cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Helvering v. Gregory: All of the Perspectives from Which Learned Hand Was Wrong

The starting point of this piece is one of the landmarks of tax law jurisprudence in which Judge Learned Hand created and grafted a business purpose requirement on to the tax statutes governing corporate reorganizations. The project begins with a single "chestnut" tax law case as a means of broaching an important issue of statutory construction. That question is the extent and manner to which the interpretation of a complex statute, such as the Internal Revenue Code, is and should be affected by differing policy perspectives, especially in light of the article’s thesis that the Internal Revenue Code is best seen as a complex compromise among conflicting policy perspectives. The particular tax planning transaction addressed in Gregory can be seen from three different policy perspectives: 1. Corporate tax integrationism under which a corporation should be made as nearly fiscally transparent as possible; 2. A separate entity double-tax perspective in which it is proper and appropriate that corporations should be fully taxable on earnings on which shareholders will ultimately also be subject to a single second tax but a third or further level of tax is inappropriate; and 3. A consumption tax perspective in which accretions to wealth should not be taxed until used to fund consumption expenditure.The theses of this piece are twofold. First, viewing each of these policy perspectives as normative, the decision may be viewed as mistaken in the sense that it detracts from or is inconsistent with the pursuit of these policy perspectives. A second, complementary, thesis is that because the Internal Revenue Code is best seen as a complex compromise among competing policies, the judicial creation of the business purpose requirement was inappropriate because it privileged one of those elements of the policy compromise over others based on the judges’ own policy preferences.
Effect of Angiotensin II Inhibitors on Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Abstract Background Angiotensin II receptor activation may result in angiogenesis, and ultimately arteriovenous malformations (AVM), through transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and angiopoietin-2 pathway activation. Objectives The goal of this study was to determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) were associated with lower risk of major gastrointestinal bleeds (GIB) and AVM-related GIBs in continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) patients. Methods The authors reviewed HeartMate II CF-LVAD recipients between January 2009 and July 2016. Major GIBs were endoscopically confirmed requiring ≥2 U of packed red blood cells or resulting in death. ACE inhibitor/ARB dose was abstracted from medical records. ACE inhibitor/ARB exposure status was landmarked at 30 days post-operatively to avoid immortal time bias. Fine and Gray hazard models assessed the impact of ACE inhibitor/ARB therapy on major GIB and AVM-related GIB, whereas standard Cox regression assessed the impact on mortality, adjusting for baseline variables. Results One-hundred and eleven patients were included with a mean 2.1 ± 1.4 years follow-up. Patients who received an ACE inhibitor/ARB within 30 days post-operatively had a 57% reduction in the risk of major GIB (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19 to 0.97; p = 0.042) and a 63% reduction in the risk of AVM-related GIB (aHR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.84; p = 0.017). When the mean daily post-operative lisinopril-equivalent ACE inhibitor/ARB dose was >5 mg, the risk of major GIB decreased in a dose-threshold manner (aHR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.85; p = 0.025). Conclusions ACE inhibitor/ARB therapy is associated with a protective effect of developing GIBs in CF-LVAD patients, with a dose threshold of >5 mg of daily lisinopril equivalence, possibly due to prevention of AVM formation.
Effects of becoming a mother on the development of ethnic and racial identities in Korean transnationally and transracially adopted women.

The transition to motherhood is widely viewed as a significant life stage for women (Bailey, 1999; Byrne, 2006; McMahon, 1995). However, this process has not been explored in transracially adopted women who, in addition to making sense of how their adoption story impacts their self-concept as mother
Supply and Demand Shocks in the Oil Market and their Predictive Power

This paper identifies supply and demand shocks that are specific to the oil-market, and separates them from economy-wide shocks that affect the demand for many asset classes, including oil. The shocks are identified by the sign and magnitude of the correlation between daily oil price percent changes and the aggregate stock market total returns, excluding internationally diversified oil companies. Shocks that are specific to the oil market - prominently due to geopolitical events in the Middle East or changes in the expectations thereof - are identified as inducing a negative contemporaneous correlation between oil price changes and stock market returns. On the other hand, economy-wide shocks - prominently due to unexpected global economic booms or busts - are identified as inducing a positive correlation. The paper employs a reduced-form methodology to show empirical evidence regarding the macroeconomic effects of these shocks on the future realizations of the US stock market excess return, dividend growth rate, and real GDP growth rate. Intuitively, the effects are of opposite sign depending on whether the oil-price change originated from an oil-market-specific or from an economy-wide shock. I show these shocks also have predictive power over future realizations of the spot-oil price change and oil futures excess return.
Phthalate exposure and female reproductive and developmental outcomes: a systematic review of the human epidemiological evidence

Abstract Objective We performed a systematic review of the epidemiology literature to identify the female reproductive and developmental effects associated with phthalate exposure. Data sources and study eligibility criteria Six phthalates were included in the review: di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), and diethyl phthalate (DEP). The initial literature search (of PubMed, Web of Science, and Toxline) included all studies of female reproductive and developmental effects in humans, and outcomes were selected for full systematic review based on data availability. Study evaluation and synthesis methods For each outcome, studies were evaluated using criteria defined a priori for risk of bias and sensitivity by two reviewers using a domain-based approach. Evidence was synthesized by outcome and phthalate and strength of evidence was summarized using a structured framework. Results The primary outcomes reviewed here are (number of included/excluded studies in parentheses): pubertal development (5/13), time to pregnancy (3/4), preterm birth (8/12), and spontaneous abortion (5/0). Among these outcomes, preterm birth had moderate evidence of a positive association with phthalate exposure (specifically DEHP, DBP, and DEP). Exposure levels for BBP, DIBP, and DINP were generally lower than for the phthalates with an observed effect, which may partially explain the difference due to lower sensitivity. Other phthalate/outcome combinations were considered to have slight or indeterminate evidence of an association. Conclusions and implications of key findings Overall, these results support that some phthalates may be associated with higher odds of preterm birth in humans, though there is some remaining inconsistency. More evidence is needed on the mechanism and relevant exposure window for this association. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the U.S. EPA.
Resiliency Groups Following Hip Fracture in Older Adults.

Objectives Defining common patterns of recovery after an acute health stressor (resiliency groups) has both clinical and research implications. We sought to identify groups of patients with similar recovery patterns across 10 outcomes following hip fracture (stressor) and to determine the most important predictors of resiliency group membership. Design Secondary analysis of three prospective cohort studies. Setting Participants were recruited from various hospitals in the Baltimore Hip Studies network and followed for up to 1 year in their residence (home or facility). Participants Community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older with recent surgical repair of a hip fracture (n = 541). Measurements Self-reported physical function and activity measures using validated scales were collected at baseline (within 15-22 d of fracture), 2, 6, and 12 months. Physical performance tests were administered at all follow-up visits. Stressor characteristics, comorbidities, and psychosocial and environmental factors were collected at baseline via participant report and chart abstraction. Latent class profile analysis was used to identify resiliency groups based on recovery trajectories across 10 outcome measures and logistic regression models to identify factors associated with those groups. Results Latent profile analysis identified three resiliency groups that had similar patterns across the 10 outcome measures and were defined as "high resilience" (n = 163 [30.1%]), "medium resilience" (n = 242 [44.7%]), and "low resilience" (n = 136 [25.2%]). Recovery trajectories for the outcome measures are presented for each resiliency group. Comparing highest with the medium- and low-resilience groups, self-reported pre-fracture function was by far the strongest predictor of high-resilience group membership with area under the curve (AUC) of .84. Demographic factors, comorbidities, stressor characteristics, environmental factors, and psychosocial characteristics were less predictive, but several factors remained significant in a multivariable model (AUC = .88). Conclusion These three resiliency groups following hip fracture may be useful for understanding mediators of physical resilience. They may provide a more detailed description of recovery patterns in multiple outcomes for use in clinical decision making. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2519-2527, 2019.
Influence of Transverse Slot Jet on Premixed Flame Acceleration

This work aims to identify the key flow parameters that influence flame acceleration in a semiconfined square channel. A transverse fluidic jet was used as an active flow blockage mechanism and to ...
An Environmental Forensic Chemistry Experiment Involving Abandoned Mine Drainage Remediation

Most forensic chemistry experiments focus on the usual suspects involving criminal scenarios: illicit drug identification, gunshot residue detection, blood and fingerprint analysis, and arson investigations. However, environmental forensics involves chemical techniques that can expand the breadth of experience for forensic chemistry students. An experimental case study was designed to determine the potential source of groundwater contamination along a series of treatment steps designed to mitigate the environmental effects of an abandoned mine drainage site. Simulated drainage samples representing each treatment step are analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy to quantify the metals present, a gravimetric method to determine the concentration of sulfate, and a pH meter to measure relative acidity of the drainage water. Using the data obtained from the simulated samples, students can determine the effectiveness of each treatment step as well as identify the location along the drainage treatment series that is the most likely source of the groundwater contamination.
Comparative clinical trials in psychotherapy: Have large effects been replicated?

Aims The purpose of this review is to examine the replication attempts of psychotherapy clinical trials for depression and anxiety. We focus specifically on replications of trials that exhibit large differences between psychotherapies. The replicability of these trials is especially important for meta-analysis, where the inclusion of false-positive trials can lead to erroneous conclusions about treatment efficacy. Methods Standard replication criteria were developed to distinguish direct from conceptual replication methodologies. Next, an exhaustive literature search was conducted for published meta-analyses of psychotherapy comparisons. Trials that exhibited large effects (d > 0.8) were culled from these meta-analyses. For each trial, a cited replication was conducted to determine if the trial had been subsequently replicated by either 'direct' or 'conceptual' methods. Finally, a broader search was conducted to examine the extent of replication efforts in the psychotherapy literature overall. Results In the meta-analytic search, a total of N = 10 meta-analyses met the inclusion criteria. From these meta-analyses, N = 12 distinct trials exhibited large effect sizes. The meta-analyses containing more than two large effect trials reported evidence for treatment superiority. A cited replication search yielded no direct replication attempts (N = 0) for the trials with large effects, and N = 4 conceptual replication attempts of average or above average quality. However, of these four attempts, only two partially corroborated the results from their original trial. Conclusion Meta-analytic reviews are influenced by trials with large effects, and it is not uncommon for these reviews to contain several such trials. Since we find no evidence that trials with such large effects are directly replicable, treatment superiority conclusions from these reviews are highly questionable. To enhance the quality of clinical science, the development of authoritative replication criteria for clinical trials is needed. Moreover, quality benchmarks should be considered before trials are included in a meta-analysis, or replications are attempted.
Cervical Fibrosis as a Predictor of Dysphagia

OBJECTIVE Radiotherapy of head and neck cancer (HNCA) causes dysfunction through radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF). We hypothesize that the degree of cervical fibrosis is associated with swallowing dysfunction. This study evaluated the association between cervical fibrosis and swallowing dysfunction in patients after radiation therapy for HNCA. STUDY DESIGN Cross sectional study. METHODOLOGY A convenience sample of patients with dysphagia who were at least 1 year post radiation therapy for HNCA underwent simultaneous cervical ultrasound (US) and video-fluroscopic swallow study (VFSS). US determinants of fibrosis were measurements of sternocleidomastoid fascia (SCMF) thickness bilaterally at the level of the cricoid. Primary and secondary outcome variables on VFSS were pharyngeal constriction ratio, a validated measure of pharyngeal contractility, and penetration aspiration scale (PAS). A qualitative assessment of lateral neck rotation was performed as a functional measure of neck fibrosis. RESULTS Simultaneous cervical US and VFSS examinations were performed on 18 patients with a history of radiotherapy for HNCA and on eight controls. The mean (±SD) age of the entire cohort (N = 26) was 66 (±10) years. Individuals with a history of radiation had significantly thinner mean SCMF (0.26 [±0.04 mm]) compared to controls (0.48 [±0.06 mm]; P < .05). Individuals with thinner SCMF were more likely to have moderate to severe restriction in lateral neck rotation, a higher PCR, and a higher PAS (P < .05). CONCLUSION Thinner sternocleidomastoid fascia on ultrasound in patients having undergone radiotherapy for head and neck cancer was associated with reduced lateral neck movement, poorer pharyngeal constriction and greater penetration/aspiration scale. The data suggest that cervical fibrosis is associated with swallowing dysfunction in head and neck cancer survivors and support the notion that, "As the neck goes, so does the swallow." LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3. Laryngoscope, 131:548-552, 2021.
E-040 Altmetrics and neuro-interventional surgery: what determines ‘trending’ in online media?

Background Alternative metrics (Altmetrics) are increasingly being used as a new metric of scientific dissemination by most medical journals. The aim of this study is to investigate predictors of higher Altmetric scores within the neuro-interventional surgery scope. Methods We performed a comprehensive search for neuro-interventional related publications using the Altmetric database. Articles were selected based on wide-range search criteria that include terms ‘interventional’, ‘neuroradiology’, ‘neurosurgery’ and ‘neuro-intervention’. We studied all online references for any article mentioned on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and mainstream media sources. The strength of associations between all metrics was studied using Pearson correlation coefficient. Values close to 1 indicates strong correlation. Results A total of 12,501 articles pertinent to neuro-intervention were obtained from the Altmetric database. These articles had an average of an altimetric score of 8 (95% CI for the mean 7.7 to 9.2). The strongest correlations for Altmetrics were for the following online mentions: general news outlets (Pearson’s r: 0.89), Twitter (0.78), Facebook (0.48) and Reddit (0.45). Interestingly, Wikipedia, peer-reviewed outlets and LinkedIn mentions had the weakest correlations coefficients (0.11, 0.21, and 0.00, respectively). Journals with social media presence had the highest average of total altimetric scores compared to journals without social media accounts. Conclusions Compared to general news outlets and Twitter, professional online networks such as peer-reviewed outlets and LinkedIn did not have a significant association with high altermetric ‘trending’ scores in neuro-interventional surgery. The long-term impact of these metrics on citations or funding requires a prospective analysis. Disclosures N. Alotaibi: None. P. Harker: None. F. Robertson: None. J. Vranic: None. M. Koch: None. C. Stapleton: None. T. Leslie-Mazwi: None. A. Patel: None.
Backdating and Director Incentive: Money or Reputation

This paper investigates how director incentives affect the occurrence of firms' backdating employee stock options. Directors with more wealth tied up in stock options may pursue activities that lead to personal gain, such as option backdating, which potentially increases the option recipient's compensation. We document a positive and significant association between director option compensation and the likelihood that firms backdate stock options. Our results question the effectiveness of director option compensation in aligning the interests with those of shareholders and help to explain the recent decline in the use of director option grants by many firms.
Improved Brain MR Imaging from a Compact, Lightweight 3T Scanner with High-Performance Gradients.

BACKGROUND A low-cryogen, compact 3T (C3T) MRI scanner with high-performance gradients capable of simultaneously achieving 80 mT/m gradient amplitude and 700 T/m/second slew rate has been in use to study research patients since March 2016 but has not been implemented in the clinical practice. PURPOSE To compare head MRI examinations obtained with the C3T system and a conventional whole-body 3T (WB3T) scanner in seven parameters across five commonly used brain imaging sequences. STUDY TYPE Prospective. SUBJECTS Thirty patients with a clinically indicated head MRI. SEQUENCE 3T; T1 FLAIR, T1 MP-RAGE, 3D T2 FLAIR, T2 FSE, and DWI. ASSESSMENT All patients tolerated the scans well. Three board-certified neuroradiologists scored the comparative quality of C3T and WB3T images in blinded fashion using a five-point Likert scale in terms of: signal-to-noise ratio, lesion conspicuity, motion artifact, gray/white matter contrast, cerebellar folia, susceptibility artifact, and overall quality. STATISTICAL TEST Left-sided, right-sided, and two-sided Wilcoxon signed rank test; Fisher's method. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS The C3T system performed better than the WB3T in virtually all comparisons, except for motion artifacts for the T1 FLAIR and T1 MP-RAGE sequences, where the WB3T system was deemed better. When combining all sequences together, the C3T system outperformed the WB3T system in all image quality parameters evaluated, except for motion artifact (P = 0.13). DATA CONCLUSION The C3T scanner provided better overall image quality for all sequences, and performed better in all individual categories, except for motion artifact on the T1 FLAIR and T1 MP-RAGE. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 1.
Cybersafety Analysis of Industrial Control Systems: Chiller Systems

Recent world events and geopolitics have brought the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyberattacks by advanced cyber-adversaries to the forefront. While there has been continued and growing attention to vulnerabilities in our energy generation and distribution systems, there are many other types of industrial control systems, ranging from manufacturing facilities to refineries to water treatment plants, that are also at significant risk based on their unique physical characteristics. In this paper, we take a holistic view of one such complex system – the chiller plant – in an archetypal industrial setting to identify vulnerabilities emerging from interactions between technology, operator actions as well as organizational structure and provide recommendations to mitigate resulting loss scenarios.
Truncated titin proteins in dilated cardiomyopathy

Truncating variants in TTN (TTNtvs) are the most common known cause of nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), but how TTNtvs cause disease has remained controversial. Efforts to detect truncated...
Medium-velocity superconducting cavity for high accelerating gradient continuous-wave hadron linear accelerators

We present the first rf studies of the medium-$\ensuremath{\beta}$ superconducting radio frequency (SRF) elliptical cavities designed for Michigan State University's Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) energy upgrade linac. The proposed energy upgrade for this continuous-wave (CW) superconducting linac will double the final beam energy from 200 to $400\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{u}$ for the heaviest uranium ions within the 80 m of space available in the FRIB tunnel. Two prototype ${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{\mathrm{opt}}=0.65\text{ }644\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MHz}$ five-cell elliptical SRF cavities were fabricated and tested to validate the novel cavity design with three conventional rf recipes: (1) Electropolishing (EP-only), (2) $\mathrm{EP}+48\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{h}$ $120\text{ }\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$ bake ($\mathrm{EP}+\text{baking}$), and (3) Buffered chemical $\text{Polishing}+48\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{h}$ $120\text{ }\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$ bake ($\mathrm{BCP}+\text{baking}$). The EP-only recipe achieved a 2 K quality factor (${Q}_{0}$) of $2.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{10}$ at the FRIB energy upgrade design accelerating gradient (${E}_{\text{acc}}$) of $17.5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MV}/\mathrm{m}$, and ${Q}_{0}$ of $1.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{10}$ at a maximum gradient of $26\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MV}/\mathrm{m}$, where the gradient was ultimately limited by the available rf amplifier power available for this test. These results validate the potential of the novel 644 MHz medium-$\ensuremath{\beta}$ cavity design and motivate its use in future high-${\mathrm{Q}}_{0}$ development work. The multipacting band, which exists at ${E}_{\mathrm{acc}}\ensuremath{\approx}10\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MV}/\mathrm{m}$, was completely conditioned in the continuous-wave mode. We also observed that combining the 48 h $120\text{ }\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$ baking treatment with EP did not improve the EP-only cavity performance at 2 K due to increased residual resistance (${R}_{0}$) and increased medium-field Q-slope. $\mathrm{BCP}+\text{baking}$ was also found to produce lower ${\mathrm{Q}}_{0}$ in this cavity due to increased medium-field Q-slope. The mechanical modes of this cavity were measured at room temperature, verifying that the quality factor of the dominant ``accordion'' mechanical mode these medium-$\ensuremath{\beta}$ cavities are particularly vulnerable to is close to that of the 1.3 GHz TESLA cavities. Thus, this mode arising from the novel geometry of these cavities is shown to not be of excessive concern for resonance control.
Merleau-Ponty’s Ontology of the Wild Being

In The Visible and the Invisible, an incomplete but powerful book, written, as one of his commentators pointed out, “in a poetico-ontological incantatory style,”1 Merleau-Ponty intended to fulfill, in his own words, “the necessity of a return to ontology,”2 that is, “the necessity of bringing them [the results of The Phenomenology of Perception] to ontological explicitation.”3 According to him, “The Phenomenology of Perception, which can be considered as psychology, is in reality an ontology.”4 Given these words, we must consider Merleau-Ponty’s entire philosophical project as essentially ontological in orientation. Continuity between the above two works must be found.
Body fatness and performance differences between men and women.

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the mean difference in performance between men and women on selected physical performance tests was related to the sex difference in b...
Frequency analysis of the human ECG during ventricular fibrillation

The dynamics are characterized of the frequency distribution in the power spectrum of the ECG recorded from seven human subjects in ventricular fibrillation. The median frequency of the power spectrum was used to track the frequency distribution. The time-varying behavior of the median frequency was dynamic, repeatable, and correlated among the subjects. The results suggest that median frequency can be modeled and that the model could be used to estimate the duration of cardiac arrest. >
Deconstructing the math-science quest for solutions website via logic programming

Truly effective programming exercises that inspire new students of very high-level languages are rare. Many of the better standard pedagogical examples appear to be overly contrived from the novice's point of view. This paper presents a wonderful and timely exercise that helps students understand the subtle inner workings of logic programming systems. Moreover, it was in no way contrived by some collection of Prolog programming zealots. Indeed, it is one of many online puzzles provided by an organization dedicated to strengthening the mathematical skills of school children.
Semantic Networks of Interests in Online NSSI Communities

Persons who engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), often conceal their practices which limits the examination and understanding of those who engage in NSSI. The goal of this research is to utilize public online social networks (namel y, in LiveJournal, a major blogging network) to observe the NSSI populations communication in a naturally occurring setting. Specifically, LiveJournal users can publicly decl are their interests. We collected the self-declared interests of 22,000 users who are members of or participate in 43 NSSIrelated communities. We extracted a bimodal socio-semantic network of users and interests based on their similarity. Th e semantic subnetwork of interests contains NSSI terms (such as “self-injury” and “razors”), references to music perfor mers (such as “Nine Inch Nails”), and general daily life and creativity related terms (such as “poetry” and “boys”). Assuming users are genuine in their declarations, the words reveal distinct patterns of interest and may signal keys to NSSI.
A High Throughput Quantum Dot-based Fluorescence Assay for Quantitation of HTLV-1 Binding and Attachment

Quantum dots (Qdots) are fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals comprised of CdSe core with a semiconductor shell of zinc sulfide coated with a polymer shell allowing particles to be conjugated to biological molecules while retaining the optical properties of the particle. We have used this unique property of Qdots to develop a high throughput binding assay to study the attachment of HTLV-1 to host cells. To this end, we have biotinylated cell-free HTLV-1 (biot-HTLV-1) to facilitate viral detection using streptavidin-coated Qdots. B cells (BTHP-1 and Ramos) were exposed to biot-HTLV-1 with increasing concentrations of DEAE-dextran, a reagent known to enhance binding of other retroviruses. Unbound virus was removed by washing and cells were added with strepQdots and fluorescence readings were obtained at 605 nm. HTLV-1 bound efficiently to BTHP-1 and Ramos cells and this binding was significantly increased (3-fold) by DEAE-dextran. To confirm the specificity of viral binding, a competitive inhibition assay was performed wherein increasing amounts of non-biotinylated HTLV-1 was added to the binding assay along with a fixed amount of biot-HTLV-1. A dose-dependent inhibition in biot-HTLV1 binding was observed in the presence of native virus. These results suggest that the Qdot-based assay may be useful in studying virus attachement to host cells, and the screening of inhibitors for viral binding and entry. from 2005 International Meeting of The Institute of Human Virology Baltimore, USA, 29 August – 2 September 2005
USING TIME-SERIES MODELS TO EXPLAIN AND PREDICT STATE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION OUTCOMES: AN APPLICATION TO OKLAHOMA

In Oklahoma gubernatorial elections the candidate of the incumbent governor's party benefits from a healthy state economy, though national economic conditions have little influence. When the President is popular. Oklahoma voters support the gubernatorial candidate of the party not in the White House, evidencing anti-Washington sentiment. A regression model incorporating these influences. Along with a control for party. Successfully predicted the outcome of the 1998 gubernatorial election.
Design and performance of a differential spectrofluorometer.

Abstract A differential spectrofluorometer has been designed and built. This instrument is capable of measuring and recording the difference fluorescence spectrum between two samples which share a common light source, monochromator, and photomultiplier. The two fluorescent signals are synchronously demodulated, filtered, and subtracted in a differential voltmeter. The model compounds, indole and N-acetyl-l-tryptophanamide, as well as lysozyme and an inhibitor have been studied. Difference fluorescence spectroscopy offers a sensitive method to detect protein conformational changes involving the aromatic residues and to reveal small emission differences in aromatic molecules. Used concurrently with solvent perturbation it can be used to probe the topology of the surface to evaluate the accessibility of aromatic residues.
MAKING AND BRAKING ASTEROIDS

Asteroids must have been hitting each other throughout the age of the Solar System. What has it done to them? To make analytical calculations of what happens when one asteroid hits another, one is forced into the unrealistic assumption that the bodies are spherical and rigid. But now a numerical model shows what happens when irregular, inhomogeneous asteroids suffer high-velocity impacts. The 'rubble-pile' asteroids that result would be relatively difficult to deflect from a collision course to Earth.
Prey Detection by Bats and Owls

Owls locate prey by listening to the sounds produced by the prey whereas bats actively produce sounds and locate prey by listening to the echoes that bounce off the prey. Keywords: prey localization; passive sound localization; active sound localization; echo; biosonar; echo location; maps
Dependence of Cell Division on the Completion of Chromosome Replication in Caulobacter crescentus

The relationship between chromosome replication and cell division in the stalked bacterium Caulobacter crescentus has been investigated. Two compounds, hydroxyurea and mitomycin C, were found to inhibit completely deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis while allowing continued cell growth and elongation. When these inhibitors were added to exponentially growing cultures, cell division stopped after 38 min when hydroxyurea was used and after 33 min when mitomycin C was used. The period of continued cell division corresponds closely to the period previously determined for the postsynthetic gap (G2) in the DNA cycle of this organism. These results indicate that cell division is coupled to the completion of chromosome replication in C. crescentus.
Tunes that Bind?: Predicting Friendship Strength in a Music-Based Social Network

Despite the popularity of social network sites based on common interests, the association between these shared interests and relational development is not well understood. This manuscript reports results of an empirical investigation of interpersonal relationships on Last.fm, a music-based social network site with a multinational user base. In addition to baseline descriptors of relational behavior, the chief goals of this study were to examine the degree to which Last.fm relationships are characterized by homophily (and particularly by shared musical taste), the extent to which communication via Last.fm is associated with other forms of communication (both offline and online), how such communication behavior is associated with demographic and relational characteristics, and whether these variables predict strength of relational development. Results indicate that although Last.fm relational partners exhibit shared musical taste, this shared taste is not associated with relational development. Rather, foll...
Performance and stability characteristics of risk sensitive controlled structures under seismic disturbances

This paper introduces the notion of risk-sensitive (RS) controllers for the protection of civil engineering structures from seismic disturbances. The risk-sensitive strategies are a generalization of linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) controllers, and are stochastic cousins to counterparts based upon dynamic games and H/sub /spl infin// methods. Even though much research is done in the area of risk-sensitive control theory, not much is known about risk-sensitive controller characteristics. In this paper a risk-sensitive acceleration feedback control for a multi-degree-of-freedom structure is investigated. Performance and relative stability comparisons are made between the risk-sensitive controller and a classical H/sub 2//LQG controller. Moreover, by means of reliability analysis, it is shown that the risk-sensitive controller family can influence such performance features as probability of instability and stationary covariances of state variables and control actions-in the context of buildings with earthquake excitation and real parameter uncertainties described by probability distributions.
Quantitative volumetric imaging of normal, neoplastic and hyperplastic mouse prostate using ultrasound

Genetically engineered mouse models are essential to the investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying human prostate pathology and the effects of therapy on the diseased prostate. Serial in vivo volumetric imaging expands the scope and accuracy of experimental investigations of models of normal prostate physiology, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, which are otherwise limited by the anatomy of the mouse prostate. Moreover, accurate imaging of hyperplastic and tumorigenic prostates is now recognized as essential to rigorous pre-clinical trials of new therapies. Bioluminescent imaging has been widely used to determine prostate tumor size, but is semi-quantitative at best. Magnetic resonance imaging can determine prostate volume very accurately, but is expensive and has low throughput. We therefore sought to develop and implement a high throughput, low cost, and accurate serial imaging protocol for the mouse prostate. We developed a high frequency ultrasound imaging technique employing 3D reconstruction that allows rapid and precise assessment of mouse prostate volume. Wild-type mouse prostates were examined (n = 4) for reproducible baseline imaging, and treatment effects on volume were compared, and blinded data analyzed for intra- and inter-operator assessments of reproducibility by correlation and for Bland-Altman analysis. Examples of benign prostatic hyperplasia mouse model prostate (n = 2) and mouse prostate implantation of orthotopic human prostate cancer tumor and its growth (n = 6) are also demonstrated. Serial measurement volume of the mouse prostate revealed that high frequency ultrasound was very precise. Following endocrine manipulation, regression and regrowth of the prostate could be monitored with very low intra- and interobserver variability. This technique was also valuable to monitor the development of prostate growth in a model of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Additionally, we demonstrate accurate ultrasound image-guided implantation of orthotopic tumor xenografts and monitoring of subsequent tumor growth from ~10 to ~750 mm3 volume. High frequency ultrasound imaging allows precise determination of normal, neoplastic and hyperplastic mouse prostate. Low cost and small image size allows incorporation of this imaging modality inside clean animal facilities, and thereby imaging of immunocompromised models. 3D reconstruction for volume determination is easily mastered, and both small and large relative changes in volume are accurately visualized. Ultrasound imaging does not rely on penetration of exogenous imaging agents, and so may therefore better measure poorly vascularized or necrotic diseased tissue, relative to bioluminescent imaging (IVIS). Our method is precise and reproducible with very low inter- and intra-observer variability. Because it is non-invasive, mouse models of prostatic disease states can be imaged serially, reducing inter-animal variability, and enhancing the power to detect small volume changes following therapeutic intervention.
Is the data collection period of the Large‐Scale Biosphere‐Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia representative of long‐term climatology?

[1] The Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) sampled surface-atmosphere flux exchanges and related ecohydrometeorological processes at several flux tower sites in the Amazonian region between 1999 and 2006. This extensive database is now being analyzed to investigate, for example, the carbon balance of the Amazon basin and the effect of land use change in the basin on climate. It is therefore important to establish whether the period during which these data were collected is representative of the long-term climatology for the region. This study analyzed long-term climate station data for stations located nearby the LBA eddy flux tower sites. Measurements taken during the period of data collection were compared with the longterm station climatology using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and analysis of histogram from random samples from the long-term climatological record. In terms of precipitation, the LBA data collection period is statistically consistent with the climatology for all LBA study sites. In terms of temperature, the same result is true for most flux station sites; the main exception being the Bananal Island site where the temperature during the LBA period is significantly warmer by about 1C. There were some short periods when temperature in the region of other LBA flux sites was also statistically different (higher) during the LBA data collection period and an average but not statistically significant tendency toward higher temperatures across the whole region during the LBA period relative to previous years. This is probably because there has been significant land cover change near some of the LBA study sites, but a contribution from climate warming cannot be ruled out.
Rediscounting private dollar debt and capital flight in Ecuador

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of the impact of structural change on capital flight when the structural change constrains the monetary authorities' ability to impose an inflation tax. Implications for the conduct of economic policy in open economies are drawn from the experience of Ecuador.
Understanding the Severity of Wrongdoing in Health Care Delivery and Research: Lessons Learned From a Historiometric Study of 100 Cases

Background: Wrongdoing among physicians and researchers causes myriad problems for patients and research participants. While many articles have been published on professional wrongdoing, our literature review found no studies that examined the rich contextual details of large sets of historical cases of wrongdoing. Methods: We examined 100 cases of wrongdoing in health care delivery and research using historiometric methods, which involve the statistical description and analysis of coded historical narratives. We used maximum-variation, criterion-based sampling to identify cases involving 29 kinds of wrongdoing contained in a taxonomy of wrongdoing developed for the project. We coded the presence of a variety of environmental and wrongdoer variables and rated the severity of wrongdoing found in each case. This approach enabled us to (a) produce rich descriptions of variables characterizing cases, (b) identify factors influencing the severity of wrongdoing, and (c) test the hypothesis that professional wro...
Reproducibility of carbachol stimulated accommodation in rhesus monkeys

Approaches are being explored to restore accommodation to the presbyopic eye. Some of these approaches can be tested in monkeys by stimulating accommodation in various ways including using carbachol iontophoresis. Knowledge of the repeatability of carbachol iontophoresis stimulated accommodation in the monkey phakic eye is necessary to understand the variability of this method of evaluating accommodation. Data from 9 to 10 separate carbachol iontophoresis experiments performed on phakic eyes from 8 monkeys were retrospectively analyzed. For each experiment, carbachol was applied iontophoretically to the eyes of anesthetized monkeys and refraction generally measured every two minutes until accommodation reached a plateau. Repeated experiments were performed in each monkey over periods ranging from 10 to 18 months. Maximum accommodation measured for each monkey ranged from 11.1 D to 18.3 D with standard deviations from 0.8 D to 2.1 D and differences in accommodative amplitude varying from 2.2 D to 7.5 D. Time to reach maximum accommodation ranged from 18 to 64 min in individual experiments. Averaged time-courses indicate that maximum accommodation is generally achieved between 10 and 20 min after carbachol administration. Although carbachol iontophoresis is considered a reliable method to stimulate maximum accommodation in anesthetized monkeys, the amplitude achieved typically varies by more than 2 D. Presbyopia treatments evaluated in this way in phakic monkeys would need to show an increase in accommodation of over 2 D to clearly demonstrate that the treatments work when being tested with carbachol iontophoresis stimulation.
Comparison of Eye Motion in Wakefulness and REM Sleep

Rapid eye movements (REMs) in sleep have been postulated to represent ocular activity directly related to the visual imagery of dreaming. In accord with this notion, there have been reports that the physiological characteristics of REMs are identical to those of waking saccades which occur in the absence of visual targets. Contradictory evidence is herein presented establishing that REMs are significantly slower than waking saccades of comparable amplitude, and that this slowdown is greater than can be attributed to either eye closure or to eye movements in total darkness. Furthermore, it is shown that in REM sleep, both small (5.5°) and large (11°) saccade-like movements generate essentially the same maximal force and have the same velocity for the major portion of their trajectories. In sleep, therefore, there is probably a central inhibition of the saccade-like REMs, especially of the large amplitude movements, thus leading to an uncoupling of the usual amplitude-velocity relationship observed in the waking state.
Circulating Laptops: Lessons Learned in an Academic Library

Laptops have become ubiquitous in academic libraries, as has the practice of circulating laptops for student use. Several studies have analyzed the how-to of loaning laptops, and a number of surveys have focused on how they are being used. However, little has been written of the practical lessons learned; the trial and error of those on the frontlines in academic libraries. The pitfalls of wireless networks, battery life, high demand, and brutal usage make offering such a popular service challenging. The experiences of the University of Houston's M.D. Anderson Library, while possibly not typical, provide a snapshot of the pitfalls involved in making laptop circulation successful.
Hysteresis controlled water droplet splitting on superhydrophobic paper

Fabrication of surfaces with heterogeneous contact angle hysteresis enables extraction of droplet samples from bulk liquid volumes. These surfaces are created by printing high hysteresis wax islands onto low hysteresis superhydrophobic paper. The volume of the sampled droplets depends on the hysteresis of the printed islands, which can be controlled through both physical and chemical means. Physically, hysteresis is modified through the addition of surface roughness. Chemical hysteresis is tuned by changing the active chemical groups present on the wax surface. The observed control of the volume of sampled droplets, which is necessary for quantitative biochemical or chemical assays, extends to scenarios in which multiple droplet samples are extracted simultaneously from a single bulk droplet. Demonstration of the capacity of this technique to perform colorimetric glucose immunoassays is described. The ability to obtain well-defined microliter sample volumes and to extract several samples simultaneously from the same source enables the development of two-dimensional paper-based microfluidic devices for biomedical testing.
Role of the olfactory pathway in agonistic behavior of crayfish, Procambarus clarkii.

Crayfish establish social dominance hierarchies through agonistic interactions, and these hierarchies are maintained through assessment of social status. Chemical signals influence several aspects of fighting behavior, but the specific chemosensory sensilla involved in detecting these signals in crayfish are unknown. The goal of our study was to examine the importance of aesthetasc sensilla—olfactory sensors on the antennules of decapod crustaceans—in regulating changes in fighting behavior in crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, over the course of repeated pairings. We selectively ablated aesthetascs from pairs of crayfish after the first day of trials and compared the behavior of these ablated animals to that of pairs of intact controls. Results show that unablated crayfish significantly decreased the number and duration of fights over repeated pairings, whereas crayfish lacking aesthetascs continued to engage in similar amounts of fighting across all three trial days. This difference shows that aesthetascs regulate fighting behavior in P. clarkii.
Human papillomavirus 16 exhibits a similar integration pattern in primary squamous cell carcinoma of the penis and in its metastasis.

Background Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are among the most common causes of sexually transmitted viral infections in the United States, and HPV types 16, 18, and others have been strongly linked with the development of cervical cancer. DNA from these oncogenic HPV types also has been detected in biopsy specimens of penile intraepithelial and invasive neoplasms, indicating a causal role of these viruses in the malignant transformation of these tissue. Methods Southern blot analysis and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis were used to investigate the presence and physical state of HPV in a patient with metastatic penile carcinoma. Results The presence of HPV 16 DNA integrated into the host's genome was documented in a primary penile squamous cell carcinoma and its lymph node metastasis. Conclusions The identical restriction endonuclease cleavage patterns for HPV 16 in both the primary tumor and its lymph node metastasis indicate that both tumors arose from a single clonal event. This finding provides evidence of a causal role of HPV in squamous cell carcinoma of male genitalia.