Oryzomys subflavus presents a variation of the diploid number (2n=54, 55 and 56) due to a process of centric fusion.
Impact of CYP2D6 polymorphisms on endoxifen concentrations and breast cancer outcomes.

We investigated the impact of germline CYP2D6 genotyping done using the non-tumor specimen on endoxifen concentrations and/or clinical outcomes in breast cancer (BC) patients treated with tamoxifen in published studies. We evaluated published data from 13 001 patients in 29 studies. Mean±s.d. endoxifen concentrations were significantly lower in poor metabolizers (PM) versus extensive metabolizers (EM) (8.8±7.2 versus 22.3±11.8 ng ml−1; P<0.05). The PM status did not influence clinical outcomes in majority of the studies. However, only one study followed the Gaedigk activity scoring for phenotypic assignments, which predicted recurrence-free survival in CYP2D6 poor metabolizers. In two independent studies with 1676 patients, low endoxifen concentrations predicted poor BC-free survival. From our review of published data we found that standardization of CYP2D6 genotype-phenotype classification is needed in order to ensure effective evaluation of associations between CYP2D6 polymorphisms and endoxifen concentrations and BC outcomes. Universal implementation of this standardization classification system should be a priority among researchers and laboratories. Furthermore, additional clinical research is warranted to determine whether patients with CYP2D6 PM phenotypes or low endoxifen levels will have better clinical outcomes with increased tamoxifen dosing compared to standard dosing.
Design and Applications of Nanoparticles in Biomedical Imaging

173 Objectives: Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) is an oncogenic protein associated with multiple cancer types. FPX-01 is a novel IGF-1R directed radioimmunoconjugate containing the targeting antibody FPI-1175 (formerly AVE1642). Potential imaging (In-111) and therapeutic (Ac-225) forms of FPX-01 were subjected to biological evaluation in pre-clinical cancer models. Methods: The antibody was conjugated with a lysine directed bifunctional chelate containing a DOTA and radiolabeled with Ac-225, In-111, or Lu-177. In vitro binding and residualization studies (with [177Lu]-FPX-01) were conducted using a panel of cancer cell lines that express different levels of IGF-1R and was validated by immunoblotting. Comparative biodistribution studies were carried out using Colo-205 (colorectal cancer) xenograft bearing athymic nude mice. Results: Binding studies demonstrated high affinity (Kd of 0.7 - 3.0 nM) of [177Lu]-FPX-01 across 8 different IGF-1R expressing cell lines (from lung, pancreatic, prostate cancers) and the Bmax values correlated with IGF-1R expression levels determined by immunoblotting. Residualization assays revealed strong retention of internalized [177Lu]-FPX-01. [225Ac]-FPX-01 biodistribution data demonstrated high levels of uptake in Colo-205 xenografts (35.5 ± 4.2 %ID/g @ 168 h) and biphasic blood clearance with low radioimmunoconjugate uptake in normal organs (less than 5.2 %ID/g @ 168 h). Further studies showed that [111In] and [177Lu]-FPX-01 had equivalent biodistribution to [225Ac]-FPX-01 demonstrating comparability across multiple isotopes. Tumor uptake at 168 h for [111In] and [177Lu]-FPX-01 was 50.7 ± 8.7 and 45.3 ± 6.7 %ID/g respectively. Tumor uptake of [177Lu]-FPX-01 was blocked by excess native FPI-1175 mAb demonstrating the specificity of FPX-01 for its biological target. Conclusion: The utility of FPX-01 as a radiopharmaceutical with application for oncologic imaging and radiotherapy was demonstrated in a series of preclinical studies. [111In]-FPX-01 had equivalent biodistribution to [225Ac]-FPX-01 and is suitable for use as an imaging surrogate.
Language Contact, Inherited Similarity and Social Difference: The story of linguistic interaction in the Maya lowlands

This book offers a study of long-term, intensive language contact between more than a dozen Mayan languages spoken in the lowlands of Guatemala, Southern Mexico and Belize. It details the massive restructuring of syntactic and semantic organization, the calquing of grammatical patterns, and the direct borrowing of inflectional morphology, including, in some of these languages, the direct borrowing of even entire morphological paradigms. The in-depth analysis of contact among the genetically related Lowland Mayan languages presented in this volume serves as a highly relevant case for theoretical, historical, contact, typological, socio- and anthropological linguistics. This linguistically complex situation involves serious engagement with issues of methods for distinguishing contact-induced similarity from inherited similarity, the role of social and ideological variables in conditioning the outcomes of language contact, cross-linguistic tendencies in language contact, as well as the effect that inherited similarity can have on the processes and outcomes of language contact.
Comparison of Patient Outcome Measures between a Traditional Teaching Hospitalist Service and a Non-Teaching Hospitalist Service at an Academic Children's Hospital.

Background and objectives: Inpatient pediatric care is increasingly provided by pediatric hospitalists. This, in addition to changes in resident duty hour restrictions, has led to the creation of new models of care for inpatient pediatric patients. The objective of this study was to compare traditional outcome measures between a pediatric hospitalist-only service and a more traditional academic service in which care was provided by pediatric hospitalists, residents, and medical students. Attending physicians on the hospitalist-only service had an average of 1.7 years of post-residency experience compared to an average 16 years of experience for those working on the traditional academic service.Methods: This retrospective cohort study (hospitalist-only v. teaching service) used electronic medical records data of patients (n=1,059) admitted to a quaternary care, academic, children’s hospital in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania with diagnoses of bronchiolitis, viral syndrome, and gastroenteritis from July 2011 to June 2014. Primary outcome measures included length of stay, hospital costs, and readmission rates.Results: Patients with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis admitted to the hospitalist-only service had a significantly higher severity-of-illness-score than those admitted to the teaching service. A decreased length of stay and lower hospital costs were seen for patients admitted to the hospitalist-only service; however, these differences did not reach a level of statistical significance.Conclusion: There were no statistically significant differences in the outcome measures of patients with common pediatric illnesses admitted to a hospitalist-only versus a teaching hospitalist service. The model of a hospitalist-only service staffed by recent residency graduates may provide an efficient and effective model of care as patients admitted to this service had similar outcome measures to those patients cared for by more-experienced attending physicians.
Experimental signatures of direct-laser-acceleration-assisted laser wakefield acceleration

The direct laser acceleration (DLA) of electrons in a laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA) operating in the forced or quasi-blowout regimes has been investigated through experiment and simulation. When there is a significant overlap between the trapped electrons and the drive laser in a LWFA cavity, the resulting electrons can gain energy from both the LWFA and the DLA mechanisms. Experimental work investigates the properties of the electron beams produced in a LWFA with ionization injection by dispersing those beams in the direction perpendicular to the laser polarization. These electron beams show certain spectral features that are characteristic of DLA. These characteristic features are reproduced using particle-in-cell simulations, where particle tracking was used to elucidate the roles of LWFA and DLA to the energy gain of the electrons in this experimental regime and to demonstrate that such spectral features are definitive signatures of the presence of DLA in LWFA.
Alterations in Metabolic Status and Headshaking Behavior Following Intravenous Administration of Hypertonic Solutions in Horses with Trigeminal-Mediated Headshaking

Trigeminal-nerve-mediated headshaking represents a major welfare challenge for owners and veterinarians and is caused by a low threshold firing of the trigeminal nerve resulting in pain manifested as violent head jerking that often terminates the horse’s career and life due to poor quality of life and suffering. As metabolic changes such as acid–base status and electrolytes play a role in nerve firing, this study sought to assess the effects following administration of hypertonic solutions on headshaking behavior in affected horses. This prospective randomized controlled crossover design utilized six horses affected with trigeminal-mediated headshaking and three treatment groups receiving intravenous administration of 5% dextrose solution at 2 mL/kg bwt (DS), NaCl 7.5% at 4 mL/kg bwt (HS), or NaHCO3 8.4% at 2 mmol/kg bwt (HB). Horses were assessed for headshaking behavior changes at times T0 (baseline, before infusion) and T15, 30, 60, 120 min post infusion. Venous blood variables: pH, HCO3−, standard base excess (SBE), Na+, Cl−, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, total magnesium (tMg), glucose, and lactate were measured at T0 (baseline, before infusion) and T5, 15, 30, 60, 120 min post infusion. Strong ion difference (SID) and anion gap (AG) were calculated for each time point. With HB treatment, there was greater than 50% reduction in headshaking rate. There was an effect of time on increasing headshaking rate. There was an effect of breed on headshaking rate. Changes in blood parameters following DS were virtually absent. Infusion of HS caused mild changes and did not vary much from baseline except for SID and AG. Only infusion of HB caused blood pH and HCO3− to be outside of the physiologic range (alkalemia and metabolic alkalosis, respectively), SBE to double or triple, AG to decrease, and SID to increase compared to baseline. Infusion of DS was followed by increase in blood glucose and decrease in blood Na+. Infusion of HS was followed by increase in Na+ and Cl− and decrease in Mg2+. Infusion of HB was followed by decrease in Mg2+. Blood tMg, K+, and Ca2+ decreased slightly, but did not vary greatly from baseline following any of the treatments, remaining within physiologic ranges. Changes in blood composition were transient. Among all treatments, only HB had an effect on headshaking rate. The limited effects following these fluids were likely due to normal mechanisms of regulation of blood levels of pH and electrolytes. Further investigations of changes in electrolytes that might affect nerve firing should be explored.
Nitrogen fixation in periphyton of oligotrophic Lake Tahoe

Heterocystous blue-green algae dominate the biomass of the upper sublittoral (∼2–60 m) epilithic periphyton community in nitrogen deficient, oligotrophic Lake Tahoe. Representative genera are Calothrix, Tolypothrix, Nostoc and Scytonema. Samples obtained from three locations using SCUBA were assayed for N-fixation using the acetylene reduction technique. Seasonal rates ranged from 4–561 µgN m−2 h−1 with a distinct summer maximum and winter minimum. Laboratory experiments along with physico-chemical lake data suggest that temperature regulates the seasonal cycle of N-fixation. This community is perennial, actively fixes N throughout the entire year and is in sharp contrast to the ephemeral nature of planktonic N-fixers. The estimated loading rate of nitrogen resulting from periphyton N-fixation was 0.03 kg N ha−1 (of lake surface) yr−1, which is very small (<1%) in relation to other inputs of inorganic-N. The ability of this community to utilize atmospheric N2 appears to be a successful adaptive strategy for survival in N-deficient environments.
In situ measurement of residual stresses and elastic moduli in thermal sprayed coatings: Part 1: apparatus and analysis

Abstract Mechanical properties, such as residual stress and Young’s modulus, play a critical role in the synthesis and performance of thermally sprayed coatings. Thus, it is important to understand their evolution, the influence of processing parameters, and to be able to determine them accurately. The first part of this two-part paper presents a novel in situ curvature method for determination of stresses and Young’s modulus of plasma sprayed coatings. The principle of the method is explained, details of the instrument are provided and the analytical procedure is described. The capabilities of the method are discussed in detail, namely the ability to observe the stress evolution during the entire spraying process, to separate the quenching and thermal stress contributions to final residual stress and to determine the Young’s modulus of the coating. Brief examples of application are also included, and the potential for use of this method for process control of coating quality is addressed. In the second part, a case study for plasma sprayed molybdenum will be presented, focusing on the influence of the key processing parameters.
Prognostic factors for uterine adenosarcoma: a review.

Introduction: Uterine adenosarcoma is a rare tumor with both epithelial and stromal components. Standard treatment is total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. There is no d...
Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is the third most common urologic cancer. There are approximately 7,000 deaths annually due to this malignancy. In 1982, it is estimated that there will be 18,000 new cases identified. The disease is three times more common in males than females.
In-Hospital Outcomes of Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation and Concomitant Valvular Surgery

Valvular heart disease is common among left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients. However, its management at the time of LVAD implantation remains controversial. Patients who underwent LVAD implantation and concomitant aortic (AVR), mitral (MVR), or tricuspid valve (TVR) repair or replacement from 2010 to 2017 were identified using the national inpatient sample. End points were in-hospital outcomes, length of stay, and cost. Procedure-related complications were identified via ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding and analysis was performed via mixed effect models. A total of 25,171 weighted adults underwent LVAD implantation without valvular surgery, 1,329 had isolated TVR, 1,021 AVR, 377 MVR, and 615 had combined valvular surgery (411 had TVR + AVR, 115 TVR + MVR, 62 AVR + MVR, 25 AVR + MVR + TVR). During the study period, rates of AVR decreased and combined valvular surgeries increased. Patients who underwent TVR or combined valvular surgery had overall higher burden of co-morbidities than LVAD recipients with or without other valvular procedures. Postoperative bleeding was higher with AVR whereas acute kidney injury requiring dialysis was higher with TVR or combined valvular surgery. In-hospital mortality was higher with AVR, MVR, or combined surgery without differences in the rates of stroke. Length of stay did not differ significantly among groups but cost of hospitalization and nonroutine discharge rates were higher for cases of TVR and combined surgery. Approximately 1 in 9 LVAD recipients underwent concomitant valvular surgery and TVR was the most frequently performed procedure. In-hospital mortality and cost were lower among those who did not undergo valvular surgery.
Cf 252 Fission Neutron Spectrum from 0.003 to 15.0 MeV

The spontaneous-fission neutron spectrum of $^{252}\mathrm{Cf}$ has been measured from 0.003 to 15.0 MeV by time-of-flight techniques. A hydrogenous liquid scintillator was used as a detector at the higher energies, while a $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$-loaded glass scintillator was used at the lower energies. The measured spectrum has an average energy of 2.348 MeV. A Maxwellian distribution, $N(E)\ensuremath{\sim}{E}^{\frac{1}{2}}\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}\frac{E}{1.565})$, fits the data well for $0.5lEl10.0$ MeV. Below 0.1 MeV, $N(E)$ has a $\ensuremath{\surd}E$ dependence but with values \ensuremath{\sim}25% larger than those predicted by the extended Maxwellian spectrum. The results are interpreted in terms of a simplified evaporation model.
Nationwide Shortage of Albuterol Inhalers and Off-Label Use in COVID-19 Patients

The surge in COVID-19 cases during the 2020 Spring led to a nationwide shortage of albuterol inhalers. As a new surge has begun, shortages may make it difficult for patients with obstructive lung d...
National projections of time, cost and failure in implantable device identification: Consideration of unique device identification use.

Abstract Background U.S. health care is responding to significant regulation and meaningful incentives for higher quality care, patient safety, electronic documentation and data exchange. FDA’s Unique Device Identification (UDI) Rule, a relatively new regulation aligned with these goals, requires standard labeling of medical devices by manufacturers. This lays the foundation for UDI scanning and documentation in the electronic health record, expected to change the landscape of medical device identification and postmarket surveillance. Methods We developed national projections for time, cost and failure in implant identification prior to revision total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) using American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons 2012 membership survey data, Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2011 data and THA/TKA demand projection data. Results Our projections suggest that cumulative surgeon time spent identifying failed implants could reach 133,000 h in 2030, representing opportunity to perform over 500,000 15 min established patient office visits. Staff time could reach 220,000 h with a cost of $3.3 m. Failed implants that cannot be identified may be greater than 50,000 preoperatively and 25,000 intraoperatively in 2030. Conclusion Study projections indicate significant time, cost and inability to identify failed implants, supporting need for improvement of implant documentation. FDA’s UDI Rule sets the foundation for UDI scanning and documentation in the electronic health record, a process poised to serve as the standard system for device documentation.
Unvereinbarkeit im Status und in der Selbstachtung

Das Selbstachtungsgefuhl des einzelnen ist im wesentlichen ein Ergebnis der Befriedigungen, die man in den jeweiligen Phasen des Lebenszyklus erreichen konnte, und der Fahigkeit, auf Grund der bisher erhaltenen Befriedigungen vorwartszustreben und neuen Herausforderungen der Entwicklung entgegenzutreten. Mangelnde Befriedigung und die Unfahigkeit, auf die fur den betreffenden Lebensabschnitt nicht mehr geeigneten Befriedigungen zu verzichten, wachsen aus einer Verminderung des Selbstwertgefuhls und spiegeln diese wider.
Penalizing Punitive Damages: Why the Supreme Court Needs a Lesson in Law & Economics

Last fall’s landmark Supreme Court decision addressing punitive damages in the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill case has brought the issue of punitive awards back into the legal limelight. Modern Supreme Court jurisprudence, most notably BMW, State Farm, Philip Morris, and now Exxon Valdez in 2008, have concluded that such judgments are justified to punish morally reprehensible behavior and to 'send a message' to evildoers. However, the Court has increasingly emphasized that the U.S. Constitution’s Due Process Clause presumptively limits punitive awards, drawing an arbitrary line in the sand of no more than ten times actual damages. This paper critically examines modern punitive damages jurisprudence using a law & economics lens. From that standpoint, there is no justifiable basis for tort law’s requirement of morally reprehensible or intentional conduct before punitive damages may be awarded. Indeed, punitives should be imposed (nay, must for deterrence purposes) even in the absence of egregious behavior when a defendant has escaped liability previously, either intentionally or serendipitously. In this manner, the punitive award 'makes up' for the occasions in which the defendant avoided liability and failed to compensate victims for harm caused. On the other hand, sound economic analysis dictates that imposing enormous punitive damages simply because a tortfeasor’s behavior was morally offensive can inadvertently lead to overdeterrence, prices up beyond optimal, quantity of goods purchased far below optimal, and a significant reduction in overall social welfare. In sum, the Supreme Court must drastically revise its approach to punitive damages jurisprudence: such awards should not be arbitrarily based on a gut reaction to how 'reprehensibly' we feel a defendant acted. Rather, punitive damages should be granted only where tortfeasors have the potential to escape liability for their actions, and they should be awarded in that case even if the defendant in no way meets the modern requirements of egregious behavior necessary. Moreover, the Supreme Court’s arbitrary litmus Due Process test of 'ten times compensatory damages' as a ceiling on punitive damages makes zero sense from an economic analysis point of view, and needs to be summarily abolished.
Large scale calculations of core oscillations in globular clusters

Fokker-Planck simulations of the evolution of globular clusters containing binaries produced by two-body tidal captures and three-body interactions have been separately carried out. In both cases, the expansion phase following the first core collapse is found to be unstable when the codes are run with small time steps (of order the central relaxation time tro). Large amplitude highly nonlinear oscillations develop in the core structure parameters such as central density. The instability observed for the case of three-body binaries is quite similar to that found by Bettwieser and Sugimoto in several studies based on the fluid dynamical model for star clusters. Goodman (1986) has shown for the case of three-body binaries that the instability is intrinsic to the model rather than numerical in origin. A large-scale study of core oscillations is planned using the Cray X-MP at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.
Suprapubic Bladder Catheterization of Male Spinal-Cord–Injured Sprague–Dawley Rats

The rat spinal-cord–injury (SCI) model is widely used to study the pathologic mechanisms that contribute to sensory and motor dysfunction in humans. This model is thought to mimic many of the negative outcomes experienced by humans after spinal contusion injury. We theorized that manual bladder expression contributed to the kidney and bladder lesions reported in previous studies using the rat SCI model. In the present study, rats were surgically implanted with bladder catheters after spinal contusion injury to provide continuous drainage of urine. After 72 h, the rats were euthanized and their kidneys and bladders examined histologically. BUN, serum creatinine, and urine protein were compared at 0 and 72 h after surgery. Kidney and bladder lesions were similar in SCI rats with and without implanted bladder catheters. BUN at 72 h was higher than baseline values in both groups, whereas serum creatinine was higher at 72 h compared with baseline values only in the catheterized rats. These findings indicate that suprapubic bladder catheterization does not reduce hydronephrosis in SCI rats and that the standard of care for bladder evacuation should continue to be manual expression of urine.
Ethics and Power in Medieval English Reformist Writing

Introduction 1. Universalizing the practice of correction 2. Negotiating contrary things 3. Managing the rhetoric of reproof: the B-version of Piers Plowman 4. John Wyclif: disciplining the English clergy and the Pope 5. Wycliffites under oppression: fraternal correction as polemical weapon 6. Lancastrian reformist lives: toeing the line while stepping over it.
Evaluation of Satraplatin in Dogs with Spontaneously Occurring Malignant Tumors

Background: Satraplatin is the 1st orally bioavailable platinum anticancer drug. Objective: Our objectives were to evaluate efficacy in vitro against a canine cancer cell line, to determine the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of satraplatin in tumor-bearing dogs, to identify the dose-limiting and other toxicities in dogs, and to record pharmacokinetics (PK). Animals: Dogs with macro- or microscopic malignant neoplasia. Methods: D17 canine osteosarcoma cells first were evaluated in a clonogenic survival assay. Then, dogs with a diagnosis of malignant neoplasia were prospectively entered in standard 3 + 3 cohorts. Additional patients were entered at the MTD to assess efficacy. Total and free platinum (by ultrafiltrate) concentrations were determined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. Results: Satraplatin inhibited clonogenic survival in vitro at clinically relevant and achievable concentrations. Twenty-three dogs were treated, 14 with PK evaluation. The MTD was 35 mg/m2/d for 5 days, repeated every 3–4 weeks. Bioavailability was 41%. PK variables (mean ± SD) at the MTD included Tmax 1.8 (± 0.7) hours, Cmax 72 (± 26) ng/mL, area under concentration (AUC)0–24 h 316 (± 63) h × ng/mL, and MRT 7 (± 1.3) hours. Higher AUC after the 5th versus the 1st dose suggested drug accumulation. Interestingly, platelets consistently reached nadir sooner than did neutrophils (day 14 versus 19). Myelosuppression was dose-limiting and gastrointestinal toxicity was mild. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Satraplatin was well tolerated in tumor-bearing dogs, thus warranting further investigation in a phase II trial.
Capsule Commentary on Richman et al., Colorectal Cancer Screening in the Era of the Affordable Care Act

T he Affordable Care Act (ACA) included provisions that eliminated cost-sharing for preventive services recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force. In this issue of JGIM, Richland et al. present a timely assessment of how these changes in cost-sharing impacted colorectal cancer screening rates for Medicare beneficiaries. Using four years of self-reported data, the authors found that overall, the rate of colorectal screening has not changed. Still, they did find a modest but statistically significant increase in the screening rate among those with Medicare only (i.e., no private insurance) and those with income<125 % of the federal poverty level. Although the ultimate goal of the ACA provisions is to increase use of evidence-based preventive care, they can’t work unless patients understand their plan benefit structure. The authors note a recent survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2014, which found that only 43 % of Americans were aware that cost-sharing had been eliminated for these preventive services. It is likely that at the time of the Richland study, which used data through 2012, even fewer beneficiaries understood these cost-sharing exemptions. Limited consumer understanding of benefit likely limits the effectiveness of these types of policies in achieving their desired effect. Previous surveys have found that consumers in commercial health plans with similar cost-sharing exemptions for preventive services had limited knowledge of which services were subject to cost-sharing and frequently reported avoiding free preventive services care because of cost. When designing policies to promote use of certain services, it is important for policy makers to consider the trade-off between plan complexity and potential consumer confusion over benefits. The added complexity of exemptions can result in more confusion and misunderstanding over cost-sharing for all services. Policies that use differential cost-sharing by service should combine these changes with effective communication about plan benefits. To minimize potential confusion, the ACA did require that consumers receive a summary of benefits and coverage that is consistent across plans and ultimately easier for patients to understand. Nonetheless, results by Richland et al. suggest that more effective education and consumer decision support may be needed.
Fugitive Safe Surrender

By some estimates, more than 1 million active felony warrants exist in the United States, with each warrant increasing the potential for a dangerous confrontation between law enforcement and individuals in the community (Helland and Tabarrok, 2004). Even more misdemeanor warrants are outstanding. The exact number of outstanding felony and misdemeanor warrants in local jurisdictions is unknown; however, estimates suggest that in most states, the number of unserved warrants reaches into the
Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate and Alteration of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Morphology: a Rapid, Sensitive In Vitro Assay for the Enterotoxins of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli

The major limitation to our understanding of the clinical importance of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in diarrheal illness has been the lack of a simple rapid assay for the enterotoxin produced by certain E. coli. On the basis of the activation of adenylate cyclase by heat-labile enterotoxin of E. coli (LT) and by cholera toxin (CT) in intestinal and other tissues, cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with known morphological responses to dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) were exposed to these enterotoxins. Crude culture filtrates of LT-producing E. coli and CT stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation and cell elongation in CHO cells. The similarity of time course, concentration dependence, and potentiation by phosphodiesterase inhibitors suggested cyclic AMP mediation of the morphological change. Heat inactivated CT and LT in this system. Choleragenoid inhibited CT; antiserum against CT inhibited both enterotoxin effects. In contrast to culture filtrates of 16 strains of E. coli known to produce LT, culture filtrates from 13 E. coli that do not produce LT did not alter CHO cell morphology. The morphological change is a simple, specific assay for these enterotoxins and detect 3 x 10(-17) mol of CT or a 1:250 dilution of crude culture filtrate of LT-producing E. coli 334.
Biogeography of the Greater Antillean Mosses

The distinctions between dispersal and vicariance are discussed and shown how they relate to geological history. Postulated theories on the tectonic origins and history of the Greater Antilles are reviewed, as well as possible climatic events that would affect biogeography. Numerous zoological examples are presented to argue both dispersalist and vicariance viewpoints. It is proposed that the modern moss flora of the Greater Antilles is best explained primarily by dispersal events. Post-vicariant events, such as Pleistocene climate changes, would have extirpated the vast majority of mosses from the islands and even among those taxa that survived, disperal by the same taxa would have obscured their origins. It is assumed that many of the North American elements in the high elevations of Hispaniola are a result of invasions during the Pleistocene. The Andean elements are considered relatively recent dispersally derived taxa that have successfully colonized the Antilles because of ecologically compatible habitats.
Emulsifying Properties of Food Proteins: Bovine Mi cellar Casein

The capacity of micellar casein isolated from bovine milk to stabilize oil in water (0:w) emulsions was studied. Emulsion surface area per unit mass of protein, i.e., emulsifying activity (EA), was highest at a protein concentration of 1% and o:w ratio of 1:9. The surface concentration of micellar casein was related to the o:w ratio being highest at an o:w of 4:6. Interfacial surface area decreased at pH 6.7 reflecting micellar stability and improved with increasing pH apparently because of destabilization of the casein micelle. Emulsion stability was high when the EA was high. The apparent viscosity of the emulsions was inversely related to EA.
Goldreich's PRG: Evidence for Near-Optimal Polynomial Stretch

Furthering the study of cryptography in constant parallel time, we give new evidence for the security of Gold Reich's candidate pseudorandom generator with near-optimal, polynomial stretch. Our evidence consists both of security against sub exponential-time linear attacks as well as sub exponential-time attacks using SDP hierarchies such as Sherali-Adams+ and Lasserre/Parrilo. More specifically, instantiating Gold Reich's generator with the 5-ary "Tri-Sum-And" predicate, we get a candidate 5-local PRG which is secure against both linear attacks and attacks based on the Lasserre/Parrilo SDP hierarchy. Previous works with such small locality gave polynomially less stretch and were only shown to be secure against linear attacks. Our result is essentially optimal, as known SDP/spectral techniques show the generator would not be secure if its stretch was higher by any polynomial factor. More generally, we show that (a slight variant of) Gold Reich's generator can have stretch increasing with the degree of the smallest nonzero Fourier coefficient of the predicate while resisting sub exponential-time attacks based on the Sherali-Adams+ SDP hierarchy. Again, the dependence on the degree is (potentially) optimal due to known SDP/spectral methods which succeed at any polynomially higher stretch. Finally, for a large family of predicates we also extend this result to security against the much stronger Lasserre/Parrilo SDP hierarchy.
An explanation of bidder returns in corporate acquisitions: the case of Japanese acquisitions of U.S. firms

Abstract Over the past three decades researchers have found a dramatic drop in the returns generated by acquiring firms in domestic acquisitions, dropping to a level insignificantly different from zero during the 1980s. In this paper we find this not to be the case for Japanese firms that acquire domestic U.S. firms. Moreover, contrary to what has been found for domestic acquisitions, a positive relationship was found between free cash flow and the returns accrued by the Japanese acquiring firm. This result may be a result of the institutional participation in the management of Japanese firms playing a role in eliminating agency problems for them.
Mutant of Bacterium paracoli 5099 with an Altered DNA: Identification as a Flavobacterium

A difference in the base composition of the DNA of Bacterium paracoli 5099 and of a "mutant" (No. 1975) derived from it was found. This is in accordance with the finding of others. However, biochemical tests revealed that the "mutant" was a Flavobacterium, whereas the parent strain belonged to a species of Escherichia. The base composition of the DNA of the "mutant" is similar to that reported for the DNA of Flavobacterium.
Relationship Among Side Channels, Fish Assemblages, and Environmental Gradients in the Unimpounded Upper Mississippi River

ABSTRACT We analyzed fish abundance and environmental data collected over nine years from six side channels of the unimpounded upper Mississippi River between river km 46.7 and 128.7. A partial canonical correspondence analysis revealed differences in fish assemblages and environmental factors correlated with the six side channels. Fishes correlated with open side channels represented large river species tolerant of current and/or turbidity. Fishes correlated with closed side channels represented assemblages preferring either moderate to low turbidity/current or pools.
Sickle cell trait and the risk of venous thromboembolism among blacks

People with sickle cell disease have a chronically activated coagulation system and display hemostatic perturbations, but it is unknown whether they experience an increased risk of venous thromboembolism. We conducted a case-control study of venous thromboembolism that included 515 hospitalized black patients and 555 black controls obtained from medical clinics. All subjects were assayed for hemoglobin S and hemoglobin C genotypes. The prevalence of the S allele was 0.070 and 0.032 for case patients and controls, respectively (P < .001). The odds that a patient had sickle cell trait were approximately twice that of a control, indicating that the risk of venous thromboembolism is increased approximately 2-fold among blacks with sickle cell trait compared with those with the wild-type genotype (odds ratio = 1.8 with 95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.9). The odds ratio for pulmonary embolism and sickle cell trait was higher, 3.9 (2.2-6.9). The prevalence of sickle cell disease was also increased among case patients compared with controls. We conclude that sickle cell trait is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism and that the proportion of venous thromboembolism among blacks attributable to the mutation is approximately 7%.
Treatment of Bronchopleural Fistula during Continuous Positive Pressure Ventilation

Pneumothorax as a complication of continuous positive pressure ventilation may result in the formation of bronchopleural fistula. If positive end-expiratory pressure cannot be sustained, the functional residual capacity and the ratio of alveolar ventilation to perfusion may decrease, and pulmonary gas exchange may be severely impaired. Recommended therapy includes removal of positive airway pressure and institution of negative intrapleural pressure via thoracostomy tube, but this may cause severe hypoxemia in patients with acute respiratory failure in spite of potentially toxic inspired oxygen concentrations. We applied positive intrapleural pressure equal to the end-expiratory airway pressure of three patients who developed bronchopleural fistula during therapy for acute respiratory failure. Positive intrapleural pressure facilitated resolution of the bronchopleural fistula in each case.
Secretion of melanin-concentrating hormone and neuropeptide-EI from cultured rat hypothalamic cells.

Rat melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a homolog of the peptide first isolated from salmon pituitary glands which produces melanosome aggregation within melanophores of teleost fish as well as interacting with the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. We have previously characterized the rat and human MCH counterparts as identical 19-amino acid peptides showing approximately 70% peptide sequence identity to salmon MCH. Immunoreactivity for MCH has been found in high concentrations within cell bodies of the dorsolateral hypothalamus, with projections to the hippocampus, brainstem, posterior pituitary, and cerebral cortex. We have adapted a cultured cell model for studying MCH secretory responses of hypothalamic cells obtained from 7-day-old rats. MCH and the MCH precursor-derived peptide neuropeptide glutamic acid isoleucine (NEI) were secreted from these cells after 2 days of culture and for up to 22-24 days of culture. The secreted peptides were confirmed by HPLC analysis and RIA to be identical to MCH isolat...
Isomer shifts of the 6.25 γ rays of 181Ta

Abstract Large isomer shifts in the Mossbauer absorption line of the 6.25 keV γ rays of 181 Ta were observed with sources of 181 W diffused into single crystals of Mo, Nb, Ir, Pt, W and Ta and absorbers of Ta metal and KTaO 3 .
Electronic structure of N,N-dimethylnitramine and N,N-dimethylnitrosamine from X-ray and UV electron spectroscopy

Abstract The electronic structure of N,N-dimethylnitranine. (CH3)2NNO2, and N,N,-dimethylnitrosamine, (CH3)2NNO, has been investigated through the use of electron spectroscopy and quantum chemical methods. Experimentally, the electron spectra of (CH3)2NNO2 and (CH3)2NNO were measured in the valence region on the gas phase molecules using UV (HeI and He II) radiation and in the valence and core regions on the solid materials (frozen at 170 K) using X-radiation (AlKα). Theoretically, the results of INDO and MWH Extended Hucket MO calculations are used for spectral interpretation. The semi-empirical potential model of Ellison is used for predicting is chemical shifts. The results of this investigation exemplify how the UV and X-ray electron spectroscopy techniques are symbiotic and how application of the two techniques along with the use of quantum chemical methods provide unique information about electronic structures.
Carbonate deposition and facies distribution in a central Michigan marl lake

Relatively pure lacustrine carbonates referred to as marl are being deposited in Littlefield Lake, central Michigan, a hard-water lake with little terrigenous clastic influx. Thick accumulations of marl form both progradational marl benches along lake margins, and islands or lakemounts in the lake centre. Marl benches develop flat plalforms up to 20 in wide in very shallow water and steeply inclined slopes, LIP to 30, extending into deep water. The flat landward platform is frequently covered by algal pisoliths while the upper portion of the lakeward-sloping bottom is overgrown by Chqra which in the summertime becomes thickly encrusted with low-magnesian calcite. Marl islands are flat-topped features that formed over relict highs on Pleistocene drift which underlies the lake basin. These are fringed by marl benches identical to those found along lake margins. Marl benches are composed of four units: two thin facies deposited on the shallow-water bench platform and two thicker faces deposited on the bench slope developed in moderate water depths. These in turn overlie a fifth facies deposited in deep water. A coarsening-upward sequence is developed in these sediments as a result of both mechanical sorting, and primary production of carbonate sand and gravel in shallow water. In addition to facies sequences and size grading, trends upsection of increasing carbonate content and decreasing insoluble content may serve to identify temperate-region lacustrine carbonate deposits in the rock record.
TU-C-BRB-01: Commissioning and Characterization of a Dual Gantry Image Guided Orthovoltage Micro Irradiator for Preclinical Small Animal Radiobiological Experiments

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to accurately commission and characterize our small animalimage guided micro irradiator, the microIGRT, for preclinical translational radiobiological research. The microIGRT has a dual gantry architecture with a microCT subsystem gantry for low dose high resolution anatomical imaging and treatment planning, and a second coaxial microRT subsystem gantry for conformal image guided orthovoltage irradiation. Methods: The microCT image resolution, contrast, and dose were evaluated with specialized phantoms and animal models. The micro RT subsystem percent depth dose, beam profile, multibeam irradiation precision and conformality, animal repositioning accuracy, mechanical resolution, and dosimetric accuracy were measured using specialized phantoms equipped with radiochromic film. For each measurement, results were compared with standards adapted from external beam Linac and patient quality assurance protocols scaled to animal dimensions and orthovoltage energies. Results: The microCT dose is 4.15 cGy/scan for 100 um imaging resolution, up to 33.2 cGy/scan for 800 um imaging resolution. The percent depth dose for a 300 kVp beam with 3.8 mm of Cu HVL is 2.7 cGy/mm with a buildup of 2.8 mm. A 1 cm2 standard square field has a 265 um penumbra, 7% homogeneity, and 9% symmetry. Anatomical positioning is within 500 um for fractionated treatments and multibeam isocentric irradiation central axis uncertainty is within a 150 um radius for three, four, and five coplanar beam treatments. Conclusions: We characterized the small animal microIGRT developed by our group to provide complete parameterization of the instrument's imaging and treatment capabilities. Anatomical imaging, irradiation distributions, and beam dosimetry indicate that our system satisfies requirements established by scaling clinical imaging and radiotherapy protocols to animal models to perform clinically relevant translational radiobiological experiments.
Effect of flux creep on the temperature dependence of the current density in Y-Ba-Cu-O crystals.

Temperature-dependent critical current density and normalized flux-creep rate, together with the current dependence of the vortex pinning energy, were studied in as-grown and proton-irradiated Y-Ba-Cu-O crystals. A consistent interpretation is found within the collective-pinning or vortex-glass models.
Database tools for integrating and searching membrane property data correlated with neuronal morphology

Abstract A critical problem in neuroscience is the lack of database tools for integrating neuronal property data. We report here the development of a combined object oriented-relational database (NeuronDB, http://senselab.med.yale.edu/neurondb) that meets these needs by providing tools for integrating data within neurons and comparing data across neurons. It focuses on three types of neuronal properties—voltage-gated channels, neurotransmitter receptors, and neurotransmitters. The data are organized in relation to different regions of neurons as represented in canonical forms; using simple canonical models of complex cells as a vehicle for indexing information permits the database to be searchable across different neurons. Using these multidimensional search tools, users can locate specific properties in specific regions of a neuron; obtain integrated summaries of all properties within a region; and carry out searches to compare properties across equivalent compartments in different neurons. These tools thus permit searches of the multidimensional neuron property space equivalent to homology searches of sequence databases. NeuronDB is accessible over the Internet; it provides immediate links to citation indexes and abstracts supporting the deposited data, and annotations that indicate the state of acceptance of the data. Users are encouraged to contribute data. The ability to input the data from NeuronDB directly to NEURON and GENESIS is being developed. As a shared Web resource, NeuronDB should enhance the efforts of neuroscientists and neuronal modellers to analyze and compare the functional operations of different types of neurons.
Fast transforms for decoding Reed-Solomon codes

In the paper it is shown that the Chinese remainder theorem when coupled with a modification of Winograd's method can be used to compute Fourier-like transforms over GF (s super m), where m = 2, 3, . . . , 8. These new transform techniques are to decode Reed-Solomon codes of block length 2 super m -1. The results are shown to be more efficient than the more conventional method.