cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Constitutional limitation on local indebtedness in New York state

Many proposals relating to debt limit provisions in state's basic law presented to the constitutional convention now meeting in Albany.
Potential applications of a dual-sweep streak camera system for characterizing particle and photon beams of VUV, XUV, and X-ray FELs☆

Abstract Initial tests of a dual-sweep streak system whose vacuum interface and Au photocathode would allow time-resolved measurements from the visible to the X-ray photon regime are presented. Although selected to support the diagnostics of the Advanced Photon Source (APS), this type of system could also address the micropulse phenomena of the next generation of FELs whose lasing wavelengths are projected in the VUV, XUV, and even the X-ray regime. First results at 248 nm on the photoelectric injector drive laser at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) are presented, and the scaling on time resolution into the X-ray regime is addressed. The system has capabilities that could support benchmark experiments in the path to UV/X-ray FELs.
High-speed focusing of light through dynamic turbid media

We demonstrate a high-speed phase-control holographic technique to focus light through temporally dynamic scattering media. The system generates computer-generated holograms implemented via a binary amplitude deformable mirror device.
Play and the Peer Culture: Play Styles and Object Use

Abstract In this paper, children's play and friendship in relation to the peer culture was examined from, an ethnographic perspective. Because the majority of interactions in the preschool take place during play, a unique view of the classroom may be obtained by examining the social dynamics of play in the peer culture. This view is based on the assumption that classroom life is at least partially constructed and negotiated through the peer culture. Nineteen children ages three to five, enrolled in a university preschool, were observed and data were collected through extensive videotaping and daily field notes taken by participant observers. Analysis of the data for the first five weeks of school consisted of identifying patterns of object use and types of play styles through the construction of a domain analysis (Spradley, 1980). The findings suggest that, first, the peer culture is not a unitary whole but rather a differentiated social system comprised of various groups and different types of players. S...
Constructing status injective graphs

The status, or distance sum, of a given vertex v in a graph is defined by s(v) = ∑_(u ≠ v)d(u, v) where d(u, v) is the distance from a vertex u to v. We show that every graph is the induced subgraph of a graph whose vertices all have distinct stati. Using this result we then construct a family of graphs which have consecutive integers for their stati. This settles the question raised by Harary and Buckley about whether there exist graphs whose stati are consecutive integers. We also use the above constructions to find families of non-isomorphic graphs with the same stati.
Focus of attention in a neural network using meta knowledge

An aspect that appears to be of great importance in human decision making is focus of attention. This focus determines the level of detail that should be considered in addressing the current situation. Classification neural networks as they currently exist generally rely on building an overall model based on the data presented. Implementation of a level of detail structure depends on hierarchical modeling. Neural networks at each level of detail must be trained separately, with each requiring different data sets for training and testing. In addition, a method for deciding which level is appropriate must be developed. In the work described in this paper, meta knowledge, a technique derived from knowledge-based reasoning, is used for transition between multiple levels. The meta knowledge described internally structures transitions among the neural network layers.
Expression of porcine adipocyte transcripts during differentiation in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract Transcript concentrations for the transcription factors, CCAAT enhancer binding protein β and α (C/EBPβ and C/EBPα), plus the adipocyte-characteristic proteins, fatty acid synthase (FAS), glucose transporter 4 (Glut 4), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), insulin receptor (InsR), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and leptin were measured during differentiation of porcine stromal-vascular (S/V) cells in vitro. These same transcripts, excluding FAS and InsR, were measured in porcine adipose tissue from birth to 7 weeks of age. In S/V cells, C/EBPβ and InsR were continuously elevated. At day 0, C/EBPα was ≈20% of the day 9 value. The LPL increased gradually from day 0 to 9, whereas most other transcripts had a lag period of several days. In tissue, C/EBPβ was substantial at birth and increased gradually. The C/EBPα was relatively low at birth and increased at day 17. The LPL and leptin increased continuously. The Glut 4 was low at birth and increased at day 28. The HSL was relatively low at birth, increased at day 10, and plateaued at day 28. Transcripts in porcine S/V cells develop somewhat differently from adipocyte differentiation models established in clonal cells, but the porcine cells represent a model that should be more applicable to pigs.
Eliminating membrane depolarization caused by the Alzheimer peptide Aβ(1–42, aggr.)

Abstract A high-throughput screen found compounds that eliminate the dramatic membrane depolarization caused by the aggregated Alzheimer Aβ1–42 peptide, which activates mGluR1 receptors. The library was composed of known biologically active compounds; the cell-based assay measured the changes of membrane potential with a slow-acting voltage-sensitive dye. We found 10 potentially useful compounds, some of which reduce the Aβ-induced membrane depolarization up to 96%. Interestingly, the active compounds include specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors and inhibitors of certain chloride channels. We deduce that mGluR1 receptors, activated by Aβ1–42 or otherwise, can control the membrane potential via downstream activation of certain tyrosine kinases and certain ion channels. Dopaminergic and serotonergic agonists that emerged from the screen presumably compensate for the Aβ-induced membrane depolarization by themselves causing a hyperpolarization. The hit compounds, whose pharmacokinetics are known, show promise for the restoration of cognitive function in the treatment of early and mid-stage Alzheimer's disease.
Effect of processing soybeans on their use by calves.

Abstract Full-fat soybeans processed by grinding, roasting, or heating by microwave were used to supply the protein in rations fed Holstein calves. Nitrogen digestibilities of the nations were not significantly different. Nitrogen retention for the roasted soybean ration was higher than that of raw or microwave-heated soybean rations. Nitrogen solubility of the roasted soybeans was lower than that of the other soybeans. Protein hydrolysis, as measured by a new in vitro technique, was higher for the roasted soybeans than for the raw or microwave-heated beans. There were no significant differences in the digestibilities of dry matter, ether extract, or nitrogen free extract among the three rations. Digestibility of crude fiber was lower for the roasted ration than for the other rations.
A value-satisfaction taxonomy of IS effectiveness (VSTISE): A case study of user satisfaction with IS and user-perceived value of IS

Information Systems (IS) effectiveness has been studied over the past three decades, with user satisfaction utilized as a key measure. However, very little attention has been given to the role of user-perceived cognitive value of IS in measuring the effectiveness of such systems. Therefore, this article defines and articulates user-perceived value of IS as an important construct for IS research, not from the financial or â€˜net benefitâ€™ perspective to the organization, rather from the cognitive perspective. Following literature review, a new taxonomy of IS effectiveness, Value-Satisfaction Taxonomy of IS Effectiveness (VSTISE), is presented. The VSTISE posits four quadrants to indicate level of user-perceived IS effectiveness: improvement, effective, misleading, and ineffective. A case study using the proposed VSTISE is discussed. Results based on the 192 responses identify several problematic system characteristics that warrant additional investigation for their limited IS effectiveness. Finally, recommendations for research and practice are provided.
On the roots of the orthogonal polynomials and residual polynomials associated with a conjugate gradient method

In this paper we explore two sets of polynomials, the orthogonal polynomials and the residual polynomials, associated with a preconditioned conjugate gradient iteration for the solution of the linear system Ax = b. In the context of preconditioning by the matrix C, we show that the roots of the orthogonal polynomials, also known as generalized Ritz values, are the eigenvalues of an orthogonal section of the matrix C A while the roots of the residual polynomials, also known as pseudo-Ritz values (or roots of kernel polynomials), are the reciprocals of the eigenvalues of an orthogonal section of the matrix (C A)−1. When C A is selfadjoint positive definite, this distinction is minimal, but for the indefinite or nonselfadjoint case this distinction becomes important. We use these two sets of roots to form possibly nonconvex regions in the complex plane that describe the spectrum of C A.
Regulation of replication timing in fission yeast

Here we report the first characterization of replication timing and its regulation in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We used three different synchronization methods: centrifugal elutriation, cdc10 temperature-shift and release, and starvation for deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) by treatment with hydroxyurea (HU) followed by removal of HU, to study the times when specific autonomously replicating sequence elements (ARS elements; potential replication origins) replicate during S phase. We found that individual ARS elements replicate at characteristic times, some early and some late, independently of synchronization method. In wild-type cells treated with HU, early ARS elements replicated but late ones did not. However, in HU-treated mutant cells lacking the Rad3 (similar to human ATR and ATM) or Cds1 (similar to human CHK2) checkpoint kinase, both early and late ARS elements were able to replicate. Thus under conditions of dNTP starvation the Rad3 and Cds1 kinases are needed to suppress the replication of normally late-replicating regions.
The optimisation of a murine TNF-alpha ELISA and the application of the method to other murine cytokines

Abstract Cytokines occur in biological systems at low levels of concentration, therefore assays developed to measure them must be very sensitive. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA's) developed using manufacturers recommended end points can detect cytokines to picogram levels but the lower parts of their standard curves can be unreliable. in this study the relative merits of different substrate systems - 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2 forms of tetramethyl benzidine (TMB), were investigated with regard to assay sensitivity. Further, a signal amplification method involving biotinylated tyramine has been used to increase the absorbance signal and thus the assay sensitivity and to achieve a sigmoidal standard curve. the amplified assay approach has been applied successfully to achieve more sensitive detection of TNF-α and improve the sensitivity of assays for a wide range of other cytokines. the optimised amplification method is the same for all the cytokine ELISA's p...
Psychometric vs. C-OAR-SE measures of brand love: A reply to Rossiter

Rossiter (Marketing Lett 23: 905–916, 2012) provides a critique of the brand love measure from Batra et al. (J Marketing 76: 1–16, 2012) and offers a new measure of brand love to be used in its stead. In this reply, we argue that our measure is more consistent with the best available understanding on love and brand love. We also note several serious problems in the underlying definition of love used by Rossiter and problems in the way his definition is operationalized in his measure.
Communicative gestures and early sign language acquisition

The gestural (non-sign) communication and symbolic functioning of 13 children who were acquiring Amercian Sign Language as a first language were compared with existing data for children learning a spoken language. Two communicative gestures, Giving and Com municative Pointing, were the strongest gestural correlates of lexicon size for both spoken and sign languages. However, whereas first referential words typically appear after the onset of Giving and Pointing, the initial sign productions of the children in the present study preceded the onset of Giving and Pointing. These children also attained various linguistic milestones at earlier levels of symbolic play maturity than did children learning to speak. These results suggest that the early stages of the acquisition of a visuomotor language and a spoken language emerge from the same communicative bases, but that certain linguistic capacities may be present earlier than generally has been recognized.
Oxypurinol as an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase-catalyzed production of superoxide radical

A recent study of the mechanism by which oxypurinol inhibits uric acid generation [T. Spector, W. W. Hall and T. A. Krenitsky, Biochem. Pharmac. 35, 3109(1986)] showed that xanthine is ineffective in impeding the binding of oxypurinol to reduced xanthine oxidase. This study prompted the present hypothesis that, at elevated concentrations of substrates, oxypurinol would be superior to allopurinol as an inhibitor of the xanthine oxidase-catalyzed production of superoxide radical. It was found that the potency of allopurinol was attenuated by elevated concentrations of xanthine and hypoxanthine, whereas the potency of oxypurinol was relatively unaffected. Oxypurinol produced immediate inhibition of superoxide radical production as well as progressive inhibition with time. In contrast, allopurinol, which is also a substrate for xanthine oxidase, produced very little immediate inhibition and caused progressive inhibition only after conversion to oxypurinol. The theoretical advantages of treating ischemic tissues with oxypurinol are discussed.
The Effects of Helping and Focus of Attention on Mood States

In this study helping behavior was predicted to have either a positive or negative impact on mood, depending on how it affects the helper's focus of attention. When a helping act focuses attention away from the conditions producing the initial mood, the initial mood is weakened. Alternatively, when a helping act focuses attention on the conditions producing the initial mood, the initial mood is either maintained or strengthened. To test this hypothesis, positive and negative moods in connection with either self or other focus were created: Participants focused their attention on positive or negative statements about themselves or about friends. Participants then performed a task that either helped themselves (focused attention on themselves) or helped others (focused attention on others). The predicted three-way interaction was obtained. Helping another decreased the strength of self-focused moods and increased the strength of other-focused moods. Alternatively, helping oneself increased the strength of s...
Involvement of upstream stimulatory factors 1 and 2 in RANKL-induced transcription of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase gene during osteoclast differentiation.

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) plays an important role in bone resorption. TRAP expression in osteoclasts is regulated by receptor activator of NF-κB (RANKL), a potent activator of osteoclast differentiation. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the RANKL-induced TRAP expression remains unknown. Here we show that two regions in the mouse TRAP promoter (one at –1858 to –1239 and the other at –1239 to –1039, relative to the translation start site) are implicated in RANKL-induced TRAP transcription in RAW264.7 cells. A detailed characterization of the region at –1239 to –1039 identifies a 12-bp sequence, AGCCACGTGGTG, that specifically binds nuclear proteins from RAW264.7 cells and primary bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Moreover, the binding is significantly enhanced in EMSA with nuclear extracts from RANKL-treated RAW264.7 cells and BMMs, suggesting that the 12-bp sequence may be involved in RANKL-induced TRAP transcription. Various assays reveal that nuclear proteins binding to the 12-bp sequence are upstream stimulatory factors (USF) 1 and 2. Importantly, mutation of the USF-binding site partially blocks RANKL-induced TRAP transcription in RAW264.7 cells, confirming that USF1 and USF2 are functionally involved in RANKL-induced TRAP transcription. In summary, our data show that USF1 and USF2 play a functional role in RANKL-dependent TRAP expression during osteoclast differentiation.
Peristaltic pumping with long wavelengths at low Reynolds number

Pumping by means of an infinite train of peristaltic waves is investigated under conditions for which the relevant Reynolds number is small enough for inertial effects to be negligible and the wavelength to diameter ratio is large enough for the pressure to be considered uniform over the cross-section. Theoretical results are presented for both plane and axisymmetric geometries, and for amplitude ratios ranging from zero to full occlusion. For a given amplitude ratio, the theoretical pressure rise per wavelength decreases linearly with increasing time-mean flow. An experiment with a quasi-two-dimensional apparatus confirmed the theoretical values.Calculations of the detailed fluid motions reveal that under many conditions of operation the net time-mean flow is the algebraic difference between a forward time-mean flow in the core of the tube and a backward (‘reflux’) time-mean flow near the periphery. The percentage of reflux flow can be very high. This reflux phenomenon is probably of physiologic significance in the functioning of the ureter and the gastro-intestinal system. A second fluid-mechanical peculiarity with physiological implications is that of ‘trapping’: under certain conditions an internally circulating bolus of fluid, lying about the axis, is transported with the wave speed as though it were trapped by the wave.
A laboratory experiment demonstrating the dynamic character of membranes

An experiment demonstrating changes in the fatty acid composition of bacterial membranes from bacteria grown at 22 and 373 Ci s described. The changes in composition con"rm expected generalizations. The isolation method is simple and provides samples of fatty acid methyl esters ready for gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis within about 1.5 h. Analysis by GC-MS involves the use of a computer library for fatty acid methyl ester identi"cation and takes an additional hour. The experiment can easily be adapted to study other factors that in#uence membrane composition. ( 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Prediction and prevention of sudden cardiac arrest: lessons learned in schools.

Prediction and prevention of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) remains one of the great challenges of contemporary cardiology. As the most common cause of death in the United States, SCA accounts for an estimated 350 000 deaths annually and represents a leading cause of disability and healthcare costs.1,2 Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation are essential steps in resuscitation of individuals with the life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias that most commonly cause SCA.3–10 In an effort to improve survival from cardiac arrest, public access to defibrillation (PAD) programs have promoted the chain-of-survival concept with sequential steps in the prehospital phase that result in improved survival.11 These interventions include rapid access to emergency medical services by calling 911, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation when indicated, and initiation of advanced medical care.11 Survival depends directly on the time to defibrillation, and early defibrillation has emerged as the most important intervention, with survival decreasing by 10% with each minute of delay in defibrillation.12,13 Articles pp 1374 and 1380 A confluence of multiple factors over the last several years has resulted in the coming of age of PAD programs. Among these is the recognition that incorporation of the automated external defibrillator (AED) into the chain of survival shortens time to definitive therapy and improves survival.3–13 Good Samaritan laws, passed in all 50 states, are supplemented by the federal Cardiac Arrest Survival Act and provide broad-based legal immunity for those purchasing or using an AED.14 At the same, there has been a growing recognition that not providing access to an AED as a prudent measure of public protection may subject one to liability in public locations.14 Finally, a substantial body of robust clinical data, including multiple prospective randomized trials and a meta-analysis, support incorporation of the AED into PAD programs.2–13 Interest …
Redox Active Ordered Arrays via Metal Initiated Self-Assembly of Terpyridine Based Ligands †

The interfacial reaction of terpyridyl-pendant poly-amido amine (PAMAM) dendrimers (dend-n-tpy; n = 4, 8, 32) and of bis-terpyridine containing bridging ligands (tpy-bridge-tpy), dissolved in CH2Cl2, with aqueous Fe2+ or Co2+ gives rise to film formation on HOPG and Pt(111) single crystal surfaces. Molecularly resolved STM images reveal that these films form highly ordered 2-D trigonal arrays, which appear to be composed of one-dimensional polymeric strands with a repeat unit of (tpy-dendrimer-tpy-M)x, in the case of dendrimers, or (tpy-bridge-tpy-M)x, in the case of the bridging ligands. An extensive study with ligands of tailored architecture has been carried out, providing insight on the relationship between the ligand's molecular structure and that of the resulting films. The formation of ordered domains appears to be controlled, at least in part, by the rigidity of the molecule containing the terpyridine groups. Films derived from bridging ligands containing long chains did not give rise to observabl...
MSC ADAMS Based Simulation of a Test-Bed for Cell Injecting Using IPMC

The research is aimed at finishing the dynamic simulation of test-bed for cell injecting using IPMC (Ionic Polymer Metal Composites) based on MSC ADAMS. By changing experiment data of the simulation in ADAMS, researchers choose optimization data as the initial parameters of test-bed for cell injecting. A multi-rigid-body system dynamics model of the test-bed for cell injecting is established through analyzing the system dynamic parameters and applying a mechanical dynamic analysis software ADAMS. The optimal PID parameters of microscope's focusing system are confirmed. Thus relevant actuating motor can control microscope's lens rapidly and exactly by these parameters. The realization of ordinal simulation provides accurate recognition of experiment system's initial position and running time. This research finishes dynamic simulation and analysis of a test-bed for cell injecting using ADAMS software. Optimal parameters are chosen for the control system according to simulation and analysis. The theoretical analysis and experimental results can be widely referred by the multi-rigid-body physical prototype manufacture.
Studies on Tests Using Fisher's Tanh−1 Transformation for Spearman's “Rho” and Kendall's “Tau” in Small Samples

A series of papers by FIELLER, PEARSONet al. (1957, 1961, 1962) were concerned with the use of FISHER'S tanh−1 transformation (=z) for SPEARMAN'S ‘rho’ and KENDALL'S ‘tau’ rank correlation coefficients. Under the assumption of bivariate normal samples, empirical results on the means and variances for z were obtained. This paper presents results on the z transformation for small samples under a more general trivariate normal model, and reviews the accuracy of the variance and covariance approximations for z, as well as considerations on the resulting power of the tests using the z-transformation.
Reconstruction of Achilles tendon defect with a free quadriceps bone-tendon graft without anastamosis

We report a method of Achilles tendon reconstruction using a free quadriceps bone-tendon graft. The patient had a prior repair of a re-ruptured Achilles tendon, following which he developed massive necrosis of his skin and Achilles tendon leaving a 10 cm defect. First stage reconstruction consisted of soft tissue coverage of the skin defect with a sural fasciocutaneous flap. Reconstruction of the Achilles tendon followed, with the patellar bone block fixed to the calcaneus and the quadriceps tendon sutured proximally.
Monte Carlo methods for linkage analysis of two-locus disease models.

Parametric linkage analysis of simultaneous mapping of the two disease loci of a qualitative trait governed by a two-locus model has been shown to provide greater power in detecting linkage than standard lod-score analysis that maps a single disease locus. Despite its great potential for power gains, two-locus parametric analysis has not been used routinely in disease gene mapping, due to the computational intensity of currently available methods and programs. In this paper, we propose a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method for performing lod-score analysis of qualitative traits governed by two-locus models. This method obtains lod-score estimates that can be arbitrarily close to their corresponding exact values. The algorithm implementing this MCMC method is linear in the number of markers. This feature enables us to perform two-locus analysis mapping each trait to a set of markers, instead of just to a single marker. We analyzed an alcohol dependence dataset composed of 105 pedigrees with various sizes and various degrees of missingness in the observed marker and disease data. The estimates from our MCMC procedure match up well with the lod scores from exact analysis, but it took much less time for the MCMC procedure to obtain the results. We also performed a simulation study to investigate power gains with additional markers. Our results indicate that an additional marker on each map can provide a great deal more information for linkage measured in terms of the magnitude of lod scores.
Modeling and Control of Double-Electrode Gas Metal Arc Welding Process

Double-electrode gas metal arc welding, referred to as DE-GMAW, is a novel process developed recently to increase the welding productivity while maintaining the base metal current at a desired lower level. In this process, a bypass torch is added to a conventional GMAW system to decouple the melting current into base metal current and bypass current and the base metal current can be effectively controlled through adjusting the bypass current. To assure the base metal current be controlled at the desired level, this paper proposes to add a group of power resistors in the bypass loop and to change the resistance of the power resistor through changing the combination of the resistors. A change in the resistance results in a change in the bypass current thus a change in the base metal current. A model has been developed to correlate the change of the resistance needed to achieve the desired base metal current to the deviation of the base metal current from its desired level. A method has been proposed to implement the needed resistance change through adjusting the combination of the resistors. Experiments verified that the developed control system can adjust the bypass current in a large range to achieve the desired base metal current.
Cutting Edge: TGF-β Inhibits Th Type 2 Development Through Inhibition of GATA-3 Expression

TGF-beta is an important immunomodulatory cytokine that can inhibit differentiation of effector T cells. In this report, we address the molecular mechanisms through which TGF-beta inhibits differentiation of CD4(+) cells into Th type 2 cells. We demonstrate that TGF-beta inhibits GATA-3 expression in developing Th cells. We also show that inhibition of GATA-3 expression by TGF-beta is a major mechanism of inhibition of Th2 differentiation by TGF-beta as ectopic expression of GATA-3 in developing T cells overcomes the ability of TGF-beta to inhibit Th2 differentiation. TGF-beta likely inhibits GATA-3 expression at the transcriptional level and does so without interfering with IL-4 signaling.
Interactive visualization of large scale atomistic and cosmological particle simulations

In this paper we present a method for interactive high-quality visualization of large and time-varying 3D unstructured data from particle simulations.
Inventing the Egghead: The Paradoxes of Brainpower in Cold War American Culture

This essay studies the emergence of the egghead as a figuration of intellectuals in Cold War American culture. The characteristics of the egghead accentuated his failed masculinity, queer sexuality, racialized identity, and fragile commitment to American ideals. The egghead functioned both to limit those for whom intelligence was culturally available and to malign those who attempted to advocate education and the expansion of intelligence as a vehicle for social change. Though this was often framed as a liberal political intervention, the climate of the Cold War and the attendant social inequalities in the United States in this period ensured that the popular use of the egghead label served chiefly to build up a virulently white, masculine liberalism.
A structural representation for VLSI design

A data structure for representing the structure of VLSI circuits and basic operations for manipulating this data structure are presented. Its features include conceptual integrity, rich expressive power, and high extensibility. This device forms the nucleus of a design analysis and synthesis system which has been used to design several major chips. >
Cost-Effectiveness in Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery

Due to rising healthcare costs, financial and economic factors are having a greater effect on how medical care is developed and delivered. Insurers, hospitals, and government agencies are closely monitoring these healthcare expenditures, and these institutions ultimately have an enormous impact on available services. In order for urologists to reliably provide the best care and value to our patients, it is imperative that we understand the economic effects our treatment decisions have on our patients and the healthcare system as a whole.
Stopping MTIC -- With a 3rd Invoicing Directive

A Third Invoicing Directive for the EU VAT seems to be a foregone conclusion. Corrections are needed in the Second Invoicing Directive. The hallmark of the next Directive will be its application of digital invoice technology. The Commission’s proposals will include adoption of tax-technology advances in invoice-control that are currently in use outside the EU. The next Invoicing Directive will require comprehensive e-invoicing, invoices that are digitally signed, and invoices that are fed into a system of relational databases that match transaction data across the Single Market. There will be real-time EU sales/purchases lists, and remote/real-time audit functionality. This will occur, because the true target of the Third Invoicing Directive will be missing trader intra-community (MTIC) fraud, not invoices. Improvements in invoicing will be a means to achieve a larger end.This will not be a “black swan” IT effort. The needed technology is here today; the necessary systems are tried and proven in large multi-jurisdictional tax systems; the implementation costs will be a small fraction of the €100 billion that is currently lost to MTIC fraud annually. This paper “connects the dots.” It considers Brazil’s successful digital invoicing regime in the Sistema Publico de Escrituracao Digital or Public System for Digital Accounting (SPED) and applies what has been learned to the pattern of MTIC and missing trader extra-community (MTEC) frauds in the EU. A follow-up paper will align the Croatian Fiskalizacija – IT (Fiscalization program) with the Brazilian SPED, and then consider the data security and remote audit functionality of the newly implemented Rwandan system.There is much to be learned and borrowed from these systems. Workability is assured.
A Quarter-Century’s Perspective on a Psychoacoustical Approach to Loudness

Ideas and concepts acquired over several decades come together in this chapter on the topic of a psychoacoustical approach to loudness. Although couched in the topic area of loudness, the thoughts presented in this chapter have general applicability to a wide range of areas, such as the importance of understanding the theoretical assumptions of the underpinnings of a research topic, the advantages of using the methods of observation and introspection, having fulfilling relationships with colleagues, and the complex nature and interconnections among various areas of study. This chapter concludes with an overview of work performed in the Communication Research Laboratory at Northeastern University and a prospective on fruitful research directions.
Exhaled Nitric Oxide Levels Among Adults With Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Background More than one-quarter of the US population qualify as excessive alcohol consumers. Alcohol use impacts several lung diseases, and heavy consumption has been associated with poor clinical outcomes. The fractional excretion of exhaled nitric oxide (F eno ) has clinical implications in multiple airways diseases. We hypothesized that excessive alcohol intake is associated with lower F eno levels. Methods To test this hypothesis, we examined a sample consisting of 12,059 participants, aged 21 to 79 years, interviewed between 2007 and 2012 from the National Health and Examination Survey. Two valid F eno measurements that were reproducible were recorded. Alcohol questionnaire data were used to define the following alcohol groups: never drinkers, nonexcessive drinkers, excessive drinkers, and former excessive drinkers. The natural logarithm of F eno values [ln(F eno )] as well as blood eosinophil count and C-reactive protein were used as dependent variables to test the association with alcohol groups including multivariable linear regression models with adjustment for predictors of F eno . Results Excessive alcohol consumption comprised 3,693 (26.9%) of the US sample population. Controlling for all other factors, excessive alcohol consumption had a negative association and was an independent predictor for ln(F eno ) levels in comparison with the never-drinker group (−0.11; 95% CI, −0.17 to −0.06; P eno ) levels decreased across categories of increasing alcohol use ( P Conclusions Accounting for alcohol use in the interpretation of F eno levels should be an additional consideration, and further investigations are warranted to explore the complex interaction between alcohol and nitric oxide in the airways.
Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of LiFePO4: Small Magnetic Polaron Effects

The electronic structure of LiFePO4 and delithiated FePO4 is revisited in the light of the previous calculations taking into account the coulomb correlation potential for d-electrons. The nature of the optical transitions across the energy gap is investigated. In LiFePO4, these are intra-atomic Fe2+−Fe3+ transitions suffering a strong Franck−Condon effect due to the local distortion of the lattice in FePO4, which is indirect evidence of the formation of a small polaron. This situation contrasts with that met in the much more covalent delithiated phase, where the optical transition across the energy gap is associated with a transfer of an electron from the p-states of the oxygen to the d-states of iron ions. The small polarons in LiFePO4 are associated with the presence of Fe3+ ions introduced by native defects in relative concentration [Fe3+]/[Fe2++Fe3+] = 3 × 10-3 in the samples known to be optimized with respect to their electrochemical properties. The nearest iron neighbors around the central polaron s...
Tocqueville on the Good of American Federalism

If Tocqueville emphasizes, at times, the tendency of American federalism toward consolidation and, at other times, its tendency toward disintegration, this is not because he is confused but because he is keenly aware of the difficulty of combining the advantages of bigness with those of smallness. Americans have succeeded in producing such a combination, not through a simple aggregation of institutional mechanisms but through a synthesis that reaches to the heart of American civilization-a fusion of dynamism with comfort, of the ideology of popular sovereignty with the practice of responsible self-government, of calculated self-interest with spontaneous public virtue, and of enlightenment with tradition. Because the Enlightenment, the embodiment of this synthesis, provides no ground in its pureform for human dignity, Tocqueville seeks to speak on behalf of those institutions of federalism that root the idealism of citizens in the real experience of responsible self-government.
The Management of Burns

IN the United States, it is conservatively estimated that each year 2.5 million people seek medical care for burns. More than 100,000 patients are hospitalized with burns each year, and 12,000 burn victims die of their injuries.1 The care of burn victims has progressed rapidly over the past 50 years. Before World War II, the average burn size associated with a 50 percent mortality rate in healthy young adults was less than 30 percent of the total body-surface area. Today, the mean burn size associated with a 50 percent mortality rate in most burn centers ranges from 65 to 75 . . .
Pneumococcal Vaccination in the United States: Current Recommendations and Strategies to Improve Vaccination Coverage

S treptococcus pneumoniae is the most commonly identified cause of lower respirato1y tract infections, a common cause of sepsis and meningitis, and a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the United States, pneumococcal infections may cause more deaths each year than any other vaccine preventable disease (1) . Mortality for pneumococcal pneumonia with bacteremia is about 20% among adults and as high as 40% among the elderly. In spite of the impressive public health burden of pneumococcal disease, vaccines aga inst pneumococcus re main largely underutilized. The recent emergence of drug-resistant S pneumoniae places a new emphasis on the need for vaccination against pneumococcal infections. Clinically significant pneumococcal isolates with decreased susceptib ili ty to penicillin were first identified in the United States in the 1970s but were uncommon until the early l 990s (2). Data from active, populationbased surveillance in the United States during 1995 and 1996 show that in some areas over 20% and 10% of isolates were no longer susceptible to penicillin and cefotaxime, respectively (3). Concurrent with the emergence of strains res istant to beta-lactams, pneumococci with decreased susceptibility to other classes of antimicrobial agents also have become more prevalent. The emergence of resistant strains makes empirical treatment decisions more cha llenging for clin icians; as pneumococcal infections become more difficult to treat, assuring that patients at risk receive adequate vaccination is more important than ever.
New Perspective on Chinese American Studies:Cultural Community Theory

This study analyzes the causes of the formation of the Chinese communities in the United States and reviews the significant theories and models in the studies of Chinese American communities in the last century. It then proposes a model of “Cultural Community" to define the Chinese American community in St. Louis since the 1960s. A cultural community does not necessarily have visible and clearly defined physical boundaries, but rather is constituted by cultural institutions of ethnic churches, ethnic language schools, community organizations, and cultural, social, and political activities sponsored by the above institutions and organizations. It also demonstrates the significance and applicability of the Cultural Community model to our understanding of the multiethnic and multicultural American society.
Identification of Diagnostic Proteins in Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis by a Whole Genome Analysis Approach

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (M. paratuberculosis) is an economically significant veterinary pathogen that causes Johne's disease in cattle and sheep. There is a critical need for improved diagnostic tests to detect M. paratuberculosis infection in these animals. As with many other animal diseases, efforts need to be concentrated on the development of simple, rapid, noninvasive tests that can be performed by veterinarians or animal producers without expensive laboratory equipment. With the genome sequence of M. paratuberculosis now complete, we have taken a different strategy to identify novel proteins that are present uniquely in M. paratuberculosis and are antigenic in the context of infected cattle. Through a whole genome comparison of M. paratuberculosis with other sequenced mycobacterial genomes, we identified a collection of more than 90 genes that are present uniquely in M. paratuberculosis. This list has been further trimmed to 39 after amplification using polymerase chain reaction of unique genes using the genomic deoxyribonucleic acid template from several mycobacterial species and isolates. A selection of the remaining genes has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. Successfully purified proteins were analyzed using sera from rabbits immunized with M. paratuberculosis. Furthermore, to identify antigens in the context of disease, sera from cattle with Johne's disease as well as healthy control cattle are used in immunoassays. Using this methodology, we identified the first protein antigens specific to M. paratuberculosis.
Evaluation of correlations between frequencies of complete denture relines and serum levels of 3 bone metabolic markers: A cross-sectional pilot study

Abstract Statement of problem Continuous bone resorption is the primary reason for complete denture relines. Because resorption rates vary, the frequency at which individuals require relines also varies. Currently, there are no predictors to identify individuals at risk of frequent relines or to guide clinicians in decisions related to relines. Purpose The purpose of this cross-sectional pilot study was to determine the utility of measuring bone metabolic markers (C-terminal telopeptide, osteocalcin, 25-OH hydroxy vitamin D) to predict the frequency of complete denture relines. Material and methods One hundred adult participants with complete dentures (either maxillary, mandibular, or both) participated in 1 dental clinic visit involving a dental examination and brief interview to obtain relevant medical and dental history, information on medication/supplement use, and 1 laboratory blood draw for the measurement of bone metabolic markers. Data were analyzed by using the Pearson correlation, independent Student t test, or analysis of variance (α=.05). Results Significant correlations were found between the frequency of relines and C-telopeptide and osteocalcin levels but not with vitamin D or age. No significant associations with reline frequency and other factors (sex, ethnicity, presence or absence of diabetes, use of calcium and vitamin D supplements) were observed. Conclusions Elevated levels of bone turnover markers in individuals with edentulism were associated with increased frequency of denture relines.
Arrangement of the Index

The Mossbauer data and references for each isotope are preceded by a summary sheet which includes the parent decay schemes and a simplified nuclear level scheme for the isotope, a tabulation of the Mossbauer parameters which have been derived from these properties. The experimental results listed are “selected values” from a critical review of published results. Further details of the summary sheet are described on page 7.
Real Time GPS Data Processing for `Sag Measurement' on a Transmission Line

A relatively new method of measuring sag on a transmission line conductor using differential global positioning system (DGPS) is discussed with focus on the real time data processing module integrated with the DGPS system. The objective of the data processing module was to extract the altitude information from GPS signals and evaluate the conductor to ground clearance in real time. Field tests indicated that using exponential smoothing with a processing window size of 60 or 120 seconds gives the most accurate value of sag measured via GPS. Measured values were in good agreement with the actual values.
Risk factors and prediction model for inpatient surgical site infection after major abdominal surgery

Abstract Background Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a common source of postoperative morbidity and a marker of surgical quality. The ability to predict the incidence of SSIs is limited and most models have poor predictive value. We sought to identify risk factors associated with SSIs and develop a prediction model for SSIs after major abdominal surgery. Methods A total of 1744 patients undergoing pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and colorectal resections between January 1, 2010 and August 31, 2013 at Johns Hopkins Hospital were identified. Risk factors for any inpatient SSI (superficial and deep) were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Results Median patient age was 58 y (interquartile range 47, 68); surgical procedures included colorectal (59.0%), liver (26.2%), and pancreas (14.8%) resections. SSI occurred in 7.6% (n = 132) of patients. Factors associated with SSI included preoperative weight loss >4.5 kg (odds ratio [OR], 2.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-4.25), emergency operations (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.32-3.17), and colorectal resections (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.13-2.43) (all P ≤ 0.003). Intraoperative and postoperative risk factors included estimated blood loss (EBL) >600 mL (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.54-3.25), maximum respiratory rate (tachypnea) >20 breaths/min (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.19-2.54), and perioperative transfusion (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.33-3.04) (all P = 0.001). Intraoperative hypothermia, hyperthermia, bradycardia, tachycardia, hypotension, and hypertension were not associated with SSIs (all P > 0.05). After controlling competing risk factors, transfusion, EBL >600 mL, tachypnea, and colorectal resection were independently associated with SSIs (all P 600 mL, 2 points for a colorectal resection, 3 points for tachypnea, and 3 points for a transfusion. The model showed good discriminatory ability to predict SSI (c-statistic = 0.7232; Akaike information criterion 875.37). Conclusions A novel, simple 10-point SSI scoring system that incorporated perioperative risk factors such as blood transfusion, EBL, tachypnea, and the type of surgical procedure accurately stratifies patients according to SSI risk.
VOICES OF PROTEST IN ROSA MONTERO'S CRONICA DEL DESAMOR

Cronica del desamor (1979) is a statement of collective disillusionment depicting the mood of the Spaniards during the period following Franco's death. We hear in this text the voice of a new generation which is interested in the cause of their present state and the ways to deal with it. Their skepticism has changed the focus of their protest. The characters look inward and to each other making their own lives and not politics the center of their attention. They seek an escape from the despair, insecurity, and lack of communication that surround them. Although dissatisfaction may unify these individuals, the expression of their discontentment differs to the degree that three distinct attitudes can be identified: indifference, reconciliation, and rebellion. The narrative line is developed by these attitudes which result from the characters' exploration or reaction to the psychological constant of frustration that unites them. It is apparent that the death of a dictator doesn't erase old problems but creates new ones. Yet one thing the characters resolve is not to solve their dilemmas through any fledgling political system but by their own means. This decision represents a shift from authoritarianism to liberalism and challenges the tenets of patriarchal ideology itself.