cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Competition in Corporate and Personal Income Tax: Evidence from 67 Developed and Developing Countries

This paper empirically investigates tax competition in corporate income taxes (CIT) and personal income taxes (PIT) in 67 countries between 1981 and 2015. We find that tax competition in PIT is weaker than that in CIT, and various domestic considerations appear to act strongly in determining PIT. We also find that tax competition is a key determinant in setting CIT in developing countries as well as in developed countries. In addition to estimating the response function, we explore the possibility of adjustment cost and rigidity by estimating the error correction model type (ECM-type) and pooled mean group estimation (PMG). ECM-type and PMG estimations provide evidence of a partial adjustment instead of an instant full adjustment of tax rates. Furthermore, we find evidence that countries tend to adjust more strongly when lowering than raising rates, in agreement with the kinked demand curve model, which has not been explored in tax competition studies.
Management of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is the end result of insulin deficiency in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Loss of insulin production leads to profound catabolism with increased gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, lipolysis, and muscle proteolysis causing hyperglycemia and osmotic diuresis. High levels of counter-regulatory hormones lead to enhanced ketogenesis and the release of 'ketone bodies' into the circulation, which dissociate to release hydrogen ions and cause an overwhelming acidosis. Dehydration, hyperglycemia, and ketoacidosis are the hallmarks of this condition. Treatment is effective repletion of insulin, fluids and electrolytes. Newer approaches to early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention may diminish the risk of DKA and its childhood complications including cerebral edema. However, the potential for some technical and pharmacologic advances in the management of T1D to increase DKA events must be recognized.
Strategies for Catheter Ablation of Left Ventricular Papillary Muscle Arrhythmias: An Institutional Experience

Abstract Objectives This study sought to address whether technological innovations such as contact force sensing (CFS) can improve acute and long-term ablation outcomes of left ventricular papillar...
Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy

Robotic Partial Nephrectomy is a standardized robotic procedure, in which classically a small renal mass is excised or removed from the kidney. Although traditionally performed in masses less than 4 cm in size, currently these cases are also performed in solitary kidneys, large tumors, and patients with multiple tumors. The results of robotic partial nephrectomy have been similar, if not better, than open and laparoscopic surgery.
Molecular and Clinical Data Integration Identifies an Association Between Decreased Colectomy Rates and Atorvastatin Exposure in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with limited effective therapeutic options for long-term treatment and disease maintenance. We hypothesized that multi-cohort analysis of independent cohorts representing real-world heterogeneity of patients with UC would identify a robust transcriptomic signature to improve identification of FDA-approved drugs that can be repurposed to treat patients with UC. Methods: We performed a multi-cohort analysis of transcriptome profiles of 272 colon biopsies across 11 publicly available datasets to identify a robust UC gene signature. We compared the gene signature with in vitro transcriptomic profiles induced by 781 FDA-approved small-molecule drugs to identify potential drug targets. We used a retrospective cohort study design modeled after a target trial to evaluate the protective effect of atorvastatin on colectomy risk in patients with UC from the Stanford Research Repository (STARR) database and Optum Clinformatics DataMart. Findings: The transcriptomic profile of atorvastatin treatment had the highest inverse-correlation with the UC gene signature among any non-oncolytic therapy. In both the STARR(n=827) and Optum(n=7821) cohorts, atorvastatin use was significantly associated with a decreased risk of colectomy, a marker of treatment-refractory disease in patients with UC, compared to patients prescribed a comparator drug (STARR: HR=0.47, p=0.03; Optum: HR=0.66, p=0.03), irrespective of age and length of atorvastatin treatment. Interpretations: These findings suggest that atorvastatin might serve as a novel therapeutic option for ameliorating disease in patients with UC. Importantly, we provide a systematic framework for integrating publicly available heterogeneous molecular data with similarly heterogeneous clinical data at a large scale to repurpose existing FDA-approved drugs for a wide range of human diseases. Funding Statement: LB is funded by the Stanford Bio-X Graduate Fellowship. MKDS is funded in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (F30:HL149252) and The Stanford University Medical Scientist Training Program (T32GM007365). PK is funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1113682); the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) grants 1U19AI109662, U19AI057229, and 5R01AI125197; Department of Defense contracts W81XWH-18-1-0253 and W81XWH1910235; and the Ralph & Marian Falk Medical Research Trust, outside of this work. Declaration of Interests: Authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: Access was permitted through a previously approved IRB.
Additive Manufacturing of Carbides Using Renewable Resources

Here we report initial results towards additive manufacturing of carbides. We shaped and heat treated biopolymers-metal oxide gel composites in order to obtain 3-D carbide structures. Renewable biopolymers such as iota-carrageenan, chitin and cellulose were used to form the gels. Heat treatment of the gel composites resulted in amorphous porous carbonaceous material with high surface area. The carbonaceous materials preserved the original 3D shape. The ongoing work is on optimization of the conditions for carbide synthesis. We are also studying the rheology of the gel composites to aid to the additive manufacturing.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Controllable combinatorial coverage in grammar-based testing

Given a grammar (or other sorts of meta-data), one can trivially derive combinatorially exhaustive test-data sets up to a specified depth. Without further efforts, such test-data sets would be huge at the least and explosive most of the time. Fortunately, scenarios of grammar-based testing tend to admit non-explosive approximations of naive combinatorial coverage. In this paper, we describe the notion of controllable combinatorial coverage and a corresponding algorithm for test-data generation. The approach is based on a suite of control mechanisms to be used for the characterization of test-data sets as well-defined and understandable approximations of full combinatorial coverage. The approach has been implemented in the C#-based test-data generator Geno, which has been successfully used in projects that required differential testing, stress testing and conformance testing of grammar-driven functionality.
Potato spindle tuber virus: a plant virus with properties of a free nucleic acid. 3. Subcellular location of PSTV-RNA and the question of whether virions exist in extracts or in situ.

Abstract Bioassays of subcellular components isolated from potato spindle tuber virus-infected leaves showed that infectivity was mainly associated with the tissue debris and with purified nuclei. Fractions that contained soluble constituents, ribosomes, mitochondria, or chloroplasts were virtually noninfectious. Infectivity could be extracted with phosphate buffer from nuclei and from purified chromatin. Density-gradient centrifugation of nuclear or chromatin extracts, or of crude phosphate extracts of infected tissue, disclosed very slowly sedimenting infectious material ( ca. 10 S), as well as smaller amounts of faster-sedimenting infectious material. The latter material was heterogeneous and sedimented at rates of from 10 S to well beyond 200 S. Upon storage at 4°, the faster-sedimenting material lost infectivity as fast as, if not faster than, the 10 S material. Treatment of clarified crude extracts with deoxyribonuclease, or shaking with chloroform- n -butanol, or with phenol (alone or in conjunction with sodium dodecyl sulfate) had no appreciable effect on the sedimentation properties of the infectious material. Fast-sedimenting infectious material was also present in highly purified nucleic acid preparations from PSTV-infected tissue. Bioassays of extracts from PSTV-infected leaves that had been vacuum-infiltrated with solutions of nucleases indicated that in situ the infectious moiety of PSTV is sensitive to attack by ribonuclease. These results suggest that no virions exist in PSTV-infected tissue. If such entities do exist, they must be extremely labile and cannot be significant in the natural transmission of the disease agent. The polydisperse sedimentation behavior of the infectious material appears to be a property of PSTV-RNA; and it may be due to its peculiar structure or its unusual tendency to aggregate.
XML goes native: run-time representations for XTATIC

Xtatic is a lightweight extension of C# offering native support for statically typed XML processing. XML trees are built-in values in Xtatic, and static analysis of the trees manipulated by programs is part of the ordinary job of the typechecker. “Tree grep” pattern matching is used to investigate and transform XML trees. Xtatic's surface syntax and type system are tightly integrated with those of C#. Beneath the hood, however, an implementation of Xtatic must address a number of issues common to any language supporting a declarative style of XML processing (e.g., XQuery, XSLT, XDuce, CDuce, Xact, Xen, etc.). In particular, it must provide representations for XML tags, trees, and textual data that use memory efficiently, support efficient pattern matching, allow maximal sharing of common substructures, and permit separate compilation. We analyze these representation choices in detail and describe the solutions used by the Xtatic compiler.
Hybrid modelling and control of power electronics

Switched circuits in power electronics by their nature present hybrid behavior. Such circuits can be described by a set of discrete states with associated continuous dynamics. A control objective, usually regulation of the output in the face of disturbances in the continuous system, is accomplished by choosing among discrete states. We describe a hybrid systems perspective of several common tasks in the design and analysis of power electronics. A DC-DC boost converter circuit is presented as an illustrative example, and the extension of this circuit to a multiple output configuration is provided to show the favorable scaling properties and broad utility of the hybrid approach.
Developing social networks for artificial societies from survey data

Authentically representing large social collectivities remains a preeminent challenge throughout the social computing, and modeling and simulation communities. We demonstrate here a simple technique that uses survey and polling data to embed agents with attributes and endogenously elicit an authentic and theory-driven simulation social structure for an artificial society. We furthermore show that a representation of social structure based on internal agent attributes allows for the continuous representation of social dynamics that affect agent cognition and association, and that social structures for artificial societies can be generated without any loss to the granularity of the underlying data or simulation output. We provide a case study using social survey data to demonstrate the method and effects, document the visualization of social structure for the population of Indonesia, discuss the implications and uses of survey data for social simulation, and suggest several paths forward for social and behavioral predictive modeling.
Enhancement of Cetuximab-Induced Radiosensitization by JAK-1 Inhibition

Background It is known that cetuximab (an epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFr] inhibitor) is a radiosensitizer. Also, cetuximab is known to only partially inhibit the signal transducer and activator of transcription – 3 (STAT-3); a mediator of protection from apoptosis. Studies were performed to determine if the radiosensitizing effects of cetuximab could be enhanced with the addition of an inhibitor of STAT-3.
Comparison of self-reported with objectively assessed energy expenditure in black and white women before and after weight loss.

Background: Weight maintenance is less successful in black women than in white women after weight loss. Objective: We compared objectively assessed total energy expenditure (TEE) with estimates of energy expenditure (EE) from self-reported physical activity (PA) in overweight black and white women before and after weight loss. We also compared those values with values in never-overweight control subjects. Design: A total of 20 white and 21 black premenopausal women were evaluated while overweight and weight reduced; 20 white and 14 black control subjects (matched with women in the weight-reduced state) were evaluated once. Weight loss of ≥10 kg was achieved by energy restriction in the overweight subjects. The evaluations were as follows: body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), free-living TEE (doubly labeled water), Tecumseh Occupational Activity Questionnaire, Minnesota Leisure Time PA Questionnaire, and Baecke Activity Questionnaire. Results: Questionnaire estimates of TEE were overestimated when compared with TEE (P < 0.001). Overweight women overestimated TEE 49% more than did never-overweight control subjects. After weight loss, white women reduced overestimation of EE 48% (P < 0.05), so that their overestimation of EE was not different from that of black and white control subjects. Black women overestimated to the same extent both before and after weight loss. Conclusions: Premenopausal women overestimate PA estimates on questionnaires. Overestimation of PA in weight-reduced black women is greater than in weight-reduced white women and never-overweight black and white women.
Linear Stability of Differentially Heated Spatially Developing Layers

Heterogeneous shear layers, characterized by the presence of a wake deficit and a Gaussian temperature profile, are considered. Unstable mode characteristics are interpreted in terms of a five-parameter set which describes the velocity ratio and the thicknesses and strengths of the wake component and temperature spike. In the absence of a wake deficit, the Kelvin-Helmholtz mode is inhibited as density gradients increase. Stabilization of this mode is weak (strong) when the density profile thickness is larger (smaller) than that of the shear layer. When a wake component is present, stabilization of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is no longer observed. In this case, the growth rate of unstable Kelvin-Helmholtz waves is found to be weakly sensitive to the presence of a heated region and to the details of the wake deficit.
Comparison of seven-day diet record with measured food intake of twenty-four subjects

Abstract A comparison was made between calorie intakes recorded for 7 days by 12 men and 12 women and the calorie levels they consumed during an 18-week controlled dietary study during which body weight was maintained. A large discrepancy was found in the calories consumed during the controlled study and the calories recorded on the 7-day record. The difference between average daily kilocalories women consumed during the study and the number on the diet record was more than 900. Men reported consuming about 500 kcal less per day than they consumed to maintain weight. Men and women both consumed about 43% carbohydrate, 16% protein and 41% fat. P/S ratio was about 0.4 and cholesterol intake was relatively low, averaging 415 mg in men and 335 in women. On the average, men met the RDA for all nutrients reported, but women had low intakes of iron, calcium, and vitamin A. The average number of daily meals consumed was 3.42. The subjects consumed an average of 16% of the calories between midnight and 11:00 AM, 32% between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM, and 52% between 4:00 PM and midnight. These results indicate that there may be a wide range of calorie intakes at which subjects can maintain body weight. If caloric intakes recorded by the women are accurate and representative, they may have difficulty in obtaining necessary amounts of calcium, vitamin A, and iron without dietary changes or vitamin and mineral supplementation.
A hybrid control approach to the Next-Best-View problem using stereo vision

In this paper, we consider the problem of precisely localizing a group of stationary targets using a single stereo camera mounted on a mobile robot. In particular, assuming that at least one pair of stereo images of the targets is available, we seek to determine where to move the stereo camera so that the localization uncertainty of the targets is minimized. We call this problem the Next-Best-View problem. The advantage of using a stereo camera is that, using triangulation, the two simultaneous images can yield range and bearing measurements of the targets, as well as their uncertainty. We use a Kalman filter to fuse location and uncertainty estimates as more measurements are acquired. Our solution to the Next-Best-View problem is to iteratively minimize the fused uncertainty of the targets' locations subject to field-of-view constraints. We capture these objectives by appropriate artificial potentials on the camera's relative frame and the global frame, respectively. In particular, with every new observation, the mobile stereo camera computes the new next best view on the relative frame and subsequently realizes this view in the global frame via gradient descent on the space of robot positions and orientations, until a new observation is made. Integration of next best view with motion planning results in a hybrid system, which we illustrate in computer simulations.
POPULATION MODELS OF BURROWING MAYFLY RECOLONIZATION IN WESTERN LAKE ERIE

Burrowing mayflies, Hexagenia spp. (H. limbata and H. rigida), began recolonizing western Lake Erie during the 1990s. Survey data for mayfly nymph densities indicated that the population experienced exponential growth between 1991 and 1997. To predict the time to full recovery of the mayfly population, we fitted logistic models, ranging in carrying capacity from 600 to 2000 nymphs/m2, to these survey data. Based on the fitted logistic curves, we forecast that the mayfly population in western Lake Erie would achieve full recovery between years 1998 and 2000, depending on the carrying capacity of the western basin. Additionally, we estimated the mortality rate of nymphs in western Lake Erie during 1994 and then applied an age-based matrix model to the mayfly population. The results of the matrix population modeling corroborated the exponential growth model application in that both methods yielded an estimate of the population growth rate, r, in excess of 0.8 yr−1. This was the first evidence that mayfly populations are capable of recolonizing large aquatic ecosystems at rates comparable with those observed in much smaller lentic ecosystems. Our model predictions should prove valuable to managers of power plant facilities along the western basin in planning for mayfly emergences and to managers of the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) fishery in western Lake Erie.
Reduced order modeling for fluid flows subject to quadratic type nonlinearities

Explicit model reduction for nonlinear systems with no prior information about the type of nonlinearity involved is difficult and challenging. It is easier to reduce nonlinear systems which nonlinearity is known. In this paper we introduce two nonlinear model reduction techniques for quadratic nonlinear systems. The first technique is nonlinear balanced truncation. The Controlability and observability gramians are computed by solving the Hamilton Jacobi equations and then used to find the transformation function to get the nonlinear balanced truncated system. The second technique is using Arnoldi algorithm. We apply both techniques to a practical nonlinear quadratic system which is the two-dimensional Burgers equation problem of a fluid passing an obstacle.
Initial experience with single-source dual-energy CT abdominal angiography and comparison with single-energy CT angiography: image quality, enhancement, diagnosis and radiation dose

To assess image quality of virtual monochromatic spectral (VMS) images, compared to single-energy (SE) CT, and to evaluate the feasibility of material density imaging in abdominal aortic disease. In this retrospective study, single-source (ss) dual-energy (DE) CT of the aorto-iliac system in 35 patients (32 male, mean age 76.5 years) was compared to SE-CT. By post-processing the data from ssDECT, VMS images at different energies and material density water (WD) images were generated. The image quality parameters were rated on 5-point scales. The aorto-iliac attenuation and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were recorded. Quality of WD images was compared to true unenhanced (TNE) images. Radiation dose was recorded and statistical analysis was performed. Image quality and noise were better at 70 keV (P < 0.01). Renal artery branch visualisation was better at 50 keV (P < 0.005). Attenuation and CNR were higher at 50 and 70 keV (P < 0.0001). The WD images had diagnostic quality but higher noise than TNE images (P < 0.0001). Radiation dose was lower using single-phase ssDECT compared to dual-phase SE-CT (P < 0.0001). 70-keV images from ssDECT provide higher contrast enhancement and improved image quality for aorto-iliac CT when compared to SE-CT at 120 kVp. WD images are an effective substitute for TNE images with a potential for dose reduction. • Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography is now a routine procedure. • Single-source dual-energy CT (ssDECT) can provide simultaneous data with different kilovoltages. • 70 keV images showed better image quality than conventional single-energy (SE) CT. • 70 keV images exhibited less image noise in comparison to SE-CT.
Details of electron correlation explored with VUV and soft X-radiation

Abstract One of the most successful applications of synchrotron radiation in the VUV and soft X-ray regions of the spectrum has been in the elucidation of details of electron correlations as they influence dynamics of photoionisation. With the improved resolution capabilities of new light sources, it becomes possible to examine these dynamics in even finer detail, exposing structure previously masked by experimental broadening. In addition, higher flux will make possible experiments on very dilute or transient species as well as types of experiments not feasible with older generation sources. Examples illustrating these possibilities will be drawn from recent results obtained using undulator radiation in the analysis of resonant Auger decay and double ionisation resulting from decay of excitations out of the 4d shell in xenon. In addition, prospects of future electron-electron coincidence experiments will be discussed.
Magnetic resonance imaging using gadolinium labeled monoclonal antibody

Gadolinium was attached to antibodies and tested in vitro and in vivo for its effect on proton relaxation enhancement. Using the cyclic anhydride method, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) was attached to albumin, IgG and anti-CEA monoclonal antibody. Gadolinium (Gd) was then chelated to the protein complexes forming protein-DTPA-Gd complex. With this technique approximately 9 atoms of Gd could be attached to each albumin molecule, 4 to each IgG molecule and 1.5 to each monoclonal antibody molecule. The minimal in vitro concentration of Gd in the form of IgG-DTPA-Gd necessary to produce proton relaxation enhancement at 0.35 tesla was 10(-1) mM. An in vivo experiment using anticarcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) monoclonal antibody-DTPA-Gd in hamsters implanted with human colon carcinoma resulted in a tumor concentration of Gd of less than 10(-4) mM. No enhancement of the tumors was detected at that concentration. For monoclonal antibodies to function as selective MR contrast agents, substantial advances in technology must occur.
Antenatal Diagnosis of Mosaic Trisomy 8 Confirmed in Fetal Tissues

An aneuploid karyotype with an extra submetacentric C-group chromosome was observed in all metaphase cells in 5 of 24 primary amniotic fluid cell clones and in admixture with normal cells in two additional clones. Trisomy 8 was demonstrated by R-banding. The parents elected to terminate the pregnancy. Successful cultures were initiated from nine fetal tissues and aneuploid cells were observed in cultures derived from two separate sites in the skin.
Imaginary Team Members: A Couples Counseling Perspective

The postmodern counseling literature contains numerous interventions that may help to create a neutral place for client reflection. Andersen suggested the use of “reflecting teams” for helping clients become more reflective in their thinking. A reflecting team is made up of individuals (usually other counselors) who observe and reflect on the therapeutic process that they are witnessing. Clients, in turn, then discuss their reflections of the reflecting team’s conversation. According to Freedman and Combs, an extension of the reflecting teams technique may include persons not actually present in the counseling session. Later, these team members may be invited to future sessions, and eventually the couple may be instructed to use this exercise at home to help them create alternative meanings and behaviors. In this article, the authors present a technique loosely based on the reflective team approach for use with couples.
Magnetic susceptibility measurement of insoluble solids by NMR: magnetic susceptibility of bone

Measurements of the volume magnetic susceptibility of solids using the classical Gouy balance approach are hampered by variations in apparent density of the packed powder. In this paper a quantitative NMR measurement of the volume magnetic susceptibility of powdered solids is described and the volume susceptibility of bone is reported. The technique is based on the measurement of changes in incremental linewidth (1/pi T2') induced in a marker fluid whose susceptibility can be predictably modified by changing the composition, such as by addition of a soluble diamagnetic compound. The spectroscopic linewidth of the marker fluid is determined by the susceptibility difference between the fluid and the suspended solid. Changes in the linewidth are accompanied by bulk magnetic susceptibility induced frequency shifts in the fluid resonance. Correlating the two dependencies allows measurement of the absolute volume susceptibility of the solid. The susceptibility of bovine rib bone was found to be -0.9 +/- 0.02 x -10(-6) (CGS) confirming previous estimates which suggested bone to be more diamagnetic than the marrow constituents. Knowledge of the susceptibility of bone is relevant in view of the growing interest in MRI osteodensitometric techniques.
Comparison of particle transport in the scrape-off layer plasmas of Alcator C-Mod and DIII-D

Scrape-off layer (SOL) data from DIII-D and C-Mod have been acquired and analysed for radial particle transport based on a particle balance model. This has allowed a detailed comparison for L-mode plasmas. The inferred radial particle flux, Γ⊥(r), is parameterized in terms of diffusive [Deff(r) ≡ Γ⊥(r)/∇n(r)] and convective particle transport [veff(r) ≡ Γ⊥(r)/n(r)]. The magnitude of the inferred Deff or veff increases across the SOL for both tokamaks. The inferred Deff or veff in the 'far' SOL (one density e-folding length from the separatrix and beyond) are essentially unchanged by changes in core density by factors of 2–3. This corresponds to changes in the far SOL density, collisionality (ν*) and radial fluxes of a factor of 10 or more. Thus ν* does not appear to be an important parameter in determining the radial particle transport in that region.The dimensionlessly-scaled SOL plasma profiles from the two tokamaks overlay for similar dimensionless plasma parameters. The SOL density profile near the separatrix is steeper than in the 'far' SOL. The scaled Deff and veff are slightly larger on DIII-D than C-Mod. This difference appears to be within experimental uncertainties.Neutral ionization in the SOL does not appear to affect radial transport but may be related to the observed flattening of the density profiles with increasing .
Adsorptive stripping voltammetric speciation of nickel(II)-histidine in aqueous ammonia

Ni(II)-L-histidine is expected to be the major nickel metabolite although it was not identified in previous atomic absorption analyses of body fluids. In a continuing study of nickel speciation, the adsorptive stripping voltammetric behavior of Ni(II) complexes with ammonia and histidine was examined. Two nickel species, [Ni(H2O)6]2 and [Ni(H2O)5NH3]2, were identified in ammonia buffer, whose peak potentials and currents and also sensitivity to [Ni(II)] varied significantly with the ammonia concentration used. A 1:2 Ni(II)-histidine mixture in 0.05 M ammonia buffer at pH 9.4 gave a new peak at Ep - 1.26 V, which was twice as large for the L-isomer as for the DL-racemate. This peak height was not changed appreciably by the addition of NaCl, NH3 or histidine beyond ca. 10-fold, but increased linearly with [Ni(II)]. Replacing histidine with histamine, a bidentate ligand, gave rise to a peak at Ep - 0.91 V. Hence, the Ni(II)-L-histidine complex is octahedral Ni(L-his)2, involving the histidyl anion as a tridentate. The assignments are consistent with the effects on the peak current of various nickel species from the adsorption potential and time during electrode adsorption.
Damage and healing evaluation of Mn/Road pavements using stress wave testing

In order to accurately assess the fatigue life of asphalt concrete pavements, an in-situ field evaluation method must be used so that factors which cannot be accounted for in the lab are considered. Surface wave testing is employed in this research to nondestructively monitor sensitive structural changes in the asphalt surface layer of pavements in the field. Microcrack damage growth and healing are investigated on pavement test sections at the Minnesota Road Research Facility (Mn/Road) by way of surface wave testing. One of the mechanisms which cannot be simulated accurately in the lab is healing of asphalt concrete during rest periods. Healing of the asphalt pavement test sections at Mn/Road following a 24 hour rest period was quantified using wavespeed measurements. These measurements show that a significant amount of healing is occurring and can be detected using stress wave testing. Several signal processing methods are used to evaluate the microcrack damage growth and healing in the asphalt pavement sections. The 'apparent' modulus is computed from the velocity of wave propagation and used to quantify damage in the pavements. Attenuation of the stress waves is also calculated for damage assessment. It is discovered that attenuation parameters in the frequency domain are more sensitive than wavespeed calculations in the time domain, but contain significantly more variability.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Testing Beta Stationarity across Bond Rating Changes

In this paper we examine the relationship between bond re-ratings and changes in systematic risk. Using both time series and cross-sectional regressions, we find that upgrades are not associated with a change in beta. Across the entire sample, downgrades are associated with an increase in beta. Further, the increase in beta is positively correlated with firm size. There is no evidence that movement within or across rating categories, the number of grades changed, or a change across the investment grade category have a differential impact on the change in beta.
A surgical technique that allows reuse of an existing venotomy site for multiple central venous catheterizations

During long-term use, central venous catheters are damaged or inadvertently displaced, and replacement is required. The authors developed a technique that allows multiple recatheterizations through an existing venotomy site. The technique is very advantageous for patients who need long-term central venous access.
The aqueous phase oxidation of cyclohexane using gamma radiation

A study was made of the radiolytic oxidation of cyclohexane in aqueous solution by using cobalt 60 gamma radiation. In the presence of dissolved oxygen gas the reaction proceeds irreversibly with the formation of a number of oxidation products. Those identified were cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, and hydrogen peroxide. Trace quantities of carbon dioxide were also detected in the liquid phase. Using a constant dose rate of 15 × 104 rad./hr. in all runs, radiation yields were G(C6H11OH) = 0.49, and G(C6H10O) = 1.08. When molecular oxygen was excluded from the system, neither cyclohexanol nor cyclohexanone was formed on irradiation. A simplified kinetic model based on competition by the various solutes in the system for a single primary radical species produced by radiolysis of the solvent molecules is developed. Results generated using the mathematical model are compared with the experimental data. Excellent agreement between the observed and computed trends is noted at radiation doses up to 50 × 104 rad.
Msx1 is present in thyrotropic cells and binds to a consensus site on the glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit promoter.

Our studies are aimed at identifying the transcription factors that activate the glycoprotein hormoneα -subunit promoter. Therefore, we performed a Southwestern screening of a thyrotropic (αTSH) cDNA expression library, using the region of the promoter from −490 to −310 that contains sequences critical for expression in thyrotrope cells. A clone was isolated corresponding to part of the coding sequence of Msx1, which is a homeodomain-containing transcription factor that has been found to play an important role in the development of limb buds and craniofacial structures. Northern blot analysis, using the cloned Msx1 cDNA fragment as a probe, demonstrated that α-subunit-expressing thyrotrope cells (αTSH cells and TtT97 tumors) contained Msx1 RNA transcripts of 2.2 kb, while somatomammotrope (GH3) cells that do not produce the α-subunit had barely detectable levels. The presence of Msx1 protein was demonstrated by Western blot analysis in αTSH cells. We also demonstrated that transcripts encoding the closely...
A Varying Intensity Story Test for Simulated Hearing Loss

The use of a procedure that varies the intensity of critical portions of a story for purposes of quantifying the degree of pseudohypacusis was examined. Results indicated that this procedure can be used to identify normal hearing people who are asked to feign a hearing loss. It was found that, for most subjects, it was possible to determine that their true auditory thresholds were at least 30 dB below what they claimed as their voluntary (simulated) levels.
Diclofenac delays micropore closure following microneedle treatment in human subjects

Drugs absorbed poorly through the skin are commonly delivered via injection with a hypodermic needle, which is painful and increases the risk of transmitting infectious diseases. Microneedles (MNs) selectively and painlessly permeabilize the outermost skin layer, allowing otherwise skin-impermeable drugs to cross the skin through micron-sized pores and reach therapeutic concentrations. However, rapid healing of the micropores prevents further drug delivery, blunting the clinical utility of this unique transdermal technique. We present the first human study demonstrating that micropore lifetime can be extended following MN treatment. Subjects received one-time MN treatment and daily topical application of diclofenac sodium. Micropore closure was measured with impedance spectroscopy, and area under the admittance-time curve (AUC) was calculated. AUC was significantly higher at MN+diclofenac sodium sites vs. placebo, suggesting slower rates of micropore healing. Colorimetry measurements confirmed the absence of local erythema and irritation. This mechanistic human proof-of-concept study demonstrates that micropore lifetime can be prolonged with simple topical administration of a non-specific cyclooxygenase inhibitor, suggesting the involvement of subclinical inflammation in micropore healing. These results will allow for longer patch wear time with MN-enhanced delivery, thus increasing patient compliance and expanding the transdermal field to a wider variety of clinical conditions.
Irreversible components of the hysteresis curves of a laser-ablated YBCO thin film

Abstract The irreversible component of the magnetization hysteresis curves of a laser-ablated YBCO thin film has been fitted by using the exponential critical state model, assuming the reversible part of the magnetization hysteresis curves is the same as the field-cooled magnetization.
The kinematics and general field equations for continuum mixtures

Abstract A fundamental description of continuum mixtures is presented. The mixture is decomposed into Borel sets associated with each constituent and the mixture is defined as the union of these sets. The decomposition is initiated in Euclidean one-space, motivated by the fact that the deformation of a continuum is ultimately described by the deformation of line elements. The decomposition is then extended to higher dimensions resulting in a volume fraction based theory for the kinematic description and the description of constituent and mixture properties. In particular, it is shown that the deformation gradient associated with the motion of any constituent can be decomposed into a constitutively prescribed, or deformation, component and another component referred to as the carrier component. The carrier arises because each constituent is embedded in others that also may deform and cause additional apparent deformation. The governing equations at both the constituent and mixture levels are developed using a general balance equation applicable to both cases. Some differences between the proposed theory and standard theories for continuum mixtures are discussed.
A competitive kinin receptor antagonist, [DArg0, Hyp3, DPhe7]-bradykinin, does not affect the response to nasal provocation with bradykinin.

1. In two double-blind, placebo controlled studies, we tested the effects of intranasal administration of 500 micrograms of a competitive kinin receptor antagonist, [DArg0, Hyp3, DPhe7]-bradykinin (NPC 567), on the response to nasal provocation with 20 micrograms of bradykinin. Nasal lavage was performed before and after provocation, and subjects recorded symptom scores. Lavages were assayed for albumin and TAME-esterase activity (indicators of vascular permeability). 2. In our initial study, 12 subjects received NPC 567 or placebo 5 min before bradykinin. After placebo, bradykinin challenge resulted in values (mean +/- s.e. mean) for albumin, TAME-esterase activity and total symptom scores of 275 +/- 51 micrograms ml-1, 32.1 +/- 7.2 counts min-1 x 10(-3), and 1.8 +/- 0.5, respectively. After NPC 567, bradykinin challenge resulted in values of 317 +/- 99 micrograms ml-1, 31.4 +/- 6.9 counts min-1 x 10(-3), and 2.6 +/- 0.4 for these parameters. No significant difference was observed between placebo and drug treatment for any parameter. 3. To evaluate if the lack of drug effect was due to its enzymatic degradation prior to bradykinin administration, a second study was performed in which NPC 567 was coadministered with bradykinin (n = 8). After placebo-bradykinin challenge, values of 168 +/- 42 micrograms ml-1, 11.3 +/- 4.0 counts min-1 x 10(-3), and 2.8 +/- 0.6 were recorded for albumin, TAME-esterase activity, and symptom scores, respectively, while following NPC 567-bradykinin challenge, these values were 174 +/- 51 micrograms ml-1, 12.3 +/- 4.1 counts min-1 x 10(-3), and 3.1 +/- 0.7.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Higher selection processes in evolutionary economic change

Virtually all models of economic change are based on a Darwinian picture of a world where change is gradual, smooth, and where economic survival depends on being more efficient. This paper, drawing from current controversies in evolutionary biology, presents a broader interpretation of evolutionary change in which competitive selection is only one possible reason for economic survival. Economic change is presented as a hierarchical process. At one level, change takes place through the accumulation of small changes based on competitive selection at the margin, as described by standard economic theory. At higher levels, survival depends on processes over which the agent being selected has no control.
Efficient linkage mapping using exome capture and extreme QTL in schistosome parasites.

Identification of parasite genes that underlie traits such as drug resistance and host specificity is challenging using classical linkage mapping approaches. Extreme QTL (X-QTL) methods, originally developed by rodent malaria and yeast researchers, promise to increase the power and simplify logistics of linkage mapping in experimental crosses of schistosomes (or other helminth parasites), because many 1000s of progeny can be analysed, phenotyping is not required, and progeny pools rather than individuals are genotyped. We explored the utility of this method for mapping a drug resistance gene in the human parasitic fluke Schistosoma mansoni. We staged a genetic cross between oxamniquine sensitive and resistant parasites, then between two F1 progeny, to generate multiple F2 progeny. One group of F2s infecting hamsters was treated with oxamniquine, while a second group was left untreated. We used exome capture to reduce the size of the genome (from 363 Mb to 15 Mb) and exomes from pooled F2 progeny (treated males, untreated males, treated females, untreated females) and the two parent parasites were sequenced to high read depth (mean = 95-366×) and allele frequencies at 14,489 variants compared. We observed dramatic enrichment of alleles from the resistant parent in a small region of chromosome 6 in drug-treated male and female pools (combined analysis: = 11.07, p = 8.74 × 10-29). This region contains Smp_089320 a gene encoding a sulfotransferase recently implicated in oxamniquine resistance using classical linkage mapping methods. These results (a) demonstrate the utility of exome capture for generating reduced representation libraries in Schistosoma mansoni, and (b) provide proof-of-principle that X-QTL methods can be successfully applied to an important human helminth. The combination of these methods will simplify linkage analysis of biomedically or biologically important traits in this parasite.
Finite-state verification for high performance computing

A glance at the list of the world's most powerful computing systems (top500.org) reveals that high performance computing has become practically synonymous with parallel computing. Yet parallel programs are notoriously difficult to get right. It is hard enough to verify that an ordinary sequential program computes what it is intended to compute, and parallelism introduces an entirely new layer of complexity. Moreover, parallel programs can behave non-deterministically, in the sense that they can produce different results when run with different numbers of processors, or when run on different platforms, and sometimes even when run twice on the same platform. Experience has shown that just to detect or reproduce these problems---let alone to pinpoint their causes and correct them---can be extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive.
On a mechanism for the formation of VLF electrostatic emissions in the high latitude F-region

The presence of highly anisotropic ion velocity distributions in the weakly-ionized plasma of strongly convecting areas of the high latitude F-region leads to the excitation of electrostatic microinstabilities (λ ∼ 50 cm) at frequencies of the order of the lower hybrid frequency and smaller. We have estimated the threshold conditions for the excitation of the unstable waves under various physical circumstances. For some representative conditions we have also calculated the frequencies, growth rates, and wavelengths for the fastest growing modes using the linear approximation. We stress that the present theory breaks down in regions where the plasma cannot be treated as locally homogeneous. The altitude range over which the theory is applicable also varies with conditions. For highly disturbed conditions the upper altitude limit may be as high as 400 km.
Accumbens D2 modulation of sensorimotor gating in rats : assessing anatomical localization

The normal reduction in acoustic startle amplitude caused by a weak prepulse (prepulse inhibition; PPI) is deficient in schizophrenic patients and in rats after systemic or intraaccumbens treatment with the D2 dopamine agonist quinpirole. We examined the anatomical substrates of the PPI-disruptive effects of intraaccumbens quinpirole. PPI was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner by quinpirole infusion into the medial accumbens shell region, the lateral accumbens core region, and an intermediate central region. There was a weak tendency for this quinpirole effect to be more pronounced in core and central accumbens regions than in the medial and anteromedial accumbens. Using the retrograde tracer Nuclear yellow, shell and core regions were verified to receive different patterns of limbic cortical innervation. Although the accumbens appears to have a complex and functionally diversified intrinsic anatomy, the accumbens D2 modulation of sensorimotor gating appears to be distributed across several different accumbens subregions.
Bupropion increases striatal vesicular monoamine transport

The vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT-2) is principally involved in regulating cytoplasmic dopamine (DA) concentrations within terminals by sequestering free DA into synaptic vesicles. This laboratory previously identified a correlation between striatal vesicular DA uptake through VMAT-2 and inhibition of the DA transporter (DAT). For example, administration of methylphenidate (MPD), a DAT inhibitor, increases vesicular DA uptake through VMAT-2 in a purified vesicular preparation; an effect associated with a redistribution of VMAT-2 protein within DA terminals. The purpose of this study was to determine if other DAT inhibitors, including bupropion, similarly affect VMAT-2. Results revealed bupropion rapidly, reversibly, and dose-dependently increased vesicular DA uptake; an effect also associated with VMAT-2 protein redistribution. The bupropion-induced increase in vesicular DA uptake was prevented by pretreatment with eticlopride, a DA D2 receptor antagonist, but not by SCH23390, a DA D1 receptor antagonist. We previously reported that MPD post-treatment prevents persistent DA deficits associated with multiple methamphetamine (METH) administrations. Although bupropion attenuated the METH-induced reduction in VMAT-2 activity acutely, it did not prevent the long-term dopaminergic toxicity or the METH-induced redistribution of VMAT-2 protein. The findings from this study demonstrate similarities and differences in the mechanism by which MPD and bupropion affect striatal dopaminergic nerve terminals.
Third-time lung transplantation in a patient with cystic fibrosis

From the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Disclosures: Authors have nothing to disclose with regard to commercial support. Received for publication Aug 2, 2010; accepted for publication Sept 2, 2010; available ahead of print Nov 19, 2010. Address for reprints: David P. Mason, MD, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue/Desk J4-1, Cleveland, OH 44195 (E-mail: masond2@ccf.org). J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2011;141:e3-5 0022-5223/$36.00 Copyright 2011 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2010.09.028