cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Window Dressing, Data Mining, Or Data Errors: A Re-Examination Of The Dogs Of The Dow Theory

We re-examine the Dow dividend yield anomaly to ascertain if data errors create the superior returns of the trading rule. Empirical testing, using both parametric and nonparametric methods, suggests that the trading rule outperforms the index. Additionally, data errors are not the drivers of superior trading rule returns. Moreover, the Chow breakpoint test of structural stability suggests that neither window dressing nor data mining explain this phenomenon. Finally, a turn of the year formation date fails to explain superior trading rule returns, further mitigating the data mining explanation.
Cytomegalovirus infections in organ transplantation and post transfusion. An hypothesis.

The incidence and manifestations of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections after organ transplantation and transfusion is reviewed. Since transfused individuals receive unmatched leukocytes, they share certain responses with recipients of organ grafts. In this regard enhanced replication of lymphoid elements, probably common to both groups, may be responsible for the frequent occurrence of primary as well as reactivated CMV infections in these patients. New CMV infections may be transmitted within transplanted cells — in blood leukocytes, wandering macrophages, infected and sloughed endothelial cells, or in carrier cells latently infected within an organ. Reticuloendothelial cells of the donor and the recipient receive a significant antigenic stimulus after transplantation or perfusion. This may lead to the replication and release of latent CMV if the virus is endogenous to the recipient or if it has been transmitted with leukocytes or within a donated organ. The nature of the resultant clinical illness depends in part upon the prior CMV antibody status of the recipient. Immunosuppressive regimens administered to organ recipients probably enhance the dissemination of CMV but not the acquisition of the virus.
Single-gene mutations resulting in reproductive dysfunction in women.

Fertility in women is regulated by a series of highly coordinated and synchronized interactions in the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian axis (Figure 1A). The central regulator of the axis is the group of neurons that secrete gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).1 Their cell bodies reside in the arcuate nucleus, and their exons terminate in the median eminence near the hypothalamic–pituitary portal vasculature. These neurons are unique in that they have an intrinsic firing frequency such that GnRH is secreted in pulses at 60-to-90-minute intervals into the portal vasculature to be conveyed to the anterior pituitary gland. There GnRH binds to specific cell-surface receptors on the . . .
Chemical Synthesis of N-Linked Glycans Carrying Both Mannose-6-phosphate and GlcNAc-Mannose-6-phosphate Motifs

Mannose-6-phosphate (M6P) containing N-linked glycans are the essential targeting signals for hydrolases sorting in eukaryotic cells. To facilitate their structural and binding analyses, a highly efficient and convergent method has been developed to prepare complex N-linked glycans with well-defined M6P and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)-M6P motifs, a newly identified binding element for M6P receptors. The GlcNAc-M6P motif was stereoselectively installed at the late stage of the synthesis. Sequential deprotection of benzyl and acetate groups provided the fully deprotected N-glycans in excellent yield.
Papillary Muscle Rupture Following Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Case Report

Papillary muscle rupture is a serious mechanical complication of acute myocardial infarction typically seen within 5-7 days following transmural ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The incidence of papillary muscle rupture has markedly decreased in the modern era due to improved diagnosis and early coronary revascularization of ST-elevation myocardial infarction. As a result, papillary muscle rupture is increasingly seen following non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction where both diagnosis and revascularization can be delayed. In this report, we describe two cases of papillary muscle rupture following delayed presentation of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction and delayed recognition of papillary muscle rupture.
The effects of schedules of reinforcement on operant sequential stereotypy in humans

College students participated in three experiments on operant sequential stereotypy. In Experiment 1, subjects guided a marker through a 6 × 6 matrix by pressing two computer keys in sequence. Subjects were awarded points on seven schedules of reinforcement. Points were exchanged for money. The results showed that the level of stereotypy was greatest for behavior rewarded on a continuous reinforcement (CRF) schedule. In Experiment 2, responding was rewarded on a variable ratio (VR) 3 schedule for an extended number of trials or with a higher magnitude reward than in Experiment 1. Neither manipulation enhanced stereotypy. In Experiment 3, subjects were tested with two schedules of reinforcement as a within-subjects manipulation. Initial exposure to a CRF schedule produced a relatively high level of stereotypy that persisted through a VR 3 schedule, whereas initial exposure to a VR 3 schedule produced a relatively low level of stereotypy that increased significantly when subjects were switched to a CRF schedule. The results are discussed in the context of efficient responding.
Distributed Link Scheduling, Power Control and Routing for Multi-hop Wireless MIMO Networks

In this paper, we develop a cross-layer, yet distributed, resource allocation mechanism in multi-hop wireless MIMO networks over time varying channels. The objective is to design a scalable scheduler which uses minimum total power to transfer the information bits for all the end-to-end connections at the requested rates. To this end, we decompose the system into multiple isolated MIMO broadcast subsystems. In each time slot, each subsystem independently decides the transmit power, the antenna weights, the transmission rates and the forwarding rules of information bits based on the channel state information and previous decisions of other neighboring subsystems. The proposed algorithm converges asymptotically to the optimal solution under the decomposition.
The Story of the Fellowship

In the pages of this book, you will see how teachers, working collaboratively and across continents engaged in a journey that resulted in personal and professional transformations. The story of how this amazing team came together, worked amidst very challenging odds, and came to the point where this book is published, is one that defies much conventional wisdom of how research, collaboration and new knowledge is created.
Assessment of sense measurement duration on BTI degradation in MG/HK CMOS technologies using a novel stacked transistor test structure

Abstract The impact of sense measurement duration on BTI degradation in MG/HK devices is assessed by adapting a novel stacked transistor test structure in combination with a multiple drain current sensing scheme in the μs and ms time range. For NBTI, a fast de-trapping component causes dispersion in the DC time evolution for the different sense measurement duration but only at short stress times. However, at long stress times, relevant for lifetime projections, the impact diminishes. For PBTI and AC stress, the sense measurement duration is not a contributing factor. For technology qualifications where prolonged stresses are exercised, sense duration in the μs and ms time range yield equivalent model parameters.
Electric Field Damping of Rijke Tube Combustion Instabilities

A direct-current electric field was investigated as a damping method for thermoacoustic instabilities generated in a horizontal Rijke tube driven by a premixed propane torch. Electrode lengths of 2...
Feline Cardiogenic Arterial Thromboembolism: Prevention and Therapy

Feline cardiogenic arterial thromboembolism (CATE) is a devastating disease whereby 33% of cats survive their initial event, although approximately 50% of mortality is from euthanasia. Short-term management focuses on inducing a hypocoagulable state, improving blood flow, and providing supportive care. Ideally, all cats should be given 72 hours of treatment to determine the acute clinical course. Preventive protocols include antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant drugs, with the only prospective clinical trial demonstrating that clopidogrel is superior to aspirin with a lower CATE recurrence rate and longer time to recurrent CATE. Newer anticoagulant drugs hold great promise in the future of managing this disease.
Enduring Oddity; or, the Friendship of Fools in Sterne’s Tristram Shandy

This chapter takes up Laurence Sterne’s serialized publication of Tristram Shandy as a radical alternative to the rational friendships established by earlier authors. In embracing oddity and particularity, the novel exemplifies how notions of privacy in male friendship serve to distinguish literary originality from the perceived commercialism of mere novelties. I reframe the dialogue between Sterne’s fiction, Locke’s psychology, and Addison’s view of friendship to illuminate a wider conjunction of friendship, male intimacy, and originality as an aesthetic ideal. I conclude that Sterne’s model points up limitations of the rational-friendship model developed by Richardson, Fielding, and Scott, though his model is one that cannot be easily embraced by female readers or authors.
Interconnecting heterogeneous devices in the personal mobile cloud

Recent diversification of mobile computing devices allows a mobile user to own multiple types of devices for different application scenarios, but also results in various restrictions on the performance and usability of these devices. A viable solution to such restriction is to incorporate and interconnect mobile devices towards a personal mobile cloud where these devices can complement each other via cooperative resource sharing, but is challenging due to the heterogeneity of mobile devices in both hardware and software aspects. In this paper, we propose a novel design of resource sharing framework to address these challenges and generically interconnect heterogeneous mobile devices. Our basic idea is to mask the hardware and software heterogeneity in mobile systems by exploiting the existing mobile OS services as the interface of resource sharing, and further develop the resource sharing framework as a middleware in the mobile OS. We have implemented our design over various mobile platforms with diverse characteristics and resource limits, and demonstrated that our design can efficiently support generic resource sharing among heterogeneous mobile devices without incurring significant system overhead or requiring individual system modification.
'Hug sign': a new radiological sign of intraprocedural success after combined treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. A careful multidisciplinary assessment of tumor characteristics, liver function and physical status is required for proper therapeutic management. In recent years, several studies have supported the feasibility and benefit of combined therapy in the treatment of single large HCC, defined as those exceeding 3 cm in size. We present a case of combined treatment using radiofrequency ablation followed by trans-arterial chemoembolization with radiopaque embolic beads. The aim of this technical report was to describe the radiologic findings during combined radiofrequency ablation and radiopaque bead embolization, pointing out the differences and the potential advantages of using radiopaque beads compared with non-radiopaque beads. Furthermore, it is also the first report on using radiopaque beads in combined treatment for HCC.
Science in the Learning Gardens (SciLG): a study of students' motivation, achievement, and science identity in low-income middle schools.

Science in the Learning Gardens (henceforth, SciLG) program was designed to address two well-documented, inter-related educational problems: under-representation in science of students from racial and ethnic minority groups and inadequacies of curriculum and pedagogy to address their cultural and motivational needs. Funded by the National Science Foundation, SciLG is a partnership between Portland Public Schools and Portland State University. The sixth- through eighth-grade SciLG curriculum aligns with Next Generation Science Standards and uses school gardens as the milieu for learning. This provides the context to investigate factors that support success of a diverse student population using the motivational framework of self-determination theory. This study reports results from 113 students and three science teachers from two low-income urban middle schools participating in SciLG. Longitudinal data collected in spring of sixth grade in 2015 and fall of seventh grade in 2015 for the same set of students included a measure of students’ overall motivational experiences in the garden (that combined their reports of relatedness, competence, autonomy, and engagement and teacher-reports of re-engagement in garden-based learning activities) to predict four science outcomes: engagement, learning, science grades, and science identity. Findings suggest that garden-based activities show promise for supporting students’ engagement and learning in science classes and in fostering students’ interest in pursuing science long-term. As concern for social justice is growing based on the underachievement of students from minority groups, resurgence of the school garden movement over the last several decades provides an opportunity to tip the scales by engaging students in authentic, real-world learning of science and cultivating their interests in science with holistic garden-based learning. This study highlights the role of students’ views of themselves as competent, related, and autonomous in the garden, as well as their engagement and re-engagement in the garden, as potential pathways by which garden-based science activities can shape science motivation, learning, and academic identity in science. Findings also suggest that the motivational model based on self-determination theory can be useful in identifying some of the “active ingredients”—in pedagogy, curriculum, and social relationships—that engage students in these garden-integrated science learning activities.
Vision-based Monitoring System for Detecting Red signal crossing

Red light running is a leading cause of urban crashes that often results in injury and death. The main reason for this is when the automobile driver fails to stop at the intersections when the signal light is red, and runs over other road users. In this research a computer vision-based low cost system is proposed for continuously monitoring the vehicles crossing the intersections when the signal light is “red” with the help of video cameras placed at the intersections, and penalizing careless drivers accordingly. This monitoring system finds application at all busy intersections. By using this setup people would be more conscious of getting penalty tickets which in turn will discourage them from running red lights. This research is intended to provide a support tool for the law enforcement agencies to proactively ensure that intersections are engineered to discourage red light running.
Complications of Chiari Surgery

Suboccipital decompression for Chiari has been performed for years with a wide range of reported complications. These complications can be divided into those related to misdiagnosis, complications associated with improper surgical technique, and common complications of properly performed surgery. This chapter reviews the extant literature of reported complications of Chiari surgery.
Effect of efitbuddy on promoting physical activity and motivation in college students

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a theory-based smartphone application, efitbuddy , on college students’ physical activity and motivation. A convenience sample of 106 college students (mean age = 20.4 ± 2.8 years; 77 females) were recruited from a university located in the Northeastern U.S. Participants installed the efitbuddy application on their smartphone, and used it every day over a 2-week time period. Physical activity was measured using a self-recall questionnaire and motivational variables were collected using established surveys. All measures were collected at baseline and at a 2-week post-test time-point. A 2 × 2 Doubly Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) test was employed to test time main effect and the sex × time interaction effect on each outcome measure, using age as covariate.Results of the study indicated that there was a statistically significant multivariate model (Wilks’ = 0.87, F (12, 542.7)= 2.49, p = 0.003). Statistically significant effects included a sex main effect (F (1, 205) = 4.98, p = 0.002) and the statistical significance of the age covariate (F (3, 205) = 3.73, p = 0.012). There were no significant time main effects ( p = 0.594). To conclude, efitbuddy has limited effect on young adults’ physical activity and motivation over a 2-week intervention. Additional research with longer intervention periods should be conducted to explore potential effectiveness.
Diagnosis and Management of Ileal Pouch Disorders: Role of Abdominal and Pelvic Imaging

Abstract Abdominal imaging plays a key role in the evaluation and diagnosis of ileal pouch disorders. The main evaluation modalities include contrast pouchogram (i.e., water-soluble contrast enema and contrast defecography) and cross-sectional imaging [such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)], which are often complementary to each other and to other diagnostic modalities (such as pouchoscopy and anopouch manometry). Water-soluble contrast enema is considered the test of choice for delineating anatomic abnormalities of the pouch, while contrast defecography provides a picture of motility and function of the pouch. Cross-sectional imaging, especially MRI, is recommended for extraluminal abnormalities, such as fistula, acute and chronic anastomotic leak, and abscess.
Improving Reading within an Urban Elementary School: Computerized Intervention and Paraprofessional Factors.

Reading RACES–Relevant and Culturally Engaging Stories (RR) is a repeated reading intervention using culturally relevant literature that is delivered through computer software. This study extends p...
Wide Bandwidth, Nonmagnetic Linear Optical Isolators based on Frequency Conversion

We propose a family of nonmagnetic optical isolators based on waveguide frequency conversion and characterized by good isolation properties, high linearity, bandwidth as high as a few THz. © 2019 The Author(s)
The Capacity of Linear Computation Broadcast

The two-user computation broadcast problem is introduced as the setting where user 1 wants message W&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62; and has side information W'&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;, user 2 wants message W&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62; and has side information W&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;', and (W&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;, W'&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;, W&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;, W'&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;) may have arbitrary dependencies. The goal is to minimize the entropy H(S) of the broadcast information S that simultaneously satisfies both users' demands. It is shown that H(S) &#x003E; H(W&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;&#x007C;W'&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;) &#x002B; H(W&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;&#x007C;W'&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;)&#x2013;min (I(W&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;; W&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;, W'&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;&#x007C;W'&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;), I (W&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;; W&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;, W'&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;&#x007C;W'&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;)). Furthermore, for the linear computation broadcast problem, where W&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;, W'&#60;sub&#62;1&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;, W&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62;, W'&#60;sub&#62;2&#60;&#x002F;sub&#62; are comprised of arbitrary linear combinations of a basis set of independent symbols, the bound is shown to be tight.
Gobo: A System for Exploring User Control of Invisible Algorithms in Social Media

In recent years, there has been an unprecedented growth in content that is shared and presented on social media platforms. Along with this growth, however, there is an increasing concern over the lack of control social media users have on the content they are shown by invisible algorithms. In this paper, we introduce Gobo, an open-source social media browser system that enables users to manage and filter content from multiple platforms on their own. Gobo aims to help users control what's hidden from their feeds, add perspectives from outside their network to help them break filter bubbles, and explore why they see certain content on their feed. Through an iterative design process, we've built and deployed Gobo in the wild and conducted a pilot study in the form of a survey to understand how the users respond to the shift of control from invisible algorithms to themselves. Our initial findings suggest that Gobo has potential to provide an alternate design space to enhance control, transparency, and explainability in social media.
Massive spin-2 scattering amplitudes in extra-dimensional theories

Author(s): Chivukula, R Sekhar; Foren, Dennis; Mohan, Kirtimaan A; Sengupta, Dipan; Simmons, Elizabeth H | Abstract: In this paper we describe in detail the computation of the scattering amplitudes of massive spin-2 Kaluza-Klein excitations in a gravitational theory with a single compact extra dimension, whether flat or warped. These scattering amplitudes are characterized by intricate cancellations between different contributions: although individual contributions may grow as fast as ${\cal O}(s^5)$, the full results grow only as ${\cal O}(s)$. We demonstrate that the cancellations persist for all incoming and outgoing particle helicities and examine how truncating the computation to only include a finite number of intermediate states impacts the accuracy of the results. We also carefully assess the range of validity of the low energy effective Kaluza-Klein theory. In particular, for the warped case we demonstrate directly how an emergent low energy scale controls the size of the scattering amplitude, as conjectured by the AdS/CFT correspondence.
Research on Fault Location Method for Inter-Turn Short Circuit of Turbo-generator Rotor

The occurrence rate of inter-turn short circuit fault of turbo-generator rotor winding is high, the fault degree is serious, which will seriously affect the safe and stable operation of the generator. In order to shorten the repair time of inter-turn short circuit fault, it is necessary to study the fault detection and location technology. However, traditional fault detection methods such as DC resistance method, inter-electrode power method, AC impedance and power loss method can only find faults, and can not directly locate fault points. In this paper, a inter-turn short circuit fault location method based on repeated pulse method (RSO) is proposed, which is achieved by analyzing signal propagation time, winding symmetry and fault feature database. And the method is successfully applied in field measurement.
Understanding How to Engage Black HS Boys in Computer Science Through Tech Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Black high school (HS) boys are an untapped source for initiatives in broadening participation in computer science (CS). This article describes a five week program that employs active and problem-based learning activities to teach tech innovation and entrepreneurship to local teens in the Washington, DC, USA area. Called #WatchMeCode, the program's objective is to build black HS boys’ confidence in coding, communicating their programming skills, and rebuilding their thoughts about computer science. The program uses a constructivist pedagogical approach allowing students to build their understanding of computer science and technology through Internet-search-based history lessons, podcasts, and presentations by other black male tech entrepreneurs. Additionally, students ventured out into their community with hands-on design-thinking and customer discovery skills to observe their environment, its issues/problems, and developed new technology with their unique perspectives in mind. Results showed that participants became interested and confident in computer science by creating their own tech innovations.
Exploring \(\mathbb{Q}_p\)

The goal of this chapter is to explore the field Qp which we have just constructed. The basic idea is to get away from the explicit construction we gave above and to come up with other ways to represent and understand the elements of Qp.
Clinical Neuroscience of Addiction: What Clinical Psychologists Need to Know and Why

The last three decades in psychological research have been marked by interdisciplinary science. Addiction represents a prime example of a disorder marked by a complex interaction among psychosocial...
Current stimulation in a two-dimensional periodic bidomain

The classical bidomain model of cardiac tissue is extended by introducing a periodic intracellular conductivity to represent the junctional resistances between abutting myocytes. The response of a finite two-dimensional "periodic"-bidomain sheet of cells to a current stimulus is examined under steady-state condidtions.
Outcome Metrics in the Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures in Patients Aged Above 50 Years: A Systematic Review.

BackgroundThe inclusion of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) serves to better quantify aspects of patient outcomes missed with objective measures, including radiographic indices and physica...
Custom Terahertz Pulses for Nonlinear Vibrational Excitation

We combine THz pulses from two complimentary crystals to increase peak field strength and create a broad, smooth spectrum. We show the utility of using this strong THz pulse to nonlinearly excite vibrations in solids.
Value at Risk and Expected Stock Returns

Stock size, liquidity, and value at risk (VAR) can explain the cross-sectional variation in expected returns, but market beta and total volatility have almost no power to capture the cross-section of expected returns at the stock level. Furthermore, the strong positive relationship between average returns and VAR is robust for different investment horizons and loss-probability levels. In addition to the cross-sectional regressions at the stock level, this study used a time-series approach to test the empirical performance of VAR at the portfolio level. The results, based on 25 size/book-to-market portfolios, indicate that VAR has additional explanatory power after the characteristics of market return, size, book-to-market ratio, and liquidity are controlled for.
Simplified Fluorescent-Antibody Staining Method for Primary Plate Isolates of Group A Streptococci

Beta-hemolytic streptococci were identified from primary plates by using a simplified fluorescent-antibody staining method. There was 100% correlation between this method and standard precipitin grouping.
Confuga: scalable data intensive computing for POSIX workflows

Today's big-data analysis systems achieve performance and scalability by requiring end users to embrace a novel programming model. This approach is highly effective whose the objective is to compute relatively simple functions on colossal amounts of data, but it is not a good match for a scientific computing environment which depends on complex applications written for the conventional POSIX environment. To address this gap, we introduce Conjugal, a scalable data-intensive computing system that is largely compatible with the POSIX environment. Conjugal brings together the workflow model of scientific computing with the storage architecture of other big data systems. Conjugal accepts large workflows of standard POSIX applications arranged into graphs, and then executes them in a cluster, exploiting both parallelism and data-locality. By making use of the workload structure, Conjugal is able to avoid the long-standing problems of metadata scalability and load instability found in many large scale computing and storage systems. We show that CompUSA's approach to load control offers improvements of up to 228% in cluster network utilization and 23% reductions in workflow execution time.
Accumulation of the F plasmid TraJ protein in cpx mutants of Escherichia coli.

We report here studies of the cellular control of F plasmid TraJ protein levels, focusing on the effects of chromosomal cpx mutations. The principal conclusion from our results is that the cpx mutations impair accumulation of the TraJ protein, thereby reducing tra gene expression. We measured TraJ activity in vivo by expression of a traY9-9lacZ fusion gene and TraJ protein by immuno-overlay blot. In strains with normal TraJ levels, traY expression and donor-related functions were reduced in cells carrying any of four cpxA mutations. In the strain background used to isolate cpx mutants, these reductions were especially evident in cells grown to high density, when traY expression and donor activity both increased in cpx+ cells. In each of the four cpxA mutants tested, TraJ levels were lower than in the otherwise isogenic cpxA+ strain. In cells grown to high density, the differences ranged from 4-fold in the cpxA6 strain to > 10-fold in the cpxA2, cpxA5, and cpxA9 strains. The cpxA2 mutation had little or no effect on traY expression or on donor-related functions when TraJ was present in excess of its limiting level in F9 or Hfr cells or on a mutant traY promoter whose expression in vivo was independent of TraJ. Images
The immunosuppressant FK506 increases the rate of axonal regeneration in rat sciatic nerve

The axonal regenerative properties of the new immunosuppressant drug FK506 (tacrolimus) are further explored in this continuing study. In an initial report (Gold et al., 1994a), we described the ability of FK506 to reduce the time until return of function in the hind feet of rats following a sciatic nerve crush. In the present study, we examined the morphological correlate underlying this enhancement of functional recovery. In rats receiving daily subcutaneous injections of FK506 (1.0 mg/kg) for 18 d following a sciatic nerve crush the regenerating axons appeared larger in size compared to saline-injected control animals. Morphometric analysis of axonal calibers in the soleus nerve demonstrated that mean axonal areas for the largest 30% of axons were increased over axotomized control values by 93% in the FK506-treated animals. Next, the rate of axonal regeneration was determined by radiolabeling the L5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) at 9 and 14 d following axotomy. Regression analysis of the outgrowth distances for sensory axons between 10 and 15 d revealed a 16% increase in regeneration rate. Electron microscopy of intramuscular nerve branches in the interosseus muscles confirmed that the axons in the FK506-treated animals were further advanced toward their targets; in some instances, axons were shown to reinnervate muscle spindles. The results are discussed in terms of the known ability of FK506 to inhibit the activity protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin).
Computer-aided prediction and analysis of electron and x-ray diffraction patterns

Abstract Using a personal computer, electron and x-ray diffraction patterns are analytically generated and printed to scale. The structure factor equation is used to determine which crystalline planes diffract according to the supplied crystal lattice type, atoms present and their positions in the unit cell, lattice dimension(s), crystal orientation, and radiation wavelength. Single crystal spot and Kikuchi electron diffraction patterns as well as polycrystalline ring patterns can be generated. Powder x-ray diffraction patterns are also generated using this code. Complex composite patterns are generated by overlaying multiple patterns resulting from crystallographic orientation effects. A user friendly program with a direct approach to generate diffraction patterns for any defined crystal aids in the analysis and indexing of these patterns.
The phonology of the Proto-Indo-European root structure constraints

Proto-Indo-European (PIE) roots are usually reconstructed as overwhelmingly CVC for the earliest stages. PIE is also considered to have systematically prohibited three of the nine logically possible laryngeal manner combinations among its Stop-V-Stop roots: plain voiced stops could not co-occur, nor could either order of voiced aspirates with voiceless stops. A seldom reported further observation, however, is that all Stop-V-Stop roots were very rare in PIE, representing, we calculate, only 3.5% of Pokorny's (1959) lexicon of better than 2000 entries. Irrespective of the initial consonant, the distribution of root-finals was very limited, too, as only 14% of reconstructed roots are stop-final. We interpret this pattern in terms of the cross-linguistic tendency toward final ‘opening of articulation’, such that those features are preferentially licensed to occur in the termination of the root syllable which results in more rather than less sonority. We conclude that the traditional PIE Root Structure Constraints, which have played a pivotal role throughout modern IE studies (including the current debate about the Glottalic Theory), are simply misformulated, and that their effects derive instead from more general considerations of phonological structure and markedness.
A line plastic-zone model for steady mode III crack growth in an elastic-plastic material

Steady-state quasi-static growth of a crack in the anti-plane shear mode through an elastic-plastic material is analyzed. The material is non-hardening and small-scale yielding conditions are assumed. The essential feature of the model is that the active plastic-zone is assumed to be a pair of discrete lines emanating from the crack tip out of the crack plane on which a suitable yield condition is satisfied. An exact solution is obtained for the plastic strain left in the wake of this active line plastic-zone. The extent of the plastic zone from the tip is determined to be 0.071 (kτ0)2 where k and τ0 are the remote elastic stress intensity factor and the shear flow stress, respectively, and it is found that 36% of the elastic energy flowing into the crack-tip region during growth is dissipated through plastic work and 64% is trapped as residual elastic energy in the plastic-zone wake.
Potential role of the tissue renin-angiotensin system in the pathophysiology of congestive heart failure

The circulating renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important role in the maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis. It has recently been demonstrated that endogenous RAS exist in target tissues that are important in cardiovascular regulation. This article reviews the multiple effects of angiotensin II in target tissues, the evidence for the presence of functional tissue RAS and the data that suggest a role for these tissue RAS in the pathophysiology of heart failure. Activation of circulating neurohormones is predictive of worsened survival in heart failure; however, cardiac and renal tissue RAS activities are also increased in the compensated stage of heart failure, when plasma renin-angiotensin activity is normal. It is hypothesized that the plasma RAS maintains circulatory homeostasis during acute cardiac decompensation, while changes in tissue RAS contribute to homeostatic responses during chronic sustained cardiac impairment. This concept of different functions of circulating and tissue RAS in the pathophysiology of heart failure may have important pharmacologic implications.
Dominant radial drusen and Arg345Trp EFEMP1 mutation.

Abstract PURPOSE: To report a new North American family with dominant radial drusen and Arg345Trp mutation in the EFEMP1 gene. METHODS: Clinical and molecular genetic family study. RESULTS: Four family members had macular drusen, and one had submacular fibrosis and visual loss. An Arg345Trp mutation of the EFEMP1 gene was detected in three affected family members, but not in three unaffected members. CONCLUSION: The Arg345Trp mutation remains the only cause of Doyne hereditary macular dystrophy, also known as Malattia Leventinese or radial dominant drusen.
Reproductive patterns of three intertidal salt-marsh gammaridean amphipods

Among three sympatric species of epibenthic amphipods found at different tide marks at Jamaica Bay, New York (USA), the length of time juveniles spend with the mother increases and the number of juveniles per brood decreases as tidal height increases. Each brood has two developmental periods: (1) the embryonic period, from ovulation to hatching; (2) the juvenile period, from hatching to emergence from the marsupium. Gammarus palustris, found at the high-tide mark, has a mean juvenile period of 1.7 days and a mean brood size of 12.4 offspring; G. mucronatus, found at mean-tide mark, has a mean juvenile period of 0.8 days and a mean brood size of 27.4 offspring; Melita nitida, found at low-tide mark, has a mean juvenile period of 0.5 days and a mean brood size of 30.0 offspring. Further, the range of days that a juvenile may emerge is widest for G. palustris (0 to 8 days after hatching) and narrowest for M. nitida (0 to 2 days).
Construct validity of perceptual style role of stimulus size in the embedded figures test and the rod and frame test

Three experiments were performed in order to test the construct validity of perceptual field dependence (FD) and field independence (FI). In Experiment 1, performance of subjects on two sizes of Form A of Witkin’s Embedded Figures Test (EFT) with a size-ratio of 1 to 4 was compared. The size of the standard EFT was taken as unity. A nonsignificant size effect was found for all subjects as a group, and a significant rank correlation was found between performances on the two sizes of the EFT. Furthermore, the performance of field-dependent subjects (as defined by performance on the standard EFT) and field-independent subjects did not interact significantly with the size factor. In Experiment 2, the physical size of the EFT changed from 1 to 8. A nonsignificant, overall size effect was again found, but the EFT performance of fielddependent and field-independent subjects interacted significantly with the size factor. In Experiment 3, the performance of subjects on two sizes of the EFT (i.e., 1 to 8) and two sizes of the standard rod-and-frame test (RFT) (i.e., 1 to 4.5) were compared. A significant stimulus-size effect was found in the EFT, with all subjects becoming morefield-independent, and a significant stimulus-size effect was found in the RFT with the same subjects becoming morefield-dependent. Finally, the EFT performance of the field-dependent and field-independent subjects again displayed a significant interaction with the size of the embedded figures. A parallel-serial processingstyles hypothesis is proposed to account for the EFT data.
Finite element approximations of general fully nonlinear second order elliptic partial differential equations based on the vanishing moment method

The vanishing moment method was introduced by the authors in Feng and Neilan (2009) as a reliable methodology for computing viscosity solutions of fully nonlinear second order partial differential equations (PDEs). It is based on the simple idea of approximating a "hard-to-handle" fully nonlinear second order PDE by a family (parameterized by a small parameter e ) of "easy-to-handle" quasilinear fourth order PDEs. The primary objective of this article is to present a comprehensive finite element analysis for the vanishing moment approximation of general fully nonlinear second order elliptic PDEs which fulfill some structure conditions. Abstract methodological and convergence analysis frameworks of conforming finite element methods are first developed for fully nonlinear second order PDEs in a general setting. The abstract framework is then applied to three prototypical nonlinear equations, namely, the Monge-Ampere equation, the equation of prescribed Gauss curvature, and the infinity-Laplacian equation. Numerical experiments are presented for each problem to validate the theoretical error estimate results and to gauge the efficiency of the proposed numerical methods and the vanishing moment methodology.
The Scientific Basis for Hypocalcemic Cardioplegia and Reperfusion in Cardiac Surgery

The scientific rationale for avoiding the use of calcium-enriched cardioplegic solutions and calcium supplementation during cardioplegic induction and the early phase of reperfusion in open heart surgical procedures is reviewed. The role of the extracellular and intracellular free ionized calcium concentrations during ischemia and reperfusion is explored and the biochemical effects of ischemia on calcium fluxes, adenosine triphosphate levels, and mitochondrial function are discussed. The role of calcium in causing myocardial stunning and the biochemical basis of reperfusion injury are also addressed. Both prolonged ischemia and an increased concentration of Ca 2+ during reperfusion have proved to be deleterious. I conclude on the basis of my review that there is no justification for the use of calcium chloride before and during the early phase of reperfusion and that hypocalcemic perfusion is an effective and easily controllable means of myocardial protection.
The Plausibility of a New Self: Self-Esteem From a Sociology of Knowledge Perspective

The significance of new reference groups for the maintenance of self-esteem is explored from the standpoint of Peter Berger's sociology of knowledge. Berger's perspective is used to argue that even extremely powerful experiences of self-acceptance are in desperate need of an ongoing “plausibility structure” to reinforce a new sense of self. Implications of this perspective are described for mental health professionals who attempt to help individuals maintain self-esteem.
Molecular biology: chromosome guardians on duty.

Curiously, in cell division the proper separation of chromosomes into daughter cells needs set periods when they are stuck together. So how do they come apart at the right time and place? Their ‘guardian spirits’ intercede.
Induced resistance of Gossypium australe against its most abundant folivore, Bucculatrix gossypii

Induced resistance of cultivated Gossypium to its exotic, agricultural pests is well studied but little is known about whether native cottons respond to damage by endemic herbivore populations. This study examined induced responses of Gossypium australe to its most abundant folivore, Bucculatrix gossypii. Prior damage did not affect the number of new mines initiated. Survival of miners on damaged, young leaves and cotyledons was reduced compared with survival on young leaves and cotyledons of undamaged plants. However, the induced resistance was not systemic; survival of miners on older, undamaged leaves of damaged seedlings was not different from survival on older leaves of undamaged controls. This localized induced resistance did not produce an overdispersed distribution of either mines or successful mines. On the contrary, the distributions tended towards clumped, although they were not statistically distinguishable from random. Although a localized induced response affected miner survival, no effects on behaviour were observed.
Operant conditioning of syntax in aphasia.

Abstract If an aphasic typically does not use a particular part of speech, it is of interest to ask why this is the case. This experiment was an attempt to look into that question by asking whether the patient could learn to do what he did not do spontaneously. Using an informal, operant conditioning technique which did not require him to speak, and a two-stage training procedure, the subject was taught to use prepositions and word-order to convey the nature and direction of a spatial relationship.
Do anti-immigrant sentiments track into Danish classrooms? Ethnicity, ethnicity salience, and bias in children's peer preferences

Abstract Denmark's commitment to childhood characterized by equality, democracy, and social cooperation stands in stark contrast to public discourse about immigrant children, who are sometimes branded with negative stereotypes and cast as the cause of school problems. This study examined ethnic-group membership, ethnicity salience, and peer preferences of 399 children in 21 classrooms in two Danish cities to explore whether anti-immigrant sentiments tracked into classrooms, socially marginalizing minority children, and whether any such disadvantages derived from ethnicity salience, in-group favouritism and/or out-group bias. Researchers introduced an index to control for class differences in the relative number of ethnic minority and majority children and analyzed both child as chooser and child as chosen dynamics. They found that minority/majority status was associated with in-group preference, social preference, and social status, disadvantaging minority children, especially in the smaller city. Salience was associated with minority status only. In-group preference did not correlate with out-group bias. Findings revealed potential risks and protective factors for minority children. Evidence contradicted stereotypic characterizations of minority children.
A Built-in Arginine Finger Triggers the Self-stimulatory GTPase-activating Activity of Rho Family GTPases

Signal transduction through the Rho family GTPases requires regulated cycling of the GTPases between the active GTP-bound state and the inactive GDP-bound state. Rho family members containing an arginine residue at position 186 in the C-terminal polybasic region were found to possess a self-stimulatory GTPase-activating protein (GAP) activity through homophilic interaction, resulting in significantly enhanced intrinsic GTPase activities. This arginine residue functions effectively as an "arginine finger" in the GTPase activating reaction to confer the catalytic GAP activity but is not essential for the homophilic binding interactions of Rho family proteins. The arginine 186-mediated negative regulation seems to be absent from Cdc42, a Rho family member important for cell-division cycle regulation, of lower eukaryotes, yet appears to be a part of the turn-off machinery of Cdc42 from higher eukaryotes. Introduction of the arginine 186 mutation into S. cerevisiae CDC42 led to phenotypes consistent with down-regulated CDC42 function. Thus, specific Rho family GTPases may utilize a built-in arginine finger, in addition to RhoGAPs, for negative regulation.
Issues affecting the level of prosthetics research evidence: Secondary analysis of a systematic review

Background:Systematic reviews of scientific literature are valuable sources of synthesized knowledge. Systematic review results may also be used to inform readers about challenges inherent to an area of research, guide future research efforts, and facilitate improvements in evidence quality.Objectives:To identify methodological issues that affected the overall level of scientific evidence reported in a contemporary systematic review and to offer suggestions for enhancing publications’ contribution to the overall evidence.Study design:Secondary analysis of a systematic review.Methods:Publications included in a systematic review related to microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees were analyzed with respect to established methodological quality criteria. Common issues were identified and discussed.Results:Internal validity was commonly affected by variable comparison conditions, limited justification of accommodation time, potential fatigue and learning effects, lack of blinding, small sample sizes, limite...
On changes of independent variable in dynamical systems and applications to regularization.

Independent variable changes in dynamical systems and applications to systems regularization, giving canonical and Lagrangian motion equations with tensor notation