cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The chemical composition of water trees in EPR cable insulation

The earlier observation of carboxylate ions in vented water trees in service-aged XLPE cable insulation is extended to bow-tie trees in lab-aged XLPE cable insulation, and to bow-tie and vented trees in EPR cable and slab specimens. Carboxylate anions were the major carbonyl-containing functionality in the treed regions, except for cases where ester functionalities (from antioxidants or shield materials) or aromatic carbonyl species (curative residues) had accumulated. Ketonic oxidation products were detected, but at a lower level than carboxylates. The experimental difficulty of detecting carboxylate ions in the presence of interfering absorptions from methylene blue dye and clay filler was circumvented by the use of a derivatization technique involving sulfur tetrafluoride and with hydrogen chloride, which converted carboxylate ions to acid fluorides and carboxylic acids respectively. Some examples of initiation sites for water tree formation in EPR are provided. When a particulate initiation site of bow-tie trees in EPR could be identified, a common feature was the presence of transition metal ions. >
Gene Expression Profiling of the pH Response in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli MG1655 acid-inducible genes were identified by whole-genome expression profiling. Cultures were grown to the mid-logarithmic phase on acidified glucose minimal medium, conditions that induce glutamate-dependent acid resistance (AR), while the other AR systems are either repressed or not induced. A total of 28 genes were induced in at least two of three experiments in which the gene expression profiles of cells grown in acid (pH 5.5 or 4.5) were compared to those of cells grown at pH 7.4. As expected, the genes encoding glutamate decarboxylase, gadA and gadB, were significantly induced. Interestingly, two acid-inducible genes code for small basic proteins with pIs of >10.5, and six code for small acidic proteins with pIs ranging from 5.7 to 4.0; the roles of these small basic and acidic proteins in acid resistance are unknown. The acid-induced genes represented only five functional grouping categories, including eight genes involved in metabolism, nine associated with cell envelope structures or modifications, two encoding chaperones, six regulatory genes, and six unknown genes. It is unlikely that all of these genes are involved in the glutamate-dependent AR. However, nine acid-inducible genes are clustered in the gadA region, including hdeA, which encodes a putative periplasmic chaperone, and four putative regulatory genes. One of these putative regulators, yhiE, was shown to significantly increase acid resistance when overexpressed in cells that had not been preinduced by growth at pH 5.5, and mutation of yhiE decreased acid resistance; yhiE could therefore encode an activator of AR genes. Thus, the acid-inducible genes clustered in the gadA region appear to be involved in glutatmate-dependent acid resistance, although their specific roles remain to be elucidated.
GENETICS OF SOMATIC MAMMALIAN CELLS : I. DEMONSTRATION OF THE EXISTENCE OF MUTANTS WITH DIFFERENT GROWTH REQUIREMENTS IN A HUMAN CANCER CELL STRAIN (HELA).

The parental HeLa cell population, a morphologically uniform, human cancer cell strain, grown for several years in tissue culture by procedures always involving massive inocula, has been shown to contain different mutant cell types. Two clonal lines have been isolated and established as reliable stock cultures. Both strains exhibit 100 per cent plating efficiency in high or low serum concentrations in the presence of a feeder system. In the absence of a feeder system and in low serum concentrations, the two strains are quantitatively differentiable: S3 still exhibits 100 per cent plating efficiency, while that of S1 lies in the neighborhood of zero. These differences have remained stable throughout 100 successive generations of growth of each strain including 2 single cell isolations. Application of these techniques to studies in the genetics of mammalian somatic cells and to specific cell-cell interactions has been indicated.
On the rheology of dilative granular media: Bridging solid- and fluid-like behavior

A new rate-dependent plasticity model for dilative granular media is presented, aiming to bridge the seemingly disparate solid- and fluid-like behavioral regimes. Up to date, solid-like behavior is typically tackled with rate-independent plasticity models emanating from Mohr–Coulomb and Critical State plasticity theory. On the other hand, the fluid-like behavior of granular media is typically treated using constitutive theories amenable to viscous flow, e.g., Bingham fluid. In our proposed model, the material strength is composed of a dilation part and a rate-dependent residual strength. The dilatancy strength plays a key role during solid-like behavior but vanishes in the fluid-like regime. The residual strength, which in a classical plasticity model is considered constant and rate-independent, is postulated to evolve with strain rate. The main appeal of the model is its simplicity and its ability to reconcile the classic plasticity and rheology camps. The applicability and capability of the model are demonstrated by numerical simulation of granular flow problems, as well as a classical shear banding problem, where the performance of the continuum model is compared to discrete particle simulations and physical experiment. These results shed much-needed light onto the mechanics and physics of granular media at various shear rates.
Paraguay and the Triple Alliance: The Postwar Decade, 1869-1878

Preface 1. End of the Paraguayan War 2. The Stricken Nation 3. Politics and Diplomacy, 1869-1870 4. The Provisional Government in Power 5. The Convention of 1870 6. Politics and Diplomacy, 1870-1871 7. Crises of 1872 8. Rails, Loans, and Immigrants 9. Paraguayan Society in the Postwar Decade 10. Jovellanos and the Plots of 1872-1873 11. The Triumph of Juan Bautista Gill 12. In the Toils of the Past 13. Diplomacy and Revolution, 1875-1876 14. End of an Era 15. Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index
Enhanced target detection using stereoscopic imaging radar

An earlier correspondence reported experiments which suggested that the visibility of a target in clutter could be improved through stereoscopic viewing of high resolution radar images. Here we provide a more thorough discussion on the application of stereo for improving radar detection and recognition. Experiments are reported which confirm and extend the earlier reported results. An example of the use of stereo in a practical system is provided which demonstrates the potential for acquisition of high quality radar stereograms. >
Medical Staff Involvement in Nursing Homes Development of a Conceptual Model and Research Agenda

Medical staff (physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants) involvement in nursing homes (NH) is limited by professional guidelines, government policies, regulations, and reimbursements, creating bureaucratic burden. The conceptual NH Medical Staff Involvement Model, based on our mixed methods research, applies the Donabedian structure-process-outcomes framework to the NH identifying measures for a coordinated research agenda. Quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews conducted with medical directors, administrators and directors of nursing, other experts, residents and family members and Minimum Data Set, the Online Certification and Reporting System and Medicare Part B claims data related to NH structure, process and outcomes were analyzed. NH control of medical staff, or structure, affects medical staff involvement in care processes and is associated with better outcomes (e.g. symptom management, appropriate transitions, satisfaction). The Model identifies measures clarifying the impact of NH medical staff involvement on care processes and resident outcomes and has strong potential to inform regulatory policies.
SLEEPLESS, a Ly-6/neurotoxin family member, regulates the levels, localization and activity of Shaker

Drosophila mutants that have defective Shaker K+ channel or SLEEPLESS, a GPI-anchored protein of Ly-6/neurotoxin family, have very short sleep cycles. Here the authors show that SLEEPLESS binds to Shaker to regulate its localization, membrane excitability and homeostatic sleep drive.
Erosion‐Indicating Thermal Barrier Coatings Using Luminescent Sublayers

A successful approach to producing thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) that are self-indicating for location and depth of erosion is presented. Erosion indication is demonstrated in electron-beam physical vapor-deposited (EB-PVD) TBCs consisting of 7 wt% yttria-stabilized zirconia (7YSZ) with europium-doped and terbium-doped sublayers. Multiple-ingot deposition was utilized to deposit doped layers with sharp boundaries in dopant concentration without disrupting the columnar growth that gives EB-PVD TBCs their desirable strain tolerance. TBC-coated specimens were subjected to alumina-particle-jet erosion, and the erosion depth was indicated under ultraviolet illumination by the luminescence associated with the sublayers exposed by erosion. Sufficiently distinct luminescent sublayer boundaries were retained to maintain an effective erosion-indicating capability even after annealing free-standing TBCs at 1400°C for 100 h.
Phase I trial of anti-PSMA designer T-cell autografting in prostate cancer

e16132 Background: We created chimeric immunoglobulin-T cell receptors (IgTCR) specific for prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA). When expressed in patient T cells, these “designer T cells” sp...
How retrotransposons shape genome regulation

Retrotransposons are mutagenic units able to move within the genome. Despite many defenses deployed by the host to suppress potentially harmful activities of retrotransposons, these genetic units have found ways to meld with normal cellular functions through processes of exaptation and domestication. The same host mechanisms targeting transposon mobility allow for expansion and rewiring of gene regulatory networks on an evolutionary time scale. Recent works demonstrating retrotransposon activity during development, cell differentiation and neurogenesis shed new light on unexpected activities of transposable elements. Moreover, new technological advances illuminated subtler nuances of the complex relationship between retrotransposons and the host genome, clarifying the role of retroelements in evolution, development and impact on human disease.
Protocol: transient expression system for functional genomics in the tropical tree Theobroma cacao L.

Theobroma cacao L., the source of cocoa, is a crop of significant economic value around the world. To facilitate the study of gene function in cacao we have developed a rapid Agrobacterium-mediated transient genetic transformation protocol. Here we present a detailed methodology for our transformation assay, as well as an assay for inoculation of cacao leaves with pathogens. Agrobacterium tumefaciens cultures are induced then vacuum-infiltrated into cacao leaves. Transformation success can be gauged 48 h after infiltration by observation of green fluorescent protein and by qRT-PCR. We clarify the characteristics of cacao leaf stages and demonstrate that our strategy efficiently transforms leaves of developmental stage C. The transformation protocol has high efficacy in stage C leaves of four of eight tested genotypes. We also present the functional analysis of cacao chitinase overexpression using the transient transformation system, which resulted in decreased pathogen biomass and lesion size after infection with Phytophthora tropicalis. Leaves expressing transgenes of interest can be used in subsequent functional genetic assays such as pathogen bioassay, metabolic analysis, gene expression analysis etc. This transformation protocol can be carried out in 1 day, and the transgenes expressing leaf tissue can be maintained in petri dishes for 5–7 days, allowing sufficient time for performance of additional downstream gene functional analysis. Application of these methods greatly increases the rapidity with which candidate genes with roles in defense can be tested.
INDUCTION THE HARD WAY

The instructor sees that the student has discovered a way of proving P(N) without induction in roughly 2VNK steps. Can we do any better? That is, under the given restrictions, how short can a proof of P(N) be? The purpose of this note is to explore a few aspects of that question. The more-or-less optimal answer, given in Theorem 2 below, is a common piece of folklore among experts in the branch of logic known as proof theory, but it does not seem to be widely known elsewhere, even among other logicians. This omission is both surprising and unfortunate, since the question is simple and natural, and one direction of the solution (proving the best answer known, although not proving that it is the best) does not even require any specialized knowledge of logic. The proof presented here seems to be far simpler than any that can currently be dug out of the literature. First, let us make the ground rules precise: working in first-order logic, whether formally or informally, we may use any fact whatsoever about the natural numbers themselves, but we may not apply the principle of induction to any formula
First results from the Far-Infrared Beamline at the Canadian Light Source

A beamline for high resolution far infrared spectroscopy is being commissioned at the CLS in Saskatoon. Significant increases in brightness are observed compared to conventional sources, but noise remains an issue for the synchrotron beam.
SIMULATION TOOLS FOR THE ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF BASE CONSTRUCTION

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), for the majority of its highway projects, specifies base option group(s) from which successful bidders must choose. Each group contains several options of material types with corresponding thicknesses. Among the several options, the choice usually comes down to an aggregate (usually limerock) base or a hot-mix asphalt (HMA) base. In the past, deciding which alternative method to use was typically based on a direct cost comparison derived from unit prices of materials, labor, and equipment. When using only this direct cost parameter, the limerock alternative almost always appears to be the most costeffective. However, when interviewed, many FDOT practitioners felt that other parameters should be taken into consideration when calculating the true costs of both options and determining the best alternative. Often, the researcher or practitioner knows the cost and construction duration of one of the options, but not the others. The need for such information on all options led to the development of the Structural Number Method (SNM). Using the SNM, base construction using the alternative method(s) may be simulated. To expedite the process of simulation, a computer-based simulation model was generated that will simulate the construction of bases using materials whose cost and duration are known – and those for which this information is not available. The model will then render an opinion as to which method should be used. This model is known as the base economic analysis tool (BEAT). This paper introduces the BEAT and the SNM, two innovations to productivity and cost analysis in the area of highway base construction and explains what circumstances caused the much less-expensive material to sometimes have the higher total cost.
Cohesion of crystals and the temperature coefficient of their equilibrium surface pressure

Surface tensionγe of mercury in equilibrium with crystals (floating on its surface) of octacosane, 1-hexadecanol, 1-octadecanol, ethyl palmitate, benzophenone and azoxybenzene at 7° is almost equal to that at 23° (measured earlier); also the difference between the surface tension (γ0) of uncontaminated mercury andγe (i. e., equilibrium surface pressure) is independent of temperature within the limits of the experimental error. This shows that the hypothesis makingγ0-γe an analog of the vapor pressure of the solid is incorrect. The relationγe=ξδ (ξ=cohesion of the crystal,δ=thickness of the surface layer of mercury) is in agreement with the negligible temperature coefficient ofγ e . The calculatedδ is approximately 9 angstroems.
Ornithine decarboxylase and polyamines in liver and kidneys of rats on cyclical regimen of protein-free and protein-containing diets. Relationship to deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in liver

1. The activity of ornithine decarboxylase in the liver and kidneys of rats maintained on a cyclical regimen of protein-free and protein-containing diets was investigated. There was a daily activation of the enzyme in response to the feeding of protein after 3 days feeding of protein-free diet. 2. The activation of ornithine decarboxylase in the liver and kidneys of rats re-fed on protein was demonstrable throughout 16 cycles of alternating 3-day periods of protein-free and protein-containing diets. The magnitude of the activation in the kidneys diminished from 20-fold stimulation in the first cycle to 5-fold stimulation (compared with animals fed with protein-free diet) in the later cycles of protein re-feeding. The activation of the enzyme in liver was decreased from 20-fold stimulation in the first cycle to approx. 10-fold stimulation in later cycles. 3. The concentration of spermidine was increased by approx. 50% in the liver of animals during cycling from protein-free to protein-containing diets. Spermine was unchanged, and putrescine was maintained at a low concentration approx. one-fifth to one-tenth that of spermidine after protein re-feeding. 4. The incorporation of [(3)H]thymidine into liver DNA was increased 10-fold in animals re-fed with protein compared with animals receiving protein-free diets. 5. The activation of ornithine decarboxylase by re-feeding of protein was inhibited 90% by the injection of propane-1,3-diamine during re-feeding. The stimulation of DNA synthesis was inhibited 60% by multiple injections of propane-1,3-diamine during the re-feeding of protein.
Self adaptive filter based on improved LMS algorithm

LMS algorithm is widely used in self adaptive filter,but there are still some problems to overcome,such as being too sensitive to noise,slow convergence speed. Based on the traditional LMS algorithm,we put forward an improved LMS algorithm,ie,to adjust the value of the step length by means of the associated value of the error signal,changing the traditional step length update expressions,so as to enhance and improve the performance of LMS algorithms. MATLAB-based software simulation results show that the error of the self adaptive filter which is established by the improved LMS algorithm is less than 8.6×10-3,and the convergence speed is greater,it can significantly reduce the impact of noise on the LMS algorithm.
Anatomic variations and corresponding surgical techniques of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection

Objective To describe the anatomic variations of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) and its corresponding surgical techniques.Methods A total of 143 TAPVC subjects were hospitalized from April 1981 to July 2010. Those patients with other complex congenital heart diseases, such as transposition of great artery and single ventricle, were excluded. A pathological diagnosis was made by echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, catheterization and intra-operative findings.The specific types of TAPVC were as follows:supra-cardiac (49.7%, 71/143), cardiac (40.6%, 58/143), infra-cardiac (4.2%, 6/143) and mixed (5.6%, 8/143). The subtypes were classified by the pathway of common confluence, distribution of pulmonary vein and their orifice site.The techniques of surgical repairs included modified Warden procedure and pulmonary vein transplantation.Results The patients with supra-cardiac type were further divided into 4 subtypes according to the course of vertical veins and their orifice site:right and left veins forming a common confluence, then draining into vertical and innominate veins (n=65);common confluence of pulmonary vein drainage into superior vena cava through a short vertical vein at the right pulmonary hilus (n=3);right and left pulmonary veins separately draining into superior vena cava (n=2);common confluence draining into innominate vein through a right path beside trachea (n=1). Cardiac types were further divided into 3 subtypes:coronary sinus (n=20), right atrium (n=37) and right atrium & sinus (n=1). Infra-cardiac type had no subtype. Mixed type was more complex and it was further divided into 3 subtypes:bilateral & symmetrical connection (right 2 + left 2, n=5);bilateral & asymmetrical connection (3+1, n=3). Surgical repairs were performed on 135 patients. The surgical mortality of TAPVC was 5.9% (8/135). And there was no late death. The major causes of death were pulmonary infection and low cardiac output syndrome.Conclusion A detailed classification of TAPVC is of great importance for surgical approaches and methodological designs. And an individualized surgical plan yields excellent patient outcomes. Key words: Heart disease, congenital; Pulmonary veins; Pathological conditions, anatomical; Operation
Extracting patient demographics and personal medical information from online health forums.

Natural language processing has been successfully leveraged to extract patient information from unstructured clinical text. However the majority of the existing work targets at obtaining a specific category of clinical information through individual efforts. In the midst of the Health 2.0 wave, online health forums increasingly host abundant and diverse health-related information regarding the demographics and medical information of patients who are either actively participating in or passively reported at these forums. The potential categories of such information span a wide spectrum, whose extraction requires a systematic and comprehensive approach beyond the traditional isolated efforts that specialize in harvesting information of single categories. In this paper, we develop a new integrated biomedical NLP pipeline that automatically extracts a comprehensive set of patient demographics and medical information from online health forums. The pipeline can be adopted to construct structured personal health profiles from unstructured user-contributed content on eHealth social media sites. This paper describes key aspects of the pipeline as well as reports experimental results that show the system’s satisfactory performance in accomplishing a series of NLP tasks of extracting patient information from online health forums.
Probing Site-Specific Structural Information of Peptides at Model Membrane Interface In Situ

Isotope labeling is a powerful technique to probe detailed structures of biological molecules with a variety of analytical methods such as NMR and vibrational spectroscopies. It is important to obtain molecular structural information on biological molecules at interfaces such as cell membranes, but it is challenging to use the isotope labeling method to study interfacial biomolecules. Here, by individually 13C═16O labeling ten residues of a peptide, Ovispirin-1, we have demonstrated for the first time that a site-specific environment of membrane associated peptide can be probed by the submonolayer surface sensitive sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy in situ. With the peptide associated with a single lipid bilayer, the sinusoidal trend of the SFG line width and peak-center frequency suggests that the peptide is located at the interface beneath the lipid headgroup region. The constructive interferences between the isotope labeled peaks and the main peptide amide I peak contributed by th...
Conclusion: Empire and State

Empire is one of the most evocative words in the political vocabulary, suggesting as it does a wide range of political situations. In a general sense, it suggests some great territorial expanse, inhabited by a wide variety of peoples. More specifically, to the Greeks, empire meant the vast reaches of the Persian Empire. To later generations of Europeans, empire could mean Roman rule over the known world, a vision of Roman legionnaires marching across the Mediterranean littoral, bringing all they encountered under imperial domination. To the biblically inclined, empire recalled the series of great powers that marked the stages of God’s plan for mankind.
Laboratory diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism

Although considerable effort has gone into the development and modernization of indirect parathyroid function tests, recent experience indicates that they do not possess adequate diagnostic specificity or sensitivity to provide a definitive diagnosis of HPT when they are most needed, that is, in mild or intermittent hypercalcemia. Conversely, in most research and some commercial laboratories, the combination of hypercalcemia and an elevated mid-molecule or intact PTH level will be diagnostic in more than 90% of patients.
Understanding the role of sensory processing in occupation: An updated discourse with cognitive neuroscience

ABSTRACTThe association between sensory processing and occupation remains an understudied concept in occupational science, although the sensory system plays an integral role in connection and interaction between the individual and his or her surroundings. As neurocognitive theories of sensory processing continue to develop, there is great potential to consider the extent to which these findings can help to inform knowledge of occupation as well. This information may be harnessed to explore constructs such as meaning making, engagement in occupation, social participation, and adaptation, both independently and as interactive components of a holistic individual-environment transaction. Additionally, as neuroscience begins to embrace the importance of context and the role of the body in brain functioning, occupational scientists have the opportunity to contribute their unique knowledge related to how individuals meaningfully experience and act within the world. This paper aims to introduce some of these poss...
Competing Visions of Empire in the Colonial Built Environment

Most observers in India and Britain assumed that the new imperial capital would be built in or near Delhi’s civil lines since it was the closest thing to a European community in the Delhi District. Using a golden trowel made especially for the occasion, the king and queen even laid commemorative foundation stones near the durbar site, which was located in the civil lines’ northern sector.1 To many people’s shock and bewilderment, the Government of India and its official town planning committee selected a building site to the south of the existing Indian city of Shajahanabad, effectively separating the present European community from the future capital. Rural villages, farmland, and the ruins of the Tughluk, Lodi, and Mughal empires dominated the selected area. These characteristics and the site’s dislocation from any British historical presence invited further criticism of the transfer.
Computational study of a magnetic design to improve the diagnosis of malaria: 2D model

Abstract This paper investigates the feasibility of a cost effective high gradient magnetic separation based device for the detection and identification of malaria parasites in a blood sample. The design utilizes magnetic properties of hemozoin present in malaria-infected red blood cells (mRBCs) in order to separate and concentrate them inside a microfluidic channel slide for easier examination under the microscope. The design consists of a rectangular microfluidic channel with multiple magnetic wires positioned on top of and underneath it along the length of the channel at a small angle with respect to the channel axis. Strong magnetic field gradients, produced by the wires, exert sufficient magnetic forces on the mRBCs in order to separate and concentrate them in a specific region small enough to fit within the microscope field of view at magnifications typically required to identify the malaria parasite type. The feasibility of the device is studied using a model where the trajectories of the mRBCs inside the channel are determined using first-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) solved numerically using a multistep ODE solver available within MATLAB. The mRBCs trajectories reveal that it is possible to separate and concentrate the mRBCs in less than 5 min, even in cases of very low parasitemia (1–10 parasites/µL of blood) using blood sample volumes of around 3 µL employed today.
Cord blood as a potential therapeutic for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive motor neuron degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. Treatment options are limited due to the complexity of underlying disease factors. Cell therapy, using human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) cells may be a promising new treatment for ALS, mainly by providing a protective microenvironment for motor neuron survival.Areas covered: Composition, in vitro and in vivo differentiation of hUCB cells, and the advantages of cord blood as a source of transplant cells are discussed. A brief history of hUCB in treatment of an ALS animal model and the feasibility of these cells in therapy for ALS patients is provided. Current ALS clinical trials are also deliberated.Expert opinion: Among multiple advantages, hUCB cells’ production of various anti-inflammatory/growth/trophic factors makes them an attractive cell source for ALS therapy. Biodistribution and optimal hUCB cell dose for transplantation...
Geo-Social Analytics Based on Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Marijuana-Related Tweets

In the United States, marijuana is considered illegal in several states, whereas some states have decriminalized certain amounts and others have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational uses. We have created a novel approach that examines if state policy on marijuana impacts the amount and type of conversations regarding marijuana on Twitter, as well as the social networks of the those who contribute to marijuana conversations. The findings in this research may be useful for research in policy reform, law enforcement, and public health.
Methylene blue prevents hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in cats.

The influence of methylene blue, an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase, on responses to ventilatory and precapillary hypoxia was investigated in the intact-chest cat under conditions of control...
Foreign Currency: Accounting, Communication and Management of Risks

We obtain survey responses from 168 North American CFOs and interview 16 of them to understand (i) how foreign currency exposure is measured and reported inside and outside the firm; (ii) how goal setting, performance evaluation and compensation of managers reflect exchange rate impacts, (iii) what specific currency exposures firms hedge and why? To develop expected answers to these questions, we provide a series of exhibits of hypothetical transactions at, and financial reports for, the foreign subsidiary. We benchmark these theoretical insights against the survey responses and uncover several questionable managerial choices. First, although no performance measure is insulated from a currency impact, a large majority of senior managers and board members only review translated USD data, especially cash flows, that are fraught with significant measurement error. Second, companies are more likely to communicate, both inside and outside, the currency impact on net income and revenue but not on operating costs, operating cash flows and the foreign subsidiary’s balance sheet. Hence, decision makers, especially investors, will be unable to readily isolate the portion of the firm’s performance attributable to currency changes. Third, many of the current practices used to (i) set budgeted exchange rates for planning; (ii) hold local managers accountable for currency fluctuations; and (iii) manage foreign currency risk are inconsistent both with one another and with theory. We hope our work furthers the understanding of currency exposure among students, academics and practitioners.
Are two spaces better than one? The effect of spacing following periods and commas during reading.

The most recent edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) Manual states that two spaces should follow the punctuation at the end of a sentence. This is in contrast to the one-space requirement from previous editions. However, to date, there has been no empirical support for either convention. In the current study, participants performed (1) a typing task to assess spacing usage and (2) an eye-tracking experiment to assess the effect that punctuation spacing has on reading performance. Although comprehension was not affected by punctuation spacing, the eye movement record suggested that initial processing of the text was facilitated when periods were followed by two spaces, supporting the change made to the APA Manual. Individuals’ typing usage also influenced these effects such that those who use two spaces following a period showed the greatest overall facilitation from reading with two spaces.
Mechanism and site dependency of intestinal mucosal transport and metabolism of thymidine analogues.

This study has been undertaken to investigate the mechanisms of intestinal mucosal transport and metabolism of thymidine analogues and to identify any optimal site(s) of the rat intestine particularly involved in the absorption of thymidine analogues. The intestinal absorption of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) was studied at three initial concentrations in four segments of the rat intestine using an in situ recirculating perfusion technique. Disappearance of AZT followed first-order kinetics throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract at all tested concentrations. The apparent first-order rate constants were found to be relatively invariant over a broad range of concentrations from 0.01 to 1.0 mM. Corrected for the length of each segment, the apparent permeability (P app) of AZT was 3.01 ± 0.32 × 10−5 cm/sec (mean ± SE) in the duodenum, 2.06 ± 0.24 × 10−5 cm/sec in the upper jejunum, 0.76 0.13 × 10−5 cm/sec in the combined lower jejunum and ileum, and 0.32 ± 0.10 × 10−5 cm/sec in the colon, which indicated that intrinsic absorptivity was greater in the upper GI tract than in the lower portions possibly due to the differences in surface area for absorption. No AZT metabolite appeared in any part of the GI tract. On the other hand, thymidine and other analogues, i.e., 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine and 2′-deoxyuridine, were rapidly metabolized into nucleobase and sugar in the upper GI tract, whereas in the colon no metabolite appeared. A free 3′-OH group appears to be necessary for the metabolism (catabolism) of thymidine analogues in the rat intestine mainly by pyrimidine nu-cleoside phosphorylase. Finally, bile salt-acylcarnitine mixed micelles appeared to be an effective adjuvant in promoting colonic absorptions of AZT and phenol red. The use of mixed micelles increased the apparent permeabilities of AZT in the colon by a factor of 5.4, and for phenol red the permeability increased from a negligible value to 1.76 × 10−5 cm/sec. Since the absorptions of both AZT and phenol red were enhanced by mixed micelles, a paracel-lular transport pathway may be involved.
Optimally Designed Subsidies for Achieving Carbon Emissions Targets in Electric Power Systems

One of the major contributors to global warming is the amount of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) released from burning fossil fuel (primarily coal) as a by-product of the production of electric energy. Imposing carbon taxes to mitigate the emissions from the electricity sector is a well-established method to counteract the detrimental effects of CO 2 on the environment. This added tax, however, has a negative impact on the economy and wholesale electricity prices. A fact that is more evident when regulating authorities set higher reduction targets which require a higher tax rate. This paper proposes a framework in which regulating authorities can use the revenue from the levied taxes to subsidize more expensive producers that have lower CO 2 emissions, allowing them to be more competitive in the day-ahead energy market. The problem is formulated as a bilevel optimization in which the upper level represents the regulating authority whose objective function is to minimize the total cost of subsidies given to producers and the lower level represents the day-ahead market clearing process. This nonlinear bilevel model is then transformed into a mixed-integer linear programming problem that can be solved using commercial tools. Numerical studies demonstrate that implementing the proposed approach would make it possible to achieve any feasible emissions target at a much lower tax rate.
Evaluation of Early Allograft Function in Donor HCV-Positive to Recipient HCV-Negative Cardiac Transplantation Managed with Preemptive Direct Acting Antiviral Therapy

Purpose Donor availability has continued to be a major issue limiting the number of cardiac transplantations in the United States. Given this shortage, it is necessary to consider strategies aimed at increasing the donor pool. We sought to evaluate the expanded use of hepatitis C virus (HCV) donor hearts, and characterize early allograft function in HCV-negative patients receiving pre-emptive anti-viral therapy following receipt of an HCV-infected donor heart. Methods Patients who underwent heart transplantation with HCV-positive donors at our institution between November 2017 and October 2018 were studied. Invasive hemodynamic and echocardiographic data were collected from routine scheduled post-transplant procedures. Intensive care unit (ICU) time, time on inotropes and time until discharge were evaluated from the index hospitalization for heart transplantation and compared to data from our center in patients receiving non-HCV hearts between January 2016 and June 2018. Results In total, there have been 23 recipients of donor HCV-positive heart transplants. Cardiac allograft and patient survival has been 100% at a median of 114 (IQR 81-190) days post-transplant. The average time on inotropes was 4.7±3.3 days in recipients of donor HCV-positive heart transplants, average time spent in the ICU was 7.2±4 days in the study group compared with 7.8±7.8 days in patients receiving non-HCV hearts and the average time to discharge was 19 ± 9 days in the study group compared with 21±22 days in patients receiving non-HCV hearts (both p>0.05). Among 80 echocardiograms done on or after post-operative day 2 in recipients of HCV-positive donor hearts, the ejection fraction (EF) was 65±9% with a single value falling below 50% (45%) that normalized 6 days later. One and 8-week hemodynamic values, respectively, were as follows: right atrial pressure of 7±5 and 5±3 mmHg, mean pulmonary arterial pressure of 20±7 and 20±6 mmHg, mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 14±6 and 11±5 mmHg, and cardiac index of 2.8±0.8 and 2.9±0.4 L/min/m2. Conclusion In this single-center prospective study, patients who received preemptive direct-acting antiviral therapy following receipt of an HCV-positive donor heart demonstrated preserved early allograft function post-transplant.
What Does It Mean to Be an Interventional Radiologist? SIR and the Private Practice Initiative

The new interventional radiology (IR) residency training pathways seek to graduate physicians who are not only experts at imaging and technically savvy but clinically oriented doctors capable of preprocedural workup and postprocedural care. The goal is for compassionate IRs who are holistic in their treatment of the patient and their disease, not just an expert at the procedure. However, much of this new envisioned approach for the modern IR is contradicted by the stark reality that most IRs in practice today (and most of the job market) are in private practice, where resources for clinical care in reality may not be prioritized as much in this idealistic scenario. The Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) has recently made it a priority to represent the unique needs and frustrations of IRs in private practice and hopefully find a solution to the imminent reality that is facing most practicing IRs and future graduates.
Essay: A New Law Enforcement Agenda for a New Attorney General

President Donald Trump’s decision to dismiss U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions generated considerable legal and political controversy. The foci of debate have been whether the President could lawfully appoint Sessions’s chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, as Acting Attorney General and whether Whitaker was likely to dismiss Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the attorney appointed to investigate Russia’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election. Lost in the wrangling over those matters is the issue whether the next attorney general should re-examine the direction of federal law enforcement. No attorney general has undertaken a comprehensive review of that enterprise for the last fifty years, and members of Congress, scholars, and practitioners have dis-agreed over the proper course. It is important for the next attorney general to consider taking up that issue even if all he does is start the conversation. The purpose of this essay is to facilitate that discussion by identifying three issues that the new attorney general should ask the Justice Department, the bench, the bar, the academy, and the public to ponder: (1) On what crimes should federal law enforcement focus? (2) Which federal law enforcement agency should be responsible for each category of those offenses? (3) How should we measure a federal law enforcement agency’s success?
Positive family history decreases diagnosis time by over 200.

Hereditary amyloidosis can be difficult to diagnose due to the paucity of specific symptoms. Assessing the family history has been suggested as a key component of identifying this condition [1]; ho...
Effect of phosphorus on soot formation and flame retardancy in fires

Abstract The mechanism by which phosphorus imparts flame retardancy to a burning polymeric solid remains controversial because of the complex coupling of gas and condensed phase reactions. To address that, an organophosphorous compound was mixed into epoxy at different concentrations and burned under diffusion flame conditions. The yield of carbon monoxide and soot was found to increase in the presence of phosphorus, significantly reducing the combustion efficiency. The reduction in heat release was attributed to a heterogeneous mechanism that promotes soot formation. Phosphorus does not exhibit a noticeable effect on soot morphology. Element analysis reveals that 75% of phosphorus in the virgin sample is incorporated into soot particles. More aromatic structures were identified under the influence of phosphorus. Soot surface reactivity was found to decrease as phosphorus loading increases. The main flame retardancy mechanism of phosphorus is through promoting soot formation in the gas phase. It is speculated that it increases direct condensation of aromatic structures in the soot formation path and decreases the number of the active sites on the particle surface for soot oxidation. The increased soot yield cools the flame by radiative heat loss, further hindering the dehydrogenation process that converts nascent soot to mature soot.
CREB Non-autonomously Controls Reproductive Aging through Hedgehog/Patched Signaling

Evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways are crucial for adjusting growth, reproduction, and cell maintenance in response to altered environmental conditions or energy balance. However, we have an incomplete understanding of the signaling networks and mechanistic changes that coordinate physiological changes across tissues. We found that loss of the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) transcription factor significantly slows Caenorhabditis elegans' reproductive decline, an early hallmark of aging in many animals. Our results indicate that CREB acts downstream of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) Sma/Mab pathway in the hypodermis to control reproductive aging, and that it does so by regulating a Hedgehog-related signaling factor, WRT-10. Overexpression of hypodermal wrt-10 is sufficient to delay reproductive decline and oocyte quality deterioration, potentially acting via Patched-related receptors in the germline. This TGF-β-CREB-Hedgehog signaling axis allows a key metabolic tissue to communicate with the reproductive system to regulate oocyte quality and the rate of reproductive decline.
The Underlying Paths of Participation

This interactive workshop aims at exploring the theme of PDC 2020: “Participation(s) otherwise”. “The underlying paths of participation” refers to a shift of attention from engagement with communities in participatory design, to the inward space of the designer or researcher. In doing so, this encounter will explore different meanings of participation and design from varied lived experiences of design students and practitioners. The workshop bridges knowledge in the creative practices with feminist research and action, specifically focusing on notions of reflexivity and positionality. Participants will discuss, reflect and materialize their ideas in the form of a collective accordion book and an exhibition of the same at the end of the session. As a feminist and political practice, the session brings together different forms of knowledge that are usually restricted from academic publishing, as memory, feelings, craft and body expression.
Social and Economic Conditions for Wilderness Protection in Europe: Case of Šumava National Park, Czech Republic

Wilderness protection in Sumava National Park (NP) is full of conflicts. There are conflicts regarding the non-intervention zones, conflicts in relation to periodically recurring bark beetle calamities and conflicts with a new zonation proposal suggesting to increase the area of non-intervention zones up to 27.7% of the total area of NP. In general, all these conflicts described above are based on the cultural construction of wilderness connected with the historical picture of Sumava from the beginning of the nineteenth century. There occur some key duality points that exist in endless debates about wilderness in Sumava NP. showing the power of this cultural construction and its misuses. These dualities could be labeled as wilderness under human control. Cultural construction of wilderness in Sumava NP. is static and it is based on consumerism. A long-term perspective is often missing in the debate about the future of the Sumava wilderness. Patience with natural long-term processes is missing too. We suppose that case of Sumava National Park could serve as an example how important is the knowledge of historical, cultural and social-economic context of wilderness, for solving of existing difficulties and conflicts with wilderness protection.